Morph's reassurances bring a wide grin to the little girl's face. After hugging each member of the group, including Bull, she settles down between Rune and Denasa, showing them what's good to eat and what's just so-so.
Prince Marulas answers each question as best he can.
"This used to be just a dead end tunnel, until I discovered this place, this earth node. The weave is stronger here, and I have spent much time studying its effects and harnessing its power. I've learned to tap into the earth node's power, and use it to enhance my own arcane abilities. This has been my secret refuge for many years. I have set up spells to hide us here, which I need to replenish every day.
"When the illithid came, our escape route was blocked. So I led everyone I could through the back alleys, to the tunnel, to here, my secret sanctuary. Our strongest and bravest held back the advancing enemy during our retreat. Only Rosvan came with us, though he wished to stay and fight.
"We did see those strange creatures, those humanoid shapeshifters you describe. They ran up the tunnel back towards the city not long before you arrived."
Prince Marulas pauses, and seems to go into a deep reverie, before continuing.
"I have seen those creatures before, in their natural form. In the caverns deep below our city is a chasm. This chasm is filled with horrible poisonous vapors, so it is a rare creature indeed who travels down the chasm. In my younger days, my father led an expedition down that chasm to explore. I went with them.
"We created a special vessel for the journey - it is still in the city, in our keep. The chasm goes down deeper and deeper into the earth. Eventually you pass the poisonous gas, but it goes deeper and deeper still. The stones change to the strangest shapes deep below, they seem to pulse and shift around you. Finally we emerged through the roof of an enormous cavern. It is a most wondrous place, filled with strange rock formations and colors, but it is also filled with the most dangerous creatures.
"We saw many other creatures there as well. Many of the same creatures we see in the higher realms of the Underdark, aye, even illithids, though in those depths they seem to have developed slightly differently, with different cultures and societies. There were also many new creatures we had not seen before, all manner of giant vermin and wyrms.
"But there were lower levels still, vast empty caverns and giant vaults made by ancient civilizations. It is there, in those lower levels, that is where I saw those humanoid shapeshifters, clothed in shrouds of black cloth, deceptively quick with their hidden rapiers. Aye, they change shape, much as we gnomes can, but seem unnaturally skilled at it, much better than the average svirfneblin.
"The journey was dangerous, and very difficult. After that trip, our curiousity was sated, and we never ventured below the chasm of poison gas again.
"The creatures and cultures we found there had the feel of something primitive and wild. We called those lower reaches the Underdark Primeval."
Snapping out of it, Prince Marulas sighs.
"But you are weary from your battles. You may rest here as long as you like. When you are ready to go on, you need only continue following the tunnel until it reaches our city."
