Journal #23: Homecoming

Spending a month Ironfalls was actually quite relaxing. Regrettably, I did keep some information from my party, but that's just because of the problem that lies ahead of us. How does one actually break the news that by the end of this champion ordeal, that it's going to result in some cataclysm by merely being some vessel or herald of their God. They become more like their god, the idea of Ashlyn becoming some flaming angel with godlike powers is definitely a good thing. Right? I thought about breaking it to him quickly, but I couldn't think of anything like that. Both cyne and I explained information both for the artifacts and what it means to be a champion. The end of that night we received news that Cyne’s Sister had been kidnapped and was in the Underdark. After talking Cyne down from leaving right that second. We chose to go in the morning.
I was returning home.
 
Cyne was able to take us to the Underdark with some ease.
Needless to say that in returning to the Underdark we were met with a complication. Meeting one of Cyne’s informant, a rather interesting lady drow who gave a quick rundown of where people are and who might have his sister Alysia. House Umbral seemed to be our best option. In the middle of this small discussion we were interrupted causing us to hide by people outside, Cyne’s informant left with a more than thrilled Kazric. Shortly after screams could be heard from the courtyard, causing us to have to hide our evil hating paladin away so Ashlyn wouldn’t blow our cover. We donned our disguises and carefully left, leaving the house was a hard sight. The Snow Elf from the group in the adventuring party was in the process of being flesh warped.
That was a hard walk.
 
With little luck and ‘saving’ a mute elf that ran away from house Umbra. We learned that the princess was indeed was in house Umbra. You’ll understand why I wrote ‘saving’ later. With what little she did say we do know we hard working with a tiefling that isn’t Cyne. Running out of options to find Alysia Cyne reminded me that my house lives here. See barely any options left in the Underdark without going in completely blind.
I walked home to House Alas’thil.
 
It should be noted, I hate that I have to return here. I hate the notion of being here in general, the Underdark such a stupidly corrupted place where the social norm is right to be stabbed in the back.
Needless to say, I walked in and walked to what I thought was the library. Avoiding traps from my house, nothing significant happened my comrades happen to find an old family painting. Glancing at it once, I continued down the hall because I saw a pair of golden eyes grinning at his future self. We eventually ran into a billiards room, where somebody finally stopped us. Pin disguised as a small drow child climbed on the table and started to play pool. She was confronted by another adult female drow. Knowing better Cyne and I, being males kept entirely. I’ve never really thought about killing a friend before, but I’m not going to lie and say the thought wasn’t there in this current moment.
Lirien plucked Pin from the other females arms, and she began to question Lirien, which didn’t hold up. Lirien Apologizes to the female drow alerting her to our outsider presence. I stepped in baring my champion mark explaining what it meant, this dark elf said champions are nothing but fairy tales.
 
I wish.
Disappearing into a wall, I told Lirien that “we need to work on your drow edicate.” I was notably pissed more at Pin than Lirien, Pin should have known better than to stand out that much. Lirien will probably always have a pass on most things since I have a notable soft spot for Half Drows. Their upbringing is complicated. Pin is an impulse driving wizard which makes life more interesting. Leaving this nicely furnished and one spellcasting ooze later we press on to find information on house Umbra.
 
Checking one of the doors I ran into a music room with a single female drow who already knew I was the one to claim to the champion of their patron. This red-eyed drow dressed in all white is my younger sister. Vastestra Alas’thil easily an adult by drow standards. It was strange that she hadn’t noticed who I was at the moment. Dear little sister wanted this to be a conversation between people of the house. Surprisingly I didn’t argue with that. Pin tried to walk in with me, but I probably closed the door.
 
The conversation was surprisingly different than what I had the image. I imaged less talking and more slitting her throat in revenge. All that rage just disappeared. In this moment where I could quickly have tried to exact some sort of attack. That I had thought about since Vastestra and Rikzyr (my younger brother) betrayed me and left me enslaved by house Umbra. 60 long years I had thought about it. I could have lived on the surface and never touched my family again, that would have been fine. Yet I was here sitting down across from her. I want to stress that at that moment, everything is so small. This revenge I wanted was so little, it’s not going to every matter. Playing into this revenge would perpetuate the cycle of evil within my people's culture. How could I ever care about something as petty killing my family because of what they did to me when Gods are leading us to some sort of cataclysm.
Eventually, Vastestra noted some familiarity with my face. Leading to a minute or two of silence after I dropped my formality after she asked for my name. That minute started with my statement of “You’re smart, figure it out.”
 
After the realization of her older brother sitting from her, she questioned how I escaped from House Umbra. Lots of lucky and bodies. I’m not proud, but at least it was the drow.
 
This is the moment where I started to explain what I need, information of House Umbra and who this Tiefling. Under normal circumstance, I would have no leverage being that I am a male and my younger siblings metaphorically stabbed me in the back. These are not ‘normal’ circumstances, I made a very risky gamble. I had Vastestra call out other siblings make this a happy family reunion. She agreed, and 20 minutes later I learned a fact about my younger siblings; they're a couple. Mentally I vomited.
 
First I had to prove I wasn’t going to betray them, easy. I showed them this drow hunting party, a game some person in the capital was putting on to hunt drow. Despite my hatred to my own race, senseless slaughter is not something to have a competition about. This expressed I was at least was trying not to cause trouble by being in the Underdark and walking into this house. All I wanted was information. Secondly to ensure a level of cooperation between us I offered a deal that would benefit far more than just me. I provided my status as Andirifku’s Champion, which she had words about. I explained that I was champion I would be useless, fighting against Andirifku’s will. Somebody who’s still faithful to her would be a fair better as her Champion. Of course, it’s not my power to give, but perhaps she could gift it to somebody else. My younger siblings were fairly talkative leaving Nivinle silent. They thought I saw lying to them, which was smart of them to believe that. Till I gave myself over to that demon lord for a second.
 
It was like being plunged into an eternally dark ocean. The sensation of drowning but with slight impressions of the breath. Seconds could have been hours, I am not sure how much time was spent in that mindscape. I at least believed that the place I was in, some sort of mind prison where my subconscious is. Waking up was a treat. My younger siblings in bloody and bruised, Nivinle my eldest sister was notably unharmed. My bet might have worked under the conditions that we succeed in our quest.
 
P.S. I am rather sure my family has killed my aunt, the former Matron of House Alas’thil. Which makes my mother the current Matron, she’s sick in bed. I’m rather sure that Nivinle and the others have something to do with that.