Underdark- Unending Abyss Region
Somewhere between Nightwell Fortress and the City of Ineford

I stretched my muscles as best as I could, we were three days out of Nightwell and according to the Sergeant well on our way to Ineford. So far our only companions had been the occasional Monster encounter that spawned randomly throughout the Underdark. We had failed to encounter any organized resistance from House Dhalmass which gave me hope they only had their former settlement near Eternal Night. 

I should have kept my hopes to myself and bottled up. June and another Rogue type came jogging into the camp, both had been sent out an hour ago to scout out the nearby Underdark, and based on her face, I wasn't going to like the news. "There is a small outpost about twenty minutes away. Its House Dhalmass, two groups of slaves are present, but more importantly, the outpost is not complete yet," she reported and I looked at Thorgron who sighed and nodded his head.

The Duergar started barking out orders to rouse everyone. We had to take the outpost out, they were too close to Nightwell and Eternal Night, not to mention they were located on the direct route between my new settlement and Ineford. "Orders?" Thorgron asked as he joined me as I started donning my armor.

"Kill any House Guard, free any slaves, destroy the outpost. Gather any intel we can and send it back to Nightwell for Abraxxus to go over and foreword to the Queen." I told the Duergar who nodded. Despite having my new rank in my Warlord Ability, I still kept only my normal Warband, Sergeant Thorgron had all the others in his own. The Duergar had asked why I hadn't maximized the full group, but I hadn't wanted to deplete the Guards protecting the settlement and surrounding area. 

With work crews going to all three mines and the grove daily, add in patrolling the area of the Underdark and protecting the Settlement itself, and the remaining one hundred and sixty-eight guards that had stayed behind were stretched thin. I didn't want to deplete their numbers even further just to add to my protection. Not to mention I had no idea if the city would even grant admittance to our party since it was clear the majority of the group were guards. 

"Sessa and Fenwyn, front and center," I called out as I motioned for June to start drawing in the dirt as the other War Party leaders gathered around the two scouts. 

"The outpost isn't even half complete, they have dug a part of a chamber out of the rock wall to create the backstop of the outpost and a concave wall will allow them to control who travels through the nearby tunnel." June began as she drew a drawing of what she had seen. "A dozen tents and several makeshift cages fill the center of what will be the outpost. Between the slaves and House Guard, there are close to a hundred present. There is also more than one indication that the outpost has come under attack recently." the Ranger reported as she finished drawing. 

"The House Guard is housed in the back of the small chamber, the slave pens are closer to the outer wall, but they seem to be resting when we broke contact. The only had four people on watch guarding the perimeter." the other scout reported as he pointed to the gaping opening where the wall would encircle the outpost when it was completed. "If we hit them now, while they are still resting, and if the slaves stay quiet, we can deal with the House Guard easily." the man reported and I looked back at the Sergeant. 

"Are the slaves bound or free to roam in their pens?" Thorgron asked as he studied the makeshift map.

"Bound and chained. If we catch them by surprise, the slaves won't be able to enter the battle on either side of the fight." June reported, so we wouldn't be fighting ninety people, but thirty. 

"Ok, we press foreword, June, Chalxae, and Thomas?" I asked the Hobgoblin, who nodded at the name. "Will take care of the sentries. Once they are cleared out we push into the outpost and deal with the House Guard. Eliminating or capturing them is the priority. Questions, comments, or suggestions?" I asked the others. 

"If this goes tits up?" a burly Dwarf asked and Thorgron glared at him as we chuckled. 

"Bring the rain," I replied and everyone looked at me like I was crazy. We were in the Underdark, there was no natural rain here. "It's a thing from my world. In other words, drop every AoE spell or skill you have on the place and kill everyone that is fighting us. Kill anything and anyone that tries to oppose us in other words." I told them and received nods of acknowledgment. 

"What about the slaves?" Thorgron pressed as I finished donning my armor.

"As I said, concentrate on the House Guard, but if they offer up any resistance, put them down hard. If they leave us alone, we leave them alone. Anything else?" I asked them and no one responded. "Well let's go," I told them as I turned to help finish breaking down the camp.

Sneaking through the Underdark is fairly easy if you are not decked out in metal armor. So all the guards wearing plate or chainmail held back as about ten of the guards pressed foreword. I didn't like it, but it was essential to silence the sentries first before the bulk of our forces pushed forward. All it would take was one sentry catching sight of us or hearing us, to give us away and we would lose any advantage we had.

So twenty minutes later, those with less armor were waiting closer to the outpost. It had me on edge, I didn't like our more vulnerable members closer to those who could and would kill them given a chance. Yet they were our best bet if this whole thing went to shit. 

Less than ten minutes later, we were waved foreword. I kept one hand on the hilt of my sword to keep it from banging on my leg as I did my best to move quietly. Four bodies were pilled outside what little of the wall they had completed, to obscure them from any slaves or any House Guard that woke and looked. Thankfully as we moved deeper into the outpost, it was readily apparent that most if not all the occupants of the slave pens were sleeping, unconscious from exhaustion or abuse. 

Unlike the War Slaves, these were workers, maybe even some skilled workers as well mixed into the group. Either way, it was apparent that very few of them would be capable of combat based on their weakened state.

We were less than ten feet from the nearest tents when a giggling High Elf emerged from one of the tents. She spotted us and started screaming. On reflex, my hand shot up and a Shadow Bolt slammed into her chest causing her to sprawl backward into the tent as the small outpost came alive. I yanked Moonlight out of its sheath as I cast Bog of Plagued Shadows as the others launched their attacks. 

It was complete chaos as the Drow tried to throw up some resistance, but they were tired, and since we had woken them, ill-equipped to repulse an attack. Two of the nearest Drow rushed me or at least tried to with my spell actively slowing them down. I moved forward, Moonlight whistling through the air to meet their attack head-on. 

While it was obvious, unhindered they would be far faster than I was. With my spell slowing their attack and movement speed by eighty percent, it was like they were moving through molasses. The first Drow managed to get his blade up to parry my attack, but with a thought, my new Shadow Flames spell bathed him in black and red flames. 

The Drow screamed in absolute agony as he tried to get away from me as his health rapidly dropped. I cut the spell off after five seconds and moved to the second Drow who was trying to move backward after seeing me barbeque his friend. Sadly Bog of Plagued Shadows kept him pinned down easily and he wasn't as lucky as his friend, my sword stroke sent his head spinning away. 

I looked around at the absolute slaughter that was ongoing. More than one of the tents was on fire or just torn apart by the ongoing melee and magical attacks. I only spotted one trouble spot where three Drow were ganging up on a single Dwarf, but a foot of sword and a quick twist of a blade can ruin anyone's day, I don't care who you are. 

Less than five minutes was all it took to kill twenty-five of the House Guard and capture the only survivor but he was in critical condition. "Sergeant!" I barked out and Thorgron broke away from the controlled chaos. "I want those former slaves out of there and I want to be on the road in thirty minutes," I told him, and with a nod, he was off barking orders as I made my way to the slave pens. 

While most of them looked afraid, some of them were studying me openly. "As far as I am concerned you will all be freed. I do have a question, are there any Geomancers or Engineers within your ranks?" I asked them loudly to make certain my voice carried. More than one head nodded. "Do you all mind working together to knock down the wall and destroy this place? I want it gone and I don't want House Dhalmass to have anything to come back to." I asked them receiving more than one feral smile in reply and chuckle.

Hopefully, that meant yes. "Who are you?" I looked over to see a burly Orc studying me while hanging from the manacles that kept the Slaves hanging from the enclosures. 

"Jacob Longstrider, who might you be?" I asked the Orc as I studied him back.

It was obvious, despite his gaunt appearance, he was a warrior based on his scars. "Dolbrug Darkfang of the Broken Spear Tribe of Clan Darguun. If you cannot provide shelter and assistance to these people, my Tribe will gladly take them in. The Clan is currently at war with House Dhalmass." the Orc responded as Chalxae, June, and anyone else with the lockpicking Skill went to work to free the former slaves.

"I won't stop them from going with you, but I can offer an alternative place that is only a portal away. I will leave it up to them." I told the Orc who nodded in acknowledgment of my statement. 

"Our Clan and Tribe pays its debts with steel and friendship. My sister will welcome me back and will wonder who exactly saved her errant brother." Dobrug stated as he dropped free of his manacles and started rubbing his wrists automatically. "Come to Darkfang Hold and meet my sister Sosa, it is just over a day's march from here and you will be welcomed warmly by my people." the Orc stated as a Quest popped up.

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Quest Alert: Friend or Foe

Description: You have encountered an Orc, Dolbrug Darkfang of the Broken Spear Tribe of Clan Darguun, whose sister apparently runs a nearby Hold. Travel to Darkfang Hold and meet Sosa Darkfang to determine if Clan Darguun is an enemy or friend of Eternal Night.

Quest Class: Settlement; Personal

Quest Difficulty: Easy

Success: Travel to Darkfang Hold and meet with Sosa Darkfang

Failure: Do not travel to Darkfang Hold or do not meet with Sosa Darkfang.

Rewards: Unknown

Note* This Quest is mandatory due to being the ruler of the settlement of Nightwell.

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I dismissed the information, "I will someday soon, but we are on the road to Ineford and didn't even know about this place until less than an hour ago." I told the Orc as I studied him and nodded. "If you are truly at war with House Dhalmass, my people are not your enemy and we could ally someday. Now if you will excuse me, I have to make sure everything gets done so we can get back on the road." with a nod I turned and walked away.