Two days after their return from the mind flayer tower, Phaedra is summoned to the Matron Mother’s chambers. With a clipped

What are you still doing here? Didn’t I make myself clear enough? Was there anything you didn’t understand perhaps?

Lady Thandysha expresses her displeasure.

My apologies, Matron Mother, I will leave immediately!

Phaedra rushes off, in search of her siblings. She orders Jharrath and Alvra to meet her at the front door, fully packed, while she waits for Lilith to finish her reverie. Together they walk towards the gate.

The Council, convened by archmage Velifane, is trying to work on the prophecy through scrying. The Matron Mother has a another, very good idea though. On the prophecy scroll were traces of darklight ore, and it must have been a significant amount. There used to be an old darklight ore mine, west of the city. Lady Thandysha wants us to search for clues there. It is an inactive, collapsed and unstable mine. A long while ago, close to a century, a deep dragon named Vaterian tried to expand the mine, which resulted in a cave-in.  a real setback, since we used to be on good terms with Vaterian.

Soon they pass the gates of Erelhei-Cinlu and turn right towards the west. As soon as they are out of sight of the wall, Alvra puts on a mask. The dark green material covers the upper half of his face, and it is adorned with decorations. Phaedra asks her brother what the mask is for.

It should help me against mental attacks. I survived hitting our sister once in confusion, but I don’t think I will make it a second time.

Though the Xaniqos travel through an area they haven’t been to before, the scout really knows how to find her way. After a couple of hours, they pass a big stone in the middle of the path. It has deep gouges on eye level – fresh, by the looks of it. The scratches seem to be made by the claws of animals. Phaedra scans her whereabouts wearily.

Finally they arrive at a cave complex. Most are filled up with sand, but one looks like a mine entrance, sixty feet up. Phaedra eyes the unstable surface, and decides to climb with speed. The stones start to slide, but the nimble drow succeeds without any problems. By the pieces of rotten wood, rusted pickaxes, gravel and stones, she knows she’s in the right spot. At the top of the slope is a small opening, and in the dust she sees tracks of two-footed humanoids.

After signalling to her brothers and sister to come up, Phaedra cautiously enters the cave. After a few steps, the ground suddenly gives way and only her excellent reflexes prevent her from falling into a fifty feet deep gap.

Catching her bearings, Phaedra walks back towards the entrance. She notices that the others are struggling to reach the top. She takes out her rope, digs herself in and throws the other end towards the cleric. With her sister’s help, Lilith manages to climb up the hill. The males arrive soon after, Alvra’s gnashing armor somewhat dented, while the wizard’s robe is torn.

The drow make their way into the dark entrance. Where Phaedra easily passes the pitfall, the fighter takes his time. Slowly but surely he makes it across the gap. This is not an option for the cleric in her heavy armor. She takes it off, hands the pieces to Jharrath and jumps the ten feet after a run-up. After activating his boots, the wizard and the cleric’s armor appear on the other side as well, and, aided by her sister, Lilith is soon back to her full-plated self.