A Painful Expedition
His emergence from the deep, nether regions beneath Sosaria came as a relief. Somewhat the worse for wear, Dharzhal returned quickly to his home to consider what he had learned.
About the Piper he had gleaned little except a drow tale about the summoning of a fey creature to torment the surface dwellers, especially elves. Humans, Fey, natural creatures, Liches and others, including Gargoyles and Orcs, could be affected, tormented, and led to their doom by the Piper. Of course the drow reveled in their abomination as it freed them from risking their lives on the surface where they were weakest. Dhar had put feelers out about ways to combat the creature but it was too early to know anything. Besides, he had been attacked numerous times by bloodthirsty creatures as well as rogue drow groups that had nothing better to do.
The Piper was supposed to be corporeal, fleshly, but could project an avatar of itself to fool enemies and lead them on wild goose chases. Its weakness might be its instrument: the flute it played was of unusual make, unique, hopefully something that could not be duplicated. Perhaps if its flute were destroyed, then it could be rendered powerless at least to control others. It may even cause the Piper to be banished from the realm at least temporarily.
Even this small bit of information needed a hearing. Dharzhal would find the one whom he had met before and brief him thoroughly. What he learned may be nothing new, but it might, at least, corroborate facts already known. Then a plan could be devised to give it a trial run.
But he needed rest first; time to recover from his wounds which, while not deadly, were numerous and painful. Roaming about in the Underdark even for rogue drow of considerable skill and stealth was always a risky and dangerous enterprise for anyone. It was positively lethal for anyone who had less. As he winced from the various pains, he prayed he would not have to venture there again anytime soon.