Dark Cave within the Cormanthor

The male leaves the cave with a smug grin, running his fingers through the hair of the elf's scalp that now dangles from his belt.

He considers how many more he'll need to make a wig as he makes his way back to the mines.

Shortly after sunset, the same cave is once again visited by the Kinstrife, as a young Black Archer by the name of Faolaine engages in a hit-and-fade battle with an unknown Drow sniper. The young Elf falls to a spell-assisted ambush at the mouth of the spider nest, but is saved by the timely intervention of her travelling companion. In his rush to save the dying Elf however, the Drow manages to escape unseen into the night.

Investigating patrols from Myth Drannor would find the signs of a brief encampment, occupied by between two and five individuals - perhaps a clandestine meeting, or simply a Drow patrol sheltering from the clear skies and summer sun.

And comes face to face with a Elderly Illthiiri, dressed in grey robes of the Arch Mage, his hair bound back into a poney tail. He would be seen holding the hand of a young Jalil who had recently disapeared from the keep who seemed to be wearing a apprentices robe, motioning too the trees around seeming to be explaining something to her, however the lesson would suddenly stop as his gaze settle on the pair, his gaze was cold and peiceing almost Headmaster liike, the small Jalil would look to them and smile, reconising them before taking a step forward only to be stopped by him. "Nau lilly, time to return." he would say his voice firm yet gentle with the child before the both of them would disapear before their very eyes.

Unaccustomed to the surface, the male, recognizable as Szorin, took some time to process what he'd just seen. The nudge from Charryne only reassured him that he wasn't losing his mind to some sort of surface sickness. "Invisibility," he worded quietly to himself before turning to face his employer. "Your guess is as good as mine," he responded, his attention split between her and the ground the stranger and youth had been standing upon moments ago. After their brief exchange was over, Szorin joined Charryne in her search for clues to locate the other half of the group. During this time the Selvetargtlin remained silent without responding to his employer's aggression while also not outright ignoring her. Behind the veil of his head scarf it was impossible to tell how he was feeling by this point about the whole situation. In the end, the alleged Selvetargtlin proved to be as incapable of reading tracks as Charryne and he didn't bother to pretend otherwise.

"It's time for us to leave, jabbress. Unless you have something else in mind?" Szorin questioned while reaching under his protective head scarf to rub at his eyes. Even the pitch darkness of the thick forest in the middle of night wasn't a suitable alternative to the Ilythiiri's native Underdark.

"Nau, I am Ilythiiri," Szorin paused before he could finish, looking around himself in response to an owl's hooting before he continued, "I'll admit I'm more cautious than usual." He spoke with a prideful passion, invoking the word Ilythiiri as though it had some sort of secret power. Yet, he kept his shield raised in a defensive posture as they roamed through the forest. It was obvious that he didn't know what anything was on the surface. It was all unfamiliar to him and so despite his boasting he remained on edge in response to every sound. A late night bleat from a deer would seem to be a foolish thing to be on guard about unless you didn't know what a deer was or looked like. "When last I was above ground, jabbress, I was attached to a merchant caravan that was lead by a jaluk named Nalnet myr'Xunuque. He brought kivvil products from the surface to an outpost that in turn sold his goods to a wealthy Qu'ellar. Things like onion, apple, and cinnamon were his specialty. Obviously I was not the only one responsible for protecting his caravan and in truth my time with him was short. When I came above ground that time we were in a stone valley with little vegetation, nothing like this. And it was only a few moments - perhaps an hour - before we went back down. I recall being amazed by what I had seen that cycle, jabbress, and it left an impression on me. But, I've never seen anything quite like this before. These are honest words I speak." He ended while gesturing with a point of his morningstar at the surrounding wilderness. Communication between the two was largely kept in their native sign, a drow language that was communicated entirely through hand and other bodily signals.