The City of Dunwarren, The People of Sanctuary by Jawl Highwind

[lovethesuit]

A short while ago I had the pleasure of making a new acquaintance: Nilraghar. He claims to be a survivor of the Underdark, from a settlement known as Sanctuary. He was kind enough to share with me his story, which I will now share with you.

- The City of Dunwarren, The People of Sanctuary -

Sanctuary was founded on the site of an ancient Svirfneblin city known as Dunwarren, reaching miles and miles into the Underdark. Within Dunwarren there was a great Machine, which supposedly protected and maintained the Svirfneblin. However, a cataclysmic event occurred which reduced their population significantly, until scarcely three hundred or so remained hidden in the deepest reaches of their Machine.

Some years ago, a group of slaves escaped their masters, finding their way to an abandoned Dunwarren. It is here that Sanctuary was formed, a settlement of ex-slaves in the middle of the Underdark. Of the factions involved: The Watch, a mundane group of guards whose sole duty was to defend Sanctuary; The Spellguard, "ruthless" wizards whose balliwack was magic and exploration of the Machine; The Seekers, a renegade and rebellious group whose goal was to seek a route to the Surface.

Important to the formation of the group, the Seekers, is the figure Frederick Bresley. While there remains some uncertainty of his historical significance in the settlement, it is obvious to the studious observer that he lived and acted many years before the survivors we know today came to inhabit Sanctuary. It was he who first theorized about "the Way," and penned his discoveries in a journal.

While Sanctuary lived above Dunwarren, below there were creatures lurking. The Appetite, an undead beholder, slept beneath, guarded by powerful wererats known as Chosen. Nilraghar comments that the werecreatures of our island are of no equal strength to the Chosen, and he claims that they were ultimately the cause of Sanctuary's fall.

There was a great rebellion. The Watch was divided, some joining the Seekers and some siding with the Spellguard to form "The Regime". In the final hours of the rebellion, several of the rebels including Nilraghar rushed the tower of the Spellguard. Descending into the depths below they discovered bizarre and cruel experiments, as well as much of the truth behind this seemingly corrupt organization. They eventually were able to locate the lost journal of Frederick Bresley, a relic that is said to have been left by him so that others could follow his path. He is survived by an heir named Michael Bresley who Nilraghar believes is still alive in the depths below. Ultimately the Spellguard were defeated, their tower ransacked, until they were forced to seal themselves off from the outside world.

Shortly thereafter, citizens of Sanctuary were hired by the Chosen to kill the last remaining Svirfneblin in Dunwarren. At the same time, Drow and Illithid armies began to close in, preparing to capture or kill all the people of Sanctuary. Many people died defending the gates against Illithid-influenced Giants and bizarre pale creatures, until finally they were forced to retreat inside the city.

Preparing for their final battle, they were interrupted by the sound of a great yawn. The Appetite had awoken, and with no time lost it began to devour everything in sight. It is also noteworthy that the Illithid that attacked Sanctuary in its final hours were so powerful they had managed to enthrall a dragon known as Etorix, a beast that had at one time defended Sanctuary. The Appetite and Etorix butted heads in a terrible battle, the Appetite proving the victor. The citizens that managed to escape made their way first to some nearby ruins, then through the Machine to the far edge of Dunwarren. There they discovered "The Way", an ancient portal that lead to a route whose ultimate end was on the Surface.

This is the route that Nilraghar and his associates managed to survive, against all odds. He claims that the surface end of The Way is close to this location. I record here what I learned from Nilraghar in the hopes that it may unlock secrets of our own borrowed home.

-Jawl Highwind, Lily of Calimport