The duergar make their homes mainly beyond a great
wall, which I never passed through. To the north, the
floor of the cavern that contains the Darklake hovers
dangerously low, such that in some places it is barely
ten feet above the water's surface. The whole of the
great cavern glows, and the continuous flow of hot iron
through the city gives the illumination a yellow cast at
all times. It is frightening, if you forget where you are.
More than that, it is hot.
After a month or so of working under a minor smith,
I quarreled with the apprentice set to supervise me,
and he dared me to test the strength of his new blade.
It broke, as I expected, but did the job well enough. The
duergar didn't seem to be angry that the apprentice lay
dead at my feet, but it was only a short time thereafter
that I was dragged off to the market to be sold. As it
happened, a human was in the city on some diplomatic
mission. I caught his eye, and he purchased me.MANTOL-DERITH
I soon learned that I was not bought entirely for my
brute strength, but also for what knowledge I had of
the duergar. My new owner was a member of some
group he called the Zhentarim, and when I told him all
I knew, he offered me my freedom and a place among
his agents. Together we would journey to a place called
Mantol-Derith, where I would serve as his bodyguard.
From there we would go to the surface, and I could
remain in his employ if I wished. Freedom and a job?
How could I refuse?
Mantol-Derith is a hidden place accessed by secret
ways. Slaves, such as I had been, are typically not per-
mitted to go there. Once in the cavern, I had to remain
near my employer, but by keeping my eyes and ears
open, I learned a lot about this place.
Mantol-Derith is where duergar, drow, and svirfneblin
come to trade with each other and with surface-dwellers
interested in conducting business with the deep places.
Its location is kept secret-I only know that it is fairly
close to the Darklake. The drow sell weapons, armor,
magic scrolls and potions, and fine works of art. The
duergar trade mainly in fine steel, and demand high
prices to do so. Deep gnomes come to market with
gems, certain fungi only they are capable of growing,
and salt, which much of the Underdark has little ready
supply of. The surface folk bring wines, ales, and spirits,
cloth, wood, paper, and a great many other goods.
The laws of Mantol-Derith don't seem to care about
anything other than commerce. There must be no prohi-
bition on what sorts of creatures can visit here-among
other things, I saw a pair of mind flayer envoys doing
business in the market. The most serious of crimes are
theft, the use of magic to influence negotiations, and the
counterfeiting of goods by mundane or magical means.
Anyone discovered to be in violation is sentenced on
the spot, wrapped in heavy chains, and carted off to be
tossed to the bottom of the Darklake.
When my employer's business was concluded, he was
true to his word, and we left for the surface. If only the
drow with whom he did business were so trustworthy.
We were ambushed, he was killed, and I was again put
in chains.