ff patches of white hair。 The other was broader across the shoulders and clad in chain mail that seemed slightly stiff。 The blade of the battle…axe he carried was streaked with blood。 The white…haired one seemed to have lost his weapon and carried a small scrap of fur…a trophy scalp； to all appearances…in one hand。 He drew his panion to the side of the tunnel； out of the way of the marching hordes； then whispered a spell while twisting the fur in his hand。 He nodded at a narrow fissure to their left。
〃He's down this way；〃 Gromph said。 〃Or at least he was a moment ago。 I've lost him again。〃
〃Where does he keep disappearing to？〃 Andzrel asked； irritated。
The stoop…shouldered posture of his tanarukk body was giving him a backache。 He longed to get this mission over with and be back in drow form。 And his tanarukk body stank。 Gromph had no such problems； however。 He'd used a glamer to change his appearance。 If he'd polymorphed himself； the material ponents he needed to work his spells…like that scrap of bloodhound fur； for example…would have been changed into items more suitable to a tanarukk。
Or at least； that's what the archmage had told Andzrel。 The Baenre weapons master suspected； however； that Gromph just didn't want to endure the stink of tanarukk sweat on his own skin。
〃I don't know what Nimor's up to；〃 Gromph answered。 〃Reporting to his masters； perhaps。 But he keeps returning to this spot。 It must be one he knows well。〃
Slipping away from the other tanarukks； the pair squeezed through the narrow tunnel。 It extended horizontally for some distance； then sloped up to a small cavern； one whose entrance was guarded by a duergar。 The gray dwarf lifted his axe as the pair approached。
〃We've got an urgent message for the drow Nimor；〃 Gromph said； adopting the low。 grunting voice of a tanarukk。
〃Oh yeah？〃 The duergar snorted。 〃So does every other bloody tanarukk in Vhok's useless excuse for an army。 Well； Lord Nimor's not here。〃
Gromph ignored the taunt。 He sniffed loudly as he scanned the apparently empty cavern。
〃He's here；〃 the disguised archmage said。 〃I can smell him。〃
〃No he's not；〃 the duergar replied with a frown。 〃Get back to your ranks。〃
Andzrel balled a fist with knuckles that were ridged with scales and raised it under the duergar's nose。
〃We know he's in there；〃 he growled。 〃Let us by。〃
The duergar suddenly grew larger and broader…until he was half again as tall as Andzrel's tanarukk form。 He squeezed the handle of his axe； causing a shimmer of magical energy to pulse through it。
〃Don't make me use this；〃 the giant gray dwarf warned。
〃Nimor will want to hear this message；〃 Gromph insisted。 〃Tell him it's from the spy he sent into Menzoberranzan。〃
〃What spy？〃
〃Sluuguth；〃 the other tanarukk said。
The duergar's face paled to a lighter shade of gray； and he said； 〃Oh 。。。 the illithid。〃
Gromph frowned。
〃Sluuguth doesn't like it when his messengers get delayed；〃 he growled。 He pulled a length of silver chain from his pocket。 From the end of it hung an oval of jade。 〃He told us to bring this to Nimor as quickly as we could；〃 he said。 〃He said it's important。〃
At last； the duergar nodded。 Shrinking back down to his usual size； he stepped aside。
〃Go on in；〃 he told Gromph； but he held up a hand as Andzrel tried to follow； and added； 〃But you have to leave your weapon outside。〃
Gromph and Andzrel exchanged a look。 That was going to be a problem。 As soon as Andzrel's 〃battle…axe〃 left his hands it would no longer be affected by the polymorph spell and would turn back into a drow sword。
〃I can deliver the message on my own；〃 Gromph told Andzrel。 〃You wait out here 。 。 。 until I'm done。〃
Andzrel nodded。
Gromph entered the cavern。 Once inside； he could see that the space was more of a natural chimney； with a high ceiling。 Up near the top was a ledge on which Nimor squatted； eyes closed； apparently in Reverie。 He was in an unusual pose； with his arms drawn against his chest and his fists touching his shoulders； which were hunched。 His posture reminded Gromph of a sleeping bat turned
Wondering if Nimor； too； was cloaked in an illusion； Gromph reached into a pocket for the small stone jar he carried there。 He was just about to scoop out a little of the paste it held when Nimor's eyes opened。 They immediately locked on the oval of jade that spun gently at the end of the chain in Gromph's hand。 The magic in the amulet was still potent…though the jade spider it had once manded had been reduced to a heap of rubble； at Gromph's orders； before he and Andzrel set out into the Dark Dominion。
Nimor stepped off the ledge； levitating down to where Gromph stood。
Gromph withdrew his hand from his pocket； abandoning the spell he'd been about to cast。 There was no time for true seeing； he had to be ready to mount a magical defense if one was required。
〃Where did you get that； soldier？〃 Nimor demanded as he landed lightly on the floor next to Gromph。
Gromph smiled to himself。 The illusion was holding。
〃From Sluuguth；〃 he answered； holding up the jade spider amulet。
At the same time he reached into a pocket and carefully grasped the item it contained…the prism…by the end that protruded from the oiled sheath he'd constructed for it。 He'd made some magical alterations to the prism before embarking on his quest to find Nimor； weaving new spells into the magic the device already contained。
〃Sluuguth got busy and couldn't bring the amulet himself； so he sent me；〃 Gromph continued。
Nimor started to reach for the silver chain； then stopped。
He eyed Gromph warily and asked； 〃Busy with what？〃
〃That wizard that Lord Dyrr captured…the one from House Baenre。 He escaped from the sphere。〃
〃Gromph？〃 Nimor waved a hand dismissively。 〃Old news。 Gromph's dead now。〃
Gromph shook his head vigorously and said； 〃No； he's not。 Sluuguth says he's up to something that could hurt our army 。 。 。 some spell。〃
〃Where is he？〃 Nimor demanded。
Gromph scratched the bristles on the top of his head and frowned。 Fortunately he didn't need any help looking stupid with the illusion of a tanarukk cloaking him。
〃Who？ Sluuguth 。。。 or Gromph？〃
Nimor's eyes narrowed in irritation； and he said； 〃Gromph。〃
〃Oh 。 。 。 yeah。 Sluuguth said to show you this；〃 Gromph answered； as if just remembering。
As he spoke； he slid his hand from his pocket。 The prism he held came out of its oiled sheath with a jerk and emerged from the pocket without any of the sovereign glue that coated it sticking to the fabric。
So far； Gromph thought； so good。
Nimor glanced at the prism。
〃What's that？〃 he asked。
Gromph's gamble was still holding up。 Like most drow； Nimor was unfamiliar with the magical items of the World Above。
〃It's a scrying device；〃 he told Nimor。 〃You can see Gromph in it。〃
Nimor folded his arms across his chest and said； 〃You look into it。 Tell me where he is。〃
〃All right；〃 Gromph said with a shrug。
Again； all was going according to plan。 He'd factored the drow's suspicious nature into his plans。 He stared into the prism； angling it this way and that。
〃Can't see anything；〃 he said。 Then he suddenly held it still。 〃Oh； there he is 。。。 but is Gromph the skeleton or the drow with the rat on his shoulder？〃
Nimor reached for the prism and said； 〃Let me see that。〃
The moment had e。 As Nimor's fingers touched the prism； Gromph let go of the end he held and dropped his illusion； revealing himself。
At the same time； he shouted； 〃Andzrel！ Now！〃
Behind him； Gromph heard a thud and a grunt…the sound of the duergar guarding the door being felled by Andzrel's weapon。 An instant later； as a wide…eyed Nimor backed away； flicking one hand to try to rid it of the prism that was stuck to it with magical glue and drawing his rapier with the other hand； Andzrel burst into the cavern； battle…axe held high。 Unused to his tanarukk form； he swung it awkwardly； but even so his charge looked formidable。
Nimor； seeing that he was cornered； did exactly what Gromph had expected him to。 He shadow walked。
But even as Nimor began to slip into the Plane of Shadow； a smirk on his lips； the contingency spell Gromph had woven into the prism was triggered。 It； in turn； triggered the prism's tertiary power； causing the prism to flare with a blinding flash of light。 For an instant； it was as if the sun of the World Above had been teleported into the cavern； bathing its walls in the most intense light Gromph had ever experienced。 Nimor screamed…a howl of anguish and a bellow of rage in one。 Then both the light and the sound of Nimor's voice winked out。
Gromph heard the swoosh of a blade through the air and the clang of metal against stone as Andzrel's battle…axe split the air where Nimor had been standing。 Unable to see； trying to blink away the aftereffects of the brilliant flash； Gromph patted the air around him with his hands。 His outstretched hands encountered only air。 Nimor seemed to have pleted his 〃escape〃 into the Shadow Pl