Even by Soubar's standards, last night may have been remarkably interesting at the market. Initially accompanied by a towering, haphazardly armored giant of a mountain orc, a pair of unmasked drowbloods could have been seen entering the village from Boareskyr. For the rest of the day, they would seem to be a potent attractor of attention, either participating in or even being the focus of numerous conversations with orcs, humans, elves, halflings, and other visiting adventurers before finally retiring to the inn.
The male, a pureblooded drow conjurer garbed exclusively in red robes, was clear and upfront about his purpose, making numerous inquiries about surface nobility: Apparently he had come across a magically warded book during his travels, and now required the help of a fellow scholar in unlocking its mysteries. He seemed deeply interested in the matter, going as far as to endure the rising sun to continue his conversations, and offering to share his findings with whomever was finally able to unlock the dusty old tome. It does not seem he will be returning to his homeland until his studies are completed.
The female by his side, however, was more confusing. A well-armed, badly scarred girl clad in orange leafweave and a flexible wood-like breastplate, she might almost have seemed drow to the untrained eye, yet her own eyes, only subtly pointed ears, and stockier build hinted at a human heritage. Although comforted and overjoyed at what little healthy surface nature had been found on her journey so far, she seemed terrified of the humans and elves she encountered, only calming down at the sight of orcs, hobgoblins, and other monsters that might normally have been loathed in more civilized lands.
Her speech and mannerisms seemed replete with contradictions: Friendly and almost childishly naive, yet anxious and hardened by battle and torment alike; allegedly human-raised, yet by her own admission more at home in Sshamath than any surface settlement; almost resentful of drow as she told her story, yet more comforted by their presence than that of the humans her actions and accent most naturally emulated. It is no surprise, then, that her motives remain just as obscure, with a variety of different stories circulating through the village by the time she went to bed:
- Looking for a way home, supposedly to an unspecified village in the Dalelands
- Looking for a way back to Sshamath
- Trying to find out if her mother is still alive
- Simply enjoying a visit to the surface
Regardless, the half-drow huntress is unlikely to return to the Underdark any faster than the mage she accompanies...