3- Treachery within the Brood
The rumors and riddles about trouble within the Sarnak fluttered about like seeds on the wind. Finally, a few began to take root. Morden Rasp had faith that at least some of the rumors had foundations in truth and he made it his business to find out if they were.
As Morden bought pieces of information about Chardok, he also appeared to purchase a loyal following of like-minded adventurers. His wily charm afforded him low costs and simple agreements to share in the adventure of infiltrating the Sarnak's domain. Making such arrangements was second nature to the seasoned rogue. His years of travel and constant adventuring aided Morden in establishing a small, but relatively loyal following. The bulk of this band was waiting in Freeport, resting after a round of excursions through the Buried Sea and nearby gulf.
A shapeshifter was at work; there were traitors within the highest ranks of the Brood; high-ranking Sarnak citizens had disappeared inexplicably. The information was hard to piece together, the puzzle incomplete.
While Morden vanished for hours at a time, scouting the area and seeking news, Nedaria spent much of her time near the campfire deciphering notes and letters that had been trickling into the camp from hired spies. She made time to teach Tondal Di`Xevar the basics of several languages, like those used by gnomes and the high elves. In return, Tondal occupied Nedaria with stories of mischief about his youth, his dark elf brethren and their escapades around Norrath.
The loyalty between Morden, Nedaria and Tondal grew quickly and was so strong it was felt by all who encountered them.
It had only been a few nights since Morden invited Tondal to the fireside. That night, in dark speech, the three shared their lives and dreams until the glow of Drinal gave way to the rays of Ro. Morden and Nedaria felt tied to this dark elf who shared their adventurous spirits and lives as exiles. They felt closer than family, joined by their very souls for a great purpose.
They each knew that the time to lead their growing band of adventurers into the nearby burning woods was closing quickly.
References
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20080614140254/http://everquest.station.sony.com/lostdungeons/lore.jsp?page=LDON%20Lore%20Chapter%203 (Chapter released in-game on July 7, 2003)
