"An archdevil? That's, uh, unexpected based on my planet's drow situation. I guess less so if she's enslaving him. Any idea what happened to Lolth?"

“We don't know. What we do know is that her clerics are not receiving spells, her layer of the Abyss is sealed to entry, and the society she ruled with an iron fist has descended into chaos."

"Wow. Uh, what will happen to the power vacuum if and when the Valsharess is out of the picture?"

Nathyrra winces. "Still a lot of chaos, to be perfectly honest, but inwardly rather than outwardly focused. The other major matron mothers were exterminated by the Valsharess, and the minor ones aren't powerful enough to take control of a significant chunk of the drow population like she did, so there won't be a conquering army rolling across the Underdark, which is preferable to there being one, we think. I'm expecting to be very busy in the aftermath, propping up the least loathsome candidates."

"Exciting. Okay, I think I'm sold."

"I'm glad. Do you have any other questions, or shall I return to scouting?"

"Who are you really?" Enserric asks. "Because you're not a scout, you know too much."

Nathyrra blinks. "Oh - that wasn't an intentional omission, actually, I just didn't happen to mention it. I'm the rebel spymaster. Not the only one, of course, but I'm probably the most important."

"Is there a way we can identify who's with you and who's lying to save their skins?"

"We don't use double agents much - our spies are typically either invisibly watching our enemies, or scriers who stay far from the action. Any double agents who do exist aren't going to be tramping around Undermountain with her footsoldiers."

"Okay, but if we find someone who isn't planted among an obvious Valsharess contingent and they're like 'I'm with the rebels, help', how do we tell."

"It's unlikely... but not impossible. Oh, I know, you can ask them 'Who does your house serve?' They might say 'the Seer' or 'Eilistraee' if they're faking, but if they're an actual follower of Eilistraee - or they've been around them long enough - they'll know the answer is 'My house serves all who have need'. You'd think it'd be obvious, but most drow find such an answer surprisingly unintuitive."

"Cool, good to know. I might look into this Eilistraee character later but it seems not the time."

"She's been a very positive influence on my life. But yes, let's save the evangelism for a later date."

"Would it be out of your way to show us down the secret passage?"

"Not at all," she says.

She leads them to the passage, which as promised is within earshot but not line of sight of the drow encampment. Then she leads them through the passage, and they're past the encampment.

"Thanks!"

"Thank you," she responds. "Halaster's being held to the east. I'll do my best to find a way around or through the guard post before we next meet." With that, she vanishes back into the shadows.

"Well, that was enlightening," Garrus says.

"Enlightening?"

"The whole question-and-answer session? We at least know we're not alone, and that for some reason you're extra special. Also that Halaster's being held to the east, apparently."

"I don't know why I'm extra special besides being from another planet, or I'd tell you, unless I suppose there was a good reason not to. So far I haven't noticed any extraplanetarynesses of mine that seem to matter."

"No ancient secret arcane lore from your homeworld you inexplicably haven't used in any of our fights? No mysterious relic you can't seem to get rid of, arcane tattoo you don't remember getting, conspicuously crown-shaped birthmark?"

"Uh, I do have a cursed item that somebody probably snuck into my bag soon after I landed on Toril but it doesn't seem to do anything besides sneak back whenever I dump it. I feel bad for the guy I sold it to before I realized."

"Ooh. Mysterious cursed item a classic."

"Yep, that settles it, you're our protagonist. Deekin, make a note."

Deekin makes a note.

"I don't know what it has to do with anything but I guess I might not, sure."