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　　　After　a　march　of　about　two　miles；　Valas　called　a　brief　halt　and　knelt　down　to　sketch　a　crude　map　in　the　dust　of　the　passage　floor。
　　　〃Mantol…Derith　lies　not　more　than　half　a　mile　ahead。　Remember；　this　is　a　place　of　trade　and　association　with　other　races。　We　do　not　rule　Mantol…Derith…no　one　does…and　so　it　would　be　prudent　to　avoid　giving　offense　to　anyone　you　encounter　there；　unless　you're　looking　for　a　fight　that　may　waste　our　time　and　resources。
　　　〃Also；　I　have　been　considering　how　best　to　find　our　way　from　the　trade　cavern　to　the　holdings　of　House　Jaelre　in　the　Labyrinth。　From　here　our　path　must　traverse　the　dominion　of　Gracklstugh；　city　of　the　gray　dwarves。〃
　　　〃Under　no　circumstances　will　we　approach　Gracklstugh；〃　Quenthel　said　at　once。　〃The　gray　dwarves　destroyed　Ched　Nasad。　I　see　no　reason　to　present　myself　at　their　doorstep　for　slaughter。〃
　　　〃We　have　few　other　options；　Mistress；〃　Valas　said。　〃We　are　northeast　of　the　duergar　realm；　and　the　Labyrinth　lies　several　days　southwest　of　the　city。　We　cannot　skirt　the　city　to　the　south　because　the　Darklake　is　in　the　way；　and　the　duergar　patrol　its　waters。　Skirting　the　city　to　the　north　would　take　us　at　least　two　tendays　of　difficult　travel　through　tunnels　I　do　not　know　well　at　all。〃
　　　〃Why　did　we　bother　to　e　this　way；　then？〃　Jeggred　muttered。　〃We　might　as　well　have　returned　to　Menzoberranzan。〃
　　　〃Well；　for　one　thing；　Gracklstugh　still　lies　between　us　and　House　Jaelre；　whether　we're　in　Mantol…Derith　or　Menzoberranzan；〃　Pharaun　replied。　He　tapped　three　points　on　Valas's　crudely　sketched　map。　〃The　gray　dwarves　must　be　addressed　in　either　scenario。　The　question　is　simply　whether　we　dare　to　pass　through　Gracklstugh；　or　not。〃
　　　〃Could　you　shadow　walk　us　past　the　city？〃　Danifae　asked。
　　　Pharaun　grimaced　and　said；　〃I　have　never　traveled　past　Mantol…Derith　in　this　direction；　and　shadow　walking　is　best　employed　to　reach　a　familiar　destination。　At　any　rate；　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　to　find　that　the　duergar　have　defended　their　realm　against　the　passage　of　travelers　on　nearby　planes。〃
　　　〃Are　we　certain　that　the　gray　dwarves　would　object　to　our　presence？〃　Ryld　asked。　〃Merchants　from　Menzoberranzan　journey　to　Gracklstugh　often　enough；　and　gray　dwarf　merchants　bring　their　wares　to　Menzoberranzan's　bazaar。　It's　possible　that　Gracklstugh　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　duergar　mercenaries　who　attacked　Ched　Nasad。〃
　　　〃I　have　heard　nothing　that　suggests　to　me　that　we　should　risk　entering　Gracklstugh；〃　Quenthel　said。　She　made　a　curt　gesture　with　her　hand；　silencing　the　debate。　〃I　prefer　not　to　gamble　on　the　hospitality　of　the　gray　dwarves；　not　after　the　fall　of　Ched　Nasad。　We　will　go　around　the　city　to　the　north；　and　trust　that　Master　Hune　can　find　us　a　way　through。〃
　　　Halisstra　glanced　at　Ryld　and　Valas。　The　scout　chewed　on　his　lip；　worrying　at　the　problem；　while　the　weapons　master　simply　lowered　his　eyes　in　resignation。
　　　〃We　are　only　a　mile　or　two　from　this　cavern　known　as　Mantol…Derith？〃　Halisstra　asked；　pointing　at　the　sketch。
　　　〃Yes；　my　lady；〃　Valas　replied。
　　　〃And　regardless　of　which　course　we　choose；　we　must　pass　through　the　place？〃
　　　The　Bregan　D'aerthe　scout　simply　nodded　again。
　　　〃Then　perhaps　we　should　see　what　we　can　learn　in　the　trade　cavern　before　we　make　our　decision；〃　Halisstra　offered。　She　could　feel　Quenthel's　eyes　on　her；　but　she　did　not　look　at　the　Baenre。　〃There　might　be　duergar　merchants　there　who　could　shed　some　light　on　the　question　for　us。　If　not；　well；　we'll　have　to　provision　ourselves　there　anyway　before　striking　out　into　the　wilds　of　the　Underdark。〃
　　　〃A　reasonable　suggestion；〃　Pharaun　remarked。　〃There　are　a　dozen　mercenary　panies　based　in　the　City　of　Blades。　Is　it　not　likely　that　the　duergar　we　fought　in　Ched　Nasad　were　hired　by　a　drow　House；　and　had　no　special　allegiance　to　Gracklstugh？〃
　　　〃They　did　Gracklstugh's　work　when　they　destroyed　the　city；〃　Quenthel　said　darkly。　She　stood　and　set　her　hands　on　her　hips；　still　staring　at　the　sketch　on　the　floor。　She　thought　for　a　moment；　then　angrily　swept　it　out　with　her　foot。　〃We　will　see　what　we　learn　in　Mantol…Derith；　then。　I　suspect　that　time　is　of　the　essence；　and　if　we　can　avoid　a　detour　of　twenty　or　thirty　days　to　skirt　the　city；　we　should　do　so；　but　if　we　hear　anything　to　indicate　that　Gracklstugh　may　be　closed　to　our　kind；　we　strike　out　into　the　barrens。〃
　　　Valas　Hune　nodded　and　said；　〃Very　well；　Mistress。　I　suspect　we　will　be　able　to　arrange　passage　unless　the　duergar　are　openly　at　war　with　Menzoberranzan。　I've　dealt　with　the　gray　dwarves　before；　and　there　is　nothing　they　would　not　sell　for　the　right　price。　I　will　seek　out　a　duergar　guide　in　Mantol…Derith　and　see　what　I　can　learn。〃
　　　〃Good　enough；〃　said　Quenthel。　〃Take　us　to　the　duergar；　and　we　will…〃
　　　〃No；　Mistress；　not　'we'；〃　the　scout　said。　He　stood　and　brushed　off　his　hands。　〃Most　duergar　have　little　liking　for　drow　under　any　circumstances；　less　so　for　noble…born　drow；　and　even　less　for　priestesses　of　the　Spider　Queen。　Your　presence　would　only　plicate　things。　It　might　be　best　if　I　handled　any　negotiations　myself。〃
　　　Quenthel　frowned。
　　　Jeggred；　standing　close　behind　her；　rumbled；　〃I　could　go　along　to　keep　an　eye　on　him；　Mistress。〃
　　　Pharaun　barked　sharp　laughter　at　the　thought　and　said；　〃If　a　priestess　of　Lolth　makes　a　gray　dwarf　nervous；　what　do　you　think　he'd　make　of　you？〃
　　　The　draegloth　bridled；　but　Quenthel　shook　her　head。
　　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃he's　right。　We　will　find　a　place　to　wait；　and　perhaps　see　what　news　there　is　to　be　had；　while　Valas　takes　care　of　the　details。〃
　　　They　resumed　their　march；　and　soon　came　to　Mantol…Derith。　The　place　was　much　smaller　than　Halisstra　expected；　a　cavern　not　more　than　sixty　or　seventy　feet　in　height　and　perhaps　twice　that　in　width；　though　it　twisted　and　snaked　for　many　hundreds　of　yards。　She　was　used　to　the　immensity　of　Ched　Nasad's　great　canyon；　and　the　stories　she'd　heard　of　other　places　of　civilization　underground　usually　involved　tremendous　caverns　miles　across。　Mantol…Derith　would　have　been　nothing　more　than　a　side　cavern　in　a　drow　city。
　　　It　was　also　much　less　crowded　than　she　would　have　expected。　The　marketplaces　in　her　home　city　had　always　been　busy　places；　thronged　by　mon　drow　or　the　slaves　of　nobles　engaged　in　their　various　errands。　The　market　of　a　drow　city　usually　hummed　with　industry；　energy；　and　activity；　even　if　those　qualities　were　peculiarly　distorted　to　match　the　aesthetic　tastes　of　drow　society。　Mantol…Derith　was　paratively　silent　and　forbidding。　Here　and　there　throughout　the　caverns　winding　length；　small　groups　of　merchants　sat　or　squatted；　their　wares　secured　in　coffers　and　casks　behind　them　instead　of　rolled　out　on　display。　No　one　shouted；　or　haggled；　or　laughed。　What　business　transpired　there　seemed　best　conducted　in　whispers　and　shadows。
　　　Creatures　from　many　different　races　gathered　at　Mantol…Derith。　More　than　a　few　drow　merchants　held　various　corners　of　the　cavern；　most　from　Menzoberranzan　if　Halisstra　read　the　blazons　on　their　goods　correctly。　Mind　flayers　glided　smoothly　from　place　to　place；　mauve　skin　glistening　damply；　tentacles　writhing　beneath　their　cephalopod　faces。　A　handful　of　sullen　svirfneblin　huddled　together　in　one　spot；　eyeing　the　drow　with　unalloyed　resentment。　Of　course　the　duergar　were　present　in　numbers；　too。　Short　and　broad…shouldered；　the　gaunt　gray　dwarves　gathered　together　in　secretive　cabals；　conversing　with　each　softly　in　their　guttural　tongue。
　　　Halisstra　trailed　close　behind　Pharaun；　studying　each　group　as　they　passed。　She　noticed　that　the　wizard　was　trading　discreet　signs　with　Valas　as　they　wound　deeper　into　the　marketplace。
　　　Not　many　merchants　here　today；　the　wizard　observed。　Where　are　they　all？
　　　Valas　glanced　over　his　shoulder　to　make　sure　Quenthel　wasn't　looking；　and　answered；　Chaos　in　Menzoberranzan　means　few　buyers。　Few　buyers　means　few　sellers。　Anarchy　seems　to　be　bad　for　business。
　　　The　scout　turned　to　eye　a　band　of　duergar　nearby；　and　said　over　his　shoulder　to　the　rest　of　the　pany；　〃Go　on　ahead。　You'll　find　an　inn　of　sorts　a　little　farther　on。　I　will　meet　you　there　soon。〃
　　　He　quietly　approached　the　gray　dwar