The Dangerous Descent

 is one of the locations within Lorwich, Virginia, the principle location where Alone in the Dark: Illumination takes place.

Author Text
Canby's concerns were well justified. A horde of unearthly abominations had overrun the streets of Lorwich, and Carnby once again found himself forced to do battle with monsters for both his job and his life. "Business as usual then," thought Ted. These aberrations were aggressive, ravenous and seemed to come from everywhere and anywhere. Their tide was not easily stemmed, though light seemed to slow and weaken them.

Safe in teh shaft room for now, Carnby considered the fate of the Lorwich residents. With these things on the prowl there ought to be thousands of casualties: Deluge Corporation security staff, miners and their families. Yet he had seen barely any dead townsfolk so far. Did they hide? Were they abducted? Were these creatures just really hungry?

The cadavers Carnby had seen he recognized as belonging to an order of cultists who, if he recalled correctly, worshiped one of the ancient Outer Gods. They were bound, maimed and strewn around the town like Halloween decorations. Carnby had dealt with their kind before, and thought their presence in Lorwich was troubling. Carnby was fairly certain this order did not possess the resources, ability or zealotry to instigate this kind of cross-dimensional incursion.

Near the mine elevator Carnby found his 'contact'. At least her corpse was mostly intact. Still the client's 'valuable information' had expired with her and Ted was momentarily at a loss as to what to do next. Then he saw the contact had posthumously left him a message. Words scrawled nearby in her own blood.

"Head to the bottom. Light the furnace. Preston found i..." The message, and her life, had ended there.

So, for now, Carnby reckoned, the answers lied on the lowest level of the mine. And so, for now, down he would go. The rickety elevator beckoned.

- The Author