Vierna

Vierna lay in her luxurious bed, in her hidden home, known only to a few. Reflecting once again on her journey into the Abyss, the new challenges she must meet and relationship she has with SD. Then something else came into her thoughts??the box Lanni had given to her. Coming out of her reverie she travelled to her stronghold. There on a stone table in the corner of the fearsome dungeon lay the box..??

She stared at it for a time. When Lanni had given the box to her before she commenced her journey into the Abyss, she told Vierna it would protect her. Protect her from what she wondered. Certainly not what the Abyss threw at her. The Divine Mother Lloth protected her in the end. Then she remembered. Lanni gave her the box at the time when the elementals where causing havoc in the yellow town. Was there a connection? Vierna laughed at the memory. Stupid humans, what do they know, their lives are too short to learn anything of real importance. Ask a human about dwarves and magic and they will tell you that they shun such things. But Vierna knows that the duergar use magic. Many a time Vierna and her followers stood on a hill overlooking the yellow town, watching and laughing at the humans futile attempts to defeat the elementals. She shook her head in bemusement. The elementals are a product of my environment, a creation of the svirfneblin (deep gnomes). She laughed once more.

But Lanni had been insistent. There are two beings Lanni would give her life to save and Vierna was one of them. The box and Lanni?s reasoning puzzled Vierna. Oh she knew what it contained, nothing special she thought. Then again how often did mundane items prove to be crucial components in Arcane ritual. I must discuss this with Faeryl she thought. In fact she thought further, I must discuss this with Lanni.

As she continued to stare at the box, Vierna?s thoughts grew deeper. Is this unique or are there others? Lanni would know. Then another thought passed through her mind. Perhaps in the end it means nothing to me. But what if it is something of great significance to the humans? Vierna gave out a hollow malicious laugh at the conclusion she had something the humans desperately wanted. She must investigate. Information is knowledge, knowledge is power and power in her hands is absolute.

She put the box into a deep secure pocket of her travelling bag. Just for save keeping. Just until she found the ideal place to hide it from all. And she knew of just a place?but that could wait. If any more of these exist, Vierna will have them. Lanni will know???.

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