Vierna

Looks up at the yellow orb and says nothing.

I have been unable to find the other twin, and their mother grows impatient. So I will step up my efforts to locate her. I want rid of Aly?riia anyway, I grow bored. News has reached me that Z was last seen in the mountains to the north west of the yellow town. She is probably hiding out there, she fears to face me. I will get her soon and then arrange for the escort party to take them both home?.where they belong. They have both been up here far to long, they need to be re-educated. They need to re-learn what it is to be Drow. Perhaps it is that yellow orb in the sky that causes such madness. Perhaps that is Vhaerun in disguise, who knows. But something has spread a madness which afflicts those of Von?Sah. They are no better than common thugs. Clearly, when they first arrived on the surface, they missed an opportunity to make their house great??a lost chance to climb the ladder. Reports from home tell me that they are indeed an insignificant house, based on the fringes of the Underdark. They will not stand in House Hun?ett?s way!

The elf mage L is an enigma. It is as if she wants to be dominated, enslaved even. Yet there are times when she rebels against this mood, only to become submissive upon reflection. I will play out as much rope as she wants and when the time comes, I will reel her in slowly and with relish. Meanwhile a test of loyalty. I have asked her to befriend the magistrate, she being of the same race. I need to find out what makes her tick and whether she is as she says she is or just another puppet. The Duke of the yellow town is being played for a fool and he does not realise it. He surrounds himself with sycophants who are only all too willing to stab him metaphorically in the back. *laughs* I wonder how he would react if he ever found out what they really thought of him. But then what do you expect from a male.

*Laughs* The lovesick guard, he is ripe for taking. Already I have sown seeds of resentment in his mind. Not that it was hard, his hatred for his rival made it all so much easier. Yes. He will become extremely useful to me as I lay my plans to rid the town of all the undesirable elements. Once that is achieved then I can begin to move operations on. Yes. This town will make my house even greater. With resources at our disposal and trade links established, House Hun?ett can further expand outwards. We will be unopposed. So I will play the guard wisely and learn all I need. *chuckles* Who knows maybe if he does me well, I might find a suitable position for him.

I chanced upon Moiraine in the streets. *laughs* Oh the bitterness towards me shines like a beacon in the darkest night. The exclusion ban stays she says. There is no reason for it. No reason apart from the fact that she fears me, but she is helpless to do anything against me. So the only weapon she has is the futility of spite. So wrapped up in her emotional hatred, she cannot think or see clearly. She was like that with the twins and lost. She will keep losing to me for the same reason. Oh Moiraine, you try so hard to act the Drow, but you fail so miserably. What lies and exaggerations does Kalannar spin you to fuel your ego? Do you not realise he will leave you when you begin to age and he tires of you? Does he tell you he loves you? *laughs* No Drow can love in that way. One day you will wake up and realise it. *chuckles with humour* Come to me Moiraine, I will teach you to be Drow. I will teach you to be a real female.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

Ah no yellow orb?it has gone to hide, just the twinkle of white dots.

As I hoped and expected, the twin Zar?riia came in search of her sister. Together with my loyal spy SD, we took her down. She put up a harder fight than I expected, but the outcome was still the same. By this time Aly?riia had been transferred from the temple to a more secure residence which I came across by chance. I looked over the premises with its numerous cells and well furnished "entertainment" rooms and went in search of the owner. Ah Divine Lloth still smiles on me. The owner is a renegade Drow, one who has lost both ears curtesy of a Von?Sah. She also revealed the mark of Lloth. *smiles* Doing business with this one was easy. In fact she ended up by joining my cause, she will be employed as specialist torturer *grins* So it was to this location Zar?riia was taken to be reunited with her sister. Ah such happy days.

With both sisters now secure, I contacted my house so that an escort party could come and collect them. Soon they would be back in the arms of their mother. Soon they would be back where they belong, soon they would have the right to call themselves Drow. No doubt at first it will be a harrowing experience for them, but if a little pain is necessary, so be it. The good things in life never come easy. They will learn how wrong they were, few get a second chance. I just hope they are not too stupid to take it.

Later I had to sneak into the yellow town. The lovesick guard was now almost completely won over and I did not even have to hurt him. But when corruption becomes apparent and can actually be seen before your eyes, then pushing someone in the right direction becomes easy. The trouble is, we see corruption for different reason. I see it to get my way, to get what I want and to spread confusion. He sees it as an affront to his honour and integrity, he sees it as fundementally wrong and so rebels. Unfortunately for him it is so rife that the only ones he can find succour from are ones like me. Now he is mine.

Disaster. As I am leaving the town, I am seized upon by other guards and arrested. These are the corrupt type which my friendly guard detests. These are the puppets of the Baroness. So a good day ends badly. Still it might not be so bad. My band of followers both Drow and non-Drow grows by the day, perhaps a night in the cells will give me an opportunity to work from the inside. Time will tell.

*sneers* Things have got bad. I am charged with a whole list of offences for which the authorities have not one iota of evidence against me. *laughs* The most serious being one of murder. *laughs loudly* What stupid orc brained humans you are. You need a corpse to prove murder. Have you got one *laughs again* No, none of this rubbish will stick against me. I know who is behind all of this. Not the Duke, no not him, but the fake Drow, the one who does not know what she is. The biggest corrupter in Trinsic?.Baroness Moiraine!

One night becomes two and then becomes three. One thing is working, some of the guards are realising something is not quite right. They are arguing amongst themselves about the rights and wrongs of my treatment. *smiles* Ah the power of argument, it has its uses, sometimes more powerful than a sword. Oh and what a special occasion as the Baroness comes to gloat. Guaranteed punishment, but too gutless to do it herself. So after a couple of nights of relative peace and quiet, the fake Drow wants her pound of flesh. And the guards like mindless zombies dance to her tune. So despite having no evidence against me, I am to be punished anyway?a night in the stocks. *sneers* You think you can break me that way Baroness? You think I can ever be broken? No doubt I will have to endure this night after night until I confess. *laughs* I admit to nothing unless it is in my interests. I am Drow Baroness, what are you? I can endure anything, can you?

As I am resting in my cell, I am disturbed by a noise. Some mercenary in a Trinsic uniform and my pet guard have opened my cell door. They are accompanied by my loyal spy. Oh that Lloth smiles on me again, I am free! *laughs loudly* We will meet again Moiraine and when we do it will be on my terms. Then you will learn the true art of suffering and pain and oh dear Lloth how you will suffer! *sneers* This game is now over! Watch your back Baroness, watch your front. Be careful who you speak to, who you visit, who you sleep with. I am watching and my web grows wide. And when I deem the time is right, no matter what precautions you have taken, you will never know what hit you! *laughs wickedly*

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

*Smirks up at the yellow orb and makes an obscene gesture*

A quiet period at last. Time to consolidate and prepare. Two little highlights happen during this period, together with a few minor irritations?..no matter *shrugs*

Firstly Angaste paid me a quick visit. With the takeover of the organisation complete, it is time to begin the set up of a Qu'ellar d' Lloth. From henceforth we will be known as Floh'len d' Lloth. When she is finished with her daughters she will return and be High Priestess of the house. As such she will be Ilharess, acting for my mother. Me? Sarolen/Sargtlin Jabbress?..second in command. *sighs* Such is the destiny of second daughters. A Qu'essan to Qu?ellar Hun?ett, never to be Valsharess! *Throws wine goblet against the wall in anger* One day with Lloth?s favour my opportunity will come and I will strike swift and hard and I will rule Qu?ellar Hun?ett?..I will rule all!

*Forces such thoughts away* Meanwhile there has been some stupid human festival taking place in the largest town of this land. It seems anyone who thinks they are important gather to fight and lust. Still it gave me some opportunities to stalk that half breed bitch Moiraine. *Laughs without humour* Three times I could have had her and she would not have known what hit her. But it was all too simple, to easy. No when her time comes she will suffer. Suffer as the Drow she craves to be would suffer. And when she thinks she can suffer no more, I will walk her into the Abyss. She will become the plaything of the Yorn and the Myrlochar and live in eternal pain! *laughs loudly* So for now I content myself by taunting her by letter, it passes some dull moments away.

My toy elf mage is becoming tiresome. She believes she is wanted by the yellow towns authorities for her involvement in the twins overthrow. She had nothing to do with it and the authorities know that, but because she has been seen with me they think they can hurt me through her. I told her to lie low for a little time, they would soon forget about her. But no, she thinks she knows different. *sneers* She even thinks that upstart T can help her in her plight. Ah stupid darthir! T is a Von?Sah and once a Von?Sah always a Von?Sah. What is more she is nothing but a commoner who thinks she can become noble. Rather than help the elf she will turn her over to the half breed in the hopes of worming her way back into the male dominated fold. Well little elf make your choice, I no longer care either way.

*Laughs* And the Kaldorian one. *Shakes head* She still believes that her land will prevail. That it is strong enough to achieve what it thinks is theirs. Oh you poor misguided fool. How can you give everything, even your life, for something that gives you nothing back? What is the point? A life destined to servitude for an ideal that cannot be realised. You turn down my freely given offer to join me in being part of real power. But no, you are happy being a slave to orc brained leaders with no sense of reality. One day you will wake up and it will hit you, just what a fool you are. *sighs*

The guard who helped my escape, where could he have got to. Why does he not seek me out? Does he not know that I can protect him? He should be rewarded for what he has done. *sighs* Ah well it is his choice.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

Vendui? yellow orb. *Waves up at it and smiles*

Such are things sometimes. Even when you do not go out of your way to find whatever you are looking for, opportunities arise. Firstly, some correspondence finds its way to me, both irritating and intriguing at the same time. Secondly, an informant meets me with an interesting proposition. Then finally a dramatic change in circumstances with a Drow I actually trust.

The correspondence. The irritating one first. The Morning Poste has obviously decided to mount some kind of smear campaign against me. This last missive was a step too far, so I responded in kind. Ah Vierna, you were too hasty?.stupid. I am being baited and *sighs* I rose to the bait. Clearly the half breed is behind it, foolishly you did what was expected. *Thumps the desk angrily* What was the point? I state the facts, actually give them the truth for once and all the time knowing it is just a waste of time. Still maybe it will eventually hit home. The citizens and the duke are being taken for a ride. Maybe, just maybe?..

The other letter. Hmmm, very interesting. From the slave girl to Kilsek Von?Sah. I had previously discounted her as a hopeless cause. Oh I could have broken her easily enough earlier, but she had nothing to offer me. I had already gained all the information I needed from her, there was nothing further in it for me. Now this note. She wants guidance. She wants to follow me. So I arrange a meet. Something immediately strikes me as odd. Whether it is to do with the fact Kilsek is no longer around and she has used this knowledge to break free, I do not know. But she is not the same person. No longer meek and na?ve, she is now strong and determined. We dance round various subjects, she never committing herself to a full and frank answer. Hmm. This is also a change in her character. Previously, my informant had tipped me off that she may or may not be part of some shady group which I have yet to discover its aims, if it does actually exist. I probed her about that, but she was very coy and admitted nothing. Again, a change of character. Something has brought this change on, this hardening of attitude. I must find out more, maybe she can be useful after all. Or maybe she is setting a trap. *grins* We shall see???.

My informant, LA, tells me he wants to set up a contest. One for those of elven blood only. No, not a mundane Drow against Elf contest but a free for all with some nice twists. I like it. This is the second proposition he has asked me to sanction in order to win my favour. Previously I agreed a suitable target for him to dispose of, plans for which, he tells me, are almost complete. He is seeking my favour because he wants to join my force. I am wary of his true motives, given that he is a committed worshiper of Vhaerun. He is unsure but he strongly suspects that I am of direct opposite alignment. Now why would he want to switch so casually? His flippant remark that Von?Sah is finished and that I will be the new focus of Drow power is too glib. I tell him so. He wants to be on the winning side he retorts. Hmm. Well lets see how he performs with the target I have set him. On the one hand his talents would prove a valuable asset, on the other I lose a source of valuable information. Unless???

I cannot believe what I have done. I actually made a commitment. And I feel complete for having done so. Since joining my ranks, SD has proved to be a most valuable asset. Her advice on important matters has always confirmed my reasoning. We think the same way, our attitudes are similar, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before we would become closer. I pride myself in being a good judge of someone and from the first time I saw her, I knew I wanted her in my ranks. I wanted her on my side, not as a dangerous opponent, so after various discussions we found common ground and she joined my cause. Its a decision I have not regretted. Now things have progressed a stage further. I can only hope I have not made the biggest mistake of my life???.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

Vendui? yellow orb. I have defeated you *laughs*

More progress. My younger sister has now arrived. She will be here to assist Angaste. *curses* That is all I need at this stage. Now I really need to watch my back. Still perhaps she is not quite old enough to grasp her potential yet. She spends most of the time in study, with her Arcane mumbo jumbo. Maybe she will ignore me and go directly for my older sister. Hmm, that makes me feel a little safer, but it complicates my real ambitions. Perhaps I should keep her sweet, keep her onside. *chuckles* She is out of my older sisters clutches and into mine now.

The Von?Sahs grow weaker by the day and now another is delivered into my hands. When resentment and hatred is allowed to fester, it makes it easier to bend someone to your will. That was the case with V. She has now pledged her total loyalty to me and to Lloth. She also fully understands the implications of crossing me. So desperate was she to seek my protection, that it did not take much to glean information from her. Oh and what information! It is the kind I have been searching for, the completion of the puzzle. I will drip feed the half breed with taunts this information provides. *laughs* This should be fun Vierna.

Yes, V will be an asset in other ways too. Very useful. Ah the power of my group just keeps getting stronger and Von?Sah just keeps getting weaker. A final insult to that family is that V has renounced that name. Another piece removed from the board.

And now to wrap up business with Kilsek?s former slave girl????.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I gaze at the yellow orb above me. *curses* You will not have me yellow orb, I am back. The creatures you shine upon will not defeat me.

I had heard news of a renegade who lived in the swamps beyond the yellow town. The information I had was that she had skills that would be an asset to me. I was told she had no love for Von’Sah. With this information, I set out to find her, to persuade her to join my fold. As my loyal band grows and pleases my mother, the strength of Von’Sah weakens and this pleases Lloth. As I strengthen and they weaken, it becomes easier to "persuade" others to join me. It is said I am now the strongest Drow on the surface - this pleases me. *smiles*

The swamp land is a disgusting, stinking piece of surface that normally should be avoided, but if half of what I am told of this renegade is true, then the journey would be worthwhile. *curses* Unfortunately for me it was almost my last and I never did find the renegade. Ah, I see now this was yet another test set by the Dark Mother. Did I pass?

Deep in the swamp I was confronted by that most hideous of creatures. A plague beast! I fought with all I had, with all my warrior skills learned and honed over decades. But this one was bigger than I had ever seen before and continually spat out its spawn to distract me. Oh I knew I could defeat this thing even on my own but the ever present threat of its deadly poison spit made me careful, perhaps too careful. Suddenly I became trapped, no where to go accept through this beast, it was either it or me! I do not know how long I danced and slashed, long enough for me to become tired…….it had to end soon! With one final effort, I threw all my skill and might into a killing blow and succeeded. But in doing so I caught the full blast of a poison spit and went down in agony!

How I got back to my hideaway in so much pain and the suffering of delirium, I do not know but somehow I made it. I remember seeing my younger sister and the look of anguish on her face. No questions, just an immediate response to action. Thank you Lloth for sending me a sorceress. All was now blackness, I remember nothing of my ordeal. Except the dream…..or was it a vision…..

For several tendays my sister fought to rid the poison from my body and all the while I stood on the edge of the Abyss and slowly began to fall deeper and deeper into the layers of despair. Then she appeared before me, the Dark Mother in all her glory. A gigantic spider of impossible dimensions with the face of the most beautiful Drow you could ever imagine…….

Why do you come here my daughter?

I have failed you oh Dark Mother, forgive me Goddess of Lust.

And tell me, how have you failed?

Oh supreme Spider Queen, that I stand before you now, means I have failed. I have not completed the task you gave me….I am at your mercy.

No my child, you progress well. You please me in what you have achieved. The grip Vhaerun has on the surface slips and my power grows….as does yours. Go back my daughter your time has not come.

I…..I….do not understand.

Go back daughter…..you are no where near finished.

I opened my eyes for the first time in I do not know how long. All is grey but I am alive and still in Lloth’s favour. Time to move forward, time to give the Dark Mother what she wants. It is said by others that I am the strongest Drow on the surface. Now is the time to prove it!

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun’ett zotrethen……Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I look towards the yellow orb and think?.."Why do you still pester me so, do you not realise I have defeated you".

My strength grows as time passes. Likewise followers flock to my call. Yet I can still feel remnants of that cursed poison inside me, that worries me .*ponders* My sister is a worry too, well at least to some of my associates who have become valuable aides. It seems she delights in defying convention just for the sake of it. On the one hand what she does to human or elf is her business, but on the other I do not want her upsetting my forward plans. Another consideration is I want her on my side when I make the inevitable move to seize control and overthrow my mother, assuming of course Lloth wills it. So I have to strike a delicate balance in my dealings with her. G put forward an interesting suggestion on how this may be done, it is one which I must consider long and hard. Ah Vierna, the burden of leadership grows heavy, *laughs* but one I relish!

I have opened tentative negotiations with two elements which may serve my purpose. The problem is that nobody trusts a Drow. *shrugs* Why should they. However in this aspect my potential allies have good reason, both have already been betrayed by Drow. *laughs bitterly* The fact that the betrayers were Von?Sah comes as no surprise and the fact that they foolishly allowed themselves to be usurped is equally unsurprising. However, I shall deal with these things differently??I am not Von?Sah!

Von?Sah. *laughs loudly* It is scattered. The feeble Kalannar and his half breed consort have gone into hiding, just as well for them. Their previous attempts at bravado was all show and no substance. Where is your Masked Protector now, you pathetic excuses for Drow. Have you never considered why your pathetic god Vhaerun wears a mask? It is because he is so feeble he is frightened to look at his own features. *chuckles* And what has his impotent power brought you? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! You have lost all. *laughs uncontrollably*

It is said that Lloth has no power on the surface. A dangerous and foolish untruth put out by Von?Sah. One that even humans seem to believe. Strange then that I still survive and grow from strength to strength whilst Vhaerun followers weaken and die. Challenge me Vhaerun! Challenge your Dark Mother! Lets see who has true power. But you will not. No. You will carry on hiding, hiding behind a mask. You are even weaker than the Dark Maiden, Eilistraee! That is how pathetic you are!


I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I look up at the yellow orb, smirk and give it an obscene gesture?.*laughs* Life is good yellow orb.

I wake up exhilarated by the previous evenings events. *laughs loudly* Von?Sah is no more. Lloth?s triumph over the Masked cowards is complete. Sure there may be a few misguided and pathetic females still scattered around. And there may also be one or two broken males hiding in stinking holes, but in essence Von?Sah is no more. What is left is the tattered remains of a once proud house buried under ineptitude, implosion and navel gazing. *a laugh of sheer delight rings out*

It all started so well, then almost turned bad, but in the end it was a triumphant climax. After a long time waiting, Jaraxle Von?Sah surfaced. I was in the Tavern with G when in he walked. *grins* For a time we threw inane insults at each other but it was all part of the ritual. My quarry was in my sight. Then Viconia arrived, now I had backup if things unlikely went wrong. *growls* Then it did go wrong. Much to my surprise and disgust Viconia was fawning all over Jaraxle like a bitch on heat. *curses* I had been betrayed. Nevertheless I demanded Jaraxle challenge me?..he sat in silence.

I grabbed Viconia and dragged her out of the Tavern and demanded to know what she was up to. She refused to co-operate. This was it?betrayal?something I had always expected but not this soon. From the corner of my eye, I noticed G in the background. He had anticipated what was going to transpire. A sword against an arcane user is always a risky fight, without being prompted, G had evened up the odds. I flew at Viconia in a cold rage determined to take her down quickly. With G?s assistance it was over in several heartbeats, Viconia was left bleeding and broken. Now for the male!

Just as the fight ended, Jaraxle came out the Tavern and registered what had transpired. I moved in on him. Again, without prompting G was by my side. Never start a fight unless you have the advantage. I had the advantage. We tried to capture him, I wanted him alive, but like the Masked coward himself he fled like brat frightened of his own shadow. We gave chase, but he was quick. Fortunately G was able to keep apace with him, unlike me. Why am I so lacking in stamina, is that cursed poison still in my system? I caught up in time to see G and Jaraxle fully engaged and it was clear G had the upper hand. Just as I joined in, the male fled again. Once more we gave chase and once more I was left lagging. Eventually G caught him again and was clearly winning. But once more Jaraxle fled. Oh this was getting boring. We lost him for a bit but eventually found him a third time. There he was bleeding and broken, it was now a pointless exercise. He was defeated! I decided it was enough, let him find his way home as an example of Lloth?s wrath. G and I walked away smiling.

Would I have prevailed without G?s aid. On reflection probably not. Jaraxle was just too fast a runner for me, I doubt I would have caught him. Also without G?s assistance the odds would not have been in my favour. Due to Viconia?s betrayal, a sword against a sword and an arcane user are not favourable odds. My respect for G increased that night. *smiles*

There is a common mis-conception that in a Lloth house where female rules supreme, there is no room for males with talent. This is untrue. Some of the best weapons masters are males. A well trained male weapon or battle master is a most valuable asset to any House and is accorded a higher status, whilst not equal to a female, it is a much sought after position. It has to be that way, so that we can get the very best out of our fighting males. It should be the ambition of every male to reach weapon/battle master. Which leads me to G. From what I saw of him in action last night, he has talent enough to be a battle master in just about any House in the Underdark. *ponders* Would he be an asset to me? Hmm?.he certainly would. Now how can I persuade him to?????..

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I look up at the yellow orb impassively and shrug.

Well the inevitable happened as I knew it would. G joined my House as a mercenary. His talents, though good enough to warrant battle master, is a title I cannot give to a non-drow. No matter he seemed happy with his station. Along with my faithful SD, his advice in the past had been solid. A good leader needs to listen to advice, to consider unforeseen obstacles. Whether that advice is accepted or rejected is irrelevant. A good leader needs to know all options before striking.

The strange thing about G is that he is almost Drow in his outlook and attitude. Whether this is due to his "change" or whether those qualities existed beforehand, I do not know. In the end I do not really care. He is an asset to me and that is what counts. *sighs* My mother will not be pleased, employing a non-drow, no doubt I will feel her wrath sooner or later. But there are surface matters to be dealt with, it makes sense to have a surface dweller in my ranks. SD understood this and was fully supportive, I will just have hope mother can see things my way. After all I am here in the thick of it, she is not. Furthermore the Dark Mother has not reacted unfavourably?.yet.

*rubs temple* Why am I doing this? Others are beginning to notice too. I do not feel weak in body, far from it, yet my stamina is not as it should be. I feel no pain or discomfort and my reactions are still incredibly fast, yet?yet?something is not right. I just cannot understand or pin point exactly, but ever since that encounter with the plague beast, something is not right. Sure the poison is long gone, my sister saw to that. But what if there was something else?..something unknown. I need to talk to my sister, I need to get to the bottom of this. I cannot allow my enemies to perceive that I may have a weakness, however insignificant.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I look up at the burning yellow orb and turn away.

*curses* G knows! He has suspected something was not right with me for a while. I tried hard to hide it, but he spotted the little things that others ignored. *curses again* Damn the male and his perception! *sighs* And then it happened. In the Trinsic Tavern of all places, a complete black out. Without explanation these momentary blank lapses, suddenly turned into something worse.

Faeryl told me later I was out for several hours. I cannot recall a thing. My memory is a complete blank. Except for one thing??..

From what Faeryl told me, it seems I had returned to the Abyss. But why? There is no reason to go back. Lloth made that clear the last time. The Dark Mother will not want to see me until all this is over?one way or the other. So why did my astral body go back? Why can I not recall this? The last time everything was clear. I saw everything, I heard everything, I remember everything. I was there with Lloth?s favour. But not this time?..why?

I am in the tavern, talking?next I am in my bed screaming. Screaming in such a way that I have never experienced. Yet I felt no pain.

"You were in the Abyss" said Faeryl. "G saw, he brought you back". " You were not in deep". She continued. "Maybe only as far as level 12, but no deeper?.G got you back before you could go further".

Why? Why can I not remember? What is this all about? I recall nothing, except one thing?..vague words??

It is calling from the deep.
Summoning me to endless sleep.
Its trying to drag me down???drag me down.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I look up at the yellow orb and wave. *laughs*

I picked up a young Jhelomite girl whom I thought would be a useful source of information. It was a spur of the moment thing, an opportunity to be seized. The trouble with unplanned activities is that unless you are extremely lucky, they usually end in failure. This one turned out to be no different. I did not really hurt her all that much as it soon became apparent that she was ignorant and na?ve. Still, I frightened the wits out of her psychologically and told her I would let her go if she kept her trap shut. I let G re-emphasise what would happen if she told anyone about being my guest and threw her in a cell to think on things overnight. The next day Faeryl, tired of her snivelling, threw her out.

Unfortunately word got back to me that no sooner was she free, she had blabbed about what had happened to two humans known to me. Given who she had spoke to, I was not particularly concerned. It was an easily deniable situation, but there are principals at stake here. I ordered Faeryl to bring her back to me. She stupidly denied she had spoken out at first, that was her first mistake. *grins wickedly* What followed was the systematic brutalisation of a young girl. A harsh lesson indeed. First by me, then by G, then by both of us together. Several days of this followed. She will never be the same again. In the end there will only be one conclusion. If she is still alive by the time we grow bored, she?ll be nothing but a gibbering wreck. Her life ruined and without meaning. Better for her she dies. Let that be a lesson for all. Nobody crosses Vierna Hun?ett, second daughter to House Hun?ett, and gets away with it!

I said that unplanned activities rarely succeed, well the next one proved to be the exception to the rule. I was strolling through the yellow town with G when none other than T?ristre Von?Sah passed us. *laughs with delight* I quickly accosted her and after making sure the streets were quiet, advised her that it would be in her interests to come with me without fuss. *laughs again* It was the last sensible thing she did that night. So now I had in my possession as a guest a priestess?a PRIESTESS would you believe??of the impotent masked coward Vhaerun!

She refused to give me any information, but I expected that. This was not some soft human or elf but a Drow. A totally misguided one, but a Drow nonetheless, conditioned to suffer. So I, G and a few of my followers set to work. Tied securely to a post, a few judicious beatings were handed out. This naturally led to several broken bones. I am determined to torture Vhaerun out of her and bring her back to what a true Drow?a true Drow female should be. Still defiant, she started praying to her god. *laughs* Big mistake. Oh stupid T?ristre do you not know he has ran away. Ran away from his mother like he always does. *laughs more* So for her insolence and stupidity I burned the top of her right thigh with a white hot iron. I burned the same spot repeatedly, the room stank of burnt flesh. I doubt the wound will ever heal. And still she remained defiant. Stupid bitch!

There is a little sex game, a favourite of mine, which involves the use of a burning candle. What you do is hold the candle above your partners body and tilt it in such away that the hot wax begins to drip. When the hot wax hits certain sensitive areas, at first there is a little pain, but it is followed by exquisite pleasurable sensations. It is also a variation of an exquisite torture. I had T?ristre tied face down onto a table, so that before me her naked back presented me with a canvas. I had in my hands a white hot iron and a length of copper wire. Positioning both just above her back, I touched the copper wire with the hot iron. As the copper melted it dripped onto her back?.oh how she screamed! I then proceeded to etch a spider image on her back using the molten copper. Is it not wonderful. A spider burned into the back of a Vhaerun priestess. *laughs wickedly* Lloth burned into her flesh forever! Oh the beauty of it!

When done I threw her into a secure cell. She will never leave this place alive!

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

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Vierna

I look up at the yellow orb with a dark scowl.

It was predictable. Qu?ellar Von?Sah retaliated as I expected they would. What I did not expect was the target would be the weakest member of my group. *sneers* How typical, an act of supreme cowardice. Whereas I aimed high and secured my prize, they aimed low. That summed them up, lower than the festering sore on an orcs foot. Word got to me that Jaraxle wanted to trade?.my apprentice priestess for the priestess I held. *smirks* Was he mad? I arranged to meet him anyway but I was not interested in trade. I could get another priestess any time, he could not. Why should I be party to a one sided trade?

I was about to walk away when G whispered something in my ear. I pondered for a short time and reconsidered. G was right, this trade could be in my interests after all. Why let T?ristre, priestess of Vhaerun rot and die in my cells when I could release her and show the world what a weak and pathetic family they are, worshippers of a weak and pathetic god. Yes. T?ristre was half dead anyway, she might not live much longer. Yes. Return her to Jaraxle, let him gaze upon the glory of the Dark Mother burned deep into her back. Burned so deep that it can never be removed. Not unless they remove the very flesh from her back, right down to the bone, an act that would surely kill her. Let his house and world see how contemptible a betrayed and disappointed mother treats a weak, cowardly, snivelling son!

We did the trade. I was pleased to see that Jhulae was still standing, still able to walk unassisted, holding her head high with pride. Unlike T?ristre whom G dumped like a sack of horse fodder at the feet of Jaraxle. We swiftly got Jhulae back to one of my homes and to the comfort of Lloth. G, my sister and I began to assess and attend to Jhulae. She had been badly whipped and tortured in a sensitive area, but there was nothing deep, nothing that could not be sorted. So we quickly got to work. It was then she told us about being violated by a slave. *curses* Nobody does this to one of my priestesses and gets away with it! She then showed us the one thing that seemed to hurt her the most. Her mark of Lloth had been covered over by the mark of Vhaerun! We had to work fast before the brand began to heal. *curses* Removal would leave a scar, a mark. Luckily, it will always be hidden by her hair. She will appear unblemished. She then pleaded with me to restore Lloth?s mark. She wanted it done now, she wanted it where I wore mine. She wanted it burned onto her left breast and wear it with pride. I had to admire her at this point. Despite the suffering she had already endured, she wanted to endure more pain. I dealt with the branding as swiftly as possible and for the first time that night, Jhulae smiled. Not just any smile, but one so radiant, it glowed.

When all was done, Jhulae began to describe in detail what had happened. Seems that she had been tricked by one called Maylene. It was her she told us, that carried out most of the torment. Typical of Jaraxle, typical of a male, too gutless even to torture a helpless female. She told us she bore it all stoically. She felt the physical pain, but it meant nothing. Lloth had taken her mind elsewhere so that the humiliation meant nothing. It did not exist. Even during the violation, she said, there was nothing. Just an emptiness. Lloth had cocooned her from the worst of experiences.

It became apparent during this time that the house was no longer known as Von Sah. It had been changed to something I have yet to find out. From what I had been informed by current and former members of this house and from reports by my mother and the Bregan D?aerthe, the Von?Sah?s under Kalannar are hiding?hiding from there own house in the Underdark! This is beautiful. *laughs* House Von?Sah is a Lloth house which contains a faction of Vhaerun worshippers led by Kalannar. *laughs even more* It means if he or any of his misguided followers go back home, they have to seek in and out like common outcasts. The Underdark is no longer safe so he hides and sneaks about the surface trying to hide, not just from me but his own family. *laughs even louder* Its a futile and pathetic attempt at hiding. Oh dear Lloth this is hilarious. Only a male could be stupid enough to dream up such a pathetic scheme. *tears of mirth roll down my cheeks*

Apart from tying up the loose ends for Jhulae, this more or less ends it for me. I tried to rescue the Von?Sah females, but they have no redeeming qualities worth saving. They are happy to act like slaves to weak males, happy to contaminate their bloodlines by having relations with non Drow, happy to be despised by all?..including their own race. They no longer interest me. they are insignificant, worthless and weak. Yes, Jhulae will have her rightful revenge and then I move on. It is over. Vierna Hun?ett, second daughter of House Hun?ett has won! Lloth be praised!

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I look up at the yellow orb and think. "Why do you persist, you know you can?t beat me".


Ever wonder why a spider creates a web? To catch her prey of course, among other things. But she shows incredible patience because she does not immediately attack. The spider does not need to, the prey is trapped, it cannot escape the web. The prey sticks to the web and the more it struggles the more it sticks. Eventually the victim is too exhausted to do anything, that is when the spider moves. She then injects a venom which renders her victim paralysed. The spider wants it alive, she prefers fresh meat and so the paralysed victim is wrapped in a cocoon and stored until she needs to feed.

And so it was with L, the elf with power I sore badly wanted. That night when I walked from her cottage because she defied me, I knew she would come running back. The web was spun and she was trapped on it, unable to escape. All I had to do was wait.

Then she came to me, she sought me out as I knew she would. She was different, changed, a little harder looking. It was clear she was in trouble, that is why she came back to me. She needed me now, she needed my help, my protection?.I have her now. *laughs* She is mine and Lloths. *smiles broadly*

She gave me the whole sorry tale. Well sorry for her. I found it interesting, amusing even. Although I do not practise it myself, the dark arts have always fascinated me. I find it exciting in a way that such acts against nature can be so useful and dangerous. And this is why she came to me. She dabbled in the dark arts and went too far. All her life she harnessed nature, now in an act of folly she went against it. Cast out by her people, she had nowhere to go. No one to turn to except me. She begged and pleaded with me. She grovelled at my feet to take her in. I told her there was nothing I could do and started to walk away. She then grabbed hold of me, looked at me with frightened eyes and said she would do anything for me.

I sent for Jhulae, my apprentice priestess. We would give the elf a test of loyalty. As we were walking through the woods, not far from the town, I spotted a young peasant girl out alone. I turned to L and pointed at the peasant girl and said "kill her". Without a moments pause or thought she did so. *grins* I turned and looked into her eyes, they were empty. No emotion, no remorse, nothing. She was now totally mine!

We took her back to my home and Jhulae prepared her to give herself over to Lloth. She accepted the branding and the pledges eagerly. A surface elf now a worshipper of Lloth. The Dark Mother?s plan is only just beginning. She will have all elves, dark and light, united under her will, just as she had planned. Oh great Mother of Lusts, Pain and Chaos??do I not serve you well?

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

I look up at the yellow orb, give it an obscene gesture and laugh and laugh?..and laugh.

Oh what a wonderful few days this has been. I needed a presence in the place called Jhelom. The first victim proved to be useless. I do not know what has become of her, G?s toy I supposed. I no longer care. No I have someone else now, someone more reliable. A sweet young girl and one that has connections. When I first met her we talked long about this and that, just to make her comfortable. I then invited her home, she came readily. It was here I began to seduce her. Oh she was reluctant, she kept stressing that she had her reputation to think about. *grins* Music to my ears. Eventually she relented, I could tell from her eyes, from the faint aroma she began to give out, that desire was beginning to overcome her. She gave herself to me completely and I took her higher than she had ever been before. Later she fell asleep in my arms, her face glowing with the pleasure she had just received. *smiles at the memory*

I met her and brought her home the next night. I told her we needed to have a little talk. Ah that faint whiff reaching my nostrils again. *chuckles* No not tonight little one. I told her I need an informant. She refused, she could not betray her friends, her family, her town. So we talked about reputation and then it dawned on her. The choice was simple, reputation or betrayal. I had read her like a book. She chose her reputation over loyalty. Pride over shame. *laughs without humour* I own her now!

The following night some of us took a trip to the yellow town. At the gate we were stopped by the stupid guard Iljian. The one who holds a vendetta against me, the one who cannot talk right, Moiraine?s pet lap dog. Seems there are warrants out against us signed by the half breed bitch. Despite pointing out to him that Trinsic law only applies to crimes committed in Trinsic, he is too dumb to grasp this concept. Moiraine has the idiot brainwashed. G was itching to end Iljian?s lispy mutterings once and for all, but two other guards turned up. Now was not the time, there were witnesses around. His time will come.

Later I met up with my tame guard Leisa. Jhulae and I reported to her what had happened to Jhulae at the hands of Jaraxle, Maylene and Veressis. She said she would seek warrants for their arrest. This, I knew she would do. But I also knew Moiraine would do nothing about it. Her family was involved and she is too corrupt and loyal to do anything about it. She along with Kalannar are hypocrites of the first order. She claims to uphold the law. She will hound me for supposed crimes, real or imagined, yet will turn a blind eye when those same crimes are committed by her family. *sneers* You hypocrite Moiraine. You have no right to sit in judgement of me. At least I have integrity, I treat everyone the same, but you? You are corrupt!

Later still we went back to town again when we knew it would be empty of guards. As we entered a surprise was there for me. Moiraine was just leaving. There was just one guard. Oh dear Lloth you are so good to me. *laughs* It was an opportunity too good to miss and we seized them both in quick time. No witnesses. I now have them both and nobody knows a thing about it. Just one small irritation, I have lost my tame guard. *shrugs* No matter.

*sighs* I have waited for this moment ever since the bitch started this vendetta against me. And now that I have her here before me, I feel empty. The thrill of the chase has been wonderful, but now? Now there is nothing left. I taunted her about writing a letter to the Duke, a pardon and an apology for me and my followers. She would also implicate herself and Kalannar in crimes against her own family. I knew she would not do it. Her eyes told me this. She refused. She refused even when I was preparing to blind her guard. This is nothing new. She was prepared to sacrifice a loyal guard once before. But something else. When we secured her to the whipping post, I also tied iron wire round her neck to the post. It was done in such a way that if she moved her head, she would begin to cut her throat. And this she did. She began cutting her own throat. Then she passed out. G removed the wire, I am not sure why. Maybe he felt it was too soon for her to die.

That told me much. Another example of how pride can ruin you. She was prepared to kill her self rather than do my bidding. She would commit suicide. She would take the cowards way out to avoid me. What kind of person is this that has no respect even for themselves? Even a lowly orc would never consider suicide as a way out. And there are no bigger cowards than them. Suicide! There is nothing so low as suicide! *snarls*

But wait. Maybe, just maybe she is deluded enough to think that suicide makes you a martyr! *laughs loudly* Oh very good Moiraine?.very very good. I will not let you be a martyr. Not this easily anyway. *ponders* No. Time to consider alternatives. I could sell you on, I know of others who would love to get theirs hands on you. I could hold you to ransom. Or I could let you rot in this place. Whatever I decide will be the one that suits me and only me. But one things for sure, I am going to haunt you for the rest of your miserable life, however long it lasts.

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

__________________

Vierna

Hello yellow orb, shine all you like *laughs*

Once I had established what a fraud Moiraine was, I branded her with Lloth on her back and got rid of her. It was pointless holding her, I had nothing to gain. Sure I might have tortured her to death, but in all likelihood she would have committed suicide before that. Keeping her was no longer in my interests. Still if it amuses me, I can always pick her up again. She knows she is no longer safe from me. *laughs*

Later I let the guard go. I had at first intended to hold her as a bargaining tool, but then I changed my mind. I still need someone on the inside. So after I worked her over a bit and branded her with the Dark Mother, I released her. She will come back to me. Despite seeing some of my true side, she has also seen the true side of Moiraine. Yes I will win her back and expose the true side of Trinsic?.not City of Honour, but City of Corruption.

It was wise to lie low for the next few days. Let things quieten down, then I can move on. I therefore resumed my search for the Temple of Lloth. I also spent time with SD, which proved delightful in more ways than one. Knowing that she had been on the surface many decades, I told her of the Temple and my search. I quizzed her about Naeloth, that ruins of the Temple where supposed to be there but I had yet to find it. She told me all that I had heard was false. A Temple did exist at one time and she had a rough idea of where it was. And so we began a search. After what seemed like a fruitless search, we found it! Or rather SD did.

And there it stood, still stands in all its glory. Evidence of a pitched battle lay around and it was clear Lloth triumphed. The Temple stood unscathed whilst all around were scattered the bones and skulls of a vanquished Von?Sah. And Lloth shone in all her dark majesty!

For now the location will remain known only to me and my followers. My enemies will not gain any advantage over me and I and Lloth will prevail. Nothing will turn me from my goals!

After the finding of the Temple, I confided in SD. My momentary lapses, black-outs are returning. So far I have managed to keep this from G and the others, but for how much longer? I am at a loss as to what to do. SD can do nothing, only support me. I cannot allow for this to become known. If my mother or my followers find out, it will be taken as a sign of weakness. Worse still if my enemies should find out?????

I watch, I assess, I report.

Vel'drav l' sil'in qu'ellar d'Hun?ett zotrethen??Jal zhal sha-rasa!!!

Lloth tlu laoles, dosst handmaiden orn naut hojh dos!!!!

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