Vierna

*I gaze upon the yellow orb and laugh*

It is true and it is happening! The rumoured invasion is no longer a rumour it is fact! *laughs uproariously* Oh as I gaze down from a high secluded spot, watching the daemon hordes pour from the gate, I can only laugh in amusement. Watching the feeble attempts of the humans trying to stem the tide is so entertaining. Their backs are to the walls and they struggle badly. Soon the place they call Magincia will fall. Already the surrounding area is blackened and scarred, covered with dead human bodies like a new carpet! The chaos! It fills me with an almost sensual delight.

And the humans handle it pitifully. But their propaganda is even more pitiful. In these situations you always hear stories of so-called “heroes”, of how they faced a horde of enemies killing them endlessly. But this particular event has seemed to bring out the worst braggarts. There they are standing in a group in some safe location in their unblemished, unstained shinning armour trying to out boast one another over how many vile creatures they have killed. The reality is they have done nothing but run around wildly avoiding contact at all costs. Sure, many of the daemons have fallen, slain by efforts of the ordinary humans in armies, not by these self appointed guardians with their imagined god powered abilities.

But something puzzles me. This has to be the work of the Divine Mother Lloth and the priestesses agree with me. Yet if she is determined to control this land, why has she released only the lesser daemons, the weakest of them all? True, the humans are being slaughtered and struggling to cope. But the daemon losses have been great also. Being the lesser, weaker type, these daemons have no co-ordination they are mindless and aimless. Has Lloth underestimated human resolve? Or has she some other plan, some other reason? Why not release the arch daemons or the elder daemons? *ponders deeply* Unless…yes that could be it. Perhaps the Daemonspawn Pits need thinned out; perhaps their numbers have become so great. Yes that could be it. She is achieving two objectives with the one act. She is getting rid of both the humans and the weakest daemons at the same time. *laughs at the beauty of the plan*

Oh dear Lloth, who am I, your humble servant to question your wisdom.

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 then turns her attention to a parchment written by Nidmoan the Mage, which was found hidden in the library of Gargoyle City. The priestesses, Faeryl and Xun’riia, found the document.
…”anti-virtue…Books of Sin…Skull of the Arch Mage…skull…” She murmers deep in thought*

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Vierna

*I look towards the yellow orb and ponder*

The place they call Magincia lies in ruins now just as I predicted it would. The fool humans would not listen. The captain of the Duchy guards came to me and we had an interesting discussion. But she would not meet my price so the gate remains open. So let them carry on with their futile attempts against the daemons, they have no hope. Now that the town no longer exists the daemons seem content or perhaps it is the calm before a further storm. Do I care? No. Why should I. It is not my town, my world or my race. Why should I care whether humans live or die?

*Frowns a little and looks distant*. Something I do care about is my brother turning up without warning. The fact that Malice, my mother, did not advise me of this put me on immediate alert. There can be no doubt that Maya, that bitch of a sister, was behind it. Now I need to decide whether it is to my advantage…has she made a mistake? Like Faeryl, now that he is with me, he is no longer under her influence, but under mine. Before he was sent away to the Melee-Magthere it was me who had responsibility for his upbringing. Has she forgotten that? Now after all this time he is back with me again. What is she up to, why has she done this?

I shall watch him carefully and if he is indeed Maya’s puppet, I shall find out. He will give himself away eventually. Faeryl needs closer watching too now, particularly when they both get together. I need to know what they discuss when they are alone together. Vith it LL…where are you when I need you?

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 and say “who’s winning now yellow orb?*

So far little brother has been behaving himself, I think Faeryl has more to concern herself with him than I have. I have more to concern myself with than petty sibling squabbles. Ah poor Faeryl, you will always be the runt of this family, live with it!

More visitors, this time a representative from the Shadow Court. They want the gate through which the daemon hordes passed and laid waste to Magincia closed. If this has been Lloth’s doing then it can be done, but at a price. So I gave him my terms; that they give up on the virtues, that they all bow before Lloth and that they begin the systematic slaughter of every elf on this land. Ha! He called it genocide; I call it cleansing the world of the weak and worthless. I also demanded authority over the ruling council, after all this place needs a strong leader, one who can make decisions without worrying about the consequences. Meet my terms or not, I do not really care.

As it happens, things have moved on in any case. With the whole island totally devastated, the daemons withdrew. Why this has happened is unclear, maybe some other town will now be targeted. Certainly it had nothing to do with human efforts, that much is clear. But if Lloth was directly responsible, then it draws me to one of two conclusions. Either there was a rebellion against her authority and she has now squashed it or, it was a cleansing operation. The daemons greatly reduced the human population and at the same time Lloth got rid of the weak daemons. I suspect the latter since at no time were the Tanar’ri seen directing operations.

Yet another meeting, this one of greater importance. More information is to hand concerning the anti-virtue tomes known as the Books of Sin. We now have firm clues on where to start looking. This pleases me. Let the humans fight and squabble over these tomes, I want my hands on the greater prize!

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 gaze upon the fading yellow orb and curse*

The search for the first anti-virtue book did not go well. We were beaten to it by a rag tag collection of do gooders and glory seekers. How typical of human hypocrisy. It never fails to amaze me how easily the masses can be taken in by this talk of virtue, yet one hint of power and there they gather like flies round dung. Each one desperate to grab a piece of whatever might give them an advantage. Ha! And once one of them had it they became a squabbling rabble, each trying to out claim the other. Pathetic!

Well humans, the game has only just begun. One book on its own is nothing. Anyway, for me it is not the tomes themselves that are important, it is where they lead. These fools do not know what they are dealing with…but I do. *laughs* You think real power lies in those tomes, then think again. I have Nidmoan’s parchment and without that the books are worthless. *laughs again*

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 gaze upon the rising orb and grin*

Wonderful! My soulmate SD has returned, as I knew she would, as LL said she would. She has been coy about her absence, but that does not matter, she will tell me in time. But something disturbs her, I can sense it; something drastic happened to cause her to go without a word. For the meantime however, all that matters is she is back. I told her briefly of what had gone on while she was away and we began to lay further plans. Somehow we must get that book from the Duchy’s hands.

Unbelievable! Just as SD and I try to catch up on things, I am forced to spend a night in jail! We were tormenting a slave when I heard a racket outside. Not many are foolish enough to wander onto our property without permission so I looked out to investigate. There stood some half-breed mongrel in a Duchy uniform shouting the odds. “I’ve come to kill Drow” she screamed. SD and I looked at each other and smiled. I drew my sword and said to the fool that she was welcome to try. The guard went for me; it was a frenzied attack not the calculated assault one would expect from a true warrior. It was over in moments. SD and I were unscathed whilst she lay mortally wounded with several fatal cuts and high doze of poison from SD’s blade. Sadly she died too quickly and robbed us of decent fun. All that remained was to wonder why the Duchy sent one of there guards to kill me.

I loaded the body onto a horse and headed to Trinsic alone. There was no need for SD to become involved. I needed to find answers to this unprovoked attack. Of course they saw things differently and accused me of murdering a guard. So a night was passed in the cells. Well at least they sent me a lawyer. *laughs* We discussed what happened and he assured me he could get me off. I am convinced that this was a set up by the Duchy, but on reflection handing over the body to them was a mistake. I was not going to get my answer that way.

The next day the lawyer returned and we built up a solid case for my defence. Then something strange happened. The fools had lost the body! Seems during the night it got up and walked. How careless of them! No body, no crime, they could hold me no longer. So now they are convinced that the guard was not dead and is now wandering around lost in a daze. Poor fools! I can tell them exactly what happened. One of my followers sneaked into the healers in the dead of night and drugged those on duty and made it look like some miraculous recovery. After all one of my priestesses would have no difficulty in animating a corpse. Later the body would have been disposed of properly, which is what I should have done in the first place.

I got back to find the slave had taken advantage of the previous days commotion and escaped. No matter she will be easily found. And when she does, oh how she’ll suffer!

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 and laugh*

Distractions and illusions the tools of a good conjurer, that is what that crazy mage Muldran is reduced to now. Ha! He is not even a good conjurer!

I got word that Muldran was heading to the corrupted gate near the ruined Magincia. If he was planning on tampering with the gate then steps would have to be taken. I am still not convinced that the priestesses are correct in their conviction that this was Lloth’s doing, but I was not going to take any chances. I got there ahead of him with SD and LL by my side. If there was going to be any trouble we were well prepared. He turned up with a rag tag of misfits including a Kaldorian and an arrogant looking male who clearly liked the sound of his own voice. He continually prattled on about Lloth knows what to anybody fool enough to listen. Unfortunately for him nobody cared but his continued whining was annoying. Turned out he was called Decardo. The same Decardo LL told me a few interesting tales about. I especially enjoyed the one were he challenged her once, a long time ago. One where he ran half way across Sosaria to avoid getting the hammering he deserved. In the end she stopped chasing him, she had more important things to do. Any trouble and this lot would be no match, despite only 3 of us.

As it turned out he was not here to tamper with the gate at all, but to “communicate” with someone stupid enough to enter the gate during the daemon invasion. It was that elf Kendra he wanted. The same one who almost blew herself up when experimenting with blackrock. What is it with humans and elves that they must interfere with things they have no knowledge of? Still I let Muldran carry on with his charade, might be fun after all. Soon a ghostly image of Kendra appeared and they began to converse. It was all smoke and mirrors and I soon got bored. I took out a piece of blackrock and began to juggle with it in my hands. Muldran’s eyes bulged in fear! *laughs* Oh how he loves this stuff! Because of it he has lost whatever power he ever had. Now I will make him lose his sanity with it. *laughs again* I got even more bored so I tossed the blackrock towards the gate and shattered the illusion.

This greatly upset the humans. Good. Convinced that Muldran had contacted Kendra and was “bringing her back” they went off on a search to find her. And find her they did, as I knew they would. It was all too convenient and unconvincing. She just happened to be “found” by an elvish looking female called Cherry. Colleague to Muldran and partner to Decardo no less! It was all a set up to make Muldran look as if he still had power. I doubt this Kendra went anywhere. Cherry had her hidden away somewhere ready to reveal her at the arranged time just as an illusionists assistant would do.

One thing I did notice was that one of Muldran’s party was the lawyer who recently “helped” me. Now why was he there, what was he up too? Time to find out. I met him a few days later in Trinsic and invited him to my “office” on the pretext I had work for him. I spun him a yarn that I wanted to help a “friend” who was in trouble. This sparked off his curiosity and he seemed more interested in my “relationship” with J than anything else. Despite his obvious disadvantages of being human AND male, he is clearly more than what he appears. Anyway, he told me nothing more than I already knew about the case so I set him some other tasks. It was when we came to discuss the fee that the warning signals in my head really did go off. He did not want coin, but information. Seems he is interested in the Books of Sin! He asked me what it was I had that was connected to the tomes. Now the question is, how did he know that? I have hinted something along these lines to only two, one is Muldran and the other works for him. What is your game lawyer? Time you were investigated.

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 gaze upon the rising yellow orb and muse*

The second Book of Sin has slipped from my grasp, but it is not the disaster that it would at first appear. Granted, not having them is a set back, but I know where one already is. As for the second, I will soon track that down and gain it. No. The important thing is I have the key that opens all 8 and only a very select few know of its existence. On there own the books they are not that powerful, even together they are lacking somewhat. No. The important thing is what these books lead to, the power that will be gained and to know that you must have the key! The key only I have! May be, for the moment, it is better that they are scattered. As long as I know where they all are and when the time is right, everything will be mine.

The yellow town is in a state of chaos and confusion just now. This is good even though I am not behind it. Whilst eyes are turned and attention is focused elsewhere it will allow me to quietly make my moves. In fact there is a state of chaos all around this land. Yew is in the grip of some sort of futile peasant revolt and Vesper is in political turmoil. The fact that I had or have no influence over these happenings is irrelevant. Internal strife is just as effective as setting city against city the result is the same. Chaos abounds and that pleases me. It is no co-incidence that all this chaos has followed hard on the heels of the destruction of Magincia.

Even Faeryl’s allies are seeing my way is right. *laughs* Her most loyal priestess, Xun’riia, now recognises I am right. She came to me, meekly, and gave me her loyalty. Ah yes, they all want to be on the winning side, for some though it may be too late. *laughs more* The game I play is long and set backs are inevitable, the trick is to turn those set backs to your advantage. Spin the webs of deceit and chaos but always seem to be in control, even when you are not.

My campaign to discredit that crazy mage Muldran continues. Once again I was able to foil his attempts with the thing that is Kendra. His magic failed again in front of many eyes and now his stock gets lower. I invited him back to our stronghold and sewed more doubts into his mind. And the doubts are clearly there; I can see it in his eyes. Soon I will have complete control over him and yet another bastion of order will fall into chaos.

A rare stroll through the yellow town brings a surprise, my little Kaldorian friend has returned. Things have just got even better… *chuckles with great amusement*

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 gaze up at the rising yellow orb and softly laugh*

Interesting. Sabrae came to me with some news. Seems the cowardly Kalannar, “leader” of what is left of house Von’Sah has been seen along with that half-breed adornment Moiriane. *laughs* I wonder what has brought them out of the stinking rat hole they have been hiding in. Suddenly found the guts to challenge me have you? You are welcome to try Kalannar. May be that is what you want. A long slow painful death to atone for your heresay, is that what you want? Come to join your daughter Iym’iara in her painful wasting away? She is down to skin and bones now, her time is short. Or is it Shairin, Shi’nayne’s daughter? Come to watch me lash every piece of skin from her body. Come to me Kalannar and bring that abonamation you “love” too. *laughs loudly*

Once again the humans are occupied with another deamonic attack. As Faeryl predicted, another town will fall, just like Magincia. But this attack on Moonglow seems different to me. Far be it for me to question the will of Lloth, I have my doubts that she is behind this one as Faeryl claims. Still no matter, even if it is not the Divine Mother’s work directly, why should she not get the credit. If Moonglow survives, then we can claim it was not her work but of some other manevolent being. The humans seem to think there is some sort of “anti-Avatar” behind this attack. Who cares! All that matters is that humans are futily dying day by day.

And no inept interference from Muldran…I wonder why? *laughs*

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 gaze upon the yellow orb and muse*

Since the capture, torture and humiliation of Van Cocidius, Baron of Vesper, things have gone quiet again. He has paid for that town’s crimes against Drow. Whether the warning will be heeded remains to be seen, still if they do not then I shall take pleasure in picking them off one by one. *laughs* The pressure clearly got to the bar fly since he soon quit as Baron. Interestingly Elliot Heath, one time vassal to Tabbitha, has replaced him. Now if that one does step out of line then what Cocidius suffered will be nothing in comparison.

Seems any hinderence of a threat from Von’Sah quickly died before it was born. Such a pity. Never mind there is only that one-eyed caricature Jaraxle left and he is insignificant now. Reduced to drinking his life away according to the latest reports I have. A human in black skin, nothing more. All surface Drow are under my control now and that pleases me, pleases Lloth. But with it comes an increased threat from within and that means I have to be on my guard even more so. Time to consolidate my position even more securely.

And what of the rest of this surface world? Magincia a town of rubble, flattened by Lloth’s minions. Moonglow with its strange happenings and now Cove and Nu’jelm under attack from hordes of chaotic beings that may or may not be controlled by Lloth. *laughs* Who cares, chaos rules and that pleases me and pleases Lloth! Where is your god humans? This imaginary Avatar? Chaos surrounds you and what do you do, fight it? No! You fight amongst yourselves over some little town that Lloth could crush just as she crushed Magincia! Go on humans, do my job. Carry on slaughtering yourselves whilst I count your dead!

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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