Faeryl

For once on this accursed surface I feel elated. The scum renegade Shaex was due to be executed. I wanted his body for a proper Drow burial but the weak Duke refused pointing out that Shaex had willed remains to Alynora and Garod of Tremere in Naeloth. No matter I had another plan. On the day of the execution I was ready. I quietly manoeuvred myself close to where the renegade was to be shot full of arrows and prepared myself to pounce as soon as the missiles hit him. The volley stuck and I swiftly moved and plunged my dagger into him with unparalleled viciousness, ripping open his chest. I thrust my hand in and tore out his corrupted heart. As soon as the crowd, that came to watch the spectacle, recovered from the shock of my actions, they where upon me.

Curses. I should have planned for a getaway. Like a pack of baying animals they surrounded me and demanded that I give it back. When it became clear that I would not, they began to attack me. What is it with these pathetic humans that the heart of a scum renegade Drow was so important? In the ensuing melee it was taken from me. Still I achieved my aim. I had the heart long enough to murmur the proper incantation and dig my fingers deep into it. Whatever plans the ghouls of Tremere have for the remains of Shaex, I could not careless. Why should I? The only thing that mattered was that his soul was sent to Lloth and the Demonweb Pits where it will rot and fester and endure unimaginable suffering for all eternity.

A few days later I was experimenting with some transformations. Xun’riia assisted me and as I watched her unseen, I made up my mind. It was time for her rite of passage, time to make her a full Priestess of Lloth. We finished what we were doing and I told her of my decision. The delight that shone in her eyes was so profound they seemed to light up the room. I told her to rest whilst I prepared for her ceremony.

When I passed my rite of passage it was my honour to sacrifice my brother, a third born son. He was not even 60 heartbeats old when I plunged the ceremonial dagger into his heart. The pride I felt in becoming a priestess that day will never be equalled. That was special. For Xun’riia, circumstances dictated it could not be that special. There being no Drow male brats newly born, I settled for the next best thing, an elf. I raided an elves encampment not too far from our stronghold, found what I was looking for and returned.

I instructed Xun to bathe and prepare, whilst I prepared the elf brat for sacrifice. I estimated it was about no more 2 weeks old, which would do nicely. Xun’riia was ready dressed in only a red cloak, red sash and gossamer thin black robe. I was dressed the same. With the brat ready, I handed Xun the ceremonial dagger. The hilt was the head and body of a spider with four blades on each side, representing the 8 legs. I told her to hold the dagger above the brat’s heart and await my signal, I then proceeded to chant the words of acceptance. I nodded and without hesitation Xun’riia thrust the dagger into the heart. It was so clean and precise, the brat never even made a sound. A peal of thunder echoed round, Xun’riia was accepted.

Xun’riia stood radiant, beaming in delight. I was so proud of her, not once did she hesitate or show doubt in what she was doing. She showed no emotion as the brat was sacrificed. She stood the test and passed. I had chosen well.

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Faeryl

Something is not right with Xun’riia. I fear I may have acted hastily in elevating her to full priestesshood. Some of her new powers are too much for her and she cannot control them properly. It’s her shapeshifting powers that affect her the most.

It first became noticeable when we went on the prowl for a suitable house slave. Getting one was easy with us passing as humans using Lloth’s powers. So right under the noses of the Duchy’s authorities we picked up a naïve and innocent young girl who called herself Holly. It was then I noticed that Xun had difficulty in adjusting when she changed back. I was at a loss. This should not be happening. She should be able to change form at will with no reaction. Was the Divine Mother angry at Xun, or with me?

We left the slave in a cell not fully broken. I had to deal with Xun’riia’s problem first, she is more important to me than anything else. She allowed me to enter her mind once more so that I could reach in deep. I wanted to make sure that all traces of the blackrock manifestation were completely gone. As I wandered round her mind I found this was the case. I saw no evidence, but I did see other things, images of what she wants and needs from me. I told her some of the things I saw, the rest I left unsaid. I will need to act on these innermost secrets. But first I had to get her fully back in control of herself.

I told Xun she would have to make another sacrifice to Lloth, so we raided the same elf camp where I had stolen the brat. After slaughtering the whole camp, I got her to cut out six hearts. We took these to the temple and Xun’riia sacrificed them to Lloth. Her prayer and offering was accepted. When we got back to the stronghold she seemed more herself and all seemed well. I had previously talked things over with Jyslin but she was no great help in this matter. Jyslin regards her as a traitor. In her eyes she has already forsaken one goddess, why would she not forsake another. I have doubts, yes, but I have seen things in Xun’riia’s mind, things she probably does not even know herself. No, she is not another Jhulae. I have not seen Xun’riia for some days now and this makes me wonder. That and the taunting words of Jyslin. What if the bitch is in fact right? When next I see Xun’riia, we shall see.

Meanwhile I busied myself with corrupting and humiliating the new slave. When all is done she will make a fine sacrifice. I cannot believe how naïve these humans are. Do their mothers teach them nothing? She has committed several murders now, all her escape routes are closed and she has nowhere else to go. She is mine and when I have made her heart blacker than the darkest night I will give her to Lloth.

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Faeryl

Jyslin is wrong, I know she is. Xun’riia came back, I confronted her and she explained why she went away. She told me she went away to secretly learn more of the arcane. I had my doubts as Jyslin’s poisoned words kept echoing in my mind. I hurt Xun, I needed to learn the truth but she stood up to me defiantly and proved she was indeed learning. I was angry, Lloth knows how angry I was but I was also confused, wracked with doubts.

What is going on? Jyslin’s words tell me one thing, Xun’riia’s mind and actions tell me another. I am being pulled apart and I cannot seem to resolve the conflict. I pray to the Divine Mother for guidance, but she does not answer and this confuses me too. It was me who brought a heretic back into her fold, back into the bosom of the true Drow. She should be pleased, yet she ignores me. Why should this be? Is it me she tests or have I indeed make a grave error and my goddess has abandoned me?

No. I have seen inside Xun’riia’s mind. I know what she wants though I do not fully understand why. She wants the pain, but she wants it for herself and me not for Lloth. And yet later when we went to the temple, Xun’riia fully committed herself to Lloth and myself once more. We exchanged lifesblood, we are now one with Lloth. We took the oath.

“To the one who betrays the other, let Lloth take her soul and condemn it to eternal suffering”

It is done. I have made my decision. Am I strong or am I weak? Who is now dominating whom?

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Faeryl

What is wrong with me? Why do I feel this way? I have my slave, I have my servant and I have Xun’riia. I should be content, but I am not. Why despite all that do I feel empty?

My slave, Holly, was easily broken and now attends to me faithfully without complaint. She will do anything I ask. In her eyes I see nothing but devotion to me. There is nothing she will not do for me. She has even killed her own kind because I told her to. Now I am teaching her skills which will be for my benefit, not hers. I should be content.

My servant, Irinia, a surface born Drow who knew nothing of our ways, she is keen to learn and embrace our values. I tell her of Lloth the Divine Mother. She is so fascinated by her greatness and power and what she can give her, that she also will do anything for me. I have taken Irinia from a life so miserable she looks to me in awe. She is like a blank canvas and on that canvas I will create a masterpiece. She is not only my servant but she will become a servant to Lloth. In many ways she reminds me of Xun’riia. But unlike Xun’riia she will never be a priestess but she will be my faithful bodyguard. I should be content.

My soulmate Xun’riia. She will risk everything for me. All this despite the terrible time I have given her recently. I treated her badly, questioned her loyalty, yet she refuses to leave my side. What more can I ask? All my selfish wants are being satisfied. I should be very content, yet I am not. Even Shi’nithra came to me and told me she wants to give up the ways of the warrior and take the vows of priestesshood. Why am I not content?

I am surrounding myself with a wall of loyalty, one that will protect me from my bitch sister and her guard dogs and the poisonous Jyslin. But I am not content. Lloth has deserted me, of that I feel certain. I feel my power draining, slowly but surely. I faced and killed a succubus but not without cost, for I am left with a wound on my thigh that has still not healed. That is not right. That tells me my power is diminishing. Now I cannot sleep and there are times when I remember nothing. I feel drawn towards the Abyss. Lloth is summoning me. I am to be punished!

[Faeryl is talking to Xun’riia seeking comfort and discussing plans to regain Lloth’s favour. Without warning she slips into a period of darkness of which she remembers nothing. When she later emerges from that state, Xun’riia is lying in her arms, unconscious, weak and looking drained of all energy. Faeryl knows nothing of what happened.]

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Faeryl

Ah Divine Mother, Queen of Spiders, how many more test will you give me before you accept that I am completely devoted to you?

I came out of the darkness and found Xun’riia in a bad way. I did it to her. I revive her and she looks at me, not with fear or loathing but of confusion and helplessness. There are no obvious physical marks on her, but its clear I did something bad to her. She tried to explain but it seems she is just as unclear of events as I am. All she will say is that I changed, transformed into something hideous but also beautiful and attacked her.

The wound on my right thigh throbs and refuses to heal. Is this the cause? Is the lucky strike by the succubus the cause of all this? Reverie is beyond me just now and my powers are even weaker than before. Worse. I feel drawn towards the Abyss. There is no way I can enter there just now I am too weak. It is hard enough to survive that place at full strength, what chance would I have in my present state. Xun’riia, Lloth protect her, is determined to get me through this. She sees the pull towards the Abyss as yet another challenge, one I must accept and fight. So we go there.

I stand before the vile entrance to the Abyss. I can hear the cries of the anguished souls and I feel the tug drawing me closer. Xun is determined I will not enter and tries to hold me back but I am being drawn closer by an unseen force. I fight it with all my will. I pray to Lloth to help me but she will only help those who help themselves. My willpower is being tested to the limit. Suddenly there is a release and I am hurled backwards against the wall. The violent bang on the back of my head stuns me but before I pass out I feel the tug lose strength. It is not my time after all.

We get back to our home and I have a great need to rest. Still slightly concussed, Xun gets me to bed and as I drift off into reverie in the comfort of her arms I wonder what more lies before me. Xun’riia is convinced its over, I am not so certain. The wound still throbs and weeps and I fall into a blackness.

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Faeryl

I suddenly emerge from another period of blackness. Lying on the cold dank floor of the dungeon, I feel as if I am in a state of shock but paradoxically elated and invigorated at the same time. As my eyes begin to focus and take in my surroundings I find Xun’riia lying sprawled beside me. She looks close to death! What has happened to her I do not know but I immediately sense that I am responsible for her condition. I gently cradle her head in my lap and begin to cast healing spells at her, rapidly and continually. No response. What in Lloth’s name has happened here? There are no obvious signs of physical damage, in fact she is unmarked but she looks completely drained, not of lifesblood but of something else.

Franticly I continue to shower her with healing spells and futilely call for the Divine Mothers intervention. After some time she eventually begins to respond. Her eyes flicker and her breathing regains strength. I continue to cast healing and re-invigorating spells on her and I can feel her getting stronger with each passing moment. A little later she opens her eyes fully and smiles. “Faeryl” is all she says.

I get up and gently lift her up into my arms and struggle gainfully to carry her from the dungeon to our room. Her arms are wound tightly around my neck and she has a serene expression on her face. I look into her eyes expecting to see a fierce burning hatred despite her calm demeanour, yet all I see is what can only be described as loving admiration. How can this be? I have done something terrible to her, something I cannot comprehend or remember. There is a period of time that is just a void, a black void of nothingness. I therefore resolved that once Xun has been made comfortable, I will lock myself away with my tomes and research till I find a solution to this. I cannot allow for this to happen again, I cannot allow for this loss of control.

I gently lay Xun’riia on the bed. Her expression is still one of serene calm. I can see that she has almost fully recovered from whatever I did to her. Now all she needs is rest. As she closes her eyes I gently place a kiss on her forehead. She smiles and says in a voice soft and silky, “Usstan ssinssrigg dos Faeryl, Usstan ssinssrigg dos”. I look at the scar on my left palm, then at the wound on my right thigh which weeps with a strange fluid and scream out “Nau !!!!!!!”

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Faeryl

I emerge from another period of blankness. I seemed to be calm and in control but my right thigh throbs, the wound has still not healed despite my best efforts. It is then I notice Xun’riia staring at the wound as if in a trance, seeming to focus on the weeping fluid that seeped from it. Her tongue licks her lips as if she wants to taste that strange fluid. Something is very wrong. What is this substance? It does not smell foul nor does it look anything like the festering pus from an infected wound.

Xun reaches out with a tentative finger and touches lightly the fluid, catching a tiny globule on the tip. She sits there staring at her finger licking her lips. Whatever this is, it’s affecting both of us in different ways. I need to solve this puzzle for both our sakes. Just as Xun’riia touches her lips with the wet fingertip, I push her away angrily. This is not right!

I lock myself in my room searching through my tomes looking for a possible end to this. At last I may have found an answer. The Matriarch of the ants may have a formula to a potion that will cure this ill. I return to Xun and tell her what I found. The ant Matriarch is one of Lloth’s minions so getting to see her will not be dangerous, its what she’ll ask in return that might prove a challenge. We get there and I instruct Xun’riia in what to do, in how to consult her. After a period of time she comes to me and tells me the Matriarch will help but she requires us to kill some of her enemies first. This was not unexpected and we depart searching another cave to do the ant queen’s bidding. The task was not that difficult, the ant queen’s enemies fell with ease. Lloth was on our side.

Once completed we swiftly returned to the Matriarch and once more Xun’riia returned to me. From the smile on her face I could tell immediately that the Matriarch had kept her side of the bargain. In her hand she held some powders and instructions on how to use them. We returned to our home as quickly as we could. Once there I waited impatiently as Xun’riia prepared the cure. At last all was ready. She took my leg in her lap and gently applied the potion. At first there was nothing and then I screamed in absolute agony as the pain surged through my thigh, like a million tiny burning pins!

I know pain. I have gloried in the giving and receiving of pain. But this was something else, this was a pain like no pain before. As I passed out my last thought was had the ant bitch tricked us? I could only have been unconscious briefly, when I came around the pain had gone. I looked at Xun, she was smiling widely, then I looked at my thigh. The wound had healed fully. All that remained was a 5-inch long scar marring my perfect beauty. The pain had gone, the festering wound had gone, Xun’riia said her thirst had gone. I can only hope my darkness had gone.

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Faeryl

These last few tendays have been good. The potion Xun got from the Matriarch seems to have worked well and I have been content. Vierna plays her politics whilst my followers and I get on with spreading fear amongst the humans and elves. We have made a number of captures recently, all for our amusement. Some have died, which is unfortunate since in death there is no more pain. Still there are plenty of pickings.

My favourite pet just now is a particularly ugly elf. Face ruined and covered in scars. She put up a good fight before she was broken. I like that. Some break all to easily, there is no fun in that. In the early struggle the bitch even managed to bite me! That is a worry at the back of my mind. Seems previously she was ravished by some demon, hence her ugliness and the bite, which drew blood, was in the area of the scar from the Succubus. I hope Xun’riia still has some of that potion left, just in case. Anyway, my pet thinks she is a dog now and a very obedient one too. Well, elves are not better than dogs!

Xun’riia both pleases and worries me. I could ask for no better acolyte and yet she is showing a hint of defiance in my methods. I had found a secret library of knowledge, full of ancient tomes of arcane and I wanted to share this with her. I told her she should study here as much as she can. But she took it the wrong way. She seemed to think I was implying that she was weak, that I wanted her out the way, that I was replacing her. This is Vierna’s doing, she has been poisoning her mind against me. Vierna is using Irinia, my other acolyte, as a wedge between us. This will not happen, no one can replace my Xun’riia.

No. Xun’riia is not weak. She makes some decisions which may be taken as a weakness, but this can be rectified by my guidance. No. Xun’riia has potential to be even stronger than me, but she has to ignore all others and listen only to me. And learn my Xun, oh how you must learn. Your mind is like a great sponge ready to absorb all knowledge for the glory that is Lloth. Keep giving your heart and soul to me and together we will be the ruling queens!

[As Faeryl falls into a satisfied reverie, she feels a slight twinge in her upper right thigh. She dismisses the sensation.]

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Faeryl

It is too quiet up here now. How I long to return home, to realise my ambition, to fulfil the glory that is Lloth. Vierna, my bitch sister, plays her politics. Well at least she stays out my way. It is too quiet. I cannot even find a pitiful Von’Sah or renegade to torment. I must give Vierna grudging credit for that. Even my Xun’riia has buried herself away somewhere, searching through tomes, enhancing her knowledge. So all I can do is ponder on what the Divine Mother wants from me. Give me a sign my Lloth, give me, your faithful daughter Faeryl, more favour than my bitch sister and I will do thy will.

Stumbled upon a weird pixie. Rambled on and on in riddles about how it is the weak that are strong and the strong are weak. I got fed up and bored with its stupidity. Go on pixie shout out your riddles, scream out your suffering, no one will hear you in this place! Suffer little pixie, suffer and give your pain to Lloth.

The Shadow Lady came to see me. It has been a while and her shadow grows blacker. I tell her that soon the shadow will consume her. If she wants to live the shadow needs to be destroyed. But she will not let me enter her mind, not willingly anyway. I need to do that to find out what evil essence surrounds her. Still there may be an opening. She wants my help. Something else disturbs her. Well not her exactly, it disturbs the male that is constantly by her side. Perhaps there is something to keep me amused after all. Something to make this stinking surface bearable.

I need rest, but rest is a lonely thing without my Xun’riia by my side. I feel the reverie creeping up on me. What do you want Shadow Lady? There is desperation in the eyes of your male. So what is it you want……..more to the point, what will you give me in return? Come to me Shadow Lady…..come to me….come to…..me……come…..to……me…….

……….I emerge from the blackness and warmth and try to make sense of these new surroundings. My legs, all eight of them, are shaky and unstable but I soon gain stability. The cloudy blurred images begin to clear and I see a few others now. All tiny like myself, these are my sisters. As my eyes clear more, I see the vast image of my mother. A queen of spiders she stands regally giving birth, more of my sisters emerge and soon there are hundreds of us. All the queen’s daughters, thousands, tens of thousands, soon there are a million of us…. and not one son!

The queen, my mother, is satisfied with her work and rests contentedly. But I am hungry now, oh so hungry. There is no food only a vast mound of sister upon sister. A million of us tiny spiders, each one hungry. I look around watching, trying to make sense of what I should do next, of what my mother wants. Then I see a sister devour another sister. She seems to increase in size. She devours another and grows a little more. Yes! That is it! Only the strongest survive and the weak are devoured. That is what my mother wants! A one in a million daughter! I move cautiously to the fringes of the seething, living ball that is my sisters. Devouring this one or that one as I move. I feel the strength now, the power. I pick off the weak one by one all the while watching for others with ambition to be as powerful as me. Soon there will be few of us left. Only the strong survive and I will be the strongest……..

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Faeryl

It was amusing in the extreme, watching the pathetic humans battle against the daemons which have invaded the place called Magincia. Perhaps for the first time since my mother sent me to join Vierna, I actually feel good about being up on this stinking surface. The town is beginning to crumble it will not take much more before it is a ruin. The humans have no idea how to shut the corrupted magical gate from which the horde pours. On and on they come, the unthinking vanguard that is devastating the island. These are not the most powerful daemons I have seen; these are just the minions of arch daemons. If they come then humankind is doomed!

Is this Lloth’s work? I tell the humans that and Vierna agrees we should. But the Divine Mother has not made it known to me, her Priestess. This troubles me. Am I still not high enough in her favour that she will not confide in me? Another thing; a daemon presented Xun’riia with a powerful artefact. Why was this not given to me? After all I outrank Xun’riia, I made her what she is! Xun’riia tells me it’s a sign, a gift to both of us since we are one, but I have my doubts. This must be Lloth’s work for is she not ruler of the Daemonspawn Pits? Why has she not confided in me? Lloth, Queen of the Abyss, my mother, send me a sign!

But there is work to be done. Vierna has got wind of the existence of a set of tomes that will interest the humans greatly. These tomes are also charged with arcane power so Vierna has instructed the priestesses to find and get them by any means. She wants these books for herself. Oh yes Vierna, I will find these tomes, these Books of Sin, but my dear bitch of a sister, you will never possess them!

I must make my plans and Xun’riia will be by my side. You will not defeat us Vierna! I must rest, must make my plans, to defeat Vierna and gain high favour with Lloth. The reverie is creeping up on me again…the mist is swirling around…I am coming my Queen…your servant Faeryl ……comes…

…I look around cautiously, careful not to attract attention. The numbers have dwindled; countless corpses of my sisters lie strewn all around me. Many half devoured, many more left uneaten as the hunger is satisfied. There are now few of us left and those that are grow in power and size. Like me, each waits and watches, deciding who must die so that the victor can reign supreme. I survey and think on what has gone on before me.

Those driven by uncontrollable hunger are dead.
Those driven by self-defence are dead.
Those driven by foolish pride are dead.
Those driven by instinctive survival are dead.
Those driven by cunning remain…and I will survive them all. For I am the strongest and the most cunning…

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Faeryl

That bitch sister of mine ordered me to begin searching for the Books of Sin, the anti-virtue tomes she had heard about. Xun’riia and I had just about covered every known library in our search for knowledge and not once had we come across any references to them. Vierna maintains that in the grand scheme of things they are relatively un-important. However if it is something the humans want and value then she wants it also. Just to stop the humans getting something they want. She particularly does not want them falling into the hands of those meddling fools who reside in Rhovania. Gah! What a bleak desolate place. A frozen desert only humans could love.

There was a few places Xun’riia and I had not visited, one, that of Gargoyle City. So we made plans and set out through a series of gateways. Gargoyle City. A city of stone which had a beauty about it. But then this is not a human creation; this was built by a race with a higher intelligence. We immediately set about finding the library, if there was to be any clues regarding these books, this would be the place.

I was just about to give up and decide where to look next when Xun’riia cried out with excitement. She had found something! I quickly rushed over to see what she had found and in her hands was an old parchment. As she read out the contents I could not believe what I was hearing. I did not doubt what Xun was saying but I had to read it for myself…

Are you a seeker of knowledge? Wisdom? Power? Having come this far, clearly you are!

What do you seek? The Skull of the Ancient Arch Mage perhaps? The skull of the one who wrecked havoc on this land, not once, but many times? Oh yes possessing such an artefact would indeed make the owner powerful. But does it exist? And if so where is it, where do you begin your search?

Think on seeker, find the keys. Where there is virtue there is also anti-virtue. Ah yes you never thought of that did you? Eight tomes, each a power against its opposite. But what if you possessed all eight!

Find all eight and you hold untold power against virtue.

Find all eight and you find the keys to the artefact.

Find all eight and you find the skull of unlimited power!

Without the tomes there is no skull. Find the tomes of anti-virtue, find the Tomes of Sin!

Now you ask me where are these tomes? Well seeker, I have already given you the answer in this parchment.

Nidmoan the wizard.

…So it was true, the tomes do exist! Now we have the confirmation and what is more these tomes are just the beginning! There is a greater prize to be gained! Oh yes, oh yes! Vierna wants these tomes and she will want the artefact. We will find them but she will not have them…. they are to be mine!

After informing Vierna of our discovery she was extremely pleased. The tomes must be found first and if the parchment’s words are correct the clues are contained within. Gah! Humans and their riddles! But the numerous caves and dungeons are an obvious place to start.

Some days later I went to Magincia for amusement. Oh how the humans struggle to cope. Just like last time, until they learn to unite against a threat, they will never prevail. I also saw a pathetic Von’Sah male standing in the ranks of the humans. He denied aiding them, but he lied and I could smell the fear oozing from him as another daemon wave approached. I must get back to Vierna. The captain of the Duchy guard, Kaelyn, wants to meet Vierna. She has made an offer for our help.

[Polite reminder. Please respect the fact that unless your character has been involved IC in game, the above is OOC information. You will have no knowledge of the parchment or its contents.]

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Faeryl

Vith it all! Vith my bitch sisters! And Vith that even bigger bitch of a mother!

Curses! Curse them all! I pray to you Lloth my Divine Mother. Why are you doing this to me? Am I not your faithful and loyal daughter? Have I not done all you have asked and more? Yet you still test me. Why have you allowed Second Boy Tarlyn to be sent to Vierna? Is it that I am not strong enough in your eyes? Oh dear Queen of the Abyss, destroyer of all that is weak, if that is what you want then I shall be stronger still. I will rule for you!

The books and the skull. Yes that is the answer. They will be mine and I shall offer them to my Queen. And in return she will give me what I crave. I shall rule Hun’ett. I shall rule Menzoberranzan and I shall rule all! I see her destruction of the human town of Magincia and I know that is but a fraction of the power she can give me. Let that fool brother side with Vierna, he is nothing. With one gesture of the hand I can crush him. Let him use his handsome charms on Vierna, she is welcome to them. His very touch sends shivers of disgust down my spine.

I know what you are up to brother, you cannot fool me. Maya has seduced you and sent you, first to remove Vierna, then me. You might fool Vierna by pretending to ally with her, but you cannot fool me boy! No. I do not need you. I have my priestesses. I have Lloth!

Ah the reverie comes upon me once more…I come my Queen….your servant Faeryl comes to you….yes my Queen……I long to be in your arms….

…I look inside myself and see my heart is black. No colours anymore all I see is black. I see everything covered, covered in black. I see everything black as the Underdark, black as the Abyss. Let the black blot out the sun blot out the light. I look inside myself and see my soul is black…

[With profound apologies to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.]

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Faeryl

The blackness is clearing. Lloth has spoken; I know what must be done. She wants my beloved Xun’riia and me to succeed, to gain the Skull of Arch Mage. Yes it is all clear now the darkness which surrounds me, I know what it means. It is the suffering of the souls that we have sent to the Divine Mother. And the visions, these are my future, our future, Xun’riia’s and mine. We will rule, I will be Matron! I will be queen. Vierna, Maya, my mother, my brothers they will not stop me.

What is this flame like mist I see before me? It shimmers and flickers and begins to solidify. What is this before me? It is becoming clearer now, a beautiful Drow in shimmering flame! Who are you? What are you? Ah the flames from her body surround and consume me. They do not burn but send me towards the heights of perfect ecstasy! My senses sharpen, I can see, hear, feel better than ever before. Is this death?

Somehow I regain control and this Drow of flames stands before me, yet there are no flames now, only a Drow of such beauty second only to Lloth herself. Her eyes glow red, her hair flame red and then she smiles and asks. “Are you the priestess Faeryl?” I can only nod dumbly and she smiles once more and then she speaks. “ I am Les’tran. I am a fusion of Drow and flame. I have come to serve you and the priestess Xun’riia. I am a gift from Lloth to both of you.”

For a moment I can say nothing, do nothing. Then everything becomes clearer, much clearer. Xun’riia I cry…………

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Faeryl

How I hate this stinking surface but Lloth’s will, will be done. And of all the places on this surface, few are worse than that cesspit known as Trinsic. But I had to go there, seek out the daemon that Lloth sent from the Pit. Its agenda is not clear to me, Lloth works in mysterious ways but it is an ally and that is all that counts. The gift, Les’tran, alerted me to its existence and I had already conversed with it several times. It had taken on the body of that fool elf that tampered with blackrock. The same one that crazy mage thought was lost in the corrupted gate! What a fool! He ranted continually about Vierna interrupting his spell casting and all the while he was party to disguising one of Lloth’s minions. Ah yes, will be allies it and I.

So I enter that foul town to seek it out, the daemon that has the authorities completely fooled. I had hardly gone any distance before stinking, slobbering guards confronted me. What is it with humans? Why do they have an aversion to even the most basic of cleanliness? One guard in particular, as hairy and as pungent as a troll, seemed particularly agitated. At first I thought they had somehow worked out that it was me who spirited away one of their prisoners they thought they had killed. But no, it was not that. Then the captain appeared. The one called Kaelyn, such a disappointment to femalehood in any race, started ranting about things that made no sense. She talked in riddles and I ended up arrested on charges that were ludicrous even by their standards.

As usual the cell stank worse than an ogres latrine. They took my books and reagents. Gah! Think that matters to a priestess of Lloth? Then the troll like one, thinking he could best me because he thought he had numbers on his side and that I was trapped, tried to touch me. I gave a withering look and gestured with my hand and sent him flying across the cell. I have him marked now he will soon suffer and I will laugh as I condemn his soul to the eternal agony that is the Abyss. He will soon enjoy the fate of being a guest at L’Cress, just as many others have before him.

They left me then. I had to get out of this cell before I suffocated in that pungent aroma. I needed to burn these clothes and bathe away the stink. I withdrew a small dagger from a hidden pocket in my cloak and stabbed it into my hand. The pain I offered to Lloth and asked her to intercede.

“D'anthe Lloth, Trelao Ilhar lu'Orbb Valsharess. Nym'uer uns'aa, dosst dalharil Faeryl, lu'sei'lor uns'aa duul'sso. Plynn nindol jiv'undus Usstan gultah dos, whol Usstan tlun dossta ulu kla'ath whol rin'ov lu'rin'ov. Sei'lor uns'aa duul'sso!”

In a flash I stood outside the gates of L’Cress.

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Faeryl

I awake from my reverie. What does it mean? Is this a sign, the message I have been waiting for? Am I now higher in Lloth’s favour and can begin to usurp Vierna? No not yet, first I need to work out what this all means. The Divine Mother has spoken to me, that much is clear but she tests me still. The visions she has sent me are the keys, the keys to more power and to higher favour. Work out what these tasks are and gain her greater favour. A disgraced priestess…the capture of souls by Xun’riia…Les’tran…a cave…a parchment…a skull! Are they separate or are they connected?

The disgraced priestess, what am I to do? What is Lloth’s will in this matter? Do I aid her back into Her arms or do I hammer her in pain and suffering? That vision is so unclear and I have no measure to say which is the right path. Les’tran. Is that why Lloth gifted her to us? Perhaps that is it; perhaps Loxana is to suffer many agonies at my hands in order to satisfy Lloth only to be consumed in Les’tran’s flames. Yes maybe that is it. The next time I can be bothered to see that wretch of a priestess; I shall bring Les’tran with me and see how both react.

But what is the connection between them, Xun’riia, souls, the cave…? Xun’riia herself is acting strangely, secretive even. She has not told me what she is doing, but Lloth has in my visions. She is planning to collect souls but I do not know for what purpose. Nor do I know why she has not come to me to discuss her plans. Oh I have no doubt she will not betray me, she would not dare break the powerful oath she made to Lloth but why does she not consult with me? And is the soul of Loxana eventually part of her experiments? It is so unclear, so chaotic!

Ah I am drifting again…. a darkness is consuming me…. a pounding in my head…. the skull…. the Skull of the Arch mage…the skull…the skull…

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