House Millithor in the City of the Spider Queen

[Serpenteye]

Intelligence, though a neccessary quality for a Bounty Hunter, can be dangerous in a Mercenary... Nevertheless, we cannot be too picky.
I shall have to summon him once our current business is concluded (ooc: the Dwarf- and Troll- fights). We're going to need all our liquid funds to maximize our profits in the arena.

Ki'Willis leans towards Yyssiriryl

I wish to request a favour from you, lady Yyssiriryl, to let it be known among the right circles that we are in the market of hiring a small but elite group of mercenaries. Bid them to come to our private dining room at Laral's tomorrow evening, and please warn them against wasting our time with incompetence to ward off the riff-raff. We would do this ourselves, but we do not posess your connections.

 

[Thels]

Dariel stands by, looking at the arena, while listening to the Matron discussing.

 

[Serpenteye]

ooc: After her current talk with Yysiriryl is over (dropping linearity to speed up the action)
Ki'Willis hands Quertus a 500gp's worth diamond
Quertus, take Dariel with you to purchase the spell-components you need. Get enough diamond dust for 2 castings of stoneskin, then be ready to prepare him for battle once the Dwarf has accepted his challenge. Dariel, my son, make me proud. She looks at him with genuine affection, smiling slightly.

 

[Endur]

Torellan stared at the pleasure slave while she kissed the Lady Yyssiriryl and then watched her walk back to Laral.


I'd like to experience that kiss. I wonder how much Laral wants to rent his pleasure slave. It is a pity that she is leaving so soon to return to her master, although I suppose it will save me from making a fool of myself in front of the others.

So, Dariel will fight a dwarf. If Dariel falls in battle, I'll be ready to challenge the victor. After all, even if the dwarf wins, he'll be wounded, and he will be easier prey.

Not that my adopted brother Dariel is likely to lose. This lot of Shield Dwarves are not likely to impress anyone in battle. None of their equipment looked magical. That Django wasn't even carrying a weapon or wearing armor.

The War Troll is an interesting opponent. I have no idea who could defeat it in a fight. The Troll seemed to be wearing magical items of various types, and looked extremely strong. If the rumors surrounding Trygon are true, he could be more than a match for any of us. On the other hand, a mindflayer or a wizard is one of the most powerful opponents imaginable. All it takes is the right spell, and the troll might be transformed into a willing slave or polymorphed into a lizard or vaporized into a pile of ashes.

 

[Endur]

Lady Yyssiriryl speaks to Matron Ki'Willis,

"I miss Reftael. I wonder what happened to Reftael in the Arena of Maermydrya. Quertus, do you have the ability to tell the fate of a drow in a far away place?

"Reftael always felt like he was in second place. When he was a weaponmaster in Menzoberanzan, he always felt like someone was better, Zaknafein Do'Urden, then Dantrag Baenre, then Uthegental of Qu'ellar Barrison del'Armgo. Even with his rivals long dead, everyone talked about Drizzt Do'Urden, the renegade drow that defeated his rivals and slew Matron Baenre. Nobody ever gave Reftael the respect he thought he deserved.

"Here in Mantol Derith, he was second best as well. Both to myself, as his social superior, as well as Trygon, his combat superior. Reftael was forced to admit that Trygon deserved the title of 'Ultrin Sargtlin' (supreme warrior in drow). Trygon's great strength, speed, size, and ability to rapidly heal, meant that no other warrior in Mantol Derith could compete with him. You should have seen the look of distaste on Reftael's face when he mouthed the words acknowledging Trygon as his superior.

"Indeed, I might have saved your life the day I purchased Trygon from Belgos. Belgos had originally intended to deliver all of the war trolls to Qu'ellar Millithor. Had Trygon been leading the revolt of the war trolls instead of being penned up in a cage in Mantol Derith, I shudder to think what might have happened to you and your house. His intelligence, speed, and power might have made the difference between an escape and a terrible death."

 

[Serpenteye]

Quertus will challenge the war troll.

ooc: Ki'Willis hasn't mentioned that yet, she's planning to talk to Quertus without Yyssyriryl present.

-------

I can only guess at Reftael's fate, in all likelyhood the Balor recognized his importance and is at this very moment having him tortured for his amusement. That is the best we can hope for, at least now there's a chance he might return to your side once the city is retaken. On all accounts Reftael was quite a powerful male, strong of body and mind. It's possible that he could survive even abyssal torture without any permanent major mental injuries and even emerge strengthened by his ordeal. Pray that his faith and his will are strong enough.

Had Trygon been leading the revolt of the war trolls instead of being penned up in a cage in Mantol Derith, I shudder to think what might have happened to you and your house. His intelligence, speed, and power might have made the difference between an escape and a terrible death."

Such qualities are a double-edged sword in the hands of a slave, almost as lethal for the owner as for her foes. Almost as lethal, indeed, as certain information overheard by the wrong people...

Ki'Willis smiles, to let Yyssiriryl know that the remark was said in all friendlyness. Clearly she implies that the news of the revolt and the silence of Lolth reaching the wrong ears could make their (including lady Y's) stay in Mantol Derith very unpleasant.


I have often thought about the revolt since our escape from Menzoberranzan and how it could have been prevented. I now believe it was a mistake to treat the War-Trolls so much like common slaves. The more feeble slave-races can be easily kept down, but a position like theirs unavoidably inspires self-confidence. They were the fighting arm of House Milithor, and held more raw strength then the rest of the House combined. How can one enslave beings with the power to destroy you, and still keep their power to use against others? It's one thing to keep them locked up in the pens, but what could keep them from rebelling on the battlefield? Oh, it can be done, by keeping them separated and ignorant and not allowing leaders to emerge, but such efforts can be too easily sabotaged, which has now been all too painfully demonstrated. Feeding their superstitions by careful manipulation and indoctrination recuire time and my efforts failed trough lack of it. Truly that is a work requiring generations of slaves.
Would it have been better to treat them more like our common soldiers? Allowed certain priveliges, kept above poverty and exessive humiliation, though with heavier restrictions to their movements. To grant them both rewards and punishments, letting them know that they can find no better life elsewhere and that rebellion means death. Can one truly inspire loyalty in creatures like those? An interesting question...

 

[Seonaid]

[ Post deleted because it was based on a post that just got changed. ]

 

[metrostar]

"Thank you, Matron Ki'Willis, for allowing this love thrall to return to her Master," Jena says.

She rises and returns to Laral's luxury box. The slave girl kneels between Laral's legs as he re-attaches the leash to her collar. With the collar re-attached, Jena rises up on her knees, pressing her body against Laral's muscular torso as she whispers into his ear, no doubt telling him that the drow with Lady Yyssiriryl are the leaders of House Millithor, led by the Matron Ki'Willis herself.

 

[Thels]

Waiting patiently as he watches the arena, Dariel occasionally looks at Quertus from the corner of his eyes, checking to see if the wizard is ready to head out.

 

[Xael]

Ki'Willis hands Quertus a 500gp's worth diamond

"Thank you Matron Mother.", Quertus says and signals Dariel to follow him to whereever one can find spell components (the trade quarter?).

Quertus, do you have the ability to tell the fate of a drow in a far away place?

"I must confess that I don't, such spells don't work very good in underdark, which is both a curse and a blessing, My Lady."



OOC: You know, it would be much easier to just cast Disintegrate on the diamond and turn it to dust...