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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(contact)" data-source="post: 520700" data-attributes="member: 41">The Risen Goddess48—A Dark Offer.Several days after Elminster’s visit, the group receives another trio of unannounced guests.  Juron summons the party, telling them that three peasant-folk of unknown origin have arrived begging an audience.  When the group returns to their home, they find the three strangers relaxing in the dining-room under the watchful gaze of Glim.  As the Champions arrive, an old woman, a younger woman and a middle-aged man stand ceremoniously and regard them.The old woman looks the group over.  “Dark and fell heroes,” she begins, but is interrupted by the male.“These are the ones who supposedly cut the Spider Queen’s web?” he says, looking the group up and down with a shrewd eye.  “I doubt that.  They are nothing.”“Look here, fella,” Taran growls and moves toward the man.Thelbar places a hand on Taran’s shoulder and says in Isenthanian Proper, “Peace brother—these three are not what they seem.  My arcane sight reveals them to be great indeed.  Beware.”  Then in common, Thelbar says, “We do not deal with those who will not reveal their true forms.  Show yourselves, or leave our home.”At that, the older woman smiles, and baring yellowed teeth, she waves a hand.  In an instant, their seeming is dispelled, revealing three drow.  An ancient woman, wearing the ritual garb of Lloth, a younger drow woman, astonishingly beautiful, and obviously her kin, along with a drow male, dressed in the robes of a wizard.  All three are heavily festooned with weapons and magical items.“Allow me to introduce ourselves properly,” the old woman says.  I am the matriarch of House Banare, and a high priestess to our dread Queen.  This is my Sword, Nathe, and we are accompanied by Shamath Ilmyrn, patriarch of the city of Szith Morcane.  We have come to enlist your service for our Spider Queen.  Failing that, we intend to kill you.”Taran, who has been staring intently at the younger drow woman regards the old priestess quizzically.  “What did you just say?  Oh, no you didn’t . . .” But before he can draw his swords, he is restrained for a second time by Thelbar who interposes himself between Taran and the matriarch.“We do not give any service to the followers of Lolth, and we are not frightened by their threats.  This audience is at an end.”But the matriarch is unruffled, and she continues as if Thelbar had not spoken at all.  “Your existence is an affront to the entire drow world.  We know you have lived before, and we know that in past times you were the cause of Our Dread Queen’s banishment from this world.  While I find this personally very hard to believe, I am assured by her highest servants that this is true.  In fact, her hatred of you is so great that you are favored above all surface-worlders with her Mark of Death.  It is plainly visible to her faithful, and all who see it are bidden to destroy you.”She looks squarely at Thelbar.  “I have read your book in the City of Doors, gray one.  I know of your lost empire, and your living children.  I can shade your mark, and remove this curse from your heads.”“Yeah, so drow won’t try to kill us anymore,” Taran laughs.  “To tell the truth, I kind of like it when drow try to kill us.  Saves us the trouble of hunting you down.”“If you refer to the outcast whelps you defeated in the Cormanthyr forest, we are not impressed,” the young woman says to him, staring balefully into his eyes.  Taran stares back, his sword hand twitching.Thelbar regards the matron mother.  “And what brings you to this point of desperation, that you would make such a sacrilegious offer to those you are supposedly bound to kill?” “Lolth has chosen to go silent.  I have heard her voice only once in the last two months, and she spoke your names.”Taran smirks and says, “Are you sure she wasn’t just having a nightmare?”The old woman continues as if he hadn’t spoken.  “Our Queen is testing her faithful.  Through her silence, she will soon discover who holds true to her ways and who is false.  Even now, the traitors scramble to reveal themselves to her all-seeing eyes.  In the interim, however, enemies of the true drow Queen have seized this opportunity to take some small power and threaten both my people and your own.”“Yeah, I guess it sucks to be you,” Taran says.  “So why don’t you get the f--k out before I ruin the new carpet.”  He looks at the male drow.  “With your insides.”“Brother, please.” Thelbar says in common.  “How many times must I instruct you to bide and be still?”  After a moment, he turns to the matron mother.  “My brother is impetuous and has not understood your offer,” he says in Undercommon.  “Please continue.”The matron mother smiles thinly.  “This is what you are left with if you do not beat them soundly enough.” She continues in common.  “As I was saying.  The cult of Kiransalee has seized the city of Maermydra, and we have been instructed to compel your service to remove them from this position.  “In exchange, we will remove from your head the curse-mark of Lolth.”Taran bursts out laughing.  “Excuse me Thel, I’m really sorry I’m a rude bastard and everything, but you can’t be taking this seriously.  They want us to go to war with somebody because their goddess went to sleep on the job, and in exchange, we won’t be attacked by the people that we generally kill on sight anyway?  Sure.”Kyreel says, “The matron mother was not finished.”The old woman continues.  “You will kill Irae T’ssarion, high priestess of Lolth, and you will prevent her from launching her planned assault on the surface worlds.  Maermydra lies directly below our feet, and your community sleeps with the false hope of living to see the next harvest if you do not do as I say.  Commune the truth of it, if you do not believe me.  You will kill T’ssarion and retrieve a child that is her captive.  The child’s name is Sharlequannan, and she is one of mine.”At this, Kyreel and Thelbar exchange glances.“Further,” she looks at Thelbar.  “If you assist me with my child, I will reveal to you the location of your children.”“I do not have children, matron mother,” Thelbar says.  “You are mistaken.”“No, Thelbar the Grey, it is you who are ignorant.  You do not own your past, and have lost knowledge of it.  But do not look at me askance, it is the goddess you serve who has robbed you of your own truth.”The male drow steps forward.  “I can offer you directions to Maermydra, and give you these.”  He presents a trio of pendants, carved with a single drowish rune.  “They will mark you to the eyes of the Spider Queen’s faithful, and compel them to render you service.  These runes represent the highest order of her faith, and will be obeyed.”“And if they are not, the drow in question are not faithful and should die anyway.” The matron mother says.The mage continues.  “I can outline the likely guardians and obstacles you will face, but I do not know how Kiransalee’s faithful may have changed the city since I saw it last.  Personally, I doubt your worthiness, but who am I to question the will of the goddesses?  If you succeed, the rewards will be great.  Kiransalee’s faith is a wealthy one, even by our standards, and of course you may keep what you can seize along the way.”“We will consider your offer,” Thelbar says.“But we serve Palatin Eremath.” Kyreel adds.“And we will not work against our own,” Thelbar finishes.“Very well, we will give you until sundown tomorrow,” the mage says.  “We will await your answer here.  Show us to our quarters.”“Sure,” Taran says.  “Go out that door, down to the crossroads, take a right and keep walking until you die.  You can’t miss it.”</blockquote>

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