lol, thats great Lady G. The last part had me laughin mentally ;) I'm at college, so I cant laugh out loud. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Immy, imho needs a smack or two [img]tongue.gif[/img] hehe. anyway, keep posting. ;)

Yes, Em gets a little self-absorbed, which irritates Cho no end, though she is very fond of her, obviously. Some more:

After breakfast the next day, Galadria gathered everyone beneath the great dome on the roof. As they all looked expectantly at her, she singled out Odo.
"Odo," she told him,"our Chorania has some more questions for you." She sat down, and the dark, stocky man looked quizzically at his drow friend.
"My Baron," she addressed him fondly, "enlighten me as to the ways of your god, and now mine. Must I pray only to Him, as all the drow of the Underdark must do to Lolth? Or may I address some other deity without risking his wrath? You must tell me, for I am a new member of His flock."
Odo smiled at her. "Cho, Helm doesn't mind your prayers to other gods as long as you continue yours to him, and as long as they are prayers for good things. Not wishing harm on your enemies, for instance."
"This will be hard," Chorania complained, "for I find I have many enemies, and I will need help against them."
"You can pray for victory and aid," Odo stated, "just not for their harm. Helm is then free to arrange it that you can win, but He might have other purposes. It's for your soul's sake, Cho. You may fight, but you should not hate."
"Well," she grumbled, "I will try. But I certainly bear no love for that monster that tried to eat me alive."
"No one said you have to love anyone or anything, Cho." the big man answered reasonably, "You may even have to hurt or kill them. I did not say it would be easy. In fact, the struggle with your old self will bear the greatest fruits. Why do you think that Helm was so kindly toward you? He could see your daily struggle, just as He sees all His devotees. It was your victories over the evils that you were called to do that made you into the person you are. You have told me of the things you refused to do in the Underdark, and all the trouble they caused you. Including this recent attempt on your life. Think not that they are unnoted."
Gratified, the drow smiled at her instructor. "Odo," she said warmly, "I sometimes think you should have been a priest. Except that you explain things better than they. Certainly better than I, who am my Mistress' chaplain. Please continue your instruction of me in my duties, and correct me if I do wrong."
Odo reached his arm around his wife, sitting, as usual, close to him. He hugged her close, bellowing a laugh. "A priest? Never." he said boisterously, "it might turn out to be a celibate sect, and Cythera would not like that at all."
The blonde mage blushed scarlet.as they all laughed. "Odo," she cried sternly,"you behave." She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but was unsuccessful. He kissed her loudly on her reddened cheek, and she punched him ineffectually on his massive chest with her little fist. "Just for that, you sleep alone, tonight"
The big man rolled his eyes. He then winked at the grinning Attalus. "You know, old man, its surprising how often I get banished to the hall, and then how often I am not permitted to sleep there. Somebody," he looked at Cythera, " doesn't like to sleep alone."
The little blonde's flushed deepened. She tried to punch her husband again. "I do not..I mean I do..oh, hell, why deny it.? Our room gets cold, so I forgive the ass."
Odo cut in smoothly, "so I come back in and heat it up." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. The room dissolved in hilarity at the aristocratic mage's discomfiture.
When they had all calmed down, Galadria walked over to her blonde friend. "Never mind, Cyth." she said, smiling, "we're all just jealous. Forgive me, but I'm going to need you, tonight. I'm going to do a Ceremony over Cho, here. We both feel that someone or something has been looking after her, otherwise, why hasn't the spider god gotten her, yet? She was just one little frightened drow, and she's survived all these catastrophes." She lowered her voice. "We are beginning to suspect that Tres, Herself, might be involved."
The smile died from Cythera's face and she immediately grew serious. "Do you think so?" She studied it in her mind. "You may be right. She does protect female magic, and Cho is as magical as they come. Can't hurt to ask. I've never heard of her intervening on behalf of a drow before, but then Cho is a most unusual drow. This evening? Very well."

lol, wheres the girl Lady? Sefa her name was? (A) [img]tongue.gif[/img] hehe. I think shes funny. btw, I still think it gets better ;) post more :D

OK, here ya go: Sefa's around, don't worry.

So, that very evening, which luckily was appropriate and clear, the women gathered on the roof. As usual, they all stripped naked, ritually cleansed themselves, and donned special white robes. Galadria, Cythera, and Noemi, all devotees of the goddess, seated themselves on the three odd wooden stools in the very center of the room around the Altar of Tres, with Her holy symbol let into the tile on the floor as well as embroidered on the altar cloth. Chorania and Sefa hovered around, then knelt as the three mages began an intricate chant.
The goddess Tres, mistress of Female Magic, was at once aware of them. She noted her three devotees, and saw with approval the dark form kneeling on their perimeter. She sent an avatar to them.
The women immediately saw a shining form on the altar. This quickly shaped itself into a noble woman, beautiful without looking the least young. She surveyed them with newly physical eyes.
"So, Galadria," the lovely voice pealed forth,"you have finally solved the riddle I set for you so many years ago. Greetings, Chorania. I have heard that you have finally renounced Lolth and given your soul to Helm. That is wonderful news. I may tell you that Lolth was beside herself with rage. My spies in the Underdark tell me that she plots some revenge against your family. Does this displease you?"
Chorania was dazzled by this second encounter with a heavenly being, but she felt that the goddess was asking her more than it appeared. She remembered what Odo had told her, and searched her soul, for she dare not lie. "Holy one," she said slowly, "they are my family, and I can no more disclaim them than they, me. That they have tried, I doubt not, but I am sure that Lolth blames them for producing me, a traitor, as she would see it. True, I have felt their whips, and know that they would have murdered me to further their standing with their goddess, but I have felt the wrath of the spider god, which nearly ate me alive. I would not have anyone, least of all my blood, subjected to it. And, as I am sure it is known to You, one among my family whose welfare is most dear to me, for I owe my life to him."
The goddess' inhuman lips seemed to smile a little. "Truly, an unusual drow. Yes, I do know that one of whom you speak. Like yourself, he is an object of Lolth's wrath, but he can hide himself from her more easily than you, for he was never her priestess or even a devotee. I am glad that Helm has sealed your soul from her and that you can walk outside her vision."
She turned her heavenly gaze back to the dark mage. "Galadria, you have done well. You have deduced that, in My sight, Lolth's domain is an abomination. A whole race of magical women, never honoring Me and wasting their energies that could go to making the welfare of all races better on pointless internecine strife. Know that Chorania, rare though she is, is not unique. There are many among the drow that would turn to good if there were an alternative."
Gakadria frowned. "Mistress," she asked reverently, "how can there be an alternative? I have been to the Underdark, and know that Lolth would not tolerate open defiance of herself. She would make all the drow make war on a rival stronghold, would she not?" She blushed at her temerity, arguing with her tutelary deity.
"Galadria," the beautiful figure answered,"I have not asked you to set up a temple to Me in the Underdark. Well I know that Lolth would not allow it. But you must make contact with the Outsiders of the dark realm, to let them know that there is a place for them to go, and a fellow drow to teach them the ways of the surface." The avatar turned her divine eyes back to the drow. "Chorania, I know that you have wondered about your brother. Know, that Calith is alive but very much on the run from Lolth. He has collected a loose group of fellow Outsiders and harasses the drow war patrols. You must find him. That is your task."
Chorania bowed to the figure on the altar. "Thank you, Goddess, for your information. I shall go with Galadria. May I ask, was that the attack that Lolth intends, on Calith?"
Tres replied, "My sources are few and sketchy. Truly, I would tell you if I knew. But all that they say is that Lolth is enraged at your blood. That is all. Good fortune smile on you all." The figure disappeared.

post more, post more [img]tongue.gif[/img] lol, its a great story, it jsut keeps getting better:P

Okay ;)

The women all rose and exchanged glances. "Well," said the dark mage, "that just confirms what I planned to do. Cyth, I know that you hated the Underdark. You and Odo need not go with us."
The little blonde looked at her with exasperation. "Gal, you know very well that Odo and I would go with you if you were going to the lowest pit. I know I have said that I hate the place, but I have no intention of letting you and Cho go off into danger while Odo and I loll at Rosewood in safety. For one thing, Odo would never forgive me. When do we start?"
Noemi cocked her head to the side, whimsically. "I notice you're not giving Sefa and I the chance to back out. Sefa, she is taking us for granted." She pretended to cry.
Her sister smiled at the display. "Noemi, have you forgotten that you and Sefa are my apprentices? You are bound to do as I say." She winked at the drow. "Cho, I think we will leave them behind, what do you say?. Wouldn't they just get in our way?"
Chorania smiled in return. "Indeed, abbil, I would hate to trip over one of the brats when we are fighting a war patrol. They might capture us, and I would not wish that such mere jaluks to have the victory over me, all because Noemi was mooning around."
Noemi stopped her pretence. She put her hands down and frowned fiercely at her sister.. "Gal, you had better not even talk about going somewhere without me. Sefa and I would sneak out and follow you, and the first time you made camp, I'd put a lizard in your bedroll, so there. Right, Sefa?"
"I don't think I would dare, Lady Noemi," Sefa answered honestly. "But if Lady Galadria didn't let me come, I know I would be very sad. If I were there, though," she added, "I wouldn't let you put anything in her bedroll. She needs her rest."
They all chuckled at that.. Galadria rumpled the girl's curly brown hair. "See, Em," she said triumphantly, "that's what an apprentice is supposed to sound like." Sefa glowed with satisfaction.
Noemi was unappeased. "Just try and stop me, Sefa," she glared at her fellow apprentice, "I'll just paralyse you, and then, it's wake up time for Lady Gal. See if I don't." She crossed her arms and looked smug.
"Oh, all right, Em," her sister said in mock resignation, "You both can come. Come on, all. Let's break the news to Odo and Attalus."

LOL. obviously VIc, erm Cho didnt smack Em hard enough [img]tongue.gif[/img] paralyisng a girl. lololol. anyway, post more pleeeeeeeeeease? ;)

Yes, Em is rather ... irrepressible. ;)

Attalus and Odo were, as usual for them, enthusiastic when they got back to the House of the Dome the next day. Life had been, in their opinion, entirely too peaceful lately, and a good expedition to the Underdark was just what they needed. As they sat on the roof drinking wine, Attalus turned to Chorania. "So, Cho," he said,"tell us about this brother of yours. You've mentioned him from time to time, but I was under the impression that you thought that he was dead or worse."
"I think that I just didn't want to wonder and worry about it," she answered frankly. "Calith is his name, and if Tres had not been so informative, I still wouldn't know for sure. I would have had to sneak into my home city of Hol'Korda and seek him out. I am very glad that I do not have to do this. To be honest, I never want to see my mother or my sisters again in my life."
"Yeah, you told me that they whipped you and stuff," Noemi responded dramatically. "I can sympathize. My sister tortures me, too."
The men laughed, but Chorania looked her astonishment. Galadria frowned at the mercurial redhead.. "Em, what are you talking about? I've never tortured anyone in my life, let alone you."
Noemi flushed. "Well how about last night? You said you were gonna go to the Underdark without me. That was mean. You do stuff like that all of the time."
Galdria frowned, but her sister looked at her so pleadingly that she relented. She walked over to the little redhead and gave her a hug. "There. Better now? Em, I was only teasing you. You know I would never go anywhere without you , especially somewhere dangerous. I need you to help me. I couldn't stand it when you were a prisoner. That was the longest we've ever been apart." Noemi glowed with happiness.
Galadria turned back to her drow friend, who had been pointedly ignoring this little byplay. "Cho," she said in a determined way, "tell us more about Calith." Chorania turned back to her with a half-smile on her lips that told the dark mage that her friend was in Noemi's confidence about her crush. She shook her head, a little, and sat down next to Attalus, who looked at her in a puzzled way. She ignored him.
Chorania told them of her brother, how they both had run afoul of drow mores, and how he had saved her. "And now I find," she concluded, "that Calith is alive and running from the other drow. Tres has set my Mistress and I the task of finding these Outsiders and at the least, letting them know that there is an alternative to their fugitive lurkng about the Underdark."
Odo stirred. "Cho, what would you do if they all said, 'Great, let's go'? What would you do with them? I'm sure Gal and Attalus would put them up for a while, but they can't be running a refuge for wayward drow. For one thing, you say that you are going to be here, permanantly. What would keep a monster like Lolth from sending a drow spy, pretending to be a fugitive but really out to murder you? I don't want to be a worrier, but I am your friend, not all those others'. I feel very proud of you and your conversion, and I'd hate to see the Bitch win after all, through your and Gal's generosity."
"I can answer for my brother," Chorania said firmly. "If he had wanted me dead, he wouldn't have warned me, those many years ago. He would still be living in Hol'Korda, a member of a prosperous and prominent House. As for any others, no, I would not be so presumptious to invite them to my Mistress' house. She and Attalus make those decisions, not myself. I, and Tres, it seems, just want them to know that the surface world is a viable alternative. They might find such friends and protectors as I have."
"If they are as strong and brave as you, Cho," Cythera cried loyally, "they should find a place." She turned to her husband. "Odo, weren't you just saying the other day that we could use some good men in our garrison?"
"True, my love," The stocky man said in reply,"but we would have to screen them carefully. Lolth has no love for us, either, recall."
"We always screen everybody, ass." replied the little blonde with spirit. "We aren't making any personel decisions, here. Stop being so obstructive. You're making Cho feel bad."
Chorania laughed. "It's all right, m'zint to, for your husband to be cautious. So would I be, if your safety was a concern. I have always wondered at my ready acceptance into your midst." She turned to Attalus. "In your place, I would have been highly suspicious of me. I have more than once thanked you, and will do so again, now. To go from hunted, friendless wanderer to trusted comrade in an instant like that was an experience I shall never forget."
Attalus blushed. "And I've told you before, Cho, that I knew that you were all right. I'm sure that I can judge your compatriots as well. Don't worry, Odo, we don't anticipate a flood of drow refugees. From what Cho tells me, they are generally suspicious of everyone, especially other drow. I'm sure that, aside from Cho's brother, they won't be anxious to come to the surface. After all, it's completely different than they're used to. We think of the Underdark as dark, mysterious and dangerous. To them, it's home."
"A dark and dangerous home," Chorania said with a wry smile. "Attalus, I am by no means sure that Calith will want to join me. I simply want to make sure that he is all right, and offer him whatever aid I can. And, I would like to assure him that I am well, that I have a home, now, and am well-looked after by my Mistress. I would like to think he has worried about me, through the years. After all, to him, I simply disappeared.".
"Well, then," Odo replied, "if these Outsiders, as you call them, are against the Bitch, I would not think that the other drow would leave them in peace. Does she get them to hunt Outsiders?"
"Oh, yes," the drow replied quickly, "they ... we are prized as suitable sacrifices to Lolth. I am ashamed to admit that I took part in a few of these ceremonies, though I never wielded the blade. My mother could sense my disgust, though, and that is what started my slide into unpopularity. The matron mothers are always sensitive to things that could lessen them in Lolth's opinion."
Attalus grimaced. "Then, I guess, the Outsiders would be doubly wary. How are we to make contact with them?"
"I have thought about this." Chorania admitted. "They must have contacts, either with shady drow or with the other races of the Underdark, for supplies that they cannot make or steal. The Sverbinefblim, the deep gnomes can be friendly to humans, as we found in the Underdark. Perhaps we can make contact through them or the duegar. They can trade with all races."
"All right, then," Galadria concluded. "Make your arrangements and pack your knapsacks. But, remember, this is to be a rescue and an embassy, not a battle. I want no such bloodshed as when last we went."
"But, Gal," Noemi protested,"that might not be up to us. What if they atttack us again?" Seeing her sister's brows come together, she quickly added. "I know, I know. We just don't provoke them, but if they come after us, pow."
Chorania smiled at her redheaded friend. "Pow, indeed, m'zint to," she said with a chuckle. She turned to her Mistress. "Abbil, you will notice that. if you threaten to get mad, your apprentice thinks much more clearly than is her wont. You should do this more often, perhaps"
Noemi winced. "Ouch, Cho, that hurt. I can see why she appointed you her torturer." Her jaw dropped, realising too late what she had said. She looked frantically at her sister, who was turning to her, and quickly said, "Just kidding, just kidding. Gal, don't you go getting mad at me, again."
Galadria frowned at her, but was really amused. "I know, I know," she mocked her, "you just can't stand it. Every time I get a little irritated with you, you think I am purposefully tormenting you. Well, consider this: you would avoid all this pain you say I cause you if you would think before you speak, every once in a while."
Relieved, Noemi sat up a little straigther and beamed at her dark sibling. She waved her hand at herself. "Me? Think before I speak? How do you do that? Anyway, at least when you're yelling at me, you show me that you heard what I said."
And are paying attention to you, Chorania thought to herself.

:D post more Lady G ;) hehe, Em is really starting to be annoying tho ;) lol, does cho and thingy stand for it? [img]tongue.gif[/img] lol, j/k. cant wait for the next bit. ;)

LOL, yes, Em is very jealous. Some more:

A few days later, as they were all involved with preparations for their journey, a knock came at the door of the House of the Dome. Attalus, who happened to be passing by, opened it. He did not stand on ceremony, and, anyway, Rantis the porter was busy preparing the packs for the horses. He was mildly startled to see a male drow standing there, but relaxed when he immediately recognized Drizzt Do'Urden, the most famous drow in Faerun. They had met, briefly, much earlier, but the man was not a one to forget. Like Chorania and all drow, he had white hair and coal black skin, but a wistful smile on his face immediately distinguished him.
"Hello, Drizzt," the big man said with a grin as he ushered him into the house,"what brings you to Baldur's Gate, just when we're packing for a trip to the Underdark? Let me guess. That wife of mine."
Drizzt smiled in reply. "Good guess," he answered. "Galadria contacted me with a magical Sending, and, as I was nearby, anyway, so I decided to just drop in. I hope it's at a convenient time."
"Heavens, man," the knight protested," didn't I just say we were going back to the Underdark? Your visit is a godsend." He led the drow into Galadria's study. Seeing her there, seated at her table, he indicated his companion and said, "Gal, honey, look who's here."
Chorania, who was seated across from Galadria, gasped at seeing another drow, and jumped up, preparing to defend herself. Drizzt, hearing her gasp, looked at her and was just as startled. His hands went to his scimitars but then relaxed, seeing that she was unarmed.
Attalus was appalled. "I'm sorry, Cho, I didn't know you were in here. This is a friend, Drizzt Do'Urden. Surely, you've heard of him. Drizzt, this is Chorania LeMeaux, our long-time friend and ally, who is now our chaplain."
Galadria looked pained. "Attalus, please think next time, there's a dear. You shouldn't just spring people on us like that, even if it is an honored guest. Drizzt, welcome. Now you've met Cho, I'm sure you can guess why I contacted you. We have some questions." She turned to Chorania. "Cho, I've been meaning to mention Drizzt to you, but I never have remembered. Please excuse Attalus and myself for startling you."
"Apologies between yourselves and me, abbil," she answered readily, not taking her eyes from her fellow drow, "are never necessary. But, I will allow that I was a leetle startled." She smiled. "So, this is the famous Drizzt. I guess we both thought that the spider goddess had come for us. For me, this was a recent occurence."
Still coming to grips with the idea of another drow on the surface, let alone a friendly one, Drizzt frowned suddenly. "My greetings to you, fair Chorania. I am very pleased to meet a seemingly like-minded member of my race. My pleasure is only marred by hearing that Lolth has made an attempt on you. May I know more?"
After Galadria had seated them all around her table, Chorania related her latest encounter with the evil spider. Drizzt marveled. "I have heard of this, before.," he stated grimly. "Lolth's agents start a fire with a poison that she gives them. The burns never heal and, gradually devour the victim. You are lucky that you were not burned too badly, and had such friends that could counteract the poison." He shook his head. "Lucky you are, too, that you are on the surface, where her power is less. And, as you say, great Helm now stands on the psychic link that would always let her know when you were vulnerable. I am surprised that you ventured off on your own. If I had made friends like this, in my first days on the surface, I don't think I would have ever left. Of course, I would have missed some marvelous things."
Chorania, pleased with his praise of her friends, looked at them fondly before going back to her fellow drow. "It was the marvelous things that I wanted to see, but now I know that, had I only waited, I would have seen them with my Mistress. I have learned that I have already missed an adventure while I was off mooning in the woods of Beregost, and while Lolth plotted my demise."
Attalus shook his head, "We needed you there, Cho," he averred. "Odo and I could't keep that thing busy long enough. We almost lost Galadria."
"Oh, pooh, pooh," said the dark mage as she patted the blonde giant's arm. "You're as bad as Noemi, blaming yourself. I got through all right, and all ended well Besides, you're boring our guest. He doesn't want to listen to old stories."
Drizzt protested that he would like to hear about it, but Galadria was firm. "We have to think of the now, as Cho says. What we would like to hear from you, Drizzt, is how you think we could contact a group of Outsider drow who are apparantly lurking around the city of Hol'Korda."
Drizzt thought a bit. He remembered his days as an Outsider in the Underdark. He had been alone then, until he had been driven by drow hostility to the Surface. "I would say, look for signs of recent habitation in caves and other likely places. Then, scout around until you can take one of them captive, or, better, rescue them from some danger. Treat a drow with kindness, and it really gets his attention. Of course, they probably won't believe that you are really meaning no harm, and might even try some treachery. But you could at least get a chance to parley. Why would you want to contact a group of fugitive drow?" He looked at Chorania, who was regarding him intently. Comprehension dawned. "Does this have something to do with you, my lady?"
"Yes, [i]jaluk[i], it does," she responded automatically, then felt herself flush. "I am sorry, Drizzt. Talking to another drow brings out bad old habits. You are not my inferior, nor Attalus or Odo. Only my Mistress is the superior of us all."
The others smiled. Galadria shook her head. "Only in your mind, Cho," she said, "But I'm glad to hear you say something positive, even if is untrue. Drizzt, don't believe her."
Drizzt laughed again. "Anyhow, Cho, if I may call you so, a true drow priestess would have said something more like, "Of course it does, stupid male, you are lucky I do not have you whipped."
Chorania repeated this in drow, then laughed a little. "You are correct, I can remember saying something exactly like that. Only, now, my Mistress does not permit such talk. Which is good, it reminds me that I am no longer Lolth's slave."
"Which brings us back to Drizzt's question. Cho, please tell him of your brother and his plight."
Chorania then told him of her brother's role in her escape from the Underdark, and the revelations of the Avatar of Tres. "So you see," she concluded, "I feel that my brother felt as I did, that Lolth's rule actually weakened our people, making us into a chaotic society, when we could be accomplishing something other than all the constant plotting and murder. And, I at least, have come to feel the moral wrongness. I have come to know the warmth of genuine friendship, and seen true family life, with love between husband and wife, and between sisters. This is something that I wish that I could have felt, growing up. Is it the same with you?"
"Indeed it is," Drizzt replied warmly, "and I am glad that I am not the only one of our people that feels the same. I was lucky in that my father was closer to me than most patrons. His death was a grief to me. It seems that your brother served the same role in your life, supporting you. No wonder that Lolth plots against you and myself, also. I am glad that you are going back, to aid your brother. Perhaps, if enough of us flee the Underdark, we can band together to protect ourselves and convince kindly Surfacers, like your friends, here." he waved his hand at Galadria and Attalus, "that we are not all evil."
"I wish I could go with you," he went on," but I have business that will not wait. Good luck, and when you get back, let me know. I would talk to you again." He got up and took his leave.