Veldren's Hunt: A story

[Attalus]

Hey, sorry about the wait. RL got a little complex, there. But today, I did some more:

Ravage rose quickly to her feet. She glared a bit at Matron Lutecia and spoke. "It is true that I have these things. My daughter Abondier brought them to me, like a good daughter should. She was Captain of the Watch when these things were found outside the main gate, on a glowing pillar, which any of you is free to examine, as well." She drew forth the eye-like object, and the attached note, marched up to the table in front of Matron Bumare, and placed them before her.
Bumare opened her mouth to speak, but was forestalled by a whoosh and a glowing sphere before her. A picture formed, and it looked exactly the same to each of the Matrons assembled there, regardless of her perspective. A Drow woman sat before them, seated comfortably on a carven chair. A collective groan came from them when they saw that, in the place where most Drow wore their House Badge, the woman wore a mithril pendant of the Watchful Eye of Helm. She was fully armored in closely fitted scale that looked like Red Dragon, and leaned both of her hands negligently upon the handle of a huge hammer that some of them recognized as the legendary Crom Faeyr. A blue-stoned ring glitttered on the third finger of her left hand.
After a minute, the apparition spoke: "Matrons of Ust'Natha," she began in a throaty growl, "I am Viconia DeVir, of whom some of you may have heard."
Lutecia could not restrain herself at this point, and shreiked, "Traitor! Murderer!", for she had seen her, briefly, when her mother had unknowingly employed her, and Attalus, too. This had resulted in her death, and many another Drow. However, Viconia spoke on, for she could not hear her. This semblance had been cast several days before.
"My husband, Lord Attalus, has arranged for this message to be sent to you, for, unlike civilized races, we have no ambassador to complain to, and any envoy that we sent would be tortured and murdered. This we know well. So, I shall convey to you the words of my husband, in the drow language that I no longer speak, except to curse.
"Know, Matron Mothers of Ust'Natha, that we have identified the source of the war party which you sent to harass us, and nearly greatly embarrassed us, as well. The vehicle of this message was the whip of Shal'drissa Despana, whom I know is of your people. We hear from the folk that they fought that you were seeking a princess of the Moon Elves to sacrifice to Lloth, and, we suspect, to cast doubt on our guardianship. Obviously, this attempt was foiled. But, to forestall any further attempts, we decided that we shall make not empty threats, but to put you in fear of your own worthless lives."
"Know further, Matron Mothers, that any incursion by the drow, no matter whence they seem to come, into my husband's domains again will be punished, not by mere reprisals, but by the death of one of your number. You know my husband, and the Matron of House Despana will bear me out, that he is quite capable of doing this. He will seek you out, infiltrate your House, and kill you. If we can identify the House responsible, of course we shall target that one, but mistakes will happen. If we cannot idenify a specific one, we shall choose one at random. House Despana is not in particularly good odor right now, so bear this in mind."
The simulacrum vanished. The shocked Matrons looked sidelong at each other. They had tried to wage war against Attalus before, and were still licking their wounds. Many a fine Drow House was decimated or extinguished entirely at the seige of Baldur's Gate. Invasion or war was not an option. Now, they wondered at how sincerely they desired to raid the Surface near Baldur's Gate.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

heheh. Good, those stupid drow deserved that great work Att

[Attalus]

Thanks, CD. I see that Melusine liked your sig. This is the finale:

Bumare, the Chair, broke the silence with a sharp rap of her gavel. "Well," she stated with a grim look, "I know not how to respond to this. What do you all think?"
Lucretia Despana leapt to her feet again. "I say, we defy them. Death to the rivvil! Does this renegrade think that she can frighten us? That we think that this Attalus, Bhaalspawn though he be, can penetrate our city and our houses to slay us, guarded against assassination as we are? Let us send a patrol up this very night. They do not have to accomplish much, just slay a few to show them that we, and Mother Lloth, are not intimidated." There was a murmur of approbation, and she sat back down in a flush of triumph.
Matron Bumare pursed her lips, then said, "Very well, Lucretia. We shall gather our forces for one quick raid, just to show that we are not afraid, though we have lost one battle, and a patrol. Do you all agree?"
They voted, and all said, "Aye," despite whatever inner misgivings they might have, for fear of disgracing themselves in Lloth's eyes. Lucretia turned her burning glance to Ravage.
"I will have my sister's whip back, Matron Ravage, and also that shining pillar that it came back with. I consider it weregild for my sister, and my mother, Ardulace. Do you defy me on this?"
Ravage smothered a fiery response. Her small House would be no match for House Despana in a feud, despite its losses. "No, Matron Lucrtia," she answered coldly, "I can see why you might want them. I shall have them delivered to your House this day."
"You had better be swift," snapped Lucretia, "or face my House's wrath." She grabbed up her own whip and stormed from the room.
Bumare looked acidly at Ravage. "What, Matron Ravage, do you take your orders from House Despana, now?"
Inwardly raging, Ravage replied, "I have no real right to the pillar, much less the whip, Matron Bumare. I merely wish for a united front in revenge on the impertinent rivvil."
"Very correct, very politic," murmured Bumare, "but, remember, slights like that tend to accumulate, and do you no good in the sight of Mother Lloth. Ah, well, though, you are right. First things first, we must redeem our honor on the bodies of the rivvil, and if later you seek an opportunity to revenge yourself on Lucretia Despana, come and tell me. Perhaps House DoTurkomin might be of some assistance."
Ravage heard this with shining eyes. An alliance with the Premiere House of Ust'Natha! All sorts of magnificent opportunities displayed themselves. But, she answered cautiously, "Certainly, Matron Bumare, a continuation of these insults could not be borne. I shall definitely consult with you in the future." The two went out together, amiably.
The pillar was delivered, with the whip, within several hours, and Lucretia set it up in triumph in her private chambers. She gloated over the fine workmanship. The first fruits of victory in the Matron's Council! she thought with glee. But, she had better watch Ravage. That had been hate in her gaze that she saw. Perhaps, when this was all over, an assassin might visit House D'Ortan.

The raid was carried out in due course: an isolated farmstead was encountered and burned, the inhabitants butchered. A chance passerby heard the noise and, peering in fear through shrubbery, saw the exultant drow dancing around the fiery house. He hastened to the city, and, much to his surprise, was quickly ushered in to see Lord Attalus. When the duke had heard the tale, he turned to his indigna nt wife and said, "Viconia, it has happened as you have said. Release the thing." Viconia rushed to Imoen's chambers and apprised her of the raid.
"Very well," she said with a lopsided grin, "my dear brother will not approve of this, I am sure, but I have no doubts." She went to a table where a box sat and closed a switch.

Later that night, when Lucretia Despana exultingly returned to her chambers with a drow male of her household to celebrate privately the patrol's success, they met a huge golem that appeared the moment the door was closed. It had been activated by the first approach of a Matron Mother since the switch had been thrown, and attacked her, shining with the same pale light as the pillar had. Frantically, they tried to escape out the door, but the lock had been magically jammed. By the time other members of House Despana, drawn by the shreiks and other noises, managed to break down the doors, they were both dead, torn to pieces, the golem and pillar nowhere to be seen. The tale quickly ran through the city, with frightening rumors of the wrath of the Bhaalspawn. No further raids were carried out on the lands around Baldur's Gate from Ust'Natha for many years to come.
The End

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

aww, a nice ending, no epilouge tho? what happens to Veldren? (or however his name was seplt), could you add an epliouge? pleaseeeeeeeee Att? *grin* still a great story.

[CrimsonKing]

[img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] Nice story, Attalus. You are gonna write another one, right? RIGHT!?

[Attalus]

LOL, okay to both of you, and thanks.

[CrimsonKing]

Good to hear Attalus! :puts away thumb screws:

[ 11-22-2002, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: CrimsonKing ]