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Drayden Calamyr · Sage Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 612

The blackness of Umbra never seemed to go away. Drayden found comfort in this as his time in this dark corner of Malas grew longer. His vision had sharpened, his senses had grown much more sensitive. Perhaps there was something akin to the Underdark in this place. He pulled his Piwafwi closer around his body. Where had the Matron gone? She had left him with such gifts. Gifts worthy of Lloth's chosen. He had spent most of his waking moments learning the proper use of his bow. Practicing some days until his arms felt like they would fall off. Apparently that too his attention of more important matters. In the past, Drayden had taken special care to keep an eye on his Matron. Kal'iksix was a Drow Matron, and thus her friends were few and far between. One of her males needed to take the responsibility of watching her and protecting her, irregardless of whether or not she felt she needed the protection. He had taken it upon himself, so naturally, when he could not find the Matron it raised questions in his mind. His friends in the Sirah had said that The Boss had taken leave to speak with his Mother. Perhaps the two disappearances were related...

Drayden pulled the hood of his Piwafwi over his head and walked out of the cavern that led into the Drow Quarter on the South side of Umbra. His home had been quiet. Both drow and enemy alike had not been seen in sometime. A brief meeting with Mr. Narshan at the Double Dagger in the desert revealed that the undead's leader had expired, or gone missing. Drayden preferred the first theory. None of his investigating had led to where his Matron had gone. He moved quietly around the Quarter, noting that things had remained the same as the day before, deserted. He stopped then and let out a long sigh, his eyes looking up at the quiet and still Temple to the Goddess. Perhaps she could give some guidance....

He bowed his head from her likeness at the head of the steps and slowly walked up, going to his knees as he reached the last step.
My Queen. Your Matron has gone missing. I have yet to find her. We need your guidance and hers, without her, your flock is lost.

His mind drifted, slipping into the realm of mist and thick smoke....

Kal'iksix · Guest

Kal’iksix woke from her reverie and scanned the area around her. She saw her Mother and her masked Brother still at each other’s throats in heated discussion. Further scanning revealed her masked nephew leaning against a wall in her Mother’s private domain within the Abyss as well as the unconscious body of her Patron Nalimar next to her. Barely moving to give notice to her wakefulness, Kal’iksix slipped back into her mind on what transpired that brought her and the patron here.

Last Kal’iksix recalled was being in her throne room with Nalimar when a sudden explosion of one of the braziers brought forth one of her Mother’s yochols summoning her to her Mother at once. Kal’iksix remembers stammering for excuses not to go as well as Nalimar. The blinding pain and light was the only answer she got which meant now and no excuses would be accepted. Nalimar and Kal’iksix were transported body and soul to the Astral Plane. Of course with Nalimar being of normal noble blood without ties to the Goddess was rendered unconscious. Kal’iksix transcended to her Astral body presentation and was brought face-to-face with her Mother. It was then she spotted her brother, the masked god Vhaeraun and another masked male.

Words of disappointment and waves of pain ripped through Kal’iksix body and mind as her Mother chastised her for aligning with vampires and liches and the pending agreement with the lycans. Her brother added to her pain and suffering as well as criticizing her Mother for placing such faith in a female when a male could have done a better job. That began the heated arguments between the two deities. Anytime Kal’iksix would try to defend herself, she was afflicted with some sort of pain. New lacerations were appearing on her abdomen and chest of her physical body. Kal’iksix often found herself crawling to the Patron’s body for comfort and protection. Kal’iksix also slipped into reverie whenever possible to escape from the discussions.

Kal’iksix did not know how long they had been in her Mother’s domain. Time had no sense of measurement. She worried about Vas’al during the time away. He was just a teenager in the human’s perception and even though he would be thoroughly engrossed with his training as a warrior, he still needed his Matron and his father. “Matron….” Kal’iksix’s mind floated back to the Quarter. Oh what would happen to her House in her unexpected absence and with the Lich surrounding her borders?

“My House…” Kal’iksix whispered, faces of all her loyal members flashed before her eyes. Deathwynd, her sexy succubus of a General; Drayden, the ambitious male whom watched over her from the shadows; Phararun, the arrogant cocky wizard who soon became her play toy; Zarra her only priestess; Orgollree’rean, Zarra’s loyal male who knew which was the dominate female; and Dharzhal, the master of mixology of potions that would benefit the Matron and Drow. Kal’iksix sighed hoping that there would be a house to come back to.

Rage began to brew inside Kal’iksix as she came to realize that she would NOT let all her hard work go to waste. It was difficult to gain any kind of power and authority on the surface where prejudice against Drow ran supreme. Her eyes began to glow a fire red as she griped a fistful of Nalimar’s shirt. She snarled and growled low in her throat as she lunged after her nephew. Before he could realize Kal’iksix was awake, she was on top of him, hands griped tightly around his throat.

“MOTHER! BROTHER! ENOUGH!” Kal’iksix screamed. Kal’iksix’s Mother and Vhaeraun turned to face her, stunned at her tone with rage equaling Kal’iksix’s own in their eyes. Kal’iksix swallowed hard, fearing that her outburst could seal her death; she did not release her grip on her masked nephew’s throat.
“You have NO clue what it like on the surface so how can you judge my work thus far?”
“You haven’t done anything my dear sister,” Vhaeraun boomed back at her.
“I have gathered all of your rogue children Mother under one House. I have returned wandering followers to your bosom and grace through your temple. I have slaughtered many in your name, and I even bore a male!”
“That male was from me, NOT your mother. “ Vhaeraun laughed at her. Kal’iksix glared hard at him and squeezed harder on her nephew. She smiled sadistically when she heard her brother cough.
“You have little faith in my power dear Brother,” Kal’iksix sneered at him.
“Prove it! Kill your male!” Vhaeraun pointed to the Patron’s lifeless body.

Kal’iksix glanced over at Nalimar briefly which was enough of a distraction for Vhaeraun to hit her with such a powerful force that flung her like a rag doll against the wall and off her nephew. The two males’ laughter blended as one voice in Kal’iksix’s ears. Her Mother did nothing to stop Her Son from striking Her Daughter.

“When was the last time you walked the land my dear Brother?” Kal’iksix coughed. Another blow struck Kal’iksix in the chest.
“ENOUGH!” their Mother’s voice boomed in their heads. “Kal’iksix, your male will remain here until you prove to us your power on the surface.”
“Mother!”
“I have spoken! Do NOT question my decision!”

Kal’iksix stood slowly, holding her right side, struggling to take a deep breath. She glanced up in a hateful glare at her brother and nephew. She nodded slowly to her Mother while subtlety chanting a spell under her breath. When she spoke the last word, a powerful blast exploded from her hands and struck her brother and nephew squarely in the chest, knocking them off their feet. Kal’iksix laughed weakly as she held her side, gasping for air.

“Kal’iksix!” her Mother boomed in her head. The next thing Kal’iksix knew, she was suspended in the air, pain shooting through all her extremities as electrical bolts shot from Vhaeraun’s fingers. Kal’iksix screamed loudly and thrown across the room, striking her head on one of the stone statues of her Mother’s image. Consciousness threatening to slip from her, Kal’iksix saw her Mother grab Vhaeraun by the throat and toss him aside.

“What is this? One of Kal’iksix’s males is summoning me????”

Kal’iksix smiled and whispered “Drayden” .Only he would be bold enough to summon the Goddess Herself. Before Kal’iksix was swallowed up by the darkness of unconsciousness, she tried ferociously to make contact with Drayden.

“Drayden, you fool! Why risk death for your Matron?”

Drayden Calamyr · Sage Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 612

The voice roared in his mind, causing his vision to blur. Drayden held the upper portion of his body up with an arm on his knee. He bowed forward more, adverting his eyes further from the likeness of his Queen. The voice was not of his Spider Queen, but of his matron...
I am but a loyal servant who seeks our Queen's wisdom my Matron. I have searched long for you. Your followers grow restless, I among them. Without your leadership we are destined to fall.
Drayden's head was pounding from the unseen forces grasping at him like black tentacles from across the void. He could feel the all too familiar fire in his blood. It took every ounce of strength he had to not show weakness. He grit his teeth and tried hard to ignore the warm trickle of blood running down one of his nostrils. The last time he had taken the liberty of communing with the Goddess he barely managed to escape alive, and was recovering from her parting gift for weeks. This was not the work of males in the clergy. This was something he should be slain for. Yet, again he was here, seeking her wisdom. He set his mind, disconnecting it from his body...putting the crawling burning that flushed his body aside.
The Matron Kal'iksix's voice roared in his mind.
My brother fights against me, I am to return without a patron and the task at hand is great. Am I to return to a fallen house?"
He growled away the pain from her voice.
Your house remains quiet. We are unsure of our direction without you. But we are hardly fallen, we are eagerly awaiting your orders. Darrien Church has reportedly been slain, the undead have been scarce in your lands. I have been working hard to gather your flock and begin anew. But I dare not take such bold actions without your consent my Matron.
Her reply was quick, and expected...
As always you have pleased me and gained my favor. You are truely my most favored and loyal male. Gather the children of Lloth and rally their skills. I shall return to the flock soon enough.
Drayden leaned forward, his face inches from the ground and he said aloud, "As you bid my Matron. My Queen." For just a moment, he swore he could feel her lips upon his, it seemed to quell the burning in his veins. The meeting done with, he slowly backed down the steps of the temple, keeping his eyes down until he left the building. The trickle of blood had stopped, he wiped it from his face and lips with a cloth and felt the weakness setting in, the nausea...
It was time to rest. The next night, he would begin the plans that were already rolling around in his mind.

Dharzhal T'Ar · Visitor Joined: 09 Aug 2009 Posts: 2

Becoming restless and more than a little concerned about the disappearance of the Matron, Dharzhal decided to visit the drow quarter to see if she or anyone were about. He was again disappointed, finding no one. He made a stop at the Shrine to Lloth where he decided to pay homage to the Spider Queen.

He discovered immediately that he had made a mistake in so doing. Images flashed across his mind; waves of stabbing pain seemed to lacerate his skull, knocking him to the ground. Something, he knew, was keenly amiss. He astutely surmised that his goddess did not wish to be interrupted by the worship of a lowly drow male such as he, and this was her direct and painful way of telling him to be off. Once he recovered his senses he stood up and returned to his home, the most disturbing of the images he had briefly seen filling him with fear and dread: Kal'iksix in peril and torment... along with what looked like Nalimar lying lifeless upon the ground.

Kal'iksix · Guest

Kal'iksix could not stand the Abyss much longer. The constant bickering between her and her masked brother and standing up for herself to her Mother was driving her mad. Between the constant debates and the more frequent episodes of pain and torture placed upon her body, she became more desparate for escape. Frequently she tried to reach the unconscious patron telepathically, usually to no avail. She made contact a few times with Drayden, but the last few attempts mimicked that of the patrons. Trying to supress her frustrastion, she reached out to all she had some ties too, anyone that may assist her to escape this hell. She even swallowed her pride to see if Darrien was in fact destroyed as Drayden first reported to her.

"Daughter!" Kal'iksix jumped at her name.

"Yes Mother"

"Your thoughts deceive you, have you become so weak with feelings of concern for those associated with you?"
Kal'iksix laughed but buried her feeling deep within her. Her concern was more for her briefly orphaned son, for a strong and powerful house and to become a key force to be reckoned with. Hatred now replaced her concern as she turned toward the two deities. Her nephew still sulked close to her brother with a smug positioning of his body. "As IF he was more superior than me!!!!"

Weak Mother?! HA!" Kal'iksix folded her arm with confidence and stood her ground. "Seriously you two have not thought much about me, in fact that has been quite clear this time I have been here. Well things will change starting now!"

Lolth tilted her head and glared at her defiant daughter.

"I may have made my mistakes, but you must realize I was a young Matron to a non-existant house, a House I have built up on my own with every filthy rogue drow you have sent my way. And now, I will return to that house but with a plan. I will continue to gather your lost children to you Mother, BUT, I intend to include ALL who are willing to serve ME, Drow and Non-Drow alike. I will even take..." Kal'iksix paused and casted a disgusting look to her brother, "Followers of you my Brother."

"Take MY followers?! I will not allow it!"

"Seriously Vhaerarun, you have no choice in what I do. You have both forgotten something very important."

"What is that Sister?"

"That the same blood flows in my veins as in yours and Mothers."

"And?!" boomed Lolth

"Therefore I hold the key to your undoing....BOTH of you!"

Lolth looked at Kal'iksix for a moment and then in a sudden realization, it hit both gods. Kal'iksix smirked wickedly when she saw the revelation revealed in there eyes.

"You wouldn't, you couldn't, you won't!" Vhaeraun yelled.

"I can and I will...for the right price my dear Brother." Kal'iksix bagan to walk away from the pair in triumph.

"Why?" Lolth asked

"For status of course, the way of the Drow, as it always has been and will be. Daughters killing Matrons to climb the status ladder, why should YOU be exempted Mother." Kal'iksix called over her shoulder and tossed a evil smile.

The room fell silent as the two gods watched Kal'iksix leave the room.

"Now excuse me, I need to try to reach some people who have been looking for me. Oh and by the way, I sensed another rogue Drow has surfaced...I have already sent instructions on seducing him to my cause."