The Overdue Destruction of House Vorn

[dramamine213]

Twenty years of being slapped, beaten, tortured, bloodied, bruised, and broken. It had gone too far. This time it had just been the final straw. With his golden yellow robes drentched in blood and sweat, the drow wizard opened his chamber's doors stumbling in, barely able to stand once again.

Ryltar Vorn, the seventh child and only son of Marton Svliz Vorn, collapsed on the cold flagstone floor of the largest servant's room in his mother's House. The cold stone helped ease the throbbing his back was doing, but it started to leave a slick mess of blood and fabric at the same time. With his eyes closed, he took deep breaths, trying to catch the wind that evaded his sharp nose.

Laying on his back silently for a few second, the most violent fit of rage over took the fraile drow male. With a loud angered shriek, Ryltar slammed his powerful fists into the hard stone, ignoring the fact he just now broke a pinky on his ledt hand. Screaming every obscenity he could muster, Ryltar broke down into the most miserable pile of tears and tattered wizard's robes.

His delicate chest heavied as he outwardly moaned and wept. The frustration had just overtaken the young man to the point of breaking. He couldn't take this any longer. His remaining four sisters used abd abused the wizard. They had already climbed the ranks to sit at their Marton's feet as loyal lap spiders, but because of his sex, he was forever doomed to be second rate. Never to be taken seriously. Never to be important. Never to be worthy to their arachnid goddess.

Ryltar felt the all too familiar pain of broken bones creep up his arm. He realized something in his left hand was broken, and he slowly stilled from his terrible outburst. Just laying on the floor, beyond the desire to move, he weakly called out to his ever loyal manservent.

"Jarikk... I think my left hand has a broken finger." he said choked with suppressed rage, pain, desperation, and revenge. The ivory hair of the young wizard had been caked with his drying blood, making it a smelly clumped mess of brown save for the crown of his regal skull. Finally, he opened his mango eyes and scanned the room, resting his gaze on the worried face of the goblin.

Now, Jarrik was no ordinary goblin. He had been assigned to Ryltar when he was a child. It wasn't that the goblin had any special powers or teachings (that is, noticable to anyone 'important'), but rather, his Matron and sisters just didn't have the motivation to rear a male. Especially since he was the last child born to Matron Vorn.

House Vorn's gobilns were prized amongst local rivals. They had been bred for longevity and loyalty. They lived nearly three times as long as their inferior bretheren in other Houses and they had a tendency to be obediant at a much higher level than regular goblins.

There laid Ryltar, watching Jarikk approach him with such a look on his regal face. The blood loss was getting to the young drow. His eyes were getting heavy and he was feeling loopy. Stretching his broken hand towards his faithful and ever calm manservant, the wizard fell still and quiet. Not dead, but terribly broken. It would take the ever caring touch of a special goblin to mend the poor boy's injuries once again.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

The way his master had looked coming in showed Jarikk what had to be done, yet he felt like a fool. Instead of taking his young master to the cleansing chambers immediately, he had prepared a bath. Now that he had returned, well, how foolish of him.

"Sir Vorn, I understand. Do not worry." Hs words were clipped and concise elven, taught to him by his own mother before he slew her for trying to take away his favorite stuffed spider. He often pretended he did not know the nuances of the language, as it befit one of his status. The drow hated the way their lighter skinned brethren spoke the elvish tongue, better not show off his skill being just a disgusting goblin servant.

The benefit of being the servant to a drow male became apparent when the goblin was able to lift the upper part of Ryltar and drag him to the cleansing room. He severed the robes, the delicate cotton parting to the knife he had on his person. As Ryltar lay naked before him the goblin got out a healing kit he had, one that had seen years of use, and began his work. Next to him was a bucket of warm water that he dipped a light sponge into and took over the drow's body, cleansing the wounds and apologizing for the pain it cause his master. He glared at the cuts and shivered slightly, very angry at whomever would do this to his poor, sweet master.

After the wounds were cleaned out he pushed Ryltar into the low bathing apparatus he had, the water soon becoming a sick pink from the wounds. He dug around and found a scroll of healing that he often filched from the sisters, having long spent time working their rivalries into making them think that one another stole the scrolls the others made to look better in front of the matron. It was one of the privileges of being a goblin; they never suspected him to be smart, much less able to USE the magic gifted to them by the fetid Lolth.

"Healing webs, commence your knitting to this your spawn." The was he spoke tricked the scroll, as he had learned before, and the magic took, the wounds on Ryltar knitting themselves closed. Yet, it was not enough to heal his broken finger the entire way, leaving it with a sprain. Yet he would be able to be up and back in the saddle in fewer than two days. Jarikk took the hand and placed a specialized spider silk bandage on it with a splint made from bone, one of the things he had kept from that traitorous Valshee, his second oldest sister before she got implemented in a crime she actually didn't commit. It was one of his revenge schemes, seeing as she had the audacity to use Ryltar as a training dummy the days before she was 'found out.'

Small, tender hands washed the blood out of Ryltar's hair, leaving him a sore, but clean drow. "Stay here, sir Vorn. I will return shortly." His little legs moved quickly as he found a soft, delicate robe to cover the drow. He helped Ryltar out of the water and into a chair where he dried him off, his face lowered as he touched the delicate areas of his beloved master. After he was done he wrapped the robe around him and helped him to bed, wrapping the covers around his dark colored man.

He watched him, his face not changing but his heart bumping slightly, as it always did after he helped Ryltar. He didn't show it, and he would never say it, but he deeply loved his ward. Not the love of a servant and a master, that was unheard of in drow culture, but the unrequited love that was written about in sagas great and long above ground. Jarikk knew he could never tell his master, and that he would probably die with the secret, probably die protecting his master. Yet, it was enough knowing that even though Ryltar didn't love him, he TRUSTED him, and that was probably closer than anyone of his race had ever come to with a drow.

"Sir Vorn, would you like a story? Some food? Or shall I retire and leave you be, sir?"

 

[dramamine213]

Ryltar barely heard the goblin speak. The sound of life became a dull series of terrible throbs, only reminding him that he had lived through one more of his sibling's bad days. All he had done was petition a request to leave the House to resupply reagents and spell components for everyone, but was sure to leave out anything he could use. As usual, his youngest surviving sister Drae'bhaal, she felt that his request had been a waste of her time knowing full well she was devoid of Liver Caps and Rothe fibers. She just didn't want to be reminded of a bout of laziness and thusly reminded Ryltar to not remind her.

The young wizard felt he was being hauled off somewhere, and to his bleary mind, he had hoped he would finally depart the Material plane and find some special place in Vhaeraun's wicked heart. Imagine to his suprise when the warm wound-cleaning water rushed into all of the deep whip lacerations igniting every nearve that had been damaged. The string of Undercommon curses flung from his mouth would have casued a few to seek shelter away from such terrible manners. Each time one of the long slinder slices were cleaned through, Ryltar grabbed at a towel, slowly weakening it's fibers with the bit of strength he did posess.

With his remaining stebgth drained into the towel, Ryltar laid still and just breathed deep. This was a routine he had come to expect from his siblings, but the closer to death he got, the more he just wished it'd come already. He felt his body being ushered into warm water and recognized the feeling of the tub. In his haze of blood loss, he had forgotten that Jarikk had come to his aid, like always. In this moment, it was a fleeting thought of compassion for something to care for him so, but realized his weakness in the same split second. Opening his eyes to watch the goblin, he wore an all too familiar scowl.

The wizard wasn't pleased with divine magics being used to mend his muscles, but he found it amusing that his manservant was just as crafty as some of his siblings. It was a treat to have such a useful sod in his command. He would scamper off to return with some important scroll or parchment to later have his sisters dueling in the Matron's court over something petty. It was pleasant to have something so devious around. As the spell was read off, the familiar feeling of thousands of tiny spiders pulling his back together came about and made him a little queezy.

As his goblin mended his hand, he relaxed a little into the tub of warm warter. Ryltar was rather angry that his hand was injured, but he remembered it was his own doing. Letting the water soak into his lengthy hair, he was glad that the blood hadn't stained it badly. He would hate to have to cut it off once again. Jarikk's nimble fingers tingled and danced across his scalp expertly, making sure any traces of red stains were cleansed completely.

When Jarikk departed, he rubbed his shoulder, guaging how badly these would scar. By the feel of it, they wouldn't be the worse of them, but at least two would remain rather visible. The goblin returned with a silken robe and helped the weary drow from his warm bath. Ryltar looked at the bathwater in disgust. He had seen worse, but it alwasy made him angry to see so much of his blood wasted soon-to-be discarded bath water.

After being seated in a small squat chair, Ryltar held out the appropriate limbs as his manservant went about the task of drying him. The drow had always wondered why Jarikk acted so shameful about drying his groin. He wasn't sure if it was soe goblin shame that hadn't been bred out or if the creature had some adversion to his body. While the thought of having a goblin shameful at tending a duty to one of the most important parts of the young drow's body, Ryltar was a bit angered. He would dwell on this for many days to come. Possibly do some reading into goblin affinities and emotions.

Ryltar was assited into his soft bed with Jarikk tucking him in quite comfortably. The goblin seemed lost in thought and that amused Ryltar to a small brief laugh. A goblin in thought. How ridiculous. he said unto himself with a faint smile.

"Something to eat to regain some strength. I have work to do this evening and you're to accompany me. If you'd fancy a story whilst I ate, that would be acceptable." he replied from the mound of pillows behind his head. He took a deep breath and stared at the canopy above him. He knew how expensive it had been to obtain an intace wooden bed, much less the pillow filled with the covering of a surface creature who was known for it's terrible call. yet, they were so comfortable compared to the webweave sheets and clothes his sisters prefered. It had a terrible cling to it, making it near impossible to work arcane magics in them.

Ryltar waited as patiently as a drow could for the goblin to return. The meeting replayed in his mind as he tried to pick apart all of what she said to make his secret outing worthwhile. He had to plot every possible angle out to make sure he wasn't tortured again for just restocking the spell components his sisters and Matron just seemed to burn through as fast as he could sneak them in. Ryltar felt lucky as he knew he had a cache on the Etheral plane for his own private needs. Lost in his own thoughts and schemes, the drow reclined into the mounds of surfacer goods and carefully plotted the length, yet earned demise of his House.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Jarikk listened to the request and scurried off. He was an impressive sight for his kind, in all respects. He stood at a very nice three feet and eight inches tall, making him rather statuesque for his breed. His black hair was tied back and kept in a ponytail so it was out of the way, as it had never been cut. He often wore it around his neck, as it had grown rather long in his thirty four years of life, yet it was never in the interest of his master to have it cut and Jarikk wouldn't dream of asking Ryltar for any special treatment like that. His body was firm and taut, his seventy-seven pounds of body weight nearly pure muscle. His skin was a light lavender, bred into him specially by the Goblin Breeders of House Vorn. His eyes were a pale orange with a vibrant slit of black across them. They were smart, and held a vast depth that was often ignored by the elves in his daily life.

He wore an outfit that he knew Ryltar enjoyed, one that showed off his body some and yet showed he had no hidden weapons on him. He knew how important it was for Ryltar to know that Jarikk only had his utility knife on him unless they went outside and he was not going to take that pleasure away from the elf he had come to love.

As he maneuvered towards the kitchen his mind wandered, back to when he was twenty four and Ryltar was fourteen. He had been coming to check on Ryltar and see if he was okay after a day of studies and he had seen something he should not have. Ryltar had been laid out on his bed, his hands on his erect member while he stroked it. Jarikk hadn't known how long Ryltar had been feeling sexual urges, but he knew the man had figured out what to do on his own. He had been stunned and watched, listening to the sounds coming from his master. He had watched the culmination as well, the light semen splattered like sensual pearls upon the dark skin of Ryltar. It had probably helped the day before that Ryltar had even commented on him, giving him praise for the first time ever in public. It had made Jarikk feel like a true person, and cemented his love for the elf. The display he had seen had cemented his lust. He felt deplorable of course, his age higher than his ward and his own disgusting race, yet he had still imagined.

He came to carrying a tray of soup, bread, spider meat from a food spider, and tasty wall fungus from the dark caves. His footsteps were silent as he came into the room and laid it at the side for his master, bowing to him formally, "I got what I could of your favorites, sir Vorn. The tea is brewing in the cup still and I made it myself so there is no chance of poisoning. I will humbly test it for you if you wish, as always my lord."

It was common rote for him now, but he knew it was most likely not needed. He had been bringing Ryltar food for ages and making sure no poison dared touch the palette of his prized ward. He stepped back and got a chair and pulled it close, sitting down with his hands folded in his lap, his own nails trimmed precisely for maximum usefulness. His eyes took in the form of his lord and he gave a toothless smile, his lips folded tight on what he viewed were ugly fangs.

"I learned a new tale. I do think you will like it, sir Vorn. It is about Nytrizz Valshae, the cleric hero of Vhaeraun. Of course, your female siblings would call him an upstart, may Lolth find them wanting. I have a tale of his top-world adventures, one where he triumphs over Matron Caldishee. I am not certain if it is a tale only, or truth. Be your own judge, my potent lord. The tale begins in the light that blinds the blessed,"

His tale was a nice one, his clipped elven making it sound like a perfect narration. He watched and cleaned up Ryltar when necessary, making sure everything was perfect. He wanted the drow male before him to feel special and cared for, even if it was just for a brief period of time. He always strove for that. He ended the tale with the death of the Matron, her blindness to the fact a male could be as clever as herself being her downfall as her own suitor, seduced and taught the ways of Vhaeraun's love by Nytrizz's own hands, slit her throat with a dagger as she slept.

"I hope the tale was to your liking, Sir Vorn."

 

[dramamine213]

His goblin returned with an acceptable tray of foods. How delicious the soup smelled! The beating he had endured really tested his sytem and made he rather hungry. Ryltar could feel his belly rumble from under the soft sheets. "That won't be needed. I trust that it's pure." he replied back to Jarikk. Not once had he ever suspected the goblin servant of wishing him ill. He seemed to be beyond loyal and that pleased Ryltar. To have someone so faithful around him all the time and not wanting to see his demise. It was refreshing to be with Jarikk compared to the ruthless and mind numbing family relations of his.

As Jarikk began his tale, it struck a very personal chord within him. It's as if the gods had shown him what must be done. He had the thoughts of bringing House Vorn under his control, but males in charge were very short lived. This tale was far too enthralling and too close to home. Ryltar looked stunned, for what that would look on a drow's face. "Ja-Jarikk... where did you learn of such a tale?" he asked rather curiously and restrained devisouness. If such a tale had the slightest hint of truth, Ryltar would be spending the next several weeks trying to discern everything in his power. Even if it meant trips to the surface.

With his meal finished, he sat looking at the goblin who had just inspired such wicked thoughts. "I see. I would ask you prepare yourself in a few hours. We'll be heading out to gather some spell components. A bit more than we usually do. I've got something to figure out, but for now, I need some rest. Mind the door." the wizard said before turning into his bedding, preparing for a deep trance to prepare these coming plans.

The young drow quckly entered his trance and began to hash out a marvelous plot. He quckly came to the realiztion that he would need as much information on the surface world as possible. Ryltar only knew as much as any common drow about the world above. He also realized that if things weren't possible to do on his own, he would have to inlist some help. He didn't like the thought, but there were always raiders and slavers looking for wizards for their careers.

It was a few hours later when he roused from his trance. Ryltar felt refreshed and in a much better mood. The throbbing in his back had subsided thanks to Jarikk. That impressive little goblin always knew a way to end the pain. Sitting up from his mound of pillows, he scanned the dimly lit room. Sure enough, Jarikk was in his usual spot watching over him. The drow felt enamored to have something so intent in keeping him comfortable and safe. It meant something to the young man, but he was unsure exactly what.

Getting out of his coverings, he climbed from his bed and proceeded to change into something more capable for wandering the caves. Donning a rather slick suit of thin leather armor over top of some padded linen breeches and tunic, he gathered up his long knife and staff. Ryltar rumaged through his work desk of papers and found a scroll case, making sure to put it inside the bag he slung over his shoulder. Looking to Jarikk, he offered what could best be described as a drow smile. "You ready for departure?" he offered.

Making sure to cast a number of non-detecion spells, Ryltar guided Jarikk out of the 'secrect' exit from the house for one of their many trips together. However, it seemed as if Ryltar was taking a different route towards the caves. Once comepletely away from the House of Vorn, Ryltar finally spoke softly. "We're headed to different caves this day. I require something new..." he said taking a left turn towards the deeper and more dangerous series of caves.

All manner of strange beats lurked here. Some of the fiercest spiders and the derro had been known to lurk here once in a while. But pausing for a moment to read a map he had stored in his desk, he led them down a much shorter and narrower passageway than the larger main tunnel. Ryltar would occasionally pause and reach behind him to check if the goblin was till there. He would need him to carry some of the items back, so his breath would change for a single exhilation each time his slinder fingers met with some part of Jarikk.

It was finally revealed where Ryltar had led them. It was a durely different set of fungi that they were looking at. The specific shade of blue biolumienscent fingu they were looking at was a brilliant cobalt blue. It wasn't to go without notice to the other small fungi and plants growing around a rather sinister looking collection of water. Ryltar finally let the invisibility spells drop after scanning the room for any immidiate threat.

With a few hand signals to Jarikk that he had specifically (and illegally) taught, he instructed him to keep an eye out while he carefully sliced and weighed parts of various fungi and collected samples from the strange plants. Everything went well for a long time. He managed to disect a few ounces of internal fungus flesh and pack a full pound of the various plant materials before it happened.

Out it silently crept from under a large knocked-over mushroom. It's four glaring eyes sat upon it's reptilian head, yet this creature stood much like a man. It's blood red plating gleamed purple in the blue light as it carefully crept from under it's perch, every slowly towards Ryltar. The drow hadn't taken notice as the creature made no sounds as it picked it's course over the soft spongey flesh of the fallen fungi. Ryltar stood hunched over the sinister-looking pool, putting a cork in a vial of the murky liquid. The humanoid creature raised it's claws to attack with the wizard still unaware.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

"I heard the story when I was out in the market, sir. I gave a slave drow some fruit, I bought it with my own salary, and he told me of it. Apparently the male slaves have been speaking of it for a while. The matron in question was from the Varee caves, they are many, many leagues away. I figured you would like it. I am glad I was correct, Sir Vorn."

When told to get ready and watch over the elf Jarikk needed no second thought. While the drow was trancing he placed on tight leathers that were made of spider hide somehow and added a sharp spider shaped weight that Ryltar had bought for him when the drow was younger. He wrapped his hair back around his neck and picked up his hand crossbow, again another gift from Ryltar only this one had had a much more qualified purpose than the other. And it had not been as much a 'gift' as a "Keep me protected, learn this or else' item. Still, Jarikk treasured it.

While the drow was off in his own world Jarikk got a grooming kit and took the hands of Ryltar, shaking his head lightly as he started working on the nails. They had chipped a little, some of them. That would never do. He filed them into perfection and then polished them off. What came to a stop in his work was the broken, but now sprained, finger of the drow. He took out a vial of rarely used black polish and lacquered the pinky nail of both hands, covering up any flaw he might have. He then pulled out some rare scented oils and rubbed them into the hands so that they would be smooth and smell excellent. It took a little over an hour for him to feel satisfied with his job and he delicately placed them back in the lap of Ryltar.

Next came the feet, which received the same treatment. They were a bit different, as the dead layers of skin were removed, yet in a way that was very cautious. His master had very delicate elven skin that needed the utmost care and Jarikk was not about to cause Ryltar any discomfort. To match and offset the pinkies on the hands the goblin painted the largest toes black in case his master decided to wear sandals. Then came the oils and a massage of them into the feet, with Jarikk being satisfied after another hour of work.

The rest of the trance was spent in silence as he watched the drow, his eyes careful to monitor everything else as well. Whe Ryltar came to Jarikk was ready for his orders.

"I am already ready, sir Vorn. I anticipated your eagerness and got ready. Allow me to help you in your preparations."

The rest went smoothly, with Jarikk following close behind Ryltar. He would often try to give a reassuring squeeze the hands which came back to check on him, allowing Ryltar to know he was available. He did suppress a squeak when, during a time the drow had to hunker down because of a low ceiling, the invisible hand came to rest on the goblin's crotch and gave his equipment a good squeeze. He stayed silent, yet knew that when everything was finished for that night and he was alone he might just have to relieve himself.

The harvesting went smoothly, with Jarikk watching Ryltar intently. Then, it came. Jarikk had been waiting, seeing as he had never been told it was okay to make noise again. When the beast raised up there was a soft "thiwsh-thiwsh-thwish" sound as three bolts shot from his hand crossbow. The first two lodged in the beast's throat, taking out it's vocal chords with an astute precision, the third hit it in the chin in case the first two missed. Jarikk was already in action, leaving his small crossbow and bolts near Ryltar in case he should fail.

The beast was trying to yelp, it's throat and mouth shuddering in paroxysms of agony as the small goblin foot collided with it's chest and sent it back. Jarikk struck an odd pose, a fighting style of dirty tricks and valued necessity he had developed with bits and pieces stolen from the kata he had seen the few drow monks do when he was able. The beast shuddered and started towards the smaller morsel, the drow now forgotten.

Jarikk did his best to avoid the claws, responding with a punch or kick when perfectly able. He knew he had wounded the beast with the first attack, having hit it in vital areas, yet now it was perfectly aware of him. The element of surprise had been lost and all that was keeping Jarikk going was the sheer rage that this beast had DARED try to hurt his precious, darling drow.

It was almost surreal how they fought, with Jarikk remaining silent except for the sound of his fist resounding against the beast every now and then. The beast was forced to be silent, the sound of wind escaping the claws as it struck the only other sound beside the scuffle of the two warrior's footwork.

There soon came another sound, a sickening mixture of air being rent and then what could only be described as the sound of wet cloth ripping. Jarikk reeled back, his chest bleeding from the claw marks in it. He still said nothing and a trickle of blood could be seen coming from his mouth where he had bitten his tongue to not call out.

Jarikk decided that he would try something and jumped over the beast, using the cave rocks to be able to leap as high as he did. His hair flew out, the braid as long as the goblin's own body. The spider weight, with it's sharpened legs, lodged next to the bolts in the throat and Jarikk swung on it, wrapping his braid tight against the monster's throat. He landed on it's back and began to tug, using his long braid as a garrote to choke the beast.

It stumbled around and finally began to beat it's back into a wall, smashing the goblin against the stone. Yet the eyes just started getting dimmer, the spasms of desperation making it use more oxygen than it could replace. Finally, it fell to the ground, throwing Jarikk to the floor with the inertia of the fall.

Jarikk got up, still silent, and removed the bolts and spider hairpiece from the beast before hobbling back over to Ryltar. His left arm was protruding in an incorrect angle and his chest was still dripping blood. He said nothing but bowed to the drow, his legs shaking softly with the effort of staying up now that his adrenaline was leaving him.

 

[dramamine213]

Ryltar had been partially oblivious to the creature stalking them, but the few slight noises that were made as the goblin connected blow after blow roused him from the extremely delicate gathering. He watched the goblin deftly pounce and maim the attacking creature, one that RYltar wasn't exactly familiar with. This whole place was alien to Ryltar, but he had purchased a map about it from an information vendor peddling things about the market in the Lower Depths. It had seemed as if the most important details, like the local inhabitants, were missing from the information attached to the map.

The wizard winced a few times as the goblin took a few good hits himself. An odd look of momentary concern flashed on his face and he raised his hands to blast off a magical missle for an assist, but lowered his hands as the noise might attract even more of these particularly nasty looking creatures. The drow watched on, hand readying on a wand with electrical forces caged in its rare wooden shaft.

Ryltar truend back to his work for a moment while it had seemed that Jarikk had the creature well under his control. A twinge of guilt came to Ryltar's face as he saw how the goblin's arm stuck out unnaturally and the blood was weeping from unseen wounds. Digging into the pack the drow had brought with him, he handed the goblin a slender vial of a murky blue liquid. With his hands, he gave simple commands. "Drink. Heel. Silence."

The drow knew very well that an injured bodyguard was a useless bodyguard, so giving the servant a small healing potion was in his own best intrests. With a confirmation nod, the wizard took the time to finish his sampling and thinking. While he cut, examined, and placed in vials and jars, Ryltar replayed the tale about the male who wrought utter destruction and wrath upon his hated Matron and her family. While Ryltar couldn't seduce his own mother, he began to plot out what he needed to arrange to perform an epic retelling of such a victorious revolution. The shackles of Lolth had worn deep scars into the young man's mind and he desperately wanted to watch his family burn. To smell the burning hair and fat from his wicked siblings' bodies.

Putting his attention to the disection to the creature, Ryltar took some waterproofed canvas he brought for emergency reasons and packaged up parts of the offending beast for later use. With it neatly and carefully bundled, he had pondered having the goblin haul it for him, but he was in no condition to protect his hide and carry such an odd and heavy parcel. With a few other hand signals, Ryltar had them heading back towards the House of Vorn.

The trip back was just as perlious as the trip out, but getting back into the House of Vorn was always a pain. Under an invisibility spell, Ryltar examined the weave of arcane protecions over the house and had to carefully pull a small enough hole to allow passage without setting them off. The odd thing about these wards is that they were practically non-existant on your way out, but trying to get back in could set of the equivilent of a atomic bomb on a smal scale centralized inside the insidious bubble the wards made.

Once a small hole had been created, Ryltar carefully ushered the servant through and quickly let teh wards shift back into shape. They had been stressed enough for one day. Now, within the House's ground, Ryltar had made sure Jarikk was close behind him as they made their way back to Ryltar's servant-style room. As they turned the corner, there stood one of his sisters with a different servant in the archway before his very room. It was the same sister who had iflicted the grievous wounds that were still sore under neath his padded linen tunic.

"Garthig, enter Ryltar's room and call him to the door. I must speak with him." Drae'bhaal said a touch too impatiently. The golden-skinned goblin looked at her, nearly too fearful to move. The priestess' muscles tensed and Garthig tried the knob to the door, finding it locked. "Priestess, I'm afraid I can't do as you've commanded. It is locked, Priestess." Garthig quietly announced, cowering and holding her head as if preparing to be rent asunder. Drae'bhaal looked rather displeased with her response and pompously shoved the small female aside to rap upon Ryltar's door.

Ryltar smiled knowing she would grow impatient quickly, but it would come to another lashing if he didn't meet her demands. Droping the invisibility spell from only his self, he address his wicked sister. "What honor is it to have Priestess Drae'bhaal at my humble and quite accomidating living quarters. What is it that I may do for you, mighty Priestess? How may I be of use to Lolth this day?" he said with a low bow, making sure his eyes stay fixed on her slightly too tight shoes. Drae'bhaal did look one bit pleased she had been either surprised or spied upon. Resting her strong hand on her whip's handle, she glared at him from her amber eyes.

"Ryltar. I'm here for my reagents. Lolth help you if you don't have the ready." she said in a threatening tone. So many times Ryltar wanted to blast the spider hooker away, but knew now wasn't the time or place to do so. It would come. It would be soon. With a smile on his face, he bowed a bit lower. "Of course, Pirestess. This way." he said rising and opeing the magically locked door. "I'll stay here. I don't loiter about in servant's filth." she said predictably. Ryltar entered his room, with Jarikk hopefully behind him.

The wizard opened his pack and removed a special case that contained some of the things they had gathered just a few hours ago. Returning to the door, he bowed and offered the case to his sibling. "You'll find all of your components replaced and extra in the lower container. I also took the liberty to add a few pieces of blank parchment for your scribe needs. Priestess, please call upon me once again once you have need. I shall be ready and of loyal service." he said to her feet. With the case of vials and containers in hand, Drae'bhaal looked pleased for what could be called of the grimace on her face. With out a word, Drae'bhaal left her brother bowing low to the ground with a cowering Garthig outside of his door and in invisible Jarikk.

After several moments passed, Ryltar finally rose and address the servants. "Garthig, you know better. If you had turned the knob any further, it would have killed you both. Do I look like I want to die by my Matron's best torturers?!" the drow exclaimed at the goblin. The golden-skinned female rose from the floor and shook her head. "It would have been better to have died, sir. The the suffering would end." she said glumly. Ryltar shook his head and dropped the spell on Jarikk. "Be sure to clean up, Jarikk. I'll need to you retell me that tale so I can pen it down. I would like to have a copy for my personal review." he said with the intentions to dechiper what he would need for a length trip to the surface and what he would be looking for in a capable group.

Garthig left the two and shut the door before she left and Ryltar undressed down to nothing for a while. He needed some time out of the restrictions of clothing. Arcane magics in the nude worked much better as the trappings of society disruptd the natural flow of magic around the arms and body of its caster. Standing at his podeum, Ryltar pulled a fresh piece of parchment and began to illustrate the devious creature from the hidden cave. He wanted to know more about it if he was already planning a trip to the Lower Depths market district. Maybe he would have the chance to... fix that information peddler's oversight by removing an eye.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Jarikk welcomed the healing potion, and was even shocked to find out it cured all of his injuries nigh immediately. He was very grateful to Ryltar, and felt his heart beat a little faster. His face blushed a deep purple as his red blood mixed with the lavender skin tone that was bred into him. He was glad Ryltar was looking elsewhere, so he was not easily seen fawning over his young master.

When they went back Jarikk was once again quiet. He did take out a rather unlucky dire bat with a well placed bolt to the neck when it got too close, but everything else was uneventful. He slunk about with his master inside the house and skittered about behind him, dragging the corpse of the monster that he had killed behind him as he stayed invisible.

When he saw the sister of his master he gave her the most wicked, hateful glare he had because he knew she could not see him. He stayed perfectly silent as they argued and his sweet, supple prince of a master escaped the wrath of the soggy cunt laden creature before him. He hated Ryltar's sisters, hated them more than anything he could ever have imagined. Their mother had at least given him Ryltar. Those wastes of spider sucking scum guzzling gutter skanks had done nothing but be a burden and drain on this family. At least the other women of other houses at least plotted against their Matrons instead of vapidly sucking on her tits for favors and status.

As she left he went about the room, placing the creature up and shedding the spell. He gave Garthig a rather unamued glance and sighed. She had never been the brightest goblin in the pack, and he had been amazed she had survived at all. It was most likely her ability to make the drow ladies sound so grandiose and regal that saved her skin. She may be useless at most things, but she could flatter Tiamat herself into acquiescence.

With his jobs given to him, Jarikk bowed to Ryltar, "Of course, Sir Vorn. I will gladly do as you wish." He scampered off, removing his ruined leathers and tossing them to be mended by himself when he had the time. He gave himself the luxury of a cold bath as he knew Ryltar would be a bit busy, his skin being removed of the dried blood and miscellaneous bone pieces that had remained on his body when he had been assaulted.

It took a little time, but he came back and bowed low before Ryltar, admiring his exposed package and yet avoiding looking directly at if after one swift glance to sate his loving lust for the man. He stared Ryltar directly in the eyes and gave him the story, verbatim as it was before, going over every part as many times as it took for Ryltar to write it down. He even added his own knowledge of the places described in it to aid Ryltar in his information gathering.

The goblin had to steady his trembling, as he felt very nervous in the presence of a naked Ryltar. It was also necessary to use all the bodily control he had learned to not get an erection. It was rather hard, as the room smelled of naked and sweaty drow, the thick musk of the spider borne man cloying the air. There was a stronger, more potent scent from the groin of his master, one which Jarikk rarely got the chance to smell, one that he associated with arousal in the drow. He dared not look down to see if Ryltar was indeed erect or if the thoughts of destroying his house was just filling him with the sadistic lust that made Jarikk so proud of his young ward.

With his eyes closed and his face pointed to the floor, Jarikk bent down low, "I am here for whatever other wishes you have of me, Sir Vorn. Please, inform me how I may be of service to you." He expected that, for now, he may be asked to leave. Or procure more food. Perhaps to go and take some time to himself or grab something. He was used to being a busy manservant and eagerly awaited such orders. His heart fluttered lightly as he imagined being told he was to give Ryltar a pedicure and manicure, which meant he would be in the presence of Ryltar with no other expectations for hours. Much more, in skin contact with him. The chance to do it for the second time in a day was not lost on the goblin, yet he knew this was probably not going to be asked of him.

 

[dramamine213]

When Jarikk returned from his bath, he was glad the smell of that creature's blood had disappeared with the various gore bits that had lingered in his hair. The goblin was much more presentable, that is, for a goblin. Looking over his podeum, Ryltar pondered what ink to use. Idly, the wizard flopped his cut length of cock about as if one would drum fingers across a table in boredom. Finally selecting a deep red ink, Ryltar looked at Jarikk and waited for the tale.

As the goblin spoke in his shade of Elven, he dipped his entirely too expensive feather quill and began to take notes. The various details that seemed most important were written in short hand with his own ideas scribbled near them. There were some parts that he asked Jarikk to repeat for accuracy's sake, but realized some more important details laid hidden amongst the words. The drow was rather impressed with the author's seeming interest in the world Above.

Ryltar had fiddled with his length when he wasn't scratching anything out important. It was a habit he hadn't realized he had developed after hitting puberty. The sensations were just something enjoyable to receive while doing something else in the privacy of his own room. Unashamed of being nude, Ryltar began to be more receptive to his whims of the flesh. Without notice, the young drow had encouraged a soft erection. Ryltar began to move away from his podeum when he realized he had done so.

"Jarikk?" he began his request. Moving to a cushoined seat in his room, Ryltar sat down and idly stroked his cock. "I want to discuss something with you. Something I've been meaning to express for many a year." he said pausing his motions. Realizing he hadn't cast his usual scrying spells in place, he went about using the rather expensive magical devices to ward his room from further (if any) intrusion.

Grabbing a pillow from the end of his bed, he placed it behind his back in the coushioned chair. "As I was say, Jarikk... as you've proven to be the only soul I've ever relied upon who hasn't attempted to kill me, yet..." he said idly stroking his cock once again, "..I've an idea. One that would likely end up getting myself killed if it were even mentioned to the wrong indiviual." he stopped once more to adjust his position in the chair a bit better. He elbowed the pillow a bit to lazily fluff it.

"Jarikk, can I trust you to aide me in my plans?" he said toying with his cock a bit more. What Jarikk seemed to be unaware of is that Ryltar knew how the goblin tried not to stare. How, for so many years, he tried not to linger his eyes or hands at his assigned cleanign duties. How the goblin irradiated with the smell of nervous sweat. Ryltar knew the servant had some abberant attraction to him and enjoyed this invisible game, but today would be an ultimate test. He would need the goblin to assist him in his endevors.

Ryltar smiled, watching the goblin avoid eye contact so hard. He could see the tiny movements of excitement in the tips of Jarikk's ears. "Look at me when you speak." he said in a slight commanding tone. One he hadn't used since he was a young lawless whelp. Ryltar wanted his servant to observe his perverse whim and watch his body language. He wanted to see if the goblin was as loyal as his breeders had promised. "Jarikk, we'll be needing a group to take us to the surface." he said as he stopped rubbing his increasingly erect length. "Do you know of such a group or raid party traveling to the world Above with in this week?" he questioned the goblin.

With this show already surving it's purpose, he relocated to the recesses of his bed. Knowing his little performance was completely out of character, he had tested the goblin's will and trust. Perhaps he would one day reward the creature for such loyalty in a manner it would most enjoy, but for now, Ryltar's mind lay with grand thoughts of destruction. "Tomorrow, we'll head to the Lower Depths and see if we can locate us a formidable party to join. For now, you're dismissed to do as you please..." he said turning to rearranged the mound of coushions on his bed, "... and Jarikk, I would like a nice hot bath in a few hours. Be sure to pick a good scented oil. I wish not to smell of stale caves and fungus when we approach our hopeful crew." he said with a wink. One that would stand out to the goblin, but one Ryltar knew he could use to influence the goblin to his whims.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Jarikk followed Ryltar to his bed and gave a bit of a wide eyed look as he glanced at the soft yet elongated piece carried by the drow and averted his eyes as he was told what was needed. He didn't register when he started sweating, he just knew that the room seemed a whole lot hotter now. His ears began to twitch every now and then, more to keep up with what the drow said than of any type of arousal. Jarikk had his arousal completely under control, thankfully.

This plan sounded completely mad. He felt terrible for even suggesting it to the drow, if it had been just a story anyway. Now he was going to put himself at risk and...well...Jarikk would go along. He had to. The idea of his poor, helpless Ryltar running around up on the surface without anyone looking after him was a bad idea. Yes, he knew several people who either went up to the top a whole lot or just would like to go up. Not any of them were drow, which would make this a whole lot easier than he had figured. He would just need to get in contact with them.

Jarikk let out a little sigh and began, "Yes sir, I know some people wh-" He stopped, not used to that commanding tone for so long. Yet, the very idea of disobeying it was tantamount to blasphemy. His eyes slowly rose to meet Ryltar's, having to slide over that lovely, and much larger drow penis that Ryltar was so offhandedly playing with. Jarikk gulped and counted that it had grown, by an estimate, at least two if not three inches since he last saw it when his master was fourteen. The eyes lingered a second too long but soon found Ryltar's eyes, which were a lot easier to stare at than his crotch. At least Jarikk could hope to be able to catch those eyes every now and then. The sexual urges of his master would never turn to his form, yet he was okay with this.

"I know some people, Sir Vorn. One of them is a kobold, so you would need to still your appetite for their flesh some. She is a pretty big part of this expedition. There would be no drow in the expeditions forces, of course. I do not wish any reliable source of what we are about to do to get to your siblings, curse their fawning over the sopping breasts of the spider whore." He kept his eyes glued to Ryltar, even as he felt his mind going back to the plump, thick piece that he knew the other was still stimulating. Jarikk did not get erect himself, but felt his ears twitch as they tried to direct cooler air to his body.

"They can be ready by late tomorrow, my lord. I will go see to it that they get word of this. I will make sure every precaution is taken and that all of them are prepared. I take my leave now, Sir Vorn." He backed out and went to make sure that everything was taken care of. Yet, he soon heard a soft sound. He had thought his master had been toying with himself to toy with him, yet it seemed that the drow was going to continue the sexual pleasuring.

Jarikk snuck back and watched with practiced stealth that he usually used on Ryltar's siblings. It had been too much, this day. He slid his own pants down and grasped the erection he finally allowed himself to get. His penis, unlike his beautiful and dusky master, was uncircumcised. Jarikk had always hated this, wanting one like his sweet, seductive drow master had. He knew it wouldn't matter ever though, who would he show off to? He began to tug at his penis, watching Ryltar while sucking on a good foot of his ponytail to make no noise.

He got off about when Ryltar did just because of the sounds the drow made. He noticed which hand had touched the penis when the semen had erupted and made sure to hold it just a bit too close when he dusted off the nails the next time. Jarikk wiped himself off and pulled his pants up, heading out quickly after removing the goblin seed off the ground.

Later Jarikk would introduce the scouting party that he had gotten for Ryltar. There was a female dragonwrought Kobold riding a dire weasel. She was covered in studded leather and had several crossbows and enough bolts to kill a small city. She was a ranger by trade and had learned how to use crossbows like no one else. There was a big, hulking mountain orc with a sickle and rather tame looking Umber Hulk leaning on him. He was an odd druid that had tamed the beast near him, but was trustworthy. There was a wild looking gnome, her hair on edge like she had been shocked and forgotten to brush it down. Her left eye was a demonic looking orange while her right was a gemstone pale pink. Her skin was blotched from numerous burns and she had a broken longsword that she used as a shortsword for one of her race. She had a habit of looking around and then laugh every now and then as if she saw something amusing. The final member of this party was a half-deep dragon ogre. He was smarter than the others in his tribe and, oddly enough, was the product of an ogre raping a dragon. His mother had respected that might and kept him until he was old enough to fend for himself. He was wrapped in spider silk and scales, his armor made from his own mother when he had returned and killed her for being such a shitty parent. His weapons of choice were a spear, an insanely big glot that bounced around in the caves, and daggers for close combat.

Jarikk bowed to the people and introduced them, "Sir Vorn, this is Jik'ik'raa the Mastershot," he said, pointing to the kobold, "She is the daughter of Gra-lin, daughter of Vaers-hraev 'lujikit the Cruel. You will know her as the blue dragon that hunted down and ate all female drow in three houses because they insulted her." He knew the drow had idolized that dragon somewhat due to that story and found her granddaughter to be perfect for this.

"This is Ur, he is a Monster Tamer druid. He, as you can see, trains monsters for a living. He also hunts them down and beats them into submission." The orc made no real notice and just spat at the ground.

The gnome moved closer and looked at Ryltar and began to giggle uncontrollably. "She is...what do you call yourself?" The gnome laughed and smacked Jarikk on the back before speaking to him in goblin. "She says she is Miranda Byzantine. Last I knew she was Jonie. From what I can tell she has demon in her blood. A whole lot since her mother and father were also brother and sister. She is a mad genius, and can disable traps while she is asleep. She has done so in the past when I needed something."

The half-dragon ogre grumbled and looked at the drow, "Look, we need to get going. You have our gold, darkie, or have we done a favor for Jarikk for nothin', eh?" he spoke well for one of "his" kind and seemed to be tired of this.

 

[dramamine213]

Ryltar was glad that the goblin knew of such useful people. He watched the servant head out to perform his tasks. It was easier for the goblin to go out from the House for such things then try and distract everyone else to let himself out of their paranoid watch. With Jarikk missing, Ryltar laid back against the mound of plump cushions to properly attend to his member.

So many days had the young drow performed such a routine to still his bodily urges. Too many times he found himself lingering over thoughts of naked flesh entangling with his own. It wasn't that it was an unpleasant thought, but rather a distressing one. The majority of sexual visualizations he had witnessed were various female members of his family in either religious orgies or in some strange ritual to Lolth. All of their sexual exploits seemed dangerous and rather repulsive to him, especially seeing as the men didn't usually live to see a climax of their own.

Instead, his mind would wander to a scene that was never presented to him. One filled with only drow males enjoying each other's skin. An image that he found rather enjoyable and arousing. And with those images, Ryltar casually stroked his dark cock, pleasing himself. Knowing he was alone and unable to be magically spied upon, he let out little pants and whines indicating his enjoyable state of bliss. When the friction on his cut cock became a bit unpleasant, Ryltar would spit in his hand as he had seen his sisters easily do when they were in need of a quick stiff dick. The slick feeling always made his pedicured toes curl in delight.

For being a virgin with no prospects, he had been left to his own devices for about 6 years now. Finding a few select spots on his own body, he eagerly tugged at his nipple. The slight pain was so enjoyable, but nothing at all compared to what had caused the various scars on his back. With a few light tugs on his small male nipple, he found himself ready to spill his seed. Grabbing his pectoral muscle, he let his semen spill onto his belly and hip. The soft stuttering male moaned, bringing his legs up towards his chest a bit. When his climax was finished, he let his legs flop carelessly onto his bed and let the grimace of pleasure fade into a soft and alien smile.

Ryltar was seemingly energized from his dalliance. He grabbed one of his vials, scooping the seed up for an unknown spell component for later use. With his mess cleaned for the most part, Ryltar busied himself with preparing some much needed supplies. This would take some time as well as the seemingly bottomless sack he had managed to win from school during a duel. A few hours later, he had enjoyed the moss scented bath Jarikk had prepared and was prepared for his meeting with Jarikk's crew.

That evening fell and the goblin servant had led him into the Lower Depths. Ryltar had managed to get permission for an extended leave from his House on business and a promise to return with a live surfacer. Ryltar would have rather not have had to deal with such a thing, but in order to leave without a trained assassin stalking him the whole way, he had to have promised something worth while. A living surfacer was the only thing that his Matron agreed to.

After a bit of a walk around the squalid alleyways of the Lower Depths, the drow was finally led to a rather odd group of humanoids. These people had been waiting on them, some looking rather impatient. Jarikk had bowed low to these people and for some reason, he felt jealous of that. Ryltar struck it from his mind as this was just a busniess arrangement. Besides, why would jealousy have anything to do with a goblin servant? With a quick and quiet snort, he listened to Jarikk's introductions.

Ryltar was rather impressed by the kobold. Even knowing her meat was succulent and divine on the palate, he held a bit of respect for her realation's sake. The drow offered a bow to the woman on her rodent mount, making sure not to offend the dangerous looking kobold. As his attention was brought to the orc, it seemed he would be a wonderful ally to tame something nasty to bring back to his Matron, but not this trip. He nodded and bowed once more to the orc, even though the act of respect would be lost on such a fool creature.

When the gnome approached him, the drow was skeptical. She looked offer her rocker and the laughter didn't help. Ryltar was glad that Jarikk knew this creature or else he would have otherwise blown her into small, yet edible pieces. And then came the wise crack from the most intimidating of them all. The larger mutt blooded ogre. Ryltar gave a look of displeasure at suck a crude word, but could understand the poor dolt's misjudgement.

"I apologize for the tardiness, sir..." he paused hoping to get a name from him, "..., but yes. I do have your payment. I'll be more than obliged to pay half now to secure your services. The remaining half upon my return, in hopefully one piece. And please, call me Vorn. It's much more useful than to antediluvian racial slurs." he said with a minute amount of venom. He knew he was probably outmatched if the beast wished to defend what paultry honor it think it had, but he had hoped that he wouldn't have to waste spells so soon.

"I'm ready to traverse the caves as soon as you're ready." the drow said with a low bow. He had hoped that this group would assist in his needs and be of use to him for many times to come. He would need a few loyal assistants outside of Jarikk. The wizard had already began to plot on how to win each of these folk over to his cause.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

There was no name offered by the ogre, as his tales were passed around enough that people should have heard of him. Why, you'd have to be a locked up child to have never heard of him! Or, maybe, just never head to bars. Either way the ogre took his payment, as did everyone else. The kobold patted her weasel and it began to move as the others followed. Jarikk stayed close to Ryltar and made sure he was safe on the way up.

Every now and then the gnome would stop everyone. Sometimes, she found a shiny stone. One time she even chased a lizard. Right before she was getting on people's nerves, she would step forward and do some odd things, always setting off a trap if it was harmless to do so from where she was. She did show off how useful she was, as she got the traps undone in seconds in what would have taken Jarikk perhaps half an hour to do safely.

By the time they got to a secure cave mouth they had run into a few spiders, one very angry hibernating drider which Ur had beaten into unconsciousness and left in stasis to collect when they went back, and a rather surprised Grimlock. When the troop got to the surface the sun was blazing and it had been about six hours of traveling. The kobold was used to this by now and the orc had come prepared with tinted glasses. For Ryltar, who this was his first time, it was probably and immense shock.

Everything was vibrantly colored up top. The wind wafted about and many sounds could be heard. This was not the silent, echoing caves of his childhood. Birds were chirping, bees buzzing, animal noises way off into the forest. In essence the place was ALIVE. Jarikk noticed his master's discomfort and tugged on his robes respectfully, "Sir Vorn, I got you these. Just in case." He presented a set of glasses much like Ur's. The ogre gave an odd look and sighed. Jarikk had informed Ryltar that the ogre's name was Kurig, and that some knew him as "Mother Killer" for how he handled his own dam.

"I'm going to scout out ahead. Everyone stay back. Come'on girl, yah!" The kobold took off. On the surface her beautiful blue scales were very visible and her cape turned out to be two wings she folded onto her back instead of let get in the way in the caverns. It seemed she was very happy to be up topside once again.

The gnome lady looked around, giggling, and then stopped and looked at the ogre, he eyes rather dispassionate, "You. I never liked the way you smelled. Here, you dropped these." She tossed a few small, rune covered items at his feet. As he reached to get them they exploded into a cloud and started making him cough and choke, his hands going up to his throat. "Those trackers you left? I deactivated them. Simple, really. Geometric Euclidean Runic Aurum-based lacing? Are you fucking with me, dipshit? I knew how to change those up when I was still learning how to WALK. It may work for your kind, or even HIS kind, no offense, Ryltar, but me? Come on. I don't quite mind that you were leaving the trail for the assassin to follow, no. I know how much you got paid. I also don't mind that you actually intercepted Kurig's letter. Ingenious, really. Sending him word his father had been spotted."

The ogre who was coughing and still scratching at his neck had started to shift and warp, becoming a rather muted, grey figure. The doppleganger was tearing up badly as the gnome continued her rant, "The Draconic Sympataphore Calculus was a nice trick, but again, your approach was sub par. Probably because you aren't used to people picking you up, are they Daj? Oh, what's that? Of course I know who you are. You dopplegangers don't look alike. Anyway, this bores me." She lifted her broken sword and cleanly killed the doppleganger, ending her rant as she wiped it clean. "Seriously, can you believe this person? Might as well have been chanting naked while we walked. That Aurum-lace smells like hell. OH WOW. A RACCOON." Miriam was off on a chase, having changed her name to Miriam on the trip and now seeing a raccoon she was interested in.

Jarikk was at a loss for words as he looked at the dead doppleganger. He bowed to his master, pressing his head to the ground, "I am sorry sir. I did not know. I am so sorry my message got intercepted. I cannot rely on that cohort anymore, if that is, you allow me to live, sire. I have failed you horribly."

Ur let out an angry click as he saw what was happening. He had met Jarikk when the man still occasionally went out and fought, back when Ryltar was around five or six and still, sometimes, was in the presence of his mother. Before the drowling had smiled at Jarikk and...HUGGED him. They had made friends when the goblin had killed an otyugh he had been estimating, and the goblin had saved him some coin. To see a man he respected thus...BEGGING at the feet of some snooty drow sycophant. Well, it made him rather unhappy.

The kobold came back and made some motions as she talked, so used to using hand signals instead of words that it had become second nature. "So, the place is clear for about half a mile or so around us. Animals and all that. I can hunt if you want. Six mouths to feed and-where is Kurig?"

"He was a doppleganger. HEY, this is my new friend Feraloth the Souler Eater." Miriam held up a chubby raccoon that was busy chewing on an apple as she spoke.

"I...see. Feraloth, nice to meet you. Anyway, five mouths to feed. Shall I hunt for us? I assume your friend can hunt for itself, Ur?"

"Yes, it can. Hunting sounds fine. May I join you two?"

Jarikk looked a little cross and Ur sighed, "I will leave Bentha with you. It can protect you and will follow your orders as well. Besides, you also have Feraloth on your side."

"Fine, go hunt. I will stay and see what plans Sir Vorn wishes to implement."

 

[dramamine213]

Ryltar found the trip to be amusing. He had passed by these series of caves several times thinking they were unimportant, but seeing as they were a set of tunnels leading to the surface, he gained a new respect for those who explored and mapped these complicated places. However, this trip went much faster than he anticipated.

The drow took notice of the odd gnome. While she did have a knack for traps, she also had a knack for pissing Ryltar off. It seemed that every few feet there some something new and novel to stare at. Some of these stops were genuine, most of them were wastes of time. By the drow's estimates, they could have easily cut an hour out of their traveling time.

The fight with the spiders was enjoyable with Ryltar finally able to mash up some of his siblings' most sacred beast. He relished in their twitching corpses, taking various parts of chitin and flesh as reagents. However, Ryltar refused to fight the drider. He pittied the male who'd come to be deformed into the shape he now had. Letting the others subdue the man, he waited in a quiet fit of anger towards the bitches he had left back home.

As they made there way through a few more bending curves, the cave began to lighten in a way that Ryltar was never exposed to. Each bend allowed the light to pour in and the more the drow began to squint. It finally reached a point of being painful to keep his eyes open. Putting his hands up to shield his eyes, Ryltar began to take some of the detail in.

All these... things... they were waving about! And this noise... what was it?! It sounded like sheets of paper constantly rubbing against itself over and over again. And these... other things... they made strange calls. Short and high picthed whistles... but not whistles. What a strange place! The drow was curious, but through the difficulty of just seeing in the bright light, it made him wince. It was then that he felt a tugging at his cloak to see Jarikk offering up a pair of similarly designed glasses that the orc was wearing. "That was a wise idea of your's, Jarikk. You'll be properly rewarded for your insight." he said nodding and donning the glasses.

It was then he could take in the detail. These tall things with roundish wavey things dangling from their arms and this pointy shards of plant material sticking up from the ground. Ryltar really wanted to beging poking about and taking samples of everything, but common sense told him to control his curiousity and wait for the more experienced to declare it safe.

As the kobold departed, he took note of her wings and how regal they sat on her frame. Though, he still pondered what a kobold rife with dragon blood would taste like. Maybe one day he could convince some of the slave breeders to work up something special for him.

It was then the gnome ceased her annoying laughter and address Kurig. When the rock exploded, Ryltar lept back, falling to his posterior in shock. There was mutiny afoot! The drow tugged at a wand in his belt, freeing it, but waited before just blasting the pair from the cave's mouth. As Miriam spoke, it came apparent that the cheeky little gnome had fished out an imposter! The ogre's shape started to morph into a more familiar shape of that of a doppleganger's. Before Ryltar could regaind his thoughts, the gnome quickly ended the shapeshifter's life, leaving it to spasm on the ground as it bled out.

With his eyes wide behind the tinted glasses, Ryltar couldn't believe any of what had transpired. He sat there looking blank for some time. Swallowing rather hard, he put himself back to his feet to find a groveling goblin before him. It was then, the drow realized that his had been an error on Jarikk's behalf. An urge to throttle the pittiful creature before him welled up inside of him. His eyes narrowed in thought. The outward displeasure of the orc as he shifted his weight let Ryltar all he needed to know for the moment.

"We shall sort things out later to avoid another failing. For your life's sake, it won't happen again." he said coldly. For the first time, Jarikk had caused some problem with him. He really had a hard time figuring out what he was suposed to do about it. His family teachings demanded severe physical punishment, but a mistake had been made that seemed out of the goblin's control. Ryltar would have to dwell on this for some time. Enacting anything infront of Jarikk's companions would be a terrible detriment to their resourcefulness.

The drow was glad when the kobold returned. It allowed him to ponder many of the things roaming about in his brain. Ryltar realized his inexperience with the surface world might cause some grief with the tone Ur spoke in. The drow wasn't a stranger to sarcasm or ill treatment, but this was irritating. For hired lackeys, they sure had pretty big mouths. Ryltar decided he would research umber hulks when they were back in his comfort zone.

"Yes, leave the beasts with me. They'll be well attended to." he said dripping with poison. Curling his lip and turning away from the bright light from the surface world, he sat down pulling his spell book out of it's hip halter. Flipping to the back, he revisited some of the notes he had taken, preparing for some of the plans he wished to enact. "Jarikk, what terrifying beasts roam up here? I wish to bring a few gifts back to the Matron, but I want to know what is available to me. Something they wouldn suspect. What might be something I can use?" he saked Jarikk.

Looking at the small furry creature eating a red skinned thing. Studying it, he quickly sized it up as a small beast of utter chaos. The way it ate it's catch and how it seemed so alert was interesting. And seeing how that infernal gnome had found it friendly, that might be a sign of it's willingness towards such a cosmic notion. "What is that thing? It seems devious with it's markings and manners." he said pointing to Feraloth, the Soul Eater. He had hoped it would introduce itself, but ti seemed more intent on hnawing at the prize it held.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Miriam chuckled and hugged her raccoon friend closer, "You're rather silly. Feraloth can't do much, damage wise. and Jarikk dear doesn't know quite all that much about the surface world. Also, you shouldn't be mad at him. Your second youngest sister set this up, the cranky thing. She isn't very happy that your sire took her sire's place and deems it a bad omen for her, much less your and your youngest sister's continued existence. So she took on the plan to get rid of you on your trip up here. Who would question a drow male who had never ventured to the surface before getting killed? So she set up some things with Kurig and replaced him with that hideously stupid doppleganger. I mean, YOU are a magic wielder, right? Who in their right mind uses low draconic runes and gold sensors? That's like taking Ezrath's First Law of magic and shitting on it. Subtle is best, gold is very powerful but ostentatious and resonates too much. If it had had any forethought it would have used cold iron. Bit harder to get into shape but unless it was around fae the resonance would have been minimal except for those looking for it. Right?"

She had been grooming her raccoon and gave him a kiss before letting him waddle away. She looked at Jarikk who was still fearful and laughed, "You know, Jarikk dear, if he hurts you none of these people would stick with him. YOU are the reason we came. We have no real obligation to this drow. Yes, he paid us, but we can get paid by other people. So, while with us you are inviolate." She cocked her head and turned to look at Ryltar, "Now don't get worked up. Your precious goblin didn't plan it this way. He just knew us, and has impressed most of us. Look at him, the very idea of him being the glue that holds this together and not you is frightening for him. He worries about failing you so much and, think about it, have you EVER had to punish him? I know your kind don't get this very much, but he is LOYAL to you. Tch, drow. I swear, you people make paranoia into some kind of scavenger hunt of insanity."

Jarikk was indeed rather shocked and, unlike usual, was showing it. He was generally a very calm goblin, but the idea that this mission might hinge on him instead of Ryltar completely threw him. HE was the servant, Ryltar was the master. That was how it always was. He looked up at his master as if to say he was sorry, but no words came from his mouth. He was just...stunned.

The hunting party came back with some rabbits, a few birds, and one deer. They started cleaning them, with Jarikk helping to feel useful at something. He sent Ur over to speak to Ryltar at the thought of beasts and monsters he may bring back.

"I'm not sure how you drow work, but this forest contains unicorns, blink dogs every now and then, ettercaps, girallions, dragonnes, some dinosaurs, couatls, owlbears, spider eaters, and some animals and their dire forms. I'm not sure what you are planning, but a unicorn would probably be the best sacrifice for your matron. Spider eaters might have a hard time down below, they are huge flying creatures and would be difficult to transport. Dragonnes are pretty violent, but small enough to be easily transported. The dinosaurs are feral predators in these parts, and generally work in packs. It would be almost impossible to take a pack captive." He would go on, explaining the rest of the creatures, their strengths, their weaknesses, and the best way to capture them.

Jik had started a fire after skinning her rabbits. The umber hulk had helped gather wood, and generally played the gentle, stupid beast even when it was as sharp as any normal drow and above the minds of the general human. The dire weasel was snoozing, having eaten what he needed on the hunting excursion. Fresh food was the best for one of it's kind.

Jarikk was busy dismembering the deer, setting aside pieces that he thought would be special for Ryltar's spell components. He would carry them over later when Ryltar was done with his talk with the orc, thought both men looked rather silly talking with their sunglasses on. It didn't seem to suit either one of them. He was also terrified of what Miriam had said, not sure how Ryltar would take to being talked to her like that. Jarikk himself still didn't know how she saw and knew what she did, but he knew that every now and then she was completely nuts. There were rumors she used to be a mage who had made deals with the pseudonatural world in exchange for power, before she started learning how to deal with traps. Others say she just learned how to deal with traps as her mind only knew how to take things apart now. Either way, she was powerful and seemed to know a whole lot more than she ever let on. But she certainly had paid for her moments of terrifying lucidity.

"Jik, Miriam said that you and the others were doing this as a favor to me. Not for the money that my master paid you. Is that true?"

The kobold looked up from starting to spit the animals and shrugged, "So what if it is? We'll listen to him while he is useful, and we will take his money. We'll make sure that he, and you, are safe and that his mission goes as planned. That is what you wanted, isn't it?"

Jarikk sighed and shook his head, bringing slabs of deer meat over, "I wanted this to work out for Master Vorn. I do wish he'd get a better position in the house, something secure. Secure for a drow, at least. I know he is going to outlive me. It's just nature, even with my elongated life span. And that is assuming none of his sisters ever find out what I do." He went back to the deer and brought more meat over.

"Drows are transient and ephemeral, Jarikk. Their own society is only held together by a voyeuristic spider goddess who touches herself every time her children kill for her affections. Look at how everything is set up. Without her, and the rest of the pantheon's guidance, things would be dead. Vhaerun is trying to build a semi-stable living situation for the drow up on the surface, as is Eilistraee yet they clash because of their ethics and morals. As much as Eilistraee preaches unity, she is still androphobic in her outlook. Underground you have Kiaransalee trying to have drows live forever as undead, to make their games of murder and death more of a play than severe results. Yet Lolth has Seveltarm to keep the men satisfied in the caverns and people in line, her priestesses who have an easy way to power, as easy as anything is in that society. And then there is Ghaundaur, who seems to be dragging men and women away to form another unstable society just for the kicks. It is a precarious position held in place by delicate webs of self-interest. Those few drow who escape, well, what do they have to look forward too? More suspicion and hatred directed at them than any half-orc will ever face and having to forever look over their shoulders. It doesn't seem to hold much interest for them, does it?"

Jarikk looked downcast, but knew his friend wasn't too far off the mark. He stuck another hunk of deer meat on the spit and helped her place it up over the fire, "I just...I just want Ryltar to have a good life, you know? Too many men...they are just tossed aside and seen as useless. I...I don't want that for him."

Jik nodded and patted her little friend. "Do not worry. Things should work out. Hopefully at least."

Ur had finished off the list of monsters and creatures and gone on to talk about the elves that were living relatively close about. When he smelled meat he walked towards the cooking food and continued his talk, letting Ryltar scribble down what he needed.

Miriam, for her part, was just busy picking flowers.

 

[dramamine213]

Ryltar listened to the maddening gnome speak. The young man wasn't shocked to hear his sister was involved, but he would take not to mangle up her reagents to displease their goddess. Listening on, she made a lot of sense. "Yes, you would be correct. I wasn't exactly sure who was lugging about enchanted gold on them, but I wasn't going to question their purpose. We all have our private agendas." he spoke agreeing with her. Cold iron would have gone undetected, but the gold had been nagging him for some time.

Then came a moment of revelation. Indeed, these folks were friends and partners of Jarikk's, but it bothered the Abyss out of Ryltar to realize he was at his manservant's whims up here. This wouldn't do. His face slowly shifted to a slightly impatient grimace, listening. He studied the demeanor of his goblin, trying to understand what exactly she was saying. The young drow was fearful that this gnome was trying to undermine his authority, but a moment in logic-land explained the behavior.

He was the child here. He was the inexperienced. He wasn't in control, as much as he figured his gold had put him there. But her next words were difficult to understand. Not the words themselves, but rather the concepts and meanings. Ryltar was growing confused and nervous. His servant was ensuring his safety through his deeds and skill, not his own skill in magic or the gold issued for such a trip. It was the goblin who held this together to keep him safe. His impatient grimace wavered into the faintest regions of fear.

Ryltar met Jarikk's eyes for the first time in ages. Not in the way that he commanded now and then, but in a deeper way. One in which Ryltar grew increasingly uncomfortable with, breaking his gaze. With a stuttered breath, quickly concealed cough, Ryltar was extremely glad to see the others had returned. Jarikk seemed to scamper of, pointing the orc towards him.

The drow listened and took notes. Some of these creatures sounded familiar... from some of the books he had read here and there. Making up his mind, he struck a few important notes in a more refined text to read easier. The orc seemed to be a font of knowledge when it came to the beasts. The drow was grateful for the very honor of speaking with a walking bestiary.

But the walking bestiary began to shuffle his feet in reaction to the incredible smell of cooking flesh. Ryltar broke free from his notes to look at the kobold and Jarikk conversing. Ur began to speak of the local elves and was rather pleased to have some close by. From this orc's information, it sounded like a unicorn or two plus a captive wood elf was on the menu. Having made up his mind, he sat with the group for a meal of surfacer flesh.

"Ur, what is required to obtain a pair of this unicorns and a wood elf? This combination of surface creatures sound like it would cement my return to the surface for a more detailed and lengthy stay." he questioned, watching the others. The drow wasn't sure what all would be needed, but he was ready to lend his skill in accomplishing his goals.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Ur thought for a minute and shrugged, "The elf might be hard. It is birthing season for Unicorns so we will most likely be able to find a mother and child pair rather easily. The fighting them might be somewhat difficult. The wood elves...well, perhaps we should split up. The goblin and kobold can go after the wood elf. I'm sure if they saw you they would bring out tons of reinforcements. I'll send my partner over there with them. That leaves you, me, and the gnome for the unicorn capturing."

"AND FERALOTH!"

"And the raccoon." The orc reached for a rabbit which was not exactly cooked, but he liked it that way. He looked at the drow and sniffed the air, "We can head out after this. Just make sure you have some good spells prepared. You want some that don't really damage them. Or some of that drow knockout poison you people are fond of. I can deal with the cages and everything."

Jarikk looked at Ryltar and bowed as he waited for the two men to be done. He finally held out some of the items he had gotten, "Master Vorn, I found a bezoar in the deer. I also separated some of the items you may find useful in spell components. Shall we look for spell components tomorrow, Master Vorn?"

The orc looked a bit uncomfortable with the 'Master' stuff, or perhaps he just wasn't as great with spell ingredients as he was with animals. Or he could just be hungry.

The kobold girl waited while the deer cooked, looking at everyone, "You know this may attract some predators or scavengers. We may want someone to cast a barrier spell or ward around us. Just in case."

Ur nodded and looked at the drow, "You have anything like that, sir?"

 

[dramamine213]

The drow was pleased to hear his trip managed to occur during a fertile cycle for these unicorns. Nodding in both pleasure and agreement from what the man had to say. Capturing a wood elf sounded like an intriguing challenge so his instincts told him to start looking up silence-like spells, various holding spells, and a few vials of his special sleep poison.

As he began to run through the mental list of spell components he would need to pull from his bags, Jarikk stole his attention, causing a loss in his notes. Looking slightly stressed he looked to the goblin and noticed the quality offerings the man had procured from their meal. Being pleased, Ryltar dropped the look of annoyance and replaced it with what drow considered a safe smile. To others, it looked like an emotionless face. "I think that would be a good idea. Anything I can bring back for further study would be marvelous, but nothing is as important as the success of this outing." he restated. With a nod, he approved of Jarikk's skill in identifying useful things for wizards.

The meal was interesting to say the least. The stringy bits of muscle with this odd aroma of... well, cooking flesh filled the air. It was then that the kobold made a rather important comment. Ur had spoke to him, but the word 'sir' seemed a touch odd coming from his mouth. Pulling himself from his food and preparations, he checked his scroll case for some shielding spell. He knew it wasn't something in his spell book, but recalled a few scrolls being scribed not to far in the past.

Locating one he felt would be appropriate for the situation, he unfurled its beige boundaries, running his ebony finger over the text. Once he confirmed that this one would do, he stood in the mouth of the cave, drawing the necessary symbols in their correct place. The invisible barrier would only allow those inscribed in the casting to pass without pause, but for others, it would provide to be a challenge. Ryltar made note to include the creature dubbed Feraloth in this preparation. The gnome was not one to cross.

"That should suffice till we return. The shielding should last for 15 hours. Do you feel that is acceptable?" he questioned the more seasoned beings amongst him. With a host of disabling spells and his mind-numbing poison equipped to hand crossbow, he made his posture known of him to be ready, as they say. "If no more spells are required of me at this time, I am ready for this trek." he stated with a bow to the dragon-blooded kobold.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Jik nodded, "That should be fine. At least for our group. I do believe we will be back before you guys. If not, well, I guess I'll owe Ur a favor. Come on, let's get going Jarikk." She hopped on her dire weasel and kicked the flanks to head off. The gigantic umber hulk scooped Jarikk up and began to follow after the small kobold, Jarikk letting out a small squeak as he was lifted up and carried by the monster.

Ur motioned for his group to come and eyed the gnome warily. He didn't much trust her even if he could probably toss her a good distance away if he truly needed to. Still, as long as she didn't screw up the mission completely he guess she wouldn't be a major hindrance. He looked on the ground and started testing for various tracks and scents. He wasn't easily satisfied and took around an hour before he began walking at anything resembling a steady pace.

Miranda was happily brushing the fur of Feraloth the Raccoon of Misery and Despair, humming a very atonal tune as she did so. She seemed to be completely oblivious to everything that was going on, her eyes not even watching the other two men as they walked. Somehow she magically was able to follow the path they took, keeping close to them even with her generally shorter pace.

In another thirty minutes Ur held up his hand and the gnome stopped her incessant humming. He peeked through a bush and noticed a unicorn and her young at a stream. It was a very good chance especially since neither one of them had seen the adventurers coming to get them. He motioned for the gnome to go and head off a different angle so as to flank the creatures.

He looked at the drow and whispered low, "Do you have any spells to incapacitate them? Now would be the time to use them."

Meanwhile, Jarikk and Jik were having a much easier time than the other people. If only because their prey had almost come to them. A young, eager scout had seen Jik upon her mount and decided that the lone kobold would make a very easy target and perhaps get him a good amount of prestige back at the village. Youth, in nearly any form, was just so wonderfully impetuous and rash that very little needed to be done to goad them.

Jarikk had waited patiently while Jik and the elf had traded arrow for bolt, the dire weasel dancing lightly on the ground as the elf stood in the tree and tried to outlast the dancing animal. Jarikk had loaded a fowling bolt and taken aim, firing finally when he had a clear shot. The sheer surprise and trajectory of the bolt caused the elf's vocal chords to be bruised and rendered useless for a little while so when he realized he was outnumbered that he could not call for help.

Jik took the opportunity to finally start actually firing and pegged the elf in the foot which caused him to fall out of the tree with his mouth open in a silent yelp of pain. The umber hulk easily caught the elf and held him tight as Jarikk examined him. "Young, healthy, relatively strong. He should make a good offering and maybe an even better slave. His skin should also be a real seller." He retrieved a strap of leather and bound it tightly around the elf's mouth to keep him muffled even after the vocal chords healed.

Jik started picked up arrows and arranging the tracks so they could not be followed back to her camp. A special spell of hers set her own fired and irretrievable bolts to rot and finally end up like so much fertilizer. "Well, good, I don't feel like playing the role of a supposed trophy for some young fool's ego."

She trekked over and removed the bolt and began to tie the elf up to make him easier to take back to the camp. He looked almost pathetic as he struggled against the restraints even as he bled from his foot. It wasn't a major injury, even a level one commoner could recover from it. It was probably the most action the elf had ever seen if his actions made any sense.

They made it back to the camp before any of the other members and placed the elf down near the entrance to the cave should they have to quickly leave. Jik examined the elf and smiled in a cruel, reptilian manner, "I bet the drow are going to love you. Oh yes, drow little elf. And you live to what, seven hundred? You are going to have a fun life ahead of you aren't you?"

 

[dramamine213]

Ryltar followed this off group. The orc-blooded Ur, the crazy yet insightful gnome, and the dreaded raccoon. He still pondered if such a creature should be as feared and respected as the gnome led on to, or if he was being taken for a fool. For the time being, staying alert and cautious seemed the most logical of his option. On he went, keeping pace with the larger and stronger Ur, but a step ahead of Miranda... just in case Feraloth got any strange ideas.

While they traversed the surface world, Ryltar took in the details as fast as he could. Breaking a branch here and there, stuff the contents in his pouches, he was preparing a good collection of stuff to research. Though, he would much rather take one of these larger tree structures back home, he knew that was a bit presumptuous. His thoughts were interrupted by a halting of the trek.

Ur signaled to the gnome to move about. It was a good strategic move for this venture, but Ryltar wasn't prepared for such a tactic. Changing his plans, he acknowledged Ur by preparing a Hold Monster spell he had handy. He wasn't sure if a unicorn was considered a monster, but it was a shot he was willing to take. If all else failed, a quick bolt from his poison laden hand-xbow should do the trick, in theory.

The drow quickly formed the hand gestures, muttering the appropriate dialogue. With a thrust, Ryltar pushed his hands forward, bringing them down in an arch as if forming a shell or bubble around the equine prize. Unsure if the spell had worked on the steed, he stared on stiffly for any signs of failure. His readied weapon was already aimed at the creature in case of an unforeseen failure.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

The unicorn mother froze as the spell was uttered. The foal was still drinking until it noticed something was going on. He looked at his mother and whinnied in distress before the gnome came leaping out of the bushes and cold cocked the littler fucker with a sap. The foal crumpled and was left beside the still mother. Ur came out and pulled out some enchanted rope and began to tie up the pair. He summoned up a Grey Render and had the beast lift up the tied up matron unicorn and he grabbed the foal.

"We did well. Good job going for the mother instead of the child as well, it really made the job easier." Ur nodded gratefully at the drow and then turned to the gnome, "And good going with you as well, little lady. I am surprised you didn't beat him with that raccoon of yours though."

"Feraloth would not waste his skill upon petty unicorns. He hunts only the tarrasque when his craving for meat overcomes him!" She laughed wickedly and cuddled the raccoon in her hands as she walked behind them merrily. Ur knew she was kidding as no raccoon in it's right mind would go after a tarrasque but it didn't enter his mind that Ryltar wouldn't know that.

Back at camp they found a crying wood elf tied up and bleeding from his foot. Jarikk was getting rid of unused bits of the deer meat and other rabbit parts. He visibly brightened when Ryltar came back. Ur dismissed the Grey Render and dragged the mother unicorn into the camp. The rope was keeping both mother and foal in a form of suspended animation so they didn't fight at all. The foal was still knocked out and the mother was still under the effect of the hold monster spell.

Jarikk ran over to Ryltar and dusted his poor drow master off and began to fuss over him. "Oh sir, you look dreadful! You must allow me to tend to you. That is...if you wish for me to...master. I am sorry, I did not mean to over step my bounds."

 

[dramamine213]

Unaccustomed to compliments, Ryltar nodded and watched the obviously more powerful male dispatch the foal. It was a little pleasing to see such strange creatures easily crumple. How strange, though, that surface creatures seemed much weaker. You couldn't just drop a spell like that on something in the Underdark... lest you wanted to be laughed at or die, but it was a chance he took and noted the lesson. Even something as prized as unicorn could fail to such a low grade spell.

The gnome was surely insane... or maybe suffered from being possessed? The young drow had heard of such problems when dealing with fiends, but he waited before passing complete judgment. He would have to interrogate Jarikk about this nutter later. He would like to know how one could possibly be possessed in such a functional way. But seeing that ball of fur and thinking it could fearlessly stalk the legendary tarrasque? Either someone was playing a joke on him, or this gnome had one of the most powerful creatures known to life. Ryltar mentally noted to study these raccoons when he returned. They seemed useful to his plans.

As the came back to the cave, there was a sobbing surface elf, bound and bleeding from an unusual place. Inspecting the elf, as he had never really had an opportunity to see one alive for so long, he seemed highly interested in documenting various things of interest for his personal knowledge. With the mare and her foal disabled and in camp, he had a little bit of pride that was noticeable on his face.

Jarikk interrupted him and that left a sour look on his face. It was hard for him to contain his disdain at this moment, but he realized how powerful the group Jarikk had assembled. Now would not be the time to say anything ill. "That's quite alright, Jarikk. Do well to contain yourself next time. Now, give me some space. I have several notes to take before this day is over. Much to do." he said pulling his books out, readying his quills. With his notes underway, he listened to the conversation to follow.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Jarikk watched Ryltar walk off and felt pretty miserable. He hadn't meant to infuriate his master. With drows that was never a certainty of NOT pissing them off, the temperamental black elves often changing emotions as the breeze changed direction. Jarikk sulked off closer to the forest elf. Suddenly he felt like he could take his anger out on the elf. It might not truly do anything, of course, but at least it would make him feel better for a small amount of time. He lashed out at the sniveling elf, striking him in the head and causing him to yelp.

Jarikk walked over to the kobold and sat down, his mood rather soured as well. She looked at him and shook her head, "I still don't get it. Drow are rather flimsy, emotionally. For whomever they deal with and themselves. You start liking one and BAM, his sister killed him. Or she gets shipped off to another city so she doesn't pose a threat to her mother. Or they just get themselves killed. For no reason, probably was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Which, in drow cities, is about anywhere when the matriarchal PMS kicks off. Ever been with a group who cycled together? Nasty shit." She finished up cleaning a carcass and tossed the fur to get worked on.

Ur had lumbered over and nodded, "Yeah, I have to get new contacts with them at least every few months. I find it kind of funny. Normally elves like to go on and on and on about how long lived they are, how in touch with nature they are, how they are just such perfect, proper people and you suck because you have body hair. Drow? Drow are definitely different. And the fact they help kill off those snooty tree elves doesn't hurt, it just means more of them die because they charge headfirst into the sunlight when they are adapted to caves and darkness. They do take out a good number of elves with them generally. Of course, they are still snooty, just in different ways."

Jarikk shook his head, "Ryltar is different. Or, more properly, he has the ability to be different. If he could just see it. It is rather hard when you are surrounded by hordes of bitches with scourges telling you what shit you are for having a penis."

The other two just shrugged. If Jarikk wanted to believe that, sure, but a drow was a drow. Even the "good" drow were often just as accident prone as their evil relatives. Be it from jealous people, untrusting natives, or just stupidity with how to deal with the surface world they died just the same.

"Food is up if you want some, gobbo," Jik said, hacking off a chunk of cooking deer for herself.

Jarikk looked at the deer and shrugged, lopping off some meat to have.

 

[dramamine213]

Ryltar started taking notes in his tome, but had a hard time concentrating. The conversation being had was almost as if it was loud enough to be heard on purpose. Pausing for a moment, the young drow grew angered at his people being spoke of, but knew that it was truth. It did seem that a lot of drow were quite capable of getting themselves killed prematurely. Very rare was it for a drow to live to a ripe old age of 400 or so.

Trying to play off not hearing such things, Ryltar took out a small set of sheers that had been designed for trimming spell components, and trimmed quite a few unnoticeable locks from the unicorn mare's tail hairs. Tying a piece of twine around it, he placed it in his hip bag, letting the conversation carry on.

Taking the sheers, he trimmed a little shavings off of the mare's hooves, placing the bits in a very small draw string bag. As the goblin servant spoke of him, the drow was a little confused, but then it clicked in his head. His manservant had been feeling rather fond of him. It wasn't unheard of amongst male drow, that is picking up a male companion, but a goblin? A goblin servant? How could he think that was even possible?

But the young male thought for a moment how advantageous this could be. Maybe there could be a use for the goblin's infatuation with him. This would have to be explored and experimented with. In his notes, Ryltar drew a caricature that would flatter the goblin if he were to see it. With that, he blew on his notes, finally joining the group around the burnt game animal.

Sitting down rather close to his goblin, he waited for Jarikk to serve him a portion.

 

[Misanthropiclove]

Jarikk almost immediately carved off a hunk of the deer and handed it delicately to the drow, not wanting the man to burn his sweet, gentle fingers. "Be careful sir, it is hot. But it is also good."

Jik rolled her eyes and looked up at the orc who was about as thrilled as she was with watching what was happening. He shook his head and decided he would eat his share of the kill somewhere else, away from the damn servant/master relationship that was going on with Jarikk and Ryltar.

Jarikk fussed over his drow, arranging his hair if allowed to and basically making sure Ryltar looked well groomed and genteel, even above ground where he would be seen by no one important. It was being allowed to fuss over the man that started to make Jarikk feel better. In truth, Jarikk always remembered the young drow boy who expressed love to him before he had the idea of compassion and caring beaten out of him by drow society. It's what kept him close to Ryltar, even if the man no longer believed in the sappy types of affection he had shown the goblin when he was younger.

Miriam came from the forest, dragging a dead fox with her. She plopped down and grabbed a chunk of the deer and ripped it off, eating some herself before "feeding" her companion by jamming bits of the meat into the dead animal. She seemed blissfully unaware of the creature's death, speaking to the animal after forcing bits of meat down its gullet.

Jarikk looked a bit distastefully at the show that Miriam put on and suggested, politely of course, that he and Ryltar should move. Or, at the very least Ryltar who did not need to eat with this kind of depravity going about.

 

[dramamine213]

With his meal in front of him, Ryltar sampled the beast's flesh and found it an odd taste. Compared to the subterranean crustaceans and rothe, this meat was rather strange. It seemed stringy and a little tough to chew, but perhaps its flavor would be bettered by some cave salts or served with some sauteed morels. Recalling he didn't bring any spices, he sighed while eating the roasted animal slowly. Ryltar figured any meat was better than being hungry, but that didn't stop him from unintentionally showing his disdain.

The drow allowed his servant to mess with his hair, as some twigs and various surface flora had managed to attach itself to him. He was keen on the reactions of those around him, but knew it wasn't something he needed to answer for. These were Jarikk's comrades and thus were his problem to deal with. It was at this time that the crazy gnome wandered back into camp with an obviously deceased creature in her hands.

Pausing his eating for a moment, he looked at the beast she had. The coat was an exquisite shade of orange with black paws. Ryltar jogged his memory, trying to recall what this small beast was. While he was thinking, she began to force feed the corpse some of the meal he had been previously enjoying. The drow stared for a few moments before leaving his meal in its spot, walking to the back most part of the cave with Jarikk. Put off from his meal, he spoke in Drow Sign Language with his back turned to the resto fthe group.

When the gnome is finished wasting food, see about acquiring the dead animal's corpse. I have use for it. he quickly flashed. Then aloud, he spoke low to his goblin. "I'm in need of some rest. Be sure I'm only disturbed when needed." he stated plainly, before removing his traveling robe. Sitting down in his sleeveless tunic and simple breeches, he crossed his legs and placed his hands in his lap. With that, he was almost immediately in meditation. His brain had been swamped with thoughts and plots, but Ryltar needed a moment to himself to sort these things.