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[Arcalian]

(Gets somewhat grusome in second half of the story)

They gave Phaere the fakes that Soulafein had made.

"Excellent, Viconia. You are almost worthy to be called sister. You shall be a proud warrior of my household, with your own slaves, and your retinue shall be well cared for."

Viconia bowed and smiled. "When is the ritual?"

"Two hours. Come to the Temple with me while I and my dear, dear, Matron prepare." Phaere was chuckling to herself as she left the apartment.

Adrian and Viconia consulted with Edwin, briefly, and nodded and smiled at eachother when the obvious soluion presented itself.

"I must say, after the ritual," said Haer'Dalis, "That the Surgeon and I will be leaving you. We shall stow away on the Drow Spelljammer ship we saw earlier."

"And if they discover you?" Edwin asked.

"We shall take our chances," the Surgeon said.

Adrian shook hands with both of them. "Good luck to you both, your service has been invaluable. I hope we meet again."

The party followed Phaere.

----

The ritual began.

"No noise while I summon the Demon," snapped the Matron. Phaere and the entire party nodded, smiling.

The Demon came in a burst of red smoke. "I HOPE YOU HAVE GOOD REASON FOR DISTURBING ME, DARKLING."

"Here, my lord, I give you these silver dragon eggs...aid us in the battle against the surfacer city, I beseech you."

The Demon lowered it's head and snuffed the eggs with it's pig-like snout. Then it reared it's head back and roared. "FOOLISH DARKLING! YOU ATTEMPT TO BRIBE ME WITH FAKES?!?"

"What? No my lord, we took these from the Silver Dragon Adalon!"

"PERHAPS YOU DID STEAL EGGS FROM A SILVER DRAGON. BUT THESE ARE NOT THOSE. DIE, FOR OFFERNIG ME SUCH CHEAP COPIES."

"What? No! Lolth protect your faithful!" She began to cast a spell, but the Demon bit her head off.

Even Phaere was a little discomfited as the Demon ate the rest of Matron noisily. It belched when it was finished, then glared balefully at the party.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME FORTH WITHOUT CAUSE! I SHOULD LEVEL THIS CITY!"

Phaere and Viconia looked at eachother uneasily for a moment, then Phaere stepped forward. "Ah, but here are the real eggs, Great One! I had them substituted. The offer remains the same, only with a more worthy Drow female to make the offer."

The Dragon sniffed her eggs...then it bellowed infernal laughter. "A GREAT JOKE HAS BEEN PLAYED ON YOU, DAUGHTER-DARKLING. THE EGGS YOU CARRY ARE ALSO FALSE."

"What....Viconia....Viconia what have you done to me?!?"

"Actually we are merely the messengers," Viconia smiled. "Soulafein sends his greetings."

Phaere's dark skin paled. "No...."

Viconia laughed in her turn. "Did you real think I would kneel to you, a mere Ust'Nathanite?!? Ched Nassad is superior to you, but Menzoberranzan is superior still. But that is all behind me now. I have a far greater ally."

The Demon smiled. "INDEED, THE BHAAL-CHILD AND HIS DROW CONSORT HAVE MURDERED YOU. MOST AMUSING, IT IS. COME NOW, AND BE MURDERED."

Phaere's lip trembled, and tears glistened in her eyes, but she turned, raised her flail, and charged the Demon. She got in two strikes before the Demon slammed her against the wall, breaking her back.

Phaere slid to the floor, not dead yet, but dying slowly.

The Demon turned to Adrian. "HAVE YOU THE REAL EGGS, BHAAL-CHILD?"

Smiling grimly, Adrian held them up.

The Demon sniffed. "AH YES, THE GENUINE ARTICLE." Phaere whimpered on the floor, but everyone ignored her. "I SUPPOSE YOU HAVE SOME DIFFERENT BOON YOU WISH, THAN THE DARKLING REQUESTS I'VE PREVIOUSLY HEARD?"

"As it pleases you, do not aid the invasion of the Elven city. Just grant us time enough to flee the city, and these two--" he indicated Haer'Dalis and the Surgeon-- "to secret themselves in the Spelljammer vessel."

"DO YOU WISH MY ASSISTANCE IN FIGHTING THE DRAGON?"

"Not exactly. But do let several Drow follow us there, if you would...."

The Demon's eyes lit with understanding. "THE ABYSS HAS NOTED YOUR CUNNING, BHAAL-CHILD. IT SHALL BE AS YOU SAY. AND WHAT IS MORE, I SHALL TELL YOU THAT YOU MAY FIND THE EXIT TO THE SURFACE IN THE LAIR OF THE FISH-FOLK."

Adrian handed the eggs over, and the party bowed, save Anomen, Jan, and Tree, who said nothing but had sour looks on their faces.

"YOU HAVE DONE WELL, BHAAL-CHILD, AND REBEL-DARKLING. MAY YOUR POWER INCREASE, AND CHAOS FLOW IN YOUR WAKE." The Demon ate one of the eggs, and taking the rest with him, dissapeared.

"Anomen, Tree, Jan, spare me any complaints. We're going to kill Adalon, with a little Drow help."

"I made my pact with you long ago," said Tree simply.

"I understand. I don't like it, but I understand," said Anomen heavily.

"This reminds me of the time I realized I had no time to tell a story and just got on with the job," said Jan. "I will always owe you for Lissa."

Zavrian wasn't too happy about it either, actually, but he still counted Adrian as a friend.

The Tiefling and the Sorcerer parted ways with the party as they left the temple, scurrying to the upper levels where the Spelljammer ship was docked. The rest of the party ran for the gates.

A handful of Drow noticed their flight, and gave chase, as the Demon had allowed.

After they and their Drow pursuers fled the city, the gates began to close......but a clawed, bat-like hand kept it open.

The Desmodu charged into the city; the time for their own invasion of vengance had come.

------

Phaere heard the Bat-people fighting her kindred in the city, but could do nothing. She lay helpless, face down, paralyzed, slowly dying, knowing all her ambitions had come to nothing, the taste of blood and ashes in her mouth.

As she faded slowly into final darkness, she knew death would be no release....for Lolth, she was sure, would be most displeased.

[Weyoun]

Adrian and Viconia consulted with Edwin, briefly, and nodded and smiled at eachother when the obvious soluion presented itself.

"I must say, after the ritual," said Haer'Dalis, "That the Surgeon and I will be leaving you. We shall stow away on the Drow Spelljammer ship we saw earlier."

"And if they discover you?" Edwin asked.

"We shall take our chances," the Surgeon said.

Typical.

"What? No my lord, we took these from the Silver Dragon Adalon!"

"PERHAPS YOU DID STEAL EGGS FROM A SILVER DRAGON. BUT THESE ARE NOT THOSE. DIE, FOR OFFERNIG ME SUCH CHEAP COPIES."

Don't ever give this demon anything that reads made in China.

"What? No! Lolth protect your faithful!" She began to cast a spell, but the Demon bit her head off.

Even Phaere was a little discomfited as the Demon ate the rest of Matron noisily. It belched when it was finished, then glared balefully at the party.

'BURP! Needs salt' .

Phaere's lip trembled, and tears glistened in her eyes, but she turned, raised her flail, and charged the Demon. She got in two strikes before the Demon slammed her against the wall, breaking her back.

Poor Phaere.
said nothing but had sour looks on their faces.

"YOU HAVE DONE WELL, BHAAL-CHILD, AND REBEL-DARKLING. MAY YOUR POWER INCREASE, AND CHAOS FLOW IN YOUR WAKE." The Demon ate one of the eggs, and taking the rest with him, dissapeared.

"Anomen, Tree, Jan, spare me any complaints. We're going to kill Adalon, with a little Drow help."

Adalon, ey? Yeah, it'd be sad to waste all that hamburger-meat.

Phaere heard the Bat-people fighting her kindred in the city, but could do nothing. She lay helpless, face down, paralyzed, slowly dying, knowing all her ambitions had come to nothing, the taste of blood and ashes in her mouth.

As she faded slowly into final darkness, she knew death would be no release....for Lolth, she was sure, would be most displeased.

[Laufey]

"Two hours. Come to the Temple with me while I and my dear, dear, Matron prepare." Phaere was chuckling to herself as she left the apartment.

Somehow, I think she won't be the only one to prepare.

Adrian and Viconia consulted with Edwin, briefly, and nodded and smiled at eachother when the obvious soluion presented itself.

Heh, I did guess what they would do. Makes perfect sense for Adrian.

"Here, my lord, I give you these silver dragon eggs...aid us in the battle against the surfacer city, I beseech you."

The Demon lowered it's head and snuffed the eggs with it's pig-like snout. Then it reared it's head back and roared. "FOOLISH DARKLING! YOU ATTEMPT TO BRIBE ME WITH FAKES?!?"

I always enjoy this bit.

The Demon sniffed. "AH YES, THE GENUINE ARTICLE." Phaere whimpered on the floor, but everyone ignored her. "I SUPPOSE YOU HAVE SOME DIFFERENT BOON YOU WISH, THAN THE DARKLING REQUESTS I'VE PREVIOUSLY HEARD?"

"As it pleases you, do not aid the invasion of the Elven city. Just grant us time enough to flee the city, and these two--" he indicated Haer'Dalis and the Surgeon-- "to secret themselves in the Spelljammer vessel."

Yes, this really is what I would expect Adrian to do, now that I've had some time to think more about it.

Phaere heard the Bat-people fighting her kindred in the city, but could do nothing. She lay helpless, face down, paralyzed, slowly dying, knowing all her ambitions had come to nothing, the taste of blood and ashes in her mouth.

As she faded slowly into final darkness, she knew death would be no release....for Lolth, she was sure, would be most displeased.

Ooooh ouch. You really made me feel for Phaere here.

[Arcalian]

*scratch head* I made you feel sorry for Phaere? Really? That's strange. I must've done something wrong; it was, after all, her just desserts.