View source for Chapter One - The Drow Proposition

'''Title: Chapter One- The Drow Proposition '''

'''Author: The Amanuensis '''


A lazy afternoon, only 
days ago, Tanthazarus 
sat and stared at his 
mound of blank 
scrolls.  They begged 
to be filled with the 
words of mystical 
power that could 
how be used for 
easier means of 
travel.
A pigeon swooped 
inside the window of 
the cabin.  Upon a 
closer examination, he 
realized it bore the 
markings of Silvaria, 
Jabbress of Bregan 
D'Aerth.
A sudden chill filled 
the room as he read 
the parchment.  


"Vendui' Tanth" it 
began.  He hated the 
words of the Drow.  
Even the way they 
formed on the 
parchment was 
encapsulated evil.
Silvaria offered a 
meeting.  The message 
was cryptic, but 
Tanthazarus was led 
to believe that the Dark 
Elves wished his 
assistance.  


"Why, in 
the name of the gods, 
wouldst I ever help 
them!?"
Yet his curiosity rose, 
and he could not pass 
up the opportunity to 
catch a glimpse inside 
the Dark Tower, 
perhaps even chancing 
upon one of the sacred 
Dragon Tomes.
So, eagerly using this 
as a means to put off 
his work on the blank 
scrolls, he set off 
for the
heart of evil.  He was 
greeted only by the 
dark, pointed grin of 
Silvaria at the door.  
She was alone.


"Vendui' Tanth."
His skin 
began to crawl.  He 
hated the word more 
when spoken than 
written.  


"Hail, Dark 
One."


They went inside, and 
up a flight of stairs.  
The dank tower 
chilled him to the 
bone, and began to 
affect him in ways 
that words cannot 
describe.
Once seated, Silvaria 
began to explain her 
proposition.  
In 
exchange for every 
useful piece of 
information, she 
would pay him 1,000 
gold pieces.  The 
words came out to 
easily for this to be 
the first time she had 
proposed such an 
arrangement.  Thus, 
he knew it was not.


"There are others 
with similar 
arrangements."


"Are you asking me or 
telling me, Tanth?" 
she inquired, a slight 
grin on her face.  She 
knew very well that 
he now knew why the 
Drow always seemed 
victorious.  They did, 
in fact, have 
informants.  Those 
traitorous enough to 
sacrifice their own 
lives in favor of petty 
gold. "Well, what do you 
say?"  He could tell 
she was growing 
impatient with his 
silence.


"I do not seek my 
riches in gold," he 
stated coolly.


Her eyes flickered a 
bit.  "No?  Then what 
is it you seek?"


His mind raced.  He 
better come up with an 
answer.  Wasting the 
time of the Drow 
Jabbress was not a 
wise thing to do, 
especially when one 
had no friends at his 
side to come in 
defense. "I seek that which 
leads to gold.  I seek 
fame... Power... 
Control."


"Ah, of course.  I 
should have known 
better.  You want to 
lead the Brethren."


She had just helped 
him out of the mess 
he created.  The 
corners of his mouth 
turned up into a 
villainous grin.  
"Aye, 
Jabbress."


She sat for a moment, 
and he could see the 
evil inside her, 
working its magic. 
With each moment, 
the silence tore at 
him.  Finally, she 
broke it.  
"I have just 
the thing.  Wait here."


As she left the room, 
a laboratory of some 
sort, his eyes darted 
from place to place, in 
search of anything at 
all that might be of 
use.  He wanted 
desperately to get up 
and search the room, 
but he knew there 
were eyes all over 
him, even though the 
room seemed 
completely empty.


Just as he had decided 
there were nothing of 
use, Silvaria walked 
smoothly back into the 
room, the iron door 
swinging back into 
place behind her.  
"Take this," she said, 
placing a freshly 
inked manuscript on 
the table in front of 
him.
He opened it.  


The title 
read: "Niltsiar"


Within were the 
words of the 
Jabbress, thanking 
the Lord Sovereign for 
his information, and 
offering the "usual 
payment" to him.  In 
closing, a request that 
he continue to keep 
her informed.
It was brilliant.  This 
alone, however, would 
not be enough to 
convince those that 
were loyal to Niltsiar. 
They both knew it.  
At that moment, 
something inside 
Tanth's head clicked.


"We shall need another 
piece of evidence to 
seal his fate, 
Jabbress." 
Her eyebrows went 
up.
"A meeting.  We shall 
set up a secret meeting 
between the two of ye, 
and those who are 
loyal to me will 
discover him.  At that 
moment, I will come, 
and cast him off.  The 
Brethren of Light 
shall join me, and I 
shall join thee."


Her face turned 
wholly evil as she 
smiled, revealing her 
teeth.  Tanthazarus 
used all self-control 
to keep from lunging 
out at her that very 
moment.
It finally subsided, 
and she asked, "Are 
you certain that they 
will follow you?"


"Aye, Jabbress.  With 
no uncertainty.  They 
are very loyal to the 
Elders, especially 
those who would 
expose Treason."


"Excellent.  Then you 
have work to do, 
Tanth."


"Aye.  I thank thee, 
Jabbress.  I shall 
maintain close 
contact."


She saw him to the 
door.  "Aluve' Tanth"


He cringed as she said 
this, and nearly 
caused him to 
mis-cast his simple 
recall spell.  It took 
him hours to regain 
his composure after 
the meeting.  And even 
longer to bring 
himself to explain to 
Lord Sovereign the 
tangled web he had 
woven.  All he knew 
was, once they 
"uncovered" Lord 
Niltsiar as the traitor, 
the opportunity to 
capture the most 
powerful of the Drow 
was staring them in 
the face.


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