As darkness fell over Rhy?Din, the drow fled his comfortable home to dash through the forest soundlessly. The fallen twigs and dead leaves barely rustled with his passing, creating sounds more akin to a frightened critter than a urgently running drow. He thought over the letter he?d left for Laoell while he ran, searching for a cave he knew to lead to the Underdark, having been called once more to that hellish realm of pitch black and ferocious creatures. Teeth gritted in futile fury at the Spider Queen, would he ever escape her? The drow had found peace, a solitary peace, but peace nonetheless. But it was all in danger; such was the curse of his heritage, of his past life.
?Run Vilrath, you know it?s best for your precious angel. Come home, you?ve much to account for,? said a voice in the drow?s mind, the whispers of Lolth returning to haunt him again. He pushed her out of his mind, continuing onward until the dark hollow that marked the cavern?s entrance came into sight. Knowing that animals from time to time made their homes there, the drow slowed, moving with caution toward the opening. Ebon fingers curled around cool stone, silver eyes peeking into the empty black before him. Empty. Standing, Vilrath slipped inside, eyes and hands dancing along the walls, checking for signs of any recent passing. It seemed relatively unused in some time.
He sighed, stepping deeper into the cavern. Dropping down, the drow decided to make camp for the night as he rummaged through his pack to make a meager meal of bread and cheese. Vilrath ate in silence, cursing the name of Lolth and the city Erelhei-Cinlu a thousand times over in his mind. As he ate, his mind wandered into distant memories of things long past, of his escape.
___
Standing in grounds of house Tormtor?s estate, Vilrath stared out toward the sky bridge, and more importantly, toward the force of kobolds followed by commoner soldiers marching across it. The humans of the sun god Pelor had preached out against Lolth, in Erelhei-Cinlu of all places, the most tolerant, but ultimately the most dangerous of drow cities in the Underdark. In doing so, they sealed their fate, assured their deaths, and house Tormtor meant to deliver.
?You are not with them, Vilrath,? said Dalhar, the young mage brother of the silver-eyed drow. ?They are your soldiers, why do you not lead them??
?I do, but from here for now. This is bigger than a group of protesting humans-?
?Army,? Dalhar was quick to interject.
?Army,? Vilrath said, nodding lightly. ?But it?s bigger than that, Lolth has stirred something up in the ghettos, a conflict far larger is brewing.?
?We are drow,? Dalhar replied with a smirk. ?Conflicts are always brewing.?
?Point taken,? said Vilrath as he moved away, headed toward the sky bridge to catch up with his force. He fell in step with one of the soldiers in the back rank, glancing briefly over at him to conduct a quick study.
?Are you ready??
?To kill the humans? Of course,? the soldier replied.
Vilrath smirked, shaking his head at the soldier. It seemed none could sense what the Dread Fang did. Pushing past his soldiers, Vilrath swiftly cut through the marching force he had been set to lead, and sprinted down the length of the sky bridge.
?Continue on,? he called over his shoulder to his force. ?I will meet you outside the sun god?s temple, attack the moment you arrive, no prisoners. All the humans must die.?
And then Vilrath ducked into the shadows of the wall that separated the chasm, sky-bridge, houses, and the city from each other. Quickly, the drow sprinted through the alleyways, nimbly hopping up from one cart to the next so he could catch hold of the eaves of a particular building, and pulled himself up. From there, Vilrath peered down, spotting his marching contingent of drow and kobolds, smirking inwardly to himself. They would make the perfect distraction; all of the city would be focused on the battle that was sure to ensue. The neighboring dwarves would not stand for an assault on their human friends, and would surely join in the fight. Soon, all of the non-native races would take part, and more drow would flock, it would provide enough of an uproar for the gates to be relatively unguarded, and for Vilrath to escape.
All he had to do now was wait. And so wait he did, perched on the rooftops overlooking the sun god?s temple, waiting patiently for his soldiers to approach. Many moments passed, and then finally, a crossbow bolt to the throat killed the first of the humans. The uproar started then and there, the drow of that force had already moved into the shadows, and sprang quickly into action, disappearing into the temple; dying screams followed.
Quickly and quietly, Vilrath ran across the rooftop, leaping over the small gap that was an alley separating one building from the next. He continued onward, hopping from one building to the next, the narrow alleyways of Erelhei-Cinlu easily overcome by the drow?s nimble footwork. He heard the alarms rising, bells ringing all around him. The whole city would get involved; any of the nondrow citizens would cause citywide uproar.
Finally reaching the outer wall, Vilrath broke into a full sprint, his hands dropping to his blades as the two guards that hadn?t gone to help in the fight behind him raised their weapons to meet him. One of the drow guardsmen lunged forward, his spear driving for Vilrath?s cut. But the Dread Fang quickly stepped to the side, the flat of one blade slapping down on the spear?s shaft while his second one whirled around to parry a strike from the second guard?s sword. He leaned forward, his leg springing upward, bending considerably to snap his foot into the bent over spear wielding drow?s face.
Stumbling back, the drow dropped his weapon, hands instinctively moving to cup his pained and bleeding nose. Vilrath stepped forward, pushing the second guard?s blade aside to slip his own across the opposing drow?s throat. A clean line of blood followed as the guard?s heavy breaths shifted to strained gurgles as he choked on his own blood.
The other guard had snagged his spear back up once more, and charged forward, thrusting the tip of the weapon toward Vilrath. Vilrath hopped right over the attack, his feet kicking down to connect with the spear?s shaft, wrenching the end of it up to knock the guard off balance as the he landed. Twisting, Vilrath took advantage of his opponent?s lack of balance, and sliced him across the back with one blade, continuing in a spin around to his side, allowing the Dread Fang?s blade to bite into his ribcage, and cut into a lung.
Immediately, his withdrew his weapon and ran on. Soon, Vilrath was past the wall, past the gates, and disappearing into the Underdark.
?Run Vilrath, you know it?s best for your precious angel. Come home, you?ve much to account for,? said a voice in the drow?s mind, the whispers of Lolth returning to haunt him again. He pushed her out of his mind, continuing onward until the dark hollow that marked the cavern?s entrance came into sight. Knowing that animals from time to time made their homes there, the drow slowed, moving with caution toward the opening. Ebon fingers curled around cool stone, silver eyes peeking into the empty black before him. Empty. Standing, Vilrath slipped inside, eyes and hands dancing along the walls, checking for signs of any recent passing. It seemed relatively unused in some time.
He sighed, stepping deeper into the cavern. Dropping down, the drow decided to make camp for the night as he rummaged through his pack to make a meager meal of bread and cheese. Vilrath ate in silence, cursing the name of Lolth and the city Erelhei-Cinlu a thousand times over in his mind. As he ate, his mind wandered into distant memories of things long past, of his escape.
___
Standing in grounds of house Tormtor?s estate, Vilrath stared out toward the sky bridge, and more importantly, toward the force of kobolds followed by commoner soldiers marching across it. The humans of the sun god Pelor had preached out against Lolth, in Erelhei-Cinlu of all places, the most tolerant, but ultimately the most dangerous of drow cities in the Underdark. In doing so, they sealed their fate, assured their deaths, and house Tormtor meant to deliver.
?You are not with them, Vilrath,? said Dalhar, the young mage brother of the silver-eyed drow. ?They are your soldiers, why do you not lead them??
?I do, but from here for now. This is bigger than a group of protesting humans-?
?Army,? Dalhar was quick to interject.
?Army,? Vilrath said, nodding lightly. ?But it?s bigger than that, Lolth has stirred something up in the ghettos, a conflict far larger is brewing.?
?We are drow,? Dalhar replied with a smirk. ?Conflicts are always brewing.?
?Point taken,? said Vilrath as he moved away, headed toward the sky bridge to catch up with his force. He fell in step with one of the soldiers in the back rank, glancing briefly over at him to conduct a quick study.
?Are you ready??
?To kill the humans? Of course,? the soldier replied.
Vilrath smirked, shaking his head at the soldier. It seemed none could sense what the Dread Fang did. Pushing past his soldiers, Vilrath swiftly cut through the marching force he had been set to lead, and sprinted down the length of the sky bridge.
?Continue on,? he called over his shoulder to his force. ?I will meet you outside the sun god?s temple, attack the moment you arrive, no prisoners. All the humans must die.?
And then Vilrath ducked into the shadows of the wall that separated the chasm, sky-bridge, houses, and the city from each other. Quickly, the drow sprinted through the alleyways, nimbly hopping up from one cart to the next so he could catch hold of the eaves of a particular building, and pulled himself up. From there, Vilrath peered down, spotting his marching contingent of drow and kobolds, smirking inwardly to himself. They would make the perfect distraction; all of the city would be focused on the battle that was sure to ensue. The neighboring dwarves would not stand for an assault on their human friends, and would surely join in the fight. Soon, all of the non-native races would take part, and more drow would flock, it would provide enough of an uproar for the gates to be relatively unguarded, and for Vilrath to escape.
All he had to do now was wait. And so wait he did, perched on the rooftops overlooking the sun god?s temple, waiting patiently for his soldiers to approach. Many moments passed, and then finally, a crossbow bolt to the throat killed the first of the humans. The uproar started then and there, the drow of that force had already moved into the shadows, and sprang quickly into action, disappearing into the temple; dying screams followed.
Quickly and quietly, Vilrath ran across the rooftop, leaping over the small gap that was an alley separating one building from the next. He continued onward, hopping from one building to the next, the narrow alleyways of Erelhei-Cinlu easily overcome by the drow?s nimble footwork. He heard the alarms rising, bells ringing all around him. The whole city would get involved; any of the nondrow citizens would cause citywide uproar.
Finally reaching the outer wall, Vilrath broke into a full sprint, his hands dropping to his blades as the two guards that hadn?t gone to help in the fight behind him raised their weapons to meet him. One of the drow guardsmen lunged forward, his spear driving for Vilrath?s cut. But the Dread Fang quickly stepped to the side, the flat of one blade slapping down on the spear?s shaft while his second one whirled around to parry a strike from the second guard?s sword. He leaned forward, his leg springing upward, bending considerably to snap his foot into the bent over spear wielding drow?s face.
Stumbling back, the drow dropped his weapon, hands instinctively moving to cup his pained and bleeding nose. Vilrath stepped forward, pushing the second guard?s blade aside to slip his own across the opposing drow?s throat. A clean line of blood followed as the guard?s heavy breaths shifted to strained gurgles as he choked on his own blood.
The other guard had snagged his spear back up once more, and charged forward, thrusting the tip of the weapon toward Vilrath. Vilrath hopped right over the attack, his feet kicking down to connect with the spear?s shaft, wrenching the end of it up to knock the guard off balance as the he landed. Twisting, Vilrath took advantage of his opponent?s lack of balance, and sliced him across the back with one blade, continuing in a spin around to his side, allowing the Dread Fang?s blade to bite into his ribcage, and cut into a lung.
Immediately, his withdrew his weapon and ran on. Soon, Vilrath was past the wall, past the gates, and disappearing into the Underdark.