Matron Baenre sat at the head of a large round ebony table the other ruling Matrons were all staring daggers at her. The Matron of House Hun'ett was looking especially pissed off for some reason.
"I'm sorry," Matron Oblodra pressed her hand to her face and shook her head. "Are you actually telling me…" she lowered her hand and looked at the rest of the doubtful looking Matron Mother's faces. "That House Do'Urden is now off limits?" Her face scrunched up in anger and confusion. "Why?"
"Because Lolth has demanded it," Yvonnel slammed her right fist down on the table. "That's why!"
"I've heard that the two aliens are actually goddesses themselves and they are now protecting House Do'Urden." Matron Brisson Del'Armgo glared at Matron Baenre. "Not only that but one of them attacked your House doing massive damage and apparently she even destroyed that fence that you're House is so proud of, Matron Baenre!"
All of the other Matron mothers gasped at this news.
Matron Baenre scowled. "I don't know what spies you used to gain that information…" she glared at each Matron in turn before continuing. I know that this will unnerve many of the women here but after what happened at my home the truth would be better than denial if they anger Riza then all of Menzoberranzan… all of the Matron's watched with worry when Yvonnel Baenre started shaking her head. The look in her eyes also unnerved and worried them.
"What I'm about to tell you," Matron Baenre leaned forward, crossed her fingers in front of her face and glared out from behind them at the women. "Must never be leaked to any of the lesser houses…" the way she was speaking made several of the Matron mother's break out in a cold sweat and a few more swallowed hard while the air had became so heavy that it was almost suffocating. "But the two alien women are not Drow one is actually a Night Elf of the goddess Elindil's and the Dark God Chaos's ilk!"
What she said created quite a stir there were looks of shock and even more disturbing fear in their faces. "The other woman the one who attacked my home the other night wasn't a Night Elf but a Meserino Demoness. She destroyed my gate and one of my stalactite garrisons over fifty slaves and about a score of Drow soldiers died when it fell."
She held up her hand in order to silence all of them she still wasn't finished even though several Matrons had gotten up from their seats and they all were about to launch their complaints and from their expressions probably tell her that she was full of slith.
"All of that damage was caused by…" she narrowed her eyes at the ones who were standing making them retake their seats just from using her overwhelming intimidation. "A single…what she called a low level technique."
Now all of the Matron Mother's rose from their chairs and were accusing her of all kinds of things from losing her mind to being completely full of slith and even making it all up just so she could remain in power. Of course Matron Baenre expected nothing less from these women after all they weren't there to see it all unfold. They weren't there when the Meserino Demoness cursed their goddess but also essentially declared war with Ao the god above all gods without even a care in the world.
Yvonnel sat there and took it all she waited for them to finally settle down and resume discussions about what to do now that two beings that surpassed their goddess have taken up residence in House Do'Urden.
Matron Sinafay of House Hun'ett glared at Matron Baenre. "Are you telling us this just so that I wouldn't go to war with Matron Malice?" She narrowed her eyes at the aged Matron. "Because if you are protecting them because of your own self interests then I will unite all of the houses of Menzoberranzan to unseat you by force!"
Her outburst caused another round of accusations and murmurs from the other Matrons. Baenre slammed the table even harder than the first time. She rose from her seat and glared daggers at the younger Matron.
"I'm not telling you this out of some scheme!" She slammed both palms down on the table making the other women worried again. "I'm telling you this because that woman could easily destroy this city…no!" Yvonnel narrowed her eyes and the other Matron Mothers were completely unnerved when tears started dripping from them. "I am telling you that, that woman could easily destroy this planet!"
Several Matron's scoffed at her and a few more crossed their arms over their chests in an attempt to seem intimidating, to Yvonnel it only made them look pathetic.
"Are you referring to the Meserino Demoness?" A man stepped through a portal into their chambers. Vlad sported his usual black attire similar to what he wore when he was an Imperial Shadow Knight, black boots, pants, shirt and a black cloak draped around him on the back instead of the symbol of the Marcisian Empire on the back there was a big red eye that seemed to be alive somehow.
"What is a human male doing here?" Matron Oblodra stood to point an accusing finger at him, which only made him stroke his short black beard and huff.
"Where did you come from," Matron Brisson Del'Armago questioned while whetting her lips with her tongue.
Matron Baerne went wide eyed when the man materialized from the portal.
"Greetings Matron Mothers of Menzoberranzan," he removed the hood of his cloak off his head revealing his piercing blue eyes and short black hair. "I am here to tell you, as a courtesy of my Daddy…" He glared at the two women who actually laughed at that. But Matron Baenre knew that this man wasn't anyone to mess with.
"And," Matron Hun'ett narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Just who is your daddy…human male?" She spat more than spoke.
Matron Baenre was enraged by her behavior. If she knew who he was…no, what he is and who he represents then she wouldn't dare to be so rude! She thought.
"I am Vlad the destroyer, aka the Bird of Hermes, aka Lord Baltrix…take your pick," Vlad said with a slight bow. "My daddy the Dark God Chaos has told me to inform you that the Night Elf and Meserino Demoness are off limits to you and that insignificant bug that you so proudly worship."
His words caused a stir in all of the Matrons but before they tried to kill the human male, Matron Baenre got up from her throne walked over to the man and bowed to him.
"Please inform your God Chaos that we of House Baenre will heed his wishes," she bowed to him again which was off-putting for all of the other women.
How dare she bow to a lesser being and a male no less and she will heed his wishes! Such blatant blasphemy! The various thoughts that the Matron Mothers made Vlad more than a little disturbed.
Vlad stretched out his hand and held all of the Matron Mothers at the table in a vice like grip not only that, but he used the verse to start crushing their hearts, making them all bleed from their mouths and noses.
"I wonder if your little bug will appear and save the lot of you," Vlad lifted them out of their respective thrones. The feet of seven Drow women all dangled while they felt their lives being chocked and their hearts in their chests crushed by some unknown force.
All of the women were shocked when their magick charms and cantrips didn't save them from the man's choking and crushing spells.
Vlad started laughing. "Really," he yelled at them. "You think that I'm using some arcane art to do this to you?" He turned to Matron Baenre. "Has that pathetic insect not taught you how to use the verse or tap into your indren'freth?"
Matron Baenre stared at the seven dangling, foolish females, for a moment, before she turned to Vlad. "No," she muttered. "She has only blessed us with the use of her spells and curses and a few cantrips…" she looked at her fellow Matron Mothers again. "I have never even heard of the verse or the indren'freth until the other night when your Demoness Riza entered my compound."
Vlad narrowed his eyes and gave her a scrutinizing gaze. "I believe you…" He dropped the seven women who all started gasping and coughing after they fell back into their thrones.
"Seems to me that that insect doesn't trust you," Vlad turned to head back through the portal. "You know if I were you I'd start looking for a different god to worship." Vlad put his right foot back through the portal. "It's actually rather aggravating that you can actually chose who you worship." He turned to Matron Beanre. "We don't have such a luxury in the universe I'm from." He said before disappearing into the portal.
Matron Baenre slowly walked back to her throne and slumped down into it. She watched the other Matron Mothers start to recover from having their necks and hearts crushed several of them still had blood dripping from their noses and even ears in some cases.
"What was he," Matron Fey Tlabbar asked after finally regaining her composure and healing all of the internal damage that Vlad had inflicted on her.
"He was a powerful psionicist," Matron Oblodra replied wiping the blood off her upper lip. "I should have asked him if he would like to join my house."
Several of the Matron Mothers stared at her in contempt.
"I assume," Matron Hun'ett interjected. "That Vlad was it…" Matron Baerne nodded to her. "Was the avatar of his god named Chaos and that he will intervene if my house…" she looked around at the other Matron Mothers three of whom were still dealing with their internal injuries. "Or any house decides to attack House Do'Urden."
"What is Lolth's take on all of this," Matron Fey Tlabbar turned to Matron Baenre.
"I suggest that you all ask her yourselves," Matron Baenre replied. "My daughters and I have all summoned a Yochlol and the Spider Queen has told us that we are not to get involved with Riza, Kiras or the now excommunicated House Do'Urdon.
Many of the Matron's gasped at this. "So to the Spider Queen… she is ordering us to pretend that House Do'Urdon never existed?"
"More or less," Matron Baenre replied while tapping her finger on the ebony table. "Again I would ask her yourselves."
"And," Matron Hun'ett turned her head to spit out blood that splattered on the ground. "What if we don't?"
"Then you will probably receive Lolth's displeasure or her wrath," Matron Baenre replied. "And you will also receive my ire as well!"
Several of the Matron Mothers gasped at her remark.
"And," Matron Oblodra stood up and peered at Matron Baenre. "What if another House decides to join that new God Chaos or one of the other Goddesses that are shielding House Do'Urden?"
The room fell eerily quiet while all of the Matron Mother's awaited Matron Baerne's answer.
Matron Baenre shook her head. "I don't know if there is anything that Lolth could do if another House decides to switch gods or goddesses."
Her words made Marton Oblodra slump back into her chair and she looked as though someone had slapped her across the face before punching her in the gut.
"Are those goddesses really more powerful than Lolth," Marton Brisson Del'Armgo bravely asked what they were all thinking.
Matron Baenre nodded. "When Riza, the Meserino Demoness attacked my House," she stared out at all of the other Matron Mothers again they were shocked by the tears that had welled up in her eyes once more. "She not only cursed out Lolth," she ignored the gasps and murmurs escaping the Matron Mother's lips. "But without even so much as a care she declared war on Ao!"
All of the Matron Mothers were completely unnerved by this revelation. They started saying things like. Lunacy, blasphemy, insanity, how could she do such a thing, and much, much more.
"You weren't there," Matron Baenre said silencing all of them so that they would listen to what she had to say. "Riza not only smiled while she cursed him out but apparently Ao is even afraid of her…" The room fell silent once more. "Either her," she continued after gathering her thoughts. "Or the gods that are backing her, either way I am warning all of you that you should not under any circumstances mess with House Do'Urden, or Riza, or Kiras!"
After that Matron Baenre pounded her fist on the table one last time before getting up and leaving. All of the Matron Mother's weren't so quick to leave several of them started planning on what to do next or how to make use of these two alien beings. Though only a single House was actually talking about it while the rest of them where with Matron Baenre. They wanted nothing to do with them or House Do'Urden any more than they had to.
