The Small Temple of The Dark Maiden
Down in the vast tunnels that been dug into Serpent Hills all the way to the underdark, a small church to the drow goddess Eilistaree had just been erected. Unlike the other drow deities of the drow pantheon, Eilistaree was worshipped by good-natured dark elves, and other races across Fauern. The Dark Maiden promoted good relationships between the people of the underdark and the people of the surface.
A faint blue light illuminated from within the finely crafted temple. The source of this light was a short, but beautiful and powerful drow priestess with long silverish hair.
The drow priestess was currently bobbing her oak wand up and down her wooden table, out of boredom. She could think of nothing else to do
. True, there was the Feast of the Moon, a time where even good-natured drow would venture to the surface and share stories of ancestors who defied the drow goddess Lolth. Depending on the age of the storyteller, some of the tales could date back even a thousand years.
However, the festival was some hours away, and the drow cleric needed something exciting to occupy her mind for the time being. "Maybe I should go see what the acolytes are doing?" she yawned softly, walking to her door.
Just as she was about to open the large stone door, the floor began to shake violently from beneath her feet. The shaking quickly stopped, then a few seconds later the floor shook again, this time almost knocking the drow off of her feet.
"What in the nine hells is going on here?" the priestess shouted, hurling her door open, and running into the hallway. The shaking stopped, and the drow looked up to see Josephine; one of the acolytes running towards her from the other side of the hallway.
"My lady, you have to come see this," Josephine yelled, taking her lady's hand and running through the temple halls and to the outside.
As soon as the pair were outside the temple walls, the shaking grew far worse. Patches of stone from the stalactites and the stone temple fell, shattering as soon as it hit the cold underground.
Is this an earthquake, the drow asked herself, but looking up and to their right, the she and Joesphine saw a large dragon skeleton dig through the dirt walls. The dragon's body was completely bone white with a slight shade of green.
The drow couldn't think of any curses for this abomination, but she knew the common name for this particular beast and the destruction and havoc it could cause.
"Where are the rest of the acolytes?" the drow priestess asked her disciple.
"Everyone else is gone. They fled when the shaking began," answered Josephine, becoming overwhelmed with fear.
"Then it looks like we're on our own," the drow remarked," let us pray to the gods with all our hearts to keep this sacred place, sacred.
The wind blasted through Shadimir's long silver hair as he and Jepetto soared through the sky at speeds the deep gnome couldn't even calculate. The blasts of air popped both their eardrums. Still, it wasn't the flying on the dragon's back that concerned Jepetto, but the blue colors that the dragon sported that worried the deep gnome.
Throughout the world of Fauern, blue dragons were known to be evil, and Taralona had revealed to the pair her true blue color. Shadimir began to understand why Alustriel had sent him instead of the Aliyah and Stephanie. From people who know him best, Shadimir is a person who judges a person by their actions, and how they treat others. Since Taralona had made no threatening gestures to him and Jepetto, the hunter began to trust her as an ally, where as Aliyah being a ranger of the goody good sun god would try and slay Tara, and Stephanie, who would have killed the blue dragon just to be safe.
The silver haired hunter deduced Tara's brother was also blue. He decided it not to ask about it, and figured one blue dragon fighting against a dracolich was a lot better than two of the abominations.
Don't always judge by the first impression, Shadimir's father Alain had told him long ago.
The large blue dragon continued to move through the sky, doing side rolls and air somersaults that churned the insides of the deep gnome. Though she was showing off to her companions, Tara continued to keep an eye out for Serpent Hills. She had hoped to find her brother out in the open, to make this confrontation quick. The dragon didn't really speak of her brother to the hunter or the gnome, not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't want to end up crashing into a group of hippogriffs.
"I think its down there," shouted Shadimir, pointing to a small hill his eyes spotted from the air.
Taralona perked her large blue head down at the land below, recognizing the large rocky hills Alustriel described to her back at the palace conference room. The blue dragon slowly descended to the earth, making sure the gnome wasn't going to regurgitate his breakfast on the ground.
When Taralona was low enough, Shadimir jumped from the dragon's back and drew his mace and his enchanted sword Gabriel. "Shadimir, what do you see?" Jepetto asked, recovering from the flight that had turned his insides upside down.
"Nothing out of the ordinary," the undead hunter called back to the deep gnome," tall trees, small rocks, and four male drow with longswords and really ugly faces coming towards us."
"You think a lot of male drow look ugly," remarked the gnome, who then saw the four men with scared faces, long red robes, and green bladed longswords charged Shadimir.
"Maybe they just want to talk," Jepetto suggested, jumping off the dragon's back and reaching into his pocket for one of his wands. "I don't think they want to talk Jepetto," Taralona added, shifting back into her human form and drawing a bastard sword, but she stopped as her eyes witnessed Shadimir moving left to right, slashing Gabriel across the chest of one of the men, and finishing him off with his mace. Using his momentum from his attack, the hunter turned left plunging his sword deep into the chest of the next drow.
The remaining uninjured drow both thrusted their swords at the silver haired human. Shadimir turned, deflecting both of their blades with Gabriel, but felt a small poke in his back.
Taralona growled and chanted a prayer to the vigilant god Helm, slashing her bastard sword through Shadimir's attacker. The drow fell to the ground dead, and the disguised dragon grinned and looked at the other drow with hungry eyes.
Yet Tara nor Shadimir wouldn't reach them, because in the back of the battle, Jepetto drew his wand and fired two small white balls at the drow elves, who fell to the ground paralyzed with fear.
Shadimir looked at both of the drow, who wore angry expressions on their faces. Though they didn't have the freewill to speak or move, the hunter had a feeling the dark elves were cursing him in their foul language.
"Well, should we interrogate them?" the undead hunter asked, looking at Tara, who was cleaning the blood off of her sword.
Taralona shrugged, and looked to see Jepetto staring at her. "You spoke a prayer to Helm, why?" the svirfneblin asked her curiously. She smiled, also seeing Shadimir looking at her.
"Well," began Taralona," as you know, a lot of my kind are known to be evil, and I was quite the devastator when I was a young dragon. However, one night I was lost, hungry, and had nowhere to go. Some dragon slayers found me, and were ready to take my head home as a trophy, when a man in shining armor came and drove the slayers away. " I am Helm" he said "and you don't have to worry, you're safe." From that day on, I found it upon myself to be in his service. This may sound strange, but I really admire him, and his beliefs about standing true and defending the weak.
Spellbound by Tara's story, Jepetto kept silent, but Shadimir chuckled mildly. "What's so funny?" the dragon asked the hunter, slightly offended," does it amuse you I worship human deity."
"Well I've never heard of a deep gnome who was more interested in his toys then his survival," added Tara, sheathing her sword.
The deep gnome who she was referring to, was rummaging trough his bag, finding a small wooden doll of a Purple Dragon Knight and began to move the arms and legs.
While Jepetto was playing with the wooden knight, Shadimir and Tara were staring at the paralyzed drow elves, who were slowly regaining the movement of their arms and legs. Taralona moved her arms and chanted some words, turned the drow to stone. Placing his figurine in his pocket, Jepetto looked up and saw a vast cave opening. He was about ready to tell Shadimir, but saw the undead hunter was already moving towards it.
"Alustriel, if I make it out of this alive, I'll be your apprentice and you're slave," muttered Shadimir absentmindedly, not realizing the consequences that his words would bring him.
"What did you say Shadimir?" the svirfneblin asked, trying to catch up to his friend, not really hearing what the hunter had said.
"Oh nothing," the silver haired hunter quickly responded. He was thankful the gnome couldn't hear him. There was only there was only one person in all the realms who could.
It was dark in the inner regions of the Moonwood Forest. The ground was slowly hardening from the rising cold temperatures and the light layer of frost that was covering it. From the tops of the trees, little flakes of snow were falling to the ground, making it a little difficult for the frustrated ranger to find recent tracks in the ground.
"You'd think Midwinter was here already," muttered Aliyah, pulling her leaf green cloak a little tighter over her body," I can barely make out these tracks."
Coming up from behind Aliyah, a dark haired halfing wearing the same colored cloak as Aliyah, examined the ground, finding three different sets of tracks, all leading in front of them. Deidra wondered if Aliyah noticed these tracks, yet didn't bother to ask her, fearing it would frustrate her even more.
Stephanie, who wouldn't have cared about angering Aliyah, began concentrating on finding the flow of Kelevmor's grace to help her find any undead in the area. The cleric had heard rumors of The Avenger, an elf who went around the High Forest, killing any humans he came into contact with. Another rumor was this elf worshipped Lolth, goddess of the drow, and knowing her religions, Lolth probably didn't return affection and the devotion to the elf assassin. Her, Shadimir, even Deidra had more of a chance of being favored by Lolth than The Avenger.
But maybe I'm wrong, Stephanie thought to herself. Maybe Lolth has a purpose for him. Maybe the elf is just deluding himself. Either way it didn't matter, The Avenger would give her the soul item, or he would meet the god Kelemvor, who would decide his fate for eternity.
"Wow Deidra, you're becoming more of a ranger everyday," Aliyah said cheerfully, distracting Stephanie from her thoughts.
Stephanie looked on, seeing Deidra following the light set of footprints in the ground. She had met the halfling around the same time she had met Shadimir. The two had come from Chessenta, and while Shadimir was mostly known as a rich boy who had a knack for killing the undead, but Deidra was known for having a knack for jewelry. The cleric remembered having a necklace that was broken and she gave it to Deidra. After she was done, the halfling had fixed the necklace, even cleaning the rust from it, making it look brand new.
Aside from being a jeweler, Deidra had been training as a ranger. Shadimir took it upon himself to teach Deidra to fight with two weapons, forage food, and find tracks on the ground. Yet, though she had accustomed to her life as a ranger Deidra was still devoted to her one true love; jewelry, spending a lot of her time fixing jewelry and looking around the shops.
Aliyah and Deidra led on, continuing to follow the tracks. The ranger noticed her sister looking around the forest. "Come on Stephanie, you're holding us up!" Aliyah yelled back to her sister.
There probably wasn't any undead around here anyways, Stephanie said in her mind, breaking away from her god's divine energy and running up to the rangers, with an urge to hit her sister in the shoulder.
"Did you find any undead?" Deidra asked Stephanie, knowing what the cleric had been attempting before being interrupted..
The cleric shook her head, and Aliyah smirked at her sister's folly. Stephanie decided not to acknowledge her sister's expression, and looked ahead. "So the tracks lead forward then?"
Deidra was ready to answer, but Aliyah pointed forward," Yeah, couldn't you see us going forward. Maybe if you weren't always trying to talk to your god, we could be going forward."
The cleric's eyes widened and her face flushed red. Stephanie was about ready to make her sister regret saying those words when she felt a strong hand grip her shoulder. She knew it was Kelemvor; god of the dead, telling her not to go through with her harsh actions. At least my god answers me, she mused to herself
Deciding to follow her deity's request, Stephanie slowly calmed down, then looked ahead, spotting a body on the forest ground.
Aliyah and Deidra watched Stephanie race towards the dead body. The halfling quickly ran forward, and after a few seconds, Aliyah followed.
When the rangers arrived, Stephanie was crouched low, next to the dead body. It was a grey haired dwarf with several holes though his back and a severed arm. "It's still pretty fresh," Stephanie remarked, covering her nose as the foul smell of decay streamed up her nose. As a cleric of the Lord of the Dead, Stephanie was used to seeing many dead bodies, some with their arms missing, some with their heads missing. However, the one thing she could never stand, was the decaying odor a body would have after its been left alone for a while.
As her nose was beginning to get used to the smell, Stephanie closed her eyes, began chanting some words.
"Sounds like one of those Kelemvor prayers that no one understands," Aliyah remarked sarcastically to the halfling.
Babysitting, this is why I was sent here. To make sure these two sisters don't hack each other's arms off. I'm going to kill you Shadimir, thought Deidra, watching Stephanie.
It wasn't so much of a prayer Stephanie was chanting to her god, but more of a spell. Following though with the flow of Kelemvor's grace that sent her body in a bliss, Stephanie began calling to the spirit of the dwarven body.
As if out of nowhere, a transparent image of the dwarf stood in front of his body. "You're name is Darwyn Delvhammer?"
"Aye it is," spoke the dwarf's ghost," and that is me body on the ground, or well what left of it anyways," he chuckled pointing to the ground.
Stephanie looked at the body, then at the soul who once inhabited it. "What happened here? Were you killed by The Avenger?"
Darwyn nodded, looking down at his body. "I am a priest of Illmater; god of suffering. Yesterday, I was walking though these woods to get to Mithral Hall, and this elf approached me. At first he just nodded his head towards me...but after taking a look at me robes and symbol, he called me a disgrace to the dwarven race for worhsippin a broken human god. I wasn't gonna a scrawny elf talk about me god Illmater that way, so I fought him, and he killed me with his green glowin sword of his. It was weird..."
"What was weird?" Stephanie asked.
"Well, when he was talking...," Darwyn answered, his spirit now hovering over his body," his mouth wasn't moving, but I could hear his voice, clear as glass..."
Not really understanding what the dwarf meant, Stephanie decided to drop the subject. She apologized to Darwyn, who shrugged and said," Don't worry, it was an honor defending me god's honor. Besides, Illmater already said the church is planning to resurrect me."
Darwyn turned to see Aliyah say some words to the halfling. Turning to the cleric he asked," Do you want me to go and frighten some sense into her?"
"No, that's alright, as much as it pains me to say this, I need her," Stephanie answered, then watched as Darwyn's spirit faded away.
During this whole time, Aliyah watched Stephanie talking to herself. She wondered if this was a common thing between cleric of the Lord of the Damned, or if her sister was losing her mind. When she heard the words "I need her" the ranger sighed and watched her sister walk from the body and up to them.
"Well, we do know The Avenger is around here somewhere," Stephanie said, looking back at the dwarf body with a sorrowful expression. "He told me the elf killed him yesterday."
"Oh that's terrible," Deidra said sadly, her head looking down. Stephanie smiled, telling the halfling that he would be brought back to life soon.
"That great and all," Aliyah said sarcastically," but that still doesn't help us find this Avenger. I mean he could be all the way across the Moonwood after all.
"Or he could be closer than you think," hissed a loud voice from behind the cleric and the rangers.
Stephanie drew forth Azrael, the blade of sword bursting with a blue flame, Aliyah drew her scimitars, named Harmoni and Tendirhart, and Deidra drew her shortsword and her dagger.
In front of the women, stood a red haired elf donning studded leather armor. His face was decorated with small scars and his left eye was looking to the ground. In his hand, he held a blue hilted green bladed longsword with small crescent moons decorated around the hilt.
"Well met ladies, I am known as The Avenger, agent of Lolth, Queen of the Spiders, and now humans," his good eye looked over at Deidra," and halfling, you must die."
Stephanie felt Azrael's hilt burn with desire to strike at the elf as he spoke. The cleric did hear the elf speak, remembering what Darwyn had said. It wasn't the elf who was actually speaking to her and the ranger. It was the sword.
Leading in front, Shadimir and Taralona descended down the long tunnel, with Jepetto holding a lamp, and observing the surroundings.
Deep gnomes were known to have dark vision, but to keep the light from the lamp from blinding him, Jepetto wore thick goggles with green lenses to protect his eyes. . Tara walked beside Shadimir, staring at his long silver hair, which seemed to be giving a faint glow. She remembered Alustriel scolding the hunter about him keeping his hair long and uncombed. Personally, Taralona liked the long hair the way it was.
Shadimir blushed, feeling Tara's eyes on him. The silver hair had been a gift from his grandmother, an astral deva who had fallen in love with a man. Though he didn't get any special abilities from the celestial blood that flowed in his veins, Shadimir had inherited the same silver hair that his father Alain sported when he was alive.
Ahead of the hunter and the dragon, a large pile of rubble and ruins were scattered across the cavern floor. Jepetto set the lantern in the corner, and ran to join Shadimir and Taralona.
Digging though a small pile of stone, Shadimir found a small medallion with an engraved image of a naked elven woman holding a sword. It appeared the woman was dancing, and Shadimir placed the amulet in his pocket. "This looks like it was once a temple of Eilistaree," Shadimir remarked, feeling a warm feeling coming from the amulet. in his pant pocket, causing the hunter to wiggle.
"Everything alright over there," giggled Taralona, who watched the hunter's face turn red slightly. "Do you think Elisondar did this?" she more seriously.
Before he could answer, Shadimir, as well as Jepetto and Tara covered their noses as the small of rotting pork hit their noses. "I would say so." Shadimir answered," Either that, or we're dealing with a giant pig zombie."
"He always did have a thing for pork," Tara said with a muffled voice. "I hope the clerics made it out alive," added Jepetto with a look of concern on his face.
"Well if the owner of this amulet is alive, I'll have to congratulate her on making it out alive," Shadimir said, making a seat for himself from a large smooth stone.
Taralona looked at the hunter for a moment, watching him. All the other undead hunters she had ever encountered (which were few since a lot of people from the Moonsea were more concentrated on killing each other) Shadimir was probably the most interesting.
"All the undead hunters I meet usually just go and kill undead because they go around killing the living. Is that the way you see them?" Taralona asked Shadimir, as if she was testing his character.
"Not entirely," Shadimir was quick to answer," I see undead as restless souls, who still roam the world of the living because something keeps them here, or someone keeps them here. After I'm done destroying them, I see in them as they were in life, the people they once were in life."
"I see," was all Taralona said, looking to see Jepetto gathering stones and rummaging through the piles of stone. "What about you Jepetto, why do you hunt the undead?"
The deep gnome stared at her though his goggles, the site amusing both Shadimir and Taralona. "Oh I don't usually go hunting undead," he said with a bitter tone in his voice," and when I do go its because this maniac here always drags me with him."
Shadimir burst into laughter, and Tara smiled softly. The hunter felt bad for laughing at his friend's frustration, and apologized.
Jepetto shrugged and rubbed his goggles as he saw a small brown sack at his feet. "What's this," he said, picking up the sack.
Six small scrolls dropped from the sack, at Jepetto's feet. The deep gnome picked up one of the scrolls. He had little trouble reading it out loud. "Sehgarg fogesa," a small fireball appeared in the air, landing next to the gnome's foot.
Shadimir and Tara jumped at the sound of the ball of fire hitting the floor. The undead hunter looked at Jepetto, who was holding the scrolls. "I'm sorry, I didn't think that would happen," the gnome apologized, carrying the scrolls to Shadimir and Taralona.
"These are divine spells, powerful ones at that," Taralona said, after reading the writing on the scrolls. "They could help protect us."
"Do you think you can cast those spells," Shadimir asked, getting an idea in his head.
"Well yeah I'm a dragon," she answered, mimicking Aliyah's voice.
"Good, and Jepetto, you brought the wands didn't you?" the hunter asked, looking at the deep gnome, resisting the urge to laugh.
Jepetto nodded, pulling out six different wands. "I'll warn you I still don't even know what they do. For all we know, if we try to use these wands on the dracolich, we might end up regenerating his body back together.
Shadimir shrugged, and took a couple of the wands from Jepetto. "Well, you know as well as I do, the best way to figure out what a wand does, is to try it anyway," he remarked with a smirk. "We don't have much time to get everything ready."
"You seem pretty cheerful for a person whose facing certain death," a scared Jepetto remarked to Shadimir," You've never faced a dracolich, and the only case I know where a dracolich was destroyed was when Shandril of Highmoon destroyed a dracolich. But she had Elminster, and the Knights of Myth Drannor, and Spellfire, a powerful weapon from Mystra."
"And we have protection scrolls," Shadimir said, with a bit of frustration in his voice. The hunter slowly calmed down as he looked at Taralona," and we have Taralona of Helm, and a bunch of wands, and a worry wort of a gnome who needs to see the bright side of things."
"You forgot one thing," Taralona said quietly," we have Shadimir, undead hunter..."
That brought a smile to Shadimir's lips. "True, and who knows, maybe Mystra will smile upon us today."