Clarissa knelt in front of her mother's throne, along with the other priestesses of the family. She was one of the four priestesses of Lolth, all of which were aligned in front of the eight family High Priestesses, who bowed to their matron. The twelve sisters were envied throughout the city, for while they were not the most numerous in it they were certainly the most powerful. Eight of them were actually the blood daughters of Tallil De'Faeror, and the other four were adopted nobles from botched attacks on other houses of the city. They had survived the attack, condemned the enemy house, and were taken in to feed the power of the De'Faeror house.
"Yes yes enough of that, get up already. Were is Sereph?" tallil said from her throne, tapping the polished onyx of the armrest. She aimed this question to the back corner, where Anoroth and trium were rising from their stomachs.
"I am not certain, Matron Tallil," Anoroth began, choosing his words carefully as to not arise the ire of either the Matron or the Weapon's Master, "But I believe he said something about going to answer a challenge from a melee Magthere instructer."
A few of the priestesses, Clarissa among them, scowled at the mention of their brother. They watched the matron's reaction to see if he would be punished, and were dismayed to see just her usual scowl.
"Very well, he will have to miss out on his more enjoyed duties then. I want the head of Sorcere dead, by the end of the next two fortnights. Sense our assassin is out on personal business, Trium, you will go in his place." Tallil said, lacing her fingers as she addressed her family.
Trium was shocked. He had done the occasional assassination, to be sure, but the Master of the wizards school? That was a hefty order. Trium could not even be sure he could take the mage, an eight hundred year old drow that was refuted to be in league with demons for constant protection. He looked at the Matron and stammered, "Ma…Matron, sureley it can wait for Sereph's return?"
He was answered by the hissing of the twelve priestesses snake headed whips, but stood by his question. Such an important target deserved the attentions of a professional. He thought this strongly enough for it to be one of the only things that the priestesses could pick out of his mind.
"Yes, he is an important target. But if you are to replace him you had better be able to best him in a contest such as this, especially when you get to choose the circumstances of his demise," Tallil said, "Now go, prepare, and finish the deed within two fortnights. Leave."
Trium turned briskly and walked out of the chamber, rushing to his room, already compiling the spells he would need, and telepathically telling one of his apprentices to scry the school for information about the Master of Sorcere. He was in for a busy few fortnights, to be sure, but the ultimate result was very much to his liking.
Clarissa and the other three priestesses stood and they all circled their mother's throne. Arms spread towards each other with palms outward, the priestesses began the familiar ritual chant to Lolth, asking the Spider Queen to shower her blessings on the aging female drow. Anoroth stood against the wall, watching intently as the light spread from the eldest high priestess throughout the daughters. The light materialized in front of their palms as a bluish, translucent spark, and intensified to a blinding white as the elder sister's light arced around the circle, connecting them all. Suddenly the light shot from each of the sisters, who all shrieked and convulsed, arching their backs and heaving their chests forward. Tallil, the target and recipient
of the light, shrieked in return as the energy entered her slender frame.
Anoroth watched, memorizing the chant and comparing it to arcane power transfer seplls. He noticed a similar structure to the rhythm and pattern, but other than that he could make no other connections. He had only a day to learn that spell and keep all of his fingers. His attention was torn back to the center of the room as Tallil's chest heaved. He was playing a dangerous game staying during the Holy Ritual, but he had been given no instruction to leave. Whether the Matron would give him orders or if he would be sent out of the room by thirteen angry women of Lolth, he had no guess.
The matron sat back in her throne, her head rolling and her muscles contracting spasmatically, while her daughters moved back to the front of the room. Anoroth stood, watching as they took her practiced and expertly mastered steps and awaited the words of their Matron Mother. He also took note of the vicious glare Clarissa sent his way. Finally tallill had straightened in the throne.
"Anoroth, you will attend to your studies with Sereph, considering it of the utmost importance. Do what he asks you, and should you need any…help, ask Tatherain. She will help when she has the time." Tallil said, standing and moving towards the back door. Anoroth and the priestesses, taking the hint, stood and left through the main door back to their daily business. As he left, Anoroth was stopped by Tatherain.
The tall priestess wore a seemingly everpresent suit of chainmail armor, with a round shield and a mace on her back and side. Her personalized symbol of Lolth was emblazoned on everything she wore, as well as the crown she kept in her shield. It was rumored the crown increased her divine powers and could render her invisible in both the heat and the light spectrums, but sapped her strength quite a bit. She was one of the blood daughters of Tallil, and Clarissa's full sister. Tatherain highly disapproved of Clarissa's unusual attatchment to her father, and was often at ends with her fellow priestess. Anoroth kept all this in mind as she began to speek to him.
"I am forced to offer you my services as one of my duties to attain High Prestess, so tell me what you need and be quick about it male!" she said in a highly aggravated tone.
"Of course, priestess," Anoroth said, bowing, "I do have a problem. Sereph wishes to learn "Harmony Therapy, or a spell to that effect, but I know of no such enchantment." Anoroth stopped, waiting for Tatherain's response and reaction to the request.
The priestess simply crossed her strong arms across her chest, eyeing the mage. "You seek a way to cast divine spells through your…Weave? It cannot be done. It is Lolth's will that grants our magic. None but a priestess trained in Arach-Tinilith can invoke Lolth's spells," she said impatiently, though her face betrayed that she was slightly intrigued.
"Could there be some way to create a similar spell through the weave?" Anoroth asked in reply.
"You're the mage, I do not concern myself with inferior means of spellcasting," Tatherain said, looking impatient again.
"Very well. If you can cast it I might be able to do something with it," Anoroth returned, letting some excitement creep into his voice.
"Yes I know it. Come, I have other business to attend to so this needs to be done now." As Tatherain finished she began walking down the hall with Anoroth in tow. After less than a minute she stopped and opened a door to an empty room. "in here."
"Yes, priestess," Anoroth said, following her into the room. "One moment please, allow me to cast a memory enhancing spell, so you will only need to cast once," Anoroth said, and without waiting for an answer began to recite the arcane words and make the appropriate hand signals around his eyes. As he finished those eyes took on a dull white glow.
"I am starting now," Tatherain said as she took a position in the middle of the room. She spread her feet to a little farther than shoulder length apart and bent her knees slightly. With her hands she outlined the spider symbol of Lolth on her breast, and started to chant, loud enough for Anoroth to hear.
Queen of Spiders to slay your enemies I require
These others to be as one with me,
Synchronize or minds greatest of Goddesses
Allow our unity that I might cause chaos in your name!
Of course the words themselves did little for Anoroth. He did not plead to a goddess for his power, but manipulated and used a greater power to his own ends. Much more drow like, in his opinion. When he cast a spell, his words and movements were to catch or lure the Weave energy, to shape it, and then expel it on his target. He felt the wavering pattern of energy, and created a ripple in it. He could feel that power fluctuate when he used it. With a divine spell there was no such feeling. Or so he thought.
Tatherain had continued her hand signs while Anoroth was analyzing and comparing, and with a slight flourish she finished. Suddenly Anoroth felt a powerful tug in the Weave as it's energy was forced towards the priestess. Its concentration rose and fell like waves on a lake, fluctuating to her gestures and words, but after she had finished them. That was the difference!
The spell finished and a blue greenish aura fell over the mage and the priestess.
"Well, are we done here?" Tatherain said, standing straight again.
Anoroth smiled, and answered, "Yes, we are finished. I've learned quite enough."
Tatherain nodded and walked out. Anoroth continued smiling as he walked out after her, turning the other way in the hall. He had learned much, certainly now he would keep his fingers. Whats more, now there were far more options open to him. He could cast divine spells, as long as he was able to see them first. In a world where magic was used as a third arm, especially among the clergy, Anoroth was not worried about getting a limited amount of spells to work with.