The spider slept a dreamless sleep. She was a stalker, not a web spinner, so most of her time was spent in a state of near death that resembled sleep in other creatures. Bred by the drow in the Underdark as a cavalry mount, she had been extensively trained just like the horses that the humans and the elves used.
She and her rider had been dispatched to search for a relic of some power known as the glowstone. In the caverns beneath the village of Ember, they had been very close to that relic—The spider felt its power confusing and sickening her rider. When the goblins that were defending the relic attacked them, she broke training and left her rider to his fate. Suffering from the effects of the goblins' magic, she escaped and crawled to the end of a side passage before falling unconscious.
The goblins never found her, but a group of elven adventurers did. Soothing sympathetic thoughts emanated from a pale skinned, red haired female elf who stopped the pain and gave her live food. Although this elf did not want to bond telepathically, the spider's offer, she understood, calling the offer Kistrel. In spite of the elf's refusal, the spider followed the group back to their home at Crossroad Keep, where she was stabled in the basement.
The spider's sleep was interrupted by a pulse in the thin force separating the planes. As she raised up and turned toward the portal, the runes painted on the floor glowed a dull red. The air above the portal shimmered as it opened and spat out a gnome.
"...a rotten egg." the gnome seemed to be talking to someone. He rolled several times across the room and fetched up against the spider's forelegs. As she had been trained, she curled her right foreleg under and held it steady, inviting him to mount up. To her, his thoughts were a jumble of noise that made no sense.
Grobnar's first reaction was to retreat... quickly. Here was probably the largest spider he'd ever seen up close, but this one seemed familiar. After recovering from his rough landing and the shock of seeing such a large predator, he took a closer look.
"Kistrel... is that you?" the gnome asked, taking a tentative step forward.
The spider lowered her head and touched her mandibles to the floor in supplication, and again curled her right forefoot under and held it steady.
When Grobnar was a child, he'd hidden from a drow attack on a gnome logging camp where his family lived. The dark elves that he'd seen were mounted on spiders like Kistrel. After they'd finished looting, the elves had mounted up and ridden away. Those spiders had done then what Kistrel was doing now.
In imitation of what he remembered, the gnome boldly stepped up onto the spider's foreleg and eased down onto her back...
After calling the newlyweds and getting no answer, Isilme'len Edgewater concluded that her children were upstairs, communing... again. Although her son, Rolan, and his wife, Lillith, had been married for three years now, they behaved like their vows were spoken only yesterday. To her, they were still newlyweds.
Lillith, representing the daylight side of the family, lived to see the sun rise every morning. However, she sided with her in-laws in their choice of worshiping The Daughter of the Night Skies—Sehanine Moonbow. Rolan, the ever dutiful husband and father-to-be, enjoyed the time the two of them spent together every morning, before setting off to work at his family's trading company on the Highcliff waterfront.
Isilme'len's husband, retired Captain Martin Edgewater, formerly master of His Majesty's Northern Falcon, was out adventuring; His term for traveling to promote his new trading company; Edgewater Imports. He would be returning from Waterdeep within the ten-day, hoping to close a deal to supply iron implements to the Lizardfolk living south of The Mere of Dead Men.
Rolan's mother didn't mind the separation from her roaming husband as much as when, in the earlier years of their marriage, he was at sea. The time they were apart was now much shorter and her son and his expectant wife kept her busy.
Like most elven mothers-to-be, Lillith didn't slow down one bit; She was everywhere, working, playing, helping out, and getting into mischief- It was just her nature. Her friends called her Sunny. It was her nature and her heritage. Rolan couldn't have found a better wife.
Upon passing through the patio to the back gate, Rolan's mother called upstairs, "I'm on my way to the bakery now. I'll be back at mid-day." She smiled when she heard a muffled reply and continued through the back gate and down the path.
The path to the bakery led past Par's house and around to the north-facing pantry door. A thin wisp of smoke from the chimney showed that her business partner, Adriella, had arrived first and was warming the ovens for today's work. Business was so good that lately they'd changed from baking every third day to every other day now. Also, what had been a front porch on the residence-turned-bakery had been closed in, making room for four more tables to seat dine-in customers.
"Morning E'len, you have a customer waiting in the dining room," Adriella called from the pantry, where she was shifting bags of flour around, grumbling all the while. No matter how carefully Rolan stacked them, the dwarf always found their arrangement not to her liking.
Rolan's mother was just passing through the door to the converted front porch when she heard. "Vedui, Isilme'len. Cormamin lindua ele lle. The woman who spoke was a moon elf with coal black hair and stunning blue eyes. She was dressed in a well worn tan monk's robe with brown sleeves. A beautiful pale gold cape was secured by a silver full moon clasp at her throat.
"Tiernah! Nae saian luume', seler'rim. She embraced her visitor with obvious pleasure and kissed her cheek in greeting. "Why didn't you come to the house? Rolan and Lil will be glad to see you."
"I didn't want to be rude... you know, coming unannounced. Judging by your surprise, my messenger Donel hasn't gotten here yet?" Tie asked, worried.
"No, nobody that I've seen," E'len was thoughtful. "Maybe we could talk the Elder into sending out a patrol," she mused. "Where is he coming from?"
"He'll be along, I'm sure. I sent him from Neverwinter to Crossroad Keep four days ago, and by now he should be almost here." Tie concluded. "I'll give him another day before assuming the worst."
"Well, let's get you settled in. I'm sure you could use a bath and some rest. We have a spare bedroom that you're welcome to." Rolan's mother was already making plans.
Sehanine Moonbow was perfection. Her beauty turned heads wherever she went. Corellon Larethian, knowing this, continued his perusal of the far horizon as she approached.
"Come now, Cory..." she began, her voice was silk. "Can a haggard old crone like me get an audience with the ruler of Arvandor, for just a moment?" she asked, putting on a pout.
"I suppose so," he returned, feigning distraction. Teasing Sehi' was one of his favorite pastimes. "What is it that worries you so, Ithilamin? You look very concerned." He continued to contemplate the splendor that was Arvandor.
"A petition for templa tel'Quessir. There is this spirit, a noble human spirit..." she interrupted her thought, the pout on her lovely countenance deepened. She then stamped her foot to gain his attention. "Well, if you will not listen..." she snapped in a manner not befitting her station. She knew how to play Corellon's game as well as he. She turned and slowly walked to the door.
He caught up with her before she gained the door. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he gently turned her around. His mirth, showing in a dazzling smile and twinkling eyes, did nothing to erase her pout. "What is it, Melamin, something about your pets?" he asked, continuing his game. He knew that reference irritated her to distraction.
"My dear husband, they are not my pets. It is time to be serious now," she'd had enough of his game. "This deserves your full attention." With that, she told him her desire.
Donel, the stable-boy-turned-messenger, stood at the Edgewater's front door in the village of Highcliff, looking forlornly at his dirty, worn riding boots. The cloth cap that he twisted between his callused hands was taking a real beating. He knocked on the door once again, just to be sure that he'd been heard.
He was late arriving, but surely the Knight-Captain would understand that his mount was lame and needed attention. The old pensioner at the stable told him that 'Tara had just thrown a shoe, and the farrier would have it right again in no time. Still, that didn't stop him from worrying about her. He'd walked her the last half of the trip just to be on the safe side.
He immediately recognized the woman who answered the door. That's Lillith, will she remember me? He wondered; It had been a long time since he'd left the orphanage here in Highcliff.
"Donel, we've been waiting for you. Where have you been? Come on in." Her sunny voice would carry all the way to the waterfront if she wasn't careful. She took his arm and escorted him through the sitting room to the kitchen, where Rolan, Rolan's mother, and the Knight-Captain were sitting around the table, eating a quick mid-day meal. He did his best to explain to Lil why he was so late.
"Ladies and... uhh, gentle man," Lillith announced, making a face at her husband. When they all looked up, she continued with a merry voice, "May I present master Donel of Neverwinter? He's just come from Crossroad Keep with an important despatch from master Ironfist to the Knight-Captain. He begs our forgiveness for his tardiness, claiming a casualty to his faithful mount, which, he assures me is not fatal."
At Lil's mixture of silliness and decorum, Donel looked ready to bolt out the back door, but she held his arm tightly, preventing his escape. She smiled up at him and slyly winked; She was really enjoying this, even if he wasn't.
After they all said their hellos, Lil did the introductions; "This is my mother-in-law, Isilme'len, you know the Knight-Captain, Lady Tiernah, and that scruffy looking fellow in need of a shave and a bath is my husband, Rolan." Their guest didn't notice Lil sticking her tongue out at her husband, who pretended to ignore her completely.
Donel was all business. "My Lady, Knight-Captain," he said, unlimbering the leather bag that he'd been entrusted with. "I am sorry for being late... my horse pulled up lame... and I had to walk the last few miles." he stammered, obviously upset. "I hope this is not too late."
After a quick look into the bag, Tiernah smiled and said, "You did fine, soldier of Neverwinter, thank you. See to your mount, get a room at the Inn, and I'll talk with you in the morning."
A heavy load had been lifted from his shoulders when he handed that bag over. "Thank you, My Lady. I will see you tomorrow," he said with some relief as Lil led him to the front door.
Lady Tiernah sat cross-legged on the bed in the Edgewater's guest bedroom in Highcliff, The Book of Lul'een was lying face up in her lap. She'd awakened from a reverie that brought back a rush of memories, influenced by the presence of the tome. Because it spoke of a great wrong committed in ancient Arvahn, this book was a monument to the darkness banished by Sehanine's light, wielded by the Knight-Captain's group of adventurers.
All this time I've had this book and never once thought to touch the stone, Tiernah wondered, shaking her head. Taking a tiny dagger in hand, the moon elf carefully removed the small blue gem from the book's cover. This gem was the true purpose for her presence in Highcliff. Known as a telkiira or loregem, could it unlock the secrets of elven high-magic?
When she folded her fingers around the beautifully worked gem and opened her mind, it revealed that it held the secrets of spiritual transference. Her wonder grew as she paged through its vast store of knowledge. Of particular interest was A Ritual of Petition to Sehanine Moonbow.
The Knight-Captain now had the answers to her questions; Why, how, where, and when would the spirit be transferred?
The answer to why was that Shandra Jerro's noble sacrifice cried out for a continuation of her life in a higher form; Her life cycle must continue. The how was easy; The Ritual of Petition to Sehanine Moonbow was how. It needed to be performed where the evil influence of the shadows was not present; Right here in Highcliff. The moon would be its fullest tomorrow night; That was the when. Her next task was to brief the other three participants about the ritual.
Lillith was having a good time playing with Moonbow, who had taken an immediate liking to the half-elf mother-to-be. The familiar circled behind Lil's back, following her scratching fingernails on the bedspread, around and around. Neither one of them seemed to tire of this game.
"Careful there, sunshine, if it catches your hand, you'll need stitches." warned her husband from the bedroom's doorway. He'd been watching for some time.
"Worry wart," she accused, stopping her hand and allowing the fearsome predator to pounce on her defenseless hand. "She's such a sweetheart, aren't you? You wouldn't bite me, would you?" she asked in a teasing tone, rolling her friend over and scratching its belly, causing the familiar to show anyone interested a mouth full of needle-sharp teeth. Lil looked up at her husband and asked, "Her name is Moonbow. Do you know what kind of critter she is?" She arched an eyebrow.
"Sure, that's easy," he began a recitation. "She's a stoat, an eastern weasel; more commonly, a chicken thief and champion rat-catcher." He thought for a minute, then added, "I think mages also use them in casting spells... something like that. Her eyes look kinda funny, though."
"You're close, You know what this is?" she held the fam' up so he could see the mark on her belly. After he nodded yes, she added, "Moonbow is a special type of familiar that's called a spirit vessel. A warrior spirit lives within, waiting to begin its next life. Lady Tiernah says she knew this spirit in its previous life, but she would not say anything more about it."
Rolan's eyes lit up with recollection. "Those dreams that have upset you so much, where the tattooed one said 'the spirit is for my child, not yours...' He wants that spirit for his own purposes. Why not just give the vessel to him? You'd be safe then," he asked with some concern.
"My dear husband, you don't understand. He would harm me and our child just because of our potential to interfere with his plans," she explained, as if to a dull child.
"So, how sure are you that what he wants is so bad," Rolan challenged, starting to heat up. "He's threatened you in a dream, so you think he's on the side of evil?"
"What he wants is not Sehanine's will, and I don't think he cares who gets hurt in this, so I'd say yes he's evil. The Knight-Captain also told me that he's a powerful warlock and is an ally in the war with The King of Shadows, so a confrontation with him is out of the question," Lil said, relating part of Tie's briefing. "She doesn't want him to find us or Moonbow... at least until after the ritual is done tomorrow night. The four of us; you, me, Atara'rim, and the Knight-Captain will be communing at moonrise tonight."
"Well, if you think it's the right thing to do," her husband was showing some doubt. "As long as you're committed, Melamin, I'm in 'til the end."
She displayed her most radiant smile. "Yes, Astalder, it is and I am."
Grey Company Elven Translations;
Isilme'len- Moonlight-Star
Vedui- Greetings
Cormamin lindua ele lle- My heart sings to see thee.
Nae saian luume'- It has been too long.
Seler'rim- respected sister
Ithilamin- My Moon
templa tel'Quessir- elven high-magic
Atara'rim-respected mother
Melamin- My Love
Astalder- Valiant One
A/N Many thanks to BronxWench for input on moon elf mysticism.
The elven word kistrel, meaning friend, was coined by NWN2's game developers.
My thanks to Wyl for taking the time to help edit this chapter.