Diplomacy from Menzobaranzan

[Drew]

-After the capture of several of their number in the battle to save Xavier, the spies had fled from Navere back to Menzoberanzan. In any sane way of looking at things that should have been the end. Navere was a powerful first house, Dalharuk was largely going to be relying on mercenaries and their own men if they attacked, and would likely be opposed by the houses of Rivven Cheel.

But that wasn't the end of it. For some reason a priestess from the drow house appeared at Navere, outright demanding an audience. She said she'd come to negotiate terms for surrender and tribute to be paid to her house, and that if she was pleased Navere would be allowed to remain on the map. Perhaps she had been grossly misinformed by her spies. Or perhaps house Dalharuk had some trick up their sleeves. Then again maybe it was something completely different.-

[Drew]

-I paced back and forth nervously in my tower. Salvan had promised to tell me when the coronation began, but a few problems had arisen. The Matron's poison ahd only been made to severely sicken the victim, so though all those in the line of succession were now dead the Matron still clung to life. Her would be successor had been slain by the poison that was meant for her mother, and now only two problems remained.

The Matron would liekly die. Her old body wasnt as ready to handle the poison as her daughter's would have been. But the third girl, the last barrier in Corsho'als path to power, and thus in my path to power, was going to be a problem. Why had word not come form Navere? Surely Valkryn should have jumped at the chance to kill a Lolthian priestess who came to insult him from a house that couldnt pose much of a threat to Navere.

If word didnt come soon the only option would be to simply declare her dead anyhow and prop up Corshoal regardless. But I prefered to have the loose ends tied. The reintroduction of the now first girl would be problematic in that I'd only made allowances for the amount of chaos I was causing. Outside problems not planned for might make the house look weak enough to necessitate an invasion from another house.

It would take a display of strong magic, some kind of impressive show of force, to show that there had been power and intellect behind the fall of most of the nobles in the house. Even one of the males had been laid low and was in the healing chambers now alongside his mother. Surely some other house was getting ideas. And so I had given Salvan orders to take command along with his elder brother, the weapons master, and his sister, who would be the front woman for the whole thing. Guards were to be doubled and trained better, and infact the preperations for an attack were to continue so that it would seem that house Dalharuk was still strong and united, as it would be in a day or so. Salvan would complete the next part of the plan as soon as I arrived to guide him and then from there we could cement the power structure in the house.-

[storyteller]

..A Drow Judicator had arrived within the compound of this house Dalharuk, striding upon the large spider..proclaiming him a male representative of the temple of his Queen of Spiders, Lolth from this Rivvin Che'el.. He, as a champion of the Goddess, promclaimed that the Goddess were pleased with the actions of House Dalharuk and the high Priestess will be testing Matron Gia soon enough..and this House Weapons Master..who they have had suspections about for a long time.. House Dalharuk is to stay the course until our glorious goddess gives indication otherwise..

[Drew]

-I groaned as Salvan related the details of what had happened to me. Testing Valkryn might not have bothered me, but to test Gia would be to threaten the destruction of House Navere and my friends therein. It was well known that those who failed drow tests weren't graded poorly, they were put into their graves.

I began to curse and throw a tantrum, amusing the more composed drow. He didnt know that my goal here was to settle this conflict and help house Navere... as well as myself. Frankly he didnt need to know. So it was all on me to stop this, to battle the Spider Queen with my will and wits, the first wouldnt be a problem, but with a goddess as chaotic as Lolth even the best calculations could fall to the wayside as they just had.

I couldnt hold House Dalharuk back. They now had the favor of Lolth and had been charged with this mission. What was worse was that they would now have the support of other houses. I couldnt steer them from this course, but I would be able to delay them. I told Salvan to request a few days to gather spells and such so that I could get a few things I'd need to aid in the conquest, and then I disappeared.

I'd have to get in touch with my mother now to gain entry to Navere. It wasnt the amusing entrance I'd planned to make but this was serious. The best I could do would be to lure a lower house into attacking Dalharuk while they seemed to be busy, which might make Dalharuk think twice before sending off so much of their force to Navere.

Either way it was risky. The favor of Lolth, if it was truly offered, would draw allies to Dalharuk's side. Valkryn and Gia would have to be warned and I'd have to let them in on my plans. Most of all I'd have to cuss and kick and scream, because the spider queen was a pregnant dog.-