A Drow's Dilemma Ep. 84: Information

"It is a pleasure to meet thee, sir," he said, using the same heavily archaic, oddly accented form of Undercommon he had used when he first spoke with the two drow. Well, not exactly. Back into practice with the language, his accent was less 'learned from a book and not really spoken aloud before' and more 'learned a version of this language twelve centuries out of date.' The rest of his posture had similarly reverted to the mannerisms of the Blackdawn drow from back then. "For now, we shalt be going with the official story, which is truth after a fashion, but obscureth the full truth somewhat. The full truth is too strange for a first meeting, even one with one whom I know from my dear Selene will be a trusted ally. I am Caleldir Hissael Blackdawn, from the ruling House of the long sundered city of the same name." Out from the folds of his garment he pulled an ornate ring, clearly very ancient but in excellent repair, bearing the symbol of the Solar Eclipse that had been the sigil of the House. "The curse on Deusterra, the lands above ours, penetrated deep, but some survived it and have held on. All the same, we were prisoners of the sickly land above for twelve centuries. I managed to escape, and met up with thine beautiful daughter here, and the Lady Ashyr, Matron of Duskhaven. The story is long and complex, but to make it short, t'was requested that I be the next Consort to House Duskhaven. And suffice it to say that I have some small powers of mine own with which to serve."

After that, he glanced at Selene, and at her lower stomach, before continuing. "There is much more to the situation, but I fearest me that I have talked too much already. I leave the information of personal import for thine daughter to illuminate, shouldst she wish to do so, and that which is of significance to the House for the Matron to tell."

Sornamal inclined his head toward 'Caleldir Blackdawn'. "Your accent is much different from our own Undercommon after so few generations." He observed gravely as he peered at the signet Caleldir pulled out. "Blackdawn... it is not a House that is common in the history books. But I believe I have heard of such a House from text a good deal more than a mere twelve centuries old."

"Yes. They were distant from the rest of the Underdark even before their city was sundered." Selene agreed. She would go along with the small misdirections and half-truths for now. Perhaps the truth was too much to give to someone all at once.

"As Selene hath said, our accent was different from thine even before our enforced isolation. Blackdawn is a distant cavern indeed. But that only makes me more glad for this reunion with our long sundered kin." A good deal more than twelve centuries, eh? Well, Blackdawn had been secret Eilistraee worshippers for centuries before their alliance with the Eternal Faith of Deusterra, so it was not shocking that they had kept a very low profile.

"Hmm," Sornamal hummed noncommittally. He stopped his scrutiny of Caleldir to cast his gaze back on Selene. For a moment, his cobalt eyes flicked towards Selene's abdomen where Caleldir had glanced. Apparently, the old drow hadn't missed that brief look. "I am satisfied to see you well, daughter, as I have had rumors of you being hidden away at the Duskhaven estate. Clearly there was no truth to those whispers. But why have you come here, and why have you brought these thr-" Then the old male remembered himself and his manners. "Forgive me, Lady Matron Ashyr Duskhaven. I mean to say: I welcome you into my house and merely wonder how I might be of service." Despite his polite words, there was a coolness in his expression that went above and beyond the average drow unfriendliness when he looked toward the new matron of Duskhaven.

"I was briefly taken by my brothers and cousins," Selene confirmed, trying to change the subject her sire brought up. The youngest drow saw that Ashyr had opened her mouth to respond, and flashed her cousin an apologetic look. Ashyr did not need to be talking right then. Selene would get to asking him favors, but only if he didn't offer to help first - it was better that way. And she was certain she knew just how to do that. "They have access to fertility potions, as I have discovered first hand."

This new information was met by a hard frown and a second, sharper look at Selene's stomach. "Do you know if they had those approved? Did they force you to catch?"

Selene's lips thinned, and her hand strayed to her stomach. "I believe they would have been able to after the 'accident.' The Capital would not have been able to deny that Duskhaven needed to bolster our numbers. And yes, they did. But I carried Caleldir's seed, unbeknownst to them. So I have caught from him, though it wasn't my intention at the time."

"I have some Arcane knowledge of my own on that score," Caleldir confirmed, "and can assure thee that the daughter she is bearing is mine, despite the best efforts of the scoundrel madmen. I did a genetic analysis of her and can provide a sketch of her most probable future appearance as well, should thou be interested in such after more pressing matters are resolved."

"We have matters to discuss concerning your daughter, then," Sornamal said, looking slightly relieved that his granddaughter was not begotten by the rape of her mother. "First and foremost, I will not make it necessary for her to be sent away to Dinoryn for arcane training. But it is a conversation for another time. I would hope that we will have dealt with this insurrection before she is even born."

While his first instinct was to bristle slightly at Sornamal effectively ignoring him, and state coldly that he would be well able to train his own daughter, and that despite his own relative lack of spellcasting power he almost certainly knew more about magic, Arcane and Divine, than Sornamal possibly could, Caleldir restrained himself. None of that would be particularly productive, would antagonize the man for no reason, would bring up questions about his background he did not want to answer, and more. He would content himself with earning the old man's approval.

"I think you for your attention, my sire, but it is a subject for another time. To briefly finish my story: they had me, then sold me to orcs. That is why I have not been seen in the city recently."

Sornamal looked confused for a moment before that bafflement turned into a cold anger. His hands closed into fists and clenched until they became ashen. "I assume you require my estate and my knowledge of the city? You may have it." He declared in a soft, firm voice. "I have already concluded that they will destroy themselves before having the superiority they seek. But this level of insanity? They will destroy the city if they are not stopped."

"They are mad indeed," Caleldir said in a soft, firm voice.

Her father turned back to the rest of the party. "I will have rooms prepared for you, though I am afraid that I must assign you to a servant's room, my son, as I only have three guest rooms."

"It's okay, Sornamal." Ashyr said. "We only need one room." And of course she couldn't keep the naughty grin from her face. He had no idea that they had a pocket dimension with space to fit more than just the four of them quite comfortably. Especially since she shared a room with her lovers.

The old Consort's brow furrowed and his lips thinned in disapproval. It was just a flash of expression before he smoothed his features and gave a cool, yet polite response. "The four of you reverie together? Well, I fear that the beds I can provide will not fit all of you at once."

"Yup. Us four together. All night every night we just pass out in pile after the orgy is finished." Ashyr said with an even wider grin, if that was possible.

Selene sighed, a sound echoed by Caleldir. This was why Ashyr shouldn't be speaking. She always insisted on antagonizing the old Consort for whatever fool reason. And now that he agreed to help, Ashyr was letting the teasing commence.

"We have a pocket dimension, father," Selene explained. "A single guest room is all we require to serve as a place to put the portal. Ashyr is not serious about all four of us sleeping together. Because that was what he objected to; drow did not often share a bed, not even after, well, sharing a bed.

"Selene is correct, sir. I didst help to build an artifact that we now use to power a pocket dimension: a modified, more permanent version of the Mage's Magnificent Mansion spell. Useful for smuggling armies around. Security most excellent provided as well. A Roving Intellectual Security Administration, one might say." His tone was respectful and genial, but with a bit of mischief that could be said to be somewhat similar to Ashyr's. Except instead of the joke being to scandalize the old fellow, it was simply a reference to R.I.S.A.'s acronym that Sornaval could not possibly get.

"I see. I would be interested in seeing this pocket dimension of yours, then. Perhaps I will request to do so later." And the old drow did look very interested. Just about as interested as Selene would be upon encountering a new or oddly used piece of magic.

Caleldir grinned a bit when Sornamal was so quick to expect Selene-like interest in his magical project. Well, it seemed that was the way to get Sornamal to like and respect him. Which was not surprising. "The exact nature of this pocket dimension is something of a secret, I will warn thee. It is a bit complex. But when thou hast time for it all, I will be happy to show thee all."

The old mage inclined his head in thanks. "I look forward to it. Well then, I will lead you to your room."

He stepped fully into the kitchen and, with a wave of his hand, shut the panel behind them. Then he walked over to the actual door that led in to the rest of the house. His living quarters were much more grand than the outside of his house. He even had some wooden furniture. Nearly everything was magical in some way -- even more than the average drow household. They walked through a dining room that had space enough to fit ten people comfortably around the wooden table. It was polished in dark lacquer that brought out the natural pattern of the material. The chairs were of more standard furniture material: a fungal-spidersilk composite. Outside the dining room was the main hall with two flights of stairs on either side opposite the main entrance. They curved inwards to join on the second floor in a balcony. Up those stairs he led them, and to the left down the hall. Sornamal opened the first door to his left to reveal a decently large bedroom with sheets covering every piece of furniture. With a wave of his hand, the sheets began to get pulled away and folded as if several unseen servants were doing the work. All of his servants must have been unseen, as not a single one was visible when the party walked through his house.

Observing Sornamal's living space, Caleldir was struck by the apparent value of wood here. He made a note to ask R.I.S.A. about monetizing all the wood that she could just grow in her pocket dimension. They could be very rich...

"Here you are. There will be a meal in an hour. If you would like to join me then, we may discuss our plans for the coming weeks. Is there anything you require while I make preparations?"

Caleldir shrugged. "I am afeard that I am not completely cognizant of the situation in Duskhaven as it currently stands, and could well use thine insight on the situation. So, I will be pleased to join thee in council."

When no one said that they needed anything -- only agreed that they would join him for the meal, Sornamal bowed out of the room and shut the door behind him. Ashyr flopped down onto a comfortable looking padded chair as she watched him leave. "Did he mistake me for my mother a minute ago?" The female ranger said with mild annoyance. "I don't look anything like her."

"That's what they always say. And they're usually wrong. You look like Phaerdra, dearest. Well. Maybe not so much your hair. But I suspect your mother straightened hers." Selene said with a half-smirk of amusement. She chose another chair to settle into in a much more dignified manner.

Caleldir had never seen Phaedra, so he could offer no opinion on that matter. "I would say something along the lines of 'if thou lookest like thine mother, Ashyr, I can know that Lady Phaedra was a beautiful woman indeed', but I have yet to meet any aristocratic drow that was not either handsome or beautiful, so it seems a meaningless compliment."

A little less than an hour passed in idle conversation. Even in a trusted ally's house, Selene was unwilling to let the party talk about anything that they would not like overheard by the general populace. She could have cast a spell to make their words unable to be heard, but her father would feel it and might consider it rude. People who just agreed to help a dangerous cause tended not to like feeling like they were being left out of an important conversation. The party's conversation was interrupted by the clear sound of a single bell chime. Selene stood, and suddenly she was clothed in a more formal version of her robe. She gave Ashyr a pointed look until the older drow likewise dressed in a tunic and trousers that were nicer than the ones she usually wore. Tsabdrin didn't have to be Looked at. He got up from his space on the floor leaning against the wall, shed his leather armor, went to a dresser near the bed, and pulled out a pair of sleeves. As soon as he put them on, his clothes morphed into flowing robes much like his father was wearing to greet them.

Obviously, Caleldir was quick to catch onto the need for formal wear. He changed his own clothing from traveling clothes to a formal robe-like outfit in the Blackdawn colors of black, blue, and silver that, in keeping with the rest of his theme, was almost a period piece for its ancient style. Almost, because it was similar enough with modern drow fashion (as he had gathered from Selene, Tsabdrin, and Sornamal) that it seemed unlikely to get too much attention, it just helped with his general disguise.

With Selene in the lead, the party went back down to the dining room. Five places were set on one half of the table with bowls of stew, plates of steamed Underdark vegetables and edible mushrooms, goblets of fermented juices of the same vegetables and mushrooms, and cups of pure, fresh water. There was more of everything placed in an appealing fashion in the center of the table.

"I apologize for the lack of variety," Sornamal said from his place standing behind one of the chairs. "I have found myself quite void of respectable servants, and have had to manage myself. Lady Ashyr, your chair." He gestured toward the head of the table. "Selene, my daughter, here is your place." Which was right next to him. Then he gestured across from him. "Lord Blackdawn. Tsabdrin." Each chair he gestured towards was pulled out and then pushed back in when they were filled. Only after everyone was seated did he join them in his own chair. "First, we eat. Then we can discuss plans and I can answer questions about the city."

Caleldir thanked the host for the food, and ate quite a lot of mushrooms. He did fear that he may one day grow tired of mushrooms down here, but for now he was fond of fungus. He observed the table manners of the other drow, although mostly he mimicked what he had already observed from Selene for the last few months.

When he had eaten his fill, Caleldir looked expectantly up at Selene and Ashyr, and then over at Sornamal. And Tsabdrin, but as a more minor afterthought since the poor fellow was not exactly in a position of power or great influence here. He almost opened his mouth to start the conversation, but instead closed it, resigning himself to being patient. He was supposed to be a well-behaved and well-bred male drow now, not some aggressive manly Light Elf or human. So, he would wait to react rather than trying to drive events along. Not that he did not do that a lot anyway.

"So," Ashyr said after she stopped eating in such large quantities that it was hard to speak. She picked up a vegetable root and munched on it thoughtfully. "What's new in the city the past couple months?"

More quiet disapproval emanated from Sornamal, but he didn't mention Ashyr's rudeness. Instead, he swallowed, dabbed at his mouth with a elegant cloth napkin, and answered her question. "Officially, Duskhaven has appointed a new Matron: your youngest sister, Lady Ashyr, Dirzafaerae. She is too young by a half-century to act in that role, however. For this reason, Duagmyr has been acting as official head of the house, and has been attending social gatherings in the Matron's stead. Of course, if you were to make yourself known, Lady Ashyr, they would have no choice but to appoint you as Matron. It would be a death sentence, as I'm sure you are aware.

"This city has been mostly running itself while Duagmyr presumably gathers support from males in the other houses. There have been a few mysterious deaths, but no more than average. What is unusual about the deaths is the fact that there are no deceased males. None. Even so, during the few social functions I've attended, I have gathered that none of the upper class suspects anything unusual. I do not know what the whispers are among the lower class of people, but believe it would be worth knowing."

"Yeah. I was thinking about dropping down and scouting things out." Ashyr said with a nod. "We can send Tsabdrin, too. It will go quicker if both of us take half of the city. Then I was going to hit the Duskhaven estate and see if I can find out any nefarious plots. What is the army doing?"

"As far as I can tell? Training, keeping in shape, and recruiting. Nothing unusual. Irahc'vic and his male retinue, however, have been causing disturbances within some of the wilderness caverns that not even city nobles can ignore. The official reason he's given is that they're experimenting with magically augmented siege weapons crafted for the eventual destruction of a rival Duergar city that continues to cause us trouble. The retinue is comprised of a number of noble males skilled in the arcane arts from each of the prominent Houses in the area, and each and every one of them swears that that is all they are doing. There have been no reports to refute their claims."

Ashyr grunted. "Next thing on the menu to check out, then." She looked toward Caleldir, who seemed quiet. "Any questions, Lord Blackdawn? I would like to hear your thoughts."

Caleldir sighed. "Does anyone know what state the young puppet Matron is in? Knowing what we do about the rebels, we might need to rescue her sooner rather than later. That aside, I can move unseen as well if need be, although I do not know the terrain here. Perhaps I can spy on these experiments, however. If they are doing something Arcane, I am a scholar of such, and have some slight talent in that area. It might help to know what sorts of tricks they might be ready to pull on us."

"That's a good idea, I think," Ashyr agreed. "But you can't go alone; you would get lost. One of us rangers will go with you when it is time. In fact, it might be best is Tsabdrin goes; he can give you a second opinion on what he sees no matter what kind of magic it is."

Caleldir glanced over at Tsabdrin and gave the man a cheeky grin. He switched to Common, since the things he was about to say would sound even more ridiculous than usual if said in his enforced archaic Undercommon Accent. And Tsabdrin had been getting quite good at Common recently. "I seem to keep spending time with Rangers. You can be my replacement Gurzan. Or Gurzan Mark II: Dark Elf Edition. Now with more dinosaurs and less grumpy old man syndrome!" He moved back to Undercommon. "It was certainly not mine intention to traverse the route alone. I would indeed find myself at a loss. Not used to this area of the Underdark." Or the Underdark at all.