Leaving Dragonshire Behind

Is duty all that binds a man to his sovereign? I don't think so. As usual in life symbolism is more important. We have duty to our rulers because they represent not just their own interests, but their entire kingdom. They are their fiefdom or principality personified. A soldier, even a loyal one, can disobey an order in the best interests of his kingdom.

And it dosn't end there. If one does not love the ruler of a realm and thus the realm itself, how can they die for that location in battle? How would they be remembered by people who didn't care for them or value their services? No, there is no glory in dying for a lost cause, and to me Dragonshire is now a lost cause.

Let me start at the begining. I was wandering about visiting, and I met Sydel. We talked briefly but being evil she of course couldnt stand my presence, even though I offered to aid her. And so I left her and went after Xavier, who I knew to be heading out of the highlands. I wanted to make sure she was well guarded, but it turned out that was useless.

Her skilled amazon mercenaries were not only guarding her, but they captured me for following her. I resisted as long as I was able to and used one or two spells, but by the end of the night I was in the dungeons. Xavier simply wanted to teach me a lesson and had her maids and the two guards, Eclipse and Star, chain me up, bathe me and force me to eat all sorts of evil vegetables.

The next day Diedre sent Carey for me. I made no mistake in thinking it was a call of mercy. Diedre had summoned me to her side but thankfully I promised Xavier I'd return. She was somewhat displeased with her guards as they'd treated me rather roughly, but I told her that they hadn't been that bad to me and that I'd been attempting to escape anyhow.

I was taken back to Dragonshire to see Diedre. She asked for information about what was going on and mentioned my capture in Navere and Xavier's realm, Dubh Aonach. I told her as much as possible but I found there was no one in the hall I knew at all, and the fact that Braith was there made me even more uncomfortable. The queen said she had something to say to me but would wait until Jules arrived. At that time I heard screaming from upstairs in the elven tongue.

Jules arrived and the queen attempted to capture me and throw me in the dungeons, for what reasons I'm still not sure. I was already on my guard and teleported out. I took two guards along who had grabbed onto me, and lucky I was because the rangers soon informed me that Juliette had taken an elf from the forrest and kidnapped him. I sent the guards back to Diedre on the condition that they tell her what had happened. Diedre ignored that, had one of the guards murdered, and then put a large bounty on my head.

It hurt, and as soon as I was able I told my rangers to leave Dragonshire, and that I would have no more to do with the place. I now have no more allegiance or land...

I went to speak to Xavier but a messanger from Diedre caught up to me, demanding my return. Luckily Xavier took pity on me and simply had me put back in her own dungeons. My mom visited me the next day and we argued a bit. I want to go to Navere and stop troubling Xavier, but for now the choice is hers and it seems I'll stay where I am, which also suits me well enough, though I worry for Gia.

Freeedom!

Ok, so what have I done lately? Well, Athena and I were still fighting when my mom came and checked on me. I cursed while I was talking about Athena and mom ended up washing my mouth out with soap so I threw my usual fit and whined a lot. Then Liv called me back to her because I was still sick and she didnt want me leaving. She made quite sure of that... I've spent the last few days chained down to a bed by Liv and feeling completely miserable except for her time spent with me taking care of me. Inversely that brought me a lot closer to her and I think she enjoyed it, though not because I was miserable but because she liked to have me to herself and to give me so much attention. I have to admit I liked that part of it.

She really did take pretty good care of me, even when I was crying and trying to escape I knew she was there to look after me, though that meant making sure I stayed stuck in bed. I've grown really attached to Liv lately and I hardly even mind how strict she can be, though I'm starting to learn how to avoid getting her temper up. Like me she seems to prefer people to be straightforward and honest, and it gets on her nerves whenever I fib a bit. But honestly, she asked me whether or not I'd get out of bed and I said no, what else did she expect, the truth? Then again if I'd told the truth maybe she would have been nicer about what she had to do...

Anyhow today I got let go and made up with my mom, and that was good cuz I needed her too. I found Alais dead in the forrest... I couldnt even save Al... I felt terrible. Alais had been like my sister until she turned away from me... and I'd spoken to Al, said I'd protect him even before he was born... And I failed. I wish I could have been there, but instead I had to fight with Athena who was planning to do something with the body. I teleported it to the chapel and we nearly killed eachother over the matter. Finally she made me cry and after that things seemed to settle down and we made up.

I had to tell Mar and keep from crying. I had found a Navere insignia on the cody and a Navere dagger as well but I kept that secret because I knew they were planted. Mar was really broken up... so was I... I dunno what to do... I feel so helpless... I cant write about this anymore.

Moving on. I have to move on. Liv let me go today, did I say that? Yeah, but I should describe it better. Live let me eat from her hand and cleaned me up, even offered to let me burn all the evil stuff she'd used on me. I decided not to cuz really looking back it was kind of a good thing in a way. She's going to be checking up on me for the next few days too just to make sure I'm ok.

I saw my mom again and I just crawled into her lap and cried for Ali, and for all that had happened. I feel a duty to help Navere, but once again it's so big, and so hostile. And I know LIv cant help me, it's something I'll have to do largely on my own with Siona seeming to be out of comission. I want to work with her but I know she won't.. On hte bright side though I stopped by Navere and got my equipment back.

I think I'll have to ask Jelia for help. I don't want to but that seems to be the only way until something more happens. The priestesses of Lolth in Navere are bound to know something and Jelia is the one to get it from them. Mystra forgive me if I'm wrong.

Owieeee

Today hasnt been going well. I snuck out to go see my mom and tell Mar about Valkryn. Mom helped heal me up a bit and then we got into a tiny argument about what I was going to do to Athena. I cursed once and she ended up holding me down on the bed and washing my mouth out with soap. I threw one of my usual temper tantrums after that because I was being punished even after telling her what Athena had done to me. Sometimes I just feel that people pick on me because they know I wont hurt them back as badly as I could, but I guess thats just life...

I went to tell Mar about Valkryn and on the way I found Siona laying in the forrest. Her magic was running wild, uncontrolled and doing great harm to the life around her so I blocked that first. When I approached her face was drenched in blood and bird feathers, she looked like she'd eaten a raw fowl. She was gibbering and growling like a mad animal, and I briefly considered sending her to the dungeons of a drow house I was allied with but decided to be nice and take her to the tower to heal. I tied her up and left her in a bed in one of the holding rooms to be tended by the rangers. Now I had more bad news for my baby sister...

I told Mar everything and she took it pretty well, didnt even cry... She's growing up so much. She left soon after to go to sleep. Jules appeared after hearing Valkryn's name. She'd been in Dragonshire at the time so I had to tell her too, as well as the business with Dalharuk and the loss of Lolth's favor. She said she'd arrange a meeting with Gia for me and then wandered off in a daze. I tried to comfort her but she simply shrugged it off.

And then Liv caught me and called me back. I appeared and immediately chains of air wrapped around me and gagged me. She was none too happy that I'd disobeyed her order to stay in bed, so she whipped me and then chained me to the bed after putting various tubes in all sorts of uncomfortable places. I was crying by the end of it but she held me and did her best to calm me down. I guess I deserved it but I hope she lets me go soon... I hate holding still and these tuby machines are frightening.

Troubles with Liv

Last night Liv and I had a fight, as usual over my disinterest in sex... She gave me my ummm boy parts back and she expected me to use them, even suggesting I did it in public to get used to it. I yelled at her saying I wasnt going to humiliate myself just for her enjoyment and we got into a huge fight and she stormed off. That didnt help my fever much but I didnt care, I was more worried about keeping her from being too mad at me.

I finally got her to come back, and we talked things out. I did the best I could to make her happy without violating my ideals, and she seemed a little calmer. It wasntlong though before I passed into sleep from the fever I'd gotten a day or so earlier.

When I woke Liv was watching over me, and we spent the day like that with her feeding me and just generally taking great care of me. We talked for a while and she was still wanting to find out why I'd chosen to remain a virgin. The discussion got rather heated and she became quite demanding. I told her that my morals were simply against it, that it was my choice, and that if morality was a cage I lived in I meant to keep within it.

I guess being a succubus she wouldnt quite understand the desire to keep to ones morals, or perhaps she would, Liv isnt a bad sort after all and she does have her share of goodness... I don't know, it was just so hard trying to explain my own beliefs because theres a lot to it. I suppose mostly I dont want to grow up and be like my father and so many other males, or to grow up at all. I don't want to run off after having my way with a woman and I don't want to lose the innocence and youth that make me who I am.

I finally just threw a temper tantrum, but Live calmed me down as usual and took care of me. I had to cooperate while she took my temperature, which was still elevated, and then I fell asleep laying against her after she made me say I'd stay in bed and avoid the underdark.

Valkryn's Lament

(( posted from previous days )) Today was a most trying day, a day when a part of me nearly died. But instead it was someone I'd never expected to die in such a manner. Let me start from the begining. I met Athena in the forrests. She was fuming mad and it turns out that some woman named Phinneas took her child away. I tried to get some informatation from her so I could help in the hunt, but she got angry and before long she'd dragged me to Navere's dungeons with a teleport spell while holding my ear.

The fight I put up didnt last long, I only got in a few kicks and then the bitch called in the Navere guards. She hit me in the inner thigh and under arm, some kind of pressure points to make my arms and legs go numb, and then just laughed at me while the guards beat me and chained me upside down. I tried to get to my lock pick but she had the guards strip me as further humiliation.

I've never felt so betrayed in my life, and by my own sister even. I spat some of the blood gathering in my mouth at her, begged her to release me, to take me anywhere where Jelia wouldnt be able to get me... but she simply left me there to suffer as if I didn't even matter. It was then that I started to think that perhaps my way of thinking has been wrong all these years.

That if I were to go help Phinneas take Athena's son... perhaps give Athena a few good bolts of lightening enough to blacken her face and hands, that then people would respect me. And if not, for a time, I'd have been willing to go further and help Phinneas in her schemes, and then aid house Dalharuk in capturing Jelia and Valkryn, and perhaps even playing a trick on Siona with some magic items I had. And the exquisite pain I could exact upon Zodiac...

I thought about all the people I'd helped, and where I'd ended up, about how worthless it was to have mercy and self control, to put the happiness of others above my desires, to avoid killing my opponents so they could trouble me again. After all, had I destroyed jelia in the dungeons she surely wouldnt be approaching with horrible implements of torment...

I was teetering on the edge of madness, but then something saved me. A Yochlol, one of the handmaidens of Lolth. It appeared in the courtyard from what I learned afterwards and sent out a shockwave that knocked most of the guards about and drew the rest up to the main level.

I'd warned Valkryn about the spider queen's anger. At first I thought he was just too proud to take advice from me, but now I suppose he was simply resigned to his fate. He was a known Vhaerunite, probably the source of Lolth's anger... And he knew what would have to happen. That's what I believe he was thinking, or at least what I'd like to believe.

While the guards were writhing in agony the cell largely shielded me, so despite the beatings I jerked my thumb out of socket and slipped out of the restraints, grabbing a lock picking kit from my chastity belt and going to work on the other three shackles. When I was finally out of them I picked the door and ran out, getting up the stairs and heading for the courtyard to help Valkryn.

When I got there I could hear the groans of wounded drow... but there was nothing left of Valkryn except his weapons. The Yochlol had died as well and taken him with it. Valkryn gave his life to protect his home, to calm the spider queen and give Navere a chance.

Such selflessness dosnt normally appear in the drow, or in many races of Faerun for that matter. But it certainly banished my thoughts of turning down the dark path of vengeance and hate. Valkryn had done what he had to do, had lost his very life, for no other reason than to protect others. He'd been called a meddler, an evil man, a killer, as I have, and it never phased him. And finally he'd suffered pain and death because it was what he had to do, because it was right.

In the end I can't imagine that he would have looked for allies, I can't imagine that he would have wanted things to go differently. He was vindicated by that final act, no matter what may come next. His plans and hopes are not gone with him though, even if he is laying in the demon web pits in torment. I for one intend to do all that I can to uphold House Navere, and I'm sure it's strengthened others resolve.

In the end, doing what's right dosn't guarantee safety or friends, or approval. It only guarantees respect and some degree of dignity, even if that must come after death. Someone might later ask me if Valkryn was a good person... That would take a bit of thought... I think my answer would simply have to be, that he surely did a good job of making people think otherwise, and I'll leave it at that.

I wasnt sure Valkryn was dead immediately though. I half thought it might be acruel trick just to toy with me. But when I saw how many guards were badly wounded I forgot the risk and began trying to help them. I expended all my clerical and mage healing spells and was just slumping my way out of the house when Gia appeared.

She did that thing that people can do where they yell at you to do something and you just kinda have to do it. I guess she learned it from having so many kids, cuz I know not all rulers can just do that. Plus I felt bad for her about Valkryn, so I hobbled back and tried to explain to her what had happened without openly saying that Valkryn was the goo we were standing in.

She saw the sword though, and I barely caught her with a spell (I wasnt about to touch her, I was afraid she'd hit me) before she crumpled to the ground atop the blanket I'd used to escape. It was kind of odd, I think she was crying, and all the time I'd heard Ali call her this coldhearted bitch and now I knew it wasnt true. I wanted to hold her, try to comfort her, but I knew that would be going too far, specially as dirty as I was. So I called over the priestesses and gave her to their care.

Mommyyyyyyyyy!

Foxxy reapeared recently in Navere, and whats more shocking is it was Valkryn that broguth her back. We talked for a while and she borrowed my diary to find out what I'd been up to. Frankly I'm scared. Shes already found out a few things and I barely escaped being bathed and given medicine, a feat I only credit to years of training dodging such things from her.

What will be harder to dodge is the necessity of giving Valkryn a big hug. Speaking of which it seems the house I took over in Menzobaranzan is now being ordered to destroy Navere by Lolth herself. I hate that meddling bitch, just when I thought everything was under control too...

Mar and I are getting closer again and talking more, though I still wish Zodiac had never met her. Seeing her pregnant and so scared to lose the children she shouldnt have even been pushed into having just reminds me of my failures as a parent, that I never taught her better while I had the chance.

On the bright side though Liv and I have been growing a lot closer. I was sick recently and she took such good, if slightly overzealous, care of me. She's probably the nicest person from the future I ever met and its so easy to belong to her that I don't even mind it, which is of course rather scary. Perhaps I was always meant to be someone's property and I'd just never found someone that could keep me...

Bah what am I talking about, theres no one that can keep me, though Liv certainly is a good friend and I do love her...

dinner time

My business in Menzobaranzan is largely complete, so I was able to hang out a bit for the first time in a while. Liv's still looking after me and doing a great job of it when I come to stay with her. I got sick today and even though it was my own fault she made me feel a lot better, despite the fact that it involved medicine -yuck-. I also met a friend of Liv's named Lita who seems... well.. kinda chaotic like Liv but definately nice and very curious. I hope to get to know her better.

I visited my friends in Dragonshire too. Athena was plotting as usual and I told her mom said hi and all and then had to go to the village. Cameo had invited me to dinner a while earlier and it was finally happening tonight. Siona popped up and I whined and pouted to try to get my stuff back from her but she just wouldn't. I dont know what her plans are for me but if she keeps my equipment she's going to get it.

I think that my next visit to Navere will impress her enough to return my belongings if all goes right in Menzobaranzan.

Visiting Nirvana

Today I finally finished the quest to bring the gatekeeper's crystals to Waterdeep and was floated up and out of the plane with a modified starflight spell. It was definately nice to see Mystra again and she seemed very pleased with me. There's nothing better than an appreciative pat on the head from your goddess.

Anyhow she did more than that, naturally. She showed me the full uses of my powers as one of her chosen, and then I showed her the various spells I'd developed since we last met, though naturally she already knew them. It seemed like a very short time we were together before she sent me back to my home plane.

I found Marquie shortly thereafter and she said she'd nearly miscarried but had been healed somehow. She's got three kids in her thanks to that son of a bitch and she says she'd die if anything happened to them. Knowing Mar I know that's a physical and emotional possibility, and as much as it pains me to think of those two together I'd immediately send Zodiac to join her in the afterlife if she were to fall because of his idiocy! A seven hundred year old dragon forcing his desire for children on a mere girl! Gargh, the willpower it took not to simply tell her that she should have waited and not listened to the fool til her body was ready, til she was ready...

But no, I made nice. I'll have my chance at Zodiac one day when he screws up. The children are another story. I must admit I'm not entirely ambivalent to them, but considering their source and the shameful manner in which they were conceived I truly don't want much to do with them. They are after all his children more than Marquie's...

Perhaps I'm just being grumpy, my present circumstances might cause that. I've infiltrated a drow house in Menzoberanzan, the same one that sent people to spy on Navere and ended up hurting Xavier. I'd captured one of their nobles during the rescue and I convinced him to help me help him.

I found one of his sisters who seemed malleable enough and we're conspiring to make her Matron, with him becoming house sorcerer. I'll simply serve as an advisor of sorts out of notice... and perhaps open a few trade routes as well. The main goal however is to attain the safety of Navere without necessitating a war. So far one out of his three undesirable sisters has met a bad end.

The current house sorceress confronted him when he appeared but I used a trick to cast magic for him so that he was able to fend her off with a magical sword. Naturally she stole it, but by that time I'd put a great many explosive runes on it. Now there are only three more drow standing in the way of our conquest. Til then of course I'm stuck down in the slave pits while I keep up appearances. It's not so bad really as long as you avoid the ones with the whips.

Escapey

So I saw Anguitami in my cell today and he offered to help me out. I traded some information to him in return and then while he was getting ready to work on that my mother appeared! The wards didnt effect her since she was a ghost and we just caught up a bit. I think its a good thing she was incorporeal cuz she did try to smack me once or twice.

She told me to stay in the cell and behave, but I just had to get out so when Ang gave the signal I tried to escape. I took down two guards with a silverfire ability as well as opening the door. Then I took their clothes and put them on and wandered around for a while. I used dragon gaze to find out how to get around the dungeon and such.

With that done I headed high into the dungeons, nearly to the exit where the wards ended. I used spellfire again and then headed back down the levels to hide. I wanted Gia to come and let me go, or maybe Siona or something. But instead Jelia came. She just wanted to torture me even though I hadnt done anything. I snatched her into my cell and got a good hit on her with teh mace I'd taken from a guard.

The guards she'd had with her started to break down the door so after some more clever banter I used my chosen teleportation ability to reach the place where I'd last cast silverfire. From there I bounded up the stairs and teleported out. I saw Marquie and eventually we went off to talk.

She was feeling lonely and so was I. I dunno why but I've never been so down after an escape. So Mar and I hung out the rest of the night and talked until I put her to bed.

Kill... Siona...

So, today I got the first part of the crystal from Liv and she took me clothes shopping... as well as some less pleasant stuff... She nearly made me sleep outside cuz I wasnt behaving. She still seems to think she's in charge or something but she's not too out front about it so I let it go... Plus she's really nice.

Also, Angel and Xavier tried to drown me, Xavier for feudung with Athena and Angel for putting a robe that would burn evil creatures on her adn tricking her into wearing it a while back.

Speaking of Xavier I was fighting with Ang and Baeryne when I felt something odd going on around Navere. I left and went to investigate and all of a sudden found a passed out drow from Menzoberanzan. I sent him to a prison room in my tower and then followed the tracks of what must have been a magical mount. The tracks disappeared after intersecting with those of some drow.

I followed those tracks around til I found some that led out of the town and came upon a cave where some spies from Menzoberanzan were torturing Xavier. I charged in and one of them burst into flames, one of them fell to my sword. The others were putting up stiff resistance hwen Valkryn';s warriors rushed in and helped me out a bit as well as getting Xavier to safety.

Unfortunately a dart hit me from one of the two enemy drow and I went down. I woke up in Navere's dungeons thanks to Siona. I couldn't believe her. She took away my equipment and said I'd stay there til Gia saw to me, even though I was the one that saved Xavier! Siona can be so mean sometimes but I think its just her attempt to act like a drow. I whined for a while and tried to get out, thought thankfully I wasnt chained up. After a while I just fell asleep.

Owch...

So then, I found Athena finally in Navere and tried to get to her after checking in on Marmar. Thaydin blocked my way and was acting like a jerk as usual. Then Athena came out just as he tired of bothering me. I think Valkryn might have taken over... Yes that seems most likely now that I realize it. Valkryn is in Thaydin's body. I shall ahve to investigate this.

Anyhow she lured me into the house nad down to the dungeons. I knew what she was up to but it was when I found out why that I got worried: She wants the crystal for herself. It's taken over her will and driven her mad. So I prepared. I drank a potion of curing poison slowly so it would be running through my blood and offered it to Athena. Naturally she was suspicious and didn't drink it.

So when I stuck her with a sleeping dart I was ready for her retribution when she shoved it into my thigh, but I didnt go down. She was out like a light and I could have left her in the dungeons, but that would be too cruel. So I took her upstairs. I hoped to get her to the tower, null her magics, tie her up and talk sense into her, but Xavier stopped me and even called the guards.

I let her stay there and then went to see Siona. Or rather Siona came to see me. She was chiding me for coming to Navere and then scolded me even more for the business with the crystals. For a while I was able to take it but then I started to see something different in the way she treated me. I guess I'm used to being treated like some kid... But when I was with Siona today...

It just seemed like she was going out of her way to get on my case, and I thought maybe all of her scolding and condescension were just her trying to prove she was teh better mage as she always does. She didnt really say anything particularly mean, just the usual telling me how irresponsible I was... But this time I felt like lettign her take care of me as she used to would be like letting a rival get the better of me, she's become so different lately and I feel like we cant relate anymore... That made me really sad.

I excused myself silently, nearly crying and went to rest a bit with Liv. And wouldnt you know it, she decided to threaten me between the legs with a pair of scissors... Yay. Well I turned their blades to rubber but then she grew talons, so I used a flesh to iron spell, but she had other magics and before long I was crying and laying in a rather large pool of blood. When I finally healed I must have kicked an punched her a hundred times, so she cast a spell to make sure I couldnt put it back.

I fell asleep after a while still cursing at her and begging her to fix it, but the only result was that she agreed not to take the berries to go with the twig... She can be really scary...

Speaking of scary the next day I went to see Athena again and this time we just went at it. She tried to get me into the dungeons again and used the ear pulling tecnique on me, finally tying my wrists adn trying to hang me from a rafter. I doubled up and got onto the rafter, than when she tried to tug me down I jumped and pulled her up and we fought like that for a while. Oddly enough I had the upper hand without any magic involved but I knew I couldnt win in there.

So I swung back and then let go, rolling towards the doors and letting her fall. I made a portal and hopped through, leaving it open for her and preparing a spell. She blocked it surprisingly well and countered. I got wounded twice because I wasnt expecting her to actually try to go for my throat, to try to kill me.

I found the crystal but trying to get it caused al ightening bolt to course through me and then Athena zapped me again. She even faked turning good again just to trick me. Finally I teleported to Liv's house in the future.

Liv broke up the fight and took the crystal for safe keeping, but in the heat of the moment I told her if she saved me she could have Athena. At that time Athena was trying to kill me so I wasnt so guilty... but when she'd passed out she looked so helpless I couldnt do it, but Liv wouldnt back down.

I took Athena's place and began to cry as Liv snapped some sort of magical choker around my neck. She took me up to her bed and we snuggled together. Somehow no matter how often I throw a temper tantrum she always gets me out of it, it's odd... I fell asleep rather easily once I'd calmed down.

Groundee to grounder

so today I found out that Mar let a Sharran priest cast spells on her and stuff to free her mind of a thing with Siona thats festered there since she was a girl. I guess thats the reason they're so distant. I wish they could be like they should, that we could all be a family.

Instead, I had to be the one that went and told Marquie she was grounded for doing that. I'm terrible at that! Luckily I dont have to enforce it or anythinf, I did my duty right? I've been busy with Navere and trying to track down the final piece of the gatekeeper's crystal so I can make sure Mar stays in her room.

I got the third piece when some damn pit fiend found out and went for Numias. They're both gone, the boxes are Mystra knows where, and during the commotion I slipped in and pocketed what I wanted.

But now Athena seems to have buggered off with the first piece and no one can find her. I'm sure she's ok, she's always been so strong, always been the knowledable one that took away my toys if I might hurt myself with them. I hope she hasnt hurt herself...

Business is going well in Navere. I took back my old house and have been trying to gain an audience with Gia... I think of Ali a lot... I don't think she likes me anymore, but I still hope her life is good.

Back to the Darkness

This has certainly been one of the more harrowing ordeals of my life, and it seems as though it will change things quite a bit. I guess I should start from the begining. I was just wondering around the forrest when I noticed Angel was dragging some poor guy to her house to kill. I arrived too late to save him, but Angel did come out and sic a pack of ghoul hounds against me. Normal animals I could have stopped, but these were driven mad by the vampiric curse and no longer natural.

I fought off the back of them by magic and by blade, but when it was over I was bleeding from my thigh, one of my arms, and my other wrist, so that all my limbs save a leg were almost totally disabled by the jaws of the wolves, and one of them stood over me yet.

Angel laughed and taunted me and gave me time to crawl away, promising to set the wolf on me if I didn't move. I crawled off into the forrest after getting my wounds somewhat dressed and sent out a telepathic call asking for help. No one answered. That hurt nearly as much as the wounds, and for an entire day no one came to my aid.

My clothes were torn and bloody and not much help against the chill of the forrest's night, so I did as the animals do and got into a dead tree for windbreak, covering myself with leaf litter as if it were a blanket.

When I awoke I found Isis, a friend I'd made in the days previous to my ordeal, had brought her aunt to meet me. I thought she was a vampire but it turned out to be much worse. Liv, as her aunt was called, was a succubus, and she could sense that she would be my first if she could entice me... And she wasnt subtle about it.

When she'd ripped off my clothes and straddled me I thought I was doomed, but things got worse. Gia appeared, taking a walk through the forrest. And of course she saw what was happening. I was expecting her to cheer Liz on or kick me or something, but she actually stood up for me, even when Siona appeared and laughed at me. I couldn't help but be kind of touched.

Gia had nothing to gain by telling Liz to get off of me, and in the end it nearly caused her a lot of trouble. Mera's evil double appeared and tried to claim me, and then Valkryn appeared to kick dirt at me (though I got him back by spitting on his boots real good. At least I think it hit his boots, I couldn't see what with the succubus on me)

Anyhow Gia and Valk eventually left once things seemed to have calmed down and Mera left me to my fate after collecting nearly 500 gold for Liv to "rent her property" for the night. By then I was curled in a fetal position in an orb of air and starting to cramp up. But when I told Liv that I couldnt do anything because of my oath to Mystra and my own choices she just accepted it and kissed me. Of course in doing so she sucked out a good bit of my life energy, but thats neither here nor there.

She looked after me while I threw a tantrum at her and then took me to get a bath. Tomorrow I'm heading down to Navere. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm sure I can find something. Gia's feud with Ali is pretty much their own, though I wish I could do more to help the weaker side, especially with Al mixed up in the equation. But Thaydin told me not to interfere, and I intend to respect his wishes.

But the bigger picture is that Navere is unique among the drow cities I've been to. The events tonight surely show that. They're better morally than other drow, but in the underdark that is sure to be taken as a sign of weakness as it was in the past. I'm sure that I'll have plenty to do because of that.