The Webs of the Spider

[Deacon]

[SIZE=13][The following script is written in the Deep Tongue.  The text itself is thin lettered, and precise and was obviously written by a very intelligent person.][/SIZE]
 

[SIZE=18]
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[SIZE=18]Webs of the Spider[/SIZE]
    [SIZE=10]Entry [/SIZE][SIZE=10]1[/SIZE]

 


 [SIZE=13]The first day on the surface, and what can I say.  After being left with nothing but rags on my back, and a few True in my pocket I immediately found means to defend myself.  I also picked up a nice robe which would allow me to conceal myself from the surface dwellers since it is around these same villages that many raiders from the deep have come and pillaged.  [/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]After this first task was complete I walked around Fort Vehl to get a bearing on my surroundings.  I spoke with a few of the natives and was tasked by an undertaker to journey down to the crypts and retrieve the dust of a mummy who resided there.  I accepted the charter because he promised me a few more True for returning the dust alive.  [/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]Just as I was about to enter a group was just exiting, unsure of what to do I backed away and did not draw my weapons.  They seemed just as cautious towards me as I was to them, so I relaxed just slightly knowing that should things get out of hand my scimitar was just a hand's breadth away at my waist.  [/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]The first introduced herself as X'une, then Democoon, and finally Cai'ron.  The one named X'une was a dark elf, I could tell for sure because she was showing her eyes and a few other parts of her body, and the dark grey pigment was a sure sign. They asked me my name, which I did not want to tell them because if I were dropped off here by the one who knocked me out, an entrance to the Unending Night cannot be far, and hearing my name tossed around town may not be a good idea.[/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]I told them the first thing that came to mind, Angel.  So I guess that is what I shall be known as to the surface dwellers, a bit ironic, but it works.  Hopefully the name holds.  After the group had talked and rested a bit they allowed me to go back into the crypts with them where I encountered the first hostile creature since arriving on the surface.  We sent a number of Corath's minions back to rest, and collected knuckles and True.[/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]We made it to the second level easily enough, and rested again.  They told me that the mummy was near, only a few rooms away.  In the next couple rooms we killed more fresh corpses than those of the first level, and prepared for the battle against the mummy at the final door in the crypts.  It was completed without a hitch, and I collected some dust from the dry, lifeless body.[/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]Back on the surface I showed the undertaker the dust and we exchanged dust for the contracted True.  The group then rested again on the outskirts of the fort and we headed to the nearest city of Port Hempstead.  Once inside I was introduced to the full extent of the hatred surfacers have for my race.[/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]A darthir, whose name I did not catch was ready to kill X'une based solely on appearance.  He even pulled his bow on her, and with an arrow notched threatened her.  Not wanting to see the blood of one who had just helped me, I stepped in front of the elf and told him to lower his bow and take out his frustration on the rats that he had planned on killing, though without that many words.  [/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]He simply refused to oblige, until a human female coerced him down.  It is that sort of unbridled hatred that can drive a man crazy.  Without even the knowledge of past history, or what X'une might have done to deserve the trust and respect of those around her, he was ready to kill her because of what our kinsmen have done in the past.[/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]Though I cannot say I blame him, we have done some terrible things.  I suspect that his life was touched by such an incident in a very personal way, and thus he feels it his duty to eradicate us to avenge some even in his past.  Whatever the case, I was not impressed.  Spitting at the ground I walked away quietly.  [/SIZE]
 

 [SIZE=13]It was time for rest and meditation.[/SIZE]
 

 

[SIZE=13]-Quarral Mae'zynge[/SIZE]

[Deacon]

Webs of the Spider
Entry 2

Weeks have passed since I was stranded on the surface.  And many things I have learned.  The hatred for my race is surely widespread, and does not include just a few of these surface dwellers.  It seems that anywhere I go, as long as I am wearing my robes I get confused with a dark elf by the name of Daralith.  I do not know who he is, but has obviously made a name for himself.

I have begun the process of removing this filthy speech impediment from my lips.  I have only been speaking common for these few weeks  though I was taught it at the temple, but I still get confused on the sentence structure a bit.  I can piece together smaller sentences, and I am working my way up to the longer ones and the easiest way to learn is to associate with these humans and elves.  

*Quarral puts the quill down and runs his hands through his hair*

The only thing other than learning the language that I have gained from these races is a few more True, and experience in the world.  I am gaining a clearer understanding of the land around me, and with each passing day I venture further and further out on my own.  With each passing moment I feel stronger and stronger, each time I reach a peak I am granted further knowledge of the divine by the Prince of Hate.

When not out killing more of the slave races, I have found another activity to pass the time.  I am trying my hand at enchanting, and have been able to craft some rudimentary healing potions.  The clergy of Shadon were a bit thrown off when I entered their small temple at the Scamp's Mug in Hempstead, but with little convincing was allowed to use their enchanting pool to do my work.  It was slow, but in time I will be able to do powerful weapon and armor enhancements to make myself stronger.

-Quarral Mae'zynge

[Deacon]

Webs of the Spider
Entry 3

   Another day on the surface.  How I long to see the dark, cold expanses of the Underneath.  I can almost smell the dank stench that permeates the entire region; probably from the left over rotting remains of some long ago creature that was killed because it was too weak to withstand the harsh reality this environment creates.  But it is home, and at home resides a thought that has never ceased to consume my waking hours.

  Vengeance.

  I think about it more and more daily, as I wonder what has happened to House Mae’zynge without my presence.  Individuals do not stand out to me, not even my own parents because I know that their lives are already on their downward spiral.  My only concern is our position in the tumultuous world known as Dark Elf politics.  If the skin of the politicians and House Leaders were not jet black, I would wonder if they were actually minions of Corath, sent to drink the blood of their victims.  They drain the life away from you, and with every breath you get closer to expiring.

  It was in the midst of this turmoil that I was betrayed, though rather ingeniously, by a kinsman who no doubt wanted me out of the way on their rise to ascendancy.  Now it has been years since that act occurred, and I can only assume that most of my immediate kin have been all but wiped out.  They were probably the first to be killed, to set an example for the others around that might be watching.  

  Vengeance.

  It is with all this in mind that I began to search my surroundings once again to get familiar with the stones that surround the small settlement known by the surface dwellers as Fort Vehl.  Above me I heard a whisper from an unfamiliar voice.  I looked up to see a figure standing at the top of the wall, I could not see his face because the shadows were covering his face due to the hood he was wearing.  He was carrying a very gaudy and unwieldy staff that was glowing.

  I walked up to investigate, but I was cut short as a surface dweller began talking to this hooded figure about scrolls.  They exchanged words and a few lower school spells and the unworthy walked away.  I began to stare at the figure before me just then.  I could tell from the way he held himself that he was not human, and his physical appearance showed that he was too frail to be any other race other than elf.  That or he is one of those spell weavers, too weak to even lift a finger in a physical altercation.
  It turned out I was right in both assumptions.  He threatened me, and we talked about the different philosophies on how to kill an individual.  I was taught long ago that savoring the vengeance that your well laid plans have brought to you is more favorable than to deal death quickly.  A swift death is a sign of mercy, and mercy shows weakness.  In the Dark Elf world, weakness will get you killed.  

  I began insulting the individual, who by this time I had guessed was another Dark Elf.  As expected he did not take this in stride, and began to return the insults with some of his own.  Again he threatened me, claiming that my ego was out of control and needed adjustment or I would not last long on the surface.  I told him that my ego was in perfect shape considering his position as a sorcerer and my place at the top of the social ladder as a Priest of Ca’duz.

  About this time our conversation was cut short by an unnamed figure who wore dark robes and a hood.  He said he had been sent by his employer to find less than spotless individuals who would be interested in a job.  I agreed to listen to him, and he told us to keep an eye out for a posting about grapes for sell.  If we are interested in the employment, we are to inquire about the freshness of the grapes.  Once this was complete we would receive information on the job.  Once the shadowy figure had left, I simply nodded at the arrogant sorcerer and walked away from him.
  I do not know if he will ever be considered an ally, but certainly he could be useful to me in some way.  I shall keep him around, and spare his existence...at least for a little bit longer.

-Quarral Mae'zynge
 

[Deacon]

Webs of the Spider
Entry 4

I was so caught up in my delight at this occurrence a few days ago, that I had completely forgot to record the incident in my journal.  Now I have had some time to settle myself down and consider what happened I cannot keep myself from grinning like a small child.  The only thing that would have been greater would had I been able to succeed in my shrewd task.

I had just been warned not to enter Port Hempstead by one of the guards and his persuasive sword when I noticed a group of people standing before me.  This group was not an ordinary group of bystanders however, because one of them was a big oaf of an orc who was as disgusting as any of his kin I can assure you.  Aside from the orc was a quiet female, and a human male who I could tell immediately both by dress and demeanor was a man with good moral virtues...in other words he was weak.  I decided to keep my distance and pick a time at which to insert my own observations into their conversation.  

Apprantly the orc, who I came to learn later is named Erugor, was really hungry for a pie and was not sure why he was not allowed entry into Port Hempstead where there were most likely pies being sold.  The male, named Argos, was explaining to the orc that because of his race and the history of violence and marauding that his kinsmen had carried out on the city that he would be denied entry even though he had saved the town from invasion before.  This is where I decided to make my input known.

I approached the group and was asked by Erugor if I had a pie on me, to which I replied of course not.  I then asked the brute if the people before him were bothering him.  This caused the pair of humans to raise their eyebrows and look at me with a second glance.  They explained the situation to me, and at once I turned to Erugor and asked him if he was very hungry.  He replied eagerly with hunger in his eyes.  Getting the response I was looking for, I told him that these people were only trying to delay him from getting his pie.  An application for an orc to enter the city could take weeks or even months to clear, and he himself had done nothing wrong so he should just go into the town and take what was rightfully his.

Argos was insistent and told Erugor not to listen to me, explaining to Erugor that such an action would alert the guards and he would be forcibly removed from Port Hempstead.  With that in mind, I turned to Erugor again and asked him if he was a strong orc.  He flexed his massive muscles and said yes, he was a strong orc (though in much simpler terms that that).  I told him that it was not fair that these humans could enter the city whenever they wnated, and he had done nothing to deserve the treatment he was recieving, and furthermore he was strong enough to overpower the guards should they try any funny business.  

When I mentioned that the orc's eyes grew large as he thought of the possibilities of getting his pie immediately.  Sensing that things may get out of hand, Argos insisted that Erugor listen to him instead.  He told Erugor that he himself would go into the town and get a whole sack full of pies and return shortly.  He turned on his heels and headed into Port Hempstead.  By this time I had impatient, and noticed that Erugor too had calmed down.  Once Argos was out of earshot, I turned to Erugor and began to chastise him.  I told him that he was dumb and a fool to trust the human, and tried to tell him that Argos did not really care about him.  I tried to continue this explanation but Erugor had been angered when I called him dumb, and he shoved me with a single massive green paw.  The force of the push was so great that I lost my footing and fell down.  

About the same time, Argos returned holding the promised sack of pies.  He saw me on the ground and could hear the anger in Erugor's voice, and though he did not show it I'm sure he was smiling on the inside.  I got back to my feet and regained my composure.  I told Argos that I was through with this conversation and that the brute was his to manipulate.  Then I turned to Erugor one last time and told him that if he was ever ready to find someone who truly cared that he should seek me out.  I waved a hand in dismissal and took my leave.  

I do enjoy getting the last word.

-Quarral Mae'zynge

*Quarral replaces the quill in its spot and closes the book, a sly grin creases his otherwise smooth face*