Out of the womb
Came the three that would be;
The daughters of Mavralyn.
Sisters, soon all would see.

But first for the birth,
They vied for position.
Who would be first?
They were three on a mission.

They pushed and they shoved,
They fought one another,
But then the time came
And we popped out of our mother!

She awoke with a start.  Jumping quickly to her feet, the young drowess donned the hunter green and black colors of her house.  Her hand lightly rubbed the thin line of a long scar that ran the length of her inner thigh. A reminder from the Weapons Master, when she grew less diligent in her practice.  A lesson she never forgot.  Lastly, she pinned on her royal broach with the house insignia.  Born to the second house of power in this small drow city, I1yena d'Kilsek, Drada Dalharil^*1, prepared herself for whatever the day may bring.

A commanding urgency filled her thoughts as she conjured a spell of darkness to protect her movements within the compound.  Swiftly she made her way to the balcony and levitated down to the lower level.  She floated inches above the floor, so as not to be detected.  All seemed quiet, for most in the house still slumbered.  Several of the guards gathered to gamble in the stillness. "Stupid fools, Mother will have their hearts for breakfast," she grinned. As her mind uttered these thoughts another voice touched her, a low alto voice sang in her mind, "Maybe not, I1yena."

Surprised, I1enya stopped her forward movement to hover just before the gates to the still quiet city.  Again the female voice rang through I1yena's confused mind, "Move quickly, Drada Dalharil d'Kilsek, move quickly or suffer the consequences."

Blindly obedient, I1yena slipped out of the simple but elegant compound. Finally she let her feet touch the ground. Taking up a swift steady pace, she made her way through the quiet streets.  Blue fairy fire outlined the buildings as she passed.  Located in a small, protected cavern in the deepest bowels of the Underdark the small drow city had only five major houses and several incidental ones.

She herself had just returned after weeks of grueling patrol.  Something she loved best, the adventure and the unknown of the lands beyond.  This time something different filled the air on her return. Something she did not quite understand and felt terribly wrong.  Arriving just hours before, she did not wake anyone.  Instead she found her room, stripped herself of her filthy patrol clothes, and fell naked into a deep sleep on her bed.

As she reached the outskirts of the city, she turned to look back at her home.

"Do not look back!  Nindol zhah naut dossta ul-ilindith (this is not your destiny)," the voice thundered.

I1yena could not avert her sight quick enough. Mesmerized she stared as before her eyes the blue fairy fire that outlined the city turned gold and then burned bright red.  Searing brightness stabbed at her eyes as she felt the city convulse before her.  Not a scream did she hear, not a stirring. The Goddess showed rare mercy in the execution of her punishment.  I1yena's body flew back against the stone walls; smashing her head with such force she had only a moment to know her sight was gone before she slipped into unconsciousness.

"Ilyena," floated the wicked laugh, "you make this harder for yourself. Listen next time the Goddess commands you...listen completely...for you, unlike your city, still have her favor.

In a barely audible whisper she gasped out "Lloth? Do you still speak to me?"

"Insolent fool!" The low voice boomed out, making the pain in her head reverberate to every corner of her mind. "Do you really think the Goddess would be speaking directly to you?  Be thankful she has taken this much interest in your destiny."

Wincing under the rebuke, I1yena quickly spoke to appease the disembodied messenger of the Queen of the Spiders, "Nelgeth ussa. Usstan uil dosst ulu quarth. (Forgive me. I am yours to command.)"   She crossed her slender dark arms across her chest in a sign of submission.

"Xas, you are," the messenger cackled out. "On your feet... time is being wasted here."

Stumbling a bit, I1yena made her way through the familiar passages of her patrol.  Carefully, she listened as she walked through the passages at a slow and steady pace.  She mentally stretched herself to her remaining four senses to guide her along her path. She moved not knowing where she was going, yet sure of every step... guided by the taunting messenger of her goddess.

She had traveled without incident until one day, she heard a large scuffling scraping sound behind her. In an instant, her sword flung out.  She spun about and with all her strength swung her weapon outward towards the approaching sound. Just as suddenly she switched the direction of her blade and it sparked against the rocks as it sliced harmlessly to the ground.

I1yena panted heavily, as she felt the course hairs of the cave dwelling arachnid against her thigh.

"Even blinded you must know Lloth... always," the words drifted through the cavern as she leaned against her sword and caught her breath.

Several days later, hungry and thirsty she reached an area which she sensed was well traveled.  With the guidance of a power much greater than she'd ever known, she let the dark forces sweep over her aching body.  She knew she was being watched, she no longer cared.  Her mind numbed with the constant harangue of the messenger she walked forward into an openness and there the powers-that-be left her.

"Where am I?" she let her self barely murmur.

"Rilauven..." came the drifting reply,  and then the voice took a more ominous tone, "Lloth has planted the seeds of a new house... Elythanar."

"Is this my destiny?" I1yena dared to whisper.

"Wait!" came the grim reply.

I1yena, stood swaying slightly from her fatigue, waiting... for yet another test?

The drow male known as Shadosin emerged from his assigned task still strong and capable of future heavy duties. No longer did the work fatigue him, nor, it seemed, did the mind flayers' psionics hurt him. They had conditioned him from birth, and now it appeared they had conditioned him too well. That was their mistake.

Disgust settled in as he looked around the compound and he slowly grew enraged at what he saw. Drow slaves! His people, performing hard labor and walking around mindlessly! Their blank faces showing no desire, no ambition, except to serve their masters.

The rage started building within him as he thought, "Is this truly my existence for the rest of my life? No!" From deep inside him he knew the answer and could feel the pull of an unseen force telling him to leave. Caught up in his personal battle and unaware of the surroundings, his mental struggle continued. Where would he go? What lay beyond the walls of the compound? What dangers would he face?

A shriek broke through the normal silence of the compound and interrupted Shado's personal battle. Under that sound of pain there echoed defiance and hatred. Shado looked up with curiosity for this was an emotion both foreign and appealing to him.

The scene before him came to view. A new drowess slave knelt in pain before one of the masters. It grew obvious the mind flayer had tortured and abused her. The familiarity of the scene seemed subtly altered by the female's snarling features. As the mind flayer delivered another mental bolt to her pain wracked body she glared defiantly at him.

Shado could almost hear her snarling words, "You shall not break me." The rage again flowed through Shado, fueled even more by the bravado of this drowess. This was Shado's people! Proud and defiant even in defeat. Not those other mindless things in drow skin that he lived with for so long.

The rage grew stronger and filled Shado's mind with a frenzy. His body quivered in anger and hatred. Without effort or knowledge of what he was about to do, he turned his gaze towards the mind flayer. Raising his arm Shado pointed and uttered one single word.

"STREEA!!!!!"^*2

The mind flayer stopped its attack on the female and slowly turned towards Shado. Shado's heart nearly stopped as its gaze fell upon him then elation filled him when it toppled over dead. A black fluid poured from it and Shado recognized that poison caused its death.

His attention turned to the stricken body of the female drow. Her body trembled in pain as she slowly turned to look at Shado. As he knelt down beside her, she gazed at him in shock, surprise, but most of all, pride. As her body started to break down, for it would appear her wounds were well past mortal and her will and defiance had been what had sustained her, she uttered but one statement, "Find the Ilharess Mavralyn," and then she died. Shado could not help feel that her death was welcomed by her, for she had not fallen to the mind flayer and had watched her enemies demise before her own.

The shadows were a place where he spent his life, moving from one to the other in search of his next duty.  Tonight he quickly made his way towards a meeting with his Yathtallar^*4, Mavralyn.  He had received the message to come to her later that eve, his mind searching for a reason for this surprise summons.  Within the shadows he moved, until reaching the gate where he was greeted by the guards. They let him in after confirming his presence was wanted.

Walking quickly across the compound he levitated to the balcony that would give him access to the room he was to meet her in.  Softly his feet touched down not making a sound.  His eyes glowing red searched the area quickly for signs of others, but it was his ears that found them for him.  Listening he found that the Yathtallar had a guest already. Silently moving to the door, he waited and listened.  Grinning he reasoned he should not interrupt her for it could be an important meeting. Instead, he decided he would stand guard.

Standing by the door he began to lose interest in their talk when he picked out something about the VDVM.  His knowledge of this school being limited, he sought to find out as much as he could.  He knew Ilharessen didn't send their members there often, but here he was hearing Mavralyn and another male talking of it briefly.  Then he heard his own name, "Drathsin might..." the rest lost with the buzz of excitement in his head.  With his mind racing and trying to pick out their conversation he grew interested in knowing more and hopefully being given permission to attend.  He bade his time waiting for the conversation to end.

Hearing footsteps pad out of the room he waited a moment then entered quietly.  Dropping to his knee, he greeted the Yathtallar waiting for her to acknowledge him.  After the greeting he rose and awaited her to give him his commands and job for the night.  Listening he waited until she had finished when he decided to ask her of the VDVM.  Explaining that he would like to enter the VDVM and undergo training she looked at him with amusement. Finishing speaking he lowered his head hoping he had not spoken out of line, his eyes gleaming a bright red as he awaited what she would say with anticipation.

"I will send word to the Jabbuk^*5 of your interest, Drathsin.  But, it will have to wait until my house is completed.  Now go and secure the compound there.  After the Ilharess Jasra's celebration is over, I will expect it to be ready for my arrival."

*1.  Second Daughter
*2.  "Death (for Lloth)!"
*3.  The VDVM was a place created by Zaknefein of TOL for roleplay purposes.  Only a select few were allowed to enter this academy for training. Training there was secretive and could be deadly.
*4.  High Priestess.
*5.  Master.