My story

[Ner'dulla Serthalyss]

I was born in a noble, but rather unnoticed Drow house of Ulst'Natha, some 180 something years ago. My mother the matron was actually repaying a debt of service she had asked to some fiend when she gave life to me, and thus making me a Half-Drow/Half-Fiend. I spent most of my youth learning about the drow ways, about Lolth and the priesthood.

Time passed quickly, and more and more I begun to realise how some Drow shunned me for my fiendish heritage... I had to admit these wings I had in the back where not really common. In fact I was the only one in the entire city that bore them. Still, I had no problem and followed what was expected of me.


It happened one morning. I was woke up by my eldest half-sister, Ker'chella, who told me to get ready. While I was doing that, dressing up and all, she was explaining how I had been selected by the priesthood to become a servant of Lolth, including all the details on how my life would become, what would be expected of me, and all the rest. Then she went away and told me to be ready in three hours. I stood up... Putting togetter all that I was told... The enclosed life of the priestess didnt appeal to me one bit ! I wanted to be like my sister, a fighter, to weild weapons and strike fear into my ennemies from my own skill. Not some silly faith in a goddess that causes too much bloodshed amongst drows.

I got rid of the priesthood clothing and strapped on my Adamantite Chainmail, double-blade at my back and took matters in my own hands. I began walking out of the city, only to be caught back by some male that told me he had order to bring me back; that I had urgent matters to attend to... *yeah right* I tought. I told him I was not going back there to be caged.

He pulled his sword and aimed it at me.
- YOU... are coming back to your house right now.
- I don't think so.
- *Evil Grin*
Then he attacked.

Taking my blade I was able to hold him off, but he was clearly more experienced than I was and it was only a matter of time before I made a mistake and kill myself by so doing. About a minute passed before my blade was struck out of my hands and of to the ground in a mettalic noise. As I laid on the floor, defenceless, he grinned again at me...

I closed my eyes, knowing my time had come... But something happened, I just heard a gargling noise and a big splat on the floor. I mustered all the courrage I needed to re-open my eyes. My sister was beside me, blood dripping on her 2 rapiers... She always appeared to enjoy it; killing people.

- Sister ! You saved me...

- Did I ? Did you realise that by denying Lolth you just digged your own grave ? Everyone will want you dead.

- "..." but... I want to see the Underdark, explore, face new challenges. Not sit in a temple.

- I know, I've noticed it from before when I was explaining. Heed my warning. Go away ! Leave Ulst'Natha and dont come back !

- Will I ever see you again, big sister ?, I said tears coming to my eyes

- Hrrmph... You're too soft, pull yourself togetter. Perhaps we will. No go ! Go before someone really strong comes for you ! I won't be able to save you next time; this time there was no withness... I wont always be that way. Then she walked away, back into the shadows.

I just picked up my stuff and what I could carry from the dead male, and got out of the city before I was chased again. Oh such innocence thinking i'd get away that easy. But at 55 years of age, one dosent think all too well. I had given up without realizing it, the drow life and all it's benefits. I was alone... all alone with limited provisions, and I could expect nothing but trouble from my own race. I just took whatever tunnel that seemed the easiest to travel, and walked for a long, long time.

[Ner'dulla Serthalyss]

It didn't take long before I ran into some trouble. I lacked the keen senses that some of our rangers had, or the knowledge they had of wich mushroom to eat and what water to drink, what animal to hunt or which one to hide from. So there I was, about a week and a half thru some tunnel, probably miles and miles away from the safety of Ulst'Natha, without any provisions or drinking water left. I tried to hold on as much as possible, trying to locate deep roathes or other mammal that I could eat... to no avail. I finally succumbed to the temptation, and ate the best looking mushrooms of the area, and drank at a clear water source that wasnt tainted or smelled. Then I went to sleep, no more hungry or thirsty.

When I woke up, I was in a nice bed in some small dome-like clay house, with two people sitting by my side.
- "Ker'chella ?" -- I said slowly waking up... I felt as tho I had overdrank a lot. Such a headache !

A strong, confident male voice answered back :
- "Shutup Drow ! You are my prisonner. If you attempt anything foolish, i'll make sure that mushroom poison is the least of your worries..."

(Another voice answered the first one)
- "Now dear, she might be a drow... but you brought her here for us to care for. She's still a child by drow standards ! I admit the wings are a bit uncommon, but beside that, she's all drow."

(then resumed with a soft seductress voice)
- "Besides, you woudn't have brought her here if you really planned to kill her now would you."

- "Grrrumph !", Said the male voice, "you're right... it's just that leader Karrum almost had my heart for supper for bringing her here."

At that moment, fully awake and eyes oppened, I noticed for the first time who my hosts where... Duergars ! Grey Dwarves, people that showed the drows no mercy when threatened or if they where in superior numbers. Ressources in the Underdark are scarce and precious, so there never had been any peace with them. And yet, for some reason, this male duergar had brought me to his home unscathed, where his most-likely wife nursed me back to health from some mushroom poisonning.

I slowly got up, sitting on the side of the bed.
- "Here, drink this !" -- said the duergar female, offering a bowl of some mixture. "It's gonna make you feel better"

Having no real choice, I obeyed. It tasted a lot like the mushroom I ate; sort of creamy interior, but sour. Most likely some kind of antidote.

Then they Introduced each other to me.
- "My name is Burrok, of the TOR clan... and this is my wife Garthra."

- "Nice knowing you, I am Ner'dulla. Formally from House Serthalyss.", I replyed, "Why did you save me ? the regular duergar would rather have left me for dead and continue on his way.

- Burrok replied : "I suppose I can tell ya. Our daughter died a few decade back; she was about the same age you are, and died to the same threat that almost ended your life. I guess I... took pity on ya lass. What the hell where you doing alone near our borders, poorly equiped and without plant lore on top of that !??"

- "Well sir.. I heuummm... didnt really have a choice when I left my hometown. It was that or become a slave to my own people. I choose the lesser of to evils."

- "I see. Well, I don't really trust Drows, I dont trust Fiendish wings as well... But my wife tells nodded me you spoke the truth. I'll be frank with you: my people dosent really want you here and I understand why. Your presence would stir up too much trouble. So here's what I suggest : You will live in a secret cave I know of, you teach me all you know about that town of yours, defences, how many war parties, it's customs and it's ways, and in exchange my wife and I shall teach you basics about herbs lore, underdark lore, and fighting. You had a nice weapon on ya, might as well learn to put it to good use."

I agreed... I didnt want to be a slave to the Drow people, and these two offered to help, would train me, and provide me with the basics. I was still young, but even then I knew a good deal when I heard one.

So I stayed with the Duergars for 10 years, mastering the exotic and fierce combat styles Burrok was willing to teach me. He was a very harsh trainer. Way worse than any Drow masters I ever had. Often he would injure me to make me pay for my mistakes. Still, he was amazed how fast I learned, and it was the same for Garthra, his wife. I seemed to have a knack at learning new skills.

For all they had done for me, I was extremly gratefull and offered them my magical Piwafwi as a gift. They said i'd need it, to keep it with me, and even gave me provisions for the trip I planned to take in the above levels of the Underdark.

I departed the next morning keeping a good pace. Later on, I did meet with a group of Svirfneblins who were not too happy to see me. However, since I was alone and posed no threat to them, they just passed on their way while watching me to make sure i'd not try something. It was funny because most of the creatures I encountered so far only wanted either to kill
me or to eat me !

I continued ahead, and stumbled on a dead end. Well it wasnt really a dead end, but a huge wooden door taking all of the tunnel. There was two svirfneblins guarding it and just the sight of me made them pull their swords.

"What do you want, Drow ? Haven't we paid tribute already for your race to leave us alone ?" -- he shouted, visibly irritated.
I backed off, not wanting to bring on me his frustration.

I explained briefly what my story was, and why I ended up to their gate... that I was trying to move upward in the tunnels, away from Ulst'Natha. They both started laughing.

- "What is so funny ?"
- "Oh, nothing much ! It's just that I find your story hard to beleive. I don't think I can trust you. Tell you what; if you really want to get thru that much, I will have to blindfold you and tie your hands. That way you cant turn on us !

Not having much of a choice, I agreed. The alternative would've been for me to turn back at least five hours, then try another tunnel which seemed less friendly than this one was.

So they let me into their tunnel, and after a couple minutes or turning, then walking, then turning again so much that I lost my bearing, They removed the blindfold and I was in the heart of their city. I was afraid, I only wanted thru to get away from Drow territories, not made a slave in some strange city.

"There we are" -- said the guard, "Ziffeltin, town of the svirfneblins"
- Thats not where I wanted to go sir. I only wanted to get thru to another tunnel.
- "Don't worry, I've explained the situation to a few partner on the way... the council most likely knows about you by now"
- "Council ?"
- "Yes, and they must be expecting you"

I followed him to the council chamber, where about 15 svif looked at me. Some talked to their neibours and passed comments no doubt refering to why I am here and why I have wings and all. The leader of the Council then asked me to tell him directly why I came to town. I said the same than earlier, that I just wanted passage to the other side of town, where the tunnel resumed.

He pondered, listening for my reasons and such. Then agreed to acknowledge my request on one condition : that I go and help miners that where having trouble with a Dust Mephit. Now that was an unusual request, but it was something I could surely Handle. I agreed.

I got the the miner's camp which was very close to the tunel I wanted to take anyways, and began looking for that little creature. It was it who actually found me. It was strange, but I understood what it was telling me; it wanted to kill all the gnomes just for fun. Normally, I would not have cared... but since I had given my word.

I pulled out my weapon and struck the creature. It managed to dodge the first few attacks, but then got hit anf fell to the floor. I was about to end it's life when one of the Gnomes stopped me.

"No, it may be evil, but no creature deserves death" -- he said.
- "This one wanted to kill you all, I can understand the tongue he speaks"
- "That might be, but we must always show leniance to living things, good or evil. Thats compassion. You wont get very far in life if you always trash your ennemies. Reputation as a way of catching up to ya when your turn comes. no ?"

Then he left. Somehow, his words hit me hard. I remembered my youth, the teachings I had received. The incident with my big sister... Yes, compassion would be something worth striving for. It just needed a spark in my case, and now it was lit. I let the little creature squirm away in the darkness. No doubt it would never come this way again...

The Svirfs kept their word and oppened the other door for me. I left and began exploring the caves. It felt like home, and I was finaly beyond the reach of drows... at least for a long time. Even they would be careful not to take an entire ennemy town. Especialy fortified as Ziffeltin was (hence most likely why they resorted to intimidation).

[Ner'dulla Serthalyss]

From this time my life was pretty trivial. I made a lot of friends from the random merchant that walked thru the caves, and was able to purchase or negotiate for whatever I needed. Often I would offer my service for something like monster hunting or to act as a guide to them. I lived like that for about 25-30 years, then decided I was going resume a more active explorer role. So much of this underdark I knew nothing about, and I wanted that to change.

Suffice it to say that I eventually ended up on the surface. I made many trips back and forth, ending on different cultures and different races. Most of the time people would beleive me a threat and hunt me back to the underdark; other times I would be able to live on the surface with a community. The most welcomming where always the Dwarves, the halflings, and surface
Drows who often worshipped Eilistraee.

Then one day, upon exiting a tunnel, it collapsed behind me and it would've been impossible to reoppen it. I found out I was on an Island and it mattered not how many caves I found, none ever brought me back to the underdark tunnels I called home.

Perhaps one day I shall find a new way in. On a side note, my wings have vanished ! I know not what became of them, but it is most disturbing. This must be either the god's doing or some weird magic turned me into a true drow. Strange that such a magical island to begin with would simply strip the half-fiend part of me... *sigh*

This island is very friendly, more than half the populace has welcomed or ignored me, an those who stood me up because I was a drow usually only brought warning of what would happen if I did not behave. As if I didnt know already from almost a hundred years of semi-surface dwelling. Then I met two followers of Eilistraee on this Island as well... The religion make sense, althought I always tought i didn't need to beleive in something. Who know, perhaps in the future.

I now adventure with this drow bard, follower of eilistraee, and we are having quite the adventure. Let's hope fortune continues to smile at me !

-- Ner'dulla Serthalyss

[Makzimia]

OOC excellent read! hmmm how many volumes would this take me to put in books... *chuckles* ahh...

Makz.

[Silentus]

Silentus carefully reassembles the pages and pages of parchment before him. Going to a nearby bookshelf, he squats down and takes a volume from the bottom-most shelf and returns to the chair in his quiet home. Setting the book to the right of the parchment, he opens it and in a careful (but extreamly quick) hand, he begins writing "I was born in a noble, but rather unnotice Drow Ho..."

As he writes, he wonders who this author is. Obvioulsy a Fredian resident by the end of the tale laid out before him. Seeing such an interest in taletelling as rare on the island, the monk muses upon one day meeting this Ner'dulla. Such a person may have information usefull to him, or perhaps would be able to disseminate it from other and recall with enough accuracy to be of note. He mentally thanks his favored diety Lathander for the chance enconter that brought him upon these pages, that he might share this tale with the greater populace.

"...inues to smile at me ! -- Ner'dulla Serthalyss" Having finished copying, Silentus closes the completed volume. He walks to the same bookshelf, places the volume on the top shelf, takes another volume from the bottom and returns again to the table "I was born in a noble..."

[Adyanna79]

Would make some of these "books" more interesting...
LOL