Forgotten Realms - The Lady Penitent - Ascendancy of the Last

by Lisa Smedman

  Lolth arched an eyebrow. “Well played, Daughter. You seem to have neutralized the threat. And without me even seeing your move. Your brother has taught you much in the art of sleight of hand—but it won’t save your Priestess.” She flicked a hand. “Do it. Sacrifice her.”

  Still puzzling over Lolth’s choice, Eilistraee grasped the Priestess piece. As she removed it from the board, it spit into two parts with a crack like snapping bone. Sorrowfully, she let the head and body fall from her hand. They tumbled, then turned to mist.

  Lolth immediately moved a demonic-looking Priestess piece into the vacant spot. She snapped her fingers, and her throne appeared. She lounged on it, staring across the sava board at Eilistraee. “Your move, daughter.”

  Eilistraee was thankful for her mask; it hid her smile. Lolth had just made an impetuous move, one that left the piece she’d shifted open to attack. Eilistraee reached for the Priestess piece that held the curved sword, then noted the slight tightŹening of her opponent’s hands on the arms of her throne. The Spider Queen looked relaxed, but her fingers betrayed her tenŹsion. Why?

  Eilistraee hesitated, her hand still on the piece, not yet moving it. She could see nothing amiss. The move looked secure. Yet something was bothering her…

  There. That tickle at her wrist. Without being obvious, she shifted her focus slightly, looking at her hand, rather than the piece it held. Just above her palm, on the inside of her wrist, was a tiny red welt: the burn mark that had been left by the brief touch of Lolth’s demonic Warrior piece, just before it had vanished. Eilistraee’s Priestess piece—the one that held the curved blade—bore a corresponding mark: a tiny chip in its wrist.

  A hole, bored deep—to its very soul.

  Treachery! Yet that was only to be expected of the Spider Queen.

  Eilistraee, however, also knew much of subterfuge, thanks to the mask she now wore. Another piece on the board bore a similar flaw: this one, in its knee. Eilistraee made the move Lolth was expecting, then feigned surprise and horror as the piece she’d just moved transformed into the Warrior piece and became Lolth’s. The Spider Queen seized it and moved it triumphantly to the heart of Eilistraee’s House, next to Eilistraee’s Mother piece.

  “Victory!” she cried. “Move whatever piece you like, Daughter. The game will be lost! Your Mother piece has no moves open. With my next move, I’ll destroy it—and the drow will be mine!”

  Eilistraee leaned forward, feigning a great sigh. She kept her eyes downcast, so Lolth wouldn’t see the glint of gold in their depths. She lifted her Mother piece and squeezed hard, destroying it. The cut on her wrist opened, and her blood flowed. A drop of it fell on the Warrior piece, sizzled briefly in the hot flames that wreathed it, then vanished.

  Eilistraee disappeared.

  *

  Lolth looked wildly around. Eilistraee was gone! She laughed a shrill, giddy peal of delight. “You concede?” she cried. “At last, the drow are… ?”

  Just a moment. Something was wrong. Eilistraee’s realm should have disappeared with her. Yet it remained, just on the other side of the board. Forest, moonstone fruits, stars… Everything was there, except for the moon. It had vanished from the sky, as if…

  Yes, that was it. The moon wasn’t gone; it was just eclipsed. Still up in that sky, somewhere. Just as Eilistraee herself was still here … somewhere.

  Lolth’s eye fell on the Warrior piece. A pass of her hand over it, palm down, confirmed her suspicions. She could feel the loathsome moonlight hidden within. The Warrior still looked as it had, but that was just a disguise. The piece was no longer hers.

  Vhaeraun had, indeed, taught his sister well.

  She could see now what Eilistraee’s plan had been. The demonic Warrior piece stood on a line that led directly back to Lolth’s Mother piece; one move would take the Mother out. But Lolth’s bestial Priestess would soon put a halt to that.

  Lolth picked up the bestial Priestess piece. It struggled in her hand, resisting her. For a moment, it nearly succeeded. Then Lolth snuffed out the last spark of will it contained. She moved it beside the Warrior piece, and attacked.

  The disguise fell away. Eilistraee’s Mother piece was revealed. It twisted wildly, like a madly pirouetting dancer, and let out a shrill cry that was almost a song. Then Lolth flicked a finger, tipping it over, and it stilled.

  “Game,” she announced.

  On the other side of the board, Eilistraee’s realm wavered. In another moment, it would disappear. Lolth touched her fingers together, then drew them slowly apart, spinning a web between her hands. She leaned forward, poised to ensnare the pieces that buzzed in frantic panic, like flies, on the board below.

  “Not so fast, Araushnee,” a male voice said. The point of a long sword touched Lolth’s chest.

  Startled, she looked up.

  Eilistraee’s realm had not disappeared. Nor were her pieces forfeited. Her place had been taken by another deity who stared imperiously down at Lolth along the blade of the long sword: an androgynous elf with golden hair, wearing white robes, a sky blue cloak, and golden battle gauntlets. A crescent-moon amulet hung against his chest.

  He flicked the long sword down. It sliced the web Lolth had been forming between her hands.

  “How dare you!” the Spider Queen cried. “You’ve no busiŹness meddling here. You’re god of the surface elves—and these are drow!”

  “Look again.”

  She did. Rage swelled in her like a ripe egg sac as she saw what had happened. Eilistraee’s pieces had changed. They were no longer black, but brown. Lolth tried to seize one, but it neatly sidestepped out of reach.

  Corellon Larethian laughed. “My move, I believe.”

  DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  Eilistraee’s Faithful

  Qilué Veladorn (KIE-loo-ay VEL-a-dorn), one of the Seven Sisters, chosen of Eilistraee and Mystra, drow high priestess of the Promenade

  Cavatina Xarann (cav-a-TEEN-a zar-ANN), Darksong Knight, drow priestess of Eilistraee

  Leliana Vrinn (lell-lee-AH-nuh VRIN), drow priestess of Eilistraee, Protector of the Promenade, mother of Rowaan

  Rylla (REE-la), half-human, half-drow priestess of Eilistraee, Battle-mistress of the Promenade

  Meryl (MAIR-ill), halfling cook, servant of Qilué

  Jub (JUB), half-orc, half-drow lay worshiper of Eilistraee and resident of the Promenade

  Horaldin (hore-ALL-din), moon elf druid, lay worshiper of Eilistraee and resident of the Promenade

  Chizra (CHIZ-ruh), drow priestess of Eilistraee, Protector of the Promenade

  Zindira (zin-DEE-ruh), drow priestess of Eilistraee, Protector of the Promenade

  Brindell (BRIN-dell), halfling priestess of Eilistraee, Protector of the Promenade

  Tash’kla (TASH-kluh), drow priestess of Eilistraee, Protector of the Promenade

  Erelda (air-EL-duh), drow priestess of Eilistraee, Protector of the Promenade

  Rowaan Vrinn (roe-WAHN VRIN), drow priestess of Eilistraee, head priestess of the Misty Forest shrine, daughter of Leliana

  Nightshadows

  Kâras (kah-RASS), drow rogue and Black Moon cleric of the Masked Lady, formerly of Maerimydra

  Naxil (NAX-ill), drow priest of the Masked Lady, formerly a sorcerer’s apprentice in Eryndlyn

  Valdar Jaerle (VAL-dar JARE-lay), drow cleric of Vhaeraun, one of four who opened the portal between the domains of Eilistraee and Vhaeraun

  Mazrol (MAZ-rawl), drow cleric of Vhaeraun

  Lolth’s Minions

  Halisstra Melarn (HAL-is-truh mel-ARN), sister of Q’arlynd Melarn, formerly a drow priestess of Lolth in Ched Nasad, later a priestess of Eilistraee, now Lolth’s “Lady Penitent”

  Wendonai (WEN-doe-nie), balor demon, corruptor of the Illythiri dark elves

  Nafay Mizz’rynturl (Nah-FAY MIZ-rin-turl), priestess of Lolth in the Temple of the Black Mother in Guallidurth

  T’lar Mizz’rynturl (t-LAR MIZ-rin-turl), assassin (Lolth’s Sting) of the Velkyn Velve, serving the Temple of the Bl
ack Mother in Guallidurth

  Laele Zauviir (LAY-ell zow-VEER), Streea’Valsharess (High Priestess) of The Web of the Spider Queen, Lolth’s temple in Sshamath, aunt of Guldor Zauviir

  Jashnil Zolond (JASH-neel ZOE-lund), priestess of The Web of the Spider Queen, Lolth’s temple in Sshamath

  Ghaunadaur’s Fanatics

  Molvayas Philiom (moll-VAY-us FIL-ee-om), drow cleric of Ghaunadaur, Eater of Filth (High Priest) in Llurth Dreir for House Philiom

  Shi’drin Philiom (SHEE-drin FIL-ee-om), drow cleric of Ghaunadaur in Llurth Dreir

  Residents of Sshamath

  Q’arlynd Melarn (KAR-lind mel-ARN), brother of Halisstra Melarn, battle wizard, formerly of Ched Nasad

  Eldrinn Elpragh (EL-drin el-PRAG), drow wizard speŹcializing in divination, son of Seldszar Elpragh

  Piri (PEE-ree), drow wizard acolyte of the skin, apprenŹtice of Q’arlynd Melarn, bonded with the quasit demon Glizn

  Baltak (BALL-tak), drow wizard, transmogrifist, apprenŹtice of Q’arlynd Melarn

  Zarifar (ZAR-ee-far), drow wizard, geometer, apprentice of Q’arlynd Melarn

  Alexa (al-ECKS-uh), drow wizard specializing in conjuraŹtion, apprentice of Q’arlynd Melarn

  Seldszar Elpragh (SELDS-zar el-PRAG), drow wizard, Master of the College of Divination, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave, father of Eldrinn Elpragh

  Urlryn Khalazza (URL-rinn ka-LAZ-zuh), drow wizard,

  Master of the College of Conjuration and Summoning, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Guldor Zauviir (GUL-dore zow-VEER), drow wizard, Master of the College of Mages, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave, nephew of Laele Zauviir

  Antatlab of the Shaking Stones (AN-tat-lab), drow elementalist, Master of the College of Elemental Magic, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Felyndiira T’orgh (fell-in-DEER-ah TORG), drow wizard, Master of the College of Illusion and Phantasm, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Shurdriira Helviiryn (shur-DREE-ah hel-VEE-rin), drow wizard, Master of the College of Alteration, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Tsabrak of the Blood (TSA-brack), drow vampire, Master of the College of Necromancy, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Masoj Dhuunyl (mass-ODGE doo-NEEL), drow wizard, Master of the College of Abjuration, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Malaggar Xarann (MAL-ag-gar zar-ANN), drow wizard, Master of the College of Enchantment and Charm, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Krondorl Waeglossz (KRON-dorl way-gloz), drow wizard, Master of the College of Invocation and Evocation, member of Sshamath’s ruling Conclave

  Other Folk

  Laeral Silverhand (LARE-all), one of the Seven Sisters, chosen of Mystra

  Flinderspeld (flin-der-SPELLED), svirfneblin gem merŹchant, formerly Q’arlynd Melarn’s slave

  Kaitlyn (KATE-lin), proprietor of the Sisters Three Waxworks in Skullport

  About the Author

  Lisa Smedman is the author of five SHADOWRUN novels: The Lucifer Deck, Blood Sport, Psychotrope, The Forever Drug, and Tails You Lose. She also wrote the novel The Playback War, set in FASA’s VOR: THE MAELSTROM universe.

  Lisa has had a number of short science fiction and fantasy stories published in various magazines and anthologies, and has had two of her plays produced. In 1993 she was a finalist in the Writers of the Future contest.

  Formerly a magazine editor, she now splits her week between working as a reporter/editor at a weekly newspaper and writing fiction. When not working or gaming, she enjoys hiking and camping with a women’s outdoor club and collects stamps that illustrate the space race. She lives in Vancouver with her partner, and spends much of her time catering to the needs of their “blended family” of cats.

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13