Lolindir Taral

As a custom in Chrenzhinzhador, mothers took their sons and daughters to the school they are best suited for. It’s role is for the mother to impart her wishes and wisdom onto the child before they are taken in by the masters of the School and trained for the next eight years. Matrons took pride when attending the opening ceremony, because it was a sign of wealth, a sign of power and more over a social event between matrons in a casual setting. Most rivalries between students begin outside the very doors of Sarol Magthere, and plots for murder most often begin germinating there as well.

Zhaan say in her carriage, waiting for Lolindir so that they could go to Sarol Magthere (Fighter’s School). The door opened and she saw Lolindir and Nathalak at the door. She looked over her son, whom she had never seen equipped with all of his gear. He was equipped with a set of masterwork leather armor with a reversible cloak with their house symbol on it, the interior was made from the skin of a displacer beast. Two long swords strapped to his belt and a long bow on his back. “He has a bow…” Zhaan said, looking at the weapon on his back. “Nathalak… Why does he have a bow?”

“Lolindir is naturally gifted at using the bow, he took down a Remorhaz with it and a scavenger from many yards away for pure sport. It’s a deadly weapon in his hands.” The Arch-Mage explained as he motioned for Lolindir to head in. “Hand Crossbows click… Lolindir can incapacitate or kill from a great distance away with no sound. Think about that as you two ride.”

She stared at Nathalak and was about to say something more, but he quickly closed the door and patted the side of the carriage, informing the driver to go.”I swear that man is trouble.” She said to herself out loud, looking to the side, but then looked at her son who sat across from her. He sat up straight and she tapped her chin, thinking of something to say that wasn’t threatening. “So, Lolindir…. Are you as good as your father says?”

“Yes, Matron. I shot the Remorhaz in the mouth and it died slowly.”

Zhaan nodded approvingly. “Any archer on the gate would never face such a beast up close like you did with a bow. But you killed one. Impressive. Well, I should tell you this before we get to Sarol. As a male, you are to obey matrons in a casual setting. They tell you to speak and you talk. That goes without saying though, but there is a loophole. I, your mother and Matron, most powerful woman of this city have more command than they do. So if I tell you to keep your discussions short, you will. Do not ignore them, but you have my blessing to dismiss yourself from them if they ask too many questions or ask favors.”

“So, give them the pyres of Nhilgandor and leave them at that?” He asked inquisitively and his mother smiled at him. Lolindir referenced the great clock of the city, which consisted of eight massive stalactites which were lit up through the day and slowly dim, and when all eight lights would go out then the day was over.

“Yes, that’s precisely what I want out of you. Also, begin no fights out there. You will be able to crush them all soon enough in the Monthly Arena matches. Words mean nothing before combat prowess.”  Zhaan explained before the carriage met it’s destination.

Together, the two of them stepped out of the carriage and walked towards Sarol Magthere where a few hundred drow waited outside the Iron Bound gates of the academy. Matrons and mothers of the male students were all together speaking about the latest rumors and events going on in the city.

Out of the corner of their eyes, both Zhaan and Lolindir saw four people coming their way, and Lolindir saw something he had never seen before. An elf. He stood at six feet tall and was in a set of adamantite plate armor bearing symbols of the second house on it and a glaive strapped to his back. He was escorting a beautiful drow woman with bright blue eyes and was wearing white and red dress.

Behind the two of them, a drow mage with eyes like the matron was writing down something into a tome while walking, his hair looked almost blonde and his left arm was a fake prosthetic. By his side, a drow with a great sword strapped to his back towered over all of the other dark elves and he wore no armor, as if he didn’t need it.

The drow woman smiled at Zhaan and in an exotic accent greeted her. “Vell, Matron Zhaan’Thall… It ist good to see you after so many years. I hear your son ist strong und your daughter. though a child shows promise.” Her eyes went to Lolindir and she looked amused.

Zhaan glared at the drow who spoke to her and took a step forward. “This is a traditional event and you bring the elf!?” She seemed very familiar with the elf, but obviously didn’t enjoy his presence. “Kael, you are shameless.”

Kael stepped back and placed her hand on the smiling elf’s face, embracing him and kissed the side of his face in front of Zhaan, and said “You forget zat Lynn ist my patron, my lover und Kel’Daaka’s father. He also trained Mhertz, so it ist only natural for him to attend zis ceremony. Patrons are velcome to attend, do not forget zis.”

Zhaan crossed her arms, retorting, “So it is only natural you two brought the mutt with you as well?” She tilted her head at Kel’Daaka, who looked away from his book and to the two Tarals. “And Mhertz needs to be brought by his mother -” “Zee mother you banished? Don’t forget Mhertz Hil’Raviin is now my son since vee adopted him into zee family.” Kael interrupted. and she turned from Zhaan, “I am no longer a mistress of zee schools, it is not the job of the Second House Matron to educate zee ‘First’ House Matron on our customs und politics.” She started walking away, with Mhertz and Lynn following behind. Kel’Daaka remained behind, still looking over Lolindir.

“What are you still doing here?!” Zhaan snapped at the young mage who looked to her before bowing respectfully.

“Only looking over your son, Matron.” He replied before redirecting his attention back to Lolindir. “So, how many arrows does it take to kill a wild rothe roaming outside zee gates, archer?”

Zhaan was about to speak up, but she decided to stay quiet, and looked at Lolindir who did not miss a beat. “You tell me how you lost your arm in a magic accident first, and then I can tell you all about the close relationship of arrows and rothe… It’s really something special, unlike the relationship between you and your left arm.”

Kel’Daaka’s face twisted in anger and he nearly lost a grip on his usually calm demeanor but he stopped and turned away, leaving them quickly. Zhaan laughed lightly, “I’ve never seen Kael make a face like that, but you managed to do it to her spoiled son. For that… You can keep the bow. You should go mingle, get to know the competition.” She left him there to go discuss politics casually with the other matrons and so Lolindir walked into the crowd of males who were speaking excitedly about their feats of training or the latest rumors. Lolindir wasn't exactly sure how to proceed, he discarded his hesitation and began approaching a group of three fighters.

“You shouldn’t waste your time with them.” A voice called out from behind him, and Lolindir turned to see a young, and small drow male in a black set of leather, with an assassin’s brand burned into the right breast of the leather top. “Ignoble, aren’t carrying weapons that best suit them and well... Not me.” The small drow had short white hair with light red eyes, his appearance was very feminine and with some work, he could pass as a female. “Marha Kellingeis.” He bowed to Lolindir respectfully.

“Kellingeis? A house of trained assassins. So is that mark just for your house symbol or is there power behind it?” Lolindir asked Marha, eying the shorter drow up and down. He wasn’t sure what to make of him, but he already knew Marha wasn’t the kind anyone should underestimate.

“It shows that I’ve passed the trials of my training and have taken lives for money.” He commented before smirking as he looked over Lolindir, “I think I remember you now... There was a scuffle in the Dragon Wastes, and my target had come out of hiding to go see if there was anything to pilfer. I was coming upon her and she suddenly died.” He pulled an arrowhead from his pocket and held it out to Lolindir. “You left this.”

Lolindir took the arrowhead and identified it, and it did come from the arrow he shot at the scavenger the other day. He looked at Marha who was still smiling, but there wasn’t anything negative to it, he seemed pleased by the interference.

“It was a good kill, and to have killed her from such a range is impressive. Also the remorhaz was your doing as well. Someone like you would be a powerful ally to have in this school. So what do you say, Abbil?” Marha took off a glove, rolled up his sleeve and held his hand out to Lolindir to shake - a sign of peace in the city.

Lolindir took her hand and shook it firmly. “Lolindir Taral. Good to meet you, Marha.” The two smiled and looked at everyone else, not as fellow students or peers, but as targets and stepping stones. They looked back at one another as equals, and partners.

Across the courtyard, Kel’Daaka and Mhertz were watching all of the others speak with one another. Kel’Daaka asked, “Aren’t you going to mingle with zee others und build some alliances?”

Mhertz shook his head and crossed his arms. “No, I don’t think so. Grouping with others to protect them will just slow me down. I need someone I can trust... And since you are in Faern Magthere I don’t have anyone here.”

“Vell zat ist a good point. You are strong enough to be at zee top by yourself, as I am at Faern.” The mage stated and looked out and spotted Lolindir. “Vhat of Lolindir Taral? Zee one viz zee bow.”

“I’ll crush him every time he tries to rise. Just because he hails from the first house does not mean he will be the First here.” Mhertz said calmly, and looked over Lolindir. “I just have to get close to him and then it’s over.”

House Taral had gone completely silent for a day. No slaves worked, no one left or entered the House, and no training occurred. The Matron had been giving birth and had deemed it a Holy Ritual to the whole House. The birthing took place in the Antechamber of the Matron. She had all of her priestesses at hand assisting her and praying to Lolth. Sitting in a corner of the room was a yellow, waxy demon… A Yochlol, otherwise known as a Hand Maiden of Lolth, the demon was there to oversee the birth of the Matron’s first born. Zhaan’Thall held the edges of her birthing chair tightly and screamed loudly as she pushed out the infant. The matron muttered prayers to her Goddess repeatedly in between pushes and her efforts finally paid off upon hearing the cry of an infant. Zhaan had given birth to her first born, a son.

The Handmaiden approached the exhausted matron as the priestesses handled the baby and silenced his cried. They brought him back to the Matron, and a dagger. “This child’s name… Is Lolindir.” Zhaan stated as she readied her knife in one hand and cradled the baby boy in her arm. She put the tip of the dagger to his chest, ready to sacrifice her son before the handmaiden of Lolth.

“Stay your blade, Zhaan’Thaal!” The demon ordered and lashed Zhaan across the face with a waxy tentacle.“Lolth does not want him yet!”

Zhaan’Thall took the hit with no complaint, but she was confused. “But… I am to sacrifice him to our Queen. That is what she commanded of me.”

The Yochlol stared at Zhaan with it’s singular eye and growled with a seething rage. “You fool. She does command that he be sacrificed… But when he’s matured and strong enough for her needs. Lolth requires him to be devout, strong, wise and fearless before she takes him for herself. You will raise him as any other First Boy is raised, and he is not to know of his destiny until it is time! There are others out there born for this reason. Lolindir will have to prove himself better than the others… Either way, he belongs to the lady.” The Yochlol wrapped it’s tentacle around Lolindir’s eyes and after a quick chant it let go. “Remember, train him well.” The Yochlol said as it faded.

Zhaan looked down at Lolindir, and his eyes opened and he looked at her bright red eyes with small, dark green orbs. She thought hard about how to best go about having Lolindir raised and she said to one of her Priestesses. “Bring his father, Nathalak in. I need to talk to him.”

17 Years later

Lolindir carefully walked through the Dragon Wastes outside of the walls of Chrenzhinzhador. The name came from the long dead dragons that were chained down in this deep Underdark, and left to the devices of the monsters of the Underdark. They were a massive, open space with massive stalagmites  dotting the landscape. Savage creatures lurked around every curve, behind every massive bone of a long dead white wyrms whose deaths were responsible for the brutal cold that affected the area and gave the city it’s nickname of ‘The Frozen City’. The Arch-Mage had tasked his son with killing a monster unique to the outskirts of Chrenhzhinzhador… A Deep Remorhaz. Forty feet in length, as dark as the floor they crawl upon and one of the deadliest creatures around.

Outfitted with only a long bow with a quiver of poisoned arrows, a long sword, a dagger and a set of armor Lolindir was on the hunt for the beast. Darkvision alone would not aid the young drow in spotting the remorhaz, he would have to lure it out of hiding and take it out before it finds him. He had been out for hours now, the intense cold would eventually get to him and he had to find his target quickly.

The Dragon Wastes were silent, and if there was any sound that meant only one thing. Someone found their death. Lolindir wasn’t aiming to be the mind of fool who would walk right into a spider’s nest or step on a remorhaz head. The young drow reached down and picked up a rock and felt it’s texture. Part of the stone crumbled in his hand and he found it to be layered. Shale. He reeled back and threw the stone far from him.

The stone hit the floor and he caught the movement of a small remorhaz run at the rock. He avoided staying in the open with his prey in sight, and he followed it as it retreated from it’s location. Upon discovering there was no food for it, the small remorhaz retreated for fear of it’s own life. He followed the beast across the fields, until it found shelter within a cave. Lolindir carefully came around the mouth of the cave and looked, only to find his target being devoured by a larger, angrier remorhaz. It swallowed the small beast and then saw Lolindir as it finished. The spines along it’s back lit up violently with heat as it quickly became enraged.

The monster let out a loud scream and backed up before charging for the entrance. Lolindir cursed under his breath and jerked himself away from the mouth of the cave. Nearly forty-three feet of remorhaz charged out and it circled back around and stared the dark elf down, judging the best way to catch him. Without much thought it lunged forward like a cobra and nearly crushed Lolindir against the wall, but the agile drow rolled out of the way and quickly jumped upon the head of the creature.

Lolindir quickly pulled out his long sword and slammed it into a gap of the monster’s chitinous plating, into a gap where the body segments met. The beast roared out in pain and flung itself backwards, trying to throw him off. 

But it's thrashing was in vain, Lolindir had a secure hold and was not going to let go. The violent heat along it's back didn't reach Lolindir, but it did keep him warm enough to maintain some strength that the cold would otherwise sap away. The remorhaz began running aimlessly, and Lolindir began jerking the blade around, attempting to decapitate it. It felt Lolindir moving and bucked unexpectedly, tossing the young drow and the sword off. It curled around and looked down at the prone elf. Lolindir looked up and quickly rolled out of the way as it slammed it’s head into the ground where he was.

The drow quickly got back to his feet and pulled out his long bow and strung it with a single arrow dripping with a black poison and aimed it at the remorhaz. He knew it’s chitin was too hard for the arrow to pierce, and shooting into the gaps would require a miracle... So he decided to shoot it into the belly of the beast.

It was a risky move if not suicidal, but Lolindir decided that this was going to happen. The remorhaz pulled itself free from the ground and stared at Lolindir, it’s spines were bright like torches. It’s mouth opened as it roared at him once more, but when it did, Lolindir released the arrow and it darted right into the mouth of the beast. It coughed and choked a little as it’s spines cooled. It spit out the arrow after a moment of struggle, but it’s blood coated the arrow now.

The creature looked at Lolindir who began running, and it began chasing him. Lolindir didn’t care about making noise now, he was being chased by the deadliest predator he could possibly encounter outside the city. Any creature knew not to reveal itself when a deep remorhaz was after it’s prey and Lolindir knew it. He looked back to see how far it was and nearly tripped when the rampaging monster was all he could see. He looked back ahead and ran for the nearest large stalagmite. The remorhaz saw what he was doing though and ran around him and rammed into the large rock, toppling it before turning back to him before.

The remorhaz ran right at him, mouth wide open and it’s legs stabbing into the stone ground. Lolindir jumped atop the remorhaz and grabbed onto the op of it’s plating. Without his sword he could not stab it and hold on, but he still had some arrows. He reached into the quiver with his free hand, pulling out a handful of arrows, and then stabbed them into the soft tissue within the gap. The remorhaz let out a weak cry and it’s running slowed down as the poison worked through it’s system.

After struggling with the poison, the remorhaz fell, and Lolindir crawled off of it. The drow grabbed it’s head and slowly pulled it off, taking a small dagger from the inside of his boot and cut most of the flesh away. He carried the head away and carefully walked back to Chrenzhinzhador to turn in the head to his father and complete his test.

Lolindir dropped the large head of the monster at his father’s feet once he reached the gate, and the Arch-Mage looked down at in and nodded. “I could see the whole thing from here. I’m surprised you managed to take it down the way you did. If it weren’t for the poisoned arrows though, you would have failed.” He turned away and began walking through the gate as it opened. “Upstairs.”

He followed his father upstairs and they got up to a guard’s balcony, overlooking the Dragon Wastes. Nathalak spotted a scavenger leaving the gate to go out into the wastes. He turned to Lolindir and looked around before motioning him to come over.

“That scavenger noticed your bout with the remorhaz and if off to pilfer whatever they can from the beast. Better some other beast gets it than some coward who wants to profit from it’s bones. Kill him.”

Lolindir looked out and could see that it was no man at all, but a woman, ignoble but still a woman. “It’s a woman...” “Oh... I see...” Nathalak grabbed Lolindir and pointed out there “Kill HER. Were I the matron I would have expected it done by now. And when she tells you to kill someone, your next movements should be towards killing whoever she says, and your next words must be ‘Yes, Matron’. You will not question why, you will not ask when. You will do it. So... Pretend I’m the Matron. Kill her.”

Lolindir drew his bow and strung an arrow, aiming it at the scavenger outside of the wall. He drew the bow back and let the arrow fly. The next thing he saw was the woman stopping, and then falling to the ground.

Nathalak watched and nodded approvingly. “Good shot. She must have been seventy five meters away... Lolindir, your whole life is going to be full of killing, no matter where you are. One day, you won’t even think about it.” He watched his son begin walking away, and then Nathalak said something the would surprise any dark elf in the city. “Killing should never be fun. Remember that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Lolindir said, before leaving his father alone on that balcony.