A Chapter of Clerics

August 31, 2017
''The journey to the surface is one long rave. Strahd's army of dark elf vampires casts an endless stream of Dancing Lights and Faerie Fire spells as they dance their way into a bright and shiny destiny. But not literally bright, that would be bad for them. ''

Galdor parties with the dark elves and Strahd. He carries some dark elves and they sway in his shoulders.

''You arrive at the surface as night falls. The vampires cavort into the darkness to the west. Strahd turns to you and says, " Perhaps some day I shall pay you a visit in the south. Farewell! " He kisses your hands and strides away. With Galdor he leaves all the remaining trillimac bread in the city. It amounts to several sacks. ''

Ilytherra nods, bidding the vampire count off. She was exhausted, mentally and physically drained. Yet, despite this, she felt oddly fulfilled. She turned to her giant companion.

" Yes, Lyth? "

" Count Strahd was quite lovely. Maybe we will see him again soon. "

" I'm glad you survived your bites today. "

Ilytherra nods, shrugging off the comment. " I suppose we should keep going. "

Phlan'' is to the east. Do you go?'

" I think we should go to Phlan. " She tells Galdor. Galdor agrees.

'' You make camp by the side of the road and sleep for a few hours. Her success at killing dark elves allows Lyth the peace she needs to enter reverie. Before dawn, you rise and continue east. You arrive at an enormous tent city. There are only three buildings standing in '' Phlan.

" Phlan...was much bigger the last time I was here. "

''One is a shabby looking tavern. Another is a badly damaged Daern's Instant Fortress. Another is a small stone temple. The rest is a grassy seaside plain. It is as though 'Phlan' never existed.''

" It's never too early to drink, " Ilytherra murmurs.

" Wow. What horror has this place witnessed? " Galdor muses.

'' Then you see a figure climb to the top of the tower. And the sun RISES. You know who this is. ''

" Oh god. "

" Fellow Cleric! "

'' He's singing.  His voice is triple the volume due to Thaumaturgy.''

" Uther??? "

''A choir of acolytes joins Uther in song. His proficiency in Performance and obvious enthusiasm mask his lack of finesse. Atlas Stromgar bursts out of the door and starts healing people. At tables set up near the tents, Lyria and her fellow clerics cast Create Food and Water. It is '5:47am', and the whole city staggers awake. When Galdor casts her first healing spell, someone approaches her.''

While Galdor assists the people, Ilytherra makes her way to the tavern and orders the strongest drink they have.

" Who are you? " Galdor asks the stranger.

" Hail to you, cleric of Chauntea. May light and growth attend you always. I am Joseph Greycloak of the Order of the Gauntlet, and welcome you to our fair city. "

" Ahh thank you for the welcome! How may I and goddess Chauntea assist you? "

" Thank the gods, Joseph says. We need all the food and healing we can get. And trauma counseling. "

" Why? What has happened to this city that caused so much damage? "

Joseph shakes his head. " You don't read the news much, do you? "

" Unfortunately no, I have just been recently been freed as a slave and spent most of my time dedicating my life to a master. "

" We've had natural disasters, plagues, an orc invasion, a revolution, multiple dragon attacks, an extra-dimensional invasion, and the apotheosis of the god of tyranny. And then the Cult of Bane burned the city down and we had to throw it into the Shadowfell to stop them. You picked a hell of a time to find your freedom. But Phlan has a place for you. "

" Oh my. My heart aches for your tragedy and all the lost lives. "  Galdor casts Ceremony: Funeral Rites using my block of incense and do a short prayer for all the souls.

Joseph prays with Galdor. He shows you his Order of the Gauntlet pendant. " If I may ask, are you with the order? "

" No, I am not. I haven't a reason to join any order or such things. Unless my goddess wills it, I distance myself from major mortal politics and disagreements. "

" So do we. When evil breaks laws, agreements, or commonly accepted codes of conduct, the Gauntlet strikes hard and fast, without waiting for the blessings of distant temples or the permission of rulers. Evil must be met in the field and smashed, or it will swiftly overcome all. "

" Hmm...I admire your passion, Joseph! "

" Look at those people out there. They have survived and escaped so much, and their trust in us is like their trust that the sun will rise tomorrow. They deserve my passion. They deserve the best. "

" And so I shall stand beside you today, Joseph. We shall give them hope and make their tomorrow brighter. "

" Thank you, Galdor. I hope you will stay awhile and share your stories with us. Your first act here was to heal people you did not know, with no thought of reward. That makes you Gauntlet material. You have an open invitation to work with the Order. "

Meanwhile, in the Drunken Dragon Inn...

The bartender scowls when Lyth makes her order. " We only have Black Network Brew here, but we try not to serve it before breakfast. "

" Can I have it with breakfast? "

Hugh Valjean, the bartender of the Drunken Dragon Inn, looks Lyth up and down. " You look like you need it. "

A sarcastic chuckle escaped Ilytherra's lips. " That bad, huh? I'll take whatever's good on your menu. "

Lyth is barely able to take a sip when the whole tavern lights up.

Without looking, she asks,  " Is it Uther? "

" Good morning, Lyth, " he says, as he leans over the bar and pays her tab.

" You're looking...more radiant that usual. Or is it just the morning? "

" Haha! Lathander is most powerful at the dawn. It is a time for hope, new beginnings, and jolly cooperation! "

Ilytherra takes a sip of her drink next to the blinding cleric. " Would you like a drink? "

'' He raises an eyebrow at your morning drinking. You think. You can hardly see past the platinum glow of the Gem of Brightness on his forehead. Behind you, people put cloaks over their heads. In the corner, Presley is making a lot of money selling tinted goggles. ''

Uther smiles. " Maybe after I get some work done. I'm on dawn patrol today. See you in a few hours? "

Ilytherra nods. " I'll hold you to that. "

Uther nods with a beaming smile (oh gods, even his smile is blinding) and walks out the door. There is an audible sigh of relief from the customers.

Ilytherra makes no attempt to make small talk with anyone and orders another shot when she finishes her drink.

'' Black Network Brew is the finest beer you have tasted in your life. It tastes of honey, with an aftertaste of chocolate and ill-gotten wealth. The scent of magic is in the air. The Fortress and the Temple are swimming in it. The tavern is where fighters, rogues, and other non-magic types take refuge.''

Ilytherra is cherishing this small pleasure. It's not much, but it makes her feel a bit better. She leaves a generous tip when she finishes her food and drink and heads off to find her giant companion.

'' You find Galdor in conversation with a handsome man in silver scale armor. He glows, not with Uther's garish radiance, but with a soft inner light that is more felt than seen. ''

She cautiously approaches the pair and notices the faction symbol on the handsome man. " Greetings. "

Galdor excuses himself from the conversation as Lyth and Uhter arrive. " I'll be back in a jiffy. I shall meditate to my diety to consider your generous offer. "

Galdor heads to a quiet corner of the temple and casts Divination. He opens his alms box, pours in special grains, and lights an incense and waves it around and calls upon Chauntea for insight

" I find it amusing that he needs time to reflect. "  Ilytherra comments.

" Reflection is wise. Hail to you, cleric of Shevarash. "

" And to you, with all your gods. "

'' There is a distant boom on the horizon. ''

Ilytherra's head snaps to the direction of the boom. She's traumatized from the destruction that happened to her family. " What was that? " She asks Joseph.

" I see that Uther's patrol was eventful. No distress call, so I believe the matter is in hand. Uther is a bit too quick to cast Fireballs. " He shakes your hand. " How fares the Order in the south? "

" I've dealt with enough explosions this week. "

Joseph chuckles at that. " I've had enough for a lifetime. "

She smiles bitterly. " And I've had one too many. I see you've taken interest in our giant. "

" He is a good soul. "

In the quiet corner of the temple...

Galdor hears the voice of Chauntea.

" Good morning, my child. You think in terms of path and destiny, but the reason gods have clerics is because we value your free will. Your meeting with Joseph is an opportunity to do good. Make of it what you will. "

" I see. May my choices gladden you my goddess. "

Galdor heads back to the group.

Galdor feels Chauntea's blessing on him as he opens his eyes.

" I am very flattered for your offer but I think I must refuse for now. My feelings are still unstable, my moral code is in crisis. At the moment, I can no longer determine which evil I shall vanquish or which lives I shall protect, " He squints at Lyth. " So for now, I shall find myself first. And when I find it, I shall then reach out to you myself. "

Ilyerra snorts. " The evil we need to vanquish is clear, do you not think so? "

" No, my friend, i do not see it as clearly as you do. " Galdor smiles sadly at Lyth.

Joseph smiles. It is a smile of +17 to Persuasion. " None of us are stable in Phlan, Galdor. Membership in the Gauntlet is not a reward for the perfect. It is an opportunity to find one's path. You will find yourself serving others, if you walk with us. "

 " Well if you put it that way, then I guess your order can help me find a path I can live with without losing myself. Very well then, I shall join the Order of the Gauntlet. "

 A smirk graces Ilytherra's lips. It fades as quickly as it came. " Wait till Alejandro hears about this. "

Joseph looks genuinely overjoyed. A smile breaks out across his face and he pulls a pendant from his utility belt. " Welcome to the order, Galdor, servant of Chauntea. May you walk in the light always "

" It's all fun and games at the beginning, and then they confiscate all your organs. " Ilytherra bitterly laughs.

" Ahh I accept this insignia with honor. Thank you, my new friend. May Goddess Chauntea preserve our life in service of the good. "

" And may Shevarash preserve our lives in the service of vengeance. "

" She will do more than preserve us. She will help us grow. Come, speak with me awhile! I wish to know how a firbolg came to Phlan to become a walking miracle. " Joseph is perplexed at Lyth's comment. " Organs? "

" Organs?! What do you mean, Lyth? " Galdor unconsciously rubs his stomach.

" I consider myself to be quite the collector. "

...Galdor doesn't know what to do with that information. He is acclimated with blood and death, but Firbolgs consume all animals hunted and make use of what is left... Galdor can't imagine what Lyth collects them for.

" I know little of Shevarash, but have never heard of her collecting organs. "

" Him. " She corrects Joseph and shakes her head. " No,no. It's a personal hobby. The organs are for me, not my deity. "

" And what do you do with the organs...? "

" If you'd like to make an offering, " She pauses,    " I'd be welcome to it "

Galdor looks at his stomach and pales, "   " Um...Maybe next time? "

" I see. Well, thank you for your time, Lyth. Enjoy what our city has to offer, and be sure to obey all our laws. Galdor, may I offer you a meal? "

" Was the 'obey all our laws' meant for me? "

" I see. Well, thank you for your time, Lyth. Enjoy what our city has to offer, and be sure to obey all our laws. Galdor, may I offer you a meal? "

" Yes. " He smiles a +17 smile. " Lovely! I'll make it myself. Uther overcooks everything. "

" Do I get an invitation or is this a date between the both of you? " Ilytherra quips.

" It is customary to spend time with new recruits. My interest is not romantic. "

 You both notice that a) he had someone specific in mind at the moment he said the word "romantic. b) he is not entirely comfortable having a war cleric of Shevarash in the temple.  " I'm here if you need an extra pair of hands. I'm quite good with roasting fresh game. "

Ilytherra recalls the time she was in the temple and the other faction members acted weary around her. Ilytherra chuckles and nods. " Very well...I'll go find Uther and bother him about that drink. "

As she exits the temple, Lyth walks past Lyria.

Galdor is clueless and currently thinking of food recipes.

The divine glow still envelops Joseph, but for a moment it is joined by a glow that is entirely human.

Ilytherra shrugs it off and wanders the city in search of Uther.

He is not hard to find.

Ilytherra heads towards the human light house.

" Hi, Joseph! "   Lyria's hair is on fire with a Continual Flame spell. " Who's your new friend? "

" A new brother in arms, Galdor, cleric of Chauntea! "

" A new recruit, how lovely! I'll leave you to your interview. "

Joseph quickly interjects:  " This is a chance for you to get to know him. " He turns to Galdor. " if you're okay with another breakfast companion? "

Galdor squints at joseph, wondering. " Sure! More new friends. "

" Hail, Lyria. I am Galdor Milorn or Galdor the friend-giant in the common tongue. I have just been introduced as a new member of the order. "

'' Meanwhile... ''

Wisps of smoke follow Uther as he walks toward Lyth. " Hi! "

" My companion is currently in the hands of the Order of the Gauntlet. Although I am a member...I don't think they like me very much. I don't understand why. " Ilytherra tells him. " So I've come to bother you for the meantime. "

Uther walks with Lyth. " It's probably because you worship a chaotic god who is neither good nor evil, are obsessed with vengeance, and commit atrocities as a hobby. I sympathize. Sometimes I think it freaks people out how much I enjoy setting evildoers on fire. "

" The world doesn't seem to understand us. Oh well. Misery loves company I suppose. " She shakes her head. " Speaking of fire, I got a new toy. "

Uther's eyes bug out. You don't need Insight to figure out that he's interested. " Oh my. An actual sun blade! Where did you get it? "

" You wouldn't believe me if I told you. "   She says, but then tells him anyway. " We got it from a drow. Could you imagine? "

Uther extends a hand. " May I see? "

She hands it over to him. " If anyone could be the epitome of light, it would be you. Especially now. As if you couldn't be any more of a caricature. "

" I do my best! "  He examines the blade, ignoring the caricature comment. " This was stolen. It bears the mark of a deity I do not recognize, but this is not of drow make. "

Ilytherra is clearly more intrigued now. " Stolen?? "

" Yes, no drow would consider making such a thing. They would have to be desperate indeed to pick it up. "

" It was clear that he was after our vampire companion. " Ilytherra noted. " Gwyn, huh? Interesting. "   " I do wonder what the drow had against the vampire though. Although, one's a life draining treacherous creature and the other one is a vampire. "  She quipped.

Uther nods. " Strahd has all but driven the drow from the Moondeep. It makes sense that he would be a target for assassination. Beware of painting him as treacherous. He lies and manipulates, yes, but he is loath to break a promise or violate a treaty. I guess it's why he joined the Lords' Alliance. "

Ilytherra smiles. " No, no. Strahd was quite... Quite lovely. I think he's a better companion than most. It's the drow who are agonizing and treacherous. That reminds me. Where did you go when we escaped my family's tragedy? I was quite certain you blew up. "

Uther laughs. " Ever since I was blasted out of my home reality, I am prone to being dislocated across space and time. I am amidst strange beings, in a strange land. The flow of time itself is convoluted. I phase in and out. The very fabric wavers, and relations shift and obscure. What is there to do but find friends and engage in jolly cooperation? How are you holding up, " asks Uther. " Losing family is tough. " His light dims a little.

" How am I holding up? "  Ilytherra bit her lip and shook her head. " I’m angry and restless and every time I close my eyes I can hear her…Syndra… "   She trailed off, realizing she was feeling emotional. She collected herself. " It must be nice. Walking in and out of planes and experiencing different realities. I grow tired of the watching the same horizon. "

" Your journey seems like a lonely one. "

" That just means I have less to lose. "  She tells him. " Enough of this nonsense, shall we go get a drink? "

" Yes!. "  As he walks you to the Drunken Dragon Inn, Uther babbles. " You know, the grain that makes up our drinks grows because of sunlight. Whenever you drink beer, you are tasting the sun! "

" Tasting the sun, huh. "  She repeated as they walked in. " I'm not sure if I've told you but my family used to export pomegranates. These pomegranates were also a key ingredient to Seleenian Clarry. I bet with enough practice, I may be able to brew some on my own. "

Meanwhile...

There is a brief argument over who gets to prepare the food. Lyria wins by citing her proficiency with cook's utensils. Also because Joseph appears somewhat distracted.

" Welcome, Galdor! "  Her smile is genuine and slightly awkward, as she is half your height.

Galdor finds his new friend joseph entertaining as he appears more clumsy at the arrival of Lyria. He casts disguise self to make himself 3 feet shorter and less intimidating. He is now 7ft tall.

Lyria smiles. ''You can tell she appreciates the gesture. Joseph beams at your act of kindness.''

" This reminds me of home where we tell stories over our hunted meals. I was about to tell joseph how i came out of isolated socety. Would you care to listen as well, Lyria? "

Lyria's eyes meet yours. " Yes please! I'm happy our humble meal reminds you of home. "

" I was barely out of my 50s. I guess for humans I would've been a child of 10yrs. It was winter and food was scarcer than usual. I was out late afternoon near the hills of Gluthmere forest, foraging for berries and nuts when I heard shrieks and squabbles. "

Joseph bites into some bread. " Go on  "

" I hid my steps and headed towards the noise. What I saw was a large white doe. So large its head would've reached my chest! But it was being stabbed by a band of orcs. Poles were already sticking out from her sides and she was flinging out blood over the snow. "

" Such torture of animals is abhorrent to us firbolgs. We prefer fast hunting so the animal doesn't suffer needlessly. So I grabbed one of the fallen trees and charged into the fray! "

Lyria nods sadly.

" You did the right thing, Galdor, " Joseph says.

" Well, I'm glad you think so Joseph. Oh, it was my first fight! I don't think I did very well. There were more than 15 of them and I was young, alone, and famished that winter. I don't know how much time passed. With my trunk and the doe kicking the orcs, we championed. We were both very much hurt and exhausted though. The doe finally collapses while I drop to my knees, heaving! "

" I mustered my strength and carried the doe. I hunted in these forests and hills for roughly 40 years and know the terrain fairly well. The orcs would've had a small pocket to venture downhill from the mountains with a winter this bad. I retraced their tracks and found a small cave; well, small by my standards. "

" You were right, "  Lyria says to Joseph,   "  He is Gauntlet material. "

Joseph asks,   " What happened next? "

" I placed the doe furthest inside and went back out to gather fallen logs. I carried them one by one until I have enough to barricade from the inside. Once finished, and we have decent cover from the snowfall and cold, I used my stoneflint to make a small fire. I examined the doe's wounds and figured the poles will at least stop her from bleeding out. I still chewed some herbs I keep in my pouches and smeared it around the gashes. "

" I guess you could have argued that killing it quickly is merciful. But the doe fought bravely even before I arrived and was still fighting to survive. So I offered it the meager berries and nuts I foraged for the day. With luck, I could still have a decent meal when I travel home the morning after. "

Lyria appears to be troubled in her heart.

" Was the doe alright, " Lyria asks.

" That is the mystery! The next morning, I woke with a start and I heard no breathing near me. I crawled and felt with my hands but found no doe. I pushed at the barricade and let the sunlight in. Instead of a doe, or at least its footprints, what was left behind was a sapling. It was very green and was such a rare color in white-cold winter. It was surrounded by seeds that were different from the berries and nuts I offered to the doe. "

Joseph is fascinated by your account. He exchanges a significant look with Lyria.

" I dug through the snow and earth and found that it rooted quite deep already. I slowly sunk it into one of my pouches and gathered the rest of the unknown seeds into another pouch. I rushed back home, cradling the pouch with the sapling with both hands like I was holding a butterfly. I recounted the story to my elders and they too were as bewildered as I am. "

"' It has been a long time since we have felt a presence from any divine," they said. "We have names of the gods of old but has lost touch in their belief as we have closed our clans from the rest of the world. Now, we have only our Code to tie us to this earth.... We shall put it to a vote, what is to be done with these.' "

" The seeds grew and bore fruits and vegetables the firbolgs have never seen. And though they were bountiful, the fruits they bore were no longer magical. But still, the firbolgs who only knew of the hunt, now know how to plant and grow things. "

" Ever since they planted the magical saplings and seeds,  I had been experiencing wild dreams. There was always a deer in the dream. I never saw it but I kept hearing its hooves as it runs further away from me, into places I've never seen, and vague faces of people and races I've never met. They grew more frequent as the years passed and the agriculture life more stable. And on my 125th year, my clan majorly voted for me to venture out and find the meaning of my dreams. "

" And how did this lead you to Chauntea, " asks Joseph.

" As I left the clan, they chanted and stomped: Prakt, Strev, Rang glang byrd!... Bravery, Effort, and Honor over birth! It is the code of the Firbolgs. It is what makes a firbolg. But I was fearful for no one has ventured out of the clan from my memories.  "

" You asked how it led me to Chauntea? Well as I approached the edge of the forest, the fear clutched at me and I turned back towards the direction of my village for courage. And the doe was staring back at me from a rise. It had blood on its chest. And in a blink, the doe turned into a woman so radiant that it felt blinding. The blood on her chest turned into a rose. She pulled it and offered it to me. I slowly moved closer, afraid and awed as I clasped the rose. Its thorns made me bleed but all I could perceive was her. I dropped on one knee and bowed low. When I raised my head, she was already gone. And the rose had droplets of my blood. So I turned towards the edge of the forest. And started my path into the world. It would ultimately bring me across The Dragonmere waters and me trying to help an insect druid shaped like a spider. I didn't know what liquid it was and got stuck! Hahaha. It was Alejandro who saved me and thus started my adventures with Lyth and her companions. I hope you, Joseph and Lyria, enjoyed my story. "

Joseph finishes his water. " A good tale. And one with a meaning you likely do not suspect. "

" Oh yes, so far great goddess chauntea has been very vague as to why i have ventured out. All the elders think she desires to change our ways for the better. But we don't know how or why. And we firbolgs...ages of isolation on tradition. Change is very hard.... It is one of the reasons why i was hesitant to join the order awhile ago. "

Lyria gives Joseph a look. " I'm gonna tell him. "

Joseph hesitates. " I'm not sure he's ready. "

Galdor squints at them. "S hould I leave and give you guys a... "moment"?  "

Joseph and Lyria look embarrassed.

" Er, this is about you, Galdor. Something you have not noticed. "

" Oh. What is it? "

" Such direct intervention by the gods is unusual. It leaves a mark upon the soul. You are Favored, Galdor friend-giant. "

He gasps. " Do you think so? What does that mean exactly? Great goddess, barely tells me anything when I pray and meditate, vague or not. I do not yet understand her goals or desires for me. " Galdor says a bit helplessly.

" Galdor, " says Lyria   "  There is light in your soul. We can both feel it. It's... beautiful. Joseph and I look into your being and there is the rose, growing, waiting for sunlight. Tell me... what do you know of magic? "

" Actually I do not know much. I started healing after being inspired from healing the doe. I planted the medicinal herbs I knew in the rose shrine and they grew more bountiful and healed faster. For a span of 10 years after leaving the clan, I naturally followed conversations of healing, preservation, and life into a temple. And there I trained to become a life cleric. "

" Your goddess wants you to bring change, Galdor. She does not constrain you to one path. A forest grows best when it is not interfered with. She granted you power, but also the freedom to set your own agenda. "

Joseph speaks. " Bravery, effort, and honor are seeds. From them, many good things may grow. "

" How insightful! That is what she told me in my last meditation. Yet i am fearful for i have no one to guide me. I know no firbolg who have ventured out and tested the Code in the outside world. And when we lose the Code, we lose the clan, and so we lose ourselves. My faith in goddess Chauntea is still trying to mix into my Code. So yes, i am hopeful, and again, fearful. Hahaha. " Galdor laughs incredulously.

Joseph smiles. " This is your first step, Galdor. Listen to the world. Go among its people. Practice your code and see where it is desperately needed, and where it is lacking. Those who fear losing themselves will lose themselves. Those who look outward expand themselves. And change. And grow. "

Galdor smiles sadly, "I  do try. But this recent situation with Lyth is trying me. I feel for her pain because she is my friend. Her city and family were decimated and most of them were probably innocent. Yet I also found out after that the drow destroyed everything important to her because she started a drow holocaust when she joined a cult. I feel for both races because of the loss of life. Yet I do not understand if such things are justified. I do not want to help her kill innocent drows. Yet I do not know how to stop her either. "

Joseph looks alarmed. " Drow holocaust? "

" From the visions we saw from Snaga's last moments, and from the stories of our companions, apparently Lyth killed a considerable amount of drows because her cult believed they were all evil until she indiscriminately kills all drows. Now that her family and city is gone because of them, she is now filled with more rage and vengeance. And I am at a loss on how to help and prevent more deaths."

In the Temple, Lyria answers Galdor's question. " It is difficult to condemn the killing of drow slave-raiders and torturers. But innocents are another matter. If at all possible, Galdor, lead Lyth to atonement. "

In the Drunken Dragon Inn....

As Uther buys drinks for you both, he comments on the Black Bow. " You seem to be carrying a lot of unusual weapons. "

" This one is more of a friend than a weapon. "  She tells him, as she takes the drink.

" Every friendship has a story behind it. What's the story of your bow? "

" It's a little gruesome. "  She says with a grin, her cheeks flushed from all the alcohol she's been consuming within the short period of time. " I murdered Snaga. "

" The one who betrayed you? "

" Yes. That very one. I can't begin to tell you how satisfying it felt feeling his neck snap in my hands. It's funny how delicate life can be when you lose your mind... "

Uther appears troubled. His glance goes to his shield.

" I told you it was gruesome " Ilytherra laughs, her cheeks even more flushed. " Anyways, as I kicked his lifeless body a bow popped out. "

" May I see it? " Uther asks.

Ilytherra shrugs and hands him the black bow as she takes another sip.

Uther examines the bow. " Hmmmm. "  He speaks to it in Elvish, whispering, " Tell me your pain. " He casts a spell.

" Ah. I see. "

Uther waves away Hugh when he moves to refill Lyth's drink. " I have a proposition for you. "

Lyth raises an eyebrow,    " Oh? "

" This is a jealous weapon. It feeds on your loneliness and wants nothing to do with warmth and light. Imagine what it thinks of your new sun blade. "

" I have need of such a weapon. Grant it to me, and I will offer you my companionship in your quest to avenge your family. A cleric of light is more useful to your cause than a sword of light. "

" I'll take the sun from the skies and bring it to the underdark if it makes their days even the least bit more uncomfortable.. " She laughed, drunkenly. " You're a shiny distraction, but if you can devote yourself to my cause, then you can take my sunblade. "

" I shall confirm this with you when we are both sober, but for now, thank you. While I will not break my oaths to my order and the gods of Phlan, you have my word that the sun will rise on those who so coldly murdered your family, and its light will blast them all to ash. As proof of my sincerity, any share of gold I obtain in our quest shall be turned over to you. "

" No...Not gold. " She said, taking another sip of the drink. " But their heads. Bring me their heads. "

" I cannot promise that. It is so difficult to retrieve a head that has been struck by a Fireball. They tend to explode, in my experience. The cerebral fluid flashes into superheated steam and obliterates the cranial vault. "

The elven maiden was clearly amused at Uther's descriptions. The grotesque picture of drows being struck by fireballs was comforting to her. " Very well then, gold it is. Maybe I can buy an army. "

Uther looks at you. " No, no I don't think you will. You want to do the job personally. "

" One head exploding at a time. "

" As much as I would love to torture and kill every single dar— " Ilytherra hates acknowledging that drow too, are elves,    " —drow I come across, it may not be feasible to commit mass genocide in this lifetime. I've seen Strahd's army...and if I had an army that understood my causes...we can take the all out faster and more efficiently. "

She grinned. " Lolth however, is mine. "

"I have news for you, " Uther says. " Menzoberranzan, City of Lolth, was recently all but demolished in a magical catastrophe. Drow power in the Underdark is in crisis, broken not by armies, but by adventurers. "

He pulls out a notebook. " Tell me of the drow who attacked Selee. "

" It brings me joy knowing there are more who seek vengeance against the drow... " She notices him pull out a notebook.

" It must all be Snaga. He may be a part of a drow organization or something... They're all linked to each other judging by their choice in clothing. " She says, describing to him what they were wearing.

" Maybe these were the cards I was dealt when I decided to gamble my life playing with that deck of many things... " She trailed off, staring into the distance.

" Why? " Uther asks. " Which cards did you draw? "

" The sun and the throne. " She says, looking at him. "High risk, high reward. "

Uther examines the sun blade. " Why would the drow expend so much effort and planning to destroy Selee? "

" When I received news from the family that Syndra began to speak I couldn't believe it at first, and maybe I shouldn't have taken it so lightly. " She said to Uther, taking another sip of her drink. " It's funny, you see, in my youth, I spent a good portion of my time mapping out the underdark. "

" I have spent most of my adventuring career down there, " Uther says.

She ordered another drink after emptying hers. " I used to gamble frequently, and I met this group called the 'Defenders'. " She mocked the name. " There were sightings of drow close to home, and all they wanted to do was protect our home. I thought to myself 'Hey, that's pretty amazing,' and the next thing I knew I was down there with them. "

" I remember my first kill. It almost cost me my life. It was then I met Shevarash, and I felt...I don't know what I felt. I was obsessed with him, Uther. " She sighed. " So I found them and killed them. Sometimes on my own, sometimes with others. I don't remember how many we smoked out like vermin. "

" One day, Syndra followed me, and to be honest...I'm not sure what I brought back from the underdark was my little sister. "

" The Underdark nearly turned me into something terrible, " Uther says. " It does that. "

For the first time, Lyth notices the inscription on the inside rim of Uther's shield. It reads, "Rethink Your Life."

" What happened to you? " Ilytherra asks.

" I set a kid on fire. "

" What happened? "

" We were stretched to our limits, overmatched, out of resources, betrayed over and over and over. And then the enemy deployed brainwashed psychic child soldiers at us. We found them standing over other children they had murdered. Fire seemed justified. Only later did I wonder if there was another way. And on the way out of those horrid caves, I found this shield. "

" You made the best decisions you could at the time with the information and situation you were given. I don't blame you. I think you did what you did because you had to. " Lyth rested her hand on his shoulder, stroking him lightly. Was this what it meant to empathize with someone? The feeling was foreign to her.

" I believe that too. Nonetheless there was a debt to be paid. So I left the Underdark for a time and journeyed in the sunlight. I saved three children from a horrible death. I stopped a fight, not with Fireball, but with Zone of Truth. An atonement quest. And I returned to the Underdark with renewed purpose. "

Uther smiles. Unlike Joseph, what is striking is not his smile, but his eyes. They look kindly at Lyth.

The mixture of the alcohol and the company made her feel at ease. For the first time in a while, a genuine, non-sarcastic smile made their way to her lips before disappearing as the bow hissed. A jealous weapon that fed off of her loneliness and hatred. Uther chose a path of salvation and she was on the descent to revenge. She turned away from the other cleric and sighed. " A purpose... " She murmurred. " It isn't easy, is it? "

" It is not. But when vengeance and killing become empty, Lyth, try atonement. "