15 files changed, 25 insertions, 2755 deletions
diff --git a/src/dnd/Collaborative_Gestalt_Leveling_v0.1.pdf b/src/dnd/Collaborative_Gestalt_Leveling_v0.1.pdf
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index 0000000..d9bea85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/Collaborative_Gestalt_Leveling_v0.1.pdf
diff --git a/src/dnd/Collaborative_Gestalt_Leveling_v0.1.yaml b/src/dnd/Collaborative_Gestalt_Leveling_v0.1.yaml
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index 0000000..2e90f01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/Collaborative_Gestalt_Leveling_v0.1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+author: "Andrew Murrell"
+title: "Collaborative Gestalt Leveling"
+categores: "HB"
+\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dnd/Learning_a_Language_v1.0.pdf b/src/dnd/Learning_a_Language_v1.0.pdf
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index 0000000..e79ab04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/Learning_a_Language_v1.0.pdf
diff --git a/src/dnd/Learning_a_Language_v1.0.yaml b/src/dnd/Learning_a_Language_v1.0.yaml
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index 0000000..23fef4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/Learning_a_Language_v1.0.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+author: "Andrew Murrell"
+title: "Learning a Language"
+categores: "HB"
+\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dnd/OracleSorc1_0.pdf b/src/dnd/OracleSorc1_0.pdf
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index 0000000..375a105
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/OracleSorc1_0.pdf
diff --git a/src/dnd/OracleSorc1_0.yaml b/src/dnd/OracleSorc1_0.yaml
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index 0000000..0828e54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/OracleSorc1_0.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+author: "Andrew Murrell"
+title: "Sorcererous Origin: Oracle"
+categores: "HB"
+---
+\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dnd/ThePatron_1.1.pdf b/src/dnd/ThePatron_1.1.pdf
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index 0000000..5a4fb79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/ThePatron_1.1.pdf
diff --git a/src/dnd/ThePatron_1.1.yaml b/src/dnd/ThePatron_1.1.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fac431c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/ThePatron_1.1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+author: "Andrew Murrell"
+title: "The Patron Prestige Class"
+categores: "HB"
diff --git a/src/dnd/YARV_Ranger_1.2_with_Community_Subclasses_1.1.pdf b/src/dnd/YARV_Ranger_1.2_with_Community_Subclasses_1.1.pdf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68db5ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/YARV_Ranger_1.2_with_Community_Subclasses_1.1.pdf
diff --git a/src/dnd/YARV_Ranger_1.2_with_Community_Subclasses_1.1.yaml b/src/dnd/YARV_Ranger_1.2_with_Community_Subclasses_1.1.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a6a0670
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/YARV_Ranger_1.2_with_Community_Subclasses_1.1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+author: "Andrew Murrell"
+title: "Yet Another Ranger Variant (YARV)"
+categores: "HB"
+\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dnd/drews_rules.pdf b/src/dnd/drews_rules.pdf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65ffb89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/drews_rules.pdf
diff --git a/src/dnd/drews_rules.yaml b/src/dnd/drews_rules.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70a57e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dnd/drews_rules.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+author: "Andrew Murrell"
+title: "Drew's Rules"
+categories: "HB"
diff --git a/src/dnd/psionic-schools.org b/src/dnd/psionic-schools.org
deleted file mode 100644
index 9f71b15..0000000
--- a/src/dnd/psionic-schools.org
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,220 +0,0 @@
-#+TITLE: Schools of Psionics
-#+CLASS: dnd
-#+CATEGORIES: ES HB
-
-From what I've seen, the most recent few 5e Unearthed Arcana dealing
-with "Psionics and the Mystic" have been getting somewhat mixed
-reviews.  I don't think this is because of the mechanics--or rather
-not COMPLETELY because of the mechanics.  Mechanics for psionics have
-always been weird, and the 5e style is good for D&D, so maintaining
-that is good and won't get any gripes from me.
-
-But I think that no matter what purely mechanical tweaks the UA team
-has planned for the Mystic, the general lukewarm reception isn't going
-to change unless we get something else squared away first.  Something
-a little deeper--something that helps us grasp Psionics in the same
-way we grasp Magic: with a complete and intuitive system.
-
-With Weave-based magic there are schools which somewhat delineate
-magical effects (conjuration, divination, etc), but that's not exactly
-what I mean.  Not to bash the magical schools (any system will have
-inconsistencies--mine notwithstanding), but few people really
-understand what it means to be a wizard by what school of magic they
-specialize in.  An enchantment wizard isn't fundamentally different
-from an evocation one.  But a wizard is different than a bard or a
-warlock.  These "Schools of Psionics" are as much about the state of
-mind of the manifester and the method for manifestation as they are
-about the outcome of the manifestation (there are several of my
-Psionic "schools" that may each manifest effects in the transmutation
-school of magic for instance, but each according to its own particular
-rules).
-
-What I mean is this:
-
-|           | Introvertion (a) | Extroversion (b) |
-|-----------+------------------+------------------|
-| Mind (1)  | Cogitation       | Domination       |
-| Body (2)  | Sympathy         | Manifestation    |
-| Time (3)  | Prescience       | Anticipation     |
-| Space (4) | Metapsionics     | Apportation      |
-
-There are eight categories split into two primary focuses and four
-topical domains, and each of the eight describes HOW a power is
-manifested.  It tells us what our character is DOING to get the
-blasted power to work.  As a D&D culture, we know how wizards do it,
-careful study and recitation, memorization, etc.  We know how Bards do
-it, they hear the music of creation and wrap their words in it.  All
-these effects are propagated through Mystra's Weave and are bound by
-it's limitations.  But nobody has a clue how Psionics works.  Or
-rather, we all have half-baked ideas that don't jive.
-
-In order for this to work, we need to know in canon, what it means to
-BE A PSIONIST and manifest powers.  I'm probably no different than
-anybody else in my half-baked understanding, but as a Physicist and an
-editor I feel it is my duty to try to make sense of this mess.
-
-First off, since we don't have a Weave, but all magic needs a medium,
-lets make one.  Lets call it the Psionic Field.  Created spontaneously
-from the first thinking being (or Source), the Psionic Field exists on
-any plane containing thought.  Some sources of psionic power are
-stronger than others, but all thinking things produce some connection
-to the field (some might wonder if magic and the Weave itself is
-naught but an echo of Mystra's or Auppenser's mind--and in that light
-perhaps the Psionic Field is not so foreign after all).
-
-With that medium in place, the world of Psionics slowly falls into
-place as well.  Detailed descriptions of the eight schools follow:
-
-1a) Cogitation - Clarity of thought, memory, action, and connection to
-the Psionic Field.
-
-Cogitation is often one's first exposure to Psionics.  It's a
-clear-mindedness that opens up your own mind to see itself for the
-first time, and beyond that, to sense the edges of the minds of
-others.  It includes the stereotypical bloody-nosed mind reading,
-mimicry, and perfect recall.
-
-Examples of Cogitation include "Detect Thoughts" and "Mind Meld" and
-the ability to learn or borrow skills and proficiencies directly from
-the minds of others.
-
-1b) Domination - Exert dominating willpower over other minds.
-
-Once you've encountered sources outside yourself it is only natural to
-try to influence or even dominate them.  Exerting your will into the
-minds of others isn't the same as reading their thoughts, you might
-not know what your target is thinking, only that it will succumb.
-
-Examples of Domination include "Command", "Suggestion", and "Dominate
-Person".
-
-2a) Sympathy - Exerting influence upon sympathetic objects.
-
-The Psionic Field is produced by thinking creatures, but it can leave
-an imprint on even mundane objects and materials.  Objects may be
-imbued with Psionic energy to produce a variety of effects, and may
-soak up ambient energy by just sitting within the Psionic Field which
-can be later be discerned by a Psionist to know about an object's
-history.  This is done by expanding your sense of self outward from
-your mind and body and into the object.
-
-Examples of Sympathy include "Psychometry", "Animate Objects", and
-"Guards and Wards".
-
-2b) Manifestion - Creating both illusory and physically manipulable
-constructs of pure thought.
-
-By focusing and condensing ideas down to their most concrete forms,
-Psionists can manifest the essence of a thing as either an illusion or
-as a real physical object made of Astral matter (ectoplasm).  Astral
-matter is most commonly associated with the Astral plane (or plane of
-thought) where it occurs naturally, but can exist anywhere with a
-sufficient psionic field for a Psionist to conjure it.
-
-Examples of Manifestation include "Mage Hand", "Conjure Astral
-Construct", and "Programmed Illusion"
-
-3a) Prescience - See and feel other places and times.
-
-Because the actions of thinking things (sources of psionics) are not
-stagnant, their movements create ripples in the Psionic Field.
-Births, deaths, and exchanges of knowledge leave their marks.  By
-studying these echos and patterns, Psionists can discern events that
-occurred in distant parts of the world or even in the past or future.
-
-Examples of Prescience include "Detect Poison and Disease", "Scrying",
-and "Foresight".
-
-3b) Anticipation - Solidify expectation and possibility into reality.
-
-In many ways the Universe itself is just composed of the interactions
-of groups of sources of psionism and the objects being pulled in their
-wake (albeit a rather large number of each).  With an awareness of the
-way ripples propagate in the Psionic Field and by using the techniques
-of Sympathy but directing them outwards, a Psionist can begin to
-subtly manipulate expectation and the laws of Physics themselves.
-
-Examples of Anticipation include "Heat Metal", "Telekinesis", "Reverse
-Gravity", and "Time Stop".
-
-4a) Metapsionics - Manipulating sources of Psionism and their direct
-effects.
-
-The way that thinking creatures interact with the Psionic Field is
-complicated and diverse, just as the creatures which produce it are
-themselves.  By studying how the minds of Psionically-attuned
-creatures create Psionic and even Magical Weave-based effects, a
-Psionist can learn to imitate or manipulate psionic effects as they
-see them (and sometimes use what they've learned to imbue limited
-psionic potential into others).
-
-Examples of Metapsionics include "Detect Magic", "Counterspell", and
-"Awaken"
-
-4b) Apportation - Pulling and pushing on planar boundaries with the
-Psionic Field.
-
-Since the material plane is not the only one with thinking creatures,
-some far-minded Psionists can detect the Psionic Field existing on
-other planes of existence and pull on these remote fields of power.
-Doing so can banish alien creatures, abjure harmful elemental effects,
-or even tear open portals to distant planes and places.
-
-Examples of Apportation include "Dimension Door", "Banishment", and
-"Whitefire Portal"
-
-== Post Script ==
-
-Q: Specifics (where do these fit in?) - A: Answer
-
-What about Soul Knives??? - A soul knife is just an adept who uses a
-combination of Manifestation and Sympathy to conjure a blade and imbue
-it with different Sympathetic effects.  In a similar way, you can use
-these eight to extend specific domains on to different classes.
-Psionic warrior?  Uses Sympathy to strengthen his body and Prescience
-to predict the strikes of his enemy.  Psionic rogue? Apportation to
-teleport around or Cogitation to read minds to cheat at cards (or
-memorize the deck).  Once the system is in place, the variations build
-themselves because you know what's possible and what isn't.
-Restriction breeds Creativity. You gotta know the rules to use them.
-
-What's all this about "Psionist?" Isn't it "Psion" - In my
-understanding a "Psion" is a mystic who uses metapsionics to
-manipulate her own mind into casting spells with the Weave.  It is
-also a term that gets some use for a general practitioner of psionics.
-It is also one of those 4e tattoo addicts...  just a really overloaded
-term really.  Psionist sounds the best to me as a general term like
-"mage."
-
-What's the difference between Sympathy and Anticipation when
-moving/lifting things? - In Sympathy, you convince the object to move
-by extending your sense of self into it and lifting it yourself, in
-Anticipation, it moves because you trick the Universe into thinking
-the object should already be moving and so the Universe does it for
-you. Expanding self is all monk-like vs. essentially casting Luck
-Bending spells.
-
-Apportation includes an allusion to "Whitefire Portal". What's that? -
-Oh, just this cool thing I made:
-
-*Whitefire Portal*: You burn a temporary hole through the Astral Plane
-and into another plane of your choice. Once per long rest, centered on
-a point within 300 ft of you, you summon raw Astral ectoplasm which
-burns with hellish, white-hot fury. Any creature standing within 20
-feet of the whitefire must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 12d10
-fire damage or half on a successful save. Inanimate objects in the
-area also take the damage and flammable objects may catch on fire. A
-portal then opens to the chosen plane as with a Gate spell and remains
-open for 1 minute as the planes slowly knit themselves back
-together. Alternatively, instead of a specific location on a plane of
-your choice, you may choose to have your portal open into a generally
-inhospitable location in one of the elemental planes or the planes of
-positive or negative energy. If you do so, creatures who enter or
-begin their turns within 20 feet of the portal take 6d10 damage of the
-appropriate elemental or energy type.
-
-I'm actually working on an entire Psionist class for eventual
-publication on the Dungeon Master's Guild (or as part of my
-"MagnumOpis-MagicOfTheMultiverse" which covers EVERYTHING magical as I
-understand it).  Of course if somebody #wotcstaff wants to buy it
-and/or hire me, I'd be totally up for #theorycrafting for a living.
diff --git a/src/dnd/psionist.org b/src/dnd/psionist.org
deleted file mode 100644
index accd563..0000000
--- a/src/dnd/psionist.org
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,570 +0,0 @@
-#+TITLE: [5e] Psionist Class - Rewrite [ALPHA]
-#+CLASS: dnd
-#+CATEGORIES: HB
-
-#+HTML_HEAD_EXTRA: <style type="text/css">#content { padding: 0px 16%; width: 68%; } body { background: url(Background3.png) repeat-y; background-size: 100%;} </style>
-
-* Introduction to the Psionist Class [5e]
-
-* The Psionist
-
-  As a Psionist, you gain the following class features.
-
-** Hit Points
-   * *Hit Dice*: 1d6 per psionist level
-   * *Hit Points at 1st Level*: 6 + your Constitution modifier
-   * *Hit Points at Higher Levels*: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per psionist level after 1st
-
-** Proficiencies
-   * *Armor*: Light armor
-   * *Weapons*: Simple Weapons
-   * *Tools*: None
-   * *Saving Throws*: Intelligence, Wisdom
-   * *Skills*: Choose two skills from History, Insight, Investigation,
-     Medicine, Perception, or Religion
-
-** Equipment
-You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment
-granted by your background:
-
-   * (a) a spear or (b) a mace
-   * (a) leather armor
-   * (a) light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
-   * (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
-
-** Psionist Class Progression Table
-
-|       | Prof. |                                  |        | Max   |          |        |
-| Level | Bonus | Features                         |    Psi | Power | Cantrips | Powers |
-|       |       |                                  | Points | Level |    Known |  Known |
-|-------+-------+----------------------------------+--------+-------+----------+--------|
-|     1 |    +2 | [[Mind Powers][Mind Powers]], [[Thought Sensitivity][Thought Sensitivity]] |      4 | 1st   |        3 |      2 |
-|     2 |    +2 | [[Psionic Focus][Psionic Focus]]                    |      6 | 1st   |        3 |      3 |
-|     3 |    +2 | Psionic Discipline Feature       |     14 | 2nd   |        3 |      4 |
-|     4 |    +3 | Ability Score Improvement        |     17 | 2nd   |        3 |      4 |
-|     5 |    +3 |                                  |     27 | 3rd   |        4 |      5 |
-|     6 |    +3 | Psionic Discipline Feature       |     32 | 3rd   |        4 |      6 |
-|     7 |    +3 |                                  |     38 | 4th   |        4 |      7 |
-|     8 |    +3 | Ability Score Improvement        |     44 | 4th   |        4 |      7 |
-|     9 |    +4 |                                  |     57 | 5th   |        4 |      8 |
-|    10 |    +4 | [[Psionic Domain][Psionic Domain]]                   |     64 | 5th   |        5 |      9 |
-|    11 |    +4 |                                  |     73 | 6th   |        5 |     10 |
-|    12 |    +5 | Ability Score Improvement        |     73 | 6th   |        5 |     10 |
-|    13 |    +5 |                                  |     83 | 7th   |        5 |     11 |
-|    14 |    +5 | Psionic Discipline Feature       |     83 | 7th   |        5 |     12 |
-|    15 |    +5 |                                  |     94 | 8th   |        5 |     13 |
-|    16 |    +5 | Ability Score Improvement        |     94 | 8th   |        5 |     13 |
-|    17 |    +6 |                                  |    107 | 9th   |        5 |     14 |
-|    18 |    +6 | Psionic Discipline Feature       |    114 | 9th   |        5 |     15 |
-|    19 |    +6 | Ability Score Improvement        |    123 | 9th   |        5 |     16 |
-|    20 |    +6 | [[Perfect Mind][Perfect Mind]]                     |    133 | 9th   |        5 |     17 |
-
-** Mind Powers
-
-All Psionic abilities except those that cast spells are mind
-powers. Intelligence is your psionic ability for your mind
-powers. Your intellect determines the strength of the psionic effects
-you manifest. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when
-setting the saving throw DC for a mind power or when making an attack
-roll with one. Manifesting mind powers does not require verbal,
-somatic, or material components unless those components have an
-explicit cost associated with them or are consumed.
-
- * *Restriction on High Level Powers*: Psionic Powers of sixth level
-   and higher take a drastic mental toll when manifested. You may only
-   manifest one sixth, one seventh, one eighth, and one ninth level
-   power per day.
-
-*** Psi Points
-
-Psi points represent a Psionist's pool of mental energy. It expands as
-she gains levels in the Psionist class and becomes more powerful. When
-manifesting powers, she uses a number of psi points according to the
-table below.
-
-| Power Level | Point Cost |
-|-------------+------------|
-|           1 |          2 |
-|           2 |          3 |
-|           3 |          5 |
-|           4 |          6 |
-|           5 |          7 |
-|           6 |          9 |
-|           7 |         10 |
-|           8 |         11 |
-|           9 |         13 |
-
-All spent psi points are recovered after a long rest.
-
-*** Psionic Ability
-
-*Mind Powers Save DC* = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence
-modifier
-
-*Mind Power Attack Modifier* = your proficiency bonus + your
-Intelligence modifier
-
-** Thought Sensitivity
-
-As a Psionist, you are attuned to the thoughts and feelings of
-others, as well as the concentration of psionic energy in an area.
-
-   * It is more difficult for a group of people to surprise you. If
-     you enter an area with a group of five or more hidden creatures,
-     you feel their presence and cannot be surprised by them. You can
-     not determine their location relative to you or where they are
-     hiding.
-   * As an action you can examine an object or creature within 10 feet
-     of you to psionically determine whether or not it has a mind. You
-     cannot determine this if it is shielded or immune to having its
-     mind read.
-
-** Psionic Focus
-
-When you reach 2nd level, you may choose to focus your psionic
-potential in one of two directions: inward or outward.
-
-*** Internal Focus
-
-*Psionic Recovery*: Once per day when you finish a short rest you may
-regain a number of psi points equal to your Psionist level (up to 9).
-
-*** External Focus
-
-*Force of Will*: Once per short rest when manifesting a mind power you
-may add your proficiency bonus to your Mind Power Attack Modifier or
-Mind Power Save DC. You must choose to do so before the roll is made.
-
-** Psionic Domain
-
-When you reach 10th level, you may choose to focus your psionic
-potential towards an aspect of reality: mind, body, time, or space.
-
-*** Mind Domain
-
-*Psionic Restoration*: Once per short rest on your turn you may remove
-a mind-altering condition from yourself. Alternatively, you may use an
-action to end a mind-altering condition from a creature you
-touch. These may be Charmed or Frightened.
-
-*** Body Domain
-
-*Psychoportation*: Your movement speed is increased by 10 ft and you
-gain proficiency in dexterity saving throws.
-
-*** Time Domain
-
-*Chronostutter*: Once per short rest on your turn you gain an
-additional bonus action.
-
-*** Space Domain
-
-*Far Manifestation*: The max range of your psionic powers with ranges
-greater than self is increased by 20 ft.
-
-** Perfect Mind
-
-Over years of study and experience in the Hidden Art, you have
-mastered the use of your most powerful psionic powers. Upon reaching
-20th level, the restriction on manifesting high level powers no longer
-applies to sixth and seventh level powers.
-
-** Psionic Disciplines
-
-Psionic Disciplines represent the ways in which Psionists interact
-with the Psionic Field and manifest their powers. You select a
-discipline at 3rd level and it grants abilities at 3rd, 6th, 14th, and
-18th levels.
-
-|       | Internal     | External      |
-|-------+--------------+---------------|
-| Mind  | Cogitation   | Domination    |
-| Body  | Sympathy     | Manifestation |
-| Time  | Prescience   | Anticipation  |
-| Space | Metapsionics | Apportation   |
-
-*** Cogitation [4/4]
-
-Clarity of thought, memory, action and connection to thinking creatures.
- 
-*Mimic Skill*: At 3rd level, you learn to tap into the minds of those
-around you to temporarily mimic their skills. As an action, you may
-target a creature within 30 feet of you. An unwilling creature makes
-an wisdom saving throw or is affected. You may learn a skill, armor,
-weapon, or tool proficiency from the targeted creature. You may only
-mimic one proficiency with this ability at a time, but may target a
-new creature at will.  The targeted creature must have the chosen
-proficiency for you to gain it.  You retain the proficiency while in
-the presence of the mimicked creature, but the proficiency disappears
-when the creature moves more than 30 feet from you.
-
-*Touch of Tongues*: If a creature speaks at least one language, as an
-action you may concentrate to translate their intentions, though not
-their exact wording, into a language you know. This uses your
-concentration for manifesting mind powers or casting spells and the
-effect ends when you cease concentrating on it.
-
-*Tactician*: You learn to use sensory information from those around
-you when aiming your manifestations. When determining if you can see a
-creature or object for a spell, mind power, or other ability, you may
-use the senses of any creatures within 60 feet of you instead of your
-own.  An unwilling creature makes a wisdom saving throw or is
-affected.
-
-*One With All*: You thrive in areas of high density psionic
-energy. Once per long rest, you may enter a psionic trance which
-provides a variety of benefits.  While in the trance you gain
-proficiency in all skills, languages, and saving throws, automatically
-succeed concentration checks, and any psionic abilities that you
-manifest or spells you cast are considered to be manifested or cast
-from one level higher (maximum of 9th level). This effect lasts a
-number of minutes equal to the number of thinking creatures within 60
-feet of you when you enter the trance (maximum 10 minutes).  Your own
-senses are considered blinded and deafened for the duration.  After
-the trance ends you gain 1 level of exhaustion.
-
-*** Sympathy [4/4]
-
-*Psionic Blade Ward*: You learn to ready your body to withstand
-damaging strikes. As a bonus action, you may spend a psi point to
-manifest the psionic cantrip Blade Ward (you don't have to be able to
-manifest that cantrip normally).
-
-*Empower Object*: You learn to imbue objects with psionic energy to
-produce a minor effect.  As a bonus action, you may touch an object of
-size small or smaller and choose to imbue it with one of the following
-effects until the beginning of your next turn:
-
- * Light: The object gives off a faint glow which illuminates 30
-   feet of the surrounding area in dim or bright light (your choice).
- * Heat: The object gives off extreme heat. Touching the object deals
-   2d8 fire damage.
- * Silence: All sounds within 5 feet of the object are silenced as
-   with a Silence spell.
- * Pain: Touching the object produces an illusory sense of pain which
-   deals 3d4 psychic damage.
- * Weight: The object's weight is reduced by 10 pounds. If this would
-   reduce the object's weight to 0, the object floats in the air.
-
-If a chosen affect applied to an object would deal damage, you and any
-number of chosen creatures are immune to taking that damage from that
-effect.
-
-*Reliable Psychometry*: You may manifest the 2nd level mind power
-Psychometry at will without spending psi points. Additionally, while
-in the attunement trance you may choose to move to the perspectives of
-nearby objects within line of sight of the object you hold. The effect
-ends if your chosen object ever leaves line of sight of the original
-object.
-
-*Kinetic Avatar*: You extend your sense of self into the world around
-you, animating and controlling objects and structures in your
-vicinity, then pulling them around you in a swirling cocoon of
-armor. The effect lasts for 1 minute. After the effect ends, you gain
-one level of exhaustion.
-
- * You gain a flying speed equal to your normal speed for the
-   duration.
- * Your armor class increases by 10 for the duration, though this
-   bonus decays as parts of your Avatar armor are destroyed.
- * You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your Psionist
-   level for the duration. Whenever you take damage your bonus armor
-   class decreases by 1 as part of the armor is sheared away.
- * As an action you may shed 5 points of bonus AC to manifest the 5th
-   level psionic power Animate Objects without spending psi
-   points. The animated objects can fly.  Maintaining control of the
-   animated objects requires concentration.
-
-*** Prescience [4/4]
-
-*Detect Strike*: You sense when an opponent decides to strike you and
-can mentally prepare yourself. When you are attacked by a creature you
-can see, you may use your reaction to get a +2 bonus to armor class
-against that creature until your next turn. At 14th level, this
-increases to a +4 bonus. You may use this feature a number of times
-equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 2) per short rest.
-
-*Predict Disaster*: Once per short rest, when you make a roll at
-disadvantage, you may choose to roll normally instead.
-
-*Read the Past*: If you would roll less than a 20 on a History check,
-you roll a 20 instead. If a person you hear makes a statement about a
-past event, you can tell if they are lying.
-
-*Grand Oracle*: The Myriad possibilities of time: past, present, and
-future are laid bare before you.  Through communing with the remnant
-collective consciousnesses present within the Psionic Field, you gain
-the following features:
-
- * You cannot be surprised.
- * You may manifest the 2nd level mind power Augury at will without
-   requiring components or spending psi points. The cumulative 25%
-   change of failure does not apply for the first manifestation of
-   this power each day via this feature.
- * You may manifest the 5th level mind power Commune once per day
-   without spending any psi points.
- * You may manifest the 6th level mind power Truesight once per day
-   without spending any psi points.
-
-*** Metapsionics [4/4]
-
-*Extended Focus*: You may choose both options of the Psionic Focus
-feature (both Internal and External).
-
-*Diminish/Enhance Psionics*: You have learned the deep secrets of the
-Hidden Art. Once per short rest, when you or a creature you can see
-manifests a psionic power or you encounter an existing psionic effect,
-you may choose to apply one of the following effects to modify it as a
-reaction.
-
- * _Fork/Merge_: You may increase or decrease the number of affected
-   creatures by 1 (this may not reduce the number of affected
-   creatures to 0).
- * _Expand/Contract_: You may enlarge or reduce the area of effect by 5
-   feet.
- * _Extend/Curtail_: You may increase or decrease the duration by 1
-   minute (this doesn't apply to instantaneous effects).
- * _Shape_: You may change the shape of the area of effect (but not
-   the direction). For example you could change a line to a cone.
-
-*Advanced Metapsionics*: You gain an additional use of your
-Diminish/Enhance Psionics feature per short rest and the following
-additional options.
-
- * _Counter_: You may make an Intelligence (Psionics) check against
-   10 + the power's level to end the effect.
- * _Splice_: When you manifest a psionic effect or see one being
-   manifested, as a reaction, you may to choose a psionic power of 2nd
-   level or lower that you know and add its effects (choosing targets
-   separately within the area of effect or list of targets if
-   applicable) to the manifestation. Doing so requires spending an
-   appropriate number of psi points as if you were manifesting that
-   power normally. You may not manifest that power at a level higher
-   than its level.
- * _Reflect_: If a psionic effect would target just you, you may have
-   it target the originator of the effect instead.
-
-*Unleash Potential*: Once per long rest as an action you plant a seed
-of psionic ability in a willing creature you touch. For 24 hours they
-gain the ability to manifest a psionic power of your choice of 2nd
-level or lower (or a cantrip) and gain 6 psi points. If you manifest
-this ability on the same target every day for a month (30 days), the
-change becomes permanent and the creature is considered to be able to
-innately manifest that ability. You may not grant more than one
-ability to a creature, nor can you target a creature that already can
-manifest psionic abilities. It's Mind Power Save DC and Attack
-Modifier are determined by its Intelligence.
-
-*** Domination [4/4]
-
-*Deep Suggestion*: You may manifest the second level mind power
-Suggestion once per long rest without expending any psi points. When
-you do, the creature you target has disadvantage on the saving throw.
-
-*Psychic Potency*: When you deal psychic damage to a target that is
-stunned, you may deal damage as though it were a critical strike.
-
-*Psychic Entity*: When you die, you may attempt to force your way into
-another creature's body to continue living. To do so, a target
-creature within 30 feet of you makes a Charisma saving throw. On a
-success, you die, otherwise, you take control of the target's body and
-force their consciousness into dormancy. You gain their physical
-features (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution) but retain all of your
-other traits. Once every 24 hours, or whenever you take damage greater
-than 50% of your max hit points, the dormant consciousness may attempt
-to resume control of the body by making a Charisma saving throw. On a
-success, you are forced out of the body and must either attempt to use
-this feature again on a different target or die.
-
-*Enslave*: Once per long rest as an action you may target a creature
-you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Wisdom
-saving throw or be charmed by you until you die or are on a different
-plane of existence from it. The charmed target is under your control
-and can't take reactions, and you and the target can communicate
-telepathically with each other over any distance. Whenever the charmed
-target takes damage, it can repeat its saving throw. On a success, the
-effect ends. No more than once every 24 hours, the target can also
-repeat the saving throw when it is at least one mile away from you.
-
-*** Manifestation [4/4]
-
-*Astral Armor*: As an action, you may conjure a coating of astral
-matter which covers the skin. This coating lasts for 1 hour and
-radiates dim light. Your AC becomes 13 + your Dexterity modifier for
-the duration. As a reaction, you may explicitly harden the coating,
-which temporarily increases your AC to 15 + Dex, but destroys the
-armor afterwards in a flash of bright light. Creatures within 5 feet
-of you when the armor is destroyed must make a Constitution saving
-throw or be blinded until your next turn.
-
-*Astral Weapon*: You learn to emulate the effects of the 2nd level
-Cleric spell Spiritual Weapon as a 2nd level mind power except the
-conjured weapon is considered to be made of Astral matter and radiates
-dim light.  Additionally, the first time you manifest your Astral
-weapon each day, you may do so without spending psi points.
-
-*Durable Manifestation*: When you create or conjure a creature it
-gains 20 temporary hit points.  While you are wearing your Astral
-Armor, you gain 20 temporary hit points.
-
-*Astral Affinity*: Powers and effects that create creatures or
-manifestations made of astral matter cost half as much to manifest and
-last twice as long (this includes those created by your Astral Armor
-and Astral Weapon features).
-
-*** Anticipation [4/4]
-
-*Force Repulsion*: As an action you may have target creature within 60
-feet of you makes a Strength saving throw. If it fails, it is pushed
-up to 30 feet away from you and requires spending twice its movement
-to approach you until your next turn.
-
-*Kinematics*: You learn the Minor Kinematics Cantrip with the slight
-differences noted below.
-
- * It does not count against the number of Cantrips known.
- * The number of objects or creatures that can be levitated is doubled.
- * The maximum weight of an object or creature that can be levitated is doubled.
- * When lifting objects with the Minor Kinematics psionic cantrip, you
-   may attempt to attack a creature in range that you can see with
-   those objects. This attack can be made as either an action or a
-   bonus action using your Int modifier + your proficiency bonus to
-   hit. You are considered proficient with these attacks and their
-   damage is determined by the statistics of the objects being
-   levitated (e.g. a longsword would deal 1d8 + your Intelligence
-   modifier slashing damage and a levitated metal bucket would deal
-   1 + Intelligence bludgeoning damage). Floating objects can be
-   attacked or pulled downwards, which causes the cantrip's effect
-   holding them aloft to fail. If you attempt to make a ranged attack
-   with a floating object, it must have the loading property and be
-   loaded and such an attack may not be performed as a bonus
-   action. You cannot load a weapon or activate a magic item using the
-   Minor Kinematics cantrip.
-
-*Phasing*: Once per short rest, as an action on your turn, you may
-become intangible until your next turn. You may pass through solid
-objects and are invulnerable to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and
-piercing damage, but not structures, boundaries, or weapons created by
-magical force. Your gear may become intangible with you.  If you would
-end your turn inside an object, you take 6d8 bludgeoning damage and
-are ejected to the nearest unoccupied space.  If you end your turn
-inside another creature, you both take this damage.
-
-*Time Skip*: Once per long rest you may target a creature within 60
-feet of you.  That creature makes a Charisma saving throw.  If it
-fails, that creature skips its next round of combat.
-
-*** Apportation [4/4]
-
-*Call Energy*: You feel the cosmic pull of the planes of Positive and
-Negative Energy. Once per long rest, as an action you may cover an
-20-ft radius sphere centered at a point you can see in planar
-energy. Choose either a) the Positive Energy Plane or b) the Negative
-Energy Plane. The covered area is either a) bathed in a dull glow or
-b) shrouded in a misty shadow which a) heals each living creature in
-range by 1 hp at the end of each creature's turn or b) deals 1 damage
-per turn to all living things in range and the end of each creature's
-turn. Maintaining this effect requires concentration and may last no
-longer than a minute.
-
-*Planar Abjuration*: Once per short rest, as a reaction to a spell or
-effect within 30 ft of you that would deal fire, cold, lightning,
-thunder, radiant, or necrotic damage, you channel the powers of the
-elemental and outer planes to reduce the damage dealt by an amount
-equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Psionist level. If the
-spell or effect has an area of effect, the damage each affected
-creature takes is reduced by this much. Damage reduction is applied
-before applying resistances.
-
-*Banishing Blasts*: Once per short rest, when a creature native to a
-different plane of existence than the one it is on takes damage from
-one of your mind powers, you may have it make a Charisma saving
-throw. If it fails this saving throw, it is banished to its plane of
-origin sound for 1 minute with a faint popping sound. While there, the
-target is incapacitated. When the minute is finished, it returns to
-the nearest unoccupied space from where it left.
-
-*Whitefire Portal*: You burn a temporary hole through the Astral Plane
-and into another plane of your choice. Once per long rest, centered on
-a point within 300 ft of you, you summon raw Astral ectoplasm which
-burns with hellish, white-hot fury. Any creature standing within 20
-feet of the whitefire must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 12d10
-fire damage or half on a successful save. Inanimate objects in the
-area also take the damage and flammable objects may catch on fire. A
-portal then opens to a plane of your choice as with a Gate spell and
-remains open for 1 minute as the planes slowly knit themselves back
-together. Alternatively, instead of a specific location on a plane of
-your choice, you may choose to have your portal open into a general
-location in one of the elemental planes or the planes of positive or
-negative energy. If you do so, creatures who enter or begin their
-turns within 20 feet of the portal take 6d10 damage of the appropriate
-elemental or energy type.
-
-
-* MIND POWERS:
-
-*Mind Blast*: You magically emit psychic energy in a 60-foot cone.
-Each creature in that area must succeed on a Intelligence saving throw
-or take 5d8 psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature may
-repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
-effect on itself on a success.
-
-*Mind Meld*: As an action, you may touch a creature with an
-Intelligence of 5 or greater and attempt to meld your consciousnesses
-together. Doing so can be dangerous. If you attempt to meld with an
-unwilling creature, it makes a Wisdom saving throw to block the mental
-intrusion, otherwise a link is established. While the link is active,
-thoughts, emotions, and memories are shared freely between yourself
-and the creature. During a mind meld, since your minds are linked, it
-is more difficult to lie or to hide information. To do so requires a
-Concentration (Intelligence) contest for each lie or omission. Either
-party may attempt to leave the mind meld by repeating the wisdom
-saving throw (if you attempt to leave, you must also make a wisdom
-saving throw against your Mind Power save DC). If the link is broken
-in this way, or in any other way (such as the death of one of its
-participants or being physically torn from touching one another)
-before both parties explicitly agree to do so, both parties take 10d6
-psychic damage. You may only use this feature once per long rest.
-
-*Conjure Astral Construct*: Once per long rest, as an action, you may
-create an Astral construct from Astral matter pulled from the Astral
-Plane.
-
-Though you may customize the exact form of the construct to your
-liking, the statistics for the Astral Construct are the same as that
-of the Helmed Horror (page 183 in the Monster Manual) with the
-following exceptions:
-
-It gains up to three additional options from the list below (you may
-choose the same option more than once):
-
- * Extra Attack
- * See Invisibility
- * Flash and Bellow Attack (Creatures within 30 ft make DC 15 Con
-   saves or are blinded and deafened for 1 minute. They may repeat the
-   saving throw at the end of each of their turns. Once a creature
-   succeeds, it cannot be affected again.)
- * 5d8 (22) Extra Hit Points
- * Extra Spell Immunity (Two additional spells)
- * +3 Damage on Hit
- * +1 AC
-
-*Imprisonment*: You learn the 9th level Wizard spell Imprisonment as a
-ninth level mind power. It does not count against the number of powers
-known, but costs the normal number of psi points to manifest. As a
-Mind Master, Imprisonment gains an additional option: Mind Prison. You
-may choose to Imprison the creature directly in your mind. There is no
-material component needed for this option. If you die or your
-consciousness leaves your body for a period longer than 8 hours (as
-with an Astral Projection spell), the prisoner is released. While
-imprisoned in your mind, the creature may sense what you allow it to
-sense and you may read the creature's surface thoughts as with a
-Detect Thoughts spell. No more than one creature may be imprisoned
-this way at a time.
-
-*Impose Will*: Once per short rest, you may cause a creature making a
-saving throw against one of your mind powers, abilities, or your
-psionic blast to have disadvantage on that saving throw. You must do
-so before the roll is made. Once you've used this feature on a
-creature, you may not do so again on that same creature until you
-finish a long rest.
diff --git a/src/dnd/tastavi.md b/src/dnd/tastavi.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 77efda6..0000000
--- a/src/dnd/tastavi.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,1965 +0,0 @@
----
-title: "Tastavi D'Maelnor of Llolethane"
-updated: "2016-08-30 Tue 23:56"
-class: "dnd"
-categories: SS
----
-
-<p>
-When I DM, I try to allow players to have as many options for
-character creation as I can. Usually, this manifests in pretty
-interesting, but stable, characters. And other times&#x2026; you get
-Tastavi.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi D'Maelnor of Lolathane-Mael'na'rath is not what I'd call a
-stable character: a CN half-(drow)-elf half-(black)-dragon ftr/rog/war
-hybrid sworn to an evil demigod who wants to swallow your dreams (and
-possibly the sun and all life) and fleeing one hell of a custody
-dispute.
-</p>
-<p>
-But I fell in love with the idea. I had to write it up. It
-started out as a three paragraph synopsis, but quickly devolved into
-the micro-epic below. He was only played for three sessions before
-dying to the most viscious and demanding opponent of all: sports
-season. Enjoy!
-</p>
-<div id="table-of-contents">
-<h2>Table of Contents</h2>
-<div id="text-table-of-contents">
-<ul>
-<li><a href="#sec-1">1. Ik'lithslaelith</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-2">2. The Drowess</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-3">3. The Tunnel</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-4">4. High Priestess Destiny</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-5">5. Soup for Dinner</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-6">6. Hunger and Possibilities</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-7">7. [CENSORED]</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-8">8. Visions</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-9">9. Visitations</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-10">10. Voices</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-11">11. jal'Bror-noloth</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-12">12. The Hold</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-13">13. The Pits</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-14">14. The Return</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-15">15. Tastavi</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-16">16. Trials</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-17">17. Transformations</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-18">18. Training</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-19">19. The Leader</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-20">20. The Contest</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-21">21. The Cell</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-22">22. Motherly Love</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-23">23. The Will of Lolth</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-24">24. Doom</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-25">25. Destruction</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-26">26. Dreams</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-27">27. The Surface</a></li>
-<li><a href="#sec-28">28. Credits</a></li>
-</ul>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-1" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-1"><span class="section-number-2">1</span> Ik'lithslaelith</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-1">
-<p>
-A dark form slithered though the deep, black against black in the
-sunless place. The form pulled its girth across the smooth stone of
-its cavern, uncoiling itself and scraping eons of accumulated filth
-from its obsidian hide. Too long had it slumbered here, content with
-its wealth and glories of days long past. A yellow eye appeared inside
-the chamber, burning with a delicate and powerful inner light.
-</p>
-<p>
-The dragon Ik'lithslaelith was awake. And he was hungry.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-2" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-2"><span class="section-number-2">2</span> The Drowess</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-2">
-<p>
-She walked nude across the parapet. Her onyx skin still glistened from her
-bath and her long white hair hung loose about her shoulders. She eyed
-the servants gathered along the tower's edge, daring them to look.
-</p>
-<p>
-Most simply bowed humbly before her, inches from oblivion, knowing
-full well the punishment. She reached the stair and snatched a
-loose-fitting robe from the extended hand of her favorite butler. His
-empty and scarred eye sockets heaved involuntarily at her
-proximity. It has been too long since she'd had a real excuse to user
-her power. Too long.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-3" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-3"><span class="section-number-2">3</span> The Tunnel</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-3">
-<p>
-<i>This was not here when last I was.</i> mused the dragon.
-</p>
-<p>
-He peered at the worked stone. Beneath his lair, along one of his
-favorite underground flying paths, a circular tunnel disappeared into
-the cliff face. Below him, the chasm loomed, threatening to consume
-any that strayed too far from the path's narrow ledge&#x2013;and could not
-fly&#x2013;to be burned to fiery cinders upon a lake of boiling stone
-below.
-</p>
-<p>
-He had always found the cavern poetic: no matter how hard the little
-climbers tried to rise, this was not their place. Their place was
-among the ashes.
-</p>
-<p>
-The newly hewn tunnel was far too small for him to squeeze into of
-course. But one does not reach advanced age as a dragon without
-learning a few tricks along the way.
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>And one does not keep it by being over-curious either</i> he thought to
-himself.
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>But I suppose it cannot be helped.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-Ik'lithslaelith breathed a deep echoing sigh, closed his eyes, and
-began to shrink.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-4" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-4"><span class="section-number-2">4</span> High Priestess Destiny</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-4">
-<p>
-The family estate was vast, and by all accounts, grand. Nestled in a
-isolated corner of the massive complex of linked caves that comprised
-the southern drow 'city' of Mael'na'rath, the layered structure
-resembled a spiked claw rising from on oozing wound.
-</p>
-<p>
-Grand, but hideous.
-</p>
-<p>
-Grotesquely complicated, but functional.
-</p>
-<p>
-In a word: Chaotic.
-</p>
-<p>
-From the single gate at the base of the claw to the tips of the
-fingers, every staircase was a spiral. Most with an open center so
-that the priestesses and noble family could levitate from floor to
-floor, but commoners or household slaves would have to climb the steep
-steps to get anywhere, and so guards could fire upon intruders the
-entire way up. Intruders who, would first need to bypass the acid
-pools which surrounded the fortress.
-</p>
-<p>
-High Priestess Ul'Ilindith D'Maelnor of the Second House of
-Llolethane-Mael'na'rath decended through the main stair upon a cloud
-of authority. Any walking the stairs prostrated themselves before her,
-and any family members floating up quickly stepped aside and bowed as
-she passed. Her name meant "destiny" and she knew it. She reached the
-floor she wanted and halted her descent. It was almost time. She was
-expecting someone.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-5" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-5"><span class="section-number-2">5</span> Soup for Dinner</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-5">
-<p>
-From the darkness, expectant eyes scanned the palace walls. The acidic
-no-man's land glowed an eerie green from the pools which dotted the
-cavern floor. But the eyes were not concerned with the
-defenses. Instead they clutched at one distant parapet and
-waited. Minutes passed, but there was no activity from the palace. The
-eyes closed. Impatiently, a dark form slid from its hiding place in
-the mouth of the abandoned tunnel to nowhere, and approached the
-nearest pool of acid. The bubbling glow cast flickering splotches of
-light over its distinctly feminine form, and she bent over the pool,
-moving one hand in intricate spellcasting and clutching something
-hanging from around her neck with the other. She felt at ease with it
-near her, a rare feeling for a drow, but she had been experiencing all
-kinds of rare feelings recently. Her divination spell failed, as they
-were oft to do since she had fallen in love. Terrified of her own
-feelings, she knelt in fervent prayer to the Spider Queen.
-</p>
-<p>
-Behind her from the tunnel, another dark figure crept close,
-unnoticed, a silent hand of death in the land of silent death.
-</p>
-<p>
-Perhaps her prayers were answered, or perhaps the Queen of Spiders
-simply thought it amusing, but with a gasp and a rush of power, the
-beautiful drow woman felt the impending danger. She spun around,
-calling upon years of training and the will of her goddess to meet the
-threat. A whip appeared in her hands almost instantly, its twin
-heads, each a living snake, hissed and spat. Smiling coolly, she struck
-out against her assailant, the snake heads reaching, mouths wide to
-bite deep into its flesh. A loud crack and hiss echoed through the
-chamber, but when she pulled back the whip for another strike, both
-heads lay limp and dead in her hands. A scaled form, black as onyx,
-stood before her wearing only a billowing cloak and a practiced look
-of grim amusement. The fangs had only barely scratched the surface of
-his scales, and though sticky splotches of thick acidic pus covered
-the point of impact, he seemed entirely unconcerned.
-</p>
-<p>
-He responded in kind, spitting a line of black acid into her eyes and
-face. She reeled backwards, clutching at her dissolving eyes, and fell
-backwards into the bubbling pool.
-</p>
-<p>
-The form approached the shallow pool.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Looks like I'm having soup for dinner" mused Ik'lithslaelith.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-6" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-6"><span class="section-number-2">6</span> Hunger and Possibilities</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-6">
-<p>
-She couldn't believe it! A dragon! And a powerful one from the looks
-of it. High Priestess Ul'Ilindith smiled coolly from her invisible
-floating vantage point, and watched him feast. Though the
-'opportunities' she had been pursuing with the High Priestess of House
-Undros were most definitely ended, perhaps even greater power than
-simply controlling a minor house was in her reach. She nearly shook
-with excitement at the thought of an ancient black dragon raining
-death upon her enemies. But as always, she was to be careful in
-this. A dragon, even a male dragon, was dangerous and difficult to
-control. She mused for a moment on the dangers, she could see them
-clearly before her even, the fate in store if she made a wrong move,
-or if he still hungered. But the possibilities&#x2026;
-</p>
-<p>
-And perhaps, she mused, he hungered for drow in a way that could
-benefit them both&#x2026;
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-7" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-7"><span class="section-number-2">7</span> [CENSORED]</h2>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-8" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-8"><span class="section-number-2">8</span> Visions</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-8">
-<p>
-She saw a city burning.
-</p>
-<p>
-She saw people screaming in pain and rolling upon the ground, trying
-to wipe away the tar that ate at their fingers, at their faces.
-</p>
-<p>
-She saw clerics casting frantic spells, only to have them fail in
-their time of greatest need, abandoned by their goddess, and likewise
-be consumed.
-</p>
-<p>
-She saw her son.
-</p>
-<p>
-Standing in the midst of it, unharmed, and smiling, wiping blood from
-his blades. When the fires died, his yellow eyes were all that
-remained in the darkness.
-</p>
-<p>
-The vision departed and the brazier bore once again the droopy-eyed
-oozing visage of a Handmaiden of Lolth. The priestess bowed and the
-messenger disappeared into the flames of the Demonweb Pits.
-</p>
-<p>
-She looked down upon her pregnant belly. He would become her
-weapon. It was the will of Lolth.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-9" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-9"><span class="section-number-2">9</span> Visitations</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-9">
-<p>
-<b>Ik'lithslaelith</b>
-</p>
-<p>
-The name woke him from his renewed slumber. He lay upon his
-newly-heaped hordes of gold and pools of melted bones. The echo of the
-name roared in his mind like a tempest. Like a wildfire. Like the roar
-of ten thousand dragons.
-</p>
-<p>
-The ancient Ik'lithslaelith, the proud Ik'lithslaelith, the noble
-Ik'lithslaelith, the silent hand of death in the merciless Underdark,
-Winnower of Worlds, and many more names long forgotten, cowered in
-fear before his goddess.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-10" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-10"><span class="section-number-2">10</span> Voices</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-10">
-<p>
-An ancient laughter hissed in the Abyss.
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>The night is filled with voicess, so it seemss.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-She mused.
-</p>
-<p>
-Time stretched out naked, and the darkness prophesied:
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Two minds.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Two goddesses</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>of mixed intent</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>and muddled vows.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Scheming over one</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>neither shall have.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>The Nightmare smiled.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>For even gods must sleep.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>And neither see the</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>choices made when</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>nightmares reign.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Or hear the calls</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>of the forgotten</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>or the bound.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-Dendar smiled at the ironic cost of freedom.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-11" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-11"><span class="section-number-2">11</span> jal'Bror-noloth</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-11">
-<p>
-The pregnancy was a wicked affair. Any news of it among the common
-folk was quickly discredited, and to speak of it openly, even among
-the family, was dangerous. Lady Ul'Ilindith spent her days under the
-care of her most trusted subordinates in the priestesshood: the ones
-with no ambition to speak of, whom she ruled with fear. She craved
-meat, and so she feasted upon the flesh of exotic animals, taken from
-both deep within the Underdark and from far above it, scoured from the
-surface. Every day, the burden in her belly grew more intense, the
-child growing much larger than any drow child. Every night the pain in
-her abdomen became almost unbearable. But she bore it. She bore it to
-term by force of will and the whispers of Lolth, promising her power
-beyond her wildest imaginings.
-</p>
-<p>
-Her time arrived quickly and with little warning. Appropriating a
-hidden chamber deep beneath the complex&#x2013;aptly, one often used for
-summoning creatures from lower planes, and shielded against unwanted
-magical intrusion&#x2013;Ul'Ilindith labored for six days and nights. Every
-second, the unborn child tore at her. She used up every spell of
-healing from every priestess within the complex and more besides,
-calling upon the aid of magical items and elixirs to keep the child
-from tearing her apart. And the pain only heightened her
-determination.
-</p>
-<p>
-When the child was finally born, it was amid a spray of blood. The
-child poured forth wrapped in stinking muck, an acidic darkness that
-mirrored the hearts of its parents. His parents. Even with all of her
-powers of healing, it was weeks before Ul'Ilindith recovered. She
-named the boy jal'Bror-noloth, the Sudden All-Encompassing Darkness,
-and kept him hidden from the world.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-12" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-12"><span class="section-number-2">12</span> The Hold</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-12">
-<p>
-A sudden rush of fresh air and the sounds of grinding stone attracted
-a small huddled group of kobolds to the cavern entrance. Large eyes,
-well-adjusted to the darkness, peered towards the unblocked hatchway
-and waited. From the other side of the hole in the cavern ceiling red
-and purple faerie fire cast an eerie glow into the chamber. Usually,
-if someone had rolled away the blocking stone and ventured into the
-cavern, the kobolds would know if it, but these were dark elves, in
-their domain, and fully prepared for stealth. All the kobolds saw was
-a vague hint of motion and the sudden glint of steel at their throats.
-</p>
-<p>
-They prostrated themselves before their cruel masters and whimpered
-despite their better sense. Or rather all but one of them whimpered. A
-young female, untested, but strong, remained unbowed. This was her
-first encounter with the dark elves, and through either willpower or
-through ignorance she stood and stared into the eyes of the drow
-soldier that held her captive, brandishing a knife and scowling at the
-ambush.
-</p>
-<p>
-The soldier's face became a mask of rage. She was ibluth, a worthless
-slave, a worthless kobold. He had certainly killed avenging lesser
-slights. He moved quickly and knocked away her blade, pressing his own
-in the space between her legs, preparing to cut her from stem to
-stern, but a commanding voice held him at bay. From behind, a
-weathered face, drained, but dangerous and beautiful, approached the
-soldier and the kobold maiden. She carried a small bundle in her arms,
-breastfeeding.
-</p>
-<p>
-She stared down at the scaled creature, regarding her cooly. Then she
-carefully lifted the baby from her breast. He began to cry.
-</p>
-<p>
-"You. Raise this iblith."
-</p>
-<p>
-She roughly handed the child to the now-wide-eyed kobold and stalked
-away, the rest of her guard following her.
-</p>
-<p>
-The boulder ground back into place and the cavern returned to
-darkness&#x2026; but not silence.
-</p>
-<p>
-The sound of a baby's cry echoed through the halls.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-13" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-13"><span class="section-number-2">13</span> The Pits</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-13">
-<p>
-The smack of sweaty flesh upon hard rock, and the crack of breaking
-bones, and shattered maws, and the echoing bloodthirsty cheer brought
-kobolds from all parts of the hold to witness the spectacle in the
-pits. A pair of fighters were sprawled upon the ground, clubbing and
-beating on each other with their claws or hands or whatever tools were
-available. It was over quickly, the opening salvo of the contest. The
-winner was cheered, the loser tossed aside to make way for the next
-fight. This was the way of kobolds: fast brutal victory or slow
-agonizing defeat.
-</p>
-<p>
-A large kobold, round, his puffy skin bulging from around his scales
-like fishnet tights, sat atop a large boulder overlooking the pit. He
-called out for the next pair to enter the pit. Cheers erupted at the
-first volunteer, a tall specimen, muscular, and well-endowed. His
-reddish scales flickered brutally in the dim torchlight. He stood
-proudly waving a spear to the adoring crowd, so he did not note his
-challenger until the cheers turned to anxious whispers. A small boy
-stood squarely in the center of the ring, head downcast. Few could say
-the moment that he had arrived, but none could deny his presence now,
-nor what it signified. The challenge had been issued. The boy's scales
-contrasted greatly with the proud fighter that stood before him. Where
-the champion's scales gleamed in the torchlight, the boy's seemed to
-swallow it completely. Black. As the darkest night or deepest cave.
-</p>
-<p>
-From the crowd, an adopted mother gasped as she saw her son standing
-in the ring and not at her side. It was no secret that she had been
-commissioned to raise the boy by the drow themselves, and the sudden
-silence in the stands all but confirmed it. None knew for sure which
-would win out, their customs: the right of challenge in the pits, or
-their fear of the drow should anything happen to the boy.
-</p>
-<p>
-Their internal war was ended by the sudden motion of the
-challenger. He lifted his spear and lunged at the champion. The strike
-was short, but the damage was done, the fight had already begun. The
-champion returned the strike, only to have his spear deftly deflected
-as it came down. The young half-dragon took this opportunity to charge
-at the kobold before him, getting within the range of the spear and
-clawing at the hands holding the weapon. Long thick lines of blood
-appeared on the champion's forearms and he released the weapon in
-order to block the continued onslaught and return the favor. He led
-with a left hook that connected right under the boy's eye and sent him
-sprawling backwards, and quickly followed it with a kick to the boy's
-side, right beneath the shoulder-blade. The youth hit the ground and
-dove into a roll to come back to his feat. He had no more completed
-it, when another powerful kick knocked him back again, this time
-against the cavern wall. More punches followed and the boy fell back
-again and again against the wall and the floor, for support. His eyes
-were swollen, his hands and knees bloody, his body aching from the
-thrashing, but he did not signal his surrender. Instead he peered into
-the champion's eyes with determination and smiled, a bloody broken
-thing amid a silent crowd. The champion shook his head, but stalked in
-one more time to finish it.
-</p>
-<p>
-He never got a chance.
-</p>
-<p>
-The only sound that could be heard for miles was his scream. Not a
-person gathered breathed, nor heart beat for several moments, as their
-champion writhed pitifully upon the ground clutching the wreck that
-was once his face. Acid melted down into his skull and soon he could
-no longer draw the breath to scream and just shivered upon the ground.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal'Bror'Noloth wiped the spittle from his mouth and looked up to
-regard the assembled, but from his vantage point, could see but one,
-the puffy chieftain upon the rock, as all bowed down to worship the
-dragon-blessed.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-14" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-14"><span class="section-number-2">14</span> The Return</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-14">
-<p>
-The hatchway was open and once again, the proud kobold mother stood
-before dark elves. Though this time, she did not stand alone. Her
-adopted son, nearly her height, stood, hands balled into fists, at her
-side. He glanced protectively from his mother and the kobolds
-cowering on the ground to the strange dark-skinned woman standing
-before him, who began to speak. She spoke slowly, as if to a very
-young child, and with an unfamiliar and decadent accent.
-</p>
-<p>
-"You appear to have raised him well. Does he speak Undercommon?"
-</p>
-<p>
-"Aks him yerself." his mother spat back.
-</p>
-<p>
-The drow priestess held out a hand to halt one of her guards who had
-stepped out of the darkness brandishing a knife. He stopped with a
-quizzical look, and slipping his dagger back into his piwafwi cloak,
-disappeared again.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Do you know your name, little one?"
-</p>
-<p>
-The boy looked to her suspiciously, but answered proudly "The others
-call me Nightshade."
-</p>
-<p>
-She smiled coolly.
-</p>
-<p>
-"A fitting name I'm sure, but a child's name, a disguise at best." She
-stalked closer to the boy, peering deeply into his eyes, and reached
-out with a hand to trace the pattern of his scales.
-</p>
-<p>
-His mother attempted to interpose herself, to shield her child from
-the foreign touch, but instead found herself frozen in place
-mid-step. Wide-eyed she tried to cry out, but found no words. The
-paralyzing poison of the trio of small darts protruding from her back,
-neck, and leg had done its task.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I see it in your eyes little Nightshade. This place has made you a
-killer, as I knew it would, but you shall become so much more. Follow
-me, and rise to conquer nations! And you shall earn your true name!
-Jal'Bror'Noloth!"
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal stood dumbfounded at the revelation. He looked to the
-ground. Silence fell upon the empty chamber and all eyes upon the
-young half-dragon. He closed his eyes. Though he could almost feel a
-thousand heartbeats all around him, the one in his chest was the
-faintest. Here among the kobolds, he was revered, some kind of god to
-the dragon-loving fanatics. Could the same be true of wherever this
-woman would take him?
-</p>
-<p>
-No, he decided, his place was in the caverns. And he didn't like this
-stranger and her band. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I already have a mother." he stated flatly. "I have no need for
-another one, nor your names for me."
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith smiled, unperturbed by his response. She leaned down to
-his ear and whispered "You do indeed already have a mother. But soon,
-you'll have a goddess."
-</p>
-<p>
-A hundred drow warriors appeared from the shadows, blades
-spinning. Kobold blood splattered the ceilings, the floors, it
-splattered the pair standing undisturbed in the midst of it. Jal found
-he could not move his body, he could not open his mouth again to send
-acid into the faces of the attackers.
-</p>
-<p>
-It was over quickly. The cowering kobolds were all dead, cut into morbid
-ribbons that covered the walls and floors. As were all the kobolds
-that stayed in the darkness and thought themselves safe from the
-spectacle. Any that saw the return of the drow or the fate of their
-beloved dragon-blessed were left to feed whatever monsters that would
-inevitably take up residence in the food-rich cavern. The Underdark
-is not a place of wastefulness.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal watched as the only other survivor, his adopted mother, was put
-into chains and levitated up through the drow hatchway. Still groggy
-from the poison, he barely noticed when his own fetters were locked
-into place. Ul'Ilindith leaned over his shoulder and whispered once
-again,
-</p>
-<p>
-"You shall know your destiny my little iblith. And you shall know the
-futility of defying me."
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-15" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-15"><span class="section-number-2">15</span> Tastavi</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-15">
-<p>
-The aging Master of Arms, Elderboy Tastadraa D'Maelnor, looked over
-the boy's head to his sister Ul'Ilindith.
-</p>
-<p>
-"This? This is the one you bring to me?"
-</p>
-<p>
-The boy appeared unremarkable in every way. Average height, build,
-skin tone, hair style, musculature, almost a mockery of normalcy.
-</p>
-<p>
-"He is."
-</p>
-<p>
-"I take it then, he is some prodigy with a blade?"
-</p>
-<p>
-"I doubt he's ever touched one."
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastadraa sighed and slicked back his receding hairline. Despite his
-position in the family, one can never take a demand from a High
-Priestess lightly. He nodded his head,
-</p>
-<p>
-"I will train him&#x2026;"
-</p>
-<p>
-"Very good."
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith turned to leave.
-</p>
-<p>
-"&#x2026;assuming he passes the trials of course."
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith stopped. Slowly turning around, venom oozing
-from her gaze, she asked
-</p>
-<p>
-"Trials?"
-</p>
-<p>
-"Just a formality I assure you, since he does not appear to be
-of&#x2026; noble birth. I shall train him if he proves himself superior to
-my most recent student."
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith smiled. She looked across the room to the gangly youth
-attempting to lift a glave twice his size and nearly chopping himself
-in twain as the weapon fell to the ground with a clatter&#x2013;her sister's
-son would prove no challenge.
-</p>
-<p>
-"All right. He shall fight then."
-</p>
-<p>
-But to her surprise the weapon master called out, "Tastavi! Come hither."
-</p>
-<p>
-From behind a weapons rack, a lithe youth looked up and walked
-over. His gait was one of practiced grace and noble refinement.
-</p>
-<p>
-"This is my son Tastavi, he came of age just yesterday to start
-training with the group. Tastavi, you will be fighting this one to
-determine if he is fit to train against you."
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi glanced at the new boy and smirked.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-16" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-16"><span class="section-number-2">16</span> Trials</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-16">
-<p>
-Both fighters panted for breath. They dripped with sweat. From
-opposite sides of the perfect circle drawn upon the floor, they stared
-into each other's eyes, waiting. Tastavi licked blood from his
-battered lip.
-</p>
-<p>
-He had expected to finish the match quickly. He held his sword
-delicately but firmly, gently gliding it into thrusts and parries, as
-opposed to this stranger who held his sword like a club, and used it
-like one. But he quickly discovered that what the newcomer lacked in
-technique he made up for with ferocity. He looked so small and
-unspectacular, but possessed the raw strength of someone much larger,
-and the split-second reflexes of a master. The force and savage speed
-of his swings was jolting. Tastavi was able to stay ahead of each of
-them, but barely.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi had then moved to the center of the ring, expending as little
-effort as he could, dodging as much as deflecting, to tire out his
-opponent. Eventually the frustrated and slowing newcomer simply
-started swinging out as a distraction and using his body to push
-Tastavi towards the edge of the ring. Several times only his training
-in gymnastics had kept him from being bowled over out of the ring, and
-the last rush had been the closest yet.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi had to adjust, and began to counter the charges with precise
-blade thrusts, forcing his aggressor back, but took a few flying elbows
-to the face while perfecting it.
-</p>
-<p>
-Now mutual respect and more than a little exhaustion had the pair
-circling. Almost an hour had passed, with neither side backing
-down. His father, the Weapon's Master, stood by the wayside trying to
-look disinterested to Ul'Ilindith, while nonetheless remaining intent
-on every second of the fighting. The other students held no such
-reservation and watched the display with open wonder.
-</p>
-<p>
-As the two dragged themselves around they ring they knew that whatever
-happened here, it would be the last clash between the two. Tastavi
-hefted his blade and focused on his breathing and his feet, on his
-years of training with his father, and on his enemy: nearly collapsed
-on the ground, hands clenched upon the hilt of his broadsword, knuckles
-as white as the hair upon his head.
-</p>
-<p>
-And suddenly upon him.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi stepped to the side, barely avoiding the downwards strike and
-stabbed out, piercing flesh and striking against bone. The newcomer
-fell past him landing with a dull thud against the floor, jutting out
-halfway from the ring and retching in pain. His blood bubbled from the
-wound on his side. Tastavi heard a strange sizzling sound and looked
-to his blade, the blood was slowly eating away the metal!
-</p>
-<p>
-The crowd cheered, but Master Tastadraa silenced them with a harsh
-reprimand and they reluctantly began to disperse. Tastavi nearly
-collapsed, but held his feat and his honor. Then nearly collapsed
-again as Ul'Ilindith surprised him by personally moving forward to
-tend to the boy. Tastavi found himself dumbfounded before Ul'Ilindith,
-who reached down and touched the boy, instantly healing him and
-vaporizing the bubbling blood before it burned into the ground.
-</p>
-<p>
-The conversation between his aunt and father echoed far away.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I shall teach him."
-</p>
-<p>
-"But, didn't he lose your little challenge?"
-</p>
-<p>
-"I shall teach him."
-</p>
-<p>
-The tip of his blade fell to the ground with a loud clatter as the
-acid ate cleanly through the steel.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-17" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-17"><span class="section-number-2">17</span> Transformations</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-17">
-<p>
-He awoke to a Sending message in his mind.
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Jal, it is time to train with Master Tastadraa.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Yes Mother.</i> he replied.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal lay upon a thin bisected cot, the center of which was cut away
-so that he could lay on his back without the ridge on his spine
-cutting at the fabric.
-</p>
-<p>
-He looked to the three other belongings his mother allowed him: a pair
-of clothes for training at blades and bows, a small key, and a thin
-mask of white velvet.
-</p>
-<p>
-He reached for the key, but changed his mind at the last second and
-went for the mask instead.
-</p>
-<p>
-He carefully set it place upon his face and grimaced beneath it as
-its magic began subtly changing him. He shrank, his thick arms and
-legs shriveling into the spindly appendages of the drow. The ridges on
-his spine disappearing into his back. His hair remained roughly the
-same, resulting in an almost comical effect if anyone were
-watching. However, if anyone were watching, they would almost
-certainly be dead by now. His room was one of the best guarded places
-in the complex.
-</p>
-<p>
-He left his chamber fully drow&#x2013;there was no illusion, his entire body
-was changed&#x2013;and made for the training complex.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-18" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-18"><span class="section-number-2">18</span> Training</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-18">
-<p>
-Tastadraa leaned against a trident and watched Jal and Tastavi
-spar. He marveled at the progress they made in such short time. Given
-years, these two would surely become the best fighters in House
-D'Maelnor, if not the best fighters in Llolethane-Mael'na'rath. But
-which would predominate?
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi represented perfection in discipline and form. He learned
-every technique: line, parry, block, feint, it didn't matter, after a
-few repetitions he would master them, and he followed orders to the
-very punctuation.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal on the other hand, represented pure natural talent and
-improvisation. He could find his way in any situation with no
-preparation whatsoever. He always tested his opponents, challenging
-their careful techniques and reactions, throwing them into
-unpredictable patterns and unfamiliar lines. He was dangerous and
-cared nothing for orders.
-</p>
-<p>
-Only time would tell.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-19" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-19"><span class="section-number-2">19</span> The Leader</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-19">
-<p>
-Flames billowed into the sky.
-</p>
-<p>
-The sky.
-</p>
-<p>
-Bright and blue, horrid and happy.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith shuddered.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Why do you show me this?"
-</p>
-<p>
-A caped rogue peered from the crystal ball to the priestess.
-</p>
-<p>
-"We all serve the Queen according to her will."
-</p>
-<p>
-He motioned for her to continue watching the silent scene unfold below
-in the glassy sphere. The sky came into view once again and then
-shifted to a quiet village in the middle of a great yellow plain.
-</p>
-<p>
-From the south a sweeping army of darkness crept upon the unsuspecting
-village, at its head an imposing warrior. Arrayed in thick armor, not
-much could be seen of his face, or much beyond the massive broadsword he
-carried upon his back. With an unheard bellow he hefted the sword with
-two hands and led the the charging army to battle.
-</p>
-<p>
-A charge that faded from her view as the scene changed
-subtly. Suddenly the army was on the road, traveling by the new
-moon. Then they were at the gates of a great city, then inside it,
-slaying indiscriminately. Then there was a throne, obsidian and
-bearing the mark of the Spider Queen, and an ancient drow upon it,
-casting traitors into the flames.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith struggled with the vision.
-</p>
-<p>
-"We shall take to the surface? An army?"
-</p>
-<p>
-"Not we, but see the mark upon the leader?"
-</p>
-<p>
-"D'Maelnor!"
-</p>
-<p>
-"Yes, he carries your crest. And another, of the first house."
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith smiled. "Then it's true, the union shall take place?"
-</p>
-<p>
-"Yes, but keep in mind" said the rogue, "there is but one leader
-prophesied&#x2026; not two."
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-20" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-20"><span class="section-number-2">20</span> The Contest</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-20">
-<p>
-Tastavi held his bow carefully and exhaling suddenly, sent a perfect
-shot into the deep-rothe's eye.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Twenty-three" Jal sighed dramatically, his face emotionless.
-</p>
-<p>
-"If you hadn't wasted your shot on the bull you would be tied with
-me. Next time." Tastavi patted Jal on the shoulder mockingly.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I've got one shot left." Jal pulled the arrow from his dimensional
-bag.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Even if you somehow managed to kill two of them with that, you'd only
-match me." Tastavi gave him a superior look and started packing his things.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal stared out across the cavern floor at the grazing rothe. Slowly a
-half-smile spread across his face.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I've got one shot left." he reiterated. 
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi stopped and just watched. He knew that look well enough after
-all. It usually preceded something worth watching.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal lifted his bow, nocked the arrow and held out his hand encasing a
-rothe in purple flames.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi gave him a disapproving look, "Now that's cheating!"
-</p>
-<p>
-"No, that's not the target, watch." Jal replied.
-</p>
-<p>
-At first the rothe seemed not to notice, and Jal lifted three fingers.
-</p>
-<p>
-Two fingers.
-</p>
-<p>
-One.
-</p>
-<p>
-The rothe looked up and seeing the illusory flames encasing it, began
-to panic. It let out a mooish-roar and bolted for the water.
-</p>
-<p>
-It would have made it too, except for the very agitated bull rothe
-standing directly in its path with an arrow protruding from its
-hindquarters. The bull had almost come to accept the nagging itch in
-its backside, but being bowled over by a frantic, and apparently
-burning, female on her way to the water was not a good way to arrive
-at acceptance.
-</p>
-<p>
-He reared up and charged, looking to gore anything in its path. A
-couple of plump females stood nearby and he charged at them
-blindly. They looked up in time to see the horns, and bolted to the
-side.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal fired.
-</p>
-<p>
-His arrow whisked past the enraged bull, peeling flesh from his face
-and changing his course to plow, horns-first into the escaping females,
-skewering both of them before himself, crumpling to the ground.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Ok, well that's just Twenty-three then. We're tied." Tastavi managed
-to stammer. But Jal turned to him and smiled.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Look again." 
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi traced the arrow's flight from where it had been
-deflected&#x2026; into the water. The startled rothe, no longer in faerie
-fire, floated on her side, bleeding dark blood into the water from an
-arrow between the ribs and into the heart.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-21" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-21"><span class="section-number-2">21</span> The Cell</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-21">
-<p>
-Jal opened his eyes and realized that for the first time in several
-years, his mother had not called him to training. His room was dark,
-but there was no mistaking the time. She should have called by now.
-</p>
-<p>
-He donned his mask and hesitantly took up the tiny golden key.
-</p>
-<p>
-If she called, he would answer, but it was not often he had the time
-he needed, and he decided that he would not waste it.
-</p>
-<p>
-He dressed quickly and left his chamber, racing through the levels of
-the palace to the great stair. He usually descended the stairs on
-foot, but who knew how long he had to spare. He activated his house
-insignia and levitated down the center.
-</p>
-<p>
-Near the bottom, he jumped to the side and followed a narrow corridor
-to the cell block. He counted his steps and arrived at the correct
-door. He slid in his key and opened the lock.
-</p>
-<p>
-Inside the room was a small cell, only a few inches taller than he and
-only a few feet wider. It was empty.
-</p>
-<p>
-"No." He said.
-</p>
-<p>
-He had to have made a mistake. Where was she? He looked around, but
-found no signs of escape, nor of capture.
-</p>
-<p>
-"No!" He exited the room and looked both ways down the narrow
-hallway.
-</p>
-<p>
-He tried the adjacent doors, but could not open them.
-</p>
-<p>
-"NO!" he screamed, the sound echoing in the long metallic corridor. A
-second passed, then thirty. His head ached and his gut clenched and
-burned. A sending arrived from his mother.
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Jal, come to the throne room immediately.</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal's rage flared inside him. The truth he suspected burned his lungs
-and throat. He tried to be calm, to tread carefully, but couldn't help
-but scream back <i>Where is she?! What have you done with her?!</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-No response was forthcoming.
-</p>
-<p>
-He screamed. An echoing anguish mixed among the cell-block moans. He
-ran, dashing through the archway to the stair. He took no heed of
-those around him as he raced fate to the throne room at the top of the
-complex.
-</p>
-<p>
-He arrived at the doors out of breath, and furious. Guards attempted
-to bar his way to announce him, but Jal rushed deftly past them and
-stormed into the throne room without announcement.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-22" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-22"><span class="section-number-2">22</span> Motherly Love</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-22">
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith reclined upon the throne. A drooling zombie stood guard
-beside it, once a powerful priestess, she was now cursed to forever
-stand as a reminder of what may happen to those who lose the favor of
-the Spider Queen.
-</p>
-<p>
-Guards lined the walls armed with hand crossbows. Tastadraa and his
-son stood before the dais, waiting for the final addition to their
-ranks.
-</p>
-<p>
-It burst into the throne room.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Where is she?! What have you done with her?!" Jal screamed.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith remained seated and unaffected.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal screamed again, "WHERE IS SHE?!" The volume and the timbre
-contrasted dramatically with the unimpressive image of the drow
-youth. An aura of fear radiated from him, slowly affecting the nearest
-guards who stiffened and stood frozen beside the open door, mouths
-agape.
-</p>
-<p>
-"My my, Mother, what am impudent little pup I've raised." Ul'Ilindith
-lamented to the zombie beside her. It responded to the attention by
-lolling its head slightly towards the sound.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal looked to the pair standing before the throne with suspicion.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Where is my mother." he stated.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Jal, Jal, do calm down. I have liked your 'mother' from the moment I
-saw her. I believe that we share a certain&#x2026; bond. But display an
-attitude again in my presence, and I promise, she'll soon resemble
-<i>my</i> mother more than yours." Ul'Ilindith casually gestured to the
-guard zombie.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal deflated. The fire in his throat cut off any further words, and
-tears threatened to well behind his eyes. But his anger wisely turned
-to caution. He looked around the room and took in the situation, then
-wandered to his spot beside the other two males.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith was not sure about what she'd seen foretold, and thought
-about the rogue's warning. She had worried about the course set before
-her, but Jal's continuing insubordination left no room for doubt.
-</p>
-<p>
-She put aside her contemplation and said with a plastered smile,
-</p>
-<p>
-"A special opportunity has come to my attention. The first house has
-shown to me a great vision of the future. A great warrior, a son of
-D'Maelnor, shall join with the first house and lead an army of
-darkness across the surface world."
-</p>
-<p>
-Master Tastadraa's mouth fell agape, Tastavi focused on calming his
-excitement, Jal just strained against his rage, though there was dull
-curiosity there too. Tastavi was the only "son of D'Maelnor" he knew
-who could possibly wear the description of 'great warrior.'
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith just watched their reactions to be sure. Yes, the choice
-was obvious, but perhaps it should still be best left in Lolth's
-hands.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Brother, you're a bit too old to be our warrior. Step away from the
-dais. I will address the boys."
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastadraa bowed and stepped back into a line of guards at the side.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal felt isolated upon the dais. He looked to Tastavi uncertainly, but
-Tastavi looked at his aunt with expectancy, ambition gleaming in his
-eyes.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith addressed the room. "Before me stand two great sons of
-D'Maelnor:"
-</p>
-<p>
-A dull question thumped in the back of Jal's mind. <i>What?</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-"Tastavi, son of Tastadraa D'Maelnor."
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Two great sons? Tastadraa isn't up here, just Tastavi and&#x2026;</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-"and Jal'Bror'Noloth, my firstborn son,"
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal almost fell from the dais. No, she had been his 'Matron Mother',
-but he'd never believed that&#x2026;
-</p>
-<p>
-"whom I carried and delivered."
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal's rage flared, but his voice was nowhere to be found it in. He
-stood stone-faced and looked to the ground.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi looked to his newfound cousin with surprise, and sudden
-jealousy. All this time, and Jal had never told him? There he stood,
-embarrassed to have his secret revealed. Were they ever friends, or
-only rivals?
-</p>
-<p>
-"Both of you have surpassed my expectations with regard to fighting
-prowess. But&#x2026; There is but one great warrior." Ul'Ilindith stated
-clearly.
-</p>
-<p>
-She let the statement sink in.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi turned.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal broke from his focused denial and turned to look at his friend. He
-shook his head, slowly in disbelief.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi reached his hands slowly to the hilts of his swords.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal made no move to match him. He looked to Ul'Ilindith. She smiled
-wickedly. He looked to Tastadraa. He looked lost, a mixture of caring
-father, and greedy coward.
-</p>
-<p>
-He threw off his sword belt. It fell with a clatter to the ground.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Tastavi can go. He can be your warrior."
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi looked quickly back and forth between Jal and Ul'Ilindith.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith's smile became a sneer.
-</p>
-<p>
-A muffled screaming came from somewhere behind the throne and an aging
-kobold, bound and gagged, naked and bleeding, was brought before
-it. The zombie drooled at her and strained at its magical restraints.
-</p>
-<p>
-"No. You shall fight, my little iblith." She held out her hand before
-her with an open palm. In it lay a small scrap of white velvet. Slowly
-fire rose from her fingers and ignited it.
-</p>
-<p>
-Immediately Jal was wracked with pain as if his face was being torn
-off. He screamed, a primal roar, a dragon's roar. Guards around the
-room stiffened. Tastavi's eyes grew wide.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith turned her hand over into a fist and crushed the ashes.
-</p>
-<p>
-The polymorph spell of the mask was ended. Jal knelt on the
-ground. He breathed heavily and shivered. His clothes were tatters. He
-held the thin mask in his hands&#x2013;his clawed hands. He looked up, his
-white hair falling over his yellow eyes.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi looked upon him with a mixture of disgust, betrayal, and fear.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal shook his head, dropped the mask, and held his hands up
-defensively, waving away the accusation in Tastavi's eyes.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Kill him." Ul'Ilindith commanded Tastavi.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi drew his swords.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-23" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-23"><span class="section-number-2">23</span> The Will of Lolth</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-23">
-<p>
-Though years had passed since their first fight, Jal found the whole
-scene familiar. Tastavi would stalk forward blades drawn and execute a
-perfect series of textbook thrusts and faints. He'd win. He usually
-did, but this time he wouldn't stop. This was no practice spar; this
-was life and death.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal snatched up his weapon belt, pulling his blades from it&#x2013;a rapier
-and a dagger&#x2013;kicked it into Tastavi's face, and retreated.  But
-Tastavi responded by slashing down in a brutal 'X' with his scimitars,
-cutting the tossed belt and bag into four even pieces. Jal tried to
-reason with him, but couldn't get out more than a word against the
-determination in Tastavi's eyes, and speed of his routine.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi came on in full. Emotions flooded his mind, betrayal was
-nothing new or exotic to a drow, but this was something more than
-that. Jal was a half-breed, a disgrace. He would put an end to this
-traitor, this ibluth masquerading as a D'Maelnor. Only a true D'Maelnor
-could lead an army of drow to bring justice to the surface world. Not
-this abomination. Tastavi thought back to every fight against the
-traitor, to the times he had beaten him. His training had always won
-out in the end. He couldn't help but think of the good times as
-well. But he violently rejected them. Lies, they were all lies.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi lunged forward, his whole body extending, uncoiling like a
-viper. Jal managed a half-hearted parry, sending Tastavi's thrust out
-wide, but lost space, as Tastavi dropped his blade below, tapped the
-tip of Jal's rapier harmlessly upwards with the strong of his blade
-and re-engaged. Jal managed to parry the first few blows of every
-line, but barely held on as the sequences progressed. He was never as
-good as Tastavi at feeling the parries and teaching his arms to
-remember them. Jal relied on the space afforded by his greater
-height, backing away, disengaging, dodging, and doing anything to
-break Tastavi's muscle memory. Several times he tried to flee, but
-whenever he came close to the guards, their crossbows forced him back
-into the fight against his friend.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal looked into Tastavi's eyes, but saw nothing but pain there. Deep
-welling emotion. Not regret, but pure righteous hatred. The look
-festered like a wound on his conscience. He felt the bile welling in
-his throat, preparing to send forth a blast of acid to burn away that
-look. But he choked it back and continued to parry.
-</p>
-<p>
-There had to be another way.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal felt strong. Free from the polymorph, he was able to stand to his
-full height, the chamber, the columns, even the other drow all seemed
-so much smaller now. The passing thought gave him an idea. But he had
-to act quickly.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal flexed his thick legs, turned, back to the enemy, and rushed
-headlong into a pair of guards. He felt the wind of Tastavi's blade
-barely miss impaling him. The guards paled at the sight of a large
-black half-dragon barreling at them, and dodged behind a pillar, firing
-crossbow bolts at him as they fell. But they were poorly aimed and
-glanced off of his hard black scales. He followed them around the
-pillar, screaming. Then silence filled the chamber.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi soon followed, breathing heavily from his furious assault, but
-found nothing around the pillar but the pair of guards unconscious on
-the ground. He darted around the other side of the pillar to find
-nothing there either. He looked around behind him in frustration and
-caught a glance at another guard from the other side of the room
-staring dumbfounded at the ceiling. He turned to the pillar and found
-deep scratches on the intricately carved relief. His eyes followed
-them up, to find Jal climbing, tearing chunks of the porous stone free
-with his claws to use as handholds.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith held out a hand to keep the archers at bay, amused by the
-tactic.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi put away his swords and carefully followed him up.
-</p>
-<p>
-The chamber's ceiling was crisscrossed with the webs of thousands of
-spiders. Moths and flies, bats and even larger specimens struggled in
-freshly wrapped cocoons or lay very still. Drow-made archways that
-provided places for the webs to attach jut from odd angles.
-Crisscrossing struts connected them in intricate patterns. Jal leaped
-from the top of the pillar to one of these, sending its occupants
-scurrying away.
-</p>
-<p>
-He moved from strut to strut, displacing as few spiders as
-possible&#x2013;it was bad luck after all&#x2013;running where he could, climbing
-where he could not, and constantly dodging the think and sticky
-strands. He reached the end of one strut and turned to see Tastavi
-racing after him, swords drawn, hacking at whatever strands got too
-close. Jal looked around and dove into the thickest part of the
-webbing, directly over the throne.
-</p>
-<p>
-In the confined space it would be much more difficult to dodge, and
-impossible to run, but Jal took comfort in knowing that if he could
-find the right spot, it would also be impossible to lunge. His greater
-range combined with the sticky walls could then keep any advance at
-bay. He found a large strut, disconnected from the one he was on,
-probably two feet think, and curving from the ceiling like a
-hook. Tastavi was nearly on him. This would have to do.
-</p>
-<p>
-He took a deep breath, coiled like a spring and jumped. He tossed his
-rapier into the air, spun around, back parallel to the ground, and
-threw his dagger out behind him. He continued his rotation and found
-the strut at the same time the rapier bounced against it. The blade
-followed the curve upwards and then fell off to the side. Jal reached
-out with his legs and caught it with his foot.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi turned the corner quickly, moving to follow him, but had stop
-to knock aside the dagger inches from his face. He glared across the
-gap.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal pulled himself up with a deep groan and the heavy rumbling breaths
-of a dragon. More than forty feet below him from the throne chamber,
-Ul'Ilindith smiled wickedly.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal watched as Tastavi's furious glare turned into a look of panic.
-</p>
-<p>
-Several web strands twinged near Jal's head and a slight clicking
-sound came from somewhere disturbingly close by.
-</p>
-<p>
-"It's a spider isn't it?"
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi's silence was telling.
-</p>
-<p>
-"It's right behind me isn't it?&#x2026;"
-</p>
-<p>
-"&#x2026;"
-</p>
-<p>
-"Right."
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal dropped to the strut just in time for the spider's jowls to snap
-shut where he stood. He turned and sliced out with his rapier, tearing
-away a thick strand of webbing. He wrapped it around his leg, then
-jerked left and right, barely dodged the spider's next two rapid
-attempts to capture him. He kicked out against it, not to hurt it, but
-to use it as a springboard. He jumped back across the gap, sword
-leading his way.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi saw the move coming and instead of falling back, he leaped
-from the ledge as well in order to push Jal back into the line of attack
-from the giant spider. They collided in midair and struggled over a
-tiny ledge before both losing their footing and plummeting towards the
-ground.
-</p>
-<p>
-A sickening crunch echoed in the chamber.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi groaned upon the ground. Jal hung from the thick strand of
-webbing just above him. They had fallen towards the center of the
-room, nearby the spot where the fight had begun, before the throne.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi opened his blurry eyes to find Jal standing over him, or
-rather, hanging over him, rapier at his throat.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Very good, Jal. Now end it!" Ul'Ilindith cheered.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastadraa looked at her with disbelief.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal lifted his rapier, pressing it deep, drawing blood. Tastavi pulled
-away, but winced at his multiple broken bones, some of which protruded
-grotesquely and spouted little fountains of blood. He closed his eyes,
-ready to accept his defeat if that was the will of the Spider Queen.
-</p>
-<p>
-But instead, Jal shifted his weight to swing himself towards the
-throne, brought his sword around, cutting the line holding him aloft,
-and flipped over towards the dais. He landed with a roll, dodging the
-lazy lunge of the zombie guarding the throne and sprang forward with
-the grace of a cat and the speed of a scorpion.
-</p>
-<p>
-A deep thunk and sudden rushing of air shattered the sudden
-silence. Jal's rapier dug deeply into Ul'Ilindith's chest and blood
-spurted from the wound. A second later, two dozen crossbow bolts hit
-Jal in the chest and paralysis seeped into his muscles from each tiny
-pinprick.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith's voice came through ragged slurping breaths, a spell of
-some kind, and Jal found himself sprawling backwards, teeth chattering
-and sword shattered into shrapnel in his hands. He landed roughly upon
-the dais steps a few feet from the broken Tastavi who looked at him
-aghast.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith's eyes changed to a deep black, and raven flames engulfed
-her. She chanted with otherworldly power. Her wound closed. She began
-to levitate and ripped off her stained clothes with revulsion.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Once again you disappoint me my son. Watch what is borne of your
-failings!"
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith turned ruefully towards the bound kobold and sent forth
-waves of necrotic energy that quickly tore her apart. Jal tried to
-scream, but his mouth refused to open and his voice left him silent in
-his agony.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith was not finished though.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I'll show you the cost of your weakness! Watch as I cut it out."
-</p>
-<p>
-Instead of turning her wrath on Jal, she turned on Tastavi, pointing a
-rueful finger and chanting. Soon lightning arced between her fingers,
-gathering for discharge.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Noo!!" Tastadraa screamed, breaking ranks and standing between his
-son and his sister. He held aloft a glowing shield emblazoned with
-the lightning symbol of the surface god Talos, and in his other hand a
-broadsword wreathed in black flames.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I shall not allow this!" He called to her.
-</p>
-<p>
-"This is not yours to decide, Elderboy." she spat back.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith let fly her spell, and lightning shot from her finger to
-the waiting Tastadraa. Electricity sparked and crackled as the shield
-focused and contained it. What little hair remained on Tastadraa's
-balding head stood straight but his look of determination and
-concentration disrupted whatever mirth could be garnered from the
-sight. He brought around his sword and rapped it against the crackling
-shield and then with a wave of his arm, released the energy at the
-ground beside him. Lightning arced into the stone and it exploded with
-a deafening blast.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastadraa stalked slowly forward towards Ul'Ilindith.
-</p>
-<p>
-"I'm sorry, Sister, but this is not how the D'Maelnor line shall
-end&#x2013;with an abomination."
-</p>
-<p>
-Guards swarmed from beside the throne and drew swords&#x2013;drow that
-Tastadraa had taught. But he had not taught them everything. Two moved
-forward to engage him. Their heads fell to the floor and corpses
-turned to ash beneath his wicked blade.
-</p>
-<p>
-The rest of the guards looked to the powerful siblings and decided to
-refrain from allowing their duty decide their deaths.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith sneered. She began to chant again, her eyes rolling up
-into her head. The air grew dense inside the throne room, thick and
-stifling, beads of sweat began to form and run down Ul'Ilindith's
-naked body.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastadraa stalked forward with the shield of Talos held high.
-</p>
-<p>
-Beside the throne, the twisted and battered form of Jal's adopted
-mother began to twitch.
-</p>
-<p>
-She finished her incantation, but waited to unleash the spell to
-gloat, "Lets see your blasphemous surface god save you from this one."
-</p>
-<p>
-Her hand jerked spasmodically and green bile erupted from the air
-around it in a stream and blasted Tastadraa to the ground. Contagion
-spread across his body wherever the stuff touched and ate away his
-skin. At the same time the kobold skeleton began to slowly shift into
-place, ligaments forming, muscle growing upon the shifting bones.
-</p>
-<p>
-But Tastadraa was not finished, he pushed with his rotting limbs and
-triggered the levitation on his amulet. He rose, blade poised to end
-the conflict with a single vorpal strike. Then his body fell limp and
-he hung awkwardly in the air, his head crushed from behind by the maw
-of a giant spider.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi cried out in anguish.
-</p>
-<p>
-Paralyzed by more than just the drow poison, Jal watched the scene
-progress in horror. Tastadraa was nothing more than a decaying pile of
-flesh, Tastavi lay broken by his fall, his adopted mother under the
-throes of some insidious magic.
-</p>
-<p>
-Only Ul'Ilindith seemed unharmed, floating above them all cherishing
-the moment.
-</p>
-<p>
-The ground began to shake.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Fool, don't you see? A traitor and his son are revealed and Lolth has
-shown me favor! The dead rise. Even Toril trembles! This is the will
-of Lolth!"
-</p>
-<p>
-She continued, addressing the guards, "Now. Do as I commanded."
-</p>
-<p>
-A crossbow bolt zipped past Jal's frozen face. The whole world seemed
-to stop. But the bolt was not indented for him. Beside him, Tastavi's
-scream became a gurgle as the crossbow bolt in his throat quickly
-drained him of both the air and the blood needed to circulate it.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal retched involuntarily, and could taste the poison on his lips.
-</p>
-<p>
-The shaking intensified in the chamber. A column came down in dozens
-of jagged pieces. Guards ran about, dodging falling debris and
-spiders.
-</p>
-<p>
-Tastavi breathed his last, slumping against the broken stone.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith, levitating, but stationary in the air was pelted with
-rock fragments and quickly began her descent.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal's anger flared within him, but fear helped him keep his head and
-push away the worst effects of the poison. What was going on?
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith reached the ground and began to hurry towards Jal, still
-paralyzed upon the dais steps, but a curious laugh stopped her.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Hahaha, 'da will a Lolth you say?" The scratchy voice became clearer
-by the second. Ul'Ilindith turned to the living kobold slowly standing
-up where her corpse should have rested. Her scales grew back in
-patches, and she peered at the Matron Mother with one regenerated eye.
-</p>
-<p>
-"No my dear, this&#x2026;" she gestured to the chaos around her.
-</p>
-<p>
-"&#x2026;is the will of Tiamat."
-</p>
-<p>
-The ceiling collapsed.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-24" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-24"><span class="section-number-2">24</span> Doom</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-24">
-<p>
-Often a dragon's roar precedes its breath, but Ik'lithslaelith was too
-cautious and too clever for that. When he roared over the shattered
-second house of Llolethane-Mael'na'rath, it was a roar of victory. He
-watched the wreckage from the shadows for a time, but his instructions
-had been clear: leave nothing behind&#x2013;and then leave. He disappeared
-into the forgotten tunnel and was gone.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-25" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-25"><span class="section-number-2">25</span> Destruction</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-25">
-<p>
-The palace fell.
-</p>
-<p>
-A lone drowess rose from the ashes at the edge of the desolation. The
-acid dripped from her hands, from her hair, and fell sizzling to the
-ground leaving her unharmed. Lady Lolth had long ago given her a
-defense against such poison, when she carried it in her womb.
-</p>
-<p>
-Ul'Ilindith stood alone in the rubble and followed the only other pair
-of footprints leaving the shattered homestead: her son's.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal limped through the wreckage, dragging Tastavi's body behind
-him. It had to be around here somewhere. He hefted a door-sized piece
-of slate from a shimmering object sticking out from underneath it. A
-drained and blistered hand held fast to a broken sword, but what
-attracted Jal's eye was a thin piece of white velvet. Jal took the
-mask and dropped the slate back into place, reverently.
-</p>
-<p>
-He turned to the body and rasped, "It doesn't look like either of us
-will be leading any armies today. Please forgive me." He placed the
-velvet mask on Tastavi's face and began the attunement ritual. He left
-the cavern once again fully drow, wearing the face of his friend, and
-carrying his inheritance, a silver shield of a strange surface god,
-upon his back.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-26" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-26"><span class="section-number-2">26</span> Dreams</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-26">
-<p>
-Three Years Later&#x2026;
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal lay on his back on a roof overlooking a bustling marketplace and
-stared dreamily at the cavern ceiling. It had been years since his
-flight from the shattered D'Maelnor estate, and he had managed to find
-some semblance of normalcy in Llolethane, the central cavern of the
-drow city of Llolethane-Mael'na'rath. He rested his head on his
-shield, now mostly painted black to blend in with the shadows, and
-wondered what life would be like without a thousand tons of rock above
-your head. He wondered what it would be like to fly.
-</p>
-<p>
-Below him he heard the telltale laughter of the fat merchant leader he
-had followed to this inn. He picked up his bow and his shield and
-stalked to the edge of the roof above a window. He carefully dipped
-the inner edge of the shield below the overhang and watched the party
-descending the staircase in the cool golden reflection. Then he pulled
-it back up, turned with his back to the alleyway, and counted
-dramatically, with a familiar half-smile.
-</p>
-<p>
-Three.
-</p>
-<p>
-Two.
-</p>
-<p>
-One.
-</p>
-<p>
-Then he flipped from the roof, dropping below the lip and firing an
-arrow through the window. He landed on the cavern floor with a roll
-and disappeared into the shadows&#x2013;just another renegade drow in a city
-of renegades. He did not stay to confirm his success or failure, but
-fled to where he could most easily disappear: the bustling
-marketplace.
-</p>
-<p>
-He strolled easily through the crowded streets. Though his appearance
-was quite a bit more handsome than that he had grown up with, he could
-still blend in with a crowd if he so desired. But then again, where
-was the fun in that? He was dressed in fine silks and jewels, not
-rags. And with a small lump beneath his throat, unquestionably
-covering a house insignia, he was obviously a noble and was given a
-wide birth by the lesser folk. He casually examined the merchandise of
-a few carts, but exuded little outward care for the whole venture,
-particularly when several guards burst from the inn and sent rogues
-into back alleys to seek an assassin.
-</p>
-<p>
-He eventually made his way into this same inn, and dodging guards
-carting some new lordling's inherited possessions from an upper room,
-was addressed cordially by a concierge, "Ah, welcome back Sir! It
-appears that you are in luck, a room has just opened up for you."
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal smiled to himself and turned to dismiss the man with a "Thank You."
-</p>
-<p>
-He never finished that thought.
-</p>
-<p>
-The man was dead.
-</p>
-<p>
-He stood, smiling pleasantly in demure house leathers with half of his
-face melted off to the bone, dripping tar-like blood upon his fine
-padded vest. A spider crawled out from where his ear should have been
-and snickered at him.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal backed away slowly aghast, but everyone else went stoically about
-their business, unperturbed. The room grew dark and Jal turned to the
-window. A thick spiderweb had covered it with a hand-sized spider
-hurriedly wrapping a struggling shape. A tiny dragon's wing jut from
-the bundle.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal ran.
-</p>
-<p>
-He sprinted from the inn and disregarding caution, fled through the
-black alleys and twisted honeycomb and spiderweb streets. It was like
-the passages were built to be confounding, and yet somehow mercilessly
-efficient. In a matter of moments he was back amid the ruins of the
-old city, broken homes and discarded people. Screams from behind him
-followed, the sounds of the guards seeking an assassin. But much
-worse, the sounds of shattering stone and a deafening roar echoed
-through the cavern.  Jal scurried through the final alleyway and dove
-into his hideout in an abandoned sewer tunnel. He dropped his rich
-clothes in the muck and crawled away on hands and knees.
-</p>
-<p>
-He remembered the frantic cries of his mother being torn apart and
-then her defiant laugh as the walls fell. Her last words echoed
-through his mind, "the will of Tiamat!" Another vicious roar sent
-ripples through the water and shivers through the very stone. He heard
-the clicking of spiders in the distance, drawing nearer. Closing in.
-</p>
-<p>
-He was being hunted. Franticly he drew the shield from his back and
-over his head and grasped a small dagger in his hand. He was once
-again a child, in loose-fitting kobold rags and with weapons he could
-barely use. He huddled terrified in a dark corner. He closed his eyes
-and begged whatever gods could hear him to escape.
-</p>
-<p>
-A faint hiss cut through the clamor. Not a god, but a tiny snake, the
-size of a little worm, crawled from the loose stones and looked up at
-Jal, flicking its tongue inquisitively. The hiss grew louder, drowning
-out the skittering of the approaching swarm and rumble of the
-searching dragon. The serpent grew, coiling and stretching, always
-watching. Jal found that he was no longer afraid, but curious. The
-serpent grew to immense proportions filling the tiny sewer tunnel,
-which became a great cavern, yet it still barely contained the
-powerful creature.
-</p>
-<p>
-Dendar, the Night Serpent, the Eater of the World, loomed over the
-boy. She laughed with the might of thunder and the promise of
-disaster. Jal found he could not move.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Jal'Bror'Noloth, your dreamss are deliciouss."
-</p>
-<p>
-Her huge tongue flicked in and out of her mouth, creating wind eddies
-that buffeted Jal against the stone. Greasy spittle and half-devoured
-bones&#x2013;remnants of nightmares long forgotten&#x2013;dripped from her
-cavernous maw. Jal could not speak, not even think, as the stench of
-nightmare overwhelmed him.
-</p>
-<p>
-"Your nightmare though&#x2026; tastess unique. Because it is true. And
-closer than you think. Evil godss have planss for you it seemss." The
-serpent hissed.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal shuddered.
-</p>
-<p>
-Dendar laughed&#x2013;a terrible rasping hiss.
-</p>
-<p>
-"And yet&#x2026; perhapss their planss are merely dreamss. Join me, little
-drow-gon and while the godss fret for your fate, we shall feassst!"
-</p>
-<p>
-Suddenly the world returned and Jal awoke from his reverie. What a
-dream! What a nightmare! The details faded, chewed away from his mind,
-but the image of the serpent and her strange offer lingered.
-</p>
-<p>
-The quiet dripping of sewer water and occasional scurrying of rodent
-or insect were the only sounds to be heard besides the dull pounding
-of his heart.
-</p>
-<p>
-He sat in the muck for hours.
-</p>
-<p>
-They were never far behind. Staying in one place for too long was
-dangerous, but something held Jal in place. Could he actually escape
-it all?
-</p>
-<p>
-Soon a distant splash alerted him to company. Heavy footsteps,
-confident and strong, echoed through the tunnel. Throngs of rodents
-scurried away from the sound, fleeing in terror they trampled on one
-another. A light breeze blew through the stinking place from the
-opposite end of the tunnel and the insects stopped their chattering,
-frozen and reverent. Jal couldn't think. They'd found him. They'd both
-found him. It was too late.
-</p>
-<p>
-A lightning bolt streaked through the tunnel past him and a barbaric
-roar answered it.
-</p>
-<p>
-The wind began to howl through the tunnel like a cyclone and the
-sounds of crumbling rock assailed him from both sides.
-</p>
-<p>
-Jal grimaced and hesitated. But as the twin forms came into view, he
-shouted into the clamor, "ENOUGH! Dendar! We are bound, now free me
-from this place!"
-</p>
-<p>
-<i>Wissse Choissce&#x2026;</i>
-</p>
-<p>
-Instantly a portal opened before him like a tear in reality and
-brilliant light beamed through. Jal rushed into it and was transported
-many miles away in an instant. A startled yell and the renewed sounds
-of battle followed him through, but then there was nothing but
-silence, the gentle breeze, and the burning light of the midday sun.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-27" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-27"><span class="section-number-2">27</span> The Surface</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-27">
-<p>
-The blinding light of the Shaar's Summer Sun left Jal helpless.
-</p>
-<p>
-He lay upon the ground thinking it maybe better he have died quickly
-in the tunnels or upon his own blade. But such musings held no real
-power, and with the setting of the Sun, and the rising of the lesser
-evils of the moon and of the stars, he wept freely. For though he was
-bound&#x2013;and nightmares would indeed become routine while in service to
-their master&#x2013;for the first time in his life, he was free.
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div id="outline-container-sec-28" class="outline-2">
-<h2 id="sec-28"><span class="section-number-2">28</span> Credits</h2>
-<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-28">
-<p>
-[Thank you for Reading! I'm Andrew Murrell, an aspiring D&amp;D author and
-dedicated DM. Check out my blog at <a href="http://AndrewDM.me/">http://AndrewDM.me/</a> [WIP] for
-updates or if you'd like to see more stuff like this!]
-</p>
-</div>
-</div>