Open Chronicles Shallow Grave

[Kassa Lia]

Magic was a dangerous thing, not to be idly played with. It was complex, with intricacies understood only through years, perhaps more, of dutiful study. Many gave up, content to live with magic serving them but never commanding it themselves. But for those who were determined, those were especially gifted, learned that magic was not only dangerous, but beautiful in a thousand, thousand ways, and could be used for just as many things.

Kassa had seen that from the very first, and dedicated her life to magic and its demanding lessons ever since that little house had burned down.

Even so, it still managed to shock her at times, leaving her breathless. As she breathed in the smoke and let the magic fill her being, the force blasted through her so thoroughly and powerfully that she was nearly thrown back. As it was, it felt like a harsh wind had erupted inside her veins, and the temperature of the room, formerly warm, dropped to nearly freezing.

Fortunately Kassa was used to this. The Dark Arts had always been fickle. She opened her eyes carefully, blinking away the small bit of frost that had begun to form on her lashes.

She saw Myrra, first of all, and Nasir. She saw herself too. It was what she saw afterwards that was extraordinary.

Visions often were symbolic, abstract, sometimes almost impossible to interpret clearly, let alone easily. But rarely were they so violent, so bloody. So incredibly obscene. Worlds shattering, fire, spiders skittering over corpses and crows pecking away eyes dulled by death. Kassa wasn’t sure if she enjoyed the scenery or not.

Either way...

“Remarkable,” she murmured as the smoke suddenly dissipated, fading away into nothing. “What have you gotten yourself into, my dear?”

 

[Myrra]

Nasir's words were kind and reassuring. Myrra had believed him to be distant at times so seeing a genuine kind word from the elf brought a warm grin to her face.

"Thank you," she said back, "I mean it, I'll work to help repay you for what you've given me. I hope our paths don't separate the minute we arrive at the Undercity." She felt lucky to have Kassa and Nasir here. All of the hustle and bustle of this little town likely paled in comparison to how the Undercity was. And while it was difficult to understand this world she imagined she'd feel far more lost if she didn't have the companions she came with from the upper world.

Myrra nudged the bag of supplies towards Nasir before saying, "you hungry? I may retire to my room if there's nothing else." Once the taller drow had grabbed whatever servings he wished she turned and entered her room. It was quaint, nothing lavish, and warm water had already been deposited into the bath for her. She lay the various food items on the edge of the bath water and entered.

The temperature wasn't quite to her liking and so she used a bit of her magic to warm the waters around her up. Nearly scalding, exactly as she liked it. The steam from the tub filled her face and she munched on the strange meat, hearty mushrooms, and odd fruit while scrubbing off the grim that had accumulated from the weeks of riding here.

Once she was full of food and cleaner than she had been in a month she fell flat onto the bed. It was like heaven to lay on something other than soil. She drifted into a deep sleep even before her head had hit the pillow.

 

[Nasir]

The next day came swiftly, or at least I felt that way to Nasir.

The ancient Drow did not sleep, but instead spent most of the night in meditation and conversation with the old Gnome that was the purveyor of this Inn. He learned much of the current situation in the Underdark.

It seemed that in his absence The Undercity had fallen into chaos. Though the nobility still ruled with an iron fist, much of their control had eeked out of the Underdark at large. Many villages and cities now ran themselves independently, and there was even an active group of rebels that stood in opposition to bother the Ruling Council as well as the Gods themselves.

The facts of it were surprising to Nasir, though he reveled in them.

By the time morning came the Drow was standing and waiting for his two companions in the now empty dining hall of the Inn. Two tables held neatly tailored clothes, one for Kassa, and the other for Myrra by request of Nasir himself.

Food was also present, another gesture from the elder Gnome.

 

[Kassa Lia]

After cleaning the bowl and waiting for the room to return to normal temperature, Kassa allowed herself to sleep. It was a deep, restful slumber, helped by the soft comfort of the bed and the security of heavy woolen blankets. As always, she dreamed of fantastical landscapes and magical occurrences, some of them dark and gloomy, some of them bright and hopeful.

She was awakened at what she assumed to be morning - there was no certain way to tell underground - by a heavy knocking on her door. The ugly face of the ogre who had filled her tub met her at the entrance, telling her it was well time to be awake. Message delivered, he left her to dress before escorting her to the dining hal.

Kassa had one remaining set of clothes that was relatively clean left, and was relieved when she was saw the garb left for her by the elderly gnome. They were surprisingly elegant clothes, modest and becoming in shades of grey, green, and charcoal black. Silver filigree was embroidered around the collar and sleeves. Kassa had been given a dress and a set of more common clothes, and she noted, with some amusement, that Myrra’s clothes were just a tad fancier and finer than the attire Kassa had been given. That was understandable. If Myrra was a noble, she would be expected to dress the part.

The food was more of the savory mushrooms, this time paired a different kind of fruit that looked like melons and smelled like dried plums. Strips of meat, also new, steamed on the ceramic plates beside cups full of something dark and creamy that Kassa failed to identify. It was strange, tasting complex and sweet with consistency of curdled milk. She wasn’t sure she liked it much, but she drank and ate her share without complaint. She felt she would likely need the energy later.

“What now, Karev?” she asked of Nasir. “I recall mention of a friend.”

 

[Myrra]

A hot bath, a soft bed, fine clothing, and food awaiting them in the morning. Myrra liked the underdark so far.

Night-brushed lips parted widely in an audible yawn as she rubbed away the sleepiness from her eyes. With a slightly embarrassed gaze she looked over to her two companions and mouthed an apology that was cut off by yet another yawn. The sleep she had experienced was remarkable. Being able to lay in a comfortable bed meant she wasn't tossing and turning all night or brushing some foul insect off her arm. Hopefully the meal before them would be energizing enough to restore some of her faculties.

Myrra's fingers traced the clothing laid out for her, it was far nicer than the simple robes and light leather armor she wore now. She decided to wait until after breakfast to change as she took her seat next to Kassa and across from Nasir. Drinking some of the savory mixture and filling her mouth with a sampling of each of the items laid out on the table. The fruit was her favorite by a long shot.

The drow nodded at the mention of their companions friend as she added, "yes, the one at the webs? How far away are the webs?"

She was eager to get moving for the day and obtain answers to some of the questions she had. Maybe even a few that Nasir insisted she didn't wish to have answered.

 

[Nasir]

"We will be there this afternoon." He told them both, stretching slightly as he grabbed some of the food at the table.

There was still much for them to see and learn, but now was not the best time to get over everything. The Elder Gnome nodded at Nasir, and then quickly left the room without another word. Nasir watched for a second, then turned back towards Kassa and Lia.

"I gather you know the Portal stones?" He asked of them both. "Or at least, have heard of them?"

He expected Kassa to know more than Myrra, though knowledge of them was common enough.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Few as they were, Portal Stones were magnificent pieces of magic that even Kassa admired. She had studied them for a time, wondering the the operations of the many inactive runes carved upon their faces. They were reliable methods of transportation, though Kassa preferred to walk or ride. There was more to gain that way, she thought, by seeing and experiencing the road rather than warping from one place to another. It was more dangerous too, yes, but she was not afraid of danger.

That was of the surface world, though, and she was no fool. Unlike up there, she did not know what could be expected underground, and did not want of find out unprepared. She would gladly take a shortcut if it was provided.

“You have one here, then?” she asked of Nasir. “There are supposed to be only four stones known, at least that I’ve heard of. Much more portals exist among them,” she said thoughtfully, “but the stones themselves are very limited.” She waited.

Then, “What are these Webs, and this friend?” she inquired.

The Myath Webs. Rolling of the tongue nicely, the name still had an ominous sound.

 

[Myrra]

“I’ve never used a portal stone,” Myrra admitted, “do they hurt?”

She had heard of them and the drow knew of their functionality. Supposed instantaneous transport across Arethil. Sounded almost like fantasy if it weren’t so widely documented.

As she had spent most of her life around Elbion, Alliria, and the water channels connecting these cities with the rest of the world. Thus, she had never needed to use any of the portal stones.

Kassa’s questions about the Myath Webs were intriguing though. The human hadn’t been present when Nasir gave Myrra an explanation and he was... slightly vague. So she welcomed any more information that the other elf wished to share.

For now she continued eating in silence, not having more to add on either topic.

 

[Nasir]

"There are more than that." Nasir commented. "Some here in the Underdark."

His people alone had located five of them, all deep within the earth. How they'd gotten there had always been a mystery, but most Drow assumed they were a blessing of the Elder Gods. Nasir knew better, but he did not know the truth.

No one really did.

"There is no Pain, unless you use them wrong." At least from what Nasir knew of.

"The Webs are a set of caverns deep into the Underdark, deeper than most places." Deeper than most dared to ever venture. "It is home to many monsters, but also allies."

It was one of the few places even Drow feared. "Malgradrin, is the name of my friend, the one who spoke within your minds. She is a powerful sorceress."

 

[Kassa Lia]

“No pain unless you touch more than one rune at a time,” Kassa mentioned. She raised an eyebrow at Myrra. “Don’t experiment with them.”

A powerful sorceress. This caught Kassa’s attention, and she was immediately intrigued. What sort of powers, other than long-reaching Mindspeak, did this Malgradrin boast? Surely, if the Myath Webs were as dangerous as implied, she must truly be strong, enough to ward off the threats living in the same region.

She wanted to ask more about this sorceress, and the creatures sharing her home, but decided she would be wasting Nasir’s time and patience. She would see for herself soon enough what the Myath Webs had to offer. She examined herself closely – with her inner eye to see within – studying her magic reserves, her physical and mental strength, and judged herself rested and ready.

She gathered up the clothes the gnome had set aside for her. Her older clothes she had rinsed off and dried overnight, but already she could see these were better in quality, prepared for hardship and abuse, and were in any case far more suited for the society surrounding her now.

“Let’s change, Myrra. Then Karev can show us the way. Besides, I can’t wait to see what you really look like.”

 

[Myrra]

Myrra nodded as she made a mental note to let Nasir and Kassa use the portal stone first. She'd just pay close attention and mimic whatever they did. Sounded like the safest choice.

The dark elf wished to question what sort of monsters lay in wait, how dangerous it was, but she noted that Nasir did not seem concerned and Myrra didn't wish to indicate that she was worried either. She'd drink some extra water to fuel her magic in case it was needed later and simply remain alert. With a few extra nibbles on the simmered meat the elven girl cleaned her plate and stood to retrieve the clothes set aside for her.

Her fingers ran alongside the cloak of the outfit as she tried to place the fabric. It felt unusual, different from the kinds of cloth she was accustomed to. Eventually the pattern of it made a bit more sense. When the candlelight hit it at just the right angle she could make out small webbed patterns and she realized this must've been made from spider silk. Nasir had mentioned the craft one night as they were making their way here.

Once she was in her room and changed she looked down at the raven colored, silver trimmed, and violet spider's silk outfit. It was majestic but practical, regal but modest. Hoping for a mirror but not finding one she instead conjured a sheet of water, flash freezing it, and then looking at the blurry reflection. Even the imperfect view of herself brought a grin to her face. She'd never owned clothing that looked as nice as this.

"Let us proceed," she issued to Nasir and Kassa as she returned back to the lobby.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir nodded his head. While the other two had changed he’d quickly conversed with the Elder Gnome. Quick orders had been given, and thanks had been offered before either Kassa or Myrra returned.

As the two of them came back Nasir was all ready to go. ”Indeed.”

The Dark Elf said with a nod of his head as he turned and headed out the door. The other two were of course quick behind him, and they once again entered the Underdark. The town was quiet, apparently most people still being at rest.

This time they left from the east of the town, heading into what appeared to be another large cavern attached to this one. The lake quickly fell out of view behind them, and as darkness enveloped the cavern Nasir pulled out a small torch.

Though his and Myrra’s eyes could see well through the dark, he did not want to make the same assumption about Kassa.

After two hours of walking, the trio arrived at what looked to be a massive stone obelisk surrounded by thirteen smaller pillars. Kass would quickly realize that this portal stone did not at all resemble those found on the surface.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Back in her room, Kassa studied the fine material of her clothes. It felt almost like silk, but with an odd, unfamiliar texture and curious weight. When she leaned close, she saw the intricate webbed pattern and only then did she realize what it was. Spidersilk was not unheard of on the surface, but there it was rare and highly valued in the right hands. A smile touched her lips and she slid on the dress and stored the extra garments. Already she was profiting from this venture.

When she saw Myrra, finely dressed in her own given attire, she smiled again. Kassa appreciated the value of impression and appearance, and Myrra had been subtly transformed. Clean and nobly dressed, the elf was a striking figure of the highborn. Kassa bowed to her as she entered the lobby, a proper curtsy reserved for royalty.

“My Lady,” Kassa grinned. “You look splendid.”

It was true.

When well on their way, Nasir was thoughtful enough to pull out a torch, which Kassa appreciated. Capable enough to produce her own light, that still required magic and therefore energy, which Kassa preferred to reserve for emergencies and necessities. Two hours of walking would require even more resources, so by the time they reached their destination, Kassa’s opinion of Nasir rose just a little bit.

Her eyes widened as she took in the stone monolith and its surrounding pillars. It did not even closely resemble the stones used in the world above; not only did this great obelisk dwarf them, it was more… beautiful. It looked as if it were designed by a marvel of nature combined with a trained hand, with glyphs flowing across the surface, up and down in mesmerizing lines.

“Spectacular,” Kassa whispered, her voice echoing just slightly in the cavern. “I have never seen such a thing... Well. Show us what to do, Karev.”

Kassa knew what to do with the Portal Stones above, but this particular stone was different. Perhaps the use of it differed too, however minimal.

 

[Myrra]

Myrra nodded and blushed at Kassa’s compliment. The outfit was stunning on her but their human companion wore a grand looking dress and overcoat as well. In response the drow gestured back towards the other woman.

“You look wonderful as well, I think Karev here did a fine job,” she said before giving an approving look towards the taller dark elf.

As the trio made their way towards the portal stone Myrra couldn’t help but take in every sight within the cavern. Chirping bats or glowing fungus and even the occasional creature scurrying on the walls. It all felt so surreal, to be here after a lifetime of not knowing where she came from.

Upon their arrival the younger elf marveled once more. To her the portal stone appeared to be an elaborate contraption. She had no clue how to operate it and chose to remain silent until the lesson commenced.

 

[Nasir]

"Stand within the ring of stone." He told the two of them, motioning towards the pillars that circled the central obelisk.

Nasir had always wondered about this place, who had built it, when. Such information was lost even to his kind, something that he'd always found rather amusing. Their people claimed to be ancient, yet this was a mystery even they'd forgotten.

He himself stepped towards the obelisk. "These symbols here."

With a motion the Drow gestured towards a set of seven symbols all arrayed around a central one.

"They are markers of direction." He figured that explaining would be the best. "They coincide with each of these pillars."

He motioned to the stones set in a circle around them. "When infused with the right magic, they can lead you to the correct stone."

An odd purple flame appeared around his hand, and with a soft touch he swiped it over the symbols.

Three of them began to glow in a soft pale light.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Cautiously, Kassa stepped into the ring, standing uncertainly but prepared. Magic was dangerous, finicky, sometimes unpredictable. She had seen previously stable spells erupt in chaos for seemingly no reason at all, while others imploded over an easily made mistake. Though she did not think this foreign Spell Stone would do the same, she did not trust it completely either.

It was best to err on the side of safety.

Her eyes followed Nasir as he moved to the great obelisk. All the symbols were different from one another, with the largest and most intricate being the central one. She wondered what kind of magic he had, what class and denomination, as he swept his hand over the symbols. She wondered if it could be duplicated within herself.

The stones began to glow, illuminating the cavern walls in their gentle pale light. It was very tempting to reach out and touch the pillar closest to her. Still, even as her hand paused above the surface of one, she looked to Nasir.

“Leaders first,” she said lightly.

 

[Myrra]

Whatever these portal stones were they looked complex. A central platform flanked by several obelisks that were donned with gems. Nasir explained how the intricacies all fit together, how they corresponded to specific directions, and how the right kind of magic had to be used to trigger them. It all went over Myrra's head a bit.

She certainly wasn't dumb but her own magic had come suddenly. From an accident. And it was less about rigid structure, as some magic could be according to others she had met, and more about instinct. Feelings. She didn't have to put much thought or effort into using her hydromancy. It came as naturally to her as breathing or eating.

When a purple flame erupted from Nasir's hand and coaxed the gemstones to illuminate the elven girl let out a low gasp. The sudden shift had shocked her.

"So we just... stand here and don't touch anything?" she questioned as she joined the other two on the platform. Her arms were stiff and firmly affixed to her sides. She still felt paranoid about using this ancient thing. Who knows why they were built or for what purpose or when they'd suddenly consume the mortals using them.

 

[Nasir]

"You could do it without magic as well, that was how these things were designed, but..." He shrugged. "I know only this way to find our destination."

Nasir did not mind admitting the gap in his knowledge.

One of the most foolish things a General could do was...too much. One had to know their own limitations, what you could and couldn't do. It was important to realize that a single being could not take care of everything. "You may way to close your eyes, some people experience sickness from the journey."

It was the last thing he said before he suddenly closed his hand.

In an instant time and reality seemed to shift in upon itself. It did not seem like any of the trio moved, but instead the stones simply thrust them into an alltogether different being. In an instant they were everywhere and nowhere, and then suddenly they were thrust into complete and utter darkness.

Around them were thousands upon thousands of massive spiderwebs, running in intricate patterns and hanging from walls, ceilings, and everywhere else.

 

[Kassa Lia]

Having never felt nausea the few times she had used a surface Portal Stones, Kassa declined closing her eyes. She was not one to easily lose control of her body; things she had seen and experienced before had hardened her stomach to sights, sound, and motion that would cause anyone else to lose contents consumed hours before. It was only too late when she realized that this method of transportation differed greatly here in the Underdark.

It was painless; still, it was terrifying. It felt like being pulled apart like wet fabric, then turned inside out like a roughspun bag. Around her, the stone pillars seemed to spin in a chaotic spiral, and the world collapsing as the ceiling and floor imploded and caved in. She saw Myrra, Nasir, and then even herself, as if she were no longer in her own body but a figure in its own space and time, both stretched and twisted.

Two seconds later it was over and she found herself on her knees, in utter darkness. It was only a miracle she managed to keep down the contents of her stomach. She swallowed heavily and felt embarrassed. Shouldn’t she be used this sort of thing long by now?
Gathering her composure, she stood, and then felt something light and sticky brush her head. Instinctively she waved a hand over he brow, expecting a fly or something likewise. Instead, as she brought it before squinting eyes, she saw translucent, filmy threads. Spider webbing. Disgusting.

She looked around for spiders. Bugs didn’t intimidate her, but this was a different world, and the spiders here might well be horrifying mutations of the harmless arachnids she knew.

“These are the Myath Webs?” She shook her hand free of the sticky strings. “Ugh, I hope there are no surprises here.”

 

[Myrra]

Eyelids slammed shut tight the instant Nasir gave the suggestion. Myrra's arms still rigid by her sides.

When the magical artifacts around them began to pulsate and spin the entire world felt like it was on a needlehead, being flung around in a circular fashion. She moved her arms during the transition to clutch at her stomach which was being throw through its own journey of sorts. Occasionally she'd feel like this during particularly choppy waves at sea but this was a far more intense version of that same sensation.

This felt like she had eaten a pile of bricks and now her stomach was colliding with concrete while doing somersaults. Eventually the portal stone came to a halt... or had the trio come to a halt and the portal stones not even moved? No time to think on that, her midsection felt like it was still spinning so the drow had little capacity for her head to begin spinning too.

As her nerves started to settle, and she narrowly avoided her lunch reappearing, the elven woman's crimson eyes began to scan their surroundings. There were dozens of interweaving webs. Some of them had accumulated moisture from the stalactites overhanging. A few seemed to glow, perhaps it was a special kind of webbing or maybe it was an eggsack. Myrra couldn't tell.

"I rather like surprises," Myrra said in jest, "and this place looks incredible." Maybe it was because she was a dark elf or perhaps she was just odd but the spiderwebs seemed beautiful to her.

 

[Nasir]

The webs were a unique landscape within the Underdark, a place that most feared to ever venture into.

Thousands had died here over the centuries, entire armies wiped out by the spiders that made their homes here. It was one of the few places that the Undercity had never conquered, though of course there was a good reason for that.

From his hand a ball of purple black light erupted, floating softly over his hand as he stepped towards one side of the portal stone.

"Follow close, and don't step off the path. No harm will come to those shrouded in her light." The words were cryptic, but am explanation would come soon enough.

Slowly he stepped out of the circle of stones and onto a meager path through the intricate lined webs. Some of them seemed to twang and move, and in the distance an odd clicking skitter echoed out.

 

[Kassa Lia]

“So giant spiders and the like are things you enjoy?” Kassa couldn’t help remarking with a smirk. She didn’t doubt Myrra was capable of defending herself against any number and manner of foes, for Kassa sensed her magic was possibly quite strong indeed, but better no foes than any at all. Smoothing down her clothes, she followed Nasir through the webs.

It was not long before Kassa noticed the silver threads shivering, some of them twanging like the strings of a gently played harp. Others trembled more violently, and along with them sounded a low skittering sound, a chatter echoing hollowly in the enclosed space around them. Kassa looked around she followed her companions, eyes narrowed to what she could not see in the darkness.

She had sensed it just slightly before, a dread feeling she was long accustomed to. Something she had experienced many times, again and again. In fact, she could almost smell it here, pungent and foul and malevolent – death. People, countless people, had died here, their bodies left to be devoured and their bones chewed and ravaged by the vicious creatures who lived among these webs.

Kassa was not fearful, but she was not stupid either, and made sure to follow Nasir closely, keeping her feet on the path he guided them along. Spiders she could not squash easily with one finger weren’t things she was excited to encounter.

 

[Myrra]

Myrra listened to Nasir's words and followed the path precisely. Ensuring she was kept in the light. She smirked back at Kassa's question though before responding in kind, "depends, are giant spiders friendly?" The idea of a giant spider friend sounded wonderful. There was something almost soothing about some spiders, the graceful way they moved and their hairy legs. She knew that most humans were scared of the things but she always found them comforting. Probably the dark elvish in her blood.

Perhaps the drow was lucky. Her life hadn't been kind to her but she'd only faced a significant amount of death once. When her first crewmates all died. So it wasn't surprising that she did not pick up on the somber attitude felt by both Kassa and Nasir at the lives lost in this place.

When she had first discovered her... gifts. Whatever her magic could be called, that is. When they first manifested she had practiced on spider webs. They pooled water in large droplets and she enjoyed making them dance. There was a temptation to that here though as her powers had grown she was certain she could've done it on a much larger scale with these much larger webs. Part of her held her breath a few times as the clicking and skittering grew louder or a tinge of webbing shook more rapidly. She'd hoped that maybe she'd get a peek at one of the eight-eyed denizens of this place.

Alas, she had no such luck yet. Just the teasing of arachnid noise and bouncing silky webbing.

 

[Nasir]

Nasir remained quiet through the conversation of spiders, but a smile pulled at his lips.

The small bit of knowledge that rang in his head was delightful to keep a secret, and he couldn't help but bite his tongue as they continued through the webs.

It took near an hour before the path they stepped in began to open up, the glistening webs parting before them in a large chamber. A cavern lay before them, it's reaches as dark as the abyss. The skittering here grew quiet, almost completely silent save for a singular soft clicking.

Then the voice came again.

"My Friend. It has been so long."​

The skittering of a spider rang out once more within the cave, but this time far closer. From within the abyss she came, grander and taller than any arachnid could hope to be. "Malgadrin."

There was a softness to his tone, an old friend laying eyes upon another. A broad smile beamed across his face as the light of the Great Spider Queen fell upon the trio. The gold of her amulets seeming to shine even through the darkness. Her face lit up with a smile, and slowly she skittered towards the trio until standing before them.

Her hand, quite human reached out to softly caress Nasir's cheek.

"How I have missed you."
​

The Great Driders lips moved, yet her voice still rang within their heads. Her eyes peered down at Nasir, and then slowly swept over Kassa and then to Myrra.

"And you have brought friends, one near as dark as my webs, and the other a lost daughter, how delightful."​

 

[Kassa Lia]

All throughout their trek, the skittering continued, some of it so far away as to be a whisper - some of it, so close she could feel it tremble across her spine. She did not like this place at all, but kept her thoughts and feelings to herself. Nasir seemed to know where he was going at least; each step was sure and confident, and the light he had conjured never faltered.

Finally the webbing surrounding them fell away even as they fell into the thick shadows of a greater cavern, a chasm that echoed with the clicking of many legs. With it came the voice, and what followed was a massive form, alien to anything Kassa had ever seen before. If she had expected anything, it was not this monster.

Or... was it a monster? For all that it was strange and menacing, it moved with enviable grace, adorned with glistening gold that seemed to accent all its curves and sharper corners. And as she - Malgadrin - moved closer, Kassa could see clearly that she was not just powerful and fearsome, but also strikingly beautiful. Her voice matched her appearance, sliding through their minds and their ears at once. Try as Kassa did, she could not help but think of this great spider queen as something like a goddess to her smaller kindred, many of whom had found their demise underneath her boots in a regrettable past.

She bowed, a curtsy appropriate to the noble being. “Kassa Lia, my... uh... your... Grace?” She attempted. She really did not want to offend someone like this, but how did you talk to a giant spider woman?