The Ambition of House Diedre

Story by darkgigas

This is my first attempt at writing any kind of fanfic. I enjoy writing, but do it infrequently so please be patient. I do not mind constructive criticism at all, but please be gentle. It is my first time. ;) Also I am not an expert in the subject of the drow, but i am trying my best to do some research. As it is just for fun please don't flame me for being slightly off on my info. I just felt this kind of futa story has needed to be told.

Please note, I do not own any of the places, terms, or background of this story, that falls to Wizards of the Coast. I claim only the characters and the storyline. Thanks and please enjoy this fanfic.

The Ambition of House Diedre

Prologue

Of all the noble houses of the great drow city of Menzoberranzan, there are few lower than House Diedre. Most of the other houses patently ignore this lowly house much to the ire of the Diedre nobles. But over the last few decades something more problematic than a lack of respect or, more importantly, fear has become their primary concern.

In their long history House Diedre’s noble females have always held a deep seething hatred for males. Even in a society where males are seen as inferior, second-class citizens, they go beyond contempt. They are seen as little more than slaves or beasts of burden. Now since the time that the current Matron Mother, Faerys Diedre, took leadership of the House from her dying mother slowly the birth rate of females in their noble line has dwindled to a small trickle. To make matters worse they believe someone has begun to assassinate their female members, as one by one they fall to odd “accidents” or in small skirmishes in the wilds of the Underdark. The dwindling supply of superior female warriors and wizards has caused the Matron Mother to entrust important duties to these mere males, something that hasn’t been done in many generations.

Many theories abound of the cause of this curse, of some enemy’s magic, or some unknown slight to their Goddess, Lolth, the Demon Queen of Spiders. For years the priestesses of House Diedre have prayed to Lolth for answers and guidance to no avail. Sacrifices have been made many times, and yet all has fallen on deaf ears of the Spider Queen. Now with their numbers dwindling and their enemies waiting in the shadows to strike the final blow, fevered desperation and borderline madness have taken over the remaining nobles. The twin sisters that stand at the head of House Diedre, Matron Mother Faerys and High Priestess Velize are desperately grasping at straws to find a solution to their problem.

The high priestess Velize has been taking a monumental risk sneaking into the forbidden archives of Arach-Tinilth, the clerical academy of Menzoberranzan. If she were caught, she would face execution, or worse, the wrath of the Goddess Lolth, herself. She has searched for some ritual, or spell that could counteract their curse and turn the tides of fortune to their favor. Each night she has failed, but now, after many covert trips to the archives, the time for the reversal of fate is nigh.

As she runs silently through the perpetual night of the caverns of the Underdark, Velize carries a precious leather-bound volume from the Forbidden Archives. The volume contains a ritual that, Lolth permitting, should bring House Diedre back from the cusp of certain destruction. Perhaps her actions this day might even bring the Drow into a golden age, bringing them into a way of life that no drow could have ever imagined possible.

Each step racks Velize’s body with pain as the wound in her shoulder opens further. She shivers despite the steaming warmth of the hot springs running through this cavern, which bathes the area in a glowing light to her red, heat-sensing eyes. Here in the eternal darkness of the Underdark traveling through a hot spot like this is akin to walking through a verdant woodland wearing camouflage. A jolt of pain down her left arm reminds her of what is at stake. He pursuer cannot be far behind, but she risks a moment to shake off the dizziness and to swallow back the bile. She breathes heavily as she looks around the cavern trying to remember which of the winding tunnels will take her back to the shelter and safety of House Diedre. She absent-mindedly swabs her forehead with the bloodied sleeve of her tunic and nearly swoons from the incredible pain as the barbed tip of the crossbow bolt scrapes against her collarbone. She bites down on her lip, tasting the metallic flavor of her own blood and takes off like an arrow down one of the tunnels.

“Almost there…almost…” she whispers to herself, forgetting in her feverish state that even a whisper can be heard echoing through these silent caverns and betray her location

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