"01 - Daughter of the Drow - Elaine Cunningham 1.0.palmdoc.pdb" - читать интересную книгу автора (Starlight And Shadows)

spiders sucked the juices from their victim in mere moments. In no more time
than the telling might take, the kobold was reduced to a pile of rags, bones,
and leathery hide. At a sign from the priestess, the soldiers marched on down
the street, their silent elven boots further flattening the desiccated kobold.
One of the soldiers inadvertently trod on a spider that had lingeredЧhidden
among the bits of ragЧto siphon the last drop. The engorged insect burst with a
sickening pop, spraying its killer with ichor and liquid kobold. Unfortunately
for that soldier, the priestess happened to look over her shoulder just as the
spider, a creature sacred to Lloth, simultaneously lost its dinner and its life.
The drow female's face contorted with outrage.
"Sacrilege!" she declaimed in a voice resonant with power and magic. She swept a
finger toward the offending soldier and demanded, "Administer the law of Lloth,
now!"
Without missing a step, the drow on either side of the condemned soldier drew
long, razor-edged daggers. They struck with practiced efficiency. One blade
flashed in from the right and gutted the unfortunate drow; the strike from the
left slashed open his throat. In the span of a heartbeat the grim duty was
completed. The soldiers marched on, leaving their comrade's body in a spreading
pool of blood.
Only a brief silence marked the drow soldier's passing. Once it was clear the
show was over, the folk of Narbondellyn turned their attention back to their own
affairs. Not one of the spectators offered any challenge to the executions. Most
did not show any reaction at all, except for the kobold slaves who scurried
forward with mops and barrels to clear away the mesa Menzoberranzan was the
stronghold of Lloth worship, and here her priestesses reigned supreme.
Yet the proud female's procession kept a respectful distance from the black
mansion near the end of the street. Not a house like those known to surface
dwellers, this abode was carved into the heart of a stalactite, a natural rock
formation that hung from the cavern's ceiling like an enormous ebony fang. No
one dared touch the stone, for on it was carved an intricate pattern of symbols
that shifted constantly and randomly. Any part of the design could be a magic
rune, ready to unleash its power upon the careless or unwary.
This stalactite manor was the private retreat of Gromph Baenre, the archmage of
Menzoberranzan and the eldest son of the city's undisputed (if uncrowned) queen.
Gromph, of course, had a room in House Baenre's fabulous fortress castle, but
the wizard possessed treasuresЧand ambitionsЧthat he wished to keep from the
eyes of his female kin. So from time to time he retired to Narbondellyn, to
enjoy his collection of magical items, to pore over his vast library of
spell-books, or to indulge himself with his latest mistress.
Perhaps even more than his obvious wealth and famed magical power, Gromph's
ability to select his consorts was a testament to his status. In this
matriarchal city, males had a decidedly subservient role, and most answered to
the whims of females. Even one such as Gromph Baenre had to choose his playmates
with discretion. His current mistress was the youngest daughter of a minor
house. She possessed rare beauty, but little aptitude for clerical magic. The
latter gave her low status in the city and raised her considerably in Gromph's
estimation. The archmage of Menzoberranzan had little love for the Spider Queen
goddess or her priestesses.
Here in Narbondellyn, however, he could for a time forget such matters. The
security of his mansion was ensured by the warding runes outside, and the