It was a typically hot and muggy day in the swamp as Alaketh returned to Hosuth, though he didn’t notice, especially since he was just returning from the City of Brass. He stood in front of the slaughterhouse and eyed the building, the runes were intact. He said a few words of power and entered silently. Cattle and other “meat” hung from the hooks but once where there was only chaos, order had now aligned the carcasses by what pieces were left, what was to be sold or used in ritual. Crossing the darkened room Alaketh came across his would be protege X’hayte sitting on a chair in front of a storage locker.

“Comfortable?”, Alaketh asked, curious about the tiefling’s seating arrangements.

A startled X’hayte answered, “Sorry boss. I didn’t hear you come in. The package arrived!”

Alaketh thought for a moment before saying “Damn, forgot about that, what did they bring?”

X’hayte told Alaketh “female, maybe 100 – 120, it’s hard for him to tell a Drow’s age.”

Alaketh thought longer on this, he was already wanted by families in Menzoberranzan, taking a female should make things more interesting. Alaketh told X’hayte to move. He would see the prisoner before he gets rid of her. X’hayte got of the chair and unlocked the storage unit, as Alaketh opened the door and stepped in he was greeted by a sight he was not expecting.

A white haired Drow female of about 115 years of age and in silk robes greeted Alaketh as if she had known him all his life “Alaketh, you’re alive? They told us you were dead. What of the others? Did you all make it out, or just you?”

Of all the Drow his hired kidnappers could have stolen, they had to take her. Was this good luck or a setup? Memories flooded back…the beatings he took for his brothers so they wouldn’t have to, a young girl always there afterwards asking why? Why did he take the beatings for his brothers? Why? … when so many others would just pass the buck on to the next in line just to save themselves. At first he did so because he could take more punishment than his brothers. He decided he would be their protector. Then as he grew accustomed to the punishment, he realized it annoyed his sisters that he could take a beating and last longer than most. Finally he began to enjoy the abuse, that pissed his sisters off even more and gave him strength. In the aftermath there would always be Lelith with a plate of cookies to help return his vigor for the next round. “Lelith, sister I did not expect to see you here” said Alaketh still not sure what his next move would be.

Lelith composed herself seeing the uncertainty in her brother “I guess you wouldn’t have any cookies for me after my long journey?”

Alaketh chuckled “Sorry no cookies, but I can get you out of this box. We can go to my office to talk”

The two walked to an office with spartan furnishings but enough to be functional. Lelith looked around mournfully and asked Alaketh “Just poor or did you just move in?”

“Not as fancy as the others.” He paused. “I’d rather get straight to the point”  Alaketh said as he offered Lelith a chair. “Speaking of which, where did they find you and what did you mean you thought we were dead?”

Lelith sat and seemed to relax “I had escaped again, you know like I used to do when they would forget I was around. It’s easy when your not a priestess and commonly overlooked. When they’d find me though they would remind me of my burden upon them. Not being a priestess, I would taste the whip same as you. This time I was in the mushroom forest when the kidnappers took me. I woke up here, I wonder if our sisters will even notice I’m gone this time? Why did you save me? You still haven’t said if the others are ok? Where are we?

Things were complicated now for Alaketh and Alaketh did not like complicated. A sibling was to be the final sacrifice needed, but then he met Quesha. Quesha introduced him to her patron and another way of thinking. Things began to shift. Now his sister, the sister he would least likely see  harmed, that would give him and his brothers cookies after the beatings, the many beatings, the training sessions and the many lessons that were meant to hone him and his brothers into the perfect male Drow specimens sat before him. “Yes our brothers are alive, whatever they told you was a lie. We are in my place of business. To be honest I didn’t mean to save you, I meant to take one of our other siblings to sacrifice but things change, plans shift and while the sacrifice is no longer needed I am happy you were brought here. Times are changing sister, the Council, the Family, that warhost from the City, the Spider Queen, events are afoot, forces are moving to change the very foundation of Drow society and it is the main reason our enemies want us dead.”

Lelith shifted in her seat “My brothers have been busy little spiders. I have been busy as well.” With that Lelith begins to spin her hands around when finally a picture of a mushroom forest appears in the air before both of them. “I learned some tricks while you were away, helped keep me hidden from our sisters.”

“Is that where the kidnappers found you?” asked Alaketh and Lelith shook her head up and down indicating yes. “How many enemies do we have, who is coming for us?” Asked Alaketh.

Lelith chuckled “Seems your brothers and yourself are becoming quite infamous, not Drizzit infamous but still infamous. Multiple contracts have been put on your heads, seems you are being blamed for everything that went wrong with the invasion. House Malarn is trying to pin it on the eight of you. House Malarn though has lost most of their upper house members so they are just looking for a scapegoat, at least that is what Vaurn says. Matron Mother still wants her eight mistakes, as she calls all of you, erased. Enough about home can I see our brothers, do they want to see me?”

“I will try to make arrangements and I don’t know, they don’t know you are here.” he answered truthfully..

“What can you tell me about them”, asked Lelith trying to fish for information about her long lost brothers.

Alaketh smirked “You wanna know about the other seven? OK this should be interesting.

Nazmyr has his own business, he’s a people person, likes cats, trees and we just got him a tower. He still tries to keep us together and is probably the only reason Naris and I haven’t killed each other yet.

Rygos, he really likes rays, is an art connoisseur, keeps to himself but has become close with Valas.

Istoshen recently married an Orc Chieftain? Orc Chieftess? Either way he has an entire Orc Clan behind him now. He also follows Vecna and is Nanill’s right hand. He’d be a better archer if he didn’t worry so much about eating all the time.

Nanill is a High Priest of the rat god Vecna. He’s the most even keeled of all my brothers.

Quifas is a fire bug. As little as I think in battle, sometimes he doesn’t think at all, just blows things up and doesn’t consider the consequences. He’s had my back in past when Naris has pulled a weapon on me.

Naris is still a coward, though good at what he does. What he does is kill, and some other things that would taint your judgement of him so I will leave them out for now. He might not be my favorite but we fight well together.

Valas trained to be an assassin. He’s close with Nazmyr and Rygos. He was for a time not my favorite, time changes things though.

Alaketh paused for a moment “There is someone else I would like you to see” said Alaketh

Lelith asked enthusiastically, “Who?”

“Mistress Freth” he responded.

Lelith frowned a little.

“She is the one who saved us after the Council turned on us.” Alaketh continued. “She can provide you a room and if you wish, find you a teacher for your magic.”

Lelith was about to jump up but she stopped herself “What will this cost me, nothing comes for free in our world.”

“Cookies do” Said Alaketh as Lelith smiled “She is rogue like us, her family was destroyed and she left House Banrae. She is building a progressive house and is one of the changes happening, listen to her you don’t like it come back here with X’hayte and myself.”

Lelith thought for a moment then asked “Do you have an oven?”