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He　gestured　to　the　portal　and　said；　〃After　you。〃
Pharaun　smiled。
〃Thank　you。〃
As　easy　as　that？　Pharaun　thought。　He　was　experiencing　a　certain　sense　of　anticlimax；　which　was　absurd；　really。　It　had　been　astonishingly　difficult　to　get　this　far。
He　stepped　into　the　portal；　and　experienced　none　of　the　spinning　vertigo　of　ordinary　teleportation。　Save　for　a　split　second　of　blindness；　it　was　just　like　striding　from　one　room　to　the　next。　The　only　problem　was　the　drider　waiting　on　the　other　side。
The　wizard　struggled　not　to　make　a　sound。　Still；　the　huge　creature；　half　spider；　half　drow；　a　bow　in　its　hand　and　a　quiver　of　arrows　slung　across　its　naked　back；　turned　toward　him。　Pharaun　had　no　fear　of　a　single　such　aberration；　but　the　goddess　only　knew　just　how　elaborate　this　trap　actually　was。　He　whirled　back　toward　the　magical　doorway　just　as　Ryld　came　through。
Ryld；　who'd　slain　his　share　of　driders　in　the　caverns　surrounding　Menzoberranzan；　knew　that　this　one—a　hybrid　creature　with　the　head；　arms；　and　torso　of　a　dark　elf　male　married　to　the　body　and　segmented　legs　of　a　colossal　spider—was　larger　than　average；　a　robust　example　of　its　species；　if　species　was　the　proper　term。　Nature　didn't　make　them；　magic　did。　Sometimes；　when　the　goddess　deemed　one　of　her　worshipers　insufficiently　reverent；　the　punishment　was　transformation　at　the　hands　of　a　circle　of　priestesses　and　a　demon　called　a　yochlol。
The　Master　of　MeleeMagthere　naturally　focused　on　the　venomous　aberration　as　soon　as　he　stepped　through　the　portal；　but　like　every　petent　warrior—and　unlike　Pharaun；　evidently—he　also　took　in　the　disposition　of　the　entire　area。
The　portal　had　deposited　them　in　a　large；　unfurnished　hall　with　a　number　of　openings　along　the　wall。　It　was　the　sort　of　central　hub　used　in　castles　to　link　the　various　wings。　A　couple　males　were　wandering　through；　and　while　neither　had　ventured　into　the　drider's　immediate　vicinity；　they　weren't　preparing　to　attack　him　or　flee　from　him；　either。　Nor　did　the　creature　himself　appear　on　the　verge　of　assaulting　anyone；　though　he　regarded　the　newers　with　a　scowl。
Somewhat　pleased　to　be　ahead　of　his　clever　friend　for　once；　Ryld　gripped　Pharaun　by　the　shoulder。
〃Steady；〃　the　swordsman　said。　〃Don't　embarrass　yourself。〃
The　wizard　looked　around；　then　grinned　and　said；　〃Right。　Our　friends　didn't　trick　us　into　entering　a　trap。　The　drider's　magically　constrained。〃
No。
Ryld　glanced　back　to　see　that　the　two　bogus　ores　had　stepped　through　the　portal；　which　dwindled　to　nothing　behind　them。　It　was　the　bigger　and　more　talkative　of　the　duo　who　was　speaking。
〃The　driders　help　us　of　their　own　free　will。〃
〃Interesting；〃　said　Pharaun。
In　the　blink　of　an　eye；　the　goblinoids　turned　into　an　aristocratic　warrior—Houndaer　Tuin'Tarl；　specifically；　whom　Ryld　had　trained—and　a　craftsman　of　one　sort　or　another。　The　prince　closed　the　portal　with　a　wave　of　his　arm。
〃Do　you　still　use　that　secondintention　indirect　attack？〃　Ryld　asked。　〃That　was　a　nice　move。〃
For　the　first　time；　Houndaer　smiled　a　smile　that　had　neither　malice　nor　suspicion　in　it。
〃You　remember　that；　Master？　It's　been　so　long；　I'm　surprised　you　even　remember　me。〃
〃I　always　remember　the　ones　who　truly　learn。〃
〃Well；　thank　you。　It's　good　to　have　you　with　us；　and　you're　going　to　be　glad　you　are。　Great　things　are　in　store。〃　the　noble　said。　The　drider　scuttled　toward　them。　〃Ah；　here　es　Tsabrak。　You'll　see　his　mind　isn't　sluggish　or　otherwise　crippled；　yet　he's　on　our　side　nonetheless。〃
In　point　of　fact；　the　drider　didn't　look　especially　congenial。　The　length　of　his　legs　lifted　his　head　above　those　of　the　four　dark　elves；　and　he　glared　down　at　them　with　eyes　full　of　madness　and　hate。　Ryld　inferred　that　Tsabrak　had　entered　into　a　typical　Menzoberranyr　alliance。　He'd　thrown　in　with　the　runaways　to　secure　some　practical　advantage；　but　he　still　loathed　all　the　drow　who'd　deformed　him　and　cast　him　out。
〃What　is　this？〃　the　drider　snarled；　exposing　his　fangs。　They　seemed　to　impede　his　speech　a　trifle。　〃Syrzan　said　no〃
Syrzan　wasn't　a　typical　drow　name；　but　Ryld　had　no　idea　to　which　other　race　it　might　belong。　He　glanced　over　at　Pharaun；　who　conveyed　with　a　subtle　shrug　that　he　didn't　know；　either。
〃Syrzan　is　my　ally；　not　my　superior；〃　said　Houndaer；　glaring　back　at　the　spiderthing。　〃I　make　my　own　decisions；　and　I've　decided　these　gentlemen　can　help　us。　They're　masters　of　Tier　Breche—〃
〃I　know　who　they　are〃
〃Then　you　know　how　useful　their　talents　could　be；〃　said　the　craftsman；　〃and　how　unlikely　it　is　they　can　do　us　any　harm；　particularly　now　that　the　prince　has　disarmed　them。〃
〃Just　point　us　to　Syrzan；〃　Houndaer　said。　〃It　will　allay　your　fears。〃
It？　Ryld　wondered。
〃I　can't；〃　the　drider　said。　〃It's　gone　off　somewhere。〃
〃Where？〃　Houndaer　asked
〃Agitating　slaves？　Acquiring　more　magic　fire　from　its　secret　source？　How　do　I　know？　You'll　just　have　to　sit　on　these　two　until　it　gets　back。〃
〃That's　all　right；〃　the　noble　said。　〃Master　Argith　and　I　can　reminisce　about　old　times。　We'll　all　wait　in　the　room　where　Syrzan　interviewed　the　other　recruits。〃
〃Perhaps　you'd　care　to　tag　along；〃　the　craftsman　said；　〃to　make　absolutely　sure　the　masters　don't　cause　any　trouble。〃
Pharaun　beamed　up　at　the　bloodthirsty　aberration　and　asked；　〃Please？　There　are　half　a　dozen　questions　concerning　drider　existence　that　have　perplexed　me　for　years。〃
Tsabrak　ignored　him；　instead　glowering　at　Houndaer　and　the　artisan　as　if　he　suspected　them　of　playing　a　trick　on　him。
Finally；　he　said；　〃Yes。　I'll　go。　Somebody　with　sense　needs　to　be　there。〃
〃Fine。〃　Houndaer　nodded　to　Ryld　and　Pharaun　and　said；　〃e　this　way。〃
The　masters　and　their　hosts；　or　captors；　set　off　through　a　maze　of　passageways。　As　promised；　Pharaun　treated　Tsabrak　to　a　barrage　of　questions；　and；　when　the　drider　failed　to　respond；　cheerfully　answered　himself　with　a　gush　of　scholarly　speculation。
Ryld　paid　little　attention。　He　was　too　busy　studying　the　rogues'　citadel；　a　forlorn　and　dusty　place　where　Pharaun's　monologue　echoed　away　into　the　quiet。　No　servants　were　in　evidence；　merely　runaway　males　and　driders；　who　often　recognized　their　former　instructors　and　curiously　peered　after　them。　The　marks　of　magical　attacks；　bursts　of　lightning　and　sprays　of　acid；　scarred　the　walls。
By　all　appearances；　the　conspirators　were　hiding　in　the　seat　of　a　House　extinguished　by　its　enemies。　No　one　was　supposed　to　take　possession　of　such　a　fortress　without　the　Baenre's　permission；　and　few　would　dare。　The　vacant　castles　were　supposedly　cursed　and　haunted　places；　breeding　grounds　for　sickness；　insanity；　and　bad　luck。　As　if　to　pound　the　potential　for　ill　fortune；　the　squatters　had　broken　the　copious　shrouds　of　spiderweb　wherever　they　impeded　traffic　and　even　in　corners　where　they　didn't。
At　one　point；　the　masters　and　their　warders　passed　a　row　of　small　octagonal　windows。　The　glass　was　gone　but　the　molded　calcite　cames　remained。　Ryld　glanced　out　and　saw　mansions　shining　green　and　violet　far　below。　The　rogues　had　taken　a　stalactite　castle；　hanging　from　the　cavern　ceiling；　for　their　hiding　place。　No　doubt　the　isolation　had　attracted　them。
A　minute　later；　the　little　procession　reached　its　destination；　a　chapel　with　rows　of　benches；　a　crooked　aisle　snaking　up　the　middle　to　an　asymmetrical　basalt　altar；　and　murals；　agleam　with　silvery　phosphorescence；　carved　in　basrelief　on　the　walls　and　ceiling。　To　Ryld's　surprise；　these　last　depicted　not　the　Demonweb　but　other　hells　entirely　devoid　of　spiders；　yochlols；　or　the　goddess　Lolth　herself。　Apparently　the　House　that　once　abode　here　had　sacrificed　to　forbidden　deities。　Perhaps　that　transgression　had　contributed　to　its　downfall。
The　dark　elves　settled　themselves　in　the　pews。　While　Houndaer　and　the　moner　seemed　convinced　of　the　masters'　claim　of　estrangement　from　Tier　Breche；　they　nonetheless　retained　possession　of　the　newers'　gear。　Tsabrak　crouched　just　inside　the　door；　his　legs　splayed　out　on　either　side　of　the　entrance。
〃I　admire　the　decor；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃Without　even　trying；　I　noticed　images　of　Cyric；　Orcus；　Bane；　Ghaunadaur；　and　Vhaeraun。　Quite　a　nice　selection　of　patron　powers　for　the　discriminating　worshiper。〃
〃We're　not　looking　for　a　new　god；〃　Houndaer　spat。
〃I'm　sure；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Perhaps　you'd　be　kind　enough　to　tell　Mast