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larqven — The Revolver
Published: 2013-11-03 20:16:00 +0000 UTC; Views: 2555; Favourites: 27; Downloads: 30
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Description
A short story wrote for Shabazik's "modern age of Aiers" contest. In this case, inspired by a pic of Shabazik's of two drow riflewomen. One of whom looks like a future priestess of Negee of the Dahl'Arak family.
Story takes place as a dialogue over a captured revolver, and the power inherent in that weapon and what subtle effect it has, in a world that is threatening to pass Negeemi institutions by. The dialogue turned out to be rather more bitter than I had first intended.
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Comments: 27
Hey, go with whatever works for you. If a drow's night vision, and an accurate rifle in hand, can keep their kingdom safe from interlopers, than more power to them! Would like to see how they'll do in a few generations with armored vehicles!
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Thanks! If nothing else, all drow come equipped with a natural night vision ability. Which does nothing for them during the day! It makes for a very lethal combo as rifles improve, but other advantages such as their magic continues to fade in importance. Plus, one day, night vision goggles will be invented.
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The only problem I see with them using rifles at night is the muzzle flash. They need some sort of flash hider to help keep their night vision.
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I really liked the story Larq!
Poor priestess! No respect to her!
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I'm glad you liked the story! 
The priestess in the "Riflemen" picture reminded me so much of Laeh'le and even young Dahlie outmaneuvered by her foreign drow companions until she abandons them. I figured that they were two elite level drow fighters, in that both had superior capabilities and operated in a more independent fashion. The acolyte being out of her element with no other acolytes about, and her companion more assertive than her. A dangerous lack of respect for her authority perhaps, but one that is unlikely to be punished so long as it stays focused on non-essential matters.
I sort of figured that this was a tiny magic using "special ops" unit assembled at the Cretorians' commands, and not operating on normal military discipline. For all that is known, the commoner might be far more experienced and to be the one actually in charge? And that lack of authority is largely the point. In this war, the acolytes maybe being "just other drow in uniforms" in the eyes of the Cretorians. A powerful, experienced, and assertive commoner might over-rule a shy priestess who might be expected to be acting as an officer.
Due to life on the surface, and being under the rule of the Cretorian humans, large numbers of Negeemi drow commoners becoming skilled in modern combat, and those born to great magic being encouraged and pushed to develop those powers as great resource to use as fighters. Likewise, many martial drow teaching their skills in small schools or mercenary companies as drow might be well needed on battlefields as night fighters. Conversely, with the dissolution or at least decline of the Negeemi State, the Academy training just not being what it once was due to lack of resources, and loss of primacy of the drow state that supported and was based on the acolyte system.
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OMG, I took the same characters for my story for the contest
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You did such a sexy render for your pic--but the story was very hard for them! Particularly as the priestess reminded me much of Laeh'le?
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According to Alex, it is 3077 year. I guess it is about 600+ years after the story of the Drow trio, Laeh'le and Maylara. If they are alive, they should be rather old ladies at that moment...
In my story the girls survived, by the way 
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Yeah, it is a LONG time afterwards. But the thought that the priestess might well be Laeh'le's descendant came to mind. Not that she needs to be, but I like the "riflemen" pic where the priestess character looks timid and flummoxed about--something. It reminded me of Laeh'le beyond the headband.
I'm glad that the girls survived! Actually, that's pretty generous of the Cossacks, as these drow are bound to be pretty efficient and deadly warriors in their own way. But it would be hard to kill them as they would appear to be cute and tiny adolescent girls.
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I read your story and I like it very much!
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Thanks! I appreciate that, especially coming a fellow "Negeemiliel fan"!
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Wow! I really liked that one. The Drow are still as confident as ever, yet they are clearly changing. Negee is no longer the all powerful goddes. In fact, the revolver girl is clearly doubting her cult, perhaps even the very existence of the goddess. The acolytes or priestesses no longer hold the same authority either.
A great story to show the changine nature of Drow society and the way some of them are coping and adapting. The revolver being the symbol of that change and the fact Azeela decides to keep it shows her determination to fit in this new, human-infested, world.
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Thanks! I'm really glad that this made sense.
It's not really explained as such, but the existence of the revolver, and the coming future of far more dangerous, multi-shot weapons, might be threatening to make combat magic obsolete? At the very least, any common drow might have incredible kill potential whereas the drow elites spent decades learning to fight and kill as acolytes and priestesses.
Not that the existence of firearms is the real theme, as much as traditional and proud people caught up in changing times, but Shabazik's pic of the pumped up commoner fighter and the uncertain priestess who seemed to be at some disadvantage put the idea of that theme in mind.
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I kind of figured that magic would slowly leave the modern world of Aiers. It would still be hanging on for a a while after the cataclysm, but as the various peoples that used magic the most either disappear or are seriously reduced in numbers and influence, the impact of magic would naturally become less important.
And let's not forget the influence of the human religions. I bet the christians and muslims would be frowning on the use of such heretical powers by those more or less demonic pagans.
And lastly, as the humans themselves aren't very 'magically skilled', they would become suspicious of the one talent the older races still posses. They would probably either outlaw it or only allow 'controlled' magic users.
So, fire arms would probably replace magic after a few centuries or less.
Anyway, the story went really well with the picture. Loved it!
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Thanks! I actually don't know if the "magic-sphere" really suffered, as much as magic was just rare in the first place and becoming obsolete. All elves (but the Doroz) having magic, but only about 10% able to actively and accurately utilize it for various spells and effects, and only a few percent at most able to be really good at it.
And in the sci-fi era, human parents having their neo-natal children being bioengineered into elves in order to have the magic mana, and technology being created that works off of mana auras. So magic still existed, and exists in an extra terrestrial way; but is entirely possible that the cataclysm and other effects of the Third War of the Powers might have thrown magic out of wack, magic users needing to be attuned to their environments. The magic of drow is weakened on the surface, magic of elves is reduced underground, barring any mitigating factors, (like Maylara being raised on the surface).
Millions of members of fantasy races might still exist in the modern era, but are drowned out culturally by billions of humans is the greatest deal. And the corrosive effects on culture takes its share as well. Why spend decades learning to fight and kill with magic when an assault rifle, mortars, and grenades can allow simple soldiers to have much of the destructive power of a magic user?
Yes, I definitely included references to the human religions. The drow being allowed much of their freedom to their own religion(s) and magic due to having become captured and tamed boogie-people of the Empire of Cretor. The two characters being magic users used as magical weapons, but already losing much real value as magic users, hence the symbolism and utility of a revolver on the hip.
Ironically, simple drow soldiers who naturally have low-light vision being probably becoming more dangerous and useful in being able to fight at night, or work as special ops type killers. Duuvil and Aazeela in the story having much success just sneaking up and killing soldiers with martial arts or while they were asleep!
And--one day--we know that night vision technology will duplicate or maybe even outdo this physical advantage as well.
Anyway, thanks again for your interest! It's nice to get some pleasant feedback from a much shorter work, where a lot had to be told quickly with few words--and preferably not be too unnaturally forced. It was a good exercise for that reason.
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A lot of interesting thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
Maybe in the modern era, 'magic' actually became science, in as much that maybe some genes were discovered or a particular DNA sequence that allowed the carrier to use energy flows, unreachable by others?
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There's little doubt in my mind that it will become a science. In the Aiers universe, "magic" seems to essentially "mana aura" about those people who can generate such a field. Which can be used for effects, or bend environmental energy to an effect? While I'm not sure of the specifics, it seems to be more akin to energy manipulation than "abra kadabra" type of spells.
The future drow borrows heavily from a drow space opera story, where drow magic has much to do with powering and using mechs, weapons, and computers.
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What a good story ^_^ and on another hand.(Looks like we have some competition in the contest)
my guess is KO-Coral and you may win.
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I don't know about that. Lot's of potential winners. It can be hard to beat a picture on text alone! Particularly when the competing pic has a story.
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