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Description
The tunnel passage weaved and turned in a confusing zigzag. Hidden in by a natural optical illusion where dozens of dead end side passages laid with mechanical and magic traps. Anyone who did not know the right steps to take would be lost to death.

Vailden Walked threw the treacherous maze with minimal trouble.  He knew the way well enough and soon the narrow path gave way to a larger torch lit space. Simple furnisher chairs, stools and a table rested along to the right with a bench agent the left wall.  Inhabiting the room was six large muscular humanoids with dark scaly skin and curved horns. They wore black shirts and britches with chain mail to mach. These were the spawn of Tiamat, Tiathar as they are called in the draconic language. Born form chromatic dragons, a black dragon in this case, these creatures are the latest in the dragon goddess plots to dominate and destroy and these ones served as Shearra-fangx personal guard.

They stared at Vailden not with feat or respect, as those before have.  Their eyes held contempt and loathing.  The black Tiathar hated Vailden for no better then that he existed and did as much as they could to make his life miserable, often with Shearra-fangx blessing.

Vailden made his way to the door in back of the room. Behind it was Shearra-fangx’s chamber and standing beside it was Loerchik. Of six, Vailden hated Loerchik the most.  He was as vindictive as any of the others but he was more methodical in his cruelty.  When Vailden was just a boy, Loerchik feigned friendship to him.  He asked if he would retrieve some gold that he hid in a small crevasse, which had fell out of his reach.  Vailden had been eager to help, especially when he offer a piece to him.  When retrieved the gold it was not just Loerchik but Shearra-fangx who he met with.  Loerchik deceived him, claimed he stole from Searra-fangx and then on her order disciplined him for it.  Vailden still held the scars on his back, a constant reminder of the betrayal.

Loerchik smiled as Vailden approached and, surprisingly, gave way for him to enter. Vailden watched him causally, as he opened and entered he herd Loechik give him a greeting. Though he heard every word Vailden did not respond.  He just slammed the door behind him and the Tiathar Laughed.

Shearra-fangx’s chambers were vast, about half the size of the cavern up above.  Riddle with small pools of unclean water and mounds of gold, gems and other treasures she gathered from all corners of Faerun, it reflected who she was.   Shearra-fangx preferred dark, murky places and cared little for any company that was not gold, or other.

Vailden tread lightly, Shearra-fangx may be expecting him but that didn’t mean he could freely walk around. She killed many who made such an arrogant assumption.

As he approached the taller of the treasure mounds, their came a cracking noise from around it.  He waited for it to stop, not wanting to see what was making the sound, but he was not given the choice. Heavy steps, great enough to send tremors through the ground, came around the mound and toward him.

If being around the large trolls ever made Vailden feel small, this made him feel truly diminutive.  Over twenty-five feet above him, on top of a serpentine neck, was a maw capable of devouring him whole adorned with rows of teeth, a pair of horns and sunk in bead eye that glowed dark red. A massive and muscular body was held by four limbs with a long tail and wings.  This was Shearra-fangx the black in all her terrible might. Even by the standers of black dragons she was immense and powerful.

A corps lay in her mouth, the sours of the noise.  It was unidentifiable, not that it mattered to either of them as she lulled what was left in her tong and swallowed.

Vailden wisely waited to be address, he did not wait long.
“Vailden,” She began in a deep throaty rasp.

“My dear, dear Vailden Why do continue to disappoint me so?” She lowered her head and look at him just above his own height.

“I am unaware that you are displeased great Shearra-fangx.” He replied respectfully.

“Of curse you don’t.” She offered slowly, as though she was speaking with a child.  “Pothoc kosj sthyr.”

Vailden stayed come in face of the insult, the draconic words roughly translated meant stupid little boy.

“Had you known you would not have waited for my summons unless did you think to stay at your post just to spite me?” She continued

“I would never offend you great Sherra-fangx.” Vailden comely answered.

“Oh but you have.” She replied back, “You have dear Vailden, do not think that you are my only eyes and ears out in the moors.”

As she spoke she began to walk forward forcing Vailden to take three to four steps back.

“I have herd that Ethan Dells had arrived at stone arrow and speaks of creatures stalking his village.” She said.

“They are fearful people,” Vailden offered “They have spoke of this before and were not taken seriously; their credibility on the matter is weak at best.”

“Do you think such simple logic is enough to appease me?” Shearra-fangx answered back sharply. “Did you not hear what I said?  I have other loyal eyes and ears out side the Moors and the seen much dear Vailden much indeed.”

She knows Vailden realized, she knows of the boy. Five day back one of the village children saw him and he knew it.  He should have killed him but he only fled.  Vailden didn’t know why he let the boy live, it wasn’t like he did not kill anyone.  There where several he was forced to slay to keep his presence masked yet the thought of killing the boy had left an ill feeling in him. He cursed himself for being so weak, he had been train better and the thought of failing the man who trained him was more painful to him than what may come.  What of the boy Vailden began to wonder as well. As much as he should hate the runt for doing this to him he couldn’t help but feel remorse for what mite have happen.  Was he dead, captured, was he here now being torn apart by trolls for mere amusement?

The sound of grinding earth and stone brought him out of his thoughts and back to the menacing sight of Shearra-fangx clawing at floor of her lair. Vailden offered no more words, just waited for his punishment.

“I suppose I can only blame the man I had train you.” Shearra-fangx., said in a calmer voice. “I ask for an obedient assassin not a free willed whelp.”

Vailden toke offence to hear mention of his mentor, but wisely remain silent. It’s never a good idea raise ones voice to one who can kill you with a flick of her clawed finger.

“So” She went on “I think I will lenient in your punishment this time.” Shearra-fangx sat down picked her teeth as if in thought.

“I know I shall send you Skullport to the west, once I have control of the silver marches you may return to your normal duties hear.”

In other words he was not to fight in the up coming war.  Again Vailden skills are to waste away, after all his training, after all the indignity he suffer being little more than a sneak at a weak useless village,  even the fact that his vary birth was meant for some part in this campaign he would be denied his place.  So be it.

“As you wish mighty Shearra-fangx.” Vailden said, bowed and stated to take his leave.  Sherra-fangx held him in placed with an out stretched hand.

“As you wish who?” She asked.

Vailden knew this was coming.  He knew the moment he noticed the six figures that loomed about in the shadows as they spoke.

“As you wish my mother.” He said and was grabbed by his left horn, turned around and struck in the stomach.  Vailden accepted the blow and those that followed as he fell to knees and then his side knowing if he didn’t he would suffer worse. This was another punishment for disrespecting Shearra-fangx, for addressing her as any thing else, let alone his mother despite the truth of it.  This has happened many times before.  Shearra-fangx would goad or demand he call her mother just to have her Tiathar pummel him when she grew bored. Once she tiers of it she will just walk off and leave them to finish.

All wile they kick and stomped, Vailden was reminded of Loerchik words.  The greeting he gave ran though Vaildens head over and over. He wishes it would stop as much as the beating, but to no avail he just couldn’t drive them out.   Welcome home little brother, the words screamed in his mind, Welcome home.

Description
The tunnel passage weaved and turned in a confusing zigzag. Hidden in by a natural optical illusion where dozens of dead end side passages laid with mechanical and magic traps. Anyone who did not know the right steps to take would be lost to death.

Vailden Walked threw the treacherous maze with minimal trouble.  He knew the way well enough and soon the narrow path gave way to a larger torch lit space. Simple furnisher chairs, stools and a table rested along to the right with a bench agent the left wall.  Inhabiting the room was six large muscular humanoids with dark scaly skin and curved horns. They wore black shirts and britches with chain mail to mach. These were the spawn of Tiamat, Tiathar as they are called in the draconic language. Born form chromatic dragons, a black dragon in this case, these creatures are the latest in the dragon goddess plots to dominate and destroy and these ones served as Shearra-fangx personal guard.

They stared at Vailden not with feat or respect, as those before have.  Their eyes held contempt and loathing.  The black Tiathar hated Vailden for no better then that he existed and did as much as they could to make his life miserable, often with Shearra-fangx blessing.

Vailden made his way to the door in back of the room. Behind it was Shearra-fangx’s chamber and standing beside it was Loerchik. Of six, Vailden hated Loerchik the most.  He was as vindictive as any of the others but he was more methodical in his cruelty.  When Vailden was just a boy, Loerchik feigned friendship to him.  He asked if he would retrieve some gold that he hid in a small crevasse, which had fell out of his reach.  Vailden had been eager to help, especially when he offer a piece to him.  When retrieved the gold it was not just Loerchik but Shearra-fangx who he met with.  Loerchik deceived him, claimed he stole from Searra-fangx and then on her order disciplined him for it.  Vailden still held the scars on his back, a constant reminder of the betrayal.

Loerchik smiled as Vailden approached and, surprisingly, gave way for him to enter. Vailden watched him causally, as he opened and entered he herd Loechik give him a greeting. Though he heard every word Vailden did not respond.  He just slammed the door behind him and the Tiathar Laughed.

Shearra-fangx’s chambers were vast, about half the size of the cavern up above.  Riddle with small pools of unclean water and mounds of gold, gems and other treasures she gathered from all corners of Faerun, it reflected who she was.   Shearra-fangx preferred dark, murky places and cared little for any company that was not gold, or other.

Vailden tread lightly, Shearra-fangx may be expecting him but that didn’t mean he could freely walk around. She killed many who made such an arrogant assumption.

As he approached the taller of the treasure mounds, their came a cracking noise from around it.  He waited for it to stop, not wanting to see what was making the sound, but he was not given the choice. Heavy steps, great enough to send tremors through the ground, came around the mound and toward him.

If being around the large trolls ever made Vailden feel small, this made him feel truly diminutive.  Over twenty-five feet above him, on top of a serpentine neck, was a maw capable of devouring him whole adorned with rows of teeth, a pair of horns and sunk in bead eye that glowed dark red. A massive and muscular body was held by four limbs with a long tail and wings.  This was Shearra-fangx the black in all her terrible might. Even by the standers of black dragons she was immense and powerful.

A corps lay in her mouth, the sours of the noise.  It was unidentifiable, not that it mattered to either of them as she lulled what was left in her tong and swallowed.

Vailden wisely waited to be address, he did not wait long.
“Vailden,” She began in a deep throaty rasp.

“My dear, dear Vailden Why do continue to disappoint me so?” She lowered her head and look at him just above his own height.

“I am unaware that you are displeased great Shearra-fangx.” He replied respectfully.

“Of curse you don’t.” She offered slowly, as though she was speaking with a child.  “Pothoc kosj sthyr.”

Vailden stayed come in face of the insult, the draconic words roughly translated meant stupid little boy.

“Had you known you would not have waited for my summons unless did you think to stay at your post just to spite me?” She continued

“I would never offend you great Sherra-fangx.” Vailden comely answered.

“Oh but you have.” She replied back, “You have dear Vailden, do not think that you are my only eyes and ears out in the moors.”

As she spoke she began to walk forward forcing Vailden to take three to four steps back.

“I have herd that Ethan Dells had arrived at stone arrow and speaks of creatures stalking his village.” She said.

“They are fearful people,” Vailden offered “They have spoke of this before and were not taken seriously; their credibility on the matter is weak at best.”

“Do you think such simple logic is enough to appease me?” Shearra-fangx answered back sharply. “Did you not hear what I said?  I have other loyal eyes and ears out side the Moors and the seen much dear Vailden much indeed.”

She knows Vailden realized, she knows of the boy. Five day back one of the village children saw him and he knew it.  He should have killed him but he only fled.  Vailden didn’t know why he let the boy live, it wasn’t like he did not kill anyone.  There where several he was forced to slay to keep his presence masked yet the thought of killing the boy had left an ill feeling in him. He cursed himself for being so weak, he had been train better and the thought of failing the man who trained him was more painful to him than what may come.  What of the boy Vailden began to wonder as well. As much as he should hate the runt for doing this to him he couldn’t help but feel remorse for what mite have happen.  Was he dead, captured, was he here now being torn apart by trolls for mere amusement?

The sound of grinding earth and stone brought him out of his thoughts and back to the menacing sight of Shearra-fangx clawing at floor of her lair. Vailden offered no more words, just waited for his punishment.

“I suppose I can only blame the man I had train you.” Shearra-fangx., said in a calmer voice. “I ask for an obedient assassin not a free willed whelp.”

Vailden toke offence to hear mention of his mentor, but wisely remain silent. It’s never a good idea raise ones voice to one who can kill you with a flick of her clawed finger.

“So” She went on “I think I will lenient in your punishment this time.” Shearra-fangx sat down picked her teeth as if in thought.

“I know I shall send you Skullport to the west, once I have control of the silver marches you may return to your normal duties hear.”

In other words he was not to fight in the up coming war.  Again Vailden skills are to waste away, after all his training, after all the indignity he suffer being little more than a sneak at a weak useless village,  even the fact that his vary birth was meant for some part in this campaign he would be denied his place.  So be it.

“As you wish mighty Shearra-fangx.” Vailden said, bowed and stated to take his leave.  Sherra-fangx held him in placed with an out stretched hand.

“As you wish who?” She asked.

Vailden knew this was coming.  He knew the moment he noticed the six figures that loomed about in the shadows as they spoke.

“As you wish my mother.” He said and was grabbed by his left horn, turned around and struck in the stomach.  Vailden accepted the blow and those that followed as he fell to knees and then his side knowing if he didn’t he would suffer worse. This was another punishment for disrespecting Shearra-fangx, for addressing her as any thing else, let alone his mother despite the truth of it.  This has happened many times before.  Shearra-fangx would goad or demand he call her mother just to have her Tiathar pummel him when she grew bored. Once she tiers of it she will just walk off and leave them to finish.

All wile they kick and stomped, Vailden was reminded of Loerchik words.  The greeting he gave ran though Vaildens head over and over. He wishes it would stop as much as the beating, but to no avail he just couldn’t drive them out.   Welcome home little brother, the words screamed in his mind, Welcome home.