Night fell once more even in the mountains in the northern hemisphere of the Ardian surface world. Creatures of daylight went into hiding and hibernation as wolves, wargs, coyotes, bats, and other such creatures came out to 'play'. But animals weren't the only ones who dreaded the daylight, the burning of the sun upon their eyes. It was also endless agony for a drow.

Aradia was a drow. She was a drow female, which made her better than the opposite gender in her race's social class. It also gave her a high amount of respect - or else. Yet she was not opposed to males of the race speaking with her. In the Underdark, males rarely looked upon a High Priestess without her express permission, but Aradia had grown used to people not even giving her a second look - let alone looking at her face. Had they looked at her face, they would have hated and feared her. But in Ungol Felas, she would meet no surface dwellers. She had met one, yes, and this was not a place that she was welcomed due to that encounter, but she felt safe enough for the time being. She would deal with it. She was out of favor with the Spider Queen, but she would leave if need be. For now, though, she wandered through the caves once more.

Her pet spiders huddled in her piwafwi as usual, taking refuge amongst the folds of her cloak as Aradia made her way through the caves. She had sought shelter here from the rain outside, for rain was not natural. It was water poured down from a source foreign to her, as alien as the rest of the surface world. It was known as natural only to those that had not spent a century and a half or more underground. As she walked, though, her keen drow hearing picked up the sound of another - a male who was not wearing the boots that silenced her every step. But by the footsteps, it was in now way human. It was a drow...

Sargtlin found himself walking down a steep and rugged pathway made on the side of the Ered Annon Mountains. He was walking down after a long training session in a spot on the mountain that he spent much time training with his sword and shield, it was the same spot that he had met another Drow and had had a short sparring match before making an alliance of sorts with him a while before. He was not entirely pleased with the events as he walked down the path, for he was being soaked with rain while proceeding down the mountain in the night. The night was dangerous he had learned, but also easier to him, for he hated the sunlight even after his long years in it, he still would never grow truly used to it.
"Many predators come out at night to grab their prey, open them up with their claws or teeth before feasting." he thought as his elven boots continued to move along the ground. His eyes had no trouble seeing in the darkness of the night which aided him as he moved along the narrow and dangerous pathway. He felt himself lose his balance when one of his boots hit a loose rock, making his foot slip. He stumbled, but regained his balance before falling down the path. He glanced around him and noticed something that he hadn't noticed before. Perhaps it was because usually he was taking his time to slowly traverse down, for he had no reason to rush, but he noticed a small forest to his left. A forest was not out of the ordinary, but the trees coated in spider webs was.
Curious, I wonder what kind of spider did this, and where is this spider I wonder?" he thought, his interest perked by the sticky webs.

He had decided to himself to investigate the forest and made his way into it. He found himself surrounded by living and dead trees, all coated in the sticky webs. Looking deeper into the forest, he was surprised to see a cave deep in the trees.
"Excellent, or perhaps not?" he thought as he walked on towards the cave entrance. His gaze was fixed on the entrance, wondering what would be inside waiting for him.

He put a foot inside the entrance of the cave and then stepped in, glancing around only to find more webs and several spiders in the cave.
"So, that's the cause of these webs." he thought to himself, hoping to be able to wait out the rain the cave before he finished his descent down the mountain side.

Sliding into the shadows of the cave, Aradia watched the newcomer. He was a male, unfortunately, but at least he was a drow. Still, that might not mean much. If he meant to kill a High Priestess, he would not get his wish so easily. But if he meant to serve one, then he was more than welcome in what had become her (at least temporary) home. If he was simply seeking shelter from the rain, as she was, perhaps they would be kindred if only by race. She decided to see what would become of the situation before she made an appearance.

The man was tall and muscular, as much a warrior as any other male drow. But there were male drow who studied at Sorcere, as well, so that wasn't an entirely accurate assumption. But his weapons clearly marked him as a warrior if his toned bulk didn't. He moved with the grace of a cat, and that was saying something even for a drow, and his clothes were obviously worn from years of hard battle.

She watched the man closely. He was attractive in a way, she supposed, but he was also male. That, of course, was why he was attractive - but that was well away from the point. Being male, he was only second to her. Perhaps she could use him, though. This was not Menzoberranzan, after all and while certain...social graces were still expected, for now they would probably be on even ground. Regardless, she was a drow. She wasn't used to trusting others, and well she shouldn't. She watched the male without making a move or a sound...

Sargtlin continued to look around in his new surroundings, keeping an eye on all of the spiders of the cave. The cave was dark, but not to dark for his Drow eyes, and it was covered in the webs of spiders and the spiders themselves.
"Interesting place, a home for so many spiders all together? Seems much like what I have heard of the Underdark, the home of the Drow. Strange isn't it that even though I am a Drow, that I know so little about most Drow and Drow culture, though I never grew up around Drow that lived in the Underdark." he thought as he stopped looking around, for he felt as if someone was looking at him.
"Who are you?" he said calmly but loudly into the dark, turning around as he did. He didn't see any creature lurking in the dark, but he decided that it was best to stay even more on guard. He started to walk further into the cave, pushing the occasional lower hanging spider web aside.
"Annoying little creatures, aren't they?" he thought as he slapped a large web out of his path.

He heard the rain outside still steadily pouring on the mountain, but he was out of it, though still soaked. As he walked along, he started to feel the weight of many small eyes resting on him. Glancing around he was beginning to feel rather odd, for he realized that the feeling was from the eyes of all of the spiders around him.
"Pests, go away." he said to the spiders, though he didn't expect them to listen. He started feeling uneasy, for he was sure the feeling earlier was not the spiders, which meant someone else was there. He swiftly drew his ice sword, Erthetril, waiting, listening, and watching.

((OOC: Sorry about it not being really good))

((Oh, that's fine. ^_^ ))

"One should not speak of such fine examples of hunters in that manner, male."

She felt no need to treat him with undue respect as she stepped out from her hiding spot into the darkness. There were shadows and then there were shadows, when it came down to darkness. There was always a deeper darkness within the immediate darkness of a cave, though such things were only visible to a drow - who, naturally, could see in the infrared spectrum. As she revealed herself, her body heat clearly showing her position in the cave, she looked upon the body heat of this one. He was attractive to an extent, but now that she was following him further into her home, the added darkness required the infrared spectrum.

As Aradia spoke, a couple of spiders made her way out onto her shoulders. Diane peeked out from within the confines of her lowered hood. Aradia was careful as always not to disturb her eight-legged friends that were scuttling about all over the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and the webs that filled every nook, cranny, crack, and crevice of the long, winding tunnel. She had made this place her home in the last few months, though how temporary that was she could never know. She knew it well. This man, however, seemed not to.

"As for my identity, you may call me Aradia. Or High Priestess Var'truus'De'ez, if you prefer."

As Sargtlin walked a bit onward, he heard a voice from behind him.

"One should not speak of such fine examples of hunters in that manner, male. As for my identity, you may call me Aradia. Or High Priestess Var'truus'De'ez, if you prefer."

Sargtlin turned around with sword still in hand. What he saw was not entirely what he had expected, though it was not a large surprise, for the being that met his eyes was a female Drow. The woman was quite a bit shorter than him, as most were, and had the usual ebony skin tone and the small bit of white hair of the Drow that he could see under her hood.
"Another Drow outside the Underdark? I wonder what her story is." he thought as he looked at the slender frame of the Drow woman who called herself Aradia.
"Though they may be skilled hunters, Aradia as you say, they are still pests to me. Tell me one other thing, why are you away from the Underdark? Were you exiled, or sent on a mission, or some other reason?" he asked her, his eyes narrow as he spoke. He was curious as to why another Drow would venture from the Underdark, for most Drow hated to leave and did only by force, for they hated the sun. Sargtlin saw that on the woman herself were a few spiders.
"She's rather odd it would seem. I wonder if she plans to hurt me. I doubt it, though she is a Drow, and that itself says death, though many Drow do not like to hurt one another it seems." he thought, his death passing through his mind once again as it always did when he met a new being. One could call him paranoid, though without it he wouldn't have been alive at that point even.

Ah, but most drow loved killing others of their race. After all, how else was one to take the House above them and rise in rank? Such was the hierarchy of Menzoberranzan that to kill other drow was not only a necessity, it was also quite entertaining. And unlike the drow who merely cared for the eradication of the nobles, she actually enjoyed the screams of the children as they died painfully. The slower and more painful, the better, in her opinion. Children were nuisances; the only thing they were good for were being trained to protect those of a higher social status than their own - Aradia, for example. She had been second only to her Matron Mother, and even her sister had been jealous that she had been her mother's prime choice to succeed her.

But that was in the past. What was interesting in the present was that this male dared to ask what she was doing on the surface. That should not have mattered to him, for it was not his concern. If she was on the surface, it was for reasons that were not his own; of that, Aradia was certain. Her eyes narrowed as he demanded her reasons for being there.

"You'll get no answers from me with that weapon of yours drawn, male, she replied to his query, putting particularly strong emphasis on the word 'male' to clearly indicated that he was truly inferior to her. After all, he was only a male. It was the females, not the males, who ruled drow society.

Sargtlin listened to the response of the Drow woman in front of him.

"You'll get no answers from me with that weapon of yours drawn, male."

Sargtlin gave the woman an odd look. He understood her wish for his blade to be put away, but he wondered what reason she put so much emphasis on the word "male." He quickly pushed the thought out of his mind for awhile and looked down at the cold blade of his sword, a sinister, evil smile quickly spread across his face as he looked back up at the woman.
"So you don't trust me? It would be foolish if you had trusted me. Very well, would it comfort you if I put my blade away?" he asked, a short and cruel laugh bursting out as his hand drew the blade up to slide back into it's sheath. His sword was a unique blade, the only blade of ice that he had ever seen or heard of, a blade made for his needs and wants. On his command he could turn inanimate objects into solid ice with his blade.
"Now, why are you away from the Underdark?" he asked in a deep, monotone voice, his smile fading as he gazed back down at the woman.

As he stood there waiting for an answer, his foot started to tap lightly on the floor of the cave from impatience. He was not very impatient at the woman, but mainly at how his night had gone till then, getting soaked with rain and wandering into a cave full of spiders.
"Perhaps I should just leave this woman alone and leave, though I would have a rather long and dangerous trip down the mountain." he thought, sighing to himself as he did. He was having an unusual night to say the least.

"Mine is not the business of mere males. If you must know, however, there are countless passages here that inevitably lead to the Underdark. Let's just say I'm here on business and leave it at that, shall we?"

Aradia went and sat down on the rock she'd been sitting on before. A couple of her spiders came out of her piwafwi's hood to rest on her shoulder and one slipped out of her sleeve to watch the strange intruder from Aradia's left hand. Aradia looked upon the male and pondered for a moment. There was no harm in telling him, she supposed, and it would prevent her from having to kill the impotent male for disrespecting her and her position as a High Priestess.

"Suffice it to say that these caves are my home for now. I can move almost anywhere within them that I so desire. Only a few places are too narrow for me or have precipices too precarious for my tastes."

As Sargtlin's foot tapped the cold ground beneath him, he heard the woman's voice answer his question now that his sword was in it's sheath.

"Mine is not the business of mere males. If you must know, however, there are countless passages here that inevitably lead to the Underdark. Let's just say I'm here on business and leave it at that, shall we? Suffice it to say that these caves are my home for now. I can move almost anywhere within them that I so desire. Only a few places are too narrow for me or have precipices too precarious for my tastes."

Sargtlin found himself slightly confused now. He could understand her not wanting to give out any information as to her reasons, but he found it odd in her beginning words, calling him a "mere male."
"What?" he said in a rather irritated tone. His evening was not going well or anywhere near as he had planned, "'Mere male' you say? So what do you consider about yourself to be better than me? I assume being a high priestess as you say gives you authority in the Underdark, but you don't hold authority over me." he said, much sharper than he usually would, for he was having a tiresome night, one that he had earlier hoped to be rather easy but instead turned out to be trying on his bit of patience that he had.
"It would be interesting to travel to the Underdark though, and she says that in here are passages leading there, but I see no reason as of yet to trust her and I do not wish to go there now." he thought. He though about sitting down on the ground, but decided not to after seeing the many spiders that were on the ground. He brushed off several that had crawled up onto his pants while he had been talking. He looked back at the Drow woman, wondering why she liked the spiders there so much.
"Most likely it has to do with being a high priestess to I assume the one many know Ungoliant. Still, she seems to have an obsession with the little pests." he thought to himself as he listened to hear the rain outside heavily pouring still.

In truth, Aradia held power over no one any longer. Lolth had abandoned her, leaving her to suffer on the wretched surface world. But now she had found another - one who had restored most of her powers and had promised through his clerics that she would gain even more. Raku was far more dangerous than the minor diety Lolth, Aradia had learned, but that only made him the greater of the two evils. It was simply out of a century and a half of habit that had forged her sense of superiority to this man. In truth, she was probably no better than he now. She was only Raku's Acolyte, after all; she was no longer a High Priestess.

Of course, there was no need to reveal any of this to a mere male. Truly, the females of any race - perhaps especially the drow - were always the superior gender. Such was the way of society. Women merely let men think think they were better. Who really pulled the strings, though? Who ran things behind the scenes? Females, of course. This male was of no consequence or concern to Aradia, yet she might as well try to be civil to him. After all, a drow ally on the surface world was probably one of the best things that she could have attained at this point - other than Raku's favor and blessing, of course.

She smiled, though the sentiment did not reach her blue eyes.

"Perhaps we start over," she said, though the words grated on her nerves. She couldn't believe she was trying appease a male! "I do not believe we have established a first-name basis. Do you not trust me, either? Perhaps I was rash. Some males do have value. You know my name, but I do not know yours."

Sargtlin had not grown found of that cave, of which he wasn't even sure what it was called if anything. He disliked the reasons he went in there, he disliked the spiders, and so far he had not grown to like the Drow woman who had met him, so far at least. He was a bit surprised to see a smile spread on the woman's black skinned face, though he was not entirely sure that it was genuine for his earlier talking with her did not seem to indicate that it was. She spoke again to him as the smile spread on her face.

"Perhaps we start over, I do not believe we have established a first-name basis. Do you not trust me, either? Perhaps I was rash. Some males do have value. You know my name, but I do not know yours."

Sargtlin raised an eyebrow, surprised by the change in attitude of the woman.
"Sargtlin Olath is my name if you wish to know, Aradia." he said to her, his thoughts running through his head.
"Why the sudden change in her? Perhaps she has something planned, or perhaps she is just trying to make a few allies on the surface world?" he thought, his mind constantly trying to keep him alive, "I will have to wait and see I suppose." Sargtlin felt slightly uneasy, though he wasn't entirely sure that he had a reason to be uneasy. He had only felt comfortable around one Drow that was still alive though, and that man had quickly became an ally to him. He did not know if this woman was one whom he would be able to trust enough to become an ally to him, but if she did then all the better to him, for he needed more allies he knew. He also knew that if she still held her position in the Underdark then she would be even more useful to him as an ally. He smiled to himself, unsure if Aradia would see it or not, though he didn't much care at the moment.
"How many allies do you have on the surface world, Aradia?" he asked, the question coming from his running stream of thoughts, wondering if she had a desperate need of allies and who her allies were.

((OOC: Sorry about the delay))

((No problem. :) ))

So, he wanted to know of her allies? She almost laughed bitterly to herself, for she had no allies. She had only one contact, and he was now dead to prevent him from revealing her presence on the surface world. He had provided much useful information, just as the rauko that had come to protect her had trained her to be far more lethal than she had ever been and had helped to hone her powers to a sharpened point much finer than that of a razor. Raku had restored her powers, but it was the rauko who had fine-tuned them.

She decided, however, that the man should learn to trust her if she was to use him in the future. As a result, though it irked her greatly, she went against her better nature and painfully admitted her position to the male. Sargtlin, he was called. And Olath...she recognized that name, though she had not heard it in years. It was one of the much lesser Houses, somewhere around the fortieth or so. She only knew it because there had been a member of that House in Arach-Tinilith with her. She hadn't been very good, though, and had ended up getting herself killed because of her foolishness. It was inside the academy, but she was found without. Clearly a murder, but with no witnesses, the ruling council could do nothing.

"None," came her simple, one-word response. "And you? How many allies do you claim on that wretched piece of dirt the surface-worlders call Arda?"

Sargtlin waited a moment, waiting for an answer if he was to get one. His waiting was rewarded by the simple and short answer to his question, but then her asking a similar question of him.

"None, and you? How many allies do you claim on that wretched piece of dirt the surface-worlders call Arda?"

He smiled, for he knew that both of them were asking the same questions of each other, blocking and countering as though it were. He himself had few allies on the surface world of Arda, but he had several others though not allies that might help him if he needed it.
"I do not have many, only three, and one I haven't seen for quite some time. A Drow, a Lupine, and a Vampire are my allies." he said in response to the woman's inquisition. He knew that soon would be another question asked by one of them, and then a similar block and counter as with all the previous questions, a simple answer and then the same question asked back. He wondered what would happen if one of them started to not answer the other's questions, only questioning the other. He knew that he would he would be likely to draw Erthetril from it's sheath again, perhaps pointing it towards the woman, for his temper in the last few years had slowly been growing shorter and as he had always been he did not trust people.
"So, what is it you want of me?" he asked, though he had a guess as to the answer, for he had met others like her, though unlike her, many of them were dead.
"She doesn't hide her intentions extraordinarily well, but I prefer that in my allies, that way it's harder for them to trick me. I am not as foolish as some, Aradia." he thought to himself, listening for the woman's answer to his question, that is if she planned to answer.

((Sorry for the delay. Computer probs. -_- ))

Aradia pondered that question only for a short time, though a short time for a drow was a very long time for almost anyone else - save for a hated surface elf, of course. Nonetheless, the question was a curious one. What did Aradia want from him, precisely? Her own ascension to the forefront of Raku's service would prove a difficult and arduous journey, yet one filled with promise. There was one ultimate goal that she must accomplish on her own, she knew, but that goal was a long ways off for the time being. At the moment, she needed to step on - er, ally herself with - as many people as possible to get the kind of power she needed to accomplish said goal.

But Sargtlin Olath was not the only one to distrust her own race. Aradia had more reason to than most, for she was a Var'truus'De'ez. Her House had been wiped out and she was of noble birth in line for the position of Matron Mother of one of the most powerful Houses that had existed in a long time. Only House Baenre had been more powerful, and they had been wiped out by House Do'Urrden over a century earlier - and then had fallen themselves.

But history was rarely remembered and even more rarely brought up. Such was the case now. Aradia quickly forgot about the past and decided instead to focus solely upon the present - whilst planning for the future. It was a prudent decision, of course - very prudent - and one that would keep her alive and healthy long enough to ascend to the point at which she needed to be to finish her revenge and rise to the rank of High Priestess in Raku's eyes. So, Aradia decided to answer the question. Sometimes the truth was far more deceptive than a lie, after all, and could prove far more useful besides.

"You are useful to me. I am useful to you. What more necessity is there, ma - Sargtlin."

She would have to get used to that if she was to survive much longer. She could not call another drow 'male' now, not with her position as Raku's Acolyte only barely secured. She needed all the help she could get at this point, exceedingly paiful as that was to admit. She cleared her throat slightly and smiled. Again, the smile was cold, calculating, and emotionless - a plastered-on smile that meant nothing. Just like a drow.

"You have few allies. I have none. By our own admission," she added dryly. "What say we form a partnership? Hm? Most likely, you and I desire the same things. We are not so different even amongst our ebony-skinned brothers and sisters, let alone amongst one another. Certainly we can come to some - arrangement. Of course, plans must be made. You most likely have your own goals. I most certainly have mine. But minor victories against the surface world are always decent steps toward victory."

Ah, and now a piece of the puzzle was revealed, for why strike at the surface if one was not to strike at the elves? Or perhaps the humans, though they were merely an annoyance. Dwarves were slaves, and if not, they were fodder for the yochlols and their lizard pets. Other races, great or small, were nothing beneath the crippling boot of a drow. But the elves...they were a perversion of everything that was sacred. And wiping them out would definitely prove beneficial, both to Aradia and to her new 'companion'.

Sargtlin waited for a response from the woman, though he had no severe rush for he had plenty of time that he could wait, though he wished to wrap up his business with this woman as swiftly as he could so he could to other more expected work. He heard Aradia's voice again, giving a response to his last question, one of the many questions that had been asked that night, another smile plastering the woman's face.

"You are useful to me. I am useful to you. What more necessity is there, ma - Sargtlin. You have few allies. I have none. By our own admission. What say we form a partnership? Hm? Most likely, you and I desire the same things. We are not so different even amongst our ebony-skinned brothers and sisters, let alone amongst one another. Certainly we can come to some - arrangement. Of course, plans must be made. You most likely have your own goals. I most certainly have mine. But minor victories against the surface world are always decent steps toward victory."

Sargtlin smiled, knowing now that this Drow was in need of help to further her goals, and he knew that he could prove very useful to her as well as she to him.
"My guess is correct then. So, do I want her as an ally or not? If I ally myself with her then we could prove very helpful later to each other." he thought to himself shortly before speaking to Aradia again, his thoughts were briefer than sometimes, but he knew what he should do for the moment at least.
"I doubt that we have the same goal, but perchance close enough, though you and I are very different, but that need not get in the way for now at least. It is true that I need more allies, I need powerful allies mostly. I dislike the weak, but for now it would be useful for both of us to work together to achieve our separate goals." he said, knowing that they would not be likely to stay allies for all time, eventually one of them would turn on the other, though he planned to be the one to do that deed. He wondered what her goals were exactly, but he decided that it was best to let her ask a question of her own instead of staying an interrogator, though he enjoyed the thought of that task.

((OOC: No problem.))

Aradia, too, enjoyed the task of wrenching information from a victim. Yet this was not to be a victim, for Sargtlin would prove far more useful in his present condition than as a bloated, mindless drider with more scars than he had flesh. Plus, he didn't look he'd be much use with a bow - though he could certainly learn, she was sure. Regardless, though she didn't really need him, any allies - especially drow allies - were more than welcome at this particular point in time. The quicker she rose to power in the surface world, after all, the more quickly she'd be able to destroy Lolth and take her position as a High Priestess of Raku. Raku, of course, did not demand such a thing. He probably knew already of her plans, however, and he was probably laughing about them as she sat there. A mere drow, even a drow female with the awesome divine magic of a powerful cleric, going against a demigoddess? Sure, Lolth only had true power over the Abyss - yet that was where Aradia fully intended to strike at her, for what better place to show her superiority to the Spider Queen that had completely and utterly abandoned her (and had, in fact, tried to have her killed) than in her own home? It would show her just how truly powerless she was.

But for now, there were far more pressing concerns to be dealt with. Aradia wondered how strong this man was, how skilled he was with a blade. She wondered what kind of magic (if any, other than his own innate abilities) he had and if he still had access to his own innate powers. But mainly, she was thinking of how best to put him to use.

"What is your purpose here, then? Why are you on the surface world? I cannot pay for your aid if I do not know what you require, after all."

That was true enough, though as much a ruse as anything else - and he probably knew it. But diplomacy was the best option right now and she wasn't about to forsake a tool just because she didn't know anything about it.

Sargtlin continued to stand and listen for a question from the Drow, for he knew that she would ask another eventually. He had plenty of questions, many for her and plenty others, especially about the place that he had his last tournament fight at, the Realm of Dreams. He wished to go back there, to learn more about it, and he knew that Aradia might prove some use to him, assuming that she had skill in magic. As he pondered that thought, he heard the woman's voice again.

"What is your purpose here, then? Why are you on the surface world? I cannot pay for your aid if I do not know what you require, after all."

He looked back up at her, wondering if she had ever heard any of his family's past, not that he cared very much for them.
"Why am I on the surface world you ask? My family was cast out from the Underdark years ago. I haven't bothered to venture into there yet, so I do not even know if I would be killed or not. And the way you can help me though, is to help me in certain tasks that I will need done, understood?" he said, pondering what to ask now, how to find out what she was skilled in. He took a glance outside, not even noticing earlier that the rain had been quickly slowing down.
"Perchance before we tie ourselves to any means of an oath we should find out how we will be useful to each other? Perhaps we should test each others skill in combat, say in a sparring match?" he said, for he wasn't entirely sure if this woman would prove any use to him in combat or if he would have to use her for merely information and such. He waited for what her views on such a test would be.

Ah, Aradia thought as she listened to the male's tale about his family. So we are not so different after all. But he does not need to know that - yet.

The male then went on to offer to spar with Aradia to better learn of their abilities. The offer was tempting, but the man had the look of a warrior about him. While he might know a few spells - those taught at Sorcere in the first six months of a drow warrior's last year of training - he was no doubt a warrior, born and bred.

"I have only basic abilities with a weapon," Aradia responded.

There was no point in lying about that. After all, if they were to be working together, he would have found out eventually. Besides, she had other 'talents' at her disposal - far more damaging talents. She shifted her weight slightly as she pondered her own next words, for she had no intention of getting into a fight here but wasn't about to back down from one if it came. Indeed, she was more than ready with but that small gesture of preparation should the foolish male attack her. She had several spells lined up already and was more than ready to use them should the need arise.

"I am a cleric, a devout follower of Raku. As his Acolyte, I have many divine powers that would be of great use in battle. My primary talents are in the necromantic arts, though of course I know a few other spells as well. I would be more of a supporter than anything else in a battle."

As Sargtlin stood in that dark cave, he crossed his arms across his chest, for he didn't expect that this woman planned to turn on him at that time. He heard her response, one that did not surprise him much.

"I have only basic abilities with a weapon, I am a cleric, a devout follower of Raku. As his Acolyte, I have many divine powers that would be of great use in battle. My primary talents are in the necromantic arts, though of course I know a few other spells as well. I would be more of a supporter than anything else in a battle."

Sargtlin was not surprised that the woman was not a skilled swordsman or any other weapons master. She said that she was skilled in magic. He had some skill in magic, though not as much as he would like.
"So, you have basic weapons skill but you are skilled in magic? Well, I would say that we balance out each others weaknesses, for I have some skill with magic, but my specialty is my sword and shield skill. Seems to work out well?" he said, finding it slightly intriguing that they would balance out each others weaknesses so well, though that did not mean that they would be use to each other still. It took more to him for an ally than being able to counter his weaknesses, it took skill in the specific areas past that that he needed as well.
"So, what skills do you have outside of battle?" he inquired, his head tilting to the side slightly.
"It would useful to me if she was very good at stealth, spy work, and assassination missions. Though I wonder what she needs of me?" he thought before speaking abruptly speaking again.
"And what skills would you need of me outside of battle?" he asked, though his skill in combat was where most of his skill was at, though he needed to become more powerful he knew. He did not know exactly how he was to accomplish that task, but he had an idea.

Aradia smiled. She battled when necessary, but she was primarily a planner of battles and a manipulator of people. This man didn't need to know that, though. It would only force his distrust of her even further, and a distrusted ally was a deadlier enemy than one sneaking up behind you with a dagger to stab you in the back.

"I know much in the ways of stealth and subterfuge, skills I have honed further with my time spent here on the surface. During my time here, I have also learned much about certain places and I have learned much of the tenements of various faiths. Lothlomendil, for example, is the Goddess of Life. She is Raku's exact opposite, yet she - like Raku - rarely involves herself in the affairs of mortals. We are not their concern, though our prayer and worship of them keeps them in power and gives us abilities we could never otherwise have attained - not without decades or centuries of study, and where's the fun in that? They make our lives considerably easier."

She wondered where he would be most useful. He would certainly be able to establish a network of spies, it was true, but she could do that on her own. Then again, an extra body wouldn't hurt.

"Right now, I am building up my knowledge of the surface world and those on both within and beyond it - namely on Isiltelpe. I have memorized maps of both Arda and Isiltelpe as well as a number of maps of other places, quite a few of which I have visited - hence my present knowledge of them. I am trying to build a network of spies and underlings - assassins, thieves, and the like - and I could always use an extra body. I'm sure you could as well. I believe it is in this manner that we could aid one another."

She stood and stretched her legs. She was used to sitting in places like this now, but even the most seasoned warrior, she knew, tended to get a little stiff if he sat for too long in one spot - let alone on a rock in a cold, dark (though not really 'dark' for her, per se) cave. The rain had now slowed to a semisteady drizzle that was fast fading. Another half-hour, perhaps, and the rain would stop completely. She had learned to anticipate weather on the surface world, a skill that had thus far proven to be a great advantage to her.

Sargtlin watched as a smile spread across the woman's face as she began to speak again.

"I know much in the ways of stealth and subterfuge, skills I have honed further with my time spent here on the surface. During my time here, I have also learned much about certain places and I have learned much of the tenements of various faiths. Lothlomendil, for example, is the Goddess of Life. She is Raku's exact opposite, yet she - like Raku - rarely involves herself in the affairs of mortals. We are not their concern, though our prayer and worship of them keeps them in power and gives us abilities we could never otherwise have attained - not without decades or centuries of study, and where's the fun in that? They make our lives considerably easier. Right now, I am building up my knowledge of the surface world and those on both within and beyond it - namely on Isiltelpe. I have memorized maps of both Arda and Isiltelpe as well as a number of maps of other places, quite a few of which I have visited - hence my present knowledge of them. I am trying to build a network of spies and underlings - assassins, thieves, and the like - and I could always use an extra body. I'm sure you could as well. I believe it is in this manner that we could aid one another."

Sargtlin listened to the woman, but also listened to the rain outside, it's intensity fading quickly. He found that the woman's speech matched what he had heard of many higher ranking Drow, a much more elaborate and flowery way of speaking than most beings. Some would say that that was one thing that the Drow and the Elves shared, but the bit that he had heard of each had differences, some more major than others.
"While what she says about Raku and Lothlómendil might be true, from what I know of them it is for their benefit." he thought before speaking to Aradia.
"While Raku and Lothlómendil might help beings to gain more power, surely you have noticed that it is only for their benefit, using those whom they grant power as pawns?" he said. He watched as the woman stood up and stretched her legs, and then he turned to walk towards the entrance of the cave.
"You talk alot I must say, more than most I've met." he said to the Drow as he stood at the entrance of the cave looking out into the light shower of rain that continued down, "One more thing before I go, where is the place that I'm most likely to find you if I require your assistance or if we must discuss more terms later? If you need to find you should look in Lómëdor's Drital Queller pub." Sargtlin took a step out of the cave, walking into the slight shower of rain, putting his hood back up over his head as he did. He listened out for the woman's voice as he did, listening for her response and if she had any other questions for him before he left.

This was very true, of course, but was not Lolth the same way? Weren't all dieties, lesser and greater alike? In Aradia's limited experience, that is what she believed. Perhaps she truly was wise beyond her years, though she was not perhaps the wisest of all. Regardless, she was most certainly wise enough for her own tastes. She nodded to his statements.

"True enough, but we are intelligent pawns. Some of us know how to use the gods as well as they use us."

The statement was immensely open to interpretation, a fact the other drow no doubt realized immediately. Perhaps he would be prompted, then, to determine whether or not he should truly trust her. It hardly mattered either way. If he did not trust her, then she would find other allies; perhaps not ones as skilled or as useful as a drow, but there were many nonetheless just waiting for their day to come. She smiled again as he inquired as to her whereabout and mentioned the pub.

"You may find me there on occasion. It is a good place to glean useful information from idiots, both directly and indirectly. I may also be found praying at the Temple of Raku from time to time, or in the Spider Caves. I'm sure we will see each other soon," she said in farewell as he prepared to leave.

As Sargtlin walked out of the dark cave and into the wet, rain-soaked grass, though his elven boots kept his feet warm and dry from the weather, which he found to be rather unpleasant. Though the rain was not fully ceased he felt that he had spent enough time talking to the Drow woman Aradia, and that they had finished all needed speeching. He heard the woman's words from behind him as he walked.

"True enough, but we are intelligent pawns. Some of us know how to use the gods as well as they use us."

He suddenly halted his steps along the slick grass. He wasn't sure what to think out the woman at that point.
"Does she think that she can outwit Raku or any of the gods? Perhaps she is more of a fool than I thought. She will still be useful to me, but I can't let my trust of her build to far, or she might try to outwit me, and that could prove very dangerous to one or both of us." he thought, narrowing his eyes though he did not turn around to face the woman. As he was lost in his own thoughts, he heard the woman's voice again, bringing him back to the spider web filled forest.

"You may find me there on occasion. It is a good place to glean useful information from idiots, both directly and indirectly. I may also be found praying at the Temple of Raku from time to time, or in the Spider Caves. I'm sure we will see each other soon,"

Sargtlin smiled under his cloak at the last of her words to him.
"For once I think that that might be true, and I might have some use for you sometime soon, Aradia," he said before he was about to take a step when he decided that he had a few more things to say to the woman before he left, "One more thing before I leave, don't test the patience of the gods, for our power compared to theirs is like a small insect. Testing them is foolish, so you should be cautious if you want to continue to live." Sargtlin said before he readied his muscles to launch him forward, sprinting along the slick grass, trying to judge where to step so that he land flat on his face.

He didn't look back as he thundered along as fast as he could, though he didn't even know why he did, but he began to feel slightly more chaotic and unpredictable than usual. His thoughts wandered around, but then he remembered his fight in the Realm of Dreams with Wurzag.
"I am fascinated in that place, especially about one thing that I saw in there." he thought, recalling the illusion of him that he saw, the chaos and monstrous version of him. He even remembered the pain of the blade that it thrust through his flesh. He shook his head to himself as he ran out of the forest, passing by all the trees.
"That does not matter right now." he thought to himself as he continued his descent down the mountain.