war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第23部分

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from　the　shadows　and　assault　her　minions　directly？　If　that　is　the　case；　what　then　bees　of　anyone　foolish　enough　to　defy　the　Queen　of　Spiders　when　she　tires　of　her　test　and　restores　her　full　favor　to　her　priestesses；　just　as　abruptly　as　she　withdrew　it？　I　would　not　care　to　be　caught　out　by　such　a　ploy。　Not　at　all。〃
　　　〃Your　logic　is　sound　enough；　though　I　think　you　have　perhaps　allowed　the　habit　of　caution　to　hobble　your　thoughts；〃　Dyrr　said。　〃I　could　almost　agree　with　you；　dear　boy；　except　for　this　one　fact。　In　the　more　than　two　thousand　years　that　I　have　walked　this　world；　I　have　never　seen　this　happen　before。　Oh；　I　can　recall　several　occasions　when　Lolth　denied　her　clerics　spells　for　a　few　days；　and　many　instances　in　which　she　arbitrarily　decided　to　stop　favoring　this　priestess　or　that　House　all　together；　casting　them　down　to　their　enemies；　but　never　has　she　abandoned　our　entire　race　for　month　after　month。〃　The　lich　glanced　up　in　a　reflective　manner。　〃It　seems　a　poor　way　to　treat　one's　worshipers。　Should　I　ever　attain　godhood；　I　think　I　will　try　to　do　a　better　job　of　it。〃
　　　〃What　precisely　do　you　propose；　then；　Lord　Dyrr？〃
　　　〃I　propose　nothing　yet；　but　I　do　consider；　young　Baenre；　whether　powerless　clerics　should　be　trusted　with　the　rule　of　this　city　for　very　much　longer　at　all。　You　and　I；　we　still　mand　great　and　terrible　powers；　do　we　not？　The　mystic　secrets　of　our　Art　have　not　abandoned　us；　nor　are　they　likely　to　at　any　point　in　the　future。　Perhaps　it　is　time　to　look　to　the　security　of　our　civilization；　the　defense　of　our　city；　by　taking　up　the　reins　of　governance　the　matron　mothers　are　no　longer　strong　enough　to　hold。　Our　city's　peril　grows　with　every　hour。　We　have　rivals　outside　the　Dark　Dominion；　after　all；　other　races　and　realms　that　threaten　us。〃
　　　〃And　that　is　precisely　why　I　am　hesitant　to　turn　drow　wizards　against　drow　priestesses；〃　Gromph　replied。　〃The　only　thing　that　could　possibly　increase　our　current　vulnerability　would　be　to　start　a　civil　war。　To　spare　ourselves　the　fate　of　Ched　Nasad；　we　must　shore　up　the　existing　order　until　the　crisis　has　passed。〃
　　　〃And　what　thanks　do　you　think　you　will　earn；　from　the　priestesses　or　from　the　Spider　Queen　herself；　for　that　blind　loyalty？〃　Dyrr　turned　back　to　Gromph　and　tapped　one　skeletal　forefinger　in　the　center　of　the　archmage's　chest。　Gromph　could　not　restrain　a　shudder。　〃You　have　potential；　young　Gromph。　You　are　not　without　talent；　and　you　see　past　House　Baenre　to　Menzoberranzan　itself。　Put　those　qualities　to　work　and　consider　carefully　the　course　you　choose　in　the　next　few　days。　Events　are　ing　that　will　provide　you　with　an　opportunity　for　greatness；　or　failure。　Do　not　make　the　wrong　choice。〃
　　　Gromph　took　a　cautious　step　backward；　moving　out　over　the　vast　gulf　of　the　cavern　and　hovering　in　the　air。
　　　〃I　am　afraid　I　must　tend　Narbondel；　Lord　Dyrr。　I　will　take　my　leave　now　。　。　。　and　I　will　think　carefully　on　your　words。　You　may　have　appreciated　the　situation　more　accurately　than　I。〃
　　　The　burning　green　gaze　of　the　lichdrow　followed　Gromph　down　into　the　darkness　as　he　fell　softly　toward　the　city　below。　He　would　indeed　think　long　and　hard　about　the　lich's　words。　He　might　stall　Dyrr　once　with　civility　and　caution；　but　he　would　not　be　able　to　do　so　indefinitely。　Gromph　didn't　doubt　the　lich　would　expect　a　different　answer　when　next　they　spoke。
　　　
　　　The　Darklake　was　a　strange　and　terrible　place。　A　blackness　greater　than　any　Halisstra　had　ever　known　enveloped　her　and　her　panions；　a　space　so　vast　that　its　unseen　recesses　gnawed　at　the　mind。　The　great　caverns　of　the　drow　were　often　miles　across；　tremendous　places　harboring　cities　of　many　thousands；　but…if　Coalhewer　did　not　exaggerate…the　Darklake　occupied　a　cavern　well　over　one　hundred　miles　from　side　to　side；　and　thousands　of　feet　in　height。　Great　island　columns　the　size　of　mountains　held　up　the　mighty　roof；　creating　fanglike　archipelagos　in　the　darkness。　The　waters　of　the　lake　virtually　filled　the　immense　space。　As　they　sailed　across　its　surface　the　ceiling　was　often　less　than　a　spearcast　above　them；　leaving　many　hundreds；　or　even　thousands　of　feet　of　black　mystery　below　their　feet。　It　was　an　unsettling　sensation。
　　　Coalhewer's　boat　was　less　than　forting　itself。　It　was　an　asymmetrical　vessel　made　mostly　of　planks　sawn　from　the　woody　stems　of　a　particular　type　of　gigantic　Underdark　mushroom；　and　treated　with　lacquers　for　strength　and　rigidity。　The　zurkhwood　formed　a　broad　platform；　which　floated　on　a　cluster　of　soft　air　bladders　taken　from　some　aquatic　species　of　giant　fungus。　The　whole　thing　was　riveted　together　with　the　excellent　metalwork　of　the　gray　dwarves。
　　　Four　hulking　skeletons…ogres　in　life；　perhaps；　or　maybe　trolls…crouched　in　a　well…like　area　in　the　boat's　center；　endlessly　turning　two　large　cranks　that　drove　a　pair　of　zurkhwood　waterwheels。　The　mindless　undead　never　tired；　never　plained；　never　even　slowed　their　pace　unless　Coalhewer　ordered　them　to；　driving　the　boat　onward　with　no　sound　but　the　soft　rush　of　water　over　the　wheels　and　the　faint　clicking　and　scraping　of　their　bones　in　motion。　The　gray　dwarf　stood　near　the　stern　on　a　small；　elevated　bridge；　high　enough　to　see　over　the　waterwheels。　He　peered　ahead　into　the　darkness；　arms　folded　across　his　thick　chest；　keeping　his　thoughts　to　himself。
　　　The　passengers　crouched　on　the　cold；　unfortable　deck　or　paced　back　and　forth；　staying　a　little　ways　back　from　the　railless　edge　of　the　platform。　The　journey　from　Mantol…Derith　was　not　extremely　swift；　as　the　vessel　was　not　quick；　and　Coalhewer　had　to　carefully　thread　his　way　around　places　where　the　cavern　roof　dropped　so　low　there　wasn't　enough　room　for　the　boat。
　　　Valas　spent　most　of　his　time　standing　on　the　bridge　beside　the　dwarf；　keeping　a　careful　eye　on　the　course　he　steered。　Pharaun　sat　cross…legged　at　the　base　of　the　structure；　deep　in　Reverie；　while　Ryld　and　Jeggred　kept　a　sharp　watch　on　the　port　and　starboard　sides　respectively；　making　sure　that　none　of　the　lake's　denizens　approached　undetected。　The　priestesses　kept　to　themselves；　wrapped　in　Reveries　of　their　own　or　staring　out　over　the　lightless　waters；　lost　in　thought。
　　　They　passed　almost　two　full　days　in　that　manner；　pausing　only　briefly　for　austere　meals　or　to　let　the　duergar　captain　rest。　Coalhewer　was　extraordinarily　cautious　about　showing　any　kind　of　light　and　made　them　build　their　cookfires　in　a　small；　secluded　fire…box　that　shielded　the　flames　from　view。
　　　〃There's　too　many　things　as　are　drawn　by　the　light；〃　he　muttered。　〃Even　this　much　may　be　dangerous。〃
　　　After　their　third　such　meal；　late　on　their　second　day　of　travel；　Halisstra　retired　to　the　bow　of　the　boat　so　that　she　could　look　out　over　the　waters　and　not　find　herself　staring　at　one　or　another　of　her　panions。　In　the　furious　battle　to　escape　Hlaungadath；　and　the　walk　through　the　Plane　of　Shadow；　she　had　had　little　time　to　embrace　and　understand　her　new　circumstances。　Empty　hours　of　listening　to　the　soft　murmur　of　water　and　the　insectlike　clicking　and　scraping　of　the　boat's　skeletal　engine　had　unfortunately　failed　to　immerse　her　in　activity；　leaving　her　with　the　opportunity　to　replay　the　fall　of　Ched　Nasad　over　and　over　again　in　her　head。
　　　What　became　of　my　House？　she　wondered。　Did　any　of　our　servants　and　soldiers　survive　by　escaping　Ched　Nasad？　Are　they　together；　and　who　leads　them？　Or　did　they　all　die　amid　the　flame　and　ruin？
　　　Matron　Mother　Melarn's　death　left　Halisstra　as　the　head　of　the　House…presuming　that　none　of　her　younger　cousins　had　managed　to　claim　leadership。　If　one　of　them　had；　Halisstra　was　certain　she　could　wrest　it　away　from　her　kinswoman。　She　had　always　been　the　most　favored　of　the　Melarn　daughters；　the　oldest；　the　strongest；　and　she　knew　her　cousins　could　not　deny　her　her　birthright。
　　　But　it　seemed　very　likely　indeed　that　her　birthright　was　nothing　more　than　ash　and　rubble　at　the　floor　of　Ched　Nasad's　great　chasm。　Even　if　some　part　of　her　household　had　escaped；　would　she　want　to　seek　them　out　and　join　them　in　a　miserable；　squalid；　and　dangerous　exile　in　the　Underdark？
　　　This　was　not　how　it　was　supposed　to　be；　she　thought。　I　was　to　ascend　to　my　mother's　place　in　time；　and　wield　the　pow