<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=241231.msg11978592#msg11978592">Quote from: Autocad on 11-01-2016, 19:19:34</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Hm? The priesthood was my destined path from birth, but I made acolyte several years ago." Zelara's voice turned sultry, dangerous, predatory. "My, but you are an inquisitive one. Have you ever heard of the saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'? Knowledge may be gotten, but it might cost the pussy dearly..."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"As one who owns a cat herself, I know this all too well," Rizzid replied.  "Well, the greater the risk, the greater the reward!  What's the price on delving more into your background, Mistress?"<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Ceremonies of the Spider Queen</span></div><br/>She did catch Alfarna after class. "What oath did you swear?" she asked casually.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"To track down and take back what was mine," she replied.  "Something of value to me was lost, and I intend to reclaim it as my honor to Lolth."<br/><br/>She did not talk much further on the specifics.  "Anyway, it's getting late.  I'll need to perform some of my training meditations before the next cycle."<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">The Second Day</span></div><br/>The prize announcement was unexpected. The thief? Over the top.<br/><br/>And over the top of the table too, it seemed. Zelara had no use at the moment for silver skin paint, but it was the principle of the thing. If someone wanted to start a thieves' guild in her tower, they had to let her in on it and they better give her a cut, or else.<br/><br/>"Stop! Thief!" She shouted out, and more usefully, threw a <em>Dispel Magic</em> at the location of the shell. Identifying the perpetrator was as good as catching her. Where could she run or hide, after all? They had classes, they had to eat, they had to sleep.<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>There was a yelp and a near-counter dispel, but Zelara's spell was quick enough to drop the illusion to reveal the perpetrator in front of the assembled diners.  The drow in question was a tall, voluptuous woman with long wild hair and a set of black onyx gems on her gloves, and one part of a headband.<br/><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/eYk1jb8.jpg?1)<br/><br/>She stopped in mid-stride to face Zelara.<br/><br/>"Inconceivable!" she exclaimed.  "Who dared to launch a spell at Nefri Drezz'Lynur?!"<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Drezz'Lynur</div><div class="spoiler_body">The ruling family over the Drezz'Lynur neighborhood, the northernmost part of Undrek'Thoz.  Light of all kind is banned, for the massive fungi farms grown here are sensitive to the slightest bit.  The Drezz'Lynur are heavily into argriculture and the drug trade, for the mushrooms also double as potent hallucinogens.</div></div><br/>This was a rhetorical question, for her eyes were already on Zelara.  "Ah, I think I recognize you.  That Dreth girl, right?"<br/><br/>Lenora was already advancing ahead of Zelara.  "And stealing from House Driggli isn't a wise idea, either.  Especially something so petty for a lady of your means!"<br/><br/>Laughter could be heard from across the table.  Nefri quivered on the spot.<br/><br/>"Fine, take it back!" she said, tossing the shell back to Lenora.  "But this isn't over, Dreth girl!  I will not forget this slight!"<br/><br/>Nefri angrily stomped away from the table, trying and failing to grab a spare piece of food from another drow's meal, earning a shove in the process.<br/><br/>"House Drezz'Lynur is either full of simpletons or doesn't know how to raise their children right," Lenora said.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Manipulation of Pain and Pleasure</span></span></div><br/>Zelara's fourth class took place through a portal to the western tower.  There were no windows here, only endless corridors of unyielding stone.  The aesthetics of the place had a...brutal design, for lack of a better word.  Sconces for glowing fungi shaped like sharp hooks dotted the walls, and doorways were in a tall, pentagonal shape with edges slightly quivered like that of a fiery symbol.<br/><br/>The classroom had the same feel to it, a huge square room with sunken steps leading down to a slightly de-elevated level.  This was a full class, about two dozen students in all; Alfarna was present, and was practically hopping with unrestrained joy.  The teachers were not one, but two drow, both standing in the center of the lower level.  The first was very tall, about six feet in height, the other a slightly portly woman with a ponytail.<br/><br/>"Greetings to the Manipulation of Pain and Pleasure," the tall one said.  "I am Professor Tellenga, and this here is my partner Professor Mabri."<br/><br/>"Knowing what one fears is a great advantage," Professor Mabri said.  "But knowing what they desire is just as good.  In some cases they go hand in hand.  Every mind is different, but there are some universal trends."<br/><br/>"This what our class is for," Professor Tellenga continued.  "To teach you the intricacies of the twin arts, one step at a time."<br/><br/>Out of nowhere a loud<em>crack</em>rung the ears of Zelara, and in Professor Tellenga's hand was a long, leathery whip where none was before.  One of the strands of bangs upon Zelara's head split and floated down to the floor, along with the strands of three other students to her left and right standing in the front row. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=84336)<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Extradimensional</div><div class="spoiler_body">Probably a bag of holding or a modified <em>rope trick</em> spell is Zelara's best guess.</div></div><br/>"Hmmm, only four four today, Mistress," Mabri remarked.  "We'll need to work on that..."<br/><br/>"I decided to start off the first class with one which can inflict both," Tellenga said without missing a beat.  "Long, sinuous, agile, suitable for combat, torture, and fun, all in one.  A hard weapon to master, but with it comes so. Many. Good. Things."<br/><br/>With a giggle of delight she waved her hand over at a series of training dummies.  "As fun as it may be to try it upon flesh, you should first learn how to wield it at all.  Making sure you don't whip yourself or those nearby you is important, unless you're into it, but you won't get anywhere unless you wield pain and pleasure with precision."<br/><br/>As each student received their own whip, Alfarna was practically drooling as she laid eyes upon her set.<br/><br/>Most of the drow present did not hit their target on their first or even second try.  They were all newcomers with the weapon, although only one or two accidentally hit their immediate partners (or was it accidental?  It was hard to tell at times).<br/><br/>"It's all in the wrist," Professor Tellenga said.  "Stand straight, lift your arm up towards you then swing vertically forth.  That's the cattlewoman's crack, one of the more basic techniques. Now then-Alfarna,<em>just what are you doing?</em>"<br/><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/cMWvcY5.jpg?1)<br/><br/>"Oooh, this feels really nice..." the druid sad with panted breath.<br/><br/>"Well, she at least is capturing the spirit of the class," Professor Mabri said with a giggle.<br/><br/>"Alfarna, this lesson is on how to crack a whip," Professor Tellenga said sternly.  "Bondage will be covered in a later course!"<br/><br/>Alfarna sighed.  "Can I at least keep it after class?"<br/><br/>"Perhaps if you learn to follow orders."<br/><br/>"I wouldn't mind getting ordered around by you, Professor."<br/><br/>A heavy sigh escaped the instructor's lips.  "It had to be this way on the first day, too..."<br/><br/><em>Zelara gains Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Whip) as a bonus feat.</em><br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">The Ideal World</span></span></div><br/>This class was in a tower Zelara did not venture to yet: the northeast.  The entry in the student guidebook was...odd to put it simply, written in flowery, looping prose with drawings of colorful fungi sprouting out from the letters in places.  It was pleasant to look at, albeit to read not so much.<br/><br/>The place had a rather disorderly flair: visual art abounded, but they were not confined to predetermined borders like a painting, or sculptures so common to Underdark civilizations.  Rather, many of them were abstract works on the walls and floors and rarely the ceiling, looking like the images were not so much applied with paintstrokes as simply spilled forth into a cornucopia of color:<br/><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/5gNeiHC.jpg?1)<br/><br/>Amidst it all, Zelara noticed that each and every one of them was magical, a<em>silent image</em>or a<em>captured image</em>or a stronger permutation thereof.  Some of them were even layered on top of one another for odd three-dimensional effects, or covering smaller, less powerful illusions.  Zelara got the feeling that the tower's landscape changes daily.<br/><br/>The doorway to class was a scenic overworld valley on a starry night, with drow buildings breaking through the earth like a city literally tunneling its way out of the Underdark.  In a rare moment Zelara realized that she was the first arrival, for the current occupant of the room was a single drow woman clad only in body paint made to look like stockings and the flimsiest of clothes:<br/><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/cxWVwsH.png?1)<br/><br/>"Yes, more I say, more power!" she shouted with delight as twin orbs of eldritch energy burned from her hands.  "Do you hear me Mystra, the Weave's bounty will soon belong to me!"  The room's foundations were shaking, tables rattling and paint buckets rolling, as colorful energies convulsed around her.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Knowledge Religion or Spellcraft DC 10, can roll once for each</div><div class="spoiler_body">Mystra is the name of the so-called Goddess of Magic.  Many cultures attribute her as being responsible for its very maintenance, with all other deities' magic being a mere conduit from the the system she set up.  Her advocates, as well as many human magocracies, credit the Weave, the magical field which blankets the Material Plane and beyond, as her domain.  But that's obviously untrue and quite silly; why would a goddess grant such power to all, even those who'd oppose her?  It's obvious that Mystra's spreading these lies as a way to attract followers to her beck and call.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Knowledge Arcana DC 15</div><div class="spoiler_body">These are the telltale signs of a Spell Addict.  Such mages engorge themselves on spell energy, channeling more than is necessary or even safe to fuel their arcane might.  They're often physically frail due to the tax it has on their bodies, but the raw power they possess is a terror to behold.</div></div><br/>"Oh, a visitor."  And with that, the magical conflagration stopped immediately.<br/><br/>"Welcome, young one, to my Ideal World.  I am Professor Loyila, expert artist and enchantress.  Both illusion and enchantment share much in common, for they play off of our perceptions.  Although most of their spells us drow have an in-built resistance to, a skilled enough mage can work around that, and when unleashed against the more foolish races your imagination is literally your limit.  But oh, you are the first lass here.  Give me the pleasure of your name at least, while we wait for the others to show up."<br/><br/>Professor Loyila seemed pleasant to talk to, as her words were not tinged with spite or confrontation like certain previous encounters.  Although not a sign of compassion or caring, she seemed to regard small talk with Zelara as a nice favor, or a hobby to pass the time.  The room too was more casual, less orderly, with large sponge-like fungi balls serving as chairs, and cheap spell components were scattered about from half-finished castings.<br/><br/>When the rest of the class finally came (Nefri was among them), Professor Loyila hopped from one end of the room to the over to catch the students' attention.  After giving the introduction she gave Zelara, she produced a cantrip, a single white circle with three black triangles in the center.<br/><br/>"This, is an<em>Arcane Mark,"</em>she said.  It is a way for an arcanist to instill a piece of identity upon a surface.  Each one is unique, and attempts to replicate others are incredibly difficult, and dangerous.  However, did you know that there is a divine equivalent?  It is much the same, but bears a hint of the Goddess somewhere upon it.  Sometimes it's small, other times it's almost the same as the Spider Queen's symbol, but otherwise it's obvious to all onlookers."<br/><br/>She then cast a<em>silent image</em>spell, conjuring the illusion of a transparent ogre.  Her<em>arcane mark</em>floated onto the ogre's forehead and shone brightly.<br/><br/>"You can leave your mark on your spells, your magic items, even on your very person should you so desire!  As you probably saw, this tower is filled with the creations of fellow spell-artists.  I will teach you the basics of illusion for today.  All you have to do is picture something, anything, and then will it to be so."<br/><br/>Taking a handful of dust, she tossed it into small bowl, and the room filled with a sweet smell.  Before she knew it, Zelara was seeing a dreamlike world, all sorts of images and events unfolding around her which could not possibly be real.  Or was it the castings of the other students?  It was hard to tell at times...<br/><br/><em>Zelara can now prepare Silent Image as a divine spell.  Zelara also learns Divine Mark, which is like Arcane Mark but divine in nature.  Have fun cooking up a trademark emblem for her!</em><br/><br/>"Good, very good!" came the teacher's voice after what felt like a lengthy yet undetermined period of time.  "You are all fast learners.  For your first assignment I want you all to use what I taught you and mark your work somewhere in Undrek'Thoz.  You will be graded as such: the intricacies of your illusion, how many people see it over 24 hours, whether or not it interacts with or challenges an existing art such as layering it over another illusion, and how long you can keep it lasting before the duration runs out or a rival artist cancels it out."<br/><br/>Zelara noticed that Nefri looked over to her at the mention of cancelling things out.  "You're not gonna win this one, I'll see to that," she said.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">EXP Awards</div><div class="spoiler_body"> 200 for successfully stopping the shell thief<br/>200 for recognizing Professor Loyila as a Spell Addict</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Zelara's Journal-Assignments</div><div class="spoiler_body">Get a "bed-warmer"<br/><br/>Prove your dominance over Sinley<br/><br/>Illusion Graffiti</div></div>