<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=241231.msg11916209#msg11916209">Quote from: Autocad on 20-12-2015, 19:23:47</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Zelara took a good look at their gi-clad savior as she got back to her feet and murmured a prayer of gratitude and healing to her dark goddess. (Cure Light Wounds on self for 5 hp) (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=83351)<br/><br/>The immediate danger past, Zelara looked around at the other drow who had made it - her future allies and minions. "Thanks be to Lolth. I'm Zelara Dreth. Looks like we'll be getting to know each other better."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Praise Lolth," the rest followed in suit.<br/><br/>"That was some mighty fine spellcasting you did there," Lenora said to the drow in gi.<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/oeoDsFd.jpg?1)</div>"Oh, that wasn't a spell, technically speaking," she responded.  "I have an empathy with vermin unlike many others."<br/><br/>"Hmm, it's not often we see druids around here," Rizzid said.<br/><br/>"There aren't too many of us in Undrek'Thoz proper, but we're much more common in the rest of the Earthroot.  Outside the confines of the city, Lolth grants favors more suited to the environment.  My name is Alfarna, no House."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Religion Automatic</div><div class="spoiler_body">Zelara knows that this is indeed true; there are a few druids of Lolth, although they keep to themselves out in the wilds.  Not much else is known about them.</div></div><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">There was also the matter of exploring the interior of the vast, imposing tower. "Just how high does it go?" she wondered aloud. She whispered a <em>Dancing Lights</em> spell, materializing a quadruplet of glowing orbs resembling will-o-wisps in her palm. A tossing motion of her hand later, and the dancing lights were floating straight up - would they hit the roof or would they reach their maximum range and wink out first? She decided that she wanted the highest room for herself - and she could levitate to it, if need be.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>After 130 feet, the orison reached its maximum range and winked out of existence.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"After you, and try not to break anything else," Zelara said to Rizzid, after placing a blessing of <em>Guidance</em> upon her, and using the touch as an excuse to get a nice squeeze and feel of her bosom. Two could play at the game after all!</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Rizzid smiles, noticing the intention of the touch.  "I'll be sure to return the favor later," she said with a wink.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">The Argument</span></span></div><br/>They were met with no visible opposition as they explored the empty place.  Zelara was able to levitate to the top with no trouble, and indeed there was a doorway leading to what appeared like a private room, albeit a small one.  As soon as she stepped inside, a tiny divine marking appeared upon the door, as well as the back of her left hand: a red spider with a five-pointed star in the center, and after a few seconds both of them faded away.  Further experimentation revealed that the two symbols lit up when she approached the doorway, but faded when she went more than 5 feet away from it.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spellcraft DC 12</div><div class="spoiler_body">A divine variant of an <em>arcane mark</em> spell.</div></div><br/>Several floors below, Zelara found the others who got in first gathered beyond the platform with an open doorway.  This one, however, led into a common room of sorts, with many comfy chairs and paintings upon the wall depicting various natural Underdark landscapes: colorful fungal forests, cave streams with sparkling gems upon the roof reflecting into the water, a stalagmite city whose pillars were holding up a giant spider statue, with each one serving as one of the eight legs.  Various statues of dark elves with arms held up had<em>continual flame</em>spells cast between their hands, making it look like they were holding light.<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/lhRLpxu.jpg?1)<br/><br/>Lenora was reclining on a couch in new clothes, and the drow who cast the<em>burning hands</em>spell had a nervous look as the bat-summoner stared at her.<br/><br/>"Your fire spell nearly singed my pet," she said.  "What do you have to say for yourself?"<br/><br/>"Better it than us," she replied.<br/><br/>"That creature's worth more than your household's yearly income, commoner!  You may have passed the first test along with us, but if you do such foolish measures in the future you will regret it!"<br/><br/>"I'll keep that in mind in the future, then."<br/><br/>"You better," the noblewoman said before leaving in a huff.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spellcraft DC 13</div><div class="spoiler_body">The bat was a summoned monster, and thus can easily be replaced with another spell's casting.  Actually, the value of a spell of such level as a scroll would be around 400 gold pieces.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Local or Nobility &amp; Royalty DC 11, can be made untrained</div><div class="spoiler_body">That's a woman of House Modler.  One which has fallen on hard times due to failed mining expeditions as they dug too deep into a monstrous lair, or so the rumors say.  Also, 400 gold pieces is something a family of four drow commoners can easily raise in three to four months, much less a full one.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Point out her error</div><div class="spoiler_body">"You're right, it's much less than a year's pay," she said to Zelara.  "Thank you for the correction, I always knew that House Dreth was renowned for its financial acumen."<br/><br/>No Sense Motive check is necessary to see that her words are dripping with feigned politeness.  "Be lucky you have someone looking out for you at all," she said back to the common drow.<br/><br/>"Thank you for the save," the fire-wielding drow said.  "Seromus, no House.  I've interacted with House Driggli, Modler, and the others, but I never met one from House Dreth.  Apologies that you had to get dragged in to <em>that."</em></div></div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;">The School Year Begins</span></span></div><br/>The sound of breaking stone and and an explosion tears through the tower's acoustics about fifteen minutes since Zelara's gang achieved entry.  Looking out over the balcony, Zelara and the others notice a smoking hole on the wall down on the ground floor.<br/><br/>"Looks like the others finally made it inside," Lenora said, giggling.<br/><br/>An illuminated pattern in the shape of Lolth (spider form) manifested on the tower's ceiling, as well as the ground floor.<br/><br/><em>Your First Test Is Over,</em>came a voice, originating from nowhere save for the inside of Zelara's own mind, but was recognized as identical to Professor Moconnu.  The others nearby noticed this command as well by their expressions of victory and satisfaction.<br/><br/><em>Come to the ground floor.</em><br/><br/>There were twenty drow who made it through, including Zelara, Rizzid, Lenora, Seromus, Alfarna, and the Modler girl.<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/RKQBhsd.jpg?1)</div>"This is honestly the first time explosives were utilized in the initiation, but it's a legitimate tactic all the same.  Regardless, from this day forth you all are students of the Eightfold Academy.  You succeeded where countless more failed, and deserve the privileges of this tower.  But do not rest easy, for your progress here will be judged.  Your actions, your studies, your devotion to the Queen of Spiders, and the maintenance of drowish ideals determine your continued stay here.  Until then, enjoy your brief respite, for in a few hours your true training starts.  In the meantime, look over these forms and determine your preferred curriculum."<br/><br/>The papers detailed many kinds of knowledgeable fields, all practical for any drow to learn.  But eight in particular jumped out at Zelara:<br/><br/><strong>Ceremonies of the Spider Queen<br/><br/>The Ideal World<br/><br/>Inquiries Into the Unenlightened: Cultural Studies of Non-Drow Peoples<br/><br/>Manipulation of Pain &amp; Pleasure<br/><br/>The Nature of the Material<br/><br/>Physical Enhancements<br/><br/>Sexual Education<br/><br/>Summoning and Extraplanar Bargaining</strong><br/><br/><em>Zelara can choose 4 to 6 classes.  Less classes means more free time to devote to other pursuits, and more classes runs the risk of becoming overworked.  Naturally, proper study can bestow in-game benefits for her, such as skill ranks and bonuses, new spell access, feats, equipment, and more!</em><br/><br/>While the group was busy looking over the papers, the tower became noisy.  Like a hushed silence of many voices was lifted, and then the footsteps, breaths, and conversation of dozens more emerged.  But they were not fellow students, but non-drow slaves, senior staff members, teachers, and others who seemed to have materialized from nowhere, all of them going about the rooms and steps like they were already inside and attending to their duties.  The twin flags of the Confederation of Undrek'Thoz and the Spider Queen hung upon the wall, a red web of stone spires and their goddess' beautiful visage clutching a jeweled orb depicting the planet of Toril, respectively.<br/><br/>Zelara's belongings were already in her top room, already out and prepared for.  Posters were hung, possessions arranged, all according to her personal tastes that House Dreth's servants knew intimately.  In spite of the relaxation there was little socializing, for her peers were enmeshed in going over the curriculum, many of them sequestered in their own rooms and making living arrangements of their own.  A few even tended to the wounds from the previous trial.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">EXP Awards</div><div class="spoiler_body">150 if Zelara finds out the true value of a summoned dire bat, regardless of whether or not she intervenes in the argument.</div></div>