<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Lird'yl d'Szeossen</strong></span><br/><strong>AC:</strong>20 (flat 18, touch 12)<br/><strong>Status:</strong>Normal<br/><strong>Effects:</strong>N/A<br/><hr/><br/><strong>Dining Hall on Third Floor/8:45 a.m./Ilmlim/Elvas'thrae</strong><br/><br/>The way Lird'yl handled the unwanted telepathic intrusion was befitting of her status as a Matron Mother.  There was not the single batting of an eyelash, not the single twitch of a finger, absolutely nothing that gave away her emotions as she plucked another piece of fresh fruit from the pile before it.  Delicately, she stripped it of its fresh green leaves, leaving only the red glistening berry as she once again dipped it in the saucer of cream as she swirled it around.  Of course, she already had known of Elvas'thrae's history as a slaver; it had been one of the reasons that Lird'yl had even made the overture.  For someone of his prodigious talents, it would have been a shame to merely let him languish as a freelance mercenary that survived odd job to odd job.<br/><br/>Still, she pretended as if this was the first time she had heard anything.  "Oh?  A slaver?  That will be most useful to the House.  The intrigues of the day grow more tangled still, leaving me with little time to handle the day-to-day affairs of overseeing the training.  As a result, there has even been an incident of an overenthusiastic trainer and some slaves now no longer suitable for market."  A slight shake of her head, almost as deadly as pronouncing a death sentence.  "That will be rectified, of course.  Though perhaps if you were interested, the position of head trainer could be made available on a temporary basis for this month."  She picked up the berry, now fully coated in the white cream, before eating it in a single bite as she put two fingers to her lips.<br/><br/>"In particular, I've acquired a few unruly slaves that could undoubtedly use your disciplining hand."  Admittedly, Lird'yl was already weighing the risks in her mind.  On the one hand, it was a great risk to allow Elvas'thrae so much power just in the first weeks of his arrival.  He might begin to have dangerous thoughts, thoughts no male drow should ever be allowed.  Especially if she were to use him to train the remaining members of the House of Shi'quos.  Who knew the strange concepts a male might have after having an opportunity to break down a female.  Though admittedly, House Shi'quos had lost the favor of the Spider Goddess so She would undoubtedly feel it was a most fitting punishment for such unfaithful ones.   To be humiliated by lowly males.<br/><br/>And at the same time, there was not a male that Lird'yl trusted more.  Elvas'thrae was still new, his base of power unconsolidated, and it would be simple matter to have him removed or killed if he proved to be a problem.   At least much easier than if he were given time to put all his magicks, traps, wards, and who-knew-what-else in place.  While she was thinking, she grabbed at the soft, flat, sponge bread that was a popular dish in Erelhei-Cinlu and began to tear it into thin, fine strips.  Then, she used them to wrap cubes of still-warm rothe meat as she slowly ate with relish, enjoying the taste.  "We shall speak more of this when I come to your chambers later today.  However, there was other matters that require my attention first for this day," she directed toward Elvas'thrae.<br/><br/>Then, she turned her attention to Ilmlim as she held up a chunk of rothe meat wrapped in the sponge bread.  "So serious.  So loyal.  Open wide,<em>alak'olin</em>," she purred, using a word in Drow for<em>'beloved'</em>as the whispers at the dining table increased in intensity and fervor at her actions.  Undoubtedly, there would be much to speak about today in the House of d'Szeossen.  Of course, this was meant to show her favor and her power because for one drow to eat from another's fingers meant trust on a deep level.  After all, who could be assured there was no poison to be found on what was being offered?<br/><br/>And so this was the scene that her consort, Vesz'erd, arrived to.  "My Matron..." he began, but faltered slightly when he saw the piece of meat being playfully held by the Matron in front of the half-drow.  Something unreadable passed his features, but every drow knew what was on his mind at such a sight.<em><strong>Murder.</strong></em>Then, he came forward still smoothly as he presented a stack of papers that contained the reports gathered from the House of d'Szeossen concerning the movements of the city.  Actually, Lird'yl already knew what the contents were before even reading them.  The reports were simple a trap, a simple way to ferret out traitors.  For if she found anything different in these reports from the ones she knew to be true, then she knew that there was a traitor in the midst who was altering the information.<br/><br/>And so looking through with her remaining free hand, she noted that everything seemed to be in order.  Most troubling was the appearance of a rival group centered in the Ghetto of Outcasts, specializing in information gathering lead by someone named Mae'vyr.  This past month, they had killed some of the operatives of the d'Szeossen.  And also, a sabotage at the mining operations of d'Szeossen involving stone fire, targeted at destroying the structural integrity of the mine.  In the drow mind, these incidents were undoubtedly connected.  And like all drow, Lird'yl gave a silent nod of appreciation for their talent.<br/><br/>Which is why she had every intention of personally seeing if she could turn up any more information about her rivals herself.  After all, rivals today and allies tomorrow was the drow's way of life.  And it would be an outright waste to slay everyone in such a group if the opportunity for an acquisition was viable instead.  Though a show of force would be needed by d'Szeossen first so they would not appear to be weak, but rather giving a weaker opponent a chance to compromise.<br/><br/>So the goal would be to find out more information about this mysterious group.  In particular, where some members might be located.  And then use Ilimlim to send a chilling message.  That when it came to the removal of hidden operatives, d'Szeossen were by far, the best at it.