war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第3章

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ng　in　his　path。　It　was　a　part　he　played　well；　being　a　drow　of　a　high　House；　a　prince　of　his　ruined　city。　If　he　was　something　else；　something　more；　well　。　。　。　those　few　dark　elves　who　lived　there　with　him　were　much　the　same。
　　　Nimor　reached　the　end　of　the　gallery　and　turned　inward；　climbing　up　a　grand　stairway　cut　through　the　heart　of　the　monolithic　spur　to　which　Chaulssin　clung。　The　cacophony　of　the　winds　outside　faded　quickly　to　a　distant　but　deep　whispering；　sibilant　and　penetrating。　There　was　no　place　one　could　go　within　Chaulssin　to　escape　the　sound。　He　set　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　rapier　and　followed　the　spiraling　black　steps　up　into　a　great　dark　chamber；　a　vaulted　cathedral　of　shadows　in　the　heart　of　the　city。　Flickering　torches　of　everburning　fire　in　bronze　sconces　cast　faint；　ruddy　pools　of　light　along　the　ribbed　walls；　streaks　of　red　that　faded　into　the　blackness　of　the　vault　overhead。　Up　there　the　shadows　were　close　indeed；　a　roiling　well　of　blackness　that　even　Nimor's　eyes　could　not　penetrate。
　　　〃Nimor。　You　are　late。〃
　　　Standing　in　a　circle　in　the　center　of　the　room；　the　seven　Patron　Fathers　of　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　turned　as　one　to　watch　Nimor　approach。　On　the　far　side　of　the　circle　stood　Patron　Grandfather　Mauzzkyl；　a　hale　old　dark　elf　with　broad　shoulders　and　a　deep　chest；　his　hair　thinning　to　a　sharp　widow's　peak。
　　　〃The　Patron　Fathers　do　not　wait　on　the　pleasure　of　the　Anointed　Blade　of　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin；〃　Mauzzkyl　said。
　　　〃Revered　Grandfather；　my　delay　was　unavoidable；〃　Nimor　replied。
　　　He　joined　the　circle　in　the　place　that　had　been　left　for　him；　offering　no　obeisance　and　expecting　none　from　the　others。　As　the　Anointed　Blade　he　answered　only　to　the　Patron　Grandfather；　and　in　fact　stood　higher　among　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　than　any　of　the　Patron　Fathers　except　Mauzzkyl。
　　　〃I　am　lately　e　from　Menzoberranzan；〃　he　added；　〃and　tarried　as　long　as　I　could　to　observe　events　before　departing。〃
　　　〃How　stand　matters　there？〃　asked　Patron　Father　Tomphael。　He　was　slender　and　rakish；　much　like　Nimor　in　appearance；　but　he　preferred　the　robes　of　a　wizard　to　the　mail　of　a　fighter；　and　he　possessed　a　streak　of　caution　that　sometimes　verged　on　cowardice。　〃How　does　our　revolt　fare？〃
　　　〃Not　as　well　as　I　might　like；　but　about　as　well　as　I　expected；〃　admitted　Nimor。　Tomphael's　divinations　had　no　doubt　revealed　that　much。　Did　the　Patron　Father　hope　to　catch　the　Anointed　Blade　concealing　a　failure？　Nimor　almost　smiled　at　the　simplicity　of　it。　〃The　slaves　were　crushed　easily　enough。　Gromph　Baenre　took　an　interest　in　things；　and　his　agents　seem　to　have　destroyed　or　driven　off　our　illithilich　friend。　On　the　positive　side；　we　did　expose　something　of　the　spider…kissers'　weakness　to　the　mon　Menzoberranyr；　which　is　promising；　and　the　priestesses　obliged　us　by　using　a　significant　amount　of　their　hoarded　magic　to　destroy　their　own　rebellious　slaves。　The　city　is　weakened　thereby。〃
　　　〃You　might　have　taken　a　more　direct　hand　in　the　affair；〃　said　Patron　Xorthaul；　who　wore　the　black　mail　of　a　priest。　〃If　you　had　slain　the　archmage's　lackeys…〃
　　　〃The　revolt　we　sponsored　still　would　have　been　crushed；　and　I　would　have　put　them　on　their　guard　too　soon；〃　Nimor　interrupted。　〃Remember；　Patron　Xorthaul；　this　was　never　intended　to　be　anything　other　than　a　simple　feint；　easily　deflected；　by　which　we　might　assay　the　real　strength　of　the　matron　mothers　of　Menzoberranzan。　The　next　blow　will　be　the　one　that　beats　down　their　guard　and　slices　deep　into　flesh。〃　He　decided　to　turn　the　topic　and　set　someone　else　on　the　defensive。　〃As　I　am　the　last　to　arrive；　I　have　no　news　of　how　affairs　proceed　in　the　other　cities。　What　of　Eryndlyn？　Or　Ched　Nasad？〃
　　　Cold　smiles　twisted　cruel　faces。　Nimor　blinked。　It　wasn't　often　that　the　patron　fathers　encountered　an　event　in　which　they　could　collectively　take　pleasure。　Grandfather　Mauzzkyl　himself　broke　the　news。
　　　〃Eryndlyn　proceeds　much　as　we　expected…Patron　Father　Tomphael　brought　tidings　not　dissimilar　to　your　own…but　Ched　Nasad。　。　。　。　From　Ched　Nasad；　Patron　Father　Zammzt　returns　in　triumph。〃
　　　〃Really？〃　drawled　Nimor；　impressed　despite　himself。
　　　He　restrained　a　hot　flash　of　jealousy　and　turned　to　face　Zammzt；　a　dark　elf　of　such　unremarkable　appearance　he　might　have　been　a　lowly　armorer　or　swordsmith；　a　mon　artisan　barely　a　step　above　a　slave。　Zammzt　merely　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest　and　inclined　his　head　in　recognition　of　Grandfather　Mauzzkyl's　remark。
　　　〃What　happened？〃　asked　Nimor。　〃Ched　Nasad　should　not　have　fallen　so　easily。〃
　　　〃As　it　happened；　Anointed　Blade；　the　stonefire　bombs　your　duergar　allies　provided　us　had　a　devastating　effect　on　the　calcified　webs　upon　which　Ched　Nasad　was　built；〃　Zammzt　said；　doubtless　feigning　his　humility。　〃Just　as　flame　consumes　a　cobweb；　the　stonefire　devoured　the　very　structure　of　the　city。　With　their　castles　and　their　palaces　plummeting　to　the　bottom　of　the　cavern　like　burning　sparks　of　paper；　the　Ched　Nasadans　could　organize　no　real　defense　at　all。　No　strong　point　of　any　significance　survived　the　fires；　and　few　of　the　House　armies　escaped　from　the　conflagrations　to　contest　the　cavern。〃
　　　〃What　is　left　of　the　city？〃
　　　〃Very　little；　I'm　afraid。　A　few　isolated　districts　and　outlying　structures　relegated　to　side　caverns　survived　the　fire。　Of　the　city's　people；　I　would　guess　that　half　perished　in　the　fall　and　roughly　one…third　fled　into　the　outer　tunnels；　where　they　will　doubtless　e　to　a　variety　of　bad　ends。　Most　of　the　survivors　belong　to　those　minor　Houses　allied　with　us；　or　minor　Houses　who　were　quick　to　appreciate　the　new　order　of　things　in　the　city。〃
　　　Nimor　stroked　his　chin　and　said；　〃So；　from　a　city　of　twenty　thousand；　only　three　thousand　remain？〃
　　　〃A　little　less；　after　the　slaves　fled　the　city；〃　Zammzt　replied；　allowing　himself　a　fierce　grin。　〃Of　the　spider…kissing　females；　nothing　remains。〃
　　　〃Likely　some　number　of　Lolth　priestesses　escaped　with　those　who　fled　into　the　Underdark；〃　Nimor　mused。　〃They　won't　all　die　in　the　tunnels。　Still；　that　is　great　news；　Patron　Father。　We　have　freed　our　first　city　from　Lolth's　dominion。　Others　are　sure　to　follow。〃
　　　Patron　Father　Xorthaul；　the　mail…clad　priest；　snorted　in　dissent。
　　　〃What's　the　point　of　removing　the　Lolth…worshipers　from　a　city　if　you　must　level　the　city　to　do　it？〃　he　asked。　〃We　may　rule　Ched　Nasad　now；　but　all　we　rule　is　a　smoking　chasm　and　a　few　dispossessed　wretches。〃
　　　Mauzzkyl　shifted　his　weight　and　said　sharply；　〃That　does　not　matter；　Xorthaul。　We　have　spoken　before　of　the　costs　of　our　efforts。　Decades；　even　centuries　of　misery　are　nothing　if　we　achieve　our　ends。　Our　master　is　patient。〃　The　revered　grandfather　offered　a　hard；　cruel　grin。　〃We　have　in　two　short　months　acplished　something　our　fathers　among　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　have　worked　toward　for　centuries。　I　would　gladly　repeat　a　dozen　Ched　Nasads　all　across　the　Underdark　if　it　succeeded　in　breaking　the　Spider　Queen's　stranglehold　over　our　race。　Ched　Nasad　may　be　in　ruins；　but　when　the　city　rises　again　it　will　rise　in　our　image；　its　society　molded　by　our　beliefs　and　guided　by　our　secret　hand。　We　are　not　mere　assassins　or　anarchists；　Xorthaul；　we　are　the　cold　and　deliberate　hand　that　culls　the　weak；　the　blade　that　sculpts　history。〃
　　　The　collected　dark　elves　nodded　assent。　Mauzzkyl　turned　to　face　Nimor。
　　　〃Nimor；　my　Anointed　Blade；　Menzoberranzan　cries　out　for　the　cleansing　fire　that　has　purged　Ched　Nasad。　Do　not　fail　in　this。〃
　　　〃Revered　Grandfather；　I　assure　you　that　I　will　not；〃　Nimor　said。　〃I　have　already　prepared　my　next　move。　I　have　reached　an　understanding　with　one　of　the　great　Houses。　They　will　support　us；　but　they　require　a　demonstration　of　our　resolve　and　petence。　I　am　reasonably　confident　that　I　can　oblige　them。　Within　days；　one　House　of　Menzoberranzan　will　be　lacking　a　matron　mother　and　another　will　be　ensnared　in　our　net。〃
　　　Mauzzkyl　smiled　in　cold　approval　and　said；　〃I　wish　you　good　hunting；　then；　Anointed　Blade。〃
　　　Nimor　bowed　once；　and　turned　to　leave　the　circle。　Behind　him；　he　could　hear　the　patron　fathers　dispersing；　each　to　return　to　his　own　hidden　House　in　cities　scattered　over　thousands　of　miles　through　the　Underdark。　Secret　cabals　of　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　existed　in　at　least　one　minor　House　of　most　drow　cities。　Each　patron　father　ruled　absolutely　over　a　conspiracy　of　faith　and　gender　that　spanned　generations；　centuries；　and　the　formidable　hatred　of　one　drow　for　another。　The　glaring　exception　was　Menzoberranzan。　There；　the　old　Matron　Baenre　who　had　ruled　absolutely　for　so　long　had　never　allowed　the　assassin　House　to　gain　a　foothold。　While　eight　patron　fathers　returned　to　cities　where　there　were　dozens　of　loyal　killers　and　priests　of　Lolth…hating　gods　at　their　mand；　Nimor　Imphraezl　went　alone　to　Menzoberranzan　to　resume　the　destruction　of　a　city。
　　　
　　　Sunrise　was　splendid　and　terrible。　For　an　hour　or　more　before　dawn　it　had　been　growing　lighter；　as　the　stars　paled　in　the　rose…streaked　sky　and　the　frigid　blast　of　desert　wind　slackened　toward　a　fitful　calm。　Halisstra　waited　for　it；　watching　from　the　top　of　a　rambling；　half…buried　wall。　Long　before　the　sun　broke　over　the　horizon　she　was　astounded　by