Role

Chapter 3

Though there are, as previously mentioned, too many tales of criminal
enterprise, subterfuge, and other such cloak and dagger affairs to list even
before the thief Gedunthos sought out his current adventuring path, this one
bears some merit as it is a name he keeps to this day, in many ways.

As has often been the case, he got himself into an unusual position of
influence for one of his admittedly handsome lineage, this time in a Drow
house. Initially, it was as a liaison for the Duergar of Aaran'Gird for the
purposes of easy exchange of the rare metals of the Underdark for their
respective war-making endeavors. After a time, for reasons unknown to the
thief, the Matron of the house took an interest in him as a spy on other
houses of the underdark, something indeed to be handled with kid gloves so as
not to create war openly.

The task given was vague to the point of frustration for most, but during his
meeting with the Matron herself, a strange but necessary precaution of the
eyes-only nature of the mission, he seemed to draw knowledge from what was
not spoken as much as what was. Reconnaissance of both the grounds of the
house with the intent of finding secret entrances and escapes, as well as to
discover if in fact the final place of one of the Matron's high priestesses
was indeed another house, or a sudden mysterious death in the nearby area as
the evidence had seemed to suggest.

During the course of his investigation, he actually infiltrated the house in
question in the same respect as he had the first house. To only a nigh
omniscient observer would it be clear that he was not playing both sides
against the other during this entire endeavor. Not only did he facilitate
further trade between Duergar and Drow houses with the intent of lining his
own pockets and bolstering his reputation, but he was drawn into some of the
circles within the house which were largely of an 'inner' nature. Volumes
could be written on the sorcery alone drawn from their most secret libraries,
though the intelligence sought after relating to the priestess was sort of a
mix of a wash and success. She had died mysteriously, but it was because
after having faked her death to the first house, she was discovered in
torture to be playing both sides. In truth, the torturer noted, the admission
seemed to come only as a means to alleviate the torture, and as is often the
case the intel gained from said torment was, upon the reaping of her soul,
found to be inaccurate. Being Drow, they of course had no problem with her
being dead despite this fact. One less priestess on the other side, merely at
the cost of not having one added to their ranks.

(The story is continued in the next chapter)