Role

Chapter 5

I remember when I was young. We lived below, of course, as all of our kin
Never met my father, fool had vanished like a ghost.
It takes a strong will to raise our kind, down there.

We did not belong to one of the ruling houses of Teth Azeleth,
and if we did, I hardly doubt we would be welcomed anyways.

"Our society does not reward those who are abandoned."
"The abandoned reward themselves".

My mother's words, not mine.


So I did, learning what a bit of coin and a bit of initiative could do for my stomach.
Scrounging after the patrols. Stealing, even, though I consider that to be a shame.
No, no, a shame, with my talents.
And so, I found myself gainfully employed, as a pair of eyes for one of the many dubious
businesses in the depths.
I never looked backwards to see what they had inside,
for my limbs trembled with fear for what would emerge out of the dark.
But it kept me fed, and I suppose that's better than being dead.

And so, I had clawed my way to an existence. Enough rations to support my family.
A meager existence, but an existence still.

And then, you know the funny part?
Our downfall came not from the slavers of the deep dwarves,
nor from the caprice of a spider priestess,
but rather... a quite intrepid group of adventurers.

They had come, like so many before, to seek the glories of the Underdark.
All I felt, was a hard strike to my throat, and a crash on the back of my head.

I awoke to them talking.
talking about the equipment they had looted,
apparently from my bosses' stores.

As they turned to leave, a cat dressed in leather wraps raised his sword,
as well as his sharp, denuded claws.
At this moment, a human, in shining plate stepped between us and intercepted the blade.
"He is only a child. Can't you see?"
As they grumbled... I managed to wrestle free from my bindings and escape into the tunnels.

As he pursued, I noticed an image of a radiant sun, branded on his cuirass.
"Wait!"

But my mother taught me,
"Our society does not reward the abandoned."

I turned back around, drove my head down, and bolted.