The Complete History of Fade Nightsmith
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The Complete History of Fade Nightsmith

Post by rdjparadis »

Posted 03/10/07 18:17 (GMT) -- kastan lightbringer

//In light of recent inquiries toward her i have conglomerated her complete history into this one ultra long post, making it easier for me and you to find.

A diary is found near Rodon’s temple. Upon further examination it looks to be written by a Drow female of noble blood. It starts with a brief explanation of her actions:

First entry - I have finally killed her. The last one, my sister and now I am the sole surviving heir in the house. Only my mother is left, I have not made any concrete plans yet, though I do have a couple in their planning stages.

Second Entry - She is a conniving wench! She has discovered my plans for a third time and I am as of yet unsuccessful. I have allied myself with a priest of Vhaerun, the Masked Lord. His goals are similar to mine and will make a pleasurable sacrifice when I finally have the title of matron.

Third Entry - My plans have been foiled once again, not by my mother this time but of my priestly ally. He has proven to be quite charming and I fear that I am falling for him. I must not let them know of my weakness…

Fourth Entry - Now I have truly done it. No I have not killed my mother yet, but I have unwittingly let my love out in the open. One of my mother’s spies has caught us sneaking away together. Now there is only one thing left to do I have changed my name to Fade Nightsmith and my lover and I now head for the surface.

Fifth Entry - I have arrived on a continent called Anchorome after a long and arduous trip through the underdark. Her assassins are very skilled, but not as skilled as I am in the art of the shadows. I have outwitted them in all if their ambushes and we are now free on the surface! These surfacers are very strange in their ways: one of their males even had the audacity to disobey me! If I was not still so worn out from the journey I would have killed him outright. However, during this encounter I did meet a promising drow female. She is after an artifact of some sort, and has asked for my help in the matter. I think I will help her in this task as it may prove to be most worthwhile in the end….

That is all that is written in the journal. There seems to be no mention of names or houses other than the name she has given herself.

A hooded female dressed entirely in armor in shades of blue and obsidian, sits in a ruined tower searching though her pack frantically. Finally giving up her search she swears in a language that sounds close to Elven, but not quite. She finally reaches into her pack and pulls out an empty book and quill and begins to write:

First Entry – I have had to start a new journal because I seem to have lost my other one. This somewhat scares me because it may be found by my mother. However, she may have given up the chase, as she must have gotten word that I have escaped to the surface. I am not a threat to her anymore, for now anyway. What worries me most is that it could be found by one of these surfacers. If that happens my cover is totally blown. I cannot let my intentions be known as of yet, for most of these surfacers are innocent little goody two shoes who don’t know their heads from a hole in the ground. As I am still weakened from my journey, I could do little to stop them as of yet.

Second Entry – Today was very eventful. In one fell swoop, I successfully met the one who holds this artifact I seek, and gained the trust of some surfacers. Well not completely yet… For what I have done, I should have been caught and killed, but they are so very stupid. They fell right into my hands. As I was exploring the sewers, the only respite from the constant burning light that has plagued me since I arrived on the surface that I have found so far, I was confronted by a strange man with a gem in his palm. He told me that he would reward me if I did him a small favor. As I had left most of my belongings behind when I fled from my mother, I was in no position to turn him down. All I had to do was to implant a small crystal into the head of some woman. With the task complete, I ran from their questions pretending to be scared. When they found me in tears the only choice they had was to believe me.

Third Entry – An unexpected twist of events. I have found out that this woman who I implanted the crystal into (she was cured from this by some meddlesome intellect devourer) turned out to be a construct with significant magical power. I have also learned that she can be somewhat controlled if talked to in the right way. This could prove to be most useful…

Fourth entry – I have done it. I have successfully undone what these incredibly dumb surfacers have been trying so hard to accomplish. She will now mostly do what I say though she does still have some doubts. It will only be a short time before I have her completely under my command. Though it is incredibly irritating when she wanders off randomly to a ruined school of magic, I will try to find a way to work around this and solve this problem as it could turn out to be incredibly dangerous.

Fifth Entry – Alastair…this will be a name that plagues my being until the cold steel of my blade tastes his warm blood and sucks the life right out of his body. He is incredibly meddlesome, and follows us everywhere we go. I find it extremely hard to accomplish anything with his constant interference. I will personally deal with him swiftly and silently….

Sixth Entry – I have acquired my first contract today. I have met a small boy that calls himself Pip, though his features told me otherwise. After talking with this boy it turned out that my suspicions were correct, Pip is actually a woman on the run from her ex-husband. She has been found out by some man named Vastane and wishes for him to be killed. I instructed her to change her disguise just in case this man has already sent word back to “the Magus” as she calls him. She listens incredibly well and will be a perfect addition to my army…

Seventh Entry – Today I traveled to the jungle with this male Vastane under the pretense that he would help to find me a flower known as the Riln Rose. This lowlife asked me to remove my hood in payment. I have done so but it is of no matter the fool will not be able to reveal anything soon enough anyway. After acquiring the flower I tried poisoning him just to weaken him enough that I could actually kill him…but the bastard has some sort of resistance to it! I shall have to devise newer and more clever ways to kill this man.

Eighth Entry – I have finally solved the “Alastair” problem. I have spoken with his Dwarven friend that calls himself a necromancer and struck a deal with him. I shall help them acquire the sword of the one who calls herself Amothrawen and in return they will leave Emerald be. As this is somewhat of a better deal for them I am sure that it will be sufficient enough to keep them out of my hair.

Ninth Entry – That insufferable fool has broken the deal. He is incredibly stupid I fear because he stood to gain much more by controlling ammo at the moment than trying to get in my way. I do not think that he realizes whoever controls ammo’s sword controls her… Oh well no matter I will revert back to plan B, killing him would be much more satisfying anyway…

Tenth Entry – Hah! That fool intellect devourer that calls himself Scree has asked for my help. I traveled to the same dark temple that I originally came through to get to the surface and found a most interesting book there. It is a book about how to create and control golems. The trick is to find a mage who is trustworthy enough to help me create them. I have a feeling they would be a most worthwhile addition to my army.

Eleventh Entry – One of my more worthwhile accomplishments to date has happened just today. Hentiante, the fool that Emerald has fallen in love with, has finally seen the error of his ways. In the wake of Emerald’s extensive injuries from that fool Alastair, I have fully healed her, acquired Hentiante’s guild ring and now have him under my command also. He will disguise himself until the wake of his killing spree blows over, but it is final now, he can never go back to Amothrawen and her blind guild.

Twelfth Entry – Someone has sent Emerald a vision. We followed it to the Orc caves where, in the lowest room we found an encaged Fey’ri. After speaking to it I have found out that it must have been imprisoned at the same time as Amothrawen was. After speaking with a Black Abishai that appeared out of nowhere I have taken the cage. Ishall find a way to free it, for when that happens he will be under my control also. Now if I could only find a way to breed them…they will be a powerful addition to my ever growing army…

At no point does the journal make mention of what this army she is building is for or why she would need one to begin with.

Fade Nightsmith sits quietly reading a dusty tome in the confines of a ruined tower. She thumbs through the pages alternately nodding and smiling to herself. “It is true,” she gasps, “Everything she has told me…and to think I didn’t trust her at first.” She licks her finger and turns the page, “And this…she has defeated gods themselves?” She looks up from the book and stares at the pedestal that once might have been an altar or an alchemist’s laboratory, her deep red eyes burn now with the knowledge of a new understanding. She looks down to the book and whispers something barely audible, “And she will help me to accomplish what I seek,” she seems almost incredulous as she states it.
She closes the book and puts it away. She then gets to her knees and starts praying, “Thank you my queen for this incredible opportunity, I shall not fail you in your goals.” She raises her hands to the sky in a cupped gesture, “Please milady, accept this as a small token of my gratitude, it is only a small gift but there will be larger and better gifts to come…” She then digs a small hole in the clay floor of the tower, and places inside an amulet inscribed with an insignia of a word written in a language close to Elven. She takes one last look at the amulet then quickly buries it, making sure that the disturbed ground blends satisfactorily with the rest of the floor. She stands smiling broadly, her perfectly white teeth making a sharp contrast to her dark skin, pulls up her hood and walks off with a new sense of purpose….


Brodock Rubyhands rounds the corner and stops short, overhearing a conversation between two very regal looking drow:
“What? Where did she go?” asks the first, her voice deep and sultry with an obvious undertone of importance.
“I do not know my lady, but she found out about your brilliant plans for her…male,” spits at the word, “The next thing I knew she was gone with all of her belongings, and that filth of Vhaeraun is nowhere to be found either,” lowers her head, “I have failed you my matron, you have every right to kill me now…”
“Kill you? Oh I could think of something much better…I want you to find her and bring her back to me.”
“Yes my lady,” the second drow bows as she scurries off to accomplish her task.
“She will never catch her, Melinia will kill her in a most creative way, I imagine,” Jazmyndeera, matron of house Brundag mumbles to herself as she walks away, “She was the most promising of my daughters, it is too bad she has shown weakness…”
Brodock moves back a little trying to creep a little farther into the shadows as she passes by, but a loud crash is heard throughout the alley way as he hits a trash can and stumbles to the ground. The matron’s eyes narrow as she turns to see the svirfneblin spasming uncontrollably in the dirt and garbage that is spilled all over the place now.
“What are you doing slave? Were you spying on us?” Jazmyndeera asks in a low growl, “I should cut off your ears…that would teach you a valuable lesson.”
“N-n-no ma’am I was n-not spying on you,” Bradock sputters, “I was j-just t-turning the c-c-corner and came upon your c-con-conversation by accident…p-p-please don’t hurt me I c-can be very useful…”
The matron looks him over, obviously appraising him before she speaks:
“Yes you might be of use after all…you look as if you are skilled in the art of magic…this may prove very useful…tell me are you a diviner?”
“N-no ma’am I am a s-skilled illusionist, or at least I try to be….” His last statement trails off.
“Hmmm…not what I was hoping, but this could also work to my advantage…” she thinks for a moment, “You are to find my daughter, her name is Melinia Brundag, though I am sure she has changed it by now…she is very smart…almost too smart for her own good.” She rubs her chin a moment before speaking again, “Be on your guard though, she is very cautious and will see you for what you truly are if you are not careful.”
“So she is a mage also ma’am?” Bradock almost seems heartbroken as he asks the question.
The matron shakes her head growing more amused by the outward frailty of the deep gnome, “No not by far though she can use many magic items she may come across, now I do not want you to confront her openly, just lie in the shadows and watch and report back to me what you find out about her. If she finds out your true intentions she will most likely kill you without a second thought,” Jazmyndeera smiles at nothing in particular, “Do not even try to talk to her under false pretences as she will most likely see through your lies and try to turn the situation around so that it favors her.”
“So she is manipulative, though I am not all that worried about that…I am not the dullest knife…” Brodock retorts trying to be braver than he looks.
The matron cuts him off with her cruel laughter, “No it is much more than that, she is more conniving than anyone you have ever met I am sure slave.”
Bradock waves a hand in the direction of the crowded streets, “So how is that any different than any of these drow?”
Jazmyndeera laughs again, “You will find out soon enough…that is if you even find her in the first place. Though I will tell you this much: her plans encompass more than any of these drow could even dream of almost proud to a point of weakness in her diplomacy. She thinks that she can make almost anyone see her side of the story…as she tells it.” She thinks for a moment, “ Oh yes, this may be of use to you somehow also, the reason she left was because she has shown her weakness, she has fallen in love with a high priest of the masked god, Vhaeraun, his name is Vokkrzyr Raulfren. If you find him he may be able to glean more information from him. He hails from Ultoksamrin, in what used to be Deep Shanatar.”
“Alright ma’am I will do the best I can,” Bradock replies.
The matron looks down in disgust, “Well? What are you still doing here? Get to work before I change my mind and kill you anyway.”
The svirfneblin bows and walks away fading into the shadows.

…Fade sits on top of a large rock in the cave she now calls home pondering what Emerald had just told her.
“So they know now,” she thinks to herself and shrugs, “No matter…I knew it would happen eventually.” She pulls down her hood, puts a hand to her chin and her dark red eyes suddenly open wide in realization. She smiles broadly, her perfectly white teeth almost a Cheshire grin in the darkness of the cave, “Hmmm…yes that will work perfectly I think. While they are all busy protecting that fool Amothrawen…” she cuts herself short and laughs coldly.

As she realizes how late it has gotten she gets down on her knees and prays. She then cups her hands to the sky and proceeds to bury the object held in them. While she puts the finishing touches on her little hole, a black abishia rounds the corner wearing an evil grin. She looks up into his eyes and smiles broadly,
“Hello.”

… Fade sits quietly on her makeshift chair watching the Duergar scurry about, busily building all around her. She looks to one in particular and frowns, her fingers drumming impatiently on the rock floor making an exaggerated echo across the hollow expanse of the cave, “Get back to work, I am not paying you to sit around!”
After an older dwarf runs up and scolds him, knocking him down with the flat of his axe, the first quickly gets up and goes back to work.
She gets up and walks around inspecting the craftsmanship here and given a subtle suggestion there and finally walks back to a quiet room with no one around. “These dwarves are taking an incredibly long time to finish,” she mutters to herself as she sits down again, “But on the other hand, all good things come to those who wait.”

She pulls out her journal and begins writing:

“Plans are finally coming into fruition. The Matron has established a house in my name. It is about time that wench realized who I am. With step one out of the way I can focus my attention on other matters. After a long and arduous ordeal, I have finally slain the indestructible golem and in doing so ended up with the newest member of my house. Though she may be a little mislead as to my feelings toward her, she will nevertheless be very useful, and a trustworthy companion in this world of backstabbers and false gods.”

She puts down the quill and journal, and looks up in thought. She comes to a sudden realization, and in one graceful movement, she grabs the nearest torch, turns around and burns the journal.
“Anirama lairicc fa le aelewalsta,” she mutters as she scatters the ashes across the floor. Fade smiles and pulls her hood up as she turns to leave.

… Fade steps though the portal her mages have just fashioned for her only moments earlier and smiles. She looks around and takes a deep breath of air. The others follow closely behind, a mage a rogue and an archer, each take in the scenery with obvious surprise at what they see. The large buildings, obviously not drow in origion and almost haphazard in their layout, have an almost ancient air about them.

The mage leans in close to whisper in Fade’s ear, “What is this place matron? Obviously underdark proper…but these buildings…they are not built by drow.”
Fade shoots a warning glace in her direction, and replies in a stern voice “Undrek’Thoz, now be quiet and stay hidden.”
“Yes matron,” the mage bows her head slightly.

Fade darts off quietly into the shadows with the others following closely behind. The gazes of large stone hobgoblins surrounding a larger square shaped building seem to follow them as they pass by and into the side entrance another strangely shaped building. Fade stops in the foyer, turns to the others and quietly whispers, “Try not to kill anyone unless it is ultimately needed or you are ordered to.”

She turns and quickly ascends the staircase that stands in front of them. Without stopping, she pulls out a small pouch as she climbs the last step. She walks calmly up to two guards standing in front of a large ornate door. “Who-,” the guard barely gets the word out as a handful of powder is thrown into his face. He slumps to the floor unconscious and the other follows closely behind.

Fade opens the door and walks in the room to find a drow woman and man laying in bed together. Fade points at the male, “Kill him.”
Before either can open their mouths to speak, the archer notches an arrow and lets it fly. It buzzes inches away from Fades head and hits the man square in the temple. He falls to the floor with a thud, being forced off of the bed by the momentum of the arrow.

Fade walks up to the drow woman casually, “Making daughters again I see,” she states in a flat tone. “You need only one,” she says as she lowers her hood and smiles.
“Melinia,” the drow woman gasps, “I had thought you were…”
“Dead?” Fade cuts her off, “Far from it,” she breathes as she pulls out a dagger made completely out of diamond. Without another word she slices her mother’s throat so deeply that her head is held on only by a small piece of meat at the back of the neck.
With her last bit of dying energy Jazmyndeera smiles and mouths four words, “it is about time.”

At that same instant two priestesses rush through the doorway, “Matron!” they both shout in unison.
Fade turns to them and smiles, “Yes?”

Fade paced quietly back and forth across the temple floor pondering recent events. Tired of pacing she shook her head and headed for her chambers. She was only two steps out of the temple door when she heard it, the summoning circle was humming loudly. “Who is this?” she wondered to herself as she turned around and headed back in to greet the visitor. A large white abishai appeared before her, his white scales reflected an iridescent glow from the torchlight on the walls.
“Hello there,” she said in greeting, “and what brings you here if I might ask?”
“Hello matron,” it replied in a deep booming voice, “I am Canith’mal, I have been sent to act as your servant and bodyguard. However, before that happens, you must complete this task I set you on.”
Fade seemed to think for a moment and then replies to him suspiciously, “And what is this task I wonder?”
Canith’mal took a deep breath before he started speaking, “You must travel to the underdark, there you will find a portal to the desert. There you must speak with Matron Vitrial. There she will tell you what needs to be done.”
Fade pondered this for a moment, rubbing her chin, “Very well then, come we start right away.”
The abishai shook his head, “No matron you must done this alone without any outside help.”
Fade raised an eyebrow seemingly perplexed, “You are supposed to be my bodyguard correct? How are you going to do that if you stay here?”
“You are to do this alone,” he reiterated, “only after you complete your task will I be your faithful servant.”
“Hmmm…very well then I shall start right away.” She turned to walk away.
The abishai called out to her as she left, “Be warned, there are those that would stop you in this task, certain rebel drow factions that do not wish to see Matron Vitrial in power. Good luck and may the Dark Lady be with you.”
She turned around briefly, “And also with you,” and with that she walked away

Fade had already known for some time about these rebels, she herself had been planning to overthrow Vitrial when the time was right, but for now she had to stay on her good side if her plan was ever to work. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” she muttered to her self as she stepped out of the entrance to the cavern and into the dreary gloom of the forest. As she was heading in the direction of Rodon’s Temple, which was the closest entrance to the underdark to her knowledge, she encountered a team of rebels planning an overthrow. She sneaked quietly up to their leader and growled, “And just who do you plan on overthrowing?”
The answer was not given but instead she was attacked and quickly surrounded by them. She fought them off bravely, taking at least four of them down including their leader, before she was overwhelmed.

Fade opened her eyes and looked around, “Hmmm…the spectral realm, the Dark Lady will be most displeased if she has to come and get me. I must find a way back quickly.”
She immediately began searching for a way back to the Material Plane. She had not taken four steps before she was confronted by a large man wearing dark armor, “You are the guardian I take it?” she asked matter of factly.
He laughs, “No I had him killed long ago as he outlived his purpose. I am Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead, which god do you follow?”
After much posturing and a little misdirection, she finally told him, “I follow the Dark Lady, Tiamat.”
“Very well, you may wait for her until she comes to pick you up,” he said without second thought.
Fade frowns, “Is there no way that I can make my way back to the material realm? I fear she will be very upset if she has to travel here to get me.”
Kelemvor seemed to think for a moment, “I will make you a deal,” he said, “I will send you back to the material realm, however you must do something for me.” He pauses, “You must give me your first born daughter and this must be done within the period of one year. If you fail to do so I shall take you, or the one you care for the most from the living.”
Fade was shocked, “What do you want my daughter for? You do realize that this will weaken me greatly?”
“Yes I realize this,” he replied calmly, “But this is the deal, otherwise you can wait for the dragon queen to come and get you.”
“You do realize that it takes nearly a year to have a child, what if it is a son?”
He nodded his head uncaringly, “If that is to happen, then you have broken the deal and you shall be brought back here.”
She thought on this for a few moments before answering, “Very well then, I shall give her to you.”
He smiled, the first true one she had seen on his face since meeting him, “Good proceed to the hell gate and you will return to battle.”

She stepped out of the gate into the forest, the same place she had fallen. The rebels were still there, however this time she dispatched of them quickly. She then proceeded to the underdark to find the portal she was told to seek. She soon came across a strangepool surrounded by mythellar. She looked into the pool and saw…vitrial. The picture seemed to come more in focus as she stared harder into it. Thump…the picture disappeared, she looked around and saw a drow male.
“Why are you following me male?” she growled as she held her blade to his throat
“I was not following you,” he stuttered, “I was only trying to find the way out…can you point the way?”
She pressed the blade to his throat harder, “I will not hear your lies, how else would you have found me?”
Another thump, she turned around to see Kevin. “And you, what do you want? I have already told you I would follow through with your deal, you have my word on that. What do you want?”
He laughed and stated matter of factly, “The word of a drow matron matron, we shall see. But for now I am only here to help you.”
“Doubtful,” she replied suspiciously, “Why are you really here?”
“I have only come to help matron, you have my word,” he replies calmly.
Fade laughed at this, “The word of a liar, but I will take it as you took mine. Very well come if you must, but I warn you, one misstep and you will be dead.”
After some more argument and suspicious banter, she finally conceded to them coming along. They all concentrated on the pool’s picture and were in…

…The hell gate. Vitrial stood before her smiling, “Hello matron.”
“Hello Matron Vitrial, why was I brought here?” she asked impatiently as the drow male who had followed her had already used up most of it earlier.
“I wish for you to find the last of the Fey’ri,” she replied.
“And where might I look for him then?” she asked innocently.
“He is buried deep beneath the farmlands. You must first travel north and defeat the guardian of lost souls, he carries a very powerful spell that will free the last Fey’ri from his prison. You must use this scroll in the farmlands and he will be freed.”
“Very well then, it shall be done,” she stated, maybe a little too overconfidently.
Vitrial smiles, “Good then I shall gate you as close as I can. From there travel north to a palace of ice that never melts.” And with that she teleports them to…

…Cleaverness, the brisk northern wind enough to put a chill into anyone’s bones. Fade slipped on her winter boots preparing for the long trek ahead. Her, Kevin, and the male drow traveled north, fending off Frost Giants, elementals and yetis as best as they could. Just when they thought they could travel no further, they stopped to rest, as they looked up from the small campfire they had built they saw it, a huge castle built competley from bricks of ice and snow. They quickly put out the fire and hurried to the castle in the distance. As they stepped inside, all was quiet, almost too quiet. They searched throughout the castle and finally found what she sought, it was huge. The Ancient Gold Dragon attacked them on sight. After a long and hard battle they had finally slain him. She searched the body and easily found the scroll she sought. Across the top scribed a single word – freedom.

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