MOTDE: Chapter 1: The raid
From Create Your Own Story
Chapter 1: The raid
Thousands of years ago the Drows and surface-elves where separated. A great civil war lead to your race´s banishment to the underworld. The goal was eternal separation between the species. Not only earth, but also a magical barrier established to separate the underworld and the surface. The barrier makes it impossible to simply dig oneself out of the underworld, alternative ways must be found to reach the sun lands. If the entrance is temporary, a raid is declared. If its permanent, a war is declared, a great march to the surface commences. But due to the extremely splintered nature of Drow´s the war is ultimately a losing one, the march is driven back and the entrance sealed once again. No permanent stronghold on the surface has been established, but glory and slaves have been brought back to the underworld. Drow civilization consists of city-states competing against each other. In each city different Clans vie for power of the city, and in each Clan families struggle to be the Clans Matriarch. These different factions are always struggling over power, Drow civilization is a brutal one where war and enslaving others give the ultimate glory. You are Daine, firstborn of the Matriarch of the Clan Char in the city of Velzaria. Your mother Mecinia is High-Matriarch, the leader of the most powerful clan in the city, it is through her influence that you achieved the position of co-commander. A day ago the raid started. Through divine guidance your city managed to produce a magical scroll which opened up a teleportation gate to the surface world which had the power to stay open for four days. You and your huntresses went on a hunt for surface elves to get a first taste of what to come, and that´s how you ended up here.
Your group trek their way back across the plain, into the forest, and return where the hunt started at base camp. The two slaves are individually strapped by their wrists and ankles too wooden sticks which can then easily be carried across the shoulder. Your huntresses carry the catches while you lead, the two naked women dangling semi-consciously from their restrains. Both are in shock, and both are mentally and spiritually defeated, shells of the frolicking lovers you found by the lake. They make no resistance during the journey.
The teleportation gate opened deep in within the Heartwood forest. Far enough from any settlement to avoid detection, but close enough to conduct raids from. It has the appearance of a giant purple door, glowing and steaming cloudy mist from its base. All around it tents and encampments have sprung up. Each tent carries different symbols to signify which clan they belong to, every Drow knows every symbol for every clan that has ever existed. It´s among the first things thought to children, from slave-child or firstborns of supreme Matriarchs, you all learn it.
No palisade has been built, only a few hastily constructed watchtowers. As the guards signal your approach you spot a lone figure waiting for you by the wooden towers. You smile and turn to your second-in command Minvir.
"Carry the catches to the center of camp and have their bodies displayed and made available to anyone who wish to use them, compliments from the House of Char of course."
"Yes High-Huntress Daine," Minvir says and bows her head.
Your huntresses head for the camps center while you go off to meet the girl waiting for you. She sees your smile and smile back, then bows her head in submission.
She greats you with the phrase. "Welcome back Sister-superior Daine, I see the goddesses blessed your hunt."
"These surface-dwellers cunts were most... exquisite, huntress-sister Treccia" You say and crudely grip your package while smirking at her.
Treccia stands about a head shorter than you. She is very beautiful, her twin breasts and ass cheeks are both large and firm, but not matching your majestic wonders. Her face looks a lot like yours, pouty lips, bright silvery eyes, and a chiseled bone-structure. She´s only slightly more feminine. The young Drow also always keeps her long white hair tightly braided in one string of hair, making it have appearance of a cruel whip.
She´s one of your huntresses, and thus also your subordinate. Normally she would accompany you on the hunt but mother called her back to the underdark for unknown reasons just before you set off.
"I bring news from mother-superior. She has issued that a religiously sanctioned challenge is to be conducted in this raid between you and co-commander Solaria."
"What, why!?" You ask.
"She is unhappy that two warriors lead this raid. It´s unnatural. She will let it proceed but has issued the challenge to determine who the superior Commander is."
Your mother never wanted a co-commander in the first place. Although she is the most powerful and influential woman in the city-state she cannot rule alone. During the planning of the raid Solaria´s clan demanded that a co-commander should be named to balance the power between the clans. If the demand was not meet Solaria´s clan would withdraw its support. Many other clans supported them despite the unorthodoxy of it, so to get their support, your mother was forced to agreed. This challenge is most likely a chance for your mother to regain face, to show that her daughter is the superior commander. But your mother is not known for any favoritism when it comes to religious-sanctioned matters, in all other matters however, she does.
You take a second to melt the information. "What´s the terms of the contest, and more importantly, what´s at stake?"
"I´m under religious-sanctioned law to reveal it to the both of you at the same time. My apologies sister-superior," she says and bows her head again, "but I cannot defy law."
"Hrmm, very well, bring me Solaria and let´s mother has decreed for us."
"May I suggest that the meeting take place in your tent sister-superior?"