Meeting Natalya

Banjo took Leadership.  His sidekick is a drow bard...

                “Well this disappoints, yes?  I thought you’d be female.”

                Banjo looked up from the runes on Banrhialorg.  The speaker was a stunner of a drow, clad in what looked to his eye as typical adventuring gear.  He glanced around the tavern to be sure his friends were about.  Clint was ensconced at the bar, and met Banjo’s gaze with a squinty-eyed glance from under his ridiculous hat.  He didn’t see Thurstan but the great gray Mister Wolf was nearby.  There was no sign of Dargoth.

                He leaned back in his chair, both to get a better regard of the woman and to give himself time to consider offensive spells.  “You sound like my father,” he said.  “What do you want?”

                She smiled and gracefully took the chair opposite him.  “I merely wish to serve.”

                He rolled his eyes.  “You’ve picked the wrong adventurer to play word games with.  Get to the point or piss off.”  He raised Banrhialorg upright and let the lightning and fire play about the head.

                Her eyes widened, regarding the miniature lighting playing about the eyes of the dragon-headed staff.  “This is a threat, you give?”

                He shrugged, causing odd shadows to flicker and dance from the lightning and firelight.  “A little.”

                She smiled again and looked him in the eye.  “Good.  It is a fear I have: that because you are male your bowels be watery and spine all soft.”

                “Ha!” he snorted, grinning.  “I have been accused of being a bit too brash, if anything.  So what are you doing—“

                “I have been given vision by the Goddess,” she interrupted.  “To aid you in your quest.”

                His grin vanished, replaced by a scowl.  “The Spider Queen bade you—“

                “Why is it when you surfacers hear a drow speak of Goddess, you think Spider Queen?”

                “Because it’s usually the case?  What god, then?”

                Her smile turned seductive.  “Calistria.”

                He frowned.  He knew just enough about gods to use their names in bawdy curses.  “Calistria is…?”       

                “Elvish goddess of trickery, lust, and revenge,” Thurstan interjected, appearing on his right.  “Who’s yer friend?” he asked, jerking his chin at the woman.

                “Uh, she didn’t—“

                “My name is Natalya,” she said.  She regarded Thurstan’s bearded countenance coolly.  “Who are you?”

                “Your goddess gave you a vision and you don’t know our names?” Banjo asked.

                “The Goddess gave me a vision of you, Bonjerus Valerae,” she replied, stabbing the air with a small finger.  She waved her hand dismissively.  “Your servants are of minor consequence.”

                “Servants?!” Thurstan, Clint, and Dargoth interjected.  Clint and Dargoth appeared suddenly on his left, while Thurstan and his great wolf stood on the right.  Natalya and Banjo were the only ones seated.

                He didn’t bother stifling his laughter.  “They are not my servants.  If they were, we’d all be a lot richer,” he muttered, shooting a glare at Clint. 

                Clint shrugged.  “Or less rich, and still recovering from our wounds,” he said coolly.  “Or dead.”

                “Or dead,” Dargoth agreed.

                “Or dead,” Thurstan grunted.

                “Hey, easy!” Banjo exclaimed.   The men chuckled. 

Natalya smiled.  “You surfacers are very funny, yes.”

“So let us get this straight, ma’am,” Clint said.  “Your Goddess gave you a vision.  In that vision, she told you to follow Bonjerus Valerae and aid him in whatever manner you can.  That about sum it up?”

She smiled again.  “This is true, yes.  Bonjerus Valerae only, nothing about his servants—or companions.”           

Clint turned from her and gave Banjo a raised-eyebrow look, to say “it’s up to you.”  He frowned and regarded the woman again.  She certainly was nice to look at—but most drow would use that to get you to let your guard down.  On the other hand, it would be nice to have a native guide here in the Underdark, since it seemed they were destined to go deeper and deeper in.

On the other hand – he shrugged and looked up at Thurstan.  “What the hell?”

“Yeah what the hell,” Dargoth interjected.  “The first guy she kills will be you and that’ll be our warning!”

Banjo rolled his eyes. 

“That is not true,” Natalya said.  “If I were to kill anyone, I would save Bonjerus Valerae for last.”