war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第66部分

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ed　his　head　above　those　of　the　four　dark　elves；　and　he　glared　down　at　them　with　eyes　full　of　madness　and　hate。　Ryld　inferred　that　Tsabrak　had　entered　into　a　typical　Menzoberranyr　alliance。　He'd　thrown　in　with　the　runaways　to　secure　some　practical　advantage；　but　he　still　loathed　all　the　drow　who'd　deformed　him　and　cast　him　out。
〃What　is　this？〃　the　drider　snarled；　exposing　his　fangs。　They　seemed　to　impede　his　speech　a　trifle。　〃Syrzan　said　no！〃
Syrzan　wasn't　a　typical　drow　name；　but　Ryld　had　no　idea　to　which　other　race　it　might　belong。　He　glanced　over　at　Pharaun；　who　conveyed　with　a　subtle　shrug　that　he　didn't　know；　either。
〃Syrzan　is　my　ally；　not　my　superior；〃　said　Houndaer；　glaring　back　at　the　spider…thing。　〃I　make　my　own　decisions；　and　I've　decided　these　gentlemen　can　help　us。　They're　masters　of　Tier　Breche…〃
〃I　know　who　they　are！〃　Tsabrak　screamed；　flecks　of　foam；　perhaps　mixed　with　venom；　flying　from　his　lips。　〃Do　you　think　me　a　mindless　beast？　I　studied　on　Tier　Breche　the　same　as　anyone！〃
〃Then　you　know　how　useful　their　talents　could　be；〃　said　the　craftsman；　〃and　how　unlikely　it　is　they　can　do　us　any　harm；　particularly　now　that　the　prince　has　disarmed　them。〃
〃Just　point　us　to　Syrzan；〃　Houndaer　said。　〃It　will　allay　your　fears。〃
It？　Ryld　wondered。
〃I　can't；〃　the　drider　said。　〃It's　gone　off　somewhere。〃
〃Where？〃　Houndaer　asked
〃Agitating　slaves？　Acquiring　more　magic　fire　from　its　secret　source？　How　do　I　know？　You'll　just　have　to　sit　on　these　two　until　it　gets　back。〃
〃That's　all　right；〃　the　noble　said。　〃Master　Argith　and　I　can　reminisce　about　old　times。　We'll　all　wait　in　the　room　where　Syrzan　interviewed　the　other　recruits。〃
〃Perhaps　you'd　care　to　tag　along；〃　the　craftsman　said；　〃to　make　abnotsolutely　sure　the　masters　don't　cause　any　trouble。〃
Pharaun　beamed　up　at　the　bloodthirsty　aberration　and　asked；　〃Please？　There　are　half　a　dozen　questions　concerning　drider　existence　that　have　pernotplexed　me　for　years。〃
Tsabrak　ignored　him；　instead　glowering　at　Houndaer　and　the　artisan　as　if　he　suspected　them　of　playing　a　trick　on　him。
Finally；　he　said；　〃Yes。　I'll　go。　Somebody　with　sense　needs　to　be　there。〃
〃Fine。〃　Houndaer　nodded　to　Ryld　and　Pharaun　and　said；　〃e　this　way。〃
The　masters　and　their　hosts；　or　captors；　set　off　through　a　maze　of　passageways。　As　promised；　Pharaun　treated　Tsabrak　to　a　barrage　of　quesnottions；　and；　when　the　drider　failed　to　respond；　cheerfully　answered　himself　with　a　gush　of　scholarly　speculation。
Ryld　paid　little　attention。　He　was　too　busy　studying　the　rogues'　citadel；　a　forlorn　and　dusty　place　where　Pharaun's　monologue　echoed　away　into　the　quiet。　No　servants　were　in　evidence；　merely　runaway　males　and　driders；　who　often　recognized　their　former　instructors　and　curiously　peered　after　them。　The　marks　of　magical　attacks；　bursts　of　lightning　and　sprays　of　acid；　scarred　the　walls。
By　all　appearances；　the　conspirators　were　hiding　in　the　seat　of　a　House　extinguished　by　its　enemies。　No　one　was　supposed　to　take　possession　of　such　a　fortress　without　the　Baenre's　permission；　and　few　would　dare。　The　vacant　castles　were　supposedly　cursed　and　haunted　places；　breeding　grounds　for　sickness；　insanity；　and　bad　luck。　As　if　to　pound　the　ponottential　for　ill　fortune；　the　squatters　had　broken　the　copious　shrouds　of　spiderweb　wherever　they　impeded　traffic　and　even　in　corners　where　they　didn't。
At　one　point；　the　masters　and　their　warders　passed　a　row　of　small　ocnottagonal　windows。　The　glass　was　gone　but　the　molded　calcite　cames　renotmained。　Ryld　glanced　out　and　saw　mansions　shining　green　and　violet　far　below。　The　rogues　had　taken　a　stalactite　castle；　hanging　from　the　cavern　ceiling；　for　their　hiding　place。　No　doubt　the　isolation　had　attracted　them。
A　minute　later；　the　little　procession　reached　its　destination；　a　chapel　with　rows　of　benches；　a　crooked　aisle　snaking　up　the　middle　to　an　asymnotmetrical　basalt　altar；　and　murals；　agleam　with　silvery　phosphorescence；　carved　in　basrelief　on　the　walls　and　ceiling。　To　Ryld's　surprise；　these　last　depicted　not　the　Demonweb　but　other　hells　entirely　devoid　of　spiders；　yochlols；　or　the　goddess　Lolth　herself。　Apparently　the　House　that　once　abode　here　had　sacrificed　to　forbidden　deities。　Perhaps　that　transgression　had　contributed　to　its　downfall。
The　dark　elves　settled　themselves　in　the　pews。　While　Houndaer　and　the　moner　seemed　convinced　of　the　masters'　claim　of　estrangement　from　Tier　Breche；　they　nonetheless　retained　possession　of　the　newers'　gear。　Tsabrak　crouched　just　inside　the　door；　his　legs　splayed　out　on　either　side　of　the　entrance。
〃I　admire　the　decor；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃Without　even　trying；　I　noticed　images　of　Cyric；　Orcus；　Bane；　Ghaunadaur；　and　Vhaeraun。　Quite　a　nice　selection　of　patron　powers　for　the　discriminating　worshiper。〃
〃We're　not　looking　for　a　new　god；〃　Houndaer　spat。
〃I'm　sure；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Perhaps　you'd　be　kind　enough　to　tell　Master　Argith　and　me　what　your　grand　and　glorious　scheme　is　all　about。　And　why　now？〃
〃Why　now？〃　the　noble　asked。
〃Our　fellowship　has　existed　for　decades；〃　the　craftsman　cut　in；　〃though　it's　only　recently　that　we　all　eloped　and　took　up　residence　here　full　time。　Formerly　we　merely　gathered　for　an　hour　or　two　every　fortnight　or　so。〃
〃If　you're　a　male；〃　Houndaer　said；　〃and　utterly　dissatisfied　with　your　place　in　Menzoberranzan；　you　need　some　sort　of　a　refuge；　don't　you？〃
〃I　quite　agree；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Of　course；　others　have　opted　for　a　mernotchant　House；　the　Academy；　or　Bregan　D'aerthe。
Houndaer　made　a　spitting　sound。　〃Those　are　just　places　to　hide　from　the　matrons。　This　is　a　fortress　for　males　who　want　to　turn　Menzoberrannotzan　upside　down　and　put　ourselves　on　top。　Why　not？　Aren't　our　mages　and　even　our　warriors　as　powerful　as　the　clergy？
Pharaun　grinned　and　said；　〃They　certainly　are　now　that　the　priestesses　have　mislaid　their　magic。〃
Houndaer　blinked。　〃You　know　about　that？〃
〃I've　inferred　it。　You　obviously　know　as　well。　Otherwise；　you　wouldn't　run　about　breaking　spiderwebs　simply　for　the　fun　of　it；　to　say　nothing　of　putting　your　master　plan　into　motion。　I'd　be　curious　to　hear　how　you　found　out　and　if　you　know　why。〃
〃We　don't　know　why；〃　Houndaer　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃We　started　to　figure　it　out　after　a　couple　of　us　saw　priestesses　die　fighting　gricks　out　in　the　Bauthwaf。　The　bitches　should've　used　spells　to　save　themselves；　but　they　didn't；　and　we　guessed　it　was　because　they　couldn't。　After　that；　we　kept　our　eyes　open　and　waylaid　a　few　clerics　to　see　what　they'd　do　to　defend　themselves。　Everything　we　learned　supported　our　theory。〃
Pharaun　sighed　and　said；　〃Then　you　aren't　in　touch　with　some　chatty　informant　in　the　realms　of　the　divine。　Like　me；　you　merely　observed　and　deduced。　What　a　pity。　Aren't　you；　in　your　ignorance；　apprehensive　that　Lolth　will　rekindle　the　priestesses'　magic　just　when　it's　least　convenient？〃
〃Maybe　the　goddess　turned　against　the　clergy　because　it's　our　turn　to　rule；〃　said　the　moner。　〃Who's　to　say？　In　any　case；　this　is　our　chance；　and　we're　taking　it。〃
〃Your　chance　to　do　what？〃　asked　Ryld。　〃You　talk　as　if　you　intend　to　revolt；　but　instead　you're　inciting　the　slaves　into　an　uprising。〃
Houndaer　cursed。　〃You　know　that；　too？〃
〃We　stumbled　on　it　while　looking　for　you；〃　Pharaun　explained。　He　brushed　a　stray　strand　of　his　coiffure　back　into　place。　His　white　hair　shone　like　ghost　flesh　in　the　soft　light　shining　from　the　carvings。　〃As　Master　Argith　noted；　on　first　inspection；　whipping　the　undercreatures　into　a　lather　would　seem　irrelevant　to　your　objective。〃
〃Look　deeper；〃　the　noble　said。　〃We're　canny　enough　to　know　we　can't　topple　the　matriarchy　all　at　once。　Even　without　their　spells；　our　mothers　and　sisters　are　too　powerful。　They　have　too　many　talismans；　fortr