No, I do not own Forgotten Realms or any of Mr. Salvatore's characters. I do own Zie'a, however, back off, rawr.

This is a revamping of an older story, which I just deleted all together. Enjoy and review!

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The Underdark.

Place of eternal darkness, tangible evil, the chaotic homeland of the drow. A place that harbors only the deepest shadows and lurking creatures that do not belong in the purging light of day. Dark caverns cloak their ageless nature in the unbreakable darkness, not even the heat-seeking eyes of the wicked drow can gaze upon the boundless roofs of their underground home.

The drow.

"Children" of the Spider Queen, Lolth, or so her powerful priestesses say; more like puppets, dancing for the evil goddess's whim, playing out a grim existance for the Spider Queen's amusement. And her drow minions follow along willingly, led by the ambitious priestesses, whose only goal is the favor of their Queen, power, and the glory of their house. Always superior to the weaker males, ever ready to administer punishment, always willing to exact revenge, forever searching for a way to further themselves in the eyes of their Queen; even if it means the wholesale slaughter of an entire ruling House. Most drow have no conscience.

Even me, expecially me, but I suppose I wouldn't be writing this if I did not have spark of pity or the capacity for love or gentleness that my drow kin seem to lack; or maybe hide. If indeed, they ever had it, its buried deep beneath the urges of survival and lust for advancement in the world of the Underdark. Shouldn't a society be founded on the common interest of surviving and thriving?

Evidently not.

But, are there other societies that are any different? Are there cities of people who have the capacity to love? Are there others who crave, not power or advancement, but only a warm family or happy existance? Is there another place where the people do not slaughter their own in the lust for power or for favors from the Spider Queen? When Drizzt Do'Urden fled from Menzoberranzan, did he find a more meaningful life elsewhere with creatures that shared his tender soul? Or did he only find a place resembling the dark city doused in the burning light of the sun? Are the surface elves any different from us beside their paler skin? What about the svirnebli or the humans of the surface? Are they any different than the drow? Is it our worship of an evil goddess, or is it something else? Perhaps its the Underdark that calls up the worst in us; maybe its the eternal dark that makes us the chaotic and unpredictable people that we are.

Soon I shall see their differences firsthand. Menzoberranzan has been doused in light, and battle plans for the seizure of the surface has begun. I find myself dreaming of the glorious chaos that this take over will cause, but, simultaniously, find myself writhing in the depths of nightmares as I imagine myself slaughtering surface children.

Zie'la Baenre