HISTORY

In the time before the Great Cataclysm, the Emperor’s legions ruled the lands we now know as Erdreja with an unforgiving fist. The empire had won the world for men; the ancient races and their younger progenitors were scattered across the empire. With this external threat dealt with, the Emperor turned his sights inwards to consolidate his position of power. Many of those who had fought bravely as allies by the side of the Emperor Tebron now found themselves betrayed. Those who rebelled under the harsh justices of the Empire were pushed to the margins, and some were pushed further still; and non felt more aggrieved than the soldiers of the 8th Cohort. 

The Men and Women of this elite Cohort were drawn almost exclusively from Harbourley, a small coastal town in Albion. Following a shameful accusation of Treason, it was in Harbourley that, under the command of General Gaius, the Emperor’s 2nd Caledonian legion came to make a cruel example for all those who sort to subvert his power. 

To ensure the success of the mission, General Gaius, had sent the 8th Cohort on a mission to aid in the construction of an additional Library Complex in the growing City of Norhault. The attack on Harbourley was swift. Women, children and veterans were driven out and the town sacked and burned. Driven by some unknown vendetta, Gaius pursued the townsfolk to the mountains of Fairview, where they were finally cornered.

Unbeknownst to the General, a Legionary who owed his life to the Cohort had sent a messenger to intercept the 8th and warn of the Emperor’s plans. Though coming to the end of a day’s march, the Cohort’s Praefect, Fabian of Harbourley, brought the soldiers to muster for a lighting charge home. 

Though tired to the point of breaking, the Cohort fought with savage bravery and cut a swath through the back lines of the surrounding Legion to join and protect their kinfolk. When they broke through, there was jubilation and hope. However, though now united, the legion closed around them, and even with all the Cohort’s skill and determination, their number of perhaps 400 was no match for the legion’s 5000 men and auxiliaries. The battle, it seemed, was lost.

Legend has it that it was at this time, that the Fabian’s daughter Zelda was being chased by two skirmishers. Franticly scrabbling through the undergrowth, she fell through an opening in the ground and tumbled on into the mouth of a vast cave. The pursuing skirmishers followed her in but were instantly set upon by a huge Sword Spider. Taken by surprise, the men stood little chance against the monster, which won out quickly. The spider turned to regard the child, and Zelda saw that it had lost an eye in its attack. What seemed like an age passed, but the Spider did not make a meal of the girl and instead dragged the two unfortunates back into the abyssal darkness of the cave.

⚪  The sparing of Zelda is seen as Lolths first blessing  ⚪

The Legions advance on the Townsfolk had halted following the arrival of the 8th Cohort. The outcome was not in doubt but fearing having to report higher than expected losses to the Emperor, General Gaius offered the townsfolk an offer of terms: ‘Send out the 8th, and you will be spared’.

The whole town knew this for what it was; a simpleton’s trick which would end in the death for the townsfolk. It was then that Zelda told her father of the cave she had discovered, though she did not mention the Spider. Fabian recognised the cave a place to hide, and a place to defend. Continuing to fight meant certain death, and accepting Gaius’ offer meant a dishonourable death. The town elders made the decision, and the townsfolk followed Zelda to the mouth of the cave.

As good as any hiding place can be, those with sufficient resources can find it, and despite precautions taken along the way, the expert scouts of the 2nd Legion made short work of tracking the movement of an entire town.

Herded to the back of the cave with the other women and Children, Zelda became entranced by a mass of spiders crawling over a fungus growing in abundance on the cave walls. Starved and delirious Zelda broke off some of the fruiting body and ate. Several spiders were caught up with the fungi and on reflex bit Zelda deeply around the face and neck. The spiders’ venom held a strong toxin and Zelda’s body was immediately wracked with convulsions. A battle medic, Jarpus, was the first to hear Zeldas cries and immediately rushed to her side to administer a healing tonic.

As Zelda opened her eyes, she realised a change had come upon her. Instead of darkness there was detail, instead of a cave, there was a passage, instead of death under the empire there was a future for the townsfolk. The harsh glare of the sun at the mouth of the cave stung her eyes as she told of the gift waiting in the fangs of the unassuming spiders now swarming on the walls.

Without a word of discussion, the townsfolk started placing their hands on the walls in groups, accepting the pain of the bites with the bitter hatred of the Empire. Around the mouth of the cave the agonised screams chilled the souls of the Legionaries. As night approached, ghost stories and old tales of forsaken creatures from the Underdark were bandied around the campfires. Concerning the 8th Cohort, General Gaius was troubled by more than the ghost stories, and having heard nothing for three days, he sent scouts into the cave. The Cave Was Empty. Fearing at what the Emperor might say at having ‘misplaced’ an entire town, Gaius reported that the 8th had been slain to a man, and there were no kin left to avenge the fallen; the Emperor was pleased.

⚪  The gift of darksight is seen as Lolths second blessing  ⚪

There are few incursions into the Underdark that go unnoticed by the Drow, and the arrival of a hoard of inexperienced ‘Human’ townsfolk from the surface world generated quite a stir. It was quickly decided that they should all be sacrificed for the glory of Lolth; a quite reasonable decision. The Drow caught up quickly with the townsfolk and the 8th but were surprised with the skill and fierceness of the defenders, not least that they could ‘see in the dark’. In the end it was lack of food which broke the town, and the 8th Cohort gave themselves up to the mercies of the dark-skinned devils.

Having seen the competence of these strange humans in battle first hand, the Drow decided token sacrifice would suffice; the rest would join the Slave Army or otherwise serve the Drow. The first under the Priestesses' knife was Fabian, the Praefect. With a Zealous look in her eye, the Priestess plunged the knife into Fabian’s heart, uttering the incantation which sent his pattern to Lolth's domain.

When Fabian regained his wits, he was caught in what seemed like an unending web. Masses of silk hung in all directions with the grisly remains of previous visitors evident frozen in unending screams. A soft voice, with clicking filled Fabian’s head; he knew instinctively that it was a dark goddess.

Through Lareth I felt your Pride and your betrayal in the same moment. As Megwandeiir I felt your bond with the spiders, and know it is one to last. You will learn the ways of betrayal from my Children, and you will teach them much as well. You are healed. Return to my children and tell them my wishes; it will amuse me to watch.

Though it had seemed much longer, Fabian returned just as the priestess was withdrawing the knife from his heart. Fabian still lay prone on the altar, his head still singing with the voice of the Dark Seldarine. However, his state had not gone unnoticed by those awaiting sacrifice, who whooped and cheered at the miraculous restoration of their leader. The priestess looked at the crowd in puzzlement, but this turned to shock, and she stared in frustration at the closed wound, which her dagger had so recently opened. A Human had been judged worthy by Lolth. Fabian recanted the goddess’ message, and the Drow were forced to abide. 

⚪  The judgement of Fabian is seen as Lolths third blessing  ⚪

For nearly 600years the Townsfolk made their home in the permadark passages of the Underdark. The Drow had conceded a lesser cave to allow the humans to prosper and trade; the Townsfolk had been quick to name this New Harbourley. The Townsfolk cultivated their symbiosis with the spider, which had given them sight in the blackness, and it was a child’s rite of passage to be bitten by the Duul'ssom or Freedom spider when entering adulthood. 

The Drow, isolated from the banishing of incantation magic, taught the Citizens of New Harbourley, known now as the Spider-bitten, or the orbb-trilaren, how to commune with their goddess and access powers through her. Over the years the spider bitten became a magnet to those disenfranchised by the Empire, both human and non-human alike. 

The presence of the Spider-bitten, even after all this time, was to remind the Drow of their birthright on the surface world, and that their dominance of the Underdark and their long-lived lives should not lull or blunt their thirst for revenge. One day the Drow would be back, and Lolth would be with them.

Af 614