Welcome to Gaia! ::

In the Underdark, particularly the drow cities, the path to ascension was always coated in blood. Scythra was rather proud of this well known fact, and she lusted for the chance to walk that particular path. The problem she faced however, was the lack of people to kill! She could not just go around slaughtering her slaves and servants. Well she -could- but then she'd have to buy more. Her treasury was really very small at the moment. Ugh! She needed to find a way to increase her funds , or at least she needed to find a way to improve her reputation. So the first thing she needed...was someone she could use to eliminate her enemies. She wanted someone who she could manipulate if needed...but they had to have skill too. Enough skill that they would not be caught and possibly end up getting her eliminated in the process. So then...

This was why she had taken up sending out small probing notices that she was looking for a 'skilled individual in the art of silence'. On the surface the words were clearly innocent enough, but any drow worth his breath could read between those lines as easily as he could pick out the spark of light in a dark cafe. She just had to be careful that no one would try and take advantage of the opportunity to take -her- out. Scythra allowed her guards to screen those who wished to come and see her. In the meantime, she filled her throne room with hundreds of large spiders. She stroked a particularly large blade spider on her lap She could have assumed her own spider form, but she wanted to keep that spell saved just in case she needed it to defend herself.

The guards of course challenged the single male that dared approach the House gates. For the most part, they were merely efficient. There was no extended torment or probing of the male. Dealing with assassins required a fairly respectful reproach. Just in case they grew agitated and decided to make a example of you. So the guards merely demanded Rik's name and intended purpose of his visit while a scryer checked him out for latent scrying spells or some other means of eavesdropping. Once cleared, Rik was escorted down a rather bland and unadorned hall to the throne room. While the House itself seemed to be lacking in displaces of wealth, Scythra was more then happy with her choice of decor in the throne room.

Namely, that being all the spiders. Webbing coated the ceiling and walls with only the archway doors visible. Curtains of webbing, gently colored crimson, draped over the throne and decoratively around pillars. Here and there, hidden in the webbing of the walls and ceiling so they were easy enough to miss, were twitching bodies of individuals completely cocooned in web. The spiders that coated the floor withdrew before Rik and created a circle around him. Scythra leaned lazily in her throne. Being a young matron, she was subconsciously aware of how weak a figure she could present herself as, thus why she had selected one of the more violent spiders to stroke upon her lap. The trembling arachnid clicked it's razor sharp legs together from time to time, though it made no move to attack either Scythras stroking hand nor the approaching male.

"Well now...and who are you?" she calmly questioned him as she looked him up and down.