Rise of a Matriarch-Chapter 8 Matriarch and Mission

Two days after Sophia’s departure Iliafray presented herself to the Matriarch in her chamber, she wore a simple and cheap robe, after all anything she took with her was unlikely to come back to her. “My Matriarch I am here at your command to complete your mission “ then she bowed before her Matriarch.

As always the matriarch was seated on her throne with the usual pair of hulking porcine orc bodyguards behind her “Ah yes Iliafray you are here, I received your note and I agree that you would probably do a better job if you were temporarily transformed into a surface elf. Remind me of what is needed for that ritual to work, I believe that you need a surface elf and a few other things”

Iliafray nodded “Yes Matriarch, the basics of the ritual could work with just a surface elf however with just the elf most of to energy will go to maintaining the transformation and it will only last for a few weeks, if we add a second or third sacrifice and endanger your plan , the third sacrifice would enable me to take much of the elf’s knowledge and mannerisms which again will aid your plan. Fortunately the secondary sacrifices need not be as rare or valuable as an elf, in fact a couple of orc’s would do perfectly well”

The two orc’s standing behind the matriarch grunted, and looked at Iliafray then across at each other and began to bring their glaives from rest to a combat stance, however a brief word from the matriarch caused both to collapse to the ground in squealing agony. “You did mention the orc’s I remember now and I suppose these two will do , it saves having to send for some more.” The squealing began to subside as the orc’s passed into unconsciousness. The Matriarch worked another spell and spectral hands materialised and picked up the unconscious orc’s. “I believe everything else you will need is waiting in the playroom” following in her wake.

Iliafray shuddered entering the playroom the memories of her other unpleasant visits rising briefly , then she remembered the role these orc’s had played and smiled slightly at least as a minimum she was getting her revenge on them, even if she still had no real plan to survive the Matriarch’s endgame.

Kneeling in the middle of the playroom a chain around her neck was a young looking elf, with long black hair with a light robe pulled over her slender frame and small breasts. Also set up was an arrangement of three stone slabs each three feet wide and seven feet long, one set up flat three feet off the ground and the other two with their short ends against the long sides of the flat slab and angled up at forty five degree angle, stone grooves were carved into each of the slabs, the grooves on the sloping slabs linking up with grooves along the side of the flat slab. Each of the slabs was decorated with runes inlaid in silver into the black obsidian.

Entering the room the Matriarch indicated the elf “This is Galisia she is a recent capture from the same area as the paladin. She was some form of artist but lacked any useful skills when captured and has not been trained yet so she is ideally suited for your use”.

Iliafray walked over to examine the cringing elf “Matriarch could you place the orc’s on the slabs” she felt a faint remorse looking down at the hapless elf but at heart she was a drow and the life of this slave meant little compared to increasing the chance of her surviving. She reached down and pulled on the robe causing it to slide off and pool on the floor, the elf’s body bore many welts from whips and showed signs of starvation. “She is not in very good condition but she will do”.

The elf whimpered “No, please leave me alone”. Iliafray sighed and reached over to the sideboard and grabbed a ball gag forcing it into the protesting elf’s mouth.