Another Fun D&D One Shot Backstory

 

Orly’rea, of The Ones Who Went Below, jumped and clutched onto the swinging rope dangling before her. Her muscles straining as she slowly descended down further into the dark cavern. Rea’s silver eyes, and bleached hair the only thing visible, her obsidian skin melding into the blackness.

It was the night of the hunt. Her first foray into womanhood. To prove her worth to the Spider Queen: Lloth and take her place in Lolthite society. She must hunt and kill a giant spider, then claim it’s venom. Reemerging, taking her rightful place as a member of Lolthite.

Her boots silently touched the ground, and she slipped off down the tunnel, mutely pulling out her bow. Dripping water from the stalactites, loud and melodic in her ears, like rain in the world above. She strained to hear the rustling of many legs, the twang of a massive web.

The tunnel opened up into a cavern filled with moonlight. A small opening high above. Slivers of moon-rays descended into the cave. She gasped at the natural beauty of the moon, filling her with awe and wonder. She had never seen it before. She hadn’t known. 

Rea pulled her eyes away from the opening. Reorienting her focus. She slunk behind an out cropping, scanning the rocky bottom of the cavern. There in a darkened corner, something shifted. Rea smiled triumphantly, as she watch a hairy long leg extent into the cool light. She readied her bow, pulling the string up to her cheek, the arrow straining to fly.

She waited for her eyes to adjust to the strange moonlight. So bright and silvery it was almost blinding. She counted her breaths. Then the creature moved. It’s narrow hairy legs picking their way off the web and into the cavern proper. It scuttled towards a large pool of water laying directly beneath the shaft above.

And for the second time that night, Rea was full of awe. The spider was beautiful, with gossamer black and blue hairs twinkling eloquent tips of grey in the silvery glow. She, unthinkingly, lowered her bow.  

Rea must have made a sound because the next instant the spider stared up at her. Black eyes, all eight, piercing right into her soul. She couldn’t kill it. It was too majestic. Slowly she stood. The spider had already seen her. She offered out her hand to it. The spider came, timidly at first, its body hesitant. But then soft fur met her palm.

The spider responded, wagging its thick body in happiness at her touch. It rolled over onto its back, exposing its large hairy belly, and Rea smiling, scratched it.

Rea stayed in the cavern along time, petting the spider. Giving it food from her pack. She had never in her life known so much pleasure, companionship.  Her spirit at peace. Pensively she exhaled and contemplated what she was going to do.

If she didn’t comeback with the venom, then she would be killed. The Lolthite didn’t take kindly to disobedience and compassion. They were intolerant to anyone whom they deemed an outcast, someone who thought differently. She had seen it many times before.  

It was exile then.

“Come with me, Pyewacket,” she said to the spider. “We’re going above.”