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| Drow Wizard by johnnyhr on deviant art |
A male drow doesn’t get many opportunities to lead a rich life.
Astherfen was born in a minor house in the nearby drow city a couple of centuries ago. That meant he wasn’t expected to live long because the house was considered just as disposable as him. In fact, the house was disposed of by one of the stronger noble houses while he was still young.
Astherfen was called a servant, but that only meant he was a drow slave. His station in life wasn’t much higher than the orc and kobold and other lesser creatures moving about the cellar regions of the noble house. What saved him was his aptitude and cunning.
Astherfen caught the attention of one of the noble house mages and his fortune grew a little better when he was sent to learn the art of magic. He learned quickly, in both magic and intrigue, which was a blessing and a curse for the apprenticed wizard.
Although Astherfen was a servant of a noble house, he wasn’t a member, so he was not extended the same protections. More than once his abilities (magic and planning) saved his life when other apprentices attempted to take it. This drove Astherfen to study harder and to learn to rely more on his own capabilities than what others offered.
The noble house recognized the young wizard’s potential and he was made a consort to one of the daughters of the family. It was not a marriage of love, nor has it ever been a relationship built on feelings the two might ever develop for each other. In fact, they seldom see each other and Astherfen prefers that arrangement. The marriage provided what Astherfen truly desired, a place in the mage guild.
Astherfen’s change in status allowed him to become a teacher. This allowed him access to more powerful magic and greater protection. Of course the protection was expected to be repaid with loyalty. The combination of the noble house and the guild allowed Astherfen to progress and become a powerful wizard.
Living in the hall of wizards was a better life than he had ever thought possible. But, that only lasted until the orcs claimed the underground dwarven city.
The Drow didn’t know what to expect from the orcs. Unlike the dwarves, which had become very predictable, and, therefore, the border with them could be well controlled, the orcs were untamed savages.
For years the drow nobles fussed and fought about what should be done. Chaos reigned on the subject and no real action took place as every house was waiting to see what every other house would do. Each looking for the advantage in the mistakes the others would make.
The wizards’ guild approached Astherfen to take action on behalf of their interests. His ties to his noble house were weak and he could be gone for a long period of time and possibly never even noticed as being away. He would go as a spy to the city of Hork. This would give the guild a stronger position in the drow city.
Astherfen’s life was good and he didn’t want to leave the drow city. But, the offer included aspects he didn’t want to turn down. The wizards didn’t care how he did his job, he would have no superior to report to for his actions. Further, if he wanted to find a way to make more money than the guild was willing to stipend him, they didn’t care about that either (although it would be appreciated if he shared). The only requirement they gave him was to keep his mission a secret from the nobles.
Astherfen knew the support he would get from the guild was minor, if any. If he was discovered as a spy for the guild, he had no idea what the orcs in Hork could do. The noble houses would probably start some type of political war with the school of wizardry.
In the outer tunnels of Hork, Astherfen ran into some orcs who were living there. It wasn’t close to any clan controlled lands and he wasn’t expecting them. In the moment he was dispatching them, one surprised him by begging to be taught to be a wizard. He was allowing the orc to grovel while deciding on how to kill the creature. Then a plan for the future opened to him. He agreed to take the orc, Simp, as an apprentice.
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| By Michael O. Varhola on d-Infinity |
Astherfen is Simp’s master. Teaching the orc has allowed Astherfen to be near the center of the city and learn many secrets. He established himself in the open, instead of trying to hide who he is. And is promoting himself as a drow wizard interested in establishing trade between members of the two cities.
Astherfen uses Simp as a means of collecting information by cultivating relationships with others who have some of the same problems as the orc wizard. Astherfen knows Simp looks for acceptance, and by teaching him how to accept others of lower standing, the orc has been able to get many of them to become an unwitting spy network.
Another part of Astherfen’s plan has been setting up his own connections and establishing minor trade back to the drow. This has become his means of sending and receiving information and has kept the noble houses from digging into his activities. Some of the trade is in magical components, delicacies, and other bits of information back to his wife and her family. He has made sure he doesn’t appear to be making much money and he has spread the rumor back he is living in a relative place of safety outside the city where he has weak family ties. Astherfen has also established a small treasure of his own because of his spell casting and morals.
Astherfen is a drow, and his first loyalty is to himself. He doesn’t really care about others. He sees the place of where he is living as a holding point until a better offer arises. If at any point he feels himself, or what he is doing threatened, he has no qualms about taking whatever action is needed.
Astherfen doesn’t know how long he will stay in Hork. He used to think he would return to his home and chambers in the wizard’s school, but now he isn’t as sure about that. He has seen new opportunities by being out in the world and the pleasures he can afford.
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