Son of Son of Friday Night Fights!
One of my personal favorites. Also “flat” in design, I like her battle-damaged breast-plate.
Heretic (Val’zhin’an): Energy Blaster
Close-up
Backstory
Val’zhin’an was a High Priestess of Lolth, the Queen of Spiders and goddess of the drow. When the drow broke the giants’ control over Xen’drick, something changed. An usurper… a male… had seized power from the newly “liberated” Houses. Perhaps because the greatest houses were weak from the wars, that many had simply sailed from the continent, or Lolth herself was punishing the Sisters.
The Priestess gathered her Sisters and her only daughter to fight this Vulkoor. To their surprise, he was extremely powerful. He slew the Sisterhood but spared Val’zhin’an and her daughter. The Priestess refused to subjugate. She was the last Matron Mother on the continent. Her daughter, the last heir. They would rather die than live under a blasphemer.
Instead of dispatching the defiant women, Vulkoor bound Val’zhin’an with the “Damning Eyes.” He took her daughter prisoner. For Vulkoor believes that though bound, the Priestess’ will is strong. A hostage adds insurance against her wrath. The scorpion god stripped Val’zhin’an of her spiritual trappings, her family insignia, then finally her name. The once proud and feared High Priestess of the Spider Queen is now known as “The Heretic.” For hers is the false religion. Her story serves notice to the drow of Xen’drick that he is the true god.
Vulkoor plays games with His Eye and her daughter. He courts the latter in his palace. He wants to seduce her to be his High Priestess. He tries to create doubts in her mind about her faith and her Matriarch. Vulkoor hints at his romantic overtures when speaking to the Heretic. He knows it drives her mad.
However, he also shows favor to the Heretic. She commands the Damning Eyes in his stead. He promises her the role of High Priestess should she convert. Vulkoor requires that his followers deliver to her two dobluth (male outcasts) every thirty days. These are weak males, unworthy to conscript for a rebellion. She uses them for carnal delight. If the Heretic does not slit their throats herself before the next sacrifices arrive, she feeds them to King.
The Heretic continues to wear her ceremonial breastplate that was damaged in her battle against the scorpion god. He also requires her to wear shackles to remind his followers that she is his slave. That Lolth is no longer their diety. Still, she fights his battles with ferocity. They are an outlet for her rage.
She is a powerful cleric and wizard in her own right. Her spells are still not enough to disintegrate the scorpion. Keeping with drow tradition, she learns new magics and seeks power. She secretly prays to Lolth for power to destroy the blashpemer. In her goddess’ name, the Heretic will take back Xen’drick, reclaim her daughter, and take back her name.
The Heretic despises the other Eyes. They are beneath drow. If any cause for concern, it is the Illithid. She assumes, rightly, that he seeks to overthrow Vulkoor then claim Xen’drick as his.
