Chapter Summary
“You don’t see the spider that bites you.” Mavash and companions explore the archmage’s sanctum in Sorcere, in search of the grimoires that will allow them (eventually) to send the demon princes back to the Abyss.
They find more than they bargained for.
Chapter Front Notes
Again I apologize for my long radio silence. I blame *gestures broadly at her life*.
But this chapter is a nice n’ long one, so get a beverage, dim the lights, and strap in!
Previously on Bright Future…
With a haunting vision/nightmare of a different Jorlan fresh in her mind, Mavash joins her companions as they make their way into Menzoberranzan, their goal Gromph’s grimoires in Sorcere, to complete the ritual of the Dark Heart. At the same time, Jorlan contemplates his own secret plans, recently set into motion…
Chapter End Notes
Chiana is Drow for “betrayal.” 😈
Luckily for you, you probably won’t have to wait too long for the resolution. I have taken September as a leave of absence from work, thus I am anticipating more writing time.
Eager to hear what y’all think is going on here. (And as always, I welcome any constructive feedback).
Unrelatedly, I had a bunch of false starts on this chapter, and threw out a few hundred words of Lux/Neheedra banter that just didn’t fit. I still think it’s funny, though, so I might post it as a light interlude before the next chapter.
(I’ll leave the specific footnotes in AO3; they’re sizable, and also somewhat spoilery).
ETA: I got permission from DM Nixon to link his variation on the map I mention in the footnotes. So please enjoy this spoooooky map as you navigate your way through this scene.
Featured image: “white fountain pen,” Pierre Bamin on Unsplash
