LMoT - Return to Phandalin

I have spent the last five years as a scribe so I agree books are great but they only go so far. At some point you go see the world for yourself. Wouldn't you agree?" she replies.

"Not when I know I'll get shunned by everyone else."

Starting to get frustrated she says,"So, I should just hide in a hole and die? Is the world up here just as cruel as the one I came from?" A single tear runs down from her eye.

"That is not what I was taught, I was told,... nevermind"

"The one below was because of your kind's making. Up here, not many take kindly to those who have a rep for maiming and killing blindly" Bebaral readjusts the jacket and pack.

I hate to tell you but there is much worse below than my kind. Though you are right that my kind doesn't help matters. But where else can I go? To return means my assured death. And even if I could, I would not go back."she says with a frown as she wipes the tear of her cheek.
"So here I am on this road, a new life under the sun. Which I can say is quite pleasant even if it does make it hard to see. Even though my path might be dangerous, I would rather be helping a friend than who I was raised to be.

Nine takes in the conversation for a short time before chiming in, This one would agree with the drow-elf. Nine would know little of the real world if it was not able to roam and learn. This one will admit that it has not had a lot of time to learn the ways of the outside world.....or at least does not recall much of it's learning.....but knows it has learned much more than The Creator taught it. One can only learn so much from....... Nine realizes he is repeating himself.

This one would be glad to have you travel with it. All things can learn from one another, regardless of history or background.

Far as you can tell, she is telling the truth.

All of 5 feet and 90 pounds of Letharia looks up at Nine and says, That is nice of you to offer though I don't think your friends might agree. Though if you want to help me find my dwarf, I won't say no. Right now my only lead is that he is known in Phandalin."

She thinks At least he doesn't want to kill me, cause he could probably squish me like a bug.

— I really wish it wasn't winter, so there would be some spider you could squash... I grumble, while disarming crossbow and stashing the bolt back into the quiver. I'd say that you're lucky. In more than one way... Ahem. I don't know which god paved your way to cross our path, but most of us are familiar with Gundren's name. He was captured...— So understand my lack of trust to any drow when there's someone with nickname 'Black Spider' present in enemy ranks. I shrug. I'm aware of some ssri-tel-quessiri walking the surface, some even without demonic blood within... It would help if you belonged to some notable group of those.  I pause and look at Spark and Bebaral as Nine already stated his opinion:
— I incline to believe that your path lies entertwined with ours, so unless others object, you're welcomed to join our rescue mission...

Seeing Leylin disarming his crossbow, I relax a little and let my pretended trust tarnish a little.
— I've never met non-evil drows so far in my somewhat short life, so I hope you'll excuse my natural wariness. But faithful to my platinum patron, I welcome anyone willing to join the fight against the great evils that scheme in the dark. I step forward and give a hand in sign of acceptance. It would be my honor to have you by my side. They call me Spark, for I channel the powers of the storm into the sword of Justice.

Letheria listens to what everyone has said and then gives her hand in greeting to Spark saying,My name is Letheria. I am what can be called a reformed Drow or at least that is what the term they used when they introduced me while they taught me about what it means to do good instead of evil. Well that is a long story for another time. I don't have the power of the storm but have learned a few tricks as a bard.

She stops for a moment bites her lip for a second, like she is pondering something and continues, Captured you say. No wonder the Harpells sent me to find him and my guess is they already know that. They wouldn't want me to just go back with just that information so I will gladly join you to find him.

She looks over at Leylin and says,I would ask if you please keep that crossbow pointed somewhere other than at me. I don't know of any demonic blood in me but knowing my mother's family, I guess anything is possible but if there was I am sure she would have bragged about it. As for this "black Spider" do you know for sure it is a Drow? I mean it is very Drow-like, could it be a surname? for mine is Darkweaver, at least in the common tongue.

Nine shows what could be taken as a smile across his face, This one is glad this encounter did not devolve into fighting. As much as that thing is what this one was made for, it is not always the required result of a confrontation. Letheria, you may call this one Nine. The warforged projects a hand to be shaken toward the newly acquainted drow.

Letharia shakes Nine's hand as well a little concerned that he might crush it by accident. Nice, to meet you to Nine.

Finally, taking her eye of of Leylin's crossbow she notices his lute. He notices her looking at him when she says,So are you a bard as well? I see you play the lute as well."

Here is a better pic of her or at least larger version of the avatar.

— I'm not speaking about your direct relatives... I shake my head when Letharia mentions her mother's family. Drow are ssri-tel-quessiri that were tainted by demonic blood. It happened millenia ago, mind you. Your hair and eye colors are ... Well, this is not the place to speak of the history...

  I recollect myself and continue:
— I'm not sure about the race or even gender of the Black Spider. That was just a mere suspicion...

  When asked about the lute:
— I dabble... Pausing as this sentence leaves my lips, I think: Mother would slap me for this if she was here.... I avert my gaze and continue: What I meant is that I received some training and am able to play it.

Make friends, make friends she repeats in her head as she remembers what she was told before she left.

Still speaking to Leylin, "Oh, well maybe at some point we could play together. I have always enjoyed performing the elven "Lay of Laurianna". Since it is a duet with both male an female parts, I only have been able to do it a few times. I find the story of it dealing with with two elven lovers held apart by their families such a great tale. Anyway so, if you want to do a duet sometime let me know. so caught up in her explanation, not recognizing any visual ques from Laylin.

Finally, realizing she is rambling a bit, she tries to gets back to business, I am sorry, I get a little caught up with songs sometimes. Anyway, since you have been looking for Gundren already, where were you heading? I was heading to town to try and find any leads but you know more than I do."

  Slightly surprised by the enthusiasm of Letharia, I wait for her to calm down, only reacting by slightly rising one brow.

— Sorry, but I only play. Singing isn't my forte I smile and slightly shrug my shoulders. We're on our way to town to get some supplies and will move towards the place where Gundren is held as soon as we're ready. But I do recommend to not keep your appearance in the open... Until we made some introductions, that is.

"Can we babble in a warmer area!" Bebaral insists.

"Oh, ok."she says a little disappointed. She reaches into her pouch and pulls out a pair of gloves and puts them on as well as pulling the hood of cloak over her head as she falls in walking with the group.

Trying to come up with a better subject she says, "You mentioned a question about which god put me on this path. I believe it was Eilistraee, the dark maiden. She is the Drow goddess of song, beauty, swordwork, hunting, and moonlight. I heard her song though I didn't recognize it at first. She calls to Drow that reject our heritage and offers light and hope. At least that is what my research with the Harpells seems to indicate. That is why they didn't kill me. They believed I had potential at least that is what they told me. They said that is why I have a love for music and why they had masters from the College of Fochlucan train me as a bard.