〃It wasn't long after I graduated from Sorcere； returned home to serve my mother； and sided with my sister Sabal against her twin Greyanna。 One night； a delegation of priestesses came to our stalactite castle。 Triel Baenre herself led the expedition…she was Mistress of Arach…Tinilith in those days…and she'd brought along dignitaries from Houses Xorlarrin； Agrach Dyrr； Bar…rison Del'Armgo； and other families of note。 It was a momentous occanotsion； especially for me； because all these great ladies had e to arrest me。
〃I never did find out if Greyanna instigated the affair。 It was the kind of thing she would have done； but it needn't have been her。 You'll scarcely credit it； but in those days； I was considered an insolent； uppity scapenotgrace； a far cry from the meek and modest gentleman you see before you today。 A good many clerics may have suspected me of irreverence。〃
〃This is what happened to Tsabrak；〃 Syrzan said。 〃The priestesses arnotrested him； turned him into a drider； and drove him forth。〃
〃Sometimes they mete out punishments even fouler；〃 Pharaun said； 〃but first they examine you to determine your true sentiments。 I hoped my mother would intervene。 She was one of the great Matrons of Menzoberranzan； and I'd scored a number of coups for House Mizzrym； but she never said a word。 Perhaps she believed me a traitor in the making or was reluctant to disagree with the Baenre。 Maybe she simply found my predicament amusing。 Miz'ri's like that。
〃Be that as it may； the priestesses threw me in a dungeon and put me to the question； employing whips and other toys。 Somehow I managed to resist the urge to make a spurious confession merely to stop the pain。 A fellow wizard cast a mind…reading spell； only to slap up against the denotfenses most mages erect to protect their thoughts。 I imagine an illithid would have smashed right through； but he was unequal to the challenge。〃
〃Then you passed the test？〃 Syrzan asked。
〃Alas； no；〃 Pharaun laughed。 〃The examiners deemed the results innotconclusive and accordingly asked a higher power to make the determinanottion。 They laid me on an obsidian altar； performed a dancing； keening； self…mutilating ritual together； and the torture chamber faded away。 You'd think I would have been glad of it； wouldn't you； but my new surroundings were no less ominous。〃
Pharaun's captors had ignored his silver ring； obviously thinking it mere jewelry； if they noticed it at all。 As soon as he'd looked at Syrzan； he'd disnotcovered its magic operated even within the confines of the lich's phantasnotmal creation。 He forced an idea into his subconscious and continued to prattle。
〃The priestesses had drugged me to prevent my resisting their attennottions； then used me with considerable brutality。 It took me a while just to lift my battered head and look around。 When I did； I perceived that I lay atop an enormous object with the shape of a staffer length of cord made of a substance that gave ever so slightly but was as strong as adamantine nonetheless。 Otherwise； it would have disintegrated under its own weight。 Far ahead； my perch fused at right angles with another such object； which connected with still others； the pattern spreading out to form； I suddenly realized； a spiderweb of insane plexity； huge enough to make a world。 If it was attached to anything； the anchor points were too distant for me to see。 Perhaps it just went on and on forever。〃
〃The Demonweb；〃 Syrzan said。
Pharaun surreptitiously examined his captor's talismans； using the magic in the silver ring； trying to figure out which one would allow an il…lithid to send a psionic 〃Call〃 to every ore and goblin in Menzoberranzan。
〃Very good；〃 the mage said。 〃I see you were paying attention when your teachers discoursed on the sundry planes of existence。 I was indeed exiled to that layer of the Abyss where Lolth holds sway。 I remembered hearing that the strands of the web were hollow and that much of the life of the place existed inside。 Well； I certainly couldn't see any source of food or water on the outside； let alone a portal to take me home； so； still dazed and sick from the clerics' attentions； I started crawling and searching for a means of entry。
〃Eventually； I might have found one； but I ran out of time。 The strand I was traversing began to tremble。 I peered about and saw her scuttling toward me。〃
〃Lolth？〃 Syrzan asked。
〃Who else？ Her priestesses say she travels her domain in a mobile iron fortress； but she must have left it behind that day。 I beheld the goddess herself in the guise of a spider as huge as the Great Mound of the Baenre。 She's appeared to others in the same shape only