The Fall of House Renor’Orbben and Other Tragedies (Altar Ensemble)

Replica “The Fall of House Renor’Orbben and Other Tragedies” (Left)

The Fall of House Renor’Orbben begins on the left face of the altar and depicts a slender, naked drowess cavorting and careering in a meadow beneath the full moon. Her scandalous nudity is largely censored by the name “Myryl Renor’Orbben” carved over her bare form. In a similar fashion, the image of the moon has been captioned with the name “Eilistraee.” Finally, if the implications of the scene were not enough, the artist has added a plaque to obliterate any ambiguity.

[Xanalaess]: The Third Daughter Myryl betrays Lolth and consorts with Eilistraee.

While each element of the original is present, it’s not the same. Something is different. Something is wrong.

Replica “The Fall of House Renor’Orbben and Other Tragedies (Back)”

The second triptych is confined exclusively to the naked granite on the altar’s rear.

The left-most of the granite panels shows two almost identical shaggy-haired male drow males bounding up the steps to a Temple. The slightly shorter of the pair carries a giant globe while his taller kin carries a thorny looking chair. Rather than a plaque, the scene’s caption has been inscribed directly onto the granite:

[Xanalaess]: Baven and Szordrin arrive at Lolth’s temple with true tribute.

The middle scene depicts a regal drowess who might be Matron Mother Faerz’Orbben, scratched above her head. She stands with both the giant globe and thorny chair on either side of her. With one hand she strokes the chair’s backrest affectionately while with the other she plunges a flaming sword into the globe. The caption below explains it thusly:

[Xanalaess]: The Great Map is martyred to spare House Shiyalva.

The right-most panel sees Elkynra opening the door of an imposing mansion to the shaggy-haired drow duo. The taller carries the splintered remains of the giant globe. The shorter, meanwhile, drags an altar after him. The caption has this to say on the matter:

[Xanalaess]: The unquestionably reverent Elkynra grants sanctuary to House Shiyalva. An act he would never go on to regret.

Beneath this last caption is a crest: a male drow in the fetal position as an avalanche of rocks, rothe, and wagon wheels cascade around him.

While each element of the original is present, a certain urgency and vibrance have been lost. The innate spirit of the piece is missing or faded. It’s just not the same.

Replica “The Fall of House Renor’Orbben and Other Tragedies (Right)”

Much like the dancer depicted on the altar’s left side, the triptych now leaps gracefully to the altar’s right face to continue its narrative. Myryl Renor’Orbben returns, though this time her nudity is replaced by a ludicrous number of shackles and chains. Standing off and to the right, Elkynra Renor’Orbben points at her accusingly with a merchant’s scales. The scales are depicted with a ritual dagger on the heavier plate and an upside down spider on the lighter. Behind Elkynra, a kneeling Matron Sadre’van Renor’Orbben weeps barbed vines. While each character is hardly more detailed than a silhouette, the artist continues their noble tradition of simply carving each individual’s name over the top of them. As with the left side, the explanatory plaque returns:

[Xanalaess]: Myryl is remonstrated by the unquestionably devout Elkynra Renor’Orbben. Matron Sadre’van Renor’Orbben laments her shortsightedness.

While each element of the original is present, a certain urgency and vibrance have been lost. The innate spirit of the piece is missing, or faded. It’s just not the same.

Replica “The Fall of House Renor’Orbben and Other Tragedies (Front)”

The great triptych’s final act falls upon the altar’s front. It is almost entirely dominated by an exultant, order-like Lolth, carved so skillfully that she seems ready to leap from the obsidian. Unlike the other characters in this saga that have their names branded upon them, the artist has gone to great pains rendering Lolth’s likeness so that it speaks for itself. Occasionally a live spider rappels down from her cruel, cackling lips and skitters off in search of quarry. Almost as an afterthought, Myryl’s story concludes in the arches between Lolth’s many chitinous legs. In one of these gaps, Elkynra can be seen cutting Myryl’s throat as she kneels before a shrine. In another gap, Matron Sadre’van drives a dagger into her own heart as she lays on a bed of nails. Behind her, a building burns. A third plaque offers its own thoughts on the scene:

[Xanalaess]: The pious Elkynra slays the traitor Myryl. Matron Sadre’van Renor’Orbben terminates both her house and her life.

The innate spirit of the piece is missing or faded. It’s just not the same.