HouseOfTrade goes public by supplying financial "aid" to the GrandTemple during the Temples recuperation. Adding the weight of the clergy's opinion to the balance forces the CouncilOfEight to accept the HouseOfTrade as an official entity, ranked below HouseOfWar and HouseOfMagic. Velve does his part in the process, both openly and in the shadows.
Zarhrae, Zhe'raen and Yathrinë got to the Arena to enjoy a good fight, once the commotion brought by last episodes events has calmed down. Borak, the former gladiator, signs on for two years to breed with Noona and help in training the orcish troops being bred.
MatronNemalzhi gets closer to giving birth, and having offended Zhaunil must do so with minimal help from painkillers. To make matters even more uncomfortable for Matron, Xora is having a harder time than before to absorb Matron's pains.
Xora is keeping herself extremely busy living three parallel lives - with the HouseOfTrade, HouseNemalzhi and the SpiderParlor, bringing her closer and closer to collapse.
Meanwhile, Zhaunil has busied herself with creating a sort of forest for some of her pets with the help of BreedingMistress Shalolin.
Ahriman busies himself with making a devastatingly powerful blade for MatronNemalzhi and needs Xora to help him reinforce the metal of the blade with magic strands of spider silk. This proves too much for Xora who simply does not come out of her trance after the last magics have been worked.
Nevertheless, MatronNemalzhi goes into labor, assisted by Ahriman's rather crude magics, and a full four healthy (if slightly underweight) daughters are born. Velve spends the entire time of Matrons birthing in deep and sincere prayer.
Xora is put to bed and more or less forced to rest, first under the care of Zarathustriel, then of Nirl, and finally, as MatronNemalzhi assumes command, by household priestesses. Xora and MatronNemalzhi have a talk on the responsibilities to family and goddess, and MatronNemalzhi scolds Xora for taking such chances. It appears likely Xora will be bedridden for a while.
Ahriman proudly presents the sword, first showing it off to Zhe'raen and then giving it over to Matron. Both gleefully praise it and the gleam in Zhe'raen's eye indicates he now thinks of his mother as a real martial challenge. MatronNemalzhi comments to Zhaunil that she may have to postpone her plans some, and a merry banter about matricide breaks out.
Zarathustriel has become more and more absorbed with trying to serve Lolth up to a point where she mismanages her duties and angers MatronNemalzhi severely. Only a hasty interference by Zhe'raen prevents bloodshed.
Zhaunil later tries to talk some sense into her elder sister but it all ends in Zhaunil throwing a major fit of rage. After a while, and some stern talks with Matron, Zarathustriel shows up and makes a formal apology to Zhaunil. Neither the apology nor the acceptance of it seems very sincere, but the relationship between MatronNemalzhi and Zarathustriel seems to have improved.
Velve buys a shitload of Goblins from BreedingMistress Vasriina and gets a good price for the sturdy, yet ugly creatures.
Ahriman is yet again called upon to dig holes but, annoyed and tired, puts his apprentices to do the task - which they have no particular problem with.