Nayleen's profession as she lives amongst humans on the surface is something of an opportunist. She has been a tavern owner (until her tavern mysteriously burned to the ground), a bodyguard, and maintains a license with The Slaver's Guild in the City of Llorkh, although her recent pregnancy has largely moved her out of active work. While she keeps a surface-elf lover, and raises a newborn, half-drow daughter whom she is perhaps more protective of then one might expect of the often callous Drowess ... but though she has been seen to be a relatively good neighbor, a useful business associate, and a relatively cunning warrior -- one should make no mistake: 

Nayleen is a drow female. And she takes that very seriously. 

When she was desperate to survive on the surface she has gone as far as to prostitute herself and her exotic beauty to the wealthy, resorted to petty armed robbery on highways, and even murdered inconvenient witnesses (including children and other non-combatants), sold people into slavery and once? Spent weeks living inside the lair of a defeated Medusa; she chained up petrified heroes and victims of the dead monster, and each day used her magic to reverse the petrification of a new victim, interrogated them for hidden wealth, slit their throat and appropriated their magical equipment for her own purposes:

Cut off from her people, with all her drow forged equipment rotted away by the light of the sun, where else save a perilous dragon's horde would a drow get her hands on such a cache of magical equipment in order to move up in the world?

Though she is a bad person when it's useful to be bad -- Nayleen is not particularly powerful or skilled when you compare her to other members of her race -- nor is she particularly influential in the grand scheme of things: The horrifying part to those who become aware of her wicked side without being the subject of it is that there is absolutely no limit to the depravities she is willing to commit when it suits her. There is no moral conscience, no heinous act she would not commit if it would gain her what she desired.. so long as she can get away with it cleanly and without undesirable consequences -- and it is ONLY the risk of death or loss that prevents her from attempting to dominate or murder everyone in sight. Though Nayleen is without scruples of any kind.. she is a thinker. And she knows that many of the things she desires (World Domination, a rain of non-drow blood from the sky, enslaving that bitch-ass noble who keeps taxing her and having a dog fuck him in the ass) are not socially acceptable. 

Thankfully for everyone world domination requires shrewder thinking and more talented physical prowess then she -- or most mortal creatures -- are capable of, and she like most people, monsters, and animals spends most of her time bogged down in taking care of her own basic needs (i.e.; food, water, the bills, social obligations, personal comforts).. and likewise Nayleen is a woman of expensive tastes. Pillows and the soft sighs of a lover or concubine next to her are things she desires in her own life that she is not willing to surrender easily. 
 

Notes on Nayleen and the Lolthite Faith:
One requirement of Nayleen's Lolth-granted divine powers -- both clergy, and those of blackguards -- being that a drow participates; at least casually -- in the taking of a sentient life once per month. The maintenance of this power can be as casual as being a member of a large congregation simply witnessing a blood-sacrifice in a ritual dedicated to the Spider Goddess.. participating in combat where at least one enemy (in battle or after accepting their surrender) is killed and speaking a prayer to The Goddess afterward -- or? In the case where one's blood-debt to the Goddess has lapsed due to negligence, lack of piety, or lack of available sacrifices (such as spending an extended time hiding from superior enemies, or spending a long time imprisoned) or while living among those who are not accepting of The Spider Goddess's doctrine: The individual must themselves perform a ritual murder - with all present being aware of what is happening - dedicated fully to The Spider Goddess, to re-declare themselves her servant. Although this can be done alone without witnesses, anyone who does witness it must be fully aware of the sacrificial nature of the kill. 

During Nayleen's time on the surface, her blood-debt has lapsed numerous times -- although she is still, quietly a follower of the Queen of Spiders -- the majority of her friends and allies and those she keeps close to her, including the father of her half-drow/half-elf daughter -- are only vaguely aware of her faith, and are not fully aware of the obligation of her often absent clerical magic. If they were, she would likely be hanged or burned at the stake.

Nayleen does not often discuss religion with non-drow, and always acts disinterested in the cult of Elistraee, or any surface god -- she is, often, quite hostile to any person who speaks the name of her Goddess without appropriate reverence or intention. It is well known to Nayleen that Demons (including Lolth, The Demon Queen of Spiders) can see and hear those who dare to speak their names.. and Nayleen has no interest in being observed by her Goddess while being friendly with, or taking lovers outside her race. 

She has threatened those whom casually utter Lolth's name ("..Do not ever say that name again.") -- and quickly, but quietly murdered even intimate lovers whom dared to do it a second time, fearing the utterance might inconveniently bring Lolth's gaze upon her while she lay naked in their arms.. Lolth is a goddess of secrets and intrigue; fucking an elf in secret isn't a crime.. unless another Lolthite finds out, and uses it to humiliate you.. but when Lolth is watching? You had best be certain you do something note-worthy while under her gaze.

Note on Nayleen's Powers and Abilities:

• As a drow noble, Nayleen has the ability to use: 'Faerie Fire' to highlight invisible or hidden enemies, magically levitate, producing a weightlessness for herself and up to 50 pounds of equipment and can summon a globe of magical darkness that cannot be pierced or seen through except by magic. All drow also possess a strong resistance to hostile magical effects both arcane and divine; roughly half the magical spells of an enemy will fail against her.

• These powers are only available if Nayleen is in Lolth's Favor. Often, she is not: As a Cleric and Blackguard, Nayleen has the ability to cast minor healing and harmful magic and if given access to expensive material components and enough time, can animate the dead as necromantic zombies. She may only control a few zombies at one time and additional zombies will become unintelligent but maliciously free-willed zombies that will typically attack anyone they encounter. 

• Nayleen has minor experience with arcane magic, and can cast: an invisibility spell, as well as protect herself against mind-influencing effects and detect magic -- but these are the extent of her arcane powers.

• Given her detachment from Lolth, and her faith, as well as her small size and frame, Nayleen primarily relies upon: surprise attacks and often manipulates her allies and enemies into doing her dirty work. Whenever possible she will procure and use poisons to supplement surprise attacks, often wearing light armor common amongst drow skirmishers, but wield weapons that deal maximum damage -- such as bastard swords and other two-handed weapons -- so as to forgo the use of shields. Extended fights typically work against her interests as she is often on the wrong side of the law.

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