Vale of Shadows Part 6

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt glanced at the door, "The wards are... interesting. Not impassable, but doable. Although the fastest way through them is to simply blow the door off its hinges... and see what happens. If you don't mind risking another fight. Our ranger friend there seems fairly eager." He nodded in Zek's direction.

[Zekafae]

Zek was not in the mood for redundancies. The wound he sustained only infuriated him, which he in turn used to fuel himself. A small trick he learned a long time ago as an assassin. Egging one on only made him all the more lethal. He moved to where the other the spear that stabbed him in hand, and a murdrous look on his face he looked at the dieing one for a moment before lifting the spear up and slammed it down at the man with more malicious intentions than what a single man should be allowed. His eyes looked to the others." Let's find a way out of here, check all the walls behind everything. We'll tear the place apart to find means to move on. As for a fight, bring them to me, I'm just getting warmed up." His sister meanwhile worked from the safe distance a small bit of magic to tend to her brother's wounds. She played her small part and she knew how things were progressing, this unforeseen occurrence was not planned.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Zarstra crawled over to Inrii worried for her. it wasnt often she saw the sorceress in such conditions. "[i:21qcr8q1][color=red:21qcr8q1]you look horrible.[/color:21qcr8q1][/i:21qcr8q1]" she said to her. the drowess smiled and let the emerald lizard crawl into the pouch.

from her spot she examined the door. it shouldnt been to hard to do. but she thought it might have a secret trigger. reaching into her pouch her hand felt for the velvet material. but would it work? after all she had done, even the attack on Alya, would the mask keep its properties if he had abandoned her? she hadnt totally forsaken the Masked Lord, but she wasnt such a good follower either. and the internal struggle in her continued to tear at her. she pulled it out and just stared at again.
'how bout some good luck this time,' she said to the mask, tho not really speaking to anyone. whether he answered or not, she didnt know, but an idea came to her.
she looked over to see Zek finish off the guard. attempting to pick herself up off the floor, "this here will be part of the key. dispell it with this or we could set off something else. we Jaelre employ such tricks back in Minauthkeep."
the idea of letting another use her mask created odd feelings in her. but she had no access to her spells at the moment. and she wasnt sure her house ring would cooperate here at this place.

((assuming the others have gathered over here and are quietly following along, one in fury and anger; one other in meditation? the other on aurora. and if the ranger wants to help his girl...lol))

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt shook his head, "I can't use divine media to channel arcane magics." He smiled, "Part of my magical power comes from denying the gods. I could disspell those wards with ease, but divine magics are out of my reach, no matter how much I strain."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

finally, tho weakly, on her feet again, "divine? ha! i'd be the last one channeling that at the moment," she replied.
she made her way to the door, an arm resting on the wall beside. she looked to her travel companions, then to the door. sighing, she quickly tied the half mask over her face. she didnt look back, just went to doing the next part. activating the ring for the correct evocation, she channeled the dispell at the door. the ward grew bright for a moment, almost as if she had been wrong, before going dull. she waited a few moments for a secondary trigger, even holding a hand up to silence any movement (be it feet or lips). the seconds passed and when nothing happened, she visibly relaxed a bit.
her hand reached up to spot of the door and felt for the release to open it.

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt smiled, "Thats not a mask of the Masked Lord is it? Your House is either very powerful, or very foolish... In any case a neat trick, puts most wizards off your path."Zazzt nodded, and walked into the door.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

((lol...u asked that last time we were at a portal.. almost a yr ago now that i think about it. wow i been on this site almost a year?))

the sorceress smirked to the comment. her house was both. but these folks who had left were a small group of disgruntled drow.

(these aint of jaelre necessarily, just a loose band of folks that was ran by alya and her sorta consort; they had left to attack a lolthite group and alya was left to deal with the protagonist- us)

she stood at the now opened secret door allowing the others to enter before her, eyes watching the (what she believes) traitorous fey'ri. the room was small and tight for the red who'd have to duck. even the paladin's head would be close to the ceiling.
"careful what you touch. Alya was no idiot with these things. it is likely trapped also," she gave a quick warning.

[quote:dbe4lwpl]the room was dark with an unnatural darkness. a small portal, similar to the one in the cave back in Cormanthor, stood there. three silver alloyed poles stood evenly spaced. the control panel with a few keys was off on the side. it was powered down at the moment, but wouldnt be too hard to get it running, if one knew the key.[/quote:dbe4lwpl]

[veraka]

Veraka looked to Inrii, then Zazzt, then Inrii again as she opened the door; "well, at the very least, I don't need to worry about bashing my glove in now."

Veraka went in first, followed by Neriah, with Aurora trailing them both. The aasimar had to duck and in a crouching walk, move through the place.
"So, what now?"

[Zekafae]

Watching he folded his arms over his chest silently watching for sometime. When the door was opened finally he moved into the room with the others and looked around and shook his head." Whole thing could be a trap... Like look at some of the objects, how they're almost on a hair trigger. Look nice but move it and it could not go well."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

((assuming everyone who is following is in, including the three quiet folks))

a quick search over the panel reveal just a small but effective trap. quickly disarming it she tucked the poison dart into her pouch to join the other trap pieces from the tunnels and guild.
one hand touching the fabric of the mask, another turning a key mechanism, a dull humming wound was heard. she waited a second when the room was suddenly filled with a lavender light. a wavy oval appeared in the midst of the poles. a place familiar to Inrii- an ancient looking fort in the midst of of forest; the crumbling buildings, covered in vines, looked abandoned at first. but keen eyes would notice otherwise. there was a look of surprise that the mask hid rather well; she was not going back!
focusing on the panel, she pulled out her map. looking up the geological marker and the indicating point of references. she looked to the others then pressed the first number of the sequence. pausing a second as she held her breath, she continued. the last of the code entered, she stepped back and waited.
the imaged seam to simmer and wave like ripples on the water, then the image shifted again. a dark (black hole look) was there. Inrii looked to the panel again and her sequence and everything was correct. it was not gunna show the other end to them at the moment. a neat trick they had used to discourage people from this. but [i:13okig6p]something [/i:13okig6p]told her to trust her instincts, to use the portal anyway.
"well, it should be programed to the nearby town."
she left the rest unsaid, no clear it was on everyone else's minds also.
--

[img:13okig6p]http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o125 ... sea1-1.jpg[/img:13okig6p]

red dot is our present location. orange dot was the town we left a while ago (some of did anyway.) the green line thru cormanthor was the path we took (some us). the blue dot will be our next point with that connecting green line showing the portal's path of taking us.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

the smell of woods: moist dirt, cool frosty air, fresh greenery suddenly filled the small room, yet the portal looked the same, a large darkness waiting for the first person to step thru.
--
(on the other side of the portal)
magical energies gathered in the near dawn. several of the 'hunters' were stationed in the tree tops. the moon was full and almost set for the waking sun. a sharp short whistle went out. three of the dark figures neared the spot. drawing an arrow and loading it they prepared to unload their bows at a possible enemy.
meanwhile a mental message was sent to her. and she made her way to the glowing spot in the path.

((hoping yall aint grown bored))

[color=violet:dvsbsxm6]edit: yall need to go thru before me so the portal dont close up on yall, since inrii has the key to operating it.[/color:dvsbsxm6]

[Zekafae]

Watching the scene silently he followed her lead. He was ready for any attack or bombardment of whatever. Yet his posture relaxed only if slightly.

[veraka]

Veraka decided that he'd had enough of the bullshit, and proceeded through the portal, followed closely by Neriah, Aurora, still carrying Elliath, followed the two through, though she kept her distance.

The aasimar didn't know what to expect, so he kept his shield ready and his hand on Marala Vharc.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

((i was hoping others would post by now. assume everyone enters before Inrii but u can comment of a few things while in the room.))

as everyone entered it closed after Inrii was thru. the group found themself in a forest, dark but nearing dawn. the sound of creaking bows was heard. string drawn back and arrows aimed at the group. Inrii quickly pulled the mask off and tucked it away.
from the darkness and mist of the Border Forest she stepped closer to them, a hand up indicating those in the tree to hold until a signal was given. there was a light sorta surrounding her, yet not any light of nature, more of a divine sort, a silvery aura and an unearthly beauty much like Lady Silverhair she served. clad in only a belt-scabbard (sword obviously sheathed) and a silver chain with a palm size pendent of a sword, the drowess walking twords the group was tall, even taller than Inrii (who is tall for a drow); her demoner was calm and neutral to the group. but the aura of a few of them caused her to narrow her emerald eyes (im guessing the red, and assassin evil. I think the warlock, aasimir, and wolf is good; ranger, wizard, feyri, and sorceress is neutral.[/size:2uv4zi79])
she kept a hand up, ready to give a signal, as she neared to them, "I come in peace as long as there is no trouble," she replied in drow then repeated it in common. she could see the injuries, the weariness of them. they had been thru some battle or major fight. "those in need are can be taken care of. but I must ask how yall have come into this forest and why are you here?"
Inrii stepped up from the back to speak up; she didnt want her plans revealed to them. those in the tree maintaining their stance. Inrii's eye quickly counting the number of who she could see and their positions. the priestess stopped within 7 feet of them. she knew the dress of the young drowess who was now speaking for them and was not too keen on that, likely associated with those her group had difficulties with. the priestess hid her confusion quite well at the mixed bunch before. why were they all traveling together.
"a portal from the mountains. we are here by accident. we are in need of rest," the sorceress replied crossing her arms in a stance of neutrality.
it was clear the next question from the priestess was why were they all together.
((if someone wants to speak up.))

[Grahl]

(Sorry for my absence dears.)

Actually, the doorway, if not too short for a Drow, was neither too short for the pair of Redspawn. Related to red dragons as they are, they're barely much taller, just a lot more scaly and likely wider, sturdier shoulders. Still an easy fit through. Nixue and Naien both hesitate before going through that first doorway, Naien shielding her son from view, by standing over him, and between the others' line of sight, while from the bodies Veraka pummeled into oblivion, he collects some meat, and any light valuables they might be wearing. The former, with the way they both tend to cook, one couldn't likely tell what the meat came from, and the latter, Naien would likely later spend some time trying to divine magical properties, or at least appraising them for hoarding value.

After they've gone through said doorway though, there's a moment of hesitation about going through, until Veraka does, that is. They're his prisoners, in a sense, anyway. Once through, they both almost grow excited by the sight of so much wood, a look anyone watching them would not likely miss, and any knowing red dragons well, might know it too for what it is, the urge to burn it all down. Remembering well her vow though, Naien is the first to dismiss the notion, then glares at Nixue, until he notes the disapproval, and lets go the notion with a sigh... soon enough a smile returns to him though, but this is one of simple joy, that none but these two know.
[color=darkred:2s856d0d][i:2s856d0d]
~~~Those words whispered to him that saved his life: I'm not ready to lose you, my Nixue. How am I to clutch if I lose my mate now?~~~[/i:2s856d0d]
[/color:2s856d0d]
Her mate? Nothing she could ask him to do, or not do, against their ways, or not, could bother him then, there was more to live for than Tiamat's pleasure. At that moment, though perhaps very subtle, that very change of heart, might give Veraka some pause, to 'see' the evil in the usually zealous Redspawn, begin to fade... to lighten even.