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Before long you stand in front of a black hole in the wall. As your eyes adjust you can see that
it is in fact a staircase, carved from the stones, leading down. “After you,” the girl
says as she motions to the steps. You set foot on them and start your descend. The space is
cramped and the air becomes noticeably colder as you spiral down. Though it is hard to keep track
you think you’ve gone fully round almost twice when you reach the bottom.
Balls set in the ceiling, glowing in a soft bluish light, light the room before you, giving it a strange and otherworldly appearance. Flanking the opening in the rock you emerge from stand two male guards, one drow and one half-elven. Past them you see rows upon rows of racks filled with crates and boxes. The walls are lined with cabinets and chests, and the occasional stack of more crates. A lot of them are open, giving a glimpse at their contents though it is often hard to make out exact items. At times you think to recognize a weapon or piece of armor, but more often than not the item can in no way fit either of those categories. Your guide brushes past you and precedes you between the shelves. “Come,” she invites you with a smile, “this way.” You follow her with amazement, wondering at the black spikes, pieces of wire or chain, and the intricately carved figurines you notice in your passing. “This is,” the girl begins, trying to explain, “well, this is where we store things. Just about anything really. Anything that isn’t stored anywhere else.” She smiles at you expectantly, hoping for a reply for her little joke. But when none seems forthcoming she shrugs and continues. “They whisper that somewhere in here is stored that arrow with which Eilistraee shot her father… accidentally that is. But I don’t belief it. Though no doubt some marvelous things can be found here. Ah, this is the chest I was looking for.”
She stops before an ordinary looking chest, standing on the ground under the bottom shelf of the
framework to your left. Apart from a little “G2DF8” painted on it in small, white
letters it seems to you exactly the same as any other of the chests you’ve seen. Yet
grabbing it by one of the handles the girls starts pulling on it, groaning as she apparently tries
to pull it in the pathway and having little success at it. When you realize this you bend down to
help and, as she cast a thankful smile your way, together you pull it out. Producing a key from a
necklace around her neck she opens it and shows you’re the contents. “Well,”
she says as she stands there with a grin, “this is the surprise I promised. As a gift to
you from us you may take anything from the chest you want.”
With the presents carefully stored away you climb back up the stairs, wishing you could have spend some more time exploring some of the wonders that this room must undoubtedly hold. “That’s the part I like best,” you hear the girl say behind you, “when we can make people happy by giving them presents, things they want. I hope you’re happy with the things we could give you.” Before you have time to answer you reach the end op the stairs, emerging once again in the hallway. “Well, that’s it,” she tells you, “end of the tour. We can go back to the party and mingle with the others, or I could show you the way out if you wish to leave. Whatever you want.” It is clear from her voice that she’s hoping for the first, but you also know that she’ll accept whatever decision you make.
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