The Vale of Shadow

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt opened his eyes, and stood up. Perhaps tis not yet time to relax and look at the sun rise, he thought, and waved his hand at the cabin. Suddenly flames from the wards sprang up again, but this time, they left the cabin, and flew towards Zazzt. When they touched him, the magic of the spell went dormant again. Zazzt walked into the cabin, and found Inrii already awake, and went down to the basement to search for her, "I see thou has not been idle with thy morning," He called out to her.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Inrii heard the movment twords the stairs and own into the room with her.
"Reverie doesnt take long. But these painting and this altar...there's something about them, cant quite figure it out. But your up and I reckon ready to get moving. We can make it to the ruins, tho these woods are gunna be more a swamp now. I just hope when we get to the village, he's there and can point us in the right direction. I would like to get a mount there too, cut journeying in half."
She wondered if she should take the paintings. they may sell for a hefty price if nothing else.

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt nodded, "A sound decision, however, if our terrain is difficult, would it not be easier to simply fly to that city. A straight route between the two is easier than trudjing through swampland." He didn't even the amassed treasure a glance.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

"and you have a flying mount? I can levitate, but not fly yet."
She decided to take the paintings. Her curosity was too much.
she carefully pulled them down and rolled them up. She wrapped them in a spare cloth and put them in her bag. She pulled out her wineskin(?) and took a sip and replaced it in her bag.

Pulling her pack back on, "alright, lets go. Zarstra and me are ready."

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

"Erm, well if you really rather a mount, I could conjure one... However I was suggesting I cast a spell of flight on us, and we could fly on our own." He raised his hands, "The spell of flight would be easier for me to cast, however." There might have been a hint of disdain in his voice as Inrii looted the building, but it was hard to discern.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

"you have two prepared? ok. works for me. Just remember, Cormanthor is watched by numerous groups. Look for the ruined wreckage of old walls and battlements twords the edge of this wood and near a swift forest stream, dark and wide."

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

"Aye, I have two such spells." His fingers twitched, and a light surrounded him and Inrii, a light that shrank to form a pair of wings. With a wave of his hand, Zazzt leapt into the air, and was soon hovering above the cabin.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Inrii took a few seconds to adjust to the 'wings'.
It was still early just after sunrise. The woods looked more like a swamp. The air was cooler than yesterday. everyday closer to the start of winter. With the sun behind them they headed off twords the ruins.

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt seemedto thoroughly enjoy flying, at one point he even flipped onto his back, and folding his hands behind his head, it seemed he was simply lying on the grass, looking up at the stars instead of a hundred feet above the ground, "You aren't cold, are you?" His voice whispered in her head, "It can get quite chilly up here, especially with winter coming on."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Inrii enjoyed the flight. Unfotunatly, it didnt come 'natural' to her, not yet anyway. But she was still young, a child in the eyes of the drow. And she had a recently learned a secret of her linage.
The wind blue thru her hair as the sun reflected in a sliver glowing light. She saw Zazzt relaxed. She thought about it, but someone needed to be watching. She knew these woods to well; what lay beneth the dark canopy.
"cold? yeah right. I grew up here. Scouts and spies are trained to endure the cold. Those dips in ice ponds can do alot to build up immunity."
She didnt mention she also had a newly acquired ring that added to that endurance.
Time flew by as did the distance to their first stop. They flew overhead of the ones they might have stopped at for rest. The ruins looked different to her- occupied. She paused in her flight and scanned the area. This had been an old outpost for the main fort her House now dwelt. She knew it had become overgrown, but never looking like a grove. Eerie music and song could be heard from below.

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt barely noticed that Inrii had stopped, and had to fly back to her, "Is that song I heard?" his fingers flashed at her, "I believed these ruins abandoned."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

She quickly signed back, [i:10fg0oy0]it should be. there was nothing there. just a outpost for Minthkeep. I reckon it was good we stayed back at the cabin.[/i:10fg0oy0]
Inrii cast invisibility and lowered herself to check it out. The music changed in tone and tempo, becoming more darkly. It started to pull her but couldnt penetrate past her barrier, black sapphire amulet beneth her spidersilk shirt.

In the made shift grove stood a beautiful, scantly clothed elven looking female. Her dress was like a sheer vail covering the her more delicate parts. Her wavy olive-green hair hung long in lusterous waves. Her voice was beautiful and luring. In her hand she held a gem. the voice became more penetrating, weaving into a spell, drawing the male to her.
No male could resist her beauty or song.

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt felt the musical compulsion, and was almost ensnared by it, almost. His monk training, coupled with his centuries as a mage were enough to shake off the compulsion. But nevertheless, he paused, and looked around, as If he just barely heard something, and began slowly drifting down to where the sound came from. He landed on the ground, and looking around didn't see anyone. "Hello, maiden fair, thy song is beautiful," He called out, "I imagine that anyone who can sing such must be beautiful beyond words." But his fingers flashed behind his back, "Hold back Inrii, powerful enchantment, I may need thee yet."

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Inrii already guessed that the elven looking being was using music as a lure. It had started to take Zazzt but he overcame the compulsion. She cast telepatic communication so Zazzt could talk to her after he landed, he just needed to accept the spell. Then Inrii cast a globe of invulnerability over herself and drew Dancing Shiv, her special dagger and waited still invisible.

She was confused as the male landed in her 'garden', not affected by the spell. She had 'finished' up with her last mate and had been searching for the newest victim. After mating, he would become another one of her beautiful trees. She looked at the largest, her first and favorite mate, and sighed, 'if only they were like you love.' On the tree was a face-like structure that almost seamed alive and moving. the male was alive, as much as a tree can be considered alive.
walking twords an opening in the dilapidated building she spotted the male. 'A drow? how unusual and delightful.'
Stepping out of the shadow of the doorway a most beautiful woman spoke softly and seductively posed, "welcome, drow male, to my grove."

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Zazzt bowed, "Ah, this is your place then? A splendid home for a most... unusual lady," He bowed, and rechecked his wards, making sure she hadn't tampered with them, more for her safety than his own, "So, should I be concerned as to the reason you cast that compulsion, instead of just asking? I assure thee, thy looks are enough to get a man to pause his journey." He mentally sent a message to Inrii, "She is possibly a dryad, or a nymph, do try hard to keep me from doing anything stupid, like burning down the forest. The methods I leave up to thee."