Adventure #67 - To reach the other side (the Bonds...continuation)

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

"Saved by the Shadow spawn eh?"

with clearly forced calm
 
"I guess now is not the time to rip those answers, not given willing, from the esvery sence of your beings. The holy inquisition will deal with all 3 of you. Be it actual crimes done or withholding informations regarding shadow spawn from the inquisition. Haelyns justice shall be served though now it seems I have other matters to attend. Divided you made us by disclosing these matters this grave hour and not even having the guts to spill it all out"

"And you Tristan in particular, you disapoint me sorely for I had held great trust and hope in you, and thus it was I helped you learning about the shadow. That I now understand was a mistake but believe a mistake I will not repeat"


calming further as the words gets spoken out loud as if putting things aside, possible for later? Who can know?

"Lachlan make sure we dont leave any of Elamien, His Grace or Tristan behind our unprotected back for such it is now. We can not know if they are enemies of the light or just of the IHH. Or merely the biggest fools I have ever set my eyes upon and wasted valuable time in the most grave hour where the resolve of the brave will be tested"

[DM B]

The Khinasi steward smiles broadly as he holds the door open for you. Within is a great banquet hall, filled with long tables where guests sit in their finery, partaking in the bounty of the table. There are dancers and music and other entertainment as well. There must be at least a hundred people inside. At the head of the table, near the end of the hall sits your host - the great Duke Manethander - surrounded by his court. He's every bit of what you could expect from such a renowned noble.

Seeing you enter he rises from his seat, showing your far more courtesy than you deserve:

"Ah, you have finally arrived. I had expected there to rather more of you, but as I have always said - it is not the amount of blood you drink that is important, but the quality of it." Spotting the Sidhe: "I had hoped you would appreciate the trouble I've gone through to separate the weak from the strong...and yet you bring a bloodless sidhe to my halls?" Turning to Balter: "And you are perhaps strong in blood, but you looks are not up to standards." General laughter around the table. You see a lot of fangs. "And the Sword Mage, where is she? Did she die or did she grow afraid?" Pause. "Never mind. Welcome you are anyway. After all, you ARE the main course..."

The hall explodes with laughter and barred fangs. Need I say that you feel a little...exposed?

[DM B]

(now would be a good time to describe some reactions etc. - keep in mind that a hundred vampires are not really fightable or flightable for that matter)

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

Tristan shrugs, smiling.  "We've done our best with Lady Marya, but I'm afraid she's still not fit to bring into polite company.  When becoming a Cuiraceanite is a step up in your table manners, after all, you know you have a long way to go.  We do appreciate you finding her some other children to play with while the adults converse."

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

Rashid scowls at Wallac when the steward appears. He mutters while they go with him, into the big hall ahead.

"Listen to me now. This is exactly what happened before, he will bring us in, gloat with glee and then try to make us feel defeated. None of this matters. Find the pieces that do not fit, break free."

As they enter and Rashid sees the massed vampires he grits his teeth and as Manethander speaks, he scans the faces of the people there, looking for faces he recognizes, faces from court, from paintings, for similarities, are they all unique or a glamour - Perhaps people long dead, style of dress?

Then, when Manethander mentions that he expected the SM, but did not know she hadn't entered the tomb, the Patriarch feels the first rush of hope. To himself he whispers, almost inaudible; "He is not omnipotent, with all these servants, he still does not have eyes outside the tomb. Are they real then, or merely another figment invested with some power, to keep us in thrall instead of acting?" He muses.

Rashid lets Tristan speak and stall for time, his eyes row the room again, looking for anything that might represent the Book of Law.

The Patriarch knows that this dreamworld can be altered, his reasoning mind is searching for evidence that the world is not skewed in favor of Manethander. For one, Rashid has never spoken of this evil by title. This creature is not a Duke of the Empire.

[DM B]

Always they try of reason these humans...when in the Shadow World there is none...

[X-LPA/Gaerred Khaiarén (Gray)]

"By Avani..." Gaerred says quietly looking throughout the room with an aghast scowl, which slowly dissolves to his normally calm demeanor.

"Your Grace," he says to the Grey Duke.

"May I ask a question?  The Book of Laws means nothing to you - it was simply a way to bring us to you, no?"

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

"At least it seems Your Grace is not a spawn of our great enemy though foolish it was the way you tried to alert us to the peculiar fact we eh discoused earlier. I will heed the words you just spoke"

[Spoken to Rashid and I assume the Divine Wrath, Major and Divine Aura, Major just activated right before we where "invited" into the hall of Mathander still works.]

In his mind Wallac repeat this mantra while he set his will to penetrate the shadows and locate the holy book of his Lord: "I am Wallac Isilviere, High Prefect for the Impregnable Heart of Haelyn, Pontiff for the Conclave of Temples but before anything else I am the servant of Haelyn and I can feel the presence of the All father within the essence of my soul. His book has been lost and must be found again. The Book of Law, most blessed relic of my Lord, and I must find it, for here is not its place to rest.”

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

Tristan suddenly jerks aside, turning to face the doors that the heroes had entered, seizing at his sword hilt.  Even as the others start to react, he swears darkly, releasing the sword undrawn.

As the others turn, they see the steward that had opened the doors, now grasping weakly at his throat while his blood drains away through the gaping slash in it.  The tips of fangs show past his lips as he collapses to the ground.  Bellamie turns back to them, looking around furiously.  "Illusions, shadows and nothing else!  Patriarch, this is not the place where we must be!"

The hysterical laughter of the assembled guests echoes mockingly through the empty, barren hall, filled with nothing but cobwebs and mist.

[DM B]

Old he may be, but Marshal Edwin Balter steels himself - he will not go down silently. If he can slay but one of these fiends he will be content.

[DM B]

...and then his enemies turn to nothing. Same with the Pontiff of All Anuire - he is positively radiating divine wrath and is poised to snap at any moment.

...the wind: "Fools. I have not your book..."

[X-Points East]

IC:

Elamien walks to the doorway, through which she and her companions entred the banquet hall.

[DM B]

The corridor is empty - as it was before. You continue.

Soon you stand before a large circular portal, barred by a mighty bronze disk some fifteen feet across. Three broad stone steps lead up to it, columns flank it, ornamentation is heavy, and great braziers light up the area.

From out of the shadow a giant shape steps; literally giant shape. It is an anachronism, one of Cerilia's near-extinct species of giant. This particular fellow stands taller than the bronze disk. He seems quite...real somehow.

"None shall pass!"

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

Rashid holds up a hand, to request the others stop.

"Greetings Guardian."

"I am Rashid ibn Daouta, Patriarch of Elinie. What lies beyond this door?"

Rashid is trying to discern if this guardian might be someone ancient indeed, perhaps even an agent placed here by his forefather, Daouta ibn Hammoud.

Rashid draws the Sunsword slowly. Holding it up before him, not to strike but presenting it for the Guardian to see. He then ignites it, letting the flame play along its length. "This is the sword of my forefather, Daouta ibn Hammoud. Have you seen this before?"

"The wards are weakening. That which you guard is breaking free of his bonds. I have to strengthen the wards once more or to destroy that which is held."

"Did my forefather not prepare for this day?"

[DM B]

"The way is shut" he booms, his voice echoing down the hall..."it was closed long ago to mortal man. None shall pass."