Fantasy Setting Summer Dawn

[Flutterby]

Ora bent over the map, focusing on one edge. She pointed vaguely. "That's the area the bard mentioned, south of the city, and everything else is east of that. This area here," She indicated a small area, in one corner of the map, "is just off of the Citadel, if I remember right. But I.. I have no idea how far they go, what kind of map-maker doesn't include a scale?" She gave an annoyed shake of her head, and was about the sit back down when one of the children burst in.

Her face actually paled. The Dwerstand armory emptied, all the soldiers in the city sent as well.. the army attacking Cyndara just wouldn't stop growing.
Ora stood and hurried the child out of the room, telling them quietly to tell Eldrich she thought they should pack quickly.
She hesitated by the door, as the others began to brainstorm about the bell. One hand on her pendant, tail flicking back and forth. It was that feeling again, of having missed an important connection. Like knowing you were running out of moves in a game of chess.
It was Azaria that broke the spell.
"Not dumb enough, Azaria, arrogant enough." Ora came back to the table, glancing between Azaria and Crispin.
"The Bell couldn't have left the temple without leaving some trace, and there were none. And if the Bell didn't leave, it has to still be there, even if we cant see it. It feels like its just arrogant enough for Lassard, to show us new magic and assume we wouldn't live to see it again when he used it here."
Ora didn't even notice Lohr, repositioning the map and going even paler.
"The Bell is still there, it has to be. We just have to break the illusion."

 

[LazyDaze]

Iolas could not help but remain abnormally still when Meera woke from her peaceful slumber, in part, due to his disbelief. She frantically appeared to be everywhere, yet nowhere at the same time. On occasion she passed right by him. When she left, Iolas stood their dumbfounded and could only shake his head with a low chuckle. "...Ah, the role did not suit me in any case. I should be thankful." Iolas followed her downstairs shortly, realizing he was the last one to arrive. He overheard some of the conversations going on when his ears perked up at Ora's revelation. It was at this point he cut in.

"I dare say it is a combination of both." Iolas said rather musingly as he stood next to Ora with his usual smile. He then turned to everyone else realizing once again that he was the last one present. "Good day everyone. You all look well rested...some of us," he said cheerfully although he probably should have started with that. If he was surprised, or bothered by the situation, he didn't show it.

SilverFlight Flutterby

 

[SilverFlight]

Crispin started. Azaria's flippant comment was actually not an impossible suggestion. Ora completed the piece and Crispin beamed at her with a look of pure endearment.
"I bet those snotty high elves would be arrogant enough for a ploy like that--no offense." He put a placating hand out towards Iolas.

Dresrick, however was concentrated on Lohr. His brow knit and he squeezed the drow's shoulder.
"You recognize something." He guessed. "On the map?"

Pyrrhus meanwhile was unusually quiet.
"Dispelling the magic eh? Well, I'm not sure it would work on light magic, but there is a spell I can cast that removes minor enchantments...do you think it's worth a try?"

"Right now if we can." Crispin told him. "We're running out if time if we want to beat Evereach into those caves."

"The dwarven leadership of Dwerstand should be brought into this. If we're right, they need to know straight away." Desrick added. "Preferably without Evereach finding out."

Zazz Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire Lioness075 Baconhands

 

[Zazz]

Lohrithe was paying little attention to the others, focused on the map. The eastern tunnels were far too familiar for comfort. "Yes..." he said slowly, his brow knit. He looked as though he was going to be sick. Carefully, the drow took the map and set it on the table at an angle. He touched three points on the map. "These tunnels have been blocked off. At least, they were. This," he said, following a winding path with his finger to the end of the map, "Is Velkyn Har'ol. My home."

 

[Goonfire]

Crow paled a bit as news of a third mobilizing army reached him. He paced back and forth furiously; surely there was something he had missed, but he wasn’t sure what. Then it hit him, his head jolting as though the thought had literally clubbed him from behind. “That’s it!” he gasped with a snap of his fingers directed at Azaria.

“The one thing we failed to do in the temple was simply reach out and feel around for the bell. It all makes sense now; the bell... never moved. There was no... shrinkage, or... teleportation, merely the simplest of ruses. Now if Dwerstand thought it was gone, they would likely not bother to detect or break an illusion. Gods, it all makes sense.” The inquisitor was passionate about testing this theory; he was fully invested in it and itching to investigate. “Now with the Dwerstand soldiers mobilizing, we might meet more interference on the streets, but possibly less at the temple itself. We need to tread carefully if we wish to get Pyrrhus into position to cast his spell. Then, the rest of our plans follow—phase two: dissuading Dwerstand, and phase three: thwarting Evereach.”

Glancing at the map, Crow thought for a moment: “Oh, and Lohr, do you think causing a cave-in would be too risky a move for your people?” His voice was a little softer; since demolition was not his forte, he was far from qualified to speak of destroying tunnels.

SilverFlight LazyDaze Zazz Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Ora watched the conversation bounce back and forth among the group. Her skin was crawling uncomfortably.
They were down to only marks before it was too late, and it felt like her fault. She had been dancing around this conclusion, too distracted and flustered to land it, for how long? There had been a seed of it since the day after the ball, she knew that. It should have fallen into place as soon as they got here and found no evidence of the Bell moving.
Her tail curled at the end, frustration rolling off her in waves.

She brought herself out of it to make a quick, decisive comment to Crow.
"A cave-in at any point could be too risky for any number of peoples- we don't have the time or resources to find out what sits atop those tunnels, or how they would come down." Her tone was hard- Ora thought there was no room for argument on that particular idea.

She looked at Desrick briefly.
"We need to try to remove the enchantment immediately. But getting to Dwerstand leadership will be almost impossible. They aren't letting anyone through the gates, the only way in is likely through the aqueducts. I'm inclined to say it would be faster to show the public and let the outcry reach the castle." She paused, as a thought occurred. "But that would be assuming that Evereach won't force their support anyway. Now that they're inside the Citadel, using force is that much easier."

 

[Zazz]

Lohrithe nodded at Ora's answer to Crow's question about a cave-in. "I know the family that resides above those tunnels. A cave-in would not end well. The Elguthen have a history of being very... stubborn, especially about the blocked tunnel. They are the first to warn wandering children of the terrible creatures beyond the rock wall." The drow shook his head, recalling the stories they had been told as younglings about the strong, greedy beasts that ate children and men who disturbed them. "I suppose the creatures were the dwarves of Dwerstand, all along."

Meanwhile, Azaria was simply listening to each conversation. Dwerstand needed to be freed from Everreach's grasp. They had to unveil the bell, assuming their theory was in fact correct. "We need to get Pyrrhus to the bell, assuming it is indeed there. Perhaps Crow can wear one of his elven lady disguises and escort him there." She brought forth from her pockets two low-glowing gemstones and tossed them to the inquisitor. "These should help, just in case. Lose them and I'll kill you."

Next, she turned her gaze to Ora and Lassard. "Iolas should take the citadel. Sorry, but you blend in better," she pointed out, tapping her tattoo. "Ora can steer him in the right direction."

She rubbed her temples. They were out of time. "We need to get this done now. But there is one problem... What is stopping Everreach from tolling the bell? We need the dwarves to guard it. Is there anyone you would trust?" He question was aimed at Ora.

"Two problems," Lohrithe corrected. What of the orcs?"

 

[Baconhands]

Meera listened as the rest of party began planning their next move. Her muscles still ached from her previous exertions, and she was almost certain that she had little to contribute, so she took a step back and found a seat. She was certain she'd been promised breakfast at one point or another, but her stomach was content for her to listen in as ideas were bandied about by her companions. A smile tugged at her lips - the map she had acquired seemed to be integral to their plans; maybe she could help them out again? Avoiding the tunnels would be nice, she thought. Or... by the sounds of things these tunnels can take me home.
She eyed everyone around her: everyone seemed to have a part to play in the upcoming conflict; Meera was intrigued as to how she was going to fit into their plans. Being a spy had been exciting, albeit-
"I was seen in the tunnels," she said quietly, most of the energy sapped from her voice. "They saw me take the map. There were orcs down there; they were encamped near to the entrance - the first chamber that I came across. And there was a tent with something in it; seemed to be absorbing the light around it."
Flutterby LazyDaze SilverFlight Zazz Goonfire Lioness075

 

[Flutterby]

Ora frowned. She didn't want to set foot in the Citadel, and doing so would endanger the whole mission- she wasn't allowed within sight of it, really. The dwarves wouldn't hesitated to arrest her on sight, let alone the elves. But her stomach flipped even more at the thought of Iolas going alone, so she swallowed the rising panic and tried to come to terms with the idea.
She looked over at Azaria, and seemed at a loss for a moment.
"If Evereach tolls the bell, I'm fairly sure the Dragon could collapse the tunnels and cut off their path anyway. Their army would have no where to go.. I truly hope they wouldn't be that stupid... I know a single soul in the Dwerstand army, and trust is a strong word for our relationship.. but I could try."

Her eyes moved to Lohr for a moment, and she decided to throw out a wild suggestion.
"We need to move the orcs out of the tunnels. What if we drew them to the cavern, and had them guard the Bell?" She looked at Desrick.
"Even if we can't sway them completely, it would be a matter of self-preservation to keep Evereach from tolling the Bell. Do you think its possible?"

 

[SilverFlight]

Desrick, for the first time in a while let astonishment appear on his gruff features.
"So they do lead into Cyndara then...if the armies come up through those tunnels undetected your people will be in no position to defend themselves."
His hand found the drow's shoulder again.
"I swear to you I will not let that happen."

He turned to Crow. "If even the city guard has been called, they'll be in the citadel, getting their weapons, not out protecting the streets. That may also have been done to call scouts back before they found the Evereach army marching to their gates, prevent a panic. But there is no telling how long the streets will stay empty."

Ora brought up more very good points. It would be hard to predict what Dwerstand would do after learning they had been tricked.
"If they were smart they would refuse to follow, but they wouldn't risk their forces stopping Evereach either." It was Crispin. "If they followed, they'd lose men to Cyndara, if they fought, they'd lose them to the elves, and Evereach would have to either waste men breaking through on dwarven soil, or pass on with their men. Either way they wouldn't get their dwarf soldiers."

Pyrrhus broke it down: "So our best case in revealing the bell is a full-on dwarven revolt, worst case Dwerstand decides to follow Evereach anyway. Can't say we have much to lose."

Crispin looked pensive. "I'll bet Iolas could get a Dwerstand leader out of the citadel. As long as Lassard doesn't see him. If the dwarves are so deep in Evereach pockets, I doubt they'd refuse any request made by a high elf that acted official enough." He looked at Iolas, "do you feel up to that task? A Dwerstand noble would certainly have the personal guards to keep the bell safe. I doubt tolling the bell is as easy as just giving it a kick."
When Ora mentioned a contact Crispin looked relieved. "Well, if we didn't have to send Iolas into Evereach's arms that would be better."

Pyrrhus, Desrick and Crispin all turned to look at Meera as she admitted the error.
"Well...that complcates things." Crispin said regretfully.
"We'll simply need to be more careful. We can't let things stand. And they've never seen Meera before, she can't be linked to us. We might still have the advantage."

Desrick rumbled and shook his head as Ora suggested help from his people. "The orcs followed Lassard this far, they will not guard the bell against him, and getting past them will be...difficult, but, I might be able to get you through. It might take a wagon, but I don't think they would question me."

The ideas presented, Desrick formed a solid plan.
"Our best plan isn't to stop the elves here. We don't have the means without sacrificing many dwarven lives. We can however, reveal the truth about the bell in hopes they will choose not to fight, and get ahead of the elven armies to warn Cyndara and prepare them for an attack. Pyrrhus will go to the temple with most of you, Iolas will seek out Ora's contact. Ora, if this dwarf is in the citadel he may have to do it alone, otherwise, I think you would have the best chance at convincing him. We bring him to the temple and Hopefully, the bell, revealed."

He stood back from the table. "Any questions?"

Flutterby Zazz Goonfire LazyDaze Baconhands Lioness075

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nickname: Lea
Race: Tabaxi - Beastwoman	Home Country: Cyndara
Occupation: Huntress / Astronomer Apprentice	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (20/20), Twin Daggers, Collapsible Spyglass

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

Leandra grinned at Pyrrhus, though she could not help but stare at his horse-like body for a moment. She wanted so badly to inquire about his race, but she held back the urge since the group seemed to be discussing important matters. Noticing that nobody else was greeting her, Leandra moved over to join Pyrrhus' side, mostly because he seemed to be the friendliest of the group.
Falarion purred when Pyrrhus pet him, even standing up briefly to arch his back.
Leandra rolled her eyes at this and whispered to Falarion, "Always gotsta be the center of attention, yeah?"

Soon the discussion was really underway and Leandra's head was on a swivel, as she tried to catch up with what the group was tackling. Best she could gather, there was some dormant dragon deep in this city and a special bell of some kind could awaken it. Then some high elves had magically hidden this bell away and the dwarves were in an uproar about it and ready to go to war. But then some Evereach group was going in one direction and Dwerstand was following or not following, and then her home of Cyndara was somehow involved.
At this point, Leandra was starting to get a headache and she rubbed the back of her neck before deciding to pick at the breakfast foods on the table. She did not fully understand what was happening, but it did sound like the group was trying to prevent some major conflict. She could get on board with that, at least.

Looking about the group and hearing plans for the group to split up, Leandra held up her hand and said nervously, "I guess I can help Pyrrhus with the bell situation. Or at least protect him while he performs his spell. I'm honestly not entirely sure of how I can help with this situation. This is...a lot to take in at once."
Leandra gulped at this point, worried she may have downplayed herself too much. What if the group decided she was not of use to them?
SilverFlight LazyDaze Baconhands Flutterby Zazz Goonfire

 

[Zazz]

Azaria stood. Pressing her fingertips on the surface of the table, she leaned forward slightly. "Is no one going to address the tent sucking the light from everything that Meera just mentioned?" She looked to Desrick. "What of that?" She was angry. Angry at her people, angry at the dwarves, angry at the orcs. Angry at herself for having waited so long to rip Lassard's throat. Her green eyes flickered over Iolas's face for just a moment. She was angry that this man had to sacrifice his sanity every time they sent him in to do their bidding, angry at the way Sumenna was for Oralia. The Shadowhand of Everreach hated that the high elves were so strong and so vile. So evil.

"We need to move. Sitting around plotting and worrying will get nothing done. Enough talking." She pointed a finger at Meera, then the food on the table. "You. Eat. Unless you want exhaustion to kill you before I do."

The assassin, itching to hold a knife in a throat, left the house.

 

[Flutterby]

Ora was nodding as Desrick spoke. It was their best plan, as far as she could tell. Her stomach was in knots, and her palms were clammy, but she felt almost ready. Almost.

She turned to Leandra with a small smile.
"Any help is appreciated, and the Bell is probably where you would be most useful. But.. you don't have to help us. We can sneak you into tunnels and get you home, whether you help us or not." She wanted the help, they needed the help.. but could they justify dragging someone in just because they had the misfortune of getting lost?

Her attention was still mostly on Leandra when Azaria had an outburst, for lack of a better term. She blinked twice. Ora had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that the dark crystal Meera mentioned was the same that they had seen at the ball. Her tail twitched- whether it was irritation or nervousness, even she couldn't tell.
"Azaria's right, we need to get started. And everyone eats something before they leave the house."
She turned to look at the others who had been at the ball. "I sort of assumed that the dark crystal Meera mentioned was from the ball. That they just.. moved it, to be where the army is. Do you think it's actually a second one?"

 

[SilverFlight]

Pyrrhus listened to Azaria, understanding her frustration. He also knew it wasn't directed at them. The issue of the crystal made him think.

Crispin spoke first. "The crystal was a gift from Brynson right? We made the journey as soon as we could, and on horseback. I have the feeling dragging that huge piece of rock would have taken more time than we did..." He looked thoughtful. "In Cyndara, there is more than just the light crystal watching over Delan. There are crystals in six major towns...the largest being in Myst itself...what if there are dark crystals to match them?"

Desrick bared his teeth in mild frustration, mirroring Azaria's impatience. "I want to know why they are so bent on getting these crystals. What does Evereach know that we don't?"
Zazz Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire Lioness075 Baconhands

"Ora is right." Pyrrhus gave Leandra a gentle look. "If you want to come, you'd be safest with me and the others in the temple."
Lioness075

~*~*~

They spent time over breakfast, but even Pyrrhus was less talkative than he was usually. It seemed everyone was on edge. When it came time to leave, Pyrrhus slung his lute across his back and took a deep breath.

Crispin decided to go with Iolas.
"High elves have footmen, don't they?" He argued. "Besides, if he does get into a pinch, I have a few tricks that may get us out of it."
They said their goodbyes at the rear entrance, away from prying eyes on the main road. The narrow passage that lead to the under-alleys of Dwerstand, and then the temple, sat in shadow just behind them.
"Well," Desrick began, "With any luck, we'll all see each other again in the temple." He went up to Iolas, stood looming over him for a moment, and then clapped him hard on the back. Despite their differences, and Desrick's initial mistrust, he'd grown to like the dramatic elf, and realized that he considered him something of a friend. "Don't die." He said practically.

Pyrrhus was next and hugged each member of the other party tightly. "Be extra careful," he warned. "I won't be able to heal you if you get into trouble. Play it safe, for the sake of my poor heart."

Crispin clasped his brother's hand. He had a sinking feeling, as they said their goodbyes, but he kept it to himself.
"Look after the centaur." He told Desrick, trying to keep his lighthearted demeanor. "Make sure he doesn't wake any dragons.."
Desrick pulled his brother into a tight hug. "I'm sorry to have dragged you into all this." He said quietly.
"Ah," Crispin tried to wave it off. "You know me...I'd follow you to the ends of the earth...and no matter what anyone says...you'll always be my brother."

Zazz Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire Lioness075 Baconhands

 

[Goonfire]

Crow quietly agreed with each statement regarding the possible consequences and the course of action. He appreciated that each person acknowledged the risks. He took the items Azaria tossed him and gave her a thankful nod before stuffing them into his pockets. “Good luck out there... May it supplement your great skill,” he wished the team headed for the citadel. A complex grin that seemed to combine gentleness with a hint of reassurance and confidence came to his face.

The inquisitor loaded up his bag and reached around himself, carefully donning his armor. Each buckle closed made him breathe a small sigh of relief, as it was one step towards ensuring his own survival. “I wonder... if Evereach also happened upon our discovery of shared plant species. Perhaps they are conducting an experiment of some sort... or... they are trying to alter the course of history via force, fear, and a bit of stolen power.” The addition and adjustment of his scarf signaled he was ready to nail his part of the plan.

SilverFlight Zazz Flutterby LazyDaze Baconhands Lioness075

 

[LazyDaze]

In the end, Iolas would have to play the soldier yet again. Earlier in their discussion, in which he was unusually withdrawn, some were worried about his safety, Iolas on the other hand was not particularly afraid or nervous. He had done several missions in the past in which the end result was someone else's blood on the edge of his sword. He was by no means an assassin, but he had killed people who believed him to be a comrade. Tricking a few people for a greater cause was no big deal, and if he was to die...well then he lived a happy life. The others did not seem to share this mental state. He could understand why some would be nervous. For simplicities sake, many of them were no more than civilians protecting the world; The world needed less soldiers anyway.

Iolas began to walk with Crispin, which was oddly reassuring. He almost wanted to get in trouble to see what these tricks entailed. He snickered at the fact he had not said bye to Azaria...could have been the last time he saw any of them. He shook his head, simplifying the ordeal by deciding to be successful and return. After all, that was the only thing that needed to be done. Iolas paused when Desrick approached him. He was certain he would say something about not getting his brother killed, betrayal, or all of the above. Iolas prepared a number of sarcastic responses; however, Desrick gave him a friendly, but powerful, pat on the back that cause Iolas to stumble and even lose his famous composure. He couldn't believe that the orc was even concerned for his life in the slightest. Iolas blinked, unable to comprehend the situation before standing straight and smiling. "...If that didn't kill me nothing will." Iolas said brushing off his shoulder. He then placed his fist into Desrick's chest without saying anything, but expressing the same sentiments. Desrick might have been an orc, but he was someone he could fight side by side with complete trust, and he would continue to trust and believe he would make it back; they all would make it back. He said goodbye to everyone else, occasionally cracking an inappropriate joke about his untimely end. Before leaving with Crispin, his eyes wandered for any sign of Azaria, sadly she was not there and a brief look of disappointment flashed across his face before he took he finally took his leave.

"...Squire Crispin...carry my swords," Iolas said as he practically shoved his sheathed dual blades into the arms of Crispin. His head was held high and his stride graceful. He only broke character to flash a playful smirk to Crispin to let him in on the joke.

SilverFlight Flutterby Zazz Lioness075 Goonfire Baconhands

 

[Zazz]

Lohrithe shook his head at Crow's ponderings. "I have a feeling it is the latter." His voice was quiet, his eyes still taking in the map and its knowledge. "This is terrible." He had always wondered about those tunnels on the west side; the entrance - or exit - was carved immaculately, though time had indeed worn some of the art away. He had, like everyone else, believed it to be where the demon beasts lived. Like the stories told.

The stories were lies. Or... were they? Everreach certainly wasn't pleasant. Perhaps, long ago, his people traded with the dwarves?

Lohrithe sighed, his stress evident. He rolled up the map and held it out to Desrick. "Let us find this Dragon Bell."

Meanwhile, Azaria was pacing around the outside of the house. She hated this place. This city, with its skyless roof and its dusty air. It made her irritable. She wanted to see the dragon. See what all the fuss was about. And she wanted to walk right into the citadel and slay every elf of Everreach in her path.

 

[Flutterby]

Ora's face was troubled, and she gave Desrick a worried look. They had been chasing answers about the crystals for almost as long as they had been on this mission- and it didn't seem like they were any closer to finding them.
She forced herself to eat now. She would go with Iolas to the Citadel, and keep her eyes out for her "contact." She didn't have the heart to tell the party who he was, and she didn't feel up to discussing it with those that had seen his face in the magic mist at the start of their adventure. Hopefully, the elves and dwarves wouldn't question Iolas bringing her along... she decided to concoct a believable lie before they left.

As they readied to leave, Ora couldn't shake the feeling that something about this goodbye felt more final than previous ones. It set her stomach churning, again. Desrick bade Iolas goodbye, with a warmth so far from their introduction that Ora could've smiled about it. Could have, in a different setting.
This is why I've been okay with not having a family. This goodbye could kill me just as this mission could.
It was a warm thought, but not a welcome one.

Ora lingered at the edge, and only stepped forward as Crispin and Iolas separated from the group and started off. She fell on the other side of Iolas, having to make an obvious effort to keep up with the taller two.
"If anyone asks, you've arrested me for crimes against the monarchy and are taking me to answer to the Dwerstand court," She said quickly, pulling her hood up over her horns. There was nothing she could do to hide her flicking tail.
SilverFlight LazyDaze

 

[Baconhands]

It was quite surprising for the young shapeshifter - the map had been useful, but everyone seemed fixated on the information about the crystal. Sure, she hadn't seen something like that before, but... had it been overly remarkable? Everyone else seemed to think so; they'd seen one before. Meera made a mental note to ask about it - maybe she could sneak back in to the tunnels and fetch the crystal once this issue with the bell had been resolved. Her face fell a bit - probably not. They'd seen her. They'd be alert. Perhaps the party would capture the crystal during this encounter. She shrugged. That was not for her to worry about anymore.

The plans were set. Everyone was bidding everyone else goodbye. Meera made certain to give everyone a couple of berries; it was a token gesture, but a gesture nonetheless. She'd resolved to go with Desrick and Pyrrhus' group. What use would she have been to Ora, Crispin, and Iolas? Nothing good would come of it - she was not a diplomat. A trader, yes, a diplomat, no.
SilverFlight Flutterby Zazz Lioness075 Goonfire LazyDaze

 

[SilverFlight]

Their secret way into the temple was unguarded again. Pyrrhus gave a sigh of relief. It took him a bit of time to wiggle through, but at length he, Desrick, Meera, Lohrithe Leandra, Azaria and Crow were all standing inside the empty temple.

"If the bell was truly here, it would be hanging from the wood beam hanging above the dais." Desrick pointed to the enormous iron ring.
He lead the way towards the dais, which was up a flight of stone steps and centered in the middle of a vastly-deep chasm.
Their footsteps echoed faintly against the distant walls. The dais was intricately carved, and stone basin's lined the edges, filled with water, salt and some strange black powder. The end of the dais, furthest from the central steps contained fire braziers, burning brightly and casting everything in a golden glow. There were four dwarven statues, stone, holding weapons of varying types.
Pyrrhus took the lute from his back and placed his fingers delicately on the strings.
"It will take me some time to match the harmony to the magic. I need a few moments to cast the spell before we'll know if it's working..."

"A few moments you will not have!" The foreign voice boomed from the temple's main entrance. A high elf, dressed in Evereach livery, and heading a dozen armoured elven soldiers.
"Lassard said there would be someone here." He grinned. "He also said that if I kill you, I get a promotion...nothing personal."
Desrick swore. "Protect Pyrrhus while he casts!" The orc cried, meanwhile two of the soldiers stepped forward, cupping their hands and summoning the fire they then launched at the party. The other soldiers charged forward in the wake of the attack.
Goonfire Baconhands Lioness075 Zazz Naberius

The gates to the citadel were guarded, naturally, but the usual dwarven guard had been removed. Instead, two high elves guarded the gate, and they looked bored.
Crispin shifted Iolas' weapons in his arms and watched the pair for a moment.
"Think you can bluff us past them Iolas?" He turned to their own high elf expectantly.
"Once we're inside we shouldn't have much trouble as long as we act like we belong there."
Flutterby LazyDaze

 

[Zazz]

Lohrithe unsheathed his large blade as the elves showed themselves, the gold inlay twinkling in the firelight. It was anything but subtle. There was a call from Desrick to protect Pyrrhus, and he would do so at all costs. Next thing he knew, the high elves were flinging mage fire at them. He vaguely wished he'd tied up his hair as he narrowly escaped the ball of heat.

Their armor clanged heavily; he had no doubt he and Desrick had the strength to bash them in, but they were only two. He counted thirteen. Two mages, ten warriors, one leader. With a roaring battlecry, the drow ran at one of the mages, fully intending to knock off his head.

Azaria, meanwhile, stuck close to Pyrrhus. In her left hand was the dagger with the blue gem, and in her right, two throwing knives. "Crow, please tell me you have a bright idea." There was no way she was getting through any of that armor, unless she found a weakness, and fast.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nickname: Lea
Race: Tabaxi - Beastwoman	Home Country: Cyndara
Occupation: Huntress / Astronomer Apprentice	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (20/20), Twin Daggers, Collapsible Spyglass

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

As they made their way to the temple, Leandra let Falarion happily trot alongside her while she stared wide-eyed at the architecture and just everything around them. She was happy to know no guards were trying to hunt her down this time. She was fascinated when they approached a secret entrance to the temple and Leandra squeezed in with ease while Falarion pounced after her. Leandra tried to stifle a giggle when he ended up pouncing on one of her back paws.

Looking up at the dais, Leandra's jaw dropped and she whispered, "Wow, this is amazing! So...beautiful!" She quietly followed after Pyrrhus and the group, her eyes sweeping the area with an intense curiosity. Once they reached the top, Leandra instinctively stood by one of the fire braziers, enjoying the warmth she could get from it while they waited for Pyrrhus to do his thing.

The moment was ruined when some high elves entered the temple area. Leandra had never seen so many in one place and she stared in brief shock while everyone seemed to leap into combat without a second thought.

Yelping, Leandra ducked down while Falarion jumped off the side of the temple and took flight. Seeing this, Leandra bit her lip and forced herself to stand up just as magical fire flew past her. The heat was far less welcoming this time. Her heart was racing, but Leandra could see that Falarion was already losing altitude and he would soon be stuck with the bad elves. The last thing she wanted was for Falarion to be harmed. Wielding her bow, Leandra nocked an arrow and took aim at one of the elven mages below. Trying to steel her nerves, she took a deep breath and then released the arrow with a small squeak of surprise.
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[Naberius]

It had been a long line of strange coincidences and happenstance that brought Alistair to this place. Whether it be by the hand of fate, the whims of the heavens, or his own instincts for getting himself into horrible situations, he stumbled into the middle of some conflict or another. He had been investigating several leads and had, to his chagrin, gotten lost and wound up in this strange place. Now he stood, perched some several stories above an active combat scene. He heard several voices before he saw their owners, and quickly mounted the large overhead beam directly above the dais in the room. From his vantage point, he saw everything unfold. The centaur sorcerer beginning his workings, the Evereach soldiers charging them from the entrance, the elven casters preparing their own spells. He decided that this would be an excellent opportunity to not only strike back at potential associates of the ones that had driven his family from their home, but to make an impression and above all, announce his presence in style. Affixing the grapple line he always carried to the beam, he waited for the right moment. When the first of the charging soldiers made it close enough, using his tether, he dropped from atop the beam behind the helpless grunt, wrapping his large cloak around them both. With the light no longer impeding his abilities, Alistair made short work of the poor, unfortunate soldier as several hardened shafts of darkness found their way into the unprotected chinks of his armor.

It was over as quickly as it had happened. Alistair opened his cloak again, the lifeless corpse of one of the soldiers slumped to the ground covered in blood and riddled with puncture wounds though he held no visible weapon.
"An ambush isn't really very fair, you know. How would you like it if someone enacted a sneak attack on you and your men? Oh wait.."

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[Goonfire]

Crow ascended the stairs slowly, climbing the spire with his light spell active. He cocked his head to the side. “Using your lute for a counterspell? Brilliant.” he remarked while mentally noting observations on that unique bardic magic.

Crow’s head whipped around as the Evereach grunts made their presence known, his body soon turning to fully face them. “Hmph! You may be well-informed...” he started while ducking under a fireball. “... but there will be no promotions today!” The intense heat indicated this wasn’t some magical B-team. Still, with others lunging into the fight, the inquisitor persisted, defending the stairs by pushing a surge of energy into his light. “Shield your eyes!” he warned his allies as the brightness grew to a crescendo, discharging in a brilliant flash to stun the knights climbing up and to dazzle those casters who were relying on their sight in this poorly lit room.

After his spell, he backed away from the staircase to address Azaria. “I took your question quite literally,” he told her with nary the slightest smirk. “Now, aim for underarms, backs of knees, and bends of their elbows. Disable and subdue.” What he meant by ‘subdue’ was anyone’s guess, but he didn’t elaborate, as another unexpected intruder caught his eye.

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[SilverFlight]

Desrtick was right on Lohr's heels, bellowing his own cry. Some of the soldiers balked, clearly terrified.
Leandra's arrow connected before they reach the foe, and one of the mages yelled, an arrow sprouting from the crook of his arm, where there was no protection.
Desrick hit a soldier hard with the flat of his blade and sent him flying into another. Then Crow yelled and he covered his eyes quickly.
It took the orc a moment to register that most of the enemy was no longer focused on what was in front of them, because someone had dropped in from behind.
"Kill him you idiots!"
Several soldiers lunged at Alastair, blades gleaming.
Desrick tried to shoulder through the ranks to reach their new ally and help him.

Pyrrhus had not wasted time, but begun weaving the spell into the chords of is playing. It was not a song, but it resonated throughout the entire cavern.
The mage that had not been stuck with an arrow, aimed a fireball straight at the centaur, a big enough target. The ball exploded at Pyrrhus' feet and he cried out and danced back, just narrowly avoiding getting singed.
Not deterred in the slightest, he began again.
Three soldiers recovered enough to run forward, past Desrick, to try and catch the others guarding Pyrrhus.
One went for Azaria with a powerful downward strike, the other went for Crow and the third tried his best to get to the centaur.

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