Calla stands silent, her usual glower on her face.
"Sadly, that's usually our best plan," she responds to Quevven.
Kel fixes a concerned look on her companions, "Certainly every word and action is being monitored by magic." Nervously, she waits for the return of the servant.
Staryth sighs, "we must even watch our words when we think we're alone. Lovely." Gods, I miss the sun.
A few minutes later, your guide stormed into the hall. You immediately recognize him as Second Son Erdrinneir Vonnarc. From Neskir's rantings, Anklebiter knows that the Second Son is a mage, and a good one given Neskir's complaints about the older drow. Within the House, only the First Daughter Alcavniss is a more powerful wizard.
Erdrinneir snapped at you to leave your weapons in the rack against the wall. "Where you are going, you will not need them, and having them in hand would put you in mortal peril."
As soon as you complied he said, "Now, follow me and keep your filthy low-born eyes to the ground. The great works of this lofty place are not for worms such as you to see."
With a swirl of his robe, he turned and strode back through the door he entered through, expecting you to follow. The door led to a staircase leading upwards, winding along the outer wall of the tower. There were many doors along the stairs, most of which were closed, and locked with an interested gem lock that Anklebiter recognized as a form of arcane lock.
The tower consisted of five separate landings, and it is at the uppermost one where Erdrinneir finally stopped. He clapped three times in a rhythmic pattern and the door opened. Sneering, the high noble motioned for you to enter. "My business with you is done this day, and if I were you I would make it a point not to draw the attention of Second Son Erdrinneir Vonnarc to myself ever again."
Quevven nods silently to the Second Son, placing his blade into the weapon rack. He keeps his head bowed as he followed, but disobeyed the admonishment to keep his eyes to himself, surreptitiously mapping the tower in his head as he followed. He didn't answer the noble, merely bowing his head further in respect, and entering into the chamber beyond.
Kel keeps her head bowed and her eyes forward as she enters the room at the top of the tower. She quickly scans their new surroundings while attempting to hide her efforts.
Arca/Anklebiter complies with the command to leave his weapons, and does keep his eyes to the ground during the walk. When the party is delivered to the final door, he says nothing -- but shoots Calla a quick, warning look.
'Don't snark him! Not now!' his eyes seem to say.
"Of course, how clumsy of me,....I do hope nothing happens to my weapon, the curse laid on it would marr any would be thief terribly," He puts it in proper place. It's not entirely a lie, some would say an ulfen tearing your face off for touching his property was a pretty dire curse
Then he moves towards the chamber, he keeps his head lowish, but his ears keen. He has fought in the dark before after all.
Calla grimaces, but sets her weapons aside and follows the others.
You peered into the doorway before entering it, trying to mostly ignore the noble's sneer at your hesitation. A pleasant perfume wafted through the door leading to an unnatural cavern. Gone is the dark, worked stone and strange crystal of Tower Solacas. It was replaced by walls that looked almost organic, as though the chamber were inside a gigantic glistening beetle. Nearby stood a fanged portal, sanguine smoke swirling within. Alcoves divide the chamber, one filled with comfortable pillows and a low table set with familiar looking fruits and cheeses. Another was dominated by a huge, ornate bed flanked by scandalously sculpted statues of both sexes. The largest seemed filled almost to capacity with an arcane laboratory stocked with the finest craft of equipment na dsinister tools. At the rear of the hall's heart stood a massive ornate desk constructed of what looked to be crystal-infused bone, it's top littered with tomes and curious of ancient and dark power.
Behind the desk sat a chair, a throne really, made of some black metals and stuffed silk cushions, sculpted to look like several contorted drow slaves. Seated on the chair was a drow female with the look and feel of absolute power to her. She seemed to be immersed in a giant tome as you peered in, but eventually, her eyes rose to encompass you.
"Come in, and close the door. I have so much I wish to discuss with the newest members of our House"
"My lady First Daughter," Arca says, bowing over his staff as he approaches the desk. "My humble thanks to you for this invitation. My siblings and I are honoured. Honoured and curious, I must admit, what it is you might desire of us, that we have been afforded such distinction."
'Not to mention the pleasure of seeing that worthless creature Undamesta chew her liver with frustrated pride.'
Calla enters and nods her head as subserviently as she can manage, for the moment leading any talking to the goblin cum drow.
The lady Alcavniss gestured wordlessly, and a set of chairs appeared before her desk. A moment later, the food laden table from the back room appeared before the chairs. on it, you can clearly see a variety of foodstuffs, both from the darklands, and from the surface world. Familiar fruits and berries looked freshly picked, and there were a variety of cheeses as well. She waits for you to be seated.
"My lady," Arca says, bowing again, "the stories of your power precede you, as is only natural, but your hospitality comes as a most pleasant surprise."
Quevven waits for his friends to enter, then closes the door behind them, giving the First Daughter a deep bow as well. "As my brother states, we are truly honored that the First Daughter deigns to meet with us directly. Whatever you wish to discuss must be of great importance to our noble house." He takes a seat, refraining from taking a snack for the moment.
Calumny quirks an eye at the foodstuffs, as she sits, keeping her own bearing haughty as befits a (superior) female (drow).
"Surface food?" she asks, archly.
Kel closes the door as requested while the rest of group fawns and postures. When the chairs and foodstuffs appears she hesitates, then takes a seat as seems to be expected. "It is an honor to be in your presence First Daughter. What would you have us discuss?"
It just popped out of Calla's mouth before she realized that a direct questioning of the second-highest ranking drow inHouse Vonnarc could end in her death, in all their deaths.
"Of course surface food," Alicavniss responded. "I know you cannot have been comfortable eating the foodstuffs of the darklands these past few weeks. You are not what you appear to be. You reek of sunlight, rain, and the lies of the foul abominations that dare to call themselves 'elves'. You mock your betters with your parodies of our ways and arts. With every word from your mouths and disrespectful glance you show yourselves to be false to those that watch. Your mere presence is an affront to all that my people have suffered at the hands of the surface elves. Worse, you have chosen to inflict your taint upon the most noble and revered family Vonnarc. You are invaders, intruders, parasites, spies, and worse, and all of Zirnakaynin would echo with my praises were I to roll your heads upon her most hallowed stones."
disguise checks, with +20 bonnus
anklebiter
bruendor
calla
kelendra
lefrik
If you truly thought that were true, we'd be dead already instead of meeting with you here. You want something, so just out with it!
Calla grinds her teeth, her urge to just kill this woman -- or die trying, if she must -- strong.
Staryth bowed and , perhaps to folks surprises, reached for the darklands food. He's not a complete idiot. However, when accusations are made, he holds very still. there are those with glibber tongues than he, and one nice thing about silence... it's cheap, and gives away less than talking.
"First Daughter, surely we do reek of the surface as you have noted, we spent long days there on our scouting mission and the taint must take longer to wear away from the detection of your keen senses. We are invaders, intruders, parasites, and spies, that was our duty and those were our occupations on the mission to the surface, and now we are at your disposal." Kel lowers her eyes from the haughty drow and bows before her.
The First Daughter pursed her lips at Kelendra's words. Her face clouded over with anger for a moment, then cleared.
"For now, it matters little to me whether you are disguised or not. You have your uses to me, drow or not. If you agree to work for me, I will keep my suspicions to myself, but if you are not of the true elves, you know better than I how serious your situation is. I can help you achieve your goals here if you help me - in fact, if my suppositions are correct, I imagine our goals might be the same...or at least run side by side for the nonce."
Slowly her smiled returned to her face.
"So, my little drow, what tiresome paths bring you to my simple home, and how might the kind people of Zirnakaynin welcome you?"
Arca considers very quickly -- then leans back in his chair and grins like Anklebiter.
"Now, now, lady First Daughter. That's not how this goes, is it? Ladies first. You called us out. You say we might be of use to one another. You threatened us with death. Pray don't be coy now; let's hear what it is that has you eager enough for help that you'd resort to blackmail .... rather than trust your own House."
Come to think of it, the grin isn't very funny. Neither is the calculating, red-eyed look Anklebiter gives the First Daughter.
"This smells like you need people of skill and power to do something very important for you, but you need plausible deniability lest your House be crushed. So. What is it you want?"
Calla grits her teeth and waits for a response.
"I'm curious to your desires as well." That's the truth
"I agree with my younger brother," Quevven replies, leaning forward in his chair as Arca reclines. "You need cats-paws, we want to rise in House Vonnarc. None of us wish to guard the walls or toil in the kitchens for the rest of our days, and our recent mission for the house proved both our lethality and our resourcefulness, both of which we knew would find favor with the House nobles."
"I've heard rumblings about House Azrinae's plans for the surface, and how they are progressing to a stage which no longer requires our House's assistance. I imagine that would rankle our House's leadership, and those in charge would want to bloody House Azrinae's nose, while keeping their hands clean in the process. But then, I'm just a cook in the kitchens - spending all my time cutting vegetables and baking bread leaves plenty of time for my mind to imagine such plots."
"First daughter, the humble path that brought us here will matter little to you. We are here now and, as you say, we can run side by side for the nonce. It is enough that we share the same enemy, how should we proceed against our common foe?"
anklebiter
bruendor
calla
kelendra
lefrik
"Fine, if that is your will, little worm, then go play in the street while the citizens of Zirnakaynin hunt you like the animals you are."
Kelendra interrupted after Anklebiter's graceless response, and the Lady paused.
"I see at least one of you has a sense of perspective here. and yes, House Azrinae does fit into this. How about we agree to a bargain. You see, I would dearly like to have the help of a skilled group of outsiders such as yourselves to further my House. You, I imagine, are here for reasons of your own and would rather not be torn to pieces by an angry mob. Why don't we play a little game? The game has simple rules. There is a zone of truth in this room. Did you not guess? I will ask you a question, which you will answer. You, in turn, will ask me one. The game continues until one of us fails to answer a question."
"Do you wish to play my gem? And no, that does not count as one of my questions."
"Sure," Anklebiter says. "I love games. Who shall start?"
Quevven resumes his forward-leaning stance in his chair, a smile crossing his lips. "You raise the stakes to a level which I cannot refuse, First Daughter. I await your first strike in this duel of wits."
"I would think the only truth you'd need to know is that we can help you take down House Azrinae," A shrug.
Calla just watches, trying to keep the low growl from becoming loud enough for anyone to hear.
"Agreed, First Daughter, I will start with a truth. We are tired of making bread and cleaning dishes, we are ready for action." This time Kel meets her eyes and does not look away.
"Very well. Why are you here in Zirnakaynin?"
"To kill someone," Arca replies. "If it turns out we want the same person dead, will you provide us with the needed information and tools?"
"Depending on who it is, most likely, assuming we are to be allies"
"Who is it?"
"Someone important within House Azrinae," Quevven replies cagily. "I daresay there would be few higher than her within that House. Who is it in that House that you would want us to kill?"
"Don't be coy and dance around the truth, or the game ends. In the end, I wish for House Azrinae to fall. I do not particularly care if any of the Azrinae are killed or not, as long as their House loses status, preferably to the point where one of the lower Houses thinks it is ripe for assault."
"Who sent you? The five of you cannot possibly be here on your own."
"Of course we can be here on our own," Arc - Anklebiter says. "Bring in a vast army, and this kind of assassination mission would be a loss right from the start."
The smile left Alcavniss' face and she snarled, "I said to stop being coy. You are not here on your own, you were sent. Who sent you?"
"A Matriarch more powerful than yourself," Startyh responds honestly, believing it, "Do you intend to betray us as soon as we have served your purpose?"
"That depends entirely on how effective you are. If you hold to your part of the bargain, I will hold to mine."
"Do you have any allies in the city, other than members of this House?"
"Lady," Anklebiter says, "I am sure you must know of the suggestion I placed before that trull, Undamesta, and which she was meant to communicate to your sister. But unslip the purse strings of House Vonnarc for my use and grant me a laboratory and an appropriately skilled cleric for an assistant, and we shall have many allies here. With enough time, I could craft an army free of fear and need and rebellion. And I am not talking about the putrid undead."
"That has not yet been completely rules off the table, but I was asking if you had any allies here, not will you have. In order for our plans to come to fruition, I must know all of my available resources. now, answer the question I asked, not the one you wish I had."
"None as of yet," Anklebiter replies. "We've been kept too close to House Vonnarc to do recruiting. But we've the gift of the gab, and you cannot be the only ones Azrinae has screwed over. We can find more allies.
How many people inside House Vonnarc actually, currently, knowingly and wholeheartedly support your desire to lay low House Azrinae, and how many of them can be trusted, not counting ourselves?"
