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Dusk nodded at Vi's suggestion "Regalport would then also have more chance of information brokers with access to the knowledge we need, so we stand a better chance of finding what we seek as well as tasting better food it seems!" She tapped one clawed finger on her lips "It's possible I might know someone there, presuming he still haunts the pub at the end of the docks, 'Sir Vesa's'. A gnome by the name of Spragniony, a big drinker. Anyway, he's a player in the underworld and could hook us up. "
"Four weeks...?" Dusk shrugged "Fair enough then, but Vi makes a good point, there are dozens of Princes and fleets, many domains, and a mostly oral tradition of passing knowledge. A thousand years is a long time for a story to remain told and retold. Is there anywhere with a repository of records? Or a clue of where to start at all!?" She watched as Vi rolled up her sleeve, raised a hand to touch her arm and caught herself before she touched the Changeling's scar. "I'll perhaps ask you about that another time, if it's something you want to talk about?" She smiled reassuringly. At least if the marks are that lethal we'll either find our cure quickly or else die on a grand adventure together!
Dusk's brow furrowed at Bronwyn's words "If that is so and this curse cannot be lifted, then at least you will be in the company of other social pariahs. And given I undersand you have spent the vast majority of your recent time with this same group of companions, even if you live apart from society you will still be amongst friends." She tapped Palisade on the shoulder. "I'd also add my opinion to the Forged's, regarding motive of those seeking to court you. If they are put off by the misfortune that has befallen you, I strongly suggest that you yourself wouldn't want them as a paramour" She glanced at Vi for a moment, warmth in her expression. "It matters most how people are with you when things get difficult, when action is needed instead of pledges of devotion. Promises are just pretty words, they can't lift you up like the hand of a friend, or be the reassuring touch of a lover."
"Vi, I'm sure he has his secrets, don't we all? Perhaps it's simply that most of what he has heard is conjecture, rumour, nothing susbstantial. I'd be hesitant to offer up information so flimsy in source!" She collected a round of drinks, tankards of ale with an accompanying small glass of something black tht smelt of aniseed. "Never tried 'jungle-root juice', apparently it's a local delicacy, though the barmaid was smirking quite a lot..." * Dusk shook her head in disbelief as Sur'Kil recounted the history of the Dragon's Eye. "A fair offer given the nature of the work pursuing the artifact, just somewhat nebulous in duration... especially given the nature of the Principalities and the thousand year old needle in a haystack we have to find. Guarantee the pay for at least two months..." She inclined her head towards Bronwyn "...and as the lady says, some time spent on researching these marks would be needed."
"Thank you for the run down Palisade, I am reassured to hear that all three prior companions left rather than died!" She nodded at Sur'Kil "I'm not sure on our sliding scale of favors owed between us as to where being infected with this faux Dragonmark comes..." Dusk raised an eyebrow but there was at least some humour to her words. "Perhaps if you have a nice bottle of something to help start off our night of rest and recuperation that would be good!?" She tapped Vi playfully on the hip and broke in to a jog, as she caught up to Bronwyn she shook her head. "Three rounds!? Pah!" She held up a dangerous looking bottle with slightly cloudy liquid in. "How about the last three there have to split this between them!?"
"This is Adderport. I shudder to think what passes for cuisine here and I highly doubt there's much shopping let alone high end shopping. But I guess there isn't much else to do but look." Dusk nodded "I have to admit there was much optimism in my suggestion, I too fear that options to spend coin on the nicer things will be scant, still I'm sure we can make our own fun!" "Observation. It is shame previous companion Lucina Mindragus is no longer with us" "Palisade. It has come to my attention through several mentions of 'previous companions' that traveling with this group may be hazardous to one's health. Exactly how many 'previous companions' have you entertained in the course of this contract!?" "Rest assured, if there is high end anything in this town, we're the three to find it. Come, let us find clothes without holes! And food without bugs! And alcohol! Definitely lots of that." Dusk grinned "Now the key to all of that is alcohol! With sufficiently good spirits or wine I've found that the enjoyment of most activities is improved upon, and in support of Vi's words, it's the company that matters really and not the activity!" She draped an arm nonchalantly around Vi's waist. "I think it's time to paint the town whatever shade of crimson your fashion sense dictates!"
Dusk laughed at the comment on her horns. "Your compliments humble me Vi, I'm not used to such... sincerity. Thank you" Dusk smiled at Vi, the vulnerability of the two bathed in mutual reassurance. "Then yes, to wherever our joint path meanders, we'll share the journey and its gifts together." Her fingers lingered on Vi's thigh for a moment, then she stood and offered her hand to help the Changeling up. "Shall we begin?" * "I'm glad yours is not painful, I would hate to think of you in discomfort. Let us hope we can find someone to help, perhaps Sur'Kil will know of something similar that has happened before, and how such curses could be lifted."
Before Fendir headed off, Dusk held up a palm "Make sure you come back, don't get all 'I can sort this out by myself'. The whole group of us were affected, we stand a better chance of fixing it if we're together." She stared at the barbarian for a moment "And if you're going to get drunk and pass out in a brothel, at least try and send a messenger to let us know which one so we don't have to trawl half the red light district to find you..." She flashed him a grin and moved out of his way. "OK so do we think first see what the local establishments have to offer in the way of cuisine and high end shopping? I think maybe I'd prefer that over more nature right now, beautiful vacation spot or not..."
Dusk held Vi's gaze, then blinked slowly and nodded. "It would be remiss of me, hypocritical in the extreme, to judge you simply on your race" She reached up and touched one of the small horns jutting from her brow. "However you deserve more of an explanation than that simple truism, I can sense…" Her gaze flicked across Vi's face, searching. "…there's a flip side of being who you are, with the prejudice against your race, being untrusted. It must be very difficult for you to trust in turn. So you merit more insight in to my mind than I was expecting to give right now, but that's ok. We've fought and lain bleeding to death in the same room together which is more than can be said for most!" She stared thoughtfully in to space ”A pretty face, smooth skin, flirting eyes, these things are an initial draw yes. Most of the exact form doesn’t really matter though, only that they've caught your eye. For some that's the only level they operate on. To go deeper than the skin though requires a meeting of minds, shared experiences develop what's there and form a bridge. But that bridge is mind to mind, then soul to soul. It's all about trust.” She met Vi's eyes again. "Trust was hard, maybe impossible to find where I grew up. It's part of the reason I now live in Sharn, mostly alone." She let out a small sigh. ”We're getting ahead in leaps and bounds here, but if I were to try and put all this together in one phrase I'd say this…That you can take another form doesn’t matter to me, the most important thing is to be honest with me.” She reached out and squeezed Vi's knee. "I would never want you to change who you are, I understand the ability to do what you do isn't like a spell, it’s a part of who you are, like being born with adamantine support struts instead of bones." She nodded at the 'Forged, thought for a moment, then reached out and took Vi's hand. "This is as new to me as it is to you, and I just have one thing to ask of you. The desire for female company over male is as ingrained in my psyche as your ability to change your body is in yours. So, when we're enjoying each other's company, would it be alright with you to remain as you are? As a woman?"
* A pained smile was Dusk's response when Vi reached up to her shoulder, to where the mark burned in her skin. She nodded. "Have you ever had an infected wound? It's the closest thing I can think of to describe this" She stared down at where the mark was, under her armor. "Part of me, or what makes me me, is fighting it. The shadow against, well, whatever is causing these marks to appear. Like it's rejecting anything else trying to take a hold!" She shook her head briskly and sighed "It doesn’t appear to be lessening any time soon, so hopefully I can distract myself with other, nicer things until we find a solution." She gestured at the swiftly fading mark on Vi's skin "The others haven’t mentioned theirs causing pain, I take it yours doesn’t hurt so much as provoke some discomfort in you?"
Dusk met Vi's gaze and she laughed "Yes, this heat is one thing, but sand entirely another. Thank goodness for cantrips is all I'll say there!" She listened and smiled, nodding as the Changeling listed off her favored destinations and activities. "That does all sound rather compelling, I like your enthusiasm for luxury treats, you have good taste." She closed her eyes for a moment, genuinely thoughtful "My home... has been Sharn too, at least for the last few years. I too have a proclivity for the finer things as you've suggested, but I fear I have concentrated on work and not made many acquaintances in my time in the city. Such is the lot of a bounty hunter, comes with the territory." She tapped one fingernail on her pauldron, it's icon still showing the partial mark currently hidden by her armor. "There is still the mystery of these, questions to be asked in the dark and the quiet, lest we draw too much attention to ourselves. But if we simply plough on without some respite, it will do more harm than good." The tilted her head to the side and glanced up. "So sensible work can wait, I'd love to unwind with you! First, I will take you to Bisclavret's. He is a shifter tailor... yes yes once you've finished laughing... he has a knack for colour and style that is uncanny, it borders on the supernatural." She lay a finger on one thigh of Vi's burned and sliced leather trousers and traced a line down towards her knee. "You can step out of these and we'll find you something rakish and full of panache, yet that can be quiet and blend in when needed. Beautiful and deadly, to match its wearer." She stared in to Mei'Vi's eyes. "Then I'll take you up on your promises... Massage. Dinner. Wine. Some games..."
Dusk watched patiently, menacingly, as Bronwyn asked her question of the thug. She would step in as Bad watch officer to Bronwyn's Good if it came down to it.
Dusk looked around at the group's tattered clothing, burned and buckled armor plates, their singed and scarred flesh. "We need a vacation... " She sat down next to Vi "So where'd you fancy then? Nice beach with sand in your armor? Somewhere up market to spend your new coins on and shop till you drop? A little cottage in a forest clearing, all remote and undisturbed like?"
At Vi's urgent words, Dusk's blade flashed out towards the throat of one of the thugs... there was a muted metallic *clink* as her sword deflected Fendir's blade. "As the lady said, we want answers. Re-cage that inner beast of yours... Once she was sure the barbarian would no longer threaten the remaining thugs she lowered her sword, but kept it in front of her and the surrendered men. She glanced over her shoulder. "Well I've hunted items of power as well as people for a few years across a few territories, never heard of this Dragon's Eye. Anyone else?"
Swearing under her breath at the woman’s escape, Dusk reactivated her shield and spun around, holding it behind her head to ward off any attempted blows. ”Rip him apart please Fendir!” She ran then, moving back down the path towards her comrades. She focused on the thugs looming over the fallen bodies of Vi and Bronwyn, bolts of shadow blazing from her hand and smashing in to them like hammer blows.
Dusk threw a smiling glance over her shoulder at Vi as she concentrated on keeping the shield up ”I think we’ve all got a touch of...” Her response was cut off as fire rained from the sky, scorching and burning the group as the lead woman made her demands. Dusk met her gaze, and her eyes narrowed. ”Not F’ing likely... ” Dusk took two steps towards the woman and vanished, reappearing further up the path and charging at her from the side.
Her blade cut in a diagonal upwards line from hip to shoulder, then across again at neck height.
"Thank you for the tactical assessment Squeak, happy to assist" Dusk drew her blade as she spoke a word of dark magic so black that the noise of the area was momentarily stilled, a ripple through the air the only note of its passing as it swirled around her blade as she pointed it at the jungle, then fanned outwards towards the group of Emerald Claw minions facing Squeak. With a howl of shrieking, freezing wind, the jungle in front of Squeak was ripped asunder and plunged into darkness, completely engulfing the foes he was facing. Soft whispers and moans of pain were all that escaped the blackness.
"Do not advance inside the darkness Squeak..." Dusk brought up her shield gauntlet in front of her as she moved around Bronwyn to stand next to Vi, giving her some cover to shoot from behind of.
Dusk laughed at the woman, feigning disbelief. "Are these.. I mean... if this is the best you can afford then fine, but really..." She gestured at the twins and shook her head sadly "The last set of dragon's eyes we saw we left rotting in some ruins several miles back. Now look we've had a long walk and it's kind of boring moving through the jungle in this heat, not a lot of time for pleasant distractions" She winked at Vi and noted Fendir's gesture at the other hidden in the foliage "Now even with your friends that think they're doing a good job of hiding in the bushes, you are out of your league here pound for pound. Tell you what, if you surrender now we'll let you walk back to Adderport rather than leave you here for the local flora and fauna to take care of." Se smiled briefly, sharp canines showing "It'd even give us a chance to drink some water, touch up our rouge, that sort of thing..." She dropped her pleasant tone "Or you can feed the trees and ground with your blood and bones, entirely your call..." She didn't even reach for her shadow blade, just stared dispassionately at the woman.
"That's quite the range of control you have there, I don't feel it's your abilities to blame not getting rid of the mark, they seem to be... persistent..." She reached up to scratch under her armor plate but stopped herself. "Firefly might fit, I was about to say its current location is undignified but perhaps its now all the easier to hide from prying eyes..." She stared at Vi's behind for a moment and smiled before turning to their barbarian guide "As B said Fendir, check your facts before you voice your opinion..." She grabbed a silver plate from the hoard and tossed it over to the shifter. "That's an ordinary plate, not a magic mirror" As Fendir looked at himself then turned in to a copy of her, she harrumphed. "It's a common parlor trick Fendir" There was a shimmer in the air around Dusk, her hair pulled up to coil around her head and shifted to the hue of a cloth wrap, her features hardened and musculature changed, until standing in front of Fendir-As-Dusk, was a complete copy of Fendir. "See?" said Dusk-as-Fendir, in his own deep voice. She shook her head and the illusion fell from her form, dissipating like ash falling from a fire "Better knock it off Monocle, there's guild rules you won't like about impersonating a bounty hunter..."
As the group stopped to rest, Dusk nodded at 162 "Very helpful to have a friend that doesn't mind carrying such a heavy load." She sat down and rubbed her shoulder, grimacing. "Blasted thing, feels like it's burrowing in to me..." She removed her shoulder guard to inspect the area again, the dull red glow was still darkened by the surrounding shadowed flesh.
Across the clearing, embedded in a tree, was Dusk's new pauldron. She stared incredulously at her hand. "What the? I didn't even move..." She stood and walked the forty or so feet to the tree, attempted to pull it out and failed. Finally she used her shadowblade to carve the piece of tree around it, and retrieved it that way. Frowning, she reversed it and placed it on her other shoulder. It snicked in to place as usual. "I'm not overly fond of mysteries beyond where my next bounty is hiding, anyone any idea about what's happened here? My own education in such things was sparse..."
Dusk awoke with a snarl, rolling over on to all fours and trying to reach behind her to scratch at her skin. She writhed and jerked, sharp nails yanked her shift down to reveal a symbol etched in to the skin across her left shoulder blade, twisted lines flowing across her shoulder and arm then down across her breast. The pattern was asymmetric, strands of twining ribbon limned in softly glowing crimson, with tiny shifting black threads around the edges. The red glyph and wisps of black of shadow struggled against each other, vying for space on Dusk's skin. She gritted her teeth and poked at the tangled mass, then immediately let loose a cacophany of swear words in multiple languages, whipping her head back and forth, hair dancing across her shoulders. With a focused exhaled breath she sat cross legged and composed herself. Glancing around she saw she was not alone, the others each exhibited similar signs. "Bronwyn, it is evidently some magic, either the temple or the pieces we are carrying. No doubt it can be removed don't fear." With teeth still clenched she leaned over to her kit and swept up her pauldron. "This better work..." She settled it on her shoulder and watched as it *snicked* in to place. A measure of stress passed from her face, immediately replaced by a frown as she saw the insignia on the pauldron had changed to match that of the dragonmark underneath, a miniature copy of the unfinished pattern. "Blood of the Six, what in Khyber's realm have we stumbled upon!?" She shok her head then stood and moved to the others, pointing at Fendir's eye. "Well that's gonna prove hard to hide..." She looked over the Forged as well, before turning to Vi with questioning eyes. "You too? How do you feel?"
"I'm with the fiesty queen of fire and flame here" Dusk nodded at Bronwyn. "We should rest before heading out in to the jungle again, and there was a place more suited to temporary resting back upstairs." She pawed at her belt pouch and retrieved a runestone, shaking it then smacking it with one hand until it glowed blue. "Sur'Kil, we have to talk about how you define 'Easy retrieval job by the coast'. In other news, two out of three objectives secured. Location of third unknown. Exfil'ing now." She stuffed the stone back and winced as she dragged herself upright, leaning on her sword for support. "Right then, after we rest, anyone have any ideas on how we can carry those sacks of coins back to Adderport?"
"Battered, bruised and bloody, yet things have definitely improved in the last few moments" She gently took one of Vi's hands and held it against her cheek, her eyes closing for a moment before flashing open again. "I will survive, you should see to yourself!" she nodded at the elf's burned skin. She let Vi's hand go, squeezing slightly before the touch was broken and the woman moved to check the others. Dusk watched Fendir hack the mummy in to pieces and drop parts in the lava below. "Normally I would make a quip about overkill, but in this case I'm in full support" She nodded in camaraderie with the barbarian, before turning her attention back to Vi as she was suddenly doused with water from Palisade's decanter. Her expression was appreciative and curious as she watched how comfortable Vi seemed to be with her body, even in the company of new friends, before her eyes went momentarily wide in surprise as Vi's form shifted back and forth, revealing her true nature. The tiefling smiled as she met Vi's gaze again. "Well you really were hiding treasure under those leathers. We'll need to go shopping for a new outfit it seems! I'm glad you're looking less injured now." As Bronwyn admonished Squeak, Dusk nodded as vigorously as her sore neck would allow. "Yes, no more self-detonation threats..." She listened as Bronwyn thanked her and Fendir. "Thanks, I believe we were quite useful in blocking its teeth and claws with our bodies and heads" She gestured around the group "I think if even one of us had not been here and contributed, things would have gone a different way."
"Dragonmarks inside the items?" Dusk's brow furrowed for a moment. "Is there a chance if they are marked and somehow connected, we could use these two to find where the crown is?"
Dusk's prone form had been lying in a pool of ever expanding red, her life force slowly soaking in to the stone of the chamber. As the undead half-dragon continued its relentless assault on the others, the tiefling took a final shuddering breath, and then was still. Her shadowblade, still clasped in one hand, began to melt away. Darkness crept along Dusk's arm, the shadow spreading like paper soaked in ink, until it had engulfed her whole form. Her body began to fade then, claimed by the Shadowfell she had forged a pact with, it was almost gone from view until... ...Bronwyn's last, desperate fire spell overcame the necrotic energies animating the mummy. As it collapsed in a swirl of ash and dust, motes of shadow blossomed in the cloud, streaming across to Dusk and darting in to her body. The growing stain of shadow across her flesh faltered and stopped. She took a sudden breath, gasping and wrenching herself in to a position with her back against the sarcophagus, eyes wide and glancing about. The tiefling's skin returned to a paler shade of its normal colour as her blade rematerialised next to her. "Is everyone else...ok?" She still clutched her side, face covered in her own blood as she watched Vi and Bronwyn assisting the others. "I've no magic, nor potions or unguents I'm sorry" It was all she could do to hold on to consciousness.
"Well that's that, no Crown and yet it should have been here. We'll have to take the other pieces back to Sur'Kil on their own." She looked around at the group, fatigue and pain on everyone's faces. "Perhaps we should rest up a little first before we try to go back the way we came, no telling what might have happened since we've been down here..."
'Alchemist's fire: As an action you can throw this flask up to 20 ft. Make a ranged attack against a creature or object treating the flask as an improvised weapon. On a hit the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DEX DC 10 check to extinguish the flames.'
Dusk saw Palisade fall, and Fendir had yet to get up, unless they finished this creature off quickly that would be the end of them all. She dragged herself through the intervening space on vengeance and stubbornness alone, shouting in pain as she swung her blade through two looped slices.
The stabbing sensation in her stomach was too much for her muscles to tolerate however, and the pain caused her to pull her blows short, the sword swinging through empty space instead. She brought her weapon up in a feeble guard, glared and spat blood at the mummified visage.
Dusk swore again, vile epithets with no direct translation in Common as no-one listened or showed any sign of a tactical retreat. She stumbled down the bridge, limping as she went until she reached the end, she threw yet more bolts of shadow at the undead as she moved.
This time one blast caught it on the shoulder, punching a fist sized hole through the decayed and moldering wraps and leaving tatters of swiftly vanishing shadow around the ragged edges. She glanced over the 'forged and her eyes went wide at Squeak's actions "Squeak! There is no need to self-destruct!!!" She shouted desperately "All is not lost, you are not alone, we will fight our way out of this!"
She brought her blade up ready, preparing to throw herself back in to melee combat with the creature if that was what it took to take it down.
Dusk growled "We're losing here, fall back before one of you gets killed!" Face pale, she brought her hand up again, throwing more shadow bolts at the undead beast.
Chunks of the stone exploded and sent chips cascading across the area.
One arm clamped across her side, drenched in her own blood, Dusk struggled to draw a ragged breath. She managed to mumble a single word, and fine black tendrils erupted from her blade in a flash, cascading over her like a wave and crashing to the floor leaving nothing behind... ...she reappeared on the bridge in a burst of shadowy veils, they fell from her like ice melting before a desert sun. She leaned hevaily on her blade, it seemed to be the only thing holding her up. She shakily raised one hand and a feeble blast of energy shot from it in two pulses, both missing the mummy and exploding against the sarcophagus.
Dusk laughed delightedly at Vi's response. "You do look good in those leathers, it's a great outfit. Wish I could pull it off" She flashed razor sharp canines as Palisade's comment made her grin, "I'm sure it's something Vi and I can work out together without straining the rest of the group's resources." She smiled back at Vi "Now if I go huhnting treasure and find only sharp metal that's going to be disappointing!" Her eyes flashed with promise.
Gritting her teeth Dusk tried very hard not to think about how Vi's smooth skin had just been covered in acid. She stood her ground and whipped her blade in a sudden double slash across its snout
One blow connected slicing through more bandages, but the creature was quicker and tougher than expected, and barely seemed to feel the strike.
Dusk shrugged "I've not seen many Dragonmarks up close, Aberrant or otherwise, my people carry other things in our blood" She glanced over at Vi "I see B has hers proudly on display, you don't have any hidden inside those leathers of yours do you?" she raised an eyebrow, clearly teasing the elf.
Despite half-expecting something to appear, Dusk was completely taken off guard as the sarcophagus exploded outwards, shielding her face from the terrible visage of the undead lizard thing. She desperately tried to ward it off with two quick swipes of her blade, as she tried to bring her fear under control she tapped in to her pact and drew a pall over the group's newest enemy, seeking to make it more vulnerable to her blows
Thankfully one blow cut into the pachydermous outer layer of the reanimated corpse, causing a cloud of dust to burst out.
"Sorry B, i've nothing in my bag of tricks that'll assist with tomb raiding that jewel." She stared at the lava below "One thing's certain, make sure you have a firm grip before you yank it out of the rock, ain't no going and fetching it back from down there..."
As they paused, Dusk shared a knowing glance with Vi "As suspected we're not the first to be here, but that still doesn't answer whether we'll be in a fight shortly." She sighs. "Is everyone ready?"
Dusk frowned, her eyes narrowing. "Three niches for three treasures but why would anyone steal only one of them? Unless the other two were mere distractions to the power of the third? Or all three give a special power so someone removed one, but again why not take more of them? It is a puzzle..." She stared at the sarcophagus "Anyone a gambler? Are we betting on crypt guardian, trap or treasure?" She brought her glowing shield up, just in case, then proceeded to look over the stone coffin with Mei'Vi.
"Six below those were nasty..." Dusk cast her gaze over Fendir's wounds. "You want to just press on or take a breather? Either way if no-one minds we should have this conversation on the otherside of the lava flow..."
Dusk paused at the sight of the apparently defenceless sarcophagus. "Nope not falling for that again..." She began looking over the walls to determine if they or the floor, or ceiling were trapped in any way.
"Nice shot Vi!" shouted Dusk, as she brought her blade up high over the remaining beast as it bore down on Fendir. "Chew on this!" She tried to stab down and then rip her blade free of its hide...
...however it proved impossible to stab it without risking hitting Fendir.
Dusk breathed a sigh of relief as she dodged away from the things' claws. Taking two quick steps she weaved back and forth, her blade sweeping a circle to the left then right of her body, fending away the Canoloth and drawing the blade across its reaching limbs...
...but this time it was too quick, pulling its claws back just before her blade swept through.
Dusk took a moment to silently thank her Patron for the provenance in finding the pauldron when she did. Realising she was obscuring the canoloth from her companions, Dusk pirouetted away whilst lashing out at the beast twice with wide scything arcs of her blade.
Pursing her lips, Dusk drew her shadowblade from the sheath on her back, the glowing disk of energy on her gauntlet disappearing as she moved towards the canoloth. Without breaking eye contact with it she reached back and tugged the chain again as she moved forward, breaking in to a sprint.
She murmered a dark command and then using the momentum of her run, slid past the beast and dragged her blade along its side, before spinning in place and ducking to swipe once more, at its legs this time.
Dusk snickered at Vi's comment "Beat me to it, I was going to say 'Professional chew toy'!" She flashed a sharp-toothed grin at the elven explorer that swiftly vanished as Fendir took a horrific wound. Glancing around at the dangling chains and realising what must have happened when the falling Canolith grabbed the far side chain, Dusk stood and ran to the platform on their side. "He won't survive long on his own, come on..." She yanked the chain hoping it would start moving the platform, then shouted
She punctuated her words with more bolts of twisting shadow
Dusk glanced over at the others and jerked her head at Fendir "This is local talent yes? The best they have, charging carelessly across a deathly drop to wrestle with something that looks like the result of a displacer beast getting frisky with an earth elemental..." She aimed two more blasts of crackling shadow energy at the Canoloth Fendir wasn't attempting to get up close and personal with.
"Are we sure we really want his kind of help..."
Dusk stared incredulously as Fendir launched himself past Vi ”Impetuous!” she muttered, before raising her gauntlet and crouching down to hide behind the disk of energy that appeared around it. Two strands of shadow from beneath her wound their way around her arm and hovered above her palm, before she flung them out towards the closest beast.
Letting her shadow weapon dissipate the moment the wall came down, Dusk helped pull the others through as quickly as she could. "That was close. And careless of me not to check for traps first, won't happen again."
Dusk raised an eyebrow as she followed the conversation between Palisade and Bronwyn. "Being somewhat well versed in the mysteries of arcane flame, I am surprised you have not yet bent it to your will to benefit your appearance. Think of the tan you might achieve close to this glow, you'll be the envy of Sharn high society!" She turned her attention to the cavern around them. "Go out to the ruins he said, help some of my agents he said, you'll find treasure he said..." she muttered under her breath as she stared at the molten lava many meters below.
Dusk glanced up from her work on the portcullis and met Vi's gaze "I'm sorry pretty but it's a solo trick that one, else I'd love to share." She returned to concentrating on the bars as Fendir wrestled with them, until Bronwyn shouted and the air seemed to explode around them. Blinking furiously Dusk was stunned they were all still breathing, but quickly turned her attention to the wall east of the portcullis. A shadowy form coalesced in her hands as she moved, and by the time she was there she held an obsidian maul which she proceeded to smash repeatedly in to the wall, loosening up the bricks and mortar for the others to break through.
"There's nothing here, no reset mechanism, no other doors." She spared a glance at the dark stairwell yawning behind her. "In fact I think I'm on the side the portcullis is protecting against, but hey ho." Her shadow blade vanished and she pulled a small leather bag from her pouch. It unrolled at the flick of a wrist and she pulled out pliers and a small crowbar. "Fendir, on the count of three, throw your weight against this cross-section, let's see if we can't twist the rivet away from the weld and pop the whole bar off..." She used the pliers to twist one bar enough to get the crowbar in, then applied torque against the other bar as Fendir pushed.
"Oh dear... perhaps we should have checked for traps before pulling the rather obvious trap-disguised-as-a-lever lever..." Swearing under her breath softly, Dusk vanished in a swirl of brimstone-scented smoke... ...reappearing on the other side of the portcullis. "You're checing over there, maybe there's a mechanism to stop the trap this side!" She scrutinised the walls to see if there was a mechanism anywhere to halt the advancing door.
Dusk shared Vi's suspicious look at the armored plate currently nestled on her shoulder. "Armour? I think so... certainly it seems to be emitting some sort of magically protective field. It's.. oddly soothing too..." She shook her head, there were more pressing matters afoot. "One way to find out about the lever..." She reached out and yanked the metal shank, her shadow blade in hand just in case.
Shaking her head at the discussion but feeling the need to contribute, Dusk advised "Making them from metal might make them durable, however styles change over time. To maximise your ability to stay in vogue you will need to use fake hair, some sort of metal filament that emulates hair, or perhaps even have a range of different cast bronze or iron beards that are able to be easily swapped when required." She closed her eyes as if imagining a scene "After all, what befits a congregation may not be suitable for an attendee at one of Bronwyn's soirees, and thus the multiple priorities must find some way to accommodate the requirement to do both."
Dusk stared at the portcullis. "So one thing, no... two..." She began to list off on her gauntlet fingers. "One, whatever this place is, you're right that bad stuff is kept below using this gate. If we open it and move through is there anything we can do to stop anyone that follows from closing us in?" She indicated her second finger "Two, whilst I'm not necessarily averse to continuing immediately, given we know nothing can come up to get us, do we want to rest and recuperate for an hour or so?"
Dusk stared intently at Bronwyn as she discussed the item. "Very well, thank you for your advice. I will see what this does then, and let you know if it does anything else...unsettling"
Dusk kept a wary eye on Fendir as he towered over Vi, ready to step in if things became hostile. She half turned to Squeak "Why reassemble the skeleton?"
"That's fitting and I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but we're here to do a job. Can this wait until we have accomplished our given task. Unless this is deemed a higher priority?" Glancing over to check on Vi, she frowned when she could not see her, though Bronwyn was not acting with alarm. Dusk moved over to join her. "Invisibility? A nice effect"
"That is a good find. If everyone has rested then I sugest we explore that way and pick up the rest of the horde on the way out."
Once the group met back together to confirm the level was clear, Dusk waved her hand and her shadow blade went back to wherever it had come from in the first place. "Well, well, well... ok sorry let me start again... she chuckled. "If the pieces Sur'Kil sent us for are not in this hoard then there must be another door we have missed. Does anyone have magic that could sense such things? If not we're down to tapping on walls and that will take some time..."
Dusk stared at the piles Fendir was making. "It'll do us no good to carry that further down then back up again, just so you don't start stuffing your pockets yet..." She turned to where Bronwyn and Vi were laughing over some jewelry and inclined her head, smiling slightly at their mirth. She used the toe of her boot to sift through the coins yet to be counted, and reached up to touch the dragon skeleton. Her fingers traced the rough bone, her eyes closed as she walked, her hand running along the giant wing until she stopped by a claw. Crouching down she lifted one talon to reveal the glint of grey metal. She narrowed her eyes and plucked a chunk of metal from the floor, sitting on her haunches and turning it over in her hands. The shoulder guard was unblemished, smooth and shiny as the day it was forged. She held it up to catch the light, yet it had no gems or runes on it. She stood and cast it aside, only for it not to leave her grip. She stared confusedly at the armor piece, as tiny metal filaments wrapped around her hand and wrist, they moved with sudden speed, the filaments climbing her arm and settling on her shoulder, wrapping around and securing the pauldron in to place with a 'snikt'. She reached up to touch it. "Errrr....Bronwyn? Would you mind waving some of your magic in this general direction? I'm sure it's fine but I'd like to be sure in case it wants to eat my arm..."
A glance confirmed the dragon was no longer a threat, so Dusk moved back to the wall and brought her sword back up ready. She saw Vi listening intently and nodded approvingly, cocking her own head to the side to hear for any other enemies approaching.
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