To Find a Mourner (Part 5)

When we last left our heroes, they had passed partially through one floor of the barracks/prison that appeared to contain house servants. A few guards as well, though all (or nearly all) are very much past tense.

After descending to a second level of worse living conditions. Fortunately(?), this level was all but empty of living occupants. The primary exceptions are the Dryad Neriae and the Makari youngling in a formerly hidden room. Neriae offers her assistance, but requires an oath of agreement to her price: the freedom and chance to thrive for said youngling.

Auranar looks a the young sith, and it's not even a question. She casts a quick spell to determine if the youngling is as he seems to be. It doesn't take long to determine however that he is, and the sorceress nods determinedly to the dryad. "We have a place of safety that he can be taken to. We will do our utmost to see him to the freedom that we seek for all who are trapped in this place." She bows her head to the dryad.

Telamon regards the dryad with deep sympathy. "The youngling will be rescued." He looks to the others, nodding, before turning his gaze back to Neriae. "But is there nothing we can do for you, noble Neriae? I would not see any left behind here -- and I have the power to make it happen." There's absolutely no braggadocio in his words, only cool, unyielding fact.

The Goblin eyes Auranar as she casts her spell, and nods when it appears she is satisfied with the result. Simony looks to the dryad. "Did you give an oath to remain here?", she wonders, eyeing the green shoot. "We uhm might be able to move your tree, and devices, back to your native forest, or elsewhere." She nods to what Telamon says, and gestures to the party. "I think most of us here would be hesitant to leave you behind, without at least trying to help you."

After checking on Harkashan, Rune peeks back into the room the others are still gathered in, perhaps wondering what is taking so long. That is when she spots the young Makari and all but freezes in her tracks. For those who know this particular rogue, she has a soft spot for children, enough so that her serious expression beaks. She looks to the others, seeming to realize that this child is the oath that they are taking.

Though she had not been one to step forward before, Rune still offers up her own promise, "We'll see them safely from this place." She inclines her head forward at that. Then, she steps back towards the door, knowing the others would look for other means to help this trapped dryad.

Harkashan has remained outside of the hidden cell, watching the surroundings and making sure they don't get ambushed. The scent of the Forgotten however remaining at the forefront of his mind constantly. It's difficult for him to ignore their presence. It makes his blood scream out.

How many memories are lost to them? How many lives have been disrupted here by the Charn?

He's listening in of course, to the talk with the creature of forest.

Aelwyn was restless as well, being the (only slightly! just a feet!) shorter of the Makari in the party. Lips twist and he flicks his tail behind him, trying to ignore the quiet gnawing at the back of his mind. He did recall that faint hunger.

Which makes him all the more surprised when he also peeks into the room. Orange eyes widening, the ruddy sith-makar quietly steps into the room and then kneels, looking up at the youngling. "... yet how?" He finally asks, with a twist of his lips. "This one shan't question other's fortune, but why they are safe and not the others?"

"No. I made no oath to remain; " Neriae assures Simony, though she looks to all "my oath is only to see him freed." One hand lifts to caress the head upon her own, from which wide eyes continue to peek out at everyone.

"This is Chimali. He came to my care, here, as an egg." Her eyes shift to Aelwyn at the question. "He is safe because our lady wished it so, and I made it so. His sire, Szerak, serves as her Captain. She changed him. One of her first experiements?"

Neriae frowns sadly. "Szerak is savage, but not as mindless like the ones below. Our lady held leverage to ensure his obedience."

"Chi-chi!" the youngling manages to peep up.

"See him from this place." Neriae reaches up to lift Chimali from her head to place him down before the others. He peers. Sniffs. Then he skitters, looking between Auranar, Rune, and Cor'lana. In the end, he scampers up onto Cor'lana. Perhaps she is the most reminiscent of the only caretaker he may have known?

"Only after he is freed and safe will I consider leaving."

"My sister will see him to somewhere safe." Auranar offers reassuringly, looking at her sister for confirmation. They have the option of either returning the youngling to Telamon's mansion or... more quickly transporting the youngling to Alexandria. Either way will see him safely on his way. She waits impatiently a moment, hoping that this will work out well enough.

Telamon stares intently at Neriae, before nodding. "Very well. I know what it means to hold an oath -- not because of code or tradition but because your conscience demands it. But you will be free." As Lana gathers up the youngling, he hmms. The two stand silently together, evidently communicating telepathically, before Telamon nods. "Lana will take Chimali to Alexandria. Once he's settled down, she'll teleport back to me. Us. I meant us." He blushes slightly and grins.

Simony expression softens. "Awww, Chi-chi, that's adorable!" She nods to Neriae, "Good, he will be made safe and then we can get you out of here." The Goblin makes a fist, knuckles cracking, and punches her other hand. "Once he's out of here, let's start taking this place apart til we find Verna."

The fact that this little one not only has been kept safe here in this place of death, but has earned a name in his short life, that is a wonder to Rune. Her lips press thin at the thought of the child's sire having been used for Charneth experimentation. It's enough to draw a low chuff of disapproval from her in a very Makari-like way. Yet, it's an anger she tries not to give off around the youngling.

Instead, when the child is taken on by Cor'lana, she offers only a sing-song hum of a Makari lullaby, reaching out to touch their head before nodding once, giving the little one over to her friend's capable care.

Then, stepping back, she nods, "I second Simony's idea. I'm getting pretty tired of these assholes using people as their playthings."

There's a loud slap to the ground from Harkashan as he listens in. The devilish experiments of this place.

There is, even if Harkashan would rather not let such a thing grow within himself, a deep hatred that flows. Claws grinding on the ground. He is not speaking, worried what he might say. Not facing anyone.

Aelwyn flashes his teeth at the small kid in a macabre fashion - but that was just him being friendly. He straightens and attempts to pat the small one. "And one day the name 'Chi-chi' shall be a strong and valuable one, known across the lands."

Then the Dragoon's eyes turn back towards the dryad. "Yet this one remains confused. One said one was told to care for him, yet one also says they hold an oath to see them from this place? An oath to whom?"

Aelwyn turns his head at the sudden sounds coming from Harkashan's direction. Then he rumbles quietly. "Whichever we do, we should do such quickly. Emotions err the blade."

The oath accepted, Neriae now offers her aid. She has every reason to help them succeed, afterall. "Much of this keep is warded against transportation magic. To leave or return, you will need to be outside of its walls. Our lady has a circle on the upper levels for her own use, but there will be many guards between here and there. The alarm is raised; the lift will not be activated for anyone."

She pauses a moment to collected her thoughts... and watch Chimali settle himself in with his new caretakers. One that is bittersweet. "An oath to myself, scaled one." She then pulls her eyes to the hall and shifts back to the keep. "There are no others held on this level. The only ones below are the lost and corrupted. No new servants were brought recently, but many were taken out: the sick, the weak, the troublesome. I do not know what became of them, but they did not leave through the gates." She then gestures a hand down the hall. The level above, past the servants' cells, is the service door to the main hall. That is the quickest route to the upper levels, but the main hall will be well-guarded."

That makes a certain amount of sense then. Auranar glances at the child and then nods formally. "Can you reach us if we get him to safety then?" She doesn't want to have to trek back down here, isn't certain that they will be able to.

Telamon makes a face. Of course they warded the castle. The last thing they'd need is a group of goodly adventurers doing... well, what they're doing, except with fewer steps. His lips quirk up. "Lana, slip out through the lift shaft. Once you get clear, teleport out. Meanwhile..."

Telamon steps over to place a hand on Harkashan's shoulder. "We're going to level this place. No matter what. But let's get the job done. Are you with me, Hark?"

"Can the lift be moved manually?", the Goblin wonders. She rubs at her cheeks and huffs. "Would the master of this place hold Verna closer, perhaps knowing that someone would come for her?" Her head tilts back and forth, vertebrae popping. "We should hurry, as Aelwyn has suggested."

Simony steps back out into the hall, patting Harkashan's tail along the way. She begins to hum something under her breath.

The fact that those who remain below are all counted among the lost has tension radiating across Rune's body, enough so that she shakes her hands a couple of times to keep them from locking into fists. A year ago, she wouldn't have even set foot around the Charneth, and now it is anger, not fear that drives her. Reaching back for her weapons, Rune readies them at her sides.

She simply nods her agreement, listening to the intel that the dryad offers, "I'm not afraid of a fight, but we should use whatever tactics we can to our advantage. They know we're coming." With that, she turns and starts to head back the way they had come.

Neriae considers the questions. "The lift is controlled from a guardpost at the top. It is for lowering supplies and servants, not raising them." At Telamon's question, she stands. "I will follow you far enough to see him free." After that, even she does not know.

Harkashan glances aside to Telamon. There's a jolt in his shoulders as that hand makes contact, surprising him, before he manages to turn his head a bit. His eye shifting to look down at the elf.

"I have come here to save Verna. As for leveling this place - I would like to give my kin proper burial rites. Mere rock tumbling down upon them will not give them back that which they've been forced to lose." He answers him.

He then looks back again.

"Verna comes first..." As he balls up his clawed hands into fists.

"Let's keep moving."

Aelwyn bows his head with a flourish towards the dryad. "Then this one understands." He simply replies to her when she says the oath is to herself. Straightening, he also strides outside, leaving the question of the next steps to the others. "The time shall come, Lava." The draconian tells the larger makari, touching the other's shoulder. "And when it comes, many a-debt left in these cells certainly shall be repaid."

The path back up the stairs and through the first hall is swift and simple. There are no guards (save for those previously given express tickets to Vardama's Hall) and the few servants in their cell rooms are huddled and cowering there due to the alarm. At the end of the hall, after a short turn to the right and another to the left is... a door. It is a wooden door rather than a gate, and appears to lack any locking mechanism.

Telamon glides towards the wooden door, his starry eyes impassive. With a clear task at hand, he has no intention of dallying or being sidetracked. That being said... Rune is right. There may be guards on the other side. He takes a deep breath, regarding the doors, before looking at Simony. "Before we go busting in there... do you have any insights? Or perhaps the Raven might?" He smiles at the gobber encouragingly.

As they reach the door, Rune stays a bit back to the side. With the doors opening towards them, it means that the first person who becomes visible may very well find themselves a pin-cushion of arrows if they aren't careful. "Anyone got some kind of illusion that might be able to act as a distraction?"

Seeming thoughtful, she adds, "I could make it get dark in there, but that isn't so helpful when I don't think all of us can see in the dark." Rune adds, keeping her voice down.

Simony eyes Telamon a moment, "I could try looking on the other side to see what is there. Erm."

The Goblin promptly sits down, settling into a cross-legged position. Resting the backs of her hands on her knees, her forefingers and thumbs touching.

A look on intense concentration is followed by her face going blank, her eyes widening and taking on a thousand-yard stare, her irises rolling upwards and disappearing.

"I can see columns. The room is fairly large, with... " She squints, eyes still rolls back. "Tables. A pair of stone chairs... on a dais. Stairs on either side leading upwards to an upper balcony or hallway, open to the room below." A blink. "There are... we are outnumbered. There are numerous soldiers. At least one priest of the Tyrant, or perhaps a wizard. Soldiers on the stairs... oh. Oh."

Her expression grows sad. "I believe that is Chi-chi's father." The Goblin grunts and blinks, her eyes returning to normal. Wobbling, she struggles to stand.

"It is certainly one of, if not the, largest Sith I have ever seen."

Aelwyn peers at the door with Rune, clicking his teeth. "This one has no distractions." He slides his hand into his satchel and then pulls out the grappling hook he keeps with him. "Yet, this one suggests excessive amount of fire whence we open the door from a safe distance." A wide macabre grin.

Though Simony's words make him pause and he turns to look at the Gobbo. "Canvas is certain?" Then there's a pause. "... what does the size have to do with it?"

As Simony lays out the room, Rune closes her eyes as if she were trying to picture it in her mind. It's not far off of what she had expected. They set up at a choke point, ready and waiting to face the threat. "Outnumbered doesn't mean out-matched." She answers, biting at her lower lip in thought. "I'm guessing most of the soldiers are up on the balcony with ranged weapons?" Head tilted, Rune asks.

At the mention of the large Makari, there is a small quirk of her lips, however. "If I can go toe to toe with Harkashan's father, then I'm not afraid of some other obnoxiously large Sith." Then, she looks at the others, "I've seen each and every one of you take out your fair share of opponents in a fight. Let's come up with a plan, then make these guys regret their life choices."

Telamon hmms, starry eyes thoughtful. "The only way out is through. But... we can call up reinforcements. My shadow conjurations aren't affected by teleportation warding. Plus, if Chimali's sire can be encouraged to turn against his masters... it might make the difference."

The sorcerer taps his fingers. "It'd be such a tragedy if something unhappy befell their wizard or priest, too. That might get them to break and run -- which solves the problem as well."

Harkashan keeps his response to the revalation of what lies on the other side simple. "I will be your shield." As he lifts his small buckler up. "Let's not overthink it. We have time to make some magical preparations, and then we step forward."

"I've a spell or two for you all, before we open this door.", the Goblin says softly. "Then... I am ready."

She eyes everyone. "If this is the end, it was a good life and I am proud to call you friend... and kin."

(TBC...)