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<blockquote data-quote="EternalNewbie" data-source="post: 1345744" data-attributes="member: 6489"><p>Okay, here's a new update only 4 days after the last one, but try not to get too spoiled, I'm not sure I can maintain this pace for long. If I recall correctly, the end of this update is an actual stopping point in a game session. You'll see what I mean when you reach the bottom <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /> . Anyhow, I haven't much to say this time around, so, uh, thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show...</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * * * * * * * * *</p><p></p><p>"The small door." Gorak rumbled. "Big doors mean big rooms, and that means lots of furniture."</p><p> </p><p>Khalid was about to point out that by following that logic, small doors meant small rooms, which meant less room to run away, but Gorak had already moved to the small door and flung it open.</p><p></p><p>"Shayla," Gorak growled. "Check it out."</p><p></p><p>Khalid placed his hand on Shayla's arm. "Ah, yes, allow me." He stepped forward and cast a simple divination spell. "The room beyond is clear, the aura barely, yes, barely emerges past the west wall." Khalid frowned. "Ah, yes, I'm unable to determine the exact nature of the magic either. Yes, quite."</p><p></p><p>"Don't really matter, does it?" Gorak grumbled. "I think we got a pretty good idea of what it does. Let's go."</p><p></p><p>Gorak moved forward warily, into what appeared to be a small study. Bookshelves lined the east wall, framing a small writing desk and two large leather armchairs were arranged around a small table in the far corner of the room. There was a door directly opposite the one they had just entered, leading south, and another one on the west wall. Khalid glanced at the bookshelves as he entered the room, but saw nothing of immediate interest. The man seemed to have a penchant for theology and bad poetry from Khalid's cursory inspection. The writing desk too, was devoid of any clues as to the man's whereabouts. Sheets of parchment were stacked neatly to one side and vials of ink, now hardened, were lined up meticulously alongside perfectly sharpened quills.</p><p></p><p>"Nothing." Gorak grunted after poking around the room. "Let's move through this door. I ain't in the mood to wrassle any more furniture just yet."</p><p></p><p>The room to the south was the cleric's bedroom. A large, four poster bed lay against the east wall and a full length, dust covered mirror hung on the far wall. Shafts of sunlight poked through the boarded up windows and cut golden swaths through the room. A huge iron bound book lay on the nightstand beside the bed.</p><p></p><p>"Oooh," Shayla purred as she pushed past Gorak into the room, "I always wanted a bed like this."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, wait, Shayla, no!" Khalid spoke too late, as Shayla hopped on the bed. She leapt off it as though she had been shot out of a ballista as an enormous cloud of dust exploded from the mattress. Coughing and choking, they retreated back into the study until the air cleared.</p><p></p><p>Shayla had the good graces to at least look apologetic. "Umm, sorry. I wasn’t thinking."</p><p></p><p>Gorak muttered something under his breath, and moved back into the room. He stopped to examine the book on the nightstand before picking it up and blowing the dust off it.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, what is it?" Khalid asked.</p><p></p><p>Gorak held it up so Khalid could read the title. "Ah, <em>Classical Interpretations of the Doctrine of Fezayl: Articles I through CDXXXVIII.II</em>. That sounds dreadful. Yes, quite."</p><p></p><p>Gorak grunted. "Probably, but it might give us some idea of what happened to him. I'll take a look at it later."</p><p></p><p>Khalid moved over to the nightstand and began to poke around in the cleric's personal effects as Gorak moved towards what appeared to be a closet. Gorak opened the door and then muttered, "Nothing in here. Just some old robes and stuff." He reached out to touch one of them and it crumbled into dust.</p><p></p><p>Khalid whirled around as the closet door slammed shut with a crash and Gorak staggered backwards, coughing heavily.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, more dust." Khalid said sympathetically. Then a look of concern crossed his face as Gorak sank to one knee and began to gasp for air. His coughs took on a thick, tearing sound as blood flecked his lips. "Gorak," Khalid asked, "are you, ah, alright?" He was becoming alarmed.</p><p></p><p>Gorak however, waved away Khalid's help as the coughing fit slowly subsided. Somewhat unsteadily, Gorak rose to his feet and took a few deep breaths, a look of pain etched on his features. Grimacing at his blood and mucus stained hand, he wiped it on his leather breeches and growled, "I dunno what in the nine hells is in there, but it's more than just dust. Some kinda spores or something."</p><p></p><p>Shayla sighed. "Well there's nothing in here. Our only options lead back into rooms blanketed in that aura."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, well perhaps we should regroup then, yes?" Khalid asked.</p><p></p><p>Gorak grumbled, "Ya, maybe. That stuff just kicked the hell out of me, whatever it was and if we have to go room by room, smashing every piece of furniture from one end of the house to the other, I could use a rest."</p><p></p><p>"And it's not like another day, yes, will make any difference. He's been missing for months now. Yes, quite." Khalid added.</p><p></p><p>That decided the trio exited the building the way they had entered and moved back around the side of the house. Their timing however, left much to be desired. Just as they were slipping out through the front gate, two city guardsmen came marching down the street.</p><p></p><p>"What are you doing in there?" one of the guardsmen demanded.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes, well you see," Khalid stalled, his mind racing frantically. "We're looking, yes, looking for my, ah friend, yes friend." Khalid continued, realizing he was treading dangerously close to the truth. "Because ah, he, ah, owes me money. Yes, that's it, he owes me money. Yes, quite." Khalid smiled innocently at the guards.</p><p></p><p>"Well, good luck collecting," one of the guards replied, eyeing the group suspiciously. "That guy ain't been seen in months and that place is off limits, by the order of the city council."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes, quite. That certainly would explain all the boards." Khalid agreed. Then a cunning look crossed his face as he leaned in close to the guards and whispered, "Ah, yes, he owes me quite, yes, quite a bit of money. I would appreciate it if you forgot, yes, forgot that we were ever around here." He pressed a sultana into the guard's hand.</p><p></p><p>"Whatever," the guard shrugged. "Just stay away from that house."</p><p></p><p>The matter settled, they returned to the inn to lick their wounds and rest. They spent the rest of the day relaxing in the terraced garden, drinking coffee and discussing the best way to approach the rest of the house. Khalid however, found himself distracted and irritable for most of the day. He couldn't seem to concentrate on the conversation and a strange buzzing sound, akin to a swarm of tiny insects, hovered just on the edge of his awareness. Finally, after half-heartedly poking at his supper, Khalid pushed his plate away and sighed.</p><p></p><p>"Khalid, is something bothering you," Shayla asked. "You hardly touched your second helping."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, it's nothing," he replied. "I just need some rest, yes, rest, after this morning's excitement." He stood up and left the table, heading for his room upstairs. Sleep took a long time coming, and when it finally did, his dreams were twisted and incoherent. Tortured and beset by strange images, Khalid sat bolt upright in his bed, gasping for breath. Lighting a lantern, Khalid rushed over to his desk and began furiously writing.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * * * * * * * * *</p><p></p><p>Gorak picked up a date from the platter in front of him, and popped it in his mouth. Shayla was sitting opposite him, sipping at glass of fruit juice and idly playing with a strand of her hair. "So," Gorak grunted. "You seen Khalid yet today?"</p><p></p><p>"Nope," she replied. "Maybe he's down in the baths."</p><p></p><p>"Nah, was down there already this morning," Gorak rumbled, "didn't see him. Pounded on his door too, didn't get any answer."</p><p></p><p>"Well, maybe he went out early," Shayla suggested.</p><p></p><p>"Khalid, go out early, without having breakfast?" Gorak grumbled.</p><p></p><p>"You're right, maybe we should go check on him."</p><p></p><p>Just as they stood up from the table, they heard a shout and a crash from above them. Gorak sprinted to the stairs and raced up them, two at a time, with Shayla close behind. Khalid was standing in the hallway, naked to the waist, holding a sheaf of papers in his hand and capering about the hallway.</p><p></p><p>"I figured it out! Yes, yes, I've solved it!" he cried as he danced about. Seizing Gorak by the shoulders he began to speak quickly, "I can conceptualize, yes, conceptualize the formulae needed to ah, stabilize the anomaly, yes, quite."</p><p></p><p>Gorak brushed his hands off. "Make sense man," he growled.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes, yes, watch." Khalid raced into his room and returned with a coil of rope. Throwing it on the ground, he closed his eyes and began to chant. As he finished, the rope rose slowly into the air, until the tip almost brushed the ceiling.</p><p></p><p>Gorak looked less than impressed. "Ya, that's great Khalid," he growled, "you'll be a big hit at parties."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, no, that's not all. Yes, quite. Watch." Khalid grasped the rope in both hands and managed to raise himself almost a full two feet off the ground before sliding back down. "Ah, yes," Khalid stammered, turning red. "I had, ah, the wasting fever as a child, it sapped the strength, yes, strength from my hands." He took a deep breath and tried again. Aided by the magic of the spell, he climbed the rope easily this time. When he reached the top, instead of banging his head on the ceiling, he simply vanished from sight. A second later Khalid's head poked into view. "Ah, climb up, climb up," he instructed and then vanished from sight again.</p><p></p><p>As Shayla and Gorak climbed the rope, they too passed through an invisible portal and were greeted with a flat, featureless plane that extended in all directions. It was disorienting at first, as the only way to tell ground from sky was a slight darkening of the grey haze. "Nice," Gorak grunted, looking somewhat more impressed now. "How long can you hold it?"</p><p></p><p>"Ah, hours," Khalid replied gleefully. "It's not endless however, but it's large enough for our purposes. Yes, quite. If you walk too far in any direction, you will reach a boundary of sorts. And," he pulled the rope up, "when you pull in the rope, it's completely invisible and impenetrable from the outside." Khalid looked enormously pleased with himself.</p><p></p><p>They descended out of the planar void and back into the inn. Khalid, realizing that he was clad in only a loincloth, blushed and quickly returned to his room. He emerged moments later, dressed in his familiar crimson robes and joined Shayla and Gorak downstairs. Over breakfast, they decided to postpone their assault until the next morning, to give Khalid more time to prepare.</p><p></p><p>That night, while he was bent over his spell book crafting a scroll, Khalid heard a knock at his door. Rising slowly and stretching to relieve the cramped tension in his back, he walked over to the door and opened it just a crack. Seeing Shayla standing there, looking somewhat unsure of herself, he opened the door fully. "Ah, yes, Shayla, is there something I can help you with?"</p><p></p><p>"Um, no, not really I guess," she replied, "I was just checking in to see how your research was going."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, quite well, yes, quite." Khalid knew something was up now, every time he mentioned his research Shayla started yawning. "Would you like to, ah, come in?" he asked.</p><p></p><p>Shayla walked in quietly, and sat on the edge of Khalid's bed. Unsure of exactly what to do, Khalid stood by the door somewhat awkwardly as the silence lengthened. Finally, Shayla spoke. "Khalid, do you know much about magic, I mean, about the way I cast spells?"</p><p></p><p>Khalid, caught off guard by the question, stammered, "Ah, no, not really I'm afraid."</p><p></p><p>Shayla, looking downcast, practically whispered, "Oh, I see."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, it wasn't a very popular topic at the White Tower, I'm afraid," Khalid apologized. "Those who study magic tend to look down their noses at sorcerers, thinking them to be limited and uneducated." He realized that probably wasn't making her feel any better and quickly continued, "Ah, but from what I have seen of you, you are neither of those things. Yes, quite. I do know that the magic you wield is arcane, similar to mine and quite, yes, quite different from that which Gorak wields, but, ah, whereas I must study formulae to grasp at the weave of magic, it flows through you like a river. But, ah, why ask me? Surely, you know this better, yes, better than I?"</p><p></p><p>Shayla nodded. "I guess so, it's just…" she hesitated, then continued, "it's just that it's becoming easier to cast spells. I know that sounds silly, but I feel, well, most of the time I feel like a glass that's filled right to the brim, ready to spill. I'm just worried that I'm going to lose control, and something's going to happen. These last few days it's been like, well, like it was in the beginning, when I was young." Her eyes grew distant as she watched the sights only memory can provide. "Those were…difficult times."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes," Khalid replied, searching for the right thing to say. "Magic can be, ah, unpredictable, yes quite. But I know you, yes, I think I know you quite well now, and I know that you are stronger, yes quite stronger than you may think. You will find a way, yes, a way to control the magic, to bend it to your will, I have no doubt," he said, trying to sound reassuring.</p><p></p><p>Shayla smiled slightly, "Thanks Khalid."</p><p></p><p>"Ah, but if you want, I can perhaps do some research, yes, research on the subject."</p><p></p><p>She shook her head, "No, that's alright Khalid, I do feel better now. I just wanted to talk to somebody about it I guess." She stood up and moved towards the door. "Thanks Khalid, you're a good friend."</p><p></p><p>After she had left, Khalid sat down at his writing desk and picked up his quill. He didn't start writing immediately however, still marveling over what Shayla had said. Friend, she had called him. The thought that a woman as beautiful, wealthy and powerful as Shayla would call him a friend would have been ludicrous two months ago. As he thought back over the events of the last month, the danger and the excitement, the fear and the elation, Khalid realized just how empty his life had been before he had fled Gem-Sharad. Smiling to himself as the familiar sound of quill scratching across parchment filled his ears, Khalid found himself almost anxious for the morning sun.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * * * * * * * * *</p><p></p><p>"So," Gorak grumbled. "Who's gonna be the first one in there."</p><p></p><p>They were standing in the study of the cleric's house, looking into what appeared to be a trophy room. The heads of various dangerous and vicious animals were mounted around the wall on plaques, each with a name and date beneath it. The room was unadorned save for a large bearskin rug in the very center. It was also bathed in the bluish glow of a powerful magic aura.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes, from what I can tell," Khalid said as he studied the aura, "the source of the magic is probably over in that part of the house, possibly below us as well." He waved at the southeast corner of the room.</p><p></p><p>"How much you wanna bet that rug tries to eat us?" Gorak grumbled.</p><p></p><p>"And," Shayla chimed in, "how much do you wanna bet that there's a trap door beneath it?"</p><p></p><p>"Nothing," Gorak growled. "Alright, get ready." As soon as Gorak stepped foot into the room, the rug bunched up and launched itself at Gorak, who quickly retreated out of the magical aura. The rug lay quivering in the doorway and seemed almost lifelike in its desire to attack them. Khalid began casting a spell and enshrouded the glorified carpet in a haze of flame and ash. Even as the spell left his fingertips, he heard Shayla start chanting as well. Thin, glowing discs of force streaked out from her hands and slashed into the rug, tearing deep cuts into the pelt. The rug, possessed of minimal intelligence, retreated out of sight along the wall of the trophy room.</p><p></p><p>Khalid turned to Shayla, and looked at her questioning. Shayla just winked, and mouthed the words, "You were right."</p><p></p><p>Gorak grunted, "Great. Now I've got to go lure it out again. Shayla, whatever you just did, do it again as soon as you see it." With that, he stepped forward into the trophy room.</p><p></p><p>Again the rug scuttled forward, still smoldering slightly from the effects of Khalid's spell. The fanged maw bit Gorak on the ankle as he somewhat ineffectually smashed his cudgel down on it. Shayla unleashed spell after spell upon the animated creature, finally slashing it into tatters with a final volley of spinning blades.</p><p></p><p>"I told you," Shayla said with a smile on her face. "I told you there'd be a trap door under there."</p><p></p><p>"I didn't hear nobody arguing with you, darling," Gorak rumbled as he moved forward into the trophy room. As he strayed too close to one of the walls, a panther's head snapped at him and he stepped back. "Playful. It's safe enough in here, just mind the walls."</p><p></p><p>As Khalid and Shayla entered the room, Gorak reached down and pulled on the trapdoor. It didn’t budge. "Locked," he growled. "Stand back and gimme some room." He reached down and grasped the iron ring on the trapdoor with both hands. With both feet braced shoulder width apart, he began to slowly stand up. The muscles on his arms and legs bulged under the strain and his breath quickened as he exerted enormous force on the door.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, Gorak," Khalid said hesitantly, "there's probably a key around here someplace, if we just keep…." With a splintering crack, the frame around the trapdoor shattered. As Gorak jerked upright, the door tore completely from its hinges. </p><p></p><p>Gorak stood there, grinning, with the shattered remains of the trapdoor in his hands. "I'd say ladies first," he growled, "but it's probably better if I led the way." He began moving cautiously down the stone staircase. "And besides, ain't no ladies around here anyhow," he chuckled.</p><p></p><p>Shayla dismissed him with a flick of her auburn curls. "Stop trying to be funny and tell me what you see."</p><p></p><p>"Nothing yet. It goes down pretty deep," Gorak's voice echoed up from below. "Alright. I'm at the bottom. Khalid, you'd better get down here."</p><p></p><p>Khalid and Shayla hurried down the stairs, bringing a magical light source with them. As Khalid stepped into the room at the bottom of the stairway, he gasped in awe. "This workmanship rivals that of the Hall of Summoning within the White Tower."</p><p></p><p>The room that so impressed Khalid was obviously a workshop of some type. Long tables lined three of the walls, and tools of every sort hung from pegs above the tables. In each of the corners of the room was a large glass tube, almost eight feet high and five feet across, standing on an ornately carved pedestal. The tubes were filled with a cloudy, greenish liquid. What had caught Khalid's attention however, was not the table, the tools or even the tubes. Carefully inlaid into the floor in the center of the room were arcane glyphs whose meaning was all to clear to any student of magic. Within the outer circle of runes was another set of glyphs, forming a square whose points touched the edges of the circle. Inside the square was a circular depression, filled with a fine white sand. In the very center of the sand were a pair of footprints, which led straight towards the stairway.</p><p></p><p>Shayla and Gorak fanned out, searching around the room for any clues to the cleric's disappearance. Gorak wandered over and picked up a book that was lying open on one of the tables. He absently flipped through a few pages and grunted, "Looks like the clerics journal."</p><p></p><p>Khalid knelt down in front of the summoning circle and began to examine the runes meticulously. Each individual glyph had been hand carved from jade and inlaid into what appeared to be a single piece of white marble, carefully shaped and polished into a huge circle. The whole thing had a diameter of almost twenty feet, and Khalid couldn't begin to estimate how much it must have cost.</p><p></p><p>Shayla, in the meantime, had moved towards one of the glass tubes and was inspecting it with interest. Then suddenly, she uttered a startled shriek and stumbled backwards. Khalid, startled, almost brushed against the rune he was inspecting. "Ah, careful," he admonished, "you almost made me break the summoning circle."</p><p></p><p>"Sorry," Shayla apologized, "but I think I found our cleric."</p><p></p><p>Gorak and Khalid both moved over beside Shayla, and examined the glass tube she had been inspecting. The liquid was darker, and much cloudier than in the other tanks. As they watched, a twisted and bloated face emerged and bumped up against the glass. The cleric, identifiable from the markings on his cloak, was in the early stages of decomposition. The flesh on his face had begun to peel away, revealing white bone beneath. His eyes were already gone, Khalid noted, before he glanced away from the grotesque scene. Slowly, the body rolled around in the tube, and vanished from sight again.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes, it would appear as though some one, or ah, some thing has seen fit to ah, well, pickle him," Khalid said, somewhat unnecessarily. "I suspect that he may have summoned something too, ah, powerful to handle, although as of yet I have discovered no irregularities in the protective wards. Yes, quite."</p><p></p><p>Shayla cast a quick spell and stared hard at the glass tube containing the cleric. "Well, there's magic in there," she said. "Let's see. The staff is giving off the same aura as the one upstairs, so that must be what's causing all the furniture to jump around. His cloak is magical too, as is that backpack he's wearing. Neither is as powerful as that staff though."</p><p></p><p>"Well, what are we gonna do? Bust him out?" Gorak rumbled.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes, I'm not entirely sure that's wise," Khalid replied. "We may be a bit, yes, a bit beyond our depth here. Yes, quite. Handling unknown magic items is, ah, risky at best. Perhaps, yes, perhaps we should just inform Arbaq, and let him decide."</p><p></p><p>"I suppose you're right," Shayla said, "although I hate to leave that staff behind."</p><p></p><p>"Ya." Gorak grunted. "I don't really see any way to get it open without smashing it anyhow, and Arbaq might not like us man handling his buddy like that."</p><p></p><p>The three turned and began to head towards the stairs when Khalid suddenly snapped his fingers. "Ah, you know, on second thought, there's not really any point in leaving without getting him out of there. We'll just have to make another trip back here. Yes, quite." Khalid looked around for something to smash the glass, and realized he was holding his crossbow. He loaded it quickly and raised it to his shoulder, taking aim at the glass tube.</p><p></p><p>"What?" Gorak growled, surprised.</p><p></p><p>"Yeah, you're right Khalid," Shayla agreed. "And besides, if you guys think I'm leaving here without that staff, you're crazy."</p><p></p><p>"Listen I thought we agreed we were gonna...." Gorak began as Khalid fired his crossbow. The bolt notched the glass and ricocheted off, but failed to crack the tube.</p><p></p><p>"Ah, yes, it's thicker than it looks." Khalid half muttered.</p><p></p><p>"Oh for heaven's sake," Shayla said with exasperation, "let me show you how it's done." She walked over to one of the walls and pulled a small hammer from its peg.</p><p></p><p>"Now wait just a minute!" Gorak snarled as he moved towards Shayla. He had just about reached her when she drew back and slammed the hammer into the glass. The glass starred beneath the blow, but did not shatter. Then, a thin spider web of cracks fanned out from the spot Shayla had smashed. Greenish ichor began to leak down the side of the tube and pool on the floor.</p><p></p><p>Khalid shook his head trying to clear his thoughts, which had suddenly become confused and unsettled. The tube continued to crack and the droplets of ichor flowing down the side of the glass became a stream that sprayed out upon the floor. Khalid blinked as a wave of greenish fluid washed over his feet. Then his eyes widened and he spun around in horror, just in time to see the fluid wash over the runes inscribed on the floor.</p><p></p><p>Shayla, hammer still in hand, looked at the tube, and then at </p><p>Khalid and Gorak with growing fear on her face. "Oh sh*t," she said simply. And then darkness engulfed them.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="EternalNewbie, post: 1345744, member: 6489"] Okay, here's a new update only 4 days after the last one, but try not to get too spoiled, I'm not sure I can maintain this pace for long. If I recall correctly, the end of this update is an actual stopping point in a game session. You'll see what I mean when you reach the bottom :D . Anyhow, I haven't much to say this time around, so, uh, thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show... [CENTER]* * * * * * * * * *[/CENTER] "The small door." Gorak rumbled. "Big doors mean big rooms, and that means lots of furniture." Khalid was about to point out that by following that logic, small doors meant small rooms, which meant less room to run away, but Gorak had already moved to the small door and flung it open. "Shayla," Gorak growled. "Check it out." Khalid placed his hand on Shayla's arm. "Ah, yes, allow me." He stepped forward and cast a simple divination spell. "The room beyond is clear, the aura barely, yes, barely emerges past the west wall." Khalid frowned. "Ah, yes, I'm unable to determine the exact nature of the magic either. Yes, quite." "Don't really matter, does it?" Gorak grumbled. "I think we got a pretty good idea of what it does. Let's go." Gorak moved forward warily, into what appeared to be a small study. Bookshelves lined the east wall, framing a small writing desk and two large leather armchairs were arranged around a small table in the far corner of the room. There was a door directly opposite the one they had just entered, leading south, and another one on the west wall. Khalid glanced at the bookshelves as he entered the room, but saw nothing of immediate interest. The man seemed to have a penchant for theology and bad poetry from Khalid's cursory inspection. The writing desk too, was devoid of any clues as to the man's whereabouts. Sheets of parchment were stacked neatly to one side and vials of ink, now hardened, were lined up meticulously alongside perfectly sharpened quills. "Nothing." Gorak grunted after poking around the room. "Let's move through this door. I ain't in the mood to wrassle any more furniture just yet." The room to the south was the cleric's bedroom. A large, four poster bed lay against the east wall and a full length, dust covered mirror hung on the far wall. Shafts of sunlight poked through the boarded up windows and cut golden swaths through the room. A huge iron bound book lay on the nightstand beside the bed. "Oooh," Shayla purred as she pushed past Gorak into the room, "I always wanted a bed like this." "Ah, wait, Shayla, no!" Khalid spoke too late, as Shayla hopped on the bed. She leapt off it as though she had been shot out of a ballista as an enormous cloud of dust exploded from the mattress. Coughing and choking, they retreated back into the study until the air cleared. Shayla had the good graces to at least look apologetic. "Umm, sorry. I wasn’t thinking." Gorak muttered something under his breath, and moved back into the room. He stopped to examine the book on the nightstand before picking it up and blowing the dust off it. "Ah, what is it?" Khalid asked. Gorak held it up so Khalid could read the title. "Ah, [I]Classical Interpretations of the Doctrine of Fezayl: Articles I through CDXXXVIII.II[/I]. That sounds dreadful. Yes, quite." Gorak grunted. "Probably, but it might give us some idea of what happened to him. I'll take a look at it later." Khalid moved over to the nightstand and began to poke around in the cleric's personal effects as Gorak moved towards what appeared to be a closet. Gorak opened the door and then muttered, "Nothing in here. Just some old robes and stuff." He reached out to touch one of them and it crumbled into dust. Khalid whirled around as the closet door slammed shut with a crash and Gorak staggered backwards, coughing heavily. "Ah, more dust." Khalid said sympathetically. Then a look of concern crossed his face as Gorak sank to one knee and began to gasp for air. His coughs took on a thick, tearing sound as blood flecked his lips. "Gorak," Khalid asked, "are you, ah, alright?" He was becoming alarmed. Gorak however, waved away Khalid's help as the coughing fit slowly subsided. Somewhat unsteadily, Gorak rose to his feet and took a few deep breaths, a look of pain etched on his features. Grimacing at his blood and mucus stained hand, he wiped it on his leather breeches and growled, "I dunno what in the nine hells is in there, but it's more than just dust. Some kinda spores or something." Shayla sighed. "Well there's nothing in here. Our only options lead back into rooms blanketed in that aura." "Ah, well perhaps we should regroup then, yes?" Khalid asked. Gorak grumbled, "Ya, maybe. That stuff just kicked the hell out of me, whatever it was and if we have to go room by room, smashing every piece of furniture from one end of the house to the other, I could use a rest." "And it's not like another day, yes, will make any difference. He's been missing for months now. Yes, quite." Khalid added. That decided the trio exited the building the way they had entered and moved back around the side of the house. Their timing however, left much to be desired. Just as they were slipping out through the front gate, two city guardsmen came marching down the street. "What are you doing in there?" one of the guardsmen demanded. "Ah, yes, well you see," Khalid stalled, his mind racing frantically. "We're looking, yes, looking for my, ah friend, yes friend." Khalid continued, realizing he was treading dangerously close to the truth. "Because ah, he, ah, owes me money. Yes, that's it, he owes me money. Yes, quite." Khalid smiled innocently at the guards. "Well, good luck collecting," one of the guards replied, eyeing the group suspiciously. "That guy ain't been seen in months and that place is off limits, by the order of the city council." "Ah, yes, quite. That certainly would explain all the boards." Khalid agreed. Then a cunning look crossed his face as he leaned in close to the guards and whispered, "Ah, yes, he owes me quite, yes, quite a bit of money. I would appreciate it if you forgot, yes, forgot that we were ever around here." He pressed a sultana into the guard's hand. "Whatever," the guard shrugged. "Just stay away from that house." The matter settled, they returned to the inn to lick their wounds and rest. They spent the rest of the day relaxing in the terraced garden, drinking coffee and discussing the best way to approach the rest of the house. Khalid however, found himself distracted and irritable for most of the day. He couldn't seem to concentrate on the conversation and a strange buzzing sound, akin to a swarm of tiny insects, hovered just on the edge of his awareness. Finally, after half-heartedly poking at his supper, Khalid pushed his plate away and sighed. "Khalid, is something bothering you," Shayla asked. "You hardly touched your second helping." "Ah, it's nothing," he replied. "I just need some rest, yes, rest, after this morning's excitement." He stood up and left the table, heading for his room upstairs. Sleep took a long time coming, and when it finally did, his dreams were twisted and incoherent. Tortured and beset by strange images, Khalid sat bolt upright in his bed, gasping for breath. Lighting a lantern, Khalid rushed over to his desk and began furiously writing. [CENTER]* * * * * * * * * *[/CENTER] Gorak picked up a date from the platter in front of him, and popped it in his mouth. Shayla was sitting opposite him, sipping at glass of fruit juice and idly playing with a strand of her hair. "So," Gorak grunted. "You seen Khalid yet today?" "Nope," she replied. "Maybe he's down in the baths." "Nah, was down there already this morning," Gorak rumbled, "didn't see him. Pounded on his door too, didn't get any answer." "Well, maybe he went out early," Shayla suggested. "Khalid, go out early, without having breakfast?" Gorak grumbled. "You're right, maybe we should go check on him." Just as they stood up from the table, they heard a shout and a crash from above them. Gorak sprinted to the stairs and raced up them, two at a time, with Shayla close behind. Khalid was standing in the hallway, naked to the waist, holding a sheaf of papers in his hand and capering about the hallway. "I figured it out! Yes, yes, I've solved it!" he cried as he danced about. Seizing Gorak by the shoulders he began to speak quickly, "I can conceptualize, yes, conceptualize the formulae needed to ah, stabilize the anomaly, yes, quite." Gorak brushed his hands off. "Make sense man," he growled. "Ah, yes, yes, watch." Khalid raced into his room and returned with a coil of rope. Throwing it on the ground, he closed his eyes and began to chant. As he finished, the rope rose slowly into the air, until the tip almost brushed the ceiling. Gorak looked less than impressed. "Ya, that's great Khalid," he growled, "you'll be a big hit at parties." "Ah, no, that's not all. Yes, quite. Watch." Khalid grasped the rope in both hands and managed to raise himself almost a full two feet off the ground before sliding back down. "Ah, yes," Khalid stammered, turning red. "I had, ah, the wasting fever as a child, it sapped the strength, yes, strength from my hands." He took a deep breath and tried again. Aided by the magic of the spell, he climbed the rope easily this time. When he reached the top, instead of banging his head on the ceiling, he simply vanished from sight. A second later Khalid's head poked into view. "Ah, climb up, climb up," he instructed and then vanished from sight again. As Shayla and Gorak climbed the rope, they too passed through an invisible portal and were greeted with a flat, featureless plane that extended in all directions. It was disorienting at first, as the only way to tell ground from sky was a slight darkening of the grey haze. "Nice," Gorak grunted, looking somewhat more impressed now. "How long can you hold it?" "Ah, hours," Khalid replied gleefully. "It's not endless however, but it's large enough for our purposes. Yes, quite. If you walk too far in any direction, you will reach a boundary of sorts. And," he pulled the rope up, "when you pull in the rope, it's completely invisible and impenetrable from the outside." Khalid looked enormously pleased with himself. They descended out of the planar void and back into the inn. Khalid, realizing that he was clad in only a loincloth, blushed and quickly returned to his room. He emerged moments later, dressed in his familiar crimson robes and joined Shayla and Gorak downstairs. Over breakfast, they decided to postpone their assault until the next morning, to give Khalid more time to prepare. That night, while he was bent over his spell book crafting a scroll, Khalid heard a knock at his door. Rising slowly and stretching to relieve the cramped tension in his back, he walked over to the door and opened it just a crack. Seeing Shayla standing there, looking somewhat unsure of herself, he opened the door fully. "Ah, yes, Shayla, is there something I can help you with?" "Um, no, not really I guess," she replied, "I was just checking in to see how your research was going." "Ah, quite well, yes, quite." Khalid knew something was up now, every time he mentioned his research Shayla started yawning. "Would you like to, ah, come in?" he asked. Shayla walked in quietly, and sat on the edge of Khalid's bed. Unsure of exactly what to do, Khalid stood by the door somewhat awkwardly as the silence lengthened. Finally, Shayla spoke. "Khalid, do you know much about magic, I mean, about the way I cast spells?" Khalid, caught off guard by the question, stammered, "Ah, no, not really I'm afraid." Shayla, looking downcast, practically whispered, "Oh, I see." "Ah, it wasn't a very popular topic at the White Tower, I'm afraid," Khalid apologized. "Those who study magic tend to look down their noses at sorcerers, thinking them to be limited and uneducated." He realized that probably wasn't making her feel any better and quickly continued, "Ah, but from what I have seen of you, you are neither of those things. Yes, quite. I do know that the magic you wield is arcane, similar to mine and quite, yes, quite different from that which Gorak wields, but, ah, whereas I must study formulae to grasp at the weave of magic, it flows through you like a river. But, ah, why ask me? Surely, you know this better, yes, better than I?" Shayla nodded. "I guess so, it's just…" she hesitated, then continued, "it's just that it's becoming easier to cast spells. I know that sounds silly, but I feel, well, most of the time I feel like a glass that's filled right to the brim, ready to spill. I'm just worried that I'm going to lose control, and something's going to happen. These last few days it's been like, well, like it was in the beginning, when I was young." Her eyes grew distant as she watched the sights only memory can provide. "Those were…difficult times." "Ah, yes," Khalid replied, searching for the right thing to say. "Magic can be, ah, unpredictable, yes quite. But I know you, yes, I think I know you quite well now, and I know that you are stronger, yes quite stronger than you may think. You will find a way, yes, a way to control the magic, to bend it to your will, I have no doubt," he said, trying to sound reassuring. Shayla smiled slightly, "Thanks Khalid." "Ah, but if you want, I can perhaps do some research, yes, research on the subject." She shook her head, "No, that's alright Khalid, I do feel better now. I just wanted to talk to somebody about it I guess." She stood up and moved towards the door. "Thanks Khalid, you're a good friend." After she had left, Khalid sat down at his writing desk and picked up his quill. He didn't start writing immediately however, still marveling over what Shayla had said. Friend, she had called him. The thought that a woman as beautiful, wealthy and powerful as Shayla would call him a friend would have been ludicrous two months ago. As he thought back over the events of the last month, the danger and the excitement, the fear and the elation, Khalid realized just how empty his life had been before he had fled Gem-Sharad. Smiling to himself as the familiar sound of quill scratching across parchment filled his ears, Khalid found himself almost anxious for the morning sun. [CENTER]* * * * * * * * * *[/CENTER] "So," Gorak grumbled. "Who's gonna be the first one in there." They were standing in the study of the cleric's house, looking into what appeared to be a trophy room. The heads of various dangerous and vicious animals were mounted around the wall on plaques, each with a name and date beneath it. The room was unadorned save for a large bearskin rug in the very center. It was also bathed in the bluish glow of a powerful magic aura. "Ah, yes, from what I can tell," Khalid said as he studied the aura, "the source of the magic is probably over in that part of the house, possibly below us as well." He waved at the southeast corner of the room. "How much you wanna bet that rug tries to eat us?" Gorak grumbled. "And," Shayla chimed in, "how much do you wanna bet that there's a trap door beneath it?" "Nothing," Gorak growled. "Alright, get ready." As soon as Gorak stepped foot into the room, the rug bunched up and launched itself at Gorak, who quickly retreated out of the magical aura. The rug lay quivering in the doorway and seemed almost lifelike in its desire to attack them. Khalid began casting a spell and enshrouded the glorified carpet in a haze of flame and ash. Even as the spell left his fingertips, he heard Shayla start chanting as well. Thin, glowing discs of force streaked out from her hands and slashed into the rug, tearing deep cuts into the pelt. The rug, possessed of minimal intelligence, retreated out of sight along the wall of the trophy room. Khalid turned to Shayla, and looked at her questioning. Shayla just winked, and mouthed the words, "You were right." Gorak grunted, "Great. Now I've got to go lure it out again. Shayla, whatever you just did, do it again as soon as you see it." With that, he stepped forward into the trophy room. Again the rug scuttled forward, still smoldering slightly from the effects of Khalid's spell. The fanged maw bit Gorak on the ankle as he somewhat ineffectually smashed his cudgel down on it. Shayla unleashed spell after spell upon the animated creature, finally slashing it into tatters with a final volley of spinning blades. "I told you," Shayla said with a smile on her face. "I told you there'd be a trap door under there." "I didn't hear nobody arguing with you, darling," Gorak rumbled as he moved forward into the trophy room. As he strayed too close to one of the walls, a panther's head snapped at him and he stepped back. "Playful. It's safe enough in here, just mind the walls." As Khalid and Shayla entered the room, Gorak reached down and pulled on the trapdoor. It didn’t budge. "Locked," he growled. "Stand back and gimme some room." He reached down and grasped the iron ring on the trapdoor with both hands. With both feet braced shoulder width apart, he began to slowly stand up. The muscles on his arms and legs bulged under the strain and his breath quickened as he exerted enormous force on the door. "Ah, Gorak," Khalid said hesitantly, "there's probably a key around here someplace, if we just keep…." With a splintering crack, the frame around the trapdoor shattered. As Gorak jerked upright, the door tore completely from its hinges. Gorak stood there, grinning, with the shattered remains of the trapdoor in his hands. "I'd say ladies first," he growled, "but it's probably better if I led the way." He began moving cautiously down the stone staircase. "And besides, ain't no ladies around here anyhow," he chuckled. Shayla dismissed him with a flick of her auburn curls. "Stop trying to be funny and tell me what you see." "Nothing yet. It goes down pretty deep," Gorak's voice echoed up from below. "Alright. I'm at the bottom. Khalid, you'd better get down here." Khalid and Shayla hurried down the stairs, bringing a magical light source with them. As Khalid stepped into the room at the bottom of the stairway, he gasped in awe. "This workmanship rivals that of the Hall of Summoning within the White Tower." The room that so impressed Khalid was obviously a workshop of some type. Long tables lined three of the walls, and tools of every sort hung from pegs above the tables. In each of the corners of the room was a large glass tube, almost eight feet high and five feet across, standing on an ornately carved pedestal. The tubes were filled with a cloudy, greenish liquid. What had caught Khalid's attention however, was not the table, the tools or even the tubes. Carefully inlaid into the floor in the center of the room were arcane glyphs whose meaning was all to clear to any student of magic. Within the outer circle of runes was another set of glyphs, forming a square whose points touched the edges of the circle. Inside the square was a circular depression, filled with a fine white sand. In the very center of the sand were a pair of footprints, which led straight towards the stairway. Shayla and Gorak fanned out, searching around the room for any clues to the cleric's disappearance. Gorak wandered over and picked up a book that was lying open on one of the tables. He absently flipped through a few pages and grunted, "Looks like the clerics journal." Khalid knelt down in front of the summoning circle and began to examine the runes meticulously. Each individual glyph had been hand carved from jade and inlaid into what appeared to be a single piece of white marble, carefully shaped and polished into a huge circle. The whole thing had a diameter of almost twenty feet, and Khalid couldn't begin to estimate how much it must have cost. Shayla, in the meantime, had moved towards one of the glass tubes and was inspecting it with interest. Then suddenly, she uttered a startled shriek and stumbled backwards. Khalid, startled, almost brushed against the rune he was inspecting. "Ah, careful," he admonished, "you almost made me break the summoning circle." "Sorry," Shayla apologized, "but I think I found our cleric." Gorak and Khalid both moved over beside Shayla, and examined the glass tube she had been inspecting. The liquid was darker, and much cloudier than in the other tanks. As they watched, a twisted and bloated face emerged and bumped up against the glass. The cleric, identifiable from the markings on his cloak, was in the early stages of decomposition. The flesh on his face had begun to peel away, revealing white bone beneath. His eyes were already gone, Khalid noted, before he glanced away from the grotesque scene. Slowly, the body rolled around in the tube, and vanished from sight again. "Ah, yes, it would appear as though some one, or ah, some thing has seen fit to ah, well, pickle him," Khalid said, somewhat unnecessarily. "I suspect that he may have summoned something too, ah, powerful to handle, although as of yet I have discovered no irregularities in the protective wards. Yes, quite." Shayla cast a quick spell and stared hard at the glass tube containing the cleric. "Well, there's magic in there," she said. "Let's see. The staff is giving off the same aura as the one upstairs, so that must be what's causing all the furniture to jump around. His cloak is magical too, as is that backpack he's wearing. Neither is as powerful as that staff though." "Well, what are we gonna do? Bust him out?" Gorak rumbled. "Ah, yes, I'm not entirely sure that's wise," Khalid replied. "We may be a bit, yes, a bit beyond our depth here. Yes, quite. Handling unknown magic items is, ah, risky at best. Perhaps, yes, perhaps we should just inform Arbaq, and let him decide." "I suppose you're right," Shayla said, "although I hate to leave that staff behind." "Ya." Gorak grunted. "I don't really see any way to get it open without smashing it anyhow, and Arbaq might not like us man handling his buddy like that." The three turned and began to head towards the stairs when Khalid suddenly snapped his fingers. "Ah, you know, on second thought, there's not really any point in leaving without getting him out of there. We'll just have to make another trip back here. Yes, quite." Khalid looked around for something to smash the glass, and realized he was holding his crossbow. He loaded it quickly and raised it to his shoulder, taking aim at the glass tube. "What?" Gorak growled, surprised. "Yeah, you're right Khalid," Shayla agreed. "And besides, if you guys think I'm leaving here without that staff, you're crazy." "Listen I thought we agreed we were gonna...." Gorak began as Khalid fired his crossbow. The bolt notched the glass and ricocheted off, but failed to crack the tube. "Ah, yes, it's thicker than it looks." Khalid half muttered. "Oh for heaven's sake," Shayla said with exasperation, "let me show you how it's done." She walked over to one of the walls and pulled a small hammer from its peg. "Now wait just a minute!" Gorak snarled as he moved towards Shayla. He had just about reached her when she drew back and slammed the hammer into the glass. The glass starred beneath the blow, but did not shatter. Then, a thin spider web of cracks fanned out from the spot Shayla had smashed. Greenish ichor began to leak down the side of the tube and pool on the floor. Khalid shook his head trying to clear his thoughts, which had suddenly become confused and unsettled. The tube continued to crack and the droplets of ichor flowing down the side of the glass became a stream that sprayed out upon the floor. Khalid blinked as a wave of greenish fluid washed over his feet. Then his eyes widened and he spun around in horror, just in time to see the fluid wash over the runes inscribed on the floor. Shayla, hammer still in hand, looked at the tube, and then at Khalid and Gorak with growing fear on her face. "Oh sh*t," she said simply. And then darkness engulfed them. [/QUOTE]
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