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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CanadienneBacon" data-source="post: 3415156" data-attributes="member: 11146">Voadam and Maelicent trek back south, down to the gate.  By the time they arrive, the mage-priests of Xylla must've finished loading their gruesome detail, because the black wagon and its trappings have gone.  The officer, who Brakkus informs them is Commander Gabriel Burne, stalks around by the gate with his pikemen.  When Brakkus nears the gate with the others, Commander Burne comes over and gives Chop Liver a pat on the horse's fetlock.  "I can stable this mount and the donkey at the barracks stable for you.  I'll leave word with the groom who his owner is and that he may be signed out by your hand.  The stable's just there," Burne points to a structure beside the Admiralty nexus of buildings, "to the left of the last row of barracks."Commander Burne purposely avoids looking at Maelicent but winks at Brakkus.  Turning to his pikemen, the officer barks, "Part ranks right!"  At Burne's command, the pikemen on the righthand side of what used to be the portcullis break ranks and admit the group.  A thick hedge full of thorns meets the group and looks like it might well prevent passage all on its own until Burne calls two men forth.  "Cass, Leftwich, front and center!"   Two pikemen run up to Burne and the three whisper quietly for a bare moment, both the underlings nodding vigorously.  A moment later, the two unsheath short swords and begin hacking away at the brambles.  When a hole large enough for a man to walk through has been carved into the thick underbrush, the men sheath their weapons and, wiping sweat from their brow and making a futile attempt to brush away the worst of the dirt and grime from their task, step back into ranks.  When the group has stepped through the threshhold onto the citadel grounds, the pikemen form ranks behind them.  A dark wood with boughs that hang low overhead greets those who enter.  Maelicent, who'd by many devious yet successfull measures had snuck into the grounds even before a hole was cut in the brambles, has yet to explore this particular area of the grounds and finds that the trees here by the gate are unlike those nearer his shelter to the north.  The trees here drape their wooden arms in a hard embrace about any who linger.  The dark green and grey variegated leaves of the mixed deciduous forest splay in patterns meant to keep out the sun's bright light.  The floor underneath the wood is spongy with layers of decay, but at least the lack of light also means a lack of tangling weeds.  Preternaturally quiet, the sounds of the city disappear into a vaccuum just a few steps from the gate until all is silent and all is still, save for the breathing and movements of the group.  The air in here is thick, cloistered, and there seems to be an invisible ill will that sets itself against the companions and makes even walking difficult.Gamad, Voadam, Maelicent, and Chev fail a DC 15 Will save and take a -2 to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.  I did include Gamad's +2 vs. spells for being a dwarf.[sblock=Gamad, Chev]Peering about the wood, both of you note that the ill will and dark demeanor of the wood is not by chance.  A doom spell lingers over the entire area as an area effect, the limits of which are not currently within your view.  The effect is divine in nature.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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