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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 1963206" data-attributes="member: 143">I think 304 offers a better weekend cliffhanger than 303... so double post: * * * * * Chapter 303“That was a foolish risk you took,” Dannel growled, as the companions made their way through the shadows of a dark alley through the Cauldron night.“As I said earlier, I felt that the risk was a necessary one,” Zenna replied.  The night held no secrets for her, the crowded alley as clear as day to her darkvision, but Dannel had a tougher time of it, even his elvish eyes of little help on this cloudy, moonless night.  Mole was taking them to their destination by a roundabout route, avoiding the four broad avenues that formed concentric rings around Cauldron in favor of less-traveled back ways where the light did not often penetrate to the cobbles below even nights when the moon was full. “For what?  A few spells?”“I’d limit your comments to things that you actually understand,” she shot back.  Stung, he still rallied with another dig.  “At least you could acknowledge that taking those jewels—which all of us fought together to win—was wrong.”“If you’d bothered to talk to Mole, you’d know I only took my share,” she said.  But after a moment’s pause, she amended, “And a bit extra for a new healing wand... an item we all benefit from.”“You lovebirds can continue this reunion later,” Beorna said, breaking into their conversation.  “Helm’s blade, the two of you are making more noise than Hodge with all this yapping.”  She pointed down the alley, where the dwarf’s progress was obvious by the nearly continuous clank and clatter of metal as his weapons and armor shifted with every step he took.“Hsst!” came Fario’s voice, back to them.  “We’re getting close!”  “I hope we’re not making a mistake, bringing them with us,” Dannel said softly. “They have as much right as any of us to be here,” Zenna replied. The two Striders had insisted on going with them to House Rhiavati, despite their condition upon being just-raised back to life.  The two had lost their permanent telepathic connection to Meerthan Eliothorn with their deaths, but Fario had left a message for him with Jenya along with instructions on how to deliver it.  Jenya was also able to restore them somewhat with her healing powers, but even so, it was clear that the experiences they’d suffered had taken a lot out of both of them.  Not that the others were all that fresh themselves; invading a hostile, fortified building occupied by sinister rogues took something out a person as well. The alley rose sharply ahead, with well-worn steps offering a narrow but passable ascent to one side.  They made their way up to where the alley opened onto Obsidian Avenue, one of the major thoroughfares of the city.  At this time of night, near the stroke of midnight, the street was deserted, but Mole did not hesitate, leading them quickly across the street to another dark passageway between looming buildings.  This neighborhood was fairly gentrified, so the buildings were tall, solid, and in good repair.  They passed a number of walled courtyards that were no doubt guarded by silent watchers inside, but nothing emerged to challenge them as Mole directed them unerringly to a large garden swath surrounded by a fence of close-spaced iron bars topped with slender points.  House Rhiavati was a hulking shadow on the far side of the grounds, looming up a good forty feet above ground level.  The stately manor was set a good distance back from the street, with several tall, finely manicured hedges offering some degree of privacy from prying eyes.  “Here we are,” Dannel said, scanning the building intently. All of the windows were shuttered, and no lights were visible. The companions stared at the house for a long minute in silence.  In the dark depths of the night, the place seemed... spooky.  Even without what they knew about the inhabitants.For once, they were going into a situation with at least some knowledge of what they might face.  In addition to Fellian’s report, they had intelligence provided by Jil.  The assassin had proven uncooperative until Zenna’s powerful charm monster spell had bent her will to theirs.  Made compliant by the power of the spell, Jil revealed that she’d been present, unknown to them, since the very beginning; she’d been there, perched on a nearby rooftop, that night when Zenna had saved Ruphos Laro from several Last Laugh thugs.Jil’s tale was a somber one that confirmed in the minds of the companions the seriousness of their cause.  The Last Laugh had been working closely with the Cagewrights for over a year, she told them.  She wasn’t able to reveal many details about that nebulous organization, except for the fact that at its pinnacle were thirteen individuals, figures of great and varied powers.  She did not know the details of their plans, except that they hoped to engineer some sort of disaster for the city of Cauldron.  Jil’s superior, a man named Velior Thero, worked more closely with the Cagewrights, and was at the meeting planned for this very night at Thifirane Rhiavadi’s estate.  That meeting was supposed to include some of the most notorious villains of the entire region, and Thero had let slip that Rhiavadi had something special planned that would set a definitive course for Cauldron’s future. At Zenna’s prodding, Jil had happily recounted a bloody series of assassinations, torture, betrayal, and other grim events that she’d been a party to over the last few years.  Still young, she’d eagerly descended into a cauldron of filth and moral decay, turning her talents to the pursuit of personal power and advantage over others.  Beorna had been prepared to cut her head off right then and there, but Jenya and Zenna both agreed that she should be kept alive for now; she would answer for her crimes later, when the passage of time was less critical to their cause.Leaving Jil held safely in a sealed room within the Temple of Helm (well within the dimensional anchor that protected the entire hallowed temple grounds), the companions had immediately made their preparations for an interruption of Rhiavati’s little “party.”  Jenya lent what healing she could to Fario and Fellian, who refused to remain behind, and then she secured the Star of Justice, the holy mace entrusted to the High Priest of Helm in Cauldron.  Using the power of that artifact, Jenya evoked a potent divination, seeking illumination to guide their steps. As always, the granted vision was clouded in a riddle of metaphorical language. At the depth of darkness the parasites gatherTo take their places at the grim table laid by the thirteen Within the fire a fuse is burning brightAnd the key draws nearer to the lock of disaster“We don’t have long,” Fellian reminded them, breaking the silence.“Let’s go, then,” Dannel said.  He led them to a heavy iron gate in the fence nearby.  The fence showed signs of age, but the complex iron lock seemed very new, without a stain of rust marring its surface. “Boost me up,” Mole said.  Arun lifted her, and she gave the lock an expert examination, mostly by touch using a slender metal probe.  “No way,” she said, finally. “I can open it,” Beorna said, reaching for her sword. “Subtlety might be more advantageous in this case,” Fellian said, stepping forward.  He drew out a small metal tube from his pouch, and held it close to the lock.  “Keep an eye out; this’ll make a small noise.”  With that he rapped the tube against the metal bars, keeping the end of it pointed at the lock.  A clear note filled the night, followed by a click as the lock audibly popped open. “Handy,” Dannel said. “I gotta get me one of those,” Mole added.  They made their way silently—well, as silently as was possible with three armored dwarves in their company—through the darkened garden toward the house.  This time, however, instead of a covert approach, or the through-the-wall assault they’d used at the Last Laugh safehouse, they moved around to the front of the house, and walked up the front steps to the covered porch and the wide front door. Mole couldn’t quite reach the antique brass door knocker, but she managed a decent rap on the door with her knuckles.  They heard heavy footsteps on the far side of the door. “I got a bad feelin’ ‘bout this,” Hodge grumbled.</blockquote>

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