... and the darkness shall claim thee ...
Moderator: Raevyx_Araya
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... and the darkness shall claim thee ...
Raevyx scanned the horizon as Azjah briefly recovered from his pattern warp and now that they were well outside of Rhy’Din where he knew that their journey was about to begin. He turned and walked over to her and offered her a hand, to which he helped her stand up. From there he turned to the shadowed path that would lead them deep into the jungle. Azjah looked up at the night sky, knowing that it would be quite some time before she would see the star-studded night sky. She turned her attention to back to the jungle path and, hopefully, to the chance of a lifetime.
Raevyx's speed was swift, almost too swift for Azjah, and keeping up was of the utmost importance. The jungle air was dank and damp, combined with the extremely earthy aroma of the moss-covered floor, and caused the senses to reel. There was no comforting breeze in the jungle tonight, nothing to blow the foul aromatic concoction out of their noses. Silence was the rule of thumb for the duo, seeing that the jungle was also practicing this, their journey would be better concealed against the ‘local residents’. The peripherals often caught the movements of the shadows, even though there was no noticeable breeze blowing the canopy and underbrush. The jungle seemed to breathe as the two continued through well past the stroke of midnight.
Time, it seems, was beginning to ebb and flow differently in this section of the jungle. Silence still reigned but tiny flecks lights of different sorts were beginning to appear and disappear, slowly at first, more frequent as the minutes passed. The shadows began to writhe and dance with each step that the pair took. Azjah became alarmed when she thought that the shadows actually grabbed her. She stopped and shook her head hoping to clear her mind of the recent event. She then realized that Raevyx had not stopped and was a fair bit ahead of her. She could barely make out his dark figure against the even dark night. He grinned and chuckled slightly as he heard her running to catch back up with him. “Please, stay with me or let me know when you stop.” He said calmly as he continued forward.
The foul smell abruptly vanished as the jungle suddenly changed to a quiet redwood forest. There was a pleasant aroma here, one of wild jasmine and fresh mint. The ground, still covered by moss, continued to have underlying hint of damp earth but this curious change meant something, they were nearly their destination. It would take two more hours of traversing though the enormous trees before they would get to the base of the mountain and to their last path would begin. The path lead up into the mountain via extremely narrow switchbacks. The path lead up to a large ledge packed with redwood trees. There was a small clearing that rest right up against the side of the mountain and Raevyx walked slowly towards it with Azjah following right behind him.
The night seems to grow cold and dark as the pair moved towards the mountain. The darkness that now lay before them seemed to twist and warp before settling back to nothingness. Here was the entrance, the beginning of a long trek down to the Upperdark and eventually, the dreaded Underdark. The world of the surface slowly vanished as the darkness grew and became utterly impenetrable. Raevyx's eyes were ale to see through the natural darkness and so he led Azjah deeper into the earth than she had ever been. Through gigantic caverns that could house mansions but the grandness of such a tour ended as quickly as it began. Complete darkness now lay before Raevyx, a darkness that his eyes could not penetrate, so, with a dark laugh, he stepped forth, with Azjah in tow, into the complete darkness.
Raevyx's speed was swift, almost too swift for Azjah, and keeping up was of the utmost importance. The jungle air was dank and damp, combined with the extremely earthy aroma of the moss-covered floor, and caused the senses to reel. There was no comforting breeze in the jungle tonight, nothing to blow the foul aromatic concoction out of their noses. Silence was the rule of thumb for the duo, seeing that the jungle was also practicing this, their journey would be better concealed against the ‘local residents’. The peripherals often caught the movements of the shadows, even though there was no noticeable breeze blowing the canopy and underbrush. The jungle seemed to breathe as the two continued through well past the stroke of midnight.
Time, it seems, was beginning to ebb and flow differently in this section of the jungle. Silence still reigned but tiny flecks lights of different sorts were beginning to appear and disappear, slowly at first, more frequent as the minutes passed. The shadows began to writhe and dance with each step that the pair took. Azjah became alarmed when she thought that the shadows actually grabbed her. She stopped and shook her head hoping to clear her mind of the recent event. She then realized that Raevyx had not stopped and was a fair bit ahead of her. She could barely make out his dark figure against the even dark night. He grinned and chuckled slightly as he heard her running to catch back up with him. “Please, stay with me or let me know when you stop.” He said calmly as he continued forward.
The foul smell abruptly vanished as the jungle suddenly changed to a quiet redwood forest. There was a pleasant aroma here, one of wild jasmine and fresh mint. The ground, still covered by moss, continued to have underlying hint of damp earth but this curious change meant something, they were nearly their destination. It would take two more hours of traversing though the enormous trees before they would get to the base of the mountain and to their last path would begin. The path lead up into the mountain via extremely narrow switchbacks. The path lead up to a large ledge packed with redwood trees. There was a small clearing that rest right up against the side of the mountain and Raevyx walked slowly towards it with Azjah following right behind him.
The night seems to grow cold and dark as the pair moved towards the mountain. The darkness that now lay before them seemed to twist and warp before settling back to nothingness. Here was the entrance, the beginning of a long trek down to the Upperdark and eventually, the dreaded Underdark. The world of the surface slowly vanished as the darkness grew and became utterly impenetrable. Raevyx's eyes were ale to see through the natural darkness and so he led Azjah deeper into the earth than she had ever been. Through gigantic caverns that could house mansions but the grandness of such a tour ended as quickly as it began. Complete darkness now lay before Raevyx, a darkness that his eyes could not penetrate, so, with a dark laugh, he stepped forth, with Azjah in tow, into the complete darkness.
Last edited by Raevyx_Araya on Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
- Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Path to Underdark
Raevyx had wrapped his arms around me and encased us in darkness before I could let Eoin know where we were going. The pattern warp he’d used left me slightly disoriented, but I found myself sitting in the grass with him well beyond the walls and comforting surroundings of RhyDin. He offered me his hand, and I stood on slightly shaking legs as he led me onto a shadowed path that eventually led into the jungle. I looked up at the night sky, made note of my favorite constellations, and hazarded a glance in the direction of Rigel. I cannot see my home world from RhyDin, but I know unerringly where it is. We disappeared into the dense jungle and the canopy overhead blotted out the glimmering stars that I spend so much time studying.
This was the opportunity of a lifetime. After the events of the last weeks, I need this time, and Raevyx has made an offer that I cannot walk away from. A trip to Underdark.
He led the way with speed I could barely keep up with. I’d lost a lot of weight, and my reserves were low, but he pushed on with no signs of slowing for me. Compassion is not a trait of the Drow. I do not know where the energy came from, but I followed through the dank, damp air. The scent of moss and rotting vegetation met each breath, and seemed to rob me of needed oxygen. There was no breeze, and I was perspiring heavily in the humid environment. Silence reigned around us, but shadows moved in the periphery of my vision as we pressed ever deeper into the blackness of the jungle.
Time began to play tricks on me, and tiny flecks of light began to flicker and disappear. Initially it was only one or two, but as the moments passed, they became ever more frequent. Shadows rippled with each forward step we took and my mind began to envision that cargo hold, and I nearly screamed when one of the shadows seemed to reach out and grab for me. I stopped briefly, terror threatening to overwhelm me, and then I noticed that Raevyx had not stopped, but continued onward. I put on a sprint to catch up with his disappearing form as his voice reached me, “Please, stay with me or let me know when you stop.”
We cleared the foul odor of decomposition abruptly as we stepped out of the jungle into what appeared to be a redwood forest. Mint, night blooming jasmine scented the air. Moss remained underfoot, cushioning our steps, but the travel was more enjoyable here than it had been in the jungle. My skin began to dry, and we continued our travel another two hours or so. We arrived at the base of a huge mountain and began a path upward along a twisting narrow path. We followed the path to a resting point on a large ledge, where Raevyx walked more slowly.
The air had grown cold as we’d climbed the mountain side, and the blackness almost looked like a living thing here. The sensation of twisting and warping darkness was everywhere, and if I had not had the mountain on my left, I would easily have fallen off the path into the yawning abyss I knew waited on the right. We reached a cavern entrance, and I could tell this place was the path that would lead us into Underdark.
The surface world disappeared behind us as we began the downward trek. I gave one last look at the surface world before following him into the bowels of the mountain. Absolute darkness engulfed us, and Raevyx continued on. I was moving mostly on sound, as my sight had long ago become useless. As we moved through the impenetrable blackness, I thought about what little I really knew about the Drow.
Male drow had life hard. They have no choice in what they will become. Since Raevyx has already told me that he hates sorcery, his path had forced him to become a warrior. Trained to fight, and provide service, probably to Lloth. While there were other deities, it was unlikely that he served any other than Lloth. I had learned that Lloth was chaos incarnate. Her joy in life was to set her own people against one another to find the strongest, and weed out the weak.
Raevyx had mentioned that his family had recently defeated the ruling house. In Drow society, position and status were everything, so what had driven him above ground? Why had he come to the surface if he was a member, albeit a lesser member, of the ruling house? His aunt would be the Matron Mother, and he would have some stature by his birth. Above ground, he would have no protection at all, and Drow are not favored by the surface world.
Drow are supposed to be creatures who believe anything is acceptable if you can get away with it, and that self-gratification is the most important aspect of existence, but Raevyx didn’t seem to be into self gratification. The trek we’d just made through the jungle was not about self gratification. It was grueling. But then again, the Drow are also reputed to have no place for compassion in their lands, and perhaps what was grueling for me was not so for my companion.
He’d asked me if I feared Driders. I have never seen this unfortunate creature in life. I have heard about them, that they are Drow males who have failed Lloth’s test, and for that crime, they are cursed to grow the 8 legs of an arachnid, and their bodies become bloated and unrecognizable, yet they retain the faces and faculties of a Drow male. These creatures usually remain on the fringe of Drow cities, unwilling to give up the scant protection of society, even one that shuns them and uses them for transportation and baggage purposes. I do not know how I will react when I meet them. Pity is a weakness the Drow will exploit and an emotion I cannot show here in this subterranean world.
The Drow can be a beautiful people, and it is rumored that Lloth will appear as a lovely Drow woman to those she deems worthy of helping, or as the black widow spider. She is also said to show favor by displaying a pair of smirking lips on the nearest spider to the person she is aiding. I hope to avoid any introduction to the spider queen.
Drow are supposed to love beauty, in all its forms, but especially of the body and weapons. It is rumored that they are very sensuous creatures that enjoy massages and scented oils. The fragrances become crucial in a world where sight is limited to infravision, and color becomes little more than memory. Scent and touch must take on a completely new meaning when sight becomes inconsequential. The only weapons I carry are my 3 platinum picks, and my shoulder holstered DE. Not that either will do me much good here. I would have to follow Raevyx’s lead should we meet any others. The only custom I knew was surrender, when a Drow would drop to one knee and let all weapons fall to the ground before whomever a Drow surrenders to. I’d seen that once before when a Drow male had been outfought in RhyDin while he was on a raid. The sorcerer he surrendered to had slain his comrades, and this lone Drow at last surrendered. He was later executed for the killings they had committed in a small village outside of RhyDin.
There is very little more I know about Drow and their world. The fact that most Drow remain below ground, and hold such intense hatred for the surface world, and in fact their own makes them a race to be feared and avoided when possible, and yet, here I am, willingly following one into the darkness toward Underdark.
And we continued downward, at first the air was cool to the point of being chilly, but as we moved deeper, it grew ever warmer. Part of me wanted to turn around and retreat to the surface, but alone in the absolute blackness, I would never have found the surface.
Suddenly, silence became absolute, and I stopped. “Raevyx?” His earlier warning to tell him when I’d stopped rang in my thoughts. “Raevyx? I have lost your lead.”
I waited.
This was the opportunity of a lifetime. After the events of the last weeks, I need this time, and Raevyx has made an offer that I cannot walk away from. A trip to Underdark.
He led the way with speed I could barely keep up with. I’d lost a lot of weight, and my reserves were low, but he pushed on with no signs of slowing for me. Compassion is not a trait of the Drow. I do not know where the energy came from, but I followed through the dank, damp air. The scent of moss and rotting vegetation met each breath, and seemed to rob me of needed oxygen. There was no breeze, and I was perspiring heavily in the humid environment. Silence reigned around us, but shadows moved in the periphery of my vision as we pressed ever deeper into the blackness of the jungle.
Time began to play tricks on me, and tiny flecks of light began to flicker and disappear. Initially it was only one or two, but as the moments passed, they became ever more frequent. Shadows rippled with each forward step we took and my mind began to envision that cargo hold, and I nearly screamed when one of the shadows seemed to reach out and grab for me. I stopped briefly, terror threatening to overwhelm me, and then I noticed that Raevyx had not stopped, but continued onward. I put on a sprint to catch up with his disappearing form as his voice reached me, “Please, stay with me or let me know when you stop.”
We cleared the foul odor of decomposition abruptly as we stepped out of the jungle into what appeared to be a redwood forest. Mint, night blooming jasmine scented the air. Moss remained underfoot, cushioning our steps, but the travel was more enjoyable here than it had been in the jungle. My skin began to dry, and we continued our travel another two hours or so. We arrived at the base of a huge mountain and began a path upward along a twisting narrow path. We followed the path to a resting point on a large ledge, where Raevyx walked more slowly.
The air had grown cold as we’d climbed the mountain side, and the blackness almost looked like a living thing here. The sensation of twisting and warping darkness was everywhere, and if I had not had the mountain on my left, I would easily have fallen off the path into the yawning abyss I knew waited on the right. We reached a cavern entrance, and I could tell this place was the path that would lead us into Underdark.
The surface world disappeared behind us as we began the downward trek. I gave one last look at the surface world before following him into the bowels of the mountain. Absolute darkness engulfed us, and Raevyx continued on. I was moving mostly on sound, as my sight had long ago become useless. As we moved through the impenetrable blackness, I thought about what little I really knew about the Drow.
Male drow had life hard. They have no choice in what they will become. Since Raevyx has already told me that he hates sorcery, his path had forced him to become a warrior. Trained to fight, and provide service, probably to Lloth. While there were other deities, it was unlikely that he served any other than Lloth. I had learned that Lloth was chaos incarnate. Her joy in life was to set her own people against one another to find the strongest, and weed out the weak.
Raevyx had mentioned that his family had recently defeated the ruling house. In Drow society, position and status were everything, so what had driven him above ground? Why had he come to the surface if he was a member, albeit a lesser member, of the ruling house? His aunt would be the Matron Mother, and he would have some stature by his birth. Above ground, he would have no protection at all, and Drow are not favored by the surface world.
Drow are supposed to be creatures who believe anything is acceptable if you can get away with it, and that self-gratification is the most important aspect of existence, but Raevyx didn’t seem to be into self gratification. The trek we’d just made through the jungle was not about self gratification. It was grueling. But then again, the Drow are also reputed to have no place for compassion in their lands, and perhaps what was grueling for me was not so for my companion.
He’d asked me if I feared Driders. I have never seen this unfortunate creature in life. I have heard about them, that they are Drow males who have failed Lloth’s test, and for that crime, they are cursed to grow the 8 legs of an arachnid, and their bodies become bloated and unrecognizable, yet they retain the faces and faculties of a Drow male. These creatures usually remain on the fringe of Drow cities, unwilling to give up the scant protection of society, even one that shuns them and uses them for transportation and baggage purposes. I do not know how I will react when I meet them. Pity is a weakness the Drow will exploit and an emotion I cannot show here in this subterranean world.
The Drow can be a beautiful people, and it is rumored that Lloth will appear as a lovely Drow woman to those she deems worthy of helping, or as the black widow spider. She is also said to show favor by displaying a pair of smirking lips on the nearest spider to the person she is aiding. I hope to avoid any introduction to the spider queen.
Drow are supposed to love beauty, in all its forms, but especially of the body and weapons. It is rumored that they are very sensuous creatures that enjoy massages and scented oils. The fragrances become crucial in a world where sight is limited to infravision, and color becomes little more than memory. Scent and touch must take on a completely new meaning when sight becomes inconsequential. The only weapons I carry are my 3 platinum picks, and my shoulder holstered DE. Not that either will do me much good here. I would have to follow Raevyx’s lead should we meet any others. The only custom I knew was surrender, when a Drow would drop to one knee and let all weapons fall to the ground before whomever a Drow surrenders to. I’d seen that once before when a Drow male had been outfought in RhyDin while he was on a raid. The sorcerer he surrendered to had slain his comrades, and this lone Drow at last surrendered. He was later executed for the killings they had committed in a small village outside of RhyDin.
There is very little more I know about Drow and their world. The fact that most Drow remain below ground, and hold such intense hatred for the surface world, and in fact their own makes them a race to be feared and avoided when possible, and yet, here I am, willingly following one into the darkness toward Underdark.
And we continued downward, at first the air was cool to the point of being chilly, but as we moved deeper, it grew ever warmer. Part of me wanted to turn around and retreat to the surface, but alone in the absolute blackness, I would never have found the surface.
Suddenly, silence became absolute, and I stopped. “Raevyx?” His earlier warning to tell him when I’d stopped rang in my thoughts. “Raevyx? I have lost your lead.”
I waited.
Last edited by Azjah von Drachen Walde on Thu Jul 07, 2005 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... into the fray ...
Raevyx continues to chuckle quietly as he places his hand on Azjah’s shoulder, “If you wish to stay alive, then it would be in your best interest to stay silent.” He stated calm and quietly. The portal that he had enchanted took Azjah deeper into the earth than she had ever been before. They were now standing in the wilderness of the Underdark. The wilderness, wild and untamed, claimed seasoned adventures and denizens of the Underdark alike.
The darkness here was not as dark as it was prior to entering the portal but the darkness was still there. Azjah barely noticed that Raevyx was on the move again, so, she stood and quickly caught up to her guide. The air was warm and carried a strong sulfurous odor, caused by moisture that slowly dripped down and into the bright streaks of faerzess. The Underdark itself has a passive magical radiation that often prevents tweaks all magical abilities that are used. These streaks of faerzess, or wild magic, pulse idly, causing the walls to shimmer slightly. The two walks through the vein of faerzess for several hours, the dimly shimmering walls often disorientating Azjah, yet her guide was always there to keep her from running into the wall and into a nasty burn.
Raevyx stops after a quick turn down an unseen tunnel with Azjah following closely behind him. He makes sure that she is still with him before heading down the tunnel, leaving the fading faerzess behind them as they walk deeper into the darkness. A gentle, yet stale wind blows past them as they come into an enormous cavern with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites. Pink and purple flames lick at to massive gates that are now visible from the cavern entrance. The air is unusually still and silence reigns in this region. The sound of something skittering about becomes audible and seems to be coming from the direction of the ominous gates. The air holds a strange aroma that intoxicates and dulls the senses of the weary. The aroma passes and the fetid stench of death and decay now assail the nostrils.
Raevyx turns to Azjah and quirks a quizzical brow, “Are you ok?” he asked quietly as she begins to wretch as the horrid smell obviously causes her to gag. She shakes her head while trying to keep her composure. “We are at the gates to Shadowmoon Manor.”, he stated proudly, but the proud look was replaced by a stern and dangerous look, “Stay behind me or my guards will slay you.” He walked slowly up to the gates with Azjah shadowing his every move. He stopped his guards, two enormous Sun-Elf Driders approached him and seemed to question him in his native tongue.
“Vel'uss kuuven ulu doer nindol veir ulu Qu'ellar Araya!?” bellowed Darthirii Elghinn
(Who dares to come this close to House Araya!?) (Elf Death)
“Usstan gow l' siltrin d' natha kivvil!” exclaimed Hargluk Elghinn
(I smell the flesh of a surfacer!) (Dwarf Death)
Raevyx quickly calmed the two blood thirsty Driders as he explained, “Usstan tlun Raevyx Araya, Ilharn d' nindol Qu'ellar lu' l' kivvil zhah natha quivved d' usst, lu' zhal NAUT tlu elggen!"
(I am Raevyx Araya, Patron of this House and the surfacer is a guest of mine, and shall NOT be killed!)
With that, the two Driders growled and returned to their posts.
Raevyx urged Azjah forward as the massive adamantite gates swung open allowing a glimpse into the darkness that is his home. As the continued forwards, he turned to Azjah and stated, “There is the reason for the fetid stench.”, then motioned to the bloated corpses and skeletal remains of those who had unsuccessfully tried to enter his House. Azjah stared with wide eyes and a gaping mouth as they passed into the entry chamber. The massive doors closed behind them with a resounding BOOM. "Welcome to my humble abode.” Raevyx said happily.
The darkness here was not as dark as it was prior to entering the portal but the darkness was still there. Azjah barely noticed that Raevyx was on the move again, so, she stood and quickly caught up to her guide. The air was warm and carried a strong sulfurous odor, caused by moisture that slowly dripped down and into the bright streaks of faerzess. The Underdark itself has a passive magical radiation that often prevents tweaks all magical abilities that are used. These streaks of faerzess, or wild magic, pulse idly, causing the walls to shimmer slightly. The two walks through the vein of faerzess for several hours, the dimly shimmering walls often disorientating Azjah, yet her guide was always there to keep her from running into the wall and into a nasty burn.
Raevyx stops after a quick turn down an unseen tunnel with Azjah following closely behind him. He makes sure that she is still with him before heading down the tunnel, leaving the fading faerzess behind them as they walk deeper into the darkness. A gentle, yet stale wind blows past them as they come into an enormous cavern with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites. Pink and purple flames lick at to massive gates that are now visible from the cavern entrance. The air is unusually still and silence reigns in this region. The sound of something skittering about becomes audible and seems to be coming from the direction of the ominous gates. The air holds a strange aroma that intoxicates and dulls the senses of the weary. The aroma passes and the fetid stench of death and decay now assail the nostrils.
Raevyx turns to Azjah and quirks a quizzical brow, “Are you ok?” he asked quietly as she begins to wretch as the horrid smell obviously causes her to gag. She shakes her head while trying to keep her composure. “We are at the gates to Shadowmoon Manor.”, he stated proudly, but the proud look was replaced by a stern and dangerous look, “Stay behind me or my guards will slay you.” He walked slowly up to the gates with Azjah shadowing his every move. He stopped his guards, two enormous Sun-Elf Driders approached him and seemed to question him in his native tongue.
“Vel'uss kuuven ulu doer nindol veir ulu Qu'ellar Araya!?” bellowed Darthirii Elghinn
(Who dares to come this close to House Araya!?) (Elf Death)
“Usstan gow l' siltrin d' natha kivvil!” exclaimed Hargluk Elghinn
(I smell the flesh of a surfacer!) (Dwarf Death)
Raevyx quickly calmed the two blood thirsty Driders as he explained, “Usstan tlun Raevyx Araya, Ilharn d' nindol Qu'ellar lu' l' kivvil zhah natha quivved d' usst, lu' zhal NAUT tlu elggen!"
(I am Raevyx Araya, Patron of this House and the surfacer is a guest of mine, and shall NOT be killed!)
With that, the two Driders growled and returned to their posts.
Raevyx urged Azjah forward as the massive adamantite gates swung open allowing a glimpse into the darkness that is his home. As the continued forwards, he turned to Azjah and stated, “There is the reason for the fetid stench.”, then motioned to the bloated corpses and skeletal remains of those who had unsuccessfully tried to enter his House. Azjah stared with wide eyes and a gaping mouth as they passed into the entry chamber. The massive doors closed behind them with a resounding BOOM. "Welcome to my humble abode.” Raevyx said happily.
Last edited by Raevyx_Araya on Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
- Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Arrival at Shadowmoon Manor
I stood in the blackness that you can only experience underground, alone, with no sound at all beyond the echo of my call to Raevyx. “Raevyx, I have lost your lead.”
The wait seemed interminable when suddenly I heard a soft chuckle and the thin hand of my companion touched my shoulder. I almost shrieked it was so unexpected. He advised me that if I wanted to remain alive, I would be better served to keep quiet. Now, I’m not certain how to advise him when I stop and yet remain silent, but for the moment, my guide has returned and speech is unnecessary.
We stood in the wilderness of the Underdark. It was wild and untamed, and from my limited knowledge of this place, it has been known to claim the lives of even seasoned travelers and denizens of Underdark itself. I shuddered as we paused here. There is no breath of fresh air, and everything has a stale, slightly rotting scent.
We moved forward and it grew less dark, it’s hard to explain, but the stygian blackness dissolved into simply blackness. Raevyx began to move, and it took me a moment to realize he was off again. His footfalls were nearly silent, and it made following him very difficult in this blackness. The air grew warm and malodorous with sulfur. We reached a place where bright streaks of light whipped along the stone walls. They were wildly beautiful as they pulsed and zipped over the stone. These must be the phenomenon called faerzess. Raevyx did not speak to me often, and so many of my questions will have to wait until we reach his home. We walked through the vein of faerzess for several hours, and the effect of the constantly moving energy is very disorienting. Several times I felt Raevyx’s hand on my shoulder, guiding me away from contact with the energy.
Raevyx stopped after a quick turn into a tunnel and we left the faerzess behind. There was a slight breeze in the tunnel as we stepped into a great cavern where the stalactites and stalagmites grew in giant formations. The effect was stunning. Great columns of stone rose from the cavern floor as long icicles of stone dropped from the ceiling toward those below. In some places, they had met, forming immense pillars of stone. I could have stayed here for hours to study the intricate beauty that nature has wrought here in the deep places beneath the mountain.
But, it was not to be as Raevyx headed toward a gate that was encompassed in pink and purple flames. The air grew very still once we exited the tunnel, and I could hear the skittering of unseen life in the darkness. As we drew nearer to the gates, there came a sickly sweet scent that nearly overwhelmed me in my exhausted state, and then came a stench that I simply cannot describe. There was the odor of rotting meat, of long decay that caused me to wretch violently as we approached the gates. I clung to my dignity, trying not to gag as we moved forward. The gates rose before us as Raevyx paused. “We are at the gates to Shadowmoon Manor.”
Abruptly Raevyx gave me a look in the darkness that became very dangerous, and for a moment I wondered if I had made a terrible mistake coming here. Two guards, Driders from their appearance loomed out of the darkness. They challenged Raevyx in the language of the Ilythiiri, and for tense moments, I wondered if I was about to become another casualty of the Underdark. They are far more hideous and terrible to behold than anything my imagination had been able to create from the descriptions of others. They had the 8 great spider legs, and bodies that were bloated beyond recognition as having once been elven or Drow. Their heads and faces retained the beauty of the Drow, but perched atop those monstrous bodies lent them a fearsomeness that I am very glad I did not have to face alone. They seemed to accept the answers he gave them, and we stepped through the adamantite gates. As we walked forward, off to the side I could see the bodies of slain elves and surface folk, rotting in piles near the gates. Here was the source of the nauseating odor, and as I stared in horror Raevyx told me, “there is the reason for the fetid stench.” Indeed, the pile of corpses lay there as a reminder or deterrent to anyone who thought to come unbidden to House Araya. It seems to me to be an extremely gruesome means of dissuasion, but apparently here in Underdark, this is the way “no trespassing” is conveyed. Quarrels and fighting among the houses is common here, perhaps the house with the greatest pile of bodies puts the most respect into the minds of those who would seek to usurp the leading houses?
We stepped inside the house, and the doors closed behind us with a resounding boom. “Welcome to my humble abode” he told me with a smile upon his features. The entrance hall was dazzling. Everything that has been said about the Drow being connoisseurs of beauty was confirmed.
I looked at Raevyx, “I am honoured to be welcomed to your home.”
The wait seemed interminable when suddenly I heard a soft chuckle and the thin hand of my companion touched my shoulder. I almost shrieked it was so unexpected. He advised me that if I wanted to remain alive, I would be better served to keep quiet. Now, I’m not certain how to advise him when I stop and yet remain silent, but for the moment, my guide has returned and speech is unnecessary.
We stood in the wilderness of the Underdark. It was wild and untamed, and from my limited knowledge of this place, it has been known to claim the lives of even seasoned travelers and denizens of Underdark itself. I shuddered as we paused here. There is no breath of fresh air, and everything has a stale, slightly rotting scent.
We moved forward and it grew less dark, it’s hard to explain, but the stygian blackness dissolved into simply blackness. Raevyx began to move, and it took me a moment to realize he was off again. His footfalls were nearly silent, and it made following him very difficult in this blackness. The air grew warm and malodorous with sulfur. We reached a place where bright streaks of light whipped along the stone walls. They were wildly beautiful as they pulsed and zipped over the stone. These must be the phenomenon called faerzess. Raevyx did not speak to me often, and so many of my questions will have to wait until we reach his home. We walked through the vein of faerzess for several hours, and the effect of the constantly moving energy is very disorienting. Several times I felt Raevyx’s hand on my shoulder, guiding me away from contact with the energy.
Raevyx stopped after a quick turn into a tunnel and we left the faerzess behind. There was a slight breeze in the tunnel as we stepped into a great cavern where the stalactites and stalagmites grew in giant formations. The effect was stunning. Great columns of stone rose from the cavern floor as long icicles of stone dropped from the ceiling toward those below. In some places, they had met, forming immense pillars of stone. I could have stayed here for hours to study the intricate beauty that nature has wrought here in the deep places beneath the mountain.
But, it was not to be as Raevyx headed toward a gate that was encompassed in pink and purple flames. The air grew very still once we exited the tunnel, and I could hear the skittering of unseen life in the darkness. As we drew nearer to the gates, there came a sickly sweet scent that nearly overwhelmed me in my exhausted state, and then came a stench that I simply cannot describe. There was the odor of rotting meat, of long decay that caused me to wretch violently as we approached the gates. I clung to my dignity, trying not to gag as we moved forward. The gates rose before us as Raevyx paused. “We are at the gates to Shadowmoon Manor.”
Abruptly Raevyx gave me a look in the darkness that became very dangerous, and for a moment I wondered if I had made a terrible mistake coming here. Two guards, Driders from their appearance loomed out of the darkness. They challenged Raevyx in the language of the Ilythiiri, and for tense moments, I wondered if I was about to become another casualty of the Underdark. They are far more hideous and terrible to behold than anything my imagination had been able to create from the descriptions of others. They had the 8 great spider legs, and bodies that were bloated beyond recognition as having once been elven or Drow. Their heads and faces retained the beauty of the Drow, but perched atop those monstrous bodies lent them a fearsomeness that I am very glad I did not have to face alone. They seemed to accept the answers he gave them, and we stepped through the adamantite gates. As we walked forward, off to the side I could see the bodies of slain elves and surface folk, rotting in piles near the gates. Here was the source of the nauseating odor, and as I stared in horror Raevyx told me, “there is the reason for the fetid stench.” Indeed, the pile of corpses lay there as a reminder or deterrent to anyone who thought to come unbidden to House Araya. It seems to me to be an extremely gruesome means of dissuasion, but apparently here in Underdark, this is the way “no trespassing” is conveyed. Quarrels and fighting among the houses is common here, perhaps the house with the greatest pile of bodies puts the most respect into the minds of those who would seek to usurp the leading houses?
We stepped inside the house, and the doors closed behind us with a resounding boom. “Welcome to my humble abode” he told me with a smile upon his features. The entrance hall was dazzling. Everything that has been said about the Drow being connoisseurs of beauty was confirmed.
I looked at Raevyx, “I am honoured to be welcomed to your home.”
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... the soothing light ...
The two walked slowly away from the gates and into the entrance room of the manor. The extremely spacious and inviting hallway leads back into the manor proper; its walls adorned with the finest tapestries and paintings known to the Underdark. The floor is faerzess infused black marble and its dim glow offers just enough light to see the walls. The tapestries and paintings depict various scenes in the Underdark. One tapestry is of the original Araya compound in Brimland, with its massive screeching fungi forest surround the entire complex. The faerie fire used to enchant this it brings in elegant shades of blues and greens, as well as the tradition hues of pink and purple. Portraits of each Elder of House Araya line the walls as well. In between each of the portraits, there are the rest of the exotic paintings and tapestries herald back to the days when Matron Xenia Araya actively reigned as Matron Mother of House Araya. Rugs made from the hides and furs of various woodland surface creatures cover the floors and allow for a comfortable walk along the faerzess infused black marble floors. The hallway ends with another pair of massive bronzewood doors. Such timber is imported from the dark forest that used hide another entrance to the Underdark, more specifically to Brimland. Directly above the doors rests the crest of the House, Shadowmoon Manor, a shadowed full moon, dripping blood.
Raevyx lead Azjah slowly through the hallway giving her ample time to examine each painting and tapestry as he moves towards the two doors with the beautiful crest residing above. He pushes open the two doors and leads her into the living room, which has several couches and chairs appear to be brand new. Several braziers strategically placed through out the room, blaze quietly with faerie fire giving off pleasant glow. Raevyx motions to the entirety of the room and says, “Feel free to have a seat.” He waited for Azjah to select a place to sit. She walked about the room looking at each piece of furniture all bound with a golden leather. The stitching, made from a bright gold coarse thread, held a bit of sparkle in it as the flickering faerie fire braziers burning quietly at the edges of the room. She found cough fit for two and sat down, being careful as to not mess up the obviously extremely expensive leather. She laid back and asked quietly, “Raevyx, what is in the room to the right with the closed door?” He took a seat in his recliner that lounged next to Azjah’s choice of couches and stated calmly, “A store room that I have converted into a walk in freezer of sorts.” Azjah tilted her head to the side and gave him a puzzled look before asking rather quizzically, “What on earth would you need a freezer for down here?” She pondered and shook her head as he kicked back in his recliner and said, “My Aunt needed a place to store her famous stew and cocktail weenies. The best stew and weenies this side of Menzoberranzan, as she would say.” Azjah laughed aloud then quickly covered her mouth, remembering the words Raevyx had said to her earlier. A long silence settled in and after several moments, Azjah asked rather quietly, "So, what kind of stew is it?” Raevyx smiled happily and stated, “Sun-Elf stew and cocktail weenies. We store the butchered meat in there and we use their hides to upholster the couches and recliners in her House as well as here in mine.” Azjah’s cheerful smile quickly dropped just as her jaw did. She frozen and scanned the room, then look down at what she was sitting on, Golden leather, Golden stitching, the skin and hair of Sun-Elves. Raevyx chuckled loudly as he rose and came to comfort her, “My aunt does not like Sun-Elves and well, she is the Matron so if she wants her stew and weenies stored here, then I have no choice but to let her. The same goes for her extra furniture.” Azjah smirked and looked about sheepishly as Raevyx continued to speak, “No offense, but my bed is not made from any part of any living creature, you will sleep there tonight. I will sleep here.” Azjah’s eyes grew as she meekly muttered, “Thanks …”
Raevyx lead Azjah slowly through the hallway giving her ample time to examine each painting and tapestry as he moves towards the two doors with the beautiful crest residing above. He pushes open the two doors and leads her into the living room, which has several couches and chairs appear to be brand new. Several braziers strategically placed through out the room, blaze quietly with faerie fire giving off pleasant glow. Raevyx motions to the entirety of the room and says, “Feel free to have a seat.” He waited for Azjah to select a place to sit. She walked about the room looking at each piece of furniture all bound with a golden leather. The stitching, made from a bright gold coarse thread, held a bit of sparkle in it as the flickering faerie fire braziers burning quietly at the edges of the room. She found cough fit for two and sat down, being careful as to not mess up the obviously extremely expensive leather. She laid back and asked quietly, “Raevyx, what is in the room to the right with the closed door?” He took a seat in his recliner that lounged next to Azjah’s choice of couches and stated calmly, “A store room that I have converted into a walk in freezer of sorts.” Azjah tilted her head to the side and gave him a puzzled look before asking rather quizzically, “What on earth would you need a freezer for down here?” She pondered and shook her head as he kicked back in his recliner and said, “My Aunt needed a place to store her famous stew and cocktail weenies. The best stew and weenies this side of Menzoberranzan, as she would say.” Azjah laughed aloud then quickly covered her mouth, remembering the words Raevyx had said to her earlier. A long silence settled in and after several moments, Azjah asked rather quietly, "So, what kind of stew is it?” Raevyx smiled happily and stated, “Sun-Elf stew and cocktail weenies. We store the butchered meat in there and we use their hides to upholster the couches and recliners in her House as well as here in mine.” Azjah’s cheerful smile quickly dropped just as her jaw did. She frozen and scanned the room, then look down at what she was sitting on, Golden leather, Golden stitching, the skin and hair of Sun-Elves. Raevyx chuckled loudly as he rose and came to comfort her, “My aunt does not like Sun-Elves and well, she is the Matron so if she wants her stew and weenies stored here, then I have no choice but to let her. The same goes for her extra furniture.” Azjah smirked and looked about sheepishly as Raevyx continued to speak, “No offense, but my bed is not made from any part of any living creature, you will sleep there tonight. I will sleep here.” Azjah’s eyes grew as she meekly muttered, “Thanks …”
Last edited by Raevyx_Araya on Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
- Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Shadowmoon Manor
The manor house was exquisite, and as we roamed through the beautifully appointed rooms, Raevyx showed me the collected art works. I paused beneath the House crest, and pondered the differences between the Ilythiiri and surface dwellers when designing crests and standards. My family's heraldic device was starkly different from this one. My shield bears the image of our sun and planet, with a right hand diagonal division, and in the lower half a griffon rampant. The supporting features are acanthus leaves, with a crown resting atop the shield with the 4 strawberry leaves and 4 spheres. A very different set of rules is used to create these two heraldic devices.
We settled into the living room where faerie fire gave a soft glow to the setting. I chose a smaller sofa or settee that would only fit two and I sat in the center to gain a bit of space. I touched the golden leather lightly. It's texture was butter soft and conflicted with the coarse golden fibers used in the stitching. Settling back onto the small couch as Raevyx took a recliner nearby. We talked about his Aunt and her stew, and he elucidated the source of the leather upon which I now sat. A moment of revulsion must have crossed my features, but I quickly schooled my thoughts. This is The Underdark. I'd heard the stories. This should not surprise me, and yet, I find surprise around every corner.
Raevyx assured me that my bed would not be made of the parts of any living creature, and with that, I forced myself to relax once more onto the sofa and began to ask him about his homeland and his people.
I was intensely curious about the faerzess. He'd indicated it was dangerous on our trip in and yet here in his home it is part of the black marble flooring. "How do you deal with it's magical inhibiting nature? Does no one ever walk through the manor barefoot?"
I asked him about the sun elf driders, where had they come from, why were they here if his Aunt hated them so badly, how did they come into his service?
There were so many questions, but at last we sank into a companionable silence. The pink and purple faery fire flickered, and for the first time in days, I felt the call to sleep. Nightmare and apprehension seemed so very far away, almost as though I'd left those at the surface.
I smiled as my eyes closed, "Raevyx? Please don't ask me to sample your Aunt's stew." I know my speech was slightly slurred even though we'd had no alcohol in a very long time. Weariness gave me no energy for enunciation. He laughed as Morpheus enveloped me where I sat.
We settled into the living room where faerie fire gave a soft glow to the setting. I chose a smaller sofa or settee that would only fit two and I sat in the center to gain a bit of space. I touched the golden leather lightly. It's texture was butter soft and conflicted with the coarse golden fibers used in the stitching. Settling back onto the small couch as Raevyx took a recliner nearby. We talked about his Aunt and her stew, and he elucidated the source of the leather upon which I now sat. A moment of revulsion must have crossed my features, but I quickly schooled my thoughts. This is The Underdark. I'd heard the stories. This should not surprise me, and yet, I find surprise around every corner.
Raevyx assured me that my bed would not be made of the parts of any living creature, and with that, I forced myself to relax once more onto the sofa and began to ask him about his homeland and his people.
I was intensely curious about the faerzess. He'd indicated it was dangerous on our trip in and yet here in his home it is part of the black marble flooring. "How do you deal with it's magical inhibiting nature? Does no one ever walk through the manor barefoot?"
I asked him about the sun elf driders, where had they come from, why were they here if his Aunt hated them so badly, how did they come into his service?
There were so many questions, but at last we sank into a companionable silence. The pink and purple faery fire flickered, and for the first time in days, I felt the call to sleep. Nightmare and apprehension seemed so very far away, almost as though I'd left those at the surface.
I smiled as my eyes closed, "Raevyx? Please don't ask me to sample your Aunt's stew." I know my speech was slightly slurred even though we'd had no alcohol in a very long time. Weariness gave me no energy for enunciation. He laughed as Morpheus enveloped me where I sat.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... what could have been ...
The night, if it actually was, came and went. Azjah slept soundly in Raevyx’s bed, the soft satins, and silks gently comforting her exhausted body. She barely moved through the course of her long slumber. Raevyx’s sleep was troubled and restless. In the main room, he tossed and turned on one of the couches for several hours before finally rising to get something to drink.
He made his way to his make shift kitchen where a fresh water fountain flowed quietly. He took a chalice from a nearby counter and dipped it into the water. As walked out of the kitchen area and back into the main room where he sat down in one of the recliners and slowly drank his water. His thoughts raced as memories of the past flashed through his mind. He rose from his comfortable seat and began to pace through his House, slowly making his way through every room in his manor. After several hours had passed, he finally came to his bedroom door. He silently opened the door and entered the room, then closed the door just as quiet as he had opened it.
Once inside he stopped and gave his sanctuary a slow look over. The four-poster king sized bed with a canopy dominated the spacious room. The deep lavender translucent silk drapes blurred the view of the crimson satin sheets and ebony comforter, which gently caressed the sleeping Marchioness. The dark red candles that adorned each nightstand still burned, giving the room a dim, yet pleasant glow. On the far wall, a large painting of a gigantic oak tree huge, its bows seemingly blowing in a gentle wind. Raevyx sighed quietly then made a few fingers gestures and the room became enveloped in complete darkness.
He used his innate ability to levitate up and across the room to the magnificent painting. He stopped before it, still floating gracefully above the ground, and examined its intricate details. He lowered his head and placed a hand across his chest then stepped forwards and into the painting, its silent pull, taking him far, far, away.
He made his way to his make shift kitchen where a fresh water fountain flowed quietly. He took a chalice from a nearby counter and dipped it into the water. As walked out of the kitchen area and back into the main room where he sat down in one of the recliners and slowly drank his water. His thoughts raced as memories of the past flashed through his mind. He rose from his comfortable seat and began to pace through his House, slowly making his way through every room in his manor. After several hours had passed, he finally came to his bedroom door. He silently opened the door and entered the room, then closed the door just as quiet as he had opened it.
Once inside he stopped and gave his sanctuary a slow look over. The four-poster king sized bed with a canopy dominated the spacious room. The deep lavender translucent silk drapes blurred the view of the crimson satin sheets and ebony comforter, which gently caressed the sleeping Marchioness. The dark red candles that adorned each nightstand still burned, giving the room a dim, yet pleasant glow. On the far wall, a large painting of a gigantic oak tree huge, its bows seemingly blowing in a gentle wind. Raevyx sighed quietly then made a few fingers gestures and the room became enveloped in complete darkness.
He used his innate ability to levitate up and across the room to the magnificent painting. He stopped before it, still floating gracefully above the ground, and examined its intricate details. He lowered his head and placed a hand across his chest then stepped forwards and into the painting, its silent pull, taking him far, far, away.
Last edited by Raevyx_Araya on Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
- Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Solitude in the Darkness
Raevyx had graciously placed me in his own suite. The bedroom was appointed with silk and satin. Sensuous materials suited to the taste of elves, and especially the Ilythiiri, for they are reputed to adore fragrances and touch. What more exotic sensation can there be than the soft caress of cool satin against your warm skin?
This room was so appointed, and it was with a grateful sigh that I sank into the waiting embrace of such luxury. Sleep claimed me quickly. Raevyx had set a grueling pace to get here, with almost no breaks or rest stops. I have no idea how long we'd travelled, but it seemd like days. There were no nightmares to haunt me, either through simple exhaustion, or because here in the Underdark, they simply could not follow me.
The lavender sheers surrounded the bed, casting the rest of the room into hazy relief. Dark red candles burned, and scented the room with an exotic blend of spice and scent that I could not place, but it was a calming ambiance that included a soft golden glow from the flames as they danced in the candelabrum.
Some hours later I dreamed that the door opened, but I could not see anyone there, and then the room went utterly black. The absolute blackness that can only be experienced underground. The candles must have burned out, and I curled deeper into the crimson satin sheets, determined to savor the peace and solitude Raevyx offered.
I don't know how long it had been since the darkness descended, but the feeling that someone had been in the room persisted. I reached for the lavender sheers and climbed out of the sumptuous bed with the intention of finding the candles and relighting them, but in the absolute darkness, I tripped over something I had not remembered being on the floor and braced myself for a hard impact with the wall, reflexively my right arm crossed infront of me, bracing against my shoulder, and in the next moment, brilliant light flared, blinding me in that moment as I'd come from absolute darkness into a flash of light so intense I could not keep my eyes open.
This room was so appointed, and it was with a grateful sigh that I sank into the waiting embrace of such luxury. Sleep claimed me quickly. Raevyx had set a grueling pace to get here, with almost no breaks or rest stops. I have no idea how long we'd travelled, but it seemd like days. There were no nightmares to haunt me, either through simple exhaustion, or because here in the Underdark, they simply could not follow me.
The lavender sheers surrounded the bed, casting the rest of the room into hazy relief. Dark red candles burned, and scented the room with an exotic blend of spice and scent that I could not place, but it was a calming ambiance that included a soft golden glow from the flames as they danced in the candelabrum.
Some hours later I dreamed that the door opened, but I could not see anyone there, and then the room went utterly black. The absolute blackness that can only be experienced underground. The candles must have burned out, and I curled deeper into the crimson satin sheets, determined to savor the peace and solitude Raevyx offered.
I don't know how long it had been since the darkness descended, but the feeling that someone had been in the room persisted. I reached for the lavender sheers and climbed out of the sumptuous bed with the intention of finding the candles and relighting them, but in the absolute darkness, I tripped over something I had not remembered being on the floor and braced myself for a hard impact with the wall, reflexively my right arm crossed infront of me, bracing against my shoulder, and in the next moment, brilliant light flared, blinding me in that moment as I'd come from absolute darkness into a flash of light so intense I could not keep my eyes open.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... solitude, interrupted ...
Raevyx sat quietly upon the roof, quietly taking in the gorgeous surroundings when a resounding thud came from beneath him. He quickly jumped up, grabbing his darkwood bow and notching a bronzewood arrow as he drops down through the sky light. His aim directed at the writhing mass that lies upon the floor, his swirling crimson gaze fixed upon it as well. “Mumbaro lu' EL!” he growled threateningly. The form attempted to retreat as she cried, “No, Please, Don’t kill me!” Raevyx frozen, then lower his bow and removed the arrow. “I … I cannot see!” Azjah stammered as she clasped her hands over her eyes. He sighed heavily as he reached up and placed the bow and arrow back on the roof and out of the way. He gently placed his hand over Azjah’s eyes and softly murmured a spell to heal her eyes. He moved quickly to pull the curtains to block the majority of light from entering the tree house.
Azjah slowly opened her eyes and looked up from her spot on the floor as Raevyx calmly offered his hand to help her to her feet. “I … I am sorry …” she said softly as she looked at him with a frightened look on her face. “I am the only one who ever visits the place, so when you entered, I was caught off guard.” he said as he lowered his head. “So … How did you find me?” he said in a quizzical tone. Azjah replied in a confused tone, “I … I do not know. One moment I was in your bedroom and I could not see anything. So I got up and was going to re light the candles. I tripped over something and fell, I expected to hit the cold floor of your bedroom, but instead, I hit this warm wooden floor. When my eyes opened, the light was so bright that it blinded me.” Raevyx nodded offered his friend a sit near one of the windows, while he drew back the curtains to allow more light to filter into the room. “Welcome to my tree house.” He stated proudly.
.oO <>< /|\ ><> Oo.
The enormous oak tree conceals this grand tree house within its magnificent network of branches and limbs. The tree house, which is made completely out of redwood, is only one room, but the room is big enough to fit an exquisite king size bed. The bed was much like the one deep in the Underdark, but instead of deep reds and blacks, this bed was adorned the same satins and silks, but colored in the beautiful hues of various blues and whites. Three of the walls have two large windows upon them. The windows allow the bright rays of the sun to filter in and warm the room. The ceiling holds a large covered opening, which leads to the roof and to a great place for tanning and for stargazing. Birds of all shapes and sizes fly through the beautiful blue sky, before making an occasional stop to rest upon one of the many windowsills to chirp merrily, while the day lazily passes by. The back wall, which is the only wall without windows, hold a large painting of a dark cavern, with sparkling flecks paint in the hues of pink and purple, gently floating in the blackness.
Azjah slowly opened her eyes and looked up from her spot on the floor as Raevyx calmly offered his hand to help her to her feet. “I … I am sorry …” she said softly as she looked at him with a frightened look on her face. “I am the only one who ever visits the place, so when you entered, I was caught off guard.” he said as he lowered his head. “So … How did you find me?” he said in a quizzical tone. Azjah replied in a confused tone, “I … I do not know. One moment I was in your bedroom and I could not see anything. So I got up and was going to re light the candles. I tripped over something and fell, I expected to hit the cold floor of your bedroom, but instead, I hit this warm wooden floor. When my eyes opened, the light was so bright that it blinded me.” Raevyx nodded offered his friend a sit near one of the windows, while he drew back the curtains to allow more light to filter into the room. “Welcome to my tree house.” He stated proudly.
.oO <>< /|\ ><> Oo.
The enormous oak tree conceals this grand tree house within its magnificent network of branches and limbs. The tree house, which is made completely out of redwood, is only one room, but the room is big enough to fit an exquisite king size bed. The bed was much like the one deep in the Underdark, but instead of deep reds and blacks, this bed was adorned the same satins and silks, but colored in the beautiful hues of various blues and whites. Three of the walls have two large windows upon them. The windows allow the bright rays of the sun to filter in and warm the room. The ceiling holds a large covered opening, which leads to the roof and to a great place for tanning and for stargazing. Birds of all shapes and sizes fly through the beautiful blue sky, before making an occasional stop to rest upon one of the many windowsills to chirp merrily, while the day lazily passes by. The back wall, which is the only wall without windows, hold a large painting of a dark cavern, with sparkling flecks paint in the hues of pink and purple, gently floating in the blackness.
Last edited by Raevyx_Araya on Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
- Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Doorways in the Darkness
In the utter blackness, when I began to fall, I expected to land with a hard thud against a wall as I knew there was one fairly close to the bed, but where I was precisely in that blackness I could not determine. But, there was the soft caress of silk and the brilliant flash of light that blinded me before I hit the floor.
My breath was knocked from my lungs as a threatening voice spoke, "Mubaro lu'EL!" Move and die! I sought to return the way I'd come, "I cannot see!"
There was the sound of movement as Raevyx dropped beside me, his hand placed over my eyes and a spell uttered as my sight returned to me. He offered me a hand up off the wooden floor, which I took and rose to find myself in a brightly lit room that appeared to be a tree house. It was done in shades of blue and white silk, using the same sardanapalian materials as Raevyx's home in Underdark. "Welcome to my tree house" he stated proudly.
We were in the branches of an enormous oak tree, and the view was stunning. He wanted to know how I'd found my way there, but in truth, I have no idea, until I turned around and found the painting of a dark cavern, very reminiscent of his home in Underdark. There were glittering flecks of pink and purple floating in the dark background. I turned and looked at him. "That is a doorway, and somehow, I stepped through it."
My breath was knocked from my lungs as a threatening voice spoke, "Mubaro lu'EL!" Move and die! I sought to return the way I'd come, "I cannot see!"
There was the sound of movement as Raevyx dropped beside me, his hand placed over my eyes and a spell uttered as my sight returned to me. He offered me a hand up off the wooden floor, which I took and rose to find myself in a brightly lit room that appeared to be a tree house. It was done in shades of blue and white silk, using the same sardanapalian materials as Raevyx's home in Underdark. "Welcome to my tree house" he stated proudly.
We were in the branches of an enormous oak tree, and the view was stunning. He wanted to know how I'd found my way there, but in truth, I have no idea, until I turned around and found the painting of a dark cavern, very reminiscent of his home in Underdark. There were glittering flecks of pink and purple floating in the dark background. I turned and looked at him. "That is a doorway, and somehow, I stepped through it."
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... the long road ...
Raevyx nodded and replied, “Yes, that is how you got here and that is how we will get back as well.” He knew that she needed this day to enjoy the light and feel the warmth of the sun upon her. The rest of the day passed lazily away as the two hung out in the tree house and in the limbs about and below the tree house. He took Azjah to the very top of the tree, to where he had constructed a small platform that found use only at night.
As darkness set in this beautiful lush land, the stars began to sparkle and shine. He took her back up to the platform and laid down to which she followed his lead. As the sky grew darker the more the sky light up, millions upon millions of stars came into view, offering a view of the heavens like no other had seen before. Looking at this sky made Raevyx think that his eyes were the first to gaze upon them, yet he knew that there had to be other life in this forest besides nature and the local wildlife.
After several hours of staring at the stars, he rose and stated that it was time to return to his home. He planned to start the trip back to the surface early and wanted to make sure that Azjah got plenty of rest before they departed. As before, he let her sleep in his bed while he slept on one of the larger couches. The thermals were cooler tonight than they have previously been and this caused him to curl up in one of the wool blankets that were stored in another room of the House.
He let Azjah sleep a bit longer than he had originally planned to and when he finally woke her, he knew that they would have to keep their speed up to make it back before dawn. Raevyx knows that Eoin will be eagerly awaiting her return and that a million questions will come as well. With these thoughts in mind, he nodded and motioned that it was time to go.
As darkness set in this beautiful lush land, the stars began to sparkle and shine. He took her back up to the platform and laid down to which she followed his lead. As the sky grew darker the more the sky light up, millions upon millions of stars came into view, offering a view of the heavens like no other had seen before. Looking at this sky made Raevyx think that his eyes were the first to gaze upon them, yet he knew that there had to be other life in this forest besides nature and the local wildlife.
After several hours of staring at the stars, he rose and stated that it was time to return to his home. He planned to start the trip back to the surface early and wanted to make sure that Azjah got plenty of rest before they departed. As before, he let her sleep in his bed while he slept on one of the larger couches. The thermals were cooler tonight than they have previously been and this caused him to curl up in one of the wool blankets that were stored in another room of the House.
He let Azjah sleep a bit longer than he had originally planned to and when he finally woke her, he knew that they would have to keep their speed up to make it back before dawn. Raevyx knows that Eoin will be eagerly awaiting her return and that a million questions will come as well. With these thoughts in mind, he nodded and motioned that it was time to go.
Last edited by Raevyx_Araya on Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
- Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Return to the World Above
The tree house was very pleasant after so many days in the underground darkness. The time was spent in the airy openness with the sunshine brightening the world around us.
As evening fell, the stars shone brilliantly in a jet sky, and I could see the constellation that hides my home star clearly. More clearly than I ever do in RhyDin due to the humidity and smoke from the fires of the residents of the city. I wished I had my telescope in those hours beneath such stunningly clear skies.
At last we returned to his manor house in the Underdark, and in the next day we would return to the surface. It was time to go home again and face the world I inhabit. My isolation and respite was ending.
As evening fell, the stars shone brilliantly in a jet sky, and I could see the constellation that hides my home star clearly. More clearly than I ever do in RhyDin due to the humidity and smoke from the fires of the residents of the city. I wished I had my telescope in those hours beneath such stunningly clear skies.
At last we returned to his manor house in the Underdark, and in the next day we would return to the surface. It was time to go home again and face the world I inhabit. My isolation and respite was ending.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... a dark detour ...
The return trip would be as swift as possible due to their late departure from Shadowmoon Manor. The driders bowed as Raevyx left and snarled as Azjah followed close behind. The putrid aroma of the front gates soon diminished as the neared the bored of the wilderness. Once in, Raevyx took an unexpected turn which took them down, deeper into the untamed wilds of the Underdark. All sounds were seemingly amplified ten fold here and at times, the silence was un-nerving, even to Raevyx.
The odd couple continued to head deeper as they traveled through the twisting tunnel that Raevyx had abruptly taken. The damp, stagnant aroma of mold wafted through the tunnel as they continued deeper into the bowels of the Earth. As Raevyx pressed on, deeper and deeper the tunnel delved, the air started to warm up, yet remained damp and stagnant. The humidity became unbearable within a matter of minutes, yet Raevyx continued deeper into the tunnel.
Raevyx stopped in the middle of the trail and waited for Azjah to stand beside him before whispering, “Do you see that up ahead?” Azjah squinted and gazed ahead, looking for whatever Raevyx was trying to point out. She began to notice a dull red glow coming from up ahead and turned to Raevyx with a concerned look upon her face. “Something is causing the tunnel to glow with a dull red aura?” she spoke quietly. He nodded in return and headed off towards the glow with an evil grin upon his face. Azjah quickly caught up to him and stayed close as they headed towards the dull red glow.
As the entered the next section of tunnels, Azjah saw what was causing the dull red glow. A thick moss, which had covered most of the tunnel, grew on the walls, the ceiling, and a few sections on the floor of the tunnel. Raevyx grinned and reached down and picked up a piece of the red moss and ate it. He then retrieved a piece and offered it to Azjah who reluctantly accepted and braced herself for an unpleasant taste, that she knew was about to come. Much to her surprise, the moss had a sweet taste and a mild spicy after taste. Raevyx picked up another piece and munched happily on it as Azjah smiled and he eyes sparkled. His eyes began to sparkle as well and when he knew that they were, he started down the tunnel again, towards the blackness at the other end.
As they left the glowing corridor behind them, Raevyx began to point to random marks on the tunnel wall and Azjah turned her head to look at the marks. The darkness had hidden them and not many had ever seen them, but two people were gazing upon them right now. Azjah stopped abruptly and looked around her, she could see Raevyx walking away from her, in the darkness of the Underdark, and she could see Raevyx. A huge smile donned her face as she hurried to catch up to him, so that she could tell him that she was actually able to see in the darkness. Raevyx just nodded and grinned knowing what had allowed her to see in the darkness and he just continued on, deeper into the vibrant darkness.
The tunnel kept to a straight path for many miles as the two continued along its newly enlightened path. After what seemed to be a day of walking, they entered a gigantic cavern; this is where they would rest, for now. Raevyx leaned against a stalagmite as Azjah sat upon the cavern floor and took a break. After several moments, Raevyx motioned for her to stand and they walked further into the enormous cavern. Raevyx stopped again and motioned to the space in front of him then spoke to Azjah telepathically, “Behold, the Glimmersea, the subterranean sea of the Underdark.” He focused his eyes and forced them back into the infrared spectrum as he looked out across the calm flatness of the enormous body of dark water. The waterline was a good thirty feet from where they stood and that was as close as Raevyx was going to go. “If there was a time, to heed my warnings and do exactly what I say, now would be that time.” He continued telepathically. “This is as close as you need to go and as close as I will go, regardless of what might happen.” He cautioned Azjah with a cold seriousness.
The odd couple continued to head deeper as they traveled through the twisting tunnel that Raevyx had abruptly taken. The damp, stagnant aroma of mold wafted through the tunnel as they continued deeper into the bowels of the Earth. As Raevyx pressed on, deeper and deeper the tunnel delved, the air started to warm up, yet remained damp and stagnant. The humidity became unbearable within a matter of minutes, yet Raevyx continued deeper into the tunnel.
Raevyx stopped in the middle of the trail and waited for Azjah to stand beside him before whispering, “Do you see that up ahead?” Azjah squinted and gazed ahead, looking for whatever Raevyx was trying to point out. She began to notice a dull red glow coming from up ahead and turned to Raevyx with a concerned look upon her face. “Something is causing the tunnel to glow with a dull red aura?” she spoke quietly. He nodded in return and headed off towards the glow with an evil grin upon his face. Azjah quickly caught up to him and stayed close as they headed towards the dull red glow.
As the entered the next section of tunnels, Azjah saw what was causing the dull red glow. A thick moss, which had covered most of the tunnel, grew on the walls, the ceiling, and a few sections on the floor of the tunnel. Raevyx grinned and reached down and picked up a piece of the red moss and ate it. He then retrieved a piece and offered it to Azjah who reluctantly accepted and braced herself for an unpleasant taste, that she knew was about to come. Much to her surprise, the moss had a sweet taste and a mild spicy after taste. Raevyx picked up another piece and munched happily on it as Azjah smiled and he eyes sparkled. His eyes began to sparkle as well and when he knew that they were, he started down the tunnel again, towards the blackness at the other end.
As they left the glowing corridor behind them, Raevyx began to point to random marks on the tunnel wall and Azjah turned her head to look at the marks. The darkness had hidden them and not many had ever seen them, but two people were gazing upon them right now. Azjah stopped abruptly and looked around her, she could see Raevyx walking away from her, in the darkness of the Underdark, and she could see Raevyx. A huge smile donned her face as she hurried to catch up to him, so that she could tell him that she was actually able to see in the darkness. Raevyx just nodded and grinned knowing what had allowed her to see in the darkness and he just continued on, deeper into the vibrant darkness.
The tunnel kept to a straight path for many miles as the two continued along its newly enlightened path. After what seemed to be a day of walking, they entered a gigantic cavern; this is where they would rest, for now. Raevyx leaned against a stalagmite as Azjah sat upon the cavern floor and took a break. After several moments, Raevyx motioned for her to stand and they walked further into the enormous cavern. Raevyx stopped again and motioned to the space in front of him then spoke to Azjah telepathically, “Behold, the Glimmersea, the subterranean sea of the Underdark.” He focused his eyes and forced them back into the infrared spectrum as he looked out across the calm flatness of the enormous body of dark water. The waterline was a good thirty feet from where they stood and that was as close as Raevyx was going to go. “If there was a time, to heed my warnings and do exactly what I say, now would be that time.” He continued telepathically. “This is as close as you need to go and as close as I will go, regardless of what might happen.” He cautioned Azjah with a cold seriousness.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
- Azjah von Drachen Walde
- Expert Adventurer
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:13 am
- Location: Palazzo Drachen Walde
- Contact:
Glimmersea
The day of departure dawned, based on my internal clock because in the Underdark, there is no sunrise, nor sunset. But Raevyx had awakened me and we departed Shadowmoon Manor. But our path did not climb toward the surface, rather it swept us deeper into the ground, and every now and then, the expression on his face made me wonder if I would see the light of day once more.
After a very long while, we arrived at a place in the darkness where I could just faintly make out a reddish glow in the oppressive heat and humidity. We stopped, and he asked me if I could see it. As we moved closer, I could make out the scent of mold, and the glow turned out to be a red mold that glowed in the darkness. He took a bit of it, smiled and handed me a sample, which, I took with foreboding. While I do eat fungi in the form of mushrooms, I had never eaten anything that looked or smelled as this did. But, I am glad I tried it, the flavor was sweet, completely unexpected from the scent, and had a slightly spicey after taste. All in all, a very nice combination.
As we prepared to move deeper into the caverns, it abruptly dawned on me that I could see down here, actually see! When I pointed this fact out to Raevyx, he simply smiled and headed deeper into the rock.
I do not know how long we walked, but he pulled me up short in the darkness. There had been random marks upon the tunnels, which I could not read or decypher. Finally, he paused inside an enormous cavern, "Behold, the Glimmersea, the subterranean sea of the Underdark" he said softly. The water was unruffled by surface wind, and there appeared to be no current in the water itself, and we were about 10 meters from the water's edge, and just as I was stepping forward, I heard Raeyvx tell me, "If there was a time to heed my warnings, and do exactly what I say, now would be that time." All of this was said telepathically, though I do not know the reason for his caution. "This is as close as you need to go, and as close as I will go, regardless of what might happen."
I paused, studying the water in the darkness, and wondered what horrors would cause even a Drow of Underdark to avoid the lure of the calm water before us. And, I realized, I was one of very few surface people to ever see the fabled Glimmersea.
After a very long while, we arrived at a place in the darkness where I could just faintly make out a reddish glow in the oppressive heat and humidity. We stopped, and he asked me if I could see it. As we moved closer, I could make out the scent of mold, and the glow turned out to be a red mold that glowed in the darkness. He took a bit of it, smiled and handed me a sample, which, I took with foreboding. While I do eat fungi in the form of mushrooms, I had never eaten anything that looked or smelled as this did. But, I am glad I tried it, the flavor was sweet, completely unexpected from the scent, and had a slightly spicey after taste. All in all, a very nice combination.
As we prepared to move deeper into the caverns, it abruptly dawned on me that I could see down here, actually see! When I pointed this fact out to Raevyx, he simply smiled and headed deeper into the rock.
I do not know how long we walked, but he pulled me up short in the darkness. There had been random marks upon the tunnels, which I could not read or decypher. Finally, he paused inside an enormous cavern, "Behold, the Glimmersea, the subterranean sea of the Underdark" he said softly. The water was unruffled by surface wind, and there appeared to be no current in the water itself, and we were about 10 meters from the water's edge, and just as I was stepping forward, I heard Raeyvx tell me, "If there was a time to heed my warnings, and do exactly what I say, now would be that time." All of this was said telepathically, though I do not know the reason for his caution. "This is as close as you need to go, and as close as I will go, regardless of what might happen."
I paused, studying the water in the darkness, and wondered what horrors would cause even a Drow of Underdark to avoid the lure of the calm water before us. And, I realized, I was one of very few surface people to ever see the fabled Glimmersea.
Azjah Telyria Danaan
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
Marchioness von Triberg
Baroness von Drachen Walde
- Raevyx_Araya
- Adventurer
- Soulwalker
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 9:21 pm
- Location: Shadowmoon Manor
... water hazards ...
They made camp for the night, back against the wall, as far from the water as they could get. Extremely fine dirt mixed with small pebbles and rocks comprised the beach that they slept the time being. Raevyx leaned up against the wall his deep crimson gaze fixed upon the calm serenity that is the Glimmersea. Azjah took a seat next to him and stared out across the dark waters for quite some time before she leaned back and fell asleep. Raevyx slowly fell asleep shortly after Azjah did; he kept his senses tuned into the silence of the cavern.
What felt like days passed as the two slept against a wall back away from the shore of the Glimmersea. As usual, Raevyx awoke first, and then proceeded to rouse Azjah. He dusted himself off and handed Azjah another piece of red moss for her to eat as he quickly ate some of the red moss as well. Raevyx motioned for Azjah to make her way back to the tunnel as he gave the Glimmersea one last look. Not many from the Northdark make it a point to travel all the way to the Glimmersea.
As he turned back towards the tunnel, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He stopped and quickly turned around. Azjah was well into the tunnel by this point as he quickly scrutinized the cavern where they spent the night. His eyes dropped down into the infrared spectrum and still saw nothing. He looked out across the flat blackness and noticed ripples heading towards the shore. He eyes narrowed and focused in on the water, trying to see whatever caused the ripples. Raevyx turned back towards the tunnel and silently caught up to Azjah. He only spoke two words as he silently passed her, “Keep Up.”. It was time to move, and move fast.
What felt like days passed as the two slept against a wall back away from the shore of the Glimmersea. As usual, Raevyx awoke first, and then proceeded to rouse Azjah. He dusted himself off and handed Azjah another piece of red moss for her to eat as he quickly ate some of the red moss as well. Raevyx motioned for Azjah to make her way back to the tunnel as he gave the Glimmersea one last look. Not many from the Northdark make it a point to travel all the way to the Glimmersea.
As he turned back towards the tunnel, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He stopped and quickly turned around. Azjah was well into the tunnel by this point as he quickly scrutinized the cavern where they spent the night. His eyes dropped down into the infrared spectrum and still saw nothing. He looked out across the flat blackness and noticed ripples heading towards the shore. He eyes narrowed and focused in on the water, trying to see whatever caused the ripples. Raevyx turned back towards the tunnel and silently caught up to Azjah. He only spoke two words as he silently passed her, “Keep Up.”. It was time to move, and move fast.
Raevyx Araya: Ilythiiri Mirshann
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