NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep

[Dr._Bob]

The flash of light envelops the party, filling your lungs with fire. In the last instant, many of you reach for each other instinctively. Flesh is seared from bone; bone is turned to ash. The light fades leaving behind only darkness ...

A second flash of light, followed a split second later by an ear-shattering KRAAAKKK!!! startles you awake. Raindrops, hard and cold, strike you full in the face. You find yourself lying on your back on wet stone.

Other bodies rise slowly to their feet around you. Thunder and lightning light the night sky.

...

A young woman, long blond hair plastered to her face, turns slowly in circles, trying to look over her shoulder at her back. (Tiriel)

A gnome, with blue eyes and brown hair, touches his ears wonderingly. (Fizahn)

A towering human with a heavily muscled, scarred body rubs his unkempt beard. (Retay)

A lithe woman, naked, unselfconsciously shakes the water from her black hair. Small feathers fall to the ground around her. (Kazz)

An older man, graying, raises his face to the sky, laugh lines crinkling the corners of his eyes. (Evendur)

A young woman with wavy red hair and green eyes wraps her cloak about her tightly, hunching slightly. (Ginevra)

A half-elf with dark eyes and hollowed cheeks stands apart from the others, arms crossed. (Elthan)

A lean man with light brown hair and blue eyes scowls. His features could pass for human. (Grynde)

An elf smiles. His hair and eyes are lighter than you remember. (Aeroz)

A man raises both hands before his eyes and flexes his fingers. Turning his arms this way and that he seems surprised and perhaps a bit disappointed to find both intact. (Callos)

...

The stone beneath your feet is shattered, a large engraved spiral all but obliterated. Your eyes rise from the ground to find a colonnaded pavilion looming before you.

Shadowy figures stand beneath the pillars, but they do not move as you approach. A pair of yellow eyes shine, and a gravelly voice calls out, "To whom do the two keeps belong?"

As if still in a waking dream, Callos and Fizahn step forward.

"Just so," replies the voice. Stone grinds upon stone, then cracks. The shadowy figures begin to move ...

[Dr._Bob]

Lightning flashes, illuminating the shadowy figures ...

...

A half-elf with long, braided black hair grimaces as he stretches his stiff limbs. (Mazom)

An elf with dark brown hair and violet eyes wears a single black feather around his neck. (Addis)

A tall, slim elf with golden eyes and hair folds his hands together pensively. (Darros)

A young man with shoulder-length brown hair, hazel eyes, and a noble bearing tries his best to look nonchalant. (Atoly)

A tall, athletically-built man wiggles his fingers experimentally. (Davek)

A reptilian humanoid crouches warily on all fours before slowly standing fully upright. (Patash)

A fair dwarf with a short beard and piercing blue eyes holds a battleaxe (Harsk)

...

The seven look down at those of you standing on the stairs below the pavilion.

[Cejer]

Brown Haired Youth

The young knight raises his armored left hand above his eyes as he looks around him. His back is straight, and he seems to look slightly above the darkened figures. Once or twice his right hand inched towards his left hip before stopping and returning to his side.

He waits silently for another to make the first move.

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

The smile fades from the elf's face and he pats his face, torso and groin a frantic manner, as if he was making sure he was actually there. Instinctively dropping his hands to the two swords at his belt, he realizes that he is completely unarmed. Sticking his hand under his shirt, he feels no chainmail either, which brings a look of worry on his face.

"...wait a minute...what happened....didn't we all...didn't I..." he stutters as he gazes at the people in the pavilion. He immediately recognizes Callos, Elthan, Fizhan, and the others, though they seem to be somehow different.

"Now what in the nine hells happened?" he exclaims in frustration.

[shaddy_24]

Evendur

The aging paladin gazed silently at the dark sky, rain running down his neck. He pulled himself to his feet, keeping his eyes on the clouded sky. Slowly looking back down at his hands, he noted mutely that his musket had vanished. At the same time though, he felt strong again. His strength had returned, after what had been decades of loss. But something else had been taken instead.
"My Lady. Where are you? I can no longer feel your presence," the words, barely a whisper, are almost covered by the rain falling on the ground. Returning his gaze to the heavens, he whispers again, "where have you gone?" He makes no response to Aeroz's question.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn looks around. He reaches for his 'short sword.' Not finding it there, he looks around for it. He groans as he sees the rest of the party also unarmed and unarmored. A deep frown comes on his face when he sees Tiriel. He walks to her, and looks up at her, disappointment easily read on his face. "What happened, Angel?" I may have lost my wealth, and after that great windfall, damn. At least I still have a castle?

[Tanaar]

Golden-haired Elf

Clasping his hands together, the pale eladrin takes in his surroundings. Relying on the superior senses of the High Elves, he remains still for a time. Satisfied he is in no danger yet not trusting these unknown people, he moves toward the edge of the pavilion, enthralled by the storm above. As he pays his respects to the power of nature unleashed, his keen, analytical mind goes into overtime trying to figure out just what the hell is going on here.

[Awesomologist]

Violet Eyed Elf

Coming to from his near petrification the violet eyed elf reaches up to his black feather and folds his fingers over it. He looks around the room trying to gather his bearings when several voices are heard below him. The elf is unafraid as he moves slightly forward to better see those below and around him, taking time to especially examine the shadowy figures in the room.

[Cejer]

Brown Haired Youth

The shouts of those outside the pavilion draw the noble's attention. He takes a single, measured step out from between the pillars. He once again glances just above the others in the area, paying special attention to those of elven blood. His gaze lingers perhaps longer than is polite over the dark form of the naked woman before returning to the outspoken elf.

[Durendal]

Dwarf

"What the devil just happened?" he coolly asks himself.

The last thing the dwarf remembers was a voice and flashing eyes, then the feeling of cold stone and numbness. The last thought makes him shiver, and he is immediately thankful for that small amount of mobility. His next thoughts fly to his two most treasured items. He feels the familiar grip of the axe in his hands and then locates his prized crossbow. These two items secure he looks around him, taking in his surroundings. Six others are with him on the colonnade, all seemingly as mystified as himself. Many more figures loom in the darkness, outside in the rain. He switches weapons, loading a bolt into the ornate crossbow and waits for someone to make the next move.

[Matticus]

Grynde

Standing, Grynde rubs his eyes several times to attempt to clear them, and then rubs them against when his vision doesn't focus as he'd expect.
What..? I'm...alive...but my sight is...a little hazy. What the hell is going on? He stares at his body, which is different to how he remembered. Before, he had been thinner, lighter...Now he was less angular, less...elven. More like...
Cautiously, almost fearing what he will find, he raises his hands to his ears...They're rounded. His eyes widen and he sits down hard, staring into space, a dozen thoughts intruding all at once on his simple mind, looking almost zombified.

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan shies his way towards the center of the group for protection, holding his arms crossed and putting on his best face of indifference. One moment he was dead, another minute he was destroyed, then now he's slowly growing cold under an enclosure with a storm just outside. He sunken-cheeked half-elf shivers a bit, but not from the cold. It's as if a protective layer had been taken from him and distanced; He could not feel the Weave around him. He could not feel the magic inside of him as he had known. It was gone, like an empty hole in his soul where he had known warmth.

Confused, cold physically and emotionally, and drained of energy, he lashes out at the dwarf at the edge of his vision. "What happened?! We died! Or by all rights should have. We centered ourselves among energies your feeble shrunken mind shall never comprehend while preventing the destruction of the world and now find ourselves asked questions as dumb as yours while we're pelted with cold rain!"

The half-elf fumes for a moment before a shiver runs down his spine, telling him to calm down. He starts to lower his head and hide his face in his arms, his attention shifting off the dwarf entirely. "Hey, Khazrael...", he starts off slowly, softly, "Can you... feel it? Can you feel the Weave anymore? The magic inside... it's not connected anymore. I don't feel it. There's still magic, but I don't feel it."

[Rodrick_the_Red]

Patash

As the reptilian humanoid with rust colored scales and golden eyes stands, he slowly scans his surroundings. Then exclaims "By Bahamut's Horns what honor is there in turning a man to stone before he has a chance to answer your question?"

He then takes several deep breaths and chants quietly. Now visible calmer he says "I am Patash, of the Talon Lakes Clan does anyone know who the golden eyes belong to and why I was turned to stone?" Patash stops suddenly and looks around franticly as a disturbing thought occurs to him. "How long have I been a statue?" he wonders as he continues to determine how much time has passed.

OOC

Patash is trying to determine is the season is different then when he first entered the colonnaded keep or temple .

[Zid]

Black-haired half-elf

The Half-elf still moves slowly, and some dust crumbles from his cheeks.

Does your hair grow when you are turned to stone? Where am I?

He holds up both hands palms facing forward. His armour seems rusted and old, and on his back hangs a shield and a scabbard for a scimitar.

Hold your weapons. No one I see here seems like a brigand or a robber, and I most certainly ain´t one myself. I am Mazom Urimgiir Beel and I offer you my peace in the name of Avandra. Now, who are you, and wich one of you released me from my spell?

[Dr._Bob]

The air is cold and thin, and the rain begins to freeze as it falls. The sleet bites the faces of those not sheltered beneath the colonnaded pavilion as you try to reorient yourselves.

The next flash of lightning reveals that you are perched on a rocky outcropping at the base of a mountain. Two irregularly shaped towers rise behind the pavilion, nestled in a cleft split by a tall, thin waterfall that cascades down the mountain side.

The steps at the foot of the pavilion spill onto the shattered flat rock. A narrow winding trail leads downward from the open field of stones toward a valley surprisingly far below. A small cluster of wan yellow lights flicker down in the valley, signs of a small village.

You appear to be neither where nor when you thought you were ...

[Tanaar]

Golden-haired Elf

The tall elf smiles in appreciation as the weather gets worse. Wrapping his thick blue robes more tightly around his thin frame, he turns and walks back towards those standing under the shelter of the collonade.

"Indeed not, cousin," he says, addressing the nervous half-elf, "My name is Darros of House Havath. My initial analysis of the situation leads me to believe we were all transported here in a similar manner, against our will. The means of how it was done are as yet beyond my arcane understanding. It does not appear that the culprit is present, though they may be hidden from sight."

Stepping lightly toward the steps, Darros peers through the pelting rain at the group below. "It appears that our friends down there are just as confused as we are. It seems prudent to find out what they know, though I have not the force of lungs to invite them to join us in shelter from this glorious storm. Would one of you do the honors?"

[Cejer]

Brown Haired Youth

"Hah!” An arrogant, shrill laugh pierces the sleet.

He turns towards his black-haired companion and continues, "Am I to believe that you are such a judge of character that you are certain of another's intent even before seeing their face? Then tell us the plans of whoever built this place."

Looking at the golden-eyed elf he continues his outburst. "And you, after a few minutes of standing around you claim we are all unwilling travelers?" His voice takes on a commanding tone. Not the tone that inspires obedience, but the tone used to being obeyed in all things. "I will not believe you until the inhabitants of this land confirm your story. We shall set forth once I have been satisfactorily convinced of your innocence."

"And should I be correct, my father yet rules these lands and my word is his law."

[Tanaar]

Darros

Darros arches a delicate eyebrow at the brash nobleman. "Young sir, none here challenged you. Your outburst and aggression was as unnecessary as it was rude. I was born to the peerage in my land, and a wise noble does not treat unknown strangers with contempt." Gesturing to the unusual landscape, he continues, "Further, when one awakes in a strange land surrounded by people who were clearly displaced at the same moment as themselves, it is plain that they have all been abducted. This conclusion is more easily reached if one observes their fellow travelers rather than berates them. All of us present here were clearly startled upon waking. You yourself concealed it better than most, but your eyes told it plainly." Dropping his hand, Darros changes posture, smiling warmly at the nobleman's son. "For what its worth, friend, I don't know where we are either, though I doubt it is your father's land."

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn shields his eyes and looks up at the pavilion. The gnome then looks down at the town far below. "I don't much like this hail. I say we get out of it quickly. I'd prefer to go to the town, but the pavilion is much closer." And there's the problem of not knowing where this is and what we're doing here. "Maybe one of the people up there is a local and can direct us... somewhere?"

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

The black-haired elfs breath shivers as he tries to calm himself. He taps Fizahn on the shoulder and points towards the towers, one arm still wrapped around his chest. "Those should be safe if I'm correct. We can rest there until the storm passes, and head down to the village as soon as possible to get our bearings."

[Nahal]

Tall, athletic-looking human

Satisfied that the petrification had no unfortunate aftereffects, the human looks about as if taking stock of his situation. After listening to the ongoing conversation, he addresses those near him when an opening presents itself.

I agree, it was bloody rude of that thing to turn us to stone just because we couldn't answer a stupid question, he says to the gold-eyes reptilian. I'm just thankful my gear's still here. Wouldn't be much fun trying to camp out on this stone. He then turns toward the elf and arrogant human. I don't know about you lot, but this definitely isn't the countryside I was hiking in before I was turned into a decoration for this place. I wouldn't make any assumptions about who holds sway here till we know just where here is. He then notices the group at the bottom of the steps, and moves toward the entrance to get a better look at them. Anyone looking closely will notice the shadows near him twist ever so slightly in a subtle, odd and somehow alien fashion. Other than leather armor, a dagger in a sheath at his belt and a pack that obviously has some gear inside he doesn't look to be carrying any weapons. Hello! He calls to the group below. We are travelers that took shelter from the weather in this pavilion. Can you tell me how far it is to the nearest town?

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

Will roll bluff if needed, though nothing he has said is untrue .

[Zid]

Mazom

The black-haired vagabond nods his head at Darros. He points at the dark towers. "Just before I slept, someone asked me a question about those towers. They seem inhospitable indeed. The small village below seems like a much better place to start. Do you agree?"

He turns to the golden haired youth. "Pleased to meet you, young noble lord. May I ask your name?"

[Koji]

Nude Woman

A tree blown bare of its leaves, someone close is missing...

Shivering, the pale woman curls a whip-thin tail protectively around herself as she looks about. She lacks the well-toned athleticism of the other two women, and wearing only the black feathers in her hair, seems fairly out of place. She stares forward with a glassy look that fades into focus as she takes in the vaguely familiar faces around her.

Tiriel? I remember the Redhead's face, I think. That's Grynde over there...

The half-elf's voice catches her attention. She snaps about to face him with a strained look, and lets his question sink in before asking, "How do you know Khazrael?"

Presently, she folds her arms over herself and stammers, "I need...it's cold..."

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

"Huh?" says the half-elf in an off-handed manner as he looks back at Khazrael puzzled. How do I know him indeed... he scoffs inside his head. With some glimmer of concern, he pulls off his robe and wraps it around the tiefling quickly, leaving himself with his thin shirt and trousers. "You really should have looked into transforming into something with feathers in more places than your head." he chides, "I wouldn't be surprised if you had some feathers in your brain as well..."

He looks around and addresses his companions and the strangers as well. "Callos, Fizahn, everyone, let's get inside the towers now before we freeze. With my slim recall of events, by some happenstance, these two towers belong to both our Necromancer and our Gnome. I will explain that later. I don't suspect any surprises within, yet even so we should be safe if we just enter and hide. So whatever has occurred, let's get out of the rain now."

[Koji]

Robed Woman

As Elthan draws nearer, he can see more clearly that something has clearly gone awry.

This woman does bear a resemblance to the succubus in the spiral chamber, but up close, seems like someone else entirely. Her features are softer, her figure is less idealistic, and she's nearly a head shorter than she was. Most notably, she's missing a pair of wings.

She pulls the robe over herself and looks about, watching for a sign that anyone else might be able to make sense of what the half-elf has said.

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

"I'm going to have to agree on Fizhan with this one. If we head to the town, we might find someone to clue us in on where we are."

Aeroz shifts oddly from foot to foot.

"I miss the weight of my weapons...Damn Longblade was a gift from Shevarash hiself" he grumbles.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn looks at Elthan. "I know I've got a castle, some of us are lucky with cards, but how do you know that that's mine? And if it is mine, perhaps you should be a little worried for yourself?" He then turns and looks at the rest of the group. "I just think that the towers seem a little ominous. Does anyone else agree with me? Opinions on this situation might be useful.

Retay. You're usually silent, but it's time to weigh in.

Anika. Do you have a new name for these conditions?

Callos. You're usually a very vocal person full of advice. Let's hear it.

Aeroz. Thank you. I'm right.

Khazrael. Why are you currently a woman?

Grynde. No one cares what you think anyway.

Evendur. Does your God have any counsel for us?

Tiriel. You haven't said anything. Are you okay?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

His mind was swarming with all that had happened, the hows and whys that he just plain didn't know or even understand. Why was he alive again? How had they even gotten to this place? What about Sethra and his plans for...had he succeeded?! Was this the new world that Sethra had tried to bring about?

Irritation swung in equal parts with confusion and rage on his face as the others assembled underneath the freezing rain. If it bothered him then it didn't show on his face, instead simply reaching up to cup his chin in thought when Elthan passes his shirt over to the...was that Khaz? So it hadn't been a perfect change then. His eyes were focused on the pavilion with the people clustered about underneath of it, trying to avoid thinking about the fact that his arm had returned to it's normal shape. So even that experiment had been undone..

Without waiting the necromancer..was he still a necromancer? It didn't feel like it anymore..strode up towards the steps of the pavilion with only a glance cast back towards the others. "The towers, quickly. We need someplace to think about what the hell has happened."

Granted his path was going to take him right by the pavilion but the irate older man seemed uncaring about who those people were. Either they'd stop him or not on his way past.

[Awesomologist]

Violet-Eyed Elf

As voices are raised outside the pavilion, the violet-eyed elf moves down to where those speaking have congregated. Hearing some suggest making for the village below, the elf speaks out, "It appears there are quite a few of us that have found ourselves where we did not intend to be."
The elf pauses and looks at the others as thunder from the gathering storm rumbles. "My name is Addis Qatur, humble servant of the Raven Queen. I would be glad to accompany anyone down to the village below so that we may find some answers."

[Matticus]

Grynde

People speaking, wondering, moving...This is all lost on the human as he stares aimlessly into space. As the cold moves in around him, he snaps back into reality, looking confused rather than his usual angry. Around him, people continue to speak, but it doesn't seem to matter to him. He stands, and walks in the same direction as Callos, although he doesn't look up from the ground as he walks.