“If there is one thing Git’riban has taught me, sister, it is that time is not as reliable a measure as I had thought, in when to extend trust and when to withdraw it. Your words and actions so far have given me no choice but the former.”
Du’minh hands Ya’shenn the satchel and gives her room to work with the array as she sees fit.
“Besides… My latest experience with psionically imbued illithid crystals was less than productive.”
“Gy-Nath, Du’minh here. We have much to report and a situation that needs some subtle handing.” The Rish sends a brief telepathic report of recent events, along with a mental picture of the crystal tree. “This should be taken into safe holding without raising attention – if we carry it through the sewers to a suitable exit, could you or a trusted associate of yours help us in this regard?”
Ya'shenn must help Du'minh's message along, and there is a long pause where she wonders if he 'heard'. Then comes a reply, stronger than Ya'shenn expected. ~I read but you are weak. Are you OK? Where are You? When the situation is explained, he replies. ~I'm not going to be able to make it in time, but the small door of my apartment is unlocked, just be very careful as you enter.
Ya'shenn gets a quick flash of Gy-Nath's immediate situation. There is a large Flind and a strangely civilized-looking troglodyte beside him. All three are engaged in combat with a urophion in the main chamber of Jhank'kor's Undersigil laboratory and lair.
"Thank you, brother." She takes the satchel, and is about to add more when Gy-Nath's reply belatedly arrives. Ya'shenn's eyes widen visibly as she realizes his situation, and explains to the others: "He is in battle."
~Liberator guide your hand, captain.
"I can tell you more about the array, but I would prefer it if we were gone from this place quickly. If we can take it with us... I think we should."
“I have seen Gy-Nath fight before and he carries himself with greatness. Considering how he has allies at his side, I would not worry.”
Du’minh turns his attention to the array and carefully tries lifting it a little to get a sense of its weight.
“It is feasible. If there is nothing more to be gained here, let us leave with what haste can be mustered under these conditions.”
“Though it may be risky, perhaps we should split up and have one of us escort Daraz to a healer on Transcendent Way while the others takes the array to Gy-Nath.”
"I would be best able to describe Daraz's condition..." Ya'shenn looks visibly nauseated for a moment. Du'minh will live a much happier life if he never learns exactly what it feels like to have four illithid tentacles buried inside his skull.
"But, as much as I hate to admit it, I am not much of a guard for him, in my current state. I may also be the most knowledgeable about the array. Have you any preference?"
[Unremarkable, really, except they are just about the right size to hold a brain. Want to open one of the closed ones?]
OOC: Hey Az, sorry about jumping the gun on the last post.
Rey speaks up: Perhaps I can try and alleviate his suffering. Are any of you carrying potions? Even as he finishes speaking he begins the chanting of a minor healing spell.
He secretly hopes that he doesn't become the one stuck with the task of escorting Daraz back to a healer. Though it would be interesting and perhaps useful to confront the fellow 'zerai and perhaps blackmail him, he still would prefer to continue onwards. He suspects Ista would want to do the same.
He hopes his minor healing spells can stabilize him enough to continue.
Tripple post madness!
Tripple postiness.
Du’minh sits the array down again and observes how Rey’arteb’s magic cures Daraz further.
“You have a healer’s touch, Vivec, you can fight with fury, and you are skilled a staying out of sight – thus, perhaps you may be best suited for escorting Daraz.”
“If this does not sit well with you, however, I would take him there myself.”
OOC:
“If this does not sit well with you, however, I would take him there myself.”
The psion is divided -- between her desire to help Daraz, and her belief that, should anything go wrong on the way there or the way back, she doubts she'd be of much help to him, as thoroughly drained as she is. There is the one dorje, but she hasn't figured out the other yet, and she certainly hesitates to use the grenades on a city street.
Then there is something that the warlock had said earlier...
Surely even the ghaik would hesitate to make that kind of trouble so close to the heart of gith territory, but any number of more mundane problems could happen...
"Daraz, there is... something else." Ya'shenn turns to face her horribly injured companion. "I think that Tamer realized, at the end, that it was going to die. It started trying to do... something to your brain, beyond simply ripping it out of your skull. Understand, now, it cannot have made you one of the Marked. To end up like that, the victim has to be helpless for a fairly long time. It's not something to be done in the middle of a fight, when someone is actively struggling..." She tries very hard not to think about what must have happened to Mim during the process of his enthrallment.
"...and they usually use alchemical or psionically charged reagants, also. So you are safe in that regard. Perhaps it was trying to cripple you in a very specific way, out of spite. The healer needs to know this."
The woman frowns at this point, evidently thinking about just what Daraz's condition entails. She eyes the array for a moment or two, though.
"I really ought to go with him, Du'minh. As interested as I am in this puzzle, it will wait longer than Daraz's brain will. I at least have this," she withdraws the 'force' dorje, "and if all else fails, I can at least call for help. As a healer, I... don't want to leave him alone, certainly not now."
[OOC: With her high Sense Motive, she also might pick up on Vivec's discomfort -- but only if you want her to, Trias. 
]
Du’minh looks for a cape or other usable piece of clothing to wrap the array in, heading back to use that of the slain illithid if need be. When everyone is ready to depart he carefully hoists the device against his shoulder, taking care not to let one of his armor spikes damage the fabric.
“Vivec, I suggest you move a bit ahead to scout the passages, then we navigate to an exit near Gy-Nath’s dwelling before resurfacing.”
[I'd like to move things along a bit at this point, because this scene is just about over and the party gets to re-form in the next one (with an assumed rest period inbetween). So what I've got is thus: Ya'shenn escorting Daraz to the clinic and Du'minh carrying the array to Gy-Nath's. Vivec can go with either, but it actually makes more sense to go with Daraz and Ya'shenn. Du'minh can handle himself, though I will rule that he needs help hoisting the array out of the sewers, and must take the street. These sewers here under Swans Way are not connected to the older crumbling underground of Git'riban (hence why the listening post had been fairly safe from accidental discovery).
Besides, it'll be more fun if Du'minh has to deal with Gy-Nath's door by himself - :twisted: ]
Besides, it'll be more fun if Du'minh has to deal with Gy-Nath's door by himself - :twisted: ]
Bring it. :comeHere:
[That works for me. ]
Swans Way
The band of gith exit the sewers at the same point they entered. Du'minh and Vivic strugling to get the heavy metal and crystal array out without damaging it.
The streets are empty, as it is in the small hours of 'ascending from anti-peak'. After the heavily-muscled Rish come Daraz and Ya'shenn. Thanks to his companions' healing efforts, he can move under his own power, though he finds that his balance gives out completely if he tips away from vertical, and there is still the large and growing blind spot in his vision.
Du'minh makes sure the array is well covered (by 'Street's torn robes) before heafting it and heading down Silver Void Street towards Gy-Nath's.
Ya'shenn helps Daraz down the street, Vivec watching their backs from a short distance behind. Once Du'minh has gone, Ista K'ait craws up his collar and whispers in Rey'arteb's ear, "We must prepare for our assault on the house of the illithid. I will wait for you in the underworld, and follow your warband through the portal." The black rat gives Rey a kiss then leaps from his shoulder into a nearby alley and vanishes.
------------
Silver Void Street.
Nobody is out on the streets of Git'riban tonight, it seems. There is one reason why.
Dabus.
Du'minh sees at least a dozen clusters of them gliding up and down Silver Void. They all carry tools, or brooms, and almost seem like patrols of an occupying army of janitors, gardiners, and masons. They watch Du'minh but do not hinder him in any way.
Finally, the githwarrior reaches his destination. Just before reaching the Heart of the Void, Du'minh comes to Gy's building. His apartment is on the second floor, and he has his own entrance on the side. The doorway has been modified, fairly recently, to accomidate an oversized wooden door. Within this door is a smaller door, less than 3' square, which one would have to crawl through to enter (unless one were a halfling). True to Gy's word, this small inner door, though closed, is not locked.
[Make whatever spot, search and/or listen checks you want.]
-----------------------
Trancendant Way.
Ya'shenn and Daraz reach the clinic without incident, and their escort bids them farewell untill later, promising to meet at Gy-Nath's around half-decending (~12 hours from now).
Ya'shenn brings Daraz into the healers' clinic, and the Master is called for when they first look at him.
The Master Healer is a psion by the name of Kii'dem. She escorts both Ya'shenn and Daraz into a private chamber, and questions them on the particulars of the injury (without asking the circumstances). She then summons a pair of assistants to help Daraz undress and thouroughly clean up.
Kii'dem continues to ask questions of Ya'shenn as she herself scrubs and dons a mask and gown, indicating that Ya'shenn should do the same. She then meets Daraz again in another room with a comfortable, but simple bed. A stool is set at one end of the bed, and several assistants bring in a pair of tables and a set of metal impliments. Kii'dem gives a glass of what seems cool, clear water to Daraz to drink and tells him to lie on his stomach on the bed. Daraz's vision at this point is fading, he can only see ahead with one eye, and the entire right side of his awareness is a blank void.
The assistants leave Kii'dem, Daraz, and Ya'shenn alone in the opperating chamber.
"Lie as still as you can. Your friends' efforts to heal you were valiant, but it means I must cut into your skull again to remove the tenticle. It will hurt a bit at first, but nowhere near what you have already endured. Understand?"
Kii'dem gets to work. She is very skilled, and it goes much quicker than Ya'shenn expects, though she doesn't exactly watch, holding Daraz's hand but looking at the white marble walls.
When at last she is done, and the tenticle is removed, Daraz finds that his head no longer throbs, and his vision is no longer getting worse, at least.
"Now comes the much more difficult part." Kii'dem reaches over and gets a large metal syringe. Daraz, face down still, only feels a quick sting in the back of his neck. Within a few seconds he finds that his grip on Ya'shenn's hand is getting weaker. Quickly, his strenth is completely stolen away, and he cannot move a muscle, though he can still breathe normally. "Now I must heal your mind. Of neccessity it means I must delve into it. You can try to resist me, but unless I have seriously misjudged you, it would be futile. Do not be afraid, zerth. Yes, I know what you are, sharpshadow, just as I know that Ya'shenn is a member of the Reconciliation. How do I know this? I am the high-up. Ya'shenn did not know that it is I who am the leader of the Reconcilliation in Sigil, because she herself is a new arrival and was being evaluated. By slaying an illithid, and by bringing you, a 'zerai, here, she has proven herself. You, however, have yet to do so. Of course, if I determine you cannot be trusted, I will wipe this knowlege from your mind, it all depends on what I find in there."
Du’minh sits the array down and glances around to see if anybody is near, then approaches and takes a closer look.
OOC: Spot and Listen checks. If nothing new is sensed, take 20 on a Search check.
Silver Void Street
Du'minh carefully examines the door and the surroundings. There do not seem to be any traps or anything. He opens the little door, and peers in. The aparment is dark and still, but Du'minh thinks he hears a faint sound like wind chimes. Inside he can see that there is a stairway leading upward.
[Du'minh can examine the entry more specificly, if you want to post exactly how. If he just goes in, make a reflex save.]
OOC: Now hold on there, TriggerHappy DM . Caution was advised and caution will be tried.
IC:
Du’minh reaches out with his innate psionics to telekinetically search for and manipulate any handles or moveable objects that may block the greater door. If such cannot be found or is beyond his power to move, he will trying tossing a small pebble inside the doorway and see if there is a reaction.
[Using far hand spell-like ability]
Ya'shenn is only too glad for the opportunity to cleanse herself of the worst of spattered illithid blood, her own blood, Daraz's blood, and traces of illithid slime, to say nothing of the unavoidable odor that comes from fighting inside a sewer. She would, in fact, like nothing more than to bathe for a week, but cleaning her head, hands, and arms is an excellent start.
The psion's body language indicates genuine concern for Daraz's welfare, and this, for once, is not feigned. Among allies, in fact, Ya'shenn wonders if she might be able to relax, just a bit, something she seldom has the opportunity to do. During a quiet moment toward the end of the initial operation, when she feels she won't distract Kii'dem too much, she asks: "Do you know what the ghaik was trying to do to his brain -- aside from hoping to kill him outright? I don't believe I've encountered it before."
She'd known that the Reconciliation would be involved here, but she is moderately surprised to find that she's apparently talking to the local leader. While she hadn't expected a paralytic to be administered to her companion, that is not, in retrospect, too surprising. Ya'shenn hadn't been certain that Daraz was Githzerai, though she had definitely suspected it. Some genuine Githyanki superficially resembled their sundered kindred, and some pirates had the same look. It's nice to be certain -- though inconvenient, in certain ways.
While Ya'shenn bears no particular ill will toward the 'zerai -- unlike most of her own kind -- she is not such a fool as to believe that all or even most githzerai would agree with her opinion. She'd been too busy trying to track down 'Street' and 'Portal' before they could report to the House, and truthfully she finds it quite convenient that Kii'dem is willing to unravel Daraz for her. She is certainly in no state to invade his mind. And some part of her is happy not to have to personally interrogate another unwilling subject.
Notably, she does not make any denial of her... political leanings this time. For now, the psion gives Daraz no words of either encouragement or threat, merely squeezing his hand. She truly hadn't expected him to be hit with a paralytic -- though, in retrospect, she should not have found that surprising. She wonders whether the Githzerai will come to hate her for this, though in fact her main concern had been saving his life.
. Caution was advised and caution will be tried.
IC:
Du’minh reaches out with his innate psionics to telekinetically search for and manipulate any handles or moveable objects that may block the greater door. If such cannot be found or is beyond his power to move, he will trying tossing a small pebble inside the doorway and see if there is a reaction.
[Using far hand spell-like ability]
[The larger door is locked, and nothing was said of a key. Basicly, if Du'minh sticks his head inside, he'll have to make that reflex roll. Don't worry, he'll pass, but depending on that roll and how he sticks his head in ... :mrgreen: ... and no, the pebble thing won't work.]
The warrior places a hand on the outside greater door for support and cautiously leans in to peek inside from a crouching position, ready to push and roll away if some immediate danger should present itself on the other side.
OOC: Guess I’ll take the hint and roll the save.
Du'minh leans in the door. At first he sees nothing strange ...
Then he hears a noise, the sound of a chain falling from the darkness above. Something drops down, and Du'minh must quickly pull back to escape it! He looks at the thing, now dangling just above the top of little door, and can scarcely believe his eyes. It hangs on the end of a strong chain. There is an iron cage on the end, and within the cage is the head of an illithid.
Just the head.
The skin is grey and cold, the eyes dead. The head seems partially collapsed, as if the illithid's brain shrank after it died. The tenticles grasp with an horrid strenth, and Du'minh can tell that it hungers ...
OOC: Nevermind this.
“Gah!”
Du’minh rolls away with shock painted in his face, already reaching for flail or dagger before he lands on the cobblestones. It takes him a moment before realizing the thing is caged, though his nerves remain on end.
“Revolting… but an effective means by which to scare off residents of Git’riban, I admit.”
The Rish knows not by which foul means the illithid-head remains alive, but his dagger is drawn should the cage prove insufficient confinement. When his heartbeat returns to a more normal pace, Du’minh carefully approaches with an eye on the monster, then looks to see if he can maneuver inside without getting within the reach of its tentacles.
When the paralytic has worn off suficiently, Daraz shakes his hand out of Ya'shnen's (as best as he can) and sits up. Suppourt is not something that the githzerai is used to, and even after his previous suspicions about Ya'shnen's alliegance were confirmed, and dispite the fact thst she saved his life, Daraz finds it difficult to trust, not having had much oportunity. It is harder still to accept the sympathy of anyone, regardless of whether they were a foe or friend.
Daraz does not attempt to stand, mostly to avoid looking like a fool. He blinks to be absolutely sure that both of his eyes are working propperly and then to make certain, he looks around, judging the distances of people in the room, giving the slightly unsettling impression that he is aiming an invisible crossbow and gives a mental sigh of relief. His eyes conspicously avoid Ya'shnen, and only partly because she is too close to effectively test his eyesight.
While, Daraz waits for the paralytic to wear off enough to stand, he tries to reflect on his situation. At the expense of anything deep, Daraz mostlt realizes that he is extremely tired and wants nothing more than to sleep.
Daraz collects himself, and makes certain he speaks in a neutral tone of voice: "May I have my things and leave now?"
"The tentacle was burried in his cerebellum, and had damaged his centers of perception very badly. Though I applaud your previous efforts to heal him, some of them were misguided. Your own efforts to heal him sympatheticly were much better. Injuries such as this cannot be merely healed, attention must be paid first to cleaning the wound and then to the specifics of how to repair the damage. Brain injuries are by far the worst, and only powerful magics can reverse damage to nerves and psyche. Sympathetic healing is far superior, in my opinion, for I can feel the damage, come to *know* it."
------------
The process of of healing Daraz's brain using her psionic power takes Kii'dem much longer, almost three hours. Daraz is unaware of the passage of time.
[This must happen after Kii'dem heals Daraz mentally. Also imortant to note is that Kii'dem thoroughly probed Daraz, and not in a good way.
After this, Daraz recieves the slippery mind feat and a +4 bonus on escape artist checks from illithid only.
Ya'shenn will get 3 more psi points (as 3.5 PSCS githyanki) for draining herself healing her own brain-damage she absobed from Daraz.]
"No, not yet." Kii'dem replies. She is visibly weakened by her efforts, and thin lines of dried blood snake from her ears, nose, and eyes. "You should rest here for awhile. Our suites are very comfortable, I assure you. Of course I do not wish to imprison you, Daraz. Such a thing is antathema to your nature. I must warn you, however: You now know much more about the command structure of the Reconcilliation that is healthy for one in your position. When I delved into your mind, I found you have the potential to become useful to us. You are lucky, had I determined you were untrustworthy, you'd have no memory at all of the past few days, and had I discovered you a spy ..." Kii'dem smirks at Daraz.
"Besides, sharpshadow, there is still the not-insignificant matter of payment? How much is your life worth, Daraz? Of what worth is your vision? You owe me, Daraz, and for my payment I desire ... service. You must show your gratitude by serving the Reconciliation henceforth. Betray my trust at your peril, Daraz, for I now know more about you than you do yourself."
"You have the potential to be a great slayer, perhaps an assassin. You have already done much in your elimination of Mim. Schaaz-Khaal is a blind fool to allow a thrall into his house! We will see what more you can do, consider yourself under evaualtion, Daraz."
Kii'dem then turns to Ya'shenn, "I have seen what you plan. A successful raid deep into Illithid House would be glorious! Go with the blessings of the Reconcilliation, and return in victory, Ya'shenn."
To Ya'shenn alone: ~I examined Mim myself. Several times. The scriber of his mark must have been a master, for I never found anything! Beware.
To Daraz, aloud: "You may go or stay as you wish, but you are a guest in my house. It is at least as secure as your own, and far more comfortable, if 'our' memory serves."
[ooc: Yes, I'm making Kii'dem into a dark version of Ya'shenn.]
It is not difficult to do so, or at least it wouldn't be, if the undead illithid head did not insist on making its cage swing in an effort to grasp at Du'minh. Worse is that, with some effort, it can pull itself up the chain, making judging exactly how far down it can drop, rather difficult. The chain and cage are extremely well-made however, and it cannot reach Du'minh if he crawls in through the little door on his belly.
Gy-Nath's Apartment
A private stairway climbs to the second floor of the building. The top of the stairs are open to the apartment, and there is a thin balcony that overlooks the stairway from behind. The 'thing' is chained to the rail, and it would be a simple matter to haul it upwards away from the doorway.
The apartment itself is fairly small, and about as spartan as one would expect of a githyanki warrior's abode. The small room at the top of the stairs is a common area, complete with a couch and low table. Through an archway covered by a beaded curtain is first a kitchen and then a back bedroom. Certain clues lead Du'minh to believe that Gy-Nath only sleeps here half the time, at most. A key ring on Gy's bedside table holds a few large keys that fit the locks in the larger door, as well as the smaller inner door and one for the padlock securing 'Thing', should Du'minh wish to lock up.
There are no active defences other than 'Thing', though Du'minh notices a few loaded crossbows in quickly-accessable locations. Evidently, Gy-Nath keeps little of value here, or he wouldn't be so lax in preventing burglary when he isn't home. Of course, 'Thing' would scare off all but the boldest burglars, Du'minh supposes.
Ya'shenn tries not to wince when Mim's name is mentioned, for she is not at all proud of the... mess that transpired at Void Keys. Nor had she known that he was Schaaz-Khaal's own hatchling. She doubts that a typical child of Gith would fully recognize the significance of that -- or even that she, not an entirely typical githyanki herself, fully understands the pain the warlock must be in.
At least Mim had been freed from the living death of enthrallment, but that is small comfort.
She takes note of exactly what is being done to the githzerai, not without concern. Her training within the Order had stressed, over and over, the need for telepathic powers to be used within ethical constraints. Of course, having seen what 'ethical' uses they'd been put to, back in those days, she had come to develop her own definition -- and is no holy person, even within that altered definition. The psion wonders what sort of ethical boundaries Kii'dem has set for herself. Ya'shenn is also the sort who would rather win others through persuasion than force, when possible.
"You could at least talk to her, Daraz. It would do you no harm, and I hope you think well upon what is being offered you."
Ya'shenn mentally acknowledges Kii'dem's message, though she herself is so utterly drained that she cannot even send a reply! Even so, she does not really need to be told to beware, for she has seen much already to attest to the power of Will's mind. She has a feeling that her dreams tonight will be filled with nightmares of every possible horrid fate she might suffer (and the psion has much imagination), should their hunt not go as planned.
"Will he be able to fight, Master Healer? I hate to ask it, after what he has been through, but the Enemy will not wait."
The Double-Edged bows to the other psion as she is dismissed. Ya'shenn would dearly like to know more about what the Reconciliation, her people, her allies and spiritual kin, are up to in Git'riban -- but that may come in time. Eventually. If she needs to know.
If she survives the next twenty-four hours.
Now -- which way to go before falling asleep? Ya'shenn is much torn between home and its comforts, and the desire to at least get started on the array. And also... a certain part of her mind is telling her, in no uncertain terms, that it might be good to deviate from established routines while engaged in such a dangerous hunt. They do not know when exactly Street and Portal were expected to report in...
...Will might be aware of the attacks already...
...in places with normal day/night cycles, the ghaik were almost always nocturnal, they would still be in the high point of their activity cycle...
Stop that.
After some internal indecision, it is toward her own home that Ya'shenn turns her steps, hoping she is not making the wrong decision by doing so. It is not difficult for her mind to envision anything from thralls and mundane hirelings to incensed Tamers. Drowsily, she telepathically informs the others of her decision.
After disabling, then reenabling, the home defenses citizens of Git'riban tend to have, she pulls a book from a packed bookshelf -- one that would be worth a fortune, to the right buyer, for it is a lexicon of known Qualith. Keeping the late hour in mind, she compares the writing on the mysterious dorje of the pair against the book. [OOC: Research, so she might know what it says once the DM decides what it does. 
] For the sake of thoroughness, she re-checks her memory of the mind-marks she'd seen against what the lexicon says.
She rummages around for something edible -- glorified dried rations, most likely. Her appetite has been put off by the events of the day, especially the sight of Daraz's exposed brain, but her body needs fuel badly. She checks on the state of her crossbow -- can she repair it herself, or will she have to take it to someone else? She takes as quick a bath as she can, wishing to be completely rid of any trace of illithid blood and slime, and changes clothes for the same reason. She deactivates the mindlink, for she will not be able to keep it up when not awake. And she does one more thing before sleeping.
Ya'shenn begins to go through the crystals holding the memories of the enthralled, taking note of what she 'sees' and 'hears, though for now she is primarily looking for the crystal containing the record of the last few minutes of Mim's life. If she is able to find it, she vaguely recalls the mentally ill Bronze, mostly as an aside, and checks first on that part of the recording, to see if anything interesting is there. She also checks to see how much sensory data was collected -- are Mim's emanations 'sound only,' as she suspects, or do they contain more? Are Mim's own thoughts recorded? And by what perversity of fate had only her worst moment been recorded?
Once she has identified that crystal, she separates it from the satchel and stows it elsewhere on her person. Had the Rish counted them? She is fairly sure he had not. Ya'shenn is not at all sure that what she is doing is wise -- and would prefer not to abuse the Mage Hunter's trust in any case -- but she remembers that he is an ally of Schaaz-Khaal. 'Hearing' this crystal would only intensify the warlock's hatred for her, and his wounds were fresh and painful enough as it was -- better not to exacerbate either. She would not be surprised if Du'minh were to try to get this device into the hands of his own allies.
While concealed from view, she makes sure the crystal is easy for her to access, should she be called on it, or if -- for some perverse reason only illithids understand -- it should be necessary for the array to function properly. Still, this crystal is something she would be only too happy to see disappear into the mists of time. If Schaaz-Khaal ever sees it, it will not be without her knowledge.
With a final flicker of paranoia for the evening, Ya'shenn dons a particular ring, one that unfortunately tends to interfere with her telepathy under most circumstances. Deprived of psionic defenses, she resorts to a magical one as she settles into bed. Despite her paranoia, and the memories of intense violence -- from the performance-eating she'd unfortunately seen in Grazz's mind, to Mim's gasps for breath, to Daraz's screams -- sleep comes quickly.
Du’minh scans quickly about Gy-Nath’s home and fixes his sight on the railing to which the cage is connected. He advances up and hauls the chain for the undead head a good deal away from the greater door, then secures it as he best he can.
Once these precautions are in place, he grabs the keys and unlocks the door to recover the array, heads back in and relocks.
Only then does the warrior give the place a thorough survey. The spartan and simple features are familiar to him, though the absence of safety measures beyond the illithid head worries him a bit. Du’minh places the array in Gy-Nath’s common room and finds a sturdy chair to relax in, allowing himself to rest since... he can’t remember how long its been, the whole day has been a long series of tension and drama.
It was a lot to reflect upon, more developments than he could take in all at once. Foremost in mind was the infiltration within the Silver Eyes, something that pulled at him to seek out K’dar and learn more about how this incident fully had unfolded. Though he was still getting accustomed to his role and that of the Steels within the Eyes, Du’minh allows himself little room for doubt and second-guessing – he was not one to waver in loyalty.
Power bloc politics is for the Rish yet too distant in relation to the immediate mission of breaking Illithid House. This cause transcended recent “civil war”-like internal strife, though he knows there might come a time where he longer will be able to recognize githyankis he has stood by as battle-brothers. Perhaps even among those of the pseudo-band he now is part of – the weighing of trust among giths he has known for but a day or two is a far cry from the decade-long bonding that comes from roaming the Astral with fellow band warriors.
Du’minh resignedly stays at the apartment, rather than seek out his captain. It was too much of a risk to leave the array here without any other guardians than the “thing”, considering the prospect of aggression from Illithid House and whoever might have a bone to pick with them. With his mind made up, the Rish-I-Chal sighs and begins to remove his armor, and as straps are loosened and plate parts set aside, he realizes just how sore and aching every part of his body is. He could use sleep, food, and a bath - it didn’t really matter at this point in whichever order they came.
After scouring Gy-Nath’s home for the latter two, Du’minh sets to cleaning his gear as well as that conquered for the day. It was more a matter of habit than anything else, and at conclusion he places everything near by the couch and releases the “thing” to watch the door. He then sends word through the mindlink of his status, finds a blanket, and lies to sleep on the couch with his ring-dagger hidden within easy reach.
After assisting Lind in the creation of her replacement arm Ar’dru treats his arm and feeds to make up for the blood loss. He spends the next hour bringing his weapons and armour back to a mirror-like shine and attending to his appearance, relaxing his face into a mask of serenity.
Thus prepared for the coming conflict Ar’dru thanks Lind for her hospitality and wings his way across the torus to the rendezvous point where he knocks loudly on the door.
Ooc- happy Australia day everyone
As the 'day' in Sigil rises, the 'weather' changes drasticly. A thick cloud smelling of sulfer forms over the Lower Ward and lazily makes its way around the torus. Ar'dru manages to beat the cloud back to Git'riban by winging over the Lady's Ward. He does not bother stopping in at his abode, having rested and ate well at Lind's. He finds Gy-Nath's door, the one with a little door inside it just as it was described, just as the fringes of the cloud move in and the peak 'sky' starts to darken.
He pounds on the door. It is locked and at first there is no answer.
[gack he's rolling the EvilDM dice again]
Ya'shenn's sleep is not easy. The psion's dreaming mind insists on analyzing the previous day, running through a host of unpleasant might-have-happened scenarios, and throwing a considerable helping of what-may-come on top of those.
Nightmares of being violently decerebrated by Street are followed by less vividly clear, but somehow more horrible, dreams involving Will. Or, to be more precise, Will's tentacles. The gruesome sight of Daraz's injuries, combined with memories of the three thralls, make for a very unpleasant dreamscape. These nightmares have the tainted feel of very slow death, oppression, and hatred, moreso than dreams of Street had.
In one, less expected dream, the informal band meets with grand success, crushing the House. The glee is short-lived, though, as Ya'shenn finds herself lost in a series of corridors which she vaguely recognizes, by reputation, as the Lady's Mazes. Some distance away, in another corridor, she spots someone else, a githzerai. She cannot see him well from such a distance, but she knows it to be Zur Khaan, the Razor of Tyrants.
<"I wouldn't be surprized if Will had something to do with Zur Khaan getting away from Harbinger House and writing Knowledge into the dead book...">
In the dream, the Razor has the totally shaven head and rough, nondescript garb of a thrall, the way they are iconically depicted in githyanki art and literature.
Somewhere in the spaces between these dreams -- and with rather obvious symbolism -- she comes upon a wounded, bleeding raven on the ground. She recognizes this particular bird, as it turns toward her and utters, Beware...
Finally, the psion awakens from haunted REM sleep, eyes opening and glancing around the room. Groggily, she gets up and performs a series of morning meditations (somewhat abbreviated, for time's sake) to clear her thoughts, then maintains her physical weapons with the level of care and love that Githyanki (even psions) are expected to. She gathers her things, then makes her way toward Gy-Nath's.
Ya'shenn is a little surprised to see the half-dragon -- someone she has only met briefly so far -- waiting in front of the door. She actually has to pick through her memory to recall his name. As she does so, she bows, wondering about the half-dragon with the silver sword. The psion knows almost nothing about him.
"Honored cousin." She doesn't add more, just yet, since this is Git'riban and someone like Miik'ka -- not necessarily a thrall, just a busybody -- might be around. Ya'shenn raps on the door a few times herself. She plays with the idea of using clairvoyance to assense whatever trap the kith'rak had in place, but it would be far better to save such power to use against the House.
A dark cloud settles over Git'riban. It starts as a billowing leader that blocks out the source of the cloud, the Lower Ward far 'above'. A yellowish fog then settles on the town, hitting first the tops of the buildings and working its way down to street level. Though Ar'dru pay it no mind, Ya'shenn brings a cloth up to her mouth against the sulfurous fumes in the smokey cloud, which stablizes to hover five to eight feet off the ground.
There is a crack of thunder, and huge raindrops start to fall. Within a few minutes, it quickens to a downpour that, mercifly for the wealthy in the Lady's Ward, drowns the hot, smokey cloud and washes it into the sewers of the Clerks' and Guildhall Wards. Gir'riban, tucked inbetween the Guildhall and Market wards, gets less than five minutes of the noxious cloud, but all of the rain, which shows no sign of letting up.
Ii'Jyka'Vaar wakes up from a deep nights sleep in her new home, she is still not used to the thought of her "captain' having been a thrall and being dead by not her hands, but another gith who accidently seemed to have found out... how frustrating , to have a rightfull kill taken from under your nose.. we have to rectify that loss of honor today, she thinks while washing her face...
She meditates with her sword, doing several kata's, in slow motion for about an hour...
She then dresses into her uniform and straps on her weaponbelts and moves down stairs, to start cleaning up all the fallen weapons and shelves..
when she hears thunder outside, she goes upstairs, and looks out of the shopwindow, hmmz, she thinks, it is raining, how nice, she quickly gets her overcoat, straps it tight and closed, and opens her door, then steps out in the rain and lets her face get whet with it...when the rain gets that heavy that she might get soaked, she steps back in and closed the door with locks again, and goes to put on her armor.
Knowing from the previous days following of some ally of the killer of her captain, she knows what house to visit, and the information from her new commander was accurate.
She quickly eats a breakfast and straps her armor on, does some last minute checks in security of the buiding and locks up behing her, making sure the door is closed and secure.
Then she makes her way across the the whet streets of Git'riban and to the house of Gy-Nath, she makes sure her hood is up enough not to let the little hair she has become to whet but leaves her face to soak all the moisture it can.
When she gets to the correct address, she scans the surrounding area of any potential followers, seeing Ya'shenn enter just that minute, she waits and decides if this is the right time, giving an inaudible sigh she tsays to herself no time is right for challenges/ confrontations and slides inside.
She makes herself noticable when she goes up the stairs wary of any Gith who might not understand her approach.
She awaits any reaction from the opposition standing at the top of the stairs when she sees them (if they dont, she rasps her throat to get noticed)but keeps her hands puposfully holding her belt buckle to show then non-agression she has in mind.
(edit: splelling mistakes/ dm's demand to correct some situational changes :mrgreen: )
Ya'shenn's mind is preoccupied at the moment with the upcoming raid on the House, and her own horrid dreams. The rain is not helping a bit. She is, at least, rested, but having to breathe through a sulfur cloud, and getting increasingly soaked, is not a good start to the day.
She raps harder on the door this time, beginning to worry that perhaps the Rish has actually fallen to whatever trap was set on the door. That would be just like a Rish-i-Chal. She recalls a few stories about mage slayers who had been fearsome in battle, then died of something bizarre like food poisoning or drowning.
The psion eyes the newcomer carefully. Perhaps this woman is an ally, or even friend, of the captain, but the past twenty-four hours have made Ya'shenn increasingly paranoid.
"Are you looking for someone, sister? Do I know you?"
"Are you looking for someone, sister? Do I know you?"
Being eyed was expected, and she lets the Gith have her moment, when the female Gith adresses her, she replies with a nod and says;
No, you do not know me, but I will indulge you with an introduction, i am Ii'Jyka'Vaar gi’Dhar'Gi'Ghaaz, and I know that what I search for is in the building you are about to enter, he is the 'big' Gith with the flail, and I have come to claim recompense from him, the word big she says with a wry smile..as she herself is sturdily build, you can see in the shadow of her cloak that she is well muscled, but loooks much denser than an average Gith would look, even of similar weight... she lets her words sink in to whome she addresses and awaits a reaction patiently.
She stands 6ft 4inches high, and her skin is noticable darker then a normal Gith would have, however this can't be seen clearly in this light.
She has black irises with blue pinpricks in them that glow a little supernaturally, her hair is black, but cannot be seen properly apart from some tufts under the hood.
Anybody with some knowledge of the military will recocnize her coat-collar's emblems as those of a Dragon rider, of Sarth’Gar rank (Lieutnant equiv.).
Other notables are: a black with greyish skin wrapped handle sticking out from her back, through her cloak, and a large weapon hangs at just below belt hight, the handle sticking up and back, with the round head of her Morningstar hanging at the same hight as her upper thigh.
That, and her Godsblood Splint mail.
With a full night’s rest and the spartan comforts of a githwarrior’s home, Du’minh feels fairly rejuvenated. He has slept soundly, more than his training usually allows him – the intensity of yesterday had tired him more out than he thought.
The warrior has now eaten a morning meal and properly treated more recent wounds. The light acid burns by his temples from yesterday’s illithid tentacles are fortunately not too visible, thanks to his long braided hair and the occasional interwoven crystal.
He carries out his early practise routines to maintain prime fighting form, still unarmored and wearing his sparse and simple soldier’s clothes – they may be riddled with unstitched holes and gaps where a blade or arrow has found way past protective steel strips, but they’re practical and padded at knees, elbows, and shoulders in a way to better accommodate his spiked splint mail.
When Du’minh hears the first knocks on the door, he seizes his swings and moves over to one of Gy-Nath’s crossbow defence points to gaze through the arrow slit and down at street level. He is relieved to see both Ar’dru and Ya’shenn alive and well - two giths that he has grown a good deal more trustworthy of than he would have believed possible in such a short time.
The approach of the female githwarrior and her engagement in conversation at Gy-Nath’s doorstep rouses his suspicion, however. It could be an ally of Gy’s, but then why hasn’t she arrived in his company? Along this vein of thought, it worries the Rish a little that the captain is late to arrive at his own home – the glimpse Gy-Nath sent of combat through the mindlink seemed like no mere pushover.
Du’minh can’t clearly hear the words exchanged, but he is more than a little thoughtful at how close the woman mirrors him visually - significantly darker skin than the norm, black hair, and very fit of build. Perhaps the Steels had sent one of his old clutch-mates to aid this cause?
The Rish-i-Chal quickly straps on dagger and bow, then switches the mighty flail to his offhand and opens the door to the apartment on the upper floor. He steps out on the balcony in plain view for the giths at the doorstep to see, a looming presence through the curtain of rain. Whatever this stranger wants, Du'minh is not the type inclined to spy from hidden view - if she has sought him out, he will face her.
Unfortunately, Ya'shenn's initial reaction is one of dislike -- the Firebringer himself had been far more polite in his greeting, and one who bore a title personally granted by the Revered Queen would have far more reason to be haughty. So rude! Even so, the psion sketches a bow. She is determined to observe at least the appearance of courtesy, even if this woman does not.
"Student of Dhar'Gi'Ghaaz, is it? I have heard of that one, though not for several years now."
When the dragon rider uses the word 'recompense,' the Double-Edged wonders if the Steel might, after all, be a renegade of some kind. It is Git'riban, after all -- some genuinely good and loyal citizens of the empire are around, but many more are not. Is this woman another Steel, hunting him? Then Ii'Jyka'Vaar smiles, in a particular way, and Ya'shenn wonders instead about the exact nature of the relationship between these two. Is this lieutenant a... 'friend' of his?
Ya'shenn is about to reply to the dragon rider when she notices the Rish in question on the balcony. That spares her from deciding whether or not to admit Du'minh's presence to a potential enemy. She raises her voice slightly, the better to be overheard by the mage hunter. She could use telepathy, but the psion is determined to preserve her strength to use against the House. If circumstances allow.
"If the one you seek were indeed here, lieutenant" -- she smiles dryly, knowing that Ii'Jyka'Vaar has eyes -- "I would imagine he would like to know what manner of recompense you seek from him. It would only be courteous."
I doubt you have, dear sister, she grimaces, otherwise, I would not be in this situation and would not have had to seek recompense, she ends with a sorrowful smile.
Honor must be served, she adds.
Ii'Jyka'Vaar's eyes follow those of Ya'shenn, and she nods in recocnition when she sees the Gith on the balcony, and replies Ya'shenn matter of factly;
I have at this moment no reason to further indulge my motives to you or your companion, nodding towards the Duthka'gith, but after I have stated my case to the Gith upstairs, I will indulge you with any additional info, as social ettiquete demands, bowing enough, to not show disrespect, nor to go below her own station.
"Of course. Perhaps, as his student, you might know what fate befell the good captain? There were conflicting rumors..."
Nice try, but you, or rather 'He', and she nods to the Gith on the balcony, should have been better informed about his 'targets' and the concequences they would entail, now please, stop stalling, and inform your ally of my request, she nods respectfully to the female Gith and crosses her arms, slightly raising her face to let the rain fall on her face, looking both serene and sure of herself.
Ya'shenn raises her eyebrows, but does not comment. Raising her voice just a little more, she speaks:
"Brother, we have a...Lieutenant Ii'Jyka'Vaar gi’Dhar'Gi'Ghaaz -- a dragon rider, if I am not mistaken. She is seeking a large child of Gith who bears a flail, on some unknown, but probably unfriendly, matter of recompense. Do we know of such a person?"
"Thank you, sister, the person you are speaking to on the balcony is the one i seek, that i am sure of,
to make the story a little clearer for him, if in addition for you and your allied Duthka'gith, the man i seek recompence for, is the old one legged sharpener....."
ooc- missed a bit so I'll do a sum-up post. Damn you guys posted a lot yesterday!
Ar'dru greets Ya'shenn cordially when she arrives but holds back on asking about the days activities until the group re-forms.
Ar'dru is less than impressed by the lack of respect shown by the newcomer deigning only to grant her a curt nod of acknowledgement.
At the mention of recompense Ar'dru seeks to position himself favourably, with a view to defending Ya'shenn if this encounter turns violent. He is content to be thought of as muscle for the moment and holds his tongue until he gains a better understanding of the situation.
The scene below seemed to be growing problematic in the eyes of Du’minh, and though the prolonged conversation mostly drowned in the rain before reaching his ears, the tense stances of the participants spoke enough. This woman seemed fairly well-armed and resolute, but there was no time for him to don armor.
He walks over to the railing and has begun hauling the chain of the “guardian” in, when Ya’shenn’s speaks her audible message for him.
“So this dragon rider is here for me, after all. Seeking me no good, either, it would seem.”
When the cage is secured well away, the warrior steps down the staircase and walks down to unlock and exit the door. He walks up and places a hand on both Ya’shenn and Ar’dru’s shoulder, to express his appreciation but also to set them more at ease – he would not want them interposed between this stranger and himself.
Tightening his grip on the Arbiter he steps up to Ii'Jyka'Vaar, and stays focused on responding to any aggression. He scans her quickly over for magical emanations before locking his gaze with hers.
“Recompense is a matter brought up in the wake of wrongdoings. Pray tell, lieutenant, what manner of recompense do you seek and on what grounds?”
[The aura of the sheathed weapon on her back drowns out every other aura in the vicinity. Even those auras of the magic carried by Ya'shenn and Ar'dru are difficult to distinguish in its shadow!]
"are we going to stand here in the rain and conduct buisness?, i do see your female colleage is not happy being caught in the rain, yet unwilling to be more hospitable.."
Ii'Jyka'Vaar says this matter of factly, not a hint of sarcasm or provocation in her voice..all the time keeping her hands on her beltbuckle.
Ya'shenn takes a seat at one of the stools herself, though she tries to avoid any close proximity to the open containers in particular, or to congealed illithid slime. [OOC: Are the containers set out one to each seat, or are the sealed ones stacked in a particular way?] The adrenaline is wearing off, and the psion is becoming painfully aware of just how tired she is. Exhausted might be a better word, both mentally and physically. Ah, but if you think today was bad, think about what tomorrow will be like...
She folds her arms across her chest -- not out of defensiveness, but merely because she is thinking very hard, concentrating deeply on what she can observe from the array and comparing it against the esoteric lore she'd studied as a member of the Double-Edged. Given time and resources, she'd love to study this thing at length. I wonder if Will created this device itself...
That was one of the more disturbing lessons of her Order. You could not really study the works of the Illithid in detail without realizing that, while the ghaik were indeed brain-sucking horrors out of nightmare, they were brain-sucking horrors of advanced and active intellect. They thought. They philosophized. They forged elaborate devices. They were individuals.
Too bad that prodigious intellect was put to such consistently horrid use.
"True, brother." Ya'shenn's eyes are still on the array, but she gestures toward the two sealed containers. "In fact, either these two intended to be here for a long time, or they're expecting a second shift to arrive..."
She turns to focus on the Rish, her arms returning to a relaxed position at her sides. "I'd like to ask you to let me carry the crystals and dorjes, at least for the immediate moment. I'm fairly certain that, out of this group, I have the most familiarity and experience with items of this kind. Some of them are definitely potentially dangerous. I know that you have not known me for all that long, but I... ask you to trust me on this."
BoGr Guide to Missile Combat:
1) Equip a bow or crossbow.
2) Roll a natural 1 on d20.
3) ?????
4) Profit!