At first, Davena’s rebukes threatened to test the kazari’s patience, as evidenced by the low growl that played an accompaniment to her words. In the end, though, in part, due to Aranwen’s more diplomatic approach to the confrontations but, moreso because Ch’dau finally saw something more than cold detachment from the sorceress, he banked the embers of his temper. Besides, the woman had made some good points and, in truth, it hadn’t been Ch’dau’s place to call her out based on his suspicions, alone. His eyes danced between Aranwen and Davena for an instant; then, as his rumbling softened, he fixed the blonde woman with a less hardened gaze and bowed his head.

“Forgive,” he rumbled, not quite softly, “I spoke where I should not have and out of a place best left far from here.” His eyes lifted, again, and found Davena and Garn; “I am grateful for all you have done…” It was obvious that there was more on the cat’s mind but whatever it might have been, it went unspoken. Ch’dau said nothing more, he simply turned back to his duties as rear-guard, ensuring that nothing crept up on them from behind as Aranwen set about trying to open the door.

Behind him, he heard the bladesinger gasp in pain and, in response, flicked a glance over his shoulder just to reassure himself that the Syl woman was alright before he returned his attentions to the path behind them. As the sound of the doors being opened reached his ears, he took a couple of cautious steps backward, closing the space between himself and the remainder of the party.

"Empty," Aranwen’s whispered words carried through the air, "Better than the alternative, but by how much?" 

 "Only one way to find out," he heard Kith murmur in reply, the roguish woman’s near silent footsteps following soon after.

Again, Ch’dau risked a glance over his shoulder to watch Kithran disappear into the black beyond the now yawning doorway and, as the rest of the troupe moved to follow, the kazari let the sound of their step set the pace for his as he backpedaled into the room in their wake… Khr’a watch us, Keziri cradle us, and Rrowl give us strength, he prayed silently as he stalked beneath the doorframe.

...we're not!

That's down right humerus!

Also - *dramatic theme music swells as Aranwen strolls through Davnor's gates* - our little group is getting closer and closer...

...unusual for this time on a Thursday but it is what it is.

Getting a post going, now. Hope to have it ready soon.

And Ch'dau has taken a bit of damage from Davena's retort!

Surprised she didn't conjure a spray bottle and chase him off the counter.

Edit: I imagine an apology of sorts is likely forthcoming from ol' fuzz-face. I'll try and work it into my next post.

I'm hoping to get a few more added at some point today. When I get to it, I'll be sure to "break things up" a bit.

Sorry for the oog-factor! Adadre was in my head and I had to let her out... Didn't want to go to sleep with that in my head.

“Come!”

The doors to her chamber burst open in coincidence with her words and, behind them followed a guard, though not the guard she had expected. As she adjusted the stiff collar that clawed at her throat and fussed with the lace cuffs which chaffed her wrists, Adadre Undolithe settled into her bone-wrought throne and accepted the boy’s appearance.

“What news,” she demanded, adjusting the spill of her gown about her while scarcely deigning to acknowledge the man kneeling before her, “Tell me.”

“The kazari has escaped, m-mistress,” the young guardsman sputtered, “there are six dead, at least, and many others not expected to make it through the next hours.”

Adadre’s sigh was bored and exasperated all at once. “Was there a shadow present when the cat beast was liberated,” she queried, solemnly inspecting the sallowed nails of her left hand, just before glancing sidelong at the boy guard.

“I… I… was not there, m’lady” the guardsman stammered, his eyes, uncertain of where they should truly be focused, jumped between the mistress’ numb, yet beautiful, visage and the cold stone beneath his knee, “not when the insurrection was discovered, at least, so… I.. I … don’t know. B-but, yes, Mistress, I believe I did hear talk of a shade speaking with the beast j=-ust before the…”

“You were there before your captain died,” the witch interrupted, her dead gaze leveling on the boy kneeling at her feet, “yes?”

“J-just as it happened, Mistress,” the boy spluttered, “Yes ma’am…”

“And you did nothing to stop it?”
The young guard looked perplexed for an instant. “There was nothing I could do, m’lady,” he offered after a hesitation, no matter how brief, he felt had been too long, “Th’ beast already had Cap’n Hugen’s throat in ‘is teeth an’…”

“And you did nothing.”

“We rendered aid, m’lady,” the boy sputtered, “an’ I sent some troops after th’ beast…”

“But they’ve come back with nothing,” the witch breathed.

“They’ve not come back at all, as yet, m-mistress.”

“Of course they haven’t,” Adedre sighed. Bored with the examination of her yellowed nails, she allowed her hand to fall into her lap, and her fingers to explore beneath the hems of her robes. As her fingertips brushed over the scar on her newly built thigh, she shuddered and saw the boy-guard in a different light. “Are they still in pursuit?”

“Um… I.. uh..” the guard hesitated for as long as he dared, “Ta the best o’ my knowledge. Yes ma’am.”

The witch’s yellow eyes panned slowly over the string of soldiers that knelt behind the boy. “And what are these doing here, then,” she cooed the question, her gaze fixed on a particularly handsome sergeant in the midst of the row, “Are they not capable of finding my lost property?”

The lump in his throat that the boy-guard swallowed then had edges sharper than any razor he’d ever encountered. As such, it took him more than a moment to find his voice. “I’m sure they are, Mistress Undolithe,” he offered when he did, “I just thought that, as their acting captain, they should…”

“They should take leave of this room,” the witch purred, her fingers moving to loosen the tie at her gown’s waist even as she rose from her seat, “and find me my pet and the thief who sought to steal it from me.”

“O-of course, mistress,” the young captain spoke and swallowed the words simultaneously, “I..I…”

Adedre proceeded down the dais, opening her gown, now, and presenting the nakedness beneath to all in attendance. “You will dismiss them now, boy,” she murmured, drawing to a stop just before the kneeling lad’s face, “and then you will give me your tongue.”

The boy swallowed the razor-edged lump in his throat a second time and, trying not to look up, croaked out the order; “You’re all dismissed! Find Mistress Undolithe her cat band the thief! Move!”

Adedre’s attendants pulled the doors open and the guards under the boy-captain’s command wasted no time in following his orders. A callous smile played on the witch’s lips as, watching the muscular backs of her guards flee in terror from her chamber, she opened her gown wider and stepped closer to their spur-of-the-moment captain. “What is your name, boy,” she queried as her crotch slid up over his chin.

“Barton,” came the reply, half muffled as she eclipsed his mouth, “ma’am.” He didn’t have to ask what was expected of him, then… he knew.

Standing over him, she shuddered at his attentions and, then, on a free breath asked; “Do you know what’s going to happen to you next, Barton?”

“Y-yeth, mna’a’nnmm,” Barton tried not to sob as he tended to the witch’s desires... he didn't have to ask... he knew.

“And,” she shuddered, reaching behind her back and sliding the blade from where it was nestled just below her tail-bone, “You understand that it is a great service an honor to me?”

The boy replied but his mouth was too full of her for the words to have made sense. “Mmmmm,” was all she heard.

“Good,” she squeaked, pressing her bones to his chin even as she drew the blade across his throat, “Gooooooooood!” Adedre’s convulsions ceased in concert with the attentions of Barton’s tongue and the warmth of his breath. She released her hold on the hairs at the crown of his head, then, and, even before his body thunked onto the marbled floor of her chambers, the witch was on her hands and knees, her tongue busily lapping the boy’s hot blood from the tiles. “Your bones will build my army,” she moaned to the body that fell before her, pausing between only every second or third word, as she continued to lap the ichor spilling over her floor, “and, should your brothers fail me, as well, they will join you!”

Adedre Undolithe shrieked as the taste of blood and the remembered attentions of the boy-guard rushed simultaneously through her and, on that same breath, an incantation escaped, rippling through the corrupt air of the room and stripping the flesh from the dead, recent or otherwise, and animating their bones as a new guard.

She sprawled, spent and breathless, as the skeletons rose about her. The heat of life and death radiated from every pore of her. “Go,” she gasped, blindly commanding her new attendants before they closed in and devoured her, “Find them… bring them to me!”

...No issues!

I know, Pekka... *hangs head in shame* ... I'm a horrible human being!

On the plus side; I make a pretty decent Kazari!

Just wanted to make sure I didn't accidentally hose something. Didn't even think to look for "fantasy" vs "realistic" on the generator page. I'll get some "realistic" ones added as soon as I can.

Tried to test the Cidal name generator with surnames and got an overflow error... Did I do something wrong or is it due to the fact that I haven't entered any "realistic" names, yet?

Added a few in the "fantasy" category. Got a pretty decent list started for both sides of the naming conventions, though. I'll try and get some "realistic" ones added before the night is over.

But first... lemme take a selfie .  I mean, I need to make dinner!

And I thought I had an eye for detail!

Holy Khr'a!!!

"A kazari is NOT a squishy!"

He would sooner sacrifice his life for his kahtun and his best friend than let them do so themselves.

Also, I concur... given no "keyhole" and no magical means of dispelling/disabling the magic on the door... *bows to Ara* ... The portal is yours, Khatun.

...I guess we're back to having our point-eared khatun giving the thing a shot. Unless, as breebles mentioned, any of our magic-using cohorts have a dispell magic incantation handy.

...Ch'dau knows that Kith has already touched the door (though I appear to have forgotten to inlcude his reaction to that in post), so his not thrilled with the idea of anyone else touching it, either, unless there's no other option, even if they do have full blown Syl immunity to paralysis.

Would Kith have seen anything in her perusal of the door that might indicate the skull pendant she took from the priest might be used as a key? If so, Ch'dau would recommend that one of them test it out. He'll volunteer himself having seen Kith's reaction to touching the door but, given Aranwen's resistance, it may make more sense to let her do it. In absence of a "keyhole," or any other option, Ch'dau will relent, of course, and the bladesinger can give it a shot.

Personally, I'm thrilled! I'm not even concerned with the generator kicking out the occassional goofy or weird name... I'm pretty sure that at least some kazari are goofy and or weird enough to have earned them!  

That was a long one!!!

As stated in the post, Ch'dau isn't thrilled about Kith or Aranwen touching the door again if there's any possibility of the pendant working as a key. If it doesn't appear that such is the case... I dunno... I guess we can let Ara give it a shot.

Following the discovery of the track leading into the cliff face, it wasn’t long before the party was made whole again; each of them took their turn in examining the path, prints, and the yawning, rocky maw into which it all led. Ch’dau stood watch as the others took stock of the tracks, then, when the talks of strategy moving forward began, his ears were as keen on the conversations as his eyes were on the forest at their backs.

"Are we truly ready for this?" Gib asked quietly, stepping up next to Aranwen. "We'll need light... I'm not even sure what precautions we should take."

"There is a lot that is not known," Aranwen admitted, "Light in the darkness is a double sided blade, as one of my... rivals liked to say. She imagined herself something of a poet as well as a Bladesigner. But there is truth to it, light reveals the carrier, just as it reveals what is around them."

The kazari’s eyes turned to the battle-cleric and the bladesinger for an instant and, as the pair continued their conversation in lower tones, Ch’dau considered both Gib’s question and his Khatun’s reply in turn…

Were they truly ready?

The big cat had his own doubts in that regard, of course, but all of this had not begun this morning. It had started days ago, on the road to Crandel, and, in his mind, if they were to doubt themselves so much as to have abandoned this venture, that decision should have been made long before now. They had made enemies of these creatures and, likely, those who controlled them, as well, and abandoning pursuit of an enemy before having destroyed them was not a blemish he wished to have upon his honor.

He nodded, then, at the wisdom in Aranwen’s response and the notable lack thereof where the group’s readiness was concerned. The omission was testament enough that the bladesinger shared his own thoughts on the matter of retreating from this fight, now. His tail weaved a subtle pattern of satisfaction and pride in her decision.

…A short time later, following whatever private conversation Aranwen and Gib might have had, the Khatun gathered them all around and considered the facts. "We must be cautious," she resolved, "This is familiar ground to our adversaries, not to us. The more light we use, the bigger a target we may become; the less light we use, the more we hinder ourselves. A problematic paradox. Also of concern is the ground. Damp stone is trecherous, as many a child can attest to trying to run on such after a rain."

Those words sparked the flicker of a memory in the Silver Cat’s mind - the dark and damp of a Sendrian dungeon’s floor and walls, the abominations that slunk in its shadows, and the yellow-eyed witch who had controlled it all. The recollection prompted his eyes to turn in the direction of the cavemouth, his lips to curl away from his teeth, and the whisper of a growl to rumble in his throat. Stifling the snarl, he averted his eyes from the cave, too, and they fell on Kithran. He wondered if she, too, was suddenly finding any of this familiar.

 "I think we should continue much as we have been so far,” Aranwen continued before Ch’dau could truly gauge Kith’s expression, “Kithran and I will be the forward eyes, Ch'dau to watch behind and above, in case they try to circle around us through some unseen passageway. As for the light sources," She paused, "Is there any way we may be able to cover the light we bring?" She mused, "I've still a torch or two, but the open flame would be sure to dance on the walls around us, and only announce our presence. What other options do we have?" 

"I, too, have the ability to see some in the darkness,” Davena offered, “so I may be of some assistance there.  That said, when we encounter trouble, I would be better use behind the stout blades, not in front of them.  I am accustomed to Garn filling that role for me."

"I'm blind as a proverbial bat,” Midgepiped in, “so I'm fine keeping muscle between me and any enemies.  That said, I say we check the entrance carefully before we proceed - I know that any halfwit stout would have a bell or somesuch to alert him to unsuspecting visitors.  I can't imagine a cult looking for secrecy wouldn't have as much sense."  Looking very pleased with himself, the cidal continues.  "I should probably cast a magic detection spell too, just to be sure, don't you think?"

"Good call, Midge," Aranwen nodded, "We've been on the open road and forest for long enough, I hadn't thought of this cavern system properly, as a potentially fortified location," she paused, "That being the case, Kithran, we will definitely need your support in front," she observed, "I may not be as light on my feet as you or Ch'dau, but I will be with you. Then, if another of those damned giggling creatures attacks, get behind me quick as you can."

Looking back to Ch'dau, she gave an apologetic look, "I'd entrust the rear lookout to you, dear friend. Please see that we do not become the ones that are hunted."

“Of course, my Khatun,” Ch’dau replied with a faint nod of his shaggy head.

Beside him, Kithran shifted slightly, drawing his eyes to hers. “Think you can handle our rears,” she asked in a whisper.

The query evoked a soft, snorting chuckle from the kazari, his ears twitching in amusement, and he lifted a paw to rest it on her shoulder. “I have handled them well enough so far, Little Kitten,” he murmured in answer, “I do not see this cave changing things.”

"Caves are treacherous,” the words came from the taciturn Garn, “A misstep can put you down a deep drop, where you'd never be heard from again.  Stay close.  Wandering off can mean death."

Ch’dau’s gaze tracked to Gib, then, and found the man standing, with his eyes closed, as if giving due consideration to all he’d heard.  "If I may suggest,” the cleric of Therassor offered, his eyes coming open, “that Cedric take up a position just before Ch'dau, placing himself between Midge and the Lady Davena. I shall do the same at the front. This should place us both in a position to provide what support we can to the vanguard and the rear while keeping us in whatever light we can summon up. I have neither a torch nor a lantern..."

Cedric followed, offering up his own concerns and considerations, then, and Aranwen wove the cleric of Solanis’ suggestions into the tapestry of tactics that had already been proposed. It wasn’t long after that their strategy was solidified and their entry to the caves was imminent. As they all moved to take their assigned positions in the order, Kith takes a moment to stop and talk with the Cidal mage…

“Midge, I’m sure you can’t keep your spells up indefinitely, but as I will be touching a lot of things looking for non-arcane traps in there,” she said, “please make sure I don’t blow myself up on any unseen magical trap while you have it up.” She held out her left hand so he could see the old burn scar starting on the pad of her thumb, flaring out just past her wrist, and creeping halfway up her forearm, “Picking a mage's lockbox, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

((OOC: Midge’s reply))

“Thank you, friend,” the shadow-girl acknowledged, “I will do my best to keep you all in mostly one piece as well.” She turned, then, and before leaving Ch'dau's side and heading to the front of their party, she reiterated to him once more the Bladesinger’s words, “Like Aranwen said, Kh’ur Cat Beast, lookout for our rears, especially this ‘thieving rear.”

“Until the Hunt has us both, tiny shadow,” the kazari winked tilting his head forward to touch her forehead to his, “I shall always have your back.” She grinned up at him, seemingly contended in that reply, and made her way to the front of the procession. A few words were exchanged at the head of the party, then, and Kith led the way into the caves.

The trepidation amongst the group was even more palpable once underground. The chill of the air and the dead silence that pervaded the place only served to amplify the tension as the stone of the walls seemed to amplify every breath and footfall. Ch’dau was not immune to the effects of their new surroundings, either. While he performed his duties as rear-guard without his eyes or ears ever having become distracted, the press of the stone walls and the cool of the floor beneath his feet, once again, brought back visions of Undolithe’s dungeon… visions that became clearer and easier to recollect the deeper they went. By the time they had reached the dark, skull-embellished door, the kazari had almost begun to suspect that the yellow-eyed witch might very well be waiting beyond.

He watched as Kith made a cautious approach, at first, and a visual inspection. The roguish woman shook her head, indicating that, if there were and traps, she couldn’t find them.

Then, just ahead of him, Midge chanted an incantation, staring at things that the kazari could not see. "The doors are somehow enspelled," the cidal mage stated, “I cannot tell what the spell does, and it does not appear to be a strong aura - but there is something here.  Something dark."

"Were I in charge of some hidden keep," Aranwen reasoned, having listened to the reports from the rogue and the mage "It'd be in my interest to devise a way to keep others out, while letting my people access..."

The bladesinger paused as she gave it some thought, "How might they have made certain this door would respond to them?"

I would not be surprised if they f***ed it, Ch’dau mused, choosing not to speak the thought aloud.

"A wizard locked door might open to a password or such," Midge frowned his reply, "No telling what that might be, naturally.

Of course, the simplest thing would be a key to open a lock.   Perhaps some easily portable item might function the same with regards to a spell?  Just musing out loud."

In the wake of the little mage’s musing, Kithran looked beriefly at the pendant in her hand before returning the thing to her pocket and turning to face Davena. “Davena, Garn, in your torturings of those D’hurgen priests, when they mentioned this cave, did you happen to ask them of any obstacles we might face once we entered? Did any of them offer up a password or mention some sort of key?”

"The priests led us to believe that the undead would be present here, along with others of their order," the blonde woman replied, ”They gave no details of defenses, nor did they mention passwords or keys."  Her tone shifted ever so slightly towards ice as she continued.  "Had they done so, we certainly would not have failed to mention it."

“You failed to mention any of it when first we met,” Ch’dau chuffed flatly from his place at the back of the line, “Forgive us for verifying before we blindly trust.”

"I've no doubt of that," Aranwen spoke, in a more diplomatic tone than he had used, "Sometimes context is necessary for piecing together things we learn before, putting things in new light."

"In any case, if this door gives the same touch as those creatures, that means we do have one visible solution right now," Aranwen observed, "That being if I were to open it," She offered.

"A moment, khatun," Ch'dau rumbled, his gaze sliding past Garn, narrowing only slightly as it did, and, then, fell on Kithran. “That trinket you took off the priest, Little Kitten,” he asked, “does there seem to be any place on the door where it might fit? If so, I would test the door myself before I let you touch it.”

I love all the insight we're getting into Aranwen, here!

That Light and Shadow song is haunting... and I've always loved that Sylvari funeral song! That said, my heart kind of breaks for Ara, at the moment... Gonna be very interesting to see how the initial interactions are going to go when this trio finally meets.

P.S. If there's a song that comes to mind when I'm writing for Ch'dau, it's usually this one,

Sometimes it's all sunshine, lollipops, and unicorns... Other times it's an angry, squeeling toddler that kicks you in the hoo-hah when you try to placate it.

Here's hoping work eases up for you and that you have a great time in Germany!

...given all of the fodder that's come since my last, it might be a tad lengthy. Aaaaand I get the feeling that being underground is going to trigger a memory or two, as well... We'll see.

@ Sticky Finger Syndrome, always touching s*** she shouldn't be tsk tsk tsk

Like cages in a necromancer's dungeon, perhaps?

"What have you done?"

*squeaks and runs off to re-read!*

LOVED it!

Just tested out the Kazari name generator and was definitely pleased (and, in some instances, amused) by the results. I think my favorite, so far, has to be Ch'nkei... Might this be a kazari "fat cat?"