Where ever the winds blow - House Ravenkin
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:49 pm
The common room was still and covered in arcane darkness like the rest of the outlying compound. Nearby a spider collector hurridly preformed her duties gently and with great care removing a cocoon before scurrying down other silent chambers before entering the main chamber and joined the throng of staff and soldiers after nodding towards Yath'alar Lilith.
Belying the gloom of the rest of the compound the hall was lit up, well by drow accounts, and teeming with gathered drow. In front of the servants covering the middle of the circular chamber lay a summoning circle. At present the summoning circle was curiously split in half by a sinous line, one half utterblack contrasting its neighbor which glowed with the pale brightness of moonlight. At the right side of onlookers Ilharess Ardulafae freted on her throne seconded by her eldest, the foppish Maral. On her opposite her sister Yath'alar Lilith smiled wryly as she stood gently stroking the hair of her kneeling pet Velvelin. Quel'faruk Nalirin stood by his usual lecturing stand right in front of the assembled drow, oddly a smaller summoning circle was drawn close to where he stood.
After a moment of silence Ardulafae looked up towards her brother and spoke softly: "I trust the preparations are made Quel'faruk?" Nalirin nodded smiling comfortingly at her: "Del heen, all preparations are made including the window of scrying you allowed the master of divination Ilharess." Next she turned towards her sister tilting her head slightly as a wry smile crossed on her lips: "And I trust your vessel is prepared for this and that your other pet has been instructed in..small matters?" The sudden surprise visible on Nalirin's face escaped most of the watchers, not so dearest Lilith whose eyes gleamed with satisfaction before she answered her sister curtly: "It is as you commanded Ilharess."
Ardulafae nodded to herself paused and spoke to the assembly: "On my command our House has joined the seventh circle and the fair city of dark weaving. One and all are now swept up by the winds of the war the acursed Alhoon has inflicted upon us. I, nor my sister see a clear path for us." Lilith scowled at this but remained silent. Ardulafae paused momentarily before speaking again: "There are two paths for us now, both may lead to the destruction of our House, one will be our salvation. One path leads us one and all to the Misty Lakes, the other sends us once again into the Underdark. Being unable to make a decision on the matter I therefore invoke the Trial of Unity!" A hushed gasp ran through some of the elder servants. Uncharacteristicaly Lilith refrained from leering. "Quel'faruk, assume your duties as lorekeeper!" Nalirin nodded and took her place at the lecturing stand as she glided back towards her son.
Nalirin coughed then fell silent while bracing the lecture stand before straightening as he addressed the chamber: "Since the time of the birth of our kindred, blessed by the Father and our Queen" A hiss slipped out of Lilith's mouth "we have been dancing in shadows and light. At the time that that our brethren and sisters call the descent." he paused: "A compact was made between our House, the Daughter and the Queen, one outcome of that compact is the ritual we shall now invoke. A decision will be made and we shall in unity embrace it as promised to the Daughter and Mother of Chaos millenia ago." He turned towards Ardulafae. "Is the champion of the Daughter and Light consecrated and what is his stance?" Ardulafae stifly replies "The champion is prepared and he is the Misty Lakes". Nalirin next addresses Lilith "Is the champion of the Mother and Darkness consecrated and what is his stance?" Lilith grins maliciously while studying her nephew before answering "The champion is prepared and will lead us into the underdark." Nalirin now turns towards the assembly "Thus is our rede, thus is the dance of Life!"
As the word Life echoes into the chamber he steps into the lesser summoning circle and begins to chant. Meanwhile the sisters in unison clad themselves in the light and wield the weapons of their faiths as they begin to dance while chanting in concert around their vessels. Moonfire begins to grace Ardulafae's dancing hand and a half sword while unholy flames flicker brightly across Lilith's viperscourge and dagger. As they reach a shared stanza Ardulafae lays her left hand above Maral's heart as she kisses his forehead. Lilith on the other hand quite brutishly kisses Velvelin on his mouth.
Nalirin nods to himself as he watches as he chants the final stages of a warding spell. The sisters move away from Maral and Velvelin still dancing as the men step into the main summoning circle. As a final word of arcane power leave Nalirin's lips a sphere of force rise surrounding the main circle encapsulating a young drow standing in light and a male drow standing in darkness. Nalirin drenched in sweat as he is does not stop there but again begins to cast a warding spell, an easier and yet harder one to master, settling it from the compound fringes to the walls of the main chamber where he place it as a dome around the assembled drow and the inner sphere of power. Exhausted he sighs in reliefs as he again become aware of his still dancing sisters and the men in the circle.
Time seem to pass slower as the sisters chant and dance. Inside the summoning circle a young man's misty gray eyes start to glow with the light of moonfire, with time moonfire flickers up and down the cold iron and alchemical silver thinblades in his hands. Opposite him the blood red eyes of a man begins their own glow of unholy flames, flames that spread to the wickedly curved adamantine warblade in his hands. As the sisters dancing begins to slow down as they grow drained of divine energy both men in the circle open their mouths and begin singing as they start to circle each other locked in dances of their own.
The sphere of power mutes even sound but the two panting spent sisters and their brother join the assembly in watching the combatants circle each other singing like they never had, never could before. Out of darkness a boneshattering shrill soprano of malicious glee is voiced as negative energy courses in and out of Velvelin. From within the light a otherwordly bass floats as lightning flickers around Maral sometimes jumping across his blades.
Nalirin grimace vainly as he whispers to himself "It will be decided and this time, none is of my doing."
Belying the gloom of the rest of the compound the hall was lit up, well by drow accounts, and teeming with gathered drow. In front of the servants covering the middle of the circular chamber lay a summoning circle. At present the summoning circle was curiously split in half by a sinous line, one half utterblack contrasting its neighbor which glowed with the pale brightness of moonlight. At the right side of onlookers Ilharess Ardulafae freted on her throne seconded by her eldest, the foppish Maral. On her opposite her sister Yath'alar Lilith smiled wryly as she stood gently stroking the hair of her kneeling pet Velvelin. Quel'faruk Nalirin stood by his usual lecturing stand right in front of the assembled drow, oddly a smaller summoning circle was drawn close to where he stood.
After a moment of silence Ardulafae looked up towards her brother and spoke softly: "I trust the preparations are made Quel'faruk?" Nalirin nodded smiling comfortingly at her: "Del heen, all preparations are made including the window of scrying you allowed the master of divination Ilharess." Next she turned towards her sister tilting her head slightly as a wry smile crossed on her lips: "And I trust your vessel is prepared for this and that your other pet has been instructed in..small matters?" The sudden surprise visible on Nalirin's face escaped most of the watchers, not so dearest Lilith whose eyes gleamed with satisfaction before she answered her sister curtly: "It is as you commanded Ilharess."
Ardulafae nodded to herself paused and spoke to the assembly: "On my command our House has joined the seventh circle and the fair city of dark weaving. One and all are now swept up by the winds of the war the acursed Alhoon has inflicted upon us. I, nor my sister see a clear path for us." Lilith scowled at this but remained silent. Ardulafae paused momentarily before speaking again: "There are two paths for us now, both may lead to the destruction of our House, one will be our salvation. One path leads us one and all to the Misty Lakes, the other sends us once again into the Underdark. Being unable to make a decision on the matter I therefore invoke the Trial of Unity!" A hushed gasp ran through some of the elder servants. Uncharacteristicaly Lilith refrained from leering. "Quel'faruk, assume your duties as lorekeeper!" Nalirin nodded and took her place at the lecturing stand as she glided back towards her son.
Nalirin coughed then fell silent while bracing the lecture stand before straightening as he addressed the chamber: "Since the time of the birth of our kindred, blessed by the Father and our Queen" A hiss slipped out of Lilith's mouth "we have been dancing in shadows and light. At the time that that our brethren and sisters call the descent." he paused: "A compact was made between our House, the Daughter and the Queen, one outcome of that compact is the ritual we shall now invoke. A decision will be made and we shall in unity embrace it as promised to the Daughter and Mother of Chaos millenia ago." He turned towards Ardulafae. "Is the champion of the Daughter and Light consecrated and what is his stance?" Ardulafae stifly replies "The champion is prepared and he is the Misty Lakes". Nalirin next addresses Lilith "Is the champion of the Mother and Darkness consecrated and what is his stance?" Lilith grins maliciously while studying her nephew before answering "The champion is prepared and will lead us into the underdark." Nalirin now turns towards the assembly "Thus is our rede, thus is the dance of Life!"
As the word Life echoes into the chamber he steps into the lesser summoning circle and begins to chant. Meanwhile the sisters in unison clad themselves in the light and wield the weapons of their faiths as they begin to dance while chanting in concert around their vessels. Moonfire begins to grace Ardulafae's dancing hand and a half sword while unholy flames flicker brightly across Lilith's viperscourge and dagger. As they reach a shared stanza Ardulafae lays her left hand above Maral's heart as she kisses his forehead. Lilith on the other hand quite brutishly kisses Velvelin on his mouth.
Nalirin nods to himself as he watches as he chants the final stages of a warding spell. The sisters move away from Maral and Velvelin still dancing as the men step into the main summoning circle. As a final word of arcane power leave Nalirin's lips a sphere of force rise surrounding the main circle encapsulating a young drow standing in light and a male drow standing in darkness. Nalirin drenched in sweat as he is does not stop there but again begins to cast a warding spell, an easier and yet harder one to master, settling it from the compound fringes to the walls of the main chamber where he place it as a dome around the assembled drow and the inner sphere of power. Exhausted he sighs in reliefs as he again become aware of his still dancing sisters and the men in the circle.
Time seem to pass slower as the sisters chant and dance. Inside the summoning circle a young man's misty gray eyes start to glow with the light of moonfire, with time moonfire flickers up and down the cold iron and alchemical silver thinblades in his hands. Opposite him the blood red eyes of a man begins their own glow of unholy flames, flames that spread to the wickedly curved adamantine warblade in his hands. As the sisters dancing begins to slow down as they grow drained of divine energy both men in the circle open their mouths and begin singing as they start to circle each other locked in dances of their own.
The sphere of power mutes even sound but the two panting spent sisters and their brother join the assembly in watching the combatants circle each other singing like they never had, never could before. Out of darkness a boneshattering shrill soprano of malicious glee is voiced as negative energy courses in and out of Velvelin. From within the light a otherwordly bass floats as lightning flickers around Maral sometimes jumping across his blades.
Nalirin grimace vainly as he whispers to himself "It will be decided and this time, none is of my doing."
