Shadow Contracts (for Ixis Naugus)

[conjuredskies]

Deep in the Parkland woods, twilight holds sway despite the early hour. The crumbling grey walls rise high and forbidding from the outside, but the heavy door stands ajar and swings open noiselessly when pushed – there’s fresh oil on the hinges.

Inside lies a great courtyard surrounded by a columned portico, with narrow doorways leading off into more dark corners. In the center, however, is a wide well with a low stone edge. Off to one side, its hooded summoner waits. Felix has spread a mat over the cracked paving stones, and now sits cross-legged beside his knapsack, picking over a few implements and books, checking the edge of a steel dagger. Aside from his hood, the conjurer has abandoned the legionary uniform for plainer leather armor, worn and mended from long use.

It’s been very quiet for some time. Just the skittering of breeze-blown leaves and birdsong drifting over the walls. Felix is quick to look up at a new presence.

Comments

[ixis]

Naugus' eyes widen. "This is...heartening to hear, shade. My world is undone. Worse than displaced or destroyed. Simply erased. Hearing of anyone else who remembers Mobius is kind news indeed."

He glances to Felix now. "This evening is becoming one of personal revelations. I feel I owe you thanks for involving me."

[conjuredskies]

"What the shadows take, they keep." Who knows how many teeth are in the smile behind that mask?

Felix inclines his head at the look he's given, lifting his eyes to peer at Naugus' expression. "And I thank you for accompanying me. I've already learned much more than I expected." He sweeps a hand around at the darkened wood, as if that's all he's been focused on. "I'm truly pleased that our endeavor should prove as valuable to you."

This could be a fine foundation to a working relationship with Naugus; Felix hopes by the end of this quest he'll have thoroughly proven his worth and ensured himself a powerful and willing accomplice for next time.

[ixis]

"I've babbled a great deal about myself since the start of this, haven't I? About Mobius' fate, about the mysterious circumstances of my shadow travel. I trust you'll keep these matters to yourself for the most part?" Because no matter how shady a mage you may be, secrets (personal and trade alike) are always something very serious.

"But then again, secrets are a part of this realm, aren't they? Is this your first time seeing this place? Is there documentation of it back in your home?" He casts an appreciative look around once more at the looming black trees, the starless night.

[conjuredskies]

"You have my word on that. I try to ensure that discretion is one of my virtues." He smiles slightly. "Besides, I know better than to squander secrets without a very good cause." Or, you know, the promise of great profit.

As for Naugus' observations, he nods quite enthusiastically. "I've never even glimpsed this realm before. I doubt many have. The realms of other Princes are much better documented, but the only half-reliable information I could find on this one spoke of endless murk and something about a court."

A wolf howls, not far to their left, the sound swiftly picked up by a whole pack. Felix sidesteps automatically, scanning the trees and trying to look less at the torch. "...Nothing was mentioned about wolves."

"This is one small part of the Evergloam," the Sentinel says. His pace doesn't alter, though he's turning off the stone path and onto a trail marked only by deeper shadows on the ground.

[ixis]

Naugus looks to the sound of the baying as well, ears turning first before his neck ever does. Perhaps not worried just yet, but wondering what it could mean in an place as mysterious as this. Still watching it, he nearly misses the change in direction. He hurries to resume pace next to Felix.

"And what of this Anvil? Where's that?" Might as well clear things up before they get there and ruin whatever stride or stealth they'll have to employ to carry out the task.

[conjuredskies]

"It's a port city in my home province," Felix explains. "It has a reputation for being full of pirates and thieves, but it's hardly lawless. I visited once."

Their guide's path turns left, apparently leading them toward the pack. Felix's hands immediately curl at his side over readied spells. But as they walk the howls fall behind, and though there's a flapping of wings above nothing else appears to break the deepening gloom.

[ixis]

"And how would a singular mortal manage to steal something of any particular value to a Prince? Seems a lofty accomplishment. I almost want to ask him how he had the nerve and the skill." Naugus still operates under a general disrespect for gods and godlike figures. Maybe not smart while he's currently traversing her realm.

The strange incident with the wolves and the near miss with crossing paths gets the wizard to frown in curiosity. Mutters to himself about the place having its 'own rules'.

"How much further to go, shade?"

[conjuredskies]

"There's a downside to patronizing thieves, I suppose. I've heard stories of them deciding to prove their skill by stealing from Nocturnal herself. Foolish, but what would you expect?" Felix has, perhaps, been nursing a few suspicions on this score. "I've only heard one tale where the thief succeeded, and he paid a terrible price for it..."

The Prince's representative seems unconcerned by the irreverent discussion: he actually chuckled at Naugus' desire to meet the sacriligious thief. "Soon, soon. We approach the end of the Crow's Wood, and then our path will be very swift."

He gestures ahead, to where the rivulet of shadow beneath their feet trickles into a deep, pooling blackness that swallows the ground.

[ixis]

"How terrible a price are we speaking on? And how often are their efforts thwarted instead by those such as we, seeking favour and DOING favours?"

Their guide's answer gets Naugus to look away from Felix and their conversation once more. And then he sees the...pool? Pit? He may very well hurry past his companions to get a closer look at it. He's intrigued! Maybe someone should stop him before he starts prodding at it.

[conjuredskies]

"Legend says Nocturnal laid a curse upon the cowl he took. His name and face were swallowed by the shadows, blotted from history forever. He could recite his name for you a thousand times, and you would not remember it; he could stand before his own wife, his own parents, and they would never know him." Felix might shoot a curious glance toward his companion when he finishes quoting: surely the great Ixis Naugus can appreciate the horror of being simply erased.

"But who knows what methods she prefers to employ? Especially when she has her chosen avengers," he adds, looking to the deceased Nightingale.

...And then Naugus hurries right ahead to examine the pitch darkness ahead of them. "Wait- be careful!"

Their guide still seems unconcerned, though he's giving Naugus a look from beneath his mask for running ahead. There's little to fear: Naugus will find that darkness is a mass of deep shadow not unlike the kind he's used to traversing. Should he touch it, it stirs beneath his claws, little wisps rising and tangling with the air.

[ixis]

He will touch it, most certainly, stirring at it with the point of his claw, pulling at it upwards to watch it drift in little trails and rivulets. Naugus seems pleased with it.

"Now this is impressive. Shadow so cloying that it's become it's own essence? What I would give to be able to conjure this at will."

[conjuredskies]

Well, at least they're taking turns to play test subject. And now Felix knows it's safe to scoop up, albeit gingerly. What a strange sensation - it's barely there, yet he can feel the cold of it. "It might behave differently in other planes. What do you suppose you could do with it?"

"This way," their guide reminds them. Their path leads straight down into that lake of shadow, and they can play with it all they like while they're passing through. Felix is a little unsure about walking in, but it proves entirely breathable. The torch doesn't scatter these shadows so much as nudge them aside a little; it would be easy to fall behind and lose the trail

"What is this place?" he asks the Sentinel. He wants to gain all the knowledge of this realm he can on this visit.

"It is the Gloaming Deep, where the Eventide swells and ebbs. Do not be afraid, mortal- but stay close." How the shade must be smirking under there. "We are close to the end, now."

[ixis]

"Imagine having thrown shadows at my beck and call!" Literal throwing shade. Amazing. "Doorways where glaring light would otherwise deny me." He may very well try to scoop up some of it and tuck it into his cloak, an attempt to sneak his hand back to his tower and deposit it in his lab there. Which isn't the wisest thing to do, but who reaches greatness by being a wimp!

Naugus follows readily, continually running his claw through the shadows, delighting in the feel and motion of it. Like a fish to water.

"I'll be sorry to leave this place behind."

[conjuredskies]

Stealing shadows, Naugus? He can try, but he may find they’ve a tendency to dissipate the more he tries to contain them.

“Surely we can arrange to return, as long as the gate holds.” Felix sounds quite hopeful himself, though truth be told the human mage doesn’t seem to be taking as easily to the shadows. With interest, yes, even a visible delight at the mystery and oddity of it all. But he’s keeping very close to Naugus; now and then he fixes his gaze on the ground beneath his feet, not to be disoriented by the shifting shadows or the indistinct forms they seem to conceal and assume.

It doesn’t help that their guide’s path is twisting again, and the hints of landscape around them seem to change far faster than they’re walking almost as if they are being pushed this way and that by an unseen current. It’s a bit hard on the senses for someone unused to walking the shadows.

[ixis]

"Wouldn't THAT be something splendid?" And maybe future attempts to bottle the shadows that live and twist here. He's going to be disappointed when he gets home and realizes nothing remains of his attempt to pocket samples. Maybe he wasn't asking about who dares to steal from Nocturnal from simple curiosity.

Felix's own struggles to keep a sure step in this realm escape Naugus' notice. Part because he's that kind of selfish oblivious and part because he's still so enraptured with their surroundings. The currents pull and buffet at his cloak but he does his best to follow the directions of their guide and resist the invisible urging.

taking this point to split the thread!

[conjuredskies]

It’s hard to say whether Felix would prefer Naugus notice and help, or if he’s happier that the other mage overlook his stumbles. It certainly sets an example for the younger man to try and follow, as he struggles to adapt to the alien environment.

The spectral Sentinel is waiting just ahead now, beckoning them forward, only waiting until they’re close enough to push…