Yenir and the Feline Priestess (Episode 6)

Where one world ends, another begins...
"Where are we, Sir?" Twik asked with wonder at the sight of the new plane around them. They seemed to be standing on nothing while swirls of color passed around them on all sides. There was no end to the vastness that was set before them. Swirling vortexes dotted the landscape like stars all around them. Some were very close while others could only be seen as specks of brilliant light in the distance.
"We are on the Astral Plane. It is a crossroads between all the other planes of existence. Those swirling portals are gates to the other planes. One of them should lead us to Lolth's domain in the Abyss." Yenir continued walking, his golden tarot cards swirling about him as he scryed for the entrance. One minute they were walking forward and the next it seemed they were walking straight up. Selena and Sizrit seemed unphased by the planar travel while Twik, however, was unused to the seeming lack of compass direction. He couldn't seem to trust his footing and looked like he was manuevering through broken glass as he walked. Still, he kept constant alert on his surroundings as they walked. Something, suddenly, caught his eye.
"Sir! I see something. There." He pointed to an odd undulating mass that was sparking with prismatic color. Everyone turned to look at the object. Selena nearly choked when she realized what it was.
"Yenir. I do think it wise to be moving far away from that thing.Quickly, if I may add." Yenir looked confused but obeyed as Selena calmly led he and Sizrit away. " I hope it remains unaware of our passage. We seem safe for now."
"What is that thing?" Sizrit asked, puzzled. " I've never seen anything like it before."
"That is an Astral Siren also known as a Dream Wraith to most spell casters. They work like Prisma Fish on Toril. Those lights attract the prey and when it's close enough they tear you limb from astral limb. They feed on astral travelers that don't know any better to keep away."
"Ah, yes, now I remember hearing something like that from Acorna. Prophet's Bane she used to call them. Nasty creatures that feed on dreams. Seers put wards up in their towers to protect from thier intrusion. I've heard of astral projections where the caster never woke up. Died in meditation." Yenir paled at the thought of being ripped from his dreams.
"Yes, though they tend not to prey on dreamers. They are way too weak for their palate." She shuddered and went distant for a moment, remembering something. Yenir raised an eyebrow and silently activated his necklace. It probed her thoughts for a split second and he recieved a name.
"Tylare?" He said it out loud before he realized what he did. Selena glared at him for a moment and tears began to well in her eyes. Yenir looked away, ashamed. She regained her composure and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"You would do wise not to pick my brain, Yenir. I will keep nothing of importance from you on this journey." She said angrily and began to storm ahead. Yenir went to catch up but Sizrit tapped him with his beak.
" Uh, Yenir? Where's Twik?" Sizrit squaked, alarmed.
" He's right he...." Yenir looked around but Twik was nowhere to be found. "Selena! Have you seen Twik?" Selena stopped suddenly and whirled around.
"No he was with us when we saw the..." She stopped and her eyes went wide. She looked up. " Oh no...."
Twik was above them some distance away. He was walking slowly towards the Astral Siren, seemingly unaware of the danger. The Siren was sparking wildly as it's prey approached and it was secreting strange firefly-like lights that glowed with brilliant hues. The lights danced around the gnome like moths around candlelight.
"He's enraptured! Yenir, you must do something!" Selena cursed the plane for, even though they had only took a few steps away, it seemed like they had walked quite a ways from Twik. Yenir cast a fly spell upon himself and flew at great speed. Selena touched Sizrit's mind.
"She says not to get too close. It attacks with it's lights and hypnotizes any who look too closely." Yenir nodded and cast a mind ward upon himself and Sizrit to guard against the lights. As they approached they saw the creature for what it was. It had no shape of it's own and seemed to undulate like water. It's skin was transparent and glossy while underneath the colored lights swam throughout it's body like separate, tiny fish. Yenir spotted a single eye bobbing in the mass that was projecting a hazy image of something he couldn't make out but seemed to facinate Twik.
"Sizrit, Do you see the haze coming from that thing's eye?"
"Yes. It looks like a women. A gnome by the looks of it." Sizrit looked closer. " She's beckoning him towards her. By gnomish standards she is very beautiful."
"The hook and the bait." Yenir said under his breath. He gestured in wide arcs and called forth a powerful astral wind around the beast. The image wavered in the gust and dissipated. Twik shook his head and screamed in anguish. The Siren shrieked a keening wail that forced everyone to cover their ears in pain. Twik doubled over in what looked like grief and began to shudder with tears. The Siren probed out for him with oozing arms.
"Selena, I need you're help" Yenir projected telepathically. He recieved no answer and looked back to see Selena sitting holding her knees to her chest and sobbing.
"It's no use." Sizrit cried. " The scream sounded like a hundred people dying to me. They are overcome."
Yenir focused on the Siren. He had no idea what spell to use against such a creature. Astral creatures are extremely resilient to most elemental spells and that is all he had to throw. Fire and lightning is of no use to an ooze and this thing resembled exactly that. Plus Twik was too close to the thing and he couldn't risk firing something that could hit him as well. He had to do something though and he was running out of time. The appendages were closing in on Twik who was huddled in anguish and unaware of his fate. Then it hit him!
"By Mystra's grace let this work. Cacophony!" He spoke the power word and his voice carried towards the creature. It struck home and the creature wailed again. It's form wavered violently as it was struck with the force of the sound. "Cacophony!" The sound pummeled the creature and it backed away from the threat. Twik and Selena huddled into themselves in pain as the creature screamed in agony. "CACOPHONY!" Yenir let out a final shout that seemed to shake the fabric of the plane around them. It struck the creature splattering it into pieces that flew off in every direction of the ether. Yenir heaved as beads of sweat formed on his brow. He bent over to catch his breath. Sizrit flew over to Twik who now laid sprawled and unconscious. Selena shook her head and looked up as if from a dream.
"How did you.. Where did...What happened?" Selena stood up and walked over to Yenir holding her pounding head.
"I'm not sure. Why didn't you help me?" Yenir stared at Selena waiting for an answer.
"I couldn't. I just couldn't again." She looked down, ashamed. Tears running down her face. Yenir grabbed her by the shoulders and drew her to him in an embrace.
"It has to do with Tylare doesn't it?" Selena only sobbed harder. "It's okay now. There's no need to be afraid. The past can't harm you." She looked up into his eyes and he saw the pain she held behind them. She smiled and nestled into him.
"Thank you." Was all she said.
"Yenir! Selena! He's not waking up!" They broke their embrace and ran up to their friend. Twik was as pale as death and his breathing was shallow. Selena knelt down over him and placed her hand over his body. A warm green glow pulsed from her palms and Twik's breathing began to stabilize. Suddenly he sat bolt upright and screamed,
"Briar!!!" He yelled and then looked around frantically. His eyes settled on Yenir who smiled warmly. Twik relaxed and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Sir. I thought I saw a friend. She called to me and I followed. That is all I remember. I have forsaken my duty again." He lowered his eyes in defeat. Yenir looked puzzled.
"You did no such thing" Yenir scolded "That could have been any one of us. You had no idea what you were up against. I hold no fault against you." Yenir bent down and grasped Twik's arm as a fellow soldier. "I am honored to have you on this journey Twik."
"Sir." Twik smiled and nodded to Yenir in respect.
"Yenir look." Selena pointed. There was a huge vortex not to far from them. It looked like it was made of black smoke and swirled with the colors of purple and deep shadow. The vortex flashed with cracks of indigo lightning.
"The Abyss?" Sizrit asked.
"The Abyss." Yenir and Selena answered in unison...

Yenir Wayrac and the Feline Priestess (Episode 5)

Part 5
With her arms outstretched to the wind, Selena had her arms out like a bird. “This is exhilarating!” She squealed like a child as her raven dark hair whipped around behind her.
“You should hold on.” Yenir said, “We wouldn’t want our only hope to fall now would we.” Selena pouted playfully.
Selena pressed close to Yenir as they flew over the sand. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as the golden desert flew swiftly below. She leaned closer and spoke in his ear.
"So where to handsome?" Her full lips brushed ever so slightly against his lobe.
"I was hoping you could tell me." Yenir leaned back into her embrace. Sizrit and Twik looked at each other and rolled their eyes at the display. "Laeral only instructed me to find you."
"Well that is unfortunate. Guess we'll just have to wait for her to contact us." She leaned back and let her hair fly in the wind. The wind caressed her hair and let it flow like silk water as they flew.
Selena....Selena jumped and looked around. A voice had resounded somewhere nearby. Sizrit saw her jump.
"My Lady what is it?" Sizrit flew to her shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Selena!
"A ghost! Sizrit you're brilliant." Selena rummaged through her pack, looking for something. Sizrit sat on her shoulder intrigue and confusion plain in his eyes. "Where is it? Oh, it has to be in here somewhere."
"Lost something, love?" Yenir turned to face the frustrated Selena. She gave him a quick, sharp look that could have frozen his very blood and continued frantically searching her stuff. She let out a relieved sigh and pulled out what she was looking for. Sizrit burst out laughing. In her hand was nothing more than a charred chip of cobble, more than likely used in the building of a mere cottage or barn.
"That’s what you were looking for?" Sizrit laughed coarsely "It's nothing more than a chip of granite."
"This isn't any old piece of granite, observe." She held her hand out in a welcoming gesture known to be used by those of Shadowdale. "Sister, I am here." The chip glowed in a blue-silver light and a billowing, smoky form took shape at her side. A beautiful human with silver hair and a ghostly Rashemar mask over her features slowly took shape. Her ethereal gown trailed off into the ether giving her legs a disembodied look.
"Sister I have an urgent message from Laerel." Her head bowed in sadness...
"Well out with it Sylune! We living view time differently than the dead, and we have very little time to dawdle." Sylune’s ghostly head snapped up,
"Laerel has been captured."
Shock and disbelief roused in Selena's face. Yenir whipped his head around to face the ghostly chosen.
"You can't mean Laeral Arunsun? When and by whom?" Yenir was taken aback by such news. Someone of great power would have been able to subdue her and capture her. She was not one to be taken lightly when confronted. Fear shone in Sylune's eyes through the mask.
"It was the spider queen herself. She came to waterdeep in a storming fury. She is weak but still strong enough to overtake both Laerel and Khelben. Even father came to their aid to no avail." Selena gasped,
"Elminster!? Were they slain?" Her voice was desperate.
"Khelben was badly injured and is slow to recover. He is crazed and babbling. None know what dark magic Lolth used to subdue him." Sylune looked down in growing despair "Elminster was shattered to the ether. I cannot feel him here with me so there is hope he is still alive."
"There is always hope. Where is Laerel now? You can still contact her can you not?" Selena was pressed on the verge of tears from the news.
"Yes but the line of communication grows thin and I dare not pass where she is for long." Terror was plain in Sylune's voice.
"Sylune I need to know where she is." Sylune nodded in compliance
"She is in the Abyss. She is being held captive in the realm of the Spider Queen." Selena was both furious and surprised at this news. She clutched the necklace around her neck. Yenir groaned at the thought. He didn't like this not one bit. "I'm sorry. Be well." With her last words Sylune faded away.
"It's a trap" Sizrit squaked "She's made her web and now she needs you Selena. Why?" Sizrit eyed her supiciously. "First the Drow, then that dragon, now this. What do you have that she wants?" He looked to the amulet she was clinging to.
"I was once a chosen of Mystra even though I worshipped the goddess Sharess. When I defeated Lolth I was given her reign but refused such a dark title. However, I still hold a piece of the Dark Queen's power. I hold three Goddess' powers with me. One chose me, one I chose, and one I would never have chosen." She glanced down and opened her hands to reveal the spider amulet. "This holds the Mantle of Lolth hidden and trapped. I hold it here to protect it. Without it Lolth can't grant her powers to her people. Without it she is not a Goddess."
"But she still has power enough to defeat the three most powerful spell casters in all Faerun." Yenir felt defeated. He had never faced a God before and that was exactly what they would have to do to save Laerel. Lolth was taunting Selena like a fly.
"That is why she can affect this plane." Twik said suddenly. Yenir, Szirit and Selena both looked to the gnome. "The Gods are not allowed to affect this plane directly. They are forbidden by Ao himself. That is why they need worshippers and denizens. They are a God’s hands, mouths and eyes."
"So you're saying we should give the Mantle back?" Yenir couldn't believe what he was hearing. However it made sense. Without her Mantle, Lolth was not a Goddess. So she was not bound to act as such. They all looked to Selena.
"I will not!" She shouted unleashing her pent up fury, "I would rather die than make her a Goddess again!"
“Then there must be another way." Yenir agreed with Selena, but with the drow massing throughout Faerun they would have to do something. "Then we go to the Abyss." Now everyone turned their gaze on him. He steeled his resolve and all nodded in agreement. They set down with Razorhawk onto the sand and bid him to fly back to Waterdeep. “He will find his way home." Yenir then raised his hands and gestured one of his most powerful spells. A crack of thunder split the weave and a shimmering portal opened between the worlds. A spectral wind that was neither cold nor warm rushed out of the threshold.
"Lolth is expecting us. Let's not keep her waiting." He smiled reassuringly to Selena. She smiled back. Both kept their dread hidden behind their eyes...

Yenir Wayrac and the Feline Priestess (Episode 4)

Everything seemed to blend with shadow...
Flash! There was a sudden burst of bright light that blinded everyone with their eyes open to it. Sizrit seemed to explode with vibrant celestial light that basked all in momentary daylight as the dragons breached the oasis. The giant dragons flared their wings out bringing them to a halt as they recoiled from the blast, sending a whirlwind of sand in their wake. Yenir lowered his head to shield his eyes from the sand. When he looked up the huge dragon illusions were now one beast that hovered in place causing billows of sand to dance around it. It was unnaturally black in color and seemed to be made of shadow stuff. It was substantial but at the edges of its form it seemed to swallow the light around it. It's giant bat wings looked like they were emanating a sinister smoke.
"Fiend of the Abyss! You dare trespass on my land!" Selena held an ornate holy symbol of the goddess Sharess aloft. "You will pay for your intrusion!" The giant cats bounded forward to meet the dragon who was shaking its head, dazed from Sizrit's glare. The ground shook where they stepped. It lifted its eyes to focus just as a massive clawed paw swiped for its head. In a puff of dark smoke it seemed to become as substantial as a shadow and the paw passed harmlessly through it.
"Hmmm. Interesting trick." Yenir said to himself aloud. "Let’s see how you fare without that gift." He rummaged through his pack and pulled out a purple black crystal that seemed to hum in the presence of the shadow beast. "Denizen of shadow! Be shackled to this plane!" The crystal shattered into a thousand shards that mingled with the sand around the smoky dragon. The beast roared thunderously as it unwillingly became whole again and crashed to the ground. Yenir fell over from the tremor when the great creature hit the ground and kicked up more sand in its wake. Selena laughed as if this was all some sort of amusing game.
"Clumsy sorcerer. You will need lessons in standing, yes?" He answered with an amused grin. He floated from the ground and hovered in midair ten feet from the surface. Selena nodded respectfully to his show of power. Sizrit spoke up,
"Have you seen Twik?"  The gnome was nowhere in sight.
"He was just here. " Yenir answered as he looked around. The dragon howled in pain but not from the monolithic cats, it seemed. They stalked in a circle around the dragon as if sizing up their prey. Then Yenir spotted it. A tiny form on the neck of the dragon was nimbly jumping and sliding on its flailing head. The dragon tried to shake it off but it held firm, cutting deep gashes where it could with its dagger. It was Twik, climbing up the neck of the dragon! When he reached its face he let forth a color spray of rainbow lights from his hands that sent the dragon's head reeling. Twik, then, jumped off and landed just below Yenir.
"Hit now, Sir! Light hurts it but fire will not scathe." Yenir nodded and began gesturing to the weave around him. Three portals tore through the ether around him and three light clad angels stepped out.
"I require your assistance; we face an enemy of shadow." The angels nodded and together they flew at the dragon with great swords made of light itself. Selena walked to Yenir's side,
"You have great power to summon such aid." She was impressed. The angels were making short work of the dragon who was howling in pain when they struck. He shrugged
"Just a parlor trick." He said.
"That's some parlor trick." She nodded. After a while the angels vanished leaving the dragon severely wounded. It beat its wings and rose to flee but the cats were ready and pounced, pinning it to the spot. The dragon howled in rage but the cats held it fast.
"Let me go!" It roared savagely, murder flaring in its eyes.
"Tell me why you're here and I may let you live." Selena demanded in a voice that would have shaken mountains.
"Surely you have guessed, pitiful human." The Dragon said. Selena glared at him. "You have made enemies in the past, have you not? You have something very dear to my employer." Something that could be counted as a sneer broke on its face. Selena looked down at a pendant that Yenir swore was not there when he first saw her. It was wrought of obsidian in the shape of a spider. Yenir scowled, knowing full well who the dragon's "employer" was. He had heard stories of a woman of great power facing the spider queen long ago and defeating her. That was eons ago. Could this really be the one who slew the dark goddess so long ago?
"I'm sorry. Did you say something, dragon? I must be losing my hearing in my old age." Selena moved dangerously close to the dragons fangs. "I could have sworn you had just called me human. Is that so? Do you really think me nothing more than a low born human." She bent over like a mother about to scold a child, awaiting a reply.
"You all taste the same in the end."
“Wrong answer sweetling.” Was the last thing she said before Selena grasped its snout with unearthly strength. Her black hair flashed silver as great power rushed through her. The dragon's eyes rolled and it disintegrated to sand in her grasp. Yenir stood agape at the sight. Selena turned to him with a smile that made him quickly reset his composure.
"Now, you came here to see me." She said as her lashes fluttered. "Whatever for?" her voice was as sweet and seductive as a brothel girl's and Yenir stammered a moment before replying.
"Uh..well..ahem" He cleared his throat. It was unusual for him to be on the receiving end of such charm. "I come with word from Laerel Arunsun that you are needed. The realms are in peril and they need your assistance as you may have already guessed." She sauntered closer as if to kiss Yenir, paused for a moment and then turned to face away from him. Yenir realized he had tensed and something in him stirred beneath his robe.
"Oh well.." She sighed. "That is usually the case when my sister calls upon me. I do wish she would call on me more often for more casual reasons than to save the world again." She playfully sighed again. Sizrit eyed her,
"You are of the chosen of Mystra?" He asked.
" Former, among other things." She smiled sweetly. Yenir stirred again, now at full attention. She looked down and giggled. A giggle that was very out of character for the powerful priestess they had, just moments ago, fought beside. "You’re going to have to keep that under control if I'm to be riding with you on this journey. Yenir was it?" He blushed for the first time in centuries.
"S-s-so you'll be joining us?" Yenir said a little more aniouxsly than he had intended.
"I see that pleases you." Her voice became low and gruff as she moved even closer to Yenir. She pressed slightly against him causing him to hold his breath. She looked dreamily up into his eyes, "Anything..." sultry innuendo plain in her voice, " ...to be rid of that spider bitch, Lolth!"

Yenir Wayrac and the Feline Priestess (Episode 3)

If things couldn't get any worse....
"It sure is hot here. I think I'm going to lose all my feathers to this heat." Sizrit nestled his head into his wings for shade. The desert was as vast as it was hot, and the barren sands didn't help situations in the sweltering, unmerciful sunlight of the Desert Amn. Razorhawk flew over the endless dunes soaring effortlessly on the thermals rising from the desert sands.
"Quit squawking, Sizrit, you'll get used to the heat." Yenir was riding Razorhawk without his shirt and robe, catching the sun on his already bronze skin. He basked in heat such as this and loved every moment of it while Sizrit found inventive ways to avoid the searing light. Yenir was muscular for a wizard, having spent most of his years out in the world adventuring. His body glistened in the light of the desert.
"An oasis, sir. There, on the horizon." Twik pointed. Yenir sighed and looked where he was pointing.
" So it is. Sizrit I think you'll get your respite from the heat today after all." Yenir cast a spell and let his vision drift over the oasis. The oasis itself was much larger than it looked in the distance and seemed to have a bustling town and trade market within it's trees. His gaze drifted above the town and he could make out a beautiful temple made of sand bricks and gold. Two massive winged, black cat statues sat vigilantly proud on either side of the gates to the temple. He could make out the unmistakeable symbol of Sharess above the temple gates, a cats eye adorned with rainbow wings. His gaze returned and he directed Razorhawk towards the oasis. They landed just outside of the town.
" This place is wonderful. It feels cooler already" Sizrit lifted his head to catch a cool breeze that seemed to pass out of the town. They made their way into the oasis . The ground below them became grassy and cool as they passed into the town, the sands of the desert seemed to stay to the outside of the oasis' boundaries, letting the oasis have it's lush grass. The buildings of the town were little more than palm thatched pavilions draped with flowing silks of various colors as walls. The breeze seemed to be coming from the direction of the temple.
"I will take care of Razorhawk, Sir." Twik grabbed the lead and walked over to the crystal waters of the oasis' large pond.
"I really wish he would stop calling me 'sir' " Yenir remarked.
" He's just being polite." Sizrit answered. Yenir scowled,
"Don't you start calling me sir or I'll turn you into Griffin food."
"Yes, Sir" Sizrit saluted with his wing and Yenir laughed. They made their way through the bustling caravan market in the center of town. Merchants draped in silk tunics peddled there exotic foods and wares to the towns folk while street performers entertained others. Yenir caught sight of a fire-eater and scoffed at the simple magic the man had secretly cast to make the flame change into an array of scintillating colors. Sizrit was staring off towards the temple. Now they were close enough to see that the breeze did, in fact come from the temple itself, creating a pleasant atmosphere in the otherwise arrid desert.
" Yenir, look there. It looks as if we've come for a celebration." Sizrit saw a procession of women marching out of the temple. They were dressed in feathers that were a vibrant red, green, gold and purple. They were carrying great palm fans painted with the symbol of Sharess. People all over the market stopped to watch the procession as it made its way into the square. Yenir noticed that some of the priestesses were wearing next to nothing, save for sheer silks and veils that showed little more than shadows of their naked, shapely bodies. One such of these priestesses stood at the back of the procession and was taller than the rest. She was draped in silks and all that you could see of her dark tan skin was through an eye slit in her veil. Yenir was struck nearly dumb by her eyes as they met his, a nearly cat-like vivid green.
The procession stopped and made way for the last priestess, who Sizrit surmised was the High Priestess of the temple, to take her place in the center of the square. People had gathered to see the congregation and were now crowded in a circle surrounding the square. They all waited in anticipation for something. She turned to the temple and raised her hands to the cat statues. A great hush fell over the crowd. The priestesses surounding her began to hum in unison. A harmonic drone that seemed to reach through the High Priestess and up to the cat statues whose eyes now started to glow with a divine green light. Suddenly there was a boom like a deep bass drum and without warning the priestess threw her flowing silks into the air and let them swirl around her as she spun and danced around the square. She was strikingly beautiful and wore purple silks over her chest and waist but was other wise naked. Tiny bells hung from her midriff and jingled as she twirled and danced. The other priestesses began to join the dance, one by one stripping their silks and holding them high into the air as they danced.
"Your drooling." Sizrit stated to Yenir who was completely enthralled by the erotic display of faith. Yenir shook his head and tore his eyes from the dance.
" I suppose that would be our priestess." He said. " I'm not one to believe in love at first sight but, I think I'm in love."
"No, that's just because she's naked and you didn't have to do anything." Sizrit joked.
"Sir!" Yenir cringed and turned around to see Twik running for them through the crowd. "SIR! We have a problem."
" Well, out with it little one." Yenir said and all Twik could do was point. Yenir squinted in the direction he pointed and saw a line of dark dots on the horizon, gaining fast. Twik took out a small amulet in the shape of a bat's wing that was glowing bright white.
" Dragons." Was all he said before the whole of the oasis was plunged into night. The sun had been blotted out and all that was there was a ring of light.
"An eclipse?  This is strange magic to blot out the entire sun." Yenir said. At this point people were panicking and running into the temple. The prietesses stopped their dance and began ushering people to safety. The High Priestess was looking at the eclipsed sun and was scowling like a child that just lost her favorite toy. Yenir pushed through the crowd to reach her.
" Selena is it? It looks like we found you at the right moment. It seems your celebration has some particularly fowl and uninvited guests. I am Yenir Wayrac and I'm here to help." He pointed at the line of dragons that were now moments away from the oasis.
"Well, Yenir, it is a pleasure meeting you. It's Selena." She said, correcting his pronunciation. With that she turned to the statues and raised her hands again to them. " Great guardians of Sharess! I beseech your aid!" her whole body began to glow with intense light and the statues mirrored the glow. The whole ground began to shake as the statues slowly came to life. One of them stretched like a waking cat and yawned. Yenir just stared at the goliath constructs and smiled.
" Lets hope you have a few more of those tricks up your sleeve." He turned towards the now visible purple deep dragons and prepared for battle...

Yenir Wayrac and the Feline Priestess (Episode 2)

Razorhawk soared over the clouds letting the wind ripple through his feathers. Yenir sat in a beautifully stained, deep burgundy leather saddle that was surprisingly comfortable and built for long-term flight. His red garments waving like a banner as they flew. Still, he was getting tired of flying and it was starting to get lighter out seeing that they had been flying for most of the night. In the distance Sizrit spotted something. In the twilight it looked like a small hamlet.
"Yenir, I think I see a village. Look there." Yenir looked to where Sizrit nodded.
"It seems you're correct. I wouldn't mind a good morning ale right about now. What say we stop in for a bite of breakfast, eh Twik?" Twik was fast asleep and Sizrit nodded agreement. Yenir patted Razorhawk on the side of the neck and directed him to fly down. They spiraled down to the ground gracefully and landed softly in the center of the little hamlet. Twik awoke with a start and drew his dagger when they landed.
"Woah there killer, watch the robe." Yenir looked back at the startled gnome.
" Sorry, Sir, Light sleeper." Twik apologized. Yenir cringed,
"Will you stop calling me 'Sir' " He said,
"Yes Sir" Twik responded. Yenir groaned. He glanced around at the dark buildings that, in the gray twilight, looked abandonded. There were no lights burning in any windows and the whole of the town just felt cold and unwelcoming. A gust of wind blew dust from the street in a whirlwind that did nothing but add to the dreadful feeling of emptiness.
" Master Yenir! I think I see someone." Sizrit gestured toward a man in tattered clothing walking out into the road from the alley between the buildings. Yenir squinted to try to make out the figure in the dust.
" Hail! Good sir. We are travellers looking for a place to rest." Yenir shouted a greeting to the man. " We look for warm meals and ale. Can you help us?" This seemed to startle the man who was now staring at the party. Then he bolted back the way he came.
" That was rude." Sizrit snorted. " Lets go see where he went." Yenir nodded in agreement. They ran to the alley after the mysterious man. He rounded  the corner of the building and went to climb over a low standing wall as the trio came around the corner. Yenir threw his hand forward and three golden metal tarot cards flew out of his sleeve. They thudded into the wall pinning the man's shirt sleeve to the wood. The man whirled on his attackers and snarled.
" I asked you a question." Yenir said in a powerfully authoritive voice. The man only smiled and it was a smile that told Yenir something was very wrong here. He stared at the man intently, while silently casting a powerful spell. The man's face began to melt and morph, his skin began to darken until it was the color of ebon wood. His ears pointed at the tips and his hair shimmered into a stark white. The man looked down at his rapidly changing form with surprise.
"You'll pay for that Half-Elf!" The Drow hissed. A wickedly curved dagger, that hadn't been there moments ago, flashed in the dark elf's hands. He lunged for Yenir with the intent of murder flashing in his red eyes, ripping his shirt sleeve from the metal cards. He took a step towards Yenir and surprisingly, fell face first into the ground. Twik stood directly under where the Drow's feet once stood now holding the Drow's dagger in his hand. It all happened so fast that Yenir had to do a double-take. In seconds the Gnome was on top of the Drow with the same dagger to his throat from behind. Twik grabbed his hair and lifted the Drow's head up to face Yenir.
"He asked you a question." Twik pressed the dagger closer. The Drow gasped in astonishment. Sizrit and Yenir looked at each other, thoroughly impressed.
" Yes, well, sorry chap. If you don't mind, I'd like to know what your doing here?" Yenir said as non-chalantly as if he were talking with a close friend. The Drow spat on his shoe.
"I won't tell you a word surface scum." Twik yanked at the Drow's hair sharply.
" I really dont think that wise, do you." Yenir's face transformed slightly revealing red dragon eyes and fangs. Yenir snarled bearing his teeth. "We Dragon-hearted don't care for petty insults, but if you insist on being silent I'm sure I could turn you into the Harpers. Or just turn you into something."
" Your threats are wasted on me sorcerer." The Drow rasped and coughed out dust.
"Sizrit? What do Hippogriff's eat?" Yenir asked
" Rats." Sizrit answered, refferring to the Drow. Razorhawk snapped his beak menacingly close to the Drow's face. Yenir smiled. He knew that Drow were used to threats and torture but the prospect of being eaten alive seemed to frighten the Drow. Yenir waved his hands and recited a spell. The Drow wailed in pain as a nub began to grow from his lower back, pressing against his clothes. A spindly rat's tail ripped through his clothes. Yenir waved his hands, pausing the transformation. He leaned in close.
"Well? Still want to be stubborn?" The Drow said nothing. He waved his hands and the Drow wailed again as black fur started to sprout all over his body. His nose began to lengthen and short whiskers sprouted from his face. Yenir paused the transformation again. " I'm not going to ask again."
" I'm here as a spy. This is an outpost. A ghost town we use as a waypoint."
" A spy for what? A waypoint for whom?" Yenir pressed on. The Drow shook his head.
"I can not speak it's name." The half-rat drow sounded petrified. " She will Ack...!" The Drow made a gurgling noise. Twik looked up at Yenir. He hadn't moved the knife and no blood spilled from his throat. The Drow sounded like he was being strangled and his body convulsed in agony. Twik quickly got off the Drow and moved to Yenir's side. The Drow rolled onto his back and was staring wildly at the sky. His mouth was wide as if trying to scream but no sound came out of his mouth. Instead, thousands of tiny black spiders started to pour out of his mouth and down his chin. In seconds they were covering his face and devouring his skin. The trio backed away. After a few minutes the Drow was stripped to bone and the spiders dispersed. All that was left was tattered remants of clothing and a necklace in the shape of a small platinum sheild. Yenir took up the necklace.
"Mystra's grace is that what I think it is?" Sizrit asked.
" It sure is. It's a slip sheild." Yenir gestured a spell and the sheild began to float in mid-air. " Khelben, I found this on the body of a Drow. Thought you might want to look it over. Examine it and tell me what you find." The necklace vanished from sight. Seconds later a female drow appeared out of thin air. Yenir drew his staff and Twik readied himself to leap.
" At ease gentlemen I am not here to harm you. I come with Laerel's blessing. I am Qilue of the Seven Sisters. I'm on your side."
" That was quick. Glad you're here. It seems this town is some sort of outpost for the vile Drow. No offense."
" None taken." Qilue nodded. It seemed she was wearing symbols of Elistraee the good Drow goddess of the moon.
" A priestess of Elistraee and a chosen of Mystra. A Drow as well as all that! It is truly a pleasure to meet one such as yourself. Seeing that I have other, more pressing matters to attend to in this conflict, I don't suppose you would take care of the little rat problem we have here?" Yenir said to the strikingly beautiful Drow. 'Mystra sure does know how to pick 'em' he thought.
" Certainly." Qilue let a sly smile creep onto her lips. " We will meet again I'm sure."
'Cunning as well as stunning'  He thought. He mounted Razorhawk and bid Qilue farewell as she slipped into the shadows. They took to the air and headed towards the desert.
"If they have Slip Shields we have a big problem." Sizrit said to Yenir " That magic is nearly untraceable."
" All the more reason to find this Selena as quick as possible. Qilue will take care of the Outpost there." They flew north as the sun rose at their flank.
To Be Continued...

Yenir Wayrac and the Feline Priestess (Episode 1)

" Might I say you look particularly ravishing when your angry, M'lady." The blonde wizard flashed a white toothed and all too suggestive grin towards The Simbul. He bowed low letting his red and gold cloak swirl around his waist as he gestured her to her chair.
"And you are becoming irritatingly cocky." The Simbul was growing tired of Yenir's passes, however charming they may be. She pushed past him and lowered gently into the high backed, red velvet cushioned chair, her silver tresses settling around her shoulders. Yenir looked up when she sat, smug grin still on his face. He couldn't help but have a puppy's crush on the voluptuous and slender woman that most revered as a goddess. He saw her as a colleague of sorts even though she was of Mystra's chosen and he was not. Yenir was playfully jealous of Khelben for having the luxury to be wed to one such chosen. Laerel Arunsun gracefully entered the room, her modestly low-cut gown swaying as she swept across the floor to lounge upon a chaise near the warm fireplace. She was just as beautiful as her sister, the Simbul, but held herself more respectfully. Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun entered behind Laerel but remained standing. It was rare to see Khelben sitting for he is always busy with one thing or another in the affairs of the realms and doesn't have much time to himself save sleep.
"Thank you for your aid in healing Quinn, Lady Arunsun. He took quite the nasty fall." Yenir said to Laerel
"You are most welcome. If you would have got him to me any later he would be singing his praises to Mystra on the Fugue Plain. It is my pleasure to aid those that our goddess has touched. Please, call me Laerel." Her eyes were kind and genuine when she spoke.
" You pay him too much respect, sister" The Simbul mocked " It seems his head may grow too big for your tower being in such company." She folded her arms over her chest as she spoke.
"M'lady is just jealous that I have eyes for a much more beautiful quarry." With that he clasped the Lady Laerel's hand and bowed to kiss it.
" Good sir Yenir my hospitality is growing thin with you. Let us get down to buisness shall we?" Khelben said with his usual gruff seriousness. Yenir went to his chair and sat with one leg dangling over the arm. Khelben was in blue robes and he carried an ornate black staff of power that he is rarely seen without. His hair was black save for the sideburns and beard which was a salty gray. "It seems your halfling friend stumbled into a rather large conspiracy that The Simbul and Laerel have been following for some time now."
The Simbul sat up to speak " It seems that the Drow are siding with the Red Wizards of Thay to try to overthrow the rulers of the realms. The Drow have been masquerading as wealthy nobles, working there way up the aristocratic ladder to the top with the help of Thayan dark magic. I have found such Drow agents in Shadowdale, Rashemar, and even here in Waterdeep."
"There was even an attempt to kidnap me." Laerel spoke up. Her voice betrayed a little amusement at the fact that someone had even attempted that feat. " We have found that they are trying to bring the underdark to the surface by taking the forms of others. Until they can completely overthrow the existing rulers of the kingdoms to replace with their own the Drow have been conducting themselves rather respectfully, as Drow are concerned. Keeping with the status quo of there stolen stations more to keep up appearances than anything else I would suspect."
"Wouldn't want to blow their cover would they?" Yenir said " I mean it's not everyday you see a Drow walking the streets of Waterdeep. Unless of course some noble decides a Dark Elf costume for a revel is in order." Yenir was stunned by his own comment having seen just such a costume only days ago at the Hawkwinter estate. He sat back in his chair, contemplating this revelation.
"Exactly." The Simbul spoke up " They have been walking around under our very noses for some time now and we are just now investigating what is probably a strongly established front. I say we go in a destroy the lot of them." she said matter-of-factly. She was of course referring to the Thayans than anything else seeing that her bloodlust against them was nearly unsatiable.
"You can kill as many Red Wizards as your heart desires, sister, as long as they don't carry vital information to our cause." Laerel spoke pointedly with a certain accusing, yet still gentle, tone. "Kahn may have had info that could have greatly helped our cause. However, there is little we can do about that now."
"Truly a pity." She mocked.
"Yes, truly a pity." Yenir joked as well. " It seems you have had your hands full as of late. So what, pray tell, does this have to do with me?"
" We need your help." Khelben said. Yenir nearly fell from his chair. Khelben never asks for help, let alone from a lower level sorcerer like Yenir.
"Well now, Khelben, I don't think I heard you right. Are the old grays finally catching up to you or am I imagining the fact that you asked me for my help?" Yenir could'nt help but pull Khelben's chain a little. Khelben, however, was not amused.
" If Laerel and I weren't busy dealing with this crisis within the city walls I would be out there myself cleaning up this mess." He gestured his staff in a wide arch towards the window, " As matters stand, yes, we do need your assistance. Unless, of course, you don't feel up to the task of infiltrating the Underdark." This time it was Yenirs turn to scowl. H quickly regained his composure.
"As much as I would like to lounge on the fungus filled beaches of the Underdark I think I'll pass. No one ever said I had to fight the Drow let alone on their turf. I've been to the Underdark. It's not a pretty place."
"Who said anything about fighting?" Khelben smiled a little at the prospect of making this all too smug sorcerer uncomfortable. "We need you to go to the Desert of Amn."
"Amn! Well why didn't you say so in the first place? I love the desert! Golden sands, beautiful women in cool oasis villages. Now that's a vacation I could enjoy. When do I leave?"
" I'm glad to see your excited about this." Laerel said with a hint of humor. "We need you to go to the temple of Sharess near the Caravan City. There is a Priestess there of no small power that has fought and defeated the Spider Queen, Lolth. It has taken the goddess some time to regenerate her former power from her defeat and I assume this infiltration is part of her plan to regain her throne, if not the world, for her own."
"The Simbul, Laerel, and I will resume our investigations throughout the realms. We need you to find this priestess and bring her here so that we may know how she gained the power to overthrow Lolth." Khelben gestured to the door and one of his apprentices brought in a rather noble looking gnome. He held himself like a soldier ready for his orders. He nodded to the group showing his respect. "This is Twik. He can lead you too the priestess and he's not bad for a little extra protection if I do say so myself."
"It's truly a pleasure to be of service to you." The voice that came out of the little gnome was suprisingly deep and resonant for someone so small. Yenir couldn't help but see Quinn as a lead soprano in a choral production in comparison to the gnomes heavy baritone." Yenir Wayrac? I've heard of your adventures. It is an honor."
"You pay me far to much respect. If half those stories were true I would outshine Peirgeron in selflessness and righteousness." He nearly lost his composure when he compared himself to those words.
"I'll say." The Simbul said under her breath. Yenir blew her a kiss. She began gesturing a death spell.
" So when do we leave?" Yenir turned to Khelben. A beautiful brown feathered hippogriff landed gracefully on the balcony.
" As soon as your ready. Razorhawk will be your steed." Khelben gestured towards the regal mount.
"Sizrit!" He called and the silver winged raven left Quinn to Mirt and flew over to Yenir. " Ready to go"
"Ready as I'll ever be." Sizrit answered. " Who's the small one."
" That's Twik. He'll be riding with us." Sizrit and Twik introduced themselves. Twik was seemingly unphased by the talking raven. They all mounted Razorhawk and prepared to fly away when Yenir turned to Khelben. "This priestess, does she have a name?"
" Her name is Selena."
"Very well. Selena huh? Sounds hot." With that he grabbed the reins and swooped out of the tower and over the city towards the north...
to be continued...