Vorenus lands hard but cleanly, rolling into the fall as he hits the crates below. The impact rattles his bones, but he’s on his feet instantly — and so is she.
The masked woman sprints forward, her lithe form darting down the alley. She’s fast — but Vorenus is faster.
His voice rings out, the magic of his words settling into the air with a weight that cannot be ignored:
"Stop. Quit running. You should turn yourself in and let us speak with you. Return to the room you are fleeing from and sit down."
The spell takes hold. The woman skids to a stop mid-stride.
For a split second, her muscles lock, her breath hitching — her body caught between willpower and compulsion. She turns slightly, her masked face unreadable … and then —
She pivots back toward the Guild Hall.
Without a word, she begins walking back toward the window, her movements stiff and unnatural as the magic forces her compliance.
Vorenus stands ready, watching carefully. If she fights it, he’ll be on her in a heartbeat.
From above, Iromae and Diego see it all.
Iromae had just asked, “Did you stop them?”
Diego, still blinking past his dazzled vision, sees the answer clearly. The woman is returning as instructed.
The Pursuit
As Shenua watches from the shadows, the hooded man reaches the locked front doors. His stride doesn’t slow — he was expecting this.
Without hesitation, he turns sharply, veering away from the entrance and heading toward the side of the building.
Shenua’s pulse quickens. He’s going for the service door. It’s ajar. Someone left it open.
The hooded man reaches it, his hand barely brushing the door handle before he hesitates — just for a fraction of a second. Something inside has caught his attention.
Then, without a word, he slips through, entering the Guild.
"The service door!? How does he know about it?"Shenua wonders as she rushes after the man's steps. But she dismisses the thought. Now is not the time to be asking herself these questions—it is the time to act.
The tiefling remains cautious. She follows him into the Guild Hall and even allows him to enter the stabilizer room unchallenged. She hears Iromae, Diego, and Vorenu's muffled voices inside. Good, they are all here. She holds her breath and waits—one, two, three... ten seconds. Then she steps into the room, partially hidden behind the taller man’s back.
The man suddenly feels something cold and metallic pressed against him. Then, a click. Shenua has disengaged the eldritch cannon’s safety switch, aiming it at him with her right hand. In her left, the crackling energy of a spell begins to take shape.
Then Shenua speaks, slow and steady. "Move, and you’ll regret it. You're going to tell us exactly what you're doing here."A pause. "And if I don’t like your answer..." She presses the cannon even more. "Well, let’s just say I really hope you give me a reason to be nice."
"You did it!" Iromae says enthusiastically to Vorenus as she sees his spell take hold. She tries to maneuver through the window as well to join Vorenus on the other side. "You should question her out here, right away," she says in a quieter voice. "Not sure exactly how she'll carry out all those things you said. But if she finishes them all the spell ends."
After the words to Vorenus, she looks up at the woman, watching her closely for any signs of the spell wearing off.
Vorenus is regaining his breath as he walks in, putting his hands on his hips, nodding with a smile to Ironmae and Diego. Then he says to the masked woman (as he starts to remove her mask), “Start answering questions, now. Why are you trying to destroy this portal? Sit down on the ground, we are going to have a chat and you are going to answer questions for us. I want to know why you are intent on destroying this thing and who you are working with.” He turns his head to Ironmae and DIego, saying quickly “Find something to bind her hands, she’s going to stay until we get to the bottom of this.” He gets a good look at her face after he removes the mask and he starts to remove anything else she’s carrying that could harm them, searching for any weapons as she answers the questions.
Seeing Vorenus head back inside, Iromae follows him. "Get her secured before she sits down," she suggests. She looks through her pack, grabbing the rope from it. "We can use this to tie up the hands. Just remember the spell doesn't last forever."
She starts to try to bind the woman but welcomes any help she might get.
Shenua hears—more than sees—Vorenus and Iromae stepping in through the window, following someone who must have been the one to raise the alarms. The masked stranger comes inside almost submissively, though their movements feel reluctant, as if they're resisting. Are they under some spell? It doesn’t matter right now. The tiefling is too focused on the hooded man's reaction to her sudden appearance right behind him, the cannon aimed squarely at his back.
Vorenus takes her mask off, looking to see if he recognizes her. “Who put you up to this? Are you acting on anyone’s orders? Tell us why you did this!” Vorenus stands over the would-be saboteur and points his finger at her threateningly. He wants answers, and he wants them now!
There’s a moment of narrative overlap here — Vorenus, Iromae, and Diego are securing the captured woman, while Shenua is following the hooded man into the Guild Hall. The issue is that both groups are converging on the stabilizer room, but at slightly different times, which means some adjustments need to be made.
Here’s how we can make it all fit seamlessly:
Guild Hall – The Stabilizer Room & Service Hall
Inside the stabilizer room, Diego’s vision has cleared, and he watches as Vorenus’s spell compels the masked woman back inside. Iromae moves quickly, retrieving a rope, while Diego starts securing her hands. The woman’s movements are stiff, controlled by the lingering [spell]suggestion[/suggestion] spell, but she is clearly resisting the compulsion internally — the moment it fades, she may try something.
Vorenus removes her mask, revealing a sharp-featured elven woman with pale silver-blonde hair, her blue-gray eyes flicking between each of them with an unreadable expression.
"Who put you up to this?" Vorenus demands. "Are you acting on anyone’s orders? Tell us why you did this!"
The woman doesn’t immediately respond. Though she doesn’t fight against the bindings, she watches them with calm calculation — as if already considering her next move.
Just as Vorenus finishes his question, something else happens — the service door creaks open.
A new presence enters the Guild Hall.
Shenua — Entering the Guild Hall
Shenua keeps to the shadows, moving swiftly behind the hooded man as he veers toward the unlocked service door.
The service door!? How does he know about it? she thinks, but there’s no time to dwell. He enters, and she follows.
She moves carefully, silently, keeping behind him as they pass through the service hall and toward the stabilizer room.
Inside, she can hear muffled voices — Vorenus, Diego, Iromae. They’re all here.
She holds her breath and waits — one, two, three ... ten seconds.
Then, she steps into the room, partially hidden behind the taller man’s back.
He has no idea she’s there. Until ...
A cold, metallic barrel presses against his spine. A click.
Shenua has disengaged the eldritch cannon’s safety switch, aiming it at him with her right hand. In her left, the crackling energy of a spell begins to take shape.
Her voice is slow and steady.
"Move, and you’ll regret it. You're going to tell us exactly what you're doing here."
A pause.
"And if I don’t like your answer ..." She presses the cannon harder into his back. "Well, let’s just say I really hope you give me a reason to be nice."
The Stabilizer Room
For a moment, there is only silence.
The air in the room is thick with tension — the soft hum of the stabilizer seems impossibly loud against the stillness.
The hooded man does not flinch at the eldritch cannon pressed against his back. He remains still, posture relaxed but deliberate, as if assessing the situation.
Then, he exhales slowly. "Clever." His voice is smooth, measured — neither surprised nor afraid. "But you and I both know you won’t fire — not without answers."
He tilts his head slightly, just enough to glance at the elven woman on the floor, still bound. A flicker of emotion crosses his face, but it’s unreadable — not shock, not concern — but recognition.
"You caught her. Impressive." His gaze shifts toward the stabilizer, lingering on it for a fraction too long. He was coming here for a reason.
But before he can say more, the elven woman finally speaks.
"Destroy it?" She scoffs, rolling her shoulders as much as her bindings allow. "You think that’s what we were doing?" She looks up at Vorenus, her blue-gray eyes flashing with something between amusement and irritation. "You’re asking the wrong questions."
Then, she shifts her gaze toward the hooded man. "And you took your time."
"Oh, you think so?" Shenua replies, circling around the man, moving from his back to stand right in front of him. "Why, I think there are plenty of places I could shoot that would still allow you to talk...", She gestures with a tilt of her head. "Move toward that wall over there, if you would be so kind."
She glances at Iromae, Diego, and Vorenus, finally making eye contact with them. "Good job there, guys,"she adds with a smile. "Will you please stand next to me?" With this, Shenua wants the man and woman to stand in front of the group (though not too close among them) and away from the stabilizer. Both well within reach of the crackling Evocation spell gathering in her left hand, but keeping the device safely out of range. All the while, the cannon stays aimed at the hooded man.
"Now," the tiefling says, her voice sharp, "what in the Nine Hells is going on here? Who are you, and what do you want with the stabilizer?" She narrows her eyes. "If you didn't mean to destroy it, then why come here in the dead of night, hidden behind a mask?" she asks the elven woman, and then her turquoise gaze fixes on the man. "And you — will you please do us the honor of showing your face?"
Iromae is worried a moment that this elven woman is not answering Vorenus' questions. 'Did she overcome the spell?' she thinks. But then she realizes he'd only told her to talk to them, not to answer their questions. "What questions should we be asking then? As Shenua said, what we really want to know is what is your plan?" She glances back as Shenua enters with the man from the tavern just ahead of her. Hearing his remark, she asks the question, although the answer is probably already obvious. "You two know each other? I suppose you are working together as well?"
She ends up nudging Diego after he'd helped tie up the elf woman. "Keep a close eye on her," she says, motioning with her hand towards the tied-up woman. She then moves over closer to Shenua and the mysterious man. She keeps an eye on him, anticipating he might at any moment try something to get away. "Were you just in the tavern to keep an eye on us?"
Vorenus is quickly looking over the two for any signs of a weapon, wanting to restrain both of them, not just the elf who was sabotaging the portal. “Were you attempting to travel through the portal? Or prevent something from coming through?” He turns to Diego, in his hands he holds the crackling beginnings of a ray of frost, asking "Are you okay, are you hurt? Can you tie up our new arrival as well?" Then he shifts back to keeping guard over the two would be saboteurs.
Diego steps forward, ok, let's all take a step back for moment. My friends and I are on a mission to recover someone dear to us that has become lost, as well as restore any memory of her that has been lost? The magical weave has become damaged, unraveling and we need to repair it. The clues indicate that we'll need at least some understanding if the planes themselves, if not actually traversing them, in order to restore the weave.
If you're not here to destroy the machine then you're here to use it, to what purpose?
The hooded man does not resist as Shenua moves to face him, the eldritch cannon still trained on his chest.
"Oh, you think so?" she taunts, circling around him. "There are plenty of places I could shoot that would still allow you to talk."
His expression remains calm, unreadable. But he listens.
"Move toward that wall over there, if you would be so kind."
Without protest, he steps back, keeping his movements slow, careful. He glances at the elven woman, taking in her restrained position, and then shifts his attention back to the group.
As he moves, Vorenus watches carefully, scanning them both for any hidden weapons. The search is hurried and imprecise. Their cloaks and clothing conceal much, and Vorenus finds nothing obvious. If they are armed, they're good at hiding it.
Meanwhile, Iromae steps forward, watching their new captives closely.
"What questions should we be asking then?" she presses the elven woman. "What we really want to know is what your plan is."
She then glances toward the hooded man.
"You two know each other? I suppose you're working together as well?"
The elven woman smirks slightly, but doesn’t answer immediately.
The hooded man, however, does. "Yes." He offers no elaboration.
Iromae doesn’t let up. "Were you just in the tavern to keep an eye on us?"
This time, he gives a slight tilt of his head, as if considering his words. "I was in the tavern to keep an eye on many things."
Before Shenua can press further, Diego steps forward. His voice is firm but measured, an attempt to de-escalate the growing tension.
"Ok, let's all take a step back for a moment. My friends and I are on a mission to recover someone dear to us who has become lost, as well as restore any memory of her that has been erased. The magical weave has become damaged, unraveling, and we need to repair it." He watches for a reaction, but neither captive flinches. "The clues indicate that we'll need at least some understanding of the planes themselves, if not actually traversing them, in order to restore the weave."
He exhales, his tone shifting slightly — more pointed, more direct. "If you're not here to destroy the machine, then you're here to use it. To what purpose?"
The elven woman glances at the hooded man.
Something unspoken passes between them.
Then, finally, the man speaks.
"We are here to prevent the unraveling." A pause. "And if you've already begun to notice the damage ... then we may not be enemies after all."
Iromae listened to the man, looking a bit surprised when he suggests they might not be enemies. "You will have to pardon me, but it might take a bit more to convince us you're on our side." She shakes her head, continuing. "I mean, I presume you were behind damaging the stablizer in the first place. And now you are here again after we fixed it. It's hard not to assume you are just trying to break it again."
Shenua looks at Iromae. "Couldn't agree more." Then she turns back to the man and the woman. "If you expect us to believe we can be allies, you need to stop giving us half-baked answers. From where I stand, all you're doing is mimicking Diego's words. So tell us about the unravelling. And what did you do to the stabilizer in the first place? Why tamper with it instead of contacting the Guild — if you're truly just trying to help."
She pauses, her gaze sharp, and points to the man's hood. "Please, don't make me ask twice. If we're not enemies, I want to know who I'm talking to."
While saying all this, the tiefling also steals a glance at the stabilizer without so much as shifting her stance. Does it look like the woman tampered with it, or does it seem to be functioning normally? Either way, she asks Diego, "Did she do anything to the stabilizer before Vorenus stopped her?"
For the first time, the man hesitates. Then, he slowly raises his hands to his hood.
The fabric falls back, revealing a human man with chiseled features, dark brown hair streaked with silver, and piercing amber eyes. There is something distinct about his face — weathered, experienced, but not old. A faint scar cuts across his left cheek, and his gaze carries the weight of someone who has seen too much.
He lets the hood fall completely, watching their reactions carefully.
Iromae watches intently as it seems the man is going to reveal himself. She studies him as his face is revealed - the hair, the eyes, the weathered skin, and the scar. She remains quiet for just a few moments, then her words fill the silence. "It is great that you have shown us your face. But I think I need a bit more information."
Even as she speaks, she does wonder whether maybe she ought to recognize this man. (Insight: 19)
Shenua visibly appreciates the man's gesture. She's not sure yet of this man and the woman's intentions, but at least, that has been a first step towards calming the situation. Perhaps there is room to end is amicably. She is still aiming her eldritch cannon at him, but she releases the spell she was holding in her free hand. "You have my thanks. My name is Shenua, Shenua Deamhain. And I'm an artificer working for this very Guild". She doesn't ask for her friends to introduce themselves, leaving them to do it if they wish, but she does eye the man and the woman, hoping they will give their names, though not trying to force it.
"I have to say I agree with my friend. Please, answer our questions. As you can imagine, I do not appreciate what has happened to the planar stabilizer so far. I want that my guild companion's work keeps working as intended. So what are your reasons behind what has happened? How does it relate with our predicament with our missing friend?"
Meanwhile, she focuses her gaze in the woman first, and in the man last, lingering in the latter. Should she recognize any of them?
Through the Window
Vorenus lands hard but cleanly, rolling into the fall as he hits the crates below. The impact rattles his bones, but he’s on his feet instantly — and so is she.
The masked woman sprints forward, her lithe form darting down the alley. She’s fast — but Vorenus is faster.
His voice rings out, the magic of his words settling into the air with a weight that cannot be ignored:
"Stop. Quit running. You should turn yourself in and let us speak with you. Return to the room you are fleeing from and sit down."
The spell takes hold. The woman skids to a stop mid-stride.
For a split second, her muscles lock, her breath hitching — her body caught between willpower and compulsion. She turns slightly, her masked face unreadable … and then —
She pivots back toward the Guild Hall.
Without a word, she begins walking back toward the window, her movements stiff and unnatural as the magic forces her compliance.
Vorenus stands ready, watching carefully. If she fights it, he’ll be on her in a heartbeat.
From above, Iromae and Diego see it all.
Iromae had just asked, “Did you stop them?”
Diego, still blinking past his dazzled vision, sees the answer clearly. The woman is returning as instructed.
The Pursuit
As Shenua watches from the shadows, the hooded man reaches the locked front doors. His stride doesn’t slow — he was expecting this.
Without hesitation, he turns sharply, veering away from the entrance and heading toward the side of the building.
Shenua’s pulse quickens. He’s going for the service door. It’s ajar. Someone left it open.
The hooded man reaches it, his hand barely brushing the door handle before he hesitates — just for a fraction of a second. Something inside has caught his attention.
Then, without a word, he slips through, entering the Guild.
"The service door!? How does he know about it?" Shenua wonders as she rushes after the man's steps. But she dismisses the thought. Now is not the time to be asking herself these questions—it is the time to act.
The tiefling remains cautious. She follows him into the Guild Hall and even allows him to enter the stabilizer room unchallenged. She hears Iromae, Diego, and Vorenu's muffled voices inside. Good, they are all here. She holds her breath and waits—one, two, three... ten seconds. Then she steps into the room, partially hidden behind the taller man’s back.
The man suddenly feels something cold and metallic pressed against him. Then, a click. Shenua has disengaged the eldritch cannon’s safety switch, aiming it at him with her right hand. In her left, the crackling energy of a spell begins to take shape.
Then Shenua speaks, slow and steady. "Move, and you’ll regret it. You're going to tell us exactly what you're doing here." A pause. "And if I don’t like your answer..." She presses the cannon even more. "Well, let’s just say I really hope you give me a reason to be nice."
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"You did it!" Iromae says enthusiastically to Vorenus as she sees his spell take hold. She tries to maneuver through the window as well to join Vorenus on the other side. "You should question her out here, right away," she says in a quieter voice. "Not sure exactly how she'll carry out all those things you said. But if she finishes them all the spell ends."
After the words to Vorenus, she looks up at the woman, watching her closely for any signs of the spell wearing off.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue
Diego watches as his eyes adjust, the spots finally clearing. Vore you old boar bone! Well done!
Vorenus is regaining his breath as he walks in, putting his hands on his hips, nodding with a smile to Ironmae and Diego. Then he says to the masked woman (as he starts to remove her mask), “Start answering questions, now. Why are you trying to destroy this portal? Sit down on the ground, we are going to have a chat and you are going to answer questions for us. I want to know why you are intent on destroying this thing and who you are working with.” He turns his head to Ironmae and DIego, saying quickly “Find something to bind her hands, she’s going to stay until we get to the bottom of this.” He gets a good look at her face after he removes the mask and he starts to remove anything else she’s carrying that could harm them, searching for any weapons as she answers the questions.
Seeing Vorenus head back inside, Iromae follows him. "Get her secured before she sits down," she suggests. She looks through her pack, grabbing the rope from it. "We can use this to tie up the hands. Just remember the spell doesn't last forever."
She starts to try to bind the woman but welcomes any help she might get.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue
Shenua hears—more than sees—Vorenus and Iromae stepping in through the window, following someone who must have been the one to raise the alarms. The masked stranger comes inside almost submissively, though their movements feel reluctant, as if they're resisting. Are they under some spell? It doesn’t matter right now. The tiefling is too focused on the hooded man's reaction to her sudden appearance right behind him, the cannon aimed squarely at his back.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Diego moves to secure the woman, binding her hands and feet. That should hold hold you, nice trick by the way.
Vorenus takes her mask off, looking to see if he recognizes her. “Who put you up to this? Are you acting on anyone’s orders? Tell us why you did this!” Vorenus stands over the would-be saboteur and points his finger at her threateningly. He wants answers, and he wants them now!
Adjusting the Scene for Continuity
There’s a moment of narrative overlap here — Vorenus, Iromae, and Diego are securing the captured woman, while Shenua is following the hooded man into the Guild Hall. The issue is that both groups are converging on the stabilizer room, but at slightly different times, which means some adjustments need to be made.
Here’s how we can make it all fit seamlessly:
Guild Hall – The Stabilizer Room & Service Hall
Inside the stabilizer room, Diego’s vision has cleared, and he watches as Vorenus’s spell compels the masked woman back inside. Iromae moves quickly, retrieving a rope, while Diego starts securing her hands. The woman’s movements are stiff, controlled by the lingering [spell]suggestion[/suggestion] spell, but she is clearly resisting the compulsion internally — the moment it fades, she may try something.
Vorenus removes her mask, revealing a sharp-featured elven woman with pale silver-blonde hair, her blue-gray eyes flicking between each of them with an unreadable expression.
"Who put you up to this?" Vorenus demands. "Are you acting on anyone’s orders? Tell us why you did this!"
The woman doesn’t immediately respond. Though she doesn’t fight against the bindings, she watches them with calm calculation — as if already considering her next move.
Just as Vorenus finishes his question, something else happens — the service door creaks open.
A new presence enters the Guild Hall.
Shenua — Entering the Guild Hall
Shenua keeps to the shadows, moving swiftly behind the hooded man as he veers toward the unlocked service door.
The service door!? How does he know about it? she thinks, but there’s no time to dwell. He enters, and she follows.
She moves carefully, silently, keeping behind him as they pass through the service hall and toward the stabilizer room.
Inside, she can hear muffled voices — Vorenus, Diego, Iromae. They’re all here.
She holds her breath and waits — one, two, three ... ten seconds.
Then, she steps into the room, partially hidden behind the taller man’s back.
He has no idea she’s there. Until ...
A cold, metallic barrel presses against his spine. A click.
Shenua has disengaged the eldritch cannon’s safety switch, aiming it at him with her right hand. In her left, the crackling energy of a spell begins to take shape.
Her voice is slow and steady.
"Move, and you’ll regret it. You're going to tell us exactly what you're doing here."
A pause.
"And if I don’t like your answer ..." She presses the cannon harder into his back. "Well, let’s just say I really hope you give me a reason to be nice."
The Stabilizer Room
For a moment, there is only silence.
The air in the room is thick with tension — the soft hum of the stabilizer seems impossibly loud against the stillness.
The hooded man does not flinch at the eldritch cannon pressed against his back. He remains still, posture relaxed but deliberate, as if assessing the situation.
Then, he exhales slowly. "Clever." His voice is smooth, measured — neither surprised nor afraid. "But you and I both know you won’t fire — not without answers."
He tilts his head slightly, just enough to glance at the elven woman on the floor, still bound. A flicker of emotion crosses his face, but it’s unreadable — not shock, not concern — but recognition.
"You caught her. Impressive." His gaze shifts toward the stabilizer, lingering on it for a fraction too long. He was coming here for a reason.
But before he can say more, the elven woman finally speaks.
"Destroy it?" She scoffs, rolling her shoulders as much as her bindings allow. "You think that’s what we were doing?" She looks up at Vorenus, her blue-gray eyes flashing with something between amusement and irritation. "You’re asking the wrong questions."
Then, she shifts her gaze toward the hooded man. "And you took your time."
He does not react.
"Oh, you think so?" Shenua replies, circling around the man, moving from his back to stand right in front of him. "Why, I think there are plenty of places I could shoot that would still allow you to talk...", She gestures with a tilt of her head. "Move toward that wall over there, if you would be so kind."
She glances at Iromae, Diego, and Vorenus, finally making eye contact with them. "Good job there, guys," she adds with a smile. "Will you please stand next to me?" With this, Shenua wants the man and woman to stand in front of the group (though not too close among them) and away from the stabilizer. Both well within reach of the crackling Evocation spell gathering in her left hand, but keeping the device safely out of range. All the while, the cannon stays aimed at the hooded man.
"Now," the tiefling says, her voice sharp, "what in the Nine Hells is going on here? Who are you, and what do you want with the stabilizer?"
She narrows her eyes. "If you didn't mean to destroy it, then why come here in the dead of night, hidden behind a mask?" she asks the elven woman, and then her turquoise gaze fixes on the man. "And you — will you please do us the honor of showing your face?"
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Iromae is worried a moment that this elven woman is not answering Vorenus' questions. 'Did she overcome the spell?' she thinks. But then she realizes he'd only told her to talk to them, not to answer their questions. "What questions should we be asking then? As Shenua said, what we really want to know is what is your plan?" She glances back as Shenua enters with the man from the tavern just ahead of her. Hearing his remark, she asks the question, although the answer is probably already obvious. "You two know each other? I suppose you are working together as well?"
She ends up nudging Diego after he'd helped tie up the elf woman. "Keep a close eye on her," she says, motioning with her hand towards the tied-up woman. She then moves over closer to Shenua and the mysterious man. She keeps an eye on him, anticipating he might at any moment try something to get away. "Were you just in the tavern to keep an eye on us?"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue
Vorenus is quickly looking over the two for any signs of a weapon, wanting to restrain both of them, not just the elf who was sabotaging the portal. “Were you attempting to travel through the portal? Or prevent something from coming through?” He turns to Diego, in his hands he holds the crackling beginnings of a ray of frost, asking "Are you okay, are you hurt? Can you tie up our new arrival as well?" Then he shifts back to keeping guard over the two would be saboteurs.
Diego steps forward, ok, let's all take a step back for moment. My friends and I are on a mission to recover someone dear to us that has become lost, as well as restore any memory of her that has been lost? The magical weave has become damaged, unraveling and we need to repair it. The clues indicate that we'll need at least some understanding if the planes themselves, if not actually traversing them, in order to restore the weave.
If you're not here to destroy the machine then you're here to use it, to what purpose?
The hooded man does not resist as Shenua moves to face him, the eldritch cannon still trained on his chest.
"Oh, you think so?" she taunts, circling around him. "There are plenty of places I could shoot that would still allow you to talk."
His expression remains calm, unreadable. But he listens.
"Move toward that wall over there, if you would be so kind."
Without protest, he steps back, keeping his movements slow, careful. He glances at the elven woman, taking in her restrained position, and then shifts his attention back to the group.
As he moves, Vorenus watches carefully, scanning them both for any hidden weapons. The search is hurried and imprecise. Their cloaks and clothing conceal much, and Vorenus finds nothing obvious. If they are armed, they're good at hiding it.
Meanwhile, Iromae steps forward, watching their new captives closely.
"What questions should we be asking then?" she presses the elven woman. "What we really want to know is what your plan is."
She then glances toward the hooded man.
"You two know each other? I suppose you're working together as well?"
The elven woman smirks slightly, but doesn’t answer immediately.
The hooded man, however, does. "Yes." He offers no elaboration.
Iromae doesn’t let up. "Were you just in the tavern to keep an eye on us?"
This time, he gives a slight tilt of his head, as if considering his words. "I was in the tavern to keep an eye on many things."
Before Shenua can press further, Diego steps forward. His voice is firm but measured, an attempt to de-escalate the growing tension.
"Ok, let's all take a step back for a moment. My friends and I are on a mission to recover someone dear to us who has become lost, as well as restore any memory of her that has been erased. The magical weave has become damaged, unraveling, and we need to repair it." He watches for a reaction, but neither captive flinches. "The clues indicate that we'll need at least some understanding of the planes themselves, if not actually traversing them, in order to restore the weave."
He exhales, his tone shifting slightly — more pointed, more direct. "If you're not here to destroy the machine, then you're here to use it. To what purpose?"
The elven woman glances at the hooded man.
Something unspoken passes between them.
Then, finally, the man speaks.
"We are here to prevent the unraveling." A pause. "And if you've already begun to notice the damage ... then we may not be enemies after all."
Iromae listened to the man, looking a bit surprised when he suggests they might not be enemies. "You will have to pardon me, but it might take a bit more to convince us you're on our side." She shakes her head, continuing. "I mean, I presume you were behind damaging the stablizer in the first place. And now you are here again after we fixed it. It's hard not to assume you are just trying to break it again."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue
Shenua looks at Iromae. "Couldn't agree more." Then she turns back to the man and the woman. "If you expect us to believe we can be allies, you need to stop giving us half-baked answers. From where I stand, all you're doing is mimicking Diego's words. So tell us about the unravelling. And what did you do to the stabilizer in the first place? Why tamper with it instead of contacting the Guild — if you're truly just trying to help."
She pauses, her gaze sharp, and points to the man's hood. "Please, don't make me ask twice. If we're not enemies, I want to know who I'm talking to."
While saying all this, the tiefling also steals a glance at the stabilizer without so much as shifting her stance. Does it look like the woman tampered with it, or does it seem to be functioning normally? Either way, she asks Diego, "Did she do anything to the stabilizer before Vorenus stopped her?"
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
For the first time, the man hesitates. Then, he slowly raises his hands to his hood.
The fabric falls back, revealing a human man with chiseled features, dark brown hair streaked with silver, and piercing amber eyes. There is something distinct about his face — weathered, experienced, but not old. A faint scar cuts across his left cheek, and his gaze carries the weight of someone who has seen too much.
He lets the hood fall completely, watching their reactions carefully.
Iromae watches intently as it seems the man is going to reveal himself. She studies him as his face is revealed - the hair, the eyes, the weathered skin, and the scar. She remains quiet for just a few moments, then her words fill the silence. "It is great that you have shown us your face. But I think I need a bit more information."
Even as she speaks, she does wonder whether maybe she ought to recognize this man. (Insight: 19)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue
Shenua visibly appreciates the man's gesture. She's not sure yet of this man and the woman's intentions, but at least, that has been a first step towards calming the situation. Perhaps there is room to end is amicably. She is still aiming her eldritch cannon at him, but she releases the spell she was holding in her free hand. "You have my thanks. My name is Shenua, Shenua Deamhain. And I'm an artificer working for this very Guild". She doesn't ask for her friends to introduce themselves, leaving them to do it if they wish, but she does eye the man and the woman, hoping they will give their names, though not trying to force it.
"I have to say I agree with my friend. Please, answer our questions. As you can imagine, I do not appreciate what has happened to the planar stabilizer so far. I want that my guild companion's work keeps working as intended. So what are your reasons behind what has happened? How does it relate with our predicament with our missing friend?"
Meanwhile, she focuses her gaze in the woman first, and in the man last, lingering in the latter. Should she recognize any of them?
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Nessa | Saxa | Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra