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 Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:40 pm
 He was always watching. Always aware. His eyes had not opened since SHE had come. Instantly his attention had been diverted. Longingly and desperatly fixed on the female presence. He feared that this one, like the one before, would not last too long. Micarreth had taken care of that one. He did not lament it though. She had been unworthy. A common b***h carried in on the bottom of the matrons boot to be scraped off in one of the guest rooms like she deserved to be there. He prayed for a assassination attempt, a good one, that would get through his defenses. Just so he could watch her blood stain the floor where she fell. Alas, he was not granted such a fine show...but she did dissappear. Vuzril supposed he could settle for that. In the months that had followed his Matrons ill health, he trembled eagerly for her to draw her last breath. Once she was dead he'd be free of these bonds. These obligations that he was torturousely confined by. To break free of his imprisonment and move on. Leave this forsaken House behind and find a new place. It appeared his nephew was up to some sort of plot. From what he had overheard, he definatly approved of the plan. The female he choose could have born a bit more consideration. He certainly would not have lain with her...and he laid nightly next to a long ago corpse turned skeleton. It was time though, to ensure his future. Mas would eventually seek to end his mother, and by the law laid upon him by the b***h he could not contact any member of the House, or the guard. But this Tri-Nolu was not a part of the House. Not yet. So she was free game for his plans. Vuzril inhaled deeply, and placed his hands upon the large black Shadowstone he had been provided with. Through it he was able to focus his powers more acuratly. All he need do is locate her right now..and form a shadow in the hopes of communicating with her...
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Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:50 pm
The sleep Trielnolu slept was not easy. The evening could have gone much worse than it did, but she was still tired and sore, and going to bed nearer the time a servant would be waking up didn't do much for her overall physical state either. Or her mental state, really, as her dreams reflected. All of them were bloody dreams of warfare between Houses and cities, and she didn't like the roles she tended to play in them. It was a relief to her that she was not a Seer, and so these could be no more than bad dreams. And as bad dreams went, they could hardly compare to the torments she had endured while she was training at the mage academy in Llurth Dreir, despite waking with the feeling of being observed.
So she woke out of sorts, but not noticeably so, given the circumstances. She had bathed before going to sleep, but upon waking she called for a servant to draw another bath for her, and luxuriated in the hot water, perfumed with oils which would help her to relax. the most stressful part of everything was over now, until she actually had to give birth. She had not yet been to see the healer she'd contracted to be her primary care consultant for the duration of her pregnancy, and so she wasn't one hundred percent certain that she had conceived, but she was fairly certain she had.
Not that she would attribute it to anything as ridiculous as a mother's intuition. Hardly that. There was a stone she'd found at a market stall which claimed to be able to determine whether a woman was pregnant or not. She had to bathe in near-scalding water and put the stone in the wate, and it would glow accordingly. She'd performed this test to her satisfaction before going to bed, and now as she relaxed in the large porceline tub she did so once more. The results were the same. She wasn't going to trust the stone implicitly, either, but it would have to be sufficient proof for Mas until she could get to the healer.
Despite being in the waters she kept magically hot with a sigil she'd painted onto the bottom of the tub early in her tenancy, the waters which she so enjoyed because they were like the hot, nearly geyser-temperature pools of Llurth Dreir, Tri-no could not make herself completely comfortable. She had an unpleasant feeling of being watched, which made her especially uncomfortable, given that she now knew herself to have at least a full mage's control over her powers of illusion, and so it was unlikely she was imagining such a feeling into existence. She had learned early not to believe her own illusions, once she started learning, that is.
Feeling a little silly, she called to what she was sure was an empty room, "I don't appreciate voyeurism."
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Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 4:09 pm
In his tomb, Vuzril scowled. A unsatisfied expresstion that twisted his features into a unkind expression. He really would have preferred not to have begun his newest term of observation with her in the bath. It was bad enough he had glimpsed of her and his nephew together long enough to ensure she qualified for what he was going to attempt. He thought to linger, with his main attention directed elsewhere, until it was she was decently clothed. Perhaps in the maids quarters to better cleanse his mind of such images. Tri-Nolu may not have been vulgar to look upon, but Vuzril was exceptionally picky in his personal tastes.
Her words though, calling out in such a way held his attention paused. She was a mage, this was granted. Perhaps she felt the disturbance from his scrying? It was quite possible. Even Mas had shown traces of feeling cold chills down his spine or glanceing over his shoulders when Vuzril focused his attention upon him. This was a opportunity that he could take advantage of...one of those slight openings that he could twist to his benefit despite the harridan's oath curse upon him.
Within the bathroom, Vuzril would choose to form his shadow from a corner. A shaping and darkening that would take mere moments to complete really. It would be then that it would step forwards, detaching itself from the deeper darkness. For the sake of lightly tilting power into his own hads, he formed the shadow as a female, though with no identifiable details beyond the curved shape. Vuzril had...difficulty making his shadows speak. He was untrianed as it was and he made do with what he could. namely, he used the silent hand signal language of the drow.
The shadowform moved fluidly towards the tub area where Tri-no lounged, it's hand lifting to sign the words Vuzril desired it to convey.
~I apologize. I am unaccustomed to interacting with others.~
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Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 4:35 pm
Tri-no really hadn't expected a response of any sort. A shadowy figure materializing - as much as a shadow can materialize - in her chambers wouldn't have been what she expected even if she had thought there'd be one, though. She'd been inclined to think it was Micarreth, playing one of his less-than-charming pranks. Had it been him, she wouldn't have felt any compunction at casting something which wouldn't damage him permanently, but which would make him think long and hard about trying to surprise her any more. Some days she was hard-pressed to recall whether Micarreth was more or less irritating than Shrisin. Or so she joked. She always remembered which of the two she hated more.
The feminine figure upset Tri-no more than she would have willingly admitted. Being made of shadow, she could not turn her heat-sensing vision on it and be more aware. Shadows did not generate heat or cold. It was like they didn't exist in that spectrum. Well. Shadows could cool objects, but the shadows themselves had no heat signature. A solid-ish one such as this...She didn't like it. Not in the least. And it moved oddly.
"Clearly," she replied, stubbornly using vocal communication. It made sense that a shadow couldn't communicate, as there were no airways for sound to travel through within a shadow. Of course, by that reasoning a shadow shouldn't be able to hear, either, but that kind of reasoning made her head hurt. "Have you been following me for the past...while?"
She was trying to sound reasonable, but she was irked.
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Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:13 pm
As he had practiced, Vuzril gently slid more of his consciousness into that particular shadow form. By doing so it narrowed the spectrum of his senses, meaning he could not keep a keen observation of the whole house, but he could focus more intently on this particular Shadow and it's surroundings. He added a bit more detail to the shadow. Giving it recognizeable lips and eyelids. Well, it was more defined if one were actually able to see it more clearly in the darkness.
Vuzril's shadow shifted a step towards the tub, a bit closer so it could continue it's singing in hopefully a easier manner to read.
~It is my task to watch the halls of this House. I guard it's passages and those that call this place Home. Thus I have watched you.~
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:53 pm
Trielnolu watched with a great deal of interest despite herself as the shadowy figure took a more solid form. Well. Not solid, per se. But a more distinct form. It made it a little easier for her to read the shadow's facial expressions and hand signals, though she was truly less interested in these than in the magic which must have formed such a creature to begin with. She was an illusionist, and so she could make a person see such things, but she could not make them real. This was more likely to be the work of an enchanter, or maybe even a necromancer, though she didn't imagine Barrith turned out too many of the latter.
It wouldn't be impossible for someone who was fully trained as an enchanter to enchant a shadow to obey orders. Giving it the semblence of sentience, on the other hand, would have taken a great investiture of magic on that someone's behalf. More than was really necessary for creating a guard. Loyal guards could be more easily made or paid for than this. The other option was that this being had not begun her life as a shadow, and had, instead, started out as a living creature and been cursed(?) with a shadowy form. The original creature need not even have been a drow, depending on how old the enchantment was. It wouldn't be impossible for a determined member of a lower race to learn their sign language, after all.
She was not as enthralled when the figure stepped closer to her. There were limits to how far outrage and curiosity could carry Tri-no, and if the figure came too much closer she would be forced to take some sort of action. Being surprised in the bath was not something she enjoyed.
"Do you watch me because you suspect I will harm someone here, or because I somehow fall under your jurisdiction and am in need or guarding?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:07 pm
For a moment Vuzrils shadow seemed to consider the words she spoke. He had to be careful. He could not, and would not, betray his oathbond. The temptation was always great, but in this case it was greater still. The Shadow shifted as a outward sign of unease, and finally he lifted it's hand to Sign.
- It is my duty to watch those that belong to House Barrith. I am charged with obscurity however. I am unallowed to approch those of the Barrith Bloodline and speak with them. Equally, I am unallowed to have dealings with those who do not belong to the Barrith House. You are, as of this time, both of and not of the House. So I feel it is not against the Oathbond to speak openly with you. At the same time I may also watch over you.-
He paused then, and in his room Vuzril's lips turned downwards into a faint frow. he wanted to just get on with it. Say what he wished and see if he could obtain his freedom soon. However, he did not wish to offend the female. Well..approching her in the bath probably was not the wisest choice of timeing...
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:15 pm
Well. That answered that question, then. She had begun as a living, breathing creature and somehow gotten herself into a predicament where she was bound by some irritating rules. Tri-no couldn't figure out the point to such contradictory limitations. Unable to approach anyone of the Barrith bloodline, and also unable to deal with those outside of the House. It was a conundrum. And yet Tri-no did fall conveniently into the grey area in between. She wondered if the person responsible for the shadow-creature's state had ever imagined a scenario like this one in which she could reveal herself.
"What is it that you wished to speak to me about, then? And why have you chosen this moment to reveal yourself?"
The questions, she felt, were reasonable enough. The answer to the first might simply lie in the fact that the shadow being could be going mad with being unable to talk to anyone in so long, and having found a loophole to her vows was simply enthused enough to be able to converse at all that there was no one topic she wished to discuss, but simply to talk. That theory didn't work so well when applied to the second question, though. Surely Tri-no's presence in the House couldn't have come as a surprise at this late date. And it wasn't as though another hour or so would have made much difference.
Though she had been feeling as though someone was following her. She'd dismissed it because there were servants everywhere in Barrith, and it was only natural that she would feel their attention turn to her when she was around. But maybe there had been something more.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:36 pm
Vuzril felt his lips turn upwards into a smile, and his shadow mimiced the happy expression She had asked him what he wished to speak about, and that was a opening. Vuzril was having a hard time getting around his oath to bring up what it was he really wanted. His fingers flew as he eagerly began to speal. Spilling the words from his hands as quickly as he could from his lips.
- You will soon be a Barrith, by bond of blood. At this time I will be unable to speak with you again. I know of the Lord Mas D'auns plans. I have watched him long and I have witnessed his own preparations. I am charged to protect the Bloodline from assassination attempts. However, I am also charged to do no harm nor am I to impede the will of the Bloodline. So I feel myself obligated not to involve myself. However...
Now the shadow paused, and it made a small helpless gestureing motion with it's hands.
- Once the Matron no longer draws breath my bond is broken in part. but not completely. I am still bound, and that binding will be my ultimate death. So now I come to speak with you in a desperate attempt to ensure my own survival.-
The shadow form;s chest began to rise and fall, in a mimicing of silent laughter. Lifting it's hand it flicked it's fingers through it's shadowy hair and tilted it's head to one side.
- I once had dealings with another who fell into the undetermined lines of my oathbond. I had trusted her to follow through with the agreement we reached, but she betrayed me in the end and left me to languish in my prison. I want freedom. I want to live beyond these walls. I was uncertain if you would be like that other female. I am still not certain, but I feel I really have no choice but to try-
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:52 pm
Trielnolu had to stop herself from smacking herself in the face with her own palm. Naturally the Oathbound thing wanted something from her. When in her entire life had she ever made a single acquaintance that didn't eventually want something from her? Mas had started out as a no-strings-attached sort of acquaintance, but now she found that she was bearing him a child. Everyone else in her life that had had any sort of significance had wanted something from her. Why should this Oathbound creature be any different?
A bond of blood, eh? She wondered what was meant by that. Likely whatever ritual was required to adopt her into the House involved an exchange of blood, and that was what the Oathbound meant, but that ceremony would not take place until after she'd given birth to a healthy baby girl. At this point it was much too early for her to speculate on that count. She would like to be able to fulfil her contract satisfactorily, though, and preferably on the first attempt. The sex had been fun, but she would rather repeat the experience with someone who was actually inclined toward females naturally.
"And what, exactly, do you want from me?" Tri-no asked, not bothering to conceal the slightly jaded tone of her voice. "While I appreciate the difficulty of your situation, I'm sure you understand the nature of mine, and I will not do anything to jeopardize that."
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:06 pm
Vuzril listened with a eager ear. His shadow form shivered even from the intensity that he was focusing now. He had completely shut out the rest of the House. Again Tri-no laid open the path for him to be more forthright with his words. The lips remained spread into a eager smile on the shadow as he continued in his communication.
- I am secreted in a room on the Family Level of the House. If you follow the hall you will find a large bland painting depicting a bleak undercity tower. Behind this painting there was once a door, but it has long since been bricked up. Once it is the Matron no longer rules this House I would ask you have this wall broken away so that I might leave. This is all I ask.-
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:22 pm
On the surface, the Oathbound's request was not so much. If she fulfilled her contract and was adopted as a daughter of Barrith, it would be a small enough matter to order such a thing to be done. Even with the considerably less influence she presently wielded, it might be possible for her to arrange for a certain wall to be knocked down, providing it wasn't going to affect the structural integrity of the building. But that was just on the surface, and Tri-no had endured enough pranks that she was sure her cousin was behind to make her wary of simple things.
"I will remember what you have asked. But I have a right to know what I should expect to encounter behind the wall. Are there traps of the sort left to protect tombs from vandals and robbers? Is there something particularly nasty concealed? And, for that matter, why should this one wall make such a difference?"
She considered these questions no more unreasonable than asking about the political climate upon entering a foreign city, which is to say that they might be difficult to answer, but having an accurate answer was positively essential. She would do nothing if she did not receive satisfactory answers.
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:30 pm
Ah...and here now there came a pause. The shadow stilled it's eager movements and the smile melted away from it's face. What should it say? Oathbound as it was, this was a tricky topic for it to manipulate!
- There are no traps. No protections upon this place.- it carefully signed. What more could it say? He had been told that he could not tell anyone about himself...but...
The shadow looked about the bathroom as Vuzril struggled with his oath.
- The room is a tomb for one that was greatly hated. Here I am locked and bound. I an oathed to not tell of myself. I can say that should the doorway be opened no ill would befall any within this House. I would still be Oathed to do no harm within these walls.-
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 10:39 pm
When it came to matters of oaths and bindings, Tri-no was nothing like as adept as her Aunt Halynda, who could trap people with their words so quickly it was as though she was feeding them a script. But that didn't mean she didn't know to be very alert when making them. Mostly she just tried never to make any sort of vow or swear to any sort of binding. Not anymore. When she'd been younger she'd been so excited with magic that she'd've sworn magically-bound oaths just for the thrill of being able to bind something with magic. Thank the Goddess she'd never actually done so.
Still, the Oathbound's reluctance made her uneasy, despite her explanation that she was sworn not to speak of herself. No traps and protections sounded promising, but the words "within this House" caught her ear. That sort of wording was the sort that could get a person into trouble. Should they step outside of the House, for instance. There were still some ambiguities she would like to clear up, but she probably wouldn't get much more out of the Oathbound.
"If I consult with a blood member of Barrith, will you be in any way forsworn, and would such an action have regrettable repercussions?" She would like to talk this over with Mas before agreeing to anything.
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:46 pm
Would that make things difficult? The shadow withdrew a step as Vuzril considered. Well... The oath bond only applied to him...
-Only I am bound in actions and word. What you choose to do of your own accord will not bare repurcussions. Save unless it is that you were to try and seek harm on someone of the bloodline.-
Vuzril had the shadow pause then to toy with a length of it's shifting black hair.
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