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Talice Rilath, Seer and Priestess in the service of Lloth, had a very big problem -- her daggers needed re-poisoning. Despite the fact that she was always flanked by four huge female drow whenever she went out in the open, the Seer liked to be able to defend herself at all times and since her combat training had suffered a little thanks to her virtual imprisonment inside the temples of Lloth, Talice evened out the odds by keeping her blades poisoned. Unfortunately, her usual alchemist had come down with a very serious case of death. Talice didn't know who had killed her and nor did she particularly care. All that mattered at the moment was getting someone else to coat her blades with some sort of non-lethal but fast-acting poison.

Asking around her gained her the name of a certain Jar'vyr, supposedly a highly reliable and skilled enchanter who also specialized in poisons. Talice, naturally, was a bit dubious as to all the claims she'd heard. The drow was a male one, enough. How skilled could he be? Still, she was prepared to give him a chance. One single chance. If he couldn't poison the blades to her specifications or her liking, she'd use them on him.

The palanquin she rested in was black cloth, completely opaque, with armored lining of scalemail to prevent arrows from striking her. The outside bore the emblem of her temple, and the bearers of the palanquin were each paired with one of her usual guards so that should the bearers be attacked, the guards could take over. Also, less likely, if someone tried to attack the palanquin directly, the guards could kill them swiftly without needing to put down the palanquin first as they would have if they'd been the bearers.

Tal privately thought that the palanquin was a bit much but last time she'd ventured outside, she'd had a vision while walking, fallen into a trance state and nearly cracked her head against a nearby statue when she'd swooned. Now the matrons weren't allowing her out on foot anymore, in case there was a repeat of that accident. Tal had to admit that they did have a point. Seers were in far-too-short supply to have them killed off because of ridiculous accidents. And it would be so embarrassing, too! Of course, since she'd be dead, she wouldn't be around to be embarrassed, but by the Mother's multiple legs, who wanted to live on as a warning tale to new Seers about how you had to be careful else you would end up like Talice Rilath?

As inconvenient as the palanquin was, it was better than the alternative -- to wit, dying a stupid death. Still, that didn't mean that Talice was resigned to it. It was suffocating inside the black, metallic sheets and although nobody would see her, neither could she see outside. Even the sounds of the world outside were drowned out by the heavy layers of cloth and armor. She fingered one of her daggers and sighed, hoping that the trip wouldn't take too much longer.

Just then, as if in answer to her prayers, the palanquin came to a stop and one of the guards reported, "Seer, we are here."

The curtains were held aside for her to descend and Tal did so in a graceful motion, glad to be out of the total darkness of the palanquin and back to more familiar darkness of the Underdark.

Talice peered up at the location of the supposed apothecary dubiously. It looked as if it were about to fall down on her any moment! Climbing up there did not seem like a very safe move but seeing as Talice needed the poisons for her daggers, it wasn't as if she had any other choice. Her palanquin bearers were dismissed with a little gesture of her hand, sent to wait somewhere less noticeable. Having the four of them and her hulking guards waiting outside would draw attention to the transactions going on inside and that was not Talice's intent at all.

She glanced at her four guards, then motioned imperiously for them to take a few steps back, "You, come with me. You, follow the palanquin bearers. You two, stay outside."

The one who went with the bearers would make sure that the palanquin itself wasn't sabotaged. The two that stayed out would keep the place safe in case of outside attack. And the last one, who went with Talice, would protect her from the poisoner himself, if he turned out to be a threat. Talice adjusted her veil automatically, making sure that it covered the lower half of her face completely, then called for the ladder as she'd been told to do so.

Once it dropped down, she waited for her guard to go first, following only once the guard was high enough that she wouldn't hurt Talice if she fell. Another of the guards waited by the foot of the ladder, ready to catch Talice if the rope was cut or thrown off. Once she was up in the room itself, she dusted off her skirt, the guard standing at the ready, and bowed to he man whom she assumed was the poisoner, "Jar'vyr? I am Talice Rilath, Seer of Lloth. You were recommended to me by the Priestess Sabaldra Auvryath."