Switching between the POV again, labelled for easier reference (I tried to add the character's name to each start of the POV shift's first sentence, but that didn't always work out).
Nyx
Her mood was as dark as the waters. Her day didn't start off this way, since their return journey from the myconid colony was light and cheerful. She had tried to distract herself with other thoughts, but the current scenery made them circle back to his scars. She had seen only a glimpse. It was all she needed to know that they were the result of brutally hacking into flesh and receiving no treatment afterward whatsoever. The wounds would have been painful, become infected and taken a long time to heal.
She curled her lip, I've half the mind to do that to Cazador's face.
The other half of her mind was concerned about the pattern of the scarring - it was too ritualistic and that didn't sit right with her.
Nothing good ever came from carving magic into flesh...
Shadowheart quipped, "You don't seem very happy."
Nyx gave her a long look, No, I'm not and that would be an understatement.
Shadowheart continued, "Although, it is hard to tell with you sometimes."
Nyx scoffed and smiled, taking the bait, "Let's just say that standing atop what amounts to a glorified gaping woven mat suspended over dark waters between two makeshift rafts isn't exactly my idea of a good time."
"Scared something might snatch you from below?", Shadowheart teased, holding her hands up, wrist together and wriggling her fingers, deriving far too much enjoyment while the others listened.
At least they had the decency to hide their amusement. Well, except for Astarion of course.
"I think the word would be, respecting.", Nyx countered evenly and Shadowheart's brow creased.
Nyx continued, "Respecting that tussling with an aboleth or a water weird isn't something one should invite willingly. They tend to take a liking toward snatching from below."
It was Nyx's turn to smile inwardly at Shadowheart's growing discomfort. She noticed some of the others backing away from peering into the murky waters. She added, "Fortunately, my magic can sense threats from underwater as well. So, for now, I'm more concerned with unseen rocks than anything else."
The others relaxed again after her declaration, but her unease remained. Tav had assigned her to navigate this shoddy excuse for a boat seeing as they'd be sailing through a dark cave, over dark waters and no overhead lighting from mushrooms or crystals. The two torches attached at the front of each skiff suppled limited light ahead, which rendered them useless really. Nyx had her whiskers extended as far as they could into the waters below and for the most part they brushed against debris. It was the occasional dead body drifting beneath the surface that made her nervous, a detail she'd kept to herself - No need to have everyone on edge. Or in a dark mood.
Tav used the rest of their sailing time to go over her discussions with Sovereign Spaw, who had requested to speak to both Tav and Halsin again that morning. Sovereign Spaw's colony had called this portion of the Underdark home for decades, once barren and forgotten, now half of the area covered with life. Their expansion was not only terminated, but large portions of their colony had been destroyed and the fungi folk slaughtered when the Absolutists seized Moonhaven, including the above and below ground temples as well as the route leading to the Shadow cursed lands.
It was not surprising that the trade for this information, and the myconids' hospitality, was to assist Sovereign Spaw with reclaiming their home. The pacifist nature of the myconids meant that they would not strike back against the Absolutists, but they were not above recruiting others to do so. Tav agreed to Sovereign Spaw's terms to eradicate the leader of the Absolutist's excavation group, a True Soul drow called Nere. This Nere was also responsible for hiring the duergar mercenaries that raided the Ironhand village. The look on Tav's face indicated that she had taken severe issue with him already.
Nere's fate it pretty much sealed, Nyx mused, I hope he has made peace with his Absolute.
---
Tortured, killed and put on display... Fucking slavers.
Nyx couldn't help but have a sense of sympathy towards the drow captive sprawled in a pool of blood at the bottom of the cage.
"I'm afraid she is quite beyond any help you could offer, my dear."
Nyx gave him a flat look and he raised a quizzical eyebrow in return. They have been left to their own devices, since Tav suggested that they 'take in the sights, converse with the locals and mosey about'. Nyx didn't feel like discovering any more 'treats' the slavers might have on offer after the welcoming party included a set of gruesomely murdered corpses.
Nyx sighed, but Astarion lilted before she could answer, "I'm sure thinking dirty thoughts about me would be more to your liking."
Nyx snorted and gave him a lop-sided grin, "That I already have, but I'm sure you already know that."
He grinned in return, "So, what is stopping you from continuing to do so?"
She sobered, gesturing around them and chewed on the words, "Clan Flameshade."
He didn't seem to understand.
Nyx pointed to the insignia on one of the supply crates, "Mercenaries for hire, thieves, cutthroats and slavers", she gave him a pointed look, "I have a deep seated problem with slavers, especially of the flesh peddling variety."
Astarion ventured cautiously, "Had a run-in with them before?"
She nodded and provided, "In a way, but not as a slave - thank the graces.", she rubbed her arms, "But I have met people who have. Seen the results of their 'handiwork' for myself."
He tilted his head considering and lulled, "Well then, let's kill them extra bloody."
Nyx chuckled darkly and turned to him, "Let's hunt, Bellinor."
--- --- ---
Astarion
Of all the times she had said that to him, this seemed different. The look in her eyes was different.
Her conviction. She truly meant to hunt them?
The thought delighted him while he returned a knowing grin and he'd like to think he was being a bad influence, but a cool calculating calm settled over her. Akin to wearing an old familiar coat.
Intimidating doesn't begin to describe it, definitely not in the way Karlach or Lae'zel wields it. They were all fire and bluster. Whereas Tav mastery with sleight of tongue can be so smooth as to be easily missed. Then there was his own flavour of threats, although highly effective if he had to admit, were nothing like this.
Nyx's entire demeanour had become perilous. Like an unavoidable iced over lake, one had to cross, fully knowing you won't make it to the other side alive.
He liked it.
He thoroughly enjoyed how it would make the duergar squirm, one look from her made them blanch a few shades lighter. It was as though death's cold grip touched them briefly when she merely passed them by, wordlessly. He simply couldn't resist winking after a few of them or flashing his fangs, adding to the surmounting dread on their faces while they strolled along.
Now this is fun. They're practically quaking in their boots, and I haven't even touched my daggers.
He must wonder what brings on this side of her.
"My dear, there'll be no one left to bleed out if you're going to scare them all away before the fun starts."
"You're the one who is blatantly staring at their necks while licking your chops.", she shot back with a smirk, the ice temporarily thawed.
He barked a laugh, "I'm looking forward to our dance macabre later, my dear.", and they rounded a blind corner.
He gathered her up, a soft sound of surprise escaping her, and stole a quick kiss. He pulled away leaving her wanting with the familiar smoulder in her gaze and said onto her, "But before then, I need to take the edge off."
--- --- ---
Nyx
Nyx watched him stalk away.
Bloody Astarion. He is too dangerous for my own good.
She took a moment to compose herself and schooled her expression. As much as she'd like to be distracted by dirty thoughts about him, especially after last night, now was not the place or time. She eyed one of the crumbling robed statues depicting Shar.
Shadowheart, and many of the others, were in awe of the place. Even though its towering and foreboding architecture was indeed impressive, Nyx preferred the myconids' constructions. It was more alive, friendly and concerned with preserving life rather than wanton death and destruction. The latter being prevalent not only on the buildings and structures themselves as some hellish battle had taken place here centuries ago, but the state of the broken skeletons scattered about suggested it to be brutal and merciless. She puffed out her cheeks and continued down the once grand corridor.
Tav was conversing with someone up ahead and Nyx heard a name giving her pause. A name that made her heart freeze over and her whole body shuddered. Tav was already arranging an alliance with them.
Mutiny or no. Elder Brithvar of Clan Flameshade is going to die.
"Clive", she said, "We need to talk."
--- --- ---
Astarion
Astarion did get a little carried away in the moment back there with her, but a good feeding usually helps to clear his mind. He simply needs to carry on as usual, Nothing has changed.
He had confirmation of her continued alliance, and it settled his reservations about her strange behaviour. He discounted the resulting stirring in his chest as folly and focused on hunting for a lone, unsuspecting duergar loitering about in a secluded dark corner.
--- --- ---
Tav
Tav hated this place. She saw it on Karlach, Gale, Halsin and Wyll's expressions as well, even Nyx's reserved nature had taken on a lethal edge - as though she was patiently biding her time to personally end each one of the slavers in the camp herself. Tav wanted to rip the flail out of the guard's hands, and flog him with it instead.
"I appreciate a proper beat down any day, but it is rather counterintuitive to wound a worker required for physical labour, no?", she mused out loud to Sergeant Thrinn, who was currently in charge of operations until Nere could be dug out of the cave-in.
Sergeant Thrinn scowled and swore under her breath. She pointed at the guard in question, "Oi You!", he snapped his head around, "Lay off on the whipping, he'll only dig slower. Tally and remind them of their due, but only collect on it after," and the depraved grin returned to the guard's face.
Tav wanted to drive a blot through Sergeant Thrinn's eye now. She took a deep steadying breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. At least she had postponed the torture, and she'll make sure that they won't be able to make good on it later.
She collected her crew away from prying eyes and eavesdroppers.
Astarion was laughing at her plan, "Well of course we can leave him, it's the easiest thing in the world. We just have to keep on walking. I'm not ruining my nails digging through rock."
Tav rolled her eyes, "I care as little for Nere as you do, but I'm not leaving the gnomes to this fate, and neither am I squandering the chance to get a moon lantern. He apparently has one and it'll help with safe passage though the Shadowlands."
"In that case, you could've just said you wanted the moon lantern from the start, darling."
Tav gave him an unimpressed raised eyebrow and Wyll provided, "We'll have to find the runaway with the explosives."
Karlach added throwing her arms in the air, "Then, Boom! Don't forget the price on his head though."
The others chuckled.
Tav continued with her plan counting on her fingers, "We get the explosives, free Nere and promptly end him with the help of the mutineers. Collect the bounty for Sovereign Spaw, and lantern, then set the gnomes free."
Gale frowned, "And the 'mutineers' are simply going to let the gnomes go?"
Tav glanced at him and grinned, "If they know what's good for them."
Astarion added gleefully, "If they don't, I'm sure Nyx will be more than happy to fillet them for you, my dear."
Tav knit her brows, her gaze turning to Nyx, who said evenly, "Fillet might be too kind. I have no intention of being kind."
Astarion's grin spread wider, and some of the others' eyes did. Tav was a bit concerned at Astarion's murderous encouragements, but these were slavers - so, she'll let it slide. Then again, it did almost seem personal to Nyx, perhaps she should check in on her later.
Tav organized two scouting parties, one to find the runaway, and the other to identify strategic advantages for the upcoming battle.
--- --- ---
Nyx
Nyx felt Clive move, she shrugged him off and placed him on the metal grating next to her. She was sitting on the ramps suspended above the main platform trying not to be annoyed at the fact that any vantage points were either too exposed or restrictive in some way. The sweltering heat had her sweating like Karlach too, and it wasn't doing her mood any favours.
Clive whistled, "I was goin' to say 'Fecking Hells', but I think ye already there."
Nyx snorted and she gestured with her head downwards. He peered at the situation below and grunted, "Looks me assessment was more fitting than me likes - how ye find yerself in the middle of a slave camp surrounded by lava Nyx?"
"Do you remember the name Joslin gave us?"
His eyebrow patterns almost climbed off his flap, "Feck me! Ye think ye found him?"
Her eyes flitted down, and she nodded, "This is Clan Flameshade."
He swore and replied, "Brithvar. By the look on yer face something tells me I'd better give ye that coin."
Nyx extended her hand to catch the coin Clive ejected into the air. She studied the unassuming gold coin, but she could see the green shimmer if she squinted at it long enough.
Clive chuckled ominously, "Do me a solid will ye and call me again? I'd like to be there when ye deliver it to the fecking arsehole."
Nyx slipped the coin into her pocket and grinned, "Wouldn't have it any other way."
He indulged her in figuring out how to use the current 'situation' as best she could to ensure just that.
--- --- ---
Astarion
Despite Tav's insistent need to be a hero, which could be a bore at best and toilsome at worst, their little detour had yielded a very valuable resource indeed. To Tav's credit, she has a sound sense of resourcefulness and promptly stashed the majority of the runepowder they had requisitioned. Tav and the others were setting the stage for the dance macabre by organizing Nere's rescue, using only a small vial of the runepowder. The gnomes divided the powder into smaller pinches and placed them at critical points on the rubble and the buckled door underneath.
Astarion spotted Nyx's silhouette above, who was cleaning her nails with one of her throwing knives - masterfully indifferent to the nervous glances she received from both the workers and guards below. He pouted, She'd already taken up the best spot and it'll be too obvious should I join her.
He caught her eye and signalled, Enjoy(ing). (The). View(?)
She tilted her head considering and returned, Missing. Something.
Some of the guards and workers noticed their exchange.
He grinned and mouthed with a flourish of his hand, Such as?
She tapped her lips with the tip of her knife, pretending to think it over, Less. Clothes. More. Blood.
Some of the guards coughed or choked.
His pitched laugh escaped him, and he flashed a wicked fanged grin. He tutted signalling, Bad. Girl, he paused, Later. Two of the gnomes went purple in the face.
It was her turn to pout when he left to search for a more lethal shadow.
Their looks of distress were well worth it. Or perhaps she meant to distract them - or me for that matter. Either way let the dance begin.
The opening number included an impressive explosion, complete with massive iron doors veering off their hinges across the platform, nearly flattening some of the duergar in a flurry of swearing.
Unfortunately, the stoutly stumps are faster than I'd give them credit for.
The second number was the villainous reveal; the drow-man himself swiftly exacting revenge and re-establishing his position by magically flinging one of the gnome workers into the surrounding lava fields.
Unimpressive and predictable, Astarion sighed, yet unsurprisingly Tav and several of the others did not take to kindly to that display.
The third number was the delicious double-cross expertly signed, sealed and delivered by Tav's silver tongue. Nere and his loyalists were completely caught off guard and several died before they even realized there was a knife at their back ready to strike. Astarion was more than happy to partake in the rest of the performance, stepping over the bloodied corpse on the floor, emerging from the shadows to seek another dance partner.
The group number left much to be desired. The duergar were particularly tough, heavily armoured and some had peculiar magic. Astarion and Nyx did not have enough armour piercing arrows between the two of them and the area was too densely packed with allies for magic ones.
Wyll's mind became enslaved by one of their psionic spellcasters and he turned his rapier on Tav. Karlach intercepted on the defence, which meant that three of their companions were now either fighting with each other or trying to talk the other out of whatever mind games had ensnared them in the first place. Astarion was protecting Gale's back while Halsin and Lae'zel were trying to reach Shadowheart before she got forced from the platform into the lava fields herself.
Astarion saw the shadow run horizontally along one of the walls out of the corner of his eye. He recognized the resulting magic-enhanced vault, and Nyx pounced on the duergar spellcaster's back driving her knife into the base of his skull. Wyll regained his senses and the already primed Eldritch Blast was levelled in rapid succession at a cultist instead of Karlach and Tav. The other mindbender stretched his hand towards Nyx while Astarion was engaged with another opponent, but he caught glances of her struggling against the psionic magic. He slit his opponent's throat, but smelled Nyx's blood. His heart lurched as he spun around to find her wiping away her nosebleed. She commented without emotion turning toward the mindbender, "How cute. I won't be."
Her knives hovered after her encroaching glacial storm, and she methodically shred the mindbender into bloody bits. Astarion found another duergar to dig his daggers into, grinning to himself, The group number is coming together nicely, although some more blood won't hurt in the closing sequence.
Sergeant Thrinn was akin to a bloody hedgehog given Tav and Karlach's efforts, whereas Nere's death was near at the hands of Brithvar and his cronies. Astarion and the others systematically dispatched the last of the loyalists with increasing ease. Lastly, Astarion indulged himself in draining the mindbender that Nyx had paralyzed, A suitable ending. I almost feel inclined to taking a bow.
As expected, not everyone in the audience agreed to Tav's 'free-the-gnomes' finale. Personally, Astarion won't mind another round of dancing, especially after the refreshments, but the others were looking a little worse for wear.
Brithvar groused pointing into his hand, "I've already been scammed out of proper payment and I intent to make good on it."
Tav wasn't having any of it, "Either everyone leaves with their lives, or you'll be dutifully relieved of yours."
Brithvar did not appreciate the threat one bit, his lackeys reaching for their weapons, and he hunched over fuming, "Then perhaps I should make you join the ranks of the gnomes seeing as you are so willing to toss your life away for theirs."
Pfft... And the staring standoff beings. Are we going to stab each other or not? This is all rather ho-hum.
Footnote:
Clan Flameshade has no lore whatsoever, thus I decided to do something about that.
Also gave Nyx a Prince-of-Persia wall run, because why not? Her magic is well suited for it... For those who are curious, here is a good sequence of Prince of Persianess... Those PoP Warrior Within's Dahaka chases are iconic, especially with Godsmack's 'I Stand Alone' song playing in the background.
