Seluumiel stared at the book reading its words over and over again.

All others have failed and I was the last. My spirit is bound here for my time is past.
The words echoed in her head. This house left her with a feeling of unease and she was becoming increasingly sure that something greater was at hand. Book, map, and archway only heightened her sureness. Her eyes narrowed as the book began to print itself, this tome knew they were here. Divinations had detected enchantments in the book but not the apparent intelligence that seemed trapped within.

Sehanine kalye amin.
She repeated the prayer for guidance to herself, again and again.

Warm breath on her neck pulled Seluumiel from her reverie. The moon elf looked to see Xavier standing behind her, sapphire eyes meeting red eyes. He was a peculiar man to say the least, and she was not sure what to make of him.

The pale man addressed the group,"Well, I think this may be a map of the house... as cryptic as it may seem, but I believe that the magical nature of this house is perfectly recorded on this map... And while I've some suspicions about the book, I'll let Selummiel share her opinion first. I don't want to steal the whole spotlight."

He winked at her and moved to take the map from her. She let him, her own talents were better geared toward deciphering the mystery of the book in her hands. She moved away from Xavier and returned her gaze to the book.

"All others have failed and I was the last. My spirit is bound here for my time is past. Unspeakable evil lies behind each door. Take care you don’t end up like others before. Five colors, five heads is all I know of your fate. If you must know more, ask the guardian of the gate. To what I have written you must take heed and I will record your actions, your words and your deeds. For in you must go. There’s no way to turn back. Defeat your greatest foe before he attacks. Are such adventurers present and ready to undertake this task?" Seluumiel read aloud from the book.

She took a few steps back towards Xavier. Seluumiel looked up from the book to gaze at Chiron, Satya, and finally Xavier.

"It is apparent that both the book and map are inextricably tied to this house, and likely that glowing archway. Whether or not the map is of the house or not is moot until we know these words can be trusted. This house has been twisting our perceptions from the moment we set eyes on it. Let us divine what can be trusted before we make any decisions."

She returned her gaze to the open book in her hands. Intently studying the scribed words she balanced the book in one hand. Dexterous fingers spun threads of magic together as esoteric words escaped her lips focusing the weave into the book. It was unlikely that the spell we reveal anything new, but she had to be sure.

(OOC: 1 MP casts Identify on the Book of Unwritten Chronicles. She will make a knowledge check for arcana, history, and religion. Gboy, just an FYI Seluumiel picked up the book and map from the table and took them with her earlier so Xavier would b taking the map from her.)

Xavier watches as Selummiel casts her spell on the book. She seemed to be taking a while. Xavier took the time to wander over to Chiron and Satya, admiring their work with propping the door.

"Hmm... interesting. Good job propping the doors open. But... um, shouldn't we be moving a bit? I mean, Lacey could be in danger right now. And sitting around isn't going to save her. Isn't the whole thing about being a knightly order about helping those in need? Well, we have the child, and the Lacey right now."

"Satya, don't you agree with me?"

"All others have failed and I was the last. My spirit is bound here for my time is past. Unspeakable evil lies behind each door. Take care you don’t end up like others before. Five colors, five heads is all I know of your fate. If you must know more, ask the guardian of the gate. To what I have written you must take heed and I will record your actions, your words and your deeds. For in you must go. There’s no way to turn back. Defeat your greatest foe before he attacks. Are such adventurers present and ready to undertake this task?" Seluumiel read aloud from the book.
Satya listened intently to the words as Seluumiel read them allowed.

"That last part, is it meant for us?" Satya asked. She was not sure exactly what books normally sounded like but she was sure that last part seemed to have been spoken at those in the room.

"That seems to be a strange way for a book to talk. Does it know we are here?"

"Hmm... interesting. Good job propping the doors open. But... um, shouldn't we be moving a bit? I mean, Lacey could be in danger right now. And sitting around isn't going to save her. Isn't the whole thing about being a knightly order about helping those in need? Well, we have the child, and the Lacey right now."

"Satya, don't you agree with me?"
Satya stopped puzzling over the words spoken from the book and looked at Xavier as he directed his attention at her. She paused for a few moments thinking about what he had said then spoke, "I believe that it is important to know everything we can about this area before moving forward. Helping those in need is a priority, however taking care that we do not also end up in need of rescuing will insure that those in need of our help have a better chance at survival."

She hadn't gotten a very good look at the young man until now. His features were very different then any that she had seen before. He seemed so young to have such white hair. Satya tilted her head to one side and asked, "Do you not see the sun much or does your skin stay that tone no matter your exposure?" Even though she was no longer in the desert, most of her days were spent outdoors. It was rare that she ever crossed someone so pale that wasn't a scholar, or some fat rich diplomat, that tended to travel in a covered litter rather than the adventuring type like this man before her. "I find your coloring and manner most quizzical, it is... intriguing."

Xavier looked over himself as Satya did the same. He was presentable enough... his clothes were neat, his hair wasn't messy... He made a motion as though to scratch his nose, but he instead wiped his face to get anything off that may be there. He hoped that he didn't have any bloodstains on his lips... that would be bad.

"Well Satya, I'm not going to lie to you, but this is rather dark skin for me. It came from when I traveled here. Usually my skin is close to my hair colour. It's a hereditary thing... got it from my father. And I don't know about you, but I like my colouring... the white and red seems to go well. Also the black clothing looks nice with it too."

"And what about my manner is so quizzical and intriguing to you?"

"That you are quizzical to me, is intriguing. Where I am from humans that look like you do not exist. I mean no disrespect towards your appearance it is merely different from what I am used to. Many things in this part of the world are new to me. " Satya gave him a little smile then turned to see what Chiron was doing with the door parts. He seemed intent on making sure that they were disabled in every way possible. Satya shook her head at his attempts. If the house truly was magic then it would find a way of trapping them again if it wished to.

Satya took a long slow breath in then slowly exhaled. She was starting to get twitchy in this small confined space, with no sky over head, and surrounded by magic. She slowly began to pace.

((OOC As the time drags on she slowly picks up the pace unless there is something to distract her from her current situation.))

"Well I can assure you, I am different from the vast majority of people in this world. At least, the vast majority that I've met. And if many of these things are new to you in the world, I would be more than happy to show you these new things. I've been around quite a bit, and seen many things. I could show you around if you wish."

As Satya began to pace, Xavier watched. Back and forth she walked. Again. And again. Soon enough, Xavier got bored to, and decided to pace, sneaking up beside her and then following her path of pacing.

A door knob belonging to the door furthest to the right begins to twist and the door becomes ajar. Suddenly the figure of a woman carrying something becomes vaguely visible. An omnious white glow from the back of the figure gave only a glimpse of her dark silloette. A sudden splash of acid burns at the door and a familiar voice screams out in pain.

An unfamiliar raspy feminine voice can be heard coming from deeper in the now semi-open room, trailing off into nothingness saying,"Pray we never meet again..."

The moon elf concentrated on the book before her as she set the magical weave into its pages. Tendrils of magic spun into the book searching for what may be hidden. Full awareness of the book came to her and soon she knew its purpose. Just as she hope little had been revealed that she had not already known or suspected. The book's words could be trusted. She held in her hand a self writing journal, the legacy of its maker. Whomever that creator had been they had left some part of themselves in the tome, they had become literally part of the book. Some mission had been failed, one that had so important that someone had stayed behind in this book to see it done. Agreeing to take up this mission would activate the journals magic, but before that agreement could be made she would have to know what that mission was. Perhaps this guardian of the gate the book spoke of was somewhere in this house?

Seluumiel looked up from the book to the others in the room. The others were pacing through the room, obviously restless. She would have to remember that she travelled with those of the shorter lived races and they measured time in a way she did not. Taking a step towards her companions Seluumiel opened her mouth to apologize for the time and share what she had discovered, but the twisting of a door knob pulled her attention to it. With narrowed eyes she watched intently as the door opened revealing a feminine silhouette. She closed the book and returned it to her bag, there would be time later to deal with it. Keeping her attention on the door and the woman Seluumiel waited. The hiss of acid and screams of pain rang through the air and the elf steeled herself, confrontation of some kind was eminent.

As the door began to open, Chiron picked his shield up from where he'd propped it against the wall while he worked on the doors. He hoped that Lacey had found some way to access the displacing powers of the archways and was returning to them.

"Lacey?" he asked of the silhouette.

An acidic substance splashed onto the door in response.

That's not Lacey. The paladin's sword was instantly in his hand as he crept closer to the door, leading the way with his shield. The light in the next room kept him getting a good look at the woman, if it even was a woman, since she was standing directly in front of what was probably another shining archway.

"I'm going to open the door the rest of the way," Chiron warned the others, as he hooked his sword around the edge of the door and pulled it open.

"What in - what the hell was that?" Xavier exclaimed, clearly not expecting the sudden arrival of the woman. Nor was he prepared for the splash of acid that came right after it.

However, shaking himself out of his shock and awe, he turned himself to face the door which had been opened. With one fluid motion, he rolled over to the door so that he may have a better view of what may be behind it. When he had finished his roll however, he rested on one knee, with two metallic stars in his hands, crossed over his body so that he is ready to throw them at anything which comes through the doors.

"Chiron, I respect your ability, and your decision to open the door. However, don't forget our main objective. We are here for one purpose, and one purpose only. We need to find the child, who Lacey may have in her possession, and get out of here. We don't need to eradicate the house."

Glancing over his shoulder at both Selummiel and Satya, Xavier adds, "Also, I'm unsure as to how well our companions can hold their own in a physical fight. Satya looks somewhat capable, but Selummiel not so much. We need to protect each other as much as some child. Just be sure you're not killing yourself doing this. Or worse."

With the unconscious child draped in her arms, Ardulace had one hand on the latch of the door when the dragon's acid splashed her back.

Letting forth an involuntary scream of pain, she shoved the door open and burst through. Her true race no longer hidden she knew the others would see a drowess coming through the door and would not recognize her in the form she now wore, but she felt certain the would recognize her voice.

Seeing the others in motion, and seemingly all coming at her at once, she called out "To arms! Something wicked this way comes!"

Hooking her heal behind the door, she attempts to slam it shut. Then rushes forward to lay the child on the table.
"Guard the door and ask me no questions! A dragon, its soul as black as its skin lurks beyond!"

She will examine the child to determine if he yet lives. As she uses her own cloak to wipe away any acid that has splashed on him, she intones a prayer to Eilistraee beneath her breath, "Merciful mother shield this innocent from the evil that abounds." She then casts Cure Light Wounds on the boy, before casting it again on herself.

"Hey, look who it is! I'd know that voice, even if the face is a bit different." Xavier perks up. "Good to see you back. And it would look like you have the child too."

Xavier slackens a bit, rising to a stand, but still holding the two shuriken in his hands. "It would seem like you had quite the adventure there. But, now that you have the child, let's get out, return to the city, then we can discuss this all over a nice glass... or eight... of wine."

As the other three people in the room reacted to the door knob Satya was still lost in her pacing, but when the woman screamed from the other room she snapped out of her trance. This was something that she understood. Danger, the fight, survival at all costs. She may have only just met those in the room but instantly she felt the beginnings of a bond form. Protect them, and herself so that they may find their friend and save the child. Her blood was pounding in her ears and she felt herself walking that jagged edge that seemed to split her in two.

"To arms! Something wicked this way comes!"

Hooking her heal behind the door, she attempts to slam it shut. Then rushes forward to lay the child on the table.
"Guard the door and ask me no questions! A dragon, its soul as black as its skin lurks beyond!"
Satya did not recognize the woman walking into the room, but there was a child in her arms, and from the sound of it a dragon behind her. The sight of the child broke Satya from the battle at hand. She put her Scimitar away and ran over to the woman to see if she or the child were injured. Then proceeded to help get the child out of the house and on to the grass in the clear and away from this wretched building.

The door flew open and Seluumiel's eyes widened at the sight. A slender woman emerged from the door holding a small child in her arms. Smooth obsidian skin and silvery white hair immediately gave her heritage away, the woman was a dark elf. Seluumiel took a step back and hissed.

Mori'Quessir goth en silma
The oath spilled from her lips instinctively. Dark elves had killed her twin sister and the memories of Siliveliel's lifeless body flooded back to her. She bit back the painful memories and reached into her bag producing a thin silver wand. Holding it tightly she readied herself.

"To arms! Something wicked this way comes! Guard the door and ask me no questions! A dragon, its soul as black as its skin lurks beyond!"

Seluumiel caught her breath as recognition of the voice came to her. The drowess before them was Lacey. Somehow the woman had survived and found the child, but could she be trusted? Dark elves were treacherous and well known for their trickery. That had to be ignored for now, a black dragon approached and the hiss of acid proved her words true.

The moon elf spun into action. Seluumiel moved quickly to Lacey and the boy child as she returned the silver wand to her bag. Letting Satya take the child she helped Lacey to her feet.

"Hurry," Seluumiel shouted as she moved to the exit doorway, "Let us make haste to the town."

The moon elf waited at the doorway for the others. She did not relish the idea of facing a dragon and hoped the others would take heed. Even so she readied herself, spells dancing on her finger tips.

As Chiron slowly pulled the door open the woman burst through and into the room and he could tell as she passed by that she had a child cradled in her arms. Whether it still lived he couldn't tell with so brief a glimpse, but the youth was no longer the paladin's main focus, for as his eyes adjusted from the glare of the archway he realized that he was looking at a dark elf.

She had called out, "To arms! Something wicked this way comes!", though why she would announce the presence of her drow compatriots he didn't know, and didn't have much time to consider, because it seemed that the woman was making a break for outside of the house. "Guard the door and ask me no questions! A dragon, its soul as black as its skin lurks beyond!"

Chiron slammed the door shut behind him with his left arm, hoping the weight of his shield would push back and daze any more dark elves about to rush through after the child abductor, and spun to deal with the kidnapper. He doubted the existence of a dragon in the house, thinking this, along with the hint of more drow, to be distractions to allow the dangerous elf to slip away with the child.

The thuds of shield against door and door against frame obscured most of what Xavier said, but he stood ready with throwing stars in hand. In the moment he'd spent closing the door, both Satya and Seluumiel seemed to have tackled the drow, slowing her escape. Satya had wrestled the child away from the drow and was headed to the door, leaving Seluumiel in a poor place to maintain the grapple they appeared to have had the dark elf in. This was no place for a fight. This house undoubtedly had many more tricks left to play and if either of the drow's claims had any truth to them, the main room would be a very unfriendly place in moments.

Chiron pushed off the door to get as much momentum as possible and charged at the dark elf's back. Holding his shield out in front and bracing for the impact, he repeated to himself, "Keep your legs moving. Don't stop till you're through the table and outside. Keep your legs moving." If everything went smoothly he would hit the drow square in the back, pulling her free of Seluumiel, carrying her to the door and smashing through the table wedged there to end sprawled on the grass outside.


((Bull rush at the dark elf, wanting the max push-back allowed by my STR roll to get us well outside the house.))