Where there is much light, the shadow is deep [D&D 3.5]

[The Silence and I]

"I have little need for non-monetary payment. The risks sound acceptable, I haven't been to that part of world before and new places are always exciting, and while I'd like more details about the payment, monetary that is, I think I can say I'm your man. Provided of course that the reimbursement is adequate. Shall we see the paymaster soon?"

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

“Aye,â€

[The Silence and I]

[quote="The Necrontyr Messenger"]“Aye,â€

[The Nomad]

"Unfortunately that is one spell that is not yet in my grimoire, so we will be dependent on local mages and clerics to get the job done..." Thaelim said, following Arucun.

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

The streets of the city were bustling at this time of day, with people going about this way and that. From the dome-vaulted Librium Arcana Arucun made her way past its twin building, a nearby complex with a similar shape, but a different material, that was the thespians guild, the chief opera house, concert hall and theatre. Between the two buildings was a street that was known for the number of children who hung around its shady covers, playing occasionally loud, physical games. From this, Arucun took a brief short cut to a tower controlling access to the next level of the city’s tiered defenses, passing by a guard post at the bottom of its stairs, heading up; the slope was gentle enough that there were only a few flights. The next street ran between the circle of that wall, and boasted on its inside a score of shops selling this or that, some quite sprawling, selling exotic foodstuffs and other wares that came from outside the city. There was no room for animal husbandry (nor very many pets, though occasionally a tressym, a feline with wide, feathery wings, could be seen slinking around, as could various familiars) in the city, and thus there was somewhat less meat to be found than was normally seen in other markets. Here and there, men and women could be seen at work on the roofs, fixing damage done in a recent tempest.

The building they were going to was quite obvious, a fortified structure of squared off shadow-stone, with two guards standing at its gates to keep out the curious; more to keep the operating environment professional, than due to any fear of spies. “Let’s see… Paymaster…â€

[The Silence and I]

Following her lead Xander finds himself in the upstairs corridor.

No, no, no, no... hmm, ah: "Paymaster of Intelligence." I suppose that fits.

He opens the door and steps inside and looks around unsure of the expected protocol here.

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

A short, wizened looking man with a trimmed long beard stood inside the office, at a large chalkboard with several T-shaped charts drawn upon it, filled with draconic numerals. He worked at it with a piece of chalk, filling in columns of numbers, what’s more, other columns appeared to fill themselves out automatically, figures appearing where appropriate. “Just put it in the box…â€

[rhoenix]

"Forgive us this intrusion," Morjin said with a polite bow, again, with a relaxed left hand over his right fist. "We were looking for the paymaster, for inquiries regarding goods and services exchanged. Would you do us the honor of helping us find such an office?"

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

“You’re in it man! Come in, close the door…â€

[The Silence and I]

"Without sounding rude, I hope, yes. That would be the long and short of it"

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

Outside the window, a warrior on a veserab, a flying beast not unlike a furless dire bat, but with four legs, and a flexible, annelid neck in a uniform midnight blue, the product of controlled breeding, swooped by, “Humm. Xander is it?â€

[The Silence and I]

"No, that is what I came for. My thanks."

Hmm. That is pretty good, especially considering I'm low on cash currently. Besides, travel is always a bonus in my book.

His business done Xander exits the building and waits by the steps.

[The Nomad]

"That will be most adequate, thank you for those clarifications " Thaelim said, following Xander out.

Besides, it's not like I wouldn't be ready to serve my city for less...

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

Arucun was waiting, “I’ve checked some things. We’re ready for you to depart now. A word of caution, do not try to teleport nor pass through Shadow into the city directly. Unless you have the word of the day, which only those who require immediate return are given, there is a good chance such things will take you to the plane known as ‘The Barrens of Doom and Despair,’ where I’m told you do not wish to be.â€

[The Silence and I]

"Impressive, truly! Speaking for myself, I am ready to start this thing." There is wonder in his eyes, Xander has only heard of magic this great, or for that matter places this grand. His is a different world.

[Academia Nut]

Agrammand nodded laconically, smirking slightly at Xander's exuberance. While true that he had never seen anything quite like this before, he had grown up surrounded by such wonders, and they were not quite as impressive once you say their ilk day in and day out for a few decades.

"Come, the mission awaits," he announced as he moved towards the portal.

[The Silence and I]

"Yes, and gladly. Time to make some money."
Xander steps toward the portal beside and a little behind Agrammand, taking care not to rudely overstep him--that impatient stride again.

[rhoenix]

Walking purposefully toward the portal with his chin held level, Morjin approached the portal without faltering. "Then, let us proceed. Gentlemen, I am more recently a mage than you, so I shall be grateful for your support on this journey."

With that, he stepped through the portal.

[The Nomad]

Thaelim, with a last bow to Arucun, stepped through the portal, following his companions.

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

The images in the scrying mirrors around the room above changed to show an area of land bordering light forests, sunlit greenery all around. Arucun nodded at the group, and a sudden darkness obscured everything thereabouts, bringing with it the deep, deep cold that seemed to rush through the skin up from the floor that was characteristic of shadow weave magic in operation. The shadows lessened, and the group found themselves in the shade of a high tree; the device had an affinity for putting travelers into shadow if it possibly could, something its shade makers didn’t consider a liability.

The area around them was rolling hills, a spur of fertile farmland that cut between two horizons of dark, forbidding forest, trees and hedgerows dividing the area around into a hundred prosperous looking farmsteads. In the farms around the nearest village, about half a mile away, downhill, it was harvest time, and in the near distance, figures could be seen working with scythes and sickles. Others, here and there, threshing and winnowing the harvest under the directing eyes of priestly sorts, who aided the process with spells that sped the process considerably.

Here and there, wispy smoke rose into the clear blue mid-morning sky, the wind of which had just the slightest tinge of autumnal bite that echoed the cold of the portal.

Of course, even in the shade, it was all much brighter and more vibrant than the city, the golden and green colors of the plants around glimmering brightly in the waning sun.

To the north, which one could easily find, despite having been turned around by the teleport spell, by observing the position of the morning sun, the most prominent of the trails of smoke billowing in the gentle breeze seemed to be in about the position, three miles off that Arucun had suggested.

There was a track nearby, leading roughly in the direction of the village to the northwest, and any other route would probably draw more attention, as it would involve clambering through someone’s fields.

[The Silence and I]

Xander takes a deep breath, letting the new surroundings wash over him. Fresh air and sunlight were very welcome. To the others he says "It looks like we have arrived. Who wants to take point?"

[The Nomad]

Thaelim's eyes were challenged by the ambient brightness. "I am not much used to... outdoors activities..." he muttered.

[rhoenix]

Contrary to the others, Morjin only grinned as he took a slow, deep breath, examining his surroundings. "Gentlemen, we shall be fine. Shall we?"

Despite his casualness, he did undo the bottom strap holding the greatsword on his back firmly in place. It was now combat-ready, as was he, though one of the two wished for a peaceful journey.

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

In but a few minutes of downhill strolling, the group could see a smallish building, evidently a storehouse of some kind, up against the road, between hedgerows and the road, which was, by Shadovar standards, unworthy to call itself a road, being more of a path that was wide enough for wheeled vehicles. Between a pair of stone pillars, a wide gate was swung wide, and a pair of men sat at a heavy, stout table covered in plates of cheese and loaves of bread, even with a few smoked meats on it. Also sitting on it was a small barrel. Behind it, on a bench against the side of the storehouse, two men sat, one with a pipe that he smoked, another with a large leather jack, which he stopped quaffing for a moment, to raise in salute. “G’morn gentlemen!â€

[Academia Nut]

Out in the brighter light of the outside world, Agrammand's pact with Tenebrous was significantly more noticeable as he always appeared in shadow and instead of stretching off according to the angling of the sun, his own shadow pooled about his feet as if the only source of light were directly overhead.

Grinning at the other man, Agrammand said in a cool, casual, detatched tone, "Good morning to you good man."