Mystagogue
04-24-2008, 09:07 PM
By necessity, this entrance was hidden. Those wishing to pass inside would first need to hike a good mile up from the northern shoreline. This pathway was natural, something the wildlife in the region would use. Perhaps a hunter would notice it. At the end, you were met with only a wall of weathered granite. However, if you placed the large, egg-shaped rock here, and the heavier, flat slab there, it formed a step. From there, if you knew where to look, foot and hand holds would take you half way up the wall.
And then the path became treacherous. A thin ledge of dubious solidity was the only means across to an outcrop of sharp rocks that looked more like teeth than the refuge they were. Here, if you made it this far, was a small lever that when pushed opened up a crack in the wall just wide enough for an unarmored elf to slip through.
There were other entrances. But they were all locked from the inside, and no keys were ever made for them.
The woman slipped through the crack easily, and then pulled the matching inner lever that returned the rock back to it's original placement.
She spoke the password loudly. These passwords were, perhaps, the only gift her mother had ever given her.
A series of lights activated, some pulsing from lack of use and perhaps, lack of power without the sunwell's influence.
Decades of dust swirled under her feet as she made her way through the tunnel. The lights dimmed behind her, and those in front activated from her movement. She wasn't sure how far she had traveled before she came upon the door leading into the main chamber.
A different password was needed for this door. She spoke it clearly, and felt her heart leap when the door disappeared, revealing an elegant room in muted reds and gold. A magic broom slowly made it's way across the floor while a matching duster swished across the furniture. The room was as immaculate as it had been in its heyday.
Paintings lined the walls, interspersed with elegantly gilded mirrors. The main room lighting sparkled as it hit tiny prisms of glass arranged in descending circular patterns around the source located in the center of the high painted ceiling. It was high elf opulence at its finest. And it was hers now.
Another door opened, and a slim, artistically decorated arcane golem entered the room.
"Visitors are not allowed into the Society's Inner Holdings. Please identify yourself. Anaria shola" The metallic voice paused, it's form turning to face her directly.
The woman answered promptly. "I am the new mystagogue. My mother was the former mystagogue, Esmerith Teli'Larien. Anu a'salana bati. I claim my birthright."
"Processing information. Do not move until analysis complete."
Lights flashed briefly across the golem's head and chest area. The mystagogue waited patiently.
"Processing complete. Voice analysis within acceptable parameters. Please follow me to complete the final examination."
She followed it down a corridor, and through a doorway that led into a room lit only by fel-green glowing orbs that floated along the outside of the room. In the center, a demonic summoning circle gleamed on the floor.
A moment of doubt made the woman pause. She'd only just begun the training necessary for this trial. The golem stopped its movements inside the door, a steady strobe of light pulsing in it's chest region the only sign that it was aware of its surroundings, and still very much a threat to the woman, if she failed the ritual.
She moved to the edge of the circle, and pulling energy from the darkness, spoke the ritual words, even as she slipped the knife from her belt. With a flash of energy and darkness that dimmed the glowing orbs, the succubus creature stood before her within the circle.
"Why have I been called?" The creature's eyes found the woman, and assessed her. It hissed as it sniffed the air. "You reek of Light! Attendant! Kill this imposter!"
The golem moved towards the woman, it's mechanical hands reaching towards her neck, but it was slow, and the woman had already launched herself into the summoned demon. She stabbed it in the heart, and cradled the feminine form as it slumped to the floor. The creature gurgled something that only the woman heard. She nodded in answer. She held up the knife and slashed her palm with it. The blood seeped from the wound. When enough had bubbled out she held her hand over the creature's mouth and tilted her palm, letting it drip into its mouth.
The demon opened it's eyes, and with it's last breath, made it's determination. "Attendant, this is the true daughter of Esmerith Teli'Larien, as determined by blood. She is the rightful heir. She is your new master."
The demon's form dissipated back into the nether. The mystagogue stood, green eyes glittering in celebration as the golem bowed it's head.
"Analysis complete. Recognition of new master complete. Welcome to the Inner Holding. I am here to serve."
The woman laughed loudly, a sinister laugh that traveled throughout the secret compound.
In a small graveyard on the other side of Quel'thalas, a dark red rose bloomed in the moonlight.
And then the path became treacherous. A thin ledge of dubious solidity was the only means across to an outcrop of sharp rocks that looked more like teeth than the refuge they were. Here, if you made it this far, was a small lever that when pushed opened up a crack in the wall just wide enough for an unarmored elf to slip through.
There were other entrances. But they were all locked from the inside, and no keys were ever made for them.
The woman slipped through the crack easily, and then pulled the matching inner lever that returned the rock back to it's original placement.
She spoke the password loudly. These passwords were, perhaps, the only gift her mother had ever given her.
A series of lights activated, some pulsing from lack of use and perhaps, lack of power without the sunwell's influence.
Decades of dust swirled under her feet as she made her way through the tunnel. The lights dimmed behind her, and those in front activated from her movement. She wasn't sure how far she had traveled before she came upon the door leading into the main chamber.
A different password was needed for this door. She spoke it clearly, and felt her heart leap when the door disappeared, revealing an elegant room in muted reds and gold. A magic broom slowly made it's way across the floor while a matching duster swished across the furniture. The room was as immaculate as it had been in its heyday.
Paintings lined the walls, interspersed with elegantly gilded mirrors. The main room lighting sparkled as it hit tiny prisms of glass arranged in descending circular patterns around the source located in the center of the high painted ceiling. It was high elf opulence at its finest. And it was hers now.
Another door opened, and a slim, artistically decorated arcane golem entered the room.
"Visitors are not allowed into the Society's Inner Holdings. Please identify yourself. Anaria shola" The metallic voice paused, it's form turning to face her directly.
The woman answered promptly. "I am the new mystagogue. My mother was the former mystagogue, Esmerith Teli'Larien. Anu a'salana bati. I claim my birthright."
"Processing information. Do not move until analysis complete."
Lights flashed briefly across the golem's head and chest area. The mystagogue waited patiently.
"Processing complete. Voice analysis within acceptable parameters. Please follow me to complete the final examination."
She followed it down a corridor, and through a doorway that led into a room lit only by fel-green glowing orbs that floated along the outside of the room. In the center, a demonic summoning circle gleamed on the floor.
A moment of doubt made the woman pause. She'd only just begun the training necessary for this trial. The golem stopped its movements inside the door, a steady strobe of light pulsing in it's chest region the only sign that it was aware of its surroundings, and still very much a threat to the woman, if she failed the ritual.
She moved to the edge of the circle, and pulling energy from the darkness, spoke the ritual words, even as she slipped the knife from her belt. With a flash of energy and darkness that dimmed the glowing orbs, the succubus creature stood before her within the circle.
"Why have I been called?" The creature's eyes found the woman, and assessed her. It hissed as it sniffed the air. "You reek of Light! Attendant! Kill this imposter!"
The golem moved towards the woman, it's mechanical hands reaching towards her neck, but it was slow, and the woman had already launched herself into the summoned demon. She stabbed it in the heart, and cradled the feminine form as it slumped to the floor. The creature gurgled something that only the woman heard. She nodded in answer. She held up the knife and slashed her palm with it. The blood seeped from the wound. When enough had bubbled out she held her hand over the creature's mouth and tilted her palm, letting it drip into its mouth.
The demon opened it's eyes, and with it's last breath, made it's determination. "Attendant, this is the true daughter of Esmerith Teli'Larien, as determined by blood. She is the rightful heir. She is your new master."
The demon's form dissipated back into the nether. The mystagogue stood, green eyes glittering in celebration as the golem bowed it's head.
"Analysis complete. Recognition of new master complete. Welcome to the Inner Holding. I am here to serve."
The woman laughed loudly, a sinister laugh that traveled throughout the secret compound.
In a small graveyard on the other side of Quel'thalas, a dark red rose bloomed in the moonlight.