Shadowheart

The High Half-Elf known as Shadowheart did her best to relax in the comfortably furnished room assigned to her by her Githyanki hosts, but an underlying sense of danger nagged at her. Ever since she had witnessed you descend into the role of Lae-zel's **** things had felt off and now, surrounded by so many of the self appointed party leader's race she felt **** and on edge. Although she would never admit it, Shadowheart had always found the Githyanki rather offputting. Rude, condescending and self important while also being tough to look at was a bad combination and her interactions with Lae-zel had only served to reinforce her prejudices towards the wider race as a whole. Shadowheart found their penchant for subjugation particularly distasteful, a cruel streak to underline their ugliness that she could never accept or forgive.

Yet, here she was, a guest of the very queen herself and as she paced the room inspecting objects, books, and furniture she had to admit she was being treated rather well for an outsider. Just as she began to lose herself in her thoughts there came a sharp knock at the door, jolting her into action. Straightening up her attire she quickly went to answer, the knock carrying an air of authority that hastened her step.

The door swung open to reveal a tall male Githyanki clad in ornate armor... a high ranking soldier that Shadowheart thought might have been one of the members of the party that had greeted them. It was hard to tell for certain though, they all looked the same to the High Half-Elf. She **** a smile and bowed her head politely.

"Sir?" she asked as she straightened, eyebrows raised.

A thin smile split the Githyanki's lips, an ominous sight, Shadowheart thought but she did her best to push such thoughts aside and play the gracious guest.

"Forgive my intrusion, Lady Shadowheart," said the Gith, his deep, sibilant and slightly throaty voice making it sound more like a command than a request. "Kith'rak Voss." he returned a shallow bow by way of introduction.

"Kithr..." Shadowheart began but the gith abruptly cut her off.

"Voss is fine, Kith'rak refers to my rank as Knight to Queen Vlaakith... you need not worry with such formalities my lady." Once more that smile, flashing teeth that appeared to Shadowheart as fangs. She suppressed a shudder.

"Well met uhh, Sir Voss. To what do I owe this pleasure?" asked the Acolyte as she tried not to stare at the decidedly intimidating, otherworldy knight.

The Gith explained. "Lae-zel told me that you follow the Mistress of the Night, a disciple of Shar, correct?"

Shadowheart found herself nodding despite Voss barely waiting for an answer.

"We know little of such things but we have inhabited these lands for a long time. Long enough to uncover many... secrets." Voss' smile grew into a grin and this time Shadowheart could not suppress the shudder that ran down her spine. The Gith Knight continued.

"Years ago we discovered what we thought to be a tomb, not more than an hour from here. I led a party down into its depths only to find it empty - no burial, no treasure, nothing. Or so it seemed..."

Shadowheart listened on intently as she stared up at Voss, already captivated by the tale, hopeful that she already knew where it was going.

"Or so we thought..." Voss continued, "Our scholars investigated and soon uncovered a hidden passage. That led to a series of rooms, tunnels and chambers, each sealed by a different riddle. They were easy enough to solve, at least, until they weren't."

Shadowheart looked up at Voss expectantly as he paused for dramatic effect, the Acolyte's reaction to his tale not lost on him.

"In short, we are stuck. There are writings, ancient writings which the scholars have translated - they speak of the Lady of Loss..." Voss nodded knowingly at Shadowheart whose eyes had gone wide.

"I believe that with your help, we can open this next door. The door which I believe to be the last. The door that surely holds the secret to that place." Voss let the revelation hang for a moment before his deep voice broke the silence. "Will you help me Lady Shadowheart? Together we can unlock the mysteries of this place and you, you will be one step closer to your goal. One step closer to becoming a Daughter of Darkness."

"Yes! Yes..." Shadowheart's breathless answer came without thought, so wrapped up was she in Voss' weaving of his tale. Little did she know that her fate did indeed await her down in those depths, just not the fate that she imagined for herself.