She awoke to darkness. Darkness so cold and quiet, she could have been at the bottom of a well. Sitting up caused every muscle in her body to wake up and give voice to its outrage. Memory came crashing back to the tiefling. Castle Never was under assault. Tiernah was here somewhere... but where?
A tingling sensation in her leg caused her to look down. Her lightning sword was what woke her up; Her leg twitched where the blade touched her bare skin. The limb was dancing a spastic jig as the lightning discharged through her leg. Sheathing the sword, the rogue stood up and peered cautiously through the half-open door that faced her.
Tie was standing about half-way down the corridor, with her back turned. Her harvester held loosely in her off-hand. To the left of the door stood a shadow priest. Gold thread woven into his robe marked him as a high-order necromancer. The moon elf wasn't aware of his presence.
Neeshka's shoulder bag and quiver lay in the corner behind the open door. Using the cover the door offered, the rogue retrieved them and looked around for her bow. After finding it, she took inventory; The sword was whole, its edge keen. There were five arrows left. All of them were the ones given to her by Tiernah. Damn, Tie doesn't see that necromancer, the thought galvanized her to act.
Setting a missile in the bow, she moved around the door to improve her shot. As soon as the priest was in full view, Neeshka drew the arrow back and sighted just below his head. The tiefling watched as the arrow flew true to its target and passed through it. The priest clutched his chest and stumbled back a step. Her second arrow finished the job and the priest was dead. He crumpled to the stone floor without a sound.
Tie, still unaware of her danger, was at the far end of the corridor. She appeared to be searching for something on the littered floor.
The rogue took a count of the fallen invaders. There were two priests and two vampires lying dead on the floor. Bits of ragged cloth and gore were all that remained of the three zombies. Tie had done a good job; The vampires had been staked with lightning arrows; Their heads had been removed and taken from the room.
Tie was standing near the end of the corridor. As Neeshka drew near, she heard the moon elf mumbling incoherently. "Nasher will never know... ...rogues leaving... ...test of loyalty..." The most disturbing was a reference to the King of Shadows.
Tiernah looked up when Neeshka laid a hand on her shoulder. "That was a real stand-up fight. They didn't know what hit 'em," the rogue's face fell when she saw Tie's blank expression.
"Ilorna gurthcoiasira," the rogue intoned, looking intently into her friend's startling blue elven eyes.
"Neeshka, it's time for you to go now," Tiernah said in a sad, distant voice. "Neverneath awaits." Without waiting for a response, she turned away.
Her face set with determination, her red eyes blazing, the rogue drew her beloved blade and carefully turned the flat down. Raising her sword, she brought it down on the back of her defenseless friend's head. A cry of anguish tore through the empty room as the moon elf crumpled to the floor.
Neeshka quickly sheathed her sword, pulled leather straps from her bag and went to work...
The closed door to Neverneath beckoned. Neeshka had carefully removed Lord Never's funeral tapestry and used it as a blanket for her fallen friend. The lock on the entrance was easy for the rogue to figure out; A stone in the wall beside the door and a pressure plate set into the floor both had to be depressed at the same time.
With some effort,she managed to open the door on its squealing, rusty hinges. After pulling the door closed behind her, the rogue took a long look around. She was alone. At the opposite end of a small room a set of stairs descended to an iron door.
Through the iron door, there was another short hall that ended in another door. This one had two complicated locks that held the tiefling up for about ten minutes. I wonder if the moon elf had the keys, Neeshka wondered with a touch of regret.
Through the door and down another flight of stairs, the rogue encountered an ornate metal grill. A simple sign adorned it; Test of the Loyal.
When she stepped up to the grill, a voice spoke up, 'Turn back ye faithless, lest you face your mortality.' It had the qualities of a soulless, dead thing.
The tiefling rattled the grill and responded, "I am Neeshka, of Neverwinter, I am here to be tested."
'There is no turning back Neeshka, of Neverwinter, are you among Neverwinter's loyal?'
"Yes, I am. Let me pass." The rogue commanded.
' So be it. Advance and be tested.' The grill descended into the floor with surprisingly little sound.
The rogue stepped through the entrance and continued on without looking back. She could hear the grill sealing the passage behind her; There was no turning back.
At the end of this short passage was another grill that sank into the floor as she approached. Inside this chamber was a monolithic statue of a warrior, cut from a huge block of black rock.
As she stepped inside, she heard that voice again; 'Be aware that you approach the sepulcher of Lord Halueth Never. My duty in life and my pact in death, is the defense of this castle I built with my two hands. Continue onward and your loyalty to Neverwinter will be tested. Friends of Neverwinter have naught to fear. To those who are foreign or enemies of Neverwinter, be you from Illusk, the wilds, or someplace unknown, your presence will be cleansed.'
The grill on the right side of the chamber lowered to allow the rogue to exit. Four white creatures on measured wingbeats awaited her at the end of the hall.
When the last ice mephit fell, the grill giving access to the second statue opened. 'Mine are the hands that built Neverwinter, but not without my loyal fingers. How many fingers have I?' the voice of the second statue intoned.
That's an easy one, the rogue thought, then she said, "There are nine fingers."
'Yes. These hands led the nine fingers to victory over Illusk ' with that, the grill over the left door lowered, allowing her to exit.
The sight of four Luskan pirates caused the rogue to unlimber her bow and set an arrow. When she stepped through the door, the grill sealed any retreat by that route. She had two pirates down by the time they reached her. Time for a little hand-to-hand, the tiefling thought grimly, drawing her sword and dagger. The pirate on the left took her dagger in the throat and went down right away. The last brigand was good, damned good. He managed to parry every thrust, making Neeshka work for every inch of ground. She drew him off balance and split his skull, when he tripped over a fallen comrade. She retrieved her weapons and continued on.
Stepping over the dead pirates, Neeshka entered room number three. 'What name has the lake beside Neverwinter?' the room inquired.
This is a test? The tiefling rolled her eyes and replied, "It's called Black Lake."
'Yes. It is named for the black blood the orcs spilled within the lake when we liberated the land.' The door on the right opened, allowing her to exit.
Let me see, the rogue was guessing. Orcs... maybe?
She already had an arrow charging in her Roguebow when the orcs appeared. The skirmisher in the front made for a very tight shot at the archer behind. A short step to her right cleared the shot and the missile flew. Having no time, she drew the short sword and ducked under the charging brute. The back-stab was perfectly executed; The orc leader dropped like a stone. After finishing off the struggling archer, Neeshka entered the next room.
She was standing before the fourth statue. 'Were you an enemy of Neverwinter, where would you be buried?' When does the test start? She fought to suppress a yawn. "In the Tomb of the Betrayers." She was sure that was right.
'Yes. Neverwinter is distinct from the savages that surround it by the mercy we show to our defeated foes.' The grill on the left lowered into the floor.
Neeshka had four arrows left. Maybe I need to reclaim a few, unless they are stakes, she thought. When she stepped through the door, there were two zombies and a vampire waiting. The gap between the skirmishers was just enough to allow a lightning arrow through. The arrow effectively disabled and staked the vampire cleric, freeing the rogue to chop the zombies to pieces in short order. After she took off the cleric's head, she threw it as far as she could down the hall; It rolled to the end of the corridor and came to rest against the closed grill.
'State the more common name for the artery of Neverwinter,' queried the next statue.
Now we get to the challenge, the rogue thought. "Uhhm.. The Neverwinter River," she blurted out.
'Yes. The Neverwinter River is called our artery for the warmth of its waters, and for the blood spilt in the defense of Neverwinter.' The gate opposite the statue lowered.
Hmm... river...no clue. Let's see, Neeshka sidled past the statue and exited the room. Peering to the end of the hallway she could just see... Water elemental, it's an elemental. This was a shock to her-she had no idea how to fight it. She offered a silent prayer, Tymora, I'm gonna need some help here. With that, Neeshka waded in.
To the rogue, the elemental looked like a column of swirling water. It moved very slowly, just plodding along. When her sword touched it, the reaction was swifter than she expected; The water recoiled and formed an appendage that moved as quickly as any sword arm. Neeshka's sword sliced off every arm that formed. The severed limbs splashed to the uneven stone floor. It began to advance and retreat, as if some basic intelligence was at work. The rogue knew she was tiring too quickly. She would have to end this. After breathing deeply several times, she stepped up and stabbed into the heart of the construct. It was like stirring tar with the blade. Water was in her eyes, it was up her nose. Dark spots swam before her eyes. She willed her tired aching body to just hang on. She needed air desperately. A roaring sound was getting louder in her ears. She heard a loud snap and the water just fell to the floor. On her knees, she retched up filthy water and pulled in great whooping gusts of air.
After catching her breath, Neeshka retrieved her bow and quiver. Her bag was dry and supplied her with a healing potion. It was then that she noticed Moonbow was missing. Her heart sank. A quick search of the area turned up nothing. Hoping the familiar was safe, she had to move on.
The next statue was silent, so she sat down to rest. When it spoke, she jumped. 'Where might an enemy of Neverwinter find a map of our city?' It inquired.
The rogue said nothing. She had never heard of a map of Neverwinter being found anywhere. When the statue spoke again, she couldn't help but jump. 'Yes. A friend of Neverwinter would never reveal a map to its enemies.' The gate on her left opened, but she didn't even notice it; She was laughing too hard to notice.
After her laughing fit had settled down to a few hiccups and snorts, Neeshka stood and walked out the left door. And what will I see now... nothing? The fit threatened to return.
The tiefling was not disappointed. The corridor was empty.
Neeshka was off-balance. This was the seventh statue. She didn't know what to expect. 'How many gates must one pass from Neverwinter Harbor to her castle?' In that same dead voice.
She sighed in relief. "There are three; The merchant quarter, the back alley, and Black Lake."
'Yes. Three mighty gates, built so that if one falls, the others will prevail.' The grill on the exit opposite the statue sank slowly into the floor.
She actually smiled when the door led to a labyrinth. Finally, a real challenge, the rogue exulted. It took her about twenty minutes to work her way to the exit. She was disappointed when the exit door led her to the next statue.
When she stepped into this room, the rising gate reminded her that she had a tail. Rubbing the sore spot, she listened to a different voice. It was alive and vibrant. 'You have proven to know Neverwinter, But for Neverwinter to know you, you must declare your loyalty to her.'
"I, Neeshka of Neverwinter, declare my loyalty to Neverwinter." She couldn't hide the regret from her voice. Tiernah... It should have been you, she mourned. A single tear ran down her cheek.
'So be it, Neeshka of Neverwinter,' that same bright voice. 'The stone of this castle bears witness to your fealty. Protector of Neverwinter, take your place among us.'
The last grill sank slowly into the floor. A gilt edged sign mounted over this door read, Lord Halueth Never.
After stepping through, the rising gate reminded her that she couldn't go back.
Elven Translation
Ilorna gurthcoiasira- Wake up, time to die!