The road became almost civilized. There were spots of pavestones, signposts and even staircases.

Stairs in the mountains? I'm concerned that we might be on our way to the heavens at this rate, Nyx mused as they ascended several flights to the topmost point of the mountains. The winding claustrophobic gorges had progressively made way for wide open areas of crags and outcrops with blue skies and white clouds above. The orange mid-afternoon sun streaked lines between the puffy clouds drifting all around. It was idyllic.

Nyx heard some of the group gasp as they reached the top of the rocky stairs. It was no surprise as to why, a gasp escaped her own throat when she set her eyes upon the scene before them. They were looking upon a huge temple, larger than the one at Moonhaven, it too was nestled between the mountains. However, it held itself with far more grandeur, even in its ruined state.

Is that the Githyanki creche?, Nyx thought and Tav asked the same of Lae'zel.

Lae'zel nodded curtly, "Tracks and past activity indicate that my people have taken up residence in the religious structure below."

"So, not one of your temples then?", Tav ventured and Lae'zel gave her the side-eye as an answer.

Nyx assumed that Githyanki either had no temples or they were 'grander yet less decadent' than whatever could be found in Faerûn.

Tav pointed to a detached monument some distance in front of the temple. The monument almost seemed to be floating amongst the low hanging clouds settling around it. It had three skyward reaching spires with massive buttresses arching downwards into the clouds below. Two eight-pointed stars were mounted between the three spires creating two decorate panels that played with the light when it passed though the cut-out designs. Shadowheart recognized the symbols and the temple as the Rosymorn Monastery of Lathander; the Morninglord - a light god of the rising sun.

A sudden crack of something came from far behind them. It sounded like thunder, but distorted somehow. Nyx, Shadowheart and Halsin turned to look over their shoulders at the source. Black clouds swirled in the distance between the mountain's peaks. Halsin had mentioned they were near the Shadowlands and from this vantage point one could see the darkness that shrouded the area. Shadowheart looked between Halsin and Nyx.

Shadowheart pointedly asked Nyx, "You felt that too?"

Tav asked them with concern, "Felt what? I didn't feel anything."

Nyx looked at Tav and provided, "A shift in the Shadow Curse. It felt like rolling thunder."

Shadowheart nodded, "An adequate description, although I'm not sure why you felt it."

Nyx made eye contact with Halsin's intense disapproving frown again and sighed inwardly. She shrugged and explained, "I tend to me more attuned to the flow of magic in my surroundings. Likely due to my training."

That wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. Nyx wasn't going to get into another spiel about 'her darkness' with Halsin - especially not in front of a whole audience.

Tav seemed satisfied with the answer, but Nyx received dubious glances from Shadowheart and Halsin. She ignored them.

"Hey!", Karlach called out as the others have made their way down set of stairs and were waiting for them, "Should we stop for a nice little lunch, take it all in?", she gestured at the view.

Saved by Karlach's stomach, Nyx welcomed the well-timed opportunity for escape, making her way down. Lae'zel was asking Karlach whether the tadpole had eaten all her grey matter and that being purified at the creche was their first priority. Karlach agreed unoffended, and casually suggested lunch be second priority. Nyx smiled and shook her head.

---

There was an actual cable car across the gorge to the monastery. In good working condition to boot; likely the resident Githyanki kept it in order. It took two trips to get everyone to the monastery.

Nyx admired how the trees had grown through the roof of the monastery, some even sprouting from the roof itself. Nature is truly one of the most resilient forces.

While they took a leisurely stroll towards the entrance, Nyx was trying to imagine what the temple would have looked like previously with its high arching, stained glass windows that have become broken and faded due to age and neglect.

It is a magnificent ruin; it must have been majestic in its prime. And yet, it likely has so much more story to tell in its current state.

Voices flited up from the entrance ahead.

Tav crouched and everyone did the same. Tav and Lae'zel inched forward to identify the persons to whom the voices belong. Nyx could hear something like and argument in common tongue from her position. She only caught few words, though enough to get the general context of the situation. Tav flinched when a sound of a blot fired, and the tell-tale thud of a body followed. There were commands, multiple footsteps and the creaking of huge doors being shut. Tav and Lae'zel rose with tense expressions and proceeded to round the corner.

“Why are the Githyanki gathering up Absolutists?", Nyx frowned at the pooling blood after recognizing the amulet on the floor around the neck of the dead gnome, a bolt in her back.

Lae'zel huffed from the sealed door and Tav provided, "Likely because of the artefact."

Ah... Hmm, but still, these are simple cultists. It would be like interviewing enemy foot soldiers. What do they hope to gain from it? Unless... Does it have something to do with the Absolutist's use of tadpoles..? Maybe using the cultists as test subjects to improve this purging device Lae'zel spoke of?

A loud boom slammed against the sealed door, jarring Nyx out of her puzzling. Lae'zel formally announced their arrival to the sealed door, but there was no reply.

"Chk!"

Tav scanned the airy open foyer then suggested that they take a quick look around for another entrance.

The room to the left of the foyer was an old distillery; entirely closed off from the remaining structure. The rooms to the right were in a state of disrepair and proper scouting effort was required to traverse its fallen architecture.

Tav decided to send the 'most sure - and light footed' for a scout, which naturally meant Nyx and Astarion. Nyx smiled to herself, 'Sneaky stuff'. The rest of the party will wait in the foyer.

Seems like Karlach is going to get her picnic after all.

Astarion and Nyx left the others behind and surveyed the room to the right. The multi-level floors have caved in at some point; several broken beams crisscrossed between the floors. Crumbling walls created holes and doorways to other rooms on each of the floors. Nyx let out a slow breath while she looked up wondering where to start.

Astarion lilted at her with a sly smile, "My dear, I'll have a look around on the top floor. You're welcome to check the ground floor."

Nyx gave him a raised eyebrow and placed her fists on her hips, "What you mean to say is: 'Nyx, I'm going to go do stuff I shouldn't be doing while you get to do all the boring things that I don't want to do.'"

"Ah, darling, you know me too well.", he grinned over his shoulder and proceeded to glide his way towards the upper levels.

He disappeared. Nyx snorted after him and shook her head. His head popped into view above her, looking down from the platform above, "Now, do have fun doing the boring things I don't want to do."

She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him.

He gave his usual scoff and with a receding voice stated, 'How uncivilized'.

---

Nyx found this temple ruin to be grossly frustrating. There were rooms upon rooms stuck onto more rooms on the ground level - mostly bare, forgotten and dead ending. She backtracked, doubled back and circled back enough times to make her head spin and her internal mental map go topsy-turvy.

She was eternally grateful for her superior night vision in times like these. With the waning sunlight, the temple's natural gloom continued to darken while she travelled deeper into its bowels. She was chewing on some of her own provisions when she saw torch light flickering in the distance, coming from a large circular room with a high vaulted ceiling. She could make out the shadows of guards against the back wall. The owners of which obscured from view by a wide downward spiralling staircase. She took a cautionary look from a safe distance and surmised it to be the entrance to the creche, especially considering the surly looking Githyanki flanking either side of the door. She promptly returned to the others.

Astarion has impeccable timing when he feels like it, Nyx observed when he returned to the foyer around the same time she did. Nyx gave the report of her findings while Astarion simply loitered about looking bored.

And, he is not going to share his findings?, Nyx snorted softly, Typical.

Tav gathered them up and they followed Nyx to the dark main hall. Tav recommended that the others hold back while she and Lae'zel approach the Githyanki at the door.

Nyx regarded her companions and mumbled to herself, "Yeah, we'll probably look like a bunch of marauders to a group of stuck-up broody Gith guards stowed away in the basement of an annexed temple."

There were rounds of snorts and chuckles from all who were in earshot.

Astarion lulled smirking, "Let's not give our bloodthirsty hosts any more reason to relieve us of our heads, hm?"

Gale quipped, "I'm rather attached to mine, present unwelcome guest aside."

Astarion tutted, "With a face like that?", he sighed gesturing, "But I suppose not everyone is as blessed as I am and will simply have to make do with what they have", he inspected his nails.

Poor Gale, he totally walked himself into that one.

Gale shot Astarion a glare. Karlach and Wyll chuckled. Halsin and Shadowheart were keeping an eye on Tav and Lae'zel.

Gale continued, "You know Astarion, have you ever considered that being, oh, I don't know - less nasty has much greater appeal than constant declarations of conceit?"

Oof, ouch, Nyx placed her hand over her mouth to cover her smile. Wyll was also holding his laugher back while Karlach didn't seem to understand the subtlety of the insult.

Astarion scoffed and replied with a wicked grin, "My dear wizard, I'm sure you can already appreciate how flattery will get you everywhere, and into everywhere."

Oh wow, Nyx cringed.

Gale sighed hopelessly and gestured in front of him, shaking his head, "Now you've just gone and made things awkward. I'm not talking to you anymore."

Astarion lilted disinterested, "No great loss on my side."

Nyx puffed out her cheeks and shared an amused knowing smirk with Wyll.

At least that was more palatable than Clive's crude insult matches.

Tav and Lae'zel returned, one with an annoyed frown and the other a peeved glower, respectively. The guards have informed them that the creche was under 'strict lockdown due to military protocols' for the evening on orders from the 'Inquisitor' until 'cultist interrogations' have been concluded. They will only allow 'visitors' tomorrow and in addition, Lae'zel was to 'limit the number of non-Githyanki guests to the facility.'

Nyx rolled her eyes, 'Non-Githyanki slaves', you mean. But I suppose strict implementation of bureaucracy are to be expected. Ironically, much to Lae'zel's own irk it seems.

There was a question about communicating the urgency of their situation given the tadpoles, to which Tav replied that they should refrain from providing that information seeing as the guards would likely cut them down where they stood.

"We gain access to the creche first, then we locate the zaith'isk", Lae'zel announced and Tav nodded in agreement.

Their group left the temple structure when evening approached. They found a sheltered area flanked by two crags and a series of ledges to setup camp nearby.

---

Plenty of the evening was left after dinner for Nyx to indulge in some solitary exploration of the temple's top floors herself. Along the way to the entrance, she spotted a gaping hole in the side of a top floor room. She squinted and noticed furniture lining the wall with what looked to be bookcases. A few magically infused jumps landed her on the boundary between a rocky ledge and the room ahead. She extended her whiskers towards the gap in the wall, sensed nothing untoward and proceeded into the elongated room.

It was a library of sorts; several bookcases lined the walls along with some cupboards. There were a few desks strategically placed in rows down the centre, enclosed with a series of pillars. It was remarkably well preserved, all things considered. She browsed the books behind warped glass doors. The glass too had either cracked or blackened with age. Unfortunately, the books were mostly about scripture or prayer, which Nyx had little interest in. Next, she searched through the desks and found a few journals accounting the attack on the temple during the Githyanki assault. From these diaries, it was brutal and ruthless, The scholars and priests didn't stand a chance. Only a small contingency of paladins stood between them and certain death, delivered upon Red dragon’s wings. Horrifying and tragic.

Nyx's whiskers picked up on movement, she had stretched a handful of them flat along the floor, like tripwires in all directions around her. Her initial alarm subsided when she recognized the movements after extending a sweeping cone in that direction and 'felt' the approaching silhouette.

She watched him enter the room the same way she did.

"Good evening, beautiful", he lilted with a smile when he noticed her waiting. "I must either be losing my touch or", he drifted towards her looking around gesturing with a pointed finger, "You were expecting me and that would mean... You lured me here.” He flashed that wicked grin of his, “Which is it I wonder?”

Nyx snorted into the open journal in her hands and quipped, "Neither. You can set your wondering mind at ease; I don’t fancy myself some kind of ‘seductress’. Besides not all that I do is about you. Even though I’m sure you'd like to think so."

"Oh? Enlighten me then", he chuckled inspecting the books while he casually sauntered in her direction.

She closed the journal and returned it to its drawer, scrunching her nose thinking on how to explain the concept of her whiskers. She attempted, "You remember how I sensed the neothelid?"

He hmmed and swept a finger along one of the chair's arching backs, trailing a line in the dust and rubbed it between his fingers.

She leaned against her desk with her arms crossed, "I'm slowly learning how to control it rather than it just 'happening'. It feels strange though, and I can only control it for brief periods of time, but I think I'm getting the hang of it."

He stopped between the previous desk and hers, regarding her thoughtfully. He smiled and took another step forward, "Well, that does sound very useful. Although, it yet again spoils a lot of my fun." He touched his chest and pouted.

Nyx sighed and rolled her eyes, "Heavens forbid, the Lady of Dull strikes again."

He grinned and took another step towards her, leaning on the desk. He lulled, "I must admit, my dear, that I was rather grateful for your ‘fun allergy’ during the fight with the manticores last night."

Her eyebrows rose and she conceded, "I suppose being a monster-spoilsport has its perks."

He took another step towards her, trailing his leaning hand and placing it next to her. She locked her smouldering eyes with his rubies while he purred, "I can think of a few other fun things for us to do, my dear."

He stepped around her placing his other hand on the opposite side of the desk - effectively boxing her in with his body. At the same time, she turned to face him and sat down on the desk while he leaned over her.

Abyss take him. Such a smooth operator, Nyx stared up at him with parted lips and a flushed face.

He studied her for a moment, running his eyes over her face and down her neck. He moved closer leaning against her legs, bringing his face down to hers.

"Astarion", she spoke the warning softly and gave him firm look, the best she could manage under the circumstances.

He sighed dramatically, pulling back a little to regard her with a quizzical expression. He lilted with amused annoyance, "You know, you're quite persistent when you want to be. Are you really going to insist on these 'negotiations' of yours?"

She quipped, "Like you're not a relentless tease yourself, and yes I am going to insist we talk first."

He tsked and shifted to make himself more comfortable still leaning over her; all the while she feels like a blushing teenager again at being the subject of his very close attention. He grinned at her, "Alright, let's talk," and he gave her a side-long expectant gaze.

She shifted on the desk, snatching her legs back where he had pinned them, much to his feigned dismay, then proceeded to sit cross-legged. He smirked down at her amused while she composed herself to the extent that she could have a serious conversation.

She cleared her throat and started with, "I want to know what this", she gestured between them, "actually is, and what you want from it."

He gave her an incredulous look and lilted in low tones, "Isn't it obvious my dear? I want to indulge in you, and you clearly want it too - yet you keep denying yourself the pure cardinal pleasure I can offer. Or is it that you doubt that I can?"

Oh no, Mr. Sweet Talker. I see what you're doing and you're not getting out of it that easily.

"No, I don't doubt your prowess in that. Or anything else for that matter. However, I do want to know whether sex is the only thing you're interested in?", she kept his gaze. Something passed over his face, but before she could figure out what, it was gone.

He roved his eyes down her body then purred, "Does it have to be more?"

She waited for him to look back at her and she answered genuinely, surprising herself even, "I would like it to be."

He considered that for a moment looking away, and replied almost coyly not fully meeting her eyes, "We could try."

She narrowed her eyes at him with pursed lips considering and decided that it was a fair enough expectation to set.

Let it take its natural course, Nyx.

She smiled at his slight pensive expression, "Alright, let's give it a try and see where it takes us."

He searched her face then asked, "So, we talked... what happens now?"

Nyx chuckled. Given his reaction to me unexpectantly reaching out to him last night. I'll state my intent to do so. She answered smiling, "Now, I ask whether I may kiss you again."

He tilted his head with a raised eyebrow, a grin spreading on his face again, "Oh? Is that all?"

"For now," she confirmed and gathered up his shirt in her hands drawing him closer.

He chuckled while she rose to meet his lips. He placed his hands on her thighs, leaning into her kiss. He gripped her tighter and pulled her towards him. She made a small sound of surprise, which he simply captured in another kiss, smiling against her mouth. Her hands were in his hair and she leisurely ran her tongue across the front of his fangs. He took in a breath through his nose, and pulled away grinning, "Careful, darling, they're very sharp."

"Have I been anything other than careful?", she purred back - her magic raised its hackles.

Both of their heads snapped to the darkened corridor at the back of the room. She released him slowly and extended her magic towards the sensation.

"A group of small creatures.", she announced and Astarion made a sound of agreement, adding "We're being surrounded, my dear. I would suggest that you withdraw your magic."

She promptly did so and watched while he listened, tracking them. He slid his one hand around her waist towards her hunting knife and the other moved to one of her throwing knives. He asked, "Mind if I borrow these?"

"Borrow away."

He unsheathed the knives and slowly stood. She silently unfurled her legs and slid off the desk. A low growl emanated from the dark corridor followed by green reflective eyes. She could vaguely see the outline of the creature, appreciating Astarion's previous suggestion.

"Gremishkas", she stated.

Astarion sighed, "I don't know about you, my dear. But I am not in the mood for pest control. Any ideas?", and glanced at her.

The exists were being blocked by gremishkas on either side of the room. A singular iron door between the bookshelves behind them. Closer inspection along same wall showed no signs of holes chewed through to the other side. That leaves one question.

She asked him, "How fast can you pick a lock?", then hooked a thumb over her shoulder.

His eyes flited to the door, and he gave a wry chuckle, "That's hardly a challenge", and with a sleight of hand produced his picks.

Where did he hide those? I'll have to find out at some point, she pondered mischievously.

She inclined her head, and they casually moved towards the door.

The stalking gremishkas inched forward with every step they took. Nyx made an imposing stance when they reached the door, glaring at the advancing creatures while Astarion picked the lock. The latch clicked and he slipped through. She followed, but not without some of the creatures pouncing toward her. She slammed the door behind her catching one's clawed paw in the process, it howled and snatched its paw back. Shadows moved beneath the door accompanied by brief growls and hissing. Nyx leaned against the door until they relented.

Gremishkas are magical living constructs; temperamental creatures with a penchant for consuming magical books, items, spells and people. They are literally unstable magic incarnate; the failed attempts of spellcasters to create life - hence their gnarly cat or rat like appearance. They take particular issue with those who possess high magic ability, especially their creators - provoking and attacking them with their own unpredictable magic. Single gremishkas are easy enough to dispatch, but they have this nasty habit of exploding into swarms of smaller gremishkas and when they work together as a group - it takes hours to get rid of them due to their hit-and-run tactics.

Thus, Nyx too preferred to avoid spending the rest of the evening being harassed by a swarm of pesky ankle biters. She moved away from the door.

Nyx frowned, looking around, everything was cast in red. The source of the diffused red light were several high windows that had retained their bright coloured glass, almost untouched by decay. Nyx walked over to admire their murals. Astarion sidled next to her.

He twirled her throwing knife between his fingers and held it out to her, she absently took it by the handle. She extended her upturned hand for her hunting knife, yet it remained empty. She glanced questioningly at his spreading grin. He shifted his weight and inspected her knife in the moonlight streaking in through cracks in the windows.

"This is a well-made knife. A bit plain, but expertly balanced and finely crafted."

She narrowed her eyes at him and replied with amused suspicion, "It has served me well for many years, yes, and I'd like it back now.", she opened and closed her still extended hand in rapid succession, "Hand it over."

He turned to her, hiding the knife behind his back, "Hmm, I rather like it too. What is it worth to you getting it back?"

Her extended hand went limp and gave him a flat look, then pointing with the same hand she remarked, "I recall you asking to borrow it, not repossess it, especially considering that the owner is standing right here."

His grin continued to spread, "Au contraire, I am negotiating its return."

By the Abyss - holding my knife hostage? Two can play at this game.

She took a step towards him and glared up into his contesting grinning face. She settled on indifferent defiance to deal with the situation and simply shrugged wordlessly. She turned and walked away from his disapproving annoyance.

She smiled to herself when he huffed behind her, "Where in the hells are you going?"

"Looking to find a way to the roof. The full moon is calling to me."

"In that case, my dear, follow me."

AUTHOR ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT! || AUTHOR ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT!

*Squeaking static white noise fades in*
*We briefly interrupt your scheduled reading for an important announcement from the author...*

LOL, I am going to briefly hijack this part of the chapter for a special treat. A bit of a celebration of getting into Act 1.5, if you will.

I've been trying to find some character concept art for Nyx, but being half drow with not the usual (half-and-half genetics midway between human and drow) it has been a struggle. So I first tried to see if I could find an artist to do the concept art, but most of the places like Fiverr didn't have DnD artists - those who could do DnD concept art were using AI generators... and I would have liked to get an actual artist to assist, but budget wise this wasn't feasible either.

I personally have a pretty decent amount of graphic design and photomanipulation courses under my belt as part of previous hobbies. I had a bit of time on my hands over a public holiday and with the help of Canva stock images, its image manipulation tools and some GIMP magic I managed to create a portrait of Nyx.
However, because I used stock images as the base; the starting human model is gorgeous and highly photogenic, which I don't necessarily mind, but I would see Nyx as a bit less super-modelly and more in line with the looks of the other characters in the game...
Regardless, the lighting (*oh that lighting!*), pose, facial expression and clothing choices were great though. All I needed to do was remove the longer hair/ponytail and earrings. Then elongate the ears and use the 'turn into illustration tool'. Recolour the skin and eyes according to Nyx's drow/human heritage, tint her eyebrows and lips... Fix that beautiful reflective lighting I inadvertently messed up. Add a simple background and accompanying text in stylish compatible fonts...

Et voilà:

We now return to your usual scheduled programming...

Squeaking static white noise fades out

FollowTheWhiteRabbit >>> FollowThePaleElf... who knows where it may lead... all bets are on trouble