The Color of Magic

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival clutches the bannister a little tighter as the menacing ghoul lunges at him once again. Instead of leaping away, Nightrival suddenly ducks and sweeps his legs under the apparition, forcing it to fall down the stairs behind him.

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival clutches the bannister a little tighter as the menacing ghoul lunges at him once again. Instead of leaping away, Nightrival suddenly ducks and sweeps his legs under the apparition, forcing it to fall down the stairs behind him.

[Heridfel]

Nightrival times his move perfectly. The apparition steps forward to grab him, growing solid in the process. Nightrival's sidestep and sweep come at the wrong time for the ghost, and it tumbles down the stairs. As it bounces off one stair and into another, it almost looks like the trap that they had found would have no effect. As it reaches the stair two steps above the one that they knew to be a trap, it falls... and keeps falling. The stair returns to normal, and the ghost seems to have disappeared.

[Heridfel]

Nightrival times his move perfectly. The apparition steps forward to grab him, growing solid in the process. Nightrival's sidestep and sweep come at the wrong time for the ghost, and it tumbles down the stairs. As it bounces off one stair and into another, it almost looks like the trap that they had found would have no effect. As it reaches the stair two steps above the one that they knew to be a trap, it falls... and keeps falling. The stair returns to normal, and the ghost seems to have disappeared.

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival stands at the top of the stairs and watches as the apparition falls into the mysterious trap. He exhales an audible sigh of relief when the ghostly fiend doesn't return after a few moments.

"Well, tha' worked out better than I hoped," he says to Sen. "I don't think Casper is gonna pull himself outta that."

Nightrival gazes down the hallway then walks over to Sen. "He had no hope when ya took tha' chunk outta him. Good job, man. Whatta we do now?"

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival stands at the top of the stairs and watches as the apparition falls into the mysterious trap. He exhales an audible sigh of relief when the ghostly fiend doesn't return after a few moments.

"Well, tha' worked out better than I hoped," he says to Sen. "I don't think Casper is gonna pull himself outta that."

Nightrival gazes down the hallway then walks over to Sen. "He had no hope when ya took tha' chunk outta him. Good job, man. Whatta we do now?"

[Warmonger]

Sen watches in amazement as Night Rival manages to trip the ghost down the stairs. As the spectre vanishes Sen realizes that he has a death grip on the blade. "Quite impressive," He comments. He has to force the words out through a sudden twist of emotion in his gut. He quickly flourishes the sword to re sheathe it. He feels his arm tremble slightly form the blade's influence but he sheathes it.

He turns down the darkened hallway. "I suppose forward is the only way. Perhaps with some caution."

[Warmonger]

Sen watches in amazement as Night Rival manages to trip the ghost down the stairs. As the spectre vanishes Sen realizes that he has a death grip on the blade. "Quite impressive," He comments. He has to force the words out through a sudden twist of emotion in his gut. He quickly flourishes the sword to re sheathe it. He feels his arm tremble slightly form the blade's influence but he sheathes it.

He turns down the darkened hallway. "I suppose forward is the only way. Perhaps with some caution."

[Shadowboxer]

"I reckon you're right," agrees Nightrival.

He peers down the hallway, and confident the passage is clear of supernatural threats, he takes a few hesistant steps before easing into a confident stride. However, he remains mindful of his surroundings, paying attention to any sound or sight that will reveal another adversary. The terror he felt earlier has ebbed away, but the apparition's image is firmly entrenched in Nightrival's memory.

I'm gonna 'ave nightmares about ghosts tearin' off their faces, I jus' know it.

[Shadowboxer]

"I reckon you're right," agrees Nightrival.

He peers down the hallway, and confident the passage is clear of supernatural threats, he takes a few hesistant steps before easing into a confident stride. However, he remains mindful of his surroundings, paying attention to any sound or sight that will reveal another adversary. The terror he felt earlier has ebbed away, but the apparition's image is firmly entrenched in Nightrival's memory.

I'm gonna 'ave nightmares about ghosts tearin' off their faces, I jus' know it.

[Heridfel]

A tall, powerfully built Arabic man dressed in native Egyptian garb steps out from the door at the end of the hallway. He holds a staff with a golden cobra head at the top which he uses to close the door behind him.

"You shall not pass," he says to Nightrival and Sen. He looks like he means to back up what he says.

[Heridfel]

A tall, powerfully built Arabic man dressed in native Egyptian garb steps out from the door at the end of the hallway. He holds a staff with a golden cobra head at the top which he uses to close the door behind him.

"You shall not pass," he says to Nightrival and Sen. He looks like he means to back up what he says.

[Warmonger]

Sen steps forward and places his hand on the hilt of his sword. "A guardian who speaks? Good. I grow weary of these constant trials. Stand aside I have come to see Adrian Eldricht." He says ion a clear threatening voice.

[Warmonger]

Sen steps forward and places his hand on the hilt of his sword. "A guardian who speaks? Good. I grow weary of these constant trials. Stand aside I have come to see Adrian Eldricht." He says ion a clear threatening voice.

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival contemplates for a moment. The tall man blocking their way is the first human being they've seen since they arrived at Eldrich's house. He has certainly heard of the Master Mage but he's never seen the man up close. Nightrival is suddenly struck by a hunch: maybe they should start asking questions, rather than fighting their way to the acclaimed sorcerer.

He places his hand on Sen's wrist, gesturing to the swordsman to stay his blade for the time being. "Just give me a sec," he whispers to his companion. Nightrival advances a little closer to the imposing guard with his palms facing out.

"Hey, um, we're not lookin' for any trouble," he explains. "We were sent by Master Lee ta see Eldrich, so we kinda have an appointment. Is he here?"

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival contemplates for a moment. The tall man blocking their way is the first human being they've seen since they arrived at Eldrich's house. He has certainly heard of the Master Mage but he's never seen the man up close. Nightrival is suddenly struck by a hunch: maybe they should start asking questions, rather than fighting their way to the acclaimed sorcerer.

He places his hand on Sen's wrist, gesturing to the swordsman to stay his blade for the time being. "Just give me a sec," he whispers to his companion. Nightrival advances a little closer to the imposing guard with his palms facing out.

"Hey, um, we're not lookin' for any trouble," he explains. "We were sent by Master Lee ta see Eldrich, so we kinda have an appointment. Is he here?"

[Heridfel]

Nothing in the man's body seems to relax with Nightrival's words, but there's something in his eyes which gives them a second appraisal. He holds his staff at the ready if Sen or Nightrival was merely seeking to fool him with words, but he continues to speak rather than attack them.

"I am Sallah. Do not advance further. Name yourselves, and explain why you have broken into this place if you were sent by Master Lee."

[Heridfel]

Nothing in the man's body seems to relax with Nightrival's words, but there's something in his eyes which gives them a second appraisal. He holds his staff at the ready if Sen or Nightrival was merely seeking to fool him with words, but he continues to speak rather than attack them.

"I am Sallah. Do not advance further. Name yourselves, and explain why you have broken into this place if you were sent by Master Lee."

[Warmonger]

Sen did not draw his sword but he did not move his hand from the hilt of is blade either. "We did not break in. We merely knocked and the door was opened. Then you sent those creatures to attack us." Sen continues to eye the man critically. He could sense no demonic energy but he had encountered plenty of evil humans in his life.

[Warmonger]

Sen did not draw his sword but he did not move his hand from the hilt of is blade either. "We did not break in. We merely knocked and the door was opened. Then you sent those creatures to attack us." Sen continues to eye the man critically. He could sense no demonic energy but he had encountered plenty of evil humans in his life.

[Heridfel]

"I have let no one in to the master's domicile. The guardians downstairs are set to repel intruders, which is what you are until you prove who sent you," Sallah answers. He is as still as stone as he looks over the two of them. Though his eyes do not move, they can feel the way that he uses his peripheral vision to keep them from surprising him.

[Heridfel]

"I have let no one in to the master's domicile. The guardians downstairs are set to repel intruders, which is what you are until you prove who sent you," Sallah answers. He is as still as stone as he looks over the two of them. Though his eyes do not move, they can feel the way that he uses his peripheral vision to keep them from surprising him.

[Warmonger]

Sen frowned. His hand ached to slide his blade from its scabbard, but Sen realized that it was the sword poisoning his mind. Letting out a deep breath. Sen released his grip on the blade. "I am called Kiyoshi Sen. I have been sent here by Master Lee. We are not intruders and someone let us in. I do not think we could get in on our own." Sen watched the strange man wearily, eyes hunting for any sign of betrayal.

With a great amount of effort. Sen bowed slightly. "I think..." He cleared his throat. "Perhaps I was... mistaken."

[Warmonger]

Sen frowned. His hand ached to slide his blade from its scabbard, but Sen realized that it was the sword poisoning his mind. Letting out a deep breath. Sen released his grip on the blade. "I am called Kiyoshi Sen. I have been sent here by Master Lee. We are not intruders and someone let us in. I do not think we could get in on our own." Sen watched the strange man wearily, eyes hunting for any sign of betrayal.

With a great amount of effort. Sen bowed slightly. "I think..." He cleared his throat. "Perhaps I was... mistaken."

[Heridfel]

The tension is broken by the sound of a cell phone's ringtone. Sallah looks down at his side in surprise, then removes his left hand from the staff to pull out a phone and glance at it.

He looks back to the two of them and moves the staff slightly with his hand as he puts it away. His brow is furrowed as he looks over them.

"That was Master Lee. I did not know that he knew how to text-message," he shakes his head. "There is a spirit loose in this house, and..." he hesitates before saying the next part, "and the Master Mage has been missing for three days. I had meant to contact Master Lee, but it has taken all my strength to contain the spirit here. It seems to have gone into hiding; I cannot sense it now."