Made in the Shade

## Synopsis:

In Season 2, Chapter 44: Made in the Shade, the party reconvened at the midway point of the exhaust pipe where a panel had opened up to allow access inside.  After being forced to wade their way through flooded caverns, Pockets and Graven needed a moment to dry off – but as soon as our guide gave the OK, it was officially time to climb.

The interior was smooth and steeply angled, which required us to brace ourselves against the sides in a single-file line, which was fine for a while – but became increasingly difficult as our arms and legs tired.  Patches of condensation were a consistent hazard – and just before we reached the top, we detected a concerning scent that necessitated we hold our breath.

With shaking limbs, we pulled our companions up one at a time and poured out into the hall where we could get some untainted air back into our lungs.  It wasn't much to look at just yet, but we'd finally arrived at the Shade Assembly – and a metal ladder at the end of the corridor was right where it was supposed to be to take us inside when we were ready.

This was, of course, where Pockets would be taking his leave – a redness in his eyes forming not because of gaseous irritation but because of an emotional mix of worry and relief, having done what he promised his wife he would.  Graven bade him a very personal goodbye, and in the last second before sliding back down the exhaust pipe, Pockets revealed his real name: Calder Rakes, a man we'd not soon forget.

We rested for a moment to regain our strength and then ascended the ladder using the silence spell as an added layer of security, which proved to be a prudent precaution given the heft of the floor tiles and the fact that a few objects had been placed on top of it that could have easily clattered to the ground.

Once inside the storage closet, we were able to peek out into the hallway; a set of double doors on both ends with one leading to the guest quarters and the other to the holding pens.  The doors were locked, but in waiting for the perfect moment after the guards had made their rounds, Erland put to use both an invisibility potion and some nyuyweed – breaking the locking mechanism and giving us access to the pens.

Frustratingly (but perhaps not unexpectedly), the Shade Assembly had more security measures up their sleeve than just doors – including a glyph-laden area that Orba determined was used to dispel magical effects.  We bandied about the idea of jumping through or climbing over the glyphs in some way, but all options seemed riskier than just walking through and forfeiting the buffs and boons we'd already adorned.

Unfortunately, sometimes even playing it safe isn't a perfect solution – and when Safira's bow caught on one of the metal gates, it was a sound just loud enough to alert the lookouts in a nearby break room.

Charging forward, Erland stunned one guard and then made a break for the other, who was rooting through a trunk to find a funneled tube leading into the wall.  Reaching him just before he could call for help, Safira obstructed the pipe while the rest of us roped and gagged the sentries – then carried them back to the glyphed area where we could more firmly secure them with manacles.

The holding pens were then ours to explore; a massive, cylindrical room nearly five stories tall containing almost a hundred cells – some occupied by various dangerous creatures but for the most part empty.  As we circled our way down, a feeling washed over Graven that was equal parts validating and terrifying… the chimera was indeed here, there was no mistake.

The final five cages before reaching the bottom swapped out iron bars for walls of force, providing extra protection against escape – and in a shocking turn of events, we discovered that the second cleric of Q'usñi had been scooped up and placed into one of these pens.  With no sound passing through the barrier, Graven could only stare at his counterpart and wonder what had brought him here – what promises had been made or what lies had been told.

As this was happening, Orba was investigating the four remaining magical cells to check for inhabitants.  Just as she reached the very last one, the barrier vanished and we waited to see what might step forth to meet us.

## Trivia

* Natural one count: five natural ones were rolled in this Chapter. 1 by Anthony, and 2 each by John and Riley.
* This is the final Chapter featuring John and Riley as part of the tabletopnotch cast.