Cathedral of Light (Reena and Casca)

Reena enters the inn, takes a quick look around the room then walks over to the innkeeper. Closing in on him she flashes a smile and locks eyes with the man.

"Good afternoon. I am a traveler from the land of Gupta and looking for a place to stay. Do you have any rooms available for tonight?"

"Yes of course," is the Innkeeper's reply. He quotes a price (well above average for what he seems to be offering) while extolling the virtues of his wine cellar.

***

In the garden stands a large apple tree, or what looks like an apple tree. The trunk is actually quite wide for that species. Several of the huge trees fill up much of the space in the garden. Weirdly, one has a door in it. "Mister Pandor makes a nice living as a result of this little quirk in reality," Valentine says. "I should warn you, this leads to a tunnel system where a lot of people actually live. Mostly refugees, but overall they aren't a bad sort. I'll need to go first, and if you would please follow after about five seconds. While we're inside the initial tunnel, which is fairly narrow and low, stay six feet behind me." She cocks her head. "Ready?"

Reena pretends to politely listen to the innkeepers pitch for a few minutes.

"A '239 Begman, you say? That bottle has come a long way. I hope it has survived the trip without spoiling.

'"Now, what quality of guests stay here? For example, that woman in red who was here a moment ago, what is her title? And the man - he had the look of a bodyguard - but maybe he is some duke in rough garments?"

Heading through the garden door doesn't suggest that they are in a hurry to pack up and leave. Maybe they find the garden a guarded trying spot. Will have to see if the innkeeper will let me barge in on them.

The horned innkeeper gives a little laugh, not missing a beat. "Now what kind of innkeeper would I be if my guests couldn't trust to my discretion? But as for my clientele--they come in all kinds and all sorts, from here and far and places farther than far and and near as your own breath. But if they stay here, then they'd best obey my rules. Simple ones really. Respect each other's privacy. Don't bring the Lictors down on me. Pay on time. Don't trash the rooms without paying for damages. Easy to understand yes? Just as easy to follow, don't you think?"

Meanwhile the door to the garden has been closed. Reena can no longer see beyond, although the sight of several very wide trees remains in her memory.

I appreciate the care you take towards guarding your guests. I believe I will stay here for a few days.'

Reena drops a handful of gold coins on the desk near the innkeeper. She then takes out a few more and pushes them across the counter to him.

"I would also ask for your extra discretion as to my being here should anyone ask."

Stepping back from the innkeepers she looks about the room.

"From the street I noticed a garden adjoining your inn. May I rest there for a short time before heading out to collect my traveling gear?"

"A couple are strolling through the garden right this moment," answers the Innkeeper, "but if you can but wait a few moments I daresay they won't be long."

"Yes, I believe I will wait until they return."

Reena takes a seat at one of the tables.

"And while I wait I would like a glass of your wine; the 'C6F Brockian, if you please.'

This passing of pleasantries is trying my patience. First Prospero an his elliptical speech and now this obstinate innkeep. Much more of this and I'll show these people what a shattered world really looks like.

In a huff, Reena sits, sips, and waits for the couple to return from the garden.

Casca allows the door to close behind them, then quickly steps to the side. He glances at Valentine and says quietly "We've been followed from the Cathedral. Step out of sight and bide a moment. I wish to see if our pursuer will follow us into the garden. If they do not, we can simply leave, but if they are bold enough to follow us into the inn and the garden, it mi=ay be worth investigating further."

After pushing a heavy cord of wood to act as a door stop, Casca draws a slim dagger and waits in the lee of the door, ready to step forward behind anyone exiting the inn into the garden.

If after ten minutes or so no one follows, Casca will shrug and follow Valentine through her doorway.

The door, when it opens, reveals an oval tunnel with some light several yards forward. Valentine goes first, as she described. The distance they initially travel is close to two city blocks. Once the door shuts, Casca can make out a faint patterned glow in the walls. At last they reach a t-section. Right leads to darkness. Left to a staircase. At the top of that staircase is a large cavern, but one dotted with lamps and torches. Tents of various sizes dot the cavern floor, making it resemble an underground gypsy camp. Along the sides of the cavern homes have been carved, in a variety of styles. Valentine indicates them. "Embassies" she says.

A wide variety of people and types seem to be moving around. Some living there, plying sundry trades. Others seem to shop. Yet others scurry about on errands.

"On the other side of that bridge" says Valentine, pointing to a prominent structure nearby, "is a small crack that leads to Uberwald." As she leads the way, past well-dressed humanoid rabbits, some beweaponed warriors of reddish hue wearing loinclothes and little else, some ochre-clad monks each stroking a cat in their arms, numerous horned individuals like those back on Grimm, finally an argument between what looks like a bunch of Japanese schoolgirls and and some English-type students of both students in green, black and silver, Valentine chats.

"This network of caves opened up about ten years ago, with refugees from a hundred or more worlds flooding the place. Mostly from worlds essentially destroyed in one cataclysm after another. For the first year or so, the cave kept changing shape now and then. Then it stabilized. From what I understand, all these disasters--like the one that created Grimm--coincide with an attack in Amber itself. Not one but several. Eventually the armies of the Eternal City traced the invaders all the way back to their home. King Oberon, monarch for as long as anyone could remember, fell that day."

She reaches the bridge and pays the toll, crosses it, then crosses it to a much smaller cavern. Within that cavern is a round hole over ten yards across, containing a broad stairway spiraling down. Valentine does not hesitate but starts down the steps.

***

Just a tiny few moment before Reena explodes in frustration, the Innkeeper approaches and says "Our garden is again available, if you will come this way?"

Assuming Reena follows him, she'll discover the large apple trees taking up most of the space. The Innkeeper leads her directly to a door seemingly built into one particular tree.

"Presumably this is what you seek, as a traveler of your...range, shall we say?...might find such useful? Vital even!" He smiles and gives a little bow.

Reena looks about the garden seeing the door within the tree and a lack of Bleys and his companion.

"Well done, sir. You seem to do fine business watching over these trees."

She walks to the front of the door, looks over her shoulder and winks at the innkeeper, then opens the door and steps through.

Grimm, I have a feeling that I will return soon. Those trumps will need to be recovered at some point.

What Reena sees is a long tunnel, with some light towards the end of it. As she enters and closes the door, a mild glowing pattern within the stone.

At the tunnel's end is a T-section, one way leading to total darkness but the other opening up to large inhabited cavern, filled with the hustle and bustle of what looks to her eye not unlike a port of call. Which of course it is.

In the distance, she can see Bleys and the Woman in Red crossing a bridge...

Reena makes a mental note of the pattern seen upon the door. She then pulls her cloak about herself and staying near the walls an within the shadows she works her way around the cavern's inhabitants towards the bridge Bleys and his companion are crossing.

Even if nothing comes of this tailing I've found a few shadows of interest and that door was a fault in Shadow between Grimm and here. No telling how many other shadows are connected to these caves or how many doored trees exist in Grimm.

The staircase seems to end at a rectangular door with an odd distortion, as if a translucent fabric were stretched over the aperture. Beyond is what appears to be a hallway, white-washed and with doric columns every few yards.

"Ah," says Valentine. "I should mention this entry into Uberwald changes. We'll emerge from one of nine tapestries, each created by a specific master craftsman three centuries ago. All depict some kind of door or arch, as well as the Holy Unicorn." She touches the medallion around her neck. "In this case, we're in the Convent of the Shrine. We should exit into the nearby Shrine as rapidly as possible. Men aren't usually allowed in the Convent. They aren't that fond of non-cloistered women wandering around here either!"

With that she takes Casca's hand and takes a step through the 'door'.

Sure enough, they are now in a quiet place, a little warmer and drier than the cave. Valentine puts her finger to her lips, then points. Quietly, she makes her way down the hall. Pauses at an arch to look ahead. A pair of women in green and white robes pass by, backs to the arrivals. Once they are out of sight, Valentine leads to a small staircase behind a large column. One flight down, a hallway leads deeper into the building (cleaning noises, as if from a kitchen, echo from that direction) while the other turns and leads to a simple door. Valentine opens it (there's no lock) and beyond is an out-of-the-way part of a garden. Valentine smiles and says "All clear now! Come!"

She follow a path into a hedge wall, towards an opening, which in turn opens up into a much broader space. Much broader. "The Grove of the Holy Unicorn" she says.

[OOC - Casca, click on the link.]

Reena finds a strange-looking figure demanding payment for crossing the bridge. It takes a few moments to communicate properly (he has a thick accent) but soon enough she crosses over to the much smaller cave beyond, with a large opening in the floor. A large spiral staircase of stone sinks into darkness before her. No other entrance or exit is visible save the way she came. She can see no one else.

They must have gone down the steps. Or Trumped somewhere. Maybe.

Damn! If it wasn't for that idiot collecting tolls I would still have them in my sight. Go back? No, I paid my money so let's see what we have here.

Reena heads down the stairs slowly with her back to the wall listening for any sounds from below.

Can't see my hand in front of my face down here. But what's a little darkness to the 'Daughter of Night'?

The staircase seems to end at a rectangular door with an odd distortion, as if a translucent fabric were stretched over the aperture.

Beyond is a large room, octogonal in shape, with fine paneling of dark wood. Rich curtains of red and gold and silver hang in front of pointed windows. Maps hang on the walls. A beautiful candleablra chandalier hangs from the ceiling, lit in answer to the dimming light from the windows.

She steps through.