July 7th, 2005, 06:15 PM #1 Penthesilea Penthesilea's Castle Main Courtyard...
The two women stood in the courtyard of the ruined castle at the end of a long journey. What had once been beds of beautiful flowers were choked with weeds, the fountain in the center of the courtyard was dry, its basin cracked and the center statue laying shattered at its base. Tumbled blocks of limestone littered the yard. "Ah," the taller woman said, her red hair stirring faintly in the breeze. "Home, sweet home." "You're sure?" the younger one asked. "It looks like a zombie war zone." "It has fallen into disrepair since my Uncle died and his children were unable to hold it. Come on, but carefully. Something may have set up housekeeping..." The two women approached the great, metal-reinforced doors that led to the Great Hall. "My mother's people were the landholders here for generations. My grandfather was a powerful wizard and he greatly expanded the Castle. When he died, it went to my Uncle, who did a good job of keeping order. Unfortunately, none of his children or grandchildren were up to the job, something his wife refused to accept. She tried to manage herself rather than call on any of her nieces or nephews. She couldn't control the forces that come with the land. They got away from her and destroyed her. The Castle was abandoned then.” "What kind of forces? "Magical, mostly, and the Castle sets over a Reality Nexus. Without a strong hand in charge, all sorts of things can come into this reality." "That explains the orcs, goblins, direwolves, giant spiders, multi headed serpents, vampires and cranky centaurs we ran into on the way here," Bladeraven observed. "Exactly. That's why we left the cats with the baggage train. My girls backed by four feline wizards and a pack of cranky gremlins should be enough protection for the moment." Swords drawn, the two women slipped through the doors into the darkness of the entry hall. Three open doorways, one to the left, one to the right and one directly ahead of them, presented themselves. "Straight ahead. The side passages may still be booby trapped." Penthesilea whispered. Bladeraven nodded and they approached the door from opposite sides. Cautiously, they peeked in. "Damn," Penthesilea whispered. "Swamp hags," Bladeraven whispered in disgust, "why did it have to be swamp hags?" "The Gods love us," Penthesilea replied. "At least they haven't had time to flood the Great Hall. Activate your 'True Sight Talisman' and cast 'Strength of Twenty." "Done." As one, twenty heads turned toward the doorway. Howls of rage blasted from twenty throats as the hags charged.....
The Great Hall
"That was fun," Bladeraven said as she cleaned her sword on a fallen hag's clothing. "Nothing like a bit of exercise to get the blood running." Penthesilea stepped over various hag parts littering the floor. "Good thing we got them cleaned out before any men found them." "What now?" Penthesilea pointed to a plain, black high-backed chair on a platform at the back of the room. "I sit down." Penthesilea made for the chair, Bladeraven at her heels. As Bladeraven watched, Penthesilea seated herself on the black chair and placed her left hand over the rounded top of a short limestone pillar beside the chair. "WHO DARES?" a voice thundered from the air. "I am Penthesilea, Clan Swordkin of Themyscira. I claim the title 'Keyholder' by right of Blood." For several seconds, nothing happened. "It's about damn time you showed up!" Before Bladeraven's startled eyes, a tall apparition faded into view. Penthesilea grinned. "Blame your son's choice of wife, Grandfather. Long time, no see." "Well, I'm dead, you know." He looked at Bladeraven appreciatively. "Who's your friend? She's hot!" Bladeraven blushed. "Her name's 'Bladeraven'. She's my Swordsister and she prefers her men to be, at least, corporeal." "Damn," the apparition swore, then took a long pull from the massive stein in his hand. "Oh well, then. You know the drill, granddaughter." Penthesilea nodded and spoke in a clear, firm voice. "I swear by the Light of God that I am that I will protect the world from what this Castle holds and what it guards. I will stand watch in the Gate of Worlds that none may pass through from any side. I will stand between Those Who Abide Outside and all other worlds. I will hold to this duty to the end of my mortal life.” Which, she added silently, is likely to be a very long time indeed! “This I swear by the Light and on my life.” The pillar under Penthesilea's hand began to glow. Brilliant light flowed up from the base and down, spreading out like water and where it flowed, the Castle was restored to its former glory. Before Bladeraven's startled eyes, tapestries and carpets restored themselves, rotted wood was made whole, walls were repaired and rebuild, statues regained their pedestals and wholeness and beauty were restored. "I am Penthesilea, Lady Keyholder." On cue, a ring of keys, some quite strange, dropped into Penthesilea's lap. She turned to Bladeraven. "Let's call the baggage train."
The Main Courtyard
Bladeraven and Penthesilea stood in the Courtyard, keeping a careful eye on Bladeraven's two year old son, Grasshopper, who splashed in the restored fountain, his brown hair dripping. Penthesilea's blood daughters, MoonCat and Spirit, were content to simply soak in the water up to their necks. “Check the buildings for unwelcome guests,” Penthesilea instructed the crew chief of the gremlins. "This place has been vacant for a long time and the swamp hags aren’t likely to be the only squatters.” The gremlin nodded and hurried away, barking orders to his workers, even as the rest of their group went about their tasks. "What do we do now?" Bladeraven asked as her son stripped off his wet clothes and ran laughing from his nanny. "Like mother, like son." Penthesilea chuckled. "We make a home for ourselves and anyone else who wants to come. Anyone who is willing to live in peace with us and causes no trouble is welcome." "Lady Bladeraven?" The two women looked down at the Head Housekeeper, Lilyrose. Twenty Smallkin, bearing enormous crocks stood behind her. "Where do we put the kimchee?" Penthesilea rolled her eyes and laughed.
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