As Floradine, Shae, Garanon, and Shanjalae step through the portal, they hear Ashe's cryptic response to Shae.  "Unfortunately, if the prophecies are correct, the Baron will not be alive long enough for me to contact him."

Then you are through, and the portal closes behind you.

Ashe did his job well.  You are standing outside a large gate on the grounds of a chateau.  The gate is closed, but there is a large bell with a rope to ring it.  A stone wall ten feet tall surrounds the entire yard.  All is quiet.

Floradine steps forward and rings the bell.

Floradine rings the bell.  A long and awkward silence follows.  Garanon, ever the rogue, eyes the wall as if sizing up how easy it would be to scale.  After several minutes where you are wondering if anyone is home, a figure approaches the metal gate.  He has a walking stick that he prods the ground with.  He is obviously blind.  The man is old and balding, and short, but he is dressed nicely.  "Who goes there?" he asks suspiciously.

Garanon gives his name and asks to see Syrissa.

The man nods for a moment.  "Ah, yes, I remember your name.  I am Erthnon, Syrissa's servant...and a resident artist."  He unlocks the gate.  "Please, follow me."  The gate squeaks open, and he waits to see if you will enter.

Shae eye's the man closely for a moment, before stepping across the threshold.

"I am pleased to meet you Erthnon, Artist of Syrissa" she says in a voice as smooth as silk, "I am Shae, companion of Garanon. Would you be so kind as to show us to Syrissa. We would very much like an audience with her."

"Yes, of course," he says.  Tapping his stick from side to side, he leads you up a beautiful garden with ornate statues, a lovely fountain, and rows of trees.  He takes you into the chateau and asks you to wait in the foyer.  As you look around, you see art everywhere:  tapestries and rugs, paintings and busts, statues, and art objects of every form.  You are sure a king's ransom alone is held in the foyer.  Most of the paintings depict violent, gothic, or erotic images.  The statues are mostly of people in various poses, including a fair number of soldiers.  The tapestries show a landscape of wars and what appears to be a running history of the kingdom.  Of particular interest are art objects, including eggs, small sculpted trees, and earthen vases of elven make.  Set in ornate display cases, you can see various weapons depicting all ages of battle among the humans and demihumans.

Erthnon leaves you alone as he climbs a dais and out the far door to find Syrissa.  Even the door, you notice, is carved in bas relief images of trees, people, and buildings.

"This is beautiful." Shae says as her gaze wanders around the garden, pausing ocassionally to focus of several paintings that are particulary eye catching. "Syrissa really does love her art."

Floradine nods.  He moves in close to look at the various pieces of work to see if he recognizes anything.  "I'm out of my realm of expertise," he says.  "Except maybe for the weapons."

"Well that makes two us Ellid. I know only the natural art that nature makes." She gives a small smile, "A flower in full bloom, the graceful arc of an oak's bough or the many patterns of moss as it grows."

"I look forward to returning home," she casts Floradine small glance, "Even if it means leaving good friends behind.  I do hope you'll come and visit when times are less troubled."

As Floradine turns to respond to Shae, the tip of his sword knocks a fragile piece from its place on a table.  It tips and falls, shattering into a thousand pieces on the floor.

Beyond the door, you hear the distant voice of Erthnon say, "Yes, milady.  They're in the foyer right now waiting.  This way."

"Oh, no," Floradine says, as he quickly tries to clean up the mess.  "She's not going to be happy."  He looks worriedly in the direction of the approaching voices.  "I'll take responsibility for it," he says.