war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第13部分

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　foes…and　there　were　more　than　a　few…were　not　in　the　habit　of　watching　for　an　invisible　foe　who　also　glided　from　shadow　to　shadow　with　the　stealth　of　a　master　assassin。　Nimor　was　more　concerned　with　the　various　magical　barriers　shielding　the　house。　He　habitually　protected　himself　with　spells　designed　to　counter　and　confuse　various　forms　of　magical　detection；　but　they　were　not　foolproof。
　　　Green　and　gold　radiance　glimmered　around　him　as　he　crept　along　the　steep；　tiled　roof　of　a　square　tower。　The　Faen　Tlabbar；　like　many　other　Houses；　used　magic　to　illuminate　and　decorate　the　baroque　spires　and　balconies　of　their　home。　Nimor　lowered　himself　to　his　belly　and　edged　down　even　farther；　headfirst；　listening　carefully。　Below　him　he　expected　to　find　a　guard　post；　and　an　entrance　leading　into　the　manor　itself。　Over　the　decades　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　had　used　magic　to　scry　what　they　could　of　the　layout　and　defenses　of　many　great　Houses　in　more　than　one　drow　city；　and　the　slender　assassin　had　carefully　studied　his　brotherhood's　notes　and　drawings　on　House　Tlabbar。　The　information　was；　of　course；　inplete　and　out　of　date；　as　parts　of　the　castle　were　blocked　from　all　scrying；　and　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　had　not　studied　the　Houses　of　Menzoberranzan　in　a　very　long　time。　Nimor　would　have　preferred　to　update　his　information　through　the　bribery　or　capture　of　a　Tlabbar　guard；　but　he　simply　did　not　have　the　time　to　arrange　such　a　thing　and　keep　the　rest　of　his　timetable　intact。
　　　He　heard　the　soft　sounds　of　movement　on　the　balcony　below　the　eave　of　the　roof　he　lay　on。　Two；　he　guessed；　at　least　one　wearing　chain　mail。　He　would　have　to　be　swift…a　single　outcry　could　spell　the　end　of　his　single…handed　assault　on　the　castle。　With　calculating　patience；　Nimor　edged　out　even　more　and　found　himself　looking　down　on　a　curving　gallery　beneath　the　overhanging　eave。　To　his　left；　the　walkway　became　a　walled　stair　leading　down　to　the　lower　battlements；　while　to　his　right　it　simply　ended　at　a　black　doorway。　The　door　itself　stood　open。　Directly　beneath　him　stood　a　drow　male　in　armor；　gazing　out　over　a　lower　courtyard。
　　　Nimor　studied　the　fellow　for　a　full　thirty　heartbeats；　planning　his　strike　as　he　quietly　slipped　his　dagger　from　its　sheath。　It　was　a　blade　of　green…black　enchanted　steel　that　glistened　wetly　in　the　glimmering　faerielight。　Then；　still　invisible；　he　rolled　himself　off　the　roof　and　dropped　down　behind　the　Tlabbar　guard。
　　　The　assassin's　feet　thudded　softly　to　the　flagstones。　The　guard　started　to　turn　and　opened　his　mouth　to　cry　out；　but　with　one　remorseless　movement；　Nimor　clapped　a　hand　over　the　fellow's　face　and　punched　his　dagger　deep　into　the　base　of　the　skull。　The　blade　grated　on　bone；　and　the　Tlabbar　guard　simply　sagged　into　Nimor's　arms；　dead　on　his　feet。
　　　Nimor　let　the　nerveless　body　slump　to　the　floor　and　looked　up　at　the　other　sentry　in　the　guard　post；　a　fellow　in　the　black　robes　of　a　wizard。　The　Tlabbar　mage　glanced　over　at　the　rustle　of　sound；　just　in　time　to　see　his　watch　mate　fold　up　and　collapse　for　no　apparent　cause…for　Nimor　was　still　invisible。
　　　〃Zilzmaer？〃　he　said　sharply。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　Nimor　bounded　forward　and　rammed　his　bloody　knife　up　under　the　wizard's　chin；　nailing　his　jaws　closed　and　transfixing　the　Tlabbar's　brain。　The　mage　jerked　two　or　three　times；　violently；　then　shuddered　and　died。
　　　〃Shh；〃　the　assassin　hissed。　〃It's　nothing。　Go　to　sleep。〃
　　　He　laid　the　wizard　alongside　his　panion；　and　turned　to　the　dark　archway　leading　into　the　castle　proper。
　　　Knife　in　hand；　he　stalked　through…only　to　be　halted　by　an　invisible；　intangible　barrier　that　blocked　the　archway　as　surely　as　a　wall　of　masonry。　Nimor　frowned；　summoned　up　his　willpower；　and　tried　the　archway　again；　only　to　find　his　passage　barred　in　mid…step。
　　　〃Damnation；〃　he　muttered。　〃A　forbidding。〃
　　　The　Tlabbar　castle；　or　its　interior　anyway；　was　warded　by　a　great　fixed　spell　that　utterly　prevented　an　enemy　from　setting　foot　within。　Nimor　could　elude　or　undo　some　magical　traps；　but　the　forbidding　was　simply　beyond　his　ability　to　penetrate。
　　　That　explains　the　open　door；　he　thought。　The　Tlabbars　are　confident　in　their　magical　defenses。　Now　what？
　　　Nimor　sheathed　his　knife　and　studied　the　archway。　A　spell　of　forbidding　could　be　crafted　to　defend　a　building　or　area　in　one　of　several　ways；　but　if　the　Tlabbars　wanted　to　move　about　their　own　castle；　they　would　have　had　to　make　a　forbidding　through　which　one　could　pass　without　too　much　difficulty…perhaps　with　a　token　of　some　kind；　or　maybe　with　a　password。　Nimor　quickly　searched　the　bodies　of　the　two　Tlabbar　guards　he'd　slain；　but　found　nothing　that　seemed　like　it　might　serve　as　a　token　to　pass　the　forbidding。
　　　It　might　be　anything；　he　thought。　A　cloak　clasp；　an　enchanted　coin　in　a　purse；　an　earring　or　a　necklace　。　。　。
　　　He　decided　he　didn't　have　time　to　experiment。　With　one　hand　he　picked　up　the　dead　wizard　and　tucked　the　fellow　under　his　arm；　then　he　strode　back　to　the　archway　and　steeled　himself　to　step　through。　This　time；　he　passed　through　without　resistance；　as　if　the　ward　was　simply　gone。
　　　Something　the　Tlabbar　guards　wear；　then；　Nimor　decided。
　　　He　briefly　considered　shouldering　the　dead　wizard　and　carrying　the　fellow　along　in　case　he　needed　to　pass　another　warding　inside　the　castle；　but　decided　against　it。　Stealth　and　speed　were　his　best　defenses；　and　lugging　a　corpse　through　the　castle　was　not　particularly　subtle。　Besides；　the　Tlabbars　were　not　likely　to　have　two　forbiddings　in　their　palace；　or　to　use　the　same　key　for　both　if　they　did。　He　unceremoniously　dumped　the　wizard　on　the　other　side　of　the　doorway；　and　headed　inside。
　　　The　archway　opened　into　a　long；　high…ceilinged　corridor　that　ran　above　one　of　the　Tlabbar　halls。　Doors　made　of　pale　zurkhwood　lined　the　hall；　opening　into　studies；　parlors；　trophy　rooms；　and　other　such　chambers　if　Nimor's　old　maps　were　correct。　He　ignored　them　all　and　darted　swiftly　down　the　hall；　reaching　a　small　staircase　at　the　end　that　descended　to　the　level　below。　Here　he　encountered　a　magical　glyph　barring　passage　on　the　stair；　but　he　sensed　the　trap　before　stepping　close　enough　to　trigger　it。　He　simply　vaulted　over　the　rail　instead；　dropping　lightly　to　the　stairs　below。　The　stairs　swept　around　in　a　grand　curve　and　led　him　to　another　gleaming　black　corridor　near　the　center　of　the　Tlabbar　castle；　leading　to　the　House　shrine。　The　floor　was　polished　black　marble　that　would　have　gleamed　like　a　mirror　had　there　been　any　light　to　see　by。　Not　far　ahead；　a　pair　of　House　guards　stood　watch　over　a　great　double　door　leading　into　Lolth's　sanctuary。
　　　Nimor　smiled　invisibly　and　congratulated　himself　on　his　timing。　The　matron　mother；　and　perhaps　a　daughter　or　two；　would　be　within；　performing　some　empty　ritual　to　their　mute　goddess。
　　　Carefully　staying　out　of　sight；　Nimor　took　one　more　look　around　to　make　sure　no　one　else　was　approaching。　He　studied　the　two　guards　outside　the　door。　They　seemed　no　more　than　young　officers；　proudly　attired　for　their　exalted　duty　as　guards　to　the　matron　mother；　but　Nimor　did　not　trust　his　eyes。　The　two　were　more　than　they　seemed；　he　was　certain　of　it。　He　decided　to　bypass　them　if　he　could。
　　　Gathering　himself；　Nimor　raised　his　left　hand；　on　which　gleamed　a　ring　as　black　as　jet。　The　ring　of　shadows　was　perhaps　his　most　useful　weapon；　a　device　that　conferred　a　number　of　useful　magical　powers。　He　called　upon　one　of　those　powers；　and　melted　into　the　shadows　of　the　black　corridor　only　to　step　out　on　the　far　side　of　the　shrine's　door；　into　House　Tlabbar's　most　sacred　sanctum。
　　　The　temple　almost　filled　the　central　floor　of　the　great　palace；　its　graceful　dome　rising　overhead；　chased　in　silver　and　jet　with　Lolth's　spider　insignia。　The　shrine　was　lit　with　a　sinister　silvery　radiance；　the　better　to　display　the　lavish　wealth　House　Faen　Tlabbar　had　expended　in　decorating　the　Spider　Queen's　chapel。　Nimor　spared　no　admiration　on　the　gold　baubles　and　gem…encrusted　images；　though。
　　　Matron　Mother　Ghenni　and　two　of　her　daughters　abased　themselves　before　the　towering　black　idol　of　the　silent　goddess；　groveling　before　Lolth；　no　doubt　beseeching　the　Spider　Queen　to　restore　her　favor　to