Disclaimer: This fanfic is based off the Neverwinter Nights community module by the name of "A Dance with Rogues" created by Valine. I fell in love with this story and felt compelled to write something that compliments it. This story contains explicit content and graphic violence. All characters except Shiloh, Bastian, Rhys, Nicca, Ni'as, Narev and Essex are property of Valine.
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Take it and take it and take it and take it and take it all
Take it and take it and take it until you take us all
Smash it and crash it and thrash it and trash it /You're only toys
Try it you'll like it don't hide it don't fight it, just let it out
Steal and shoot it and kill it or take another route
Take it and take it and take it /You know they're only toys
~~~~ "Devour" - Shinedown
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The Great Escape
Shiloh glanced over at Simon, "What's in your head now?" She peered down into the darkness once more. "It could be a possible route of escape, though it's certainly too small for us."
He rubbed his jaw before extending the torch he held into the pit, illuminating the black hole. Shiloh moved closer to him, peering down as well. "There seems to be a hole at the bottom."
"I think you're right, but what good does a hole only big enough to fit an arm through do us?" She tapped her foot on the stone floor. "And what does it have to do with the idea you said you had?"
"Patience, woman," he groused before digging into his pack. After a few moments, he produced a scroll. "I procured this in case Alen needed it. He could cast certain spells from scrolls as well." He handed it to her.
She perused it for a few minutes. "It's written in the divine language, Simon. I'll need some time to decipher it, but I'm sure I can cast it. From what I can make out, it seems to be some sort of polymorphing spell."
She sat down on the ground and from her portable hole pulled a small deciphering kit as well as some vellum and inks. Working quickly as possible she deciphered the divinum into their arcane counterparts, inscribing it onto the vellum. "We can use this. It's a Polymorph Self spell. Once I cast it, I can turn us into something small enough to crawl through that hole." Shiloh pursed her lips then let out a sudden laugh, smacking her forehead, "A rat. I can turn us into rats or mice, whichever."
Simon chuckled, "I'm ready when you are."
"Shall I?" She leveled a brilliant smile upon him.
He frowned as he gazed at the door, "Quit wasting time, Shiloh. I doubt it will be very much longer before Benthur finds someone who knows the password."
With a nod, she began to chant the arcanum she'd scribed into the vellum, feeling the spell's energy weave around them, changing them into two rats. She'd never been in a form different from her own. It felt odd to see the world from a vantage so small. With a squeak, she scaled down the side of the shaft and made for the hole at the bottom. It was a tight squeeze, even for creatures so tiny.
The tunnel seemed to go on for quite a ways, twisting and turning. At the end of the tunnel was another hole, which led them into another tunnel of sorts made of natural stone. It was bigger, rough hewn as it dug out by some manner of creature with the ability to tunnel through stone. Shiloh wasn't sure where they were headed now. She only hoped they didn't end up in the lair of something that might think they were meals.
She knew they had to find an exit. The spell's energy wouldn't hold out for very much longer. That much she was sure. Luck would have it that an intersecting burrow hole brought them out into a large natural cavern. She was sure this was beneath the castle, even lower than the lowest dungeon. She could recall some of the servants speaking of the caverns and how ice was stored within them during the warm dry season.
She stretched as the spell wore off. What a relief to be back in her own skin, "Much better. It felt odd and cramped in a rat's body. I'm glad I found a way out of that tunnel. I thought we'd be eaten by something for sure."
A chill settled on her bare skin. She shivered, turning to Simon. The sight of him stretching and flexing took her breath away. He seemed utterly unabashed about his nudity. She licked her lips, feeling her throat parch almost immediately.