Aguma, Protector of the Gate smiled beneath his mask. "League Champion, the Isles favor neither living or dead. Let's leave the threats for the horrors that await you. That is, if even you can keep your sanity in this wretched place."

Aguma pointed passed the group, towards the sky. There was a light fog creeping across the ground, barely hiding the glowing insects flittering through the dark sky. Beyond that, it appeared that there ere two moons, one dark, but barely noticed even though it was right behind the first. A noticable shiver went up the gate guards behind him.

"We call it the Shadow Moon. It is not always there, nor do we know how or when to expect it." aguma began, in his deeply powerful voice, carrying obvious malice and an undertone of fear. "But we do not stay outside when it is up. Even here, at this Manor, strange and terrible things happen on these hallowed grounds when the Shadow Moon graces us with her presence. "

After a brief, but eternal moment Aguma grunts. "Well, if we're all here, then let's be on our way. Lord Darkeye has most anxiously anticipated your arrivals. There are others inside already. And mind your tongue around the Lord, he is not as accomodating as he once was and in his presence.... nor am I."

(bah my impatience takes off with this stuff lol!)

Takuma looks at Lizzy, he recognizes the crest on the sheathe of her sword. It was interesting, though not entirely surprising to see that the relative of a warlord had become a mercenary. He didn't bother to say anything to her, not caring for conversation.
He turned to Aguma. "Lead the way." He glanced up at the 'Shadow Moon' wondering what sort power could create it.

Aguma nodded, turned on his heel and stepped towards the manor. The wide pathway beyond the gates was lined with tall statues of knights on horses, archers, what appeared to be mages, gargoyle like creatures, and behind those, massive trees with white bark and brillian purple leaves, red streaks in the trunk. They seemed to reach for them more and more the further Aguma and his armed escort walked.

"Don't mind the trees. It's the air, it alters your perception. Those trees emit an odd toxin that dillutes the senses." Aguma told them, leaving out the answer to what might be obvious question - why not just cut the trees down? They wouldn't wanna know that.

As they proceeded further, a stable and an armory came to view with a black smith hard at work. He seemed entranced by his work even as the flames of the smelter roared behind him. They were unusually high, and burning hot even from this distance. But the smith looked cool, bundled in fur with leather. Not that it was cold outside.

"Efuro, our smith. His work is outstanding, he can smith finally honed blades in no time. Can repair any armor." He stopped and looked at the smith, who was at that moment placing down his hammer, speaking to himself, and taking a long drink from a flask. "Don't worry.... He's not entirely mad."

They came to the great doors of the manors tower, their base. Each door guarded on either side by a hulking minotaur with double edged axes. Both were head to toe in thick, emerald green steel with diamond forged horns. They stared at the newcomers with indifference and bowed in respect to Aguma.

"Ignore the minotaurs. They are hired hands." Aguma scowled at one, it paid him no heed. "Truthfully, they're far worse than me. More importantly, beyond this you will find a great many other mercenaries gathered, as well as Lord Magnus Darkeye himself. Speak only when spoken to, or speak very cautiously and quiet. HIs mood is as dark as that ominous thing in the sky."

Takuma just nodded, being quiet wasn't exactly difficult for him, he preferred silence.

Lizzie felt a tinge of strangeness from the odd looks given to her by the others... like they knew her or something. Or maybe her famous grandfather. It was always a pain to have one's name attached to historical figures, and doing anything remotely close to what they did always meant being compared. Well, today wasn't the day to complain- Lizzie wanted to have closure with the family's honor and recover whatever it was that was so important his grandfather came here for.

Aguma invited them inside, and described more of the wonderful ways one could slip into madness here, eyeing the strange shadow moon. She takes a picture of the lunar phenomenon, but only appearing to adjust her mask. The lenses of her mask could lend her magic detection and several modes of vision. She couldn't bring her camera bot either- it wasn't actually hers, but the Institute's. And those things cost a small fortune, not to mention attracted more trouble than Cottontail Teemo...

"Part of the Island's influence is an airborne toxin?" Lizzie's train of thought returned on track, and from her pack she retrieved a Piltovian- or Piltish- built, Ionian design mouth cover with an air filter. it was slim and custom built for Lizzie, something the Ionian Guard have been quick to adopt due to prior experience. She tied it around her neck but didn't wear it yet.

Lizzie looked at the massive Minotaurs flanking the great and important door. For a split second her mind went to looking for weak points in their armor, part of her training automatically applying.

A twinge of panic went through Cruciatus's mind. What kind of toxin was so strong that it could bypass his magically enhanced body? As he pondered the ramifications of this, he once again stopped paying attention to his surroundings.

He decided to look up after a couple of seconds, realizing that the yordle was right in front of him. He attempted to dodge out of the way, but it was far too late. He tripped over Elysia, landing face-first on the cobblestones beneath the party's feet.

Trees that give off an "odd, perception-altering toxin?" Elysia's slightly Zaun-touched mind led her to wonder what would happen if one attempted to smoke the leaves. Perhaps it would be the same as that one plant that was artificially being grown at a Zaunite lab she visited once, where she, out of curiosity, decided to accept that shady bio-engineer's offer of a free sample and--

This train of thought was cut quite abruptly from a fairly unexpected reminder of Elysia's height as she feels something large and heavy stumble over her. A cloak, and then the upper body of a humanoid begins to drape itself over her field of vision as she, along with whoever tripped over her, fall for the ground. The end result is that she is directly under a giant of a man who doesn't know how to look at what's in front of him. Apparently, he can't see things taller than two and a half meters, and the Flame-Headed yordle was not particularly pleased.

She unleashes an angry tirade directed at the moron laying on top of her, but the ground, the man's cloak, and her long hair muffled too much of it. However, the words "get off," "moron," "you BLIND?!" "that hurts," "feel violated," "demand," and "apology" were barely audible in the otherwise nonsensical storm of verbal abuse as she flails like a little girl throwing a tantrum beneath her mysterious assailant.

...Which, frankly, she was. "Who the hell trips over a yordle?!" She continued, her ranting still being so muffled that she is somehow able to maintain an "indoor" level of volume - something that she will only take advantage of until Cruciatus would remove himself from atop her. Unless this happens, the storm of abuse will be unceasing....