It was time for Sly to leave; his welcome in the city had quickly worn out. Why did he think he could break into one of the homes of a Morglith Clan member? Since it was a minor cousin, he had assumed there would be little danger. When Sly scouted the house, he had not noticed that it had been some time since the owner had been home. Unbeknownst to him, the noble was involved with a ritual at the main compound of the city's controlling clan. The ritual's success had assured the elf's rising status in the hierarchy of nobles.

The burglary had gone off without issues; Sly had circumvented all the mundane and magical traps and alarms. He would have been safe if only the homeowner had not recently changed his fortunes. When the soldiers of the Morglith clan descended upon his small apartment, he knew that he had angered the influential members of the family

As Sly hid in the dark corner of a tavern, he cursed himself for his impulsivity. He was a fine thief and had managed to create a good life in Fazirr. Now, all of that was coming crashing down as he felt the agents of the Morglith clan descending upon him. His dark blue eyes scanned the crowd of the tavern as he fingered one of his daggers underneath the table

Recklessness was not a good trait in a thief; it often led Sly into trouble. The varishu elf could handle himself; he had grown up in a life where fighting and protecting yourself was essential. Unfortunately, this also caused Sly to grow reckless and cocky. There were few options for a rogue being hunted by one of the clans. He would have to leave the city as quickly as possible. Where could he go in Daraan? The Varishu Clans, or the Nathir Lords, controlled most significant settlements. There were rumors that a band of slavers had made it to a new land just past the Desert of Ruins.

So far, no one had ventured south; the Inkellin tribes killed anyone who ventured into their sandy home. The reports said they had found a fertile land of plentious people. Maybe there, Sly could find a fresh start. The first step would be finding a way to these new lands. He knew little about the lands that the varishu were originally from. It had been almost four centuries since they had left.

When the Mortal Age had begun, the nobles of the varishus’ had argued with the other elven leadership about how the society should advance. While the elves remembered how to survive, cast magic, and the basics of life, they could not remember the history of their time in the Spirit Age. Most elven leaders decided it would be best to leave it in the past; the Spirits might grow angry if the elves attempted to circumvent their will.

That did not sit well with the varishu, and several clans decided to leave the Elven Woods of the south and venture north. All varishu learned this history, and Sly knew that the Elven Woods were to the south, but what else had grown in that region? The mortal races must have accomplished wonders in the last four hundred years. It was decided! He would have to find a way to reach the south, but first, he would have to leave Farzirr.

Some caravans headed out from Farzirr, but the guards would search them. Sly had considered finding a way out of the city alone, but that would be not easy. Still, it had a better chance of success, and he may end up closer to his destination. He would have to speak with the keeper of the Under Portals.

Leaving the tavern, Sly quickly pulled his hood over his head. His distinct half-shaven head would easily mark him as recognizable, and for a moment, he considered altering his appearance. No, he would not mare his looks; if he escaped from this unscathed, he wanted to make sure he still cut the dashing figure he was known for.

The streets of Fazirr were crowded this early in the night; varishu of all ages, genders, and social stature could be found in the lower section of the city. That worked to Sly’s advantage as he moved through the crowds. While ensuring he was alert for any signs of Morglith agents or spies, he could not help but take a moment to bask in the atmosphere of the city he called home. Who knew how long it would be before he saw it again?

Farzirr was a city deep within the Celtran Mountain range. It was made up of two sections, one higher than the other. A giant wall of stone and bones surrounded the lower city, offering protection for anyone in the city and a favored method of execution for anyone who defied the will of the noble clans. Both of the sections stood in stark contrast to one another. The lower section, home to varishu, nathar, slaves, and spirits, was a jumbled mess of streets, overhanging buildings, and random cliffs. Whereas the upper section was orderly and clean, and a single layer of streets was home to the few nobles who claimed bloodlines of the original Varishu clans.

Even though the city was high up in the mountains, it was one of the more populated settlements within Daraan. This was made possible because they did not rely solely on roads. The city utilized powerful teleportation magic. The Noble Portals were at the top of the mountain city, only accessible by the clans and wealthy merchants. Deep in the sewers were the Under Portals, where the city's refuse and trash were sent. 

Sly stood at the entrance of the sewers, taking a deep breath before descending into the tunnels. His pointed nose wrinkled in disgust as he quickly put his black hair in a ponytail. The last thing he wanted was to get crap in his hair. His armor and weapons could be cleaned, but he would feel dirty for weeks if he got anything in his hair.

Fortunately, Sly had chosen this entrance due to its proximity to the Portal Cavern. He would not have to travel too far in the deplorable tunnels. As much as he wanted to rush through the sewers, he still had to be on his guard. Rogues and other monsters called the sewers home.

Reaching the entrance of the Portal Cavern, Sly took a moment to breath. He had no idea what he may have to trade the Portal Keeper, but he heard that treasure would not do. Of course, when the rogue had little choice, he had to trade what he needed. With his resolve strengthened, Sly reached up and pushed the twin doors open.