Adran finally pulls himself up from the crumbled bone and dust of the destroyed skeleton. He hops up pats himself vigorously sending dust into the air.
"So what exactly happened. I must of got dead horseman dust in my ears. Volita was going to murder us all? She fine now? Either way we have till morning so lets find what we came here for sound good? I'm on it boss. Cell 238, check."
He smiles widely as he finishes dusting off looking for what exits there are and where to maybe explore first.
+3 more for any traps.
Adran hops to the boss's command, he heads over to the single door and checks it out.
+3 more for traps.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The door has the symbol for Earth on it, and has an obvious lock in the wall next to it, the keyhole is, oddly, completely free of dust. Adran is about to poke his tools into it when the tiniest of glints makes him freeze. Very very carefully pulling the tool back, he selects a mirror on a rod instead, and uses it to look inside the lock in more detail, and Adran realizes he almost set off a VERY hard to find trap. He's not sure what it does, but considering how hard it was to spot, it's likely very bad (this being a prison after all).
"It would have been nice if the Regent had told us which door to go through. Or are these cell doors already?" Connor asked Adran.
Is that an official question to me as well?
|
So, you're, like, always listening in, eh? I admit I didn't think that our relationship would be quite so...omnipresent.
I also admit that if you don't voluntarily start offering up something useful, I'm going to start idly wondering about ways to baffle you, it's just how I operate. A constant stream of gossip and null-data seems the most likely thing to offend you and teach you the value of meaningful conversation, and that a ride, in itself, is something worth paying for.
Just fair warning.'
There is no such thing as worthless information, mortal. Even the unending prattle of someone intent on annoying one reveals much about their mind and personality, where they grew up, and their outlook. All is useful. As to my answers, no, anything you volunteer to me is just that, volunteered, as is that which is said in your presence. Just as anything I choose to reveal is freely given information to you. I have already revealed several important things, although the wit to notice them may be lacking. Do not take that as an insult, mortal, no mortal has the wit of a God, and thus they can only notice what their mortal minds allow. Much as you can no longer remember the full contents of my book, for your mind cannot process it. You seem to have retained enough knowledge of Death to be able to see it coming for others, if not for yourself.
"They could also all be trapped as heavily as this one." theorized Connor grumpily. "Adran?" he asked. "We have open passageways to search first."
"Whatever you say boss. You point the direction."
Adran will take the lead and search out the open passageways before we check any more doors.
Flann moves from statue to statue while Connor and Adran fiddle with doors and Volita mutters to herself. He looks at the statues themselves, their weapons, and any seams or joints that might give any indication of a purpose beyond decoration. "Who puts statues in the foyer of their prison? Maybe I'll ask mother when I return." He does his best looking at the broken statue, and comparing it to the broken pillars. Throughout his inspection of the decor, Flann gives the halls and doorway a wide berth, knowing better than to even acknowledge them until someone else has had a go, especially after that trap Adran says he found.
The damaged statue looks like someone smashed it with a hammer, a sword, and a mace, based on the damage marks. The pillars look like they were damaged by a sword and something heavy hitting them.
Oddly, the statue doesn't seem to have been on it's base when it was destroyed.
The other statues are burly looking creatures about 8 feet tall with really heavy looking weapons, one has a polearm, one has a massive warhammer, another a massive axe, a fourth a massive sword, and the fifth has a truly gigantic crossbow made out of stone and metal.
"I... think these statues got in a fight. This one wasn't on the platform when it was broken by weapons very like the ones the other statues are holding. Ther are other explanations, but better to assume they move than be caught off guard... I think the sword-one likes to charge around, the pillars have gashes in them like a sword would leave. Quite deep too. We should try and avoid making the same mistake."
As the others stand around looking at rubble Adran realizes they are still on a clock so heads down the passage to get a look around the place. He moves cautiously not wishing to set off any traps as he goes.
+3 vs Traps
Adraniel finds that the hallways are untrapped, but the doors appear to be. Each door has a keyhole in the wall next to it though.
Moving down the hallway, he finds several small sarcophagi in the hallway. Two double doors at the end, and another double door set to the south. There are two small sarcophagi here as well.
The alcoves have odd little stone containers in them.
Moving north, he finds more doors, and move little stone containers. Finally, he finds two statues, facing each other, with a sarcophagi between them. One statue has the little container next to it, the other doesn't.
The statue without the container next to it has six arms. Four are outstretched, palms up, with elemental symbols on the palms. The other two are upstretched, hands together as if grasping something, although they are empty currently. The statue with six arms looks like a monstrous creature. The statue across from it looks like a large feline of some type, but the breed is not immediately apparent.
The containers are oddly, even suspciously, empty. No dust, no dirt, just clean stone all the way down. They look almost like lanterns, except they are made of stone. Each is open on the top, with earth symbols carved into them.
Flann follows Volita. "Does the honorable Ms. Know-it-all think they need to be filled with dust?" He stops to examine one of the sarcophagi, looking at the one beside it enough to see if they are each different, but mostly just seeing if they hold any additional clues. "While you're opening things, why not crack open one of these?"
The sarchophagi are all different, each with a symbol carved in the top. They do not open.
Adran reports back what he finds.
"Seems that door with the multi arm thingy needs elements again to open. The others seem to take a key."
"Four elements, three doors, and some fancy stone jars... Would one of these fit?" Flann offers a jar to Adran to see or hold as he chooses.
|
|
One of Volita's constructs turns it's death's-head toward Flann, forms two fists, and cracks all it's knuckles. Who knew those things even had knuckles?
"I can have my constructs break open a sarc., if you deem it profitable. I'm tempted to put some dirt in these jars, but I'm not sure if it would be for us or agin' us. If we see no other way forward, it would be a thing that can be tried."
"I... think these statues got in a fight. This one wasn't on the platform when it was broken by weapons very like the ones the other statues are holding. Ther are other explanations, but better to assume they move than be caught off guard... I think the sword-one likes to charge around, the pillars have gashes in them like a sword would leave. Quite deep too. We should try and avoid making the same mistake."
"So the statues are guardians? What's the trigger? I don't want to set it off. This place is not at all like I thought it was going to be." Connor groused, looking around.
"I can have my constructs break open a sarc., if you deem it profitable. I'm tempted to put some dirt in these jars, but I'm not sure if it would be for us or agin' us. If we see no other way forward, it would be a thing that can be tried."
"I had thought we would find orderly rows of cell doors. '238' would have been in a row of a hundred at a time, or something." Connor theorized. "I'd rather stick to doors, Volita."
"If we're not dealing with immortal creatures, like genies or demons or some kind of arch-wizard," Connor said, still thinking out loud, "then what are locked up in these cells? More importantly, how do we find the one cell we are looking for?"
Where Connor would normally expect a pithy response in a high pitched voice, there is only silence.
Boss? I think we're in trouble here. This feels like a trap, a giant trap, like you know, big metal teeth coming down on us. I mean, I can live a few hundred years after you turn into a skeleton like those other guys, but, you can't. Maybe we need to hurry up and figure this out? Either apologize to snarky lady or ask angry lady to ask scary lady?
Adran back tracks a bit in the hall. Seeing Connor.
"Hey boss, dead end in there. Two statues. Should I look or try this door?"
A bit of free information for you, since it is in my interests. Your friend will destroy himself attempting to bypass the doors in this prison. If they were passable by someone of his skill, the prison could not hold the creatures it does. This prison is a near certain death trap for people of your skills, should you attempt to break your way through it. There is a reason why only those with guides may enter.
"Just a minute." Connor replied, holding up a hand. To himself internally, he reached out to the other presence.
Tenfa, Connor stated, I've never meant that I haven't enjoyed your time with me. I've liked our conversations, our interplay. I've had to learn about Halflings, not just Halvavians. That you care for them, even as they act out according to their nature.
Now you've learned about Humavian nature. Yes, we're arrogant. Connor admitted, thinking of a certain armor-clad cousin as well as a boss who like the physical aspect of his job too much. But I think we're in over our, my, head again. We win, and we get that one step closer to your temple in Atalanta. We lose, and it all ends here, since I think we're in a different dimension. Or at least it delays your temple twenty-five years.
I know I'm not the best lockpick, even with your gifts and guidance. Connor told Tenfa. Adran has me beat every time. But now you have competition with whomever's inside Volita. Do you really want some other godling to have the glory in here? To say 'Even the god of halfing thieves couldn't get through the Prison of Elements - they needed my help!' I don't want that.
Connor took a breath, and continued. So if I'm too stupid to know what to do here, tell me. At least I'll learn. Give us a riddle, or a hint. Make your diamond glow when we get closer, or something. You could...even speak with me, to the others.
After all, wouldn't this be a great tale to tell those halfings at the temple outside? Connor offered.
Really? Trying to use the Kalvara to goad me? I'm impressed. That took balls, boy. You do know she and I aren't at odds right? Then again, I'm a very easy to get along with sort and get along with most. I won't work at odds to her. She has her shtick, I have mine. But I guess I can let your behavior slide for now, dear. I will have some fun with you eventually for it though, when we're not here. The doors are traps, all of them. This is a prison, you know. You can't pick the locks here, nor can Adran, even with my lockpicks. I could do it, a high priestess of mine could do it. You'll have to play by the prison rules. You can ask Kalvara about the history of the prison, it will help your mindset to know. She's also better at how the bypass works, she designed it after all. The first step though is to use the statue with the elemental symbols, like you did on the front door. Then you need to pick a guide with the statue. Which guide you choose affects the prison. If you choose me, for example, there's a lot more traps and such later. If you choose Kalvara, there will be more puzzles. I'd honestly suggest going with Kalvara, she likes puzzles, and Verin designed them and still won't tell me anything about them, cheeky bastard. I didn't design the traps, Gormin did, and the dwarf really doesn't like me, so...
"Looks like you could put that polearm here. The statue looks like it should be holding something."
Earth, Fire, Water, Earth.
|
|
I didn't know that your Book of Power was a book of riddles and madlibs.'
Knowledge gained freely is rarely valued by mortals. As to how to get where you want, now that you have asked, you have to solve the riddle of the Earth Floor. The statue your halvavian found activates the four elemental floors, this one, Earth, as well as the other three, Water, Fire, and Air. There are five layers of prison between Earth and Air, five layers between Air and Water, five layers between Water and Fire, and ten layers below fire. The riddle of earth involves opening the various sarcophagi by filling the containers they correspond with with the appropriate amount of the appropriate earth from the Sand Room. The exact earths needed are random when the floor is activated. But I can help you with the mixture ratios... There's a pause. ...if you ask, of course. Now, I have answered your question, now you will answer mine. Tell me about your companions, both those who are here, and those who wait in town.
Holstering his pistol, Flann will take two of the earthenware vessels and look for some sand to pour in them. It was worrying that the other vessel had cracked, but it wasn't found at the statue's feet, and they are short on time.
Flann easily finds some sand by the entryway, tracked in by the group when they entered.
Flann brings the two jars of sand and his canteen into the room with the statue. "Volita?! I need your lantern and her magniloquence's rod of highly intelligent pokery."
"Flann, wait one." Connor announced from his position. "I was just told about this place from...the person talking to me. She's Tenfa, goddess of halflings." Connor looked around the walls of the prison. "This place," he said, awe in his voice, "was designed by several gods. Adran can't pick the locks - even with Tenfa's guidance, it would take one of her high priestesses, and everything is trapped at god-level - and how we interact with the prison affects how it reacts to us. Like it's alive."
"Volita," Connor called out, "Tenfa says Kalvara should guide us. Puzzles are better than traps. The statue with the elemental symbols is the first step."
Flann crosses his arms. "Convenient." He looks from Connor to Volita, none to pleased. Flann had gone a long time not believing in gods, and here two of the reckless adventuring types claimed to have gods in their heads... in a prison for beings who can grant wishes.
"Hafling god huh? Wonder why she is talking to you. Oh well so we do what then wait to be trapped here? I don't have powers like the rest of you just let me know what you need me to do there boss."
"Sorry, Adran." Connor replied. "Nothing in this place is like I thought it was going to be. The Regent's got us doing an enormous task."
"So whats are play then. If we are starting with the multi armed statue. Seems it takes the elements like the door. Shall we give it a try."
Volita explains that her new 'friend' says that the statue Adran found is the key to activating the prison. Four elements plus a guide activates the statue, and will reveal the first key.
Placing the mancatcher in the upraised hands while using the four hands with elements causes the entire floor to vibrate ominously. The statue's mouth slowly opens and a key slides free, held by a stony tongue.
The key has a symbol on it that matches the symbol on the doors of the room to the north, with the double doors at the end of the main corridor.
"Good work, Volita-and-Kalvara." Connor complimented. "Kalvara is the guide - and her weapon is a mancatcher. Interesting."
After being told about the key's symbol matching the Northernmost double doors, Connor looked behind him to the set of doors. "Volita, would you mind if we used your astral constructs to set off any pressure-plate traps or tripwires? With Adran following, then you with Kalvara as guide. Flann and I will keep an eye on the rear." Won't we, Hero? Connor added internally.
"Puzzles are better than traps." Connor repeated, as if to reassure himself.
Sure boss, that way when everyone else gets blown up, we can just wipe the gore off and sigh.
Hmm, that does sound like a better plan than being the gore, dear.
See, I told you I'm the smart one!
Yes you did dear, I never doubted it, you are after all, a precious gem, obviously you're the smarter one.
Turning the key in the lock causes the doors to the room to grind open.
Revealed inside are 3 pits, each with a different color of sand in them. Each pit is surrounded by a 1 ft high wall of stone, filled to the brim with sand. Also in the room are a dozen jars like those Adran found earlier, in either a large size or a small size.
"Oo, a graduation puzzle!" Flann hops and hovers to try and get a better look while the place gets checked for traps...