Most of the camp ended up listening to Ansha's speech. It was received with mixed emotions, her words confusing many who had not yet caught up on local gossip. Others nodded in approval that Kamishah had been vindicated, choosing to ignore the undercurrent of the Elf's words.
Kamishah himself emerged from the kitchen tent to stare at Ansha about halfway through her speech. Tebati got the impression that the Mwangi was satisfied and the man certainly looked less anxious once the speech had ended. With a nod to Ansha, the cook returned to his duties of preparing lunch.
Before Ansha had a chance to either disperse or move forward to curry favor, Qhude's voice could be heard "Ansha... I must ask something of you..."
"Heh," Kieran chuckles softly to himself as he listens to Ansha's speech. Spotting Tebati, he shrugs, his usual smile on his face once she looks his way.
"True to form as always, Ansha. But then again why would you not be?" Still smiling, he turns his head to the people moving about, as well as Kamishah. No riot, no unpleasantness. So far, so good.
Ansha lowers her arms as her rhetorical display ends, and starts to simply walk away toward the tent, mulling over the hold Kamishah still seems to have over the camp. The sound of Qhude's voice intrudes upon her thoughts, and she stops to look over her shoulder to him. Curious, she smiles and asks, "And what is that?"
Picking his words with some care as though he is not entirely sure what he intends to say "Last night proved many things..." frowning and casting a glance towards the general's tent "You and I are different... but we are umkhaya." holding up Tebati's recently liberated bead and tapping his leather thong "I am making a totem of us to remind me of where I was... and of where we have come."
Taking breath and looking directly into Ansha's eyes for the first time in a long while and asking with no hint of malice or anger "Would you give me a token?"
Ansha nods approvingly. "I would be happy to," she says. Looking herself over, a lock of her thigh-length hair seems the most obvious, but she is wearing a lot of jewelry as well. "What do you want as a token? A lock of hair? I was thinking of cutting it shorter anyway..."
Bouyed by the acceptance, yet still reserved "The choice is yours Ansha... the best tokens are those that capture your uqobo."
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"What truly defines any of us...?" Ansha ponders. "Is it who we are with? How we act and react? Items we've used to great effect over a great period of time? Our bodies?"
After a brief pause, she half-smirks. "Well, a lock of hair will do. Give me a bit--it'll take a few minutes."
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With dry tone "Perhaps your tongue?" Qhude chuckles before giving a slight bow "Thankyou Ansha" and making to move away in search of Jakob.
Ansha laughs. "Maybe when I'm done with it; until then, you'll just have to settle for a lock of hair. It's the customary token of a lady's favor among elves, anyway--and not a few tribes of humans, too."
As Qhude departs, she heads for the party's tent in search of a mirror.
Catching Kieran's glance, Tebati weaves through the dispersing crowd to join him. "Kamishah seemed satisfied," she notes, slipping an arm around the half-elf's waist.
After seeing each of the umkhaya in turn to make his request, Qhude returned to his bedroll to rest and sleep - quickly succumbing to the numbing black after his strenuous night.
Come afternoon, he rose from his bed still sore and pained - but ready to proceed below. He busied himself with wrapping his rope, and readying his equipment while waiting for the others.
Rising with the sound of howler monkeys greeting the dawn and the sight of tic-birds industriously eating the bugs who are industrially eating the blood splatters left from the raid Jakob carefully makes his morning ablutions. The rest of the day is spent failing to convince the General to move the horses away from where their companion died and readying gear for the next attempt on the ziggurat.
Ansha disappears into the Umkhaya's tent for the night.
She occupies herself with her spellbook in the morning, then spends the remainder of her time wandering around the camp using her enchanted hair-ribbon to appear as a nondescript Mwangi woman and snoop around camp.
When the time comes to re-enter the pyramid, she arrives dead-last. Hair cut a full foot shorter (falling now barely to the top of her thighs in a classic length style, whereas before it fell to her knees), she seeks Qhude out and presses a lock of silky white-blond hair into his hand. "As promised," she says, smiling.
Putting his arm around her shoulders, Kieran welcomes Tebati with a smile and a kiss. "Indeed he did," he concurs, "although, considering Ansha's words and tone, I have to admit I am a little surprised that he accepted her public... heh... apology."
It is with the priestess that Qhude finds him as they both walk back to the tent to rest before their second foray into the pyramid. "A token? Gladly," he says readily, thinking for a moment on what would be appropriate. "Hmm... I am a thief as much as I am a swordsman, my friend. So far that duality has defined me well enough. I could give you one of my lockpicks, as I am sure I can find a redundant one among them, or my whetstone, seeing as this new sword of mine will probably not need that much sharpening."
Once back at the tent, he goes through his belongings and finds both items, presenting both to the Bas'o, each resting on each open hand. "The choice is as much mine as it is yours, being comrades-in-arms and friends." Then, the half-elf pauses for a moment, thinking. "Or you could simply have both," he finally says, as he takes the pliable thin metal wire from his set of lockpicks and, bending and twisting it with a bit of effort, he manages to wrap it around the small sharpening stone. "As I said, both define me," he adds with a little smile and a wink.
Qhude accepts the smoothened and now metal bound stone with care "Thankyou Kieran, I have not forgotten that the only time we have crossed blades you ended the victor." smirking at the distant memory of Alban's face.
Qhude carefully accepts the lock of hair, seeing it folded back upon itself and moved temporarily to a small pouch so that it would not be lost. Returning the smile he nods "You honor me Ansha" before stretching his back and rope wrapped fist.
Looking towards the ziggurat he seems to almost open his mouth to speak before reconsidering and throwing a glance towards the General's tent where they spoke just this morning. The words are left temporarily unsaid as they start to move within - Qhude taking position at point.
The entrance chamber to the ziggurat was now a familiar one, the once hostile and bloody entrance chamber having been cleaned and well and truly occupied. The second level was still being studied in detail; especially the truly deadly trap that Qhude had withstood with the aid of the now burnt out stones that seemed to mirror Ioun Stones.
Descending down the stairs, the third level of the structure seemed somehow, less hostile than the second level had been. The second level was clearly a kind of defence gauntlet, repurposed into protective tests for those who would once find the structure again. The third level boasted smoother, polished walls and fine stone mosaic flooring that was colorful and elegant rather than fit for purpose. The corridors were wider and ever burning torches lit the walls, reducing the gloom and darkness that pervaded the apparently abandoned facility. The group had entered a long corridor that led south, with four doors running along it- two on either wall and spaced quite far apart from one another. Metal plaques, their writing having been erased or perhaps long faded, were neatly positioned to the right of every door.
Despite the more welcoming nature of the level though, the veins of red, pulsing magic were still visible; although it seemed they were simultaneously both better concealed (for example, in the corners of the walls or subtly creeping along the upper section of a wall rather than running straight through it) and thicker than before; like veins pumping with blood a little closer to a heart.
In addition to the doors in the corridor, it led south and became a T junction, the corridor leading east and west; just like the level above had begun- although without the galleries of armed skeletons...
Ansha enters the third level's tunnels more confidently than she has the previous two levels of the pyramid. Yet even here, she enters with the murmur of a cantrip () and a sweep of the tunnels before them. Not really expecting anything beyond the pulsating ley-lines, she approaches the nearest metal plaque on her right. "I wonder what sort of writings these once held," she remarks to no one in particular.
With guisarme held horizontal and within easy readiness Qhude warily led the group through the tunnels. Pointing to the nearest of the doors upon the left Qhude asked "If there is no better idea... should we try the doors or continue forward?"
Hand resting on his sword's pommel and ready to draw the weapon at a moment's notice, Kieran walks close to Qhude at the front of the group, his eyes moving this way and that in an attempt to examine his surroundings as best he can. "If we are to give the doors a chance," the half-elf offers, "it would be best if I checked them first."
{
Jakob examines the metal plates while Kieran checks the doors. He runs his hands lightly over the metal feeling for the variations in surface that might indicate something that fine dust or chalk rubbing could bring out.
The doors were actually made of polished wood on this floor and would be considered quite stylish even by discerning Taldan standards. Ansha detected magic upon them but could tell that it was simply a minor enhancement to protect the wood from minor damage and decay; apparently powered by the structure itself. Kieran could see nothing untoward about the thick wooden doors or the smooth, circular handles that did not seem to feature a lock.
Jakob's close examination of the plaques revealed absolutely no impressions upon the metal, leading him to strongly suspect a magical Erase spell or some equivalent had been utilized. His chalk rubbing utterly failed, but he was able to recognize the metal as silver.
Jakob replaces the chalk before carefully folding and storing the now green-speckled paper.
"Nothing here. If these plates were signs the builders were very through in removing any trace."
Jakob indicates a door {left hand side as we came in} with his spear point. "Left hand door? Maybe we can learn something."
Seeing that the door she was examining bore no sign of magical trap, Ansha blithely opens the door.
Qhude follows near behind Ansha as she acts in blitheness.
The wooden door was unusually dense and heavy and it groaned as Ansha opened it, the Enchantress straining to open it. The door opened outward towards her rather than inward and her surprise was almost total as a fully armed and armoured humanoid skeleton literally fell upon her- crashing to the ground in front of the now open door and filling the mosaic-tiled corridor with fragments of bone. The group initially assumed an undead attack and hands went to weapons, but it became quickly apparent that the skeleton had been propped up against the inside of the door; a macabre mind might even think that someone had died leant against it. The body was completely devoid of any traces of flesh and the bone was ancient and brittle.
An inspection of the other side of it revealed that there was no handle on the inside face of the door- and also revealed the source of the door's heaviness. Large gouges of wood had been cut from the door face on the inside, revealing a layer of steel set into the door itself that bore only superficial damage. It seemed clear that the humanoid had tried to cut himself out with his axe but had failed to smash his way through the metallic layer.
The room itself was bare and unadorned save its one, strange table, with the structure's trademark thick stone walls and featuring a grey, completely metallic floor. It seemed as though it had been designed to be completely uninspiring to the mind. The vein-like lines of magic seemed to all have been focused so as to run discretely underneath the table itself; but unlike in every other place the group had seen them they seemed weak; grey and black and apparently drained of magic in the areas closest to the table, while the veins running further away also seemed diminished.
The table was both extremely interesting and also quite eerie. Also made of metal, it had various inscriptions and runes placed upon its surface; and from one end, a metal apparatus of some kind extended from it like an umbrella, curving away from the table and then pointing back towards it like some threatening weapon. On the same end that the apparatus extended from, a smooth face of metal bore small, neat labels with tiny script written in Azlant alongside levers and buttons.
"A prison?" Tebati looks around at the other doors with new distaste. "And the enlightened Order did not see fit to take its inmates with them when they evacuated? At least, unlike the skeletons on the level above, this one tried to escape."
Recovering his calm after the brief excitement as the skeletal form fragmented, Qhude kneels and tests the metal that makes up the warrior's axe and armor to see if it was still stout. Hearing Tebati's reasoning he adds "But what prisoner is left garbed in steel?" clearly unnerved by the alien nature of the table.
Jakob examines the dead man along side the others.
"Perhaps not a prisoner."
"I do not think this door opens from the inside. Our friend here likely died of thirst. ..... I will stay in the corridor if you all want to check out the table. Unless you think you could take the door off its hinges Qhude?"
"Tebati, can you tell if this corpse was ever animated? If our friend died of thirst one would think they would remove at least some of their armor. It could not have been comfortable."
"Ah!" Ansha lets out a startled cry and backpedals swiftly as the skeleton falls atop her. Flailing with one hand to ward off the attacker, she belatedly realizes that it is inanimate as it crashes to the ground at her feet.
"Only a corpse," she murmurs softly, taking a moment to calm her jangled nerves.
She gingerly steps around the skeleton and peers inside the room from the doorway. "Definitely seems like he met a bad end alone. Someone should stay out here with Jakob, in case something happens out here while the rest of us are in the room. Kieran?"
"Tebati, can you tell if this corpse was ever animated?"
Tebati shrugs. "No more than I could the skeletons upstairs. The room boded ill for the last person inside it, and it doesn't bar our way forward. I see no point in stopping to pore over it." She shows no inclination to walk into the skeleton's tomb.
"There's script in Azlant. Who knows what it says, or what that device does?" Ansha says, glancing at Tebati.
I wonder....
Ansha kneels and inspects the metallic floor for a moment.
The half-elf nods to Ansha's suggestion, letting those more learned in the ways of magic examine the inside of the room. "Perhaps, like the others skeletons we found still at their posts, something killed him more or less instantly? Well, not quite so instantly, seeing as how he managed to hack at the door first, but still..."
Tebati nods. "If he were trapped or imprisoned, he might well have left his armor on, on the assumption that he would have to fight his way out if he made it past the door, or if his captors returned."
Qhude found that the man's axe and armour were of masterwork craftsmanship, as well as being slightly exotic in both aesthetics and function. The armour was chain mail, worn over the tattered remains of a leather jerkin that had apparently not survived the test of time.
The corpse seemed to have no other possessions. Examining the metal, Ansha was unsure as to its exact composition. It looked like an alloy of some kind, created perhaps from iron and another metal unknown to her.
Tebati has no interest in the device. "Whatever it is, the Custodian's experts will examine in at their leisure once we have cleared the level. Why waste our time on it now? Let us at least check around the corners at the end of the corridor to see if any danger awaits there."
Qhude silently agrees with a nod, backing out of the room.
Ansha ponders, frowning. She is clearly curious what the device does. "I suppose it can't hurt to see what's behind the other doors and down the hall before investigating further," she concedes after a few moments, then proceeds to the next door on the same side, opening it with a bit more wariness than the last one.
Qhude moves towards point again, leaving the tip of the spear to Keiran for his trap based investigations. He agrees with Ansha "We should make safe the area first..."
Qhude opened the next door along the east side after Kieran gave it the all-clear. Like the first door, it was heavy but the stronger Bas'o showed no signs of strain when opening it.
Inside, an identical copy of the room formerly explored was revealed by the opening door, with a few noteable changes. One such change was that the veins of magic running through the room did not seem as decayed as the former room. Another was that the metallic device emanated a faint, low-pitched humming sound and vibrated slightly. The especially keen-eyed could even note that the tiny script in Azlant beside the levers and buttons on one end of the sinister looking device bore slightly different words and runes.
But only the blind could miss the room's most obvious change.
Rather than a skeleton propped up against the door- a humanoid being of flesh lay upon the metal table. A faint shield of magical force came out of both sides of the table, surrounding the male's lithe frame. The man's eyes were shut and he appeared completely motionless. He was fairly stocky and his height was a couple of inches over six foot. He looked to be in his mid twenties. However, his skin was uncharacteristically pale and the particular shade of black in his hair combined with this trait made it obvious that this man was an Azlanti; or a fine imitation.
He was garbed in full combat gear and appeared to be an elite scout of sorts, judging from his fine weaponry and armour.
Careful not to pass through the doorway, Jakob looks into the room.
"Well we know what the other room was for now. No idea why though."
"Who, other than me, can read Azlant? Maybe we can compare the inscriptions and between the rooms find some answers? I'b be happy to take a look so long as someone stays in the corridor. Hate to end up like our friend next door."
"I can," Ansha replies. "And as before, I'd say we'll want more than one person on the inside and outside in case these doors shut. Just to be safe."
"The magic in the other room failed at some point over the centuries," Tebati surmises. "But is it a holding cell, or were they making warriors, like the candle apparatus upstairs?" She pointedly does not volunteer to enter one of the rooms.
"One way to find out. Qhude, want to keep me company?" Ansha asks, moving into the room to inspect the strange device and careful to avoid touching anything just yet.
Baring his teeth slightly and emitting a low hiss, Qhude forestalls Ansha's advance until he has stepped into the room before her. Where as the other place with the fallen soldier gave him pause... this room was a very living, pulsing source of the unnatural. Qhude cautiously approached the man, growling to Ansha "Can you tell if it is safe to disarm the creature?"
A little lost, Ansha fell back on her Detect Magic cantrip in order to ascertain what was going on. It took her several minutes of concentration even after identifying the magical auras, but eventually she believed she understood the purpose of the device.
It radiated an overwhelming aura of Transmutation. The device was being powered by the vein-like magic which seemed to permeate the structure in order to sustain the powerful aura. It had obviously put this living Azlant into a timeless state. His bodily functions were utterly frozen, his mind and body almost removed from existence entirely.
A secondary aura representing the force around the body seemed to be an field of anti-magic of some kind; obviously meant to make dispelling the transmutation extremely difficult. Ansha had never even heard that such an effect could be so flawlessly localised and focused in this manner. It had also been layered with a razor thin spell that seemed to emulate a Wall of Force; it would be impossible to lay a hand on the man upon the table.
However, it was clear that the magic powering the device was slowly decaying. It might take many years, but it would someday fail as the veins of magic slowly withered away.
The script in Azlant that did not clearly correspond to a button or lever read as follows, once translated-
Captain Akirra
Distinguished himself whilst defending the fortification known as Erghur
Commanding officer of the 32nd Vanguards
Those small engraved labels of script that seemed to each correspond to a lever read as follows:
Mind Wipe
Sensory Extraction (Warning: Receptacle required)
Place Into Stasis
Awaken
Ansha shakes her head at Qhude. "You won't even be able to touch him," she says. "Seems he was placed in stasis after a military campaign."
Mouthing the words 'Sensory extraction?, Ansha almost pulls the lever labeled the same (after a moment's hesitation over the one labeled Mind wipe). Second-guessing the idea, she looks around for a place to insert a receptacle, and any such suitable objects nearby.
Qhude tightens his grip on his weapon as Ansha advises that he won't be able to impact the confined one. As the elf begins to almost interact with the table Qhude barks "What are you doing? What does it say?"