Knowing it's not something that she can open, Bree backs away from the altar and leaves it to Sebastian. She moves to stand next to Kabal, she begins twirling her braid slowly before leaning in to whisper to the big man, "If he can't open it, you think you can shove it over? He won't want you to, you know, he'll want to save the architecture or whatever, but I have to know where it leads if it's a passage. I mean, we can give him a bit to try, but if he can't..."
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Eeveryone looks at Sebastian and the altar with great anticipation but as the archivist begins to "whistle" the tune, it sounds like something dies in a cavity inside the altar...
Oh man, stop it, you're going to wake the dead with that kind of music - is that really something your mother taught you? Ever rethought your relationship to her?
Mercus blurts out as nothing happens.
Looking a bit sheepish, "It sounds better in my head....I never played an ancient Elven altar before.
"Perhaps it awaits a more 'traditional' Elf to perform, Sable care to try? But let me give it one more try with what I learned of its tonal characteristics. If still nothing, go ahead and bowl it over." He gives it another toot, and looked momentarily surprised at the melody that emits.
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"I have heard roosters giving their final morning caw, the strangled bleats of pitiful life wrenched from their beaks... your first attempt would have put them to shame." Chuckling, "However I find this a bit more pleasing to the ears. Be wary, though, for whatever this may do, it has at least alerted others that may be here to our exact location."
Kabal shook his head at the horrid sound that first came from the altar and at Mercus' smart ass remark... where the hell is this kid getting the cahones?.. before answering Bree.
Ay lass, if it needs pushed over then that's what will happen. Reckon we should give Sebastian a few more tries though.
...that thing is too damn big to just be blowing through...
Looks like you need bigger lungs bard.
Winter pays more attention to the surroundings, in case the noises and conversation draw any attention.
Sebastian's second try sounds much better and the altar slowly begins to vibrate...but in the end does still not move...most probably the device does not move by any song but a certain one...
"I can't trick it by simply playing it. It seems to want a specific tune. Let's see...do I know any songs specifically tied to Findeladara? It wasn't tied to my major, but I did attend a professor's colloquium on the symbolism of reliquary garments worn during Elven religious ceremonies....did he mention music???" Sebastian tries to remember any slight references.
Somewhere...deeply hidden under other pieces of useless information, Seabastian remembers a melody...and as he whistles the tune into the altar, the stony instrument not only vibrates but moves to the side openinga hole in the floor and stairs leading downwards
Oulala, I stand corrected.
Mercus says with big eyes.
Sebastian leans against the moved stone, a tired smile on his face as he rubs his sore temples "Someone needs to go first...I'm exhausted."
Bree pats Sebastian on his shoulder as she looks down into the hole. "Excellent."
"Don't suppose there's much point in trying to be quiet now. Perhaps it's time for one of you bigger blokes to go first? Eh?"
I aint got no problem with that but we need rest before we go down some damn, dark hole. Lets camp here lest something try to surprise us and we'll get a fresh start come dawn.
"... but it's open now..." Bree actually looks pouty with her arms crossed beneath her breasts and her lower lip protruding slightly.
Kabal could only imagine what Bree was going through and a part of him wanted to forge ahead but he was prudent bastard.
I know lass but we're dead on our feet. I can't even remember the last time we slept...back in the elven village maybe. One misstep down there will be disastrous and we cant afford that and neither can Brandon.
Bree looks helplessly around at the others, seeing the weariness written on all their faces. She sighs dejectedly and lets her arms fall limp to her sides. "OK, maybe you're right. But I don't think we should stay right here, though. When Sebastian blew into that thing, the whole bloody place heard it. We'd be sitting ducks camping right here."
Kabal shook his head.
See? I'm already making gods damn, rooky mistakes. Smart thinking Bree. Mercus, check the exit for incoming visitors. Sebastian, can we close this thing up until we're ready to descend?
Yeah...we could camp...down there. Mercus says with a sly grin, but adds quickly Or outside, heh.
"I whistled it once, I can do it again, I figure. But we should camp near the shadow door to keep an eye on it...more likely something coming through there, than here."
Aye, better you close it then and lets get back to camp.
What a pity...
Mercus mumbles and watches the altar close the opening again.
As you turn around to leave the chapel again, you suddenly hear a piercing shriek from the grand hall - a shriek that numbs you for a moment and makes you nearly lose your balance
Wha....what was that?!
Winter draws his sword and starts sensing for Evil.
Bree draws her knives and steps into a shadow, pressing herself against a wall and standing very still.
I'd guess that that was something we just woke up and it aint none too happy about it. I'm also guessing that we'll have to kill it now. Steel out boy and stay on my left.
Kabal followed Winter and Bree's example and drew his falcata and set his shield.
Well lets go say hello shall we?
The Brevian will lead the way towards the grand hall.
Sebastian follows Kabal, glad the big fighter is in front as that does not sound like some that will be pacified with a whistle.
And feels a strong evil presence from the great hall...
Bree moves towards the room as well, staying to the wall and the shadows.
"Whatever it is, it awaits us in the Great Hall, I can feel its Evil"
Winter advances, sword drawn.
Kabal kept striding confidently towards the awaiting horror.
That bad huh? Hah! Like we've ever had something friendly waiting on us.
You peer through the doorway back into the hall and spot a beautiful, ghostly elven woman gliding through the air, her long hair flowing around a face knotted into a mask of rage.
She looks like she is searching for something, murmuring ghostly rhymes, turning stones, peering through cracks in walls...
Sebastian only need one view of the creature to analyse that this is a BANSHEE...
Winter looks within, and his face just flattens into a look of dismay and disappointment. He resumes his advance.
"Be careful, and stay close to me if you wish to confront it."
Is she like the other ghost we faced in the tunnels? Can we talk our way out of this?
Kabal had that cold sweat that he got when facing something that he didn't understand and gripped his sword with white knuckles. He was tired but ready to cut the ghost down if necessary.
"It's not a Drow. It doesn't seem to care if we're here or not, it didn't come looking for us. Can't we just leave it alone and go back to camp?"
Winter listens to his friends, and with bitter disappointment evident on his features, he once again withdraws in the face of the enemy.
When Bree catches a glimpse of Winter's face, she stops in her tracks. She may not readily understand the disappointment, but in her time with the group, she's come to dread that look on Winter's face as much as she did her brother's, or her father's face. She groans inwardly before saying, "Well bloody hell, you said it was evil, and you clearly want the thing dead so let's go."
Mercus grabs Bree's forearm
Shhh...why in the Nine Hells would we want to fight something that makes even Winter sweat?
She looks at Mercus's hand on her arm; using the tip of her knife she gently pries loose his fingers before slowly raising her eyes to meet his. In a grave voice she answers him, but now her gaze is on Winter and not the boy, "Because Winter wants it dead, and he has declared himself my family."
She appears to be waiting to see which course of action Winter will choose.
Mercus makes a -so what?- gesture and whispers on
Ever stumbled upon the idea that even venerable Winter isn't always right? We should ask Sebastian, he's the only one here who has ever read a book! And things like that over there are sometimes discussed in books, right? Does that make sense to you or do you want to go on being thick?
The last sentence is accompanied by a smile, but the message is clear...wait for the clever one's judgement.
"Oh I don't think he's always right, in fact at times I think he's down right naive. What I want to do and what I am willing to do, are often not the same." Her eyes remain on Winter.
Bah! Damn boy is right. What do you say Sebastian? Is it worth the risk to kill that thing? Or do we get the Hell out of here while we can?
Bree's eyes move to Kabal when he speaks, then back to Winter, and again to Kabal before finally looking to Sebastian.
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"On second thought, that which we do not defeat today will simply come back to us tomorrow, and no doubt with friends. Mercus, your assistance will not be required for this one. Please return to the lodgings."
Winter pulls his gloves on tight and tests their fit, he then tests the grip on his sword to ensure it remains tight.
"All the incorporeal undead we have encountered have relied on mobility, and no doubt this will be the same, so I need to enrage it into making a mistake or overstepping through overconfidence."
Bree nods her head, flips her daggers around in her palms and moves to Winter's side, her face one of grim determination.
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All cockiness drains from Sebastian and he looks quite pale and panicked. "Pharasma's cold brass bra! Keep your voices down. You want to look for a fight? That cry...in a dead city of Elves...it can only be a banshee. If she gets close, that cry can kill you with fear. She will be like that ghost from the starfall island, but driven mad, to want to kill all that live. They are cursed by either their own betrayal or by that of another. Her search is likely tied to that betrayal, but if she had not found what she seeks after an eon, she is likely not to find it before she falls upon us.........but then some of his color comes back, ...unless we can offer a new place to search. Under the altar perhaps?.....but avoidance...running if you will...would be safer than bargaining or trying to fight a Spirit of Vengeance.
"Be Just, and Fear Not" Winter consoles, "If she truly is as tortured and mad as you say then she will be nigh impossible to move, unlike the Island. We don't know what it is she seeks, and so far this theatre has offered us nothing but musical instruments and the odd symbol of Findeladlara. I despair that our time here brings us no closer to our questing, no closer to defeating the Drow and indeed I waste time here art the expense of the poor and downtrodden I could instead be helping in Riddleport. At last I have the opportunity of righting one wrong in the world, and I see it as my duty not to squander the opportunity to do some good... finally. It has been too long since a good deed was done, and removing this blight shall be a step in the right direction. I will not be swayed"
"She does need to be put to rest, be it through quest or sword. If it comes to blows, I will aid as I can, I will attempt to out talk her, and have everyone concentrate on my voice instead of her cries of fear."
"She can cry all she wants, my ears are sealed against any words of fear"
"Can't we just put something in our ears or something?"