Enough you two and step aside. This aint no time for horsing around...could be another one of them horrid, milkless banshees or whatever down here waiting.
Kabal pushed his way through and started down the stairs; cracking a sunrod as he did so... sunny skies be damned when you're stomping your way into the dark...
Winter senses for Evil.
"Did you all hear the extra grinding this time as it opened? Maybe our Ghost Girls opened up the good stuff for us. Not the chamber that any stray traveler who might happen by and press his lips to this block and whistle a tune from a forgotten age, but now we have whistled two lost tunes from a forgotten age, so the wealth of knowledge and understanding shall be ours." Sebastian looked thoroughly excited...but not so excited as to not let Kabal go down first.
Bree stifles a giggle, "Aye, aye, Captain," she says as she follows the others down.
Caterine sits back as the others banter, idly taking a coiled whip from her belt to hold in one hand.
Mercus gives Bree a nudge and a sneer and follows the others down into a dusty old chamber that is surprisingly small and measures only about 5X10m.
Winter does not sense evil and so the only thing down in that chamber is one small chest in the centre of the room. The oaken container is decorated with an abundance of gilded branches, twigs and leaves and gives testament of elvish craftmanship.
Kabal was a bit disappointed that there weren't a squad of drow waiting for them but shrugged it off... this looks more promising anyways...
Nothing here but this chest. Bree, you wanna give it a look over?
"Yeah, sure. It's not my strongest point, but I'll give it a go."
Winter likewise reflects Kabals disappointment that there isn't a Drow welcoming committee down here, but consoles himself that there is at least some academic interests to be pursued.
Bree can't find any traps, however she wouldn't trust her judgment too much...
Can we open it? I bet it's some kind of elvish treasure...like...like a magic dagger for example! I could need a magic dagger!
Sebastian will give another whistle of the Banshee's song, but then step back...."Perhaps we should give Bree some room as she opens that,...maybe not be so packed in down here....or take it up top for a better look?"
Bree shakes her head doubtfully, "I don't see anything but I'm just not sure. Elvish work is so fanciful sometimes, you can't tell if something is just decoration, or is a needle ready to stab you with poison. Anyone else want to look at it before I try to open it?" She chuckles a bit at Sebastian's words of wisdom, knowing damn well if the roles were reversed she wouldn't want to be in the room when the box was opened either. Just in case.
"If you have looked then you have looked, perhaps I might open the box? Elves are usually more subtle than needles in locks, probably more inclined to spells that incapacitate or ward than poisoning and maiming, I am not so concerned by such things"
Winter will move everyone back to at least 10 feet, then open the box.
Bree doesn't appear to like the idea of Winter getting hurt in her stead, but she trusts his judgement and moves out of his way.
Everyone steps back and presses against the back wall of the chamber as Winter slowly lifts the cover of the chest...
no poison, no fireball, no paralysing ray - the chest is unrigged and Mercus claps his hands
Hah! You should have seen Sebastian's face - he was like "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm..."hah!
Inside the chest Winter finds the treasure one could expect to find at this place:
- a lyre made of elven steel
- a dialous (two-piped flute) consisting of two intertwined horns
- 10 nusical bowls
- and a recorder made of a strange black wood
"Aha, Sebastian..."
Where are the gems and coins? Bah! Theres nothing else to see here.
Kabal stomped back up the stairs completely oblivious to the instruments value.
Bree frowns as Kabal goes stomping past. She eyes the contents of the chest but quickly looses interest as none of them seem directly related to her brother.
Not seeing any other passages, Bree quietly follows Kabal back up the stairs to wait for the others. Rubbing roughly at an eye with the back of her hand when it threatens to water.
Back in the temple proper, everyone stares at Sebastian...
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Kabal notices Bree getting emotional and completely misses the mark on the reasoning.
Hey, whats got you tearing girl? You pissed about no gold in the trunk? We find some damned drow and we'll get some proper loot, I swear it.
"Suppose these items are of value to be stored in such a way"
Detect Magic.
Sebastian laughs a bit at Mercus' comment. "Well a jest is better than a trap."
Once he gets to see into the chest. "Yes....Don't you see? This IS treasure. Workmanship from a lost age. Instruments that played notes not heard in in generations. And likely magic to boot. And lighter than a sack of gold." Sebastian lifts each item out and gives it a cursory examination letting the others see them as well.
Kabal notices Bree getting emotional and completely misses the mark on the reasoning.
Hey, whats got you tearing girl? You pissed about no gold in the trunk? We find some damned drow and we'll get some proper loot, I swear it.
Bree scowls, flushes a bit, but manages a mumbled, "No one is crying." And then clearly eager to latch on the the idea of gold over tears, she says, "Kabal, don't be daft you big brute. How much do you think this stuff is going to be worth to the elves? Even if we set its monetary value aside, they're going to have a sentimental value for their long lost things and will pay us accordingly. It's not a total loss, it's just like Jefferson always told me, we just have to go to a middle man to get paid. 'Sides, I don't need loot, I need my brother." She speaks the last sentence much quieter.
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Again missing the point Kabal barrels on, Bah! Who cares how much its worth. Them scrawny elves owe us big already. They can have that junk if Sebastian dont want it. And then Bree's last comment sunk in. The Brevian kind of felt like he could relate as Corvax had been about as close to a true brother the man had ever known and not knowing his fate was torture... he's probably rotting in hell and still swilling ale to boot...and laughing about the whole thing...one of these days I'm going to sock him right in the eye...but she knows the drow have her brother....motherless, spider kissing drow...why I'm going to tear their skinny little arms off one by one and ... twist their puny necks with my bare hands til something pops and... Thoughts of violence tumbled like rocks down a mountainside in his head and turned to spoken word before they could crush his skull from the inside out. Damn it, look, we'll find him, you'll see. Just dont go losing your head if he aint around every corner lass. We need you on point and quick with the steel.
Bree looks at her feet, feeling a bit embarrassed, but grateful. She nods her head to show she understands.
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"We can move in down here is it makes it easier for you to study the works Sebastian, but I need to get back to kicking this city over stone by stone as I have Drow to smite and brothers to find. Not sure where the Elves all went, so keen to get here and now they have it they do little to hold it, no wonder the Drow wrested it off them, their overly relaxed attitude is bewildering"
[ooc}Winter gets back to the job at hand, determined to push things forward and advance his quest; he is torn with frustration knowing that the lost brother and the Drow threat are on one side, and the suffering in Riddleport continues in his absence, whilst he sits stuck in the middle apparently advancing neither cause[/ooc]
Sebastian looks up sheepishly from his study, "Take some comfort that wresting this city free of the Drow removes their base on the surface. A city so bright with knowledge and song, the Drow felt their own need to smite it. Any measure to restore its former glory will only further weaken the Drow....and these instruments may yet prove useful with a just a little more study. Strong magics have been known to take the form of musical instruments......and yes the shadow door awaits us. Whatever comfort we may find on the other side, will have to be brought with us. I welcome the opportunity to refect on these, as they do seem to be gifts, for releasing the two spirits from undeath."
"One may free the crop from parasites, but only ongoing vigilance keeps them away. I wonder that the Elves don't seem terribly vigilant"
"I'll note as well the arrogant arses haven't exactly hung around to finish the job though."
Seeing Bree's sullen look; Kabal realized that he might have been a bit thick and thought about putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder... do what?..and catch a gut full of steel?.. not a good idea bub...
Kabal was slightly relieved when the others piled out of the underground room. He had been feeling akward and he didnt like it one bit.
So now what? We gonna get to work and scour this place for signs of drow?
Mercus sighs and looks at Kabal
The drow are all gone - through that black portal and if we want to find them, and maybe also Brandon, we just have to follow them - ok?
while the majority of the party slowly gets into an argument, Sebastian is able to discern the porperties of the instruments:
The lyre works like a harp of charming
The diaulos can be used both as a Horn of Evil and Horn of Good
the bowls and the pipe are not magical but might still be worth a small fortune.
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"Seems the hatchling is right. So either we start following or..." Sable looks towards the instruments, "We set aside our blades and becoming a traveling band. Since only one lark in our nest seems to have any ability to produce anything beyond a grating noise from any of these, I believe a band is out of the question. We have clutchmates to find, and ebon-feathered raptors to unroost."
With everyone given a chance to examine and/or dismiss the instruments, Sebastian will pack them carefully in his bag except the pipes which he will tuck into his belt. "The bowls and recorder are simply fine...very fine....examples of their type. The lyre is magical, but would require some practice to use it effectively to charm a listener or audience. But these pipes can prove useful as they can produce a note that should prove useful in keeping Evil at bay, for a short distance, and most important, its effectiveness is not based on my skill with a flute."
Satisfied, he looks ready to leave.
Seeing Bree's sullen look; Kabal realized that he might have been a bit thick and thought about putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder... do what?..and catch a gut full of steel?.. not a good idea bub...
Bree waits in silence, one arm resting beneath her breast, the second twirling her braid back and forth. She seems content for the time being to let the others decide what to do for the night, she seems certain that in the end the path will lead to fighting the Drow, and the Drow, if anything ever does, will lead to her brother.
"We are waiting for the Elves to return, like they said they would, but soon I feel we shall have to accept that they are as fickle as they are Mercurial, and press on into the Darkness as we are. i was hoping for resupply and some exchange of our unwanted spoils for the purchase of more tools and equipment to aid us, but fear we'd sooner get that done by abandoning this place and returning to Riddleport to do it.. then walking back. We are only stymied by the Elves and their tardiness"
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Well, they've barely been gone a day. Anyone remember how long it took us to get here? Seems like a week ago when we left that village.
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Now that the instruments are safely stored, you leave the Coliseum and return to your campsite...where the elves are already awaiting you...Eliana smiles at Winter and after a second at all of you - she looks even better than before, like a burden has been taken from her shoulders
Tell me, how was your first night in the new, old Celwynvian?
It was mostly quiet after we scared off a ghost or two.
"It was an adventure, but there is still so much more to be done. We need to re-equip and plan our next actions, a long road lies before us"
Eviana smiles and hands Winter a honeycomb and a small vessel with sweet wine
We have brought rations, weapons and some magic trinkets...all that we thought was necessary when exploring unkown terrains.
Then she looks over to Kabal and arches an eyebrow
Ghosts don't surprise me at this place...it will need a lot of mending until peace will be restored...I hope you didn't had to fight again?
Caterine scoffs at the elf's aversion to effort and blade... and the fact that honeycomb and sweet wine were what they thought would be appropriate provision.
Bree remains quiet, her arms crossed between her breasts standing slightly behind Kabal and Winter.
Bree remains quiet, her arms crossed between her breasts standing slightly behind Kabal and Winter.
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Eviana has only eyes for Winter and doesn't notice Cat's scoffing...
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Sipping his wine in moderation, Winter considers the tasks ahead "We will need to move on as soon as possible, the Drow will not rest long, and Bree will not rest at all. We need to make preparations to leave."
Winter has the right of it. We need to move fast and keep them drow on their toes. What of these trinkets? How will they aid us?
...and Bree will not rest at all...
Bree chuckles once, and shakes her head slightly. "Indeed, and if I'm not well rested, I start to sound like you two stomping around in your armor and big, noisy weapons." She nods her head towards Winter and Kabal.
Sebastian opens his bag and pulls out the instruments carefully, one at a time. "These seem like they should stay here. The ghosts gave them to us after freeing them from their curse. They were precious to Findeladlara based on where the ghosts directed us to recover them. The flute could still perhaps be of use to us, if their wish is to be honored, but if you wish, all four can stay here as a symbol of what was once and can be again."