Nudging past, he becons to their own half-elf "You lot hae a tracker? Jibril! Come hae a look here, lad. This is blood, aye? And no oors. We were'nae hurt here." The dwarf has stopped at the foot of the Cold Door, and he points out flecks of blood stretching away towards the teleport chamber they came here through! "Summat comin' or goin', lad? Can ye make who or how many?"
"Yes, clearly blood."
"Please everyone stop moving!" Jibril puts his ear to the stone floor. "Please! Quiet!" (There are too many people in the hall. I liked it better when it was just us.) He listens for a moment for nearby movement his eyes screwed tightly closed - he opens his eyes and scours the dust on the floor for information then looks up the wall "Elia? What do you think? ... When we attempted this room there were already tracks in the snow."
** spoiler omitted **
They began to make their way down the corridor. The human, who gave his name as Peter, said to Duncan, "Hey, that's a good idea! Ulfin, how about you give that a try?"
The gnome nodded, then spoke a few sentences in his native tongue. "Hey, that worked just fine! What other languages do you speak? How about you tell us something about your first room? Where did you start?"
Duncan raised his hand, "No, no. No gnomish language here." He looked at Khaddar, ""Heck some of our members barely speak common."
He shook his head and it was as if his blonde curls gained buoyancy, "I speak the tongue of angels."
He added, "And I can also call angels to do my bidding."
Knowing he clearly impressed the other group, he asked, "So who here speaks the language of the heavens?"
Sir Caryl raised an eyebrow and looked to the silent, hooded member of their party. The figure nodded slightly. "Ah, thought so. Lily here speaks many languages, including, apparently, Celestial. Why don't you two chat about what you found in your first door?"
At Khaddar's call for a tracker, the female half-elf moved forward. She stood over Jibril, her keen eyes looking around as Jibril listened to the floor and looked around.
At Khaddar's call for a tracker, the female half-elf moved forward. She stood over Jibril, her keen eyes looking around as Jibril listened to the floor and looked around.
Oh great, another tracker ... she can watch over my shoulder while I fumble at the stones ... why did I put my ear to the stone ... stupid, arrogant move.
Jibril seems stiff as he examines the blood until something grabs his attention and his concerns drift away - he is lost in his work."The blood is freshest by the door ... there are other drops coming from the direction of the stairs. The incident did not happen here. Someone has trod in the drop, this one here. There is more blood before the Cold door than anywhere else."
Jibril stands and between Elia and Khaddar with a genuine look of concern "If this blood paints a picture it is perhaps that someone was wounded elsewhere, before or about the staircase, and tarried here, but not for long. The smear may mean he or she was followed so perhaps the wound is from an attacker and not a trap, though we should watch for devices back that way. I could easily follow the blood back to it's origin or we could- Jibril opens the Cold portal door Follow them through here. You see, more blood on the teleport sigil. This would be more difficult. I may easily loose the trail in the snow but the wounded went this way. It would be dangerous to us ... but the wounded was either followed or pushed along. This could not have happened long ago." Jibril's thoughts can't help but flash to Quinn's friend. Jibril steps into the portal room and looks at the 'other' party. "We can't all fit in here." something both unconfident and a little mean slips out in his voice for which he seems immediately ashamed.
The trail here will keep, and it looks like they're alone. Elia jerks her head toward the cold door. If we find them, we find out what happened. If we don't find them, odds are we're done for. A strange warmth, both of protectiveness and of proof against the cold wind coming through the door, rises in her, starting at her heart and spreading outward to suffuse every limb. Almost subconsciously, she reaches out and touches Jibril's shoulder; a bit of the warmth inside her flows through her fingers, and she feels his jacket warm several degrees. Realizing what's happened, she quickly reaches out to the rest of her pack and shares the same protection with them. Huh...I've never done that before.
Sir Caryl raised an eyebrow and looked to the silent, hooded member of their party. The figure nodded slightly. "Ah, thought so. Lily here speaks many languages, including, apparently, Celestial. Why don't you two chat about what you found in your first door?"
Duncan let the trackers figure what was going on; his attention would be much better spent speaking the tongue of the angels.
He started small talk trying to get the other person to tell him what they had found, "So how bad was it? it looks you and your team are veterans at doing this, right?"
He added, "So what preparations did you take and what did you encounter?"
"Are there any spy eyes there?"
Not being one for languages or tracking, Quinn sizes up each of the members of the other group. In addition to that, she visually appraises their gear and wonders if there was anything they had that might be useful for Team Orra.
The voice that issued from beneath the hood was soft and whispery. "Veterans? Yes, you could say that. We prepared for fire, and we encountered fire. Spy eyes are everywhere. Tell me about your first challenge."
As Duncan and the hooded competitor spoke in a strange language, Quinn eyed up the opposition. The female half-elf had a wooden tube slung across her back, carved with strange sigils. It looked like it probably contained an un-strung bow, and possibly the quiver as well. Other than that, she carried a satchel slung over one shoulder, and a pair of bone-handled knives at her waist.
The gnome still carried the tile, and had a small pack on his back. Sir Caryl practically bristled with weapons and armour, all of it looking too heavy for the rogue. The hooded figure carried nothing. The friendly human, Peter, had his axe, a crossbow, and a brace of daggers, along with a heavy-looking pack.
Jibril stands ready on the teleport sign, "The wounded soul may be just on the other side of this symbol we must hurry!" He's looking blank faced - the sort of serenity he bares when he's holding something back - he's watching Khaddar standing next to the 'other' half-elf tracker, Duncan talking his secret special angel language with the enigmatic one, and Quinn eyeing everyone up ... like what, admiringly?! "Or perhaps you'd like to stay and talk with your new friends." (What in the sunless sea was that?! Darkness and whatnot! I can't take it back. If they don't join me I should just go.)
"Aye, our first trip was the Mind Door, and no what we expected, but I cannae give any more away than tha'. Jus prepare yersaels, and remember that yer ma'am may be watchin', aye?" Khaddar gives the female half-elf a bump on the bicep with the bottom of his fist by way of encouragement, and steps away to go peer at the blood as if he could make any more out of it than what Jibril has already said. To him it's just blood on the ground!
"Yer right lad, we cannae work together. We're in competition after all! We can just bid oor friends good luck, and try tae forge on oorsaels. Ach, you lot be careful out there, aye?" Stomping over on his cleats to stand on the sigil, he looks around dubiously "I thought we agreed we were no in shape tae handle the cold? I was -just- gettin warm again! Ye think we can make it this time, lad?"
"I thought we agreed we were no in shape tae handle the cold? I was -just- gettin warm again! Ye think we can make it this time, lad?"
"It is true, I am suggesting we go back to an inhospitable place. There is no guarantee that we will find this person. There is no proof that they are grievously wounded and need our help. I only thought that they may be just on the other side of this portal or not more than a half hour from it. Also, touch Elia's hand - it seems we have the benefit from new protection. Her warmth is powerful. It must, however, be a group decision - I vote we check the other side."
The voice that issued from beneath the hood was soft and whispery. "Veterans? Yes, you could say that. We prepared for fire, and we encountered fire. Spy eyes are everywhere. Tell me about your first challenge."
"Aha, yeah..."Duncan bobbed his head up and down.
He paused as if expecting more, "Well, telling me that there was fire inside the fire door is like me telling you there's a puzzle inside the 'brain' door. I need more details like where's the fire from, what wonderful creatures you found, what traps lay in wait, etc."
"You can tell me; I won't tell. Er... I mean I won't tell the others; I'll tell you about the 'brain' door though. You first..."
---------------
COLD DOOR
"Wait, didn't Khaddar here say he was going to catch a cold or something. I am not playing with a sniffling dwarf. Can you even imagine what he would sound like with a cold? We can barely understand him now..."
He added, "Let's prepare for the cold like maybe buy some clothes or," he went next to the dwarf and wrapped his arm around him affectionately, "let our friend the dwarf grow a beard so it insulates his chest a little better. My mother always told me to keep my chest warm."
----------
Quinn had to physically stop herself from snorting which ended up sounding like a choked sneeze. "Jibril, you can't save everyone. And what makes you think that this is a single person who needs saving? Everyone is in teams and that isn't enough blood to tell us that five people need saving. I've heard stories before of predators who feign injury to lure prey into traps. Couldn't that be happening here?"
She looked at the others, "I thought that we'd decided to go for a different door." She shakes her head, "And I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I agree with Duncan. There's a market in here somewhere. Why don't we see about getting a few supplies if you really want to try that particular door."
The hooded figure bowed very slightly to Duncan, their hands still hidden in their sleeves. Still in Celestial, the voice said, "Indeed, you have discovered my subterfuge. A dangerous mind you have, friend. Here we will part ways."
The cloaked member of the team turned silently and moved to the stairs. Surprised, Caryl nudged the half-elf, who nodded then ran after them. Peter took a few steps to follow, then said, "Well, I guess this is where we part ways, mates. At least for now. Hope to see you topside!" With that, the rest of the team followed the hooded figure up the stairs and out of sight.
"Jibril, you can't save everyone...
"I disagree. I believe you can't save anyone, though my father thought different and spent his life trying to prove it. I also believe that it takes the truly wise to know when to interfere. I thought this may be one of those times."
"Well, I guess this is where we part ways, mates. At least for now. Hope to see you topside!"
Jibril starts to look a little relieved for some reason, "You are right Quinn. We have no proof this person is severely threatened. It is just that I could only think of one troupe that would let a member bleed freely, but, it is part of the dangers of the game and we should not waste time on maybes. I am led by the Orra. Let us find this market."
Quinn adds, "There's also the other hallway. Maybe we should see what other doors are that way. If we need supplies then maybe we should see all possible options so we don't have to keep going back to the market between doors."
”Please endulge my curiosity. I would like to know from where this blood trail originated.” Jibril follows the blood trail towards the stairs curious to find if it goes up or continues past and down the hallway.
Though the decision was hardly unanimous, Team Orra followed Jibril towards the stairs. Now that he knew what he was looking for the half-elf was easily able to follow the blood drops towards the stair case. There were only a few, clearly this was not from a badly-bleeding injury. The trail led up the stairs, which ended at the closed door that the other team had just gone through.
Before they headed up the stairs, Team Orra moved to the end of the corridor to see what lay beyond the bend. What they found was a stout wooden door with two sigils etched into it: one of a sword, and one of an overflowing treasure chest.
Quinn's eyes widened as she took in the symbols on the new door. "This door with the overflowing chest is better than any tiny drops of blood. I say we do this next."
Jibril unslings his pack and removes his cruel hooked blade and sheath from it's spot. He stashes the weapon. He pulls out his three pieces of rope and secures them through his belt at the small of his back. "The sword. We are about to enter the gladiatorial arena. I relish the opportunity to hunt the uncalmned dead, I doubt not my ability to face the harsh lands, and I will stand with you when we face the cunning traps of those who have devised this game. I fear my performance here as much as in the Fear challenge. I will not need these here." He ties the arrows given him by the Ashtoe sisters to his pack and removes two more arrow heads from his plain arrows separating them from the others assiduously "Ridwan had an empathy with all wild things and my father could talk the summer leaves down from an oak ... but, he said I did not have the strength of character for becalming animals. If I had an hour to meditate I would feel better about starting this challenge, but I will go now if the others wish it." He takes the strip of cloth he had once torn from his cloak and ties it around the handle of his hammer presumably to create a softer grip.
"Gladiator? Oh no, I'm no gladiator," Duncan excused himself.
He turned to Quinn, "So yeah, I like treasure part but I'm not going to fight in any arena."
Quinn's brow creased in thought. "I don't remember there being a 'gladiator' door so I think you guys may be getting ahead of yourselves."
When Jibril scouted out the doors the day before the games began, he only saw single sigils on the doors. None had two separate symbols like this one. There are other challenges in the game besides the doors and the tokens...
"I assumed this had to be one of the doors we know of - it didn't occur to me that there could be 'other' doors." Jibril looks visibly relieved at the new revelation and embarrassed "The only door I could imagine this being was the Tooth door - the arena where we must face off against wild animals. This is something new..." He sets about reversing his preparations with the exception of fixing his blunted arrows. He does it hurriedly like he can't wait to unwrap the present in front of him.
Jibril opened the door, and they found themselves staring at another teleport symbol. It looked identical to the one that was behind the Cold Door.
Now it all made sense because this wasn't one of the original doors. "Maybe the over-flowing treasure chest is the safe or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part."
She watches as Jibril opens the door. "Wonder where we'll be teleporting to," she murmurs. "Everyone ready to go? We can always come back like we did for the cold door."
”Ready.” Jibril hops into the portal room ... hoping everyone is ok for what promises to be a fight
Duncan moved away from Khaddar and held out his hands, "So... what was it again that we had to say?"
The young man seemed ready to go. By now it was clear that he was not getting out of playing in the games so he may as well get over it quickly so he could go back to par-ties. Thoughts of the half-elf twins circled his mind as he smoothed down his clothes.
"Ready"
The companions took position on the teleport symbol, holding hands and Ifanna. "We are ready."
The small room around them wavered and vanished, and they were plunged into darkness. The black was so absolute that a few of them wondered if they were back in the Earth room. But the quality of the air was different, dry rather than damp, and there was no smell of earth and water.
It only took a moment for the lights to be resummoned, and by the flickering magical lights, they saw that they were enclosed in a small rocky chamber. They did seem to be underground, but this time in a crudely shaped stone cavern. Three of the sides were covered in the marks of rough tools, though the floor was quite smooth. The teleport symbol under their feet was identical to the one they just left.
The fourth side had been blocked up with a wall of stone that stretched from floor to ceiling. The stones were unmortared, but crammed together in such a way that a few experimental pushes revealed that it was quite solid. Some of the larger stones sported harsh-looking letters drawn on with charcoal.
Duncan looked at the letters and literally scratched his head, "I never paid too much attention to languages. Only the language of the heavens."
Hoping the man was not illiterate, he moved closer to Khaddar but did not want to offend him, "That's probably dwarven. Did you ever get a chance to learn to read and write dwarven?"
Some of the larger stones sported harsh-looking letters drawn on with charcoal.
"Perhaps there is a special order to these marks. Perhaps if you push on the stones in the correct order ... Jibril tries to push one of the larger stones with the writing on it picked for it's being at a convenient height ... it will open ... it will opennn ... sorry, I've got nothing."
Quinn squints at the lettering on the stones. She doesn't recognize the language and so hoped that her common sense may help to figure this out. She was usually good with getting in and out of places and so she put her attention on trying to find a way through.
As she looked she asked, "Can anyone read the markings?"
Of everybody, Khaddar finds the language almost familiar; however, he can't read it. It looks as if somebody left messages on purpose, for adventurers to see. They realize it's actually the same few messages written multiple times. There are two messages, each of two words.
Quinn examines the rock wall, and can see no sign of a trick or secret way of opening it. There appears to be nothing to open. The wall has been constructed with loose stone, not terribly well put together, but packed tight and heavy. It could probably be knocked down, especially the top, with a bit of effort. At least enough to make a space to climb through.
Exactly what is written.
It's solid...but there's got to be something behind it. The others are solid. Weaker further up, right, Quinn? Then if someone can find me something to stand on, I might be able to get something knocked loose...
"Something to stand on?" Jibril removes his pack and kneels down, hands and knees, in front of the wall.
As Jibril crouches there he gets a pensive look about him, "Does anyone else get the sense the writing says 'BEWARE MONSTER' 'DO NOT ENTER'?"
Quinn nods at Elia, "It's definitely easier to break through up top. I just wish we knew what the markings say."
She gives Jibril a small smile, "It may very well say that but monsters have the best treasure."
Elia climbed on Jibril's back, and was just high enough to reach the top, slightly-less-tightly-packed stones. She put her shoulder to what looked like the weakest part and shoved.
One of the stones wobbled, but didn't give way.
”Please, don’t be shy. Climb up.”
"Fine." Quinn hops up on Jibril's back beside Elia thinking that it would also give her a better look at what was happening up top.
Khaddar joined Elia on Jibril's back - the half-elf's spine creaked alarmingly under the weight. Unfortunately, even the three of them working together couldn't get the stones to budge. Hopping down, Khaddar growled at Dunacn. "Aye, I can read, but these are no dwarven letters. Have you got any angels good at movin' rocks? If nae, we may have to be goen back the wae we came."
”Khaddar, let us trade places. My hands are fine and I might be able to get more leverage.” ”Does anyone have a spike or piton? We might hammer it into a single stone to connect a rope and all pull together.”