Riven enters the area and sees Thratch run toward them. He releases Ashlyn's hand as Thratch starts dancing around her but as he is standing directly to her left he makes it hard to go around her without circling him and Aterro(on her other side) as well.
"Objective completed. Lion return to my side." He states as the lion completes tracking Thratch be the scent of his spilled blood.
"Thratch, there is some adverse news to relate to you." He motions to the bundle that Tenchi carries holding the body of Wan'di. "The one known as Wan'di has fallen while he was separated from the majority of the group.
He turns his gaze on the newcomer Moq and scans him. The construct adopts a neutral stance but remains at Ashlyn's side ready to shield her if any more threats emerge from around them all.
"We acquired a pair of map fragments of the maze which combined with this lion's scent ability allowed us to track you."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
These your friends, Thratch? Quite a motley crew; a diabolist, an ælfan cultess, two warriors, an artifact, a dead man, and an imp... still better than the alternative, Moq says, Chronia is nearby if you still wish to pursue more knowledge of the maze. I can lead you all there, it's not like there is a set destination to find the Bondye Reparatè anyways. Sometimes we need to let our muses guide us. Mazes were originally constructed for philosophical introspection and growth, and this one is no different. The point is to wander and get lost and found over and over again.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Vehemence sees Thratch and silently beats himself up once more. He takes out the knife which once spilt the boy's blood in both of his open palms and presents it to the dancing thief. He speaks gently.
"Boy, it was not right to seek your life. If I had not succumb to the wiles of the powers that be, I may have been able to keep our lost one with us. It is unbecoming."
He takes the dagger in his left hand and nicks himself in the right hand, drawing his purple blood from its' vein.
"I swear fealty to you as a bonded sword, to be at your side and disposal until we clear ourselves from this place.
Let this dagger be the testament to this contract; the one by which I wounded us both. Let this be the price of my pardon."
Thratch may be dancing in this moment, but the furnace king was as a kneeling statue. The fear of servitude which intitially ensnared him to try and murder the small one before him rebuked him at each utterance of etiquette. It was this fear that made the words he spoke so calculated, that both his honor and his will may be left unblemished.
The whole gesture was a risk, but he could not abide by his own cowardice.
Thratch looks utterly shocked, yet despite the awed look on his face, his body continues to dance and twirl around Ashlyn.
I.. I don't know what to say.
I do not wish to be a tyrant. I do not want to be like the urchin kings in the streets, beating kids for failing to bring in the days catch.
I do not want to be like the kings of Cormyr or Neverwinter or Gracklstugh, enslaving their citizens and entrapping the poor to a life of destitute while the swim in their riches in their castles.
He pauses for a moment I'm thought, still compelled to dance.
This dance is getting kind of annoying.
His breathing starts to get heavy from the exertion.
Where I come from, Thratch explains, The most friendliest, kindest, loyal thing an urchin can do is break bread with another. The sharing of food is one of the greatest bonds of friendship.
He takes some stale bread from his pouch and breaks it, offering half to Vehemence. Here friend. I know in my heart you will never betray me, and there is nothing that needs forgiveness.
The magic forces him to continue his dance.
Tenchi sets down the shroud wrapped body and bows to Moq, saying "My name is Kusinagi Tenchi of the Kusinagi Blademasters school. I bear the body of my travelling companion Wan'di. We walked the road together, and I shall not leave him here. I will offer each of you the same."
"Who is this Chronia that you speak of? Is she a shugenja or a Wu'jen?"
Moq crudely imitates Tenchi's bow and says, I don't know much about shoe gingers or nothin', but Chronia is one of the three sisters eternally held in this maze by the medusa.
"I see. Perhaps we should speak with her then." Says Tenchi as he reshoulders the wrapped body.
When you take a look, you see the following inscription on the stone head in the common language:
“Set Watch I Was, By The Elephant King.
And Many Of My Brothers Now Gone.
Then The Lizards And Their Books.
They Ruled For One Thousand Years.
Then Came The Medusa.
And Bred A Maze From Flesh And Frozen Bone.
Then Three Sisters And Their Court.
I Have Not Seen The Sea For Many Years.
Or Heard The Sound Of Waves.
Now You Come.
Are You Those Sent To End This Land?
As The Elephant King Promised You Would?”
You've head tell that the entire Maze was built around this head. You're not sure if that's important or not, but it seems like the kind of fact that might impress these guys.
Watching Vehemence and Thratch exchange words and displays of intention Riven felt like he was watching an elaborate play. He felt uncomfortable watching all these words slung back and forth, if Vehemence lost control of his actions again what would he do? Such farce was the bane of efficiency and he hoped it would not cause more drama.
His eyes seem to glow brighter for a moment as he hears the name Chronia but he says nothing.
"This space would make a good resting place which may allow time to examine the magical objects we have found and identify them. It will also give a chance for the enchantment apparent on Thratch to fade. I am still at effective status and have no qualms if we decide to press on. If we seek out one of the major entities of the maze we should be clear on the objective of such a venture. Do you all wish to locate an exit from this maze?"
"Creature of steel, what are you capabilities? Are you a warrior, shugenja, or wujen? Perhaps you are a ninja?"
"I am not composed of steel, my body uses the lighter metal mithril and organic...parts. I have many capabilities integrated into my body including force barriers, feet grip mechanism that permits walking on walls, and a personal stealth cloaking field. I have several built in spells and tools with self recharging magic energy over time. I also require no food, drink, or air. I do not sleep but must go inactive for a period of 4 hours each day but remain aware of my surroundings."
As if an afterthought he pats the lion on the head. "I have recently found a magical bag that created this lion who has been very helpful. There is also a magical chainmail shirt and magical monocle that I am carrying that will be identified when there is more time to test them. As well as the locked box with magic emitting from inside."
Riven feels a small demonstration of abilities will help his long explanation as he wishes to be thorough and activates his grippers, hundreds of individual platelets on his feet expanding his feet surface area slightly as he walks 3 feet up the side of the nearest wall and stands there.
"Engaging stealth field."
The tiny hexagonal runes layering his body glow momentarily before his body becomes see through and takes on a camouflage matching what is behind him. It is hard to spot him and if you hadn't been watching while he had done it you might completely overlook him.
After a few brief rounds he moves back to the floor and deactivates his stealth mode.
"I am only at 20% of my previous capabilities from before my deactivation and am endeavoring to repair the rest of my abilities."
Finished his demonstration he asks of Tenchi, "What classification do you qualify me as, Blademaster?"
Vehemence takes the bread and gets back on his feet.
"So be it. The sentence is empathy. Thank you, Thratch. Among thieves you are certainly a saint."
He drops the knife to the ground and leaves it there. Partly for gesture, partly because he had three more and didn't need it.
He then turns to the newcomer and speaks up just a bit.
"I would much like to confer with this Chronia you speak of. I am Vehemence. It shall be a pleasure to add a third man of valor to our band. What is your purpose in this maze?"
He stows the bread away and with a handkerchief wipes away the blood from his hand.
As Thratch dances around her, Ashlyn is trying hard now to join him. His bubbling energy was infectious, but she is able to restrain it to a lighthearted smile at him instead. With an airy giggle in her song, she asks, "What happened to you to make you dance like that? Is there something we should be doing to fix it?"
As the conversation shifts to talk of rest, Ashlyn will chime in in agreement. "I vote we rest as well. We have a number of artifacts to examine, we found a map so we could study that, we have split up again and likely have stories to trade, and we could prepare proper funeral rites for Wan'di."
Ashlyn listens with interest as the golem explains his capabilities, as the arcane runes covering him glow and pulse with energy, Ashlyn purses her lips, toungue subtly flickering across her lips wetting them. A soft wanton sigh escapes her lips before she reigns her wild thoughts back in forcing her eyes away.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I ran into a magical trap the birdmen set up in the next room that causes me to dance around specific people. They said it'll go away in a while.
I was paid by the wizards - the ones you stole the painting from - to explore the maze and report back to them. Since you guys managed to seal the exit, I'm trying to find any way out I can, Moq say dryly, I don't hold any hard feelings on the matter, but I was sealed in stone by the medusa for some unknown period of time and I'm not interested in blowing a second lease on freedom. Teaming up with anyone more normal than... well anything here seems like a terrific idea.
Moq looks at the stone head for a moment reading the script, Oh! We are closer than I thought! This stone is the exact center of the maze. The story goes that when the medusa created this place she built it on top of this guy you see right here, something about this guy is supposed to be special but it's over my head.
Taking a little break is probably a good idea before moving forward.
Assuming we take a short rest, Moq explains the map as he understands it once more.
Entering the northern room, Moq finishes by saying, Still... there may be a shot to get out still. The Bondye Reparatè are another maksed bunch - silent men and woman wearing masks of plain women. They are very tribal, but they trade for basic necessities - even cigarettes. Anyways, the rumor is that they have a way out of the maze. It's not to Vornheim, but it's somewhere and it has to be better than to be trapped inside. Not like I've seen my real home in years before I got trapped here anyways.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
"I do not know what to make of you. We shall see your true self once we are faced with life or death."
As Moq tells of his past dealings and mentions the statue in the center of the room, Vehemence considers it for the first time, and looks at its' inscriptions.
Sealed in stone... Psathyrella...
"That's convenient. I'm sorry to hear that you're bound to the Painter. An insufferable fellow. You said you were petrified by the medusa... You met her face to face, then? What do you know of her?"
The furnace king reads over the words on the head, and wonders who the elephant lord is...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Riven nods to Tenchi as he replies. "Actions will demonstrate better than words."
After Moq had finished speaking the construct walked over to the lion who was likely pacing around sniffing things and scratched its neck lightly with his right hand.
"The wedding area and Chronia seem the physically closest locations and are most logical next places to discover. We must learn more about Chronia's capabilities before a confrontation so as to not to be caught unprepared in the case of conflict."
As they rest he removes the Box, the Monocle with the ceramic eye, and the chainmail and sets the down on the floor and begins contemplating them attempting to discover their functions.
"Ashlyn, your assistance would be of great aid to my efforts."
As an after thought he also sets a sack of flour down. "I do not require sustenance but as Thratch stated the sharing of bread is important practically and symbolically. Please use this to create food for yourselves."
|
Aterro is, as usual, deeply surprised when Ashlyn takes his hand, but after a the first few hesitant steps, he melts into line as the trio walks and chats amicably of nothing at all until the wayward halfling is found.
All clerics everywhere are in favor of always resting at any time, and Aterro is no different. He offer no objection to resting here.
He looks askance at the sack that Riven set down, and jsut barely keeps a smile from forming on his lips. He's had the rich fare that is called "firecake" (a mixture of only flour and water, dry-fried on bare steel over a simply fire) when they were cut off and out of rations, and would rather face a score of raging orcs than eat it again.
But if the others do not have that wisdom, he would not deprive them of it.
He finds a corner and sits down, cross-legged. He unwraps the odd Luckstone that Wan had, and focusing his attention, meditates upon it.
As the group stops to take a much needed rest, as well as to mourn lost friends and welcome new ones, a torch in the room goes out on it's own. You barely notice.
Thratch finally begins to settle down from his dancing affliction, exhausted.
Riven stands watch as he does not require sleep. During some of the watches he shares with others he takes time to focus on the items, specifically figuring out the monocle and if possible the box.
I don't really need rest, I'm fine help with watch whenever, Moq says.
Ashlyn will skip her way over to Riven and offer what aid she can in identifying the trinkets they have found thus far. "Sorry, I know I am little help, my magic has always come so naturally to me, I struggle to understand the workings of runes and spellscript. I know one of the scrolls contains an invisibility spell." She'll take her time examining each item thourougly, seeking runes, symbols, command words, or anything that may hint at their function. She saves the new wand for last, even if she could not identify it, she could sense the way it twisted the flow of magic around itself. Holding the wand in hand, she worked to harmonize her own connection to the weave with this wand.
"There is no need for apology, one can not be expected to exceed their limits. However when such limits are broken it is a not unwelcome benefit."
Riven works with Ashlyn to try to analyze the objects. Suspecting the magic is not the box itself but rather what is in the box, Riven attempts to find a way to open the box.
"I will take whichever shift is required of me."
Tenchi then draws his longblade, which does not glow. he begins carefully maintaining it, using a combination of several soft cloths and water from his canteen, which he says a word to activate before he opens it.
After caring for his primary blade, he will draw his short blade and perform the same exacting treatment to it as well.
From there, he will then spend time maintaining his armor, stripping down into the same Kimono that he wore to the gala. Once all of his gear has been maintained, he will eat the shared dinner without comment and then proceed to take his shift or sleep as the situation warrants.
The box is not a container, it is the magic item. It's not a box, but a magical cube. There are buttons on it which appear to activate different features, but it appears to be damaged, so it may not be fully functional. It appears to be extraplanar in origin.
As you hold it you sense that it's very powerful, even in its damaged state, possibly dangerously so.
The monocle has a lizard-eye on it. It's Saurian in origin. It appears to be for seeing that which cannot otherwise be seen.
You aren't able to discern anything new about the other items.
The second scroll contains a fireball spell.
You aren't able to discern anything new about the wand.
"This scroll appears to have a fireball spell in it."
"The monocle is Saurian, the inscription hints that it allows you to see what can not be seen. My guess is it can see through invisibility. The box on the other hand, it makes my skin crawl. It is not from our world, and worse, it's powerful. Very powerful! I don't think it should be triffled with. It's like a children's puzzle box, there are buttons on the outside that may open it. But, it's damaged, if it weren't already dangerous, damaged magic is even more so."
As she is working, she can't help but glance at Thratch dancing. "Does anyone have an instrument with them they can play. I don't know much of Wan'di, but where I come from, wakes are suppose to be a celebration of life. I don't know anyone here with more life than our halfling friend here, and I think w should join him in dance."
"I suggest we keep the box away from impulsive hands. We may be able to trade it to a more powerful entity that will place greater value on it than we do." Riven states as his eyes flick over to Thratch.
Holding up the fireball scroll, "I am capable of activating this magic by linking to the magic contained within and channeling it through my spell conduits. Chance of success is roughly greater then 50% that I will not waste the magic contained within. I have confirmed what you stated about the monocle and will attempt to activate it."
"The magic chainmail seems to be protective in nature. I can not give a certain answer. If someone wishes to wear it they may, otherwise we can keep it and trade it for other goods with others."
Taking the saurian monocle eye he fixes it to his left eye and attempts to activate the magic within it.
You spend time focusing on the wand which Riven found, and feel its magics flow through you, revealing itself. You learn that it is a lesser version of the Wand of the War Mage.
As you wear the monocle over your eye, everything appears to have a green hue to it. You look around the room, and see what looked to be some random markings on the wall which now appear with greater clarity to be writing, and you are able to read them.
"Here lies the center of this Maze, claimed by the Chameleon Women in the name of the Saurid Empire."
When you again remove the monocle the writing looks indecipherable.
The rest period passes without incident. It's quiet in the room. Almost too quiet.
You're the last one on watch. You notice something is off, like there's another presence nearby, but nothing you can see. It has to be extremely quiet to get by you unnoticed.
You remember a run-in early on with the so-called Chameleon Women, but you haven't seen them since. You recall these lizard-like women traveled in packs, and like their namesake they can change their skin to blend with their surroundings. They're extremely good at being stealthy. It was said they'd go after warm-blooded beings and ambush them.
You've heard there are several packs roaming around the Maze, but nobody really sees them.
Now you wonder if they're nearby or if you're just being paranoid. But you feel you should be extra cautious just in case.
"Interesting. The lens allowed me to decipher obscured writing on the walls that I could not before. This area is the center of the maze and claimed by the Chameleon Women in the name of the Saurid Empire. If this is their territory we should be watchful."
Riven leaves the monocle attached for now seeing how long it lasts, if it can be deactivated and reactivated.
|
|
"Eh? What's that?" Aterro asks absently while munching on a breakfast biscuit. "Chameleon women? Well is you see any ask if there are any good inns in this area. This flagon has quantity of wine enough, but I'd give a handful of gold for a full-bodied honey mead right about now." To punctuate his words the WarCleric drinks directly from the endless jug, finally putting it down with a grimace.
Aterro finishes lacing up his boots and gets ready. "You had a plan for how best to advance, yeah?"
"Based on analysis of the map and data available we have several choices which are physically close to us. I recommend the Wedding, it will provide more time to gather data about Chronia before our seeking her out. Also the acquisition of further supplies, the wedding may have such that will help prolong the existence of you all. It sounds like we may find other wandering individuals as we travel as well."
Pulling out THE MAP once more he uses one digit to trace his proposed route.
"Maximizing exploration we can proceed into 197, 196 and then 195. From there we will have to map the eastern southern side and hope to find a way down further south.
"Alternative route would be to backtrack the way we came and use the rope bridges to enter area 192. That can be reserved if our exploration locates a threat beyond our abilities to neutralize."
He turns to look at Moq seeing if he has any knowledge that might be helpful to this about the area around them.
Now sniffs loudly, I think the women are nearby. I would keep your weapons in hand until further notice. They may not expose themselves, but consider today a battlefield. Let's move out quickly when you are prepared to.
You can see Moq doesn't look any different than before.
"A samurai is neither preparation nor action, he just is."
Thratch stretches as he wakes up, refreshed. Thanks, guys. I needed that. Yesterday was rough.
He eats some food and listens in to what the others are saying. As they suggest it's time to move, he packs up all his stuff. I'm good to go when you guys are.
Great, let's move then. I know the way to Chronia, then we can go anywhere but sticking around here. I would prefer avoiding the gardens. Moq shutters a second, Maybe deeper into the wedding or to the eastern part of the maze - I've heard there are some treasures there.
"You said that you have been stuck here for a while I believe? How did you come to be here?"
Like I said before camp - I was hired by the wizards at the gallery to explore the medusa's maze. I was turned to stone after a surprise attack and eventually freed. I immediately left the cells and headed to the exit only to find that you lot managed to seal the exit.
We didn't seal the exit. The Chantarelle sealed the exit. We just let her go.
Also, it's not the only exit. We just have to find the other exits.
"How were you released from stone?" Riven asked, wondering about that seemingly glossed over detail in the story told.
Moq shrugs as he walks, I don't know. I know some magic reverses the process, and I imagine the medusa can do whatever she wishes. I think her son can change stone to flesh as part of eating stone. Whatever did it, I don't question the result.