"Would that happen to be a weirdly polite psychotic elf with a dworg on a leash? 'Cause he's dead now." Ilona flashes the former prisoner a dazzling grin.
The big dorn standing behind the sarcosan rifles through his pack and comes out with two tightly rolled lumps of cloth. Shaking them out he reveals pants and a shirt, both worn but well made. They obviously belonged to someone larger than most men, but not nearly so large as the Dorn himself. Without a word he passes them to the stunning woman in front of him.
he's dead now."
"Well, dead-er anyway." quips one of the two large black birds on the Dorn's shoulder.
Glancing back over her shoulder she winks at the massive Dorn. "You might want to put these on, y'know..... to cover up the dangly bits."
"Are you concerned about my safety?"
"Well of course my love. You have become very important to me. I don't want to lose you."
"Well of course my love. You have become very important to me. I don't want to lose you."
Solvistania's tiny hand slips into Durathoin's huge one, and she squeezes it tightly. "You shall not lose me, as long as we are together, love." She kissed him lightly on the cheek, "I must see to the former prisoner, he must know something of this place." She then heads back to where the others are greeting the newcomer.
Finally sheathing his weapon, Duncan gives the stranger a hand to help him get up, while keeping the exposed... dangly bits out of sight with his shield."Don't worry, you are safe for the time being." Taking the clothes from Ilona, he adds:"Let's get you dressed, and then with a bite of something to eat you can tell us your name and your story.
The stranger reaches out to take the proffered garb, still obviously cautious, but his gaze never stops flickering back and forth, except for a brief moment when Ilona flashes her stunning smile. He blinks, and then hurriedly grabs the clothing. "Yes, ah...of course."
He pauses, as if a new thought occurs to him. "My thanks."
With a rush of movement, he rapidly begins to don the clothes, his mind awhirl with the possibilities of his new situation. Incongruously, he tears a chunk of fabric from the bottom of the shirt and ties it around his forehead in a headband.
How much did they see...and how can I use this if they already know?
The stranger reaches out to take the proffered garb, still obviously cautious, but his gaze never stops flickering back and forth, except for a brief moment when Ilona flashes her stunning smile. He blinks, and then hurriedly grabs the clothing. "Yes, ah...of course."
He pauses, as if a new thought occurs to him. "My thanks."
With a rush of movement, he rapidly begins to don the clothes, his mind awhirl with the possibilities of his new situation. Incongruously, he tears a chunk of fabric from the bottom of the shirt and ties it around his forehead in a headband.
How much did they see...and how can I use this if they already know?
"Well, you did not tell us how you came to be here. But you have met the Librarian. So can you please answer. Also, what do you know about this box," she adds, pointing to the carved stone block.
Sorok watches the exchange silently holding Umbra at ease but ready. "By the Mother, is tha' how we're goin' te' meet all folks no' tryin' te' kill us?"
Struggling for just a moment to pull the shirt over his head, the young man gives himself a second or two to ponder the questions posed to him, and the strange array of persons he's been presented with. Four humans. Elf, odd coloring. Dwarf. Dworg. All armed. Resistance? ...talking bird. Channeler. When he extricates himself, he spares the dwarf a glance before answering. Black blood. Interesting.
"Well, you did not tell us how you came to be here. But you have met the Librarian. So can you please answer. Also, what do you know about this box," she adds, pointing to the carved stone block.
"Of course, miss. The Librarian, did you say? I never got a name from the bastard." Can't place her accent...Central Eren, perhaps. "As for how I came here, I was exploring a cave I came across. It looked old and abandoned, and I thought maybe I could find something of worth." He grimaces, and adds, "Less abandoned than I'd thought. That crazy thing showed up, babbled at me about disturbing something, and then hit me with something - magic, I guess - and took me captive. How I got into this room precisely...?" He spreads his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "Your guess is as good as mine, I'm afraid." All true, so far. Must keep to that habit, can't be too careful.
With that, he looks down to the box, attempting to figure out what she was asking about.
The former prisoner studies the block for a moment, then shakes his head. "I don't recognize it. I think it can be opened, though." He warily appraises the group once more.
Hm. A few manners never hurt anyone, particularly when faced with that many blades. And I could probably make use of them getting out of here...very well, let's get to it.
"It occurs to me I've been less than polite, particularly considering my very likely rescue by you lot. I'm called Lyj. You have my thanks, and as long as you're headed out of this deathtrap eventually, my help, for what it's worth." He shrugs and gestures at his newly acquired, oversized clothing. "I appear to be rather lacking in tools at the moment, but I'm a fair hand when it comes to devices and the like."
Solvistania looks at the former prisoner intently, her blood red eyes gleaming. He has the impression of being dissected like some new species of insect.
After a few moments of this scrutiny, she releases Lyj from her gaze, and turns her attention to the stone block. Murmering a phrase of magic, she waves her hand over the block, then examines the runes covering the block.
"Fascinating..."
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Solvistania looks at the former prisoner intently, her blood red eyes gleaming. He has the impression of being dissected like some new species of insect.
After a few moments of this scrutiny, she releases Lyj from her gaze, and turns her attention to the stone block. Murmering a phrase of magic, she waves her hand over the block, then examines the runes covering the block.
"Fascinating..."
Whatever that thing is, it is not magical.
Solvistania turns her gaze back to the former prisoner Lyj, "You say you are skilled in opening containers, I wish this one opened. Can you open it?" Her voice has an undernote of coolness in it.
Solvistania turns her gaze back to the former prisoner Lyj, "You say you are skilled in opening containers, I wish this one opened. Can you open it?" Her voice has an undernote of coolness in it.
Chops thinks to himself, She is so cool.
Solvistania turns her gaze back to the former prisoner Lyj, "You say you are skilled in opening containers, I wish this one opened. Can you open it?" Her voice has an undernote of coolness in it.
"Good point, Solvi. But before you do that, can every one take a step back? Remember what happened with the fountain last time."
Solvistania nods in acquiesence to the petite healer's request, and moves away from the stone block, taking cover as well.
Observing everyone's reaction to Solvistania's request, Lyj's expression turns first surprised, then concerned, and he turns his attention to the task at hand. Don't waste much time, do they? But then again...are they just disposing of me easily? What's their game?
He gives the room a quick scan, first, to see if the box has any obvious connection or similarity to anything else around. This might seem extraneous, but when you've worked with dwarven traps, you learn not to discount any possibility. He tosses a glance over his shoulder to the rest of the party. "Any chance someone has some small piece of metal, or wood? A dagger might do in a pinch, but really, something smaller would be good."
Without waiting for a response, he sets to work. Wanting to make sure he does this first task right, he takes his time, checking every visible surface thoroughly before even laying his hands on the object. If anyone speaks up with a tool, he takes it curtly, nods to them in quiet acknowledgement, and keeps on.
Ragnar rifles through his pack again and comes out with a small leather case, he hands it to Chops to pass to the newcomer, still keeping a healthy distance.
Solvistania, when she sees the contents of the container, swoops down like an eagle diving for a particularly tasty morsel of food. She glances imperiously at the human ex-prisoner, and starts perusing the contents of the notebook.
You can discern everything in the notebook. It seems to be written in some code based on the archaic form of elvish language. But some passages are clearer than others.
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"...Once again, I proposed to leave this place. Whatever made the ancestors of dwarves who lived here leave, it has left as well. Whatever is killing our forces in the mines simply is not powerful enough to depopulate Elder Fay city of this size. If it was, we would be destroyed long time ago..."
"...Something is different. Something begins to wake deep in the roots of this mountain. I could swear that I felt some kind of slow and deep consciousness when I attempted to reach the nexus with my mind..."
"...Hunters brought interesting prey today. He looks like a human, but he most certainly has some Trapped spirit's blood in his veins. He will make a fine addition to the master's servants..."
"...I think that Thorg wants to eat him... He is proving to be stubborn... Perhaps I will let Thorg take a bite or two when I copulate with him..."
Solvistania finishes scanning the notebook, and puts it away in her pack. Her gaze travels back over to Lyj, and he gets the distinct impression his non human heritage is no longer a secret from her, judging by the look in her eyes. She does not say anything, however.
Her gaze moves over to Gilian, and she waves over the others as well. She speaks quietly, but with an undercurrent of passion, ”Our goal lies under this mountain, in the mines. When we find the Nexus, we shall find what we seek!”
The stone container easily opens. In fact, easier than expected. Inside there is nothing much: An inkwell, some pens and a tattered notebook.
Lyj winces as the box proves something less than a challenge. He'd hoped to show off a bit in these first few moments - but then, it's hard to complain about something not trying to kill him. He steps aside swiftly as Solvistania descends hungrily on the contents, watching with a complex expression almost like amusement.
Then Solvistania turns her eyes his way, and he starts at the comprehension in her face. He tenses, prepared to duck and run, but then she merely turns to the rest of her party, and says nothing. He recovers quickly, forcing himself to assume a relaxed position again. Alright, that's unexpected. Maybe I can run the 'cursed' angle, that's worked before.
"Goal? He asks, in his best innocent voice.
"The reason we came here. If that's the case then it's better if we've gotten to it and are on the way back by the time that bastard gets back here to "collect" on his debt."
"He'll collect over my dead body. And after that, over my undead spirit thanks to Rags." Chops chuckles
Duncan nods in agreement.
Gilian nods at Solvi and Ilona comments:
"Thanks Solvi, this journal can help us a lot. Maybe you can also find spells in it or use it like you do yours."
She then turns towards the newcommer. "Well, Lyj, you are free to do what you want, but you must know, if you want to come with us, that the King of this place has sent a envoy to ask for two lives instead of the two unlives we took here. He'll come back in a day and while we do not intend to be here at that time, things happen..."
"So for us, it's the mine we have to check. However, there are three levels of them if I am right. I suggest we start with the lowest one and try to sense the nexus. In the mean time, Sorok or anyone else, can you come up with a way to disable the elevator going to the palace?"
"Maybe Pebble could do something with the mechanism in the stone itself?"
A nexus. Shadow's Balls, they're after an undiscovered nexus?!
He doesn't even bother disguising his shock and amazement, but recovers gamely, and tries to respond helpfully. "Well, I'm certainly not going to try and wander through this place alone again, so I may as well try and make myself useful while I'm here. Ah...I'm not sure what Pebble can do, exactly," he glances around the room, waiting for someone to respond to their name, "But I'm fairly sure I could jam the device, at least for a time, with a little work."
Solvistania turns to look at the tainted human and stares at him briefly, judging his intent. For some reason, she felt pity for him, as she also held her own stains as well.
She nods at Lyj, ”Yes, Lyj, do what you need to do to slow them down. We know not how far away our destination is.”