Avdol seems to be muttering something under his breath, as if trying to remember something. Following Lys down the path, Avdol will glance back at the orb.
Akari's lips part as if to speak, but close shut as he watches Lys take the lead.
Deciding to go with the torch, Akari will accompany Lysanthir down the steps, testing them at first as if expecting them to leap up at him before going down.
Zul follows after taking notice at Akari but keeps quiet as well. With a raises brow he begins following.
Lysanthir walks ahead of the others, step by step is cringe worthy as if some trap would be sprung. The echo to each footstep redirect from all angles in the curving staircase, a foot in width each and with eight inch drops onto the following step. A minute and an approximately semi-cautious 46 steps later, you finally reach the bottom of the stairwell. It is both still well lit, however turns to the right abruptly into a ninty-degree angle. The hallway is ten feet wide and thirty feet long, the same tapestries and various paintings hang here as they did in the floors explored above. Ten feet out from either end lay symetrical alcoves displaying identical suits of armor. They are still polished and dust-free. Their hands coping over the hilt of an unsheathed longsword whose pointed tip rest in place of a groove in the base of the pedestal they stand upon. At the end of a hallway is a large mohagany-stained door with a golden dragon-headed knocker on it.
Gabriel, stepping forth, raises his shield and sword cautiously as he inches down the hallway before the others. You make your way past the first set of armor, both of which you eye suspiciously but nothing appears to happen. You look back at the party...The seconds go by and the others watch just as nervous as you pretend not to be.
You continue...
CLACK, CLACK, CLACK the metal in your armor echoes in the silence as everyone, including you, hold your breath. You now pass the other two suits of armor, again, nothing appears to happen. The light from your sword still shines and basks everything in light casting severe shadows inside the alcoves from the armor you pass. Finally after what felt like an eternity you reach the door on the opposite end of the hallway, the dragon skull looks to be made out of a hardened, more durable metal and pretty hefty should you choose to use it.
Akari will brace for the worst, unsheathing his sword and preparing to rush to Gabriel's aid if needed.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Lifting the knocker proves more difficult than originally assumed due to ts weight, but you still are able to do so with ease once you readjust the needed strength. ...THUNK... a hallow loud thud of the door takes the others that could not judge it's weight by surprise from the other end of the hallway. Instinctively you knock it again, then again, ...THUNK...THUNK... and with the last knock you let go allowing it to once more rest against the door in peace. Silence ensues after a quick paced echo relieves it's vibrations from the vicinity. After seconds upon which you feel very well might be a solid minute, the eyes glow red on the dragon-headed knocker.
...CREEEEEEEEEEK... The door swings inward slowly and reveals a darker room within.
"...Gabe?..." a distant voice calls your name, barely audible.
...you blink...
"...Gabe?... What is it?... are you alright?..."
... you blink once more and the color returns to you, as does your other senses. Zul stands behind you, his hand resting on your shoulder. The room looks almost exactly as it did before, but with minor differences,... and the card is gone as you now are kneeling on the floor.
The party watches as Gabriel makes his way safely to the room, knocking on the door, and stepping just inside. You watch as he looks about, inspecting it as if his life depended on it. Typical of the party to be overcautious you accept it in silence, awaiting any sudden signs of danger to jump in and save your friend. From here you are bale to make out that against the far wall inside the room is a window letting sunlight in. The room is well lit like that of a study, from here however there is little more you can really make out due to Gabe being in the way of your line of sight. A small while goes by, and you call to him... he doesn't respond, but instead he continues looking about the room from the entrance. His head shifts from straight ahead of him to bending downward until it is blatantly obvious he is now looking down at his feet. He kneels, reaches for something that at first you question, "What?", but then in that moment just stares at it and stops moving. A few more moments pass before Zul takes a step forward but before anyone can stop him arcane-like shadows encase his body and he steps through them reappearing just behind Gabriel.
"...Gabe?..." Zul calls out loud enough for everyone to hear him and though the thought crossed your minds to do the same you fear the inevitable answer. "...Gabe?... What is it?... are you alright?..."
At this time Gabriel finally responds with movement and looks blatantly at Zul. A sigh of relief is shared as each of you take a moment before continuing.
Since Gabriel looks fine Lys will proceed into the room after him.
|
Gabriel stands up slowly, looking at Zul with a mix of confusion and disbelieve "This room... I've... I've seen something. A vision from the past? Maybe a figment of the future... I don't know."
The warrior looks at its feet, looking for the picture, and then walks up to the chair where the silhouette was sitting and inspects it as well as the rest of the room afterwards.
Akari enters the room, surveying with his eyes for anything of use, or dangerous. "What did you see?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Avdol enters the room, patting Gabe on the shoulder. "It seems that a lot of weird things keep happening here. I would take it with a grain of salt."
Avdol looks about the room and notices the sunlight coming in through the window. "Like that... Sunlight, I believe we are currently underground..."
In the room you see the desk, the mirrors and the window the light casts in from. With awe and intensity of anxious emotions running high at the intake of this rooms marvel, you slowly each make your way across the room. Some farther than others, Gabriel takes the front and walks about the desk. On it are two scrolls, 2 jars of regular ink with a quill set aside. A small preserved piece of parchment rests under one of the unopened jars of ink and reads in a masterful neat cursive fashion and a crest seemingly burned and centered into the desk's surface under the smooth lacquer. It resembles a Shield with an opened tome in it's center. the pages are split evenly and acting as a bookmark is a sword that protrudes, blade pointing downward. Bother ends of the long-sword reach beyond the shield it's hilt adorns the symbol of Pelor with little etchings detailing even the blade itself. Visually from the parts of the shield visible beyond these other additions that cover it, a nautical sun is partially visible that Gabriel recognizes immediately.
I am to assume you, who are reading this, are semi intelligent or outlandishly lucky. Chances are my beloved tower has long since fell into disrepair of sorts. Best of wishes.
R.W.B.
At first as you all enter the room your attention is on Gabriel and/or the fact there is sunlight pouring in seemingly from the outside. Blocked from view until you enter more-so into the room, you notice eventually as you turn around there is an orc battering ram sitting just behind the door that leans against the wall. Recognizing it as Elrosk's brings the rush of anxious thoughts about.
On looking about Zul seemingly pops out of sight and though you look about, you don't see him anywhere anymore. No signs of a struggle nor any sudden movements were made in conjunction with his sudden disapearence.
Avdol casts read magic and looks at the scroll. "Ah, this will be useful in repairing the statue and setting things right... hopefully."
At Zul's sudden disappearance, Avdol will detect magic in the room. Hoping to gain some insight into where Zul went. Too many people keep disappearing.
"Zu..." says Lys as she notices the ram and then stops as Zul disappears. "A little warning the next time he feels like disappearing would be nice, if it is him." Lys is pretty sure that Zul controls his disappearances because again she is confident the tower is now safe, at least from fully intelligent creatures.
"Any ideas on this R.W.B.? Safe guess is the wizard, but the real question is: is he the same man that I and a few others have seen?"
|
|
Gabriel admires the engraving, quite marveled at the symbol present. When he takes the note, the warrior sits to read it.
"A holy symbol... with a nautical sun... engraved in an archmage's desk inside a magical tower... what... how..." he wonders to himself.
"Avdol, Lys, Akari, you may want to take a peek to this." Gabe says before inspecting the desk thoroughly, looking for drawers and hidden spaces.
You look about the room and it is again, all magical. However,... Roll two d100 and two will saves.
The room appears very still, a little too still, and it's your curiosity that gets the best of you. A short shuffling is hear from behind and as you look up you see two Avdol's with no inclination of which is the real one, or what has happened. Avdol looks at the other Avdol and yells, "Burn!" casting a spell towards him. Should you ask a question only Avdol would know, both Avdols respond in like. Confusion sets in as both Avdol's are perfect mirrors of one another in size, shape, movement sound etc.
"What the...? No! You shall
"OH no... No one touch anything else!"
Akari freezes, his hand already reaching out to grab something that had caught his attention and grins sheepishly at Lys before letting his hand fall to his side.
-Posted with Wayfinder
INITIATIVES
Avdol - 24
AVDOL - 17
Akari - 17
Gabriel - 14
Lysanthir - 9
The room is oddly still despite the sudden disturbance.
Avdol will take a step away from his double and cast ear-piercing scream. "Fool, there can only be one ME!"
And as if in sinc, AVDOL imitates the first Avdol's words in perfect harmony with the other. "Fool, there can only be one ME!"
After citing the shared statement one becomes stunned.
As Gabe's attack heads towards Avdol. Sadrazar suddenly bursts from Avdol's chest. Causing a startled Gabe to just miss with the swing.
"Why did you swing at me Gabe? I'm the real one!"
With Gabe on one Avdol, Akari will approach the other Avdol with weapon in hand and strike.
"Take them both out. If its some sort of magic, would it not fade away when the source is knocked out?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Lys will draw her bow and take a shot at the glass of the closer mirror.
Almost surprised Lys says "Good idea Gabe." while passing a glare at Akari, who probably does not see it. "His impulse for violence will one day get us in real trouble. Not now, focus."
The arrow hits but glances off the reflective edge of the mirror, seemingly not doing as much as intended origionally.
In that moment AVDOL becomes unstunned and glares at the other Avdol.
The sound echoes off the walls as tensions run high. Lysanthir, as you are all visually aware, splits into two. In like an equally copy to the original wielding her bow and looks at the other Lysanthir and begins attacking her. Stepping back first she draws her bow and let's loose an arrow at the other Lysanthir.
Lys rolls her eyes. "All that did was get me cloned. There has to be way to undo this."
Avdol looks back and forth between Akari and Gabe. "It's mirroring what I say? Wait! Its mirroring what I say! Gabe don't swing at the Avdol you are on, Akari keep swinging on the one you are on!"
Attempting an Ear-Piercing Scream on the mirror.
""It's mirroring what I say? Wait! Its mirroring what I say! Akari don't swing at the Avdol you are on, Gabe keep swinging on the one you are on!", it says in unison with the other Avdol. Stepping back five feet AVDOL directs a spell at the other Avdol.
Initiatives
Avdol - 24
AVDOL - 17
Akari - 17
Gabriel - 14
Lysanthir - 9
LYSANTHIR - 5
"RA DAMN IT!!!" Avdol shouts with anger! Clearly frustrated with the predicament!
Akari again slashes at his target, determined to put an end to this.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Stepping up immediately and reacting to AVDOL'S spell with a smirk he gracefully dodges. The secondary strike however, slash's at full force and meets it's mark. The connection is like that of anyone else you've ever cut into. A sudden look of panic, fear wash over him as he goes through the motions. Blood begins to spray outward in small jets as his face goes calm looking into your eyes, the eyes of his assailant. He smirks as if this were fun for him. The blood, among all of his being vanishes, up till this point, unidentifiable as to which Avdol this was.
Lys will take a 5 foot step back and takes out an arrow and drags the head across her cheek. "I'm the real one. She's the fake."
Gabriel slashes into and through the surface of the mirror. As the sword buries inch deep into the mirror, cracks spider outward from the blade instantly in a short radius before cracking further and further. In this same moment one of the Lysanthirs drags an arrow across her cheek while the other seems taken aback curling in instant pain as if being struck from an invisible force. Dropping her bow LYSANTHIR's right, then left shoulder flare backward and she looks towards her other half in anxiety. One,... Two steps she takes reaching her left hand outward toward Lysanthir. Around her abdomen a series of cracks begin spidering outward as if she were made of a more singularly solid object. As the cracks spread both across the mirror and her body now, an arcane light erupts from the recesses of the various fissures. The sound of scraping and screeching mixture of sounds erupts now from the fake Lysanthir, her chest lurches forward, casting her arms back and behind her. Her hair falls behind her as her head leans backward. Mouth wide open and as the light glows brighter and brighter with the higher pitch of her painful scream the light now cascades over the room casting shadows outward from her. With the short lived climax she erupts and a blinding flash ensues in the same moment. Shattering glass explodes from the mirror...
Any means of attacking or looking towards the mirror will require you to roll below as appropriate. (In any way including having detect magic active)
In the same manner as Zul, you notice one moment Avdol is there, the next, he is not.
Combat is technically over, it's now just a matter of what you do and how you handle the situation.