Service walks up to th email mayor as well, slapping him across the face and waiting a moment allowing the echo of her actions to sink in. "yes, after this kill yourself for all I care... but don't you dare chicken out now. All those lives are forfeit to dyibe in vein if you do. Such a coward of what was once a man."
She turns and looking to the others, says, "it's now or never, are you all ready?"
"Plenty of men done been through worse and ain't takens dey own lives, pulls ya self together. You got sorrows? Yeah, well turn your anguish inta anger and do somethin's actually meaningful about it then."
After the emotional exchange between Goodwill and the others, Mordrin simply sighs, moves his glasses to the top of his head, and rubs at his eyes with one hand, his elbow resting in the palm of his opposite hand. After a moment, he places the glasses back over his eyes and looks sadly at Goldwill. The man is broken. He may as well be dead, and I suppose he will be soon, but perhaps we can keep him alive long enough to make him feel his death is worth something.
The half-elf smoothly steps forward alongside Kael and kneels down before the man, resting a hand on his shoulder. "This is not the time for your death, my friend. As the others have said, you have an opportunity here. I will not suggest that you will be able to set all things to rights. This world does not allow us such luxuries, but perhaps you may atone for what Malik's games have lead you to do. Perhaps then you will be able to die in peace."
"A man? I was never a man, just a boy in a man's body..." Goldwill continues to sit there, gazing down at the dirt of the mine floor. Seemingly lost to anyone's attempts to rouse him from his depressed and broken state.
He stands after a few minutes and begins walking off deeper into the mine. "There are silver veins over here, with any luck there might be some already mined and in a mine cart..." He trudges off slowly into the darkness, leaving behind his handaxe on the damp dirt floor.
You all hear Malik's maniacal laugh in your minds. "Poor little Goldwill, how easy he broke, Hehehehehehe... Hahahahaha!"
Mordrin aims his thoughts back at the demon, I'm looking forward to sending you back to hell, you slime.
Kael looks down the darkness, seeing Goodwill sulk. It was unfortunate but he had seen men like him before, it was not his place to decide what happened to them. Only that he could do what was possible within his power to see it through.
Retrieving the axe, Kael place it in his backpack. For both practical and sentimental reasons.
Kael narrowed his eyes at Goodwill's form and noted it for later, it wouldn't foster any good change to speak of him as though he was not there.
" Let's get this done then. "
He followed.
Light keeps an eye on Goodwill from a distance at first as she followed silently. The sounds of their footsteps rung in her ears as she accounted for every last one of her and her comrades'. Looking about the cave system, or that of which she could make out, was phenomenal in size to her.
"Goodwill, we have no say in what you do in the future. But do realize, there is atonement for all past aggressions. We will give you your sought out revenge, though I doubt it will help much."
"Should anyone see any silver mines before me, speak up. I have a pickaxe that I bought in town prior to coming here."
" Duly noted. "
Goldwill continues in silence. Going deeper and deeper into the mines, it becomes apparent that the roars heard earlier belong to creatures that have pretty apparently lived hear quite a long time. You come across many bones and skulls. Humanoid skulls. Surprisingly though, none of them seem to be small enough to be halfling sized. Old animal bedding areas can also be found among the paths you travel. Made from old torn cloth and dirt.
Goldwill begins to head left.
"Im picking up a scent to the right... a flowery scent of sorts..." Light whispers to the others. She raises her gun toward the darkness beyond her field of vision via her ioun stone.
Kael noted that, " Strange. Why would you smell floral arrangements of all things? Perhaps that is the direction of where the Daemon has the ceremony? I cannot think the large creatures have need for scented delights. "
Goldwill turns slowly. "Their isn't anything that way... I don't know what your smelling, but it isn't flowers. Smells more like... *sniff* death and decay."
The rest of the party now begins to smell the same flowery scent after staying here for a moment.
Kael seems confused sure that Goodwill knew what he was doing, but at the same time skeptical of his words considering the recent information about his mental tampering.
It was just that at the moment only himself and Light to his knowledge smell it.
" Goodwill are you sure you only smell decay? I know you are depressed but I want to make sure I am not simply suffering the same mental condition Light seems to be exhibiting. "
"It's quite clearly decay... fine lets go that way and waste more time..."
Goldwill storms off down the narrower tunnel.
As you follow behind Goldwill the flowery smell grows more and more apparent. Finally you make it to a wall where the tunnel suddenly stops.
Kael moves along and places his hand up against the wall, confused at how, while he had the smell, it ended with a wall.
" Odd.. the Tunnel just... ends? "
Kael phases through the wall astonished at all that he now sees.
Kael seems to recall the language of what his pen was forced to make. Slowly interpreting the scrawl. His mind races to understand all that has been revealed to him, unsure if his knowledge could even span this drastic change.
His eyes shifted around vaguely as he pondered the area.
Kael doesn't seem to be able to recall anything about what he sees in this room, however he does notice that the room itself feels different. As if the air turned dryer after stepping through the faux wall. And it is a bit warmer. The floor is also sand instead of dirt. Due to this, Kael can ascertain that what the party stepped through was less of an illusion and more of a portal to another plane. To which plane though is uncertain. Your eyes then skim the walls, suddenly a flood of information fills your mind as you almost reel back in a head rush. The dizzying experience fades and the walls with the strange writing are as clear as they would be if they were written in common. The walls talk of the life of a sphinx, his birth, his life and the days leading up to his apparent death. Spanning multiple centuries. Nothing of note sticks out except a reacuring phrase after every century of time. "Lord Ooredos, bequeathed of wealth, seeker of humble modesty."
Tassadar Is able to recall what this creature is, an Androsphinx. You have heard there can be larger than normal ones that when death approaches turn into a statue of themselves. But they can also do this normally too.
Light watches as Kael stops at the wall and moves ahead from behind the group to look at with him. "it does seem odd to just suddenly end..." looking to Kael she steps through with him without a word and gun at the ready.
[B]"a shrine of some sort?...">/b] light says in a barely audible whisper intended for herself. Her eyes traced the various details of the room without another word as if waiting for something to jump out at her.
Kael pinches his eyes as the swell of information left a sore feeling around his temples. He understands and realizes that this language was the same that he was cursed with, was Sphinx.
From Kael's mouth came an ancient language, repeating the phrase that littered the walls as if some sort of passcode.
" Lord Ooredos, bequeathed of wealth, seeker of humble modesty. "
Mordrin follows the others to the dead end of the tunnel and watches in amazement as they seem to disappear through the wall. He approaches the wall cautiously and places a hand on it before leaning forward and falling into the strange new space.
The strange group of statues standing before him, combined with the odd smell of flowers and decay, makes Mordrin simultaneously uneasy and perfectly at home. With a look of concerned curiosity, he lowers his lenses and begins to scan the room.
Everyone feels as though discerning eyes are upon them as they peruse the room further. Not hostile, simply curious.
A loud booming voice is heard a moment after Kael says aloud his words in a strange language to all.
"You, one who bares the tongue of my own! What shall you take in life? What shall be bequeathed before death? One thousand fold, the debt of your choosing!"
Mordrin freezes in place as he notices the aura emanating from the sphinx statue. After the voice rings out through the room, he edges nearer to Tassadar and nudges him with an elbow. "Must be the statue talking. It seems to be alive. I've never heard of such a thing, have you?"
Kael turns to his confused party members and repeats to the group.
" I seem to know it's language. It says ' You, one who bares the tongue of my own! What shall you take in life? What shall be bequeathed before death? One thousand fold, the debt of your choosing! ' I am not sure if it is a riddle or him speaking to me directly. Hrmm. "
Kael looked around more.
" The walls tell of a story of his story... a kind creature one of modesty as well as wealth. Whatever he is.. I believe it was powerful nonetheless, my mind cannot properly recall its name. "
The Half-Elf thinks on it a bit more and then spoke in Sphinx
" I take nothing in life, I am simply live it to the fullest within my small world. Before death it is the satisfaction i lived a full life. But before that happens I must save my friends and captain from necromancy most foul.. can you assist in that? "
Mordrin looks thoughtfully at the sphinx, then back to Kael. What shall you take in life... what shall be bequeathed before death... one thousand fold...? Certainly sounds like a riddle. What would you take in life that you give before death? Wait!
"Breath!" Mordrin exclaims. "In life you take a breath...even a thousand fold. And before you die, you give your final breath! But wait...what did it mean about a debt of your choosing? Sounds rather ominous if you ask me." As he puzzles over the final portion of the riddle, Mordrin's hand drifts toward the holy symbol at his side, fearing that things might take a turn for the worse in a moment.
The sphinx's eyes light up as Kael finishes his question. For a few moments the room becomes still. Anticipation fills your being as finally you here a response.
"The two you seek are still in motion. However their hearts no longer beat with the gift of life. They are simply husks wielded by a dangerous man. Your path intertwines with him soon, though you cannot face him and hope to survive... not yet."
A burning sensation is felt upon the palm of your left hand. It grows in intensity to the point of having to grasp it in pain. Looking at it you can see a number spelled out in sphinx. "One Thousand" is now emblazoned as a brand on your palm.
The light fades from the sphinx's eyes and the room goes silent once more.
Kael grimaces at the searing pain but as it subsides and he looks, the act all makes sense. The information however only saddens the half-elf as though there were some silent voice in the back of his mind that had hoped they were alive. Now he knew that the reality was far worse but it was not all bad. With a heavy sigh he turned to the group, his face that of normal and hand clenched tight.
" We are done here. The voice has informed me of something of importance, while not prevalent to our task at the moment it is for the remaining crew. It was both an answer and a warning, one which I will grudgingly have to abide by. It won't help with that for Goodwill. We should return to finish the job. "
Kael attempted to locate the exit and return to the caves. Their adventure was just beginning it seemed.
"Um?... I would like to know what it said personally. Especially if it is a warning. Besides,... you having to "abide" by what it says seems a little more serious... Don't you think?"
" What it said is indeed important but only for the three of us. Nor was it pertinent to our current situation as I said. I will inform you afterward. I will state however, i have to abide due to the truth of its statement. For lack of a better term if I did not it would likely end in my death. "
"Wait...only for the three of us? You mean...did it say something about the captain? Gods! Ah...you're right. We have to finish what we've started here, but to have news of the others. That is good." Mordrin runs his hand through his hair, a look of stunned relief coming over him. He follows Kael back to the wall where they had entered the sphinxes cavern.
"Lets go back to town. There's nothing more to do here"
"We still must complete Malik's ritual. Goldwill said we could find the silver we need in the tunnels, so we shouldn't have to head back to town for anything."
Walking out of the room places you exactly where you walked in from. Where do you go from here?
The group follows Goldwill down the south tunnel for a ways before entering into a opening. There sits a half broken mine cart just off the rails. A few dust covered picks lay inside the cart, tipped on it's side with two of its wheels broken.
Kael inspects the quality of the picks and the cart. " Seems we have found the place. The mining will make a bit of noise however, so the sounds from earlier might draw to this place. Those with a strong back will likely have to mine while the rest be on guard duty. "
Light takes out her new pick and begins mining away.
" Goodwill are these Picks Serviceable? It is quite notable as to why I believe this mine was shut down if the vein is not dried up. "
Mordrin takes a quick look at the discarded picks, then gazes around at the tunnel walls around him, where a gleam catches his eye. He moves over and inspects the wall, "Looks like we're in the right place at least. There seems to be a silver vein right here. Let's get started, I suppose." Mordrin picks up one of the picks and begins working.
Goldwill picks up the two picks and inspects them.
"They are fragile, but will work. Just don't screw up your swing."
As Light and Mordrin take their first few swings, Kael and Light both turn around as a noise hits their ears. The sound of heavy footsteps. Entering into the light given off from the party come these two large beasts. An amalgam of fur and feathers, these bizarre half-bear, half-owl monstrosities raises their huge, ursine claws in anger.
Kael
Owlbear 1
Tassadar
Light
Ziggit
Mordrin
Goldwill
Owlbear 2
Always quick on the upswing, Kael does his duty and readies himself for the assault. Having been on guard his blade was ready and noticing his allies were not responding as fast, moved himself in a position to intercept the first Owlbear.
" My assumptions were right. Owlbears. "
His Ninja-to poised ready to pierce.
As the first Owlbear charges forth, Kael nimbly steps up and stabs at the large beasts. Striking it between the shoulder blade and the main body. The Owlbear lunges forward with a powerful bite. However, when Kael draws his blade from the beast, he maneuvers it to smack off the Owlbear's beak. Causing its attack to miss. Kael then flourishes his blade back around and stabs once again in the Owlbears shoulder region.
Tassadar readies to cast colourspray at the other owl bear as soon as it gets in range of the 15 ft spray.