"Yes, I'm not sure everything we've encountered down here has been bad." Daka says before clearing his throat and subtly nodding in Reyo's direction "I agree with you Reyo, everything deserves a first chance, and second for that matter, it's the third I have trouble giving." Daka turns around to approach the figure, before noticing Shirak has already went ahead, Be careful... and draws his sword instead.
The figure does not move at Shirak's touch and a small puff of gray dust comes up from its shoulder.
Nothing exciting happens as Torcet casts his spell. Shirak's hand pulls at the robe and a piece comes tearing off with a crackle that reverberates through the dark of the cavern. Another choking cloud of dust comes up, enveloping the druid and the bard.
Through the hole opened in the cloth shines the pale, seemingly mummified "flesh" of the once alive figure. The whole frame of the figure sways at the sudden pull, threatening to crumble down on the spot.
"Be careful guys. Don't touch that door, it must be trapped or something." Daka sheaths his sword again and approaches the others "Reyo, you must have encountered your share of traps in your line of work. Is there any way to tell if the door is dangerous?" he asks as he lightly places his hand on Torcet's shoulder, the holy symbol pressing against him.
To be sure, I've met a fair number of traps. Never had the knack for finding them overmuch, but I'll give this one a glance, see what I can find. She says as she gingerly steps around the statuesque figure.
After spending a few moments looking at the door, she scrunches up her face and shakes her head.
Nothing about the door seems immediately dangerous. I'd agree that something is wrong, given this one here. she says, with a kick of her head towards the figure.
Torcet's missile hits the metal with a deafening bang that sends a thousand echoes running through the huge cavern. The scared cries of bats sound from above while, more importantly, the robed figure starts falling apart as the vibration of the air breaks the caked dust into tiny flecks that cover you all. In a cascade of dust, bone and rotten cloth, it turns into a pile of scraps, in the midst of which a shine of silver catches your eye!
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"What is that?"
Shirak attempts to see what the shiny thing is as the being crumbles to dust.
"Well, since our newcomer doesn't sense anything malicious...and Torcets actions haven't caused any problems....perhaps the trap has been expended on this poor soul. "
Quietly, the druid considers the door a moment before continuing, "Reyo was it? Would you do the honors?"
Smiling a bit, she reaches for the door. Never got anything back without a touch of danger! She says, confidently, as she grabs the metal handle.
The shiny object looks like a kind of chain, one that would hold a pendant or some other small object. The object itself is however buried in the remains of the creature.
As Reyo grabs the handle her body goes rigid. Her face is slack and expressionless and even her breathing seems to disappear!
"Another one?" Comes a harsh male voice behind your back. "I thought these things only had space for one soul."
"Reyo!" Not another one! I will not allow this place to take another one...
Daka, holding tight to his holy symbol, runs up to the frozen elf and attempts to pry her away from the door handle, careful to to touch it himself.
What fresh hell is this. From ruins to a plateau. Bitter cold. Space for a soul, what kind of thing has space for a soul?
Hearing the harsh voice, she spins on her heel, right hand dropping to the rapier on her left hip while her left hand slips to the small of her back and the dagger strapped there.
Only room for one soul? It's good I have a small soul, I suppose. she says wryly, looking about for the source of the voice.
(+5 for History, +4 for Dungeoneering, +1 for Planes, +0 for all others)
(+5 for History, +4 for Dungeoneering, +1 for Planes, +0 for all others)
(+5 for History, +4 for Dungeoneering, +1 for Planes, +0 for all others)
Torcet somehow manages not to cut off one of Shirak's fingers as the druid's dagger pries out the coin and it falls to the ground. As it rolls on its side you see how the golden wavy-lined surface changes into a silver spiky shield, and then back again. The coin looks "unsure" of what it really is and keeps changing between silver and gold every couple of seconds.
Meanwhile Daka gently gets the elf away from the door. She follows his touch, but her face is expressionless and she is still barely breathing.
"It's not the size of a soul that matters, it's power, knowledge, talent. I didn't know the coins could hold more than one. Maybe it's a temporary occurrence?" He frowns lightly. "Are you looking for the brambled aegis, or is this a coincidence?"
Brambled aegis? Could that be the winged spiked shield from the coins? Did I move through time? Oppara hasn't been gilt-topped for hundreds of years! Coins holding souls? Her mind races with the implications of time travel and magical coins.
Knowledge and talent, you say. What do you know of the coins, stranger? How did you come to be here? She says, raising an eyebrow before launching onward into another bit of speech, spurred on by his question of the aegis. The brambled aegis is not the immediate target of my quest, although of late it has become of interest. Tell me, what do you know of the aegis? And if a seeker of things you truly are, what do you know of Al'drunath?
Daka clicks his fingers in front of Reyo's face, but notices no response "She's still immobile! She is breathing, thank the gods, but it's desperately shallow." his voice full of concern. Desperate to do anything he can to help her, he closes his eyes and clutches tightly to his holy symbol Sarenrae, bring some light to this place of darkness.
"So, a travelling historian... Of sorts. You are not fit to remain in my personal prison for long, so listen carefully. The Aegis is a cult, not an object. They use the coins to steal souls and use them to their ends. I am... was a priest. I came to confront a monster that is hidden behind the disguise of an innkeeper. My amulet was supposed to protect me from it, but we had failed to anticipate the power of the coins it creates." Behind the man you notice the towers of Oppara twist in the air like giant tentacles. The priest catches your stare and continues even faster. "The coin is soon going to spew out your soul. If your body is near enough it may go back in it. If not... Then nothing I say will matter much. Since this is your soul, and not your mind, you will not remember any of this. But you will KNOW what I have told you on a visceral, instinctive level."
A hard, powerful light fills the sky above, it's warmth melting away the snow and filling the air with the roar of bonfires and the sound of dancing feet. You can barely see anything else any more.
"They are calling you." Comes the priest's voice. "Take the pendant. Finish..."
His voice is drowned in the roar of the light and then you feel yourself rising up. You are about to melt into the light when you feel a dread spreading from below. A shadow has risen under you and it is exerting the same pull on your soul as the light above! You have to focus all your will to stay afloat, and every stray thought can plunge you in one direction or the other. What do you think of?
Mind reeling and eyes burning with the glare Reyo's mind races back through her history to the first time she read about Al'drunath.
The First Forestlord. Interesting title. Strange that a wizard would style himself that way with so few people in his care. What a mighty figure his magical prowess would have cut. What glory we could feel again if we could regain even a twig from that crown!
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"If it's a spell she requires, I could try one tomorrow. Maybe destroying the coin would bring her back." Looking to his companions for advice, he glances back to the coin.
"يهديني تلك القديمة!"
Steadying himself, the blue skinned man prepares to assault the dislodged artifact.
"Wait!" Daka raises his hand urgently "She almost came back to us... Let me try again before we move on to more drastic measures. Daka closes his eyes and grips his holy symbol so hard that he almost draws blood "Sarenrae, hear my plea. Lend us your warming light! his voice booming in the darkness.
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As Daka focusses his will an actual flame bursts from his holy symbol! The wings of the angelic ankh of Sarenrae shine with power that issues in rays around the priest's fingers, illuminating patches of the stone walls with pure sunlight. Daka's hand starts trembling, but he hold to the fiery ball, and then the display is suddenly over. The half-orc's shoulders sag and he sways on the spot. His hand that held the power of a god is still holding on to the slightly charred and still smoking ankh.
Then Reyo stirs.
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Watching the display with amazement, he jumps to the half-orcs side.
"Daka! You ok?" the Undine shakes the cleric violently, glancing over to the elf, "Did it work?"
The druid considers the equations, It could balance out, a life for a life...but I've grown accustomed to this one...so much easier when an unknown is involved
Reyo's eyes flutter open, and Daka slowly comes into focus over her.
Darkness -- cold she mutters softly, licking her lips, as if she'd just come in from the desert. Struggling to get to her feet, she manages it, if shakily. What happened? I grabbed the handle and then, there was something... she says, brow furrowed, mind racing to find the words. Looking down to her hand, she sees the coin from the fight still grasped tightly in it. Something not right about the money... she trails off again, eyes sliding in and out of focus. With a great shake of her head, she opens her delicate lids, her gaze is deadly focused.
Thank you for whatever sacrifice you made for me Daka. Clearly it was something or I wouldn't have been on the ground and your holy symbol wouldn't be smoking like so many burnt embers. You have my gratitude and my debt. I'll stand to your back if you ever need. She says with an air of finality on the matter. Turning to Shirak, she speaks again, Whether or not it worked, I can't say. But I seem to be fully alive and in possession of my faculties. I would highly suggest we try to find someone to hunker down for the night. Try getting some rest.
Daka gives Shirak a wan smile "Yes, I'm alright. Thank you Shirak." He tries to take a step towards Reyo but falls back into Shirak's arms "It's good to have you back Reyo. I agree, I fear I have little left to give today." his voice a shadow of what it was only moments ago. He glances at his hand and the smoking ankh, the pain ignored Thank you Sarenrae!
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Torcet sheaths his sword and lets out a big sigh of relief. "Well, I for one am relieved the episode is over and definitely thing we deserved a good nights rest. However, it would be wise for us to keep watch, this cave has brought us nothing but bad omens so far." Torcet starts to sit down and unpack his sleeping gear and rations, also taking a journal to note the findings of the day, some things have left him with more questions. "I would gladly take first watch. You folks deserve that rest, you've earned it."
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"Good to see it worked. You're absence would not have gone unnoticed." Glancing towards the elf, "And you still have time to show your skills."
Shirak proceeds to survey the area, looking for a defendable position to rest.
"This looks to be a good place. Torcet, I've not problem with you taking first watch. I'll volunteer for second. You look like you could use the rest more than I, friend." As he finishes his statement, he rather pointedly looks to Daka.
Reyo nods lightly before undoing her blanket from its home at the bottom of her pack. Laying down cocooned in the coarse material, she settles her head down on her backpack and quickly falls into a deep sleep. Throughout her rest, bits and pieces of her experience, like a memory from ages ago, flit across her consciousness.
"Yes, I believe I do" Daka says with a small laugh, gingerly setting down his backpack "But I will take watch after you, it seems our newest companion also needs her rest." he notes, glancing at the elf already settling down in her blanket. After shrugging off his cumbersome armour and finishing off his day's rations, Daka quickly follows Reyo into a deep sleep, his hand resting on the hilt the scimitar by his side.
As there is no way to tell time underground your fatigue dictates the length of your rest. Nothing notable happens during your rest and, while the open cavern and the blank stone wall on one side do not offer any "defendable" position, you do not have to test your strength against any more foes.
You are refreshed, even though you think you might have overslept a little. The metal door in the wall is as closed as ever, the lone coin that resided on its handle now lying dormant on the floor next to the remains of the unidentified figure. The silver chain is still visible between the dust and pieces of rotten bone. Obviously no animals are around that would use such refuse as sustenance.
Reyo stretches as she rouses from her slumber.
Wha...where...huh....where am I? runs through her head immediately upon opening her eyes. Rising, she grabs her torch and heads to the pile of bones. Prodding around, she tried to uncover the silver chain and makes to pick it up before pausing slightly, hesitation obvious in her posture. She slips her rapier out and uses it to try scooping up the chain.
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Stretching as a yawn escapes his lips, he glances around the room. Spying the elf, he jumps up. "Careful. Seems a few of the objects in this cavern are more than they appear."
Noting her use of the rapier, he shrugs. "I need a minute to prepare for the day. Try not to hurt yourself in the meantime."
Without another word, he turns and walks to the cavern wall behind where his leafy companion joins him. The odd pair sit cross-legged in front of the stone and join hands. Humming, they begin to sway back and forth.
"Mmmm...Ancient ones....Guide us...."
Nodding at Shirak as the druid mentions needing to prepare, she holds off on scooping up the chain. I apologize, I'm still not used to travelling with others. I tend to move ahead of my thoughts, which I suppose is a dangerous thing in a place like this. I'll endeavor to remember not to go tearing off on a tangent early in the mornings. she says with a wink as the pair wanders off to the cavern wall.
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As the party awakes, Torcet turns to them sleepily and says "I hope everyone's well and rested." He then points to the centre of the cave with his sword. "I may not be certain of this in my sleepy state, but I heard the sound of coins coming from there. As there was no hostility or threat I didn't want to spoil your sleep. However there was a flash of light from the ceiling, I'm not sure what that means, this caves have too many questions rather than answers." He walks towards the centre where he heard the noise of the coins, sword in arm.
Torcet is quickly engulfed by the darkness. Obviously the source of the noise is not so close as he does not reach anything that might produce it.
Daka wipes the sleep from his eyes, as he finishes donning his armour "Reyo, would you mind keeping an eye on Torcet? He has a habit of running off and getting into trouble. I would usually go myself, but I must pray before setting off for the day." He lets out a short laugh "Perhaps you two can get into the habit of tearing off on your morning tangents together." He kneels down and closes his eyes "But afterwards, maybe we can try to find a way out of this gods-forsaken place" and bowing his head, he starts to pray silently, rubbing the face of his now burnt holy symbol.
Sure thing Daka. I'll do what I can. May your prayers be easy and your voice clear. Reyo says before turning to follow Torcet. A snap of her wrist uncovers the flaming head of the torch as she comes up to the bard.
Given recent -- happenings -- I would say probably a good idea to not pick it up directly. Let's see if we can't get a good look at it though. She says as she moves the torch closer to Torcet's feet. Pulling a dagger from the small of her back she uses the tip to slightly prod it.
Torcet, looks like you've stepped on a tome of some sort! Given the deteriorated state of every thing else in this damnable hell hole, it's remarkably intact. Yesterday, I would have said to just pick it up and be done with it. But now... she trails off as she looks about for anything of use. Finally, she pulls a rope from her pack and ties a quick loop. Laying it around the book, she sets to work attempting to slide the book across the cavern back to the group with the rope.
Try as she might, Reyo is unable to move the book at all. It's as if the thing is a protrusion of the cavern floor, and not a separate item. The book itself doesn't deform in any way, despite the pulling.