All told you earn the following about the mosaic:
⠀ The circular building represents the cyclical nature of life and time, underscoring an enduring legacy of this place.
⠀ The sun is a common symbol symbolizing a source life and energy… and of birth.
⠀ This is the tallest tree on the continent; it represents a guardian of some kind, protecting the village from the clouds above with strength, resilience, and deep roots in duty.
⠀ Open hands with Silver symbolize care, compassion, and community service — likely of Bloodsalt.
The stars and waves remain a mystery.
"This should be a worthy place for the students to spend their time," Chimwemwe says. "Let's scout that large ruin to the northwest."
An awning of stone which has somehow withstood the long years shelters of this long exterior wall; it has managed to help partially preserve a mural. However, only partially. From what you can make out it depicts swallowtail butterflies. What's left of the mural is collapsed into rubble and may be able to be reconstructed with hours of effort. Perhaps then you could learn more.
Inside you find jewelry and a bracelet depicting mists seeping out from a wind chime.
Thus, many of her children do as well.
"I've read about that imagery while studying the Terwa Uplands for one of Ahassunu's assignments," Chimwemwe says as he examines the bracelet and then further explains his recollection.
Chim relays whathe knows:
This bracelet is a symbolic representation of Cykurarreot the Mist, the ancient matriarch of the Terwa Uplands’ cloud dragons who's been allied with the dwarves since the War of Split Hearts almost a thousand years ago. She prizes beautiful wind chimes above all other treasure.
Thus, many of her children do as well.
This may be another good location for the students. Where to next?
"The buildings south of the tower seem relatively intact," Chimwemwe suggests to his colleagues.
A pall hangs over this part of Bloodsalt it's not just red but gloomy grey too, and full of broken shapes that have once been quite beautiful. A somber place.
A decrepit shop stands on a small rise. Black curtains hang in its empty windows. A pale hand beckons from within.
"Come inside, darlings."
This place must have once been a shop; a human woman dressed in fine sable robes stands behind a counter. Behind her a bog mummy quietly dusts the shelves; another one in the corner washes the floorboards. In mimicry of what the shop might have once been, red-stained relics and decaying treasures line the shelves behind this strange person.
Something is off… this person is not human.
She regards you with curiosity. "How interesting. You're not with Thiravo's thugs trying ruin this sumptuous desolation, are you? What are you doing here?"
"We came to learn about the past," Chimwemwe says warily. "This place does not receive enough traffic to sustain a shop. What are you doing here?"
Akoril does not stop his allies from entering but raises a hand to recommend caution.
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She laughs. Oh this? This isn't a shop. Its the shape of a shop. Of what once was, and is now lost forever to the choking weight of time. Note how the shelves are dusted — she gestures to the bog mummy, who is diligently keeping the planks of old wood clean but not the artifacts — but the the objects the people here loved are still stained with red mud. You can see it is indeed true. They're all dead you see, so long ago. The soldiers, the cowards. The most celebrated poets and loathsome politicians. The learned women and the most fair men — all are dead. Generations of them locked in chambers below our feet. They outnumber us many times over.
Isn't it sad? I'm here to… breathe the sulfurous air. And I have been doing so for a long time.
Now that you've learned something, I think you can leave. There is nothing but desolation here and I have enough troubles with those thugs ruining the decayed architectures of beautiful misery with their bombs, chattering over the wailing wind, looting the most melancholy artifacts from my home.
"We have defeated Thiravo and his thugs and driven them from your home. We have no desire to ruin what's hear, only to study it. I assure you that we will not be employing bombs in our study." As Kiri looks to Wisps to take over negotiations, they make a mental note to have a careful word with Ubanau, should negotiations be successful.
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Oh how delightful. Did you kill them? You know, Thiravo collapsed that tower in the middle of town. It had such a melancholy shape to it too… like the broken back of a once mighty warrior.
Some people just have no taste! Well, I set a trap for him there. To punish him and his crew. Well, less of a trap and more a big arrow pointing those fools at something slumbering down below. Something that didn't want to be disturbed. Surely you won't be foolish enough to fall for such base chicanery.
You can call me… Vyrina. Yes. That will do.
She strokes a muddy vase and gazes at her red-stained finger; from what you can see, the vase is etched with dragon-shaped cloud above a small village next to a lake. Hmmm. I must say, however, I don't like visitors in my home… especially lively ones. I need to hear the wind moaning sadly through the ruins, the aching silence of eternity. And I plan on [nesting here for a very long time.
Akoril adds "Even if you have no use of coin, perhaps barter could be made. A new life for your shop. One that trades in stories?"
"We wish only to learn of this place. We would be happy to make arrangements with you to minimize the disruption to your..." well, not life..."uh, residence.
Fine. To seal the deal, you ca have this vase. One of the bog mummies hand you the vase with the cloud on it; it looks like a worthwhile artifact!
Now… let our alliance commence by you leaving me to my solitude.
"Thank you. I look forward to working side by side, even if not together."
You find eight bog mummies working in this area. They do not attack, since you have made an accord with Vyrina. They are meticulously moving mud around searching for potsherds; they don't mind you poking around a bit and you find some more evidence of how Bloodsalt residents lived.
The bog mummies are very good at bringing treasure up from below ground without disturbing the landscape, thanks to their Burrow ability. Vyrina has quite the labor force here!
"Surely," Chimwemwe says with a flush before Curling-Wisps-of-Smoke and Akoril reach an accord with the strange woman.
The waters at the eastern edge of Terwa Lake are tinged a blood red from the grains of silt suspended in it. Large, red-ribbed salamanders lurk in the water near the shore, wary of the undead in the city but eager to snap at meat that comes within reach. These salamanders don’t have the strength or numbers to threaten anyone, but might be tasty if you wanted to go hunting.
This clears the ruins. You have unrestricted access to the ruins of Bloodsalt and can bring the students in.
We will now have a month of downtime. You can make a practical research checks!
Requirements You are a lore-speaker and have unrestricted access to the ruins of Bloodsalt.
You carefully explore the ruins of Bloodsalt with your students, pointing out archaeological evidence your branch would find most interesting. Choose either your primary or secondary branch, and attempt a skill check against a standard DC of the branch’s level. You can use Diplomacy or one of the branch’s associated skills for this check. This activity takes 1 month.
Critical Success An amazing discovery! You find previously unseen evidence regarding Bloodsalt’s vanished residents that’s certain to bring renown to you and your students. You gain access to the Bloodsalt Dragon Disciple archetype feats. Increase the branch level of the branch you chose by 2.
Success The evidence you uncover is interesting and your students learn much from your instruction. Increase the branch level of the branch you chose by 1.
Failure You’re unable to uncover much of interest. Your branch level remains the same.
Critical Failure You or your students damage the ruins in a way that makes future examination more difficult. You must skip your next month of downtime repairing the damage and can’t perform this activity during that month.
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Akoril starts be leading a project to map out the area.
"The magic of the land is what connects us all together. Uncovering and mapping how they built their roads, where they built their field will give us insight into how they lived, where locations of power might be, and best of all, will help keep us from getting lost."
In month 2...
"Now that we've made our maps, it's time to study their meanings. How did they live? What does their road network tell us about how they conducted trade? Theories are good, remember that you don't have to be right, you just need a quality theory. Even being wrong gives us a point to investigate and will lead us to more knowledge."
Month 3...
"We're going to have to rely on research you've done both with me and the other lore-speakers. But we're going to try and put on a festival like they would have. Costume design, performances, whatever we think they would have done."
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After working with Firepot to carefully dismantle what remains of Thiravo's bombs and harvest whatever useable alchemical materials can be salvaged, they finally get down to study.
Kiri begins by leading a group of students in study of the ruined mural. "Though none who lived here are left to tell the story of this place" they say, pausing to the consider the bog mummies nearby. "At least, none capable of telling the story. Still, that does not mean the story is lost. There is much we can learn from the physical evidence that remains. It continues to play a part of the story of this place, even if the storytellers are gone." They use specific legends from the lives of the Magic Warriors to illustrate how a place might tell a story.
The following month Kiri's study group delves into specific details uncovered in their earlier study, taking in independent avenues of study to uncover further truths from the ruins.
Finally, having uncovered evidence during their study of particular battle techniques used by the former residents of this place, Kiri leads a group in attempting to recreate these methods from what evidence exists.
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Maybe it's due to his vampiric nature, maybe it's the late nights spent "researching", but Soomdevi burns most of the daylight hours by sleeping, preferring to wake when the shadows are long, and the crickets begin to sing. He wears his veiled mask to keep nosy students at bay, and to hide the bags under his eyes.
He finds some comfort in watching the mummies work, in their finding a purpose in undeath, but he is uncomfortable with that realization. Any feelings he has about it he explores through cryptic poetry and discusions with Noxolo and Mariama.
After sunset he takes his students out to collect insects and fauna, looking for the impact of the red silt in the local ecosystem and in the blood. His study group only consists of students who can see in the dark, as he refuses to by burdened with light sources. Plus the light brings unwated attention. While the students are busy, he looks for any signs of interference from the shadow plane and tries to keep his paranoia in check.
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Chimwemwe invites Seloze and Onyije to work with him within the great round building. "A powerful magic is at work here," Chimwemwe explains to the students. "You can feel it for yourself if you try to sense the magical aura in and around the building." He waits for the students to recover after their attempts.
"How do we investigate something so powerful if our divinations are overwhelmed?" he asks. "We will need to think of different ways of approaching the problem, of finding answers. We many not find the answer in our efforts, but the lesson is in the attempts. We will learn which magical laws can and cannot be bent or even broken. We will learn new ideas and ways of thinking that may prove useful for future problems, if not this immediate problem. Any ideas are welcome. Do not be afraid or shy to speak your idea. The only bad ideas are the ones that harm another person."
For the next month, he spends time each day with the two students trying every idea that the three of them can conceive to figure out what the purpose of the magical force within and around the building is.
The next month, Chimwemwe invites Fardrik to work with him studying the mundane tools and art found through their excavations. "When you consider the creativity of all people across all time, there are bound to be things invented or thought of that have yet to be reimagined in this current moment of a few decades. Let us see what we can learn from the past people of Bloodsalt."
[ooc] Crafter’s AppraisalSuccess (natural 1) -> Fail[/ooc]
The third month, he works with different students in a different area of the ruins and has more success inspiring his students.
Wisps hasn't spent as much time with her fellow anadis back at the Magaambya as she would have liked, so she makes sure to take a particular interest in guiding the studies of Goss, Mazta, and Savana.
This isn't a region where anadis were common, but Wisps's own studies have grown to include many non-human people, and she encourages the students to look into how non-humans lived in the area. She emphasizes the importance of examining artifacts without presuming the anatomy of those who used them. She also encourages them to present their findings to the local residents.
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You have a very productive three months. The days go by; at times you have to evacuate when the mists roll in, but those are lovely excuses to take a littel vacation and have dinners and gatherings in the village, some of which are period-piece parties thanks to Akorils efforts.
Binji cleans the shattered plaques. Binji help!
Kiri gives the students a grounding then lets them expand their repertoire, and finally ensures they're staying in shape by doing ancient exercises.
Mariama is sure the building is locking a spawn of rovagug out of time and you shouldn't mess with it. Soomdevi doesn't find any proof of this but he collects some rare samples Koride will be thrilled to ave, along with some medicinal tea using extract from Baobab flowers, which only blossom at the full moon,
Chim leads the students into a foray on art, amking progress on the cryptic meaning of the building, employing the same free-form exercises Teacher Janatimo did when you first met. He and Esi grow even closer during this time as well and they both come to look forward to trips to Kiutu, which provide them with time to be alone.
Wisps and Goss, Mazta, and Savana uncover new approaches to research — it seems that some of the residents of this place werent quite typical dwarves… or, could transform into something else…
At the end of the three months you have corroborated your own theories about the circular building, as well as the rest of the art:
⠀• The circular building represents the cyclical nature of life and time, underscoring an enduring legacy of this place.
⠀• The sun is a common symbol symbolizing a source life and energy… and of birth.
⠀• This is the tallest tree on the continent; it represents a guardian of some kind, protecting the village from the clouds above with strength, resilience, and deep roots in duty.
⠀• Open hands with Silver symbolize care, compassion, and community service — likely of Bloodsalt.
⠀• The stars represent the diverse supplicants seeking wisdom. The stars also reinforce the notion of this places significance, as people traverse vast distances, guided by the stars, to reach it.
⠀• The blue tiles on the top and bottom are symbolic of the vast ocean circling the globe from top to bottom. This metaphor captures the idea of the endless passage of time across cyclical rise and fall of tides.
Binji has spent hours and hours cleaning and piecing together shattered words, and you have a translation as well:
…calamity on the wind unfurls … secret magic. Even if we are destroyed … ley-lines twist like a heddle loom… warp and weft of protective cocoon … mother and eggs … sanctuary … time passes… hearts still as a painted tiles on stone. … will beat again …
… Wwen the honored among us … fly home… speak "Fungua Lango la Wakati" before the sun of the Painted Egg …
… ware those who who know not of who we are, or our honored…
Akoril ponders the clues "Well done Binji, I think there may be a way to awaken this place again. Words of power, combined with the circular egg like building or rebith. We may be able to reawaken the magics here... May need the sun or moon or tides to be properly aligned as well, not sure"
"I think the instructions mean in front of the tile sun within the Painted Egg, the circular building," Chimwemwe hypothesizes. "But what is the second part of the warning? Their honored... what?"
"I'm not sure."
So what’s the plan? Ask the students.
"I suppose we speak the incantation? That seems to be our only hint toward learning the remaining secrets here."
Everyone gathers around the circular building, which you have by now realized is ALSO meant to be shaped like an egg and holds something frozen in time within.
As you speak the incantation, the egg below the sun cracks open and an aperture spirals open into a door. The beautiful tiles, previously frozen in time, suddenly degrade and turn to red dust as time catches up. The beautiful art blows away in the wind. Akoril feels the ley-lines snap back into place.
Inside is chamber filled with a cool mist that obscures your vision.
A deep voice rumbles. Mbali… is that you? Breakfast is late! I feel oddly hungry this morning, but my eggs are fine!
An azure snout and ice-colored horns poke out from the mist, revealing a huge and fearsome cloud dragon.
Her serpentine neck moves as she sniffs the sulfurous air. ItSTINKS!
She frowns, and then growls as she sees no Mbe'ke dwarves standing before her, and a ruined village behind this group of strangers. Where is Mbali? Where is my friend? My village… all my friends! Who are you and what have you DONE? Claws scrape on stone…
Chimwemwe does not have much time to mourn the sudden loss of the beautiful mosaics before he is struck speechless before a dragon.
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Wisps tries to keep a bright smile despite being terrified.
"We are from the Magaambya! We are here to be friends! Can we help you?"
Magaambyans? No one told me Magaambyans were coming to visit out little village. Where's Mbali? Why is everything red and stinky?
The dragon is confused. This "Mbali" was likely a dragon-keeper friend who died with the village when it was suddenly overcome with toxic fumes so long ago.
And based on the dragon wanting her morning breakfast, you can ascertain that whatever magic froze her and her eggs did so without her knowledge.
The circular building must contain powerful protective magic meant to hold the mother dragon and her young in stasis during times of trouble. So, to this dragon, only seconds have passed since Bloodsalt was destroyed and she has no idea her village is gone. She has been frozen in time all these hundreds of years. All her friends, the village she has been sworn to protect — gone.
While she won't attack immediately thanks to Wisps's words, you can further mollify her, help her adjust, and prove your good intentions with a diplomacy check, or you can use the same skills you used to research to demonstrate you understand Bloodsalt culture and have good intentions…
⠀➤ Akoril can display some traditional costume
⠀➤ Kiri can talk about protective battle traditions
⠀➤ Soomdevi can talk about traditional herbal teas gathered from the fauna
⠀➤ Chim can talk about the art of Bloodsalt's people
⠀➤ Wisps can talk about how some of bloodsalt's people were more than dwarves and could grow wings… like a dragon she now realizes…
Akoril gathers up some costumes the students have made. "It has been many years, but we have done our best to respect what we know. Please understand that these wings are made to honor your traditions."
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"My name is Chimwemwe," the Lirgeni finally says in a raspy voice. He rubs his dry tongue on the roof of his mouth to try to summon some saliva. "What is your name?"
He clears his through and coughs. "We are from the Magaambya. We came here to learn. We came here to learn because, many years ago, before I was born, the lake belched forth volcanic gases that killed the people around the lake. This village, which we only know as Bloodsalt, came to an end that day.
"However, the memory of Mbali and your people is not dead," he rushes to continue before the dragon might decide to eat them. "While we have studied the remains of this place, we have seen their works, their art--" The right eye of his mask begins to project translucent recreations of the different pottery and metal work they have uncovered. "--it remains to speak for them, of them. They must have cared deeply for you to use their magic to protect you over themselves."
"We mean no harm, and we have done no harm to this village. We have come to hear the stories of this place, even if we believed there was no one left to tell them. And we have! We have learned much from what remains, of the people, of the culture. The Magaambya teaches a tradition of serving and protecting those in your community, and we have seen those same values here. Your people were clearly dedicated to their neighbors, and the traditions we've seen evidenced in our study so far--even traditions of battle to protect this community--do this place great honor."
"I know how distressing this must be. But your impact on this community has been great. Many of the dwarves of Bloodsalt have had the ability to transform, like dragons."
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My friends… electricity crackles in the air as each of her tears fall. She takes the teacup from Soomdevi and holds it in between sharp claws. This is good tea. Thanks you. I can see you have come here out of respect. Come inside. I cannot bear to look at this landscape anymore.
The dragons head pulls back through the aperture. Its misty inside; the dragons serpentine body is coiled around a glittering pile of treasure, on top of which lie three cloud-patterned eggs. She holds them tight in her coils. The inside of this room is beautifully tiled and preserved, much like the outside once was.
I am Ixamè.
BINJI HELP! Binji scuttles around with a tiny broom, dusting the corners of the dragons chamber, eliciting a rumbling chuckle from her.
You sit and talk with Ixamè of old times while Binji sweeps; the students gather around.
The hatchery was an important place, visited by supplicants seeking draconic wisdom who came bearing gifts. Bloodsalt's Mbe'ke dwarves selected “hatchery attendants” among their very best. These villagers carefully saw to the care of dragon eggs alongside the mother and and helped raise young cloud dragons like family members. In return, the cloud dragon would protect the village.
Of course, this task was melancholy too: hatchery attendants knew their short lives only allowed them to be with their dragon friends fraction of their long lives. For this reason, granted only to the most knowledgeable and compassionate. The finest dragon-keepers among their people could grow wings, control the mists, and walk atop the clouds.
The Dead mans Breath must have consumed the village with terrible swiftness. A once-in-a-millenium event. I am grateful to them for the magic protected my young. But who will help me? Where can I go that is safe? My eggs hatch soon!
"There is a village of Mbe'ke not far from here," Chimwemwe says. "We have been staying there. Is there not also a citadel in the mountains?"
The citadel? Auntie Cykurarreot and I don't really get along. Who in their right mind would want to move in with their inlaws anyway? No, what I need is a place I can protect, and good people who will help me raise my brood.