Soooo.... what are you looking at?
"Hmmmmm? Oh..." Tek turns to the elf, startled out of his concentration. "I don't really know. Just trying to figure out who, or why, someone might have busted up the tomb." He says with a quick shrug before turning back to his studies. "It is probably just the work of Zargon and his followers..." A thoughtful pause. "But then it is surprising that the mosaics are still intact. I'd think they would have destroyed, or at least defiled, those as well based on what we've seen in other areas."
Tek's eyes widen as he looks through the chamber, and sees the contents of a few of the unmarred chests - coins and gems, and a lot of them. The contents of these chests would make you all very wealthy and able to retire from a life of adventuring and live a very comfortable lifestyle - even in Waterdeep.
Inspecting the treasure a bit more closely, the gnome is dismayed to discover that all of the gold and gems are nothing but fakes, good fakes, but fakes none-the-less.
Glancing over at the sarcophagi, you see a corner that the gold paint has flaked away, showing the wood beneath.
The question remains, why? Why would the builders go to such lengths to arm such insidious traps as the swinging blades you encountered in the entry hall. Why would it all be behind a secret door? Why would they have engineered the falling stones to block off a tomb that contained nothing but fake treasures?
"Bah!" Tekumbray exclaims, tossing a handful of glittering glass back into one of the uncovered, intact chests. "It's all worthless glass and lead." The momentary rush of finding the vast treasury of the lost city slowly burns out as the gnome realizes the deception. Waiting for his heart to cease trying to pound it's way out of his chest, he takes another look at the mosaics.
The excitement of discovering the wealth of kings, if only briefly, seems to have triggered a few memories of his own. Listening to the folk of the Brotherhood drone on about the dynasties of the buried realm. Gnomish eyes alight and Tek snaps his fingers after Utsuri debates the lasting value of art.
"Now I remember. The fellow from the Brotherhood said Alexander and Zenobia were the last King and Queen of Cynidecea before Zargon stepped onto the scene." He nods toward the mosaic. "This tells the tale of their reign."
Looking back at the ruined chamber. "I wonder if the realm tomb holds some key to defeating Zargon? Or perhaps, the reason for his arrival in the first place? Maybe that is what someone was looking for in here, but given this is all fake, they didn't find it."
He puts his fist on his hips and glances at his companions. "Shall we move on? I think there were a few places we didn't check to the southeast, best not to leave anything to sneak up behind us."
Agreed. Leave the dead to sleep.
He points down a stretch of corridor. That way?
Just as you are about to dejectedly leave the chamber, Tek catches a slight imperfection in the northern wall. Could that be a door? By the gods it was.
After carefully searching the hidden door, you open it to reveal a ten foot wide corridor leading north that after thirty feet turns west, leading to a golden door with delicate silver and platinum inlays in the southern wall.
Beyond the golden door is a simple room. The walls of the chamber are plain stone. An oblong box made of stone slabs lies in the center of the room. The box is three foot high, seven feet long, and three feet wide. Written in several languages - including Cynidicean, a trade language not too dissimilar to the modern common tounge, elvish, celestial, among others - on the side of the box is "May the curse of darkness destroy all who dare desecrate my resting place."
Well if that isn't a warning, I don't know what is. Again I say, let the dead rest and pray we in turn are left to rest.
"Maybe any real treasure is either hiding among the fakes, or beyond it. A last measure, to convince one that has braved the dangers, that their prize is at hand, stopping them before gaining what lies beyond." Baheera suggests.
Tek understood the elf's caution and willingness to leave the central feature of the room undisturbed. He also whole-heartedly agrees with the sentiment. However, they were also looking for ways to defeat the evil that is Zargon, so the gnome presumes to step further into the room.
He does his best to take a closer look around what appears to be the resting place of a much more prominent and important leader of Cynidicea than the king and queen in the former chamber. But his investigations are hampered as he continuously looks over at the coffin-like stone box with its grim warning.
For a moment he ponders the words thoughtfully tapping a finger against his chin.
"I wonder..." He mutters in the stillness of the chamber. "Alexander and Zenobia were the last to rule Cynidicea before Zargon helped bring about it's final fall. Could this be Zargon's old tomb? Curse of Darkness sounds like something that foul tempered soul would put on his gravestone. Not to mention reaching from beyond the grave to indenture some poor fool who just happens to stumble in at an inopportune time"
It was only a guess on his part, and one he was less than willing to test or confirm by trying to open that stone sarcophagus.
Investigating the room, Tek finds nothing more than the ominous stone sarcophagus. While Tek investigates, Utsuri ponders on the subject and is unable to come up with anything of note.
"I think we take what we've discovered back to our allies and see what insights they can share before we attempt to open that thing. " Tek say with a tilt of his head to the stone box and its ominous warning.
Moving out of the "cursed" chamber and back into the fake tomb, this time it is Baheera that notices an outline on the wall opposite the secret door you just exited.
As has become standard protocol, Tekumbray studies the door, looking for any sort of trap and finds nothing of the sort. Opening the door, reveals a hallway heading south for thirty feet before turning west. Some thirty feet further down the hallway is another golden door with delicate silver and platinum inlays in the northern wall of the hallway.
He was feeling tired. His side ached where the rat had bitten him and his stomach was starting to grumble. Still, they were here. The gnome couldn't see any sense in turning back without knowing what was beyond the golden door with its platinum inlay. He gives it a cursory glance for traps, finds nothing. Of course, bleary eyes aren't the best for detecting such things. Heedless of his own growing carelessness Tek once again he puts his life in the hands of the two sisters and opens the door.
The bleary-eyed gnome's curiosity gets the better of him as he half-heartedly examines the door before opening it.
Beyond the door is a room not unlike what you saw beyond the other golden door. The walls are bare stone, in the center of chamber lies an oblong box made from stone slabs.
Suddenly, rising out of the stone box is a translucent, ghost-like figure. The pale figure has glowing red eyes and a gaping dark mouth.
"That doesn't look good! Can any of you affect ghosts?" Baheera asks nervously.
"Only with charm and wit." Tekumbray replies to Baheera as he scampers backward from the emerging spirit. "She doesn't strike me as susceptible to either." He adds pointing frantically at the red eyed undead creature.
He wasn't exactly sure why he considered the spirit a she, but he did. Could be the red in the eyes, the menace, the baleful stare above a leering open mouth that seemed to contain the depths of the darkest void. Kind of reminded him of an ex he once went out with prior to leaving home.
For just a moment he wonders whatever happened to Miss Clarissa Pemberton-Dappleton with her blonde curls, doll like face, and heart cold as glacial ice. A moment that quickly passes with another look toward the shadowy figure above the stone coffin as he steps back through the golden door, ready to slam it closed once everyone is out.
Tek quickly checks to make sure no one is in the chamber with the ghostly figure before closing the door.
Runnnnn!, the Elf yells before tearing off, trying to remember where those traps were.
The party scurries away from the golden door back into the chamber with the swing blades. Catching your breath you notice that the apparition does not seem to be following you.
Tek is more than happy to follow Utsuri back through the winding passages and previously marked pitfalls of the underground complex until they return to the section of hall previously protected by the massive boulder. He couldn't help but ponder the dubious wisdom of such a singular form of deterrence. After all, it must have taken a good bit of work and expense to shape the stone, set it in place, rig the mechanisms. Not too mention build the long passage to accommodate the stone's passing. But now that the trap was sprung, anyone could amble down the hall free of concern. He shakes his head, amazed once again at the foolishness that seems to come with too much gold to spend.
While intellectual by nature, the elf did not stop to marvel at the construction, no... he was scared spitless by the manifestation of the ghostly spirit. He'd never encountered anything more than zombies and skeletons, but legends of entities such as Banshee's were justly respected by his people.
That... is not good. I pray that First of the Seldarine wills that it is the only Ghostly entity we find here.
Backtracking to where the boulder smashed into the wall at the end of the hall - rather than running the lot of you down and leaving you as a meaty paste on the floor of the pyramid - you find yourselves in front of a bronze door.
As per normal, Tekumbray searches it for traps, but finds nothing. As the gnome goes to open the door, oddly enough, this one happens to be locked. Given what you have found beyond doors that were not locked, you think better of going any further and retreat to the upper floors in search of a much needed rest.
Kanadius and the remainder of the brotherhood are happy to provide you food and lodging for the night, although he does question where the half-orc warrior and the Lathanderite priest went and who the elvish warrior who was now with you was.
Hearing that Myev was no longer with you, Meebo leaves the pile of gears long enough to look to the rest of you, concerned about her friend.
Tekumbray slides into a chair and lets out a long breath upon returning to the relative sanctuary of the Brotherhood's quarters. Bruised and still limping along from the wound he received from the oversized tomb rat, the gnome even welcomes the stewed beetle offered by Kanadius.
Devouring the stew and some of the fermented cave lizard milk, the gnome offers Meebo a comforting pat on the shoulder as he tries to puzzle out once again what happened to his former friends and companions.
"I...I can't really say for sure what happened." He says, obviously struggling to describe the strange events surrounding the disappearance of Myev and Silas. "One minute they were there as we entered another dusty, long abandoned chamber. Then a flash of power and they were gone. In there stead was poor Aethorduil over there." He says tilting his head toward the stout elf. "I can only assume the gods or some other being of great power had other designs upon their souls."
He pauses. Sees the worry filling Meebo's gaze and tries to offer a small smile of encouragement. "I am sure both are likely better off where they are. They were certainly fine at the point of their disappearance. Whereas I on the other hand..." He winces as he adjusts his sore leg.
Returning to Kanadius the gnome passes along what they learned of the tombs directly below. Of the chamber of Alexander and Zenobia, the ransacked tomb with all of its fake riches, and of course the final chamber with it chilling warning.
"'May the curse of darkness destroy all who dare desecrate my resting place.' Is what was carved on the side of that box in many languages." He says to the leader of the Brotherhood. "Do you know who set that dire warning? Was it Zargon or those last leaders of your fair city before that dark ones coming, Alexander and Zenobia?"
A pause as he takes another bite of stew. "Then, of course, there was another secret chamber. This one inhabited by a powerful haunting spirit. Being wounded and tired from our earlier explorations, we retreated and left the poor soul in peace for now, but I would warn your folk not to disturb the chamber lest they fall foul of that malevolent spirit."
"That does not sound familiar to me, I'm afraid." Kanadius says. "Given that they were dead, the Brotherhood never made a point of seeking out Alexander and Zenobia's tombs, although your stories of both the curse and the mournful spirit are a bit disturbing."
Hearing Tek's explanation of what had happened to Myev and Silas, Meebo solemnly nods, trying to convince herself as much as anything that she truly believed the forest gnome's assessment of where her friend had gone.
"Not familiar...huh." Replies Tek a bit surprised. "According to the murals in the tomb, Alexander and Zenobia were the last rulers of the city before Zargon arrived." He waves his spoon around to take in the buried city. "I've also been thinking that maybe that curse down below..." He turns to Baheera and Aethorduil. "You know, 'darkness destroy all who dare'...and so forth. Strikes me as possible it is that curse that buried the city so long ago."
The gnome shrugs his shoulders and wipes a bit of stew from his lips. "May not matter now I suppose. Unless Zargon is somehow linked to that curse." He casts an eye toward Kanadius. "I wonder if the mages or warrior maidens might know?" He adds tapping his spoon lightly against his lower lip as he continues to consider the puzzle of the tombs below.
Seems I have a lot to catch up on in regards to the various... settlements, I suspect is the term, here. As to the mystery of why I am here? For that I have no answer, however given the disappearance of your other colleagues, I would imagine there is a Lae line or random fluxations of magic native to this location. I am hoping they are in a happier place and that I will join them soon. That said, until I do teleport out of this place? You have my loyalty and my services.
The elf listens patiently while the explanations of this place learned previously by the group are relayed back to him.
"Your aide is most certainly welcome, friend." Tekumbray says to Aethorduil with a smile and nod of his head. "As for the disposition of once fair Cynidicea, until recently, the city was buried beneath the sands of the desert. Despite no access to sun or sky, three factions of the city have survived buried within it ruin. A sisterhood of warriors, a cadre of mages, and these holy members of the Brotherhood who host us now." Another smile as he dishes another bowl of the beetle stew. But as he starts to take a bite, a frown clouds his features.
"There is a fourth power. One my companions and I have pledged to help defeat. One that seems likely to be responsible for the angry spirits we encountered in the tombs and certainly for the defamation of the ancient altars and burial chambers. That faction is led by a powerful being called Zargon." He glances at the nearby members of the Brotherhood before returning his gaze back to the elf. "Only recently have the other three factions united themselves in an effort to defeat this larger evil with threatens their home. In return for our aide in defeating Zargon, these good folk have promised us supplies so that we may finish our journey across the desert."
He taps his spoon softly against his bowl thinking as the clunk, clunk, drifts through the chamber. "I am not sure if the spirit we encountered was the former king or queen. I do not relish facing that cold shadow again, but neither do I like having it lurking, waiting for release should another stumble upon its malevolent presence. I fear at some point we will have to deal with it once and for all."
"My good Kanadius, do you have any holy relics or other magics that would be especially potent against undying spirits and creatures?"
Kanadius shakes his head, "Not a great deal, I'm afraid. Just a few vials of holy water, but what we have is yours."
I would be grateful for one of those... if nothing else it may be a deterrent.
Quiet during most of the conversation as she processes everything that has happened and the new information, as well as the sudden loss of two of their companions, Baheera leaves the explanation to Tek, given hios facility with words.
"Any aid would be better than none, and would be most welcome." she says
Tekumbray smiles at the Cynidicean as shakes the man's hand. "A bit of holy water would be just fine." He says happily. "With Silas gone missing, these could come in very handy." He takes the remaining two. One for himself and one for Utsuri, although the gnome had lost track of the curious monk. But his worry is short lived as he simply assumes they are off questioning the pots and pans of the Brotherhood's long buried kitchens or perhaps chatting up the ancient weapons stored in the Warrior Maidens quarters.
Instead he pulls out his pipe and a deck of battered cards. Lighting one and shuffling the other, he deals out a hand of solitaire letting the spicy beetle stew settle as he contemplated possible next their next possible moves in the fight against Zargon.
"What do the two of you think?" He says to Baheera and Aethorduil looking up from the spread of cards. "Once we've rested and refreshed ourselves should we confront that shadow spirit? Or should we simply delve further into the ruins in search of Zargon and his followers?"
My recent experiences coupled with some meditations have resulted in some magical breakthroughs. I believe I could summon up magical darts that would hurt it... coupled with the holy water? We MAY stand a chance. Would it be wise? Perhaps not. It may be best to let it live out it's eternity in its burial chamber.
He stops to think further.
The balance may be tipped if other resources become available.
He then stands.
Allow me some time to meditate and try to form a bond with this weapon of mine... it's a ritual for some of my people.
"I think it may be best to deal with it if we can., The holy water may be of great help, and when we rest I will meditate and commune with my Patroness to see if there are any ancient secrets that might assist us." Baheera says after some thought.
Aching and and exhausted from the days delve into the depths of Cynidicea, Tekumbray leaves the table with a full stomach and finds a quiet place to sleep for the night. Sleep comes easily, but his rest is fitful. Dreams of shadows stalking his through never ending tunnels, bizarre masked creatures seeking to drown him in a sea of sand and darkness. Sisterly goddesses arguing over his soul, debating various rules and structures of a game he doesn't truly comprehend. Then things get really weird.
It is midway through the depth of Cynidicea's 'night.' Tekumbray's eyes flutter open, a cold chill tingling along his spine. Assuming some kind of incursion or trickery by Zargon, the gnome grabs his knife. Sitting there in the darkness, he strains to hear, see, or simply feel whatever it is that woke him from his slumber. But nothing happens and eventually the tension eases.
Slipping the knife back under his pillow, he starts to lie back down only to find himself staring directly into a pair of glowing aethereal eyes. Eyes he once knew in their more mortal incarnation. Once a deep earthy brown that sparkled which each bright peel of laughter their owner made.
"Hiya Tek." Her voice says into the Cynidicean night air. "I see you found yourself another dead city to crawl through. What, you didn't get enough the first time around? Decided you wanted to witness a few more deaths or is this just some kind of gnomish fetish?" The half-elven face breaks into a grin after her last words and laughter rattles the darkness a Tek's eyebrows furrow into a confused frown. His hands shake and his sun darkened skin goes as pale as Brother Kanadius'.
"Mari? Maribell Tempest?" He stammers recognizing the bold beauty looking down at him with her ever present crooked grin and long braided locks floating around her fae features. "But...but you're...I mean you..."
"Yep. Still dead." The ghost says her eyes twinkling. "And know this isn't another of your dreams, although why you keep offering prayers to either of those two fickle wenches, I'll never know."
If...if you're still dead...and not a dream...then what..."
"Boy, you never were the brightest candle in the temple were you?" The ghost, Mari, adds with an aethereal roll of her eyes which made Tek even more uncomfortable as the purple orbs turned emptied to a void blackness that seemed to nearly suck his mind completely into their empty depths. "I'm just a ghost. Here to offer you a hand. Help you out. Can't really say why. Just because I guess."
Tekumbray runs a hand through his tangled hair. A gesture to buy a little time. Surely...this is just another dre...
"Nope. Not a dream Tek. Already told you."
That is even more...
"Disconcerting? Yeah, I bet. But, you know," Delicate hands that could dance across a lute wave haphazardly in the air at one point the fingertips pass through the nearby wall. "Ghostly access to all your thoughts and things. So yeah, I also know how you felt about me." She adds winking at the now blushing gnome. "You should've said something at the time. You're cuter than you think."
"Uhhhh....right. Okay. You're going to need to stop that. I don't really know what's..."
"Going on. Yeah, me either, but here I am. Here you are. Might as well make the best of things." She leans in close looking Tekumbray in the eyes. His skin prickles and tingles with a static charge strong enough to lift his grubby hair from his head. "So listen up. Me an' a few others will be hanging about. You need a bit of help, just give a holler." Another wry smile. "In the meantime, you best start paying better attention down there in those tunnels. Else you'll end up like...well...like me and the others. You've been depending on your natural instincts to find those traps and such, and that's okay, but try being a bit more complete in your efforts. Lay things out in a grid. Search and investigate completely. You're missing too much and each time you do, well, one of these days those two goddesses you pray to are going to really hang you out there."
She drifts back. Letting Tek's hair sink back onto his head.
"Now you need your rest, so best you go back to sleep." The ghostly vision starts to fade. "Maybe next time we'll talk about why you never asked me to your tent."
Tekumbray stares into the once again complete darkness of the room before leaning back with a loud groan. What in all the abyss was in that beetle stew?! He wonders before eventually drifting back into a quiet slumber.
The three of you are approached by the combined presence of Kanadius, Pandora, and Auriga Sirkinos, although it is Kanadius, behind his golden mask - Highest ranking member of the Brotherhood who speaks. "The outsiders have proven to be friends, but we fear Zargon's magics already work against them. Two of their number have vanished - although one arrived in their place, and even now the silver-skinned one seems paralyzed in its sleep."
Pandora, the highest of the bronze masked Warrior Maidens picks up where Kanadius had left off. "Our new friends have already managed something that we as a people could not for countless years - bring the followers of the three back on speaking terms."
The silver masked Auriga Sirkinos finishes the trio's speech, "In order for them to continue to help us, we must provide them with more aid, this time in the form of numbers to help them. We ask that the three of you, Gorn of the Brotherhood, Emenius of the Magi, and Cayde - while you do not conform to one of the three, you follow more of the principles of the Warrior Maidens than you know, and it is well known you have no love for the Vile One nor his followers."
The trio then asks in unison, "Will you join them?"
Tekumbray, Baheera, and Aethorduil awaken in the morning to find two members of the Brotherhood standing silently over a motionless Utsuri. Fearing you may take things the wrong way, Meebo speaks up. "They didn't do anything to them...no one seems to know what happened."
It is at this time, Kanadius, Auriga Sirkinos, and Pandora arrive in the chamber with another trio of Cynideacians in tow.
"Good morning. I trust you slept well?" Kanadius asks. "It would seem that you are in need of numbers if you are to continue your exploration of the pyramid and the city below. Gorn, Cayde, and Emenius here have answered our call for those to help you."
”Indeed, I am looking for some payback. I’m in,” responds Cayde matter-of-factly.
As he is introduced, Cayde nods at the established adventurers and watches and listens, taking their measure.
"Good morning. I trust you slept well?" Kanadius asks. "It would seem that you are in need of numbers if you are to continue your exploration of the pyramid and the city below. Gorn, Cayde, and Emenius here have answered our call for those to help you."
I accept your offer of aid with gratitude, the elf says formally.
We seem to have uncovered the resting place of a ruler who has been cursed with great evil to the point that death is no rest for them. We were discussing putting it to final rest and making the area safer.
Before… Emenius was proud to be selected to accompany the outsiders who had already started to the heal gaps among those who oppose Zargon. There was some discussion among the Magi about who would go, but in the end he insisted. They needed to destroy Zargon, so his parents could have justice. And the population could enjoy freedom from tyranny.
Now… he inclined his head when introduced to the outsiders. He wore similar clothing as the other locals with à pectoral amulet embedded with a large crystal. While his head was shaved, he had similar coloring as the other locals. He was armed with a dagger and armored in scale mail shouldering a shield and backpack. ”Pleasure to finally meet you. Your exploits are already the kernel of legend. I represent the magi and am a magi. Could you describe what you have found a bit more?”
|
Gorn knelt in supplication as he was addressed by the highest of the three Orders. His heart was on FIRE!
At last. At last! The beginnings of his dream are now in motion, and he had not raised a hand to set it to be? Surely Gorm has seen is plan, lain out in all it practicality and lifted his will to make it so?
"All that can be done to make their works successful, shall be done," he intoned.
Surely greater success in this endeavor could only lead to greater understanding? And then the fall of the Zargonites and the rise to the Surface would be only details.
*************************
"Good morrow to you, dear friends," Gorn hails with adoration to the trio assembled therein. e is plainly dressed in leathers adorned with beetle shells, an almost glaring contrast to the others of his Order that prefer heavy mail and heavier weapons. "I am Gorn. Breaker of Steel, Knower of Natural Secrets, Wearer of The Hide and bearer of Der Wald von Starke," he says, holding up a rather ordinary looking wooden club.
"And I am at thy service," he says with a small bow.
"Indeed, if an ancient king is having trouble sleeping, we peasants must do all we can to get him some rest!"
Rubbing gummy eyes, Tek tries to follow what Meebo is saying but the lingering effects of last night's...dream...encounter...hallucination... He really wasn't sure what in all the hell's had happened in the night and events so far this morning weren't helping.
Running a hand through his hair, the gnome stifles a yawn and gazes at the shiny surface of the sleeping monk.
"Maybe that's just what happens sometimes." Tek says looking down at a comatose Utsuri. He had never really met or traveled with a living spirit of a household appliance or whatever before, so he can only offer a quick shrug of his shoulders. "He was fine before. A bit quiet. Maybe too quiet." He says pulling thoughtfully at his lower lip. "I'm not much of a healer or scholar." He says to Meebo adding a helpless shrug of his shoulders. "But he always has been a little...well...odd. He's probably just needs a bit of time. After all didn't he nearly die three or four times? I'm guessing even for a reborn turkey knife, coming that close to meeting your maker so many times is bound to tire a soul."
He gives Meebo a warm smile and pats her on the shoulder. "I'm sure with you checking in on him, and the care of our good allies, nothing bad will happen. He'll be right as rain in a few days I'm sure."
Tek really had no idea if the monk was okay or not, but in reality it was all entirely out of his hands. Even so, appearances needed to be maintained. Turning back toward his bedroll he starts at the sight of an even larger audience. His eyes are drawn up and up along the towering form of the one Kanadius referred to as Cayde and then over to the two others.
"Uuuhhhh...." Is the gnomes eloquent response. Oooohhh. Clever Tekumbray. You really know how to make folk feel welcome and special don't you? Mari's whispers in his right ear adding a throaty chuckle. The big one's cute, maybe you've got a little competition.
Shaking his head, Tekumbray blushes and once again rubs his hands over his eyes. Would you...
Stop it. No, I don't think so. Not until you pull yourself together a bit. Gods! We've got to work with these people. Say something useful for goodness sake.
Suddenly feeling a lot more sympathy for the twinned spirits of Utsuri and envying their quiet peacefulness, Tekumbray rapidly rummages through his pack of supplies pilfered from the caravan. Eventually finding the treasure hidden within he pulls out a large tin and pops the lid open to reveal the rich, robust, aroma of ground coffee beans.
"Coffee!" The gnome exclaims holding the tin aloft like a triumphant tribune. "Coffee is definitely called for this fine morning." Readying pot, water, and a quick request of Meebo's arcane mobile cook stove, it isn't too long before a rich aroma is drifting through the Cydinacian halls. Satisfied with the progress of the brewing java, the gnome finally feels ready to face the day.
"I slept well friend Kanadius." He finally replies. "Just a few odd dreams, I'm sure related to our experiences in the tunnels below."
Pffftt! I'm clearly not a dream since you're awake right now.
Ignoring the ghostly comment Tekumbray presses on. "Tekumbray Cobblepot." He says with a quick bow of his head. "A pleasure to meet you and to have you join our fine cause. As for King Alexander's ghost...or it could be Queen Zenobia's I suppose. At least we assume it is one of those two." A quick, dismissive wave of his hand. "Either way, it lurks in a hidden tomb not so very far below us. An outer tomb contained a large black stone box...cairn...coffin, can't be sure. What it did have was the words 'May the curse of darkness destroy all who dare desecrate my resting place' written upon it in all sorts of languages."
"It wasn't the only restless dead we encountered down there. We did manage to destroy a few other shadows lurking in a lessor burial chamber. And given the errrr tendency of the dead to be rather restless we avoided a couple of other chambers filled with ancient armed warriors and guardians. That was before Myev and Silas vanished." That last is added with a bit of sadness mixed in his voice.
Looking over at the pot a bright smile bursts upon his face. "Ahhh...coffee's ready." He says pouring a mug of the steaming black brew and breathing deeply of its aroma before taking a quick sip of the hot liquid.
I do miss coffee. Mari's voice whispers wistfully.
"Thank you for welcoming me to your fire," says the tall warrior as he sits down cross-legged next to Tekumbray and fishes a small cup made from animal horn out of his pack.
Cayde is graceful like a hunting cat, efficiently but carefully sitting so as to not get tangled in his weapons or shield, though he wears no armor. The weapons are common enough--a battleaxe, a pick, and a brace of javelins, but the shield is odd. While it seems to be a common round shield, there are flat spots of varying surface area peppering its surface that give it a unique faceted structure.
Cayde himself is fit and strong without being heavily muscled or overly broad. His brown hair and eyes complement his dusky skin, though there is an undertone of pallor due to long absence of sun exposure. He speaks little but earnestly, and seems keen to try this *coffee* of which his new ally speaks.