"You are as gracious as you are kind, Kanadius. Thank you for your hospitality and for showing wayward travelers such as ourselves some comfort." The drain of the day was beginning to show on the half-elf; between the desert heat and the drain that calling prayers into reality caused, he was ready for a moment to rest his heels. "Shall we rest, friends?"
"There are not many left to oppose him. Should his followers find us, the magi, or the warrior maidens, they do all they can to snuff us out completely. While petty bickering divides the followers of the Three, we have no hope of freeing Cynidicea from this ages long curse. Kanadius says, ushering you into one of the rooms.
As you sit down, plates of mushrooms and some sort of "meat" are placed before you along with cups full of a honey scented liquid.
Myev is pleased to be able to rest somewhere and chooses to sit next to Meebo. She's trying to stay quiet, for the most part - she's not the best at talking nice, so she's trying to do her best to listen and absorb the information. The more information, the better she'd be able to strategize later when facing the enemies of Kanadius and his people.
Besides, she feels bone-tired in a way she didn't think was possible...their caravan being taken out by a sandstorm, their survival up in the air...now a lost civilization underneath the sands. Myev shakes her head to herself, sipping the honey-scented liquid slowly, not sure how she'd ever be able to explain this to anyone should they make it out of this place alive.
Myev has no idea what she's being served, but she also knows the beggars can't be choosers.
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Meebo doesn't eat much, ever, not needing that many calories to sustain her small figure, so she nopes right out on the beetle steaks. She considers voicing the ingredients, but Myev and the others will need their strength. Better they not think about what they're eating, if they're squeamish. Still, the mushrooms are really good! And she has jerky in her pack for later, if need be.
"Innovation." She states the word as if it is self explanatory, then takes the time to chew before elaborating. "You guys have been working on the problem too long. Can't make headway. So maybe if we come waltzing in with some fresh ideas, we can find a way to get rid of Zardoz or Zargon or whatever for you." That's right. Just end a little age old curse in a buried temple city by removing a tentacle god from power while navigating a weird theocratic political landscape. What could be hard about that?
Baheera listens to the discussion with rapt attention, learning as much of the hitherto unknown civilization as possible. She notes the unfamiliarity of the meat, but no stranger to consuming food of foreign cultures, she graciously consumes the meal set before her, taking pleasure in a new experience.
"Just like Cook used to make." Tek says sampling the mushrooms and whitish colored meat. "'Cept she used to flavor the beetle with a blend of cayenne, garlic, and cumin."
Noticing some of the questioning looks from his companions, the gnome shrugs. "Folks were wizards, but they invested a bit of coin in a couple of beetle ranches that traded with the rock gnomes in the Orsraun Mountains. Used to eat beetle at least once a week."
"Garlic we have." One of the masked priests says to Tek's comment. "Do you happen to have any of the other spices you mentioned, I have never heard of those."
Kanadius considers Meebo's comment for a few moments before conceding, "You may have a point, perhaps you all can be the bridge between the Brotherhood, the Magi, and the Warrior Maidens...at the very least I would appreciate the attempt."
"Based on the direction you came from, I imagine you have found the stairwell down to the next level. That is where you will find the Nagi and the Warrior Maidens. I do warn you, as isolated as we have been, they are not likely to overly welcoming. That being said, you managed to avoid confrontation with the Brotherhood, so perhaps you can do the same with them."
"Well, if you have any advice on how to avoid starting off on the wrong foot as we did with you all, we will happily take it." Myev chimes in, an apologetic look on her tusked face. "That would probably help smooth things along." Myev stretches, the mild alcoholic buzz of the drink, the fullness of her belly, and the general activities of the day had worn her down.
Kanadius lets out a muffled laugh, or least you think it is a laugh - so hard to tell from behind the mask.
"I do not think you would be wise to heed any advice we may have on that topic...as I have said, the factions do not particularly see eye to eye any longer."
"Information is power," Myev replies, inclining her head politely with a smile. "Even if it's biased, it comes from somewhere, and it would be helpful all the same." Myev leans forward in her seat, resting her elbows on her knees, and looks interested in what Kanadius might have to say.
"Ah...beetle meat..." Silas says, his voice wavering for a moment but his smile remained upon his face. Giving a little shrug, he began to cut into the meat. "...when you're in Cynidicea..."
The acolyte struggles for a moment before the pleasantly warm honey drink helps smooth any discomfort he may have had moments before. There was entertainment to be had as well as he watched the show and challenge between Utsuri and Basho, having grown more comfortable in their strange relationship.
"We will endeavor to bring them into accord with as little bloodshed as possible, Lathander willing. Thank you again for the food, drink, and bed. We should rest deeply before we confront what the dark holds for us."
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After some moments of silence Kanadius nods, acknowledging Silas's thanks.
Turning his attention back to the half-orc warrior, he admits, "I suppose you are right on that count. I think you will find the Magi most difficult to deal with. They are a suspicious lot, I can only imagine that will only be worse for outsiders such as yourselves, but perhaps they can be swayed with knowledge of the outside world."
"As for the Warrior Maidiens...I suspect at least a bit of blood on both sides will have to be shed before they will listen."
"Within the pyramid itself? There is not much beyond the odd mold or fungus that could be used for such things and those are few and far between. Anything truly helpful resides in the rebuilt city below - but that is a dangerous journey to be sure." All of the gold masked priests, including Kanadius, seem to agree with the final statement.
"In fact it has been years since any of us have made it all the way down. There are still supporters of the Three in the city below. We are able to survive here in the pyramid with their aid."
"Sadly, I don't" Tekumbray replies to the inquiry about spices. "I'm not much of a chef myself, so never saw the need in carrying anything beyond the basics."
Having finished his beetle steaks, the gnome partakes of the honeyed wine and enjoys the opportunity to relax and savor the drink with a pipe as he listens to Utsuri inquire about how these folk have survived beneath the bones of this lost city in the desert for so long.
Eventually the gnome drops off into a fitful sleep, his dreams troubled by visions and experiences of the past. At one point having been forced awake by ghoulish visions and undead cries for flesh he wakes up sweat soaked and shivering. Figuring sleep would elude him for the remainder of the night Tek wanders the halls deemed safe by their hosts and hopes that his new companions do not suffer the same fate as those of the last expedition.
Myev thanks the priests and Kanadius, then sets out to set up a bedroll and clean her armor and her weapon. Barring any evening conversation, Myev will end up passing out, facedown on her bedroll, near wherever Meebo has set up.
Silas prepares for evening prayer, at least what he assumed was evening prayers. Finishing up quietly, the cleric would settle into his sleep quietly and without a fit.
Before Myev succumbs to her exhaustion, Baheera approaches where she and Meebo are settling down for the night. "As generally welcoming as the Brotherhood appear to be, we are still stranded among strangers." she says with a shrug as she considers the group's situation. "Should anything happen before morning, if you wake and do not see me, you should find my lamp nearby." she says, tapping a lacquered nail against the elaborately detailed lamp suspended by a chain at her side. "Keep it safe, and speak my name, and I'll be back in but a moment."
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Before Myev succumbs to her exhaustion, Baheera approaches where she and Meebo are settling down for the night. "As generally welcoming as the Brotherhood appear to be, we are still stranded among strangers." she says with a shrug as she considers the group's situation. "Should anything happen before morning, if you wake and do not see me, you should find my lamp nearby." she says, tapping a lacquered nail against the elaborately detailed lamp suspended by a chain at her side. "Keep it safe, and speak my name, and I'll be back in but a moment."
Myev looks up from cleaning her maul as the warlock approaches, her face breaking into a tusked grin. "Smart idea. I'll make sure it's safe." She looks over the lamp, memorizing its appearance as much as she can. "You can bed down by us, if you'd like," Myev jerks her head to Meebo, "and it will definitely stay safe overnight."
Meebo nodded her agreement with Myev and smiled widely at Baheera. She was fiddling with her contraptions. Now that they were stuck in a hidden temple pyramid thing, several of them seemed less usful than before, so she was re-kajiggering several of them to new purposes, using some of the old gears she'd scavenged to help.
They'd probably find weird things down here, so she kept the device that would help her figure out what they were for. With the traps they'd run into so far, her parachute also seemed prudent. But her catapult was better for long ranges, and not tunnels and small rooms. And they were in a safe enough place, it seemed, that she didn't feel the perimeter alarms necessary.
She altered the alarm sensors into a handheld device that would detect magic, rather than intruders. She also fiddled with her fire pack -- not taking it apart, but adding a secondary function to the spray hose that would shoot fey magics at enemies and make them glow. Easier to see in dark ruins, that way.
Cantrips
-Message
-Fire bolt
1st Level
-Feather Fall
-Identify
-Detect Magic
-Faerie Fire
After a meal of mushrooms, and for most beetle, the party drifts off to an uneasy sleep under the watchful eyes of the Brotherhood of Gorm.
You awaken the next morning, or some facsimile thereof, refreshed and ready for the next day.
"Ah, you have awakened." Kanadius says, seeing the majority of the party beginning to stir.
After waking, Silas would be found kneeling and praying as he had every morning since they began their trip. Quietly wishing for the aid and mercy of the Morninglord, he could feel the sense of purpose refill him. Donning his armor and vestments once again, he turned to the head priest of Gorm.
"I know that Zargon and the others lay deeper within the temple. Is there anything upon this level that we should seek out that you know of that could aid us? I have Lathander's light on my side but I'm not against getting every advantage I can."
Tek is all for seeking out these other factions, but he finds himself nodding at Silas' question. Best not pass up any opportunity to tilt the scales in our favor.
"Unless our hosts say all else is off limits, might be best to take a quick look around up here just to make sure all is safe and secure before we go delving deeper"
Accepting Myev's offer to bed down near her and Meebo, Baheera spends the first half of the nights camped out on a bedroll, retreating to her lamp sanctuary for the last few hours to finish her rest in complete comfort, and begin the day fully refreshed. After freshening up and getting dressed, she leaves her lamp, materializing in swirl of mist beside her companions.
Nodding as Silas inquires as to the unexplored regions of the level they were on, she considers their next steps. "If there is anything useful to be obtained or learned before venturing down, it would be wise of us to do so."
Myev offers to help Meebo however she can in the morning but gets the sense that she's probably more hindrance than help to the gnome, despite her good intentions.
Myev grins at Baheera as she materializes from the lamp, in the midst of donning her armor again and strapping her maul to her back. She nods a greeting to the warlock and then turns her attention to Silas and his question. Myev had originally wanted to just get going, but she saw the wisdom in what they were proposing by exploring this floor in more detail.
"The northern reaches of this level of the pyramid are empty...for the most part." Kanadius says.
"On the other hand, there is the matter of the small, mischievous flying creatures that seem to inhabit one section, but we tend to avoid them and the bright and noisy devices they use."
"Devices?" Meebo's head shoots up, Kanadius sudden having her complete attention. "Which way are they?"
Myev glances down at Meebo, smiling at her enthusiasm. "What she said, Kanadius. Seems like that might be useful for you and for us."
"Out the eastern door of this room and turn left. After that, I'm not completely certain...or was it the western passage north? I forget, it's been too long since I've bothered to go that way."
"Sounds good to me," Myev says, looking down at Meebo and shrugging. "I suppose we'll figure it out...the direction to go, I mean."
"Best to go with your first instinct." Tekumbray says to Kanadius. The gnome then heads out the eastern door and turns left. Although he does his best to stay alert for any signs of the peculiar flying creatures as well as other potential dangers that may have slipped past their host's defenses or notice, the previous night's honeyed wine seems to have gifted him with a headache and less clarity of mind than he had planned.
Tekumbray and Utsuri head off out the eastern door into the hallway beyond. Looking to their right they see a six-foot tall golden statue of a bearded man holding a lightning bolt. Given the similarity of the face of the statue and the visage on the masks worn by the priest, you can safely assume this statue is meant to be Gorm.
Looking down the northern run on the hallway, you see that it ends some ninety feet away. Thirty feet down this same hallway you see a passage and door off to left.
Myev glances at the remaining folks, shrugging. "Might as well follow so Tek and Utsuri don't get too hurt." She glances down at Meebo and makes a "Shall we?" gesture, and, assuming they're following, leads the way down the halls after Tek and Utsuri.
Silas quickly follows along, shield out and holy symbol in hand to follow the others through the unexplored parts of this floor.
"He forgets? Geez, how big IS this place, that the people who live in it don't remember where things are?" She followed along with the group, near the back.
Standing next to Utsuri, Tek spends several minutes looking at the golden statue. His brow furled in puzzled curiosity. His finger casually pulls at his lower lip until finally he shrugs and turns toward the closest door.
"It's odd. That statue of Gorm reminds me of a old, old painting I found stuffed in the corner of my parents cellar. A rendition of some cousin Oswald from way, way back." The gnome says as they walk down the corridor. "Of course, he really isn't my direct cousin, but that's how the folks referred to anyone in that branch of the Cobblepot clan. Black sheep. Into all kinds of forbidden magics and schemes. I wonder if he pulled some kind of scam here, convinced these folk he was Gorm?"
He ramblings fall away as they approach the door and he starts to check of traps, locks, or potential dangers on the other side. Finding nothing more or less than Utsuri, he waits for the others and gets ready to open the door.
Finding nothing of interest on the door in terms of locks or traps, Tekumbray and Utsuri wait for the others to catch up.
Opening the door, you see a room containing an old bed, a writing table, and a chest. From the looks of the furniture, these quarters have long been abandoned. From behind the bed come scuffling sounds and suddenly you see the head of a large pale blue lizard with orange spots.
Almost immediately Utsuri, Meebo, Silas, and Baheera notice a second lizard attached to the ceiling of the room.
"Lizards!" Myev shouts, moving into the room and heaving her maul off of her back. She swings it down at the lizard coming from behind the bed...
Quickly looking from the scuttling lizard on the ground, to the one clinging to the ceiling, Baheera raises her hand, sending a roiling bolt of thundering storm energy at the one above.