As Fazaam reaches out to the kukri and robe, there is a bell-like ring from the walls. The items easily fall into the brave elf's hands.
Fazaam
Marwan glances nervously at Fazaam as he grasps the items. The bell-like tone makes him twitch. He mumbles a quick prayer
"By Naj ... errr ...by the grace of Hettama, noble goddess! be gentle with this most excellent elf!"
Sheherazade:
Heck with the others, that made ME nervous! ;) Nice touch! :) Waitaminute, what do you mean YET?!? ;P
Fazaam gives an obvious twitch at the sound of the bell, but his quick reflexes still allow him to catch the items.
The elf stands there, the robe and Kukri held in his outstretched arms, not moving,...
Shulim watches Fazaam carefully . . . but says nothing. Quite frankly he's waiting for the other shoe to drop.
After a tense moment, where Fazaam stands motionless, holding the items in still-extended arms, the Elf slowly releases his breath. Turning slowly, he faces the others. He grins. But he is still holding the items at arms length, as if afraid they might bite him at any time.
"See, no worries." He says with a smile. His voice isn't really shaking. Too badly. "We just needed to ask nicely, that's all!"
"Thank you very much." He says over his shoulder to where the items were hanging.
Attempting to look casual, and succeeding in looking only mildly concerned, Fazaam walks slowly back towards the others.
Marwan lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding
"By the grace of the Navigator, his Briny father and Hettama the Fiery!"
Slowly the spikes start to reappear above Fazaam and Fudrick. One by one gleaming points aim for the pair.
Fazaam
The golden doors start to swing shut.
Fudrick turns back to the walls to try and figure out who this priest was. As he traces the drawings and words a commotion behind him draws his attention. Before he can react Fazaam has grabbed the items. "YOU FOOL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Just as he is about to race over Fazaam turns around with a smile on his face. As the anger of the elfs transgression settles in Fudrick explodes in a verbal tirade. "You idiot! I have never met someone as brazen as you. What do you think you are doing steal...." His voice suddenly drops off as he looks up at the ceiling. He turns back to the others, "RUN, TRY AND MAKE THE DOORS BEFORE THEY CLOSE!"
At Fudrick's (understandably) frightened yell, (and imminently practical instructions!) Fazaam replies with a shout of his own. The small elf's voice, used to hammering out invocations despite any potential interruptions, echoing in the chamber with authority.
"Fudrick, No! STOP!"
He hastily continues before Fudrick can act on his own suggestion and try to escape.
"Fudrick, takes the items! You heard what I said before i approached them. I only retrieved them for you! And that was allowed. If you don't let me give them to you we're both toast. The choice of whether or not to use them is still up to you. But you have to take them from me or we're ALL in trouble!"
He rapidly closes the gap to the gnome, all but shoving the robe and knife in the little man's face.
"I don't care whether or not you USE them, but you have to TAKE them!" He says rapidly, looking worriedly over his shoulder. "And hurry! I'm too handsome to be a pincushion!" He blurts.
At Fudrick's (understandably) frightened yell, (and imminently practical instructions!) Fazaam replies with a shout of his own. The small elf's voice, used to hammering out invocations despite any potential interruptions, echoing in the chamber with authority.
"Fudrick, No! STOP!"
He hastily continues before Fudrick can act on his own suggestion and try to escape."Fudrick, takes the items! You heard what I said before i approached them. I only retrieved them for you! And that was allowed. If you don't let me give them to you we're both toast. The choice of whether or not to use them is still up to you. But you have to take them from me or we're ALL in trouble!"
He rapidly closes the gap to the gnome, all but shoving the robe and knife in the little man's face.
"I don't care whether or not you USE them, but you have to TAKE them!" He says rapidly, looking worriedly over his shoulder. "And hurry! I'm too handsome to be a pincushion!" He blurts.
Still angry at the presumptuous elf Fudrick grabs the items. "If we live through this I will kill you myself!" He says with a hint of sarcasm. Quickly he turns to check the door to see if there is still time for everyone to jump through.
"I tink it's time fer us to leave dis place Marwan me pal," Shulim says as he watches things unfold, but when he turns to see the doors shutting under their own power, Shulim practically screams in alarm: "Da doors are shutting! Wedge someting under dem!"
Shulim pulls out one of his throwing daggers and tries to turn it into a make shift door jam.
Shulim succeeds to jamming the dagger under the door. Everyone can hear the faint grating of metal as the door pushing against its wedge. There is now plenty of time to escape unless the dagger fails.
The spikes are almost fully extended above.
"Indeed noble Shulim, it is time we set course for safer shores."
Marwan heads out of the room after the others
"YOUR TRICK DIDN'T WORK ELF!" He turns to the spikes, watching them descend further out of the slots. Turning back to the door he yells to the others, "LETS GET OUT OF HERE." Fudrick starts running for the door.
"YOUR TRICK DIDN'T WORK ELF!"
"Well, it was worth a try!" Fazaam defends himself petulantly.
"LETS GET OUT OF HERE." Fudrick starts running for the door.
""That is the best idea I've heard today! Hasan, Ghari! Plan B! Beat Feet!!!"
He cries, his lithe form already moving and almost stepping on Fudrick's heels heading towards the door.
The party all manage to escape thanks to Shulim's quick dagger, now jammed under the golden doors.
They reach the relative safety of the corridor with daylight beckoning.
Fudrick
Fazaam
"Thank,... You,... Master,... Shulim,..."
Fazaam pants breathlessly once they have all reached the safety of the corridor.
"THAT was quick thinking, good job!"
Hasan, riding high on Ghari's shoulders, screeches in excitement and leaps from Ghari's shoulders to Fazaam's, chattering as if to say, 'That was fun, Let's do it again!'
Mr. Wolf:
Any chance the doors are on the verge of closing? Once Fudrick realizes he still has the items I am sure he will attempt to toss them back into the room. I just want to gauge how close it will be for Fazaam to snatch them back out just in the nick of time. Just like Indiana Jones grabbing his fedora before the stone door slams down on his arms. :)
Fudrick
"Thank,... You,... Master,... Shulim,..."
Fazaam pants breathlessly once they have all reached the safety of the corridor."THAT was quick thinking, good job!"
"Ya," Shulim says looking back into the room, "but mate, yous is far too graby fer yer own health! Dis exploring and researching is dangerous stuff, and not someting dat I'd recommend fer the innately er pathologically curious. Grabbin tings is dangerous. especially in a place like dis. We don't even know if des tings is safe ta handle yet . . . day might be cursed. What do you tink der Fudrick? You was saying someting about dem not being strange er someting."
The left golden door glides into place, closing across one side of the entrance. The other door keeps grinding away at the dagger, half open and trying to close.
The robes glitter in Fudrick's hands. The kukri hidden in its folds.
Once outside the chamber Fudrick watches as one of the doors closes with barely a sound. He turns to look at the others before looking at the items in his hands. A look of terror creeps over him as he realizes what he is holding. He quickly tosses the items back into the room. "Shulim is right you crazy elf. You can't just go around and grab things. Especially when they are in a guarded chamber!" He turns walks down the hallway before taking the steps outside. Once outside he sits down on the ground to think about the events that have transpired.
Shulim scratches his head but says nothing for the time being.
A look of terror creeps over him as he realizes what he is holding. He quickly tosses the items back into the room.
"AWwww,... Don't do that!" Fazaam cries dejectedly as the robe and Kukri sail into the room.
"Shulim is right you crazy elf. You can't just go around and grab things. Especially when they are in a guarded chamber!" He turns walks down the hallway ,...
"Well, I admit my technique needs work, I've never really trained for this sort of thing. But I thought it went rather,... Hey, where are you going?" He asks Fudrick's retreating back. He turns back to the others with a puzzled look on his elvin features.
"I don't understand. I thought his reluctance was due to him worrying about how to bypass the traps. But when they all disarmed, I thought that it was due to his presence. IT makes sense to me that the builders intended the defenses to be bypassed by one who worships Hettama. Ergo, the items were meant for a worshiper of Hettama. I just delivered them to him. Some of these images raise some interesting questions, but I'm afraid I don't understand his reticence." He looks from Ghari, to Shulim, Marwan and Yrar. "Despite my many years among other races, I confess that sometimes I do not understand them. Did I miss something here?"
"I'll go after him," Shulim says looking to the others, "I ain't sure what does tings are to em, but he clearly don't want ta touch dem or see em. So . . . unless he changes 'is mind, which don't seem so likely, he best not see 'em again . . . day is clearly upsetting, fer some reason. Kay? You blokes understand me? Let's not let Fudrick see dem. I don't tink he'll be coming back down, and he don't tink dat anyone would be crazy enough to fetch does tings, and so, when you boys be done exploring, we'll likely be leaving and never coming back. Best see whatever ya want ta see and grab whatever yous going to grab . . ."
Shulim runs up the stairs after Fudrick.
"Oi, Fudrick," he shouts, "wait up! I wants ta talk wit you!"
Marwan shakes his head
"It seems to me that we are flouting the will of the gods. How could Hettama not want us to take these items? To make it any plainer she'd have to come down in person and hand them to us. As the Book of the Navigator says: 'A wise man gathers the coconut on the sand before climbing up the palm.'"
Fudrick throws the robe back into the chamber and it rolls several feet down the slope.
The hand of Fate reaches into the robe and the kukri skitters out and slides back almost to the middle.
"I know the others must think I am crazy. Maybe I am. So much has happened over the past few weeks. The pirate attack, my cousin, the witch, and now this. Maybe I am taking this priests' chamber to personal. It's just that his way of worshiping is so ... profane." He idly leans back against a tree near the entrance. "Were the others right in suggesting we take the items? They are from a fellow worshiper of Hettama so they couldn't be that bad, could they?" Fudrick closes his eyes for a second taking in the warmth of the sun as it shines down. He can even smell the ocean occasionally when the breeze blows just right. "I will go back down and tell them to take the items. Everything that has happened so far couldn't be a coincidence. As they said we must have been prodded in this direction for a reason. I will just need to figure this priests' role out at a later time." Just then he hears Shulim's voice call out from down the stairs. Not a second later the gnomes heads pops up out of the ground as he mounts the stairs. Fudrick gets up and explains to Shulim what he has decided and why.
Fazaam nods, then nods again, and finally grins and claps Shulim on the shoulder.
"I said I was dense Master Shulim, not deaf!" He says, trying not to laugh. "Go and make sure that Fudrick is alright. I'll apologize when we come up, I didn't mean to offend him." The elf watches SHulim head up the stairs, then quickly turns and looks into the room. He mutters what is most likely unkind words in Elvish when he sees how far the knife has traveled.
He looks at the space in front of the door, the spikes in the ceiling, and the distance he would have to travel,... and back. He swallows.
"So, what do you think Ghar?" He says with what is obviously forced jocularity. "Do you think the old rope-and-bucket trick might work here?" He asks, referring to a time (or two) when the elf has tied a rope around his waist to lower himself into danger, and Ghari has pulled him to safety. It has been very successful,... so far.
"So, what do you think Ghar?" He says with what is obviously forced jocularity. "Do you think the old rope-and-bucket trick might work here?" He asks, referring to a time (or two) when the elf has tied a rope around his waist to lower himself into danger, and Ghari has pulled him to safety. It has been very successful,... so far.
"Leave it, Fazaam. Fudrick should know best what his goddess intends. Perhaps it is a test and he should not take them. At all odds he is dead set against it. You can lead a mule to water ...." Ghari claps his friend on the back. "Let us get out into the open air. I'm sure Hasan would enjoy the trees."
Fudrick gets up and explains to Shulim what he has decided and why.
"Look mate," Shulim says, "you've been through a lot, got a lot on your mind, but tell me what your instincts say. When we was outside da door you felt pretty good about the whole ting, but when we got inside someting changed. Was it yer brains er your guts what shifted?"
Fudrick gets up and explains to Shulim what he has decided and why.
One golden door is closed, but the other is jammed by a dagger. It will take a while to work loose, maybe hours maybe days. Unless something removes it. Or someone.
Fudrick gets up and explains to Shulim what he has decided and why.
"Look mate," Shulim says, "you've been through a lot, got a lot on your mind, but tell me what your instincts say. When we was outside da door you felt pretty good about the whole ting, but when we got inside someting changed. Was it yer brains er your guts what shifted?"
"When I was down there looking at those etchings. I don't know it just felt wrong to be close to something that is so far from how I was taught bring Her love and joy to this world. Siting out here thinking about everything with a clear head does make it easier to understand what everyone else has been saying. I mean what are the chances that I would be here on this exact spot where a hidden chamber devoted to my own Goddess would be. This priests embrace of my religion may be different than mine but he still devoted his life to her. I just think there is more to that time period that I do not know. Maybe it was during a time when the higher powers where struggling to carve out there own place in our world." Fudrick looks down at the ground as the world weighs heavy on his shoulders. "Things are just not as simple as they were back on the ship." At the thought of his family he lifts his head up, "Do you really think we were brought here to use these items to bring back the terror from the island?"
"When I was down there looking at those etchings. I don't know it just felt wrong to be close to something that is so far from how I was taught bring Her love and joy to this world. Siting out here thinking about everything with a clear head does make it easier to understand what everyone else has been saying. I mean what are the chances that I would be here on this exact spot where a hidden chamber devoted to my own Goddess would be. This priests embrace of my religion may be different than mine but he still devoted his life to her. I just think there is more to that time period that I do not know. Maybe it was during a time when the higher powers where struggling to carve out there own place in our world." Fudrick looks down at the ground as the world weighs heavy on his shoulders. "Things are just not as simple as they were back on the ship." At the thought of his family he lifts his head up, "Do you really think we were brought here to use these items to bring back the terror from the island?"
"Well I ain't da one ta be asking about dat," Shulim says holding up his hands, "what I tink is only a guess, and not an educated one at dat. All I know is you felt someting in here," Shulim says pointing to his heart, "and din later you felt disgust, but I'm tinking dat it was up here," Shulim says pointing to his brain, "and I tink, when it comes ta matters o' faith, maybe you should trust yer heart.
"As ta da rest," Shulim says looking around at the unlikely site for a temple, "well da gods work in mysterious ways. Could be one ting, din again could be anoder."
As he listens Fudrick finds himself nodding at Shulims wisdom, "The feeling in the chamber was of joy and happiness. The disgust I felt was definitely something I was thinking. I don't have much experience with life, but things are not always as simple or black and white as we would like. Thank you for your wisdom brother. I still have much to think on, but in the mean time lets go back down and get the others."
Ghari claps his friend on the back. "Let us get out into the open air. I'm sure Hasan would enjoy the trees."
"You go ahead." Fazaam says absent-mindedly, still staring into the room. "Go with him Hasan, it'll be alright." He looks at Ghari, finally.
"I'll be alright. I'm crazy, not suicidal. Go ahead. I'll be along in a minute." The elf gives Ghari a small shove and looks sternly at Hasan. "YOU behave. Stay out of his pack! I'll be right there."
Fazaam takes off his pack and places it on the floor, then sits on his heels as he continues to examine the room, the items on the floor, and the markings. Ghari notices that Fazaam has placed his backpack next to the edge of the closed door, so that if the other one moves, it will have to crush it to close.
Ghari claps his friend on the back. "Let us get out into the open air. I'm sure Hasan would enjoy the trees.""You go ahead." Fazaam says absent-mindedly, still staring into the room. "Go with him Hasan, it'll be alright." He looks at Ghari, finally.
"I'll be alright. I'm crazy, not suicidal. Go ahead. I'll be along in a minute." The elf gives Ghari a small shove and looks sternly at Hasan. "YOU behave. Stay out of his pack! I'll be right there."
Fazaam takes off his pack and places it on the floor, then sits on his heels as he continues to examine the room, the items on the floor, and the markings. Ghari notices that Fazaam has placed his backpack next to the edge of the closed door, so that if the other one moves, it will have to crush it to close.
"No, I'll not go. If you're going to try something, I'm staying to help."
When Shulim and Fudrick return, they find Ghari with Fazaam by the single jammed door.
The robes tantalizing just out of reach and the dagger waiting in the middle.
]
As Shulim and Fudrick get to the bottom of the stairs, They see Hasan jumping up and down on Fazaam's shoulders. The monkey is chattering and gesturing excitedly into the chamber.
"You know, that might,... Nonono!" The elf shakes his head emphatically. "I don't think so Hasan. Your a perfectly respectable little thief, but it's too dangerous! And I don't think that being singed or perforated will do much for your good looks!" He pats the tiny monkey on the head. "Thanks for the offer though." "Although, you would be hard to hit,..."
Fazaam looks up to see Ghari trying to hide a smile. "What?!" HE then realizes that the others are looking at him,... oddly. "What? You've never seen a guy talking to his monkey before?"
Fazaam clears his throat self-consciously. "So, Noble Marwan, you seem to be familiar with such devices. Those spikes, do you you think they shoot, or does the ceiling collapse? Uh,... just out of curiosity, of course!" HE adds hastily when he notices FUdrick and Shulim standing on the steps.
"It's OK Fazaam. We heard you on the way down. Sitting out there" gesturing back the way they came, "in the bright warm sun gives a gnome plenty of time to think." nodding at Shulim, "It doesn't hurt to have someone else to talk with." Grinning at Shulim he continues, "I do believe that you were a wise priest in a former life. Anyway, I have come to see everything a little clearer. Those images in there just upset me more than I thought. After thinking things through I can't help but feel that maybe we were pushed in this direction. It can't be that much of a coincidence that this chamber was built for a follower of Hettama. Let us try to get the items I so foolishly tossed back in. Then lets be done with this place."
Fazaam bows with a grin at the two gnomes. "As you wish Master Fudrick. I heartily agree. I have been underground far too much for one day! Let us see if we can retrieve your artifacts, and then we can all enjoy some fresh air and sunshine!"
He looks back towards the doorway. "It seemed to me that your entrance disarmed the spikes and fire pillar before, perhaps all you need do is enter again? If that doesn't work, I have a couple of ideas that should be, relatively, safe."
...
Fazaam clears his throat self-consciously. "So, Noble Marwan, you seem to be familiar with such devices. Those spikes, do you you think they shoot, or does the ceiling collapse? Uh,... just out of curiosity, of course!" HE adds hastily when he notices FUdrick and Shulim standing on the steps.
Marwan ponders Fazaam's request. He looks intently at the spikes
"Hmm, let me examine it further noble Fazaam and I will try to discern its workings ...hmmmm"
Its some kind of magical trap, probably set off by proximity or alignment or both. As to what the spikes and ceiling does, Marwan is not sure.
"Well, shall we see what happens? If you step up to the doorway I mean?" Fazaam asks Fudrick.
"Slowly, of course. Just close enough to make sure that the trap recesses again."
He watches the room with a sparkle in his eye. HE is obviously far too easily excited by the possibility of danger. A felling that his companion obviously doesn't share, as the closer that Fazaam leans in, the farther Hasan leans back!
"Well, shall we see what happens? If you step up to the doorway I mean?" Fazaam asks Fudrick.
"Slowly, of course. Just close enough to make sure that the trap recesses again."He watches the room with a sparkle in his eye. HE is obviously far too easily excited by the possibility of danger. A felling that his companion obviously doesn't share, as the closer that Fazaam leans in, the farther Hasan leans back!
Fudrick coughs to clear his throat, "Ah, yes, well I guess it is my fault for over reacting to this whole situation. Um, I guess I could try to enter the chamber again." He looks around at the others, "Maybe tie a rope around me and have Ghari and Yrar prepare to yank me back in case of a problem?"
Fudrick
The spikes recess again and Fudrick can reach the robe and then dagger.
As he takes his first tentative step inside the chamber. The spikes retreat back into the wall. He glances back behind him at the others as another feeling comes over him. "Well it definitely seems that I overreacted now. I mean this has to be a sign that I was meant to be here. Right?" As he scoops up the items he makes another tour of the walls trying to decipher more of their meanings.
"Now let's get out of here. We'll be able to see better in the sun. "
***
Ghari peers over the shoulders of the others at the robe and odd knife. He is obviously curious but doesn't want to intrude.