"I detect no magic from the priest except a faint aura from his ring and his mace," Dartalis whispers to each member of the Broken Blade. "Perhaps we should take his advice and find this strange, black, marble building he speaks of. The storm seems to be moving closer."
"Or we could make camp nearby, and explore the building in better weather? This may be the place we are seeking."
"I for one vote for the shelter." Marcus looks to the darkening sky then to the others. "I just bought these boots and I would rather not have them ruined because some building is making someone feel icky."
Waldemar looks at the approaching storm clouds. "So, where is it you are bound anyway. I might be able to tell you if you will reach it 'afore the storm hits?"
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"Ah well, I won't be stubborn this time. Let's go to this place for shelter. If there is something truly dangerous there, we'll just dispatch it. Simple as that, right?"
Though still not fully trusting the priest, Koryn agrees.
"Right. Should be easy to deal with anything that attacks us, should we be attacked."
Theledor looks at the storm clouds and nods.
"Anywhere that's dry really" he replies to the priest, not wanting to be the one divulge it.
"I was thinking of going to see if there was someone down there" Theledor points below the bridge.
"But at this point we'd be better just trying to find shelter"
Klor, a bit occupied with the bridge construction, attempting to discren dwarven construction. when the lightning flash reminds him of the impending storm.
He quickly joins the others discussing the idea of heading to shelter.
"Don't rain much where I'm from. we best be gittin ta shelter. a building, evil or not might be da place. Easy ta defend. A-sides ifin' it is evil, then me axe might be takin care of it."
OOC: seems the posts come in waves. will try to keep up so long as RL doesn't have other plans.
Waldemar takes hold of his cart handle, pulling his cloak tight around himself. "Then I bid you all a safe journey. Next time you are in Bards Gate look me up." And with that, he starts to walk away, heading South.
Waldemar takes hold of his cart handle, pulling his cloak tight around himself. "Then I bid you all a safe journey. Next time you are in Bards Gate look me up." And with that, he starts to walk away, heading South.
Marcus watches Waldemar for a moment, before turning to leave, hoping they get to the shelter before his whole outfit is soaked through.
You estimate that you can reach the edge of the tree line in about half an hour. The route away from the Coast Road will take you over some rolling hills.
"Shall we hurry to the building? I'd rather not fight anything while it is raining."
Koryn puts his morningstar away, and draws his sap out, twirling it as he walks.
Dartalis nods in agreement. "The building."
After a miserable walk to the forest, you find the trail that Waldemar described to you. Following it you all arrive at a clearing. At the center of the clearing, surrounded by stunted pine trees, stands a weathered building constructed of pure black marble. It has a gently peaked roof. The roof is supported along its periphery by black pillars, Parthenon-style. No flora grows within 15 feet of the structure, and the ground appears to bear a dark reddish taint, as if it has soaked up countless gallons of blood.
The fane is 30 feet wide and 40 feet deep. There is an opening to a central chamber that is about 20 feet wide and 18 feet high. The entire structure seems to drink in all light that shines upon it.
A large memorial plaque similar to a gravestone is set into the ground before the entrance, made of the same black marble as the rest of the structure.
There appears to be an inscription upon it.
Theledor shivers at the unnatural appearance of the place, he then shakes his head vigorously, exhaling as if readying himself...
"Sir Joneth, let's see how successful they were at that"
Theledor approaches slowly, paying close attention to the ground surrounding the building, he puts one knee on the ground, looking for tracks or other signs of passage.
Theledor shivers at the unnatural appearance of the place, he then shakes his head vigorously, exhaling as if readying himself...
"Sir Joneth, let's see how successful they were at that"
Theledor approaches slowly, paying close attention to the ground surrounding the building, he puts one knee on the ground, looking for tracks or other signs of passage.
"Can we go in now before I catch my death?" Marcus, futilely, attempts to shake the water off his cloak.
Staying well away from the entrance until it has been checked out by the armored warriors, Dartalis removes his haversack from his back and retrieves and loads his light crossbow. He then looks down at the spell component pouch on his waist, as if to assure himself that it is still there.
A chill runs down his back at the sight of the building and adrenaline pumps through his veins.
"This place is, indeed, foul," he remarks. Then he raises one eyebrow as he attempts to read the writing on the building.
Joneth chuckles at the sight of the structure. "Whoever built this place obviously meant to scare visitors away. That, or he had incredibly bad taste."
Joneth
Theledor shivers at the unnatural appearance of the place, he then shakes his head vigorously, exhaling as if readying himself...
"Sir Joneth, let's see how successful they were at that"
Theledor approaches slowly, paying close attention to the ground surrounding the building, he puts one knee on the ground, looking for tracks or other signs of passage.
Theledor
Staying well away from the entrance until it has been checked out by the armored warriors, Dartalis removes his haversack from his back and retrieves and loads his light crossbow. He then looks down at the spell component pouch on his waist, as if to assure himself that it is still there.
A chill runs down his back at the sight of the building and adrenaline pumps through his veins.
"This place is, indeed, foul," he remarks. Then he raises one eyebrow as he attempts to read the writing on the building.
Dartalis
It reads as follows:
Where for the glory of the Horned One does the true essence lie?
Not in the skin, that tattered rag that clothes us; strip it away.
Not in the flesh, mere meat to rot to nothing; let the worms feast upon it.
Not in the brain, for thought is fleeting, ever changing; crack the
skull and suck it forth.
Not in breath, that most fragile of sighs so easily stolen; drown it in
tears and pain.
Not in the belly, that furnace of power, for it so easily turns; dissolve it in acids of its own creation.
Not in the seed of man and woman, the agent but not the source of the
spark; it shall waste away in the shadow of false hope.
Not in the bones, the final dancing relic of the dead; crush them to dust and let the wind take them.
Where then does the true spark hide?
The final line of the Epitaph has been chiseled away.
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Looking at the area without flora, Koryn frowns.
"Of all the times not to have prayed for the consecrate spell. Maybe I could have brought Life back to this place. Let us hope the rain does not last for long, this is a place not meant for the likes of us."
His hand goes to his holy symbol and he starts to chant softly under his breath.
"To Life itself I pray,
Protect us this day.
Let an who would do us evil know,
The Power Of Life is not for show."
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Listening to Kerywn's prayer, Joneth bows head. Though the paladin is of a different faith, he wants to venerate all the benign gods. When Kerwyn is done, Joneth says:
"That was a beautiful verse. Full of meaning by itself, apart from it's holy power."
"It was just a prayer. One I have used when casting a spell to ward off evil, but I try to keep that spell in reserve when possible. It does help just to say the Common words though."
You notice that a trail leads off from the clearing, snaking further into the trees, heading North Easterly. It seems to slope down towards a valley. The trees seem to thin out that way as well.
"The verse on the stone is written in the Abyssal tongue," Dartalis says to the group. "I will translate it, so all may know what it says, though the words are foul."
Dartalis raises an eyebrow and begins to read.
"Where for the glory of the Horned One does the true essence lie?
Not in the skin, that tattered rag that clothes us; strip it away.
Not in the flesh, mere meat to rot to nothing; let the worms feast upon it.
Not in the brain, for thought is fleeting, ever changing; crack the
skull and suck it forth.
Not in breath, that most fragile of sighs so easily stolen; drown it in tears and pain.
Not in the belly, that furnace of power, for it so easily turns; dissolve it in acids of its own creation.
Not in the seed of man and woman, the agent but not the source of the
spark; it shall waste away in the shadow of false hope.
Not in the bones, the final dancing relic of the dead; crush them to dust and let the wind take them.
Where then does the true spark hide?"
Dartalis turns to the group. "There was another line, perhaps the answer to the riddle, but it has been chiseled away.
Joneth snorts, offended by what he just heard.
"That's quite obviously demon-worshiping claptrap. I would raze all of this to the ground right now, if I could. Perhaps after we get to town I'll organize a group to do just that."
"Perhaps, good paladin, you can find a better way to raze this infernal place from inside." Marcus starts to make his way to the opening in the central chamber. He takes it slow, keeping his eyes open for anything that might kill him. . .ok, or the others as well.
"From the inside? Spoken like a true mouse!"
Joneth draws his shimmering sword and follows Marcus' lead.
The Temple seems to be constructed of black marble about three feet thick, and is built into the native limestone of the ground.
The shrine’s doors are open and constructed of black marble four inches thick.
A 20 foot wide passage slants down into darkness from the doorway. Ceiling height in the passage is 18 feet.
Marcus
Dartalis puts his crossbow into his handy haversack and pulls out his everburning torch. After putting the haversack on his back, he holds the torch in his left hand, keeping his right hand free for spellcasting. He waits for word from the scout before following the others through the doors.
The Temple seems to be constructed of black marble about three feet thick, and is built into the native limestone of the ground.
The shrine’s doors are open and constructed of black marble four inches thick.
A 20 foot wide passage slants down into darkness from the doorway. Ceiling height in the passage is 18 feet.
Marcus, noting the marks on the floor, holds his hand up, motioning for the others to wait. He pulls his bullseye latern from his pack and, once it's lit, begins to search for the trap that experiance and the hairs on the back of his neck says is there.
Marcus
Marcus ** spoiler omitted **
Koryn's morningstar is held firmly in his, ready for use should it be needed. He can be heard muttering softly as the group travels through the tainted halls.
"Should danger draw near,
from within the dark,
let us know to disregard fear
and fight like a lark takes flight."
Drawing his longsword, Marcus, motions to the others and heads towards the slope, keeping his eyes open for traps.
The slope gradually descends down, for about 150'. The darkness that has been all enclosing seems to lessen the further down you descend. Tou would assume that this passage has not been traveled for a long time, due to the amount of dust that lies upon the floor At the bottom of the slope you can make out what appears to be daylight and another large opening, similar to the entrance above. A peel of thunder echoes up the passage following the sudden flash of lightning that illuminates a leering, carved face above the exit.
The slope gradually descends down, for about 150'. The darkness that has been all enclosing seems to lessen the further down you descend. Tou would assume that this passage has not been traveled for a long time, due to the amount of dust that lies upon the floor At the bottom of the slope you can make out what appears to be daylight and another large opening, similar to the entrance above. A peel of thunder echoes up the passage following the sudden flash of lightning that illuminates a leering, carved face above the exit.
Theledor knocks an arrow in his bow and follows The Mouse from 10 feet away, giving the rogue some maneuvering room.
As the lighting illuminates the other end. Theledor reacts by pulling the string of his bow. ready to loose his arrow, he then relaxes as thunder is heard and darkness resumes.
"We need some light" he mumbles.
Dartalis follows the group into the tunnel, careful to let the armored warriors go in front of him.
At Theledor's words, he holds his everburning torch up to let the light bathe the tunnel walls, still careful to leave one hand free for spellcasting.
"How is that, friend elf?"
An earthy smell wafts up the tunnel, born on a warm breeze.
The tunnel walls seem to also have many scratch marks from numerous bladed weapons You discern on several occasions a crude depiction of the carved statue at the bottom of the tunnel; an image of a demonic goats head...
Dartalis follows the group into the tunnel, careful to let the armored warriors go in front of him.
At Theledor's words, he holds his everburning torch up to let the light bathe the tunnel walls, still careful to leave one hand free for spellcasting.
"How is that, friend elf?"
"Better, thanks"
Koryn studies the depictions on the walls closely, trying to remember anything he knows about them.
Koryn
The slope gradually descends down, for about 150'. The darkness that has been all enclosing seems to lessen the further down you descend. Tou would assume that this passage has not been traveled for a long time, due to the amount of dust that lies upon the floor At the bottom of the slope you can make out what appears to be daylight and another large opening, similar to the entrance above. A peel of thunder echoes up the passage following the sudden flash of lightning that illuminates a leering, carved face above the exit.
Marcus, bolstered by his companions, steps into the large opening, looking around.