Adventures Underground - RPLOG
Participants
Date
29/9/478
Log
Somebody has been noising it around that there is a real score to be had at an ancient ruin near Drytongue. And untapped cache of Creator Tech and who knows what else down in an unexplored (previously undescovered) tunnel in the ancient Creator Ruins down there. The word of mouth message said to meet in front of the Freesword's Inn, just about now.
At the appointed hour, Lyas can be found in front of the Freesword's Inn, with a half-empty backpack and a large grin. This is the first time he's thought to seek company when exploring - hopefully, what's inside the ruins will prove worth it.
Bazalt WAlks out of the inn ADjusting his Armor. "Soo-AH Lyas!" HE grins to teh cat and heads over. "sooo.. anymore joining us?" he asks, glancing around.
Cassidy adjusts her top hat and flexes her fingers as she makes her way to the meeting point. "Goodness. It feels like ages since we've had actual field work to do," she says to her partner in not-crime, grinning up at the jaguar from behind her mask. "I am eager to do it."
Natska quietly snickers, then inclines her head towards Cassidy. She takes a moment to eye the others that are gathering, and her ear flicks, before she gives Bazalt and Lyas a small nod as well.
Rokarion followed along after Natska and Cassidy. The plant being was clad in his usual humble and discreet attire, his body almost entirely covered in his heavy cloak. The plant being had heard the rumours of Creator Tech and he was rather interested in seeing the pristine section of the under-tunnels.
Lyas turns as Bazalt hails him, his smile caught somewhere between chagrin and genuine pleasure. "Bazalt," he acknowledges the wolf. "You came. I thought maybe you had fallen in a ditch somewhere." While he's trying to be friendly, there's the slightest suggestion in his voice that maybe this would have been for the best - and clear relief at the sight of others gathering around them. "Right, we've a proper party for some exploring! Good. I came upon this place recently - looked interesting - mayhap creator ruins?" His tail twitches in anticipation, and he grins widely. "I thought it would be best not to go in alone. Before we get to it - who's all here? I've seen you all about the inn, but I only know Bazalt, here."
Bazalt Shakes his head and sighs. "You have the strange Way of saying hello nice to meet you.." He grins and nods to the others. "Pleasure to see you all again." he smiles and rolls his shoulders. "...Creator ruins... Greaaat.." he mumbles
"I am Cassidy," The fennec says with a bow before gesturing to the jaguar. "And this is my wife, Natska. We're always happy to do anything involving creator tech. Well. Maybe not -always- but usually. So here we are!"
Natska gives the rest of the group a friendly smile and nods her head. "Mmmhm! Usually more than happy, at least, we've been down there several times. Are we ready to be off?"
Rokarion looks around at the assembled group, giving the Solacious pair a nod and Bazalt as well. "Nice to meet you as well, sir." the plan being answers back the cat before rubbing his chin, "Hmm, Creator ruins? That would be an interesting place to visit. So what are the price the church is paying us to explore those ruins? And are we sent in to recover anything or just look around?"
Any other questions and answers can be discussed as the group makes their way across the long trek to the Drytongue flats.
"Well," Lyas explains, as they get underway, "the Church hasn't sent us out as such. In fact, with any luck, the Church doesn't know about this place yet. Gives us a good chance to poke around unsupervised." He glances over at the plant-being's face. "-If we DO find anything of interest, of course, we can bring it to their attention then. Until we know for sure there's things to be found, though, we'd only be wasting their time, right?" AS he talks, he leads the group skillfully through the a web of tunnels, following a path only he knows.
Bazalt hums as they get along, nodding. "Hrrmm... just so long as there are no Water traps-even if I am better... equipped to deal with them.." he sighs and shudders abit, the incident still VERY fresh in his mind.
Cassidy chuckles quietly at that, nodding as she follows. "Yes. Wouldn't want to waste their time on uncertainties, now would we?" She says, folding her hands behind her back, tail flicking side to side with each step.
Natska falls into step beside Cassidy, listening to the chatter. Her ear flicks and she clasps her hands behind her back, her tail slowly swishing in time with Cassidy's. "MMhm. Best to verify first. And Cassidy and I are trained to handle dangerous artifacts, if needed."
Rokarion shrugs, "I usually find wasting their time to be better." the plant being answers, "It is way more easier to negotiate a higher price with them that way. They always try to swindle down the finder's fee on 'sudden discoveries'. At least that is what I noticed in Sweetwater." Rokarion responds as he looks at Bazalt and shakes his head, "Haven't you let that go yet? If water traumatized you, how do you expect to survive the more dangerous missions for the society?" The plant being asks his ever-whiny underlying.
The dark, winding passageways of the ruins are discombobulating at best, and Lyas' path leads up and down and over and under in such a labyrinth that it is difficult to guess how he found, let alone remembered this trail. Eventually, the path ends at the terminus of a dark corridor where a damaged metal panel has been peeled back just enough to reveal a sliver of light coming from behind it. No wonder no one has found this place before.
"Here we are," Lyas smiles, indicating the panel. Walking up, he gives it a tentative nudge with his foot. "All I did last time was have a look in, but there's no sign anyone's been in yet; and I couldn't find any other entrances folk could've come through, either. Now - as neither muscle or mathemagic is my specialty - who'd like to get this panel open for us?"
Bazalt nods to Roka. "I'll be fine-I dont let it go beucase reasons-but i'll be fine.. msotly.." he sighs "Any-oh wow... How'd YOU find that lyas?" he asks grinning. "and no, no Idea with creator places.."
Cassidy eyes the panel before shrugging. "If it just needs moving, I could try moving it with magic, sure. But brute strength isn't my specialty, either. Nor is creator tech, for that matter."
Natska nods her head at Cassidy and brushes her hands together, the metal of her geuntlets quietly clanking. "I can take a go at it," she offers. "If you would let me up?" The jaguar smiles, then tries to find a good place where she can get leverage and give the blocking panel a good yank.
Rokarion peers around the path, not noticing any kind of terminal or anything that might help the group identify this place. The plant being shrugs and decides to help Natska, Creator steel panels were never the easiest to dislodge. The youth pushes his cloak beyon his shoulders and grabs one of the panel's ends before he begins pulling back as well.
With the combined strength of Natska and Rokarion, the old panel groans and bends, clearing a space just wide enough for a medium sized being to crawl through. Light shines through brightly from the other side.
Once the panel is open, Lyas doesn't even glance at the rest of the group, caught up in the adventure. He quickly pokes his head through the gap. The rest of his body follows - faster than is really wise.
Bazalt Frowns "lyas! " He Shakes his head And Quickly Follows the cat. "DAmnit-Be careful!" the Wolf sighs and Squeezes thru the gap mumbling and grumblinga s he does so
Cassidy watches for a moment, making sure no cries of panic were heard from the other side before she follows in, herself. "Nice work! Of to a good start, so far," she says, adjusting her hat again and glancing around.
Natska waits on the outside of the tunnel until after Cass has gone through, keeping an eye on the halls behind the group; then she nods her head at Cass and slips through as well, moving carefully.
Rokarion lets go once the panel is pulled enough, the plant being taking a deep breath, honestly surprised that he managed to pull this off. Looks like he is stronger than what he gives himself credit for! With a shake of his head, the plant being dives in after the group and begins following along, making sure to enjoy the sights of whatever was hidden in this place.
The revealed hallway is clean and lit with the magical, glowing panels common to most Creator ruins. It seems that the hole everyone has crawled through is some sort of small hatch, inexpertly covered from the other side. The hall stretches off in two directions, and though there is no sign of dust or obvious decay, there are certainly no signs of life. The hallway is empty. It looks like the party must choose, left, or right?
Lyas looks to either side, then immediately sets off to the left. He gets a few steps before he checks himself, and looks back to see if everyone, or, indeed, anyone, is following.
Bazalt Frowns "Lyas-damnit.. BEcareful! " the wolf sighs and blinks as he looks around "wow.. ok when it's not deadly.. it's Beautiful...." he sighs. "Still.. lyas....atleast-Wait.. for everyone.." he says glancing behind him. "all good?.."
Cassidy glances along each path, humming to herself before shrugging and turning to follow after Lyas. Might as well follow along. No sense splitting the party. Yet. "It's generally wise to follow the right wall, you know."
Natska takes a moment to make sure her scabbard is perfeclt in place, then follows along down the corridor. Her eyes move back and forth as they go, keeping watch for servitor-tunnels or any strange devices. "As long as we remember the way back out, yes."
Rokarion stifles a yawn as the group stops at the first fork, deciding to lean on a wall as the group discusses where next to go, "Well we can either split up or choose a path to go through."
The corridor seems pretty straightforward, and there is no sight nor sound of servitors, though, with something this old so well maintained, there must be active machine servitors around.
It is not long before the corridor ends at a pair of wide doors. The hallway itself continues on, bending in a sharp L and leading away to the right, but these doors are set into a slight recess in the wall with a glowing panel beside.
"Oooh, we are DEFINITELY going in here," Lyas says, poking at the doors. He then turns his itchy fingers toward the invitingly-glowing panel.
Bazalt frowns, "I.....have a bad feeling." He Frowns- Lyas was like a exciatble Child... Touching and Grabbing anything he Could-Infact probally Stole somethign already..."opinions?" he asks the others, Glancing at Lyas.
Cassidy rubs at one of her ears, humming thoughtfully as she steps forward to examine the doorway. "Probably another one of those hand-lock things. That scans your hand or whatever before opening. I hate these things."
Natska frowns slightly, then nods her head. "It could be, yes. Someone will have to poke it to try; I wonder who the room is built for?" she muses.
Rokarion looks at the panel and rubs his chin, "Eh, it is not even locked." the young being says as he presses the symbol to open the doors before looking at the group, "It appears to be the kitchen. I think." Rokarion responds to the natska's query before stepping inside to look around.
If it is a kitchen, it is like no kitchen anyone living on Promise has ever seen. Every surface gleams like a newly polished spoon. Tables and counters and chairs all apparently made of shining Creator Steel are lined up neatly in the large room in two rows. Off at the far end, maybe 20 paces away is a bar set into a window. The real kitchen must lie back there.
The idea that this place is wholly abandoned is discarded as the doors whoosh open. A pair of multilegged servitor machines are scuttling around the room, buffing and polishing. It is amazing that they have maintained the place in such pristine condition!
For the first time, Lyas hesitates. "Those things dangerous?" he asks his companions. "Or valuable? Or both, perhaps?" He is already drawing his rapier, in case the metal monsters decide to attack.
Bazalt Blinks "woo-WHat?!" He stares at the moving things and frowns. "no clue...none at all..." HE Frowns and watches them closely."guys?"
Cassidy peers around the kitchen, before nodding. "Excellent," she says, stepping forward into the kitchen. Creator Steel kitchen? That probably meant creator steel kitchen knives, and she was going to try to find, and help herself to, some of them. She takes care to avoid stepping in the paths of any of the servitors.
Natska quietly chuckles, shadowing Cassidy as she moves in. She glances back and forth, then shakes her head. "Dangerous. Very dangerous, if they think you are getting in the way." She looks to Bazalt then. "Hrm?"
Rokarion nods his head at Natska, "Indeed, they are called servitors. They are dangerous when you get in their way, but are not as deadly or dangerous as creator golems. Also they are really not that valuable as they don't seem to function outside Creator ruins." the plant being says as he looks around the cafeteria, heading towards the kitchen to peek inside.
The strange, mechanical insects seem happy enough to leave the group be so long as they are left to their cleaning and polishing. Another door, this one smaller than the main entrance, whooshes open as the beings approach. Of course, they could just peer through the large serving window. It is hard to imagine that anyone could cook anything in here. There is no obvious oven, or pots or pans, no fireplace, nothing that really says 'Kitchen.' Perhaps Rokarion misread the symbols above the door. There are, however, several racks of plates, bowls and eating utensils of some kind of white material. Not steel, unfortunately, though they seem sturdy enough. There are a few glowing panels scattered about on some of the chrome plated devices scattered about the small room, though their use is a mystery.
"Right," Lyas says, scooting through the door and examining a rack full of plates. "Doesn't look anything special." He turns his attention to the glowing panels, pressing the closest one like Rokarion did earlier to open the door.
The panel Lyas is fiddling with beeps and boops encouragingly at his random button pressing. A set of symbols scrolls across the panel as a light suddenly lights inside the box.
Bazalt Just follows and keep out of the way of the .. moving.. thigns."riightt.. so.. amazing..." He WAtches the cat and frowns. "ummm.. what is.. going?.." hE frowns.
Cassidy hums softly. The utensils were not the steel she was expecting, but she does make a point to take one of them anyway. Who knows, she might find an interesting enough use for it, later! "Pity. I could've used another creator steel knife," she says, retreating to the rest of the group.
Natska slips along behind Cassidy, watching the cleaning servitors until the group moves on. She frowns for a moment, watching Lyas fiddle with a panel, then eyes the chrome devices. "Maybe servitors bring the food to here? I wonder where the cooking devices are kept..."
Rokarion looks around the cooking area before he suddenly turns to see the impulsive cat. The plant being shakes his head and sighs before looking at the panel and raising a brow. Well, that was weird...but not the weirdest thing. Rokarion decides to lean closer to the panel, rubbing his chin, he says 'Grilled Prawns' in the old tongue, which might sound like an almost incomprehensible accent to most beings.
The machine that Lyas was toying with and Rokarion spoke to burbles a friendly affirmative and the panel flashes green once or twice, then red and another string of letters scrolls across the panel before it goes blank once more and the light within douses itself. What a strange place!
Over the sound of the Servitors doing their cleaning comes the WHOOSH of the galley doors opening. "I'm telling you, I heard something!" comes a gruff voice, "And you saw that wrecked patch! What if there's somebody here?"
At the sound of unfamiliar voices, Lyas jumps, and then quickly ducks down, scooting over to the kitchen hatch. He tries to inconspicuously get a view of the room beyond.
Bazalt Blinks and frowns "W..waht?" he speaks quietly and glances to teh otehrs. "Who? " He Reaches For his bow and Frowns. even more.
Natska places a hand on Cassidy's shoulder, perking her ears; then she calls out, tone nonchalant. "I don't know, what if someone is here?" She shoots the others a quick grin, and waits, her posture subtly tensed.
Rokarion eyes the panel and shrugs, "Pity it appears to be not working." the plant being says before his ears perk up at the voice and he turns around, "Either someone knows about this place other than us, or someone was here before us." he answers with a shrug.
What may have been a budding conversation comes to an abrupt end at Natska's challenge. Lyas can see a pair of beings, one a reptile of some kind and the other a surprisingly short elephant. The pair are strangely dressed and whisper franticaly to each other as they bolt from the room. It is only a moment later that the lights overhead flash red and a wailing claxon starts to sound!
Lyas says, "Well, shit," Lyas muses. "I'm pretty sure that's not a GOOD sound." He stands up, now that there's no-one visible to spy on, and speaks over the din. "They've gone - we probably should too!" "
Bazalt Frowns and his ears flatten "bugger...NOW what?" HE Growls and rubs his head "I think I agree with getting out, unless anyone else has some bright ideas."
Natska lets her ears flatten, then starts moving after the fleeing pair with steady steps. "Hold up, we're just l-" she starts, then pauses; after a moment, she looks over at Rokarion and raises her eyebrows, wondering what he thinks.
Rokarion rubs his chin and looks at the group before shrugging as the red lights and annoying blaring noise begin, "Fascinating." the plant being says, "Either that the beings who ran away have lived here long enough to know how to operate Creator tech, or those beings might be decedents of the pets who first lived here?" he says before shaking his head and quickly discarding his other theory, "Nah, they wouldn't be able to speak like us then if they never left." he comments as he begins moving to exit the kitchen, "So what shall we do, leave or continue exploring? Either way I am fine." Looks like the plant being is not that broken up over their discovery.
The two servitors scuttle away, disappearing into unseen paths of their own while the warning sirens continue to howl. Now might be a good time to leave. Discretion, valor, better part, etc.
In obvious discomfort from the noise of the siren, Lyas slips back through the door, deftly avoiding the servitors. A quick check into the corridor beyond shows to to be free of assailants, so he moves quickly but surely back to the entrance. A return is certain - there is much to explore still - but hopefully, next time, they will do so with the element of surprise.
Bazalt Frowns and Follows Lyas. "We'll Get loot nextime.." He mumbles forwning as he walks-who WERE those other ones? did they know about this place?.. another entrance? they live here? hrrnnn.
Cassidy rubs at her ear again, frowning. "Pity to have to leave so soon. Hopefully we'll be able to come back again," she says, shrugging and squeezing Natska's arm before making her way out.
Natska makes a small noise, a slight growl, then nods her head. She quickly follows after the others, taking her exit from the underground facility. "I wonder who those were... they were very... at home there."
Rokarion follows along after the group, however once they exit, the plant being decides to mark this location in case whoever is inside attempts to close the hatch again, with that he leaves a mark on a corner panel with his pen, one that no one might bother looking at or even bother questioning its existence.
The dark of the old undertunnels is a stark contrast to the glaring red within the clean corridors behind. Hopefully, there will be a chance to come back and investigate again.
