The Golden City - Into the Vault - RPLOG
Participants
Date
28/7/478
Log
Fenris is once more leading the group. He has not spoken about where he was yesterday, but he has not asked any questions either. The fluffy feline has led the intrepid adventurers as far as the bridge spanning the chasm, where he stops to look thoughtfully at the shattered gates. "So," he says, "You had a tour of the lower town I hear?"
Zuri hops after Fenris, tail flitting around curiously behind him. He smiles up at the big tiger. "Yea! Mister Olloch took us on a tour of the city, and taught us a bit of history and such. He seemed really familiar with what happened here, and also.. uhm.. a bit upset by it all. I kinda wanted to ask him more but I didn't want to make him more upset." He peers down the chasm, letting down a little 'woah'.
Rokarion followed behind the salamander as he inspected his equipment before nodding his head, "And he said that he sent you to entertain someone, what was that all about?" the plant being asked with a rub of his chin, "Looks like spirits do not really respect other people's engagements." the plant commented idly.
Kazel walks behind the others, her eyes and mind focused on her small black book once more, but she closes it as the others start talking. She perks up her ears and casts a look about her surroundings, before crossing her arms, as she keeps walking.
Cassidy keeps her hands in her pockets as she saunts along, glancing over at Natska. "It was quite an interesting tour. If I had any sympathy for the people before, I didn't once the tour was done. I'm fairly convinced they deserved what they got."
Natska gives Cassidy a small nod as she continues along beside her wife, listening to the rest of the group talk. She gives Cassidy a small smile at the comment, then shrugs her shoulders. "Assuming it was the truth, although we have no reason to believe otherwise."
Fenris smiles at Rokarion. "No," he says, "They don't seem to much care about the plans the rest of us might make. My attention was requested by one of the old patrons of the city. The dreamer had rather a lot to say about the people who once lived here." The tiger leads the way across the bridge, surprisingly still whole after all this time. "I am afraid there won't be time for a tour of the upper city today," he says, "But we will see the vault today. I think that your guide yesterday gave you an accurate description of the city's history."
The upper city shows all the signs of strife and destruction that were absent in the lower part of the city. This is certainly where the armies of conquest truly did their work.
Zuri follows along after Fenris, peering down the chasm with a mix of curiosity and awe. His attention is only captured back when they enter the upper city proper, and he detaches from the group to dart ahead and inspect a piece of wreckage.
Rokarion rubs his chin, "Accurate for his view." the plant being says as he walks with the group, "I do not doubt the city growing decadent, but that does not stop the spirit from spinning it for his court's benefit, and it was still more or less a genocide." the plant being comments as he looks down the chasm, "But back to today's mission. So do we know how to open the vault?"
Kazel rolls her shoulder and nods at Rokarion. "Even though that is true, it does not change the fact that they did nothing really to defend themselves. Seems they did not even have a militia. Just a question of time till someone plucks a fruit this ripe."
"That's fine," Cassidy says, rubbing the back of her head. "We can do the vault today. We can take a look through the upper city later. Not like it's going anywhere," she says, nodding at Natska. "Even if we have to do it just the two of us!"
Natska smiles at that, and nods her head. "Yes. It should be safe enough." She looks back in the direction they are heading, tail swishing. "What did you learn of the people, Fenris?
"Genocide?" Fenris asks, "Maybe. But it is not my place to cast judgement. The Dreamer didn't." The big tiger leads the way along the ruined streets straight to the great keep at the pinnacle of the city. "I can open the vault," he says, "Though I don't think that anyone will much like what we will see there." He looks at the shattered doors of the keep, then ducks into the shady interior where a great and terrible statue of Vasht's hideous head is set in the wall. "Mostly history that was ancient even when the city fell, Natska," he answers, walking up to the statue and murmuring a few words as he touches the statue in a few spots that click and move under his fingers. "Are we ready?" he asks, looking at the group.
Zuri looks between Rokarion and Kazel as they speak, and was about to make a comment of his own when he's distracted by their arrival at the vault. He lets out a little 'ooh!' as he darts over to the depiction of Vasht, looking up at it with both curiosity and apprehension. He nods at Fenris. "Y-yea, let's go for it!" He smiles brightly, choosing to go with curiotity.
"No one is casting judgement here, just stating the facts." the plant being answers as he looks at the vault, "Hmmm, very well, let us go then. We can talk history once we are done."
Kazel shrugs. "Lets go already. We have really been waiting on this island long enough now." The bat draws her axe with one hand, a wicked looking thing.
Cassidy eyes the statue over, before nodding at Fenris. "Sure. And why do you think we won't like what we find there? Will it truly be any worse than the things we've seen so far? Perhaps if it is nothing at all. That would be disappointing. An empty vault."
Natska comes to an easy stop, still standing next to Cassidy. She settles into a loose, readied stance, lets her hand rest near the hilt of her sword, and she gives Fenris a nod. "Ready."
The head of Vasht swings slowly open with a reverbrating groan revealing a dark hole beyond. The foul smell of stale air drifts from within, along with the smell of something old, dry and foul.
Zuri skips out in front of the hidden passage as it starts to creak open, and gets a face-full of rancid air that leaves him reeling. He blinks and wipes his eyes. "Oh blech! That stinks!" He pinches his nose with one hand while holding his bow with the other, then speaks in a nasal-y voice as he darts inside. "I was gonna say last one in is a rotten egg but I think someone in here beat us to it!"
Rokarion sighs and shakes his head as Zuri darts in, the plant being's face cringes for a moment before returning to normal as the smell hits him, not even his aroma could beat the smell of most likely old corpses or spoiled food, but at least it made it more bearable for himself. "Zuri, be careful, and don't just dart like that. There might be traps or other dangers."
Kazel cringes her nose and folds her ears as the smell hits her, but remains silent. She makes her way into the vault as well, her axe still in her hand as she pulls a small torch which she lights with a snap of her fingers and takes it in her free hand.
Cassidy pulls a face at the smell, reaching up to adjust her mask. "That is entirely too rancid. Surely something that happened so long ago wouldn't leave such a stench. Eugh, maybe something awful -is- still down there. Whatever it is, let's give it a moment to air out?"
Natska frowns, slowly nodding her head. "Entirely correct, Cass. And I agree with waiting a few minutes - perhaps even pushing some fresh air in."
Fenris shrugs. "I would, but," he does not finish, only points at those who have already gone ahead.
The light of Kazel's torch reveals a scene that may have been grizzly long ago, but now is mostly dust. The skeletal remains of some creatures, too badly decayed to identify, lie in the space beyond the door. The skeletons are very nearly crumbling to dust, but seem to have been at least a little preserved by being shut away from the elements out here. The inside of the vault is as much a ruin as the outside, at least here. There are a few stone shelves scattered about here, but they are broken and whatever they held is long turned to dust. Ahead, the great vault stretches into darkness.
Zuri holds his nose closed as he walks around the room, approaching one of the skeletons and peering closely at it. "Oh come on, it's not that bad!" He says in a nasally voice before uncovering his nose. He inhales for a split second before closing his nose again with a gasp. "Okay, maybe I was wrong..."
Rokarion purses his lips, his leafy ears perking up before he fastens his pace towards Zuri, "It smells horrible." he comments before letting out a light cough, "Also stay on your toes...I think I can here something inside." he adds before letting his vine wiggle from underneath his clothes, letting the flower on the tip shine and act as another light source.
Kazel suddenly stops moving, her grip on her axe becoming tighter. "You are right. We are not alone." The bat peers into the darkness and twitches her ears as she takes a battle stance, facing the direction the noise she and the jasmine have heard seems to come from. She raises her torch a bot to illuminate a wider area.
"Yeah, figures," Cassidy says, stepping along after the others. "If there was nothing in here, we likely wouldn't be picking up these smells. Probably some kind of critters that crawled in here and started to die. No clue."
Natska slips into the vault, then draws her sword. She gives Cassidy a small nod, staring into the darkness ahead. "Or one of the Shadow's eyeless hydras that he is so fond of..."
"No," comes an answer from somewhere in the darkness, followed by a wet, gurgling chuckle, "It is not one of his. It is one of mine." There is nothing new to see in the dark vault, but there is a sudden sense of presence, as if something that was asleep has suddenly awoken. "I am sorry," come the wet, deathrattle voice again, "But I fear it has no reason left in it. Only Hunger." Then the presence is gone and all that is left is the bubble of light around the party and the yawning darkness beyond.
"We should move quickly," Fenris says softly, pointing off into the darkness, "I'll head this way. Remember, we are looking for something that might be a weapon against the Craige. We meet back here in half an hour. Shout if there is trouble." The big feline lifts a hand and three little balls of blue tinged flame appear above his hand as he trecks off into the ruined vault.
Zuri shudders as the voice echoes around him. He finally lets go of his nose to nock an arrow on his drawn bow. "Hello!" He calls out, before turning back to his companions. "So uh.. let's start this exploring thing, I guess!" He looks back towards Fenris as he walks off. "H-hey! No fair!" He turns back to the others. "Mister Fenris went on ahead! He's gonna beat us to the thing!" He walks off in another direction, tail flitting behind him to betray his curiosity.
Rokarion shakes his head as he hears hunger again, "I said be careful." the plant being says as he quickly follows after the salamander.
Kazel grimasses and sheaths her axe in favour of keeping her spear ready to be used in her left hand. She carefully makes her way into a direction that has not been picked yet, her torch raised to the level of her head.
Cassidy glances towards Natska, offering a little shrug and starting after Rokarion and Zuri. "Well. Shall we go this way, then, Natska? Or do you want to chase after Fenris?" she asks, pulling her hands from her pocket and drawing a knife.
Natska makes a small noise. "We should chase Fenris so he doesn't get eaten," she says quietly. "But maybe numbers will keep the attention of the Thing, and help protect him. Let's stick with Zuri, and listen for screams for help."
It is hard to pinpoint sound in the vast darkness of the vault, but there is a scraping, drawn out sound, like something large dragging itself across the dust choked floor, then silence. Even the ragged breathing sound has stilled.
The main group, with Zuri in the lead finds that the vault once had a sort of order, great shelves lined up carefully and forming three sides of a square with aisles running between the squares, forming great boxes where food stores and artifacts of all kinds were no doubt kepts. Now, all that remains are bits of shattered pottery and stonework, ruined shelves and the occsasional glint of polished stone from this tool or that.
Kazel finds similar structure as she wanders in another direction. This place is surprisingly large! It must extend back under the back half of the keep and remaining city. The light of her torch shows stone pedestals in the center of squares of shelves, though most seem to be empty so far.
Zuri continues prowling ahead, tho not so quick that he outpaces the others. He keeps his bow at the ready, but moves from shelf to shelf as he examines the ruined remains. "I wonder what would be this thing we're looking for.. sword maybe? Magical thingie? Book? Can books be weapons? I mean other than using them as bashing implements..." He wonders aloud.
Rokarion shakes his head as he keeps looking around when the voice suddenly stops, "Interesting structure, but since the three of us have light sources the creature might be able to deduce were we are to a certain extent." the plant being says before increasing the luminescence on his vine to the maximum, "Hopefully this might draw it more to us than the other two." Rokarion looks at the shelves and back at Zuri, "Fascinating all old items, but no bodies unless they all went to dust, and can't see any marks to indicate violence.
Kazel walks over to the stone pedestals she saw and takes a moment to put on her spectacles, before letting her hand run over their surfaces and inspecting them closer.
"I have no clue, Zuri, but it's probably nothing we'd recognize as a weapon," Cassidy says, glancing around in the darkness. "It's something that spirits suggested we use. So... If I had to guess, it's some kind of artifact. Perhaps some... Religious token? Maybe something that holds sway over the Craige? Someting that would make them falter at the sight?"
Natska frowns thoughtfully as she walks with the group, although her sword is still held at the ready, steel gleaming in the light. "Knowledge, too, is perhaps a weapon. I wonder what our guide has to say of the Craige... they sound like they are hungry after all."
There is no sound, no cry, no warning as suddenly a long, thin appendage flashes into the bubble of light surrounding the main bulk of the party. The pale, fleshy thing lashes toward Zuri, the end opening in some kind of three pronged, grabbing claw!
Zuri notices the lashing tentacle almost too late. It moves so quickly that the nimble salamander barely has the time to dodge it, the appendage catching a fold of his outfit and tearing a rip into it as the salamander tumbles away. He lands roughly and raises his bow in the direction the thing came from. "Did you see that?!" He flicks his aim left and right, looking for something to shoot at.
Rokarion squints into the darkness as the appendage suddenly arrives and disappears again. "Well it came from that direction, be careful." he says before looking back at the salamander, "Stay still for a minute, Zuri." he says before forming some geometric symbols with his hands, intent on covering the salamander in a defensive covering.
Kazel perks her ears up as she hears the commotion and stops investigating the pedestals and sprints over to the rest of the group. "What happened?"
Cassidy brings her hand up and glances around. "Hmmm..." She then points off towards the left and fires a few flickering bolts of flame into the darkness, fanning them out in hopes of catching the creature with at least one of them.
Natska wheels, taking up a defensive position between the group and the thing in the darkness. She stands poised and ready, a cat ready to pounce when her prey shows itself again.
There is a strange gurgling howl as two of Cassidy's flaming projectiles find their mark! In the brief flashes of light, a huge, deformed shape is revealed out in the darkness. It is vaguely being-shaped. Two arms, two legs, one head. But the head is bulbous and distended with huge eyes and a slavering mouth of mismatched teeth and huge tusks. It's arms and legs are disproportionately long and from the way it hangs from one of the ruined stone shelves, its grey, fleshy hide seems nearly boneless! There is another wail and gurgle from the dark as the creature vanishes once more into the gloom, perhaps stunned by the sudden bright light.
Kazel arrives just in time to see the thing lit up by Cassidy's fire, only she has found herself on the far side of a screen of stone shelving! She will either need to climb over the precarious ruin, or go around.
Zuri stays still as Rokarion requested, his bow still trained in the vague direction where the tentacle lashed out from. As the thing comes into view his eyes widen in shock, but his instinct holds true as he brings the bow in alignment with it's torso. "The heck is that thing?" He asks aloud, but doesn't wait for an answer. The small salamander lets the arrow fly, center-mass, aimed straight at it's chest.
Rokarion raises an eyebrow as the things appears with its huge tusks and teeth and distinctive bulbous head, "That is fascinating...I hope we can preserve the body without much damage." he comments as it disappears out of sight, "In fact, I am quite certain it looks similar to all those ancients statues that we see, do you think it can be one? But if that is the case, how did it survive that long? Perhaps it is a spirit caller, and they get extended life?" the plant questions as he takes out his notebook and pen, "Questions aside, we must find it and make sure it won't cause us any more trouble."
Kazel propels herself of the ground with a gust of air magic and a beat of her wings, easily making her way over to the group. She takes her speer in both hands and takes a fighting position as her eyes narrow.
With the same hand as before, Cassidy snaps her fingers, using her typical lance of air to try to pierce between the eyes of the large beast. "It certainly is grotesque, that's for sure."
Natska gives Kazel a small nod and shifts her position, so that the two of them can fully cover the group. "It may well be, Rokarion. If so, it's been in here for a long time."
Another howl rips from the darkness. Sounds like at least one of those shots in the darkness struck true! Suddenly two long, rubbery, three fingered limbs fly again from the darkness, grasping for prey!
Coiled and ready, Natska reacts quickly to the flash of movement. Her blade arcs up and chops down in a rapid flash, thunking into one of the tentacle arms.
Zuri barely has the time to ready another arrow before the new appendages lash out from the darkness, both headed his way! He leaps up, quickly dodging out of the way of one of them, while the other gets swiftly dispatched by Natska. He lands back down, taking a step back with his bow still primed. "Why does it keep coming for me? What in the Saints' names have I done to it?" Other than arrowing it, of course..
Rokarion shakes his head, "Well I guess I will have to take the risk now." the plant being says in his usual idle tone before focusing his gaze on the location the creature last attack came from, numbers resolving in his head before he attempted to localize the ice storm he was casting to the monster's location.
Kazel takes a few steps back and her spear firmly into both hands, fixating on where the attacks are coming from and charges in that direction, the tip of her spear pointed at where the creature most be. Moments before she reaches her target flames start whipping around the tip of the weapon.
Cassidy watches quietly, frowning. "Mmm..." She narrows her eyes and looks ahead into the darkness, conjuring up a orb of flame therein. Flame that starts to expand to engulf the area where it was last seen. Hard to miss with that.
Amid all the fire and ice, Kazel finds that there is nothing to strike at! The creature must be very fast! A fortunate side effect of Cassidy's spell is the area of bright light it produces. There is a pained squeal from almost directly above where the gangly monster is perched high on a stone shelf. It squats like a monstrous frog, trying to shield its eyes from the light, distended belly hanging and jiggling as it flails.
The long limbed monster hisses from its perch, momentarily blinded.
Natska shifts her weight, the jaguar taking the opportunity to strike while the creature is vulnerable. A fast step-lunge gives her the reach to thrust forward with her sword, before she begins backing away towards the group again.
Cassidy snaps her fingers again, taking advantage of the fact that she can fully see the creature now to light it on fire directly. "Mind the burning," she murmurs to those around her.
Rokarion focuses his gaze on the now more noticeable creature, using that fact to his advantage to cast a more precise spell, with the equations resolving in his head, the plant brings forth little scythe like zephyrs heading directly at the creature.
The small salamander still had an arrow nocked in his bow, and with the creature briefly in clear view he aims it at the creature's center once more. He pulls the string back with all his might, the bow curving back to its fullest, before letting it loose with a loud 'thwip'. He doesn't wait to see if his aim is true before dropping his bow and switching to his two daggers, preparing to engage the creature head on right away.
The lanky monster wails and screams under the vicious onslaught of steel and magic, tumbling from its perch atop the stone shelf and falling with a sickening CRACK onto a jagged piece of stone on the other side, an arrow jutting from its shoulder and a second stuck high in its elongated rib cage. It twitches weakly at the edge of the torch light and dim illumiation from Rokarion's 'tail.' It may still live, but from he gasping, gurgling sounds it is making, it won't last much longer.
Kazel drops her spear and heads to the creature. drawing her rapier as she runs. The bat crosses the distance quickly and uses the momentum of her sprint to reinforce the first of a small number of slashes from her lithe blade.
Natska holds back, letting others finish it off, her expression going calm and neutral. "I wonder how many more of the last Beings are around, in some shape or another."
"I'm not sure," Cassidy says, dropping her hands to her side. "This certainly is a mess for it to be in. I wonder if they all looked like this, or if this is just some twisted mockery."
Rokarion shakes his head, "Well we have seen the statues, I am pretty sure that they do not look as grotesque." the plant being says, "We did hear hunger talking, didn't we? This might be his working, turning the ancient into whatever he is now." Rokarion adds before letting the storm die down, "Are you okay, Zuri?"
Zuri twirls his daggers into a defensive posture, holding his off-hand blade in a reverse grip as he faces the creature, waiting for it to pounce. He glances briefly back at Rokarion, then nods. "Yea Rokarion, it didn't get me, it missed.. like three times." The small salamander doesn't follow Kazel into the fray, but doesn't let his guard down either, ready to follow up should Kazel fail to finish it off.
The monstrous creature shudders once more under Kazel's attack and breathes its last, rattling breath, almost like a sigh of relief.
"She is the last," comes a rasping, gurgling voice as a strange, emaciated figure appears at the edge of the light, "She ate the others long ago." The figure steps up to the fallen monster, revealing that it is a mangy, nearly skeletal hyena with jutting tusks.
Natska frowns, eyeing the hyena, then looks back to the fallen creature. She starts to move, then hesitates and finally sighs, bowing her head in
silence.
Cassidy glances towards the hyena, herself, nodding. "Were they all like... This? I'm trying to imagine a society full of people that looked like -that-. And I'm surprised they are still alive after all this time." Well, not anymore.
Rokarion looks at the tusked hyena, raising an eyebrow, "Well looking like that, and most likely going totally insane in isolation? I would say that she died long ago." the plant being says as he moves towards the corpse of the last ancient, kneeling down to inspect her deformed body, "So was those changes your doing?" he asks.
Zuri twirls his daggers around and re-sheathes them before picking up his bow. His bow isn't long in his hands however; The appearance of a creepy, emaciated-looking hyena has him first glancing, then yelping and dropping his weapon in surprise, then drawing his blades again and backing up towards Rokarion, tail flitting apprehensively.
Kazel gives the fallen creature a nudge with her foot just as the hyena appears. Her ears perk up and she turns around, already in battle stance again, before relaxing her posture slightly as the new arrival shows no signs of aggression. She decides to for now just watch him carefully.
A long string of drool drips from the corner of the hyena's mouth as he looks at the corpse. He shakes his head and wips the viscous spittle away. "No," he says in a gutteral voice, then waits a moment, "And yes." Rags hang from his skeletal form and overly large, desperate eyes look between the corpse and the fighters. "Nothing can pass the doors of this vault once they are closed," he gurgles, "No mortal, nor Spirit can breach them. It was Vasht's gift to his people." He stalks at the edge of the light, eying the corpse with obvious hunger. "No one gets in, no one gets out," he says, "Except for me. I was here that night and have been here ever since." His eyes flash and he looks at Rokarion. "They begged!" he howls, madness evident in his eyes, "The cried and wept to survive! They were so. . . HUNGRY."
Natska frowns, shifting to the side as she watches the hyena. She seems unsure of the situation, then glances towards Cassidy. "Do you think... he is who we are looking for?"
Cassidy gives a slow nod, stuffing her gloved hands back into her pockets. "Mmm... I do not think so, Natska. Perhaps, but not likely... But I suppose we'll find out, huh?" She looks back towards the hyena. "So you fed them?"
Rokarion looks around the room before focusing on the corpse, sketching a bit, "Unlikely really, and even if he is what we are looking for, he appears to be more or less insane." the plant being says as he closes his book, and looks around for a really large pot or jar, "Well if what he just said is correct, I thing he told them to eat each other." the plant being adds as he looks at the hyena, "So what is your name, and are you by any chance a spirit? Or one of their wardens or whatever they call them?"
Zuri looks between the hyena and the dead.. thing. He slowly drops his guarded stance. "S-so.. they were locked in here, forever, and their only option was to eat each other?" He shivers. "Ugh.. that.. that's horrible. And they begged you for help but you did.. you did what exactly?" Sounding rather upset.
Kazel raises an eyebrow. "If that would be true there must have been thousands in here for one to survive this long. There is more to it, isn't it?" The bat made her way back to the group as the others talked and picked up her spear on the way.
"No," gurgles the hyena, "NO!" His gaze lingers on the cooling corpse and drool hangs from his slack jaws. "I couldn't, I would never!" the hyena shudders and turns mad eyes on Cassidy, "I could not feed them. I could not help them. I had no power. But there was power here. Power they could use to survive!" He reaches down and touches the rubbery, gray flesh of the thing on the ground, then turns away, cringing back into the darkness. "They used it," he gurgles, "They used the power and it changed them, but still, they could not get out. The Sanguine Sigil made them strong, but in their hunger they turned on one another, drained the very life from thier former friends in order to extend their own. She was the greatest of them all. The last. The hungriest."
Natska perks her ears, although her expression remains solemn and respectful. "We have been told we may have need of the Sigil. To fight the Craige, who have returned. Where is it?"
Cassidy nods at Natska's words. "Yes. We require it, though I hate to imagine why. I certainly wouldn't want to end up like -that-. And I pity anyone that would," she says, frowning behind her mask. "But all the same, the ones sending us here require it, I imagine."
Rokarion looks around and begins collecting some odds and ends of broken containers and assembling them, "And I guess that was the twist that Fenris's friend 'forgot' to mention to him." Rokarion said as he looked at the hyena, "So how come did she not eat you as well, hunger or whatever you call yourself?" the plant being asked idly as he began dragging the corpse into the makeshift circle he made, "I personally think that such a weapon is best left untouched. Perhaps Sweetwater might try asking other nations for help rather than resorting to this." he says as he points at the corpse, "Also any last words to the last of your ancient worshipers, spirit? I thought you might feel sentimental for those who first brought you to this world."
Zuri scratches his head as he looks between all the participants in the conversation. He looks down at the malformed dead thing again, then back up at Rokarion. "Hm.. at the same time.. what if there is no other hope? What if the only way to beat such an evil thing is with.. with.. hm... another evil thing. Perhaps Sweetwater, and Promise, has to pick the lesser of two evils." He nibbles on his lip, considering his own words.
Kazel shrugs at Zuri. "I am not sure why we have not just assembled a proper army and stormed their territories yet myself. People seem insistant in thinking that won't work. As for the sigil, I am not convinced it alone was the cause for this deterioration." Her eyes are focused on the hyena as if she were attempting to pierce him with her look.
"Mortals!" the emaciated Spirit spits, wiping the desperate drool from its lips, "You never change. You think you know so much when you don't even have WORDS for what we are and what we do!" The hyena points a skeletal finger at the ruined corpse. "That THING was never mine," he snarls, "You see the great priestess of Ser'Ther, most corrupt and most desperate of all her people. She consumed them, one by one, absorbing their lives and power into herself, then she rotted in the dark for a thousand years, hating. She would have eaten me if she could, but I was not here to eat. I did not understand her hunger, not until much later and now I understand and she is dead."
The hyena spirit seems to be talking about several disparate things, but his attention is drawn to Kazel and her disdain for the Craige. "And you will fight them and their thousands and tens of thousands little mortal?" he gurgles, almost laughing, "With that ridiculous bit of metal in your hands?" The hyena's speech degenerates into mad laughter as he folds in on himself, giggling and shaking.
Natska sighs softly. "We are guests," she says quietly, "and we should not be rude to our host." She lifts a hand and calls her own flickering flame to life to light her way as she resumes the search for the Secret Weapon. "The Vault is now open, Spirit... what will you do now?"
Cassidy offers no further words for the spirit, shrugging and setting off after Natska to resume the search. "Well, at least now I know how Ser'ther did it. Sadly, this was not the answer I was hoping for," she says to the jaguar, frowning behind her mask again. "Pity. I guess the search continues."
Rokarion raises a brow at the spirit's outburst and shakes his head, "Well my guess about her identity was correct." he says as he lights the corpse on fire, "And I meant more on her being the last alive being of the species that used to worship you, but obviously you have no love for those that worship other spirits from among her kind." the plant being said as he got up and let the fire consume the corpse, "Zuri dear, the Criage until now have been faced by a nation whose army is mostly composed of militia. If your choices are either A. A militia or B. An ancient artifact that mutates those who wield it, I think you have missed some alternatives in the middle." and with that said he looks around and shrugs, "Shall we call Fenris before we head to the sigil? I wonder how did he not notice the battle." the flower, voice as nonchalant as ever.
Zuri nods. "Yea, yea, I know. We've talked about this before hut.." He huffs. "Nevermind." Before turning his attention back to the hyena, still shivering apprehensively as his vision once again settles on the nigh-skeletal thing. "So Vasht sealed them in here, and they slowly went mad, surrendering to the consequences of using this weapon, turning on each other, and Mister Ser'ther could not help them because nothing could ever enter here, not even spirits.." He looks away. "Bleh.. let's just get the thing and go home..."
Kazel gives the spirit a sweet smile. "It is an army. A big one, sure. But nothing a good organized and well equipped army could not handle, at least from what I have seen. We might have to do some politics with other nations, but it should be doable." She shrugs once more as she sheaths her sword. "And I for one am more willing to trust good steel than some fickle spirit magic."
"Vasht!?" the Spirit goes into new paroxysims of mirth, "No! They shut themselves in here! They would not surrender, they would not fight! They hid! Rats on a sinking boat! There were enough provisions here to feed the entire city for months and the elite squandered it in days!" The Spirit flickers like a guttering candle and is suddenly standing again, leading the group through the dark. "The sigil was an experiment of magic," he says, suddenly calmer, "Not ours, but the people who came before you. It was meant to take the strength of an enemy and make it your own. It might serve you well."
As suddenly as he came, the Spirit is gone, leaving the group to proceed alone. "There you are!" comes Fenris' voice from up ahead, three little blue flames zipping toward the group. "A little help, if you could?" the flames zip back from whence they came, revealing the big tiger spinning gently in a cleverly made cage several feet above the floor. "Is everyone alright?" he asks.
Natska makes a small noise, then gives Fenris a nod. "Yes," she replies, although her tone is distracted and thoughtful. "Someone help him down?" she asks as she begins looking about for anything that may be this seal.
Cassidy raises her brow, tilting her head at the cage. "How did you end up in there?" She asks, before movng to help Natska in the search. She'd leave the cage to someone that wouldn't likely burn someone trying to get it open. "Looks your trip was as adventful as ours."
Rokarion follows along with the rest of the group, "Ah, so they were also indulgent to have wasted all of the food in a short period of time, I know someone who loves that." the plant being adds before they finally reach Fenris, "What do you want help with?"
Zuri looks up as Fenris' voice echoes from above, the small salamander gasping. "Mister Fenris! Are you okay?" He glances between the group, the spot where the hyena spirit used to occupy, and the entrapped floofy tiger, and huffs. "Let's just grab the thing and leave, I think."
Kazel follows behind the others and draws her axe as she grins for a moment. "So, you are hanging in there just fine, huh?" She chuckles at her silly pun before giving the lock, and the bars for that matter, a strong smack with her axe.
"I'm fine," Fenris says, "I dodged the fire trap and the arrows and the spikes, but the cage seemed like a better choice than the pit. He lets out a yelp of surprise, just getting his dangling tail out of the way before Kazel sets the cage rocking back and forth. "Hey!" he cries, "Whose side are you on?" The tiger holds up an ornate, golden box. "Found this on a pedestal," he says, "It looked important, so I thought I would pick it up. Now someone find the release mechanism before Miss Silverwing cuts off something important!"
Natska slips her sword away and carefully pinches the bridge of her muzzle with two fingers, then shakes her head. "You are the one that ran off on your own..." she points out, then continues her search, albeit for a different target now.
Cassidy pauses and turns around to watch Fenris in the cage, hands returning to her pockets. She waits, eyes peeking around, but making no actual movements. "I'm sure we'll get it open one way or another."
Rokarion looks around the cage before rubbing his chin and looking at Zuri, "Well, Zuri, I guess this is under your area of expertise, no?" he says as he looks back at the cage, "I think there might be something underneath the cage, what do you think? Want to check?" the plant being asks.
Zuri nods at Rokarion. "Yea, that seems to be the connection point.." He walks up to the cage and pokes at the underside, running his fingers along the rim of the base to look for the mechanism that keeps the cage from opening. He reaches into his jacket and retrieves a small pick with a hook-shape at the end, ready to use it to unclasp the mechanism as soon as he finds it.
Kazel grunts as her hits do not open the cage and she puts away her weapon. "I will leave this to the professional then." The bat does however look around for any cues, even though she does not expect herself to find something helpful.
There is an audible CLICK and the bottom falls of the cage and clatters loudly to the ground, Fenris falling on top of it in an ungraceful heap. "Ow," he says as he picks himself up, "I meant to let you all explore while I cleared the way. Find anything interesting?"
Natska helps Fenris back to his feet, nodding her head. "A Priestess of Ser'ther from the time before who had been trapped in this vault for a thousand years. And a spirit of hunger."
"We found the one that lived, I suppose," Cassidy says, nodding at Natska. "And then killed her. A pity. Living forever might be appealing, but not at that cost."
Rokarion pats Zuri on the head once he is successful, "Indeed, we have found the priestess that apparently caused the problems to start with." Rokarion responds, "And a spirit as well..." the plant being rubs his chin as he recalls the creature, "But anyway, point is that the thing in the box is most likely dangerous. You might want to seek alternatives before trying to use it."
Zuri gives Rokarion a knowing grin as he packs his tool away and steps back from the now-opened cage. "Or if not dangerous then.. uhm.. double edged. Costly. Still, something about all this didn't quite make sense. I don't think that hyena was being entirely forthcoming. Or possibly slightly too mad to be of use."
Kazel twitches her ears as she crosses her arms. "Quite probably so. We seem to have acquired a weapon, if this is what you have there, that won't be used anyway since it will be seen as too costly, at least that is what I think will happen."
Fenris blinks, looking from the beings around him to the box in his hands. "It sounds like you all had even more adventure than I did!" he says, why don't you fill me in on the way back." With that, the tiger tucks the little box under his arm and leads the way toward the vault door.
Natska falls into step behind Fenris, thoughtful. "I want to know what that is, Fenris. And how it works. I'm fascinated by the idea of the ancient's magic... and I wonder how like our own math it is."
Cassidy pats her sleeves off, setting off alongside Natska and behind Fenris. "I'm curious, too. Do you know, yourself? Or have you yet to find out? I want to know, certainly."
Rokarion nods his head in agreement with Zuri, "Or perhaps he was either hiding some of the truth, or even just lying. He did not even give us his name, something that most spirits tend to be keen to do." the plant being said with a rub of his chin before shaking his head, "Anyway, that is correct, you might want to understand how it works before you use it....hmmm, perhaps Ser'ther or even Phyrra might know more about the operation of the artifact."
Zuri nods as he listens to everyone else talk. The salamander keeps his thoughts to himself for now, simply following along the jasmine being.
Kazel frowns to herself as she follows behind the others. "These kind of things always seem to have a drawback, don't they?" She shakes her head as she falls silent.
Fenris laughs and shakes his head as they come near the entrance where daylight still shines in. "It sounds like you all know more about this thing than I do!" he says, "I am sure we will figure it out!" The big feline waits for everyone to exit the dark vault and then swings it ponderously shut, letting it keep its other secrets.
