Volcanic Love - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
28/1/476
Log
A ship sits just off the coast, a rather large one. Several crewmen can be seen darting to and fro onboard, and on the beach a small boat with a water clan minnow inside sits waiting. Beside it, is a taipan wearing a skirt and loose fitting shirt stands waiting for anyone who decided to follow her. She giggles profusely. "We need to hurry I don't want to miss my chance." she hisses, flicking her tail against the sand.
Arimia stands beside the serpent, banded tail flicking behind her, and large, spiked golem standing behind her. "Well, I dunno that we need to hurry really. Depends on where the statue is. If it's normally underwater there's spells for water breathin' and I'm a dragon so can hold my breath a long time. I'd rather we not go through that though."
Angus standing close to the boat continues to fiddle with his equipment. "Can't you just, create a spell that will allow us to breath underwater. or is it just a personal one." He asks before sliding his blade back into its scabbard and turning around to face the two, before giving them a shrug. "Or is there something else you have in mind?"
Kilsa walks up behind the group with a smile, "This reminds me of the old days. Think we will find an attractive male with a soul gem or just another horrible monster." She chuckle and look at Angus, "I could've fashioned you a water breathing spell but would you have the energy to maintain it for a long time?" She inquired. "I can't. I'm sure a mage adept could."
Mirana walks up behind Kilsa, having stopped just long enough back at Freeswords to change into her work leathers and grab her staff. "Kilsa, I'm not sure I had this in mind when you said you'd be training me." She does some thinking, "Well, I'm sure between Bite, Arimia, and myself, coming up with something to breath underwater for all of us shouldn't be too hard a task.... depending on how deep we were planning to go." She thinks about Kilsa's comments though, "Attractive male or a soul gem? Kilsa whatever are you talking about?"
Bite giggles and waves Mirana's question aside. "This is enough, get in the boat sssweeties." she hisses to Angus, Mirana, and Kilsa. She begins to swim out towards the boat on her own, hissing something to Arimia before heading off.
Arimia gives a small nod of her head to Bite, sitting down on the beach and waiting for everyone board the boat on the beach. She leans against one of her golems legs and closes her eyes, waiting for the first trip to carry passengers out to the ship then return for her and her golem.
Angus watches Bite swim out to the ship, before turning back to the boat and the others. Getting into the boat he shakes his head at Kilsa. "Not really, I don't think I could even manage to work the spell at all. I'm skilled with air magic don't really know much about water magic."
Kilsa get on the boat with a small smile, "I could craft one. I've crafted very powerful spells that I don't have the skill to use." She chuckled a little embarrassed, "I perfer to only use math in emergencies." Kilsa shrugs, "I'm surrounded by so many math users I really don't need to add to the pool. Thanks to Bite half my orphans know how to splash water on each other on a hot day. I've been thinking that some of my Defenders have been sneaking in lessons for the children too."
Mirana hops into the boat, and looks about, "I'd love to study some of your crafted mathmatics Kilsa someday." She settles in the boat and looks back to Arimia whispering something to Kilsa before turning to Angus, then remembers the other day, "So... umm. I.. never made it to court, I wonder what they debated."
Bite shouts something up to the ship when she gets there, having sped along, before turning around, passing the boat full of travelers with a giggle. She hops back up on the beach and slithers to keep Arimia company. As the boat carrying Mirana, Kilsa, and Angus arrives at the ship, a couple of sailors begin to help them settle on deck.
Arimia opens her eyes and glances at Bite when she comes back to the beach, saying, "Hello!" Her tail flicks as she looks out at the boat as the others are loaded onto the ship.
Angus shrugs before he looks at Mirana. "No idea really, they I know what they will probably will be debating next time." As they get closer to the ship he glances back at the shore where Bite and Arimia are still sitting. "I wonder what they are talking about."
Kilsa nods her head, "I don't mind a study of my works. They are for Promise after all." She shakes her head, "I try to avoid court like the plague unless its important but now that I've gotten nobility status everyone of the gatherings is important. Sooo I get saddled with the ones that I'm stuck in the Frimament for." She grins, "I say the noble stuff for important business other wise I would rather be in the forge." She lean over and whispers something to Mirana.
Mirana lets herself be helped up onto deck and gets to helping Kilsa and Angus. "I'll have to come by your workshop then Kilsa! You said you'd show me how to do crafting myself sometime too." When Kilsa whispers to her though, she blushes, very deeply, and for the next few hours seems to avoid eye contact with her employeer, choosing instead to stare over toward Arimia and Bite.
Bite watches the boat and giggles. "Well sssweetie are you ready for this?" she hisses and smiles as the boat returns, hopping ini when ti arrives.
Arimia gives a small nod of her head and hops up, her golem climbing into the boat, weight causing it to ride a bit lower in the water, before being followed by the 'coon. "Considerin' I have no clue what we'll find there, sure!"
Angus quirks an eyebrow at the curious exchange between Kilsa and Mirana, but then shrugs and doesn't make a comment about it. As soon as they are all on the ship he decided to find a spot where he would be out of the way of the sailor, and sits down to wait for when he is needed.
Kilsa look at Mirana's blushing face and shakes her head. She decides not to make the moment any more arkward and just pats the female on the shoulder before speaking with Angus. "Its been a while Angus how are the weapons I forged for you fairing?" She asked causually.
Mirana yelps a bit when Kilsa pats her shoulder, and looks back to the large badger, seeing only her torso, then stares back out to the boat, "Yeah... what they will be debating will be... interesting." She leans on her staff as she watches the small boat move up to the ship and ponders how to keep out of the way if she can't really be of help.
Selena sprints down the shoreline, boarding the boat with haste. The wolf smiles up at the group and waves sheepishly. "Hey there." she pants.
The boat carries Arimia, the golem, Selena, and Bite to the ship, where they too are helped up, before the ship takes off, working it's way around rocky coasts towards their destination. Half a day goes by before someone comes out and says "We're getting close, prepare to be dropped off." Bite giggles with excitement, pulling out an empty bag and smiling. "Well sssweeties get ready, this is going to be fun." she hisses as she stretches, checking her dagger. They are all instructed to wait for the boat to take them ashore, but Bite gets a head start, diving into the water and swimming off as the first group is asked to board.
Arimia flashes a smile at Selena as she catches up. When informed of the arrival, and Bite's subsequent departure from the boat she gives a small roll of her eyes. She offers a small wave and dives off the ship as well, golem stepping off after her. Seems she's confidant in her ability to swim. And her golem's ability to simply walk along the bottom.
Angus glances up at Kilsa and gives her a smile as she asks about his weapons. "They are fairing extremely well, once again I am amazed at there craftsmanship as they have prove their worth time and again." As both Arimia and Bite dive off into the water he rises from his seat and gives Kilsa a nod, before he waves to Selena. "And I think that they will be proving it again very soon now."
Kilsa grins, "I consider a good weapon or armor as a good friend the more time you put into it the better the results will be. A well built weapon is still poor if you don't train with it well. I bet your weapons and armor have a history that is almost as close as some of your friends or lovers." She winks at Angus.
Mirana looks a bit excited as the ship sails, and keeps herself occupied by doing some light math work, a slight breeze past her, or a bit of fire to flick at her fingertips, keep the mind sharp and you're ready for anything her father had told her many times. When they arrive, she takes a possition next to Kilsa, "Are we ready for this Kilsa?" she asks, unsure of what she is getting into, still not making full eye contact.
Selena returns Arimia's smile and takes a moment to plait her hair, giving Kilsa and Angus nods in acknowledgement. "Hey, Kilsa, Angus, Mirana. How've you been?" she asks with a smirk, opting to board the disembarking vessel with the rest rather than swim after Bite and Arimia.
The serpent reaches what appears to be a steep rocky cliff first, stretching and preparing to climb up to the top when her friends arrive. The boat begins to carry Angus, Kilsa, Selena, and Mirana over towards her, and the already approaching Arimia. It seems Mirana's practicing on the boat had an unwanted effect, a delayed gust of wind that slows their progress forward for a while.
Arimia pauses and stares up the cliff, but makes no move to climb it. Instead, after a bit of waiting, her golems shoulder break through the sea, the golem already climbing the cliff. The 'coon moves to sit on one of it's shoulders before it gets too high up and starts to ride her golem to the top, calling down, "I am presumin' we wanna be up there, yeah?"
Angus continues to smile at Kilsa. "You could say that." As he climbs into the boat he glances at the steep cliff and whistles "I'm guess we are going to have to climb that, aren't we?" When the gust of wind starts to slow their boat down he sighs, before leaning back and crosses his arms behind his head. "Well atleast we have a cool breeze while we wait for shore."
Kilsa waves at Selena, "We are going find, we are currently having a discussion on how weapons are like friends." She grinned and look at the two swimmers in the distance. "Though I'm a good swimmering I perfer not to swim if I don't have to." She give a small chuckle at Angus comment about the wind. "Thank the creators for small blessings."
Mirana as her warm ups seem to be causing a slow down, she stops, and looks down a bit. "I can swim well enough, but, I'd rather not myself." Once they get to shore she stands next to Arimia and her golem. Sighing as she looks up, "More climbing? I guess Kilsa is right about non-math training." The single tailed vixen looks about, observing how hard it will be to climb and trying to spot anything that could be a stair or if using earth magic to make a more climbable serface would be a possility.
Selena nods to Angus. "Yeah... You have fun with that." she chuckles. "Kilsa, I still need to talk to you about something. Now's not the time, though." the wolf smiles, taking a few steps out of the boat as it draws to the shore. "As much as I'd love to join you in pulling yourself up the cliff, I think I'll just meet you at the top." The wolf waves to the group, leaping over to the clifftop. A small zephyr casts her landing point to the left slightly, though she easily makes her way back to a more resonable position, beginning to search for somewhere to tether a rope.
Bite watches Arimia and Selena climb up the cliffside before scaling it herself, using a combination of air magic and atheletics to easily reach the top. She hisses and looks down an incline into the mouth of a volcano.
Arimia lets out a soft sigh as she stares down into the volcano. She glances at Bite and says, "We gotta go in here, don' we?" She turns to stare back into the volcano, then asks hopefully, "Or are we jus' goin' around? To another area?"
Angus tracks Selenas accent for a few minutes before turning back to Kilsa and Mirana. "So, what do you think. Wait for a rope, or just climb the sheer side of the cliff and risk life or limb." Crossing his arms he trys to keep himself steady while the boat continued to rock with the waves. "Does anyone want to make this intresting, last one up buys the drinks?"
Kilsa smiles at Angus and nods, "I think I'll take you up on that. Just to give you a handicap. I won't use my ninja soul gem annnnd I'll have Mirana on my back." She flexes her arms and stands near the wall. After waiting for Mirana to climb on her back before smiling, "I'll wait for you at the top." Kilsa begins to climb the wall with little effort her balance is amazing for such a large creature.
Mirana climbs up on Kilsa's back and holds tightly, "Just let me know if I can help you at all Kilsa, any math or anything." She holds on to the badger's neck with her arms, and tries to get her legs around the Heavy Folk as tight as she can. She doesn't dare us any math while Kilsa is climbing, not wanting to cause any shaking or such that would cause her to drop, unless Kilsa should ask for it.
Selena looks across at the snake unamused. "You've got to be kidding." She grumbles and nods to Arimia. "Hopefully not. It's hot enough up here." The wolf comments, though she doesn't seem to be too concerned with the current situation, leaning over for a moment to watch the others climb up.
Bite giggles and shakes her head. "In we go sssweetie." she hisses, pointing to a very dry every empty hole in the center. "It shoudn't be too far but this is the best chance we have." she hisses and smiles, waiting for everyone to get up and join her.
Arimia gives a nod of her head, hopping off her golem and letting it go walking toward the hole first. "I'm going to see how deep the hole is. Need to know if we'll need a rope." She starts to follow after her golem, heading for the hole to peer down it, attempting to see how deep it is.
With a soft grunt Kilsa makes it to the top of the Cliff with a large smile. "I guess drinks are on you Angus." She smiles widely and let Mirana off before reaching down and waiting for Angus to get close enough for her to help him up. "You should go to the quarry with me some time. Thats where I would often have to climb up and down while mining for materials. Now shall we shall we join the others?" She grinned.
Angus grunts as he manages to catch onto the lip of the cliff, and is instantly greeted by Kilsa's offered hand. "Yup, looks like it. you want wine or ale?" Smiling he accepts the offered hand and takes his defeat in stride. "Sounds like fun, last time I was at the quarry a rock spider decided to take a swipe at me."
Mirana climbs down off of KIlsa's back and looks into the inactive volcano, "I'll take mead thank you, nothing too strong." She says back to Angus. Leaning on her staff she looks over to Arimia, "Any indication on how deep it is Miss? Or what we'll find down there?" she looks to Bite for answers as well. Looking over to Kilsa once more, she curtseys, "Thank you for helping me up here Kilsa."
Selena nods to Bite. "So, what exactly are we here for?" She asks. "Other than the obvious." the wolf adds quickly with a smirk. "I'm surprised I haven't run into you over there, Kilsa. I source materials from there too. Some very nice stone there." She comments. "Welcome to the top, you three. I... Think I'll pass on the drink. I had enough yesterday to last me half a week."
Bite giggles and hisses "Theres a statue down there that I want, and theres supposed to be more treasure but thats all I know." She produces a rope, working it into a crack and tying it to a rock, before setting a rock on top of the rope just in case. "Well sssweeties lets decend." she says and starts to climb down the rope, dropping onto a ledge and staring into a very dark hole.
Arimia gives a small shrug and follows down after Bite. Her golem, however, waits up top, the 'coon figuring if the rope will prove unsecure on anything it would be on her golem. Once she reaches the ledge she looks around then starts digging through her things. "Bit of light would be nice. I have a bullseye lantern somewhere."
Angus takes a second to catch his breath after climbing the rock face. "So I'm guessing everyone just mead then?" shrugging he walks over towards the rope and peers down at ledge where Bite is. "Oh look more climbing, this should be a breeze." grabbing the rope he chuckles to himself, before decending down to land on the same ledge.
Kilsa look at Angus and shakes her head with a chuckle, "I'll take any mead, ale, tea or beer that allows me good converstation with friends." She grabs on to the already set rope and starts to decend. "Into to the depths..." She says with a grin and a bit of an itch to find anything that might benefit promise.
Mirana looks down the rope, and climbs down it after Kilsa. Upon reaching the ledge she blinks into the darkness. "I'll get us a small light everyone," Working over some math she makes a small flame hover above her left hand. She looks about in the new light, hoping not to be too close to anyone when she does it.
Selena sighs quietly. "Light would be nice. I won't be able to light the shaft up without the risk of burning someone." She calls down to Arimia, grabbing hold of the rope and beginning to lower herself down. "Once we get to... Wherever's at the bottom, I should be able to do something more substantial, if Mirana can't. For now, I'm going to put some air down. Just in case." The wolf comments, pulling a soft breeze down the hole in her wake.
As the party proceeds downwards into the shaft they are buffetted by a small cloud of salt from where the sea-water had dried up, propelled by a out of place gust of wind. Mirana lights up the passage, revealing interesting carvings in the walls, along with statues carved from stalagmites. An eerie glow beckons them further into the passage.
Arimia gives a small nod to Mirana as she lights the walls, but still pulls out her bullseye lantern, lighting it so she can get some more focused light shining on the carvings on the wall as she moves. Her golem makes it's way down the rope to the ledge, then follows along behind the group.
Angus covers his eyes as the cloud of salt whips pasted them, and gives the carvings a curious glance as they desend deeper into the earth. "so...what are the chances of us accidently running into a city full of mole people." He jokes, trying to keep the mood light even as they continue to decend into unknown territory.
Kilsa smiles at Angus terrible humor, "If we come across such a group we shall act as ambassadors and politely tell them about the outside world." She grins, "Oh and I must be a proper representative of the Church." She chuckles, "I don't think my armor will help our friendlines factor." She grinned as she descended even further.
Selena shrugs. X3 I will likely make some later. When I have a higher light armor skill.
Mirana walks along behind Kilsa, the heat from her small fire causing her no discomfort. She looks along the carvings on the walls, but shakes her head. She needs to do much more studying before she can hope to really match Selena, and she remembers such from back in the town with the evil crystals. Instead she focuses on keeping up the light, despite Arimia's lantern, more then one light is always a good thing. "Well, I guess we'd have to first make sure we all speak a common language right Angus?" she giggles a bit at the attempted humor. The salt spray makes her wonder though what exactly this place was before.
Selena looks around the caves, intrigued. "Now the only question I have is, who thought settling in a cave under a volcano was a good idea..." She muses, examining the carvings intently. "I'm never going to understand some people." She chuckles quietly. "I don't think I've read anything that references this kind of event though." She comments over to the group. "All I'm seeing is that there was some kind of battle, and these people liked their volcanic rock a lot."
A loud sounds similar to a train car stopping can be heard from back in the shaft, and is accompanied by a powerful gust of wind that kills Mirana's light. Bite hisses and looks back, before preparing a spell. It appears the group has company, something as large as the tunnel is wide is slowly working it's way towards our heros, but without light's features seem skewed. Teeth can be made out quite clearly however, almost spine like and jutting out in multiple directions.
Arimia turns her lantern toward the approaching thing, trying to get a better look, as she looks at her golem, the metal creation starting to move toward whatever it is approaching them. She starts to prepare a bit of dark magic in preparation to fight the entity if need be.
Angus blinks and turns towards the sound as the light goes out. Without a word he draws his weapons, taking out a dagger instead of his Rapier since they were in such an inclosed space, and turns to face the oncoming thing. "So, any ideas on what big and ugly thing is charging us now?"
The badger gaves out the nearly hidden creature and step in front of the group and holds her position waiting for one of the mages to act. "If your going to do something. Do it fast." She says softly.
Mirana looks back and quickly relights her fire. She places it at the end of her tail tip, grimacing, but ignoring any discomfort. She looks toward the source of the sounds and that gust of wind, attempting to gather information, but alas, there is a golem standing between her and her target. So, instead, she quickly prepares a simple spell of ice to throw its way should she get a clear shot.
Selena looses some potent math, audibly pulling air from the beast though there's no visible result. She continues to channelher math for a moment before ceasing and bracing herself for combat. "...Lungs are blocked." She announces with a soft pant, taking a few steps back. "I can't wind it, whatever it is."
The sound can be heard again, and as it echos through the tunnel he creature rockets forward, directly into Kilsa. It's force does not stop until it hits Arimia's golem who has pushed towards the front lines, slamming the Badger against the construct. The creature seems to be stunned momentarily by it's abrupt stop. Angus manages to escape behind the golem in time to safety with the mages. As the creature recovers iti starts thrashinig it's teeth around in an attempt to lance Kilsa. Bite unleashes fire upon the creature, casting light on the creatures moist wrinkled body. Hard rigid bones can be seen through the skin, and it's yellow eyes glare at the party.
Arimia unleashes her burst of dark magic, casting a spell to cause it to be less healthy than as would be usual for it. Her golem moves to stop pressing Kilsa against it, firing bolts of fire at the large things.
Angus curses as he barely manages to slip back behind the golem before the creature slams into Kilsa. Sighing he does what little he can from his new spot by hurling throwing knives at it whenever he manages to get a clear shot, while still trying to stay out of the way of the mages as they cast their spells.
The space the golem offers the dazed Kilsa enough room to slip out and narrow avoid beind impaled. She is now stand behind the golem, "RRRRRRRR" She focus her anger and begins trying to make strikes any where she could swing and not hit the golem.
Mirana yips a bit as Kilsa collides with the golem, the two of them sliding back. Everything being so close, she forgos her ice and choses instead to watch and study the creature carefully, as well as look at the situation as a whole. Running what is happening though her sharp mind, she then prepares to give direction on what her careful observations lead her to, making sure to stay behind the front line as she works.
Selena stares down the beast, concentrating for a moment before loosing a barrage of razor-sharp squalls towards the creature's head and mouth with surprising accuracy, hoping for a lucky hit. The wolf curses as Kilsa almost moves into her spell's line of fire, strafing to the side for a better opening.
The creature is buffeted by a barrage of attacks. Kilsa's hammer seems largely ineffective against the creature, who clearly is able to resist such blunt impacts with ease. It's body weakens significantly as dark magic washes over it, causing it to move slightly slower in it's current attempts to mangle the golem, whos fire is largely nullified by it's moist skin. As soon as the daggers and wind reach it however a profound impact can be seen, it's skin pierces easily and the creature recoils. As a dagger easily slides into what is presumably it's forehead the creature gushes fluids at an alarming rate.
Arimia gives a small nod of her head as her dark magic weakens the creature, followed by her golem starting to use claws, spikes and teeth on it, tearing into the creature without regard for the creature trying to do the same to it.
Angus smiles as his dagger prove to be effective, and then slips back behind the others to give them a clear shot. "Seems it doesn't like blades." He grumbles, before readying a few more blades, just in case he managed to get a clear shot.
A soft spurt of fluid catches Kilsa attention as Angus weapons do some real damage. "Oh." Kilsa decides that she utterly sick of this creature. "ANGUS DON'T STAB ME IN THE BACK" She shouts hoping not to take black to the back she drives her hand with much force as she can into the creature forehead wound attempting to widen it. After pushing her hand as deeply as she can she curls her hand hoping to grip whatever passes for innards in the creature and rip it out.
Mirana nods her head a few times, "It needs water to survive, in this kind of place, and, well, it has tough, but thin skin." She looks about some more to try and get more, but seems unsuccessful, water, and thin skinned. She decides to continue her attack from before, forming shards of ice to launch at the creature. She continues to watch carefully though, for any changes in the creature beyond what has already happened.
Selena notes the fluids spurting erratically from the creature's 'head', taking a little inspiration from the attack and sending a whirling spike of wind towards the creature. Though the spell doesn't impale the creature, it slices deep into its flesh as its force dissipates across its skin. "Great, I'll see what I can do!" She calls over to Mirana, and readies herself to cast something a little different.
Bite hisses and unleashes some cuttingi winds of her own, the creature opening futher. As Kilsa shoves her head into the hand it rips apart, the creature flails and screams ini pain as the badger and golem work their magic on it's face. The screaming and thrashing slowly wind down to a stop as the ice shards embedded in it's skin melt. "Well sssweetie... is everyone okay?" she hisses and tilts her head, looking everyone over. "Umm.... I don't think theres another way out either, we're going to have to move that." she adds.
Arimia flicks her ears slightly as the creature dies, and once it stops moving she turns around, looking down the tunnel. "Yeah. We'll have to burn it, or... Move it some other way. But we can think of the way to do that while we're searchin' the place."
Angus sighs in relief as the creature seems to die. As soon as the creature finally stops moving he nods, before giving it a curious look. "I don't think we are going to be moving that thing very easily." Turning around he follows Arimia's gaze and points. "Ok, so who votes we continue down the long dark tunnel towards what might be more of these things...beats just standing here if you ask me."
Kilsa thinks carefully, "I'm thinking we soften the dirt around it or turn it into mud or sand and sink the creature enough for us to just use it as a platform." She grins at Angus, "I'm fine with either one to be honest. I haven't been exploring like this since I went with Sir Rogna and a few others." She grinned obviously in a very jovial mood.
Mirana the creature defeated she thinks fo the best way to remove it. "Well.. it seems to be mostly water and other fluids, we could drain it out and see what happenes?" She offers before walking up to Kilsa and looking her over, her tail fire still burning, she moves it to her hand again, "And, pressing on sounds like a good idea to me."
Selena looks across at Kilsa. "The floor's pretty solid. Might as well kill two birds with one stone; dry this corpse out a bit and put the water to use." She sighs quietly, siphoning out some of the fluid to dry the creature out with limited success. "...Hm. This could take a while." She comments. "We can leave it here and get back to it later." The wolf paces over to the group, and looks to Bite. "So, where to now? And any clue what that thing was, exactly?"
Bite shakes her head to Selena. "I'm not sure at all sssweetie, I've never seen anything like it." she hisses and turns around, looking towards the light that is still calling them closer. Sheh seems excited to move forward, slithering and leading the way towards the light. "I can't wait to get it sssweetie, this is exciting." she hisses and giggles.
Bite shakes her head to Selena. "I'm not sure at all sssweetie, I've never seen anything like it." she hisses and turns around, looking towards the light that is still calling them closer. Sheh seems excited to move forward, slithering and leading the way towards the light. "I can't wait to get it sssweetie, this is exciting." she hisses and giggles. The closer to the light one gets, the hotter the air around them becomes. As the path ends, a hole in the ground drops off into what apears to be a large chamber. A faint orange yellow light can be seen out of the corner of ones eye, on every side, but the ground below the hole overtakes it. It appears to be fashioned from obsidian into a decorative tile floor, a pedistal in the center.
Arimia lets out a soft growl and hurries to catch up to the serpent. "Don't just go running ahead!" the 'coon exclaims. "You could walk right into a trap or an ambush by monsters." She glances around when she arrives in the large chamber, not even seeming to notice the heat. She squints slightly, trying to get a view of anything that may be on the pedestal, without getting closer.
Angus is a little intimidated by that unusual smile Kilsa was giving him and blinks. "Well..I've never had the pleasure of exploring like this before...and besides tight spaces like this make me a little uneasy." Turning around he doesn't say much more as he heads to catch up with Bite as well. When he arrives in the large chamber he instantly notices the change in tempature, and leans down to look into the hole.
Kilsa peers down the path and smiles a bit. "Hmmm. Any ideals? I would suggest we have our fastest lead this way this time? I'm big but I can't do much gainst melting to death." She chuckles and coughs. "Its dry in here but I must say very exciting."
Mirana fallows the rest and looks down the path. She is bothered though by the creature they just faught. She looks to Kilsa and Arimia, then back down the way they came. "I'm going to go with Selena and my idea, and clear the way back out, if you don't mind Miss, and Kilsa. Also.. I need to take another look at that thing..." and the curious fox heads back to the creature to continue studying it as she works on a good way to drain it out and move it.
Selena purses her lips for a moment. "Bite. You've found other statues like this before; what's the chance it's trapped, and if so are we going to need a quick exit?" She questions. "Since if I recall, we still have a large slab of meat to remove from the way back out. Arimia's right about that - What use is a statue if you die before you can appreciate it?" The wolf paces on ahead to the group, taking out her rope - doused in water from the abberent creature. "Whoever's going in better be more heat-resistant than I am. And I doubt I keep enough water on this to stop it from charring." The wolf sighs quietly. "If I wasn't as wary of burning to death down there, I'd check myself since I could get back up." She sighs quietly, and gestures to Mirana. "I'll be with you in a minute, right?"
Bite hisses "Well sssweetie, the others did have plenty of traps." as she points to an obsidian figure perched on the pedistal, just the right color to blend in with the flooring making seeing it a little difficult. "I don't know if we'll need a speedy exit but we should have someone ready to get them out in case the can't on their own." she says and smiles. "So sssweeties, does anyone else want to go or should I hop down there?" she giggles.
Arimia flicks her ears slightly and gives a small frown. "Well, if we have rope, could tie it around a waist an' haul the person up if a speedy exit is needed. An' in that event... I'm the smallest an' lightest."
Angus glances between the two before he clears his throat to get ther attention. "Why not let me go, I'm pretty light on my feet..and if I go it frees up Arimia just in case we need someone to sling some dark magic around." Chuckling to himself he starts to smile. "And besides, I think we have lost enough of our magical 'muscle'...we don't really need to change loosing more to a random trap..now do we?"
Selena tilts her ears back as Arimia offers herself up , handing over her length of rope. "Right. I'll get that corpse out of the way for you." She offers, giving the diminutive raccoon a hug before walking off to Mirana.
Kilsa nods to Angus, "Hey you have a point. I'll wait here and if something begins to cause trouble that isn't lava I'll have your back." She smiles and allowed Angus to continue with his task.
Bite looks to Arimia then Angus and giggles. "Sssweetie if there was a trap what would you do?" she hisses. "Do you know how to disarm it or identify it?" she quizzes further.
Arimia accepts the rope from Selena and starts tying it around her waist. Once she makes sure the rope is secured tightly she gives another end of the rope to her golem, trusting it to hold tight. "I've built several golems, including one that could turn into a chest. I ain't encountered an actual mechanism yet that I couldn't handle." She looks at Angus then and says, "I'm smaller, lighter, an' if it's hot down there I can handle it."
Angus smiles at Bite. "I'm actually not half bad with traps and locks." He was actually going to continue the argument, but since Arimia had already secured herself he sighs. "Alright then, but just be careful." Turning around he walks up to Kilsa to help her in case something attacks.
Kilsa looks down at Arimia, "Arimia..." Kilsa says while looking back up at the wall. "What you doing is something who know how many folk have attempted , you, bite Angus and myself are exploring a place of wonder. I miss this and I'm glad to experience this again with friends both new and old." Kilsa grins looking down at Arimia. "Lets make this something for the Promise historic Records."
Bite giggles and smiles, offering a hug to Kilsa before peering down the hole, watching carefully for anything she can help with from her location. As Arimia touches the obsidian flooring, a tile sinks into the floor and the math lightly etched into it springs to life. In the distance, on all sides of Arimia the orange yellow glow seems to brighten.
Arimia hits the ground and looks around, barely dodging a couple projectiles that fly at her, and not quite managing to dodge one that hits her tail. She curls her tail around and pats out the embers that formed on it's tip from the one that grazed her and looks around. She takes a step forward onto the next tile and starts to fiddle with her soul gems.
Angus curses as the light that springs to life reveals just how many traps are down there..and there is alot of them. Glances about he lets out another curse as he realizes there is nothing much he can do except sit and wait to see what happens.
"Angus close your eyes. Now." Kilsa begins to take off her armor, while she does have chest bindings under it she doesn't feel like explaining herself to Angus. "Arimia! Use these as shields." She tosses both half of her armor down to Arimia each one being large enough to look like an overside tower shield.
Kilsa tosses her armor down the hole to Arimia, a slowly dying giggle coming from Bite as she watches and prepares to react, the armor being missed completely by a distracted Arimia, setting off four or five tiles as it skids to a stop. Bite manages to withhold a few but the previously distracted raccoon cannot hope to dodge them all. Flaming balls of orangey yellow wiz by in all directions, one, two, three brushes with the poor pink raccoon, the final one impacting her backside. Bite does her best to weaken the impact, the projectile leaving a thin layer of burning when it is yanked away.
Arimia lets out a soft growl as she tries to pat out the burning on her rear then just gives up and tears off her smoldering shorts. She throws them on the safe tile she standing on and stomps the flames out, before removing her cloak and wrapping it around her waist in a makeshift skirt. She picks up the burned shorts and stuffs them among her things before calling out, "Lets avoid offering me any more help, yeah? I don' even know how to use shields anyway!" Seems a bit testy. She gives a soft sigh and starts switching her soul gems again, calling out as she does, "You all just stand up there and look pretty! Except you, brat! You can't manage that second, I know!"
Angus honestly had no idea what was going on, as he had his eyes covered. But when he once again hears the brat comment he frowns. "Hey, atleast I didn't fall into a trap and get myself set on fire!" He snaps back as he stands there and wonders what in the world was going on.
The badger groups her body feeling extremely exposed without her armor. "Come On Arimia your smart put the shield between you and things trying to kill you. Heck they are even enchanted to refect projectiles..... Oh.... I could have just jumped down...." Kilsa puts her hand over her face. "By the Creators I'm stupid today."
Bite giggles and shakes her head. "Sssweetie if you'd jumped down I think more traps would have gone off." she hisses and winces, looking to Kilsa but not too closely. She giggles and just looks away so her loyal friend won't feel so self concious. "She also can't jump and dodge as well carrying your armor sssweetie shes smaller than you are.a"
Arimia glances around then with a small nod of her head jumps from her tile to another, then moves across three tiles and takes two small hops, and she's standing at the pedestal. She lets out a soft breath and makes no move to try and grab anything off that pedestal yet.
Angus continues to stand there with his eyes closed, but he does try and follow what is happening with his ears. He can't help but smile when he realizes why Kilsa wanted him to cover his eyes, and with out opening them he slowly removes his cloak, and offers it to her. "I think this might help a little..you won't be so exsposed...and I might be able to actually see what is happening."
Kilsa grunts and takes Angus cloak, "Thank you, Angus, I'll burn this afterward and make you another." She says while tying it around her chest as much as it would fit exposing her midriff. "I look like a dancer..." She growls and look down at Arimia "Is the fire done? Also Angus you are free to look now but keep smiling like that and we are going to have problems." She says with a large blush and a huff.
Bite giggles profusely and nudges Kilsa, whispering something to her before looking to Arimia and her delimia. "Alright sssweetie i'm ready, check for anythinig you want to avoid and get out of there." she hisses and smiles, preparing to act if more fire comes out at the raccoon.
Arimia leans in, looking over the pedestal. After a couple of moments she reaches out and does something to it, though from the ledge it may be a bit difficult to tell what. She then grabs the statue off the pedestal, then flicks her ears and takes a small box under the pedestal as well. That done she shouts up, "All right! Haul me up!"
Angus gives Kilsa a nod when she thanks him for the cloak. "Well, I could always use a new one thank you." His smile grows and he actually starts to chuckle when she threatens him about his smile. "I'm sorry Kilsa, I didn't mean to offend." Leaning over he looks down, and that smile instantly vanishes as he takes in what happened.
Look down at Arimia, "Would it be too much trouble to get my armor too? I kinda don't want to die if another thing attacks us." Kilsa blushed, "Also this cloak is really small and I don't want to have Bite or Angus whispering sweet nothings in my ear." She look at bite and blushed from the compliment she received. "Please?" She said to the Pink Raccoon.
Bite giggles, even as she begins preparing wind magics to help Arimia out of there, letting her make her decision.
Arimia looks up at the edge of the pit and calls out, "My arms are full, an' your armor would involve me crossin' traps to get to it! An' you threw it down an' set my bum on fire! It can stay there!"
Angus trys really hard not to laugh, and manages to make it sound like a cough. "Sorry Kilsa, but it looks like my cloak or nothing." Turning around he sighs, before waving a hand idly. "I think I might go check up on Mirana and Selena, since it seems that things can be handled here without me."
The sharpest blade she could forge could not match the glare she gave Angus, "Thank...You. Now I will greaty enjoy collecting the ore that went into that armor again." She grumble then takes a deep breath, "Oh well I figure if my career as a Crusader fails I'll look for as a tavern girl." She chuckles and give the armor one last forlorn look.
Bite giggles more at the concept of a tavern girl Kilsa, and then works her air magic, slowly drawing the raccoon and treasure towards the hole.
Arimia uses her own air magic based flight to reach the top of the hole, and once there hands the statue to Bite. She hangs onto the box, however, and asks the serpent, "Because we'll be listenin' to a grumblin' badger the whole way back otherwise, wanna see if you can use your air magic to lift Miss Ironsoul's armor back up?"
Kilsa waves her hand, "No matter. I'll take it as a lesson in thinking with a cool when trying to save a friend from fire related death." She smiles, "I can make better armor with enough time." She chuckled, "Leave it in case long after we have passed away some other group of folk finds it." She winked and began walking to where they killed the creature.
The serpent looks back and tilts her head before sighing and nodding, stowing the statue and following Kilsa. If that's what she wants she can leave it there. Back at the monster, Mirana and Selena did a great job of clearing the path, he beast now a deflated pile of flesh, easily climbed over. BIte hops up and pushes forward through the drying heap of flesh.
Arimia starts to follow the serpent up, then seems to remember she she's wearing a skirt, or something like one, and instead lets the others climb up first, planning to be the last out. She also stows the box in with her things, planning to wait until she's in the light, perhaps on the ship, or back in Firmament, to see about opening it.
Kilsa makes it all the way out of the cavern with a smile on her face but every so often taps her shoulder as if she is wearing armor. "It so quiet when you don't her the soft sounds when you walk." She look around and smiles trying to think of a another arrow in her body or being kidnapped or attacked by sea monster or.... Kilsa can't seem to shake the thought of being attacked.
The group makes it out of the cavern, and to the shaft without any trouble at all. Up the rope Bite goes, giggling as she goes. "We did it sssweetie!" she hissses to everyone below as she pulls herself out. The ship in lays waiting in the distance, crew members darting to and fro on deck.
Arimia follows Kilsa up out of the hole and looks toward the ship. "The look a bit busy out there, yeah?" She glances around then says, "I'm going to fly out there. My golem will climb down an' take the boat back with Kilsa." After saying that she uses her air magic flight to launch herself into the air and toward the ship.
Kilsa smiles, "Yeah we did." She grins watching Arimia flying off then suddenly lowers her eyes to the ground. "Modesty." She utters before trying to find anything to look at but her flying comrade. Kilsa look of embarressment is hard to ignore. "So uuuh. What is it that we pick up?" She asked bite.
Bite giggles harder than before as she watches Arimia fly off for a few seconds. "Lower your tail sssweetie." she says loudly before looking to Kilsa. "The last statue, it's going to open up a great treasure." she hisses and smiles, starting the trek down the cliffside.
Arimia lets out a yelp as Bite's words reach her, then grips her cloak tightly around her lower half. She guides herself to the ship and picks an unoccupied section for landing, glaring around her to make sure nobody on board saw. Her golem stomps over to the cliff with the Taipan and badger, and starts to climb down.
Kilsa follow Bite with a grin, "Are we talking about great in the sense of wealth or some sort of inner enlightenment?" She asked with a with a smile, "In these crazy times I could use a little of the second one." She chuckled and stretched, "Regardless we got it and only thing was lost was my armor and my dignity." She teased.
The taipan, Badger, and Golem climb down the cliff and Bite giggles at the bottom, whispering something to Kilsa before hissing "And it's hopefully the first, but I could deal with the second if that was okay." she hisses and nods. She begins to swim to the ship, the golem and badger being carried behind. Once everyone is on the ship BIte gives everyone a hug, before hissing "Let's go home sssweetie."