Treasure in the Dark II - RPLOG
Participants
Date
3/9/477
Log
The darkness of the undertunnels and Grand Karst is almost absolute, but a small camp is set up by the edge of a great, subterranean lake, festooned with all sorts of lanterns to keep the darkness at bay.
"No one is coming Marcuss!" One of the two figures at the campfire mutters, "After that one guy lost his leg last time? Why would anyone in their right minds show up!"
"Shut it, David," the other says, "It hasn't been three hours since we made the posting! I'm sure they will be along soon."
Thelergramor makes his way toward the camp; hands in his pockets and moving slowly. Remembering how jumpy the sparrows were that other time... When they shot him... The wolf calls out to them as he approaches: "Hey! I'm back. Don't shoot me."
"Hey, hey... Why always the doubt? It seems like every time I've been around, you're doubting that anyone is coming." Cassidy slinks along the dark path, hands tucked away in the pockets of her dark red tailcoat, her grand cape trailing behind her as she peers around. "Though I'm surprised to be back here again," she says, withdrawing one of her gloved hands to adjust the porcelain mask on her face.
The nurse shark makes her way to the Undertunnels, shuddering at her earlier experiences with the Creator Machines down there. She notes the gathering at the fire, hoping this is the right spot. She clutches her coat around her more, taking comfort in the oilskin's protection.
A female salamander moved toward the Undertunnels, toward the camp. Wearing a white and brown robe, and her hood on her head. Cythim ready her mind against whatever creatures may be lurking around before joining the others at the fireplace, saying nothing for the time being. Also her left hand is softly glowing with a light yellow color.
It felt good to spread her wings again after such a long stay in that dark dungeon. Angel wasn't entirely happy, but work was work. After a flight to the general area, it was a walk to where the sign had said the pair in question would be. Arriving at the lanterns, she shakes herself a bit, ruffling her feathers, looking at the arguing pair, then around to the others, "Saw your posting, what are the specifics, and can you afford my aid?" She asks, eyes never seeming to settling on any one person for long, tail flicking behind her. Her armor and clothes look very tight on her over all, though, should she assume her birth form vs her sacred family's, her clothes and armor would probably look very loose. She spreads her wings a moment, stretching a bit more before folding them once more behind her.
"See, David!" Marcuss says triumphantly, "You're always too eager to leave!" The sparrows rise from their seats by the campfire and welcome the Freeswords into the little circle of light. "Glad you made it!" he says, "No trouble along the way, I hope? Good!" The sparrow takes up a lantern and passes one to his brother. "This way!" he says, leading the group to the edge of the water and out across a narrow walk way. "This place is only accessible for a few days each month," he says, carefully teetering along the almost submerged walkway, "As some of you may remember. Now that first treasure room was really something, but we think that there is a lot more where that came from."
As the group comes to the end of the path, they find that a long board has been set up between the winding stone walkway and a nearby cavernous opening. "We just want you to delve a little deeper," David finally chimes in, "And you get a cut of whatever you find down there."
Thelergramor rubs at his mask, shrugs at the sparrows. "Well, we're doing the work. So, getting a cut; we'd better, yeah?" A small chuckle at his rhetorical question. The wolf looks over the group; noting who else is around before looking at the board. "Anyone want to go first, or should I?" Not immediately throwing himself to the front; strange.
Cassidy folds her hands behind her back and stands properly upright, humming. "Yes, a cut is fine and all. I just like the exploring and the fun that we are certain to find. But rewards are nice, as well," she says, glancing around. Seems like Natsksa wouldn't be joining them today. A fact that brought a little frown to the face behind the smiling porcelain mask. "Ah well," she murmurs as she gestures ahead. "If anyone would like to, by all means. I am not a very good person to put on point."
Cirra tilts her head, listening intently. Are they hiding something from her that she should know about? it's impossible for her to tell what, though, so she just follows along, staying silent. She herself would not be good for point.
Cythim looks at the duo then at the others folks at the camp, remembering who's there in the group. Following the group in the tunnels, she slowly adapt the luminosity of her hand, becoming like a living lantern, without having to grab one around. Looking at the board, she approach her arm from a safe distance, trying to spot anything under the water. Then asks, "So... we jump in, get the loot and share among everyone? Sounds good. But i'm not going first. I'm not quite well suited for that...".
Angel blinks. "A cut of what we find... I'll give you the benifit of the doubt this time." She says, looking at the water. She looks about the lit cave, using her keen eyes to take in all she can before changing back into her wolf self. She shouldn't need flight in here, and sharp eyes would be trumped by mobility. "If the rest of you are too afraid, then I suppose that leaves me." She says, looking out over the water, "Which direction? In the lake? Point the way." She says. Thinking about it, she decides a change in her skills would be useful, digging through her pack a moment to switch her gems.
"Well!" cries Marcuss, "Off you go then! Best of luck and all that!" The two sparrows give the group a cheery wave, then hurry off back along the trail, taking their lanterns with them.
For those who were here for the last excursion, not much has changed in the large entrance chamber. It is still submerged ankle deep in water trickling from the two blocked tunnels on the right and the left, and flowing in little swirls and eddies down the central tunnel just ahead. The walls were once covered in what must have been a beautiful relief, but now it has been reduced to nothing but pitted and scarred stone. While Cythim's bioluminescent hand helps to keep the darkness at bay, it does little to light the tunnel ahead as it slopes down into darkness.
Thelergramor smiles when he sees the room again, remembering the water that surged through last time. "Right. The open passage; last time, it had a, uh, 'trap', if you will. Dropped a waterfall on our heads and washed us into the next room. Might want to watch for that." The wolf chuckles again; should probably be more worried considering he lost half his leg last time he was here... Thel points to where the floor tiles that looked 'off' are, pointing them out to the rest.
Cassidy brings her hand up to conjure a small orb of flame, using it to provide further light in the room. "Try not to lose your other today, hmm, Thel? I don't believe we have our healers with us. I can cauteraize a wound in an emergency, but there's little else I can do." She shuffles along, folding her hands behind her back once more as she takes in the room. "And hopefully we won't trigger anymore traps this time."
At talk of a waterfall Cirra smirks, knowing that her own abilities would help her in such a situation. She doesn't actually laugh, as she can't, and her lack of noise is probably a mite unnerving. She follows those ahead of her.
Angel twitches her ears at the word of traps. She slincks a little lower to the ground, turning her head this way and that as the stalks through the tunnel. Trying to stay mostly unobserved as well as looking for anything that didn't seem to jive with the rest would be a bit daunting, but a light foot and being attentive could go a long way. Even if she was 'point' that didn't mean she had to be stupid about things. Rather see or hear something before it knew she was there, find something before it could find her, be it a trap or a being.
Avoiding the trapped tiles is quite simple after Thelergramor points them out and the group is able to traverse the sloping tunnel without difficulty. The place is really rather remarkable! Fine stonework is evident in the square passageway wide enough for three being to walk side by side. These walls too were once etched and engraved, though the wear of time and water have effaced whatever meaning these carvings may have once had. Along the walls, every 10 paces or so is some sort of statue. It is hard to say if they were all identical once. Now they are simply malformed lumps of pocked stone that cast eerie shadows in the light from Cassidy's fire. And there, just ahead, is a branching tunnel! No surprise that the last group had missed this, being swept away as they had!
A chill beeze proceeds Natska as the jaguar sprints to catch up to the group, taking the long tunnel in a pair of air-bouyed bounds. She lands just behind Cassidy and grins from behind her black domino mask, then gives the others an elaborate bow before she straightens up, ears perked. "Sorry I am late, I had things to deal with before I could get away," she says quietly. "I remember this place... I hope we don't run into another one of those things."
Thelergramor walks down the passage; not in the front, but immediately behind the one on point. He gestures to the other passage, which, he believes might be worth going down. But, before mentioning that, he turns to Natska. "Better late than never, yeah? And if we see another of those... Serpents... we'll kill it. Maybe, it'll choke on my other leg." A small chuckle, before he continues: "Uh, bad joke. Anyway, another passage. Go through there, or, all the way down to that... water filled pit? Or whatever it was."
Cassidy brightens at Natska's appearance, but she resist the urge to turn around and embrace her. Not while exploring! "I see you decided to get a mask after all! Very nice, dear. Looks wonderful. And yes, I am glad you could make it!" She turns her attention down the branching tunnel, then, and hums. "Well. We didn't get a chance to go that way before, yeah? Worth a try!"
Cirra waves to Cassidy and Natska, remembering them from the last time she saw Jera in town. She blinks at the branching tunnel, wondering what was down the other way that the others are noticing.
Cythim simply waves to Natska too, prefering to focus on what she thinks as important for the given task. Then having moved down through the water, she couldn't be helped but notice something wrong about Thelergramor. "Hey Thel... You'd mind to tells me what happened?!, trying to tune down her voice for not giving the group away, while she looked around for whenever the passages may be.
Angel looks over the tunnel, then back to the others. Seemes they were interested in this one. Well, that was reason enough to be interested herself. Looking around first, she carefully steps toward the tunnel, using what light she has to see if anything it out of the ordinary. She flicks her ears a moment, trying to hear through the talking behind her. She wasn't going to make a sound herself, but she had numberous ways to communicate that didn't involve any sound.
This tunnel seems less worn than the last. Water still swirls around everyone's ankles, but the worn walls seem less scarred and pitted, though the carvings are still so worn as to be indecipherable. Perhaps this smaller tunnel did not have so much water flowing through it. Or maybe it was built of hardier stuff. One thing is certainly evident. This was no creator made tunnel, nor does it seem to be of modern make. Not with all of that ancient scarring. Maybe it really was from before the Arrival!
While the main tunnel sloped gently downward, this one is level. Interesting that the water still flows as swiftly as it does. There must be a source up ahead. And speaking of ahead. . .
As the groups round a corner, they come upon an open room! The walls are etched and carved in a manner similar to the rest of the ruin, only they are much more intelligible. Perhaps they bear some looking into. In the center of the room is a raised dais, and in the center of the dais is some sort of statue. It is a little worn, but it appears to be some sort of beast with seven heads and seven long, serpentine tails. From the base of the statue bubbles a fountain of clear, dark water.
Thelergramor scratches at his neck, taking a moment to look around. Notices something worth mentioning: "Over by the dais; a stone. Doesn't look right. And, no, I'm not going to throw my axe at it this time. Unless you want me to." The wolf keeps his distance from it; in his mind, it is quite ppossible that it extends further towards the group somehow. As for the markings on the walls, the wolf isn't sure they're safe enough to approach. Thel scowls at the statue; looks like the thing that tore off his leg. Possibly.
Cassidy was thankful to be wearing her skirt today. She hated getting her pants wet from such things. As is, she afforded the water on the floor little mind as she glances around the place, humming softly to herself as she keeps her light going. "What do you make of that?" She asks, gesturing towards the slightly raised stone by the dais that Thel had pointed out. "Looks a little out of place, yes."
Cirra blinks, a bit confused and trying to signal to the others. <The well is connected to a huge supply of water. It's deeper than we currently are!> She signs frantically, hoping at least one of the others will understand her.
Cythim notices that Cirra is trying to says something but doesn't understand anything aside that she was talking of the water. Then asks to no-one in particuliar, "Uh... Someone know what she's saying...?". Then focus back on the fountain and the statue. "I wonder why this statue is here... It's creepy...".
