DUngeon Dleving, Part 1 - RPLOG
Participants
Date
27/8/478
Log
Anyone who accepts this job are given their contract and told to meet the Pathfinder's Society's liaison in Braevales. So whether by land, sea, or sky, the sellswords who took this job would all end up reaching Braevles. The trading port city on the west side of Cliffside is as cold as ever with the harsh winds descending from its mountains blue down on its hardy folk. The adventurers will group up on the city's gates where a small caravan awaits them. Greeting the beings as they arrive is a great bustard in an immaculate dress with a heavy coat above it. The being holds a no-nonsense expression on his face as he checks a book in his hand while the being file in.
Zuri arrived in Braevales by air, of course, the small amphiban having quite the affinity for air travel these days. After finding the correct place and spotting his contact, he moves up towards the bustard being, smiling and waving at him as excitedly as only a salamander can be. "Hello sir! Zuri Pondleaf reporting for duty!" He peers around at the rest of the group as they gather around.
Kyth took a ship to Braevles, and having heard the weather tended to be cold in the Cliffside this time of year, a thick woolen clock of patchwork white blue and browns has been thrown over her other attire, and likewise as if in reflection of her inner chill, the normally black-furred otter is pure white, both ears tucked tightly against her head. Her tail is even curled up underneath the wool material as she plods along to meet the caravan at the gates, the contract with the details written out on it grasped in her left paw. There's a slight chatter to her sharp teeth as she approaches in time to hear Zuri's name, giving the Salamander a look over and then speaking up, "Kyth Risahlia here as well."
Fenris arrives, sauntering out of the city gates. The tiger is back in his old leather coat, but sans his customary fluffy fur. The burns that marred his skin seem to be mostly healed, though the scars remain and his ruddy skin has not chosen to sprout new fur yet. Otherwise, he seems to be in good health and high spirits. He smiles at Zuri's enthusiasm and gives the Bustard a nod in greeting.
Natska arrives on site, looking around at the rest of the assembling adventures. She gives Fenris a concerned frown, following close behind the tiger as she looks for the right Being to report to.
Dressed in a substantial cloak, and looking quite at home in the cold weather, the lynx passes out of the city gates, moving to join the assembled group. He'd been in Braevales for the past few days on business, and was glad that this lucrative contract popped up when it did. Recognising the bustard as a member of the society who had hired them, Reginald offers up a greeting nod, before taking a place at the back of the group, adding, "When do we head out?"
Cassidy shuffles alongside Natska, adjusting her tall hat and giving her wife's shoulder a squeeze. "Well, you wanted a chance to see ths place, yeah? Looks like now will be your chance! And you didn't miss too much last time, as I recall."
The bustard nods his head at the assembled beings before looking at Reginald and Zuri, "Mister Zuri and Mister Reginald, your contribution to this expedition will be noted in books." the bustard says in a serious, calm voice before looking back at the rest of the group, "Please, your name and surname." he says, noting down Kyth's name before he coughs and begins his tirade, "Thank you for accepting a job for the Pathfinder's Society. Client, Ridgewell Aeneanas. Payment, six hundred crowns per being. Job description, you are all hired to secure an underground section of an ancients city, eliminating all threats, and reporting what you find. Nothing else." the bustard then looks down on his book, "You will be expected to face various underground lifeforms that might have infested the city in its long period of abandonment. The society will be responsible for any major injuries that you receive. However, we are not responsible for any action you do that might result in annoyances to the client." the being then nods his head and begins again, "The client have noted that I should inform you of those three things. First and foremost, the client have insisted that not even a single pebble will be taken from this ruins without his direct knowledge. Second, the client warns of the excessive use of mathemagic or force, as some of the objects underground are flammable, and also easily breakable. And finally, the client warns of touching anything important looking as it appears some of those items are used as part of traps or punish any who touch them in many ways. Essentially be careful there are some active traps down there." the being finally closes his book and looks back at the assembled beings, "Any questions or are you all ready to go?"
Zuri smiles at the bustard, nodding at his words. He tries to play down his familiarity with the other being, content to be just one of the hired swords this time around. He grins. "Clear out the bad things, don't damage anything, don't touch anything that's obviously a trap, don't take anything that Mister Ridgewell would disapprove of, got it!" He turns to the rest of the group, tail whipping excitedly behind him. He gives a friendly nod to Reginald, and smiles -very- wide at Fenris. "This is gonna be fun!"
Kyth nods seriously as she listens, grasping the cloak a bit tighter around herself as she looks over the rest of the assembled group, "Right then, sounds easy enough, well the rules anyways, we'll see about these ruins." A little shiver runs from the tip of her snout down to her legs, a wriggle the back of her robes as her tail follows suite, "And we'll be enjoying your fine company as well good sir?" She asks of the Bustard.
Fenris raises a hand in greeting to the others he knows joining the group. "Understood," he says to their handler, "Mister Ridgewell has nothing to fear from me." Aside from that thing about not touching things that should not be touched. The tiger has some bad habits in that regard. He returns Zuri's smile with one of his own. "You bet it is!"
"Hmm... Minimal magic, huh." Cassidy shakes her head. "I'm ready to go," she says, reaching up to adjust her soulgems. "I'll try to keep any burning to a minimum, then." She checks her sword, making sure it is secure against her hip.
Natska quietly snickers. "Natska and Cassidy Solacious," she introduces the pair to their laison. "And if getting caught in a trap "annoys" Mister Ridgewell, then f damages will not be covered? " she asks. She gives her black half-jacket a little tug, and her tail, bearing a black ribbon tied in a bow, swishes back and forth.
Content that all the important details of their task had been covered, Reginald inclines his head to the bird, before moving off. Whilst returning Zuri's nod, with a smile on his face, the feline makes his way to the caravan with the aim of embarking, intent to get this contract underway.
The bustard shakes his head, "Apologies if I made it sound like that. Mister Ridgewell's only concern is that nothing gets taken and nothing gets grievously destroyed. The trap part is simply a warning for you as there have been a number of deaths due to them already." he comments before pointing at the caravan, "I will not be joining you. Please embark on the caravan. You will be joined by one of Ridgewell's men during your expedition."
Zuri skips over towards Fenris, smiling up at him. "I'm glad you were well enough to join us Mister Fenris." He turns to the bustard and nods. "Right, off we go!" He dashes off towards the caravan, already eager to explore the new ruins.
Kyth nods softly at the bird and follows after Zuri. From within her robes her tail stretches out before her and a crude looking oaken staff is taken up in her hand, using it to help haul herself up into the caravan's wagon and then turning about and offering a paw to anyone else that would like assistance climbing in, "Name's Kyth by the way." She offers to any that might have missed her giving her name when they all first arrived.
Fenris follows after Zuri at a rather more sedate pace and climbs carefully into a wagon, accepting a little help from Kyth. "Thanks, Kyth," he says, "Call me Fenris." He does his best to get comfortable as the journey begins. Best to save his energy for the ancient city, after all.
Cassidy nods curtly and smiles at Natska, moving off for the caravan. "Well! Let's hope it's not too bad, then, huh? I'd hate to go and annoy anyone with things outside of our control!" she says, flashing a grin to the jaguar as she moves on, a bounce in her step.
Natska tips her hat, then makes her way to the caravan, finding a seat. "Fenris. I hadn't heard. I hope you're recovering well?"
Reginald , who had already boarded the caravan, was busy carrying out one final check of his equipment. Having yet to enter an Ancient City, the lynx was a mix of curiosity and cautiousness, as he settled in for the journey.
The trip through the mountain paths of western Cliffside was uneventful, eventually the path led to that sharp bend that anyone who came here before knows the magnificence that it hide after the turn. The caravan takes the turn and allows the group to gaze upon the magnificent ruined city hid among the mountains surrounding it. The camp outside is way more comfortable looking than when the group first came with a couple of guard towers and even some permanent wooden buildings for the comfort of the soldiers and scholars stationed in here.
The caravan is immediately stopped once it reaches the camp. the group quickly disembarked with minimal fuss and assigned to an escort who walked them towards their destination. The walls for those who come here for the first time might be daunting, huge walls that would almost dwarf the city of Cliffside's own walls, and a huge, wide gate. Three thunderhooves can comfortably rush through this opening without the trouble at all. However it is obvious that the gate has been destroyed by war, one of large metal gates still limply hanging from its equally big braces while the other gate is on the ground, and helpfully moved out of the way by the soldiers, one can only wonder how many beings were needed to move it out of the way. The soldiers stopped in front of the gate before their leader looked back at the group, "You will follow us to the city hall, you can gawk but do not dawdle." he says before he turns around to continue their journey.
Zuri slides off the caravan, taking a few steps back towards the gate and looking up at it, admiringly. He turns back towards the group and waves the rest of the group onwards. "Yea, no dawdling!" The energetic 'mander races back to the caravan, waiting for Fenris to walk alongside him.
Kyth eases herself down, again with the aid of her oaken staff, and glances over the energetic Zuri, looking back over the others in the group and giving Fenris a smile. She was quite quiet during the ride, "A pleasure good sir." She had offered in response to his greeting before hand. Now the white-furred otter makes her way after Zuri, looking over the walls with amazement and awe clear upon her features, "My goodness, what a place, a land of giants may haps?" She moves a bit slower than she normally does as she tries to take in some of the details, not doubt soon ending up near the back of the group.
"I will live," Fenris assures Natska, "I've been getting daily treatments with the sacred doctor from Memna, or on my own while I was traveling. It has helped the burns immensely and my ribs should be nearly mended. No need to worry about me." The burned tiger steps carefully from the cart and follows along after the soldiers, hands jammed deep in his pockets as he soaks in the strange city. He snorts at the perfunctory manner of the lead soldier. "Charming," he mutters, but shakes it off, much more interested in the city than the manners of his host.
Cassidy slips off the cart, stretching out and rolling her shoulders. "I like what was done with the place," she comments, settling her hands on her hips as she takes in the camp. She doesn't get much time to admire it, though, before she's moving off towards the ruins with the others. "And yes, I hope you heal up soon, Fenris. It's not the same seeing you without all the fluff."
Reginald , last off of the caravan, hurries to join the rest of the beings. Despite its obvious disrepair, the Ancient City is still a sight to behold, and he can't help but wonder what it looked like in its heyday. Speaking of which, just when was that? The lynx raises a question to whoever may know the answer, "Just how old are these ruins?"
Natska certainly does a bit of modest gawking as the caravan rounds the turn and approaches the camp. By the time they have arrived, however, she is finished and ready for the next step. She sticks close to Cassidy, hand on her hat brim to keep it in place.
The soldiers continue their march through the city. The signs of battles are even more clear now, those who came before would notice that the place had certainly been 'cleaned up' as there appears to be less random clutter and ancient bones lying around. The city seems to follow the ancient standards of architecture. Most buildings are made of marble and smooth stones, with, what must have been at sometime, perfectly cobbled roads, and as always statues of spirits litter the streets and decorate buildings; however, most of them seem to be destroyed, and obviously on purpose as if one was trying to commit a sacrilege of some sort. It would get more noticeable by the second that the roads and objects here were made for creatures that would even be taller than the heavy folk, if those huge stairs and doors are any indication.
The group eventually began moving down one of those stairs into a huge square of some sort. The square is decorated by a circle of ruined statues, however they do not depict spirits but rather some kind of tall, spindly creatures, all beheaded, and in the center of that circle is a huge statue, that must have have represented a spirit at some point, but who is that spirit is lost to the ages as nothing but a foot remains on that statue. At the end of this square is one of the more magnificent, and largest, buildings in this city, obviously the 'town hall'.
The guards waste no time moving the group across this square and once more up a set of stairs to enter the town hall. There in the 'lobby' of the building a group of beings await, in the center is the chubby, aging jasmine with a jolly grin on his face.
Zuri slows down to join Kyth instead, smiling at the otter. "Hi there! Kyth, wasn't it?" He waves at the city as they walk around. "Yea, this is beautiful isn't it? I explored one of these before and it wasn't anywhere near as majestic!" He giggles. The salamander perks up on hearing Reginald's question, and speaks up. "They're really old. They're several centuries old at the minimum, certainly from before Arrival, possibly twice as long as that. I'm sure other beings will know more about it tho."
Kyth offers the lizard-folk a bright sile as he approaches, bobbing her chin in affirmation of her name, "Hello Zuri. Yes, yes it is, very... beautiful and exotic." She looks over the remains of a statue's face for a moment as Zuri fills in the blank on the possible age of the place, "Goodness, well what ever they were, not quite our sized were they. Would hate to run across one now adays, unless we got a giant net." The otter-girl giggles and then takes a few quick steps to catch back up to Zuri and the group.
Fenris is rather lost in thought as he looks over the ruins of the city. This place was eerily like his last foray into a city belonging to the Ancients. As the group is led into the central building, he nods and gives a loose salute to the plant being. "Mister Ridgewell," he says.
Cassidy adjusts her hat as she steps into the town hall, offering a gentle smile and a nod towards the plant. "Hello again. I can't say I was actually expecting to -see- you this trip. I figured someone would tell us on your behalf and off we'd go!" She says with a chuckle.
Natska bows her head slightly towards Ridgewell and gives him a small smile. "Yes. Nice to meet you again. So where are we going from here?" she asks, ear twitching once.
Those who had a sense of high society would notice a bit how the beings with Ridgewell while dressed rather drape, are some important people, with the way they carry themselves, must be some rich merchants or even councilors.
Ridgewell grins at Fenris, "Hello there, Fenris. I see that you have been busy, what was it a baking accident?" the jasmine says teasingly before looking at Cassidy, "Ah, I always have business to attend to here my girl. And it is quite rude to send people into mortal danger without wishing them good luck, no?" he asks with a chuckle before gesturing for the beings to continue their passage, "Well you know the drill Lady Solacious, Mervyn is waiting for you near the underground entrance." With that said, the soldiers salute the assembled beings and lead the group across the lobby into a large circular room at the back, more soldiers guarding here and a set of stairs leading to a large entrance underground. The sparrow being known as Mervyn is standing there as the group arrives, "Ah, hello there. Ladies and gents, any questions or worries before we dive into the unknown?"
Zuri nods at Kyth. "Yea, they don't call 'em Ancients for no reason, after all!" He giggles and steps forward to listen to Ridgewll speak. As they are sent off towards the stairs the salamander begins to gin. He knows that if Ridgewell is involved, then that can mean only one thing... and there he is! Zuri dashes forward to greet Mervyn, waving at him very excitedly. "Hi Mervyn! I'm totally ready! No questions!" He bounces on his feet. "Oh wait, one question, are we the first ones in, or did anyone else go in first?"
Kyth tilts her head to examine the fellows associated with Ridgewell, absorbing his words and offering a polite smile in return to his tiding of good fortune. As the energetic lizard darts off ahead towards the stairs and engages the one known as Mervyn in conversation the sorceress gently pushes aside her robes and checks a simple leather pouch that resides on her hip, tilting the flap back and running her fingers over the vials inside, making sure her healing herbs and tinctures are accounted for before she replaces the leather covering and pulls her robes about herself tightly again.
"Something like that, Mister Ridgewell," Fenris accepts the jibe with good humor and allows himself to be ushered along. "Let's get to diving, Mervyn!" he says, "I always have questions, but none you are likely to have answers to!" The burned tiger heads straight for the stairs.
Cassidy nods at Ridgewell. "Well! The gesture is appreciated," she says, giving a little bow before turning to leave with the others to meet up with the sparrow. "And hello again to you, as well. Hopefully this remains a smooth trip!"
Natska tilts her ears back at the jasmine's words, but continues smiling politely. "Thank you, mister," she replies, then follows the soldiers towards the entrance. Her hands pat over her gear one last time making sure everything is in place, then she gives Cass'arm a quick hug. "So what should I expect, dear?"
Mervyn waves back at Zuri before shaking his head, "Nah, you are the first. Ridgewell and the society had got into some serious discussions about being allowed to explore the ruins on his behalf when he allows it." the sparrow says before looking back at the rest of the group, "You are correct, I would not know the address of the elemental dragon who pranked you." he quips back at Fenris, "Very well then, follow me." the sparrow comments before he signals for some of the guards to open the gate then moving down there himself letting the group follow him.
The underground portion of the city was the same as what some of the group saw before, long wide walls decorated with murals with the occasional room that contains some types of furniture or old dust of what must have been food of some sort. Luckily for the group it appears that the archaeologists have filled the tunnels with small mathemagicial lamps for improved lighting. The group traverse this huge maze-like 'city' for half an hour before they finally reach a tunnel that was obviously excavated recently, "And here we are. Be careful now. We have reasons to assume that it was the 'invaders' of this city who sealed this section of the tunnel for some reason or the other." he says as he points to a group of unrecognizable pieces of bones with scorch marks around the walls of the dead creatures, "This place is filled with traps." he says before taking the first turn the group meets....
The group moves on for a couple of minutes before Cassidy, Fenris, and Zuri notice one of the more fantasy type of traps one would find in novels. The stones covering the floor ahead are all covered in some form of symbol, between all the pieces of stone there are four symbols. Both Zuri and Fenris would notice two of the symbol types lead completely across the trap floor.
Zuri nods at Mervyn. "Good, good, all the more fun if we're the first!" He quietens down as they enter what's bound to be the dangerous portion of their trek. He notes the burnt creatures with a nod to Mervyn. "Yea.. so I see.." Fortunately that does alert the small salamander to start looking for tripwires, pressure plates... oh what's that? He stops, urging his friends to do the same, then approaches the curiously tiled floor slowly. "Huh... first guess, don't step on things. Second guess..." He wiggles his snout at it, trying to discern how to overcome this trap. "Weird symbols."
Kyth listens intently a the group wanders the city, often in silence though she does make a few little 'hmphs' and 'ahhh's at little things she notices in the arcitecture. As the round the corner the charred bones give her a bit of a jolt and she twists her snout up in disdain, leaning on her staff before the group rounds the corner. Then ever is still and looking over a series of tiles, "Well, reminds one of hopskotch doesn't, I'm guessing not landing on the correct one doesn't end in being called clumbsy in this game." The otter takes a few long moments pondering over the symbols, nodding in agreement with Zuri, "Yeah, let's not step on things.... I meaaaaan.. it is embedded into the earth... could... I mean I'll leave that decision up to you, shall you require any, shaping of the earth below plates, just let me know."
Fenris smiles and shakes his head a little at Mervyn's jab, then stops at the remarkable looking floor beside Zuri. He takes a moment to look over the area ahead, shrugs his shoulders, then saunters confidently across the tiles, carefully stepping only on one of the two symbols that leads all the way across. "See what happens," he calls back, "Follow my steps if it is clear."
The moment Fenris stands on the 'fish' symbol the floor begins moving. All the plates with the fish symbol on them raise themselves, forming a path across while the rest of the stones depress, well then looks like their choice is clear now.
Cassidy tilts her head, watching the floor start rearranging itself upon Fenris' touch. "You don't waste any time, huh, Fenris," she murmurs, peering at him while her ears flick. "And I don't know, Natska! All we ever did before was just look at things."
Natska gives Cass a small nod, then Fenris. "Alright, expert. I will be just behind." She waits for the tiger to make sure it's clear, then follows. "
Reginald , having followed the group quietly, takes out his light crystal when they enter the darker part of the ruin. Turning it on, it emits a white glow, illuminating their nearest surroundings. Letting it hang from the front of his jacket on a chain, the lynx then reaches around to take his wheellock carbine off of his shoulder and ready it.
When faced with the floor puzzle, and Fenris' boldness, the feline just stares in disbelief, before calling over to him. "You're either a damn sight smarter than the rest of us, or someone's watching out for you! Either way, I wouldn't recommend doing that again." He finishes by motioning to Fenris' currently furless state.
Mervyn snickers and follows the group as they pass over the trap, "Nice trap, eh? The first that the scouts met." he comments with another snicker. The group continue moving through the hallways of this section of maze until they eventually end up in a room. This place looks abandoned with no interesting feature except the various marble tables and chairs and the open path at the other side of the room. That is until Kyth realizes just in time the number of odd rocks at the ceiling of the room, they certainly look quite strange for 'rocks.' "Be careful." Mervyn comments as he eyes the rocks that Kyth pointed out.
Zuri stops once Mervyn calls out the danger, the small salamander peering up at the strange rock formation. "Hmmm..." The salamander assumes those rocks to be some sort of trap, about to fall down on them after being tripped by some pressure plate or similar. He steps forward, keeping his eyes on the ground as he scans for just such a thing.
"Oh hey guys, ceiling, sharp maybe rock things. Just watch your heads, lets not go testing anything quite yet 'eh Fenris?" A cheeky little smile is given to Fenris as Zuri starts scouting out the floor, but Kyth is looking up, "Yah know, with some very minor manipulation I could probably shift just enough earth within a few minutes to cover them up and make them encased in a layer of the stone, might work. Up to you Zuri boy."
Fenris saunters along with his hands still in his pockets. "I'm too old to wait around," he says, which seems odd, since despite his injuries he is obviously pretty young, "Besides, it was a gamble either way." The tiger takes note of the indicated rocks and walks a circuitous route to avoid stepping beneath any of the odd formations.
"Fenris is right. He doesn't really do the waiting thing. It's why he almost ends up dead so often," Cassidy says with a shrug. "And why I tend to stay way back from him, so they I don't get wrapped up in whatever hits him next. Have to be careful around him to make up for it."
As Fenris moves boldly in a circular motion around the rock formation all seems well before a small jittery sounds comes from above before one of the rocks shakes a bit, some eyes and limbs appearing from it before it attempts to pounce Fenris, which he manages to dodge. Suddenly all the rock formations begin shaking before they all drop down on the ground, greetings their dinner. "Ah, rock spiders. the scouts mentioned seeing some of them here and there, but we didn't know where the nest was." he says as he looks around, "I guess we found it." he adds as he gestures to the sheer number of spiders moving on the group. At a quick glance there is more than ten!
Natska perks her ears, then turns a frown over on their guide. "The scouts found all of these things, and you are only -now- telling us?" she asks, tail flicking back and forth as she drops back to stay next to Cassidy. As she does the shadows around her seem to grow ever so slightly thicker and more substantial.
