The Fall of the Ancients - RPLOG
Participants
Date
6/3/478
Log
The group is quickly ushered towards the airship and flown towards Western Cliffside with minimal fanfare. The trip doesn't take long before once again anchoring at the city of Braevales, then the group are put on a cart and taken towards the site where they discovered the ancient's city before. The road is filled with checkpoints and patrols, looks like Cliffside is wasting no resource on maintaining the security of this site you can't throw a rock without hitting a soldier around here. From what the group sees during their trip, the soldiers here are a mixture from the Kilt-wearing westerners and their fellow central Cliffsiders.
After an hour or so more, the cart once more stops near the awe-inspiring gates of the city, but the once abandoned site is a flurry of activity now. Craftsmen, scholars, and archeologists move in and out of the city, with notes and carefully handled artifacts with every trip. A sizable camp has been set up outside the city walls where most of the current beings sleep as well as do their discussions and studies, after all no need to ruin a site with allowing beings to sleep in it, who knows what might get destroyed.
The group are allowed to disembark in front of the gate as a couple of guards keep them under their watchful gaze, "Mister Ridgewell will see you soon, please remain here until he does so." One of the guards says in a proper Cliffside city accent. The group would notice that the head of the Shaila which was near the ground here was removed, most likely taken to another place for study.
Zuri spent the majority of the voyage being his energetic self, once again enjoying the novel sights and people more like a tourist than a mercenary on his way to a contract. This time, however, he stuck with the group, not parting from them to poke around or stick his snout where it doesn't belong - rather, he stayed rather close to his two companions. Once arrived at the camp, he lets the other two deal with the guards while he once again admires the ruins.
Fenris laughs melodically as she watches the bouncing Zuri. "I am excited too, little friend," she says in a warm alto, "I am interested to see this city of Shiala's. I have spoken to the Spirit once, you know!" The Feline turned Roo is being a bit incautious in her enthusiasm for finally getting to explore this lost city. In addition to the adventuring gear she wore on the last foray, she seems to have added some sort of silvery stole. Well, it looks like a stole until the little otter golem peers around with emerald eyes.
Cassidy adjusts her hat, dressed up in much the same garb as she was the last time she was out here. Patting off her long black coat, Cassidy steps forward and brushes back her hair, smiling. "I've been waiting to get a chance to go in there. I'm excited to do so."
The group is left waiting for a number of minutes before a third guard comes from the city towards the gate, "Mister Aeneanas wants the Sweetwater sellswords in." says the third guard. The two other guards return back to their posts as third guards motions for the group, "Please follow me. Mister Aeneanas also would like me to stress that secrecy and discretion are key here as well as you should not under any circumstances attempt to take any of the artifacts here. . . or things might not go very well for you." The wolf being says in a rather professional manner before motioning for the three to follow.
Zuri slinks back towards the 'roo being, smiling widely. "Such an opportunity, my friend." He looks around at all the archeologists, explorers and guards around the place. "Makes me wonder why they requested the presence of Freeswords with all this manpower.." He clears his throat as the third guard approaches, turning to him and offering him a polite smile. He nods at his words and follows along when bidden.
Fenris grins down at Zuri. "Because we are crazy!" she says, "And have a unique skill set." She sways off after the guards taking every opportunity to oggle the remarkable, ancient city. "You have nothing to fear from me," she assures the guard, winking at him, "I know how to keep a secret."
Cassidy says, "pot"
Cassidy folds her arms and tilts her head. "I don't plan on taking anything, certainly. I just want to look around!" She wrinkles her nose a little, not entirely impressed with this group, but she'd play along for now. It was convenient for her to do so!
The guard enters and the groups follows him. If the gates outside were marvelous then the city is simply jaw-dropping, even in its quite ruined state. The number of beings here almost doubles, the scholars and researchers moving left and right, meticulously documenting and inspecting each portion of the city. With guards performing regular patrols all around the city, noticeable all the Red Wall soldiers are stationed here and one can spot Blair in the distance talking to some other Cliffside officer.
The group get a nice view of the place as they follow the wolf. Buildings made out of marble surround the area they cross, with statues of spirits, familiar and not, surround the streets and the squares of the city. However, it is quite clear from the looks of it that this city was not just abandoned, but it was sacked. The statues of the spirits look as if they have been intentionally defaced and their 'injuries' follow strange patterns, most likely to considered blasphemous to the ancients.
And thus the group keep getting led by the wolf guard across the remains of this once-proud city, until they reach a really large open area, most likely the town's main square and administration center if the large and masterfully constructed marble buildings to each side of the square are any indication. A domed building that dwarfs the buildings around it lies on the opposite side of the square, the structure's upper wall was adorned with the, now, defaced faces of various spirits and in front of it is. . .or rather was a sizeable marble statue, but nothing is left of it except what appears to be a foot. It is here that the wolf stops and ushers the group inside the building, "Mister Ridegewell await you inside." The wolf says before departing, leaving the group in front of the steps that lead to the entrance of the erection. There are more soldiers standing guard here, as well as more flood of activity around the group. It is as if all the experts of Cliffside were inside this place right now.
Zuri followed along with the wolf, going silent as he observed the statues with great interest. One of the defaced statues drew his attention in particular, pausing for a moment to examine it carefully, as well as the damage done upon it. Not wanting to stray far from the group and risk being kicked off he hurried back to join the group once more. "Mmm.. I don't suppose either of you is versed in the meaning of all this? Or even some of this?"
Fenris gapes at the immensity of the place. "How did it take us so long to find this city?" she breathes to herself, "It is massive!" The curvy kangaroo examines the statues as they pass, floored by the number and variety. "Do you think these are all Spirits?" she asks, "And if so, where are they all? I mean, we have only seen a handful of these!" With the vast variety of Spirits and their forms, one can only speculate at the shape of the original inhabitants of Promise. "Have you ever met a Spirit, Zuri?" she asks the little lizard, "They are all supposed to be quite remarkable."
