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[Respite] - Factions
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#721Jhoric had no idea what the weird new guy had said; he said it with a harsh look and bared teeth. He was about to have some strong words with the newcomer, who probably wouldn't understand them, when Fafnir interrupted him.
"Fafnir, I believe that is your name, I do not intend to offend, but you creep me out more than most of the horrors of the Great Abyss. I have never met a lizard as large as you that simply wished to talk, but if you must know, I am just fine. I simply needed to let off some of that which was about to bubble over." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#722Rajani felt the pulse of energy push through her. It was something in the storm, and she didn't like how it felt. She wanted to draw away from it, but there was nowhere to draw away from it, it was everywhere. She felt her skin burning with suppressed power. She recalled the old excercises her mentor had taught her to control the magic that flowed through her veins. She opened her hands, eyes closed. She hummed softly, letting the pitch reach for the pulse of the magic. Like a waterskin that had too much wine in it, she had to let some out before it burst. She could feel the motes rising from her hands.
The light coalesced into balls, she could feel the magic filling them, their light spilling out against the darkness of the storm. Light to fight dark, color to fight despair. The first globe rose, shining gold like the sun of Endkelton. The second rose, a bubbling blue, like the waters of the first stream she saw in Respite. The third rose, it's hue was the color of roses just a moment before the bud opened into the blossom. She felt a flash of heat, embarassment. She was thinking of the rose her husband had given her on the day they were married.
Cast Light/Dancing Lights -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#723The weather changed again.
Hail began to pound down - first small pellets and then larger and larger chunks, tearing leaves from the trees that then swirled in the heavy winds. Protected inside the ruin, the sound of the ice slamming against the stone roof took over the role of stilling conversation. Fragments of ice kicked up and flew inside, though without damaging anything.
Then suddenly, it simply stopped...
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#724"Hooray. Now that this is over, our merry band may continue onward."
Gideon poked his head out of the ruin, to see whether it was safe to leave. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#725Fafnir rushes out of the crowded building to the fresh air. "We must hurry on lessssst we be caught by another freak storm. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#726"Wait one cotten, pick'en minute," hollered Estwick, "I've been drug here all this way to look at rocks, and now we have one, I'm gonna take a damn look!"
Without waiting, Estwick slung himself down to where Balin waited below. After taking out a small lantern, and laboriously lighting it with his tinderbox, he looked carefully at the carved stone of the tunnels.
"No, this ain't right - not at all. This stuff won't bear iron. Maybe further down - not every day ye might have yer mine already dug for ya. Must say the stoneworks pretty tight though, polished like ye were making a statue.. Someone wanna help an old man, or should I jus' crawl?"
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#727Toboran stepped up and said, "I'm happy to help, friend Estwick." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#728Jhoric stood at the entryway, looking out into the storm savaged clearing. Although his pent up energies had been impressive, the sheer magnitude of the destruction the storm wrought was amazing. If this was typical for this world, how would people live here? If it was unusual, then why?
It was then he noticed something glittering in a hole, burned into the ground by a bolt of lightning.
Toboran and Estwick moved down one of the passages, light by clumps of odd green lichen. These patches where overflowing what appeared to be purpose-built containers for them, spaced at roughly 3-pace intervals. It did not take long for the passage to end at a large stone door which seemed to block the entirety of the circular tunnel.
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#729Jhoric stared at the glimmer he had seen laying in the lightning strike's aftermath. Wild thoughts ran through his mind of divine beings placing relics upon the world, or that the lightning had unearthed exactly what they were looking for, metal ore. Deciding a closer look was necessary, Jhoric cautiously approached the small crater. He could faintly see smoke rising from hole, but couldn't be sure if it was real or imagined. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#730Indeed there was smoke, and not just from the lightning strike - nearby smoke also curled from the effects of his prior release.
But indeed, something glittered in the hole burned into the very earth by the lightning strike.
Anyone do anything with the door? -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#731"Okay, I'm going out to look. You play nice in here."
The half-ogre squeezed out again, scraping against the rough stone; then, sword raised, he advanced towards the hole. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#732Looking closer, Jhoric saw what seemed to be crystals or perhaps even gemstones in the hole. Whatever it was looked well within reach.
Gideon stepped up behind Jhoric and looked down also, seeing the crystals glittering in the hole.
The door was odd - there were handles mounted at awkward angles, and they did not seem to be meant for pulling...
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#733Jhoric knelt down beside the hole. "They look like gems to me, Gideon. Might be worth something to someone. Let me see if they are cool enough to handle."
He placed his hand near the crystalline objects. Indeed, he was feeling for heat, but also for magic. He focused on the items in the hole and tried to pry the magic from within them. If it was there, he would feel it. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#734"Just look out - they have an unpleasant wibe about them. Bestowed by such a freak storm, they will not be a gift from salubrious powers."
Gideon frowned upon the glistening rocks. "Though, if you find them harmless, their worth may aid our cause." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#735Among the crystals, Jhoric found one that stood out, both gleaming like a diamond, and glowing in his second vision. A halo of mystic energy clung to it, wafting about like smoke.
Further down, Estwick exclaimed to Toboran. "Rekon we ought to go back up and see whats the hold up. Give me a hand..."
Before long,the companions found themselves standing outside the small stone structure that had been their secure, but cramped, shelter against the raging storm. The clouds had parted and sun was streaming down. Perhaps a few hours remained before darkness would start to creep in. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#736"Well friends, we must do something about our small discovery. It may be very valuable to somebody and revealed by divine whims. We simply cannot stand around, why don't we take them out and store them for the night? -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#737"I guess that was a hint for the big guy to get to work, right?" Gideon grabbed a pick, softened up the ground around the crystals, then proceeded to pry them from the earth's embrace. Soon, they were all comfortably wrapped in a woolen tunic of his and a leather pouch to keep them safe.
"If none object, I'll keep them safe; if you happen to need them, I'm the easiest one to find." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#738"I certainly wouldn't want to be the one carrying a pouch full of magical crystals unless I knew what they did, and maybe not even then. You are a bold one, Gideon," Then, to the group. "The crystals are secure; some of you have captured a prisoner and why he is still with us I do not know, he will only burden us. You should do something with him so we may continue. Then there is the matter of the door... Any ideas?" -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#739"We could chop up the prisoner and eat him.... I'm joking if anyone cares. We probably won't get anymore information from him so we might as well get rid of him. We won't all be able to get to the door I would guess so maybe we should keep exploring? I don't know what to do really." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#740"I pray you have a strange sense of humor," Rajani said. "Perhaps rather than talk of eating prisoners, we could return to our original task. I believe there was a search for ores? And Friend Gideon, perhaps you would allow me to examine the crystals?"
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#741"Yes, ore!" shouted Estwick. "And don't think you're gonna kill our prisner. Humans are few enough, and the worst he's done so far is try and knife someone. You'll have to kill an old man too if you are going to go that way, cause otherwise I'll bring the law on ye. And don't think for a moment your little enlave would last two minutes if anyone though you'se were eating people...
So, you're just going to have to figure out something else."
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#742'Well then if we are going to leave the prisoner alone, where will we search for ore? Not all of us can fit in the structure so we will be left behind. However it is up to the group on where we shall go." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#743"Any of you thought of a good way to treat our guest? I guess not - it's up to the ogre; the irony!" Gideon was content to have actually used sarcasm, and continued: "I say, we let him back to his 'employer', whoever that may be, and in return for our kindness, he will provide us with intel about who is so interested in us. Spying is his game, after all. You agree, right?" he asked their captive.
"As for our course - search please for the ore. I am more than content to keep watch out here." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#744Balin popped his head out of the hole for a moment to join the discussion. "Since we're looking for ore this would be the fastest and easiest way to find it. There may be a door in the way but I believe it can be opened. And for those of you who don't like tunnels: well I don't like the open sky, deal with it."
With that Balin dropped back into the tunnel and began trying to figure out how to open the door. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#745"Don't like tunnels, bwah" Gideon grumbled. "I like any and all tunnels big enough for me. Just wait 'till you want to reach the top shelf, stunty." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#746"If it pleases you, I will stay on the surface as well." Rajani said, looking at Gideon. "I have no love for tunnels and dark holes in the earth." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#747The captive looked at the group intently for a moment, and then began to speak.
"Okay - the guy who wants you is a knight by the name of Theckswire, though I'm pretty sure its not his real one... He's searching the woods elsewhere with a troop of heavy cavalry. For some reason, he's got a hate on for this Toboran fellow. He's offering a fine broadsword for Toboran, alive."
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#748"I've always wanted a broadsword", Toboran mused to himself, then, "As for the tunnel, I couldn't care less. I prefer the sun and the feel of the wind over a dank, dark, cramped, cold, underground tunnel. I'll stay up here." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#749"So, now we know who's after us we should continue with Gideon's suggestion and send him back so as to be rid of him. These tunnels, which are not cramped but rather roomy, should be adequate for all of us and could lead to who knows how much ore. I do think that this is the best way to go rather than searching the woods for iron. All who wish to, may follow the miner and myself." With that, Balin dropped back down the hole and into the tunnel. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#750"Toboran, do you know this Theckswire? If he has a troop of heavy cavalry mincing about in the woods, that could be a problem." Rajani said. "I've not seen enough spare metal and horseflesh to make a proper troop of cavalry of any stripe in Respite." She paused, watching the others in the hole, "I don't want to quarrel with soldiers on horseback, since I'm the only one mounted, and count myself a poor warrior." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#751"Well if he wants you alive then he cannot be all so bad. Plus we got enough sword arms here to face off his little group of horsey soldiers. Maybe we could make a defendable camp here and wait until the others come back to the surface with a discovery. Or we could all try the tunnels, no horsemen dare follow us their. This is a difficult decision on our hands, but in my experience it is more dangerous to split the party. I will stay and follow those who choose not to go underground if we decide to stay." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#752"I know of no one named Theckswire, or of any that I might have annoyed during our short stay in Respite", Toboran replied. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#753Balin found the round door just has he left it. Oddly there were no visible hinges, only handles in odd places.
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#754"Balin found a door, or something, I'm going to try to help him open it if Estwick thinks there's ore behind it. If not, we move on. What do you say Estwick? Is this a mine already dug for us, or something else?" -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#755"If you say the lower tunnels are fine for me, they they'll be. Let none say I shied away from work. Let's do this; no sense in sitting around."
Fortunately, his plate was still inside, so Gideon did not have to remove it again. Once there was more room, below, he'd don it again. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#756"Okay then, if the half-ogre will brave the depths then so shall I. Since my size will make this a squeeze, I shall bring up the rear. Everybody who wants to stay behind good luck." -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#757Jhoric stood in front of the circular door with Balin. The handles seemed to suggest that the door could be ... rolled?
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Re: [Respite] - Factions
#758"This is going to sound odd, but I think this door might roll to one side, not sure which. Let me just try something."
Jhoric positioned himself at the odd angle required by the handles and tried to twist it off to the right like it was a giant jar. -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#759"Let's roll."
Heave ho! -
Re: [Respite] - Factions
#760The door at first held tight, giving Jhoric second thoughts on how it opened, but then it released suddenly and rolled completely out of the way, an opening appearing in the wall to accept the door.
Another green-glowing hallway extended from the doorway, ending quickly in what appeared to be a decent sized room centered on the hall. No contents could be seen in the portion of the room visible where Jhoric stood.