Quest Lost & Damned

[Paragon]

The child looked at Hadrian with some measured interest, especially as he introduced his comrades. The boy looked to Wrenmae first, studying him. Then turned to Rayage, who himself had silently approved of Hadrian's approach. "Oh, he said I could tell you. My family died here. I couldn't save them. My mom. My pa. I couldn't save any of them. Oh, and he says you can pass too. But there is a... condition." The boy turned, chain clanking against the putrid earth. He searched for something, as if it had lain hidden just beneath the soil. When he turned back to them, he held three small single wrist manacles in his hand. Simple looking things, seemingly of copper. "You put these on. And then you can pass." The innocence of the child's voice did not deter from the eerie looking manacles. There had to be a purpose for them, but what? Could they take the risk to venture inside?

[Rayage]

The nuit watched the ghost, slightly suspicious. He? Who was he, and why did he want them to put these things on? Rayage took a manacle from the ghost and observed it, turning it over in his hand. It felt cool, but did it radiate any magical energy? Did it have any special glyphing or any other warning signs of its intended use? ”You think us fools?” he asked frowning at the piece of metal in his hand, ”We have no clue there purpose and yet you expect us to blindly trust you?” he scuffed, ”Im not buying it.” he said, ”Tell us ghost the purpose of these foul devices.” he announced. He wasn’t asking, he was commanding to know what they do.

Without an informed decision they couldn’t make any move. Surly his allies knew that just as well as he did. There are many magical items in this world, some powerful, others not, some bent on restricting the natural flow of djed, others to enhance such properties. It seemed for everything that exists there is also the opposite, the anti. There was even material that was supposedly magically resistant, things that auristics couldn’t even read. He wondered if the purpose of these were for anti-magic, or for something more dark? Would they become a prisoner just like this ghost?

Still not wearing it, he rolled it over in his hands, ”What say you, Professor?” he asked

[Wrenmae]

"No." It was a flat and final sort of answer. Shroud dropped the small wrist manacle to the ground and left it there, glowering at the spirit with an edge of suspicious hatred. "I will not put on another. One has cost me enough." As if to emphasize the point, he kicked the manacle across the ground. It spun on the fresh earth, tumbled to the ghost's foot, sat idly there. Drawing his blade, he tapped it against the manacle on his right wrist. Although neither of his companions could see the manacle, they could hear the ring of metal clearly. Tap, tap, tap, then the dagger returned to its sheathe. "Traps of iron and magic, my guess is divine. Put them on and lose yourself, and I don't think we want to trust ourselves blindly to a phantom." Circling the mound, and the child, he observed the chains, the rotted clothes, the haggard skin. "What killed you, boy? And who is this 'he' that bids us the ability to pass into your rotting tomb?" I like him. Let's put it on. Silence. I won't take foolish suggestions. Do you take bored ones? Not from a fool. Testy aren't we?

[Hadrian]

For a moment, Hadrian wished he had the wraith blade from the auction. He had no wish to harm the spirit, though often their appearances were deceiving, but it might have broken the ward upon the entrance without violence or bargaining. But he was careful; he did not take the manacle offered him, instead studying it curiously. It would be rude for a spirit to entrap a man who had just offered him sustenance, but the world was far from fair. He glanced at Wrenmae, at the sound of metal that wasn't apparent. But that was a line of questioning for another time. He was vehement, Rayage questioned him. That was a first for a Nuit. Only Isikais had ever deigned to value his judgment, and the Nuit of Sahova had been uniformly arrogant. But that hardly mattered now. "It would seem unwise to willingly don a manacle on the advice of a spirit we just met," he posited apologetically. "And you seem to be chained here; we have a journey to continue and cannot remain for long." He wondered if he were skilled enough to maintain a shield upon himself and his companions while pouring shield energy into the ward, seeking weaknesses which his own shields could disrupt. It was a theory, but he had not put it into practice.

[Paragon]

The child recoiled at Wrenmae's words, dragging the chain with him. He remained turned away from them, and spoke with some degree of fear. "I cannot speak of him," he said simply. And that was that. Neither Hadrian nor Rayage were talented enough spiritists to persuade the ghost to say anymore. The boy deposited two of the manacles back on the ground, but then turned to them again, with just the one in the palm of his hand. "He says there really is no other option. But he won't make you all wear them. Only one. One must wear the manacle, and then the three shall pass." Whether they were unsure or not, it seemed they would have to do as the ghost said if they wished to pass. Perhaps they would find out who he was inside the ruins. Or perhaps they would refuse the manacle, leave the burial mound behind, and continue on their journey. Sahova-bound. The choice was theirs.

[Rayage]

The nuit listened to the others. He was just as weary as the others were of the manacles. Though, if anyone had a chance of neutralizing the manacle, or otherwise shattering it with magic later it would be him. He was an alchemist after all, able to effect the very state of objects and things. He could easily turn it to glass later, but he worried about the effects. Would it be like that elevator in other ruins? In that case, he would be the best candidate for wearing the shackle.

"Alright," the nuit said not exactly being a team player despite the logic that he presented to himself, "Only one of us have to wear the device." His words were left there, waiting for the group to ponder their decision. While he let the group wonder the nuit did some magic of his own. He wanted to find out more about this shackle, and he knew the perfect way to do that too: Auristics. The magical discipline which allowed him to see beyond the five mortal senses.

By force of will he redirected his djed throughout his body and centered it into his hands. Already touching the restraint the nuit closed his eyes and focused on really knowing the manacle. Through force of will and concentration he began to dig into the aura of the thing. If it could be read then he would start to get a vague impression of basic facts about the object in question. Though it wasnt the mundane that he was looking for. He was looking for what was special about the shackle, and he would try to find it. Though the process would be quite time consuming, and very djed draining. Would he find anything if he dug deeper? Concentrating even more, the nuit stained himself and his mind more, trying to pick up and read even more of the aura of the object.

[Hadrian]

His own sense of auras, of djed, and of the chavi were not lending him any special insight at the moment, and he wondered whether he was responsible, whether it was possible to mask the chavi as one could their own aura with enough skill. But he kept his senses open; oftentimes his initial take on a thing was not as deep as he could get with more time and familiarity. "Don't worry," he said to the ghost. "We have no intentions of harming you." Perhaps he was cold and aloof, but he did not like to see the weak living in fear (or even ghosts, for that matter). Perhaps his work with the orphans was softening him up. Turning to his companions, he said, "The logical one to wear the manacle is you, Professor Rayage," he said, using as cool and logical a tone as he could. "While your body is not so resilient, should the worst befall you, we could get you to Sahova for a new body, or even Sunberth if need be. If the manacle doesn't come off of its own accord when the time comes to leave. But I would not force such a thing upon you." Then he glanced at the ghost boy, who had not partaken of the soulmist. "Eat, lad. I don't imagine there is much nourishment for you here." Even if he was chained, it didn't hurt to have a possible ally.

[Rayage]

Rayage stopped his attempt at finding anything special about the manacle. If there was an effect it would be apparent enough when one of them would don it. The nuit almost laughed at the first comment that the other professor made. Of course we weren’t going to harm the ghost; the boy wasn’t worried about that, no. He shook his head, of course not. The boy was worried about his master, whoever he may be. He supposed that they would be meeting him the sooner they are allowed to pass. What a bother…

”Very well.” he said, his own inner words being echoed by Hadrian. He was the most logical choice. ”Ghost,” he said, ”I shall wear this contraption for my companions here.” he said, trying to make it sound like he was making no noble sacrifice. For there were three of them here, three educated and very well versed mages, he was sure that one of them could figure a way to spoil the trappings of this thing, if it is magical. He wasn’t worried. Why should he be? But will his confidence be his folly? It has proven to be so many times before.

Taking his manacle he unhinged it and put it around his wrist, where he fashioned it back on and with a slight smile he nodded to the ghost, ”It is done. Let us pass.” there wasn’t much else to be said.

[Paragon]

Hadrian's words seemed to trigger something in the boy. He ravenously devoured the soulmist, as if he had eaten for a long while. Nourishment for a spirit. Rayage took the manacle finally, clasping it onto his wrist. All three of them waited to see if anything would happen, the humans holding their breath. But there was no effect, ill or otherwise. For now at least, it was just a manacle. The ghost nodded silently, and then turned back to the mound of earth. He placed both his phantasmal hands onto a raised bit of ground, moved them for a moment, then stepped away. The air swirled, and a light seemed to shimmer for a moment. Then, a doorway began to appear in the hill. The ghostly boy stood aside, gesturing to the opening. His chains still stood, tethering him to the ruined entrance. The door opened easily enough, and if the trio pressed on, they would find a darkening network of tunnels, water dripping from the ceiling. Passageways went east, west, and north. Each looked like the other, with nothing to tell them apart. The air was clammy, and sticking. Their venture into the unknown had begun.

[Hadrian]

Glad the soulmist hadn't gone to waste, he watched the ghost at its eating, then turned to observe Rayage taking one for the team, as it were. He nodded, coolly approving. And then, while nothing overt happened to Rayage, the ghost opened the way. "Be wary, then," he advised Rayage, "for some trigger that might change the nature of the manacle." He nodded to the thing on his wrist. That he could sense nothing from it made him nervous; who could create something that would turn aside Hadrian's senses? But he held his hand aloft, undifferentiated res coalescing instantly into a ball of light. Yet there was something different about it, and Hadrian glanced at it strangely before it turned ruby red. A small, curious smile curved his lips as he set the res alight. Content with his witchlight, he led the way into the hill. "Thank you, sir," he said politely to the ghost. But at the first crossroads, he was stymied. He waited for his companions to follow, but for the moment could not discern in which direction they ought go. He called back up to the ghost, taking a chance, "Will you lead us to him, or at least give us directions?"