There Will Be Blood [Sanea Labyrinth] (Guest Storyteller)

by **Matthew** on May 22nd, 2015, 12:40 am

73rd of Spring, 515 AV

There are stories that will never quite leave you. They could be stories passed along by spoken word, stories recorded in written word, or even stories that you experienced first-hand. You may forget who wrote them or what the story was called. The memories may fade. Sometimes you'll forget precisely what happened, but if a story touches you it will stay with you, haunting the places in your mind that you rarely ever visit.

Sometimes these stories can forever change your very own personal story. Sometimes they can create a bad ending.

~~~

A simple bard in Syliras had wished for a new story to tell. Wishing for a truly wondrous tale, the bard posted requests all throughout Syliras that asked for a brave group to venture into the Sanea Labyrinth and return to him alive. All he wanted was an intense tale to spin and to also sate his curiosity as to what wonders (or horrors) lurk within the Labyrinth. Depending on the story any given group returns to him with, he will reward them with coin. He has offered between 20gm and 200gm depending on the nature of the tale their actions create, as judged by his own standards. The bard is happy to give exact instructions to the entrance. The adventurers are also welcome to keep whatever treasures they may find within the Labyrinth. Several groups had already journeyed the the Labyrinth and some had returned, though often with wildly different stories about the innards of the Labyrinth. Many did not return at all.

The latest band of adventurers had each gathered for their own personal motivations. Some were there because of friendship. Some were there for the honor of the Knights. Some were there because of rumours of a Zith settlement near the entrance of the Labyrinth, sparking a small flame of hope that something precious could be regained.

The rather unique little group of friends would find that the bard had given rather accurate directions. Sanea Labyrinth now stood before them, a stone archway marking the only entrance into the Labyrinth. The archway was overgrown with vegetation, a drape that appeared to be made of green vines dangling over the entrance and obscuring what laid beyond. The Labyrinth itself stood 20 ft high and spanned many miles. A mixture of tall and sturdy plants (ranging from vines to branches to thorn bushes to trees) made up the walls and ceiling of the Labyrinth, securely enclosing around all of the mystical things that a long-dead wizard had wished to protect. In this particular area, a large canopy of trees loomed over the Labyrinth, blocking all except for a few scattered beams of sunlight here and there.

The rumours of Zith appeared to be completely false at first glance. Perhaps they were merely tales spun by those who liked to guess at what the Labyrinth contained. Or perhaps the supposed Zith were just inside. It stood to reason that such a dangerous place could serve as a colony for such dangerous creatures.

Whatever the case, the entrance loomed, ready to accept them after any last-minute preparations were made. As they prepared whatever they felt was necessary, one rather eerie thing would soon become apparent. Everything was still. The air, fauna and flora were all motionless and silent.

OOCAt the end of your first post, put an OOC note that includes all of the items that your character is taking with them into the Labyrinth.

Posting OrderMatthew
Sayana
Aren
Garland
Asen
Nivel

Permission has been granted to GST for this thread. Approval can be found in my SS thread.

by **Sayana** on May 22nd, 2015, 2:39 am

When Sayana first heard of the bard’s request it sounded an awful lot like what the glassmaker had wanted: “Creative inspiration for some silly artistic thing”. Wasn’t the whole point of being an artist was to create unique and fascinating things to inspire the mind? Or at least she prided herself in her own dance endeavors and her earnings from that. Still, she had gone to Sunset Falls at Orin’s urging. It had been chaotic, disastrous, yet oddly fulfilling in terms of wanting to see the world and explore. And the waterfall itself was like nothing she had ever seen before. As for the Sanea Labyrinth… it seemed darker and less wondrous.

Still, there was enough hype about the bard and his request that she could ask people what they thought without seeming suspicious. One man said it was a place where trees came alive, another said that those who returned had lost their minds and were locked away. And yet, the most curious was a woman who described dark shadows in the sky who swept down like vultures and attacked with claw-like hands. “Hands?” Sayana pressed. “Yes, and bodies covered with fur. They had faces too, and deep scarlet eyes.” The Eypharian gently touched her mid right wrist, her cheek and her right thigh. All three injuries had pretty much healed by now but the night she had acquired them was still fresh in her mind. And now she might be able to find the home of the zith who had caused them. It would be rather satisfying to find her again… as well as her family.

With new motivation Sayana called upon the help of her friends. Of course Aren would come with only a mere mention of the trip. He might disapprove of the danger but he knew how passionate she was against the foul creatures. It wasn’t too hard to seek out Garland. Sayana also happily reminded him of his promise to aid her in retrieving her lost dagger. “I might not be able to find it at this Labyrinth place, but I might be able to find a zith who knows something about Xy. Plus, you said you’d help me.” With a smile, a bat of her eyes, and the hint of an adventure, she was pretty sure her squire friend would come.

She racked her mind for other friends who might be willing to join her. It seemed dangerous and she wouldn’t want to put someone like Devi in harm’s way. Three people also felt too small for something as ominous as this. Suddenly she recalled Asen who she had met by the hotsprings, and more importantly her dislike for zith. Garland had managed to befriend a zith, but at least he had still promised to help her. Asen would probably find it a suitable excuse or at least find interest in the adventure of it all. Sayana managed to persuade a knight to let her into the squire dormitories after repeatedly saying she would only be there for a moment. Even still she loomed over Sayana’s shoulder as she looked for the half-dhani. “Asen, I’m headed to this Sanea Labyrinth on an adventure, but more importantly to hunt down any zith that are rumored to be there. Are you in?” To Sayana’s surprise, she caught sight of Nivel who seemed eager as any to join her on the expedition. Nivel had also seemed quite happy to make a zith friend but it seemed as though she was more interested in the idea of an adventure with treasure than anything else. It seemed like Sayana had her team.

---

Before leaving Sayana had switched out her tamo daggers and bought another pair of throwing daggers and two regular sized daggers with sheaths. She wasn’t going to take any chances and would rather be weighed down by the metal than not have enough blades. She also, reluctantly, decided to go with simple canvas pants and a simple red blouse. She had recently bought a new dance outfit to replace her worn one and didn’t need it to get ripped and torn within less than a season. After much talking with the stable owner at Windmount Stables, she managed to rent a horse for only ten gold mizas for the entire trip. She referenced several excursions that she had paid full price and that she had always brought the horse back safely.

The road was long and hard but fortunately this time there was a lot less bickering compared to the Sunset Falls trip. Sayana had considered asking Orin and Isolde, but even with the semi-peace that existed, she didn’t want to test the waters again. Besides, as much as she liked Orin she wanted a strong fighter by her side, not a cook. Their meals were haphazard as Sayana did her best to supply adequate food but she was glad when they finally reached their destination.

Sayana pulled on the reins of her horse to stop. The party stood at the archway to the labyrinth, just like the bard had said there would be. What lay beyond, was up to them to figure out. Sayana scanned the skies but unfortunately did not see any of these ‘black shadows’. Perhaps they would only come out at night. She gave a slight shiver but was still determined to enter this labyrinth.

The Eypharian swung her leg over and dismounted. Her hand strayed to the lakan at her hip and she glanced fondly to Aren. It felt good that he was here. It always felt good. She walked her horse towards the arch and peered into the overgrown landscape beyond. To bring the horses or not? “As much as this place doesn’t seem like one for horses, I’m equally loath to leave them here unattended.” Sayana spoke with a hint of doubt in her mind. Truthfully she’d rather bring her horse than let it become dinner for a zith.

Receipt :

Items :

by **Aren** on May 22nd, 2015, 6:19 am

Aren had been meaning to upgrade his armor for quite awhile, but it wasn't until a particularly ornery wolf had torn through his leather vest with all the difficulty of a wet paper that he began to seriously consider acquiring more substantial protection. Even after that close call, he was still reticent to give up the much lighter attire he had grown so comfortable with until he came to the realization that with a child on the way, and the prospect of a family in the immediate future, he could no longer afford to be so intransigent when it came to his own safety.

The Akalak had once inquired as to the price such armor may cost but, at the time, a suitable upgrade was beyond his means, financially speaking. A profitable season working as a mercenary had rapidly changed that, yet now he faced the somewhat annoying task of needing to grow accustomed to his new equipment. It was heavier, and noisier, and he tired faster while in it, but the warrior knew that it was capable of protecting from a lot more than his old vest could. All in all he had bought, and now wore, a breastplate (absent any pauldrons) that didn't seem to hinder his range of motion, a fauld, and a pair of grieves.

Aren had also rented a horse, along with Sayana, for the purposes of the excursion. His ability to ride didn't consist of much more than incessantly readjusting his position on the saddle because it felt like he was constantly in danger of slipping off (mostly because he had already done so a couple of times), and enduring the pain in his ass with every step the beast beneath him took, but the giant knew that he couldn't afford the same exhaustion he had suffered during the trip to the Falls.

Whatever the reasoning Sayana had used to convince the others to come, Aren knew the truth. They weren't here to explore or adventure or do some job for some bard (those were all just incidentals), they were here because the Eypharian wanted to see if she could get ahold of a Zith to "question". The warrior heard the same stories she had -that some winged creatures had been spotted in the area- and when Sayana had come to him, she hardly had to open her mouth before he had begun to ready his gear.

Although Aren was hoping that this excursion would turn out to be surprisingly uneventful (even thought that would mean the coin for the job would be forfeit), he suspected there was a high probability that they'd find something in need of killing. Here was the entire reason he had endured the trip on horseback, and though riding was not something the azure giant intended to make a habit of, he knew he would probably need to conserve his energy for the almost inevitable task of conducting violence. His inexperience as a rider likely slowed the party down, but he was certain that they'd appreciate his presence (and his prudent conservation of stamina) should beast or monster come calling.

"I'm going to chop this thing's head off and give it to Orin to cook...!" Aren exclaimed, his irritation with the bumpy ride obvious.

Though he had good reason, the knowledge that he was sacrificing his sternum for the benefit of the group did not at all diminish the Akalak's annoyance at having to endure the trot of this infernal animal beneath him. The horse, for its part, seemed to constantly neigh in protest at the weight it had been saddled with (although it might simply have been Aren's ignorance of how to handle the reins).

Occasionally, the mercenary would shoot a glance over at Asen, as they hadn't had much chance to talk before the party set off. He had been surprised at seeing her again, now suddenly numbering amongst their company, but did his best to prevent from outwardly showing it. Considering what their relationship (if it could be called that) had once been, the Akalak honestly didn't know how he felt seeing her and Sayana in such close proximity to one another. The two seemed like friends, but just how much did they know about each other, he wondered, admittedly somewhat terrified.

Finally, mercifully, Aren suspected that they had arrived at their destination when he noticed his lover dismounting. This certainly looked like the place, overgrown foliage all around them and an imposing stone archway marking the entrance to a place travelers shouldn't recklessly trespass within.

Receipt :

Equipment :

by **Garland** on May 22nd, 2015, 7:31 am

Sayana had come to Garland with a fool-hardy request. Something that made even the squire's dumbest ideas seem smart. She was planning on going into Sanea Labyrinth on some rumor that a Zith was living there. Garland would try to convince Sayana to NOT join this little expedition, but it seemed the multi-armed beauty had her heart set on going.

Garland, ever the fool for batting eyelashes, promised her that he would help, and he won't back down from a promise. "Alright, alright. I'll help. Don't worry, I'll be coming along." He said and with that Sayana ran off to tell others about her little adventure. Garland sighed and walked off to prepare for their expedition.

He went to the armory and grabbed a simple iron dagger, a small hand-crossbow and a quiver with thirty bolts for the ranged weapon. He was about to set up his pack for the basic equipment he might need, when he's patron decided to see what he was up to.

"Hmmm? Seems like you're planning on leaving, without telling me? If you're planning on going on an adventure, be prepared." She said and went over to him with a concerned smile. "Let me guess... You're going to the Labyrinth."

Garland gave a nod and returned to packing his kit. "It was a request, so I do have to go, and I want to." He said and looked at a helmet on the armor stand. He decided not to bring the helmet and just go with what he was wearing.

"You have doubts." She said, it wasn't a question, it was a statement. "You're worried about that Eypharian, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am. Am I that easy to read?" He asked and finished packing his equipment, and carried the bag filled with the things he had borrowed from the armory.

"I just guessed. And you should have everything you need, right? Bandages, alcohol, gauze, rope?" She asked, like a concerned mother, making sure her child was properly equipped for a field trip.

"Yes, I've everything I think I'll need." He said and gave his patron a small hug, he let go quickly and coughed. "That was awkward... Sorry, Sera."

She gave a small warming smile, something she doesn't give out often, usually her smiles were sarcastic or snarky. "It's fine, be careful. I would offer to come along, but it seems the Order has other plans for me."

With that, Garland walked out the armory and headed to the stables to pick up his horse. Tryn, the black mixed blood horse was far from the most experienced horse in the stables, but he made up for it by being the most energetic one of the lot.

Garland readied up his horse, and hopped on. He met Sayana again, along with a few others that were planning on joining their little hunt. He looked over to Aren and Asen. The two were drastically different, but their names were almost identical.

He didn't see Nivel though, he didn't even know she was there unless she revealed herself. He went over to Sayana, a bit concerned. "I still think this is a bad idea, but I promised I'll help you and I will fulfill that promise."

Equipment :

by **Asen** on May 22nd, 2015, 8:22 pm

The prospect of an adventure made a certain squire unusually giddy. Asen had accepted her Eypharian friend's offer on the spot, locked in after she had mentioned hunting Zith. She'd love to tear the wings off of one of those flying vermin.

Before she embarked on her little journey to the Sanea Labyrinth, however, there were a few things that needed to be taken care of. Most of her gear could've been borrowed from the Order -- that is, her armor and weaponry. What she couldn't borrow, which was clothing, she bought on her own.

The half-Dhani had spent most of the time between Sayana's offer and her departure for the Labyrinth packing. Aside from her sun-bleached shirt and trousers she'd brought a new set of clothing, a pair of sturdy leather boots, a leather belt, and some basic survival equipment. (Medical equipment? Who needed medical equipment? Weaklings.)

As for proper gear, she'd taken a full set of armor excepting the helmet. She'd just take it off at some point, so there was no use hauling dead weight. She'd opted out of bringing a sword; not enough experience with it would hinder her ability to fight, so she would stick with her fists. She did, however, bring a buckler to cover her back.

A mixed blood horse would be her mount, despite her aversion to the beasts. She'd decided to take a dagger as an afterthought -- mostly for utility rather than combat -- and her coat. She didn't know what the climate was like in the Labyrinth, so she figured it's better to be safe than sorry.

The ride to the Labyrinth was more or less uneventful. She knew Garland and Sayana, but the Akalak... At first she'd mistaken him for Avanze, but then realized his skin was far too light to be him. He was unusually familiar, and yet she couldn't place him. Surely she'd seen him in Riverfall at some point, she just couldn't remember who he was.

Asen had been in the dark until the Akalak spoke, almost yelling his name. It was Aren. The last time she'd gotten a good look at him was nearly three years ago, his name and face fading into her memory until now. For a good five chimes she sat in her saddle with wide eyes, astounded. What were the odds that they were both in Syliras at the same time, going on the same adventure?

She knew that he and Sayana were lovers from their body language, and surprisingly enough it failed to spark any sort of jealousy. Probably because she'd had her fair share of partners after Aren left, so she expected the same from him. She was honestly happy for the Eypharian, knowing that Aren had a pretty good hold on his Other and, from their time together, that he would take care of her.

The half-Dhani noticed that Aren kept looking at her. Two could play at that game, so she shot a glance at him every time he turned away. A quick eyebrow waggle would be thrown in as well if she managed it without Sayana noticing.

The group dismounted at what she assumed was the entrance to the Labyrinth, judging by the ominous appearance of the vine-wrapped stone archway. She patted the flank of her horse and placed both hands on one hip, twisting so her back popped loudly. She repeated this for the other side, cracking her neck for good measure.

"Ah, yeah. That's better. Y'know we should probably leave 'em 'ere, since it might be a bit too dangerous for horses in that creepy place. I'm sure they can take care of themselves," she said to Sayana, already pulling her equipment off her horse.

Receipt :

Equipment :

by **Nivel** on May 22nd, 2015, 8:27 pm

There Will Be Blood

Nivel was just about to take a gander at her sewing supplies and see if she could be inspired to create something, when she heard Sayana pleading voice. The pycon pushed her kit back under Imellion’s large bed and headed out towards the noise. After slipping through the door and walking a bit down the dormitory hallway, the pycon found the multi armed dancer in the trail end of a conversation with a female squire Nivel had only really seen in passing. The stern dormitory guard was burning holes in Sayana throughout the conversation, so it was clear that she wasn’t exactly welcome in the dormitory. Nivel only heard a bit of the details, something about Zith, treasure and Danger, but these words were enough to peak the adventurous little pycon. Nivel waited until Sayana was done speaking and the women was out of the picture before making her approach.

“If you’re going on a Quest full of peril and treasure then I wish to accompany you my friend!” Nivel proclaimed suddenly as she revealed herself from the floor of the darkened hallway. “Plus if these Zith are anything like Trechie, than I want to see if I can befriend them” She said lovingly thinking of her furry friend within the order. The naive Pycon still didn’t understand why anyone would have a problem with Zith, perhaps she would know soon enough.

Upon hearing that she was welcome she ran back to her dorm room and grabbed her key shaped pypole she named Grick, and accompanied Sayana on her shopping trip for weapons and provisions. Sayana let her ride on her shoulder, up until the Eypharian rented a horse and then the pycon had found herself a nice sitting position on the pommel of the of the saddle with one of her tails firmly wrapped around the base of the horn. They meet up with the others that would join in the adventure, Nivel was pleased to see her friend Garland but a bit less pleased to see the tall blue behemoth that had accosted Treachery at the beginning of the new year. Nivel was willing to give the blue tall folk a second chance since he was clearly special to Sayana but she couldn’t help feeling un easy in his presence. She none the less greeted every one of them with equal consideration before they all set off towards the ominous labyrinth.

After what seemed like a very long journey, they had arrived at the dark and forbidding gates to what could surely be their death. A chill entered Nivel’s nexus at the thought but it also gave her a bit of a thrill none the less. Everyone seemed to be contemplating there own mortality and finding the courage to face it because they didn’t seem to go in right away. Sayana presented another dilemma about what to do with the horses.
“I agree” Nivel Shook her tiny head in agreement, she was fairly sure the squires name was Asen but wasn't certain enough to use the name just yet.

Equipment :

OocDamn it Asen >__< you posted like seconds before I was going to post

Credit for Boxcode goes to Shakune

by **Matthew** on May 22nd, 2015, 10:18 pm

As the group gathered near the doorway and discussed how best to handle their horses, they would no doubt notice the gentle breeze that suddenly began to brush against their skin. Though it was a summer day, this particular area was a comfortable temperature due to the heavy shade the overhead canopy provided. It appeared to have rained quite recently, all of the surrounding vegetation absolutely soaking wet, fresh drops of water still falling from branches here and there. The breeze itself was equally comfortable, feeling cool and refreshing against the skin. However, something else accompanied the wind. As the breeze continued to blow through the area, soft noises would begin to echo. It was usually a whistle of some sort, easily identified as a noise that could be generated by the wind blowing through a particular tight space in the Labyrinth. It was certainly nothing to be worried about, though it would perhaps be a bit eerie how sometimes the noises seemed to resemble whispers. Sometimes it sounded like someone was whispering a single random word here and there.

Strip the flesh from meat and let the fat drip drip drip

There were other times when it sounded like the Labyrinth was actually whispering very horrific sentences . Perhaps it was just their imagination. Or perhaps the Labyrinth knew they were here and wanted them to go away.

When Sayana took a moment to peer beyond the arch, her eyes would be met with darkness. It would require a lit torch or some other source of light to pierce the shadows and reveal the room beyond. The first room of the Labyrinth seemed to be a rather plain affair. It was a perfectly square room that was about fifty square feet, walls and ceiling constructed out of thick slabs of stone with vines running through every little crevice. The floor appeared to be totally covered in even more of the thick green vines, so much so that no other surface could be seen underneath. Little white and blue flowers decorated the floor vines, each one looking lush and vibrant. In the exact centre of the room there appeared to be a dip in the floor, creating a sort of ditch that was roughly three feet long, half a foot wide and half a foot deep. Straight across the room was a single closed wooden door with what appeared to be a rather large thorn driven into the centre of the wood.

drip drip drip first room free easy easy easy still a chance to flee

It was giving them a chance. They could still turn around and go back home.

Anyone who was familiar with magic would be able to sense the presence of it in the air. Anyone who entered the first room would be able to smell a pleasant sweet scent in the air, one that would actually cause a brief surge of primal hunger to rise in each of the males. It would be a smell that Sayana was incredibly familiar with, so much so that she might not even notice it. Aren would probably be the first to recognize it for what it really was. Sayana would have recently been producing an excessive amount of pheromones as she approached the height of her pregnancy. The scent smelled almost like her.

by **Sayana** on May 23rd, 2015, 12:30 am

A cool breeze wafted through the thick forest and it felt nice on her skin despite the dampness. Asen wanted to leave the horses, same with Nivel. Sayana took another glance into the darkness framed by the archway. Strip the meat from the flesh… Her eyes glinted dangerously and she licked her lips. She wanted to hear those screams again, see the fear, watch the blood ooze into the matted fur.

“Yes, let’s leave them.” Sayana spoke with a sense of finality but oddly distracted too. However, she did remember her traveling companion Nivel, and offered the pycon her left high hand to sit on. Of course, the squire could always use a shoulder, but she thought it would be easier for Nivel to get a closer look at things when needed. The Eypharian tied her horse to a small tree branch and hoped that it was secure enough to keep the horse from wandering but easy enough for the horse to snap the branch if there was true danger.

In the process she glanced back at the archway several times and finally swung her backpack off to pull out two torches. “Aren? Would you do the honors?” She asked a little presumptuously and then gave him a light kiss to the neck as if to say she really did see him as more than just a source of fire. If that wasn’t enough she’d probably find some other way to persuade him but if she had gotten him this far…

Sayana smiled as the torch blazed to life and she handed the other one to her lover to do with as he pleased. With the torch in her high right, Nivel in her high left and her bag slung on her back she stepped through the archway lighting up the darkened room within. Shadows flickered to and fro upon the vines and Sayana carefully stepped around the indented ditch near the middle of the room. She breathed in the dampness, yet it smelled oddly sweet. “When something’s gone rancid, go find some aletrid,” she murmured softly to herself yet easily heard by Nivel. “Something something find…” She hesitated as she tried to recall her memory aid. “On walls you can find. It grows in a vine.”

Sayana couldn’t quite remember what else made the vine unique but she approached a vine covered wall to look more carefully at the leaves. As she stepped, she realized that she was also crushing the vines under her feet. Bending down, she attempted to smell the leaves but she wasn’t sure if the scent was coming from the vines or the flowers dotting the floor. She held out her hand for Nivel to get a better look. “They’re pretty, the flowers.”

When she stood up once more and raised her torch, a menacing shadow was cast upon the wall. Sayana jumped, being a little startled at the sight of the giant thorn sticking through the door at one end. “Maybe the roses have thorns,” Sayana said with a grin in attempt to lighten the tone and reached down in attempt to pick one of the many flowers littering the floor.

OOC :

by **Aren** on May 23rd, 2015, 2:32 pm

Aren couldn't help but agree with Garland's sentiment, but he knew better than to try to dissuade Sayana when her mind was made up and now it was probably too late to even try; they had arrived at their destination, and there seemed to be no turning back without getting what they came for.

The Akalak could feel that something was wrong here, though. The hair on the back of his neck stood on ends and he could sense the telltale spark of magic all around them. It reminded him of the aftermath of the djed storm back home, but this felt different, somehow. Aren wouldn't have been able to voice his concerns, if questioned, yet there was no denying the fact that it seemed like they had come to a dangerous place. Even the wind was off, here, sometimes sounding like it produced whole sentences if you strained your ear.

Dismounting his horse (although calling it a controlled fall might be more appropriate), the experienced warrior and wanderer did his best to reconnoiter their surroundings, with a glance. Neither sight nor infravision seemed to detect much in their immediate vicinity, and even when Aren looked into the opening past the archway he wasn't able to make much out. Though he sometimes liked to give the impression that he could see in the dark, this wasn't strictly true, and absent any sources of heat he wouldn't see any more than anyone else.

Sayana promptly drew his attention from this task, however, bidding him to set ablaze a pair of torches she had brought with her. The Reimancer hesitated at first, conscious of being surrounded by people he didn't really know, and wary of how this place might react to magic. If it was anything like what had happened after the djed storm in Riverfall, his spells might go awry, but that was actually good a reason to test it. He was probably going to need his magic at some point, he realized, so he might as well see if he could actually rely on it.

Still concerned about how the rest of the party might react to the presence of a mage amongst them, Aren tried to be quick about it. Producing a couple of spheres of Res, he lit them and swiped them across the tops of the sticks. There was no need for anything more, and he hoped the others had been too busy with their own preparations to really notice what he had done.

Taking the torch that the Eypharian offered him, the giant followed closely after Sayana, like an overprotective parent. He briefly looked back to make sure Asen and the others were not too far behind, in case there was trouble, but his main focus was on keeping his son's reckless mother safe.

As they entered the room, Aren was almost overwhelmed by the incredibly familiar smell that seemed to permeate from the walls. For a moment, he couldn't quite place what it was that his nose was detecting, but suddenly his eyes darted towards Sayana, "We should go back, Saya. This place... it's not right." The Akalak's gaze shot towards the entrance they had just come from, his mind instinctively seeking to keep track of the exit.

Knowing his lover, however, Aren feared she would not heed his counsel. He'd drag her back home against her will, if it came to that, but that was not something he'd try unless all other options were exhausted. Sayana was incredibly independent, and who knew how that might affect their relationship, yet he'd much rather she hated him than be dead.

Unstrapping his scythe with his free hand, the Akalak's arm rushed back to catch the weapon before it hit the ground. He wasn't taking any chances, and the longer they stayed here the less comfortable he felt with the idea of staying at all. "That freaky wind is starting to get on my nerves..." It was obvious from his body language that all of the strange elements of the area were having an unsettling effect on the azure giant, and the desire to draw his weapon wasn't merely out of a sense of inborn caution.

OOCThe stylized italics are Aren's thoughts.

by **Garland** on May 24th, 2015, 5:35 am

Garland climbed down and went over to his horse's muzzle. "Right, if anything attacks any of you, get out of here, okay?" He said to his horse and left him untied. The wind here was unsettling, it felt like a gentle spring wind, yet hidden under the layer of calming winds was a chill that sent Garland shivers through his spine.

The mouth of the labyrinth looked large enough for the horses to stay under if it decided to rain. Though it would have been better if the horses left now he thought. "Shyke in a hand basket, this already feels wrong. Whoever put up with request seems rather suspect right now."

As the party walked into the cavern and looked around the mossy, vine-filled walls. He couldn't help but smell... something peculiar. A familiar scent, he knows this scent before, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

It seemed that Sayana and Aren had the torches covered, so it would be best to save his torch for when they need it. She looked over to their small party, wondering if he should put down the rope. It's not long enough to go through the entire labyrinth, but it may help, or he could simply hold on to it when they would finally need it.

"Guys, I have some rope, maybe we can tie it to something and use it as a trail if we ever need to leave" He asked their party and watched them carefully. He had heard the voices in the wind earlier, Sayana always had better ears than him, but he could have sworn that he heard the words "Strip" and "Flesh" but nothing else.

Their footsteps echoed through the room, the silence of the room, with the occasional whistle of the wind was very unsettling. It even made Garland, the reckless and fairly unshakable squire pause. He did not worship any deity, but he hopes that Kelwyn would be watching their party, because they might need the random luck the gods of chance could give.

He walked closer to the first door and noticed the large spike that was impaled through the door. "Well, this is gonna be fun..." He said sarcastically and looked closer on the spike, seeing if it had any writings or warnings for them to read. Or maybe some magic runes Nivel could decipher.

Closed There Will Be Blood [Sanea Labyrinth] (Guest Storyteller)