Quest [Left] Excursion - Spring SQ

[Abstract]

Spring 68th, 514 AV

They'd been told to meet at the lakeshore, just by the stables, at approximately noon... as there was still the long ferry ride to take. It had been a simple and quiet gathering and advertisement, so only three people were there. Surprisingly. an Ebonstryfe Paladin was in the mix.

Where they met there was another trio. Their party would be six in all. It wasn't an official group, run by Stryfers or the Black Sun. Rather, it was a novice adventure group that wanted to try their hand at something... fun. At least that was the opinion of the two male members. One couldn't explain the motive of the third.

All would recognize the first man, as he was the one who'd proposed the whole expedition idea, and gathered the three Ravokians. He was broad and well set, though there was little in the extraordinary about his appearance. His hair was dark, almost black, and was cut very short. He wasn't too tall or too short, and all around... average. What did draw the eye was his face, at the time wearing a goofy grin on it. As they all knew, his name was Tanen.

The second man would be more unfamiliar. He was only there when Tanen went to speak to Daegron, and would only be known to that man. He was under average height, and looked a little too skinny to be doing all of this. He had lighter hair that was longer than the usual style, reaching his shoulders in small waves. Almost as if to accent the strange cut, there was a thin braid in the locks near his ears. He looked a little bored, but watched everything with a careful eye. Daegron would know him as James.

The last one was a woman, old and half crippled, with a crazier smile than even Tanen. She wore an old tattered dress and shawl, carried a cane, and looked the epitome of your elderly grandmother. Except for the fact that her eyes shone with a much younger light. Sevris would know this woman, from almost a season before... the one who'd told them all about the hunter during the Rising Dawn Execution.

As soon as the group was gathered, Tanen stepped forward, smiling politely at everyone. "Hello!" he said, in a loud and deep voice. "As you know, I am Tanen. My friend here is James. The old lady beside me... well she'll keep her name to herself. You can call her 'grandmother', though. As for yourselves... Daegron the morpher, Piraen the tailor, and Sevris... our wonderful soldier. I'm glad you could all come today and join us on our expedition! Now... shall we get started?" As he listed each name, he pointed to the respective member. He seemed to want everyone to be introduced before getting anywhere. Except for grandmother, of course.

OOCRight! So the rules for this will be the same as my last thread. It'll just be you three... the left group. There is no specific posting order, but if this thread goes four days without having a reply -no matter if you haven't posted or not- I will move it on. So stay active, and have fun!

[Sevris]

A peculiar expression came across Tanen's face as he read the last name on his list. "Sevris...our wonderful Soldier." Sevris returned him one as well. "Not a Soldier. But a Paladin of Rhysol's army. It is my job to spread his word and protect his people. With this blade." He pointed to the golden serrated double-bladed sword on his back. He usually never went anywhere without his weapon as many assassination attempts have taken place. The Paladin had donned his golden armor, not knowing what danger lay ahead of him. "I don't know about these other guys but you, 'grandmother.' I would really like to know who you are. You can say you, have my undivided attention." Sevris had encountered the lady when they were tracking a murderer in the cold winter season. The Ebonstryfe were executing the Rising Dawn members and their leader was to be beheaded. She had claimed knowledge of the person beforehand and was seeking to help them. However when they finally caught the guy she disappeared. Not even Druvin could do that. What was she? He was definitely interested in finding out that and what lies in the ruins in front of them.

[Daegron]

_

"I'd be a liar if I told you that I've found myself in a gathering stranger than this... I guess there's more than meets the eye." Daegron plainly said eyeing each and every member of this bizarre troupe. The circumstances were unusual to say the least. It was in the Silver Sliver that he happened upon Tanen, and for some reason he was unable to remember how they started talking to each other. He clearly remembered that he was a petching strong drinker, though he didn't look like one. Amidst the torrent of spirits and under the sweet spell of intoxication, he blurted out the strangest of offers. Next day, he'd brought this James fellow with him and they were deadly serious about it. Daegron would be a fool to refuse the thrill and chill of adventure or the harmonious call of unearthed treasures.

He was as ready as he could be. He could only guess what they were about to find, or what dangers they'd face. His eyes first fell on Sevris, the Paladin. Now the gravity of the situation became apparent. The Ebonstryfe does not simply trot around the wilderness looking for ruins or trouble. There was a reason why he'd joined, why he was needed. Rhysol's will was behind it, and they were his hand. Daegron felt a little safer with the golden armoured warrior on his side. He felt proud that he was chosen to be a part the Defiler's plans.

Now the one he called Piraen the tailor was a mystery. Contrasting the Morpher's rugged and unkempt presence, he seemed to be taking great care to keep his appearance impeccable, and was serious about it. It was clear that he wasn't just a tailor; they were not attending a social event to need one. But Daegron could not guess what his "other" set of skills was about. At least,if he really was a tailor, he'd know his way around threads and needles and might be able to sew an open wound if needed.

There was something eerie and at the same time wrong about Grandma. Her eyes were playful and shone as if she was much younger. Magic, or something more sinister was behind it all, that much was clear. He, of all people knew that appearances are deceiving, yet the absurdity of bringing along a seemingly half-crazed cripple old lady brought a smile to his lips that he couldn't quite remove.

"Nevertheless, I am eager to start this... adventure" he added and his questioning gaze fell on Tanen. "Do you have any more details for us ? I guess that the rest of this company have a few questions of their own about this. If we are to utilize our full potential, we should be prepared."


_

[Piraen Saneka]

Piraen ran a finger through the inside of his collar, pulling the tight fabric away from his neck. He rarely ever wore this jacket, so it was still a bit stiff for the tailor's liking. It was, however, the only somewhat adventure-appropriate piece of clothing he owned, and he hadn't had any time to craft something better suited for the job.

Looking over the rest of the group only solidified Piraen's feeling of...unpreparedness. He was used to standing out; being overly dressed didn't bother him. What did cause him unease was the fact that every other person in the immediate area seemed to be accustomed to a rougher sort of life. From the armor-donning warrior to the raggedy old woman, the other five looked ready for something Pi hadn't been exposed to before.

As the recruiter stepped forward, Piraen dropped his hands and clutched them behind his back. The man introduced everyone, which caused the group to launch into discussion. As Sevris called attention to "Grandmother", Pi found himself examining the woman once more. Originally, he had found it bizarre that she was smiling, but dismissed it after he had noticed that Tanen was also grinning; Pi had just thought he had missed some sort of social cue, as he often did. Looking at her this second time, though, piqued his interest. She was the only woman. This did not phase Pi too much, though; he had met many women who were better at adventuring than him. But this woman was so...old. The man was under the impression that, in this day and age, elderly were far and few between. What could she be capable of? Whatever it was, it made Pi wary. He would avoid this woman every chance he got.

"I guess there's more than meets the eye." Piraen eyes snapped over towards Daegron. A smile twitched across Pi's lips. He had been thinking the exact same thing. In fact, Pi would be willing to bet that the whole group was thinking that same thought. In that moment, the tailor had decided that he liked this man. He spoke his mind...a quality Piraen held in high regards.

He nodded in agreement with the man's words. Piraen was sure he had questions, but he just didn't know what they were yet. As Pi was quickly realizing, he was unprepared for this sort of excursion. He did not, however, want that to become common knowledge. Instead, he just stood in silence and waited for further instructions.

[Abstract]

"My bad..." Tanen muttered, his grin turning into an apologetic one. "A Paladin at our side. We're sure to succeed, with one of Rhysol's favored!" He continued on with his speech happily.

When Sevris' next inquiry came, the older woman cackled at him. "If I'd wanted ye to know, I would've told ye. Be patient, soldier." She used Tanen's mistake almost like mockery, and turned her attention away... that direction of conversation was obviously over, and she'd ignore any other attempt at inquiry. In fact, she'd nearly flat out ignore the Paladin for at least fifteen chimes.

"There are no more details, I don't think..." was the reply to Daegron's question. It didn't come from Tanen, however, but rather James' quiet voice. "We don't know too much... hence the reason for this exploration. Be prepared for a lot of things." He shrugged, and continued, this time addressing the whole group.

"We're heading South from here... it'll be maybe a half-bell's walk. Socialize among yourselves, if you want." He left that with a tone that said he wasn't particularly interested in socializing. Without another word, he turned and began to lead the way into the wilderness ahead.

Taking the moment to ask questions, Tanen instantly went to Piraen's side. "I didn't get much of a chance to talk to you earlier," he muttered, as sort of an explanation. "But I just wanted to chat a bit. Y'know... man to man!"

Sevris, on the other hand, would find himself eventually able to catch grandmother's attention... though half the journey would have been done.

OOCPi, feel free to come up with a conversation with Tanen, if you want. Otherwise... guys... talk to each other or the NPCs! If it's personal info, like life stories, I'll have to jump in, but basic chatter is fine.

[Daegron]

_

A familiar hunch that something was very wrong began to stir in the Morpher's mind. Plain suspicion, the built-up tension for the adventure to start combined with his usual paranoia. He could never ignore his instincts; they'd never failed him before. He decided that keeping his keen eye on everyone would save him from a lot of trouble. The paladin was surely briefed thoroughly in the Vitrax, and obviously prepared; Daegron doubted the Stryfe would start such an expedition without utilizing every bit of information. Yet he had nothing to fear as long as he stayed by this armoured warrior's side and following Rhysol's obscure plan, whatever it was. Tanen's and Grandma's smiles were sort of... off. He doubted they were naive. Either they followed instructions, or their own secret agenda. There was also a chance that they were simply crazy, which might prove dangerous.. At the same time, in the highly unlikely event that this fellowship was honest in it's motives and cause, he needed to be very careful about everything that happened. The place they were heading was hidden for a reason. How much he needed a stiff drink right about now. He was determined to stay on his toes. He would stay focused and give his best to avoid being his more impulsive self.

"Very well, James. We'll all be very careful and ready for the dangers that lie ahead" he answered with his low raspy voice.
"Rhysol's will be done"
He thought that by adding this nifty little phrase he'd earn a bit of their favour. After all he had nothing to hide; he had no other motive than pure greed and lust for adventure.

Tanen had taken an interest to chat with this mysterious tailor, who had also caught the Morpher's attention. In his whole "I don't quite fit here" attire and unwillingness to speak or comment, Daegron believed him to be a smart and careful man. A good ally, for now. He thought it would be wise to keep an ear in whatever they were about to say. Perhaps he'd catch something interesting in their "man to man" talk. He wasn't good with deciphering any sort of innuendo,always preferring brute and direct honesty, but it was definitely worth the try.

James seemed to be honest and focused at the task at hand. Perhaps there were many details that escaped him, or he wasn't sufficiently briefed. He did seem a lot more logical than his other two friends though. Daegron thought that he could at least try and talk to the guy later on. But first, he approached the warrior.

"I trust your blade is swift and your steel sharp. I feel a little safer with you around, Sevris. I'm not much of a warrior myself, but I'll do my best to support your might. You think there's enemies that await us ?" The Ebonstryfe Paladin was a safe bet. Befriending him would be wise and would go a long way into staying alive in case they had to resort to battle.



_

[Abstract]

OOCCmon guys... post! It's only Daegron, and I've waited longer than I needed to. Look how far the other group has gotten!

James led the way along the slow walk, always staying at least a meter ahead from the main group. He was actually a bit twitchy, though it was more than a habit that tenseness. He constantly shrugged his shoulders and twisted his head, fingering the edges of his thick leather jacket. He really looked quite confident, trying to keep them all at a decent pace.

It took nearly half a bell, but eventually they all arrived at the ruins. It was a sort of grassy area, with trees and such scattered around, but less dense than the forested area from earlier. There was certainly something there, however, as pale stone slabs could be seen jutting out of the earth. One or two were at awkward angles, but others looked simply like a giant stone cube had been set in Semele's grasp, with only the top peeking out.

There was a noticeable hole when they arrived, something recently dug. There was a tree near the base, and as soon as James arrived, he tied a rope around it's base and dropped it down into the depths. He stood and eyed the group for a moment, a serious expression on his face.

"Well... this is it. We're here. Now... I warn you all... be careful. We don't know what'll be down there. If you see anything out of the ordinary, tell the group. Tanen?" The mentioned man had brought a large bag with him, and had set it down now. He pulled it open and brought out a few oil lamps... four in total. He lit them in moments, and picked one up for himself, before joining grandmother.

"Shall we?" he asked, and together the pair made their way down the rope... though the elderly lady required some assistance. James grabbed one for himself, and motioned for the last three to follow. He too disappeared into the dark hole.

The others would find the rope not too challenging to slide down, considering the drop was only a little over a story deep. The three in charge would be waiting for them, at the top of a staircase that dropped into darkness.

[Piraen Saneka]

As the group headed out, Piraen slid his hands into his pant's pockets. He would have preferred his jacket's pockets, but the were full of random bits of junk. The tailor wasn't sure what exactly he would need or what would be acceptable to bring, so he just grabbed a few things as he left his home. They were mostly things that put him at ease: two or three of his favorite needles, a spool of black thread, and a couple pieces of dried peaches. As usual, he had his journal with him, and was sure to check his pockets often to make certain that it was still on his person. The small leather book was probably the most important thing he owned, as it contained plans for his shop, designs for clients, and memories from his childhood. This journal was not an item of comfort...it was one of necessity.

When Tanen stepped next to him, Piraen couldn't help but smile. The man's grin was contagious. He nodded, making a point of responding in the most polite manner possible: "Oh, don't worry about it. I was busy thinking, anyway." Pi was already "behind the ball." He was overdressed, and he knew that that drew more attention to him. There was nothing he could do about that now. Now, he would just have to make sure that he didn't make matters worse.

"What sort of man-to-man chat were you hoping to have?" Piraen watched the trees and shrubbery around them, scanning the area for unusual ultraviolet colors. After his last trip, the man was much more wary of travelling. He had spent almost the entire season nursing a wound that resulted from that trip, and he was not eager to go back down that route. "I'm not in trouble, am I?" Piraen joked, laughing slightly as he looked back at the man.

The two men talked cordially as they walked. Their conversations were ones that lacked substance, however. They served more as time-passers. Tanen would comment on Piraen's attire; Piraen would blame the weather. Piraen would comment on Tanen's smile; Tanen would simply laugh. The only time they broke this pattern was when they reached their destination.

"This is peculiar" Piraen ran his fingers across the side of one of the slabs. Streaks of fluorescent colors ran up and down the stones. Normally, Pi could only see two or three different colors in things. The "landing strips" of colors on flower petals, the purple-ish hues in dark clothing, the showy blotches on a bird's feathers...all were normal in the way of the ultraviolet spectrum. However, this rock glinted with more shades than Pi had ever seen. It was so beautiful; Piraen wished everyone could see like this.

As the lanterns hit the ground, Pi turned away from the slab. He picked up one of the lamps and moved to the back of the group. He motioned for the others to enter first, turning to look back at the nearest stone.

[Daegron]

_

It was a short and uneventful walk to the place they were meant to explore. As the foliage started to clear and trees became sparser, pale slabs of stone seemed to dot the landscape. This wasn't their natural place, though the only hints that made that remark certain, were the odd fellowship that walked amidst them and James' certain steps. He couldn't help but wonder what manner of place this was.Whatever it was, it's destruction or abandonment had happened centuries ago; the solemn white remains looked like scattered bone fragments from high above.

"You don't just dig a random hole in the ground" he thought and wondered what prompted the first explorers to search in this particular place. Or even worse, whatever happened to them that made them stop the excavation. The placement of the slabs that barely tore through the earth, made no sense. Not that he'd be able to discern their purpose; architecture was a thing obscure to him. If the place was simply buried by time and dust, or if it had collapsed in itself, it was unclear. Were they standing on the top of a tall fortress or near the gates of an underground facility? If indeed this place pre-dated the Valterrian, anything could be possible. James' warning was just enough to remind the Morpher that he had to stay on his toes and always focused. The dark hole was but a few feet away for him and already his curiosity was boiling.

Piraen seemed to have taken interest to the stones, carefully observing them. Daegron thought he caught a glimpse of curiosity in the tailor's gaze. And then a bit of a pleasant amazement. What was peculiar? He rubbed his eyes but still, it was a perfectly normal stone, bleached by centuries of exposure in the elements. A thought occurred to him, that perhaps this well dressed man saw something more than they could not see. Unusual, but not surprising.
"If you can see more things than we are able to, or if you notice something peculiar, then stay close, and let us know. " the Morpher said to him while gripping the rope with both hands. The other three were already swallowed by the black hole that gaped before him. He did not take a lamp, thinking that it would do more to obstruct his vision than to enhance it. He leaned over the hole and started his awkward descent into what seemed a bottomless pit. He knew that wasn't the case, Tanen's voice was very close.

It wasn't a long way down. Soon his soles struck solid ground and he stood up. A deep darkness that seemed to swallow all sounds, only to have them reverberate endlessly, engulfed him. The air was damp and stale; it carried dust and the pungent smell of mold. It hinted of something rotten. It was cold in there, and there was no way to stop the next thought that came to him. For a brief moment, the terrible sensation of a massive grave overcame him. It was as if he was buried alive. Yet soon he shook the thought off, as he turned around and finally saw the dim lanterns light a few feet behind him. It would take a few moments for his eyes to adjust. Already he could discern shadows and the figures of the three companions that had already landed in the first chamber. It was one with a low ceiling, a few feet wide, and seemed to be made of the same stone like the slabs up above. A shadow loomed at the shiny hole above him and he moved a few steps towards the lantern, realizing that either Piraen or Sevris were following. As his vision became clearer, he thought he noticed the peculiar markings on the walls. Or was it just an unusual texture ? It could as well be his eyes playing tricks on him, affected by his tension. He finally caught up with the trio who seemed to be looking down a staircase. More darkness beckoned..

"it's a long way down.." he whispered


_

[Sevris]

The walk was quiet as Sevris had refrained from saying anything further after being deflected by the grandmother. Noises usually coming from the armor of Sevris and the scuttling sounds of the walking party. They arrived at a tree that was poised next a to a large man-made hole. Something had taken the interest of Piraen when their eyes fell upon a giant stone cube. The Paladin's attention was what lay ahead of them in the mysterious ruins. Their guides warned them of the dangers. Sevris expected such dangers. But they were under the eyes of Rhysol. So he had not to fear. Daegron took point after James and the rest descended into the hole. Sevris followed suit grabbing a lantern then a rope and lowering himself down. He was careful while lowering his armored body. Dirt bounced off of him as he landed on a staircase that led into further darkness. Holding his lantern up he walked to the edge and said, "May Rhysol be with us."