That Belongs in a Museum

Raid Master · May 21, 2018

Cycle 1

Through one way or another, you found yourself seated on lush cushion within one of the Brotherhood’s headquarters in Astorea. It was a great honor for anyone to be summoned by the leader of the Ynglar Brotherhood, Juliette. However, the nature of your visit was contracted work. If you recalled, the ad was asking for novice level adventurers, which was strange in and of itself. What kind of organization would hire rookies, especially one as affluent as the Brotherhood? Before your thoughts escape you, the eyepatched granny beckoned for your attention.

Oh come now, don’t be so stiff! Have some cookies and milk and relax.

So, you have all been hired to get me the Gem of Karzka. It looks like this. She turned an easel toward you, showing you a painting of a peculiarly-shaped gem from which a subtle golden glow radiated.

This gem contains a great deal of magic, which makes it rather ideal as a battery. I plan on using this to craft Zeus a new arm. Oh, and don’t tell anybody about that, that’s supposed to be a secret birthday gift. If you don’t know who he is then I suppose it doesn’t really matter, I suppose. She chortled.

The reason why I hired all of you is because of your low level of magic. The place you’re going too is habited by goatmen who are highly sensitive to magic, so if your magic is too advanced, that might complicate things a bit. Magic at your level should be okay, however!

It doesn’t matter how you retrieve the gem, but as soon as you obtain it and get to safety, Scotty will make a portal for you.

Now, finish your snack and get ready to go, there’s a portal waiting for you. And stop looking so gloomy, you guys will do great, oho! Oh, and if you need to contact me for whatever reason, use the blue stones in places where they glow the brightest!

Whether or not you were ready for your journey, one of the mages ushered you to the swirling portal. If it was your first time jumping through a portal, you will feel your body stretching infinitely for a few minutes before you are ejected onto the other side, nausea followed shortly.

When you got to your feet, you found yourself inside a rather large cavern passage way. Your environment had a reddish tint, indicating that you were likely in Norfova. The cave was naturally illuminated by sporadic crystals that radiated a warm orange light. It was hot and humid, it took you a few minutes to learn how to breathe such moist air.

Moments later, a mysterious box was ejected from the portal before it collapsed violently as portals often do.

From where you were standing, you observed a few different things. First, you saw strange marks etched deeply into the cavern’s wall. It was far too dark for you to make out the details, however.

On the grounds were also a cluster of the same crystals that illuminated the cave. They protruded from the ground and were equipped with extremely sharp edges that would no doubt draw blood if they were touched.

Finally, you could see two pathways, one leading straight ahead while other curved around a bend. If you took a couple of steps toward either direction, you would have gotten a hint of what was to come.

Straight Forward Other than the sound of whispery winds, there was nothing particularly special about this path.

Around the Bend You could hear faint sobbing.

Hub & Template | Trackers | Communication | Rolls

@Amelia Tyrin @Ms. Magpie @Chaol @Sean Poteitoku @Cyriac Felix

Cyriac Felix · May 21, 2018

115 HP

MAX 115 HP

108 EN

MAX 108 EN

Cyriac was biting into one of the cookies with a decidedly childish expression, as he had studied the elderly woman who gave him, and the rest of the party, their instructions. He committed the appearance of the Gem of Karzka to his mind, nodding as he gulped down a tall glass of milk to wash down his cookie.

He had only reached for another cookie, when the group was chivvied off to the portal.

“Drats…”

But then they arrived at their destination! As his body was dimensionally crushed through the portal, he mentally resolved to learn of the art for future usage - getting around quickly is a helpful tool, after all!

“I think I’m gonna…” He clamped his mouth shut with his hands, as a wave of nausea struck him. He blinked out portal glare from his eyes.

Cyriac at least appeared on the other side on both feet, although bile rose up in his throat. He nearly regurgitated poor Juliette’s cookies out, but willed himself to not be a pansy, and dispelled the motion sickness nausea. Once they had reached the cave, he looked around quietly.

A subtle manipulation of his palm opened up the Menu, from where he studied the composition of their group. For the first time, they were seemingly given a highly important task to do, and the group put together while a bit green was still formidable. He closed his Menu just as quickly, before taking a deep breath.

A thump behind him drew his attention to a sixth object that had come through the portal, which promptly collapsed in violent fashion. A drifting thought of what would happen to something stuck midway through the portal on closing lingered on his mind, before he walked over to the box, kneeling on one foot beside it. He managed to examine the ground, and the crystals in the meantime. Perhaps these rocks had value, or incendiary property, that’d merit collection? He’d need to discuss with his allies to decide either or - one of them might be an expert on this. But the box was the thing that caught his attention.

It did not seem like it belonged to any of the other adventurers - not their spilled luggage, then. They were all studying the room, and the fork in the paths as he did. “Pretty sure this stuff doesn’t belong to you guys, right? Y’know, we should elect a ‘Leader’ fella out from among us, man who calls the shots and all. Any volunteers?”

His hands reached for the box, hovering over it, before breathing deeply, using his pilferer’s sense and experience to try and figure out if the box was visibly or non-magically trapped, before checking to see if he can simply pry it open.

‘Retrieve the gem, get to safety. Scotty will make a portal for you.’

Quite possibly the box was some way to hail this Scotty chap to throw them the escape rope out of this place, he guessed.

And so it begins...

Action Summary: Cyriac examines the mysterious box, first checking for traps before moving on to open it, if no traps are rigged on it.

Chaol · May 21, 2018

105 HP

MAX 105 HP

100 EN

MAX 100 EN

When it came to why Chaol accepted the challenge, it really depended on who you asked. The Brotherhood saw him as simply an adventurer who answered the call, a mercenary willing to do whatever was asked if the price was right. He was merely a name, a face, with no further connections or obligations. To Master Rupert Osbourne, the crooked politician who considered Chaol a mere errand boy, he was infiltrating the Brotherhood on special assignment. Even Grimswell, the old man who Osbourne demanded always accompany Chaol, had no doubts as to the man’s loyalty.

Only Chaol himself knew the truth. He did indeed believe in “fealty to one,” but that one person was himself. He was seated on the overstuffed cushions, nibbling politely at the cookies, with mere curiosity as his only motivator. He had spent so many hours simply observing other players in Terrasphere, and he had determined that now was the time to get more involved. To surround himself with the individuals he studied, to immerse himself in their natural habitat. Was that not the job of the scientist?

So he allowed himself to be educated on the mission, and followed, without hesitation or question, into the portal. After being dropped unceremoniously in the dark, he moved to the dark edges that confined them. His fingertips kissed the hard walls, and ran along them, feeling for words or clues. There was something there, he could tell immediately, but it was difficult to be sure. He left one hand pressed to the wall, before turning to examine the rest of his surroundings.

“The literal and metaphorical fork in the road,” Chaol drawled, his deep voice seeming to rumble along those rough cavern walls. His lips quirked at the beauty, simplicity, and predictability of it all. They were beginner players venturing into a cave, searching for a mysterious gem. What would be next? An attack from an especially large rat?

“It seems we have a choice,” he stated, but in a way that was easy and conversational. “Left or right. But I suppose I will leave it up to whoever we elect leader.” His goal was not to establish himself as the leader the other player mentioned, but rather, prompt his comrades into action. If they chose him, however, that was a different matter entirely. At least that was an action they made without his involvement. He wanted to see what they did, how they thought - what made them tick. That was always his intention, and Terrasphere made it all so easy.

Unwilling to let the statement hang in the air for too long, lest the party get the sense he was goading them, Chaol turned back to the wall. It took immense concentration, given his incredibly low level, but he did his best to form the tiniest ball of fire in his hand. “She said they are sensitive to powerful magic,” he commented to no one in particular. “I do not suspect this will trigger anything.”

Action Summary: Chaol prompts the group to discuss which way they should go. He also attempts to light a teeny fire in the palm of his hand, to allow him to better investigate the grooves in the cave wall.

Raid Master · May 21, 2018

@Cyriac Felix Upon a closer inspection, the box had an ornate design that fit the Brotherhood's general aesthetics. Even when you used your spider senses to figure out its secret, it did not appear to be magically rigged with traps or the likes. There was a peculiar looking keyhole from which a blue light radiated. Even if you looked around the box, a key could not be found anywhere. The box was locked with magic. It would take a high level of magic to open it. Perhaps the Brotherhood mages forgot about the mission's low-magic requirement and didn't unlock it. Either way, you have no idea what's in the box. When you applied physical force directly to the box, it resisted your attempt with ease.

@Chaol You speck of light revealed the details of the etching on the wall. The drawings themselves appeared to have nearly faded with time, it was especially difficult to figure out what it was depicting. You were able to commit to mind a few symbols that stood out, however. First was a circle with a line pointing upward, then one that pointed down, finally one where there was a line crossing the circle's interior diagonally from the top left to the bottom right.

OOC: This is not a new cycle. Anyone who have yet to post can react to this post, but it's not required. To keep the thread moving forward, vote on where to go in the communication thread.

Sean Poteitoku · May 21, 2018

121 HP

MAX 121 HP

113 EN

MAX 113 EN

Sean sat before the leader of the Ynglar Brotherhood. He had heard stories of what happened after he died in the battle against Titanius, that they forced people to die to save random people. Sean would never forgive them, but he was requested for a job. As long as I get money.

Sean listened to the description of the job. Seems simple enough: Get a gem from goat people. Sean nodded, half-listening to what they were saying and half drinking a lot of milk. Eventually, something in his mind ticked. Wait, what? He tried to voice his concern. "Wait, goatmen... What do you mean by tha..." Before he could finish his sentence, he was tossed into a portal.

Sean got spat out of the portal in a cave face-first. His entire body ached and he just ate a mouthful of ground. Tastes horrible. Getting up, he dusted himself off and spat out the ground before looking at the party. All new people, huh? He turned his entire body to them and gave a lighthearted smile.

"Hey. I'm Sean. I hope we can work togethe-"

Sean froze. He heard distant sobbing around a corner. "Wait here..." He cautiously made his way to the corner where the crying was coming from. He peeked around the corner, trying to determine the source of the sound while remaining hidden.
Action Summary: Sean attempts to determine the source of the crying without being seen by peeking around the corner.

Ms. Magpie · May 22, 2018

100 HP

MAX 100 HP

106 EN

MAX 106 EN

She had known what she was getting herself into, at least on paper. When faced with the actual reality of it all, Ms. Magpie was already close to breaking. When she had accepted this mission, it had been made very clear that she was only a candidate because of her status as a fledgling.

In what appeared to be an act of defiance, Ms. Magpie maintained her typical dour expression throughout the entirety introductory aside. Without so much as nibbling her firmly clutched cookie, the not-so-grand witch took in all the necessary surface information. She still had her integrity. While she was certainly far from lightening up, especially in the wake of being once again reminded of just how largely ineffectual of a spell-caster she actually was, she had still made a promise, and she was not about to tarnish her non-reputation.

Any questions or indignant looks she may have had were whisked away as quickly as she was. Struck by an gnarling sensation in every fiber of her being, her stomach, wherever it was, began to churn. Upon snapping back into a more manageable form, she came to the worse realization that others were suffering the same fate. Unwilling to accept this, she quickly lashed out the faintest suggestion that someone else may have too been nauseated, "No. You will not." She demanded outright, fighting against her own gastronomical upheaval, and thus, crushing her cookie to dust.

Her belief that she was miserable on the other side of the portal had been challenged by terrible conditions that faced her within the caverns themselves. What had been worse than the nausea was the harsh humidity.

With all of this discomfort about, it was hardly any surprise that the rest of the party tried to take their minds of things by offering suggestions of leadership, "If we must, but perhaps we should first decide on just where we should go first. I'd wager we'll be down here for awhile, we'll have plenty of time to elect a leader while we travel." Luckily, amidst talks of who would lead the fellowship, one of her compatriots took it upon himself to personally investigate the ominous sounds about, before she even had a chance to return the favor of his introduction.

Heeding Sean's advice to wait, the witch found herself drawn to the flame, or rather, what the flames had brought out. The symbols were certainly strange, but her mind jumped through theories. Making her examination of the wall difficult was the heavy reminder that, "Yes. I doubt any of our cantrips would be enough to rouse any suspicion; we were selected for a reason, after all. Still, it pays to not be reckless, if only for the sake of ensuring we'll have the wherewithal to deal with trouble when it happens to fall into our laps."

Action Summary: Ms. Magpie attempts to further examine the symbols exposed by Choal's light, through a more occult lens.

Raid Master · May 22, 2018

Cycle 2

@Ms. Magpie The condition of the design on the wall was terrible (28), time had marred most of its details beyond recognition. You can only make out a few things depicted by what you see. Even if it wasn't much, you committed the imagery to your memory, with hopes that the more you explore the cave, the more you'll come to understand about what it is trying to say.

The imagery is of a large, pyramid shaped building with some vague shapes at its foot.

Before anyone had gotten a chance to inspect the crying around the bend, the sounds of heavy footsteps could be heard. They were accompanied by what sounded like a relaxed conversation between two... creatures. They spoke in a language that was completely foreign to you.

Going by the peculiar breathing in between every sentence, you quickly deduced that it was likely Goatmen patrols, however, the cave carried sound very strangely, making it impossible to figure out if they were walking down either of the paths. What you did know was that the pair was heading toward your direction.

If you looked around you, you can see some rough pockets carved out of the wall where you can hide, but they appeared far too small and few to house every member in the group. You will have to think on your feet and prepare for the Goatmen.

What do you do?

Hub & Template | Trackers | Communication | Rolls

Please remember to follow the rules, being over or under the word count will invalidate your character's actions!

@Amelia Tyrin @Ms. Magpie @Chaol @Sean Poteitoku @Cyriac Felix

Cyriac Felix · May 23, 2018

115 HP

MAX 115 HP

108 EN

MAX 108 EN

Cyriac had almost moved to lift the box, figuring it was important when he heard the approach of two beings conversing. He turned around to look at his fellow adventurers with a panicked expression, before firing out a PM to his party as quickly as he could. And with that done, he looked around. He'd have only moments before the voices either turned the corner and saw them, or came straight along the path and saw them; he couldn't tell which one it'd be, but the plan was to, obviously, not be seen - he wasn't bold enough to try picking a fight with creatures that actively chase down strong mages.

Logic dictated that the latter might be the case - whatever was sobbing might have drawn the attention of the goatmen first, after all. So he acted quickly - a stupid plan, but a necessary one.

He took the box and turned it about, leaving it on the narrowest side so it stood tall on the rocky surfaces. Placed carefully, it didn't seem like it'd topple on its own, but with a bit of a touch, it should...

With that done, he reached down and grabbed a loose rock, trying not to cut his palm upon the crystal's edges, before moving towards the wall, hugging the cave and sticking to the darkness. He willed himself with all his effort to not make a noise, to breathe quieter, to simply vanish into the background, an insignificant figure, unseen and unheard. He was exerting the capacity of his Incognito Mastery to its maximum.

The goatmen may only do two things - either stay there, or continue their patrol path and leave, either the same way they came or the other route. There was a good chance that a fight was inevitable, but at this rate, he felt that they should stack the odds as much as possible against the enemies before moving on. A sneak attack would ruin them...but being caught with their pants down would ruin him.

He clutched the rock in his hand. On the off-chance that the goatmen stoically ignore the clearly-alien box, he could hurl it and topple the thing, making noise and movement to force them to observe it. Otherwise, he stayed as still as a corpse and hoped that he'd not become one.

His left hand drifted down, gripping the handle of a short sword that one of the Brothers gave him - a poor weapon, one so low quality that it might as well not be there and it'd not make a difference. He couldn't pull it out of the sheath yet, or the gleam of the metal would give him away.

He didn't hold any mistaken idea that they could leave any of their party behind, though - if anyone gets caught the whole party will need to gang up and strike the goatmen down before an alarm was raised.

'Here we go...', he thought.

Action Summary: Cyriac sets up the box, grabs a rock, and dives for cover, trying to stick to the walls and the shadow to hide from the incoming patrol.

Sean Poteitoku · May 23, 2018

121 HP

MAX 121 HP

113 EN

MAX 113 EN

Sean seemed to not be at his best today. He tripped over a rock when moving to check the crying, sending him falling onto the ground. "Ouch." He got up and dusted himself off. "Well, that failed." He looked around where he fell. He barely avoided getting impaled by a crystal, which he silently thanked the gods of anime plot convenience for. There was a wall next to him, the opposite one having small indents.

Sean was snapped out of his observations when he heard distant footsteps. They seemed to impose an aura of authority, something Sean was very concerned about. I should be scared. I am. There was also a conversation, but Sean didn't know what they were saying. I gotta hide! On reflex, he ran to the nearest wall and began climbing. If the brash Felis knew anything, one of the things people NEVER do is look up.

A fourth of the way up the wall, Sean came to the realization that his plan was probably absolute trash. There didn't seem to be handholds on the ceiling and he had a fear of heights due to a Death Affliction. He continued on anyway, because any chance is good enough for the master of recklessness.

Around halfway up the wall, beginning to turn into hanging, Sean's Death Affliction kicked in. His body froze in fear, making one of his hands slip. He wanted to regain his grip, but his body gave out. After a second of falling, he landed on the ground on his back with a thud. "Oof." He rolled over and examined his lower back, checking for signs of damage. Rough fall, that was. That probably was an absolutely horrible idea. I could've landed on my head and died, and my Death Affliction activated. I'm basically a fish out of water for whatever's approaching. Somebody, send help.

Action Summary: Sean attempts to climb onto the ceiling to avoid detection but falls trying.

Ms. Magpie · May 23, 2018

100 HP

MAX 100 HP

106 EN

MAX 106 EN

Long before Ms. Magpie had even so much as scratched the surface on her reading--or rather, long before she was satisfied in having unlocked long-gone secrets--she found herself, once more, in the dark. Hushed murmurs--warnings--opened her ears to the far off clamoring leading into a her gaining a newfound sense of urgency.

Sure, there were places to hide. But, there wasn’t much room to be found in the crevices, and Ms. Magpie, from heel to headpiece, "needed" more than she needed. She had been more than content with hiding in plain sight. In fact, this was proving to be a way for the witch to test the waters. While she was sure their various spells would not be detected from afar, she wondered if they could pick up upon the diminutive traces of magic from up close. Worse yet, she considered the possibility that these goats were outright immune to magic, and through any illusion, she’d simply be sitting there foolishly in plain view. Sooner or later, this question needed to be answered, and the present was about as “soon” as these things got.

For now, she thought she was in the clear. The brotherhood’s box was likely more visible, even in regards to agitating the goatmen’s supposed magical sensitivity than any simple glamour she could cast. Flattening herself against a cavern wall, finding a spot away from the creeping Cyriac, Ms. Magpie devised her own scheme, to capitalize on the one he seemed to be brewing. Under her breath was the first few eldritch ink--a thud and groan broke any semblance of concentration that the witch had cobbled together. In her planning, she had lost sight of Sean, and had yet to realize until he was on the ground having made a lion's share of noise.

"Hrm..." She quietly groaned; assuring that even in a possibly concussed state, her disappointment could still be read. A quick scan of his bruised, and battered not-quite corpse showed Ms. Magpie the crucial detail that he was moving--thus (likely) alive, “Good. You’re still with us.” She half-heartily remarked, before closing the distance between the two. Moving her slender finger to her lips, she gestured that he remain silent. Kneeling, and then laying, she joined him on the ground. Her eyes aglow, she was able to complete her small stint of hushed, otherworldly ramblings.

She had no idea how often this particular pair roamed on past this stretch of rock, as a result she had to be careful. Introducing too out-of-place of a rock formation could prove to be far too jarring. If they managed to escape outright magical detection, then Ms. Magpie surely wanted to avoid them immediately catching that the chamber was not what it once was. Moving in tightly, she tried to condense her lengthy form as much as she could. Around the two was quite possibly an extension of the cavern ground.

Action Summary: Ms. Magpie, lesser witch, casts a spell with the intent of hiding Sean & herself under a blanket of illusory terrain.

Chaol · May 23, 2018

105 HP

MAX 105 HP

100 EN

MAX 100 EN

As it often was, Chaol's mind was quick to begin calculating possibilities and probabilities. As fast, efficient, and emotionless as a computer, he considered the many ways that this could go. Then approaching voices were distorted by the distance and the echo, making it impossible for him to pin-point the path they took. That effectively ruled out running the opposite direction.

Granted, Chaol was not one to run away in a situation such as this. On the contrary, he was far more eager to engage the goatmen - preferably in conversation, but he would resort to combat, should the need arise. In fact, he was sort of hoping that the party might choose to stand their ground, and surprise those individuals who spoke that foreign tongue. Hell, were he given a few minutes, he might be able to mimic it. Or, at least, be a good ways toward translating basic phrases. The man had always had an ear for languages.

But instead, his merry band of adventurers chose the cowardly course. One was even so desperate as to scale the wall, attempting, and failing, to cling to the ceiling. Where another man might have found humor in the sight, Chaol felt a stab of disappointment. He was actually saddened that they would not be interacting with the goatmen. But even that emotion alone was unusual for him, and it was fleeting, like the flash and quick burn of a streaking star. Before long, he was back to his typical self.

Just go along, he thought to himself, easing his tall frame into one of the wall's pockets. At the same time as Ms. Magpie attempted to shield Sean, Chaol pressed his body against cool stone, and reduced his eyes to narrow slits of violet. Now, he would wait, and see if such a haphazard game of hide and seek would get them through the next five minutes.

Action Summary: Chaol hides in the wall.

Raid Master · May 25, 2018

@Sean Poteitoku's Felis agility helped him with his fall, which softened a lot of the damage that falling from that height would have caused (20+5=25). The landing did produce noise, however.

The sound echoed within the cave, reaching the Goatmen's ears. As expected they quickly made their way to the source, eventually making their appearance where the entire party was hiding. From what you could see, they came from the bend, which was also where the sobbing could be heard.

One of the Goatmen first raised his torch to inspect the ground where Sean and Ms. Magpie was. Fortunately, the illusion managed to fool his sight even if the traces of magic gave him a suspicious tingle from @Ms. Magpie's magic (31+20=51).

The Goatman then moved his torch toward the walls where @Chaol and @Cyriac Felix were hiding, and also failed to see anything out of place (75; 45+5=50). When the creature's partner got rather impatient and beckoned for his attention with the strange language, the goat-headed patrol turned and headed back to his partner before they carried a golden vase together. They resumed talking about whatever Goatmen talk about while on the job.

Once they are somewhat out of view, you are able to take a quick breather. To your surprise, the occasional sobbing continued down the path around the bend. It seemed you have a number of approaches you can do.

What will you do?

Ultimatum: You cannot reply until everyone has picked a path.
Once a consensus has been made, I will start on the next cycle.

@Ms. Magpie @Chaol @Sean Poteitoku @Cyriac Felix

Cyriac Felix · May 25, 2018

115 HP

MAX 115 HP

108 EN

MAX 108 EN

Two eyes watched from the shadows, lurking quietly and unseen. His form was not all that good - he should really improve his skill at sneaking - and it was just out of pure luck that they managed to avoid the patrol, but he'd observed a few things, and they understood two things inferred from them.

One, the Goatmen ignored the box. Which means that despite its magical sealing, it was hidden from the notice of the Goatmen. More reason to take it along. Once he was well and sure that the Goatmen were out of earshot and notice, he peeled himself away from the walls.

"Phew...that was tense for a moment there..."

Walking over, he picked the box up, hefting it under his arm and looked around at his fellow adventurers.

"We're in the clear, but we need to keep moving. Sticking with my choice before, y'know. Go through the bend, check what's there. I know we're digging ourselves into a potential bear pit, but..."

Something about it. That path would lead inwards, into the Goatmen's lair, or so he felt. He had noticed the golden vase in their hands and wondered for a split second if it could contain the Gem. Do people keep gems in jars?

Ah, they could go check it later. As an afterthought, he wondered if he should keep a rudimentary map, just in case they get lost in the cave system. He guessed that splitting up wasn't a viable tactic, so they flew or died together.

"Around the bend." And that was his cast vote. Alea Jacta Est, and all that. Going down a path that might potentially have nothing but an endless route won't. At least on the other route, they'll come up on whatever's causing that godawful sobbing, and that'd direct them down a path likely to lead to the heart of the caves, whether they, whoever they might find waiting there, are friendly or hostile.

And he walked over to the rock-illusion that was Ms. Magpie and Sean, peering at it. "You alright, Boss Man? Don't break a neck or something, alright?"

A thought made him wonder if he should trust this man to stay the leader...but he pushed it away and decided to go with it.

Cyriac gave his comrades a once over. He was the first person to jump out of hiding, and while that was risky, it was still wiser to keep moving quickly instead of lingering around until the next patrol comes by and they fail to hide. He stalked over to the path which the Goatmen took, trying to examine it out of curiosity, without going all the way and probably falling into a trap or some other unfortunate coincidence. He didn't put much faith in finding or seeing anything, or he'd have been more indecisive with his vote.

"Let's see here...", he said, as he peered into the gloom.

Action Summary: Cyriac comes out of hiding and picks up the box, deciding to carry it along. He wanders over to the fork in the paths and tries to see where it might lead, but he doesn't put much faith in succeeding.

Raid Master · May 25, 2018

Cycle 3

Once the group has decided its path, you and your companions made your way around the bend, which led you to a long-stretching path that went on for quite a while. The further you walked, the closer you got to the source of the occasional sobbing.

Finally, you arrived at your destination, it was an open area. On one side of this clearing, you spotted a number of vases scattered on the ground. They were painted in a variety of colors, including red, blue, white, green, and yellow. Some appeared to have been smashed into pieces while others were perfectly intact.

On the opposite side of the area was several jail cells in a roll. When you took some time to look at them, you would notice that there were a total of three cells.

Cell 1 From what limited lighting reveal, you can see silver vase standing in a field of other dull-looking vases that lay on the ground. It was then that you heard the sobbing, coming from the upright vase. The voice sounded exactly like it belonged to a living and breathing person.

Cell 2 You saw a dried up corpse of a Goatmen behind the bars leading into this cell. When you got a tad closer, you caught a scent of decomposition so strong it would have knocked an adult to their knees. Whatever fate that Goatman prisoner experienced as not a pleasant one.

Cell 3 The furthest one from the others, you couldn't see anything in the cell at all. You did, however, detect some slight movement. Fortunately, whatever was in there was not responding to the noise you and your group generated.

Although each cell was distinctive from one another the one thing they all had in common was the fact that every one of them was locked.

What do you do?

Hub & Template | Trackers | Communication | Rolls

@Ms. Magpie @Chaol @Sean Poteitoku @Cyriac Felix

Ms. Magpie · May 26, 2018

100 HP

MAX 100 HP

106 EN

MAX 106 EN

After a tense session of stress, the witch let go a sigh. In that moment, she had almost made eye contact with the investigating party from behind the veil, before the pair had been on their way. Despite the illusion, they had been sitting ducks; a simple mistake in the casting of the spell could have been the doom of all two. The fact that they had eventually turned their backs on the pair, had Ms. Magpie eventually reason that for once, one of her spells had been a success.

Letting the spell linger on, even in their absence, there was a finally a point where there was no sign of the goatmen looping back. There only seemed to be Cyriac, walking freely and alerting to the lack for cause for alert. Once he had addressed the illusion, Ms. Magpie thought it suitable to simply do away with the glamour. With a flick of her wrist, and another drawn out chant, the illusion faded into a more unquestionable state of nothing. Dusting herself off of some of the plentiful dirt to be found amidst the ground, she offered a helping hand to Sean as she oriented herself upright.

The diversion of trying not to be discovered had burnt up enough of their time. They were all alive and mostly well, which meant that it was time to move on, "Forward..." Had been her vote. She had her reasons, mostly relating to testing a few ideas she had concerning the etchings on the wall. In the end, actually responding the possibly urgent cries for help had beaten her out.

Once the group had successfully made it around the perilous corner, her attention was split twofold. Corpses were generally significant, even long gone ones. It was possible that it wasn't as old as it appeared; the nature of its death could have contributed the current state of its affairs, unless the goatmen truly did practice such poor upkeep of their prisons. Secondly was the collection of vases, not dissimilar from the one being dragged about by the patrol. Finally, Ms. Magpie found herself drawn into the same curiosity that had drawn her allies to the sobbing in the first place.

As pressing as the corpse may have been, she eased her way towards the vases' cell. As sensitive as these goats were to magic, the certainly liked their trinkets. That in mind, she was wary of the possibility that there was some semblance of security here. Approaching the locked cell, she attempted to handle the vase's horrible predicament with her usual sense of grace and tact, "Sorry to bother you, but I must ask cease this wailing and speak. "

Action Summary: Ms. Magpie tries to engage what she suspects to be the source of the sobbing.