Into the depths? [@Click This][@Crimson Paladin] [hr] “No thanks to you.” Lazhira replied with a small huff, pouting slightly. “Narkissa managed to kill all of them though! It was pretty impressive, heheh.” Not that she’d mention what else happened up there. That was not information Novak needed to know. Narkissa clicked her tongue in annoyance at the uninvited guest. “Yes. They’re gone. No thanks to you indeed,” She mirrored Lazhira, with a little more bitterness in her voice compared to the younger girl. After all, she had more than a few reasons to be cross with the still nameless male, with a new, additional reason being added just by virtue of approaching here and now. Still, Narkissa briefly shot Lazhira a look. There was a bending of the truth in their words there, but for her and Lazhira’s mutual benefit, and she wasn’t going to break that promise, especially when it had been made mere seconds ago. It’d been a long shot, but she nonetheless somehow got Lazhira to open up and talk. She’d already suspected it, but now she knew for sure that Lazhira was part of the Illuminator’s Cult. And she was going to probe further and ask what was up with that, until brave, brave Sir Robin rode forth from the depths of the dungeon dark. “I trust you’ve explored the catacombs and found them perfectly safe and sound?” “What did you expect me to do, hit them with my sword and hope that it doesn’t get stuck in them? Stand around to distract them and hope that they don’t manage to kill me?” Novak asked defensively. After a moment, he continued with his voice lowered, still wary of making too much noise. “Unlike the two of you, I don’t know any magic, there was nothing I could do beyond perhaps making them wobble slightly. I assumed you’d be following right behind; I had no idea you had the power to harm them. Speaking of which, just how did you kill those things?” “Well, yes,” she retorted, a flicker of annoyance on her face. Narkissa hadn’t really been hurt too badly during the melee, but it was still obvious enough that she’d been in enough of a fight. “As we so happened to find out, without your help, they do in fact die if you hit them enough times.” Not quite a lie, but not quite a truth, either. Either way, if the big bad slime could be killed by ripping out its core, whacking the smaller slimes with a sword probably would have worked. “Don’t make assumptions. You might get somebody killed next time. Now, have you explored this place or not?” Novak paused. He hadn’t actually considered that the slimes could be killed with a sword, but Narkissa did it. He actually felt a little bad for jumping into the pit so quickly. After a few moments of contemplation, he composed himself and gave his answer. “Yes, I have. This hallway has three rooms. The two ones on the right are a kitchen and dormitory. There is- or at least, was- a doorway to the left. Leannah went in there but the wall sealed up behind her and we got separated, and I haven’t found a way to get it open again.” Novak pointed to the end of the hall. “At the end of this hall and to the right, there’s a small room with an empty pedestal. The passage to the left leads to some kind of chemical or alchemical laboratory. From there, there’s two doors, one being barricaded and one being ajar, leading to what looked like an altar room or chapel, but it’s...well...I saw someone or something moving around in there, and it’s not Leannah. And...” Novak turned to Lazhira. “If I may pose a question of my own, what do you know of this place, Lazhira? What do you think- or hope- we’ll discover here?” “I was hoping for something to read myself...but most things here are pretty old.” She replied with a sigh. “And well, something to help with whatever’s...happening. Some proof or something that proves without a doubt the illuminator is behind whatever this is...or just something that stops the forest from being clouded by that fog.” She frowned, narrowing her eyes at Novak. “I hope Leannah’s okay...you said you saw someone moving further in?” “Yes, I saw someone moving around in the room beyond the laboratory,” answered Novak, shooting a nervous glance back at the hallway. “I wasn’t able to get a better look, not without alerting them to my presence, but I’m certain it wasn’t Leannah.” Whoever or whatever I saw, I didn’t want to blindly confront them alone, so I returned here in hopes of meeting back up with you two.” Ah, so brave Sir Robin continued to bravely run away. Although, this time, Narkissa had to concede it was probably a more prudent decision. Thankfully, he did seem to have explored a decent bit, which was some welcome news, but the information about Leannah was worrying. She shot another look with a slightly raised eyebrow at Lazhira at this extra bit of information, but decided to focus on the more pressing matter at hand. “I’m not going to pretend I’m still not unhappy with you, whatever your name is, but I’d like to rescue Leannah. But first, we need to deal with whoever is in that altar room you say is there, if they need to be dealt with, so at least you’re right on that.” “Oh, and there’s...one other thing,” Novak spoke up somewhat hesitantly. “Since we’re risking our lives down here together and I haven't been the most helpful person, there's something you need to know." Novak took out the mask he had taken with him and showed it to Narkissa. "This mask I found on the upper level, when I put it on, it shows me things. Whispers things to me. In the pedestal room, it showed a memory of people stealing an object from the pedestal. On the upper level, it told me to jump into the pit." Novak opened his mouth as if to say something else and briefly glanced at Lazhira, but decided against it. Bringing up what he saw with Lazhira might cause more trouble and tension than it was worth. "I suppose you might think me crazy, but it's the truth." “Hmm?” Mildly curious, she looked down at the strange mask that Novak had produced, frowning a bit at the object. “I saw you pick that up earlier. I wasn’t aware that it had magical properties,” Narkissa finally said. It sounded like a cursed object to her. Strange objects whispering sweet nothings were not to be trusted however, especially when it told him to abandon her. On the other hand, the memory was interesting. “I’m not sure I would trust it, but what object was being stolen?” “Let’s see...” Novak spoke, thinking back on it. “It looked like a brightly glowing sphere, or orb, floating just above the pedestal. Perhaps a magical stone, or gem of some sort. I saw these...phantoms grab it and run deeper into the temple, and following them took me to the laboratory. I also saw some sort of humanoids peeking at me from around the corner, but it must have been the mask because when I entered the laboratory, there was no sign of them, except perhaps whatever was milling around in the room beyond.” “Hmm.” Narkissa’s eyes briefly flicked over to Lazhira to see if that got any sort of reaction from her. “Hmm...I think those masks used to be worn by the worshippers. Something about limiting ones senses to hear the Illuminator directly and see things otherwise that people can’t.” Lazhira replied with a nod. “I don’t think anyone does that any more, but I could be wrong...dunno anything about that stone though.” She replied with a frown. “A crystal sphere was stolen, huh...” A thoughtful hum was all she offered on that subject. “Wait a minute,” Novak responded, recalling what the mask had spoken to him. “I never specified it was a crystal sphere, Lazhira. But it was, wasn’t it, because that’s what the mask said as I explored the laboratory.” Novak had known something strange was going on with Lazhira ever since he had beheld her through the mask, and it seemed that she was more involved with this place than she had let on. He watched and awaited a reaction to the slip-up from either Lazhira or Narkissa. He didn’t want to press Lazhira for information, but if she continued to withhold important information from them, they could find themselves in otherwise avoidable danger. Not to mention Leannah, who still hadn’t turned up after triggering a trap. “...W-well...ahah~” Lazhira chuckled in a nervous manner. “I just figured it was ya know...tsk, no, you wouldn’t buy that would you.” The girl said with a sigh and a slight pout. “...Don’t suppose you could just overlook that little slip up could ya?” She asked, narrowing her eyes and. “I’m on your guys’ side, promise. I really don’t know much more than you do. I just...happen to take legends and stuff a bit more seriously than most.” “Hmm,” Narkissa intoned again. The slipup was obvious. It took her a moment to work through the implications after comparing it with what Lazhira had told her earlier. If she was a guessing woman, she was speaking to the girl that had stolen said crystal orb. She kept her face schooled with careful composure, though; dimly aware that Novak had looked toward her much in the same way as she had Lazhira, she wanted to hold her cards tight at the moment. Narkissa still didn’t trust that man. Still, a slip was a slip, but at least she trusted Lazhira more than Novak. The fact that he didn’t offer his name after not-so-subtle hint did not help. “I suppose,” she leniently replied. “I’m sure you know more about this temple than you let on, though, so it would be helpful if you know anything that can get us into that room and Leannah. Anything short of blasting open that wall with high explosives, that is.” "Look, Lazhira," Novak softly spoke, looking her in the eyes. "I truly want to help your village. If I didn't, I wouldn't have come here as unprepared as I am, and I certainly wouldn't have taken a headbutt to the chest from that armadillo beast. I understand that my interactions with you have not been sufficient for you to call me a friend. But I'd like to think that Leannah has proven herself worthy of that honor. And right now that girl, whose blood was shed protecting you, is lost in this literally godforsaken place, while the village you call home is menaced by an incensed elder beast. I won’t pry as to why you know what you know, but there's anything you know that is important to the well-being of the village or of your friend Leannah, or anything that'll prevent us from getting killed from stumbling around ignorantly, please tell.” It was clear that Lazhira did not trust Novak, and between his relative lack of interaction with the enigmatic girl compared the much more interesting-seeming women who had bunked with her, and the situation with the slimes, it wasn’t unjustified. He hoped, however, that the girl cared enough about her village and her new feline friend that she’d be willing to reveal anything that might be important. “I dunno, do you have some way of lifting a slab of rock? I sure don’t.” Lazhira replied a bit sardonically. “Its her own fault for running off and not waiting for us anyways! Not that I can really blame her, eheh, I’d probably have done the same.” She fell silent, realizing that perhaps levity wasn’t going to help her here. “Look, there’s sure to be some sort of exit though, I doubt its one way. That’d be dumb.” She would start walking, towards the area Novak had come from. “All I can say...is that this place doesn’t feel right. Like, something is off about everything.” “A hydraulic jack?” Narkissa offered. “A hydraulic jack? How will you manage that?” Novak asked, curious as to where Narkissa’s line of reasoning was going. Narkissa coughed. She’d intended it as a flippant comment, but it wasn’t entirely unviable. Just ambitious. Very much so. More interestingly, he was able to follow her logic and understood the term, so her suspicion that the man was also from her world was confirmed. “Uh, I’ve been thinking about water magic since we’ve got here, and if there’s anything that can lift a slab of rock with a force multiplier without being destructive, it’s hydraulics. With enough control and a carefully crafted spell, it could work. Maybe. But I digress, what exactly feels off about this place, Lazhira?” “...It doesn’t...feel right.” Lazhira replied with a huff. “...remember what I told you earlier Narkissa?” She paused walking, turning to face the other girl. “Might sound weird, but it feels kind of like...its too...clean? No, not that. Like there are little things that are here and there that seem off. Like you’re trying to recall something from memory but only remember vague details.” Narkissa scrunched up her face in thought. “Like… passively, as a part of the environment, or something more active, like some sort of temple-wide illusion magic?” They’d all pretty much agreed earlier that the temple was kind of creepy, but now that they more or less had confirmation that the temple wasn’t exactly some long abandoned ruins, the implications were more… concerning. Especially if the three of them, plus Leannah were not the only people in the temple right now, which was looking more and more likely. “Well. I feel like we’ll talk ourselves into circles unless you’ve got some additional information, Lazhira, but I think we should check to see what man? Thing? That what’syourname noticed. I feel like it might be connected.” She stared at Novak. “That’s a good idea, if it’s even half as dangerous as the fauna around these parts, I’d rather not risk that thing wandering out of its room or overhearing us. While we’re in the lab you might want to look at what they were doing. Those slimes on the upper level...I think the temple’s former inhabitants may have been making those things. Oh, and before I forget again, my name is Novak. Sorry for not telling you sooner, I suppose I’ve just been too distracted for a proper introduction.” "Not an illusion. If it was, it'd be easily breakable." Lazhira replied with a frown. "Its...like someone dumped a memory of the temple here, but that can't be right..." She would say, shaking her head. "Sorry, my heads hurting a little...lets just keep going." Lazhira would hurry off down the corridor, to where the main altar of this underground level of this temple seemed to be. Novak could take note that his little stalker friend seemed to have moved from the corner of the hallway, and on top of one of the tables, seemingly having only stopped moving after it had heard them approaching. So they would head into the main altar. The movement of the thing within hadn't stopped, and the moment they would enter, even if they tried doing so stealthily, it seemed as though whatever this thing was seemed more aware of them...and from the way they carried themselves, it was clear this might have been someone they didn't wish to meet. [color=silver]"Ah, welcome, welcome! Sorry for the mess, this place has reaaallly gone to the dogsm haha! Or cats, rather! That Bastelian was quite the treat."[/color] In the dim lighting, the rough, cronish amused voice of the figure could be seen. Silver eyes seemingly glowing dimly. Her dirty robe and long, thin fingers bent as though they were clutching something. And what exactly, was she doing? Dancing with a mannequin. Indeed. Dancing. With a mannequin...wait no, taking a closer look it seemed to be some sort of horrific stiching of mannequin stuffed with very recent human parts. [color=silver]"Hm...you are there aren't you? Yes yes, don't hide. You'll put me in a bad mood, and that Bastelian certainly put me in a good one!"[/color] "...You're..." [color=silver]"Aye, aye, I'm the one you seek, girl. Iva'Krorh. The Illuminator. He who would enlighten mortals!...but why are you three here? You're not who I was hoping to find. No no, no theives among you. Just scavengers...and someone who hides what they are, and would have been a thief."[/color] A loud chuckle. She would stop the quick waltz she was doing with the Mannequin and send it falling to the ground. [color=silver]"But that's fine. Everyone has secrets, especially I! How is it? Find what you're looking for?"[/color] "...I've nothing to say to you." Lazhira responded, shuffling a little closer to Narkissa. Well, this might have been unexpected. Or was it expected to find what was now claiming to be a god in a temple dedicated to it. [color=silver]"Nothing at all? Come now. Surely your still looking? I can help, you know. I know everything...about you."[/color] A point to Narkissa. [color=silver]"You. An...you."[/color] Her finger would move over all the gathered people until it landed on Novak. [color=silver]"Ah, nothing in that head of yours but empty space now. Pity. Sad. I could almost cry if I wasn't amused that someone would do something so utterly [i]foolish[/i]."[/color] [hr] Nobbu and the Fox [@VitaVitaAR][@PKMNB0Y] [hr] “Ah? Truly! That is certainly wonderful news you bring. Its certainly a start...” He thanked Nobunaga and Misaki, before quickly getting to the questions he was asked. “Well, Lazhira has yet to return from the forest with those she set off with.” Enli replied with a nod. “She’ll likely be back before night, and as for what I know about the Illuminator...” He would open a few scrolls with enthusiasm, aged hands, gliding over the worn paper. “I’ve been going over some things again, and I can say with certainty I can give at least some insight. We know very few things about him in truth - only what we’ve written...and most certainly, they came directly from him. Considering his nature, I doubt everything we were given is truthful, or complete insight into something. If you don’t mind a bit of mythology, I’ll start at the beginning.” Enli would breathe in, and begin. “No one is quite sure when Knowledge first was birthed in human minds. After we were cast out from the place of our origin due to the ire of the moon, she no longer watched after us, nor guided us. In that moon drenched era without a sun, humanity barely scraped by. Unlike the Elves or dwarves, we had not the protection of any deity or fey. It wouldn’t be until some time after the Sun was rekindled did he first arrive. What I could find, says that somehow Delpithi ordered his creation. Whether she did so himself, we do not know. I found records saying she ordered one of her most ardent followers to aide in his creation, but its a fragment or two at best. When he rose from the sea, he spread his arms across the land and when humans beheld his pure white visage they, for the brief instant, saw every single possibility reflected in it. Every secret of the world, everything they had forgotten. “They say also, he gave two things to his followers. One...a key. A key that was said to ‘keep the path to the old sealed’. And two, the ‘secret of the ocean’s tears.’ The Kyrniths appearance is...undocumented. I can surmise at least, that he agreed to protect the village once the Illuminator left for some reason...but the date on that is lost. Its difficult to say when exactly that happened, as the scrolls simply...stop, at some point some generations ago. I believe it was my great-grandfather who had distant memories of it when he was a child, at most recent.” Enli would look to Nobunaga and Misaki, having finished his little story. “...I apologize. I do not have much in the way of facts. Suffice to say, people still believe in him simply because...well, they’ve never had anything else believe in.” [hr] The Roma Mob [@ERode][@Pyromania99] [hr] “...that’s Silver. Dwarven.” She replied, expression unchanging. “Well, I won’t ask how you got it. Dwarves don’t like sharing their ore.” She would look to Leuca. “Can you even use a sword? You hardly look like you can lift one.” “I can, yes.” Leuca replied, either oblivious to the other girls mildly antagonistic tone or simply taking the higher road. She would glance towards Isidore though, frowning somewhat thoughtfully. “...I-I suppose, they would be good for fighting other people. But a sword doesn’t really help against beasts if they’re twice your size and the forest we call home is swarming with them...” “Rubell Ore. The swords, why they’re that color. We make most of our weapons from it. Good. Sharper than most other metals. Excessively boring. Also decent at holding magic at higher purities, if you want to shell out for one. They’re locked up in the back, though, or you can find it in the mines further down.” She looked back to the silver. “You wanna buy something I’ll make it easy and just give whatever’s left from selling that thing.” “W-well...if you don’t mind isidore…?” Leuca would walk over to some of the swords. Most were unfamiliar, and most were fairly light, unlike the normal blades, spears, and other things she was used to back in the forest. “...if you don’t mind me asking, you don’t seem like you like being in here.” “...I dunno about you, Sirithen, but swords are boring. They just do one thing. Magic, can turn a sword into a stick.” She boredly replied. Seemed like she didn’t like working here. “...I see.” Leuca frowned lightly, looking up at a pair of red blades. She would take a moment to look over most of the weapons. From daggers, shortswords, arming swords, though nothing that seemed suitable for two handed use. Eventually her gaze would fall upon a longsword and what seemed to be a small red dagger set. “If it wasn’t for my dad being way too into rocks because he’s half-dwarf, I wouldn’t even be here.” The Shadow elf grunted. “Uhm...I think these would be fine.” Leuca nodded “Dagger...and sword, eh. Anything else?” She’d say as dispassionately as ever. If there was nothing else, she’d hand over the money after deducting the payment for the blades. [hider=goddess note: Leuca] Leuca received: Rubell Sword and Dagger A pair of blades forged from Rubell ore. Popular in Gloomhollow for their lightweight, ease of use, and ability to dispatch enemies quickly while still allowing for fairly easy spellcasting. [/hider] [hider=goddess note: Isidore] Received: 10 silver coins, 5 copper. Common currency south of the mountains which split the continent. Rumors are that the Fey are the one who started using it, and it hails from Era’s before the Moon. [/hider] [hr] “Hm...that’s quite the odd name. More of a human ring to it, than elvish or fey.” She responded with a hum. If Augusta was attempting to blend in, as it were, she didn’t exactly seem to have done a good job of it. “Rhullphana Varoeth.” She would reply with a turn on her heels, walking further into the room. “And I, am the court mage for her highness as well as the foremost authority on anything relating to Sage Urumna...and you are both quite the rare specimens indeed.” She would say, glancing to Octavia. “Quite a beautiful specimen, too. Oh, and she even considers you to be her master. Now that’s a surprise.” She commented. “You don’t look like you have even the basic knowledge of demons, and yet...hm...well...how did you manage it?” Perhaps this Rhullphana might be helpful in knowing more about Octavia, and demons in general? “Don’t suppose you could tell me? Or are you going to be stubborn and I have to break out some...persuasion techniques?” Builder and a Traveler [@Guy0fV4lor][@PaulHaynek] [hr] "Don't worry about it." Mie replied with a nod. "These things are tougher than they look...that was some funny power you used there, though." Her mouth curled into a smirk. "Wouldn't mind sharing at some point would ya though?" She would say, turning to walk back to the camp. It wasn't a long walk, and Mie would explain a bit about the situation. The dwarf would grumble a bit, but at least she would acquiesce to the request of Mie to come along. Not like she seemed to have much of a choice in the matter. "Sorry about that. The Kamaitachi can be difficult to deal with if you fight one." She said with a frown, holding open the flap to her tent for them. Malphas didn't take her up on her offer, huh? Shame. Oh well. "Sure, they can bite and claw like any other beast...but aside from flesh wounds they can also hurt someones 'time.'" One of her ears twitched in thought. "Its...a bit difficult to explain, but when you fight one you may not always be injured immediately even if one claws you or a blow seems lighter than it should be." "Eh? That's...I don't really get it." "Hm...I've only heard rumors about it, but I've heard some say the Steineter that lives on the mountain of dwarves can 'Split the earth with just a look' its similar to that. Rather than just physically injuring something, it hurts its 'existence'." "...Look am I just gonna fall over and die or not." "Gonna have to look. You seem fine though, Donovan...which is kind of weird, but you'd probably be best staying with me tonight." Perhaps if they injured someone's time, then the Diety watching over Donovan helped protect him in some manner? "...Ha, alright. Suppose I could do worse then this for tonight." "Don't need anything else, Donovan, I'll watch the dwarf and make sure she's fine. Why's a dwarf out here anyways?" "Tch, some dumb politics and grudges. The scholar class are leading some sort of dumb coup against the smiths. I'm not gonna be there when they bury themselves in the stones they love so much." "...Eh?~ That sounds interesting." For a moment Donovan could swear he saw dollar signs in Mie's eyes, but for the moment it seemed his presence wasn't needed any more. Perhaps he could press the issue further, but he also should maybe see what was going on elsewhere now that this little job was done. It was about this time Nicholas would eventually find his way to Donovan too, either pointed in the direction of the tent or running into him as he left, whichever would happen first. Send Feet Pics [@Cu Chulainn] [hr] Malphas moved through the forest. Slowly through the forest, careful to avoid any of the forest creatures. Oddly, though, there didn’t seem to be any. In fact, the forest seemed oddly...quiet. Eerily so. About halfway between the camp and the hidden temple, Malphas would become aware of something moving very close to him. The wind would still itself. A cold, stifling wind would blow past him. The call of a deer in the distance. He would see it soon enough. In the distance. He would have imagined it to be a tree first, given its tall nature and lanky legs, but the moment it moved would quickly dash such a reality. A large deer, much larger than the one that he had poisoned earlier. It moved slowly, hooves lightly pressing into the snow laden forest ground. It didn’t see him, but there was clear hostility in it. If it saw him - it would very likely attack.