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[Caellath]

Don't worry, GUNIN, it's just a kind of friendly jab.

To be more specific, Tir probably already has a turn but refuses to post thinking it isn't good enough.

[Parsely]

Don't worry, GUNIN, it's just a kind of friendly jab.

To be more specific, Tir probably already has a turn but refuses to post thinking it isn't good enough.

I guess.. :S

Mhm, yes I was talking to her about it on IRC last night.

[Tiruin]

[placeholder due to being sick and not managing workloads efficiently; main turn post incoming in the next 12 hours]

[Tiruin]

Previous: In which we find some respite... | Current: In which we face choices | Next: 

Meanwhile...

Trent(!); Terys(!); Kheir(!); Aes(!); Royce (!)

Assist the search for anything useful.

[5]
Kheir pulls up his staff and walks over towards the fallen cliffside, examining closer its outcome. Several fish swim away as he passes by, though he notices the fishes not avoiding the debris after it has settled. Looking through the water around the site of impact and with the light of Aes’ torch, the stone underneath indicates little collateral or spreading damage.

He lifts up his staff and gives a cursory prod on one of the nearest supporting columns of fallen rock, noting down the improvised canopy the cliffside formed that hindered their return. Seeing it as stable, he sifts through the debris on a hunch.

You have found a small opening formed by the force of the falling cliff, approximately five meters in length with various diameter stretching down below into the darkness—using a lightsource to determine what lies beyond only lies in darkness, though the constant fall of water indicates a greater depth than what your vision and the lighting allows.
You notice moss growing erratically on the edges of the sides of this ‘impromptu’ tunnel, along with the same crystalline patches alongside them.

 

Search the area for anything of note.

[1 > 6]
With a hand on your cuisse and a bristle in your beard, you acknowledge the cave by due merit of its existence, feeling the tip of the water’s skin on your knuckles. It was cool and calming, matching the contemplation mirroring your thoughts.

As Aes lights up her torch in azure flame, you cast your eyes to the original pathway following the water. Judging from the level, and yet the lacking saltiness of the liquid—you judge that it is freshwater; rainwater purified by the stones above, and blessing the local fauna with life.

Turning back towards where you came, your eyes catch the precipitous nature of the rockslide and the breakage it forms. The pooling of the water would indicate another possible passage, furthered by Kheir’s examination. You mark two routes in your mind: the original path forward, though the water-level would indicate a dead end given its height by your standards, or test Kheir’s discovery, though the debris of the cliffside warns ahead of a possible instability. The debris is only as stable as the rest of it supporting itself, as it forms an improvised dome blocking you from the return path.

Looking around, you find insight in appreciating the beauty this minor ecosystem. The moss seem to have a reflective nature, matching the crystalline patches seen earlier—indicative by their pyrite-colored sheen. You note the lack of tree roots this deep, and notice Royce’s crab scaling his leather, vertically and remember the opalesque beauty of gemstones.

The study of luminescence is a fine and crucial art, you note on a random thought springing into your mind. Ecology was, actually, a fine art in theory, yet a very practical one.

Pace.

[4]
The small space you have has only the sounds of wading people, and the occasional splash of water by sudden movement. Stifling your worry, only to have it preoccupied by the rhythm of disturbed water, a thought strikes you. The knight spoke about tests and character, with abstract traits definitive of readiness to face the world. Flicking the water with one of your fingers, you find sense in foresight with this notion: What if the whole scenario you were in was a test in of itself? The recent disaster was lethal in its own right, yet gazing around you find everyone focused on continuation—or in the least, escape. You wonder if the concept of being tested has any merit in this situation, or on any future situations: and for what? Is this a passage to facing the world, despite the admittance to the Bastion and the region being a free choice?

You recall your past and the training you’ve had with the men of the field-and-castle, noting their friendliness and openness to any predicament or disaster; optimism in the face of holistic vision, and not blind optimism. Your thoughts drift outside of this situation until Kheir calls out a new find: the wreckage of what was once a cliff wall has made a new passage, and this one being hollowed out.

Was this still a test? And if it was-
The greyhound brushes against your leg and looks up you, standing in front of you with its tail wagging expectantly. It looks at Kheir’s find, before looking back at you, as if matching your deep insight.

Retrieve crab, talk to peeps, look around to see if there are any routes of egress.

[5]
You check around, using the crab as a lightsource—propping it on the hair of your forehead as it clings with its legs. Lighting up the original path, it seems like it continues in the natural order you found the passage as. Presence of scattered fish and moss in varying forms of growth as well as the ever present level of water, lead to the ideas of the formation of a dead-end, though the idea of underground rivers or outlets from rainwater was also a possibility given the structure of the rock, compared to when you entered this area.

Utilizing your memory of world lore, you remember in vague sketches that the particular area you stand on is a host to a hollow cavern, presumably habitable—judged as such due to how vague you remember it, though you cannot recall exactly where the idea was hoisted from. The facts of natural phenomena such as earthquakes occurring in the area somehow did not cause notable superficial damage to the lands above, and recalling your recent experiences beneath as various creatures, it didn’t affect the underground much.

You look back at the others to check their finds before Kheir announces a rather strange sighting back at the cliff debris. Looking around with your eyepatch, you only detect the energy of the animals nearby, and looking deeper towards the original passage, see none.

You feel uncomfortable for a moment, before the feeling passes as you feel the prickly legs of your crab on your shoulder. It is scaling your arm like a mountaineer: vertically and slowly.

Aes picked up the rope, and attempted to set fire to her torch..

[4 > 4]
Recalling the principle of equivalence under the laws of energy, you draw upon personal stores to light the torch in your hands, feeling a little winded yet joyful as a small jet of bluish flame hugs the wet torch, wrapping and sticking onto it as you see the water evaporate and let off a faint hiss, before returning to its yellow hue.

Feeling the rope, your fingers note its dynamic nature, built to absorb forces which would strain its elasticity and durability, noting once more its length: it was much more than enough to scale the now ruined cliffside thrice over. On impulse, you dedicate the tiniest of lengths to the flame, and find that it takes a very long time to burn—rather, you are interrupted before you note any tangible destruction by Kheir’s find.

Spoiler: Positioning (click to show/hide)

You're in the water-filled passage, having survived a rockslide.

Characters:

Spoiler: Aes Nain ; Skyrunner (click to show/hide)

Gender: Female
Age: 18
Class: Spellweaver
Race: Quarter-Fey

Health: 10/20

Skills:
Silver Tongue
Fey-blooded

Inventory:
Quarterstaff/ A sturdy length of wood, weighted on each end. It is a pale yellow-green, and the weights are ribbed cylinders that are mostly flushed with the rest of the staff.

Traveling Robe/ Shining a neutral grey, highlights of a deep blue run down its sides. With a twine, gold gilded string along the waistline and a deep hood. She has an identical robe that isn't armored.

Iridescent Necklace/ A necklace with each element mark hung on it. The Dark element is ever so slightly larger than the others, perhaps discernible if one takes in in his hand and measures each symbol with a ruler. A present passed down through the generations from her grandmother.
Each element symbol is the size of a US dime.

Torch/ A light source. It is but an oiled rag wrapped around a thick stick. It burns with the warmth of a living soul, and provides enough light for the five of you, well-illuminating the area.

Spoiler: Terys Merendial ; Spinal_Taper (click to show/hide)

Gender: Male
Age: 34
Class: Ranger
Race: Half-Elf

Health: 12/20

Skills:
Deadeye
Will of the Warrior

Inventory:
Gnarled Yew Longbow/ An heirloom from Terys' mother, this used to be the bow of a warrior and respected champion before her fall. While age has made its mark on this noble weapon, it has done little to dull its power and prowess in battle.

Light Elven Leather Armor/ From the cured hides of sylvan beasts, this armor is meant for easy mobility while not hindering the usage of personal protection.

Book on Herbal Medicine/ Medical lore contained and preserved in the aging pages of this book, derived from the ancient ways of an elder time - and said to be legible to even an untrained man, this is a treasure of his family. A container of much more than healing techniques - sentimental memories and personal notes.

Torch/ A light source. It is but an oiled rag wrapped around a thick stick. It lacks the warmth and heat you were so growing accustomed to, but may still be fired up.

Spoiler: Trent Alzar ; adwarf (click to show/hide)

Gender: Male
Age: 44
Class: Shadowguard
Race: Dwarf

Health: 11/20

Skills:
Quick Senses
Photosensitive

Inventory:
Silver Inlaid Battle-Axe/ A weapon which is often attributed to be the mainstay of the Dwarven people, this axe bears images of ravens along the shaft, its crest bearing the symbol of Ezekiel the Savior, embossed in silver.

Jet Black Obsidian Trimmed Plate Mail/ Armored plating covering most of the body, this metal has been coated with Trent's own customary touch and made to withstand the tests of time and battle.

Obsidian Raven/ A Giant Raven carved from obsidian, this is the mark of the Shadowguard and is burnt into their backs upon initiation to their ranks.

Torch/ A light source. It is but an oiled rag wrapped around a thick stick. It lacks the warmth and heat you were so growing accustomed to, but may still be fired up.

Spoiler: Kheir ; Reudh (click to show/hide)

Gender: Male
Age: 50
Class: Briarean Geomancer
Race: Briarean Elder

Health: 16/20

Skills:
Toughened Skin
Graceful Movement

Inventory:
Warped Staff/ Made from sturdy wood, its use to Kheir is mainly for support, balance and reach-unused in his form of wizardry though still able to work as a defensive weapon or a bludgeon. It is as tall as its user and to all accounts, appears as a gnarled and twisted pole.

Light Traveling Garb/ A worn toga with a cloak attached. Though the years haven't been kind to it, the garment is of the highest quality-said to be made of fine silk or cotton. Needless to say, it has served Kheir well through the years.

Old Ruby Ring/ Kheir was given this by his then beloved, now deceased.

Torch/ A light source. It is but an oiled rag wrapped around a thick stick. It lacks the warmth and heat you were so growing accustomed to, but may still be fired up.

Knight's Tome/ A book given to you by one of the Bastion knights, this may contain vital information for aid later on. It has a green-hued cover and is rough in texture; hard and sturdy. A fish tail is seen connected to its owner, which is sandwiched between the pages.

Spoiler: 'The Magnificent' Royce Orange ; SeriousConcentrate (click to show/hide)

Gender: Male
Age: 26 or thereabouts
Class: Entertainer
Race: Trickster Spirit

Health: 16/20

Skills:
Weapon Finesse
Trickster of Time

Inventory:
Meskhanet Sword/ This blade belonged to a famous general named Meskhanet. Royce stole it on a whim or a bet or while intoxicated or under threat of death (he's lied about it so much he doesn't remember why he actually did) and although there's nothing special about it other than its history, he continues to use it. As he says, a newer sword is money wasted, and this one's still in good shape. As for the blade itself, it's a simple hand-and-a-half sword with straight quillons and a ruby in the pommel.

Archer's Guard/ A piece of metal set in thick, strong leather and strapped to Royce's chest. It defends the left side of his chest and left shoulder only. It's not all that protective but at the same time it doesn't hinder his mobility or aim in the slightest, and if he's using a bow then it's his left side that's turned toward the enemy anyway.

Royce's Eye Patch/: This bit of metal covers Royce's right eye. There's a rune on the front. Strictly speaking, there's nothing wrong with the man's vision; he just wears it for style

Argent Diamond Crab/ In the stories of many a people, this crab is described with a shell composed of real diamond, as hard as any metal and said to have thrived in the centers of volcanoes, being the accumulated source of the rupturing noise as lava spews from the soil. Historical texts attribute value to this creature: both as a monetary source and as a crustacean pet. Said to be silently sentient, and understand the languages of people, stories about this creature come from until the Age of Myth.

It is right next to your face, somewhat reflecting the light from nearby and staring back at the greyhound, clicking. You can feel its legs prick into your cheek as it moves back and forth in front of the crab. Strangely, this crab could very easily pass for an opague gemstone of opalescent color, being nearly spherical in shape, tapering out at the lower end into a small slit.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"I was a frog down here one time. Stop pinching. But, yeah. Nice place for a frog to live I guess but it's boring. Come on, let's get moving." Royce grabbed the crab between his hands, claws facing away from him. "Come on, pup. Let's keep it going." He whistled at the dog and started toward the opening.

Explore that tunnel Kheir found.

[Reudh]

"Excellent. A tunnel. I've always liked tunnels."
Follow Royce into the tunnel.

[Skyrunner]

Admire the crystals. Also examine.

Nain packs away the rope, and looks at the shiny rocks in the tunnel. Shiny!

"I wonder if these crystals are worth anything ..."

Follow the Kheir.

[adwarf]

"The path ahead is likely a dead end from what I gather, and while the path Kheir found is probably a different story it is very likely to be unstable, especially after the collapse that just occurred. We can probably follow the original path to check if my theory is correct, but if we don't then the only way forward is the unstable tunnel in which case we should proceed with severe caution, as a dwarf I am quite against dying in a cave in."

Follow Kheir, but keep an eye on the condition of the tunnel and warn the others if I think it's stability gets worse.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Hmm. Khier, Trent, you're a pair of stout fellows. Mind grabbing that rope from Aes and using it to lower me down safely so I can get a look around?" Royce tapped his metal eyepatch. "This baby's not just for looks. I can see auras through it, so I can kinda see if anything's down there. Plus if I get eaten, no big deal. I won't be able to help you guys for... 3 to 100 years, depending on what I reincarnate as, but it's not like I'll die permanently or anything like you guys."

[Reudh]

"You're a strange one, Royce. I'll grab the rope for you."

Kheir goes over to Aes and asks for the rope.

[Skyrunner]

"Sure, but you have to give it back. I like this rope."

Aes hands over the rope happily.

[Skyrunner]

(rest in peaceful dreams, ToSD)

[Tiruin]

...So I didn't make an ending post!

Yeah, expect a follow-up game with refined mechanics later on.
...Probably in a lesser stressy atmosphere because I've learned my anxiety was the major detriment to this game (...updating 2 months in between? <_<).
But I'm really thankful to have played it with you guys. You are all awesome, and I am deeply thankful to have played host to you people as players.

[Skyrunner]

Two years.. so long ago...

[Tiruin]

Two years.. so long ago...

Nostalgia for many people It's nice to remember all those games you've played in.