I don't know either.
Actually, I think I'll stop then.
Right. *Peers back through thread to find what was at the top of the stairs.*
Oh, dammit. This is a mess, didn't want to go there. Didn't know that was a there. Science team Aether and applicants, just bold the words 'Go to where Derm is.'
I'm sure this will be less confusing shortly.
Go back to the beginning, and enter the third door on the left.
You reach the top of the stairs and take one look at whats there.
"NOPE."
You spin on your heel and walk back down to the hallway with all the doors and over to the third one on the left(relative to the room you first appeared in).
Inside is what looks like a shrine of sorts, a platform holding a bonzai like tree with glowing leaves perched atop a piece of obsidian. Each leaf looks to be made of a different substance. In front of the platform is a pedestal. Atop the pedestal is a small divot or basin carved into the stone of the pedestal itself. Balanced on the edge of the basin is a knife, rather small but very sharp looking.
go where derm is, inspect headmark with finger
You head over to the little shrine room that Derm is hanging out in, rubbing your forehead as you walk. The mark is raised, like a healed branding mark, and feels like a sort of stylized, swirly flame. It's a little bit warmer then the rest of your head. Derm raises an eyebrow at it when you catch up to him.
"Thats a mighty weird pimple you've got there."
((I just realized that Tamara no longer exists and that Tsuchigumo is Sanya :/))
Silica continues following Sanya (and thus by extension, Derm) seeing as there isn't much else to do.
You join up with derm in the Shrine to...who knows who.
((You was writing the turn when I changed my action.... oh well... If i run into Tsuchi and co. then i'll join them. Until then... I guess I'm on my own.))
Well looks there's no strangers around. Better stay ahead of them while I can then. Some of them was saying some words from there books..... and I have one too...
Walk straight ahead into the light (like thats ever a good thing). Say "Zerthel" at a wall to see if I'm out of null magic range yet.
You walk straight head and into the light. The room at the end of the hall is a storage room by the look of it, plenty of boxes and crates, chests and the like. Not a grand treasure horde to be sure but there might be some clothing or simple things around here.
You're about to look through one of the chests when you catch a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of your eye. A metal insect, something like a grasshopper crossed with a mantis and the size of a horse, walks out of behind some boxes near the end of the room. It turns faceted glass eyes toward you and screeches out a metallic chittering roar.
(Your magic does work down in this room by the way. I just didn't want to make you waste time summoning lumps of iron.)
First outside! Woo!
Is that like unpleasant cold or hypothermia soon cold?
Another word!
Your robe is fairly light, but it will keep you from dying. Although you certainly are not gonna be fighting to your fullest like this. Hell, you're already shivering.
[pot:6]
A giant pile of springs, brass gears and piping, pressure vessels and everything else you might expect to find in the guts of a steam engine or pocket watch materializes in front of you.
((I just realized that Tamara no longer exists and that Tsuchigumo is Sanya :/))
Silica continues following Sanya (and thus by extension, Derm) seeing as there isn't much else to do.
((Sanya is just a nicer, more innocent Tamara.))
Look around at everything not blocked by Derm's back, considering I'm following him.
"I wonder what I should use to make a writing object."
You follow derm into the little shrine room and look around. Huh, the plant growing out of that rock is kinda weird. Its got leaves made of steel, fire, mercury, flesh, electricity...practically any material you can think of.
Leave the building
But head in the opposite direction of Thrakor.
Say AXE SPELL!
You run outside and hide in a corner. You hide in a corner and cast your spell.
[pot:2+1]
You summon up a tiny steel ax. It's like one of those umbrellas you put in a drink or a little plastic sword you spear cocktail wieners with. Not very threatening.
((Damnit keep missing turns @Derm, what should I put on the application?))
Go back where derm is
You Join Derm. This room he's in is getting pretty damn cramped, to be honest.
Glassco spent the time looking out the window, trying to rack his head as to when he was last in the mountains. The answer was never. When he became aware of his surroundings again, seems people have left this floor, most heading down. Always being one to go against the crowd, he decides to go up the stairs. He passively attempts words, wondering if this damn book actually means anything beyond gibberish. Everyone seems to be reverently holding theirs...
You head up stairs, impotently trying out words as you go, and come across the whole scene with the ornate room, all the dead monks and one very important looking monk at the end. There's also some other guy here. Hey other guy!
I'll kneel before the mummy and say,
"Oh great one, I humbly ask for for information about this place. Why are we here? Who are the robed people? What happened to all of you?"
We call this place Thaltun, last kingdom of these lands, for she has rendered all others to ash. You are here, like so many before, to destroy the source of our power, and the source of our corruption. We wait eternally, guarding this place so that more may come when you fail."Nao, wha' is goin' on? 'Tis alwus a muddle..."
(Where is my copy of Hard Times when I need it?)
Catch up to the others. Derm and such. "Science Team Aether," I guess.
Look around and cautiously touch something that looks useful and portable.
You run over to Derm and squeeze into a room thats now more tightly packed then a Japanese subway. The only thing you can touch in here is everyone else.
"~Suuch-a-fascinating-construction. Purpose-what-is-it?~"
Examine altar for any indication who exactly it might be devoted to.
Well, there's a little mark of three cubes, each partially embedded in the other, on the platform and on the pedestal. But you have no idea what they might mean. Hmm.
Walk into the hall, take a door nobody else has taken yet. If all doors are already taken, pick a random one, including the spiral staircase.
You walk over to the third door on the right.
Inside is what looks like a shrine of sorts, a platform holding a font of eternally flowing mercury. In front of the platform is a pedestal. Atop the pedestal is a small divot or basin carved into the stone of the pedestal itself. Balanced on the edge of the basin is a knife, rather small but very sharp looking.
Why yes, actually, I am. Currently grinding my way through the Undead Burg. A bit lazy on it, so I haven't gotten far. The surprise buttsecks dragon was fun though.
Leave. See if magic works when I've left the tomb.
((By 'see if magic works', I means try to summon the worst abomination I can think of at the time. I'll send you the code in PM))
You walk out into the hallway with all the doors. Your magic still doesn't seem to work here.
Suddenly Updates! So many updates!
Go where nobody else went.
edit: If there is no such place, go where the fewest people went.
You run down stairs and off to the left once you reach the main room on the ground floor. You run into the only room on the left and shut the door behind you. The room is a small one, a reading room by the look of it with a table and chair and a small shelf of scrolls, all lit by a single candle on the table.
Two updates, only a half hour apart? Huh.
Just follow Tsuchigumo for now.
You crawl into the room with Derm because there's no standing room left.
Kin decides to walk outside too, but makes sure that he gives the vacuum maker wide berth so he can run for it if needed. He also says a magic word, directed away from everyone.
[pot:5]
You summon a fairly large pool of molten rock over in one corner of the area, away from the two other people out here. It's pleasantly warm for a few seconds before it hardens and cools.
Follow Derm
You sort of stick your arm into the mass of people hanging around in the room. Thats the best you can do.