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[Digital Hellhound]

I have nothing now that I need. Could I call on you in the future?

Yeah... Seems good. On another note who wants to bet this is going to go grim fandango on us?

+1

'Very well,' the Holly says, bowing her head. 'You will find me here.'

She withdraws to watch over the celebratory crew. Soon, great bells begin to sound, the hull shuddering from each sound, and the Holly's men disappear inside to perform whatever task is theirs to do. Billowing white sails erupt from across the length of the void ark, like forests of blossoming flowers.

You are done here. You seek out the pull and let it take you; soon, you might want to make a stop at the Bureaucracy. Reporting in regularly is recommended and allows for rest, should you need it.

***

You arrive at your next subject in a shadowy, cavernous hall. Light penetrates solely through slits in the stone ceiling and one dying torch on the ground. They illuminate towering stone pillars and collapsed walls, sitting at irregular intervals across the high chamber. The far wall contains an ornamented doorway, lined with faint runes. The dust of centuries, only recently disturbed, fills the air and all surfaces.

It seems to you the ruined chamber has been built according to a precise pattern - something of arcane significance. There are thirteen pillars and seven walls; magic is thick enough to taste.

Of more interest to you is the dead man, as usual. It would appear to you he - a gangly man in robes and a billowing greying beard - triggered some kind of arcane trap. His body lies rather mangled, twisted and broken madly by rampant magic. You don't envy whoever has to clean this up.

'Damnit, damnit! I was so close!' the man shouts. He looks down at his corpse and shakes his head. He pushes up his heavy, blue-tinted glasses. 'Hmph. Well, try two...'

You are dealing with a strong will here. Though still, only a mortal.

>?

[Harry Baldman]

"I can tell that this is probably not going to be the case, but you wouldn't happen to want to go quietly and without raising any particular issue, would you?"

[Digital Hellhound]

"I can tell that this is probably not going to be the case, but you wouldn't happen to want to go quietly and without raising any particular issue, would you?"

The soul whirls around. 'Ah, hello, splendid, splendid. Good that you won't be too disappointed,' he says. He peers at you through the glasses. 'Oh! I could study you for ages, whoever you are. I suppose I can now, with no flesh and blood to worry about. Gods, if only the lads back at the academy had thought of this.'

He smiles and gestures to the pillars and walls. 'This first, though! You know, I'm the first to try solving this damned ritual in centuries. The secrets of the ancients at my fingertips! Oh, make no mistake, this place is full of traps and all sorts of nasty surprises. But ah, I've figured out the right order, the one that lets you pass safely,' he says. 'At least, mostly right. Damned peculiar, this. Five, four, five, apply Artense's metanatural constant... ah, well, it'll come clear.'

>?

---
I'd have waited for more, but that particular line was too funny not to respond to.

[Execute/Dumbo.exe]

"Wait, how do you even input the order whether right or wrong? Twist the pillars. Press the walls?
Look, in any case, I can't revive you, and I doubt the people back home are people to be bribed with anything, if you want, I could leave a note telling your scholar friends about the 'correct' combination, but that's about as far as I can go."

[The Froggy Ninja]

"Wait, how do you even input the order whether right or wrong? Twist the pillars. Press the walls?
Look, in any case, I can't revive you, and I doubt the people back home are people to be bribed with anything, if you want, I could leave a note telling your scholar friends about the 'correct' combination, but that's about as far as I can go."

+1 How powerful is our magic? Since we don't specialize in it but we are a Psychopomp.

[killerhellhound]

"Wait, how do you even input the order whether right or wrong? Twist the pillars. Press the walls?
Look, in any case, I can't revive you, and I doubt the people back home are people to be bribed with anything, if you want, I could leave a note telling your scholar friends about the 'correct' combination, but that's about as far as I can go."

+1 How powerful is our magic? Since we don't specialize in it but we are a Psychopomp.

enough to potentally drag him kicking and screaming to the after life

[Tomasque]

Well we did specialize in will, didn't we?

 Briefly examine the nature of this ritual, but still keep an eye on the (slightly crazy) wizard.

[Digital Hellhound]

"Wait, how do you even input the order whether right or wrong? Twist the pillars. Press the walls?
Look, in any case, I can't revive you, and I doubt the people back home are people to be bribed with anything, if you want, I could leave a note telling your scholar friends about the 'correct' combination, but that's about as far as I can go."

+1 How powerful is our magic? Since we don't specialize in it but we are a Psychopomp.

The professor nods absentmindedly at your words, quite fixated on the pillars. 'Hah! Are you quite seriously suggesting I'd let them take the glory of my discovery? Nonsense! Now, you don't need to revive me or anything of the sort. I'll manage perfectly well like this, I should think.'

He is rapidly solidifying; unless you can get his attention, he'll be turning into a ghost soon. Such spirits are simple reflections of who they were in life, defined by some driving purpose - some unfinished business, as they say. Though it would seem he is already quite fixated on this even now.

'Well, it's quite simple, really,' he continues. 'You simply make your way through the chamber in the right order. But! As you can see, there are thirteen of these pillars, and, erm, seven piles of rubble. The combinations are quite many, and should you take the wrong path... boom! I was certain it followed a rite of the Elysian Mysteries, but perhaps I made a mistake. Ah, well. I'll be at that door soon enough!'

You feel the field of arcane power permeating the chamber. With enough skill, you might be able to identify the correct path based on the connections between these ancient spells. That, or you could simply attempt to figure out the pattern logically - if you wish to solve the thing, in any case. It might help you with dealing with the stubborn old man. Of course... this is not something intended for Guides. Your aura might hide you from these spells, which would allow you to simply move to the doorway. This is quite advanced magic, however.

If words and persuasion fail, you could also attempt to overpower him with your will. The consequences of failing that would be dangerous, though.

---
I wrote this update before your post, Tomasque. You can still do that action (further elaborating how, if you like).

[Harry Baldman]

"Look, man, there's this problem. You linger here, you might become a full-on ghost, which means you stay here forever, going highly senile and tormenting mortals for the rest of eternity. Or you could go and hang out with all the cool dead people in whatever afterlife you get. I mean, like, great scientists, wizards, or anybody else you've ever wanted to meet."

[Digital Hellhound]

"Look, man, there's this problem. You linger here, you might become a full-on ghost, which means you stay here forever, going highly senile and tormenting mortals for the rest of eternity. Or you could go and hang out with all the cool dead people in whatever afterlife you get. I mean, like, great scientists, wizards, or anybody else you've ever wanted to meet."

The dead man actually turns half-way to you to listen to this. [Charm 6: 3+2=5, Failure] He seems to consider it, but then guffaws. 'Well, I certainly would, but come on now! I can hardly join their ranks without a great discovery to my name. I mean, my work has been quite important, but this! The greatest mystery of our times! They'll beg me to share my knowledge. Not to mention the veritable treasure of lost relics and knowledge bound to reside behind that doorway.'

He continues to peer at the field of arcane energy through his glasses. You suspect they granted him some type of supernatural sight in life. His form flickers, half-solid. You've made a little progress, perhaps, but not enough.

>?

[XXXXYYYY]

"Ok. I can kinda understand where you're coming from with that, but the important thing to note here is that if you don't go now, you'll never go. Sorry to break it to ya, but you'll never have a chance to present your results, and most likely will never get them, because being a ghost has tons of restrictions on what you can do. So come on. Go peacefully into your afterlife."

[Iituem]

"The problem is, you'll be bound to a specific location.  In all likelihood, this location.  And that may not mean the ruin.  That may mean this specific flagstone right here.  You'd be trapped on that flagstone for all eternity.  You can hardly conduct your experiments like that, can you?"

[Harry Baldman]

"The problem is, you'll be bound to a specific location.  In all likelihood, this location.  And that may not mean the ruin.  That may mean this specific flagstone right here.  You'd be trapped on that flagstone for all eternity.  You can hardly conduct your experiments like that, can you?"

+1, oh yes.

[AoshimaMichio]

"Besides did you ever want a chance to discuss with masters of old? Did you ever wanted to ask some ancient master how did they figure out that one neat spell? If you stay here, you will never have that chance."

[The Froggy Ninja]

Roll arcane to find the pattern. Also to find if it will detect you.