CHAOS EFFECT
SEGMENT 009
"Excuse me, Mr. DeMell. Why are you afraid to return to the caverns? I accept your offer, but I believe we're entitled to know what awaits us down there if this expedition is to be successful. We have to prepare for whatever's down there and if you're withholding information that could prove useful if not crucial to us, then you could very likely be putting our very lives in jeapordy."
Nervous and figgity, the young man scratches at his back. He stumbles for the words to use to describ what happened to him.
"I ...we were exploring a secret room we found. Within the room were...creatures. I ...I was taken out of the action very quickly. When I was revived, the battle was over. My crew were alive but eager to leave. Our guide especially wanted to leave. He felt we had crossed a line that should not have been crossed. In our haste, we left a few packs behind."
The priest clears his throat as a preamble and hands clasped behind his back asks, "10,000 years you say?" Rashleigh raises one eyebrow quizzically, "Where then, are these caves located? Surely not Breland. Also I notice you referred to the caves as having served as homes, yet it is not customary among any of the civilzed peoples to heavily trap a communal living area. What peoples' homes were these? The entrance to a complex, certainly- anyone might trap and guard that, but that is not the impression I take from your vaguaries. Where do you really ask us to set foot Jaskin? A burial chamber, or perhaps a temple of this people sounds more likely and leads me ask, were the traps in truth the least of it or should we be prepared to face sentient guardians bound to the site. If it is indeed a temple or burial ground then I would fully expect to find spirits, golems, the undead... some manner of eternal guardian. And if you hope to see your lost gear again, I would think the answers to these questions can only put you in a better position to do so."
The noble is taken back. Only his father has ever addressed him so frankly. It rattles him briefly. "The caves are still within Breland's borders but within the Howling Peaks near Zilargo's border. I was given a map to it by a trusted aid whom said he got it from a contact of his within the University. The caves lead to a series of manufactured and crafted walls that form a grid like maze. I found several secret doors within the area. It was only in my more recent studies I have found this structure was of an external design. Perhaps created by outsiders of our world. I am uncertain. These peoples though have connections to Xen'drik which captures my curiousity and imagination. I can not bring myself to return but I do wish to know what this connection is."
He nods to his sister and returns to you.
"One of the items within the pack i left behind was a parchment with a drawing and many symbols on it. I did drawings of it and a psychic friend of mine aided me in remembering as much of it as I could to draw. Based on the drawings, several of my University experts and contacts feel it may be an artifact created within the lands of Xen'drik. One even was bold enough to suggest it was created by giants!"
The sister returns with a bag. Jasken looks into it and pulls out a few drawings of the item.
"What was there besides the traps?" pushes the cleric.
"Some of the traps had undead within them." He scratches his head to think further on the subject. I didn't find a clear reason for the dungeon to exist. But I never finished exploring them either."
By happenstance. Vander catches a familiar figure in the secret windows. Brom's personal aid. Brom is keeping tabs on you.
"Within this bag are copies of my notes and maps of how to reach the caves and the dungeon itself. He holds out the bag for anyone to take.
