(Adventure) The Island of Varras'zul (Manzanita Judging) (Concluded)

[nimisgod]

Scun found that his Darkvision did not work in the confines of the sphere of Darkness. He could see but no better than a human at a star-lit night. So, this was what it felt like to be so blind in the dark!

The sound of his tapping spear rebounded all across the chamber, crafting a feeling of suspense. As he neared the raised platform, he felt the unnerving feeling of evil grow stronger and stronger. But nothing happened, no trap was triggered.

Eventually, he reached the rune covered platform. There was nothing atop it. However, he saw runes carved at each face of the platform. They were in a language he could not understand.

Further investigation revealed that the platform was not part of the floor originally. It was affixed there well after this chamber's construction.

****************

Nezrak's perusals found that only one of the two books were in a language that he could understand.

Loosely translated, its title was "An Exhaustive Investigation into the Paranormal, Extraplanar Phenomena and Fauna surrounding the Tower of Southernmost Enworld". Within its cover were a series of gathered eye-witness accounts, expedition journals and a myriad of scattered, incomprehensible data about a wasteland somewhere to the south.

Definitely more interesting was the fact that this book was an original. Nezrak was certain that if sold to the right people, he could get it for several hundred gold pieces. The other book was older and was probably just as valuable, if not more.

 

[rln]

"Seems like whatever stripped our oversized friend over here bare," Ogrin nods towards the broken shell of the beetle, "is still eating. Suggest we stay away and let them have their meal... better it, than us."

Gathering up near Scun, Ogrin readies his dagger and rapier. He notices they could've used some care, but will remedy that later on. "I'll be behind you to your left. You're gonna be fine! Don't worry! What could possibly go wrong? Besides, I'm here to help you out of danger, remember?" are Ogrins final words before following Scun into the darkness.

OOC: Anyone else following?

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

With no hesitation, Rasereit shouts out to Scun, "Oy, mate! Ye should've let me go first! Wait fer me!" He draws his waraxe in one had and leaves the other free. Though perhaps he should stay outside of the darkness so he can actually see enemies approaching, Rasereit throws caution to the wind (or at least, to the musky, dead air of overgrown, festering, venemous caterpillar corpses) and launches himself onto the dais. Once he is plunged into almost total darkness, an effect he has never experienced, he stops suddenly and walks very carefully, poking about with his toe before each step, until he reaches Scun.

OOG: Yes, I know they aren't caterpillar corpses. =)

 

[Xael]

Nezrak shrughs, and carefully picks up the two more intact books. He walks towards Mona. "I was just wondering if you'd have any better skills in linguistics than I do. I can't read this book here.", he says while offering the book to Mona. "Found anything?", he says towards the darkness sphere.

 

[Brain]

"Speaking of strange languages, I can't read the runes on this pedestal either. It looks like it was transported here from somewhere else. I'm coming back out."

Scun heads back out of the darkness.

 

[Xael]

"Runes? Oh well, I quess I could try. Might be something I can read.", Nezrak says. He passes the books to Mona and heads into the darkness to take a look at the runes. "By the way Scun, you wouldn't have a Mending spell prepared, would you? There's a - supposedly - valuable book over there that needs some fixing."

 

[Brain]

"Sorry, I used all my spells before."

 

[nimisgod]

Nezrak studied the runes carefully. They were of an alien tongue, but he felt that the platform's message was simple enough to attempt to decipher.

***

Mona leafed through the pages of the book Nezrak had given her.

"Hmm... This is in a Fiendish tongue." she suppressed a look of distaste as she closed its covers. "It's a treatise on some kind of higher extraplanar, abstract theory. It's a little too thick in the language for my tastes. I wonder why this vile language was used"

"It doesn't seem to be very relevant to our situation at the moment."

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

"Eh, eheh, aye! Ah'm ah... Ah'm comin' out nah, if ye all don't mind, want to eh... be out where I can see. Fer enemies, o' course! Got to protect ye lot, eh? Righ', righ'. Comin' out nah." Rasereit leaves the dais quickly. He seems greatly relieved to be able to see again. "Bloody magic."

 

[Xael]

Nezrak sighs. "I can't read these runes as such, but I might be able to make some sense out of them. That might take some time though. Should I get this done now, or do we check other places first?", he says to others.

OOC: If there are no objections, Nezrak will take 20 in Decipher Script check for total of 29. If he can't take 20, roll please. He'll cast Light spell at his dagger if he thinks that it might help, otherwise he'll save it.