Clutches of Evil - IC: Chapter Two

[Nonlethal Force]

[Sblock=jkason]Bonus XP awarded: 100 XP

I was wondering who was going to finally step up and put something forward. The award was definately scaled to the attempt, however. But in answering you win the reward![/Sblock]

The figure behind laughs a little at first and then quite profoundly. The sound of grating stone can be heardfor almost a minute before the stone slab in the wall jerks into motion. After several more grinding minutes in which the stone slab slowly recedes back and then eventually it turns to the left and opens the hole to the other side. The voice from behind the wall continues, "Coulda been funnier, but that'll do." The voice grows strong as the figure approaches the opening. As the figure comes into view he stops cold.

"What are you two?" The figure stares at Bahruul and Byntrou. "I know of Humans and Asters, but I've never met ones like you." The figure takes a firmly defensive - yet inquisitive - stance.

Standing before the party is Markie. His voice is a bit different. Confident ... and sane.

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

“Well, well...this is strange indeed...we just left you paranoid and deranged at the church...with your wife,” Keryth remarks, looking somewhat baffled by the appearance of a second Markie.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

paranoid and deranged

At these words Markie frowns terrifically and looks substantially angered. "Yes. And who's fault is that?" He exclaims in troubled anger with a hint of frustration.

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

“I have no idea...your other self just seems quite troubled and fearful of pretty much everything...especially Ellayna...he thinks she’s going to hurt him,” Keryth shrugs, “So how did you end up being...separated...like this...if that’s what’s going on of course?”

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Markie listens to Keryth and then smiles. "So you do not know, then?" He exhales and his glance falls to the floor. "We are seperated irrevocably on account of the force magic of the ones who broke into our sacred halls."

He extends a hand to welcome Keryth, Bahruul, Destiny, and Byntrou in past the archway - obviously familiar with the human custom of shaking hands. "Please, come in. I must reset the stone and cannot bring myself to do so while you are outside."

 

[D20Dazza]

Stepping inside Bahruul grasps the man's hand "I and my herdmate are Bous" he says indicating Byn "And you have a story that we must here, we've come looking for the priets you see"

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

“Ah, well that explains a few things,” Keryth remarks, shepherding the others through the archway after Bahruul, before passing through himself and shaking Markie’s hand.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Upon entering the room, it appears to be a simple entrance room. There are two doors - one to the right and one straight ahead. The room is light by small light green crystals which are ont the wall, well within the reach of Byntrou, Bahruul, and Keryth. The furniture in the room is sparse as only three stools are set out - and each of them are near the position where the hole in the wall appeared. Inside, the pattern of stripes of color pass down the walls just as they had on the other side of the wall.

Markie looks at the party as they enter and continues, "Please, if you would, stand over by one of the other doors. The stone moving mechanism isn't so much dangerous as it is loud. As you saw when it was moved earlier it is quite slow - of no threat to anyone."

Assuming the party follows Markie's directions as the approach the far right corner of the room the can spot an object hanging on the wall. It appears to be a torc* that could be worn around the neck, although instead of having large rounded ends they are flattened out so as to be 2 times as wide as the rest of the torc.

*Torc: For those of you unaccostemed to the jewelry of ancient celts especially, a torc is a solidmetal "horseshoe" shaped piece of jewelry that can be as thick as an inch in diameter or more, although most torcs are smaller than that. They are typically worn around the neck, but can be worn around the arm or wrist as well. Because one side is open, torcs normally had a solid round mass on each end of the horseshoe shape to keep the torc from sliding off innappropriately. In Celtic custom, the torc represented a leader of a tribe. That may or may not translate here ... it is for you to figure out if you are so inclined. [I assumed you all were familiar with what a torc is, but I thought that I'd put this here just in case.]

 

[jkason]

Byntrou, roguishly sorcerous barbarian

As Byntrou shakes this Markie's hand, a thought occurs to him. As the party is moving toward the torc, he says, "Force magic. You mean the barrier we passed through earlier? But were you separated from the other Markie, or from the sane Ellayna? As we hear tell it, there are--or were--two of her, as well."

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

“As Bahruul has said, we’ve come seeking the priests from the temple above...did they pass this way?” Keryth asks, once the door is closed, “Though seeing what the miners have dug into, I’m intrigued to know what this place is and who built it...”