Clutches of Evil - IC: Chapter Two

[Nonlethal Force]

Destiny laughs outloud as Byntrou expresses the confusion that she herself feels. Markie replies with a smile on his face - the same smile that he's carried on his face most of the time, "Oh, certainly not! I don't think there are currently any other Markies or Ellaynas in our population. But as I've said a few times before it is hard to keep track of everyone."

[Sblock=OOC]No, nothing even remotely resembling a riddle going on here. Trust me. Once the party spends some time in here they should eventually be able to figure it out. But it certainly isn't a puzzle or a trap. I sprung one of those on you guys already so we're good for a while. This is just ... uniquely experienced through RP. [/Sblock]

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

Keryth chuckles, when Byntrou asks if everyone is either a Markie or an Ellayna, “Well, let’s go meet your Ellayna first then, shall we, since if we go the other way, we may not be back for a while.”

[SBLOCK=OOC]Confused...no...I sort of expected that after finding Markie...let’s just say I have a few theories about what’s going on (which I’m not going to reveal). [/SBLOCK]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

MArkie waves them on and returnes to the duty at hand - sitting beside the stone gate waiting for more visitors.

The door is a simple wooden door and it isn't locked. The party can make it safely and easily through. Sure enough, what they discover is a simple room about 20 feet square. There is a small table in the center, several chairs around the table, two beds along the opposite wall, and what appears to be a counter for some type of food preparation. There is a woman standing there who looks identical to the Ellayna the party met on the surface. Without turning around she adds, "Markie, I've not yet finished with the algae and mushroom salads. Go ahead and go back to work watching the stone. I'll come and get you when I'm ready." She appears to be unarmed, although her simple dress could easily conceal several weapons below her waist.

Destiny merely stares in awe, shaking her head in disbelief.

[Sblock=OOC]Yeah. You and those theories! Does one of them involve an enclave of magically forced polymorphed good dragons held underground by some ancient evil power? Cause ... that'd be wrong!

Although not a bad idea for introducing a vast number of good dragons into the world. That would be an excellent plot device to use in the depths of the mountains between Quehalost and the civilized lands. Hmmmmm.[/Sblock]

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

“Sorry, no Markie here, he’s still outside...hello, Ellayna,” Keryth says, as she finishes speaking...seemingly taking the sight of a second Ellayna in his stride.

[SBLOCK=OOC]No, that wasn’t one of them...interesting though. [/SBLOCK]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Ellayna turns around with a start. "What the...?" She gathers in the party, armed and armored. "Who are you? And how'd you get past Markie?"

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

“Markie let us in and said he thought you’d like to meet us, so here we are. I’m Keryth, though I feel like we’ve already met, as we’ve spent time with your double in the temple above...” Keryth offers smiling.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Ellayna frowns and shakes her head, looking to the ground. "Poor things. Trapped outside on the surface and all. We all feel there loss."

After a moment of mourning she looks back up to the party and puts on a very fake smile. "But I'm glad you all are here. You are, then, from the surface?"

 

[jkason]

Byntrou, roguishly sorcerous barbarian

Feeling rather uncomfortable brandishing a scimitar given how pleasant the experience has been up until now, Byntrou sheathes his blade, though he does make sure he recalls the pattern to bring magical arrows into being. Just in case.

 

[unleashed]

Keryth, Male Drakontos Cleric

“Yes, we are...though it seems as if we’re making you uncomfortable, so we’ll leave you to making your salads, Ellayna...sorry for intruding,” Keryth says, beginning to turn towards the door.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Ellayna adds, "Well, we don't have much need for weapons down here. we don't get many visitors - or even intruders. I'm just not used to seeing them. But you all enjoy your stay here." There still appears to be an uneasy smile upon her face.

[Sblock=Description if the party leaves]There are two doors in the room with Ellayna. One of them is the door leading back to Markie. The other is a door to the part'y left. I'm assing the party would choose this door, which is also unlocked and Ellayna gives no indication they shouldn't go through it.

Outside, the party can see wat they can only suspect to be a long tunnel. It is poorly lit by the means of a type of phosphorescent algae coverin clear crystals, giving characters with normal vision the ability to see 20 feet in either direction and that's all. It does appear to match Markie's description fairly well. The tunnel appears to go right and left, paralleling the tunnel that the party was in before they met Markie.

There are a few people milling about, and none of them carry any kind of weaponry. They do all appear to be human. Actually, upon closer inspection they all appear to be physically related to the people on the surface. One that passes about 20 feet away looks as if he could be Tru's brother. [OOC: If you don't remember, Tru is the husband of the woman baking the pies on the surface]

The tunnel seems to extend left and right beyond anyone's ability to distinguish an end regardless of the type of vision used.
[/Sblock]