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[IC] THE CURSE OF AMBERSTAR
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<blockquote data-quote="Archon Basileus" data-source="post: 7456177" data-attributes="member: 6855545"><p><strong>THULWAR</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p>As Thulwar and Tink descend, the noises become even more vague, as if somehow the heroes' presence had been noticed. The darkness is intense and unnatural, but Thulwar's sight grant him some advantage, even here. The gnome knows it is magical, for no other force could limit his sight in such a way.</p><p></p><p>Under closer inspection, the area shows a most peculiar composition. Thulwar can see the outlines of a nearby statue, rustic and covered in spiral lines, as well as several distinct patterns. The same engravings cover the floor as well, as if placed there to build a trail of sorts. Thulwar can feel the distinct textures under his feet, beneath the thick soles of his shoes. The trails, marked on the floor, might serve as guiding lines through the darkness, at least for anyone familiarized with the traces carved into the stone. </p><p></p><p>As the duo contemplates the situation, a small shard of shining material becomes apparent, some ten feet beyond. It seems to be a piece of blade, left there after some confrontation - recent, by the looks of it. Some sort of fight has happened in here, but the signs left behind suggest ambushes and silent strikes instead of open attacks. No blood, no traces of a bigger charge, only that blade shard, nothing more...</p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>AANZU</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p>Above, Aanzu focuses his senses. He feels distant vibrations as the floor rumbles - they seem to come from beyond this room, though, emanating from an unknown location, beyond the darkness. There, something seems to hum, like a dragon in its slumber. </p><p></p><p>Within the hall, though, the prince overhears the sound of metal dragging around, as if the pieces of an armor were being dragged against the stone. the sound comes predominantly from the left area in front of him and beyond the darkness. He also hears the sound of clattering bones - or maybe carapaces. The sounds are coordinated, and even though the pattern is hard to discern, he uncovers a rudimentary form of communication beneath the short strikes. One side brings up a small code, trying to disguise it as a natural sound, and the other answers in the same way as it goes. It also seems that the sources are constantly shifting positions, as if they refused to remain in the same place for too long.</p><p></p><p>On the right side, Aanzu overhears slow, calculated hisses. Sometime guttural, sometimes snake-like, these signs behave mostly on the same way that the drags and clatters do. They emulate a natural, irregular pattern, with moving sources. All the same, they seem to be communicating with each other. </p><p></p><p>Every sound is so low that only by focusing he can capture these small patterns. He can, however, pinpoint the general areas from which each of these sound groups emanate. They seem to occupy opposite sides of the room, always thrown in darkness.</p><p></p><p>Two other things are caught by Aanzu's attention: first, the size of these creatures. Judging by the intensity of the noises, they are bigger than bugs. Certainly, they're at least human-sized. The other thing is the smell: the place seems to hold something old and rancid, past the point of rotting, almost as something mummified within the room...</p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>HARFIK</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong>The monk studies the area as his companions advance. The darkness is dense. No doubt, magical in nature. The textures on the floor and on the outlined statues have been placed there later on, clearly as means for someone to move around without having to resort to sight. The smell of decay fills the nostrils, suggesting the presence of long dead things within this room. Going forward is a certain way of springing an ambush. Maybe this is how the creatures within hunt, nothing more, but the darkness is so thick that it renders any sort of action difficult.</p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>ICOSA</strong></p><p></p><p>Seeing the same signs as the others, Icosa seems to realize a simple truth: whatever lies within is by no means a united collective. If these are bugs, they struggle against each other. If they are something else, surely they have been fighting among each other, perhaps for food, perhaps for something else. The trails on the floor suggest awareness, a nature that transcends that of a mere beast. Perhaps the creatures are smart enough to adapt to the shadows, or perhaps they're simply using this area for a hinting ground, ignoring the marks on the floor for the most part. It certainly doesn't look like it, though.</p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>LYLLIE</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong>As the gnome observes the darkness conjured within the room, a familiar sensation pervades her. Her body responds to the presence of the dead. They are here, no doubt, and she can sense spirits observing beyond darkness. Suddenly, a face form just by her side, intangible and emanating a faint glow... The vague figure roams around, moaning and complaining about "mongrels" and how it was forced to relinquish immortality for what it calls a "silent war". It shivers for a bit, floating just above the floor, not far from the edge of the darkness, and there it remains, lingering before the gnome's vision.</p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>EVERYONE</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p>Suddenly, the small hisses and clatters more pronounced. Not far from the party, it seems that something moves, trying to reach the group's flank! </p><p></p><p>Turning towards the area, the heroes catch a glimpse of green smoke and luminosity at the edges of darkness, as if a pair of obscured eyes burned green fires behind empty bone sockets. The things seem to provoke them at first, taunting them to reach into the darkness to grab them... That lasts for only a second though. They realize the heroes' awareness and leap back, the strange mixture of fire and smoke still shining vaguely within the darkness as a pair of eyes... A whispering voice comes from the fading lights, strange and inviting. It crosses paths with the lingering spirit - something that only Lyllie notices, since she's the only one that sees the moaning spirit - and continues trailing at the edge of darkness. </p><p></p><p>"Coooome..." - the voice says. "We shall guiiiide... You can't traverse the darknessss and live.... But we are willinnng..." - the entity continues. "Come... All you gotta do is step inside... Come..." - the strange lights keep floating around, as if disembodied and unimpeded by any sorts of obstacles. "We are the emissaries of the Lost City of Amberilan. We can grant you passage. You, and the Teraphim, can cross the dead city.... No harm... No harm... Come with usss... We shall bring you to your home... That we promise..."</p><p></p><p>Around, the clattering and tattering goes on, strange, irregular and vague... </p><p><em></em></p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000">[Now, will you follow? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></span></em></p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000"></span></em></p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000">Sorry, I had to edit the post... I was grading papers by the time I wrote and I dropped lines that I had to re-write later on. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Also, I made a few mechanical decisions that I think will help with pacing. I'm ditching initiative in order to work over your actions - responding to your own action orders and using their content in a more intense way. Go ahead and push things as far as you want. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />]</span></em></p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000"></span></em></p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000">MAP UPDATED</span></em></p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000"></span></em></p><p><em><span style="color: #ff0000"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P-H9BO8-IYX6lSE2e9bttaM0U2XZlSQpYQgkZeWX3JQ/edit" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P-H9BO8-IYX6lSE2e9bttaM0U2XZlSQpYQgkZeWX3JQ/edit</a></span></em></p><p></p><p> @<em><strong><u><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=24380" target="_blank">Neurotic</a></u></strong></em> @<em><strong><u><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=6776182" target="_blank">JustinCase</a></u></strong></em> @<em><strong><u><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=4936" target="_blank">Shayuri</a></u></strong></em> @<em><strong><u><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=23298" target="_blank">industrygothica</a></u></strong></em> @<em><strong><u><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=6855102" target="_blank">Greenmtn</a></u></strong></em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Archon Basileus, post: 7456177, member: 6855545"] [B]THULWAR [/B] As Thulwar and Tink descend, the noises become even more vague, as if somehow the heroes' presence had been noticed. The darkness is intense and unnatural, but Thulwar's sight grant him some advantage, even here. The gnome knows it is magical, for no other force could limit his sight in such a way. Under closer inspection, the area shows a most peculiar composition. Thulwar can see the outlines of a nearby statue, rustic and covered in spiral lines, as well as several distinct patterns. The same engravings cover the floor as well, as if placed there to build a trail of sorts. Thulwar can feel the distinct textures under his feet, beneath the thick soles of his shoes. The trails, marked on the floor, might serve as guiding lines through the darkness, at least for anyone familiarized with the traces carved into the stone. As the duo contemplates the situation, a small shard of shining material becomes apparent, some ten feet beyond. It seems to be a piece of blade, left there after some confrontation - recent, by the looks of it. Some sort of fight has happened in here, but the signs left behind suggest ambushes and silent strikes instead of open attacks. No blood, no traces of a bigger charge, only that blade shard, nothing more... [B] AANZU [/B] Above, Aanzu focuses his senses. He feels distant vibrations as the floor rumbles - they seem to come from beyond this room, though, emanating from an unknown location, beyond the darkness. There, something seems to hum, like a dragon in its slumber. Within the hall, though, the prince overhears the sound of metal dragging around, as if the pieces of an armor were being dragged against the stone. the sound comes predominantly from the left area in front of him and beyond the darkness. He also hears the sound of clattering bones - or maybe carapaces. The sounds are coordinated, and even though the pattern is hard to discern, he uncovers a rudimentary form of communication beneath the short strikes. One side brings up a small code, trying to disguise it as a natural sound, and the other answers in the same way as it goes. It also seems that the sources are constantly shifting positions, as if they refused to remain in the same place for too long. On the right side, Aanzu overhears slow, calculated hisses. Sometime guttural, sometimes snake-like, these signs behave mostly on the same way that the drags and clatters do. They emulate a natural, irregular pattern, with moving sources. All the same, they seem to be communicating with each other. Every sound is so low that only by focusing he can capture these small patterns. He can, however, pinpoint the general areas from which each of these sound groups emanate. They seem to occupy opposite sides of the room, always thrown in darkness. Two other things are caught by Aanzu's attention: first, the size of these creatures. Judging by the intensity of the noises, they are bigger than bugs. Certainly, they're at least human-sized. The other thing is the smell: the place seems to hold something old and rancid, past the point of rotting, almost as something mummified within the room... [B] HARFIK [/B]The monk studies the area as his companions advance. The darkness is dense. No doubt, magical in nature. The textures on the floor and on the outlined statues have been placed there later on, clearly as means for someone to move around without having to resort to sight. The smell of decay fills the nostrils, suggesting the presence of long dead things within this room. Going forward is a certain way of springing an ambush. Maybe this is how the creatures within hunt, nothing more, but the darkness is so thick that it renders any sort of action difficult. [B] ICOSA[/B] Seeing the same signs as the others, Icosa seems to realize a simple truth: whatever lies within is by no means a united collective. If these are bugs, they struggle against each other. If they are something else, surely they have been fighting among each other, perhaps for food, perhaps for something else. The trails on the floor suggest awareness, a nature that transcends that of a mere beast. Perhaps the creatures are smart enough to adapt to the shadows, or perhaps they're simply using this area for a hinting ground, ignoring the marks on the floor for the most part. It certainly doesn't look like it, though. [B] LYLLIE [/B]As the gnome observes the darkness conjured within the room, a familiar sensation pervades her. Her body responds to the presence of the dead. They are here, no doubt, and she can sense spirits observing beyond darkness. Suddenly, a face form just by her side, intangible and emanating a faint glow... The vague figure roams around, moaning and complaining about "mongrels" and how it was forced to relinquish immortality for what it calls a "silent war". It shivers for a bit, floating just above the floor, not far from the edge of the darkness, and there it remains, lingering before the gnome's vision. [B] EVERYONE [/B] Suddenly, the small hisses and clatters more pronounced. Not far from the party, it seems that something moves, trying to reach the group's flank! Turning towards the area, the heroes catch a glimpse of green smoke and luminosity at the edges of darkness, as if a pair of obscured eyes burned green fires behind empty bone sockets. The things seem to provoke them at first, taunting them to reach into the darkness to grab them... That lasts for only a second though. They realize the heroes' awareness and leap back, the strange mixture of fire and smoke still shining vaguely within the darkness as a pair of eyes... A whispering voice comes from the fading lights, strange and inviting. It crosses paths with the lingering spirit - something that only Lyllie notices, since she's the only one that sees the moaning spirit - and continues trailing at the edge of darkness. "Coooome..." - the voice says. "We shall guiiiide... You can't traverse the darknessss and live.... But we are willinnng..." - the entity continues. "Come... All you gotta do is step inside... Come..." - the strange lights keep floating around, as if disembodied and unimpeded by any sorts of obstacles. "We are the emissaries of the Lost City of Amberilan. We can grant you passage. You, and the Teraphim, can cross the dead city.... No harm... No harm... Come with usss... We shall bring you to your home... That we promise..." Around, the clattering and tattering goes on, strange, irregular and vague... [I] [COLOR=#ff0000][Now, will you follow? ;) Sorry, I had to edit the post... I was grading papers by the time I wrote and I dropped lines that I had to re-write later on. :) Also, I made a few mechanical decisions that I think will help with pacing. I'm ditching initiative in order to work over your actions - responding to your own action orders and using their content in a more intense way. Go ahead and push things as far as you want. :)] MAP UPDATED [URL]https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P-H9BO8-IYX6lSE2e9bttaM0U2XZlSQpYQgkZeWX3JQ/edit[/URL][/COLOR][/I] @[I][B][U][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=24380"]Neurotic[/URL][/U][/B][/I] @[I][B][U][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=6776182"]JustinCase[/URL][/U][/B][/I] @[I][B][U][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=4936"]Shayuri[/URL][/U][/B][/I] @[I][B][U][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=23298"]industrygothica[/URL][/U][/B][/I] @[I][B][U][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=6855102"]Greenmtn[/URL][/U][/B][/I] [/QUOTE]
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