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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 1637447" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #275] A Quick Look Around[/PLAIN]When nothing came immediately to assail them, the group spread out. Morier and Karak walked quickly around the place, each trusting in their natural ability to spot any secret panels or doors, while the rest scrutinized the building's interior with more care, tapping and probing the stonework as they went. All save Ixin, that is. The sorcerer walked up to the alter and attuned herself to the Weave; it thrummed within her breast in response to her gestures and invocation and she cast her minor divination."The last person to be here was 'Swaefred Graebrenn, Initiate of the 9th Circle'. Whatever that is," she turned to look at the others and shrugged non-committally. "That was 671 years ago.""Anyone know what an 'Initiate of the 9th Circle' is?" Ledare asked and the others all shook their heads or mumbled replies to the negative."I've heard certain wizards refer to themselves as a 'Magus of the 5th Circle' or the like," Ixin told them. "But that was on Mid'Gaard and the practise had gone out of fashion there. Only the truly pretentious would ever use it."Unenlightened, they returned to their search.Karak gave a running commentary as he walked, occasionally running his battle-calloused hand along the wall. "Oi, this craftsmanship be old. I nae think I've e'er seen such work by the humies. I've only been told it by me ancestors.  Seems solidly built though.""I detect nae secret doors or compartments," he stated at last and the others asserted the same claims."I think we should burn the incense to see what happens," Vade chirped, standing on his tip-toes to peer at the altar top."I wish me chalak were here," Karak said glumly as he tipped over the beaten silver bowl, letting the stagnant rainwater spill out onto the floor. A perfect circle was left by the bowl, imprinted in the mold that covered the stone. "He surely would know what these items be about. Alls I can tell is that this 'ere bowl'd fetch about a hundred pieces o' gold in the right market.""I don't think we want to go pillaging this shrine, or whatever it is," Ledare observed. She picked up one of the cubes of incense and it dissolved into sludge at her touch. There were perhaps three cubes that, while damp, still retained enough integrity to be burned once they were properly dried out. "Obviously some ritual was performed here.""I know little of these spiritual practices," Feln admitted. "It may be good to burn the incense but why not look in the other buildings first and see what they reveal?""I think we should check out each building before we interact with anything," Ixin nodded."I agree," Morier added."Let's explore the other buildings then and see if there are similar setups in each," the Janissary decided. "If there are, then perhaps we should light up the censers and the incense." Muttering agreements, they stepped out into the increasingly gloomy day.They proceeded to the next building which was unusually shaped - formed by a curved outer area connected to a half-dome on the far wall, all constructed of red granite. The outer doors, situated in the center of the curved wall, were redwood with brass fittings. Two tall ash trees stood to either side of the structure at the corners facing the thorn hedge. Like the previous building, there were no other visible doors or windows.The doors were untrapped and opened easily onto a darkened interior. Eight brass braziers, tarnished and ash-filled, were bolted to the curved wall that contained the doors, four on either side of the opening. The gray light from outside and the pale illumination of Vade's magical dagger was answered by a warm glow from the area directly ahead and it drew them toward it. What they saw made some of them gasp with awe.The whole interior of the half dome was gilded with an abstract gold leaf design that sparkled brilliantly in the light, shining as brightly as if it had just been polished moments before. The floor beneath the dome was a mosaic design formed by tiny bits of brightly-colored stone. In the center of the rainbowed design was an eight-pointed star with a circular gold plate embedded in the floor at the star's center. It too shone with inviting warmth in the light.Beyond the beautiful floor and ceiling stood another altar, smaller than the one that they had seen in the other building, with another pair of brass braziers - these gleamed brightly however, displaying no tarnish or other signs of disrepair. Above the altar was set another star design that mimicked the one of the floor, but in this star's center was a polished plate of silver in which the taller members of the group could see themselves reflected."By Moradin's hammer," Karak mumbled in astonishment as he bent to examine the gold plate in the floor. "Tha' be solid gold! That'd be worth 2,000 nobles... or more depending on its thickness."Ixin waled forward and cast Recent Occupant again. "Saeyth Ongenferth, Initiate of the 9th Circle. 671 years ago. Same as the other," she announced with an unsatisfied sigh."Should we light those things?" Vade asked, pointing with his dagger at the two braziers set into the altar top. The action made their shadows slant crazily along the walls. Ledare shook her head."Let's spread out and search for any hidden doors or compartments," she said. "Just like last time. If we find nothing we move on to the next building."The third building was the one that Ledare had initially suggested that they enter. It was a cube of white stone with a short walled walkway leading up to a wooden door set with copper fittings that are green with age. Clinging vines grew up and over the roofless walkway which was flanked by two large hawthorn trees. Like all the buildings, the door faced the hedge. There were no other visible doors or windows.The vines rustled almost as if they were threatening to lash out at these interlopers as the VQS made its way up to and through the wooden door, but otherwise there was nothing to deter the group. Inside the shrine (for it too had an altar as did the previous two buildings) was very from outside. All of the walls were covered with intricately-carved redwood panelling, gilded extensively with brilliant copper. The scenes depicted were of harvests and woodlands with animals and men living side-by-side in a primitive but peaceful existence.Opposite the door was a semi-circular altar of wood inlaid all about with copper. Four small bowls of beaten copper and studded all around the rim with rubies rested atop the altar. Karak let out an admiring whistle as he looked at them and Ledare waved off his impending comment."Save it, Karak," the Janissary told him. "We can all see that they're valuable. We don't really need an appraisal."The dwarf harrumphed. "Nobody appreciates good craftsmanship anymore," he grumbled as Ixin strode forward to cast her divination."Barda Blakwysard, Initiate of the 9th Circle, 671 years ago," she told them and they set about searching the place.After the casting, Ixin found herself drawn to look outside, nervously searching the sky for any sign of Martivir. She saw none, however, and the void that his absence left behind yawned maddeningly within the drakeling's mind. She jumped as a heavy hand settled onto her shoulder. She turned to look into Feln's violet eyes. She noticed for the first time that he was only an inch shorter than she herself."Are you alright?" the half-orc asked and Ixin gave a small nod."I'm fine," she told him and her eyes again sought the skies. "I'm just worried.""I am sure the bird is fine," Feln reassured gruffly. His eyes narrowed ferally and he asked, "Do you want to go find her?""Him, actually," Ixin replied. "Martivir is a him. But no. Morier is right; if Martivir was hurt I would know it. I would share his pain. But this is all very strange to me. Nothing has ever come between us before. I didn't know that anything could.""It seems clear there is some sort of magical wall in place," Feln muttered rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "What else could break the bond you two have?" The half-orc's words stirred something within Ixin and she jumped."An Antimagic Field might do it," she said with a hopeful expression. "I don't know why I didn't think of it before. A Dead Magic zone might as well, but I'd be able to sense such a zone if it were nearby and I can't. An Antimagic Field, though...""Come on ye two," Karak grumbled as he shoved passed them and walked outside. "There be nought 'ere. And now it's goin' ta start raining! Bah!"The last shrine was a hexagonal building of pale, blue-streaked rock with two hoary willow trees growing on either side of the wall facing the hedge. The door was of tin, heavily worn and pitted by age and it creaked open easily to the touch. A breath of cold air blossomed out of the building's interior striking all save Karak like a slap on their rain-dampened skin. Their breath came out as thin clouds of steam."Brrrr!" Ixin complained as she wrapped her arms about herself for warmth. Of them all, she wore the least clothing and was also least accustomed to cold weather. "It's freezing in here!""It is the chill of winter dawning, girl," a strange voice said and all at once, the two pools of water set into the floor on either side of the doors began to churn and bubble as if coming suddenly to a boil. At the same time, they began to glow with a pale phosphorescence as if lit somehow from below by witchfire.In the glow of the pools they could see the interior of the shrine. It was all blue-streaked stone carved to look like ice so that the whole place had the impression of being thrust suddenly into a arctic cavern. Two thick pillars rose up in the center of the room and beyond lay another pool of water. A stone altar stood in the pool's center,  its top dominated by a fountain whose spray had turned to ice. But all of this held their attention for no more than the space of two heartbeats before two figures rose up from the pools that flanked the door.They were womanly in general aspect, but only in so much as a figure made entirely of water can bear resemblance to creatures of flesh and blood. From the waist down, their bodies dissolved into a serpentine column of water that churned and foamed mightily. They bobbed up and down and undulated back and forth as they regarded the group with wet, inhuman eyes.  They might have been sisters, for their strangely-beautiful features were very much alike, or perhaps twin aspects of the same entity for when they spoke it was at once or in tandem. And when they spoke it was like water falling over rocks, waves licking against the shore."Long have we lain here," the one on the right said."Long have we waited," the one of the left added."For they to come who would meet his approval," they finished together."You might be they," said the first."For you have passed his first test," said the other."You have neither despoiled the temples nor harmed the woodlands," they said in chorus."Now you must face the second challenge," the first explained."For the honor of coming before him," the second went on."Uh, who be him?" Karak asked, breaking the muteness that seemed to grip the companions. Even so, his voice seemed very small when compared to the women of water."The Great Oak," they told him in unison.</blockquote>

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