Ruin's Dawn: Noble Shadows

[Zoro Astrian]

The snakes were ignoring him and, as far as Zoro Astrian was concerned, that was probably not a bad thing. Xander and Gennadiya seemed to be the focus for this part of their journey, with Xander’s ability to speak to the snakes, and Gennadiya’s light being very useful. Woe also seemed to have some skills which were very helpful and Zoro watched as Woe seemed to stare at the snake for a moment and then it appeared slightly less aggressive. If Woe had done something, or if he was just imagining it, Zoro could not say.

Zoro was mindful of Mab, edging away as she seemed to be. He understood the feeling of wanting to run from here, but he was more afraid of what the snakes would do if he did than he was of staying here.

Gennadiya and Xander seemed to have the situation under control. Gennadiya was obviously a healer and she was trying to help the snakes. Zoro had no means of communicating with the snakes and he felt very aware that this group functioned differently than the group he had been in when he went to Sweetwine Woods with Xander. They were not working together in the same way and it seemed to Zoro that Genna and Xander were functioning as a pair, with Woe as a tertiary member while both Mab and himself were largely irrelevant at this point.

“I’d like to help, and am very willing to,” Zoro said. He moved forward to where Gennadiya was healing one of the snakes as he spoke. He moved quietly and slowly, so as not to startle her – and especially not to startle the bloody big snake with fangs and horns. “But I feel like a bit of a dunsel right now.” Zoro was careful to keep his voice melodic and calm. “I would be glad to help in any way”.

[Woe]

Omnivision was annoyingly useless, for the first time since using it returning little in the way of information about his immediate surroundings. Just the snake. Perhaps itw as possible that Audrae's influence extended and dampened the effects of Attunement, or else perhaps he was having a bad magic day. Either way, he gave up on Attunement for at least this instance. He'd merely use the light they were provided, if his spark refused to return with any information on their surroundings.

“Ethelynda said she’d be watching over us, maybe this is what she meant?” The Mermaid said.

Woe had to admit she had a point. "Good guess, I wouldn't doubt it.". However much he'd disregarded her warnings about staying in one place, he had to concede that she was at least intelligent enough to put those two factors together. As she still seemed on edge, he thought to calm her using Empathy, but he'd already intruded enough upon his companions. He wouldn't want to get caught out doing more, and so refrained from engaging in that sort of magic on these people. So he merely observed their tangles, trying to get clues to how they felt, who was near to breaking their morale, and so on.

He thought, after some observation of the people collected here, that they could be trusted at least insofar as this 'errand' was concerned. So he stood by, and was wary of the snakes yet willing to follow Xander's lead on this, as the only one among them who could understand the snakes.

Template by Natalia Gregorios

[Xander Andaris]

“Whoever fights
monsters should
see to it that in
the process he
does not become
a monster”

― Friedrich
Nietzsche

Xander Andaris

Ruin's Dawn: Noble Shadows
35 of Saun, 721

It seemed that Xander had been able to convince the snakes of their good intentions as the lead snake approached Gennadiya to be healed. Xander stood close by but Gave the healer her space to treat the snakes wounds and as he heard Zoro state that he wished to help Xander stepped aside to allow him closer to Gennadiya and the snake in case he could help to heal the snake with her and speed up the process. "Of course Zoro, I am sure you will be able to help Genna in this." He understood that Zoro wanted to help, he had seen it in his actions in the forest that he would help strangers even without being fully aware of hte situation, similar to himself in some ways.

He turned back and faced the others while the snake was healed. "The Snakes have offered to help us if Genna heals them and helps their mistress. We will have to follow them further into the cave though." He stated unsure if everyone would be willing to follow them, he hoped that his inspiration had worked on their Mer companion otherwise he feared she may not be sure on trusting and following the snakes although he doubted that a little considering she had initially wanted to continue on. in the first place.

The shieldbearer allowed the healing process to go on uninterupted from him and once it was completed he watched as the snaked in the shadows and the lead snake who he had been speaking with made ready to move further on into the tunnels. Xander relayed the snakes message to the party. "They say we should follow them to help protect 'her' and if we are successful we can take whatever lies beyond, however, they state that if we fail we will not leave these tunnels." Xander paused for a moment as he himself pondered whether that was a threat or simply an observation of the fact that failure in this task meant death. The father was unable to decide which it was and so did not linger his thoughts on the matter, he was choosing to trust the snakes at this time of a wish to believe that they were not alone in having t he right motives of all the individuals in this tunnel and after whatever lay beyond 'her'.

Xander waved his hand by his side and suddenly a coiled white black and gold anaconda was at his side, the serpent familiar granted to him as a Shield bearer. He crouched down and spoke to the snake. "Stay here and watch for anyone following us, if you see anyone come to me and inform me of it." The snake seemed to bob its head in some kind of understanding and then slithered off into some dark corner to watch the way behind them.

Standing up straight again Xander gestured to the direction the snakes that guarded the caves were beginning to go. "I plan to follow them and I think we have little other choice, my snake will make sure we are informed if anyone follows us and we can venture further into this cave guided to our goal if we trust these snakes. From the looks of the burns on their skin I would say we share the same enemy if not the exact same goal." Xander did to a certain extent believe in the statement, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, when he had too. "If you will come with me now, I will follow them."

"We are them who have been Called
to Fight Ruin itself."

Xander has been called by Ethelynda
To fight Faldrun in Nobles Shadows

[Mab Prell]

Slithered syllables left Xander’s lips as he hunched over the blue-green creature. It was evident even before he announced to the group that he was speaking to the snake. Mab was relieved, until then no one had been doing anything useful as far as she could see. As Genna worked on healing the snake and its prone body allowed her to soothe its burns and pains, Mab began to move back toward the group.

Intense blue eyes turned on Mab, making the nape of her neck tingle. Despite the distance between them she could see each worry line and laugh crease etched on his face. She could see her father in his eyes and in the tender scold he gave. His words inspired the same bravery in her that she felt when her father warned her about the extensive and dark dangers of the ocean. However, before she could rejoin the group several snakes of similar shades barred her way. Mab gulped and lowered her spear, a small sharp knife between herself and the reptiles. Fortunately, she didn’t have to use the weapon as Xander and Genna made reptilian allies, Mab was soon released from their threatening barrier.

For the first time, Mab’s shoulders relaxed as Xander made his intentions to go deeper into the caverns clear. The water woman, closest to the tunnels and furthest from the group, nodded in fierce agreement. It wasn’t that the woman was eager to engage in an even more dangerous adventure and ambitious thoughts of recording these adventurers journey was now far from her thoughts. Why am I here? She wondered desperately as she stared into the dark bowels of the earth, her fear of the dark a constant itch at the back of her mind. However, Xander’s inspiration held, and unbeknownst to her she was able to battle back fears she might not have otherwise been able to.

The earth was a tomb. She had thought that humans lived in a two dimensional world on the earth surface, but here there wasn’t even a horizontal expanse just forward and backward. As she moved deeper into the tunnels, Mab noticed seemingly man-made pillars that held the ribbed roof of stone above them. Two tunnels stretched out before them, neither looking particularly appealing. Etched into the stone of one was deep clawed gouges that reminded Mab of the rutting marks of elk and the other a puddle of thick water or saliva draped across it. A creature has come in one tunnel and out the other… Mab ventured and went from one entrance to the other holding her bracelet high over her head to illuminate each cave entrance as brightly as possible and watching which of the two tunnels the snakes chose.

Mab would allow any others to pass her if they chose to take the lead, and fell into the group with the next person who met her gaze. “Do you know where we are? What Augiery is? And why Ethelynda had to leave?” She would whisper under her breath to whomever she fell in beside, hoping to understand their predicament a little better. “I’ve never even seen an Immortal before…and yet was called here…” She would offer openly, glancing at the companion hoping for some insight.

[Tempest]

A Storm is Coming...

“Beware, there isss far more ancient and terrible creaturessss that lurk these tunnelssss,” the snake hissed looking at the group as they began to move, “each of you will face challengessss. Remain ssstrong in each other and you may well sssurvive.”

The snake slithered back up the wall disappearing into the dark as its kin began to show them the way. As those who chose to move forward began it was clear that at least half would make their way to help the one who was in trouble. Two snakes sat at the tunnels waiting for the group to appear. One was a black color with red eyes the same horned appearance as the teal snake that had sent the group on the quest to help. The second was a different kind of snake, the eyes were a milky white making one believe it to be blind, yet it moved with no problems through the rocks moving along the claw marks in the walls. Its yellow body able to be seen in even the faintest of light from the bracelets.

“Follow usss. Ssssaxlissss will ssshow you the way to the first room. Once there two others will provide guidance,” the black snake hissed referring to his companion.

He moved up into the marks along the opposite side of the wall following his companion making sure that everyone in the group was keeping up. As the group continued there was a coolness that overtook the caves along with what sounded like water ahead of them. The two snakes stopped outside of what appeared to be a closed door. As the group got closer water could be heard more clearly on the other side. The door before them appeared to be made of stone that held the sign of the immortal U’frek.

Should anyone try to push open the door it would give easily opening as if it had been opened recently. As each person made their way inside, Zoro would find himself drawn forward towards the middle of the circular room. If he were to break away from the group and walk forward the man would find himself feeling like he was at sea once more. Giving him the sense of peace and feeling at home, the wall directly in front of him and the rest of the group held what appeared to be an old painting. Upon closer inspection the two figures looked like U’frek standing beside a girl looking out at the sea beyond. There was an inscription below it that read.

“What will carry you where nothing else can? Above the darkness below yet under the brightness above?”

The room held what appeared to be eight bags around it hung on the walls. They were not high someone with athletics or any good with a bow would be able to get them down. To the right was another door that bared the seal from the first door. However, one would find it impossible to push open meaning they would have to figure out the puzzle that stood before them. To the left was a small stream of water that poured from above causing ripples in the puddle under it. Holes dotted the floor in front of the picture along with several clay jars nearby; the last thing was the mark for Koriel on the floor in the middle of the room.

Info & Rules

• Due to the time-sensitive nature of this, I can not hold out for people to post. If you miss a round, there will (I'm afraid) be consequences. Please Communicate with me if something comes up for the week. There will still be consequence but different.
• Next mod post will be on Tuesday the 13th of July
• Each room will be tailored towards a certain PC amongst the group however everyone is welcome to share ideas and figure out the puzzle together

Objectives

!	Message from: Must-Do Objectives
	figure out how to get out of the room or solve the puzzle

!	Message from: Player Notes
	Everyone completed the last must do and can do objectives. Very well done everyone there will be positive results at the end of the thread as a result

[Woe]

Woe felt he had little choice but to stick with the rest of the group, and he'd already resolved that it would be a good idea to stick close to Xander, given his ability to communicate with these strange creatures. He was mostly silent as they made their way down, following after one of the snakes. Eventually, they came to a room, which Woe entered. Something about it, vaguely reminded him of his excursion into the Immortal Domain of U'frek, Raj'ufnaj, the Light of Water. He'd only been there briefly, and had a gilmpse of it at that. Yet there in the middle of the small water fountain, was a mark. He didn't recognize it, but supposed it might have something to do with the Biqaj or U'frek himself. He just had a hunch, based on his prior visit to U'frek's realm. It could've been a room devoted to Ashan for all he knew.

But then, he noticed the inscription beneath the water, in the center of the room. He thought on it only a moment, before shrugging, "A ship? A vessel perhaps?" The riddle was a rather simple one, so he was wary that he was undershooting its complexity, yet that was his answer to it. Whether anyone else would have a different guess... Woe didn't keep them from it.

He examined the bags at the top of the room, as well as the clay pots and the mark at the center. He didn't bother using his magic, as it'd been useless thus far, particularly Attunement. Which was a shame, because getting the notes and frequencies of the nearby area might inform him greatly to the nature of this place.

"That's my guess, at any rate. A simple riddle in my opinion, but perhaps too simple an answer?"

[Gennadiya Arishina]

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster”

― Friedrich
Nietzsche

Gennadiya Lyosha

Ruin's Dawn: Noble Shadows
35 of Saun, 721

Gennadiya looked up at Zoro as he spoke about wanting to help. Her sapphire blue eyes smiled kindle at the young man and she spoke to him as she began to secure everything in her bag. “Excellent. We will all need to work together if we are going to succeed here.” She looked around at all of them and smiled at Mab as well. “I am sure we will face many dangers and we need to rely on each other. At this moment my healing has been helpful at other times each of use will be called on to use are abilities.” Gennadiya smiled at those two. “Remember you were chosen by Ethelynda her self to help us.” Genna then secured her bag to her person and slipped her bow and arrow out while she let her light go out. It was useful, but had only so much time per trial and she would like it handy if they needed it later. Besides the light supplied by Immortal of light would do the job as well.

“Always remember though that each of us has a unique experiences to life and might just have the approach that we need to get through the trials ahead.” She said softly as they began to move down the tunnel. There was still a certain amount of darkness, but Genna felt better didn’t have the same overwhelming fear as when they were first there.

Soon they came to a door and pushed it open. The young woman walked in and began to take the whole room in. She hear the riddle and then looked at Woe and smiled. “Riddles are funny things. That came to you quickly but to me it was more difficult to reach that. I can see it, but don’t know if it is wrong or right.” She looked around at the various items and said. “I wonder if we are to move the “Vessel” to certain locations. Maybe put water in them or the items in the bags.”

Genna looked around and asked. “Does anyone have more experiences with ocean and such then I do?” She did notice the immortal mark in the middle and wondered if the holes in the ground. Genna would help if anyone asked her to so that they could solve the puzzle.

"We are them who have been Called
to Fight Ruin itself."

Gennadiya has been called by Ethelynda
To fight Faldrun in Nobles Shadows

[Zoro Astrian]

Zoro was a largely positive person, most of the time. He was inclined to see the good in people, and to assume good intentions. Xander had already shown Zoro that he was right to feel that Xander was on the right side of the fleet, and he continued to do so here. Gennadiya too was kind and supportive and Zoro smiled at her as she reassured him. He felt that she was being kind, she and Xander were obviously more skilled than him, and more experienced in this sort of thing. But Zoro Astrian had a robust self-image and he was quite sure that – as long as they continued to work together – they would indeed all have a part to play.

They moved forward into a room and the sights there were most peculiar. As Zoro stepped into the middle, he realised something. “I say!” Zoro exclaimed. “It’s like we’re on a ship, can you feel it?” The biqaj was delighted and he looked around with wide, delighted eyes. “I can smell salt water, I’m sure,” he explained and then, Woe spoke of a possible solution to the riddle in front of them. Zoro had not known Woe before this meeting, but the man had impressed Zoro with calm assurance and precise manner. He seemed like someone that you could rely on in situations like this – and people such as him were rare.

Gennadiya wasn’t sure of Woe’s assessment, however, and Zoro looked around with an intent gaze. He thought of Uncle Zaphod who always told him to look at new situations as though you had two heads. Look once with one head – for what a situation seemed to be. Then, look with the second head, and determine what it actually was. “I think you’re correct,” he said to Woe, “if this was simply a riddle, the answer may be a vessel. But this is a puzzle, and that is a clue.”

Looking at the bags, the clay vessels, and the water, Zoro stood in the very middle of the room, and he knelt down to touch the mark of U’frek. “This is the mark of the Immortal U’frek,” he said. “He’s the Immortal of Water. I think we have to use these vessels,” he smiled at Woe as he said that. “And fill the bags. They’re like the bags we hang on the side of a ship to protect against impact. I think we have to fill them, so that each bag is below the level where the water appears – below the brightness above, but above the point where it lands – so above the darkness below.” Zoro shrugged slightly and admitted. “But I don’t know that. I’m just trying to work it out. Can we try it?” Again, he touched the mark of U’frek and gave a quiet prayer. “Help us navigate this puzzle, if you would.”

Zoro would then – unless anyone stopped him, and hopefully with the help of the others – use the clay vessels to fill the bags with water so that they hung lower than the place where the stream appeared, but higher than the puddle beneath. He didn’t know if that would work, but he thought it was worth a try.

[Xander Andaris]

“Whoever fights
monsters should
see to it that in
the process he
does not become
a monster”

― Friedrich
Nietzsche

Xander Andaris

Ruin's Dawn: Noble Shadows
35 of Saun, 721

Xander followed the snakes further into the cave alongside his companions. He wasn't sure what they would find but he hoped that the snakes were not decieving them, he could not imagine that they would be but there was alwasy that chance. They continued down the dark tunnel and eventually they came upon a door. It was pushed open and then entered into the space, there was a painting on one wall with some words beneath it. Clay vessels around the room and bags hanging from the ceilings with a symbol at the center of the room. Xander looked around the room and listened as Woe spoke about his answer to the riddle.

Xander was sure there was some sort of trick to all this but he was willing to let others take the lead here as this was not his area of expertise so he was glad when Zoro stepped forward to take charge of the situation. He listened and watched as Zoro offered potential solutions to the puzzle, Xander wasn't sure if it made sense or not but he was willing to try as he wasn't sure he had a better solution to offer.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked following Zoro further into the room so that he could attempt to aid the biqaj in completing the task. "I'll follow your lead on this just let me know what to do and when and I'll do it."

Xander moved over to one of the clay vessels and got himself ready to try and do as Zoro suggested in order to continue on there quest. He watched the man adn waited doing whatever was asked of him and starting to collect the liquid into the clay vessel in order to attempt to fill some of the bags that were hanging from the ceiling.

"We are them who have been Called
to Fight Ruin itself."

Xander has been called by Ethelynda
To fight Faldrun in Nobles Shadows

[Pegasus]

And so, the group moved forward.

They were faced with the first room and Zoro took Woe's idea and Gennadiya's suggestion and he moved it on a step. Instructing the others with what he was thinking, the biqaj directed the group and also played his own part in filling the sacks. As they filled them with water, the bags began to lower down, the weight of the water making them

As they worked, it might be that they doubted. Nothing changed as they did, except of course for the sacks weighing down and moving down. And then, the eighth sack lowered to the point below the opening where the stream exited. As it did that, the holes on the floor lit and the light formed the shape of a ship. As it did, the mark in the middle of the room glowed once, so brightly that they had to shield their eyes. When they looked back, sitting there on the floor was a small blue crystal exquisitely cut and the colour of the ocean.

The lights remained, but the symbol glowed no more. Should the brave adventurers pick up the crystal, it felt cool and unremarkable - although it glowed slightly and produced a sort of weak energy. Except, if Zoro should lift it, as he did he felt as though he stood on the prow of a ship in the open ocean as a rolling wave lifted the vessel. He could taste the spray and feel the wind, so real was it.

And when Zoro touched the crystal, the door opened.

It opened into another room. This one was very similar to the first except the contents were different. Again, a closed and locked door which they could not budge. In the middle of the room there was a symbol on the floor - this one of Raskalarn - and it sat in the middle of a fighting pit which seemed disused for many an arc. On the four corners of the fighting pit there were crosses on the floor. Across one side of the room there was a long series of five mirrors. Should they look in the mirrors, there was nothing unusual except when Woe looked into the middle mirror.

And in that, he saw that there was a person standing in the fighting pit. A barbarian-looking-fella - human, it seemed, and ready for a fight. The fighter was pointing at Xander. There were two others behind him - a woman with jet black hair who stood on one of the corners of the fighting pit. Then, a biqaj male with dark hair standing on the other corner cross - and they both wore expressions of disdain and contempt.

But if Woe looked back, behind him, he'd see that they were not there. If he tried to move further than a few steps away from the mirror, the image faded.

And no matter what he did - the others could not see what Woe saw.

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