Rituals IC

[Thelonius]

Time stands still…

You have arrived to the Temple, one after another, driven here by some strange instinct. There were no paths to this location and what roads can be maintained in the cold of the frozen lands? It seems impossible that someone could survive this journey without warm clothes and proper supplies, but somehow you’ve endured cold and hunger. The Temple itself is rather unimpressive. Some parts of it have collapsed with a passage of time and there is no furniture or decorations inside. If there used to be anything here, it was taken long time ago by whoever worshiped in this place. In fact it is rather odd that you think of this building as “Temple”, since there are few temples left in the world and this one doesn’t look anything like them.

The Temple isn’t empty. There are creatures here, someone you know to be “Servitors”, though again why you call them that is unclear. They certainly didn’t tell you what to call them. Servitors lack mouths. They look like very tall and lean humans, with very pale skin and without a single hair on their body. The creature’s faces are the most inhuman part of them. There is only smooth skin, where mouth should be and eyes are just too large. They wear clothes, robes and cloaks that look both normal and odd at the same time, though it’s impossible to tell what’s wrong with them. Servitors look identical to each other, but somehow you can tell them apart and you know the ones you have contract with. Creatures seem bored and apathetic, ignoring Masks that pass near them, except for those bound to you by contract. Their eyes get a different look, as if they wait for you to speak to them, to command them perhaps?

There is a single large hall that holds something interesting in the Temple. It is half collapsed, part of the roof is missing and snow falls inside through the gap. There are six statues, worn out so much, that they are indistinguishable from each other. A couple of them appear to be male, while others are of women. They form a half circle and the sixth has actually fallen from the pedestal, knocked over by the fallen stones from the ruined roof. Another interesting feature of the hall is fake clock. It’s a giant circle with sixty marked points, which must be representing minutes. There is a single clock hand, a giant slab of stone, positioned at twelve o’clock. The wall behind the clock hides no mechanism to move the clock hand. It’s fake. Perhaps it’s not a clock at all, but merely something that resembles one.

[WhiteKnight777]

The Mask of Twilight's Edge

He remembered a long, frozen march through endless swirls of white. The wind's wolf-howl, and the strange power that kept him going. But for the most part, the journey here was like slumber without dreams - a wall of blackness broken only occasionally by the flicker of sight or sensation.

Yet it felt good. He felt... purified. Reborn as something quite different from whatever he had been before. There were scraps of his former self, whisps of memory, and of desire, but the fusion of mask and man had created something new, something that was more than the sum of its parts. The Mask.

He smiled, his teeth white and even, as his booted feet trod the frozen stone. His breath steamed in the air, but he felt the cold only a little. His clothes were all of black, light as silk, yet woven of something else entirely. He was strong. He knew that, feeling the strength flowing through him, and there was more, much more. He knew, instinctively, of the powers he had tapped, and what he must do to tap them further. But there was time for that later... for now, he waited for the others to arrive.

[shadowmage]

A tall thin man arrives he is dressed in flat rounded toe shoes that looked once to be of fine quality but the trip seems to have taken care of that. Dark brown stockings meet puffy black shorts that came to mid-thigh and resembled a bell, embroider in gold thread. He wore a white linen shirt under a navy blue doublet that had sleeves that were separate and tied to the shoulder. Over that he wore a fine leather jerkin that was sleeveless and resembled a vest. He blound hair was short and off his forehead.

His face was completely covered buy a white mask that wrapped around the side of his head stopping at his ears, it wrapped under his chin and stopped just before his neck. No mouth graced the mask, Just the 2 eye holes, piercing green eyes peering out and the two nostril holes. On the right side of the mask just under the corner of his right eye like a tear drop was an sideways 8. The left side of the mask was covered in fine script, that you needed to be fairly close to read. For one that got close enough to read it, they saw that it was formulas, equations, and even a small blue print.

Looking around he finds a fallen stone to sit and catch his breath upon.

[An Enemy Spy]

There is an old legend about a man who ventured into the frozen wastes. He returned making wild claims of an ancient temple holding the secret of immortality. Many men went searching for this temple but none ever returned. I never believed this legend and I still do not, but I must admit that if there is such a place, this would be it. I do not recall how I arrived here, in this cold desolate place. But then again, I remember few things anymore. It is as if the world is slowly fading away and I am the only permanent object in all of existance. I check the sapphire I have bound to my wrist to see that it is still there. Of course it is. Gems do not simply leave of their own accord. The sapphire has grown on my mind of late. I have become fearful of losing it, almost to the point of paranoia. I do not know why.
There are others here, but I am not worried about them. Like me, they wear masks. Cold expressionless masks. As if there was no one behind them at all. I breifly entertain the idea that this is not reality but simply a dream. It has become difficult to tell the two apart. Again I look at the sapphire. It still has not left.

[Krrth]

Art


The way was long. I think. I don't remember most of the trip. The voices kept me company! Demanding, asking, pleading! Help me, show me, guide me! I didn't know what to make of it as I traveled. Once I made the Temple however, the voices faded. I was able to think once again. As I entered, I saw strange creatures moving about. Some looked familiar...but wait! The statues pulled my attention. Quickly I move and study them.

[Thelonius]

Mask of Twillight's Edge

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You feel something. It resonates through you, through power you sense with Ritual of Mortality. It seeks something, wants to convey some meaning to you, and yet is unable to do so. There are no words, just feelings you suddenly experience, that aren’t your own. Before the feeling passes, you realize something. It desires to be free.

Enemy Spy

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“…she, you long for her…” You hear a faint whisper. Turning around you see no one who could have spoken to you. "there is… a way…”. Another barely audible whisper comes, it’s like it’s somewhere in your head.

Mask of Art

Your search leads to no discoveries, at least until you trace surface of a pedestal with your fingers. There was an inscription there, now almost gone. It spells a name “Miriel”. As you examine the pedestal carefully you discover a second line below, “Mili…”, the second half is unreadable. The first name triggers some half forgotten memory. There was a collection of small, ancient figurines in the collection of Lord Charles. Wasn’t it the name of one of them?

Behind you, a few pieces of crumbled stone fall from the upper tip of the clock hand.

[OOC – Don’t forget about your power to ask three Questions per Tick]

[shadowmage]

Seeing movement I stand up and move towards it, it is a Servitors. How do I know that? I am not sure but it seems to be waiting.

My voice ring out through the silence breaking it like a whip crack. Hello? Do you understand me? How do I know you? Where am I? The questions tumbling free, so many still unasked. The need to know burning ever bright.

[Thelonius]

Shadowmage

The Servitor doesn’t answer you. Even if it lacks mouth, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that the creature is capable of some supernatural form of communication. Still you receive no response. Servitor seems to barely register your presence instead carefully arranging a series of pebbles on the ground, apparently in the order of their size.

Your thirst for knowledge leads you to another possible source of answers. Somewhere within you is a well of information, something beyond your own memory. You feel if you concentrate on it, try to bring into focus a cacophony of unintelligible murmurs, you will learn something. You just need to ask the right questions.

[An Enemy Spy]

The voice tells me I long for someone. But who? Almost instantly, the word "Miri" comes into my mind. For a moment, I struggle to remember what that word means. Then there is a flood of memories. One in particular stands out. We are crouching in a bush to avoid the palace guards. She tells me that the princess's illness is getting worse and that she is afraid. When the princess passes away, her handmaidens are traditionally buried alive with her, and our king is a very traditional man. She says that she is not ready to die. I tell her that I will not let happen. I lied.
"Who are you?" I ask the voice, taking care not to say it out loud.

[shadowmage]

I watches as it organizes the rocks looking for some secret beyond the arrangement of size. Listen to the voices I focus on them thinking to them I ask. What is this place?

Wondering off seeing someone that is not a Servitor I starts to head towards them, but before I reaches them he meets another couple of Servitors. One ignores me but the other seems to know hme..... or at least interested in me. Approaching Design. I know you some how. Not really expecting an answer.

[Thelonius]

Shadowmage

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You concentrate on the question “what is this place?” and try to locate an answer. The effort turns to be much greater then you expected, you actually feel a bit tired afterwards. But for all the energy you expanded, the result is nothing.

The Servitor meets your eyes, something that others didn’t bother with. But it does nothing beyond that. The creatures seem utterly useless.

Enemy Spy

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The whisper grows a little louder in your head. It ignores you question.
“a way… to find it…” it grows clear and for the first time you can make out all words "you will ask the one, who calls himself Mask of Twilight’s Edge about the power he feels…” the whisper becomes faint again "he knows… a little…"” The whisper disappears from your mind.

[Gorgondantess]

The Mask of the Immortal Vizier

I stand, and watch the clock. Disconcerting. It's movement- or lack thereof- are uncanny, and unsettling.
But it's of no immediate importance.
I walk over to these "servitors", the second one from the left, specifically, build myself up, and look it straight in the eye. "Blink three times, turn around, and sit down."

[WhiteKnight777]

The Mask of Twilight's Edge

His voice was a whisper, a wind that blew out of some far place where the sun never shone. What is freedom? He asked, And how can I grant it to you?

[Krrth]

Art


Miriel. I know that name. But why do I know that name?

Looking at the statues more closely, I try to remember more.

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Question #1: Is the Mask of Art represented by one of the statues, and if so which one?

[Thelonius]

Mask of Immortal Vizier

Servitor doesn’t move to fulfill you commands, but it looks at you expectantly, as if waiting for something.

[OOC – I presume you are talking to one of the Servitors you have contract with. If so, which one?]

Mask of Twillight's Edge

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It appears that communication works only one way, or at least you don’t know how to make yourself heard. You can still barely feel that something, through your Corrupted Rite, but it currently lays dormant.

Mask of Art

Miriel. There were seven steel figurines. They were pieces of ancient art that Lord Charles received from an excavation site he sponsored. Each of the figurines had a name. One of them was called Miriel.

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You concentrate on the answer. It doesn’t come, though whether it means “no” or there is simply no answer for your question you don’t know.

[Krrth]

Art

Yessss.....I remember now. A set of seven. But how do I know that?


Staring at the statue of Miriel, Art sits down and thinks. Concentrating on his new found knowledge, he sees to gain more.

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Second question: What is the significance of the excavation site?

[WhiteKnight777]

Mask of Twilight's Edge

Shrugging, he held off the question. He would, it seemed, need to attempt to answer that puzzle at a later date. Looking around at the others gathered, he spoke, addressing them.

So... What are we to do?

[Gorgondantess]

Mask of the Immortal Vizier

I turn around at the voice. These beings are a problem for a later date.
I walk towards the center of the room, adressing him as I do so. I stand tall, very tall, with a wild mane of fiery red hair, and wearing worn, but formerly extravagant, robes of gold and purple. I speak out in my charismatic, commanding baritone, so that my voice carries throughout the entire temple.
"Yes, what are we to do? We five have gathered here in our masquerade, for what purpose unknown. Our knowledge and thoughts are disjointed, and I call for consolidation and cooperation. What say you?"

[Thelonius]

Mask of Art

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This attempt costs you even more energy. You actually feel wobbly for a couple of seconds. Yet again there is no definite answer. Another “no”? Is the excavation site insignificant or the question is not a valid one?

[shadowmage]

Hearing more voice off in the direction the he saw the person head off. You I will try to figure out later.

Walking into the room and seeing the other two. Hello I am jo..... He raises a hand to touch his mask near the "tear" I am Infinity. I see others have made it here as well it seems. You also have the mask. Looking around. Have you figured anything out about this place yet?

[Krrth]

Art

Looking at the statues once more, Art decides to move the rubble and replace the sixth statue on it's pedestal. Finding that his strength isn't enough to do so, he turns to the others and contemplates for a moment.

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Third question: What tasks are my servitors qualified to help me with, and the general cost for those tasks.

If you consider that two questions, please just take the first part.

[shadowmage]

Infinity

Seeing the other person trying to lift the statue and thinking maybe helping will get an answer out of him. Here let me help. I move over to the other side of the statue.

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Secound question: Is there easier way to leave the temple beside walking?

[Thelonius]

Mask of Art

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The knowledge crystallizes in your head. “Servitors will perform any task you assign them. They are qualified in any physical tasks, fairly good in mental and not so good in social ones. Servitors also have broad, though limited in power, reality alteration abilities.”

Mask of Infinity

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You feel weird. It’s as if the question you just asked “clashed” with something. It was some momentary disturbance in the well of knowledge you are drawing the insight from, happening seconds before you tried to receive your answer. As a result it came out cut down to a simple “yes”.

[An Enemy Spy]

Twilight's Edge. A strange name to say the least. However, I am intrigued by the voice's offer. The ability to bring someone back from death is a formidible one indeed, and I have every intention of learning this secret. "The night grows dark, my fellow." I say to the Mask of Twilight's Edge. "And still we stand here like simpletons. I would like to know the way that you have come to this place."

[Krrth]

Art

Glancing over at the person helping him

Thank you. I'm not sure why, but this...mess...disturbs me

[shadowmage]

Mask of Infinity

Swaying for a moment.I do not think I will ever get use to that.

Looking ovver at the other fellow not able to to stop myself from studying his mask. The First Rule of Science a clean work area is a in a smart area. Well at least we do not have to walk back out of this place.

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Third Question. How do we get anywhere else without walking?

[Thelonius]

Working together you lift the statue and place it on the pedestal. Since its base is broken there is no way to make it stand. You sweep away snow accumulated from the broken roof. There is a lot of debris around the pedestal, though it is hard to tell which stones are parts of the statue and which are from the collapsed half of the hall. It would require a lot of effort and time to bring this place to order.

During this physical activity you observe changes the masks have brought. Your endurance seems to have increased greatly and extreme cold is making you uncomfortable, not killing you as it should. Unfortunatly your physical strength remained the same.

Mask of Infinity

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Through instantaneous transportation of matter by reality alteration.

[shadowmage]

Infinity

Hmmmmmm Well seems like I could do that all day but not lift anymore then I normally could. Now to figure out why we were brought here. I move over and study the clock.

[Thelonius]

There is nothing special about the clock. It’s just a giant round stone, attached to the wall with a single giant, crudely-shaped clock hand. But something about it begins to bother you, the longer you look at it. The Clock doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the Temple. Everything else was initially beautifully crafted, but eventually eroded with time. The Clock seems to have been made crudely in the first place. It looks as withered and old as everything else, but it doesn’t feel natural. It’s as if it was made to be old and crumbling. Every piece that has fallen off or the half erased minute markings look artificial.

You feel a certain pressure, even a small headache as you try to decipher the Clock’s secret. It builds up until you are forced to turn away. When you look at it again everything seems normal and you no longer feel anything strange. There is nothing special about the clock. It’s just a giant round stone attached to the wall with a single giant, crudely shaped clock hand.