What lies beneath.... II [IC]

[Saldre]

Everybody's in the caves... looking for something....

Spoiler

Show

Link to the OOC! Link to the Old IC!

[Lycan 01]

Ralix can't help but feel a strange sense of Deja Vu...

[Saldre]

Ravion and Claus:

Spoiler

Show

From underneath one of the torches, you spot something massive moving and quickly vanish into the darkness outside of the light's range: going inside a side tunnel.

[FullPlateJacket]

Claus is in the caves... looking for something... then he sees it. He motions to the others besides Ravion.

"There's something up ahead. Hopefully Ravion saw it as well, because it looks big."

[crazedloon]

Castus

Castus refocuses his mechadendrite and continues to move forward.

Spoiler

Show

awareness - (1d100)[44] vs 75/85 reroll - (1d100)[57]

[Bowerbird]

Ravion remains watchful for the creature as he moves forward.

Spoiler

Show

Awareness +10 (1d100)[53] vs 60

[Saldre]

Everybody (Sorry about the delay)

Spoiler

Show

As you pass by the torch where you had believed to have spotted the creature, you notice something else catches your attention:

Etched onto walls, some one... or something... has carved a message in what you believe to be High Gothic: you can't quite make out what it says though, as the stone has long since withered, leaving only faint image of the text.

You can attempt to decipher it before moving on...

[Lycan 01]

"Hold on a second..." Ralix mutters, pulling his lamp pack out of his backpack and holding it up to the engravings. "Let me see if I can figure this out..."

Spoiler

Show

High Gothic: (1d100)[81] vs 50

[Saldre]

Everybody in the Cave:

Spoiler

Show

Your able to decipher it, though just barely. The message reads:

"The time of its coming is eminent; brother shall kill brother, Chaos shall topple Law, and anarchy will flourish in the habitations of men."

Ahead of you, the cave seems to slope downwards then turn sharply as it goes further into the depths: the tracks stop abruptly: they have been completely destroyed...

Juron (I suggest the others avoiding reading Juron's segment so that may better enjoy their section of the adventure :P) :

Spoiler

Show

You step into the forest and begin to make your way across the trees. Soon however, you begin to realize that you were somewhat mistake: what started out as a forest, soon converted into marshlands. Your boots sink into muddy waters as you advance, trying to find your barring.

The trees remain thick and crowded, blocking your vision of the sky. Though it is daytime, only a bit of sunlight is able to pierce trough their thick foliage and light your way.

Your surroundings are deathly silent, bringing you either relief... or the realization that there's something seriously wrong with the idea of a quiet marshland.

[OOC: As you have a general idea of the direction to Windhaven, you can attempt a tracking to a find path to the chasm.]

[Lycan 01]

Ralix frowns. "Sounds like the calling of the Hive Fleet isn't very far off. We'd better hurry, guys..." Holding his lamp pack aloft with his left hand, he keeps his right arm straight and sweeps the cave with his bolt pistol, ready to blast anything that moves.

Spoiler

Show

Awareness +20: (1d100)[25] vs Per 40

Forbidden Lore (Xenos) roll to know how long calling the Hive Fleet takes, or any other useful information. (1d100)[11] vs Int 50

[crazedloon]

Castus

Castus looks closely at the ground zooming in to examine the stone for the remnants left by the tracks such as indents or holes where rail spikes would have been. He keeps his other sense open to pay attention to the cave around him.

Why would you say they are close Ralix?

Spoiler

Show

awareness - (1d100)[26] vs 85/75 reroll - (1d100)[41]

[Talkkno]

Spoiler

Show

"I really wish I had my photo-visor at his point." Juron mutters, as he takes out his mono edged combat knife, cutting a large chunk of a driest wood he could find, and putting it near his hellgun, half pressing on the trigger near the capacitor, as it warms up, Juron whittles against it, hoping to make a makeshift torch, if sucessful he countiues to make his way threw the swamp, relying on his finely honed tracking skills to make it Winterhaven...

Tracking +10 (1d100)[70]

[Saldre]

Ralix and friends:

Spoiler

Show

As you continue on into the caves, you enter what seems to be the final section: the large tunnel ahead of you is blocked.

It is rather dark around here, you (mostly Ralix) can only advance slowly with the little bit of light the lamp pack casts inside the cave (to give you an idea of its size).

Approaching one of the walls, you notice strange carvings etched out all around. Symbols and signs that seem to make no sense, covering the entire length of the cavern walls.

[Lycan 01]

"The summoning, or the bugs themselves?" Ralix arches an eyebrow. "I haven't the slightest idea where the Genestealers are, but gimme a second to think..." he mutters, digging around in his backpack for that old battered tome.

He didn't really care if Castus saw the book. He doubted the Tech-Priest would try to kill him for it, at least not without giving him a chance to explain himself. He also doubted Juron and Claus would raise much issue about it, since they probably wouldn't even know what it was. Juron was the only one to worry about, and since he wasn't present, Ralix found himself slightly at ease as he tried to find the book.

[crazedloon]

Castus

The coming of the fleet. What does the wall say?

[Lycan 01]

"The High Gothic basically said we're running out of time. It said brother would kill brother, and Chaos would fill the streets. Metaphoric cult blabber, and whatnot..." he mutters. Once done with the book, he stuffs it back in his backpack. He then notices the markings on the wall, and slowly approaches them. The Adept begins to mutter a prayer to the Emperor, asking for protection and guidance, and for the preservation of his soul as he tries to decipher them. "Give me a moment, and I'll see what these have to say..." he murmers, slightly uneasy in the face of such blasphemy.

[Saldre]

Juron:

Spoiler

Show

You travel trough the marshlands with your makeshift torch, continuing on a path you believe will lead you straight to Windhaven.

Unfortunately, the going is not as easy as you would like to be: the trees around sway with the winds as they whistle eerily.

Then you hear it... a branch breaking somewhere to your right, within the thick-foliage.

[Talkkno]

Spoiler

Show

Juron drops his torch to the ground, moving to a nearby tree to hide, observing where the creature may be coming from.

Awareness +20 (1d100)[54]
Move Silently (1d100)[52]
Concealment: (1d100)[35]

[crazedloon]

Castus

That does not mean it has anything to do with the hive fleet. Unfortunately there are still to many factors with this incursion to make such assumptions. We need to keep moving ether way.

Castus motions to Ravion to continue forward

[Saldre]

Juron:

Spoiler

Show

You hide out behind a nearby tree of suitable width to conceal you. Unfortunately, you spot nothing in particular. The zone is quiet again... Unnaturally quiet.

[OOC: another tracking test to get back on track]

Ralix:

Spoiler

Show

The carvings on the wall seem to be a combination of signs and symbols dedicated to the ruinous ones. You recognize a myriad of elements often associated with cults that worship them: from swords, skulls, eyes, lightning and thunder and carvings and strange and monstrous bug like creatures.

[Talkkno]

Spoiler

Show

Juron moves out the tree, and cuts another thick bark to make another torch, making his way to the forest.

Tracking +10 (1d100)[95]

[Saldre]

Castus:

Spoiler

Show

You walk up to the center of the room, and search the floor for remnants of tracks.

You're able to locate them, only to realize that this was the end of the road: the tracks don't lead any further then this room.

As you turn around to rejoin the others, you spot something- a narrow cleft in the stones, seemingly winding downwards.

[crazedloon]

Castus

I believe our path continues this way.

He indicates that direction and moves closer to take a better look.

Spoiler

Show

awareness - (1d100)[24] vs 85/75 reroll - (1d100)[21]

[Bowerbird]

"Wait up, let me check it out first," Ravion says as he moves forward to investigate.

[Lycan 01]

"No..." Ralix mutters. "No, no, no, no, no... This cannot BE!!" he exclaims, eyes wide in confusion and horror. "These... these markings are not Tyranid at all, yet they bear references and glyphs representing them! These are Chaotic runes, and they refer to the Ruinous Powers... but they also have bug-like markings, which probably represent the Great Devourer! But... the two don't work together, do they?!" he gasps.

He then shakes his head, and refocuses his mind. "I must study this further. Surely I'm missing something here..." he mutters as he leans back in to examine the runes.

Spoiler

Show

Another look to see if I can piece things together or have a stroke of insight...

Cults +10: (1d100)[59] vs Int 50

[crazedloon]

Castus

Ralix do not dwell on these facts. We have a mission and we knew that Chaos had already planted its seed here. Indeed it may be that the Tyranids used the locals blasphemous worshiping to hide their own presence until it was too late.

[Saldre]

Ravion:

Spoiler

Show

The passage is slimy, requiring you to squeeze trough it: no doubt the Tech-priest will have difficult going in and out quickly.

However, it soon widens revealing a set of stone stairs, seemingly natural that spiral both downwards and upwards.

A thick layer of slime coats the stairs: they seem slippery.

[crazedloon]

Castus

When he is sure that Ralix will join them Castus pulls his mechadendrite in close to his body and squeezes through the passage and follows Ravion. He looks around the new chamber looking for signs of the crystals as well as anything else which might interest or be a threat to Castus.

Spoiler

Show

awareness - (1d100)[43] vs 85/75 reroll - (1d100)[92]

[Bowerbird]

"The passageway opens up after a while to some stairs, they look pretty slippery though.. I'll give them a try." Ravion says back to the others before seeing about going down the stairs.

[Lycan 01]

"Bah..." Ralix growls, backing away from the markings. "Mindless prattle and idiotic oaths. I seem to have misread the Unclean One's symbols for a Genestealer. My mistake... Urgh..." he rubs the back of his head, a mild headache having formed from such close proximity to the profane glyphs.