Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

[Toliudar]

Daewell

Glancing around the room before the ceiling descends.

See, hear, speak. Evil or otherwise, perhaps. Given Horacio's repeated enjoinders that I remain silent in the time ahead, perhaps apropos.

As the ceiling starts to descend, Daewell does indeed glance upward, do a double-take, and have a hand in his pouch as Horacio whips into action. He holds a hand ready, pointing straight up, until the grinding stops. He manages a wan smile at the others.

Most hospitable.

He hurries to follow Horacio onwards.

[boxboy582]

Vodette

Vodette shudders once the ceiling stops descending upon them. She glances around at the others and then mutters, more to herself than to anybody else:

Not the type for guests I see.

She ducks into the tunnel after Horacio, keeping an eye out for any suspicious looking floor tiles.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio chuckles.

"Well, unwanted guests. You'd be surprised..."

[PolkaBear]

Tokugal Ardolin

"I'm not so sure I'd want to be an unwanting guest, either. With tricks like this, you'd need a guide to get out just as much as it would take one to get in."

He continues following, trying not to look nervous.

[Toliudar]

Daewell

Strolling forward, Daewell glances around with frank curiosity.

So, Horacio, any pointers on the correct form of address for our host-to-be?

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

"Just follow my lead, Dae. And if you want to leave, you can always go down one of the pit traps."

(OOC: Magnus'll get back to ya on proper addressing.)

[PolkaBear]

Tokugal Ardolin

Tokugal gave a queasy smile at the mention of pit traps and resolved to watch his feet more carefully.

[ExHunterEmerald]

Terry strikes something of a balance between Horacio and the academics' nerves. Aside from the strong temptation to thrust Kinslayer into the descending ceiling, he remains still and (mostly) calm.
"I've seen spy networks with similar set-ups, Horacio. No price too high for this church of yours?"

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio just laughs at Terry's comment. He grins back cheerfully; this is the happiest you've seen him while sober.

"Terry, this is the place those spy networks go for advice."

Horacio gestures with outstretched arms as they enter.

"Welcome, my friends, to the Church of Xan Yae. The Seeker of Truths, the Invisible Presence... the Lady of Perfection."

[boxboy582]

Vodette

Vodette swallows hard. This was a little more dangerous than she had expected. Especially if they could fall into a pit at any random moment. She made sure she was very careful about what she stepped on.

This isn't your typical type of church is it? But this Lady of Perfection thing could grow on me.

[PolkaBear]

Tokugal Ardolin

"Xan Yae, eh? I've never had much contact with her acolytes or servants--you being the first I remember. What is her doctrine? And what drew you to her worship?"

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio pulls out a black lotus holy symbol and hangs it around his neck.

"Xan Yae is a seeker of truth and balance. She believes that when you achieve perfection, you melt into the universe, become one with it, seeing yet unseen, felt yet unnoticed. Not just perfection of the body, but the mind as well. After all, 'What use is power without the will to control it and the knowledge to aim it?'

"When I realized that, I sought Her out. I learned from Her. I improved. And She showed me how to find the unseen paths. That is why I follow Her.

"...that, and there are so few deities kind to those who live in the shadows."

Horacio frowns for a moment.

[Toliudar]

Daewell

At the sight of Horacio's lotus holy symbol, Daewell cranes forward for a look, and then relaxes.

Well, that's something of a relief. With all of his portentious talk of shadowy gods, I'd half been afraid he was some kind of Nerullite, or Vecnan. Xan Yae. Yes. I suppose that would match the philosophy Horacio espouses.

[Magnus_Samma]

The other side of the door reveals a short hallway that leads to a long, winding staircase leading down. Along the walls are frescoes and other atworks detailing notable events in the goddess' life, as well as gods and mythological figures associated with her. At the end of this stairwell is a large, manmade, underground room.

As the party enters it the room is lit up by a series of glowing runes arranged around the walls. In the center of the room, which seems to have no other entrances, there stands two statues, one of them a representation of a demonic creature in flight, wings spread and carrying a great sword. In front of it stands the image of Xan Yae herself, smiling enigmatically, clutching a large scroll protectively to her bosom. The statue of the demon is carved from red sandstone, while the lady herself is done in exquisite obsidian. Perfunctory examination of the two statues reveal that their props- the sword and the scroll- seem to be removable.

Horacio is aware

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that the trick here is to select the tool that any intelligent adherent of the lady would rather have on their side in a tight spot. And the answer is obviously the sword, because even if it's a bit too large for subtle work any weapon is better than a whacking useless piece of parchment when your bollocks are against the wall.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio smiles and pulls out the sword.

"Of course, sometimes the direct route is best..."

Horacio continues leading them deeper in, solving the puzzles they come across.

As much as I'd like to watch them figure it out, we need to be prepared by tonight. Maybe I'll walk them through it on the way out tomorrow morning...

[PolkaBear]

Tokugal Ardolin

Although he was the second one into the room, Tokugal was the last to leave it: he was trying to study each of the paintings in turn. It's always the same in any museum: nobody else in the group pays enough attention to the exhibits. You'd think it was a time trial.

He sighed and quickened his steps so as not to be left behind.

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Yes, I'm one of those who's always lagging behind in a museum. Why am I there if not to examine, read, and experience everything?

[WhammeWhamme]

Dai quietly memorizes the path being taken, and looks back at the way they've come periodically.

"I take it there isa way out as well, yes?`"

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio grins.

"There's always a way out."

[PolkaBear]

Tokugal Ardolin

"A pine box, if nothing else," the elf quipped.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

"No, they just dump bodies into the sewers."

[boxboy582]

Vodette

Vodette's eyes slid over her surroundings as she tries to take it all in.

We're not in any danger, are we? I mean, more than usual. I'd rather not have to experience how they dispose of their dead.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio just laughs. He looks like he's enjoying this too much.

[Magnus_Samma]

The removal of the sword causes a panel on the left wall to open up, leading to yet another hallway. As this one moves along the manmade brick slowly gives way to more natural walls, until the party is passing through a limestone cave.

After a few minutes, the tunnel branches. One branch has a symbol that resembles the twin masks of tragedy and comedy carved into the ground in front of it. The other branch is marked by a symbol that kind of looks like a mace crossing a rapier.

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You're on your own here- they change this one every week. Horacio does know from past experience that the right symbol is usually the one that makes the least sense. The wrong symbol still leads to the temple, for the record it just makes you take a bit of a detour...

[PolkaBear]

Tokugal Ardolin

Tokugal muttered something about Terry's ass not being able to fit through the holes in a sewer grate and then fell silent, to allow Horacio time to choose the path properly.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio grins.

"Oh, this is a new one."

He turns to the others and shrugs.

"I have a good idea which one's correct, but since we're risking a horrible fate, which way do you think is right?"

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Horacio's first senseless choice is the Comedy/Tragedy sign.

[PolkaBear]

Tokugal Ardolin

"Hm. Let's see. The mace and the rapier--two ideologies in conflict, perhaps? The masks...a bittersweet journey? I don't know. If I had more time to inspect those paintings back there--" there is the briefest of meaningful pauses "--I might have some better idea of how your order (or whatever it is) represents itself. So far I haven't been able to fathom the trick of it; so I doubt I'll be able to do so now."

"And please say that you're absolutely certain of which path to choose and are just toying with our minds, instead of having no real clue and hoping to cover it up with somebody else's bright idea. I'm allergic to being chopped into small bits to fill the bellies of sewer rats."

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio just grins.

[ExHunterEmerald]

Terry scratches his chin.
"Well, she's about truth and becoming 'unseen,' you said? The theatre masks are too obvious. The mace is the obvious threat while the subtle knife--rapier, anyway--is the true, veiled danger. I think it's the weapons."

[Toliudar]

Daewell

Staring at the masks, Daewell adds.

Life is a comedy to those who think, and a tragedy to those who feel. Perhaps this church is suggesting the correct path between these two modes of being with the masks.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Horacio

Horacio nods and thinks for a moment.

"Looks like we're taking the Masks route, then."

Horacio leads them down it, unless anyone has anything else to add...