[IC] Nature will gradually erase...

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome smiles as Darach and the rejuvenated Taicho begin to bound over sparring, and shakes hands with Mallow, Corrin and Finch as well as they prepare to leave. "I'm sure we'll be back through Vark before we travel to this school. We have mounts waiting there, after all." he says with a grin.

While his more martially oriented companions spar, he spends the time practicing on his guitar, a sheet of paper next to him on which he jots words as he begins putting their adventure in the mines to song.

[hannahbbug3]

Spoiler: Jarome

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Want to make a performance check to see how good this song is?

Corrin, Mallow, and Finch say their final goodbyes to the party, happy to hear that they will likely be seeing them once more before they all head on their separate ways. Mallow leads the way off through the woods, Finch flying around above their heads as they disappear in the treeline almost as soon as they enter into it. The forest around the temple is thick and unforgiving, but the druid seems to know exactly what he's doing.

As the others wake up and prepare for the day, the newly-invigorated Taicho and Darach find a relatively empty corner of this room to spar in, facing off against one another for a few rounds of playful battle-testing. Likely due to Taicho still recovering a bit from being ill this morning, it is Darach who proves himself the victor, knocking Taicho off his feet eventually before the tengu could do so to him, first.

As Darach is offering Taicho a hand back to his feet, one of the Wyrwood appears in the door of the room. Keeper inclines his head to the group as he presents forward a basket filled with strange fruits and berries. "Apologies for the late hour in getting this to you. Silent was the one to recall that you flesh-and-bone Creators do not subsist off of magic alone," he says, bringing in the food and sitting it down on a nearby table. "Is there anything more we can assist you with this day?"

[rs2excelsior]

Darach pulls Taicho to his feet, makes sure he's okay, and claps him on the shoulder before turning back to the Wyrwood. "Thank you for the food," he says with an appreciative nod. "I imagine you don't get too many visitors here. As for me, I only ask for a chance to explore this place, though I will respect any areas you deem off-limits, of
course."

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome sets aside his guitar as the construct arrives with food, carefully folding away the score and lyrics he had written to perform at a later time before an audience. He eats sparingly from what is offered, more companionably nibbling while the others sate their hunger. "In addition, we'd like to meet with some of the Voonith that live here as well. Do they have a particular home here in the Sanctuary?"

[thelastorphan]

Taicho happily accepts the loss. You caught be surprise at the last second there. Good job. He gratefully accepts the food. I amvery excited to be shown whatever you are willing to let us explore.

[hannahbbug3]

Keeper nods, looking rather stoic despite the enthusiasm of the group to get moving, look at this or that, talk to the Voonith, and more. He turns to face the group, eyes going to each person as he speaks and addressing the questions in the order they have been asked. "You may explore the above-ground areas of the temple, but anything beneath the earth is guarded," he says. Presumably, that includes the area Jarome was led down in to yesterday, as it was quite clearly down below the ground. "The zenith of the left tower is also forbidden to outsiders," he says, matter-of-fact. "But the view from the right tower is quite something, if you are accustomed to heights. As for the Voonith," he continues, looking to Jarome. "They do not live inside the temple, but rather in the surrounding forest. They often prefer to keep themselves underground in nearby caves during the day, but as cold-blooded creatures, they do come up for about two hours near noon to sun themselves on the outdoor plaza," he says, pointing in the direction from where the group entered the temple.

[rs2excelsior]

Darach bows deeply toward Keeper. "I will be sure to respect those boundaries. Thank you." As he begins sampling the fruits which the Wyrwood brought, he turns back to Taicho. "You had a few surprises yourself. I have rarely seen someone try to parry a blow from my axe with nothing more than bare hands. It is even more rare that they succeed. Your speed and precision are impressive." Bringing his attention back to the group at large, "I would very much like to visit the tower; if anyone else would like to join me."

[hannahbbug3]

The fruit that Keeper has brought seems to be mostly bitter in selection. Either it's underripe or perhaps that's the way the fruit naturally tastes - either way, it's obvious enough that the constructs aren't used to feeding people, or don't know what they would like to eat. The greenish skin on some of the fruit has the texture of and smells like gunpowder, which makes it hardly appealing to eat, and there is some sort of spiky fruit that is so bitter it makes your mouth feel dry after just touching your tongue. About the only thing in there easily recognizable are some small, green-white strawberries.

[rs2excelsior]

After taking a bite, Darach slowly finishes chewing and swallowing, quietly putting back the piece of fruit he was intending to eat next.

[thelastorphan]

Taicho takes several enthusiastic bites and finishes a couple pieces of fruit, hardly noticing that Darach seems uninterested after just a small bite of fruit. Thank you very much. The right tower? I'll have to see for myself. I do love heights. Taicho is in high spirits now knowing where he can go. This place is a marvel.

[theasl]

Mercuira also shakes hands with Corrin and Mallow, wishing them safe travels back to Vark...well, at least, safer than their trip here. She then watches with interest as Darach and Taicho spar, then tries some of the fruit Keeper brings...which she immediately regrets. "Oh, that's awful..." Of course, they can't fault the wyrwood for trying to be hospitable, but she'd rather not return the favor by throwing up in their home. Then, she remembers that she has some food in her pack - hard tack and other generally unpalatable stuff, but still better than the fruit. Pulling some out and starting to munch on it, she asks everyone else if they want any.

Anyways, the right tower sounds like it would be interesting to visit. The view, of course, but also to get a read on the surroundings. Despite the age of the place, Mercuira would be surprised if the secret vault of her legends was here - it's not exactly the ruins of an ancient town they're in...or so she guesses.

Spoiler: ooc

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7 (well 6, now) days' worth of (normal) trail rations, if anyone wants some.

[rs2excelsior]

Darach nods to the others. "Well, then, shall we go?" He too grabs some stored rations from his pack and heads out into the temple at large, making his way slowly toward the tower and taking in the sights as he goes.

[hannahbbug3]

Darach and the others interested in going to the top of the tower go on their way. It is quite the climb to the top of the tower, which the group realizes as they get to the bottom of the right side of the temple - there is a spiraling staircase that heads upwards some two hundred feet, leading up twenty-five floors to the top of the tower. The climb takes about ten minutes (provided that you don't want to be sprinting up the stairs and don't want to be out of breath by the time you get to the top) but it isn't without things to look at along the way. Like Jarome saw the day before, the walls on each landing are carved with beautiful depictions of the stars and writing in celestial. The murals seem to be telling some sort of story as you ascend to the top of the tower.

Spoiler: Religion Check

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If you'd like to identify the story.

When the group reaches the top of the tower, it is to see the forest spreading out below you on all sides. Interestingly enough from this vantage point, you can see Vark out to the east. It seems strange that the temple shouldn't be visible from the city - with how it towers over the treeline, and with how clearly you can see Vark, it makes no sense as to why this place has never been noticed. But when you all were in Vark, you didn't see the temple above the trees at all.

Spoiler: Vark in the Distance

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[purepolarpanzer]

Daedalus takes his time on the stairs, not wanting to be huffing and puffing when he arrives at the top. Along the way there he does focus on reading the celestial texts, as well as analyzing the wall to try to garner more about the story that it tells. Hastur walks behind Daedalus and makes sure that he doesn't stumble and break his neck while he climbs and reads.

Spoiler: OOC

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Knowledge religion- (1d20+7)[17]

[rs2excelsior]

Darach takes the journey slowly, taking in the beautiful carvings, even stopping for a moment to record some of the celestial writing--he cannot understand it himself, but it will be worth bringing back to his own temple when he eventually returns. At the top of the tower, he gazes out over the jungle and at the town of Vark, taking in the incredible view. "Such beauty..." he mutters to no one in particular. "Such a pity there is so great an evil at its heart..."

He finds it odd that Vark is visible from here, but not the reverse. Looking at the position of the sun and other landmarks, he tries to get a sense of the direction between the two, to reference back the next time he's in Vark.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Knowledge (Religion): (1d20+8)[9]
Survival roll to get my bearings between here and Vark: (1d20+9)[15]

[hannahbbug3]

Daedalus, able to read most of the script on the way up, can easily gather what the story he's reading is about. It is a tale of traveling between and within the void - the very first steps of the First People as mediated by the gods and goddesses. Near the top of the tower, right before stepping onto the platform looking above the trees, there is a poem written in a language that Daedalus cannot read, but the pattern of the words - the script itself, seems to be blazed into his memory as he studies it.

Spoiler: Wierd text

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Spoiler: The writing itself

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თვალების თვალები თამამი ერთად
სამყარო არ არის საშიში

You can attempt a linguistics check to identify the language.

Beneath the short phrase, there is the same image carved on the wall that Jarome saw on the lower floors yesterday: the image of a beautiful woman with large eyes and a benevolent smile looking down on them. Her hands are outstretched, and in her palms are hourglasses - the one in her right hand is tilted on its side, while the one in her left is standing up, but encased in an orb.

Upon the balcony, Darach takes a good look at his surroundings to try and figure out a heading from Vark to look back at the temple, when you all return to the city. He is able to differentiate the cardinal directions, and he is fairly certain that, once back in Vark, he will know which way to look to see the temple.

[theasl]

Mercuira marvels at the intricate carvings and texts on the walls, though she has no idea what they say, then at the view of the wilderness all around...and Vark in the distance. Odd that nobody in town seems to care about - or seems to have noticed, even - the odd towers sticking up on the horizon, but then again most people don't tend to look up that much when they're just trying to survive what's around them.

[purepolarpanzer]

Daedalus carefully sketches the unknown language into his writings, taking the time to etch each shape exactly.

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolling linguistics to identify the script- (1d20+10)[22]

[hannahbbug3]

Spoiler: Daedalus

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The writing is very similar to Celestial, some of the characters are the same but others you have never seen before. This is either a hybridization of Celestial with another language - one of the elemental ones, based on what you can gather from the other runes and your familiarity with elemental languages - but the characters don't make sense in order even so. The other option is that perhaps this is a language far older than Celestial, and was only used for ceremonial purposes - otherwise you see no reason why it would only be in one place while the rest of the carvings are in Celestial.

[thelastorphan]

Taicho looks over everything on his way up the tower. The carvings and images are fascinating though he doesn't share his kin's talent for languages he finds them no less intriguing. The view from the top of the tower is particularly interesting to him. He considers a moment if the Wyrwood would panic if he jumped. He knows he would be perfectly safe. When everyone decides to head down he'll decide. It was always fun to fall from a great height, the wind felt incredible. It is incredible that no one knows this is here. Though perhaps it is invisible. I can turn invisible for a short time after all It's certainly possible. And, well, the simplest explanation is often the correct one. Still staring down from the top of the tower. Eyes smiling.

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome follows with the others and enjoys the view from the top of the temple, as well as the beautiful carvings and makes a note to talk with Daedalus about learning Celestial from him, in the hopes they come across more ruins such as this one.

[hannahbbug3]

Once the group has their fill of the sights around them, a couple glance downwards into the plaza below. Taicho is the first to look, seeing as he's thinking about simply jumping off the roof and using his wings to glide down to the ground, but several of the others follow his gaze. In the plaza, there is movement - strange creatures walking around on two legs, seemingly talking to one another with animated hand motions. But as the group watches, the little creatures suddenly startle and flee as a Voonith leaps out from the treeline, charging into the group and managing to sink its teeth into one of the creatures. When the creature goes still, it begins to eat.

[rs2excelsior]

Darach narrows his eyes. "That's odd... Although it looks like the voonith are here." He tries to get a look at the humanoid creature to see what it is.

Spoiler: OOC

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Making some rolls to identify what the voonith just killed:
Perception: (1d20+8)[10]
Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+6)[15]
Knowledge (Religion): [roll]1d20+8[roll]

[hannahbbug3]

Spoiler: Darach

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It's a bit too far for you to make out any identifying details or characteristics of the creatures the Voonith decided to hunt.

[theasl]

Mercuira watches as the voonith takes down its prey. "And to think that that could have been us in those caves...but...anyone know what those things are?"

Spoiler: ooc

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Knowledge (local) (1d20+7)[15]
Knowledge (nature) (1d20+6)[24]

feel free to roll anything else you may need for me.

[hannahbbug3]

Spoiler: Mercuira

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You're able to get a bit of a better look than Darach, and with your knowledge of nature, you can identify the creature being eaten as a Ghoran. Ghorans arose from plant life created by advanced druidic magic to be an especially hardy and adaptive food source for humans. Over the centuries, the plants evolved sentience and ambulatory bodies that mimicked the appearance of humanoids as a method to discourage their enemies from hunting them and improve their chances of survival.

[purepolarpanzer]

Spoiler: Rolls

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Nature- (1d20+7)[15] to see what Daedalus knows.

Should we go help them, or is the circle of life? I mean, the Voonith must eat... Daedalus bites his lip in concern, squeezing his hands together. Hastur finger's his blade as he watches the creatures eat their meal.

[hannahbbug3]

Spoiler: Daedalus

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You know that they are called Ghoran, and that Ghoran are delicious.

[rs2excelsior]

"Well, one way or the other, doesn't look like there's much we can do for that one, and it looks like the others have run off. Let's go down and see if they can point us to where those musk creepers came from. One thing at a time." Darach begins heading back down the stairs to go find the voonith.

[hannahbbug3]

Heading back down the stairs, Darach has plenty of time to admire the carvings that they saw on the way up. Everything, to his reckoning, is exactly the same as it was when they came upstairs. It appears the same to the others, as well, except for Daedalus. He notices that the selection of text which he had copied into his journal, the bit which was specifically not in Celestial, seems to glow a bright, white light for as long as he stares at it - but to the others, even Hastur unless he looks through Daedalus' eyes, the text seems perfectly ordinary. And it is still illegible to everyone.