The Age of Worms

[Gamgee]

Seeing as how everyone seems to be assembled and ready to proceed Baradum cautiously begins to walk down the path. He puts his hand out and gives a backwards wave indicating the others should stay back a little bit just in case something did happen.

[Torger]

The alcoves contain chisel marks, marring the otherworldly-beautiful carvings like graffiti on a monument. The wind picks up, causing the noises in the corridors to rise from a whisper to a dull murmur.

Ahead, Baradum's keen dwarven senses detect a faint flickering of a light source, some few hundred feet away. After another 25 feet, the corridor branches once more into left and right alcoves, this time deep enough that the opposite walls cannot be seen.

[happyturtle]

Deryni Ravenwood

Deryni finds the murmuring of the wind disturbing, and tries to make out what it is saying.

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Listen (1d20+4)[19]

[de-trick]

By my word, this is amazing looking at the walls, and the skill of the work involved in this cave. it's like a window to the past

[SilentNight]

"Where do you suppose we head?" Chakusa asks. After glancing nervously at the ceiling, he peers into the left alcove.

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Spot(low-light vision):(1d20+8)[22]

[Torger]

The western hall extends, perhaps, 40 feet, ending in a small granite platform raside ~ 6" off the floor. The shattered remains of an odd arcane apparatus rests upon this platform, it's curved, ovular frame giving the appearance of a dressing mirror, though only 1/3 of the frame survives. Unusual glyphs, different from the ones carved on the walls, though with enough similarity to imply the same language, circle the frame, and a larger glyph, roughly the size of a human man's head, as been delicately carved into the baseplate of the platform.

[Gamgee]

Baradum

Hmmm... this looks like it is out of my realm of expertise. Does anyone have the smallest idea of what it is? Actually I want to know if there are any theories as to where we actually stand, this is quite an interesting find. Anyways, if you think there is no danger I will head down the tunnel first, but let me know your opinion before I head over to that odd object.

[de-trick]

I guess this is where I come in

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knowledge arcane(1d20+6)[8]
knowledge history(1d20+4)[21]
Profession (archaeologist)(1d20+6)[22]
spellcraft(1d20+6)[17]

tell me what I know

[Torger]

Know Checks:

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The Glyph bears the mark of someone or something called, "Icosiol," though who or what that is, you haven't a clue. The glyphs are not in any alphabet you're familiar with, this includes the ones on the walls, though they are reminiscent of ancient, pre-war, symbology indicating elemental air. This particular symbol seems to be a personal seal of some king. Its detail would imply a person of rank. Upon closer examination, the letterforms look similar to a glyph-language called, "Vaati," which some rather... unorthodox... scholars (Yugman the sage, included) believe to be the original written from of Auran, as used by the Air Genie Princes.

[Gamgee]

Baradum

"So err... does anyone think there is any danger walking in there? I mean how bad could this place really be."

He looks back at the strangely quiet group who seemed to almost be in a dazed like state. Worried he wonders if he should just commence on his own regardless of whoever else was around, he sure as hell wasted enough time working for the damn mine manager.

[happyturtle]

Deryni

"Oh hell, I'll go first," Dery says. "But I got no idea what it means. Never been much for book learning myself."

[de-trick]

Icosiol...what is that, hmmm....Icosiol


when bamet looks at the glyph

it looks like a symbol to a king, written in Vaati, or the original Auran, the same spoken by the air gene princes

[darkzucchini]

Marcellus

"I figure it would be better if one of you folks who have been mining for longer goes first, I must admit that I don't know the first thing about caves." Marcellus cautiously peers about the cave, dimly illuminated by his torch light. "In fact, I think I'll watch the back here, don't know what sort of wild beast could live here. Something might come home to sleep while we are exploring."

[de-trick]

I think before we go deeper into the cave we should get Yugman the sage's advice, I'm pretty sure that he can read this glyphs better that me

turning around, by any chance, would one of you have a piece of parchment and a piece of charcoal, i have not had gone to the store in a few days times, and need to make a itching of these glyphs

[happyturtle]

Deryni Ravenwood

Deryni shakes her head in disbelief. What is the point of going back now? She digs into her pocket and pulls out a piece of chalk, handing it to Bamet.

"Namorga's blessings be upon you," she says. "If you are returning to town, then our paths part here." She turns from him and strides further into the cave.

ooc:

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I'm having trouble picturing our surroundings from the text, so if the current alcove is a dead end at this altar-thingie, then Dery will take the other path. She is carrying her hooded lantern in one hand and her pick in the other. Sorry if I'm upsetting the story... just trying to stay in character....

[de-trick]

id love just to go further into the cave, but it would be wise to learn about what may lie in here first. I'd be glad to folow up in, but id rather know who or what made this cave and what Icosiol is.

[happyturtle]

"We'll learn more by going on than by going back." Dery says stubbornly.

[Gamgee]

Baradum

"Well you kids can stay here and talk all you want but the only way to actually learn anything other than going forward is dieing and going to your respective afterlife. So if you excuse me I am going to walk up to the alter and put my hands on it, just in case I get turned into a toad by an evil beast please be ready people!"

With his anger far past boiling at this nonsense Baradum walks forward cautiously into the cave not fully trusting what may be in here. He is walking towards the alter and from the look on his face he prays each foot step is not his last. As he steps into the room he peers around for anything unusual, just in case there was something to be missed from the entrance point.

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[roll0]

[Gamgee]

Spot
(1d20)[20] +2

[Torger]

With his heart in his throat, Baradum lays hands on the arcane apparatus, closing his eyes against the enervating rays that never emerge from the thoroughly and completely damaged device. It looks as if it was once some kind of mirror, and the flecks and chips of smokey, iridescent, almost reflective, glass lend credence to the "broken mirror" idea.

[happyturtle]

Deryni Ravenwood

"Right," Dery says. "Now are we moving on together, or are me and Baradum the only ones here with any balls?"

[darkzucchini]

Marcellus

"I said I have your back, you keep on going forward and I will be right behind you. The two of you have been brought up as miners, and I imagine that it would be the smarter move for one of you two to lead the expedition into a cave."

[Gamgee]

Baradum

"Hmmm what would a mirror be doing here? Well I think I am going to take another look at it. Does not seem to be too much trouble here so I think we can relax a bit."

Baradum looks at the mirror and he polishes it as best he can with a tiny piece of fabric he ripped off from his undershirt. As he polishes what appears to be a mirror he absent mindedly looks around the room trying to see if there are any other passages continuing on. he makes sure to go gently against the glass seeing as only some of the frame is still intact.

[happyturtle]

Deryni Ravenwood

Deryni is bored with this exercise, and wanders off down the main corridor with her lantern in one hand and pick in the other.

[Torger]

The central hallway opens into a large chamber with wings leading to the east and west. Across the chamber to the north yans a twenty-foot-wide open arch draped from top to bottom in translucent, undisturbed cobwebs. An eerie green light flickers from beyond the webs, casting a strange and flickering series of shadows about the room. The place smells of animal spoor and damp fur.

To the west, three short stairs lead to a wide marbled dias, but the far end of that wing is obscured by the palpable darkness.

Huge slabs of cracked masonry and irregular piles of debris are scattered about, choking the East wing, giving the appearance of a complete collapse.

The sibilant, almost human, whispering present in the corridor becomes an almost chorus of barely-heard chants, echoing and reverberating from the vaulted celings.

[happyturtle]

Deryni Ravenwood

Dery moves directly to the north, preparing to use her pick as a cobweb-dismantling device.

[de-trick]

Bamet will just look at the walls studing them some more

[SilentNight]

OOC:

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Hey all, I'm just back for the weekend to fence nationals, then I'm gone for another week.

Gazing around, seeming more relaxed by the larger chamber, Chakusa interjects, "Wait, wait. 'They stumble that run fast'. Should we not search that other passage? I seem to remember something on the ground."

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Jeez guys, I'm gone two weeks and you rush through everything.

[Gamgee]

Baradum

"Okay now this sounds bad... or should I say smells. A faint sign of life in this dark place... be on guard. If we are lucky it will be nothing more than rats, I have a feeling luck is not with us though."

Baradum takes a few steps into the room with the green light surrounded by webs, he looks very rigid as if expecting an attack at any moment.

[de-trick]

with the note of there could be a attack on the group, Bamet makes sure he is close to the group, so he is not a easy target