Tales of Aequar: Runite's Rise IC IV

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite searches through the vines, but there isn't much there. Among the crushed, half-decayed corpses of small animals like mice and squirrels, he finds a torn pouch in relatively good condition. Inside there's a short string of pearls, a few dozen gold pieces, and a potion which he identifies as a minor curing one by taste. Other than that, the hallway is empty, or at least it seems to be. There's a door at the end of it, beyond two large openings that could have once held doors or curtains of their own.

Spoiler

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Spot and listen checks, please!

Jadeite spot: (d20+4)[6]
Jadeite listen: (d20+4)[10]

Badger spot: (d20+11)[19]
Badger listen: (d20+11)[19]

[Dusk Eclipse]

"Everyone stay alert, there could be more of those vines"

Spoiler: Rolls

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Spot (1d20+9)[23]
Listen (1d20+8)[11]

[Athedia]

Badger pulled her arrows out of the vine examining the tips and taking what was still usable. "Afraid of plants now? Tsk, tsk."

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Back!

And also what can she salvage of the arrows? Anything nothing?

[CoffeeIncluded]

"I don't think it was the plants so much as the vines, Badger. Or have you forgotten those chokers already?" Jadeite smirks as he tosses the small pouch back and forth in his hands.

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Glad you're back, Athedia!

And can you save the arrow? (d2)[1] Yes you can!

The arrow Badger retrieves is a bit dulled, but still useable.

Spoiler: Spot DC 20:

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It looks like the ground by the far door is bulging up slightly.

Spoiler: Listen DC 15:

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There's muttering and a scraping sound coming from inside the room behind the far door.

[super dark33]

Spoiler: trolls

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(1d20+1)[19] Spot
(1d20+1)[7] Listen

Surdrak was still pumped with adrenaline, he couldnt notice anything strange.

He already prepered himself for another skirmish.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Do any of you notice anything?" Jadeite asks, cutting off a bit of the vine and slipping it into a vial which he then tightly corks.

Spoiler: Sorry about my delays

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i just need three more rolls from sora, Elsee, and Kheel.

[Silverraptor]

"What?"
Sora looks around.

Spoiler

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Spot: (1d20+3)[11]
Listen: (1d20+3)[18]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger and Sora:

Spoiler

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There's muttering and a scraping sound coming from inside the room behind the far door.

Artorias:

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It looks like the ground by the far door is bulging up slightly.

[Dusk Eclipse]

"There is something weird over there" he points to the ground near the door "It is bulging"

[Draconi Redfir]

Spoiler

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Elsee:
spot: (d20+2)[21]
Listen: (d20+2)[22]

Kheel:
spot: (d20+15)[21]
Listen: (d20+12)[23]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Elsee and Kheel:

Spoiler

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There's muttering and a scraping sound coming from inside the room behind the far door, and it looks like the ground by the far door is bulging up slightly.

I'm working on a paper but I'll post more during/after dinner. What do you all want to do with this information?

[super dark33]

Bulging? You mean like somthingis buriethere?

[Athedia]

Badger paused, tilting her head toward the door. "Yeah, something is there. I can hear it."

[Dusk Eclipse]

Bulging? You mean like somthingis buriethere?

"Maybe even someone"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite looks up cautiously. Hemlock hisses at their words. "should we investigate? Though Artorias; you're injured from the trap before."

[Dusk Eclipse]

"You mean this?" Artorias shows him his sheen "It is only a scratch, nothing to be worried about"

[CoffeeIncluded]

The party carefully makes their way to the following door. As they approach, walking through low-hanging doorways with holes where hooks were once set, the sounds within the following room become louder and more distinct. It sounds like muttering. Muttering, scratching, and there--a woman laughing. The floor seems to slope up and bulge slightly under the party's feet as they open the door.

This is the largest room yet--actually, it's three rooms, possibly four. The room the party stands in right now extends several feet to their right, and there is another one across the main large room. Between the walls seem to suggest another room, but a rockslide has blocked that path off. The central largest room seems to have once been a place of importance, as seen by the raised dais in the back, the carvings on the walls, the stone seats long worn down.

But what draws the party's attention is the woman on the ground with torn clothes and scraggly hair, who is muttering and laughing to herself as she digs at the ground with a rock.

Spoiler: Updating the map; please check it out!

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I need a party order, please. Otherwise I'm defaulting to the one I'm putting on the map right now.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias approaches the laughing woman carefully, he tries to appear as non-threatening as possible.

"Hello?"

Spoiler

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I think we should assume that Artorias is always at the front of the party, he is the meatshield after all.

[CoffeeIncluded]

As Artorias approaches he sees the woman frantically digging at the ground with a broken shovel, and he can make out the words she's muttering. It's an endless broken stream of, "Down, dig down, just a bit more, it's under here, right? Hahaha, just a little more, right? Come on, digdigdigd--"

She stops short when Artorias approaches, and at his question she whips around and springs to her feet with a hiss.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Artorias?" Jadeite asks, quick and cautious. "What is she saying?"

The woman stares at Artorias, half-crouched. Her arms out outstretched and she's gripping the shovel tightly. "Who're you?" she asks. She opens her mouth, about to say more, but then looks at Surdrak and falls silent.

The voices in his head stir and shake, and the woman breaks out in a broad grin that bares all her teeth.

[super dark33]

Have you been talking to other people? What am I, just another soul on a checklist?! I THOUGHT WHAT WE HAD WAS SPECIAAAAAAL!

Surdrak belliws mentaly in hope the voices will get surprised.

Outwardly he says politely:
Who are you?

[CoffeeIncluded]

The voices shake and swim, circling his mind.

Oh, you are special.

All of you.
We called you. And you responded.

Just a few in the world.

The girl staggers a few feet, staring at Surdrak. She can't stop grinning as she speaks. "I'm Alice. You hear them too, don't you? Hear what...hehehehehe...what they're telling us, what they're promising us?"

[super dark33]

They promised me nil, im here so theyll let me sleep in peace.

Morf uoy era erehw? Ecalp siht fo wonk uoy od tahw?

Surdrak pauses and then asks

Semalg wonk uoy od?

[Dusk Eclipse]

"Artorias?" Jadeite asks, quick and cautious. "What is she saying?"

The woman stares at Artorias, half-crouched. Her arms out outstretched and she's gripping the shovel tightly. "Who're you?" she asks. She opens her mouth, about to say more, but then looks at Surdrak and falls silent.

The voices in his head stir and shake, and the woman breaks out in a broad grin that bares all her teeth.

Artorias doesn't respond immediatly, his insticts were telling him that this woman was dangerous.
"There is something underground.... and she is looking for it"

The warblade's eyes widen at the way the girl... Alice adresses Surdrak
"She is like Surdrak!"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite stiffens. "Another warlock?!"

Alice straightens up, so straight it's like she's leaning back, and slides closer to Surdrak. "Oh come on, I know they promised you something!"

We did! We did the voices shout.

"Don't you know them? You...hehehe...you made the pacts with the squids too, didn't you?"

Alice doubles over laughing for a moment, laughing, and the voices hiss in excitement.

"They gave me sooo much, and I just needed to do a little favor for them in return. Haha, just little thing! And I bet they told you the same thing? To dig! To come over here and digdigdig!"

She's right next to Surdrak now, twisting her way around him to whisper in his ear. "Come on, you handsome warlock. Hehe, Surdrak, that's what the voices are calling you! Oooh, Surdrak, you wanna know what the voices promised me? She closes her eyes and starts shaking with silent laughter. "What they promised you?"

We told you! We told you!

[super dark33]

So many parties adressing him, two of which are lunatic. Made him feel like a sane person again, it made him happy for a little bit until frustration took over again.

Eheh, handsome warlock, that is true~
His ego suffered a boost that almost distracted him from the matters at hand.

Jædæþ* shut up, Voices shut up, Artæ, probably not, Alice go on but answer my questions.

*Pronounce: Jadeit

[CoffeeIncluded]

Alice twines around Surdrak, finally stopping in front of him, hanging her arms around his neck to lace at his back. She leans in and whispers, "They said...They said..."

She starts shaking again, laughing almost too silently to be heard, before letting go of Surdrak and falling to the ground.

"Hehehahaha! They said they'd be like gods! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

And she doubles over, cackling with hyena-like laughter as the voices hiss in affirmation.

[super dark33]

Surdrak felt sort of uncomfortable with the invasion of his personal space but he played along.

Does she even speak Spirit?
egaugnal siht wonk neve uoy od?

[CoffeeIncluded]

Alice nods, then grins up at Surdrak as she pulls on his cloak and yanks him to the ground, where he falls on top of her in a very suggestive position. She then grabs his head and tugs him closer to whisper--or what would be a whisper if she wasn't laughing insanely every other word--

"Hey, Surdrak. Do you--hahahaha--want to be a--heeheehee--like a god too? Hahaha, I know you do!"

[super dark33]

Of course i would.

Surdrak rolls off and bounces back on his feet, then grabs Alice by her shoulders and stands her up.

But relying on Spirits for that? Might as well let the otyugh guard the booze celler.

He forcfuly and suddenly brings her closer to his face.

Semalg fo wonk uoy od tahw?