Island's Heart (Completed)

[Elvario]

Keone Nagendra
​

Interactions: Aio @Rads | Bell(x2) @Grehstone | Rabbit @TheEccentric | Aquila @Nero Kunivas | Remy @slifer

Keone was surprised by the eagerness of people to for a scouting team. With Alfred, Julius, Sekani and Bref all eager to join in, they'd probably be good on that front. She also like Aio's suggestion to mark certain areas. "We can carve marks in the walls if needed, but mapping the area as well would be even more ideal." That said, Keone herself wasn't particularly gifted in cartography. It sounded more like something Rabbit, as a navigator, would know how to do, or Bell, who she knew had fairly good penmanship in drawing and writing. "Bell, Rabbit, would either of you be able to make a map of the place as we're going through it?

Aquila showed up late, asking what he missed. "Not a lot, we're just preparing by getting supplies and information." However, there was one thing she figured he could still help with, she slithered up to him (and partially around) to whisper. "I'm also trying to set-up an advantage on negotiating ownership of certain parts of the treasure so that we'll start off with the proverbial high ground once we're done. If you've got any additional plans or tricks, feel free to join in." She knew he was fairly diplomatic and had been captain of his own, so he might have some good input.

As for Remy's suggestion, she frowned. Simply triggering traps seemed a little too brute-forced in a tomb that wasn't known for its structural integrity. She couldn't quite make sense of where Rabbit was going, so she decided to add to the reply with her own words. "If the tomb were in a better condition, I'd agree with you, but from what I've gathered, we might just risk collapsing the entire thing on top of those that survived if we try to brute-force the traps. You've got a good point with regards to the beasts though, we shouldn't underestimate them. I'd be better for the scouting group to scout only a single room or hallway ahead, as to not split up our group too much and risk being overrun by the beasts."

Bell was quick to come up with a request, which she figured she could wriggle in there. "Good idea, I'll see what I can do." She turned back to the Collian leader. "Ah, on top of the previous things, some people in our group can read ancient scripts, so if you guys made any notes during the explorations so far, we'd like to have a copy of them. They might contain information about the beasts or traps that we'll be up against, or about the layout of the tomb. We're even willing to tell you anything we might figure out that you hadn't already managed to, especially considering we might end up in areas you guys haven't yet been too and learn more from them." She figured the Collians might not be eager to share their notes, so as a token of good-will, she'd offered the latter suggestion to exchange knowledge for knowledge, hoping he'd take the bite.

 

[Novama]

Time: 3:20 PM
Day: Tuesday
Weather: Sunny and very hot. extended unprotected exposure to the elements will result in character unwellness
Those Involved: @TheEccentric @Monbon @Monster @The Last Curse @Elvario @Ur Degaton @ItariChan @Grehstone @Valkan @slifer @Skyhunter @Nero Kunivas @Cards @Rads
TooLongDidn'tRead: All characters have arrived on the isle of Arenos after lengthy mission debate. After learning more details about the situation, they are left to prepare and initiate their rescue effort.

Note From The Author: (Characters acquiring 'stuff' need to specify in post what stuff they acquire from the camp before venturing in. Time is of the essence, so the more time the characters spend not adventuring, the more likely they will fail one or more mission criteria...)
Post Listening:

Arenos Ruin - Tomb of Titans

The leader of the collian researchers replied to Keone's questions as best he could. He seemed to give the answers thought and some memories visibly pained him to discuss,

"The attack by the unusual monsters was...sudden. They picked off several of our team before we even realized they were there. By the time we had started realizing we had missing, they were descending upon us: leaping out from the shadows to pounce members of our party before dragging them off into the dark. They seemed primal and savage, but moved about similar to saltu apes. There was definiately powerful musculature on these creatures. I also saw...tusks, claws, and perhaps horns on these creatures. Anything not hidden in shadow about them seemed to be sharp, edged, or otherwise uninviting. Other than they all seemed similar enough to be the same creature at a glance, I wasn't able to make out much more details in the chaos of the moment. Even my memories of what I have told you are fuzzy like my mind is subconsciously trying to forget them already..."

Looking away for a moment and recollecting himself he continued answering Keone's questions,

"..As for the hazards of the tomb: we found several around the entrance of the tomb and consistently more as we proceeded in. Recognizing the nature of the Arenosians, we expected as much before we entered. Spotting the traps is easy enough. Generally they are a stone block set apart from the surrounding stone. Either sunken in or protruding slightly, those stones generally indicate a trap of some kind. Most of the traps we have found were mechanical in nature, causing the walls, floor, and/or ceiling to move in such a way to crush the invader or force them into a sudden or otherwise violent end. Some of the tunnels have also been collapsed. It's unclear if that is by design or a consequence of the traps in the tomb. Fortunately, several of the traps we failed to notice were also decayed enough they were unable to perform their lethal function. We took the effort to mark all the trap locations we found, so the entrance should be fairly safe assuming you keep a lookout for the markers, flags or sticks erected from the spots of dangers. Traps that still work appear to reset without issue, so I'd recommend being mindful of the flags and any future hazards you find.

Including my Mersa, there are 20 missing Collian researchers that had went into the tomb and did not come back out. I know a few of that number are presumed dead, but the situation was dark and hectic. It's possible what was seen was not the truth. Either way, we are hoping you'll recover as many of our people alive as possible.

For their rescue and aid in exploring the tomb, you'll be entitled to a share of any valuables recovered. Any treasure found is sure to be priceless to the right buyer or collector. The pieces you would be entitled to would be ones of least historical significance. Coins, precious stones, duplicate artifacts, items devoid of historical significance due to wear. It'll be up to you to find someone willing to appraise and buy those items from you should you acquire them.

As stated before, our camp will aid you however we can, but we assume you are the experts that know what you need and what you are doing. The best I can suggest to you at this time as far as preparations: food, water, light. The traps and collapsing nature of a ruin have made it apparent being able to hold out a few days could be crucial. It's also very dark in there. The whole structure is buried under rock and sand. Light is a must even for those with darkvision lest you miss the details."

Rosido then sat down to catch his breath in the shade and drink. One of his subordinates provided the party with a copy of the notes taken on the ruin so far. It was a rough and quickly drawn map of the ruin interior. Dots indicated traps. X's indicated passages that had caved in. Aside from the massive room that the researchers fled from, there was one other path yet to be explored. A few notes were written in the spaces to indicate the sorts of hieroglyphs found.

Sekani would find her pockets of trickets lighter as she walked away from the Rabbit Fights. Not only had her hare lost, but in the exchange of thefts, the group of Arenosians had actually stolen more from her than she had from them. It was not an unexpected outcome though. Like an old greeting, anything less and it would have seemed like something was wrong.

Aio, Aquila, and Bref have come down with a case of heat exhaustion from the blazing desert sun. They will be weakened until they take a round to rest.

If it wasn't for the heat exhaustion, Aquila may have taken more note of the passive criminality confessed by his Arenosian companion Rabbit. Making up for Aquila, the collians and Sedamons considered loyalists to empire were aghast at the mention of the dark magics and its knowledge. Energetic whispers started to circulate among the little people. Rosido would vigorously shake his head and plead for the party to not destroy the ruins or do anything to jeopardize the dig or the lives of his people.

Remy's careful listening turned of the traditional gossip and hearsay. Some of the collians talking about the rooms that may be in the tomb. The thought that the deepest parts of the ruin may be filled with treasure. The fact that the traps up to this point in their search weren't particularly too bad to deal with. However, he also heard about the growing concerns: people wanting to quit the dig over the monsters. Folk hoping their loved ones will be returned. Some believing the tomb to be cursed or otherwise overrun by demons. Then Rabbit opened his mouth. Soon the information changed to some considering whether or not they should turn Rabbit in to the authorities. Some considering whether the bounty of such information would make up for any losses potentially taken by the dig ending suddenly. Otherwise, Remy learned of a few affairs of a more dramatic note. Apparently several of the Sedamon males that had accompanied the Collians were fellow researchers but also moral support for more female collians than they realized. If the monsters and hazards of the dig didn't get to people, perhaps the eventual revelation of the relationship web among some of the collians and sedamons would be the camp's undoing.

Inside Tomb

Bell would proceed down into the tomb. It was very spacious for the small creature. One might ask if the tomb was built by giants. It was cooler than the surface, but the air felt stagnant and smelled/tasted stale like the tomb. Fortunately, the difference in air caused a breeze to blow through the entrance tunnel making it relatively nice feeling. The floor had drifting sand in the corners from the outside or whatever spilled in from collapsed tunnels. Some of the tunnel traps mentioned by Rosido were marked with white flags and barely visible to Bell. While Bell's magic eye didn't see anything of a magical nature, the tomb did have a few spirits floating around. Intangible shapeless mists of energy and limited consciousness. Nothing particularly unusual. He did feel a tugging at his eye, however. Something inside the Tomb was beckoning to his eye. It would be unsafe to proceed further, however. He had no light with which to see any further down the dark tunnel likely riddled with flagged traps.

 

[Nero Kunivas]

- Aquila Vitalis, the Elegant Tempest -

Interactions/Mentions: Keone: @Elvario

Even having just woken up, Aquila was observant enough to see that "Bell" was deliberately attempting to avoid looking his way. He recalled the last time Belikov looked at him the man seemed to recoil and had made a point since to never meet Aquila's gaze again. The Imperial didn't necessarily mind, though he'd prefer if Belikov explained why, though he at least had an idea as to why. His own secret dealings with a dark god kept Aquila willfully ignorant of Rabbit's admission of knowledge regarding dark magics.

All of this observation was done while Keone whispered to Aquila, clearly wanting to keep her words quiet and secret to the lad, thus did he play along by letting his eyes wander around, occasionally looking back at Keone to convey that he was listening.

"Hehe, well don't worry, I've got your back. You need me to help with that, just nudge me or otherwise signal." Aquila whispered in turn with a friendly smile to Keone, as he too saw the value in negotiating a better position in this arrangement, but generally preferred to wait until signaled. However if it really seemed like they were going to get screwed over, in terms of loot as much as other issues, Aquila will raise his voice regardless. This he conveyed with a subtle wink to Keone.

Soon after, Aquila would find himself some shade, take a seat beneath its protection and open up his water flask, taking a long drink from it. The Imperial had not accounted for the heat today in his haste, especially his having rushed out of bed and the ship moments ago. "Whew, little toasty here..."

 

[Ur Degaton]

Alfred scratched his head as he looked at the map. Having an indicator of the traps would be an invaluable asset to have. It would seem their job just got a whole lot easier. Lighting up a torch he picked up from the supply cache, he traveled into the tomb as well. The flickering orange flames illuminated the decrepit, sand caked walls of the ruins as he slowly moved further in, carefully observing the map to make sure he didn't stumble upon any traps. Eventually he saw Bell in the distance, seemingly staring into the darkness.

"Need a light?" He asked rhetorically, moving next to him and allowing the torch to light up the area in a soft glow. He got down on one knee and analyzed the white flags with caution.

"We could set them off, but they could cause a potential cave in, and that's something nobody wants. The sand has also concealed most of the traps in here, and there could be potentially more that the excavation crew missed."

He put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. Perhaps if they found a way to clear the ruins, or at least this room of sand, it would make avoiding or deactivating the traps much easier to do. Perhaps he could construct a device capable of such an endeavor, or repurpose some of his other devices to achieve a similar effect. Though there's no telling how long it would take to build, and no doubt the crew wouldn't want to sit around for a few days and wait. Such is the life of an adventurer, danger over caution is a common motto he sometimes uses in a situation like this.

 

[Grehstone]

Belikov "Bell" Kavinsky

Bell was quite deep in thought as he surveyed the entrance chamber. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. A few residual spirits wandered about, but they weren't active or identifiable in any significant way. No arcane runes or residual spells lingered. But the eye didn't just see. He felt an inexorable compulsion to look a specific direction, a pull to something he couldn't see yet. He'd only felt such a sensation once before, and it led to an item with serious power. Thankfully, Alfred came along with a light and some sensible words to get him back to reality.

"I do need the light, thank you… but I'm feeling a tug on the eye. It's like that thing with the dagger all over again. So, safe to say there's at least one significant artifact down there."

he said, the bright arcane blue in his eye fading back to bright green, and the dark red blood turned bright again, leaving his white stained. He stepped carefully to avoid the traps already marked as he followed the older, wiser man. He nodded along as he spoke, and paused as he thought.

"If you want to be rid of the sand, it would be easy enough to buy some brooms. We'd need to be sure the bristles are on the softer side so they don't set anything off, but… Well, sweeping up might be longer than it's worth."

 

[slifer]

"Why not just use powder to reveal hidden traps? I'm sure the camp has flour for baking bread. Using a powder of a contrasting color can reveal the secrets set in stone- any wires, or other kinds of traps that might not be as visible by torchlight. Everyone scouting ahead should have some of their own- just in case." Remy said, the idea forming in his head. Immediately, he ordered extra supplies for himself, as well as a small bag of flour to give to each scout willing to go ahead- just telling them to blow a few handfuls out when they needed to reveal a part of the tunnel that felt especially shady. He also ordered extra meat for the scouts- in theory, these monsters could be extremely hungry, and might get the monsters on their side if they feed it. "Everyone take some meat with you! If we can tame these monsters, this will be a lot easer for all of us. And imagine a monster as a pet! The food budget will be astronomical, but the benefits are endless!"

Remy spoke up to the group again- offering his services as a go-between for the scouting party and the backup party. "I feel like using a new entrance might be more beneficial, but if this is the way to go, so be it. I am a pretty fragile being, so staying with the non-scouting group is probably in my best interest. Though I am a fast creature, and if needed I'll run messages back and forth. Now I know that I did say that we have a chance to tame these monsters with food, but if not...the civilians say the monsters are a huge threat- almost worse than the traps. Kill them immediately if they can't be tamed."

Before he walked toward the cave, he whispered to Bref, Keone and Rabbit the news he had heard- the party involved and the two "leaders" of the group. Though Rabbit spoke like a serial killer, he was part of the group, and informing him of what could occur was more important than his thoughts of Rabbit- who seemed to skew towards the darkness, with no regard for others' lives. "Rabbit opened his mouth and mentioned that he used dark magic. I am truly baffled why he would openly announced he was doing illegal things, but because he shared that piece of information with everyone, he could be turned in to the authorities. Just letting you three know. Though Rabbit, you may have darkness inside you, but you are too comfortable with letting your thoughts fly- and it will get you killed."

Finishing his warning session, Remy walked over to Bell, using his wings and body to shield the Sedamon from prying eyes- both foreign and friendly- making sure this Sedamon male could do what he had to do without being scrutinized by the other people. He felt a certain sense of comraderie with the other smaller member of his team- whether the other man considered him an acquaintance or not. "Bell- just as a heads up to you- I heard in the camp that female Collians and male Sedamon are having relationships in the camp. I do not know how it will affect you, but things might be concerning for you if that information comes out. I don't want to alarm you, but it sounded like Sedamon males were brought here to service female Collians, and I do not know how much of that is willingly or not. This information sounded like a thinly kept secret that could cause trouble if it was found out. I do not want you to become a target, so watch your back around here. "

@Skyhunter @Elvario @Grehstone @Novama @TheEccentric

 

[Skyhunter]

Bref Heartwood

The towering Silvan listened to this leader of the Collian researchers mention strange beasts, that peeked his interest more than the treasure now, what were these beasts? Primal and savage then moved similar to Saltus, this concerned Bref more than he showed, if they were fast enough to hardly be seen but able to have muscular structure like this Researcher claimed, Bref was glad to have accompanied the group. Tusks, claws and possibly horns only made these beasts more dangerous, there was no point in asking anymore questions about the attackers since this amnesiac researcher couldn't remember more! This frustrated the Silvan, hopefully they wouldn't encounter the beasts but a small portion of him hoped to. He would like to fight these beasts and possibly take a trophy while avenging the dead Collians. No Bref shouldn't give in into his anger, the Silvan clenched his fists as the group headed out when ready.

In the tomb

Bref stood at the entrance of the tomb with his hands on hips, his jacket off and wrapped around his waist, sweat drenching the Silvan, he was used to sweating a lot but not this intense heat, his hair was sopping wet as his muscular torso could be seen, his undershirt drenched in sweat. Bref wiped sweat from his brow as he proceeded after the group, he was exhausted and felt a bit weak but he could still move. He could hear others talk but the talk of possibly taming these beasts from Remy caught his attention, while the bird was smart he was also dumb, lacked common sense to the Silvan, they had a rivalry for sure. " Now, why would you want to do something so moronic, Goose. " Bref asked standing straight up in that same cold tone of his.

" These beasts will not be tamed, from what that researcher said they easily killed other Collians and look what they even done to the place. " Bref turned to face Remy " Oh and I'm sure they are hungry. Probably hungry for some goose right about now. " Bref took a deep breath to calm himself. " Let's hope we do not encounter these beasts, otherwise who knows what will happen, more researchers could die, one or more of our crew could die just from fighting them but thats why I came along. " Bref stated noticing his anger rising again. Taking one more deep breath and exhaling, the Silvan sighed. " Lets just hope they don't come back. " Bref looked at the smarty goose as he next mentioned Rabbit's tongue getting too long and spewing information that didn't need to be known.

The Silvan looked at the Collian run off to bother Bell next, Bref felt like a child being scolded by their mother, looking to Keone and Rabbit, he sighed. " I swear he runs his mouth more than anyone else I've met. Words come out but they're empty. " Bref clenched his teeth looking to the two, maybe him not feeling well was making him more angry than usual. He needed to rest for a bit, turning his head to the Naga and strange being known as Rabbit. " Keone, I need to rest for a bit, hate to drop work on you but the sun is making me worst for wear. I'm no use weak and tired. Holler if you need me and if those beasts appear again... Well let's just hope they don't. " Bref then patted Rabbit on top of his head, he pretty much considered these two his closest companions within their group.

The Silvan turned to leave the group so he wouldn't get in the way, when he found a secluded and shaded area away from the tomb, he sat down and began to rest, taking his cannon off his shoulder to inspect and make sure it was in working order, making sure his gear was still up to par. Bref hated sitting here, feeling useless, he'd rather be in there with his crew making sure they're safe, but rather he messed up and got overheated. He did grab a small leather canteen he nabbed at the camp, drinking the content within, he felt a little better. Dehydration was a killer out here in the desert.

Mentions: @slifer @TheEccentric @Elvario

 

[Elvario]

Keone Nagendra
​

Interactions: Aquila @Nero Kunivas | Bell @Grehstone | Remy @slifer | Bref @Skyhunter | Alfred @Ur Degaton

Keone was silently writing down some notes on everything the Collian researcher mentioned. She was a bit surprised when the Collian researcher mentioned it felt like he was subconsciously trying to forget them already. It could point towards a mental trauma, but also towards magic being at play. She sure hoped it wasn't the latter option.

She made sure to take notes on the traps so she could pass them on to the scouting group. She was surprised here were 20 missing, as she expected half that amount. Upon the researcher's mention of how they'd split the rewards, she clicked her tongue. She needed a second opinion on that one, so she once again whispered to Aquila. Aquila also didn't seem to mind that she was already partially slithered around him, so without putting much thought into it, she slithered a bit further around him and whispered once more. "He sounds pretty honest, but they've got an edge on us with historical significance, as we aren't in the know with what is what. Worst case scenario, they'll pick the most expensive stuff and call it historically significant as well, just to void our claim on it, but I guess that's something to deal with afterwards... "

Considering the researcher didn't suggest any specialized supplies, Keone slithered away from Aquila and stacked up on the regular stuff. Upon hearing Remy's message, however, she sighed. She replied to Bref and Remy (not particularly caring if Rabbit himself was also listening). "We should really assign someone to him that ensure that he doesn't keep pulling these kinds of stunts... Perhaps we can go with the usual ploy and play it off by saying he's just getting old and senile? They might just go along with it if they're grateful enough once we bring back their friends and family from this tomb."

She was surprised that Bref was taking a step back this early on, but a trio of Remy, Rabbit and the sun giving him reasons for a headache, she couldn't blame him. "The beasts shouldn't be this close to the entrance. From how the attack was described, it sounded like they were sticking to certain hunting grounds, or maybe the researches stumbled too close to their den. Anyhow, no worries, the only danger to us should be the traps for now, but I'll keep an eye out just in case."

With that out of the way, she slithered into the tomb after the others, making sure not to go in too deeply and to check for the marked traps. She soon spotted the scouts and called after them, with Bell in particular. "I've gotten the research notes you asked for!" She had no clue what the hieroglyphs meant, so she hoped Bell could at least shed some light on it.

She also had a question for Alfred. "You know a lot about animals., right? Do the descriptions we got from the researcher ring any bells? The shape of Saltu apes but with loads of muscles, tusks, claws and possibly even horns, with loads of sharp edges... That sounds like they're just made to look freaky, doesn't it? What I don't get at all though, is what these creatures would feed on in this tomb. If they were only discovered late into the exploration, they clearly don't come out of this tomb, unless they use different paths that nobody has discovered..." She wasn't sure what to make of it, but that's exactly why she asked their zoologist Alfred.

 

[TheEccentric]

"I mentioned that my knowledge of the matter is rife, but no whisper of me practicing them left my hidden lips. If such knowledge is a poisonous draught, then every one of my kin older than a few centuries contains enough vile fluids to drown the desert. Dusted and decrepit wisemen live in the liveries of kings behind empire walls, compiling the heritage of a thousand magical paths. Do not let the greed of the superstitious challenge your intelligence, Remy Silver.", unfazed by the attention and humdrum the researchers directed at him, Rabbit hid the disdain on his face behind the mask. At the very least, these diggers were unafraid of braving the wilderness, unlike the other vocations that rely on mere speculation and assumption. The rumours of him practicing magic aren't unfamiliar, more than once he's been approached by the guards about a stray statement that found itself jumping about from ear to ear in taverns or children's bickerings. They aren't wrong, but he hasn't done much of it, the wilds have their own magic that is satisfying on their own.

"Creatures. Hidden in the path of death, ape-like, dangerous, fast, and unknowable until properly viewed. Suggestion, Keone Nagendra and Remy Silver, both have provided some sensible ideas to build upon. Attempt to locate the dead bodies, and if there are segments that are missing, likely conclusion the creatures feast on flesh or partake in some practice that requires it. Members were dragged, not slain on spot, there is purpose in this, determine why. Consider if there is a source of water within the path of death, if none, one can arrive at the idea that these creatures are not living, or possess great skill in remaining sustained after long periods of time.", the description made it seem like the creatures were MADE to be predatorial and terrifying, which isn't impossible in a tomb that is already protected by an array of deadly traps. The crumbled pathways could have also been caused by the creatures activating the traps, perhaps they did arrive later on, or are confined to simple thoughts.

Rabbit crept forward to observe the stone, trying to dissect his past and comparing the other tombs he's been forced to enter years before. The mechanical traps suggested a level of engineering that is beyond the means of a typical arenosian, granted, having a tomb of this size is already a great deal by itself. He looked back at the party, only just realizing Bref's disappearance despite the big man slapping a meaty hand on the old arenosian's shoulder earlier. "Cleaning, I can accomplish, but capture the beasts we must. Traps can be activated, disassembled, ignored, but dangers that think can prove themselves dozens of times more terrifying than simple blades and stones. I can produce sounds, attract them, bestial howl or a choir of insects.", he pulled the Howler and the Bug Nest from his satchel, lightly dragging against the air as soft howls and songs fill the air.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: @TheEccentric ​

Julius found the news about beasts inhabiting the ruins slightly disconcerting. Navigating the crumbling hallways and avoiding traps was one thing; dealing with unknown creatures in their element was just another thing he had to worry about. The Collian researcher's description of them didn't help to relieve his uneasiness, though the notion of the beasts resembling apes caught his attention. He knew that no wild animal could rival the intellect of a human being, but ape-like monsters always seemed to push those boundaries: they could form basic strategies, plan out ambushes, and even create primitive, though efficient tools. He remembered seeing a pack of Saltu apes hunt a long time ago - they were not stupid creatures.

Julius was sure they couldn't solve any of the tomb's traps. He imagined they got by through raw instinct alone; probably seeing one of their own get crushed or skewered just by walking into a room would be good enough motivation for them to avoid it. This only brought up another difficulty in dealing with them: they knew the place way better than he did. Julius had to go by a map while they knew every nook and cranny.

Julius brushed off the troubling thought and went to supply himself for the journey. Aside from a torch he received from the supply cache, he also took the powder and meat Remy suggested for him and the rest of the scouting crew. Though he wasn't wholly convinced that the beasts could be tamed, a nice slab of meat would be enough to sway their minds in the crew's favor - that is, if the monsters weren't complete savages. Finally, Julius lit his torch and ventured down into the ruins along with the others.

Slowly making his way to the party's front, Julius occasionally slowed down to survey the halls for marked traps. Once he saw the space ahead was relatively clear, he resumed his cautious gait. He regularly took glances behind him to check up on the group, taking note of Bref's disappearance. Julius didn't worry too much about the Silvian man; he'd have plenty of time to catch up with the others. He just hoped Bref would be as cautious as everyone else.

Hearing Rabbit spin his response to the group, Julius turned around to answer him, "Considering the blokes upstairs just found em', I'd say these things were here long before they even started. If they've been here for so long, they gotta have a way to survive." He gestured over to Keone, about to reference her notion on the creatures' survival, "Nagendra's got a good point. Maybe they've got some way to reach the surface? Prolly nothin' down here to eat but sand and beetles, but up there? They could get their teeth on something." He turned back around and resumed his slow trek, though he still had some more words to say, "If we do find any corpses, we'll see if these little beasties took a nibble on em'. If they have, we'll know they're living - and hungry. If they haven't..." He paused and tried to think of a reason, though nothing came to mind, 'Well... guess we'll have to find that out."

"Regardless, we've gotta be careful. Whether these beasts are alive or undead, supernatural or normal, clever or stupid - we're on their turf now. So stay close, keep your eyes open, and be wary of the dark. This whole mission could go balls-up if we aren't careful." He took another pause to look around him before continuing with the exploration.

 

[Novama]

Time: 4:00 PM
Day: Tuesday
Weather: Sunny and very hot. extended unprotected exposure to the elements will result in character unwellness
Those Involved: @TheEccentric @Monbon @Monster @The Last Curse @Elvario @Ur Degaton @ItariChan @Grehstone @Valkan @slifer @Skyhunter @Nero Kunivas @Cards @Rads
TooLongDidn'tRead: Aside from those who stayed behind to rest or have yet to post, the party of treasure seekers have entered the tomb and are getting overran by dangerous scorpions.

Note From The Author: (While in the tomb, every post should specify what the character is doing including watching for traps and how they are being careful in that regard. If a post lacks caution, then they risk tripping a trip among other things.)
Post Listening:

Arenos Ruin - Tomb of Titans

Aquila and Bref who stayed behind in the shade were able to safely recover from their fatigue. They also noted the odd behavior of the Arenosians. After Rabbit finished his revelation and entered the tomb, some of them left the hare fights and mindful of where Rabbit was, left the dig site on their desert mounts. It was suspicious behavior to say the least, especially considering the Empire has an ongoing bounty on those knowledgeable of the 'old ways' of the Elderoles. A slight tremor could be felt in the ground outside the ruin, felt like it came from the ruin inside. Didn't seem like a good omen.

Inside Tomb

As previously described, the tomb was large and dusty. The entry corridor that led down and into the tomb was around 5meters/yards wide and even higher ceiling after the group had sufficiently descended down the path. Following the crude map that had been produced for them, the group would be able to easily note in the torch light the discovered traps indicated with white flags. They would also note the collapsed tunnels that were offshoots of the one they were in. They didn't have any real choices of where they went until they reached the fork in the path foretold by their map.

To the left was a brief corridor to a large archway completely blocked off by fallen stone and sand. Reentering the room would likely require a dig team or equivalent firepower. The path to their right was their only obvious option that didn't involve something arduous.

Like the tunnel they were just in, the path to the left was similarly wide and high. The stone blocks that made up the floor were worn smooth and dusty with sand and other sediment from the air. It was noticeably cooler in this tunnel even with the torches in hand. With torches it was also easier to note the less faded art on the walls. While the text was mainly in incomprehensible emojis from the past, Rabbit and scholarly sorts may potentially be able to decipher some of the messaging in context with the large scenes portrayed.

The walls depicted huge creatures around a smaller creature of similar design. Humanoid in shape, they may have been depicting giants or beings of great importance. Near the large creatures were smaller humanoids in prostrated positions suggesting worship, respect, or subservience. It looked like following the wall would continue the story, but then...

*BOOM*

The tomb and tunnel they were in were rocked by a sudden quake presumably somewhere else in the tomb. The group would need to take action to avoid falling over or at the very least avoid the traps laced throughout the floor. Additionally, the quake stirred something as a hoard of dark desert scorpions as big as 12inches in diameter poured out of the darkness ahead of the group. They swarmed, crawling along the floor and over eachother in a seemingly unending flood. Their poison was particularly potent. If the scorpions were agitated enough to sting, the victim would be in extreme pain and risk death. Fleeing from the scorpions was possible, but running down boobytrapped tunnels would be risky as well.

 

[Elvario]

Keone Nagendra
​

Interactions: Rabbit @TheEccentric | Julius @The Last Curse

Keone liked Rabbits idea of trying to lure the beasts towards them. "It would be very advantageous to us if we could lure the monsters out. We could set-up an attack and get rid of them in an area in our own control, rather than having to fight them in their home-turf. We might even give those missing a bit more of a chance if we lure the monsters out, so I'd say it's worth a shot." She also hadn't considered the idea of them being undead, but it would make a lot of sense. They wouldn't need food or water to sustain themselves and the mentioned 'sharp parts' about them could simply be bones sticking out.

They weren't granted much more time to ponder it, as a sudden quake rocked the entire tomb. Thanks to her tail covering a fair bit of ground, she was able to hold her footing (tailing?) fairly well, despite the shock. She'd take quick look around to check if the others were equally lucky and push them away from falling towards a trap if necessary/possible (or help them up otherwise).

"Could be the survivors trying to get out..." Keone uttered to nobody in particular, as her gaze was drawn to a more immediate problem. With poisonous creatures heading their way, they were in for the first trouble. Keone would light a second torch and thew the first torch to the scorpions, to see if the fire scared them in any way, shape or form. The amount of scorpions worried her. "We could try to get rid of them by retreating and triggering a trap once they're near it."

It was the best suggestion she could come up with in a short time-span. "Anyhow, Julius, I think we're up for the defense." She got a blade ready in one hand, torch in the other. She'd back up along with the others (if they were to go along with her plan), but would attempt to hold-off he scorpions whilst doing so. Her higher resistance to poisons meant she was second-least-likely to die to these creatures, directly after Julius, who didn't exactly have a poison-able body. She'd swing at any scorpion getting close, but wasn't exactly eager to fight the masses, so she hoped they'd be backing up and come up with something (trap or not) that could deal with the entire wave of scorpions at once.

 

[Ur Degaton]

@Elvario
@The Last Curse

Alfred rubs his chin at her inquiry, seemingly mulling over her question.

"These creatures are undoubtedly related to the saltu apes, yet they must have either evolved or have been mutated during their time in this subterranean environment. These creatures are unlike anything I've ever seen, but if they've been living in the dark for all these years, they must be blind, like a bat or mole. Though like Julius mentioned, either they have a way of reaching the surface for food, or they are acquiring sustenance from some other source, but it's-"

His musing were cut short as the earthquake hit, nearly making him drop his torch in the process.

"It appears we are experiencing an unforeseen phenomenon."

He could see the horde of black arachnids approaching them, prompting him to take a few steps back in caution.

"Do not get stung by them, unless you want to spend a week in the infirmary, though I'm sure you have nothing to fear Julius, considering the nature of your metallic flesh."

He swung his torch back and forth, trying to ward of the abominations similar to Keone.


"Might I recommend we use a flamethrower or photon grenade, I just finished making some in my cabin prior to our mission, but I don't know how long we have."

When he wasn't going on swashbuckling, death defying adventures, he was in his lab tinkering and creating inventions for many different situations. He usually uses the income from his adventures to fund his projects, which aren't exactly cheap to produce. While others mind spend their wealth on booze, lavish homes, and even servants, for the most part his money is used to further his scientific pursuits.

 

[Skyhunter]

Bref Heartwood

The would be captain sat quietly in the shade with his eyes closed as he slowed his breath down. " Don't get so angry anymore. Don't get so worked up, Bref. We haven't even started our journey yet and nothing bad has happened... Yet. Leave up to that damn goose to try and tame those gods forsaken apes only to tear us apart. " Bref growled the last part as his eyes unlatched widely as his anger began to rise again. His eyes drooped and he sighed deeply taking a couple deep breathes to calm himself. Taking another swig of the water he had taken, when finished, he wiped the water off his lips and leaned forward a bit, his elbows on his knees as he began to ponder their next move when they got deeper if things went according to plan.

Luckily for Bref, drinking the water and staying in the shade began to make the Silvan feel better again, he noticed his headache go away and his strength return, he looked up and even stood up, hitting his chest with a fist as he coughed a little then spat out a huge lougie. " Finally, I'm feeling much better. " The grumpy Silvan mumbled to himself, feeling a little more optimistic as he turned to where the tomb was, then he suddenly felt the earth quake momentarily and just faintly. He could see the sand shift for a moment and his amber eyes stared into the darkness of the tomb.

His optimism turned into frustration and concern. " Now what is happening. " he grumbled to himself, taking long strides to reach the tomb, letting his shield slide off his arm to catch it in one hand, strapping his water bag to his hip with another hand. " Damn it, these fools better not have jeopardize- ... Calm down, Heartwood, have trust in these guys. You've known them for years... Some of them. " He began to grumble again as he delved into the tomb again, moving down in the darkness to find his crew, the first one he came across was Keone. Pulling out his flintlock, Bref was ready for a fight, not yet realizing the grip of the situation.

" Nagendra. " Bref usually only addressed Keone by her last name when he wanted her attention fully or for a serious topic. " What is happening now? Are those apes here? I'll tear them asunder I swear to the damnable Gods. " He growled, ready for a fight, when his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and he could see ahead to where the scorpions began to reach the light of the torches. The Silvan sighed as he strapped his flintlock away. " At least its not the damn apes. " The silvan then held his shield in two hands, ready to smash the scorpions with a slam of his shield.

Heartwood backed up along with his crew " Do we have something to burn these bugs? " He asked " Any oil or alcohol? Gunpowder will only do so much. " And while Bref did carry a big bag with him on his belt, it wouldn't do the trick like alcohol or oil. " Alfred, any ideas in that human head of yours? Your people are a smart one. " Bref could fight off powerful beasts with his bare hands, fire a cannon with only two hands, break a man's head with the squeeze of his hand.

With this, Bref didn't have any equipment to help him here, his cannon could only do so much- wait. He had a idea. " Alfred, would a blast of air from my cannon bring this place down? " Bref asked as he placed his shield on his shoulder again, taking his cannon off his shoulder and holding it with two arms, unloading it and taking the cannonball that was within out. Tossing it forward to squish a few scorpions, loading it with nothing. " This cannon can fire a powerful blast of air. It could fling the scorpions back but will it cause the tomb to collapse on us? " Bref asked as he stood beside the human now, aiming his cannon into the darkness filled with poisonous arachnids. Ready for either a yes or no from the human.

Mentions: @Ur Degaton @Elvario

 

[Ur Degaton]

@Skyhunter

Alfred slashes through half a dozen scorpions with a swing of his blade, being extra precise to bisect the stingers from their bodies in the process. The claws may hurt, but the stingers were the creatures true weapons. He turned towards Bref and stares at the massive cannon the Silvan was carrying. He hastily crushed another scorpion beneath his armored boots before responding.

"Most likely not, the air from your cannon shouldn't exert enough force to meaningfully destabilize this tunnel. There's a reason why these ruins have held up for so many centuries, and it's not because of unstable architecture. Yet, considering that other parts of the ruins have indeed collapsed, I estimate we have a 70% chance of not bringing the place down on top of ourselves in the event that the structural integrity is faulty. As long as you aim directly down the tunnel and not at any of the walls or support beams, the force from the air should be dispersed enough to only affect the scorpions."

 

[Elvario]

Keone Nagendra
​

Interactions: Alfred @Ur Degaton | Bref @Skyhunter

Swinging her sword and torch at any scorpion that got too close for comfort, Keone listened to her teammates. "If you've got a flamethrower, I'd say burn them all." Keone didn't trust photon grenades in this area, but the other idea sounded fantastic. She would make sure to pull back as to not get caught in the blaze.

Bref asked her what was up, but his question answered itself. "If you're gonna fire that thing, you might as well load it with shrapnel or smaller rocks, or even regular ammunition to fire it as a blunderbuss. It shouldn't damage the integrity of this place too much while I doubt air alone will do much to scorpions." She'd offer some of her own spare ammunition to load up the gun if Bref was up for it.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: @Ur Degaton @Skyhunter ​

The explosion had caught Julius off guard, sending him stumbling a few feet forwards before he regained his bearing. The sudden tremor was the least of his problems as he caught sight of the black horde of scorpions scuttling quickly in his direction. Much like his fellow crewmates, Julius took haste and tried to fend off the incoming arthropods, quickly unsheathing his saber and swiping it at whatever came close. However, it didn't matter how many he killed; whenever he slew one, it seemed ten more came to take its place. Julius didn't worry about their venom affecting his body, but he couldn't let one of his crewmates get injured - not this early in the mission.

Slicing and stomping at the creatures scuttling at his feet, Julius took a few backs - the number of scorpions was starting to overwhelm him. Subconsciously, he overhead Alfred and Keone discuss their solutions for the situation, the prospect of a flamethrower catching his attention. "We'll hold em' off Alfred. If you got one on ya, might as well use it!"

On top of the sounds of skittering and slashing, Julius heard a new voice in the room. Turning his head, he saw the colossal Bref Heartwood, the Silvian man holding his signature cannon. If Julius had a face of any kind, he'd be smiling, "Oi, Bref! Where the hell were you, you big lug?"

Julius didn't wait for an answer as a scorpion crawled onto his pant leg and perched itself on his shin. Then, with a good kick, he sent the creature flying back into the endless black horde. "Look, if ya need any alcohol or gunpowder, I got some in me pack," Julius said with a gesture to the leather traveling pack on his back, "Make it quick! It doesn't look like they'll be stoppin' any time soon!"

 

[TheEccentric]

TLDR: Rabbit jumps so he doesn't fall over, and begins to read walls and map to look for meaning in the former, and a narrower/safer path for the latter.

The depths of the tomb smelled of... stillness. Rabbit trudged with his companions, the ruined passages serving as enough entertainment to the old wanderer. He remained silent the entire walk while they discussed their plans to apprehend the Topes — a name he made by combining Tomb and Apes — but his attention wasn't strained on them. It was the walls that kept pulling his eyes. A pictographic tale that was perfectly disrupted by cracks along the walls. His age-old friend's handprints are visible, the air filled with its breath; Time is friend to growth, but foe to stability. "This one hopes that the beasts didn't add to this degradation. Beasts shouldn't understand the significance of scribbles on the wall, though felines seem particularly interested in clawing walls. A wish would be these Topes not being suc-"

His response was cut short by a rumble and a tumble of the tomb, old legs immediately pushing him up lightly to a hop. The ground collapsing below is frequent enough that his first instinct is to jump and find a more stable platform to stand on. Luckily, the situation here isn't so dire when it comes to the matter of falling, but scorpions can be equally lethal. A swarm of them, some might call a pointless struggle. For adventurers, they're a possible source of sustenance, or annoyance in some cases. His daggers immediately flickered around him, grabbed by a trio of psychic hands while the other two immediately began to play a rhythmic beat of battle.

With Bref's arrival and the immediate response to the danger his allies displayed, safety concerns were tossed aside as Rabbit instead focused on the walls. The battle raged as metal met carapace. "Bref Heartwood, your bulk is much appreciated in defense. Though, is it wise to make use of such a weapon in a crumbling hall?", his words pointed at the cannon, but the others deemed it the most appropriate in this situation. Explosions and flames? Even more dangerous! He didn't deny their decisions though, because this is their story, not his. Besides, his own responsibilities are inclined to thought and rumination.

"Alfred Grigori, Bref Heartwood, Julius Scott, Keone Nagendra, I trust all of you capable of holding them off for the time being. The walls speak of secrets the researchers didn't fondly share, or perhaps they do not know. Regardless, knowing more can allow me to determine what culture we face, and from there, their others means of defense.", while he spoke, Rabbit danced side to side as daggers twirled like sawblades, carving the Scorpions that got too close into floor paste. "Before any grandiose decisions, I suggest deliberating on whether or not we shall proceed forward. Our backs are familiarising with Retreat as I speak, but we need not heed any of them.", he fumbled closer to the wall, strength and agility escaping him with every step. His invisible hands flew and grabbed a map, his mind split on trying to determine which path would lead away the large path they were on, while the other interacted with the emojis. A narrow one would benefit their cannon the most, and he can only hope that the emojis continued on towards one.

 

[Skyhunter]

Bref Heartwood

TLDR: idk read the damn thing, it's all there

The Silvan took steps backwards, making sure to be the one closest to the danger, rather him than his crew. Besides, he could probably take a couple of stings and survive due to his big size and hardened body, doesn't mean he wanted to be stung. The large being made sure to push Alfred backwards behind him, " I hope you're right, Grigori. I'd rather not be die in this Gods forsaken coffin of a tomb because we couldn't deal with a few scorpions. " Bref grumbled.

Now hearing Julius asking where he's been, the big Silvan didn't take his eyes off the doubled stinger arachnids " I've been off sleeping with a Arenosian, where the hell do you think I've been? " Heartwood gave a sarcastic answer, he did let his shield slide off his shoulder, catching it with one hand, he slammed it down on the scorpions to try and buy them some time. Lifting the shield up, only a pool of arachnid juice was left where the shield was at. But that was quickly covered by the blanket of scorpions that kept coming their way.

Bref looked to Keone who offered her bag of gun powder, suggesting he used shrapnel and gunpowder rather than air. " I was mainly suggest using air to push the horde back to buy time rather than use resources to kill a endless horde. " the Silvan stated, " And keep your gunpowder, you'll need it more than me. " Bref used one of his arms to grab the hanging bag of gunpowder off his belt, it had to have been five times bigger than Keone's, but with the weapon Bref was using, it was understandable why he kept so much on his person, Bref then placed it back on his belt.

Heartwood already had gunpowder in his cannon from when he loaded it earlier that day, his eyes moved to Julius, his hand quickly opened his bag and rummaged on through trying to find some sort of alcohol or oil to use on the endless horde. Finally finding a bottle of alcohol, Bref pulled it out of Julius' bag and threw it into the cannon. Bref then pulled a handful of rocks out of his pocket, he always kept rocks on him for throwing at people for stealth kills, but hopefully fire rocks would do the trick against these creepers.

Bref was ready to fire his loaded cannon, this wouldn't create a sustaining flamethrower but more of a large gust of fire wind wherever he was pointing at. But then he heard Rabbit who was trying to talk Bref down from using his cannon, " Well, Rabbit, its either die to scorpions, a painful death, or die in a collapsed tomb which would be quick. Your call. " The Silvan then picked up Rabbit, like a kitten by its scruff and slumped him over his shoulder. " Gods, you stink... Take a bath once in a while, you smell like you've been rolling in a dead animal. " Bref complained as he made sure everyone was behind him to not get caught in his desperate attack. Having his arms extended out to push anyone back behind, because Bref didn't know if this would work or not. Aiming his cannon into the darkness he pulled the trigger and fired his loaded cannon, it was loud, almost ear deafening. Bref was used to the sound of the cannon but not in a small space like this. Only seeing a bright light leave his cannon, Bref shook his head as his ears rang, not really being able to pay attention to what was happening, but he continued to take steps backwards.

Mentions: @Ur Degaton @The Last Curse @Elvario @TheEccentric

 

[Nero Kunivas]

- Aquila Vitalis, the Elegant Tempest -

Mentions: Bref Heartwood - @Skyhunter - Keone Nagendra - @Elvario

Aquila by this point could get used to having Keone slither around him just to speak privately. It wasn't often an Imperial like him ever saw a Naga in person, let alone work with one. He acknowledged Keone's further words regarding their employers with a nod and watched as she slithered away, feeling a touch despondent she was gone as he took another swig of water, taking some time to cool himself down. "Don't worry, I'll catch up. Try not to get yourselves killed!" He called out with his signature disarming smile upon his face as he reclined against the source of his shade.

Time passed, the indistinct chatter of the locals growing more concerning to Aquila by the second as he hoped that it wasn't regarding Rabbit's full disclosure about his magics, especially hoping that they had no way of discerning Aquila's own dark gifts. These thoughts were thrown to the wayside by the ominous rumbling sound coming from the ruin, prompting Aquila, now fully rejuvenated, to follow shortly after Bref and head for the ruins.

Not wanting to ruin his hard work cooling down, Aquila kept a fast yet controlled pace and as such, fell behind Bref and would arrive within the Ruins only to hear, and feel, the shockwave of Bref's air cannon being fired at a large horde of scorpions. Rubbing his right ear in an exaggerated manner, Aquila cried: "Bet the locals won't like that!" He spoke in a snide manner, then he cast his eye over to the scorpions, hoping the cannon had done its job. "Think ya got 'em, Cap?" Aquila added, this time more earnestly.