Act 2 Scene 4: "Descent into Darkness" (Game Thread)

[Nocturno]

"A trap!? Where!?" After the prayer is done Pyros cautiously rushes the skeleton.

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Cross takes in the scene with the assistance of Fenrir.

[mltillis]

"Whether his soul needs rest or not. There is usually someone waiting. A lover hesitant to grasp a new opportunity, or a family holding off needful and dire decisions. My people do not walk away from such things. If the body holds some clue to the victim, then it should be uncovered in hopes of one day passing it on to those who wait and wonder." Stay here and be ready to flee if need be. I will go with Pyros and see his return.

[TristenC]

Those who approach the skeleton can see it has been here quite some time... years most likely. As sir Karl offers his prayer he gets an odd sense about it.... almost as if something didn't want him getting through... Even in the recent past when many doubted the existance of the old gods it was not so... even without hope it might feel to one like speaking into emptiness, but now... now it was like talking to a stone wall... like his words were being... blocked...

Pyros moves in for a close look but doesnt see anything remotely trap like. Fenrir on high sends back only nothing in the valley but you and your... flock.

Jerry, Merrick and the others keep close watch. Elsa shifts uncomfortably... Shouldn't we.... bury them? or cut them free at least.... or...

[Jenara]

"Ok." She sighs, she was seeing traps everywhere, and ghosts in the Shadows.. "Someone go with Pyros, looks like it's you Pytor, everyone else watch their backs. I'm just jumpy, part of me expected it to start attacking someone." She shudders. "I didn't mean to offend anyone. We'll give them a decent burial." Crossbow at the ready she scans the two cave entrances.

[Chris1234]

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Does Jerry sense anything about this set up?

[Nocturno]

Pyros while obviously unafraid as Kender are, is curious but respectful of the dead. He will look for pouches, or anything that could identify the body.

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"We are alone it seems."

[Jerrard]

"He, he isn't there. It's like I'm talking to a castle wall." Karl sits astride Bayard a look of puzzlement on his features. "This is a place of nightmares, how do you handle this? Pray tell me, how long. How long have you all been here? And how you not loose your minds?" The Knight asks as he covers the way they came with his his eyes..

"I must admit, this weights heavily on my mind. Leaving this poor soul would cause me much consternation. My God may not hear, but I prayed many years, knowing perhaps there was no answer."

[Nocturno]

"I don't understand why you all dislike this place so much. It has made for an interesting time. Poison flowers, men that are wolves, skeletons on a pyramid. Huge Ravens that seem to know what I am thinking! These puzzles that make no sense!" He holds up his iron puzzle.

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"It seems on this plane, contact to your patrons is very difficult. I have heard all of our Divine folk say as such."

[Jenara]

"Frankly, if it wasn't for you all and a few others I'd hate this place too. I've been here, umm, let me think. weeks, Months maybe, time sort of loses meaning and you end lost and confused. I find drinking helps, although sleeping after a long session is worse." Halting her speech she considers what to say. "Well you would enjoy it here! This place is made for a Kender."

"You do what you can, and you try to keep sane. People help." She pats the Knights armored shoulder.

[mltillis]

I forgot to state it in my earlier post. Pytor followed Pyros keeping a short distance behind him. Ten to twenty yards give or take.

[TristenC]

Jerry considers the way the skeleton is set up. Aside from an aggressive form of long-term torment, there doesn't seem to be anything intentional about it. Likely the deceased was stretched between stakes and left to exposure until the end. The now-skeletal remains seem to have been left as an ornament or warning. [Standard torturous psychopathic fare]

Pyros moves closer, inspecting the deceased in a respectful manner. He finds no pouches nor remnants of any kind. The skeleton is bleached-white by the sun and anything other than bones and dried tendons has been dried to dust or picked clean by scavengers.

Elsa nods sadly and whispers a quiet thanks to the bard. Moving forward, she keeps some distance from the scene. She responds to Sir Karl's question as well. Pyros and I have been here hardly a fortnight... and I think we all arrived about the same time, except for Mira. I remember her saying it had been about a month when we showed up. And I know what you mean about the gods... mostly when I pray... when I draw upon her power it's like calling out to someone in a dense fog... but this place... the halfling shivers a little. Setting her jaw, she goes on. Doesn't matter. Whatever it is we'll find it... and crush it.

The pretty cleric takes her holy symbol and wraps it around her shield hand, then takes hold of her silver-studded mace as she moves to where Pytor waits


Near Jerry, Merrick watches the tethered skeleton with a flat expression. An almost imperceptible comment slips out as if unintentionally given voice, This is a mistake. The words are so quiet, only Jerry picks it up. So faint, in fact, that she cannot be certain he even spoke...

[Chris1234]

"What is ia mistake, Merrick?" Jerry asks. "How do you mean? By whom and why?"

[Jenara]

"I still don't like this one bit. I think we should leave it." Mira speaks to herself, yet her words carry, "This is a warning."

"I've been here a long time, I can almost speak the language here without help." She adds in agreement with Elsa.

[Nocturno]

Cross watches the Kender, hoping Fenrir will see any threat if it approaches.

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Pyros goes up to the skeleton, looks it in its empty eye sockets.

"What are you smiling about? Eh?" He turns around. "Nothing here!"

[TristenC]

Merrick answers the female half-elf absently. Everything in this place is about death. These bodies are obvious warnings. Even if it isn't cursed, taking it down would probably anger whatever put it there....

Pyros moves right up to the skeleton, body inches away from it as he peers down into the sun-bleached skull through the eye sockets. Not so much as a bug crawls within the head, and the remains make no response whatsoever to the Kender's query. Elsa moves closer, standing just behind Pyros. Nothing? Then... maybe we can.... she turns to Mira, frustrated. I don't know... I just... these people don't deserve this. she falls silent, eyes staring at the body. Elsa finally turns to Jerry. You're a cleric too... Can... should we really just leave it here?

Artanis shakes his head, and Adrestia as well. Nothing stirs in the canyon but the party. The narrow fizzures to the north and south of the group stand like silent witnesses in the cold, dusty canyon