Siobhan's fantasy epic of eipc fantasy (open, PM me first)

[siobhancan99]

The elf nods "if you're staying in the basin, the only sensible move is gateside. It's working class but they have enough pride in themselves to have a regular neighborhood watch, and they tend to drive off violent types." He keeps working, briskly cutting and sewing as he talks "the dolphin is reasonably popular. Also there's a few inns here in the rise that cater more to merchants and a better class of person, though you're unlikely to find delvers in them. Why spend money on rooms when you can scrimp and save and get yourself a magical sword right?" He smiles "or a swank new orange silk coat"

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison nods, agreeing that he wouldn't have asked for him if there were just skeletons and zombies barring their path. "No, I imagine that we could have dealt with the odd animated body or bones we came across. I have heard others within your church mention that there is a lich somewhere in the city below, but I don't believe it is going to be in the area that concerns us. However, with such a powerful entity in the vicinity, we may run afoul of some it's summoned undead. There's no telling what powerful lieutenants there may be down there expanding the area of the lich's influence. I don't plan on being down there long enough for us to need a base of operations. Perhaps a central camp for a few explorations and then a retreat to the surface."

"That's as much of a plan as I have had. From what I have learned, it's difficult to plan much ahead of one of these delves as the city itself seems to change over time. I have some idea of what I want to find, but we'll see if those paths are open to us. Your sister in the faith did say that there might be a fire-attuned staff below in the hands of one that knows how to use it. Whether that is a direct threat to us or no is something we will divine when we descend."

"If you still have more questions, you can join me and the others tonight. I'm sure I can gather them for a meeting and you can ask them or me what you like." He offered.

 

[SubPhil91]

Dieter laughs and shakes his head. "Why do you think I'm staying in such a place? So I can afford stuff like this coat you're charging me an arm and a leg for." He winks and watches the elf do his work. "But really it just seems so pointless to pay extra for a bed to sleep in. I haven't done anything in that room except sleep since I got here. Why pay tons more to stay somewhere else? Except maybe I won't be mugged going back? Though it was entertaining to see them try, they certainly kept me on my toes. Who knows what they would've done if I hadn't gotten away?" He laughs again, more concerned about what happens to others than what happens to himself. "Guess I could have given them a few gold for their troubles though, eh?"

 

[siobhancan99]

Jan nods "something that can use the staff is both corporeal, and intelligent. That means a Wight, or a Lich or a vampire. something along those lines." he considers a moment "good to know. It's a good piece of information and it gives us an idea of what we might be facing. So where are we meeting, and who else will be in our party? What sort of skills do they bring and what exactly are we looking for? just clearing the area or there for something specific?"

 

[siobhancan99]

The tailor shrugs "I have a very nice house in the rise despite not being there much and let me tell you, it beats the hell out of sleeping over a loud tavern that smells like piss and old beer. you should try it some time."

 

[SubPhil91]

"I mean, I also sleep in tents under the stars in fresh air. Not always in smelly loud taverns. Are you saying j should try your house or a nicer inn that doesn't smell and isn't loyd?" Dieter laughs and shakes foods head. "I know there are better ways to sleep. Maybe I should think about that before I go down into the catacombs.. Okay it's a good idea, I need a better night's sleep before going down there." Dieter nods thinking he should actually find a better place to stay until he heads down to the catacombs.

 

[siobhancan99]

As Dieter has found a group, there are much more reputable Inns as the river winds its way north towards the gate. Some of them, in the midbasin are near the the theater district and the various entertainments offered that don't involve sex. Gateside, there's the dolphin which is secure, clean and pricey for the basin but generally considered the best in the basin. On the rise there are expensive and even luxurious accommodations, if a man wants to feel treated like a king (or at the very least some kind of minor nobility).

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison thought for a moment. "Well, we have a dwarf that knows his way around subterranean spaces and weapons. We have a skilled Keshvian sorceress to help with arcane difficulties. I know my way around the machines and security devices of the old empire. I think between the 4 of us, we have an overlap of talents that will allow us to conquer what lies ahead."

"As for the purpose of our delve, I am here to help spur the development of the University. To that end, this will be an educational delve. Where others may look for stashes of coins or powerful artifacts from the lost age, I am hoping to uncover items that are valuable from an archaeological standpoint. Now, some may be useful from a magical or practical standpoint, but I hope to find items to educate us on what we lost when the mountain fell on the city. That is why the Duke appointed me to this delve. I hope you can see the value in that." Harrison said, trying to gauge the taller man's view on the purpose of this mission.

 

[siobhancan99]

Reply to Harrison

Jan hmmms "what really concerns me is that there are undead for me to fight. If it is some other kind of menace I will not see the value... to my church. My assumption is, however, that your instincts are correct and that you will need me. No food grows down here, and so anything in the underground must be an undead or a construct of some sort. Since it can use the staff, its a reasonably powerful undead and therefore of worth to me and the faith. That we are unearthing clay pots and bits of mosaic instead of magical flaming swords means nothing to me. For me it is about the calling. For you, whatever it is is worth risking your life. For my goddesses, if it is time for you to meet them" he grins, but the grin is grim. "it is time for you to meet them"

 

[SubPhil91]

Dieter waves as he leaves the elf's shop. He heads back to the whoring mermaid to collect his things before heading to the theater district. As he arrives he looks around and takes a few minutes to admire the architecture. He spends some time watching the people. Effort heading to the Dolphin to take a look and maybe get a room. As he approaches he takes a look at the building and its surroundings before entering. Once inside he makes his way over to an employee to ask about a room for the best few nights.

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison smiles at Jan's fervent passion. "Then, you are just the person we want on this mission. Staunch defenders and eradicators of undead will make my work go much more smoothly. If that's all you needed to hear, then we can reconvene tomorrow with the others before setting off on our delve. I want to thank you again for answering our call; I can see now that I made the right call to wait for you to join us." He said, once again offering his hand.

Whether he shook it or not, Harrison took his leave and spent the rest of the day buying up any supplies he felt the team might be lacking. While he had his magical goggles to help see in the dark, he picked up a variety of light sources to help once they found a site worth exploring and cataloging. Color was just as important as shape and purpose when it came to understanding a piece. He didn't want to bring out just any old thing he found; he knew it had to be worth researching.

Returning home, he made sure the others knew what was waiting in the morning. As he figured, Miray stayed to get one more night of passion before the delve. There was no telling how many they might have left. After two weeks, Harrison didn't expect her to stay any more and he knew better than to try and talk about a relationship after the delve. She had made it very clear that she wasn't sharing his bed for anything more than a mind-clearing orgasm.

The next morning, he packed his things and waited downstairs for Grimgur and Miray to meet him. Once they were assembled and he'd handed out some packs of handy delving items and tools, he led them back to the Temple Below to meet Jan and start their delve.

 

[siobhancan99]

The inside of the dolphin is the polar opposite of the whorish mermaid. The tables are clean, the flatware is silver and there's an actual selection of wines and beers as opposed to "whatever we've got." There's the smell of fresh baked rolls, and the sizzle of cevpapi on a grill. the waitstaff are friendly, and a few minutes later he's ensconced in a room overlooking the river. he can see that the avenues along the river here are broad, and people seem to actually drink from the river on gateside without worry. Some folk fish along the banks and flowers clearly once grew there, though autumn has robbed them of their splendor. Looming to the north is the Demonska Planina and the fortress of the Duke. The atmosphere in this part of town is definitely different. Safer. better.

When he descends for dinner, there's a few selections and advice with what beer or wine might pair best. While this isn't the nicest inn in town, its a world of difference from where he was before.

 

[siobhancan99]

Reply to Harrison

The casual attitude Harrison had towards Miray had endeared the man a bit to her, but he was right that for now it was fun. Fun before work and then after the work was done maybe no more fun, or more fun, or what have you.

The pair were dressed very differently than before. Grimgur in full plate, with a shield and a morning star. Slung across his back was an axe, and a bandolier of darts hung across his chest. Miray, for her part dressed as a man though her mannish clothes accentuated her curves rather than detracting from them. at her hip was a pair of wands, and on her wrist a focusing gem for her magic attached to a mithril chain. On her forearms were bracers of a type favored by wizards that acted as an armor of sorts. She cast a spell as they entered the depths and her eyes glowed, before resuming their normal look.

Jan had similar lenses to Harrison, equipped for the delve and the long time in the darkness. He held a mighty warhammer, and a stout shield. The shield itself was adorned with the symbol of his goddesses but in the Ludowy fashion... so unlike the statue here with one body and two halves it was two sisters hand in hand.

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison looks around the assembled group, glad to have them all together for once. After introducing Jan to Grimgur and Miray and letting them talk things out for a bit to understand where their skills all fit together, Harrison led them on to the entrance that Livonia told him to explore. He was glad to have the opportunity and confirmed the location was approved by the Temple. Once they arrived at the mouth of the entrance, Harrison opened the satchel on his hip and began to pull out his delving equipment.

His travel leather jacket was replaced with a studded set of leathers that appeared layered like shark scale. He retrieved a set of goggles and slipped them over his eyes, adjusting the focus on them before pulling a hardened cap that he tied under his chin. Surprisingly, he pulled a full length rapier from deep in the bag and hung it on his hip before slipping a coiled whip onto a toggle on his other side. So equipped, he pulled out a climbing kit and slipped it on, tapping his toe into the rock of the floor to see how much bite he might get with his crampons if needed.

So prepared, he gestured to follow him as Harrison stepped beyond the threshold of the opening. His keen eyes scanned every ledge, surface and rock formation. He was checking for stability as well as any security devices left behind in this part of the city.

 

[siobhancan99]

Reply to Harrison

Harrison's skilled eyes and fingers find a way into the newly opened crevasse leading under the elven embassy from his position in the temple. As he makes his way down the rock wall the others follow. The dwarf is the surest climber and makes his way down after the academic. Miray speaks a word and floats gently down, buoyed on a cushion of air. Jan, less sure of himself, hammers pitons into a nearby wall and affixes a rope, making his way slowly down, rappelling.

As the quartet find themselves at the bottom of the tight fissure Harrison can feel the movement of air indicating a passage before he can see it among the rocks. Still there it is, and he can make out a felled column of marble in the Homines style supporting the entrance. That must be where the other sets of expeditions went and where their journey would ultimately take them. Jan whispers a word, then quietly leans in and informs Harrison that he detects no undead within 100 feet.

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison, Archaeologist

Harrison nods in response to Jan's words. With so much of the cave structures made of architectural stone, sound carries and he knows better than to draw attention through unwanted noise. Looking up at the felled pillar, Harrison takes a beat to determine if the column was structural to a building or something that might have line a thoroughfare in the old city. It might give him some idea of where they were in the city and what might lie beyond it.

Reaching out, he let his hand brush the old stone. For a moment, he could feel himself back in the ancient city, hewing this pillar from the rock or pulling on the ropes to put it into place. The weight of the man-hours needed to make it weighed on him, but were gone just as fast as he stepped beyond. His eyes, ever scanning, ever dancing from one spot to the next. There's no telling what protected this part of town. Even with others traveling through this section of the city, he was wary since the city moved between delves.

 

[siobhancan99]

As Harrison examines the column, he can tell that it is most likely an interior support column. There are remains of paint that would have faded and so were not used in external structures. Further the stone itself is not decorative and the column is wide. Chances are, more of these columns held up a roof of some sort. The building would have been a public building, a temple or government building as columns were not common in household architecture. Confirming that guess, Harrison can see down the opened passage which reveals a set of columns which may be holding up an obscured roof of some sort, or in the fall after the city's upheaval happened to catch sufficient debris to make a safe space beneath.

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison walked the promenade of the ancient building, moving to the walls to get some idea as to its purpose. Reaching into his pack, he found a candle and lit it. While the goggles he wore allowed him to see the shapes and outlines of the place in pitch darkness, the colors of the paint would tell him a great deal about what this place was in the ages past. Peeling his goggles up, he held the candle up, trying to spread its light as far as he could.

Reaching into another pouch on his belt, he found a fine haired brush. Swiping it over the face of the wall, he tried to clear any clinging dust, debris or cobwebs. If he could find a recognizable pattern or image, it might tell them which building this is. From that, he might know what section of the city surrounded them and where they might find the best trove of information or treasure.

 

[siobhancan99]

The building was largely full of debris, but where the light met walls, it showed a mosaic of some sort. The quality of the mosaic was middling, implying a government building. nice enough to be decorated, not rich like a temple. Side passages full of stone dotted the wall exposed to open this area, and it seemed that the mosaic indicated various kinds of trade goods. His knowledge of Homines ports would indicate that this was a tax office, and various taxes on various goods would be collected in each of these rooms. An expert from the government would be in each of these offices to discuss and collect the tax. there was always a vault below, where the total take would be. If this area was genuinely unplundered there might be a hoard of homines era coins below.

As he made his way along the wall, he came to a large crack, and a fissure behind it. It seemed that this was not part of the original building, but for now it was the only path.

"what do you see? what should we be looking for?" came the soft whisper of Miray

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Miray whisper to him. He was so lost in his own head, trying to figure out where they were, that he had lost track of the others around him. For a moment, he was a trader in the city, paying his dues on goods he meant to sell. Turning back to the others, Harrison blew out the candle and slid his goggles back down.

"This is where the old City did its business. Taxes were collected here based on the demand. Somewhere below us, we should find a vault of whatever they collected that day before shipping it off to the central vault for safe keeping. We should try to find a way down." Harrison explained.

Looking at the crack in the wall, he frowned. "Not sure where that leads. I'd like to see if we can find some stairs or however the workers here took things to the vault. Let's be methodical, but quick. Don't wander off." He warned, very sure that there will be security in a building where so much money changed hands. He moved from apse to apse to see if one might lead them to the lower floor. While the crack is obvious, this passage may be less so.

 

[siobhancan99]

As the crew moves around, where Harrison would expect the stairs to be are choked with rubble. The crew could either dig it out, or explore the other passage. As they huddle to discuss, Harrison sees the flash of silk in the rubble. Grimgur sees it as well and moves over, crouching "mmmph" he makes a small sound, then lifts it to show a hand, recent "someone's been here ahead of us." He regards the decaying flesh a moment "perhaps a few days ago." then starts cutting the flesh of the fingers so he can pull the bejeweled rings off "might be they triggered this collapse. Might be they just suck at digging. what do you think lad? bring down some real excavators or try the crack?"

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison didn't balk at Grimgur retrieving the rings from the fallen delver. No point in leaving something so valuable behind. He looked at the rubble and the stairs, doing some math in his head. "No, if we dig this out, we'll be at it for days. If I know how this sort of deadfall was built, it was a structural collapse so it's not just some rocks dumped in a hole. With so much of the mountain is sitting on top of us, we're lucky it stopped when it did. We'll have to find another way down..." He sighed, turning to look at the crack.

Before he left, however, he produced his journal from his pack and made a quick map of the floor plan of the tax building along with where the stairs were located. If they found a way down, he wanted to be sure where they were standing relative to the floor above. It might help point out where some of the security was built. Slapping the journal closed, he turned and made for the crack. Before stepping through, he made sure it was stable enough that it wouldn't crack further or seal behind them once they were through. He didn't want to lose his path back to the surface. To make sure he had the most accurate assessment, he called up Grimgur to use his years of living underground to assess the passage ahead.

 

[siobhancan99]

The dwarf slips into the crack a few feet "natural fissure this" he whispers, pointing "you can see that much of this rock has been compressed into shape, probably from the weight of the city and water. its an aggregate. its incredibly uinstable. we need to be careful. honestly i'd want to truss this up and use a digger team here too but.. Someone's been ahead of us" he gestures at some bootprints in the soft earth "2 men and a woman from the look of it. Maybe a day or two ago. there's some air movement here in the cave but not much. Still enough to disturb the prints more if it wasn't so recent. That fits with the decay on the hand too. Your expedition, your call."

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Harrison frowns as he listens to Grimgur's assessment. To be honest, he hadn't studied geology long enough. TO him, everything looked fine beyond the crack, but it sounded more and more like he'd missed something. Looking at the crack and the surrounding structure, he scanned around. "I have some pitons and some rope, would that slow down whatever made the crack from getting worse while we're down here for the rest of the day and into possibly tomorrow?" He asked, not wanting to spend a lot of time here if there already was a team ahead of them.

 

[siobhancan99]

"Not even the tiniest bit" The dwarf straightened "hasn't been any fall from the party that passed through. We should avoid anything that causes explosions, and try not to be laying about or pulling anything out of these walls. if you see something that strikes your fancy, call me over and I'll be the judge of whether it comes out now or requires a safer excavation. Here's a hint. it requires a safer excavation" he winked "But if we tarry we miss all of the best things. I vote for moving forward, you just need to know we can't go crashing about like a great group of Aurochs"