The area of the site stretches across four horse lengths by another four. The ground has a low incline, appearing almost level compared to the rest of the surrounding mountainous land. Within the dig site, there is very little marked. A cloth has been pulled over a patch of land and folded up, revealing a wall segment. It juts up fromt the rest of the land like a partially buried boulder - however, the surface is somewhat smoothed. On its leftmost side as one faces the rock from its buried bottom, the edge of the rock cuts across some carvings, making them indecipherable or incomplete (as is the wall, obviously), but the pattern of four of the seven constellations currently in question remain visibly carved firmly into the wall by some unknown hand. Goran, Lucinda, Deliar, and Aragen, appearing in the places they might in the sky at this time.
After they've spoken for some time, and Katelyn has suggested her plan, Acacea rubs her cheek and looks around.
So... just to recap before you try that! There was probably some kinda wall somewhere before the Breaking, whether a temple or a shrine or even just a wall standing by itself to look neat, and it had the latest constellation patterns on it, which only became interesting when ...it became the latest constellation patterns on it! Probably all seven, though we're guessing 'cause Shindy, Dorand, and Prunilla have not made it with the rest of the wall... all blown up and such... See, what DID make it intact is like the sky right now! Or would be, were it dark! So a pretty good guess!
But things were flung from all over and valleys became mountains and there were volcanos and there were landmasses broken and islands sunk and all sorts of stuff in the Cataclysm, so we don't know where this wall was before, that we could look more into to see if there was some kind of prophecy stuff happening there!
So! The cat person said it most probably came from down and not up, and we'd have to go down. Ferrit's granddaughter (I need something shorter!) wants to try using the Couple's connection to see if we couldn't find where Prunilla went, though hopefully she's not just sand at this point...
Myself, I do not really have much else here, I think. The casters said it wasn't magic - maybe it was magic when it was whole, MAYBE, but it's not now, and I don't really have anything to go on, either! My other thing is that I was hoping there would be some magical hint here that tied the goings-on with the missing people. All we could divine ...or... they... could divine... She sighs. was that at least two were alive, and the recent boy is somewhere dark, maybe below. I'd like to know how the other one the lady looked at was 'different', too.
Even if these are not connected, I would like them found safe! There might be more we could look for by finding more missing peoples and trying to work backwards or combine focuseseses. So I think we've only got more questions, so we might as well hop to looking for things that might point us towards some answers... Whether hand-holdy holy water prayers, missing persons hunts, pre-cataclysmic map hunting, digging, legend hunting, and so on!
She smiles brightly. Unfortunately, a lot of that is, from what I hear, things people have been trying to do already with the stars changing, with no luck so far. So! Carry on...
Foresta watches at Acacea recites her summary and conclusions before speaking to the group in general and adding "Yes I think this wall seems to have been pushed up, but there is nothing nearby worth digging for. We might assume the journey was longer. Whether the important missing fragment lies further below, or in the hands of others is beyond our ken for now. I will have nature's finest little diggers dig deep around this site to confirm this, but I think our wall parts are further afield. For the missing, and for the greater quest, time may be short. Their untimely dissappearance may be connected to things I daresay - maybe others have been searching too and these missing got in the way or stumbled upon something! If we are to find things intact I think, probably someone ought to be hot footing it to somewhere or of course maybe not. Things will balance out in the movement of many, or of the quicker movement of a few, and then it will all become clearer!......probably." Without another word she sets off to recruit some animal diggers to work through and under the dig site, intending to get shifted and muddy herself in the pursuit of prefect balance.
Having over-indulged in the ale he spoke of so fondly during the trek to Brenuth, and awoken after the group departed, Andrew strugggles for some time to follow the tracks left by fifteen or so people to the wall. Provided he is able he then asks for a recap on what they've discovered so far.
Having over-indulged in the ale he spoke of so fondly during the trek to Brenuth, and awoken after the group departed, Andrew strugggles for some time to follow the tracks left by fifteen or so people to the wall. Provided he is able he then asks for a recap on what they've discovered so far.
((Apologies, I meant to include description as well, and have edited accordingly. Barring DM objection you might have either just shown up for Acacea's version or she'd at least repeat that again, not having much to add, heh.))
Keeping a little away from Katelyn's ritual so as not to intrude, she asks curiously of Foresta, "I guess I would like to know why we assume there's an important missing fragment, too. It's not that I don't want to find the rest, it's just the 'rest' could be ... enormous! Or part of something much bigger... has anyone sensed or found anything that implied there's anything to be gained from finishing the pattern? I just kinda assumed it was eroded or exploded or some of it is marred by that rock, too, so...
She shrugs, palms up. I guess I'm more curious about where it used to be than where it all is, now. On the other hand, we have enough feet that anyone could do what they liked, so I don't wanna hold anyone back! I'm just wondering if someone got something I did not, hey? All of the information! I want it! She grins, making a "gimmie" motion with her hands.
I agree on the other thing. Myself I'd rather be on the missing persons team... well... I would REALLY like to check out where this might have come from, but... it is interesting, and probably important, but I don't want to leave 'napped people alone in the dark. For all we know they accidentally zapped themselves down the 'lels or something!
Foresta breaks from releasing some moles underground. Quite what she expects them to achieve is masked in her smiling expression as she turns back to Acacea "I'm not assuming anything about anything. It is likely any fragments will only confirm what we can plainly see in the sky - however if not then perhaps this site is nothing special. When...the Why...this wall was created as you say is the thing." She shrugs "But if another fragment shows some other aspect of what someone at some point in history thought might occur...now thats interesting right...if they got one thing right, such an unusual thing, well if they have drawn something else well yeah I'd be interested in that, you?"
She prods about the site looking for clues, musing over something and eventually asks another question "About the missing, I mean in the big circle of things someone with a vested interest who didn't want us finding anything were to tip the balance away from the centre of things, maybe it might cause us to run about to the edge of the circle, away from where we need to be. Normally I'd say let things balance out, take the long view. But I'm just not so sure here time seems to be important sometimes! Should someone go find why they went missing?"
Mangus stands there still and quiet. He is looking off to an unseen space, the ether, as if his attentions are drawn to a different place. "in deh village..." he mutters to no one in particular, "dey had er wall. Me gramma said it was to keep deh bad things out." He flinches as he is hit by a memory. A cast shadow of some grave event from his past that somehow the gunk of his mind, manages to conceal from his inner awarenes. A blank cover blocking out his own reckoning of that horrible event. The only way to free himself from those thoughts. To function.
The mechanism within him staves the memory away yet again and he grunts Orcfully.
" Mebe diss wall was built....all dem years ago...to keep something out too? ...To keeps out deh bad things?"
*Quenton stands with his right hand covering his mouth and looks to be thinking hard. His attention turns to Kat when she speaks and scratches his head in thought to what she proposes.*
Well, I suppose it's worth a try! I'm no Lucky Clover or anything, I mean... Prunilla gives me a few tricks and sends me a doggie or a bear when I ask, but I don't usually communicate directly with her or nothing... I do have some holy water on me, but I got it from Celador the wizard and I don't know which temple he got it from so hopefully it might work *big grin*. OH I got a couple of these communion wafers too, maybe I should nibble on one while we do this? Ok let's see now, you just want me to put my hands here and over here? I'm not sure if I can reach that far. I'm only this big *holds a hand up at a height just slightly taller than he actually is* (( 2 foot 8 inches so I'm not sure if he can reach both spots)) But let's try!
Stygian considers a few things, and on a hunch decides to walk a few miles away from the rest of the group and explore the feasibility of the block being moved to its current position by a glacier or other natural geological means. He shape changes into a red dragon and takes flight and covers great distances into the surrounding mountains looking for ruins, or areas of stone of the same type as the block. He uses the topography as a guide.
Daniel unloads several picks and shovels from his pack and sets them aside for anyone to use if they are inclined. He then gets out of the way unless asked to help with something specific.
Iri makes a rough sketch of the wall on a small piece of paper, showing the constellations' and broken edge's locations, while Acacea talks. At the end, she gasps a bit.
"Oooo! I'm going to be a legend hunter! I have a great idea! I'll be back! No! Probably not! Unless you plan to dig for forty years, in which case I will certain return before that is very far along at all! But since I think you won't, then we'll meet somewhere else, probably! We'll let the birds gather us! I'll bring a story of a legend! Maybe! Anybody want to go for a walk?"
*watches what each group group is doing*
I'm not really a devote to Prunilla, but I'mma HUGE *raises her arms as high as she can over her head and tip toes* contributor to the church. If I can provide something', I'll surely do it.
However, I also don't like bein' in one spot and diggin' is just not my thing *mouths the word "boring" drawing it out for several syllables*. I wanna go find Jaden *pauses* and another uprisin' of a big ol' piece of wall stone.
If this piece of rock came from the large crater caused by an explosion *pauses again as she mulls it over* I wanna go THERE! *emphazises "there" and bounces a little as she states it* Its another mountain range too. Can a rock move under an ocean? Anyways, too much to think about, just wanna go see.
If some folks are goin' to go look for the missin' people, I wanna go with them too.
And finally, I'm thinkin' about goin' to go hang out with the Jaden's uncle, Mister Albertas.
"Goran, Lucinda, Deliar and Aragen's star formations carved firmly into the wall..."
That leaves Dorand, Prunilla, AND Shindaleria, who can help get a rock across the oceans?!
The blond woman in the red wool riding coat does not remain long at the dig site and heads back toward the town. She spends a short time at the Inn/tavern before she is seen to head off down the mountains toward Vehl.
It takes some time for the hung-over man to get traction. Aging is a cruel mistress to frivolity. Finally, after much talking and moving about by the team and some departures - he notes the wizard, who sits uneasy with him for reasons he can't quite call to mind, and the blonde woman who also sits unwell with him for reasons he's much more cognizant of - he moves to the wall and walks it, sketching as Iri is sketching. He adds details on the wall's composition and thickness, careful to trace the broken edges. He includes a map of the greater landscape and scale. Finally, he takes a sample of the wall from a few areas along it's length. To him it's a piece of rock - to a dwarf, a miner, perhaps one with ties to his new friends in Lusaxon as a way of introduction, it could be a marker for how deep. The boy is "down, dark, alive". Maybe the wall will tell them how far down, and a general location.
Of course, the gnome is right there. "Pertti - what do you know about how deep this wall might have been? What kind of rock is, or was, it before it started the long push upward?"
"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," he says thoughtfully and then is silent for a few moments, "Well the truth of the matter is, I've cleared it down this far and found no sign of an end to the piece. Could be in the next foot or maybe it's fused in a way I can't tell to more of it's kind. As to the type...." he pauses a moment to read the likelihood of comprehension of the technical answer then starts again, "Really this is not an uncommon rock to find in a mountian or deeper into the ground. The shunting of it upward really, like other rocks you might find worn down to, han't scathed it much. Lucky for us!" He grins a bit, gesturing at the markings.
Quenton and Katelyn prepare their prayer ritual with care and attention, and when ready, they combine their voices and efforts together to the singular purpose. Outwardly, there is not much to see beyond Katelyn's more ecclesiastical approach next to and contrasting Quenton's less practiced but heartfelt approach.
Those sensitive to such things take note of the magic that is brought to their ritual surrounds them closely and gently, encompassing the carved portion of the stone as well. It seems, by all outward appearances, to be a well-constructed effort.
Yet despite all of this, by the end of their prayers, nothing seems to have changed at all. The stone did not mend itself, nor were the presumed missing pieces somehow revealed to them or anyone else.
Daniel unloads several picks and shovels from his pack and sets them aside for anyone to use if they are inclined. He then gets out of the way unless asked to help with something specific.
A woman in a shell-shaped helmet wearing purple tinted goggles and a leather coat grabs a shovel and waits for insturctions.
Foresta spends most of her time preoccupied with a small collection of digging animals. She slips away herself periodically. She returns to the camp fire one evening having missed the whole 'blessed' thing. She sits down, looking somewhat windswept and bedraggled, as if she has only been away a few minutes and just in time to see the leather clad, shovel holding woman topped with a sporty shell shaped helmet and complimentary purple tinted goggles. If she is surprised in any way she does not show it. Instead she talks about the wall with such a lack of drama and interest you would think she was discussing the evening meal. "The wall, or what we can see of it is merely the tip and it seems unfortunately reasonable that there could be more drawing further down the wall which actually goes down under the local rock here. It may be wise to hire some Dwarves, or even gnomes to get digging here. Maybe we could fund such a dig by sharing the burdon." She shrugs uncertainly and continues. "There is little natural about that wall popping out here I'd say making it too reckless to just ignore the possibility of managing to locate more writing or the origin of the wall. What is for tea?"
Daniel hands Foresta some trailbread and busies himself with a chipped pot, boiling water. "Tea is what is called for precisely." Cup in hand he studies the partially buried wall for a time silently as he sips. "Dwarven diggers is a fair idea, I could invest a few thousand true note to such an end, if it were called for. Although, I am not certain as to whether such activity is prudent at the moment." The last directed at the goggled woman.
*Quenton stands up just after the ritual is finished and looks confused*
Well... I never dun that before! It felt warm! But.... that's all... Not a peep from Prunilla. I guess since my tracking skills were fer not in finding them missing folk I better start digging! Oh what if I changed form into a mole! or a Badger!
After thanking the gnome, Andrew paces, humming to himself. When the smell of the brewing leaves curls around the wind, he eyes the tea with longing, slipping one of his now-chipped lotus cups into his hand. Subtle - well, no. But Daniel makes a good cup of tea.
"Milady." A bow to the woman, her disguise not at all fooling him. "One might start mistaking you for a Xeenite, what with the preponderance of grape color. And I think that dwaven miners are just what we need." One of the bits of wall is turned round and round in his hand. "If anyone knows what is buried beneath these mountains, it's the dwarves. I think we should plan a trip to their royal hignesses the Coldrocks. We've had good relations before - I say we in a general sense of course, they merely tolerate me in better company - but with Dorand involved, they might be willing to assist."
*Quenton pipes up at mention of the dwarves*
Oh yeah! I once helped save the king from a evil Brotherhood of Strife doppleganger pretending to be a general and he tried to poison the king! I even got to keep this! *pulls a battle axe from his back* I wonder if he remembers that? Oh wait, he was poisoned... I'm sure he does!
"WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!" Pertti calls out in panic as the adventurers begin to move in on the delicate dig site. "Please! Ladies and gentlemen! Wait!"
He pauses for a breath to steady his nerves.
"Pardon my panic," he half apologizes, "Would you be so kind as to move all food items outside of the working area? Also all of the camping supplies? In fact, IF you are intent on staying a while, I am going to need the proper paperwork and I need to know your credentials. *half pause* what your school of study is rather..." He looks around at all of the people gathered, "I don't mean to be an alarmist but this is a very delicate site that is VERY likely thousands of years old and hacking at the ground in an unstructured manor, dropping food crumbs and creating fires will very likely destroy the last forty years of my life..." His expression is just short of begging them to see reason.
Oh, dear Master Pertti, we don't want to harm your site! None of us are trained in your field of study, but we have strong backs, willing hands, some money to invest, and great curiosity. Is it possible for you to teach us how to help you unearth more of this fascinating stone? It would have to be in a reasonable amount of time, though--most of us have duties elsewhere that can't be neglected for forty years. *Katelyn smiles winningly.*
The woman offers her shovel back to Daniel, and then shrugs. She picks up the iron staff she brought with her and makes her way out of the immediate vicinity of the dig site to watch and wait.
Foresta polishes of the trail bread thankfully and nods gratefully to Daniel. She points to the complaining Gnome "You know thats the most animated he has been since we got here. But of course he is right about some things.." She offers as she steps reluctantly out of the dig area with her hot brew. "There is no gain in ruining the wall, no it's a job for specialist diggers and likely not the best use of time for adventuring types and Druids. Me I have others things needing doing and soon must be on the road, or in the air, in this case. But it seems Katelyn might get things moving with our friend here - if he can only grasp the urgency of a large dig team, forty years indeed!"
"Ahem, quite right sir, quite right." Daniel carefully dismantles his small fire and camp supplies, packing it away. "It does seem to me; however, that if one were to spend forty years in this cavern, that a hot cup of tea every now and again would be just the thing. Of course, we'll respect your wishes sir. I do have some questions though. For example, while I appreciate the level of detail here, what do you plan on doing next in this endevour? Also, is there something in it we *vague gesture at those assembled* can help with or are we simply in the way?"
Pertti relaxes as people comply with his requests.
"I plan to keep on doing as I have been," he answers with a shrug. "I've sent back some samples to my compatriots to do some tests as to the age of the rock. Meanwhile, I need to keep working on excavating each layer out here to make sure we don't miss anything -in haste- to make discoveries." He pauses, letting the weight of his words settle over those who might understand them. "I -have- been putting off a trip to Bydell with records of my latest findings. Given the sense of urgency the world seems to suddenly have over the movement of some stars, I guess I can put that off a little longer." He shrugs.
"Bydell, you say. It so happens some of us have good relations with that part of the world. If you wish, I'll be the first to volunteer to convey your information to them, if that would aid you in continuing your work. Perhaps with a hello to the Coldrocks on the return." Slipping a hand into a concealed inner pocket, he rolls King Bydell's coin around his fingers.
He squints a bit and looks Andrew over, then his eyes drift over the rest of the gathered people.
"I don't know...." he says, uncertainly, "These are pretty important papers, and we've only just met!"
"Bydell, you say. It so happens some of us have good relations with that part of the world. If you wish, I'll be the first to volunteer to convey your information to them, if that would aid you in continuing your work. Perhaps with a hello to the Coldrocks on the return." Slipping a hand into a concealed inner pocket, he rolls King Bydell's coin around his fingers.
The woman moves to stand beside Andrew, and then pulls from the inside breast pocket of her coat a silver coin. One side has King Thomas' profile, and the other has Taur'en's coat of arms. On the side with Thomas' profile, it has the words, "Friend of Bydell" printed on it, and on the other side, it has the words, "Ally of Taur'en" printed on it.*. She offers it to Pertti, then takes a strange lantern out of a satchel that it should not fit inside of, bearing hall marks of the Stonetree and Elfbane clans of Lusaxen.
*//Description received from Miltonyorkcastle
Pertti only frowns at the items being shoved at him by the strangly dressed covered up person.
*Taking off her hood, Kat says persuasively:* "Master Pertti, I'm Katelyn Poetr, a Lucky Coin of Deliar. We're well known for honest and fair trading, and you can rely on my word. If you agree, I will be glad to undertake a journey to Bydell castle to deliver your records. I will get them there safely with some help from my friends."
Pertti only frowns at the items being shoved at him by the strangly dressed covered up person.
She returns her coin to her jacket's inside breast pocket, as well stuffing her dwarven lantern back into her satchel. She then removes the shell-helm and pulls her violet tinted goggles up to rest on the crown of her head, matted auburn locks held down behind a leathery strap.
Tyra tilts her head to the side, like a dog hearing a curious noise, and asks, "What's with the frown? You have a venerable horde of willing and trustworthy people - some with clear ties to Bydell castle- here willing to help and you're upset?" She looks back at Andrew and shrugs, before removing her goggles in order to shake out her hair some.
Foresta listens to the conversation revolve, eyeing the ground as if ready to take things back into her own hands. A few moments pass and with a shrug, she lifts a number of small bags onto her back and she turns away. "There are things to be done elsewhere, underground too as it happens, but not here for me, I must fly."She states somewhat simply, eying the eastern sky as if seeking some inspiration. She departs the dig site with a wave over her shoulder and is soon lost to view.
*Katelyn sighs* Master Pertti, I'm sorry if you're feeling pressured. I'm going to return to Brenuth, and perhaps some of these others will come with me. We'll be easy to reach for a while, if you have need of our services.
*speaking to the others* We could spend some time there asking around about new magic talents and disappearing people.
"Venerable Horde indeed," he says somewhat quietly but continues to eye the group uncertainly. "Look, I appreciate the offer but I remain uncertain. We really only just met and these papers are my life's accomplishments to date," he says raising his voice to the group, "I don't suppose you all would understand such a thing? I don't even know if the Aragenites will actually keep these documents and I'd definitely want to have them back if they refuse the documents." He sighs a little, beginning to thumb his chin and look around for people his height.
"Though maybe if I had a promise from those of you with some obvious sense...." he says more to himself than to the group, as his eyes pass over the few right sized people in the group.
Daniel starts to step forward then thinks better of it, instead he nudges Acacea and whispers, "I do think the good fellow is looking for a promise from yourself or those *ahems* of your size. He really seems to have some trust issues with big folk, at least."
She giggles a little at the nudge, her response perfectly audible as she winks to the gnome. "Wouldn't you? A gaggle of cloaked and masked trompers come in and say, 'Hand me your life's research, it's completely safe with me!' Were we bandits, we would laugh at the attempt!"
She lifts a hand to point first to Katelyn, then to Andrew, runes inked into her skin shifting in the light. "I do not know her very well, but her grandmother is a good'un trusted by all sorts of fancy folk, and you can't go wrong with Lucky Coins, even if they are tall." She directs the last playfully to the priestess.
"And him, too, though he'd prolly pay YOU for the privilege if you sent a song or a story with it. Also he owns an inn, and everyone knows where it's at, so you could totally burn it down if he lost them. In fairness, you're prolly not familiar with this sort of crowd, so I'll sum it up - mostly good-intended troublemakers, likely to run into dragons and undead armies on the way to deliver a report about a rock that a few months ago might not have been looked twice at. BUT!"
She holds up a finger admonishingly, eyes teasing. "They will fight ALL OF THE DRAGONS! The paperwork will reach the library likely wrapped in wards the Chasuble of Rofirein wishes it had on it, the scribblers will blink uncertainly at the crowd and the mess, get excited over the contents of the blood-covered box, and then say it will be a few years before this can be peer-reviewed and published, so please return later."
She smiles brightly at that reassuring assessment, looking to Daniel like, "Is that what you wanted me to say?" before looking back to the gnome with a shrug. "I have a feeling you're going to get more visitors, so in all honesty it would be a nice thing for someone fast and capable to do for you before it gets even crazier, if it does. Barring that, this lot would do." She clearly cracks herself up with the last, but is just as clearly joking, trying to make him smile. "I think I should get back down the mountain."
"Dragons?" he asks a little incredulous, "You'd fight dragons to get this report safely to Bydell?" He give the group another looking over. "You are mercenaries aren't you?" He asks shrewdly.
"Mercenary? Not I. As the lady said, I am Andrew Reid, co-proprietor of the Silver Buckle Inn and indeed a fan of song and story. I'd not call myself a mercenary as I rarely seem to get paid - I tend to pick the nicer side of debates over the funded ones. Perhaps a beneficial meddler might be more accurate."
Pertti's eyes go from Andrew to Acacea and then back briefly. He scans the whole group again and then rests his eyes on Acacea.
"If you think ...." he pauses briefly, "If you are sure you can handle this, I will entrust them to you. If the Aragenites refuse them, I would very much like them back." He pauses again, looking a bit worried, "If a choice should come between your lives and the documents however, please destroy them so my good name remains untarnished..." He eases a little, "Just hold the package up to defend yourself from fire breath... It should give you a few more seconds to run...."
Daniel's usual expression of calm goes awry at Acacea's words, his lips twitch, and she can tell he wishes to laugh, but supresses it with a mighty effort. He pats her shoulder with some affection before composing himself as the others speak.
Acacea seems to have looked around between the volunteering parties a moment, then starts, as though thinking, "What, from me?"
"Er... I definitely promise not to fight a dragon over it. And that they will definitely, absolutely, without doubt deliver this research to the dusties! Oh! And I promise to burn down his inn if it doesn't make it." She waggles her eyebrows and grins at Andrew like "Eh? Eh?"
----------
After that is settled, however it is settled, she tugs at his sleeve and asks to be told about the other missing and their experiences prior to encountering the village in arms about the other missing and how they learned of them. Examples, magic involved, rumors they'd heard or conclusions they'd drawn... "Whatever you can tell me anybody knew or thought they were knowing! I am going a'hunting, magic or no."
Pertti eventually digs out and passes the paperwork to Acacea, with words of caution to all of the right sized people about the trouble tall people get into. He asks for their word that if the Aragenites turn away the package that the package be returned to him in some secure fashion (personal escort preferred for the security factor!).
//This thread is 'closed' for now. Additional questions can be asked via PM but gear up for next quest has begun.