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 Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 5:01 pm
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Treasure TroveSquires' Finale - Part 4- Continuing from Part 3 here -
On the other side of that dark hallway is a fancy door. It is finely ornamented with gilded filigree accenting the pristine panes of colored glass. In the center of the door is a stained glass owl. This door seems out of place among all the ruin and decay of the fortress. Perhaps it is brand new.
Lacking better options, they have to press on and see what's on the other side of the door. The hinges creak and scrape, announcing to the squires that the door is in fact, not new. The door opens to reveal a fantastical sight. Ahead of them is a large, round room with a glass dome. The glass of the dome is not intact but not broken or missing, instead, looks like it was frozen in time just before it was catastrophically destroyed. Some of the stained-glass scenes are perfectly preserved, showing images of dragon-like creatures in battle, forging, in celebration, in peace, and in prayer.
There is a tree in the center of the dome that is void of life, and perched up high is a giant crystalline owl with wings spread wide, suspended as it tried to escape its fate.
Surrounding the tree are displays that have been preserved. Scrolls, texts, weapons, armor, and various historic items are on display. However, all of the text is written in an ancient pictograph language, decipherable by no modern pae. (well, maybe one). The tables and chairs that were once used for guests have been long destroyed, unable to be preserved.
There has to be a reason such valuable items have been so well preserved, but untouched by the denizens of this dark fortress, right? As tempting as it may be, the Squires probably shouldn't touch anything in this room.
On the opposite side of the domed room is a small door, barely noticeable among all of the historic treasures of the room. The wooden doorway suffered the same fate as the furniture the room. Odd how the wood in the room did not survive.
~.~
The objective is to reach the other side of the room and examine the door without triggering any booby traps.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:44 pm
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After urging the group onward, Genesis defensively took flank to the burdened Kurt. With his hands being full and Cria knocked out, the two were sitting ducks to any danger they might face as they pushed on. They hadn't made such sacrifices to rescue these two, only to leave them unprotected as they trekked deeper into the unknown. Her normal composure was dropped for a moment as they approached the door, it was beautiful. She lowered her defensive stance and her jaw. How could there be something so beautiful in this place?
As the door made what felt like the loudest, most obnoxious sound in the current stillness, announcing their presence to the whole isle, Genesis was snapped back into high alert, pulling her sword up to brace for whatever might be past the door. Despite the wonder that filled her as she passed into the next room, Genesis remained guarded this time. She shook her head at the strange magic that had seemingly enchanted this room, and yet, it made her fear the room. As she pushed onward, keeping to the center of the room, she squinted at the stained-glass images that surrounded them. She would have ventured to take a closer look if it wasn't for her protective tether to Kurt, she wouldn't wander from his side and leave him open. Setting aside her own curiosities, and remembering her duty, Genesis' eyes quickly darted around the room, checking for any immediate threats.
When she was certain nothing was about to jump at them, the female allowed her eyes a moment so slowly go over the other details of the room. "What is this?" She spoke aloud, although she didn't expect anyone to have an honest answer beyond what she could see for herself. The room just didn't make sense, what were these pictures on the wall? They painted a story she had never read of before, and those scrolls stacked there... she was certain they would have information in them that was unknown to the city... Genesis could probably lock herself away in this room for days, pouring over these things, but that wasn't the mission... perhaps if she just grabbed a scroll to take home as they were passing through. This place was well preserved now... but how much longer before all this information was sadly turned to ruins, matching its home.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 3:07 pm
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Eligor followed a few steps behind Genesis, staff tapping gently to rest on the floor as he paused to look over the displays circling the room. Fascinating...how old were these artifacts? Who had collected them here? And for what purpose? The scrolls were of particular interest to the scholarly mage; what mysteries could be contained within their secretive depths? He had paused only momentarily, glancing up at the tree and the shattered glass overhead with wariness. Cracks spider-webbed through the glass completely, yet somehow the dome remained in place. Hopefully, it would remain so and not come raining down on top of them. Careful, quiet steps; no loud noises or wild movements and they should be fine. If the glass had held for as long as it seemed, given the decayed state of the room's furniture and the far doorway, one would hope it would continue to hold while they passed through.
He continued to marvel at the unknown artifacts when he caught Genesis' question. Not that he knew either, but he gave a bit of a shrug and offered in reply, "Some kind of...exhibit, it seems? That's a wide variety of different objects on display, but clearly there's some kind of significance and commonality that we're just not seeing. Or comprehending, I suppose," he corrected, staring pointedly at the alien figures in the stained glass.
Lailah followed a few lengths behind, eyes scanning the room warily. Still, it was a relief to be out of that confining storage room, in a place that felt more open, had more air...more possible escape routes should they need it. She wasn't relaxing completely though, not when they still had untold dangers ahead of them in getting out of this place.
Still, no sign of Knight Lord Andrei.
Kurt and "Cria" (for lack of knowledge on what his actual name might be, but just going by what Kurt had called him) had been of little help on the matter. The younger had seemed to show some response to the Knight Lord's name, but they had gotten little more than that out of him before he fell back into panic and fear. When the suggestion had arisen to knock him out for now, Lailah had been happy to volunteer. Not for any reason other than being eager to get moving, of course.
This room felt different than the rest of the keep had. Clearly it looked as if it belonged somewhere else....at least the surviving bits did. The ruined wooden furniture fit right in with the rest of the disrepair this place seemed in. The angel paused, one hand touching the back of a chair which seemed to crumble at the touch. One leg collapsed, the chair leaned precariously, and stirred up a thick layer of dust and ash. Lailah lifted one arm to shield her face before moving along.
She had little interest in the scrolls like Eligor and Genesis, but another case did catch her attention. A weapon display; within it, a blade shining as if it had been forged only days before. It was perfectly preserved, the light playing along the razor sharp blade. It seemed perfectly balanced...Lailah looked at her own weapons. Sturdy, trustworthy, if a bit worn and showing use; but nothing like the shining blade she saw now. Though, upon looking, it seemed it would be a bit unwieldy for her usual fighting style. Though it was designed like a dagger, the length would have been more like a short sword for her. Still, it was a beautiful weapon...
Finally tearing her eyes from the weapon, Lailah focused on the dead tree in the center of the room. Creepy. Something in this room was setting her at ill ease, though she couldn't pinpoint what exactly. Best they keep moving, probably.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 3:52 pm
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Katya too found herself staring at the scrolls and artefacts surrounding the withered tree, wondering at the possibility of liberating some for the archives back in Telrunya City. The distribution of rations and medical supplies had freed up enough space in her pack for a scroll or two, although any of the weapons or armour would easily be too heavy or cumbersome for her to drag around, and besides they might be more useful in the hands of a comrade who had some proficiency in melee combat. She moved deeper into the room, wings fanning out both as an expression of relief at having left the cramped closets and corridors behind them, and as a means to get a good stretch in and get the blood flowing properly again. Moving cautiously but quickly, the red demon sprung ahead of the group slightly, her keen eyes scanning the dim room and the spectacular, yet somehow ominous, glass dome and the crystalline owl beneath it.
The owl. It held her gaze longer than the dome did and was the one thing that did more to make her feel uneasy than the rest of the room. It was a massive raptor, and she would have been happy to quietly leave the room had it been a living creature. Katya moved to a part of the room away from most of the artefacts, fully extended and lowered her wings to about shoulder height then sprinted forward a couple of steps before pumping her wings downward to lift off. This let her get airborne without kicking up too much of a whirlwind from her broad wings, leaving the scrolls laying about largely undisturbed. She dared not fly any higher than where the owl was perched, seeing as the glass above was already broken, instead merely climbing to where she could get a better look at the owl and the roof and circling leisurely, so she could focus on what might have happened here. Had a weapon of some sort struck the glass dome from the outside? Had some calamitous force struck it from within? Katya knew, of course, that the absence of physical evidence could possibly imply a magical cause as well. The owl too, a crystalline marvel far more intricate than any craftwork she’d ever seen. It felt to her as though more clues were hidden with it than with the roof. She made a slow, silent pass close by to get a good look at it, without touching it or the branch it was perched on. Once satisfied with her investigation she could return to her scouting duties and keeping an eye on every possible entrance and exit, watching vigilantly for any threat that might present itself.
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 6:46 pm
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Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2020 11:06 am
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Disappointed that his attempts to communicate with the mute youth hadn't yielded any fruit, Dante fell into the middle of the group as they moved into the next room. Just before they went through the door, he closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer. Protect us, Guardians, and, as always, your will be done in this place. Before he could really see what was going on in the next room, his ears attuned to the sounds of his comrades: changes in breathing, hands shifting on weapons, their shuffling footsteps. Something was afoot in here.
As he emerged into the room, Dante could easily see what had caused these reactions. "Beautiful," he signed, one-handed, even as his other hand gripped his staff apprehensively. He didn't trust a damn thing in this cursed place. Still, like some of the others, he salivated over all those scrolls and texts. As Genesis and Eligor wondered aloud what this place was, Dante was sure: "Archive," he signed. "Someone made a big effort to keep it safe." Maybe after the evil in this place was driven out, they could come back and catalog these artifacts and historical texts.
He was drawn to the ceiling. The crystal dome was impressive, and also looked like it could come down any minute. He followed Katya with his eyes as she took flight--always a magnificent sight--and kept an eye on the spider-like cracks in the glass.
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:28 pm
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The last to enter the room, Alethea paused in the doorway to stare at the crystalline owl. It was beautiful, glittering in the light. But where did the light come from? There was no sky beyond the broken glass. There was something unsettling about this place. She had a feeling there was something more sinister to this room than appeared. Before taking a step towards the tree, she caught a glimpse of Eligor and Genesis standing by some scrolls. The longer they were trapped in this Guardian-forsaken place, the more her hatred grew of the girl. She didn't know how to deal with these feelings at first, knowing they were wrong. She needed to pray for guidance, but at some point in the journey in this fortress, she'd decided to give in to the hatred and embrace it.
Little pink fists almost punched through the glass of a display case out of frustration. A glint caught her eye, bringing her attention to the antique dagger safely nestled within the display. Several fancy weapons were set up along the wall opposite that of the documents. Her fellow squires seemed preoccupied with the tomes and scrolls, which gave Alethea an idea.
Don't do it.
Why not?
Don't do it. You'll regret it.
No, I am fairly certain I won't. I have to do something. This is the only way.
Don't give in to the temptation.
Alethea didn't listen to her voice of reason. After affirming that her fellow squires were all looking elsewhere, she pressed on each pane of glass looking for a way to open the case. It didn't take long before she found the opening. Her hand slipped in and she grabbed the dagger. She palmed it and continued on to join the rest of them.
"So now what? Should we press on?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 9:59 pm
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Genesis studied Dante's signs. "Certainly, but whom..." she said agreeing with his assesment about someone trying to keep it safe. A small whoosh behind her, Genesis turned around to find the broken down chair that Lailah had disturbed. Breathe. Her golden eyes narrowed, shaking her head as she turned forward once again. Ahead of her, she watched as Katya took into the sky, it was enough to distract Genesis from her own temptations to take a scroll. Genesis eyed the seemingly frozen ceiling nervously, who knew how far its magic reached. It had to be magic, which just made Genesis' unease worse. What was Katya thinking? "Katya... what are you doing?" She asked in a hushed voice, she didn't like the idea of messing with that owl.
A voice broke through, should we press on, Genesis hadn't noticed that Alethea had taken something, distracted by Katya. "Yes..." her voice said sternly, pointedly looking at Katya, "I think we-" Her voice broke off. Damnit...
"Go!" She urged Kurt beside her, lending him an arm and some of her strength since he was carrying Cria." Her heavy sword was held weakly in front of her with the other arm, she had no idea if it would fend off whatever was coming out of the owl's mouth, but she had few options right now. "Behind the artifact!" She pushed onward, hoping a pillar holding an oddly shaped... helmet maybe... would shield them long enough for her to focus on finding a way out of here...
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Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2020 6:05 pm
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The attack owl received a dulled expression, as if it was an everyday occurrence. Long since losing his will to speak, he hardly had the will to even move. Will lacking, the older male was at least compliant. He moved where Genesis pulled him. The real care was in Cria, he held the other male close, cradled and "shielded" as much as his ruined wings would allow.
Weak, tired, hearing voices that didn't always sound like the teens. They sounded like his captors mocking in his ear, a far away whispers. Had they been of any kindness the sounds would be warnings. Instead, it sounded like threats in his mind. Threats he felt as numb to as the threat in front of them. Without Cria, he wouldn't have even moved. Instead, he followed where he was lead not putting up a fight.
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 8:31 am
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Dante, truthfully, had not noticed the crystal owl, because he'd been distracted by a much more attractive flying creature. Well, not until it sprang to life. His free hand formed a word most unbecoming of a young squire before he gripped his staff with both hands. He wanted to shout at Katya to come down but, as usual, no sound left his lips.
Realizing that his weapon wouldn't be much use in a fight, though he fantasized about using his staff like a baton to launch the bird back through the ceiling (he would unpack this thought later), Dante followed Genesis' lead, sliding behind the pillar with her.
If he couldn't fight, he'd be clever. Golden eyes scanned the room. What had brought the owl to life? Okay, Dante, think. This room had been perfectly preserved. Which meant its contents were obviously important to someone. So why leave something so precious unguarded? You wouldn't. So the owl must be the protector.
Okay, great. So why didn't it attack them right when they came in? Remembering an old folk tale he'd read as a boy, Dante suddenly had an idea. Had someone touched something? Obsessed with scrolls as they were, he and Eligor and Genesis had been careful not to disturb them. Maybe when Katya took off, the wind from her flight had ruffled something. He scanned the room again and his eyes landed on a glass weapons case, slightly ajar. That...almost certainly hadn't been like that when they'd entered.
He tapped Genesis' shoulder to get her attention, then pointed to the case. "Case is open. Did someone touch something? Owl is protecting the artefacts." He signed as quickly as he could. "If we close it, maybe the owl will calm."
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:20 pm
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 1:49 pm
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Dante had been just about to dive out from behind the pillar and sprint over to the weapons case to investigate when Alethea had arrived. Her breathless question gave him pause. The barrier they'd taken down? He hadn't thought of that. It was strange that nothing had really happened when the barrier had come down. Nothing had jumped out to attack them, no traps seemed to have been set off. Surely the act of dismantling such a powerful spell, one holding the two captives bound, would have had some ripple effect afterward. If they hadn't saved Kurt and Cria, would they have walked through this room without incident? "I...don't know," signed Dante, brow furrowed.
He spent another few precious minutes in thought, paralyzed by the possibilities, before he finally snapped out of it. "No, that doesn't make sense," he signed. "Everything else happened right away." Everything else they'd encountered had had consequences happen right after the action. The owl had to have been set off by something in this room. "Weapons case is open," he repeated for Alethea ((and anyone else who'd joined them behind the pillar)), pointing to it again. "Gonna go look. Maybe someone bumped it."
And he zipped toward the case, sliding on his knees to duck behind it while he examined it. He saw that the glass doors, impressively crafted to display the weapons rather than really protect them, were ajar. And it appeared a weapon was missing! Something small, judging from the size of the void. How would that have happened? They hadn't been in the room for more than a few moments, and there were ten of them, including the two they'd rescued. How could someone have stolen something from under their noses to set off this trap?
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:45 pm
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With herself and Kurt and Cria safely (at least for now) behind the column, Genesis took the moment to scan the walls of the room, searching for their way out. She should have done that from the moment they entered the room instead of getting distracted by the scrolls. Although even as she scanned the walls for the way out her mind had already planned to grab a scroll as she ran for the door.
Her eyes flicked over to Dante as he tapped on her shoulder. His idea made a lot of sense, she nodded her head in agreement. When she saw the case that he had pointed to Genesis' eyes narrowed. In a place that was so meticulously preserved as this room, it was clear a weapon was missing from the case. "Lailah..." Her mind has instantly jumped to the conclusion that Lailah would have been tempted by the weapons. Despite falling for the same temptations, Genesis was frustrated with her comrade.
She peeked around the column, trying to find Lailah, only for Alethea to show up first with her own ideas of what had caused their newest predicament. The angel decided to give the alternative some thought before jumping to conclusions, but ultimately she reached the same judgement as Dante. "This archive was peaceful when we arrived... I cannot imagine that the pillar's destruction is related..." At least not directly related to the owl's sudden awakening. Perhaps the barrier's destruction was related to the strange magic that had enchanted the ceiling though...
She watched as Dante took off towards the case, but Genesis wasn't going to wait on his investigation. Her eyes found Lailah, "Put it back!" Genesis called out across the room. Maybe that would satisfy the owl... or maybe Genesis really needed to get back to finding the way out.
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Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 5:19 pm
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At the first scream and sound of shattering glass, Lailah's instincts kicked in and she threw herself to the side, rolling and halting behind the remains of what was once a table. Not the best cover, but it was closest at hand at the moment while she tried to pinpoint the source of danger. Shards of glass rained down from above and she barked from behind the barrier, "Katya! Down!" Likely unnecessary as surely the little demon would have headed earthward immediately...she would hope so at least.
The first blast had come this direction, a pink blur streaking away from the spot it had targeted. Alethea was clear...the rest of them would have to stay on their toes though. Of course, Lailah was too far away from the others who had been near the scrolls on the other side of the room to hear the discussion or see Dante signing. All she heard was Genesis yelling 'Put it back!' with no other context. She glanced to either side; nope, she was still alone over here. Was Genesis talking to her? Put what back? The chair that had crumbled? Okay, sure, she probably shouldn't have touched it, but come on. Stupid owl couldn't be mad about that, could it? Not with all the other broken down tables and chairs already here when they arrived. Besides, last she checked, she couldn't rewind time. "I don't think there's enough glue in the City to turn that back into a chair," she barked back irritably. Stupid chair had been about to fall apart anyway. She probably could have looked at it wrong and it would have collapsed.
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