<Anna|Storyteller> Alright, you're all on the airship. You've got the would-be assassin, Nevan and the lady with apples, Alicia. Both have been locked up out of the way for later questioning. You're now all in a flying towards Thorns in the airship, unless one of you decides to do something else. The trip will take a week or two. Anything happening?
* Isaac` is chillin' at the front of the deck, should Solenn or anyone else want to come find out what the hell that was all about.
<Leona> Leona is sitting in the mess hall, eating some food and drinking some ale, feeling quite frustrated and stressed out still though less so now that she knew the guy she nearly gutted wasn't dead.
* Solenn wanders into the area Isaac is in and looks around, before walking over and leaning on a nearby rail/wall. "So which stupid person decided to send a group of mortals to ambush you? Surely noone that knows what you really are." he says grinning at Isaac
* Chroma is also in the mess hall, having a discussion with the little girl acting as the head chef about the nature of Creation's materialistic societies.
* Isaac` doesn't turn around. "Kiri," he leans against the rail in front of him, "I'm pretty sure I know who it was, yeah. I assume you want to know as well then." Isaac doesn't sound his usual, fairly upbeat self for once.
* Mother_of_Sorrow sit next to Leona, face hidden in her hooded robe.
<Leona> Leona blinked and stared sideways at the deathknight who sat next to her before turning her attentions back to her food, ignoring her
<Anna|Storyteller> Mirage stepped into the mess hall, the Abyssal Lunar looking to Leona and Mother briefly before walking towards Chroma, hands in his pockets, "So, how do you like the ship?"
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Not a people person, I see." she comment.
<Chroma> "...and that's why I think the concept of the Guild is destructive, divisive, and foolish," Spark pauses in her diatribe. Turning to Mirage, she shrugged. "I'm...very uneasy about the fact it's actually a creature. Of flesh. I find it almost offensive, but, it is undeniably useful."
* Solenn raises an eyebrow at 'Kiri', before continuing on. "Well, unsurprisingly, to say I wasn't curious would be an outright lie. If these people are going to get in your way I would prefer to know why I am killing them after all." he says in a mild tone.
<Leona> "Says one of the many agents of death." she retorted rather sharply, munching on her food still
<Anna|Storyteller> "If it makes you feel any better, it's also part of a Neverborn's undead soul, technically." Mirage chimed in with a grin, looking to Desire and patting the half-demon chef on the head, "Glad to see the cook is making friends, then."
<Chroma> Desire's cheek twitched, but it was hard to make out her expression behind the blindfold. "Part of their soul? As a great hulk? That's borderline obscene," Chroma frowns.
* Isaac` nods. "Before I came down to Juatra, I was travelling up and down the coast. Short version is I came across an exiled Terrestrial from the Realm who was running a town into the ground. Looks like news finally got back to the family, and they actually want to avenge him," he turns around to face Solenn, "That enough of an answer for you?"
<Anna|Storyteller> "I know, right? It's fantastic." Mirage replied to Chroma with a broad grin, "Well, I'll leave you two to it." He said, moving over to Leona and Mother, looking from one to the other, "I'm sensing some tension here. Need a mediator?"
* Solenn smiles faintly "Quite. Why this seems to be getting you down though... sounds like you did creation a favour." He bows and begins to walk away.
<Leona> She frowned as Mirage approached, blinking, she hadn't met him yet actually "And you are?" she asked
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Well, this place certainly is full of...erm...interresting characters."
<Anna|Storyteller> "Mirage." He replied in a disarmingly charming smile, moving to sit at the table, "Agent of death, much like Mother, here. Mother, we haven't met before, but I've heard about you. We have the same Master. But we're both bad at following orders."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Oh? And what did YOU do to anger him?"
* Isaac` shrugs lightly as Solenn leaves, turning back to watch the clouds or something. He's got enough on his mind already.
<Leona> She blinked again "I see... that's an awfully short name for a deathknight though." she remarked, finishing off her food and wiping her mouth with a napkin
<Anna|Storyteller> "Anger him? Oh, nothing. I just sort of ignore him." Mirage replied with a smirk. He turned to look at Leona, "I'm not strictly a Deathknight. It's complicated, but I was... a Lunar before I became what I am now."
<Leona> There was a noticable twitch in her face as he admited he was a lunar and was now some kind of deathknight lunar "I... see..." she murmured before standing up "Well I must see to other business, good day."
<Anna|Storyteller> Alright, so weeks of flying, everyone does their thing on the airship, and then they land outside Thorns. "So, the plan was... sneak into the Underworld through the Shadowlands around Thorns, head to that city that Innerosia mentioned, and find the... Crypt... Tomb... thing, right?" Mirage asked, looking a little anxious, "Just as long as we don't actually go into Thorns itself. The Mask of Winters is not someone we want to displease."
<Chroma> "I don't think I'll ever get over the idea of one person ruling a city. It doesn't sound too hard though, right?"
<Solenn> "Sounds so simple doesn't it." He looks around the rest of the group "And I don't know about anyone else, but I have no intention of ever entering that city."
<Leona> "Believe me I have no interest in going into thorns either, I want this business done as soon as possible" she seemed rather anxious and stressed as well, even moreso then usual, she had decided that she didn't want her men joining her on this mission but hadn't spoken to them yet
<Isaac`> "The less we have to do with Thorns the better. Better move quickly whilst we still have time."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I have no interrest in getting inside the city either."
<Anna|Storyteller> "Alright, well... is everyone ready to go, then? We'll need to leave The Beast here. Flying any closer to the city would be... unwise. And taking it into the Underworld is probably a bad idea." Mirage said, straightening his outfit and sheathing a sword.
* Solenn adjusts a couple of straps on his armour before flicking his cloak down from over his shoulders. He glances around the rest of the group before following Mirage with a shrug.
<Chroma> Shrugging, Brilliant Chromatic Spark picked up a pack of provisions, armed with nothing but her cloak and disguise. "You quite likely are a better authority than I, on this."
* Mother_of_Sorrow pull the hood over her head and silently follow at the back of the group.
<Leona> Leona had just finished donning her armor and wrapping up her shield and sword "Give me a few minutes to take care of one last thing and then I'll be ready to leave." she said, turning and heading back to the crew quarters where her men were bunking
<Anna|Storyteller> "Oh, I'm not actually going with you." Mirage said with a smirk, "I'm staying right here. Here's a map to where the city is." He handed over the map, "I trust you are capable of finding it. Be pro-active. I'm staying on the ship. Have fun." He turned and started to walk away, waving.
<Chroma> Holding the map, Chroma sighs. "Has anyone actually been to the Underworld? What's it like? I honestly don't know what's prudent."
<Anna|Storyteller> Leona's men were already up and ready, and Jalen looked to Leona, offering her a small salute and a smile, "So, we're going with you, right?"
* Isaac` nods, fully ready before he came down. "Alright, let's go." He notes Mirage returning to the ship, but makes no comment. "I haven't, personally, but I've heard a lot. Can't say how much of that is true though. As long as we stay well away from Thorns and any other signs of civilization we should be okay."
<Leona> She blinked as they were all ready to go, sighing "Um... actually this time I'd rather you didn't." she said "The underworld is far too dangerous and it'd probably be best if it was just a smaller squad of Exalted that went in." she tried to explain
* Solenn mutters "I hate that man" under his breath.
<Anna|Storyteller> Jalen frowned a little, sighing and nodding his head, "Alright, we'll stay here and wait for you, then." He said, "Just stay safe, okay? I know you're all Exalted and all, but... well, this is the Mask's territory."
<Leona> She relaxed a little as he at least seemed like he wasn't going to argue with her but she still felt bad because of his disappointment "I will, well as safe as one can be in these parts... I'm counting on you guys to keep the ship safe while I'm gone okay?"
<Anna|Storyteller> Jalen nodded his head slightly, giving her another salute, "Of course." He said, "We'll take care of things here."
* Mother_of_Sorrow turn to Chroma. "I have. The underworld is...its the underworld. You will see soon enough."
* Chroma frowns slightly. "I'll appreciate any advice you can give when we get there. It sounds disturbingly like the Void."
<Leona> She saluted back "Thanks Jalen." she said, then jogging back over to the group wherever they were at by this point "Okay I'm ready to go, lemme see that map so I can find us a route."
* Chroma hands it over. "Better you than me. I can't imagine how anyone finds their way without a road or tunnel."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Follow my lead." she turn to the group. "Its the Underworld. If any of you wanted a nice walk in the forest with the summer breeze in your hair then clearly you picked the wrong place to go. This is a place of death, of ghosts, of blood and bone. You are in my world now, not your world."
<Solenn> "Sounds great..." He looks at Mother, clearly not completely comfortable following her lead before turning to look back at the party
<Leona> She frowned at Mother of Sorrow "Okay, great..." she murmured, starting to follow while looking at the map, perhaps she could make this trip more profitable somehow, the atmosphere of the underworld made her skin crawl.
* Isaac` peers over Leona's shoulder at the map. "Let's just get this over and done with. The less time we have to spend in the underworld the better."
<Chroma> "That actually sounds rather interesting," Chroma said. "Everything here sounds so interesting..."
<Leona> She did in fact hand the map over to mother of emo, sighing and crossing her arms, rubbing them as if to warm herself
<Anna|Storyteller> The sensation that passed over the party as they stepped into the Shadowlands, and then back into the Underworld, could only be described as unpleasant at best. Except for Mother, who would feel right at home. The air was oppressive, full of death essense that only Mother would find rejuvinating, and while the landscape seemed similar to what they had seen in Creation, it was like all the colour was washed out of it. A world of greys and blacks and reds. And the plantlife probably isn't very welcoming.
<Leona> She shuddered even more "... first time I've been to this place, words apprently don't do the ... feeling justice... lets hurry this up"
* Solenn looks around blankly for threats as he follows, taking in everything that is visible.
* Mother_of_Sorrow take a nice, deep breath. She look at her...allies...to see how they are doing. "Don't touch anything. Even things even I can't name. Especially not those, actually." She look back at the map. "Now then..."
<Chroma> "Aah...Uhh...what...is this? This is..." Chroma lets out a shudder and wraps her arms around herself.
* Solenn looks somewhat uncomfortable "I always forget how... horrible shadowlands feel." he says quietly "I think we should, as Leona says, get this over and done with as quick as possible".
* Isaac` suppresses a shiver as they pass through, nodding. "Heh, don't need to tell me that twice..." he stops for a moment and frowns, "You okay over there Spark?"
<Chroma> "I don't know. I think so. This isn't the Void, it's...dead. I'll be okay, I'm just scared." she says, shivering slightly.
<Anna|Storyteller> It would probably take a few hours of walking to reach the small city in the Underworld where the tomb was waiting for them. Despite the oppressive atmosphere and the downright creepy environment, there were few interruptions during their journey. The city was small. More like a town, and even though it was a deep, dark night, things were quite busy. Ghosts walked around like ordinary people, completely solid here in the Underworld, and generally seeming to be living fairly ordinary lives.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Now then." she clap her hands. "Why don't *I* handle any diplomacy while we are in here?"
* Chroma nods absently, rubbing her forehead where her soulgem lies under her disguise.
<Solenn> "Feel free. I can't say I have ever conversed with the dead." Solenn says, looking at the town. "Where abouts is this tomb in the city?"
* Isaac` nods. "I guess they're more likely to listen to you than any of us... but the less of that we need to do, the better."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I'd rather avoid advertising my presence here, if possible."
<Anna|Storyteller> According to the map, the tomb was among many in the city. It was notable for being marked with the symbol of a black dragon curled in on itself. Why there are tombs in the Underworld, none of you are really sure.
<Leona> "Well they'd probably be less agitated by a deathknight speaking then other living individuals, but the less longer we stay the better, this isn't a place for us." she said somewhat sagely
<Chroma> "I didn't think it could be any more alien than Creation. I was wrong."
<Isaac`> "If you want 'alien', look at the Wyld. This place is just a mirror image," he muses, "Familiar, yet twisted."
<Leona> "Are you even technicly alive?" she asked Chroma suddenly, then blinked "oh... sorry that was probably rude of me..."
<Anna|Storyteller> The group seems to be getting a fair bit of attention, the ghosts in the town stopping in their business to talk amongst themselves. After a few minutes, they disperse, and one of the ghosts, a tall man with black hair and blanched skin approached them slowly, "You strangers have business here? The living don't come wandering here very often. Are you lost?" He asked, glancing to Mother and furrowing his brows in confusion.
<Chroma> "No, it's okay. It's a difficult question. I'm not flesh, that much is true, but I'm alive, yes. I have the soul of a human being, just like you," she says quietly.
* Solenn just stands there, with his arms crossed, looking at the ghost, being his usual imposing self.
<Leona> "Ah I see... interesting... " she murmured, but her conversation with her was cut off as the ghost approached them, she buttoned up and waited for Mother's response first
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "As a matter of fact, we do have business. And trust me, I am no stranger here." she reply to the ghost.
<Anna|Storyteller> The ghost paused, bowing his head slightly to Mother, "Of course. We wouldn't dream of getting in your way, Deathknight." He murmured in recognition, "Is there something you need of us? Some way we can help you?"
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I am looking for a specific landmark here. A tomb, to be precise."
<Anna|Storyteller> "You're here for the tombs? But entrance to them is forbidden." The ghost replied, looking shocked. Then he realised he was speaking to, looking down, "But of course, we serve the Deathknights in all things. If you have business here, then I'm sure your entrance will be accepted. They're easy to find. They're in the Northern part of the city, kept away from our homes."
* Mother_of_Sorrow wave casually at the ghost to dismiss him. Or perhaps to tell him to 'get lost'. She then turn to her companions. "Now then. North of the city, that shouldn't be too hard to find." she lower her voice. "The quicker we do this, the better."
* Chroma nods, and moves to follow.
<Leona> Leona frowned slightly at Mother's ... bossing of the poor dead man around, her displesure rather noticable to mother as she turned around, also moving to follow
<Leona> She admitedly wanted to chat up a ghost at some point but her desire to get out of the underworld was stronger
* Solenn simply moved towards the North, clearly still on edge.
* Isaac` heads out, definitely not willing to waste any more time either.
<Chroma> "I notice the attitudes of the Underworld seem to be superior to those of Creation," Chroma says with a slight smile. "A populace should always aid their guardians and caretakers."
<Anna|Storyteller> The tombs were indeed rather easy to spot. They were left alone, seperated from the rest of the town by a rather large distance, three large, dark tombs with very large, solid-looking stone doors. Each had a marking on top of it, one of a black dragon curled into a ball, one of a large black gear, and one of a black sun.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Ghosts make excellent tools. They recognise Deathknights for what they are." she comment. "But I don't want to advertise my presence in here." An idea come to her mind. "If anyone ask, you are part of an ancestor cult."
* Chroma furrows her eyebrows. "Those symbols. What are they?"
<Leona> She blinked at Chroma "You support beating around the populace like that? People should be far more respectful to the dead." she said irratatedly at both her and mother of sorrow
<Chroma> "Beating? I saw no beating. I saw a helpful citizen volunteer information."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I asked questions, he answered. I've left him go without any harm."
<Leona> "That's not... nevermind." she said sighing, "Lets just get on with this."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "That was awefully simple so far. Perhaps too simple." she says, standing in front of the door.
<Anna|Storyteller> "Yes, all said and done, she was rather polite." Came the voice of a man. Looking up, they would see a man dressed in black with a skinless face looking down at them, grinning a very toothy grin. His red ears were pierced with rings made of bone, and he wore black, except for his cloak, which appeared to have been made from faces. Faces that were stitched together. "You have business here, hm?"
* Solenn raises an eyebrow at the little spat between the three of them, before turning to eye the... thing on the tomb.
<Leona> She turned and went a bit wide eyed at the apperance of the man, wretching a bit but saying nothing
* Isaac` stops dead in his tracks as the man speaks up. Perhaps this was the guardian Innerosia mentioned...? Hm.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I am here with this ancestor cult, we came to visit this tomb. You must be its guardian, I assume?"
<Anna|Storyteller> "If you were told to expect a guardian, then no." The man replied, staring down at them, "And I know that they're not an ancestor cult. Partly because they're not nearly grim looking enough, but mostly because I heard you say 'if anyone asks, you are part of an ancestor cult'." He said, laughing in a rather disgusting manner and dropping down from the tomb, standing in front of them, "Nobody visits these tombs. Don't you know? They're not to be opened. Ever."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "And who said so?"
* Mother_of_Sorrow seems unfazed despite the fact she know that her improvisation has put them into trouble.
<Anna|Storyteller> "The Neverborn, apparently. According to The Mask of Winters." He replied, looking to the rest of the group, "What's the matter? Can't they talk? Because really, you're hardly stimulating conversation."
<Chroma> "Since you invite me to talk, I will. What's inside them?" Chroma talks, her cloaks still obscuring her fairly well.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I think they don't want to waste words on something like you. Well, aside from her...but she's a little naive."
<Anna|Storyteller> "I don't know. The point is that nobody is meant to know. Or go inside. Don't you lot understand 'don't go inside'?" The man asked with a raised brow, peering at Chroma with one sickly yellow eye.
<Leona> Leona said nothing, still seeming rather bothered by his apperance but not wretching anymore, well eventually she did ask "So ... what the hell are you then if you're not the guardian, of what interest to you are these tombs?"
* Solenn sighs before smiling faintly. "I think he is just trying to be a pain."
<Anna|Storyteller> "Flayer Of Hope is the name the Neverborn gave me. Just 'Flay' will do fine, though." He replied, grinning disgustingly still, "And I only take interest in these Tombs because you do. If someone is interested in them, then I'm interested."
<Solenn> "Interested?" Solenn grins at 'Flay' "So do you want to join us on a little incursion inside the tomb, or are you going to get in the way?"
<Chroma> "Then let's be interested together and have a look inside. My name is Brilliant Chromatic Spark."
<Anna|Storyteller> Flay looked thoughtful for a moment, raising a gloved hand to stroke his skinless chin, "Hm... well, The Mask Of Winters told me on no uncertain terms am I ever to step foot inside these tombs, so... I'm... going to have to think about that. In the meantime, why don't you tell me why you're here, and then maybe that'll help me make my decision."
* Solenn shrugs lightly "Why else would we come here to a tomb? I would think its evident why we are here."
<Anna|Storyteller> "You're here to break in and loot them for treasure and ancient artifacts, aren't you?" Flay asked with a laugh, "Am I right? I mean, why else does anyone want to break into a tomb. It's always treasure and magic and artifacts. Well, what's in here, hm? Any idea?"
<Chroma> "I'm more interested in the symbols, at the moment. Do you know what they mean?"
<Anna|Storyteller> Flay shrugged, "I always assumed that the Black Dragon and the Black Sun represented the Ebon Dragon and the Unconquered Sun, but neither of them are dead, so they don't really need tombs. No idea about the other one." Flay replied with a shrug, idly tapping on the large stone door of the central tomb, the one with the Black Dragon on it.
<Chroma> "They're not really tombs if no-one's entombed in them, are they?"
<Chroma> "Thus, orders to not open the tombs would not apply."
<Anna|Storyteller> Flay stared at Chroma flatly for a moment, before shrugging and looking to the others, "Well, that sounds logical to me. So, which of these not-tombs are you here to loot, then?"
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "We didn't say anything about looting. But YOU sure seem interrested in doing so."
<Anna|Storyteller> "You didn't need to say anything. It's obvious."
<Solenn> "Because they aren't tombs? Interesting way of looking at it..." Solenn says with a smile. He turns back to Flay "I have no idea what is in them, this map we have points to this one" he points over at the one with the dragon marked on it.
<Chroma> "I'd like to look inside the one with the gear, myself..." Chroma says, almost shyly.
<Anna|Storyteller> "All right, well, you feel free to do that. I'm going to go report to the Mask of Winters that someone's breaking into the not-tombs, but it's a bit of a walk all the way to Thorns, and I'm really thirsty. I'll probably stop at a tavern or two along the way... so I'd say you probably have two days to get what you want and get out of here. Oh, and I never asked your names, did I? Well, that works out fine too. Loose descriptions will have to satisfy Winters." He said with a cheerful grin, moving to walk away and waving over his shoulder, "If we meet again, let me know if there was anything cool in there."
* Isaac` is... surprised that worked, actually. Once Flay is gone, he finally speaks up again. "Splitting up might not be the best of ideas in this situation. Guess we could go through them one at a time?"
<Leona> Leona just stood quitely through the whole matter since everyone else seemed to be doing a good enough job chatting the ... guy down, she gave a half hearted smile as he said he'd let them do as they pleased with the tombs
<Chroma> "We don't have an unlimited amount of time. No matter how slowly one walks, one still moves forward." Chroma pointed out, smiling.
<Leona> "I'm not sure... depends on how big the tombs are... we may only have time enough to do one if we all stay in a group..."
<Solenn> "Lets get the one we came here for over and done with first though." he looks back after Flay "I think we need to get out of here a lot faster than he makes out, its not like I entirely trust that thing."
<Leona> "Well... I don't trust him so much either but he does seem like the type to do things that'd anger his master so he may very well keep his word..."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I think he has a certain sense of humour."
<Isaac`> "I'm with Ki-- Solenn on this one. Once we have our primary objective, we can check out the other two or head back."
<Chroma> "I...suppose, but I really must know why the Great Maker is represented here."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Three tombs; I say we split up. I'll go into the one with the dragon."
<Leona> She frowned at the suggestion of splitting up "... I do recall us being told that the tomb we're after specificly is very well guarded though so I worry about us splitting our ... strength up amongst the three..."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Thats a good argument." says Mother, only motivated by her own sense of survival and her cowardice.
<Solenn> "Splitting up is failure in tactics. Each group will be insufficient to cope with any trouble that all of us together could handle. We need to stay together to ensure that this task is a success."
<Chroma> "...Alright, alright, I'll go with you to the dragon tomb-like-building."
* Solenn looks at Chroma gratefully "Do not worry, when we have completed are primary objective, time permitting, we will investigate the other tomb."
* Solenn begins to walk cautiously towards the door of the tomb.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "That is assuming Flay didn't run off to get reinforcements." she bitterly comment.
* Chroma smiles at Solenn, even as her false-flesh begins to dissolve off. "So, how does it open?"
* Isaac` stands back and watches Solenn from a safe distance. "If he did, then we'll just have to work fast."
<Anna|Storyteller> Each of the tombs appears to have a very large and solid door made of the same stone. It might be possible to force them open. There was no other obvious mechanism for opening them. And nothing happens when Solenn approaches the door.
* Solenn tilts his head slightly as he looks at the door, before turning back to the others for a moment. He places his palms on the door and braces himself to push the door.
<Leona> Leona moves to help him
* Mother_of_Sorrow smirk, happy that she's not doing any physical work.
<Anna|Storyteller> With Leona's help, Solenn was able to force the door open, though it was hard. The stone was much heavier and more solid than it looked, and turned out to be more than eight inches thick. The sound of stone grinding on stone was rather loud, but eventually the tomb was opened, revealing a dark staircase leading downwards.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Out of the way." says Mother of Sorrow, arrogantly as she lead the way.
<Chroma> "Can you see?" Chroma called down, filters dropping over her eyes to penetrate the darkness.
* Solenn looks at Mother and smiles "Yes, please, go ahead and trip all the traps you find on the way. It will make it so much safer for the rest of us" he says sarcasticly
<Leona> "Sure Deathknight, if you want to be the trap springer go right ahead!" she said jokingly
* Isaac` laughs. "Well at least she seems a little more cheerful than usual."
<Solenn> Solenn then turns to look down the passage, a faint glow emerging from his eyes for a second before it fades.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "I'd like to remind you that we are still in the underworld. It is still my job to guide you. But please, go ahead if you want to."
* Solenn winks "Considering I can see in absolute darkness, I would be glad to. Please feel free to guide us... I just don't want you to get killed."
<Leona> "I would like to remind you that you are squishy" she said pinching one of mother's arms teasingly
* Chroma shrugs, and pulls a golden winged object from her hair. "Gearmo, we're going to need a bit of light. Can you help?" A series of clicking noises came as a response, and a bright light shone from one side of the sphere, pointing this way and that. "Let's go already," Spark said, heading down the stairs, the winged sphere hovering over her head.
* Solenn chuckles before starting to step... cautiously down the staircase after Chroma.
<Anna|Storyteller> The tomb was very dark, but also rather large and spacious. Not cramped at all. The stairway lead deep down below the ground, and even with the light they couldn't see the end of the staircase.
<Leona> She blinked at the winged sphere floating over chroma's head, following "... what's that?" she asked
* Isaac` makes his way down after the others, slowly and carefully. "Wonder who built this thing anyways..."
<Chroma> "His name is Gearmo. He's my friend, and I'm afraid he's had to be rather bored over the past few months in disguise."
<Leona> "... well it- "he" is kinda... oddly cute for a machine..." she admited, watching it fly.
<Chroma> A happy sounding cheep came from the flying flashlight.
* Mother_of_Sorrow smirk, first at the 'squishy' comment then at Leona's sudden change of behavior. "First you tease me, then this. Huh! Your not quite what I expected. Oh and I'll let you know that I indeed am...'squishy'."
* Solenn 's head turns slowly towards the flying thing at the noise, and he gives it a quizzical look before shaking his head lightly with a smile, carrying on down the stairs.
<Leona> She blinked and frowned at mother of emo "... what? what are you talking about." she asked
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Oh nothing, nothing. Unless you really want to know."
<Anna|Storyteller> It was a long, long way down, but finally, they reached the bottom of the staircase and stepped into a large, circular room. The walls faintly lit up as they stepped into it, runes etched into the surface in no language any of them had ever seen before. There was a single door opposite the staircase where they stepped out. The center of the room housed a large copper plate, which rotated slowly, ticking and grinding, a dragon carved into its surface.
* Solenn looks at the plate "That... does not look good" he looks around the room for any clues. Standing quite still of course.
<Anna|Storyteller> There is nothing else in the room of note except for two white sphere about five inches across on the left and right walls. Otherwise, it's just a large circular room, a door opposite the stairs they came down, and a rotating copper plate in the center.
<Isaac`> "Think it's a trap?"
* Mother_of_Sorrow rub her chin in contemplation. "Maybe its a lock."
<Anna|Storyteller> Upon some investigation, Chroma would be able to determine that while the plate didn't appear to be magical at all, though there were certainly some interesting mechanics going on underneath it, the spheres on the left and right side of the wall were obviously magical, humming faintly with essence.
* Chroma moves across the room, carefully, investigating the plate. "Hmmm..."
<Anna|Storyteller> The plate kept slowly rotating, ticking slowly.
<Leona> Leona just watched curiously, unsure what to make of all of it, and watching her step very carefully
<Chroma> "It might be a clock, or something. I could try and take it apart..." she says dubiously, her hand shifting into a multitude of cutting tools.
<Anna|Storyteller> Near as Chroma and Mother could tell, it was some sort of clockwork device. It was very, very old, that was easy to determine. The copper was quite tarnished and worn, only still intact thanks to how solid it was.
<Chroma> "I think it's a timer. I think."
<Isaac`> "Timing from when, or until what? Could've started when the tomb was finished, or the moment we opened the doors up there."
* Solenn shrugs as other members of the group fuss around the device in the centre of the room, moving over to the other door and giving it a push.
<Anna|Storyteller> The door opened easily. The spheres on either wall lit up, and the clockwork device grinded to a sudden, loud halt. The door opened up to reveal a large room with a what looked like an altar. A black dragon was carved into the side of it, and an Orichalcum gauntlet sat on top of it, "Oh dear. You opened the door." Came a voice from a shadow, "You really shouldn't have opened that door. It wasn't meant to be opened for at least another few centuries."
<Isaac`> "I suppose that answers that question."
<Chroma> "Yay! I was right! It WAS a timer!" Chroma says, clapping her hands.
* Solenn looks at the source of the voice
<Leona> "... oops." she said flatly, moving to unwrap her sword and shield, arming herself up for what may come
<Anna|Storyteller> "Yes, bravo. Give yourself a hand." The voice said, the inky black shadows melting around the ten foot tall figure as it stepped out of them. It was very large, with thick wings that looked almost angelic until you noticed that each feather was in fact a black blade, its left wing curling into a shield around a large and powerful arm, its right arm holding a massive black sword.
<Solenn> "Hello to you too, don't suppose you are willing to step aside, hmm?"
<Chroma> Grasping her shoulder, Chroma removed what appeared to be her collarbone, until she flicked her wrist and it bent into the shape of a bow. "It's nice to meet you, I'm sorry we woke you."
<Leona> "hi there, I assume you are the demonic guardian we heard about?" she asked
* Isaac` doesn't even bother going for the normal spear across his back. His hand strays to what looks like a cylindrical case at his side, flicking it open. With a couple more deft movements and some metallic snaps, he's holding a full Dire Lance at the ready.
<Anna|Storyteller> "Quite. Very clever." It replied, standing between them and the gauntlet, "I'm afraid I am required to guard this guantlet. I'd really rather just return to my nap, so if you could turn around and walk away, that would be wonderful." The winged figure sounded tired and resigned, hefting his sword, the blade of which was almost as long as Isaac's entire lance.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Hm, yes, that won't be a problem." says Mother of Sorrows in a cowardly fashion "Sorry to have disturbed your sleep."
<Chroma> "Can you guard it as we carry it? We're not really in any urge to use it, you see." A thin beam of deep blue light shot between the arms of the bow, forming a bowstring
* Isaac` eyes that sword. That's a hell of a sword. "I... don't think your logic is going to work this time, Spark."
<Anna|Storyteller> "Nice thought, but I'm afraid my orders were rather specific. Do you even know what it is you're trying to steal?" The large winged figure asked, content to stand there with his sword until one of them provoked him.
<Leona> "Not exactly but we do know it's very important, care to enlighten us?" she asked him, moving into a ready stand with her shield and sword
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Yes, I'd really like to know."
<Chroma> "We might even leave it here if it's something distasteful."
* Solenn kneels down on one knee before placing his palm flat on the stone below him, continuing to watch the demon, evidently waiting to see how this plays out.
<Anna|Storyteller> "It is the tool that the Neverborn have crafted for ending the life of the Ebon Dragon. It is but one step in their destruction of all Creation." He replied slowly, "And I cannot allow it to be taken. It is not yet time."
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Oh, then tell me. Do the other tombs contain similar instruments?"
<Leona> She blinked "... a tool for ending the life of the ebon dragon? ... interesting..." she murmured
<Anna|Storyteller> "Perhaps." The demon responded to Mother Of Sorrow's question, still holding his blade and shield ready, "Do you seek to claim it in spite of my warning?"
* Mother_of_Sorrow raise her hands innocently. "No, I have no use for that. Trust me on this."
* Chroma walks over to the bronze disk again and tries to spin it. "How many revolutions do you think it'd take to be a few centuries?"
<Anna|Storyteller> The copper plate refused to budge, locked in place now after the opening of the door. Attempts to turn it made those spheres glow a little brighter.
* Solenn 's face turns grim, he looks down at the floor for a moment as he seems to push against it. Cracks begin to radiate out from the ground around him as with an almighty grinding sound shards of the floor spin up and layer themselves over Solenn's body, almost doubling the width of his body and making his already large proportions gigantic.
<Mother_of_Sorrow> "Well it seems this door is open for good or ill." she turn to Solenn "What are you doing?"
* Isaac` stands ready, but doesn't make any offensive moves just yet. His eyes narrow as Solenn readies himself. Is this the right thing to do? He isn't sure.
<Anna|Storyteller> "Fascinating. You bring one of the Dragonblooded against me. And what else?" He asked, looking at Solenn intently, before turning his gaze to Leona, then to Isaac, "Only three of you? Hm."
* Mother_of_Sorrow mutter to herself. "Idiots."
<Leona> You would've thought what Leona was would've been obvious by her fuckin golden sword and shield of solarlyness, she seemed rather impressed by Solenn's display but said nothing to the demon
<Chroma> "I'd rather not fight. I mean, I'm only 10, this seems a bit over my head, and all..." Chroma tries to explain lamely.
<Anna|Storyteller> "Wise girl. I have no wish to harm you either. Talk down your friends and leave, and you all can live." The demon rumbled.
* Solenn stands up from his kneeling position, now capping 8 feet. He turns his head to Chroma "So. Do you have any bright ideas about how else to get this demon to back down, or do you really want to leave here and waste this journey... and above all leave the gauntlet capable of killing your creator, which is no doubt guarded by a similar creature?"
<Isaac`> "...10?" Isaac's concentration wavers for a moment. "Regardless of the outcome, this certainly explains what he wants it for..."