Zorlon - Levdia

[Malchik]

Strigid shakes his head. "Not even I know what the guardians are, though I control them. The whole place has been specifically designed to prevent desecration of the tombs. That is what is so strange about what has happened.

 

Did I say prophesy? It is just that to get to Mara's tomb you would need the specific skills I have stated and you have them. How strange that is. But it makes me hopeful that something can be done.

 

Please go through the door. The guardians will not attack."

 

He thinks for a moment. "I have no knowledge of what you will find, I am sorry. But take care."

 

For a moment he seems almost human.

[ThetaOrionis01]

Lurel looks at Strigid gravely, and bows.

"We will do what we must," he says softly. "I hope that whatever happens in there it will be for the best of all of Zorlon."

 

He looks at the others and shrugs.

 

"I suppose hanging around here isn't going to achieve anything. Let's go."

 

He glances at the princess, wonders what her part in this venture is. Can they trust her - can they trust any of the Avelyssians?

 

 

"Princess," he addresses her, "we were told that there are things you would be able to tell us, about this Mara, and the Keeper. Will you tell us what you know while we make our way towards the tomb?"

 

He begins to walk towards the door.

[Switch]

Ford follows Lurel towards the door, somewhat hesitently, and watching his footing.

 

"'We will do what we must'... why do I get the feeling something bad is going to happen?"

[Malchik]

Walking through the door you are teleported instantly away. You find youself on a boat travelling in total silence along a black oily river. Behind you the river emerges from a high cliff face. To either side colossal statues of frowning men point away from the direction in which you are going.

 

The high sides of the valley press in on you. They seem to be made up of gaping tombs and mausoleums. At times, perhaps a trick of the light, there seem to be tumbling hordes of skeletons rising from the earth and stretching their hands towards you. When you blink, they disappear.

 

In front of you in the distance are two further colossi pointing back. The river disappears over a waterfall but without any sound. The boat pulls up at the left bank at a narrow jetty. As you round the first corner the path splits. You are currently in the bottom of a narrow gorge. To your left, a staircase cut precariously in the side of the rock leads upwards. To your right is a cave. The gorge continues for a few paces in front of you and then bends to the left and out of sight.

[Switch]

"AAHHH!!"

 

Ford blinks.

 

"Er... what? I could have sworn I saw a bunch of skeletons... nevermind..."

 

He follows closely behind Lurel, not wanting to be the one at the back of the group. He looks from left to right.

 

"So... which way?"

[ThetaOrionis01]

"Good question," Lurel says. "I don't like leaving unexplored caves at our back, and I don't trust that staircase, but then again we're the strangers here and don't know what we're meant to do. Princess, do you know the way, and what we might find in that cave?"

 

He waits for the Princess to say something, but is already half determined to explore that cave at any rate.

[Kethruch]

"I guess it is about time I told you what I know," the princess says. "I didn't want to say much in front of Strigid because of the degrading way he talks back about things that some of us hold dear." She takes what appears to be a great breath, then continues.

 

"Mara was a warrior who comforted my father after my mother died. He entered into a great melancholy that affected his health adversely. Mara helped him, and he regained his former self. Unfortunately, she died about a year ago, and was put into the crypt. Since it's been discovered that it's been defiled, my father's health has once again greatly deteriorated. Also, I worry about the impregnability of Shaura's prison. If they can get into here....." she trails off, then recovers. "Shaura is the evil one who is brought forth every year to remind Avelyssia to remind them of what has gone before. I am worried that someone is practicing to see if they can get the pieces fo the key to lower the force that keeps him from psychicly affecting the minds of my fellow Avelyssians."

[ThetaOrionis01]

"I think your answer contains yet more questions, Princess," Lurel replies thoughtfully, trying to take in any possible implications for their mission. "First of all, did Mara have any enemies who would do this to her grave? Or does your father have enemies who would use this way to get at him?."

 

He pauses briefly.

 

"And then you mentioned an evil called Shaura. I think we need to know more about this. What form did this evil take, and how was it banished? You mentioned a key - what does it consist of? And what connection could there be between Shaura, and Mara's tomb?"

 

Glancing at the steps leading up he mutters: "And we still don't know which way to go."

[ThetaOrionis01]

Lurel waits for a bit longer, but when no one volunteers an opinion, he sighs.

 

"Did I ever actually ask to be leader? If so, I must have been temporarily insne," he mumbles with a grin. "Very well then, let's have a look at that cave - and let's hope we don't walk straight on to some monster's dinner plate."

[Malchik]

You take a few paces into the cave. The light is dimming rapidly although there is a weird phosphorescence that bathes you alternately in green and purple light. The tunnel bends to the right and branches into three directions. Faint noises can be heard but it is impossible to say from which direction or whether it may be all three.

 

OOC> I am away until 12/7 and Theta for the following week. I will reopen the thread when Theta returns.