Two horsemen ride up to a tavern...

“I know. I just want to know what I paid for it.” He doesn’t move, though his stare is disconcertingly long on Thrandimir as he considers.   “These greater entities. Have you ever seen one.”

Thrandimir shakes his head. "Like so many things, I have only read of them. Perhaps, one day, we can forge that new frontier together," the wizard adds with a kindly smile, although it's clear that the prospect would genuinely excite him.

The rest of the watch moves by with only the drip..drip..drip  of the water and the crackle of flames to mark the passage of time. Eventually, Thrandimir finishes his spell research with decent progress made and beds down, waking Kaed to take his place.

After the wizard has fallen asleep Kaed turns to Ascian, from his spot near the entrance to the cave, whispering, he nods at the sleeping mage, "He is a strange one,the old man, I suspect there is a lot more that I do not know about him. He makes me curious. I had planned to see what I could find in his gear, but I find myself reluctant to. Perhaps he has cast a spell on me?" The smile belies his accusation, as he turns back to stare out towards the outside. "You make a formidable pairing the two of you, I think you scare the others with the distance you are willing to go to reach your goals, I see the sense in it. The outcome is more important sometimes, but make sure you are still being your own person. He is a very charismatic man, if that is what he truly is," he adds with a low chuckle "Be Ascian, walk your own path. Wherever it goes." Kaed stands, stretching his neck and them his shoulders, "We are all changing,  aren't we? We become other things, this darkness I create in battle, the magic that has come out of me, it is a wonder. I hope it is not a curse, but I have to say I like being able to see in the dark. I know it is not the same, but I want you to know that we all grow, we all change and there is always fear in the unknown. But you have powerful and wise friends, and you have me, who may at times lack wisdom, but makes up for it in courage, you will be fine, you will see." The tribesman looks back at the slender man, and shrugs "Well I have probably said more than I should,  I hope I have not offended you, making assumptions about you. If so, I apologise."

“You haven’t offended. I have seen your courage firsthand, and still think it a good thing the spell was cast; if  you had tried to take his things again, we might find ourselves on the end of one another’s blades, and neither wisdom nor courage would have helped us,” Ascian remarks without vitriol, tying a final knot before looking back at the sleeping Thrandimir and back to Kaed.   “ But I have already seen that you don’t trust him.  Why.  I know neither of us are to the tastes of the others. But I don’t understand why his conviction is something to be feared. Not if we’re all working towards the same balance.” And they were, weren’t they? At least, that’s what Thrandimir had said.  He pauses, the words coming with neither inflection nor judgement. “If my path goes alongside his, you seem to think that would be a bad thing. Would it be just as bad to go alongside Katrin’s. Or yours.” He coils the rope riddled with knots around his hand and then abruptly unspools it to begin the process anew, peering up at Kaed through unkempt white-blond hair. It hasn’t escaped notice that he was not the only one to be different after Fireblade - but Kaed’s magic had seemed more blessing than curse, be that the truth of the matter or simply the power of his magnanimity. “Your magic - where does it comes from. Thrandimir said his came from study, Kou and Katrin’s from the gods. Callahan’s from nature. What of yours.”

"It isn't that I dont trust him, I trust that he will do what he thinks is right in.order to succeed in his current goal, his methods are sometimes less easy to resolve, although I think the others struggle more than I do, especially  him, obviously." Kaed points at the large sleeping form of Cal before stepping closer to Ascian, the distance between them quickly eaten up by his silent strides. "The changes in me may not really be changes, more of an unlocking. I had no idea I could do these things, it is possible I could not, but I believe it has been in my blood passed down in my family. Which is why I treat them with a little caution, and honestly maybe even a little fear. The only person I have seen who could do this is not somebody I wish to be. I have to believe this will be mine to control not something which will come to control me."

Ascian’s hands still on the rope in front of him as Kaed quietly approaches, intrigued. It had never occurred to him that though it might be a battle, it was one that could be won. “You believe it’s a choice,” he notes slowly, looking up at the barbarian from his seat on the rocky cave floor. “ Have others controlled it, or do you plan to be the first.”

"I believe I am my own master, I will control it if I have to, and if it is not something that needs to be controlled then I will use it when I have need and I will still be Kaed, only with great powers. Let my enemies tremble at the merest mention of my name." He winks at Ascian, clearly joking at his own expense. "But in answer to your second question, I do not know if others tried or needed to try. I was a small child the only time I have ever seen anything like this and then only briefly. If I were to judge from that alone we should be gravely concerned of what I could become, but I will not believe that is my future." His face has grown hard in the time he has been replying, and he makes a conscious choice to relax,  looking at the fire as it flickers, casting back the darkness in the cave, taking a breath as if to focus himself he adds, " There is more to me than shadow and anger, and there always will be."

Ascian nods slowly, listening to the barbarian’s tale. “I’m sure of little any more,” he admits, peering up at Kaed. “And I’ve not known you long. Still, know that is one of few things I do not question.”

" Ha, it pleases me to hear it, my friend. But this conversation has taken a gloomy turn. Shall we cheer ourselves up by seeing what the wizard has under his hat?" Kaed's young face is pure mischief but then Thrandimir moves slightly in his sleep and the tribesman pauses, " Hmm I think I can wait until we have triumphed here in this strange place before I poke that creature."  Ascian sees the broad smile play out on Kaed's face as he moves back towards the entrance to resume his watch.

After being woken up by Kaed, who promptly falls asleep, Katrin sits by the fire, staring into the flames. For a brief moment, she considers saying something to Ascian about the days earlier events. But seeing the look on the young man's face, she decides it best to let him be. Instead, she places her amulet on the ground, and with a small piece of charcoal, inscribes a runic circle around it, whispering a short prayer in Dwarvish. She closes her eyes, watching through the coals in her mind as Tempus guides her to the magic he foresees for the coming challenge. After her prayer, she spends the rest of her watch thinking on Rose, and that this would all be worth it to come home to her love.

Cal was the first to lay down, but it took him hours into the night to find any real rest. No sooner had he settled into his bedroll had thoughts of all kinds arisen within him. Mostly it was flashes of the past; minute moments of memory momentarily manifesting, like stars twinkling in and out of sight: a lion's mane soaked red with blood, a maimed orc howling into manufactured night, a yielding man slashed at the throat and carved down his center. In each image a shadow looms large overhead. A gaunt ghost. A brutal beast. A sadistic sorcerer... and a fourth figure among them. A twisting serpent of a being, wreathed in luminous darkness, ever-changing its form; a goblet dripping with blood changes to a marksman of murderous malice which morphs once more to a celestial wyrm writhing in the cosmos, looming down over all. Cal can only fight to open his eyes against the sight of himself, rolling to and fro in his space as his dreams turn to nightmare and the monstrous figures bear down upon him, grasping and grasping until they've each taken their fill, tearing him apart piece by piece and bit by bit until finally he fears there will be nothing left; just a husk of a shell of a hollowed out well.  The will to yell wells up until finally he feels he'll burst, but no sound escapes him. Only a small, inaudible cry lost in the rustling of bed linens and a cold cavern breeze. Finally, Cal's breathing slows and his mind settles, allowing a respite from his thoughts as he drifts off to asleep, surrounded by friends yet entirely alone.

The night continues, and nothing, not man nor monstrosity, interrupt the party's rest.  Sunlight trickles through the tangle of roots and rock in the distant ceiling of the cave. The cold marble-stone door remains closed, the text once again presenting the admission enigma -- but nonetheless remains sinisterly inviting the party onward, deeper into its depths.  The tabaxi siblings remain curled up by the dwindling fire. Bo and Terry snore loudly, draped over one another as they sleep the deep sleep of the exhausted and terrified.

It's odd, waking up with no sunlight. Just the dim coals of a dying fire. Katrin stretches, and pulls her blonde hair back from her face, tying it up with a small piece of leather cord. She remembers the night before, and glances at the charcoal runes she had written. With a grunt, she wipes it away, leaving only a black smudge where the runes had been moments before. pokes the fire with the tip of her sword, watching the sparks flare up, the tip coated in dark ash. Sighing, she places the sword down in front of her, performing her ritual of blessing upon the steel she wields. After a few minutes, the sword takes on it's familiar glow.  Sheathing it, she gets up and nudges Thrandimir with a foot. "Wake up, Wizard. Lots to do today." She proceeds to start buckling on her armor, waiting for the rest to rise.  

Ascian sits patiently by the embers as Katrin wakes and the others begin to stir, having long since lost track of time without the rising sun to chart it by. Most of the night had been spent staring at the giant stone door they'd closed behind them, waiting for it to loom open or worse, disappear. The rope he'd spent half the night knotting sits neatly beside him, perfectly coiled, and he reaches for it as the group starts to show signs of life. "Should check on the horses,"  he intones, rising to his feet.

Kaed rolls over, face coming up against a particularly pointy rock, an eye cracks open a little in frustration at being woken only to find the others are rising too. Sighing a little the young man stands and greets the rest of the party, the tabaxi and the captives.  "A fine morning  to risk life and limb in a magical cave system we know almost nothing about, but with the opportunity for glory and riches ahead of us what are we waiting for?" The tribesman begins by stowing his gear and starting to prepare food for the day, having carefully checked his weapons by the firelight whilst on watch last night. " So is the plan the tabaxi watch Hop-a-long and his friend here while we go into the magical lair? " He asks idly as he stows his vicious looking stiletto in his boot top sheath.

Flimm stifles a snicker and Fliek slaps him on the arm.  "We can watch the captives,"  she says. Flimm gestures at Terry with his crossbow. "Yeah. We'll watch 'em." Terry swallows audibly and just lays back down on his bedroll.

Emma H. said: It's odd, waking up with no sunlight. Just the dim coals of a dying fire. Katrin stretches, and pulls her blonde hair back from her face, tying it up with a small piece of leather cord. She remembers the night before, and glances at the charcoal runes she had written. With a grunt, she wipes it away, leaving only a black smudge where the runes had been moments before. pokes the fire with the tip of her sword, watching the sparks flare up, the tip coated in dark ash. Sighing, she places the sword down in front of her, performing her ritual of blessing upon the steel she wields. After a few minutes, the sword takes on it's familiar glow.  Sheathing it, she gets up and nudges Thrandimir with a foot. "Wake up, Wizard. Lots to do today." She proceeds to start buckling on her armor, waiting for the rest to rise.   Thrandimir is lying on his back with his hat on his face and jerks abruptly when Katrin taps his foot. "What? Oh. Yes, of course," the wizard mumbles, rolling onto his front and rubbing around his eyes, before pulling the brim low on his head and reaching for his pack. "I just need to relieve myself. I'll return momentarily," he adds, before making for the cave's entrance.

What a strange man.  After a few moments, she shrugs, and finishes strapping on her gauntlets. 

When Thrandimir reaches the cave's entrance, he finds the group's horses and Katrin's pony all accounted for, along with a very dead wolf that has clearly been trampled to death. Looking around for a horse with hooves stained with gore, Thrandimir slowly approaches the responsible equine. "We shall call you Steppenwolf," he whispers affectionately to the beast, palming it a little grass before moving on into the bushes.

As he does most mornings Kou excuses himself as the other's begin to rise and go about their morning routine. Finding a grass small clearing outside the cave's bleak walls, Kou sinks to the ground crossing his legs and setting his arms on his knees with his hands open. Closing his eyes, he lets the sun flow over him and breathes. A deep breath followed by a pause and a slow exhale. As he breathes he focuses on the elements, the warmth of the sun, the gentle breeze, the cold of the damp ground. Flowing deep within himself he finds his core and the twin sources of his power. His spiritual presence flowing through his veins like a pleasant wind, and the diving might of tempus raging like a storm within his center. He reaches out and tries to merge the two. For a second he can not only feel the elements around him, he can see how to shape them. But the moment is fleeting gone as quickly as it came. Sighing he stands and moves to rejoin his companions. His eagerness to explore the dead civilization building with each step. It took a great measure of restraint not to push beyond reason when the group decided to rest last night." Finding Katrin & Kaed he smiles and with excitement evident in his voice says  "Tempus smiles upon us today! During my time as a Keeper I often and loudly requested the opportunity to explore the Old Tollanian ruins." Shaking his head and crossing his arms "But until today my healing talents and martial skills were always needed elsewhere. Where has Thrandimar snuck off to, I'm most eager to see what secrets are trapped within."

Katrin smothers a laugh. "Just so long as you don't loudly announce our presence to the next group of undead we come across." She gestures towards the outside where the horses are. "He said he had to relieve himself."  

“I’ll find him,” Ascian mutters from near the laughing group, slinking outside in the direction the wizard had disappeared. He stops near the horses, standing and considering the brutalized wolf at his feet as he calls, “ Thrandimir. The others are ready.”

There's a rustle of bushes and Thrandimir emerges with his pack looking refreshed. "Good morning, Ascian," he declares friendlily, "have they breakfasted already ?"

"Yes." Ascian looks at the wolf a moment longer before over to Thrandimir. "If rations count. They're eager to get inside."

"Very well," Thrandimir acknowledges, chewing on a hunk of bread as they walk back down to the ruins. The wizard takes up the same position in front of the doors as yesterday and waits until his companions are also in place before declaring. " AVE. "

The doors reopen, presenting the ante-chamber the party previously saw. The bodies are decayed completely, leaving only piles of dust and old clothing in their place. The braziers flare back into fiery life, revealing the three sets of double doors that await the party.

"Huh." Katrin observes the dusty remains, then looks at everyone. "Well, lets not waste daylight."

"We are going into an underground lair" Kaed says a little confused, "but yes, I think we should get moving straight away."

Ascian follows the others into the antechamber, the dust of the undead sifting over his feet. Looking up at the directions etched over the doors, he turns southward. "It's still early. If anyone's here, they're probably making use of that room.   If they're alive."  He pauses, but minutely shakes his head and starts to walk forward, stopping still when the words seem to shift in front of his eyes. He squeezes them shut, counting to three before opening them again, unsure if it's more or less comforting when the new words remain. EX DIEBUS XXXVI MENSIS QUID EST "They changed. The words," he announces uncertainly. "At least. I think they did."

Thrandimir repeats his ritual of comprehension and peers up to squint at the Old Tollanian riddle. "What month of the year has 36 days?" He reads aloud.

"Good. Trivia. Must be our lucky day." The sarcasm in Katrin's voice is easily discerned. She was never much one for trivia. She spends a few minutes looking from the door to the wizard and back to the door again.  Maybe.....no it was too obvious. Or maybe that was the point...?  "They all do. Forty, but that's still more than 36, which I think is what the question is getting at..." Katrin rubs her chin thoughtfully as she speaks.  The grinding of the stone door opening surprised her. She shrugs to Thrandimir. "Apparently ancient retreats don't care what language you speak." When she looks back, the label over the door has changed back, but not in Ancient Tollanian anymore. It's in a language they all recognize: Common.

The door opens into darkness. Torches flare to into flickering life, playing shadows from the sconces across the white-marble walls. A 60 foot long corridor stretches out before the door, with a branching corridor about halfway down on the right. At the end of the corridor, it turns to the left. There appears to be a door along the righthand side directly across from the left turn.

Ascian doesn't wait to confer before creeping forward, moving through the corridor on silent feet. The hall to the right proves to be empty but for another door, as does the turn in the corridor at the main hall's end. Looking back at the door behind him labeled Dormitory , he slinks closer to it to hover his ear against the stone, pulling away once the sounds of movement register and, trained, looking at the top of the door to skims the script that's etched there. What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it? Somewhat surprised to be able to read it this time, he doesn't break the fragility by giving the answer breath, not wasting time before returning to the others.  "Halls are clear. The dormitory's ahead and there's movement inside. Another riddle. Common this time. It all is." He looks expectantly between them before abruptly turning heel and leading them back down the hall. "Let's go." Once in front of the door again, he takes one look around at the others, looks up at the words and mutters, "Silence."

The doors creak inwards, revealing two rows of six beds each and a line of shelves across the south wall. Torches flare to life in the corners, illuminating the full scope of the room. Three corpses rise, two with flesh and one without. They groan and clatter as they move toward the party, all three with arms outstretched.

No sooner have the corpses surged to life than Ascian is loosing an arrow on them, training his bow on the undead nearest him and watching the arrow sink into seemingly unfazed flesh.

Shuffling along at the back of the group, Thrandimir hurls a bolt of cold over their heads with his staff. Frost crackles up the skeleton's arms, making movement difficult.

One of the flesh-covered undead approaches Ascian. It comes in close to the gaunt man, its dead eyes staring straight ahead. A green energy begins to well up inside them and then a wrenching and tearing sound erupts from within its body. The flesh and viscera fly apart, a green fireball propelling chunks of slimy and rotten flesh across the room. Kaed and Ascian take the worst of the necrotic energy, but are both able to dodge out of the way. Kaed and Ascian take 4 points of necrotic damage to vigor. The other two undead steadily advance on the party. Callahan's action.

Cal conjures up a fresh bolt of energy, hurling it with vigor at the undead for a concussive blast of radiance.

Unwilling to risk the shambling undead exploding in his face Kaed quickly nocks an arrow and fires it at the same target as Cal, the golden light making it an easier target. The arrow flies true and the shift pierces the creature's chest l, it takes a step backward from the impact but otherwise continues as if unaffected. Kaed's eyes narrow as he reaches for his sword, ready to settle this in hand to hand combat if necessary.

Kou sinks low into his fighting stance preparing to leap into the frey with the undead. Until one zombie begins to glow and unleashes a necrotic explosion. Straightening up he gathers Tempus' might and flips over Ash's head and claps his hands together. A golden blast erupts from his hands and pummels the zombies hurling them back from his friends as they erupt with an explosion of green flame.

Katrin shuffles past the group, entering the room for the first time since the battle began and ended. She looks at the visceral remains of the Undead creatures scattered around the room, and pokes it experimentally with her sword. "Gross."

Ascian gives Katrin and the undead a wide berth as he makes his way to the shelves, running his hands over rotting wood and vellum that is halfway to dust. The search is quick but thorough, and when he wanders past the door he finds himself walking in a circle, appearing back behind the others to hand Thrandimir a canteen, strips of cloth, and a few pages of all that had survived. “Are these important.”

sansasnark said: Ascian gives Katrin and the undead a wide berth as he makes his way to the shelves, running his hands over rotting wood and vellum that is halfway to dust. The search is quick but thorough, and when he wanders past the door he finds himself walking in a circle, appearing back behind the others to hand Thrandimir a canteen, strips of cloth, and a few pages of all that had survived. “Are these important.” "Let's find out," Thrandimir tells Ascian with a wink, inspecting the items. A few moments later, he has answers. "Well, this is a book on magical theory, specifically chromancy. Fascinating work! I shall hold onto it for reading this evening. The other two are more practical in nature. This flask is connected the elemental plane of water. It will never empty for as long as you pour it. These , on the other hand," the wizard adds, raising the glistening bands of fabric, "are something special for our good friend, Kou. He will quite literally have the power of the stars at his fingertips. I can't think of anybody more worthy."

" Well then we have all the water we need no matter how long we stay here, an excellent trinket, if only we could make this supply water for the whole drought suffering land, we could go home now." Kaed chuckles to himself before his eyes are drawn to the wraps and their glimmering beauty. " Kou, whatever these do, you will look like a hero of legend wearing them." Finally he turns to Ash, "It looks as though we are ready to move on, shall we head out together or do you want to keep a little ahead?"

Ascian glances over the flask and shimmering fabric once more before glancing back up to Kaed with owlish pale eyes.  "I'll go on ahead and come back for you all. Seems safest." He gestures down at the bits of necrotic gore that still stain both of them.  "Don't replace me in the meanwhile."

Kou bows his head slightly towards Thrand and Kaed "Thank you, your words honor me." Kneeling down he removes the metal claw on his right hand. And then carefully wraps his hands in the starry fabric,  Kou can feel the magic radiating off the cloth, it will take take time to harmonize with the magics but the Old Tollanian relic should greatly enhance his skills. Smiling at Ascian as he slinks off, Kou earnestly says "We would fail if we ever even had the desire to try."

As Ash slinks forward, Katrin leans over to Thrandimir.  "Can I talk to you for a moment? Privately?"  She speaks softly, and moves back towards the empty dorm room, indicating he should follow. 

Cal looks fondly at the twinkling light of the starry cloth in Kou's hand, his eyes glazing over in awe. Wordlessly he steps forward, his mouth quickly rushing to form words for the first time since he'd awoken this morning.  "Keeper those are... I mean... can I...  wow ."  He just stares in awe, pulling the small crystal - his star map - out and holding it up to Kou, it's lights slowly fading in and swirling around it in a brilliant cosmic aura. "This... it's a sign..."  A faint gloss grows over Cal's eyes, a deep smile broadening over his face as his whole form seems to brighten. In a quiet, hushed voice he simply lets out a deep breath and squeezes his eyes shut to stop any tears from falling, "I knew I hadn't been led astray just yet."