Open Chronicles The Buried Temple [Elbion]

[Kara Orin]

The scars on Elbion are still fresh. The corpses of the grotesque beasts that appeared still remained. The dead and wounded are still being counted. The lake still seemed to be poisoned by some miasma emanating from the sunken body of the dragon.

The earthquakes that occurred not only shattered the city but the land surrounding it. The nearby mountains cracked. Nearby, the force of what took down Drakormir ripped open the face of one peak.

And beneath sat a temple of unknown, yet surely ancient, age.

In assessing the extent of the damage from Elbion’s Shattering, scouts discovered this temple. They approached the structure – made of and surrounded by volcanic stone. Massive doors greeted the scouts. Decorating the closed entrance was a carving of a looped serpent consuming its own tail.

Word of its discovery reached the city and the College. A joint exploration team was formed within days and eventually set out to explore it.

Among the group were mages, mercenaries, archaeologists, and more. The temple was a mystery to solve yet one that could easily contain dangers.

Kara ensured she joined the first expedition to the Buried Temple.

The journey to the temple did not take long, and at this moment the massive doors sitting inside the mountain could be seen approaching from the distance…

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon had been in the underground for a very long time. The bitter cold and darkness was partially what contributed to being trapped in human form. Without heat, even the greatest dragon was rendered helpless. He could still conjure a flame, but it was nowhere near the maelstrom that could escape his jaws in his true form.

His captor allowed him to continue his trade for financial reasons. Of course, his designs never saw the light of day half the time. Pawned, sold off in pieces, or melted down. But if he didn’t make them, captivity would have rendered him insane in the first five hundred years.

Chaceledon often went roaming. It was too cold to go too far from his warm fireplace in his prison, but expeditions for gemstones were allowed...when his captor felt like it.

Today the dragon was attempting to enjoy the day. He’d managed to find a long vein of ruby, and was happily extracting ore. A quick flash of purple flames, far hotter than man’s weak yellow fire, burned away impurities and melted the granite that held his precious stones. Then into a beautifully made leather bag they went, sorted by material and grade.

Chaceledon himself looked more at home at a ball than he did tromping around caves. He had a decent pair of boots on, black robes layered over and over with different patterns of glittering gemstones and gold. It was tasteful, meant to represent a night sky. The final layer had a fluffy cowl of extravagant rabbit fur, which framed his face perfectly. Black along his eyes, and gold dust along his tear ducts and cheeks, made his lavender eyes stand out. Finally, and what was possibly least suited to his work, was the set of black glass fingernails he wore, studded in clusters of Ruby and flecked in gold paint.

After all, if one couldn’t be an elegant vision mining for rock, what was the point?

Chaceledon went deeper, following a terrible smell. Normally he’d avoid it, but the scent of decay may indicate methane, which was a precursor to diamond. Methane vents were nothing to fear to a dragon for whom heat was an ally. Instead he found a temple, above a disgusting lake.

He scowled at the water. No. That wasn’t a natural gas vent. That was death. He curled his lip and went to examine the front doors of the temple, pulling his hood back. His hair was braided tightly and held in place by solid gold pins emblazoned with obsidian dragons.

Strange symbolism for a door...

Kara Orin

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

Melani rushed to catch up and finally keep pace with the group. Falling into nervous step next to Kara Orin. Pulling out her journal and pushing her round glasses up her nose only for them to almost immediately begin to slide back down. She began

She had returned to Elbion after her last adventure only to find her city shattered. She had rushed to where her captain stayed. Maxine Steelborne was pacing in a tent outside of the city. Her guild office a burning heap.

“Ah. Melani.” She greeted her from outside the tent as Melaniphi approached. “As you can see the city and surrounding area has been through much in your absence..” she sighed heavily as Melaniphi responded with a simple nod acknowledging the obvious. “The college has begun gathering up an expedition and I was asked to accompany.” Maxine continued.

“It’s standard protection work. Protect the mages while they work. Though I hear the Orin girls going so..I don’t see much reason to go with that young one on the journey creeping about.” Maxine said to Melani.

“I have business in the spine I need to attend to at the moment however. Seems one of our brothers has found some remnants he needs me to verify. So I’m sending you in my stead. I have total confidence in you.”

Melani had felt her heart swell as her captain had complemented her, but something nagged at her causing her confidence to waver. “But protection work? I’m a healer captain..” She said with a slight catch of nerves entering her tone. “Your a steel legion healer child. You can handle more than most.” Maxine said with a dismissive wave.

“I have spoken. Now resupply and be on your way.” Melani nodded giving her a tired salute before re supplying, bathing, and packing two changes of clothes. Strapping on her leather armor and satchel before going back to Maxine. “So where do I meet them ma’am.” She said entering the tent and standing at attention as Maxine glanced up from the map at her table and gestured for her to be at ease. “Oh I forgot to tell you. They already left. If you leave now you may be able to catch them at the city gate.” Maxine said with a slight smirk as Melani paled.

Late.

There were three things Melani hated more than anything. Her own blood. Greased back hair. And being late. She had taken off from the tent. Her captains good natured laughter following her as she ran. Catching the expedition as it left.

“So..” She said after she had finished writing closing the book and slipping it back into her satchel. the doors came into view even at the distance they were currently at.

“What’s su-supposed to be inside?” She asked nervously.

Something about how young the girl looked in contrast to how fiercely intelligent her eyes and demeanor were made the elf already uncomfortable with meeting new people, slightly more nervous than she generally was.

“This is one of those old and quiet temple full of gold and treasure right..not one of those old evil places full of nasty, hungry monsters..right?” She said following it with a nervous chuckle that slowly died on her lips as the massive doors loomed closer.

 

[Kara Orin]

A mountain local named Sadan guided the Elbion group toward the buried temple. They got close enough to see the massive scar in the mountain. Enough sunlight poured in from the opening to illuminate the outside of the temple – making it visible. Gasps of awe rang out from some of the explorers that journeyed with Kara and Melaniphi Syllis.

Still next to Melani, Kara stared blankly at the maw of the cavern entrance. In contrast to some of the other mages, Kara kept a sword strapped to her waist. Since Steelborne appeared to know of Kara, this was a fact Maxine could have known and might have contributed to the comments made to Melani.

When Melani asked her first question, Kara turned her gaze toward her – looking up to the quarter-foot taller elf. She listened to Melani's second question.

While Melani laughed at her own words, Kara gave a silent answer as her somber eyes shifted down.

“Dunno, but that’s why ya here, lass,” a large, armored man replied to Melani.

Captain Zalar stood taller than most other humans. Red hair could be found almost every bit of exposed skin. He helped in organizing this expedition on the city’s behalf.

“A dedicated healer is worth their weight in gold, 'specially since I dunno what we'll find,” Captain Zalar continued.

At the entrance to the cavern and temple, Sadan told the group he would set up camp and wait until they came back. Inside the cavern, a pungent smell would permeate through the air.

Before the temple sat an underground lake. A stone bridge stretched from the cavern entrance to the massive temple door – allowing for the party to walk directly toward the door.

“Looks like someone’s already here!” Captain Zalar exclaimed as he pointed to the figure of Chaceledon.

The captain intended to catch Chaceledon’s attention with his booming voice.

“Ahoy! You here to explore at the ruin?!” the Captain asked.

 

[Chaceledon]

Ahoy?
Chaceledon turned to fix the people approaching the doors with a look. How the hell had they gotten down here? There was a myriad of them all clustered on the bridge as though they expected to march right into the temple. No doubt there to pillage everything inside. He looked back at the doors and put his hand on the snake. He didn’t know much about it, but sometimes dragons sequestered themselves away in places like these. Well, if they didn’t feel social. Chaceledon had always been the opposite.

He lifted his chin. “I suppose you’re here to plunder? That’s all humans and elves know what to do with old places like these.” the dragon said snappily. His lavender eyes raked over the assorted crew. Tall, armed. Definitely either expecting a fight or wanting one. He folded his arms across his chest and stood in front of the door. “What do you want with the temple?”

A temple, then. A temple to whom? A dragon god? Some mad humans that got lost in the caverns? The undead themselves? If there was a forge inside, he was laying claim to it and damn everything else.

Kara Orin
Melaniphi Syllis

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

Kara’s silent answer made a small shiver run up Melani’s spine.

She was only able to bear the intense gaze for a few moments before her own eyes went to the ground only to be snapped from her nervous state by a booming voice.

Ah the captain.

“Oh hello Captain!” She said with one of her beaming smiles throwing up a quick respectful salute. “How’s that shoulder I worked on holding up sir?” She asked. “Broke Ronins record for largest spear ever removed from a shoulder.” She said.

Her smile remaining as she listened to the captain and faded to slight worry as they began approaching the caverns mouth.

“Maxine sends her regards and hopes to aid by use of my services contract and charge free.” She recited at maxines request before she began for using on what was around her.

Once inside she saw the figure ahead.

Her gaze drifting over the well dressed man. Her heart raced slightly. He was..well handsome to say the least. She drew closer to Kara.

“I’m melaniphi by the way. I don’t think we have even been introduced. Healer second class of the steel legion guild in Elbion..or what’s left of it at any rate..” She said with another nervous chuckle.

She always got chatty when things got tense. Maxine was always reminding her that in the old days nervous chatter of her caliber would have resulted in the removal of her tongue years ago.

“Shut up Melani!” She hissed in her mind. Leaving her to fall silent as the man responded to captains Zalar’s hail.

While not directly hostile the mans response was a far cry from a moment warm welcome or even mildly friendly. His accusatory tone put her slightly on edge.

Glasses finally fully sliding down her nose leaving her to once more push them back up.

 

[Kara Orin]

Captain Zalar’s answer to Melaniphi Syllis before they reached the cavern was, “Never been better, lass!”

Zalar smiled as he flexed the previously wounded arm.

“And aye, I’d be sure to tell Maxine I appreciate that,” Zalar then told Melani.

---

When Melani introduced herself to Kara, the mage once again turned her eyes toward the elf with a blank look.

“I’m Kara,” she replied.

Regardless of whether Kara was to speak more, Zalar began speaking to Chaceledon just after that moment. The captain’s voice drew Kara’s attention away from Melani.

One of the other mages that journeyed with the group sneered at Chaceledon and his comments. In contrast, Zalar gave a hearty chuckle.

With his arms open to show he was not wielding a weapon at the moment, Zalar told Chaceledon, “We’re from the city! Name’s Zalar.”

Of Elbion, he omitted. However, Elbion was hardly a day or two hike from this location.

As this conversation occurred, Kara simply watched without any movement.

Then pointing behind himself to the gaping hole in the mountainside that led to the outside, Zalar told Chaceledon, “Came ‘cause scouts find this hole with that temple behind ya!”

“Ya free to join if you won’t cause trouble,” Zalar offered, “We can talk about payment if ya want, so there be no issue if we find something down there.”

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon fixed them with a look. From the city? Clearly from Elbion, it wasn’t more than a day away. They’d been attracted by the gaping hole in the ceiling. He glanced at it; he could see why it would pull a man in especially if the bridge was visible. The dragon had merely stumbled upon it from another cave in the network. He considered them, arms across his chest. Witherhold wasn’t but two hours walk from this location. If there was something here to help him, he would be doing it right under Oor’s nose.

Somehow that appealed to him. He looked the captain up and down at the mention of payment. “I have no need for gold,” he said, in a tone that indicated how obvious the statement was. He was dressed in a fortune’s worth of minor spells, gold, and gemstones with a king’s ransom in his bag. What need did he have of gold?

He looked back at the temple, then at the looters. “I lay claim to artifacts that may generate heat. Is this agreeable to you?” He asked tersely. What did they know? Did they know that dragons needed heat for their magic? Did they even know what he was, smelling of magic and spice? He was wind and fire made flesh.

If this was indeed a dragon hoard as he suspected...maybe the dragon would have planned for keeping his riches in such a cold place. Chaceledon stood aside, examining the gold on his nails. “After your lead then, captain.” He withdrew a ruby the size of a goose egg from his bag and softly blew his flames into it, cleaning it and holding it to the light. The quality of gemstones here was something to be admired. He cleaned the stone, applying fire and flicking off impurities, waiting for them to open the door.

He withdrew another, putting the first back in his bag, and held it to the light. Ergh! Inclusions. He flicked the ruby, worth a good amount of coin, off the bridge and into the water below. Such gems weren’t worth his time if they weren’t high grade.

Dragons had standards after all.

Kara Orin
Melaniphi Syllis

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

“Oh..” She said actually jumping slightly at Karas response not expecting the girl to speak at all. Let alone suddenly reveal SHE was the mage her captain seemed to think highly of. She was about to respond when the newcomers own response ended up demanding her attention.

He was a bit terse for Melaniphis taste, but at least he was a bit less hostile. Melani’s eyes flicked to the ruby ,and with a quick, swipe of her staff, smacked it into the air. She stood still for a moment opening her satchel’s main compartment as the stone plinked into her open bag after another moment of pause. Coin was coin. And if he didn’t want it she certainly did.

Her guild was hurting as it was. If the dragon would notice she would simply glance away with a slight blush gracing her cheeks. The Steel Legion was a proud guild with a kind of pride that went back to their days as a private military. It wasn’t so long ago Melani would have been part of a squad of 7 and helping this rabble and Captain Zalar with actual man power of fully armored Steel Legionnaires. Not just her.. a washed up veteran.

So the idea of picking up someone’s trash, or even doing this job in general felt a bit..She couldn’t find the right word.. maybe it would come to her... “oh Captain..” She said to Zalar once the negotiations with the man were over.

“I got my mark.” She said proudly showing him her fresh looking tattoo. It was a few days old at the latest. A shield emblazoned with a skull behind it a forge hammer crossed with a broad sword. Underneath was a shepherds crook with a pair of angel wings.

And finally two bars that wrapped around her entire forearm like two black bands. She had said she was a healer second class after all. She knew this wasn’t the place, but after the tenseness of the situation and the fact this place gave her the creeps...

She felt justified in trying to lighten the mood. The captain was a friend to her guild and understood the marks importance. He had asked her to show him when she got it and they met next anyway..

 

[Kara Orin]

Captain Zalar’s response to Chaceledon was a hesitant, “Oh? Um… hrm…”

The mage that sneered at Chaceledon yelled, “You can’t be serious?!”

A moment’s silence followed.

Stepping forth, Kara interjected with, “Captain, I’d accept.”

“Wha-“ the elder mage gasped.

“There’s no guarantee what he wants lies within,” Kara explained with a gesture toward Chaceledon, “Plus if his share’s too large, he looks like he could compensate us for it.”

The elder mage continued to protest. Yet with a sigh after a couple seconds of deliberation, Captain Zalar replied to Chaceledon with, “Okay, I can agree to that, boyo. Just know that if that’s all we find in there, we’re gonna have to have a talk. What’s your name, by the way?”

Shortly after, Melaniphi Syllis drew Captain Zalar’s attention and showed her tattoo to him.

“Looks great, lass!” Zalar cheerfully told her, “It’s really coming along!”

Meanwhile, the group approached the temple’s door. The more studious of people of the group focused on the serpentine carvings upon the stone.

“An ouroboros?” one man muttered as he looked at the carving once Chaceledon cleaned it.

The rest of the outer walls bore strange symbols and carvings. The conclusion many mentally made though was that the architecture and symbolism did not seem to match any known, ancient civilization.

“Let’s get this door opened!” Zalar said as he approached the door.

With a firm push, Zalar pushed the massive stone door inward. Once fully opened, light poured in from the mountain opening and into the antechamber of the temple. The first room was relatively small for the size of the temple – just several meters deep with a very high ceiling. A path to the right and a path to the left could be see on either side of the entrance.

Once the room was illuminated by outside light and torches, the wall furthest from the door contained endless texts in many different scripts and languages.

The elder mage approached this wall and examined it. First, he recognized some of the text to be in the common script. Some text was in contemporary languages halfway across the world.

Then he noticed that all the words he could recognize resembled names.

And as his eyes drifted to the top left, the elder mage stopped and began to shake.

At the spot where his eyes looked, the elder mage saw his name in common: Niser Glin

“What kind of joke is this?!” Niser yelled.

Others shifted their attention to the Wall of Names, including Captain Zalar. He too found his name: Stren Zalar.

Right next to Niser's.

And so would everyone in attendance today if they examined the wall. Nearly all of their names would be on the top row in succession. The wall bore the real names of each person in attendance in their native language. Anyone bearing an alias to hide their identity would find that the Temple saw through them.

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon listened. Well, they were already trying to find ways around the deal. Humans and elves always tried to screw the other person to get themselves above everyone else. At least dragons had the dignity to do it behind closed doors. He looked at the young woman who had snatched up the discarded ruby. He narrowed his eyes a bit at her. Did she think she knew better than he? Perhaps she needed to be educated. The ruby wouldn’t sell for much; the cloudiness and inclusions took it out of most high end lapidaries.

He sighed and watched as the Captain pushed open the door and they walked inside. Chaceledon stopped to examine the writings as they walked. Mortal. He frowned. What dragon would allow human hands in a hoard? His heart sunk a bit. Perhaps he had been wrong. He leaned forward and blew flame over the writings, cleaning the stone with the powerful force of his breath. He was chilled, so he wouldn’t melt it, but he could read easier. The area was bathed in warmth from his ministrations.

He was startled from his readings by the shout of the old mage. He whipped around and fixed him with a nasty look. “Mammals. You startle at everything!” he snapped at the mage. He walked over to him and looked at his name. Then at his own, in clear Common and Draconian.

“Bit rude of the owner not to address another draconian household.” he sniffed, noticing his family title was absent. He lifted his chin and marched along, ignoring the panic of the others.

Kara Orin
Melaniphi Syllis

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

Catching the mans narrowed eyes Melaniphi blushed but kept on her way with the others.

She felt a strange energy of the room as soon as they entered. Staying close to Kara she moved to the wall to see the reason for such commotion..Her name? And not just her name, but her full name.

In elvish to boot.. along with the others..She glanced about with slight worry, but this wasn’t beyond magic..Even if it indicated something powerful may be a foot here.

“Didn’t happen to tell anyone with the ability to carve rock about this little adventure a few days in advance did you..” She joked to Kara and the captain once again falling silent if her gaze should meet Karas.

The girl seeming to be able to unnerve her with little effort.

They would instead stray further down the walls. Taking in more, the intellectual fire igniting behind her eyes. But she remained silent and close to Kara and the captain. She was there to protect and heal, not give opinions. She was on the job wether she was getting paid or not mattered little. Maxine had given her a task, so as far as she was concerned this was like any other contract job.

So while her intellectual roots would not allow her to not at least spare these writings a glance, her staunch professionalism won out and lead her to begin looking around them for danger rather than focussing on the wall writings. She glanced over as the new comer breathed fire?

Again not something that shocked her. She had seen mages do that before..but while his flame was no brighter than any other she had an odd feeling it was almost subdued..

She ignored it for the most part continuing to remain at the ready.

 

[Kara Orin]

Instead of any response from Kara, Melaniphi Syllis would have seen Kara wide eyed staring at the wall. At her name on the eleventh row: ᚲᚨᚱᚨ

Not even Chaceledon’s flame broke her gaze.

As Chaceledon took a path, the Niser the elder mage sneered at Melani’s comment.

“What a farce,” Niser scoffed.

“Let’s split up for now, cover more ground,” Captain Zalar said with a steady voice, “Half with me, meet back at the camp.”

As Captain Zalar turned toward second path – the one Chaceledon did not take – Niser began to follow. He turned to Kara and ordered her, “Girl, since you insisted on that stranger to come, follow him!”

That flame snapped Kara’s attention from the wall. She shook her head. She glanced at Melani – still standing nearby. Then, she turned to follow Chaceledon with roughly half the initial group.

Now that they journeyed beyond the entranceway, the light of the torches became necessary. At then next hallway, the stone seemed significantly polished. The light of the flames bounced off the walls with vigor.

Reliefs decorated the walls. A wide variety of scenes could be seen. They carried an artistic license to them – many characters being obviously exaggerated from what would be realistic. One odd member of the group with Kara, Chaceledon, and maybe Melani stopped to stare at one piece of art.

The Temple stole his attention.

Not far down the hall, one wall began to depict scenes with a dragon. A hoard of wealth. People surrounding the serpent.

Followed by a skeleton lording over the dragon as its held down by chains carved from the floor-up.

No text.

No hieroglyphs.

One would know at a glance.

The Temple knows your past.

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon turned his head slightly to glance at Kara and Melaniphi. They were following him while the others had split off. Good. Glad to see a few members of the group had some bleeding sense. He glanced at the walls as they walked along, and paused. A dragon surrounded by wealth. Influence. Peers. Then that same dragon held down by a wraith, a creature of blackness and shadow.

Chaceledon glared at the carving. How dare this temple throw his past in his face! Had he asked to be kidnapped, raped, forced to marry a man and raise the demented humans he bred? No! He had been young and foolish and for that singular crime he had been damned for over ten thousand years.

The dragon took a deep breath, and blew on the last carving. Powerfully, angrily, channeling what little magic he had into it. The stone reddened and sagged, and dropped onto the floor in taffy-like gobs as he strode away. He was not about to be pushed around by a building.

He dropped back slightly as they went, looking Kara up and down. “And what is it exactly you hope to gain from this little excursion?” he asked, his tone guarded.

Kara Orin
Melaniphi Syllis

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

Melaniphi was taken aback by the wide eyed stare Kara was giving her own name on the wall. A creeping of dread began to enter her stomach.

Perhaps there was more weight to the situation than she had previously accounted for..Or more honestly..

chose not to account..

She took a deep breath and pushed the thoughts from her mind. It didn’t matter right now. The young elf was snapped from her musings by the old mans scoff. Her eyes narrowed as she let out a sigh of annoyance, but offered no more than that.

Elder mages.

They were all the same. Blustery windbags the lot of them.

Unable to push boundaries..only to maintain them, held back from true creativity by the weight of their own egos. Melaniphi recalled many a heated arguement with mages just his type. She followed along with the group deeper until Kara and Chaceledon broke off going down their own path opposite the captain. “Are you sure that’s the..” She began at the captains idea to spilt up.

Yet it seemed her indecisiveness lead her to being left by both groups rather than keeping them together.

It didn’t feel right..Splitting up like this, but she steeled her nerves and followed Kara and the new comer just the same. She knew the others would be safe with captain Zalar...at least...She hoped.

As they went deeper art began to grab her attention. It was nothing of true note. One that caught her attention was one of a poor farm. It seemed quaint, and while not depicting anything particularly depressing...

A gravity seemed to exude from the piece. A sense of oppression.. Her mind was pulled away as she noticed the others stopping in front of another work. A dragon.

“The gods..” She said. Taken aback by the intricate detail. “He..He’s surrounded by all of those things and yet..He’s so..unhappy..sad even..” She said contemplatively growing closer to the work almost in a trance until the dragons fire snapped her once more from the clouds of her own curiosity and into cold reality. She took in the aftermath with a squeak of disbelief. So she had been right...

To a point..

subdued.” Was not the right word for his previous flame. “Extremely light touch.” Was more aptly used in this case. “I’m guessing you aren’t a big art person?” She asked after a moment. As he turned and asked Kara a question. Melaniphi didn’t quite catch what it was as another art work caught her eye. She broke off from the group silently.

This wouldn’t take long..

For a second she thought she had seen..

No..

Her eyes were playing tricks...

Yet as she grew closer she stopped dead. This was no trick. Her hands started shaking and her knees felt weak.

How...

 

[Kara Orin]

Without any doubt, Chaceledon melted the relief.

Kara blankly watched Chaceledon’s visceral reaction to the images. A couple of the other adventurers from Elbion watched.

Then, Chaceledon asked Kara a question. Her eyes glanced toward Melaniphi Syllis and the stone relief before the elf.

Similar to the carvings Chaceledon observed, the Temple presented images in a sequence. Some female elf carved in the stone held a book – surrounded by the outline of an eerily similar castle. Then an image of this elf with “glowing” hands hovering over humans laying on their side.

And then, the walls turned into a scene of massacre. Beings separated into parts all around this one elf – with the elf grasping two halves of a person.

Whereas Chaceledon could assume the events depicted in the stone happened before the Temple’s birth, the scene before Menali happened much, much later.

The Temple knows your past.

Kara gave a somber look.

Following that, Kara turned her gaze back to Chaceledon. She was asked what she hoped to gain.

She deliberately went out of her way to get on this expedition.

And so, Kara gave the following answer, “I’m just to explore and report what I find.”

Having said that, Kara turned to continue walking down the Temple hallway – which began to curve and wind. Before taking the first step, she glanced behind Chaceledon to see the relief he melted appearing as if nothing ever happened…

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon looked at Kara and continued his walk. He would find something here. He had to find something here. Maybe the relief had been some sort of acknowledgement of his need for help? He looked back at the girls. Observe and report. Clearly they were here for magical artifacts. To be entirely fair so was he.

Chaceledon sighed and paused his determined walk, letting the others catch up. “It’s not that I’m not an art person. Clearly.” he told Melaniphi. “But it’s hard enough to face my enslavement daily without having a temple throw it in my face. Tell me what you know of this place. You two came prepared for an expedition. Surely you did some sort of research. It couldn’t have just been monstrously bad luck that this has lain so close to Witherhold all this time.”

If there was a tool to free him here, that would have meant he could have broken his own chains thousands of years ago. No, he had to hope that he’d just not noticed this, or Oor had hidden it from him.

_________________Witherhold__________________

Chaceledon? Where is that insufferable bitch.... Oor glared at the bedroom. Chaceledon’s gem bag was still missing but it had been hours. Did the dragon think to flaunt him by staying out too long on purpose? Well, this was the last expedition he’d be on for a while!

Volker! Oor barked. The human came out of his room and glanced at Chaceledon’s closet.

“He took the cowl from two seasons ago. He will be back. He would not be caught dead in something that old.” Volker tried assuaging their captor’s anger.

Go get him back. I make the rules here. Not him. The longer he’s out past his time limit the more of his bath oils I break. If he insists on this, I’ll make him wear sack cloth.

Volker sighed. “I will grab my kit.”
Melaniphi Syllis
Kara Orin

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

“Sure..” melaniphi said with a dead pan look glancing between the melted relief and the man who melted it.

As if to say “I totally believe you.” before she left to be surprised and assaulted by the temples personal offering to her.

“Jacks..” She whispered reaching out to the final relief.

How had it known..

She glanced at the others as if to hope she was looking at nothing..

A somber look from Kara her only consolation as she shrank away from the images.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she sank to her knees.

They had buckled and finally allowed her to sink to the floor.

“How..Does it know? This place isn’t right..” She said mostly to console herself. The words of her companions were lost on her as she struggled to pull herself away from the ghosts reaching from the relief threatening to invade her mind with the sights and sounds of the conflict depicted.

“I’m sorry..” She muttered over and over to herself until someone could come and pull her away.

She needed help...

This was too much.

Her mental wounds far too fresh to be confronted with her past like this in such a way was a real kick in the teeth to her newly regained confidence. What if this mission turned out like the other..She couldn’t bring herself to picture it..but how it would feel rotted in the pit of her stomach.

If this was all this temple was..She would rather traps and monsters...She could kill and avoid those..This use of her past almost as a club bludgeoning her mental state was almost more than she could bear.

 

[Kara Orin]

As Chaceledon walked forward, more carvings could be seen along the path. The ouroboros continued to be a defining theme surrounding and sometimes among the drawings. One piece of art depicted an army destroying a forest full of elves. One with a dragon emerging from the ground beneath aligned stars. One with a farmgirl stalked by the loop serpent. A man with a reptilian tail casting fire upon a wall.

And then a dragon wielding a staff, and breathing fire upon a burning skeleton. In a script that Chaceledon would understand, a phrase above this carving read: TIME IS SIGHT

A path split off from the rest of the hallway just after that stone relief.

Kara saw the depictions surrounding the group. Her expression remained unchanging – unlike when she saw her name earlier. Her eyes looked toward Melaniphi Syllis once more. Chaceledon and the rest of the group on this side seemed to move forward without her.

With just a couple steps, Kara walked up to Melani and extended a hand.

“Let’s continue,” Kara told Melani, “Pay no attention to the walls, if you must.”

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon noticed the girl sinking to her knees, and he stopped for a moment. He knew that look. That tremble of hopelessness and sadness. He’d been in her position many times, over many years. Raising boys only to see them beaten to madness or killed in front of him. He knew what loss and pain looked like, and there it was on Melaniphi’s face. It softened him a bit to see her like that, when she’d been the epitome of a nervous first-time adventurer only an hour ago.

He glanced at the walls. They even depicted him melting the carving...and perhaps killing Oor? He frowned a moment. Time is sight. That could mean a thousand things, but he made note of the staff. He followed Kara to the girl.

“She’s right. This is clearly a spell meant to distract and dismay. You have to stop looking at it, girl. The stronger the visions become the more likely we get close to something valuable.” Chaceledon’s voice had lost a lot of its venom. He was almost gentle with her.

Kara Orin
Melaniphi Syllis

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

“I’m sorry..” She muttered again almost in a trance before Kara’s voice drew her attention away. She felt like a weight was being lifted off of her.

The images..She nodded at Kara’s logical statement. Taking the offered hand “I just wasn’t expecting that..And even if I had..I thought I had gotten farther past that particular part than I seem to have..” She said responding to Chaseledon. She noticed his voice was softer. Lacking the venom it had once.

“They were all around my age...Youngest unit.. I lost them all..” She said bitterly glancing back at the images once more before turning away and leading the way forward. Not out of bravery or leadership, but a want to put herself as far from those memories as possible. “But we have a place to explore and I have a job to do..” She said already starting to brighten up even if it was a bit forced. “So let’s be off further into the beast as it were.” She said with a smile.

“T-thank you both..” She said as they walked.

“I’m not sure how long I would have been sitting there if I was alone..” She looked them both in the eye in turn.

“I would appreciate if you told no one of this..either of you..If any of my guild had been here..We..We do not show such emotion in front of outsiders..It’s considered unprofessional and weak. I apologize for displaying both..” She continued as she once more began to walk. But at a pace that encouraged them to take the lead.

 

[Kara Orin]

By the time Kara helped Melaniphi Syllis onto her feet, the rest of the group moved forward. Now just the trio lagged behind – just out of sight from anyone else in the exploration party. The sound of their whispers and comments on the temple artwork became too faint to even Chaceledon to hear.

As Melani continued to speak, Kara nodded and acknowledged her comments with an intermittent “Huh” and “Yeah”.

Kara’s eyes continued to examine the stone reliefs. She saw one with a female elf holding a barrier against a malevolent appearing swirl carved in the wall. A group of people stood behind the elf. Then, she saw a relief of a human woman with long, dark hair and a cloak kneeling before the bodies of two adults and several children. A floating city dangled above the subject and the closest ouroboros stared at her.

Eventually, Kara saw the depiction of a dragon wielding a staff and the path splitting off from the main walkway. This was the only thing that made her pause.

Turning to Chaceledon, Kara asked him, “I don’t think I got your name.”

Captain Zalar asked a couple times for Chaceledon’s name, yet never got an answer.

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon watched the girl slowly climb to her feet, and nodded. Good. He’d be disappointed if she had just folded into the floor and sobbed. He sighed and pulled out a linen handkerchief that could have probably bought a fine horse, offering it to the weepy girl. “All of us have lost something, girl. I’ve watched five hundred of my children put to the knife. Try and buck yourself up. Here, take this and clean your face.” he told her sternly, but not unkindly.

He glanced at the carvings Kara was looking at but it was hard to figure out exactly what they were. He frowned. He didn’t like that this temple was telling all of their secrets so baldly. The dragon fixed his hair and met Kara’s eyes. “Chaceledon of House Peridot, Third Draconian Household.” he said proudly, flicking his hair over one shoulder with a flourish.

Kara Orin
Melaniphi Syllis

 

[Melaniphi Syllis]

“Thanks..” She said with a nod. Taking the handkerchief and wiping her eyes and handing it back to him.

“I guess the group doesn’t notice we’re gone..Should we..” Melaniphi began to walk ahead of the others as they talked. She heard the man announce his name as well and remembered it. Yet as the darkness ahead loomed before her she slowed her step. Healers weren’t meant to take point.

She turned and walked to be between them when they finished and began moving again. Her magic almost as if venting her nerves began to fire up.

Her staff began to give off a pleasant warm yellow glow that made any who were in her presence begin to feel better about things. Nothing specific and if they foucused on something troubling them it would not hold. It was a simple spell but one a master had taught her in times of need on those cold days and long nights with the legion up north.

 

[Sigfrith Runecarver]

Long had Sigfrith wandered the tunnels and catacombs deep beneath the Spine, seeking other entrances to the ancestral hold, fragments of runes carved when the mountains were young, all information he would need to reclaim his hold and the prestige of his clan.

But the earth told the stories of far away events, at least, those that concerned it. And as he had been camped deep beneath the surface, he felt the telltale shiver in the rock beneath his boots and the falling of dust that a great reshaping of the stones had occurred. He just didn't know where. But some long-quiet Dwarven instinct had prompted him to go in search of the source, tracing his way back through the tunnels to the surface and then following the shifts in the stone back.

The farther he went, the more he began to suspect the truth, and the sight of the temple in once-familiar mountains just two days from Elbion confirmed it. He was very near to the epicenter, if not the temple itself, then closer to Elbion, for he had seen nought that spoke of being the source on the journey here.

The irony was not lost on him. But the temple intrigued him and judging by the camp, he could make out the campsite for an expedition, with flags and symbols he recognized as being from the College. They had preceded him in already and he stumped in behind them, axe-haft echoing off the stone as he peered upwards.

Names. Most he didn't recognize. His own, he knew, carved into runes of his ancestral tongue. Strange and eerie. He put it from his mind and focused on the style of the writing, although he hissed through his teeth at seeing one. Niser, the old fool. One of the high mages of the college, a blustery, arrogant example of the kind that gave the College a bad name.

He considered the entryway for a long time before striking off in the direction in which he smelled flame, hot and pure, and hot stone. Odd, peculiar even. The carvings were fascinating, for they were ancient and of a technical style unknown to him. Older than the oldest of Dwarven styles he was familiar with. But ahead, he could hear voices and he moved ahead a bit quicker, grim and clear-eyed as he inspected the walls on each side before advancing. Feel, sight, touch, smell, even taste, were all what he tested the rock with as he advanced, creating the echo of an ominous thumping as he brought the axe-haft down on the stone with each step that echoed around him.

The temple knew his past. His past, its future, he couldn't tell if there was a distinction between the two. But if there was, he gave it little thought. Rock was rock. It did not age or conceptualize time the same way mortals did. It was eternal and undying. Past and future were inconsequential to stone, it was nothing but unending present. Dragons, serpents, armies, Elves. They trod upon earth and flew through the heavens, but the rock was there before them and it would be there after.

Whatever had prophesied these events carved into this temple, they knew what it was, and Sigfrith would respect them for that.