Quest The City That Can't Forget

[Dante di Inverno]

A snort sounded from the blond noble. If there was one thing his father had taught him, it was that names have power. He'd be damned to the nether realms before offering this robed stranger anything more than a nom de guerre.

"You may address me as Congelare," he said, his voice withering. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Crossing his arms, Dante adopted a casual pose that belied his readiness for battle, then continued speaking to Rundal.

"And how, pray tell, do you expect us to place our trust in your benevolence when you reside here in isolation? It seems to me you've taken greater pains to deter visitors than to invite them into your confidence."

Telemachus | Douglas Haley | Galen | Alona Hawse

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

"Well then..." Raigryn had been about to suggest that they gathered everyone and found the stranger. Certainly they would be able to spot an interloper or at least work out how the guard had made the mistake. The Empath still thought that a simple mistake was more likely in the circumstances.

He tilted his head to one side and turned to look down the path that the others had followed.

"I think we should go after them."

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, among the ruins of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
____________________________

The mysterious new figure offered both the groups a gentle smile, followed by a nod as he took a step back. His voice came over the beating heart with a new found enthusiasm;

“Galen and Alona… Glad to see some new faces.”

Though, his attention was quickly swept away by the man who had decided to introduce himself as ‘Congelare’. Rundal twisted his quiet grin into a cocked eyed confusion that seemed more deteremined to understand something lost between the two before he simply shook his head;

“A shame your parents named you that…”, he said almost under his breath.

“To answer your question, Congelare, I’m hardly here in isolation. The rest of my research group are further up the tunnel, in a separate set of ruins. I only came down here for some fresh air away from them.”, he ended with a somewhat abrupt guffa.

---

“Pack everything you can, let’s get a’move on.”, one of the guards said, before offering a soft nod to Raigryn.

Douglas hesitated for a moment, as the group began to move into a steady pace of packing up all they had dragged from the carnage. It was a momentary pause, thinking back to Acillio; and what he had said about handling death following Alliria. It never seemed to get easier, but it was something you simply had to learn how to deal with; and so he would. With a soft shake of his head, Douglas moved to stand and stuff what few things he had grabbed into a leather satchel, before putting it on his back and moving with the group towards the tunnel.

As the group made it nearby, Raigryn and the various members of the expedition would begin to see the situation unfold more thoroughly, with the expeditions unchosen diplomats discussing something with the complete stranger that had yet to be introduced to the party as a whole. That was until Rundal noticed the now prying eyes of the few survivors and waved to them welcomingly;

“Greetings, everyone! I’m Rundal!”, he said with a wide eyed, almost over enthusiastic expression.​

 

[Telemachus]

Location: Deeper in the Ruins, Corridor
Company: Galen | Alona Hawse | Dante di Inverno | Douglas Haley

For once Dante and Telemachus were of a similar opinion. The Dark Elf scowled in utter disgust as Rundall shoved past him, screaming down the hallway at the people who were still congealed by the entrance. Impudent strangers. Weird strangers. Oversharing strangers. Telemachus was beginning to envy the dead, that they no longer had to deal with these trivialities.

"I would like to speak with the other members of your party, Rundall," Telemachus droned.

If they were actually real, of course. And given Rundall's slack-jawed disposition and wide, stupid eyes, that likely wasn't the case. But even if they weren't, even if Rundall was a madman, scrabbling alone in the dark, there would be something else of use in these ruins, he hoped.

But if they were real, odds are at least one of them would be more tolerable. Less pushy.

Telemachus began walking down the tunnel again, without waiting for an answer.

 

[Tezio Gomst]

Location: Unknown
Company: Unknown

Fate was a cruel mistress, able to turn on a dime and take you the second your eyes left her.

Tezio should've never kept his eyes off the storm. Torrential gales of wind, carrying grainy bits of rock and dust, tore through their convoy as a hot knife through butter. Horses squealed in anguish, their riders toppling off to be ripped asunder by the Biamhac. Student and sellsword alike had dropped their luggage, sprinting towards the ruins upon command. Blinded by sand and deafened by wind, Tezio was just a second too late.

He didn't even have a chance to fearfully scream for help. Something hit him in the back hard. Whatever it was, it was flat and merciful in its downward journey. The knight-errant dropped to into the sand with a yelp, shielding himself as best as he could. Alas, his best wasn't good enough. A pale yellow eye cracked open wide enough to see a caravan flying, splinters of wood joining the wind.

It grew larger and larger, and then it hit him.

Everything went black, blood caking the sand.

Douglas Haley Acillio Nazzaro

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

Raigryn loosened the string of his pack as it was slung over one shoulder. A maw covered in mottled green-grey fur poked our, followed by a large pair of glassy black eyes. The lunasloth had much better eyes than Raigryn in the darkness anyway.

The Empath was surprised to see light ahead of them down the corridor. A conversation was going on. There was more going on here than he could perceive. It was like a floating swirl on the edge of your vision. Every time to tried to look at it carefully it retreated to the periphery.

Far less subtle was the stranger that boldly marched towards them and offered his name.

"Hello Rundall," Raigryn replied, avoiding the offer of his own name. Instead he turned towards the rest of the party that had been down here talking to the stranger to see if they would offer any hint as to what had been going on.

 

[Douglas Haley]

​

West of Vel Anir, among the ruins of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
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With the majority of the group now centered around Rundal, he orientated himself to face them with a wide grin. That was until Telemachus had walked past, demanding to speak to the others; to which he put up little resistance, offering little more than a shake of his head and following the Dark Elf down the corridor. He spoke in the darkness before opening up a light to help guide their path;

“Not sure what else you’ll get from them, I suppose, but we can head back there sure.”, he said with a bit more anxiety in his voice.

As if in a nervous twitch, his hand moved to a small opal necklace around his neck, fingers guiding over it as he exhaled. He spoke little as they wandered back to through the darkness, though as a light appeared near the end after a few empty rooms and corridors took them around, the group would be opened up to a magnificent sight. That which had eluded them for so long, tucked far behind the canyon they were traversing before; a magnificent wall of ancient architecture that seemed unbeaten, untouched by the harsh winds of time with not a breeze to remind the few of the biamhac of before.

Even still, Rundal spoke up quickly as they ran into open site;

“I’d recommend not using any magic here, never know when one of those storms might kick up…”, he said with a bit of prehension.

“This however, was the ‘Royal’ district; a place where the rich once lived, along with the government.”, he said as he motioned up to the largest temple, with a massive opening and staircase leading into it. A statue of a man lost detail in the distance, but it was obvious he once meant something of some import as he stared over the city as some watchful protector, despite the seeping silence that inhabited it now. With the air dry, and a soft sage like smell wafting through the air, Rundal moved forward with an idle hand motioning the party forward into the expanse; where building after building lay as perfect as it has ever been, with nothing but dry rot festering the exposed wood of stands and canopies.

“The surrounding canyon walls have kept this place well off for a while. Doesn’t see the damage the rest of the ruins do. Less of the Biamhac’s too.”, the scholar said with a bit more enthusiasm.

“I hate to pry, but could I ask why you’re here?”, Douglas chimed in from the middle of the crowd.

Rundal looked back with a smile, all before speaking with a reassuring tone;

“To study, of course. There’s alot of mysteries about this place, if you have the eye to look.”

In the distance, deep in the great maw of the temple they could see, the beating of the ancient heart grew louder now in the open; though much of it was through the magical currents themselves. Each sensation a wave emanating somewhere deep in the carved cliffside; as though it was waiting for the many to appear. Whatever it was, the group was moving closer to it with each invigorated step.

---

Behind the group, where the dead still lie buried in a magical storm hellbent on reaping the souls of those few poor sods still left alive to ruminate on the tortured corpses of their allies; a single man with a wand traversed the storm. His eyes wandered from body to body as a magical ward kept the violent currents away from him; taking an inventory of the dead with an idle sense. For those few who lived, he’d do what he could, though most were far too close to death to help.

That was, until two of them were were unconscious, saved by the crushing force of one of the carriages they had pulled from their cities. Using magic, the man lifted the carriages, taking care to ensure none of the winds would interfere with those few still alive; only to pull both Acillio Nazzaro and Tezio Gomst from the wreckage. Their bodies limp, he idled them behind his protective barrier just barely above the ground itself as he walked back to the safety of his encampment.

Many moments later, he lightly tapped each in the chest with his staff, offering a kindred smile as the two would awaken. They found themselves on a cliff overlooking the exact noble city the others of the group had seen, even now traversed through; though their position was far from their site. The man kneeled down to inspect them closely, check for any wounds visually before he spoke;

“Good morning, gentlemen. My name is Ar-Feiniel; a friend.”, he said in as calming a tone as he could muster; though it was obvious the common tongue was not his first judging by his heavy accent.

His gaze moved outwards to the city at large, its expansive nature seeming to draw the eye aesthetically only to push it back to the conversation at hand;

“Are you two…”, a pause, as if he had to think of the word, ”...alright?”

Summary -

• For those following Rundal, he has brought the group to the Elite district that once housed the highest echelons of Valen society. The cities seem frozen in time, with little to no destruction or wear to their surrounding, unlike the ruins they saw before. The entire area is surrounded by high canyon walls, with a distant temple built high above all else watching the district. The beating heart those who heard before seems closer now, now known to come from the temple at the top of the hill; the exact place Rundal seems to be taking the party.
• For Acillio and Tezio, the two who had fallen victim to a rogue carriage during the storm, a mysterious elf has awoken them. He seems friendly enough, but has brought both of them to heights above the same elite district; though his motivations are suspect as of yet.

 

[Acillio Nazzaro]

The wagon had protected Acillio Nazzaro and another from the nightmare of the biamhac. As he lay unconcious he dreamt of a far away villa and a woman with beautiful black locks. It was summer now and the sun seemed to scorch the earth but he smiled as they soaked in a nearby creek. Her skin was milk white and her eyes emerald green. Her supple womanly features tantalized his eyes and he dare reach out to hold her breasts. His hand stroked the soft skin as he heard a distant voice and a thud to his chest. He looked at the woman he loved as her flesh melted from her bone and his eyes fluttered awake.

He was lying beside an orc, groping the beast by his breast, or lack thereof. He almost screamed, then he turned and saw the dark elf standing over him, and he did scream. "What the fucks going on!?" He blurted out, jumping to his feet. His mind swam in sudden pain and nausea. His eyes held shut, his hands reaching to manage his forehead. He had one hell of a headache. "Who are you two?" He asked, having not heard the dark elf earlier.

 

[Dante di Inverno]

A shame your parents named you that…”, he said almost under his breath

A blond eyebrow quirked at Rundal's quiet response, but Dante pretended he hadn't heard. It was no matter what the fool thought of his name, fake or otherwise. His mode of dress and excessively jocund manner had convinced the noble that his thoughts were inconsequential.

"I would like to speak with the other members of your party, Rundall," Telemachus droned.

"As would I," Dante said, shaking his head at Rundal's forceful introduction to the rest of the caravan. He followed Telemachus down the hallway, pausing briefly at the stranger's seemingly anxious response. Unsurprisingly, it appeared the man had something to hide.

As the group exited the tunnel, Dante marveled at the unblemished architecture that surrounded them. The crisp, yet ancient, lines of each building seemed to pulse in time with the beating heart, which appeared to be emanating from a distant edifice.

"That temple," he said, addressing Rundal. "What have you learned of it thus far, and how long have you and your party been here?"

Galen | Telemachus | Alona Hawse | Douglas Haley

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, among the ruins of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
____________________________

“Fortnight, I suppose.”, Rundal said idly as his hand fondled the opal around his neck.

His gaze seemed to wander to the entrance of it, a cocked expression on his face expressing a mixture of confusion and contempt; though the reason was unknown. After a moment, he simply shook his head, turning back to Dante as they walked;

“Nero said we’re trying to learn of some source of power stored within the temple, but I’m not so sure… Seems a fool’s errand to me.”

The group continued on, with little conversation partaking, the majority eyeing the surroundings far more than each other for once. The architecture, although dated, held a significant beauty, with a few of the buildings holding very fine gold inlay into the crown of their structure; as though the opal and tile built into them wasn’t enough. It was all distracting, the perfect location for treasure hunters; yet even still it seemed no actual hunters had made it past the terrifying storms that surrounded the ‘oasis’ center.

As the group made their trek up the stairs, the beating would grow larger, nigh deafening to magical senses. A thousand steps up the stairs and they’d be enveloped in its massive archway, unnamed idols inlayed into various alcoves surrounding them; all but the very few near the entrance with every detail still kept on their skin. They appeared marble, but the detail spoke of their craftsmanship, and in all but movement were they alive; veins popping from beneath the thin skin of the hands, their clothes almost transparent seeming; all of it was intoxicating.

To pull their attention however, a central, tall figure broke free from one of the various hallways as he wiped his hands. Massive, a beard lining heavy set jaw, he seemed more man than bear; though he held no obvious weapons, no different than Rundal himself.

With a great smile, he looked to Rundal with an almost teasing expression;

“Finally back, aye? And brought some friends?”

Rundal seemed sheepish all of a sudden, simply nodding before turning to the group.

“This is Nero.”, he said weakly.

---

Ar-Feiniel simply shook his head, staying quiet as he diverted his eyes to the side. After a long pause, he finally spoke up in his thick, muddled accent;

“Uh… Ar-Feiniel. I’m unsure if I said that correctly, but that is my name. My moniker.”, he said with an almost pained expression.

“You two were almost killed by the ‘cbened feht’, the ‘Biamhac’ as you call it.”

With that, his gaze fell on the orc, who still appeared asleep, cocking his gaze lazily as if to wait to see if he would awake at last, or if he was simply in comatose.​

 

[Dante di Inverno]

"Interesting," Dante murmured, his typically arrogant bearing softened in the face of the architectural majesty surrounding them. "I would think a search into such power as the temple's more than worthwhile. Why do you stay if you feel the work is beneath you?"

As they drew closer to the temple, his heart made a concentrated effort to match its rhythm. What his heart lacked in power, it made up for in feelings of strength and exhilaration. The beat was in his blood, the tempo a song his every atom was more than happy to dance to. He felt alive, and the statues lining the building's entryway seemed to reflect that feeling.

It came as no surprise, then, when Nero separated from a nearby hallway, one of the statues come to life.

"Pleasure," Dante said with a nod once Rundal squeaked out the man's name. "Although I wouldn't go so far as to call us friends. Acquaintances, more like."

He paused, taking in the giant's appearance. "Your man tells me you've been toiling here a fortnite. Learn anything interesting about this preternatural heartbeat?"

Galen | Telemachus | Alona Hawse | Douglas Haley

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, among the ruins of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
____________________________

Almost in unison, Nero and Rundal gave Dante an odd look, though seemed to stifle it just as quick as they seemed to realize what he was talking about. A soft surprise fell on Nero’s face, as if he had come to an epiphany at the heartbeat’s mention;

“Ah, the heartbeat.”, he said idly.

“You hear it so often, you manage to forget about it.”

As he said that, his focus seemed to fall away from the group, a hand moving to his chin as if in thought. A moment of silence, albeit small, was noticeable before he turned back to speak to Dante specifically;

“Not entirely sure, haven’t found much of a source, though we have our theories. Magical anomaly, the long lost hivemind of the citie’s lost souls…”, he said with a shrug.

“Hard to say, honestly. Haven’t found a giant heart or nothin’.”

As the massive man ceased his speech, the heart itself seemed to slowly fall in rhythm and volume; as if shy by Dante’s mention of it. It was slow, but as the group would stand and discuss whatever it was they wished, the pulsing would cease to an almost silent murmur, before dissolving completely; at a rate that was mostly noticeable, especially to those of lesser magical prowess.​

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

Raigryn found that even in the midst of this splendour his attention was drawn to Nero. Perhaps it was simply his bearing and size, something that reminded him of warriors he had once stood beside on the field of battle. Old man Hague had looked like that. He had towered over the field of battle, laughing away as he swung right up until that arrow stuck him right in the eye.

Raigryn managed to draw his gaze back to their surroundings. Even being kept from the harsh winds the carvings seemed to have maintained their detail remarkably well. It made him wonder if the outer appearance of the ruins had been diminished by more than just nature and time.

"Mind if I ask how your water supply is?" Raigryn asked. "Our caravan was set upon just outside the ruins and whilst we might be able to retrieve it we're close to barely being able to make the nearest settlement. Oh and who did you say funded your expedition again?" he asked pleasantly.

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, among the ruins of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
____________________________

“No mind,” Nero offered with a dismissive wave of his bear like hand.

He let Raigryn speak for a moment as he reached into a small pouch, pulling out of it both a small wooden pipe and tobacco to match; taking time to pack it, using a very careful application of magic through his thumb to light it, letting the aromatic smoke cloud his face in a subtle haze. The oddity was only in how sweet the smoke smelled, though it quickly fell from attention as the giant spoke once more;

“The water we brought ran out a week back, but we’ve been dealing well enough with a well inside the temple here.”, he said with a nod, motioning in a direction deeper into the tunnel as he spoke;

“Temple water has stayed clean, so I imagine it’s running water. Might be worth a shot to resupply with that.”

Though at the question of who funded the expedition, he offered a furrow of his brow and a shake of his head;

“Private organization out of Allirian Reach; probably wouldn’t want to be named outright. Rather keep that to myself, if you don’t mind.”, he said with a subtle authority fitting for his size and demeanor. Rundal made little effort to disagree as he quietly nodded, before walking a bit deeper into the tunnel and glancing back;

“The others here, or exploring?”

“They’re around, somewhere. You’re free to look for ‘em.”

Rundal offered another nod before walking from site down a side passage, walking into an unknown tunnel that led far deeper into the temple than was expected for it to go.​

 

[Dante di Inverno]

Eyes of glacial blue tracked Nero's movements as he spoke. They exuded a sort of detached interest, much like a leopard watching from above as prey succumbs to another predator.

"A private organization, you say? Sounds like something one of the noble houses would be likely to sponsor. Quietly, of course." Dante waved one hand through the air, as if to dismiss the idea. "It is of no matter, either way. Someone is always seeking a new type of power to wield. Why would enchanted ruins be any different?"

He turned as if to follow Rundal, but continued addressing Nero.

"You mentioned a well, and I noticed you and Rundal have not a speck of dirt on you. Is there a location for all of us to bathe? I have spent far too long in the presence of my companions and their pungent odor. So much so that I fear my senses have gone dull from overuse."

Galen | Douglas Haley | Telemachus | Raigryn Vayd | Alona Hawse | Jason | Kyver | Sinnata Wynralei | Tezio Gomst | Acillio Nazzaro | Raziel Shirai

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, within the temple of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
____________________________

Nero gave Dante a bit of a blank stare at the mention of his cleanliness, as if it had just donned on him. Glancing down, he brushed himself lightly before giving a hearty laugh; speaking solely to the noble,

“Good eye, friend.”, he said with his booming voice, “Aye, there is. We run it from the well, back at the base camp. Come, follow me, I’ll sh-”

However, he was cut off as a man of the group moved forward, spitting on the ground and drawing his sword. An elf, young, with a scar running down his brow and narrowly missing his eye. His skin was grey, but the expression on his face was full of scorn, though with a mindful dutiness behind it all;

“I’m tired of hearing your lies.”, he said with an abruptness that forced even the giant Nero to quiet and look at the man with a confused expression.

“You are naught but an apparition, hell-sent to steal from this place.”; and as if by fluid motion, he had lurched forward with a skill few warriors could match, driving his sword upwards toward Nero, only for the deft man to slide back, narrowly missing the blade before sending a massive fist downwards on the elf, breaking the sword from his grasp and sending him flying.

His expression seemed overly calm as he towered over the fallen Elf, only for the mysterious warrior quickly recover and slide himself backwards, turning his gaze towards the others, a sudden helplessness in his expression;

“Please, stop him! He seeks your lives!”

Nero simply shook his head as he began a march over to the sword, seemingly taking his time to grab it, speaking as he did;

“I’m sorry for this, friends. These fanatics have pestered our expedition since our arrival… I didn’t imagine they’d of used you to strike out at us.”, he said with a somber tone.

“We should deal with this quickly, before more arrive.”

“Lies! Oui teckicdehk melr, don’t listen to him!”, the elf pleaded, backing up against the wall as the towering giant moved towards him with sword in hand.

Only a moment existed for the group to decide on who to believe in the moment, slowly fading with every step of Nero.​

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

It took Raigryn too long to realise that after everything they had just been through it was a little too easy to believe a man who offered comfort with a smile. Perhaps if he had been talking to Rundall as long as the others the suspicious itch at the back of his mind would have grown sooner.

Instead Nero had the sword raised before Raigryn decided to act. Too far to draw his own sword and interject. Too late to argue.

The Empath sighed and drew from his Avarice. The point of Nero's sword fell but struck an irredecent barrier of jade light. Where the point bounced off the simple barrier it left a white scratch. It wasn't a neat barrier. A rough, angular shape that hung in the air between Nero and the elf.

Raigryn felt a pang of jealousy that he had road dust rubbed into every pore whilst these explorers seemed to live in the luxury of this untouched temple with fresh bath water.

Shrugging away the after effect of drawing on his power so suddenly, Raigryn drew his sword. There was nothing even remotely magical about it. In his experience just about everything from vampires to hill giants could fall if you struck it enough with a piece of well made steel. He kept it pointed at the elf. They had, after all, infiltrated their group and attempted murder.

"There are more of them?" he asked Nero.

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, within the temple of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
____________________________

The Elf held his breath as the sword fell towards him, only to stop at the barrier made by Raigryn. Mercy had found itself in his heart, but Raigryn would notice something as the blade hit the barrier; that the strength of Nero seemed to surpass even what his size implied. There was a moment where the blade met the barrier that it seemed it would actually do very little, that it strained beneath his strike and would give with little effort; and yet as soon as the strike landed, it seemed as though Nero simply took this monstrous strength away, as if it had gone limp in his massive hand.

The giant sighed before kneeling down, staring the elf in his pale eyes, as if searching for something unknown to both of them. Obvious filled with an anxious demeanor, the elf wordlessly glanced up to Raigryn as if to ask for assistance, but the exhale of Nero quickly broke the silence before any deal could be made;

“There are…”, he said with a quiet contempt, one that was a far throw from his previously friendly attitude.

“A week back they killed another scholar. A good man, his name was Caeser; not that this elf cares…”, he said as he spit in the elves face.

The elf jerked back at it before wiping the saliva from his face, gritting his teeth, only to swear in his foreign tongue just above a whisper. However, while the Elf seemed to plead a moment before for his life, he now stood silent, almost as if he refused to speak to the new arrivals anymore than he spoke to Nero. It was obvious he was a youthful firebrand, but his origins were unknown, and he bore no symbol of his organization nor origin.

“My advice is to kill him now. Before he has a chance to sneak away and tell his allies more of us have arrived.”

“Before he kills another one of us.”​

 

[Dante di Inverno]

"Hold."

The word came softly, mimicking the pad of that disinterested leopard's paws as it stands, its attention pricked by the appearance of worthy prey. The air of the temple grew colder, as if in response to that single word.

"I am of the same mind as you, Nero. Elf-folk are often vermin at best, especially when they murder one of your own. However, I would much prefer to know the forces behind this elf's passionate, yet suicidal, plan before we take action. I would also like to hear a more detailed explanation of your mission, if you don't mind."

Although phrased as a question, Dante's cold tone brooked no argument.

Waving a hand now tipped in icy claws, the blond mage drew upon the cold flowing through his veins. A barrier of ice began to crawl its way up the elf's legs like a second skin, trapping him in place.

"In the meantime, this youth will not be going anywhere."

Raigryn Vayd | Douglas Haley | Galen | Telemachus | Jason | Kyver | Sinnata Wynralei | Alona Hawse | Tezio Gomst | Acillio Nazzaro | Raziel Shirai

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, within the temple of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
____________________________

Nero’s gaze bore deep into the Elf, who’s burning passion forced an expression that spoke to a bruised ego more than anything else. He attempted to look strong in his seated position, but it was hard to look intimidating when faced down with a giant of a man who only a moment before laid you out with surprisingly little effort. After a momentary staring contest, his gaze moved to Dante as he began to speak;

“Elves that call themselves the ‘Eridian’; some order who claims to protect ancient artifacts, dangerous knowledge, so on.”

As he spoke, the ice moved up the Elves leg, but did little to stifle his attention. Instead of jerking away, his eyes closed and his hands formed a small symbol in his lap. In a moment of prayer, he seemed to sit quiet, his lips moving with no sound coming from them; a few of the mages in the room able to tell he was preparing some sort of spell, though with swords in hand, and no obvious aggression to the mana surrounding him, it didn’t seem as though the spell was anything elemental, nor dangerous for the others.

Nero glanced towards him, but did nothing as Raigryn held a sword to the Elve’s throat, instead speaking once more;

“My expedition is here to study the ruins, find out why the people disappeared. Only reason I can imagine these zealots still protect this area is to stop people like you or me from-”, he said before being interrupted.

The elf now held whatever concentrated mana in his fist, though did nothing with it as he looked between Raigryn and Dante; the two who had set themselves apart in the discussion thus far. His tone was even, carrying what meager amounts of authority the youthful elf could muster;

“People? This man is not a mortal, he is an abomination.”

“What are you talking about?”, Nero said with a near growl, looking back towards the elf.

“Don’t lie to these people, melr. You are a monster, as are all others who walk this path.”

Nero furrowed his massive brow, but didn’t interject as the elf glanced to Dante;

“If your party does not leave, you will die. If not by this man’s hand, then by my own. You desecrate these lands with your presence, and you put the world in danger by pushing these limits. Leave, risyh, before you do not have the chance to do so.”

“See? Crazy.”, Nero said with a shake of his head.​

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

Raigryn had lived a simple life for many years. His magic was at best frowned upon, and at worst banned completely. Once he had lived with nobility, rode to war alongside princes and generals. Most of the time he was content with the life he led. He acted as a scribe, making sufficient coin from the art of writing and he helped those in need when he could.

There were moments when he regretted no longer being an important man, especially when he was talked down to. Anger flashed across his features before he pulled himself back to balance.

He looked down at the energy the elf had summoned them over at Nero. Fifty men shouldn't have been able to pierce his barrier and yet that sword had nearly cut right through.

"How did you enhance your strength like that Nero? Sympathomantic enhancement? An enhanced item?"

People had died today for someone else's conflict. He wasn't the type of man who could walk away from that without answers.

"Are you a monster Nero? Or is the elf just confused?"

 

[Douglas Haley]

West of Vel Anir, within the temple of Valen...
Cirqa 369

Dungeon Master Post - Dante di Inverno │ Galen │ Telemachus │ Jason │ Kyver │ Sinnata Wynralei │ Alona Hawse │@Tezio Gomst │ Acillio Nazzaro │ Raziel Shirai
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Nero gave a momentary glance to Raigryn, but failed to respond while looking at him. Instead, his gaze fell on the Elf once more, though there was less contempt in it by the moment, burning away like the fuel passion always seemed to be. He sighed slightly, offering as much a response as he could;

“Magic.”, he said, as if bored by the answer. The way he spoke seemed like he was going to explain more, yet nothing came, and the giant of a man let silence stand between the two at his second question.

Eventually, he looked Raigryn down, towering over him with a passive intimidation that made even his answer seem somewhat threatening, even if his tone didn’t imply such;

“Do I look like a monster? Are you confused?”, Nero said as he exhaled through his nose.

“Looks are deceiving.”, the Elf interjected, a small grin showing up on his face as for a moment, Nero and the nameless firebrand locked gaze.

Rundal quietly wandered back into the room, a small, unassuming woman behind him with black hair that made her look as if she was related to youthful mage that walked with her. Her expression seemed to drop as she looked to the Elf, only for Rundal to speak;

“What’s going on? How did he get in here?”, he asked suddenly.

The elf, amidst the sudden change in attention, spoke just loud enough for Raigryn and Nero hear him as the magic within his hand began to dissipate, bubbling the air around him with the soft intent of magic.

“I’ll show you.”, he cryptically said, only to disappear.

For the amount of experienced mages in the room, it was simple to tell what he had done. Despite his youthful demeanor, and somewhat unassuming inexperience, the would-be assassin knew exactly the moment attention would be pulled away, the exact moment he would have the highest chance of success. One, two seconds passed as everyone attempted to adjust to his sudden change of position before he reappeared in a sudden purple miasma, the after effects of his short teleportation; only now he stood behind Rundal, a hand on his shoulder faster than the scholar could react.

His expression went cold as the elf whispered something nobody else could make out, only for a massive step from Nero to interrupt the silence, a driving passion to assault the elf once more taking over the giant as a small dagger flashed near the elfs hip. Before any in the room could close the distance, the blade sunk deep into new arrival’s back, blood slicking the floor as Rundal began screaming.

The woman went limp, her expression moving from fear to lifeless in a few pained grimaces, but something seemed off suddenly about the elf. Instead of a confident expression, the elf seemed suddenly horrified at the blood, pulling back as Nero closed the distance with fire in his eyes. Taking on that same pleading expression as he had before, the elf glanced up to Raigryn, his previous savior, as if to ask for help once more; but instead of pleading for his life, he spoke instead, not with his mouth but through the currents of magic.

“The blood is a lie. She was never alive.”

In that cryptic final moment, Nero’s blade swung horizontal at the Elf, slamming into him with the full force of near fifty men. Whatever spell Nero had cast did little for his blade alignment, and instead of a clean cut through the elf he managed to throw his entire body sideways into the wall, snapping bones and stone in a single motion; as a proverbial fire spewed from his expression. It was a single, powerful move, and one that Nero let hold onto the room for a few careful moments before his gaze fell back on Raigryn.

“Her death is on you.”, he said with a slow burning intensity, a piercing gaze pressing deep into the empath’s confidence.

“I told you to kill him. Instead, you had to be ‘curious’, ask question, and now what? What about Riel? Where is she left?”, Nero said in a growing intensity.

He did not move from his spot however, still holding the corpse of the elf to the wall with a massive strength, nothing but the sword touching it. Next to him, Rundal collapsed, his once happy expression replaced with pure terror, though he did not scream; only staring at the now lifeless body of his female lookalike. He whispered something, unheard by all, but with it he moved backwards along the floor until his back was firmly against the wall, as if to serve as a brace.

Momentary comfort, it seemed.​

 

[Telemachus]

Telemachus remained aloof and silent for much of the walk. Dante did most of the talking, since that (in addition to cooling beverages) marked the extent of his usefulness. Telemachus did not appear to be terribly satisfied with these answers, but neither did he seem eager to press the subject. The caravan was destroyed. Their supplies ruined. Despite his earlier distrust, it would not be prudent to alienate a fellow expedition that could provide help.

Naturally, that was exactly what happened next.

The Sidereal Elf had been preoccupied examining the surrounding architecture when suddenly an individual - some stranger Telemachus did not recognize - tried to kill the one that called himself Nero. Nero handled the situation deftly... Up until Vayd, that soiled empath, decided to play interrogator. By that point Telemachus had idly moved to the back of the crowd. When your primary weapon was magic and your armor robes, you learned to put distance between yourself and the people flashing swords.

A good call, too. Despite Dante's application of restraints, the interloper broke free, and quickly killed a woman who had turned up. Nero rectified this by smashing the Elf into the wall, apparently killing it. Great. That was the second stranger to join their caravan who directly contributed to getting people killed. Nero fixated more on Raigryn as he bemoaned his colleague's death. Rundal went catatonic. Which, all things considered, Telemachus considered an improvement.

This was quickly getting out of hand. Telemachus glanced around to see if he could find an alternate escape route. If the worst came to pass, Telemachus could always hike out of the desert on his own. Tedious, but doable. What did catch his eye was Douglas Haley, sneaking off down a side passage in the ensuing chaos. Where did he think he was going?

Telemachus narrowed his eyes and slipped away, wordless and unnoticed, following quietly after Douglas.

 

[Douglas Haley]

____________________________

Where the main room was now awash in blood and rising temperaments, Douglas had veered off to the tunnel Rundal had passed down only a few moments before. His attention focused, his goal kept close to his chest; nothing but his own footsteps offering him company as he worked his way deeper into the temple, leaving many of the group behind. To some, it might have become obvious now why he had been so silent, separating himself from the group to investigate something that had come to his attention.

The tunnels he wandered were oddly catacomb like, a few alcoves set off with aging gold and trinkets of the long dead, others still with worn down marble plates that once described their life and all their accomplishments. It was easy to assume most belonged to saints, but the dank smell that emanated from them was anything but holy. Covering his nose with the rag he had used before to stop the dirt, he made his way until a small bit of light forced him to peek through the gap of a door.

What he saw was the rear of Rundal’s head, messing with some obvious magical workbench. Crystals that were easily recognized soul gems, alchemic and catalyst ingredients lining a shelf behind him, and even more, all set aside for some unknown experiment. The man that appeared to be Rundal hummed something quiet, but after a few moments he closed a book on the table and walked into another room; away from sight.

Just as Douglas moved a hand to open the door, Telemachus’s close figure had become known to him. Forcing him to stifle a startled scream, and give the elf an extremely exhausted glance. Just over a whisper, he spoke hoarsely;

“What are you doing?”, he said, not connecting the irony of the question.

Telemachus​

 

[Telemachus]

Telemachus raised an eyebrow expectantly at Douglas. Magic glimmered within him - likely from some sort of muffling charm he cast on him at some point during his walk to this point. But unlike the amateur spells worked by Galen, Telemachus had not inadvertently muted himself.

Telemachus canted his head to the side, regarding Douglas coldly. "Monitoring you. Has Master Salim sent you on some special errand?"

Naturally, whatever Douglas Haley was trying to get up to, Telemachus assumed it was at the behest of Agron Salim. The boy did not strike him as particularly imaginative enough to come up with his own schemes for these sorts of situations. His head straightened, and his eyes narrowed on the furtive apprentice.

"Or are you shrinking from the sight of death again?"

Well, that was more likely an insult than a sincere guess. Telemachus appeared to wait for Douglas to offer a correction.