Player Plot: The Mysterious Ruin

[serannas]

WHO: Ellana Ashara, Korrin Ataash, Vasran Thelassin, Thranduil, Felix Alexius, Sam Gareth, Kallian Endris, Velanna, Merrick Ashara, Eirlys Ancarrow
WHAT: A trip to an elven ruin in search of the Sulevin Blade leads to some surprises.
WHEN: October/Harvestmere 1-5 (mostly travel time to and from)
WHERE: the Dales
NOTES: OOC post is here.

The clues have led them to this spot in the Dales, hidden behind thick vegetation far from the eyes of Orlesian soldiers, Red Templars, or Venatori. As they enter, Ellana throws down a barrier on those closest to her, sure that the other mages will do the same. Korrin and Sam have done this with her before, but she's thrilled at the response she's had this time to inviting others along. There is strength in numbers and she hopes that together they can face whatever is standing in their way to the Sulevin Blade.

The first room spreads out before them, and simple entranceway with statues of harts flanking the door way into the next area. Ellana turns in a small circle, eyes gazing up towards the ceiling before she smiles and pulls out a notebook, making quick notes on what she sees with her charcoal. It looks like this ruin will be like the last, with nature reclaiming it after so long without inhabitants. She likes that if anything has to live here, it's trees and grass.

She steps up to the doorway, checking it for any sort of trap before renewing her barrier and stepping through. As leader of this exploration, she's willing to take the risk of being hurt so someone else doesn't have to. And now that she's in here, this room seems a little unusual. On the floor are four slightly raised tiles, each bearing a symbol. In the middle of the floor is a large, raised circular tile that bears all four symbols in a row. And there seems to be no door other than the door way they walked through. Surely this can't be it.

Anyone care to explore?


[ ooc: one thread, all hop in, I provide the clues, you guys react, I provide plot progression! hit me up in the OOC post linked above if anything is unclear, and have fun! ]

Comments

[gatheringstorm]

Nodding, Korrin promptly hands it over so Ellana can use it as needed. She'll hold onto the parchment for amusement value, intending to pass it on to Varric later. Maybe after showing it to Araceli first.

[unharrowed]

Unlike Sam, Vasran isn't so worried about whatever security set-up this next puzzle might unleash. She stays alert as a matter of course, but her manner is much more relaxed than it was before.

She hums in mock-thoughtfulness. "Perhaps this time there'll be a bigger skeleton."

[serannas]

Taking the piece, Ellana notes that it must be the bottom right corner and she holds it up to the puzzle to show Velanna and anyone else who wants to help.

"See; this will go here at the end. Actually, I think we're nearly there. These have to move over here, but we can do that without shuffling the whole thing again. Then I'll put this tile in and see what happens."

She does hear what Vasran says, and her cheeks go a little pink.

"I hope this hasn't ruined the experience for everyone. Puzzles in ruins are common, but so far this place has seemed a little... silly, I guess." Ellana shrugs a shoulder. "But, hey, better this than fighting undead, right?"

[failedfirst]

Velanna nods at Ellana's observation, moving the tiles around as she'd indicated, before stepping back to allow her to put the tile in.

"We should prepare for a fight just in case something held up all these years, though I wouldn't make bets on what's on the other side of the door." Because so far, there hasn't been much danger here. Potential danger, sure. Actual present danger, not so much.

[el_tybs]

Considering the last ruin he had went to he had been grabbed and nearly ran through by a Revenant he sort of has a reason to be a bit on edge. Even if everything was dead here it didn't mean they couldn't raise up and come after them all.

He'll just be towards the middle, keeping an eye out for anything that moves that isn't part of the group. Readying spells.

[serannas]

Yeah, she still feels really bad about that, Sam. But it all turned out okay, right? Eventually. Sort of.

Ellana takes a steadying breath and sets the tile into the puzzle. It stays in place against the wall and there is definitely the sound of a door being unlocked. The door in question then proceeds to swing open into the room, so hopefully no one is standing right in front of it or they're getting knocked back. And there on the other side of the door stands a nug. Yes, a nug. It stares up at the group before turning around and walking into the room that is now open to them. Ellana stares after it in confusion. For a brief moment she considers the nug unlocked the door but... no. No, it was finishing the puzzle.

At least she hopes there isn't a tiny key clutched in the nug's hand right now. She follows the nug into the room to see a much larger room than the previous, with arches and a balcony running around a second floor that looks down on them. Then her eyes lock on something and she gives a shout of alarm, only to see it's not moving.

"Oh! Oh, it's just a... uh, a statue of Mythal with a giant skull attached as the head?" Because logic has no place here.

The nug wanders back towards Ellana when she shouts and makes a soft squeaking noise. She smiles and gets down on her haunches to look it over.

"Now how did you get in here, hmm?"

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin eyes the nug for a moment, half-expecting it to turn into something awful given her weird luck, but as it heads back into the room, she follows Ellana. Upon hearing that shout of alarm, she gets her staff ready, only for her eyes to fall on what catches Ellana's attention.

"What the fuck? Someone has a sick sense of humor, and terrible decorating sense."