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faderift2022-09-05 11:21 am
faderifting) wrote in faderift2022-09-05 11:21 am
MOD PLOT ↠ BEFORE THE GATES | PUZZLE LOG
WHO: Bastien, Byerly, Cosima, Derrica, Edgard, Ellis, Flint, Gwenaëlle, Josias, Loxley, Marcus, Mobius, Redvers, Sidony, Tiffany, Tony, Viktor
WHAT: Puzzles and sacrifice
WHEN: Mid Kingsway
WHERE: A temple in Arlathan Forest
NOTES: See also OOC post, open log.
WHAT: Puzzles and sacrifice
WHEN: Mid Kingsway
WHERE: A temple in Arlathan Forest
NOTES: See also OOC post, open log.
The search pays off, after a few weeks, when a team—every team, independently, separated from the others by foliage and time, and unaware they aren't the only ones—stumbles upon a sizable contingent of Venatori and their allies making steady progress toward a ruined temple complex. It's too large a group for any four- or five-person team to combat directly. But they can outrun them. Whether they dash ahead of the enemy unseen or pause first to ambush or delay them, they'll beat them to the ruins. The forest is so densely grown up around and over its remnants that it's impossible to get a sense of the full scale, but something about the size of the walls and doorways arching high overhead, the opulence of the carvings and mosaics even encrusted by millenia of moss, suggests an important site. And there's a feeling, too, a spine-prickling sense of mingled excitement and foreboding, that whispers this must be the place.
That feeling is confirmed by the contents of the mosaics lining the walls, depicting a glowing golden city with a familiar arrangement of spires and towers. Looking at it causes a strangely powerful sense of deja vu until someone puts it together—these same towers now haunt the Fade, their blackened heights always visible, never reachable. The mosaic of the city circles what looks once to have been a great temple hall, perspective sloping to draw the eye to the only other doorway out of this space, an arched portal opposite, gilded to appear as if it's part of the mosaic, as if walking through it might take one through the walls of the golden city itself.
Each team will reach this temple alone and will travel through it alone. As far as they will be able to tell, they are the only ones to have made it here—perhaps the only people to set foot inside it in a thousand years or more—and the combination of time distortion and crystal lapses will make it impossible to determine otherwise. They can send all the messages they like while inside the complex, but will receive no replies until it's all over. As far as they know, they are the only people with this chance to investigate by far the most promising site Riftwatch has found in the forest. The enemy is going to arrive soon to take whatever is here, and if they leave here now who knows how long it might take to find it again.
Once they're inside, their passage through the temple will follow a linear path, with no opportunities to branch off or divide their party. There is a single route to follow, and the walls are still high and sheer and thick enough to stop them going over or under or through. Each room will present a new trial, a puzzle to be solved, feats of strength and cunning and bravery to be accomplished before the way forward is revealed. If they take the time to clear away some of the vines and study the statues and reliefs, they'll find that each room is dedicated to one or more of the Elvhen gods, which may provide clues if they know their pantheon.
mobius : team strangely hostile energy
Ghilan'nain seems simple if irritating enough. The aravel are heavy, though, and have plenty of unfortunate momentum once they get going. It feels like a fluke at best, a mix of mixed signals of where to go and where to stop and how to stop, when the aravel moves too fast or perhaps himself too slow. He refuses to let the ensuing injury slow him down, even if it involves a good deal of bruising right in his chest. Could be those ribs are going to cause him pain for a good while. But he'll try not to let it show. So long as nothing is straight up broken.
The puzzle of Sylaise and June goes well, frankly. "We can't rely on snuffing the flames out the entire time," he suggests, mindful of the fact that Marcus certainly can't manage it the entire time they puzzle it out without exhausting himself. "We'll figure it out and then work in rotation." So no one's caught in ice or flame for too long a time. It's not the most difficult thing to figure out, between the lot of them, thankfully.
In the room of Falon'Din, he also doesn't feel like anything is particularly his fault. If only because somehow they've startled a small family of jaguars that made this room home, napping in a thin beam of light. It's entirely possible they make their way through the slits outside by the ceiling through some feline cunning and fancy footholds. But, they are unhappy with the intrusion. Mobius doesn't hesitate to take up his sword. They need either scared off or fought to the death, whichever comes first, so that their merry band can match the motifs unmolested by claws and jaws. He's handy with his shield. But perhaps he should have brought his armor, no matter how heavy and unreasonably impractical it would have been in the dense jungle and heat.
The drop of Andruil fucking sucks, and this elven bullshit can stop anytime now. He nudges a pebble over the edge. It...is longer than could reasonably be guessed to survive, but it's hardly endless if they can hear it. "Maybe it curves into something of a slide," he comments wryly. Not very likely. "Anyone pack a good deal of rope?" He isn't afraid to take a leap of faith when his faith calls for it. This is...less that, especially in his state. But he'll do it if he has to.
the pit of Andruil
"I have some," she offers, without much confidence. "Enough that we could lower someone a little more, to see if there's any hand-holds just out of sight. Besides that, I don't know that I'll be of much use either way. My arm is feeling worse, not better."
What had seemed a minor tumble in the chamber of Falon'Din is--well, maybe still that. Even so, her arm is definitely hurting more, though she's kept it tucked close to her side.
"Surely there's a way to solve it. What sort of puzzle is 'a great big hole'?"
no subject
He frowns. Down into the hole. "But that also seems a little too simple. Could toss a little magic down there, see for ourselves if a fireball doesn't get snuffed out immediately. And so long as there's someone with a firm grip, we can lower someone at least a ways. We've got options." Things to explore carefully. On the other hand: "Not a whole lot of time, though."
no subject
We've got options. The idea of leaping into the darkness feels like failure, to Marcus, with a stronger likelihood of finding broken bodies of people who tried the same and dying among them.
He looks to the group, evaluating. Tiffany and her broken hand, Mobius and his injury. That would leave himself, Edgard, and Redvers Keen, and the idea of dangling off a rope at either of their mercy has Marcus stay silent for another disgruntled second. Then, offering, "I can go."
Because Keen is built like a shit brickhouse and Edgard is a panicky fool is only pronounced in a flick of a glance.
no subject
Then she looks back down the hole. She can still see the path of the fire, the memory of it as good as the sight. The heat of it passing by had reminded her of standing too near to Funalis fires. Under its light, the walls had continued smooth, on and on and on.
"Only as far as we can, with what rope we have. We won't take any risks, or put anyone else at risk. This is reconnaissance."
She slips her pack off her right shoulder as she stoops, stiffly. The length of rope lies neatly coiled on the top, packed by a clear calm cool version of Seeker Hart some hours ago.
no subject
"We could also try to secure it to the base of one of the mirrors. Those seem sturdy, though we'll lose a little length for it." Since he, naturally, can understand if Marcus has reservations about all this. "Maybe seeing the walls of it up close might reveal something."
Though he sounds doubtful.