Dragon Warriors

To those able to see it the entire stone edifice radiates fell magics....




Mthunzi peers through the window into the darkness, a single torch burns on a stairway of rough-hewn rock which winds down to a large,
dimly lit cave. The high, domed ceiling and walls are a tangled mass of vast tree roots, like knotted serpents. The floor is of pale rock, with a wide circle carved into it. In the far east wall, the roots divide to reveal a huge stone hearth. A handful of dim-glowing coals creak and shift in the grate, on the verge of going out. The wavering glow makes the shadows seem to breathe.

Before the fireplace is a block of stone almost two metres tall. Its sides are engraved with twisted marks.
Its top has been carved into the shape of a cradle. A dank chill seeps to the marrow of your bones. A wide crack
forms an arch leading north.











Ak'kulula and Ammus otherworldly senses tell them no more than the others more mundane senses do.

The companions stand within the door on the stairs....

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

Stairs down? Kuublu leads the way.....

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Speech!





And so the show begins!!!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dwp ... ssages/640

Before proceeding, Chiemeka takes a moment to examine the carvings on the block of stone. So they have any sorcerous purpose that he can make out?

Entering the cave house cautiously, Ak'kulula studies the insides carefully. This is after all the dwelling place of the tragic yet dangerous Mother of Moons...

Ak'kulula follows Kubluu down the stairs to the floor, then accompanies Chiemeka to take a closer look at the stone block and its cradle-shaped top. He carefully keeps clear of the wide circle carved into the floor.


OOC - some questions:
1. The stairway of rough-hewn rock forms a spiral stairway that leads down to the cave floor. Does it lead up towards the dome too? Any discernible purpose for the stairway other than to provide access to the windows from the floor?
2. Any markings or stains on the floor? Any signs of rituals performed on it?
3. The stone block with the cradle on top - any signs of rituals?
4. Any sign of the old chimp?

Chiemeka recognises one of the symbols on the great stone as being the same as that on the old machete that Kuublu carries.

The stairwell simply leads down from the door to the ritual floor, there is no obvious way of accessing the ceiling.

There are old stains dark on the floor and soot and ash from old torches about the stone block.

As they are about to go further Mthunzi stops, for a moment he thought he glanced a twisted figure within the tangled roots...

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

Mthunzi will call to his companions, telling them what he saw.

Ak'kulula carefully examines the stone block without touching it. Pack jouncing, the lad jumps up and down trying to peer at the top of the block carved into the shape of a cradle. At Mthunzi's call, he turns around to look in the direction the man indicates. Squinting his eyes, he tries to make out the shape of the figure within the tangled roots. He draws his machette and approaches slowly and cautiously to take a closer look...

OOC
- Anything more to be noticed wrt the stone block? Any discovery at the top?
- The old stains on the floor, how old? Blood?
- What does a closer look of the twisted figure reveal?
- Is/was it a man?
- Is it alive? Any movement? Staring eyes?

Pulgil is standing behind everybody - unless somebody else wants to be at the back - with her spear pointed forward ready for action. To state the obvious, something feels wrong about this place. Ominous. She is trying to be on high alert.

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Life and Death Are Only a Dice Roll Away!

Shaun Hately
co-author A Weak Pleasure
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide

Ammu tosses a pebble into the tangle of vines to see what happens.

Ak'kululas examination of the stone reveals little else, though there are no stains on the top of the stone, if the stains are indeed blood it is impossible to tell...though they are dark and black so it is likely they were or perhaps some other sort of thick liquid...

All the companions turn to regard the strange figure and as they do so, others among the companions find they can see more figures bound up within the twisting roots, they appear to be men of varying ages and dress...most are covered in a layer of dust and soil. They are motionless and simple stand or hang with their eyes closed breathing shallowly.

Things change somewhat when Ammu casts his stone...

Their eyes flick open revealing orbs more like moonstone than eyes and they turn as one towards the companions, two of the men are dressed in almost nothing with dried and tattered leopard skin scraps still about their necks, but the scars on their chests show them to be chieftains of some sort, another is dressed in rich ( though decaying) linen robes and carries a great skull-shaped iron mace. The last two are almost clean compared to the others and their skin is not as grey and slack as the others. Mthunzis eyes notes a similarity with one of the men he saw at the top of the slope when the boulders were released...

Still others hang among the twisted roots, whether too ancient to wake or simply not inclined is impossible to say.

The five 'men' stalk towards the companions; the large mace wielder slumps towards Kuublu, the two leopard skin wearers towards Ammu and Ak'kulula and the other two towards Pulgil and Chiemeka and Mthunzi.

OOC:

Combat is joined. They have Ref of 6 so you lot will go first. We'll just do one round and see how it looks from there.

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.