Turn 131
With Arilyn having disappeared according to the child maid, everyone but
Barbaxle runs out of common room and up the stairs. First up is the
maiden Aerial who turns out to be the ever rare pure elvin maiden, when
she uses her hooded cloak to wrap about the child downstairs. Barbaxle
runs out of the inn in search of Wulfgar. Aerial is the first in the
room, with the others close behind. Keldar and Cole remain outside, but
Cole then follows Gareth mumbling about taking supplies. Unfortunately,
save what you carry on your bodies, all your supplies are outside on
your horses.
You enter the room and note it is well furnished with solid furniture
that has been bolted to the wooden floor. A large bed dominates the room
with it's massive headboard and ornately carved posts. It's thick
blankets have been turned back to reveal green silken sheets, Beside the
bed, a small table holds an unlit taper in a small
bronze candleholder.
At the foot of the bed sits a massive trunk of teakwood bound in iron,
with an
iron lock worked in the likeness of a screaming face. This trunk stands
open, the lock dangling in it's hasp. A wardrobe of dark, almost black
wood stands against the north wall.
Beside the door and against the west wall, a ceramic washbowl filled
with cool
water sits on a small table. Against the south wall, a large desk with
with many
cabinets and drawers awaits exploration. Against the desk, a painting is
on the floor,
facing upwards.
In the southeast corner of the room, a large copper tub filled with
steaming
water invites a relaxing bath. An assortment of fragrant soaps and oils
is
displayed on a low table beside the tub. A shaving mirror hangs on the
south
wall, and beside it a straight razor with an ivory handle dangles by
it's cord
from a nail. A robe is on the floor by the tub, as tho someone was
preparing for a
bath, and a duffel bag is laid on the bed unopen.
Aerial rushes to the window, before anyone can stop her, and pulls down
a drape. Heading to the picture, she kneels down and as she is in the
act of laying the drape across it, vanishes from sight, leaving the
picture partially covered. Kay and Gareth rush forward followed closely
by Cole. Everyone else but Keldar file into the room, astonished by the
priestess disappearing before their eyes. As the group approaches the
painting, Barbaxle comes into the room at a dead run, followed closely
by Laban. Someone else can be heard slowly ascending the stairs and you
guess it to be Wulfgar. Gareth gives his usual motivational speech, and
proffers his prayers to Pikahl, beseeching aid and blessing, before
reminding the group a friend is in peril, and then lays a hand on the
paintingvanishing from sight. Everyone in turn lays a hand upon the
picture, after drawing weapons, and readying them. Barbaxle, Laban,
Wulgar, and Keldar remain in the doorway, everyone else has vanished
from sight. Keldar comments excitedly that it looks as if the painting
is a portal of some sort.
Suddenly the light in the room is extinguished, and as your eyes adjust to
the dim light, you realize you're standing before a large pool in the middle
of a
large, low ceiling chamber. The waters are dark and murky; it appears
something is alive in there by the swirls that occasionally appear on the
waters
surface.
That something--whatever it is--must be very dangerous. Dangling above the
pool from a chain, an iron cage holds a humanoid skeleton whose flesh has
recently
been stripped to the bone. Ragged bits of skin and hair still cling to the
remains of
the unfortunate victim. Your eyes follow the chain until it is lost in
shadows above,
but you spot it again as it descends to a large crank attatched to the east
wall.
This wall, like the others-you now notice-is painted with fantastic murals
of
frolicking nymphs dancing with flute in hand around ugly leering centuars.
The
depictions are brazenly lifelike and painstakingly detailed.
On the far side of the pool, low steps lead down into the water. Once
bathers might have relaxed here, but now you wonder to what doom those steps
lead.
Arilyn is over by the crank, brandishing a flame shaped greenish glow in the
dark object.
Overcome with a sense of deja-vu and teleportation lag, Kay silently studies
the room, and keeps a good distance from the creepy pool. Upon catching
sight of Arilyn, she rolls up her eyes, "That's it, as soon as we find our
way out of this place, I'm either getting you one of those kid leashes, or
we're going to tie a bell and string around your neck. I mean, come on! Not
only did you miss a pretty decent meal, but now you've gone and led us to
this place, whatever this is.", she gazes back at the pool, "This place
reminds me of that temple I was in..They had a pool just like this one, and
a cage..The pool was filled with piranha-fish, and those awful Offler
cultists would lower their victims down slowly and the fish would eat them
from bottom to top.", she grimaces and walks over to where the elf is, to
see what she's doing.
"Ah !" A little bit of fright caught hold then disapated as she saw some
of the others from the inn appear before her eyes. " Where are we?" Moving
away from the pool because of the dangers it may posses. "I have never seen
a place like this it looks as if it were made to torcher someone slowly."
Kneeling she starts to pray.
Arilyn, in surprise, backs up a step. She rubs her eyes, not quite
believing that her friends have appeared. Arilyn sees a new person,
wearing the symbol of Quiom. Her heart races as she believes that she
has been saved by the goddess Quiom herself. She runs to the goddess,
heedless to the words that the goddess is speaking and lowers her head
as she kneels before the goddess. Almost numb with excitement, Arilyn
was too close to the goddess as they both kneeled...and when she lowered
her head, she bumped heads with the goddess.
"opps I am sorry My name is Aerial Dracon I was about to pray for guidance
to my goddess Quiom are you going to pray with me." Suprized by her haste to
kneel with her " I am truely sorry." rubbing her head. Then as if she was
remembering something. "I have bumped heads before with my friend oh
nevermind I will never find her now that I am in here I have to be out
looking for her she is my best friend" starting to cry " what will I do with
out her?" "Why am I putting myself though this she is probley fine." Drying
the tears she kneels again to pray to her goddess.
After Aerial has kneelt the second time she mumbles something under her
breath that you can't hear.Then as if the love for her goddess is very great
she raises her arms to her breast and bows her head as if waiting for an
answer.
Kay watches Arilyn for a moment and sighs, "Wonderful! Arilyn's gone "Bye
Bye" everyone!", she places her hand on the elf's shoulder, "Come on A',
she's just some priest or whatever that was at the tavern, she sort of
followed us here to wherever this is. She isn't a goddess, and if she were,
I would of had her smite you for wandering off for the umpteenth time, I
mean, it's getting a tad-bit old and you've managed to get us in a heap of
trouble, as this place doesn't look too inviting being all dark, dank and
there's probably piranha-fish in that pool!". Once Arilyn is back to
"normal", Kay looks at the others, "There should be some sort of return
portal where the other one dropped us off at, that's how it normally works."
Arilyn rubs her forehead, wondering what size goose-egg she will be
wearing for the next week or so. "Aerial...are you testing me in some
manner? Surely you are the goddess Quiom come to rescue me."
Arilyn stands in front of Aerial, confusion changing to realization that
Aerial is not a goddess. She takes another step back as Aerial bows her
head and Arilyn almost falls into the pool of water. She catches her
balance and looks over at Kay. She smiles as she sees her friend. With
the knock her head received, she sees two of Kay {OOC: if one weren't
bad enough, hehe}.
She tries to join the two images together, thinking that Aerial's head
is harder than a turtle's shell. As the image focuses into one, she
says. "I feel so much better knowing that you have come to rescue me."
She cannot hide the smile that creeps over her lips. She walks over to
Kay and touches her cheek, her nose, her lips and pulls on her hair to
see if she is real or an illusion.
She looks over at the group, happy to see her friends again...wondering
if they are as happy to see her. "I am so happy to see you, except you
are now trapped as I." She frowns. "How did you get here? Do you know
how to get back to the Inn?"
She waits for a response.
She pulls gently on her hair, twirling it around her fingers. "I really
don't know what happened. I thought that the tavern girl needed my
assistance but learned that she was obeying her father. He was a gruff
man, don't you think? Well, the girl said there was a new guest and that
his name was Rathanieal. She said that he had come up not 15 minutes ago
and that he was not answering his door. She hoped that he was
alright...and then I wondered the same myself." Arilyn gently touches
her forehead..."ouch" and continues. "I thought it only right to
investigate...he may have been a victim of an attack or something. So I
knocked on his door...but there was no answer." She shifts her foot back
and forth. "And his door...well, it kinda openned." Looking her most
innocent. "I entered the room and there was a large bed, a small table,
a massive trunk of teakwood bound in iron, with an iron lock worked in
the likeness of a screaming face and a wardrobe of dark, black wood."
She looks over at the others, looking at their eyes. "And there was a
copper tub, it looked so inviting I almost stripped right then and
there. A warm bath...perfume. I thought I was in heaven."
Arilyn gulps. "And there was a duffel bag on the bed. I must admit that
the trunk caught my interest and I was fascinated at the iron lock."
Trying to be angelic and feeling a soft halo glow over her head, she
continues. "I had to peek inside. I know i shouldn't have, but I pulled
down on the lock. And when it openned, there was this strange looking
dagger." She holds it up for everybody to see. It is flame shaped, and
glows green in the dark. It's handle of ivory is carved in the likeness
of a whale. The tail of the whale serves as the cross piece, while the
whales mouth holds the pommel...a large pearl. "It is beautiful, isn't
it? And, I think it is our key to out of this place."
She pauses, trying to remember exactly what she did next. "Oh, there was
also a large desk with with many
cabinets and drawers. But there was nothing inside."
She leans on Kay for support, overdramatizing her injury. "I sure would
like a wee sip of wine, right now." Then it dawns on her. "The
painting...there was a painting. When I turned the painting...that is
when it became dark and I found myself in this place." With her palms
outstretched to the group. "Who would ever believe that trying to assist
a young girl would lead to this?"
After rising from her prayer "No no I am just a priest of Quiom like She
says I was tring to cover up the painting and all of a sudden I came here"
Pointing to Kay." But in no way did I follow them I was just try to make it
so no one else would dissappier until we figured out what was going on."" of
course to late as always I find out that if you just touch it you go though
the portal" Make a gesture like she was touching something. Looking around
like she was searching. " Did you find anything that indicated where we
might be or how we might get out of here."Looking at the walls and the floor
she looks for any hidden places.
Kay flinches after getting her hair yanked, "Hey! Most people would of
stopped at my cheek, or shaked hands.", she quickly brushes back her hair,
which currently smells of bad wine."As for how we got here, I'm sure it was
the same way you did, by that bloody painting. And contrary to what Aerial
said, she did follow us here, kind of like a lost puppy.", the warrior
impatiently listens to Arilyn's story and keeps her eyes on that pool, "I
don't know of any return portal, but I'm sure there's one nearby, maybe
we're just under the tavern? I do wish Wulfgar and the rest of them will get
over here, then again, maybe it would be better if he stayed over there,
considering what he did to me, I would probably drop-kick the jerk into that
pool over there.", she grins and turns to check out the room a little
better,"Er, A', Do you have anything to protect yourself, just incase
something pops out? If not, I do have some stilettos. They're made for
throwing, but you can use them up and close-like."
Aerial replies " A lost puppy" Kind of suprized by how she thinks she got there" What do
you think happened to me before it happened to you I didn't follow you here
but if you want to believe that I did it is fine with me I am not going to
arugue over it and start a fight." Looking at her with friendlyness."I don't
know why my goddess sent you a vision of things to come but I wasn't
included in the bargain just an added bonus now are we going to start
looking around for a way out or what. "Looking around some more. " I bet you
thought I was sent by her but all I wanted to know was if you saw my friend
Kendra D'Shane and then I would have left the inn and you would have never
seen me again."Sounding Hopeless"Oh well I guess I won't she her for a while
longer and hope she hasn't gotten hurt by anything out there"
"Well," Jahl says, "isn't this place pleasant? Kind of romantic in a
creepy sort of way. No, perhaps not." Jahl grins.
"Arilyn, are you alright?" Jahl asks. "Good. Remind me to counsel you
on proper etiquette when we get out of here. Rushing into rooms can be -
umm - problematic. As well as," Jahl stares at the murky water with a look
of pure disgust, "unhealthy."
"Lets start looking for a way out of here before whatever is in the
water decides to crawl out after us."
Vincas walks over and joins the group.
"Nice place...reminds me of home. I'll start looking around for, well, for
anything that looks useful."
To Arilyn "You said that may be our key out...any idea what we need to do
with it?"
He'll then take a small bit of food from his pack and toss it out toward the
center of the pool
Turn 132
To follow Arilyn's mini adventure, Click here.