Author Topic: Depths of Arhosa  (Read 34719 times)

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #20 on: April 25, 2019, 09:21:08 AM »
It was the dust of the tunnel floor that most caught Tarvon's eye, and he bent over to stare at it in more detail. Most marks were hard to determine, scuffed about by combat and the subsequent flight, but there was at least one clear dragmark that seemed to lead nowhere, pointed neither up nor down the tunnel, but rather towards one of the walls, although it stopped short of actually reaching the rock. 

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #21 on: April 25, 2019, 12:06:35 PM »
The professor mutters to himself, stroking his sagely beard. "A creature seeking metal as sustenance? Or to make a nest?"


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Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #22 on: April 25, 2019, 01:23:21 PM »
The professor grinned as the knowledge came to him. Amazing, how after all of this time that some of the books he had studied in his youth could remain with him so. Given the long lives of the Tokunnir, the lorespeakers who had trained him might still live. After this was all over, he might have to pay one of them a visit and offer thanks.

Because what he held in his hand was clearly the broken bone of a Tokunnir foot, recently peeled of flesh and sheered by the marks of ravenous teeth. The punctures were where the canines of a predator had disassociated the bone from the rest of the corpse, and now that he looked closely, he could see the faintest of scrape marks, where the last gobbets of food had been retrieved. While it did not inform him as to what creature had done the ingesting, the number of creatures that were carnivorous, hunted in the depths, and thought nothing of attacking a Tokunnir caravan was relatively small. Although it did not explain where the rest of the Tokunnir was, given this segment had been so carefully cleaned and the bone left behind.

Shaking his head to clear it of the grisly images that conjured, he turned his attention to where Tarvon stood, the Chanwyr's expression somewhat confused as he stared at the ground, then back up at the wall. Understanding at once the source of the confusion, the Tokunnir slowly tapped one of his artisan's tools against the wall as he advanced upon the smallest member of their party. Just as he had suspected, the note changed when he approached the dragmarks on the floor. Beaming, he tapped the spot twice more, just for confirmation.


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Offline skydragonknight

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #23 on: April 25, 2019, 01:37:53 PM »
This requires further investigation. Needless to say, we should be careful not to add ourselves to the menu. he muses to himself while he solves the conundrum facing has smaller partner.

"Lifter, it seems we require an improvised solution."
Hmm.

Offline Omck4heroes

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #24 on: April 25, 2019, 01:53:01 PM »
The constructed, which until this point had been silently looking down the tunnel leading further into the depths, turned at the sound of its name. His glowing eyes looked from where the Chanwyr was examining the ground, to the Professor, to the wall which the Tokunnir was tapping.

"As you wish." He said, as he turned and walked over to the indicated wall. He stopped before it, silently calling upon the Strength of Lujuus, the rune that formed the very core of his being. He took his massive maul in hand, took a firm stance, and swung with all his might at the part of the wall the Professor had indicated.
Have you ever stood and stared at it, marveled at its beauty, its genius? Billions of people just living out their lives, oblivious.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #25 on: April 26, 2019, 09:48:25 AM »
The blows from the Constructed's maul echoed up and down the tunnel, so loud in the confined space that Tarvon and the professor were forced to cover their ears to keep from being deafened. Stone chips flew from each impact, and the tunnel wall itself groaned under the strikes, and yet, for a long time, little happened. It was only when the first inkling of failure began to rear its ugly head did the stone finally give way, bursting inward with the force of an explosion under Lifter's last assault.

In an unintentional display of his great strength, the Constructed shifted the hammer to his right hand, choking up on the shaft, so that he could tap at the broken edges of the passage, tamping down the raw edges until they were unlikely to cut clothes and flesh. Only when he was satisfied with the results did he step back, allowing the others a view into what had lain hidden behind the stone plug.

The vista opened before them was rather drab, for all that it had been secret and hidden. The revealed passage was little more than a narrower tunnel, perhaps four feet wide by six tall, otherwise carved through the same stone. The carving was the most interesting piece of work, for unlike the tunnel in which they stood which was a natural borehole, that which they looked upon was clearly unnatural, showing the marks of hewing at the stone.

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #26 on: April 29, 2019, 12:47:05 PM »
The professor leads the way cautiously into the tunnel. In wider tunnels he would often have Lifter take the lead, but given his shorter stature he decides that two pairs of eyes were better than one, as seeing around his big friend would be fairly difficult.

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Hmm.

Offline Omck4heroes

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #27 on: April 29, 2019, 04:36:25 PM »
Lifter follows the professor, his maul at the ready. Though he cannot swing it in such confines, even a thrust could be effective with his strength behind it
Have you ever stood and stared at it, marveled at its beauty, its genius? Billions of people just living out their lives, oblivious.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #28 on: May 01, 2019, 01:28:44 PM »
Having discovered the hidden pathway used for the ambush, the Professor happily set off down the tunnel, his Constructed servitor following behind, giving the Chanwyr a view of nothing more than a stony backside as he trailed after, the two characters height being what it was. They had gone no more than a few paces down the tunnel than they heard the faint tick of something scraping on stone.

Echoes made the noise feel like it came from both ahead and behind, but when the sound repeated, all three of them were clear that it came from behind. Perhaps it was harmless, or even a dwarven trading caravan. This was the route by which they travelled, after all. Or perhaps it was something else.


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Offline skydragonknight

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #29 on: May 03, 2019, 04:28:07 PM »
The Professor remembered the advice of his Beardsley forebears, passed from father to son across generations. When confronted by an annoying problem, put it off for as long as possible!

"Let us keep going for now. If whatever it is wants a fight, I'd rather fight it someplace more open." he says sagely.
Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #30 on: May 06, 2019, 10:24:15 AM »
Progress along the secret tunnel became rather more circumspect after the echoes in the deep drifted to their ears. Hands held down gear that might flap loose, steps shuffled, conversation became sporadic, and one eye was kept into the darkness behind them. Lifter, especially, found himself forced to move with extreme caution, his bulky metal form and oversized weaponry ill-suited to a stealthy procession.

Eventually, it became clear that whatever had been in the main tunnel had never been aware of their presence – or had taken the decision not to follow them. Either way, it allowed the three a small measure of relief as they travelled. The secret passage, if that was indeed what it was, meandered and twisted, at times seeming to be a burrow rather than a deliberately carved tunnel, and certainly much longer than it would have been had a simple ambush been the goal.

Which made it all the more strange when the tunnel abruptly ended in a large cavern, one that had all the look of an abandoned military encampment. Weapon racks, crudely forged of metal pieces, were pressed up against the walls. Ashen stains on the floor could have indicated where fire pits once rested. The remains of crates and barrels, one or two bearing obviously dwarven sigils, lay scattered about. No tents or bedding were to be found amidst the debris, but perhaps whomever had resided here had taken them when they left. It was a strange place.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #31 on: May 06, 2019, 10:46:05 PM »
Tarvon lets out a sarcastic whistle.  "Wow, you Tokunnir sure know how to live.  I can see why this place was hidden away!"

Offline Omck4heroes

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #32 on: May 07, 2019, 12:51:04 AM »
Lifter silently positioned himself across the entrance, staring back the way they had come, affording the others the safety to examine the scene in peace
Have you ever stood and stared at it, marveled at its beauty, its genius? Billions of people just living out their lives, oblivious.

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #33 on: May 07, 2019, 06:17:05 AM »
The professor shot the Chanwyr a glance. "Humanoid in shape. Possessing at least rudimentary intelligence." His eyes shifted to the Constructed. "Capable warriors, who follow a leader."

He begins to look around the remains of the camp. He would have to shift his line of thinking. At minimal, the motive was clearly not base instinct, but murderous intent. And the individuals, regardless of their race, were clearly organized.

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« Last Edit: May 07, 2019, 03:48:22 PM by skydragonknight »
Hmm.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #34 on: May 07, 2019, 12:45:23 PM »
Tarvon laughs. "If you're going to try to insult me you really need to try harder. You spend most of your time talking to yourself instead of other people don't you Professor?" He glanced at Lifter, trying to determine its status as a person.

Offline Omck4heroes

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #35 on: May 07, 2019, 01:45:35 PM »
The Constructed has its face turned away from the Chanwyr, standing solidly in the entrance to the tunnel, staring back the way they came. He neither moves, nor speaks, giving the impression of being little more than a statue, though you can see the faint glow from his eyes shedding dim light down the tunnel
Have you ever stood and stared at it, marveled at its beauty, its genius? Billions of people just living out their lives, oblivious.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #36 on: May 07, 2019, 03:34:52 PM »
Deciding that he's probably antagonizing his companions, Tarvon starts to look around since he's here anyway.

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Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #37 on: May 08, 2019, 12:25:36 PM »
As the two smaller folk, at least by comparison to Lifter, began to root around in the debris that comprised much of the encampment, a few things began to stand out. The first was that while many of the items showed a great deal of age, some did not, and looked as if they had been left at a more recent date. The dwarven barrels were all-but-new, the thin stone walls unmarked by many scratches. Likewise, some of the weapon racks appeared to be of newer, or at least of non-Tokunnir, construction. They were rough forged and quickly slapped together, something that even a Tokunnir smith novice would consider shoddy in the extreme.

The other item that caught the eye was the dust of the cavern floor. Or rather, the way it had been disturbed. Whatever had been here recently, it had churned the floor into a swirling sea of markings, whole areas having been cleaned of dust entirely, and others showing signs of having been disturbed, although not to the level of detail to determine a footprint or claw marking.

Offline skydragonknight

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #38 on: May 11, 2019, 11:19:25 AM »
Beardsley examines the disturbed dust, while being careful not to breathe in too much. He nods, recollecting a book or two. The professor appears satisfied with his findings.

Hmm.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Depths of Arhosa
« Reply #39 on: May 14, 2019, 07:51:03 AM »
The markings on the floor made for an obvious path, once it was examined in great detail, and the Professor found that if he traced them through the room (and ducked around the many items that protruded into his way) that they led to the rear of the cavern, or at least the rear in relation to where they came in, and disappeared into three otherwise unremarkable passageways in almost equal quantity.

Also, in the dust, he was able to discern the presence of at least one claw-toed foot, although whether bestial or humanoid was uncertain, for the print was obscured shortly after the toes.