Luskan: The veiled city

[gem_sherbrooke]

Gem looked at the runes, which ment nothing to her either.  The Slugs creatures grossed her out but seemed harmless.  She moved more into the large cavern looking around . As she did she noticed in one spot the lichen actually moving slightly.  As she went closer she relized it was a crevass that was blocked by a wall of the stuff.  Taking her daggar, she moved the curtain like wall and looked inside. It was a tight fit but she passed through the opening, any one much bigger would have trouble squeezing through....

((What Gem sees but the others can't))

The room was perfectly round and 30 feet in diameter. Inthe center was a small "island" about 5 feet in diameter and made of glimmering polished stone. In the center was a statue of a woman, carved from polshed blue stone.  At his feet was a small alter with the remains of  an ancient offering.  A small bridge led from the room to the feet of the statue.  What was unbelievable was that the entire room looked to be carved from one solid peice of stone. Judging by the color, it was a huge lavender-blue
sapphire.  Though Gem didn't relize it the stone was the same color as her eyes.  How the room ended up here there was no way to tell......

[Soleus Blackthorne]

Soleus turned to see Gem's feet moving into the wall, Soleus thought his eyes were failing him. But no it was true, her form had passed through a space in the wall, a space covered by the lichen. Soleus ran over to the space, the knights saw him move and followed him. They could not see much besides a wall, or a floor and Gem's feet. " Gem are you okay?...uhm what are you doing...if your over there and we're over here, what if something dangerous is on the other side. Gem...what is on the other side?" Soleus felt helpless, he could not help Gem while she was on the other side and he could not fit through the space. He turned to the only female knight which had followed them down into these tunnels.

" Can you fit through this space?" Soleus asked, she looked at it and then to her armor. She then looked to everyone in the room with her, " if I remove my armor I think I can fit in there sir" she said to Soleus. He nodded and they tried not to watch as she took off her armor. In just her light shirt and pants, she slid through the crack into the other room with Gem. Soleus felt at ease now for at least there was one person in there to help Gem should something go wrong. " Your sword" Soleus said as he slid the knight her sword. She took it and her chain mail putting it back on now that she was on the other side. She walked over to stand by Gem, " wow..." she said looking at that which Gem looked upon.

Soleus heard her and said, " what is it?" he looked up to the ceiling thinking that it had moved a little. Impossible he thought, he turned back to the space Gem had crawled through waiting for an answer, when one of the slugs fell to the floor. It's moist, soft, slimey body cushioned the sound of it's fall which didn't attracted the attention of Soleus or the knights.

[gem_sherbrooke]

So intent on studying the statue on the island that it took a moment for Gem to realize someone was standing in the room with her.  She looked at the knight for a moment surprised by the missing armour. "Lady Marissa, I didn't realize you had entered" she whispered to the knight.  

Gem took a step towards the little bridge, intent to get a closer look at the alter. On the alter, there were 2 gold inlaid shells with insides of of mother-of-pearl. One of the shells held gold peices covered in dust. The other had salt water snail shells, the occupants long dead.

Gem looked at the knight.."What do you suppose this place is? Some sort of Idol for a goddess or something?" Still she spoke in a whisper, not sure why.  None of the slugs of the outer room were seen here, neither was there any of the lichen, yet the room was raidated  an ambient glow like that of a full moon over the seas.

Carefully she put a foot on the bridge, moving closer to the female statue.  As she looked closely, the women 'wore' a broach that had the a tree of light and tree of darkness just like the symbol they had seen on the doors before. Looking at the pedistool that the statue was on, there was faint lettering. Gem reached out and wiped the base to read the words. The moment she touched the statue a light flashed and she went limp...she lay at the foot of  the alter, appearing almost sleep like.

The Knight with her grabbed her by the arm and pulled her off the bridge,  the checked for a life beat. She was relived there was one, knowing that her duty was to serve Soleus and he had order that Gem remain safe.  The knight called out to Soleus "Something has happend to the Gem, we have to get you in here...now!"

[Soleus Blackthorne]

Soleus heard the knight and struggled as he might, he could not fit through the space. " Damn it all...theres got to be another way in.." it was then that Soleus noticed a slug fall from the ceiling, it was moving. They were sure to be crushed if they stayed in this room, and if they left then they could not be close to Gem. Soleus stood back ready to try his magic, but he found nothing, but vacant static. Something in the chamber was nullifing his magic ability, maybe it was the lichen, or something else. The rock...the chamber itself canceled out his magic, he remembered reading about how the Blackthornes sealed a powerful entity in a stone chamber, using certain rock. This chamber must be made up of that same type of rock, although maybe with another type as well.

This presented a problem for there was no way for them to get through the space and into the room with Gem. Suddenly a huge form came from the passage way they had left. The golem stood there dripping wet, the axe still in his hands. Soleus could not believe that the golem had survived, but somehow he had. " Golem, you think we could have some help again? Gem is on the other side of this wall, we need to get over there..." The golem smiled and came charging at the space Soleus and the knights occupied. They barely had time to move out of the way, as the golem slammed into the wall. He began to hit around the space that Gem had entered, as the wall slowly cracked, he moved the rubble aside. It was big enough now for them to climb through, the ceiling was nearly on top of them now. The golem reached up and put his hands against the ceiling, straining to hold it back just a little bit longer as the last knight climbed through.

Soleus looked to the hole the golem had made, it was not big enough for the golem. " Thank you again, I'm forever in your debt friend, now go join your wife and find peace..." Soleus and the golem exchanged a look, Soleus rolled into the room as he turned not wanting to see what happened next. A loud crushing noise, of rock being curshed and of heavy stone meeting stone was heard, it echoed through this new room. Soleus went over to Gem and touched her face, she was in some sort of sleep like state," What happened?" Soleus said to Marissa.

[gem_sherbrooke]

Gem felt herself falling...falling where she didn't know but around her were swirls of color and brief glimpses...Soleus.......a tree.....the cell.....snapshots of things she had seen but always mixed in with the swirling colors.....

As suddenly as it started, the dreams stopped and Gem stood on a windy desolate land. Yhere were no mountains, valleys or hills, nothing as far as the eyes could see. The land was little more the glittering blue dust and standing before her was the blue statued lady from the gem room.

"Gemriana Sherbrooke... you were brought here to heed my warnings, I am El-Morey and you have been foretold." The statue's mouth didn't move as she spoke and Gem didn't know what to make of this.  Was it a dream? a nightmare?

The Statue reached out her hand to Gem, and Gem felt compelled to offer her own to the Goddess. The woman dropped something into Gem's hand. Though she didn't feel it's actual weight, she saw it there and looked at it in surprise. It was a small egg shaped stone of Diamond and itched into the stone was an equisitely crafted tree.

 The tree of the Blackthornes.  Gem looked again to the woman "You have the key to the kingdom, use it wisely or death will come to many" The status stopped moving as if returning to a solid form...

At the moment Soleus touched Gem gently, the swirling dream returned for a moment and Gem opened her eyes finding herself in the gem room with Soleus and the knights. She blinked confused at her dream until she looked into her hand finding the precious key stone....

"Soleus?" She looked at him confused

[Soleus Blackthorne]

Soleus looked to Gem as she awoke, he was glad to see she was okay. Just as suddenly, he looked to her hand, there was something in it. The brief glimpse he caught of it made his heart skip a beat. Whatever it was he felt a strange feeling come over him. He felt a desire to have it, whatever it was, he had to move through that desire. It was almost contagious, over whelming, but he did it with sheer will. " Keep it to yourself, don't let anyone see it...I fear it has some sort of enchantment upon it. Don't let me see it again, it..calls to me, I don't think men were supposed to touch it."

Soleus believed this for the statue of the woman, and Gem's seemingly unaffected nature at holding the object. " What is it anyway? " he wanted to know, but not look, he feared he wouldn't be strong enough to take another glance upon the object. " Never mind....it's best I know little about it...we have to find a way out of here.." Soleus helped Gem up and told the knights to start looking for a way out. He'd stay by Gem until he was sure she was completely okay, " what happened you were laying here unconscious and next thing I know your waking up.." he didn't want to mention the object.

[gem_sherbrooke]

Gem looked at the stone in her hand as Soleus helped her to her feet. Gem quickly told the group about the dream, El-morey and the warning.  "But I have no idea what she means by it all" She looks at the stone again "The stone has the Blackthrone tree on it"

She slide the stone into a pouch deep with in the folds of her cloak where it would be hard for someone to take it with out her noticing.  She looks around the statue room then to Sol..."I think there is another way out of here...there has to be since we entere through a break in the wall"

She moved around the room, slowly and intently. After a few minutes she found what she was looking for. A secret door that lead to the south.  There were no runes or magic sensed at the door that prevented them from going out. Slowly Gem opened the door to reveal another long dark hallway.


OOC Will be offline Friday thru Wednesday

[Soleus Blackthorne]

Soleus looked down the dark hallway which Gem had found. The loud slight sound of moaning came to his ears. It led them back to the Necropolis, this meant they had come round in a circle. Good thought Soleus, but now they still had to deal with apparent undead in the Necropolis. That and the Phantom should he still be alive. " Hmmm I wonder...come let us go to the Necropolis...I think that object you have might be of signifigance, but we'll have to try it out." Soleus ordered the knights into a tight formation, they wouldn't go charging out there. All he wanted to do was see the effect that Gem carring the object had on the undead. It might be their way around the dead, a ward of sorts, though it might also just be another puzzle.

Soleus had another trick up his sleeves should the object do nothing to deter the undead. He began to move down the dark passageway, keeping a close watch over Gem, so that nothing happened to her. He'd almost lost her a few times already, he'd be damned if he did now.

[gem_sherbrooke]

They walked along that path slowly towards the moaning dead of the necropolis. As they did, Gem began to feel the stone start to vibrate, the closer they got the stronger its movements became.  Her slender hand slipped into her pocket and pulled out the stone looking at it.  The emblem on it was now glowing, red like a burning tree.

As the entered the necropolis, the emplem on the main tomb's color, match that of the little stone........

[Soleus Blackthorne]

The dead did seem to keep back, as if they were allowing the adventurers to pass. The object obviously gave them a sort of protection, a means to pass through the dead. This was good, but they still had to get the other key from the phantom. Course where was the phantom, as they neared the center tomb once more, Soleus noticed a few dead orcs. It showed that the Phantom and his group had been attacked by the dead and suffer a lot of casualties. The dead slowly began to part, moving back towards their tombs, their eyes however kept watch over the group as if waiting for them to mess up. Soleus walked up to the tomb door and studied the runes there, now being able to. They were ancient as all here were, but they spoke of a holy relic, something with the tomb that would " mend the cracks of the broken kingdom?" Soleus didn't understand it fully.

It spoke of a heart,body, mind, and soul that all had to be united again, that this object in the tomb would bring about the healing process. Soleus could hear banging on the other side of the tomb door, the phantom and his remaining orcs must had sought refuge inside the tomb. " I think our enemy lies on the other side of this door...Gem, I want you to open the door to the relic, the knights and I will deal with the Phantom and his orcs. We'll draw them out here, I'll get the key from him and throw it to you, once you got it, close the door and get the relic, we'll do the rest....this is it, it's time to end this once and for all." Soleus put his hand on the door and pulled it open, wondering what the reaction inside would be.

[Syn Darkthorne]

The Phantom and his orcs noticed the door to the tomb opening. He saw Soleus and orded his orcs to advance and attack. He'd deal with Soleus himself, the Phantom turned and grabbed the key out of the door. Placing the bone key in his belt for safe keeping. He couldn't risk it falling into the hands of his enemy, not now that they were so close to getting the relic. The door had proven to be well made, despite all their efforts it did not give in to their force upon it. The phantom drew his sword and exited the tomb, he was not a skilled fighter, but he knew that with his Darkthorne strength he should be a match for Soleus. As the orcs began to engage the knights, the Phantom stepped out in front of Soleus, " So you've come to die at my hands rather then dying to the guardians of the tombs...so be it." He began an advance on Soleus, lunging with his sword.

[gem_sherbrooke]

"Once I am inside, you may not have the protection of the stone, watch your back for the undead...." As Soleus put his hand on the door and pulled it open, Gem too was wondering what the reaction inside would be. She moved to the side, to allow the Orcs and the Phantom to make. As the Phantome began an advance on Soleus, Gem could not resist placing her foot in the way, attempting to trip him before he could begin lunging with his sword.  The Phantom was not stupid, and seeing the movement to his side, he stepped over her foot and swong a fist towards Gem, slamming her in the side of the head.  The hit was enough to make the healer see stars for a moment, but if nothing else, she had distracted the Phantom long enough to give Soleus the initiative.
She slipped inside the tomg, studying the inner door as she waited for Soleus to toss her the key.  As she read the runes carefully, some she understood, others she didnt, she saw a spot where the stone would fit into a grouve, like another key.  She looked at the stone and moved towards the tomb opening again, hoping that enough of the stones power would effect outside the tomb and protect the knights and Soleus.

[Soleus Blackthorne]

Soleus watched Gem carefully, as she distracted the Phantom, he made his move, snatching the key away from the Darkthorne. Soleus threw the key across to the tomb, it slid across the floor stopping just inches away from Gem. Soleus struck at the distracted Phantom's sword, since he was distracted he was off guard. If he could move the Phantom's sword aside now, he would have an open attack. He was too close to attack with his sword, thus is why he went to deflect the Phantom's blade and open a widow of attack.

" For Velusia!!" Soleus cried as he brought up his hammer, realizing that being close, was not so bad. After all the hammer was made for close range attacks. He would bring it up towards the Phantom's jaw in an attempt to hit him with it's elemental force. The knights were defeating the orcs with relative ease, for the orcs had become demoralized by the attack of the undead, cutting their number over half. With the fire in the knight's eyes the orcs felt their end coming near.

" Gem, you've got to get whatever is inside..quick!" Soleus was not lying, for the moment Gem placed the object in the keyslot, the ceiling above began to drop down pieces of rock. This could only mean one thing, that eventually there would be no more cave, and possibly no more Luskan. What Soleus did not know what was inside, the golden apple that had started the clan's fall into seperation, the imbalance that plagued the land, and the darkness that threatened to consume it all. It all revolved around one little apple that had been eating by one of his ancestors. The fruit that had been growing in Velusia when the Blackthornes and the other clans arrived from another realm. A voice had called out, telling them to never eat of the fruit, of this tree.

His ancestors foolish in their defiance of the voice, did what was asked not to do. And the land had never been the same since, the apple must be taken to the space in between Velusia and Belgada, it must be planted to heal the lands, and cast aside the veil.

[Syn Darkthorne]

The Phantom's momentary distraction almost proved to be his undoing. As Soleus knocked his sword aside, to prevent him from blocking, the Phantom brought up his hand just in time to grab Soleus's. He looked down to see the hammer, " Now now is that any way to treat your elders boy?" The Phantom began to hum a song, the very air before him began to distort. He said one word, which was all he had to say now that the bardic magic he possessed was being summoned. " Back" a blast of powerful concussive force was exuded from the Phantom's voice, directed squarely at Soleus's form. It would only cause the Phantom to move back a little, but Soleus, he would be sent flying as if shot from a cannon.

An evil bard was a nasty thing to mess with, especially after they had master the secret of sound. Now his every word could be a spell that could harm or protect him. The effect would last for another hour before he'd have to summon it up once again, but within that hour, he would be like a deity in force. As the last of his orcs fell and the knight's turned their gaze upon him, the phantom said another word, " Stop" the knights all stopped in their charge towards him. Their will power could break the spell, but by then he'd have won. He casually took his sword and plunged it into the neck of the nearest knight, instantly breaking his own spell over that knight. Though a fatally wounded knight would prove to be no threat at all to one who command the secret of sound.

The knight fell to the ground gurgling as the Phantom turned to look for Soleus.

[gem_sherbrooke]

Hearing the movement of the key on the rocky surface, Gem grabs it up quickly, holding it tightly in her hand. She glanced at the other knights, to assure herself that the battle was going in a positive direction....  

The moment Soleus yelled for her to get inside she did. slipping a small ring on her finger that glowed a soft luminescent light. Carefully she put the glowing  key stone into the indentation, it took her several tries to get it just right.  She then placed the skeleton like key into the lock and turned it slowly.  The massive stone door groaned as it started to move, stopping and starting on its tracks as the built up sand and dirt in its tracks caused it to jam... Once the door was wide enough for her to fit through sideways, she grabbed the stone and key, pocketing them and entering the inner chambers.  She didn't realize as she entered that the door slide silently back into place.  hearing the final snap of the stone door close, she turned around looking at the door that now blocked her exit. She looked careflly at the inscriptiins on this side and noticed the samee indentation and keyhole here....her way out thankfully.
The inner chamber first impressed the in two ways...first one felt their own meekness and  and humility. But as she stood there, she also started to sense her own inferiority and doubts, as if the room was feeding her such feelings.  The antechanber where she stood opened into a huge circular room, much larger then it appeared from the outside.  The circular room's floor was polished black granite.  The floor continued up the walls , rising in tortured curves like dark waves frozen in time.  As Gem stepped into the circular room the celing high above her sarted to glow a deep red hue, making the entire room look as if blood was running down the walls.
As the light filtered through the room, in the center a form started to take shape...There before her was a knight appearing, like no other she had ever seen.
His helmet was oddly bucket shapped with a black mane falling down the back.  His armor entirely black and menacing. But the most terrifying feature wsas the glowing red eyes pearing through a slit in an otherwise covered face.....

OOC I have a picture of him, PM me where to send it))