Crypts of Chaos

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:16 pm

Room 00
The echo of mad laughter fades and the shadows fall from your eyes, and you find yourself...somewhere else. Around you stand others, blinking and confused as yourself, likewise apparently transported here against their will.

They are the lucky ones. The floor and walls of the chamber you stand in is festooned with outstretched arms, legs, heads, and torsos melded with the very stone of the walls, a few still twitching as the last ergs of life leave them. One, a dwarf, is fused at the waist with the floor and stares up at you from the center of the chamber, lips moving in silent prayer.

Adrenaline pumping, you look around and take stock of the chamber. Though the outlines are concealed by the dozens of bodies merged into floor and walls, it seems to be a chamber crafted of dark stone blocks, closely fit together, some thirty feet square. To west, north, and east are tunnels leading away into darkness as deep as the Abyss, though staring to the west you can dimly make out a dim greenish glare, and from the east comes the sound of water lapping stone. On the south wall are two black iron levers, set at shoulder-height for a dwarf or similar-sized creature, both raised.

Above you is a great empty shaft fifteen feet square, rising at least thirty feet to the open sky, where strange constellations of multicolored stars greet your eyes. Strangely, a number of flashing coins seem to be suspended in the open air within the shaft.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:22 pm

Olaf blinks, rubs his eyes, and shudders.
"Is... not good"

He pulls a flask off his backpack and takes a deep swig.
"Escape route is important. But that climb will not turn out well."
Olaf replaces his flask, taking some calm in the routine he has developed in past break-ins, and attempts to Search the room.

Room impression:

Whatever · Post by **Whatever** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:23 pm

Cadwyn mutters an oath as he surveys the dead and dying.

He leans his spear against the wall and barks an order at an enormous dog in a language you don't understand; evidently, he knows the beast. Moving forward, he kneels down by the dwarf in the center of the room. Cadwyn draws his dagger, and offers it, hilt-first, "Better a fast end than a slow one. I can make the cut, if you cannot."

Red_Rob · Post by **Red_Rob** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:41 pm

Kai stands dazed for a few moments, unwilling to accept the horror that is all around him. "I had heard that the outside world was full of danger and terror, but I never imagined it would be this horrible!" Closing his eyes he mentally performs the calming techniques taught to him. Looking around at the others in the room he states "We should stick together until we know more about this place. Judging by our entrance death is only one wrong move away."

Kai pours some oil into his lantern and lights it. Trying not to look at the grisly scene he walks to the 3 exits of the room and shines the lantern down each, peering down the corridors to see if he can discern anything more.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:40 pm

Aracanis looks around the room, his wrist blasters sliding out of the sleek covering on his forearm. "Ok, I've seen a lot of odd stuff here, already, but you people are more slagged up than I thought. ...although thinking about it, I seem to recall seeing some decepticon palaces with similar decor, so maybe it's not that odd."
He looks around at the organics and makes a sound like a clucking tongue, "aren't there any lifeforms on this planet that aren't completely organic? I mean, it's starting to get weird."

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:54 pm

Olaf wrote:Olaf ... attempts to Search the room.

A quick survey of the still-warm limbs and body parts reveals that at least half a dozen humanoid species are represented here, and perhaps twice as many cultures. A little dagger-work prizes off rings of dwarf gold and elven silver from stiffening fingers, spills strange triangular coins of ancient copper and platinum discs bearing the image of an octopus from cut pockets and coin purses. Most of the armor, weapons, and provisions these beings carried has been destroyed or rendered unusable or inaccessible by the angles with which they merged with the floor, ceiling, and walls, though one bronze great axe hangs down in the death grip of some northern tribesman. The top of a skull protrudes from the floor near the west entrance, with a dull grey crystal hovering above it in a tiny orbit. One other thing strange you notice is that the stone in the room seems oddly pitted and streaked, as if by acid.

Cadwyn wrote:Cadwyn draws his dagger, and offers it, hilt-first, "Better a fast end than a slow one. I can make the cut, if you cannot."

Looking into Cadwyn's eyes, the dying dwarf grasps the hand proffering the dagger at the wrist, and pulls the human down to his knees, so that they are face-to-face. Cadwyn feels the dwarf slip something into his dagger sheath with his free hand. Then, with a final desperate act of strength drives the blade into his chest so hard that it sinks in to the hilt. Blood seeps from the wound, and the dwarf offers a crimson smile as the light fades from his eyes.

Kai wrote:Kai pours some oil into his lantern and lights it. Trying not to look at the grisly scene he walks to the 3 exits of the room and shines the lantern down each, peering down the corridors to see if he can discern anything more.

The feeble orange light reveals nothing to west or north, but to the east is lightens the darkness a little - the passage runs about sixty feet then turns. There is a gaping blackness ten feet down the corridor, interrupting the floor, and farther on the glint of metal - some sort of obstruction.

Red_Rob · Post by **Red_Rob** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:03 am

Ancient History wrote:The feeble orange light reveals nothing to west or north, but to the east is lightens the darkness a little - the passage runs about sixty feet then turns. There is a gaping blackness ten feet down the corridor, interrupting the floor, and farther on the glint of metal - some sort of obstruction.

Kai walks slowly towards the blackness in the floor down the East corridor. Some kind of pit? He shines the lantern into it, gauging its width, depth and what, if anything, lies within. Does he think he could leap it, or is there any way around it's edge?

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:29 am

Judging by the spikes at the bottom, and the small skull still impaled on one of them, it's a sprung pit trap. Water gurgles from below, and it is clear that there is a tunnel or sewer system intersects here. There is a five-inch ledge around the gaping rectangular pit, just wide enough for a human to squeeze by...or you could jump it, it's about eight feet long.

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:52 am

'Eh? What? Where am I? Who are you people? Are you with the tenure committee? For the last time, Professor Tralkin has my application, talk to him about it!" Archibald slowly realizes that the towering steel monster and the other people are, in fact, not part of said committee. "Alright, gather round now, let's introduce ourselves." My name's Archibald Kindersley, and I'm a professor of History, and I know a little bit of magic." Archibald waits expectantly for the others to introduce themselves.

Whatever · Post by **Whatever** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:05 am

Cadwyn closes the dwarf's eyes and gets to his feet. He moves back to the corner to reclaim his spear.

"Cadwyn Llewelyn. This is Terrwyn," he pats the dog on its head, "I dunno where we are. Not home, that's for certain. The stars are wrong. And I just moved the herd to high pasture. Who'll watch the cows with me gone, I ask you?"

Not waiting for an answer, he peers down the east corridor at the man with the lamp, "Find something?"

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:16 am

"Eh, this is probably some plot of Professor MacGlobule; he's always hated me ever since I stole that Twelfth Dynasty find from under his wrinkles nose, that old bastard."

[ooc]Archibald Kindersley is a hunched-over old man with a white beard down to the middle of his chest, with sparkling blue eyes and a few missing teeth. He's wearing stained travel gear, carrying a backpack with a crossbow strapped to it and holding a gnarled staff. He's currently looking for any kind of clues in the structure that would lead to some kind of revelation about what it is and where we are.

[ooc](rolling knowledge: history, I got an eleven, total, unless I can take ten, in which case I got nineteen)[/ooc]

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:59 am

Olaf rises from his brief exploration of the room (in which he pockets the rings and platinum coins if not interrupted) and turns to address the others. As he does, he brushes some fresh dust from his leather armor, but the gesture is rather ineffectual given the dirt caked into most of his attire. It looks like he might have just crawled through a long-abandoned cellar full of spiderwebs or something. He's dressed like a typical adventurer, with a mix of spelunking gear and weapons affixed to various parts of his attire, most positioned to be grabbed quickly at need.

"I, Olaf", pausing to tap his chest "have make troubling deduction. You see bodies, yes? I first think this a normal temple dungeon. I offend a god, he send me here to rot. Maybe have plenty time for careful escape. But two facts... draw attention. First! Our less fortunate travelling comrades, they mostly fresh. Second, the meltedness of stone. No vermin. It seem probable that something has cleaned away most previous remains."

Olaf pauses again, this time for dramatic effect. (Olaf speaks basic trade language coherently, but somewhat awkwardly, sprinkled with more sophisticated phrases. His accent is noticeable.)

"Working assumption is acid or slime monsters cleans area. Maybe time interval, maybe triggered. May happen soon enough that we should worry about it, especially if laughing god is bored. If we want base of operations to discuss our common problem, then we would do better in some place without worry of acid spray from over heads. Always want escape route, even if escape only to place of less horrible death. If we find different stone, likely safer."

Red_Rob · Post by **Red_Rob** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:51 am

Turning at the sound of voices Kai strides back into the main room. He is a young oriental man, no older than 17, with an open honest face that betrays no hint of guile. He is wearing ornate, yet slightly oversized armor with several bladed weapons strapped across his body.

"I am Seiko Kai, 16th reincarnation of the Great Seiko, and Enlightened Master of the Blade." He looks a little embarrassed. "At least, thats what the monks say. Sometimes I think they made some mistake."

Looking around he replies to Cadwyn "There's a pit with spikes down the East passage. The other two seemed to swallow the light from my lantern. I don't like this place, things don't behave like they should. I agree that we should move on though, the stench of death fills this room and makes me sick."

Kai begins to root in his pack, and pulls out his rope. "I vote we try East. Any objections?"

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:55 am

"Is no problem".
Olaf pulls a collapsible pole off his pack and extends it.

"Pits less than 10 feet wide can be spanned with pole. Even if wider, you can slow fall. Finding the source of water may be useful. We want two people on point, one to search traps and one to defend."

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:07 am

The tall creature made of jointed metal plating with glowing eyes, wearing a cloak, belt and carrying a pack, with two shortspears slung over his back covered by a heavy shield, and two short blades hanging from his belt, with a strange device like a metal box and pipe grafted to his wrist turns as others talk, "My name's Aracanis, and to be honest, in this place I couldn't tell if things weren't behaving like they should, because I've seen people without thrusters, wings, or even anti-grav gear flying, so my expectations are completely slagged. Moving on is probably a good idea, though if some- wait, I can see in darkness, lemme turn on my..." he sighs "vision thing." he finishes as he realizes no one's likely to understand the techno babble, which isn't even apparently accurate in this weird land where thermo-scanners see in shades of grey and perfect outlines, rather than heat signatures.

Aracanis will activate See the Unseen, gives him darkvision 60' and See Invisibility

"I'll check out that pit and tell you guys how big it is." he says, heading to it and muttering about how he wishes he had a damned alternate form.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:15 am

{AH says the pit is about 8 feet long. Still waiting for some details about the spikes in the OOC thread, though. Your darkvision might pick out some additional detail.}

Olaf goes to the pit to the East as well. He stays clear of the edge, cautious for now.

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:43 am

Archibald mutters "oh, I remember something about this now. There was some god of pure chaos or something, and some race cracked the prison trying to use it as a power source to do something, I don't know. Really there are thousands of those legends and most of them are rubbish. There might be something to this one, though."

"It's been a long time since I did this kind of archaeology, but my old bones aren't what they used to be; I should probably take the back." Archibald unlimbers and somehow loads his crossbow despite having stick-thin arms, and stares at the pole with trepidation. "How is that large metal fellow going to get across? I doubt the pole will hold him."

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:07 am

"Assuming the thin ledge across is not itself trapped, one can sidle along edges." Olaf scratches his beard. "If I built dungeon, I put traps inside of traps. May simply be paranoia talking, though."

"Metal weight is important point, however. First across should not be heavy enough to snap pole. Unless we have someone else experienced with traps, it may be prudent for I volunteering to check ledge. If danger menaces from other side, you can cover with bow."

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:16 am

"I can jump it." Aracanis says, bewildered by the old humanoid. "Er, I should be able to, anyway, it's not that far. Though... yeah, I'd check the other ledge for pressure pads and such with the end of that pole, first, at least, if I were you, Olaf." He looks at Archibald's crossbow, "Hmm... basic projectile weapon, uses discrete, physical ammunition, right? I can be the last across, so I can cover you guys, and this-" he raises his right arm, gesturing with the blaster, "Doesn't use ammo, so it's probably a better idea, unless of course we get swarmed, then, of course all guns are welcome."

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:31 am

"It looks like we have a plan."

Olaf proceeds to Search the area around pit, sidling across the ledge if it seems safe. He takes care to tap the ground on the other side of the pit as he looks for pressure plates and other traps.

Olaf positions the 10 foot pole so he can catch himself if something causes him to fall.

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:20 am

"Yes, yes, jolly good, what ho. Interestingly enough, the dwarven Karian Empire used such traps to defend the mausolems of their emperors, although [Archibald launches into a long, boring, meandering historical lecture that makes very little sense, with individual sentences seeming to have very little bearing on one another.]"

Red_Rob · Post by **Red_Rob** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:20 am

"Tie this rope around yourself Olaf, I'll hold the other end in case you fall."

Kai turns to Archibald. "Careful Wise one, in a place such as this we cannot guarantee that we will not be surprised by attacks from the rear. I would suggest someone more... resilient watch our backs."

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:03 am

The hallway is six feet wide and eight feet tall, the walls and floor pitted and scratched. Aracanis gazes into the pit - it seems two sections of the floor fall away when too much pressure is placed on it, cunningly dropping whoever is on it into the spikes, which jut up directly from the rippling, dark waters ten feet below. The tunnel into which the pit drops its victim seems to run east-west like the hallway itself.

Beginning some ten feet beyond the gaping pit, you can now make out bits of metal jutting out of the walls, floor, and ceiling - blades and spears, covered with gore, some old, some rather fresh. A small rat is busy peeling back the flesh on an elf skull.

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:20 am

Dreiden rubs her temples, trying to get to grips with the bizarre new location - and the manner of transport. Sure, she was aware of spells that summoned creatures, being able to do the most basic kind herself, but had never been the summoned target before.

"So this is why the Celestial Badgers always seem so dazed and confused..."

Hefting the massive hammer over her shoulder, she looks at the others.

"Resilient, you say? Sure. Though I imagine if I fell onto the spikes I wouldn't be that resilient, by the look of it. Still, if we're attacked from behind I can hold the attackers off... assuming nothing too big and nasty."

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:28 am

Aracanis peers down the hallway, "Looks like the hallway a bit of the way down gets filled with blades and spikes and such. Which is to say it is filled with sharp pointy things. I suppose it's probably actually fairly safe to assume that the other hallways do the same, or similar, so... maybe this is actually the best way to go?" He scratches his head, "I don't know, part of me says that the sprung traps are themselves a trap, to make us think this way is safe..."