Strangers IC Thread

[imported_Rasyr]

The Halfling begins looking around the nearby ruins, looking for some sort of entrance...

[Fidoric]

As there is no obvious entrance, Ceillen follows the small fellow and looks for any variation in the surroundings (herb that grows higher or is not of the same color...).

[samwise7]

The vegetation on the ruins seems to be pretty uniform, though there are plants here and there that aren't abundant.  There are flowers mostly of blues, greens, and yellows.  None of the plants look familiar however, and Ceillen notes that this place they have found themselves in may be a totally different place than where they are from.

Some of your fellow travelers seem to be standing idle, looking through their backpacks, etc. while the rest of you look around the structure.  No one as of yet has found an entrance, if any truly exists.  The gong on the top of the pyramid has yet to be investigated.

In the far East storm clouds are forming, changing the color of the sky into a dull charcoal color.

[imported_Rasyr]

The Halfling says, "I am going to check out that gong up there. Who is coming along?" And then he begins climbing up towards the gong, going carefully, along the edge of the steps (off to one side of the steps whenever possible), keeping an eye out for traps or other problems.

[Fidoric]

"I am with you my friend. Maybe we will find a way in up there. Please be cautious when we reach the top of the pyramid as that gong seems to be tied to a dark spirit. I should sense it if he tries something against us but nonetheless, beware any strange feeling you might experience. Some spirits may produce physical effects but some others would rather influence your mind.

Aldor, please stay a step behind me. If this spirits emerge from the ruins, I am better equipped to deal with it. If anything more mundane should happen, your help will be most welcome though."

Ceillen begins to climb with his staff firmly in hand. Aldor follows closely behind, his club and shield ready for anything, his eyes continually scan the area around, not only the top of the ruins.

[imported_Viktyr Korimir]

Adahn takes his sword off his back. "I shall accompany you. In case more mundane threats appear."

[samwise7]

The gong appears to have some sort of mechanical device attached to the base of it.  It seems that this may indeed be a way into the structure.  It seems like it has a complex yet simple opening lever mechanism.

[imported_Rasyr]

The Halfling pokes around the mechanism to see if he can get it to open...

[samwise7]

The halfling messes with the lever and in the process the lever breaks.  The gears spin though it seems like they are off track.  The gong and the mechanism beneath it begin to fall...

[imported_Rasyr]

The Halfling jumps out of the way of the gong since it is so much larger than he is.  [Body Shift: +5 to DEF, base DEF 20; total DEF 25]

[samwise7]

The Gong appears like it will miss the Halfling and tumble down the outside of the pyramid unless someone stops it.

[Fidoric]

Ceillen is busy avoiding being rolled over by the massive gong. Aldor try to push it by its flat side when it passes by if possible.

[samwise7]

The gong rolls down the many partially broken steps and as it smashes into each one a terrible sound can be heard that seems to warp time and reality itself, or at least your perceptions of it.  Your senses are horribly altered for the briefest of moments each time it hits a stair, but the effect will haunt you till you take your last breath.  Each thunderous sound made by the crashing gong sounds as if some long forgotten god suddenly died, or some orb in the heavens suddenly broke asunder.  After the gong settles on the grass at the base of the pyramid the silence seems to be a real thing after the nightmarish cacophony that was before it.  The world seems changed in some way; changed into something that can never return to what it once was... and this leaves you all with an intense feeling of regretful sadness though you don't understand why you would feel this way.  The event leaves you all shaken, though some will handle this differently than others of course.

[Fidoric]

Ceillen whisper a short but heart-felt prayer of atonement for the nearby spirits who may have been disturbed by this momentous event. Following that, he cast a glance at the spirit world to check if any spirit is lingering around and has been unsettled or angered by the sound of the gong, especially the previous dark one.

[imported_Rasyr]

The Halfling takes a few deep breaths to center himself, and then peers into the opening where the gong used to be.