Strangers IC Thread

[samwise7]

A dark foreboding vertical shaft leads downwards into utter darkness.  The walls seem like they could be descended since there are small ledges between each row of large stones, but there is no way of knowing how far down a fall would be if you lost your grip.  There is however some of the remains of the gong's mechanism that seem to be be stable and secure if you wanted to tie a bunch of ropes together and tie them to it.

The gong lies on the ground like a forgotten dream, and it slowly dematerializes and fades into nothingness or perhaps into some other plane of existence next to this one.  The grass beneath it is stained black as if they were burned by intense heat.

Ceillen sees a few spirits that seem to be dragging themselves by their hands and fingers away from the base of the pyramid.  They seem like they are in pain, and they seem to be unresponsive to any prayers or words.  As they crawl away pitifully they sink beneath the surface of the grasslands and are lost to view. 

[Fidoric]

That's not good. Something here seems to hurt the spirits around us. That makes a good reason for me to investigate those ruins in search of that thing (the gong?). I will not ask the good spirits for protection or guidance within the ruins except if there are no other solutions.
Shall we climb down ?

[imported_Rasyr]

The Halfling responds, " I think that we should, but I also think that perhaps it is better if those who are attached to us remain out here and guard our mounts." I shall get the rope that my companion has in his equipment so that we can descend further into this mystery"

The Halfling then heads down the stairs, upon reaching the bottom, he tells all who are there, "Please lend me your ropes. We are going to descend into the pyramid to explore." And speaking only to his companion, "Please remain out here to guard the mounts. I am sure that one or two of the others shall remain out here with you."

Once he has the ropes, he heads on back up the stairs.

[Fidoric]

Ceillen :"That seems to me a good way to go. Aldor, would you mind staying here with our mounts ?".
Aldor agrees with Ceillen and begins setting a camp.

[samwise7]

The rest of the group seems to be in a silent debate about what to do next while the more active members are staring down into the darkened shaft wondering what awaits them in the depths below...

[samwise7]

Those at the top of the vertical shaft attempt to descend into the unknown.

[imported_Rasyr]

Before attempting to descend, the Halfling takes a rock and tosses it into the abyss, listening carefully to see if he determine approximately how deep the hole is until it reaches the bottom.

Once that is done, he starts tying the ropes together into one long rope, making sure to have 2 people tug on either side of any knots to make sure that they are tight and won't slip. He then does the same thing to the end that he ties to the left over machinery. Once that is done, he tosses the free end into the pit, and then slowly begins climbing down.

[samwise7]

Ceillen and the Halfling attempt to see down into the darkness and it seems to continue past where they can see.  When the Halfling drops his stone it falls for a long while, but he can't really guess with any accurate means just how long.  At the end however he hears some sort of splatting sound and then nothing.

The rope seems to be extra securely tied together.  The two intrepid adventurers start to climb down the rope.  About 30 feet down they both lose their footing and their grip and fall, bouncing off of the sides of the vertical shaft as they plummet down into the unknown.

They make a last minute attempt to slow themselves or to catch the rope...

[samwise7]

The Halfling manages to slow himself with the rope just enough for his associate to grab him by the ankle.  The Halfling is then able to grab hold with a firm grip so that he isn't falling any longer.

The two of them are now holding onto the rope with a faint darkness above and black darkness below.  The rope is swaying from the movement and the world is silent and seems to have a feeling of evil that caresses it softly like a murderous lover.  All is not right with the world.

[Fidoric]

We should have dropped a lit torch in the shaft... Well, I don't know for you my friend, but my arms begin to shake from exhaustion. I suggest we hurry down the rope lest I have no strength left and... I am sure you don't need a picture.

[imported_Rasyr]

Yes, perhaps a torch would have been wise. But let us not hurry too much, ere we lose our grips again...

[samwise7]

The Halfling and his associate Ceillen manage to climb down the rope to the end of it without falling to their early demise.  There is a palpable sense of relief when you actually reach the ground and can finally relax your hands.  They perhaps wonder if leaving the rest of their traveling companions was a wise idea. 

They are standing in a darkened area but Ceillen can see a little into that darkness.  He sees that there are 3 separate ways to travel down.  One to the North, one to the Southwest and one to the South East.  The floor is made out of some spongy moist material that seems to resemble flesh, but it is made out of large sections.  There are strange symbols on the walls that are written 2 feet from the ground and they go off into the distance in all 3 of the tunnels.  These symbols use a lot of triangles in various different angles and in various numbers of them. 

There is a smell of ancient dirft and it seems that the floor hasn't been touched for perhaps hundreds or thousands of years.  It smells perhaps of old death, and forgotten lives if such a thing can have a smell.  You feel like you are once again in a different world, as of traveling down the vertical shaft has transported you elsewhere, and that elsewhere has different natural laws than your own world.

What lies down these paths, and are you willing to traverse the unknown?     

[Fidoric]

I guess we'll worry about getting back to the top later...
Too bad, there is no way to the left. An old saying in my village states that left is always right.
Those triangles don't mean anything to me so any way is as good as the next. Do you have any preference my friend? And how may I call you by the way. "My friend" is... friendly enough I guess but not personal.

[samwise7]

Your characters remember their names and more about their past but they still can't remember how you got here in this different world.

[imported_Rasyr]

"my friend?? my friend! I remember something! I used to have a good friend, he called me 'Ewyn'! My name is apparently Ewyn. As for "way to the left", if we stand facing the center tunnel then that one (Ewyn points to the northern tunnel) is to the left. Thus, in order to follow your old saying, we should go that direction"