Sarah raised her hands in a gesture of peace.  [Language unknown: "Ngect allrutect, ce Ouslatall pr int, ivma Os atac osestollpe n day ionousbuttra el houersove.  Ca wa atpewati.  K forineave ingle icaearfor comateect andie.  T nde thute aveortsti, ckest ratwitart meinth witeraromati he ine."]

[Language unknown: "Derichicalin? Eauwhiure usar'ndun?"] the man asks, squinting at Sarah and her equally well-armed and well-fed companions.

[Language unknown: "Er eenwaskor li rince sailet intnottra urethihou hou manintardshe...nde ave ma ho fiilun acceli stekon as hoarit lonc reekic ncepr trofevei loho metrus il ou Ssisie. Is wereauove ard O linmi ei i outdinint ometho-orttheera a hiusle Peanhe safo ouie riher er nticonons n latingenc: isun Aiperian a a stiss!"]

Elena clutches her mother's skirts and tries to hide despite her father's evident pride, starkly pale amongst her brown-skinned, black-haired family. Her mother simply smiles at the "prisoners" and holds up a human skull wreathed in beautiful garlands of flowers. The old woman, boldest of the newcomers, comes over and starts talking to Grandmother Bent Legs in what must be Comanche.

OOC: Well armed?  Last I checked, all of Sarah's guns were left behind.  All they have is an assortment of kitchen knives right now.

[Language unknown: "Yinli ingstiort, waard p ha latrri ent?  Remabe?  Dierch?  N, taaine ma, poitce.  K our chleme for as ratthiith ch un ratrutdin a hamere wi ec linveruresta hi ti thiithour, tr wa ndpe atiwitartver p beiola seart olncnc."  ]

Sarah indicated a large rock.  [Language unknown: "Omewasand, ear pr, i ure sela werek beoswe saesne.  Whederore pl st, vir uron ck nawhacme ing well reniunol?  Ng ic nonti unmerindsa?"]

[[As someone from somewhere where every peasant and their dog don't have guns, I'd say a knife each - or a hefty knife-onna-stick like Sarah's - is pretty well armed.]]

This just confuses the man. [Language unknown: "But inwh tist oerresive'blevor?"

"Hihis, Ll atievence Os vorstiers venrutkor ce thestrint. La Ithé, u romos resro."] He offers a hand as he strides over, his expression warm and genuine. A rattlesnake skull with turquoise set in the eyesockets hangs on a string about his neck.

[Language unknown: "Nastmo prennoie eihome, witro ai, weposi ons pangiv, ticte renoll ma undthayin eten Ousromtio Hi trte resne of ekelou,"] he explains genially, waving his family on to go make the sacrifice. Sarah remembers the offerng-niches along the corridor going down into the earth.

[Language unknown: "E sonoerear consetund te strli acla tosaon haoffochst lech reafor'ureere...whwaei hatto iewh, sanonewas icaundeen i onstervor rieve wa ek st, hare ulos It thaeauyin meiv witrut avesa oulwhehas. Tr ted omeughdintio re lo nend sonos i notallwer! Fi rutnd yinwa pa roitanta, ma ivil leshisrut ainsa et a thuol ort p as yin ut ti ntha aiesleev, pena dayortion pl ingus a ofhisi il notna onasan. Is Eefifo ectpl onsli is na! Lepanoll. Ad os n alalus, pe evshe."]

Sarah nodded.  [Language unknown: "K illsetted a butromughnti redounich, somuresom erape Notantlartra.  Pelo ad linthiion erund plilen.  Red prepl m one lochpe?  Ter strhatthu nitaut n eiusno measriai on?"]

[Language unknown: "Thuionviriououl?"] José looks a bit dubious of his new aquaintance, but since his family aren't in danger from her strange cultish ways he just shifts a bit on his rock and goes on.

[Language unknown: "M llhas po antou ceset, pall ntli it, e ekiv ev bemaatsa u uron linorewhi: ivenme hatantich haos ss ngnce ioad li dila ilaspe, korichect anrope ble no. Ardus Ultefi Ernd her u manichich peca, dertertic ndevenate ilin mait wa tin threnohe oreit prnawa itman...ntin ecson verthores uttio ur. Forithsheconain Whnollnilo unna m werinttho, ess careal urfifi osekol roul ierom houtiored penc wineta."

"Erni asssom ecthoudayman fiwidi ee evutur whieraany koreaueve o menme ble andmi, ti nastac nt ectvenich mi witndeous out sanartble k trami ie esttioearoul e reani urlo enecma werrednde estessrea a ard Ntestiers en atiinecon ussta ha adarec ulwi, taee maet sa t encichvir nt hotra eravormanant hobe honi an me Eenereher, haseul ughstihou liicngol aicati na oerousthu, encortnte inesandin ers la ntmeicel, usllma iswaas leplei taest thalatson."

"Ver actiec Fo necena anyat bleearast thewilpre moevmi...safohi whi reshoueve ta pamo naecnd olill ur ol shewitame toarev te tr thoevehouore. Ndeme Conhiseen Na ckerpr saultr ut rea ith, si earsonvir ei haerne k ma onsastwhi un whith ulurol pr ekart tinresoer utme omadta aveic a Foelnc'eset, al lenche'utolas...olitil a sanconrom in prli no ekliat wheos astsi lemo tin. Miplwhto ughhisromven tiil ofsaur sheereeau erainetedine ame preime ulofwaon set t fowangho, maal thfi asdise avebleast re caulwe ichrutoutnot. Ers has posiou st Rimini Ha ame fint paillo ichtr iveallect aiolad ouraveugh, ard, nteoul-ivethi disalait ourio Hat Essticoer i thupa meroontele se ingrating pl Romlinmenteresssan rechol m nt mant thawerrat mo artpresta blesheproyin. Ticthusom ekaniten!"] He shakes his head at the sacreligious horror of it.

The slave-girl hands him some fish, trying to hide the fact that whatever she was dreaming about whilst dozing has left her crying. José nods his thanks.

[Language unknown: "Nafi Avemenand Taio eint tinartati korsomtin of u sti nachet aradni, te prekre, day icreek wilichwhirom outpl thuomeounmen ntprullo alevel nendte ei er ch ntie theousith mo Manoerstiestome, wiolnc ss Aveoutainionout Siilmi eilaai stistrsan fi m yineraove. Adpro toadst n a lotowe...ai poul, p isairi!"]

The other cultists wander back to the main room from the left-hand corridor, though Elena, the little albino girl, is conspicuously missing.

Sarah pulled a stick from the fire, and started to draw on the floor.  [Language unknown: "Es wiri noec has sserst a asiv?"]  She tried to draw what she could of the snake motif in the other room.

The man looks at the scratches. [Language unknown: "K ca t prfimeevme, com. Allealti M wi wasresersast orethiort etsa ughyinout po thiivehat hi i ecdion verre, etme sa nc encntebutaveoun os onlonoloil."]

The wife of the family comes to settle nearby, skull on her lap, and starts talking to the slave in Comanche, her words soothing. The fact that her daughter's taking so long to reappear does cause her to frown and look back towards the doorway, however.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:50, Sat 02 May 2015.

[Language unknown: "Di loheri outsanvirday ersersour?"] Sarah asks.

[Language unknown: "K hasratdintin...ol te ontais pr nchou Fo hatrla rom der ic thoeauver, olyin ol traencshe m esher eaudi to...Re celont ati prete k oltha resst. Adicca i, inieta."] The wife carefully sets down the skull, takes up her lantern again and stands to go look for the girl.

Meanwhile the grandmother of the family sets herself close to Sarah and puts a hand on her knee. [Language unknown: "Anilne i omei whiyinund lat, waiv! Oushatsheearure Pre Na ivat eiivof pr iela p ure Butestive Ec n ichiad reshatard, terfo ant oerintble verte en a olpl! Atedinnceforvirlatith!"]

[Language unknown: "Whithueenamestaingith!"] José echoes, extremely impressed.

Sarah waved it off.  [Language unknown: "U fielli k atfo.  Renaac fi dinwh be yineraiourea ard tiplul evosho la her onestiion acmi sontedica."]  With that, she headed after the mother.

[Language unknown: "Ilesdi ekiele nt ilwi urtion oneovecon li maoupe ing, entar notaun alwhad oshapa i avehisund...anetmo ortore'illtio vircomare iola ni pohead are sa ratrutoeress,"] says José, not particularly alarmed given the limited area in which his daughter could get lost. He leans forward, looking like he'd like to speak more to Sarah, but she's already hastened after his wife. He turns his attention to the natives instead; the murmur of familiar conversation follows Sarah into the dark a way as she puffs to catch up with the woman and her light.

---

"Elena!" the woman calls, holding her light high. [Language unknown: "Bleestsom, hatthoeau een rilar?"]

No response. The mother glances back at Sarah, her large dark eyes looking black as holes in the low light. [Language unknown: "Encsanhas leofre com theivesti ad i...ekeau ainst moort histicugh onshastha, cklliopl...ivure plmoal o caaiasho ere k aiprch ar we entureund: ee adis io ich nt ni olioee, ckwi."]

She turns away, carrying on into the dark in her little circle of light. [Language unknown: "Menanyone, t ac omwe itlo adlice? Ilwe siio! Ouhola!"]


[[Notice roll, please]]

Probably not.

17:39, Today: Sister Sarah rolled 3,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. Notice.

[[Mercedes rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Notice?
Well, she's clueless too.]]

"Elena! Elena!" The calling echoes down the corridor and folds back on itself, as though the walls were discussing it. "Elena!"

No response comes. The pair backtrack to the offering-holes, now stained and wound-like from offerings to the underworld, then all the way to the cavern at the end. Elena's mother checks in the privy, then lies down on the lip of that outcrop and holds the light out low, just in case. The lamp shows only dark and further dark.

No pale scrap of dress or flesh. No child. The woman stands, checking even walls and ceilings for spots a child - or something that could lift a child - might climb on. Nothing presents itself.

Quietened by worry but still calling, Elena's mother heads off down the corridor to the store room. Poking among and behind the pots fails to bring up a clue. Finding Sarah's previous work in the end section, the woman kneels on the floor beside the great serpent head carved there, fingers the rattlesnake skull hanging around her neck, and starts softly praying to Tezcatlcoatl.

[Language unknown: "Areni p k nirimo hetiri, anilre,"] she asks, almost pleading. The lantern set down on the floor makes the snakes and weeping eyes on the walls seem to look down upon them. [Language unknown: "Ad thble acei ne Lacenc e miio Hibeee Ntistrour i pa Ntpa naurar-cksa ratpe are."]

[Language unknown: "Ill Een noticalin hoasek and ie veneenverproset."] Sarah said, as she continued to look around.  She drew a cross in the dirt of a broken bowl, and it began to glow faintly.  "Perhaps, though, the Lord will shine a light unto our feet."

OOC: I don't know what the final decision was on the Blessed rules, so I rolled without any negative modifiers.  I got an 11, which should be enough for a Raise on the roll, even with a penalty. The Notice roll, after boost, was a 26, so hopefully that works out.


19:19, Today: Sister Sarah rolled 26,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (10+10+6)26,3. Notice.
19:16, Today: Sister Sarah rolled 11,3 using d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1. Boost Notice.

[Language unknown: "Di wiati alof reiv ectonsess olchei u mo aconof i his seut...wh Ch Rintribewi notr oventilat witlat'ortres Lo founwhis. Ll ent ble e ceith asich setwhi-intcon whe,"] the woman murmurs, not looking up.

A moment's mediatation on the holy light seems to expand Sarah's senses; she feels as though she could count the motes of dust on the floor and hear the individual muscular movements of her companion's heartbeat. More than that, however, she is sure she hears a child's voice in the wall, pleading with someone.

It seems impossible that Elena - or anyone else - could be in the solid rock, at least until Sarah remembers the dead-end corridor. If there was a broad room or tunnel behind that, it would account for the direction of the voices.


[[For my threads, I'm not updating any rules unless they make stuff work better. The final word was that Blessed changes won't apply in any of the timescales we're using, so they don't affect our games.

Sarah still has the -1 for non-urgent miracles for getting herself into a morally dubious pact with the underworld, mind, but with a roll like that it's sort of academic...]]

Sarah moved up to the wall, and tapped on it thoughtfully with the hilt of her hook.

The wall is solid natural rock and extremely thick. Although it's extrememly unlikely anything on the other side can hear through such a barrier without Sarah's divinely heightened senses, the voice does cut off with a scared squeak immediately after the tapping.

Sarah stares at the wall thoughtfully, then holds her glowing bowl closer.

OOC: Very busy week, no energy to come up with a good description.  I'm looking to see if the wall is magical in any way.  I got a 4.

22:40, Today: Sister Sarah rolled 3,3 using d12-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. White chip.
22:39, Today: Sister Sarah rolled 1,4 using d12-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. Detect Arcana.

God does not deem fit to grant Sarah the Holy Sight whilst she already possesses heightened senses. There is nothing unusual about the wall to look at. Possibly whatever the girl was talking to crawled or slithered and was sensitive to vibration, accounting for the apparent reaction. Whatever it is, it's in the walled-up room.

The girl's mother gives Sarah a bit of an odd look whilst the preacher stares at the wall. She's cut into the soft of her right wrist by now, just enough to draw a bead of blood to anoint her rattlesnake skull. She holds it like a pendulum.

[Language unknown: "Any, anyom Alillo Araturolna hi of wh ithre th,"] she says, raising the lantern. The pendulum does lead her to the wall, but when brought close to the rock it changes its swing to a C-shape, indicating how they are to go around.


[[A 3 won't cut it (I only see a 4 there on the wild die for the roll that'd give you a Crisis of Faith and lower your casting die, and that doesn't count), and my book says Blessed don't actually have that power (if there's an update, please point me to it. Looking here, it says they don't have Entangle either, but Sarah uses it so well she can just keep that anyway.)

...but seriously, it's just a wall. If you want in there you'll have to go round.]]

I have a very old copy of the book.  Apparently there's been a number of changes, that I'm not aware of.  Anyway, I'll go around the wall and see what's there. ;)

The swinging skull leads them back, out to the main corridor and up the branch Sarah saw before. The lantern illuminates the coarse clods of clay and grass packing walling off whatever's beyond.

Coming closer, a patch of shadow refuses to move: a hole at the bottom left-hand corner of the barricade, just big enough for a child, clay and long-dry packing strewn around it. Looks like the girl dug her way in. There's no light beyond, only a dense, blank blackness.

"Elena?" the girl's mother tries, kneeling down and putting the lantern by the hole. Sarah's heightened senses note the hefty stone blocks glimpsed behind the clay barricade, and the way the hole continues through them: lots of small scraping kerfs from the other side.

They look like the marks of human fingernails, save that the stone has the texture of solid granite. Someone would have to have clawed at the rock for five thousand years or more.

"Elena?" The woman leans nearer the hole, and finally there's a reply, distant as though at the other end of a room:


[Language unknown: "Utess, ad! Moon ti!"]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:55, Wed 27 May 2015.

Sarah holds out a hand, stopping the mother.  Then, she she carefully started to make her way forward, looking around for trouble.

The woman looks up at Sarah and doesn't try to squeeze into the child-sized hole quite yet, though she's clearly scared. [Language unknown: "Dayaretha on oul undeveund?"

"Ssmedi, wilcomica witternti? Wheng ivti p weecck, p osma thencetedand! Befimo!"]

Looking more closely, Sarah sees the hole goes further back than the light reaches, and the walls of the small tunnel also have that stomach-turning scratched texture.

[Language unknown: "Re icaiveome!"] the child responds. [Language unknown: "His ieiete io whi oeringnte!"]

Paying attention as she is, Sarah hears a faint sighing on the other side of the barricaded wall, near the ground and the entrance to the hole. No, not a sigh, she realises as the sound goes on too long. Hissing.