Brannon looked over the item, he had little to offer on the jar and the rope and hook but the mace and coin....

" I would venture that these items, like this place are the works of men. Those who follow the dark paths and pay fealty to the ancient Fomóraiġ."

" The maces head is a stylised form of Balar Birugderc known to the Reavers and country folk as Gulro.  And the coin bears his eye."

" Though made by evil men...it does not mean that the tools themselves are evil though."

In reply to Brannon Darrow (msg # 485):

Jon and Lute both headed over to inspect the stone slab but after a few moments they returned.

Jon ventured, " It's solid. Even this one couldn't move it and theres no room for more than one man in there."

" Back up and out or do we try heading higher again?  Feels like we must be almost back to ground level again..."

Colm remained silent and deep in thought as he tallied up their takings so far....

OOC - If nobody has any objections, we go back to that iced walls and try to get past with these new items we found?


Drake nods at Dann. He closes his hand over the strange coin and secrets it within in belt.


He turns to Jon next. "Heading higher? You mean back to those iced-over walls?" Looking down at the items the Party had newly discovered, he continues, "Perhaps some of these will prove to be our ticket onwards. Let's give it one more try."

Taking up his blade and lantern, Drake motions for the Companions to follow. He picks up a brisk pace back up the ancient steps. Senses alert, he moves the Party rapidly back to where the old Scholar lost his arm.

OOC - Assuming no incident happens and everyone follows along...

A very short time later, the Company comes up to the iced walls once again. The gruesome remains of Kores' frozen arm lies on the stone-cold floor a short distance away. The ash-covered blackened patch on the floor, what remains of the burnt ancient corpse, is visible through the narrow gap between the ice on the other side.

Drake nods at Toirneach. "Try presenting the mace to the iced walls."

In reply to Colm Cernach (msg # 487):

Hearing the descriptions of the mace, Lann decides to test its power or usefulness. He takes it out from his belt and prsents it to the ice wall.. Before he dies that, he yells to his companions to stand back.

OOC: If there is no reaction, I will smash the wall.

"Wait!" Brannon cautions them. "Let us not repeat the mistake we made last time - we need to make sure we have some sort of healing on hand in case the same thing happens..."

In reply to Brannon Darrow (msg # 490):

Kores coughs.  He raises his stump to his face before dropping it.

Drake nods at the wisdom in the warning. He turns to Colm. "Heathfather. Perhaps you would do the honors instead. Presenting the mace at the iced-over walls..." Turning to Toirneach, he gestures at the mace, indicating that he should hand it over to the Heathfather instead.

OOC - Hmm...may need GM to do the honors on Colm's behalf for now. Until he returns.

In reply to Drake Taubron (msg # 492):

'Yes, I think it's a better choice.' Saying that, Lann hands the mace over to colm.

In reply to Toirneach Lann (msg # 493):

Colm was hesitant to touch the dark weapon, carrying as it did an image of ancient evil but he decided to humour the others.

" I suspect this ice came about later than the shadow-workers who carved this place...but we will see."

He raised the mace up before the icy passage and waited a little...then moved further forward..but he remembered where Kores had stood and did not get that close to the ice.

After some time he walked back to the others.

" Any other ideas? The ice was linked with the corpse, yes? And we saw spectral arms come out and grasp at Kores.  It is likely someone who died of cold has taken to haunting this place I think....they would be hungry for warmth and like all dead...for life."

He turned to Brannon, " Old friend, did your studies cover settling ancient spirits to their rest?"

"Ancient spirits? Like the ones we met at the shaft below?" Drake frowns irritably, and with no small apprehension. These encounters are taking a toll on his sanity.

Drake takes out the new coin with the strange intricate design. He flips the tiny disc around in his hand, trying to see how the trinket might be relevant to the icy obstacle blocking the Party's advance.

OOC - Drake has no further idea and nothing else to try, other than the strange coin picked up earlier...

As for Kores' suggestion to go back and try the crack in the wall, Drake is good with that. But recall Jon had already come back with a warning after his investigation of it...

"I shall be honest: not really." Brannon gives an embarrased cough. "We covered some of that, but I fear I was, er, more attentive on matters of history."

OOC: Next rank, I think! D'oh!

In reply to Brannon Darrow (msg # 496):

"I found earlier a scroll case with ancient words of power.  I can summon unearthy fires from the darkest depths, but would it be suitable for warming an old corpse?  I would prefer to keep it in case we run into other demons or other encounters."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:24, Tue 15 Aug 2017.

Assuming nothing came out of Drake's examination of the coin and it's relevance to the current debacle faced by the Party...

Drake nervously licks his lips that have gone cold and dry. Replacing the coin in his pocket, he grips his sword and handlantern tightly as he edges closer to the icy blocks. Stopping a safe 6 metres from them, he stands there in silence for a moment. The man's face is an impassive mask, hiding his inner turmoil as he fought to gather his thoughts and regain control of the situation at hand.

Swallowing, he calls out to the spirits that may be present and responsible for the icy trap. His voice sounds taut and strained, but it is clear and controlled.

"Oh Ancient One, you whose mere touch is icy death..."

"Our humble apologies if our actions have offended you in any way..."

"If you are willing and able, would you condescend to grant us understanding into this matter: Why have you not moved on to eternal rest after your mortal body has died? But instead you have remained here as Guardian of this place."

Nerves and willpower stronger than the strongest thrice-forged steel keeps Drake's body from trembling or betraying any sign of the great fear that grips his heart. His attention fixed on the ice blocks, eyes roving all around the vicinity for any manifestation, the man continues.

"What is it you desire of us? What is it that you guard?"

Drake turns the coin over and over but it doesn't seem to spark any ideas.

There is no answer to Drakes heartfelt pleas, whether because the being is unable, unwilling or simply not present.

Jon looks back down the corridor towards the rock cleft, and Lute picks his nose...

The wait for a response quickly turns into an embarrassing moment that drags on and on. Drake closes his eyes and sighs. He turns to look at his Companions. "Let's go try out the fissure back on the winding steps then...Though I fear we have merely wasted our time in these deadly caverns..."

Raising his weapon before himself, he raises his handlantern to lit the way forward. Gesturing with his head, Drake turns and leads the way back out the room. He makes for the winding stairway where the fissure in the wall was discovered earlier.

At the fissure Jon approached it and peered upwards into the cleft, " Myself and Hadrik can make the climb easily. You others should be fine as well....Kores will need to be helped up by rope.  If you want I or Hadrik could climb up with a rope and lower it down to ease the ascent for others."

" Not sure whats up there though, I only went a ways up before."

" And Lute is not going to fit...its a tight squeeze..."

In reply to GM (msg # 502):

"Perhaps if we tie the rope to you and we all hold onto the other end…  Just in case."

Drake shakes his head at Kores' suggestion.

He peers up the crack in the wall. Muttering under his breath about it being a tight fit, he secures his handlantern to his belt, then hands his pack over to Brannon with a nod.

"Jon and me will take a look  first. Wait for our signal..."

Clamping his sword in his teeth, he takes one look at Jon, then reaches up and begins to make the climb.

10:55, Today: Drake Taubron rolled 10 using 1d20.  Climb check.

Drake and Jon climbed up the dark cleft with practised ease, at least at first then even they had to slow as more and more stone was covered by slick ice.

Eventually the two of them disappeared from the sight of the ones waiting below...

"Incoming above!" Drake hisses...
This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Sat 19 Aug 2017.

In reply to Drake Taubron (msg # 506):

Kores looks alarmed.  He hesitates whilst thinking of conjuring up an illusion of another climber, something outrageous that Drake wouldn't think is a member of the party or a threat, maybe a naked fat bloke....

Strongly inclined to do that in round 2....

Brannon backs up from the area beneath the climbers, in case of anything falling. He unpacks his sling, and fits a stone into it...

..................

Below the others heard a man cry out in pain and a hurried scrabbling sound from somewhere above...