"Alright, Mr. Wong," says Creston, "if you can hear or talk to the restless spirit, tell your master what we're up against."

Eron can only shake his head.  Even when he's had too many bottles, Eron didn't see non-existent spirits nor would he trust in their judgment.  He wonders whether or not he has joined a doomed expedition, in which case he should just drink some more to ease the dull pains of their doom.

During the time Brodd spends reading the folios and otherwise examining the hallway, Sasar needs to refill his lantern. It's also probably a good time to take in a meal, so your stomachs are telling you.

Sasar studies the strange machinery with keen eyes and then gives a curious glance at Iffy.

“Metallic scribe? Never have I heard of such machine exist and I’m not a young man, as you can see. All books I have seen have been carefully copied by a scribe - such as myself - or a skilled calligrapher. And how would you know if this would be such a machine? For a common criminal you have vivid imagination, Iffy. No offense.”

The wizard seems to be uninterested of the tomes Brodd had found. Instead, after careful rummaging through all his packs and sacks, Sasar refills the lantern.

“I’ve got four more oil flasks, it seems. After we have run through them I’m unable to provide light, I’m afraid. It never occurred to me we would be spending extensive time underground. Anybody got any torches, should we need them?”

“Because I -do- know complicated machines. And you can see how the thing is set up and the letters in these books match these backwards letter things. In fact I’m taking these backwards letter things with me in this sack because they’re probably worth something!”

Regoc regarded the thief thoughtfully, "sort of like ammunition then? Interesting... Yes I could see how those might be of value. Perhaps there's one with an 'R'? It would be quite entertaining to imprint upon the mind of a foe with my sling..."

“I’ve got four more oil flasks, it seems. After we have run through them I’m unable to provide light, I’m afraid. It never occurred to me we would be spending extensive time underground. Anybody got any torches, should we need them?”

"Torches, yes, five," Brodd says.  Once the light ran out, they'd have to rely on on not being underground.

Since this was a time of relative calm and pause, the priest hunkers down with the book on pole arms and has some lunch.  Or was it breakfast?  No, definitely lunch, or dinner.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:28, Mon 03 Dec 2018.

In reply to Brother Brodd (msg # 103):

Yagi keenly observes the human's fascination with reading. It seemed to be a method of exchanging information and learning new things. Yagi definitely should learn how to read.

"Yes, Mistah Bone, dem humans talk a whole bunch."

Yagi pokes Brother Brodd with a bony finger.

"Hey you, brainy hooman, how you learn to read?"

Amalrik stands guard outside the word pressing room, calmly cleaning his fingernails with his dagger.  He can light the torch if needed, otherwise he lets the others mumble along while he idly looks about and listens.  Pressing words indeed, he heard no screams of agony from within.

Manaku, tired after having hatched the door looks at Yagi poking the man

"He doesn't seem to have te patience to teach you how to read... but i can help you, Yagi. If you permit me, in a second moment, when we'll have time"

Manaku, put his hand inside of his backpcak and pull out two piece of dried meat from a rabbit, previously hunted. He begin to eat one piece, and offers the other to Yagi.

"Now, that you know me more, do you want a piece?"

Manaku smile gently.
To Yagi: You do notice the two glowing red eyes, little disquieting, looking at you.

The wizards eyes, deep in their sockets below bushy eyebrows, study keenly the machine and dart between the machine and the books as he processes Iffy’s explanation.

“Hmm, I can see your what you mean, Iffy. Your words make sense to me. This thing is a clever apparatus. Very clever indeed! I think we might be witnessing results of a research done by some great wizard -”

He pauses and his eyes widen at sudden idea:

“Brother Brodd, are there any names in those books? Name of someone who has perhaps, well, created them with this machine?”

The hunched and lanky wizards leans forward in exited anticipation, so much that his long beard nearly touches the room floor.

In reply to Manaku (msg # 106):

"Yes, me want a piece, but sumptun strange lookee this way."

Yagi points to the glowing red eyes...

The inside covers list them as Abradoc Printing Press, Patent Pending.

Yagi pokes Brother Brodd with a bony finger.

"Hey you, brainy hooman, how you learn to read?"

The poking does not go unnoticed.  Unfortunately for Yagi, Brodd is barely brainy.  He does, however, have good manners.

"Ahem, I learned it as a child," he says, debating whether to explain the idea of classes and tutelage to the shaman, or simply leave at that.  "The same way that you, er, learned to hunt .. I suppose?  You had a teacher?  It is the same with learning anything.  If you have the patience and diligence, you can learn it too."

Now that Manaku has volunteered to give Yagi lessons, Brodd nods along and goes back to his book.

The inside covers list them as Abradoc Printing Press, Patent Pending.

"This contraption appears to be a new invention?  Lacking an inventor, it may be the only one of its kind," Brodd muses to Sasar.  Perhaps one day they might return and learn more, but for now they'd have to be content with their underground explorations and then, hopefully before too long, getting back on the road to rescue.

"Another invention by Pat Pending. Whoever he is, he's a genius."

Creston munches on his dried fruit, while he waits for Brodd to finish reading. He tries also to keep an eye on the doors, just in case.

Amalrik also munches something with a jerkey texture and scent.  Rest when you can, pummel and drink when you can.

Are these Manaku's eyes or some other set?

"I don't know. My eyes are on the door."

They're in his eye sockets so I assume they're his.

"No name of a real person then? Pity. As fascinating as the apparatus is, we have to leave it be for now. We should not linger. Lets move on, shall we?"

The wizard proceeds to move out of the chamber, carefully checking the corridor and darkness beyond before going.

"Anybody willing to scout ahead, down the corridor?"

Finally, enough talking and gossiping.  Amalrik draws his sword Second after Iffy.

Manaku just smile and give the piece of dried meat.

"Don't worry little girl, these eyes aren't going to... hurt you, but sorry for some of your "ex" companions. I did killed a few of them a little while ago."

And he will follow Amalrik, 30 feet behind him, with bow at ready.


Give the piece of meat to Yagi
Followinf Amalrik, 30 feet behind him

In reply to Manaku (msg # 118):

Yagi replies, "Eyes spooky but Yagi get used to it.

"Thud you big and strong, you go ahead of Yagi and Yagi will follow, you protect Yagi good now."

Yagi will follow behind Thud, and whomever he follows.

While waiting for the group to finish eating and rest, Yagi figures this would be a good time to commune with the spirits. She sits down cross-legged on the floor and clutches Mistah Wong in what might be called a death grip and begins to chant and put herself into a deep trance.

This goes on for quite sometime with the tone and pitch of Yagi's chanting building into a cacophonous crescendo. Finally, she stops and falls back her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

1st Level MU spell: Sleep


Not quite sure how to post die roll



Don't know how I rolled twice, same result though.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:03, Mon 24 Dec 2018.

Iffy in front, Manaku behind, crazy woman singing to shrunken head somewhere further back in the line.  Anyone who doesn't know where we are .. does now.  Amalrik does some stretches to loosen up.