Devourer in the Depths

Devourer in the Depths
Date of Scene:	19 March 2013
Location:	Mysterious Ruins
Synopsis:	Artyom decides to go revisit some old ruins with a group of his friends. They unleash a sleeping creature.
Cast of Characters:	Faruja Senra, Oblivion, Jidro Gerrison, Annia Leradine, Myla Mason, Souji Murasame, Artyom W Valodjn, Ophelia

---

Oblivion has posed:

This place once belonged to ancient researchers of time long ago. Here lies many hidden secrets and forgotten paths. Many which are no longer accessible at all, if only by a few. Yet brave souls travel down in such places in hopes to find hidden treasure or forgotten runes that could perhaps one day lead to greater adventures.

Down in these forgotten caverns and corridors, one has returned here with his companions in order to seek what riches could be found here. That being of Magicite and other mystical artifacts. Yet little do they realize what they may find here is far larger then what they were perhaps expecting.

Before you is the path you must walk of old stone grounds and strange runic walls. Through the pathway accessible is that of deep, black, darkness. Only that of gentle twinkles of magic from time to time spark the old corridor. One may require a torch or a form of a light source in order to find hidden clues here or any sign of what they may seek. Though from the obvious hints laid out here and the very then layer of mist being drawn down into the depths of the dark corridor. What they make seek of a great treasure could be not to far ahead; Though sometimes, the greatest prizes are the hardest ones to gain.

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
Into the depths, Artyom walks. Spelunking is a familiar task to the man from Titan. The old mountain was rife with caves so deep that they seemed to suck the light right out of a torch or lantern or super high-tech Ramuhan arc-lamp. Of course, in this place, Artyom does not necessarily have a super high-tech Ramuhan arc-lamp to guide his way, so he turns to the next best thing.

Thrice removed.

Artyom holds an oversized, hooded oil lamp in one hand. A blazing wick of flame beams bright firelight into the slick, arcane caves, lighting his way as he proceeds deeper into the tunnels. Going this deep, alone, into a cave system is suicidal, even for those attuned to the element of earth. But that is, of course, why Artyom is not travelling alone.

Close associates, old friends, new coworkers. The Man from Titan has brought all these along with him. There are even one or two meandering adventurers who might have decided to tag along after overhearing a tale in a cavern, or noticing a rather brief invitation for deep-delving treasure-hunting south of Vector.

Artyom pauses. He glances over his shoulder at those following behind. Mist pools around his ankles as he speaks, softly- so as to avoid any unwanted echoes and/or cave-ins, "Stay together. It is easy to get lost down here."

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
So this is the forgotten plae that is to have untold treasure. Possibly, there are mytical artifacts around the place. It is likely buried deep witin the ruins. It is not often that the students of what was formerly Alexander Academy get to do. This would be considered a field trip, in a way.

Not all are rather jovial about being in such an ancient place. Shaking and quivering is none other than the resident coward, Cid. The black mage is hugging onto his codex, clutching it close while he lifts his head up high. His eyes lift up, gazing at the strange runic walls. In a way, looking at those walls calm him. It possesses historic value that is essentially for those of the learned profession.

One does not need a torch when they have magic as a light source.

In fact, Cid has taken care of the light with a flickering golden light that starts shining. It glows enough to help light the way for the group.

"R-i-right..." Cid states calmly.

Myla Mason has posed:
Myla Mason has heard ruins, magitek and possible loot that had been enought to drag her into this as she follows along with the people daring to go into these depth and Swimmer is close behind her. She looks at the son of Titan for a moment "So this is the place and right, i know how ruins can be." She looks over to Cid for a moment "Easy Cid you'll be fine yo got me and even Art here!"

Ophelia has posed:
The musty smell of stale air and creeping mold is inhaled deeply as Ophelia steps into the sunless depths of the dungeon. The ancient walls appear to be hewn from the natural rock formations which turn what would be a rough and bumpy tunnel into a smooth and gently sloping corridor. It is impossible to tell the exact age of the ruins from a simple glance nor does the young woman particularly care for such details. Archeology only interests her so far as she can profit from it, either though the aquisition of treasures and artifacts or the unearthing of dark horrors long since forgotten upon which she can test her blade.

The stillness and lack of malevolent presence here makes her disinclined to believe that there will be active opposition in their hunt this evening but old ruins had plenty of dangers without monsters to worry about. Time destroys all things and even walls cut from the very flesh of the earth can weaken and crumble. Cave-ins are always a real possibility and down in the dark no one will be around to hear your cries for aid.

There are also the traps. People who build deep dark dungeons are often the sort that have secrets and secrets are often guarded; the juicier the secret, the stronger the measures taken to ensure that no one ever gets their hands on them who isn't intended to. With enough time, every step of an intruder into one of these forbidden abodes can be turned into death. As such Ophelia has little complaints about her position at the rear of the procession.

In truth, she is not here to assist in the search for whatever these strange drifters from another world sought, merely to observe. The rather large man at the front is her main interest here. By watching how he handles adversity she will hopefully get a better picture of the kind of reactions she can expect when the real pressure is on. Learing about the others at the same time will be a little bonus, something to tuck away should she seek their aid in the future.

Her crimson eyes scan the walls in the weak light of the lamp as the group moves ahead, taking in the various archaic symbols and carvings with a look of mild boredom on her patrician features. The polished surfaces of her armor glint in the scraps of flickering illumination that manage to make it all the way to the back of their little group. Ophelia noticably lags behind the rest, keeping her web of supernatural senses extended on the sly for early warning signs that something beyond foul smells and crumbling walls might threaten them.

She has no intention of warning them in the case that something /does/ show up, however. Watching people deal with the unexpected in another way to gain a measure of their character. There is always the chance that something strong enough to threaten even her could be lurking down here though and she much prefers to be aware of it before it comes leaping out of the shadows. Her willpower is a known quantity and has no need of further testing.

Annia Leradine has posed:
Even if they are no classes, there has been plenty of work to do. Mostly information gathering, some heartless eliminating, some chocobo racing...

Well that last one was more of an entertainment, but its nto like there was any of those on Galadria either.

And Cid insisted to go spelunking for some reason. She wasn't going to let him go alone in there. Why? Who would she get to carry her luggages if he wasn't around? At least that's what she's convincing herself being the reason.

At least he has a light with him. Its so damn dark. And murky, like noone came around here in years, if not centuries. That might be why there's treasures... Well hopefully there's no monsters to go with it.

And she's following closely enough that if Jidro NEEDED a reason to be nervous, he'd had one.

Souji Murasame has posed:
The remains of ancient times have always held an interest to Souji Murasame. There is the legacy of times past, the history of those things that have gone before...

And more importantly, the knowledge and resources that they kept hanging around.

Souji walks through the darkness with Artyom, a halo of St. Elmo's fire dancing around him and lighting his path. He nods to Artyom, and glances to Cid. "Be calm. We will be prepared for any eventuality." Souji says, before turning his attention forward. His Moogle Glasses glimmer with information, but he frowns. He's not liking something he's getting from them. "We need to keep moving."

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja does not need a lantern, owing to the fact that his spear and body suffices as one. Both lightly give off holy light, the Paladin-Dragoon-Templar mashup only a step or two behind his much larger companion. The big man seems to know the way, so he's content to allow him point. The Templar's never done well with large, cramped environments anyway. As he walks, spear out, he's rather aware of the presence of his new commander at his back. Some part of him is nervous, especially given just how /strange/ she seems. He doesn't like her, that's for sure, and misses Sarah already.

Then there's their companions for the ride, most of whom seem to be somewhat young. Not that he has much to say about that, but the worry that the rest are effectively greenhorns has his tail twitching and the back of his neck tingling. A glance back, and he crosses the air in the general direction of the 'kids'. "Lord bless our works this day. Keep faith in thy hearts, friends, and we shall overcome." Encourages the ratling, before once more falling silent.

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
There's a sweet spot in most planets with an active core, where the warmth from the surface and whatever heat may be filtering up through the center of the world are both an an awful, chilly minimum. This is not quite that point, but it is certainly approaching it quite rapidly. Artyom mutters, pulling on his reserves of magic to harden his skin against the chill.

The others seem to have all followed through well enough. Souji and the others were a given- this sort of thing was covered Adventuring 301: 'Caves, Spelunking, Abberations and You.' Faruja and Ophelia are seasoned veterans- they should be fine, themselves.

The others who have come along- and Cid- maybe... Maybe a little less prepared for this sort of thing.

"It will be fine," Artyom rumbles reassuringly, "These caverns have stood for this long. A few visitors won't cause them to crumble as long as we don't set off any tremors." Says the man whose modus operendi is 'make earthquakes with my sword.' "Jidro, keep toward the middle. If you notice anything, let us know." His eyes flicker towards Souji- and he nods.

"Right. Best not to dawdle. This mist is... Strange. You don't usually get fog underground."

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
Sweet Leviathan. Why did he insist on this adventure?! Why?! Cid did not realize what he was getting into when he recommendd this. For some reason, it seemed like a good idea to explore the ruins. Maybe Cid considered it like a museum.

As Mayla notes that they are here for him, the Black Mage offers her a faint smile, "Th-thank you, Mayla." But when Annia close behind him and looming, the young man sweatdrops. "Eh eh heh heh.."

A faint smile is regarded as Souji regards him. He sucks in a breath, then he starts to open his codex and flip through the pages. Maybe this won't be so bad. This will not be so bad. Jidro looks over towards Artyom with a nod. "Un-understood. I will be sure to do so...I can keep an eye on things."

With that, the Reliable One is moving towards the middle. He sucks in a breath, thinkin over the situation. He offers the Titanic teenager a smile, then he takes a deep breath.

Okay, he can do this.

Annia Leradine has posed:
Annia Leradine leans down under an outcropping rock overhead, grumbling a bit. "I guess its too much to ask for clean ruins." To some people's surprise, she's not trying to push Jidro into the wall or anything dark. She might be a bully but she's certainly not a murderer. Yet she's following behind him. If he falls into a hole, she's avoid that spot ~_~

"So what kind of treasures do you think are down here?" She's actually standing close enough to Jidro, mostly because of the light though... at least that's the reasoning.

Ophelia has posed:
"The blessings of the divine are not a crutch to lean upon at every sign of hardship, Ser Senra." Ophelia's voice drifts up the passageway, echoing amid the cloying mists and narrow walls. The press of so many bodies in the enclosed space makes it difficult to get a clear line of sight to the fuzzy templar from her place at the back but her piercing gaze manages to find its way through for a moment when Faruja turns to deliver his short prayer.

"The fate of our lives lies soley within our own hands. The Lord helps he who helps himself. So I suggest you keep your gaze keen and your wits sharp lest you fall prey to some ancient mechanism meant to ward off thieves long afore the daemons you seem so keen to ward off." That last part is directed to everyone present though the young samurai woman delivers it with a half-hearted wave of her hand as if she could care less what terrible fates might befall them.

Oblivion has posed:

The stairs move down into the ruins. Lights of magic flick here and there, some runes flicker to life before they fade away back into darkness. Some runes also have been faded away due to time. The thin layer of mist moves ghostly down the steps. There feet kick it up a bit as they walk. Yet nothing bad seems to come of it or this area.

Yet as they continue down the steps, they run back into flat ground where before them is a massive stone wall that has a circular pattern to it. The mist seems to be actually sliding under this stone wall.

Within the circular pattern are gem stones of different colors into the circular pattern. Though there are a few places where stones should fit that are missing. More correctly, three locations. One at the center, one directly at the top, and one to the left-bottom.

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji looks over at the Templar Burmecian and he nods wordlessly to the man. Whatever Souji's opinion, he's not going to express it here. "Yes."

The man seems almost impervious to the surrounding chill of the air... Or if he is affected, he is giving no sign. The Murasame heir nods to Artyom. "We'll be fine. Just be prepared."

He looks to Cid. "I believe in your ability." He says, his voice firm.

"There's no reason for these to be so clean. They are ruins. They are destroyed from a cataclysmic event or abandoned due to an untenable situation." Annia gets a response from Souji, Though it's at least a neutral tone.

The roiling Mist around them causes Souji's eyes to narrow. He reaches out, as if to grasp at the writhing fog. "Interesting." He pauses...

And then they reach the wall, A cursory glance causes the Murasame heir to frown. "Sealed. Look at the missing gemstones. We'll need to locate them to break it open."

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
"Considering how far we have come, and judging by the fact that most of this place appears to have been untouched for some time," Artyom muses as he leads down the staircase, "I'd wager that there is either a trove of arcane artifacts, or an empty vault. One or the other."

And then, they come to the bottom.

Giant door? Mist leaking out from under it? /Gemstone Puzzle!?/

Artyom smells treasure here. Dwarves can do that, you know. Even the really, really tall, not-dwarfy-at-all ones.

Artyom moves towards the wall, touching his hand to its surface. "That would be the first thing to come to mind. But I'm not yet certain. Jidro," Artyom calls toward the mage. "You mind taking a look at this? It seems like your cup of tea." The Titanic reaches into one pocket, extracting a handful of small, colorless quartz. The gems glow briefly, before illuminating and scattering from his hand to try and shed some light on the foggy floor.

"Faruja, help me find those missing stones. They aught to be around here somewhere. Annia, Myla, could either of you do anything about all this fog?" He taps at his chin, scanning the strange antechamber with stone-keen eyes. If he were a magical gemstone- and he's pretty darn close to one- where would he be?

Myla Mason has posed:
Myla Mason is a bit of a strnge add on for a moment as she looks at Faruja for a moment, she's fairly devout all things considered but her world is generally polytheistic so she looks at Faruja a little strangley for a moment but the rat man's here to help right? She's just looking strange with her outfit which seems to be designed to be quickly shucked off. She has a bit of a feel of a sailor about it her too.

"Likely magitech from what he said Annia, why do you think I'm here?" She'll be looking about trying to find anythinf odf use and she looks over to Swimmer "Scan boy." the mecha dog barks once and starts to look around recording everything anf checking for antything strange. Myla meanwhile is also starting to check out the chamber.

"Good idea Artyom."

Faruja Senra has posed:
One of Faruja's ears twitches at the reprimand from his superior. If she were his old commander, and they alone, he'd fire right back with some quip. But Ophelia isn't the elderly ex-Inquisitor. No doubt there will be grumbling after this. The Burmecian's nod is short. "Understood, M'Lady. I shall endeavor to ensure naught befalls us." Faruja's jaw clenches, even as he keeps his voice in a cool tone, once more reminded of his superior from the army.

Eye gazing over the door, and spying what appears to be gems misplaced within, he gives one final glance to the rolling mist. "Of course, Ser Valodjn. Do be careful, Sers, Ladies. If I am not mistaken, 'tis similar to the Mist of my homeland. A concentrated form of magic. Known to effect one's emotions, and in some beings, even drive them to madness. Where Mist flows, so too doth monsters dwell."

Then, the ratling starts hunting around, assisting in the hunt for gems! Looks his way are ignored, he's used to humes giving him odd looks.

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
...There is a grimace as the giant rodent speaks about the lord and faith. He is uncertai over what to make of the faithful rodent. Those of Cosma. Some are good, some are a little fanatic for his tastes. However, his eyes do drift over at Annia as they continue down the stairs. "I am not sure, I am afraid."

His eyes glance through the stairs, using the guide to lead them along. Seeing so much mist around here is rather unsettling. It's almost supernatural, to some degree. The Black Mage holds the light for Annia and those who would need it, but it is likely only her and himself as the othrs have their own light sources.

In the end, Souji's believe in his abilities brings him great comfort. In fact, it helps boost his confidence to where he is no longer shaking. He is focused, "Thank you, Mr. Murasame."

Making it to the flat ground, the man looks over towards the wall with the pattern. Now, those gem stones of different colors lay there. Following Artyom's request, Cid is making his way to the wall set. "Hrm, I will see what I can piece out of this."

It seems simple enough, "It looks like some of these will correspond to a certain shape. Once we find the missing stones, we can fit them in the correct spot." He furrows his eyebrows, placing his fingers onto the shapes.

Now, Cid is relying pure muscle memory to feel the texture of the slots. Both eyes shut, he feels around to get the feel of each shape. "...I should be able to piece them together once we find all three."

Ophelia has posed:
Despite the chill and Ophelia's rather light attire, she shows no signs of being affected by the cold at all. Her breath fails to produce any mist against the dank cold of the air though with the ample supply already present that little quirk is easy to miss. A wry smirk is given to the disgruntled Templar as he rattles off a hollow response that she knows is said out of nothing but the discipline drilled into all soldiers.

And here they come to the first obstacle. A simple door it seems with a rather plain looking lock. It would be rather disappointing if the answer were as simple as they suspect, after all, anyone can steal or find a key, even if it is a bunch of pretty rocks. No, if this were truly a place full of something to be strongly protected then that door will be more trouble than it looks.

Ophelia crosses her arms and leans against the mossy surface of a wall, after giving it a quick check for hidden switches, pressure plates, or loose bricks, staying a few dozen feet up the tunnel as they inspect the sealed portal. It was time to see what they could do. And if that happened to be 'set off some dormant face-melting trap', well, no reason for her to get caught up in their inadequacies.

Annia Leradine has posed:
Annia Leradine nods to Myla and Souji. Well, she's not going to throw a tantrum in here for sure. She shakes her head, and walks into the more open area "Magitek huh... Hmm." She observes the runes, curiously coming closer to the walls, and running her fingers along the surface. She's actually quite talented with languages, she often can decypher some old stuff too, but she's not sure that she can read those. She can still try though.

She looks over to the others, motioning Jidro's light closer a bit to see if its even feasible. "There are runs scattered here, they might mean something about the treasure or traps."

Oblivion has posed:

Faruja and Artyom begin their search around the area. They don't find much on the ground, expect for a few old bones that had been hidden by the mist and some rocks off parts of the old structure. However both of them locate half of a plate. This plate has four sections by the look of it. Two which have been located. It would seem the two other plates are missing, yet when held up right, it looks like a bit like the wall in question.

For those investigating the very wall however, they will find that the stones can indeed be removed, they actually seem to have the back that could fit in any location. There also appears to be two plates on the side of design, one plate missing the top section, while the other is missing the top section.

It also feels like the lines that the stones are plugged into can be rotated, yet for the moment they do not budge. Perhaps locked in place from rotation until the proper stones can be aligned.

The plates also appear to be a matching diagram to the very patterned wall in question. Perhaps that is the true clue on how to unlock the very wall before them.

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
This is certainly a thing. Artyom pulls the plate from where it slept in the mists, fog rolling off its surface in a thick sheet. He turns it over in his hands once, brushing his fingertips over the engravings. "Interesting." Artyom glances over toward the other floor-hunter.

He wanders up toward the door, holding the slab up to the engraved surface. His eyes narrow, darting between the two. "I am thinking that there are not, necessarily, missing gems. But that they are simply not in the correct order."

He pauses to think, humming thoughtfully.

"I would not go about rearranging things yet, though. I don't want to know what will happen if we get the combination wrong for some reason." Artyom looks toward Faru, "Faruja! We need to find more of these plates. Keep an eye out in case there's any sign of anything else sleeping down here."

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji looks over the wall. "Valodjn. Did you find anything useful there?" He looks back... And he nods. "Good. Bring the plates here. It looks like we can lock them in here, and here. Once we have that, we might be able to rearrange the design here to activate the internal mechanisms of this door to allow entrance."

Faruja Senra has posed:
Even as he hunts, the rat has his ears to the others. Picking up the plate, he briefly looks over it, then over to his fellow searchee. More slab! The rat holds his up to the others. "Similar, nay; opposites if I were a wagering nezu."

Faruja nods in agreement with the large man. "Quite, Ser. It shan't do to be eaten just yet. How strange that monsters seem to find me a sort of delicacy. With luck, mayhap I shall spare you all the fate." Lightly offers the rat, even as he's guarding and hunting about for more slabs. He'll leave the investigation of the wall to the others. As Souji speaks up, his own is deposited near the other plate. Then, back to his previous actions!

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
The finding is rather fascinating. "Let's see..." Jidro examines the all before pulling back. "So the stones can be removed...----" And Artyom finishes his statement. So, they will definitely have to re-arrange them.

Jidro finally decides to leave the wall, "So, let's search for the others, then." He takes note of the diagram once more, and then he parts way to start searching.

Already, Jidro is flipping through his pages just in case he needs a spell.

Annia Leradine has posed:
Annia Leradine finds... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. She might as well have searched with her eyes closed. She tried to check the runes, but they are a bunch of garbled nonsense to her. She sighs as she gives up. She's going to blame Jidro for the lack of light instead, that'll be better with her, no doubt.

But before she says anything, Jidro pipes up about the moving parts. "So its a puzzle of some kind?" She wishes she could understand the runes even more. Maybe it would be easier with that knowledge, but can't do anything about it right now. She moves to another part of the wall, checking ofr the moving pieces as well now. Maybe she'll have better chance with it.

Myla Mason has posed:
Myla Mason is chekcing thing out and is pretty suprised at what she's found something to be sure here and she's taking a closer looka t the wall. She notices the stonea nd seems to realises there's some sort of security mehanism or trap here. "...where's Soan when you need him for something like this."

Ophelia has posed:
Ophelia watches idly from her place further up the tunnel as the others work. She takes note of the way each behaves and interacts with the others, forming a rudimentary diagram in her mind of their places in the social pecking order.

The meek looking boy with glasses is clearly the egghead of the group and like most people who sequester themselves in a sea of tomes, seems to have little in the way of social grace. Souji's authority, or atleast his perception of having it, is clear in the way he doles out orders without any hesitation and the others seem content not to argue. He must be the alpha of their little group.

Faruja's attempt at levity is what she might consider to be in poor taste considering all that she knows of such places and their denizens but it also offers her another opportunity to prod him. She doesn't pass it up. "Aye, from the looks of it I'd say you've made quite a fine snack for many a beast, Ser Senra. However, our companions shall need nothing of luck to avoid your fate." Her head tilts towards him and she gives a thin-lipped smirk. "All they need avail themselves of is the will to be swifter of foot than such a tasty morsel as yourself."

Souji Murasame has posed:
"It's an overly complicated key for an overly complex lock." Souji confirms. He looks to Annia as he speaks. "Perhaps you can locate any other missing portions to the puzzle." He's keeping his snark lower-key at the moment. This isn't the place for it.

Myla causes Souji to snort. "He's probably out stealing the pants off some poor fool."

"Something tells me he is a difficult meal." Souji says to Ophelia. He considers, and then looks to Frank, waiting for those plates to be inserted so they know what the hell to do. Once that's done, Souji works to make the designs match.

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
Artyom... Doesn't quite leave the door yet.

He, instead, goes to stare at the plates for a little while. The gears in his head turn. You can /hear/ them grind- almost. And then, like a little egg timer going 'bing!' There is an idea.

He reaches down, sticks the plates together, and raises them to the door. "...Well," Artyom murmurs, popping his shoulders. He sets the plates into the wall, before moving towards one of the nearby gemstones. "I think we've got our solution."

"Let's get these stones moving, eh?"

Pause.

"Also, I have not yet met a cat large enough to eat a mouse of Faruja's size," he chuckles. "But, you know. Luck and God, they are almost the same thing sometimes. I don't like letting either of them tell me what to do. So we have a stone-plan here, let's get this door opened, and then prepare for Chaos or Diabolos or whatever might be locked up in here."

Because no dungeon is complete without a final boss--

Right!?

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
While Artyom continues to examine the door, Jidro, on the other hand, is busy looking around for more of the stones. Instead, the group is recalled back with the whole role of the gameplan.

After Artyom brings everyone togther, Jidro listens carefully and he adds his comment towards the stones. "Very well." He looks towards the plates, assisting Artyom in getting them up there. Given the study of the stones he did earlier, he starts relying on that memory to have them set up.

Faruja Senra has posed:
"I shall take the Lord's fate over 'luck', Ser Valodjn, dear Ser, however 'tis quite true. Many have chewed, yet few have swallowed. Mayhap they dislike the aftertaste of my spear upon their gullet." The brief glance and nod to the pair of Souji and Artyom has the rat /almost/ smiling. He could hug the two. If they were not simple acquaintances or coworkers, or if their names were Hati or Maira. Instead, gratitude radiates off of the rat. Respect points plus one. So too does Ophelia get a glance. There's a ghost of a smirk, quickly gone. Perhaps she imagined it?

The Burmecian scratches his head. Oh, he hates these kind of puzzles. Too used to aerial maneuvers, battlefield tactics, and general commanding of subordinates, gem-shifting puzzles aren't his forte. So, leaving it to the experts (a.k.a. the book wielding young Ser, Jidro) , he keeps a hold to his spear as he awaits things going south. Because it will, he can practically smell it. With Mist around, nothing ever goes right.

Oblivion has posed:

The stones are put where they needed to be. There was a loud click, then a groan. The stones shined brightly, before the circles they were located in started to spin one by one. The rotation was at first slow, then became steady.

The wall then started to slide back. Stone sliding across stone, before the circles then slowed down to a stop once more. Then the center one started to rotate one way, the one in the middle didn't move at all, while the outer ring rotated the other way. This takes a moment for the circles to build up speed, before the wall then starts to slide to the side, until it clears the way completely. Dust falls down from where the stone door once was, making it hard to see beyond the veil of dust.

The smell coming out was one of a place locked up for a long time, yet within was a beautiful glow of light green and blues. The room once looked like a magic lab, yet it had been overgrown with massive crystal like structures; Magicite.

These crystals pulsed as they drew in the mist from the ground. Vines cover the roof and drips of water gently tap down on the rocky surface. Yet the most amazing thing in the center of the room was a massive wooden like root structure with a Crystal trapped within the 'bark'.

The crystal seemed to have something inside of it, and unlike the other Magicite Crystals, this one shimmered of green, to blue, then to white, in swirling motion of color; like that of water, or tree leaves being blown in the warm summer light.

The other interesting things located here were small magicite shards, though many of them broken and with no magic empowered into them. There was also some old chests here, that had old scrolls that looked ready to crumble at the slightest of disturbance, including a few scrolls that may have already met this fate.

Old books that had been worn by time and the pages with scribbled writing, but mostly blank as the ink had been damaged also by the movement of time itself.

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
It is always wise in these situations, to take a step back from an ancient Ruin Door while its mechanisms force it open. As Ophelia so wisely noted, mentally, it is a very good way to avoid have your face melt right the heck off. Doors like these tend to have traps- fiery traps, pointy traps. Whichever. Traps are kind of awful in a lot of different ways, and ancient doors seem to have a lot of them, for some reason.

He watches as the door slides open. Artyom's breath catches in his throat as the inner chamber unfolds, revealing itself like the treasure trove of knowledge and magic and power that he had been searching for.

This mist. These gems- roiling with arcane power- these are what all those rumors were about.

Artyom raises a hand in a cautionary gesture as he takes the first step. The ground is solid, mostly. And then he moves forward again, making one more stride before motioning for the others to enter.

He scans the room's interior, fixing on the countless crystals lingering in the chamber- before finally alighting on the one, far in the back.

Artyom squints. He mutters something under his breath, before taking another few, cautionary steps into the room. Then, he freezes, staring at the crystal and the tree roots. Why are there /roots/ this far underground? What manner of tree would need such deep anchoring? And moreover--

His head whips around, as if craning to listen to something. Artyom inclines his head toward the others, his voice dropping to a low, intense whisper, "...Did anyone else hear that? A voice, just now?"

Annia Leradine has posed:
Annia Leradine whistles as she steps in carefully, looking at all of the crystals. She's no mage though, she can't tell what kind of power they contain. But she is intrigued by the books. She's probably the first to go take a loo at them, sighing a bit as she flips the pages that have been fudged over with the passing of time. She still takes the time to check them one by one, flipping through the pages rapidly enough to see if any are readable. or maybe if one of the books had a hidden compartment of some kind. Never know.

She looks over to the others "I don't know if this is what we were looking for here. Think there's something else? Like a secret door or something?" She looks around for any visible doors first of course.

Ophelia has posed:
The inquisitor quirks a brow at the rallied defense of the others against her light teasing but says nothing more, choosing not to press the point. It was only entertaining so long as he was merely frustrated, making her subordinate angry would be counter-productive at this point so early in their relationship.

With rather showy opening of the doors her attention is pulled away from the matter to the spectacle of colors and gems that populate the room beyond. The presence of several rows of glass beakers filled with mysterious liquids and strange growths is a clear sign of the purpose that this place once served though without intense study she imagines it will be impossible to tell to exactly what ends these scientific pursuits were aimed. If the person responsible felt the need to hide themselves away in such a place it is unlikely they were noble ones.

She takes in the crumbling parchments and ruined books at a glance from the safety of the corridor, paying them little heed. Something else entirely has caught her attention. At first the grinding of the door's mechanisms drowed it out but now the faint tell-tale whispers of a long forgotten voice play at the edge of her senses. Even with her vastly superb hearing and other means of clairvoyance the words that it speaks are unintelligible, maddeningly lingering on the edge of recognition before fading into a garbled murmur once more.

Whatever the message might there is one thing that sticks out very clearly about this phenomenon: something else is here. Ophelia smiles knowingly and remains at the edge of the doorway as the others move in and explore. She is somewhat surprised when another speaks up about the strange sounds, believing them beyond their recognition, but says nothing for the moment. Her hands tense slightly in preparation to draw one of her blades should the threat foolishly choose to tangle with her, however.

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
The wall's reaction earns a widen gaze. Jidro's stance becomes stiff while the rotation of the walls activate. "...Fascinating." The path opens up for them, if marred by the dust that has picked up. Jidro gives off a huff before he flicks his wrist.

As if on command, the Black Mage draws a minor cantrip; the wind becomes a small gust o kick the dust away as to clear the path for them a little more.

As they explore and arrive, Jidro gzes upward with an awe-filled gaze. He can see that the place has a bright glow like a lab. But ten, the crystals pulsed as the mist came from the ground.

Jidro takes in the place. Of curiosity, Jidro takes a glance ovr towards the small magicite shards that are about. "Hrm..." He starts picking up those broken shards, plannin to pocket them.

While the scrolls have long decayed, Jidro's eye widen in fascinaton over the books.

"Ahahahaa....." There is a look of excitement on the young man's face. This is perhaps the first time in a while tht he has looked elated and excitement. In fact, Jidro is wandering towards each of the books, opening them and trying to decipher them the best he can.

"This is all fascinating!"

Jidro, however, is drawn to the lore.

And then, he looks at Artyom.

"..Hear what?"

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja's eye goes wide at the beauty of the crystals. "...Marvelous!" Mutters the rat. He quickly recovers, however, after a cursory glance towards the various scrolls and lore bits. One ear perks towards Artyom. Jidro is moving towards the books. The Burmecian falls in step with the young, decidedly unarmored looking man as he goes to investigate; a knight ready to defend a young mage.

While he hasn't heard anything, the Templar scowls, spear glowing white lightly. "...Nothing good, nay doubt." With a keen, paranoid eye, he glances around, looking for signs of danger and training his hearing on sounds out of the ordinary.

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
Eldritch whispers are said only to sound in the depths of the sea, earth or the imagination. The latter indicates that you are going mad. The former suggests that you might have set something awake that might wind up destroying your home town and setting you off on a quest to bind it behind a new seal.

But Artyom has backup, here. So the fear that would be gnawing at his heart is held back by the reassurance that camraderie tends to provide. "Voice," Artyom rumbles, "There's something else here. Be ready."

He takes a step forward, moving deeper into the library- toward the source of that voice. Artyom creeps ahead, his hand wrapping tight around the hilt of his oversized, poor-excuse-for-a-sword. The crystal's light plays across his skin and armor as if it were pouring down onto the seafloor, coruscating and meandering in streaks. But approach he does, none the less, until he is scarcely a metre from the crystal embedded within the tree roots.

"Who is there," he asks to thin air. "I am called Artyom. I have come as I am called. Show yourself."

This may have been an unwise thing to do, in retrospect.

Oblivion has posed:

No danger comes, yet the massive shard within the roots continues to shimmer of different lights.

The books have some words in them, researches from the looks like on summoning creatures, to starts in the sky. Yet so much of the data was missing. Hard to break down whatever was once written here, beyond just minor hints here and there.

So far, no danger seems to strike out at anyone. Just the continue gentle drips of water here and there on the ground.

Then as Artyom speaks there is then a voice that suddenly rumbles to life. The Magicite in the room glows softly in resonance with the voice. "Artyom.." The being within the crystal seems to stir slightly. The room slightly rumbles. "Artyom. I sense in you resonance. Resonance that must be tested." The room rumbles again. "Free me. Free me warrior and we shall see if you are worthy."

Myla Mason has posed:
Myla Mason is suprised at what they find and she follows Artyom in she's been lost in thought she's not pulling out her pistols no that wouldn't be wice not in a lace like this so much information she might destroy them should a fight break out but she conjures a small glowing sphere of water which hovers above her to help her see.

She wonders just what they have woken up but it doesn't sound as hostile as the last thing that was encountered here.

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
Jidro started thumbing through the book, learning about the summons that are about. As he learns more of their presence, Jidro takes it all in and goes under deep consideration. There is nothing extremely useful outside of the minor hints. The religious rodent moves to his defense. In a way, Cid is rather grateful. However, he cannot help but remain uneasy.

He tries to maintain that composure, "Thank you, Paladin."

The rumbling of the earth and that soft glow gains his attention.

"Aiiiiiiiieeee!"

Jidro leaps up and he hooks his arm around the Paladin.

But then, it addresses Artyom, "Oh--oh--oh...." He calms, looking ahead towards the crystal. He can see the shading of that being from within. Then awe fills his eyes, "... At---at least the being is not hostile."

Annia Leradine has posed:
Annia Leradine blinks as well as she hears the voice as well... its speaking in reply to Arty apparently. She closes the book she had in hand suddenly lots less interesting as SOMETHING is going on outside of pouring through dusty volumes that are about to poof out of existence just by looking at them.

She rolls her eyes as Jidro talks "If he was hostile he wouldn't take the time to say hello, he'd go all RAWR and eat you." She makes the motion with her hands like claws. "Monsters don't have good table manners."

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
Nothing speaks- and then, everything speaks.

Artyom braces himself as the room begins to quiver. Radiance pulses through the room, resonating through maxima and minima like the beating of a heart. Artyom stares into the crystal as the room- and all its myriad gemstones thrum with light and sound. "Free you?" The Titanic's brow furrows, "Who is this that I free? And for what reason were you imprisoned? Whoever you are, if you are to be freed, then you must tell me how. Should I crush this gem? Or perhaps the tree?"

His hand reaches for the crystal, freezing an inch away from touching its surface. He glances over his shoulder, towards the others, "Jidro, Souji, mayhaps it is best if you gather as much of the wisdom that we can carry with us. I fear that we might not... Be here for very long."

He turns back toward the crystal, its light pulsing in his eyes. Artyom mutters something- it might be a prayer, or it might be a lamentation of Being Way Too Deep Into This Crap. But what he says does not matter, ultimately.

He reaches forward, closing that distance. His hand briefly glows with tellurian power- as his palm presses against the crystal.

Souji Murasame has posed:
"There are two reasons for a door. To keep something out, or to keep it in."

Souji looks over the massive door as it begins to open. "Perhaps this one was meant to keep something in."

There is a moment as he enters, the air swirling around him in a complex dance, drawing the Mist up around him like a cloak as he moves with calm grace. This appears to be a simple habit of the Ramuha, who then stops as he looks over the room thus exposed. "Do you see anything of use, Cid?" Souji asks. The mage is likely the best choice to handle the crumbling scrolls and the ancient books, though he does produce a case from his suit that he tosses to Jidro. Within of course is an archaeological sample kit that he happened to bring with him from Alexander Academy. Hopefully he will be able to take intact samples and seal them properly with it.

He looks over to Frank, frowning. "No, I do not hear anything." He says, his eyes narrowing, seemingly inexorably drawn to the massive crystal. "Is it active..." He says to himself, quietly.

And then the magicite speaks. Souji steps back, a hand going to the blade at his side. "... Active... and looking for a master?" He looks to Artyom. He's taken the creature's interest... This is useful. "Agreed." Souji says. "Quickly, Cid!" He says, before Frank triggers the boss fight.

Like usual.

Faruja Senra has posed:
For a brief moment, a smile breaks through the rat's features towards the taller mage. "Think naught of it, good Ser." Faruja politely responds, before going back to his businesslike look. Primarily, he keeps his gaze uppon the crystals.

Which turns out to be a good instinct, as a voice, and rumbling, and general disquiet. The ratling feels poor Jidro latch himself to him with an arm, and the rat lightly elbows the young man behind him, standing between the mage and crystals. Thankfully the guy has about five inches on him, and so could likely see to cast if necessary.

"...Careful, Ser Valodjn." The Burmecian mutters as the man reaches forward. Inwardly, he prays, even as he nods to the young man. Spear already out, he's ready for a fight.

Oblivion has posed:

As Artyom touches the crystal it shines brightly and then suddenly the root begins to snap, splinter, and break. Splinters of wood shatter off, flying different directions. Some slamming right into the magicite, breaking off shards from the crystals.

Yet as the explosion happens, Artyom is protected and each of his friends protected by a strange forest green light. The splinter may fly toward them by they seem to bounce off the strange light.

Soon the light dims down, and the magicite within the room seems to suddenly loose all magical power as something far larger was draining the very magic out of the crystals. Then when all light was gone, only a small crystal remained glowing, lighting Artyom's face. Something was now holding a small fracture of the very magicite it was imprisoning the creature within.

Soon a reptilian like face lowers down to Artyom's level. Those golden green eyes looking directly into Artyom's own. Then there was a soft, deep chuckle from the creature. "..You have the strength I seek to find, yet I can not give you my power on a simple kind gesture."

The magicite in the room try to flicker back to life, for a moment the serpentine draconic beast could be seen, but only for a moment. Those eyes gazing at all in the room, before it looks back at Artyom, "..Find me, warrior. Find me if you truly wish for my power to aid you in your quest. To aid you in this world. Once you find me again, then, then we will see if you truly are /worthy/ of my power, Artyom."

Then suddenly with extreme speed and a blast of air, the serpentine creatures leaves right out of the door, with the sudden shaking of the room and blast of leaves that suddenly move across the area that were not once there.

After the creature leaves, the room starts to glow once more from what remains of the Magicite Crystals located here.

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
Annia's comment, as always, earns a deep frown. Jidro just frown lots. All considering the situation, that was rather mean! However, Artyom is dealing with the creature itself, "Artyom..." Jidro furrows his eyebrows, then he looks at the group.

"Very well."

It is when Souji produces the case that Jidro realizes that he should use a cantrip to keep the scrolls preserved. With that, Jidro is going to start collecting some of the scrolls and the books that are still legible. They will provide SOME sort of use, after all.

And tha is when the explosion happens, setting off shards from the crystals. However, Jidro and the others are protected by a strange forest green light. "Buh?!" His eyes widen, but he turns away to shield his eyes. And yet, as it all dims, the small crystal glows, as if personally talking to Artyom.

It is dark.

But it lights up again, revealing the beast. Jidro quickly slides underneath the table, hiding and shaking. ...Oh hey, magicite and scroll. He quickly nabs one of the lost, ancient tombs. Even fear cannot stop the thirst for knowledge. ...Maybe a little.

But he looks back, "...Wh-..." And he beast bursts out of the door, leaving the blast of leaves, "Whoa!" As everything clears, what remains are the crystals.

Annia Leradine has posed:
Annia Leradine eeps a bit in reaction to all of the splinters and pieces of crystals come flying their way. She has the instinct to try to shield herself with her upper arms... but the pain never happen. She blinks and looks up from her defensive pose as the last shards disapear, and the room got emptied save from the crystals.

If one was to pay attention, even though she was shielding herself, she also took a step forward and placed herself slightly in front of Jidro. More of a reflex than an actual concious movement though. But she'll of course deny that every happening.

She looks around as the beast talks and then leaves. She frowns ".. What happened exactly? Did Artyom make a new friend or a new enemy?" She's not entirely sure, but they are unharmed...

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
When wood splinters, snaps and breaks, it has a very distinct sound. It sounds vaguely like the popping and cracking of bone, except this sound is dry. It is old. These roots have been here for a very long time. And then, they are gone, consumed by a wave of force that Artyom can feel thunder up his arm and through his skull. Splinters of shattered wood blast outward in a hemisphere of destruction. The shards impale decrepit scrolls and run straight through at least two or three book-cases. Artyom raises a hand to shield his eyes--

Only to find that there was no need.

A sheath of emerald power thrums, protecting him from the arboreal onslaught. His eyes widen as wood splits away from the shield like rain from a lotus leaf. And then, everything goes dark- everything except for one splinter of brilliance.

It blazes, half a yard from his face, illuminating a massive claw that leads up toward a creature that Artyom can only barely compare to the reclusive Bahamuti of his homeland.

It is a dragon.

And it is staring right at him.

The creature's voice rumbles through his chest, resonating as if it were a hollow echo-chamber. But his eyes do not leave the creature's own. "You-- You never answered. I don't even your name, great dragon, but--"

Before he has a chance to speak more, the creature rushes outward, hurling itself out of the room. Artyom spins on his heel to try and follow the beast with his eyes, but its speed is incredible. A dragon- or something greater than a dragon.

"--I will find you." His hands find the great, hooded lantern, to shed light where the creature's brilliance had fled. "I cannot exactly back down from a challenge, can I?"

He looks to the others with noticable concern in his eyes, "Is everyone alright?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji remains on guard. As soon as the explosions occur, he throws up a wall of wind to deflect the incoming attack... But it proves unnecessary. He looks up, eyes widening slightly as he looks upon the spectral entity, and he taps the side of his glasses..

He frowns at the lettering that appears in response. Well then. "You appear to have been chosen, Mr. Valodjn. How fortunate." He looks around. "Unfortunately, it seems that this was the major thing being sealed... and it's been released." He frowns, sighing. "Well, let's try to find what we can from here. I'll signal the Ame-no-Torifune to bring up what might be usable out of here so it can be studied later."

He looks to the others present, and nods. "Well then. This was an interesting expedition. Valodjn. Keep me posted on your progress. I want to to assist you in binding that entity. It can't be allowed to roam free." For the good of the people, of course.

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
Cid, for a brief moment, was in danger. Or at least, he felt like he was. The more surprising part was seeing that Annia stepped right in front of him to protect him. ...Or maybe it was an accident.

Jidro stares up towards her as she stands in front of him.

But as it all clears, Jidro finally looks over toards Artyom, "...I'm alrght." He grabs a couple of the books, "Annia.. are you alright?" He emerges from underneath the table. However, his eyes drift over to Souji. "Understood, Mr. Murasame. I have a couple of the books so far. Hopfully, we can gather something useful."

Annia Leradine has posed:
Annia Leradine slides a hand up to flip some of her wild hair back over her shoulder, looking at Jidro "I'm fine, something protected us." She's sitll not sure what happened there... but at least there's stuff to salvage, even if not a monetary treasure "Think we can do something with those crystals?" She's really not magic attuned. For her, its jewelry.

Artyom W. Valodjn has posed:
Somehow, Artyom lead an expedition into the deep, dark underground, into an ancient magical ruin, and /didn't/ have anyone come out of it injured by the end. Sure, there weren't any openly hostile monsters to deal with, but still. A pretty good day, in the end.

"Understood, sir," Artyom rumbles toward his superior. "I'll let you know if I find a lead on... Wherever that creature escaped to. I assume it won't be too difficult. 'Looking for massive dragon with glowing, green gemstone,' and all."

He gives a cursory glance to the magicite that still glows around the library. "Mmn. Maybe. There is still some magic lingering in those. They were extinguished when It awoke, but they seem to have recovered. Perhaps they can be used as... batteries?"

Myla Mason has posed:
Myla Masonlooks to Souji and nods to him she can't not argue with that. She realises mr money bags is right they got to stop frank before diaster happens. She looks as Cid is making hsi way for it's good plan she looks at the thing for a moment raising a blue eyebrow at it. She waits as no fight happens she seems suprised at this for a moment as this seems to be the start ofg something.

"...Looks like we just woke up something big but what was that?""

Jidro Gerrison has posed:
"...It's possible..." Jidro answers Artyom and Annia, "We could use the remaining stones as batteries." He observes the fragments of magicites left. It would be useful to recharge, after all. Nevertheless, Jidro does make his way to grab some of the shards.

He looks at Myla, "...It looks like we did. ...I believe it was a dragon."