The weary group presses on, battered and tired from fruitless battles and cruel tricks. As the path begins to dip downward, more signs of life become apparent. To Quartz, it's a revelation that these woods aren't quite as dead as they appeared. Several lichens of various colors paint the logs of long felled trees along the roads. Wingless insects of all walks scurry through the undergrowth, feeding on decaying leaves and drinking dew from the earlier rain. The birds in the mist overhead can be heard flitting about once more, their gentle songs rippling through the unseeable expanse of the sky above. Trees in the distance groan and shift, though still no wind is felt. The possibility of them moving on their own passes the party's thoughts. Soon, the downward slope tapers off, and the party finds an interesting development.
A narrow cobbled road sits before them, aged yet well-tended.
[Someone make either a Perception or Investigation check. Doesn't matter who.]
Korbiña is the first to spot them: sconces, embedded and linked to several nearby trees. Something in the distance begins to emerge from the fog: a simple stone altar.
The altar itself is fine stonework, not new, but also not as old as the scrawl on the markers. What's more, a message is written on its surface in the Common script. Neatly placed in a small 4-line array, the message reads as follows:
Korbiña reads the lines aloud then stretches and looks around...
[Does the path end here? Or does it continue somewhere]
...then scratches one of her horns... "This is exceedingly strange... I kind of understand the mystery of mists... but..." she shrugs "what is This doing here? My gut ... or as you" she looks at Quartz "would say... my heart, tells me to leave this thing alone and move on, or take another path... I don't believe this is the 'place of safety' that we are seeking..."
[I'm sorry, I should've clarified. The altar is the end of the road, in a way.]
Dirt paths snake out in all directions around the clearing. A thick haze in the clearing clings to the ground, making it much more difficult to see them. There are no more markers to be seen and it feels almost as if this altar is the reason for that. Why?
[This is me telling you to do any check you want. I already have ideas for each one.]
There are many kinds of altars in various cultures, but this seems to resemble something sacrificial. The passage seems to ask for something. Perhaps something in the clearing?
The scorch marks and the simplicity of the pedestal suggests the altar has a similar religious connotation to the markers, implicating a long-lasting faith. That and the nearby sconces around it imply an affinity to fire. Yet the script contends that coldness is the key.
Korbiña crouches down, trying to clear the ground fog with her torch...
"Maybe this is a kind of ordeal you need to pass in order to get through..." she mumbles more to herself while playing fog-sweeper, trying to avoid anything she might otherwise step on. At one point she closes her eyes, trying to Feel the situation, but then shrugs and continues to search the ground fog in hopes the torch will clear some of it...
A warm pink smoke rises from the singed vegetation, but the ambient temperature keeps it from properly igniting. The air around the smoke, however, feels uncharacteristically warm. It's almost as if the smoke itself is giving off heat!
asher removes the vile of strange powder wheat he kept for study and opens the top spilling it in a pile on the alter befor lighting it with his torch , remembering the bright light from befor he covers his eyes as he dose so
" the powder is cold but when given heat it produces light plus it glows blue like the surroundings so its worth a try"
[All five or three? How much?]
Up to the five remaining, if you want them.
So, can we go left, now?
[By all means]
The weary group presses on, battered and tired from fruitless battles and cruel tricks. As the path begins to dip downward, more signs of life become apparent. To Quartz, it's a revelation that these woods aren't quite as dead as they appeared. Several lichens of various colors paint the logs of long felled trees along the roads. Wingless insects of all walks scurry through the undergrowth, feeding on decaying leaves and drinking dew from the earlier rain. The birds in the mist overhead can be heard flitting about once more, their gentle songs rippling through the unseeable expanse of the sky above. Trees in the distance groan and shift, though still no wind is felt. The possibility of them moving on their own passes the party's thoughts. Soon, the downward slope tapers off, and the party finds an interesting development.
A narrow cobbled road sits before them, aged yet well-tended.
[Someone make either a Perception or Investigation check. Doesn't matter who.]
Perception check: 14
Korbiña is the first to spot them: sconces, embedded and linked to several nearby trees. Something in the distance begins to emerge from the fog: a simple stone altar.
Korbiña looks a tad confused scratching a horn...
"sconces? ... and over there... is that an altar? Maybe that is what was meant by 'place of safety' not a settlement..."
Her voice trails off as she slowly approaches the altar...
The altar itself is fine stonework, not new, but also not as old as the scrawl on the markers. What's more, a message is written on its surface in the Common script. Neatly placed in a small 4-line array, the message reads as follows:
Heat is cold, light is warm.
From whenst thoust wander, in whatever form,
to thee I ask upon this place.
Bring light to cold, and bask in Grace.
Korbiña reads the lines aloud then stretches and looks around...
[Does the path end here? Or does it continue somewhere]
...then scratches one of her horns... "This is exceedingly strange... I kind of understand the mystery of mists... but..." she shrugs "what is This doing here? My gut ... or as you" she looks at Quartz "would say... my heart, tells me to leave this thing alone and move on, or take another path... I don't believe this is the 'place of safety' that we are seeking..."
[I'm sorry, I should've clarified. The altar is the end of the road, in a way.]
Dirt paths snake out in all directions around the clearing. A thick haze in the clearing clings to the ground, making it much more difficult to see them. There are no more markers to be seen and it feels almost as if this altar is the reason for that. Why?
[This is me telling you to do any check you want. I already have ideas for each one.]
Korbiña tries to recall stories of such ancient lonely altars in the middle of woods...
[Arcane/History check: 21
There are many kinds of altars in various cultures, but this seems to resemble something sacrificial. The passage seems to ask for something. Perhaps something in the clearing?
Pondering the altar, it's construction and design, Quartz will assess the spirituL meaning its builder may have intended to convey.
religion 16
The scorch marks and the simplicity of the pedestal suggests the altar has a similar religious connotation to the markers, implicating a long-lasting faith. That and the nearby sconces around it imply an affinity to fire. Yet the script contends that coldness is the key.
Korbiña crouches down, trying to clear the ground fog with her torch...
"Maybe this is a kind of ordeal you need to pass in order to get through..." she mumbles more to herself while playing fog-sweeper, trying to avoid anything she might otherwise step on. At one point she closes her eyes, trying to Feel the situation, but then shrugs and continues to search the ground fog in hopes the torch will clear some of it...
@Korbiña
[Perception check; 15 or more]
Perception check: 15
A glimmer familiar soft blue draws your eye. The ground, the stonework, nearby plants -- all are laden with ice. Ice and blue moss.
"Ohh... right... that blue moss..." Korbiña once again scratches one of her horns, then tests her torch on the moss... trying to burn some of it...
"...bring light to cold ..." she murmurs
A warm pink smoke rises from the singed vegetation, but the ambient temperature keeps it from properly igniting. The air around the smoke, however, feels uncharacteristically warm. It's almost as if the smoke itself is giving off heat!
asher removes the vile of strange powder wheat he kept for study and opens the top spilling it in a pile on the alter befor lighting it with his torch , remembering the bright light from befor he covers his eyes as he dose so
" the powder is cold but when given heat it produces light plus it glows blue like the surroundings so its worth a try"