Muir thinks for a moment about Thunberg, then Vin and then finally on Elthana, not hearing Vincent speak to Elthana. He speaks to anyone who listens "I think I have pieced this together. There are 3 parts to all living beings, a body, soul and memories. Thunberg, the woad back in Hokum, was killed but instead of becoming one with the natural cycle she was gifted a body by the fae where her soul and memories returned. She knew who I was and shared with me what happened. Vincent's soul has returned to his body but not his memories. Elthana, since you are a clone it is possible that you being gifted a body and memories have more of a connection with Nivara. You feel souless but are developing your own soul while being connected to her.....Perhaps you are seeing what she has seen since you share her memories....It would be the only thing that makes sense"
As some members of the group try to piece together why Elthana is having memories that cannot possibly be her own.
Others take a look through the gaps on the stalagmites reaching toward the sky above, and peer into the darkness below. The doeth of the hole is impossible to tell, but what is notable is that every ledge around theirs opening is covered with the same stalagmites, making controlled descent dangerous to say the least. The hoe in this ruined building starts off very wide nearly 100ft across and steadily gets smaller and smaller to a point below beyond what is currently visible.
Elthana stares at Vin and Nef and barely registers Sam as he tries to calm her. "That's not... that's not possible. None of this makes sense because the only reason I exist is because Nivara is dead. How would you smell her scent?!"
She catches some of what Muir is saying but doesn't say anything. "Yes. Down." is all she says as she stares down into the hole.
"Could she have made more than one clone?" Sam asks. "Or someone else have cloned her somehow?"
Sam too looks down the hole as best he can and he is not fond of what he sees. "We been practicing a bit, sure. Not sure we're ready for that, though... Perhaps there is a staircase around somewhere? That would definitely be easier for the animals..."
Órga lets out a snort/sneeze as if the scoff at the very notion that it is the animals who need it easier.
Muir realizes what the others are discussing and Nivara's scent being picked up "Remember what Morris said about being ready to face her. If some incarnation of her is below, can you say you are ready to face her, Elthana? I urge caution if we proceed down....."
After Elthana asks the question, Vin seems to zone out and just looks at Neferox, who returns his gaze.
He frowns as if trying to make sense of something, and then turns to Elthana. "Neferox doesn't have an explanation, she just knows what she smells. Death does not seem to be a straight forward process though, it can get messy, like what happened to me. What if Nivara was brought back like I was? How does that effect whatever process was meant to happen to cheat death using your body?".
"How would I know if I am ever ready? We need to find this lodestone and time is nothing to waste. Speaking of, do you really think we have time to search for a staircase?"
Elthana pulls out her rope and looks to one of the smaller stalactites, "Think we could maybe tie off and lower ourselves down?"
Vin takes out his broom wondering, "Or perhaps I can float above the hole and tie the rope off to my broom? I expect it can hold one more person at a time. In fact, I think I can just send it on its own to hover".
He then looks back to Neferox, "That's interesting. Nef is now saying scents can be similar or even virtually identical between family members".
"I may be able to convince the stalagmites to be a bit less pointy so we can clamber over easy enough but then the ones we fall or drop or float down to... Not so much," Sam says, thinking aloud. "Least not til I get down there and near them. How many ropes we got? We could try to either go level by level as a group or move far down one at a time. I'm thinking tie off at one level, move down some of us, they can then tie off their end while the rest tie the rope to themselves and move down. So we're each tied to something as we move... I know we been practicing moving with the variable gravity thing but none of us are yet perfect at it... Best to have a safety line."
"But as Griff says, if you're going to fall ya may want to consider falling up so you don't impale yourself on the stalagmites... On the other hand, rumor says wraiths up that way. No really good option..."
Gewyn nods along to Sam's proposal. "I can take up the rear, untying from the top level and securing myself. Then once I am tied on, I can hang upwards while you reel me in, since I think I've the most practice. In a pinch, I feel confident I could make own way down safely, though it would take time and a lot of..." he twirls his fingers around one another to indicate flipping and turning.
"if you are doing that, I can be flying above, being ready to catch Gewyn if he should fall up to me, yes?... I do not like this place, best we are making move." Griff suggest as he rubs the back of his feathered neck.
It is more visible on the bird than it is most others, as when you feel a set of eyes on you, your instincts kick in and raise the hairs up on your skin. Griff looks like a truly fluffy feather ball as the rest of the group feels a shiver down their spine. Eyes are on you, more now than before, and with ill intent.
"Ok, if we are making a move I will try and fly down to the next level", Vin says and jumps onto his broom. "I will go slowly in case anyone needs a hand".
“I’m just unsure what to do about them,” Sam says indicating the trio of beasts. “Tied or not, they’re animals even if they do listen and learn better than most. I don’t want to ask too much of them but I can’t exactly just stuff them back in the bag either…”
Sam takes a moment to futilely try to will them back into the ball of fur they sprang from.., then sighs.
“If I just set them loose who knows what’ll happen…”
"Well, there is definitely something here. Maybe your animals can keep them back from following us?" Elthana asks Sam as they start getting ready to move.
"So, I can move to the next level, why not tie a couple of our ropes together, loop it around a stalactite and I'll hold it steady on the other end? That way the broom is safe for Vin or Griff to catch any issues." she smiles a bit at this.
The feather ball that is Griff takes off and hovers, flapping his wings to hold him up just past the spiky edge of the platform, as the group prepare their descent.
Elthana crosses her arms and shadows starts to envelope her, if you were to look closely, those shadows seem to imitate ravens as they swirl around Elthana until she is no longer there.
Appearing on the floor below, she immediately looks around for any threats, then grabs hold of the rope to steady it for those descending.
Gewyn cracks his knuckles and neck, then pumps his shoulders up and down a few times in preparation. "Alright. Good to go."Then he takes up position, ready to unfasten the rope once the others are down.
"You three watch out for one another," Sam says with a worried seriousness. "Stay together and be safe... I wish I could just put you in the bag and bring you out again later when all this climbing and such that you can't do is done, but that's just not how it works... So stay here a bit and watch our backs. Then you take off and go where you will. Try not to cause any problems, try not to hurt anyone who isn't giving you grief... But you have to take care of yourselves, right?" Sam then sheepishly gives them each an awkward hug and a scritch behind the ears.
"We'll see each other again soon. I really am sorry to have to leave you behind like this..." And then before he can change his mind, Sam is up and over the stalagmites and using the rope to help bring himself down to the next level... Trying the whole time not to look over his shoulder.
Sam clears off a couple of crystal spikes with his new mold earth spell and makes a platform for himself, Muir and Gewyn to descend from.
Once that is done a rope is tied off and Sam descends first, followed by Muir.
As the two larger members of the group meet with Elthana, who shadow teleported herself down, they hold the bottom of the rope and Gewyn unties the top, he then concentrates on the ceiling and his feet lift off the ground as he elegantly inverts, the rope going taught as he climbs up to meet the three standing on the lower platform. Griff steadily flaps above the changeling to catch him should he fall.
The animals above sniff around and whimper a little at Sam's words and watch him descend, leaving them to their own devices. They decide to forge ahead and see if they can find their own way down, backing away from the platform and out of sight.
The process repeats,
Vin flies lower checking ahead,
Elthana teleports,
Sam clears the spikes,
Rope is tied off and two descend,
Gewyn follows up (or down) with the rope and Griff plays safeguard.
Once. Twice. Three times. The group slowly and surely make their way lower and lower into the bowels of this abandoned house of healing, the light from the sky above diminishing more and more, the feeling of being watched never leaving them.
...and then Muir slips, all at once the slow methodical lowering is thrust into a state of panic, the spikes directly below the falling loxodon threaten to impale him, everyone watches the expectant danger as if it was happening in slow motion as adrenaline shoots through their muscles and brains.
(Sam being the closest can act first, one action, and if he fails one more person can act before Muir is impaled.)
Muir thinks for a moment about Thunberg, then Vin and then finally on Elthana, not hearing Vincent speak to Elthana. He speaks to anyone who listens "I think I have pieced this together. There are 3 parts to all living beings, a body, soul and memories. Thunberg, the woad back in Hokum, was killed but instead of becoming one with the natural cycle she was gifted a body by the fae where her soul and memories returned. She knew who I was and shared with me what happened. Vincent's soul has returned to his body but not his memories. Elthana, since you are a clone it is possible that you being gifted a body and memories have more of a connection with Nivara. You feel souless but are developing your own soul while being connected to her.....Perhaps you are seeing what she has seen since you share her memories....It would be the only thing that makes sense"
As some members of the group try to piece together why Elthana is having memories that cannot possibly be her own.
Others take a look through the gaps on the stalagmites reaching toward the sky above, and peer into the darkness below. The doeth of the hole is impossible to tell, but what is notable is that every ledge around theirs opening is covered with the same stalagmites, making controlled descent dangerous to say the least. The hoe in this ruined building starts off very wide nearly 100ft across and steadily gets smaller and smaller to a point below beyond what is currently visible.
Elthana stares at Vin and Nef and barely registers Sam as he tries to calm her. "That's not... that's not possible. None of this makes sense because the only reason I exist is because Nivara is dead. How would you smell her scent?!"
She catches some of what Muir is saying but doesn't say anything. "Yes. Down." is all she says as she stares down into the hole.
"Could she have made more than one clone?" Sam asks. "Or someone else have cloned her somehow?"
Sam too looks down the hole as best he can and he is not fond of what he sees. "We been practicing a bit, sure. Not sure we're ready for that, though... Perhaps there is a staircase around somewhere? That would definitely be easier for the animals..."
Órga lets out a snort/sneeze as if the scoff at the very notion that it is the animals who need it easier.
Muir realizes what the others are discussing and Nivara's scent being picked up "Remember what Morris said about being ready to face her. If some incarnation of her is below, can you say you are ready to face her, Elthana? I urge caution if we proceed down....."
After Elthana asks the question, Vin seems to zone out and just looks at Neferox, who returns his gaze.
He frowns as if trying to make sense of something, and then turns to Elthana. "Neferox doesn't have an explanation, she just knows what she smells. Death does not seem to be a straight forward process though, it can get messy, like what happened to me. What if Nivara was brought back like I was? How does that effect whatever process was meant to happen to cheat death using your body?".
"How would I know if I am ever ready? We need to find this lodestone and time is nothing to waste. Speaking of, do you really think we have time to search for a staircase?"
Elthana pulls out her rope and looks to one of the smaller stalactites, "Think we could maybe tie off and lower ourselves down?"
Vin takes out his broom wondering, "Or perhaps I can float above the hole and tie the rope off to my broom? I expect it can hold one more person at a time. In fact, I think I can just send it on its own to hover".
He then looks back to Neferox, "That's interesting. Nef is now saying scents can be similar or even virtually identical between family members".
"I may be able to convince the stalagmites to be a bit less pointy so we can clamber over easy enough but then the ones we fall or drop or float down to... Not so much," Sam says, thinking aloud. "Least not til I get down there and near them. How many ropes we got? We could try to either go level by level as a group or move far down one at a time. I'm thinking tie off at one level, move down some of us, they can then tie off their end while the rest tie the rope to themselves and move down. So we're each tied to something as we move... I know we been practicing moving with the variable gravity thing but none of us are yet perfect at it... Best to have a safety line."
"But as Griff says, if you're going to fall ya may want to consider falling up so you don't impale yourself on the stalagmites... On the other hand, rumor says wraiths up that way. No really good option..."
Gewyn nods along to Sam's proposal. "I can take up the rear, untying from the top level and securing myself. Then once I am tied on, I can hang upwards while you reel me in, since I think I've the most practice. In a pinch, I feel confident I could make own way down safely, though it would take time and a lot of..." he twirls his fingers around one another to indicate flipping and turning.
"if you are doing that, I can be flying above, being ready to catch Gewyn if he should fall up to me, yes?... I do not like this place, best we are making move." Griff suggest as he rubs the back of his feathered neck.
It is more visible on the bird than it is most others, as when you feel a set of eyes on you, your instincts kick in and raise the hairs up on your skin. Griff looks like a truly fluffy feather ball as the rest of the group feels a shiver down their spine. Eyes are on you, more now than before, and with ill intent.
"Ok, if we are making a move I will try and fly down to the next level", Vin says and jumps onto his broom. "I will go slowly in case anyone needs a hand".
“I’m just unsure what to do about them,” Sam says indicating the trio of beasts. “Tied or not, they’re animals even if they do listen and learn better than most. I don’t want to ask too much of them but I can’t exactly just stuff them back in the bag either…”
Sam takes a moment to futilely try to will them back into the ball of fur they sprang from.., then sighs.
“If I just set them loose who knows what’ll happen…”
"Well, there is definitely something here. Maybe your animals can keep them back from following us?" Elthana asks Sam as they start getting ready to move.
"So, I can move to the next level, why not tie a couple of our ropes together, loop it around a stalactite and I'll hold it steady on the other end? That way the broom is safe for Vin or Griff to catch any issues." she smiles a bit at this.
The feather ball that is Griff takes off and hovers, flapping his wings to hold him up just past the spiky edge of the platform, as the group prepare their descent.
Vin hops onto the broom and makes his way out over the hole and slowly descends.
Elthana crosses her arms and shadows starts to envelope her, if you were to look closely, those shadows seem to imitate ravens as they swirl around Elthana until she is no longer there.
Appearing on the floor below, she immediately looks around for any threats, then grabs hold of the rope to steady it for those descending.
Gewyn cracks his knuckles and neck, then pumps his shoulders up and down a few times in preparation. "Alright. Good to go." Then he takes up position, ready to unfasten the rope once the others are down.
"You three watch out for one another," Sam says with a worried seriousness. "Stay together and be safe... I wish I could just put you in the bag and bring you out again later when all this climbing and such that you can't do is done, but that's just not how it works... So stay here a bit and watch our backs. Then you take off and go where you will. Try not to cause any problems, try not to hurt anyone who isn't giving you grief... But you have to take care of yourselves, right?" Sam then sheepishly gives them each an awkward hug and a scritch behind the ears.
"We'll see each other again soon. I really am sorry to have to leave you behind like this..." And then before he can change his mind, Sam is up and over the stalagmites and using the rope to help bring himself down to the next level... Trying the whole time not to look over his shoulder.
The group readies themselves.
Sam clears off a couple of crystal spikes with his new mold earth spell and makes a platform for himself, Muir and Gewyn to descend from.
Once that is done a rope is tied off and Sam descends first, followed by Muir.
As the two larger members of the group meet with Elthana, who shadow teleported herself down, they hold the bottom of the rope and Gewyn unties the top, he then concentrates on the ceiling and his feet lift off the ground as he elegantly inverts, the rope going taught as he climbs up to meet the three standing on the lower platform. Griff steadily flaps above the changeling to catch him should he fall.
The animals above sniff around and whimper a little at Sam's words and watch him descend, leaving them to their own devices. They decide to forge ahead and see if they can find their own way down, backing away from the platform and out of sight.
The process repeats,
Vin flies lower checking ahead,
Elthana teleports,
Sam clears the spikes,
Rope is tied off and two descend,
Gewyn follows up (or down) with the rope and Griff plays safeguard.
Once. Twice. Three times. The group slowly and surely make their way lower and lower into the bowels of this abandoned house of healing, the light from the sky above diminishing more and more, the feeling of being watched never leaving them.
...and then Muir slips, all at once the slow methodical lowering is thrust into a state of panic, the spikes directly below the falling loxodon threaten to impale him, everyone watches the expectant danger as if it was happening in slow motion as adrenaline shoots through their muscles and brains.
(Sam being the closest can act first, one action, and if he fails one more person can act before Muir is impaled.)