Chronicle of the Scavenger Lands (Exalted 3E) - IC

[D. Rex]

Zedradon shrugged, and followed after his fellow Twilight. Wouldnt think about letting him go off alone. Just in case the others wanted to continue forward. Besides, he was curious himself. "I'll join you." He said, following after.

 

[Sherwood]

Ailera heads along, knowing that if it is locked, it will probably take her talents to open it up. "Well, if someone went through the trouble of putting an orichalcum door down here, there is probably something important on the other side. Could be very valuable."

 

[jaydude]

As Quill, Zedradon, Ailera and the four men disappear back into the ruin, Ganzin turns towards Ryan and Ysandre, clearly not expecting them to be too happy about having their plans for taking Elua disrupted in such a way.

"Er, would you rather I had stopped them?" he asks awkwardly.

Meanwhile, the two Twilights and the Night Caste are led down a corridor they had passed in their exploration of the ruin earlier, and find that it ends in a large door of black steel. Mounted within the center of the door is a thick disc of orichalcum with the diameter of a dinner plate, which bears an engraving of the sun. Running along the circumference of the disc is a string of Old Realm letters engraved into the metal, which Quill is able to read as: I open only at the touch of the light of the descending sun.

"Yeah, we figured that was the lock mechanism." says one of the men while gesturing towards the disc, though it's of no lock design Quill has ever seen or heard of. "I mean, yeah, it doesn't look like a conventional lock, but we couldn't see anything else on the door that might be the lock."

And indeed, neither can Ailera's thief eyes.

 

[Sherwood]

Ailera looks at the door and says, "I can see that there is writing here, but I don't understand it. Can anyone read this? It might be the clue we need to be able to open the door."

 

[Psychie]

Over with Ryan and Ysandre, Axtis grins. "Just like kids in a candy shop. Should we go after them?"

 

[D. Rex]

Zedradon shook his head as he leaned in his polearm. "The language is beyond me. But... between Orichalcum and the symbol of the sun. I am sure it is tied to Solars in some way."

Zedradon turned to the one whom he was sure would understand this. After all, his fellow Twilight had the mind for such thing. "Master Quill, what is it that you see?"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

"It says it will open at the light of the descending sun. But this is underground, so how can the light of the sun touch it?" He mused aloud.

 

[D. Rex]

"Maybe this was here before the catacombs." Zedradon suggested. "Back when light could reach the lock."

He tapped as his pole quizzically. "Though... it wouldnt be much of a reliable lock if it opened every time the sun set."

 

[Sherwood]

Ailera ponders for a moment, then says, "I can envision two possible solutions. One, use mirrors to direct sunlight down into the catacombs to strike the lock as the sun is setting. The problem with that is we would need to invest quite a bit of funds and effort to make that happen. The other and significantly easier method would be to have a Twilight Caste Solar flare his or her anima banner to create the light. All we would need is the appropriate Caste of Solar to make it happen, and with all the Exalts we have in our number, one may just be a Twilight."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill ponders Ailera's words "Perhaps you're right, after all, from the Solar castes, Twilight befits the title of Descending Suns the best." And he lights up his Caste mark to shine on the door.

 

[Rykon]

"Probably..." Ryan sighed. "There's no telling what could be hidden in these ruins and they seem determined to get to the bottom of this. Let's try and keep any surprises from spoiling our own." The commander says, choosing to follow after the Exalts and soldiers examining the door.

 

[jaydude]

When the light of Quill's caste mark touches the orichalcum disc, a number of things happen.

First, the disc shines with a bright, golden light of its own, illuminating the corridor. Then the same light streams out from the door in lines that run along the corridor's walls and ceiling. Like drops of water running down a glass window, these shining lines rapidly spread and expand across the interior of the entire ruin, lighting up the rooms and corridors and soon making the now bewildered army's torches redundant, at least until they exit into the catacombs, which remain as dark as ever. Then, with much clanking and ratcheting, the disc does a complete rotation within the door, stopping with a loud clank before the door itself descends into the floor, producing a sound much akin to sliding stone.

Beyond the door, the corridor splits off into two, both branches going at a right angle to each other. Before Quill and the other three Solars can think about exploring, they see a translucent, golden woman materialize in front of them. A woman who bears a striking resemblance to the sorceress depicted on the doors connecting the catacombs to the ruin, down to her robes, long hair, and the staff she carries in her right hand.

The woman gives the group friendly, if puzzled smiles. "Welcome. You stand within the grand castle of Nelmanor, at the entrance to the Twilight Wing. I am Calarel, sorceress and craftswoman of the Aenernian Solar Circle."

Quill remembers Aenernia. It is - or rather was - a city from the Shogunate Era that was thought to have been founded at least several centuries before the Shogunate came into being, but was sacked and then razed by the Fair Folk during the Balorian Crusade. It is believed to have been located somewhere across Baphinol's river, east of Elua, but today next to no traces of it remain.

Calarel meanwhile continues speaking. "And which of you is the Twilight Caste who undid my seal?" she asks.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Aenernia... So it was from the First Age, much older than the Jade Contemplation even considered... It was exciting news to discover, that Quill nearly missed the question. "My name is Quill, and i am the Twilight who undid your seal. We didn't mean to disturb you, but we had no idea what awaited us inside."

 

[jaydude]

Calarel - or perhaps the image of her - gives Quill an understanding nod, before becoming sorrowful. "How long has it been since someone last stepped inside my factory-cathedral and library?" she asks. "Before I left this place, all I had heard was that the Dragon-blooded and the Sidereals had turned on us at the great banquet, massacring us while we were bloated and inebriated, and then hunting us down like abominations."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill's jaw drops. A FACTORY-CATHEDRAL?! AND A FIRST AGE LIBRARY?! it was hard to wrap his head around it. It certainly wasn't something he had expected to find, least of all here. Thoughts were racing through his head as he tried to digest this.

Gaining some small measure of composure, he says "It is now Realm Year 768, and it's been between 1500 to 2000 years since the massacre of the Solars." He bows to Calarel "Your castle as been buried, and possibly partly destroyed in the intervening years, because there's an entire city above ground."

 

[D. Rex]

jaydude Is the computer also speaking in Old Realm?

 

[jaydude]

"So much time." Calarel says in a bittersweet voice. "I must be long dead by now, otherwise I would surely have returned here. Oh, a lot must have happened since I left."

She then glances at Ailera, Zedradon and the four soldiers, non of whom know Old Realm, and smiles. "Now I can tell it's been a long time, because the language I'm speaking in seems to be unknown to you six." she says, before turning back to Quill. "Hold on. I'm going to try something. Forgive me, but I might start sounding crude, by your standards."

Calarel then clears her throat, before speaking again, this time in Riverspeak. Or at least...a version of Riverspeak. One that is as similar to the mainstream language as a sharpened piece of flint is similar to a stiletto dagger.

"Am using other languages of these lands used when me alive. Your speak possibly derived from. Your ears understand me?" she asks, looking somewhat self-conscious.

 

[Sherwood]

Ailera nods, saying, "Yes, ma'am, I can understand you now. I am Ailera, an Exalt of the Unconquered Sun, and I greet you." She offers up a respectful bow. "What is this place?"

 

[jaydude]

Calarel needs a few seconds to figure out exactly what Ailera is saying to her before replying. "This Nelmanor. Castle of me and brother. Man on front door, did you see?"

She then takes on a sad expression. "Castle not buried by Dragon-blooded, but by me. Used sorcery for hide underground, and seal up area behind me. Not want Dragon-blooded betrayers find and use, equipment and knowledge most of all. Left after, try rescue brother. Must have died trying."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill continues to use Old Realm. He knows most of the others cannot understand, but he feels like Calarel would be able to understand the subtleties of it better. "You used Sorcery to bury the castle? I have only recently started dabbling in it, and am not sure I can yet accomplish such a feat. But, you did mention a library. Would I be presumptuous to ask to see it?"

 

[jaydude]

Calarel gives Quill a smile. "By all means, feel free. I sealed this wing of the castle away to preserve its contents for another of my kind, after all." she says, switching back to Old Realm with more than a little relief.

"That said, while I am willing to give you my knowledge, would it trouble you if I were to ask for your knowledge in return?" she then asks.

 

[D. Rex]

Zedradon scratched the back of his neck at the situation. Between the apparition and now a buried castle. Shame he didn't know the language. But he was a doctor, not a scribe. Ha! Body language! He was fluent in that. "We saw two statues, if that's what you meant. I was a bit too preoccupied with the bones to examine them in detail." He admitted.

"But if this castle is buried, maybe there is a way to unbury it. Would surely make quite a statement."

"A bunch of knowledge, huh?" He asked, intrigued as Quill was. "I would very much like to see if any works from exalted doctors of old. Among other things." He could thing of a good dozen things he'd live to research in depth if the materials were available.

"But as much as if like to. We do have more pressing matters at the moment. I do not think Ryan nor Ysandre would appreciate us succumbing to our bookish instincts."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

"I would be more than happy to give what knowledge i have in return.After all, it is only fair that we exchange in knowledge." This was a chance to learn historical knowledge from more than just a book or a fragment of one. There's bound to be ancient books, penned by the author's hand, and if the state of this place is any indication, then then they should be in excellent condition. One doesn't just walk away from such an opportunity. But at the mention of Ysandre's name, he knew that he also promised her to help her reclaim her kingdom, and that is their main reason to be here, so he was torn.

 

[Esbilon]

"Er, would you rather I had stopped them?" he asks awkwardly.

"How, exactly, would you do so, Ganzin?" Ysandre asks with amusement and frustration. Regardless, it matters little. We still need to find the closest exit to the palace itself. Even if night has fallen, we want to give the watch as little chance to spot us as possible."

Over with Ryan and Ysandre, Axtis grins. "Just like kids in a candy shop. Should we go after them?"

"Yes, let us do so, either we're back quickly or it's a matter that could use all of us."

"But if this castle is buried, maybe there is a way to unbury it. Would surely make quite a statement."

"We are still beneath Elua, Zedradon, I would rather we didn't do anything to topple my home," Ysandre says as she rejoins the rest of the circle. "As for time, I really would prefer it if we could move on the palace as soon as possible, but if you think it worth it, we could put things off until tomorrow night."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

When Ysandre shows up, Quill has the decency to look ashamed. Knowledge is important, but he did swear to her that he will help her reclaim her crown, and so, he says in Riverspeak "Ysandre is correct, and i'm sorry i have let my fascination with knowledge get the better of me." And he turns to Clarel and speaks in Old Realm "While my thirst for knowledge is great, greater still is my duty to my fellow Solars, to see this kingdom have it's rightful queen restored. Once that is done, I would gladly come back here to exchange knowledge, and visit your Factory-cathedral".