Fantasy Eneia: World of Aether and Chaos

[MythyDW]

The city of Labyrinth. A mere century old, the city takes up almost the entire island that it is located on - and in its center is the whole reason for the city's existence. The grand stone archway that holds the portal to the Below. While there are all kinds of craftsman, messengers, and everything that would be expected from a city within Labyrinth, the most prominent profession is the Delvers. Delvers is the name given to those who go into the Labyrinth and bring back materials and knowledge. Many Delvers join small groups with one another, for safety and companionship in the Below. Some of these delver groups do other mercenary missions when they can, others only ever run the labyrinth.

We follow a group of the former kind, known as Warhon's Warhawks...
~~~~~~~~~~~
< Quinn is Here Spoiled Bread ThatGuyWithSouvlaki fuil pbtenchi >
​

"Hey, come on guys!" Lotharial called back to the rest of the group, her long white ponytail flowing behind her from her pace. "Bossman said we can do a Delve on our own, so what's keeping you guys? Aren't you excited!?" she turned around, facing the group as she walked backwards towards the circular delver office that surrounded the portal. She smiled to each of them in turn, her shortblade on the back of her hips and her eyes sparkling in excitement.

Indeed, Warhon had said that his team could go out and delve a few rooms in the Below as he himself went out to finalize a contract for a different job. And as always, Ari loved to run the Labyrinth. It satisfied her thirst for adventure most times, and was exciting enough to keep her wanderlust from taking over. Since they were registered delvers, they wouldn't need to talk to anyone at the desks and could just walk right in, they wouldn't even need to take a request from the board - that last part was never a requirement, though.

Soon they would be in front of the portal, preparing.

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Yuel​

"Calm down, Lotharial. We should do the last check carefully before the delve." A woman covered in wizard robe was walking slightly lagging behind. Each of her step was followed by her shovel tapping gently onto the ground, making enough vibration for the eyeless woman to feels her surrounding.

When they arrive in front of the portal, Yuel put her backpack on the ground and opened it. Her hand rummaging through the stuffs inside.

"Ration, check. Knife, check. Water flask, check. Pot, check. Tea set, check. Yep, I'm ready." Satisfied with her preparation, Yuel closed her backpack and and approached the portal.

"Ah, someone please describe our surrounding to me once we're inside." Even though she was able to pass through most type of terrain alone, there's a lot of information that can only be obtained through eyesight, like color and writing. Yuel like to have enough information to make precise decision since her ability to sense through obstacle often made her the ones who noticed trap or ambush before anyone else.

 

[Quinn is Here]

Fianna​

"Of course there is excitement upon me, but a last invitation of caution and preparedness is always good before crossing over to the labyrinth. It means more crossings can happen in the future." Said the red headed woman who was now busy making sure that what little armor she wore was secured properly.

Fianna was moving as efficiently as possible, conserving as much energy as she could. The more energy for fighting the better, but until the fighting started smooth and easy movements would be her ally. Once she was certain nothing would fall off her when she started moving Fianna turned her attention to the wizard as she searched her pack.

"Of course Yuel, these eyes are at your service."

Fianna was still thoroughly confused by wizards, and blindness was a terrifying concept to her because she usually associated it with prophets and seers. Not to mention that so long as Yuel was at her full capability, the chances of something exploding under Fianna were far less likely.

 

[fuil]

"Aye I'm glad to finally be able to have a go at it by ourselves this time." Oric said as he checked his gear. With everything in order he pulled out a flask and took a large swig before putting it back. He looked over to Fionna and shook his head. "I don't see how you can feel safe with just a few bits of leather tied to you. I don't feel right if I don't have at least two inches of steel between me and whatever is on the other side of that. Makes me harder to chew." He said as he tightend the straps for his bag so it wouldn't fall off. "While you on the other hand have what amounts to jerky covering you." He shot her a quick grin before letting his face return to its normal grumpy expression. "But all joking aside let's be careful. That means you especially kid." He said as he turned towards Yuel. "If anything happens get behind me."

 

[pbtenchi]

Clacks
Interaction: Everyone
Location: Outside portal
​

A voice came from behind the others. "It's not that I'm not excited about the opportunity... Okay, I'm not. Just... Be cautious. Please? I literally died down there. I'd hate for that to happen to all of you." Said Clacks, as he caught up with the rest of the group. His body clacking loudly as he jogged. He was a human skeleton decked out in worn-out and rusted armor that he refused to part with. Whenever asked about it he merely said it felt as much a part of him as his bones, and politely declined new equipment. Clacks wasn't very enthused about going back in there without the Boss, but just told himself it was another step forward.

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Tukkar watched the portal and the group of delvers formed near it ready to jump in. It was certainly an unusual group, two humans with one of them blind, an elf, a dwarf and undead, not to mention himself the orc. Such a group would be unheard of back in his days of adventuring, not that it was frowned upon but just unlikely. He wondered what brought them together, what motivated them to do this delving. He wasnt sure of its appeal. In his experience there was enough excitement and challenge in this world they did not need to go through to another.

Than again that is why he was here. The papacy wanted to know about the delvers and the portal so he organised to ride along with one of the groups and observe their methods and experience. It would be interesting at least, it had been a while since he was in a combat situation where he could stretch his muscle. He was playing to much of a spy the last few months.

He took a deep breath and approached the group, his massive war axe rested on his shoulder. "You died? Well you seemed to have gotten over that pretty easily. Why worry" He said jokingly to Clacks as he approached."So what is all this, the predelve pep talk?"He asked.

 

[MythyDW]

< Spoiled Bread Quinn is Here fuil pbtenchi ThatGuyWithSouvlaki >
​

"How many times are you going to remind us you died in the Below?" the elf looked over at Clacks with a playful look. "We found you down there even." she giggled and then looked around at the rest of the team, prancing in place in her excitement. She nodded and grinned, seeing that everyone seemed to be ready. "Let's go then!" she said, turning and dashing into the portal.

When she was followed, the team would find themselves in a room with a great tree, large that befitted the large room. Hanging on the tree were a large number of melon-sized seeds, each of which glowing like a lantern. It was known as a lantern tree, and the ones that bore seeds only grew in the Below. One could take a lantern seed, have it open from sunlight, and then plant the bud found inside. However, the lanterns grown from that tree glow somewhat dimmer, and do not open. Nevertheless, an interesting and valuable find.

The rest of the room was cut by a river, which left them with a few small 'islands' to hop. "Looks like we're in a nature level." Lotharial said. "Watch your step, Yuel. We have a lantern tree, and the ground drops into a river if you step off the islands." she would look around. There was a path to the 'north' of the portal, on the other side of the tree. They could also follow upriver, see what they find.

"Should I ask the tree for one of its seeds?" she asked, looking back at the rest of the group, her eyes shining in excitement as they had never found a lantern tree themselves before. "We could plant the bud at our base, maybe?"

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Yuel​

"You're free to take one if you want." Yuel replied to Ari's question. She wasn't that much interested in the seed, though she was wondering what would she see right now if she still has her eyes.

Yuel tapped the ground, then the tree, then the flowing water. She's trying to map out the place, but she didn't like large body of water like this river. She could detect a lot of things that normal people misses just by a single tap on the ground, but water, she couldn't read what's inside it. Calm water was like a blank space for her, while a violent one would feel like abstract stream of turbulence. She often get nauseous if she tries too hard to sense deep into water.

Yuel walked around the tree and thrusted her shovel into a thick pile of dried leafs. There's a clanking sound and when she pulled her shovel, the tip was bitten by a bear trap.

"Someone forgot to disarm their trap before going home? How irresponsible! This can put others in danger!" She grumbled to herself while trying to find another one that might still left behind. Satisfied after making sure there's no more left, she felt like they should walk deeper into the labyrinth if they want to discover the real valuables.

"Let's go... there. I feel like there's something interesting inside." Yuel pointed at the path on the other side of the room. Though she left her real reason to why she suggest that path unsaid, she simply didn't want to walk alongside the river.

 

[Quinn is Here]

Fianna
​

Fianna grinned as she came out of the portal and into the labyrinth, it was a sensation that would never grow old for her. The rush of the unknown and the mingling energies pressing around and through her and then the sudden appearance of something new was always a fascinating experience for her.

Looking around rather quickly to make sure there were no immediate threats to her wellbeing and the a second, slower pass over to take in the actual beauty of the scene before her. Fianna fixed her eyes on the lantern tree, she had only seen them in paintings before. The paintings didn't even touch the beauty of the tree in front of her.

"Please ask them for one. There is a beauty upon that tree that I have never seen the likes of before," she said staring wide eyed at the glow of the tree that towered over her.

It took her a while to pull her gaze from the marvel of the lantern tree, but finally the sound of a bear trap snapping pulled her attention to Yuel who was getting a feel for the room.

Fianna took several steps towards the path and looked down it, trying to see if anything of worth was in sight. Or more importantly, if there was anything that might be dangerous to her allies.

"Hey Oric watch your step. I would hate to have to pull you out of the river with all that extra weight pulling you down. How you even manage to walk in all that metal is a mystery to me." She said in a playful voice flashing a grin at the dwarf.

"Should I scout ahead down that path and make sure there isn't anything too dangerous?" Fionna asked.

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Tukkar remained silent as they walked, getting no acknowledgement of his presence. He looked around as they walked, feeling the flowing energies about them the labyrinth slowly revealing itself as they were past the portal. There was beauty in the place that was for sure and almost looked like the natural world. Yet there was an energy about giving it an unnatural feel that was disconcerting to someone like the orc who was not used to it. Not that it would stop him from going further, still the sensation was unpleasant.

He looked curiously at the tree. It was impressive in both size and beauty but he was a little surprised at the idea of taking a seed out. "Is it wise? Bringing things from this side to ours?" He asked showing his ignorance of this place. "Also before we move one, would it be wise to have a quick prayer so I can provide you all with some of Maraths Blessing (white magic buffs) efore we get into danger? I know some of you are non believers but trust me the blessing are no mere placebo. I can give a good word about you to the man upstairs and believer or not cant hurt to have a god yours side."

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Yuel​

"Go ahead, Tukkar. No harm in being prepared." Even though Yuel also came from the Papacy, she wasn't a Marath believer anymore. She was sure her father would whip her and curse the day she was sent to the arcane college if he know about this. The phrase 'Gods is dead' was all the rage back in her college day and Yuel was quite influenced by that trend. Still, she knew a 'blessing' was not a joke, though she now views it mostly as a different thing.

 

[fuil]

Oric whistled as he came through the portal and saw the lantern tree. "Well I have to say the sights in here never cease to amaze me." He glanced towards Fianna and then the river. "Well you got me there, but then again me not wearing the armor wouldn't change much as dwarves are usually sink even in just cloth." He shook his head as he looked over to Tukkar. "Lad one of the main reasons we're here is to bring stuff back. It's just one of the ways delvers make money." He looked back at the river and sighed. "You're blessing wouldn't happen to let me walk on water would it cause like Fianna said if I fall in it's gonna be hard getting me out."

 

[pbtenchi]

Clacks
Interaction:
Location: Dungeon
Religion was a thought Clacks didn't give too much thought to. This might seem strange considering his philosophical way of thinking. Where did gods come from? Why did they do what they did? What amount of control did they have over his day to day life? What difference was there between mortals and gods other than... well, being a god? It was a huge almost incomprehensible subject, and he feared whatever answers he did come across would destroy him. Yes, some things he decided he was better of not knowing.

Enough wandering thoughts. There was work to be done. Clacks want up towards one of the walls and rubbed off the dust. He was trying to see if he could find any carvings or runes. You never knew what you might find if you looked where people seldom did.​

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Tukkar nodded at the general approval of his blessing. Believer or not it would be foolish to deny his gifts. Though he was required to give his light magic training a religious air there was nothing spiritual about them, basic enhancement magic any reasonably trained mage could do and he was better than that. "Ok, gather around or risk being left out." He called out and waited for those to be interested to gather about him.

He pressing his hand together in a gesture of prayer and lower his gave. "Lord... Though the men and women around me could be called heathen and heretics, the hearts are pure and brave. The follow your tenants even though the do not believe in you and their task is righteous as it serves your will. Do not abandon them but but give them your guiding hand through this trying task and prove to them your presence..."

He began a magical gesture with his hand towards all that had gathered. "Notha Tatha...Give them strength to rend the foes ahead." He did a second gesture."Notha Portha... Help push them futher and faster than their physical bodies allow." A third gesture." Rocuth Salla... Shield them from the blows of our enemies. " there was a pause before those effected will see a light bathe them briefly and will feel the effect. Tukkar smiled as he raised his head and opened his eyes."Marath favours you in your task go with his blessing."

 

[Quinn is Here]

Fianna
​

Fianna gave Tukkar a hard look before making a point to move down the path a few yards so as not to hear his prayer or get caught up in a blessing from his god.

"I will rely on other powers of nature, though I will admit I am surprised that there is a person from your nation who has the decency to ask whether or not they are wanted. For that thank you, but no thank you."

She watched for a moment as the paladin weaved his magic then turned away from them as memories from past battles started playing through her head she shook them away and turned back once the prayer was over.

 

[MythyDW]

< Spoiled Bread Quinn is Here fuil pbtenchi ThatGuyWithSouvlaki >
​

"With all due respect to Marath.." Lotharial said as she closed her eyes. "I've heard some terrible rumors that your Holy and the Papacy as a whole has turned away from Marath's path.. and honestly, I'd rather not get caught up in that." The druid then began to commune with the tree. She heard the prayer in the back of her head, and bristled at a certain anger - that wasn't hers - traveled through her body. When she opened her eyes, a lantern seedpod had fallen into her hands and she smiled, silently thanking the tree. Based on that prayer, with all that shit about heathens, I'd have to agree with those rumors.. she nodded to something unseen and then turned around.

"Anyway." she looked to Clacks as he rubbed on the stones, dust revealing nothing but nature at the moment. "Since no one else said anything, let's take the path Yuel preferred." she smiled a bit. "Who's going in front? We can use the lanternseed for light."