The Underways of Gethamane

[Sherwood]

Duncan definitely feels like the odd man out as the four of them walk through the underground passage. Also, he had never thought that he was in any way afraid of enclosed spaces, but knowing that they are so far below the surface is enough to make him a little weak in the knees. Not enough to keep him out of here, but the feeling is still there, making him feel a bit uneasy. Perhaps after a few tankards and a good soak, I'll feel more at ease. After all, we are going to be prowling around down here for a while. Might as well get used to it.

He then notices that Deunan is looking around them quite a bit, and it makes him wonder if they are about to be jumped. "Deunan? Is everything ok? Do you see something?"

 

[Psychie]

She waves her hand and the jumpy swordsman to calm him down. "It's ok. Just trying to make heads or tails of what is written all over the walls here. Didn't mean to make you worried. Just give me a moment."

 

[Sherwood]

Duncan tries to ease up a bit with that, but then looks around some himself to see if he can understand any of the symbols on the wall. "Can you read any of this? It doesn't make any sense to me."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Snow Blossom looks puzzled "Writing?! why would people write on the walls? I still find it strange enough that people actually write things down, when a good story is quite capable of conveying all the information needed, and more, due to a play of nuances." She shakes her head. "I only know Skytongue anyway... Well, I could speak Old Realm, but it feels weird doing so, since I can only do it under certain circumstances, and I've only done it to speak to a couple of spirits..."

 

[Lochar]

Duenan's vision, already good, seems to sharpen for a moment as tiny little features seem writ large. The glyphs are pictorial, much like Old Realm, however that is where the any similarities end. Even following a single string of them for quite a few feet, you see that some symbols repeat often, while others you only see once. None of them seem to match up to any Old Realm you know.

 

[Sherwood]

Duncan is well out of his depth in trying to read the writing, even if he is somewhat curious what it all means. "Perhaps it is a warding of some kind? Did the city ever have problems with the undead or ghosts? Perhaps the Fae? Deunan, can you understand any of this?"

 

[Psychie]

Deunan gently runs her hands over the wall for a moment with her eyes closed, then tries something that she hasn't done before. She reaches deep inside her, focusing her Essence to boost her mind to be able to get a handle on the words that surround them.

Spoiler

My base roll is 11 dice for a Int + Lore roll, and will go ahead and double that from my Personal Essence on my Excellency, with a point of Willpower tossed in for good measure.

With my Charms of Harmonious Academic Methodology and Bottomless Wellspring Approach, it gives me +2 Successes, and with the Willpower, it gives me a total of 17. Supernal Lore can rock!

Actually with the Bottomless Wellspring approach, any extra successes are doubled. Since I needed a base of 10, doesn't that mean the extra 7 are double? That will give me 24 off of one roll.

 

[Rykon]

Max scratched at his chin, "I got Riverspeak, Skytongue, and High Realm down. Though I've managed to pick up Old Realm recently. I doubt I'd be of much help though." Max said giving Deunan a pat on the back before she stepped up. "You are pretty impressive at such things, why not give it a shot."

During her examination, he'd try and stay silent so she could focus on the task at hand.

 

[Lochar]

It is a flash of... memory? for Deunan. A treatise she had written? On the Languages of the Maker's Creations that had detailed the fact that no language could completely deviate from the godspeak of what was becoming known as Old Realm.

But that would have been a heretical document and Deunan most assuredly didn't write any of those during her time as a Tepet.

But that does spark additional memories of studying old Shogunate era information, a lesser known treatise Interpretation of the Blandishments of Anathama Creations. Which still followed nearly point for point on the other one.

Holding the studies in mind, Deunan's conscious and subconscious mind click together facts and grammar, wording and syntax.

Spoiler

You now understand the syntax, grammar, and such for the Gethamane glyph language. You cannot speak it, and it is currently an int + lingustics difficulty 3 to get the gist of any particular sentence. You can buy the language with study on your next dot of Lingustics.

 

[Psychie]

Deunan shakes her head to clear the cobwebs from her mind, knowing that the others are probably starting to wonder about what is going on. "I cannot read it . . . yet. But, I have seen in a text a very similar language, a derivative off of Old Realm. With a little time, I can translate it, but for the moment, I can tell you that the runes on the wall are sutras and prayers to a god; a very powerful one with many facets. As of now, I don't know if these are prayers of love for this god, or fear of the possible anger that might erupt. It won't take me too long to make a full translation."

 

[Lochar]

We beseech our Maker to bless this working with his guidance and favor.

We submit to his exacting judgment, so that we may always improve.

We call to his Minister of Curiosity to enlighten us with his ways and means.


The litanies continue on. It is an interesting quirk of the language that he and his appears to be held to a higher esteem than the named facets, though in all cases the writer of the sutra casts themselves as the lowest of the low.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Snow Blossom tilts her head slightly and tugs at her braid. If this was a prayer to a god, maybe her Charm could be useful? Though it seems Deunan figured it, and Snow Blossom didn't want to diminish her success. But she vowed that she would learn to read and write.