([Completed] Luca/Troy Adventure 1): Return to Tuskdale Hall

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

Troy tries to direct the reflection of the gem light by moving the torch so that it reflects its array of colors into the musical notes and finally towards the miniature house.

[Juramenta]

If this ruby indeed harbors her soul or essence, at least that is where my mind is wandering towards he begins, gesturing gently towards the petrified figure.
Then perhaps retrieving it might be our only means of aiding her. However, should our actions inadvertently cause her harm by attempting to remove it, I shudder at the very thought of such consequences.

He pauses as he thinks about it.

I am inclined to believe she has been petrified, transformed into stone by some dark magic. Yet, I cannot dismiss the possibility that my assumptions may be mistaken. Perhaps there's a connection between the ominous language inscribed on the wall and her current state. Before we take any irreversible actions, perhaps it's wise to explore all avenues. Words, especially elven, contain power, both to heal and to harm. Given the ancient notes and the elven tongue, there might be a way to reverse whatever spell has ensnared her. However, staying here, studying the walls, might stall us unnecessarily. What are your thoughts? he says without looking at them as he keeps staring into the ruby.

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

Perhaps you're right. We should check the southern side now.

He will do so if there is nothing of interest coming out from his action.

[archolewa]

The torchlight reflected in the gemstone bathes the mural and wall in beautiful red flickers, but nothing happens. The room remains silent, the words on the wall unknown.

What things look like to the south will come when I have a chance to sit down with the adventure.

[Juramenta]

Luca follows Troy if his test to see if anything sentient is present in the ruby comes up empty. We will follow the same set up. Troy in front, Gwen in the middle, Luca safely in the back like a true hero

[archolewa]

40 minutes left on torch

The trio return to the skeleton hall, and head south, down a small flight of stairs and into another, short corridor (no more than 10' long). The corridor turns east, extends another five feet, and then opens into another small room, fully lit by Troy's torch.

The room looks like a messy study for a sage or alchemist. There are pots, containers, skulls, bones, scrolls, caskets, and chests scattered about. They're shoved haphazardly on shelves along the walls, on a writing desk and a laboratory table, both to the south. A large belly stove in the shape of a dragon stands near the west wall. For an instant, as Troy's torchlight bathes the room, the trio see the shadow of a feminine figure on the far wall. The shadow looks like it might be cast by someone hunched over the desk reading something, but there is no one at the desk. The shadow gets lost amongst the other flickering phantoms cast by Troy's torchlight.

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

Troy looks at Luca and Gwen, not sure of what he must do. Should he draw his sword and attack the woman, or should he talk it out? Is this figure the source of this infestation?

How far is the shadow from us exactly? Near enough to notice us or still far?

[archolewa]

Troy

Troy looks at Luca and Gwen, not sure of what he must do. Should he draw his sword and attack the woman, or should he talk it out? Is this figure the source of this infestation?

How far is the shadow from us exactly? Near enough to notice us or still far?

In the time it takes Troy to glance at the others, the shadow on the wall has already melted away. The room is empty.

Sorry, my description wasn't clear. You guys briefly saw the shadow of a hunched woman on the wall. Nobody is in the room. I've edited the original description to hopefully be clearer.

[Juramenta]

Luca follows his companions into the room, his eyes scanning the cluttered space. He speaks, his voice carrying a calm yet cautious tone. A mere magical parlor trick or something more, it seems that after all we’ve witnessed, nothing is beyond the realm of possibility. he says to his companions.

As he steps further into the room, he raises his voice, directing his words toward the unseen presence that might be lingering. "If you are but a figment of our imaginations, conjured by this place, then surely you won’t mind our entry. But if you are something more, if you possess awareness, know that we come as friends, not foes. Our intent is not to disturb, but to understand."
Luca pauses, listening intently, waiting for any sign or indication that something or someone has heard him. If no response comes:
"In the absence of a sign, we will take it as permission to proceed." He says this with the same respectful tone, then moves cautiously toward the desk, his curiosity piqued by what he might find on the desk.

[archolewa]

There is no response, except perhaps, carried on the slightest of breezes, a distant wail from the north, lost as soon as it is heard.

Luca studies the desk. There is a journal sitting on top of the desk, with a ruby ring on top of it, engraved with the Tuskdale crest. It looks vaguely familiar, though Luca can't place it. Next to the journal is a small, leather sheath containing about a dozen pieces of paper. Eight of the pages are in common, while the remaining four are in High Elvish, the ancient elvish language that the music on the wall is written in. The documents in Common appear to be instructions for a magical ritual, though it is very dense. Luca would likely have trouble understanding it while sitting at a comfy desk with a warm fire at his back and a nice empty day ahead of him with which to study it. Now? In a dank, dark cellar in the evening after a day of travel and exploration? Forget about it.

The journal remains unopened.

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

Hearing no response, Troy slowly moves inside, asking Gwen to keep watch of any oncoming threats before checking scrolls first, and then caskets and chests that lies within this room.

"What did you find, mister Silvercharm?

[Juramenta]

I found this journal with yet another ruby Luca says as he hands Troy the journal so he can see the ruby.

He then grabs all the papers.
I cannot figure this one out, here in this dark, dank cellar with only the light of one torch allowing us to see. I am going to take these papers along to figure them out later. It might be wishful thinking, but if there is a way to reverse the petrification. Luca leaves his sentence unfinished as he starts rolling up the papers.

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

Troy receive the journal and inspect the ruby afterwards if the ruby are the same as the one in the statue. He then puts the torch to the fireplace so the coal there catches fire and Luca now have a reading light.

If that's so, then that is a pleasant news.

[archolewa]

35 minutes on Torch

Troy

Troy receive the journal and inspect the ruby afterwards if the ruby are the same as the one in the statue. He then puts the torch to the fireplace so the coal there catches fire and Luca now have a reading light.

If that's so, then that is a pleasant news.

Note: It's a ruby ring. So a ring with a small ruby inset into it.

It's hard to say for certain how much this ring looks like the ruby in the statue. Much of the ruby in the stature was obscured by the statue's hand.

There does appear to be some old wood sitting in the dragon-shaped stove, old and dry. It burns easily, filling the room with light.

The shelves along the north contain alchemy vessels, ingredient jars, and small chests filled with additional alchemy ingredients. Nothing especially interesting. There are three skulls sitting on the shelf, all possessing horns. One looks to be the size of a human child, though the proportions look more like those of an adult (eye sockets are smaller compared to the rest of the head than you would expect if it were a child). Another is large and tusked, probably an orc or similar corrupted monster of the Kinslayer, and the third looks human.

The table along the south contains glassware, pestles, lab utensils, and a thick, water-damaged book that appears to have once contain alchemical recipes, though all the recipes that Troy glances at appear to have been damaged beyond legibility.

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

Close the door. I want to see what's on this journal.

Sitting on the floor, Troy opens the journal and skim read the content inside.

[Juramenta]

After he safely stores away the papers, he will wander around the room to see if they missed something.
Luca remains silent, so Troy won't be disturbed while reading.

[archolewa]

15 minutes on Torch

Troy spends about twenty minutes flipping through the journal, while Luca explores the room, and Gwen stands watch for any threats. Luca does not find anything else of interest.

The journal appears to be Esmerelda's, her most recent one. There is some stuff about her dread and frustration at being called back to Tuskdale Hall. She had hoped to explore the Outside, like many of the other Magic Users who had been discharged, perhaps find new rich lands to shore up the family's fading fortunes.

Not long after she got home, her frustration turned into anger, and then rage. Her father wanted to marry her off to Baroness Gale's eldest son. Esmerelda spends several pages ranting in jagged handwriting about Gale, and her slimy son, and their close relationship with the Inquisitors.

Her relationship with her father deteriorated rapidly, to the point that her father assigned an armed guard to watch her at all times to keep her from escaping.

Then Troy reaches the entry where she met a "strange merchant" visiting Tuskdale:

An odd man. Ancient and shriveled. I'd swear he's elven, but elves don't age like this.
He carries most of the stuff you would expect of a wandering tinker: small tools, extra food
and seed from more prosperous towns and the like to peasants and craftsmen. Father wants nothing to do with him,
though he did not forbid him. Times are hard, and he likely worries his people won't have enough food to get
through the winter. Why deny them any possible source?

This is what infuriates me so much about him. Wise in some ways. So incredibly *stupid* in others.

Anyway, I spoke to the merchant. Turns out he had things that one with magical training
might have interest in. How odd. He sold me a small binder containing an ancient, and powerful ritual. Said
it would bring prosperity to our people, break whatever cursed misfortune hangs over our lands. I've heard of
such things. It's said the elves practiced such rituals before the War. Their forests grew green
and rich, and their harvests were so bountiful they didn't need but the smallest of farms. Such magic is long lost,
but surely some of it yet lurks in forgotten corners of the world?

He also sold me a petrified basilisk heart, insisting it was a key component for the ritual. Odd. Basilisks are
corrupted monsters of the Kinslayer. Why would such a hideous beast be involved in a ritual of life and plenty?
He assured me the heart is from before the War, taken willingly from a basilisk while they were still noble, selfless
beings. I have never heard of the King of Snakes being anything other than a hunter willing even to eat Man, cursed
with a terrible gaze.

Still. I spoke to him for the better part of an hour, and he clearly knew his stuff when it came to
magic. Perhaps a retired Magic-User, spending his twilight years strolling about the Refuge selling accumulated bits and
bobs from his career?

I don't know. Something feels off. But if the ritual works. If we can get a good, solid
bumper crop in the Fall, if our fortunes can finally turn around, maybe Father will be less desperate to attach himself
to a luckier family. Maybe I'll be free to do what I wish, not be forced to endure the slimy touch and smug smile of a
dishonest weasel like that Gale boy for the rest of my life.

Seer watch over me. I'll do it tonight.

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

As i expected, this whole plague started because of that damned merchant. I think the statue is none other than Esmeralda who got tricked by the merchant to commit a ritual that started this whole thing.

Troy looks towards Luca and Gwen

Any of you know how to revert her conditions?

Troy will check the alchemical recipes book and flips carefully for non-damaged part of the book, trying to find any sort of solutions.

[Juramenta]

Luca exhales slowly as the pieces of the puzzle start to align in his mind.

"It appears my initial instincts were, unfortunately, correct," Luca says, sounding disappointed.
He glances at the papers he had carefully stored away, knowing that the answers, or at least some clue, might be hidden within them.
"This will not be a simple task, and I might need the better part of the night to study these writings. Even then, there’s no guarantee I’ll be able to reverse what’s been done." His gaze shifts to Troy and Gwen, understanding the gravity of the situation. "But if there’s even a chance, I’m willing to try. We may need to rely on a bit of magic just to make sense of these ancient texts and alchemical formulas. It’s a risk, but one I’m prepared to take."

Luca steps closer to the room’s center, considering the logistics of the night ahead. "If we decide to stay, we should gather anything that can burn and bring it here to maintain a fire. That way, we can preserve your torches and keep this place well-lit. It would also be wise to barricade the door to ensure we’re not disturbed while we work. This isn’t a decision to take lightly, but it may be our best chance."

He looks to his companions, awaiting their thoughts on the plan.

[Kenjosephus]

Troy

Troy nods to that idea. He will either extinguish his torch or put the torch near the fire to preserve the torch illumination.

I hope there is still a food supplies here. I do not worry for the warm of the fire, but the hunger.