Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[Rex]

Drest

Drest will try to scoop the gem with the sack, leaving behind a rock if possible.

"Here goes."

[shaidar]

Xenos stands 20' away towards the door while Drest attempts the theft.

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril stands even further away than Xenos, peaking over his shoulder. "This ought to be interesting, eh Xenos?"

[subaltari]

Pulling Belloc gently by the arm Magda opens one of the two main doors to bring him out to the landing, thus shielding both their bodies and Skavi behind the doors. And yet she can't help but keep one ajar and peek back through the crack at Drest's gem heist.

[OGRE MAGE]

I will assume that Drest is the only one who tampers with the gem at this point.

Under The Zakath Desert
He Will
No Idea On Time Or Day

While the others express trepidation, their greedy, uncouth Scout just shrugs, attempting to swipe the gem with a sack while replacing the item with a similar sized item.

That Gem.jpeg (307.13 KiB) Viewed 499 times

As soon as Drest touches the surface of the gem with the sack, he vanishes from sight. There is no screaming noises or any residue of the man left behind, he simply disappears. Where he has suddenly gone is anyone's guess, but he doesn't seem to be harmed in the process, at least not in the minds of those who watched him vanish.

Belloc pulls his arm away from the Witch Magda, giving her a confused look before addressing the remaining group. "What will we do now? If our sneaking degenerate has been teleported into some prison somewhere inside this alien place, do we intend to simply leave him to his fate? I........I don't think I could do that."

Looking back to the gem stand again, the bright violet/blue glowing gem remains right where it was on its snake themed pedestal.

Actions?

Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 20/14 Enlarge/Darkness/Enlarge
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11 CT Torch
Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17 CT
Akhilleus [/b] (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C3) FA:2 AC6 17/19
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Sleep Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12
Cyril (Pr3) FA:1 AC8 12/12 CLW, CLW, DM, HP Torch

[subaltari]

Magda lets go of Belloc and walks back through the door, then slowly over to the pedestal where Drest just stood. She is looking for a toad, newt, puff of smoke, or perhaps a greasy stain, but doesn't really expect to find any of the above.

"Curious. Did any of the gem legends say this would happen?"

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Waits impatiently with Kain. Not hearing any loud sounds. Well I wonder if they're still with us?

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus "What the...? I won't leave my friend to go alone to his destiny. He's done a lot for this group. I'm going after him. Is anyone else coming?" The warrior approaches the gem. He will touch it too once he knows who's coming along with him, just to know who he can expect to be with him "on the other side".

[Rex]

Drest

[shaidar]

Xenos

Xenos approaches the gem too.

"I will not abandon Drest either. But first we should see if Drest is somehow still here and unable to speak." he raises his voice "Drest, if you can hear us can you touch one of us or tap something or try and make a noise or move something."

[Karaunios]

If there is an answer, Akhilleus will wait. If not, he'll proceed.

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

"Brave and loyal Akhilleus...the first to come to Drest's aid. As much as I fear what this means, Azathoth would not let me avoid jumping headlong into some sort of chaos portal. I don't know that he will protect us but he will certainly enjoy watching me jump into the abyss. I will come with."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He will call out. "Everyone ok? No Tentacles?"

Inching close enough to see and hear, Kain can count heads as well as the next guy. "Huh. That's unfortunate. Do we have any magic that could help locate him? A divination? Oh, Magda! Can Skavi smell him? I can't anymore."
As it becomes clear that others are jumping at the chance to disappear themselves, Kain tries to talk them down. "Hold on. So maybe it isn't a trap or maybe it's a really nasty one. Let's think this through before trusting the Chaos God. If he got teleported, then he could be anywhere. Maybe another plane, maybe down the hall. We can definitely search down the hall."

"But really. What about this place suggests that he was teleported someplace safe, or even non-deadly? And that's hoping he was teleported as opposed to who knows what."

Kain keeps his distance, not interested in being anywhere near anyone who touches the gem.

[subaltari]

Magda nods at the three who have said they'll follow Drest. "He may not like my singing but he is loyal, as you say. I too shall join you, if only for the prospect of finding more hidden glories and dark secrets.

"But I agree with Kain that we ought to give this a think. Didn't we just decide we should return to the surface to rest and heal? Will we have a chance to do that wherever the jewel takes us? Or should we take our rest right here, where we know we might have relative safety? In that case, perhaps send one person after Drest to let him know the rest are coming later, and that they should 'stay put.' Or, if somehow they find their way back to us, we can talk about what to do next."

"Do we have any magic that could help locate him? A divination? Oh, Magda! Can Skavi smell him? I can't anymore."

"If we were able to decipher the glyphs in this dome then there might be at least be a clue, but alas, my arts failed us."

Skavi is now back on the ground and meandering near the pedestal, indeed sniffing about for any trace of the grumpy (and distinctive smelling?) Pict.

[shaidar]

Xenos

"If one of us is to follow Drest then I will go. Akhilleus, you are our leader and should stay. I have skill in arms, and knowledge of magic, both of which could be useful."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He shakes his head and sighs. "A pity. I have no desire to abandon Drest, but he made a decision. Don't let him make another one for you out of loyalty."

"Look around this place. It. Is. Not. Normal. Are you all so willing and eager to trust the benevolence of whatever created it? No. Let's find him without following his path. I suggest those other double doors that aren't open down there."

"Or at the very least, leave your valuables here so we can pay to have you resurrected or found on whatever plane of torment that gem sends you."

[silifi]

Sik sighs at the decision to pursue the obvious trap.

"I think pursuing Drest is foolhardy. He made his choice despite the advisement of others..." he says, grumbling.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus to Xenos

"Kain and Magda are right. Let's wait and see if we can find something before rushing. We could even take that rest back at the Matron's (again) if we delay and find out nothing."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"OK, fair enough. The matrons hut is a good back-up plan if we need one."

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
He Will Be Missed
No Idea On Time Or Day

Magdal finds no sign of their Scout when she looks around the gems pedestal, being VERY careful all of the sudden not to touch the gem herself. She inquires about the legends the others have heard about this gem they seek, but none can add much else to this strange situation. When others request that their missing friend make a noise of some kind if he is still in the room, they are answered with only silence. Kain sniffs the air to be sure, no longer smelling the unpleasant musky scent of their missing Pict.

When Akhilleus reaches out to follow his friend into the unknown, several others appear willing to follow along behind him, that is until Xenos grabs his arm, insisting that he go instead. However, once Kain injects some wisdom into their brave but slightly foolish reactions, the others seem to come around to his rational thinking. The huge desert Barbarian nods his square head in agreement, wanting absolutely nothing to do with this wicked sorcery that took their companion away from them.

Taking another step away from the glowing trap, suggestions are made to leave this area behind, despite their missing friend, and return to the Matrons mushroom shack for a rest. More than one member of the group wonders if they leave now, will they ever find Drest alive again.

Actions?

Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 20/14 Enlarge/Darkness/Enlarge
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11 CT Torch
Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17 CT
Akhilleus [/b] (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C3) FA:2 AC6 17/19
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Sleep Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12
Cyril (Pr3) FA:1 AC8 12/12 CLW, CLW, DM, HP Torch