Run By: Dokuganryu (3xp)

Players: Exalted Sage, Jubilant Steel

Synopsis: A tomb raid quickly unveils a new player in the artifact game - the Archaeological Society!

 

 

The Temple of Al-Madir. Once, perhaps, it loomed over the surrounding area, a monument to the mad god-king Madir at the height of his insanity. Its sloping, sweeping architecture and intricate carvings once perhaps blessed and cursed the populace with understanding of their master beyond what they ever wanted to know.

 Now, however, the temple is not merely a ruins, but a tomb. Local lore states that Madir, in his insanity, attempted to compel Sol Invictus himself to merge with him, and for his arrogance he was laid low, his temple sinking beneath the ground and claiming the lives of he and all those who aided in his sorcerous ritual. Today, it is naught but an underground ruin, accessible through a cave mouth and little else, with dust and cobwebs alike spread all through the entrance - no one has been in this tomb for a very long time. The words 'Accursed' are scrawled in poor Riverspeak across the top of the cave.

Jubilant Steel has a good idea that this might be somewhere to seek artifacts, knowledge or power from the first age and so has made her way in the direction of the sunken temple, hunting not entirely effectually through the surrounding wilderness for several days before she finally locates the entrance and moves carefully to approach it.

A swiftly moving golden cloud descends rapidly in a circular motion around the mouth of the cave from it's perch high above. The orichalcum clad Sage muses to himself scratching his chin. "Looks like the stories were true. If only I hadn't gone out drinking last night I might have gotten here earlier. Oh well. Mabye I can scrounge up something they've overlooked!" He hops off of the cloud. It dispersing just as he touches the earth. Casting an eye around for any more tomb raiders.

Jubilant Steel's cautious approach comes to a halt at the arrival of golden clouds and skin scratching individuals, she slips her still scabbarded daiklaive off from her back and into her hands as she watches the man for a few moments. Sounding a touch disappointed. "Ahh, I see I am not alone then."

A little red squirrel races across the ground, zipping from one cool thing to the next. Finding a nut here and there nibbling on things. Zipping around the heals of a armor clad woman scholar, and peekign down a hole. Its Large black eyes blinking into the darkness, its poofy tail twiching.

The Sages eyes alight as the daiklaive is unseathed. "Oh wow! That's a beauty!" Almost completely ignoring Steel's remarks about her not being alone. "I wish I had one like this. Can I play with it? I've always wanted to slash away at zombie and stuff going whoosh, kerplow, slice!" His eyes almost water up, his bottom lip pouting out quivvering slightly. "Please?" The Exalted Sage Of Ten Thousand Winds asks, drawing that word out far longer than ever ment.

Jubilant Steel ignores the squirrel entirely as her expression shifts to a frown, peering intently at Exalted Sage as she remains standing in place. "No, and I find that in rather poor taste. Perhaps we should start our conversation again on a less juvenile level?"

The squirrel startles at the yelling and echoing of the cave and runs inside, up the wall and leaping behind a rock. Peeking out to see if anything wants to eat it. No? Good. Then hunts for some nuts a little deeper in.

Letting loose a chuckle of almost childlike innocence the Sage retorts: "Oh fooey, people always wanting to get the formalities out of the way and never letting me have any fun!" He lies down on the ground proping his head up with one of his arms casually continuing: "Well then Miss. I'm The Exalted Sage Of Ten Thousand Winds. And I'm here to investigate this tomb." He offers her a kindly grin. "Now that's that outta the way, I'm guessing your here to check out this place too. Can I play with your sword now? In hopes that you'll find some valued lore or artifacts of some kind?"

Jubilant Steel replies with a stiff nod of her head there, shifting the scabbarded daiklaive to her side now and relaxing a little. "I am Jubilant Steel, and while that is indeed why I have come here I am not going to let you borrow my daiklaive. Given the reputation of this place I am likely to need it."

The entrance to the Temple looms vaguely, much in the way that bricks don't.

The Squirrel startles again and runs out. Past the people and into the nearest tree.

"Well all I know is that some drunkard traded me, the location of this place because I beat him in a game of dice. Said he tried to find it many years ago. But had a child and didn't have time." The Sage offers. "So I really don't know much about this place myself. Though, I'm happy to share my findings with you!" Giving her a cheshire smile, bowing lowly and motioning towards the cave. "Which one of us shall go first?"

"I will." Jubilant Steel does not seem at all hesitant at that, shifting the scabbard of her daiklaive in hand as she turns and starts to approach the entranceway. She moves slowly and cautiously, paying close attention to her footing and whatever might be ahead. "Given the method of arrival I can only assume you to be a sorcerer?"

A sour look furrows the Sage's face. "Unfortuantly no. I am a master of the martial arts. My studies are more on the body than on the metaphysical. Though I do know a fair bit about the workings of sorcery and stories and tales of the first age."

"I am far from ignorant in such areas, though hardly an expert. I can speak Old Realm at least which should be useful here." Jubilant Steel continues to proceed cautiously, loosening her daiklaive in its scabbard a moment. "And I can use this."

The entrance seems to be no more than a cave. Easily entered, with cobwebs brushed aside, the dust of ages is brushed aside with ease by the two explorers.

"I suppose I should prepare myself lest we run afoul of something of dark and sticky, or whatever adjectives you'd think would be appropriate for the darker things in creation!" A serene eerie smile marks the Sages face, his eyes closing and he drifts listlessly down the corridor, either proudly or foolishly. "Oh what fun we'll have, what things we'll. Lots of treasure for you and me!" The Exalted Sage can help but smile and laugh and be jovial about the exciting adventure he's embarking on.

Jubilant Steel, for her part, smoothly draws her daiklaive before reversing her grip on the scabbard to hold it along her forearm as she continues forward. "There might be bound demons yes, though more likely traps of one variety or another. I have to admit I am more confident of being able to deal with the first than the second."

The deeper they plunge into the temple, the darker it grows. The oppressive blackness is finally overwhelming - not a thing can be observed even an inch before their face. As their eyes shortly adjust, they can see a large door, though the inscriptions are impossible to make out in this darkness.

"Don't worry about traps. I've plenty of flesh and bone to be pierce and cracked that they can have fun with before they ever decimate you!" The Sage remarks off-handedly. "This darkness is getting horrible. I'll do something about it." Throughout his body, a piercing circular glow of four spining wheels of essence appear. Along with his brilliant golden caste mark of the concentric circles. The spinning circle move, extending towards the edges of his limbs, casting a bright golden hue upon the stone carvings. His anima burns brightly around. Swirls of purple and silver light twisting and turning, his entire demeanor calm and relaxed.

Jubilant Steel starts at said unexpected glowing, spinning abruptly in place as she raises her daiklaive then halting, a startled. "What the... Ohh." She studies Exalted Sage for a few moments. "So... I am not the only one then. I was wondering how to get through this without giving myself away. Well it must be fate then." She lowers the point of her diaklaive before turning back to the now visible archway and examining the inscriptions.

(Judge) Jubilant Steel rolls Intelligence + Lore: [ -1- -1- -1- 2 3 3 6 6 ]

        Resulting in a Botch!

(Judge) The Exalted Sage rolls Lore + Intelligence: [ 2 4 7 8 8 8 9 9 ]

        Resulting in 6 successes.

From what Sage understands of the inscription, it seems to read something about 'Accursed By Sol'.

Jubilant Steel frowns at the inscription, scowling before she abruptly looks away. "Well that is not a lot of use to us." She shakes her head dismissively before then continueing on through the archway, daiklaive held at the ready.

A little laugh erupts from the Sage. "Oh this is most wonderous! Appearently this tomb is Accursed by Sol. At least according to this inscription here. It's always most wonderful and fun to watch the work of how he tortures and torments those who forsake him! So, shall we have a look?" The Sage queries the lass.

The tomb seems to have a heavy handle to pull open the door. It's easily openable, though it might take a bit of strength to pull it back all the way; it is, after all, quite enormous.

Jubilant Steel's progress is checked there then as she struggles with the door for a moment, leaving the thing two thirds of the way before she directs a kick at the uncooperative entranceway. "Indeed, let us take a look."

A humming is issued by the Sage as the musty air is filled with dust and torn cobwebs as they walk. All he can muster in this corridor is: "So, have you done this kind of thing before?"

No traps seem to meet them in the tomb. The burning of Sage's anima is caught by hundreds, thousands of embedded little gem fragments, catching it and blowing it to shreds. Beautiful, but not altogether deadly. Three passages greet the travellers - forward, left, or right.

"Only the once, where I found this." Jubilant Steel gestures slightly with her daiklaive, the reflected light further playing across the gleaming walls as it catches on the golden hued steel. Then she frowns at the intersection. "I feel we should go left."

"To the left it is then!" The Sage replies calmly. "Ah, so you've found your own tomb then? Or someone elses?" He scratches his chin once more as they walk. "Tell me, what purview of the chosen are you?"

"My own tomb, I think. At least this weapon has a certain familiarity to it." Jubilant steel continues carefully down the lefthand corridor now, weapon still at the ready. "And the conquered sun chose me as one of the Zenith caste. So I am apparently one of the Blasphemous."

(Judge) Jubilant Steel rolls Wits + Awareness: [ 2 7 8 8 ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

"Oh this is most glorious, most wonderous, and most exciting." The Sage chatters away echoing down the ancient stone walls. "Myself and another have been looking for one of the Zeniths to join our circle. I'll have to introduce you to him sometime. Almost as if this were a meeting of fate!"

(Judge) The Exalted Sage rolls Wits + Awareness: [ 7 <10> ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

The pair manages to avoid several complex string-traps all down the left path as they spot the gleam of the tripwire even in the blindingly bright light.

Jubilant Steel scowls at said traps, thought she does manage a chuckle despite it. "Well how many centuries has this tomb remained unplundered only for two of Sol's chosen to arrive at once? At least I assume it remains unplundered given nothing has set those off before."

Further down the path, they come to a door. More complicated scripture, but Sage can make it out to be 'SOL INVICTUS, KING OF GODS'. It's probably a worship chamber of some sort.

There is a stillness to the air around the Sage. His blissful smile being the only hint of something otherwise. "I find creation is a very odd place like that. The strangest of circumstances often wrought the most amazing of outcomes." He sages a hand forward pointing at a wall. The gleam of an orichalcum bracer can be seen between his sleeve for an instant. "This is another place marked by Sol Invictus. Perhaps an altar room of some sort? One time when travelling with another Zenith a former circle-mate. He called upon Sol and set a civilization of dragon-kings right. Mabye if we find something wrong in here, you can use that place to see if Sol's willing to help lift whatever he put in response to his ire in this place."

"Well the only way to find out will be to open the door and see what lies within, I take it you do not spot any sign of further traps?" Jubilant Steel moves to said door now, holding her daiklaive low and out behind her as she reaches for the handle around her grip on the cloth wrapped scabbard. "Dare I ask what happened to said former circlemate however?"

"He disappeared one day. Haven't heard or seen him. Very strange indeed. We've tried looking for him. Locating him with sorcery. But nothing comes up. We've feared the worst but we've no way to confirm his death." The Sage's smile does not seem to fade despite the sadness that fills his words. "He was a fan of going off and doing things alone, and not letting the rest of us knowing what was going on. We feared that may have been his undoing. I didn't see any other traps. So it looks clear. Might as well go on ahead!"

Within the door is...mostly caved in. Dirt seems to have poured into the center of the room from a skylight, forming a pillar of tunneled-in earth from the collapse, and a sun motif is scrawled on the ground. Books lie about the room, gnawed on by beasts and mice of ages.

 Near the edge of the room sits a person - a man in white, maybe thirty years old, with brown pants and an unusual insignia on his chest. He looks up at the two entering. "By the gods," he starts.

Jubilant Steel follows pushing open the door with virtually pouncing on through it, blade at the ready as she clears the doorway to the right, then an abrupt and skidding halt as immediate threat fails to materialize. She eyes the man for a moment before then letting the point of her daiklaive drop a few inches. "Might I ask whom I have the pleasure of meeting? Forgive me if I do not let my guard down immediately but this is not the safest of places."

The man gets to his feet. He doesn't appear armed, but an odd patch and insignia are on his chest - two daggers crossed in front of a pillar. "Albrecht Vilder, from the Archaeological Society. And you are?" He adjusts a pair of enormous glasses on his face to get a better look at Jubilant Steel.

The Exalted Sagelooks at the fellow as he enters the room only getting the tail end of that last sentence. "Oh hello there sir!" The Sage calls out to him going to clap an arm on his back. Luckily we came across you before you were harmed or injured. I"m The Exalted Sage Of Ten Thousand Winds and did you just say something about an archaeological society? I'd love to get in on that."

"We are exploring these ruins, my companion has already introduced himself, I am Jubilant Steel." Adds Jubilant Steel now, straightening as she flicks the point of her daiklaive down toward the floor. "You certainly should be careful though, we already found traps along the corridor as we headed here."

"Yes, I saw them," Vilder agrees, adjusting his glasses to look at Sage as his hand is clapped around the man's back. "Please...don't touch me, thank you." He coughs into his hand as he extricates himself from the embrace. "Yes, well. If you want to join the Archaeological Society, you would need to speak with a more...able...representative. I myself am here on an official dig."

Jubilant Steel remains standing where she is, not making any move to start hugging. "Might I ask where your society is based? I am afraid I do not recognize it by the symbol you bear." A nod to Sage. "I thought this place was unexplored."

"Ah, well. I only arrived about a day ago from the other entrance," Vilder replies.

"Oh well ok then! That makes perfect sense! We've came from that direction." And the Sage points over yonder. "Shall we continue on together? As they say, many hands make light work. But the light of the unconquered sun, makes even lighter work. Or he who fumbles in darkness needs a light. While those with the light of the unconquered sun never fumble." The Sage grins beneath his smile, sticking his tongue playfully out at Jubilant Steel

"So you came in here alone, and have remained inside for more than a day?" Jubilant Steel replies to Vilder. "Well you are indeed welcome to accompany us, I will not insult you by repeating how dangerous it is likely to be. Have you found anything interesting so far?" Exalted Sage is just eyed there, somewhat accusingly.

"Nothing yet," Vilder notes, "The entrance back that way had a trap I accidentally tripped, caving it in. I suspect it was intended to keep enemies where they were. What about the way you came in?"

"It's clear, through and through. So, it looks like we might as well just continue on forward. There was a grouping of tunnels a way back. Well two others. I'm assuming you came down one of those?" The Sage inquires to the fellow. As lighthearted and lofty as ever.

Vilder jerks his thumb over his shoulder. "I came in that way." He's pointing at the opposite side of the room the pair entered from.

Jubilant Steel blinks at that. "The way we came was -not- clear, there were those tripwires along the corridor." Then a nod to Vilder. "Back the way we came in there were another two branching corridors, this was the first of three we tried. I take it you have already had plenty of time to search this chamber?"

"Yes. There's nothing of interest in here," he confirms. "The books are all too rotten to read, and my light went out a bit ago."

"Well by clear I mean no fallen rocks and debris and whatnot, I really do need to learn to be more clear and concise and not have oversights like that!" The Sage mentions as he runs his fingers through his golden-brozed hair, playing with it absent-mindedly. "Well mabye some of the other rooms have stood the trials of time, and rodents."

Jubilant Steel hmms now as she turns back toward the doorway and starts to head back, asking Vilder. "Do you want to continue on deeper into the tomb with us? Or would you rather we escort you out to the surface and back to your fellows? From my companions glowing and my sporting of a daiklaive you no doubt realize we are not just human. I would rather not have you involved in anything dangerous unless you truely wish it."

"I'm strongly considering the rightmost tunnel to take now. For the simple reason of this layout. It would suggest that the center contains the most knowledge,wealth, and or important things that were put in this tomb. The right might lead us to getting more information and should be less heavily trapped." The Sage offhandedly remarks. "Isn't that right sir?" Asking the duo's newfound friend.

"I assume so," Vilder agrees, "Based on the sun motif, I would think the middle is the place to go."

Jubilant Steel hmms there, then shrugs slightly. "I do not see any point in not going right to the center. Of course we do not know how this place is set out or even if where we came in was the main entrance so I doubt we can really second guess the design. Lets just be methodical, we went left, now we go straight on, we can go right after that."

The passage down the middle opens up into a massive room after a short, mildly-trapped hallway (everyone manages to avoid everything except Vilder mildly getting scuffed by an arrow burst). A high dome peaks into the air with a massive painting of Madir himself on the ceiling, mirrored by Sol on the floor - indicating Madir's belief in his dominance over Sol Invictus himself. A high, multi-tiered box sits in the center of the room, topped by a massive throne radiating light. Sitting in the throne itself is a skeleton, dressed in robes as fine as a man could ever afford; corpses litter the floor.

The Sages eyes alight as the scene infront of them unfold. It is more brilliant and glorious than what he'd imagine he'd find. And all because he rolled a six. If this didn't make that saying of the dice being a game of chance, then nothing ever would. "So. What should we do Miss Jubliant?"

Jubilant Steel winces at Vilder's narrow avoidance of arrows, then stops to stare for a few moments once they emerge into the domed chamber, looking wide eyed for a few moments before she hmms. "We work out what killed these people, something obviously did and I do not intend to join them."

"Sound reasoning indeed." The Sage calmly and quickly replies. "I'm going to guess that he had something to do with it." As he jerks a thumb to the skeleton, moving slowly to one of the nearby corpses he squeezes what was left of the pinky or pinky he's not sure. Before musing. "I think this ones dead."

Sage's foot nudging the skeleton does, in fact, prove once and for all that people missing their skin, internal organs, nervous system, and any signs of life are dead.

Jubilant Steel blanches, then moves over to peer more closely at a body, tipping it carefully over with the tip of her daiklaive as she tries to work out what mind have been the cause of death. "I do not suppose you can see immaterial beings, to see if there is a horde of invisible demons waiting for somebody to step too close to that throne?"

(Judge) Jubilant Steel rolls Intelligence: [ -1- -1- 2 6 9 ]

        Resulting in 1 successes.

(Judge) The Exalted Sage rolls Intelligence: [ 6 6 6 7 8 ]

        Resulting in 2 successes.

There's no way to tell what killed these people. The bodies have been dead for long enough to practically be dust.

"Well Steel, I can see ghosts, but not demons. So i'm not honestly sure. But I don't see any ghosts here." The Sage looks around turning towards their digger friend. "Do you know Mr. Bones's name?"

"One would assume," Vilder observes idly, shifting a bit to the left, "That the corpse in the chair is...probably Madir himself."

(Judge) Jubilant Steel rolls Wits + Awareness: [ -1- 2 2 7 ]

        Resulting in 1 successes.

Though the two don't notice the sound of something going 'click' under Vilder's heel, the effects are noticeable in moments - the skeleton in the center of the room stands. Slowly, like a machine coming to life, it awakens, eyes blazing a brilliant green as it turns to stare at the intruders.

 -You dare enter the Temple of Madir and stand before him without proper homage?- The skeleton intones, drawing a daiklaive forth; it sparks wih green fire as the skeleton holds it out towards them. -Kneel before Madir, or feel his unconquerable wrath, which cowed even Sol himself into retribution!-

Twisting and swirling and twirling and dancing as he speak. "Oh yes great God-King Madir. I'm ever so sorry myself and my compatriots did not prepare to be humbled by your incredible splendor." The Sages hakama pants whipping around his feet as he continues is lofty dance smiling at the figure before them. "He who put The Unconquered Sun beneath his heel. Please forgive us intrusion, and grant us audience." With his final words he kneels low on the ground prostrating towards Madir.

(Judge) The Exalted Sage rolls Charisma: [ 9 <10> ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

Jubilant Steel snaps smoothly into a ready posture, left foot forward, scabbard flicked back and held along her forearm and raised slightly toward the skeleton as she extends her own daiklaive behind her with the tip a hairs breadth from the floor. She entirely fails in the kneeling department and a solid disk of golden white light blzes from her forehead as she answers with. "We come here as peers not supplicants. Though perhaps I only speak for myself there. Is this how you welcome those who would be guests to your halls?"

The skeleton hesitates for a moment, lowering its daiklaive. -Guests who are not supplicants are not worth my time,- the skeleton states, lapsing back down onto the throne.

 Vilder darts up the tier as he sees the skeleton seat itself, snagging the daiklaive from the skeleton's hands with a brilliant yellow glow lighting his every step. With speed unnatural to humankind, he whirls, holding the daiklaive up to examine it carefully. "Beautiful," Vilder admires as it bursts into green flame. The skeleton does not move - the fire in its eyes has died.

"That's exactly what I said about her Diaklaive. But she wouldn't let me play with it." As the Sage jokeingly pouts. "Can I play with that one?" Motioning towards the green-flamed Diaklaive that Vilder is holding.

Jubilant Steel straightens once the skeleton drops back to its throne, glowing herself now, if to a lesser degree than the Sage. "Well we did run into each other at the entrance to a haunted tomb, not the wisest situation to start lending strangers your incomparibly valuable and singular weapon." Then she moves forward to peer at the no longer animate Madir. "I was suprised that worked."

The Sage gets on his knees before Vilder. "Please can I? I won't break it i promise!" The Sage is almost acting sort of like a small child. "Oh wait! There must be other toy around!" He stands up looking around eagerly. "Where to next?"

"Do as you like," Vilder says, sliding the blade over his shoulder. "I, fortunately, have the artifact I came for. I and the Society thank you for your assistance."

Jubilant Steel frowns now, examining Vilder for a moment. "Why were you seeking that artifact, and if you knew it was here why did you not tell us beforehand? We should distribute such prizes by something other than who picked them up first."

"You are not part of my dig, and I am not keeping it for myself. I was sent here to find this object for the greater good. Would you stand in the way of higher learning for your own selfish goals?" The man inquires, adjusting his glasses and frowning at Jubilant Steel.

"My curvy compatriot raises a good point sir. Do you not think it kind of unfair that you skip out on us as soon as you get your loot? Why not help us get ours? Or if there isn't anything else, chop that sword up into three pieces!" The Sage retorts. "Seems hardly unfair as if I walked into a shop, ate a sandwich, and left without paying. That's just well, wrong!" He seems unbothered emotionally he is definatly from a logical standpoint feeling gyped.

"What goals and why did you not mention what you knew before?" Asks Jubilant Steel, watching the man intently. "Or where your organisation is based for that matter. I have no problem with helping you but I have no reason to trust you and you seem awfull eager to take that artifact and leave after not having really contributed a great deal."

"There's little else in this tomb of interest to me," Vilder replies, "And I am on a time limit. If you want to take the klaive," he offers, "You will be forced to pry it from my cold, dead hands, and the Society will have your heads in short order." He frowns. "Please do not force me to fight you, my friends. Instead, allow me to extend an offer to you."

"I don't feel in the mood to get blood all over my clothes. It's really hard to get this stuff shining clean you know." The Sage muses. "So, what's your offer?"

"You are not my friend." Notes Jubilant Steel as she continues to watch Vilder. "I would rather you first answer my questions before proposing deals, the way you avoid answering any questions does not build trust, which I am sure you can understand."

"Because I wasn't certain what I knew was correct," Vilder offers politely, "And if it were incorrect, I would have endangered you unnecessarily. The Society is based off an island to the west of this area - between here and the Blessed Isle."

(Judge) Dokuganryu rolls 8: [ 3 3 5 6 7 7 8 <10> ]

        Resulting in 5 successes.

Jubilant Steel appears entirely unconvinced. "Which island? Places do have names and your apparent desire to be entirely unspecific is as I said before, not persuading me to trust you. Letting you walk away with such a valuable artifact is extremely demanding of trust."

"Because, the name of such a small island in the middle of the sea in a vague stretch of land would undoubtedly be terrifically meaningful to you," Vilder points out dryly, "But if you must know, it is currently known as University Island. A formal nation treaty has yet to be drawn up."

"Oh that sounds fantastic. I do enjoy islands. Especially for their native fruit. Very good for the body you know." The Exalted Sage seems unperterbed by his blantant tomfoolery and cheap tricks at trying to let others do his dirty work. "With all this talking we've been doing you do realize we could already have looked at the rest of this place right?"

"Perhaps, but a daiklaive is worth a great deal, even a normal daiklaive, let alone one that sets itself aflame. Enough to shape the face of a small city, or hire an army for a time, or pay for the administration of a region. There is a great deal that could be accomplished with those kind of resources, let alone what might be accomplished by wielding such a weapon. What does you and your society intend to do with it?" Jubilent Steel seems quite intent on getting an answer.

"I intend to give it to the people who can study it, so that they can discover what it does in detail, replicate those effects, and bring us one step closer to the brilliance of the First Age." Vilder is already moving off the tiered throne. "Or are you saying your personal desires are more worthy than that?"

"I've heard that uttered so may times. And those who "study" it get power-hungry and use it to eventually evil ends." The Sage remarks. He moves swiftly along with Vilder.

Jubilant Steel moves to block the doorway, shifting her daiklaive back up into readyness. "Indeed, especially as you are carrying something which exists purely as a weapon, that you snatched up after contributing nothing to obtaining. I have no desire to hurt you but every reason to think I would put it to better use than yourself. Give it up and depart now. If your society wishes the artifact that much then we can sell it to you for a fair price, I can think of any number of excellent uses for that much money that would be far more immediately beneficial than your plans."

Vilder snorts. "Very well then," he offers dryly, unholstering the blade and setting it down. "Enjoy." With that, he moves past them, into the hall, heading straight the way you came.

The Exalted Sage blinks in disbelief. "Um. Are you sure?" He asks. Looking at the sword just sitting there. "I'm confounded. This normally doesn't happen. People listening that is." He stares at Jubliant. "Mabye we should give him it. That was pretty selfless."

Jubilant Steel hmms there. "I am not sure how wanting to discover new ways to set people on fire whilst hacking them to death is particularly selfless, and the daiklaive itself is probably worth half of the annual tribute of a Realm satrapy. Regardless of his motivations I find anyone who follows people along on such an expedition then immediately snatches the first thing of value to be increadably suspect.." Then a shrug before she examines Exalted Sage more closely. "So what would -you- do with it?"

The daiklaive seems to have vanished; a smoldering stick sits where it was a moment ago.

The Sage shurgs carelessly. As the diklavie disperses he remarks: "That's more my style, i like staves. Though swords are really useful. Though i wonder why that happened." The Sage examines the stick carefully.

"Personally I am not quite comfortable with the flames having been green. I am not really familiar with early first age artifacts though.." Jubilant Steel steps forward to peer down at the stick, joining in the examining.

It appears to be naught but a simple first age stick.

It is old, it is close to crumbling, it was probably trapped here during the cave-in. But it is a stick.

THe Sage bends down and picks up the stick. In all of it's first age glory. "It's a stick!"

"Unfortunatly not that good. I can give it a go. But I'm not really sure how much it would help. Though he could have gone two ways. Either out the way we came, in which case he's going to set off the trap, or down the right tunnel which we don't know what lies there." The Exalted Sage seems nigh perplexed but complative of the situation. "We should start immediatly. Seeing if we can see which way he went!"

"You go first then, I would not want to destroy any trail and have no idea how to follow one." Jubilant Steel gives the chamber another glance before moving to follow with her weapon held ready.

The Exalted Sage looks at the walls, the ground, the dust, listening to the tunnels. "Where the hell did you go?" He mutters under his breath. Closing his eyes he listens outward for any signs of life or the pitter-patter of feet.