Thea takes Queen of Endings Lantern of Remembrance from a physician's medicine satchel.

Domonico gets Our Lady of Change Healing Flame Lantern from A smooth red belt with a square black buckle.

Domonico puts a wine flask with a Mangata sigil embossed in A smooth red belt with a square black buckle.

Domonico puts half-sized bottle of water marked with Mangata's initial in A smooth red belt with a square black buckle.


Having stepped past the threshold into the catacombs, the group of travellers allows the flicker from their lanterns to kiss upon their faces as the darkness soon envelopes them. The walls glow a faint golden tint from their lights, afar the sound of a faint drip can be heard landing into water.


Sunaia puts a polished black leather over-bust corset with silver buckles in Crownlands-style pouched adventuring belts.

Sunaia puts fitted, midnight-black lace-up leather trousers lined with sheared ebon mink in Crownlands-style pouched adventuring belts.

Sunaia puts over-the-knee, laced midnight-black leather boots in Crownlands-style pouched adventuring belts.

Sunaia puts a collared umbra blouse with ruffled wrists in Crownlands-style pouched adventuring belts.

Sunaia puts Master of Questions figurine in Crownlands-style pouched adventuring belts.

Sunaia puts The Depths of Morning Fog, A Frock-Coat Ordained In Failing Beauty in Crownlands-style pouched adventuring belts.

Naturally acclimated to adventuring, Sunaia brings with her a pack with the usual accoutrement of gear: Ropes, grappling hooks, a bit of kindling and alcohol, a tin flask of oil, a lantern - lit by Lagoma's flame - held in her left hand while, in her right, is her alaricite hook-like blade. She leads the group, her silver-moon eyes somewhat preternaturally-designed to see well in the dark; and she moves slowly, silently, like a wolf. Her gaze flicks here-and-there, cautiously watching for anything unusual or dangerous.



At the top of the staircase, the walls themselves are covered in green moss, the smell of damp clinging around. Further down, there is no light or visibility as the long stone staircase leads on. The group are left with two directions as they stand on the staircase, travelling down into the darkness and the unknown or turn back and call it quits.

The new castellan of Caer Morien has approved this incursion deeper into the catacombs and he surveys the group. "Thank you for all coming. It is my duty as Count Magnotta to rid the Drowners from the Cyrto Isles and I appreciate you all being here." He gestures to the tanned Kia and says, "This is my Steward and Voice, Kia. She's lived on Cyrto Major nearly all her life... Her assistance should be invaluable."

Drake isn't one of the ones holding a lantern this time. His hand is ever ready to grasp a sword, but there may be nothing that jumps out at them, so he just keeps his wits about him for the time being. The mask on his helm is removed and at his back as it might otherwise obscure his vision in the darkness. He needs to be able to spot anything that might jump out. He stays for now near the back of the pack, watching the rear so that he can protect anyone in the center rather than out of cowardace. After all, he's been caught in a picher manuever a few times before.


With a lantern in hand, the local native curtsies towards the gathered group of nobles. "If there's anything I can help with, I'll see what I can do." Kia says softly, chewing upon her bottom lip, not having been on an excursion like this before.

With her own lantern in hand, Kaia keeps, for the most part, close to the group of explorers --mostly far in the back-- her steps slightly slower than the rest. She nods to Dom as he speaks, but remains quiet, observing, and listening to the sounds further away from them.

Always prepared these days, Thea has all the necessities and her medical supplies. She's been traveling everywhere lately. Raising her lantern to see better, she looks about,"You're welcome brother,"though she's a bit distracted with the dark stairs. "So--seems we can take these or--turn back. I say keep going, but cautiously." Is there surprise that the youngest Malvici suggests this. "Who wants to go first." She sniffs a bit, twitching her nose at the damp smell.



As the group continues, the stones that make up the walls become more smooth. The build-up of moss stops but the smell of damp builds. It begins to slowly overbear and even possibly offend the nose. The dripping can be heard louder, faster. The stairwell twists to the right before flattening out at the bottom.

Domonico steps forward, "I will lead. Thea... can you stay close and watch my back?" His eyes flick around as he surefootedly makes his way down the damp stones.

Drake doesn't seem to be too bothered by the smell. He keeps alert and focused on the situation at hand. He's distractable sometimes... but this isn't one of those times. There's too much danger here.


Muttering a soft prayer to the spirits under her breath, Kia nods as she simply follows along staying in the middle of the group for now.

Ceding to new Count, Sunaia shrugs and steps aside, awaiting until she is nearer to her cousin. "Nothing like a little family adventuring, hmm?" she quips dryly to Drake. Her white nostrils flare as she sniffs deeply; and, if the scent seems to bother her, the Ashford explorer hardly makes so much as a flinch to indicate it. It does seem, however, that Sunaia's senses are on high-alert. She flicks her gaze around to everything, watching, listening....

Thea nods to her brother,"Of course." Giving her gold-flecked green eyes a moment to adjust to the dark, she follows the others, carefully going down the stairs. Just above a whisper, but still not loud, Thea smirks,"I'm surprised Domonico came. We're not at sea or anything..."teasing her brother a bit.


Hissing briefly under her breath, she can't help but reach back instinctively to the small of her back. Her eyes widen and she looks towards Domonico for a few moments. "There's abyssal taint leaking further down the staircase. Please be careful." she whispers softly. How would she know that? Creepy.

"Ugh?" There would be a small complaint from Kaia at the overbearing smell -- her face wrinkling in an automatic reaction -- while a hand reached into her backpack for a handkerchief to cover both her mouth and nose. "How unpleasant." she says, as she continues to walk alongside the group. Her ears picking up on both the sound and the pace of that dripping with some curiosity.


Finally reaching the bottom of the smooth white staircase the group are at a stop, greeted by a heavy-looking iron door. The walls and floor a gnarled twist of what seems to be white brickwork. The dripping heard walking down the staircase having come to a stop. With lights held up to the door, markings can be seen.

'Enter those who gave themselves to Mudros Tsu'nis. Your reward awaits.
Those who not. Turn and leave. For Mudros Tsu'nis accepts no false hearts.'

The door itself is entirely smooth except for a wide cup spread out in the middle, shaped like a chalice.


Domonico hmmphs at Thea's comment, "We *are* on the main island that I am responsible for. Of course I am going to be here and .... what is this?" he says as he looks over the iron door, frowning.

"Families stick together," says Drake with a little grin at Sunaia; he's not above a little quippy comment especially as it keeps the mood light in a dark situation. Which, speaking of, he does have to squint into the darkness to see what is written on the door. "Who is ... Mudros Tsu'nis."

"Who - or what - is Mudros Tsu'nis?" Sunaia asks, flicking her attention to Kaia, firstly, then to Kia - the native - after reading the markings upon the door. She narrows her eyes and scans the door looking for any other markings upon it, then nods aside to Drake's comment - and to his identical question.

As they reach the first floor of the catacomb Kaia's eyes fall upon that door and its markings. She steps closer to it and inspects it. Her mouth repeating those words in hushed tones. "How curious?"

Kaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 25 higher.

Thea almost reaches out to trace the door. I mean lets be fair. She would ask the same question, but--it's been asked. A few times. Thea instead starts to look around the room while Kaia appears to check out the door. There's always something, she's learned.

Taking a closer look at the chalice, Kaia notices something. "This cup...it used to be filled with something." she states. "Look at these subtle marks here...see?"

Sunaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 1 higher.

Sunaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 10 lower.

"Blood, I'll bet," says Drake with a wry expression. "Isn't it always blood, with these things?"


The question as to who that person is of course causes Kia to quirk her brows. She purses her lips for a few moments. "He was a cult leader, the one who started it all. He was allegedly buried off the island, but I would be careful. There is strong abyssal taint further down." she whispers softly.

Thea goes over to the door with Kaia, really not sure what she can include. But she'll try anyway. "What am I trying to look at,"Thea asks. She peers over at Drake and groans. He's actually right, but she pays closer attention to Kia.

Kaia says, "Oh...but it doesn't seem like it was blood. It was something clear...water perhaps?"

"Water would be quite less painful and also less potentially-contractually-binding," Drake says with some relief. Well, he has a water skin of course. So he'll pull it out and pass it up.

Domonico's hand drops to Warspite's hilt, ready to draw his xiphos if needed. The Admiral and Count's face is serious as he looks over the others as they begin investigating and solving.

"Step away a moment?" Sunaia asks generally, lowering her lantern towards the floor beneath the marking on the door and crouching down and sheathing her shotel. Sharp eyes note something odd... and Sunaia brushes her fingers slowly across the brick floor. "...Odd," she murmurs. "There are no joints in the floor; it's like... it's one huge slab." She blinks, halting, her fingertips drawing in a small oval. "Oh. Strange. It's... almost like there's an eye-shape here."

Sunaia frowns as she slides her gloved hand over the floor again, "...And it's not flat. The floor... is warped."

Thea is steps away from the door, because now she's distracted with something else. She too looks to the floor, lowering her lantern. "Look,"Thea says pointing,"There are cracks. Of that like the top of a skull. It's sort of like it was added to the floor then smoothed over." Thea stands now and starts to walk around the room, walking slowly. Her lantern trailing the wall,"The walls are a twist of human--parts,"her lips frowning.


At Sunaia and Thea's noticing, they find that the floor and walls are a mash of human remains, bones. Polished and placed around to form the staircases structure and the base of the floor. Sunaia's hand finding the top curve of a skull as she brushes over it.

With Kaia and Drake stood beside the chalice, gradually Drake tilts and fills it with some of his water. A growl, a heavy groan, is heard escaping past the iron door as it barely shifts as the goblet is part-way filled.

Drake looks at Thea, and glowers a little bit, as she mentions something dire about the composition of the room. "...So it truly is a catacomb. But how many bodies would it even TAKE...." At least the water worked. A bit of a sigh of relief escapes him, as... at least it didn't have to be blood. "That did something, didn't it."

Domonico draws Warspite as the growl is heard from the other side of the iron door and he drops into a ready stance, just in case something emerges.

Sunaia checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 32 higher. Sunaia rolled a critical!

Kaia's eyes move across the darkened room, catching glimpses of bits and pieces as the others move about with their lanterns to inspect further. Her attention shifting back to Drake, right by her side, after filling the chalice. The rumbling sound of the door pulling her attention. "Seems so..."

Kaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 30 higher.

Kaia nears the door to inspect it further. Her eyes shifting back to Drake. "I swear I heard it move, but, it's still locked. Perhaps it needs more water. Hmn..." she glances around at the others nearby. "Anyone else got more water?"

It's the sound of the door that catches her attention. "What.Was.That. I thought the door opened?"

Obviously that would be Thea.

Her moonlight gaze flicking to the opening door, Sunaia's senses immediately prick at the growling sound beyond. "It's hard to see... but there's something in there. Some ...kind of objects, and not just a few on the floor inside." She reaches into her pack and takes a torch from it, soaking it with a bit of oil and lighting it with her lantern. "Watch out. I'm throwing it in, and I'm not sure what will happen."

The Ashford rises and looks around to ensure no one is near enough to her to catch flame, then lobs it inside the doorway.


With the tiny crack in the door just able to fit in the torch thrown by Sunaia, it rolls and bumps into a candle stump upon the floor for those so-close to that small crack.

In the next room, the hallway continues on with the melted wax slowly melting under the flicker of the oil-soaked torch.

Stood by the chalice, it is partly filled with Kaia stood beside.

Kaia says, "Dom you got any water on you, by chance?"

Thea remembers as she speaks,"Oh! Hold on!" She rummages in her medicine satchel, pulling out a flask that is filled with--water. "Here. I usually use this to clean wounds out. It's not even half full but, but it's better than nothing,"tossing it to Kaia.

Sis, a redheaded morning person arrives, delivering a message to Thea before departing.

Sis, a redheaded morning person arrives, delivering a message to Thea before departing.

Kaia smiles at Thea and gestures at the chalice for her sister in law to pour the contents. "Do the honors?"

Domonico waits near the door, watching the torch illuminated area beyond, focused on any danger.

Well--Thea ALMOST goes to toss. She pauses instead when Kaia tells her to fill it. "If you're sure,"stepping over to the door. Thea looks over at everyone behind her shoulder, lifting her eyebrow,"Remember--Domonico said he's getting me a summer house for all this. Right?" A slight smile appears because yes, she will joke a bit while she's here. Even if she is a bit creeped out as she starts to slowly pour the water into the chalice.


With the door slowly creaking open as Thea pours in her water, the hiss and groan of the heavy iron moves.

Beyond the door, with Sunaia's tossed torch still catching the floor, it leads on to a short L-shaped hallway and with that smell of damp lifting away.

The floor has the signs of melted wax on it with stumps of candles, once lit, left behind. Slowly the wax melts beneath the torch.

The hallway, otherwise, offers the group a clear route on but afar the walls eventually narrow on in.

Sunaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 20, rolling 30 higher.

Thea has joined the line.

Kaia has joined the line.

Drake has joined the line.

Domonico has joined the line.

Sunaia has joined the line.

Turn in line: Thea

Kia has joined the line.

Stepping through the opened door, Thea starts to follow the corridor. She passes the candle stumps, still holding her lantern--she's still able to see and such of course,"Gods it smells." But the the hall starts to narrow and she starts to have to squeeze her way, eventually shifting her body sideways,"So--it's starting to get a bit a thin---" Good thing she's not a wide giant or anthing.

Turn in line: Kaia

As the door opens, and the party begins to step in, Kaia's eyes fall upon the old wax markings on the ground --visible thanks to the aid of the various lanterns being carried about. She lifts her light and looks around the corridor's shape. "There's only one way it seems. Shall we keep moving?" she asks Domonico -- who well claimed he'd be leading, so she gestures for him to move ahead. "After you Count.~"

Turn in line: Drake

Drake, having shifted into the front to help with the water, has moved now into the middle of the group. This isn't a problem at first but is a bit stifling when the walls start to close in. He's not entirely claustrophobic but there is a vulernability to it. He wonders if this is going to be a dead end. As vision is limited, he's mostly just listening for any possible trouble.

Turn in line: Domonico

Domonico holds Warspite in front of him, the blade ready for a short stabbing motion as he moves in through the door and along the narrow corridor. "Keep your wits about you..." he murmurs.

Turn in line: Sunaia

Sunaia checked composure + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 12 higher.

Sunaia checked willpower + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 9 higher.

Her silver-moon eyes flitting around the room - across the wax-covered floor, over the ceiling and the walls, Sunaia's sharp eyes watch as Thea, Kaia, Domonico and Drake all make their way through a narrowing passageway that is smaller than the one before. She makes her way towards and slips through; thin as she is - and tall - she's slender enough to get through with no troubles and is just a few inches shorter than the ceiling. "Anything up ahead?" she asks, curiosity steeling her as she takes up the rear.

Turn in line: Thea


The hallway begins to tighten in even sharper, making it impossible to stand beside. The ceiling grazing the tops the heads of any over six foot as the cramped catacombs take ahold. Before the corner of the L-shaped hallway, a bricked up archway of different stone to the rest of the walls is before the group. At the bottom of the archway, human skulls have been piled up knee-high in a small semi-circle to haphazardly block off beyond the bricked up arch.

To those glancing around the corner, darkness is all that can be seen easily beyond the faint flicker of a lantern.

Sunaia checked composure + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 22 lower.

Sunaia checked willpower + survival at difficulty 40, rolling 9 lower.

Thea checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 15 higher.

Sunaia checked luck + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 4 higher.

Kia checked mana + occult at difficulty 30, rolling 29 higher.

Trudging a lot, Thea grumbles,"Seriously..it's getting tighter." Like, if she were stand on her tiptoes, she'd hit her head. She makes the mistake of looking down and sees the skulls, causing her to sigh,"I--just--. Is there a way to I don't know..Help them rest a bit more peaceful? This feels so--,"but pauses. Thea stumbles, almost falling,"Shit! What the!" She looks at the others, eyes wide,"I--there was a breeze or something from somewhere around my ankles up to here!"trying to point to her shins.

Kaia checked perception + empathy at difficulty 55, rolling 52 higher. Kaia rolled a critical!

Turn in line: Kia

Kaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 50, rolling 18 higher.

Drake is right at the awkward height where he has to duck just slightly to avoid hitting his head in here. "I suppose the ladies are having an easier time," he says... trying to be cheerful, but surprised how loud his voice sounds in this tiny cavern. It feels like shouting in a library. He's alert, but there doesn't seem to be anything important to do other than... move forward, and hope that it isn't a dead end.

From the rear, a sharp gasp is heard as the walls suddenly close narrowly, pressing on Sunaia's shoulders. The white Ashford's moonlike eyes widen and she stops suddenly in her tracks, apparently forgetting, rather suddenly, to breathe. The lantern she holds clatters to the ground, apparently well-crafted, for the glass does not shatter and the flame sputters but is not extinguished. Even then, Sunaia's gloved hands rise to the walls in an instinctive rush to keep the walls from closing in upon her. Deep, sudden gasps pull through Sunaia's increasingly-paling lips as she whimpers, yelps in sudden terror.


CLosing her eyes for a few moments, she takes in a long and deep breath. It's then that Kia starts walking on over towards that bricked up wall and she trembles as she feels a a soft breeze through it. "There's abyssal energies this way." she says softly, not sure if anyone else really heard her.

Thea blinks as she continues to move,"Is that what the hells I felt on my legs?" She heard Kia alright, it's still as death in here but she freezes because her ears are ringing at the screaming,"What's wrong? What's happening?!"

The line has been dismissed by Martino.

Kaia checked strength + survival at difficulty 20, rolling 14 higher.

Domonico hmmms as he notes the breeze and the Admiral calls out. "Sunaia? Are you injured? Kia? Where are the abyssal energies again?"


With Thea and Kia close to the wall, they update the rest on the group on the breeze they have felt down around by the knee-high skulls piled on top of each other at the end of the L-shape before it bends.

|
|
|
|
YOU---
^
Breeze coming this way

Drake turns back and looks over to Sunaia. She seems afraid, but that's about all he can figure out. The walls don't seem to be moving... they're ... just narrow. "...A passage? Do you want to just kick it down?" Drake stops. "...I'm confident I could but we'd have to rearrange a little." It's too narrow for him to move around.

Although it's dark and anything is barely visible except when being close enough with a light, Kaia does manage to take a glance at the knee-high skull structures and the wall ahead. She frowns at them and moves in to inspect the area further. "Oh! I feel it too. It's getting stronger around here." she notes, before throwing a kick at the skulls to get the hazardous bones out of the way. She seems to succeed on that.

Her hand moves over the wall, fingertips brushing over some bricks that seem far newer than the rest. "These are newer?" she states. "Why would they cover it up?" She lets the question linger for a moment; that is, until she hears Sunaia's call from behind. She takes a glance back --lifting her lantern to get a better look at the Ashford. There was something about that tone. "There's an odd formation over here; but...are you alright?" Then there's gasps and panic. "Oh no...not again. Sunaia, take deep breaths. Calm down. You're okay. The walls aren't moving. You're fine. Here...take my hand." she offers.


As Kaia's foot meets a few of the skulls, some crumble away and roll past leaving a small opening forming in the wall to inspect.

Domonico growls under his breath, "I will be coming back here and tearing all this down... or at least sealing it all off. Be aware... it could be anything beyond."

It's Kaia's voice, her presence that allows Sunaia to get a grip on reality again as she focuses her moonlight gaze upon her friends's eyes, steadily. She mumbles something quietly, but slowly, slowly calms, taking deep, deliberate breaths. "...I'm sorry," she murmurs afterwards. "You... know... I'm going to just stay... close to you. Okay?" she asks Kaia quietly.

Kaia nods at her friend. "That's quite alright." she says, tightening her grip on Sunaia's hand for a moment before letting go. "Let's keep moving." she says, and then glances to Kia. "Shaould we pray? What can we do against abyssal energies?"

Sunaia checked mana + occult at difficulty 20, rolling 3 higher.

Kaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 40, rolling 8 higher.

Using her fingertips to guide her along the, Thea keeps walking,"Careful. It turns right here, but,"she lifts her lantern to try and see but--,"It's so dark!" That was warning for Sunaia. "Drake and Domonico, you might want to suck it in and shrink."

Something someone says strikes Sunaia enough to incite her to kneels down; she rights the lantern with Lagoma's flame and quietly prays. Eventually, though the sense of the room is still dark and gross, Sunaia, herself, feels reassured - and might even reassure some of the others in the room. At last, she stands, nods to Kaia. "Thank you, Kaia."


Glancing back in the direction of Domonico, Kia points towards the wall. "Through here..." Frowning for a few moments as she looks towards Sunaia, she hrmms for a few moments and takes in a long and deep breath, agreeing. "You can pray to the gods, I'll see whatever spirits will heed my call."

Drake resists a sudden urge to do the opposite and square his shoulders. But there's not enough room to do that anyway, and the stone will not bend. "...I'll do my best," he says, and tries to laugh it off. "We do have to stay together as long as we can."


|[As Thea kicks and pulls out the stones, it opens up a tight crawl space which is pitch black beyond her lantern to the group.

|[It is just barely wide enough for anyone's hips, and being at knee height, forces anyone going through it down to the ground to crawl.

Kia checked mana + occult at difficulty 30, rolling 36 higher.

Kaia checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 40, rolling 2 higher.


With Kia's prayer and it's mixing with Sunaia's own words, the feeling of dread and abyssal energy through that passage softens. Within it, further down, a hushed shriek can almost be heard.

But behind the group. The sound of dripping begins to build through past where they iron door way. From the darkened corner which has been unexplored, that sound echoes or... is it a second one?

It builds. The drip vibrating off of the walls and the skulls of the group forcing them to decide who's likely to go first down the tunnel.

Thea checked wits + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 8 higher.

Sunaia checked willpower + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 2 lower.

Drake checked composure + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 5 lower.

Domonico checked composure + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 9 higher.

Kaia checked composure + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 14 higher.

Kia checked willpower + occult at difficulty 30, rolling 41 higher.

Drake doesn't relish the idea of crawling. "...How far back does that go? Surely we don't all need to squeeze into it. Someone might get stuck." But then the dripping sound makes things seem a bit more urgent. He seems... a little worried. Maybe he just doesn't want to go first. But then he winces again at the sound. "Forget it - just go in!"

Sunaia checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

Thea is about to ask who wants to go first but there's--a dripping sound. Her eyes close tightly,"The dripping won't STOP!"and Thea starts purse her lips, but the space..the space is..Thea eventually calms herself, well--calm is an overstatement. "I'll go in the space. It has to be better than this damn sound!"

Sunaia checked willpower + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

Domonico growls in annoyance at the sound, not overwhelmed by the sound. "Compose yourself Drake." His voice is clear and firm before he says, "Let us move through there if this is getting... vexing."

Kaia's eyes move to take a look at the group. "Very well. There's only one way. Let's get moving, or else we'll never get out of this place knowing what the hell is further in." she says. "Take this Drake. It'll help keep the other side lit for us to move in as well." She says, and hands him her lantern. "I'll go after you..." she glances back at Sunaia. "You follow after me?"

The dripping behind them sounds incredibly dangerous; and it somehow steels Sunaia into //not// running back that way. Instead, she looks to the opening, measuring it mentally, then wills herself to bend down and crawl through after Kaia. "Yes, I'm coming with you. I'm fine," she says - and apparently, she means it.


Upon entering down the crawl space, the darkness makes itself entirely known. The tunnel is dead silent except for the sound of the group as they continue to drag themselves through the dusty space.


Nodding as she follows along, Kia starts to enter the crawl space. "This is new, so just keep moving. Don't look back." she advises the rest of the group, wincing as she takes in a deep and calming breath as the darkness continues to surround them.

Shifting the handle of her lantern to her mouth, Sunaia clamps onto it with her teeth, focusing on Kaia's cute little feet as she crawls further through the tunnel. Her breath is steady, normal-ish, heavy through her nose. But, considering there's something in her mouth? She says nothing whatsoever.

Thea gets on her hands on and and knees just behind Drake, her lantern between her teeth. A muffled,"Kick me in the face Drake, and I will hit you when we get out of here." She could be serious. Probably. More than likely.

Just like the rest, Kaia continues to crawl in through the tunnel. "Tunnels...I hate tunnels...hate them with all my heart. Ugh and it stinks in here! Please have mercy and don't stop moving. I don't want to headbutt my face on any of your behinds."


Suddenly Drake, being at the front, feels the floor angle down much more making. Gripping becoming almost impossible, so quickly, before it becomes too much to hold on without serious effort.

Drake checked strength + athletics at difficulty 55, rolling 18 higher.

Drake would probably rather be looking at a lady's hind end than the darkness. That would be more comforting. But his need to get out of the noise really forced his hand on this. So he's looking at darkness. But whoever is behind him sees his leather pants, which, seems to be Thea. "...I've been slapped for worse," he says. He's trying to be funny when... "Whoa--" He stops suddenly... and hopes he doesn't kick Thea in fact as he does so. "... Careful, it's slippery!" He stops his hand suddenly.... just in time before he falls down. "...It slides down. Do we... ah..."

Kaia shouts from nearby, "What's the hold up?!"

"I don't slap, Dra-,"but is caught off guard when suddenly stops, catching Thea off guard. She suddenly halts, stopping behind Drake. "Ooof!" Hearing him, the Malvici asks,"Slippery with what, do I want to know?" When he mentions it going down, she suggests,"Well--We can't really turn around--so I mean, we might as well.."What Thea?! "Slide down."

"You can't see //anything//, Drake??" Sunaia asks, presumably having taken the lantern from her mouth. "Kaia, can you... wait, just a minute." Some shuffling is heard and a little grunting, but, eventually, Sunaia taps Kaia's thigh with what is likely a torch. "Hand this up to Thea to give to Drake. ...DRAKE! Do you have something to light a torch with?"


"Mud. I hope. And well if there's a sudden drop at the end, it's a real shame, but it's been a good run." Drake reaches back to try to get the torch being passed up... and he's got to hold on with his knees while he tries to light it... maybe once that is done, he can toss it down... see how far it drops if there's nothing immediately else to see.

Kaia frowns at the mention of a slide. She reaches for the unlit torch stick from Sunaia and passes it over to Thea. "Give this to him yeah?"

Domonico waits patiently at the hold up and merely slows his breathing as he gathers his thoughts, "Be careful. Watch your footing... ah... handwork?'



Slowly the lantern rolls free from Drake's hand, down the tunnel before his eyes and for a few that can see past his rear.

It clinks, for those further back, sounding off of the walls but still, it keeps alight. The walls smooth.

The group can hear it crack down upon the bottom of the downward sloped tunnel. The very end of the chute light up a faint glow to Drake's eyes.

Thea checked intellect + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 54 higher. Thea rolled a critical!

Drake checked strength + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 25 higher.

Kia checked intellect + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 3 lower.

Sunaia checked intellect + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 13 higher.

Kaia checked wits + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 2 lower.

Domonico checked strength + athletics at difficulty 30, rolling 52 higher.

Drake has a good view at least of how long the slope is before the drop... and sees the light. It at least gives him some idea that he can make this without outright slipping, and so he continues to crawl. He moves his hands to the side of the tunnel to brace when things get slippery, which helps matters somewhat. As he's still first in line, he's going to try to stop anyone from slipping past him, but... it might be easier for someone behind to also grab someone as he can't see behind him at all.

Reaching and grabbing the torch, Thea nods. "Here,"pushing it up toward Drake. "You mean a good drop." Thea's trying real hard here to keep her humor intact. But she's in the dark. In a narrow tunnel. And it's freaking her out.

Doesn't sound like we're dying at least. She makes her way past Drake, whether he tries to stop her not. She's far more stubborn than he is, and well--Slides her ass down. With ease. And you can hear her actually laugh all the way down. "I'm fine,"Thea shouts up for the others.

Soon after Thea, goes Kaia; and, she seemed quite confident about it too! Until she wasn't. Both of her hands landed on that slippery surface and next thing she knew she was landing against the floor with her chin. "Ooof!" Her whole body slamming downwards and slipping further into the darkness --until those with the light further down could sight her. She went down with a scream. "Ahhhhh! Watch out! Clumsy lady coming through! Ahhhhh! Ooof!"

Putting the lantern BACK in her mouth, Sunaia grips the handle with her teeth and slides down without any trouble. She even lands on her feet fairly deftly, then flicks her eyes to the others - particularly to Kaia. She plucks the lantern from her lips and smiles briefly, "You almost sounded like you enjoyed that."



The group slide down carefully, slowly, their pace picks up at points but their planning helps them all down. Except for a few exceptions, they slowly wiggle and shimmy on down quite well. There is the odd slide, the odd slip, but nothing much to worry about from the group overall. Except those that bump into Kaia as she slides down a bit faster than the rest.

Throughout the tunnel, the air feels dusty. Unused air from a rarely used tunnel.

But, almost as sudden as the sharply angled floor took them, Drake is the first out through the tight space. He, and then the others find themselves in a pitch-black room. Silence welcoming them with the only sound their breathing and themselves arriving in the room.

Rubbing at her chin with both hands, Kaia looks up at Sunaia and lets out a pained chuckle. "Well. Pain aside, it was a little fun!~" she admits. One hand extending over to Sunaia. "Help me up, will you?"

Domonico follows on, quiet at the moment as his powerful form works to move him carefully into a position to slide down. His descent he controlled with his palms against the sides of the tunnel before he emerges and lands. "I hope we do not get stuck down here.'


Ooomph! It's a good thing that she's near the end because she slips and bumps into the count. Sure, she grasps onto his bottom instinctively, and cause it's dark before she blushes. "Sorry, my lord." Kia says with a soft sigh and a bit of a nosewrinkle as she dusts herself off before lifting her torch up once more.

Thea doesn't even bother cleaning herself off. It's too late for that. "It was a bit fun." Sorry, not sorry." She looks around, well trying to--holding up her lantern,"How do we get out of here?"

Drake gets down to the ground, lands on his feet, and makes it look good. Or... he would, if there was anything to see. But there isn't, because it is pitch black, so whether or not it looked good is actually up to the gods. He searches with his foot for the dropped torch... if it's not too wet, he'll re-light it.

"Of course," Sunaia replies to Kaia, extending her left hand and pulling up her friend. She looks around, considering this strange room, lifting her still-lit-and-sturdy lantern to examine it further

Kaia smiles at Sunaia. "Thanks!" Then, she too glances around the room. She reaches out for her lantern, once more, and begins to pace around the eerie room to explore. "Let's see...what do we have down here..."


The burial chamber is a square shape, built from the same white bone that makes up the rest of the catacombs. The walls feel imposing, utterly devoid of any markings, leaving the room with a tight crushing feeling to it. In the centre, where there is enough space, an open casket has been set up. Several black columns lead up to the ceiling, jutting up, to hold it in place.

Beyond it, what was once a vivid blue coloured altar rises past the casket. Loose papers sit upon it and an aged veil covering the wall behind. A well-preserved corpse is on display on the casket, dressed in fading blue robes with golden trim.

Dust, cobwebs and thin rectangular twig-like bricks litter parts of the floors and the altar.

Domonico looks around, as Kia emerges from the tunnel after she had grabbed his rear. "You well?" he asks his Voice before he adds, "Anyone see an exit... or- What in the Gods?"

Drake checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 15 higher.

Kaia moves in closer to inspect the papers laying loose upon that altar. "Oh...what's this?"

Drake approaches the altar carefully, with the torch out. He takes quick stock of it... of everything. Looking at bodies... he knows he's not an expert in medical things; a body is a body to him, but it might be something Thea knows more about. He's curious about the papers, but also about the wall. The last time he was in a cave the walls were of interest, so, curiously, he walks over to the veil hung there, and brushes it aside with his hand to see if anything is covered by that. Granted... it might be nothing.

Kaia checked intellect + investigation at difficulty 25, rolling 13 higher.

Sunaia checked composure + survival at difficulty 40, rolling 16 lower.

Sunaia checked willpower + survival at difficulty 40, rolling 18 higher.

Sunaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 8 lower.

Thea checked intellect + medicine at difficulty 30, rolling 16 higher.

Biting her lips tightly as Sunaia's silver-moon eyes flit around the room, she realizes exactly WHERE they are - and what this place is. She sits exactly where she landed, looking all around for something, somewhere to get out... but ultimately is distracted by the need to stay calm, to breathe. Nothing, nothing is more important in this moment than to BREATHE... and not to panic. The others will find a way out, surely. Someone will. They have to.

So. Sunaia. Breathes.


Having pulled back the drapings, Drake finds several dust-covered bones collapse down onto the floor as something of a small landslide occurs to form the disturbance.

For those close to him, they can see a narrow crawl space which leads up but has now been filled almost entirely with bones. A sea breeze is felt stronger to those near by, across the room, that scent of salt air is picked up.

Perhaps this once was used as the cult's route to enter or leave the burial chamber. But, now, it has been filled, making getting through it a difficult shuffle up.

Drake is ABSOLUTELY right. Thea steps over to the corpse, leaning closely to inspect it. "The casket is---it has filigrees of gold and black gemstones. The stones match what he's holding to his chest..There's several there." She leans closer in,"So weird,"Why is he dressed in blue? His skin matches the robes...he's so well preserved."

As Kaia skims through the various papers upon the altar she notes that although most are faded and lost to time there's still a few with some legible notes. She says it out loud for the others to hear: "To raise Mudros Tsu'nis back. We must find his soul. The wheel turned. The wheel gives. The wheel gave another his life. Let us find them. On this island. Bring Mudros back." She frowns and looks back at the corpse. "It's him...Mudros Tsu'nis. The first Drowner and one they see as their God."

Drake startles just a little when the wall just collapses, his foot shuffling back. That... he wasn't expecting. But then he puffs out a sigh. "... Good. A way out," he says, scraping at a bone on the foor with his toe to confirm this. Then he breathes in the sea air, and... that feels right, a reminder that not everything in this world smells like a dank catacomb, after all.

Thea reaches for the gemstones, because obviously she wants to know what they are. Hearing Kaia, she listens,"His soul? Where would--"Thea mutters,"Can we destroy his body?"

As the crawlspace is opened, Sunaia takes a deep, breath and huffs a quiet, calm gasp. She abruptly stands, withdrawing her 3-foot-long shotel and leaps, attempting to hook ... anything, digging with the claw-like blade to pull, carelessly, upon herself bones, dirt, whatever is blocking the way. "We have to go," she mutters insistently, "We have to //get out//." Digging, digging, Sunaia will pull herself up and into the opening as quickly as possible.

Domonico is quiet as the others examine the body, taking a deep breath and smiling as he knows the coast is near. "I'll start preparing our way out..." he says before placing a hand on Sunaia's shoulder. "Slow down... Breathe... We will be getting out... Just calm yourself My Lady."

"We need to rid his body, so his sould can't return to it,"Thea questions. This is a serious thing! She grabs the gemstones as well. "Burn it. We found a way out, burn the body." Thea looks at the others like this makes all the most common sense in the world.


The group begins to investigate and search around the room. Kaia having found a clue about the body itself, it is that of the first Drowned One and that they worship. Thea's searching over the body and raises the possibility of destroying the body.

By Drake, Domonico and Sunaia, the two begin to open up space up to crawl to the exit more. Bones crashing down from Sunia's hook, landing by her feet and building up. More begin to slide back down, the sight of them overwhelming over her eyes.

The light beyond it opens up more. Making the effort to scramble and crawl over them possibly easier.

Kaia shrugs at Thea. "I'm not sure..." However her eyes are on the panicking Sunaia urging them to get out. "What--Sunaia? We just got here...what's wrong? Why must we leave? What is it?"

Sunaia checked command + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

Flicking her moonlight eyes to Domonico, there is yet a savagery to the glint in her eyes as she peers down from the opening into which she's crawled and is presently clearing. "I'm calm. But we have to go. Now." She flicks her eyes to Kaia and replies with a touch more softness, "I don't know why. I just know. We have to leave. Now, immediately."

Drake looks at Thea. He's calmer than Sunaia is right now, even if the collapse startled him a little... so he hands her his torch. "Do it," he says, making eye contact in the flickering light.

"Give me a damn torch then. I'm burning this damn body,"Thea demands. Then she remembers she has her lantern. Seeing Drake, she nods. Her gold-flecked green eyes serious as she starts a flame. Thea goes toward the exit with the others, the stones in hand.

Kaia frowns but doesn't question her friend any further. "Hmn...alright." Instead, she quickly gathers ALL of the papers --even those that seemed faded and starts shuffling them in her hands. Making a neat pile, folding them and shoving them into her backpack. "But, we ain't leaving empty handed!" She notes, and quickly moves over to help Thea pick up some more of that gold and gems, before she (Thea) sets the corpse on fire. Soon after, rushing over to help the others with the clearing of that path. "How can I help?"

Domonico hmms and lets Sunaia head through the crawlspace and the Count ushers her on. "Very well... We'll be right after you." He sends Kia after Sunaia and then turns to wait for his sister and sister in law (and Drake), his eyes narrowed as he considers their plan.


The room itself, a tomb, had an exit where those that placed Mudros Tsu'nis must have left before being filled in. With Sunaia's grapple hook pulling down bones, it opens up more before the eyes of the group. A gradual, careful, slope up almost to the point that the group can walk up it crouching down. Kaia and Domonico's hands pulling back bones opening it up more-and-more.

Away from them, the moment Thea's torch touches the preserved corpse - the treatment over it expands and explodes filling the room with a nauseous scent of burnt human flesh. Parts of Mudros Tsu'nis rain down in globs of fat and twisted human flesh onto the floor with Kaia, Thea and Drake having narrowly turned away from it.

A scream, dark and piercing can be heard escaping from the casket. The sound swirling, the smell in the room completely foul, as the group scramble upon the bones to escape.

Drake checked strength + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 40 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 38 higher.

Sunaia checked stamina + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 17 higher.

Kaia checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 3 higher.

Drake doesn't dodge away nearly as fast as Thea did, but he does manage it narrowly... partially covering her, just out of a sense of - completely unecessary, but instinctive - protectiveness. Then ... it's time to go. And fast. For that he rushes to the exit, the climb out seeming a little less precarious than the drop inward.

Domonico checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 20, rolling 47 higher.

Thea lights that corpse on fire and runs. Fast. She has long legs and she uses them to her advantage,"Did that thing just scream,"she asks breathless as she runs. Thea makes her way to the exit in record time, climbing out quickly. So much easier than what got them here to begin with.

She is, of course, the first to the top and the first OUT of the death cave, though it took her much longer to get there, considering the work Sunaia insisted on taking upon herself. The Ashford flicks her gaze back down the column in an attempt to ensure all are on the move to withdraw, urgency in her demeanor, hollowing her cheeks and sharpening her already-razor-like cheekbones. "Hurry...!" she quietly urges. And, though Sunaia was quite distressed at points before, she is, now that they're breathing salt air, quite calm again.

Domonico shields himself with his fireweave shield just in case and ushers the others out before him, giving the shrieking chamber a baleful glare as he forms a rearguard, making sure that the others are out first.


Shifting and shuffling up through the bones, the sounds of them cracking beneath the groups' feet, Thea is the first to duck and break through out of the catacombs. Reaching the end of that dusty crawl space and met with the blinding light of nature.

The fresh sea air almost instantly making itself known as the exit brings the group into a small cavern on the island.


Having escaped the catacombs in bone-white soot and filth covering, the group were now able to make their journey back to the small dock town where they had started.

Opportunity to rest given from the pre-prepared bed and board in the town before the journey back oversea to Arx's dock.

"Oh...it definitely //did// scream! I thought that shit was dead! Was it not?!" would ask Kaia once out of the tomb area. The lady would be panting -- the climb out having taken quite an effort from her part.

Thea gasps, her face covered in grime and probably part of the dead,"Think that worked?" She is breathless as she slowly starts to relax,"I need to take a bath and have these jewels looked at and-"she just stops talking. "I feel gross."

Drake scrambles out of the tomb, though he looks back to make sure others have a secure foothold. Dominico seems to be checking on the rear, so there's less concern of someone tumbling as long as someone takes the back. He's grateful when he sees light again, and when his boots strike onto the more ordinary stone of the cavern... stone that isn't made from human remains, that is. He wipes some soot away from his eyes. He looks back at Thea, with a slow blink. "Ah. Could definitely use a bath after all of that. But at... least no one is hurt?" A quick check over seems to confirm this.

Domonico takes a big breath as he emerges out into the open and gazes over the sea with a smile on his face. "Thea... you did well..." He looks around at the others before he says, "We can go to Caer Morien and you are all welcome to stay a few days while we restock the Tempest." He smiles again, "As for baths... We have them as well as several natural springs on the islands and..." he gestures at the sea, "We have that and some wonderful coves to swim and bath in as well."

Lingering just inside the exit until Kaia makes her way out, Sunaia follows, grateful, flicking her gaze from person-to-person. "...You're okay, Drake?" she asks her cousin, clearly concerned enough to allow her moonlight-hued eyes check him, as well.

And, all seems back-to-normal with the generally-stoic Ashford, except for a slight hollowing of her cheeks and far-away glint in her eyes, every once-in-a-while. She inhales deeply, looking around to find the seashore. "I can smell the ocean; where is it from here?" she asks Domonico.

Sunaia immediately strides towards the seashore, already tearing off her clothes. Abashed Crownlanders? Not this Ashford. As soon as she makes it to the seashore, the thin, white woman steps within. And lingers within the waters for... well. A long time.



The group has visited the catacombs of Mudros Tsu'nis and had uncovered the burial chamber itself - no demon was found. No cultist. No obviously evil forces. There was an explosion of a body and there was a piercing scream. But, really, don't old corpses always do that when you set them on far?

There was a note though. A scrap of paper which reveals the mission for the Drowners of Caer.

What they are doing.

And why they are still here.