Titania and Khanne travel toward the ruins. They make their way into the plains and head west now toward the outside of the mountains It will take them about three hours to reach the ruined city.

Khanne was talked into joining Titania for a trip to the ruins. "What ruins?" she asks. "Of coirse I'll go. I don't want you going out alone." She hmms and asks, "what do I need to bring with?"

Titania was back in her black and red thrax colored red armor with the thrax serpent carved into them, she packs away some foods and water in her packs. Her blue eyes look to Khanne, "I am not sure, I just heared some talking about some ruins, I thought maybe we might be able to learn something from them." she smiles at Khanne, "Besides I find myself not wanting to sit in camp and do nothing. I would some food and drink, a weapon but hopefuly we will not need it."

Khanne slings her bow onto her back and nods. She has her drink (whiskey) as always, and a pouch full of nuts and dried fruit. "I'm good then," she says, already dressed in her leathers. "Hopefully we won't need it, I am squishy. I survived breathing underwater... would hate to die now." She starts walking with Titania, trusting her to know where they are going. "You know.. this is my first time on an actual island..."

Titania smiles nodding her head as they start to walk along, "I was raised on one, being in Arx was my first time ever being on the main land." she says to Khanne as they walk along. "I have missed being out this far, though this is my first time ever being in Maelstrom its not what I was expecting." she says softly as she looks around as they walk.

Upon approaching, they notice what was once the fortified entry of the city built to be a stronghold in the mountains. It is hard to tell if the city was large or small. The walled fortifications are two stories high and head directly into the mountain proper. Double gates are crumbling and hanging from one determined hinge on each side, leaving the path open. The towers on either side that could have defenders are empty and abandoned, like the former home that lies within.

Looking up at the towers as they approach, she asks, "how long has this been abandoned?" She is used to seeing things built into the mountains, so that does not speak to her as much as the age of the place. Stepping up to the gates, Khanne peeks inside before looking back to Titania. "Ready?"

Titania shakes her head, "I do not know how long it has been abandoned, but it looks Thrax in nature." she nods her head looking at the gates then to Khanne, "Yeah I am ready." she says softly as they walk she prays softl, "Mangata please guide us true."

As they step through the gates, the mountain looms over them for long enough to make most uneasy. It the entire city built into the depths of the mountain? There are twists, turns and sharp corners. Light fades, leaving them in darkness.

Titania checked composure at difficulty 10, rolling 4 higher.

Khanne has rolled a critical success!
Khanne checked composure at difficulty 10, rolling 11 higher.

Steps are taken past the gates and into the mountain itself. "I have a firestarter... Do you have something I can wrap around an arrow, put whiskey on to make a torch?" Khanne asks to Titania, seeming to be perfectly calm inside of a mountain, cast into darkness..

It is very very dark, but Khanne is not bothered at all and Titania is keeping her calm as well. In order to see much they will likely have to find some kind of torch.

Titania nod sher head reashing under her leather armor and tearing some cloth from the shirt she wears under it and hands it over to Khanne, her eyes look around. "I wonder why they abandoned it, I would have loved to have seen it when it was full of who ever lived here."

Khanne reaches back to grab an arrow, wrapping the cloth around the steel arrowhead. Reaching for her flask next, she drizzles just a little on the cloth, enough to catch it, but not make it burn too fast. "Probably so they could see the sun... the moon.. the stars. I would hate to live so cooped up." Reaching into her pouch for her fire starter, she ignites the makeshift torch. "Safe though, I suppose. Wonder what they were trying to be safe from..."

Khanne gets a flint and steel fire starter from a fur-lined leather pouch with garnet house symbol inset.

The flickering light reveals walls that at first simply walls. The further they go, the light shines on pictures on the walls. These are not the horrors of Maelstrom, but rather a beautiful depicition of life on the sea, and of reverence for the Goddess Mangata. There are no sounds of life right now, but the murals speak for themselves - gifted artistry of clearly well-loved subjects, and the most repeated image is of the Goddess of air and sea. They fill the walls and ceiling of the tunnel, even as it keeps twisting and turning. Gradually, they turn a corner and there is light at the end of the tunnel, metaphorically and in truth.

Khanne checked mana + occult at difficulty 15, rolling 57 higher.

Khanne is able to hear whispering spirits of those who used to live in this city.

When the torch lights up the walls, showing a beautiful array of art, Khanne is awed. She is completely quiet, her eyes roaming over the paintings. "I could spend days, weeks here, sketching and painting these... so beautiful..." she whispers, then quiets once more. After some time, she looks around and asks louder, "what was that? I couldn't hear you... speak up?"

The spirits to be the echoes or the ghosts of those who once lived in this city. Khanne doesn't see anyone, but she hears their murmurs, the memories of a city once filled with life. The voice that speaks a bit louder than the rest is female. It has the accent of this island. "More visitors.." She says, not sounding hostile, but it can be hard to tell with spirits. Only Khanne can hear the spirits. "You came for her the goddess? Who are you?"

Titania is at awe as she looks at the murals, "They are beautiful." she says softly looking at them closing seeing if she can see who are in the murals, but when Khanne speaks she blinks looking to her and looking around. "Lady Khanne, whats wrong?" she asks softly.

Khanne shakes her head with a smile to Titania. "Nothing is wrong, just ghosts," she whispers. Continuing to look around at the murals, not knowing in which direction to speak, she says, "I am Vala Khanne Halfshav," she says, using her shamanistic title. "And this is Lady Titania Kennex. She is touched by the blessing of Mangata." She looks to Titania and says, "they want to know who we are, saying we came for the Goddess."

Soft murmurs continue in the background, but one rises above the others. Still only Khanne can hear. "Oh. I am Lady Brielle." She says to Khanne. "Touched by Mangata. She may want to see you then. I will show you the way. Follow my voice. I used to sing this song to my son." {She says. She then starts to sing an old Thrax Lullabye, giving Khanne a song to follow.

Titania is in awe of everything her eyes look to Khanne then around, her hands clasp in front of her as she stands there. She looks back to the Mural again tilting her head to the side just looking them over, "Imagine living in a time like this?" she says softly.

Khanne nods a little to Titania, distracted a bit by the voice she hears. "Oh, Titania! You may get to see Mangata... come with me..." She listens, turning her head a little and starts to walk. She walks with purpose, as if she knows exactly where to go, though on occasion she turns her head a little from one side to the other, listening before changing direction. "Such a lovely song, Lady Brielle."

Titania eyes god wide, "Wait what?" she hesitates for but a second then moves to follow Khanne, "Is one of the Ghosts name Lady Brielle?" she asks curiously looking around, breathing deeply looking as they walk.

The song stops when they reach the light, fading out into silence as they exit to find the sun bearing down on them. The tunnel through rock has led them, perhaps up or down or through? to a large open courtyard, beautifully appointed. To the right is a statue carved into a recess in a rock wall connected to the mountain that surrounds them, again of Mangata, standing with hands cupped outward in benediction or offering, and a gurgle of sound greets them. As though She were waiting for guests, the water flows clean and clear and pure from a hole in the statue and down from Mangata's cupped hands into a trough beneath, which swirls into a hole in the bottom and drains into an unknown place below ground. Whatever genius created this it offers water to any who wish to partake, endlessly refreshed.

The ornamentation continues around the circular walls of the courtyard - thirteen statues in total, one of each Deity, though none of the carvings are quite as ornate as the one of Mangata. Three doors lead from the courtyard proper, likely further into the mountain.

Titania moves to the statue of Mangata her knees buckle under her as she looks to it, tears start to stream down her cheeks, "Mangata." she whispers softly moving to lay her forehead on the statue closing her eyes, she is not sure why or whats come over her but this feels right to her, "We thank you great Goddess." she says through a shaky voice with tears that flow.

Khanne nods to Titania as they walk. "Yes, the one leading us is Lady Brielle. Do you know the name?" They continue on until they reach a lighted area. Khanne blinks in the bright sunlight, moving to snuff her torch so she might use it later. She looks around a moment, then freezes when she sees the statue. Her jaw drops open and she walks closer as Titania falls to her knees. Khanne reaches a hand out, letting the water run over her fingers before she cups her hands together and lifts some of the water for a drink. Licking her lips after, she says, "thank you, Lady Brielle." Her eyes gaze at Mangata, drinking the statue in. She smiles and says, "hello, old friend." She blinks then, shaking her head as if confused why she said that. "Mangata, it is good to see you so beautiful." It is quite awhile before Khanne looks anywhere else. She notices the other statues, the doors, but does not go exploring just yet.

Titania looks to Khanne when she comes over standing up she bretahs deeply, "She is beautiful." she says softly her hands move to cup the water and take a deep drink from it. "I would so like to know who these people were." she says softly looking to Khanne, "Can you speak to Lady Brielle?" she shakes her head, "No it is the first time I have heared the name."

Khanne starts to walk around the room, to see the various statues there. "Lady Brielle, Are you still here?" She pauses to study each statue a little before moving on to the next, waiting to see if the spirit can be heard.

The ghost doesn't answer. She seems to have left.

Khanne shakes her head softly. "Doesn't seem to be here..." Shrugging her shoulders, she says, "sorry. I don't know how to find out more. Maybe Victus knows something?"

Titania nods her head, "We should bring him here, he should see this." she looks to Khanne, "I, I don't want to leave." she moves back to the statue of Mangata, "I wish I knew what to do, please help me understand." she says softly to the beautiful statue.

Embassy of the Waves <EW> is now locked.

Khanne makes her way back to Titania. "We could bring him here perhaps, later. Maybe..." She looks to the statue of Mangata, then back to Titania. "I know the feeling, trust me. So often, I feel on the cusp of something absolutely amazing, but don't know how to take the last few steps I need to reach it... So often." She shrugs and says, "I could suggest meditation, prayer, lots of prayer... What is it you hope for?"

As Titania prays, a gurgle of water spills up from the fountain. It sprays Titania with a fine mist just as a warm wind sweeps through the courtyard. Khanne and Titania both are filled with a warm joy that seems to linger, even when the wind swirls around them once more, and is gone.

Titania laughs as the water comes up and sprays her, she closes her eyes letting the breeze was over her. Her hand touches her cheek as if she was touched, "Mother." she whispers, its what she tends to call Mangata as of late. "I am hoping to understand if I play a bigger part in things, so that I can do what I am meant to do." she looks to Khanne, "She is with us." she smiles her eyes twinkling.

Khanne smiles at the feel of the warm wind brushing past her, sweeping around the courtyard. The weight that has been bearing down on her as of late, making her eyes seem weary, lifts and it is as if she has been given more energy, more color to her cheeks. She nods and says, "I felt her. It was beautiful." Mist-grey eyes drifting back down to Titania, she says, "I could look into your soul to see what can be seen of your past, if you like. It is something I have done for many. It may not give you answers, I have to warn, sometimes... most often, it leaves me with more questions... but also, with hope."

Titania looks to Khanne nodding her head, "Please, if you could." she steps closer to the woman moving to touch her hands, "What would you wish for in return Lady Khanne?" she looks on the other woman with her ocean clue eyes, "We should go speak to Victus and then perhaps find a place quiet we can speak about this?"