Subject: Re: the mountain; descent

Cadfael knew where he was going. Despite his madness, he had led them within the mountain. He had not lied after all. . .

None of which is any comfort to Mission as he follows the glow of the priest's glove down into the stone tunnel. If there were any type of trap, he would have no room to manuever to evade it. If anything attacked, he would have no chance to strike it.

And so, what? What to do in this darkness? Mission grits his teeth and follows. It is the only thing left to him now. Yet following the priest-- a hard, sharp defiance builds in his limbs with each step he takes. Blood be stone, flesh be stone. This was the path he was meant to take, come death, come life. Here was the way to Promise, and redemption. Here was the way to Anileth, to the darkness that threatened his child.

And there would be a reckoning. Mission's tatoos burn at the thought. He was . . . eager for it. Not afraid.

The tunnel ends in an ornate door. When Mission steps through it, following Garyth, he hears the man's breath catch-- and sees why. Gold, like water, flowing over everything. But it isn't the gold that makes Mission's heart leap-- it is the caskets.

"Ancestors," he whispers. "This is a funeral hall."

And him without a stone in his pocket to leave for the dead. Just as well. He can't imagine Rennick taking kindly to the rites of the Path of Blood and Stone. Still, Mission feels his fingers itching to touch the caskets, to leave them with something. These halflings that never knew the Path, that could use his touch to find it, and find peace in their deaths.

There are a number of stone paths through the gold, leading into darkness at the end of the hall. Mission says to Garyth, "I will scout around this hall, and make sure that there are no suprises." He pauses. "I wouldn't touch any of this gold." He can't help casting a quick glance at Farron. "It belongs to the dead."

Subject: Re: the mountain; descent

Farron's eyes dazzle at the golden display all around him. Indeed, he is just about to reach out and touch the jeweled handle of a golden dagger lying invitingly on a pile nearby when he hears Mission's warning. He also catches the glance in his direction and is glad he hadn't yet made a move toward the jeweled weapon. He wondered what magic might be present in the items around him, and remembered his newly acquired Identify spell. A few more pearls from this vast collection of wealth would be useful in future spells and could make him a tidy profit providing that service back home.

Back home. That thought brought him back to the present, and the fact that they were quite literally entombed in the bowels of a cursed mountain, with a dark god to face in just a few hours. Before this is over, this wealth would do him just as much good as it would the dead it was meant to honor, most likely, he thought, and suddenly the golden gleaming didn't look so enticing.

"So, are we meant to camp here?" He asks the priest. "Or do we move further in?"

Subject: Re: the mountain; descent

Rennik stares at the room in wonder, utterly speechless, walking slowly from casket to casket.

His people. His ancestors. This was the civilization that build the city at the center of the island, the empire of halflings rich in gold and history, rich in size and power... but not rich in wisdom. Or spirit. What wisdom could not have forseen their doom? What spiritual wholeness could have brought upon them such ruin?

Gold. Everywhere gold. A civilization that valued wealth, and jewels, and excess. A culture that would heap gold trinkets upon their dead, thinking that would somehow redeem their spirits in their death journey. What good do the dead have for gold? What need they silver and jewels and riches?

These were not his people. They may be his distant kin, but he can make no claim to them. They lost sight of the true meaning of life - or worse, never knew it. They worshipped the sun god Pelor, and the gold that reflected the god's light. They were apart from nature, apart from the world. They did not even allow their dead to return to the mother's womb, instead imprisoning them in boxes of stone, never again to touch the soil or feel the pulse of the natural world.

What need is there for gold? It is a convention of the stupid, of the ignorant. It is a convention of humans and dwarves, who value things more than actions. It is a necessary evil when dealing with the "civilized" peoples who have lost the value of trade of goods and services. What would a halfling craftsman need for gold coin? A goat has much more value in the wilds, or promises of family alliance or marriage of children.

You can't eat gold. Nor can you drink it. Nor can you call upon it for aid when your life is in peril. Nor can it continue your family line by siring offspring. The living must use it only when dealing with those who have lost sight of the important things in life, and the dead need it not.

A wave of revulsion comes over Rennik as he surveys the alien customs of these long dead halflings. It is as though he had discovered his ancestors were the Murrkat, or that they ate their dead.

"No," he says in response to Mission. "Nothing can belong to the dead, and it is this gold that damned their souls and their civilization. It is not sacred, it is cursed."

"But do not touch it. A people that valued wealth over all things, over spirit and wisdom and connection to the natural world around them... these are people who would set traps to protect their gold even after they are long past the ability to use it."

With that, he spits at the base of one of the caskets.

"I will go with Mission to help scout this hall."

Subject: Re: the mountain; descent

Mission checks himself before scouting. He says to Cadfael, "How far can I scout around and remain in your. . . protection?"

Subject: Re: the mountain; descent

I am waiting on Dan before I write the next turn.

Subject: Re: the Mountain

Garyth's eyes widen as Cadfael disappears into the tunnel, and he grabs frantically for the door as it swings shut. He barely manages to catch it, and almost starts after the priest. He catches himself just before he crosses the threshold, remembering the priest's warning.

But, wait, Cadfael had said that no one could pass the entrance before noon. Garyth shifts his weight uneasily, torn between wanting to run after the priest and wanting to stay alive. "Cadfael!" he whispers into the darkness, his voice ragged with nerves. "What are you doing?"

Subject: Re: the Mountain

Garyth's ears strain to catch the sounds of metal on metal, he knows Cadfael cannot move quietly through the tunnel, surely he can not be so far ahead?

It certainly sounds like Cadfael is there, just past the doorway and moving back toward the group.

Quite unexpectedly Cadfael reaches out and grabs Garyth's hand, hauling him into the tunnel.

"Do not block the doorway," he hisses, "we are a ways from Kor Garesh's tunnel yet."

Subject: Re: the Mountain

Garyth stifles a yelp as he stumbles forward. A heartbeat later he regains his balance and wrenches his arm from Cadfael's grip. "Wait!" he whispers. "Let the others catch up!" He spins around, trying to catch the door before it closes.

Subject: Re: the Mountain

Farron's heart takes a leap as Cadfael disappears into the tunnel, then again as Garyth follow, apparently against his will. If he is in position he will try to catch the door before it closes behind Garyth.

Subject: Re: the Mountain

Mission will follow the priest and warrior into the mountain.

Subject: Re: the Mountain

If Mission goes in behind Garyth and does so apparently un-coerced, Farron will follow carefully, looking around for any dangers, one hand on Jack and one nervously checking his spell components.

Subject: Re: the Mountain

As soon as matt checks in, the descent begins. :)

Subject: the mountain; descent

As soon as the rest of the group has entered the hidden passage, Cadfael turns his back on them and moves away. His stride is now quick and purposeful, as though he knows where he is going intimately. The only light is the glow from his glove, but the darkness does not seem to bother him at all.

The passage itself is small, though cunningly hewn. The walls are 8 feet high, and the passage 10 feet wide. The walls, floor and ceiling are all as flat as a sheet of glass, though such precision must have been incredibly difficult in the mountains granite base. The tunnel descends very slowly, but the passage is long, and after a few minutes of walking it becomes difficult to say how far below the surface the party has gone. Garyth remembers a dwarf he served with for a time who claimed to be able to tell exactly where he was in any cave or tunnel at any time. He also remembers the dwarf's large axe and ferocious fighting style, and starts to wish he was here.

After a few more minutes, Sa'id scents a dim smell on the air that makes him think of home. From inside his turban, his serpent peeks out, flicking its tongue at the air. Farron whispers to him, "What is it?" Sa'id thinks for a moment, then says, "Embalming. The odors from embalming linger. We were never able to get it out of our clothes." He seems to shake himself awake, then says to Farron, "I believe we may be entering a crypt or burial preparation area."

Almost before he finishes speaking, the tunnel ends at an ornate gold plated door, covered with runes from the ancient Halfling tongue. In the center of the door, the glowing sun of Pelor stands out. There is no latch, merely a handle to pull on. Rennik begins to say, "Wait. Do we know what's on the other side of tha-" when Cadfael reaches out and pulls the door open. He walks into the next room, and the party cautiously follows.

The room on the other side of the door is vast. The far wall cannot be seen. Even the side walls are dimly distant. But no one thinks about the room's dimensions. The room is also filled with dozens of stone caskets. But they are hardly noticed. Only one thought can enter any mind in this room. Wealth.

Sa'id's family was considered well off, his father having a profession much in demand. Farron has worked for wealthy men who could afford pleasure barges filled with silks and slaves. Garyth once ate a meal in the castle of the Duke of Nesalin, where every utensil was of purest silver. But this is not that kind of wealth. This is not slaves and a comfortable living. This is riches to stun the senses, to make one think of ruling not just the island, but the world. It is hard to believe that there is any gold left anywhere else in the world when so much of it sits in this room. It overflows from chests in coins uncountable. It sits shaped into cups and bowls and shields and spears and swords and a thousand other items. And not just gold, but silver and other precious metals. Gems and jewels sparkle from every corner. Racks filled with weapons and stands covered in armor sit next to each casket. The glow from the glove seems to reflect of the shiny surface of each coin and golden item, dimly illuminating the entire room. And the wealth of this room fills it to the distant edges. Only kings and princes would be buried in such splendor. Rennik sees the length of the caskets, and knows that these were kings of his people, long ago. If this wealth represents the riches his people gave to their dead monarchs, then they must have been prosperous beyond anything he can imagine.

Small paths of bare stone can be seen going to the other side of the room.

Subject: Re: the mountain; descent

So the halfling tribes WERE united in the distant past.

Interesting.

It merited further consideration; Sa'id can't help but wonder what cataclysm brought about the fall of this ancient -- and clearly mighty -- civilization. Somehow, the nation had been sundered and scattered, and the event must have had a profound impact in the halflings? collective unconscious, since the notion that the tribes were once united is now taboo and worth of scorn. That, of course, doesn't make it any less true.

Sa'id looks at Cadfael. That damnable priest. But paradoxically, he seemed to have led them into what was quite possibly the safest imaginable place -- that is, if that thrice-cursed god Pelor had any sway here. (This time, Sa'id can't even be bothered to compensate for his irreverence by making the sign of the sun disk.)

"It seems to me," Sa'id says quietly, "that this place may be the safest we can find to make our camp for the night."

Subject: Re: the mountain; descent

Garyth's jaw drops open when he sees the riches filling the room. It's not just more wealth than he has ever seen, it's more than he's ever heard of--literally more than he's ever dreamed of. As his mind tries to grasp the enormity of what he sees, a thought occurs to him like a tiny voice in the back of his mind: there is so much here, and it's been here so long, that surely a few trinkets wouldn't be missed. And, after all, don't the living have more need of money than the dead?

The thought has no sooner crossed his mind than it is replaced by an intense shame and feeling of disgust for himself. No, he did not come all this way to become a graverobber. A lot has changed over the past few days, but not everything.

Sa'id's comment breaks Garyth's reverie, and he nods in agreement. "Yes," he says. "This should be the most defensible place, assuming the builders of this vault designed it to keep things out as well as in." He glances sidelong at Cadfael, then continues, "And no one knows we're here, anyway."

I sort of expected this film to beat me over the head with an anti-religious message, but it surprised me by being more complex than I thought it would be. I imagine that there are any number of people out there who would find Saved! very offensive, but I don't see it as a condemnation of all religion, not even of all Christianity. There were too many sympathetic Christian characters for me to take the film in that way. Even so, it was rather heavy-handed in the delivery of its message, which turned me off. Macaulay Culkin was the only actor that I found memorable, and he seems to have matured well. I'm interested to see more from him.

Viewed: 6/25/2004 | Released: 1/20/2004 | Score: C

IMDb Page

Subject: Re: the Mountain

He lied. The damned priest lied.

The thought of burning Cadfael alive flashes briefly through Sa'id's mind before he can suppress it. He clamps down on his thoughts, forcing the darker ones aside, and takes a quick breath to help calm himself. He peers into the gloom, careful not to cross the threshold of the tunnel, trying to see what is inside.

OOC:

What time is it? Do we know?

Subject: the Mountain

The plan is set, and the party begins moving cautiously back through the tunnels to the exit Mission found. Cautiously in this case meaning following a mad priest through zombie infested sewers on a mission to enter the temple of a dark god, but doing it as quietly as possible.

The group is able to move past the zombies in the side tunnel without attack. But as Cadfael moves through them, all their dead eyes follow him. One even reaches up and grips his sleeve in a gesture that looks almost childlike and plaintive. Cadfael gently removes the rotting hand from his arm and says in a quiet voice, "Not yet, my child. Not yet."

After everyone has moved one at a time past the zombie group, the glowing glove is taken out and the party is able to make rapid progress to the second exit. Rennik pops out of the hole first, to scout, and quickly returns to report that nothing has changed near the temple entrance.

Everyone exits, and then stands staring up at the star filled night sky for a moment. Farron says, "Has it really only been two days?" Garyth gulps in huge breaths, as if he can't replace the sewer air with outside air fast enough. Even dour Rennik looks almost pleased with the idea of being outside those dank caves for a while. He says quietly under his breath, "If we are to die here, let us die with grass beneath our feet, and Mielikki's spirit close by to welcome us home. Not in some black cave." It almost sounds like a prayer.

As the group moves through the ruins to the steep mountain side, they catch glimpses of the host outside the temple entrance. The numbers of men, halflings, and undead are daunting. The halflings look like more members of the hated Murrkat tribe. Many of them are naked but for belts holding their weapons. All wear many tattoos on their chests and arms. The tend to sit together in small clumps near fires, and the humans avoid them. Most of the humans are not much better. They look like street ruffians and thugs. In fact, Mission spots one man that he thinks was a member of Elise's little group when they met her outside the cabin.

Rennik takes a moment to point out the small group of humans that had worried him. A tall man in a chain shirt, and a horribly disfigured woman in grungy brown robes sit near the same fire. The man is armed with a long sword and long bow, and there is something about him that is a bit intimidating. The other humans and halflings in the camp seem to avoid walking near him. The way that he sits absolutely motionless makes Rennik think of the elven hunters he traveled and trained with, and he wonders if perhaps the man has a touch of the elven blood himself.

Sa'id takes one look a the woman and says, "Witch." He makes a warding sign with his fingers in her direction.

The party reaches a steep cliff side without incident, never coming closer than a few hundred feet of the small army outside the temple entrance. Rennik and Mission are preparing to begin climbing when Cadfael moves to the cliff, touches its face, and opens a small door right into the stone. He disappears inside without a backward glance, and Garyth is only barely able to catch the door before it can swing shut.

[please check in]

Subject: Re: the Mountain

Cadfael continues with what he was doing.

*checks in*

Subject: Re: the Mountain

"I thought he wasn't able to go down this hole until midday," Mission says. In the darkness, his face looks craggy and worn.

Mission pauses a moment. If the priest were able to go into the mountain now-- couldn't they all? What was Cadfael playing at?

"Cadfael!" Mission whispers into the tunnel. "Where are you going? You said you couldn't cross this tunnel until midday!"

I've never seen the original film, nor have I read the book, but I have to believe that both were better than this latest version. To begin with, casting Nicole Kidman--who has all the personality and acting talent of a wet blanket--in the lead role was just ridiculous. This is a role that should be--in my opinion, anyway--played by a woman with great charisma and a normal-looking physique. Kidman just didn't cut it for me. Unfortunately, Kidman seemed to fit right into the campy tone of the film. Granted, some of the scenes and characters are meant to be cheesy, but there were also parts that were probably supposed to be edgy or suspenseful or thought-provoking, and they failed miserably. The sympathy star is awarded to Bette Midler and Roger Bart for managing reasonably good chemistry.

Viewed: 6/23/2004 | Released: 6/5/2004 | Score: D

IMDb Page

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

I'm sorry guys, but I am out of town at a client until Friday. I hope to get a turn in then. Sorry for the delay.

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

Apologies to those (including myself) who will get this twice.

I will be incommunicado for the next two or three days while I drive 1,800 kilometres back home to Nova Scotia with my family.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Matt or perhaps Erik could handle Elotai; as for Sa?id, Ty, Dan, or Karl can cover for me provided we don?t get to the point where I need to submit a spell list.

Talk to you guys in a few days.

Raja

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

Oops, I accidentally sent this only to Matt:

Telwyn springs forward ahead of one of the guards, but the other is too fast. He grabs for the second guard's shoulder, yelling, "No! He's with us!"

Subject: Re: For Celia. Please stop bugging me.

Holes in the earth. Riddles in the dark. Darkness watching. . . Mission catches his breath. Sand take him. "Rennick is right. We need to get out of this tunnel now. Rennick and I both left Cadfael to go sneaking around. . . if Cadfael is keeping us hidden from Kor Goresh's sight. . ."

He spreads his palms wide.

300 steps. . . did that mean that 300 steps from the entrance to the temple, around the mountain, there was a hole that led to the sanctuary? And Cadfael maintained that only he could walk in through that hidden way and remain unseen.

The Path ahead was dark to him. How deep was he really willing to place his faith in Cadfael? Not deep enough to trust Promise to the priest. Not that.

"Out through the zombies," Mission says. "As quietly as we can."

OOC: So, we're out of food, surrounded by evil, and our best hope of victory is an insane cleric who may or may not be possessed by the same evil we're fighting against.

LOVE THIS GAME!

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

OOC: Grr. Figured this needed to be responded to. Twinky's done a good job with this post.

Mission bristles at Sa'id's words. Bandying about Promise's life and his own redemption like they were. . . the ingredients to some spell. Like some difficult lesson to learn. He feels the smoke of shadow in his heart, bitter, quick--

Sand take him. It was one thing to contemplate trusting the priest in his own heart, but to have it forced on him like this. . .

"The Path is not straight, nor is it soft." Mission echoes the mage's words hollowly. He looks at Cadfael, then Sa'id. "When we met Anileth last, Cadfael fled. You've somehow reached the conclusion that Anileth will be disabled during her childbirth-- although the reasoning is lost on me, since by reason she shouldn't be alive at all, so how can we know what she is capable of? Rennick nearly chopped her foot off, and it healed over before he blinked. Who can say that she will not heal as quickly from giving birth to Promise? And remember, she didn't need to even lift a finger to send the lot of you scurrying for the woods."

Mission unclenches his fists. His tatoos are glowing grimly in the darkness, like veins lighted from within. Like the blood within him is fire. Blood and stone. "You presume too much, _mage_."

Then he sinks back from Sa'id. "I will let Cadfael go down the tunnel alone. I have the priest's oath. He will return with my son." He nods at Cadfael. "You remember, Cadfael? You will return with my boy so that you can kill me."

"Now. Let's get out of these tunnels so that you can have that chance."

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

Not all of us went scurrying, Farron thinks to himself. But never mind. He is done expecting even a modicum of respect from the single-minded monk with his contempt for everyone, most probably even himself. Or even the others around whom this whole terrible enterprise seems to revolve.

He suddenly feels exhausted. The lack of food, the soreness telling him he is not fully healed, and the need to rest all seem to come crashing down on him. How did he get in with this lot? He'd almost believe the gods were trying to teach him something, but that would imply he would live past tomorrow. And in the darkness of the tunnel that seemed a hope he could find no rational reason to entertain.

Done with his study, he lays a hand on Sa'id's shoulder in the dark and says quietly, "I'm ready. We can camp wherever we decide."

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

Can I get a short recap of the plan? I will write up the next turn today if I can get it.

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

I think we're planning on sneaking through the crowd of zombies and up to the surface. At which point we're going to try and find whatever Cadfael was talking about. When we get there, if it's as safe as he seems to be convinced it is Farron will cast his spell and we'll hide in the hut. We may also be invisible for the journey, depending on what Raja does.

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

That sounds right. I'm looking for the hidden code in Dan's message, something along the lines of, "My character's led them all into your trap, O Lizardly Master of Eternity! Feast on their souls at your liegelike leisure!"

:)

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

I believe that the plan is to sneak up the mountain -- Cadfael claims to know where to go -- and camp using Farron's Tiny Hut spell to keep us safe. Then in the morning, Cadfael goes down the secret tunnel at noon and we create a diversion at the main entrance.

That last bit may be subject to change if stuff happens through the night, I suppose, but the camping bit is the plan to this point from what I understand.

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

That's how I understood it. What about the invisibility?

I guess I didn't mention that Garyth is cool with this plan, but he is.

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

No can do, not until tomorrow. I only had one instance of the spell memorized.

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

Do you have an open slot you could use to memorize it? (Not that we necessarily want to take another 15 min for you to do that.)

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

No, I always fill my slots each day. I memorize as much as I possibly can.

And tonight, that will be fire, fire, fire. :-D

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

Rennik is cool with the plan to move up the mountain.

Subject: Re: Muddling through...

Apologies to those (including myself) who will get this twice.

I will be incommunicado for the next two or three days while I drive 1,800 kilometres back home to Nova Scotia with my family.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Matt or perhaps Erik could handle Elotai; as for Sa'id, Ty, Dan, or Karl can cover for me provided we don't get to the point where I need to submit a spell list.

Talk to you guys in a few days.

Raja

Subject: Re: Bermid's Moment (the game resumes)

OOC: Buchek's initiative roll is pretty low, so this turn may be invalidated by what everybody else does. If that's the case, I'll write up something else. As it stands now, though, here's my turn:

As the door swings open, Buchek takes in the situation--the line of guardsmen clashing with the barbarians, Holn fleeing from the melee, and the two guards directly in front of him obviously preparing to attack his childhood friend. With a roar, Buchek moves forward. If the guards are close enough to each other, he will attempt to knock their heads together, hopefully with enough force to stun them, but without enough force to kill them. If they aren't close enough together for that, he will attempt to tackle one or both of them.