[001] The Obelisk

[tombowings]

Across a barren desert of dolm and grey came six travelers, each from separate directions and leading behind separate lives. The travelers, having spent several days without food or water, endured flesh-ripping sandstorms, traversed monstrous rocky cliffs, and scaled monstrous dunes, each saw a single beckon of shade in the scorching wasteland—a single withering tree standing more horizontal than vertical. Nearly premedical to the dune from which it morosely sprang. The lonely tree, barely holding on to the last inch of life, marked the sight of a long sought after oasis—bittered by the dolm colored minerals that littered the otherwise grey sands. Bitter as it was, the oasis was drinkable. And tough not a lot, drinkable is enough in the sprawling wastelands of the Carcosia deserts.

Upon ascending the summit, our travelers looked out onto the desert. The villages and cities that sparsely dotted the bluish grey horizon caught not the eyes of these brave adventurers, for an archaic wonder of an ancient time blinded them to the scared lands and disheveled villages.

Here, deep in the Desert of the Fly Eyed King, a primeval mountain of metal protruded through the sands. No markings or runes of any kind blemish the scared, wreathed, and discolored surface—all except for a lonely hatch, lying 30 ft up the cliff-like side, three quarters of the way to the tip of the obelisk. What the hatch concealed was unknown to our travelers. Be it the riches of a forsaken past or the mutation causing radiation that has scared this once luscious planet? The artifacts of a people now extinct or the mechanical robots they left behind?

This meeting of six unlikely travelers begins our tale. The world is desolate and ruined—hope if a merely notion of the past—to live in Carcosa is to die in Carcosa. What happens in between in left up to you. Make of it what you will.

[waysoftheearth]

Iszak, a lean, slightly curved-backed figure walks slowly out of the blasted sands and toward the dribble of an oasis to stand in the little shade of the withered tree.

He wears a starched white shirt beneath what appear to be a stout leather butcher's apron. He carries a heavy looking bag in one hand, and shields his piercing eyes from the sun with the other.

Despite his parched lips and skin, he spends a long moment examining the metal mountain and the hatch. Then at last he seems to notice the others present, and introduces himself.

"Greetinks, Men. I am called Iszak. And I intendt to enter zis hatch here for shelter zis night. Come, you may join me, if you are indeed Men andt not imagininks of mine."

Then, putting down his heavy case, he drinks for a moment at the oasis before preparing to ascend to the hatch.

[murquhart72]

Enter: Emerald Blade of All Challenges! A wiry, tired looking Green Man wearing mail on slender body and helm upon shaved head, he carries a massive sword across his back. Emerald Blade dismounts his large reptilian mount and stands quiet, keeping his distance; Contemplating the Obelisk and eying the hatch (and his new companions), three stories straight up.

[crusssdaddy]

Penultimate Ectasy tears off his helmet, dips it into the water, and drinks furiously - once satisfied, he fills his waterskin. Dunks his head a couple times to cool off. Pokes in the muck absentmindedly with a hand axe, looking for... nothing.

"Little good comes from the abandoned works of the Ancients. I'd just as soon chance the desert, but we have need of food. Perhaps there are ancient stores hidden within.

"I have rope... let us enter as thieves."

OOC: Is it a vertical climb, or slanted like a pyramid. Handholds? Places to secure a rope?

[tombowings]

Aug 15, 2010 22:31:51 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

OOC: Is it a vertical climb, or slanted like a pyramid. Handholds? Places to secure a rope?

The obelisk looks to be a vertical, slippery surface without hand holds. However, it doesn't look like it would be too difficult to secure the a rope on the hatch door with a grappling hook or by tying two ropes together, draping equal lengths down from the spool that secures the wheel to the door, and climbing up the rope.

[cadriel]

Enmerkar, his red skin tanned to crimson by the unrelenting sun, reaches into his sack and pulls forth a length of rope.

"If we tie these correctly we should be able to get up."

[waysoftheearth]

"An ingenious scheme, yesz," Iszak observes as Enmerkar and Penultimate Ecstasy fetch their ropes and begin to uncoil their plan.

He stands fast on the spot, feet neatly together, and leans back so that his eyes are cast upward though his remains straight neck. He does wonder whether the great dunes of sand are pile up behind the obelisk such that one might scale the dune from behind, and then lower ones self to the hatch from above...

[Deleted]

The compact figure in the dusty reddish robes and face-coverings of the desert nomads stoops wordlessly at the side of the pool facing away from the other wanderers, methodically submerging first one, then a second waterskin in the stagnant water. After retying the waterskins to sling them from a carved bone shoulder-pad to the opposite hip, the figure loosens its scarf and stoops on hands and knees to take a long drink directly from the pool before straightening again and looking toward the horizon. When Nodu finally speaks, it is with a surprisingly feminine voice, inflected with a barbaric accent:

"I will join you in your expedition, Iszak Jale-skin, if you will have one such as me."

The figure unwraps its headscarf and turns to face the the others, revealing a grinning skull surrounded by filmy, translucent flesh. The Bone woman faces the men for a few moments, perhaps scanning their faces and their sword-hands for a reaction (one cannot say, for her yellow eye-sockets do not reveal the direction or character of her gaze). She then turns to the pool again to immerse her entire head in the water. After wringing out her long, translucent hair and moistening her head-scarf for relief against the dry air, she rises and joins the men in looking up at the obelisk.

"I fear a carrion wind approaches from the southeast, and I am loathe to leave this oasis until it passes. But I like my chances better in that metal tomb than out here on the sands. Besides, the devil winds often bring rain behind them, and these waters may be less bitter when we emerge."

[crusssdaddy]

P. Ectasy: "Let's throw the rope over the wheel. We'll tie one end around some brave soul's - or perhaps fool's - waist, and then haul him up by pulling on the other end.

"Someone keep a close watch, lest we activate some remnant guardian that has slumbered since ancient times..."

[crusssdaddy]

Aug 16, 2010 9:25:26 GMT -6 @picador said:

The figure unwraps its headscarf and turns to face the the others, revealing a grinning skull surrounded by filmy, translucent flesh. The Bone woman faces the men for a few moments, perhaps scanning their faces and their sword-hands for a reaction (one cannot say, for her yellow eye-sockets do not reveal the direction or character of her gaze). She then turns to the pool again to immerse her entire head in the water. After wringing out her long, translucent hair and moistening her head-scarf for relief against the dry air, she rises and joins the men in looking up at the obelisk.

P. Ecstasy: "I'm glad I drank first, bonething."

[tombowings]

Although bitter and pungent to all but Nodu the bone woman, the murky waters of the oasis refreshes the mouth and fill the gullet with cool liquid. The Penultimate Ectasy looks away as Nodu drinks, disgusted by the thought of seeing the water rushing from her jaw down through her breath cord and disappearing below her collar.

Aug 16, 2010 6:57:15 GMT -6 waysoftheearth said:

"An ingenious scheme, yesz," Iszak observes as Enmerkar and Penultimate Ecstasy fetch their ropes and begin to uncoil their plan.

He stands fast on the spot, feet neatly together, and leans back so that his eyes are cast upward though his remains straight neck. He does wonder whether the great dunes of sand are pile up behind the obelisk such that one might scale the dune from behind, and then lower ones self to the hatch from above...

The obelisk sticks straight out of the valley. Although there are nearby dunes in all directions, there is nowhere that one could directly summit the metal spike. A rope latter may be a possibility, however.

Aug 16, 2010 9:28:40 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

P. Ectasy: "Let's throw the rope over the wheel. We'll tie one end around some brave soul's - or perhaps fool's - waist, and then haul him up by pulling on the other end.

"Someone keep a close watch, lest we activate some remnant guardian that has slumbered since ancient times..."

Enmerkar and the Emerald Blade of All Challenges nod in agreement as they dislodge their ropes from their packs. After having firmly tied the two lengths together it takes three tries for them to drape the now 100' rope around the metallic spoke that connects the wheel to the hatch.

The rope is secure. All that is now necessary is someone to ascend it.

[cadriel]

Enmerkar looks first at Iszak then Nodu, and nods to the latter.

"The szarak mol* is the lightest here; we can hoist her up and she can tie the end off at the top, if she is willing."

His voice holds a flat edge, barely concealing his discomfort at the Bone woman's appearance, but he stands ready to help her if she indicates such.

* The word for "Bone Woman" in the tongue of Red Men.

[Deleted]

Aug 16, 2010 11:37:32 GMT -6 cadriel said:

Enmerkar looks first at Iszak then Nodu, and nods to the latter.

"The szarak mol* is the lightest here; we can hoist her up and she can tie the end off at the top, if she is willing."

His voice holds a flat edge, barely concealing his discomfort at the Bone woman's appearance, but he stands ready to help her if she indicates such.

* The word for "Bone Woman" in the tongue of Red Men.

Nodu looks up at the hatch again, then nods her assent to Enmerkar.

"Very well. When tying the rope around my waist, leave enough loose rope on the slack end to allow me to secure myself to the handle there -- I do not know what will happen when I try to open the door."

She ties her long cudgel of pitted, sharp-edged scrap metal to her thigh with a leather thong, then tightly wraps the sack she carries into a compact parcel and places it within the folds of her robes.

"I am ready."

[cadriel]

Enmerkar carefully (although slowly) ties the rope around Nodu's waist. He has left about ten feet on the other end, so there is still plenty enough to go up and around the wheel.

"Be careful. Shout if you need aid."

[tombowings]

Enmerkar enlists the help of the mighty Penultimate Ecstasy (who is eager to use the bone woman as the brunt of this experiment) and the muscular Izsak to assist him in the elevation of Nodu. The pulling is slow and tiring, but none the less effective. After nearly a minute of strain and exhaustion, the bone woman has made it 30 feet in the air and is nearly level with spoke that connects the wheel to the hatch door.

While the combined strength of Enmerkar, Penultimate Ecstasy, and Iszak steady her horizontal movement, Nodu, grips the hatch wheel with her delicate yet powerful fingers. [1d6=6] A lowed hiss of air, spurting from the ancient structure into the dry desert atmosphere, reverberated from the hatch as Nodu manages, with a single, jarring heave to twist the wheel.

The smell of death engulfs Nodu--burning her eyes and nose--as the hatch door flies open revealing a silent darkness within.

[Deleted]

After Nodu secures the slack end of the rope around the wheel spoke, she motions for the men to release the taut end so she may secure it directly to the spoke as well.

(OOC: Does the hatch swing open horizontally? Is it difficult to guide oneself into the opening while hanging from the spoke?)

Once this is done, she brings forth one of the small torches from her parcel and tries to light it, to illuminate the interior of the hatch.

[murquhart72]

Emerald Blade takes this opportunity to slake his thirst (not sharing the prejudice of most Green Men) and fill his own skin. His intent to be the second or third one through the hatch. He carries spare torches should they be needed.

[tombowings]

Enmerkar, Penultimate Ecstasy, and Iszak lower the rope slightly so that Nodu is able to grab onto the frame outward swinging door. After hoisting herself up and clambering into the chamber onto a flat metal platform, Nodu takes off her leather backpack and fondles for a torch. Taking a minute of two to ignite the flame, the smell of decomposes corpses ensnare's Nodu sense. But the nausea passes quickly and the torch eventually lights.

No less than half a dozen mangled and decaying corpses litter the floor. The a sight is sickening. While most appear to be roughly human shape, the skeleton of a single arm can be see growing out of the chest of one of the bodies, and another whether the flesh has decayed completely, you can see a set of fangs growing form another. while there are remnants of decomposing cloth, it seems that the possessions--if there were any possessions--of these corpses have already carried off or retrieved.

The inside of the obelisk seems to be made of a same metal as the exterior, but lacks the discoloration and sandstorm-caused lacerations. Nodu is standing on a square platform, nearly 15 feet in diameter. In the center of the platform, there looks to be the remains of another hatch, mangled and disfigured with the wheel completely detached. Below it there is a vertical tunnel laden with latter rungs, stained with dried and decomposed blood. Even with the light of her torch Nodu is unable to see the bottom of the latter.

Should the traveller wish to descend the tunnel, they will need a to choose an order in which to travel.

[waysoftheearth]

Iszak mutters something approving of the successful rope scheme, and then rolls his white shirt sleeve up, preparing to hoist the next traveller.

[OOC: What time of day is it? What does the weather promise?]

[EdOWar]

The green-skinned man takes a long drink from the pool, watching this motley assortment of lost souls rigging rope. After a few more drinks, he fills his parched waterskin, then approaches. "Hoi, I am Tas. I'll join you if you'd like to have another set of arms."

[waysoftheearth]

"You izt most welcomet to lend your strength, Master Tas," says Iszak starkly, "Whomever izt the next lightest among us should be raised next." he conjectures.

And then, perhaps rather oddly, he abandons his hold on the rope to squat upon his feet and open the clasps of his heavy leather bag. Within can be glimpsed slightly disturbing blades, and tongs of a surgical nature, and glassware. Iszak extracts a stoppered flask, and carefully fills it with fine desert sand.

"Zis might be useful..." he muses to himself, before replacing the stopper, and stowing the flask in his bag once more.

[tombowings]

Aug 16, 2010 16:36:02 GMT -6 waysoftheearth said:

Iszak[OOC: What time of day is it? What does the weather promise?]

It is just after dawn, before the sun has entirely risen in the sky. As for whether, it appears that the wind has not picked up [1d6] and that it will continue as in for the next 24 hours.

[murquhart72]

Emerald Blade of All Challenges will be the next up, if no other wants to yet.

[EdOWar]

Tas will follow Emerald Blade, unless another prefers to go first.

[waysoftheearth]

Once the three of them have ascended, those up top can haul the remainder of us up.

Iszak goes last, being sure not to leave anything behind.

[tombowings]

As stands the marching order will be:

1. Nodu
2. Emerald Blade of All Challenges
3. Tas
5. The Penultimate Ecstasy
4. Enmerkar
6. Iszak

Unless, a new marching order is proposed by tomorrow morning. This is the order in which the adventurers will descend the shaft and beyond.

[waysoftheearth]

When Iszak ascends at last, he makes a curt bow to those who have elevated him thus before taking a deep whiff of the wretched air.

"Ah, zese are specimens nearby, surely?" he says, keenly. "Let us see, shalt we?"

He digs a compact lantern from his heavy bag, fuels it with oil from a flask, and then attempts unsuccessfully to strike a spark by dashing steel again flint. He mutters several incomprehensible expletives in the tongue of the Jale Men each time he repeats the action, with growing violence. When at last the tallow wick takes, he shakes himself to calm down, dabs the perspiration from his brow, and moves to investigate the horrid corpses with an unwholesome eagerness...

[crusssdaddy]

P. Ecstasy: "Perhaps we'd be better served with this Jale ghoul in front... where we can keep an eye on him."

[murquhart72]

Emerald Blade: "As yet, he plays with the dead and has yet to molest the living. Let him play with what we leave behind."

[waysoftheearth]

Iszak prods one of the corpses with a boot, then, satisfied it is utterly devoid of any vim, kneels by it for a closer inspection. He prepares by first pulling on a pair of elbow length, dark, rubbery gloves.

Upon overhearing the misgivings of his fellow explorers, or perhaps because Iszak recalls that he is not alone, he pauses -- one elongate glove pulled halfway up an arm.

"Perhaps itz would be wise to learn what end theze met," he breathes, without turning his head, "Lezt we share their despicable fate,"

Iszak inspects the body for a cause of death, or any explanation for the remarkable deformities.