Chapter 2: Birdsong in Hollow Valley

somebox Inactive forever!

Kalam let Meng go first, knowing the surest climber would make the path easier to scale for the rest. Once he hears Mengs flute playing he follows suit, trying his best to tell himself that he will go back for his companions. Keeping each in his minds eye. Remembering that Mimi was hurt, and scared, the look in her eyes as they left her and Wei behind. He had to get back to them, it made him push himself to find what was needed and to get out as soon as was possible.
He grunts as he climbs up onto a ledge near Meng, sweat beading his brow. "What... What do you think... the ghost wants us to find?"

Xian Feng

Dec 3, 2019 6:09 am

Feng eyes the spirit wordlessly, silently thanking it for bringing them to safety. When she notices the climb they'll have to make she feels a little less thankful, but decides it's good enough considering their circumstances. And so she climbs after the two one step at a time, by the end of it both her hands have small cuts from the rocks, but she isn't too worried about that right now.

"The ghost wanted us to find freedom, for it led us to safety. I assume we are going to rescue the others, would be rather cold for us to leave them behind no?"

Dec 3, 2019 8:11 am

Mimi is getting bored and nervous as she continues to sit near the water level. She picks up a loose stone, and tosses it into the water. It hops 3 times on the surface before sinking into the dark waters. "I hope they are still OK..." She mutters to Orengi.

Dec 3, 2019 3:06 pm

Meng waited to see if the ghost had any response to the tune that came out of Shifu Rao's flute. Perhaps there was a magical connection between that and the ghost.

"I'd like to wait to see if the ghost reappears. Now that we've found the way out, we should swim back the same way to bring the others out the same way. Unless we re-locate the entrance from up top, and try to find the mechanism to reopen the vault from where the beast's lair was."

Dec 5, 2019 12:55 pm

The moment Wu Meng breathes into it, the bamboo flute seems to take on a life of its own. It sings a haunting melody of the East Wind and the North Wind in a dance over the mountaintops, and the things that they witness along the way. It's a song of death and rebirth, of longing and regret.

Music

A wind springs up, but then subsides as the ghost silently interrupts the song. Excitedly gesturing for all of you to follow, it zooms through the trees.

[ +- ] Assuming you follow:

Dec 5, 2019 1:57 pm

Wu Meng wasted no time in following the ghost, bounding forward in anticipation, almost leaving the others behind him. He understood that the music from the flute was somehow mystically connected to the ghost and it was confirmed when he reached the tomb. Trembling with excitement, Meng resumed playing the flute.

Dec 5, 2019 2:17 pm

evecar_solaris Inactive forever!

Music fills the dank hall. In the chamber below, Orengi's ears prick up as the plaintive tune resonates through the stone slab. The tomb marked Wind slides shuddering back towards the wall.

The ghost beams at Wu Meng, then points at the slab while looking expectantly at Feng and Kalam.

Kalam Makhir

Dec 6, 2019 3:18 am

Kalam tries to keep up with Meng, but just gets to the tomb as he begins to play again. As fast as Kalam is with his blade, he needs to work on his foot work. He chastised himself during the sprint.
As Meng plays the music and the slabs move, Kalam reaches into the hole looking for Mimi and Wei. Not seeing them he calls out "Mimi! We found a way out! Come back towards the entrance! Mimi, Wei, can you hear me!" Kalam waits for a response, torn between jumping in and getting his companions, and not wanting the slab to close again.

OOC:

edit for grammar

Last edited December 6, 2019 3:22 am

Dec 6, 2019 5:23 am

OOC:

Forgive me if the description was unclear. The slab has not moved. The way down is still sealed.

On your return to this chamber, you found three of the tombs (Fire, Wind, Sky) have slid forward from their places against the wall. Wind has slid back while Meng plays the flute that once belonged to Shifu Rao, Master of Wind.

Now, only Fire and Sky remain slid forward in what is apparently some sort of "locked" position. It's not clear what you're expected to do, but the ghost is now looking at Feng and Kalam.

Dec 6, 2019 5:24 am

somebox Inactive forever!

RoAries sent a note to Jabes.plays.RPG

OOC:

This is my action if Kalam was able to do that.

Last edited December 6, 2019 5:26 am

Xian Feng

Dec 6, 2019 5:44 am

"Meng whatever you do, don't stop." Feng looks astounded at such a contraption, wondering why such a device is even in place. Her eyes drift between the ghost and the Fire tomb they're motioning towards, starting to piece things together. "Just have to stay calm. Easy." Feng reassures herself, crashing her fists into each other to create a burst of fire, her hands now burning.

OOC:

Please note I'm very bad at puzzles. But the first step seems clear. Also pretty sure I don't need to roll for burning hands but eh.

Rolls

Burning Hands - (2d6+1)

(33) + 1 = 7

Dec 6, 2019 7:27 am

evecar_solaris Inactive forever!

Meng understood what needed to be done, and he saw that Feng and Kalam understood too. Combining their powers would enable the tombs to slide back to their original positions.

OOC:

Nice classic puzzle! Glad Meng brought along the flute.

Last edited December 6, 2019 7:28 am

Kalam Makhir

Dec 7, 2019 8:07 pm

OOC:

sorry bout that, in that case, Kalam would still shout for Mimi

Hes on his knees in front of the slab, trying to pry it up with his fingers, calling for Mimi. Seeing the ghost looking back and forth, then Feng produce fire, realization flooded into Kalams eyes. He jumps up from the closed slab on the floor, and moves to the tomb of sky.
Kalam draws his Janbiya, then draws a breath, his blade begins to drip iridescent blue sand. He quickly etches a sigil in the air with the tip of the blade, it lingers for but a moment. Then his blade flashes out piercing the sigil in a thrust, lightning flashing down his arm into his blade contacting the stone slab of the tomb lid.

OOC:

not sure about the rolling either but here goes.

Rolls

Galvanic Strike - (2d6+2, 1d8)

2d6+2 : (42) + 2 = 8

1d8 : (1) = 1

Dec 8, 2019 3:06 am

[ +- ] Mimi's perspective.

Last edited December 8, 2019 3:07 am

Dec 8, 2019 7:37 am

The tombs return to their original positions. The stone slab slides back to the center, unsealing the stairway, freeing Mimi, Orengi, and Wei. The ghost smiles, then fades from your sight. Will it continue to haunt this place, or has it perhaps, in helping you, earned its place among its ancestors?

Countless other questions remain. Who were these monks? What was the purpose of the seal? What do the submerged chambers contain? You may never know unless you come back here, possibly with a team of scholars, and either come equipped for underwater exploration, or find some way to drain the lower levels.

For now, you have accomplished what you came for. Guildmaster Tamchim will be pleased to learn you have slain the scorpotaur. No doubt, the beastmaster, Jimseung will be quite displeased.

What do you do?

Dec 9, 2019 8:03 am

"Thank you everyone, for agreeing to explore this tomb.We did not manage to find much, but at least I now know its link to my ancestors. We can return to town."

Dec 10, 2019 2:00 am

"How are you guys up here?! You better speak fast, or I'm gonna spear one of you doppelgangers!" Mimi demands quickly, raising her spear while looking at everyone in the upper room.

Dec 10, 2019 3:26 am

somebox Inactive forever!

"We found a way out in order to come back for you. Ask Orengi, he'll know it's us." Meng smiled.

Xian Feng

Dec 10, 2019 5:19 am

"If you try to spear me I will burn it." Feng crosses her arms, standing her ground. She softens up slightly, remember Kuroi isn't entirely used to her brash attitude. "But it will not come to that. Calm yourself."

OOC:

That was a neat little sequence Jabes.

Dec 10, 2019 6:45 am