RP: Delving Down
It's Kesenday, Daeshen 23 10:05:47 1018. The full moon isn't up. The tide is low and rising. Fair weather clouds drift through the blue sky from the west. The wind is gusty.
Today's Spot of the Day is A04: Alexandria's Bardic College
Ga'Elian is sitting on a boulder in a grassy part of the campus, Erithamiel relaxing by his side.
Alik comes out of the music building turning a small lyre around in his hands. It is a beautifully crafted item, which he regards carefully, almost walking into Erithamiel in his distracted state. "Ah! Beg pardon, ah..." he trails off, puzzled, as he realizes he's apologizing to a griffon. It takes him a moment to connect the beast with the sil on the rock. "...sir, for disturbing."
Erithamiel swishes his tail and looks at the gnome. Ga'Elian simply says, "Thou art alright. Alk, is it? Either we've met ere now, or else thy fame precedeth thee."
Alik looks uncertain, and focuses on Ga'Elian more clearly. "Have met? Apologies again, then... cannot recall. But my fame, unlikely. Well known in Happy Valley, yes, and by some in Rune, but here? No. And, Alik, yes." He extends a hand to shake, realizes he's too short to reach the top of the boulder, turns it into an awkward wave. Then he frowns. "Do you know anything about lutes?" he asks, gesturing to the one in his hand.
Ga'Elian chuckles and points to Alik's lyre, "enough to know that that isn't one, uh, I think."
Alik looks puzzled, then looks at the lyre in his hand. He's about to say something when he seems to get it, he shakes his head and sighs. Lifting up his goggles and pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers, he mutters "Yes. Not lute. Lyre. Lute, this is the other thing, yes? Stringed, with a neck and a backboard, for resonance?"
Ga'Elian shrugs. "I'm really not the one to ask. Hast thou just bought it?"
Alik shakes his head. "Commission, is. Family instrument of local bard, wishes magical enhancement. Which, yes, is doable, but... I know nothing of music. Enchantment, yes, music, no. Still... to make magic shoes, tailor need not be, yes?" He indicates the slippers on his feet for emphasis. "So. To make magic harp, musician need not be either."
Ga'Elian nods. "Sound reasoning, still I think a weaponsmith that knows how to wield is a more effective crafter."
"Well, yes, perhaps," Alik replies, scowling as though he doesn't appreciate being reminded of the fact. "All well and good. More efficient, faster, fewer wrong turns in design. Yes, all this. But not necessary," he emphasizes. "What of you, then? Your bow, magic? That ring of yours, certainly, yes?"
Ga'Elian looks at the ring as if he'd forgotten it was there. "Oh, you're right, of course. My bow carries a small enchantment, yes, although I am looking to improve it as gold becomes available. My ring is magical, as are my armor, quiver, lenses, and Erithamiel's armor." He thinks. "I don't think I've forgotten anything."
Ga'Elian adds, "Oh, and my belt, too."
Alik smiles. "Well equipped, you are! Is good, is good. You need more such equipment, items, armor, weapons, you come see me, eh? Alik give you good deal. And jelly donuts. On the house! Erithamiel is the griffon, yes?"
Ga'Elian nods, "Oh, yes." After a moment to think, he asks "Hast thou spent much time underground?"
Alik nods. "Fair amount, yes. Of late, especially. Why?"
Ga'Elian steps down from the boulder. "I've been focusing a lot of mine efforts of late into the hunting of demonkind, and it occurs to me that in many cases they come from beneath the earth. I figure that if I shall become more familiar with the subterranean terrain, it may help me in hunting them."
Alik nods. "Sensible. So. You seek instruction? Magic to facilitate function underground?"
Ga'Elian says, "Oh, maybe instruction, but mainly tales of underground exploits. Now I well know that bards tend to sensationalize, but 'tis in search off such stories that I came hither today."
Alik nods. "Ah. Well. Bards. Pff. They seek an exciting tale." He shrugs. "This much can tell: metal support columns and rust monsters. Bad combination. You may quote me."
Ga'Elian looks a trifle alarmed, "Oh! That's not good at all! Was anyone hurt?"
Alik nods. "Hurt, yes. Killed, yes. The monsters only, though," he adds with a proud grin. "Killed four! Golem helped. With rust monsters, you understand, must attack at range. They eat that shiny armor, yes? But crashed much of tunnels before dead. Hours, rebuilding. Filthy vermin."
Relief sweeps across Elian's features. "Well, good for thee. As monsters go, they're really not so formidable, except when one is equipped with so much metal. Heh, a druid would make short work of them."
"Yes, well. Beneath the artificer's guild, was. So much metal, we most are. And golem..." he laughs. "Well. No metal, no golem, eh?"
Ga'Elian nods with amusement. "Good point. Heh."
"Helps to fly," Alik adds. "Your griffon... he flies, underground?"
Ga'Elian looks at Erithamiel. "Yes, where there is room for him to. Over the past few days we took a trip to Dun Mordren. Even under the Mountain, the khazad build on a grand scale--ironic considering their stature. But thy point is well taken. I do realize that in the pursuit of demons, delving below the earth may require me to leave him behind from time to time."
Alik nods. "And of course, many such evil creatures cannot bear the sun's touch, so they thrive underground. Undead and such."
<OOC> Alik says, "Alik is the proud owner of a Knowledge/dungeoneering bonus of +7, so can probably chew G's pointy ears off on this topic, even if I can't. :-)"
Ga'Elian shudders, "Ick. While fiends are alien to Ea, undead are simply WRONG. A sacrilege, an unnatural blight. Fortunately, not so many of them have plagued the area lately as demons. When my bow is enhanced, it should prove more effective against most unliving foes as well as the denizens of the pit.
"Mm? What enhancement do you consider?"
Ga'Elian says, "I plan to have it consecrated as a holy weapon."
Alik nods. "Wise." He seems disappointed. Then he thinks a bit and his eyes light up. "Actually, helpful you could be... we could be, to each other. Tunnels, beneath the Artificer's Hall, I wish to explore. Make maps, you see?" He pulls a few sheets of vellum out of his binder to show the elf. "But... not safe. Protect myself, I can, but better it is not to travel alone. So... you come with? We protect each other, I map, I teach you about underground. Yes?"
Ga'Elian looks eager at the proposal. "That is a fine idea, sir. Capital, even. I have been itching to actually get down there in the thick of things, as it were. When hast thou thought to set out?"
Alik shrugs. "Is better time than present?"
Ga'Elian replies, "Not at all. Wouldst thou accept a ride to that part of the City?"
Alik nods. "I would indeed!"
Today's Spot of the Day is A12: Memorial Gardens District
Ga'Elian and Alik are flying across the City on the back of Erithamiel, Ga'Elian's griffon. About the time they reach the Memorial Gardens District, Ga'Elian brings the flying mount to a landing. He explains, "My apologies, but I need to relieve myself before we go underground."
Alik hops off the griffon with alacrity. "Is not a problem," he assures the elf. "Actually, is test I have wished to perform here for some time," he explains, removing a ball-peen hammer from his pack and walking among the bronze and marble statues, inspecting them carefully and tapping the pedestals from time to time."
Ga'Elian nods and pats the griffon on his neck before finding a convenient spot to go do his business.
Alik politely ignores the elf, besides which he's completely ignoring pretty much everything except the statues themselves, which he is now running and back and forth between, tapping with his hammer at precisely chosen locations, and recording notes. Sometimes he clambers up to tap at higher points. A few locals are watching him quizzically.
Ga'Elian returns, fait accompli, and says with a sly grin, "So, they're not coming to life, then?"
"Coming to life? No, why should — ah," Alik interrupts himself, "Humor. I see. Yes, is funny," he replies, though it's unclear if he actually gets the joke. "No, am testing theory of acoustics. Of sound, you understand? How it moves from place to place. It is that I am understanding, for enchantment of lute."
Ga'Elian says, "Ah. Very good. Well, whenever thou art ready, we can proceed. In fact, why do I not turn Erithamiel loose here to hunt whilst we venture below? After all, the entrance lieth not far from here."
Alik nods. "A moment more, please." He continues to perform incomprehensible operations on the statues for a while, until he sees two very large members of the local guard coming down the path. "Ah. Perhaps is good time to continue, yes." He hops down to the ground and tucks the lute away in his pack. "We are to be going quickly then?"
Ga'Elian looks at the approaching patrol and says, "After you, then."
A14: Entryway to the Caverns Beneath the Artificer's Hall
Alik flees the local constabulary, ducking into and out of small spaces when they seem likely to catch up. They stop following at the edge of the gardens, and the pair proceed to the Guild building.
Ga'Elian follows along. "I doubt that thou wast in any real trouble back there." He heads toward the tunnel entrance.
Alik shrugs. "Attracting unwanted attention, is not first time my experiments do," he explains. "Real trouble? No. But nuisance, time, fines, complaints to Guild. Better not caught. Is fair? No, is not. Explosion, only once. Twice, if count when developing Stink Ray, but am not counting. No damage, no death, no injury, only much vomiting. Yes, sad for groom and bride, but not deserving imprisonment! Anyway. Are here." He spends some time in heated discussion with the guards by the tunnel entrance and eventually obtains permission to pass through. Or at least nobody actually tries to stop him when he barges past, which amounts to the same thing, right?
Ga'Elian laughs heartily, then waves at the tunnel guards as he passes them. Then, putting all mirth aside, he draws his bow and gazes into the darkness ahead. "A light source! That is key to exploring the depths!"
Alik nods. "Important, light is. Here, no sun, no moon, no stars. Even our eyes, insufficent." He pulls a moonrod out of his pack and activates it, filling the corridor with soft light... not enough for human vision, but sufficient for their own.
Ga'Elian says in a subdued tone, "Ah. Moonrods. Yes. That doth very nicely. Much better than a sunrod, if thou ask me, and... much nicer than a stink ray at a wedding." *smirk*
Alik shrugs. "Was not _at_ wedding. Was in lab across street. Misfired. ANYWAY. So, we see..." he pulls out a sheet of vellum on which a fairly neat map has been drawn covering not very much of the tunnels. "Is here the rust monsters," he explains, pointing to an area on the map that has been Xed through. "And here, we are here." He switches to a blank sheet of rough scrap paper, peers down the corridor in front of them, draws a line.
Ga'Elian shrugs. "In any case, yes. Shall we explore it then? I'll take the lead if that is acceptable." He draws an arrow from his quiver and nocks it.
Alik nods. "Yes, is best." He _is_ paying attention to the corridor both around and in front of him, but in a rather distracted manner. He'd probably notice a hobgoblin bearing down on him, but he might choose to finish the diagram before dealing with it. He walks stiltedly, pacing off feet and marking them on the map as they go. "Arrows... you arc them, yes? When shooting for distance?"
Ga'Elian says, "Yes. Perhaps one day I might make a more intensive focus on training for long-distance shooting, but for now, I am choosing to focus on the careful placement of my shots." He moves at a fairly quick pace considering the task is exploration, but no faster than he would to follow tracks. He studies the terrain as he moves, listening, smelling, trying to feel changes in temperature, humidity, and air pressure. After a relatively short time, the carefully masoned walls, ceiling, and floor give way to rough hewn stone. He stops as the pair reach an intersection where the tunnel forks.
Alik nods. "So. Expect reduced range, then. Of course, tunnels are shorter anyway. Excavation follows path of softest stone, yes? So. Few long straight paths, and lower ceiling cuts range. So archery less useful than on surface. Guns, also," he adds, indicating the items on his back."
Ga'Elian says, "Possibly, but short ranges aren't so affected by low ceilings as long shots are. In many such cases, I think a bow is easier to use than a big sword. It doesn't take so much maneuvering space.
Alik nods. "Yes. Great giantborn brute swinging great two-handed blade in narrow corridor... best stay away. Another thing: you understand how animals adapt to environment, yes? Desert creatures need less water, arctic creatures withstand the cold, and so forth? Is same here. Dungeon creatures adapted to underground. Some eat rocks, even." He finishes sketching the corridor and turns to the right at the fork.
Ga'Elian arches his eyebrow and nods. "Well, right glad am I that I met thee this day. Thou art a veritable well of subterranean wit." He chooses one of the corridors and proceeds ahead.
The exploration and sharing of Alik's insights of the under-realm continued for a while, before both decide enough has been done for one day and head back up for food and other amenities.