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The Mother of Waters

Scene details

Setting: Our heroes delve deeper into the hidden temple of the serpent cult, but none are prepared for the secrets that await them.

Log


 Our heroes have gathered in the hidden temple's central chamber, having deactivated the traps that previously barred their way, and now stand before the strange mural etched into the stone wall. Ivo's gloved hand brushes away some of the moss and lichen that has grown in what must have been the centuries since its creation, though he does not attempt to brush away any of the hanging vines, lest they turn out to be snakes like last time. He hopes to leave snake-related matters to others.
 "First, this graven image on the left," he is saying, "of the woman in the horned headdress speaking to this crowd of kneeling humans. This most likely refers to the cult of the serpent said to predate the founding of Oradia. As a symbol of immortality derived from the shedding of its skin, and of course a creature native to this clime, its design may still be found on ornamentation associated with the royal family." Ivo's hand traces rightward along the stone. "Next, this bat flying above the snake."
 He glances to Rui. She had attempted to do research in her tome, though because they weren't entirely sure what they were looking for, their results may not have been comprehensive.
 "My best bet is that this represents the original formation of the alliance between the vampire aristocracy and the Oradian royal family," he says. "I can't be sure, but that would mean that what we have here is a record of Oradia's founding from the perspective of the dwindling serpent cult that was being absorbed into the new nation, which is an extraordinary historical find."
 His hand traces rightward still, to the last image still visible, the rest being worn now by time or, perhaps, defaced.
 "Now, for this remaining image: a group of people around what looks like a bonfire, while the people of the serpent and the bat are... leaving? Fleeing? With the caveat that this is speculation based on our own experiences, and much more may have happened in the past than we would know..."
 He clears his throat portentiously, looking to his friends.
 "I believe this depicts the initial rift between the Ankhialeans and the coalition formed by the Oradian nation and the vampires," Ivo concludes, looking just a smidge proud of himself. "That would suggest that the reason for Ankhialean hostility, why they would attack the Vampire Ball and claim persecution, is an ancient grudge. And, against all odds... there may be some clues to its origins here."
 His gaze drifts to the darkened passage that leads on, deeper into the temple, as yet unexplored, then back to the party.
 "Shall we venture forth? Are we prepared? There will likely be more... surprises of all sorts."

Ruidosa has picked up some things from a shoppe in a village. Rolls of parchment, charcoal. Does she intend to draw?

No. She's placing the parchment over large portions of the relifs and rubbing the charcoal on them to make a rubbing. She's carefully making a copy to show to her mom later. Maybe she knows things she doesn't.

Rubbings made, she carefully rolls them into tubes she carefully carries with her today and stands back up.

"Let's continue. I made rubbings to show to mother later. Maybe she knows something." she says with a sigh.

"So. Let's be careful there's probably loads more traps." she says carefully. "Oh right." she carefully hands , or tries to hand, Diaby an old leather sack. "There's a snake in here. It's rare. I figure you'd wanna make a new friend. It's probably upset it got stuffed in the sack. Sorry about that." she says.

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago


BEHOLD: Daibenzaiten No. Sarasbattay, present at last.

And in beads.

She has decided to celebrate the beadwork by wearing something made, to all appearances, 96.3% out of beads. (It falls short for two reasons: One, it's actually kind of hard to walk on a shoe sole made entirely out of beads, and two, she is wearing underpants of some kind underneath that.) The skirt is almost wholly made of beads of blue that create a fetching gradient, while the open-vested top has beads of shimmeringly iridescent green, red and blue that rest on her dark skin like a handful of spilled jewels.

"It's funny, how you learn that symbols fall apart in reality," Daiby muses as Ivo mentions the shedding of the snake's skin. "They do shed, of course, but they're not nearly as immortal as you'd hope... Except that then the symbol makes an impact! It's almost like there's two truths in operation simultaneously, on different levels."

A beat.

The snake around Daiby's neck - today it's a vivid red and yellow fellow, but this one is *not* poisonous, which Daiby has brought up, without being asked, several time times - raises their rather sleepy head. Daiby pets the snake's upper body... what you might call the neck if it didn't go on forever.

"Of course! With this charming fellow with me, I'm full of energy!" Daiby enthuses. She probably has a second snake somewhere, for the benefit of her... snake... magic... thing.



  Where is Reize in the middle of this? Normally, he'd be fascinated by the surroundings and ready to join with the group in the expedition. In fact, he'd be the most gung-ho of venturing forth.

  ...He's pre-occupied at the moment. He's lying on the ground.

  Remember what was in his satchel? Well, one of them is a nice dark-colored snake, coiled around his neck and body. There are three other snakes emerging. *BITE* *BITE* *BITE*

 It all started with, 'Your hug has gotten tighter, Rui.'

 


 "If the Ankhialeans don't accept you as their queen," Ivo gallantly says to Daiby, resplendent in her beadwork, "they deserve to be banished from Oradia, if only for their lack of taste!" He grins, only to nod in interest at his Cosmopolitan senpai's scholarly reflections. "You're quite right. Given the Oradian royal family's claims to divinity, doubtless they want to associate themselves with such symbols of immortality, however based in truth... mutually reinforcing symbolism, perhaps?"
 Please imagine this patter occurring, Ivo focused entirely on Daiby, as Reize is being mauled by snakes emerging from his satchel in the background.
 "Thanks for doing that, Rui," Ivo then says to the vampire girl as she takes rubbings of the engravings. "I'm especially curious to hear from the Lady La Crima if the large bat has any specific meaning beyond a representation of vampires as a whole. Given the date at which this must have been made, I wonder... could it hearken to the origins of vampires themselves? Might it refer to some individual progenitor...?"
 It is generally presumed, based on both mythology and known history, that all humanoids were created by the gods and goddess before the Primordial War. Scholars agree that the beastkin were the first and humans were the last, though how that is interpreted in terms of implied favor or disfavor depends on one's ideological priors.
 "Then, as we are full of energy," he finally says, flashing another smile to Daiby, "let us proceed down the hallway. My resources for translating the written text here, such as it is, remain unfortunately limited, but based on similarities to the cuneiform script of the plains people of Granse, I can at least now discern what it says up there." He points to the shadow reaches above the arch that supports the passage that leads deeper into the temple. "The Trial of the Serpent, I believe it says. I expect that to soon begin."
 Finally seeming to notice Reize, he pauses.
 "Oh, it already has."

Ruidosa rolls her eyes and leans down and starts nabbing snakes carefully away from Reize on the ground, trying to be gentle. "Daiby can you help me, please? Can you ask them to leave Reize alone for a bit?" she asks. "Can you speak to snakes or did I misread that?" she asks.

She then sighs and looks up at the tunnel.

"More snakes then? Real or imagined. Maybe poison traps?" she asks.

"Poison doesn't affect me much so... maybe I should go first again? Unless it's more arrows." she sighs.

Ruidosa La Crima also adds. "You're welcome." she says to Ivo. "I'm sure mother will have SOMETHING to say."

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago


"Ohh, Ivo, you're buttering me up like a bruschetta," Daiby says, audibly pleased but gesturing in a 'pshaw, shucks' sort of way. "I would hope that they'd at least hold their arrows or - oh, Reize," Daiby says, "are they being rude? Tssschh!" she hisses at the snakes.

(Subtitle: 'You can't eat that one (I'm eating that one)' -- snakes don't have very complex languages)

"Of course, I don't know if they'll listen," Daiby concludes after the hissing, before looking up the passage. "Do you need a hand up, Reize?" She looks towards Ruidosa. "That's an interesting thought! Most snake venoms don't store *that* well, but a few *do* - there's some that might just never decay at all!" She says this while not visibly helping Reize, at all.



 As the snakes continue their assault on Reize, they turn towards Ruidosa to give her the one-two bites as well! However, it is the language of the snakes that get their attention. The four immediatley face the direction of Daiby.

 ... 'k.

 They immediately slither off Reize, leaving the boy in the state of pain. And beaten. And defeated.

 'Why are we still here... just to suffer... every night.'

 "I... I live." Reize raises a hand, then he reaches for a ledge to hold onto and then he pulls himself up. He looks over towards Daiby, "I appreciate you getting them off me." He gives a pained smile, then he looks at Ruidosa and Ivo.

 "Let's journey ahead!"

 

Ivo Galvan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Insight and random knowledge check re: Trial of the Serpent
Roll(s): 14. Total result is 14. This is a success (by 4).


 "I think that would indeed be prudent in matters of poison," Ivo says to Rui, looking to her with genuine gratitude. "Let's be cautious together until we know what matter of trap we're encountering, and if it's poison-related, it would be wisest for you to take the lead, if you're amenable." He pauses as if to say more, then furrows his brow for a moment. "You know... since the mural depicts the bat, I wonder... if it does indeed represent the vampires, could the creators of the temple have built traps that they expected only vampires or others immune to poison could survive...?"
 As Reize rallies and they prepare to advance, Ivo is struck by this thought, pondering. Distractedly, he reaches into his cloak and cracks a red elesphere to help provide a dancing light, like that of a sparkler in the night, helping to illuminate the shadows.
 "The significance of the serpent is varied," he murmurs, half to himself. "Immortality and rebirth, of course, but also healing and self-transcendence, and thus wisdom more broadly. Conversely, they can also represent danger and... temptation."
 He is unable to resist stealing a glance at Daiby, her new fine beadwork appearing almost afire in the play of the light of the elesphere.
 "So... we may encounter a variety of challenges."
 The party moves cautiously into the darkened passage. The shadows are deep and seem to close in, necessitating slow and careful movement. Yet none of the weathered stone betrays any mechanism or machination, and the initial hallway is surprisingly short, soon opening into a small accompanying chamber.
 "Hmm... a ritual chamber?"
 The round room centers on a small dais where an object gleams: a polished bone torq or crown exquisitely crafted so that its pieces resemble two snakes intertwining about one another, at once grim and striking, with two fangs protruding so that they would hang from the brow to frame the nose when worn, each inlaid with emeralds. Around this dais, fragments of wooden staves now crumbled half to dust and the nigh spectral remnants of ancient robes, little more than cobwebs now, suggest that garments were once changed here in preparation for rituals further within. Behind the dais, on the opposite side of the room, a passage continues still onward.
 "Quite a prize," Ivo murmurs, "to be abandoned here for centuries."

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Manage to realize it's a trap.
Roll(s): 13. Total result is 13. This is a success (by 3).

Ruidosa La Crima eyes the strange crown on the dias and just points at it. "Do not touch that, that's got to bed a trap of some kind if it's sat here undisturbed so long. I bet like. It's poison or maybe maybe it's cursed. Reize. Don't touch the cursed crown. DO NOT TOUCH IT!" she says.

He's already touching it isn't he?

Yeah, probably. It sure is a prize.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Conveniently Swap with a Snake?!
Roll(s): 3. Total result is 3. This is a failure (by 7).

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago


"Sss," Daiby concludes to the serpentine guests. (Thanks!) She shifts the snake round her neck to wrap around her bicep and forearm, which is, perhaps, her way of "equipping" it.

She walks through the dark without fear. (Why be afraid? She's rich! Also, Ivo and Reize and Ruidosa are here!) As they move further, into a rounded room, hopefully without Reize starting to froth or melt down into protoplasm.

Sneak sneak sneak. "I agree," Daiby says, possibly as her snake is taken (snaken?)



 As they travel down through the corridors of the temple, Reize lights a torch and then he looks down through the surroundings. He is a bit more careful until they finally arrive at the ritual chamber.

 This round room captivates Reize. There is the sight of a bone crown resembling two snakes appearing. "Oh!"

 Treasure!

 He is quick to spring into action, leaping over to grab the crown. It's abandoned, it's his!

 ---Sudddenly, a snake pops up from the ceiling! Reize looks over at the snake and gets an idea.

 He moves to grab some powder from his satchel and moves to toss it at the snake. However, the snake immediately smacks the powder off the boy's hand and it lands flatly on the ground.

 "...Ah." So much for using the snake to replace the crown that he has in his hand.

 BITE!

 "OW!"

 


  ..Didn't Ruidosa say something about not touching the crown? Oh, right, he already has it in his hand.

 


 "If this is the sort of relic that has been left in a preparatory chamber," Ivo muses, regarding the dais without attempting to approach, "I can only wonder what manner of treasure might await further in... and what sort of ritual was conducted here. Well, perhaps we can proceed onward and return when we better understand... ah."
 Reize makes friends wherever he goes. That's one of his best qualities. In this case, the new friend is another snake, the fangs of which are now embedded in the young explorer's hand. Alas, this one didn't get the memo about Reize being Daiby's dinner. Better yet, our heroes have acquired a most intriguing item.

> Reize has found the Sacred Torq of the Serpent Queen!
> This is a cursed item. He finds that he cannot release it unless it is freely given and accepted by someone else or the curse is otherwise broken.
> Also, his other hand is currently occupied by a snake biting it.

 The dais begins to rotate, slowly at first, then with alarming rapidity. As it rises, suspicious-looking holes are revealed in its base, and a mechanism can be heard clicking ominously.
 "Run!!"
 Ivo seeks to grab Daiby's hand and help to pull her along as he dashes towards the passage on the far side, whirling his cloak to try to fend off the first barrage of projectiles as, inevitably, arrow after arrow begin to fire in a turning circle around the room, multiple layers of arrows being fired as more holes appear and the pillar continues to rise.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Nah nah nah nah batman.
Roll(s): 9. Total result is 9. This is a failure (by 1).

Run!!

Ruidosa runs by turning into a bat in a puff of smoke and starts flapping furiously to the top of the chamber as she tries to avoid being hit with an arrow.

This... is dangerous and an arrow clips her wing, sending her flying and she has to turn back to humanoid to avoid dying horribly to another hot.

"WELL THAT DIDN'T WORK!" she sputters as she just runs for her god damn life now.

"RUN RUN EVERBODY JUST MOVE!" she begs.

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago

Daiby rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Tonzura Kuite
Roll(s): 20. Total result is 20. This is a success (by 10).

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago


Daiby's eyes turn down to look at where the fangs have dug into Reize's flesh, no doubt infusing venoms into his tissues and bloods. "It does get easier," she advises him. "And it's gorgeoOHH!?"

Daiby is towed - but soon enough she has her feet under her. There is a rippling gleam of light up the glittering scales of her amiable cornsnake buddy. And her feet kick faster, and she looks at the others even as an arrow glances off that snake.

"It's really working for you!" Daiby enthuses, before calling to Rui, "Land in my hair!!"

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=12.
Comment: Ok I got a cursed item in one hand and a biting snake on the other, do i at least avoid being a pincushion?
Roll(s): 18. Total result is 18. This is a success (by 6).



  This has gone from bad to worse. Reize's looking alarmed as not only that the crown is stuck to his hand, but the other hand is pre-occupied by his new friend making sure that they become well-acquainted.

 Why is it always him getting bitten by these snakes?!

 Reize grimaces and he looks at the barrage of the arrows flying around. "Whoa!" As they continue to rise with each holes appearing, Reize quickly makes a dive away from the arrows. They each sail past the boy as he rolls along the ground.

 However, his rolling is a bit more sluggish due to the snake and the crown. "Oi! Let go!" He shakes the snake off him with irritation now.

 "Everyone okay?!" He calls out.

 


 Ivo, through the mysteries of Snake Magic (TM), finds himself buoyed as well by contact with Daiby, and despite his characteristic lack of agility, dashes for the exit with aplomb, slowing only to assist Rui howsoever might be needed lest she be struck by more arrows. Surely there's been enough of that in this temple already.
 Though the dais trap seems to disagree.
 "Reize, you alright!?"
 The Cosmopolitan looks over his shoulder as he reaches the exit, typically confident that his significantly more nimble friend is the one best suited to get himself out of scrapes like these but concerned nonetheless, and within moments he is grinning widely as he sees, sure enough, Reize handling himself with aplomb despite certain setbacks. There is no time to tarry long, however. The pillar is still turning and firing arrows, and the safest bet is to press onward into the darkness of the passageway as it begins to slope downward, so that the party can descend sufficiently to avoid the dangers behind them...
 "We made it, so let's... guh... what is *that*?"
 But they may have leapt out of the frying pan and into the fire. Ivo lifts his cloak about his face to try to ward off a suffocating and noxious scent as, with his other hand, he raises the cracked elesphere to better illuminate the final passage. On the far side, a grand stone archway stands, what lies beyond obscured by dangling strands of molted snakeskin like a dusty curtain. Between there and the party, the floor slopes dramatically downward and then back up, forming a long divot, and from it, coils of green smoke rise from small gaps, venting what seems to be toxic gas. It continues to rise as it thickens, seemingly recently activated (one wonders how). But deep amidst it, in the center of that sloping divot, is a small circular stone slab resembling a manhole cover, perhaps a stopper of some sort.
 Behind, the trap shows no signs of ceasing just yet, and ahead them, the gas continues to accumulate, as though in a pincer attack against them. Ivo tries to say something, but begins coughing loudly instead, huddled behind his cloak.

Ruidosa La Crima rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Shield Ivo to give him a little time.
Roll(s): 18. Total result is 18. This is a success (by 8).

Reize already had the fooking crown in his hand by the time she warned him, and she's not surprised.

She lands in Diaby's hair and avoids being shot by anything else for the rest of the mess as she flaps out, turns back into her humanoid form and walks forward through the toxic gas... that isn't affecting her much because undead and vampire.

She turns around and looks at the coughing Ivo as she sputters. She raises a hand and... FIRES A BOLT OF ENERGY AT HIM!?

Is she finally finishing him off!? Is this how it ends, Ivo!? By Treachery in a poison fog!?

No, the bolt expands around Ivo, forming one of her dark bubble shields as it should shield him for a limited time.

"We need to shut this down, Ivo, come on. be smart!"

She begs.

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago

Daiby rolls 1d20>=10.
Comment: Equip: Rui
Roll(s): 9. Total result is 9. This is a failure (by 1).

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago


"Yes! Fine!" Daiby cries out as people ask if they are alright. She is! Her snake-armlet has somewhat different opinions, but their scales aren't *that* damaged. Dinged, perhaps. Keep on running even as arrows fly, and then -

"Did you bring -- oh! There must have been an excellent shed spot," Daiby says at the sight of the skins. She also reaches up and -- almost gets her hand singed!?

Blorb! They're faced with all of this, even as her eyes turn downwards towards the thick cloud of heavier than air gas. Daiby's lips purse in thought. She doesn't do anything for long moments... and then reaches up to her head to touch Rui with one hand, lifting up the other...

At which point she explodes.

Not really, but it's clear that there was feedback what with the burst of darkling energy and Daiby groaning, "Oh heavens! I'm sorry, Ruidosa dear, I -- uugh --" She slumps against a wall, @_@ eyed.

Reize Seatlan rolls 1d20>=12.
Comment: Boomerang Throw to the Slab
Roll(s): 13. Total result is 13. This is a success (by 1).



 It takes a little while, but Reize finally manages to dislodge the snake from his hand and he tosses it aside. He grimaces, nursing his hand while the other hand is still glued to the crown. Stupid crown. Stupid boney... new joyous treasure crown.

 As they make their way further ahead, Reize finds himself going through the strands of the molted snakeskin and they find themselves at a downward slope with the noxious gas. "Nggh! Not this again!" This is not the first time that they've encountered such an environment like this. Covering his nostrils with the scarf, he grimaces and looks for a way to stop the gas.

  Just ahead, the boy can see the sighting of the slab. It's a bit harder to use his hand thanks to the snake. However, he does take one of his crystalline boomerangs and then he aims carefully.

 He swings the boomerang and lets go to have it sail towards the slab. He is doing so while coughing.

 


 Ivo gasps for breath, blinking rapidly as he finds that Rui, contrary to expectations, has bought him some time within the dark bubble to be shielded from the encroaching toxic gas. Registering his surroundings once more, he seems to his great alarm that Daiby appears to be swooning. Assuming that this is due to the toxic gas, and that her affinity for serpent magic does not render her immune or resistant to it as he might have hoped, he looks down at the source of the gas. As much as he wants to assist Daiby personally, ideally with some CPR, the only solution to this dilemma is one that assists the whole party. He attempts to think this through, as Rui exhorts.
 "That round flat stone might be a exit vent," he quickly says, looking down the slope into the divot in the passageway whence the gas emerges. "If we can open that, it might drain the poison... and if we can seal the vents somehow, all the better. They're small, but it might be possible with magic or some tool..." But he either cannot think of anything himself or doesn't spare the time. "I'll bet on the vent... with the time that your shield buys me!"
 And with no hesitation, displaying uncharactersitic incaution, Ivo leaps forward, sliding down the slope and plunging into where the gas is thickest, Rui's shield quavering. As soon as its effects dissipate, Ivo will find himself utterly swamped in toxic fumes. Using the time that remains to him as best he can, he rushes towards what he hopes is a currently sealed exit vent. Rather than try to lift the stone directly, he draws Hauteclare, slaps an earth aspected elesphere into the pommel to strengthen its blade, and--
 "Sorry, Dad."
 --attempts to use it as a lever, driving it into the narrow gap as best he can and stepping on the hilt forcefully. With a groan, it starts to pry loose, and the party can see tendrils of gas start to pour down, being heavier than the air. Yet Ivo is visibly struggling, feats of strength not being his forte. The shield won't last much longer, but the only thing he can do is remain fully committed. His vision begins to swim as the air inside his dark bubble starts to deplete.
 "Ghh... oof!"
 But just when all seems lost, Reize's boomerang collides with the partially-lifted slab full-force, at the perfect angle to flip it over and completely expose the exit vent. As Ivo stumbles back from the unexpected loss of resistance, Hauteclare flipping end over end to land beside him, the toxic gas pours down the hole, the vents expelling the gas unable to keep up. Within moments, the party is spared and has time to gather themselves. Panting for breath, which he now blissfully has, Ivo grins up at his friends.
 "Nice teamwork," he says. "Is Daiby alright?"
 Once the party has gathered themselves in the wake of this last challenge, they may proceed into the final chamber, and learn the nature of the mysterious rituals that took place here, warded as they are.

Ruidosa takes a deep breath and relaxes. "Huh?" she blinks at Ivo. "Why did you apologize to your dad?" she asks curiously. She doesn't know the history of Ivo's sword, afterall. Just that's it's some weird... flying thing sometimes.

She relaxes and walks along with the group before pausing and running over to Daiby. "Are you okay, Daiby? You shouldn't touch me like that! What we're you trying to do anyways?" she asks curiously.



  As the boomerang is released, Reize collapses on both knees, coughing and even spitting as the toxic gas manages to get into his lungs. It is thankfully short lived as everything starts to slowly ebb away. The vents expel the gas, allowing for the group to breathe.

  Reize takes several deep breaths once he gets non-toxic air into his lungs. "Whew... we did it." Sweat runs his face, looking at Ivo and the others. Of the group, it almost sounds like Daiby is a bit worse for wear.

  Slowly pushing against a wall, he pulls himself up to his feet and approaches where Ruidosa and Daiby are located.

 

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago


An exit vent! Daiby looks towards Ivo. She thinks of a vent. Of a vent that's lurking with the blood of the innocent and the -- no, is that a Rui-thought, not a her-thought? Augh! She presses a hand to her sweaty forehead. "I'm sorry, everyone," she begins to say --

WHAP!

POUR!

"Oh, we're not going to die!" Daiby says with sudden cheer. After this she turns away and crouches down to give a momentary, ladylike instant of being sick. Blech.

She answers Rui: "I am SO sorry. I tune in to my snakes to help me when we need the boost - but you're, well, you're not a snake, are you? Unless you can also become a snake --"

She gives Reize a thumbs up -- and turns away to be a little sick again. Aftershock! After this, a hanky (also beaded) assists her in maintaining decorum.


 As Ivo approaches the rest of the party, ascending the slope to ensure that Daiby is recovering well, he spares a glance for the edge of Hauteclare, having quickly retrieved it, ensuring that thanks to the earth enhancement there are no nicks upon the magitech weapon's blade. He seems startled by Rui's query, hardly realizing that he had said his thoughts aloud, and further surprised that she would ask about it. A bit embarrassed for several reasons, he manages a smile that's unusually bashful.
 "It's a long story," he demurs, "but, well... let's say that Hauteclare was reluctantly loaned to me."
 Though Ivo does not go into any detail here on the precipice of concluding their dungeon delving, he seems pleased at Rui's curiosity and as though he'd be glad to talk more about his past with her another time.
 "All's well that ends well," he remarks, sheathing his weapon, "so let's end this, and discover what the Trial of the Serpent is really about."
 Once his friends have prepared themselves, Ivo joins them in approaching the stone archway and, with a little uneasy hesitation, brushing past the dangling snakeskin, which does little to bar their way...

> BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNbMeBB9uiM

 At first, it looks like an enormous statue has been chiseled out of the very wall: a massive serpent of stony grey, still as death, seems to encircle the entire chamber, coiling in on itself. But as one's vision adjusts to the flickering light, it will seem as though its crumbling contours are just too realistic to be artistry. The final chamber is in fact enclosed by, if one's senses do not deceive, an absolutely massive molted snakeskin, its once vibrant colors now indistinguishable from the temple stone.
 "Yacumama..."
 Ivo breathes out the word involuntarily: the word that he had managed to translate from the mural, which seemed to refer to the great snake carved onto the mural.
 "Then, it's... what?"
 There, appearing almost embedded in the wall, its haft trapped between layered coils, is a staff that seems to match the crown that Reize procured, white as bone and artfully depicting two snakes coiling about one another in an eternal embrace. Its gleam beckons, the two snake's jaws each clamped around an alluring gem that resembles an especially deep emerald. Yet Ivo is not looking at it. He is, with increasing alarm, looking at the hilt of his sword, which is starting to emit a faint crackling sound.
 "Reize... this reading... it's..."
 It's strange. Just as the molted skin seems to blend its dull color in with the wall, so does everything save that staff in the chamber seem to be gradually washing out in color, taking on a sepia tone.
 "...it's an eidola!"

 Eternal change, endless return,
  Reduced to ash, still now I burn.
 My water parched, my children grown,
  My jungle flourished, my seeds long sown.
 Our sacrifice vanquished our foes and fear.
  So, why, why
 do I yet linger here?

 "This is impossible," Ivo is saying, either not seeming to hear the strange words that echo throughout the chamber, at least for some, or ignoring them. "The sensor says that the eidola here is just a remnant, the weakest form, a mere fragment of consciousness, without autonomy. But these readings are so... complex, so intense. How could a mere remnant..."

 You... are you...
  ...my Priestess?%

 "...still have a will?"
 Reize will begin to feel a strange pressure. His pendant is pulsing. The crown affixed to his hand is pulsing too, in time. The snake that bit his other hand has actually withdrawn its fangs and now seems to cling to his wrist with its coils almost fearfully. And it will seem almost natural...
 "Hey... it's moving!"
 When, with a shower of dust, the dead coils of Yacumama's ancient molt shift ever so slightly such that the bone staff rises and floats through the air of its own accord, its gem glittering dully in the faint light. It seems to offer itself to the group. As the party chooses how to respond, Reize, simultaneously and separately, will feel something trying to pour into his pendant, in the space within the star-fragment left vacant by Kernunnos.

> Who will take the floating staff?
>> Ivo
>> Rui
>> Daiby
>> Reize
>> No one

> REIZE: Accept Yacumama's remnant?
>> Yes
>> No



  Their ascension along the slope takes them higher. They now arrive within what appears to be the main hall. Reize takes in the sight, his eyes widen as he looks up at the enormous statue. "...Whoa..." His antenna hair droops as his eyes remain wide.

  As he approaches, he feels a glow. It is a glow of his pendant. It burns with a faint glow. Matching on one hand is that crown. Thankfully, there is relief that the snake is no longer biting him. However, Reize's senses are too dulled as he is practically in the trance. He is drawn towards that feeling.

  He takes a step forward. "...An eidola...?" It has been a while since they came across one. In Granse, there was Kernunno and the marauder. This one feels like a remnant, in some way. However, there is still a will. After all, his pendant is responding to it.

  Reize places a hand to his pendant.


> REIZE: Accept Yacumama's remnant?
>> Yes <----

  As if welcoming the presence, Reize allows it to take present within his pendant.

 

Ruidosa does not touch the strange staff. She seems more interested in the eilodola as it goes to Reize's pendant. "Amazing." she says. "That we found this. I wonder how old this temple really is. Mom will have a lot to say I think about this." she says as she looks amazed by it all.

  • Character: Daiby
  • 3 weeks, 5 days ago


Daiby's eyes widen at the sight of the staff. So, somehow, do the ones of the snake on her arm.

She reaches forwards to grasp the staff firmly just beneath the base! "This is amazing -- You poor little thing. You must have gone through so much!"


 My Priestess... my people...
  You returned for me... at last...

> Yacumama, Mother of Waters, Remnant Reborn, has joined the party.

 Ivo stares at Hauteclare's hilt as his alarm dissolves into wonder and awe, looking from the staff to Reize's pendant, then to the crown in his hand, as though starting with the help of his instrument to pick up on the metaphysical activities occurring.

> Reize has acquired Affinity Rank 1 with Yacumama.
> Reize has gained a temporary pact-based Passive Ability: Embrace of the Serpent. Snakes and reptiles will focus their attention on the one chosen by Yacumama as though under the effect of a continuous taunt. This stacks with any existing proclivity to be targeted by wild animals.

 "Hold on a moment," Ivo is saying, surely too late. "If the royal family of Oradia emerged somehow out of this serpent cult... and the cult worshipped an *eidola*... then... h... hold on..."
 Seemingly reeling, reaching up to grasp at his brow as though suffering the confounding effects of eidola distortion even as the sepia tone fades from the environs with Yacumama safely ensconced in Reize's pendant, Ivo hardly notices that Daiby is reaching out to the floating staff. It easily settles into her grasp, as though it had ever been at home there, light as can be.

> Daiby has acquired the Serpent Regalia, Caduceus.
> The path to yet deeper secrets of the magic of the snake has been opened. Further regalia may enhance such powers yet further.

 "Ah... well..."
 Ivo glances around, realizing that everyone has already made their choices. The room is still, at last feeling as empty as it seems. At last, this ancient temple is truly abandoned. He shares a glance with the marveling Ruidosa.
 "I think," he concludes, "we have a lot of thinking to do."