Video; un: Sabriel.Abhorsen

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel's at the local healer's, in bed propped up with a bunch of pillows, looking worn and unhealthily pale. It's been several days since their adventure in the Silver Caverns, and she's come out of the drugged sleep she was put in as the healers worked to deal with her stomach wound, and Sabriel... has been listening to their orders to not move. But her bedside his piled high with books and parchment- she's clearly been keeping herself busy.]

So it seems that the stories of the Silver Caverns were not exaggerating- soon after entering, we were set upon by three basilisks- luckily, it seems healing magic can halt their petrification.

[And why is it that only clerics have such a useful spell? But Sabriel presses on, her voice businesslike as she details]

We wounded them, and set off down the tunnel they came through. But as we went further in, we found a portal. We were unable to enter, but could hear the sound of more basilisks on the other side. And we found more passages, leading to more portals, which seem to produce a variety of monsters- vampire bats, clay golems, and twig blights are the ones we know of for sure, but we heard buzzing behind another, and saw signs of a gigantic serpent in another chamber.

At the end- the fight went badly. There were golems, and these plant monsters- Clarke, Dimitri, Rodimus, Jyn, Cassian- thank you, all of you, for getting me out of there. I owe you my life, and a great debt.

[But the moment of heartfelt thanks aside... Sabriel made this post public to share information. So gritting her teeth, she presses on.]

Did any members of the Songbird Brigade mention the portals when they spoke of the Silver Caverns? Or are these a more recent phenomenon? None of the stories of the caverns mention them, just that they're full of monsters.

If you choose to enter, bring a cleric- or several clerics. And a bestiary. I'm attaching a map- it's crude, but it shows the path we took, and what we found in each chamber, along with my best estimate of the distance and direction of each passage. There's a central chamber, with ten passages beside the entrance leading away from it. Each leads to a portal we can't enter, that spits out a monster, or monsters. Each portal chamber is connected to the two next to it, except for one where the path leads back to the main chamber, and another that leads out to a forest entrance. I've looked up all the creatures we fought in the bestiary, and attached notes on them as well.

And now for my speculation. It's likely that the portals are the result of the orb, although whether the result of a bargain, the price of a bargain, or simply the result of its chaotic and corrupting nature, I cannot guess. We found no sign of the orb, or any human activity within the caverns- but it's possible the orb is concealing itself, possibly within one of those portals. My sense of magic is somewhat dulled in this form. But the simpler, more likely explanation is that it's not there.

[Although while the orb has certainly corrupted and twisted its surroundings without a bargain... Sabriel would expect it to turn the local wildlife more monstrous, rather than opening portals to summon more.]

Comments

{ video } un: joric

[drawsblood]

It is good you are recovering. It sounds like a place many would not come out of alive.

What you've described sounds more like it was built for a purpose beyond sowing chaos. After all, were the orb to do things that way, it seems pointless to do it in an isolated cavern one would have to choose to go into. It almost sounds like... like the simulation room. As if it is meant to test a group's skill. Different portals with a monster down each one, seemingly brought here from someplace else. Could it be what someone would ask for? Would even Jun want a place to farm monsters like grain to bring back the spoils? It seems too foolhardy. [ A pause as he thinks back to the dossier Degar had given them. ] Unless he had a cleric with him.

[ He shakes his head. ]

Something to think on, but can we think of any other who could benefit from a cavern full of monsters? This could not have been part of the king's plan, could it?

video; un: Ambus

[legalcy]

How else can you create stories of warriors besting monsters if there are no particularly dangerous monsters to fight? They could have been a side affect of the bargain, if he wished for fame.

I see no benefit in corralling all of these new monsters in one area. Perhaps they were meant to be controlled by the king, perhaps they are to be a punishment for the local area. But these two theories are - as far as I am aware - not substantiated by evidence.

[And - in a private message to Sabriel:] Are you healing well? Is there anything I can bring to you?

video; private

[bindsthedead]

I'm healing as well as I can. But I wouldn't mind more books.

video; private

[legalcy]

I can spare gold for that. What sort of books do you lack?

[drawsblood]

Yes. As I told Sabriel, I still know little of the orbs, but the price rather than the bargain itself makes more sense.

[ He gives a bit of a hum. Thinking critically isn't always easy for him. ]

No evidence, but our speculations must lead us down the path to whomever now has the orb. Do you have any thoughts on how we should proceed?

[legalcy]

There's a story here: the orb was taken from the king, whoever took it was killed, and at some point, it was seen in the caves. I wonder if a member of the party took it during the fight - either Jun or Ellia, likely, and a bargain was made?

{ video }

[bindsthedead]

According to the dossier, it was he who recruited Alena to the Songbird Brigade. But my impression is that they've gone their separate ways since then.

[At the next question, Sabriel frowns.]

I do not think so... But it might be part of the price? The creatures spawned from the portals are capable of leaving the caverns, so the danger is not entirely contained within. And... the orbs sometimes have their own interpretation of wishes, and prices.

[drawsblood]

Or they do not associate in public but out there they may still work together. But I admit I still know little of the orbs. Every possibility seems stupidly dangerous to me. The price, perhaps then.

If you believe the place associated with the orb, than do you believe the one who holds it will return to the place?

[bindsthedead]

There were no signs of human activity in the portal chambers. If whoever has it visits it, they must be lingering outside the entrances, or only spending time in the central chamber.

voice — un: kestrel

[realists]

[ jyn's voice is slightly off, but still recognizable. she doesn't want to lift her head up from the pillow so no video. ]

You're alright?

[ she contributed some of the healing and she still doesn't trust it. ]

voice

[bindsthedead]

Thanks to you. If not for you and Clarke, the healers tell me I probably wouldn't be here.

voice

[realists]

[ oh my god, sabriel. gross. jyn makes a noise, some kind of acknowledgement to gratitude she will not be accepting. ]

If you need more... I don't use it otherwise.

Re: voice

[bindsthedead]

I... thank you. I think it might help, and I want to be ready. Missions have a tendency to end with a fight, and I suspect this one will be the same.

voice; un: raddude5000

[heroooic]

[While the information is compelling and Finn does care about what they found, Sabriel's condition takes immediate screeching priority in his mind.]

Sabz! Are you okay!?

voice;

[bindsthedead]

I'm- I'll be unharmed. The healers tell me there will be no permanent damage if I follow their instructions.

[heroooic]

[It should have been reassuring, but somehow her words did little to fill the pit in his stomach. Finn's frown deepens, carrying over into his voice.]

And everyone...everyone else, they're all okay? For real? [Don't give him the kid version, Sabz.] Jeez, this is so bad. Jun told me those caverns were bad news.

[bindsthedead]

They're all right. Rodimus and Clarke were injured, but not as severely. They're recovering as well, but I was the only one injured badly enough to pass out.

And we were able to investigate the caverns fairly thoroughly. No orb, no sign of human activity- but those portals are concerning.

voice; un: clarke

[romancekiller]

I'm just glad we all made it out of there in the end. [nevermind the fact she also got injured in the fight but it's nowhere near as severe in comparison] How are you recovering?

voice;

[bindsthedead]

As well as can be expected. How about you?

And- thank you, again, for the healing spell.

[romancekiller]

Of course, don't even mention it. [which is really all she will say in acknowledgement of the thank you and her own injury that she was trying to not draw as much attention to] I'm still recovering but I'm doing alright.

I guess it figures that that the orb is concealing itself or no longer in the caverns like we'd thought.

[bindsthedead]

True. But that still raises the question of who has it- and what they're doing with it.

I'm not a speleologist, but the structure of that cave didn't seem natural, even without the portals.

video | un: candor

[evasives]

It is good to see you are awake and recovering. [ even if she doesn't look super great, but she'll get there. ]

Most of our attempts to speak to locals and brag about what we went through were met with disbelief. Some suggested a regenerating spell, and others wondered if it was related a high number of monsters in the land lately. The caverns are clearly not a place people attempt often, if at all.

video

[bindsthedead]

I see. And there was no sign of any human activity in the caves, which means... whoever put the portals there isn't visiting it-physically, anyway.

Which still doesn't explain why.

[evasives]

Do the orb side effects or consequences always have a connection to the bargain, or can they be randomized?

Perhaps the portals are just a maze meant to confuse, to keep people away.

[bindsthedead]

They couldn't be entered but- Sometimes, the orb can passively corrupt its surroundings. But that seems to involve either things sickening, or the local wildlife becoming monstrous and aggressive.

[She'd have expected the monsters in the cave to mutate, and become more aggressive. Portals... Portals would suggest a more involved process, though all the creatures were naturally occurring ones, rather than constructs.]

However- there were two entrances. And the fight meant that we couldn't investigate the one in the forest.