(The Old Leywellin Mines) Ghosts in the Darkness (rayage)

[Archelon]

oocThis thread request by Rayage, for finding a clue to discover a new type of alchemic whizbang . Whizbang approved for development by HD in a later thread. He just has to find materials here .Rayage has the details Along with other sorts of troubles . Footsteps echoed in the area just beyond the mines entrance... a sound long unheard of within this demesne. The mines were an Old Place, hollowed out into the hills before the Valterrian and professed to be cursed or haunted by the inhabitants of the Sunberth. Described as a barren place in old wives tales... and in essence, such stories might always hold a grain of truth. No one really knew if anything of value was to be held within the mines, nor whether there was any form of worth still there. Perhaps this had been where many of the town's residents had taken shelter after the cataclysm which shook the world so long ago? Perhaps it simply wasn't anything more then tunnel after tunnel of hollowed out rocks. Whatever the case may be, whatever one lone nuit might find, there might be very little spoken of about the occurrences which would happen this day. Nothing to be talked about, other then the whipping sounds of moaning deep within the mines, which seemed to beckon the nuit forwards... if he only had a light to see with. oocLight a torch XD.

[Rayage]

After stumbling over the bits of an old skeleton by the mine's entrance, Rayage bent down to tug free a loose powdery arm from the dessicated corpse before taking a small bit of its dried out clothing to wrap around the end of the appendage to form a rough torch.Taking out a small vial of embalming fluid, he doused the torch in its oil, before turning to the task he would hate. A task all nuits hated really, since it was a reason they used mage lights on the Isle of Sahova. He was making an open fire. Fire, the one element the undead disliked a lot since it made their already putrefying flesh to sizzle and pop, or ignite all together if the leathery skin was drying enough. Grabbing a piece of an ancient flint pickaxe from the leavings of ancient minors on the ground, he struck a spark, once twice, and then three times to bring the embalming fluid alight with a quick burst of heat. The sight was enough to activate his auristics and soon he was seeing the readings of heat around him... the bluish black of the cold stone , the cherry red of the torch... and something more interesting to him amidst the walls of the mine shaft he was in there was an old 'artificial' vein formed of the same wire that he used for alchemic reactions to carry the coursing of the djed, D-wire... but here he could sense it had once served another purpose.Scraping a bit of the lime and grime away from the side wall, his auristics began to see a few strands of glyphing, sure signs of ancient alahean mining techniques to carry signals... much like the golems of the Sahovan Isle used to communicate with each other back when "D" was in charge. He had not been present when the construct had gone rogue due to one of Sagallius hidden commands but he knew that the struggle of her betrayal had caused severe political restructuring amongst the older mages, and she had almost doomed the Isle to its destruction.

It was odd that the place he considered to be the portrait of nuit supremacy was seeing corollations in the middle of the Sunberthan mines to each of their magical systems... even if it looked like Sunberth's ancient sources were slightly less sophisticated. He supposed that was because of the Alahean gentry and overseers of the city taking full strides to supply not only the Empire, but the Sahovan Enclave with the raw materials they had needed to continue their constructions and experiments. In fact, the city still did to a lesser degree, though Rayage did not know why. But Sunberth was one of the main avenues for new bodies for his Nuit brethren. And occasionally, due to no reason the golems could tell , copies of ancient shipping manifests signed with an ancient scrawl they had not been able to decipher had recently been popping up in certain shipments of materials.That had been one reason for his research request to be granted for him to leave to enter Sunberth. Many of those packages of ancient items after "D" had left had been sealed with an old Alahean symbol.One that was linked to the Isle, only by records regarding most of the earliest shipments back before the Valterrian... it was almost as if someone , or something where the nuits had been concerned had awakened recently and began filling out the oldest of shipping orders which had been sent to the Alahean government back during the days the 'Grand Oath' had been taken. Even stranger, the theory proposed amongst the older mages was that a nuit of those times had to have been "oathed" themselves in order to continued sending supplies which had been requested hundreds of years ago... but the fascination of a golem involved was also floated. Parts of the city of Sunberth had been known by the nuits, to have become submerged, saved for the mysterious wards on Lodestar Island no nuit of the Isle had returned from safely. But recently, in a couple years past word of some of those catacombs being explored OOCBack in Liminal's stories and Hatter's - grandfathered in via permission by archy here ^-^ by adventurers who had found large sections of the city intact had resurfaced and the theory was proposed that one of them might have triggered something which was sleeping to awaken. He could sense something of that in the mines here. With the system is seemed in place for golem communication recently been re-powered.Though it looked like the magical stores keeping the system functioning were waning, "Fascinating." Rayage muttered as he began to see a few glphs in the aura. He was no expert on glyphing, in fact had rarely begun to scratch the surface of the discipline.But a bony hand reached out to scrape a bit of the plate where the glyph was clear in his auristics and a soon a sign began to be seen. Both in common, and nader canoch it read . "Warning, Level I NE -Access : Mineshaft 21. "But even more, there was a second glyph which activated, saying the words. "Nuit detected... State the eternal duty." Aloud Rayage spoke, "To bring the rise of the Alahean Victory once more."

[Archelon]

Two glyphs flashed, causing a new set to appear in the cracks as the magic was lit up, "Nuit confirmed." the words would read as a faint clicking noise was heard. It seemed Rayage's words unlocked something within the rune, be a measure of the glyphing involved a small stream of magical energy coursed from the secondary rune to open a small recess in the cavern wall. Within that recess was a small placard of stone with carved glyphs in common and within the ancient tongue. Rayage would take it, pondering its words and turning it over in the burning torchlight to see a small set of lines in the stone. It was a map of the tunnels in this level... with small anagrams of color marking sections off in faded red, leaving barely thirty percent of the map viable. In one of the areas of the map it had the words "Stairwell to level 2 B" and a small description of what was allocated there in nader canoch with common scrawled beside it. Equipment storage. Sifting trundles. Mine Cart Depot. Equipment Repair Bay. Track D-3 - Route to Golem Maintenance Laboratory If he was reading the map right, there would be a means of getting to the Golem laboratory by the second level. Even though there was no details of the map for that section of the mines, nor indications that caveins had not shut off the way there under piles of rock. Moreover, there was a significant amount of distance to cover on the first level and there was no telling what was between... To his ears the scurried sounds of rats feet echoed from the darkness of the tunnel, seeming to be held off from the light of his makeshift torch. Would the nuit dare to travel further in order to begin his explorations?

[Rayage]

As he spoke the words he smiled, observing the effects that a vocal command can have on glyphs and the magical energy that ran through them. The streams were amazing, and he wondered how long it could have taken someone to lay all of this out. Funny, how no one has found this before, but he so easily stumbled upon it. Then again, wasn’t it said people don’t explore much in here because of ghosts? Laughing to himself he took the stone tablet and observed it. ”Well isn’t this interesting?” another dry laugh would come from him. This reminding him of the old days where he would explore places much like this. Exploration was always interesting, especially when finding clues that connect oh so perfectly.

Moving the torch closer to the stone he examined it, a unique mix of nadar-canoch and common. ”Interesting indeed.” he muttered knowing wherever this ancient language showed up there was a puzzle to be solved, a mystery to unravel, or just something from the past coming back. It was through the language that allowed the nuit to have such an interesting perspective on the world around him. He saw it before the great disaster, and now it seemed the past was clearing up again, bubbling up to the surface and influencing the present. Funny to think that this used to be the present, but one had to keep in mind that every second that passed and had passed use to one time be the present. The endless march of time…

Observing the part of the map that was still readable he looked over the destinations carefully, and decided, after much debate, that the old golem lab would most likely have the items of most interest. If anything would survive down in these mines, it would have been a well-made golem. Though, if the equipment room was on the way it wouldn’t hurt to see if there was anything he could use. Doubtful, but it was worth a try anyways.

With that in mind he found that the stairwell should be somewhat in, turning and looking down a passage he smiled that direction. That is, if he was reading the map right. The distance between him and the stairwell mattered not for he had all day to discover what rests in these mines. This place was already interesting. He started walking taking no interest into the steps that echoed around him. Whatever it was it was of little concern for there was a greater understanding to be had here, a well spring of knowledge that, from his previous experience with the map in the wall, can only be accessed by others of his kind. Could this place have been built once-upon-a-time by Sahovan mages, or their golems? It was curious that he should get the map after what he had said. Stupid humans don’t know what kind of place they even have here! How underappreciated ancient work was. Rumors of ghosts, ha, the nuit laughed to himself, his footfalls echoing slightly as he made his was down the dark passage, his torch the only source of light.

He will find this golem lab. Part of him wondered just how big this place was, and if there is some sort of secret behind it all. He felt giddy with excitement, this was really refreshing from the mundane existence he was living in Sahova. Not that he had anything to complain about; just his research did get daunting sometimes. This was a nice break, or at least a change of scenery. Perhaps there is more to these caverns than he can see or discover today. Depending on what happens he might decide to make another trip in, of course being better prepared.

[Archelon]

As Rayage's steps echoed in the tunnels, his laughter was a prime counterpoint to the sounds within the mines. At times, there would be the beady eyes of rats, hissing in the darkness as their eyes seemed to glow from the torch's reflection before they scampered off into the darkness. His laughter was probably the first which had graced these passages in ... well what would seem to be forever? The deeper one entered the confines of the tunnels the stranger the sounds became as the wailing of winds through airshafts became apparent to the Nuit's ears. Of course, old mines must have airshafts that some must still be intac- Rayage's steps rounding a corner would stop a moment, as the sound of metal clinking against rock was heard ahead. In the distance a pale white figure, swirling in mists held an ancient rusty pickaxe. It's face was unfocused, its features hard to determine as it struck the tool deeper into the rocks. The hacking of the stone continued for a few moments before it suddenly ceased it's echoing. The pale figure head seemed to turn a hundred degrees at the neck to look at him as the 'body' continued facing where it worked. A mouth and a set of eyes formed upon it's previously featureless face and from its lips a rasping sound could be heard. A single scathing rasp of a word, uttered as a curse, or perhaps an assignation to the nuit's presence, even if it took the form of a question as ghostly eyes looked towards the placard the nuit held. "OVERSEER!?!?!?!?" Without waiting for a reply, the damned soul tiltedg it's head back on it's neck to let loose a howling cry. Fleeing towards the deeper parts of the mines, the echo was taken up by other howls in the distance... as if the nuit's presence had awakened something violent... something volatile. From the echoes coming from who knew where in the mines a series of warnings came , "Leave here..."

[Rayage]

The nuits attention was more on the map than the dark and dry shafts of the mine he was walking in. If anything could make sense of this maze of tunnels a map sure would help. The wailing of the winds did not disrupt his thoughts, no; he was too interested in what could be in the golem lab. His thoughts were shifting as he walked glancing up into the darkness just beyond his pale torch light, ignoring the rats just like the wind. They were of no importance. Just pointless creatures who rot in a dark hole for their entire existence. That is not life, no… They deserved the worst of fate. Those things which lurk in the darkness should be drug out and exposed to the light… Exposed and studied, experimented on. Again his mind drifted to his many experiment ideas, but he shook his head dispelling the thoughts. He couldn’t be distracted. No, he could not afford it. He had an adventure in front of him. He needed to focus on the map.

Finding solace in his words he looked at the map again, rounding a corning, but he stopped. What was that noise? Again the clanking of metal against rock sounded, and he was forced to look from the map, which was his guide, to spot the aspiration. Watching the show it put on the nuit laughed shaking his head, amused, ”Yes… take me to your leader.” ghosts… they were souls who refused to move on. They were stubborn, but most of all they were stupid. If they wanted life they should have become nuit, or just reincarnated. Granted, Rays views on things were a little bias and unfair, but that was how he viewed the world. He stopped. Looked at the map, where was he again? Moving the torch closer to the stone map to get a better view of it he took a minute to trace where he thought he was. Ah, a smile appeared on his face, there I am. He took another step forward he stopped as he heard the voice echoing throughout the caverns to leave. That was always a sign he was on the right track.

Half of him wondered why there where ghosts. Why did they come? Why where they here? Was it because they are being bound here by guilt by this overseer person or was it something deeper? Were they bound to protect something they stumbled upon in these caverns until the end of time? There were so many possibilities. ”H1-A” he said making sure that the creature was still with him, ”Don’t stray too far” he told it as if the thing could understand him.

He had come this far. He could not turn back, no, not when there was such a grand mystery to solve. It excited him, this was making him feel just a little more alive. He laughed, he would be sent to Dira before he turns back. Besides, this map was handy. He wondered if there were others laying about. Maybe some with a more complete map…. Continuing forward he made his way through the cavern in the direction the ghost fled. He was going to get to the bottom of this all.

[Archelon]

Rayage's musings on the nature of the mines would probably not have been as amusing to the ghosts which dwelled within. But that would become evident soon. For now his steps echoed within the twisting passageways and he had to stoop over like a hunched crone to pass through a partial cave-in of rock. A clear sign that, like anyplace, time's passing would eventually corrode or destroy that which was carved in stone. The same was true of a nuits corpse, destined to degradation without proper maintenence. The best nuits were the ones that learned to keep themselves as fresh as possible, so as to preclude the need for switching bodies. A simple artifice of the intellect to allow for in ones thoughts; A matter of supply and demand. While bodies were not that uneasy to get around Sunberth, if one saw the muggings, and murders. They would not be that easy to get to if one was entombed within an ancient cavern system of mines and passages. Yes, cavern system was inclusive in that... for as Ray rounded the corner the flickering light of his makeshift torch would cast his eyes upon a vision of the the undergrounds natural beauty. A sprawling system of stalactites and stalagmites could be seen as the path he took opened over the steep lip of a underground shelf. The elevation literally dropping over three hundred feet down into the underground swell. If he looked upwards, on the walls he'd see the mooring mounts of ancient metal. Nuts and bolts of alloys which were enhanced for resistance by alchemic workers of the old Alahean Empire. Many believed that back then such a means of producing vast amounts of precious metals for the old empire came simply by the manual labor of Sunberth's throngs of wretched masses, spurned on by the whips of overseers. They would have been right; but that wasn't all the truth as the nuit was finding out. Technology, in the forms of engineering of massive pulley systems, and magically strengthed wire allowed a network of ore to be shipped to every level of the expansive mines. For some, like here venturing off into this large natural cavern, wire had sufficed to guide large hanging cars , the size of three large horse troughs side by side up or down to the tracks to go to the smelters. Sunberth's mines had been amongst the best of the Empire, rich with the raw materials to fuel its wartime policies and equipment needs. There was evidence of that here now as well, in a bit of a different, more macabre sort. Sprawled behind the rusted, single remaining cart was a skeletal figure of bones, similar to one he had found before, but this one much older. The wearing shackles of dust masking its features completely. Bending down to study the newest article of contemplation, Rayage would notice the telltale sign of ancient iron armor, rusted to decay, yet still bearing the markings of an old guardsman, and beside it was a bit of Dust, from a spirit. He wasn't well versed enough to know of such things intimately but he knew enough from lectures of other nuits on the Sahovan Isle for what it was. At the skeletons side, hung two vials and a sword, a flamberge to be exact. The nuit pulled it free, noting how the metal core of cold iron was still well preserved, even if the the leather strappings on the hilt had long flaked into dust. The ornamental metal scabbard, also of cold iron, had kept most of the ravages of time from the blade, which could be seen glinting in the torchlight. The blade's core still bore a smattering of silver ornamentation. An officer's sword. He'd take them both, the sword and the scabbard belting it awkwardly around his waist before stopping a moment to bend down again. He could hear the wailing sounds of far off ghosts before a sense of touch ventured to press upon the shoulder of his fragile flesh form. His hand reached for the vial; and inside the vial was a clear liquid, its presence unknown, if not for the lectures, a bit of soulmist. Still potent after all these years. In his other hand, he scooped up a portion of the dust, and he wondered like the experimental delver of mysteries why a ghost's remnants would be here, next to this body, perhaps destroyed by the other ghosts? Why would a potent vial of soulmist not be taken by the ghosts of miners here? Was it due to their supersticions, and prejudices against 'supervisors. IF he wished he could choose to try to infuse the soulmist with the Dust in his hand in order to find out. Perhaps in life the 'captain', (it had to be a captain of sorts, didn't it? Who else would have an officer's sword and armor?). Anyways, perhaps the captain had known a little of the Art of Spiritism as well. It wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility as the Alaheans were known for training spiritists for the battlefield. What would Rayage do?

[Rayage]

Ducking under the partial cave in, the nuit grinned. The ghost, in its haste, had left the front door wide open. Shaking his head as if disapproving he knew that he never left his lab unguarded, and he had security of mind knowing that right at this moment golems guarded his precious research from anyone that wasn’t him, with a few, some, exceptions of course. That is not say that he still did not rest easy with his make-shift guard.

Coming to the opening Ray was amazed. Stopping to look over the natural beauty meshed so perfectly with the ancient machinery it was certain that these mines had, at one time, been the place to be. The sheer magnitude of the drop… Ray looked over the edge and into the darkness below, suggested that this place had been rich with fresh materials and valuable resources that mankind could exploit to their own ends. Amazing, the technology of the ancients, and amazing what one event could do to erase all the progress… There had once been two great empires and now the world was nothing but a collection of settlements that humans and, well, the other things managed to survive in. It was sad how much was lost, and the memories of the old times, before that fateful day, came back to him. Smiling at their presence he was somewhat comforted that he had not lost them to times grasp; that he still had a part of what made him who he is today.

Looking at the pulley systems and the carts in the dim torchlight made him feel almost happy, but sick at the same time. Sick to how much knowledge was erased from the world. He was a living testament to it. He could recount the events, and his story. Though pieces were fuzzy he knew most of it, or liked to think he did. It was then he was reminded of the locket of gold which was always on him, the one with the true him inside. What he was.

Shaking off the nostalgic feeling coming over him his thoughts focused on the body in rusty and decayed armor not too far from. Exploring over to there he nodded at the man, or woman, he really couldn’t tell over the layer of dust or the age of the bone. He was no expert on bodies anyways, despite what one might think about nuits. For in Sahova he never had to worry about a replacement body, and that little added comfort was what he missed the most and what made him want to stay there. In the past, finding bodies was a hassle. Granted, it got easier over the years, he will still be ever thankful for the service and solace that Sahova provides its mages.

Taking a moment to look over the armor, a hand moved the stone map he had acquired to balance it with the torch hand so he would be fee to wipe the dust from the plate. Old, decayed, he could still make out, thankfully, the symbol put there so long ago. They were Alahean, and from the looks of it, if memory served him… finding the sword, he let out quite a happy sound, though it was gargled and sounded questionable after years of misuse. The armored person was a guardsman.

Tugging on the ancient and well preserved sword the nuit took a moment to examine it, finding its quality to be exceptional his mind wondered just how old this was. The moment he picked the sword up he knew he was keeping it. Such a find, and in such good condition too, was outstanding. The cold to the touch metal felt right at home against his nuit hand. He did not much mind the cold anymore, in fact, he welcomed it. The scabbard too was in such fine condition. Happy with his finds so far he put the blade, quite awkwardly, on his belt and continued to search the body.

The wailing of ghosts came to him, a frightful warning that maybe, just perhaps, he has ventured too far. Shaking his head he almost turned around when he felt something touch his body, but instead he reached for the vile and looked at it, examining it. He could tell, just by being a wizard, that the substance inside was magical. All mages had that ability, but it took auristics to fully pull out that potential. Again, his hand reached for the dust, fingers dipping in it.

Taking a moment to decide his actions the nuit thought the best way to get answers, and the best way to defend himself from these ghosts that seemed threatening, from the overseer, from that voice to told him to leave, was to bring back whoever this was. If he were still alive the undead would have took a deep breath before opening the vile, but in its place was a moment of slight mental hesitation. Popping the lid off the vile he attempted to combine the magical substance with the dust that he was hoping was the remains of some ghost, and not just dirt. That thought entered his mind made him laugh a bit, he would be the biggest fool in Mizahar trying to summon a ghost with dirt.

[Archelon]

Ancient soulmist mixed with ancient Dust, and together the ghostly hazed form of a weakened ghost rose from its ungrave. It's form was intangible, surrounded in a sudden cold mist as it began to reform. It had been like this for quite some time, bound as a ghost to constant destructions as it rested by the ghosts of miners with their soulmist pickaxes. One simple rotten and rusted relic of the past, amongst the many. In the haze of mist a face began to form, it's eyes looking at the Nuit who bore its sword now. In a flash of angry turgid dishumor it seemed to spit as it recognized the robed creature as a nuit. "Oh so who are you now? Some lackey sent to see if we're all good and dead? Or perhaps some grave robbing wunderkind out wanderin-" It's voice stopped as it looked at the nuit's arms to see the slate it held... "Well at least you know enough it seems to open the overseer alcoves. Tell me, what agent do you be? Or are you no more then a cheapskate wannabe of the old empire? Just been twenty years and look what's happened! Damn upstart curs were glad of that wretched cataclysm so much that when some of the surviving guard tried to reinstill some sense of order to the mines as people took refuge here they up and petching tride to kill us all if we spoke, or warned about the dangers of living in the petching underground. Damn fools." From the course of the dialogue so far, it was readily apparent that the ghost's sense of passing time had been altered, perhaps from being beaten to sleep so many times over the long years. "Oh I forgot to introduce myself, silly how such things go out the window after your dead! My name is- or rather was; Captain Kogal Rivenshorn, captain of the Leywellin Guards, Second division, retired, late of the Leywellin Workers Patrol Authority. Just doing an honest service keeping the riffraff in line. Murdered ten years after things fell apart. Now that that's over: who the bloody hell are you, you damn popinjay. All decked out in black and red robes and looking all fancy?"

[Rayage]

Seeing the results of his tamperings with the vile and dust he took a couple cautious steps back as the ghost started to rise again from the undeath. It was not that he was scared or anything, just he had a healthy respect for the spirits and what they can do, even in the weakened state. He had no clue of knowing what kind of powers the vile could have granted the ghost or how well prepared the stuff was. It was all a mystery, but it had to be pretty powerful stuff to have survived for so long, even sealed.

Crossing his arms as the ghost began to speak to him he was not shy in showing his disapproval towards the situation. He was not going to interrupt the thing. The more the fool the blabbed the more information he could get out of him without any questioning. From what he gathered the map he possessed of the levels caves was locked away and only accessible to those who knew the password, also known as the overseers. Tell him something that was not obvious. The nuit was already growing bored of the situation.

Finally the spirit stopped talking, and although it complimented Ray, or seemed like it did his arms were still folded and he was not very impressed. He half wondered why he even brought it back if all it was going to do was rant at him and ask him who he is. He was sure the vile could have been used for more practical purposes. ”Who am I?” the nuit took a step forward, ”I am none of the above. I am Rayage, Alchemist of Sahova. Although,” he attempted a jest, ”My title is not as long or fancy as yours.” he stopped feeling slightly accomplished. ”I am just an Alchemist who so happens to have a lot of…” he paused a minute to think of the most proper way to phrase his long existence, ”life experience.” he said the torch flickering in his hands, ”I am no tomb raider, I assure you.” at that H1-A’s head popped out the folds of the cloak to take a quick gander at the spirit before disappearing back into its depths. ”If I am honest, I am exploring.” he told him, ”besides, it brings back memories of happy times to see the ancient wonders of the old Alahean empire down here, undisturbed by that peching human hands above ground. You, captain, would be sickened by the degrading of moral standards that have happened with the passing of time” he went on unaware, or perhaps it went unnoticed, that the captains sense of time was a little off.

"Anyways." he started, "I brought you back so you can lend me some of your knowledge about this place." the nuit cleverly lied. He had no idea the gunk in the flask was going to bring back the spirit, but it had, so he could use that to his advantage, "You seem very knowledgeable of these mines. Do you think you can guide me?" he asked, perhaps a bit too much of the spirit.