From the Journal of Sean Shamshara - The Tunnel and the Infinite Cave

Sean Shamshara's Journal. (2-8-2019)

6th Veltom, 1517

Our testing of the blood magic disks complete, we the Stalwart Stones find ourselves, lonely but resolute, on the other side of the Orachalum doors.  Elder Shartiel (Elder Shartielkohntoroh) told us to be wary of the elusive magic traps guarding the Kaer.  We find ourselves in a pitch black tunnel, although Boris of course has no issues with the dark. Vyktor carries a torch aloft for the benefit of the rest of us.  Slowly moving forward, wary for the unexpected, we are suddenly stopped by a huge block of the cavern ceiling slamming down within feet of Boris.  A slow mechanism pulls up this rock, only for it to thud again.  Clearly this last defense before the doors would crush flat the unwary.  We note that our presence seems to trigger the blocks, regardless of how high flew or who was near.  We also noted that the disks would become warm as the block fell.  We look for the outline of other traps beyond, but are unsure if there are more.  We also test if this is perhaps an illusion, but it's clear to all this is no phantasm.  Bold, and decisive, Boris tries to race the block to reach the other side, his Tiger Spring failing him at a crucial moment. Almost through, but with one too many legs still in the way, the block stops just short of crushing him.  His disk flares with heat, but no harm comes to him.  It seems the disks ward us from harm.  Another block slams down on the other side, with just enough space for two between.  I rush through, and am not fast enough to avoid the block, but it stops just short of my head, stopping and retracting in time.  Aware of what to look for, I note my disk flaring with heat also. We make our way cautiously through 4 of these total, Vyktor almost loosing his cool due to the crushing death above.  Valteri flies just below the ceiling, causing the blocks to stop after only a few inches of travel, greatly helping our nerves.

Past this last defense, we find ourselves in another long passage.  We find in the passage small holes in the wall, but are unable to find what they might be for. We also see that a horrible, disgusting creature like none we have seen before lays on the floor.  Peering intently at it, I probe it's existence to find it's health is at zero.  The many oozing holes in it should have given that away.  Just as we move closer, spears push from the floor, the walls, the ceiling.  None would have been safe, but our disks again flare with heat and all of us are unscathed.  The horrible creature is now impaled but just as dead.  Moving on, we find the passage ends in a tall tower, so high that not even Boris can see the top.  A single ladder is attached the wall, going as high as we can see.  Taking the torch, Valteri flies up the long, dark borehole in the ground.  100's of feet above, the tower ends in a short, dead end passage.  He yells down his findings, and I begin to climb the ladder.  The dark is impenetrable, other then the brief moment when we meet in the middle.  Safely at the top, I light a torch while the others ascend.  An odd rock catches my eye in this otherwise blank passage, but I wait for the safety in numbers before daring to move it, lest I find myself in a situation I cannot handle by myself. Tired, but determined, we all make the long climb.  The odd rock triggers the wall to move aside, revealing a large room, full with these horrible creatures.  Probing again, I find the first one I see dead and burnt.  Behind us the wall closes, and we cannot find any catch or latch, locking us in this room full of burnt up.....  Things. We probe our limited memories of what they might be, noting that while some Horrors are ephemeral, others are solid, and some even take the form of numerous horrible creatures.  We hope these stay dead, and are just some sort of new animal that ran afoul of the Kaer's defenses.  A door of lightly charred wood is on the other side.  Fearing for some new trap, we search for a way to open it.  Our search intensifies when we note a smell like rotten eggs filling the room.  Boris touches his desk to the door, and it swings inward just in time for us to avoid gout of flame that cooks the creatures a 2nd time.  We find ourselves facing a natural looking cave.

As we move into this cave, the door disappears, and we are in a small cave system.  Moving forward, we find a few twists and  turns when suddenly Valteri asks where we are going, as we are just walking in circles.  He seems convinced that we all remain at the wooden door, walking around the area.  Clearly, he is disoriented, perhaps from the heat or the treacherous journey.  We convince him of the need to move on, having him ride Boris's shoulder as we move about the cave system.  He maintains that we are just stumbling around near the door, when suddenly Boris says the same!  Our group is in the throes of a crisis, with two of us now insane.  Knowing of no other way to resolve this impasse, I use my scout magic on myself, to show my footprints as we walked through the cave.  My footprints.......  Lead in circles near the wooden door that I have been walking near.  Valteri was right.  Vyktor senses magic, finding that we had all been under the influence of a powerful illusion magic.  Vyktor tells us that from his limited experience, once an illusion is seen through, it normally will not take hold again.  We can only hope.

This small room ends at a blank wall, which would seem like an ignoble end to our travels.  It seems like pure luck that guides me to another unfamiliar stone, which makes the wall swing away into another cave.  Startled by our presence are two bears, a mother and baby.  The mother rears up, and we reluctantly join the battle.  I hit with one well aimed arrow, when Boris and Valteri try to disable the beast without killing it.  The baby bear generally stays out of things.  Vyktor and I, with no similar attacks, try to carefully explore without harming the animals.  The mother bear is mercifully knocked unconscious, so I attend to it as best I can, pulling forth my arrow and stabilizing it, in the hopes it survives.  Valteri leaves a small patch of dried meat for the cub. The battle over, we notice a small opening with a dim light, the likes of which we have never seen before.  Moving out we pass through some trees, and are absolutely overwhelmed by what we see.  A vast, black sheet filled with small brilliant lights meets us.  It's distance is so great that up and down lose meaning.  I grasp a nearby shrub with all my might, feeling myself sucked into it's vast emptiness.  Valteri's flight is all askew, up and down having no meaning.  The ground is soft and forgiving as he crashes into it.  For the first time in our lives, and indeed in all the lives of many generations before us, we have seen...... The sky.

Legend Points awarded:

• for author (Sean): 100
• for participants mentioned (Viktor, Boris, Valteri): 50