Immersive Ink

"Swiftly, my Lord," murmurs Josiane, keeping her burning gaze locked upon the shadows; "I know not how long this... gift can be sustained. We should make haste to begone."

"But note where we are," she adds; "This is the chamber we discovered beneath the crypt where the relics were kept. I propose we return there, have Lord Ulric descend to the top of yonder column and cleanse this unholy pit with his fire. Then will be the time for treasure-seeking."

"But surely the present moment affords a unique opportunity to have a quick look about?" quips Armando, casting lantern light into the pit and peering into the gloom for items of interest ...

Now that they have half a moment to survey the remains of the fallen, Dieter and Armando both note that the crumbling remains of the fallen lie amid their Earthly chattels, but be they arms, packs, purses, or other goods, they lie partly concealed beneath the chill blanket of mist that lingers here. Neither man doubts the possibility of unearthing valuables is very real indeed...

Dieter's anger has faded, much like his strength.

"I don't want to argue," he says. "But I'm getting tired of running away from the blackness in the world. I'm tired of being at a disadvantage all the time. I'm tired of losing comrades and having nothing to show for it."

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flightcommander wrote:| As Armando casts his eye about the floor of the pit, can he spy Dorgan's belongings? How much rope is there? Armando has a mind to descend briefly into the pit, with Josiane and perhaps Dieter anchoring the rope, to recover what he can of the fighters' belongings — and whatever else interesting he finds at hand. |

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Armando needn't descend for he is already on the ground with Dieter and Josiane in the pit. |


Dorgan's pack was consumed by fire nearby to provide the two besieged heroes with light by which to survive. That patch of ground is very near at hand--at no risk of immediate threat--so Armando pokes gingerly thru the remains and finds a few blackened lumps that would not be burned...

Torben's rope then comes scurrying down from above, sans Dorgan, so the dwarf must have made good his escape.

There also comes some echoed voices from above... Olaf is apparently offering his help.

After a long pause above Wen comes down the rope. He has several candles which he would light and offer out. "Dorgan looks bad and the fate of Marrowstone is utmost on his mind. Ulric wants to move on and return after the abbey is secure. I thought perhaps I could lend a little aid. If you can hold back the darkness a bit longer I will scan the area for magic"

Wen casts Detect Magic

Armando hopes to quickly identify the Marrowstone among the things he's picked up, or among the odds and ends on the floor.

If Josiane can spare a second from eyeballing the shadows, she'll shoot a glance at the remnants of Dorgan's pack. She has carried the Marrowstone herself and should at least have a fair idea of its size and shape.

If she spots it, she'll direct Armando's attention to it.

Wen rappels down the rope, all the way to the bottom of the chute, then slides the remaining 20ft through open air to join the others and quickly communicate what is going on above.

Meanwhile Armando and Josiane locate the remains of Dorgan's gear, while the shadows continue to prowl the perimeter of the room like caged tigers. They soon find the implacable shape of the marrowstone there (along with everything else that would have survived the fire, see here).

Wen then breathes the low spell-song of The Exigent Secernment (aka Detect Magic)--a sorry but endearing lament it seems to the others, but it aggrieves the pacing shadows for they howl and hiss but come no closer. And thereby is his eyesight attuned to the supernatural world and to recognise the telltale magenta haze that is not quite concealed by the mist, and indicates the presense of enchantments... here and here amid the refuse of lost battles, and here also around the marrowstone.