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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 2, 2023 21:30:46 GMT -5
Upon hearing of the earthquake in the region and the ruins that had been subsequently revealed beneath the compact layers of sand, Del found herself a perfect opportunity to sign up. The city itself was becoming... dangerous, and she would need to move on again soon anyway. What better way to lie low than in an expedition? At least it would give her something to do.
While the desert nights were cold, the morning sun was already beginning to raise the temperature in the area. The excavation of the ruins itself was certainly coming along, but in a lot of places, there was still a fair amount that needed to be explored. Recon; something she was a decent hand at, at least. Some people had to make sure the area was safe to traverse for any of the archaeology who would be through to continue the unearthing process. Beyond the monetary component, this was just plain fascinating. A whole city, lost to time, brought out of obscurity and into the light of day once again. Who could have possibly lived here? And from how long ago?
Finished up with her meager breakfast, Del made her way to the entrance she had been assigned to, waiting for any team mates to arrive before embarking. She adjusted the wrap around her hair to keep out any sand, watching the vein of light on the horizon grow a little more red. A storm maybe?
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jan 2, 2023 23:06:05 GMT -5
Fish's one and only interest in any sort of lost city or ruin was that it meant easy access to trinkets and items of high value. They didn't often get to travel outside of Zeinav City, especially into the desert. It was a dangerous place to search through alone, there are plenty of bugs, beasties, and bandits that could make an easily meal of a small bird. "Friends" would be needed to make it through this.
They had heard about the other person going to look over whatever had been excavated, curiously watching them from the rooftops for the morning. A little bit of scouting to see if Fish would have to be worried about getting double crossed. Hard to tell from breakfast, but the elf doesn't seem too suspicious or paranoid so that's a start.
Fish drops down from the roof and skitters over to where this person was. For Del it might be a bit shocking, the bird makes little sound[1] and seems to just appear out of no where.
"Fish can lead, Fish has some familiarity with the desert." They offer up the hand signs, curiously watching to see if Del knows sign language or if this was going to be a long and quiet trek across the desert.
1. Silent Step
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 3, 2023 0:30:47 GMT -5
Del tilted her head to try and gauge the time based on the position of the sun. It was... morning. Her brow furrowed slightly at the unhelpfulness of the sun in her eyes. Not exactly burning daylight yet. Still, where was this apparent partner or cohort who was supposed to show up? She exhaled and turned her eyes the other direction and--
Oh. There was a bird.
"WH--" Del bit down on the exclamation and took a surprised step back, the short, avian person appearing right out of her blindspot and into view prompting a defensive hand to flash up to protect her neck. After a beat, she put the hand on her chest, exhaling. Not a threat. Well, at least not presently. "Gods, you gave me a start..." Her head tilted as she watched the hand signs, a furrowed brow clearing slowly with recognition. It had been a fair bit of time since she had last parsed the language of signing, but this, at least, was a memory she knew. A small, wistful smile moves over her face as she slowly moved her hands to sign back, a little clumsy and out of practice, but remembering familiar paths that her mute instructor had taught her.
"Lead on,, then. I will cover your back. Fish is your name?" She made the sign uncertainly, trying to mimic their fluidity. "I am Del. Have you lifed-- no, Lived here your whole life?" There we go.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jan 3, 2023 19:02:27 GMT -5
Fish does not seem to react to Del's surprise or stop to apologize. They turn to face back out towards the desert. "Del does not have to sign, Fish can understand when people speak. It is easier if Del speaks and Fish signs."
The perfunctory greetings out of the way and they start to make their way out into the desert. Fish pulls a small pair of goggles over their eyes to get some protection from the gently blowing sand.
"Fish has lived in Zeinav City, yes, but Fish has not done much traveling through the desert. Fish has studied several maps of the area and read through a few journals." With that admission, they may not actually make the best of guides, but they have a lot of confidence and moxie that is sure.
The kenku is sure-footed even in the sand, checking back on Del once or twice to make sure they haven't outpaced them too much. Working with others was still a new concept, so Fish would have to spend a lot of time making sure they remembered there is someone else here. Their eyes constantly scanned the peripherals, their most bird like trait coming through strongly, Fish knew they were small and easily overpowered which made them prey. They wouldn't be easy prey with the sheer number of knives they have.
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 3, 2023 20:14:34 GMT -5
"If you like," she responded verbally, but as she walked she resolved to continue to practice signing to try and get back into the habit of it. A brow lifted slightly at Fishs admission of just how well they knew the area. Well. Studying maps was better than nothing, and if the small kenku's swift movement was any indicator, Del knew they were much better off in leading them on. She could course correct if necessary, but fortunately, the site they were set to do reconnaissance for wouldn't be far. She was not slow by any means, but compared to Fish, she would only slow them down if they kept having to maintain pace with her.
"I've travelled the desert a handful of times, but this area is unfamiliar and apparently damaged. Caution might be best, yes?" As they walked, though, Del kept a careful eye out, trying to move over the sand instead of through it and wearing herself out faster. She watched as they came and went, staying within a relative perimeter as they moved swiftly. They seemed... short. For one to be taking on a mission such as this. Not that height was an actual factor in how well someone actually performed at any given task, but they did seem to be on the smaller side overall for a Kenku. But, very skilled, from what she was seeing.
Nearing their leg of the ruins, Del noticed that the cloud behind them seemed to be growing. She started a light jog to catch up with where Fish had gone, slowing down a little as she approached, lowering her voice. "Might be a sandstorm on the horizon. Things or other people might be taking cover in the ruins if they've spotted it as well."
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jan 3, 2023 22:10:56 GMT -5
"Caution is always best." They nod firmly. Careful eyes watch the sands, noticing the stirring in the looser sand at the top. Looking back as Del mentions a sandstorm, Fish feels a little distraught. They are small enough to be lifted off if the winds are high enough.
This would be trouble if they couldn't find a place to shelter. The pair had wandered out just far enough that they wouldn't make it back to the village in time and there wasn't much in the way of shelter. The ruins are certainly an option for them, but as the elf noted there could be unforseen complications in there. The shifty nature of ruins also meant it could be toppled over them.
Neither option are very good, but Fish decides they should hedge their bets and go for safety. They flourish out their cloak to show the bandolier of knives, "Fish is prepared for someone to try and take advantage of Fish."
With that established, they start to skitter off towards the ruins with Del. Fish despises the gods, but maybe just once they could look out for a little bird. Maybe then they could actually get the respect of the bird.
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 4, 2023 0:01:49 GMT -5
Del blinks at the confident flash of weaponry around the small kenku's body, noting that it was clearly a passing attempt at reassurance, but having the opposite effect, given their choice of words. That. Was a lot of knives. And now she could see that the kenku was even smaller than she had first estimated. "I... see," Was the only way she could think of responding. How else did you respond to someone casually showing you that they were prepared for a seige?
...Not that Del wasn't also similarly prepared, but regardless.
She continues her brisk jog over the sand to the ruins, slowing down a little as they enter its shadow, her elven ears moving subtlely beneath her wrap to listen for anything out of the ordinary. Not hearing anything immediately untoward, she bent to pick up a loose stone and toss it ahead of them a little, to test the sand. It landed with a 'pfaf, embedding itself a little, but not sinking in. Around them, though, the slope of the sand shifted a little, sending a small cascade to slide down the dune that overlooked this section of ruins. She clicked her tongue, and looked to Fish. "We'd better get inside; that'll probably come down when the storm rolls in. When you were researching, did you come across any creatures or groups that we might find in opposition, by any chance?"
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jan 4, 2023 18:37:45 GMT -5
Fish slides down a sand dune and gives a little hop off onto the stone of the ruin. They hopped around the much more solid ground they found themselves on, looking at any markings and reliefs on the sand. Doesn't seem like there is much....at least not much that hasn't been wiped away by the literal sands of time.
"There are many things that can take residence in ruins, especially ones buried in the sand. It is hard for Fish to say what might be under there." There were lots of burrowing creatures, they could be lucky and find a pack of hungry desert moles. They could be unlucky and find a dragon has turned the inside of this sunken city into its lair.
.....A dragon might actually be likely now that Fish thinks about it. This was dragonkin architechture. As the sand starts the shift and move Fish notices an odd movement of sand, hopping over to look at it. It was subtle, but the sand was sinking.... An entrance?
Fish waves over the elf and points it out. "A door might be hidden under here....more protection from sand if we move down a bit." Also treasure, treasure may be down there.
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 5, 2023 2:23:40 GMT -5
Del followed carefully after Fish, minding her descent as she kept her head on a swivel, making sure to keep one eye on their hands to catch any of their communication. Being able to speak in silence could be a huge advantage if they were going into this place, and at the moment, it didn't seem like they had much choice in their method of exploration. Blissfully unaware of Fish's potential dragon revelation, Del paced up beside them, giving Fish a congratulatory smile at their discovery. "Well done, you. That's quite a good find. I agree, lets get in here before the storm blows in."
She knelt to clear away the sand covering the entrance, revealing a large stone slab. She pushed the tip of a chisel from her pouch into the lip and hauled on it, strong blacksmiths arms coming in handy to get the leverage she needed to shift the stone just enough for her to get her fingers under the gab. With a few grunts and some very mighty heaves from the elven woman, the heavy piece of stone slid open with a thick grinding sound, revealing a set of stairs descending beneath the sand. "After you, if you'd like to check for traps or anything immediate?" She huffed, pressing her wrap to her brow to dab off the sweat of the endeavor. She might have a better chance closing the door behid her and opening it up again from the outside once the storm died down.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jan 5, 2023 18:01:03 GMT -5
Fish would be thankful for people with muscles, Fish has none. They may not be able to fly, but they still have somewhat fragile bird bones which don't offer themselves to muscle building. Sand starts to stream faster and faster as the door opens up, spilling down the stairs and creating quite the waterfall of sand.
"With that weight and pressure, Fish is confident there are no traps." They confidently begin hopping down the stairs, barely sinking into the sand as they did.
Down below the surface the stairway ended in a room that had a slightly left leaning tilt to it. This place was no longer on solid ground and had seemed to shift as it fell into the sand. Thankfully two people wouldn't be enough to set it off balance, but any larger creatures might create a problem.
"Delaela should grab a torch from the sconce and light it. It will only get darker the further in we go." The current foyer where they stand is massive and grand, this was definitely a temple of some sort given just how ornate the frescoes around the walls are. Fish could feel it in their feathers, there was good treasure to be found here.
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 5, 2023 20:34:35 GMT -5
Hearing that there were no traps, Del nodded to herself, though still descending carefully as she went down. The sand sliding over the stone only added to her caution, though as she stopped far enough down, she turned back around to haul the stone back into place, closing them in. At least the handle on the underside of the door made it easier, and could allow them egress if they needed to come back this way.
It took her a moment to decipher Fish's signs, the path now quite dark, before she nodded. "Good thinking," she patted the wall until she found the torch, holding it off to the side so she could try and light it with a piece of flint. It took a few tries to catch the spark properly, as the cloth that bound the torch was old and most of its oil absorbed long, long ago, but the flames took eventually. Wincing as the light hit her already dark-accoustomed pupils, she swept it ahead of them to cast the hall way in flickering light. Del's eyes widened as the glitterin, gilded frescoes flashed under the torch light. Oh, they had found something. An alarm bell started going off in her mind. This felt sacred in a way that stood the hair on the back of her neck on end.
"Nice and slow," Del murmured to Fish as she started walking forward, her voice a hair above a whisper. "We should take an imprint of the wall here for the archaeologists on our way back. This looks like an important find."
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jan 5, 2023 21:09:00 GMT -5
Fish was not as cautious or respectful as they should likely be. Religious significance meant little to the bird with no gods. They look over the pictures more closely after Del points them out, head tilting slightly as they observe. Powerful dragons seem to lord themselves over smaller creatures who bow to them like gods. Each painting seems to focus on a different aspect of dragons, their power, majesty, wealth, cunning.
"That would take a lot of paper, Fish could sketch down copies and offer that. If they want a better look, we sell them the location of this place."
Little eyes scan the rest of the room to see if there is anything else of note. Beautiful artwork is all the importance of this room it seems, but there are several other paths and doorways to explore. They look up to Del who seems much more enraptured and curious about all of this.
"Is there something important here that Fish is missing? Fish just sees paintings on walls. Is this supposed to hold some significance?" There is a genuine curiosity to their line of questioning, albeit as always there is no tone in sign language and they have no facial muscles with which to express with. Being a bird is hard.
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 5, 2023 22:32:09 GMT -5
"Just on something signifigant. Not on the whole thing." She replied, still looking up and around. Even the ceiling was carved to include the murals, depicting the lunar cycles and the sun. "And we're already getting paid, why would we sell our employers the location?" Her head listed to one side as her eyes moved along the slope of the wall. There was a pattern. Certain events seemed to be lining up with the celestial cycles, a massacre, a change in regime, a... transformation?
Pausing to understand Fish's signing, Del made a faint grimace and looked around again, feeling uneasy. "This is a monument," Del explains quietly, grasping at the instinctual understanding of what she was seeing, "What's depicted here is honoring something or someone, telling a story that a culture holds sacred. It's a sanctum, though it could have had any number of purposes. A place of worship, or learning, a historical record of events to celebrate the leaders of the culture..." She moved the torch in a sweep to light the halls, pausing on an event above them. A solar eclipse. "Or a cautionary tale."
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jan 5, 2023 23:01:54 GMT -5
"Many people would be interested in the location, not just employers. Maps can go for high prices." How did they know that? Who's to say really. Fish is more interested in watching and listening to Del at this point, getting a feel for what this place is. At the mention of it being a monument they seem a little disappointed, monument rarely held treasure.
"Myths and stories hold little weight for Fish." They look around the room once more.....though from what Del said this could be valuable information as well.....Fish immediately regretted what they were about to ask.
"Hold Fish up." They point to a part of the relief, getting out a decent sized piece of paper. With Del's help, the pair get enough to get a relief of one part of the images on the wall. Fish shakes off the excess charcoal before rolling up the paper and putting it into a scroll case. "We can use this for more money.....Should we explore deeper?"
Fish looks towards the doors, they were definitely eager to see what else is here. They had the location and some information which is all they were really hired to find, but why not try for more? It was going to be a few hours before the sandstorm died down anyways and Fish didn't pack their loaded dice.
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Post by Delaela Fenastra-Asiliari on Jan 7, 2023 4:07:32 GMT -5
Del squinted a little at Fish, comprehending their signs. You met all sorts of types while working for coin, and she was not one to judge the sort of person who was clearly thinking on a broader scope of maximizing profit. Everyone was in this line of work for their own reasons. But there seemed more here than casual disinterest for the discoveries, more like a lack of understanding of the importance of these things. Hmm.
"Why is that?" She knelt to offer Fish the climb up onto her shoulder as they requested. They were feather-light-- well, they were covered in literal feathers, so that probably had something to do with it. Even so, she was able to lift them up above her head without any strain, allowing Fish to balance on her palm while Del was a steady platform beneath them. "Sometimes myths and stories are just that-- stories. But they exist because they contain important truth, either about how someone perceived the world, or their way of processing what was happening around them. The past is important."
Del pauses just long enough to frown inwardly at herself as Fish finishes up taking an imprint of the relief, and gracefully kneels again so they can hop down of their own accord. "I'm not interested in, ah, asking for more coin from outside people, personally. The archaeologists are one thing; the people who might like to buy that information could destroy a place like this in order to make a quick coin. But I do think it's a good idea to keep that to inform others of what we found here." She gives them a little smile and looks own the halls. "I think we should explore a bit further, I agree. How about the door a little ways back? I think this hallway goes down a while, and probably has it's own door at the end of it. Maybe we should explore the sequence of doors on the way there?"
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