Changelings Part II: A Holiday In The Sun

[kintire]

The girdle slides off easily. It seems light in Seradon's hands, and he sees that the decorative plates are very thin. He feels no ill effects as he slips it into a bag.

[VAN]

Catherine takes few steps back leaving Seradon more space. She doesn't actually believe that the girdle will explode but she prefers not to risk it anyway. When the girdle is in the bag she looks around one last time to make sure they cannot take anything else and says:

"I agree that providing someone with many powerful items isn't the best thing but is our only chance to return to Paridon. Once back we can think our options, even if I think we will be costantly under his or hers observation."

Shrugging at her own words she adds:

"I suggest we search the temple and then the palace a bit, we aren't sure we got the right item and we don't know how much time and if the Queen will come back to life again so we better hurry and then leave this sinister place."

[BigBadQDaddy]

Helfried snatches the ring from the air, eyeing his companion warily. "Cursed magic items. Are there any other kind?"
He listens to the others going over the plans for how to proceed, growing more uneasy the longer they are idle.
"How will we know that we have found this item we seek? It could be anything. I think if this item where so important it would have been kept close to her."

[alhoon]

Seradon nods. "I agree. That's why I risked the girdle. We will know once we wake up in Paridon missing an item. Now, should we explore the temple?"

[BigBadQDaddy]

"Aye, Darkonian. The sooner we areagain moving the better."

[VAN]

"I think it's better search a bit right now, maybe there is something that can be used in ritual what we are here to get. Of course we will not sty here for long but I prefer to be sure that we at least checked before leaving. I don't want to return to this place..."

[alhoon]

Seradon shrugs. "OK then, let's explore what we haven't seen of the palace. Although I believe we've seen most of it. The sooner we get moving the better as Helfried said"
Seradon starts moving towards the door, with the intent to pass over the corpses.

[kintire]

The palace lies silent, gloomy on the enclosed areas and brought in the sun, the harsh contrast straining the eyes. There is a feeling of melancholy hanging over the place, but no more so than in any ruin which you once saw bustling and busy. The sense of brooding is gone.

Little remains of any goods or furniture, although some of the corpses have some personal jewellery. There is some statuary, mostly in silver. The sages would perhaps value the vividly painted carvings on all of the wallsbut there is no way to carry them away.

All that remains outs to cross the desert with too little food and far too little water...

[VAN]

"Well I think we are done here, indeed there wasn't anything else that could be our artifact. I think we can go now."

[BigBadQDaddy]

"Let us hope whatever protections where over us before yet remain. We have not nearly enough food or water to cross this expanse again."

[alhoon]

"Is there any water left in the lower rooms where ... you know"

[BigBadQDaddy]

Helfried's usually stoic features flash over with revulsion. "Surely you must be joking? The very thought..." the Falkovnian trails off, noticeably growing pale. "Only if we must." He says with a quiver as sweat begins to bead around his hairline.

[alhoon]

Seradon nods. "Is there anything else besides riverwater in there? The... victims have already moved away from the room. But I see it makes you uncomfortable.

Only if we must. Let's explore the temple now."

[VAN]

Catherine looks at Seradon and is about to tell him that she had no plan to get that water but Helfierd speaks up first so she just nods in agreeement.

"Yes lets look at the temple and then go away hoping we wake up in Paridon."

[kintire]

The quiet has settled once more over the ruins as the adventurers emerge, the day already growing hot. The temple looms before them, huge carvings freaking the entrance of a king scouting his enemies with a mace. Inside much of the painted carvings have faded but enough still remain to give an idea of the magnificence that it once represented. God's are of course strongly represented, human with animal heads and animal with human, but the prominent figure is that of the king, giving the impression of a temple mostly to him with the actual deities as an afterthought.

The temple halls are silent and home only to scorpions and the tiny vermin they hunt, although that is still more than the palace held!