kenoslogs | 2023 catch-all

I mean, if they built the catacombs and just sorta... knocked into a natural cave system, it could just be luck?

[ Karlach has run into several of these in her brief time with Tav, okay? ]

I do agree that if people have just been ignoring it, that's a bit weird yeah.

It shouldn’t all just be connected like this, [Liem agrees. He wonders if even the Church knows how far these tunnels go — if they’ve mapped out the entire complex, or if it stretches down and down, all the way to the Below.]

I’d think the Church would want to wall this part off — unless there’s a reason to keep a creature-filled labyrinth stretching beneath Heliopolis. It’s clearly not uninhabited.

[Case in point; the swarms that had tried to lunch on them earlier in the maze, when they’d discovered those blankets of mushrooms. It seems like the entire basement is unsafe to wander, and that makes Liem rather wonder what the point of it even is.

And these roots are getting thicker, too. He’s still able to squeak through and duck underneath, but quarters are getting increasingly close. If things keep on this way, they’re going to need to start cutting their way through just to make forward progress.]

Yes. Even if they'd stumbled into it by accident, I can't imagine they'd want to leave their building open to whatever might want to wander in. Especially if some of it is dangerous.

[ He's larger than Liem, so he really has to squeeze through as well. He's quietly thankful he left his cloak behind - it would have been a detriment down here. He turns his lance to get it to fit, careful not to poke either of his companions. ]

...I wonder if they didn't tell us something.

Wouldn't be surprised.

[ Karlach grunts, trying to wriggle herself through in the wake of her companions. She's quite possibly the largest in general, which makes the whole thing a chore. She hefts her axe as she manages to get out into a small, clear space. ]

Maybe it used to get used more but just kinda fell into disuse? Happens sometimes.

[Liem makes a short hum of agreement at Dimitri and Karlach’s comments, not wanting to jump to conclusions about why something like this might be down here beneath the church. Assuming guilt won’t get them anywhere.]

Let’s continue to keep our eyes open while we’re down here. Maybe we’ll discover something illuminating.

[For instance: this thicket of roots that only gets thicker the further in they go. Past a dense screen of roots that Liem has to weave through like he’s navigating a maze, he comes to a wall of roots so dense that not even he could possibly wriggle through. But the thing that catches his eye is — the wall of roots seems quite clearly to form a large face.]

Now this is… strange. [He is immediately reminded of the dryad that had lived in the Tree of Life, and frowns warily at the face blocking the way.] How did this get here…?

Oh-

[ Dimitri stops short just behind Liem as he wriggles his way through and tries to make room for Karlach to follow. He stares at the strange face and furrows his brow, trying to puzzle through this. ]

That's not usual.

[ Stating the obvious. ]

Do you think it's intelligent, whatever it is? Can it hear us?

[ Karlach joins the other sin pausing, her eyes fixed on the face in front of them. That's. Awkward. Weird. She's reminded of other, less pleasant things that she'd encountered. Grimaces. ]

Might be able to. Last time I saw something like that it involved a hag and some very unfortunate circumstances...

[ Karlach frowns, hefts her axe. ]

My instinct says smash through it but, uh. I'm open to other ideas.

[Liem’s regard of the face-like mass of roots is careful, deliberate, scanning it first for magic and then for the warning auras of Evil or Chaos. It seems free from the influence of any obvious enchantments, but that certainly doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous.]

Perhaps, [he says, in answer to Dimitri’s query. To the wall of roots, he asks,] May we pass through here? We need to travel this way.

[The entreaty produces no immediate physical change in the blockade — but from the roots comes an sudden, muffled sensation of rage, resentment and refusal welling up from somewhere within the structure and touching their minds insistently as though through murky water, furious to be heard.

Something formless is trying to make itself understood.]

[ Dimitri frowns. That... sense of rage is too familiar to him for him to discount. He sways on his feet for a moment and then peers straight back into that face, preparing himself for this odd "discussion". ]

What's happened to you...?

[ There's no answer. Not in words, anyway. More of that anger, more of that resentment. ]

[ Karlach stills instantly. Long awareness, long practice, makes her keenly aware that this situation is in some way dangerous. She stands slightly behind the others, axe balanced in her hand. ]

...We're not looking for trouble.

[ Karlach's not used to being someone who talks others down. Not a diplomat. The others, though, seem to be trying. She stretches out a little with that Communion, trying to see if it makes contact with whatever that presence is--tries to project sympathy and understanding.

She's not sure it's working. ]

[The anger seething from the mass of roots boils with the suggestion of words just beneath the surface, something unseen and unheard despite the effort with which the consciousness attempts to reach them. “Listening” as hard as he can through the space of communion, Liem still can’t make out anything more than the vaguest of impressions.

In an attempt to reach the spirit within, he stretches out a hand and presses it against the roots forming the thing’s brow. Almost immediately, twisting growths wind around his arm, extending up the limb all the way to his chest — where his shard sits.

Liem gasps, and then goes still. The muddied waters of the communion become clearer, as though seen through a lens. Through the connection come impressions:

Crawling free of loose earth, a shard clutched in one hand, light filtering through great branches stretching above. Strife and turmoil; a yearning to go somewhere other than here. Betrayal, fear, and then — darkness. Grave quiet and isolation, beyond the ears of anyone who might be able to listen. And rage, rage, rage, rage.]

[ Dimitri can feel it, too - an echo through the communion. Anger and rage and hurt. He almost flinches from it, but he steadies himself after a moment. He comes forward to join Liem, hesitating, wanting to touch him. ]

Liem - it's not hurting you, is it?

[ He glances up with a frown. ]

Please. We don't mean you any harm... whoever you are.

[ Because this is someone, isn't it? ]

[ Karlach stays where she is, eyes on the roots that are clambering up Liem's arm. The grip on her axe tightens and she seems to be considering just taking it to the wooden barricade before relaxing. At least a little. The sensations coming through the communion are a barrage of unpleasantness. ]

We're...

[ What can she say that the others aren't already saying? ]

We're just passing through.

Ah…

[Liem’s gaze slides sluggishly over to Dimitri, as though his mind is occupied elsewhere. Distractedly, he shakes his head, but his brows are knit in concentration. The overwhelming, cacophonous sensation of being touched by the spirit is making it very difficult for him to think, let alone speak.

Dimitri and Karlach’s words evoke a strong feeling of negation through communion: “no,” and then “no” again. The claim of innocence is not accepted, nor is the intention to progress further. Accusation comes through the connection, for living shard-bearers who interrupt the spirit’s mournful solitude only to pass through and leave it behind. Around them, the roots twining all about wriggle like grasping fingers ready to reach out and seize them, to prevent them from leaving after all. But the roots don’t reach out — yet. Other than Liem, whose arm is still gripped tight, none of them are yet assailed by any of the wriggling tendrils.

But they might be, if they refuse to address the spirit’s grievance.]

[ Dimitri's lips purse together in a silent reaction. What does he do? How can they address this? He steps forward, raises a hand. ]

Please. I don't know what happened to you - how can we help you? I want to help make this better, if I can - but I don't know how.

[ That sense of anger and hurt is almost overwhelming. But that's a familiar feeling to him; it's one he recognizes from himself and he tries to make them understand this. To show that he wants to help. ]

He's right. Ah...

[ She's not good at this sort of thing. She's a fighter, not a talker. Her solution would be to chop this obstacle down to the root and call it good--but that's clearly not what everyone else wants to do. She glances helplessly at Dimitri. He seems to have a better grasp. ]

Yeah.

[Caught in the snare of roots, Liem holds firm and quiet in the face of the spirit’s anger, the calm at the eye of the storm of its emotion. He does not speak — cannot, really — but Dimitri’s words, the openness from him and Karlach do seem to reach whatever and whoever is so intent on blocking their way.

In answer to Dimitri’s question, an image appears again, dim and grey through the time and distance that now separates them from the life this individual once held. It is the impossibly broad trunk of the Tree of Life, with its gnarled roots, its profusion of mighty branches all lit by a warm golden glow. Snatches of meaning intertwine with a deep sense of longing, emerging from the storm of rage and grief.

Whoever this person was, now that they have died, now that they have lost their battle and failed their purpose, they wish to return to the tree that brought them to this world.]

[ Dimitri's breath comes in a low exhale as he sees this vision. Even dim and faded as it is, he recognizes it, and he reaches out a hand to rest it against the gnarled roots. His voice is low; saddened. ]

I think I understand.

[ He tilts his head, as if trying to find a face. Something to look at, to place at the center of his attention. ]

We can take you back. I promise you that I will, once we're through here. You deserve that chance. A moment to rest. A place to be.

[ He won't turn that away. Not when it hurts this much. ]

I promise you.

[ Karlach's heart squeezes in her chest as she grasps what it is this presence really wants. It has been lost. Alone. All it wants is someplace safe to rest.

It is a feeling that she understands deep in her bones, even if not the same way this thing does. ]

We will. Promise.

[ Her voice soft, almost a little sad. ]

[With the promises from Karlach and Dimitri, the feeling of rage pouring through the connection gradually recedes. Slowly, the roots twining around Liem’s arm pull back, the Communion becoming muffled and muddied once more as the woody tendrils separate from the shard in his chest. Liem himself lets out a heavy sigh, as though he’d been holding his breath for a long time.

All about the three of them, the forest of roots writhes, shifts, and parts, sinking back into the tunnel walls to reveal the path forward; all the roots except for a gnarled bit of root that remains curled about Liem’s wrist, and thin tendrils that reach out to wrap themselves around Dimitri and Karlach’s wrists as well, breaking off from the main body of the roots to form a sort of bracelet.

A token, perhaps, to remind them of the promise they’d made. To ensure they do not forget.]

Thank you, [Liem says when the way is cleared.] We will return for you.

[All that’s left then is to press forward, to finally reach the thing they came for. So he does.]

[ Dimitri lets out a breath he wasn't quite aware he'd been holding as the plants slowly, slowly recedes and he's left with a token of remembrance. He reaches up to touch fingers gently against the little bracelet and then he steps forward after Liem, peering down the tunnel as he starts forward. There's a determination emanating from him as he stalks forward.

Whatever lurks down here, he will do his best to solve the problem - and then keep his promise. ]

...was that another shard-bearer, once?

[ Karlach lets out a breath she's been holding as the roots retreat and their earnest promises seem to drag forth a concession from whatever presence was inhibiting their forward progress. She glances at the others and follows them onwards, grip right on her axe. ]

That's the feeling I got.

[ She's not sure how else to respond to the question. What does it mean for her? Could she herself become something like this grasping, unhappy presence. ]

I think it must have been, [Liem agrees as they press onward.] Whoever they were, it seemed like they emerged from the Tree once, like we all did.

[What kind of person that shard-bearer was, what they looked like, even what side they harmonized with, Liem has no idea. Does their final resting place beneath the Church of Helios make it more likely that they belonged to Meridian, or less? He couldn’t guess.

As make their way further through tunnels that now open up into larger caverns, the rock and earth about them continue to be rife with roots. Perhaps from Springstar’s Great Tree? It seems likely, since he can’t imagine what other roots would penetrate so far beneath the surface of the island.]

I got the sense that they didn’t just die… but that they failed. Perhaps, whatever war they were a part of, they got to see their side lose it.

[ It's a strange thing to consider. Someone like them who came along and maybe experienced some of the same things they did. And now... they're here. Where ever this is and whatever their life had been before. He's lost in thought. At least until Liem speaks up again. ]

An interesting thought.

[ He frowns. ]

...that is itself a terrible thought. Is this something that might happen to us?

...So we have to win to not end up like that? And people on the other side...?

[ Karlach sounds grim, disgusted. She's already worn out and tired from the whole process of getting down here, but the follow-up gut punch of a realization about their situation vis-a-vis the whole war seems to have hit her. ]

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