Episode 5: Here Comes the Mirror Man

Episode Summary
Picking up where the party decided to enter the stone building, they find themselves in a room with a bright, translucent, pulsing blue dome of energy shielding a stone table, inlaid with gold. 4 humanoid figures are seated around the table on heavy stone seats also inlaid with gold. An important looking humanoid figure sits on a gold throne. 2 figures turn their heads to look at the Party.

Yrsa freezes, stunned as if she had just walked in on an important meeting. ‘…Hahlo’ she says awkwardly. ‘Ah…Barra, we have friends.’ Says Yrsa, prompting Barra to speak. Barra introduces himself to the important figures and asks how they’re going. The figures don’t seem to respond however. The party can see the humanoid figures look preserved but not particularly alive, but they’re moving. In the room are 2 stone caskets with 2 blue spheres on top of them and 2 large treasure chests in the room. Barra can make out the figures within the dome are medium sized with human-ish faces. ‘Right, ok, we’re gonna play…20 languages!’ says Barra. ‘Why don’t you go first, Elf!’ he points to Kaman. Kaman sheepishly says in Elvish ‘Hello, greetings, we come in peace’. The humanoid figures do not respond. Yrsa tries communicating in Orcish ‘*''Ahh, ho seh bo? Jia ba buay?''’ the figures still do not respond. Barra tries greeting them in Dwarven (which sounds like a more twangy version of how he normally speaks) but there is still no response from the humanoid figures.

As the party move about the space, the figures seem to track their movement but they do not seem to react to what anyone is saying. Barra checks out what could be the source generating the blue dome magic. Kaman tells Barra to ‘try to see the magical threads in the space? The globes, to the dome’ Barra squints his eyes. He sees that the blue globes seem magical, they’re the same color as the dome, they seem related, but that’s all he knows.

Kaman suggests maybe they should just leave the space but Barra feels they’ve come this far already. Kaman says perhaps they’re not meant to be here. Yrsa glances over at the 2 giant chests, a hungry look in her eyes. ‘Yes…I guess we could go….? But you know the things are just lying here….’ Kaman brings the party’s attention back to the emissary and their main mission. Suddenly, Yrsa spots another treasure chest at the far end of the room and tells everyone. Barra is convinced that they should stay to investigate more while Kaman feels they’re just only going to get in more trouble.

Barra looks again at the blue spheres and has a light bulb moment, he forgot to look at the plaque on the casket! Barra knows from hearing stories on his voyages that 2000 years ago, there was the Darian Empire (the Dark Confederacy) and a shattered family that came from somewhere else. The Dars and their descendants spread all across Urtu. The most prominent family of the Dark Confederacy was known as Sul Dar and they still have a bloodline till this day. What became of the Namandan Union was formally called ‘The Free Cities’. If you were a member of the Dar family, it was not looked upon as a good thing as they were constantly at odds with the Free Cities. Barra recalls there are notable stories about the Dar clan who hid out. They were powerful mages, warriors or otherwise. There are prophecies that say that the Dar family would rise again and come to power as the ‘rightful rulers’.

Barra reads the tomb plaque. It says ‘The Tomb of San Dar, Guardian to Ley Dar. Grandson of Sul Dar’ Barra gets excited and races over to check out the other casket on the other side of the room. Barra sees that the name on the tomb has been left blank to be added at some point in the future. It says ‘This is the tomb of _____’ Barra updates Yrsa with his findings and reasons that the people in the blue dome might be the descendants of the Dar family.

‘In the story…were the Dar people the good people or the bad people’ asks Yrsa ‘Well…they were revered, sometimes people like them, sometimes people don’t like them, depending on which side of history you stand on…’ replies Barra. Kaman decides to start casting detect magic as a ritual. Kie decides to jump off the left chest, vault over a stone casket, grab onto the left stone wall at the far side of the room. She observes the series of tapestries are purple at the back of the room. They are raggred, moth eaten and rotted to some extent and brittle. Barra mental messages Kaman about which deity he worships and if its related to the Dar family. Kaman doesn’t answer as he’s busy. Yrsa walks over to one of the treasure chests and finds there’s a large keyhole. She stares at the lock in fascination. ‘What could be inside you my pretty…treasure…weapons…MAGIC weapons?’ she wonders. She walks over to the other chest.

Barra decides to mental message Kie calling her ‘Spider girl’. He asks if he needs to come to her position to inspect the tapestries. Kie thinks it’s a good idea if he comes over but Yrsa interrupts saying that the humanoid creatures are attracted to movement. Barra says perhaps they try communicate with the humanoid figures with sign language to see if they get a response. Yrsa says they could try…? Barra says he’ll still go over to Kie anyway. Yrsa says go carefully, she’ll keep watch on Kaman who is still ritual casting.

Barra goes over to the moth eaten tapestries and takes a look. He notices some family crests behind the tapestries that seem to ring a bell: it belongs to Kahrl Dar. The scion is Manar Dar. Barra remembers that the Kahrl Dar family had something to do with the 2nd Great Sundering, but he can’t remember too much in detail. One of the Towers exploded and that’s about it. He does know that during that time period, they spoke an ancient form of Common, else they would have spoken Darnise. Barra attempts to perform in ancient Common from smatterings of what he knows. He gestures theatrically ‘All hail! The Dar family! Truly the great scions of our time! And the leaders in thy history, forsooth, all hail thee, my brethren friends! And we come to payeth our respecth’, he does an elaborate Shakespearean style bow and plays a tune on his lute. Barra peers at the human figures but they give no reaction.

Kaman can see from his detect Magic ritual that there is some magical imprint in the 2 chests but the chest themselves are not magical. The 2 blue spheres on the caskets are highly magical. Kaman follows Barra’s route and goes up to the old tapestries. He notices that the tapestries are not magical. He updates the party with his findings. Kaman also notices that there are 2 books on a bookshelf in the space that are radiating magic. There is also a wooden coffin in the space that looks shiny and lacquered like it was just made, is also radiating abjuration magic. The blue sphere magic is necromantic. Barra says ‘Hm so they’re dead’ ‘But its keeping them alive, if anything.’ Says Kaman. Barra is also excited about the chests ‘Oh yeah! We should go open them!’

Yrsa walks over to the bookshelf to try to read the books on the shelf, but they don’t seem to have titles on the side They’re heavy bound books. They look expensive with gold inlay, the ones that are pointed out to be magical appear to be spotless, bound in black velvet and new. ‘I just want to say, Yrsa, that this…seems a little bit much. We have somewhere to go, we really shouldn’t…tarry here.’ Says Kaman gravely. Kie agrees.

Barra walks down to one of the chests near the door and touches it. ‘Hey guys! I’m ok!’ exclaims Barra. ‘I’m just saying, it feels like…we’re maybe getting side-tracked…’ cautions Kaman. Barra looks down the giant keyhole of the chest and casts a light spell to see through it, but the light is too bright to see anything clearly. He turns off the light spell and casts the light source on the corner of his cloak and uses it as a temporary torch to shine into the keyhole. On further investigation, the mechanism in the lock looks unnecessarily complex, there potentially there could be a trap. He walks over to check the other chest. The lock seems similar but easier to pick than the other one. ‘Hey! You have thieves’ tools! Come on let’s get to work!’ Barra yells over to Kaman ‘I don’t know how to use them…I really must insist that I think this is a terrible idea for us to spend another moment here. There were Ghouls outside!’ insists Kaman.

‘Yes, I agree. But the thing is, this is under the Namandan Empire-‘ says Yrsa. ‘We’re under the Marabanda Forest!’ cries Kaman. ‘Yes, another thing is, it is our job to scout out and find out more about the wilderness. So given what we’ve found here, we should find out a little bit more. Look at all these books! A wise man once told me ‘*shū zhōng zì yǒu huáng jīn wū’, ‘there’s a golden house inside the books’. I think he was being figurative… but maybe the books  have some clue as to these five desecrated people.’ Yrsa suggests. Kaman is not pleased. Barra asks if the chest he’s looking at looks like a threat. ‘If you see something, say something’ declares Yrsa to everyone. Yrsa tells Barra to inspect the books on the shelf first. He jumps to action. ‘I forget sometimes that you actually quite smart’. Remarks Yrsa.

Barra looks at some of the books. It seems some of them have aged so heavily that the ink has faded and there’s nothing to be seen. But there is an ancient scholarly history of Darim, there’s a story called Buldur’s Wrath, and other tales for children There’s An Anthology of the Migration of the Dar Peoples there is also a book called Say Dar’s Tome of Military Knowledge there is also a helpful book that translates Darnise to Elvish. In the mean time, Kaman is looking at the chest that Barra was staring at earlier trying to figure out how to open it. The lock doesn’t seem to have a trap or is magical. The complicated lock chest does look complicated but also magical to Kaman too. Barra shoves the ‘Darnise to Elvish’ book in Kaman’s arms and says ‘Hey! So there’s this book that does Darnise to Elvish! Now read it!’ He glances at it and says ‘What do you want me to say, it’s a dictionary’. Yrsa goes over to the third chest in the other corner of the room. Kaman follows and looks at the other chest. It seems like a regular chest.

Yrsa looks at the last casket in the room. There is no inscription, but it is a beautifully carved expensive mahogany wood casket. The level of detail and intricacy is otherworldly and it seems the casket doesn’t look old compared to the other items in the space that are possibly 2000 years old. Per the detect magic spell, something is preserving this wooden casket via magic.

Barra says that they should try to make contact with the figures ‘for the good of the Namandan Empire’. Kaman is apprehensive as there were Ghouls outside and something must have created them in the first place. Ghouls aren’t raised by themselves; they are created by Necromantic magic. Yrsa asks Barra if the Dar in hiding were mages. Barra clarifies that folks of the Dar nobility were considered a bad thing in the Free Cities, so folks of the Dar lineage would have moved back to Dar territory or if they stayed in hiding was because they believed the area where the Free Cities is now, was their ancestral territory and refused to move.

Yrsa tells Kaman to greet the figures anyway to see how it goes, using the dictionary. Barra provides background lute music for encouragement. Kaman says to the figures ‘Eminence and honored individuals, we greet you. We come to seek your understanding of our mission. We mean you no distress or harm. We do ask if we may be able to investigate the items within these chests. ’

A moment passes. There is a slow movement of one of the figure’s heads. It breathes a long sigh.

‘Maybe it is hard for him to say words, can you ask him to nod?’ says Yrsa. Kaman projects a silent image of the Darnise alphabet. ‘Good sir, please point at the letters to form words for us, if you please.’

The figure sighs a ghostly breath ‘Wear the mirror~’ Kaman and Yrsa interprets it as ‘Wear the mirror’, but it also sounds like ‘We are the Mirror’. Kaman goes back to the Darnise chart ‘is it We Are the Mirror or Wear the Mirror? One or Two?’ asks Kaman. The figure sighs again which what sounds like ‘Wear the Mirror’ Yrsa tasks Barra to find the mirror in the space. ‘Where’s the mirror, Barra?’ says Kaman sarcastically. ‘Wouldn’t you be staring at them all the time?’ jests Kie.

Barra peers around the back of the room and spots a glint. There indeed is a mirror in the space! It is about 20 cm wide and 30cm high in the corner of the room. Barra walks over and checks himself out in the mirror. ‘Yeh! Lookin good, Bazza!’ he smiles. The reflection looks like Barra alright, nothing seemingly suspicious. Kaman can see the mirror is indeed magical. It has some sort of enchantment magic with a smattering of alteration. Kaman asks Barra to wear the mirror just to try.

Barra takes the mirror off the wall and walks back to the party. ‘Does this look like I’m wearing the mirror?’ says Barra raising it over his head.

A moment passes. Barra looks around and sees that the rest of the party has disappeared! He looks about frantically and notices now that within the blue dome are not just 5 figures, but 3 additional figures! Barra freezes.

Yrsa, Kaman and Kie hear a commanding voice suddenly yell ‘I WAS SAYING TO BEWARE THE BLOODY MIRROR, YOU FOOLS!’

Kaman tries to yell to Barra ‘Beware the Mirror! It’s cursed!’

Barra hears on the other side of the dome a whispery voice in jibberish because he can’t understand. Yrsa, Kaman and Kie are now trapped in the blue dome. They see the 5 people also trapped in the dome: 3 men and 2 women. They are wearing a mixture of clothing, some are in studded leather, one seems to be in full plate, one is in various robes. They look at the party. ‘Well. Well done.’ They grumble in resignation.

‘Well, on the bright side, at least we can talk normally now.’ Says Yrsa optimistically. ‘Tch. Great, That’s going to do us a lot of good. We’ve exhausted our speech a couple of centuries ago’. Says one of them. ‘Yes, so the privacy is nothing we say goes out of the dome, anything we do say wasn’t able to get people’s attention. And it seems just enough to entice them into this particularly nasty honeypot.’

Yrsa asks if all the adventures were all stuck in the space at the same time or was it additive over time. The adventurers share their individual stories of how they got there at different times. They do not look desecrated at all and look mostly humanoid.

In the mean time, Barra sees that his team mates are frozen in this patriarchal situation where they stand next to the other figures seated at the table. He doesn’t know that this image is not correlating to what is really happening in the dome. Yrsa tries to gesture from inside the dome but from the outside to Barra, it just looks like her head is moving.

Barra mental messages Akras who is outside. Akras says he was just about to bury his former team mate and is in the middle of something. Barra tells him that his friends are stuck in a magic dome in the building and that he’s holding a magical mirror and needs some help.

Akras walks into the room a beat later. Barra warns him to keep back ‘Nononon hold on!’ He tears off a bit of his clothing exposing more of his abs. Barra makes a make-shift blindfold and ties it around Akras’ head. ‘Alright, so you cannot look in this mirror.’ Says Barra ‘Why don’t you just put down mirror face down and let me see what the fuck is going on?’ growls Akras protesting.

‘Oh yeaaah~ good idea!’ affirms Barra. He places the mirror face down on the ground. Akras rips off the blindfold ‘What kind of fuckin’ stupid idea was that?’

Barra tells Akras that he wants to smash the mirror to free his friends trapped in the dome and he needs Akras’ to help. Barra digs around in his bag and sees that he has a disguise kit and a torch. Akras reaches into his belongings and pulls out a billy club and hands it to Barra. ‘Just use that.’

Barra commands Akras to close his eyes while he attempts to shatter the mirror with the club. Akras is puzzled and asks why should he. Barra explains that he doesn’t want Akras to get transported into the mirror because he’s a mate (even though he’s insulted Barra’s mother before.) Akras says ok and turns his back.

Barra flips the mirror back and looks into it, he raises the billy club over his head ‘ALRIGHT I’M SORRY HANDSOME BUGGER!!’ and smashes down at the mirror. But a thought occurred in Barra’s head ‘I can’t smash myself!’ and his aim misses and he hits the frame of the mirror.

‘Alright, alright I’m sorry, I gotta do this to ya’. He muses to himself. He tears off another piece of his clothing and ties it around Akras’ eyes. Akras protests and swears.

‘Yeh, I know, I know, I’m a fuckin weirdo’ says Barra. He arms Akras with the billy club and tries to guide his hand to strike the mirror, but Akras just swipes around like he’s trying to hit a pinata. ‘What the bloody hell are you doing?!? This is not a fuckin Christmas party!’

The party members within the dome are wondering what the hell is Barra doing with Akras playing ‘pin the donkey’ Kaman is exasperated and yelling as if he’s watching a soccer match and his team is playing badly.

Barra asks Akras if people say he’s a ‘wise person’. Akras squints and says ‘I would say this is the strangest fuckin conversation I’ve ever had today.’

Yrsa hollers from inside the dome ‘JUST BEAT IT FROM THE BACK! JUST TURN IT AROUND!’

‘Alright you know. I’m gonna try and shoot it with an arrow!’ declares Barra. He tells Akras to wear the blindfold and shoot an arrow. Akras refuses ‘You know this is complete rubbish.’ He tears off the blindfold and looks at the mirror.

He disappears.

‘FOR FUCKS SAKE I TOLD YA!’ yells Barra.

Akras appears in the blue dome space. Kaman and Yrsa yell ‘WHAT THE FUCK!!!’ in unison. Everyone starts yelling at each other in accusation and exasperation. ‘Why didn’t he just turn it away before-‘ ‘Why did you look at the mirror?!?’ Yrsa is slamming the blue dome with her axe cursing ‘*NA BEI CHI BAI!!’ but to no effect.

Barra, without taking his eyes off the mirror, tries to mental message Yrsa. ‘Yrsa, you’re my favorite person in the party. So I’m feeling kind of lost right now. I’m all alone. Everybody left me. I’m trying to smash this fuckin mirror, you got any tips?’

Yrsa on the other side hears ‘Yrsa…favorite mirror lost. Tips?’ Yrsa yells ‘SMASH IT ON THE FUCKIN GROUND!!’ while she continues to hammer at the dome.

Barra just hears ‘GRRROOOOOOUUUNNNDDDD~’

Barra pauses and processes the message. He picks up the mirror and talks to his reflection ‘I’m sorry handsome bugger’. He lifts the mirror over his head and smashes it on the ground with all his might. The mirror cracks.

Yrsa sees this from inside the dome and raises her arms in praise ‘YESS! DO IT AGAIN!’ Kaman turns to the others ‘Has anyone tried to smash the mirror before?’ The adventurers look around ‘No, but the rest listened to our warning and joined us…’ Kaman continues ‘But what if the mirror breaks and takes all of us-‘ ‘with it.’ Says Kie, finishing Kaman’s sentence. The leader pauses ‘…I’d probably worry about that, I’d hadn’t thought about that.’ The other adventurers look at each other and agree together. ‘Don’t smash the mirror! Don’t smash the mirror!’ they call out.

Barra just hears ‘Weeeaarr the mirrorrr~’ repeatedly. Barra’s 2nd smash attack didn’t work because it wasn’t strong enough. His wrists hurt. He decides he’ll Thunder Wave it. He stands on a stone casket and sends a thunder wave at the mirror to the ground.

The mirror seems to shatter more.

Barra grabs the billy club that was from Akras and tries to smash the mirror with it again.

From inside the dome, Akras turns to Yrsa ‘You know…he’s an idiot. Like an actual idiot.’ Yrsa pauses as if to acknowledge, but then realizes he’s talking bad about her subordinate ‘YOU DON’T TALK ABOUT MY BEST MAN LIKE THAT OK!’ yells Yrsa, an index finger raised. ‘HE’S A GOOD PRSON.’ ‘He’s either our best hope or our doom.’ Says Kaman flatly.

The smash does hardly any damage to the mirror.

‘HA THIS PHILISTINE WEAPON! I’M A SWORDSMAN!’ yells Barra in frustration, he pulls out his rapier and pokes the mirror multiple times, forcefully.

The mirror finally shatters cleanly off its frame.

Barra laughs in a mixture of anger, frustration and relief. The magic dome stays up, but the translucent illusion dissipates and Barra can see and hear all the party members and adventurers trapped in the dome.

‘Ok we’re still alive!’ yells Kaman. Yrsa is still hurling vulgarities and striking at the blue dome with her axe. Kaman can see that this magical barrier was made of some kind of force. It seems impossible to destroy physically.

Kaman tells Barra that he has to disable the globes on the caskets. Barra asks should he break the globes. Kaman tells him to move, break or hit them or something. Barra looks into the dome and sees the other adventurers, he spots one of the 2 lady adventurers and is suddenly distracted. He changes to his ‘charismatic lady killer mode’ and asks if anyone tried to smash the globes. It seems no one had tried to smash any. ‘Alright! This might take awhile!’

In the mean time, Kie realizes she hasn’t tried this trick that she knows. She concentrates. The world turns ghostly gray and echoey. She feels a fey presence as she recalls wandering through the woods, having discussions with some yokai. She recalls her past when she first gained her abilities in childhood. With some effort, she wills herself to move through the other world via Misty Step.

In a split second, she disappears out of the dome and reappears outside the dome. ‘OH KIE!!’ yells Barra excited, he rushes up hugs her. ‘KIE MY 2ND FAVORITE PERSON IN THE PARTY!’

Kaman looks on in disbelief. Yrsa explains that Kie has this ‘thing’ she can do. ‘Kie can you please smash the damn globes’. Says Kaman annoyed.

Barra pulls out his rapier and hits the nearest globe on the stone casket. It shatters in a satisfying tinkle. Barra and Kie go over and smash the other globe. With their collective blows of palm and rapier, the globe shatters spectacularly.

The blue forcefield disappears! Something unfortunate however, happens to the other 5 adventurers: they start to age rapidly like as if time has caught up to them and they immediately become frail.

‘Oh no, they’re not hot anymore!’ says Barra instinctively.

Yrsa takes a moment to register that the party is free. ‘YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT YOU SONS OF BITCHES!’ she woops and gives thumb up signs, rushes out and fist bumps, chest bumps her team.

One of the now geriatric adventurers ask ‘….What year is it?’ Barra says its Year 47. ‘Ah… that’s not too bad, its just 40 years for me’ says the geriatric adventurer. The other adventurers look around in disbelieve, 47 doesn’t register as any thing in their timeline. Yrsa asks them what year do they remember and what major event.

They sort of remember The 2nd Sundering and after that, the Centuries of Darkness. So somewhere between 300-400 years ago. Kaman asks the geriatric adventurers if they’re able to find a way out of the caverns. They look at each other and look at Kaman slightly suspect but the appreciate if they could be guided out of the place if possible.

Barra says, yeah it’s a long story with what has happened to the world as asks one of them for a lockpick. One of them reaches into his boot and pulls out a lockpick. Barra asks the geriatric adventurer to help open a chest but it seems his hand is now shaky and won’t be that proficient anymore due to age. One adventurer offers to try anyway.

Kaman does warn that some chests might have traps however. The elderly adventurer is able to unlock one of the easier chest locks and steps aside. ‘Well, its open now’. Barra opens the chest to find 2 potion bottles. There is also a large velvet cloth and in it containing a bright sword! Kaman can see that the potions are magical. ‘Dibs on the potions!’ says Barra. Kaman cautions the other 2 chests could be dangerous.

Barra asks if the other adventurers have tried to check out the other items in the room but it seems they too were equally paranoid as Team 3. The female mage of the group, now an elderly person, says that a group of helpful people tried for 6 months to free her from the dome but to no avail. ‘Well hey, we did that!’ smiles Barra giving Kie a thumbs up ‘Yes, team work!’ agrees Kie. ‘Well, I think it was because I hacked their fucking brains.’ Says the elderly mage. ‘they’re all dead now so it doesn’t matter…’

Kaman suggests the party try to open the other chests. The geriatric adventurers decide they’ll head off and find their way home, save for the adventurer who helped pick the lock on the chest. The adventurers are happy to give up any other treasure in the chests to Team 3.

The helpful adventurer wonders over to the chest near the door and attempts to open it. ‘Careful, it might be rigged!’ says Kaman. ‘No it’s alright.’ Says the man.

The chest pops open with ease. Without warning, a spray of magical acid emits on the elderly adventurer! The man swears and wipes his face with his arm. The other geriatric adventurers are alerted ‘Does someone have anything like water that can help!?’ one cries out. Barra pulls out his water skin and douses the man in water. Kaman presdigitates him to weaken the acid and casts healing word.

The elderly adventurer thanks Kaman and Barra. He now has deep scars on his face from contact with the acid. Mentally shaken, he says he won’t open the last chest in the space.

The geriatric adventurers all wish to leave. ‘Enjoy your..life.’ says Kie pleasantly. The elderly mage lady of the group pulls out a small something and asks who is the leader among Team 3. The party members all point to Yrsa. The elderly mage hands Yrsa a small, simple locket. It is the size of an oversized silver coin, has a sheath of wheat as a sigil and a hole where a chain could go around it.

‘I’ve carried that for a long time so I will be able to find it again. Once we’ve resettled ourselves, I will be in touch. Just to say thanks and see how you are all doing.’ She asks for the party’s names which Yrsa introduces everyone. Barra tries to give helpful directions to the mage who thanks him.

The mage and the other geriatric adventurers put their hands on each other. She says a word, stops for a moment and nods. The elderly mage puts something in her mouth, bites it off and poof! They all disappear.

Team 3 gasp and look at each other. ‘Shit. Man.’ Says Barra. ‘We..could have asked them to teleport us out!’ says Kaman in realization. ‘Oh yeah, we could have!’ exclaims Barra. ‘HI! HELLO!’ screams Barra into the necklace held by Yrsa. But obviously it doesn’t work.

Yrsa prompts the team to check the chest with the acid trap. They find a heavy set of ringmail, another velvet cloth which wraps a medium sized figurine of a stone temple lion. It is glowing. Barra pats Kaman and asks ‘what sort of magic is it?’. Kaman can detect it is transmutation with a mix of conjuration magic. There is also a magical runic sigil on the stone lion.

‘I suppose this is something that if you command, will give us something’ says Kaman, holding the stone lion. ‘Kie is very good at figuring out what things do. So we can leave it with her.’ Says Yrsa, Kie keeps the stone lion figure.

There is still one more chest but Kaman says none of them know how to use thieves tools. Yrsa suggest they brute force the chest, but Kaman says it could be rigged. Barra says he’ll try to use the tools, he might figure it out. ‘But you’ve never tried..’ says Kaman ‘Wait, lemmie get in character… shhh’ says Barra, trying to be a cool rogue stealth character. Kaman steps away. Yrsa stands near by to anticipate if something jumps out of the chest.

Kaman guides Barra along ‘ok.. focus..on the possibility…there might be a trap. You have to unravel it slloowly, there is always a secret in every lock. ’ Barra takes a deep breath and fiddles with the thieves’ tools.

There is a click and a pop sound. He squints at it before he opens the box. It seems alright.

‘Alright! Now someone has to help open it!’ says Barra proudly. ‘Wait, you have that ‘mage hand shit’ I’ve seen you do it before’ he points at Kaman. ‘yes, I do.’ Says Kaman. Yrsa is amazed ‘GODDAMIT BARRA, YOU’RE FUCKIN AMAZING.’

Kaman heaves a sigh, the rest of the party back off away from the box. Kaman is now 30 feet away from the box. He reaches out his hand and conjures a spectral hand to appear. Using what seems like ‘virtual reality controls’, he grabs the edge of the chest and tries to lift the lid. However, it seems the mage hand struggles to lift the lid as its too heavy.

‘Alright, as your fearless leader. I will do this.’ Says Yrsa heroically. She takes out a javelin, stands as far away from the chest as possible, and pries the lid open.

The lid falls back. Nothing happens.

They run back to the box and see 2 glass vials with a mix of different colored liquids and a pair of bright bronze gauntlets. Something else catches Kaman’s eyes: a small, light lavender ellipsoid, banded with a gold central band, on the side are runes with the symbol of Eijnar. Kaman asks to take a look at the ellipsoid and examines it. It says ‘Sacred protection for Ejinar’s Chosen’. Kaman makes a ‘huh, interesting’ face and is about to keep the item when Yrsa says ‘Wai-wait, do you know what it does? What if its cursed?! Like the mirror!’ Kaman ensures its fine. ‘Are you veery certain?’ she says suspiciously. ‘I’ll tell you after I spend some time with it’.

Barra wants to wear the gauntlets, Yrsa tries to stop him but he puts them on already. ‘Nah they’re just good looking jewelry!’ he says. The gauntlets fit neatly around his arms. He looks at them and says ‘YEEAH!’ in affirmation.

Kaman walks over to the bookshelf to look at the 2 magical books. He takes a look at the first book: ''Manual of Physical Activity, A Primer in Just 7 Days! I will make you a man! Kaman takes it down from the shelf ‘One copy of Men’s Health'' magazine’ he hands it to Barra who holds it excitedly. The other book is The Art of War and Leadership in the Field, A guide to the strategy and the elimination of your enemies. ‘Oo! Yrsa, that would probably be for you!’ says Kie excited. Yrsa holds the book. ‘You know I have no strategy, I just go in and beat things. And try to stay alive while you guys kill it.’ Barra affirms ‘it’s a good strategy though.’ ‘It’s worked for us so far.’ Agrees Yrsa.

Kaman draws the party back to the main mission once again. The others protest. Kaman also advises that they really should not touch the wooden coffin. Yrsa agrees they shouldn’t touch the coffin because the stuff they took probably belonged to the person in the coffin. ‘I mean, we’ve already robbed them.’ Says Yrsa. Everyone agrees they should leave. Kaman asks Akras if he’s ok and needs any more help. Akras says he still needs time to bury his comrade, he asks for their help in digging a grave which the party is fine to help out.

Back outside, everyone helps to dig a simple grave for Makra. Akras begins to sing a solemn funeral rite. Yrsa can understand from the song that Akras is chanting is the story of Makra: the battles Akras fought with him, the times they both saved things, the times Akras was facing death and Makra saved his life. He wraps up the song and consecrates the grave. Yrsa is in tears, overcome by emotion.

Barra ruins the moment by suggesting they put Makra in the coffin with no name. Kaman shhs Barra and gives him a disapproving ‘not now’ face.

Akras says gravely ‘I think we’ve had enough today with playing with forces we don’t understand’. ‘The last thing I want is for him to come back as a fuckin vampire or something which is not something anyone wants. Let’s not take the risk.’ he laughs heartily in relief. ‘You’re a good man, Barra, I appreciate that.’

‘I’m so sorry for your loss…’ sniffs Yrsa ‘He sounded like a good man’.Kie puts a comforting hand on Yrsa’s shoulder.

Akras thanks the party for their help and says he’s ready to carry on.

The party go back into the stone building to assess the loot and divide who takes what.

Kie decides to take the short sword. It is a beautiful sword with ornate leaves inlaid with Elvish writing. She discovers the nature of that weapon and attunes to it.

Barra looks at the ‘men’s health magazine’ book and apparently reads the fine print that if he studies it for over 6 hours in 2 days, it would magically benefit his strength! Yrsa looks at the strategy book and feels that perhaps if she worked hard and tried to understand it, she would be able to learn a battle commanders’ field instructions to better help coordinate the team during battle. Books in the world of Urtu don’t have contents so its not just read the first chapter and read the last chapter. Yrsa however deduces that Barra would be better at understanding the book because Yrsa is busy raging and hitting things and not able to give commands in the thick of battle. Barra agrees that he’ll take up the responsibility. ‘You know, I’m not very good at this reading business. I failed school.’

The potions are 1 dose use, a herbalist would still need to appraise what they are to identify them. From Barra’s visual assessment: 3 seem like healing potions for different purposes, 2 are just regular healing potions. 1 of the fancier potions has a silver inlaid carving on it.

The ring armor just looks like it has overly bright rings. Kaman studies the stone lion figurine and discovers that it can be thrown on the ground and it will turn into a living creature companion! Kie tries to appraise the ring armor. She realizes she doesn’t really understand the concept of armor because she’s a monk. Kaman suggests to Barra to let Kie identify the gauntlets. Barra takes them off and passes them to Kie. Yrsa in the mean time tries to figure out the ring mail but doesn’t think anything is special about it. It’s lighter than other mail armor, that’s all she knows.

Kie pulls out a pearl and balances it on her head. She takes out a beautiful owl feather and tickles her face with it. Barra looks at her confused. Kie casts an identify spell: she summons a yokai nature spirit to aid and advise her in identifying the gauntlets. She smiles and nods. Kie tells Barra that they are the Gauntlets of Ogre Power. Kaman tries to convince Barra to pass the gauntlets on to Kie because he doesn’t do a lot of physical damage. Barra doesn’t care and wants to keep them because they’re stylish. He poses with them like he’s advertising for luxury watches. He finally relents and passes the gauntlets to Yrsa.

The party have a good rest, Barra sings a parody of ‘Hey Jude’ to heal up and inspire everyone. There are 2 exits out of the cavern space: 1 is elevated and quite high up, or they could continue around the stone building to try to look for Shadow Guard tracks and see where they go. Barra sees there are the usual Ghoul tracks and things but spots heavy boot prints heading down the tunnel that leads out pass the stone building. Kaman points out the tracks with prestidigitation to illuminate them. Barra tells Akras to step on the boot print to match the shoe size. He confirms that the prints are indeed the Shadow Guards.

Barra asks if they should check the upper tunnel. Kie offers to check. ‘I boost you!’ offers Yrsa. ‘I don’t need it.’ Says Kie politely. ‘Show off’. Mutters Barra. ‘Would you like to do it?’ smiles Kie at Barra. Barra grumbles and says Kie should do it.

Kie jumps up, grabs hold of a stone and hoists herself into the hole with ease. She illuminates the tunnel with her new blade which glows. But she isn’t able to see any tracks or anything unique. The tunnel goes for about 20 feet. ‘What do you see!’ yells Yrsa from below. ‘Light.’ Says Kie innocently.

The party suggest Kie just go down and explore, so she walks further into the tunnel. The tunnel begins to curve about 25 feet and inclines upwards. She tells the others below. Yrsa reasons that Orcs can’t fit in that space so they can’t have gone that way. Yrsa summons Kie to come back. Kie however hears some bats on the way coming down. ‘Well if there bats, they must have come from somewhere. Does anyone know what bats mean…?’ she asks the rest.

Kaman says that would be some sort of chute for the bats to access the caves. The party decide they’ll go up this way, they have rope after all. Yrsa says she’ll try to climb up first with the aid of rope. She scales with no problem. Barra and Kaman climb up and fit into the tunnel but need to hunch a little to fit in. Akras has to commando crawl in order to fit, Barra and Kaman follow. Yrsa looks at everyone else’s discomfort and sniggers aloud.

The party make it out of the tunnel to the incline. It’s a dark, steep climb upwards. After about 15-20 minutes of walking, Yrsa hears a rolling kind of sound. It sounds familiar but somehow there’s a whoosh and the sound dissipates.

‘Ohh I know what the fuck it is! The cart.’ Says Yrsa. The party Ooo in realization. After about 5 minutes of careful stepping forward, the steep incline levels out.

Yrsa scouts ahead and wiggles out of a crevice. She sees a rail, a 1m gap and another rail. It looks like she’s in some part of the underground railway. Yrsa wiggles back to tell the party that it maybe be a tight squeeze. She looks at Akras ‘So.. I’m not being ‘size-ist’ here, facts are facts, physics is physics. It is going to be hard for you to fit. And, you 2 as well.’ Indicating Barra and Kaman. Barra is worried if they bring Akras along, the Sivalai Kingdom will get upset. Kaman asks if Yrsa knows where the rail tracks go. ‘I… don’t know!’ she says grinning with pistol fingers. She apologizes that she’s wasted everyone’s time and this isn’t the right shortcut. Unless they can find a way to break the tunnel wall to widen it.

‘I HAVE A RAPIER!’ declares Barra. No one listens to him. Yrsa punches the tunnel wall with a firm fist but punches the wrong bit of tunnel wall. The wall caves in a bit but takes a chunk out of her fist in friction burn. ‘Would a pickaxe help?’ offers Akras, he pulls one out of his bag. ‘HOW MUCH SHIT DO YOU HAVE IN THERE, OH MY GAWD!’ yells Barra. ‘How are you NOT prepared for a mission, that’s my question to you’ gloats Akras.

Barra says perhaps he can help disguise Akras since he’s heading to enemy territory. Akras takes off his armor and suggests that he could try wearing the ringmail to look different. Barra thinks that’s a good idea and he can use his disguise kit to put makeup on Akras. The party nod in agreement. Akras thinks the combination of makeup and different armor, he’ll look like any other big Orc.

Yrsa tries to figure out the pickaxe business, Barra finishes the makeup on Akras ‘Alright! Now he’s a… really strange lookin Human!’ indicating Akras, who still looks like an Orc wearing a bit too much concealer with lipstick and a blonde wig… Kaman and Kie try not to burst into tears with laughter. Akras jokes ‘I must admit, I do quite like the hair’. He tosses it back behind his shoulder in a girly fashion. ‘Life is short and hard, so I am the fuck I am.’ Says Akras. Kaman does an awkward double thumbs up sign.

Yrsa sings ‘hi ho, hi ho’ as she chips away at the rock tunnel to widen it. Suddenly her pick gets stuck in the wall. ‘FUCK.’ She swears loudly. She pulls out her battleaxe and tries to chip the pick axe out of the wall. With a whack, she accidentally knocks the pickaxe further into the rock, the rock barrier shatters with the pickaxe breaking in 2. Yrsa stops and realizes ‘wow, I’m so much stronger!’

Akras groans ‘oh no! that was the only pickaxe I had!’ Yrsa turns to look at Akras and exclaims ‘WHAT THE FUCK!’ shocked by his change in appearance. Yrsa extracts the pickaxe and feebly tries to put it together. Barra tells Kaman could he try to magically put it back together. Kaman says he’ll try: he uses his divine energy accessible to him and tries to mend the 2 physical items together. It works! ‘Yeah, that seems to work!’ says Akras pleased. He puts the pickaxe back in his jacket.

Everyone is now able to squeeze their way through this wider path. The plan therefore is to keep heading up and out to reach the rail tracks. They pass through the tunnel for about 2 hours, when Yrsa and Barra suddenly hear rumbling sounds. ‘CARTS COMING!’ They yell.

1 cart is coming from uphill, the other is going downhill. Kaman and Barra flatten themselves against the side of the cavern wall. Yrsa and Kie decide they will try to turn around, run and jump into the cart behind them that’s going uphill and brake it. She yells at Akras to follow Kaman and Barra and flatten himself.

Kie easily vaults into the oncoming cart. There appears to be no one operating the cart and she sees there are various ores loaded at the back. Suddenly, there’s a loud ‘THUDD’ and a ‘CHI BAI!’ The impact sends Yrsa flying. Kaman makes a face, with a hand over his mouth.

The cart continues on down the track. Kie races over to the cart controls and sees 2 levers and what looks like a flashing handle. Kie pulls the left lever in front of her. She hears the screeching sound as the brakes apply to the minecart.

‘Yrsa are you ok?’ says Kaman quickly ‘Urg.. *did you get the number of the thing that hit me?’ she croaks. Kaman tells Barra to turn on his chest light so that they can run up to Kie’s position. Barra spots Kie but she’s really far on. The party gives chase. Yrsa yells ‘The right lever! Push it away! Push up the right lever!’ Kie hears the command and pushes up the right lever. The cart comes to a stop.

Another minecart barrels down the tracks with 3 or 4 people. Kaman quickly erects a silent image of the cavern deliberately erasing the party members from the scene, in a kind of Warner Brothers cartoon type trick. ‘Did you see someone?’ ‘Yeah-‘. Say the people in the cart. It whizzes by not noticing Team 3 in the tunnel.

The party run over to Kie’s cart. Everyone somehow squashes in, shoving the ore and dirt away. Yrsa operates the controls and accelerates the cart forward. Barra gets into surfing position. Everyone kind of has a deja vu moment recalling how they got to the underground in the first place 2 days ago.

The cart moves along steadily. They see mushrooms growing on the side of the cavern walls as they head on. Kaman questions Yrsa ‘But Yrsa, doesn’t this bring us back to where we started the journey?’ Barra disagrees and even offers to punch the cavern wall to confirm. The cart does seem like its going downwards. ‘Do you think we’re going the wrong way?!’ says Kaman, panicking a little. ‘But it feels like we’re heading up! Sometimes you need to go down, to go up!’ says Yrsa. ‘Have faith! Why am I saying that to a cleric?’ Kaman resigns in his fate that they don’t know where they’re going and slouches into his seat. Barra pats him on the shoulder. ‘Come on, chill man.’

45 minutes pass, something obviously feels wrong. ‘I think we’ve come a long way…you’d think we’d hit the end by now don’t you think?’ says Akras. Yrsa doesn’t seem to doubt anything is wrong, Kaman objects that they really should try the other direction. Yrsa pulls the leaver to brake the cart but to her horror, she realizes she’s snapped off the lever for the brake!! She tries to affix it back like how a child accidentally breaks something and tries to put it together.

‘It’s ok, there’s still the emergency brake’. She says calmly. ‘BRACE YOURSELVES EVERY BODY!’ She hits the emergency break button.

The cart immediately stops moving from 40 mph to 0.

In a kind of ‘Ave Maria’ moment, everyone flies out of the cart at such a terrific speed that time seems to stop, and then fast forward to the present where earth and bodies catapult out of the cart into a heap on the ground. Everyone is hurt pretty badly.

‘Alright guys’ says Barra weakly, barely sitting up, ‘it’s time for a song’.

Kaman tells everyone to get off the track first to regroup. As they shuffle off the tracks, they notice the smell rain. Barra insists playing a song but Kaman tells him to move away from the area else another cart will hit everyone.

The party decide to walk upwards towards the smell of rain. Barra sings an inspiring song, a parody of ‘Under the sea’ but ‘Under the Earth’ as they walk. After about 20 minutes, they hear the sounds of the rainforest and jungle as they step to the edge of the tunnel.

Yrsa gasps ‘It’s the FUCKIN. SKY.’ She says in adulation and relief at the dark night sky with 1 of the moons of Urtu shining brightly. ‘Moon 1, I LOVE YOU.’ She cries, overcome with emotion in a ‘Shawshank Redemption/ V for Vendetta’ type scene.

The party notice the rails carry on for another 200m through a jungle path. There appears to be a couple of huts or something in the distance. This area looks completely different from when the party first went underground which was near Marabanda Village. Kaman suggests that if he can find higher ground, he can read the stars and determine their bearings. Yrsa gets defensive about her height as if she won’t be as effective in the same task. Kaman just says he was asking her as his superior, not what she intended. Yrsa just feels a bit triggered as her height is kind of a complex she has. Yrsa asks Akras if his people are actively at war with the Sivalai Kingdom. ‘But not like he is now!’ says Barra as Akras is in disguise. Akras does a comical hair toss.

‘For a start, we are not actively at war. They’ve just taken one of ours. As I said to you the other night, they betrayed us after we agreed to … resolve a problem together. And as part of that betrayal, they’ve then kidnapped some hostages. So we’re just trying to level the score really.’ Says Akras. Everyone looks at him concerned.

‘Well, they took one of the princes.’ Yrsa asks if the prince is still a child. Akras says not to worry, the Prince is a grown child. ‘Well it’s half of the cost you know, if you’re a prince or a princess, getting married or getting kidnapped, is a thing.’ says Yrsa.

Barra suggests the party go straight to the huts. Kaman asks why he wants to go that way to the huts. ‘I’m hungry!’ says Barra matter of factly. Kaman says they still have rations. Yrsa says if they were to rest outside, chances are they could be jumped by something knowing the forests are not safe, they could get a good night rest in one of the huts instead. Barra asks if Yrsa wants to get some disguise on to avoid suspicion.

Kaman asks what their story will be while they’re disguised. Yrsa tasks Barra to figure it out for all of them. ‘YEAH! So we were mining ‘downstairs’, and our cart broke down and we need some assistance from the kind villagers of this village. Our heads got hit REALLY HARD and we have amnesia!’ Says Barra improvising. ‘Erm..maybe don’t need the amnesia part’ says Yrsa. Yrsa suggests since learning what Karim had told her previously that all sorts of people would come to mine, they could just be random miners.

Akras says that the Sivalai Kingdom technically didn’t build those mines so they can go as they wish. ‘Don’t listen to their lies, the Sivalai Kingdom, they’ll fill your ears with poison and sell your things you don’t own.’ The party learn that these tunnels were in existence for a millennia and says the Orcs actually built them.

The party decide to go to the huts and let Barra do the bulk of the talking. Barra decides to disguise Yrsa like Lalit the goblin guide who was wearing a light blue travel cloak, a small brooch around his neck and a leather outfit. He had yellow eyes and black hair. Barra manages to disguise Yrsa almost like Lalit down to the shadow of his nose.

‘Lemmie just change my voice, mum Mum MUM MAM Mum mum mum’ she sings a scale, ‘YIPPEE!’ squeals Yrsa, like Lalit ‘Ok I’ve got it.’ ‘Hahlo, I am Laloot’ says Yrsa in character.

The party keep all other insignias and identification markers to look as much as miners as they can. They do look very convincing with how dusty and dirty they look and with a bit of Ghoul goop on them, which more looks like the goop has dried, caked with dirt and dried over.

Kie races up a nearby tree and decides to hop from tree to tree instead of walk on the ground. She keeps pace with the party. Barra mental messages Kie about what she sees. ‘Trees and branches’ she says flatly in reply. Barra grumbles at the unhelpful remark.

The party move further along and see 3 or 4 huts in the distance. There are more huts near the rail but there’s also a fence dividing the party from the area. They don’t see anyone in the huts. The gates seem open to the village, but there seems to be no sign of anyone. There is an end of rail hut where the tracks end. There’s also a small work table that looks similar to the one at Samar Junction.

Barra asks Akras if this is the extraction point he was talking about in the letter. ‘..Hm yeah it might be, I don’t really know.’ He says. The party agrees they should go take a look at the village. They step through the gates and hear a voice.

‘Freeze. Sivalai Pig. Or I’ll fuck you up so hard.’

Yrsa feels a crossbow shoved at her head. She raises her hands slowly.

‘You cannot just assume any goblin is a Sivalai goblin, ok. ‘ says Yrsa calmly

‘You’re dressed like a Sivalai, you look like a Sivalai.’ Says the voice.

‘….AKRAS’ she yells for help.

There is a pause. Yrsa can hear in Orcish ‘Green heron flies through the night’. And a moment later.

‘It’s fuckin me, you don’t have to speak the stupid code words!’ shouts Akras. ‘Do you want me to come over there and break your fuckin leg, Dregga?’

Dregga laughs ‘I’m sorry, Akras, it’s just you-‘ he sputters, trying to contain his laughter. ‘You know I like this spy shit!’ Everyone relaxes. Akras tells his team mates to stand down and tells the party not to worry, they are at their destination.

He says in Orcish seriously ‘If any of you mentions a fucking thing about this wig, I will break your legs.’ The guys burst into hearty laughter. Akras tears his wig off and wipes away his lipstick. ‘I’m done with this life.’

The session ends on a high note with the party in the Shadow Guard outpost.

END OF SESSION

Next Episode 6: On a Little Clifftop Village, They Gambled for My Soul

Previous Episode 4: The Funk of 40 Thousand Years

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Cultural notes

Ho seh bo – is ‘how are you?’ in Hokkien, a Mandarin dialect.

Jia ba buay – is a common Hokkien greeting which literally means ‘have you eaten?’ fullness is seen in Chinese culture as happiness and satisfaction. If you can eat, means you’re not doing badly.

shū zhōng zì yǒu huáng jīn wū (书中自有黄金屋 ) – an ancient Chinese proverb that literally means ‘Within books reside golden houses’. Which metaphorically means ‘great wealth can be found in books’/ ‘reading leads to great wealth’/ ‘being more learned leads to great wealth’ that sort of thing. Which in a way makes sense at the time because many Chinese citizens hoped to be good at studies, try to enter the Imperial Palace via examinations so that they could work as a civil servant at the Palace which guarantees you wealth for life and better quality of life for your entire family. To learn more about the Chinese Imperial Exams, you can read this: https://www.chinasage.info/examinations.htm

Na Bei Chi Bai – is a terrible, terrible Hokkien swear which literally means ‘fuck you c—t!’ Chi Bai basically means 'the C word'

Collecting license plate digits from car accidents – this is a common, curious belief in Singapore that if you jot down numbers of license plates of cars that have met with an accident, you could use those numbers and buy lottery tickets in a hope that you could get lucky and win! I suppose the logic is that because a car accident is considered an unusual or unfortunate incident, perhaps luck would swing in your favour if you apply it to lottery tickets.