[RP log in progress] Great Hollow and Ancient Highway

[jale_bait]

Who: Sieg, Geddoe, Chrodechild, Jale, Sigurd, Kasumi
When: about one day after the group sets out from Budehuc
What: arrival at and exploration of the Great Hollow, followed by some ruins explorin' at the Ancient Highway
Where: about to arrive!

Yaza Plain had been a calming stretch of land that soothed the eyes and calmed the spirit. Green, gentle

Comments

[trueltning_fury]

"...around the next bend, you'll see the main tunnel of the Great Hollow before us," Geddoe was explaining, still out front in the point position. He strode with clear purpose, having been here many times before and finding the trip rather routine. "We can get rooms at the inn and drop off our supplies first, and then conduct whatever business you've come for."

[nightsveilqueen]

"Excellent," Chrodechild nodded, satisfied with the smoothness with which their trip had gone so far. Only a few notable challenges had met them on their way, and even those easily dispatched. "All we want is to be able to explore the Ancient Highway--examine the ruins, see if there's anything similar to places in our own world. We're just looking for clues to get home, or see if the Wanderers have ever been here.

"I don't know what the clan's relationship to the Highway is other than proximity, but we'll want to be clear we have no interest in desecrating or violating anything."

[trueltning_fury]

Geddoe shook his head slightly. "A few years ago it would have taken some dealing to get permission, but because of the war, anyone brave enough to walk inside is allowed to. The entrance to the underground highway is outside the Hollow, and it isn't connected to the Lizards' other underground passages." He glanced briefly over his shoulders to the other party members. They had handled themselves well in the encounters on the plains, but he knew that far worse lurked inside those ruins.

"...if that's your aim, then it would be prudent to stock up and rest before going in. The Sindar ruins are a vast labyrinth. I've been inside. The monsters that roam freely are much tougher than boars and Horo-horos."

[nightsveilqueen]

Chrodechild knew Geddoe was being cautious, but she felt it important he understand that the young Citro militia members were certainly more than capable. "Sieg, Jale, and I have all quite literally have fought the monsters of hell, with Sieg leading the charge. We'll be able to handle it I think. But rest and preparation certainly sounds prudent. Do they have a weapon or armorsmith? It wouldn't hurt to get the Black Blade sharpened, and I still have a nick in my bracer that I should get fixed." Chrodechild's eyes subconsciously flickered over to Kasumi (or wherever it was that Kasumi had appeared last; so silent she was it was hard to keep track!).

"I'd like to speak to the Lizards about the area too. I trust your knowledge of course," she added quickly so as not to appear that she was questioning Geddoe's knowledge, "But we should ask them of any recent events or local monster appearances that would be of especial concern to us."

[jale_bait]

Jale's voice drifted over from behind them. "I'm guessing that's it?"

The path retreated into a yawning opening in the mountain face, neatly chiseled away to form what looked like a massive building embedded in the rock. The size of the entrance combined with the fine craftsmanship was somewhat imposing.

At the foot of the door was an orange lizardman with what could be described as a pike with three wickedly long points, two of which arched down. Jale wasn't sure what he expected a lizardman to look like, but the description definitely fit.

The lizardman snapped his head up at the party's approach and called out. His voice was low and gruff. "Who goes there?"

[trueltning_fury]

"They do," Geddoe responded to Chrodechild first, before Jale's comment caught his attention. "Yeah...we're here."

He stepped up his pace slightly in order to stay out front as they strode the rest of the way up the canyon to within a few yards of the Lizard Clan fighter guarding the entrance. "An old friend of Chief Dupa's," he replied, unruffled.

It may have been seven years since the day Geddoe appeared on this very same doorstep, speaking the correct words to assure Shiba that his team wasn't a threat, but the one-eyed mercenary was still familiar enough to the clan. The lizard moved his halberd aside so it wasn't in the way of the entrance. "Oh, it's you. Come looking for a job, eh? You may enter, Captain."

[wontknowtilitry]

     Sieg might have been uncharacteristically quiet for this portion of the journey, perhaps because it's been quite a bit of walking. Nothing the boy wasn't used to, and he still wore a grin now and then as he looked about, but one could only be so excited about endless fields of grass for so long.

Mostly he was trying to pay attention to what Geddoe pointed out. Never knew when they'd need to go out here themselves. Not that Sieg was sure he'd remember everything. But that's what Jale was there for.

"Whoa..." It...well, the place didn't look all that impressive from the front, but it was certainly huge. The Lizardmen that stood ahead of them were quick to get Sieg's attention once they reached their destination. He grinned as they admitted them. Geddoe really was well-known around here, then.

[nightsveilqueen]

Chrodechild took in the size of Great Hollow and its inhabitants with less noticeable fascination than Sieg, but she still was quite taken in her own mind by the situation. She followed Geddoe indoors, nodding politely to the Lizardman guard as they passed.

"So, resupply and inn? Or are are we going to speak to the Chief?"

[trueltning_fury]

And the entrance hall wasn't even the most magnificent part of the Hollow - although the high hall with pillars down the sides and little hidden gaps throwing tiny spots of sunshine on the floor was beautiful, in a way. "I plan to pay my respects to Chief Dupa," Geddoe replied. "If you guys want to come along, I'll wait until after we've dropped off our things at the inn."

They passed through the second doorway at the far end of the hall and into the Great Hollow itself, the enormous cavern opening up before them. Geddoe smirked lightly to himself, expecting the group's response to seeing the stories-tall waterfalls tumbling into the reflecting pool, and the smooth ramps and tiers carved into the stone itself. The echoing whisper of falling water that filled the cavern was a welcoming sound even for him, momentarily soothing his recent irritations,

[jale_bait]

"I'd like to meet the chief," Jale said. He was interested in seeing what kind of leader was in charge of these people.

Jale's eyes widened as the main cavern became visible. The walls of the smaller hall fell away from the edges of his vision to give way to the surprisingly spacious hollow in front of him. He wondered how long it took for them to carve all of the rock away... Lizard Clan members of various sizes and colors milled about, and he observed them curiously. They were kind of like rougher versions of the Furious Roar... but with shirts instead of pants, his brain felt obliged to point out.

[nightsveilqueen]

Chrodechild nodded to Jale. "Then let's go drop off our things and be on our way."

She tried not to gawp at the area around her, but it was hard not to take in her surroundings. "Skilled artisans indeed, to clear out a place like this."

[trueltning_fury]

Geddoe veered off to the left, though he stretched out an arm to point as he went. "Supply store. Armory and blacksmith. Trade shop's up there." He indicated the first carved entryway at the top of the ramp. The party, however, was heading to a different alcove on the main floor, tucked away along a curve of the cavern. "I'd suggest getting two rooms. Should be a hundred potch a head, unless things have changed since I passed through a year ago."

ahfladjlaf I thought I was tracking this thing >_< GOMEN~~ T_T

[wontknowtilitry]

     "Heh, this place does kinda remind me of Lugenik..." the boy mused as they wandered further within. "...except...you know, without the volcano." He grinned over at Jale, but he was finding it hard not to stare in wonder just as Chrodechild was. The Lizard folk were huge..!

Sieg blinked as he heard Geddoe speak up again, and he turned to make sure he was going in the same direction as everyone else. Wouldn't it be great to get lost in this place?! Although places were being pointed out, the boy had a feeling he wouldn't remember where things were. Oh well, it wasn't like he hadn't gone and poked about places to get a feel for where things were, before.

no worries!

[jale_bait]

Jale watched Sieg momentarily veer off course with an attentive eye. It didn't take a whole lot of effort to guess what was going through the Tenkai's head. Until the pleasantries were over with, Jale would need to make sure Sieg didn't wander off somewhere by mistake. Normally, he'd leave that task to a certain someone else, but...

He followed Geddoe's lead into what he presumed to be the inn, confirmed by the little sign of a bed hanging above the stone counter opposite the entrance. A bored-looking Lizard was spacing out from behind the counter. He snapped out of his reverie upon noticing the visitors and gave the group what Jale interpreted as a friendly grin. "Welcome!" he boomed as they they crowded in. "You want a room for the night? We have lots of rooms that are as chilly as you could want."

Bookmark Jale's journal and then it will be easier to check this and the ooc thread

[nightsveilqueen]

Chrodechild just ever so slightly lifted an eyebrow at the offer of "chilly" rooms, but she had camped out in the desert at night; she could handle "chilly."

"Lovely," she said politely to the suddenly exuberant innkeeper. "We'll take two rooms."

After sorting out the quality and price of the rooms, they deposited their belongings, made sure they were secure, and then headed out into the Hollow to the upper level, where they were escorted by a polearm wielding guard to meet Chief Dupa. Dupa opened his mouth in a reptilian grin to welcome Geddoe, and eyed the group curiously--obviously not the group Geddoe used to travel with.

[young_night]

There was a sudden shouting back down at the lower levels, the commotion coming from the entrance hall which the group had passed through not so long ago. A distinct, boyish male voice was shouting, sounding a little heated as his voice echoed off the cavern walls.

"I'm not leaving my weapons here no matter what you say!" The voice was yelling, before a short moment of silence set in