Ruins & Riches [ME1]

[Sharn]

Sharn had learned to trust his premonitions, and the coldness he was feeling in the Force was ominous. As Remnant scouts were already mapping the planet he figured there was no much time left to devote to long-delayed excursions to ancient ruins in the south. They could be anything, and so also Rakatan, or related to some old Force cultures or cults. He would know more once he would see for himself.

Having travelled south with pod-racing enthusiasts, he now branched out toward a far less frequented area, having hinted another on the transport about his intent...

[Runi Vizsla]

That other followed along with him, glancing around at the ruined architecture. "Can't say it's not picturesque," she noted.

[Sharn]

He stopped to take in what she was talking about, and reluctantly nodded. "There is a chance the lasting aesthetic appeal may be a mark of former greatness of the builders." He had stolen a few glances of her, but retained a cool, aloof shell for the time being as he contemplated the architectural patterns and compared it to the data stored in his brain.

[Ender]

Climbing to the ruins took time, yet here they were. The windstorms whipping around the pair as they made their way to the area of the ruins. No where near the sheared peaks, the bitter chill bit into their clothing.

Approaching the Ruins, it began to take it's toll.

Yet moreso than the cold, was an oppressive feeling emanating from it. Something dark lingered here.

Tattered cloth whipped in the wind, one breaking free of a weak mast, flying out into the void of the storm that was beginning to build up.

Because of the force of the winds and the cold, two setback dice while outside of the ruins to any check made.

The door to the ruins was an empty, black void.

[Sharn]

"The ruins are Force-charged." That much he could tell with certainty, and he assumed she felt it too. Wrapping himself in his coat thicker, he waved toward the doorway, indicating his drive to continue despite any sense of foreboding. If anything, it might be confirming his earlier discernment of coldness in the Force, with how intensified it now had become.

[Runi Vizsla]

She wrapped her coat tighter as well, following his lead to go inside. "... More toward the breaking-down end of the spectrum than the growth," she nodded as she stepped into the void. "Very force-charged."

[Sharn]

"I assume the intensity may elicit emotions. Let's not fear, however." He mused, as much to her as to himself, stepping in alongside after he had spat the cold snow from his mouth. This was how Csilla had looked like during the long glacial age and the underground phase of development of Chiss species that had left them with infrared vision and some tolerance for cooler weather.

[Runi Vizsla]

Runi nodded, and said, "Don't worry. I won't let it terror me up."

[Sharn]

"We can liquor up after this instead. Or something that will still be possible after whatever there's inside is done with us." He said deadpan.

[Ender]

A howl echoed from the entrance, caused by the wind whipping past the open portcullis.

[Runi Vizsla]

Runi stepped inside, peering into the darkness. Her eyes weren't as sensitive as his in the gloom, though. A chill flowed down her spine, and her response... was to continue with the puns. "Two fish are in a tank. One looks to the other and says, 'Do you know how to drive this thing?'"

[Sharn]

"Through quantum mechanics. Let's look away to make some waves." Sharn replied, again deadpan, trying to analyse the howl while adjusting his eyes to the new black.

[Ender]

Entering the ruins, the oppressive nature seems to permeate through your soul, or the nervous response systems and hormones kicking in adrenaline for the fight or flight response. Something deep within pushing at the base, reptillian part of your mind.

Proceeding deeper, sconces unnaturally light with an unnatural green glow.

First, a Fear 2 (Discipline or Cool v. Average Difficulty) check. Failing this check will incur 1 Conflict, as Fear is the path to the Dark Side. In addition to the conflict cost, it will add a setback die to every skill check made within the ruins. Threats will be taken as strain, due to the stressful nature of fear.

Secondly, navigating the ruins will require a Cunning/Knowledge (Lore) check at a Hard Difficulty. This isn't relying on your intelligence, but rather the application of knowledge in feeling your way through a maze.

[Sharn]

Despite tendrils of fear that perplexed Sharn with their goosebumps aesthetics being eerily pervasive, he was not afraid. He was too curious and too committed to dispassionate analysis to be. Feeling the spooky thrill of haunted ruins was far lesser species. He was Chiss.

ME1. Superior Fear Resistance.: 2eA+2eD 1 success


"So, did you get it?" He looked at the maze, then at the red Mandalorian.

[Runi Vizsla]

Runi felt the fear grip and squeeze her heart, but she gritted her sharp teeth. She took the fear in rather than fighting it, let it give her strength, make her more aware of her surroundings.

Resistance to THA FEAR! Cool vs. Avg.: 1eA+2eP+2eD 0 successes, 2 threat, 1 Triumph

[Sharn]

Having no answer, Sharn bottled up for a while and stepped forth and looked around. He couldn't easily compute the way through the way, it looked like simple geometry but the model predicted wrong turns. He concluded the Force of the place was deliberately throwing off his calculations, so in the end he closed his eyes, triangulated thanks to sensing where Runi was, and finally chose the way, not wavering.

ME1. Superior Spiritual Trailblazing. Runi Assists!: 2eA+3eD+1eB 2 successes, 2 threat

[Ender]

The Ruins are a maze. Either by design, or by decline in age. These are ancient, and a casual glance shows that they predate the modern era by at least three millennia. Pictographs cover the walls, intricate designs, but teeming with that feeling of dread. The harsh glow of the green sconces seems to lend a particularly spooky appearance to everything. Working together, the pair of you move deeper and deeper. It seems, though, that the halls repeat themselves.

Was the glyph the same one you passed ten minutes ago?

Sharn: Your next check will suffer a setback die.

Finally, after the looping halls, you come to a grand, ceremonial chamber. Rings of concentric circles, with grooves worn into them, and a single channel moving through the rings to the center altar. A massive green flame seems to whip to life from behind that altar. The shadows cast harshly across your faces. Something appears to be on the dais.

[Runi Vizsla]

She looked around, swallowing and her fingers found their way to her companion's elbow, holding onto his coat as they navigated.

She squinted at the dias, stepping slightly closer to try and figure out what it was. Asking something like, "What's that?" seemed stupid and wholly unnecessary.

[Sharn]

During the passage, Sharn nevertheless looked back at Runi and when she decided to grab his coat to not get separated, he didn't comment. He remained largely silent throughout, making just some loose comment on the estimated age of the ruins. But when the green flame flared up, he pouted.

"This may be hallucination, Vizsla. What unfuelled fire would last 3 thousand years. Unless we're not alone." He knelt to check if there were traces of dried blood in the central channel as it looked like a seat of some old evil cult. Whatever was on the altar could be a bait.

[Runi Vizsla]

"It probably is, but that doesn't mean there isn't something to it," she replied as she stepped up to it to see what was hidden by the fire. "When the Force is involved, things get a little strange."