Sergeant Halfrin's interrogation seems to bother Alexei little, if at all. The large trueborn actually seems to admire the city guard for conducting such a thorough investigation, an act that speaks highly of the city of Saranor in itself. Alexei answers any questions directed towards him open and honestly and takes great pride in the good sergeant's praise towards his healing skills. Once the inquiry is completed the disciple promptly enters the Inn of the Nine Mirrors and begins to get ready for bed.
When the group is assembled on Arya's behalf to listen to her story, Alexei seems somewhat bothered that the young woman withheld information from the sergeant, but seems to understand as to why she did it. Once the time comes for him to share his input he states the following in a calm and cheerful tone, his words spoken in a slightly slurred fashion. 'œDa, it looks like we have a quest my friends. I say we all help the young girl out and avenge her father's death! I'm sure that if we unlock the mystery of this key that our paths are most likely to cross those of her stepmother as well as her associates. Gronn has already expressed an interest in helping the girl. What say the rest of you?'
Chapter Two: The Path of Legend
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Kharn
- Level 2
- Posts: 68
Arya'€™s Tale - Kharn
Kharn shows little interest in speaking with either Sergeant Halfrin or the city guard. The warrior knows what had occurred and if his word was not good enough for the soldiers then to hell with them! Besides, the brigands got what they deserved and it is a pity that they did not die bleeding out in the streets.
Once inside the safety of his tavern room, Kharn quickly strips off his heavy armor and begins to rub his wounded knee. The minotaur listens carefully to what the tiny girl Arya has to say and seems to believe her words to be true. He then comments, 'œAlexei is right, we should help the girl. Though I say, given our current conditions, we should wait until we have each had a good night's sleep. All of these infernal mead and spirits have made my head swim and it appears that this very room seems to be spinning. I say we all sleep with one eye open and press on further with this matter in the morning.' Kharn then sits with his arms folded and awaits the group's decision.
Once inside the safety of his tavern room, Kharn quickly strips off his heavy armor and begins to rub his wounded knee. The minotaur listens carefully to what the tiny girl Arya has to say and seems to believe her words to be true. He then comments, 'œAlexei is right, we should help the girl. Though I say, given our current conditions, we should wait until we have each had a good night's sleep. All of these infernal mead and spirits have made my head swim and it appears that this very room seems to be spinning. I say we all sleep with one eye open and press on further with this matter in the morning.' Kharn then sits with his arms folded and awaits the group's decision.
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Valleda
- Level 2
- Posts: 75
Arya'€™s Tale - Solia
Solia is tired and wants to go to bed! The young rogue seems to care little for conversation, either before or after she has entered the Inn of the Nine Mirrors. Despite her fatigued condition, it quickly becomes apparent that Solia's interest is peaked at the mention of the small tuning fork being a key of some sorts. She politely asks if she can examine the item for a bit and does her best to see if she can discern any helpful information from it before returning it to its owner. 'œI'm in,' she says, 'œthough I think that we should inform our gracious hosts that we will be departing their company a little earlier than expected.'
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Trogdor
- Emeritus Admin
- Posts: 27260
- Title: The Burninator
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- User Class: Jedi Master
Re: Arya'€™s Tale - Solia
"I agree," Faldrin adds, his elvish features inscrutable as they often are. "She seems deserving of help. Besides," he adds, "this Ophilia does not seem the sort I'd like to see in control of a powerful enchanted item. Gods alone know what mischief she could perpetrate with it."
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Tesseract
- Level 2
- Posts: 49
Key of Mnesarchus - Gronn
After Solia has had a look at the key, Gronn takes it back. He shrugs and strikes the key lightly against the bed post.
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Eanwulf
- Level 18 Elite
- Posts: 7226
- Location: FL
- Title: The Grey
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- User Class: Berserker
The Fun Begins
Arya's eyes widened in awe as Gronn handed Solia the Key of Mnesarchus. The young girl gazed intently as the young rogue began to examine the tiny object.
After several moments of careful observation, Solia shrugged her shoulders and handed Gronn back the key.
'It looks like a plain old tuning fork to me.'
Gronn thanked Solia and nodded affirmingly as he took back the tiny object. Arya looked as if she were about to say something, but quickly fell silent as the ogre struck the item upon the side of the bed post.
The tuning fork glowed softly as it quickly resonated with a single note. As the single note faded, an ethereal, glowing image swirled into existence, floating in the air before you: what appeared to be stairs winding down then opening up into a central aisle leading to a stout, wooden portal.
A strange tune played on what sounded like a harpsichord, mostly melodic but with a few harmonies interspersed, and then the door swung away from you. Brilliant light flooded the scene. Lastly, a voice sang more than spoke in a celestially elegant and harmonized tone.
'œDhe aera r'dhe ist.
Nim ja ellon, dhen eir.
Erl alan , dhen en.
Twnty'n ist n'eth."
Arya smiled warmly at the ogre whom had saved her life, commenting.
'There you have it my large friend. The first of what I fear will be many puzzles to solve before we unlock the mystery of this key.'
'It looks like a plain old tuning fork to me.'
Gronn thanked Solia and nodded affirmingly as he took back the tiny object. Arya looked as if she were about to say something, but quickly fell silent as the ogre struck the item upon the side of the bed post.
The tuning fork glowed softly as it quickly resonated with a single note. As the single note faded, an ethereal, glowing image swirled into existence, floating in the air before you: what appeared to be stairs winding down then opening up into a central aisle leading to a stout, wooden portal.
A strange tune played on what sounded like a harpsichord, mostly melodic but with a few harmonies interspersed, and then the door swung away from you. Brilliant light flooded the scene. Lastly, a voice sang more than spoke in a celestially elegant and harmonized tone.
'œDhe aera r'dhe ist.
Nim ja ellon, dhen eir.
Erl alan , dhen en.
Twnty'n ist n'eth."
Arya smiled warmly at the ogre whom had saved her life, commenting.
'There you have it my large friend. The first of what I fear will be many puzzles to solve before we unlock the mystery of this key.'
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Tesseract
- Level 2
- Posts: 49
The Fun Begins - Gronn
Gronn is awed by the magic of the object. As the voice sang in the unknown language, the large ogre merely shrugged and looked at the others to see if their was a look of recognition on any of their faces.
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jrkrimin67
- Level 2
- Posts: 56
The Fun Begins - Alexei
As Alexei listens to the song and melody, he retakes his seat and begins to stroke his long, braided beard. The act seems to comfort the disciple as he does his best to figure out what secrets lay within the tune.
After several moments of pondering, Alexei finally exhales a heavy sigh and exclaims.
'œFriends, though I have no idea what that infernal voice is saying, I do however remember a tale told to me by my fellow disciples. The legend speaks of my patron, the immortal Fejjil Gold-hair, and of his journeys through the Durning Highlands. During one such sojourn, Fejjil had the pleasure of accompanying a man hailing from the city of Avennar. The man's name was similar in sound to Mnesarchus' and he was quite obsessed with learning whatever epic poems and tales of lore that the highland skalds were willing to part with. Not much was mentioned of Mnesarchus himself, but it was rumored that the man was a scholarly bard who promised to take his teachings back with him to Avennar and use them to help him open an arcane college.'
Alexei's face suddenly becomes grim as he concludes.
'œPerhaps the maker of this key is the one and same, though the tale itself nearly a century old by now.'
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Tesseract
- Level 2
- Posts: 49
I Remember Something - Gronn
After hearing Alexei's tale, Gronn gets a far off distant look for a moment.
"Thank you Alexei, your tale and this illusion presented before us reminds me of my time spent scribing for the storm giant Heistrom. I once translated several tomes which mentioned the name Mnesarchus though, in the giant tongue, it was spelled quite differently. The rumors you spoke of, Alexei, must have been true, for the tomes I copied spoke of Mnesarchus being a learned bard that returned to the fair city of Avennar to found an arcane college."
Gronn pauses as if to try and remember more of his memories.
"The college must have been popular as it soon spread to other cities. The college was known as the Monastery of the Celestial Choir and its acolytes there studied music, mathematics, astronomy, and arcane magic. The tomes also told of Mnesarchus forming an inner circle of his most devout followers. These followers were known as the Mathematikoi and never strayed far from the monastery."
Again the large ogre paused as he remembered back to his time with the giants.
"The last part I remember the tomes spoke of Mnesarchus' and his Mathematikoi's demise. The man and his followers were grisly murdered by unknown assailants."
Finally Gronn was finished with his tale and he looked to the others as if to say, Whose next?
"Thank you Alexei, your tale and this illusion presented before us reminds me of my time spent scribing for the storm giant Heistrom. I once translated several tomes which mentioned the name Mnesarchus though, in the giant tongue, it was spelled quite differently. The rumors you spoke of, Alexei, must have been true, for the tomes I copied spoke of Mnesarchus being a learned bard that returned to the fair city of Avennar to found an arcane college."
Gronn pauses as if to try and remember more of his memories.
"The college must have been popular as it soon spread to other cities. The college was known as the Monastery of the Celestial Choir and its acolytes there studied music, mathematics, astronomy, and arcane magic. The tomes also told of Mnesarchus forming an inner circle of his most devout followers. These followers were known as the Mathematikoi and never strayed far from the monastery."
Again the large ogre paused as he remembered back to his time with the giants.
"The last part I remember the tomes spoke of Mnesarchus' and his Mathematikoi's demise. The man and his followers were grisly murdered by unknown assailants."
Finally Gronn was finished with his tale and he looked to the others as if to say, Whose next?
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Trogdor
- Emeritus Admin
- Posts: 27260
- Title: The Burninator
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- User Class: Jedi Master
A Translation
The notes are the letters.
Bass staff first, then treble.
Four harmonies, then three.
Twenty-one letters in total."
He raised an eyebrow. "Very curious."