Sapphire:Sessions:20170128

Branamin begins investigating the places from which the rats emerged.

Chalker, Ahn-Lee, and Shawna explore the mine tunnels. Occasionally on the walls they find numbers and letters, reminiscent of grid coordinates, marked in Venettian. They have descended several hundred feet when they find a 2' steel post. Something that had been atop the post had exploded, blackening the post and walls.

They come upon larger cavern, the most striking feature of which is a lectern about 5' tall. On each side of the entrance to this cavern is a steel post topped by a walnut-sized chunk of dark mithril. One post is marked Filtration Stake 1 and the other Filtration Stake 2. Chalker tests his TK on the left walnut; it doesn't feel as slippery as other dark mithril he's sampled, but he senses something moving up the TK connection into his mind and quickly releases the walnut.

Shawna points out the beginning point of the mithril vein, which is marked by another steel post topped with a fist-sized dark mithril "brain." The brain is not alive, but there are electrical impulses going through it. On the post are the words Converter 1. Also in the cavern are a Converter 2 and Converter 3.

Ahn-Lee examines the lectern. It seems to be made of steel. The top surface has various slots in it. Chalker takes a look and finds a handprint scanner plate, some raised buttons, a series of circles, and several words in an unknown language with Venettian roots. Some of the words are Link, Display, and Command.

Chalker places his hand on the scanner and a voice inside his head (and also heard by Ahn-Lee and Shawna) says Welcome. Continue access protocol. The scanner plate contours to his hand, and a gold-colored light appears on the bottom left. Everyone feels a sudden head-to-toe shiver.

Chalker: "Nearest portal." Not currently authorized. "Level of authorization needed?" Status update briefing required. A couple of other buttons light up: Link 1 - Information Access and Link 3 - Command Access. "Date and time of last update." 1343 in the Year of the Land. Shawna explains that this was a calendar system used in the so-called Golden Age; the first Year of the Land was about 500 years before the Dark Age.

Chalker peers inside the lectern. There is a paper-thin sheet of dark mithril atop an array of crystals. Chalker: "Name of the last person with Link 1 or 3." Alexander. "Alexander Jackson?" No. "Does Belandrie have Access Link 1 or 3?" Apparently directed to Shawna, in formal, archaic Elven: Elf-friend, to whom are you aligned? Venettia or Xanthypia? Shawna: "The war ended thousands of generations ago." This island must be prepared for when the correct person presents the proper links.

Ahn-Lee: "What do the links look like?" Rings, or small coins. I have said enough, Taker of Lives. "You don't have to flatter me." The voice refers to Chalker as Group Talker.

Chalker determines that this is an auxiliary site for mining functions; the main site is in a more protected part of the island. Snakes can be heard slithering in the tunnels. Shawna: "Call off the defense systems. We are leaving in peace."

Branamin writes in his journey book: No new rats will appear. Heading back to ship.

Ahn-Lee leads Chalker and Shawna out of the mines by a different route, emerging on the south side. Chalker writes in the journey book, Please meet us in town in 15 minutes. Remember the bats.

The four meet up at the old temple of Cor, Branamin in cat form. From inside they can hear the rustle of bats. Shawna warns the others to shield their eyes, then casts Flash followed by Light. She offers a prayer to Cor, "We are cleansing your place," and the response is Go with my blessings, child.

Taddarita - spell-casting bats with glowing eyes - dive at each of us from the ceiling. Chalker feels fatigued. Shawna sprints to the altar crying out, "In Cor's name!" and a four-yard area of bats are crushed to the floor. Hearing squeaking noises, Ahn-Lee slams the doors, warning "Rats outside!" Shawna shouts "Defilers begone!" and another several dozen bats suddenly flare and vanish. The rest of the bats retreat. Ahn-Lee drags a heavy table in front of the door. Shawna dusts off the altar and drapes a silken scarf across it.

Up in the belfry, Shawna finds a symbol of Cor the Artisan. To the east among the trees she sees large, bear-like shapes moving.

Chalker finds a ladder leading down 30 feet into darkness. Branamin takes a sniff - musty and stale - then leaps down. Across from him is a door opening onto a corridor slanting downward. Chalker writes, Found trap door down, following Branamin. The corridor appears to have been hurriedly dug using Earth spells. They come to a wall that's been blown inward, beyond which is what looks like a storage area where a fight broke out. Inside is one of the steel rods topped with a pulsing dark mithril "brain." Some writing says Defense Net 1-A Auxiliary. Branamin knocks a loose rock past the rod, and there is the smell of ozone. Chalker hooks onto the metal band of a lighted torch and moves it into the room. There are marks of electrical shock on metal surfaces, and a pile of humanoid bones. They conclude that someone had staged a raid through the temple, and the attackers lost.

Shawna and Ahn-Lee arrive. Chalker says there's an exit door on the other side of the room. (Shawna remarks that the defenses work against sentients; as Chalker glances to the side she quickly adds, "Don't look at Ahn-Lee." Ahn-Lee speaks up, "Hey, I know some words!")

Chalker tries to hook onto the dark mithril and slides off; he tries again and barely gets it. He tries to snatch the "brain" off of the steel rod. The rod vibrates but the "brain" doesn't budge.

Branamin turns back into human form and fires three Sunbolts at the control panel. The panel pops, sparkles, glows, and the door opens outward slightly. Shawna Apports it open and in the unlit room beyond are more posts and "brains."

Chalker smacks the flat of his sword against a "brain," knocking it loose and disrupting the energy flow. He feels as though he's standing in an electrical storm. Branamin Apports the brain, ripping it off the post; something "walks up his arm" and into his body. A little pressure, a twist, and a push, and he has the dark mithril, which he puts into a pouch. He warns, "I might be affected like those squirrel brains." Chalker peers inside Branamin's skull and sees no metal flecks, but the brain cells near the base of the skull have been "reorganized." Chalker warns Shawna, "You might have to subdue him." Branamin thinks to the entity, Don't resist, open yourself.

With her assent, Branamin casts Death Vision on Shawna. She relates a vision of a lighted control room, very noisy, with three psychic warriors fighting her and two apiece on Branamin and Ahn-Lee. Chalker is not in sight. A bright flash, one of the ghosts merges with Branamin, and a spectral sword pierces her heart.

The group proceeds to a command center. Ahn-Lee checks the display cases for coins and trinkets, which Chalker identifies as being made of gold, silver, and platinum. Under a table Ahn-Lee finds a five-inch-long platinum cylinder and a human molar (which Chalker sees has dark mithril inside it).

We come to another closed door. Branamin thinks Do you want us to go in? Chalker's vision extends only two feet beyond the door; the air in the room shimmers. He trips the lock and slides the door open. Lights come on. In the center of the room is a table bearing several glass beakers and some tubing. There are shelves along the wall, and there appear to be windows. The air smells fresh. To Branamin, the entity feels "satisfied." The most attention-getting item is a basketball-sized [What's a basketball?] sphere of dark mithril. On either side of the door is a psychic ghost with a broadsword.

Chalker quickly clasps a particular necklace around Branamin's neck. Branamin asks the entity how to protect the sphere and is instructed to go into the right-hand alcove and speak four words; Branamin records the words in his journey book. Shawna recognizes the alcove from her death vision. Chalker 'hooks' the necklace and starts toward the alcove. Shawna places her hands on Branamin's shoulders and steers him toward it. Ahn-Lee gets the strong feeling that he needs to stand to Shawna's right. The ghosts turn and watch them pass, and the sphere pulses and twists a half-turn.

They pass into the room where there are still more steel posts topped with dark mithril. There appears to be a chair in the center of the room; Chalker's mind tells him the chair is made of metal, but also that the chair is not there. He 'hooks' the chair and lifts it toward himself; two more psychic ghosts materialize out of the posts. Chalker sets the chair outside the room. Branamin: "I think we should destroy the globe of dark mithril."

In the alcove Chalker sees a woman lying on a bier; she is human, pretty, and dressed in royal clothing of an archaic style. Shawna steers Branamin toward the globe. Chalker dives over the steel poles in front of the alcove and stands in front of a panel.

Ahn-Lee [having failed a Will roll] feels "centered and ready." Something tries to invade Shawna's mind, take over her senses. Chalker realizes that what he saw isn't accurate. Branamin feels his new companion come out of its funk, disappointed in him; Branamin goes right back to his mental games.

Chalker looks through a door into a library filled with books. There is no woman on a slab. Branamin is outside his visual range, but Chalker can still sense the necklace.

Seven ghosts appear near the globe and another four facing Chalker. Branamin: "How d'you kill 'em?" Ahn-Lee: "Carefully." Branamin swings his staff, smashing some of the glass. Shawna dives for the globe (despite her impression that she's not supposed to touch it). Chalker hits the button labeled Open and steps halfway through the panel into a library; all about are pedestals with crystal receptacles, and he detects a hidden door behind some bookcases.

Shawna smashes the globe; it shatters into a million pieces, the shards swirling toward her throat and then falling like rain. But in the next second, Ahn-Lee sees the globe, whole, back in its place, and warns "Shawna - globe." Chalker faces his attackers, unlocks the hidden door, and steps backward through it; the room contains machines emitting buzzing noises, the heat is uncomfortably high and his skin crawls. Branamin's spells destroy a ghost; he calls out "First kill!" immediately followed by a cry of pain. Shawna wraps her arms around the globe and starts smashing everything.

<Most details of the eight rounds of combat are omitted. If someone else wants to write them up, feel free.>

Chalker steps through the door and bolts it. Some force tries to lock up his muscles. There are machines as far as he can see with his penetrating vision. He repeatedly has to shake off paralysis. He approaches the machines, looks over the various writings and levers, and uses his TK to push one switch down. He pulls another lever, the whole area goes dark, and all the remaining ghosts blink out.

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