Investigation of the Scene (Day 6, Late Afternoon, CLOSED)

[Yoritomo Kaito]

"Alright then it looks like in we go." Said Kaito at he looked at the door. "Two for point Daidoji-san in the middle and one as a rear guard should work. Anyone have anything to light our path should we need it?"

[Bayushi Kichirou]

"No point in delaying the inevitable." Kichirou says with a smile to the Dragon. Hand on katana, ready to be drawn, the Scorpion steps into the mouth of the temple, quite literally. It was clear he at least had decided to take point.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

(Thanks for the bit about the door, edited)

"Thank you Daidoji-sama" I say, not turning to him as I focus on the entrance. It seems safe enough. It will be safer in a moment... With practiced calm I am prepared to draw my weapons. "Then let us proceed. For Asahina-sama". I enter slowly, behind Kichirou, scanning for movement and listening for sound. "I do not Kaito-san. Perhaps the guard captain? Please take the rear". I walk behind the Scorpion. Three steps behind and one to his left.

[Yoritomo Kaito]

With two already entering Kaito wasn't going to go asking for a torch now who knew how long it would take if worst came to worst he could likely improvise something. Stepping in behind the Daidoji he draws his second kama. Taking a deep breath and holding it before he passes through the mist and keeping an eye on the rear.

[Volsung]

As the Samurai leave the City Guard outside the temple, they pass through a short corridor of black basalt, high-reliefs of scenes of human sacrifice and blood pouring down from the heavens cover the walls, carved deep into the foreign stone. A four-armed goddess features prominently in all of the reliefs, gorging herself on flesh, drinking from the hearts of her enemies that lay slain at her feet, their chests torn open. Bare skulls, held together by twisted rusted metal hang above the samurai, candles flickering uncertainly out of the eye sockets and giving off a yellow and sickly light. The mist that had been creeping out of the temple begins to thicken until the samurai can barely see their own feet.

All too soon, the hallway ends and the samurai find themselves in the center chamber of the temple. Larger than any room they have ever seen. The ceiling rockets upwards suddenly, disappearing into the inky blackness that hangs above the group and seems ready to start dripping down on them at any moment. The walls, lit by candles, circle around the enormous room, showing an exit out of the room at each of the compass points. Incense burns at regular intervals as well, filling the room with a sickeningly sweet, and slightly rotten scent. Hundreds of holes fill the walls, creating black spots where the light does not reach, and where it does it leaves the samurai wishing that they had never seen. Each hole contains a human head, many are nothing more than yellow or black bone, but a few are still rotting, facial features dripping off the the severed heads and pooling at the bottom of the nooks as maggots and flies squirm and wriggle in the remains.

At the center of the room, there is a raised dais, perfectly round, with an enormous statue of Kali-Ma, the Devourer, The Enemy, that is tall enough to nearly disappear into the inky blackness above. Her demon face is twisted in a horrific grimace, her pointed fangs sticking out clearly and made of marble. Her pair of red eyes are made of inset rubies, her face is pointed to face all those who enter her temple, staring directly into the souls of each who enters her realm.. Each of her four ebony arms reaches out and up into the sky, a great fire burning in each hand which lights the dais below, but is still swallowed by the darkness above. Red runs down each of the arms, coating the ground below the statue in a crusty dark red layer that seems centuries old. Her red skin, lit by the fires, seems to dance as though it were alive. The statue was carved so that the are duplicates, each facing one of the exits, each facing one of the compass points.

The temple seems almost entirely empty however, only one other person is visible to the samurai as they gaze about them. Sitting upon the dais is a samurai, perfectly poised in the lotus position. Their white and blue kimono seemingly unmarred by the blood that has been spilled in this temple. Their short white hair looks perfectly clean, though the head seems bowed in prayer. It appears that they have found Asahina Narumi.

[Bayushi Kichirou]

As the group made their way deeper into the temple each new horror stirred the bile in Kichirou's throat but he kept it in check. Even the sight of the main chamber, horrific as it was, wasn't enough to dissuade him of their goal. At the sight of Narumi the Scorpion wanted nothing more than to quite literally grab the Crane by the wrist and drag her out of this pit of death.

Immediately years of training overrode his impulses however. Kichirou found himself scanning the room, this was too easy. its too good a trap to not spring, now whats the trigger? he thought to himself as he kept himself tense, waiting for the inevitable.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

Disgusting savages! Perhaps my interest in the Ivory Kingdoms was flawed if they allow these kind of temples and practices. It is cursed. Almost as bad as maho. The sacrifices aspect is horribly similar. This whole temple should be burned and all those involved killed. I cannot imagine the victims were willing. This place is blasphemous and to stay here too long is to likely invite corruption. I will need to be purified later. My mind races as I take in all the horrorful sights, the wretchedly sick smell and the twisted imagery and statues. The only relief is seeing the Crane alive and well.

I call out "Asahina-sama?" to catch her attention from what seems to be prayer or perhaps meditation. Where is everyone?

[Yoritomo Kaito]

The temple was a dark horrible place one that should be torn down and never be rebuilt. The priests of the place were obviously murders and worse and should have no place in a civilized city. As they entered the main temple chamber the crane in sight Kaito took the time to look around the room his eyes searching all teh entrances. Something about the whole scenario seemed very very wrong.

looking around the room.

[elonweis]

The young woman didn't stir or even answer when the Dragon called to her.

Upon closer inspection, Kaito found the skulls and heads were all turned towards the altar, forced to watch others meet the same fates they had. An unseen wind keens softly like a lost child in the upper reaches of the temple, if it could be called that, and causes the candles to flicker. Light caught on the glistening runes enclosing Narumi, drawn in some sticky, viscous matter.

[Yoritomo Kaito]

I swear on the fortunes if I get out of this place I'm gonna seen it destroyed even if I have to bribe a troop of Kaiu to come down and do it for me. Kaito thought as he noticed the heads leering towards the altar. Approaching closer he glanced at his companions then back towards the entrapped Crane. "I think she being bound here by those runes. Do you think you could free her from it Daidoji-san?"

[Bayushi Kichirou]

"Whatever we do, should be done with haste. Every moment spent here makes it less likely we will leave." Kichirou offers as observation before drawing his blade slowly and silently. He was still scanning the room but never let his gaze settle on any of the horrors that surrounded him. Instead he focused his attention for movement. Anyone hiding in the deep shadows of this place or coming into the room from another interest. The Scorpion was searching for shadows within the shadows.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

Enough of this nonsense. Best to be out of here as soon as possible and leave the local authorities to handle the clean up. I move closer to her before Kaito says his piece and I then immediately stop. Good point. I regard the Daidoji. "I would just pull her off of it but not if it could harm her or myself that could be avoided. I would prefer not to waste further time though. Would just covering up the runes work?"

[elonweis]

The mist roiled unnaturally at their feet, slowly thickening until it reached their calves and obscured the floor. It was a polite mist to leave them the opportunity to gaze upon the glory of the temple's inner sanctum.

[Yoritomo Kaito]

Thrice damned mists in a thrice damned temple and having to rescue some silly crane that had to go and get herself kidnapped. Kaito stepped forward and sheathing one of his kama used the other to start cutting away the sleeves if his kimono. Then securely knotting the two sleeves together to make a length of 'rope'.

"Maybe we can pull her out of it with this." He replied trying to gauge how far across the circle of runes was.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi frowned. This was so uncool. "Try the rope, Yoritomo-san, I am fairly certain that the kami want absolutely nothing to do with this place. I don't think that I should call on them unless it is absolutely necessary. It could be...bad."

[[When the Yoritomo crosses the runes, Fuichi will focus his chi to mitigate damage by spending a Void as per the Asahina technique. Therefore, for two rounds hostile stuff does -0k1 damage.]]

[Rixy]

The circle of text spread out five feet behind the woman and onto the altar, just far enough that an outstretched arm could not hope to reach her without forcing the questing individual to cross the line of bloody text.

[Yoritomo Kaito]

Kaito nods looking at the short bit of rope in his hands not nearly long enough starts to take off the rest of his kimono leaving only his hakama to preserve decency. He then begins to quickly cut the kimono into strips andtie them to the rope he had made out of the sleeves earlier twisting the kimono between knots in hope of adding strength to the fabric. (hoping to get 15-20 foot of improvised rope out of this. Poke me if additional rolls are needed)

"Alright Mirumoto-san I'm gonna toss this rope across the circle in front of her I want you to grab it and then circle around to the back of her without stepping into those runes. Then we'll cross over and see if we can use this to tug her out of there."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"Wait." The Daidoji raised a hand. "I can't affect the runes, but I can make it so that you do not have to cross them directly."


OOC:Casting Call Upon the Wind on Kaito (tn15), which grants 10' of flight per round for 1 minute.

Spellcasting roll=20

Fuichi raises his spell scroll (actually an elaborately carved sheet of wood) from his satchel and begins to chant. The seeping mist is pulled slowly away from his feet by the breath of pure air that then settles on Kaito.

[Sorry I didn't think of that earlier. Tired player was tired. Plan is still to mitigate damage w/Asahina technique when he crosses.]

[Bayushi Kichirou]

The thickening mist coiling around their lower bodies gave Kichirou pause, "This is not good." he says more to himself than anyone else.

"Daidoji-san, can you do anything about this....this mist?"

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi frowned. He knew someone was going to ask that.

"The Earth kami don't recognize its existence. The other close connection I have is with the Air, and I am concerned that most of my prayers will only serve to churn it up, or would only be effective for a very short amount of time, especially given the size of this room."

He took a breath. "I am also concerned about kansen."