[The coast of the Mediterranean near the location of ancient Carthage, June 24th 1261, 10:00 PM] [After a week at the Court of Love, you have escorted Pierre to the coast of the Mediterranean and boarded a boat. After a three day voyage you have landed on the coast of what was once ancient Carthage and is now part of the Hafsid Dynasty. After disembarking, you find yourselves at the foot of a mountain range in a heavily forested area. Pierre proceeds cautiously, as he heads to the east. "I did not wish to land to close to the site of Carthage for fear that the Carthaginians would be waiting for us." As you follow him out of the forest, you can see several torches amongst a large excavation site. Many figures can be seen digging amongst ruined buildings while surrounded by armed guards. It is unclear from here exactly how many there are. Pierre nods. "As expected."] [Begin.] #06* Rolf takes a step or two forward, peering into the distance with glowing eyes, before asking lowly, "What were you expecting?" [Pierre shrugs. "Just that the Carthaginians would be here. They are also searching for him. No doubt they are trying to find some clue as to where he has been taken."] #06* Rolf growls a little, then asks the people around him, "Just puttin' normal humans to work, are they?" [Pierre shrugs. "I can't make them out from here, but that seems inefficient. More likely, they're ghouls."] #06* Eliana glances at Moriel. #06* Moriel examines the presumed Carthaginians as best he can from a distance. He says quietly, "It looks like he's right. About the workers, at least. The guards are Kindred." #06* Rolf nods slightly, then asks in a somewhat monotone, "So where are we going to look for information, Pierre." [Pierre tilts his head. "Well... I will leave that up to you. You are my escorts. We can try to sneak around or, if you can think of some other way past them, be my guest. We need to get to the other side of them, though, I believe that his tomb lies on the far east side of the city."] #06* Moriel flicks a glance at Pierre. "Do you know why they might be digging here?" #06* Rolf nods and looks over at Cosmio and Victoria before growling, "Find a way through." #06* Eliana just keeps looking ahead at the ghouls and wampyrs she can see, appraising. #06* Cosimo looks to Rolf, nods his head. "do you care if they live or die?" [Pierre shakes his head. "I believe they have been misinformed. You see, Troile and Moloch were supposed to be buried together under Carthage, but my sources say that he was not buried next to her, but, in fact, in another tomb on the other side of the city."] #06* Cosimo waits patiently for confirmation of the engagement level. [Victoria growls low "I can scout." She nods, then her skin turns a dark brown and she begins to morph her form into the shape of a large bat before taking off into the sky.] #06* Rolf shrugs. "Not personally, but rather they not know anyone was here." There's a slight smile on his face. [After about five minutes Victoria lands again and her form shifts back. "There are about a dozen guards and maybe forty workers. We can sneak around the south side, through the mountains, probably. That side is less heavily guarded.”] #06* Cosimo nods. "as you wish" #06* Cosimo slips into the shadows and disappears #06* Cosimo returns a short while later, again stepping from the shadows. "there are twelve guards stationed about the site. forty workers, distributed about four large excavations into the ruins. one of the sites has recently unearthed a stone floor of a tomb." the guards seem to think that once they find it in its tomb, the war will be easily won. at present, however, the work is slow as other sites have had to abandon their searches to return to the war #01 Fortunate. Did you find a viable way to the mountains? indeed. #06* Rolf nods a little, growling slightly, then says, "Around the south side, to get to the east, then." i can lead if you are all ready #06* Eliana nods, reaching for nearby shadows to cloak herself. #06* Moriel nods as well, shadows reaching up from the ground and winding around him. [Pierre and Victoria also follow, and about an hour later, you find yourselves emerging from a mountain path on the other side of the excavation site. This side of the ruins seems empty and Pierre leads you all to a spot that is surrounded by broken and fallen columns. "Here. I believe his tomb is here."] #06* Rolf looks around for the moment, to see if there's anywhere obvious to start an attempt to get to the tomb. "How far down we talkin'?" [Pierre shakes his head. "I am unsure; however, I do not believe we have to dig through the earth. I believe there is an alternate entrance somewhere along the shoreline. Legends tell of a pilgrimage that other Baali would make to Moloch's tomb, which means there must be a way to enter it without digging."] #06* Cosimo spits. #06* Rolf nods slightly and looks over Victoria with a slight nod, then back to the others. "If ya got any ideas to help search, I'm listenin'." #06* Eliana smirks a touch. "Let's find it, then." #06* Moriel doesn't even respond, just wanders off to circle the area, eyes going unfocused. [Victoria smiles at Rolf and Pierre nods. "Well... we should head north, to the coast and see if we can find some way in."] #06* Moriel apparently hears that, despite his vacant expression, because he veers off in the suggested direction. #06* Rolf nods and growls out a, "Spread out, keep eachother in view, keep your heads low." #06* Rolf then heads to the north with the group, for a Rolfin' good search party. #06* Cosimo sets off to search, mindful however, to always keep an eye on the other site so as to not be caught unaware. #06* Eliana heads off, then, looking for this tomb. [As you all look around the plateau that you are on, Moriel looks down at the water below you and notices some of the stones that seem to be made of different material. And, unlike the other stones, are not weathered as badly by the water. Cosimo, in his searching notices that one of the fallen pillars creates a useable, if not entirely safe, path to said discolored rock.] #06* Moriel 's focus abruptly sharpens. He points downwards, looking back over his shoulder at the others. "There." #06* Cosimo makes his way over to the fallen pillar and jumps up, landing gracefully on it. "quickly. this way." #06* Eliana hurries to the others, then, having also been scouting in the general area. #06* Rolf lopes in Moriel and Cosimo's direction! Yeah! #06* Moriel glances at Cosimo and then his eyes flash down the path created by the fallen pillar. A moment later, he jumps down after Cosimo. [The rock is a perfect rectangle, about four by two feet in dimensions, and it is made of a smooth material, almost like black glass. It is shoved into the natural rock formation.] #06* Rolf steps onto the pillar to make his way across as well, after Cosimo and Moriel make their way across. #06* Eliana moves over to the rock, trying to get a good idea as to what exactly it is and if it's enchanted in any way. [It just seems like a giant block of black glass. It may be enchanted, but it is not obviously so.] #06* Eliana looks for a latch or keyhole or something, then. #06* Moriel studies the block from behind Eliana. [As Eliana feels around for a latch or keyhole, it becomes clear that the rock could probably be dislodged with enough force, as it does move some.] #06* Eliana blinks, then calls over, "Rolf, Victoria." #06* Rolf growls, "Yeah?" [Victoria perks up and moves over to Eliana. "Yes?"] #06* Cosimo looks to Eliana. "at present, the silence is our ally. should we keep it so?" #06* Eliana glances at Cosimo, then lifts her hands high enough now that the others can see. she signs, #06* Cosimo gestures. #06* Rolf looks back at her and just replies, #06* Cosimo nods. He closes his eyes, letting the stillness of his mind extend through him, quieting the night around him and the rest of his companions. [Rolf approaches the glass rock and lifts it with ease. It slides out of the natural rock formation revealing a hole that leads inside the plateau. The rock itself is about 5 feet deep, so it is very heavy. Once it is out, Victoria lends Rolf a hand in keeping it held aloft.] [Inside the hole is a large dark room. It's pitch blackness, but both Rolf, and anyone who is hanging around Eliana, who, presumably, will light a fire, can see a pedestal in the center of the room with an ancient looking clay bowl and a ceremonial dagger. There is also writing on the wall in front of you that reads, "Any who wish to enter the tomb of Moloch must make a sacrifice to me to prove heir loyalty."] [Session End.]