IC - Axis Umbra Malthus

[Curren]

'I don't want to risk light down here yet.' he thought with a shiver at the thought of what may dwell down the catacombs. Maybe another of those repulsive half animal/plant creatures that had bored into his flesh and had attempted to make him a host for their spread of horrid toxicity.

I am casting Clairvoyance: Sorcery of 5, 4, 4, 4, 3,

Allocate 3 Magic Pool (out of 10) to Willpower(4) 7 die: 4M Drain 8*, 7, 5, 2, Taken

[arcanus]

Currens vision expanded opening a panorama of grey, his senses opened to the constant dripping around him.
Crystalline growths sprouted from the celing, each in encased in water, the roots of great trees tore through the stone, their great mass fragmented by numerous smaller roots forming an earthen net.

Despite his sorcery Currens expanded vision afforded him a darkened vision in the absence of light.

[Curren]

Curren was never really good with tunnels and mine shafts; he always felt sure that the weight above him would fall and crush the life out of him.

A song came to mind which took him out of his mild claustrophobia for a time, it was a very old song which brought him as far away from his current predicament as possible.

'It's amazing what memories can be jarred from a fearful mind' he thought as he whistled the tune and turned the words over in his mind.

They came flyin' from far away, now I'm under their spell
I love hearing the stories that they tell
They've seen places beyond my land and they've found new horizons
They speak strangely but I understand

And I dream I'm an eagle
And I dream I can spread my wings
Flyin' high, high, I'm a bird in the sky
I'm an eagle that rides on the breeze
High, high, what a feeling to fly
Over mountains and forests and seas
And to go anywhere that I please

As all good friends we talk all night, and we fly wing to wing
I have questions and they know everything
There's no limit to what I feel, we climb higher and higher
Am I dreamin' or is it all real

Is it true I'm an eagle
Is it true I can spread my wings
Flying high, high, I'm a bird in the sky
(I'm an eagle)
I'm an eagle that rides on the breeze
High, up high, what a feeling to fly
(What a feeling)
Over mountains and forests and seas
And to go anywhere that I please

Eagle: ABBA : 1978

[Curren]

I will continue down into the cave.

[arcanus]

Fear has many eyes and can see things underground.
"Miguel de Cervantes"

[Curren]

This battle will be won by a child of air, a child of fire and a child of earth, look out for them below, you search for the heart of the poison"

'Ok... I'll be lucky if I can bloody find anything down here!' He mused as he negotiated and dragged himself through the claustrophobic web like spaghettification of roots, rocks and fauna in the steeply descending tunnel. Dark water dripped and gurgled from cracks and holes in the stone and earth drenching him with further foreboding and wild hope.

[arcanus]

Curren: Intuition+Magic & Logic+Astral Lore rolls?

[Curren]

10 10 8 8 8 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 3

13 Successes over 5

[arcanus]

13 Successes over 5

Currens eyes slowly became accustomed to the gloom, a small measure of light permeated the caverns emanated by crystal veins weaving their way throught the spaghettified root sytems. The air smelled of earth and salt, a heavy musky scent, as he carefully wound his way deeper he continually pushed the thought of the mountains weight looming above him.

As he progressed he also felt the eddies and flows of mana around him, he reached an intersection in the tunnels, here the mana flow was strong, very strong a if he'd stepped into the rapids of a river. Steadying himself amongst the energies he became aware of a fiery heat flare in the palm of his hand.

Raising his palm he saw the stone, its fiery glyph raging at its heart, embers of mana spluttered from the symbol dancing up into the mana currents.

He felt the rise and flare of power a moment too late, flame pouring from the stone and enshrounding him in a sphere.
He felt both emmense heat playing across his skin, his eyes although squeezed shut were emblazoned by red light, his eyebrows smouldered as he was propelled in an unknown direction.

*****
Curren opened his eyes to an inferno, he stood upon a blackened rock plane, behind him a sheer drop as the black granite descended into lakes of golden molten liquid, looking back at the planes before him he saw great forms boring their way through the rock and shale.

Past the boring creatures he noted large towers, his immediate situation however was more pressing his Shielding was keeping the air which itself was alight from incinerating him, however it was weakening, worn down by elemental energies.

[arcanus]

The brass suit creaked and clanked as he trudged up the mound of black shale, he watched as the Borewals pummelled their way through the basalt flats unearthing elements and minerals, quite literally paydirt.

Arriving at the top, he breathed heavily although his natural form could resist the elements of the Pole, it was neither comfortable nor would he get any work done, flaming hot ash filled the air and were whipped around by scolding thermals.

Raising his binoculars to the front of his face plate he rubbed ask from them, scanning out across the planes until he saw the fitch, this one glowed a strong aura but completely exposed to the elements wouldn't last long, probably got lost.

'Ah well he thought, perhaps that'll serve as a warning to the others' confident that some menacing invader from another realm hadn't materialised, he grunted as he shifted the weight of his suit and began to trudge back down the mound towards his crawler and excavator, taking care not to slip and tumble.

He hated that, took an eternity to get back up again.