The Shadow of a New Day

[Zeros]

((I'm sorry, I've started a response to this like three times...))

The thri'kreen guard looks over them briefly before speaking in their own language to another of the guards who leaves for a few minutes only to return with another which appears very old, leaning heavily on a staff and missing its lower right arm. Thrik motions to this newcomer and says, "Clk Clk. This one has seen thirty summers. Clk Clk. Is among our eldest. Clk Clk."

The elder thri'kreen examined each item, its antennae tracing over the surface of each artifact. It turns to the guard speaking in its language as Thrik translates, "Clk Clk. She says these are good. Clk Clk. Seems quite excited. Clk Clk." a quick look at the elderly thri'kreen seems more bored... or perhaps hungry? She buzzes at the guard before starting back towards the pyramid. The thri'kreen you have been travelling with all seem to relax, "Clk Clk. She says to welcome you as guests and to welcome you to the temple. Clk Clk. But walk lightly, this sacred ground. Clk Clk. Most don't trust outsiders. Clk Clk. You wanted to see legend of Clapkecloske yes? Clk Clk."

As you are taken towards the pyramid Thrik informs you that you are welcome to explore around the ruined city if you'd like but that you should take a member of his clutch as translators. He says there are Thri'kreen weaponmakers, a nest where you could rest or eat (he almost seems to drool as he mentions dried wurm jerky), you can join him towards the pyramid, or try and find some of those few Thri'kreen that practice magic like Thrik.

Let me know your thoughts.

Although you are unfamiliar with the Thri'kreen themselves you feel a vague connection here. The feeling is similar to what it is like when you conjure your psionic arrows and blades.

The place itself is unfamiliar to you, although the style of ruins is vaguely familiar... Although it could be that you've seen a lot of ruins. You suspect that some of your ancient memories and talent for languages may be helpful in the temple.

[Faeryl]

Aleisandra hmms thoughtfully as she considers this odd feeling. Perhaps the species is naturally psionic, like herself? Questions can wait. For now, it is time to rest and meditate.

[Grayson Tagger]

Grayson can't help but scoff at the thought of these primitive beasts practicing any form of refined magic, or even have the capability of making a divine connection like himself, their druids don't even hold a candle to those found among the elves.

[RealWittyAlias]

Owen follows Thrik towards the pyramid, barely managing to keep himself from skipping excitedly. He'll look at the pyramid as soon as possible, and maybe check out this Nest's cuisine afterwards.

[Zeros]

Aleisandra
You are led by one of Thrik's clutch towards the 'nest.' It is a series of tents intermixed with a few squat, square buildings. Some look ancient, other look to be more recent creations. Other thri'kreen eye you with varying degrees of interest and distrust. You are eventually brought to a tent with several rows of 'beds' although calling them such may be a stretch. Each looks much like a stretcher with a length of tanned leather held up between two long rods of varying materials. Despite the crude appearance you have a feeling of relaxation come over you as you enter, some sort of spell similar to that of the Inn you had been staying at.

It suddenly dawns on you that although these tents may be for Thri'kreen resting that the only reason Thri'kreen need a bed for is when they've been injured. Which thought is confirmed by the presence of a handful of Thri'kreen scattered about the room with varying injuries. Your guide brings you to an open stretcher as far from any of the 'Patient's' as possible. After showing you to your bed it goes off to an injured thri'kreen where they begin a rather animated conversation in their strange language... But still close at hand if you needed them for anything.

As you rest you continue to feel the odd connection, although it seems to wax and wane somewhat. But despite these feelings and the primitive housing you slowly find yourself drifting to sleep... But then awaken with a start to see a thri'kreen staring directly at you from the exit to the infirmary. As soon as you see it however, it disappears from view.

Owen, Grayson, An'drye (presuming you stay as a group unless otherwise stated) (don't forget Tristan and Castus)

You, Thrik, and the rest of his clutch follow the elderly thri'kreen towards the temple. Compared to the relatively quick pace of your guides, the elderly one feels like she moves at a snail's pace... Especially with you still walking out in the heat. (for some reason you figured once you were here you would get out of the sun more)

However, after what felt like an eternity of watching young thri'kreen clutches engaging in hunting sports, seeing older thri'kreen guards, and witnessing what must be thri'kreen archaeologists (well... perhaps just ruin uncoverers) who are very carefully removing sand, dirt, and rock from buildings to uncover anything beneath; you finally arrive in the pyramid.

As you may have expected, every wall is covered in runes and carved murals with the occasional thri'kreen each cleaning out runes or studying them... You're not quite sure. Tristan and Castus each cast a light spell to illuminate the way for those without darkvision as there are no torches or even sconces as the Thri'kreen never would need them. As you come deeper into the pyramid away from where the sun and wind could damage the walls you come to see color, "Clkclk. This is new... Clk Clk." You realize that because of the Thri'kreen's darkvision they may never have known that down here where there is no light there might be coloration to their sacred writings.

This new detail actually slows the elder's pace further as she looks at details she had not noticed before. As you descend into the pyramid, taking various turns (make a knowledge: survival, knowledge: architecture, or intelligence check to not get lost) the temperature gradually grows colder. At first it is welcome but over time it begins to chill you, although the thri'kreen seem largely unbothered.

Finally some of the runes begin to look familiar, as of those upon the base of the pedestal that held the exorbomnis or the orb down in the sewer, although these do not glow with power as those did. The elder stops in a large dome of a room and gestures to the walls. Unmistakeable forms of Sleepless fighting Thri'kreen line everything, oddly enough with some sort of humanoid allies and, largest of all, a massive depiction of a large four armed creature in metallic, rainbow hues, helping to destroy the creatures.

After a moment of letting the mural sink in the elder chirps out while examining some of the centuries old paint and Thrik translates, "Clk Clk. What do outsiders want to know? Clk Clk?"

[RealWittyAlias]

Owen points at the Sleepless on the mural.

"We were wondering if you could tell us what you know about those creatures?"

[Grayson Tagger]

Grayson, with no knowledge of the sleepless stands at attention with his thumbs tucked in his belt

[Zeros]

The elder gives what you almost think is an exasperated sigh, but she begins moving along the room, clicking as she moves around the room Thrik translating as she moves along.

She begins at what appears to be a shoreline where several of the ancient depictions of the creatures are crawling from the seas each with fins and spines, "Clk clk. At what is great water, greater than the oasis, they came. Clk clk. The Klapkecloske then spread among the sands. Clk Clk." as the water turns to sand the sleepless seem to lose their fins and spines, but they seem to grow more limbs including the tentacles that Thrik had mentioned, "Clk clk. They slew many of us although we ruled the sand then. Clk clk. Nothing stopped their oncoming. Clk clk." Images depicting fleeing thri'kreen, cat-folk, and sand-giants, "Clk clk. Kreen lost our homes to them. Lost the great clutch. Clk Clk. Never recovered. Clk Clk." images of armies of thri'kreen with catfolk fighting back, "Clk clk. Kreen organized with old enemies to fight them... clk... not enough. Clk Clk. Then... from east beyond kreen borders, Clk clk." What appears to be humans, elves, dwarves en masse around the four armed humanoid, "Clk. The fleshy kreen arrived with army... clk clk... but the army were survivors, not warriors. Clk. It was the fleshy kreen that did it. Clk clk. Everywhere it went the battles end, klapkecloske scattered. Clk clk. It left kreen with gifts to replace what was lost. Great oasis to replace the small ones destroyed by Klapkecloske. clk clk. Magics to protect us as we wander the broken sands in search of kreen homes. clk clk. Then gone. Clk clk." The elder one stopped beneath the masive four armed humanoid and looked at the colors that even she had never before seen.

Thrik continued, "Clk clk. Kreen great clutch has diminished over time. Clk clk. Kreen lost our homes but some have stories of Klapkecloske still. Clk clk."

[Grayson Tagger]

"so... the Klapkesoke... invaded like an army.... and the fleshy kreen managed to fight the invasion off... but I wander where the Klapkecloske came from in the first place" Grayson panders stoicly "a nation can only be defeated in their own home, not simply by defeating their attacking force"

[RealWittyAlias]

Owen gets a very strong feeling that he should investigate the images in the more room closely, and so he does so while Grayson ponders.

Perception - (d20+9) [28] (Should be search rather than perception, but I wasn't clear about that. Roll of 25+2 as your search is lower than your perception and your bonus to finding portals (such as doors))