Shadows of the Ancient Empire

[Margrett]

Oh really?

She chuckles, throwing a look back.

Like how? Black's a little dull.

She sighed.

...said the girl with black eyes.

[Alec]

"...and white pupils," Alec picks up. "Besides, it compliments the skin color very well. But anyway. I'm not sure under what circumstances, exactly. Though, so far, it's been when exerting a lot of magical energy, and whenever I'm happier."

[Margrett]

She laughed lowly.

We'll have to see just what colors they'll turn, then.

They were up to the fourth floor now. Margrett stopped to rest for a second, taking off her hat to wipe her forehead.

Nearly there. There had better be something valuable up here or I will be mad at you.

[Alec]

Wiping a sheen of sweat from his forehead as well, Alec shoots her a puzzled look. "I never promised valuable. Merely insinuated that, were there things of value, they would be located on the top floor. And there's sure to be comfortable beds, if you'd like to try and change their color sooner rather than later."

[Margrett]

She shot him a condescending look.

Now you're just backpedaling.

She paused, heading up to the fifth floor.

And maybe. Little irritated now. Though I am sure you'd love to work that out.

[Alec]

Alec huffs, heading up the stairs. "All I did was tell you where the valuable stuff would be, were there any." He smiles, and rolls his shoulders. "And that I would, yes. It's been......a while, I suppose." Stopping close to the top, he thinks back. Would she really approve? Rational says. I....well....I mean, I never said... Irrational and Alec fumble, together.

[Margrett]

The fifth floor opened up, the vaulted ceiling closer but still high above them. It was clear this floor was once very posh, but now it had corroded and rotted. A lot of it was unrecognizable, but there seemingly had been statues and pictures in frames decorating the place. The stairs came into a hallway that went off in both directions, with smaller rooms leading off of them.

Hmm. Where do we start?

[Alec]

"What's your dominant hand?" Alec asks. "Whichever it is, we go the opposite way."

[Sir Kerag]

"Kuren-Oktai...."

Kerag grumbled the name slow, running his hand over the suspended suit of ancient armor. Though he wasn't familiar with the name, he knew his race's craftsmanship and style intimately. It seemed to be in good condition given it's age and battle-use. He considered himself fortunate to have found this museum of sorts, the labels on the other items indecipherable. He guessed this must have been a trophy room, a place to put conquered people's belongings. Kerag's mind wandered, curious who this Oktai was.

"I'll have to ask Alec to check for me when we ge-"

Kerag paused, looking back at the iron gate.

"If we get out of here."

The orc retrieved the suspended armor carefully, admiring the work as he looked at his own plate armor. It was in working condition of course, but it'd seen it's fair share of conflict and he hadn't had time to ask Chaz to iron out the kinks and scratches in the plate. He thought it over and smiled, unstrapping his personal armor. He wanted to know how good Oktai's armor felt.

After fastening it on, he moved around the room, getting a feel for the weight and range of the armor's motion. Once the orc was satisfied he opened the door and walked through.

[Margrett]

Margrett headed left down the hallway, looking into the rooms as they passed. Most of them had the doors rotted or broken off, and the insides were just as rotted as the rest of the building. The hallway wasn't that long, though, and when they got to the end there was a large metal door that was ornately decorated. On a plate above the door was inscribed the name of an elder or noble, with multiple honorific titles.

What's it say?






The armor was ill-fitting at first, but he could almost feel it meld to his size as he walked until it was very comfortable indeed. As he wore it, he could dimly feel the generations of orc warriors that had worn it.

(New item for you.


Armor of Kuren-Oktai
-Heavy armor, orc only
-This armor has the phantom memories of dozens of orc warriors.
-Once per adventure the user may tap into old combat memories and gain insight into a single opponent, even if the wearer has never seen it. )

He walked into the next room into a larger one, seemingly part of the museum. This appeared to be some sort of lobby, with a large ceiling and patterned marble floor. It appeared there had been skeletons hanging from the ceiling at some point, but all but one had crashed to the floor. Statues lined the walls, elven warriors in identical poses and armor. A large door marked the far wall, past a few exhibits and glass cases.

[Sir Kerag]

Kerag had his doubts about the armor's true condition, but quickly put aside such notions as it seemed to accommodate his size and build. He allowed himself a few more moments to examine the relic, subliminally knowing that this had been handed down, one orc warrior to the next for generations. It resonated with him, and he grunted approval of his findings, giving one last look at the room before entering the next, scoffing at the sight of elves.

"Ugh bloody knife-ears..."

He grumbled. Kerag tried to remember where he'd heard the slang before, and was stumped. To him goblins and elves were equally annoying and pest-like, except the elf-kind never died with the passing of time. But the term...it was like the word just popped in his head. The orc shrugged, walking across the marble, glancing in either direction at the statues, moving towards the large door, intending to open it and enter the next room.

[Alec]

"Badictoan Hacroln, High Elder of the Fort-City of Vilveryn-Windesel. Followed by several volumes of other titles and honorifics." Alec looks at the door, more specifically the hinges. "If it's sealed with magic," he says, running his hand over one of the hinges, "I can probably break us in."

[Margrett]

Suddenly the room Kerag was in was flooded by faint, pulsing blue light. As Kerag turned to look, he saw the statues along the walls crack and break free from their pedestals, their eyes glowing blue, glaring at him. There were four of them, all ten feet of stone and magic.





Margrett shrugged.

Go ahead I guess. Does metal magic cover enchantments on metal?

[Alec]

"I said if they were sealed," Alec says, turning from his squat to look at her. "And no. But it does cover enchanted metals." Standing, he dusts his hands off. "I don't want to crack it open with magic, as tapping into it without something life threatening at your heels is.....difficult. To say the least. Anyway," he says, reaching for and grasping the handle firmly, "let's see, shall we?" With that, he gave a mighty push.

[Sir Kerag]

Kerag looked over his shoulder as he neared the door, red eye glowing. He would have been surprised, but after the zombies and the...thing in the other chamber, Kerag steeled himself for anything. He took deep breaths, hands tightening around his blood-stained axe and turned to face the tall elvish statues. Kerag's lips curled upwards.

"Ah suppose I have a legitimate reason to crush these knife-ears now..."

The orc swung the axe in fluid arcs around his body, building momentum as he charged the nearest animate statue, bellowing a deep guttural battle-cry, swinging the axe at it's legs.