Catacombs and Pirate bones (A Long Patrol and Salamandastron log)
Salamandastron: Catacombs
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Split off from the main caverns are the Catacombs. The floor and walls are
all hewn from the rock, reasonably fresh and square for an area of the
caverns, where most of the structure is made up of naturally occurring
elements. Alcoves set off in periodic intervals house resting areas for the
most recently deceased, and a variety of urns, jars, and full-on crypts
line the passageways. Bones are visible stacked into the more distant nooks
and crannies, and the dusty scent of decay is heavy in the air.
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Visible Exits:
[A]ncient [C]atacombs [Back] to Caverns
[R]emembrance [R]oom
Hares: Kate, female. Felicity (Lissie/Fel), female.
It was the book that led Kate here. The book and the map that tumbled out of it. It was a tome stacked into the lesser used recesses of the library. A journal really...one belonging to a beast that was NOT a hare.
Kate waves her torch about the entrance room to the catacombs. There were thankfully no beasts here in sight, thank all that was holy. She has no desire to explain why she is here. The russet hare is dressed for exploration, her wool long coat on her shoulders and a leather snatchel wrapped across her chest.
The hare takes a moment to catch her breath, leaning against the wall and panting heavily from the walk down here before pressing on.
The chubby hare celebrated too soon! Felicity Elizabeth Rosinbloom comes into the catacombs, holding aloft her own torch with one paw, a small bouquet of wildflowers with the other. She's dressed in her normal uniform, with the addition of a black cloak; it's a bit nippy down here. Seeing a light ahead, she hesitates, then calls out, "'Ello? Who's down 'ere??"
And then Kate dies of a heart attack. Given her size it is not out of the realm of possibility. The russet doe yelps and turns to flee, instead bumping into a table. She recoils and falls flat onto her rump, "Blazes!" She shouts.
The light of felicity's torch soon shines upon a very, very heavy beast. A secular life combined with a hare's stomach has finally caught up to Kate. The poor beast has fattened up like a turkey before Thanksgiving. The obese creature passes Fel a coy nervous grin, "Fel? Is that you? Fancy meeting you down here." She chuckles nervously. Busted.
"Kate, love, is that you?" Lissie walks hurriedly forward and carefully sets her flowers on the table. "You...." refrains from staring at the weight gain and commenting on it "...you okay?" She kneels by her friend. "And o'course I'd be down 'ere; my....." don't cry, don't cry, don't cry "...my parents and brothah are buried 'ere. Every Spring I pick some flowers and..." she pauses again to regain her composure. "But what are you doin' down 'ere, love? 'Tis a bit of a treck from yer library."
The massive hare raises an eyebrow, "Oh? OH!" Slowly Kate get's back onto her feet, dusting herself off, "So sorry to, uh, hear that." Is as much a comforting statement as Kate can manage. She doesn't wish to divulge her reasons for being here but even in this light Kate can see that her friend is feeling rather down. As one usually is in places like these. Maybe this can perk her spirits back up. "Yeah, bit of a treck indeed. It's all about this." She reaches into her snatchel, pulling out a weathered leather bound book, "'The journal of Captain Gregory Sharptooth. As the name suggests he was /not/ on the roster of the Long Patrol." She hands the book to Fel, "He was a small time pirate captain caught by the LP. It's a journal of his thoughts before his scheduled execution...and his attempt at escaping the mountain."
Felicity takes the book and sets it down on the table, by her flowers. Opening it, she gently turns the pages with the practiced care and ease of one who handles old books a lot. "...this looks fascinatin'. ....can I join you, after I...um." She glances at the flowers, then back up at her friend. "It sounds excitin', and we probably won't get 'urt or anythin'." Because cave-ins NEVER happen. And the auburn doe needs some distraction from her mourning, so why not explore where dead people rest with her friend? There's no such thing as ghosts, right?
The hare smiles, "I thought you might say that. At first I thought it was a story, but I did some digging in the prisoner archives and found that we actually did have a prisoner here 100s seasons ago. But it doesn't say what became of him, and the last few pages of the book are...missing! So I want to know if they caught him in the end or if someone picked up the book /after/ he escaped and blarg!" Kate flails her arms about in the air. "I need to know how it ends."
Felicity can't help it; she chuckles at her friend's excitment. "Well, lead on, love! Good thing I brought my sword; y'nevah know what could be lurking in the catacombs!" She's totally joking (this is not sarcastic). Gently closing the book, she hands it back to the chubby hare and picks up her flowers. "But first..." she takes them over to a hole in the wall that holds 3 urns. Laying the flowers down inside the hole, the auburn-furred haremaid draws her sword in a salute. After a few minutes, she turns around and sheaths her sword. Sniffing, she smiles slightly. "Thah, now. To see 'ow it ends, wot!"
"To see how it ends!" Kate replies. Ironically the one thing Kate didn't bring was her own sword. After all, what could possibly be down there to attack them? Besides the bones of pirates...
And what ever else might be lurking down there...
What happens next???
Stay tuned!!
Thanks for reading!
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