Log:The Descent

The Descent
Ren, yi, li, zhi, xin.
Participants Chen Tai, and Saulot	17 April, 2017 The Long Walk should be a short expedition. Much of it is an open expanse shrouded in darkness. While many avoid the cliff by staying to the trod, the Harvestmen will be exploring that cliff's face with equipment provided by Damion. It may help to pray for calm winds. Part of Real Estate
Location The Long Walk
The sky is tinged in grey, and allows little of the sun's light through. The wind is calm, and that may prove to be a blessing. Hedge beasts are few and far here save those of the climbing variety. Sadly, this is what's been left to the Harvestmen as much of The Long Walk has been explored. Caves along the cliff's wall are another matter, and host a trove of potential homes for the Harvestmen. Going from Stoneheart to all the way out here is a bit of a journey in and of itself, but it's largely an unevental one so long as Tai keeps on the trod. When upon this area of the Hedge Tai is met with sounds of rocks occasionally falling here and there and the distant cries of some beast or flora far enough off not to be a cause for worry. The only way down from here, and to continue comes by way of climbing equipment offered up and paid for by Damion. Climbing equipment is something that she is not exactly familiar with, in practice. In theory, she knows how it works, and she isn't exactly worried about falling, even though she likely should be. So when it comes to continuing by climbing only, she sets the hooks, gets herself into the harness and starts to climb. The wind seems to pick up right as she begins her descent, but it only proves to be a moment of excitement than a frightening gust. While things are darkere here than other parts of the mountain there's just enough light for her to see what she's leaving on the way down. Below here two caves are coming up. The one at her left (and the closest) is covered in bluish-green webbing that catches what little light reaches down here. The other is further down and a bit off to the right. From within a light shines, and appears as a beacon amid the growing darkness. The light could possibly be something to fight, but then again the web covering the cave could just as easily indicate something that might need fighting. Tai holds herself in place for a moment, letting her eyes shift from one cave entrance to the other before she begins to lower herself down, angling her way to the right towards the cave that is both further away, and the source of the light. There's a few footholds to be found on the way down along with the occasional rod left by former travellers. Along the ground Tai can make out the shadows of something, but as she nears it becomes clear that there's no fire giving off that brilliance. A crystal jammed into the ground not too dissimilar from those found in Stoneheart save the amber light it gives off. Those shadows are nothing more than rocks positioned in an odd manner, and from where she's hanging they look to be stood as a facsimilie of snowmen made with rocks. Further back the cave goes, and the light itself only reveals a tunnel that splits off five ways into the darkness. The stonemen are greeted with a very suspicious look, as though she doesn't quite believe they are what they seem. However, that doesn't stop her from lowering herself into the opening of the cave carefully, slipping from the rope and pulling out the stick that is tucked through her belt. The five tunnels that greet her are given a bit of a sigh, then she quietly labels each one from left to right, "Ren, yi, li, zhi, xin." She then considers before pointing to the one in the middle, "Li. Propriety...let us see what you have in store." Thankfully both Mien and Clause offer light as she travels through the cave. Every so often she comes by a crystal radiating the same light as the first, although their smaller size offers just enough to usually see what's directly in front of you. The middle path slowly leads downward as much as it does through the face of the mountain. A quarter of an hour passes until she comes to an overlarge expanse of a cavern with a lake in its middle. The water itself is tinted yellow by the glowing crystals to be found inside, but its true depth is difficult to make out aside from an impenetrable darkness. Tai's quiet through most of her journey, not talking to herself much beyond the rare observation. One could got a little crazy out here by themselves, afterall. When she reaches the lake she pauses, trying to get a good measure of the side of the chamber she's in, then after a moment she begins to explor the chamber but carefully does not get too close to the water just yet. It's nowhere near as big as Stoneheart's massive hole in the mountain, but sizeable enough that despite her light she can't see the opposite side of the cavern. Along the walls she's able to find footprints of several shapes and sizes, but nothing in the air or on the walls to betray their origin. Just as her they circled around the place along with a few ending at the lake's edge. On the opposite side of the area's entrance she's able to make out something a few meters above. A door, oddly shaped in an oval and built of something rocky. Although the door is far beyond the reach of her hands, that doesn't deter her altogether. Tai takes her time, pacing around, looking for any way up. Not seeing any easy choice she rubs the palms of her hands against her knees, then pulls out some of the climbing equipment to make a make-shift grappling hook. She looks up, then closes her eyes for a moment before starting to swing the rope, throwing it towards the ceiling and praying for the best results. Is it seconds, or minutes? Tai isn't entirely sure how long it takes for her to swing herself until she feels that she is in a good position. When she finally does, she gives herself one last surge of speed before leaping off the rope towards the door, arms spread outwards much like wings would be, and glides towards the door on a wish and a prayer. That last push before the leap seems to be enough. Magical flight proves useful as she makes her way to the door, and has just enough time to take hold of the handle and one of the hinges of the door. A few twists of the knob reveal it to be locked, and from where she is she can pick up the scent of burning cinnamon. There is a quick jiggle of the door handle, then she tries to push at it from the world's most awkward position. But then she glances around, seeing if the source of the burning smell might be coming from this side of the door. The door isn't a normal one, that much is obvious by its stony appearance. It pushes inward instead of coming out, and the jiggling the handle causes debris to fall from the threshold. That smell indeed comes from inside the door along with a hint of something coppery right at the edges. Faint traces of light bleed from the edges, butt its hue is far different from those yellow crystals. Of course it is. Tai sighs faintly, tilting her head abck for a moment before she places her hand flat against the knob of the door, a quick flare of light surrounds her hand as she tries to magically unlock it. The door swings in and before she's a chance to see a blast of wind and heat rushes out. In the middle of this room there's a cauldron, and something boiling away. In the bag is a humanoid figure, covered head to toe hair that doesn't say much on gender or species. However, when it does spot the open door it lifts a finger, screaming, "Juan'ga." Tai reaches into the room with one foot, taking some of the weight off her fingers, although she does not come all the way inside, and she certainly doesn't retreat either. "I come in peace." Does she? Well, for now she does. The beast looks upon Tai, and doesn't immediately throw the giant stick its holding. It lowers the stick then, approaching her while sniffing at the air. It walks with an ape-like gait, green eyes always on Tai. It briefly looks off to what's stewing, and then back at Tai. "Kai walli-wanga! Jua?" It says (asks?) with its head cant to the side. "I'm afraid that I do not understand..." Tai replies, shaking her head very faintly, holding her hand out to the side, palm facing towards the creature. "Do you understand me?" It stops when it gets to those held up hands, but it perceives no measure of innocence. It liks at one of her palms, and taps its tongue as if trying to find something from the taste. It then points back at the cauldron, and shouts, "Um walli-wanga." It shoves its stick into the stew, and lifts it up to reveal something that might've been meat; it has a stringy in appearance, and posesses a violet color. The hob then sticks it out towards Tai, and shouts, "Eu kepaga!" "No, thank you..." Tai replies, a hand lifting to try and refuse the offer of food. No matter how rude she's been taught it is to refuse things like this, she's not brave enough to dare and try what is being offered to her. "I am Tai." She taps her chest with her fingers, "Tai." It sneers at the turned away offer, and takes a hearty bite of the meat itself. It shows off twin rows of sharpened teeth that don't look too different from the teeth one would find in a wolf. The hob thumbs at its own furry chests, and responds, "Mukahi." It points up, and from there she can see at least a dozen doors similar to the one she went through. The stick is pointed up there, and it shouts, "Jeh-kar." Then to Tai it points, "Jek-Tai." "There are others like you?" Tai is probably the least effective person when it comes to this sort of communication, but damned if she isn't trying to make sense out of nonsense. The fact she caught her name is a good thing though. "How many?" "Geja puka!" it answers in response. It moves back to where it was once at, and toss the stick aside. It takes its meat with both hands, and begins chewing away while staring at Tai. With a mouth full of meat it 'posits,' "Geja jek-Tai einkuva. Jesha kuva eu um walli wanga. Meja walli wanga." "Right..." Tai agrees, glancing up to try and note as many of the doors as she can before she begins to carefully back up once more. "I shall leave you to your eating, please have a good evening." It offers no resistance to her departure, although she does stare at her the whole way out. A piece of meat hangs in its mouth, and as she nears the threshold he offers a sonorous belch that amounts to a goodbye as it goes back to eating.