Final: Orange

[voidtreckermods]

Down the Staircase: Backdated to Day Seven

Those who were investigating the sigil or fighting crabs nearby would be aware of the ground rumbling as a spiral staircase opened into the dark sand below.

Of course it is less a staircase at the bottom of the ocean and more a terrifying water helter-skelter downwards through the dark.

But they land in an underground cave. It is dark, and ankle deep in water. In the centre there is a white marble plinth, with a large empty shell on top. The walls of the cave are dark and grimy but with the aid of the torches in their SCA's and some investigating will find a hint of colours underneath the sand and seaweed on the walls.

Between day seven and day ten

The crabs are still attacking. It is not a never ending siege but it pays to be vigilant as every so often crabs arrive to launch an attack on the sleeping citizens. Luckily they don't seem to be able to get into the underground chamber, perhaps being too large or unwilling to enter through the twisting passage.

Inside the cave the water is slowly rising, by day ten of the month of Fiddlesticks it reaches the average voidtrecker's chest.

The plinth is tall, above the voidtreckers' heads and so hasn't been submerged yet.

Assuming they have begun to clear the sand and seaweed off the walls of the cave a picture begins to emerge. Simple drawings, very similar to those on the tablets in the market place.

Day Ten

Light from the sky, an island. People gathered around a fire. Beacon. Symbols are helpfully translated for them. A plinth. No, two plinths with shells on them filled with light.

All very useful. If only they had any way to share their ideas with the others.

Which is when their SCA's glow and a holographic screen appears.

Meanwhile on the train...

By day ten the storm hits with a vengeance. Waves are high, rain falls practically sideways. The train holds out well, staying in place and upright through the battering seas. Going out to dive is nerve wracking and there might be some cases of seasickness in those remaining on the train.

It is all in all not a great sea faring experience.

Comments

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin is climbing back aboard the train periodically, in between dives down into the underseas city to hunt the crabs that would try to eat the sleeping mer people, or to try to copy and interpret the pictographs on the walls of the cave under the front lawn of the Far Palace and pass the information on to the other teams.

At the moment, he is carrying a cup of coffee in one hand, and in the other, a notebook with sketches of the cave pictures. He encounters Peter Parker in the passageway and sees that he is not feeling well. "Hello, Peter! How is it going?"

[hashtagparkerluck]

Peter's been battling his stomach all day and he's definitely about to lose again. He takes some shallow breaths to try and keep himself from just getting sick all over the floor and offers a small, weak smile.

"Not... great." He manages, trying desperately to ignore the rocking. "Really feeling the vertigo."

[so_dark_a_road]

The train lurches as the waves heave under its platform. Curufin can live with this, as it's not anywhere near as turbulent as the seas of his own world were when he last voyaged them. But he grabs for a handhold anyway.

"I"m sorry the vertigo is bothering you. I'm hoping this storm will abate soon. Peter, is there anything I can do for you?"