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« february 2026: sarht special group mini log »
DESERT RUINS
This closed log is for the group who signed up for a private Sarht expedition from last month. All threads are worth 12 points.
By some twist of fate, Benedikta, Cid, and Shadow will find themselves dropping in (literally, through the sand) into hidden ruins deep, deep underground, landing several hundreds of feet below on a massive pile of strangely soft sand that will cushion their fall and even heal any injuries that could have been sustained. How strange. Although they could try to fly back out, the constant flow of sand will make it difficult, as if trying to push them back down. Looking up, they will see a clear glass-like dome as expansive and bright as the evening sky, the sand and rock visible above with sand trickling down the hole that the trio all fell through.
With this dome providing mysterious "sunset" atmosphere and allowing them enough light to see, they will spot ahead of them the beginnings of ancient buildings, and from their perch atop the massive sand pile that is as high as a giant hill, they will see the ruins are massive, enough to look as if it were a large town or small city with the stone walls and columns. It's unclear if the city was originally built underground or if this dome has been protecting it, but that's something they can try to uncover.
There is no one here, no person, creature, or entity to greet them, but they can hear the faint sounds of slithering and distant clattering of claws or rocks disturbed in the distance, making it clear that they are not completely alone. And now they will need to explore through and see what secrets they can uncover.
When the trio finally leave, they will find something strange—and that is regardless how long they stay within the ruins, the outside looks as if no time had passed at all.
By some twist of fate, Benedikta, Cid, and Shadow will find themselves dropping in (literally, through the sand) into hidden ruins deep, deep underground, landing several hundreds of feet below on a massive pile of strangely soft sand that will cushion their fall and even heal any injuries that could have been sustained. How strange. Although they could try to fly back out, the constant flow of sand will make it difficult, as if trying to push them back down. Looking up, they will see a clear glass-like dome as expansive and bright as the evening sky, the sand and rock visible above with sand trickling down the hole that the trio all fell through.
With this dome providing mysterious "sunset" atmosphere and allowing them enough light to see, they will spot ahead of them the beginnings of ancient buildings, and from their perch atop the massive sand pile that is as high as a giant hill, they will see the ruins are massive, enough to look as if it were a large town or small city with the stone walls and columns. It's unclear if the city was originally built underground or if this dome has been protecting it, but that's something they can try to uncover.
There is no one here, no person, creature, or entity to greet them, but they can hear the faint sounds of slithering and distant clattering of claws or rocks disturbed in the distance, making it clear that they are not completely alone. And now they will need to explore through and see what secrets they can uncover.
The city itself is too massive for the three of them to try and explore everything on their own, however any buildings they venture into will reveal a culture that honors strength and fighting with brilliant murals depicting heroic feats painted or engraved into many walls and many homes with a large amount of weapons with several missing. Stranger still is that while belongings were left behind, there are no signs of remains. No corpses, skeletons, detached clothing—no sign at all of anyone who could have died in whatever situation that caused the evacuation of this city. However, should they manage to reach the outer edges of the glass dome, they will find bones and black fabric crushed and pressed up against it…
Further in, roughly in the very center of the city, is a set of very large dragon statues set on top of a fountain pool that has clear, cool water in it. The largest shines with gold, its wings spread wide to cover the entire plaza as it faces west. Set on either side are two smaller dragons. A white, silver one faces north and a black, obsidian faces south. Although the statues seem to be in pristine condition, the black one has a few cracks. Coincidentally, the white one faces the direction where Ya Relaeh is located. To the west is a large temple-like building, and the south seems to be shrouded in a strange darkness.
While most of the city remains relatively whole and complete, especially the eastern area, the west is where light seems to disappear and darkness prevails.. Buildings are crumbling, actively slowly turning into dust as if decaying. It's a process that has been going on for a long time, with the farthest area completely wiped out and slowly encroaching further inward towards the city.
Further in, roughly in the very center of the city, is a set of very large dragon statues set on top of a fountain pool that has clear, cool water in it. The largest shines with gold, its wings spread wide to cover the entire plaza as it faces west. Set on either side are two smaller dragons. A white, silver one faces north and a black, obsidian faces south. Although the statues seem to be in pristine condition, the black one has a few cracks. Coincidentally, the white one faces the direction where Ya Relaeh is located. To the west is a large temple-like building, and the south seems to be shrouded in a strange darkness.
While most of the city remains relatively whole and complete, especially the eastern area, the west is where light seems to disappear and darkness prevails.. Buildings are crumbling, actively slowly turning into dust as if decaying. It's a process that has been going on for a long time, with the farthest area completely wiped out and slowly encroaching further inward towards the city.
Empty as the city is of people, it's not completely devoid of life. Whether they managed to slip through the rocky cracks underneath or fell through the very same hole they did, beasts roam through the ruined city. Even more bizarre, dragon warrior statues made of stone will sometimes come to life to attack certain areas, as if to protect it.
🐲 Dragon Warriors. The statues will be surprisingly agile despite being made of stone, wielding an assortment of melee weapons. However, they do not need to be destroyed—besting them in a duel is enough to make them stop, and upon "defeat" something will glow in their mouths before a golden dragon scale falls out. These are the same scales found in the first desert expedition and will hold a memory vision related to where the statue was found.
🌵 Roaming beasts. Although they do not fill the town, there are different creatures roaming through the city. Some are peaceful while others are aggressive. The ones to be most wary about are the insect types, especially the scorpions, as they are large and poisonous. However, there seems to be a small population of small cactus that can move and hop about. They will mostly watch but may grow curious enough to follow and offer random small trinkets, dragon scales, and things they think these strangers might like.
💨 Echoes. Scattered throughout the city are three mysterious bits of fog. Stepping through them will make the individual have an extraordinary experience of the past…as if reliving it themselves.
🐲 Dragon Warriors. The statues will be surprisingly agile despite being made of stone, wielding an assortment of melee weapons. However, they do not need to be destroyed—besting them in a duel is enough to make them stop, and upon "defeat" something will glow in their mouths before a golden dragon scale falls out. These are the same scales found in the first desert expedition and will hold a memory vision related to where the statue was found.
🌵 Roaming beasts. Although they do not fill the town, there are different creatures roaming through the city. Some are peaceful while others are aggressive. The ones to be most wary about are the insect types, especially the scorpions, as they are large and poisonous. However, there seems to be a small population of small cactus that can move and hop about. They will mostly watch but may grow curious enough to follow and offer random small trinkets, dragon scales, and things they think these strangers might like.
💨 Echoes. Scattered throughout the city are three mysterious bits of fog. Stepping through them will make the individual have an extraordinary experience of the past…as if reliving it themselves.
When the trio finally leave, they will find something strange—and that is regardless how long they stay within the ruins, the outside looks as if no time had passed at all.
placeholder.
cid & benedikta — keys, memories, and cacti 🌵
She would get to that eventually.
Because as they wander down this eerily empty street in between the tall stone buildings, she stops when she hears the sound of shuffling along the sand. She cannot see it—it must be somewhere around a corner, but sound travels well in this place, it seems.]
Something is there.
no subject
Hearing the sound, especially when it had been so silent with not even a breeze, immediately brings his hand to the hilt of his main sword.]
It seems small...and slow. But stay on your guard.
[His eyes move a bit before he spots some shelter they can take.]
Let's move that way, lure it out.
no subject
Lure it with what? We do not exactly have much. Unless you are willing to part with a piece of your precious rocks.
no subject
[Which means he's not so willing to part with his precious rocks—]
Just have to move around that corner—now!
[And without any further warning, he's just going to grab Benedikta and run to it.]
no subject
[She is suddenly whisked away, scurrying after him when he suddenly grabs her and starts to run. Their hurried footsteps somehow echo off the walls as they skid over the sand and around the corner, stopping not far from where the other set of feet is moving.
Benedikta dares to peer around the corner, and she sees an oddly shaped shadow turning in place, and whatever it is squeaks, as if confused.]
... I cannot tell what it is.
no subject
It sounds...small?
[Though as he speaks the shadow seems to grow bigger...bigger...and bigger...!!!!
...
Until a little cactus the size of a melon scurries out, looking around.]
...Is that?
no subject
And upon seeing the tiny cactus emerge around the corner, she swears under her breath and immediately goes back into hiding. She whispers at Cid and tries to pull him back as well.]
Do not let it see us.
[But it's too late.]
no subject
Come now, it's such a tiny thing. What harm could it do?
[GOING TO BE FOOLISH AND STEP OUT—]
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[WHY IS HE LIKE THIS!!!
She tries to grab him before he steps out, but she is much too slow as well, so her hand just swings and grabs at the air before she is stepping out after him. Her magic picks up, a slight breeze brushing the sand at their feet just in case this little thing tries something...]
I would not trust it. Just stay very still.
[It sees them. Oh god, it's moving closer! Benedikta takes a cautious step back, but it stops in front of them and poses with its arms, and then does a little twirl.]
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Cid, although not completely lowering his guard, will watch it fascinated before he gives Benedikta a wry look.]
Aye, it's quite dangerous with that little twirl.
[Instead, Cid will give it a little round of applause, which makes it squeak and hop as if in joy.]
I think this one is a lot friendlier.
no subject
Stop clapping and humouring it.
[She does grab hold of his sleeve and tugs on it, bringing her eyes back down to the cactus and never taking them from it.]
Just because it is cute does not mean that it can be trusted. It has needles, just like the big one.
[The cactus looks at her, squeaks, and she flinches, her hand nearly going to her sword when it starts to wiggle closer.]
no subject
[Even so, he is clearly taken by it and then after a moment he reaches into his bag to dig out some of the small dried fruits they had packed. Not the berries, but more candied ones.]
Think it might like one of these?
no subject
It spins on its one bent leg and then waddles over to him, hopping between its feet.]
... Well, I suppose bribery is a fine method.
[She is still stepping closer to the wall just in case it decides it doesn't like the fruit and, as a result, them.]
no subject
[He says with a playful smile before crouching down to hold it out to the wee thing.]
Here you go, give it a try. I think this one is a dried fig they call it?
no subject
[Has he forgotten what happened with that axolotl family that was all over the MANTA board? What if this is the same situation, she wonders, as she watches him crouch in front of it and offer the food, which it takes.]
It is curious, though. Odd that it is not even afraid of us...
no subject
[Which is not such an impossible thought given how they entered and how empty the place is. If this region has empty without any kind of people until the discovery last year, then unless someone had managed to slip down in the time between them, they may truly be the first.
But he'll just watch it eat the dried fruit with some curiosity and satisfaction, especially when it makes those little squeaking sounds.]
Hm, in that case, perhaps I shouldn't be teaching it to trust strangers so easily. But it looks so harmless.
no subject
That is what I am trying to tell you. Nor can we trust it to—what?
[As soon as the cactuar is finished, it turns around and starts to run away, but it stops, turns, and looks at them just as it's about to bolt around the corner.]
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[AND HE'S GOING TO DO JUST THAT or at least he'll stand up to follow curiously.]
no subject
Are you mad? And we are just going to follow it without question?
[The cactus squeaks at them, sounding a little sad that they are still standing there. :(]
What if it leads us to an army of them?
no subject
We can still be cautious. But if they do, we'll just either fight back or fly off to escape.
[He says with that careless smile before he starts following the little cactuar, who then hops and squeaks and continues forward, some of that dried fruit still in its nubby hand(?)]
no subject
[As her voice drips with sarcasm, but she will follow a step behind him, huffing out an exasperated and tired sigh. He is still her husband, but damn it if she did not question him and his choices.
Like following a strange cactus through some old city ruins.]
Where do you suppose it is taking us? There is not much around here as far as we have seen.
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[And now it's bouncing around a corner...]
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[Not a serious answer because she did not see any signs of cacti up there, and it would be very odd if they had.]
It seems eager for us to follow it, at least. Whatever it is it wants to show us, it had better be worth it.
no subject
[He has the utmost faith in their little cactuar friend! Perhaps too much faith, but they will see soon who is right.
As they round the corner, they'll find the catuar waiting for them before waving its nubby hand and bouncing towards an open door to a small building. Arching a brow, Cid glances at Benedikta before moving closer.]
Seems it has something in there...think it lives there?
no subject
not her.It is not a long trek, fortunately, and the cactuar scurries along and then waits for them to catch up, hopping up and down, before rushing away again. And when they turn the corner and see the little door it's jumping in front of, Benedikta raises a brow, a horrible feeling of dread coming over her about what could be lurking inside.
Their brethren left much to ve desired and she does not wish to go through that again in any form.]
Well, it is not like anyone else does, apparently. Might as well take the place for oneself, yes?
[It squeaks at them. Hurry up!!!]
no subject
All right I'll open the door since we can't fit through that hole it must use.
[A broken hole in the door just large enough for it pass through easily.]
But just to be safe, be ready.
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Aren't I always?
[Never mind that she was not ready for the big cactus up above, but that's neither here nor there.]
You open it and I will wait at the ready.
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...To reveal an empty entranceway. Although Cid waits and the cactuar just watches them, nothing seems to stir at all.]
...Seems empty.
[A squeak from the cactura before it scurries inside.]
no subject
...
They are met with a whole lot of nothing on the other side.]
It brought us to an empty house? What a waste.
[She was hoping that something interesting would at least happen.]
no subject
[A wry grin at her before he opens the door all the way and steps in. He still keeps his hand on his sword just in case, but he really can't sense or hear anything. The house is truly empty, just like the others. Well, except for them.
Despite its small size, the littler cactuar is surprisingly fast as it bounces down the entrance way and into a side room. From there they'll hear some rustling and its squeaks, and upon following they will find it in what looks to be like a sitting room or den. Whoever who used to live in it clearly liked antiques and decorations, as there were all sorts of items hung on the walls and shelves. There was even a shield on the wall, but notably something large is missing, as if taken. A closer examination would reveal the faint shadow of what could have been a sword and shield that may have been on display. While there weren't many paintings or pictures, there were at least a few. Mostly landscapes of the desert, but there was at least one or two depicting some kind of duel in what could be the coliseum.
And there little cactuar friend was somewhere under the coffee table, a goblet on the ground along with some strange trinkets around it.]
...This room...
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But she steps in after him, following the sounds of the cactuar into the other room where she, too, has to pause to look around. Her gaze first goes to one of the portraits still hung up crookedly on the wall depicting a duel in what appears to be the same coliseum that is not far from the resort town. Next, her eyes go to the sword-shaped shadow that's been left behind, interest now written clear across her expression.]
Most things look... almost in tact. Save for this.
no subject
[He rubs his chin as he continues to look around before stopping at the shadowed portion of the wall.]
It looks like the outline of a shield and sword, and given the discoloring I'd say it was there for quite a while before it was removed. Which begs the question of "why," though I can only think of one.
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[The paintings look valuable too, like ones one might see in a gallery in Elah, though far less preserved. That might make them even more so, if anything.]
What do you think?
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[His brows furrow.]
We'd have to check the other rooms if they packed anything else.
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[With a thoughtful hum, her gaze goes back to the paintings, but the cactuar speaks below the table.]
Do you not find it odd that so much of this place looks like it is hardly old? It is not just the paintings, but everything in this city...
no subject
[He looks out the towards the hall where a bit of the evening sun filters through the doorway.]
I wonder if it's because of how it's basically preserved in this place. The strange "sky," the shield keeping out the sand, the pure air. Perhaps some strong magic?
shadow & benedikta — keys and memories 🗝️
And now it was time to find the others that are perhaps buried down here somewhere. It would stand to reason as much given that the massive tablet lives here.
It is during her search nearby that she finds Shadow again, and she is twirling the key between her fingers.]
Ah, fancy meeting you here. [Not really.] Have you found much of note?
no subject
So when Benna comes finding him, he'll be standing on top of a piller that's been partially buried for a vantage point. He glances when she addresses him, eyeing the key on her hand.]
...Nothing but more statues. [Suppose that's better than the alternative.] Although, those seem more detailed than the others. [He nods his head in a direction of two partially buried dragon statues in front of a building. They almost seem to shine, barely worn down by time compared to the building they guard behind it.]
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[Her gaze follows in the direction that he nods, and her brow furrows a bit.]
I have noticed that about several pieces in this place. A stark contrast to the world around them, almost as if they are protected from the natural erosion that comes with time. I sense no magic, however.
[Or it is not a magic that she can pick up on. Something bigger?]
Not a statue, but Cidolfus and I found a... table of sorts. The carvings upon it look like they are brand new.
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If it's not enchanted, then someone or something must still be down here. [It's the only thing he can think of with the provided knowledge and what he knows. But so far, he hasn't seen any other living being down here, besides the creatures that made this habitat their home.] Where is it?
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[She shows off the key to him, the gold of it shimmering bright.]
We found it last year in Ocard. Well, a snakefolk handed it to us in the dragon's castle. We've not known what it was for, but I think we may have found something.
[With that, she turns and leads on.]
no subject
How many keys do you think it needs?
no subject
There are twelve slots, but they are grouped in a very interesting way. Three groups of four, and each seems to correspond with a section of the table.
To open what? I do not know, but I suspect there is a door or a drawer or some such around here somewhere that we might discover if we can get enough? That was why I was searching, hoping I might find more.
cid & shadow — echoes, tech, and what's in the south
For all the evidence of advance technology we've seen in other historical sites and even here, it's fascinating to have discovered that their preferred weapons were still more martial. Even those statues wield traditional swords and spears rather than some form of firearm.
[Also, don't mind the little cactuar that is sitting on his shoulder, swinging its little feet and playing with some combination of bolts and screws like a toy.]
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They could have had enhancements. [That they might not be seeing, or can utilize when everything they've come across so far are in disrepair. But considering certain incidents they've come across with these "statues" and other strange occurances down here, probably a safe guess their weapons are more than what they appear to be.
Speaking of statues though, he's keeping a lookout for them. So far, they seem to indicate that something's nearby, for better or worse.]
no subject
[Walk walk walk, the road they are going down is eerie in its emptiness, the buildings with their shuttered windows or black from lack of light, and the sunset atmosphere doing no favors.]
Have you explored many of the buildings?
no subject
So far, they all share something similar. Things left abandoned, but no bodies to be found. [There's no indication of a struggle, only the decay of time. It's almost as if the people here suddenly just up and disappeared. He steps his forward movement, spotting one of the dragon statues that was lacking it's head. Behind it, a partially buried building. Hm. Well, let's start with this building.]
no subject
[Strongest suspect is war, given how Niltast was invaded and the tundra region of Ainomiad also had signs of it when he went there the first time. But what's so strikingly different is there are no signs of damage to the buildings here, which one would expect for an invasion.
Until they reach this area, where the buildings show much more deterioration and destruction...but why does it look more like decay?
Seeing the statue, he also grows cautious, hand shifting to his hilt.]
Likely won't let us pass so easily. Should be able to make it quick, eh?