More Glimpses of the Past!

 We continued to search the ruins, and I quickly found a metal door. It had 4 hemispherical indentations in a diamond pattern. I suspected that there would be some orbs around to socket into these indentations, so continued searching in hopes of finding them. In a nearby room there was a chest with a ring...and a green orb! Not long later, Sonica found a chest -- guarded from above by another of those cursed spiders. Once it was dispatched, we discovered that the chest contained a different ring...and a yellow orb! Apparently, I missed the acquisition of red and blue orbs earlier, so that completed the set. We returned to the door and placed the orbs in the sockets and some mystical energy outlined the door, delineated a line down the center, and the two sides slid away to reveal a giant cavern ahead. It was so vast, it almost seemed like we were outside again.

The chasm is dominated by a dilapidated temple building of some sort, which -- though it is clearly in ruins -- is being swept by some sort of stone automaton or golem. It seems to assume that we are here to visit the church, so we agree and follow it inside. The focal point of the church, opposite the door we entered, is a statue of a woman or perhaps a goddess (it occurs to me that this could be an early representation of The One, but then it may not, there are many goddesses worshiped even now). I make a sketch for our records (see my last page), and engaged the custodial golem for more information regarding the murals still barely visible on the walls.

While I picked the questionable "brain" of our host, Sonica checked a chest in the corner. Inside, she found some sort of grappling-glove, a painting, and a letter. The painting shows a demonic figure magically restrained in a circular apparatus by a woman who stands in front of it. A small plaque on it reads: "The Great Adversary, now defeated, was imprisoned w/ molten stone, weakened and alone." The letter is dated "2/11/0001," 1619 years ago! It reads (in an ancient script):

"Like a comforting hug, traces of you surround this new world and powers stones that keep everything afloat. I long to find you again. As I look down at the swirling maelstrom below, I know you are out there among these beautifully broken lands. Like your essence, I will scatter these letters around in hopes that you will find them and remember me once again.

-With all my love, Hector Cogsworth."

I have not heard of a Hector Cogsworth. The only notable Hector I can recall is from our own religion, but he was a demon in the form of a man.

Having seen all we could see in this underground world, we return to the ship and rest as we fly off. Before heading to sleep, I draw my circle and investigate the rings we have found. The one with the circling arrows will be very useful; it will, from time to time, substitute its energies for your own when you cast a spell, so you pay no cost! The ring with various colored buttons eludes me, however. I'll have to discuss it with Cole on the morrow. Faith, but it's been a long day.