1.3: Things Left Too long Buried

"I can cast the spell again but I am going to need Someone to dig the fresh made clay out if we are to proceed, as I am tiring. Any takers?" States Aristocles.

Equipped with a modest digging stick from the nearby trees, Pavo says "I will help. Raven, can you do anything?"

He sighs and says "Next time we go an hour away from other people, remind me to bring a grog with tools. Or not to go exploring until I've learnt more magic."

With the promise of digging support Aristocles will cast Rock of Viscid Clay again

Roll 5 + Casting total 14 = 19 (plus or minus aura) vs spell level 15.

"I don't know any Terram spells. I suppose I can get a stick and help dig." Raven will say when actually called out on her standing about. "I'm not exactly big or strong though." She will then go find a digging stick and start the process of digging out the clay with the stick. "Maia why don't you help? The men are apparently too weak to manage on their own."

OOC: I'm assuming someone helps translate over any language gaps as Anna only speaks Latin decently. Also did Aristocles put penetration into the spell? We don't have to get dirty since its been transmuted!

OOC I am afraid Aristocles did cast with penetration as he was unsure of any aura effect.

<OOC Unfortunately Maia does not speak Latin at all, she speaks Greek, Classical Greek, and Vlach. I await IonianD's clarification on a possible recruitment of eager diggers, so Maia might not be currently nearby, searching for these helpers. If she is still around, she will respond to Raven's outrageous suggestion :slight_smile: OOC>

<OOC The Penetration is 6, without accounting for auras, correct? So Aristocles can mold the clay without getting dirty from handling it himself, but the rest do get dirty. OOC>

[tab][/tab] All knowledge is worth having, and today you have learned that sticks are not good for digging... the hard way. Th flowers of the Order make quite a mess of things, while the Knight looks on. Pavo's idea of bringing more people has merit. In the end, after some time you have managed to clear by whatever means a large section of the clay and sand in front of the sealed opening. You can count six granite plinths have been put sideways to block the entrance completely.

Maia will answer Raven, she looks insulted when it is translated to her, but is mollified by seeing the 3 magi working together. Do not sell Pavo's and Aristocles's efforts short! Earnestly The men and women of Meru Mudi are willing to get dirty, I like that! For my part, I may be able to convince others to help dig. I'll go look for them right now! With those sticks...I don't know that I would help... much. Don't worry, the help won't babble to the villagers!

<OOC Maia is gone for maybe an hour, she will have gathered a few dogs with her Animal Ken to come dig, but IonianD was doubtful of the scheme, so this will not help much, i'd imagine Pavo's and Aristocles's Gift drive most away OOC>

"Look at those granite slabs! This is completely blocked, there's no way anything can have gone in or out. Shall we show the villagers how well-sealed the tomb is, or are we going to persevere with this effort?" declares Pavo.

<OOC Pavo's Gentle Gift won't discourage any helper's, human or animal>

<OOC Pavo is very charismatic, but I thought he had Flawless Magic rather than Gentle Gift. OOC>

Sir Georgios moves a little bit closer to get a better view. Is it possible to stick a big branch/trunk of a tree behind the pliths and use it as a lever? Are there any straightish trees around that could serve the purpose? He does not voice any opinions or ideas before he is absolutely overconfident about it. He just observes and ponders.

I never got an answer about the feasibility of returning to the market or nearest village to shop, or for that matter returning home to fetch equipment (e.g. ropes). Neither do I know the distance, nor how long we have left till dusk. If at all feasible, we should probably consider it.

Maia wonders aloud to no one in particular about the granite slabs: So is that to keep out or to keep in?.
This is a right mess for when that priest arrives, maybe someone should make clear to the family in a lower voice, to the Magi, she motions in Dinos and Tolis's directionwhat should be said?
<OOC How thick are the slabs? Are they secured (embedded into the soil of the mound) or just resting on top of each other? Perhaps by just pulling/digging the top one sufficient space for a smaller person can be made to peek inside? OOC>

[tab][/tab] It took your party two hours to arrive at the 'fair grounds' , most of your people walking. Another hour and a half to reach this place, that makes it around three and a half hours walking distance to the Rotunda, as you would be basically skirting around a mountain to enter the Gorge. It would take less than an hour for someone galloping to reach your home, however gathering the necessary people and tools, plus teamsters would take a little time. Dusk falls five hours from now, you would have to work in bad light conditions. On the other hand you could some here with appropriate tools and workers another day. Dinos is concerned with the safety of the place, and your Gifted magi were to check the mound so that nothing happens to the priest's delegation when they arrive tomorrow. Whether something happens to them during their rite or they do something here is another matter...
[tab][/tab] The closest village is around ten minutes walking from where you are, Lower Plains, where Maia went and got her dogs (though little did they help). Next closest is Tservari, up the slope of the mountain. Neither has a proper market. South and east is Ioannina town, half a day's mule-ride away. There is a proper market there. Aristi station is to the north, around one hour away, then Konita village about four hours. Though the large village does not have a market per se, it does have several shops that are open five out of seven days a week.
[tab][/tab] The slabs are large, roughly quarried pieces of dense rock meant to be a barrier, denying entry to any thieves. By themselves, they are very difficult to move, you would probably need several people pulling on ropes to move one of them, or perhaps a horse. Putting a rope around them is another matter. They do not seem to be secured or pushed into the ground of the mound, they are piled up at the entrance, behind the lintel and columns, blocking the opening from the inside. Pulling them out seems very difficult, there are no holdings to grasp and their edges are blocked by the entrance columns. Pushing them in looks futile too, they seem unmovable or blocked from the inside too. You do not see any hole or opening (though you have removed three quarters of the rubble and not revealed the lower part of the entrance yet) for someone to pass through. A closer examination does not reveal any cement or joint-substance between the slabs, but there is a lot of sand....

Raven looks at the slabs "Well, I think this is about all we can do today. Although do we really want to break into the grave?"

Pavo replies "I think we don't need to break into it. It is well sealed, and anything incorporeal will have already left and caused mischief, if it wants to. I think we can just put some dirt back and then leave this."

Raven will head back to Maia. "What? We dug all that, just to put it back? Can't we just wait 'till tomorrow and get some grogs? My muscles are sore."

This was a strange errand, yes, and me in my best clothes! Still, can't Aristocles do that thing again, weaken those slabs, so that they could be dug out? Or, umm, maybe just crack them a groove? That big horse could pull half a slab and no mistake, couldn't he, ser?
She goes to pat ser Giorgios's courser and speaks to it gently with Animal Ken.
We could get rope and proper shovels purchased quickly...although questions might be asked, ehh?

Aristocles responds "I am not keen on robbing graves. We came to see if anything had escaped and to deal with it. I say leave it be. I can certainly break through but to what end?" "I propose I reseal it with the original material and when my spell expires it will be as good as we found it. What say you Sodales?"

Pavo agrees firmly, "Let us not disturb graves without good reason! This grave appears well-sealed, if we cover it over well no-one need know we have ever looked at it. Let us get to work!"

"Except for the fact that we'll have turned up all the dirt. It will be obvious someone was digging. We're not going to cover this up. There is dirt everywhere! I think it would look less suspicious if it seems like someone dug to the rock and stopped when compared to digging everything up then a poor attempt to hide it." Raven says.