Moonstone Absconded

Temple of Eluna, evening.

People are coming and going through the temple for various reasons, but there are some people who are here for a specific purpose. That being a group of clerics of Eluna led by their head High Seeress Aki who is a woman with white eyes whom is rumored to be quite capable of seeing despite her obvious blindness. She is surrounded by a small cadre of other priests and priestess and they are walking the grounds in deep mediation as they chant some spell with a great amount of concentration.

Carver bites into her piece of jerky. She rends the salty flesh with the voraciousness of a dog left without their master for many days. These road rations will know her fury, as she munches and grinds the tough bark of meat to pieces. She looks up from her meal to the collected priests, their formerly quiet meditations ascending to a murmured recitative led by the High Seeress.

Dirk was in town visiting the Temple of Dana, which is pretty close by to Elune's temple. And the moon goddess has always been besties with the Green Word, so the burly old ranger's often seen there dropping a few coins into the collection plate. He pushes his way into the temple, reaching up to doff his tricorne. But as he's digging into his belt purse for a couple coins, he spies the invocation in progress. He hunkers down a bit to make himself quiet as he can, so he doesn't interrupt things. Given his heavyset build, he's -surprisingly- good at being stealthy.

Consulting work at the Temples are often the highlight of Magpie's job; they appreciate expertise, most of the time they *listen* when expertise has an opinion, and most importantly? As long as you give them the basic decency due a thinking being, any time needing to be filled between steps in a process can be filled with the most *entertaining* arguments about comparative spellcraft.

So it's with a spring in her step and a jaunty tune in her throat -- hummed quietly, let's don't disturb the nice Elunans at their meditations -- that Magpie emerges into the central plaza to see... a procession.

Not just a procession, but one *actively working magic* on the Temple.

Oh boy, speaking of comparative craft...

Cor'ethil Cari'thana, Warden of Gilead, a man who can skewer a thousand threats to wildlife and mortal alike, isn't supposed to be here today.

"I'm not even supposed to be here today," Corey murmurs as an echo to his recurring thought as he hefts a heavy tome under the crook of his arm. He's armored like he expects something to happen, although anyone who knows the paladin of the White Stag knows that he just goes around in it. Either way, he's chewing the inside of his cheek a little as he walks into the temple. "Can't believe my sister _borrowed_ a text of--"

And then he stops muttering to himself as he sees the holy rites going on. He lowers his head a little in reverence. And then he decides to wait. After all, who better to hand off this giant tome to--and then beg a thousand apologies of on his twin sister's behalf--than the High Seeress?

The priests and priestesses reach the crescendo of their spellwork. It doesn't take long for the result of their spell to be noticed either. Or rather... felt. The ground shudders. Shakes. _Moves_. At first it's just a little, but then after a moment of hesitation it really begins to roll, making the whole place creak and groan under the pressure of what can only be described as an earthquake.

Even if Alexandria has never had one before.

GAME: Corey rolls Reflex: (8)+20: 28

GAME: Carver rolls reflex: (14)+15: 29

GAME: Magpie rolls reflex: (20)+6: 26 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)

GAME: Dirk rolls reflex: (8)+17: 25

Carver almost swallows tongue and jerky and all. The rolling discontent of the earth does not quite throw her to the ground, but it is close, an awkward arm-wheeling series of high steps that has her latching onto the pillar desperately. "The heck..." She isn't sure why she doesn't cuss, maybe she's trying to be a better person.

Her eyes dart about, looking for injured, or signs of what may have caused that. She's familiar with an earthquake, but not felt it since she departed the lands of Dran. "Everyone okay?"

Dirk looks over at Corey as the Gilean paladin makes his entrance. A warm smile creases the old snowbeard's face, and he lumbers (quietly) over. "Oy, Corey. Nice tae see ye again. How are--" He cuts off as he feels the first tremors. He's a dwarf, after all, and sensitive to shifts in the ground. "What the hell--?" That's when the real fun begins. He throws his arms out and spreads out his stance to keep himself from toppling over. He claps a hand to the wall to hold himself steady, looking around with eyes wide as tea cups. Once the quake ends, he looks around. "Och, is everyone all right? Anybody hurt? What the hell -was- that-?!"

Cor'ethil falls, but the sildanyari man is graceful, and while his mithral heavy armor is too heavy for dancing or cartwheels or anything else, he does manage to do an elegant spin that keeps him upright. It's a neat little move that would look not too out of place at a ball, on the dance floor. But he's only dancing by himself.

When the world stops shaking, Corey blinks those silver eyes of his two times. "Anyone injured?" he calls out. "I'm a Warden of Gilead, I can... heal." A flush rises on his very pale cheeks. So can most of the people in here. It's a Temple.

Something feels... off, as the chanting nears its peak. Magpie frowns, and is about to look harder at the spellwork in progress than would be considered polite...

But then the ground rolls under her feet, and a *CRACK* from above grabs Magpie's attention. Her eyes widen pig as saucers, as part of the great dome'd ceiling shifts -- cracked *just* right to allow it to fall out, rather than stay pinned in place -- and begins to drop.

And is headed right for the High Priestess.

There's not really anything like time to *thonk* about what to do. Just enough time to leap down from her perch, scoot across the plaza as fast as her little legs can carry her, and launch her entire bakery-fueled gnomish arcanist self against the back of the Elunan's knees. A fall will hurt. A fall will also put the both of them in the right spot, that the ceiling's doming *should* merely pin them both in place, instead of squashing one of Eluna's most powerful servants.

A piece of ceiling gives way, and falls.

Unluckily, Magpie and the High Seeress are pinned beneath it. It's hard to tell if they're okay, but the bit of ceiling is propped up against a pillar and one can see the pair trapped underneath of it easily enough.

The other priests and priestesses groan and most of them have fallen to the ground, unable to stand during the strength of the earthquake. Fewer parishioners are still standing. "Fine, we're-" One of them starts to say but then they notice Aki and there's sounds of shocked dismay.

"HIGH SEERESS AKI!"

GAME: Corey rolls Heal: (7)+18: 25

GAME: Carver rolls heal: (18)+8: 26

GAME: Corey rolls Athletics: (20)+-2: 18

Carver is off! Not running from the trouble so much as toward it, clearing small debris and rubble where the collapsed dome nearly left the blind Seeress and Magpie, well, pied. She calls back to the others, "Oi, over here, they migh' still be alive beneath this!" Thunk

A rock is tossed aside, and a short brief muttered complaint given. "This Temple truly is cursed. Hey, all yous, hands to work!"

"Oh! Oh no no no no--" Corey breathes out as he rushes over to his friend and the priestess, his silver eyes wide. Thankfully, Carver's words draw his attention in, and he breathes a sigh of relief. "They're fine. Well, not _fine_, but fine." In other words, alive, breathing, but not happy.

That being said, Cor'ethil is a paladin, and paladins tend to engage themselves in the business of heroics and helpfulness. He's not necessarily the beefiest paladin there ever was (Angoron would weep), but he is helpful, and sometimes, that's enough. Corey goes to the ceiling piece, crouching down (a considerable feat, considering the armor) and grunting a little as he assumes proper lifting posture and technique--

"White Stag, giveeee-meeeee-strength--" Corey hisses through his teeth, and he starts to lift the debris! But he could still use a hand. That's a heck of a piece.

GAME: Dirk rolls Athletics: (7)+13: 20

Dirk's eyes get wide as that bit of dome comes tumbling down. "Dana's flowery -teats-!" he gasps. Immediately he's motivating his tubby ass, trundling over to where the masonry landed. Corey calls upon the White Stag to give him strength--well, he's getting one (1) hefty dwarf. Dirk hunkers down and takes a grip on the edge of the stone. "Together now! One... two... an' HEAVE!" And heave he does, lending his burly strength to his fellow Gilean's efforts!

"We're okay!" Magpie's voice floats up, muffled, from under the bit of ceiling. "We're okay?" she asks, apparently to Aki. "We're okay," she then confirms. "Does anyone know what happened, anyway? And does anyone know where to find a big enough lever?"

Should High Priestess Aki look closely, Magpie is very clearly trying to shore up her nerves with humor, and managing... a bit? Somewhat. But he can hear Corey and Dirk through the stone, and see the stone shift a bit... So it's only a matter of time.

The piece of ceiling groans and then shifts under the joint efforts of Dirk and Corey. It's hard, but they manage to leverage the bit of ceiling upwards and have it practically off entirely by the time the other priests arrive to assist in moving it. Then it's set aside and reveals Magpie and the High Seeress underneath it. The High Seeresss pats Magpie on the shoulder once gently and then rises to her feet steadily.

"You have my gratitude young one, for aiding me in my hour of need." She doesn't have the look of true age to her, but her pure white hair and eyes could be signs of it even if her features show no such thing. "It seems that the earth elemental under the temple which helps anchor our blessings into the earth has... fled."

There's a troubled expression on her face. "This is not good. Without it, the wards on this temple are incomplete. I do not know why it would leave... it is not natural for it to leave in such a fashion."

GAME: Corey rolls Knowledge/The Planes: (8)+8: 16

GAME: Dirk rolls Knowledge/The Planes: (4)+4: 8

Carver approaches, listening in. Her ears might not be as expressive as her dear Deathless, but they near twitch at what she hears. Fled. Earth Element. Beneath the ground. Earthquake. She does not know much of the planes, of the places beyond her world, and what knowledge she does have? Pertains to the creatures what might invade or be asked to enter their world. She bites on her bottom lip in thought.

"Its movements explain the earthquake. If it was anchored here, then it... broke the chain? Er, in a manner of speaking." She reaches up to twist at a silver pendent, anxious energy bleeding out.

GAME: Magpie rolls knowledge/The Planes: (9)+15: 24

Corey's eyes narrow a little in thought, his lips pressing together a little as he puts his gauntleted hand to his chin. His finger even scratches at the skin a little like it might help in the recollection of the rolodex of knowledge he's got about things to do with earth elementals.

"Hum. What was the deal that you had with it, exactly?" he asks. "I can't think of anything specific about earth elementals that would cause one to shirk what it normally does. But perhaps it felt its time was at an end here, or... Something else has happened."

"I mean... it's an *Earth Elemental,* Magpie says without missing a beat. "If it was gonna take off as fast as it could, wouldn't it have needed to get started a couple years ago? They're not... known for their hummingbird-like tendencies..."

But by the way Magpie's eyes dart down, and back and forth, it's clear that the witticisms are simply... something to keep her mouth occupied, while her brain starts churning through everything she knows about planar discordances, and What Could Scare Off A Being Of Pure Dependability. And then Corey speaks his theory, and her head pops up. "...Or something unusual, like... new orders? From someone it *could not ignore?*"

Dirk wipes his forehad on the back of his fist as Magpie and the High Seeress are freed. "Whew! That could've been a lot worse." Once he's sure nobody is hurt, he settles in to listen to the Seeress' tale of the vamoosed elemental. "Beards o' me fathers. That sounds pretty heavy, dunnit?" His brows furrow like caterpillars in a huddle. But no, he's got nothing. He shakes his head. "Afraid elementals are a wee bit outside me wheelhouse. I couldnae tell ye what might've brought this on."

The High Seeress looks at those gathered, and motions her priests and priestesses to back up a bit to give her room. "I must task you to go and retrieve the elemental. Without it, our wards are incomplete. The temple will be subject to attack, and we can ill afford that here." She looks at you all hopefully.

GAME: Corey rolls Sense Motive: (20)+20: 40

"We will do our best to retrieve... or neutralize, if we cannot." Carver says. She straightens up as a complex situation is simplified, crystallized to task. It is where she works best. "An elemental of this size and power, it would still leave signs of its passing. If, like yous say, it has a goal. It will leave tracks. Tumbled smaller trees and displaced soil and earth. Burrowing animals forced to surface." She's already gathering her gear as others continue to question the Seeress.

"...I mean of course," Magpie says, puzzled at the Seeress' jump directly to business. One would imagine that someone who can *work* with such an entity, would know a thing or two *about* it. But... now there's a job to do, and the possibility of a nice bonus retainer to keep her happily buried in books for the next few whiles...

Nodding to Carver, Magpie looks at Dirk, grinning widely. "Heyyyy, buddy! Thanks to you and Corey for the save, but how would you like to be a legend among huntsmen?"

"Ready to *track the dirt?*"

Dirk looks over to Magpie, perking a bushy white brow. "Track the dirt? I mean, an earth elemental makes me think o' rocks an' stones, but... well come tae think of it, I suppose it -could- be dirt, couldn't it? Dirt's really just tiny wee rocks an' stones, innit?" He gives his beard a thoughtful tug as he contemplates the differences between dirt, rock, and stone. "But aye, we cannae be leavin' the Elunite temple open an' unprotected like this. I'm nae sure if I -can- track dirt--other than gettin' me boots muddy, but that's nae the same thing. But I'll do what I can tae help ye good people."

Corey seems a little confused when the seeress doesn't offer an explanation as for what's going on, but then... He studies her for a moment, and he smiles more broadly, a warmth in his silver eyes. "Don't worry," he says. "We can find it. I'm sure between the four of us, we will!"

Then he looks over at Magpie, looking hopeful. "Hey, do you know any spells for finding elementals?" he asks. "My twin sister wo--"

And then he remembers. The book. Cor'ethil blinks and looks over at the floor, where the tome landed at some point during the fall.

He winces. The very heavy book landed _on_ its pages. The spine looks a little bent. "... Or, she would, but I think she might disown me as her brother after this," he says, before clearing his throat and walking over to pick up the book. "Esteemed High Seeress, my twin sister borrowed this book from the library. I, err--it did not enter this Temple in its current condition. I dropped it. In the earthquake." Corey swallows a little bit. "Very sorry."

The seeress smiles at Corey, taking the book and shaking her head. She seems to have no trouble knowing where the book is, or taking it from his hands. "It is quite alright. More important is this task by far, so you will be forgiven any damage to this tome." She tucks it close to herself just the same however. "I am sure you are curious as to why I didn't say anything about how to locate the elemental or why it fled. The truth is that I do not know. I could as Eluna for insight into the matter, but I can tell you one thing with certainty..."

Here she pulls a small vial out of her pocket and offers it toward the group of you. "You must not kill it. You must weaken it and then open this container. It will fall inside and be kept there until you can bring it back and it can be laid to rest here once more. Please. It is vital both that you find it and that you do _not_ kill it."

Carver reaches out and takes the small vial, turning it over in her gloved lead hand. "Understood." She does not.. but, she can tell that a Seeress believes it true, and that narrows the task further; killing is not an option. The small glass phial slips to her palm, sheltered there.

"Iffin' no one else has any questions, we shoul' go. If this elemental is heading somewhere of its own volition, or at something's behest, it's bad for anyone who might be travelling much less the recovering forest." Carver says, tucking the 'Anchor' away into a vest pocket beneath her heavy furs.

Dirk nods his head firmly. "Right ye are, missus. Nae killin'. Shouldn't be too much trouble. If they're anything like golems, normal shot takes a while tae knock 'em down. So we should be able tae wound it wi'out killin' it." He puffs up his burly chest. "Right! Not tae fret, missus, we'll have yer golem back in time fer supper!" Pause. "Wait... supper was awhile ago, wasn't it? Well, shit. Back in time fer breakfast, then!" He looks over to Carver with a nod. "Aye, we need tae get to it. I expect that poor beastie is causin' all manner of upset. Sooner we can get this thing back, sooner we can have breakfast! An' we dinnae want tae be missin' -that-, it's the most important meal o' the day!"

"Ooooh," Magpie says, leaning up on her tiptoes to examine the vial, with glittering eyes and a wide grin. "Last time I made something like this it needed a *heck* of a lot more doodads and fancy bits! The fancy bits are where the magic goes," she says conspiratorially, as an aside to Corey. "The rest is like... cosmic suggestion. If container-shaped, must contain."

Shaking her head, she stops her deep dive on the topic of the matrix of form, function, correlation and causation before it can really get going. But it's a *fascinating* subject for the practical thaumgineer to study! "Right. Go! Yes. We should absolutely. Do that."

Magpie turns to the exit, and takes two steps. ...Then pauses, and looks back. "Which way did he go, then?"

"I don't have anything else to ask," Corey says with a smile, letting Carver take the vial. He looks thoughtful about the prospect of meals and container shapes and cosmic suggestions, but that fascination must, sadly, take a backseat to the notion of tracking an elemental. "Breakfast sounds like a great reward for tracking an elemental, though. There's meat. There's pickled vegetables. There's eggs. There's rice..."

Yes, Corey has gotten used to his fiance's diet. His stomach grumbles thinking about it. "Well! Better not to ruminate on it. Unless you think the rumbling of my tummy might act as some kind of sympathetic thing for the earth elemental to latch onto?" It's a wild hope, but hey, so was the idea of Corey ever having a love life until Karasu showed up to kill him. (It's a long story.)

Then he looks at the door. He considers it. "Let's go... That way!" he says. And he just leaves the Temple, keeping an eye (and ear) out for any signs of earth elemental debris.