Act One
03-24-17
The party finds themselves in the basement of the mansion of whats his face. Before them lies a locked gate with what appears to be various treasures beyond. Halar uses a pick from his lock picking kit and manages to open the lock; while the door is slightly jammed on opening, the quick tug loosens it and the entryway slides open. The room is laid out in front of the party: two ornate angel statues flank the center of the room - one with a brightly glowing yellow gemstone in its hearth, the other with the fake gemstone the party had previously sold the man. At the back lay shelves filled with various stones and bottles of wine. At the center, a pedestal containing a dark-blue ornate sword and a chest half-opened. Mugen heads towards the sword and after examining it, picks it up. Isosceles heads to the back with Halar to check out the shelves; while Halar finds nine bottles of cheap wine and a more expensive-looking bottle, Isosceles finds and pockets a pale white stone. Jon observes the statues, and Bianfu proceeds to the half-open treasure chest. Among a handful of uninteresting stones, he finds the dark black stone of which Sanchez had indicated them to look for, however several of the group take note that it appears to have lost whatever charge it may have held previously. Jon discovers that the statues are in fact intricate machines from the First Age that seem to have lost their power source. The gems held within them show no indication of provided said power, and placing a similar-looking stone inside the one with their fake does not illicit a response; therefore, Isosceles takes both yellow stones. Jon finds a toolbox and a curious looking hammer that matches the design of the machines, but the group decides it is best to leave them be and leave the manor before they are discovered.
The Circle heads out of the manor, where Mugen hops to the top of the wall to help the rest of the party over and into the boat waiting for them on the shores. Remarking that the black stone seems to have no charge - and that no one knows the specifics as to how it is used in the underworld - the group quickly makes for Sanchez's house, and after a long-winded bout of "persuading," he is convinced to join them on the boat in their escape from Noble. Once on the boat, Sanchez explains some of the details of the black stone: it essentially masks the life force of those around it, rendering those within its field as non-living, which he explains is of vital importance when travelling through the underworld. In order to charge the stone again with the ability to hide the entire party, he requires at least five days work on the stone in seclusion. He also adamantly insists he not be taken to the underworld with the party, and that this will be his last helpful act for the party. The Circle then sets the ship's course back to Ravenhurst, to rest and plan their next move into entering the Underworld through the Black Chase.