Bands of Power - Game thread

Apologies, I took Borgo's "intends to" as a preparation to take later specific actions after hearing some detail about the anvil. I'll assume he's going to clamber around the other side from Lattremond.

As Lattremond moves up to the left side of the anvil and Borgo begins clambering up onto the base massive thing on the right. Lattremond clambers up as well, and both are able to make their way back towards it's rear. While not slow, the going is particularly awkward for the Priest. Borgo is able to squat entirely on the anvils curved base while Lattremond has to constantly brace his arm against the wall as he duck-walks back.

The anvil seems SOLID. When hard or metallic bits of their kit strike it's surface, the dull thunks and clanks sink into the thing as if being drawn down into it's core. Even the voices of the others seem to be drawn into the thing as if all nearby sound is drawn in and away. Lattremond can feel a mass and a permanence far deeper and stronger than and any hunk of simple block of iron or steel could house.

Both men reach the back after a few minutes of careful movement. Stopping at the back corners where the torch light fades, they can plainly see each other across the darkened space between. They can tell that the surface of the back wall and the anvil itself continue uninterupted. Though no details what so ever can be seen there are plainly no doors or openings in the wall or the back of the anvil itself.

Albrecht, watches the Human and Goblin inspect and then scamper behind the Icon of Ord. This place must have been erected by one of the more ...devout sects of Ordish worship. This is by far the largest Icon he's heard of and he has no idea how they would have gotten it here or even how they would have forged it in the first place.

Borgo and Lattremond don't see any seam, opening or even blemish on the sides of the anvil. Most of the back wall and back of the anvil are unilluminated, but looking across at where the torchlight illuminates each of them and the space they are in, they can see that the contours of the wall and the anvil itself are uninterrupted. There is no door or openings visible.

The anvil is undeniably solid steel, though defnitely special in some way. Lattremond suspects that it has been imbued with some device power related to Ord. It feels grounded as if the thing might be rooted in the bones of the World itself. He definitely believes it to be an idol representing Ord and this room likely a place of worship or for the performing of rites.

Berith's light reflects off of the silvery metal as she moves closer. The geometric decorations are finely etched into the metal as is the Eye of Org and the plainly religious Dwarven text. You recognize the runes around the Eye as those bearing the "20 Names of Ord", but the meaning behind the Dwarven text decorating the anvil elude you.

Berith's hand slides along the smooth cool surface and comes away clean without the fainted evidence of dust. As she rests her full palm upon it, she can feel it's weight and density. It's surety. She's sure that Ord's presence is somehow part of the anvil. Not like he is here or aware this room, but like a soft breeze brushing her cheek whose source is a raging hurricane far far over the horizon.

While you do know that not all worshippers of Ord choose the same icon or idol to represent Ord's presense on the mortal plane, you've not specifically heard of anvil's being one of them. Though given this place was built by Dwarves, it doesn't seem any stranger than living underground or other Dwarvish things. This is obviously some kind of small chapel or prayer room though the lack of benches or the remnants of prayer mats makes you wonder if this place was peopled by some strange ascetic sect of Ord.

As Berith moves over to Borgo's side, there is a squawk from the left and Lattremond hurriedly backs out from his side of the anvil lest he have to sit in darkness. The light grows a bit brighter for Borgo, but it only make the line of the shadow more stark. Berith will either have to clamber back as well, pass the torch to Borgo for him to illuminate the back of the anvil.

I'm presuming Lattremond doesn't want to sit in the dark as the light would be blocked from most of his side of the anvil when Berith moves.

Borgo hears the squawk just before he sees Lattremond duck back behind the anvil. He's initally unsure what's going on until he notices the light dim on that side and grow brighter on his. The line cut by the anvil's shadow across the back wall grows sharper, but he's going to need to either light a torch or bring Berith's back here to see clearly all the way across the back of the anvil and the wall behind.

Borgo's torches ignites with soft "woof" and holding the torch carefully, he inches his way to the back of the giant steel idol. There is plenty of room for him to move past the rounded corner move along the full length of the anvil. Borgo spends a good while checking both wall and the bright metal surface itself, but finds no indication of entry or exit. Though near the center along the back wall of the anvil is a oval impression about two (Goblin) handspans across. It is contains a few Dwarven rune sitting below a set of crossed hammer and tongs. Above the tongs are three four pointed stars. It reminds him of the kind of mark left by the seal or stamp a master blacksmith might use to mark his craft.

Looking upwards, the goblin is certain without even trying that trying to jump up from this cramped space to reach the top would be nearly impossible.

After a few minutes, the team see the eerie light coming from behind the anvil beging to brighten on the left. The Goblin makes his way out from the side Lattremond exited, stopping now and again on the way to check the surfaces.

Clambering down to joint the rest of the group, the Goblin shrugs.

Borgo and Lattremond are certain that anvil is either solid or thickly built with no visible seams or opening. As well, there are no doors, openings, seams, cracks or otherwise along the walls of recess that the anvil occupies. With regards to trying to access the top of the anvil, Borgo judges it impossible without powerful magic. Not just because of the awkwardness (from the back), but the torchlight shows there is less than a one inch gap between the ceiling and the top of the anvil.

Borgo reports the seal he saw on the back of the anvil, and most agree his impression seems plausible. Albrecht, sits in thought for a moment and comments that there was a Steel Drummer, a Grandmaster Smith, named Jannik Smaragdbeisser from Kupferhalterung in the east. This sounds like how his seal is described in stories, though he's been dead over 300 years and had been retired for 200 before that.

Regarding Borgo's torch, will you keep it alight or douse it now?


Light Sources:
Berith - Torch (8)

Initiative Order:
Borgo
Thak 3/7HP
Lattremond
BerIth 5/10HP
Elspeath
Albrecht 8/12HP