Folded Spaces
Folded Below - February 18
People
Locations
Folklore
Chapters
Meeting the Grotesque
A group of villagers returns to the Underground Temple they went the week before. They are Artea, Waximillian, Oswin, Seren, Pela Croftman and Beatrix. During an investigation on the lower level, the group finds themselves cornered by a large group of heavily robed, grotesque men. They name them mimics.
The group starts by throwing a net at one of them, and a fight ensues. One of the grotesque kills Waximilian, while Pela uses her whistle to kill one of them. The survivor grotesque rejoins their main party.
Oswin takes the lead and negotiates their lives with them. Their leader asks for the Blade of Memories as payment.
Once both groups are facing each other, the villagers notice that these grotesque beings are enslaving pumas. In an act of goodness, they pay 100 coins to take one of the pumas from them and save it. The grotesque group agrees and leaves the church level of the dungeon.
Folding
The group continues to adventure through the caverns. They notice that as they cross the heavy iron doors, they feel nausea, and it is as if the air is different on each side. Artea tries her gravel ring and realises that the rocks speak with different voices too.
Ahead of them lies the yellow smoke spa of the Handzies. To the right, the group finds a black (ceramic?) wall that appears to be a void itself. Beatrix tests, looking at it through a mirror: she sees an inaccessible ballroom, with nobles dancing and drinking.
Continuing to the right of this wall, the cave ceiling is higher. In front, from a tall escarpment, some people throw rocks at the group.
The villagers return, and take the last cavern tunnel. At the end of it, they see an exit. It is a forested area. A large forest, nothing like the ones they have around their villages.
Where is this?
They think.
Poem
After I worked long and hard,
I present to you the second part (first part)
Though the familiar doors, petrified,
past damaged statues above our height,
we go down the stairs, corpses in sight.
Through the church halls we advance
Checking the rooms again, at a glance.
What’s this? A room full of hands?
They cry for help through the gravel ring,
But we have no tools, we can’t do a thing.
The next room has a hole where corpes cling.
We hear a door close and footsteps near.
Waximilian sneaks to the corner to peer
Two massive silhouettes with heavy gear!
Crossbow, net or blue steel in hand,
we prepare ourselves to make a stand.
The net misses, but heavy blows land.
One sees the sword and ties to take it.
He kicks the wax guy but takes a hit.
Oswin helpfully holds up a torch, it’s lit.
The second figure comes in and cuts clean
The body of Waximilian falls in tween.
Artea now pales and Oswin looks green.
Pela pulls out a bone flute and plays.
The spirit leaves but the body stays.
The bad guy looks like it’s the end of days.
Beatrix leaves her corpse hideout
and goes around the corner to scout,
but comes back with a girly shout.
The group of goons wants to trade:
All your lives, or just one blue blade.
The decision, then, is quickly made.
Seren sees the group looking glum.
Pays for the three puma’s a hefty sum
But they only give one, the filthy scum.
We walk into a cave behind a steel door.
The air is humid, different then before.
Pela smells drugs and wants some more.
We go left. Another door, we feel sick
A steep slope with guards who spot us quick
Pela wants a human skinsuit; we get the ick.
Investigating the disappearing hall.
It ends in a black, glass like wall.
But through a mirror we see a ball.
We try the other way and find a forest.
The puma wants to go; it’s for the best.
That’s all folks, for this is the end of the quest.