CH3-03 Photo Recognition

[Mr. Handy]

"It could have been the Verbetoi who made them, then," says Liz. She examines the large tree that Andy has found, hoping that her language-scrambled brain might be able to decipher the carvings' meaning.

[royya]

Can we proceed further?
Jacob tries to usher the others as he looks around.
This place gives the creep

[carnage_lee]

Andy Wade

Andy nods in agreement with Greg "I don't think these are for marking a trail.. Maria didn't make these..." he moves a it closer... trying to make out what the carvings are mean to depict "I think you're right there Liz, these marks are Verbetoi... but are they from the same group as the ones that killed the Professor?" he says to Liz.

Andy traces one carving with his finger... "Some of these carving are old.. this must be significant... like a sacred forest or something..."

[ghill]

From where he stands Jacob can see through the trees and into the sunlit meadow beyond, but going forward will mean passing more of the carvings.

Behind him Albert and Greg are slowly walking along, Albert taking photos as he goes.

Andy traces the carvings on the tree with his fingers as Liz walks up behind him. He starts to get an idea of the scale of work which has been undertaken as his fingers cross and recross intricate layers of work such that every inch of the tree seems covered in carving of some kind or another.

Andy,[b]SAN test (0/D3)[/b] please as [b]Andy[/b] suddenly becomes aware of the bloody and horrific nature scope and scale of the carvings depicting men women and children's bloody sacrifice typically by being consumed by fire (are those sentient fires like the one which pursued Andy??). Andy is in no doubt this tree is a record dating back hundreds of years.

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   Andy Wade SAN: 65 [dice]0[/dice]

[BenTheRat]

"Could be a warning of some sort," Clay adds, "You know stay out." He continues on, ignoring the writing on the trees.

[ghill]

Andy,Is stunned and sickened by what he makes out, but none of it is particularly shocking to him.

"Do you think this might have been what Maria was looking for?" asks Greg

[Mr. Handy]

"If this is what she was looking for, why isn't she still here?" asks Liz. "I think we're on the right track, though. Let's keep going. Maybe it is a warning. 'I'd turn back if I were you,' sort of thing. But she didn't turn back, and neither can we."

[carnage_lee]

Andy Wade

Andy traces some of the carvings, this somehow enables him to glimpse some meaning as to what they mean... he realises that the carvings span years, centuries. Next his recently healed skin itches and sweat prickles his brow as he suddenly comprehends that these carvings depict some kind of sacrifices... by means of fire... it seems to him that some of the fires look ... with a gasp he steps back.

"Jacob is right.. we should keep moving..." he says, steering Liz back from the tree.

"They're not a warning.... those carvings... not completely; they're more a celebration... fire and death... let's keep moving... keep alert." he motions Liz to keep going and follows, the wicked depictions in the carvings haunting him.. he had glimpsed... something... something his mind did not want to process.. a deep chill ran through him as he carried on walking. With slightly trembling hands he checked his weapons were accessible...

[royya]

Jacob hustles to the clearing before everyone. His look focused on the ground as he avoids looking to the trees. For assurance, he place his hands to screen his sight. Once out of the trees, he takes a breath and looks around.

[ghill]

Out of the shadows of the trees the trail crosses another alpine meadow. But in the absence of trees someone has carved upon the rocks. Several megaliths can quite clearly be seen scattered across these meadows, others which have already fallen and are partly concealed by the meadow flowers. Those close to the trail are all extensively carved with complicated patterns, some have clearly been painted on with reds, yellows and orange being the predominate colours.

[Mr. Handy]

Liz stares in wonder. "They're the colour of zjarr," she says, then shakes her head to clear it. "I mean fire. Zjarr is fire."

[carnage_lee]

Andy Wade
"Yeah.. fire... it's their thing.." he says with a deep shudder.

Andy makes a quick sweep of the stones to see if the 'theme' of the carvings and the newer paintings are the same....

[ghill]

Anyone who approaches a Stone,Close up its clear the stones specifically the standing stones have all been painted perhaps within the last year the layers of flaking paint would indicate this is a regular occurrence. Fires have been burnt on stone slabs among the monoliths, bone fragments are clearly visible among the ashes Successful Natural History, Medicine, or Biology: Bones are human and equine. Spot Hidden - the valley

Everyone else,Spot Hidden - the stones Spot hidden - the valley Archaeology - the stones

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   Andy Wade, Spot Hidden:35 [dice]0[/dice]

[ghill]

Andy,there are a number of burnt patches the meadows have clearly suffered from wildfire. In one of those patches Andy believes he can make out the shape of a body.

[Mr. Handy]

Liz keeps her distance from the stones, not wanting to risk getting even more addled. In fact, she avoids looking at them entirely. She doesn't know the first thing about archaeology anyway. Instead she surveys their surroundings.

[royya]

Jacob avoids looking at the stones.
He looks around instead.

Spot Valley: 1d100 41

[ghill]

Liz,There are a number of burnt patches, the meadows have clearly suffered from wildfire. In one of those patches Liz thinks she can make out a shape, perhaps someone lieing down.

Jacob,Its not apparent until Jacob looks more closely but there are a number of burnt patches between the, these upper meadows have clearly suffered from wildfire.

[Mr. Handy]

"Some bits of the landscape are burnt," says Liz. "I think I see someone lying down in one of burnt spots." She points it out to the others.