The Papua Cave

[Nevrmore]

A large hole lies a few yards up from the base of the highest mountain near the Town. It is quiet, unassuming and, to the fortune of any mountain climbers, is not inhabitated by a large wild bear that you just don't seem to notice until you are inside the cave and light a match.

Inside the cave is pure darkness, but you can swear that you hear the sounds of movement, feet scrabbling against the stone. However, this is not the bear, so stop worrying. The moment you strike a match, you hear a frenzy as the light comes on, but as soon as the glow fills the cavern, everything is empty.

In the very back of the cave, a giant stalagmite rises from the floor and licks the considerably high ceiling above. A hole is born into its center where a strange warmth emits to any who get close.

Travelers do not know this, but this is the cave of the Papua - The tiny, stone men who are akin to the elves who sneak into your house at night and repair your shoes. They try to remain largely unknown to the peoples as not to be exploited, but they certainly do exist.

[NecroPaladin]

((I need to finish up my in-progress characters for this...Oh my god this concept is hilarious.))

[Nevrmore]

((Okay. I'm confused, but wateva.))

[NecroPaladin]

((A celestial bog imp and a crazy broken inevitable. The Papaus would be crazy enough to attract their attention.))

[Nevrmore]

Several Papua rush into the cave under the dead of night and disappear.

[The Geomancer]

((Goddamnit Nevrmore, where the hell do you come up with these awesome ideas...))

[Nevrmore]

((Aww, Geo, flattery will get you nowhere. The Papua will do anything you need for free :)))

[The Geomancer]

((Do you see what gold you have here? Stone cobblers man! STONE COBBLERS!!))

[Nevrmore]

The sound of shuffling is once again heard as several Papua exit the cave.

[The Geomancer]

((Admittedly I lost my head with my last post.))
A rather large spider enters the cave, looking for an easy meal.

[Nevrmore]

Several Papua gather around the spider and grab it by the legs, attempting to peacefully eject it from the cave.

[The Geomancer]

The spider is admittedly unhappy with the arrangement and attempts to bit and poison one of the Papua as it gets carried away.

[Nevrmore]

The Papua, being made of solid rock, are admittedly hard to bite into. They toss the spider out of the cave and quickly duck back inside before they are seen.

[The Geomancer]

The spider lands, waves its front legs angrily in the direction of the cave, and then leaves in search of easier prey.

[Nevrmore]

The Papua are already gone by the time the spider lands.

[The Geomancer]

Melach walks through the woods in the area surrounding the Papua cave. He looks around and twitches his nose as if he is on the scent of something. Inari's statue has to be made of the perfect stone. Only the best marble. There has to be some around here, I sense it. He says to himself. His steps seem to be taking him in the direction of the Papua cave.

[Nevrmore]

Any Papua dawdling suddenly recede back into the cave, hiding.

[The Geomancer]

The Geomancer comes closer and closer to the cave, twitching his head about like a dog on a scent. He comes right upon the cave, but still hasn't seen it yet. Ahh, its near, very near. I just need a better picture. He casts Earth Sight a spell with enables him to sense the layout of all earth and stone for a half mile in any direction. ((Don't worry Nevrmore, the Papua are quite safe with him))

[Nevrmore]

((Ah, but they don't know that.))

Malach might be surprised to find that a large portion of the Earth he senses seems to be moving, if only a little.

[The Geomancer]

((I just wanted you to know that.))

Melach raises an eyebrow at no one in particular. Well... that is odd. He talks a step forward, and comes upon the cave. Wow, was a beautiful cave! He levitates a rock into his hand, and it starts to glow faintly. Holding the rock, he ventures into the cave, for he had also felt a marble deposit in the depths. ((If you don't mind))

[Nevrmore]

((The cave has rocks of all sorts.))

The feeling of moving Earth stops abruptly as he enters the cave.

[The Geomancer]

Melach again has a very quizzical look on his face, as he sense this. But he continues down anyways. He keeps an eye out for anything which might be moving the rocks.

[Nevrmore]

Anyone with an almost impossibly good eye might be able to make out the various humanoid-esque shaped rocks that seem to be sitting among the walls, but again, it has to be someone with extraordinary observational skills.

[The Geomancer]

Melach doesn't see anything. He does however, feel the rather strange way the rock wall is formed. Frowning he goes over to the nearest wall, holding up the glow-rock so he can see better. The glow rock becomes much brighter in his hand.

[Nevrmore]

The cave lights up. The walls are all multicolored and relatively smooth. The cavern extends quite far into the mountain. At the back, Malch might be able to make out the huge stalagmite rising from the ground.

[The Geomancer]

Melach continues to look at the wall, trying to make out the strange formation he can sense.

[Nevrmore]

The hole in the stalagmite at the end of the cavern suddenly lights up with an ominous, albeit inviting, glow.

[The Geomancer]

Melach checks the glow on his rock and looks at the Stalagmite. That's rather unusual... He says. He uses Earth Sight on the Stalagmite to see if he can sense anything unusual.

[Nevrmore]

The stalagmte definitely registers to Malach as sentient.

[The Geomancer]

Oh maan. This is crazy. He reaches out with limited, and brutish telekinetic ability. HELLO? CAN YOU UNDERSTAND ME?

[Nevrmore]

there is no need to yell. A voice rings in Melach's head.

[The Geomancer]

What are you? What is this place?

[Nevrmore]

The stalagmite ignores Melach's questions, instead asking, "You control rocks...What are you?"

[The Geomancer]

I am a Geomancer. I control rocks through my understanding of their nature and the way they interact with the world. Where I come it is normal for a magician to achieve such great levels of control over their chosen element. Still this is the first rock I have met who could talk.

[Nevrmore]

"Place your hand inside of me." The stalagmit says, referring to the large, glowing hole born into it.

[The Geomancer]

Melach is completely trusting of the Stalagmite, for it is not in a stones nature to lie. Walking up to the Stalagmite, he reaches his hand inside the hole.

[Nevrmore]

Melach feels a very warm glow around his hand, that begins to stretch throughout his entire body until it encompasses him completely. After a few moment, the pleasant feeling fades.

"It is alright; He means no harm." The stalagmite says, obviously not to Melach. The sound of many feet clanging to the ground is heard as hundreds of Papua peel off the wall and from their hiding places, gathering around Melach and the stalagmite.

[The Geomancer]

Wow... Melach stands around, awestruck. He has never seen stone live and move on its own before.

Turning to the Stalagmite he thinks at it :Would it be ok if I tried to.. Geomance one? Nothing big, just levitation?

[Nevrmore]

"It is fine." The stalagmite answers. It is apparent that neither the rock nor the Papua fear the Geomancer anymore.

[The Geomancer]

Melach turns around and kneels down to get a better look at the diminutive Papua. Looking at one close to him he grasps it with geomancy and attempts to levitate it into his hand. Hey there little guy.

[Nevrmore]

The Papua floats up just like any rock would, landing softly in his hand. Upon close inspection, Melach would see that the strange rockman is less of a creature made of stone and more of several different rocks of differing colors, sizes, and shapes stuck together in the vague form of a human.

But that doesn't stop it from being adorable. Awwwww.

[The Geomancer]

Melach giggles at the adorable rock concoction and floats it back down to complete whatever tasks it was completing. He stands up and places a hand on the Stalagmite. Why are you here? What are these little guys up to? He is extremely curious about these adorable little rocky fellows.

[Nevrmore]

"I have been here for as long as I can remember. The Papua are my children. I am a benign being, and as such I instruct the Papua to go out and help those they judge worthy. My stone children are the reason for multiple people's successes in this Town."

The Papua, feeling quite comfortable around Melach, gather around him and inspect him, looking at the various things that might be hanging off him or in his pockets.

[The Geomancer]

There isn't much, they might notice that he is rather dusty and dirty. He does have a watch on, which is an hour off. The Geomancer looks around and then back to the statue. I originally came here looking for some marble. Do you have any here? He casts his sense around trying to find a big enough deposit. ((4 square feet should do it))

[Nevrmore]

"Of course. Hold on." The stalagmite says, glowing a little brighter. Several Papua, somehow understanding the signal, rush to the walls of the cave and dive in as if it were made of water. They emerge a few moments later, carrying a large marble slab over their collective backs. "Is this good?"

[The Geomancer]

Perfect. He levitates the slab off the backs of the Papua. I need to get going with this, but I will be sure to visit and don't worry about contacting me if you need help. He starts walking up out of the cave with the slab of marble levitating behind him. As he goes he starts to whistle. The whistling makes a rather haunting noise as it reverberates off the walls of the cave.

[Nevrmore]

The stalagmite, happy that it seems to have found a person genuinely not intent to abuse its stone children, drifts back off into its strange stasis/sleep. The Papua mold themselves back into the walls of the cave, waiting for their brethren to return home from whatever duties they were performing.

[Nevrmore]

A large wave of Papua return to the cave, diving into its walls.