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new_world_dr[The video begins pointed at what looks to be a stone slab of some sort with an unusual symbol carved into it.]
Anyone know what this is? Or where? The SmartSnail location isn't working down here.
[That's not entirely the fault of where he's at; it's intentional on his behalf. But the question still stands. Rosinante backs away from the symbol to reveal that it's on a large stone door, then slowly rotates around his current location to show it in the video feed. He seems to be in some sort of interior - a cave, or a collapsed ruin perhaps, given how the stone surfaces look worked but worn. It's lit dimly by bioluminescence that grows on the walls themselves, twinkling and pale blue-green, and in that illumination the edges of a statue at one end of the cave is visible - a warrior, holding a chalice raised to the sky while winged people encircle him. The passageways look to continue in at least two directions and a faint buzzing is heard. Interference in the video? Or insects? Who knows, as the video ends there.]
---
[While awaiting any replies, or guidance of any sort, he stays near the door and the statue for now. The buzzing hasn't stopped, even with the snail tucked away in his pocket. It's pretty down here, but he'd like to leave. Or maybe find someone else stuck down here so at least he has someone to talk to.]
Anyone know what this is? Or where? The SmartSnail location isn't working down here.
[That's not entirely the fault of where he's at; it's intentional on his behalf. But the question still stands. Rosinante backs away from the symbol to reveal that it's on a large stone door, then slowly rotates around his current location to show it in the video feed. He seems to be in some sort of interior - a cave, or a collapsed ruin perhaps, given how the stone surfaces look worked but worn. It's lit dimly by bioluminescence that grows on the walls themselves, twinkling and pale blue-green, and in that illumination the edges of a statue at one end of the cave is visible - a warrior, holding a chalice raised to the sky while winged people encircle him. The passageways look to continue in at least two directions and a faint buzzing is heard. Interference in the video? Or insects? Who knows, as the video ends there.]
---
[While awaiting any replies, or guidance of any sort, he stays near the door and the statue for now. The buzzing hasn't stopped, even with the snail tucked away in his pocket. It's pretty down here, but he'd like to leave. Or maybe find someone else stuck down here so at least he has someone to talk to.]
[Video]-Private Unless noted otherwise
Date: 2019-02-27 06:10 am (UTC)[She's not above rewarding the useful well, especially when there's some much potential value to be had in this. She's still wary about giving out too much about what she's potentially hoping to find though. So she'll keep things clipped and pleasantly social, and without much in the way of real information.
As usual.]
A girl has to have a hobby or two. And archaeology aligns with my interests. [She's so damn curious now, this might be the first time he's disappeared to her benefit.] Just anything out of the ordinary, unique writings, any monuments or tablets. A friend of mine collects things like that. Oh, and anything obviously valuable. But that goes without saying.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-27 06:17 am (UTC)[He's been slowly pacing around the room while talking, but he circles back around toward the door. The video shuts back off for a minute or so, then on again, now focused on that symbol on the door. There's a flick offscreen, and then an orange glow helps brighten the carving.]
Tried to open it but it's stuck. Have you ever seen a symbol like that?
no subject
Date: 2019-02-27 07:27 am (UTC)[She stares at the video for a moment, wondering if she should recognize it, but it's not anything that comes to her as strongly familiar. She's seen some vaguely similar things, sure, but this is distinctive in it's own right. Which makes it all the more interesting.]
I personally haven't seen anything that's exactly like that. I'm sending a picture of it to someone who might know about it.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-27 06:29 pm (UTC)[Though that might take a while, and he's clever, so hopefully it won't be necessary to wait on an answer.
Hopefully this isn't someplace he shouldn't be. There's a snaking, shivering feeling of dread at that thought. No, surely this is just some old ruin that's interesting but not particularly significant. He doesn't need an extra layer of serious criminal activity on top of what he's already wanted for.
But he's curious. Who wouldn't be? What if this is some remnant of that ancient world? Anyone who leans too hard on the tales whispered around those white columns and rose gardens can go stuff it. The blood remembers? His blood is his own and not bound to the savagery of his ancestors.
He moves toward the statue, keeping the camera directed at it as he holds the lighter up for illumination. The faces of the people, the feathers of their wings, are all done with careful detailing. They're almost lifelike, carved out of the smooth white - what is this, marble? It's a different sort of stone than what makes up the walls and door. The chalice held upward is almost out of his own reach. There is writing around its rim, but not in a language he's familiar with. Still he makes sure to slowly rotate the view around so that Crocodile can see the full inscription.]
You get all that? I hope you have a linguist with you and not just an archaeologist. I think the stone is marble, I don't know if you can tell from there but it's white and really smooth. The cup he's holding is some different material, I think. The light almost goes through it. Makes it look like it glows. I've seen stuff carved from it before, uhh...
[The word escapes him. It's been a while. Not important, probably. The view shifts to his face.]
If you've got a good look at all this stuff, I'm going to head down one of these other passages and see if there's more.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-01 07:15 am (UTC)[She takes notes of everything, the video sent goes to Robin at astounding speed. She wants to get him out, sure. But not before he's useful and actually earns his pay today.] She's a woman of many talents. I'm sure she'll be able to figure things out. But what have you seen carved from it? [This has her interested.] I've seen enough here.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-01 07:34 am (UTC)[He laughs when the name comes to him. Oh, the irony. That's what Alabasta is named for, right? Somewhere back in history they must have become famous for their use of it.]
Anyway, I'll switch this thing back on once I've found something.
[Which isn't for a good five minutes or so, as he walks down the partially-collapsed hallway, trips over loose bricks and falls face-first on the damp stone and scrapes his cheekbone and chin, then keeps going once he's gotten over the slightly jarring fall. How durable are these poor SmartSnails? He's dropped his more than once by now.
When he switches the video back on, he's in an alcove off the main corridor. Something old and worn is carved into the wall here but erosion from water dripping down the wall has made deciphering the original symbols pretty hard.]
Found this. And below on the floor, there's a ceramic bottle. [Which he stoops to show her without moving it. Isn't that what you're supposed to do in places like this? He's read that once or twice. There's a maker's mark visible on the bottom of the gray bottle, painted in black ink. It might be initials, it might be a scribble.]
And some candles. It reminds me of a study, or a reception area for whatever's behind that door. Anyway all this is kind of boring, but -
[He reorients the camera so it points forward, where at some point the ground shook and split and is now filled by a large ravine full of rushing water, though it's quiet and must be quite far down.]
Well, I'm not going any farther that way.