The Ruins of Demetros
WayFinder Vessenia frowned as she stared at the huge stone door. It was covered in strange runes and symbols, the likes of which she had not ever seen before. Slowly, she stood from her crouch and turned to face the Drow man who nervously kneaded his hat in his hands, looking past her at the strange stone with a mix of trepidation and fear.
Vessenia's placid expression turned to a frown. "And why was such a strange secret only just reported to the Wayfinder's Guild? This is certainly an old arcane device of some sort. Were you, perhaps, trying to open it yourself?"
The Drow, Valkah, shook his head emphatically. "No, no, dominus. The writing and symbols must have only appeared within the past day or so. I walk this route every morning and only noticed them yesterday."
Vessenia narrowed her eyes at him and turned back to the door. It was clearly an old construction, perhaps from the days gone age of The Cirruan Empire or maybe a remnant of The Old Gods? She couldn't say with much certainty, but then again nobody could say anything with much certainty about Demetros and the secrets it held. No one knew how the ruined city had even gotten here, in the middle of the second largest forest in Korinthos, at the center of a lake with no apparent source of water feeding it. The area was teeming with oddities.
Finally, after a moment of uneasy scrutiny, Vessenia nodded and Valkah relaxed. "I'll have to send for more of our elite Wayfinders, perhaps they will make more progress than I have. Let us know if anything strange happens in the next few days, a team should arrive by then."
Valkah nodded, but she saw an unease in his eyes. Something was still bothering him.
Vessenia sighed and glanced at him plaintively. "Just spit it out already. What is it? What are you not saying?"
Valkah looked at her with a start and then gulped loudly. "It's . . . just that . . . can you really not hear it?"
Vessenia frowned and shook her head. "I hear the chirping of birds and lapping of water. I hear the buzzing of insects and the whooshing of the wind. What am I supposed to be hearing?"
"The hum, that deep hum. The sound that Lumite makes."
Vessenia frowned. Lumite makes a sound? "What do you mean?"
Valkah looked past her at the door. "The hum started the day those symbols appeared. It gets a little louder each day."
Vessenia glanced at the door and then back at Valkah. "Do the others hear this? The other settlers I mean."
Valkah shook his head. "Not all of them, just the drow and a smattering of others."
Vessenia glanced back at the runed stone slab. Curious, very curious indeed.
Vessenia's placid expression turned to a frown. "And why was such a strange secret only just reported to the Wayfinder's Guild? This is certainly an old arcane device of some sort. Were you, perhaps, trying to open it yourself?"
The Drow, Valkah, shook his head emphatically. "No, no, dominus. The writing and symbols must have only appeared within the past day or so. I walk this route every morning and only noticed them yesterday."
Vessenia narrowed her eyes at him and turned back to the door. It was clearly an old construction, perhaps from the days gone age of The Cirruan Empire or maybe a remnant of The Old Gods? She couldn't say with much certainty, but then again nobody could say anything with much certainty about Demetros and the secrets it held. No one knew how the ruined city had even gotten here, in the middle of the second largest forest in Korinthos, at the center of a lake with no apparent source of water feeding it. The area was teeming with oddities.
Finally, after a moment of uneasy scrutiny, Vessenia nodded and Valkah relaxed. "I'll have to send for more of our elite Wayfinders, perhaps they will make more progress than I have. Let us know if anything strange happens in the next few days, a team should arrive by then."
Valkah nodded, but she saw an unease in his eyes. Something was still bothering him.
Vessenia sighed and glanced at him plaintively. "Just spit it out already. What is it? What are you not saying?"
Valkah looked at her with a start and then gulped loudly. "It's . . . just that . . . can you really not hear it?"
Vessenia frowned and shook her head. "I hear the chirping of birds and lapping of water. I hear the buzzing of insects and the whooshing of the wind. What am I supposed to be hearing?"
"The hum, that deep hum. The sound that Lumite makes."
Vessenia frowned. Lumite makes a sound? "What do you mean?"
Valkah looked past her at the door. "The hum started the day those symbols appeared. It gets a little louder each day."
Vessenia glanced at the door and then back at Valkah. "Do the others hear this? The other settlers I mean."
Valkah shook his head. "Not all of them, just the drow and a smattering of others."
Vessenia glanced back at the runed stone slab. Curious, very curious indeed.
Purpose / Function
Not much is known about the Ruins of Demetros. Its location is certainly strange as well as the fact that the way the city fell is uncertain. Siege is unlikely as the walls of the city look more compacted than damaged and its unlikely it was abandoned as there are signs of previous inhabitants found daily. However, the people who have settled here and call it home are the general outcasts of Korinthian society. Here, The Drow, The Ahin of Korinthian birth, The Qut, and many The Titanborn have found a place to live in relative harmony and constant fear of the shifting allegiances and stereotypes of Korinthian society. While Basileia Veta Palladius has given these people the right to settle here, many still view them as vandals and troublemakers that would be best moved past the borders of Korinthos.
Architecture
Architecture is very old here, yet seemingly more advanced too. Many archaeologists come to study these ruins and some walk away with marvelous discoveries. Many archaeologists believe that the Ruins of Demetros are a remnant of those who escaped the control of The Cirruan Empire or are, quite possibly, the first descendants of The Old Gods. Regardless, the city appears to be as old as the ancient metropolis of Baeth located somewhere beneath The Atlas Peaks.
Parent Location
Owner
"Demetros is quite the marvel. I spent several years there in my youth studying how the stones there rejected any filth or damage. It was the first great discovery of my career when I learned the process of making Hallowed Stone. Now those theocrats and priests in Thetos sell it like it was their idea and discovery. The follies of youth prevented me from sensibly placing my name on what I should have been credited for. Share the knowledge with everyone, I thought. How foolish of me."
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