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The 1st Recon Squad has ample to time to clean, service, and repair their equipment (private message for requests.) Transporation is accomodating and the trip takes less than an hour.

Though the early morning fog, the road winds away from the Walls of Bath and disappears. Heading east, the VHX feel the fog collect on their gear and transportation. The fog adds dampness but does not drench or saturate the Squad's gear. And the ride is made mostly in silence (unless the squad members would like to converse in transit).

Arrival at the Salibury Millenial Tree is doe without fanfare or really anyone noticing their arrival, so far.

Earl is grateful to be out on the trail and riding point on Eleanor even more. His Coalition scout training kicks in and as the fog rolls in, he focuses on his armor to see through the mist as if it wasn’t even there almost instinctively. Sure, there was probably a way they could travel fast. Heck, Kardiss could probably be to the tree in the blink of an eye on his own. Still, Earl had a touch of regret that the trip was over upon reaching the tree. It had been a while since the only sound around was the lulling clop of Eleanor’s robotic hooves.

"Agh!" Seelia exclaims, hopping from seat to seat with some acrobatic aplomb. Her wings vibrated agitatedly as she bounced hither and yon, but she didn't lift off. "Cursed fog! It's going to make my wings all soggy!"

She whipped out her tiny silver sword and stabbed and slashed with it in midair a few times. "Begone foul vapors! SEELIA NISHNOCKET shall not become the victim of your malevolent moisture!"

Despite the pixie's concerns, either the fog wasn't thick enough, or her buzzing was fast enough, that the water didn't quite build up to the point her wings got 'soggy.' At least not yet.

True to most English Summers, the fog greats most travelers with a sense of the dismal and even the forlorn. But spirits are high and the traveling group is making good use of their time.

Earl's Darksight reveals that there have been some new arrivals since their last visit. It would seem the Millenial Tree continues to be an active rift and traveling conduit for displaced or fleeing creatures. The communities around the tree are managing themselves but may need a stricter intervention in the near future to allow for growth.

Kardis peers deep and with sight unbenownest. The clouds above tremble and quiver as the mighty cosmo knight’s gaze is fully realized. ” There is no forge, no space, no blackness from which evil may hide from my sight unseen. Come forth specters and hollowed souls, Kardis is near.”

Observer Notice [dice]1[/dice] wild [dice]0[/dice]

Earl cringes at Kardis’ announcement.

So much for the subtle approach

He instinctively checks his weapons and then stops. The beings living here don’t pose any threat, but Coalition indoctrination dies hard. The communities might do with some law and order, but it wasn’t his place to give it to them.

“Are we going to socialize with the locals or get to the business we came here for?”

The path to the Millenial Tree is unchanged. It is wide and well maintained and heads into the base of the tree which sits at the crest of Salibury Hill. This Tree has a sizeable archway that opens into the base of the tree, the interior of which is 50 feet in diameter.

Those of the Squad who made this journey the last time, recall that the challenge was discovering the physical access to the lower levels. It was not something that was magical or arcane in any manner. The access was designed in a fashion to utilize optical illusions and the physical features of the Tree's interior.

In regards to Detect Arcana and the like. Their is plenty of rift and ley line residue. Two active Ley Lines converge in the Tree and the resulting Nexus opens rifts and closes them. The Nexus and the Rift Openings have not been studied or documented at any great length.

Once again we meet old tree. I knew thee as a sapling. It does me well to see you strong.”
Kardis’ strides to the tree and gives it a mighty hug. ” True it is that the sight of legends fills me with pride.” Kardis begins the task to find the well hidden path to Coalfax. But not before entreating the other heores from the Hall.
” When the nova grows dim the other stars shine brighter.” His plea for help locating the way in is evident if not obscured.
[dice]0[/dice] wild [dice]1[/dice]

Earl cocks his head at Kardis.

“You could just say you don’t know how to get inside, you know.”

Earl takes a look at the tree, not having been on the previous mission, he is at a loss on where to even start.

Dismounting, he pats Eleanor’s polymer composite plating.

“Hey girl, see what your sensors pick up as far as anything that might let us inside the lower levels.”

Obviously, Peace is an Observer. He uses all his mental faculties and the limited, but high quality, sensors on the Cyclone to, well, observe. Observation, good observation includes good reporting. So as Peace observes, he provides quality and continuous narration of his findings.

"Approximately 125 meters away is a... The sky is currently... and the ambient temperature is... etc. etc. and it is a most conducive day for an invid attack, thankfully I have been alerting the locals to said danger and I'm sure they are taking steps to prepare themselves. More so than any of the other Sentinel worlds, I believe this one might have the best chance for survival. Pure hell has already been visited to this world and they struggle on. And now back to the tree...etc. etc."

He adds to his running (and recorded) notes his recollections from the encounter with this area previously. There is a certain amount of surrealism to the whole situation. Above and beyond the other bizarre things on this world, a big physics defying tree somehow strikes him as the most odd. It is also unnerving because a giant physics defying tree is just the sort of thing the invid would like or would create in a vile genesis pit. Yes, this place does not strike Peace as a comfortable place.

Shaking of the discomfort, Peace continues his observation by canvasing any locals he can. His definition of unusual and the definition of the locals may be somewhat different, but Peace is affable enough to pull it off. Or so he thinks.

Even with decent lighting (something more than the hazy light coming from the archway) a passage does not readily reveal itself. Minutes begin adding up as the Knights wonder from one end of the room to other.

Every so often one of the Knights disappear into the wall, only to have his or her name called out out and they seemingly appear out of the wall. Settling on the walls of the tree as hiding the entrance the Knights seek, you each take a position one infront of the other going clockwise from the archway.

Each of you find an alcove in the wall and per Peace's instructions, you each step into the alcove and explore via whatever means you would use in the dark for visuals. The room is a fifty foot diameter room and there are numerous alcoves along the circular wall. Periodically someone finds a droppped item from the exiting arrivals but no means down.

Seelia happens to be the one to find the actual access down. As she flies into this particular alcove she notices a great gust of wind that nearly forces her into the ceiling before she is able to regain control. Looking down she sees darkness but then realizes that the ground falls away. She begins to follows the stairs downward in a clockwise manner when she realizes that the search protocol established by Peace requires her to return to the main room to report.

Normally I would just start using the might of the cosmic to ground this place into dust so that my eyes could see more clearly. However, this Search Protocol the one named Peace put forth seems to carry great weight over those that travel with me. Even I feel compelled to abide by its tenants and laws. The mighty Kardis bound by science once again!!
Kardis steps from the shadow into the light returning with a gravity that befits his mightest of stations. His voice is solemn with out joy, ” Kardis’ eyes are shut. There in the caverns of Mordoom the salient four did strive only to have their eyes shut. Say for one the splendor of Egales did they remain closed.”
From his hands Kardis tries to place a few trinkets on the ground for the others to inspect, but each trinket ends up being crushed by his gravimetric field. He frowns and looks to the others for clarity and hopefully more luck than he had.

Aha! Science triumphs once again!

Peace observes for a moment, as he is wont to do. He uses the Cyclone's sensors, and then flips up the visor to take a whiff of the air, just in case. You can smell invid.

"Seelia, don't rush down there! Not alone at least. I'm almost there! We must...ah hell, there she goes." Peace shouts, then goes to a stage whisper. He tromps down chasing after the wayward--and resourceful--pixie. He fires up the lights and the rail gun, just in case. He leaps down using his jump jets trying to keep up with the other Knight.

He's not sure if the Kardis is talking to anyone. but he says, "Kardis, looks like we're going down here, get the others to follow!"

His left hand drifts to the stash of grenades on his utility belt...just in case.

"INDEED!" trumpets the pixie, and surely lung capacity must be among their supernaturally augmented qualities for something so small to make a sound so loud. "I, SEELIA NISHNOCKET, have discovered the path forward! To me, stout companions and we shall face that which must be faced most FACINGLY!"

Shining with light, she zooms around in a little circle, then plunges down into the unknown!

It would seem the stairs down are the same as they were the last time but the Millenial Tree seems to have disguised it. Having been here a second time, the Knights are quite certain that no one goes looking for the stairs down becuase the lights from the arch/doorway are the first thing anyone ever sees.

The grain of the stone stairs are a sharp contrast to the wood grain of the ancient tree above. No sounds follow the Knights as they decend the large circular staircase down. Pre-Rifts technology motion sensors light the wall sconces as the you all descend several hundred feet (your best guess).

Earl pats Eleanor on her chrome flanks.

“You stay here and keep a lookout. The residents around the tree look peaceful enough. Make your way back to Higgins if we are gone too long.”

“Ok, Seelia. Lead the way.”

Earl will follow the pixie but keep a sharp eye out for anything unusual.

As Wichita Earl moves in to follow Seelia down the stairs, Peace lets his advanced rail gun "rifle" rest against his chest on its sling. He draws the pistol mode Gallant in his right hand and picks up his storage containers in his left. He makes sure he has his lights on and then follows behind the two Knights. He moves quickly, keeping his attention on the area, looking left, right, up, down in a continual sweeping pattern, aware of everything, focused on nothing, the sensors in the Cyclone adding further detail. At least in theory. A fraction of his mind is dedicated to maintaining a safe muzzle position while keeping the weapon ready to bring to bear on a target when one appears. This is definitely a fortified structure. As he moves through the space, Peace tries to map the structure in his head, figuring out the defensible positions, both as place to be ambushed and as a place to retreat to if it becomes necessary to find cover. He tries to give some helpful bits of information from his observations to the two lead Knights. He motions the rest to fall in behind, making sure to keep watch of their butts as they proceed down. He turns and quietly says, "Be extra careful, even in a hardened structure like this, the invid can still be hiding in the walls, floor or ceiling. I've seen it. Don't like to remember those ones." He pans his head around and repeats himself, "Even in a structure like this..."

Once the four Knights have secured the southern platform, someone points out that the last time the Knights were here, there was a stone causeway that spanned the opening to the center. It is also noted in the discussions that there was access stairs inside the interior wall. Peace's on board computer begins pulling up schematics and technical data related to the last visit.

Peace and his on board PC are having a solid discussion about the potential for the Invid to be here, inside a tree, waiting for Peace and the Knights.