The Sanguine and Blackbeard's Cutlass
The stairs lead into a sanctuary. You swing open the double doors and hoist yourself up then offer a hand down to help Quetzalli up. The sanctuary is a narrow room with an altar at one end. No sign of anyone is near. Lines of pews inhabit most of the room, although the majority are broken. A tall staircase leads up to the altar. A cage lies on either side of the altar, but that’s not what grabs your attention.
A cutlass sits on a sword stand atop the altar. The blade of Quetzalcoatl.
As you start towards the altar, an invisible force stops you just before the first step. You fire lightning at it, but the force absorbs the bolt almost without any reaction. The bolt just disappears.
“Not just anyone can approach the blade. Only the high priestess and her chosen priests can enter,” Quetzalli says taking your hand.
She walks through the invisible force and guides you through as well. The magic of the protective field causes the hairs on your arm to stand upright. You imagine her necklace is the key to entering, and you wonder if the Quetzalcoatl headdress granted access as well, but it was left behind with the rest of your equipment. Besides, if you were going to bring a hat, it would be your tricorn.
Halfway up the stairs, black smoke appears around the sword. Once materialized, it swirls through the air around the edge of the cutlass. Finally, it centralizes in front of the altar rapidly increasing the swirling. Then, the smoke subsides to reveal a man. Blackbeard.
He wears a black robe that appears blurred at the edges. Closer examination reveals small puffs of black smoke emanating from the robe. His beard is lit with fire at the tips and the entirety of his chest and back are holstered with pistols.
“Thieves!” his voice booms across the sanctuary. “You’ll never steal the cutlass from me.”
“You are the thief,” Quetzalli answers brandishing her spear. “You have stolen the rebirth of Quetzalcoatl and corrupted the feathered-serpent’s resting place. For that, you must die.”
“Ha-ha! How do you plan to kill the undead?” Blackbeard asks.
“We are not inexperienced in that area,” you reply thinking of the skeleton attack you just survived.
Blackbeard turns to you and narrows his eyes. “Do you know why you’re here?”
“We’re here for the blade.”
“She’s here for the blade. I surmise you offered little getting this far, yes?”
You begin to correct him, but then you stop. Sure, you helped with the skeletons, but they were destroyed easy enough. Quetzalli showed you the hidden entrance, underwater passageways, and unlocked every barrier to get here. What did she need you for?
“Don’t listen to him, shipmaster. He’s attempting to divide our strength,” Quetzalli speaks.
A cutlass sits on a sword stand atop the altar. The blade of Quetzalcoatl.
As you start towards the altar, an invisible force stops you just before the first step. You fire lightning at it, but the force absorbs the bolt almost without any reaction. The bolt just disappears.
“Not just anyone can approach the blade. Only the high priestess and her chosen priests can enter,” Quetzalli says taking your hand.
She walks through the invisible force and guides you through as well. The magic of the protective field causes the hairs on your arm to stand upright. You imagine her necklace is the key to entering, and you wonder if the Quetzalcoatl headdress granted access as well, but it was left behind with the rest of your equipment. Besides, if you were going to bring a hat, it would be your tricorn.
Halfway up the stairs, black smoke appears around the sword. Once materialized, it swirls through the air around the edge of the cutlass. Finally, it centralizes in front of the altar rapidly increasing the swirling. Then, the smoke subsides to reveal a man. Blackbeard.
He wears a black robe that appears blurred at the edges. Closer examination reveals small puffs of black smoke emanating from the robe. His beard is lit with fire at the tips and the entirety of his chest and back are holstered with pistols.
“Thieves!” his voice booms across the sanctuary. “You’ll never steal the cutlass from me.”
“You are the thief,” Quetzalli answers brandishing her spear. “You have stolen the rebirth of Quetzalcoatl and corrupted the feathered-serpent’s resting place. For that, you must die.”
“Ha-ha! How do you plan to kill the undead?” Blackbeard asks.
“We are not inexperienced in that area,” you reply thinking of the skeleton attack you just survived.
Blackbeard turns to you and narrows his eyes. “Do you know why you’re here?”
“We’re here for the blade.”
“She’s here for the blade. I surmise you offered little getting this far, yes?”
You begin to correct him, but then you stop. Sure, you helped with the skeletons, but they were destroyed easy enough. Quetzalli showed you the hidden entrance, underwater passageways, and unlocked every barrier to get here. What did she need you for?
“Don’t listen to him, shipmaster. He’s attempting to divide our strength,” Quetzalli speaks.