private The Northern Odyssey

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

Clover stopped when she saw the carved door. "I think this is it, ponies," she said to the others. "We can either go back, and try and shift the rocks of the cave in, which would be pretty dangerous and take forever, or we can go thru this door. Personally, I say we go thru the door. What does everypony else think?"

[Budding Night 1,043]

Evening stayed silent and kept her face straight, even though her mind was total chaos as it frantically whirred away in her head. Her immediate guess was that they were going to travel through the door, which scared her beyond compare (like lots of other things), but also brought that desire for danger and risk back up to the surface.
 
When Clover asked everypony else's opinion of what we should do, Evening was surprisingly enough the first to speak up.
 
"I second the motion." she said, almost unhesitatingly. The mare immediately scolded herself after the last word left her mouth, in fear she had sounded too bold towards the group. She smiled fearfully, almost falsely as well. It was set in her mind that they'd alienate her if they discovered her thirst for danger, she thought that they would name her an outcast and leave her. Her biggest fear was being left alone, and if Sterling left her.. she wouldn't know what to do with herself.

 

She moved closer to @@Sterling Crimson, snuggling into him so she could remind herself that he would never leave her.

[Inactive01 5,299]

Sterling trudged deeper into the dark cavern with his beloved beside him. As he walked, they encountered a mighty, stone door that left Sterling's hooves shaking at the sight. It was already bad enough that they were caved in, but it was even worse that they had to go through such a daunting door... Sterling spoke up, with a tinge of fear in his voice,

 

"Well... I guess we have no choice but to go through this door huh?"

 

"Well yer darn right pardner! We got no choice! What, you want to stay here until we rot?" Applejack responded with snap. She was still angered at all that happened lately. Red, Sterling's seeming incompetence, and especially at the cold. All she could think about was how all this right now could possibly be related to the everlasting snow back in Equestria... They didn't have time to lose, and she made sure the rest of the group knew that.

 

"Ok ok Applejack! Geez! Don't have to get all worked up with your darned accent eh?" Sterling replied with frustration. He hated being given all the pressure, especially when his comment was a purely innocent one.

 

"What did you just say? You think mah accent's annoying? Want me to get started on yer nervous bouts?" It was becoming clear that the situation was degenerating fast, and that Sterling and Applejack were clearly beginning to have enough of each other...

[Commander Bubbles 1,343]

@Budding Night

@Steel Accord

@Sterling Crimson

@Zhooves

@PinkieShyFlutterPie

@Pripyat Pony

 

(Oh look a post...)

 

Red continued to follow closely with the group, silent for the most part. Swarming with emotion, the young pegasus trotted along, hoping that something, somehow would end up taking his life so he would not need to do it himself. It really would not be very long for such a thing to happen, he thought to himself.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

@Everypony

 

Steel walked up to the gateway and knocked gently, more in curious than to bid entrance. He put a hoof to his chin in thought.

 

"I wonder what these runes mean?" He asked allowed, not expecting to get answer.

 

"Speak, friend, and enter." Came a new, deep voice. Steel drew Donkey Jote out of reflex.

 

"Show yourself!" He demanded as he backed up to the wall.

 

"Like the key to the door, the answer is right in front of you." Steel finally backed up to the statue. " . . . or behind you rather." Steel slowly turned his head to the statue. It's eyes then blinked open.

 

"Aaaah!" Steel flapped back top his friends. Both guardians were not statues at all, but living creatures. Rams specifically. They slowly stepped from their posts, shacking off pebbles and sediments that had gathered on them. As they moved and posted directly in front of the door, their stony hides and fur melted in living flesh and wool. Both were a little shorter than all but North, who was about their height, but their frames bristled with muscle and power.

 

"I am Tanngrisnir," The one who first spoke said. "That is my brother, Tanngnjóstr. He does not speak your tongue, but he listens well." Tanngnjostr nodded, knowing he was spoken of. Tanngrisnir spoke again. "We are the gatekeepers of Vuoheim, speak friends. What business does Equestria have here?"

[Zhooves 843]

North walked forwared a bit. "They are her', for our cold have moved south, and our already cold lands have gotten even colder." North said, then looking at Tanngnjóstr. "Vi søker kilden til kulda." he continued, before taking a step back and looking at Steel.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

North walked forwared a bit. "They are her', for our cold have moved south, and our already cold lands have gotten even colder." North said, then looking at Tanngnjóstr. "Vi søker kilden til kulda." he continued, before taking a step back and looking at Steel.

 

"Uhhhhh what did you say to Tanngnjostr?" Steel asked of his bilingual friend in a hushed tone.

 

Steel sheathed his weapons, the two guards appeared readied but relaxed, clearly meaning no harm upon the visitors unless they intended to visit it upon their home.

[Zhooves 843]

@@Steel Accord, 

"I simply said that we seek the source of the cold. Summed up our task in one line, ja?" he said to Steel. "Though I am unsure... They could be speaking an even older northern tongue... Though they should get at least a tiny bit from how and what I speak." he continued.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

Clover stepped forward. "That's right," she said. "All we desire is to find the source of the terrible cold that is now raging across our homeland. Will you help us? Your help is much appreciated."

 

She was finding it easy to stay calm; despite the guards' appearances, she could sense that they meant no harm.

[PinkieShyFlutterPie 408]

Neon followed the group deeper into the cave. It was pretty creepy... and, also cold. She looked around the cave, things seemed to start to feel different...The walls looking...Less, cave-like, which was the only word she could think of to describe it. She looked forward and saw a stone door with statues right by it, weird. Neon waited to see what the other ponies had to say about what Clover had said, about rather they should go back or not. She thought they should just stay, digging through all those rocks to try and get out seemed impossible. She looked shocked as she saw the statues were...No longer statues. Although, at least it seemed they weren't to dangerous. 

[Inactive01 5,299]

Applejack and Sterling were still arguing, away from everypony else. Eventually, they both heard chatter among the rest of the ponies, which forced them to stop arguing. They gave each other glares before they trotted towards the crowd, making sure to look away from each other. They looked up and noticed the guards, and were left stunned by the sight. They could see they were friendly based on the peaceful interactions between the group and the guardians, so they weren't too afraid of them. All they could do though was wonder what was going to be next...

[Steel Accord 6,660]

@Everypony

 

The twin sentinels turned to each other and whispered in their native tongue. This was a language unknown to even North, it had hard vowels and rolling "z"s. Even if one did know the speech, the brother's deep, gravelly voices made hearing anything a challenge.

 

"Mukhuh?"

"Rezup Men."

"Muneb Nu?

"Ish Al.-" The second nodded.

"I will take you through the gates, my brother shall remain here. You may know me as Tooth Bearer, my rarely silent brother is Tooth Grinder." Tooth Grinder laughed at a bit at his brother's playful ribbing.

 

The two guards turned to the door and both spoke in a unified, echoing voice.

"DorrrOK" 

The runes began to glow and a key line ran up the center of the door, with a great rumbling, it opened.

 

"Follow me, ponies." Tooth Bearer motioned. Just before passing in however, Tooth Grinder spoke out.

 

"Tanngrisnir!"

 

"Al?"

"Men lananubukhs menu." They both smiled at one another.

"Men lananubukhs menu, Khazash." The two briefly touched their foreheads together, their horns making a hollow noise as they connected. With that, Tooth Bearer leads the party onward.

 

Inside, the ponies notice that it's steadily growing warmer, that could be simply because they are going deeper, but there's also a faint orange glow as they press onward.

 

"Is that . . . daylight?" Applejack asked.

 

"No, but we have our own warm comforts here, Az-mare." Tooth bearer chuckled. He brought the party to something of an alcove and bid them all to enter. Inside appeared to be a dead end, just a stone box with windows that only viewed the rock walls. Tooth Bearer proceeded, unbothered by their confusion and pulled a lever on the far side of the sarcophagus they were in.

 

With a great slam and grinding noise, the stone lurched forward. The walls outside began to move, as the stone they were in was revealed to be a tram of some kind. The tram moved upward at an angle. The walls fell further and further back until it was like they were climbing up the side of an underground mountain. As they approached the lip of their ascent, the glowing and warmth got bright and brighter.

 

They reached the top and began their descent down the other side, beneath the party was a sight unlike any they had ever seen. A truly colossal cavern. Ponyville, and a good chuck of the Everfree Forest could fit down here! And that was only what was visible, similar tram tracks ran through tunnels to possibly as big or bigger caverns beyond.

 

"Ponies . . . welcome to Vuoheim."

 

((OOC How's THAT for making up for a delay?!)) 

[Zhooves 843]

North tilted his head slightly as they spoke with each other.

 

"Hm... It does not sound familiar at all... I wonder if they even understood what I tried to say to them..." he spoke in a low tone to himself.

 

Tagging along, he looked around as things moved on - jumping a bit the moment the room they had entered started moving on its own.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

Clover looked around in wonder. "Wow," she said out loud. "Who could have thought that this place existed inside the mountain when we were all inside that cave?" She turned to their guides. "If I can help in any way to make a return for your kindness, just say the word," the white unicorn mare said.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

@Everypony

 

"You actually may get your opportunity sooner than you think." Tooth Bearer said cryptically.

 

The cart dropped them off in the city below. As their guide lead them through the town, the ponies could see a people hard at work or play. Smiths sweated with smiles over their forges, merchants brayed out their wares and bartered over prices, kids rough housed and charged each other. This was a sharp juxtaposition to the town crippled by fear they had just came from. It's like the goats were heedless to the destruction and terror going on just above their heads.

[Zhooves 843]

"It is interesting how much is hidden from us underground... Who would have thought all of this would be here?" North spoke a little low, looking around as they passed though, both carefully and with curiosity in his eyes. "And I have lived around here my whole life..." he continued, almost looking up in wonder as he spoke the final part.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

"It's like a new world," Clover said, looking about her in wonder. She wondered just what Tooth Bearer meant by her getting her chance to perform magic in order to help the goats. Would it bring her yet another step closer to her ascension? And would she be worthy of it?

[Steel Accord 6,660]

"While my task is clear, and I am to escort you to a very specific destination, I myself am curious. Tell me, what is Equestria like?" Tooth Bearer asked as they boarded another tram. "I have never been there, but your sovereign is thought highly of by our Explorer's League."

Edited March 30, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Zhooves 843]

@@Steel Accord, 

"As en from the local area, I can tell ye it is typically much warmer all year round... Winter down there is a bit like a month before it really sets in here... Mostly everything that speaks seem to speak Equestrian like this... And there are way more unicorns around." he said.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

Clover nodded in agreement with North. "That's right," she said. "The town where I come from, Trottingham, was in fact founded by unicorns, altho both pegasi and earth ponies live there now. The seasons are controlled by ponies; in Trottingham, the unicorns of the town get together in order to bring them over by combining their horn magic. It's done differently in other towns; for example, in Ponyville, they use mainly earth pony tactics cuz the town was founded by earth ponies."

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Tooth-Bearer guffawed.

 

"Amazin'! If ye tried to herd half of us out to do something like that, it'd turn into a brawl in short order!" The friends host laughed as the stone tram continued along.

 

They raced past an entire underworld. Caves, valleys, gulfs, and rivers of molten ore swept past them. Going from vast expanse to claustrophobic and back as they sped onward toward their destination. Eventually they came upon an archway, flanked on both sides by giant golden statues of rams, as if welcoming those who enter. (And these ones actually are statues.)

 

Past the entrance was a hall, but to call it "just" a hall would be doing a disservice. Yes there were tables, yes there were columns supporting a high ceiling, yes there were many eating and laughing, but what was different was the scale. The must've been a mile or more in length, the tables were like bridges. The columns were thicker than many trees, and the ceiling high above may very well have been right under the surface for it's height.

 

The tram sped past many hundreds of rams, all laughing, feasting, singing, and merry-making. A few stopped and welcomed the new guests with raised glasses as they sped by. Tooth-Bearer was glad to return the gesture with a shout in his native tongue.

 

"We are almost there, ponies." He said.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

Filled with curiosity, Clover followed the goats as they led them thru this new world. When Tooth-Bearer spoke, Clover replied with, "And where is 'there', then? Is it a place yet different from this one? I wonder if we can find our solution in that place, to our own problem."

[Steel Accord 6,660]

"If I held the answers you sought, I would share them with you. Alas, our leader holds wisdom enough for you, I, and all." Tooth-Bearer supplied.

 

The tram came to a screeching halt at the end of the hall. The party exited it and stood at the foot of a stepped dias, at the height of it sat a long table. Unlike the others, this one was wood, and fine wood at that. The finish almost gleamed.

 

Tooth-Bearer lead the ascent until the party stood before the table. He knelt on his front knees in a bow, similar to how ponies would prostrate themselves before Celestia.

 

He said something in his native tongue, but one word was somehow clear. As if that word's truth resounded through language it held such power of truth. The word . . . was All-Father.

 

At this, the figure seated at the table rose. Where most of these rams were shorter than ponies, this one towered over everyone. He was close to Celestia in height. His grey beard seemed to trail away near the end to from a mist, very much like Celestia's mane. By far this being's most distinctive features were his horns. They almost dwarfed one of his subjects by themselves such was their size! Along their spirals were runes like the ones on the entrance door to this realm. Only these ones constantly had a soft glow in them.

 

"Welcome, my friends. You have come far. Your journey has reached it's mid-point. I can provide you the aid you need to further it." He fixed his lone eye on Clover. "I am Odin."

Edited April 10, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

Ooc: If I have missed anypony out, apologies! Post in the OOC and I will edit!

 

@@Steel Accord, Clover was awed by the presence of this being. She curtseyed. "My name is Clover, sir," she replied. "These are my friends; Steel Accord, Red, Evening, Sterling and North. We have come here to find a solution to the intense cold that suffuses all of Equestria."