003.5

[thumbsdown]

Who: Boone, Niko, Belloq and Tuco
What: Exploring the desert temple
When: Same day as this
Where: The desert temple
Notes & Warnings:  None yet

Comments

[archeologue]

[Belloq peers at it, fascinated.]

It is perhaps a representation of the god of this temple. Or a protecting spirit or demon invoked to guard the sacred objects stored within these chests.

[He carefully shifts one tile, then another.]

We must arrange the puzzle and make the image whole.

[theugly]

[Tuco drops his hands back down to his knees and stares, finally seeing what the other two can. Whether it's some prescient part of his mind talking, or the evidence of a well learned lesson, his stomach lurches. That general feeling of unease is back, and it's steadily deepening towards something significantly more primal. Be it through poison or superstition, he's afraid.]

...A demon? [There's a sort of blatant, wobbly reediness to his voice that says everything his words don't. Are you sure this is a good idea? Is something horrifying going to happen if we get this wrong? (And of course, not forgetting:) Is something horrifying going to happen if we get this RIGHT?

He stays rooted where he is, rubbing distractedly at the sticky blood drying halfway up his thigh. As much as he's an advocate for personal greed, maybe (just maybe) some things are better left well alone.]

[thumbsdown]

[The word "demon" doesn't have much effect on Boone. He just watches Belloq carefully move a couple of tiles, then looks over at Tuco. He looks terrified, but Boone can't understand his fear. He doesn't believe in demons. He looks back at the puzzle, reaches up to move another tile, and waits.]

...Think if something bad was gonna happen, it would've happened by now. Maybe as soon as we started messing with it.

[He actually has no idea if that's how it would work, but he's trying to make Tuco feel better.]

[archeologue]

It will not make a demon appear, of that I can be sure. It's just a picture, a symbol. Similar to how the ancient Greek erected pillars dedicated to Hermes to protect property boundaries. It has mystic power only in the minds of those who believe in it.

[Belloq slides a tile with a ghostly head up a slot.]

If there's any danger, it will from another clever trap.

[theugly]

[It's clear their words have done something to allay Tuco's fears, but he doesn't say as much, exactly. All they get is a clipped hum as he continues to watch them with that same wary, pained expression. Problem is, from where he's sitting, it seems like certainty doesn't come in quite as solid a package as it used to. Out here, anything can happen.]

[thumbsdown]

[Boone looks around suspiciously at the mention of more traps, but he can't see anything. After staring at the puzzle for a little while again, he can see where the pieces should go. He's just not sure he can figure out how to get them there. If he moves that tile, he'll have to move that one too, and then that one is in the right place but he'd have to move it and... it's confusing. Puzzles aren't really his thing.]

[archeologue]

[Belloq moves a few more tiles, working to get the head shape up and center and the shadows that look like legs down below.]

Merde. [He mutters under his breath. He'd rather a linguistic puzzle than a visual one, but he thinks they're making progress nevertheless.]

and now for a prompt reply :V

[theugly]

[As time inches away, Tuco's still sat staring. He still feels useless, too, which (in part) is probably why he clears his throat for another "helpful" suggestion.] Maybe there's a piece missing, [he says slowly—awkwardly, even, like part of him knows better than to say it in the first place.] Or maybe you able to pull it out, you know? The pieces, I mean.