"They may be able to shut Urza inside, but can they keep Urza inside? Urza thinks not. Let's go in."
"Ha! Well said, my friend! Well said!" Pezock exclaims to Urza. "We go in!"
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Pezock glares angrily at Mahjik and looks about start shouting, but then he visibly calms. "That's a good point, actually," he says.
"For what reason would you build a boat not to watch it burn?" Pezock responds as he, too, begins climbing the ziggurat stairs.Tar'kanas ponders the question a moment before looking to the bird man stoically. "To use it to cross water," he responds matter of factly. Pezock waves his hand dismissively. "Bah! And when you no longer need it to cross water any more? When its usefulness has come to an end?" His eyes narrow ominously and in a quiet voice, he says, "You burn it." In his usual louder voice, he continues, "My dear friend Captain Zoventai wouldn't have hesitated to burn the Crow's Tooth if the ship were of no further use to her. She was an amazing individual. A radiant tengu with bright red feathers! She gave me my sword, you know, and I carry it in her honour." He leans in somewhat menacingly close to Tar'kanas and speaks quietly again: "Never speak ill of her again." He then turns away from Tar'kanas, seeming to forget about the elf entirely. He pats his sword and mumbles, "Yes, I miss her too."
"For what reason would you build a boat not to watch it burn?" Pezock responds as he, too, begins climbing the ziggurat stairs.
"There will be time for boats later," Pezock says, his eyes never leaving the inscriptions on the ziggurat. "I want treasure first!"
"There is probably an entrance at the top as well," Pezock says. "A way to the treasure. Though the treasure may not be along such an obvious route." He begins to pace as he ponders. "It will probably be hidden. Perhaps there are secret ways in."
Pezock nods approvingly at Douena's actions. "Well done," he says. "At the very least, it should delay them."
"Those skulls don't look very friendly," Pezock says.
Pezock looks down at Douena, a hint of anger or disappointment in his eyes. "But that was our express purpose in coming here!" he protests. "If there's no treasure, then what was the point of it all? No! There must be treasure. I've been waiting for ages for treasure and I intend to find treasure!" He draws his sabre and points towards the spire to the south. "I say we start there! You and I can go while the others set up their camp."
"Not until after we've found all the treasure," Pezock says, walking up beside Douena. He gestures out at the city. "I'm willing to bet the buildings with the spires have great treasure in them. Once we've collected what is there, then we can move the monkey people in."
Pezock pats at the feathers that have regrown with the healing. "I agree," he responds to Urza. "We should waste no time."
Pezock shakes himself off and grimaces a bit as several bloody feathers fall loose. "Well, that'll teach it for trying to eat me!" he says, pointing to the crocodile that had hold of him. Its limp body is now bouncing against the rocks as the current tries to take it down stream. The other three crocodiles' bodies are already floating away and out of side. Pezock then continues across to the other side of the river, surreptitiously asking Douena for a bit of healing as he passes her.
Not at all! This delay is intolerable! Intolerable, do you hear?
"Very well then," Pezock says. "We go down!" With his sword pointing the way in front of him, Pezock turns down the path to the bottom of the gorge and leads the way.
"Let the guide do the guiding," Pezock says, pointing at Shokambe. "I'm here for adventure and treasure! How long will it take to get to this place? We have wandered far enough for little reward as it is."
"Let's move then," Pezock says. He points his sabre at Sildu. "We will let this creature guide us, but keep an eye on her. She may try to betray us."
Pezock looks surprised as he takes the starknife from Douena. As she drops her staff and sling and hurries down the steps, he shakes his head. "I will not lay down my sword," he says, crossing his arms in front of him.
"Well, it's not working at the moment," Pezock says. "I say we find something more interesting." He turns to Sildu and speaks to her abruptly in Polyglot. She nods nervously. "Excellent!" he says. Polyglot: "You will lead us to these floating idols and carvings."
Urza pauses in his search and looks up at Pezock, "Urza was never under this thing's sway. As always, Urza is his own man." Pezock stands there uncharacteristically speechless for several moments as Urza moves on. "Oh," he finally says.
Pezock strides over to the body of the wizard as Urza is searching it. "We have defeated the vampiric ruler of this place," he says proudly. "You should be free of his evil influence now, my friend," he says to Urza.
A few seconds later, Pezock abruptly stops laughing. Taking a deep breath, he grabs his sabre and stands up. As he sheaths the sabre, he looks at Urza standing near him. "That never happened," he mutters embarrassedly. He then walks slowly into the building and heads to the stairs to rejoin the others.
"But didn't you hear the way he spoke?" Pezock protests. "We must do something to help him! Or are you..." He pauses, looks down at Douena, and smiles. "Ah!" he says quietly. "You are trying to confuse the entity that has possessed him. A wise plan. Let's go!" Pezock follows Douena along the northern ledge. There is an opening into the building halfway along the ledge. Looking into it, Douena and Pezock see first and elaborately carved column. Behind the column, it opens up into a wider room that they cannot see the entirety of. However, they can see what looks like a circular grid formed with deep grooves in the floor. Three more elaborate columns stand beyond the grid. The column near them is covered in arcane symbols and etchings. There are also several deep holes bored into 4-inch sections that swivel around a central shaft. The other columns appear similar in design, although the symbols may be different. Knowledge (arcana or nature) DC 15:
The symbols on this column represent the Dark Tapestry, the space between the stars. Knowledge (arcana) DC 20 (separate roll from the one above):
The holes in the column appear designed to hold crystals or gemstones, and the swivelling sections need to be arranged in a particular configuration (though you don't know what that configuration is) in order to achieve... something. You're not sure just what. However, the other columns are probably linked to this one in some way and need their own configurations as well.
Pezock pats downs his feathers and grumbles slightly, nodding to Douena's words. Rather uncharacteristically, he doesn't say a word and looks away, almost appearing embarrassed.
"I'm perfectly fine," Pezock grumbles unconvincingly, but follows along anyway. After the healing, his wounds have mostly closed, but he still looks unsteady on his feet.
"Yes, accessible," Pezock says, striding back into the room south of the snake room. "We'll try one of these doors." He looks to the east and then the west, and contemplates a moment. "This way!" he says pointing to the east.
Pezock's feathers bristle at Mahjik's words. He looks about to say something in anger when Makoa steps in. Pezock backs up a bit with a grumble.
Pezock tilts his head and glares at Mahjik. "And how are we supposed to get there?" he says. "Does wise man say that?"
Pezock nods. "Agreed." He points to Mahjik and says, "Forget that one. Let him wander alone. We'll go this way." He marches over to join Douena and Makoa by the door and waits for Douena to open it.
"Bah! Who cares?" Pezock says. "If they don't attack us, they're smart. If they do, we'll kill them. It's as simple as that. Now, onwards!" He points dramatically with his sword in the direction you were following along the trail.
"We just fought water," Pezock says dryly. "Of course they're wet. Still, I'd better dry off."
"What?" Pezock squawks. "I will have you know I am in perfect health!"
"It also lets us determine if the elf is any threat to us, and if so, destroy him," Pezock says. "We go to the water and the light!" He points dramatically with his sword, then begins marching down the passage.
Tar'kanas looks to Makoa an raises an eyebrow, which clearly says all that needs saying. Turning back to Douena, "Yes, I was bitten. But it is a minor wound." Pezock's eyes narrow as he turns to look at Tar'kanas. "We should stake him to be on the safe side," he says. "No telling what he might do to us when night falls."
"I hate standing around doing nothing," Pezock grumbles. "We should pick a direction and go along it. The Coward went that way, so we can abandon him and go the other way. But wait, the Wizard also went that way. Damn." He starts to pace with impatience.
"At last!" Pezock says exuberantly. "Our destination is here. Adventure and treasure await!" He follows Shokambe through the gap.
"The ancient evil will not stand in our way!" Pezock declares. "It shall fall before our might and its treasures will be ours!"
"Don't forget the treasure," Pezock adds. "That's why I'm here. I want treasure and they say there'll be lots of treasure at this city. We've travelled a long way and I'm getting impatient."
Pezock looks oddly at Urza. "Why?" he asks. "They are repulsive creatures. They don't even have any feathers! Now Captain Zoventai, there was a true beauty! Fiery red plumage she had." He sighs, then looks more closely at Urza. "Then again, you're not much to look at yourself, are you?" He nods knowingly. "I understand now. You cannot acquire a true beauty so you set your standards low. A wise plan!"
"The cannibals didn't eat me because I was too smart for them," Pezock says. "Whenever they came near me, I scared them away!"
"Well, I'm not patient," Pezock declares. "This land is too big. I could have crossed the Shiv back and forth a hundred times in the time it's taken us to get this far. I shall have my day, and it better be soon, not later!"Tar'kanas stares at the bird man a moment, attempting to understand him. "You are full of fire, tengu. That will aid this group immeasurably." He pauses a moment as if processing something else within his mind before he continues. "But you are loud," he states plainly as he then returns to the task at hand. Pezock looks as if he's about to argue the point, but then he pauses and tilts his head slightly. "Yes," he says. "Yes, that too."
As Mahjik warns the group about them being followed, Tar'kanas draws his bow. "Let us draw it out." Pezock spins around at the mention of drawing it out. "With pleasure! " he yells.
"Well, I'm not patient," Pezock declares. "This land is too big. I could have crossed the Shiv back and forth a hundred times in the time it's taken us to get this far. I shall have my day, and it better be soon, not later!"
Monkeys can be rather mean, Urza. If they are smart enough to worship a god, we may be in trouble if they decide they don't like us." "We have nothing to fear from the monkeys!" Pezock declares. "We will kill this Monkey King god if he bothers us." He turns to Mahjik. "You will be our expert on the Monkey King. You will point him out to us if you see him."
"Then why doesn't he say it? I want to hear it from him!" The feathers on Pezock's face twitch, but after a second, he does lower his sabre. He turns away grumbling, patting the flat of the blade lovingly. "Let's get going," he says and starts walking north, parallel to the river. "But if I hear anything else about betrayals..." His voice trails off into more grumbles.
Pezock perks up as he hears Douena's suggestion. He turns to look at Mahjik, his eyes narrow and accusatory. "Shut up, wizard and painted elf," he says. "I want to hear the coward's response." He draws his sabre and points it towards Mahjik. "And it better be a good one."
Pezock notices Douena's glare. "I'm always nice!" he protests. He then marches up to the river's edge and pulls out his waterskin. He stares at the lizardfolk as he fills up his water.
Pezock stops and turns around slowly. "Hmmmmm..." He ponders for a moment. "Good point." He looks at Shokambe. "Lead the way, Guide!"
"Both!"
Pezock turns and stares Tar'kanas in the eye. "Who put you in charge?" he says, his own eyes narrowing. "We go when we decide to go." He turns away from Tar'kanas and draws his sabre. Pointing it out in front of him, he proclaims, "Onwards to adventure!" He then takes up his standard marching pace.
"It's not even the same hair," Pezock continues. He peers closely into Jask's long, pointed ear. "Ugly ears. Like that one's." He points at Tar'kanas. He then shrugs and turns away from Jask. "Oh well, personally I'd ask to do it over, but if you like it...""We're not going to do it over," Douena glares at Pezock. "He's just fine the way he is..." Pezock's feathers seem to sag a little at Douena's rebuke, almost as though he's embarrassed. He makes a soft grumbling in his throat but doesn't say anything. Instead, he looks away, taking care not to make eye contact with anyone.
Pezock goes up to and peers closely at the newly arrived version of Jask. "This is Jask?" he says. He grabs a handful of Jask's long, blonde hair. Jask looks about to protest, but instead sighs. "It's not even the same hair," Pezock continues. He peers closely into Jask's long, pointed ear. "Ugly ears. Like that one's." He points at Tar'kanas. He then shrugs and turns away from Jask. "Oh well, personally I'd ask to do it over, but if you like it..."
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