"Ruins, an archaeological dig site or maybe an abandoned quarry?" Zuberi looks around the area for any recent signs of people being here or something useful.
Loges' face looks excited when then seem to have found a worked area...
A clue, perhaps?
Looking around, Zuberi comes across several picks, shovels, pulleys, and other mining implements left behind a long time ago. He also discovers palm tree logs probably used to move large blocks of stone. Everything seems to have been simply abandoned, as many of the tools were still in good shape before being rendered worthless by decades (or even centuries) of scouring by the wind.
Drimm will examine the site to determine if it was a quarry or something else entirely.
"The tools were just left behind? Strange. Maybe whoever used them died out suddenly? We have already seen for ourselves that life in this desert is harsh. Maybe there is an ancient city somewhere nearby." The half-orc looks around for signs of a road, or at least someplace that offers a good vantage point to see a bit further into the canyon.
Drimm examines the stonework and in his dwarven expertise determines that it indeed was a quarry, most likely for large blocks of hard basalt stone.
Horek finds the remnants of a road made of compacted rubble that runs from the quarry into the canyon. Most of it has been buried by sand and debris and is no longer visible. The canyon twists and turns soon after it begins, limiting one's ability to see into it very far.
The young wizard seems absolutely excited by the prospect of finding a lost city.
Loges carely cleans some areas as the are searching for clues, using Prestigitation.
"It's already better than that freaking desert. If roads were here, that means we might be able to find more roads to living people... or wherever those bastards took the rest of the caravan. Let's follow that road Horek says is there."
Horek reports his findings to the others. "It's an old road, doesn't look to be used anymore." The half-orc comments. He is eager to continue moving and again takes the lead when the others are ready to go on.
"At the very least we should be mindful of which ways it is headed. There might be still existing settlements where they lead."
Having explored your fill of the quarry site, the groups heads into the narrow, shadowy canyon beyond. The cliff sides stretch up for hundreds of feet, and the wind whistles through the gap, creating a haunting, if beautiful fluting noise that rises and falls with the strength of the breeze.
The farther you travel along the canyon floor, the clearer the old, packed stone road below your feet becomes, and you occasionally pass stone pillars carved from the same rock found in the quarry. The pillars are all between five and six feet in height, and their sides have been cut into grooves. The faded remains of writing or symbols can be seen carved into the pillars, but the wind and sand rendered any meaning unintelligible long ago.
Wide eyed and furiously scribbling on parchment, the young wizard does cast detect magic, as he studies the runes and such.
Wide eyed and furiously scribbling on parchment, the young wizard does cast detect magic, as he studies the runes and such.
Tollo casually walks to the left of the path, keeping the pillars and whatever else he can find as cover on his right.
"Don't look, but I saw something move on a ledge to our right. We're in bow range, so try to break line of sight just in case.", he says just loud enough for his companions to hear.
Heedless of the warning, Loges continues to scribble...
Timbur casually straps his shield to his arm.
The markings on the pillar are quite faded with age, but Loges can make out a few words. The language is unknown to him, but he recognizes a few characters used in Old Keleshite, a dead language that was the precursor to today's modern Kelish.
Absolutely fascinating! These seem to be similar to the ones I found amoung his notes!
"Oh good! Take lots of notes! Make sure you get a rubbing, Loges, you know those academics back in civilization lose their minds over rubbings...", Tollo says while moving away from the mage, staying behind pillars and trying to keep whoever was watching from getting a bead on him.
Tollo ducks behind cover as he peers up ahead at a ledge high on the canyon wall.
"This one here looks good." Zuberi tries to lure Loges into an area where he wont be visible to their mysterious pursuers.
Horek tries to subtly glance around and spot the one Tollo spotted, feigning interest in the column that Loges seems excited about.
Alerted to possible danger, Abdul and Saiid hide behind rocks and pillars as best they can.
"What is it?" Abdul mutters. "I don't see anything."
"Movement ahead by the cliffs. Perhaps out mystery attackers or locals, either way I'm not handing myself on a platter to them."
"A wing! And a brown head! It- it could be anything as long it's winged and brown...", Tollo says, looking at the canyon wall for any kind of opening that might shelter the party.
Horek grunts, able to see the creature now - or a bit of it, at least. "Let's not go looking for trouble, so long as it keeps to itself. We'll keep an eye on it, though." Turning to Loges, the half-orc nods toward the pillars. "Whose notes?" He asks quizzically, just realizing what the wizard said right before they all became aware of the creature lurking up in the cliffs.
Timbur draws out a javelin, just in case.
After wandering about examining the pillars, Drimm looks over to where the others said they saw something.
He readies his weapons and joins the others.
Suddenly there is a great rush of air and the sound of something heavy touches ground roughly 30 feet in front of you. It must be invisible, for you see the imprints of four great feline paws displacing the sand on the floor of the canyon.
Whatever it is booms out in a voice two octaves below anything a humanoid could produce, ending with an animalistic snarl.
State your purpose or begone from this foul place!
Zuberi winces, well trying to talk first couldn't hurt... her hoped. He calls out back in Kelish.
Timbur moves to stand between the invisible footprints and Loges.
Horek settles into a battle stance when he hears... something land heavily just a head. But he can't see it! This is going to be a tough fight... He thinks as he reflexively reaches toward his greataxe - but then the invisible creature speaks, and Zuberi appears to be answering in the same strange language!
The half-orc forces himself to relax a bit, his hand easing away from the weapon. For now...
Drimm is fascinated by what could possibly be speaking to them. Although he does not know the language, he is still very keen on discovering what the beast might be.
A few moments later the massive voice coming from the invisible being responds ot Zuberi's question in Kelish.
"I sense that you speak truly and that your intentions are not malicious, so I will let you live. You should not come to this valley unless you absolutely have to, however. It is a site of great evil and nothing good can come of disturbing it."
After Zuberi translates, the half-orc relaxes further, determining that this creature means them no harm. Relying on the warrior to translate, Horek answers. "Our caravan was attacked in the desert, our men slaughtered and many vanished without any sign of where they went or why. We came to these mountains looking for shelter, food and water while we decide what to do next." Horek pauses, then asks. "Do you know who or what might have attacked us?" The half-orc describes the evidence (and lack thereof) that they saw, and then as an afterthought takes the gold-hilted dagger he'd been carrying and displayes it to the invisible creature. After a moment, he asks. "Can you... uh... see what I'm holding here? Do you have eyes? It is difficult to speak with you when we cannot see you. We found this dagger in the sand near the ruined tents, and I thought maybe those that attacked us might have dropped it in the storm."
The creature spits or hisses (reminding you of a cat, albeit a very large one) when Horek produces the dagger.
"Yes, I have eyes and I have seen daggers like this. They are old, older even than I, older even than this place, from a time of great loss and woe."
A few moments of silence follow, then the creature continues.
"If you seek shelter and food, you will find it here. But you will find much else that will come to no good."
Tollo remains in his hiding spot, but calls out to join the conversation.
"Have you seen anyone that uses those daggers recently? We lost a lot of people to whoever did this and they gotta answer for it. Just 'cause we're desperate and stranded doesn't mean they can get away with it."
The creature growls at Tollo's question, booming out: "I am not your oracle, little gnome. I have given you my warning, now leave or enter at your will, but be quick about it."
Loges looks up at Horek, answering
Why the famous...whoa!
The young wizard steps a bit forward, as the creature lands and speaks.
Oh, I knew I should have studied harder!
Speaking in kelish, Loges addresses the air.
We speak truthfully our plight. Our company was ambushed. We are strangers in a strange land. We thank you for your generously.
Cyndicea?
Tollo spits, voice angrily rising.
"I'm a halfling you in invisible twit! And if you ain't gonna stop us, eat us or help us, what the hell are you still doing here? Huh?! You wanna watch us shake in our boots, is that it?!"
He kicks a stone off the road- though not aimed at the voice, he isn't completely suicidal.
"We're warned. Thanks soooo much. And if there's nothing else, we'll just keep going on our way."
"There is too much evil in this world already. I have seen it with my own eyes, and experienced it as well. Since we are here now, though we came only to survive, it may be that we can do something about it. Can you tell us more of this evil? Is it a creature of some kind?"
Though Horek has no urge to go seeking trouble, the half-orc decides it would be better to know something about it, if they are forced to do so by circumstance. This creature seems knowledgeable, if it can be convinced to help them...
”So does he mean the golden dagger is connected to this old city?”
After translating a little more Zuberi does look at the majority of the group in confussion. Taldane is a fine trade language but it seemed odd the others didn't learn Kelesh before taking on jobs as caravan guards going deeper into it's territory. But he focused on translating back and forth for now, the prudent questions.
Loges will note he removes some of the rough edges from Tollo's comments as he translates and neglects to say the last part. "I am a halfling mysterious invisible one. If you will not stop us then are you here merely to give warning or serve another purpose." Zuberi gestures towards the halfling for whom he speaks.
The invisible creature lets out a feline "harumpf", stating: "Whatever you are, be on your guard. The evil that lurks here does not sleep. It only feeds and lusts for power."
With a huge blast of wind the creature lifts off from the canyon floor. You can hear as enormous wings dig air as it climbs for altitude. This noise grows quieter and quieter until it disappears altogether.
Ahead about 500 feet the canyon widens a bit and turns to the right out of view. Other than the stone columns you have examined, you see nothing else of interest where you are standing.
Horek shakes his head. "Whatever that creature was, it has given us more questions than answers. The only thing I see to do is to go forward." The half-orc pauses, then looks back at Loges. "What were you saying about the symbols written on those columns?"
Your companions Zaaid and Abdul slowly come out from behind the pillars where they have been hiding. "What in the Seven Heavens was that?" Abdul mutters, his voice still streaked with panic.
Zaaid nods his head. "Was it a sphinx? I have heard that some sphinxes have the paws of lions, although that invisible thing was bigger than any lion I have ever seen."
Loges turns his head from staring at...nothing.
Old kelishite. Not used in...well, centuries.
The mystery and majesty of the encounter is entirely lost on Tollo, since his temper has flared up.
"You don't want to answer questions, make a sign! Cayden's wine-breath, it's not that hard!", he vents to no one in particular.
"It spoke as if it were quite old. Perhaps if it was a Sphinx they keep growing with age like a dragon?"
Zaaid shrugs, "No sure. I just know the old tales of the sphinx and the maiden in green. That mentions nothing of the creature's age."