Ensu follows the group and when they enter the study he wanders over to the shelves to look at the books.
"Ensu." he says distractedly as clearly he is more involved in studying the titles of books than in the conversation.
"I am Krojun Speaks-With-Thunder. I am pleased to know that the folk of stone have not all succumbed to Mokmurian's evil."
"Oh? Er--Siolad." The elf mumbles, distracted by the sight of the books.
”I am on the side of my people and at this point that is as far as possible from the madness Mokmurian has brought down on us”, Conna explains. ”But it wasn’t always so. Mokmurian was brash and ambitious but he never hungered for war and conquest as he does now. So many of our young have answered his call only to blindly march and die. I would see it end, even it means working with intruders within our ancestral halls. Tell me, what’s brought you here to assassinate our chieftain?”
Siolad listens to Conna's story, not really paying attention to anything else.
"Er, why are those eyes glowing?" Jessamy asks, ignoring Conna's question for the moment.
Conna smirks slightly at Jessamy’s observation. ”The spirits of our fallen chieftains and heroes rest in this hall. Since Mokmurian seized power they have become restless and most of the tribe avoids this chamber for fear of their wrath. I’ve told them that you are here to help otherwise they would be attacking you now. Should you need a place to regroup and recover your strength you should be safe here for a time.”
"If we have some time, I would be interested in reading some of these religious texts. Don't know enough about the giant's gods. My own deity is ...unresponsive at best."
At the mention of the souls at rest Ensu turns from the shelf and begins looking at the skulls.
"Oh. Well, thanks. We appreciate that. Anyway, giants have been attacking Sandpoint and we want to put a stop to that. Seemed like Mokmurian was the main cause of it, so we figured that'd be the best way to deal with it."
”Sandpoint – the human city? I’m familiar with it but I’ve never been that far from the fortress. Why would he send our people to attack a place so far from home? He truly has gone mad, unless…”
She hesitates and looks up at the assorted totem-lined shelves.
”Before he sequestered himself in the library below he mentioned the name Karzoug more than once. The name is known among our elders as a wizard that enslaved our people ages ago. It seems impossible but if he’s fallen under the influence of an ancient mage Mokmurian may represent more of a danger than any of us realized.”
”I do not think so”, Conna answers the gnome. ”I’ve already violated too many of my people’s traditions by telling you what I have.”
"More of a danger? What do you mean?"?
”I can’t say for certain but Karzoug’s kind ruled this world with an iron fist and the darkest of magics. If Mokmurian is in his thrall in somehow, I doubt he will stop at conquering Sandpoint or even all of Varisia…”
"Karzoug? The Shoanti speak such a name only in whispers and only after making signs against evil. Is it a demon?"
Siolad ponders the name 'Karzoug'.
By virtue of his academic nature, Siolad knows a bit more. He recalls that he was known as the Runelord of Greed and was the ruler of the Thassilonian realm of Shalast during the Age Before Ages. Karzoug, along with the rest of the Runelords, disappeared from history around the time of the fall of Thassilon. It’s believed that he specialized in the sin magic of greed (known as transmutation to modern mages).
"Karzoug... I knew I heard that same somewhere before." Siolad speaks up. "According to historians, he was the Runelord of Greed during the reign of the Thassilonian Empire. His seat was in the realm of Shalast. Historical accounts are somewhat unclear on the topic, but it is said that he specialized in transmutation magic--it was the school of magic linked to the sin of greed."
He looks down at his feet and shuts up. Don't say anything about YOUR chosen school. They might get touchy about that.
"Greed? Like that note we found from Marepi?
"But if he's dead, how can Mokmurian be following him?"
Siolad blinks. "Note from who now?"
"Mother Marepi. She was Eli's old teacher, maybe. It was all very confusing. She was some type of snake woman, until Beaks killed her."
"We probably could use some rest, actually," Jessamy says, thinking about it.
"Maybe you can tell us more about Mokmurian? And if you know anything else about Karzoug?"
"Very well", Conna says. "The guards will be searching for you now but I will do my best to distract them. Between that and the angry spirits here that they fear, you should be free to rest for a while. Try to make the most of the time - I do not know how long this ruse will last."
The stone giant woman picks up here things and departs, leaving the party alone in the unsettling shrine.
"Thank you!" Jessamy calls after her as she leaves.
She looks around.
"I guess I can keep guard if you guys need to get some sleep," she adds.
Jessamy yawns and stretches widely.
"So are you all going to rest? Because the sooner you do, the sooner I can!"
Siolad doesn't need further encouragement--he wanders off into a corner and nearly falls asleep before remembering to memorize spells.
Ensu uses his remaining spells to heal the rest of the party the rest of the way and then heads to sleep.
It takes a bit of doing getting comfortable enough to sleep under the watchful gaze of the stone giant ancestors' gaze but one by one the party manages to get some rest. Hours later the party finds themselves refreshed in a much needed way and, surprisingly, even their dreams were free of Mokmurian's haunting influence. As the heroes are preparing to depart again, Conna returns.
"I hope you're rested. I did what I could to divert the search parties but I'm afraid we're out of time. They'll be headed this way soon."
"Thank you. The rest was wonderful! Will they suspect you? Do we need to do anything to lead them away? And can you tell us where we should go and what else we need to be careful of. I guess we don't want to kill any of your friends if they don't try to kill us."
Siolad rises and feels refreshed. He also feels incredibly vindictive towards Mokmurian.
"Oh, I'm ready for him this time. I'm going to enjoy reducing him to a pile of ash after all the shenanigans he's pulled."
Pirknok growls dangerously as the group enters the chambers and he sees the wall paintings. One hand going to his sword, he ignores the discussion and moves to the wall to study the paintings in more detail. His other hand clenches into a fist. If only I knew the lore of my people, so that I could pay proper respect. I should kill them all... but she hasn't offered to fight. Still... can I really justify working with a giant? How, under any circumstances, could that ever be right?!
The knuckles of both fists are white and the old giantess is gone by the time the dwarf becomes aware of his surroundings once again. Turning from the wall, he moves to Jessamy's side. "Nak makor mik nikav, kir-ravnahki."
Krojun stands and stretches, his bones and joints popping as he does. "My thanks, sister of Stone. I am saddened that we must spill blood here in your home. Can you direct us toward Mokmurian's hole? We would most assuredly be grateful to spare as many of your kin as we may, if we can end this by striking off the serpent's head."
"Sebuah nikmat? Yakin, Pirknok."
"A favor? Sure, Pirknok."
He's been so quiet lately. I wonder if something's wrong? Did one of the giants hurt him worse than I thought. It's like he's not even been here for the last while.
The dwarf takes a deep breath. "Rik vakor kiv nikah, mak makiv kor rak. Vik mav... makivah var varokim. Mik mik nav, rak kamorah, kir-ravnahki?"
"Oh, um, maaf. Itu bau. Apakah itu raksasa ini? Jika tidak, saya tidak berpikir membunuh mereka semua melakukan sesuatu untuk keluarga Anda. Saya pikir jika kita hanya membunuh orang-orang yang ingin membunuh kita, itulah yang pahlawan yang akan dilakukan, tidak akan hal itu? Maksudku, dalam cerita-cerita, mereka selalu menyadari bahwa pembalasan sederhana tidak baik, jika Anda dapat memiliki keadilan sebagai gantinya.
"Maksudku, aku berpikir Anda akan makan saya, dan Anda membuktikan bahwa Anda tidak akan, sehingga Anda dapat melakukan ini juga! "
"Oh, um, sorry. That stinks. Was it these giants? If not, I don't think killing all of them does anything for your family. I think if we just kill the ones that want to kill us, that's what a hero would do, wouldn't it? I mean, in the stories, they always realize that simple vengeance isn't good, if you can have justice instead.
"I mean, I used to think you'd eat me, and you proved that you wouldn't, so you can do this too!"
Jessamy pats the dwarf on the shoulder consolingly.
That was a good speech!
"Nakivakorim kavakah," replies the dwarf sullenly. "Nakimakim kir mik kiv?"
"He momo rerekē katoa o nga tangata roroa. Tukua ia i konei tatou moe a kihai i tamata i te whakamatea matou, e tika? A tika rite reira e te tahi mau dwarves kino, i reira e rawa roroa kino, e tika? He Mahalo ake o ratou kino atu i te pai , engari pea whakaaro ratou e kei patua rite whakaekea e ratou a Sandpoint tatou ratou," she argues.
"There are all different types of giants. She let us sleep here and didn't try to kill us, right? And just like there are some bad dwarves, there are bad giants too, right? Maybe more of them are bad than good, but they probably think that we're attacking them like they attacked Sandpoint"
Siolad normally prides himself on his command of languages, but Jessamy's & Pirknok's conversation bewilders him.
Oh, it's not right to listen in on other people's conversations anyway. Shame on me.
He starts casting protective magic on himself...
Soon, his skin takes on a familiar rocky appearance, and a translucent yellow disc materializes in front of him before fading away. "I'm ready this time. How about the rest of you?"
Krojun steps toward the elf wizard and nods, smiling and speaking quietly. "Old wounds, friend wizard, may heal, but the pain remains." He nods toward Pirknok and Jess.
Siolad looks at his feet. "...oh."
His complete lack of knowledge of his traveling companions is starting to sink in for him.
The dwarf opens his mouth to retort, then sighs deeply. "It's hard," he says in Common, as if uttering the words in Shoanti would be a grave sin, "ev'ry part of me wants ta kill 'um all, Jess. An' you're tellin' me that's wrong?"
"I think it is, Pirknok. I mean, I think we should only kill them if they're trying to kill us. Otherwise, we're no better than they are, right?"
The dwarf looks at Jessamy like she's lost it. "'course we are. We're riddin' the world of giants."
"But don't giants have their place? It's like mosquitoes. It'd be nice to kill them all, but then the birds and fish wouldn't have anything to eat, which means they'd all die, and then we'd have nothing to eat! Something has to eat giants, right? Rocs, maybe?"
Pirknok blinks a few times as if trying to follow Jessamy's logic. "Uh... nope, giants got no place 'sfar 's I kin tell. They're jus' plain bad, no two ways uhbout it." He sighs. "I guess... just... if I gotta not kill 'um for now, then that's that. But I want to, an' it ain't gonna be easy not to. So jus'... help me, okay?"
"OK. We won't kill them together!"