The locals are uniformly admit to ignorance about such matters. Regardless of the veracity of these claims, you'd be hard-pressed to persuade them to speak to a hulking stranger such as yourself. However, after about two hours, a tall robed man beckons to you from a dark alleyway. "You are the ones asking about forbidden cults? I would have discourse with you."
Skaar eyes the man curiously. "Yeah, what do ya know?"
As the man gives you a low bow, you can't help but notice that he's just as tall as you - close to 7ft, in fact. "I am Zayifid, traveler of the sand and scrub, and student of all things Sarenrae sees fit to shine upon. I do not belong to a single church. I do not mock those priests who choose to remain in one location and tend to one building - not at all, for they provide a needed service. But I am not at ease if I stay in one location. I am a traveler, as I said, and have walked the billowing sands of Osirion, the westernmost velt of Nex, and much of our own, beloved Katapesh in between. I have seen much in my travels, and have brought the word and redemption of the Dawnflower to many. Yet, also, I have seen much in the way of cruelty and war in those travels.
"My path is not one of war. Sarenrae teaches redemption and forgiveness, but I know well that many do not seek these ends, and that war is often inevitable. And although I despair to think on the death of even one living creature, if the doing so will prevent a war, so it must be.
"And so I bring this information to you. I shall not stay long, for I do not desire to be caught up in the folly of battle. You will find the individuals you seek in the House of the Beast, under the leadership of the Carrion King. He resides, the rumors say, in an ancient temple upon the far side of Pale Mountain. He is using those he captures to breed an army of monsters. Soon, I fear he will raise high the flags of war. If you seek to bring him low, I pray that your effort be swift and just, that needless suffering might be averted."
Skaar's initially surprised by the stranger's size but not enough to keep him from approaching. He listens carefully to Zayafid's tale and though the notion of changing the world through pacifism was a strange one to him, the Unfailing Pillar respected his conviction. He looks to Syl periodically to see if any of the names or places he mentions get a reaction from the tramutized young woman.
"Katapesh's suffered Lamashtu's presence too damn long. I can't promise that I'll drive her out for good but I can bloody her followers' noses and smash whatever plans they've got for conquest to pieces. If I'm able to pull any of the poor girls outta there alive, do you have someplace in the city I can take 'em? They're gunna need care after what they've been through."
"Bring them to the Dawnflower's temple. They will be well looked after."
You've never heard of a 'Carrion King.' Of course, since your time at Scrivenbough revealed that you've been out of commission for at least a millennia, that isn't surprising. The Pale Mountain, however, is a landmark that you recognize.
Skaar nods in understanding. "I'll make sure it's done. Thanks for all the help. Hopefully we'll meet again. I get the feelin' you can help me with some other things."
"I look forward to it, friend. May the blessing of the Dawnflower go with you." Giving you another low bow, he then walks away.
Leaving the surprisingly tall priest behind, Skaar and Syl ask around for the hopefully less controversial House of the Beast.
The House of the Beast is well-known by the locals, although nobody frequents it do to the inherent dangers of desert navigation - to say nothing of the fact that it supposedly houses a dangerous Lamashtan cult. Still, you're able to get directions. It'll take a couple hours to reach the location.
---------------------------------------------------
Like a child's sandcastle carelessly placed before hungry waves that lap against shore, the forgotten temple rests, nestled in the crags of the Pale Mountain. Its crumbling spires and domes bask in the pale grayish glow of the alien twilight of the mountain skies. The scope of such a creation seems implausible in such a remote location, yet it isn't hard to question why one might choose such a spectacular setting. Indeed, it seems unlikely that there exists another so close to the realm of the gods.
Among the broken stones and empty fountains, dry thorny shrubs poke through packed clay soil sprinkled with shards of bone. The temple would almost appear deserted if not for the ominous feeling of dread and the few dozen gory warnings hung upon the outer walls; headless bodies thick with swarms of black flies.
Skaar shapes his magic into his usual defensive spell and then works another quick charm toughening his hide and thickening his dark chest hair.
"This isn't what I expected. Stay behind me", Skaar warns Syl before making a circuit around the building.
After a quick circuit, Skaar gestures toward the hole in the southern wall. "Let's start there", he says in a low voice.
Most of the aged flagstone in the courtyard lie loose, cracked, and dusted with pebbles and other debris. In several areas, the ground is littered with chunks of broken walls, and in other places, the ground is completely torn up. The remaining soil consists of hard and dusty clay that greedily devours water. Few plants bear the fortitude to survive among the ruins, but a few short trees, shrubs, and plenty of lichen grow on toppled stones or ruined works. The air is remarkable dry and crisp.
After looking for signs of traffic, Skaar heads west.
In the southwest section of the temple rises a large, bronze-plated dome set atop a raised stone foundation. The dome is badly cracked, and a gaping hole mars the southwest wall. Several human-sized brownish-black, egg-shaped objects lie about the yard surrounding the dome. Heading into the dome, you see the slithering track of a Large serpentine creature.
Skaar wrinkles his nose and studies one of the egg-shaped objects.
As you move closer, you hear a warning *hiss*. Ahead of you, a 12ft-long snake slithers out from behind a large chunk of rubble.
It rapidly closes the distance between you and it. Fortunately, its movement is hampered by the difficult, uneven terrain.
Skaar growls when the giant snake slithers into view. The big orc balls up his huge fists and pummels the enormous reptile without mercy.
You land two powerful blows, and the snake pauses in surprise. Taking advantage of its hesitation, Syl unexpectedly circles around behind it and stabs it with one of her concealed daggers, inflicting a nasty wound. The serpent strikes at you, but you easily avoid its jaws.
As the beast overextends, Skaar grabs it by the jaw with one hand. By brute force alone he holds the snake still long enough to pound it in the head with his other fist.
Under your pummeling, the snake falls unconscious. Syl gives it another stab for good measure.
Skaar lets Syl do her thing while and goes back to examining the strange eggs.
After poking one, you determine that these egg-like objects are serpent droppings. The one you're examining contains the skeletal remains of a humanoid. One bony finger is still adorned with a ring of blue crystal. None of the others contain anything worth salvaging.
After wiping wiping his hands on his loincloth, Skaar grunts and gestures to Syl. "Let's keep lookin' around."
Protruding from beyond the safety of the western temple wall stands a fortified gatehouse built around a forty-foot-diameter dome covered in pale blue, flaking mosaic tile. Behind the dome stand a pair of slender spires. The top of the northernmost spire sheers off at a jagged angle about three-quarters of the way up, while the other bears extensive cracks circling its foundation.
As you and Syl approach, a quartet of javelins fly through the windows, sticking into the ground about 10ft in front of you. You then hear a guttural voice call out in Draconic.
After stopping in his tracks, Skaar holds an arm out to make sure Syl does as well. He looks to her, "You understand that?"
He weaves a spell to reshape the words as they reach his ears.
Syl shakes her head and looks confused as you weave your spell.
"Pok vur od...tify yourselves! Why are you here?"
"We're here to smash this house of cruelty and free the region from its grip. Show yourself! Are you allies of Lamashtu's minions?" the Unfailing Pillar calls out boldly.
You hear muffled voices inside for almost an entire minute before the gatehouse door slowly opens and a single Troglodyte cautiously steps out. "Umm... We bring you to Chief, okay? He'll want to talk to you. No trouble, okay? Weapons down. No fighting."
Skaar holds his big hands up to show that they're empty. "Put your knives away", he explains to Syl.
"Show us to your chief", he says to the trog. "But if this is a trick I'm gunna break your neck first."
You're led through a series of rooms to a large dome. There, you see a large Troglodyte wielding a greataxe. "Who are you, and why are you trespassing on this sacred site?"
Faded tiles have cracked and crumbled into small piles at the foot of mud-brick walls. Once colorful mosaics are painted with sloppy, blood-scribed warnings written in Draconic and punctuated with gnoll scalps spiked into the walls. The warnings consist of multiple anti-gnoll sentiments such as "Death to the hyena infidels!", "All hail Grundmoch the redeemer!", "Rovagug claims the stink of hyena flesh!"
C3
Two sets of double doors sit along opposite walls of an open-air court. On either side, narrow wings extend for fifteen feet. Three large pillars run down the center of each of the wings. Swept against the walls lie piles of rubble from a collapsed ceiling.
C4
The broad dome crests twenty feet above the floor, supported by stone arches inlaid with glittering fragments of rock crystal. The dome itself is damaged, missing several sections that have been crudely repaired with stretched hides. Beyond the arches, tiled squares wall off the outer perimeter of the dome. Set into the floor beneath the dome is an elaborate mosaic of an intertwining sun and moon. The once stunning inlay is badly chipped. Chained to several of the arches hang the half-devoured remains of slain gnolls, their corpses crawling with flies. Most of the bodies are missing the majority of their legs and feet. A single word "Infidel" has been carved into their chests.
”So you’re the big boss around here. What do I call you? I’m Skaar and this is Syl. We’re here to put an end to the Lamashtu cultists that have been workin’ out of here. They’ve been snatchin’ up girls to use as brood mares for too damned long”, the Unfailing Pillar explains. ”I’m guessin’ from the carcasses we saw comin’ through here that your tribe’s not so friendly with the gnolls.”
The troglodyte gives a low hiss when you mention the gnolls. "I am Grundmoch, leader of this tribe. If you are against the gnolls, you need not be an enemy of mine. We were close once, but no more. Leave us alone, and we will have no quarrel with you."
"That's good to hear Grundmoch. What happened to turn the gnolls against you? It's a shame to see allies turned to enemies."
"I had a friend. Rokova, a gnoll. Several months ago, he went missing. I looked for him and found a body, but when I returned to tell the others, he was alive and well. Or, at least, something that looked like him. When I confronted him, he tried to kill me. I escaped, but not before I saw him for what he really was - a skin stealer. Shortly afterwards, the Carrion King informed me that our alliance was over, and that my entire tribe was to be sacrificed. That ... thing ... turned him against me. I know not its purpose, but I fear the gnolls have been coerced into serving a new deity: The Mother of Monsters. Any enemy of Her is a friend of mine."
"Treachery", Skaar growls when the story comes to a close.
"I wanna see your friend avenged and the bond between your tribes renewed. It sounds like this 'Carrion King' is to blame. I say we bring him down and get to the bottom of his skinchangers. What can you tell me about him? When did he show up? Where is his lair?"
"Our tribes found this place many generations ago. He claimed the lower levels; we took the surface. Since we became enemies, he's been stealing more and more of our territory. Everything from the great dome eastward is his now. We just want a return to how things were, so we can worship in peace, but his lust for conquest is insatiable. Sometimes we see humans, too. Always females. Once they go in, they never come back."
Skaar shares a knowing glance with Syl.
"How do I get into his territory? I'm gunna teach this Carrion King a lesson on what happens to shitty neighbors."
"The big dome to the east has an entrance to his lair, but you'll need to watch out for his guards. He's power-hungry and patrols the area constantly."
"Good to know. You have a way to get past the guards or are we fightin' our way through?"
"Fight. Sneak. It doesn't matter to me. They've learned to avoid our territory, though, unless they come in force. We kill individual scouts."
"I don't suppose you'd like to give us a hand? We're dealin' with your enemies for you, could you toss some potions or trinkets our way?"
Grundmoch hisses. "We have little - not enough to give to an outsider. If you need to, though, you may rest here. None will disturb you."
"Appreciate it", Skaar grunts with a nod at the trog chieftain. "Let's go Syl, we've got some gnolls to lay out."
Syl nods silently and moves to follow you.
The big orc hunkers down as best he can and heads toward the dome to the east indicated by Grundmoch. "Let's see what we're goin' up against."
You get about 60ft from the entrance to the dome when you hear a howl. Turning to your right, you see a gnoll mounted on a hyaenodon. You've been spotted. Syl, on the other hand, blends remarkably well with the terrain and seems to have escaped their notice for the moment.
The gnoll looses an arrow at you before charging into melee. As soon as it's within reach, the hyaenodon attempts to bite and bowl you over.