Bareth is short and doesn't care
the giant of sorts closes his hand around the orb. "I'll give it back if you come along with me. We will walk, and discuss things. All of you will come, or you won't get this back. Simple. Now, this architecture predates my arrival."
Luca turns to get the parties opinion on the matter.
Lwazi nods, but says nothing. He does not trust this creature, but neither does he think it wise to antagonize it.
Rivet is perfectly happy being short. His ambition is to become slightly shorter after all.
"Is there a particular destination you have in mind, or do you just prefer talking while on the move?" he asks.
"I prefer to stay moving."
"Then we should move before whatever hunts you finds us all. If you have no preference, then I assume you will not mind if I take the lead?" Rivet starts off in a random direction, though not the one that leads back to the camp.
the armored figure begins to walk, chain overcoat rattling as he moves.
"so, you all are new here. It has been... Some time, since anyone has showed up here. What motivated you to come here?"
the man is in no rush, asking simple questions, strolling a a leisurely, unconcerned pace.
Roy stays mostly quiet, watching their perimeter. He was already nervous about the giant, but his clattering armor coat just meant they'd be attracting more attention. Just because the might be big enough not to worry doesn't mean the rest of them wouldn't have to deal with whatever he brought to them.
"Cold hard cash. Well, I'm mostly kidding. The White Butterfly Company hired us as specialized personnel to help them try to establish a stake in the Maelstrom. That and potentially a colony in the future. At the moment, we seem to be short of a way home."
"don't get your hopes up of leaving soon. This place seems inescapable. Teleportation out just fails. Indeed, more then that, it seems to draw people in. Escape is, as fas as I've seen, impossible."
The man keeps walking, hands behind his back. He seems totally unconcerned by the noise he's making. His hands behind his back push the chain cost slightly to the side- a large sword can be seen sheathed at his waist.
"I'd love for you to prove me wrong, of course. But I don't see it as likely."
the man seems to stare foreward as he walks, not even looking at the people he's talking to.[/b]
Lwazi frowns. "If it draws others in, where are they?" he asks, though he fears he already knows the answer.
"usually dead." he states bluntly.
Back over his shoulder Rivet glances at the giant's face. "Ah. Then when Madam Renal connects a gate here again, we should plan to leave immediately - the gate did not seem to collapse instantly after all." His gaze sharpens. "If that matter hardly concerns you though, may I ask what does? Since you were the one to make contact you must desire something, whether in act, knowledge or materiel."
"or is it just company you lack?" [spoiler=DC 20 sense motive]The imp's tone of voice would indicate he found this option unlikely[/b]
"I doubt you'll be able to get out, even with help. Regardless, you are wise to realize that I desire something from you. Simply put, I have plans. I want you to come fight me at my citadel in the fog."
the man takes off his helm, revealing an old, dessicated head with scraggly hair- he's very clearly undead.
"but I need you to make it that far first."
"...Your citadel?..."
"Fight you?"
"And what do you mean by 'the'?"
Lwazi looks at the creature with narrowed eyes. "Is it a fight you wish to win... or lose?"
the figure glances to lawazi out of the corner of his eye. He completely disregards the question, dispite the obvious attention he gave lawazi. "yes, my citadel. It's in the fog." he points to the massive snowstorm in the distance as they come to the edge of the forest, the walk seeming extremely short for such a distance traveled. "a beast forms the fog that enshrouds the small area of the island you've seen. If you wish to explore the island on the large, kill it."
"Interesting, I wonder how it makes the fog, is it a chemical reaction inside or outside the body? It could also have some magical properties to it instead."
Gin gazes at the fog, and asks the undead.
"Does the fog have any adverse effects other than pour visibility?"
"not really. It' a easy to get lost in, but besides that, it really is just fog.
Lwazi notes the being's lack of answer to his question, wondering if he hit a nerve.
"What manner of beast is it, beyond one that creates fog?" he asks, warily.
"probably magic. There are a lot of fog spells"
"a towering beast. Primal in nature, it has little in the way of vital organs. The only way to kill one is to shred it until it can't move."
the towering man looks over the group, after a moment of silence.
"any more questions?"
If Roy has any, they're not ones he's going to ask.
"Where, uh... where would the beast be? Or is there a way we can keep the fog out of our way without having to kill something?"
the creature points to the snowstorm again.
"it's in the center of that. And as for other ways... Well, I don't really know many. Feel free to try."
"We will likely need to build our strength first," Lwazi comments, though it's unclear whether it's directed more to their 'guest' or the rest of the party.
Answering Lwazi Rivet says "It is well. In these few days we haven't explored all that we can without entering the fog, and I am sure there is more to find still." He shrugs and turns to the undead. "Is there any signal we could give that you might be able to detect from your citadel? And - forgive me for not asking sooner - what name would you prefer to be called by? I am Rivet."
"I prefer not to give real name, so... hmm. You can call me terron, I suppose. Signaling me is rather unlikely, but I suppose if you must, necromantic energy draws my attention."
"Is there aught more to say now?" Lwazi asks. Canny Cheetah in him, wary and cunning, thinks that this conversation has gone on long enough.
"It seems not. Though I would prefer that our colleague's soul be released to its destiny rather than held indefinitely by necromancy" he adds apologetically.
the figure snorts.
"Do with it what you will."
he tosses the white orb to rivit.
"Though, releasing it here is foolhearty, for the maelstrom will certainly claim it. And it is of little use returned to it's body. It's memory is utterly destroyed by now."
Whenever he leaves Bareth grumbles "now what do we do with it, are we just going to hang onto it in the hopes that maybe someday it's released?.... I don't suppose any of you know how to create intelligent magical items or constructs?"
Lwazi watches 'Terron' warily, but says nothing for now.
Roy shakes his head.
"I guess the best we can do is hold onto it until we get back home."
"Maybe. Bareth's suggestion... isn't impossible. Though no expert I have picked up some of the basic principles of constructs." Rivet thinks aloud. "We would need more resources for that and have barely begun exploring this island in the Maelstrom to see what might be available. Perhaps we should continue with that now?
"i will take my leave. the stance man mumbles something, and just like that, is gone, casting a spell and vanishing into thin air.
Lwazi relaxes slightly as 'Terron' disappears. "I have no trust for that creature," he states, rather unnecessarily. "As I said, we should build our strength before challenging anything of the sort he speaks of. The only question is, how would we best go about this?"
Roy lets the tension in his shoulders go a little bit as the possible threat vanishes.
"I mean, at the very least we can keep exploring and gathering materials to use."
Lwazi nods. "So where next, then? It seems there is much we can find in these forests. Perhaps we should examine the area close to this place, and see if there are more clues as to what we found inside?"
"it's as good an idea as any, and we might find some more food and resources to fortify a location if we still care about that
"Indeed! And if there is nothing to find here perhaps we should set off for the maze which Lwazi found earlier?"
"I would suggest we explore the perimeter of the maze, first," Lwazi replies. "Let us get a feel for its extents before trying to go within. Perhaps we might see something of interest while we do so, as well."
Rivet sums up, "First the immediate area to see if there are any clues to tell us the nature of the buried chamber, then to the perimeter of the maze to see what may be seen, then most likely within the maze? Shall we be about it then?"
as the party begins to walk towards the maze, something very big and very concerning comes up- a nine headed beast- a hydra. It seems largely unfocused on the party, however, as it's currently engaged in a fight with a pair of raptors who are using hit and run tactics agaisnt the beast. Three already dead raptors lay around the hydra.
The fight hasn't noticed the party- yet, at least.