Whiteclaw stops running, but at the same time she doesn't seem eager to walk back to where the ghost might be. "Why don't we wait here for the others." she suggests to Anarak.
"Where shall we seek thy bones? And do you know from whence the dark dwarves hail?"
"My long doom condemned my bones to rest unworthy within the barrows of my kindred. Long years they ruled and well, and 'neath the oldest barrow lie my poor remnants. Alas, the dark ones despoil that place, befouling it and all that lie within by the presence of their leader ..."
The shade's voice rises higher and angrier.
"Within the mines they rose. From out the Underdark they came. Seeking, finding and bespoiling all, beguiled by Zemeboh's smooth and evil tongue. Let me protect the stones. Give me rest!"
The final words rise into the air as an unearthly shriek.
It seems to Vel and Gobi that this may be the very sound that Captain Bifrost heard from his ship.
Down the hill, Anarak, Kia and Whiteclaw gaze at each other in renewed horror.
The shade's mouth opens again and with one final bone chilling howl it seems to consume itself and sink back into the fabric of the altar. You are once more alone among the stones and the dead.
When the group is regathered, Vel becomes pragmatic. "We need to find the last stone so we can take the rubbing and be done with this place. There are tracks, yes?"
With a look of disdain, Arianwyn dresses himself in the duergar's clothing.
With the departure of the shade, the atmosphere in the stone circle changes. Birdsong returns, but slowly, sleepily. It is now darker, but this is the dark of approaching dusk rather than the supernatural chill of the undead.
This is a defensible spot and you do not sense that the shade will hurt you if you decide to rest here. Indeed, you may almost be under his protection should you do so.
Anarak slowly makes his way back to the group with his head down, avoiding eye contact with the others. He retrieves his fallen axe without a word and sits alone with his back against a large tree. What started out as a great day filled with glory has turned into one of shame, best forgotten.
He sits quietly in contemplation and waves off any approach, waiting for the others to trace the stone and decide the next course of action.
Kia pats Whiteclaw soothingly on the back. "Going back would show great courage Whiteclaw, and I'm sure nobody could have expected that thing to emerge."
She takes a careful look at Anarak's disconsolate figure before deciding that words of encouragement will not be welcome and moving onwards to join Gobi, Vel and the freshly clad Arianwyn. The other eladrin looks incongruous in the extreme in his alien garb.
"Well now. That was an unexpected development. What did you learn?"
"We learnt much and yet.. little. The spirit here wishes us to retrieve its bones, and tasked us with ridding the isle of the dark ones."
"Perhaps we should set up camp, gather ourselves for what's to come. I don't expect this will be a simple task." Gobi says as he looks around the area. "It's as good a place as any to set up"
"Perhaps we should set up camp, gather ourselves for what's to come. I don't expect this will be a simple task." Gobi says as he looks around the area. "It's as good a place as any to set up"
"Rest would help," Vel agrees reluctantly. Then, to Arianwyn, "But I would point out it is not the spirit the rest of us report to."
"Ah, am I to take it then, milady Vel that you serve some other master? I would make it clear to you that I serve none, whether man or ghost. I merely do what is needful to restore the balance."
"Restore the balance? Are you sure about that?? We know nothing of that ghost or what it really wants, or even if doing what it asked is positive or not. I say we get the last rubbing and get off this island and let the duergar and ghosts play their own games without using us as pawns."
"Ah, am I to take it then, milady Vel that you serve some other master? I would make it clear to you that I serve none, whether man or ghost. I merely do what is needful to restore the balance."
"We were hired to take rubbings of the stones, nothing more," Vel answers crisply. "As Whiteclaw says, we need to find the last stone and we will be done."
While the others are recovering from the spirit's aura, Vel starts to reading the stones she has traced.
Vel once again concentrates on the ancient runes.
This is the rune stone of rebirth. It tells a story hope and speaks of the day when a sliver of golden light will shatter the endless gloom of night. Out of the ashes of the destruction of the gods a beautiful world will rise. The breath of life will once more fill the lungs of fair, murdered Baldr. Baldr reborn will travel the new world and everywhere his foot touches ground, abundance will sprout without the sowing of seeds.
The stone does not appear to do anything as she finishes reading it, but she feels comforted, as though a weight has lifted from her.
Religion check of 10 reveals the following
Baldr died as the result of a trick played upon him by Zemeboh who envied him. His death brought about the destruction of the northern gods. Their power waned, but there has always been the possibility that they might one day return.
Vel shares the results of her reading.
"But, you can see that the retrieval of these stones and their re-establishment will prevent a great evil. Surely you have no wish to aid and abet the dark ones by inaction?" Arianwyn asks plainly.
"Aye, I'm all for doing what I'm getting paid for and wiping out some evil while it's crossing the same path I'm on." Gobi says, "Can't hurt us to at least take a look at what things are going on in those barrows"
"Do we have any evidence of this 'great evil awakening' other than the words of a spirit? Spirits lie, just like mortals do. For all you know, the spirit is the evil and entering the barrows would help it wake. Rest if we must, but then get the third rubbing and get back to the boat, that's what I think."
"Can't hurt us to at least take a look at what things are going on in those barrows"
"It can't?"
Not waiting for an answer, Vel moves to read the right-hand stone.
Vel goes through the now familiar routine of deciphering the stone.
This is the stone of Vision. It reveals what Jarovit sacrificed of himself in the pursuit of knowledge. The stone speaks of Jarovit's eye, which was plucked out in exchange for inner sight. It tells the story of how Jarovit willingly impaled himself upon his own spear and was hung from the branches of the World-Ash until he saw the secret of the original rune stones. The stone reveals that only through pain and loss was knowledge gained.
As she finishes reading the stone, Vel takes a deep breath, recognising that her own ability to understand certain things has changed.
Kia looks at the group members individually, sensing the indecision amongst them.
"We were sent to trace these stones it is true, but we are bound by our natures to help those who need our pity. I am for Arianwyn's plan of restoring the bones to their place beneath this alter. It seems a task for good, say you not? And besides I was brought up always to do the best for my fellow creatures."
"Even if they are dead." She added as an afterthought.
"So, if this needs a vote, I vote for bones."
Kia looks about her and at the stones and goes up to another one to see if she can make any sense of it.
Vel goes through the now familiar routine of deciphering the stone.
** spoiler omitted **
Vel reports on the story of Jarovit .
Kia looks about her and at the stones and goes up to another one to see if she can make any sense of it.
Kia concentrates on the final stone and at last the runes become clear to her.
This is the Rune Stone of Fury. Upon it is carved the secrets of strength and the rage brought on by battle, the gift of Perun. The runes recall the that this was the ultimate weapon of the northerners. They speak also of an ancient conflict between men and dwarves and its final resolution. The free shedding of so much blood lead ultimately to peace.
Kia's eyes flash as she finishes reading the stone. Her hand goes involuntarily to her sword and she feels a new fire for battle rise up within her.
"My, they knew how to inspire people when they built these stones!"
Kia reports the contents of the stone to Vel and the others First spoiler above.
"Come on, let's find those dark ones and give them what they deserve!"
"And find the bones, of course."
Kia's words prove decisive and and you gather your belongings and return purposefully to the glade. Everything is as you left it. The Rune Stone of creation lies serenely among the corpses of the lizard, duergar and kobolds. A cursory glance around tells you that nothing else has disturbed the area since you left it.
Now that you know the final stone has been moved, it's easy enough to spot the trail. Of the two unexplored paths leading from the glade, it is the track leading north to the barrows which shows the marks of a large object being dragged. As you know, the stones are extremely heavy. The marks, though not made recently, are deep and impossible to mistake.
The path before you is passable. Conifers loom in on both sides and with night falling those of you without low light vision will have a hard time seeing the way. To make matters worse, tendrils of mist are building. Whether as a warning or an invitation you have no way of knowing.
"I have ample proof, Sir Gnoll, that the enemies of this spirit are our enemies, and I am sure milady Vel can testify to the sanctity of these stones."
Anarak listens carefully to the explanations of the stones, holding back his opinion on where the group should head. His instincts tell him they should accomplish their quest and leave. Also, the ghost seemed to be of pure evil, and he was not present for the so-called request. He nods at Gobi's pronouncement, however, and, having used him as a morality compass before, will support his friend despite his own qualms.
He says only, "I vote for the barrow."
Whiteclaw shakes her head. "The ghost is using you. Listen to what you said, the dwarves and humans fought a war here. And a human ghost is telling you that the dwarves are evil. Of course it would say that - and you believe it why??? My people are mostly savages, but even we know better than to trust the words of a spirit."
However, Whiteclaw isn't about to abandon the others, so she slides back into her normal rear guard position, even as she keeps shaking her head.
Arianwyn looks blandly at Whiteclaw and says wryly, "The dwarves kidnapped me, stripped me naked, and intended to cut out my heart as a blood sacrifice. Now, unless that was all a most cunning double-bluff, please allow this obviously unwise eladrin a little benefit of the doubt, Sir Gnoll."
The discussion continues unabated as you feel your way cautiously down the path. It is dark by now and for those of you without low light vision, a light source is imperative. Ancient conifers have been forced back and broken, clearly indicating some violent, recent passage. Nettles and brambles hem the path edges and tendrils of mist work their way up from the ground. You are now out of sight of the glade and the track before you widens slightly.
Gobi takes a moment from his position towards the front of the party to see if he hears or sees anything strange.
Gobi takes a moment from his position towards the front of the party to see if he hears or sees anything strange.
Gobi hears some kind of movement from further up the path. With the chat going on behind him, it's hard to be more specific.
Kia, walks daintily along the path all attention, listening for anything that could be suspicious.