Akahale works out how the wrecking eye operates by simple trial and error. The error lies in his misjudgement of Hadarai's position.
"Ahem ... be careful," he calls, just a little too late.
"What do you think you're doing?!? Oh, nevermind, I see you've figured it out." Manny says, as Hadarai goes sailing across the room,...
Hadarai resettles himself and glares a bit in the direction of Akahale. "Perhaps we should stop playing with that thing... "
Being hit with that giant eyeball could be further evidence of their turning... or just a bad accident
The eladrin's keen insight into the workings of the mind allows him to realise that although his new companions are already somewhat eccentric, their current paranoid attitude has been created by an outside influence. Akahale's attack against him, however, was just a result of over-eager fiddling.
"Friends -- our minds are not our own. Guard your feelings and make sure that we do not let this foul place turn us against each other. Well you, Mandrake, I fear for the person that goes in there -- but still be on guard."
Hadarai looks over his companions, makes sure everybody looks/feels okay, and then makes ready to continue.
"Let's wrap up our search here and keep moving. The sooner we find the source of this malaise the better."
Manny grins at the complement. Then he looks thoughtful,...
"Hey,..."
"Hmm, yes it can be difficult to concentrate. There is a very foul touch to the eatheral plane in this place. One that needs to be cleansed. Fear not Hadarai, it is my duty to guard my allies. I will give my life if need be." He turns to Manny and Akahale gives them a jab. "Am I right or what..." and snickers.
Hadarai finds that the stone eye in the centre of the room is the cap to a chute with an iron ladder descending below the ground.
"The putresence has affected my mind? Is this possible?"
Thoroughly perturbed, Akahale ruminates.
"It may be that you are correct." The dragonborn twitches slightly. "The invasion of my very self is intolerable. This canker must be eradicated. Cut free and destroyed. If my demolition is required, so be it."
Eyeballing the newly discovered ladder. "Hmm. So, which way?"
"Downward. The eyeball motif suggests a hiding place for these deluded cultists."
"I'm with Akahale. Let's head down."
The group descends down the ladder for 25 feet. At the bottom, they find a tunnel formed of the same strange dreamstone that they have encountered before. It is tall enough to walk down but very tight and twisting.
I'll take the lead and keep an eye out.
:)
"I got this,..." Manny says, rolling up his shirt sleeves. He makes a few mystic passes, mumbles some gobbledegook, and sprinkles bat guano in the air.
Then he looks at the others and shrugs.
"Sorry. Old habit. I keep fergettin' you guys ain't carny bait."
He then mutters the true magic words (Ron-Son & Zip-po) Flicks thumb, and places the flame that appears on Akahale's head, where it spreads across the dragonborn's armored frill and glows brightly.
"There you are! Placed for convenience!" The mage says brightly.
The four heroes proceed down the winding tunnel of stone, its glowing veins scintillating in the light glowing from Akahale. As it twists and turns, you begin to feel as though you could float away, a sensation some might find nauseating, couple as it is by the feeling of being crushed in this never-ending rocky hell.
Akahale allows his neck frill to flap gently, adding a psychedelic aura to the already nauseating passageway.
"I hope you are not intending to make me a target, Mage Mandrake."
The companions proceed onwards lit by the flapping frill. The group slowly makes progress in the cramped conditions, travelling for what seems an age but can only be perhaps 100 feet with no end in sight. Do you continue?
"The trap door and ladder were placed here for a reason, this must go somewhere." Hadarai keeps going.
Hadarai spies nothing more than the vertigo-inducing stone. The group carries on until it reaches a spiral staircase going up.
Hadarai feels dizzy, whilst the rest of the group are unaffected by their passage through the 200 feet of weird rock.
Akahale listens to the voices, but tries to dismiss them from his mind.
"Be wary, abomination is seeking to overtake us again ... "
His voice trails off as he notices Hadarai rocking slightly and his eyes narrow suspiciously.
"Aggg let's try to push through this area, the stonework is making me sick." Hadarai does not want to pitch his lunch in front of his friends...
"Finally a way out of this foul tunnel. Very strange, almost as if we were followed. I also thought I heard voices of others not seen. What say the rest of you?"
"Most certainly I heard voices, egg-brother and I am certain that our presence here will not have gone un-noticed."
Akahale gives his glowing neck frill a preparatory twitch and allows his eyes to commence their disconcerting whirling.
The group can now see that the stairs are also made of the strange stone and turn widdershins. As you reach the base of the stairs, they can hear voices. Fortunately, you can see that further up, the dreamstone blends into normal bedrock.
Manny just shrugs.
"Meh. I always hear voices. They stopped bothering me too much when I sang my Banshee drinking song,..."
"Ah! The light at the end of the tunnel!" He squeals girlishly. He hushes quickly at his companions dirty looks.
"Haha! With the trail of bodies we've left, it would not surprise me too much that we have not gone unnoticed."
Hadarai continues up the stairs. .
Hadarai feels his head (and stomach) clear as he goes up. Ahead the stairs split around a thick wall and ascend into the room from which you can hear the droning chant.
"Doubtless some repulsive ceremony is in progress. We shall intervene."
"Looks like I'm feeling better just in time. Let's ruin their party."
In a more serious note to his friends, "Remember, they like to make mental attacks, so guard your feelings! If you feel any mistrust for one another, it is just thier foul magic."
Hadarai hefts his shield higher on his should ready to storm the room.
From here you can also make out a voice intoning a prayer that is a repeating plea for the Sleeper to awaken. Directly above the split stair, you see a huge face carved in the ceiling of the wider room above. From what you can see of the face, it mimics the visage in the top of the hill. As you look, a trickle of dark liquid collects along one of the stone eye sockets and drops from it like a tear. When it hits the floor, you note its crimson color, and you smell blood.
"Ready your arms and keep alert."
"Press on we shall." Grafire heads up the stairs