Kirzon your detect magic yields no auras coming from the statue. Innis moves forward and as she does the voice erupts in everyone's head.
Move. Death. Prove. Show. Worthy. Leave. Live.
The voice enters your heads again Seek. Where. Worthy. Pass. Unworthy. Death.
Merelda screws up her face in anger, her hand crossbow loaded and ready.
"What? We need to look for the 'worthy' path? If we pick the wrong one, we die? Is that it?"
Amigail remains calm, though she feels some of the frustration that's pissing off Merelda. "Leave? Us? Or Leave something that Proves us Worthy?" she asks aloud while also thinking the thought to whatever's in her brain.
There is a pause and almost a humming in your mind Prove. Truth. Show. Loyalty. Worthy. Pass. Unworthy. Death. then there is silence.
"How do we prove truth? Truth of what? Do we need to confess a sin or lie so we may pass?"
Innis grows irritated by the voice in her head. She considers all she knows about the Scythe Mother Maramaga she fixes Kirzon with a sanguine stare...
There is something Dangerous and Hungry in Innis' eyes
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Something Dark in Innis' blood considers the simplest option. With Kirzon's back turned towards her Innis' hand slides over one of her many knives. Blood of course, the answer to all things. Curiously as Luck or Fate would have it her other hand notices an unfamiliar weight in one of her pockets she draws out a long forgotten silver symbol of Maramaga. Uncertain at how she came to possesses such a thing it seems she is presented at this moment a choice...
Coveted but always an Outsider she considers the knife surely the others would react poorly. Any nascent feelings of affection drawn swiftly to a close. Perhaps only Cold-hearted Merelda understanding the necessity of What-Must-Be-Done.
The Amulet on the other hand feels heavy, burdensome, unnaturally cold. Her own Amulet buzzes angrily at it's revealed presence. Compared to her own this silver piece seems worthy of no regard at all, best left forgotten. Yet something quiet inside of her says she's done more with less. Should one blame silver for the mold of which it was cast?
~Kirzon's words draw her back to their present situation~
Innis who lies as easily as she breathes announces "I am Innis,I have sown blood and fear across the city above." She holds the foreign symbol high above her head and draws on the pearl of power casting a blessing on her allies to display her power and connection to divinity to their unseen audience. "My loyalty is without question. I have heard the Scythe Mother's call and though she has tested me my blood remains strong." She draws a bloody line across the palm of her hand . "I am worthy and I will pass. Our path lies at the end of the Reaping of Cassomir bar our way no longer."
Innis presents the unholy symbol of Maramaga before the statue and all to bear witness. The force and confidence she speaks the words is enough to rally the group and prepare the worst that might come.
A silence follows only to be interupted by the sound of something from behind the statue. As it comes into view you are certain this is the source of the voice in your head. The site of the creature is enough to cause you to turn your it's presence alone almost makes you take a step back.
The repulsive creature reminds you of some sort of squid. It has four arms that end in cruel looking pincers and a maw that gapes in between two staring eyes.
Worthy. Proceed.
Innis Shaper-of-Words motions for her followers to continue on the path.
When they are a safe enough distance she will ask the team's scholars "what manner of creature was that? Could it have been The Watcher Chevreshnekar?"
Merelda shakes her head uncertain at what sort of creature that was but she doubts it was the Watcher Chevreshnekar. Not even wanting to turn her head to look back she continues marching with the others.
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“Yep, I was right.” Lililinda squeaks softly, “Otherworldly horrors from forgotten lightless caverns. It’s only getting worse from here on down.” She hurries along, unwilling to be left closest to the unnameable monstrosity.
Innis nods "I expect it will."
"This journey has gone from disgusting to surreal. I'm not sure how much more our sanity can take. Sister, if I wake up drooling some morning, please take good care of Cinder for me?"
Double checking her crossbow, Merelda loads her 1 poisoned bolt.
"No more compromises."
Putting as much distance between you and the alien creature you continue along the road as it heads slightly southeast. The area you are now in is fairly open albeit not very level as you travel over the many ridges and outcropping rocks that seem to dominate this part of the cavern.
You have traveled for about half a mile when you a short yet broad shouldered figure ahead of you . He stands facing in your direction. You see he carries a lantern that glows oddly in one hand and an axe rests upon his shoulder. He makes no movement but there is little doubt that he does not see the light that is coming from your group.
Innis considers Merelda's grim words "You think that creature was disgusting. You've never met my Mother..." while trying to inject some humor her words are dark and fall flat. "...I hate things that talk in my head" she adds quietly to herself.
"No more compromises" She repeats Sister Merelda's words. "I am the Iron-will of the group. You will fall only when I do or I say you may"
Seeing the figure ahead, "Oh that's inviting. Do you think he's waiting for us?"
Innis assumes command. The team will approach the figure.
Cinder moves to circle the area, looking for flankers or other dangers.
The Channgeling Sorceress decides to wear Ferista's stolen face (ugly as it may be) to the encounter
Merelda senses no threats from Cinder as he flies about surveying the surrounding area. Indicating to Innis that there is noone else about Innis now changing her appearance to be that of Ferista moves towards the waiting figure.
Moving forward the figure does not move even as you close the distance.
Seventy paces away. Nothing. The figure stands there waiting.
Fifty paces away. Still nothing.
Forty paces away. Kirzon grips Innis' shoulder causing her to slow her pace. "That be a dwarf or I'll be tradin' my ax for a pair of shears and cut off me own beard!"
Thirty paces away. The odd light that you thought came from the lantern the dwarf holds actually comes from both the dwarf and the lantern.
Twenty paces away. A fully armoured dwarf stands before you or rather what is left of him. His armour barely remains on his sturdy frame and what does remain looks as if it has been bashed in or rended apart. The one piece of armour that does remain untouched is his helmet that covers the upper half of his face.
What you can see of his face that is exposed is a gruesome sight as if something or someone crushed a significant portion of lower jaw. He raises the hand holding his ax beckoning you closer.
Ferista-Innis holds up her hand drawing the party to a halt. "Announce yourself creature! Has Azrenar sent you? My brother holds less than ideal company as of late for surely you've seen better days."
Merelda changes her crossbow bolt with a non-poisoned one, then points it in the general direction of the dwarf with a clear shot if possible.
Even as many of you prepare for battle the dwarf stays his place and beckons you to come closer. From all indication he does not seem like he is challenging you albeit he definitely has seen better times.
“Another test, perhaps?”
Team approaches "Let's be done with this"
Merelda circles outward to the left keeping her light shield up to protect her and her hand-crossbow pointed at the dwarven zombie.
Seeing Merelda sweep a bit to the left, Amigail curls further to the right. Her intuition warns her that perhaps the ghostly dwarf is waving the group forward into a trap.
Cassandra was not enjoying this trip deeper into the darkness. First there was the alien thing that had attacked her mind, then there was this strange undead dwarf before them. No, Cassandra didn't like this, she didn't like this at all. As they approached the dwarf she kept her glaive at the ready and did her best to watch or an ambush.
Given all that has occurred these past nights it is no surprise how the party quickly approaches the lone dwarven figure with caution no matter how safe it might appear to be.
With a guarded step you all inch forward completely surrounding the dwarf, for all your effort he does nothing and stares in the original direction you came from.
When Kirzon calls upon the dwarf you watch as the green embers of his eyes fall upon the old dwarven lumberjack. He answers with a hoarse voice that fills the area with an emptiness you were not anticipating. His words seem to start and stop in places that cause you to move in closer to ensure you hear him clearly.
"Long have my eyes not fallen upon another of my kind...
Too long have I had to spend my vigil here guarding against those who I am powerless to stop...
My time is brief for what brings me here also pulls me back...
Two paths will come before you...Though both lead to danger one leads to absolute doom...Do not take the path to the burning tower...that is the domain of the lord of these lands. Oh how he cursed us and in turn cursed himself...Only those that look upon his true face may find safety from his axe Hzarakul...Heed these words...Ask what you will...before...I can...answer no more."
You watch as the form of the dwarven ghost begins to become harder to view as if he is fading away. You can already see where his feet were have dissipated. You are not sure how much longer he might stay here but it is likely he will be gone soon.
Ferista-Innis leans over to whisper in Kirzon's ear...
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Amigail takes in the ghost dwarf's words somberly as ever. She joins the Innis-Kirzon huddle and comments, "When it comes to the path to that burning tower thing...ask him if that's the left path or the right. The first side path we come to or the second...."
Merelda immediately pipes up.
"What is the quickest way to our goal? Nothing else truly matters in my opinion, so all else is secondary."
Innis scowls at how carelessly Merelda interjects "A cure to Maramaga's sickness is what we seek most urgently." She amends her careless Sister's words.
"Secondly how might we find the True Face of the Lord of the Burning Tower. What marks the tower's path?"
"And are there any unguarded roots swiftly to the surface?"
The name of the axe does not sound familiar to you Kirzon.
Merelda immediate goes off the rails.
"Are you all kidding me? The burning Tower? ABSOLUTE DOOM!?? A dead and cursed dwarf warn us of a path ahead and you WANT to take it? Are you all MAD??! We already have a powerful enemy we need to deal with! Not make more! We need to get ourselves cured! Not make useless detours that might get us killed even sooner! Wake up and smell your own rotting flesh!"
"Merelda, darling, calm down! He merely asked what the path looked like! He made no indication that we were taking it." Lililinda reassures the hysterical elf. "I, too, would like to know how to recognize this evil path, all the better to avoid it!"
Innis follows Lilinda's lead in trying to calm Merelda down. "Peace Sister. We must make opportunity out of misfortune. Our last encounter was much of the same. Trust that I will not lead you astray."
Merelda glowers at her companions, and reiterates her point using her cracked and formerly painted nails of her index finger.
"I. Don't. Want. To. DIE. We do not have time to find and convince others to fight for us. I will NOT follow you down that path if you choose it. I have my goddess with me. I don't need anything else."
She then moves past the undead dwarf nodding to him, and walks out of earshot while coughing up and spitting blood in the process. She then summons Cinder to her shoulder again for comfort.
The dwarf turns to Merelda as she asks the first question paying little attention to the huddle that has formed to determine what to ask.
"What is the quickest way to our goal? Nothing else truly matters in my opinion, so all else is secondary."
"Follow the path through the ruins of what was once home to my kin and clan, Hrazhad-Kul. Continue along the road and you shall reach the the tenple of Maramaga... answering the question you see more of the dwarf begin to dissipate
"A cure to Maramaga's sickness is what we seek most urgently."
"Whatever sickness has been spread by the children of the Scythe Mother I cannot answer how to cure...but in the temple is where you will find her high priest he should possess the knowledge you seek..."
"Secondly how might we find the True Face of the Lord of the Burning Tower. What marks the tower's path?"
"His true face lies upon his head...he could never have known that his betrayal would curse him this way...We of Hrazhad-Kul were children to the Scythe Mother...she gave us the power to rid of us of our enemies...we followed the rule of the King and she ruled him. But The Lord of the Burning Tower would not have this...he made an infernal pact looking to rid of us the King and the Scythe Mother but in doing this he signed it with the blood of his kin, clansmen and his own life...The path to Hrazhad-Kul remains ever the same...heed my words or you too will stand vigil for an eternity never to escape these lands...
If you seek salvation from the Scythe Mother then find the true face of the Burning Lord so that he might look upon it and find some freedom. The face holds powerrrr..." and with that the dwarf dissipates leaving no sign he was ever there.
"A helpful wretch" Innis notes curiously.
She sighs heavily "Let's be off then, lest Merelda's ill-temper find her more danger than she's worth."
You travel for another half mile contemplating the message left to you by the dwarven ghost when you watch the road split ahead with the one road heading southeast and another more intact road heading southwest. No signposts or markers indicate which road leads where.
Innis invokes the augury wand and test each path for woe or weal.