William eyes the statues "Those might be guardians of some sort. No need to piss them off right now. Be careful and I wouldn't open those unless we need to."
"Seems weird for a dwarven tomb to have less-than-amazing statues of dwarven warriors. Those don't look amazing."
"Yeah, I think William might be right. More likely guardian golems than works of art. Haela, be ready to use that Sigil of Kraggodan if needed to be unseen by any golems."
Benedict takes a look around the room. Is there any writing anywhere? Anything else of note?
A disembodied voice, sounding ethereal and distant but also rich and deep, echoes through the chamber in the Dwarven language.
"Why are elves and orcs disturbing my rest?"
Benedict looks around the chamber and addresses the disembodied voice.
How may I address you, noble elder?
I myself was not born to the Dwarven race, as you can see, though I learned the ways of war from this daughter of Kraggodan, Haela Sturm."
He indicates the Drill Sergeant next to him.
"Hmm. You speak well for one not of the Stone. The daughter must have taught you well," the voice says. "This Synod is not known to me, but I expect much has transpired since I ruled. I no longer have a name; I am simply the Enthroned King."
He addresses the party.
"The spirit is the Enthroned King. He ruled a long time ago, before the Synod. I will ask him about the theft of the Onyx Key, about ghosts, and about medusas. And offer our help if he needs it."
Then back to addressing the disembodied Dwarven voice.
May I humbly request your assistance with our investigation? I have three questions.
First, did you witness the theft of the Onyx Key?
Second, can you tell us of other spirits present in this place? We believe there may be one or more ghosts.
Third, have you seen a medusa in this place?
If there is a service that we can do for you, name it. If something prevents your spirit from resting, perhaps we can assist."
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"A king?" Grum asked, rhetorically. "Didn't think the bearded ones were the type to allow their kingly tombs to be overrun with Gugs."
He was quite glad that Benedict was asking all of the right questions. There was nothing he could add. Nor would he want to, as a long dead dwarves king would likely take poorly to the sight of someone like Grum.
Benedict will listen carefully to any replies, keeping his wits about him just in case the spirit is attempting to deceive him.
The disembodied voice raises in alarm.
"Theft, you say?!? I was aware of no such thing! This is untenable! The great Sky Citadel Kraggodan owes its very existence to the Onyx Key! It must be recovered!"
It then seems to calm down, speaking more softly.
"I am already at rest. I know of no other spirits, restless or otherwise, in this place. Nor of a medusa. A snake being came once, and spoke with me at length about the Onyx Key. She was unusual, but very respectful and insightful."
"The Enthroned King says that a snake being spoke with him about the Onyx Key. My guess is that this was the Ironfangs' naga, Zanathura. The one whose journal we found."
Journal here
"What we slew in the morlock caves, that crumbled into ice and snow, was described by the morlock shaman as 'a shadow of the real Zanathura'." As the shaman said here
"Is there anything else we should ask of this Enthroned King? He saw no theft, no medusa, and no other spirits."
The voice now seems quite distressed. One of the small trinkets set out as offerings to the sarcophagi is a glass bottle, and suddenly blue smoke swirls around inside it.
"The theft of the Onyx Key could be disastrous for Kraggodan," he says. "It creates the gateway towers to the Stone Road, but worse, it opens the path to the Onyx Citadel. I knew it well, as it was my company who used it in our Quest for the Sky. Unfortunately, its repeated use unleashed the elemental horrors within the Citadel, and it threatened our people even as it gave us victory. I beseech you, do not let the thieves activate the sardonyx shard! It links any tower from the Stone Road to the Onyx Citadel!
"Woe unto me, to have played yet another part of causing grief and sorrow to Kraggodan..."
"Perhaps that will be the case, Grum, but I have a feeling that we will need to be the ones to kill the hobgoblins. Which is fine with me."
Benedict translates what the King says, then walks over to examine the small bottle.
He translates what he said for the party (everyone feel free to read the spoilers).
"William, what do you make of that bottle with the blue smoke?"
Taking a somewhat lecturing tone, the voice answers.
"The Onyx Key is the artifact. It appears as a mass of onyx crystals. Breaking off a shard and planting it into the ground will create a tower gate that opens into the Stone Road. A special piece of the Onyx Key is the Sardonyx Shard, which links to the Citadel. That is how you can reach it."
If William casts detect magic, the bottle radiates a strong aura of magic.
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"I wonder..." Grum said, his voice trailing off. "If the hobgoblins have their forces in the Citadel, and they use these crystals to summon a way out, if there is a way to trap them there? That is, if we can get back the Onyx Key, if that means that their armies won't have a way out. They'd likely surrender once they find themselves stuck without supplies. Or just leave them there to starve. That would work too."
"What, so I don't get to kill General Azaersi myself?"
Benedict sounds disappointed at the thought.
"I guess Grum's approach would be tactically sound if we could make it work."
He gives a grin. "Grum has the clever plan that wins by trickery, and I'm the one craving battle and bloodshed. Hah! We've been traveling together too long my friend, we're starting to rub off on one another."
William casts detect magic at the bottle and then examines it to try and identify it.
Aerel patiently watches for threats while the others converse with the spirit. He doesn’t know the ways of dwarves, particularly, but he understands respect for those that have gone before.
The voice is somber and reflective.
"I have no messages for my city; I am only relieved that it remains. If they remember me at all, it would not be with favor. I took the throne once Kraggodan himself died. We were beset with all manner of dangers, orcs from the surface and duergar from below. I could not entrust anyone else to rule. I extended my life unnaturally so that I could continue to provide stability and order. But I lost touch with the people and their needs. They demanded my removal. I resisted at first, but when I realized what I'd done I abdicated my throne and allowed myself to die. Except I'd avoided Magrim for so long, the Dwarven god of death forsook me. I now am nothing but breath in a bottle. That is all that remains of me. It's a fate I accept."
The bottle radiates strong evocation and necromancy. It appears to be an artifact.
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Grum frowned, mulling it over. ”Ask him if there is any way he can be of use now in saving his people. Maybe Magrim will accept him if he atones through action, and not just reflection.” As a devotee of Gorum, Grum was a man of action. Feeling sorry for oneself did not seem meaningful to him without action to rectify the cause.
We could take this bottle along with us. We will not take you from your place of rest if you do not wish.
But as my friend Grum says - yes, this mighty orc has proven himself not only an honorable warrior but even at times a font of wisdom - Magrim may accept you into death if you atone through action. And should we find a way to enable your spirit to pass on and join those of your ancestors, we will do so."