"Farewell Erdija, may your footing remain as sure as your guidance was here."
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"Caught Krosh? Are we... hunting a maiden by moonlight then? Hmmmm,
Never was much a hobby of mine but I suppose we've a different end game here... What, uhhh, shall we do if we catch her? She's mighty big..." He intones as he squints into the darkness, moonlight lightly illuminating the maiden's massive statue.
Artrosa
You stand before the towering Maiden statue, the frigid night wind howling past you and deeper into the crevasse. Clouds of rime and crusted snow are kicked up in the gales, creating almost a rolling mist of wintry particles that swirl around you. Above, the rippling light of the waxing moon flickers its caress on the upper reaches of the massive statue, sweeping its cold illumination across the Maiden's weathered face. The effigy is obviously ancient, many centuries old, but its masterful make is still readily apparent despite the wear on the stone.
"The ravens matched a lunar phase with each statue in their riddles," Krosh says. "At first I thought this to mean a statue would be revealed only in the appropriate phase, but all three statues are here," he says, pointing out the Mother and Crone Watchers, miles in the distance. "There must be something revealed in some manner, however. The centaur spoke of rumors of complexes within the statues - maybe an entrance that can only be accessed with the right moon, or another clue or riddle may be seen. With the Witch Queen, many things are possible beyond the common."
The orc gestures towards the maiden with his palm. "There is but one way for us to find out."
”Geedra am ready to find riches and gold in statues. Maiden seem like good start place!”
Skäne echoes Byakko's concern as his scarred frown narrows;
"This Maiden. Do we think she is Jotun?"
"One way to find out indeed, eh Skäne? 'm not sure even an unproven viking'd be brave or foolhardy enough to chase a skirt that size..." Byakko winks at his warrior companion and carefully makes his way through the gloom towards the maiden. His and his striped shadow's pointed ears pricked up and both sets of eyes rapidly scanning.
You make your way into the frigid shadows of the ravine, approaching the grand statue with caution. Byakko sets to work with his trusted companion investigating the path and surrounding area for danger or anything else, the oracle visually scanning the shadows as the tiger sniffs at the frozen earth.
Fortunately there appear to be no immediate dangers, a refreshing change of pace when compared to the journey across the Hoofwood. As you enter the area near the statue's feet, you are made keenly aware of how massive these statues are. The Maiden towers over 2500 feet above you, and this close to the Watcher you cannot even see its loftiest features when you look straight up. Each time you cross a new threshold on this strange journey after Baba Yaga, the immense and unfathomable power of the Witch Queen is reinforced.
Byakko's search does not turn up a door or entrance; nothing in the feet or legs of the statue, nor on the wall of the cliff face. You are beginning to think the rumors of there being dungeon complexes within the statues must be just rumors indeed, until you see the remains of a campsite and evidence of the passing of other beings. Both giant humanoids and hoofed creatures have been here recently, having made a short stay at the base of the statue themselves.
Further inspection shows you something on the side of the statue, in the darkest shadowy area between the statue and the cliff. Large pitons have been hammered into the Maiden's leg, three of them leading twenty or so feet up the side of the Watcher. Beyond that, you can spot a series of roughly equidistant holes in the figure, perhaps where further pitons were once set as well.
It dawns on you that perhaps the entrance to the Watcher is not at the base.
Geedra looks up at the towering figures and whistles. ”Big,” she grunts to the group. She nods toward the pitons. ”Group have rope? Geedra am fly up and tie rope so group can climb behind,” she offers with a grin, quite pleased at her proposed solution to getting the group climbing and possibly in the side of the statue.
"Of course Geedra," Byakko walks to Enii and digs around her saddlebags, pulling out 100ft of silken rope, "here ya are. That'll get us started... I can give myself and Enii wings as well but... I don't think we'd make it to the top before the spell expired. Possibly we could climb it," he says gesturing to Enii and himself.
When the group was ready, Geedra activated her hex and took to the air. She tied a knot at the first piton, hoping the rest of the group could use that to shimmy up the side of the huge statue.
With your direction - up - laid out before you, a plan comes to fruition. You notice as you discuss that Krosh, who often has a suggestion, is quiet as he stands and stares upwards at the monolithic sentinel, the strong winds seeming to barely ruffle his heavy furs and hides. The silvery ermine Khikezh as surfaced from deep within the folds of Krosh's many layers and the two are conversing.
As your plan gets settled, Krosh lifts his spirit companion to the statue and the wily stoat starts to ascend, clambering up the statue with ease.
"I send the sly spirit up to see what may wait for us. I will admit..." he lists his helmeted head slowly to look up again, the trinkets hanging from the antlers jingling, "I do not look forward to this. I will have to beseech the aerial spirits for their blessing later if we are to climb each of these Watchers..."
When you are ready, Geedra chuckles and flies up to tie a rope off at the first large piton so that the group make begin the ascent.
Byakko kneels in front of Enii and scratches her neck, suddenly aware of how big she's gotten, "If you can make it girl we're headed up, if not..." he begins to choke up, he puts his head to her cheek to hide the tears in his eyes. "Don't stray too far. You're on your own after a full moon cycle, then may we meet on the next plane if not this one." He moves to climb.
Skäne grimaces as he makes his ascent. His arms and armour that protects him becoming more of a hindrance as he presses upward:
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Before the ascent, Krosh approaches Enii and jingles a talisman before pressing it onto the white tiger's forehead, intoning a spell before looking to Byakko. "The beast can now fly for a time, if you can communicate that. The shaman also casts a spell upon himself and you see his muscles swell beneath his layers of hide and furs, his strength increasing.
You begin your perilous climb of the statue - a climb actually made much easier by the flying goblin ferrying ropes and pitons around you, giving her sly Geedra cackle all the while. Byakko makes spry work of the statue, sure-footed for much of the run until a misstep causes his feet to slide out from under him...but a quick cast of a spell keeps his grip sure. Enii is a somewhat comical scene, floating upwards with strange motions that betray the grace of a cat, but effectively nonetheless.
Krosh's enhanced strength and methodical pace sees him rightly to the top without issue, a result that even he seems surprised with. You can hear him muttering thanks to the spirits upon completion.
Mithas, surprisingly, for all of his agility, as quite the rough time with a straight strenuous climb. Three times do you see stones crumbled away under his fingers or a misplaced foot slide clean off the side of the stone, but each time, in a heart-dropping moment, he manages to keep hold and make a breathless recovery before moving on.
Skane's armor indeed takes a bit of a toll on his as he climbs. He too finds a few missteps, but the determined warrior does not give the earth below the honor of slaying him and anchors himself to the stone each time, trudging his way to the top.
By the time you all gather at the crest, those who climbed are heavy with sweat despite the cold, with muscles sore and burning from such an endeavor. Before even witnessing your surroundings you pull yourselves up and lie for a few minutes, gathering your senses and breath before standing.
You see vertiginous cliffs surround the statue's mesa-like top on all sides, though a rock wall backing the top of the Watcher's head rises above the plateau, creating some cover from the cold winds blowing at this altitude. From every direction the view is dizzying, offering a clear panorama of miles and miles of Iobarian wilderness. A small copse of bare, weathered trees stands in the shelter of the rock wall, their knotted roots clinging desperately to the cold, hard stone. Dozens of bones litter the ground before this strangely placed grove, some so ancient that the trees' roots appear to grow right through them. Most notable the central tree is a towering 18 foot tall willow with a trunk that is in the shape of a humanoid woman. Behind the trees, a shadowy arched opening in the wall leads deep inside the rock.
You also spy the grim sight of a gutted centaur hanging from one of the trees, his flesh pale and bloodless, frozen features twisted into a ghastly visage of shock and horror.
"Aye Krosh, ye just have told her though I think she'll find understanding the flying bit harder than the plain words. She has a primitive grasp of common if not the tongue to speak it."
On reaching the top Byakko can barely catch his breath due to the incredible view. He takes in the vista before losing his breath again in shock at the centaur's corpse. His immediate desire to cut the misshapen corpse down but he decides to take in the surroundings first, wary of traps. "We should put this poor soul to rest."
Geedra points to the opening in the wall. ”Am how group get in over through door,” she summarizes to the group.
She sighed at seeing the centaur’s corpse hanging all the way up there not far from the group. ”How centaur get all way up here,” she mused.
Having finally reached the summit Skäne does not share Byakko's appreciation of the sight or the height.
"Never. Klífa . Again. Next time Puka can make us fljúga! "
Grunting he shifts unsteadily to his feet and gathers his gear, before pausing grim-faced at the grisly sight;
"Maðrdrasill ... This is nei good..."
The warrior shifts spear and shield to hand and looks around cautiously;
Before..
Krosh looks down at Enii at Byakko's words and nods. "Hm. A strong spirit. Good." He gives the tiger a single path on the head before the ascent.
After
You muse over the hanging centaur, its body a grim sentinel to this strange place. Byakko and Skäne eye your new surroundings cautiously, not eyeing any notable enemies - no Tsolniva centaur, frost giants, or fey - until they both notice the limbs of the central womanlike tree of the small copse begin to move - and not in the wind.
The branches of the eighteen foot tall willow bend and fan out in a grand display just as the roots begin to churn and slither along the ground. As two massive vine-like tendrils suddenly emerge from the foliage, a maiden's voice creaks through the platform.
"All who seek to enter Artrosa must present me with a sacrifice, as those who pass before you have done," the voice calls. One of the tendrils slowly turns to gesture towards the dead centaur. "Grant this unto me, and I shall lay safe passage to the vaults within." The limbs and roots continue to slither and shift, though not menacingly or aggressively towards you. The tree merely stands and waits.
Know. Nature
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Byakko grunts wryly, knowing his desire to cut the grisly remains down wouldn't be simple given the witchy customs they'd already encountered. He struggles to keep the beastly rasp from his tongue as his blood begins to boil, "We have no desire to present a sacrifice such as your current door decoration." He barely snarls the word 'decoration' through his disgusted sneer. He has to pause, fighting the bestial tongue, but continues, "Would you accept something other than blood sacrifice?"
you know this entity as a Witch Tree; a creature largely of myth, you weren't sure they even existed until this moment. It is said that only the most powerful witches can conjure them - or perhaps grow them - and that they are bound to the service of witches through pacts, often serving as sentinels or guardians. Their motives for payment are likely varied depending on their pacts, but it would appear that this one thirsts for blood and flesh.
The tree's boughs snap curiously for a moment and then it almost seems offended. "No desire?" it says disapprovingly. "The last visitors granted me what I asked without hesitation. Why so adamant? You've come all this way, what is the life of a single being compared to what lies beyond...?" The tree's strange voice quivers as it trails off.
Sense motive
Geedra points at the tree. ”That am witch tree! Witch must have summoned or grew tree! Has Baba Yaga grown tree? Group am Baba Yaga’s friends. Black Rider even,” Geedra says as she points to her own chest.
Skäne tries to discern what he can of the creature, but comes up short... its nature being too unfathomable to a simple warrior such as he.
At Geedra's chittering he scowls, confusion playing across his heavy features;
"Wytchtré? [ooc](Witch tree) What is such a creature Puka? A blight or boon?"
"Putting aside the fact that the only people here are dear companions, blood sacrifice is barbaric, and the door is right there... If you wish for us to sacrifice this centaur's right to respectful burial, then you may have it so we can punish those that brought it's unjust end."
The strange tree creature seems to have some sort of reaction to Geedra's reveal, though it is difficult to read the "body" language. You are unsure whether the tree is intrigued, skeptical, or somewhere in between, but it does appear to move with a touch more caution.
"Enough, dark spirit," comes the sudden, monotonous voice of Krosh. He takes a few slow steps from his normal position behind you all to put himself more in the perception of the tree. "You may desire a gift of flesh and bone, but your pact does not dictate it." There is a force in Krosh's voice, a coolness that gives him a strange air of authority.
The tree hisses, if you could call it that, though the sound is more akin to splintering or creaking wood. A breeze filters through the area, jingling Krosh's talismans and trinkets, and a long moment passes where nothing is spoken.
A rustling of leaves serves as the tree's sigh, and the churning boughs and roots slow.
"How...boring," it bemoans, shifting forward from the copse slightly. You see a branch lower that ends in a series of gnarled twigs that look like a claw. It points to Byakko. "Very well, if you must offer something else. But would you be willing to sacrifice something to achieve your goals? A part of yourself? Your skills or ability?" A vine drops from above and slithers across Byakko's shoulder. "Would you take on the burden of another curse to find the path below?" The voice inflects hard on "another" in a knowing way, as if this strange plant can sense those curses you already bear.
"If any of you would take on a malediction, the way will open. But be warned, an affliction from the architect of this place will be precise in its malady, for the magic here will know you. Indeed, there will be many times even within and below where you may find yourselves in need to stunt yourself to continue on. Such is the path to uncover hidden things...but the choice is yours; who among you is bold enough?" There is a light laugh, and the tree turns to gesture towards the dormant doorway. "Keep in mind, no magic or might may undo this curse until you leave this place or die, so do not go thinking you are cleverer than the Queen of Witches."
Geedra smiles her wicked toothy grin and looks the tree up and down. ”Geedra am not scared of witch tree curse. Geedra am have Baba Yaga on Geedra side. Tree can do worst,” she says as she steps forward and closes her eyes, ready for the curse.
Skäne matches the Puka's grin as he retrieves his hammer and a thick nail of cold iron from his belt.
"I too have a gipt for you Wytchtré..."
He holds up the nail as he hefts the adamantine mallet menacingly;
"This is a Hex Nagl . Komm. Let me hammer it djúpr into your bǫrkr ..."
Byakko's slight hesitation to step forward allows Geedra an opening. He remains silent, chagrin creeping across his face as the goblin beat him to the punch. He finds solace in the trees prediction that there will be more sacrifices to be made.
The boughs and roots of the tree churn fitfully, undulating through the frozen stone of the mesa, and crushing the bones that lie strewn about, darkening the area around you as the strange voice of the tree creaks out.
"I have stood here for centuries beyond centuries and claimed many sacrifices, Ulfe,'[b]it warns. [b]"Their bones are a testament to their foolishness in thinking they could win their way past me."
There is something in the tree's tone and aura that give you pause...there is a sense that this creature is perhaps more powerful than it lets on; more than you originally surmised.
The limbs snap towards Geedra. "Step up then, small witch, and let us see if you can carry the curse to the depths and claim what you seek."
As Geedra approaches, a single long vine-like limb descends from the canopy and approaches the goblin, moving carefully and purposefully as a snake poised to strike. It touches the top of her head and coils around it once; instantly Geedra feels a strong sense of dread and foreboding trickle down her spine, and then the limb retracts. This heavy sensation spreads, even feeling her mouth and ears, before slowly fading.
"It is done," the tree decrees. "The way is open."
With that, the rock wall behind the arch shimmers and shifts before your eyes to reveal a stone stairway leading down.
The flight of stairs is long and twisting, carved into a cramped passage of cold black basalt. Ancient carvings on both sides of the stairway depict fields filled with wildflowers and springing deer. After a final turn, which comes after some 500 feet down, you reckon, you spill out into a large rectangular chamber.
Hewn from the surrounding basalt, the walls of this large room have been chiseled into an incredibly intricate display that continues the wildflower motif the of the stairs. Thousands upon thousands of flowers in every direction on each of the walls. In the middle of each wall, the carvings show a wreath of pinecones that surround a life-sized depiction of a nude young woman. On the north wall, the figure washes her hair, on the east wall she sits staring upwards at a crescent moon, on the south wall she picks a bouquet of flowers, and on the west she points to a triangular, knot-shaped symbol. Across from you in the southeast corner of the room, an open archway beckons further passage.
Near the center of the room, not currently facing you, is a dirty giant some 14 feet tall, but not the frost variety you have seen since arriving in these lands. Her flesh is deep brown and she is clad in long mismatched robes that look as though they were stitched together from multiple sources - drapes, blankets, even rugs. most notable, the giant has two heads, each a pig-nosed, tusked visage though they appear differently enough to tell them apart. You hear both heads speaking to one another, and by the tone you guess they were arguing.
"Pahh," the left retorts. "Caigreal brought, we let pass. No harm. Stop worry. All fine."
"You don't know. Jadrenka might get mad. Her boss, no more Caigreal."
"Shut it."
"No you'
After a bit of back and forth, the giant seems to notice you, and hastily springs to its feet, pulling out a pair of large sickles from beneath the robe and takes a single step towards you.
"Who you? What want here? Go away," the heads say, going back and forth between phrases. They say this first in Iobarian, but shifty to Giant, Goblin, and Orc until they get a response.
As the group descends, Geedra attempts to cast Mage Armor on herself for some protection.
Curse
Her tongue almost seemed to thicken up, as she barely fought off the curse of the stupid witch tree.
With her arcane protection bolstering her, the goblin plods forth after hearing the conversation in giant. ”Group am here for Jadrenka. Jadrenka am have mission for group. Where is Jadrenka…be fast,” she warns the two headed giant.
Bluff
Byakko looks perplexed as the monster rattles off a few phrases in different languages. He sees the dawning of understanding on Geedra's face, as she moves to talk he touches her shoulder, offering Guidance.
The ettin's heads look at one another and then back to Geedra and they both let out a grunting laugh before suddenly stopping and furrowing their brows.
"Tricky little goblin," says the left head.
"Not nice to try and trick Gurra," the right head agrees.
"Or Gurra" adds the left. The ettin clangs her sickles together and sniffs the air, taking a menacing step forward.
"If Jadrenka called yous, GurraGurra would know," they say in unison. "No no, what you doing here, small ones? And you be fast!"
Geedra takes a half step backwards as she considers her options. ”Human made Geedra lie,” she squeals as she points directly at Skane. ”Geedra am actually nice little goblin, but big human bullied Geedra. Human threatened to punch Geedra pretty face,” she adds in a wail, hoping the others might be able to intervene or the Giant might be distracted by her ruse.
Skäne surpresses a hard smile at the canny bravery of the little Puka, and plays along;
"Aye, only needed one hand to hœta Puka. Now let us past or I'll ring hvárrtvegi your heads..."
He taps his adamantine hammer to his shield with a satisfying "clang";
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Byakko is still perplexed at the conversation but adds what he can to Skäne's intimidating stance. Enii at his side doing her part.
The ettin's heads slowly regard one another and the mouth of the left twists into a hesitant look while the other slowly nods. The sickles are lowered and both heads sigh., perhaps realizing that a fight against so many would be a bit foolish.
"Bah. Too many visitors. If you want to talk to Jadrenka, fine. She can be anywhere. This Jadrenka's house, after all. She'll find you, more like, if she wants. Don't cause trouble; already be hearing ruckus from other...guests. Jadrenka hopefully kind to us."
The ettin steps to the side and waves a sickle towards the pathway in the far corner. "Go if you want, but I don't why you here. Here to learn magic? Gurragurra learns magic. Maybe Jadrenka let you stay, too."
Geedra puffs her chest out. ”Geedra am want learn powerful magic. Make Geedra most powerful goblin in world. Show dumb Poog how strong Geedra am be!”. If the group was ready to enter, she followed.
Geedra's haughty confidence is enough for Byakko, he follows her asking under his breath "Errr, what just happened?"
Skäne lowers his shield and hammer, and trudges cautiously past the two-headed gate-keeper.
At Byakko's question he shrugs, clearly happy to have avoided conflict... for now.
"I haf no idea..."
The ettin, Gurragurra, laughs. It is not pleasant. "Ickle goblin come to learn too. Might be Jadrenka can teach to be most powerful goblin. Maybe even learn as much as Gurragurra. Maybe...stills, maybe best not tell anyone Gurragurra let you in...just in case," The four eyes of the ettin slowly and ominously move to the one hallway that exits this chamber. She shrugs. "Bye bye." And with that, she moves up the staircase that you entered from.
Your path unguarded, you proceed on, descending more crude stone steps that twist through a rough hewn passage. These steps aren't very steep, but long, making it an easy walk, though you notice that the temperature seems to quickly drop as you descend, complete with a rime of hoarfrost settling on the walls. You eventually come to a heavy stone door, locked, set into the wall of the corridor on your right. The carvings on the door depict a vine motif and a field of shrubs and mushrooms. The corridor continues on, descending into cold darkness, but from somewhere ahead you can hear the echoing of something shifting or scraping against the stone.
Geedra looks at the group, wondering which way they wanted to go. ”Door or sound ahead,” she asks, reducing the choice into a binary.
Skäne nods toward the ornate portal;
"I say door. Unless someone wishes to njósn ahead?"
"I haven't any skill in picking locks but perhaps Skäne's hammer might work? Enii and I will have peek ahead a short ways..."
Mithas slides up to the heavy stone door as Byakko moves to scout down the hallway. "I'll see if I can break us into this passage while you see what's down the other."
He takes out his tools and begins to work the lock, muttering that it's surprisingly complex. Byakko and Enii slink down the hall, going a short distance before the passageway starts to descend in another portion of sloped stairs. The scraping noises grow louder and after about twenty feet of slight descent, a figure appears down the path.
A hulking frost giant lumbers slowly up the pass, the corridor much too small for him to move freely. He half crawls, half stoops, his armor and the tip of his spear the source of the scraping as they drag against the stone. Grumbling and cursing, he doesn't notice Byakko at first as his eyes are cast down, raises them when he is roughly sixty feet away and sees the half-elf and tiger coming down the hallway as both parties register one another. There is a brief moment of tension before the giant starts bellowing.
The giant begins crawl-walking backwards down the hall from where he came, holding his spear out as a defense as he yells and retreats.
"We're in," Mithas announces as he bypasses the lock on the door and pushes it open slightly to reveal another corridor. "Not sure what's going on down the hall, but if we want to get past this door and reset the lock we might be in the clear from whatever it is. Unless they have the key, of course."
Byakko hustles back and quickly tells the group of the crawling, bellowing giant. "I do not speak giant but he's retreating so I'd guess he has friends or room to fight back there. Ahh you got the door open? Seems like that way may be the smart direction now." He checks that Enii is still at his heels as he moves to the door.
Skäne, hammer and shield readied nods in agreement;
"Aye. The door... Let us fella the Hrímþursar once we hav kunnr of our bearings..."
He positions himself to cover the giants corridor bidding the others enter the threshold of the door.
Geedra ducks inside the door as well, not wanting to deal with whatever frost giants tricks further down the hall.
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Leaving the lumbering giant to its own devices, you filter through the now-open doorway as Skäne covers the hall, the shouts of the giant still echoing through the stone corridor. As the Ulfen warrior passes through after the rest of the party, you close the door and Mithas resets the lock, and the noise of the frost giant is suddenly silenced.
The new stone hall you find yourselves in is noticeably different; a warmth and humidity clings to your flesh and the scent of wet vegetation and swampy water hits your senses. You can see a soft luminescence at the end of 80-ft corridor as it opens up.
As it is your only path, you move forward, the temperature and scents growing gradually. About ten feet from the end of the hall, you start to hear some faint music playing as you enter the room proper.
This large natural cavern is warm and humid and stinks of stagnant water. Wisps of vapor hover just above the floor, somewhat obfuscating a swampy morass of fungus. In some areas of the cave, large lumpy piles of the fungus rise from the slop like fetid islands, and long, rubbery strands hang from the ceiling and walls and across an opening about forty feet away that leads out of this cavern. The sound of the music here is also louder; pleasant and jovial, your ears are keen to it...perhaps a bit too keen..
A sly, soothing masculine voice, thick and sugary like honey, echoes out from beyond as the music quiets for a moment.
"Hello friends...so cold out there, why not come get warm in these lovely pools?" it coos as the music, a charming wind instrumental, swells again.
For everyone except Geedra, this sounds like an absolutely wonderful idea. Even Enii seems eager to warm her sinews in this luxurious water. Byakko and Enii, Skäne, Mithas, and even Krosh begin to move towards the center of the room where the warmest waters await as Geedra blinks and watches...
"Mebbe just a quick dip... Where are ya stranger?"