"I'll miss the heat. But everything is good, in moderation."
Hancock seems eager to go the red zone, so she follows him there.
Hancock leads everyone to the southern area.
Crumbling stone weapon racks, now empty, line the walls of this long, wide hall stretching north and south. About two-thirds of the way down, a wall protrudes across much of the passage, creating a natural chokepoint for anyone trying to move through. Chunks of stone cover a bin built into the obstruction. To the south, a passageway leads to a long tunnel. The bin contains a brass plate worth 6 gp that bears an inscription in Common and Dwarven: “May no enmity pass through this gate from Kazhlik, western doorway to the empire of Tar Khadurrm.”
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You all move back and go northward and find that fire in three stone braziers casts light across a relief that runs the length of the western wall of this hallway. The center depicts dwarves greeting humans and elves; the far ends show both groups crafting goods to trade. Several areas have been damaged, including the lead dwarf figure, though a badger is still visible at their feet.
Followed by
"Hmm, hopeful." She traces her hands along the mural. "A sign of peace."
"Oh, Droskar's faithful didn't like how this story concluded. Dwarven merchants seems to love this conclusion, though."
"Hmm?" She peers carefully. "Is it the ash blinding me? Or do you see the dwarf and the boar? With the greataxe and the forge?"
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Hancock nods approvingly and mumbles "Nice" as he reads the optimistic words and examines the relief.
"Datgusangradd." He announces, pointing at the dwarf build like a smith with a boar at his feet while he is forging a greataxe.
Bruce is too preoccupied to interpret for him, staring at one of the elves in the mural.
"Rather beefy for an elf. I wonder if the dwarves stylized it. I mean, we do it all the time. You know, have a painting made of us without the imperfections. I suppose to a dwarf, elves are a bit skinny. Or maybe she really was built like that. I suppose we will never know."
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Hancock is not usually much of a note taker, but this time he puts down his maul and takes up a pencil to record the findings. Though, one would have to agree, his pictures are underwhelming to say the least and his handwriting resembles his speech.
Bruce, who has never seen him write anything before stands there gaping like a fish out of water and cringes when he observes the barely legible handwriting.
Everyone has learned about the artwork, the idealized version of the Quest for Sky, but not the defaced leader. Who might it be? Nevertheless, they recognize Angradd, the one with the boar and greataxe, which Hancock has the interest to draw them.
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The walls and ceiling of this chamber are crusted with rough black stone that glints in the reflected light of the lava slowly churning past. Shards of the crusted stone cover the floor in a jagged blanket. This area has dim light from the glow of the lava, and the temperature in this room is extreme heat.
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Too much mold for the dwarves, and a bit too good at its job. The black stone is obsidian, valuable if we can get it out of here and find a buyer. The lava would land on the mold, get cooled, and solidify into the rock. Eventually there was too much and the rock blocked the heat starving the mold and killing it.
So as to not get caught on fire from the room's extreme heat and having discovered what is in the room, you all move quietly to the next room. In this area, painted stone rubble litters the floor below badly damaged wall murals. A stone box stands in the center of the chamber. Each side of the box has a set of two stone dials. One side has the carved image of a dwarf woman with a slight scowl above the dials, but the images on the other three sides are smashed beyond recognition.
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of a scroll.
Followed by
weapon is a hammer.
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Malik closely investigates the locked stone box and the images on the murals, "These boxes never repeat a solution; seen them before when I was another mission with a dwarven lorekeeper. Looks like this one has Dranngvit and her light pick and hound on it." he says as he looks at the murals, "I see a lizard on a scroll; kind of reminds me of Kols and their hammer."
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Bruce: "That picture Hancock pointed at was of a smith with a big honkin' axe and an animal at he his feet. What was the animal? Hey, Hancock, show me your drawing."
Hancock flashes him his drawing but the animal looks more like a blob with stick legs. but the telltale horns coming out of it's mouth gives a clue.
Bruce: "A boar! Greataxe and boar!"
The intense heat is strangely comforting. Her temples throb, her breath is shallow, and sweat glands are in overdrive. The solid stone wall reminds her of her home's basement, where the furnace belched heat and smoke. Issil was always so cold, so grandmother would let her play there. Everyone else was concerned for her safety- more likely, they were concerned she would discover what fuels the family furnace.
"Shurgha, a little sweat reminds me that I am still alive." she runs her hand against the warm obsidian. "Maybe I'll return here once we finish up." She lingers for one moment before following.
Homesickness flares up within her, and the Carnelian Signet is barely able to pay attention.
"So what about the scowling woman? Does she preside over quarterstaves and falcons? Or maybe a warhammer and horse?"
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Shurgha looks off towards the first room they entered. "We saw Magrim's mole in the first room we entered. The one with the ghosts." She shudders as she says this.
She looks thoughtful, then begins to count on her fingers while muttering under her breath, "Mole, hammer-Magrim (1); Droskar (2); Boar, greataxe-Angraad (3); Hound, light pick-Dranngvit (4); Lizard, hammer...(5); Horse, war hammer (6);"
"Hancock, How many gods are there in the Dwarven Pantheon?"
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Bruce: "Hey, guys, I think I know the answer.
side 1: Angrid: greataxe and boar
side 2: Dranngvit: ight pick and hound
side 3: Malgrim: warhammer and mole
Side 4: Kols: hammer and lizard
Its the only selections that match what we've found out."
Having said that, Bruce makes no move to touch the box and in fact backs up, just in case it gets nasty.
Hancock gives him a look, looks at the box, nods his head, and makes the selections.
Shurgha attempts to open the box with her skill to no avail. She makes way for Bruce to try it himself. He starts with the side with smashed face, moving the dials to point on greataxe and boar. He hears a click but nothing happens next. He then moves to face the one they recognize as Dranngvit. He moves the dials pointing to light pick and hound. Another clicking sound and nothing happens. Perhaps it is a good sign he is doing something right. He then turns to the other side with the dials on warhammer and mole, and another click after that. And finally, he moves the dials on hammer and lizard. Another click then nothing. But few moments later, several clicking sounds of gears moving inside can be heard and the dials begins to spin randomly, after which the stone box opens, revealing its contents: several bottles of Chelaxian wine with the date 3979 visible on the labels, a +1 clan dagger with one side of the blade bearing an etch of a dwarven city with a magmafall safely running through it which a clear indication it originated from Jernashall, Tar Khadurrm's famed center of trade, and several item beyond recognition that may have been destroyed from the heat when Droskar's Crag exploded.
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Having discovered what you need to find in the ruins, the Pathfinders return to Olfden uneventful, bringing the remains of the fallen prospectors and friends of Elsitt, in which he gives you his promised reward. Elsitt heaves a sob before gratefully giving them the two-thirds of his payment from Luna, worth 5 gp. He immediately begins preparation to hold a funeral, inviting them to attend.
The next day, Venture-Captain Luna Aldred receives them from the meeting room they all first met. "I hope you had a great rest and are doing well. How was your mission? What have you found?" she asks them.
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After the funeral, but before resting for the night, Malik writes up a report to turn into Venture-Captain Luna. The report is as accurate an account as he can muster and details the haunted nature of some chambers as well as the religious iconography of various dwarven deities. Once finished, he bundles the report together and rests for the night.
In the morning, Malik meets Venture-Captain Luna with the rest of the agents, "Interesting ruins and unpleasantly haunted. Anyone seeking to reclaim the ruins for their location will need to consecrate the area and prepare for intense heat." he says as he turns over his report.
The Carnelian Signet makes a beeline for the wine. "Ah, reminds me of..." Home. "a party I once attended. A bit too fancy for its own good."
With their exploration complete, the Carnelian Signet returns to Olfden. "Back to the chill. I'll let my sponsor attend the funeral. I'm not fond of those. It's been a joy to see you all."
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A brown-haired Chilexian woman politely watches the funeral at a distance. Elsitt never met Issil, and it wouldn't be appropriate for her to simply barge in.
With a deep breath, she finally approaches the man. "I am truly sorry for your loss. My family has dealt with too much death, unexpected. I am still haunted by the death of my grandmother, may she find redemption in the afterlife."
"When she was still able, she taught me a particular dance, focusing on holding onto memories. As long as you remember your friends, they are not truly dead." She pauses. "May I show you?"
Overnight was cold, but it did clear her vision. She starts slowly, using sweeping graceful motions with her arms as she mixes her bows with signs of prayer. She finishes with a flourish, lighting a candle aflame as she hands it back to Elsitt. "Keep them close to your heart. And don't lose hope."
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"My associate says the cavern is very hot, indeed. But the black mold was an ingenious way to control the temperature. If someone is willing to endure the religious strife and curses, they may be able to consecrate the shrine and gain access to the obsidian vein." Issil reads the Carnelian Signet's notes, and grins at the signature ashen kiss on the bottom. "She also thinks the ifrits inside are cute. You should request that they join the town's citizenry. I doubt they will be outcast."
Elsitt watches as Issil performs a flourishing dance, warming his heart despite the mourning he is into. "Thank you so much to all of you. I owe you so much for bringing my friends' bodies back. I will keep this into my heart." he says holding tightly to the lighted candle.
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Venture-Captain Luna Aldred listens intently to their verbal reports. She is grateful for the well-written report of Malik and appreciates the same from Hancock on his notes and drawing. "Thank you very much for your service on taking this task and for returning with a good report. This will be kept by the Society for future reference. Your efforts will not be in vain. I am also glad that you make it out alive as well." she says thankfully. "I will call you all again if there are plans on any further expeditions in search of Tar Khadurrm history." she adds. "For now, why don't we celebrate this success with the wine you found?" She calls her assistants to prepare a banquet. including the finely aged wine the Pathfinders found in the ruins.