Sigourney quickly Messages Slick and asks him to wait on putting the rune on the blade until she gets the chance to learn it too...and that she needs to borrow more money to learn the rune.
The Pactmasters incline their heads to you. Very well, we are happy to conclude our agreement and, as promised, we also gift you our remaining card. Please keep Usilket updated on your progress.
With that they hand their card to Usilket and disappear out of the door into the inner palace.
With the deal concluded you are able to return to Harrowheart, expecting to be able to use the portals to reach Kho. Taking Usilket with you he he is extremely interested and almost has to be dragged off to the Portal. Only one arch is active and beyond you see a large, plain, stone chamber illuminated by magical lights. Uskillet gives a little shout of excitement, Oh my, that is our enclave, its hidden in the middle of the ruins in a secret basement beneath an old, long abandoned library. Please, let me show you around.
With that he promptly steps through, expecting you will follow. Showing you around the place seems secure and comfortable. It is warm, well lit, dry and well provisioned with a natural spring providing clean, fresh water. There are cleaning and cooking areas, private quarters and a large communal area. Several of the platinum coloured constructs stad guard and Usilket explains that there is but a single entrance to the surface which is well hidden as the ruins themselves are quite dangerous.
It also turns out that the enclave has a pair of guests who Usilket introduces to you. The first he introduces is a hadi called Yezom. The second, a derhi named Shanaca. Both seem quite interested in your presence and enquire who you have come to Kho.
When the Pactmasters hand over the harrow card, Billy smiles warmly. "Thank you for trusting us with this alliance. I have no doubt it will benefit all of us."
Upon learning if the terms and conditions, Billy holds up a finger. "If I may, wise Pactmasters, we understand our discount is valid for items 'up to a certain value'. Very reasonable. However ..." He pauses and continues delicately, "Since you were so gracious to provide access to an Antimagic rune , might your contacts be willing to honor the discount for that singular higher-value item?" He smiles, "After all, this would greatly help our common mission, am I right?"
The little halfling does his best to keep up with the group as they whisk back to Harrowheart and head through another portal. While in Harrowheart, he casts his Musical Accompaniment just before following Usilket through the portal to Kho.
Billy looks around at the impressive enclave and greets Yezom and Shanaca, "Greetings! I'm Billy. We're friends of Usilket. We're here to help with some research." He retrieves his jug and offers drinks, "This site is very impressive. You've done a fantastic job. It's my first time to Kho. Might you show us around?"
Upon their transfer to the enclave in the Ruins of Kho, Slick is a little surprised to come face to face with what appears to be a winged gorilla and a rather fiendish looking wererat. Of the two, he is a somewhat more suspicious of Yezom based on Sigourney's description of the hadis as sinister ratfolk.
He lets Billy make the first overture, then introduces himself. "Hello there Yezom and Shanaca. My name is Slick. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Sorry for the intrusion, but as Billy stated, we're here on a bit of a fact-finding mission. Actually, it's more of a card-finding mission." He whips out The Marriage card that the pactmasters had just given them and holds it up. "They look like this. I don't suppose you've come across any of or know of someone who has? Several of them have apparently appeared in the ruins recently. Any help you can give us in this endeavor will be highly appreciated. Aaand if in return we be of assistance to you in some way, well then, so much the better."
Sigourney stares at the two creatures, giving them a glance over with her Biographical Eye.
Shanca and Yezom both peer closely at the card Slick produces, neither has ever seen one before but...
Yezom clears his throat nervously, I do not know these cards but my master, Trexima Butoi, does. He knows what you seek, he is very powerful and wise. He has sent me here to offer you a deal. He has come into possession of one of these cards. I believe he is willing to trade it to you in return for a service. I am instructed to bring you to his home if you wish to pursue this opportunity.
Shanaca scoffs at that, We all know who your master is Yezom. The lich is not to be trusted. Usilkt has told us that you may be in need of allies against some common foe. My people have a problem we require some assistance with. We live in the towers surrounding the now sunken upper city. Something is happening in the underwater manors of the Marids. We suspect it may be a danger to us all. Strange lights have been seen glowing over the lake, tentacled monsters have dragged some of my people to their doom and, later, they have returned as horrific undead. If you help us, then we shall help you.
Usilket interjects at that point. As you can see, matters in Kho are complex and potentially dangerous. However, we have great faith in your abilities to deal with them or the Pactmasters would not have chosen you.
Slick listens to what each of their new acquaintances has to say. He then turns to his friends and in a voice that all can hear, says, "From what Usilket tells us, we're likely going to have to search through the entirety of the ruins to make sure we collect all the cards we came for. The only question is what order we visit the different areas. From what Yezon tells us, the lich, Trexima Butoi, definitely has one of the cards in his possession, so I suggest we start there."
He then turns back to Shanaca. "Don't worry, Shanaca, once we've dealt with the lich and recovered the card he holds, we'll go with you to the sunken upper city and help as best we can."
Billy sips his honey mead as the locals tell their stories. When Slick suggests visiting the lich first, Billy says brightly, "Fine with me. The Domes of Polymatum are the old magical schools -- I'd love to visit. And I'm sure Sigourney would too!" Turning to Shanaca, he assures the derhi, "As my esteemed colleague said, we'll go to your Sunken City immediately after."
"Those do both sound more... time-sensitive than exploring the other places," Pinebrush agrees. "Remember, the magic I used means you can all breathe underwater. Sounds like that might matter."
"You had me at magic academy. Would your master be interested in swapping spells?" Sigourney asks.
Yezom bows to Sigourney, I cannot speak to that Lady, you must enquire with the master.
With the decision made you can head out with Yezom straight away. Usilket seems very eager and several times almost volunteers to come with you. Heading out you find yourself in the middle of a massive, ruined, jungle choked city. Navigating the mass of broken streets, collapsed buildings and thick jungle is difficult and potentially dangerous. Yezom seems seems able to do so with ease as a native.
As you travel Yezom clears his throat and speaks softly, I did not wish to discuss this matter with the others but I also have a second offer. He looks slightly nervously at Sigourney, takes a gulp and continues. My people suffer under the rule of the Lich, he is a cruel master. Our clan is lead by my mother, Yilmaz and my uncle Teffera. They have asked me to give you a counter offer. They would have our clan be rid of the Lich. If you destroy him you can take his card and we will help deal with this foe of yours and the Pactmasters...
As usual, Slick takes the lead position some distance in front of the others and scouts the area ahead looking out for any dangers and to avoid being surprised or ambushed by any potential enemies.
Billy listens as Yezom explains about the lich. Billy grins and admits, "While I normally try to make friends wherever we go, I'm willing to keep an open mind when it comes to unholy tyrants."
"You don't happen to know any magic, do you? I won't sell you out, but I'll at least want to hear what your master has to say." Sigourney makes her position known.
Sigourney Detects Magic in order to look out for suspicious or unknown magical sources and leads the party away from these potential dangers.
Small, light, and able to ignore the ground entirely when it gets inconvenient, Pine lightly moves across and under any terrain obstacles, asking any bugs he sees for advice as he springs from one place to another.
"You don't want to capture a lich's spellbook?" That's so surprising he almost falls! But he doesn't. Obviously.
As a group, you make your way through the ruins of the ancient city. It is hard going but you all manage things fine. Approaching the Domes Yezom tells you that his people live in an ancient building called The Phantom Academy. As you get closer a structure of white marble, crystal, and brassy metal emerges through the trees. The building pokes out of the ground at a slant. Cracks and gaps mar the facade. Broken pillars stand before the portico, which sports weathered doors carved of pale stone. Jungle plants and moss grow over the building and the rubble surrounding it.
Two hadis stand guard at the entrance. They exchange greetings with Yezom and the doors are swung open for you. You enter into a broken portico, once beautiful frescos might have decorated the walls but they have long since been destroyed. Shattered pieces of coloured tile are scattered across the floor. Yezom pushes open the doors revealing a huge, vaulted, chamber covered in rubble.
The rubble and newer materials from the jungle have been fashioned into nesting areas in this enormous hall. Every corner looks lived in, from stone shelves and alcoves to the hollows among intruding tree roots. Decorations of crystal, plants, textiles, fur, and feathers adorn the space. Cooking fires burn here and there. Their smoke collects in pockets in the high vaulted ceiling, escaping through cracks and holes. The place smells pungent with mixed scents, some of them bitter or otherwise unpleasant. Several doors exit the room to the north and east.
Yezom bobs his head and says, Wait here and I will tell the master that you have arrived.
With that he heads over to one of the eastern doors and disappears through it.
Entering the large hall, Billy takes in his surroundings and opens his mind to the mental echoes of the current location. He hums as he looks around and casts Retrocognition.
♫"This hall was once impressive. Frescos full of life.
But now it feels oppressive. Cut tension with a knife."♫
Then, reading the air of the room, he sings,
♫"Many many bodies, working very hard.
The daily life of hadis. Quite foreign to this bard."♫
Retrieving his jug, Billy steps forward. "Greetings all. I'm Billy. Is anyone thirsty? We're friends of Yezom. We're here to help." Billy pours drinks and takes a sip. Looking around cautiously, he says, in a softer voice, "Yezom suggested we talk with Yilmaz and Teffera to learn more about about this place. Perhaps we can help each other." He smiles warmly and sympathetically.
While Billy does his business of convincing the hadis that the group doesn't wish them any harm, Slick tries to look as harmless as possible. Not an easy task when you're a really tall and muscular man in full shining plate with a whopping great sword sheathed on your back. He smiles broadly, waves to passersby, and greets anyone that gets close enough to hear him. "Hello there. How are you? Nice place you have here. etc." All the while, he's surreptitiously examining the place to figure out escape routes, defensive positions, and anything that might be useful if enough of the hadis decide they are no longer welcome.
Sigourney decides to spend some time Recalling Knowledge about what she knows about Hadis generally.
She Messages the party any information she remembers.
Billy invokes his magic, opening his mind to the psychic impressions of the lair of a despicable lich and his terrified, tormented, minions. He is immediately struck by feelings of rage, pain, anger and hatred mixed with a gloating malevolence. Reading the air he gest the distinct impression that the creatures living here do so in terror of their undead ruler. None of them approach, indeed, after his spellcasting many of them are crouching as far back into the rooms various nooks and crannies as they can.
Looking around the room Slick sees that the door the entered through looks like the only way out. Other doors leader further into the complex. You could perhaps scale to the doomed ceiling and force open an exit by widening the many cracks but that could ring the whole thing down.
As he starts chattering on one of the northern doors opens and an elderly hadi, surrounded by small, beady red eyed rats, emerges and barks out, Who's making all that racket. Can't a person get a good days kip around here without being interrupted.
At that point the other northern door opens and a male hadi, in an outrageous green jacket and hat, also emerges. Stop yer whining old woman, cant you see we've got guests, important guests.
The two promptly start a lengthy, loud and expressive argument in their local language which involves a lot of gesturing, face pulling and probable swear words. The argument ends as quickly as it began and both turn their backs on each other and retreat into their respective rooms. Both give the group a rather exaggerated wink as they leave.
Sigourney recalls that Hadis are a local variant of ratfolk. Small quick and intelligent, they live in large, extended families.
Pinebrush gestures towards the cowering locals. "That's bad."
He listens to the argument with a frown. "Was there supposed to be a hidden message there? I don't get it. Unless they just wanted us to see who they were--they might be those contacts."
Slick watches the performance put on by the elderly hadis and frowns. He nods at Pinebrush's comment. "Yes, that was a bit odd. I presume these two are the hadi elders that we need to convince to help us against the Prince of Wolves."
With Yezom still not returned and the rest of the hadis cowering in fear, Slick adds, "Maybe we should go talk to them while we wait for Yezom to return. Introduce ourselves and feel them out about what it will take to get their help." Given what he's seen of the hadis and what Billy has determined about their mental state as the lich's minions, Slick already has a pretty good idea what it will take. "We'll need to free them of the yoke of the lich before we'll get any help from them."
Deciding randomly, he walks slowly towards the westernmost door on the northern wall and knocks on it. "Hello!? Anybody home? Can we come in for a chat?" If nobody responds, he tries the handle, and if the door opens, he pokes his head through the opening and repeats his greeting.
After sharing his impressions of the hadi situation with his friends, Billy smiles at the performance of the two creatures from the northern rooms. He agrees with Pinebrush and Slick, "Surely those two were Yilmaz and Teffera." He continues, "Perhaps it would ease everyone's minds if we spoke their language."
After hearing the two arguing in their native tongue, Billy sings,
♫"The locals quick to frighten. We can help with that.
Language to enlighten. Now we all speak rat."♫
Billy smiles reassuringly to the scared hadis and says (in their native language), "We mean you no harm." Billy then follows Slick to one of the doors. Upon entering, Billy greets whomever it is in hadi-speak, "Please forgive our intrusion. I'm Billy. We enjoyed your performance." Holding his jug non-threateningly, he continues, "We've spoken to Yezom. We may be in a position to help one another. Can you tell us about this place?"
The group head to one of the doors. It is indeed locked. From inside comes the crotchety old voice of the elderly hadi leader.
Yes, yes, whose that banging on me door. Can't an old woman get any rest. Surely you must be the heroes our great and powerful Lord, who is a master of divination magic has been waiting for. Yes, well, you shouldnt keep him waiting dears. Surely he is the most patient of all Lords but that patience is not infinite!
At that point the door to an inner chamber opens and Yezom emerges. He looks pale and nervous. My Lord Trexima Butoi will speak to you now he stutters and gestures towards the door.
Beyond the door lies a grim, pitch black chamber, there is no light save what you bring with you. This was clearly once an ossuary. Wide, carved tunnels with niches full of bones and skulls stretch out ahead. The walls are cracked, the halls slanted downward. You have the uncanny sense that the skulls are watching you.
Part way down the tunnel ahead of you the Lich, Trexima Butoi, stands holding a staff made from fused bones, covered in arcane sigils and what looks like fresh blood. His bones are ancient and mouldering but, oddly, his clothes seem freshly laundered. Eyes like little pinpricks of red hatred regard you coldly.
So, Yezom tells me that you are the ones seeking the Harrow Cards. I have such a card and am willing to trade it to you, for a service. It is a simple matter. I wish you to recover some items from a ruined building here in the city. It should be a simple task for ones as accomplished as yourselves. What say you?
Sigourney bites down the urge to tell the Hadi that actually, Divination magic isn't its own school of magic anymore. She purses her lips and continues on to the inner chamber.
"You flatter me, honestly. We've heard much about your magical accomplishments too. Running an academy, mastering divination, achieving eternal unlife...those are accomplishments even for a master magic user like myself. What do those items look like and what can we expect to face?" Sigourney says, hoping to get on his good side.
Trexmia sneers at Sigourney, quite an accomplishment when your face is just bone.
I do not require your snivelling attempts at ingratiating yourself into my good graces. The items I require are personal to me, works of art I created in my earlier years and imbued with magic as living runes. They contain the souls of former adventuring companions of mine. They can be found in a laboratory I used to use. In my exploration of the building I awoke a Guardian construct and was forced to leave. You will need to overcome it. It is a Radiant Warden, you may have heard of them. Recover my runes and you can have what other treasures remain there along with the card.
Slick listens to the old woman through the door. Her odd emphasis on the lich being a master of divination magic was not lost on him, and though he's not certain, he thought he'd heard a trace of irony when she described her master as the most patient of all Lords. Clearly any discussion of help against the Prince of Wolves would have to wait until the lich had been removed from the equation.
When Yezom returns and they enter the lair of the lich, Slick automatically sizes up the room as a potential battlefield. "Ha! 'Potential'? Certain is more like it." Nevertheless, the first order of business was the recovery of the harrow card, with the second being the destruction of the lich's soul cage; so he listens to what Trexmia has to say.
He carefully tries to unravel the implications of Trexmia's offer. Fact #1: If this Radiant Warden was something the lich could deal with on his own, then doubtless he would have by now. Fact #2: The objects that the warden is guarding are of great value to the lich, so great a value that he's willing to risk having a bunch of strangers recover them for him. Fact #3: Of all these treasures, only the runes were of real value to him; the value of the rest of the artworks pale in comparison. Fact #4: He was no expert in such things, but these works of art with their living runes containing souls sounded a lot like a description of soul cages. Was this guy truly so desperate that he was asking them to recover his own soul cage?
He decides to play along. "Sounds like recovering your runes shouldn't be much of a problem for us. We do that sort of thing all the time. Maybe you could tell us a little more about these living runes of yours so we'll recognize them when we run into them. I'd wouldn't want to accidently destroy one of them while battling the warden."
Trexima eyes Slick coldly, The runes are magical works of art I made in my younger days when a heart still beat in my chest. I have named them the "Three Dragons". You will not mistake them, they are sentient, magical constructs, each houses the soul of an old ally and as such they have sentimental value. They are in a part of the building which the Guardian cannot reach however its powers and the wards on the building hamper divination and teleportation magics. You will need a pass phrase so they know that I have sent you which I will provide once we have come to an agreement.
Slick listens to the lich go on about how the runes were created while Trexima still lived and how each houses a soul. "But apparently not his own... or so he'd have us believe.". Though inaccessible to him due to the presence of the Warden, these runes are protected by powerful magic that only Trexima can get around. "Sure sounds like we're dealing with soul cages. I really hope one or more of them holds his soul; that would make it a lot easier to send the old coot to Pharasma for a well-deserved comeuppance. Maybe Sig'll be able to tell whose souls are trapped in the runes once we get to them. Otherwise, we could just break them all open, destroy Trexima's body, and see what happens."
"So, in exchange for the harrow card you hold, and any other treasure we find along the way, you want us to get past this so-called Radiant Warden; recover these runes of yours by using a special phrase to disable your magical protections; and bring the runes back to you here. Do I have that right?"
Slick looks at his colleagues to gauge see their reaction. "What do you guys think? Seems like a pretty straight-forward job to me. I'm sure we can trust our new friend Trexima here to hold up his part of the deal." Those who've known Slick for a while will have noticed the slightly ironic way in which he said the last sentence.
After Yezom's invitation, Billy goes with the group down the dark corridor. The bard is about to turn on his usual charm for our host, but manages to restrain himself when Sigourney is so rudely chastised.
While Trexima is going on and on about the runes and Radiant Guardians, Billy stares at the lich's bone staff.
When Trexima is finally done jabbering, Billy takes a sip of honey mead and asks, "What kind of art are we looking for? Sculptures? Paintings?" He pauses and adds, "And what can you tell us about the Radiant Warden? Any particular resistances or vulnerabilities that would help us succeed?"
Responding to Slick, Billy says, "Fine with me. But it seems like we should be asking for more than a harrow card in return." Turning to Trexima, "Can you offer us anything else for risking our lives? For instance, what is the arrangement you have with the hadi? Or maybe you can tell us more about the Prince of Wolves?"
It may be somewhat moot with Sigourney's light, but Pinebrush traces magic over his eyes as they enter all the same. "You should have some light when you invite guests in. It's polite."
This deal sounds... bad. And the wizard has a very peculiar definition of "sentimental value." But if there are magically trapped souls, it's probably a good idea to look into it.
Pine notes that this wizard thinks they can handle a monster that he could only flee from. That might be useful information soon enough.
If he had eyes Trexima would be rolling them at the party. Instead the beady red orbs in his sockets shrink and grow brighter. You sense that he is losing patience with you.
He glowers ay Billy, Are you deaf, or stupid or both. The runes are the art. They are one of my finest accomplishments and I want them back! As for the hadi, they are my slaves and no concern of yours. Their lives are mine to do with as I will. As far as any Prince of Wolves goes, I have never heard of such a mangy cur and have no interest in them. As for more treasure, these cards are potent artifacts and I have already offered you any other treasures you find in my old laboratory
His voice gets gradually louder and more shrill as he starts ranting at Billy.
Trexima takes a deep breath and steadies himself. I apologise, the warden dwells in an auditorium near the eastern main entrance of the building. It is immune to necromancy effects and it can hamper and prevent the use of teleportation effects. It speaks a language I has never heard but I suspect it is Shory. The warden has an uncanny sense of creatures inside the vault so it will become aware of you as soon as you set foot inside. Now, do we have an agreement or not.
Slick recalls that living runes are magical constructs created by the Runelords of Thassilon in their heyday.
Billy recalls that they are imbued with powerful magical spells by their creator.
Pinebrush has never heard of them while Sigourney recalls that they are highly intelligent but quite fragile ()
A memory of something he read a long time ago in an old storybook comes to Slick. Its title was something like Tales of the Runelords. The runelords apparently constructed these runes as repositories of magical energies. "So it makes sense that Trexima would use them for both the storage of souls and their subsequent protection."
Given his suspicion that one or more of the Three Dragons might be Trexima's soul cage, he racks his memories of the Tales to see if he can remember anything about them being used in that way and the process of determining if that is the case.
He makes a note to share whatever information he uncovers with the others once they are free of the lich's presence.
Thinking about the Guardian, Billy wonders if they tend to be open to negotiation.
Billy forces a smile as Trexima ridicules and insults him. "You're not very nice. You really should work on your people skills ..." He adds, "... especially when pleading for our help."
Knowing the runes are imbued with magical spells, he asks Trexima, "Obviously..." he pauses for effect before continuing, "... we know that the runes are imbued with spells from their creator. As the creator, what kind of magic will we be facing?"
While Trexima answers, Billy figures they may be soul cages, and tries to determine either 1) whose soul is being held, or 2) how to potentially free such souls.
PLEADING, PLEADING! You think I would beg with scum like you. You either accept my terms now or begone from my presence before I obliterate you!
"I accept your terms." Sigourney says, her curiousity for magic overcoming her growing fear.
"I'll do the job. Tell me the passphrase and I'll make sure these men-" Her tentacle gestures at Billy and Slick. "-fall in line."
She Messages Billy and Slick. "Calm down guys."
When the lich declares him to be scum, Billy thinks, "I've been called worse ... by better." And "He's easily excitable, isn't he?" Billy confirms the options, "So ... our choice is to either accept your terms or be obliterated?" He feigns consideration before agreeing with Slick and Sigourney, "You drive a hard bargain, my undead friend. Yes, we accept."
"'Begone' was also an option."
What a short fuse. And people say the fey are flighty. Which they totally are.
But he seems... unstable. Clearly not used to dealing with anyone who isn't completely cowed by him, but also prone to violent mood swings.
Being undead isn't good for one's health.
"...but we'll check it out. This monster must be very dangerous, since someone as powerful as Lord Butoi thinks it's scary," Pinebrush says with a shiver, "I don't know if we can handle it, but w-w-we'll try it."
Hmmmph, very well. You can find my possessions in the Obelisk Vault. It lies about half a mile north of here. You cannot miss it. The runes lie in an upper chamber which the Warden cannot reach. When you find them speak the words, "Darkness precedes light”. They will then know that you have come from me. Now, be off with you and do not fail. If you betray me then you shall suffer for it.
With that he disappears off into a deeper part of the complex.
Billy nods and repeats, "Darkness prefers light." He quickly shakes his head, "No wait! Darkness PRECEDES light. Got it!" He reassures Lord Butoi saying, "Since you asked so nicely, we'll do our best."
"If you betray me then you shall suffer for it."
After the dear Lord departs, Billy whispers to Pinebrush, "I feel like we're already suffering!" He grins and then turns to Slick. "So off to find this vault? After you, my friend." He stows his jug and prepares for the arduous 1/2 mile trek.
Slick watches the spot where Trexima was last standing before disappearing. "Wow! What a super nice guy he turned out to be. No wonder the hadis love him so much." He makes no real effort to disguise his sarcasm. "So 'darkness precedes light' it is then. Let's go find this Obelisk Vault place and get this job done."
Slick leads the way north.
Pine watches him go. "Wow. Good password, though. Light does indeed banish darkness."
"Right. Let's get this job done. I'm excited to see what's so magical about those runes." Sigourney starts heading towards the vault.
The group heads out back into the jungle. Hacking your way through the brush you make decent time. Ahead of you, a creeper-covered dome lined with brassy metal glitters amid trees, other greenery, half-buried buildings, and tumbledown ruins of stone and metal. An obelisk of white stone towers skyward from the dome’s center, but the top third of the pylon has sheared off. That third leans across a gap between the dome and a tower of similar stone near its rear. Jungle vines and plants bind the ruins together. Overgrown hollows, once rooms, show that part of the tower collapsed long ago.
Sigourney looks around, quite taken by the place. Her interest in archeology makes her think that there is likely some really interesting old things around here. Remembering her scholarly training, she takes 1 minute to cast Read Aura with a Reach Spell added to it. Her magical senses look for any magic (that don't belong to the party) within 60 feet.
If she identifies any magic, she will Identify it. Otherwise, she continues noisily casting Detect Magic as she explores.
Sigourney casts her senses towards the building. She finds an interlacing mass of ancient wards covering the building. Many of them have long since failed but some remain active. She recognises that they are likely to interfere with scrying, summoning or teleportation magic once inside.
Sigourney fumbles around with her held items, gripping her Staff in one hand while casting Light on Reginald with the other.
"Look, these wards interfere with scrying, summoning or teleportation magic!" Sigourney points out to the group. "Maybe it's possible to take them back to Harrowheart and prevent further invasions. None of you guys regularly use scrying, summoning, or teleportation magic, right?" She asks the party.
"Except Billy. Sorry Billy, guess we can't do any magical scouting before we go in." She informs the fortune teller.
As the group heads through the jungle, Billy leaves the hacking to those more suited to it, i.e. Slick. He explains, "I would help, of course, but weapons are just so heavy." Instead, he strums up some merry inspiration on his lute, periodically casting Musical Accompaniment.
When the group arrives at the obelisk, he'll cease with the music.
Slick leads the way hacking a path through the brush until they reach the obelisk. Once there, he lets the spellcasters do their distance scrying before heading in for a closer look and to find a safe way to access the interior.