#90 - Gorgons and Giants

From the Journal of Clarion Tritone, Champion of Dol Arrah, Vassal of the Sovereign Host 

We had to stay alert. Our journey through Glyphstone Keep had tested our resolve and abilities repeatedly and we had found ourselves incessantly harried. While we found a reprieve at the bottom these stairs, surrounded by fresh air and able to cleanse our exteriors in pure waters, stairs which lead to something unknown, my mind was still focused on the horrid visage of the minion of Azohirr. Great evils roam these planes, yet the fallen exalted and divine, often former angels, who turn their efforts against their former allies upset me to the core.

Being able to unleash the light of Dol Arrah upon this creature and feeling how her power drove the beast back to its original plane of pain and despair filled most of my thoughts while we were waiting and trying to regain at least some of our energies.

The occasionally sound of hooves coming from above kept us wondering what awaited us. The sounds were clearly not those of a horse. The only other sound was that of Simel coughing ever more viciously. Somehow he must have inhaled a significant amount of the spores we encountered on our recent ascent.

Once we had rested a while we clearly heard someone or something approaching with heavy footsteps. Aleae has grown in resolve and confidence and immediately rose up the stairs to meet whatever we was coming. I indicated that we should spread out on these stairs in order not to be a simple target, huddled together.

It seemed befitting that it was an elemental being that would appear in front of Aleae. The crackling, grinding noises that were exchanged clearly indicated that she spoke in the language of this child of the earth. She became flustered and indicated that a request was made for our number or passage would not be granted.

We slowly proceeded up the stairs and just as I was about to pronounce that there were seven of us,  Simel brushed past Aleae and attacked with a barrage of precise strikes, indicating that this would be our number. What our new companion lacks in patience and diplomacy he makes of for in skill with the blade.

A few ferocious blows from the earthen creature struck before it retreated and became one again one with the earth beneath us—a strategic retreat for an elemental. Slowly we progressed onward, ready for the ground to erupt once again and another round of battle to ensue.

We found ourselves in what appeared to be star-lit ruins bereft of a ceiling and soon become aware that these were but a corner of a truly cavernous space. It eventually became evident that we had reached the ground level of Glyphstone Keep and that it, and most of the levels above it, had been hollowed out and shored up along each of its four sides with towering walls of stone.

It was much to take in, but I discerned in this vast hollow that each corner rose into a tower, while a the roof of the fortress arched into a fifth pinnacle. Floating above the ground in the center and connecting with the central vaulted pinnacle was a hexagonal tower shaped not unlike a obelisk. From its design I believe that it did not originally belong to the goblin fastness this ruin once was. This seemed a new installation, and it seemed only accessible from below in the form of a slender spiral staircase.

Regardless, all of these sites were some distance from the corner where we were emerging. I also glimpsed a small lake, floating chunks of rock above it, distant standing stones, and a veritable mountain of piled rocks forming a edifice of stone one one side. Later I would guess that the rubble and shattered walls that once comprised the ground and upper floors of Glyphstone Keep had been reworked to form this colossal wall.

As we  progressed through the ruins in a staggered, disordered pace and formation—or indeed, no formation at all—we soon heard the unmistakable and now familiar sound of Magnus jumping into a fierce rage and engaging an enemy. In this case, he had commenced battle with the mysterious hoofed being.

Quickly I rush towards the commotion and in awe at the sight of a gorgon, a creature of legend and the heraldric symbol of House Cannith. Appearing as a bull sheathed in scales of metal, what a magnificent creature it was—and well know for its powerful breath that can turn its victims into stone. By the time the rest of us, save for Kard, had arrived to assist Magnus we had happened to align ourselves perfectly so that the beast could engulf us all with a cloud of its breath attack.

Magnus and Cypher were instantly stricken, freezing up and clearly battling with the magical fumes. I sought the blessings of Dol Arrah, so that they could swiftly escape the clutches of this vaporous curse and they were granted: After a brief struggle, neither human nor warforged were rendered into stone.

Predictably Aleae used the unpredictable magic of her wonderous wand and turned the gorgon unintentionally into a temporary but vaporous form. We were mutually unable to harm the other and seeing a group of winged, human shapes take flight in our direction from atop the distant wall of stones in this vast cavern, I felt this could be an opportunity to make a run for the staircase we had made out at the center of the space, leading up to the floating hexagonal tower. From all we knew this was likely to be the place where we could find Elidac, the Brelish wizard who, according to legend, had come to Glyphstone several years ago. If we could find him, he could possibly provide answers to many of our questions.

Click for larger view.

Before we could regroup and be on our way, the gorgon rematerialized. Unwilling to strike this creature I nonetheless supported my companions in other ways.

After an incredible attack from Simel, in which he unhinged the legs of the gorgon with a mighty swoop and then pierced it repeatedly with his rapier in sensitive areas, we heard Cypher in an unusually commanding tone ordering us to stop our attack. As he had been blasted by the gorgon’s vapor while standing on a wall now behind us, he had dropped himself back, out of harm’s way—at least, that is likely what he had intended. We noticed instead that he had placed himself in the immediate reach of a giant’s club that appeared to be larger than Cypher himself.

The giant himself was exceptionally tall, fifteen feet ore more, lean yet muscled with skin the color of stone. Hairless, sleek, and grim, he exuded considerable strength. Stone giants are known to be the most gentle and reclusive among the giants of legend. Unless this giant was an exception, it was likely that we had overstepped a boundary we rightfully should not have.

Click for larger view.

The giant obviously guarded this entrance and had patiently awaited our actions, his rock-like skin granting him the perfect camouflage amidst the high walls around us. Being under constant attack since we had entered Glyphstone Keep had clearly left us with a policy of attack first and ask questions later. It was hard for me to forgive myself for not putting an end to this sooner.

The gorgon who had suffered some severe blows stopped its attacks immediately once the giant commanded it, but its snorts and fuming demeanor clearly indicated that it wished nothing more than to trample and gore us all into pieces. Or possibly rubble.

As the giant emerged from where he had spoken with Cypher, the winged humanoids lit upon the shorter walls of the ruins around us. We could now see they were gargoyles arrived, led by one whose body appeared mottled with green moss. They seemed to be another line of defense to this place that made it ever clearer that we would benefit from leaving our weapons out of these conversations.

We spoke with the giant, who wished to understand what we were doing in this place. We gave some details and said that at this point we wished nothing more than to rest and gather our strengths. He expressed that we needed to speak with "Ūral" and took massive strides towards the caves from where the gargoyles had originated.

Stone giants are allegedly peaceful by nature.
But stay off their lawns, just in case.

While he was away, Kard took special interest in the gargoyles who were mostly eyeing Magnus—for the Seren had defiantly decided to climb a wall and view them on their own level. The cleric spoke with their appeared to be their leader. After what we would quickly learn were his customary incredibly long pauses before responding, the gargoyle said his name was Ventwar. Kard kept insisting that they had met before on the plains outside of Glyphstone Keep, but the gargoyle refused to confirm this. Kard insisted that he did not wish to be the gargoyle's killer and Ventwar said in his harsh voice, "Do not make me your killer." I do not know well the demeanor of gargoyles, but I considered this to be light conversation.

Shortly before this pause-filled conversation came to an end we saw the stone giant reemerge from the cave across the way, now with a second, female giant. She was significantly smaller than him and in garb that indicated some kind of shamanistic status. They were accompanied by an enormous dire bear.

The shaman was soft spoken and wished to understand why we had come to Glyphstone Keep and what we were doing here, particularly within these walls. Visitors must be rare. She said her name was Ūral. Her male companion was Kurōne.

We told her about our mission to find and kill the so-called vampiric Governor Trazzen who had been instated as the lord of Glyphstone Keep. There was absolutely no sign that she had any knowledge of this remnant of a commander or cared who or what he thought he was and what we intended to do with him. Ūral repeatedly urged us to simply leave if we had no stated business for being here, on the upper level of Glyphstone Keep.

We asked if we could rest for a while, for our strength and resources were depleted. In response she first asked us to come with her and take a look at something. Shortly thereafter we stood in front of an intricately carved bas-relief, showing five separate levels carved in elaborate design. This presumably represented the various levels of Glyphstone itself. It might have been part literal, part spiritual, and was clearly was the work of a highly skilled craftsman. Perhaps magic was involved as well.

• The top level depicted the upper ruins and towers, with the hexagonal obelisk. Around it stood five robed figures. Behind them are the taller shapes of the stone giants.
• Just below, the carved level depicted mushrooms, floating orbs, trolls, bipedal insect-like creatures, and tunnels.
• Below that, a great throne room. The hobgoblin golem was represented there, and in one corner was a furnished room with a small horned giant working at a loom.
• Below that, a network of chambers. Many of them looked to have been obliterated and dominated by a vast crater. Ominous, indistinct shapes and skeletons were scattered throughout.
• The lowest level depicted more natural caverns with even more ambiguously-shaped monsters. There were also creatures that appeared like serpents with human heads. More of the crater dominated this level. 

None of us could read the writings beside each depiction, which were in the Giant language, and Ūral did not care to translate once we expressed that none of us were able to read them. She asked us what we thought of all this. I am not sure if she was looking for some kind of specific response or special information beyond the fact that we had seen much of what was depicted and that certain details seemed uncannily accurate.

She asked if we would be leaving if she allowed us to rest. The exact nature of Kard's desire to speak with the Brelish wizard Elidac had not yet become clear to me and his intentions for what he wanted to do once he encountered him remained nebulous, but now that Aleae began to speak up and ask whether we would be able to speak to the wizard, Kard showed slight signs that he would very much desire such a meeting.

At first Ūral was hesitant but shortly thereafter we heard what had to be the Elidac’s own voice, for it filled the air of the cavern, quiet but pervasive. He said, "It is well, Ūral. They may come up, if you approve it, though path to my chambers is not safe. If they reach me, I will ask them a question based on what they have learned from the journey up."

It appeared that he was authorizing Ūral, but the giantess followed this with her own commandment. "You may ascend only at my discretion." She said we would speak of it more only when we were ready. What mattered most then is that we had indeed been granted time and safety to rest for as long as we needed it. At this moment we were also able to see the wizard himself, floating upon a carpet around the top area of the hexagon tower just outside a set of high windows. We could discern no details about him.

Until our meeting we would be free to explore this place, which was obviously full of wonders. I was very eager to further study the stone wall. Was there a link to the Draconic Prophecy? Were we mentioned? What did those words mean?

No matter what else we might uncover here, the hordes of undead and possibly further demons roaming parts of this keep make me restless.

We must cleanse this place.