From the Annals of the Gatekeeper Izzeth, Druid of Dagger Wood
Zarantyr 26th, 999 YK
Plunged into darkness, my mind was swimming.
I had just let the mantle of earth slip off of my shoulders so that I could save Irakas from the assault of the oni. As an elemental, I had a new, profound connection to the earth of this place. A yearning to sink into the ground in the same way that one's foot dips into a cool lake on a hot summer day. More than that, I was able to "see" through the earth. Every creatures' steps upon the ground reverberated into my rock mind and allowed me to discern their location. I knew that there was a group approaching from the main chamber (although I did not know who they were).
I felt Irakas fall to the ground under the oni's spell. I knew from the tremendous clash that Clarion was also incapacitated. I knew precisely where each of my colleagues were, as well as where the vile vampire Trazzen stood. As soon as I reverted from my earthen form, all of my senses were gone. I cannot wait to try this again, only next time, someplace more natural where my elemental sensibilities are not inhibited by the workings of the Dhakaani.
From within the darkness, I could hear the golem once again awaken and level its mighty glaive onto Trazzen, then I immediately heard the sounds of rats, scores of them based on the din of their scrabbling claws and high-pitched squeaks. I can only guess as to what transpired, as the magical darkness that Bale produces is quite complete. Based on the sounds, Magnus slew some of the rats and then moved, presumably out of the darkness. Bale seemed to skewer some of the rodents as well.
Across the room, the oni's booming voice sounded, "return my jug." I thought I heard Aleae respond sarcastically, but the sound was merely a whisper, what I definitely did hear was the sound of ceramic grating on stone as something ceramic—the oni's jug, I assumed—rolled across the floor. There was also the sound of armored footsteps from the area near the cauldron. I suspect that Trazzen's vampiric minion was once more ambulatory. I moved out of the darkness so that I could best assess our current situation.
As soon as I stepped out, I wondered if it was a mistake. A gigantic mound of rats seemed to be working its way—no, fleeing—out of the chamber, but its progress was suddenly halted by a tiger-headed fiend and his attendants. Magnus was standing by the mound covered in bits of gore and rat fur.
The rakshasa spoke a word that was foreign to my ears and yet immediately recognizable. He had commanded the rats to halt. Sensing my opportunity, I called the light of the moon to shine down upon them where they had frozen in place. I knew that slaying them one by one would take far too long. I also revived Clarion with a quick healing spell—although it would not be as effective as one cast upon a living creature, it would still restore him to consciousness.
Looking behind me, I could see Bale's sphere of darkness move towards the cauldron, he must have been engaging Trazzen's minion. The oni stood still. He seemed to be appraising the situation to see what would happen next, satisfied now that he had retrieved his jug.
What happened next is difficult to describe.
The sun as it rises does not immediately warm the rocks that it shines upon; rather it takes some time for the heat to penetrate beyond the surface layer. The light of my moonbeam is the same. If enemies are mobile, they may escape its powerful gaze, but the mound of rats seemed fixed in place by the rakshasa's glare. When the moonbeam's radiance intensified, the rats began to smoke and sizzle, much the same as an ant held beneath the gaze of a spyglass. Their teeming bodies shriveled and then the entire mass transformed in front of our eyes back into Trazzen, but no longer the hearty and hale foe who drank from the necks of my companions. Instead, his gaunt figure began to wither and scorch. Tendrils of smoke rose up from his skin, swirling within his ancient bronze armor and escaping towards the unseen sky. His eyes lost their shine and within moments he was nothing but a dark ash. His armor and scimitar fell to the ground with a resounding report.“This chamber reeks of failure," the rakshasa said, looking upon the ruin of this chamber. It was clear to all of us, without a word, that this fiend was an enemy, but we were not prepared to fight him and he seemed uninterested in fighting us. With
With a word he banished my moonbeam and he and his undead retinue advanced into the chamber of the cauldron. We, wisely, stepped aside to allow him passage. While we were clearly in no state to pose anything approaching a threat to the rakshasa and his followers, he seemed apprehensive, as though he was not sure that he could defeat us.
"I am quite certain you are the victors here," the creature went on as he walked about the room, surveying it. My associates and I will respectfully yield this piece of broken rock to you." He was referring to all of Glyphstone Keep, it seemed. The words that followed were a blur to me, but his smug countenance was not. He seemed almost amused that we had bested his agent and disturbed his plans.I missed much of what he said, as I was concerned with the health of my companions. I was vaguely aware that he was warning us, telling us to walk away and live. To interfere no more than we already had in whatever he and his masters planned.
Meanwhile, I cast a mass healing to at least prepare us somewhat for what was to happen next and I fixed my eyes upon the byeshk scimitar that was once in Trazzen's hands. I would not allow this weapon to fall into evil hands again.
After making sure that all of my companions would live, I returned my focus to the rakshasa, and I found he was conversing with Bale. Asking Bale if he would return to the service of Katashka and he even mentioned someone else by name, a master. "He will be displeased to hear what his pupil has wrought here," is the last of what I caught. "I will bear a message to him on your behalf. Think carefully: What do you wish it to be?"
Bale's answer was that his master would be the next to fall. He declined, and I supposed that meant we were his chosen companions going forward. Can he be trusted?
Meanwhile, Magnus had claimed the still-smoldering skull of the hobgoblin vampire that had been Trazzen. It was only a matter of time before it adorned the human's belt, I suppose.
What a relief not to be surrounded by all of that stone! Breathing in the cool night air, with its aroma of damp earth, I could tell it had rained while we had been underground. I always feel strongest when I can breathe the air that has been cleansed by the trees. We took a quick survey of the land around us and saw that there were no threats, so we let down our guard and sat for a moment.
We knew that Elidac would find us out here, and sure enough, moments later a gargoyle alit beside us. It waited but a moment before taking flight again, presumably to inform Elidac that we were ready to head on towards the lightning rail.
While we waited I sensed a shift in the glen, a pause in the song of the crickets. I felt as though we were being watched, although I did not feel any ill will. Looking around, I noticed an extremely large creature about a dozen yards from us. At nearly three times our height, it was massive. It had stone grey skin and black, sunken eyes that seems like bottomless wells. The club that he bore was taller than I was. I knew with certainty that this was a stone giant. I know that they are generally peaceful and reclusive, yet this one seems to have sought us out. They are also found almost exclusively in Xen'drik. This one was far from home.
But then I understood that.
He spoke to my companions, having clearly met them previously. He offered us water to clean ourselves and instructed us to make our camp and to take our rest while Elidac completed his preparations to teleport us to the lightning rail so that we might stop the Mire from reaching Sharn. He left to get our water and returned a short time later with a female companion. She was at least 15 feet tall and had a way about her that made me suspect that, like myself, she followed the ways of the nature of Eberron. She conjured water into great bowls of shaped stone and we cleaned ourselves as best as we could.
As we rested, I sat with the purple scimitar that I had taken from Trazzen's remains. It is made from the same metal as my scythe, byeshk. This fine blade is quite heavy, such that I think it can be wielded with two hands if need be. Inscribed on the blade near the guard are some characters that are not readily familiar, but as I focused on it they revealed themselves to me. The runes were Goblin, but very, very old. Vaarza’Gresh, or “Razor of Giants, is the blade's name. It was made to kill giants, providing its wielder with great advantage against them. This is most curious, since I do not recall hearing stories of the Dhakaani goblins battling giants. The Age of Giants preceded the Age of Monsters; they did not overlap. By the time the goblinoids rose to power in Khorvaire, the giants had already fallen from their great dominion.
Also, being byeshk, this weapon retains its power against aberrations and it can warn its owner as to the presence of such creatures.
Tonight we rest, but tomorrow, at dawn if not before, our adventure continues. We must stop the Mire of True Hunger from fulfilling its intended purpose.
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