As Snow pilots the ship into the crevice, Auger looks around to see if there are any likely spots for Baylen and Driss to set down, gesturing to any nearby as best as he can from the Reaver's Word.

Auger takes a moment to process what Py shares and does not add to the questioning, just waiting for its reply. What sort of structures?

Still though. A giant... fighting with them. Two Rocs and their riders. Then dozens of Jenghens. Probably a formidable leader for such an expedition. As Varielky speaks about fighting the giant versus fighting the men, Auger finds himself shaking his head. It is true that they have dealt with Jenghens before, but their leaders had always proven to be too much to take on. Still though she had been right in the past. Every attempt to sneak had ended in a fight. And there was still the possibility of some form of pursuit if their deception from earlier fell apart.

Responding to Varielky but speaking for all to hear, Auger says, "I am confident that some sort of fight will come, and I agree that we should choose the nature of the fight as much as we can. But there is much we don't know. If they are camped upon our goal, then a direct assault might be the only way to achieve victory. But if they are offset from our goal and we can get there without drawing attention, we should do that. I think we need to get close. Close enough for Granophyre to tell us if we can avoid them. Then we can decide what to do."

Auger pauses, looking around to see what the others think. Close enough. How would he get Baylen close enough without being seen?

Snow maneuver’s the Reaver’s Word and sets it down in the crevice. Driss is able to find a nearby ledge for Baylen, and we’ll say Auger drops down from there to the ship’s deck, his robes crisply fluttering as he slowly descends.

Py answers to Snow in its odd clicking voice. It did not notice three black pillars.

To Varielky, it says that there are a few one-story small buildings. As you continue to ask questions, it simply stops speaking, for it is out of answers.

Granophyre regards you over his spectacles and says, “Perhaps it would be wise to look with our own eyes at this force of imperials before committing to a plan of action. I for one would like to find out what they are doing here. Have they already discovered an entry into the ancient Core? Or are they indeed here by chance? Reinforcements sent from Jen Ghessa across the mountains to the Vale who might, in time, simply move on if we do nothing to obstruct their passage? Or a company whose mission is our capture?"

He agrees with Auger to the idea of getting close enough to see what there is to see.

"Ok, that sounds like a plan", Snow replies to Strewn before adding, "I assume you will need to accompany us on this excursion to see for yourself what is happening".

He looks around to his father and then across at Driss. "If we leave my father and Driss to look after the ship and Baylen, and the rest of us can go take a look".

"I will use my magic to conceal us as much as possible as usual. When we get there, I could also perhaps try and infiltrate the camp. I will not have the energy to disguise us all until I have had chance to rest, but I can still disguise myself. Of course, if we come across outriders or scouts, questioning one of them might save us the trip".

"What do you think?", he asks of the others.

Auger quickly nods along with Snow. "Yes, lets head over and scout this encampment out."

Scouting for information can be valuable, but if they end up fighting anyway, she'd rather do it on their terms, especially given the number of enemy forces and the various special combatants among them. Still, she gave her opinion, and it seems the others think scouting is worth the risk. Oh well, that her plan would work out perfectly was unlikely anyway. No plan survives contact with the enemy. "Let's go then."

Granophyre nods in assent to Snow’s question, patting the pocket holding his mima stone. “Let us see what there is to see.”

You three and Benita La Cass leave behind Trivedi Das and the Reavers Word, and Driss and Baylen, and begin hiking down the slope from the crevice, which, looking back, you may be encouraged to see is all but invisible from even a few hundred yards away, at least from ground level.

Following a deer path through the woods, you soon find a shallow stream which flows into Lake Amidu, and whose Bank or sometimes stony bed you can walk upon and make a decent pace toward the imperials.

Perhaps two hours later, you have approached to within a mile of the camp, which is in a vale on a northern slope, which you think you can clearly spy upon from the opposite slope, which also offers good cover.  

All this you discern with Py’s help.

You are now within a mile of the camp. Do you take any special precautions or aim for any other goal than the facing slope to spy upon the imperials?

Auger suggests that Snow hold off on using his covering magic until they want to approach the camp.

"Py can fly to a position aligned with the opposite slope and help us know if we are accidentally exposing ourselves to view. Does anyone have a capacity to see over long distances? Details will be important I am sure."

"I do not have anything that would be useful for seeing things far away, short of walking up to them", Snow says with a chuckle.

"I do have a means of sharpening the senses in truth though", he adds as he ponders the question.

"Of course, if we decide to attack, the more I deplete of my magical resources now, the less I have then. Unless we scout now, sleep, and attack at dawn. If they are in our way of course"

He turns to Varielky, "If this does come to fighting, what would you suggest as the best time?".

Varielky ponders Snow's question for a moment before answering. "It depends, especially on our battle plan. If you want to just charge into their camp, at night would be best, because it would be easier to come close without being shot at. However, storming a camp this big with a group as small as ours cannot be truly called a good plan. Besides, Benita and I don't see as well as you all do in the dark. The one true advantage of this time is that many of them might be asleep, and although I'm sure they'll wake up while we fight those who are not, it will allow us to break the fight into two separate, smaller groups, and that does do well for us.

"We'll be spotted immediately during the day, but it's not necessarily bad. It might allow us to draw some of them away from the camp, and fighting a smaller group will be easier, and then their numbers in the camp will decrease. However, after taking out one such group, the rest of their camp will be aware of us, and then all that will remain is the first option. This is essentially what I offered before when I hoped we can draw the roc riders away first.

"Lastly we have the times right between day and night. Right after sundown is probably the worst option of all, since they will all still be awake, I imagine, and it's not dark enough to cover our approach. Therefore, we'd just be getting the worst of each of the former options. On the contrary, right before dawn, or right at dawn, will still be somewhat dark, but it will only get brighter as time passes. So we can approach their camp while still dark but fight when there's light outside, and so Bentia and I will see just fine. I can't say whether they'll wake before or after our arrival there, but either way, just after waking up one is not immediately ready to fight. Even in trained armies. That said, we'll be tired, too."

But of course, there was no telling whether any of that was right. Perhaps this entire camp was made up of those who see well in the dark and was actually more active at night than during the day. Besides, if the camp was stationed there just to stop them personally, they might expect some sort of attack at night, since they know how small their group is. Varielky recalls the strange light beam from Kalahata that seemed to bend over buildings just to illuminate the area near the temple of Idiwala.

“What if we can safely make camp and rest so we are ready for dawn?”, Snow suggests.

”There is a spell in my fathers book that can create a dome that no-one else will be able to enter. I would just need a little time to perform the ritual, maybe 10 or 11 minutes should do”, he explains.

From a vantage point across the narrow creek valley, high in the Central Bantu range, you spy across the vale at the opposite slope using a looking glass —a 3x telescope— Granophyre produces from a pouch. He regards it wistfully for a moment. Varielky recognizes it as the very instrument possessed by Wad Strewn, which the Cindarrine bodyguard had used during your travels along the gulf coast those weeks and months ago, before he was slain in the reptillian ambush. 

Granophyre sighs, then brings the glass up to his eye, frowns, and passes it to you three and Benita to see what you can.

In thirty minutes, as the sun begins to set, you are able to estimate the following numbers:

2 Burner turrets

2 Rocs

1 Mountain Giant, digging

2 Sorcerers casting move earth

48 Imperial soldiers. Not garrison. Élite troops from Jen Ghessa.

20 civilian workers

20 mountain folks doing hard labor

Archaeologists and engineers. perhaps 20

12 earthen huts

2 big nests for the rocs.

A Big cave for the mountain giant 

4 large tents

4 light wooden longhouses. Barracks?

6 large Teepees around edge

1 sturdier wooden building. Offices perhaps?

"Well", says Snow. "I was not expecting that, it's a full expedition, and well funded at that".

"The first question that springs to mind, is are they in the right place? Because they are definitely here for the same reason we are", he asks, looking to Strewn to confirm the location.

Varielky might have a different point of view, but from what he can see they have no hope of surviving any kind of assault on the camp. The best they can hope is that they are digging in the wrong place.

As Auger takes his turn with the looking glass he sighs and cannot find much to correct. Yes he did see the Sorcerers at work. To use such power for such a basic task. That had to be an important spot. There were the elite soldiers. The giant. The Rocs. Workers everywhere. So many people. All quite busy. A very active camp. And built up.

"Perhaps this is not so bad. There are enough there that with the right disguise we might not be immediately recognized. We could slip by them and head directly to the correct spot. Unless they have found it already that is." 

Looking to Granophyre as he states the last sentence, Auger notices Varielky and guessing at her displeasure he changes gears for a moment and focuses on a possible attack, "With the element of surprise I could probably do a great deal of damage while riding Baylen and then for a short time Baylen himself in the camp would be quite the damaging distraction before flying away and probably drawing the Roc riders after. But to what end? I would probably kill more workers than those elite soldiers, no? Those burner turrets... do they use some sort of fuel to power them? If I could ignite them...," Auger's hand, a closed fist, idly touches the Yemma's Diadem, then extending his arm outward he opens his hand, suggesting an explosion, "but still it will not be enough. All of that would have to be a distraction, to allow the rest of you to enter the Core. Where..."

It occurred to Auger then that he did not really know what was supposed to happen once Granophyre entered the Core. What was waiting for them down there? Then he flashed through a few memories. The way the earth opened and moved the night he joined this party. Ednyss. Auger had not thought about him in some time. Ednyss had entered a place where the earth opened and come into a new form of power it had appeared. Auger had been in the place where the earth was opening. And moving. It was quite disruptive. Then he thought about his cousin's end. And how the lake had drained into his lair. That entire encampment possibly sat upon the Core. Was that a smart placement? What powers might be released into them because of their position?

"Granophyre, what will we find in the Core. Will there be any... any possibilities that would help us to deal with these Imperials? Will the-- will the earth move?"

After spying on the camp through the looking glass, Varielky rather has an excited look on her face. "I thought the giant was part of the armed forces, but it seems like it was brought to do labour. I wonder if that's done willingly or not. The mountain folk sure don't appear to be enjoying their position. But the soldiers... I can tell they're well-trained and experienced, but there are not as many of them as I expected. I think... we might be able to conquer this camp, and free those mountain folk on the way."

But Varielky knows that's just an estimation of their power. What if the giant does fight with the empirials, willingly or not? How powerful are the two sorcerers, and above all, on the scale of garrison to Sorakayoshi, how strong are they? And besides, even if fewer than expected, they still were a lot. But lastly, most importantly, she asks Granophyre: "So, now that we can see it, are you certain that's the right spot?"

“I know not what to expect. Mine is an exploratory journey. To find the old core. How can I know what state it might be in. Rubble, I expect. But if it is possible to gain entry, if it still exists as it did, who knows what may lie within?” 

In answer to your questions regarding position, Granophyre nods, removes his mima stone from the safety of its pouch, utters an arcane phrase, and the millennia-old stone projects its magical image. Granophyre faces the slope, trying to coax the three-dimensional map of the ancient Dwarven realms to line up with what he sees before him. From this view, the twin anvils rise clearly on opposite sides of the encampment, looming high above and casting long shadows. The tops of the mountains are still capped with snow which seems to glow warmly in the light of the setting sun, which has already fallen behind the horizon, so only the mountain tops are so lit. It is relative to these landmarks that Granophyre tries to position the mima stone’s image. 

After five or six minutes, the old scholar curses, something you’ve never heard before. 

“I cannot tell for certain. But they seem to be digging exactly where the ancient map shows the grand entry to have been situated. Look. There, and…there. They’ve uncovered several structures already. Guardhouses or towers upon walls, which once stood tall, but are now buried underground. But they continue to excavate. They have not found what they seek. Not yet.”

A few minutes later, during which time Granophyre paces and frets in agitation, the giant stops its digging, laying down its enormous shovel. Fires are lit, food begins to roast. It seems the encampment is halting work for the night.

Granophyre can contain himself no longer. 

“Who. And how. Who is leading their expedition?,” he demands aloud. He motions for the looking glass again, brings it to his face and scans for several minutes. Suddenly, he gasps. “No!”

Lowering the glass and handing it to Varielky, the scholar, eyes wide, says, “Tell me who you see there.”

If she looks, Varielky finds a familiar face. Hard to make out in the distance and fading light, but the figure Granophyre pointed to turns, reflected light from the setting sun shines directly upon his face, and his identity is unmistakable. Someone Varielky hasn’t seen since the night before leaving Ishi Ammah. A historian at the college of Oracca u Shia, at whose townhouse she and the others enjoyed a home-cooked meal, in the very same parlor where she first laid eyes upon Dreygaard. 

There among the archaeologists and engineers, the shield-maiden sees Omar El Idrissid.

It takes a moment, even following Granophyre's directions, before Varielky spots and recognises the person. She expected Sorakayoshi, maybe Lord Tazellayt. Xurl? Who else could be there, that she's supposed to recognise?

"Huh," utters Varielky, utterly shocked, lowering and then handing the looking glass back to Granophyre. A few moments later, she finally collects her thoughts. "I feel like we were sent to chase fallen leaves, ignorant of the wind that blows them. But why? If my eyes don't fool me, that is Omar el Irissid, who sent us chasing his mother's past."

Varielky considers her words, and tries to recall what she can of Granophyre's talks with Omar. She always listened only half-heartedly, but she does remember some things. "I remember he said the empire is keeping an eye on him. I wonder, did he betray us, or was he forced to against his will? Did he discover the truth only after our last conversation, or was it all just a bluff to keep you away? I don't think we can just sneak past. Whether we reacue a friend in need or punish a traitor, the earth will be stained with blood tonight."

Despite not being present for the events being discussed Auger finds himself quite sympathetic to the possibility of betrayal and begins thinking he will need to ready for combat. When Varielky states the possibility that this Omar may have not had a choice, Auger nods along, that did sound like the Empire.

"So then. Blood it is. I can head back and return with Baylen. Attack just before first light then? Is there an obvious soldier tent I could focus on? Perhaps if I stay away from the Giant it will not join the fight? The Rocs... they are formidable. Perhaps I can take out their riders while they are still on the ground. And Omar... I assume we will want to capture him but there is something that bothers me..." Auger pauses to think for a moment, before he realizes what it is. "He was in possession of one those -- those stones that send messages, correct? Reinforcements can be called, whether the Roc riders are neutralized or not? Perhaps we do need to sneak in. Tonight. Soon. And capture that stone before it can be used. And Omar."

Auger finds a sense of resolve coming over him. To travel all this way and to have been betrayed in some fashion right at the beginning. So many lost. So much time. It was time to take control one way or another.

[Note: Auger is open to heading directly to the camp or to bringing Baylen in to the fight, whatever the team suggests is the right path he is game for it.]

Snow watches as Strewn and Varielky uncover the truth behind the leader of the expedition, or at least the brains behind it.

He shakes his head as talk turns to fighting once more. The thought of attacking the camp, with so many soldiers but even more civilians, does not appeal to him. But if that is what is decided, if that is what Strewn asks of him, he knows he will have to comply.

"I remember you telling me of this Omar El Idrissid. I assume he was still in possession of the axe when you left him, and you had told him your suspicions of it's origin. There are a number of reasons why he could be here now. He could have been forced to come by someone in the empire who found out the secret of the axe. He could have gone to the Empire to get funding through his own intellectual curiosity. Or the thought of money and fame that would accompany such a discovery. From my memory of what you told me, Granophyre, this person was not a friend or associate of yours n any way before that meeting to look at the axe. He owed you no loyalty, unless there is more to that tale", he muses.

Turning to Auger, "How does the message stone work? Can it be used to contact anyone, or just someone else with a stone? And those sorcerers down there, what is the chance that they have means to call for reinforcements anyway".

He again shakes his head. "I understand that we have come too far, risked too much, to walk away. You three more than I even. They are where we need to be, and we need to do something about that. But there are so many unknowns. I would remind you once again, that I have means of infiltrating the camp, and the knowledge to fit in amongst the archaeologists at the least".

"If we were to wait and rest, I could make it so we all blend in".

Granophyre:

“I need daylight to get a better look at their position and the mima stone image. As I said, I cannot be sure. And there is the clue of the three black pillars…

“I do not understand what Omar is doing here. We had known each other for years before that night, though not closely by any means. Yet, based on that acquaintance, he reached out to me out of curiosity, not ambition, when the ax came to him, at least, so I thought.”

This was the last time Omar el Idrissid was seen in person, the night Granophyre just referred to:

Before saying good night, Granophyre turns to Omar.

“The Governor will insist upon you following through with the lecture you promised him in two night’s time. Do not demure, it will seem suspicious. But neither must you answer questions about this meeting. Should he ask, tell him what I have told him before.”

“You are following Kieu-Linh Tranh up the coast to her next performance.”

“Exactly. Now…” and once again he is looking for a small item in a vest pocket. He finds it and continues, “...take this. It is a clairvoyance stone, and here...” holding a second small stone, a perfect match for the first, “...is its twin. If you say the Dwarven phrase, <‘to speak with Granophyre Strewn,’> my stone will alert me. I will then utter a trigger phrase, and we will be connected. If you have urgent news, use the stone to contact me. Until then, keep it hidden.

“Farewell Omar El Issidrid. May the Gods smile upon you.”

“And you, Master Strewn. Idiwala will show you the way.”

Auger and Varielky were both present for a later exchange, following your first arrival in Kalahata:

You all quietly crowd into Granophyre’s suite. Floating before the mantle, you see a three-dimensional image of the head and upper body of a Shian man, wearing a kaftan, with a somewhat unshaven but intelligent aspect, whom Ednyss and Varielky recognize as Omar el Idrissid, the historian and professor at the College of Oracca, in whose home Granophyre examined the ancient axe, which he determined was from the long lost Clan Scoria, the mythical inhabitants of the long lost dwarven realm, Core of Dacite. This exchange followed a pleasant meal served by the historian’s wife, Cordalys, with their two young children present.

Omar, in a tone accustomed to authority, but with an undertone of annoyance and regret, in a crisp baritone, speaks once everyone is assembled, gracefully motioning with his hands.

“Master Strewn. I took your instructions seriously and the axe is hidden in a Dwarven bank. But, you recall that Therodurk Ullaz, the Jenghen Provincial Governor, when he saw us attending the opera together, requested that I personally instruct him in Orracan history. It was an obvious ploy, with its goal being to try to discover why you were here visiting with me. As you know, we believe the Governor has been given explicit instructions from Jen Ghessa to keep an eye on the mountains for anything involving Dwarven ruins on the continent. They seem to have noted your name on a traveler manifest listing your arrival by ship from Core of Onyx, Master Strewn.”

“Yes,” replies Granophyre, “I have the honor, if we wish to describe it as such, of having drawn the attention of and an obligatory audience with Emperor Drumar. Since then, I am carefully watched while in the Empire’s controlled territories, alas.” 

Omar el Idrissid takes a moment to sssemble his thoughts. “I put off the governor long as I could, but last week I was obligated to give him the lecture he requested, with a few other Imperial guests. Following it, I thought the worst was past, but Ullaz then insisted that he’d heard of my collection of artifacts, and wished to examine them himself. I could hardly say no. He came last night. He seemed at first to notice nothing of interest -- as I said, the axe is now elsewhere. But…” and now, el Idrissid’s face falls.

“It cannot be that bad,” urges Granophyre.

“It is not good, Master Strewn, and...I must apologize. It...was my youngest child. When you were here, Cordalys put them upstairs to bed before our...discussion regarding the axe. Or, so we thought. But he’s curious, a point I usually take pride in, but this time…” the professor sighs.

“He crept down quietly while we spoke, and saw everyone passing around the axe. Of course, I have replaced it with the one you kindly brought from Core of Onyx. But you see, the Governor asked about that particular item, assuming it was the point of your visit, and when he did, my son spoke out, saying, that the old axe is in the bank, and this one was a gift from you, Master Strewn. The Governor turned his attention to Foxglove, and before I could think of how to distract him, Ullaz likewise found out, through Foxglove’s animated retelling, that you were on your way to the Vale of Deshar. He is an intelligent man, Ulloz, and he is not afraid to employ the powers at his disposal. I fear the secrecy of your explorations may soon be in jeopardy.”

“Are you safe, Omar?,” asks Granophyre, to which the professor, rubbing his unshaven chin, answers, “I believe so. Ulloz made no overt threats, and does not know yet exactly why you have left for the Vale.”

Granophyre thanks him, wishes him and his family well, and following a Dwarven command, the connection blinks off and Granophyre pockets the stone in his vest.