Bründir approaches Vark with blank, silent stoicism. Nothing seemed wrong at first, Vark even seemed genuinely himself. However, Bründir maintained his appraisal through the sorcerer's testimony. When all was said, he simply pulled Dumdrengi in its sheath around to his front where all could see. His thumb pressed up on the guard to free it while the other hand took it firmly and drew it a few inches, "If I've learned anythin', it's this blade ne'er lies." The blade was, in fact, a dull steel-gray and mundane, "If it glows when yer near, ye best find somethin' fer it 'fore I do."

Seid watches Vark’s heartfelt display and moves to approach the young half-Orc when Brundir draws his sword. “What are you—“ he stops when Brundir speaks. ‘Interesting. A demon-slaying blade.’ He watches the interactions with the weapon and Vark very carefully, then smiles as it remains blank steel. “Come now, Brundir, it is clear the presence has faded. I fear Vark was overpowered by the potent will of this Matthew, whomever he is.” 

Seid continues to approach Vark and puts his arm around him, pulling him into a brief hug. “You made a foolish decision not to tell your companions immediately if you still had the ability to do so, but we cannot spend forever wishing on something to change that has already happened. All we can do now is to figure out what to do to fix the problem. Vark, you are not helpless you have a power within you that took me many, many years of rigorous studying to match. What you lack is confidence in yourself. Find your confidence and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish. Now, I think you all need rest while I finish here. Brundir, would you assist me? Your knowledge of the local history could be very helpful. I think I understand this place better though…”

He points at some of the imagery. “I’m positive that image there is this khaz here. The river delta is Beschcadik, the capital city of Sarameia. The volcano flowing into the water there is harder to determine, but I feel it’s out in the Obsidian Mountains far to the west. I believe these are the locations of these other entities, clearly demonic in nature given the existence of Brundir’s sword here and it’s reaction to the tomb. I also believe these entities are the ones that make up the trinity of this Morrigan of which you have spoken before. This one appears to have been named Morgale. I need to find a library in which I can research this more. Perhaps I could return to Breanne and seek out more there…” He sighs as a thought hits him. “Assuming the Mabinogi don’t just assassinate me upon my return.” He sits down and puts his head in his hands as the weight of the consequences of his decision finally settle in now that they have reached the fruition of this venture.

Bründir gives a hard shove on Seid's shoulder to shake him out of his self-pity, "None o' that, now. Far as I see, you're with us now. Now these eh...murals, yeah, seems odd just layin' out where th' others're at, right? Not saying yer wrong, just funny. Like, they locked somethin' up, thinkin' nothin' ev'r gonna let it go, then slap a map fer its brother an' sister on th' walls." He stops and looks around to see if anyone shares a view. "I mean, i's like sayin', 'Well since yer 'ere to let the nasty thin' out, why don' ye jus' go an' let'em all out', right?"

The dwarf slips a nervous chuckle before turning to Jex, "Oi, Jex, aint Sarameia where yer from? Ye know th' spot up 'ere or 'eard anythin' like this?"

“So we should go to that places and make sure that the others don’t get free. And if anyone comes to befriend another soul trapped in anything, be sure to tell the others.” 

Vark gives Seid a weak smile and nod. He appreciates the the man's wisdom and kindness but it's clear it will take a lot more work to take the boy out of his depressive state. "I... I wish Aureaonus were here. I didn't get a chance to say before b-but I recognized that pointed star symbol... he'd shown me it, and he knew of this place... I just... I don't remember exactly but... he... he would know what to do..." the boy trails off into silence, and seems content to remain that way for the time being.

Jex nods at Brundir. 

"I grew up near there, I know the place. I'm betting the people here didn't know this was right below them though. The imperial Palace is definitely old enough to have something like this below it."

"We should warn the elves of what has happened here. " he turns to Jex " Do you think that if we go to this Imperial Palace they will let us in to check their catacombs in search for an ancient evil and to make sure that no one is setting it free? Also, Seid if you want I can start smashing this thing, but if I undesrtood correctly we could use it too? maybe you know hoy to take us to the imperial city? Then the dwarves can destroy it after we had left." 

Seid stops and stares at Vark for a moment. "I...know that name. How do you know this person? Who are they? When I was trying to gather more information on Sheercleft and their plans for the town, I overhead some of the senior members discussing this person. They seemed to think they were an obstacle that would need to be overcome for reasons unspoken. I would like to hear more about this Aureaonus once we have finished here." Seid then chuckles as Thurston addresses him. "I am not from Sarameia as Jex is, clearly, but I imagine they would not take kindly to outsiders coming in and demanding to see the catacombs beneath their Imperial Palace. As far as this circle goes, if we can salvage it, this could be put to good use by us once I am able to master its magics. For now, if we can fill the area around it with obstructions and cover the sigil itself, I am positive we could put a stopper on this."

He glances over at Jex riffling the pockets of the fallen wizards. "Those masks... they are a fail safe used by the Mabinogi. The bone fuses with the skin and prevents it from being removed upon death. This way no one can identify the fallen members and track them back to others. I... am not sure if there is a way to dispel or prevent the effect, but it has been used quite effectively for some time."

Jex nods at Seid's assessment. "Quite right, nobody is getting into that palace Thurston. Unless you earn some real favour first. Wouldn't surprise me if they know its there and are drawing power from it anyway somehow. They were very keen to move their seat of power there."

He scowls at Seid's information on the masks. "You have one then?"

Seid cocks his head to the side at Jex's insight. "That's quite insightful, Jex. That could very well be a potent source of power should they find a way to harness it. And yet, their military might has been quite unchecked as of late. I do wonder..." He pauses as he notices the scowl on the elf's face. He sighs with irritation. "Am I wearing one? No, I do not. I know of them, because I was once of them." He points to the bodies. "But no longer."

"Aureaonus was my only friend b-before... uhm, he's a storm giant. A-and he's very smart. He'd know what to do. He told me about a prison once, that needed to stay closed at all costs. I'm... I'm sure now he was talking about this place." he pauses in thought for a moment. "He lived on top of Endelfjell. The mountain I'm from. But... the last time I saw him... he was attacked. I don't know by what... ah, blue skinned people who commanded the wind. I was caught in the crossfire and that's how," he raises his hand and produces a few weak blue sparks. "I ran after that... I don't... I don't know what happened to him." 

Jex smirks, his tone is basic like he is speaking to a child, "I can see you aren't wearing one, but if you have one perhaps it would be useful later."

He gathers up the possessions of the wizards as he speaks, organising them by perceived value. 

The remaining wizards also wore dark blue robes, though of a thinner and lower quality material. The bone masks are, without exception, fused to their heads. They are similarly armed with daggers and spell component pouches. Between the seven of them they carry a total of 28 crowns, 39 shillings and 33 pence. Each is also equipped with ink, pen and parchment, along with their spell book.

Thurston seems a little lost with all the information. But starts carrying the bodies of the dead wizards and throw them into the circle once Jex has finished with them.

"It seems that we should pay a visit to Auneranos and see if he survived the attack of the blue-skinned. Perhaps he could tell us how to undo this and trap that thing again here. Also I am glad that you don't have any Manibogi mask fusioned with your bones Seid. That makes easier to speak with you... " 

"First we should return to the surface. Things here need fixing, the town needs rebuilding and it is vulnerable without leadership. As it stands it will collapse to ruins within a year, I have seen it happen before. We should call a meeting of the community leaders to make some decisions to keep the town and the mines safe."

"If that Empire is using it's power... don't they need to open it a little bit at least? Wouldn't that be really dangerous? "

He says when the conversation of the Empire and the palace is going on.

Some minutes later, Thurston looks at the dead bodies of the wizards upon the circle and he says to himself 

"Hmmpff not enough. We will need some rocks my good friend. " he says grabbin his adamtine warhammer and looking at it. He stares at it for half a minute and then retires to a more open space of the caverns. He left all his gear nearby and takes some oil and a couple of rags that he uses to clean his weapons. Then he spent the next fifteen minutes cleaning Rikkazarik with care. Polishing each rune that covers its surface and making sure that all the gore and the remmants of dirt are clenaed. Then he turns towards the pommel and the leather strap that helps him having the hammer around his wrist. It polish it with cream for leather and when he finished the weapon looks as good as new. 

He then put it over his cloak, in front of him, and he kneels. He the meditates and after a fewe minutes he starts to wishper in his native tongue. He thanks the weapon for the assistance it had given him in the previous battle.Then he calls forth Thor. 

" Takk min Herre Thor. Du har tested min styrke og løse. Du la meg i veien for å oppdage dette kraftige våpenet. Jeg tilbyr det til deg. Jeg vil tjene deg med det. " 

He stands and extend his hand over the hammer. 

"Hør samtalen min nå Rikkazarik. Bli med meg, og sammen vil vi gi rask rettferdighet til dette landet. " 

With that words the hammer's runes start to glow. Sparks of electricity begin to run acroos it's surface and a wind that comes from nowhere surrounds the paladin. 

"Kom nå så blir vi med eller SKJEBNER!!" 

With his last words the hammer flies up to his hand and when he grabs it and raises over his head, calling the name of his God, a lighting jumps off the hammer's head and everyone cann hear a thuder rumbling in the distance, as if storm is approaching. 

Feeling the power of the weapon on his hands, Thurston laughs in loud voice. He picks up his things and returns with the others. 

" Look Rikkazarik " he says looking to the teleportation circle " Our next task is not a fancy one, but a necessary one. We will work hard to prevent this evil wizards revenge on the good people of Sheercleft. Would you mind to take out them?" he says pointing to the corpses he had throw in before in a failed attempt to foil the circle. " We should burn them, they will start to stink soon... " 

With that he, once again, leaves his things on the floor, this time he even takes out his armor, and start working, smashing the walls and carrying the heavy stones towards it. It's a heavy work but the Norscan seems happy doing it. 

Once he has finished and more than a dozen of big rocks and at least four great boulders are over the circle he dons his armor again, and, cleaning his hammer he tells the others

" That should do... Let's go back up then?" 

As her companions ventured deep into the mines after the elusive wizards that brought about all the death and destruction to Sheercleft, Valaith remained behind… and feeling completely worthless being left behind. She spends the first hour pacing and watching the mine entrance, her anxiety building up with each passing moment and making the wait nearly unbearable. ‘It’s been hours they should be back by now.’ But each time she looks in the sky, the sun has barely progressed across the sky. As the area begins to clear out and the people of Sheercleft go about the business of gathering their dead and ensuring all errant fires have been extinguished, Val remains…. Watching and waiting. Each sound echoing up from the ravine is less a battle-horn and she rushes over to the edge to peer down below with Rook in hand. The longer this goes on, the more Val’s hackles are raised to the point where she begins to feel the rage within her growing as the temperature around drops to a freezing point and the breath escaping between her clenched teeth mists as it hits the frigid air.

Val doesn’t realize she is clenching Rook in both hands and once more charges the ravine when the next cracking sound of debris collapsing echoes across the ravine. Just as she gives into the rage and prepares to lower herself down, she hears a very faint voice… like a smoke of a whisper. “…Rimehand…” Valaith stops and looks around, but cannot seem to find the source and when she sees nothing around she dismisses it as her nerves. She reaches for the rope to begin climbing down, but as her calloused hands wrap tightly around the rough fibers she hears the voice again, this time a little louder and definitely a voice she knew. “…Rimehand… Valaith…”

Just as quickly as the rage had built up inside of her is dissipated, like a frozen hand plunged into warm water as a feeling of pins spread across her skin. She stares down at the hammer in her grasp in fear? Wonder? Part of her wants to drop the weapon into the ravine and pretend this had never happened. Perhaps her mind had cracked finally under all the stress of the last several months. “…Val…” This time she knew without any doubt the voice had come from Rook and she drops the massive hammer to the ground with a resounding THUD as the head impacts with the ground. Almost immediately there is a strange almost wail that drifts from the fiercely glowing runes as a familiar, spectral form begins to form next Val. Tears form in her eyes as she recognizes the wry, competitive grin and the gentle looking eyes of her brother, Lakin. “My little sister.”

“Lakin!” Valaith bursts into tears as she stumbles forward toward the spectral form before her, but instead of finding herself within the protective embrace of her big brother she passes through his form and falls to her knees. She turns in disbelief to see him still standing there with a confused look upon her face. “Lakin? Is it really you? I—I don’t understand. Was that you in the hammer?” She gets to her feet once more and walks back over to the form and passes her hands through the torso of Lakin, who chuckles.

The spectral visage places a finger to his lips and looks towards the mines, the points to Val and one of the nearby buildings before the form shimmers out of existence, slipping back towards the hammer and the glowing runes. Val grabs Rook, casts one last look into the ravine before rushing quickly back towards her room.

A few moments later she slams shut the door of the little room in which she'd slept the night before. She gingerly sets Rook down on the ground and kneels down before her brother's hammer... or was it Lakin in there? She did not know, perhaps Seid or Vark would know? How had he gotten into the hammer? Had he been with her all along? So many questions! "Lakin... I'm here!" She calls out, but for several moments there is nothing but silence in the room. Val's head whips back and forth as she looks for any sign of Lakin... had she imagined it? Had her blood gone bad? She looks down at the stomach wound eyes wide as a thought springs unbidden to her mind of the stories she'd heard about stomach wounds turning a warrior's blood to poison. Her eyes widen as she frantically look from corner to corner, back to Rook. "...Lakin? Please... no..." Tears begin to freeze upon her cheeks as the cold starts to seep into her once more. Her eyes drop to the rough grain of the wooden floorboards when she becomes aware of a lightly glowing, spectral finger trying to hook her chin. She looks up to see Lakin again, standing over her with a curious expression upon his face. He gestures for her to stand and smiles. She proudly gets to her feet and stares up at the larger form of Lakin, the one destined to led the Kalukavi tribe to greatness before... that awful night... "Lakin I'm sorry! I failed you all! It is my fault you all died!"

Lakin's mouth opens and moves as if speaking, but no words come. The spirit stops and frowns, looks surprised and tries again, but again nothing comes. He points at Valaith and shakes his head, then flexes his spiritual arms and smiles as he looks her in the eye. "...proud..." She hears the whisper of the word as if from a great distance.

"I don't understand what is happening? Were you inside the hammer? Are... are you Rook?" Lakin shakes his head no.

Once more she hears that distant whisper. “...not...Rook...bound…” he points at the hammer, then to Val again. “...Released…” he taps his chest. The spirit of Lakin gestures at Val again. “...bound…”

Val shakes her head. “Lakin, I don’t understand. What does that mean? Bound? We are bound? You are bound to the hammer? I don’t…” she stops as his spectral form flickers, losing substance. “No! Don’t go Lakin! Please don’t leave me again! I-I don’t know what I’m doing! I need you! DON’T LEAVE ME!” She screams in desperation as the icy rage of frustration builds up in her and she hears a ghostly sigh as the power of her rage seems to strengthen their connection. 

She feels a tingle of power as Lakin’s hand lies upon her shoulder. “...always with you…” His other hand brushes at the frozen tears upon her cheeks. That touch sends torrent of emotions cascading through her and the rage falters… Lakin’s form shimmers and waves like a flame as the tether weakens. “...proud…” Lakin smiles once more before the wavering form dissipates into the air like misted breath. 

Valaith collapses to her knees and screams as the runes upon Rook flare and spark nearby. She snatches up the hammer, sits cross-legged, and places it across her thighs. Recalling the way she had communed with the weapon the night before, she closes her eyes and slows her breathing as she focuses intently on the connection between her, the strange weapon, and her lost brother….

As Thurston finishes smashing the room to pieces and addresses the group, it becomes apparent that Jex is no longer there. Or was he ever with them? It's so hard to keep track since he picked up that damned mask.

Having picked up the most valuable of the wizards' possessions, Jex grew bored of watching Thurston break stones. He decided to satisfy his curiosity and slipped out into the cavern that led to the prison. Silent as a cat he looks for signs of the hobgoblins retreat. It isn't long before he starts to see signs of battle in the tunnel. A dart or an arrow broken on the floor, little splatters of blood, wood splinters from a shield, a discarded dagger. And then the first hobgoblin corpse, left face down with several arrows sticking from his legs, back and neck. A little further and there was another, this one clearly caught in the face as he rounded the corner. Jex smiles as he spots the clever holes in the cavern where the Kobolds must have been ready, watching and waiting as they heard the screaming from the trap clamped around the leg of the goblin. He continues down the path, keeping to the shadows to avoid any overzealous kobold scouts, admiring their handy work as he spots dpy holes in the walls and traps smeared with goblin blood. Carefully placed at a pinch point, several Kobolds had clearly ambushed the survivors from above and herded them into a death trap, surrounded two more had fallen as the survivors forced there way through a blocked off tunnel... And into the den of a giant spider.

Here the last had died, fighting to the end, not long ago it seemed, the beast was still warm and the hobgoblin captain was still bleeding against the wall. Taking an empty vial from where he had applied the snakes poison to his blades earlier today, he kneels down at the fangs of the spider, and, holding its mouth open with his dagger and pushing expertly against the gland behind the fangs, he begins to milk the poison from the monstrosity laying broken legged, sprawled across the floor. A groan from behind disturbs him and he looks over his shoulder. Seeing the captain still alive but in pain he continues his work warily. A few moments later he is finished. Placing the cap in his second vial he slinks along the wall where the hobgoblin lays slumped, arms grasping hopelessly around a purple-black wound in his leg. Coming up unheard behind him, poison still visible on the dagger, Jex places it beneath his armpit, his other hand seizing the goblin by his greasy, blood streaked hair. As the warrior tenses by instinct, Jex presses the blade. 

"Shh, easy now. Time to let go and rest. You fought hard and well and did all you could for your men. There is no shame in this death now."

As the blood wells up in his throat, the goblin spits at Jex. "Maglubiet take ya. Knife eared thief" 

Now Jex's free hand had admittedly already been in the goblin's pocket, even as the blade drew into his lungs, but the racist insult still stung him and he twisted the blade to eek out a few more moments of pain. 

"Here I was doing you a kindness, I thought we were going to have a transient moment of honest respect, but you have chosen to pass from this world in bitterness and hate." Jex hisses in his ear as the dagger levers up nastily eliciting a final growl of pain that the goblin chokes on as the frothy blood fills his throat. Jex wipes his dagger carefully on the goblin's tunic before placing it back in his belt, collecting his vial and finishing searching the pockets of the corpses. He is about to turn and leave but the final remarks of the captain irk him as he looks over his shoulder and sees a scene of a valiantly fought final moment.

He does not deserve to ever be seen this way. 

He turns around and places another of the goblins beneath the spider, sword up into its belly and head in its jaws. The other he drags over to the commander, cutting the belts and leaving them entwined in a compromising position. 

"There, you were caught with your trousers down, and your underling died taking on the spider alone. How's that for a way to be discovered?" He spits. "Racist bastard" 

His heart now a little lighter, he walks with a spring in his step back to where this tunnel joined the others, slipping back in behind his companions as they wander from the prison as though he had never been gone. 

When Jex returns to the great adamantine doors at the entrance to the final chamber, he finds that they open directly into the cave where the party faced the hobgoblins. Thurston and the others have the same experience, once the Norscan is finally done sealing away the teleportation circle, and when they look back they see only the smooth surface of the main entrance, the concentric circles of the broken wards still marred with scorch marks.

It takes about two hours for the group to march back up to the beginning of the mines, and not once do they see any trace of a kobold. The Sheerscales appear to be giving them a wide berth for the moment. After so many hour deep underground, the pale gleam of daylight is a sight for eyes when they finally arrive at the lift. Thurston gets to work on the crank and soon the platform is carrying the six warriors up and out of the depths of the ravine.

By the time the lift reaches the top a small crowd has gathered. Clearly word of its ascent has spread quickly. Valaith, Brynja and Ringrut are all there, and a tense silence falls over the gathered villagers as they wait for their heroes to say something, anything, about what has transpired below.

Jex is first to break the silence. 

"Don't worry Val, I told you we'd be fine. I even shot most of them in the front for you." He gives a wink before raising his voice for the benefit of everyone.

"The goblins are scattered and the wizards are dead. Now is the time for rebuilding. Those who wish to represent the community should join us in the town hall as we make the decisions on the best way to return this town to normal life."