Jovial Jungle Jaunt (ToA)

„Time i of the essence, we need to find the cubes as fast as possible. They will us to our ultimate goal. However, I grow tired of solving stupid animal riddles and listening to tales of monkeys and snakes. Yeah, I’m with Nenne. Maybe it will put your mind at ease so we can focus on the inevitable confrontation with Ras Nsi and the Red Wizards.“

Crocodiles of various sizes lie riddled with arrows, burns, and slashess in this muddy lake bed, from which rises a walled ruin. The largest crocodile would match the side of four wagons, horse to rear wheel. Two columns flank the entrance, carved with images of a long-legged bird with a needle-like beak. At the building’s front, slimy steps ascend to an entry arch. This area is devoid of any yuan-ti now, but they were clearly here.

"It is self-evident that the yuan-ti were here, but are not now. Perhaps they've gone further in, perhaps they've left." 

Sthara approaches the entry arch and tries to make sense of the scrap that happened (Investigation: 9).

Over looking the temple within the waters, an idea springs within the mind of the oh so intelligent dwarf. "Ye all may ride on me back while I be a croc, and I may take ye one by one." He also ponders for a moment then adds a michevious look in his eyes. "Ye all surely will have fun."

In the water, Lemon shrings, but as well grows longer. His skin becomes green and his mouth becomes a snout covered with scales. Now as a crocodile, he looks to his companions and gives them the look to hop on and tranfer them across one by one.

[Whoever is the third person to go, he'll sway in a way like he is about to tip, but won't. And won't do it too hard in a way where you'll fall]

A plaque above the shrine entrance displays an inscription in cuneiform. Moss clung to the stonework throughout this hall, but has recently been pulled down. The mosaic floor depicts a tall bird using its long, pointy beak to pin a monstrous frog-like creature with tentacles sprouting from its shoulders. A cuneiform message is carved below the mosaic. Set into the far wall is a set of heavy stone doors that have been wedged open.

An empty pedestal stands in the middle of this chamber. Marks of dresh battle mar the exterior of the pedestal as if someone were trying to bash and cut it down. A hatch is popped open and lies empty atop the pedestal. Six statues face it from alcoves on the walls. They depict bare-chested humans with the heads of different animals. From left to right, the heads resemble those of a lizard, a jaguar, a lobster, a toucan, a bat, and a frog, all of which has a strip of cloth tied around its eyes. Inscriptions are at the base of each statue.

Slither marks give note to a crawl space behind the right, center passage, at the end of which a grid pattern is etched into the wall.

"Shit. Am I the only one around who thinks this shrine has been visited by the yuan-ti and they have taken the cube?"

Eku stands from inspecting some of the marks left behind. She gives Allister a sidelong glance and says, "I fear you may be correct. That hatch looks like it was designed to hold a particularly familiar shape. This story here matches the one inside Kubazan's shrine." She points to the mosaic cuneiform and continues, "I know Papazotl was one of Omu's gods, which only solidifies your guess."

"We should take notes of all the inscriptions here," the cleric says, peering at the mosaic intently, "including the one on the door. We may need them to understand how the cubes function together."

She scuffs a toe at the slither marks and frowns. "Storyteller, you said you saw fighting here yesterday. It stands to reason the remaining two temples will be just as empty as this one, then. Rather than chasing vapors, we should use our time to investigate the yuan-ti's motives, Ras Nsi's activity, and whatever that evil presence is. If we chase the other two cubes, we will likely find nothing but confrontation with the Thayans."

"Also," she casts a sober look at the party, "we should make every effort to hide our cubes from divination, if possible. This is not within my power, but perhaps one of you is capable of it?"

"Now what? Not to the next sunken shrine?" Allister talks to Lemon. "Do you have magic that gives you power of animals? Can you find a crocodile or something and scout for us? See if the yuan-ti are at the other shrine, where the wizards are... I don´t want to stumble into one of their ambushes."

"It would be helpful to know where all of the pieces are moving. We could pit them against one another and clean up the remaining mess."

Sthara paces around in a small area thinking.

"Would it not be better to take the cubes from the red ones if we're able? If you are sure you we should not visit the other shrines, we could explore the larger buildings and landmarks we noted before. However, if you're wanting the texts from the shrine, we will need to go to the others..."

Boosey moves round the shrine taking notes on all the cuneiform that he can find, translating them all to see if any might contain important information.  Finally, he goes to inspect the grid pattern in the crawl space wondering what it could possibly be for.

Boosey confirms what Eku said in that the mosaic text matches Kubazan's shrine.

The inscription over the shrine entrance says, “Papazotl teaches us to bow before no one.”

The following is etched underneath the statues around the room:

Comes with sunshine
Leaves with night
Hides in darkness
Does not bite
Always joined to its caster
Never strays from its master

Nenne shakes her head. "I do not mean we should avoid the other shrines entirely. I simply think we should not do it today. We know the Thayans are investigating the area right now, and I think many of us are keen to avoid another encounter with them so soon after their learning of the cubes' significance. If we visit any shrine, we should double back to Unkh's and record the story we missed on our first visit."

She sighs heavily. "I only suggest more northern reconnaissance since we are here and since Ras Nsi seems to be an enemy of the Red Wizards. I would appreciate knowing whether the war we've been thrust into has two or three fronts."

Lemon looks to Allister upon his question. "Aye. I be in good terms with the animals. But these are from a region me body and home not be a part of. I can talk to them be a friendly mann'er. But we be not the best 'of friends." 

He rolls his eyes, "Plus, they be tendin' to forget some information. They give correct information. Just not all."

He gives a shrug. "I'll investigate though. Give me some time though. Good time. Someone may want to ride with me once more. Bein' a beast... sometimes it messes with the head." He gives a nod to Allister, who was once a lion. "Ye may know."

"I would go with you," Nenne offers. "It would be helpful to get another view of the city. There is a spell I have been unable to cast until Eku provided me with the components yesterday, and it will allow me to see or hear at any location in this city if I am familiar with it. A magical scout, if you will."

Boosey nods at Nenne.  "Hang on a moment."  Clasping his hands together, he opens them slowly as if opening a tomb, speaking the words to cast enhance ability on Nenne, endowing the cleric with Owls Wisdom.  As he finishes the first action, he adds a second, slamming an imaginary staff into the ground, and giving Lemon Bull's Strength. 

"Not that you need to be given any encouragement, friend Dwarf, but a little extra strength never hurt anyone!  And for you, Nenne, this should help ease the mind fog of exhaustion for a while at least."  

Nenne drops the weight she can spare with the rest of the party to make Lemon's flight that much easier and the two fly about the city. The eastern-most shrine is deserted and the waters are tinged with the blood of many fallen grungs. Yuan-ti can be spotted in and around the circular walls near the center eastern part of the city. Their numbers vary throughout the place as patrols move about. Coming near the southeastern temple proves dangerous as one of the mages launches a fireball that is aimed too close for comfort at the flying duo. Much of the rest of the city remains the same. The cave entrance near the north end of the road appears to be some sort of deserted campsite near a black obsidian obelisk, shot through with red veins.

Upon returning to the group, Nenne dismounts and heads straight for her pack. Rifling through it a little, she pulls out some of her dried rations and hands them to Lemon in thanks. She then spreads the map of Omu on the ground and marks the locations of the yuan-ti cave and the black obelisk. After pointing out where she saw potentially threatening wildlife, she taps the obelisk's location with her finger.

"This is the source of that presence I've been sensing," she says, glancing up at the party through her whitish hair. "I was also mistaken - it isn't evil, precisely. The maleficence of the city blinded me somewhat to its true nature. It is actually a graveyard. Only, I have never sensed so much concentrated death in all my days." 

She rises and crosses her arms pensively as she explains. "The dead are spiritually resonant - they produce psychic tones we clerics learn to recognize. Incidentally, this is how I can sense ghouls and zombies. Their harmonies are discordant." She frowns and continues. "I can usually only 'hear' a graveyard when I am standing in it. Yet this obelisk...the sheer amount of death it sits upon is downright overwhelming. The fact that I can feel it from halfway across the city is unprecedented. I..." She ducks her head sheepishly. "I would like to investigate it, if we find ourselves in the area."

Eku makes a face of disgust as Nenne relays what she learned. She processes the words quietly for a time and then asks simply, "Do you think the obelisk is the Soulmonger?" The woman is clearly unsettled by the idea.

It may be linked to the soulmonger in some way.  If the obelisk is linked to a graveyard, it may be a good place   to look.”  

His face turns concerned, “while it may be unlikely that the recognised you, Nenne, it’s concerning that the Red Wizards would just attack out of hand.  They must have something important to hide, not just any cubes they may have.  Might it be worth trying to get information from Orvex?”