Area D9

The ceiling of this broad natural cavern arcs upward, forming a narrow crown high above the cavern floor. In the center of the cave stands a ring of worn, moss-covered menhirs, their inward faces carved with mystic symbols. In the center of the ring is a bottle with swirling wind inside it and a necklace with 5 red beads on it.

Curious but leery, unless someone beat him to the punch, Zaf would carefully pad his way just close enough to better try and study some of the mystic symbols in a likely vain effort to gauge their use if any.

General Intelligence Check(?): 8.

(1d4 from bless, and not trained in any relevant int based skills. Feel free to ignore roll with that in mind.)

(Also the below is refering to ritual casting Detect Magic unless Cherry uses her trait to do the same as an action)

"Hm... Unless any of the rest of you might have the means, if you give me ten, I might be able to pick up on any magic close by and rough take on its nature. For this seems a fair bit too.. easy, to say the least." He said, looking back to the others. "Not that we know what this thing does anyways."

Jirel will walk into the area, taking a look around. She was happy enough to watch over the area while Zaf completes a ritual. She'd nod to her companion.

Jasun and Nadya give a thumbs up as Zaf offers to Detect Magic.

As the blonde strides through the area to the center ring, her honeyed eyes would fall upon the bottle with swirling wind inside it and the necklace nearby. Jirel would pick up both items as gingerly as she could, and as she looked them over, she wondered why she was the one to pick these items up. Turning them over in her calloused hands, she would look up to pan the room for her companions.

Jirel would make her way over to Sera, “You are the wisest of these lands and most level headed of our crew.” She’d offer Sera the most sincerest smile she could. It was more of a toothy smirk. The barbarian would offer her the message in the bottle. “Perhaps this is a puzzle best solved in your hands.” She’d nod confidently.

The barbarian would then make her way over to Rose. She’d gently brush the bangs away from Rose’s eyes. Remembering that passion that pours from Rose's resolve, Jirel would allow the next words to flow freely, “Even the smallest spark can ignite a fire that burns eternally bright.” She’d take the necklace and gently reach around to clasp it around her neck, should Rose welcome it.

(Giving bottled message to Sera and necklace to Rose.)

Sera squints at the bottle. "All right, everyone gather round, and someone be ready to write down whatever comes out of this." Once everyone's within hearing distance and paper and pen are out, she opens the bottle carefully.

As you open the bottle, you hear the voice of an elderly woman speak.  “Eef you hear these words, my own blood has betrayed me. Jadrenka has one key; the other lies in the Eon Pit. Follow my trail!" As the voice finishes, the compulsion that has caused you to travel all this way stirs once again. You know that the one who spoke was none other than Baba Yaga, the Queen of Witches and the mother of all the Queens of Irrisen.

Also, level up to 9

Sera sighs. "Joy." She rolls her shoulders. "Only way out is through, I guess."

As frankly caught off guard as Zaf had been by Jirel's actions, he just as soon averted his gaze, taking Sera's request as a welcome distraction. Though having little in the way of writing utensils at the time, the Owlakocra expression took on a more determined cast while staring in anticipation at the bottle.

"That voice..." He murmured after as he'd begun swaying on the spot. Yet, never did he fall or stagger prior to finding equilibrium once more over the next several moments. "I... an closer now." He added underbreath, and then shook his head to the sides. "... Out? Out... yes.. out. We need to be out. Though, do we go that way-" He points further down the hall to the north of them, "Or back to the one we past?" A wing gestures back the way they came. "There were those keys we collected already. Could be that they may help unlock the path to this Eon Pit? In fact, do you know anything about this so called pit, Seraphina?"

Thank you for piloting me. I should be back to "normal" after tomorrow.

(Don't mention it. I hope things get better for you.)

You go through the archway.

Area E7

A withered cornfield extends in all directions beneath a waning moon in a starry night sky. Dozens of dead ravens lie strewn on the ground among the shriveled stalk. Standing in the center of the cornfield is an elderly woman, bent over and carrying a staff. Everyone make a Perception check at advantage.

Back in the other room: 

Rose had been looking around the general area when Jirel had approached, the firbolg turning to meet her gaze with a soft smile at her lips. She blinked in confusion when the barbarian brushed her bangs out of her eyes, hazel hues meeting with honey colored ones as Jirel spoke. There’s a heat that creeps onto her cheeks, understanding the meaning behind her words loud and clear. The cleric then silently nods her head and turning to allow her to clasp the necklace onto her neck. 

Once it was on, she gently played with one of the beads between her finger tips, smiling to herself for a moment before turning to Jirel and giving her a hug. “Thank you...”

Look at all those chickens:

The cleric held onto her staff tightly as they made way through the field, being careful to not step on any of the deceased birds. Upon seeing the woman, she squints her eyes...

Perception: 13

Oh I'm great at these: 18

Just one more day: 20

Jasun, Rose, and Seraphina all notice that the crone bears a very close resemblance to Jadrenka, as well as the middle-aged woman who looks like she could be Jadrenka's mother. 

Perception: 23. (For posterity's sake)

If noone else speaks before Zaf has a chance to, the Owlakocra warily steps up and says, "Hello Mam. I apologies for the disturbance, but-..." He paused, looking to the field of bird corpses again, and only just manages to suppress a gulp. "Might you be an elder of -- know of a Jadrenka and what she has done? And if so, might you be able help us -- be willing to help us?"

The crone sighs. "I had hoped that if the time came where Baba Yaga needed to be rescued, those who came for her would be smarter. I am Jadrenka, you twits."

Sera crosses her arms. "Yeah, well I had hoped to stay away from this snowy hell the rest of my life, but the powers that be don't seem to care about desire so much," she mutters before adding louder, "Well, we're here. As smart as hoped for or not."

"I suppose you are." Jadrenka says, wearily. "Then let me impart on you two things." She pulls out a gold nugget and hands it to you. "This is one of the keys that you need to claim. The other lies near. I also give you this warning: The cancer grows in the womb of the Crone. To face the Curse of Eons, you must have time on your side.” Before you can ask her what that means, she once again vanishes. As she does, the room changes, revealing a rectangular room formed from chiseled granite blocks. Carvings of lifeless cornfields adorn the walls, and withered cornstalks and dead ravens litter the floor. A simple sleeping pallet lies on the floor against the north wall, next to a small trunk and a nightstand holding a basin of fresh water and a few candles.

Area E8

The remains of a giant wooden statue, carved to resemble a stooped and ancient beldame, lie broken and scattered across the floor of this chamber. A set of massive iron double doors
stands in the south wall, their faces engraved with a procession of humanoid figures. At the top of the doors, the figures are young women in the bloom of youth, but as the parade continues down the doors, the figures age, turning into pregnant matrons, stooped crones, and finally, at the bottom of the doors, into capering skeletons that vanish into a gaping tomb. As you enter, a frost giant turns towards the door behind him and shouts something in Giant before moving to attack you. 

If you speak Giant:

 Frost Giant:4
Nadya:6
Jasun:17