The speckormerelf follows Kayn, its ghostly figure casting the faintest of soft, blue light on its surroundings as it silently floats through the air. It pauses as Kayn shows it the door. Endoro's head comes to life in response to Kayn's suggestion. "Popping our head in? What an intriguing idea. It's time we figure out what this new body of ours allows us to do, right Lomilith and Saraph'musa?!"

Lomilith groans, while Saraph'musa simply shrugs.

"Allow us," he requests with a smile as the ghost moves toward the large door. One of the kor's arms reaches out to test the theory. The hand passes through the door with ease. "Oh! It will work. That's something to look forward to." The speckormerelf quickly vanishes as it's ghostly visage passes through the large door.

You hear a faint "Huh." from the other side of the door, followed by the speckormerelf reemerging just seconds after. "It's a large room. Circular. There's another door on the opposite side of the room, and on the left side, it looks like the wall was blown away by something. And there's a massive pillar with glowing runes in the very center of everything... extends at least twenty feet up. But I couldn't find anything that would open the door from that side either. Not much of the emcayi white decay either." The ghost shrugs its shoulder, unsure of what else to report on.

Things went from chill to completely crazy before Veythe could really process it. The--ghost--thing was utterly disturbing to look at. Veythe liked her companions and to see them melded together like this--or beings that were like her companions, well. It was disturbing--and Vasha--she--she--Veythe had no words. She held onto the lute Vasha handed to her before she raced off to speak with Ato, one part wide eyed and another part touched. Veythe breathed out slowly and trailed her fingers along the lute wide-eyed. She decided to pay the ghost no real mind and just focused on the instrument.

"Beautiful," Veythe murmured. She wondered if Vasha knew exactly what she'd given her? Did Vasha--Veythe very gently attached the lute with the rest of her instruments. She'd need to look it over some more, later, when they weren't surrounded by ghosts and possible alien creatures from hell. She'd also have to figure out how to properly repay the kor woman. Maybe she could find a small nook or corner or something to drag her off to, away from the group...Veythe let a small smile curl at her lips. She liked that thought.

No longer self absorbed Veythe moved over toward Vesra. She'd wanted to check in on the girl earlier, but they started off before she even had the chance. Carefully Veythe moved into she was right next to the now younger woman.

"Hey, how you holding up?" Veythe asked, both out loud, and in sign at the same time. She didn't know which Vesra would prefer--she didn't know a young Vesra and as much as she'd be happy to treat the other girl the same, Veythe worried. She also wondered if she could pick Vesra's brains for a potential good response to the gift? Absentmindedly Veythe touched the lute again.

I’m fine, Vesra signed to Veythe. It was a small relief to not have to speak aloud. Her voice sounded so different now, it almost hurt to listen to it. It was squeaky and soft, it had lost the confidence she had worked hard to achieve, and it broke and cracked at inopportune moments. At least her hands couldn’t betray her, not really. Been better, but I’ve also been worse. You?

Veythe nodded her head. She glanced around at the place, and pinched her lips.

I'm not sure. Equal parts...afraid, elated... Veythe sighed and tilted her head up for a moment. This is...amazing. Terrifying. I'm not comfortable with how magic is so off here. How it can turn on us. Which she wasn't. The thought of deaging, or of something else, something more horrible happening because she chose to cast a spell really made her uncomfortable. Also the undead thing is really just...disturbing, right? Veythe gave Vesra a slightly uncomfortable smile. The thought of the--speckormerelf--really left Veythe uncomfortable. Veythe touched the lute again, thoughts drifting back to Vasha. She glanced to Vesra. Hey...Vesra? Can I ask you something?

Kayn returns to the hallways the others have been sitting at, the speckormerelf in tow. "Looks like the room behind the large door is pretty clear, but we couldn't find a way to open the door. There's a set of double-doors near the hedron entrance though, so we should all head over there and investigate." 

He saw Veythe and Vesra signing and signed back, Hello Petunia. 

Vesra had taught him a few Kor insulting gestures, and he thought they were hilarious. He planned on using them as often as possible. He gives them a wink and leads the speckormerelf back to the hedron entrance and the room beyond. 

I really hope Vasha doesn't tell him any actual swear words, Vesra smiled half-heartedly at Kayn as she signed to Veythe. I'm sorry, yes you can ask me anything. She didn't understand Veythe's elation. Nothing about this place was good. It was all terrifying and awful, leaving both Vesra and Ember with a sick feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

The ghost follows Kayn through the winding corridors, eventually arriving at the main entrance. The path Kayn took deliberately placed both him and the ghost walking over a rune. Kayn steps over the rune without harm, and so does the ghost as it floats lazily just above the surface unphased. As they reach the main entrance, the ghost pauses, looking towards the door longingly.

Lomilith's voice speaks on behalf of the trio's curiosity, asking the group, "How long have we been trapped in the hedron? What is the current status of the world outside? Did you have to sail across the Glass Sea and swim to the bottom of its depths to get here too?" He pauses, placing an elven hand over Endoro's mouth. "I'm sorry, Endoro is flooding my mind with questions."

Kayn thinks a moment before answering, but when he does he does it without hesitation. "Over a thousand years," he says. "Everyone you knew is long gone, you've been forgotten, and most likely the cities you lived in are in ruins." He turns to the ghost, a frown on his face. "You know we can't let you leave the hedron, right? To do so could be ruinous. We will do well by your remains though," he adds, looking over at the bedrolls that Vasha placed near the entrance of the hedron. "You're all a guardian of this place now, I think."

He leads them into the final room, a large sand pit in the center with two doors sitting on the south end. If there was anywhere to progress, it would be here. This room has also been left un-explored, so any number of traps could be present. 

Rezivah knew she was the outcast. A stray allowed to accompany this ragtag lot out of a lackluster, half sense of obligation. She could feel their eyes on her when she wasn't looking. Could feel their thoughts when she was. My barbarian is dead because of you.. It's your fault... You're not worth the blood shed for you... We should rid of you now, keep you trapped here like the rest of the monsters... Alien-bred...

She simply watched as the now older Kor sister moved the bones of the conglomerate specter into the entrance chamber, standing there, her hand raised to her mouth, a fingernail pressed between her teeth. She didn't wish to help her or them. She didn't wish to help anyone here. They were all judging her. For keeping to herself. For being a vampire, but who were they to judge? They were the ones who were stupid enough to let their friend die! They chose to interrogate me! They were the ones who fool-heartedly opened this vault, and now skulk its horrible halls! It's them! It's Them!

I've had enough of this place, thought Ato. More than time to finish exploring and get back out into the fresh air. There wasn't a hint of moisture in the air - it just felt unnatural. Sterile and alien. With no success at the larger door, the mer rogue followed Kayn and the others as the group returned to the entry chamber.  His mind wandered as they walked, returning to the twisted, horrible dreams of the previous night. He still couldn't quite make sense of what he'd seen and he felt a little less... whole? as a result. The three figures, the vast emptiness, the sheer terror of it clutched again at this throat as he began to recall it. His breathing grew ragged as he struggled to push it away once again."No, no, no...," he whispered, almost a whimper more than actual words. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, having no desire to picture it again. The Crowned Distorter?  His Chosen? Is that me? What could that mean? Surely that... thing wasn't Cosi. It had to be the hedron, playing tricks on his mind.

Slowly regaining his composure, Ato looked longingly at the sealed door to the outside, praying they'd be able to open it as they had from the other side. Not long now - just finish and get out. He followed Kayn into the unexplored area of the hedron, seeing the strange sand pit and the double doors beyond. Working with Kayn, though the goblin didn't seem particularly helpful despite his willingness, Ato checked the room for any sign of traps or other danger, but nothing seemed to catch his eye. It was all so alien and unlike what he was used to. On top  of his distracted state of mind, he just couldn't be sure. "I'm not finding much that worries me, but..." He shakes his head. "Be careful, I don't even trust my own senses in this place."

The druid stepped into the room with Kayn carefully, looking at the sand pit below and cubic keys all around.

“I could try to blow all the sand away,” Vesra looked down at the sand pit. She didn’t want Vasha, or anyone else for that matter, to have to jump in and dig around in there. “I have a spell for it.”

Kayn watched the Speckormerelf after he said his last words. Turning his back on the ghost, he helps Ato with his investigation of the room. The gnarlid never shifted its gaze, watching the ghost to get any indication of what kind of reaction it would have to the news. Releasing this being upon the world would be a horrible idea, and if the ghost had any semblance of sanity left it would agree with him on that account.

The doors appeared to have a place for fist-sized square keys, but they were nowhere around the area. The only place to look was the pit full of the same chalky white substance that stained the floors. "No Vesra... I don't think that would be a good idea. We don't know what this stuff will do if we breathe it in." 

Deciding it might be best to just dig it out, Kayn leans against the wall and takes up his watch of the ghost. The gnarlid moves forward and hops into the hole to begin the digging process. Animals can dig pretty quickly, usually. 

Lomilith's eyes went wide as soon as Kayn mentioned how much time had passed. Just as quickly as they went wide did they flash anger and frustration towards him. "Who are you to judge who leaves and enters this hedron, deep-crawler?" he questions in a cold voice. "We will leave whenever we damn well please... once the door is opened."

Saraph'musa's head comes alive as she states, "You are not the gods, little rock-eater. Your opinion has no sway over us. Our salvation lies outside these corrupted walls."

Endoro responds just as quickly too, emphatically shouting, "Yeah! We belong out there, just like you! So what if we're different then everyone else! That doesn't give you–or anyone–the right to judge what we do!"

It's clear that they're upset, but not to the point of violence.

Ato's searching doesn't reveal much. The tracks of white decay and spread out over the room, with many trails leading into the pit of white dust. Two doors along the south wall have identical indentations, roughly the size of a fist-sized cube, in the center of them. "That was water when we were last in here..." Lomilith states as an elf arm moves to scratch his head.

Kayn spent the hour investigating the wand that Vasha had found. He barely noticed her scold the gnarlid, but he knew Vasha wouldn't have feelings for any other kayn-animals going forward. He had underestimated his and Vasha's connection to the dog. Kayn already began to grow close to the gnarlid as well. It felt similar in experience to the dog, but more dominant and imposing than the dog ever was. It was an odd difference - very subtle. 

Veythe did not like this in part because the party was so wound up and tense. Tense situations often led to fighting, anger, and misused words. For a moment Veythe fingered the Lute, then settled down to peer into the room with the sand.

"Be safe," Veythe murmured, although she didn't know if Vasha heard her. With that, and the intent to try and soothe tense emotions, Veythe unslung the Lute and began to pluck at its strings. She hummed softly, no magic poured through the instrument aside from focus and soft plucked music.

As to duo dug into the white chalk, the rest of the group took the time to rest, attune to their new shiny toys, or do something. The speckormerelf, though silent, could be seen engaged in a silent conversation with itself, as the heads would come awake one by one, move their associated body parts around while bobbing their head, only to fall back asleep as another head would awake, repeating a similar motion and saying nothing.

Vasha and Kayn-gnarlid dug in the pit for a good hour, busy moving the chalk around in hopes of finding something that wouldn't eat them but rather aid them. Kayn-gnarlid noticed it first: the protrusion of something off-white buried in the chalk. Excavating further, it found the rib of a skeleton. Continuing to dig, it unearthed the entire skeleton: humanoid, though the race was hard to tell. Vasha quickly noticed several bones were shattered or cut clean through, evidence to a more violent death, though in its clutched hand was a cuboidal hedron with visible runes etched onto the surface.

Kayn flicks the wand and his clothing immediately becomes clean again. He hops up from his seated position just as Kayn-gnarlid climbs out of the hole with a cube-shaped hedron in its mouth. Kayn gives the gnarlid a pat on the head as it drops the cube in his hand. 

"Vessie," Kayn says. "There's a humanoid corpse down there. Looks like it died from weapons. Sharp weapons." He remembers the sword-like protrusions that the Emcayi were able to shoot from their hands and wonders if maybe this is just another adventurer that fell to them. "You might be able to tell more."

He turns to the ghost, casting prestidigitation on the cube to clean it of debris. "Did you have a fourth with you when you got trapped down here?" He asks.