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OOC:
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This is post one of two.
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Rikiron first points to the battle site marked in the The Hermit's journal as Boots' Hill.
"I did fly over this spot. There is a very old looking large tree there. Its limbs are twisted and covered in thorns. I did see what looked like discarded and rusted armour scattered around it in addition to dozens of blanched skeletons."
The inevitable points to the woods marked as the Corpse Copse.
"These woods appeared quite dense from the air. As I said, the demon was swallowed up by the trees. It fell in the forested hills between the two mounts. The trees of the woodland appeared to be blackened and dead, but there is obviously something animating them." He points to a spot on the map closer to where the shrine is marked.
"Here, there is a large graveyard right at the edge of the woods. A very large crypt stands at its centre. Its eastern edge near comes to the edge of the Wicked Hills. The wood surrounds the entire graveyard. I saw a few skeletons wandering the graveyard. There will likely be more at night."
Rikiron next points to the area of the map denoted as the Roan Lizard Hills.
"This is the easiest way to the shrine on foot, if you choose not to fly. I did see signs of predation, so perhaps this name means there are large lizards that hunt there."
"Hopefully, only large lizards and not some sort of dragon," Aureus muses.
"If there is a dragon, I saw no signs of it," the inevitible replies. He then points at the cursed area west of the hills.
"This befouled area is more widespread than on this map. The blight of the demiplane has surrounded not only this tall mount here," Rikiron points to The Wraith.
"But also these other lower mountains." He points to the Bleeding Mounts.
"This one, this Wraithmount, was shrouded in deep bands of swirling haze. The effect looked almost cyclonic." The inevitable points to the tower symbol
near the Bleeding Mounts.
"This tower is actually located in the mountains. It was visible from the air. It is extremely tall. But, it should be here." He points to the more western peak.
"It stands at the top of this peak."
Phar stood quietly listening to everything, pondering all that had been said. Inwardly, he chastised himself for not being better prepared. He'd spent a lifetime learning to rely on his ability to think his way through problems, even seeking magical enhancement to push his vast intellect to impossible levels but, despite that, despite knowing they were travelling to the Gloom, he hadn't thought to research this place and share that knowledge with the Maur or the others so that they could be thoroughly prepared to protect themselves from its environmental dangers.
Taint was no different than fire or water or even the air they breathed here. If they had planned to go to the Elemental Plane of Fire, would they not have chosen to protect themselves from that element? It was just the nature of the realm, bleeding in from the Plane of Graves.
Phar felt like a child. An idiot.
Aureus points to the Mire of the Indigo Man.
"What about this?"
"No, I did not have a chance to fly over those bogs or the mountains west of them." Rikiron points to the mountain that is east of the Mire.
"This mountain is very tall. It is probably the tallest one I saw in the demiplane." The inevitable turns to look at the demiplane's barrier.
"There, it is so tall you can even see it from here, although the barrier makes it look distorted."
Rikiron points to the hazy outline of the mountain in the distance. The massive mountain rises above everything else in The Gloom.
Aureus checks Caerth's notes.
"Hmm, it's called The Towering Splinter."
The inevitable nods.
"A suitable name for it." He turns back to the map and points to the mountains west of the Mire.
"I did see these mountains. While not as tall, they seemed ominous."
"The Decaying Crags," Aureus notes.
"What about this, here?" She points to the spot The Hermit marked with a '6' then flips to Caerth's notes.
"The Angel's Tomb."
"No, I didn't fly over it, but I did see a massive stone block rising out of the trees in that direction." Rikiron points to the mountains east and southeast of The Wicked Hills.
"I did not fly anywhere near these mountain ranges. These mounts," he points to The Deadly Peaks.
"Are tall, but not as tall as the one you called the Splinter."
Rikiron points to the spot noted as the Shrine of Utter Evil in the Wicked Hills.
"The shrine is indeed only a shrine, not a temple. It is less than 10 feet wide and is surround by a few trees and bushes, as well as low walls that form a square around it except for an opening in front of the shrine. Two large skeletons flank the opening against the wall."
"Undead?"
"I would say yes," Rikiron replies.
He points at the hill markings on the map that surround the shrine.
"All of these hills are covered in the bones of the dead... and the undead. There are a few low crags in these hills. I believe you would call them foothills. There are also several rocky areas filled with dust and dunes, as well as patches of greenry that are as foul as the rest of the surrounding hills."
The inevitible looks towards Maur
"The bones of the undead scattered throughout the hills won't appear to be undead unless you use magic to search for them, champion. These evils will remain silent and hidden until you are vulnerable or get too close to the shrine. While most will be skeletons, there will be zombies and other restless undead... and perhaps greater dangers. This is some of the knowledge granted to me by Lord Moradin. You should expect undead to rise to face you as you approach the shrine. It will not matter if you walk or fly."
Angus spits in disgust. "My nature-based powers are likely to be useless in the Gloom. I have to touch the earth with ma' hand and allow the power to flow through me, in order ta' use 'em. If I try it, I'll likely be contaminated, tainted as ye say, by the evil of the place. I'll not be doing that, then. But one thing that does work is me sword arm. I'll be backing ye up with strength of arms, then, because ye can always trust yer own steel."
Rikiron replies to Angus.
"You are probably correct, warrior. I would advise caution when using any sort of magic. Your nature magic could heal your allies but taint you."
“I’ve seen all manner of dark and evil, yet what you describe is hard to grasp. Taint?
Litrix shrugs
"Why is hard to understand in a creature so depraved."
"I joined this group, just after this Eike got, hm, demonized? Corrupted? He was always a bad apple if I understand correctly, but this...probably not his choice. He is beyond redemption now, a pawn in the greater game. Full story is a bit murky, but the stakes are high enough for dragons to involve themselves. So, serious."
"You are correct. This person, this Eike, has been completely corrupted," Rikiron says to Litrix.
"Assume that it will fight any attempt to force redemption upon it."
