EVERYONE
As the heroes help each other complete the climb, some speed is gained, and some is lost. Advancing with certain difficulty, the group will probably be caught by the storm still exposed. Seeking shelter midway is an option, since there might be fissures hidden amidst the steps, but that will take even more time. The heroes might finish the climb and make a run for the ruins. If they find an entrance, they might be protected from the worse parts of the storm.
KETHRA
As the angelic creature jumps forward, she manages to see what awaits the heroes forward. At the plateau above, a thick cover of moss takes most of the terrain. Oddly enough, the moss glows faintly, even more so after the darkening of the skies. A rich, although sparse, wood spreads around, still leaving enough of the ruins exposed. The green tapestry seems particularly ideal to hide traps...
The ruins themselves are not far away. A simple race would take everyone from the steps to the building. From here, though, Kethra can't see an entrance. It seems as if the place is made of some metallic white material, put together much like Teraphim apron would. Over it, the gleaming moss forms a blanket, leaving areas exposed here and there. Beyond that, through a terrain that goes softly upwards, Kethra sees a huge amount of thick fog, looking a lot like a vaporous emanation. It overs a great extension, hiding any possible spies, intruders, or even buildings. The only thing she can see is a trio of odd metallic towers, placed in line not far from the ruins, bolting towards the sky. She can only see the top of such towers, since the base and most of their bodies remain hidden under the thick cover of the fog.
As Kethra places a firm step over the rock, she realizes that the area beyond her seems to be moving slightly, almost as if it was pulsating... The moss seems to cover more than just the floor, after all...
Right before she steps forward, she realizes the last stones of the slope house, at each side of the path, small contraptions of unknown making. They seem like black plaques built into the stone. Each of them has two holes, where red lenses are placed, and from side to side they seem to face each other with perfection. The strong winds warn Kethra of the danger, since they agitate the fog towards the heroes and, as it crosses the area, an uncertain, half-vanished red line of light seems to appear, almost as a phantasm. Had she walked without caution, she'd have crossed the line, gods-know what results...
YTTRIAN
Taking point beneath Kethra, Yttrian is able to move faster. As he holds a branch to pull himself up, he looks to the wood above and to his left. Something glows lightly, as a coin flicked under the light, in between two pieces of stone. At first, the traveler takes no interest in it, since the whole steps seem to hold a certain glow underneath them, but then he realizes the persistent twinkling thing forming a certain pattern. The harmony suggests a code of sorts, as if someone was signalling to the party.
[Ok, I need you to give me a constitution saving throw against 14! If you succeed, you'll listen to the phantasm's speech and will be able to react to it... If not, you'll be forced towards the gleam.]
HARFIK/LYLLIE
The monk and the gnome necromancer stay behind, moving forward on a slower pace. As the duo makes its way up, the rest of the group going forward, a few feet way, they see a sudden light going off behind them. It falls down from the sky almost silently, landing on the stones behind them, some fifteen feet down. As the surprise wears off and they're almost returning to their task, the place where the light had fallen begins to glow, as if a wisp landed there, and without warning it grows, revealing the faint image of a humanoid.
The illusive creature can't be recognized. It wears a closed horned helmet, drawn in strange, angular patterns. The face is thrown in shadows. It dresses in a dark, heavy robe, built in purple and grey patterns as angular as the helmet's. A rugged, strong voice comes from the recesses of the helmet as it points out to the duo. The voice is so intense that it beats the winds and echoes through the path. Even Kethra is able to recognize someone's speech in the distance.
"WHY?" - the creature says in an elder voice. "WHY ARE YOU HERE, TRAVELERS? BE QUICK TO ANSWER, AND DARE NOT LIE!"
The creature awaits from an answer from the delayed heroes.
THULWAR
Not far ahead from Lyllie and Harfik, the gnome studies the soil, pressing his face against the fissures in the stone. The first thing he realizes is that such strange divisions were actually made by the work in the terrain, as if some catastrophe had happened at some point, lifting the stone and breaking an otherwise soft area appart. As they step up, he sees some dirt getting loose from the rocks, only to fall down towards the strong lights. And, to Thulwar's surprise, they go through! There
is something down there! They're actually walking over the shattered roof of a cave! Still, whatever produces such strong lights down there remains a mystery to the gnome.
Thulwar overhears the voice, as all others, while he's still evaluating the terrain. Given a bit more time, he might be able to figure out a way to go down there...
AANZU
As the prince rises, seeing his colleagues scathering a bit, he takes another look up. The humming sound has not left the heroes quite yet, and even beneath the sound of the growing winds it's still noticeable. As Aanzu peeks at the sky, he realizes the heroes have company. A pack of reavens decided to make a fuss right over the group. Poe might be there, or he might not. One thing is certain, though: the creatures are following the group's steps, and even in their disarray, they seem to be quite evident about it, their cries adding an odd note to the strange melody of this trip.
Aanzu looks once more, and now it seems that the creatures are diving towards the group, not as a sign of hostility, but as a warning. It is almost as if they wanted to communicate in great haste. He bets that any divinatory skills or animal abilities might tell him more...
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