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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 1719472" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 204The chamber was smaller than the one where the bebilith had waited.  The only feature of note was a faintly glowing circle inscribed in the floor, laid with silvery runes that seemed to pulse slightly, and rippled with apparent movement when one turned one’s gaze away, and saw them out of the corner of one’s eye. Standing within the circle was a seven-foot tall humanoid creature, an odd cross between a bird and a man.  It watched them intently with penetrating eyes set in a face resembling that of a hawk, complete to the angular beak and pale feathers that covered its body.  Great wings rose out from its torso where arms would have been on a human, but while it was at rest, as now, they folded against its body, revealing small hands at their ends that seemed fully articulated, folded together in a contemplative gesture that was somewhat at odds with the fierce look of the creature.  Its beak opened, and it spoke, something soft and melodic.  Morgan’s face was transformed by the words, and he half-fell to his knees, bowing before the creature.  He responded in the same language. “What’s it sayin’?” Hodge asked. “It is a celestial,” Arun said, “No doubt imprisoned here by Adimarchus.”The hawk-man spoke something else again, clearly addressed at Morgan.  Before the cleric could respond, however, Arun strode boldly forward, until he stood at the edge of the circle. “Careful, Arun!” Zenna cautioned. The dwarf stared intently at the creature, which withstood his gaze with equanimity.  Then, as if satisfied, the dwarf extended a booted foot and smeared one of the runes forming the circle. The glow instantly faded, and the avoral stepped free from the circle.  It turned to Arun, and bowed to him. “I thank you for my freedom, dwarf,” it said, speaking common in a clear and unaccented voice that seemed strange, coming from that beak.  “I’ll not tolerate one such as you being held captive,” the paladin said simply, inclining his head in respect.  “No... no, one consecrated to the Soul Forger would not,” it replied, offering another bow before turning to the rest of them.  “Long have I been trapped in this place, conjured and bound by the dark powers that rule this pit.  I had not expected to see wayfarers from the Material Plane here, in the Abyss.  What transpires, above?”They updated the avoral on what had happened, including the departure of Adimarchus and how they had been drawn to this place to match themselves against the evil forces seeking to gain control of Occipitus.  The celestial listened carefully, and nodded thoughtfully when they were finished.     “You have embarked upon a dangerous quest, mortals.  I will offer what aid I can, but I cannot in good conscience join you in a mission so torn with ambiguities.  I would warn you, though, to be wary, and to watch this sorcerer of which you speak with great care.”“Oh, we intend to,” Arun said.  With the avoral in their company, they returned to the cathedral.  Kaurophon was not pleased to see the avian creature, Zenna thought, although he hid his feelings well.  The celestial, on the other hand, utterly ignored him.  Once the sorcerer learned of the success against the first test, however, he perked up, showing great interest as they described what had happened.  “Then we have a clear path to the second test!” he exclaimed.  “Come, we must be on our way immediately!” “Hold yer horses,” Hodge said.  “The priest’s sick, and we can all use a breather ere we start marchin’ back an’ forth across this gods-forsaken pit—no offense, birdie.”“None taken,” the avoral said, a hint of amusement in its voice.  Kaurophon protested, but he could not sway them; the companions were united in their desire to avoid blundering into danger again unprepared.  So they set camp once more in the cathedral, and rested.  The avoral proved a boon companion, telling them tales of Celestia and the other higher realms, tales that inspired them in this dark place.  His very presence helped keep some of the darkness of the plane at bay, and they had a peaceful sleep for the first time in days.  In the “morning” they prepared to set out once more.  Arun did what he could to patch up the knight’s damaged armor, using the limited tools available to him; although it still provided far less protection than it had when whole, it was better than no protection at all.  Arun and Zenna both cast spells of restoration upon Morgan, and he looked much better afterwards, though still somewhat pale.  Taking their leave of the celestial, they set out on a course that roughly continued their earlier path to the place, following the long beam of the magical lantern. Ahead, somewhere in the distance, lay the second part of the Test of the Smoking Eye.</blockquote>

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