The trees go far up into the air.  Anywhere there is green, the floor is also lined with creeper vines that wrap up around the roots.  It’s a dense, dense underbrush. As Illi is standing up and looking at the statue, her ears twitch a little bit.  She hears coming from the north and from the west a familiar growling, a dull thrumming.  Illi slowly steps back inside and closes the hatch and climbs back down.

 

Illi:  It doesn’t sound like it’s safe upstairs.

 

Brinden:  From what you describe, it looks like where… did you see any sign of the upper mausoleum or anything like that?  It was just trees?  Or…?

 

Illi:  Um… I remember trees and a statue, the statue looked cool.

 

Brinden:  Huh.  But no… So we’re a way off. Alright.

 

Silas limps his way into the room.  It’s cool and refreshing and pleasant in there, there is fresh air taking away the stench of the overhanging death and staleness that they’ve been immersed in.  

 

When Illi mentioned the statue, Brinden gets flashes back to his dream.  There was a dream of a passage and a lot of chambers, and he remembers is a large statue being flashed before him during the dream.  Brinden heads in and starts up the ladder.

 

Illi:  Be careful of the wolves.

 

Brinden:  Eh, wolves.

 

Illi:  They nearly killed… well, they did knock out Silas.

 

Brinden:  Mm-hmm.

 

Illi:  Nearly also killed Artemis.

 

Brinden:  Mm-hmm.

 

Illi:  And we were all there when it happened.

 

Brinden:  Mm-hmm. Alright, alright. I’ll take a little peek, don’t worry.

 

Brinden makes the same climb, Illi going up behind him.  As he opens it up, he listens to see if he can hear what Illi did.  As he reaches the top, he focuses, but he doesn’t hear any moving in the underbrush.  He doesn’t hear any growling.  Maybe Illi’s hearing things?  It looks relatively serene and calm.  As his eyes meet the statue, it is indeed the statue from his dream.  He remembers this statue, this large, imposing presence.  He also recognize it from some of the portraitures and from the setting.  This is the statue of the man that the five men came to see.  This is a statue carved in the likeness of Rannok.  

 

Brinden:  (calls back down to Illi)  I do recognize this!  I knew! I knew I’d seen from your description, so it is!  I had a vision of this.  I’ve seen this in the darkness.  I thought I was sleeping, I thought I dreamt.  But I’ve seen this, I could’ve been here or something, I’m not sure.  But that well could be the Rannok we are, I guess, chasing or looking for or something.

 

As he’s communicating this down to Illi all excitedly, he doesn’t hear any growling or movement, but he does hear a heavy plodding.

 

Brinden:  Illi!

 

There’s leaves falling down from the trees above.  

 

Brinden:  Something’s coming!

 

Illi:  What’s coming?

 

Brinden:  I don’t know!  But it’s… footsteps!  Footsteps that’s heavy!  This is no wolf.  This is no wolf!

 

Brinden lowers the lid back down a little when there’s a loud guttural growl.  As he hears the heavy plodding and sniffing.  Brinden motions to Illi to make her way back down.  As Brinden is there still listening, a large force slams down on the lid and it knocks him free and he falls.  As he falls, Illi shoots out a hand and grabs on to him.  The barbarian slams against her and she braces her other arm against the rungs of the ladder.  Everything tenses and her shoulder almost separates, but she has Brinden.  She swings him towards the ladder and he grabs on.

 

Illi:  Down! Now!

 

Everyone below hears the slam and sees Illi catch the barbarian.  Some leaves and undergrowth fall from the opening above and filter into the room.  

 

Brinden:  (turns to Silas) Uh… your turn?  

 

Silas:  (looks at Brinden)  ...I’m not stupid.

 

Brinden:  Okay. Potentially wolves.  Potentially giant monster.

 

Illi:  Giant wolf thingy.

 

Brinden:  Yeah, alright. Well, we’re not going that way for sure.

 

Illi goes up to the pool, the pool appears to be fresh water, it doesn’t appear to be coated with the same slimy ichor.  As she dips in and poke the water, the ripples go out and she’s sure it’s pretty safe.  She fills up her waterskin.  Brinden follows suit, splashing water on his face and cleaning up a bit.  Artemis didn’t hear any of what just happened.  She heads into the room to check it out.  As she’s making her way out, from beyond the gold door, she hears kind of a little bit of chanting in a language beyond her comprehension.  It’s just on the tip of her perception, but it’s very unsettling, just enough to raise her hackles a little.  

 

William knows there’s a powerful enchantment on the door.  The inscription said something about an oath as well.  No one has tried the door or anything like that.  It’s tough to say.  Without further hands on investigation, it’s unclear but there is obviously something going on with it.  He hears a familiar voice in his head that says, “This place is strange and beyond our known recognition, I would treat this door with great care unless we know truly how to pass through it.”  William doesn’t touch the door.

 

Silas was drenched, so he takes off a few layers.  He removes his tunic and chainmail, and starts wringing out the tunic.  He keeps the rest of his layers on.  His armor is heavy and his muscles relax a little as the layers are removed.  Artemis comes in and sees Silas removing armor, it’s the first time she’s seen some of Silas’s actual form from beneath the armor, and she’s slightly taken aback.  He has a lithe musculature that’s very well defined.  It’s like an athletic swimmer or soccer player’s build.  Even Brinden’s across the other side kinda glancing, going down to his own arm and flexing it a little bit with pride.  It’s a little private thing to himself.  

 

Silas:  Are we going to rest here?

 

Artemis:  I think here seems okay as long as we keep those doors closed.

 

It does seem as if there hasn’t been as much movement though this chamber, and they feel relatively secure here.  Illi goes back to the other room to clean up her arrows to make it look like they haven’t been there.  She cleans up the weapons and wipes up the blood that’s dripping.  

 

They decide on a long rest.  Illi lets everyone know the water’s okay.  Brinden shuts the door behind them.  As they set in for their rest, Brinden rests against the door.  Illi wants to teach Brinden a tune.  She coaches him, whistling a little bit.  Brinden whistles it back.  Meanwhile, Artemis goes along the wall and collects some moss from the chamber.  She carefully scrapes it off, doing no harm to the moss itself and it is strange - amongst all this death and such it’s a very pure organism that has almost a sweet fragrance to it, which is actually helping in the room an awful lot between the fresh air and everything else.  She had never seen a specimen like that before, which is makes her excited because it’s something curious and new to ponder over and catalog, but it also makes her wonder where in the world are they.  She’s well versed in all kinds of growths and plants and such, and this is unlike anything she’s seen.  She can’t identify the specimen.  They probably suspected it before, but now they’re 100% sure they’re nowhere near Loudwater.  Brinden sees her as he’s sitting down whistling, he sees her scoop it up and inspecting stuff, and he’s impressed.

 

Illi:  What kind of moss is it?

 

Artemis:  I have no idea what this could be.

 

Artemis puts it in her satchel to do an in depth review of it later.  Silas has dried off as much as he could and puts his armor back on.  It’s a bit of a process.  Illi starts a small controlled fire.  The smoke makes it way out even though the hatch is closed, there’s still enough of a gap.  Illi grabs a flat rock and set it over the fire.  Everyone watches as Illi preps the surface and takes out some rations and spices it.  She appears to be doing a very capable job and the results of which she willingly shares.  Those who partakes of it finds she has breathed miraculous life into dull, stale rations.  They appear tantalizing and delectable.  They arouse everyone’s appetite and it’s a pleasant surprise.

 

Brinden’s already asleep.  After a minute of whistling, he just shuts down and is out.  Illi grabs some smaller rocks and divides up the food, leaving a plate by Brinden’s side.  William is over in the corner keeping an eye at everyone.  He notices a delicious scent coming from the sizzling cooking surface, but doesn’t want to get too close to Illi and doesn’t want any of her delicious food, preferring to stick to his stale, boring rations.  There’s a voice inside his head as he’s munching on the stale stuff saying, “Boy… Boy… Get some of that heated food, boy!”

 

William:  I don’t want to.

 

The voice replies, “Don’t want to… I know you can smell it, it’s delicious! Oh god, it’s been so long since we’ve eaten something proper and it’s certainly been long since I have feeded!  Boy… Feed me… FEED ME…”

 

William:  I don’t care! Shut up!

 

Illi slips over and just puts the rock of food next to him and walks away, giving him a really confused look.

 

Illi:  ...is he talking to himself?

 

Silas takes the first watch as everyone makes their place, the fire is but embers.  It’s about the first portion, 3-4 hours past.  It’s relatively quiet and he’s thankful he doesn’t hear anything beyond the snores and slumbers of his fellow partymates.  He doesn’t hear anything from above.  He focuses really hard on the door.  He knows there is undead and he knows they are closeby.  He doesn’t really catch any hints from there, but as he reflects, he’s been in direct contact with the medallion the soldier has given him in a while.  As such, he’s become bonded with it and knows what it does.

 

Watcher's Medallion:

[As a ritual] 10 minutes of concentration - Place a pleasant memory in the Medallion by focusing on it for the length of the ritual. When a memory echo is instilled, the Medallion may be used as a light source like a torch (at maximum illumination bright light out to a 20 ft. radius, shadowy light out to 40 ft.). The bearer of the Medallion may adjust the light source at will as a free action.

[bonus action] Release the Medallion's memory echo as a 20 foot radius burst of radiant light. Any undead caught in the burst suffer disadvantage on all attacks and ability checks until the user's next round. Note, any living creatures also caught in the burst experience the user's memory echo instantly.

 

Silas realizes it’s a magical item that he got from the guard.  It also makes sense that when he took it from the guard, there was that memory echo that got released that he experienced.  He suspects that’s what happened.  Other than that, Silas’s watch is completely uneventful.  At the end of his watch, he rouses Illi.  Silas goes sit in the corner and meditates, almost like he’s fighting to stay awake.  Illi beckons him and tells him to relax, though it does nothing.  Silas appears to be very troubled.  Illi goes through her watch distracted by Silas.  She remembers the growling of the wolves above and it unsettles her, remembering the echos of the beasts and Brinden almost falling to his death.  However, nothing appears to happen during her watch.  She wakes Brinden at the end of it.  He got some happy memories.  

 

Brinden wakes up and dusts himself down a little.  As he gets up and Illi goes to sleep, he walks around the room checking on everybody.  He takes a little moss for himself and puts it in his moss pocket.  There’s a very pleasant aroma coming from the moss.  As he continues his rounds, he sees Silas fighting sleep, doing little head nods before falling completely unconscious.  Brinden gives a little nod of satisfaction.  All appears well.  He stoically walks around the room.  Everyone appears to be out.  He notices when he got up that Illi had placed some stones with food by him and he’s been munching on it a little.  He sees the same stones by Artemis, who’s curled up on a little rock, and Silas, who has now dozed off.  William’s got one by him too, and they’ve all been eaten.  There’s no food on any of the stones.  It appears everyone has had a good meal.  As he makes his way around, he hears a guttural howling from above.  It’s a larger, deeper tone than the wolf howls Brinden’s familiar with.  Other than that, nothing happens during his watch.  He grabs the rest of the food and munch it down heartily.

 

Brinden:  Good stuff!

 

It’s very, very good, it’s been spiced expertly, and though it’s cooled off just a little bit, it has a wonderful (???) to it.  He gets some water, inhales some of that moss smell, life is good.  He makes his way back towards the door and sits there with his back to the door and sees the rest of the watch from that position.  He sharpens his sword discreetly.  The rest of the watch goes without a hitch.  They all wake around 8pm.

 

As they all rouse, the shafts of light which were coming down from above are no longer.  Off in the distance, they hear the subtle chirps of crickets and a dull white glow coming in a little bit.  The moon is rising once again.  Brinden feels good at all this, it’s all good stuff for him, he’s feeling very homely underground.  Illi cleans up the campsite, wash all the stones, put out the fire.

 

As all this is happening, Silas takes the medallion out of his pocket and explains to everybody that if you put a happy memory in it, it gives us light.

 

Silas:  Anyone want it?

 

Illi:  I’ve got happy memories.

 

Brinden:  Hm.

 

Silas:  There’s a catch.  If you put a happy memory into it, and you release it, everyone around you will see it.

 

William:  Oh.

 

Silas:  Yeah.  Anybody want it?

 

William:  ...not really.

 

Brinden:  I personally don’t have any shame with my happy memories, but… I don’t mind.  I don’t mind!  I can take it for now, and whoever needs it, if you want to keep it, keep it.  

 

Silas:  Do we want to use it?

 

Brinden:  I’ve got good eyes.

 

Illi:  You sensed there were undead in the room next door?

 

Silas:  Yes.

 

Illi:  Well, maybe we should use it now.  For when we get inside.  I can put in a happy memory.  

 

Because it’s a magical item, it has to be connected to the person who’s using it.  So if you want to release the memory, you’d have to do it yourself.  It makes sense to Silas because when the guard gave it to him, that was when the memory got released that was in it, he no longer had control of it.

 

Brinden:  I would rather Illi took it or somebody.  

 

Brinden has some good happy memories, but at the same time, he’s looking at the device with a certain amount of reticence and curiosity, and a little unsure of it.  He’s more excited by the fact that it’s causing him to think of his happy memories back in his homeland.  

 

Brinden:  Eh, someone can have that for now.

 

Silas:  Illi?

 

Illi:  Yeah, I can take it.

 

Based upon Silas’s information, she bonds with it.  She focuses on a happy memory.  While she does that, William does the comprehend languages ritual.  Brinden is focused on his happy memories.  Silas and Artemis become aware that William’s doing something.  William is curled up and appears to be focusing on something and rocking back and forth, he appears to be pulling things out of his satchel.  He’s pulling out a handful of soot and salt, and shoving it in his mouth.  And chewing on it.  His face looks terrible cause it tastes nasty and salty.  

 

Artemis:  ...didn’t he just have a delicious meal?  Why are you shoving dirt and salt in your mouth?

 

Silas:  Did he just eat salt??

 

He doesn’t appear to be very happy about it, but as he is doing his thing, they hear him whisper a couple of words they don’t understand in a language beyond their comprehension to himself, rocking back and forth, bracing himself with every morsel that he stuffs inside of his face.  He cringes and shudders, afterwards going back to rocking back and forth.  It’s kind of unsettling watching him do it, cause it’s like watching Fear Factor.  William and Illi finishes their ritual.  Illi put a memory into the medallion that by default will glow like a torch with a dimmer switch.  Illi shines it around the room and pressing her brass disk against it to see how they’ll interact.  

 

Brinden’s jumping up and down in spot, pumped and got his energy back.  He’s got his sword out and doing a few moves.  Stretching his legs a little bit.  Illi high-fives him.  Brinden starts doing jumping jacks.  William runs over to the water and tries to wash his mouth out.  He putting in handfuls of water and spraying it out.  

 

Silas:  One eats salt and one thinks she has a holy disk… We’re fucked.

 

Illi goes and shines the light on the gold door.  It’s obviously a lot darker in the chamber.  With the light, everything is more bold than she can imagine.  The door glows and shimmers with a nice resonance.  She sees the etchings on it and the almost imperceptible writing.  She sees a handle.  Illi holds her disk up at the door.  Nothing happens.  Brinden enters the room too like an eager dog.  He’s urging everybody on.  

 

Brinden:  Come on, what are you taking so long for?  We’ve got things to do here.

 

Silas:  (looks at William)  You okay?

 

William:  ...yeah, I’ll be fine.

 

Silas:  What were you doing?

 

William:  I was… hungry?

 

Silas:  There’s better things to eat than salt.  And ashes.

 

William:  That’s why I’m drinking the water now…

 

Silas:  Uh huh.  Right.  Whatever.

 

Silas makes his way into the other room as well.  ((Artemis is shoving her face with pizza)).  Artemis joins them and takes out her shield.  

 

Illi:  So how do we open this door?

 

Brinden:  There’s a handle.

 

Illi:  Didn’t one of the ghosts say something about the undead?

 

Brinden:  I don’t remember.

 

Silas:  Didn’t William say… What did it translate to, William?

 

William:  “Only those who took the oath may pass.”

 

Silas:  ...which probably means the court, the black court or whatever it is that Po mentioned.

 

Brinden’s down to one knee with head down and saying a little prayer to himself.  He remains there with sword at the ready, ready to spring to action.

 

Silas:  We could knock…

 

Illi:  Okay!

 

Brinden:  No, let’s not knock…

 

Illi takes her brass disk and throws it at the door.  Brinden shoots out a big meaty hand and snatches it before it reaches the door.  He sighs in relief.

 

Brinden:  Good lord!

 

Illi:  We were gonna knock!

 

Brinden:  We weren’t gonna knock! Just cause someone suggested it…

 

Illi:  It seemed like a good idea!

 

Brinden:  Oh, let’s just walk around the halls of the dead and start knocking now, because that’s clearly gonna work for us!  Alright, I’m gonna keep the disk.

 

Illi:  That’s stolen property!

 

Brinden goes instantly in an internal pocket in his leather.  Silas goes over and pats Brinden on the shoulder, thanking him.  

 

Illi:  There are other things I can throw that are more valuable.

 

Brinden’s kneeling down and saying another prayer and shaking his head.  He then goes and listens at the door, ushering people to keep quiet.  He really focuses and hears two voices that are chanting ((in Latin)) in unison beyond the door.

 

Brinden:  Chanting!  I hear voices… maybe two people…  slowly.

 

Illi:  Maybe we should interrupt it.  How about you throw that disk at the door?

 

Brinden:  How about I throw you at the door, Illi?  Good lord, how many promises have you made to Silas during our time together?

 

Illi:  I’m not running up!  You’re throwing me up!

 

Silas:  If there’s been no change, there are at least four… things… undead in there.  Two really strong and two not so strong.

 

Brinden:  (eagerly) Do you think we’re ready to move forward?  Should we go in?

 

Silas:  I don’t know if we can.

 

Illi:  I haven’t taken any oaths.

 

Brinden carefully puts a hand on the door handle.  As he does, it’s almost like a magnet and he feels himself sucked to it.  It’s impressive, he wants to instinctually pull back, but he’s sealed.  The writing on the door starts burning with a glowing red hot heat.  He starts feeling a pressure against his neck, and as it starts drawing, there’s a cut forming across Brinden’s neck.  But it doesn’t cease, the pressure continues and the cut is slowly growing.  Illi tries to desperately pull Brinden free, but something has a very, very tight grip.  Brinden puts his feet against the door and tries to push.  Artemis tries to pull him free as well.  She pulls all her might into it, pulling besides Illi, but something has a tight grip on him.  

 

Illi:  Silas, help!

 

Silas takes his necklace off and presses the icon against the door, figuring it’s from a shrine.

 

Silas:  Release him.

 

As he places the holy sigil at the point of contact close to where it is and focuses really hard, not quite sure if it’ll do anything, but the order he gives resonates and he feels a pulse and all of a sudden, Brinden is released and fly backwards, collapsing onto Artemis and Illi.  Illi gives him a bear hug.  

 

Brinden:  Silas, you have my thanks.

 

Silas:  Okay…

 

Artemis:  What was that?

 

Silas:  I’m not sure…

 

William:  That was weird.

 

Brinden:  Whatever you did was the right thing.  Maybe you’re right about the door too, maybe there’s another way.  Which does not give me happy thoughts.  For the only other way we know is up.  And facing something up there at the top of the ladder, that’s something else.

 

Illi’s the one who got the best view of it, but as she sees this glowing resonant light coming from the door, she is reminded that there is some kind of etching on the statue itself beneath the vines.  Something similar to the language that she sees glowing on the door.

 

Illi:  I think there was writing on the statue upstairs.  I couldn’t read it, but maybe William can?

 

Brinden:  So this is a statue where it looked like somebody called Rannok who, we’re already familiar with his name, but I remember having the darkest sort of foreboding vision where I saw the statue, I could’ve sworn I’ve seen that before, and it’s associated with Rannok and probably Rannok himself.  And that is definitely up there at the top of the stairs.  In all it’s stone-like glory.  So… I definitely…

 

Illi:  Should we go up?

 

Silas:  Can… can… you said there’s stuff up there though?  Can maybe somebody go up quick, take a scribbling of the etching and come back down?  William, can you still read the stuff?

 

William:  I think so, yes.

 

Silas:  Okay, somebody go up there.

 

Brinden:  There’s something very big up there.  Something very big stood on that door, trap door.  And, uh…

 

Illi:  Do you think it’s gone?

 

William:  Something big…?

 

Brinden:  I heard it smelling, I heard it sniffing… I think that it knew we were there.

 

Silas:  Okay, but if one person goes up really quick, we keep an eye on them and grab them back down quick if something happens, maybe we can get an etching of it and William can read it.

 

Brinden:  Maybe as well, whoever goes, we can cover them up in moss. Let’s get that cave moss smell on there.  You’re gonna love this.  I don’t mind going, but I’m not the most astute…

 

Illi:  I got ink and paper.

 

Silas  Maybe Illi or Artemis should go.  They seem to be the most stealthy.

 

Artemis:  I can go.  I’m just in it for the moss.

 

Illi:  We’re gonna go with, just to make sure she’s okay.

 

Silas:  How about you stay at the trap door.  You can go up, keep an eye on her, but don’t go out.

 

Brinden:  I’m gonna go up the ladder as well, just in case we need any strength checks.

 

Silas:  Okay, but only one person go out.  Make this as quick as possible.  Get in, get out.  If you don’t get the etching, you don’t get the etching.  Stay safe.

 

Brinden:  What if Illi and myself were to go up, just in terms of… Illi’s got great perception.  When she goes up first and she’s nipping out, then she’s got pretty good senses for listening, seeing and stuff like that.

 

Silas:  You can do that from the top of the ladder.  Let Artemis go.  Can you still do that stealth spell, Artemis?

 

Illi:  Artemis, do you need paper?

 

Artemis:  I still have the piece that I was using earlier.  I’m a treehugger so I’m gonna use the rest of that.

 

Silas:  Can you still use that spell to keep yourself silent?  As silent as possible?

 

Artemis:  Yeah, if I…

 

Illi:  Does that work on smelling?

 

Silas:  But then she can still cover herself with the moss.  But if she doesn’t smell like a tiefling, and they can’t hear her, they’ll be less likely to catch her so it’ll be safer for her to go.

 

Brinden:  We don’t want to fire any food maybe, up into the forest?

 

Silas:  No! Let’s just go!  Get in and get out as quickly as possible, don’t attract anything if you at all can, just go!  Artemis goes up the stairs, Illi stands at the opening, Brinden’s right behind her.

 

Brinden:  Yeah but bear in mind we can very easily get into trouble here, and if Artemis is up there alone, then there’s trouble, we’re gonna have to get out there pretty quick.

 

Silas:  Yes, and that’s okay, but that’s why she does the spell, that’s why she covers herself with moss, so she’s as undetectable as possible.

 

Brinden:  Alright, let’s do this.

 

William just wants to go home any way possible, if they want to go get the etching, then go ahead.  With Illi on the ladder and Brinden after her, Artemis goes up and out.  She slides her shield so it’s on her forearm so she has her hand free, one with paper and one with pencil as she pushes herself through the hatch.  Brinden is checking his wrists before he climbs and it’s not really deadened his enthusiasm for this.

 

Brinden:  Bear in mind, Silas, we may need you up there if all goes to hell.

 

Silas:  That’s why I’m staying in the doorway between the two rooms, William’s still in the other room.  And you’re all there.  I’m gonna stay in the doorway just in case something comes out and William needs help.  And if you guys need help, I can come up.

 

Artemis makes her way up and as she raises open the ledge.  As she peers up, she doesn’t hear anything moving in the brush, no growling or thudding, thankfully, she’s relieved at that.  She sees the large statue, it’s the first time she sees it above her, and there’s enough moonlight washing over it through the trees and she can make it out.  This is indeed, as Brinden said, it’s probably Rannok.  And she remembers from her own vision, the man seated on the throne, casting off the girls, this is his visage.  This is the man she saw.  And it’s a little bit unsettling.  It’s a statue.  From where she is, she can’t quite make out any writing on the statue.

 

Artemis feels along the ridge to see if she can feel the writing.  A large growth of creeper vines that have kinda wrapped up and around, as she pats her hands around, she can see maybe some of the stone underneath, there might be something carved into it but it’s hard to tell with those vines.

 

As William’s at the gold door listening, he hears the chanting.  It’s kind of hard to tell, but he does hear voices.  The language is kinda broken, coming in and out, but he can catch something along the lines of “imbibe… vessel… diabolical… life…“

 

Illi sees Artemis’s tail as she makes her way up and out, as she’s there, she starts moving a bit of the vines, and the whole thing is like a dense network.  As she pulls, Illi hears crackling and crisp and rustling of dry leaves heaving and cracking as she’s pulling at the vines on it.  

 

Illi:  Oh god…

 

Artemis is able to move a little bit of it with that.  Artemis does see there is indeed some writing underneath that appears to span the length of the base on the edge that’s facing her and it’s very large.  She may be able to get a word on the paper if she wants to do the etching.  Instead, she tries to draw the words that she sees.  She could get maybe a quarter of the words across the length at this time.  She feels pretty good about what she wrote down so far, the symbols appear pretty close.  She makes her way across the base of the statue.  She’s a lot quieter this time.  As she’s pulling at the vines and start clearing where she’s at, she tugs a little bit and this big lump of rocks was about to go off the edge, she lashes her tail out and cradles and grasps the rocks as it falls, and slowly lowers them to the ground, taking a deep breath as she reveals more.

Illi watches Artemis do this and catches her breath as she sees Artemis catch those rocks with her tail.  She looks over Artemis’s shoulder and realize something is very wrong.  There is a large green orb that’s kind of an organic nodule right on the statue stuck to the side of it that wasn’t there last night.