<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OCC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Yes Marcus, that's exactly what's going to happen  &gt;:)<br/><br/>Malik's got some questions and things to say for Marcus, but its no immediately important, so I'm going to bump it over into the Banter Thread. </div></div><br/>In front of the tunnel you've been directed towards, a figure that stands looming mostly in shadow behind the collected figures of each of the yugoloth subtypes.<br/><br/>It is carved of a sickly gray marble that is streaked with imperfections, spots and minute flaws that give it a tired, aged, decrepit appearance. It had a smug grin across its skeletal, vaguely reptilian or goat-like muzzle, and sunken, dead white eyes. Its arms are raised dramatically, and given the source of illumination in the chamber, the light and shadows streaming down through the dusty air give it the appearance of holding puppet strings that trailed down to the yugoloths that stand in front of it.<br/><br/>If a fiend could look old, ancient by comparison to the others, this one did. The patina of spots and inclusions in the stone seem like age spots and open sores across its sallow, parchment thin hide. Standing, cloaking in shadow as it was, it was heads above the other ‘loths and exuded a palpable menace simply by its posturing.<br/><br/>At the base of the figure is a phrase carved into the marble base that it stands upon.<br/><br/><em>And do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.</em><br/><br/>(http://arcanofox.foxpaws.net/baernaloths/Harishek.jpg)<br/><br/>From behind you, Nemesil has one last parting comment.<br/><br/>"Marcus, if they are still near the ice chamber, there is a one-way portal within to the City of Doors. The key is the memory of your greatest shame. Always have an escape route. It may save your life one day."<br/><br/>**********<br/><br/>Marcus is quick to conclude that is ability to<em>know direction</em>is useless on this plane, either due to the inherent madness of Pandemonium, or because of the insane geometry that is inflicted upon it. Hopefully other planes will be kinder to his innate magic than this one.<br/><br/>Tellura's advice to follow the Giant script, on the other hand, is rather useful. Both Marcus and Malik are able to translate the script. It appears to be an account from the children of Ymir of the formation of the universe from their father's body, as well as the earliest alliances and battles with the gods Villi, Odin, and Ve. The runes are extensive, and if did not have people to save, it may be a valuable historical and archeological endeavour to translate and recover them. As it is, there is no time.<br/><br/>******<br/><br/>Frost is forming on the "walls" of the cavern. The script is still readable, but it seems oddly appropriate as you read about the frozen wasteland the giants attribute to the time before time. Eventually it opens into a wider caver that is totally frozen. Within are a woman with sickly green skin closely examining the runes on a wall, a quilled beast, and an aquatic looking troll.<br/><br/>(http://cdn.tabletitans.com/img/bestiary/greenhag.jpg)<br/>(http://spriggans-den.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/mm_howler.jpg)<br/>(http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/133/7/c/scrag_warrior_by_bpsola-d4zkg43.jpg)<br/><br/><br/>"Are we leave yet?" Thunders the troll, "We have the orb, and those two meddling factioneers. That's 'nuff."<br/><br/>The woman snorts. "We have the ogre who has the orb, and you have no sense of history or archeology."<br/><br/>"Me? Even da dog's getting hungry," the troll grumbles pointing at the quilled creature pacing with it that definitely is not a dog. "We've been here days and our prisoners are gonna croak if we taken any longer."<br/><br/>"She's always hungry and an outsider to boot, so she doesn't actually need to eat to survive. They will keep, and Hel will be patient. We need to give the Mistress as much as possible, which is the entire reason we captured the mortals instead of eating them. They have information in addition to our prize. We need it."<br/><br/>None of them have noticed you entrance into the cave. From your vantage point, you cannot see the charges you've been sent to rescue, but it sounds like they are alive, and safer than you are likely to be in a few moments.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OCC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Map should be soonish. Not sure it will be done by the time I'm out of wifi range for a couple hours.</div></div><br/><br/>