Aravashnial seems pleased to be teaching someone to take his mind off of your horrific situation.<br/><br/>"Well, we're fairly far north, in fact, the only thing beyond Mendev's northern boarders is the Spine of the World. Accordingly, most of the life here is temperate, boreal or alpine. The Worldwound affects everything eventually, just like you see bruising and scarring around a blade's laceration, that is simply the nature of planer energy. If a planer rift to Heaven opened today, it would have a similar effect on the land, although I dare say that it might be more welcoming. If you ever journey into the Worldwound itself as a Crusader, you'll see more flora that has been altered, like leech weed or midnight morels, but they are just as contained as the demons."<br/><br/>"No, the greater danger is cultists and their pets. The cult of Deskari long ago figured out how to infuse demonic energies into vermin and the like, while other cults find ways to do the same things to other animals. Even if it starts as the providence of one demon lord, these rituals spread through politics and espionage, while the wardstones do nothing to erase the knowledge, nor do they defend against blasphemies created outside of the Worldwound. It is best that we be on our guard, for they have all of the abilities of regular animals, but there is something fiendish in them too."<br/><br/>Once everyone is up and moving again, it takes only fifteen minutes to reach the next chamber. A single sizable 20-foot-tall building remains in the center of this 30-foot-high cave, a bunkerlike structure with no windows and walls of worked stone blocks. A 10-foot-long carving of a hammer decorates the building’s facade. The ruins of collapsed outbuildings stand to either side. All does not seem well though, as you can hear a grumpy, buzzing voice in your head.<br/><br/>"Almost 100 years of waiting, you know that. You catch me, you make me smart, you bind me to this place and then you go a kill yourself. You could have at least had the decency to let me wander through the caves and pick off some more food, maybe find a mate or a dozen over the years?"<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">occ</div><div class="spoiler_body">Ok, that works! You each gain another 100 EXP for making Aravashnial helpful. I hope that everyone had a great holidays!</div></div><br/><br/>