Chapter 44 - The Forbidden Fruit

General Summary

With the stone guardian vanquished, the Yokels proceed to investigate the rest of the fourth line of the subterranean book. The rest of the line reads "that/that one white hot/flammable", meaning that the whole of the fourth line says "poured/poured into on/onto anvil stone that/that one white hot/flammable". The word combination "white-hot" together with stone also indicates, as Sasha points out, the The Alatyr Stone - it is another name for it. In the first 'b' rune of the word 'white there is, indeed a large, amber-white vaguely cubical stone extending from the wall. Upon inspection, Sasha does indeed identify it as the Alatyr Stone, which Chonkorchuk and Plamen have been seeking for a long time. According to legend, Chonkorchuk points out, it is the stone on which Svarog formed the world, but since being smashed, each of its many pieces forms the center of the multiple worlds that exist. Vasilisa looks at the stone carefully, and concludes that it has been struck with a blunt, roundish object several times, and that several pieces are missing. Judging by the dirt and discoloration, most of the blows came long ago, though one is more recent. The color of the stone seems to be identical to the color of the small pebble set into the head of the stone guardian, before it flamed out.
A long discussion ensues regarding the precise nature of the stone. Joking about a piece of the stone giving 'Tsar Drazhan' control of the world aside, the fear is that striking the stone, or having anything happen to it, will lead to the destruction of the whole world. In the end, nothing is done, and the Yokels walk away, toward the statue. Sasha and Plamen, though they do not wish to do so, follow their companions, but quickly grow tired and depressed. Chonkorchuk sees that they are still under enchantment, which surprises him, as he previously thought their dark moods were caused by the stone guardian. Another one of his reveries reveals the following vision concerning the stone: the recently felled statute rises, and stuffs itself full of food; it then belches, and its head grows several sizes. In the wake of that, the group decides to leave the stone be, and to attempt to proceed to the fifth line. Drazhan strikes the stone doors behind the guardian with his hammer in the same manner as he did with the doors behind the gryphons, and they slowly open.
The transversal corridor leads to a new series of runes, and the Yokels are able to decipher the following passage: "Essence that/which in/into daughters and sons", though this is not the entire line. The second 'i' rune in the word 'kii' ('that/which') has a small enclosure or tub built into the end of it. The tub contains a small, child-size skeleton. The investigation of the skeleton reveals that it has been dead for around half a year. The tub, Chonkorchuk perceives with his lazy eye, is made with residual necromantic and transmutative magic.
As they continue to the left of the doors behind the stone guardian, the Yokels find three more runes - G, V, and Ia, though the passage continues further. Sasha later surmises that these form the beginning of the word 'star'. However, in the place where the two perpendicular lines in the 'Ia' intersect, an apple tree grows. All the apples are perfectly round, and give off a golden hue. The apples give off an aura of necromancy and abjuration. This, it appears, is what they have been looking for the whole time. Sasha reaches out, and plucks one of the apples, but before Chonkorchuk is able to yell out that she shouldn't just pluck things in a trap-filled dungeon, the apple transforms into a large bird  with a human female face, dark feathery wings, and a crown upon its head. The bird begins to sing a melancholy dirge about how the fruit of the Garden of Irii are not intended for mortals, who lack wisdom. The dirge makes everyone feel that that their life essence is being pulled out of their bellies (though Plamen's polevik nature allows him to resist this more than the others). The bird also plucks at the intruders with its sharp talons.
The Yokels, or more precisely, the two winds carrying Drazhan and the two bears quickly summoned by Plamen, throw themselves into battle, but the bird is able to foresee their attacks better than Chonkorchuk, who typically excels at this. He briefly assists from the back, not fearing that his blasts will hurt the winds, but as the action heats up, Drazhan picks another apple, which produces the same result. Plamen considers burning the tree down, but thinks better of it, deciding to chant so as to replenish his companions' energy. The singing of the two birds causes Sasha to collapse and dispels the fefila , and an exasperated hermit retreats, dragging her body back toward the doors. Not done experimenting, Drazhan picks yet another apple, and a third bird appears. All three continue to sing, draining the life energy of everyone left, including the servitors. Through a titanic effort, the first bird is felled, but the other two are able to rend the winds and the bears out of existence. Before long, both Vasilisa and Drazhan fall as well, and Plamen is left alone with two birds. Somehow, Drazhan is able to rise from the floor, and using the power of the stone he picked up after felling the stone guardian, to transform himself into a giant scorpion. Picking up the diminutive Plamen and the unconscious Vasilisa, he runs toward the door, as the birds intone their final warning.

Missions/Quests Completed

• body found in 'tub'
• magical apple tree found
• one prophetic bird slain

Report Date

14 Nov 2020

Primary Location

Subterranean Book