“I mounted an expedition and ventured deep into the south, over sixty of us set out. What I found truly amazed me. I found a tribe – probably best to call them a race of half elves. They weren’t human nor elven, but looked to be so interbred they were all half-elven with maybe a touch of goblinoid thrown in for good measure. All were darkly complected with brown skin, short and stalky, bowed legs and had slightly sloped foreheads with pointed ears and almond eyes so characteristic of the elves. At first, I thought they were primitive until I started seeing some signs of stonework. Another characteristic I thought was interesting was that they were highly cordial, they immediately invited us into their gatherings, and were even intermingling quite a bit with local lizard folk. On this I will return later, however it was a common enemy which had them so friendly.
By this time, we had entered into some hills and the trees were changing to a type I had never seen, the nights getting cold. I had never seen natural frost before. It was a first for me.
With the blessing of the local indigenous people, I ventured on. I could tell I was getting close, the sympathetic magic was getting stronger and stronger. As the hills continued to rise, they suddenly leveled off, and I found myself staring at an immense valley in front of me. Surrounded by hills on all sides, this valley descended deep – deep into a jungle before turning into a marsh. It was similar to the Black Spur marshes south of our fair Chrailis.
Descending into the valley, we were set upon by some type of draconian creatures – small reptile things with vicious attitudes. The first attack killed several of our henchmen due to how it’s suddenness. Fighting them off, we proceeded guardedly. After experiencing several more attacks, it took us almost three days to reach the center of the valley. As we started moving more and more into the center, it became evident that an ancient city was beneath our feet, unheard of or unknown to any before. And in the center of this city was a mighty ziggurat of smoky stone. The stairs to the top gave no entrance. Around the ziggurat were 5 complexes, each attached to it like the petals of a great flower. Each had a great door, mighty and big enough to fit a behemoth land reptile which quakes the ground. We couldn’t get past the doors. And each door had symbols – apparently whoever these ancient builders might have been, they revered 5 primal forces. One of fire, one of water, one of earth and iron, one of wind, and one of wood. The rest of the city was sized for us, but these particular dwellings looked to be made for giants, each door almost 20 feet tall. As the attacks got more severe, we retreated back to the half-elves where we had found earlier shelter to recoup and resupply. And we found it was these draconic creatures, what they called Sarloks, which had united them for survival with the lizard men. They also said the valley was sinking, mere years ago, it wasn’t a marsh, there were no Sarloks back then, and the city hadn’t yet appeared. What we found was a city which had appeared almost overnight. Reminiscent to the events in the centuries following Coalescence. Was this a late straggler, or is another event coming? Could this be a forewarning tremor?
We spent another month in and out of the city, possibly killing hundreds of the Sarloks in the process. By the time we had left, their attacks and presence had dwindled considerably. Fear not, we never once took the battle to them maliciously, for they would attack with a frenzy without any provocation other than for us breathing. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. They fought without honor or mercy or intellect. They could not be captured –for they fought to the death.
Even if secured, they would squirm and fight until they expired. They didn’t seem to have an exhausted or unconscious state.
While the Sarloks stood upright and used whatever was handy as a swinging weapon, they wore no clothes and displayed no essence of intelligence other than the patience to spring an ambush.
Never once did we observe communication from them.
We retreated after two months and returned to Chrailis for more research on how to get past the doors. In returning to Chrailis, we brought some of the Sarlok bodies with us, sure that they would be of interest to the Arcane Guild and other institutions of study. After all, that is one of the mandates of any funded expedition. And this was our mistake.
No sooner had we got within two weeks travel of Chrailis did we see Si’Nassa flying overhead. She was observing us, though she never got close enough to interact with us. To say we were scared is an understatement. We knew what we were doing to draw her attention – the Sarlok bodies were an affront to her. She has never made any doubt about her displeasure with anything of less stature draconian being an affront to her mighty race.
Choosing to leave the bodies behind, we again found we had erred. As soon as we dropped the first body in the swamp, a mental blast of power and hatred swept over us -NO!¬ – followed by -COME TO ME!So powerful was the telepathic message from Si’Nassa that what remained of our henchmen dropped dead. Those that didn’t die were sick and ill for the next few days. Dear Korlio died with blood coming out of his eyes and ears the next morning.
Even as powerful and inured to magics as I am, I wound up taking months to fully recover.
Si’Nassa vanished, however we knew our command, bring the Sarloks to her. Which we did. We took them to the first tower and was met by one of her daughters (in human form, thankfully). Ki’Lyshurusa had her servants collect the bodies, then gave us a rune with further instructions.
To my end of days, these instructions have haunted my life. For twenty years I have lived in fear that today is the day judgment comes due. The instructions were simple, “Take this rune engraved with the blood of the banshee spider, it will get you past the Doors of Wood. Go and find the keys to all five doors and return. Hursing will stay here as collateral, if you fail to return having unlocked all five temples, his life is forfeit, as are all of your properties. ”
I never saw my companions again. For twenties years I have awaited word or consequence with nothing happening. I did manage to recreate the rune, I believe. It was engraved on a bark shingle of wood I believe came from a blue silk tree. As rare as a banshee spider is, after years and at some cost, I obtained some, however it would never engrave the wood like I saw. However, this too I solved after some research. When the blood is mixed with crystal ooze from the mools deep within a lizard folk burial mound, it forms an acidic ink of great magic. I believe I was now able to reproduce the rune.
However, now I am here, at the end of my days. If you read this, while the rune is decayed, the directions exist for its creation written on cloth along with the directions to that haunted temple. My life has been wasted in fear, never once venturing from the 2nd Tier these last several decades. I am a prisoner of fear in this hallowed and cherished city of mine.
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