3,384 Polidrysion 6,
K,
Pericles, the High Priest of Heliod in Neolantika and the Polemarch's Spiritual Advisor, recently hired me to be his personal bodyguard. He asked me to join him in exploring the Eldenwood with Kleon the witch. Something about following the voices or the wind. Not really sure what he was going on about. Arktouros and Koal joined us.
It was a sunny morning with a slight breeze when we hurried from Neolantika, following Kleon’s pet owl, Gust. After three hours, we reached the Eldenwood and decided to enter. After a couple of hours, we exited the woods and were looking at the coast.
By late afternoon, Pericled and I were exhausted from the endless march, and we decided to camp by the coast.
Kleon shared that, through Gust, his mentor spoke to him of a small forest to the south on a great white plateau. He said there was a statue of a lion, and a great treasure was calling to him.
The sun had just set when floating balls of water appeared off the coast. As they got closer, we saw they were small, winged creatures. They swarmed us and we were fending them off when Pericles destroyed them all with a blast of Divine Radiance.
I heard some splashing during my watch and woke Pericles who advised I wake everyone else. We spent the rest of the night resting diligently.
In the morning, we followed Gust east. After two hours, we reached the southwestern edge of a forest. To the south, we could see glittering white hills.
We entered the forest, heading northeast. The trees were unnaturally smooth. I climbed a tree and saw a giant of light coming from the top of a hill.
It took us until the end of the day to reach the hill. On the top was a white marble statue of a lion covered with Ancient writing. “We, of the Dawnbringer Pride, erect this monument to honor the deaths of our fallen brothers in the vanguard against Agnomakhos at the Field of Four Winds. It is they who perished without any trace, with nothing to mark their passing but this memory of stone. To all Leonin who pass, come be with us in the Valley of the Sun beyond the Falling Stars, where we have left all mankind behind to forge our own path. To any of true virtue in true need, you will find aid here. What alone can be kept once given away?”
“Your word!” Pericles responded, and a panel in the obelisk opened, releasing a pile of silver coins. Kleon also found a large ivory horn.
The coins had the spear and sun symbol of Agnomakhos.
A squirrel crawled up to Pericles and begged for food. After being fed it headed north and Koal and Arktouros wanted to follow. Gathering our things, the rest of us followed. The squirrel entered a hut.
Inside, the squirrel was no more and a woman with silver-streaked black hair greeted us. She introduced herself as Mareza from Meletis. She shared that she settled in the area to understand what had befallen the forest. She said she suspected the forest was cursed. She handed Kleon a bowl of salt and demonstrated how it absorbed water.
She asked us to investigate a hewn cave to the south. She invited us to rest in her hut and offered to lead us to the cave in the morning.
In the morning, we tried to leave the forest but got lost and found ourselves back at Mareza’s hut. She gave us directions and we made our way to the coast. We headed north for a bit until Pericles was exhausted. We camped outside the Eldenwood.
In the middle of the night, Koal woke us to alert us to the sound of Satyrs.
In the morning, we continued on, following the Eldenwood until we reached Neolantika.
The next morning, after dropping off their newfound treasure, we headed back toward Mareza’s hut.
Late in the afternoon, we saw a tower in the bluffs off the coast. and we decided to make camp.
In the morning, Koal saw two giant birds flying in the air over the tower.
We continued on toward Mareza’s hut. Eventually, we saw the edge of the Eldenwood. After traveling east for three hours, we reached the edge of the Rockwood where we made camp.
In the morning, Mareza found us and led us toward the cave, four hours away.
On a hill, Mareza pointed out its flat top. Twelve feet of one side was excavated revealing a flat rock wall with a 10-foot circle cut into it.
Mareza departed as we prepared to enter the carven cave.
Inside were stone stairs and an alcove. In the alcove was a nine-foot-tall skeleton stuck with spears shot from holes in the wall. Koal used his Mage Hand to take a pouch of coins from the skeleton’s belt. Kleon said the coins had an oily residue.
Koal and Gust continued down the stairs until they reached a door and a passage of stairs going further down.
Ancient writing on the door said, “Praise be to Pryos, the Morninglord. Servant of the sun of the sun. May he protect us from darkness.” Kleon shared that Agnomakhos had many generals.
Koal and Gust continued down the stairs to another door. Arktouros and I had to pull the door open.
The chamber beyond contained a large brass basin and three benches carved out of the wall. The basin contained water as bright as the sun. While Kleon cast a Detect Magic ritual, Pericles anointed himself with the water and began to glow. Kleon detected conjuration magic coming from the basin.
Back up the stairs, Arktouros and I opened the door with the Ancient writing. Along the walls were sculptures representing the growth of a child to an ancient warrior priest with feathered wings and a horned helmet. Kleon detected transmutation from an alcove and conjuration magic on the statues.
As Kleon investigated the alcove, the statues moved to attack. Pericles blasted them with Divine Radiance twice before I dropped the final and largest statue.
One of the flagstones in the alcove was etched with the emblem of the sun. It was surrounded by a brass metal bar. As Koal pried the flagstone open, gas filled the chamber, knocking Kleon and Arktouros unconscious.
The large skeleton appeared at the door. I was beating it down the stairs when Arktouros destroyed it with a Guiding Bolt.
After Koal grabbed a bar from the alcove, we left the cave and took a short rest before camping for the night.
In the morning, we were approached by walking mushrooms. They demanded Arktouros and I come with them for crimes against their queen. Pericles tried to convince them a trial was required but they attacked. We quickly toasted them and made our way to the coast.
After camping by the coast, we reached the edge of the Eldenwood before reaching Neolantika.
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