In reply to Bingling Hyxloriz (msg # 290):

Bingling sneezes.

[Private to Bingling Hyxloriz: In answer to your question, a revelation.  The voice you heard has come from the deepest recesses of what remains of Wonderhome.  Places where light has never touched.  Places where the deepest darkness lies.  You are hearing the voice not in this reality, but through your affinity with the darkness rune.  It is the voice of the Inner Darkness, and by entering this cave you have unlocked something.  With your Darksense, you do not sense movement within the cave.]

Gilren moves into the room followed by the others.  The darkness of the room seems to swallow the light, for even the brightest torch seems dimmed.  It is also cold.  The room is about seven meters in diameter.  While rough hewn, the walls and ceiling are rounded.  Even the floor's edges looks like it is rounded.  You get the strong impression of being within a womb.

Near the far wall from the entrance, you see a still form.  It is unmoving and dressed in a ragged dress.  Beyond the figure, there is an indentation in the wall that looks to have been hand dug.  From the edge of your light, it look as if figurines have been placed there.

Inspecting the figure, you find the mummified remains of a young woman, but a woman the likes of which you have never seen.  Her skin appears to be bronze as does her hair; not bronze the color, but bronze the metal.  Touching it, you can feel the cool metal beneath your fingers.  This is no statue, but a person transmuted into bronze.  When you remove her shawl, you her hair is tied in a maiden's knot.  The Earth Rune is on her forehead, and looks as if it were stamped there.  Close to the wall you see a sack, most likely having contained food at one point.
[Private to Gilren Starseeker: You think that the figure was in a position of supplication or prayer when they died.]
[Private to Henetha Hofaktsdottir: It is clear to you that she was a follower of Ernalda.  When she died, she was praying to the Earth Mother when she died.  She is holding a small idol of the Earth Mother in her hands.  You know that this woman was chosen by Ernalda; and you know that the condition of her body was a gift from Ernalda.  In the back of your mind, you can clearly hear your mentor say "she sleeps".]

Looking at the depression carved into the wall, you see two statues: Ernalda and Orlanth.  These are obviously household icons of the the Great Father and Mother.  [Private to Gilren Starseeker: An image comes to your mind.  A family gripped by hunger; the wailing as children and the elderly die of starvation.  An endless winter, and then a dark salvation.  You see through the eyes of another, a young woman, sneaking into the longhouse where your father is conducting dark sacrements.  You take the family's idols of Ernalda and Orlanth knowing that your father will soon sacrifice these to his new dark god.  You run into the caves, seeking to hide the idols.  You recognize the father in the "undead shaman" your band recently slew.]  The figure of Ernalda is beautiful in the light, but the idol of Orlanth looks eroded and cracked.
[Private to Oligur Jaffez; Saberak: This place was obviously sanctified to Ernalda and the Enemy God of the Winds, but you do not feel unwelcomed here.]

The hollowed out altar space, for it is clear that is what the young woman intended, has been dug out by hand.  You can see that the hands of the corpse show scraps and tears where she used her hands to dig out the bare rock. The rock of the hollow also appear cracked.

[Private to Sanuzi Asar-Girru: The figure on the ground glows with power, as does the amulet you realize she is clutching.  The figurine of Ernalda holds power, but the one of Orlanth does not.  But that is not what holds your attention.  There is something deeper in the hollowed out space; something that still lies within the Earth.]

Bingling sneezes.  The cracks in the hollow open a little wider and the statue of Orlanth disintegrates in the aftermath of the sneeze.[Private to Bingling Hyxloriz; Henetha Hofaktsdottir: You hear an echo in the darkness, "the arrogance of MAN changes the world; what was hidden once more emerges."]

Gilren says out loud to the group. "Weep for this girl, she suffered and died here due to her evil father. She tried to claw her way out of here. Starving she tried to protect her children. We have killed he father. He was the undead Shaman." Going and talking to the statue. "You have done enough. We will take care of you and your children. May your father rot in the deepest part of hell."

In reply to Narrator (msg # 292):

Sanuzi peers more deeply into the hollow. He beckons Hanetha to come take a look more closely.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:27, Wed 07 Aug 2019.

Oligur reacts with surprise to the loud sneeze, and then nods approvingly at the dark troll.


[Private to Narrator, Saberak: "Would that we could bottle those sneezes, eh? Could come in handy against the cursed Orlanthi rebel who raised the dragon."]

"So... is there some, uh, some better way to lay her to rest? A follower of the earth goddess, would she wish to be buried...?"

Henetha moves closer and studies the hollow.

”She is sleeping. Her state is a gift from Ernalda.”

In reply to Narrator (msg # 292):

Bingling blinks and nods.

"Blest be Ernalda and her husband Argan Argar. I cannot speak of the other husbands, but I am glad that the Blessèd Mother took this maiden into her embrace."

He then stands more upright than an Uz is normally wont.

"If we have offended, if Man has offended, then it is I who am most responsible."

He pauses a moment.

"I am Uz. I am the crossroads of the Rune of Dark and the Rune of Man, as Great Mother Kyger Litor intended. I have adopted these as my charges, to see them safely to our battles with Chaos. I have already offered my livelihood. What else would you have of me, o' Virgin Darkness?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 15:08, Wed 07 Aug 2019.

Henetha takes the idol, holding it in both hands a few seconds before putting it in her pack.

"Her body should be interred at the temple."

"Sanuzi, what is this crack? I feel strange looking at it."

The room is quiet now, and there is only one entrance.  This may be a good place to rest and take stock of your situation.

Oligur stands facing the hallway, guarding the chamber while his companions decide what to do about the opening.

Henetha, Sanuzi whispers, it appears to me to be or contain the source of our Silver Path!... I am loath to touch or pry at it, but if you brave this deed, take precaution. You walk the brink here.

Sanuzi eases back, but makes himself ready to be useful, should Hanetha or any of his other companions has a need.

Bingling sizes up the crack.

"Spears at the ready, friends. Praise be to Argan Argar; his mother Mistress Night, Xentha; and GreatMother Kyger Litor."

Bingling starts to chew rock to widen the crack.

Bingling is able to chew into the rock, quickly making the hollow larger.

[Private to Bingling Hyxloriz: The granite rock tastes as expected when you start opening up the hollow, but when your tongue first touches the crack, the flavor changes.  It is sharp and sweet, leaving a tangy after taste.  You have never experienced this taste before, and you know that what you got was a minor taste.]
[Private to Sanuzi Asar-Girru: As you watch Bingling eat through the stone, you catch glimpses of the silver light.  This is more evidence that this is the other end of the silver path Mother laid before you.][Private to Henetha Hofaktsdottir: Your knowledge of the Uz is limited, save for the stories that you have read.  Pick and shovel scar the Earth, this appears a more natural way of digging.]

The sound of Bingling biting and crunching the rock echos through the caves.  But the hollow is getting larger.
[Private to Tamarkorda: The sound of Bingling eating the rock is very rythmic.  It has a claming effect upon you.  With your companions around, and the rythmic sound of curnching, the feels safe.]

After some time, Bingling pulls back.  The hollow is now deeper, and there is a silver light coming from the now enlarged crack in the rock. [Private to Bingling Hyxloriz: Bingling does not see this light, instead he feels it in this Darksense.]Returning to his work, Bingling continues to crunch through the rock.  [Private to Bingling Hyxloriz: As you continue, the taste gets more and more intense.  Consider it like intense sour patch kids made with ghost pepers.]  Then Bingling bites onto something that does not give [Private to Bingling Hyxloriz: It actually hurts your jaw when you bite it, and the flavor is over powering.  The Uz can handle anything, but your mouth is on fire from what you just bit into.]

The rock has been softened by Bingling, and with help, he is able to dislodge what was hidden within the rock.


This broken, jagged piece of stone is silvery-white.  It is approximately one foot in length and seven inches in width. When it is touched, it gives a slight shock at first.  Carved into the stone is a curved line.
[Private to Bingling Hyxloriz: This is Truestone.  You have seen examples of it before with the Troll Mothers.][Private to Gilren Starseeker: You have heard of something like this from stories.  You think it is Truestone.][Private to Oligur Jaffez: You have seen something like this, but much smaler, in the hilt of General Fazzur Wideread's sword.  It is Truestone.]

In reply to Narrator (msg # 303):

Bingling looks at the object for a moment.

In Darktongue he says "Truestone, by the Mothers."

In Tradetalk he elaborates.

"This is Truestone. Or looks like the Truestone the Mothers keep. Was part of the Spike. Some Mostali like to make the metal adamant from it, if you can keep from eating them before they are done."

Trying to focus despite the unnerving munching sounds from the other end of the cave, Oligur gently places his hands on Tamarkorda's shoulders. Focusing on a circular moon rune on his vambrance, he seeks to call on the Red Goddess's power but his focus is diverted by the sound of Bingling biting into the truestone.

Tamarkorda recoils from Oligur head bowed and swaying left and right, his eyes remain closed but he whispers "Foundering Sun, zealous Sickle, you keep a new toy near, fear it, race my dice, if you will, for a day's peace each pip faster" as he continues to hug himself ignoring the sounds of discovery.

"A holy stone looks like linked to the sun. Does anyone dare to attune it. It may carry great holy power. If no one else I will try since I am tied to light with no heat."

In reply to Gilren Starseeker (msg # 307):

Bingling tilts his head, trilling, then speaks.

"It was bitter-sweet and painful to bite, but I sense soothing Darkness near it. It may not be tied to the Dead Arson of the Heavens and the Hells. But I am just a simple mushroom merchant. And I do not need such power, myself. Argan Argar's divinity lies more in his words than in his things."

Currently Bingling is the only person to have touched the stone.  There was a mild shock when he touched it (the same will happen to anyone who touches it), but was fine holding it afterwards.

Gilren has asked to attune to it.  Attunement for this item runs a little differently.  You will first need to succeed in a meditation test; this has been a difficult day and there were mental/spiritual challenges faced to get to this chamber, so you need to clear you mind.  Next you will face a power challenge to connect to the stone.  Then there is a roll I will make to see if it accepts you.

Currently, just the presence of the exposed stone has an effect.  The entire area seems more peaceful; it feels sanctified.[Private to Tamarkorda: Once the stone is exposed and brought into the room, your despair begins to slowly end.  You feel the presence of your ancestors standing with you.]

Each of you feels a sense of anticipation and expectation well up inside.

[Private to Henetha Hofaktsdottir: You feel the calming influence of the stone, and you recognize the sacred space, but once the stone is exposed, your mind is filled with conflicting emotions and feelings.  Joy seeing the stone, and fear that it has been seen.  Excitement about the future, and fear of the change unleashed.  This dichotomy of feelings continues, but you realize that you are feeling these deep down in your soul, and that the feelings are the only way  your mind can process the feeling.  Overarching all of these is a profound feeling of regret.]
[Private to Tamarkorda: Your mind beings to clear, but as it does, there is a profound feeling of....your not sure.  Regret? Guilt? Sorrow?  You realize that this feeling is deep within your soul, and your mind is trying to find a way to describe it.  Along with this is a feeling of expectation.]
[Private to Gilren Starseeker: Looking at the stone you feel a profound sense of regret.]
[Private to Oligur Jaffez: Deep down you know that something fundamental has changed in the world.]
[Private to Saberak: Fear and doubt wash away.  You feel as if something has fundamentally changed in the world.]

"Not I."

[Private to GM: Oligur would like to try again to glamourize poor Tamarkorda]

Gilren tries to maximize her chances so she starts to sing praises to Yelorna, Dance praises to Yelorna then worships Yelorna before meditating. She then pits her mind against the crystal.

After Gilren completes her try she sits down abruptly. "My mind is cluttered from trying to join the stone. I felt shocks as I tried to connect. Then in my mind's eye, I saw the young woman lying dead on the floor gutted. Over Her was a shadow holding a bloody sword. Then the vision ended. I do not think anyone can connect to the stone without extreme measures. There appears to be something missing."

Saberak has been quietly following and observing.  As the others handle the stone, she finally speaks up.

"I have heard of these stones taking power from those who would touch them. Do not give it to me."

"Sanuzi, is this stone what led you here?"

I'll wait for Sanuzi to answer that question.
Currently the stone is on the ground where Gilren placed it.

Feel free to muse about the stone, the voices you heard, or other aspects of what has happened.

What I need to know is if anyone else attempts to attune to the stone and if you plan to rest in this room.  I believe you are using torches, and you don't have many of them.  Resting for a bit is not a bad option.  I just need to know your plans if you are planning on resting.

If you plan on leaving, I need to know who is carrying the stone.