Chapter 5: Blingdenstone

The gnome looks at you with large shining eyes, full of pride and joy at your words.

Truly, your words mean much. The armor fit is good, though this armor won't protect you much, being only lightweight test metal. It will be another ten-day or so to properly work all of your ore into the suit. But knowing now that the pieces fit it will be easy for me to produce the full suit. he says when you put him back down. Come back in seven days and we'll see how much progress I've made. Perhaps I can produce the full suit by then.

You all walk through the caverns, pleasantly without being attacked, assaulted, or otherwise set upon by critters. Eventually, you find yourselves entering a small cavern with a circle of stone menhirs standing in the middle of the cavern. There is a single hunched deep gnome standing with his back to you, though as you enter he turns and approaches you slowly. Welcome to the Speaking Stones. I know of you, of course. You did a great service for us, you have my thanks. How can old Gurnik help you?

Bildaweer, as you look around, you notice that it's really not an area with things for sale. It's much more of a holy place vibe.

Gurnik looks at you all. Well, truth be told, ages ago I would have been able to provide such an enchantment without issue. However, since the temple in what's now the Rockblight was desecrated, I find myself unable to draw on the magics. I've heard of your foray into that terrible place to deal with the medusa. Perhaps you'd chance a second visit to help restore the connection there? You'd need to take this spell gem with you, place it in the menhir in the temple. Granted, Ogrémoch’s Bane will not stand for this. Its servants will try to stop you. You must defeat these interlopers until the gem can fully awaken three temple guardians. If you can manage this, I can easily provide you all with a holy blessing. he says, presenting a pristine ruby spell gem. Bildaweer, this one looks like it would fit the menhir. It's a very strange cut, possibly because of the rarity and potential power it contains.

Heartboiler, go ahead and give me a Wisdom save real quick to see how well you resist the urge to knock on the stones (DC10).

You collect your things and the five of you head off towards the Rockblight once more. When you get into the staging area, the guard from yesterday waves at you excitedly and barks out orders to get the door unlocked once more.

You head through the tunnels and soon find yourselves standing before the stone menhir. Cemos, as you enter the space, your paladin senses don't quite tingle. It would seem the area isn't properly "desecrated", but simply broke the consecration that was once on this place.

The servants? Ogrémoch’s Bane will not likely use something as flawed as drow statues. Not for this. I would expect the creature will send enraged earth elementals against you. They are not easy targets and Ogrémoch’s Bane will likely be cocky, thinking that only a single one is enough to deal with you. Gurnik says before turning to Cemos. It's not desecrated as the damned drow do to the areas where they worship Lolth. It's simply not a holy site any longer.

Hardboiled, as you knock on the stone, you notice that it feels very solid and not hollow. Gurnik smiles at you, much like a grandfather would to a favored child. The stones don't speak stonedaughter. They are extensions of ancient galeb duhr, guardians of this plane. When a powerful priest focuses on their magic hear, we listen to the land speak and from that, we know what may befall our community.