We took some rest back with the Centaurs before venturing further. As we settled in for the night, their scouts brought back news of some creatures near the mine tunnels that had been found petrified. More Basilisks? Seems doubtful, as the lizards eat the stone itself and nothing appeared to be broken up in that sort of way. Alke admits that a suitably powerful medusa could have done something like this- clearly there is something in our path that we should beware of.
Their leader is a wise old courser. He shared this information freely with us, gave us the freedom of his camp and promised the protection of his tribe whilst we rested. He talked to us of their worship of Sydon, but that they rejected the more popular aspect of him as a warmonger and embraced a more open culture. Our efforts in saving his people have marked us as friends of the tribe. We sat in the rare calm this night had brought us and observed the stars. He talked of the constellation of the Bear and the stories of my childhood about the myths surrounding her. The conversation was almost painful in the memories it brought back. It was a familiar, yet emotional feeling turning in that night.
As we took our leave and stepped into the cool darkness of the mines once more, we turned north into the tunnel that seemed better lined with worked stone. It seems clear that these tunnels were heading into the territory that was held by the dwarves.
A low stone bridge crossed over our path and boosting a few of us up there we could see statues of fearsome two headed dogs scattered up the corridor. Forewarned that there are creatures with the power to petrify creatures, but that the petrification is not permanent, we took prudent measures to destroy the statue.
As Braz and Theo set to smashing up the statue, a small group of birds hopped out into the corridor from the west. How they had survived down here soon became evident as they screeched and threw themselves at Braz and Calliope.
Shifting to my wolf form, I threw myself down the corridor to fight alongside my allies and with magic flashing past me from my allies formed a bulwark with Helikaon against the threat of these cockatrice monsters, trying to avoid the vicious petrifying pecks of their beaks.
As they fell, we heard creaks and disjointed crackling coming from some of the other statues. Sure enough, our caution seemed to have been well placed as the two headed dog statues coloured over and became flesh once more. Their muzzles dripped a foul smelling mucus and as I was closest to them three of them latched their fangs into my side. Nausea and dizziness from their diseased bite took hold and it was all I could do to lurch down the corridor back to my companions, never mind fight.
Alke threw up a roar of flame to narrow down the corridor and create a chokepoint and the battle slowly shifted in our favour, with Calliope shooting arrows with deadly precision into the hellish hounds appearing.
Braz brought his spear stabbing down onto a yelping hound with crashing finality and the area was clear once more. It is clear now why the troglodytes never expanded further into the northern end of the complex, but I wonder at the hostility between the dogs and the cockatrices.
If there are more ahead of us, could we sow that conflict to clear our path?