In the rocky hills, the elf and the shaman of choice wait quietly for the sentry to go back to his post.
The sentry does indeed return to his outpost eventually, and VelvetEars and tomtom232 sneak by.
As the two continue north, they see to the right that the three grey men on g5-7 have piles of throwing rocks near them and are scanning over the cliffs to the east, ready to hurl their projectiles at whatever lay beyond. The chanting eventually resumes as the sentry forgets about what he thought he heard.
A gust of very hot, sulfurous wind blows into the faces of the two adventurers from the path to the north. VelvetEars' ruby begins to get very warm in her hands, as if responding to the nature of the region.
After seeing the three men with their pile of rocks I'll look around to see if they are any weapons I can fashion from the objects around me, while trying to remain fairly quiet.
I'll also cautiously advance to b2-b3 and peek round the rock on c3 to see what's there.
VelvetEars looks around. The terrain is mostly black rock; some of it rough and full of holes; others shiny and smooth, with sharp edges. VelvetEars finds a razor sharp rock with one side dull enough to hold.
She hears chanting from the men on g3, g5 and g6. They seem to be rock throwers like the ones she just snuck past. With stone blade in one hand and a ruby that is warming up and vibrating in sympathy to the land in the other, she creeps forward and looks around the rock on c3.
The black pawns are a lake of glowing orange liquid, covered in black chunks of stone and ash, and sulferous smoke rising from it! The surface flows sluggishly and occasional bubbles burst.
I'll check to make sure they stone throwers aren't looking my way. Then I'll creep forwards to C5-C6, to see how my ruby responds to being close to glowing orange lake. I'll also look round the rock on B6 to identify the queen on B8, trying to stay hidden from view if possible.
VelvetEars does not have a belt; the ruby is in one hand, and the stone blade in the other. However she can turn her hand away so it's not easily visible.
She approaches the burning woman who turns to her and says,
"Hello, child. How did you get past the sentries? Well, no matter. I know many things, and one thing I know is that you will not harm me.
Where are you from? Are you a woodland child? You do not belong here, that is certain. Your skin is too soft for the stonelands, and burns too easily for this place. Did you flee the harsh people and creatures outside? It is safe here for you. We will protect you from them. Did the Old Tribe hurt you, or the Goblin King and his foul minions?
You must be curious. This is a fortress, guarding the Lake of Fire and the power within. I am a Tender of the Lake, and have great power here. Your Ruby calls out to me; is it a gift?
We have decided to civilize the valley. It is too dangerous and must be tamed. Both the Stone Throwers and myself have so decided, and so it shall be.
Look, here, child, into the Lake of Fire - there is a Tiger of Flame in peril at the hands of the Goblin King! The King has cut the Tiger's tail from his body and fastened it to his magical club. What is more, there is a dark Crone with her foul claws holding tight to his spirit. I will rescue him. He is of the flame, so I can pull him out of the Lake, like - so!"
She reaches into the glowing orange lake of lava and pulls forth iamatiger, beaten bloody and unconscious, with his tail nothing more than a stump, the end of the wound seared shut with a scar!
I remember briefly seeing imatiger earlier while hiding in my cave. I feel that I can trust him.
I turn to the old woman and say
"I have travelled far and I'm used to getting passed guards. Tell me, if you're here to civilize this area, why are there men prepared for war?
Also can you heal this tiger? His wounds seem to be quite dire."