Glangill wiped the sweat from his brow as he continued to pull the cart down the stairs in this deep underground city, his ancient home of Khorok Unro. After passing two large stone doors he glanced to either side at the many filled caskets containing the clan he once knew. He loaded the bodies from the cart into their final resting place in this now filled tomb, and sighed heavily with the knowledge that his work was finally done. With a heavy heart he began out of the tomb, towards the city once again with cart in tow. Once passed the stone doors he traced a finger in the air leaving wakes of dim blue light that formed into a rune in the air. When completed the rune flew towards the door, and sunk in unleashing a series of audible clicks and clacks as the door sealed behind him. 

Far above another dwarf walks down into a door hidden in a dark alleyway. Ismay smiles back at the inviting calls of companions advertising their services, and tries hard to not flinch at the sight of their metal jewelry. He was safe, he had to remind himself. There was no need to run… anymore. He walked back through beaded curtains into a room filled with incense, and took a place on a bench as a robed man in the back spoke of the need to keep these services secret from those who were not of the faith. The robed man eyed Ismay, not recognizing him but Ismay pulled a chain from under his shirt revealing a serpent circling around a bright golden coin and the robed man nodded in recognition. Ismay glanced at his new pendant, the weight of the metal seeming heavy around his neck. With a suppressed cry, he smiled and put the holy symbol back under his shirt against his bare skin. He would overcome his fear in time, until then he would listen to the wise words of the man leading the sermon in the chapel.

Back in Travance, the darkness seemed to whisper to a Z’Hadeem man as he walked down the road. It’s sweet voice he knew came from the being now residing in his own body, sealed by the divine rite he performed only a few hours before binding the Hellion. “We could unite our flesh together and become more powerful than any man or god. I will grant us skin of iron that no weapon can pierce.” He glanced up at the bright moon illuminating his path, and silently thanked The Lord of the Dead for its light. As he continued, ignoring Fraxinus’ pleas she continued “Don’t be a fool Merikh, unbind these wrappings and let me free!” with a voice filled more with terror than he remembered. “Please?!” she added, and he thought that he did not remember her using that word before. She must be getting desperate.