The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Alekzandr Ikorov: XCIV

"What? Are you hungry for some more chicken?" Riu jested, 'Lobodovshki.' He thought, the drunker that one got the less sophisticated her speech became. He sighed and started digging into his own food. They rarely ate dinner as a party, somehow the shopping trip made them want to do this. He wasn't really sure why. He cut through his food and continued eating.

"Huh.. this is not bad Riu." Alekzandr motioned towards the inebriated noble. "I am surprised, where did a noble learn to make food?" He chuckled, as far as he knew Riu had cooks in her house, Herod mentioned as much.

"When my family was bankrupt, dummy..." Riu fell back in her seat trying to shove a fork of chicken into her mouth. Herod helped her back up. Perhaps picking up three tasks of brew, privately for them, was a poor idea.

"Alekzandr.. May I speak to you?" Vestus leaned over the table to nudge him, he looked up and nodded.

"Sure comrade." He sat up and escorted himself to the side of the room. But Vestus kept walking until he reentered the common room on the left of the den. He mulled over his nearly empty drink when Vestus crossed his arms.

"During the fight at the windmill.. I gave you something.." Vestus started.

"The stone of Golorr." Alekzandr chuckled. "Yes.. I still have it. Would you like me to.. Use it?" He wasn't sure what the stone was supposed to do, it looked simply like a river rock with ripples and gemstones. Taking the stone from his pocket he turned it over in his palm. It was roughly five inches long with ripples like waves around the surface. Its top surface looked similar to scales pushing upward over little marble beads; roughly three of them had a vague jade look to it.

"Look, Alekzandr.. I don't know where my son is but all we do know.. Is he investigated some people who wanted this before he went missing so-"

"I understand." He remarked. He really did, he knew Vestus wanted to find his son. Suddenly he felt slightly bad, despite their recent victory they were unable to pin down what to do next. He studied the rock, perhaps what he was failing to see mechanically.. He could make up for it mystically. He began to scan his own mind.. The Rushiki rarely did this, however a common practice in magic outside of Rushiv.. Was attunement. To align your mystical compass to the object before you. He gave it a shot. Alekzandr took a deep breath moving his own magic forth. Being a bity tipsy he decided to take it slightly easy, just a little bit of magic at a time.

"Who... am I speaking to?" A voice slithered into Alekzandr's mind.. But it wasn't like one he had heard before, this wasn't like the mind flayer.. It didn't feel like simply telekinesis.. He was actually being spoken to. The voice was deep, and drawn out, each word and syllable took eons to utter. This stone.. Was sentient. Vestus moved away sitting across the room.

"Alekzandr Ikorov." He motioned to Vestus and the giant brought him a chair immediately.

"Agh! What is that smell?" Vestus spit, he wasn't sure what the giant meant.. Did he smell?

"What do you wish to know?" The voice came again. He paused and thought, what didn't he want to know?

"I'm.. sorry?" He inquired for clarification. Vestus raised an eyebrow and he held up the stone to his ear to attemptively indicate he was talking, he didn't know what it meant he'd just seen Markos do it once.

"My purpose is to give... knowledge of the vault. That, dear scryer.. Is what I was tasked with." The voice paused and began flashing images of books, paintings and people throughout his head. "What do you wish to know?" Slowly a mist began to form before his eyes it shifted into a body, small and reptile like with pale green rubbery skin and tendrils drifting off into the air. It looked like a long green fish with an enormous mouth that made up its entire face, behind it split into tendrils like that of an octopus only without the suction cups. Finally on the top of its head was.. A pattern like ocean waves rolling over three small orbs. The reality dawned on him. This was the stone of Golorr.. This creature.