SHRINE OF THE SIX SWORDS


 

Hook: Ashi Zoru, a six-armed deity of chaos and evil, had a cult in the region during the days of the Second Age of Heroes. It was comprised of six lesser sword-wielding petty gods, called the Swords of Ashi Zoru. You uncovered a plot by the resurrected cult to summon their old god back from its resting place to cause destruction and mayhem in the region. The priests had not yet found the shrine. You'd been following clues and leads to finally arrive there, you think, ahead of the cultists. But, it turns out, they headed you off and caught you as you entered the canyon lands where you pinpointed the location of the shrine. Captured, you have been bound and led to a  ziggurat. You're left in a cage, and watch, as the 8 priests and 5 goblins busy and organise themselves to prepare for the rites and watch over you, the intended sacrifices... But, since there are only 5 of you, there is another prisoner of good quality bound with you to make the rite complete...

Details: The priests of Ashi Zoru built a small ziggurat of two levels out of sandstone and granite. The corners of the first level contain the statues of the first four bestial humanoid gods (a frog, a ram, a lizard, and a fish) at the corners, and the upper two are situated on the top level (an eagle and a scorpion). The entrance to the shrine is 'The Mouth of Ashi Zoru', the stylised, upper portion of a monstrous visage with sharp teeth, curled ram horns, the eyes of frog, scales like a lizard, webbed fins like a fish near the ears, plated hair, and a no facial hair. The priests use the hidden side passages, while cultists place the sacrifices inside the secret rooms behind each red granite plinth in the six rooms flanking the central chamber. A sword is laid upon each plinth. Each humanoid deity draws its strength from each sacrifice, until it completely drains the person inside each room and manifests upon the plinth, holding its unique sword. The ziggurat is in ruins, however. The northwestern corner has collapsed, blocking the secret passage, and one of the plinths has been crushed. The swords are all still in tact. The rite can still be accomplished, but, someone needs to stand guard and watch the prisoner being held in the broken northeastern chamber so they don't escape mid rite. Each set of double doors is made of copper, burnished bright. Each leading into a side chamber bears a stylised frieze representing the god whose sword lies within. The doors leading into the central chamber represent Ashi Zoru and split his likeness down the middle. The six deities do not have individual names. They are nameless, until they become the larger god. A heavily-carved, red granite altar was built before the statue of Ashi Zoru. An evil creature must be sacrificed upon it for the rite to work and to signal the moment the genderless deity's six 'generals'.

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