LogFAQs > #905012787

"Well, lady, nobody does anything for no reason," Dismas said, starting to sound annoyed. "Mind telling us what that reason is?"

"It's a Skull of Commune. Or, at least, someone was trying to make one." Maria tilted her head, examining the eye sockets before her. It was almost as if she was trying to look into the eyes of a person and examine their intent. "Those familiar with Avel de Countelard's research will know, in his manic days, he theorized a method for contacting the Elder Gods. To share knowledge with them."

"Elder... Gods?" Abom looked somewhat put off by that remark. "Are you saying Cain's son was some cultist blasphemer?"

Rather than answering the question, Maria was more talking to herself. Or maybe she was talking to the skull at that time. "It's a curious thing, isn't it? To have the knowledge of a God. To share the wisdom of something that has existed far above... and far beyond the scope of humanity. Knowing that I could reach out in this moment and try to obtain that knowledge. That power."

"But, of course, knowing that I would never do something like that." Maria, however, wasn't moving any further away from the skull. If anything, she was moving closer to it. "Well... never isn't the right word. I probably could do it. I just might do it."

She began to raise her hand forward. "I... probably will..." She mused it to herself as she reached for the object of her affection.

Then, at that moment, Dismas reached out and grabbed her hand. He squeezed it. So hard that she winced in pain and backed away from the shelf. "Hell no," he said, very assertively. "I don't think so, lady. If you're saying that damn thing is the cause of all this trouble then I don't want you, of all people, touching it."

"I-... I wasn't going to," Maria said, sounding unsure of herself. She held her hand in pain, then glanced away. "At least, I don't think so."

"Heh." Dismas, himself, took a step away from the skull as well. He seemed to be preventing his own greed from becoming a source of temptation in that moment. Then, he looked ahead into the darkness. "Listen, there are dark times awaiting us ahead. We don't need to make things worse for ourselves."

"The last thing I need is some fool making deals with a Devil and bringing an unseen threat to our midst."

At that moment, there was a portal of blackness and light. And from within that web of stars, Goetic emerged. He had returned to the mortal world at last. His bright eyes shined with relief and familiarity as he saw faces that he knew.

And though Goetic was smiling in relief... Dismas answered it with an uncertain frown.

"Just where the hell have you been?" Dismas inquired. "And what have you been plotting?"

[End]

11. What should the group focus on in the excavation site?
A. Look for evidence of the Elder Gods.
B. Look for monster nests and eradicate them.
C. Look for treasure and quietly escape.
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