Pool of Radiance - James M. Ward [78]
"That's right, Tarl…not yet," Ren said, getting a hold on the gnoll and pushing Tarl gently away. "Both of you, take a few minutes to compose yourselves. I'll take care of him."
Tarl dropped down beside Shal and slipped an arm around her. Together they knelt, sobbing fearlessly as they stared at the appalling wreckage of a human being that lay on the altar before them. Tarl uttered a prayer to Tyr to put the unknown soul to rest.
Just then a piercing voice penetrated Shal's consciousness. A cloth would cover the poor soul's eyes, Mistress.
Yes, it would. Thank you, Shal thought silently. She called forth a cloth from her Cloth of Many Pockets, then covered the head and body beneath its rich violet folds, Tarl murmured one last prayer and stood beside her.
"Look there," said Shal, pointing. Beyond the body, at the foot of the T-shaped altar, was a painstakingly detailed diorama of a scene so lifelike that Shal thought if she blinked she might become part of it. A sculpted wall of golden stone rose up like a backdrop for the scene, making it clear that the diorama's setting was a cave, a mammoth cave with an airy, vaulted ceiling. A perfectly crescent-shaped pool, with waters that reflected off polished surfaces, was the focal point of the miniature scene. Centered along the inside curve of the crescent was an elegantly simple, raised hexagon, with tiny blue gems glittering from four of its six points. The hexagon looked pitiful and incomplete, like a once-magnificent broach with only empty sockets where gemstones should be. Though no more than two fingers wide, the hexagon, with its two missing gems, detracted from the perfection of the entire scene. Perhaps it was Shal's imagination, but the glistening golden waters of the crescent even seemed at their darkest near the six-sided mounting.
Centered along the outside curve of the crescent was a tiny replica of the T-shaped altar. On it was a minute fountain that was spewing blood-red fluid into the pool. Where the dark fluid hit the golden waters, the pool should have been ocher or orange, but instead it radiated a staggeringly brilliant yellow gold. Like staring into the sun, it caused pain merely to look upon it.
"The focus of the shrine," said Tarl, explaining the diorama. "It's a replica of a sacred place-or at least a place sacred to the gnolls."
" 'The Pool of Radiance,' this guy calls it," said Ren, moving closer to the altar, the yellow-faced gnoll still in the crook of his elbow. "He says they have to keep up a steady supply of sacrifices to keep the pool yellow and the Lord of the Ruins happy."
"Sacrifices? This is worse than a sacrifice," said Shal, pointing at the body that lay under the purple cloth.
"I'm afraid that's probably the gnoll version of a pretty gruesome practice," said Ren. "I don't have any love for orcs or kobolds, but if they have similar altars, you'll find equally dead bodies but less gruesome."
Tarl's face paled visibly, and his hands clutched the edge of the wooden altar. His usually clear, deep voice tremored noticeably as he spoke. "You don't mean to suggest there are more altars like this? More of these sites of abomination?"
"I'm sorry," said Ren. "But this priest says it was all done for the Lord of the Ruins. As I understand it, all the creatures in the uncivilized parts of the city worship him."
"Worship?" Tarl spat and shook his hands as if to shake off some clinging coat of slime. "Worship a creature that is not of the gods? A creature that demands blood sacrifices? What powers does this abominable beast possess that it can demand such horrors?"
8
Half-Gnoll
"You're the priest. You tell us." Ren waved his free hand toward the altar, clamped the gnoll's neck a little tighter, and began to question the creature again. The gnoll was obviously responding to Ren's questions, but Shal and Tarl could only look on, uncomprehending.
"He says there's temples like this