Whereas most cities had a town hall or even a palace for the local ruler, Monolith had only the Sestet. Rather than a building, it was akin to an open-air temple. It was situated on a promontory that overlooked the entire Pearl District, and on its other side was a cliff of brick that extended upward. The Sestet was a series of concentric circles, each one higher and slightly smaller than the one before it, like a circular staircase. Spaced evenly on the fourth layer were six pedestal chairs that allowed whomever was seated in them to be at eye level with a person standing on the Sestet's innermost, highest dias. When Emily arrived, there were only two golems there, but these were unlike any that she had previously seen. Seven feet tall with proportions more like a human, the Travelers wore colored armor, and each had a tool. The first one, more slender and feminine with ivory-white armor over a body made of obsidian, had an elaborate crossbow strung across her shoulders. The other, also armored in white but with a form of clay, leaned on a pickaxe. At the outsider's approach, the two Travelers ceased their chat and turned to regard her with orange and icy-blue eyes. “Hello, foreigner, and welcome to Monolith,” the slender one greeted. “I am Elvilika, and this is Udo Koro Kai. We are two of the Journeymen. I expect you have come to the Sestet to converse with us all?” -=-=- Though the Snatcher had a head start, it left a rather obvious trail, and the angry mob made good time. When the raiding party from the village crested the edge of the excavation hit, they were nearly floored like the smell. Death, rot, disease—it was all there, mashed up into a hideous pong that threatened to sear their nosehairs. A mere stench was nothing compared to the horror of seeing the Heart, however. Most were struck dumb at the mere sight of the abomination of flesh. The two that weren't (a scythe-wielder and a pitchfork-bearer) began to flee, immediately convinced that they were in over their heads. The majority of the party, however, remained, staring at the Heart and the repulsive, fetid corpses that littered the pit, wondering how best to kill the monstrous thing until a hulking shape lumbered out from beneath it. The Progenitor glared upward with baleful white eyes and sclera the purple hue of dead veins. So unnerved were the villagers that those armed with bows opened fire, shooting shaft after shaft at both the Progenitor and the Heart. While by no means military-grade archers, the men managed to lodge the majority of their arrows in either one of the atrocities, but while they both rippled and flinched in response to the pain, they did not fall. Slowly, the Progenitor knelt, placing its hand on the Flesh upon which it stood. A chemical current radiated outward through the plague's veins, reaching the still forms of the Snatchers posing as carcasses around the pit. As one, the four of them lurched to their feet and spat their fleshhooks, only one of which actually managed to spear a villager. Two of them missed and one was deflected by the father's sword, but despite their heroism and hatred the remaining villagers could not help but falter as one of their number was dragged, screaming, into the pit. The father's eyes started to water as he realized that his chance at revenge would have to wait. “Run, run! We'll mark this spot and return later! Go!” As he fled, the father reached down and chopped off the hook of one of the Snatchers, which was retracting past him on the ground. A guttural grunt of pain from down in the pit gave him a hint of satisfaction, and he ran. More grim than usual was the Progenitor's twisted face. Sooner than it would have liked, the Flesh That Hates was under assault. [hider=Status] -=-The Flesh That Hates-=- Territory: Excavation Pit Volume: The Progenitor, 12 Scabs, 4 Snatcher Infection Progress: Negligible Current Activity: Defending [/hider]