“The Lammasu”
A lonely figure walked through the labyrinthine hallways. The passages of ancient obsidian walls reflecting the dim green light emanating from the spire of his staff, like Morrslieb on water in a deep well. The tunnels seemingly carved trough the very mountain itself… The silence broken only by the tapping of his staff hitting the floor. After a sharp turn he stopped infront of what at first glance looked like a dead end. The wall infront of him was engraved from top to bottom with runic script, framed with skulls. The Magi cleared his throat and spoke with a deep and sonorous voice “Ashko Akhshami Ksy”.
The runes shimmered with a ruddy ruby glow. He pressed the palm of his hand against the wall, pushing it open and stepped inside the hidden chamber, entering a gloomy cavern… Meager light from a crack in the cave roof illuminated a large pile of offal and the bones of hundreds of creatures in the centre of the chamber.
Mumbling a few arcane words his staff ignited with green ethereal flame revealing the lair in full.
In the corner of the room stood a great slab covered with pelts. Around it was a small fortune of gold and silver trinkets haphazardly strewn. Resting upon the slab the enormous creature that could only be described as monster, a relic of forgotten ages. A flashing pair of yellow demonic eyes set in a huge humanoid skull. Great tusks sprouted from the corners of its mouth and a gigantic set of horns potruded from its mighty brow. The glint of intricate jewellry and gemstones were woven in its great beard. A waft of exotic myrhh almost masked its beastly smell of blood and wet fur.
He struck the cavern floor thrice and with a commanding deep voice the dwarf spoke in the Dark Tounge, an ancient guttural language.
"Hail Aghamenen, Terror of the Wasteland ! Great is your fame, most ancient and wise of your kin! I am known as Zuruf , Binder of Bone and Iron.
I bid thee honour our ancient pact and render me your sage advice and destructive power."
The beast exhaled, a long arduous sigh.