Perhaps it is the increasingly claustrophobic depths under the ziggurat, or the bad air, or the stress of constant danger, but the ancient elf Siavel has lost much of his cool composure the adventurers have known him for on the ship's journey and time leading up to the entrance into the ziggurat. He grasps the exotic dagger and cuts open the jaguar-man. As he does so, Siavel notices the flesh is beginning get hard, and turning gray. Opening the chest cavity he reaches in to find the heart is not there! The body is turning back to stone.
Watching Siavel, Tabai the jungle native is reminded of the ancient sacrificial rites when victims' hearts were torn from their bodies.
Azoth priest of Noden advises the party to move quickly to get beyond the foul atmosphere in these subterranean tunnels. The others agree and the cleric opens the west door and finds a hallway extending northwest as far as the torchlight shows. The walls are carved into small skulls.
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