Baragon Temple

----> They travel cautiously, being followed by the gray-haired macaques the entire way. One small monkey even swings down from the treetops and attempts to snatch a chuck of dried fruit from Tharg’s hand.
----> They continue through the flora, remaining silent. Several more yards and they reach warning in the path. A statue, standing dead in the middle of the overgrown trail, greets the party with a toothy smile. It is carved from wood, eye sockets dugout deeply with no representation of the eyeballs. Its mouth is solid with only the impression of teeth. Around its neck, hanging on a lace of rotting vine, is a string of neatly cleaned monkey skulls. By the size and shape, it is obvious they are the skulls of the Baragonia Macaque.
----> A few feet beyond the statue, looking north, the jungle open up into a lightly treed hillock. The statue is at the top, guarding the lower parts of the hill. Moving just beyond the statue and looking down the hillock, the group can see the temple.
----> It is enormous and remarkable old. It is in ruins, covered in vines and overgrown vegetation. Similar statues guard the perimeter of its territory. Giant blocks of stone, stacked one atop another, form the four-tiered temple. Each tier has several openings in its side, mostly concealed by hanging vines. There is no entrance on the accessible lowest tier, although the rear of the construction cannot be seen from here.
----> Tiny gray dots scurry back and forth across each of the tiers, as well as throughout the surrounding area. The place is literally crawling with the pink-faced macaques.
----> The group is silent for several moments, taking in the grand scene of the ancient temple. No one seems to want to leave, having been rooted to the spot in awe.
----> Tilwic, finally, breaks the silence.
----> “Shall we?”