Eethyl removed his pack and greeted his friend with a warm embrace. “How many now?” his anxious tone inquired past a creased brow.
The old gnome pursed his lips and met Eethyls desperate gaze. “Only eight so far. Mostly the little ones and two elders.”
“And my kin n’ D-...” He started before the older gnome held up a hand to slow him.
“It has not reached their household yet.” He shook his head slowly. “But we must get you to my kitchen and get you to work.”
Eethyl bent and removed a package from his pack as he set to follow the elder. Catching up to him he continued his inquiry. “Do we know what brought it?”
The elder looked at the younger gnome from the corner of his eyes. “We don’t know for sure. We had a visitor from the south a tenday ago though. The burrow critters didn’t take to him.”
Eethyl laughed softly. “That’s not surprising. They only take to a few of ours here as it is.”
The elder nodded and responded slowly, his words carrying more weight as he spoke, “Aye…tis true. But I spoke with a couple of them, and they said the stranger smelled of death.” He let the word settle for a moment for contemplation before he kept on. “Three days later the first fell ill. The stranger stayed and even offered to help. He aided in the recovery of the first, a young one named Elodie. He gave her tea and set up a shrine to his god and soon she showed signs of recovery. She recovered fully eventually. As others soon fell sick, well, some asked him to pray for theirs. He did so and taught them to burn incense for his god and pray to him. He eventually left though. Lourdes took a turn for the worse and passed the night after the stranger left four days later.”
Eethyl listened intently, his fingers turning the package over in his hands absently as his friend spoke. “He set up a shrine to a god that wasn’t recognized by the elders?” disbelief tinted his words.
“Aye, they didn’t stop him as it was just for him at first. After Elodie lived people flocked to it, including some of the elders as their kin had fallen ill.” The elder nodded. “I’m not on the council now or I would protest. My time is done.” The elder gnome said before stifling a raspy cough.
Eethyl inspected him as they walked and resisted the urge to ask to check his lungs. “Who is this deity the traveler worshiped?”
The elder motioned him down a hall and gently dismissed a middle-aged couple who were praying to an altar in an alcove. He stepped to the side and motioned Eethyl forward to see for himself. Before the old gnome was a piece of black silk draped out to the left and right, candles burned low in front, and incense in a small brazier to the side was smoldering. Prominently in the middle of the silk triangle was the skull of what looked to be a human, its harshness softened with a braided crown of gold silk with a tuft at the front. Eethyl squinted in disbelief and his breath caught in his throat.
“But…I thought Myrkul was dead... the bone castle torn down after the Time of Troubles? Most of his temples have been converted... I have seen with my own eyes. How?...” Eethyl looked back toward his companion who nodded.
“Yes, the realm of the Bone Lord was torn asunder and reshaped under a new one, a more just ruler from what I know. This one though…” The old gnome gestured at the alter “He still feeds off the fear of death and has returned to strength as more offer to him. It has been since I was a child that he thrived in name, but he is known again among the humans especially.”
Eethyl glared at the shrine but made no move to it as he thought about how to solve the issue. The old gnome gently touched his arm bringing him back to the problem at hand. “Come Eethyl. We will tend to the kitchen first and see what we can do to deal with the reason they seek the favor of one such as this. Perhaps after the fear is removed someone may remove this and they will be less inclined to replace it.”
Eethyls eyes came back to meet his and he hesitated a moment as his thoughts raced, eventually nodding he allowed himself to be guided back down the hall toward the elders' burrow and kitchen.