The Beast of Mount Baratok

Having left the Abbey at Krezk, we didn't bother to go back into the city proper. Who knows how the citizens may react when they find out their "Abbot" is dead. If they don't already. I didn't plan to stick around and find out. We argued about trying to find some warmer clothes or torches or whatever we could scrounge from the abbey, but decided to leave the crazed children inside as they are. I gave my fur cloak to Marushka, seeing as she wasn't quite.. dressed for the climate. We traveled north towards where we figured the Amber Temple to be, knowing it was up in the mountains north of us, and was protected by the Beast of Mount Baratok. I wasn't too sure what to expect of it. No one we'd encountered could tell us what the beast actually was; I largely suspect it has to do with the number of people who've lived to tell about it after encountering it. Still, we braced ourselves and headed north into the mountains through the cold, determined to see this to the end.
 
We started up the mountain proper after some time, and spent the rest of the day trudging through the snow. By now the temperatures had dropped sharply, and most of us carried torches for warmth. After some time, we came across a wider section of the path that could accommodate Leomund's Tiny Hut, we decided to make camp there for awhile. From what I could tell, the first two watches went mostly uneventful, save for the appearance of several mountain goats, who seemed to be looking down at our snow-covered dome. This apparently disturbed the Chandlers, who woke me up to tell me about the goats arrival. Before the others could even go to sleep, and allow me some time to speak with Marushka as I had intended to talk with her about some things, a loud roar pierced the air and a massive creature went past the goats, grabbing several of them and throwing the others off the mountains like rag dolls.
 
It was then that I understood exactly what the Beast of Mount Baratok was: a Roc. A massive bird with a 200 foot wing span. A creature so powerful it can create hurricane-force winds with the beat of its wings. The movement of its passage over us left chunks of tree, stones, snow and even small animals in its wake. There went my day. We woke the others and appraised them all of the situation. This was bad. A large beast wouldn't typically worry me. But a large bird protecting a mountain like this? It has every advantage against us. We didn't have too many options, but we worked with what we could. I used my enhanced senses to keep track of the Beast while the others made a makeshift sled out of what materials we could scavenge from the Beast's wake. We distracted it with a goat Bryndon levitated, and then used the paladin's horses to pull us on the sled while it was distracted.
 
It worked, for exactly 5 seconds. Big bird eat big food. Small goat is just a snack. It chased us of course, and not only did we have to contend with the fierce winds coming from the Beast, but we also had to get the horses to ride in tandem, and.. well.. Adrostos' steed wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you catch my meaning. A spoon is sharper. So we had to manage dealing with the two horses trying to ride in synch while also keep us all steady on a makeshift sled while ALSO trying not to fall off the narrowing path we were traveling on. I honestly don't remember how long we traveled for. I recall at some point "Elaine" fell off the sled but teleported herself back onto it. Thankfully I can sense her presence and the Beast's at the same time. Eventually we came to another place where we could rest, and Eerika thought she could sense some sort of tunnel nearby. I know not the relationship dwarves have with stone. Honestly I don't care to.
 
Surprisingly, Eerika actually did find a tunnel through the mountain. That was lucky. I think we rested briefly in the tunnel, as well? It's hard to remember. Things get rough after that. We came to the end of the tunnel, though Eerika believed the wall before us wasn't quite so thick, and could feel air coming through from the other side. Taking her at her word, I just pointed at the wall and said "Eerika?" and she went charging into the rocks as I knew she would. Turns out she was right! She burst through the rock with little effort, but went tumbling down to the ground below. Turns out the tunnel ended on the side of a cliff face over looking a valley hidden within these mountains. I tossed Eerika a rope to help her get back up so we could gather ourselves before proceeding further.
 
About 300 to 400 feet on the other side of the valley from us was a ranch small little church, or temple. It really wasn't much to look at. However, our presence was noticed by a goat that was somehow out here as well, and it let out a loud bleat that seemed to echo 100 times louder within the walls of the valley. As anyone who may be reading these entries by now would know of our luck, the bleating beast alerted the roc to our presence, and the massive bird came flying up and landed on a ridge above the little building. We could see traces of buildings, trees, wagons, and various other large objects that the roc had gathered to create this nest it was now sitting upon. With careful consideration, we decided "Elaine" would teleport herself and Bryndon across the distance, Marushka would take Eerika across the distance, the paladins would make a dash for it on horseback, and Kasimir and I would run it on foot, being much more fleet of foot than the others.
 
When it seemed like the beast was a good distance away, or at least as good as we were going to get, we took off. Kasimir and I had the blessing of Greater Invisibility cast on us, and I likewise cast Silence on myself as further precaution. "Elaine" and Bryndon went across first and the paladins went next, followed swiftly by myself and Kasimir. The four of us split up so as not to be grouped together in case something happens, which of course it did. The Beast came back and brought its winds with it, which was the only sign to me. I didn't realize being in a sphere of 'Silence' that it deafens you to everything outside of it. Distracted as I was to reach my destination and keep an eye on the Beast, I didn't catch what happened to it to cause it to crash land into the valley. It got up and began flailing about, sending powerful gusts of winds all through the area. I noticed, thankfully, and went prone to avoid the worst of it, which worked well.
 
When I stood up, I noticed the beast was thrashing around and making it difficult for me to get past it. Some cloud of darkness was obscuring its face. Thinking on my feet, I took out my long bow and quickly nocked an arrow and let loose an arrow at the goat I had seen before we tried this foolhardy scheme. Thankfully my arrow hit its mark even with the winds, and it (I assume) let out a bleat that gripped the Beast's attention and sent it off after it. Using the distraction, I made my way safely the rest of the distance to the small temple.
 
We all regrouped, some of us looking worse for wear than the rest, but alive. As we stepped into the temple we found nothing but a frozen corpse, clutching a set of mason's tools, and a door. The door had a smell that came off as significantly evil to the paladins, but "Elaine" decided to check it out while we investigated the body. Turns out the monk had been chiseling pictures into the walls, and further on upon a door deeper in the temple that led further down. It was a warning, written in every known language the monk could translate it in to. A warning about the evils that lay deeper within.
 
So we ignored that completely and opened the door, looking inside for answers. Veins of amber spread across the entirety of the room beyond, but a darkness prevented us from seeing into the room with any clarity. We did manage to see some arrow slits up in the rafters, and a door off to our right. We decided to check out the door before trying to traverse the main part of the room. We were met with a door that was barricaded from the other side, and what seemed to be 4 vistani locked within. It took some convincing, but they were part of a small group who lived nearby, who have groups come up to the temple and survive 7 days within the temple without being corrupted by its influence. They initially believed us to be mental tricks of the temple, especially when they saw Marushka first, but eventually believed us and allowed us to come inside and rest awhile.
 
I write this now as we rest, just taking a breather and regrouping after everything that has happened today. We're about to leave soon, I think. Knowing our luck, we'll probably come across some sort of statue that'll shoot lightning at us when we get too close. We'll see.