Wanesun 16th
2022-08-10
After some time, the Venatore decided to wait on the iron box in the fire pit until
Elyot had prepared the necessary spells to retrieve it without losing a body part. Since the reddish glow in the western corridor burned anyone who entered it, the companions decided to clear some of the other areas, saving the air temple and especially the water temple and priests for later. Heading back up into the processional, they went north into the grand hallway.
Obviously a place of importance for the temple, this 40-foot-wide hall stretched east and west. To the west, they spied the kitchen areas they had been through before. This was the passage used by the bandit chiefs to flee. In the center of the hall was a 20-foot-wide corridor descending to the north. Runes covered the walls and the corridor seemed to soak up any light that pierced it, feeling dark and cold. Across from the dark stair was a message smeared in long since dried blood on the wall.
To the east three corridors led away from the room, the southern corridor headed east a short way before turning south. The northern corridor immediately turned to the north, while the middle corridor continued east, turning north with a door in the far wall.
Rudy snuck into the southern corridor which hooked back west before ending in a door. Opening that door, Rudy spied an empty room of alabaster and white marble. To the north of the doorway a large ornate mirror was attached to the wall. The mirror began to glow, showing a brilliant cloudscape with white winged figures flying up to the mirror.
The entire party was unconvinced by a place of goodness this deep into the temple, and Elyot entered the room with Rudy while the rest of the companions waited in the hall. Elyot and
Adrea began ritually casting spells while the creature spoke to Elyot, "What is a fair and just person doing in this foul place?' it asked.
Waiting for a response, but getting none, the figure must have run out of patience, for then the mirror swung aside and the figures masked by the mirror's magic were revealed to be werewolves, which moved to attack.
Rostam blasted the creature approaching Elyot, sending it flying against the far wall, while
Balan strode in and took up Balathar's Breath against the creatures. The werewolves' vaunted resistance to ordinary weapons failed to help them against the enchanted arms and spells of the party. The werewolves were hopelessly outmatched and soon fell. Rostam asked if anyone had been injured, in case the curse were transmitted to the Venatore, but no had had taken even a scratch.
Searching the secret room the werewolves used as their lair, the companions turned up a large stash of silver weapons and items. The werewolves may have been hoarding silver to keep it from being used against them.
Back to the main hall, Rudy snuck down the middle corridor. When the corridor turned to the north, there were doors in the east and south walls. Just after the turn north, another door lay in the west wall. All was quiet in the southern and eastern doors. The eastern door opened to a short hallway heading south before coming to a dead end. The southern doorway headed to a stairway down.
Opening the door after the turn, they were confronted by a large armor-wearing ogre. Rostam also spied a bugbear to the north. Two cell doors were behind the ogre at the end of the room to the west, one on the west wall and one on the north wall.
Crasokk loosed his arrows on the ogre while Rostam blasted the bugbear into the northern corner, while Elyot mind slivered the ogre, which resisted Adrea's spell. As Rudy fired her hand crossbow, and Rostam managed to get another blast in, Adrea moved up to intercept the charging ogre, which swung its flail madly, striking everyone in reach. Rudy managed to dodge the blow, but no one else was so lucky.
The ogre was a fairly straightforward foe, but when Adrea moved to attack the bugbear, it shadow-stepped away after failing to strike her. Soon darkness covered the northern cell block, which the bugbear used to shadow step again and try to escape. When Balan moved up to attack, it's gaze paralyzed Balan, but it was too late for the bugbear to escape. Adrea moved up behind it, blocking its exit as it fell to the Venatore attacks.
While Rudy rifled through the two jailers' things, the others began opening the cells. One cell held two merchants and a bandit who angered the fire temple, while the water temple's cell held four elves. The three males took up guarded positions in front of the female elf, who began questioning the companions.
After some initial distrust, the elves were revealed to be Countess Tilani of the
Tuathwold, her protector, Sir Jaffin, and two warriors, Ondlas and Alara. They were told they were being held for an important sacrifice in the water temple, whose time was written in the stars. They had been down here for months.
Exhausted and with released captives, the Venatore decided to return to
Mav Mayot, help the temple prisoners return to their lives, and take some much needed downtime.
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