After waking, Big Ern takes an hour to prepare another Strength mutagen.
After breakfast Nero calls on his familiar, that has been around, but not with the group of explorers.
He conveys the task of finding a spot for the temple as good as it is possible, then let's the hawk fly again.
Finding a certain spot you haven't even seen is not an easy task for a hawk you can only communicate empathically, but not even an hour later, when you just where about to leave the camp, you get the feeling your familiar might have found it nonetheless.
Guiding you through the forest the small bird brings you to another row of hedges and brambles. Rounding it for a bit, you find a spot where an old trail has been, but it too is now covered by the brambles.
Setting Big Ern's greataxe to action he quickly clears a path.
The thick tangle of brambles gives way into a large clearing in the woods, its border partially defined by ruined stone pillars. The western face of the clearing is dominated by a looming, upthrust ridge of rock, nearly 300 feet across and rising to a moss-topped height of 100 feet at the center.
The side of this towering boulder facing the clearing has been carved in the likeness of an immense elk, its antlers drooping down from its weathered face to frame a 50-footwide cave entrance. A flight of stone steps leads up to this cave entrance from the forest clearing—both the steps and elk face feel quite old and are thickly encrusted with layers of moss. A 50-foot-long oval pool sits in the middle of the clearing, its waters thick with algae.
"Now there be a sight. Lookit tha' pool! Greener'n an elf's earwax it be. An' th' stag! I think we be findin' th' place." Whiskeyjack slid from his mount and looped the reins over a nearby branch.
Tyr just looks around. noting the water in the pool...the steps leading up to the cave. He dismounts and hobbles his horse.
"Well..time to kit up and check things out." After giving his horse a once over he does the same to his armor before drawing his sword.
"Fantastic! Didn't end up lost or as plant food for once." To Tyr, he nods. "Right. Grab what you need, and let's get this show on the road. Think it's safe to say something's occupying it now. Things never stay abandoned long."
When the shrine area comes into view Nero will cast Mage Armour then prepare his bow before riding into the actual clearing.
"Marvelous! Its simply marvelous.
Majet dismounts getting her crossbow ready
It doesn't take long that you find your suspicion come true: a mighty roar sounds out of the cave entrance, no doubt being empowered by the natural echo of the cave itself.
Seconds later a large and gruesome bear steps out between the pillars at the caves entrance, it's front paws held high threateningly, roaring another time to rattle you to your bones.
Init
Majet throws a bomb at the bear (using precise bombs to avoid hiting the others if there in melee with it)
Attack (+1attack/damage if within 30ft)
(Facepalms)
Damage
Upon seeing the temple, Big Ern drinks his mutagen.
Init:
"Great! I needed a new rug," he grins as he gets ready to enter his battle-fury.
He flies into a rage and charges the bruin, heedless of personal safety.
Attack (with power attack):
Tyr looks to the bear and then looks to Agerron,
"So? Is a killer rug better than a killer rose?" He asks, stepping slowly forwards with his great sword help ready.
Whiskeyjack was slow on his feet, but managed to take up his warhammer and shield, and get into a position to support the others.
Nero will fire at the bear
+1 in within. 30ft +1 if within 30ft
Tyr looks to the bear and then looks to Agerron,
"So? Is a killer rug better than a killer rose?" He asks, stepping slowly forwards with his great sword help ready.
"Yes."
initiative
Agerron rushes forward with his great sword (charges).
Attack
Damage
Tyr nods at Agerron's words and tactics, following along in support.
Tyr's actions Round 1:
Big Ern flies into a rage again, running up to the bear but not quite making it.
The bear starts his way down the stairs as well, but they lie in ruins and he has to treat a bit careful just as well.
Before he reaches Big Ern to attack, Nero has an arrow nicked on the animal, letting it fly and hit.
The bear growls in pain.
Agerron and Tyr make their way towards the bear as well, but like Big Ern, they can't quit get into reach of their weapons yet.
Majet moves a bit towards the bear, grabbing a bomb along the way and throwing it at the bear, not quite hitting it though. The bomb falls a bit short, exploding right between the bear and Big Ern, engulfing both with the flames.
Tyr continues to simply advance upon the bear.
Big Ern walks up and attacks.
Whiskeyjack moves forward to support the others, though he doesn't quite manage to close the distance to the bear.
Nero will nock another arrow and let it fly
Whiskeyjack moves forward to support the others, though he doesn't quite manage to close the distance to the bear.
Big Ern walks up and attacks.
His swing is good placed and cuts open the hide along the side of the bear.
The animal takes the closeness of Big Ern as an invitation and greets him with both front paws and a kiss, not caring that his claws and fangs hurt the enormous man.
This hurts Big Ern tremendously, but not enough to knock him unconscious.
Nero will nock another arrow and let it fly.
Again the elf hits the animal, and it thunders at the pain at it's attackers, loosing ever more blood from the open gash Big Ern caused, as well as the two arrows sticking in its flesh.
Tyr swings again, trying to finish the bear so that others can get close to Ern safely and help the injured man recover.
The dwarf moved up and dropped to the ground beside the giant man, yelling "Ern! 'Ere now don't ye be tryin' that. " He laid his hands on Ern's wounds and chanted a quick spell. The warmth of healing energy rushed from his hand and into Big Ern's body. The healing didn't fix all the man's wounds, but it at least stopped the bleeding. It was only at that point that the dwarf noticed the towering mass of fur and claws looming over him.
healing , swapping out magic weapon for CLW
round 3 -
Agerron continues to press the attack against the bear.
attack
damage
Agerron rushes foreward over the rubble of the ruined stairs, swinging his greatsword at the bear and slashes another, mortal wound.
An almost human sounding sigh of relief escapes the bear as it collapses in on itself.
Then something unusual happens: The bear transforms into an incredibly old looking human, who has a look of peace in his dead eyes. A moment later the skin of the human body breaks, leaving only a skeleton, which then crumbles into dust.
At this moment, the entire shrine seems to grow more vibrant and colorful. The water in the pool becomes crystal clear, and followers of Erastil feel invigorated.
Tyr lowers his sword,
"What....just happened...? Is Ern going to get a fuzzy complexion any time soon?" Tyr puts his sword away and begins helping people.
Whiskeyjack looked up at the dead bear (man?) and then went back to tending Big Ern's wounds. He pulled a short wand topped with white agate and prodded Ern's wounds. The skin continued to close, and Ern's eyes opened as the last of the major wounds sealed themselves. Whiskeyjack pulled his flask out and handed it to the big man. "'Ere, take a swallow. Only one, mind ye, ye great oaf. If'n ye're gonna rush in like tha', ye need t' learn t' duck."
CLW to get Ern healed up. Tell me how many charges you need and I'll update the profile.
Once he was done, he looked critically at the old man, the clear pool, and back at the man again. He spat, but carefully away from the shrine. "Well, looks like ye be findin' yer bear an' shrine. I ain't no follower o' Deadeye, but Moradin be lookin' kindly on him an' his. Glad I could help...well, glad I could help Ern anyways."
Big Ern stops foaming at the mouth and starts puffing and panting. "Thanks, Beardo. That was a dude? So much for the rug."
He mixes up an alchemical extract of healing and chugs it.
"Okay, so here's your damn temple-thing. Knock yourself out doing whatever you want to do, Leafy Joe. I'll be over here scratching my balls. Hey Stumpy! Watch where you throw those firebombs, butterfingers!"
Nero will quietly walk up to the pool say a silent prayer to Erastil and then will cup some water and take a drink.
"Thanks for helping me find this. What a wondeful shrine. I wonder how it came to be abandoned and where that bear, or manor whatever came from."
Nero feels quite the sensation when he drinks the water from the pool.
Not only tastes the water like the purest water from a stream of the mountain when the sun thaws snow and ice, but he also feels a small scratch he got earlier, when riding through the brambles, heal.
Tyr nods...both at Ern's recovery under the ministrations of Jack and at Nero's comments about the place. He moves to begin clambering up the rubble to investigate the cave from which the bear...man...thing emerged from.
"So, what be this place? A shine, sure, but what's so special about th' pool? An' th' cave?"
"I would assume that's an issue between the god of the shrine and their follower." Tyr calls back.
"The shrine is here...the follower is here." He points to Nero. "All is well with the world." Tyr moves to the edge of the cave entrance and peers around the corner carefully.
Big Ern is true to his word and begins laboriously scratching his balls, which have become sweaty and compressed after the long days of riding with no bath.
The inside of the cave is, to your surprise, not littered with remains of small game that the bear would have eaten.
Though the years of the bear living there left a stench and did not go over well with the inventory of the former temple, it's not that bad, as far as damage to the altar and some benches go. Most of the wooden benches are pushed to the caves wall, decaying due to their age.
All seems quiet in the cave.
Advancing cautiously Tyr searches the cave...and begins hauling out the trash.
Agerron helps Tyr to clear the cave, callin out to Nero, "May want to check this stuff for magic, just in case. Might be old relics or stuff."
"Yeah I'll help. Oh big guy try the water, I think its a healing spring."
Nero will then move into the shrine and help Tyr clean it out, using detect magic to search for anything magical.
Nero quickly senses traces of magic in a heap of rubble. Bringing a torch (or some other kind of light) into the cave you'll see that there's a broken rack scattered by a wall. Wood-pieces and glass shards hide some still intact vials, in total 3 flasks of holy water, 2 potions of cure light wounds, and two other flasks Whiskeyjack thinks to be potions of shield of faith.
Among the other trash you also find some books still intact, and in relatively good shape, all of them written in a distinct variant of Common.
One more thing you gather out of the broken pieces of inventory: a golden holy symbol of Erastil.
The holy symbol Tyr isn't touching. Leaving such things to the proper folks.
Big Ern submerges his whole filthy head in the healing spring and starts gulping it up noisily.
"Well these shold be useful." showing the potions and holy water to everyone, "Does anyone mind if i take this?" holding up the golden holy symbol. Nero will then carefully pack any books that are in salvageable condition so he can cast Mending on them later.
Even working together, it takes some time to get the trash out of the large cave. Around 3pm you find it satisfactory, the temple looks good enough, there's not much more you can do without proper tools (hammers, nails, saws and such...)
As the shadows of the day draw longer Tyr wipes his brow and regards the efforts of the group's work. A slight smile of satisfaction evident upon his features.
He nods at Nero's question.
"How well do you follow the beliefs of 'Old one eye'?" He asks in conversational tone. He moves to wards the spring/pool. Not to test its waters but to draw some as he looks about the area for the best pplace to perhaps begin setting up camp for the coming evening.
He does give Ern one, slight shake of his head at the large man's actions. Though he says nothing.
The big man feels the effect on his body. Any little wound and scratch not healed by Whiskeyjacks admission closes pretty fast, but other than that the water doesn't do a thing (besides quenching his thirst).