"We are new recruits. He brought us here to get new seals on the other side of that door."
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Khartelosch uses his anger at the threat this creature poses to the group to motivate it to move aside. "Khartelosch wants to pass and get his badge. Stop hindering our progress!"
He is filled with righteous anger and roars at the creature.
Unsure of what to do, the golem moves aside and lets the group enter the next chamber. "You may pass," he says humbly to the heroes.
Silvash enters first keeping an eye out for any traps our trouble beyond the door.
Khartelosch acknowledges the golem's humility with a regal nod and passes, keeping an eye on Silvash, in case the young sylph should get into any trouble.
Silvash enters into a quiet room lit by torches in sconces. This area is hand-crafted stone work, well-fitted. There a few stone benches next to the back wall with similar cloaks hanging on pegs, about 8 total. The room is large about 50' by 100' and serves as some sort of receiving room. It would appear as a courtyard had it been outside. The cloaks appear as monk robes. There is a wooden door along the back wall that is closed.
"You don't think we're supposed to put those on, do you?" Khartelosch eyes the robes skeptically.
Ibrah passes the golem and enters the room. At Khartelosch's comment he walks over to the wall and puts one of the robes on.
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Silvash walks across the room and casts detect magic and examines the cloaks and then the area. After making sure it's safe he puts on a cloak.
Verrin also cautiously take a cloak.
Eying the construct one last time, Khartelosch crosses the room and dons a robe, removing the carrier straps for his weapons beforehand and redonning them afterwards. Looking at the others, he comments, "Sometimes I imagine we're doing this for the amusement of the inhabitants of the settlement above, like some sort of bloodsport."
Ibrah grunts at Khartelosch's comment and then walks over to the door, putting his ear to it to catch any sounds that might come through.
Following the lead of the others, both Thaane and Gorrim don the robes as they can hear slow movement just inside the door.
Looking at Silvash Thaane asks, "What do we do now?"
"Try to blend in. If it comes to a fight, fight!", Silvash then examines the door and if safe, flips up the hood, if there is one on the robe and opens the door when everyone is ready.
Khartelosch looks around and nods to the sylph to continue.
Ibrah nods at Silvash
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Verrin looks around at the eclectic group with evident doubt about their ability to blend in anywhere, but pulls the robes hood low over his face and nods.
Silvash slowly opens the door, which of course creaks a bit. Enough to grab the attention of four other robed figures who seem to be tidying up the room and preparing tables for some kind of feast.
"Who is it? Brother Malcolm, is that you?"
"Yes, it is I Malcolm." Silvash holds his breath to see what happens.
Khartelosch nods in acknowledgement of Silvash's imitation of an unknown cultist, but looses the hammer in its strap, ready for action should the sylph's attempt at lying deem insufficient.
Ibrah looks at the ground, trying to hide as much of his face as possible.
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The party feels as if the deception may have worked as the "monk" responds. Right this way brothers. and leads them through an alcove into a large, circular gathering room with a boiling pot in the middle. There are about ten other hooded figures standing in a semi-cirle before the pot. All are chanting something undiscernable softly. They look at a red curtain behind the humungus pot. The chant increases in decible until a wall of fire shoots from the floor. It fades as an eight foot tall creature, donning a deep hooded cloak as black night and the skull medallion around the neck.
It says, It is time! Let us begin the final creation of our army. Bring in the dwarves!
A line of 4 dwarves are led into the chamber from a side door chained together by their necks. They are attended by two additional hooded henchmen. All of the dwarves are male, strong but somewhat emaciated. They are shackled to the wall.
The priest pulls out a glowing blue gem from his dark tunic and holds it high above his head to a collective gasp. You recognize it as the same blue gem that you were force-hired to retreive.
Ibrah looks at the others and begins reaching into his bag for his own orb.
Though he feels little concern for the fate of the unknown dwarves, his spirit sense warns him that the soon-to-occur ritual portends nothing good for him and the party. Abandoning all pretense at subtlety, Khartelosch roars into a rage, rushes forward and attempts to wrench the gem out of the priest's hands.
to determine the significance of the skull.
Khartelosch surprises everyone as he grabs the blue stone from the wicked priest.
The order is:
Priest
10 other "monks"
Thaane
Silvash
Verrin
Ibrah
Gorrim
Khart
The priest releases a powerful bolt of lightning from his fingertips towards Khartelosch as he absconds away with the blue stone.
Confused, the monks are not quite sure who the enemy is with exception of the Half-orc warrior that has stolen the blue stone.
Get him! They shout as they rush him.
Two daggers and a club place blows upon Khartelosch as he attempts to flee.
Khartelosch is barely concious as Thaane makes his move.
With a quick incantation, a mist appears within the center of the room causing further confusion and blocking sight.
Ibrah chases the priest at full speed.
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Khartelosch gasps as the bolt hits him and his shaggy hair lifts in static. His minor resistance brings him little benefit, as a fraction of the energy is siphoned off into the spirit world.
[ooc](Ooh, that looks like a close one. I'll apply all the damage for now and you can let me know if he made his save.)
Khartelosch slips the gem into his own tunic, switches direction in the mist and cast's cure light wounds on himself.
Putting his hand on his rapier he uses it cast Vanish and then moves toward where the high priest was, trying to get behind him.
Using his flurry of blows and temple sword, Verrin strikes out at the mob surrounding Khartelosch.
Missing both opportunities.
Silvash goes undetected and positions himself nicely to the side of the unsuspecting priest.
Gorrim spots Silvash's wise move for positioning and castes haste upon him trying to concentrate amidst the confusion.
Right before the eyes of Silvash, the "priest" disappears and the red cloth door covering to the back room moves.
The monks begin to realize th hat there are enemies in their midst.
One goes after Khartelosch again.
Khartelosch feels more sharp pain as the ax slices his skin.
One hacks at Verrin with a scimitar.
And promptly misses.
A dagger is thrust at Ibrah.
It fails to do its intended damage.
Another clubs at Gorrim.
The monks are having a hard time connecting their blows.
Thaane takes aim at the monk attacking Gorrim.
Both barrels unleash a deafening crack as the bullets tear through the flesh of the enemy's left arm.
Fearful of the considerable damage they've done, Khartelosch draws his greataxe and swings at his attacker, putting all his power behind it. "Your cult is finished!"
Unfortunately, his misjudges in the mist and aims too far to the left, ruining the impact of his proclamation.
Silvash follows the priest to see where he is going silently.
Ibrah steps into the mist, then pulls out the orb and holds it over his head, hoping something will happen.