Bahram continues to summon water onto the fire
|
Bahram summons more water at the fire, keeping it from growing further.
As you battle the Pugwampi you hear running steps on the cobble of the main hall, turning around you see two of the mercs from the camp dashing into the chapel. 'Almah sent us to see what the hell you're doing? Do you want to alert the entire desert with smoke signals?' the one you recognize as Dullen barks. 'What's the situation here, how can we help out?'
Seeing his allies take the fight to the pugs in the rafters, Dhakir begins climbing the ladder to join the fray, his spear still clutched in one hand.
Unable to summon any more Frost Bolts, Mirah continues to unleash Splashes of Freezing water against the remaining Pugwampis, ignoreing the blaze that is starting to spread until all enemies have been defeated.
Bahram continues to fight the fire he started..
Mahmoud makes his way towards the King.
|
|
Bahrams water seems to be containing the fire, he has managed to drive it away from the wooden beams and there now seems little chance of the infrastructure catching alight.
Cahal's luck finally seems to have taken a turn for the better, as his final swing at the King slices clean through his head .
|
|
The tiny remaining creatures remaining resolve is shattered as their King dies, they try to flee, but in their haste leave themselves wide open to attack from the Mercs, who make land several lucky blows, killing them.
The Pugwampis now dead, you start to realising you are feeling lightheaded staying up in the rafters with the foul smelling smoke. Coughing the Mercs make their way down the ladder...
The fire in the corner, thanks to Bahram, is now all but finished. There is a large chunk of smoldering tent which has fallen to the lower level, but the upper rafters are safe.
Glad the fight is finally over, Aisha checks if any of the pugwampis is carrying anything useful or valuable.
|
|
Aisha manages to scavange about 50 arrows, half a dozen small daggers and the same number of shortbows off the Pugwampis. As she is picking the last of the arrows off the Pugwampi near the fallen ball of skulls something shiny catches her eye and she pulls out an uncut garnet from a dried excised gnoll lung.
Cahal finds a tiny breastplate on the King, as well as a small Warhammer which looks of excellent craftsmanship, and a Longbow with 20 arrows.
Meanwhile Mahmoud stands over the bound Pugwampi, who appears to be bleeding out fast.
Bahram looks around the chapel. He then moves over to the altar, where he begins to clean it, and if it needs it, casts repair upon it to bring it back to its original condition.
Seeing Bahram intent on restoring the altar, Aisha casts Prestidigitation and cleanses it from all the filth. When the job's done, she takes a long moment to look around the chapel to search for anything useful or meaningful in any way.
Seeing the others beginning to search, she assists in searching, more concerned for other enemies than treasure.
Bahram watches as Aisha uses her magic to help clean the alter. He bows deeply to her, hand over his heart. "I thank you for your assistance. May the Dawnflower always look down upon you and smile"
Mahmoud joins the search.
|
|
No one finds any other signs of enemies in this room. Trevvis speaks up, 'Almah's ordered us to tag along with you and help clear out the monastery. She may have something to say about your smoke signals...', at this, Yesper snickers, 'yeah, that I want to see.'
On your way into the Chapel you saw a chamber on either side, and there are the doors on the eastern wall of the Nave you came originaly.
Fascinated by the possibility of having discovered some bizarre magical items, Aisha gladly takes the time to study them more closely. She casts Detect Magic and begins her examination. Meanwhile Isis, still perched on Aisha's shoulder, keeps gazing around, ready for anything.
Feeling the power of his goddess flow into him, Bahram kneels and prays at the altar for a few moments. When he gets up, he continues to search the area and alcoves, looking for more items he can restore to the church.
|
|
Aisha's inspections reveal that the Phylactery is a Phylactery of Faithfulness, the wearer is aware of any action or item that may affect their alignment.
Unfortunately she is unable to ascertain what the ring does, Aisha can try again tomorrow.
Bahram finds a few dirty religious items in the ashes of the Pugwampis burnt lair, which he cleans up and restores as best he can.
You find nothing else of interest in the Chapel, the Mercs are eager to explore the rest of the Monastery and get this over with.
Mirah cannot help but chuckle at Cahal's comment. "I would not. This is very much what I would be doing previously, except very little in reward. Though another of these creatures would be disheartening. I need time to recover my mystic powers as well."
Once he has finished putting the temple back into some order, Bahram asks the others, "Friends! Will you please join me in a short prayer to the Dawnflower. It shall only take a few moments. He waits for the others to join him, then leads the group in a short prayer.
Aisha gladly joins Bahram in his prayer. "But of course. May our efforts to cleanse this place from the foulness which invaded it meet with the benevolent smile of the Dawnflower."
At Bahram's suggestion, Mirah walks over and joins him in prayer. She speaks the words but seemingly without feeling.
Mahmoud listens to the prayer, but does not participate. He, like Cahal, is anxious to get on with the job.
|
|
The mercs shuffle and try to keep their impatience in check while Bahram sanctifies the chapel, their eagerness to get going tempered by a healthy dose of fear of the gods.
As soon as it appears polite they leave, falling into step with Cahal.
You exit the chapel and the mercs poke their heads into the two side rooms
The room to the west is a debris-laden chamber which once held a shrine and wooden altar, but all of that was smashed decades ago by vandals. The ceiling here has remained intact over the years, helping to preserve a huge bas-relief statue of a muscular humanoid man with a pointy beard gesturing toward a huge mountain in the background, his face a picture of mortal concern.
The eastern chamber contains a similar statue that adorns the eastern wall of this chamber, in this case with the bearded figure appearing on a hilltop to a group of robed pilgrims. The being holds up his hands, palms out, in a sign of peace. Though many of the faces and limbs on the bas-relief have been worn down or cut away, the expressions of those range from beatific to horrified.
A crude stone stele that seems to have been erected more recently than the abandonment of the monastery stands here as well. Its graven inscription reads: “A ghost of unholy mien was purged from this place by Theodephus Estrovan, servant of Aroden, 4691 ar.”
Mirah spots something unusual between the legs of the figure. "I believe I see a doorway between the legs of the scultpure." Having pointed out her discovery, she stands by patiently, almost as though awaiting instruction.
"This is an interesting mural. I do not recognize the location, nor the mountain, but the way the figure is poised....well it reminds me of several portraits of Sarenraen saints I had viewed in other temples. As to who the fellow is, I cannot say." He looks over to where Mirah has pointed. "By the Dawnflower, you are right. There is a door between the legs of that sculpture."
"The mountain is Pale Mountain. I have heard bits and pieces of numerous legends that involve it, but I don't often pay attention to such things, so cannot repeat most of them. It is the largest of the Brazen Peaks." While Mirah maintains the monotonous tone she often uses while speaking, this is the first time she has so said many words at one time, excited to speak over a topic aside from the magic instruction drilled into her while growing up.
Aisha stops for a moment, gazing on the bas-relief. "Indeed, Bahram and Mirah you are both quite correct. Pale mountain, and a depiction which could only represent one of the Dawnflower's own saints. What a curious bas-relief... Even more so for the presence of a concealed passage just behind it! We should investigate further, surely?"
While she awaits for the others to take action, Aisha looks one last time at the bearded figure in the bas-relief. And yet, this man's identity doesn't seem to be known to me at all... Umpf, how frustrating!
|
|
Cahal's muscles ripple as he pushes the door, you hear the sounds of vines tearing as it slowely gives way into a small, roofless garden. Monks must once have come here to relax and contemplate the ways of nature, but any order they might have brought to the place all those years ago is almost impossible to notice now, as a wild cacophony of multicolored scrub plants and desert weeds have almost completely overgrown the space.