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"It's strange that the shrine itself seems to be lacking in the proper care and maintenance," Parison remarks as the group enters the main building. "To think how beautiful it would be in proper illumination and care and not shrouded in this darkness that is present."
"Yet the floor seems to be an exception to this," he says as he studies the structure underneath his boots. "Do you-"
The adept stops as he sees that Rumble has raised his foot to kick down the door ahead of them. Hurridly, he fumbled for and drew his scimitar and moved to stand protectively near Maria and Hepsubia.
Tired of playing around Rumble waits for the rest of you to get inside the shrine before quite literally and forcefully booting the sliding door off of its track with a loud *CRUNCH*. Peering through the doorway Rumble and the rest of you can see that this room appears to be a place where the shrine’s attendants would take their meals, though you can tell that there's more of this area that lies just out of sight around the corner. A large set of ornately decorated doors leading to the east are shut, while smaller doors can be seen leading to the north and to the west.
There are no sounds to be heard besides the sounds of your own breathing and footfalls.
Advancing forward to make sure your current location is clear you can see around the corner a row of beds, some of which appear to have been slept in recently. At the back of this room, Zithembe, Hepsubia, and Rumble all spot a hidden door in the wall which Hepsubia quickly determines to be clear of traps or other hazards. Behind the door is a small storage room containing a large chest - also determined to be safe to open. Within are religious tools decorated with shining gold and silver inlays, a silver holy symbol of Andoletta, and a collection of three potions and two scrolls.
They're all potions of Cure Light Wounds.
These are scrolls of Bless.
There is one other item in the chest, perhaps the most notable of them all - a teardrop-shaped jade bead the size of a normal human’s palm.
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"Rumble, let us try to do less damage to the shrine than the qlippoth and their slaves," he says before moving into the chamber and searching the area.
The jade shabti concentrates for a moment as he scans the scrolls. "These call upon the blessings of the Grandmother Crow. Mitoko and Rumble could invoke these, or myself if I were to channel the spirits of this place."
He waves a hand over the jade teardrop.
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Parison stays back as the others search through the room, opting to remain protectively near Mitoko. "You have got to teach me how to do that sometime, Rumble," he says with traces of a grin on his face.
"Hmmmm, Grandmother Crow," he trails off, searching his memory to see if he can recall anything about who she is.
"Do you think we're going to have to invoke the spirits that reside here, Zithembe?" he asks as he moves over to back his play when he opens the door.
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"HAHA! Aye dinnae know ya made jokes too Z! Mah strategic purpose, as ih were, is tah intraduce Sledge tah tha baddies. Aye find shock an' awe tah be more of mah thing than the sneakin' abou'," Rumble explains, more for the love of this kind of talk than at some attempt to defend himself.
"Anytime ya wish Parison, ih is all in tha technique!" Being a steel-wrapped Dwarf helps just a smidge too, but no need to make him feel inadequate for his birth.
Hepsubia knows a good healing potion when she tastes it and these that you've found are pretty damn tasty as far as she's concerned. And though the jade bead doesn't radiate any magical aura on its own Zithembe is able to quickly consult the texts that you found and discovers that it may be used as a focus component in the purification ritual.
"I'm glad we checked the office first and found those books because I wouldn't have had the first idea what to do with this," Mitoko remarks quietly, acknowledging Maria's question. "Remember, I was only in training myself when the Storm Prophet came and everything changed. There's still a great deal about this place that I wasn't made privy to."
While Zithembe moves towards the western door with a bit of back-and-forth banter on Rumble's destructive approach to investigation, the shabit's words stir a memory in Parison's mind. He's read about Andoletta, often referred to as Grandmother Crow, who is one of the powerful archons known as an empyreal lord. She treats her flock as any grandmother would, protecting the innocent, reprimanding the wayward, and punishing the sinful.
Upon opening the western door, which offers no resistance, you can see that the floor this chamber is padded with several ornate carpets. The room is lit by only a few candles, which appear to have been changed recently. Another door can be seen to the north.
"This is the meditation chamber," Mitoko offers. "When I was training I would spend hours here. Peaceful. Quiet. But now there's a heaviness in the air that was not here before..."
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"Evil is present," Parison says. "Areas of meditation are places of peace and calm. That there is tension or strife present..." he trails off. "Still, it could be worse. Sometime such energy can manifest itself in chaotic or evil ways."
"Andoletta's blessings could help return the shrine to its peaceful state," he says. "Andoletta is the name Grandmother Crow is known by in the Inner Sea," he explains further as he gives the room a cursory glance.
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So Zith DOES have a sense of humor, interesting.
Maria moves along with the group and adds pragmatically, "I know we hope to be able to purify this place, but don't get your hopes up that high. Sometimes evil is quite powerful." She continues, but with a hint of positivity, "Though I think we'll have a shot if we can take out the prophet and have time to work on this place. It hasn't been corrupt that long."
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"I have already invoked the spirits of guardians past in our battle with the ooze from the well," the shabti answers Parison.
He moves into the meditation chamber and lifts the rugs in an effort of thoroughness. While he does so, he comments, "There is a mile between sneaking and breaking through the walls like an elephant in heat."
If nothing of note is found within the meditation chamber, he moves to slide open the other door in the chamber leading out to the north.
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Rumble pinches his nose with his shield hand and runs his hammer arm through the resulting hole. "HAHA aye'll show ya an elephant in heat!" he says, stomping the floor as he trots around the room while making elephant noises. He laughs heartily at his own antics before stepping up to the door with a smirk. Oh laughter, you always make everything better!
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After a thorough search reveals nothing of particular interest in the meditation room Zithembe moves forward and slides open the door to the north, once Hepsubia has a moment to inspect it and confirm that it's trap-free.
The door opens up into a short hallway that leads to the east before turning a corner towards the north. One door can be seen in this hallway, also leading north, while peeking around the corner reveals another large set of double-doors that also lead to the north. From what you remember of the building from the outside, you'd guess that the double-doors lead further on into the heart of the shrine itself.
Even with Rumble stomping around like...well, like a herd of elephants, you've not heard shouts of alarm or any other indications that you've been heard by anyone. To be honest, you've yet to hear much of anything since stepping foot inside the shrine, besides yourselves.
Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing remains unclear...
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"I'm not an expert on fighting strategy. When it comes to that, I'd rather leave it to the experts," Parison states, looking at Rumble and Zithembe to clarify. "But may I make a suggestion? Before we proceed further into the shrine, should we check the other rooms? That way, we don't have any surprises at our backs."
After a cursory inspection by Hepsubia reveals this other door to be free of traps Zithembe flings it open to discover...just what he expected. It's a storage closet full of ordinary living supplies, such as linens and plain clothing. Each of you take a moment to scan through the closet contents but none of you find or note anything of interest.
With the only other unexplored route from here being the pair of double doors, Hepsubia also gives these a good once-over for traps - especially since it seems like the room beyond might be important. But there are no traps or hazards that she can find and so she falls back to allow Zithembe and Rumble to open them up.
As the doors open you look in on what seems to be a smaller shrine devoted solely to Hei Feng himself. At the south end of the room is a 3-foot-tall offering box with a slatted cover over the top, behind which a huge statue of a tengu sitting cross-legged rises nearly to the ceiling. The statue holds the hilt of a sword in one hand, as though it had once held the sword across its knees.
But if there had been even the tiniest shred of doubt among any of you as to the Storm Prophet's malevolent influence, it is firmly dispelled in this room. The statue of Hei Feng has been shockingly vandalized. White paint and what appears to be blood has been splattered over the god’s stern countenance, while the sword it once held in its right hand has been broken off at the hilt and the blade has been driven deep into the statue’s back.
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Rumble spits on the floor at the sight of the statue. "Thah is disgraceful, tah defile ah place o' worship like thah," he cries, beginning to redden with anger at the incredible disrespect to the faith. I'd rather die than let a statue of Torag fall to such a fate. If you don't like it, tear it down and rebuild. This is just despicable.
"Leh's check tha room ovah there an' then push on tah tha next buildin'."
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Parison moves up to the statue, clearly affected by the sacrilege done to the statue. He takes out his waterskin with the intent of at least cleaning off the blood and then realizes two things: he doesn't have a cloth or rag and he has holy rice in his waterskin instead of water.
"Can we at least remove the blood off this thing before we press on?" he asks.
Mikoto understandably appears horrified by the sacrilege that's been committed here, eyes wide and trembling with emotion.
"Who...who would do this? Why would they do this...?" she stammers, slowly approaching the statue. She reaches out with one feathered hand to touch the blood on the statue, long-since dried. "What is the meaning!?"
The young tengu acolyte snatches her hand away from the defiled statue, clenching it in a tight fist as she turns to look at all of you. "I swear that I will do what I can to help cleanse this place. I swear it in the name of Hei Feng himself! This...this cannot go unanswered. It cannot."
As Parison mentions cleaning the statue Mikoto's expression softens again and she gives her fellow priest a grateful look. "Th-thank you. Do not worry about the water, my gifts will allow me to provide as much as we need."
Before Parison and Mikoto get started cleaning the statue Maria decides to give it a closer look first for any signs of additional tampering that could prove hazardous. While she doesn't spot anything dangerous she does discover a hollow space with a T-shaped aperture in the base of the statue that seems to be locked by way of some sort of strange mechanism. Furthermore, she realizes that while the sword that the statue held initially appeared to be broken off it was actually simply removed, having been designed to do so.
Meanwhile, Zithembe moves to pull the sword from the statue's back while Hepsubia keeps her eyes on the nearby doors. Rumble waits expectantly in front of the northern door, ready to kick open it.
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"Mahkotah, lass, it is best tah nah dwell on tha why when it comes tah things like this. Don't ya worry none, aye got all the answer in tha name o' righetousness righ' 'ere," Rumble declares, swinging Sledge in a few large arcs.
"Aye want tah clean tha site too, buh are we sure thah this is tha best time? We still 'aven't found tha devils!"
If his companions insist that this needs to be rectified now, he will provide water as well, but keeps his focus on the room's doors.
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After a couple of tries Zithembe is able to pull the sword free, whereupon Maria recognizes that the blade and rings seem to line up with the aperture in the base of the statue. You're able to insert the blade as a key, which in turn causes a hidden drawer to slide out of the statue. Resting in the drawer is a beautiful ritual sword, its hilt and pommel styled in the shape of two entwined celestial dragons.
Upon seeing the sword, Mikoto looks over at Rumble, her smile now fierce and bright. "Your words prove prophetic, Rumble. Whoever or whatever has befouled this place was hasty and overlooked this blade. I have no skill with a sword myself but if any of you wish to wield it in the name of righteousness or Hei Feng himself...well, I am sure Sledge would not mind the company, right?"
It takes a few more tense minutes to finish cleaning the statue of the blood and paint that has been splattered over it but with Mikoto, Parison, Maria, and Zithembe working together you're able to accomplish it fairly quickly. During this time both Rumble and Hepsubia have maintained a rather nervous lookout at the nearby doors but the shrine remains eerily quiet and empty, aside from yourselves.
Once you're ready to proceed, Hepsubia gives the northern door the usual inspection and then flashes Rumble and Zithembe a thumbs-up. As with the other doors you've encountered this one is not locked and Rumble is easily able to push it open, revealing a large room with an open and highly polished wooden floor. Hanging along all the walls are an assortment of weapons. On the southern wall hangs a portrait of an old tengu with silver-gray feathers. A deep gash has been cut across the painting, ruining it.
As the lot of you begin to file into the room, Hepsubia's spidey senses begin tingling and she quickly throws up a hand to halt your progress. Seems that she's spotted a trap...
You realize that the weapons in this room are rigged to trigger a magical effect, which would cause them to spring from the walls and slice through the room.
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Like the trained warrior he is, Rumble obeys the warning he is given and dives out of the room behind the wall. He turns mid-dive to keep his vision towards the source of the threat and raises his shield to cover his body from retaliation. He braces for impact as he collides with the floor, his momentum carrying him a couple of feet.
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After a couple of tense moments pass with nothing happening, and Hepsubia laughing he turns beet red, veins in his neck pressing against his skin. Using Sledge as a support he gets up, clearly furious, but remains silent. Damn Elves, think our lives are a joke. We're searching for demons and devils, but OH WAIT, a perfect time for a joke! If this weren't a holy place...
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"Get back! Get back from the door!" Parison shouts. He runs and takes cover behind the statue.
The cleric waits for the impending 'boom', 'splat', 'twang', 'crunch', or 'hiss' to come. However, the sound that reaches his ears is that of laughter from Hepsubia. He cautiously cranes his neck out from around the statue, peeking out like a kid playing hide-and-seek. When he sees the elf laughing, he comes out from behind the statue.
"I don't know a whole lot about elves. I certainly didn't realize they had such a devious sense of humor," he says dryly. "You got me, Hepsubia. Just promise me that the next time you fool me like that, it's not with a possible life-threatening situation."
Mitoko shrieks with alarm at Hepsubia's cry and bolts, following Parison's lead and diving behind the restored statue of Hei Feng. And after a few tense moments she too peers out from behind the statue as the sound of Hepsubia's laughter reaches her ears.
"A...a j-joke?" she repeats, slowly inching her way out once she sees that it's in fact safe to do so. "Prank? For...laughs? Yes, of course. Just a harmless prank...for laughs."
The young tengu laughs weakly and then wipes at her forehead with the sleeve of her robe.
"Um...can we save future pranks for later, though? I don't think my heart can take another one like that right now!"
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Once it becomes clear that everything is safe and that Hepsubia has disarmed the trap - for there was a trap, that part wasn't a lie - you're able to take a minute or two and examine this room. As you look about it becomes clear that this must be a training hall, what with all the weapons hanging about and the open space.
That said, there doesn't seem to be anything of particular note here. None of the weapons radiate magical auras and there don't appear to be any secret passages or compartments hidden anywhere within the room. Even the ruined painting fails to yield any information or clues.
"I...think that's a picture of Master Ponnai," Mitoko offers. "He was well before my time but apparently he was the greatest master this shrine has ever seen; a wise and cunning foe. So I suppose it makes sense for there to have been a painting of him here."
With little else to do in the training hall and with all of the other doors explored save the one in the northern hallway, all of you dutifully make your way back there. Hepsubia once more inspects the door and determines that it's safe to enter. As Rumble opens the door a blast of cool air rushes out, surprising you until you realize that you've found the shrine's larder.
This cold, cedar-paneled room is filled with barrels of preserved food and water. Additionally, a recently slain and clumsily butchered deer carcass hangs from hooks against the back wall, looking as though it has been gnawed upon.
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I promise, no more jokes for today. But it was fun, wasn't it? Maybe not right now, but that will be a memory to cherish in a decade or so.
The ever curious elf gets a good long look at the fresh deer carcass, trying to find out when it was killed, and what could have gnawed upon it
Maybe I'll find out what we might face
Under other circumstances Hepsubia might've found it a little difficult to place the strange teeth and bite marks on the deer carcass. But after studying them for a minute, she happens to glance back over her shoulder at Mitoko who hovers nervously at the back of the group near Parison.
Then it hits her.
These gnaw marks were made by tengu.
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Zithembe's jade lips part slightly as if he is about to speak, but then they close. He waits a moment and then speaks, "Let us give the larder a quick search in case something was dropped or hidden in desperation."
He takes the time to look behind the barrels, sacks, and jars.
Once the larder has been searched, he continues on to the breezeway, ready to face the next building.