Before moving on you check the monster's lair, finding very little. However you do recover the following:
a suit of +1 hide armor (dogskin)
a masterwork horsechopper
a masterwork shortbow
The doorway out of this cavern opens into an old but nicely worked area - except that the 'decorations' are anything but nice. The long corridor ends in in a wide section facing a set of well-maintained double doors, their faces carved with images of horrific, deformed monsters clawing their way out of pregnant women of all races.
The corridor to your left/south looks like it might lead to the area you entered through.
The corridor to your right/north ends in a closed door.
"I think were are on the right path.
As it's another a chapel dedicated to Lamashtu."
"Shall we head north then? Seems the most reasonable way to go." Sparrow moves up to the door, seeking signs of danger.
The big guy nods and heads north.
This door is not locked. Opening it leads you into a - goblin art gallery?
The lower four feet of walls in this otherwise room are covered with crude drawings in mud, blood, and paint. Most of the drawings show goblins engaged in acts of violence against humans, horses, or dogs. However, most obvious is the art on the north wall. This image is at least three times as large as the rest and much more complex. it seems to depict Thistletop from the side, the goblin stockade perched atop like a crown. What appears to be a cave is drawn into the center of the image, and looming inside is what appears to be an immense, muscular goblin with snakelike eyes and a dogslicer in each taloned hand.
If the scale of this goblin compared to the rest of the drawing is accurate, the creature must be at least thirty feet tall.
The only way out is a door on the west wall. This door leads to a short corridor and another door.
Brin encourages Sparrow to find more bad guys.
Sparrow continues on, searching for enemies for Brin and Kaddoc.
A large table surrounded by chairs fills much of this room. There is a slate board on the north wall, covered in chalk scribblings - over a map of Sandpoint that has been carefully inscribed there. It looks like a detailed plan of attack on Sandpoint.
On the table sit notes that further indicate plans for a more advanced assault 'when the whispering beast is tamed'.
These plans incorporate not only additional goblin tribes culled from as far away as the Fogscar Mountains to the north, they include references to 'sinspawn' invading from below the town as well.
Sparrow takes a brief moment to look over the documents on the table before checking out the door in the room.
There are two visible doors in this room. For some reason the map doesn't show the one leading to the stairs.
Nothing in this room is magical.
Your call on where to next.
A large wooden worktable sits in the middle of this room, it's surface covered with scrolls, books, stone tablets covered with dense, spiky runes, and fragments of carvings that appear to have been chipped off statues or bas-reliefs. A floor-to-ceiling set of wooden shelves sits against the north wall, sagging with picks, shovels, brushes, lanterns, and other equipment one might expect to see at an archaeological site.
Opposite the door you entered, the table between you, stands a dark-skinned young woman, hair tightly braided in cornrows, wearing a hooded cloak and some wrappings that don't seem capable of supporting what they're supposedly supporting.
She looks up at you, startled, yells "Intruders!" then attacks!
Init:
Alkaid
Brindolfin
Kaddoc
Sparrow
young woman
Round 1:
Alkaid
Brin
Kaddoc
woman
Sparrow
Alkaid=1, Brin=2, Kaddoc=3, Sparrow=4
She points a wand at Kaddoc activating it for , then upturns the table as she dives for cover.
Alkaid rushes in charging and pushes the table they hid behind against the wall.
"Thanks my lady"
Brin charges the bad lady discharging the psychically charged large blade of force.
"Surrender!!"
"I think this is the one we agreed to take alive."
Kaddoc moves in and tries to strike the woman with the side of his weapon, but misses.
"I...surrender..." she gasps.
"Now where is your silver haired employer?"
Sparrow barely has time to ready an arrow before the fight's over. "Door's over here. Might be part of the answer to that."
Brin takes the prisoner's stuff and puts it in his pack and opens the door after evoking a shield of psychic energy.
Brin, the door opens to a small room. and stairs leading down. At the foot of the steps a stone door hangs slightly ajar, the detailed carvings that once covered it's surface defaced by chisel marks and hammer blows to the extent that only a few remnants of the former images remain. What remains are mostly images of crowns and gemstones. You do note that the floor here slants downward toward the west.
Alkaid casts stablize on the woman
Orik rushes to the woman's side, pulling out another potion for her and repeating his pledge to retreat to Sandpoint...or further if necessary.
After a brief discussion, you head back down the hall to the chapel doors (room D12).
Stone fonts containing frothy dark water sit to the north and south of the eastern entrance to the room, and twin banks of stone pillars run the length of the long chamber. At the western end, shallow stairs rise to a platform about two feet off the ground. The walls surrounding this platform are lit by braziers that omit glowing red smoke, giving the place an unnerving crimson lighting that throws the bas-relief carvings of countless monsters feasting on fleeing humans into hard display. A black marble altar stone, it's surface heaped with ashes and bone fragments, squats before a ten-foot tall statue that depicts a very pregnant, but shapely naked woman wielding a kukri in each taloned hand. You realize she also has a long reptilian tail, bird-like taloned feet, and the snarling head of a three-eyed jackal with a forked tongue. The left kukri flickers with fiery orange light, while the right one glows with a cold blue radiance.
Per:
Alkaid
Brindolfin
Kaddoc
Sparrow
Surprise round:
Alkaid
monsters x2
As you enter, Alkaid notices movement as two emaciated, hairless canines drop down from where they were hiding, landing at H7 and H10, and howl.
Everyone needs to make two will saves at DC 12.
Failure results in Panicked status for 2d4 rounds.
Init:
Alkaid
Brindolfin
Kaddoc
Sparrow
monster of the day
Round 1:
monsters
Alkaid
Brin
Kaddoc
Sparrow
Alkaid=1, Brin=2, Kaddoc=3, Sparrow=4
monster 1 vs for DC14 will save if good to avoid being shaken; vs CMD
monster 2 vs for DC14 will save if good to avoid being shaken; vs CMD
NOTE: trip only if bite hits.
Shaking off the eerie howls, Kaddoc casts bless
Brin retaliates with his blade.
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 natural)\
hp 30 (4d10+8)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
DR 5/silver
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +7 (2d6+4 plus sinister bite and trip)
Special Attacks bay
Meanwhile....
Brin's blow strikes true, but does less damage than he thought it should have. The creature is badly wounded, but still stands.
Alkaid Gets Up (AoO)
And takes a Defensive Fighting Stance (+2AC)
Suddenly overcome with a sensation of fear, rocognizing what these creature's are, Sparrow begin's the coward's charge running away as quickly as able.
Round 2:
monsters
Alkaid
Brin
Kaddoc
Sparrow
The creatures stay ion their current targets:
monster 1 vs Alkaid ] for DC14 will save if good to avoid being shaken; vs CMD
monster 2 vs Brin ] for DC14 will save if good to avoid being shaken; vs CMD
NOTE: trip only if bite hits.
Alkaid goes for a good kick on the beast
As the monster swings at Brin, he swings back an instant later expending his psionic concentration of energy and steps to get a clear line at the other monster.
Brin rushes to help Alkaid.
Between Alkaid and Brin, both beasts fall!
A search of this chapel reveals no treasure, only bits of ash and bone remaining on the altar.
Brin is even more accomplished with his blade. He confidently moves forward through the secret set of stairs.
OK, down it is!
The secret door opens to a small room with stairs leading down. At the foot of the steps a stone door hangs slightly ajar, the detailed carvings that once covered it's surface defaced by chisel marks and hammer blows to the extent that only a few remnants of the former images remain. What remains are mostly images of crowns and gemstones. You do note that the floor here slants downward toward the west.
Two pillars support the ceiling in here. In many places the stone walls, floor, and ceiling are caked with ancient grime and soot. Alcoves in the north and south contain partially damaged statues of a man clutching a book and a glaive. The entire room is canted to the west, and whatever ancient upheaval caused the complex to tilt knocked the statues from their bases so that they now lean against the western wall of their respective alcoves.
"I wonder how old this place is?"
Brin brandishes his large blade as he moves to explore the next level.
"I want to find more old, evil monsters and cleanse this place of evil."
Brin concentrates and a shield of force appears in front of him made of psychic energy. It complements his blade.
Kaddoc will look about the room and if there is nothing of interest he will continue onwards (E3).