Trane points to the barred windows and holds up his crowbar. "If you can't pick or squeeze through these, and no one can use this, then we might as well look at the buildings outside as Garm suggested."
"Might be best to follow Garm's lead here. He might be right, and even if not, shouldn't take us long to find out."
With that, Brandor heads for the building.
Trane attempts to force the chains from the doors with his crowbar. He has Chaandra help.
Uldar nods to Garm. "You are right, we might have missed an entrance there."
Once Trane starts moving towards the doors Uldar tries to stop him. "No! Don't do it! Don't break the sigil! The evil is gonna escape out of the Temple! It will be our doom!"
If Trane continues to ignore the advice, the frightened halfling will try by all his means to stop the sacrilegious act.
But he does so late, not even able to touch the human as he darts towards the doors.
The druid gestures to the Halfling trying to struggle with him.
"Can you open the doors now, or do you need more help?"
Without an answer, Trane proceeds to attack the doors with his crowbar.
Laying prone in the floor the halfling looks at the opened doors with agitated look. "This... is... the end of us... We are doomed... The Evil has been broken free..."
Uldar face turns dim, he catches a bit of sand as he tries to stand up. Without almost a grasp of air to fill his lungs he says. "Madness... this is madness... How can we have not realized. The Evil has gotten Trane, his only goal was always to free the Evil in the temple."
The halfing starts running away frightened of the human. Uldar runs at his best to Nulb with tears in his eyes foreseeing the return of the big war. He don't even looks back to see what happens to Trane or if the rest of the group joins him. Uldar keeps running miles and miles his only idea to find Y'Day and Murfles, or otherwise Otis, to inform them the sigils of the Temple have been broken and imploring forgiveness for having failed in the exploration mission with such terrible consequences.
Uldar! Where are you going?! Garm's shouting was useless, the halfling really knew how to run and seemed dead set on breaking the ToEE to Nulb sprinting record.
Confused, Garm turns to Kalizama, Is that what Antipathy does? Uldar wasn't even near the door...
Garm takes several long gnome-strides away from the door eyeing it cautiously.
Should one of us try to catch up to Uldar?
Brandor stomps back around to the front, to see what is going on.
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Trane now seems unfazed by the magic on the doors, and he attacks with his crowbar again, only to find that the doors open easily into the south part of the temple. From the doorway, you can see the open portion of the Temple:
Area 2:
The floor of this area is reddish brown slate-like stone squares, each about 2 feet square. The walls are plastered and painted with scenes befitting the nature of the Temple—disgusting acts, killing, torture, enslavement, robbery, thievery, and unspeakable things. The creeds of the worshippers here are all too evident. Evil is flaunted and lionized.
Dim light filters through the stained glass windows, casting revolting colors upon the greenish stones of the floor to the north. In that direction you can see the nave of the Temple. The pillars to either hand are of a pinkish mineral, shot through with worm-colored veins. Their arches lead to an unremarkable pair of lesser side aisles. The columns supporting the archways, as well as the arches themselves, are worked in bas relief. As with the frescoes in the entryway, the scenes here are ineffable, vile, filthy. It is probable that this area was reserved for the lowliest of worshippers. The area beyond is better lit and more open, though it also has more of the nauseating pinkish pillars supporting the roof high overhead.
Area 3:
The pillars here are white marble, veined with ugly red. The altar block of pinkish white marble is roughly oval something over 7 feet long by 5 feet wide. Its top has a hollowed out portion resembling a human form, with legs apart and arms away from the body. This depression is stained a darker color than the rest. Just north of the altar is a circular, marble-lined pit—a well of sorts—20 feet in diameter. Shards of broken crystal vessels lie about the well, near the altar, and scattered about the floor. A crystal knife with a broken blade lies atop the stone block.
Brandor gets his warhammer ready, and a vial of holy water. He wanders in, looking to see if there is any point in trying to purify anything here. Might just be better to burn the place down.
He heads over to area 4 to see what can be found.
Trane will have Chaandra catch and drag back the halfling.
Then he backs up the brave dwarf.
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Brandor moves to area 4. The thick stone columns here are deep green, with blood-red striations. The paving blocks are mossy green, with a circular dais-like area about 20 feet in diameter in the center part of the wing. The dais is two-tiered; each rises about 18 inches, the inner being 14 feet in diameter, thus forming a three feet wide step along the rim of the lower tier. The lower disc is greenish black stone; the upper, blackish green. The center of this altar is a depression about eight feet across, filled with scummed-over black liquid. Several pieces of smashed shells are scattered around the area, along with a broken bronze knife. A door is visible leading to area 4a.
Trane commands Chaandra to run and catch Uldar and return him to the group! The lioness sprints out of the area in rapid pursuit!
The lioness tries to stalk the halfling and bring him down.
Chaandra gives it one more try.
Kenz, having allowed himself to fall dramatically behind as he was engrossed by the appearance of the complex at large, notices Uldar running full tilt away and attempts to snatch him up as their paths cross
where ya headed? I thought we were all going inside
I slowly and carefully move into the TOEE to area 3 and stand in the middle, slowly turning around while I cast Detect Magic and Detect Evil.
"What's with the broken daggers?"
Brandor waits to see what Kalizama finds out before continuing to explore.
Trane pursues the Halfling too and tries to grab him.
"I mentioned we might have to go back and rest, but I didn't mean this early in the day."
Uldar is taken by Kenz from the ear and well put into the temple against his will. "This is nonsense. Gods and ancestors forgive us!" cries the halfling while he explores the main floor of the temple with his companions, daggers included.
Brandor, upon hearing of no immediate danger in Area 4, checks the door to 4a to see if it is locked or if he can hear anything beyond.
Having detected this much I inform my companions about what I have found.
Say everyone! There are auras of evil and of conjuration emanating from the very north end of this temple. I am too far away to get more details. When you all are ready let's move northward and investigate further.
"Let's go check that. I cannot find any trap in here."
Uldar follows Kalizama checking for traps and other dangers.
Brandor turns from the door, and follows the others north.
Kenz is ready to move on
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Brandor finds the door to area 4a to be unlocked and easily opened. He peers into the area, and notes it was apparently a vestry. Bits of broken altar service are present here also, with a broken trident and pieces of torn, scorched robes of a moss-green hue. Other rubble includes several smashed benches, a small broken table, and a thrown-down wardrobe with one side kicked in and the doors torn off. Under the wardrobe lie three moss-green robes, lined with black satin. Each has a cowl. All are soiled but otherwise in good condition, but are obviously of little worth. A flight of stairs descends from area 4a to the southwest.
Uldar takes one of the green hooded robes and puts it into his backpack. Then searches the place for traps and other hidden objects.
"I think it's better to check the other parts of this floor before going downstairs."
The halfling goes to the western symmetrical section and opens the door, checking inside.
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Uldar makes his way to area 5, and opens the door to area 5a:
Area 5:
The supporting pillars in this wing are sandstone, resting on a red slate floor. Bits of broken pottery and sharp bits of rock cover the floor here, making walking about a risky business. The stump of
a granite monolith, and chunks of brownish-red rock around its base, indicate that the altar was violently assaulted and destroyed. A few links of bronze chain, a twisted manacle, and a bronzewood maul with a snapped haft add to the impression that the enemies of the Temple who did this must have found the altar very hateful indeed.
Area 5a:
This seems to be a vestry. A broken rhondite bowl and ewer lie in a corner, apparently flung in anger and now shattered and useless. The interior of each is caked with a dry brown substance. Pieces of furniture are also scattered about, as are the torn remains of some brown garments and three stubs of brown candles. A flight of stairs descends to the southeast. Two of the brown robes are a bit frayed but intact. The candles are normal, each about three inches long.
Same, Uldar picks one of the brown robes and peers through the stairs just in case he can see something.
Uldar waits some time here for the others to join. Then he says "I've seen another door to the north of here. Maybe we can check it next."
crouches among the glittering shattered crystal in area 3, picking through the debris
if he finds nothing of interest, he'll move into area 7 beyond the altar, gazing at everything
Trane picks up two of the green robes and a brown robe and moves forward all the way to north. He pockets the candle stubs.
"I hope we are at the end of the hysterics. Let us stick together as there are probably still some inhabitants. Let us move north and search the top level before going down any stairs."
Once the group seems done examining the vestries (and gathering robes), Brandor starts north, cautiously, wondering what might have been conjured...
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The group makes its way north and sees the following sights:
Area 7
A flight of steps, 20 feet wide and each step broad and tall, delves down to the north. The stone is a dull gray, but flecks of color—white, blue, red, green, and black—dot its surface. To the north of the staircase is a stone railing, with supports of white, brown, and green stone alternating; its upper portion is cinnebar. The floor beyond is paved with three-foot squares of highly polished red granite. The square columns of some type of yellowish stone are carved in bas relief, and painted to show scenes of fire and suffering with demonic creatures leering on. A door leading to area 6 stands closed to the west.
Area 8
A huge bronze vessel chased with copper stands here. Its six legs hold it slightly more than a foot above the floorstones. The basin-like pot is eight feet in diameter. Its bottom is filled with old charcoal, bits of blackened bone, and undefinable lumps. A piece of chain still hangs over this altar, and evidently others similar once also hung there, but their bronze links were broken, and short pieces lie on the floor around the area. The altar's rim is dented and cut, as if struck by many hard blows. A door leading to area 9 stands closed to the east.
Area 10
The dais extends south into the Temple, forming a circular area. The floor, steps, and walls are black basalt, highly polished and gleaming. Four steps lead to the upper platform, and upon it is a great throne of purplish basalt, with leering demon faces and carved grinning skulls. Above the throne, the following words in the common tongue are chiseled into the curving wall:
THE POWER OF ELEMENTAL DEATH
BRINGS MORTALS LOW BUT RAISES
THE NAMELESS ONE HIGH
The flagstones upon which the throne sets are ten-foot squares of granite, set in a mosaic pattern:
RED WHITE BROWN GREEN
WHITE BROWN GREEN RED WHITE BROWN
GREEN RED WHITE BROWN GREEN RED
Garm cautiously enters the Temple. Dread horrors long past prick at the nape of his neck as he steps past the entryway causing him to shiver and turn his collar up.
Maybe Uldar is right...this place shouldn't be disturbed...
Garm picks his way gingerly over to the vestry (Area 5a) and is sure not to touch the altar he passes nor any of the brown-colored objects. He does however take a mixing rod from his equipment and scrape some of the brown substance that is inside the bowls into a glass vial. He attempts to identify it using his knowledge of alchemy.
I hope it isn't what I think it is...
Attempts to discern if it's dried blood.
Garm's curiosity getting the best of him, he attempts to reconstruct the scene in his head using what knowledge he has of religious services for worshipers of evil deities.
As he works he talks to himself, If I can reconstruct how they went about their macabre rituals perhaps we will find a clue to what we might face below...if anything.
Garm will also cast Detect Magic and scan the tiles and the throne (if he can reach the throne without stepping onto the tiles).
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Garm examines the brown substance taken from the bowls, and his dread fear is confirmed - it is dried blood. He surveys the Temple and surmises that the various altars and bronze vessel were used by the worshipers to sacrifice victims. The broken weapons and furnishings are remnants of the attempts by the ancient army to destroy the Temple.
He makes his way to the area of the throne in area 10, and casts a spell...
While the others explore the altar and the throne, Uldar opens the door to room 6 and gets a watch over there, bow raised and loaded.
Beware my friends, that throne radiates Conjuration magic and the floor itself radiates as a Desecrate spell.
Garm begins to recite a limerick from his days in the gnomish bard academy.
A conjurer makes pets and demons and potions of healin', 'cept when he's creating or 'porting.
Ok I think we can assume whatever spell effect is present is triggered by something we do. It's unlikely to be as benevolent as a Cure spell so be wary of summoned monsters. I suppose it could be a teleportation trap...my second uncle Ned once mentioned such a device...tore his barbarian companion in half as I recall...
I suppose that means no sitting in it... a pity, it looks comfortable
Kenz continues on his way, wary but determined he approaches the stairs and looks for signs of recent passage
Trane takes things in, then indicates the door to area 9.
"Uldar, can you check that one next? Don't want to crowbar them all."
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Uldar opens the door to room 6 and finds a small vestry. Pieces of broken glass and splinters of crystal lie scattered within. Someone evidently made a fire in the far corner, as bits of charred wood and cloth lie on the floor, and the rafters overhead are blackened with soot. A pile of robes, once ivory-colored, lie in the center of the room. They are soiled, burned and stained with excrement.
Uldar carefully looks over the room, and he sees a bit of bright whitish color amidst the rafters ten feet above, out of his reach...