Seething with indignation at the desecration in this room, Davok silently charges in and swings at the closest cultist.
Entering the room behind her brother, Draghis takes in the horrific scene before her eyes meet the cultist in the back.
"The righteous are coming for you. You had better flee."
Sariel moves north into the room and releases a single arrow...
...and the mongrelman crowd in behind him.
Claire stares dumbfounded at the shrine...
"You... What..." Tears start to stream down her face. "You're... You're all MONSTERS!"
Claire hurries forward and swings Radiance at the yellow cultist!
"Whoah! Cool it with the water works, sweetheart!"
Having vented some of his fury a little earlier, Fredric simply grits his teeth at the sight of the desecration - and carefully advances through the ranks of his companions to between Kaeldron and Davok.
Claire stares dumbfounded at the shrine...
"You... What..." Tears start to stream down her face. "You're... You're all MONSTERS!"
Claire hurries forward and swings Radiance at the cultist!
"Whoah! Cool it with the water works, sweetheart!"
Sariel moves north into the room and releases a single arrow...
...and the mongrelman crowd in behind him... between them they put down two Mongrelmen.
Seething with indignation at the desecration in this room, Davok silently charges in and swings at the closest yellow cultist.
Entering the room behind her brother, Draghis takes in the horrific scene before her eyes meet the red cultist in the back.
"The righteous are coming for you. You had better flee."
Kaeldron moved in for the attack, but all he could do was stare in uncomprehending horror at the shrine. How could anyone make something so vile? Why?! What could be the purpose. The sheer evil of it all robbed his arm of any skill it had.
Having vented some of his fury a little earlier, Fredric simply grits his teeth at the sight of the desecration - and carefully advances through the ranks of his companions to cut down the last of the cultists.
Potion of cure light wounds x4
Scroll of cause fear x4
Scroll of comprehend languages x4
Unholy water x4
Mwk chain shirt x4
Mwk scythe x4
Dagger x4
Spell component pouch
Unholy symbol
40gp
As you stand in the room having vanquished the cultists you notice a faint glow around a square piece of wall, it's clear there is a secret door. The glow seems otherworldly and it definitely wasn't there when you entered.
Kaeldron looked around. The six defaced statues would need to be cleaned, but there was not time for that. While part of him wanted to just move on, the defilement of the altar could not stand! Sitting atop the upside-down altar was a hideous mass of severed limbs that have been stitched together into a vile monstrous insectoid shape. He began to tear it down. ”Is this an altar to Iomodae? I think it is. By all of the gods how could they do this?” His voice was somewhat distant, and it was full with uncomprehending disgust.
As he did so he noticed the door, and looked at it with a raised eyebrow, wondering if the others were seeing it as well.
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Davok looks for a bowl or other container large enough where they could cremate the defiled limbs. As he does so, he notices the glowing stone. Seeing others in the room who also notice it, he approaches with caution to inspect it.
"Yuck." Sariel uses his polearm to knock body parts from the alter and the statues. "These soldiers proper rites, not this sick bus'ness."
”Lady Draghis, can you summon water? We should wash the gore off.” He then turned to Sariel. ”While we do this please have you’re men stand guard. And Alistair, could you scout the area out for us? A bird flying around might not attract attention. It would be preferable to charging in blindly.”
"Water is rarely used in the fight against evil, Sir Kaeldron, so I have not prepared a spell to summon it."
Kaeldron did his best to wipe away the blood and gore, using the robes of the cultists to do so. When this was done he channeled divine energy, flooding the room with it, in an attempt to force out any taint.
”Lythertida, bless the men who have fallen here. You, the lady of young death, the voiceless tragedy, guard them as their souls make their way to Pharasma’s judgement. Likewise, watch us, so that we who face such evil do not lose our idealism. We thank you.”
Davok can see its a secret door of some kind but isn't sure why it is glowing or how to open it.
Ye do know temples of Iomedae sometimes have hidden caches of gear for the faithful ti call on in times of need.
"Aye, sir! Troops!!" The mongrelmen, ever obedient, form a watch.
Fredric assists in clearing the filth and the body parts away from the altar.
"We should search. I believe the patron of many crusaders would favour us requisitioning them over leaving them idle or allowing cultists to seize them."
Trusting the gods to protect him, Kaeldron went to the glow and tried to open it...
Alistair lets out a melodic trill at that sounds suspiciously like 'bite me.' Everyone (but Claire) is pretty certain he's replying to Kaeldron.
He makes no move to fly off and help scout.
"Wow! It's glowing! How pretty! Oh! I think I can do that too!"
Claire holds out her hand and aims it at the glowing brick. Suddenly her hand glows and blast of heavenly fire flies from her hand to the brick. "NEATO!" she exclaims. She claps her hands in glee.
When she's done celebrating Claire nods at Sariel. "Oh! You should say that prayer Sariel! The one from the other room!"
Kaeldron can't get the secret door open, there must be some mechanism or means of opening it.
This small chamber is free of dust. A holy symbol of Iomedae hangs unmolested on the wall above a weapon rack flled with swords, crossbows, and spears. Three wooden dummies wear pristine suits of armor. A shelf holds several leather quivers, each stamped with a golden sun. Two silver shields hang from pegs on the wall.
Cold iron longswords x3
Cold iron shortswords x2
Heavy crossbows x2
Composite longbow (+2 Str)
Masterwork cold iron heavy mace
Cold iron longspears X2
Cold iron crossbow bolts x50
Cold iron arrows x100
+1 Longsword
+1 holy arrows x5
Arrow of evil outsider slaying x1
Masterwork chainmail x2
+1 breastplate emblazoned with Iomedae’s holy symbol.
The two heavy steel shields are both marked with the
holy symbol of Iomedae. One is a masterwork shield, and
the other is a +1 blinding shield
"Wow! Nice job, Sariel! Look at all the stuff you found!"
"This small chamber is free of dust. A holy symbol of Iomedae hangs unmolested on the wall above a weapon rack flled with swords, crossbows, and spears. Three wooden dummies wear pristine suits of armor. A shelf holds several leather quivers, each stamped with a golden sun. Two silver shields hang from pegs on the wall."
The door to the east opens, a blurry figure hurls a vial that lands amongst the mongrel folk at the rear of your group. Though injured thankfully the fire does not ignite any of them.
Claire
Sariel
???
Davok
Kaeldron
Fredric
Claire lets out a gasp. "Oh, no! Are you okay?" She hurries into the middle of the mongrel folk archers, looking over their burns. As she does there's a pulse of colourful light -- shockingly similar to a rainbow -- that flows out from Claire and into her allies. Everyone's wounds begin to sparkle and heal!
Sariel turns as the heat and Claire's healing energy strike him, quickly releasing two arrows through the flames.
The mongrelmen recover quickly from the attack, releasing their own rain of arrows.
Claire lets out a gasp. "Oh, no! Are you okay?" She hurries into the middle of the mongrel folk archers, looking over their burns. As she does there's a pulse of colourful light -- shockingly similar to a rainbow -- that flows out from Claire and into her allies. Everyone's wounds begin to sparkle and heal!
Sariel turns as the heat and Claire's healing energy strike him, quickly releasing two arrows through the flames.
The mongrelmen recover quickly from the attack, releasing their own rain of arrows.
Drawing another vial the figure hurls it leading to another firey explosion and steps back behind the doorframe.
Davok
Kaeldron
Fredric
Claire
Sariel
??? HP -15
Holding his shield in front of him to block any projectiles, Kaeldron ran forward and went through the door. He turned quickly as he saw the enemy, boxing the man in against the wall. There would be no more bombs thrown at his allies.
As her healing get undone by more fiery explosion, Claire puts her hands on her hips. "HEY! CUT THAT OUT!"
More rainbow light radiates out of Claire and everyone's wounds begin to sparkle and heal.
Claire hurries forward towards the bomb hurling meanie and draws her sword.
"Hey, save some of those sparkles for yourself!"
Draghis gives her brother a nudge.
"Go, slowpoke"
Then she moves back out of the way of any meleers .
"Don't rush me! Jeez!"
But Davok rushes himself into the room next to Kaeldron.
Sariel knocks the burning mongrelman to the ground, using his cloak to try and douse the flames.
Fredric charges after the shadowy figure, to cut short their bomb throwing.
Draghis gives her brother a nudge. "Go, slowpoke" She moves back out of the way of any meleers
"Don't rush me! Jeez!"
But Davok rushes himself into the room though he receives a gash for his troubles.
Holding his shield in front of him to block any projectiles, Kaeldron ran forward and went through the door. He turned quickly as he saw the enemy, boxing the man in against the wall. There would be no more bombs thrown at his allies.
Fredric charges after the shadowy figure, to cut short their bomb throwing.
As her healing get undone by more fiery explosion, Claire puts her hands on her hips. [/b]"HEY! CUT THAT OUT!"[/b]
More rainbow light radiates out of Claire and everyone's wounds begin to sparkle and heal.
Claire hurries forward towards the bomb hurling meanie and draws her sword.
Sariel knocks the burning mongrelman to the ground, using his cloak to try and douse the flames.
The tiefling looks at his dagger and then at the two heavily armoured warriors with much larger weapons. "I'll watch you burn!" He reaches into a satchel and grabs a vial preparing to hurl it to the ground trusting on his Abyssal ancestry to aid him.
...wobbling the vial is weakly thrown to the ground below him and the two paladins. As the fire spreads he collapses and is very badly charred.
This tiefling has been trying to devise a formula for a solution that causes a holy symbol steeped within it to become infested with the demon plague such that it infects any who touch it. He’s a long, long way from success.
Once you are in the room Irabeth looks confused as she sees the sword "How did that wind up here?"
Potions of cure light wounds (2)
Potion of cure moderate wounds
Potion of barkskin
Potion of invisibility
Potion of spider climb
+1 leather armor
Dagger,
Ring of protection +1
Portable alchemy kit
four silver holy symbols (two of Iomedae, one of Shelyn, and one of Desna)
Long wooden case containing a sword and a note. +1 Evil Outsider Bane
Lord Staunton,
I believe you will find the enclosed
weapon to be a SinguLar and famIliar delight,
for It once belonged to your old “friend”
Irabeth. She Sold It to Kandro NyserIan, of
all peopLe—I’ve no Idea why. Kandro’S been
Sitting on It for years—still wouLd be,
except his home got smashed by an Ulkreth.
Shame. he managed to save the sword and
came here, begging for an escort north to
Drezen, doubtless So he couLd give you the
Sword and WeaseL Some cash to help him set
up a new home. I hope you don’t begrudge a
creativity I tooK—our friend Nyserian serves
now as a warm suit for a vermleK as punishment
for onLy revealing the sword now instead of
when he first acquired it. I suspect the blade
will take to your brother’S touch nicely!
your LoyaL Servant,
Othirubo
Kaeldron didn’t answer. Instead he took a knee and prayed. As he did so his wounds, and that of his comrades, healed.
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Claire hands the sword to Irabeth. "Here, this used to be yours. Do you still want it?"
She turns and gasps. "Oh, Davok! You don't look so good! Here, let me see!" Claire places a hand on Davok and shoots a blast of golden, sparkly energy into him!
"Hmmm... You still don't look very good. Here! Drink some of these new potions we found. Drinking solves every problem. Or like... MOST problems, anyway!"
"There! Perfect!"
Turning to everyone she points at that last door. "Come on! Let's keep going. We're almost done here, I think."
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Davok's pupils turn into little sparkling hearts before his blinks them away and shakes his head.
"Th-thank you."
This place seemed like suicide for normal crusaders to go into. It was only with their copious amount of divine healing that everyone was still standing.
”We are making good progress. Let us push on.”
"Thank you." Irabeth does her best to look stoic as Claire returns the blade but it shows in her eyes despite her attempts at composure this blade means a lot to her.
Annevia has to spend a little while picking the lock of the next door but it's not too long before she has it open.
Along one wall of this long room stands a smashed sideboard.
A stone staircase leads upstairs. Four dretches stand to repell your group.
Davok
Claire
Sariel
Fredric
Dretches
Kaeldron
"Paladins! Here are more abominations with which to prove your righteousness!"
"We have nothing to prove against demons such as this!" Davok declares as he swings at dretch on the right.
"Whatever. I was just trying to help."
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"Your face is whatever."
Pulling out the cold iron Longsword, Kaeldron considering using it. He knew how to use it, but it felt odd to use anything besides the weapon of his goddess. With a shake of his head he charged in and stabbed the demon with his spear instead.
"You're welcome, Davok!" Claire replies with a dimpled smile. But, a moment later there's more yelling.
"More demons? Eeeewww! And these ones are so squinchy!"
Claire pulls out her sword, moves into the fight, and stabs at the nearest dretch. "Surrender, Demons! Repent and stuff!"
"Ugh, did you have to heal this one?" Alistair complains as Claire tends to Davok.
---
"Yeah, get those suckers!"
"Davok's right, 'o course, but it sure feels good all th'same!"
The mongrelmen maintain their silent but dignified assault!