Stom quickly advances towards the man. "Stop now! Let's talk before you light the gunpowder."
“Yes! With gunpowder!” he replies, almost delighted. “Efficient, decisive, and dramatically underused in academic circles!”
Stom’s advance draws his attention next. Erhard shifts his stance, lifting the tindertwig slightly—not quite threatening, but very much ready.
“Careful there, my sturdy friend,” he says, tone sharpening just a notch. “Another few steps and this conversation becomes significantly louder.”
Using the Tindertwig as a talking point, kind of waving it around in the direction of the temple, "You see, I am Erhard Pendergrast, the more famous of the Pendergrast Twins, and I wrote the pre-eminent history of the Mwangi Expanse. This temple here contradicts a few of my claims, as I am not wrong, this temple must be a fake, a cheap knock off built to discredit me. As such I've seen fit to remove it. With carefully placed barrels of gunpowder I've determined the precise explosive force needed to collapse the temple while minimizing damage to the surrounding area," Looking down, "Unless your below it, then I'd watch out, ha ha," he adds with a chuckle.
"From one academic to another, stop, before this gets violent. I'm no historian or archaeologist, but I still know horrible practice when I see it. " Violant says as she mentally prepares to do something other than raw firepower for once to allow the gunpowder to be cleared.
Shaking his head, "Nonsense, a true academic would understand that removing contrary and obviously fake evidence is necessary. I have no doubt a would be rival or critic had this temple built only to discredit me!"
"I would say that would be true, but the temple is clearly thousands of years old. If there were no visible signs of wear and tear, not due to magic but due to novelty, I'd perhaps join you in lighting the fuse myself. But... it is clearly not the case."
Voz's spells are going to come in handy she thinks to herself
“…thousands of years, you say,” he mutters, more to himself than to the party.
“Or,” he says, a bit too quickly, “it implies an exceptionally convincing forgery. Artificial weathering is not unheard of. There are techniques, chemical treatments, controlled erosion, very advanced, very deceptive. . . Looking at the Tindertwig in his hand, "Though, it would be an achievement to know exactly where I'd be exploring and construct this temple before I got here,"
Leaving this one to Violant, Lyra whispers to Oppa and Samael next to her, "I cant believe it, twins and that we'd run into both of them."
"A forgery this good is a masterpiece on its own, if it is one. Sure, it wouldn't be the domain of archaeologists like yourself, but that does not mean you should demolish it. I will see if I can find anyone who would be interested at it at Lepidstadt, where I work, once this is all over. I'm not the person to ask myself, though, as I'm just a mathematics professor. "
“Well. . yes. If it were a forgery of that caliber. .” He exhales through his nose. “It would be academically significant in its own right.”
The flame dips lower as his hand lowers with it.
“Lepidstadt, you say?” he adds, tone shifting, curiosity edging in despite himself. “A proper institution. Not one of those. . .sensationalist salons.”
He hesitates. Then, reluctantly “I suppose immediate demolition may be premature. We can gather proof and present it to show just how great of lengths Erhard Penderghast's Rivals are willing to go to try and discredit him," He snuffs the twindertwig. "I've thoroughly explored the place already, it is quite a remarkable fake. Still if you are willing to document the fake temple, I see no reason to stick around. No doubt my brother is here somewhere trying to one up me on discovering something worth of our name,"
Samael will continue Violant's argument. "Rather than destroying this forgery, preserving it and labelling it as a forgery would provide scientists and archaeologists and historians a true basis for determining the truth you have determined."
"My area has nothing to do with archaeology though, but being a school of the mundane primarily, I do know they will have people head-over-heals to see such a great forgery."
Stom stays well away from this conversation. He mutters under his breath "I shouldn't be surprised that brother is a fool, too."
Erhard seems thoroughly convinced that your group believes this and agrees it is a worth forgery, "I trust you can handle the cataloging of this forgery, it would be beneath me to even acknowledge my rivals and the efforts they go to, but for a lesser known academic, finding and reporting on this attempt to defame would do well to attach yourself in a small way to my greatness," He gathers his remaining belongings, "Now I really must be off, good day to you!"
Oppa stands with his hand on Doxie's head. He is amazed and pleased that things turned out as they did.
Stom stares at the second Pendergrast brother that they've come across. Once the odd fellow is a good distance away, Stom mutters to no one in particular. "Half-wits the both of them."
After complaining for a few more moments, Stom turns back to the temple. "I wonder what we can learn about this place."
Heading inside the clifftop temple, you see a line of gunpoweder extends throughout the place, it isn't very large, only about 65 feet wide and about 65 feet deep.
Inside there is three carefully placed bulky kegs of gunpowder, there is no special trick to disabling them. They likely would react to any sort of fire damage, creating a violent explosion.
Violant peruses the inside and determine that the temple walls evokes that of the Bonuwat People who today dwell far to the west along the Mwangi Coastline.
Lyra, Stom and Violant also conclude that this is a temple Shimye-Magalla however contrary to popular belief that the Bonuwat people worshipped Shimye-Magalla as a combination of both Desna and Gozreh, this temple seems to indicate Shimye-Magalla is more of a pantheon of two. They recognize that that Desna and Gozreh as separate entities but when worshiped together they are Shimye-Magalla.
It is understandable why Erhard would be against this, as it is contrary to popular belief that Ancient Bonuwat's did not know Desna and Gozreh were separate entities.
Searching the Statue of Shimye-Magalla on the central balcony reveals a hidden panel between the statue's feet. Within is a small hollow containing three amazingly well-preserved scrolls, a ring, and what look magical handwraps.
With enough time, you determine the three scrolls are a scroll of dinosaur form, a scroll of freedom of movement, and a scroll of remove disease. The Ring is a Ring of Fire Resistance, and the hand wraps are +1 Striking Ghost Touch handwraps.
Samael will carefully disable the gunpowder trail and, if nothing happens, will move the kegs of gunpowder outside.
"Anyone want to become a dinosaur?"
The gunpowder is easily disabled, wiping or kicking the line is enough. The kegs themselves are large and heavy, (2 bulk each). You think that they could be used as improvised explosive devices, and if any sort of fire damage touched them, they'd ignite with similar power to one of Violant's fireballs.
Admiring the temple in awe, Lyra wanders the temple looking at the Statue of Shimye-Magalla. "Growing up in the temple of my lady firesword, the clerics would always tell tale of magnificent other temples or ancient temples and ruins and I had always hoped to see one one day." She bows her head slightly at the statue and says a small prayer of thanks to Saranrae.
Looking over the ring Lyra asks, "If anyone doesn't mind, I'd like to take this ring of Fire Resistance?"
"Well it would make Doxie more effetive vs. incorporeal things if she could add that "Ghost Touch" rune to her existing handwraps... then someone else could use them as +1 Striking handwraps".
"I can do the rune moving required."
Violant and Samael spend some extra time moving the ghost touch rune to Doxie's Handwraps, preparing the dragon to be most effective if a ghost ever shows up.
After resting, your group sets out for the final dragon pillar and the last thing standing in your way from assaulting the Fortress of Sorrow. Sadly when you wake up you notice the clouds above are nearly black, and it isn't long before pouring rain is coming down in sheets. The jungle mud starts to suck at your boots with every step.
You finally reach the outskirts of a clearing, The rain, nearly constant within the jungle, comes down in sheets between the broken gaps of the forest canopy here, the clouds above almost black and flashing with lightning. Several of the trees in the area are split open, with jagged wounds along their bark, their insides smoldering red as they burn from the inside out. In the center, a Yellow Dragon Pillar. The air here feels charged, your hair is standing on end and the air smells of a sharp, pungent, and metallic odor.
"I think we should leave the gunpowder here, out of the weather. Then, after dealing with the last pillar, we can come back for them, and bring them back to where they can be used or sold"
"i agree Samael, lets leave them here for now. These are a bit odd to carry" She says as she picks up a barrel and then sets it back down.
"Samael, do you want to sneak in and try and disable it before something comes out to attack?"
Samael attempts to sneak in.
Oppa attempts to create a device to securely attach one of the kegs to Doxie's back... incorporating a quick release if possible.
"Never know. One of these might come in useful".
Oppa you feel pretty confident that you've strapped the powder keg to Doxie's back in such a way that she could quickly release it to land on the ground .
Samael tries to sneak through the sheets of rain and lightning toward the yellow pillar. Lyra you again notice something in the trees above, though not dragons. They look like something you've fought already, Sabosans, humanoid blood drinking man-bat creatures.
Samael you are able to sneak up to the pillar, you notice the air feels charged with electricity, all your hairs are standing on end.
Stom agrees with Lyra and Samael that carrying a bunch of explosives to the next pillar is not a good idea, but doesn't try to dissuade Oppa from his plan with Doxie. "Let's hope a flame arrow doesn't come Doxie's way, aye?"
At the next pillar, Stom stays a decent ways back as Samael scouts ahead. "Lyra, can you still see Samael? He blends in so well and moves to quietly, that I nearly lose track him and I know he is there."
Samael spends time disabling the pillar, a deft hand at this point, once it powers down, he notices the air loses a little bit of its electrical charge.
He moves to stealth away.
and is gone before the creatures guarding the pillar can comprehend why its no longer powered up.
Stom doesn't have much to prep besides making sure he has his weapon handy. "Anyone need to rest, or buy something, or learn some new spells before we attack the fortress?"
"I think Doxie and I are ready. We've been resting up, equipping some fun new stuff, and learning".
"I'm ready, I should be able to... aid you quite more effectively now. I've also been working on getting minor clerical magic, but that hasn't resulted in anything but more positive feelings from prayer as of yet."
"We may also want to watch out for denizens of the Dimension of Time uh... trying to kill me?"
Lyra, give Wilbur some good pats on his back. This good boy here, he's quite the tank now. enemies better watch out!" Wilbur huffs his agreement.
Your group, refreshed heads out to end things with the Cinderclaws for good, sneaking up to the Fortress of Sorrow, Renali drops from the treetops on a line of spider silk, "There is someone awaiting in the bushes along our route, a kobold, I'm not sure if this is a trap,"
Moving forward cautiously, a familiar face steps out with her hands up, its Hezle the Kobold alchemist you met at the poisoned gold mine. Voice like a hiss, "The dragon shield is down, you've disabled all of the pillars then, yesss?" I found the rest of my kobold tribe, they are safe, they were sick from the mine but have gotten better, thank you for sparing me, I am not sure what we'll do when the Cinderclaw are defeated and the Elves retake control of their territory. For now, though, remember you promised to try and rescue the leader of our tribe, he is being held prisoner by Belmazug. His name is Kyrion, I am sure he is kept wherever Belmazug is. What's your plan for attack?"
Lyra gestures to Hezle, "Renali, its not a trap this is a friend, we meet her back at the gold dragon pillar. She gave us very helpful information." Turning to Hezle, "Good to see you again and I'm glad to see that you made it out of there safe. I think our plan might be to scout out the area first to see what we are dealing with." she looks towards the rest of her group for agreement or other ideas.
“Scouting is wise,” she hisses quietly. “Belmazug has become paranoid lately. More patrols. More guards near her chambersss.”
She glances toward Renali with visible respect. “The spider woman probably already saw more than I could.”
Renali folds her arms, silk line still swaying faintly above her. “The fortress sits on firmer ground than the surrounding swamp,” she says. “Only a few safe approaches without sinking knee-deep into mud. The cultists know that.” Her expression darkens slightly. “There are watchfires near the outer perimeter. Charau-ka patrols. Boggards too.”
Hezle and Renali are able to guide you close enough you can make out the fortress well enough. Thick roots of gnarled trees crisscross this portion of the jungle, as the sodden earth gives way to the waters of a darkened swamp. A squat fortress made of red clay rises out of the murky water, surrounded by towering dragon-shaped pillars topped with blazing bonfires.