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Chapter 3: The Temple of All-Consumption

Turn 67: Rooting Through the Ashes

When Syll recited his ‘elven poetry’, Luger only shook his head and laughed—in relief at being alive rather than amusement at the smuggler’s verse.

“That went a lot better than I would have expected,” said the cleric. “That warrior, Diltard, from the Water Temple really had me worried. Had they turned on us instead of running, I suspect he would have been more than a handful for us. The name alone connotes power, and I am relived we did not have to face such a juggernaut, particularly in our present condition.”

”Let us thoroughly search the rest of the Fire Temple and either kill whoever is left or ally with them to launch a counter strike against the Water Temple. I'm sure Delchin can convince them that we were duped into playing a part in the assault against the Fire Temple. We'll use them to soften up the Water Temple and destroy them all when they are at their weakest,” finished the cleric as the group gathered up its gear and made to move out.

No one disagreed with Luger’s proposal regarding finishing off and looting the Fire Temple, and Sparhawk and Danton led the way down the tunnel to the southeast from whence the Fire Temple reinforcements had come. As the two walked ahead of the others, Sparhawk leaned in close and whispered to the scout:

“Danton, thou hast told me that thou art a spy on a number of occasions. I sense that you art . . . accomplished and proud of thine abilities. I hath a proposition for thee to consider.”

“I’m listening,” said Danton quietly, glancing over his shoulder at Tenaris, who flashed him a brilliant smile.

”We hath destroyed the Fire Temple,” said Sparhawk quietly, “or, more accurately, the powerful scroll of the fish-men hath done so. We truly played no role and need not have been along except for them to trap us in a dangerous situation surrounded by enemies. My point is this. If we art to assault the Water Temple, I am not sure if our own magicks canst destroy it. It may be a suicidal attack in which one or more of our companions would be drowned or killed in a foolhardy attempt. The key may be to get hold of one of those scrolls, assuming more exist.”

Danton nodded as he scanned the tunnel floor ahead for any unpleasant surprises.

”If thou art willing, a spy mission deep into the heart of the Water Temple to rob them of one, or two - another for the Air Temple - of the scrolls would certainly be a boon to our just cause,” continued Sparhawk. “Our spell-casters could analyze the scroll and see how to release its power. Thine job would be a perilous one to be sure, but we could create a distraction with a feigned assault, or if thou workest better alone without it, that would be thy choice. A test of thine skills would be an interesting challenge, would it not? But, 'tis merely a proposal on mine own part. Sayeth nothing, good Danton, and only consider it. Mine opinion of thee wilt not change if you decline. We wilt find other ways to achieve our great victory of these foul, fetid, fiends from the watery and airy netherworld.”

The tunnel ran southeast for perhaps sixty feet before coming to a strange red curtain that blocked the way ahead. It had an amber diamond in its center, and there was a small alcove or cave immediately to the east of it. When Danton and Sparhawk looked into the cave, they could see that it was roughly twenty feet to a side, and appeared to be a lavishly furnished bedchamber. A sumptuous bed was in the middle of the cave, disheveled with red satin blankets and pillows. A large ebony wardrobe rested against the east side of the cave, next to a vanity mirror and a wooden coat rack. A large wooden chest, bound in iron straps and sealed with a massive padlock, sat against the west wall. Next to the chest were a small black marble-top table and a pair of padded chairs. The table held a silver service set, dirty with food and drink. The cave walls had been painted with red streaks to give the impression of flames.

“I must confess that your analysis of our victory o'er the Fire Temple is largely accurate,” said Danton to Sparhawk as he stood on the edge of the room and examined all its contents from a safe distance. “I had envisioned the kua-toa as mere fodder, but, frankly, we likely could not have prevailed without them. I am uncertain about your proposal, however ... for many reasons.”

Danton glanced over his shoulder once again at Tenaris, who stood back in the main tunnel in conversation with Syll, while Luger, farther back still, watched the path back the way the party had come.

“For one,” whispered Danton, “there is the issue of location and logistics -- we know no other way to the Water Temple but o'er the Inner Lake, which would not only be difficult but would require me to pass through the very chamber where I suspect the altar lieth. Next, I am not a very good swimmer, and I fear that there might be places in the Water Temple that I frankly could not go. Third, the sort of magic used by the kua-toa might be best used against fire, not water. If anything, we might find a better weapon against the Water Temple here, in these present halls.”

”Then, finally, there is frankly the matter of Tenaris,” added the Velunese. “I am loath to leave her in this despicable place. She is headstrong and courageous, but, as events hath shown, she is in above her head in this place. It doth not surprise you to hear me say that I admire her greatly and desire her friendship and, eventually, her love. Thus, I find myself desirous above all things to protect her in this place, or, at a bare minimum, to die trying. If I leave her alone and go on an independent mission, then Tenaris wilt not be under mine protective eye. Thus, I am personally torn. Still, I wilt not discount the option, Sir Sparhawk. If events come to pass that make a skulking mission both desirable and feasible within the Water Temple, I shall certainly be open to consider it.”

And with that, Danton went into the bedroom-like cave and began to search it. As he went, Sparhawk made one last comment: “I understand. Thy reasoning is correct in most . . . well, um . . . yes, thou art correct. It would hardly be a mission of skulking around through dirt tunnels or castle halls. Perhaps a way canst be found with magicks to help thee fly, climb, or have the means to defeat the water. That is, if we think the object of which I conjecture even exists.”

Sparhawk turned away for a moment, thinking to go and stand guard in the entryway. Then he visibly tensed, turned halfway back around as if he intended to say something else to Danton, but then shook his head, muttered something unintelligible to himself and fell silent.

While Danton rooted through the various items and containers in the room (search: 9+13=22), he also used the time to set out his ideas for the others on how the party should proceed:

“Like Luger, I can hardly believe we did as well as we did. Two of the elemental temples art now seemingly crippled ... and we apparently killed Tessimon for good measure. And the Water Temple's betrayal wast actually also as good as we could have hoped for. I wast fearing what could be done if he had ended up on the Inner Lake with the kua-toa in tow -- they could easily have swamped us. That dilemma hath been avoided. Plus, since the kua-toa hath magicially teleported away, they hath no idea of our ultimate fate ... which is nice.”

”Thinking toward the future,” he said as he tore the bed apart, “Syll's cautionary note stays with me. What if reducing the temples giveth a net gain effect on the power of the others? If that were so, then our next target should definitely be the Water Temple, and not Air. For, if Kelashein hath spoken correctly, then the Air Temple wast the third weakest -- we'd be better off elevating it than the Water Temple. Of course, Kelashein might have told us a blatant lie. Methinks there is no way to know for certes.”

Finding nothing interesting in or under the bed, Danton turned to the wardrobe.

”Being that this was the most powerful temple,” said Luger as he entered the cave, “I would think there would me more documents and correspondence that will aid us here. There are sure to be magical items, which we do not want to fall into the hands of the Water temple. No doubt, Kelashein will soon be coming to the Fire Temple in force to claim her prize. Let’s not let her find anything of value. If she does come here, she might leave her own altar somewhat unprotected feeling too secure in her success. That may be the time for us to act against her.”

By this time, Danton had rooted through everything except for the locked chest. As he turned his attention to it (search: 12+13=25), Sparhawk spoke up:

“Well, it would seemeth that many options may present themselves for our deliberation. I shalt not attempt to influence anyone's opinions with commentary but review our possibilities.

One, we stay and fight and clear out the denizens from this temple. Mayhaps we canst convince them of an alliance instead.

Two, we stay and await the Water Temple's possible return and plan a major trap for them.

Three, we move on to assault the Air Temple, though with little information as of yet.

Four, we immediately assault the Water Temple's altar.

Five, we canst first attempt a raid to discover any weaknesses or those powerful scrolls in the Water Temple.

Six, let us not forget that thou wert interested in discovering the mystery of thy fallen companion's lover and the dead bodies back on our path on the other side of the mountain.

Am I leaving any possibilities out?” asked Sparhawk rhetorically when he finished his list. He then looked around and waited for the others to respond.

“No apparent traps,” muttered Danton absently. “Now on to the lock…”

Syll had been nominally standing guard with Tenaris out in the main tunnel near the red curtain, but he had grown bored as the minutes dragged on and now he and Tenaris both strolled into the bedroom cave, with the woman remaining in the entryway to watch the tunnel outside.

“Wow, now that was a fight,” Syll said appreciatively. “Man, Danton, when you get pissed off, you are dangerous! Nicely done! We do have a number of options like Sparhawk said, but I agree with Luger on searching the whole Fire Temple. We found a ton of info in the Earth temple, and they were a relatively weak temple. I also suggest that we divide up some of this new loot before we do too much more.”

“I can't identify anything yet,” added the sorcerer hastily, “but when I can, I think we ought to make use of anything helpful. Perhaps Luger could make sure none of these items are evil. If I may suggest, I think that greatsword has Sparhawk's name on it. And Danton, are you best with a rapier or could you use the flaming shortsword? Luger, Tenairs, one of you ought to take that shield. I am most interested in something that would make me harder to hit. Anyway, if there is something someone is particularly interested in, let me know and I will make sure I identify it as soon as I can.”

“Oh,” concluded the elf with a smirk, “one thing to keep in mind when we revisit our Water Temple peeps; I think I just figured out a spell they need to see. It's called Fireball.”

“I'd like the shield,” said Tenaris. “Maybe Luger could have the bracers, since I think everybody else already has some kind of bracers or gauntlets.”

While the others spoke, Danton had done his best to get the heavy lock open on the chest (open locks: 6+10=16; failure), but without any luck. He muttered a curse under his breath and set down his tools.

”Are you okay, Danton?” asked Tenaris. You seem kind of agitated. Didn't you like Syll's poetry?”

This comment brought a smile to the scout’s face. “I suppose I like a bit of doggerel as much as the next man,” he said, “but I usually prefer listening to it o'er a glass of beer ... if not twelve of them. 'Tis much akin to having your anesthesia before you suffer through your surgery.”

“Doggerel?” said Syll loudly in mock anger. “Doggerel? Whoa, man, that was quality stuff! Back me up here, Tenaris. That was the kind of poetry one would hear in the courts of Celene. Maybe you just haven't heard enough truly great Elven poetry to know a work of art when you hear it. Perhaps I should recite some more and educate your ear a bit.”

“I agree, Syll,” said Tenaris in mock disdain. “It seems like Danton just doesn't appreciate Elven high culture. I, for one, am deeply offended. If his Velunese poetry is so superior, let's hear some.”

As Sparhawk stood in shock at the way his summation of the choices facing the party had been utterly ignored, Danton smirked up at the elves.

“Lady, with due respect to Elven culture -- which I esteem vicariously and by assumption, though I know it not -- I hath little hesitation in declaring the product of the poetic masters of Veluna far superior to Syll's spontaneous rhyme.

Let me concede that, in a pit such as this, any poetry is a ray of sunshine and music to the ears…or at least most any poetry,” he added hastily with a glance at Syll. “Let me also concede that I am neither bard, scald nor minstrel -- and certainly no poet. Thus, to compare mine own ramblings -- which surely also would constitute doggerel -- to those of good Syll o'er here, would be no comparison at all. 'Twould be, to paraphrase the famous Velunese poet Alexander von Pope, ‘to damn with faint praise’.”

”But while I cannot write worthy verse, my Dark Princess, I can recognize it,” insisted Danton. “And I also recognize this: doggerel requires ale, whereas verse requires choice wine -- a Furyondian red. Thus, I'd swill a beer right now, were any available.”

Tenaris and Syll looked at one another doubtfully while Danton picked up his tools and attacked the lock once again (open locks: take twenty: 20+10=30).

While Danton worked, Sparhawk tried once again to turn the conversation to more serious matters.

“Good Syll, as for the weapons distribution, I claim nothing for myself until all the party members have chosen. I wilt however follow thy suggestion to carry that greatsword - but only to strike down impervious magicked creatures. Otherwise, I shalt continue to wield Justice as a gift from mine father to destroy the forces of darkness.”

Syll nodded absently, but seemed engrossed watching Danton’s fingers fly about the lock on the chest.

“Well, companions,” said Sparhawk, trying yet again, “I doth not think that we hath the leisure to stand around and chat. What path doth all of thee want to pursue? We do not hath a lot of time. Let us decide and pursue the course fearlessly. Mine own vote is to agree with Syll's proposed course of searching quickly for intelligence. I am not sure that we hath a more fruitful course for the immediate future.”

Danton was still working on the lock, and he did not look up, but he did speak up, addressing Sparhawk, but not on the matter the paladin had raised:

”But what say you, Sir Sparhawk? Hath not the poets of Furyondy generated worthy verse? I must believe they have, for surely any folk who make good wine must also craft good verse. Are you versed -- pun intended -- in poetry, or doth the Church of Heironeous teach only scripture and harsh, medieval and retrograde dogma?”

Sparhawk looked as if someone had just poured a bucket of cold water over his head. “Uh . . . uh . . . poetry? Yes, well, sure I know the great poets, though I am not much of one myself I doth admit . . . but . . . but . . . canst we get back to the issue at hand? Our survival and that of the very world mayest be at stake. I for one would rather go down in a blaze of glory battling evil than be attacked and slain from the rear whilst discussing Furyondian poetry. I doth not consider myself an uncultured heathen - quite the opposite - but please, there is a time and a place for everything in Heironeous' domain.”

“Certes, mine good paladin,” said Danton, still without looking up, “we can be about ‘serious business’ once I trip this troublesome lock -- though let no one in your medieval churchly hierarchy buffalo you to the effect that appreciation and discussion of fine verse be not also ‘serious business’. We are, after all, attempting to save civilization, not merely a collection of beer-swilling ruffians scattered throughout the Flanaess!“

Now Danton did look up just long enough to wink at Tenaris.

Stung by Danton’s comments, joking or no, Sparhawk finally found himself drawn into the poetry discussion.

“That same Church of Heironious thou seemeth to mock hath produced the scribes and monks that hath copied the texts of Oerth's civilization whilst its paladins wert off fighting the forces of darkness for countless ages!” he protested. “And I of all people knoweth what is at stake in this battle!”

”Peace, my friend!” said Danton with a laugh.

“I meant no offense,” said Sparhawk, regaining his composure quickly. “Mostly I wert simply defending mine ears against that brutal assault of doggerel, if truth must be known.”

Now it was Sparhawk who did the winking, and Syll who sniffed in annoyance.

The poetry discussion might have dragged on a good deal longer had not Danton finally tripped the mechanism on the lock and opened the chest in triumph. Inside he found a well-made heavy mace, a copper scroll tube, a bag full of coins (230 gold), a jewelry box filled with gems of various types and sizes, a black urn with gold inlay, what appeared to be a map of the entire Fire Temple, and a short letter of such immediate and obvious interest that Danton read it aloud:

“My Dear Tessimon:

Things move apace. Soon the Doomdreamers’ plan shall come to fruition and the Dark Master will be freed. First, however, we must find the Champion to fulfill the prophecy. Watch for potential candidates. Perhaps you, yourself, could be the one.

Hedrack”

“Interesting,” mused Luger, “but not really anything new, I think.”

While the others considered the meaning of every word in the latest note from Hedrack, Luger (Cast Detect Evil) and Syll (Cast Detect Magic) each cast detection spells on all of the items in the chest. Syll determined that only the contents of the scroll tube were magical, while Luger determined that nothing in the container was inherently evil. The cleric also scanned the various items the party had taken from its fallen Fire Temple enemies, and came to the same conclusion.

“Clerical scrolls,” said Syll, handing the scroll tube to Luger after he had opened the container and examined its contents (Cast Read Magic). “One sheet with spells for healing, disease, and spiffing up a weapon.” (cure moderate wounds, contagion, greater magic weapon)

No one had any interest in a non-magical mace, so that item was left in the chest. Danton took the letter from Hedrack and the Fire Temple map. The party divided the coinage, and gave the jewelry box to Sparhawk to carry, with the understanding that the proceeds would be divided whenever the party had a chance to sell the gems. The paladin also put the black urn in his pack for safekeeping.

“Huh,” grunted Syll. “I was hoping Tessimon might have left a diary or something, but since we apparently just raided her bedroom and didn’t find it, I guess she didn’t have one…unless she kept it in a pocket and now it’s buried under tons of rock like she is.”

“I had assumed the woman who was crushed was Tessimon,” said Luger, “but we had no way to be certain of that. If that was not Tessimon, then we could still have a potentially powerful enemy looking for revenge... but given that we just raided her private belongings and no one is trying to stop us, I am more convinced now that it was Tessimon who was crushed.”

”But be that as it may,” continued the cleric, “the Water Temple isn't just going to let what is left of the Fire Temple lick its wounds and rebuild. I think it only a matter of time before they bring their full forces here to claim whatever is left. We need to collect whatever other booty and information we can before it is no longer available to us. Danton, can you use that map to guide us through the rest of the Fire Temple?”

“I think so,” mused the Velunese, looking at the sketch.

”Considering the success of this short lived alliance, perhaps we can reach the Air temple and tell them that the Water Temple has plans to hit them next,” suggested Luger. “No reason we cannot get Air and Water to fight to weaken their ranks so we can annihilate them.”

“What thou proposeth might hath some merit,” said Sparhawk. “Going to the Air Temple to warn them and form some sort of alliance may work. On the other hand, do not forget that the Water Temple had no real purpose for us and simply sought a convenient way to eliminate us without their blood being shed. They knew they had their super-weapon spell to launch at the Fire Temple. The Air Temple may work us into a similar kind of plot, simply working for our demise. In fact, we canst probably count on it - though we would be working for our own purposes too and trying to encourage destruction amongst the temples as you hath proposed.”

“Of course,” continued Sparhawk as the party moved back out of the cave and into the main tunnel, “there is a famous historical dialogue between the Empire of Iuz and a little known people called the Melians. Iuz gave them a choice of joining forces or being destroyed, since neutrality or non-action was not an option and would serve the enemies of Iuz. We could propose the same choice to the third weakest temple. . . Join us or die.”

”I hath heard of this so-called ‘Melian dialogue’ at some point in mine training in Veluna,” said Danton. “You art versed in history, Sir Sparhawk, even if your Church places little regard in poetic verse. One must start somewhere, I suppose.”

At this point, the group stood in front of the red curtain that blocked the way forward. Peeking around the edge of it, Danton saw that the tunnel continued to the southeast, widening slightly, just as indicated on Tessimon’s map. There was a second curtain blocking the path ahead roughly forty feet beyond the first one. Between the two, set against the western side of the tunnel wall, was a huge idol made of black stone, fashioned in the shape of a stern, but serene dragon with folded wings, guarding a large stone box. The wings of the dragon had been covered in shiny red enamel, and its eyes glistened like emeralds. Otherwise the area between the two red curtains appeared to be empty.

Spotting nothing untoward (search: 3+13=16), Danton pushed the curtain aside and motioned for Sparhawk to go inside with him. As he and the paladin moved forward, there was a sudden flash of light and a wave of fire rose up from the floor, threatening to engulf the two interlopers (reflex saves: Danton: 19+8=27; success: 0 damage; Sparhawk: 5+5=10; failure: 17 damage). When Danton saw the flash of light, he took a quick step back and put the curtain between himself and the wave of fire, but Sparhawk was not so fortunate, nor so fast, and the flames washed over the paladin for several seconds before disappearing.

As Sparhawk staggered about like some kind of human torch, Luger, Syll, and Tenaris pulled the curtain, which was somehow impervious to the flames that had washed over it, down from the ceiling, and used it to extinguish Sparhawk.

“Yeesh,” muttered Syll as he cast Danton a reproachful look. “I think I’ll be staying at the back of the party. I thought you were more on your toes than that, Mr. Everybody’s-a-critic!”

Sparhawk used his own healing powers (Lay on Hands: +15 HP, Cure Light Wounds: +10 HP) to heal both his burns and his lingering injuries from the earlier battle with the minions of the Fire Temple. At the same time, Luger converted another of his spells to healing and patched up more of his own wounds (Convert Sound Burst to Cure Moderate Wounds: +22 HP)—mindful that a trap or another attack could come at any time.

Now that the fire trap had been set off once, Danton could see that someone had engraved runes on the floor of the area between the two red curtains.

“And Tessimon hath not even had the good manners to mark it on her map!” he complained loudly.

Givng the runes a wide berth, the party approached the dragon statue. As they drew near, Luger could sense powerful emanations of evil from the stone reptile. Danton conducted another search (search: 11+13=24) but found no sign of any trap on the statue. While Syll, Tenaris, and Luger moved well back, Sparhawk, apparently unfazed by his encounter with the fire trap, opened up the stone box underneath the dragon statue. Inside were a golden orb set with multiple pieces of amber, as well as a black book with the words, “The Book of the Dark Eye” painted with what might have been blood on the cover. When Luger pronounced that the evil he had detected came from the statue itself, rather than the book or the orb, the two items went into Sparhawk’s pack for later examination.

When the group was ready to move through the second curtain, Danton saw that Tessimon’s map showed a larger chamber not far beyond the second barrier. After that, the tunnel wound back to the west and came to a fork. Treading carefully (search: 6+13=19) as he approached the second curtain, Danton cringed when the ground under his feet shifted slightly and he heard a whooshing sound from the wall to his left. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a huge metal scythe swinging down out of the wall. Leaping forward into the curtain so hard that he pulled it from the ceiling and ended up on the floor in a tangled mass amidst the cloth, Danton just managed to avoid the swinging blade, which retracted into the wall to await further victims.

“Impressive, most impressive,” said Syll sarcastically as he and the others made their way carefully around the area where Danton had stepped.

Tessimon’s map was at least correct regarding the large chamber beyond the second curtain. The cavern was roughly rectangular—sixty feet from northeast to southwest and forty feet from northwest to southeast. The only other exit was a tunnel, pictured on the map, heading off to the southeast.

All manner of torture devices and implements filled the large cavern. A rack, an iron maiden, an oven with coals and irons, and a table covered with knives, scalpels, thumbscrews, and other terrible implements were arranged about the room. Manacles on the walls suggested that this was where the Fire Temple kept its prisoners. Danton led the search through the room’s vile contents (search: 3+13=16) and once again the group discussed its next steps while looking for anything of value or interest.

“We should inflict appalling losses on the villainry assembled here,” said Danton as he looked about at the seemingly endless implements of torture. “But looking ahead, I'm particularly keen for finding a way to breach the inner island of Mt. Stalagos. Hopefully, enough information or material wherewithal shalt be found that 'twill point the best way forward, whether that be to assault the Water Temple or Air Temple or to attempt entry into the Doomdreamers' lair. What sayest thou, O Cruel Mistress, who plungeth mine heart into exquisite, simpering despair?” finished the scout as he poked through the thumbscrews and looked up at Tenaris just as she held up a long black whip she had found on one of the tables.

“Ugh,” groaned Syll under his breath, “that’s worse than my poetry.”

Tenaris’ only response to Danton was to test the whip, cracking it in the air, as she flashed him a smile.

“Well,” grunted Sparhawk uncomfortably, “ we er, uh, knoweth extremely little about the Air Temple and have no means for a real assault on the Water Temple at the moment. Indeed, any attack would be foolhardy in the extreme given its watery location. But I submit to the idea of looting this place, though in mine mind, almost exclusively to find a means of assaulting the other temples. Of course, I doth not ever mind slaying evil ones.”

“I don’t know,” said Luger, flashing a rare smile of his own, “I think we also have a new strategy for dealing with the more powerful foes in this foul place... Simply have the fair Tenaris attack them and feign suffering a fatal blow in order to have Danton kill our enemy in a rage.”

“In sooth, good Luger,” said Danton with a flourish of his blade, “the credit goeth to Rat's Tail alone -- which frankly hath been spoiling for a piece of the action, so that it might be worthy of the company of such a notable weapon as Geistblatt.”

“My friends,” said the cleric, “It would appear that Heironeus would use me for a conduit of his divine power rather than a vessel for his might in combat, for while I lack the skill and power that Sir Peter exemplifies with the sword, I can feel Heironeous’ power growing in my spirit day by day. I believe the reason for this is clear.”

“When I despaired and all seemed hopeless after Nanoc’s death,” explained Luger, “it was not fate alone that brought Sir Peter into our company. Mere chance or fate could not unite a knight and priest of Heironeous in this remote stronghold of evil. No, just when our cause seemed lost, Heironeus sent us Sir Peter, and now we've destroyed another elemental temple, weakening the power of the cult even further. Heironeus truly smiles on us here, and He is determined that we should serve as His righteous fist in smashing the evil here. I have always been in awe of the courage and prowess of the paladins of Heironeus, and Sir Peter has certainly been an inspiration to me.”

“Uh, that’s nice and all,” said Syll, who had opened up the iron maiden while the others spoke, “but looky—we got some guy in here!”

The elf spoke true. Inside the iron maiden was an unconscious male human wearing nothing but rags. Judging by the countless old scars and burn marks that covered virtually every inch of his body, he had been a prisoner of the Fire Temple for a very long time. Luger and Sparhawk hoisted the unconscious man out of the iron maiden and set him down on a table, where the cleric converted another spell to healing in the hope of reviving the man (Convert Protection from Evil to Cure Light Wounds: +13 HP).

The healing magic reversed some of the recent physical damage the man had suffered and it even brought him back to consciousness, but when his eyes opened and his limbs began shaking, the party found itself unable to communicate with him, for, much like the two men the group had rescued previously from the water hag, this man was apparently so mentally scarred by his experiences that he had lost all touch with reality. When the party members tried to speak with him, he simply lay whimpering and shaking on the table.

“Ya know,” muttered Syll, “this makes me think about those other two guys—I hate to say it, but I bet they’ve gone from the frying pan into the fire now that our little alliance with the Water Temple is kaput.”

“I fear there is little I can do for this man either,” said Luger. “He might possess a wealth of useful knowledge, but his sanity is broken, and healing the mind is, as yet, beyond my ability.”

With little else that they could do for the man, who could not even be made to get up and walk, the party left him alone on the table amidst the torture implements. Tessimon’s map indicated that the tunnel ahead ran southeast before curving gradually all the way northwest. This proved to be the case, and after the tunnel ran a total distance of nearly a hundred and sixty feet, the party came to the intersection indicated on the map. Another red curtain blocked a path to the northwest that the map indicated eventually led back to the Fire Temple sanctum, while the path to the southwest split in two almost immediately.

Wanting to be thorough, Danton made for the red curtain. Beyond the curtain was a forty-foot long stretch of wide tunnel, followed by a second curtain. Beyond that was supposed to be the now-ruined Fire Temple altar. Although Danton was now paranoid about additional traps near any red curtain, he was unable to spot anything unusual as he peeked around the first one (search: 13+13=26).

The section of tunnel between the red curtains was horrible to behold. Skulls, still half covered with flesh and some with eyes dangling from their sockets, hung from the ceiling on hooked chains. Beside them, stirred by the soft currents of air that moved through the tunnels, were hands and bloody organs, also on chains. The walls and floor were covered in gore.

A small bed with an iron chest next to it suggested that this place was no grisly meat locker, but instead a bedchamber. The chest had been carved to resemble a human bound in the fetal position by barbed wire. It was locked with a large padlock.

Although Danton had thought to try the various metal keys that had been recovered from the Fire Temple denizens on the lock in Tessimon’s chamber, none of them had fit. However, this time one of the two keys the party had taken from the strange gnome they had battled fit the lock perfectly and, after Danton was satisfied the lock was not trapped (search: 13+13=26), he used the key to open the chest.

Inside the chest were various bits of clothing and personal effects, including small torture tools, scalpels, and hooks. The chest also had a false bottom that Danton quickly discovered. Once that was removed, a second lock was visible, sealing off the very bottom of the chest. This lock too did not appear to be trapped (search: 5+13=18), and the second key from the gnome fit it.

Once the second lock was opened, Danton removed the final panel and found a single object underneath: a small black rock that seemed to have formed naturally in the shape of a demonic creature with bat-like wings folded around its body. It was semi-translucent with a dark center that sometimes seemed to move in the light from the torches on the walls.

“That is a vile item of darkness,” hissed Luger when he drew near to see what Danton had found. The cleric withdrew his heavy mace and motioned for Danton to dump the rock out onto the tunnel floor. “Do not touch it!” he hissed.

Once the rock was on the floor, Luger smashed it again and again with his mace until the rock was smashed to powder and the strange light within the stone faded. As the cleric pounded away at it, several of the others in the room thought they could hear strange whispers in the backs of their minds, urging them to stop Luger and protect and take up the stone, but when it was smashed to bits, the whispers ceased.

Beyond the second curtain was in fact what remained of the ruined Fire Temple altar area. The ceiling had collapsed not far past the curtain and it appeared that it would take hours, if not days, of heavy work to clear the way back into the area from this direction.

“You know,” said Syll, as the group made its way back through the two sets of curtains and towards the intersection marked on Danton’s newly-acquired map, “since Big D’s trap detection abilities…leave something to be desired…shall we say, maybe we need more magic phrases like the water boys had. You know, things like: Tessimon Magnifico! Flambe Shazzam! Go web! Or even Up, Up and Away! I guess there’s always the ever popular ‘Crepes Suzette’ too!”

According to the map, the two paths from the intersection both eventually led off to the southwest along parallel routes. The westernmost of the two also apparently led to the second set of metal doors on the back of the Fire Temple chamber that the party had seen when it and the kuo-toa first entered the altar area. Taking that route, at least initially, offered the opportunity to survey the extent of the damage to the altar chamber from another direction, so Danton motioned for Sparhawk to go that way.

The tunnel, still with lit torches all along the walls, ran sixty feet westward. In this area the dark stone walls were scarred and broken, as was the floor. The markings gave the appearance that something had been clawing, and perhaps chewing, on the stone. The floor in front of the tunnel that branched off to the north towards the altar area was different—it had been worked smooth, with images of cracking flames carved into its surface and filled with reddish metal. The branch the tunnel leading off to the southwest was cracked and scarred like the one the party had just traveled.

Danton was about to motion for Sparhawk to follow him down the tunnel to the north towards the altar chamber when sudden movement from that direction caught his attention. Four large floating objects that looked like fleshy sacks of teeth and claws were rapidly approaching the party. Each of these things was between ten and fifteen feet long, and had eight spider-like legs ending in claws. The legs hung menacingly from bulbous bodies topped by a round heads that seemed to be almost all mouth and teeth.

[Initiative: Syll: 23, Luger: 19, Floating Monsters: 18, Tenaris: 16, Sparhawk: 14, Danton: 11]

“Awright!” said Syll excitedly, “I been waiting for this!”

Without any further explanation, the elf held out his hands in front of his body. From his digits shot forth a great ball of fire that flew down the corridor to explode amongst the floating horrors as they glided towards the party. Fortunately the elf was careful enough to detonate the blast well away from himself and his associates, but unfortunately it seemed to have no effect whatsoever on the monsters, which flew through the flames untouched.

“These are creatures of both evil and fire,” said Luger. “We must try a different approach.”

To demonstrate, the cleric detonated his own explosion amidst the onrushing fiends, but this was an explosion of sound (Cast Sonic Burst: D8 area effect damage). This attack clearly did affect the monsters, for the wave of sound shook them in their flight, causing one to crash into the tunnel wall and cease all movement as it sought to recover its wits.

Sonic attack or no, the other three horrors continued to float towards the party, their shifting yellow eyes boring into Danton, Sparhawk, and Luger as they came (fortitude saves: Danton: 13+2=15; success, Sparhawk: 18+9=27; success, Luger: 7+10=17; success). However, all three managed either to avert their gazes or to steel themselves to the madness that could be seen in the monsters’ eyes.

Even as Danton was tearing his gaze away from one of the monsters, he saw Tenaris rush forward to engage it. The elf woman slashed three of the beast’s legs right off its body. Sparhawk engaged another of the creatures with Justice and his attack was even more devastating (attack: 20+10+2 charge bonus=32; potential critical hit—2^nd roll: 12+10+2=24; critical hit; 28 damage). The paladin thrust his massive blade through the swinging legs and claws and stabbed it deep into the floating bulbous body. The creature emitted a high-pitched whine and crashed to the ground unmoving.

Following Tenaris into battle once again, Danton sliced off a fourth leg from the monster she had injured (attack: 11+9+2 charge bonus=22, 4+4=8; one hit; 3 damage). This was not enough to kill the creature, but when Syll reversed tactics and fired a ray of frost at the monster floating above Danton and Tenaris (attack: 10+5=15; hit; 5 damage), the blast of cold exploded into the creature’s body with more damage than Syll had ever seen the spell do. It caused ice to form on the monster, which crashed to the tunnel floor just like the one Sparhawk had felled.

Removing Geistblatt from its sheath and moving into melee combat for the first time in a while, Luger sought to finish the creature his sonic attack had stunned before it could recover. He cut thing beast a nasty gash (attack: 15+10+2 charge bonus=27, 4+5=9; one hit; 9 damage), but the attack seemed to shock it out of its torpor, and its claws swung around at the cleric, one of them slicing through the armor on his shield arm (hit for 3 points). However, this minor victory was short lived, for Tenaris ran the monster through a moment later and it joined its fellows on the tunnel floor.

The largest of the four monsters was the only one left in the fight now, and Sparhawk moved to engage it.

“You are a blasphemy in the eyes of Heironeous and you shall be removed from His sight!” yelled the paladin as he smashed Justice through the swirling mass of legs and claws in front of him (smite evil attack: 3+10+3=16; hit; 19 damage). The assault was devastating, but not fatal, and the monster hit Sparhawk with three of its claws even as he hacked at it (hit for 14 points). Danton moved to aid the paladin (attack: 5+9=14, 9+4=13; both miss), but Rat’s Tail missed the mark. It was left to Syll (Ray of Frost: 13+5=18; hit; 5 damage) and Luger (attack: 20+10=30; potential critical hit—2^nd roll: 11+10=21; critical hit; 15 damage) to destroy the beast.

“Man, that just ain’t right,” said the sorcerer as the others caught their breath and he looked down at the four hacked and frozen bodies. “I finally figure out how to throw a fireball and these guys treat it like it’s a day at the beach! Too bad I can’t do an iceball!”

With the floating horrors out of the way, the party was able to move up the rest of the way to the red bronze doors that marked the back entrance to the former altar chamber of the Fire Temple. Judging by the way the doors were dented outward, towards the party, it seemed they had taken considerable damage from the collapse of the chamber roof. When Danton, standing well back from the doors, called out the words “Tessimon dephnami ignamius,” the doors burst open and a small avalanche of stone poured out of the chamber. When the dust finally settled, it looked as though there was some open space above the rock near the ceiling, and one could climb through there if so inclined, but no one in the party saw any reason to do so at the moment, and the group reversed course.

Retracing their steps to the intersection where they had fought the floating monsters, Danton and Sparhawk led the party southwest a short distance to where yet another red curtain marked off a passage or cave on the east wall. The main tunnel continued south-southwest. Tessimon’s map showed that beyond the curtain was a small cave, which proved correct when Danton peeked around the curtain.

The cave was roughly twenty feet in diameter, and appeared to be a spartanly furnished bedchamber. A wooden bed was up against the east wall, and a small trunk sat opposite it. Some pegs pounded into the wall held up cloaks, shirts, and a hat. Ransacking the place (search: 19+13=32), Danton found nothing of value or interest. He discovered quickly that the metal key taken from the warrior in green platemail fit the lock on the chest, but when he opened it, the chest contained nothing but clothing.

The tunnel to the south, beyond the latest bedchamber, widened to twenty feet for a distance of roughly sixty feet. The temperature in this area was warmer, and the rock appeared stained by smoke and fire. Beyond the stains, there appeared little worth noting in the tunnel (Spot checks: Syll: 6+4=10, Luger: 12+4=16, Danton: 4+8=12, Sparhawk: 11+2=13) and the party moved through it quickly.

Thirty feet past the wider area in the tunnel, the party came to a long cross tunnel or cavern running roughly northwest to southeast. Two other tunnels, pictured on Tessimon’s map, intersected the cavern farther off to the east and, according to the map, both ran back to the north, eventually joining together and then linking up with the tunnel the party had already transited that lead to the area where the floating monsters had been. The only other exit was a tunnel at the northwestern end of the cavern that Danton’s map showed running south towards the far end of the Fire Temple.

The cavern itself contained a large stone column in its center. The column was covered in stone carvings of dogs vomiting fire, surrounded by writhing serpents. There was also a large bronze gong standing next to the column. Otherwise the cavern appeared to be empty.

Since everyone had agreed on a thorough looting of the Fire Temple, Danton and Sparhawk led the group off to the southeast, intending to verify that the two tunnels there did in fact lead back to familiar territory. The first of the two tunnels was roughly ten feet wide, and ran northeast for eighty feet before joining with another, wider tunnel. This second tunnel had a dozen beds lining the walls, each with a small trunk next to it. A brazier hung from the ceiling on an iron chain. On the far side of the tunnel, a ladder led up to a ledge about 12 feet off the floor. A huge wooden keg sat atop a table next to the ladder, with a few crates underneath. Two swords, a spear, and a shield lay in a pile near where the party entered the area.

After arriving in this apparent barracks area, the first thing that the party did was to quickly follow the new tunnel off to the southeast, where it bent back in a southwesterly direction and then reentered the large cavern with the stone column and the gong, thus confirming that Tessimon’s map remained completely accurate, at least so far. Having verified this, the party returned to what appeared to be the barracks of the Fire Temple. Once there, they rifled through the open chests at the foot of the beds, finding that they contained nothing but clothing and personal effects. Danton climbed the ladder up to the ledge, where he found an overturned chest that appeared to have been opened and emptied quickly.

[Listen: Danton: 14+8=22, Tenaris: 14+2=16, Syll:4+4=8, Luger:16+4=20, Sparhawk: 11+2=13]

While most of the party was still poking through the other chests and Danton was looking about atop the ledge, everyone heard sounds of movement off to the northwest, where Tessimon’s map had shown a decent sized cavern that the party had yet to explore. When they looked up at the sound, a large black dog with fire emerging from its nostrils was visible at the end of the barracks. At least a handful, and possibly many more than a handful, of men and elves in silver banded mail stood expectantly behind the massive dog.

“Who are you?” called out Luger to the men. “Speak and you may be spared!”

The soldiers did not react, and the dog’s only response was to snarl and breathe in deeply.

[Initiative: Danton: 20, Syll: 13, Enemy Soldiers: 13, Sparhawk: 12, Enemy Sorcerer: 11, Tenaris: 10, Hell hound: 6, Luger: 4]

Danton was the fastest to react. He had his crossbow in hand in a flash and fired off two quick shots at the dog, hoping to drop it before it could breathe fire into the barracks (attack: 5+8=13, 15+3=18; one hit; 3 damage).

A fraction of a second later, a male elf, wearing gray robes and a black sash covered with gold-embroidered runes, appeared out of thin air standing next to the dog. He appeared to be engaged in spellcasting of some sort, but he never finished his magic, for Syll was faster than he was. The smuggler’s second fireball of the day detonated right behind the dog and the elf in gray robes and amidst the massed soldiers there (Syll cast Fireball: 26 area effect damage). There was a terrific explosion of flames that blasted the robe-wearing elf and all the soldiers off their feet and appeared to ignite secondary fires in the room where the soldiers had been massed.

The only enemy that seemed unaffected by Syll’s fireball was the big dog, and Tenaris, Sparhawk and Luger all bore down on it. The woman and the paladin (attack: 12+10+2 charge bonus=24; 9 damage), both struck the beast before it could breathe out, but Luger was not so quick, and the animal disgorged a wave of flames that spread out in a cone, sweeping over all the party members (reflex saves: Syll: 17+5=22; success—2 damage taken, Danton: 18+8=26; success—0 damage taken; Sparhawk: 11+5=16; success—2 damage taken; Luger: 18+6=24; success—2 damage taken).

Although Tenaris was hit directly, everyone else managed to block or avoid the worst of the flames in some fashion. Danton actually rolled so far back onto the ledge that he avoided the fire entirely. Although a few bed sheets were set alight, the dog’s flame was nothing compared to Syll’s fireball, and the party was not confronted with an entire cavern burning around them in the way that the soldiers in the other room had been. Moreover, the dog’s fiery attack was its last act, for seconds later, Luger struck it down with Geistblatt (attack: 17+10+2 charge bonus=29, 18+5=23, two hits, 13 total damage).

The chamber from whence the party’s latest attackers had come was a roughly rectangular cave, forty feet from southwest to northeast and sixty feet from northwest to southeast. From the burning wreckage in it, it seemed to have been a common area or dining room, for there were three long tables surrounded by benches, all now burning, along with a kitchen in far the eastern end that had been spared the fireball. That area contained sacks of foodstuffs, a wooden cupboard, a table with a chopping block and knife, a large tub of water, and a fire pit with a chimney above it that disappeared into the ceiling. The party members took advantage of the discovery of food and water to replenish their stocks.

The dead elf spellcaster and the six dead soldiers the party found near him might or might not have carried much of value, but virtually everything they had held on their persons had been consumed by Syll’s magical fire. Only a single twisted wooden stick that resonated magic when Syll detected for such, remained intact.

“Let’s go ahead and divvy up all the stuff we’ve looted here,” said the elf. “It will take me a couple days to identify it all, but we might as well go ahead and divide it up.”

Sparhawk removed his pack, and Syll distributed the items in it, handing an enchanted short sword and metal shield to Tenaris, the flame-producing short sword to Danton, along with an unknown potion and 5 vials of strange, non-magical liquids, the massive barbed greatsword to Sparhawk, along with another unknown potion, and another potion to Luger, along with the magic bracers. For himself, Syll kept the twisted stick, which he suspected was a wand, along with one potion and a magic ring.

With the exception of the flaming short sword, which the party had seen in action—used against Tenaris, what any of these items did was anyone’s guess. Most of the party members stowed their new gear for use after Syll had identified it, but Luger, already knowing the bracers he now held were not evil in nature, went ahead and put them on.

With the room searched and the equipment divided, Danton verified that the tunnel leading north out of the northwestern side of the devastated ‘dining cave’ did in fact join up with the tunnels leading back to the Fire Temple inner sanctum from two different directions. Having verified this, the party made its way back to the long cavern with the gong and the column engraved with images of hell hounds.

From there, the group headed northwest into the tunnel that Tessimon’s map showed bending quickly to the south and opening up into a large cavern. This proved to be the case, and the tunnel was no more than eighty feet long. However, when the tunnel emerged into the large cavern that the map suggested must be at least sixty feet to a side, there was very little that could actually be seen, for the entire room appeared to be filled with heavy, sulfurous smoke. No one in the party could see more than five feet ahead of his or her hands, and the smoke made everyone cough and wheeze.

Covering their mouths and nostrils with cloth and moving as quickly as they dared, the party walked south towards what should have been the center of the cave (Danton search: 5+13=18). Danton did his best to watch the floor for any surprises as he and Sparhawk led the group through the cave, but the visibility was so poor that this was almost an impossible task. And so it was that when Sparhawk, moving slightly ahead of Danton as usual, tripped some sort of mechanism that caused the floor to open up under his feet, everyone was surprised once again (Sparhawk reflex save: 5+5=10; failure).

As had happened once before in the Water Temple, Sparhawk found himself plunging into a pit, and he was not fast or dexterous enough to catch himself or otherwise prevent the fall. The paladin plunged a full eighty feet, bouncing off the sides of the tunnel as he went, before crashing to the bottom with an incredible cacophony that was only partly suppressed by the smoke in the cavern above (Sparhawk 24 damage taken).

Fortunately for the paladin, who suffered numerous broken bones in the long fall, the bottom of this pit trap did not contain a nasty insect, for he was in no shape for a fight. He rolled painfully over onto his back, and lay there, breathing only with great difficulty, while his coughing, gagging companions gathered around the hole in the floor above.

Syll looked as if he were about to make some biting comment about Danton’s trap-detecting abilities, but then the elf shook his head and levitated himself down to the bottom of the pit, where he cast the same spell on Sparhawk and then helped the paladin maneuver up and out of the trap. Once the elf and paladin were once again topside, the whole party moved cautiously through the smoke and towards the exit that Tessimon’s map portrayed as being on the southwestern end of the cavern. Syll led the way now, protected from falling into any pits by his levitation spell. Luger pulled the floating, but badly injured Sparhawk along behind him.

Finally, after going a total distance of over a hundred feet through the smoke-filled cavern, and passing a strange stone and iron structure in the center that seemed to be the source of all the smoke, the party finally came to a set of stairs leading upward. Once on the stairs, the intensity of the smoke diminished quickly, and the group was able to pause long enough for Luger to heal Sparhawk’s many broken bones (Convert Detect Evil, Bless, and Protection from Evil to Cure Light Wounds: Sparhawk +34 HP).

“Perhaps thou needest spectacles?” said Sparhawk lightly to Danton when his bones had been mended and he was once again on his feet. “Or perhaps thy attentions are merely focused on the wrong things?” he added in a more somber tone, and with a glance at Tenaris.

“There was the matter of the smoke,” said Danton testily. “Truly I am glad that Tessimon is dead. What manner of vile bitch would possess a map of her entire temple and not bother to mark any of the traps on it?”

Sparhawk let the issue drop, and the stairs the party took led off to the southwest for sixty feet before reaching a landing and a tunnel heading due south. When Danton and Sparhawk took their first steps into the southern tunnel, which was lit with torches, they caught a brief glimpse of an overturned table with chairs scattered around it in the center of the tunnel ahead. There was no time to examine the room further, for a hail of arrows from a group of armored warriors assembled behind the overturned table shot towards the pair. Sparhawk blocked one shaft with his spear and others slammed into the stone walls around them, but one arrow caught Danton in the right leg (hit for 10 points) and he staggered back around the corner in terrible pain.

[Initiative: Syll: 24, Soldiers: 20, Danton: 16, Sparhawk: 13, Tenaris: 13, Luger: 11]

“Syll!” screamed Danton as he put his back against the wall. “Burn them!”

“No problem—fire in the hole,” hissed the elf as he leaned out around the corner just long enough to launch another magical projectile into the midst of the defenders (Cast Fireball: 22 area effect damage).

As soon as he launched the spell, the elf pulled his head and upper body back around the corner and pressed his back against the wall next to Danton. Seconds later, the party heard a massive explosion and all manner of screams. Sparhawk and Tenaris waited for the screams to die down and then the pair moved around the corner and into the room with weapons at the ready.

What they found was a scene of utter devastation. The table behind which the archers had sheltered had been blown to bits, and the charred bodies of three humans and, to everyone’s surprise, four elves, lay scattered around behind the wreckage of the table. Beyond the bodies, the tunnel continued south, with an opening on its western side forty feet away or so. As before, whatever valuable equipment these defenders might have had was burned to cinders. Their weapons and armor were twisted and melted as well.

“Remind me to stay on your good side,” grunted Danton as Luger removed the arrow from his leg and applied healing magic (Convert four 0 level spells to Cure Minor Wounds: Danton +4 HP) to stop the bleeding.

“Fireball means not having to say you’re sorry,” replied Syll with a smirk, “although it doesn’t leave much intact loot for us to cart off…”

Beyond the wrecked guardpost, the tunnel that turned westward actually opened up to natural light. Only thirty feet down the tunnel, the party members came to a ledge and found themselves looking out over the waters of the vast dark lake at the center of Mount Stalagos some fifty feet below. From this vantage point, they could see three different bridges leading from the outer ring to the island at the center of the mountain. The first, far off to the north, was the bridge they had crossed when they had made their one attempt so far to breach the Outer Fane. The second bridge, much closer at hand, was the one they had clambered up with their Water Temple allies earlier in the day. As far as they were aware, the boats they had used were still on the far side of it. And finally, far off to the southwest, was a third bridge, running from roughly the southwestern part of the outer part of the mountain straight out to the island.

No activity was visible on the dark lake, and the sky was cloudy overhead. It appeared to be some time in the mid-afternoon. After enjoying this brief bit of fresh air, even if the smell of the water below was not particularly pleasant, the party members turned back towards the Fire Temple, retracing their steps to the main tunnel and then following it as it went south to another large chamber.

With the exception of the ruined altar cavern, this chamber was the largest one the party had seen yet in the Fire Temple. It was roughly circular in shape, at least eighty feet in diameter. Aside from the entryway in which the party stood, there were three other exits, two running parallel off to the northeast, which Tessimon’s map showed as rejoining in another large, irregular cavern after some distance that might have been guessed at a hundred feet or so, and one last exit heading southwest. This last exit was the southernmost feature on Tessimon’s map, suggesting that it marked the end of the Fire Temple domain.

As for the cavern itself, its floor had a huge marble plate at its center, 40 feet across, in the shape of a diamond. The plate was flush with the floor. Floating over the center of this symbol, 7 feet off the floor, was a glowing orb, intensely red, swirling with flickering fire. Four obelisks, black with red flecks and streaks, surrounded the diamond shape along its edges. Standing near each of the four obelisks, were four creatures that could only be described as living fire. They were roughly humanoid in shape, but nearly eight feet in height and devoid of many humanoid features, save for arms, legs, and heads. At least so far, it did not appear that these creatures had noticed the party.

________________________________________________________________

Notes for turn 68:

Please send postings for Turn 68 by the end of Friday, August 31st.

Current date/time/location: 14 Kolovoz; approximately 1530; The Temple of All Consumption

Items gained this turn: unknown wand, gold-inlaid black urn, Tessimon’s jewelry box, golden orb set with amber, Book of the Dark Eye, Tessimon’s map, Hedrack letter to Tessimon

Undivided Loot previously gained: none

Items used/lost/destroyed/sold/left behind this turn: none

FOES DEFEATED:

Active party members listed in green.

This Chapter:

Entire Campaign: