The quest carries on:
A darkened passage.
The natural cave, transformed, now a long dark hall completely black, smooth, and reflective. Even the dwarf leading, does not know what kind of stone. Behind him paladin, cleric, and the two halflings keep watch.
Further along the corridor ends in a double door, ten feet tall, each with a large ring with which to open it. As the group steps forward Mannon's eyes glaze over, he moves up through the group, begins to climb, hands moving over the surface feeling something hidden in the smooth stone.
As the others ponder his abnormal action he snaps out of his trance, finds himself propped high in the corner of the hallway. He looks around, mystified, jumps down, asks "did you see it, did you see the great doorway?"
Krius and Mannon dispute the size and appearance of the door. Despite Mannon’s insistence, a giant door, runes and giant skulls are nowhere to be seen. Auguring aside the group agrees to carry on.
Beyond the doors, lantern light illuminates a profane temple, more black stone; four pillars down the sides, each a twisted humanoid visage in torment, trapped in a banded cage, deformed limbs and flesh bulging out in pain. Also faintly illuminated are frescoes on each of the walls, each depicting a blue robed wizard, a mighty dragon behind him, laying waste the lands around them.
Krius senses evil, alerts his companions. Weapons are drawn as forms ooze out of the door and two pillars and coalesce into semitransparent humanoid shapes, each with a wretched piteous look on a misshapen face.
Mannon warns companions to avert their gaze, flourishes his sword. A magical gesture, sparkling lights, a dazzling burst. The creatures take little notice of his magical attack, continue to plod forth. Prophit and Krius working in tandem attack with hammer and sword, the creatures take no damage, show no sign of pain even when the attack strikes true. Seeing their resistance to attacks, Krius warns his fellows.
Alton recites an incantation, surrounds each creature with cold black flame. Again no effect on the forlorn horrors. Next Rhin steals his battle stance, focuses, lands a mighty blow on an otherworldly form. A strike so strong, the creature cannot survive, it melts into a puddle of disgusting goop. One destroyed, two remain, they reach out with dripping appendages trying to smother. Heroes strike and move, Krius unleashes holy smite, Rhin, another powerful hit, Mannon and Prophit converge cutting the last horror open, it melts away, a look of thankful release on its face.
With the battle over, surroundings are examined. The paladin makes a discovery of blasphemy. One of the pillar statues is of his goddess Justicia, only horridly deformed. A closer examination, he notices that the other pillars are other gods all of law, order, goodness, and light.
As the Fresco's on the wall are examined, Krius notices something deeper in the scene than the rest. Saying nothing of it to the group he signals to make haste to abandon this unholy place, moves to the door on the east wall, opens it, on the other side a shadow beast, giant feline form, teeth bared.
Krius backs off. Rhin, Mannon and Prophit all notice the brute, seeing only aggression and primal power. Rhin charges the shadowy beast, instead of striking solid his blow hits nothingness.
Alton enters, see friends fearful and aggressive. Perplexed, he takes a bit of food from his pack, waves it towards the cat. It pads silently towards him; as it does the rest see it for what it is, a small black cat. With caution they let it pass, it approaches Alton. An instant bond between animal and shadowmage is created. Alton looks around at his bewildered friends as he introduces "Sage" his newly acquired familiar.
Surroundings are surveyed. Another large temple vault. Pillars run along the sides of the room, each a flawless reproduction of human, dwarf, elf, and halfling, dresses as travelers, each supporting the ceiling above. Rhin examines them, comments "too detailed even for the best dwarven craftsman to create, these statues were once alive".
A concealed door is also found in the center of the south wall. Krius investigates, holy aura probing out, detects two points of evil beyond the entry.
The door is opened, two kobolds spring into action. Mannon pummels one with an eldritch blast. Rhin, Prophit, and Krius move into the corridor as the kobolds run off behind a row of shelves of an apparent library. From out of the aisles four new kobold guards, flails in hand, step forward blocking passage down the hall. Further back in the library in shadows, dark red robes on a dim kobold form emerge.
Alton summons more shadow flames around enemies, Rhin and Krius step forward to fight, Prophit shields the warblade with holy power. Mannon distracted by something, leaves, moves back into the temple, and is soon nowhere to be seen.
In the library the kobold sorcerer utters an arcane word, points a wand. Rhin feels shadowy compulsion to flee, but resists and fights on.
Kobold guards in shadow flames back off; one is overcome, falls to a frozen death. Cleric, paladin, and warblade fight on against those that stand. Frustrated with the rapid demise of his guards the kobold mage draws a golden bead off a necklace, throws it. It impacts in the midst of the heroes. A burst of flame scorches all even a kobold guard killing it. Only Alton's cat escapes unscathed.
Prophit offers healing to Alton who took the brunt of the blast. Rhin and Krius move forward determined to finish off the last of the guards and get the spell slinging menace.
The remaining guards cluster in front of kobold sorcerer as Alton recovers, conjures more shadow flame, magic is met with magic as a bolt of energy slams into the paladin. The last of the guards dispatched, Rhin and Krius prepare to charge the spell slinger to finish the fight…
The characters present:
* Alton (Aaron), halfling shadowcaster
* Mannon (Dave), halfling swordsage/warlock/cleric
* Prophit (Jeff), human cleric
* Squire Krius (Matt), human paladin
* Rhin No-Clan (Jim, absent ran by Dave), dwarf warblade
Rumors and clues gathered (this session):
* Frescos of wizard and dragon laying waste to the world around them.
* Desecrated statues of gods of good, and law.
* Members of the group seems to be experiencing strange visions.
Treasure found (this session):
* None this session
Foes/traps/tricks overcome (this session):
* 3 extra-planar creatures
* 6 kobold guards
* door, shadowcat, and fresco visions
Yet to be overcome (no experience yet):
* Kobold caster
* 4 kobold torturers
* 1 insane derro
Experience gained (this session):
320 each player
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