22 Awakening 508

Lenoria has been revived with the help of a potion provided by Rhain. The party is surrounded by the bodies of three fallen hobgoblins. Alun, Rhain, and Kerra strip the bodies of gear, including studded leather armor, shields, longswords, longbows, and arrows. Lenoria casts healing spells on herself and on Rhain. Finally, the party is ready to continue through the foothills of the Et’tir Mountains. They unhitch their mule and march on for the rest of the day.

That night, the four take watches. First Alun, then Lenoria, followed by Kerra, and finally Rhain. The night passes without incident.

23 Awakening 508

The party emerges from the foothills and into the mountains proper, following a narrow pass. As the band passes through a particularly narrow portion of the pass, they are ambushed by another band of hobgoblins. Two archers surround them on the ridges while another approaches from the front and another approaches from the rear. Lenoria places the blessing of her goddess on the party. Rhain takes care of the hobgoblin approaching from the rear while the archers continue menacing the party from the ridges. After felling the rearmost hob, Rhain rage-climbs the ridge nearest him and spirits of his ancestors attack the archer. Alun continues to throw daggers at the other archer while Kerra takes on the foremost hob. Lenoria gives Alun a “bit of luck” in the form of a spell while Rhain grapples his foe to the ground and continues to shiv him with a dagger. Lenoria takes out her light crossbow and trains it on the other archer. Meanwhile, Rhain has slain the first archer and is calculating his next move. The foremost hobgoblin takes off Kerra’s ear as Lenoria takes out the second archer with her crossbow. Rhain runs and jumps from the ridge, miscalculating slightly, and jumps over the foremost hob. However, this puts him in a flanking position, with the hob between him and Kerra. Lenoria emits healing energy over the whole party as the last hob is slain.

These hobgoblins are stripped of armor and weapons and the party continues down the pass. The pass eventually widens and the group is able to make a passable camp.

The night passes without incident.

24 Awakening 508

At mid-morning, the pass begins to incline and narrow into a footpath. The party comes to a stone courtyard in front of a large structure on top of a plateau. The courtyard is dominated by three large columns of carved obsidian depicting Kakodaimoni confronting their archenemies, Eudaimoni. There is also a 10’ obsidian statue of Shazira in her aspect of a woman with a face of smoke and a long-hafted axe. There is a also an open set of double-doors into the structure at the head of the courtyard. Alun is elected to check out the courtyard and the double-doors.

As he carefully approaches the double-doors, a swarm of bats suddenly emerges from within and engulfs the young rogue. He cries out in pain and in alarm. Rhain lights a torch while the others ineffectively try to beat off the swarming creatures. Rhain eventually manages to scare off the vermin with fire, but not before Alun’s face and arms are covered in tiny bits and scratches. Alun continues to search out the courtyard and finds nothing of interest.

They stake the mule out on the plateau and approach the building. Alun takes the lead, with Rhain close behind with a torch and his axe. Lenoria follows with Kerra in the back with Light cast on her sword.

The doors open into a long, high-ceilinged sanctuary. The floor is of tiled stone. The ceiling is supported by broad pillars of obsidian collared in gold. The pillars are carved with more Kakodaimoni warring with Eudaimoni. The walls are painted with depictions of the goddess Shazira in all of her aspects, the smoke-faced judge, the flame-haired warrior, and the red-beaked raven of death. The party’s footfalls echo in the wide, high room.

The room ends in a wide a platform approached by a series of steps. Atop the steps is a toppled brass statue of the flame-haired goddess behind an altar with chains on it. Beside the altar are two cold braziers. There are also two large pillars flanking the statue. On either side of the platform are two doors, one on the left, one on the right.

Before checking out the doors, it is decided to check out the platform and the statue. Alun moves forward to do just that, approaching the toppled statue. He moves around to check it out when the party hears him say, “Guys, a little help!”

Rhain runs around the other side of the platform and sees a spider, the size of a man, menacing the young rogue. He also now sees its large, funneled web set up behind the statue. It strikes at Alun, biting him. Rhain, in turn, strikes at the spider, doing it a great deal of harm. Alun attacks it with his short sword, also doing it a bit of damage. Finally, Rhain takes it down, it turning over onto its back and its legs curling up in its death throes.

Alun continues his search and finds a secret panel in one of the pillars. It hides a spiral staircase leading down. They elect to follow it.

Heading down the staircase, they emerge into a sizable room with an open door leading west and a door leading south. They decide to go south. They move into a smaller room with two barred double doors—one set leading south, the other leading west. They open the southern doors and see that they lead into a hallway and some catacombs. They head back up and take the open door to the west. This leads into a room that appears to be a series of opened cells. The room ends in a closed door. Alun checks it out and finds no traps and that it is unlocked. Opening it, they discover another sizable room with chains on the walls and bolted to the floor. There are no other exits from the room.

They return to the room leading into the catacombs and search it out. Sure enough, Alun finds a secret door leading into what was probably a treasury—and now only contains a few (eleven, to be exact) copper coins.

At this point, they elect to go into the catacombs.

As they explore the grid complex of the catacombs, Rhain hears movement. Alun is then surprised by a gaunt figure that emerges from around a corner—a gaunt figure with sharp teeth and claws. As Alun engages with the creature, Rhain flips over and around Alun to get to the other side of him in the hallway. Alun finds himself paralyzed by some sort of toxin exuded by the creature. Lenoria blesses the party. Rhain manages to slay the creature and then whacks its head off with his axe for good measure. Alun recovers from his paralysis after a few moments and decides to search the catacombs for baubles with Kerra while Rhain and Lenoria take point.

Eventually, the four catch up to each other and, once again, movement is heard up ahead. Rhain stealths ahead with everyone following quietly behind. Then Rhain attacks around a corner where the movement was heard. Soon, another of the creatures is dispatched. The party explores the grid pattern of the catacomb, Rhain and Lenoria in the lead and the Lanyons in the rear, and finds nothing of interest. They head back upstairs into the sanctuary.