Chapter 3: Thistletop

Grimwulf is quick to act, rushes forward, with the rest following him. He pushes open the door, revealing a room where stone fonts containing dark frothy water sit to the north and south of the eastern entrance, and twin banks of stone pillars run the length of the long chamber. At the western end, shallow stairs rise to a platform about two feet off the ground.

The walls surrounding the platform are lit by hanging braziers that emit glowing red smoke, giving the place an unnerving crimson lighting that throws the bas-relief carvings of countless monsters feasting on fleeing humans into lurid display. A black marble altar stone, its surface heaped with ashes and bone fragments, squats before a ten-foot-tall statue.

The sculpture depicts a very pregnant but otherwise shapely naked woman who wields a kukri in each taloned hand and has a long reptilian tail, birdlike taloned feet, and the snarling head of a three-eyed jackal with a forked tongue. The left kukri flickers with fiery orange light while the right one glows with a cold blue radiance.

On the middle of the floor four yeth hounds rest. The two closest hounds is still resting, but the last two raises as the door opens with a audible creak.

Shalelu moves into the hallway so she gets a view of the room and fires an arrow at one of the hounds. It proves hard to get in a good shot in a cramped hallway with several allies in the way.

Wess rushes into the room and cleaves one of the hounds' skull. Just one alert hound left to deal with.

Saldrina lets loose a bolt of air, that barely hits, shaking the hound. It rushes into a corner, trying to take cover.

Chigaru is able to snap the hound's neck leaving behind one hound.

The hound is lifted off the air and slung into the wall, ending the last of the hounds. You are fairly certain no one has heard you yet.