Chapter 3.5: The Temple of Merikka

As they left the dining room and headed across the sanctuary to join the others, Chase commented "I wonder if they started sacrificing strangers for crop production somehow?"
Eugenios responded: "I had been thinking the same thing. It is a well-known fact that blood and bone make great fertilizer, especially with vegetables and fruit."
Being just a few paces away, Arya hears this interchange. As the group enters the hall of statues, Mother Arkon interjects: "But Olpert and others have told us that Orlane has always been known for its exceptional produce. We Dungeon Busters were originally sent here to find out why the shipment of vegetables and fruit stopped. I suspect the big produce came from the harvest goddess, and the stopping is because of this cult." She looks at Eugenios. "You couldn't have known why most of us were sent here, of course. I don't remember if you said how long you've been here. Did anybody in town talk about crop failures or blight or anything?"

Ferranzo moves south to the door and listens; he hears nothing on the other side. Morton follows and stands protectively near Arya.

Aanbo keeps an alert vigil.

Eugenios has noticed the golden statues and his attention is entirely focused on these new pieces of information. He approaches cautiously, examines the closest alcove from several angles. The statue it contains - a large and juicy bunch of grapes - is untarnished, exquisitely wrought, life-size (albeit very large, much like the real fruit in the dining room), and very valuable. This in itself is a mystery; why would the cultists occupy this Temple and not claim these treasures? Eugenios is unaware of the fact that the party has discovered that the cult is hoarding wealth taken from captured or killed victims, but if he were aware of this fact, he'd be even more puzzled. Perhaps the jade statue in the Sanctuary is too unwieldy to be carried off and so public to be missed, but these golden statues are hidden in a side hall and are much smaller. They could be carried away. Why haven't the cultists done so?

This whole time, the entire rest of the party has been watching the gnome do this, and no one says anything to him to inform or warn him.

Wondering if perhaps they are not real, Eugenios touches the golden grapes statue with the intent of moving it to see if there's a trigger for a trap or a secret door. There isn't, but he feels a powerful lurch as something surges through him. He doesn't know what has happened, but he has a queasy bad feeling about it.

Ferranzo opens the door to the south; the room on the other side is unlit, so he only sees a slice of the space beyond. It seems to be a room with wood-paneled floor; peering into the darkness, atmospheric diffusion allows him to make out shadowy shapes. Off to his left is some long low furniture - probably a bed with something at its foot - and to his right, possibly another door and a table or dresser. To see for sure or to examine any of the contents, he'd need illumination.

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Aanbo (19/27)
Arya (5/19)
Chase (12/17)
Ember (7/12)
Eugenios (8/8) Cursed
Ferranzo (8/8)
Lyrel (2/13) Mage armor
Morton (8/15)
Myrtha (23/30)

Eugenios, Ferranzo, and Lyrel all rejoin the cluster of adventurers in the middle of the hall of statues.
The door to the south is open.
The hall turns around a corner to the north.

Aanbo sneaks to the corner where the hall of statues turns west. Peering down the corridor, the monk sees that it continues more than 20 paces to end in another closed door. He wouldn't be able to see it but for the magical light that illuminates this entire corridor.