Chapter 3.5: The Temple of Merikka

Myrtha is improvising a plan as first Lyrel then the others climb down the rope. "Let’s all get against the wall. Chase can check from the main door corner, see what else can be seen from there. Maybe Ember could check the other corner, see if another entrance is apparent… the rest of us stay put and then we decide which way to go. What do you think?"

"There's also that small building against the wall," Aanbo observes as he anchors the rope for the others to clamber down. Finally, it's just him and Ember still atop the wall. She gestures to him; he's a little skeptical, but she insists, so he passes her the rope. He needn't have worried; while Ember's not as strong as Myrtha, a life of balcony break-ins, narrow escapes, and always having to prove herself on the street has honed the young woman's athleticism to a high degree. Once Aanbo has made the descent, Ember tosses the rope down as there's nothing to tie it to. Then she slowly lets herself down, hangs from her hands, finds a foothold, and begins crawling down the wall as sure as an insect.

Once she's down on the ground, Ember and Chase nod wordlessly to each other and begin moving off toward the different parts of the compound.

(each square is 10' on a side)

Outside the wall, not far away, Morton and Arya are just coming up the hill and discovering Ember's tracks that came before them.

I guess Ember can check the front and I will check the others.

Chase heads north, moving quietly.

Ember slinks east, moving like a ghost.

But at nearly the same time, dark shapes slink around the corners of the Temple. With the flickering torchlight augmenting the light of the moon, the heroes can clearly see that they are large canines: wolves or wolf-like dogs. The one to the north growls, having detected the party. Larger shapes behind the canines are starting to come around the corners, too...

---

23 - Ember (5/12)
18 - Wolves
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (17/17)
15 - Morton (9/9)
15 - Aanbo (19/27)
14 - Myrtha (29/30)
14 - Arya (1/19)
13- Lyrel (7/13)
5 - Watch
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

The wolves are beginning to rush toward the party.

---

23 - Ember (5/12)
18 - Wolves
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (17/17)
15 - Morton (9/9)
15 - Aanbo (19/27)
14 - Myrtha (29/30)
14 - Arya (1/19)
13- Lyrel (7/13)
5 - Watch
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round One
(this is followed by round two)

Ember moves toward the Temple's entrance and prepares to attack Wolf 2, should it come into her reach.

Their claws scritching on the flagstones, the two wolves dash toward the heroes at full speed...but they do not quite reach them.

Thinking that spells aren't needed for such small numbers, Ferranzo gives encouragement to Aanbo: "Stand firm. You got this."
Aanbo has a d6 Bardic Inspiration die.

Chase plunges his sword into a crack between flagstones so that it stands there, quivering, while he quickly grabs an arrow, nocks, draws, and looses as the snarling wolf is almost upon him!
Wolf 1 takes 4 piercing damage!

Hearing the noise of the wolves and the heroes, Morton assesses his options, and decides that going over the wall is the fastest way to rejoin the others. Finding imperfections, cracks, and joins in the granite blocks, Morton clambers up the wall. He pulls himself up onto the top of the wall just above Lyrel and can see the situation.

"Help Chase!" Aanbo hisses to the others, moving toward Ember as she moves toward Wolf 2.

With no healing prayers remaining, Arya follows Morton's lead and swiftly mounts the wall next to him.

Myrtha covers the distance between her and Chase easily, loosing an arrow as she jogs, and drops her bow to switch to her spear. The shaft sinks deep into the animal.
Wolf 1 takes 6 piercing damage!

Lyrel recalls one of the earliest spells she learned, an arcane incantation to draw the heat from the air itself, and flings that effect toward the wolf...but her calculations of trajectory didn't include Myrtha stepping in the way, so the wizard jerks the spell to the side rather than risk harming her burly companion. A patch of wall on the Temple forms ice.

The first watchman runs around the corner, but rather than approaching the intruders, he runs to the low building and bangs on the door with his spear. "Awake! Arise! The murderers are here!"
The second watchman runs around the corner (like Wolf 2, only seen by Ember and Aanbo) and slows warily, recognizing that it is just him and his wolf against two of the infamous kidnapper/killers. "HELP! THE KILLERS ARE WITHIN THE GATE!"Eugenios starts muttering arcane words quietly as a slim, shimmering layer of frost builds upon his extended hand. Then, with a quick flick of the wrist, the now-glowing frost hand shoots out towards the wolf approaching Ember.
Wolf 2 takes 2 necrotic damage!

---

23 - Ember (5/12)
18 - Wolf1 (-10), Wolf 2 (-2)
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (17/17)
15 - Morton (9/9) 20' up on the wall
15 - Aanbo (19/27) Bardic Inspiration
14 - Myrtha (29/30)
14 - Arya (1/19) 20' up on the wall
13- Lyrel (7/13)
5 - Watch
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round two
(this is preceded by round one, followed by round three)

Ember grips her rapier tightly, preparing to meet the rushing wolf.

Meanwhile, around the corner on the west side of the compound, Wolf 1 charges at the heroes...opting to leap at Myrtha. The warrior woman easily sidesteps the canine, shoving its body aside with her hip as it leaps.

Wolf2, meanwhile, has covered the distance to Ember in two bounds. As it leaps at her, Ember's rapier sinks into its flesh.
Wolf2 takes 5 piercing damage.
Ember takes 5 piercing damage and collapses, dying!

"Wow!" Unaware of this drama happening out of his sight, Ferranzo calls out, mocking Wolf1. "Look how shabby your coat is. And you fight like a pup. No wonder you’re not a pack leader!"
Wolf1 takes 1 psychic damage and dies of shame!

With the immediate danger of the wolf out of the way, Chase relaxes a bit and tries to set the record straight. "We are not murders good sir. We are sent to root out the corruption in Orlane coming from this temple." Watch 1 shakes his head and barks a laugh. "Root out the corruption? I've got to admit, when we called you murderers, I never thought you'd be dumb enough to come back and kill again. This makes it so much easier!"

Behind Chase, up on the wall, Morton calls out: "A wolf took Ember down!" So saying, he opens himself up to the power of the Fiend once more, letting the hellfire rip through him and generate a concussive blast that narrowly misses Wolf2.

Aanbo steps protectively up to Ember's side, hoping to distract the wolf from savaging the young woman's body. His initial strike with the staff does little damage but does get its attention; his follow-up kick to the head snaps its jaws together.
Wolf2 takes 3 bludgeoning damage!(Myrtha's turn will go here)

Not liking the sound of Watch1's banter, Arya hustles north on the top of the wall. "Easier? Easier?!" She calls upon Pelor, who sends a gleaming, glittering column of radiance down at the watchman. "What about this is easy for you?"
Watch1 takes 2 radiant damage!

Lyrel murmurs the long-practiced arcane words. Extending her hand, a beam of bluish-white lances out toward Watch1...but the distance is too great, and the beam fades before it can reach the villain.

"We show that you attacked the Temple, we're heroes and you're monsters," Watch1 snarls, jogging around the corner and flinging his spear up at Arya on the wall. The spear takes Arya in the neck.
Arya takes 4 piercing damage and falls backwards off the wall, dying!
Arya plummets to the ground, failing her first death save!

Watch2 sets his spear grimly as he watches Aanbo beat his wolf.

The door opens and three more watchmen emerge, carrying a spear in each hand. "You should have seen it - I just got knocked one of them off the wall!" Watch1 boasts. Watch3 hands him a spear. "I'll believe it when I see it, Parl." Watch 4 and Watch 5 Dash to get further out the door, preparing to throw spears at Chase and Myrtha next round. "Careful - it looks like they brought their whole gang!"

The water in the air condenses on Eugenios' skin as he continues chanting the arcane syllables. That water then freezes, forming another 'glove' of transparent ice, which flies off toward Wolf2.
Wolf2 takes 5 necrotic damage and dies!

---

23 - Ember (0/12) Dying
18 - Wolf1 Dead, Wolf 2 Dead
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (17/17)
15 - Morton (9/9) 20' up on the wall
15 - Aanbo (19/27) Bardic Inspiration
14 - Myrtha (29/30)
14 - Arya (0/19) Dying one failure
13- Lyrel (7/13)
5 - Watch 1 (-2), Watch 2, Watch 3, Watch 4, Watch 5
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round two, continued...

With the immediate danger of the wolf out of the way, Chase relaxes a bit and tries to set the record straight. "We are not murders good sir. We are sent to root out the corruption in Orlane coming from this temple." Watch 1 shakes his head and barks a laugh. "Root out the corruption? I've got to admit, when we called you murderers, I never thought you'd be dumb enough to come back and kill again. This makes it so much easier!"

Behind Chase, up on the wall, Morton calls out: "A wolf took Ember down!" So saying, he opens himself up to the power of the Fiend once more, letting the hellfire rip through him and generate a concussive blast that narrowly misses Wolf2.

(@matmaisan - Myrtha's turn will go here)

Not liking the sound of Watch1's banter, Arya hustles north on the top of the wall. "Easier? Easier?!" She calls upon Pelor, who sends a gleaming, glittering column of radiance down at the watchman. "What about this is easy for you?"
Watch1 takes 2 radiant damage!

Lyrel murmurs the long-practiced arcane words. Extending her hand, a beam of bluish-white lances out toward Watch1...but the distance is too great, and the beam fades before it can reach the villain. "We show that you attacked the Temple, we're heroes and you're monsters," Watch1 snarls, jogging around the corner and flinging his spear up at Arya on the wall. The spear takes Arya in the neck.
Arya takes 4 piercing damage and falls backwards off the wall, dying!
Arya plummets to the ground, failing her first death save!

Watch2 sets his spear grimly as he watches Aanbo beat his wolf.

The door opens and three more watchmen emerge, carrying a spear in each hand. "You should have seen it - I just got knocked one of them off the wall!" Watch1 boasts. Watch3 hands him a spear. "I'll believe it when I see it, Parl." Watch 4 and Watch 5 Dash to get further out the door, ready to throw spears at Chase and Myrtha next round. "Careful - it looks like they brought their whole gang!"

The water in the air condenses on Eugenios' skin as he continues chanting the arcane syllables. That water then freezes, forming another 'glove' of transparent ice, which flies off toward Wolf2.
Wolf2 takes 5 necrotic damage and dies!

---

23 - Ember (0/9) Dying
18 - Wolf1 Dead, Wolf 2 Dead
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (14/14)
15 - Morton (9/9) 20' up on the wall
15 - Aanbo (19/27) Bardic Inspiration
14 - Myrtha (17/18)
14 - Arya (0/10) Dying One failed death save
13- Lyrel (3/9)
5 - Watch 1 (-2), Watch 2, Watch 3, Watch 4, Watch 5
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round three
(this is preceded by round two)

Ember moans softly.
Ember has one successful death save!

"They’re scared!" As Ember lays dying, Ferranzo rushes toward the group of four watchmen. "They’re scared! Don’t give up!" Arriving next to Myrtha, Ferranzo plays a little trill on his flute, which trails into a diminuendo. The music works its magic; the watchmen's eyes flutter as their heads nod. Then they drop their spears and sink to the ground.
Watch 1, Watch 3, Watch 4, and Watch 5 all fall asleep!

"Someone get to Arya!" Myrtha calls over her shoulder, then turns to her doughty fighting companion. "I've got this, Chase!" Chase, seeing that the watchmen facing him have all fallen asleep, relaxes and slides his arrow back into its quiver.

Morton trusts that the others will take care of the sleeping guards, and he moves to check on Arya and help her if she somehow miraculously survived the spear through the neck and the fall off the wall. Out of desperation, Morton climbs down the wall again. He arrives at the bottom of the wall without taking his eyes off of Mother Arkon, who is lying terribly still far away from him.

Aanbo lashes out with his staff, smashing the top of the torch. Fragments of burning wood and pitch fall to the flagstones, the flames guttering and dying. Aanbo waits in the dim light for Watch 2 to come to him.

Myrtha nods to Chase and walks toward the sleeping guards. As she walks, Myrtha pulls the coil of rope from the side of her pack and begins measuring out lengths to cut to tie up the watchmen before they can wake.

Arya's heart struggles to keep beating. She has one success and one failure.
Arya succeeds on her second death save!

Watching the lone guard, Watch 2, warily, Lyrel sprints toward Aanbo, arriving by the dwarf's side. She is relieved to see that Ember is still breathing...barely.

Watch 2 approaches Aanbo warily, spear ready and slowly enough that he has only made it as far as the base of the steps up to the front entrance by the end of his turn.

Eugenios sprints after Lyrel toward the dying Ember, but his shorter strides do not cover the full distance to his companions.


Remember that every square is 10'.

---

23 - Ember (0/12) Dying one success
18 - Wolf1 Dead, Wolf 2 Dead
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (17/17)
15 - Morton (9/9)
15 - Aanbo (19/27) Bardic Inspiration
14 - Myrtha (29/30)
14 - Arya (0/19) Dying one success, one failure
13- Lyrel (7/13)
5 - Watch 1 (-2, asleep), Watch 2, Watch 3 (asleep), Watch 4 (asleep), Watch 5 (asleep)
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

@spaceseeker19 If Chase sees the watchman go down before he loosed he would not have fired. We are not murders. He would not have known what Ferranzo was doing playing his flute.

With little choice in his mind, he quickly will decend off the wall and run to Arya's aid.

Round three has been updated; you can all post your round four turns now.


Remember that every square is 10'.

---

23 - Ember (0/12) Dying one success
18 - Wolf1 Dead, Wolf 2 Dead
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (17/17)
15 - Morton (9/9)
15 - Aanbo (19/27) Bardic Inspiration
14 - Myrtha (29/30)
14 - Arya (0/19) Dying one success, one failure
13- Lyrel (7/13)
5 - Watch 1 (-2, asleep), Watch 2, Watch 3 (asleep), Watch 4 (asleep), Watch 5 (asleep)
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round four
(this is preceded by round three)

Ember groans and writhes as her blood leaks out onto the flagstones. She blinks, inhales a shuddering breath, and realizes that she's not going to die.
Ember wakes up with 1 HP!

Seeing that the others are set to take care of the sleeping watchmen, Ferranzo remembers Morton's yell about Ember. He turns and sprints back toward the corner where Eugenios has just gone, Dashing to actually make it around the corner to see the drama unfold.

Taking a length of rope from Myrtha, Chase moves to the sprawled form of Watch 4 and ties the man up.

Morton rushes to Arya's side, Dashing to cover the full distance.

Aanbo stares hard at the lone remaining guard, Watch 2, and extends his staff as he walks forward, demanding "Surrender." Watch 2 makes his Readied attack with his spear as soon as Aanbo gets within reach. Fast as a cobra, the monk sidesteps the stab and jabs his staff, hitting Watch 2 between the eyes before he can even blink.
Watch 2 takes 10 non-lethal bludgeoning damage and collapses, unconscious.

Arya, her limbs splayed at awkward angles, struggles to hold onto life.
Arya fails her third death save; she has one success and two failures.

Eugenios slides to a stop next to Ember, ready to treat her wounds, but is astonished to see that she is awake. The rogue smiles weakly as he helps her to her feet.

---

23 - Ember (1/12)
18 - Wolf1 Dead, Wolf 2 Dead
16 - Ferranzo (8/8)
16 - Chase (17/17)
15 - Morton (9/9)
15 - Aanbo (19/27) Bardic Inspiration
14 - Myrtha (29/30)
14 - Arya (0/19) Dying one success two failures
13- Lyrel (7/13)
5 - Watch 1 (asleep), Watch 2 (unconscious), Watch 3 (asleep), Watch 4 (asleep, bound), Watch 5 (asleep)
4 - Eugenios (8/8)

Outside the Temple complex, Morton works on Arya, breaking off the spear haft and binding the horrible wound in her neck. Then he arranges her body so that she's not so contorted, and soon enough her breathing becomes a bit more even and less labored. Satisfied that she will pull through, Morton sits back and considers: how will he rejoin the others? Are they still fighting?

Meanwhile, inside the wall, Myrtha has cut up half of her rope for her and Chase to bind the four sleeping watchmen (Myrtha has a 25' rope now, Aanbo has a 40' knotted rope). Aanbo and Ferranzo come up to them, huffing and puffing with the dead weight of the watchman the monk knocked out cold. They carry him past the others and into the outbuilding. This turns out to be a sort of recreation/break area for the people and a set of pens/kennel for the wolves. They dump the watchman's body on the floor and grab a coat that one of them didn't take the time to don when they were called away from their game; it's clothing that they cut up to make gags for the people outside, who are magically asleep. So far, Chase and Myrtha have managed to bind them, but Ferranzo warns them that if the sleeping men are moved, they will probably awaken. So the party gags them and then picks the watchmen up; the watchmen wake up already bound and gagged. They grunt and groan, clearly terrified. But the Dungeon Busters and friends take them back inside and set them down.



The party is pretty beat up. They look at each other and wonder what to do next.

---

Aanbo (19/27) Bardic Inspiration
Arya (0/19) stabilized
Chase (17/17)
Ember (1/12)
Eugenios (8/8)
Ferranzo (8/8)
Lyrel (7/13)
Morton (9/9)
Myrtha (29/30)

Chase suggests locking the bound guards in the kennels, then pulls out a potion for Ember.
After this, Chase goes out into the courtyard and unbars the gate. He opens it and peers outside, seeing Morton staggering along with his grisly burden outside. Together they carry Arya Arkon's unconscious, wounded body back inside the Temple gate, across the courtyard, and into the outbuilding with the others.

Myrtha is in the midst of her intimidating monologue when they arrive. None of the captives nodded, but on searching them, Eugenios, Ferranzo, and Myrtha discover that each of them has been branded, which has left a spiral-shaped scar similar enough to the tattoos, medallions, and the carving in the branch as to certainly not be coincidental.

The watchmen get more and more distressed, panting through their noses and groaning as Myrtha goes through the list of cultists that the heroes have killed.

It's not obvious to Myrtha which one of these watchmen is in charge, but the oldest one is clear enough: all of them are human, and one has thinning grey hair. He's the one whose gag she removes. He's clearly very frightened, but tries to cooperate with a quavering, shivering voice. "I-I-I promise to be c-c-courteous, lady." He cranes his head in a futile attempt to see the other adventurers from his position, lying on his side, hog-tied on the floor. "Everyone...W-what do you want with us?"

The older watchman writhes as he speaks, not just because he's trying to keep everyone in view as he's lying on his face with his hands and feet tied behind his back, but because he's having a hard time answering some of the questions...as if they're causing him additional discomfort. "I haven't kidnapped anyone. We're just in charge of keeping people out of the temple at night, so I don't know how much I can tell you...but-but I will tell you everything I can!" He takes a deep, shuddering breath. "I think the people who are taken are brought into the Temple, at least at first. If they come in during the day, we wouldn't know, because we only work the night shift. But I think maybe sometimes a group will arrive at night. I don't always recognize everybody when these groups arrive. Then they come out, and they...nngh! NNGH!!" He convulses as he tries to speak, all his muscles contracting. After twenty seconds of this fit, he relaxes, and continues: "We come back from Her changed, all our troubles, our worries, and our shame washed away! All praise her!" At this, the other three, who've been grunting and panting through their gags, all hum through their gags in unison. "You'll find out. You'll join us, one way or another." He begins to cackle and the other three gasp and guffaw around their gags. Eventually his mad laughter slows and stops. "Then we'll all live together in harmony."

At some point during the interrogation, Aanbo wanders off to explore the courtyard as he suggested he might.

With Chase's urging, the energy of green and growing things flows up through the floor and into his feet. The hairs rise on his arms as the power fills him, and then Chase directs this vitality into Mother Arkon. Arya revives, coughing and wheezing and clutching her neck, which is still very painful to the touch under Morton's bandage. She starts to speak: "What happened? Where are we?" revealing that her clear mezzo-soprano voice is now a husky, rasping contralto, slightly nasal from a nose that was broken in the fall and not healed exactly the way it was. But the others shush her, pointing to Myrtha's ongoing interrogation of the watchmen that have been hog-tied and dropped on the floor.

"No, she doesn't brand us!" the man says, his mouth muffled somewhat by the floorboards. He tries to crane his neck to the side again so he can speak more clearly. "We did this ourselves, long ago. It's the symbol of Telchur; a bunch of us..." his voice drops into a mumble.

"What did you say??!?" Arya interjects, her low, scratchy voice cracking with indignation.

"I said," the man sighs, "a bunch of us tried worshipping Telchur years ago. The spiral is clearly the sign of a wind god!" Arya, a Pelorite, stares at him with burning eyes. It's unclear to the rest of you what she is angrier about: being nearly killed, or the worship of a wind god.

While this was happening, Aanbo has made a quick survey of the courtyard and the exterior of the Temple of Merikka itself. The outbuilding with the kennels where the others are interrogating the watchmen stretches along the inside of the western face of the wall surrounding the Temple. Along the north wall are smaller buildings: an enclosed shed and an open hut with an overhanging roof. The monk's quick glimpse into these buildings reveal that they are filled with agricultural tools and gardening supplies...exactly the sort of thing you'd expect in a Temple to the goddess of agriculture. As Aanbo continues his circuit of the huge building, he sees that there are no further buildings in the courtyard.

The Earthshaker monk turns his attention to the Temple building itself. The Temple is taller than the walls surrounding it, but like the walls, it has been formed from massive granite blocks. He counts out the number of steps he has to take to pace the length of each side. The Temple appears to have a square floorplan, with each side about 50 paces long. Aanbo estimates that the Temple is about 15 paces tall. The first ten or twelve paces of height are very nearly vertical, but after that, the roof slopes in a shallow peak that is bisected by a squashed-looking onion dome which makes up the remainder of the height. In the southern wall, curved steps lead up to large, ornately-carved wooden double-doors. There are no windows or other doors in the Temple's walls. Sconces set into the Temple's exterior walls hold lit torches, which will burn out well before dawn, which is now a bit over an hour away, judging by the advent of false dawn in the night sky.

Having seen all this, Aanbo hurries back to the outbuilding to join the others.

Eugenios recognizes that Telchur is one of the four Oeridian gods of wind: the winter wind.

Arya croaks a response to Myrtha's question, wincing with each syllable. Despite the pain from her nearly-mortal wound, she is too accustomed to speaking with authority on every subject, and she can't seem to abbreviate herself. "I don't know anything other than Telchur is cousin to Merikka...Merikka, whose temple they are defending! Imagine what kind of degenerate would abandon their god for some other! I can't stand people who are fickle in their faith."

Aanbo approaches the door, where Lyrel - who is keeping watch in the doorway - sees him and nods.

"It was something we did long ago, when we were young and rebellious. What better way to rebel than to reject the goddess?" the watchman sighs, his face still pressed into the floorboards. He groans a little as he tries to shift to a less-painful position: an impossibility. "We saw the error of our ways long ago, of course. "Now we all serve Her, and of course She is happy to have us work for the greater good. We're not the ones going around killing dogs and invading holy ground."

Aanbo only caught the tail end of this conversation, but he can tell that the watchman is lying in some aspect of his story. The fervor in his voice reminds the dwarf too much of Jonbon to be taken credulously.

While Eugenios slips comfortably into his bad cop routine, Chase exits and fetches first one wolf corpse and then the other. Dumping them on the floor, he stands as an imposing figure, covered in blood. Aanbo moves from companion to companion, whispering to each that the only obvious way into the Temple is through the door. Arya, relieved to focus on something other than incipient torture, nods her understanding. A bit less than an hour remains before dawn. The watchman wheezes, pressed into the floor.

Stationed at the door, Lyrel nods to the elf as he announces his intent to watch the entrances/exits. The wizard, having raised the possibility of a geas, turns over the nature of such magic compulsions in her mind. She knows that people under a geas cannot act against the commands of the caster, but she's not sure what could end a geas. The caster can stop a geas voluntarily, but would killing the caster also break the geas? She's not sure. Could there be other magic that produces a similar effect?

Morton leaves and finds a twisted, overgrown bush to hide behind. The grounds would have been lovely at one time in the past, but they've been badly neglected despite all the tools that Aanbo found in the other outbuildings. From his crouched position, Morton can easily see both the gate in the wall and the door in the Temple.

For overcoming the forces guarding the Temple when it's closed at night, each character in the party gains 20 XP.

Gasping through the pain, his voice muffled by being pressed into the floor, the watchman keeps talking. "Strong or weak, high or low, She treats us all as equals. How else would I be treated the same as a rich innkeeper, a priest in charge of a flock, or an important foreigner with fierce eyes? There's room for all of you, too! She'd welcome you with open arms! We all would!"

"Slavery??!" The watchman is clearly offended at Ember's objection. "We all choose to love Her willingly! No one regrets their decision, right?" There is a chorus of grunting assent, muffled by sodden gags. It's clear that these people cannot recognize how they've been controlled, no matter how much evidence is presented to them. It's becoming clear to everyone what Lyrel has already understood: no amount of talking is going to change their minds. "Slavery? The idea is ridiculous. She brings freedom!"

"Ahh..." He sighs with relief when Eugenios removes his pressing hand. "Goddess...?" The watchman is clearly confused by the gnome's questions. "Oh, you must mean Merikka." He says the deity's name with clear derision. "Nobody cares about Merikka once they meet Her. She's so much better than some god. I forget sometimes how it is for people like you, who haven't met Her. Names are unimportant, trivial compared to the closeness you feel when you become one with Her. Gods are far away, but She is here and now, as real as you or me. She asks, merges, blends, gets to know you inside and out, closer than anyone you've ever known. Do you know what it feels like to be completely known, and accepted?" He giggles. "You will! Everyone will come to love Her eventually!"

It doesn't take much insight for Eugenios to realize that the man doesn't actually know "Her" name, and that he's not bothered by that ignorance.

As the party waits for the dawn, each character gets the benefit of a short rest. Each PC consumes a ration/portion of food. If you want to spend one or more hit dice (if you have any available), use the healer's kit doses, declare the dice, and roll them. The wizards Eugenios and Lyrel each regain a L1 spell slot. Aanbo regains all of his ki. Myrtha regains her second wind. Morton regains his spell slot.

Myrtha removes the man's spit-soaked gag so he can respond. "The sanctuary is open to all during the day," he agrees, "But few come at dawn. Most farmers are out in the fields or tending their stock at sunrise. Anyone coming now would be because there is a problem on their farm and they're seeking Merikka's blessing to remove a blight or disease."

Day breaks; Morton, Chase, and Lyrel, the lookouts, see the brightening of the sky first, but soon everyone can see the rising light. The dew has condensed on Morton's cloak. So far, he has seen no one emerge from the Temple to open the gate in the wall again.

What is the party going to do?

---

Aanbo (25/27)
Arya (15/19)
Chase (17/17)
Ember (9/12)
Eugenios (8/8)
Ferranzo (8/8)
Lyrel (11/13)
Morton (9/9)
Myrtha (29/30)

Several minutes more pass as Aanbo makes his way, foraging successfully through the various overgrown garden areas of the courtyard. From his hiding place in the scrub, Morton hears/sees the large double-doors of the Temple open from within. A young woman in Merikkian robes emerges and glances around. Could this be the priestess that everyone has been telling him about?

She gives a little start, and looks toward the wall. "Why isn't the gate open?" She gives a little sigh and heads back inside, shaking her head.

OOC:
Morton might also want to go back to the outbuilding to let the others know what he's seen.

Wasn't aware there were no other that saw the priestess. Yeah. He will head back to the others to let them know that he saw here check the front area.

Just to restate: there are four things that could be called "doors:"
1) the gate in the wall
2) The doors leading in to the Temple
3) The door to a storage shed (closed now, but Aanbo checked it earlier and found it empty except for gardening tools)
4) The door to the outbuilding used by the night watch and as a kennel for the dogs (now dead)

Number 4 - the door to the outbuilding (where everyone except Aanbo and Morton were resting) - is open.
Now, Morton has just observed number 2 - the double doors leading in to the Temple - being opened.
The gate out of the complex is still closed, but Chase demonstrated earlier that it can be opened easily from the inside.

Unless I misunderstood which door Chase meant, this is where everyone was when the Temple doors opened.


Morton stands up from the crouch he's maintained for the past hour and a half and feels that sensation of pins and needles as circulation flows back into his feet. He swiftly moves back across the courtyard, gestures to Aanbo, and then enters the outbuilding to tell the others about the open Temple door.

The one watchman who hasn't been gagged and stuffed into a kennel (though he is still hog-tied) responds to Ferranzo's question, his face pressed into the floor by gravity and his giving up on trying to crane his neck to the side: "Not a ceremony, no. It's part of our job to snuff the torches and open the gates at the end of the night. Merikka doesn't care about the dawn or really any daily observations. Her ceremonies are all seasonal: sowing, growing, harvesting, all that kind of nonsense. It was a good gig, until I realized the truth." He chuckles grimly at Lyrel's comment. "Maybe you should go in to the Temple and explain to her that there's nothing wrong, and why the gate isn't open already."

---

Aanbo (25/27)
Arya (15/19)
Chase (17/17)
Ember (9/12)
Eugenios (8/8)
Ferranzo (8/8)
Lyrel (11/13)
Morton (9/9)
Myrtha (29/30)

The party leaves the bound-and-gagged watchmen locked in the dog kennels and leaves the outbuilding. Having gathered and bundled up all the watchmen's spears in a cloak during their rest, Myrtha engages in the heavy athleticism of heaving the bundle up and over the 20'-tall wall. It takes a few tries, but eventually the bundle is over the wall without opening the gate. If anyone thinks that it would have been easier to throw the spears individually, they wisely keep it to themselves. Aanbo leads the way up the wide stairs to the Temple of Merikka's open doors.



Just inside the doors, a wide hallway leads north, opening into the central sanctuary of the temple. This large room has a tile floor decorated with an abstract mosaic pattern in orange, tan, brown, and blue. Flame lamps hung from hooks on the walls illuminate the interior, showing that several tapestries decorate the walls. Five huge tree trunks serve as columns in the room, and a jade statue of a beautiful young woman is mounted on a low dais along the north wall. Closed doors are visible on either side (east and west walls).

Myrtha closes the large double doors and Chase replaces the bar that prevented it from being opened at night. As they are doing this, Morton hurries past the others into the larger part of the sanctuary, stationing himself by one of the tree trunks. From here, he can see that there are two more doors, set in the southern wall on either side of the entrance hall.

Aanbo follows more cautiously, peering around the corner, but he sees much the same thing. Someone must refill the lamps periodically; with no windows and the doors shut, this sanctuary would be completely dark without them. The two wizards, Lyrel and Eugenios, stick close together behind the Earthshaker monk.

Arya strides forward into the sanctuary, with Ember in her wake (and Ferranzo concealing himself behind the rogue). "Is there no one here?" Mother Arkon bristles.

Just then, the door on the left opens and a Temple servant - clad in the robes of a Merikkian novice - steps through. He sees the heroes "Oh!" and smiles broadly: "Welcome, visitors! What brings you to seek Merikka today?"

---

Aanbo (25/27)
Arya (15/19)
Chase (17/17)
Ember (9/12)
Eugenios (8/8)
Ferranzo (8/8)
Lyrel (11/13)
Morton (9/9)
Myrtha (29/30)

Elvish Morton is feeling much more rogue-like and quietly slips to the distant tree to the further right to view this situation from. He is really getting used to this rogue'ness. Lucky his studded leather isn't too noisy. This is not something that he really has done much before. He keeps his hands free and hasn't placed his club handing over his back yet in his hands. He really hazards to use it anyway. (Ember can be jealous.)

Morton flits from one severed tree trunk to another, stealing his way partway around the room past the door on the right-hand wall. With the others drawing attention, he's pretty sure that the acolyte has forgotten about him by the time he reaches his hiding place.

"Good morning, what a beautiful sanctuary this is," Myrtha genially bellows as she struts into view with shield and spear, followed by Aanbo and Eugenios. Eugenios definitely has the sense that this man is here to talk, not to fight...though it is a bit suspicious that he's not more alarmed by armed strangers. In his long experience of interrogating witnesses, the gnome has usually observed that people are unnerved by openly-carried implements of violence. And that was just him, a gnome with some questions by himself, without a bruiser like Chase standing with arrow nocked or the wall that is Myrtha looming overhead. As he observes this, the warrior woman has continued talking. "We are from out of town, but have heard much of this Temple, and of Merikka’s blessing of the orchards and farmlands around these parts. We’ve come to see it with our own eyes!"

Seeming slightly larger than life, the Valorous Maiden of Three Elms has always been impossible to ignore; the novice is following her words and nodding politely as she approaches. The graceful teen "Mother" Arkon, meanwhile, makes no attempt to interact with the acolyte and strides forward, her muscles rippling under her jingling heavy armor as she approaches the jade statue. The statue is surprisingly well-crafted: it's a single piece of jade about the size of Eugenios that has been carved into a realistic representation of the harvest goddess, Merikka. Here she is a beautiful young woman - ::almost as beautiful as me:: Arya thinks to herself - holding a basket of grain under one arm and a scroll in the other. Everything about it seems genuine, though Merikka is usually depicted as a matron rather than a maiden. Ember casually saunters forward in her wake but then pauses to hide behind a pillar, with Ferranzo still hidden behind her. Unlike Myrtha or Arya and despite her winning personality and fetching half-smile, Ember has a way of deflecting attention, of becoming so uninteresting that she just disappears into the background. If Ferranzo wasn't paying such close attention to stay hidden himself, he might have lost her. It's certain that the acolyte cannot see her.



"Everyone is welcome!" the acolyte responds. "Merikka is beloved by most people in these parts, for the great bounty she has provided. Orlane is famous for the quality of its produce. Do you have any questions, or a prayer you would like to offer?"

Ferranzo observes that the tapestries are old but well-maintained. As is typical for textile artwork, they do not attempt to portray specific places or particular people, but rather general ideas or anonymous individuals in historical events. These all depict farmers working the land, plowing, sowing, harvesting as an unlikely combination of unrelated crops grow improbably lush and large. This matches Ferranzo's experience of Orlane in the past: the biggest melons he's ever seen, the juiciest berries, the richest nuts, cucumbers the size of your arm! Orlane has long been considered the breadbasket of this region of the world; it's clear that the Merikkians are prepared to credit their goddess with this bounty.

"I-I'm not sure where she's gone," the novice replies. "She's usually here to greet visitors; something must have called her away. I'm sorry." He holds his hands out apologetically.

"As to the second question, I should say that I don't know anything about that. But I do...sort of. I know that it happens. The truth is, I don't remember exactly where it happens. That's all hazy to me now, and it hasn't been my job since I met Her." The door closest to Morton (the door in the east wall) opens and three men in robes step through. "But what marvelous timing! Our brothers may be able to show you."

These three men - Chon, Look, and Mok - smile. Chon says, "Yes, we'd be only too happy to bring you all to where you can meet Her."

---

Aanbo (25/27)
Arya (15/19)
Chase (17/17)
Ember (9/12)
Eugenios (8/8)
Ferranzo (8/8)
Lyrel (11/13)
Morton (9/9)
Myrtha (29/30)

Round one
(this is followed by round two)

Look rushes toward the obvious wizard in the party that he can see: Lyrel. He moves surprisingly fast, and aims both a punch and a kick at the elf, but she manages to dodge each strike, her flaming hair leaving a glowing trail as she weaves. Aanbo's eyes widen in recognition.

Morton draws upon the power of the Fiend and looses another blast from the pits of hell!
Mok takes 2 force damage!
Morton ducks out of sight behind the tree trunk.

"It figures they'd be associated with Her," spits Aanbo, distaste in his words as he moves to attack Look with staff and kick. "Their heads are always in the clouds and never grounded in reality!" The staff takes Look in the hip and Aanbo's kick hits Look in the ankle, almost sending him toppling!
Look takes 12 bludgeoning damage!

Chase pivots, draws, and looses, sending his arrow toward Look's thigh. Despite sparring with Aanbo, Look has the presence of mind (not to mention training) to snatch the arrow out of the air! He breaks the arrow and tosses it aside.
With practiced ease, the ranger shoulders his bow and draws his short sword!

Chon rushes Arya, punching and kicking in a whirlwind of motion! Arya's leg snaps as the punch connects with her knee, and the kick connects with her head.
Arya takes 14 bludgeoning damage and barely remains standing on one leg!

Unseen, Ember rushes forward to stab Look in the back.
Look takes 14 piercing damage!

The acolyte takes a step forward and he watches what is happening, Readying himself with a slight smile still on his face.

Mok rushes forward to engage Chase and Ember!
This prompts the acolyte, who chants "Let us feel Her power!" as he throws a spray a glittering particles into the air. These swirl around and settle on Chon, Look, and Mok!
Buoyed by this benediction, Mok kicks at Chase and punches at Ember!
Despite his best efforts, however, the enemy monk misses both marks!

Lyrel stabs Look; the enemy monk grunts as the blade sinks in.
Look takes 5 piercing damage!

Myrtha charges up to stand protectively by the battered young cleric, Arya. "Stand back, Mother Arkon!" Myrtha stabs at Chon, but the monk dodges the blow.

Inspired by her warrior companion, Arya attacks Chon with her warhammer. The war god strengthens her limbs and speeds her movements, so she attacks again as a bonus action! But she is losing blood, barely able to stand, and the monk is too fast for the heavily-armored woman.

Ferranzo mocks Chon: "Monk? You’re more like a monkey, based on the smell. Better close that ugly robe or you’ll step on your own tail. Was that your banana by the door, Screechy?" and then he calls encouragement (Bardic Inspiration) to the young priestess Arya: "Send him back to his tree mates!"
Chon takes 1 psychic damage and his next attack will be with DISADV!

Eugenios feels an instant dislike of the acolyte; the gnome draws his magic together and extends his hand toward the man, snapping his fingers. A mid-sized glowing green flower appears upon Eugenios’ fingers, but as it extends toward the acolyte, the man's magic redirects the investigator's ire toward a nearby monk. The flower spits forth a sickly sweet smelling gas directly at Chon...
Chon chokes on the gas, taking 4 poison damage!

---

21 - Look (-31) Blessed
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (17/17)
13 - Chon (-5) Blessed, Mocked
12 - Ember (9/12)
12- Acolyte concentrating, Sanctuary
11 - Mok (-2) Blessed
10 - Lyrel (11/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (1/19)
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round one, continued...

Morton draws upon the power of the Fiend and looses another blast from the pits of hell!
Mok takes 2 force damage!
Morton ducks out of sight behind the tree trunk.

"It figures they'd be associated with Her," spits Aanbo, distaste in his words as he moves to attack Look with staff and kick. "Their heads are always in the clouds and never grounded in reality!" The staff takes Look in the hip and Aanbo's kick hits Look in the ankle, almost sending him toppling!
Look takes 12 bludgeoning damage!

Chase pivots, draws, and looses, sending his arrow toward Look's thigh. Despite sparring with Aanbo, Look has the presence of mind (not to mention training) to snatch the arrow out of the air! He breaks the arrow and tosses it aside.
With practiced ease, the ranger shoulders his bow and draws his short sword!

Chon rushes Arya, punching and kicking in a whirlwind of motion! Arya's leg snaps as the punch connects with her knee, and the kick connects with her head.
Arya takes 14 bludgeoning damage and barely remains standing on one leg!

---

21 - Look (-12)
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (17/17)
13 - Chon
12 - Ember (9/12)
12- Acolyte
11 - Mok (-2)
10 - Lyrel (11/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (1/19)
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round one, continued...

Unseen, Ember rushes forward to stab Look in the back.
Look takes 14 piercing damage!

The acolyte takes a step forward and he watches what is happening, Readying himself with a slight smile still on his face.

Mok rushes forward to engage Chase and Ember!
This prompts the acolyte, who chants "Let us feel Her power!" as he throws a spray a glittering particles into the air. These swirl around and settle on Chon, Look, and Mok!
Buoyed by this benediction, Mok kicks at Chase and punches at Ember!
Despite his best efforts, however, the enemy monk misses both marks!

---

21 - Look (-26) Blessed
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (17/17)
13 - Chon Blessed
12 - Ember (9/12)
12- Acolyte concentrating
11 - Mok (-2) Blessed
10 - Lyrel (11/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (1/19)
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)