IC II

[VonAlric]

Gardo

Gardo stops short as the discussion of searching the building begins. "Hmm.... I'm torn about this. Do we want to take any coin or gems from this place and risk any sort of curse? Do we leave and possibly miss out on a good haul?"

He takes another moment to think about it. "Notai, go out to the horses and get a couple of sacks. I'll help look for stuff but I'd rather not touch it if I can help it."

[thirdkingdom]

The Former Temple of Manifest
The Aftermath of the Battle

It takes about an hour to thoroughly search the desecrated remains of the temple. As Ribar knows, temples of Manifest are laid out on the same plan, and have been, throughout the Cycles: a large central gathering place, with an entrance on one end and an altar on the other, with room for seating in between. Exactly two thirds down the western wall is a door leading to a smaller room that is used as the quarters of the head priest, and exactly three-fifths down the eastern wall is a door leading to an even smaller room used to contain supplies for various ceremonies and activities. Both doors, as is custom, measure exactly twenty hands tall and nine hands wide.

The door to the storage chamber, when opened, leads not into the room that Ribar has expected but directly out into the strange, otherworldy place visible through the window. The adventurers could, if desired, it seems, step through the door and find themselves elsewhere.

The door to the sleeping quarters open to reveal a dark bedchamber, rank smelling and foul, and cluttered with belongings. It looks as though the room may still be in use; there is a desk, with two books upon it, both bound in leather.

Additionally, the adventurers find that the shadow priest wore a strange crown of black iron 'pon its brow, which clattered to the floor and rolled under a pew when the fell creature met its doom.

[PresGas]

Sumer

In thinking about the doorway to the other world. "I don't think it is a good time for us to go out there. We should find a way to keep this out and the traveling path clear. Do you agree?"

[shaidar]

Ribar

"I think travelling through to this red world would be dangerous indeed, somehow it is aligned to chaos and is anathema to life! The journals might be of use to understand what happened, but we should be wary of any taint of chaos they might bring them. The dark crown I believe is even more dangerous, a construction of chaos and I think we should leave the cursed thing here, or throw it out onto the red plain, but we should not bring it back to our world"

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

"I agree with your caution, Ribar... but I believe the crown may play an important role in understanding this place, and the dark world that lies beyond this vile gate.

"If you will permit me, I can carry the objects with me until we reach Draea, where we will purchase a stout iron chest with a good lock, and consecrate it with holy water to store the dark relics. When we eventually carry on to Kimrid, perhaps the Mnencir might pronounce on the nature of these things. Whoever that shadow-priest was, his liege is surely the enemy of all good gods equally, and I believe we have a duty to study these objects so that we might thwart such chaos the better."

I think you're right that these things are probably cursed or at least incredibly dangerous in some way, but I cannot resist... we certainly shouldn't toy with this stuff until someone can tell us more about them. But I'm deeply intrigued by this turn of events... and most likely if they have a perverting force it will be on a character-level, and not the whole party. Hopefully it doesn't become a "curiosity killed the cleric" situation...

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"That's find Zellar but let's at least take a long look at these books before we leave this opening to the shadow realm. Who knows what will traverse this after we leave it here. We have other work to do but I feel strange just leaving this thing here. Maybe we keep some of the mercenaries here on fast horses to watch the gateway, keep the curious away, and come find us if needed."

[shaidar]

Ribar doesn't look completely happy with Zellar's suggestion but nods "We should take extreme care with the crown, I feel, but knowledge is power, and if we understand what happened then we can warn the church to stop it happening again".

Newton

"Fine, I say we take the crown and the journals, and have a go at burning this place down. I don't like the idea of leaving it active, even with guards"

[PresGas]

Sumer

"Let us not forget what is OUTSIDE the temple. We still have shadows out there. We should know what happend to them now that this creature is dealt with."

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

"That's find Zellar but let's at least take a long look at these books before we leave this opening to the shadow realm. Who knows what will traverse this after we leave it here. We have other work to do but I feel strange just leaving this thing here. Maybe we keep some of the mercenaries here on fast horses to watch the gateway, keep the curious away, and come find us if needed."

At a quick glance the books appear to be a cross between journal, religious tome, and the rantings of a crazed individual. It would take an hour or so to really sit down and get a sense of what they contain.

Curiously, those that step outside the temple notice the sun is much lower in the horizon than otherwise may be expected. The fight and subsequent search took twenty minutes, tops, but upon venturing outside it is early afternoon already; it looks as though four hours have passed since they first entered the temple.

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

"To be honest, Feargus, I worry that reading these journals might have... unpleasant consequences. I would prefer to study them in the safety of the Temple in Kimrid.

"I think it would be best to pull this black church down; but, knowing as we do that it contains a portal to another dimension, it may not be so simple as that. We may need to station some of the mercenaries here to ensure that the caravans do not approach this ruined pile. Alwen Nar could lead them, if need be, and we might be able to convince the people of Alice or Draea to send a more permanent garrison to relieve them if the trouble continues.

"For now, I think we should investigate the rest of the village and make sure there are no more shadows lurking. We should also investigate the corpses we observed earlier."

[shaidar]

Newton

"I agree we should be cautious with the items from this strange world. But you are right Zellar, we should see if the village is free from the shadows. Once the village is safe we can turn our thoughts to how to destroy this doorway to another place"

[thirdkingdom]

Newton

"I agree we should be cautious with the items from this strange world. But you are right Zellar, we should see if the village is free from the shadows. Once the village is safe we can turn our thoughts to how to destroy this doorway to another place"

Which building are you investigating next?

[beniliusbob]

Zellar

"Why don't we first check that building where we saw the spider-shadows? That drew the shadows out, last time."

[shaidar]

Newton

"Agreed, it's a good place to start"

[VonAlric]

Gardo

"Yeah, that is one more fight we need to take care of. Might as well finish busting open the windows and keep a watch out here."

[PresGas]

Sumer

Sumer is glad to be out and examining these shadow spiders "Ooooh, this will be intriguing!" she thinks to herself.

She turns to the group: "As long as they don't resist my weapons, we can do that. I am out of fire spells."

On the way out of the building, Sumer will take a good look at the structure and see if it is corrupted enough that something very large could bring it down (potion of polymorph self-able).

[thirdkingdom]

Sumer

Sumer is glad to be out and examining these shadow spiders "Ooooh, this will be intriguing!" she thinks to herself.

She turns to the group: "As long as they don't resist my weapons, we can do that. I am out of fire spells."

On the way out of the building, Sumer will take a good look at the structure and see if it is corrupted enough that something very large could bring it down (potion of polymorph self-able).

It's kinda hard to tell. All in all, the buildings in the village look well built and not in *terrible* shape. Ribar knows, however, that the priests of Manifest do not cut corners when it comes to construction. That being said, with enough brute force and ignorance *any* building can be toppled.

Returning to the lair of the shadow spiders the adventurers do see signs of movement inside. It appears, at a glance, that destroying the shadow priest did not destroy the other denizens of the village.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"I suppose it was too much to hope for that the remaining shadows would depart without their priest. I also fear that the enchantment on my mace is waning so that you may be without me for the fight. I do hope that enchanted sword is waiting for me, identified in Draea..."

Feargus assumes a position on a flank and will continue to lend his shield (and his hitpoints) to the fight.

[shaidar]

Newton

"Perhaps the shadow creatures draw power from the strange place itself, or have no link at all. The shadow spiders seem quite happy to stay in their lair if not disturbed, however the shadow people are the opposite. We should consider destroying the shadow people before the spiders, or we find end up fighting both at the same time"

[PresGas]

Newton

"Perhaps the shadow creatures draw power from the strange place itself, or have no link at all. The shadow spiders seem quite happy to stay in their lair if not disturbed, however the shadow people are the opposite. We should consider destroying the shadow people before the spiders, or we find end up fighting both at the same time"

Sumer

"That plan seems sound to me."