CH. 4: Temple of Baerin

[JadedDM]

The party climbs the stairs, then continues to find another set of stairs, then a third set. It seems they are going pretty high up into the mountain. The area is still strewn with bones, and there's a tension in the air thick enough to cut with a sword.

[HorizonsDream]

"I don't like this," Echo mutters softly as she continues up the stairs. She couldn't help but think that something really bad was going to happen at any second.

[JadedDM]

After reaching the top of the third flight of stairs, they enter a massive chamber. In the chamber's center is a raised dais, on which a beautiful shield hovers over. The shield slowly spins counterclockwise, as if on display, under a shaft of light coming from the ceiling.

"This is it," Hollidan says, in awe. "The Shield of Baerin!"

[HorizonsDream]

Echo takes a few steps towards the shield, but stops herself. "Part of me thought that this shield didn't exist," Echo admits. "Though, it is beautiful. Though, what do we do now?" she asks curiously.

[JadedDM]

"Should we just take it?" asks Gimog.

"No...we should get the Phairse first," says Hollidan. "He'll know what to do."

[HorizonsDream]

"I guess that means we are going back then," Echo says. "And it seems we made this place a little safer for all the followers too," she adds. "So, now that the shield is found, what happens now?" she asks curiously. "Do people just go home?"

[JadedDM]

"Well, first--" Hollidan begins, but he's interrupted when the light beam shining on the shield suddenly moves over him. He throws up his hands to keep the light out of his eyes. "What the--?"

The light then moves over Gimog. Then Nuvain. Finally, it moves to cover Echo and Keet, the latter who is timidly hiding behind her. The light suddenly turns blood red, then winks out. "INFIDELS!" cries a voice from all directions at once.

The earth begins to shake, and a stone wall rises behind them, locking them inside the chamber with the shield.

[HorizonsDream]

Echo's eyes widen, jumping a little bit as she looks over her shoulder as the wall closes down behind them. "We aren't infidels!" she calls out. She really did doubt that was going to help the situation, but she couldn't help it. She looks over to Hollidan as she tries to stand. "Is this how Gonto or Baerin, or whoever it is, treats people of a different faith?!" she asks angrily.

[JadedDM]

"Damn!" Hollidan swears. "It must be some kind of...defense system."

"That must be why the bullywugs never took the shield," Gimog reasons. "If any non-believers enter the room, the defense system is activated!"

Everyone draws their weapons. "Keep your eyes peeled," warns Hollidan. "Maybe we can be ready for whatever it is."

[HorizonsDream]

Echo takes a few steps back behind Hollidan. "I might be the only one it targets," she points out. The others were faithful, she wasn't.

[JadedDM]

The ground begins to rumble and the wall to the east starts to crack. Some kind of strange mud oozes from the cracks, then coalesces on the ground, forming some kind of humanoid creature. The mud then hardens into stone.

"It's some kind of...elemental," Gimog observes.

The elemental begins to move toward Echo and Keet. Keet nearly faints, and grabs hold of Echo's robe to keep from hitting the ground.

[HorizonsDream]

Echo pulls out her fire wand, and starts backing up which most likely results in her dragging Keet along with her. "Fire is weak against water," she mutters to herself, her hand shaking as she tries to remember if earth is weak against fire or not. "Air is weak against earth," she says. "Fire is strong against earth?" she asks herself then shakes her head. "No, no, that doesn't sound right! I'm not here to steal the shield!"

[JadedDM]

Hollidan moves in front of her, his shield up while the two clerics flank her and Keet, preparing to chant their spells. The creature starts to claw at the ground, then charges.

[HorizonsDream]

Echo looks a tad bit surprised as everyone moves to her defense. At this point, she isn't willing to leave the safety that she is in at the moment. "I don't think swords are going to be much use against stone," she says.

[JadedDM]

"Well, I'm open to suggestions!" Hollidan calls back, swinging his blade at the elemental as it approaches. The creature easily rolls aside. Nuvain, at the same time, fires a bullet from his sling. It bounces off the creature without a scratch.

"Gonto, Defender of Civilization," Gimog begins to pray, "entrust to me a hammer to smash this beast!" The dwarf's warhammer begins to glow a bright yellow, then rises into the air out of his hands, poised to strike as if held by some invisible hand.

The creature snarls then swipes at the paladin with its claws. His armor and shield protect him from one strike, but the second gets him in the neck, drawing some blood.

==========

Initiative
Echo (N/A)
Hollidan (1d10+5): 7
Gimog (1d10+5): 8
Nuvain (1d10+6): 7
Keet (N/A)
Creature (1d10+3): 13

Round 1!

Hollidan attacks the creature with his long sword (1d20): 4, miss.
Nuvain fires his sling at the creature (1d20): 14, miss.
Gimog casts Spiritual Hammer.
Creature attacks Hollidan with its right claw against his chain mail (-2) (1d20-2): 0, miss. Then with its left claw against his chain mail (-2) (1d20-2): 14, hit for (1d4+2): 3 damage.

(OOC: Actions and Initiative for Round 2?)