Terran

QUICK STATS:  AC=18, Touch=12, FF=16 / HP=9/9 / Init=2 / Saves: Fort=3, Reflex=2, Will=5

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When Lord Harm Mortton tells Elektra that her standing as a Priestess of Nature will carry weight of her word which should provoke an immediate and necessary response from the Church of the Sun to thwart further evil below, the Dwarven holy woman says, "Yes, as further proof we recovered the talisman and also the armor and weapons of evil spellcaster which will add further weight to our word."

In response to Shade's itinerary, Elektra politely says with a smile, "I believe Lord Mortton is correct.  We should attend to the business with the Sun Temple promptly, especially given what could be at stake for us all assembled, as well as the entire city."

"Any undue delays might allow the corrupt anti-life entity we confronted and that cursed us to return and do more evil before the crypts can be restored and warded and this curse removed.  This is the highest priority since the timing very well could be critical," the minister adds.

"Thereafter, the Bone Armor, three silver Amulets of Yeenoghu, and the three-headed unholy flail should all be immediately turned in for the bounty at the Khenrian Church since they are of an evil nature and, thus, a high priority to dispose of properly," the Elementalist adds in a sincere tone.   

"Basically, all remains to be checked out are the two magical torches, a trio of daggers, some boots and a few articles of repaired high-quality clothing.  Perhaps Harm Mortton could have them appraised and then we can decide what to keep and what to sell when we return from speaking with the various church officials," Elektra offers in order to save some time.

"And, if you want, we can always take the magical torches with us and perhaps either learn about them ourselves, or perhaps someone at one of the temples can tell us more about them as we conduct our other business, or we might even find someone in town who can routinely perform such a service for us, that is, if would prefer not to leave them behind with Lord Mortton to identify and appraise," the Dwarven cleric concludes.
 

Continuing Effects:  None

When the requested lighting arrives, Jessie presses against the far wall of the hallway and slowly and quietly sneaks ten feet forward into the shadows using the darkness to try and hide while straining her sharp eyes and keen halfling hearing to detect any movement or anything unusual in the passageway ahead.

Holding her fancy bow in hand loaded with a razor-sharp arrow, the diminutive rogue readies an action to ambush any foes who present themselves forward as the rest of the party make their way through the tight crack into the larger cavern beyond.  

After listening at the crack in the wall for a moment, Jessie turns and whispers to her colleagues, "There's no trap.  The kobolds are fleeing.  I can hear them running, most likely to alert their tribe.  It's also dark in there.  We're going to need a light and, no, I don't speak their chattering lingo," she adds.

"I'm going to step just inside the hole and hide.  That way I can provide cover fire for anyone coming in.  If something changes, let me know by merely calling out, 'Come out,' and I will," the tiny halfling rogue adds with a smile.

If no one has any other thoughts, suggestions or objections, then the diminutive burglar will quietly slip through the crack in the wall and, using the light flowing through the fissure from the party's light sources, Jessie finds a good place to hide.

Once in place, the small sneak will set up an ambush by drawing her fancy bow and nocking a small razor sharp arrow before using her sharp Halfling eyes and keen ears to watch and listen for the sight or sound of movement or anything unusual in the tunnel whence the pair of kobolds fled.

QUICK STATS:  AC=18, Touch=12, FF=16 / HP=9/9 / Init=2 / Saves: Fort=3, Reflex=2, Will=5

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After the basic story is disclosed to the assembled officials, Sister Elektra adds a bit more detail saying in a polite and polished manner, "Before we arrived below, damage had been done to one or more of the ancient tombs of the dead, presumably by the foul caster we defeated."

"As requested, we did not touch any of these items or the crypts, but it seemed obvious that some mundane repairs will be necessitated by their incursion," the Dwarven lass adds.

"Futhermore, after the Old Watcher manifested, he speficically implored me to, and I quote, 'bring word to where they carry the sun and bid them to renew our wards of sleep and peace' in the crypts, including the expected 'religious singers' as well."

Continuing, the holy woman adds, "As you've heard, at the end of the battle we confronted an evil entity, which cursed us as a group before it swore revenge and escaped through the floor to only the gods know where."   

"If the City and Churches could see fit, my colleagues and I would greatly appreciate having curse removing prayers said over us, just to avoid problems in the future for everyone," she politely requests.

Finally, when the topic of selling the recovered loot arises, Elektra reminds her colleagues, "Remember, tomorrow morning I can pray for the expensive clothes to be 'mended' which, along with a colleague's prestidigitation magic, should greatly enhance their value with no extra expense to our group."
 

Continuing Effects:  None

When the pair of kobolds flee before Jessie can act, the halfling scowls knowing full well that the pair of foes are off to alert their kin.  Thinking to herself, the tiny rogue mentally muses, As Grandpa used to say, if there's two kobolds afoot then there's more than another dozen nearby, you can bet on that!

Nonetheless, the group was down here for a purpose.  Striding quickly forward as she whispers, Jessie says in a hushed tone, "You can bet it's a trap, but we either do what we can to do or we withdraw."  

If no one proposes another idea, strategy or solution, the diminutive pick pocket will step up to the hole and listen as she peeks inside looking for any traps guarding the entrance to what is likely the home location of the entire tribe.

After ensuring that there are no traps, Jessie still armed with her bow, quietly moves forward enough to peer down the tunnel where the pair of kobolds fled while using the edge of the entrance for partial hard cover, just in case.   

QUICK STATS:  AC=18, Touch=12, FF=16 / HP=9/9 / Init=2 / Saves: Fort=3, Reflex=2, Will=5

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As the eerie wind carries the response of the Old Watcher to Elektra's query complimenting the Dwarf and her colleagues for fulfilling their duty and thwarting the efforts of evil, the holy woman nods affirmatively and slightly smiles at the word her duty was successfully completed.

When the Old Watcher requests the holy woman to bring word to where they carry the sun and to bid them to renew the wards of sleep and peace in the crypts, Elektra merely echoes her reply as well saying, "It will be done as you have asked."

Elektra smiles when the guardian gives his blessing to offering her voice to the singers, but that grin turns into a slight frown when the Old Watcher says that that evil entity cursed the group before swearing its revenge upon us which the minister found disconcerting to say the least.

Continuing Effects:  None

After ensuring that there were no traps, Jessie arms herself with her bow as she begins to move with the rest of the party, the pickpocket having the idea of staying in the front of the group. 

However, after just taking a few steps, the diminutive halfling immediately halts her progress and holds up her tiny right hand to stop the rest of the group from moving forward.

Once again, the burglar strains her keen halfling hearing and then shakes her head in the affirmative before whispering, "I can definitely make out a low deep humming. A sort of consistent 'zzzzzz.' "

"The bees are close and I suggest we don't disturb them, if at all possible, after all a few small bees can defeat a powerful bear!"

"Can anyone put them to sleep, if necessary," the rogue asks innocently? 

"I've also heard that normal smoke can be used to subdue a bee colony as well, without harming them of course," she adds with a sincere smile. 

"I don't have a smoke stick or anything, but could make a homemade smoke torch I suppose," Jessie adds trying her best to be helpful as she thinks to herself, I pray to the gods they aren't the giant kind!

QUICK STATS:  AC=18, Touch=12, FF=16 / HP=9/9 / Init=2 / Saves: Fort=3, Reflex=2, Will=5

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Sister Elektra slowly recovers from being a mere mindless conduit of the gods as her eyes eventually roll back to their normal position before the Priestess' shoulders slump and her knees start to shake and buckle prompting the Dwarf to reach out for the assistance of her long-time friend, Sarai, to provide the support needed to keep the holy woman from collapsing on to the floor.   

Wordlessly thanking the gray elf for her help and her bit of elven humor with a weary smile, the cleric slowly regains her bearings and is final able to support her massive bulk on her short stubby stout legs. 

Shaking her head at Harlan's predictable response, the Dwarven minister croaks out, "Yes, Old Watcher.  You will provide us with honorable service if you can tell us how we can help to renew you and, if appropriate, restore you as guardian of these ancient tombs."

"Also, before you manifested to me in the winds of earth, air, water and fire," the Elementalist says to the Old Watcher, "A foul, evil, dark presence revealed itself to us right here in this chamber, then disappeared into the floor and was gone."

"What can you tell us about such an unholy abomination and possibly its purpose and plan," Sister Elektra says a bit louder as her voice returns to nearly normal following a sip of water from her skin?  But one thing is certain, her head feels like she drank her body weight in poor quality, yet overly stout ale the night before which, given her known proclivity for imbibing, is saying something!

Continuing Effects:  None

Even though the diminutive halfling is rarely opposed to a meal, snack or mere 'hold-me-over,' nonetheless Jessie is surprised when her colleagues break out food in the middle of the ruins when the perimeter is far from secure and 'beasties' seem to be about.

However, the tiny rogue is shocked when Kethra starts feeding some unknown creature lurking in the oak tree, but trusts the 'Tall-ies' to know what they are doing and returns her attention back to the make-shift watch.
 
Shaking her head in wonderment at the strange sight, the heister turns to face Rodin when he walkls over and motions for their colleagues to join and continues to listen behind her and occaisionally glance back over her shoulder as the Ranger explains what is going on.

Helping sounds fun, so Jessie smiles and nods enthusiasctically when Rodin suggests she lead the expedition to roust the 'honey-grabbers.'  Even though she had a burning desire to investigate the mystery of the tree, instead Jessie moves out with her companions.

Being an adept tumbler, the small halfling 'shimmies' down the slope of the sinkhole.  Joining her companions at the entrance, Jessie quickly and quietly checks for traps, even though she does not expect to find anything around the hole in the ground at the bottom of the sinkhole.  

QUICK STATS:  AC=18, Touch=12, FF=16 / HP=9/9 / Init=2 / Saves: Fort=3, Reflex=2, Will=5

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Something was amiss with her magical detection spell.  Elektra could sense the difference as soon as she had finished the casting as powers from beyond her ken began to completely overwhelm the holy elementalist. 

With her eyes rolling back into her head and showing only as white orbs, the priestess is lost in the unexpected, bizarre experience which presumably is brought about by the intersection of so many powerful forces here in this alter room.

Her perception of the world was spinning, but eventually some spark of divine clarity brought parts of what she was experiencing into selected focus.  The rest was, well......, well......, indescribable! 

However, it was through Sister Elektra's connection to the earth, that she could feel the unquiet currents of the dead as they seem to linger on the cusp of awakening,.....restless,......roused from their sleep.  

Eventually, the holy woman's affinity to fire allowed the elementalist to sense the lingering presence of the one she sought, her divinely empowered vision beyond physical sight allowing Elektra to 'see' the Guardian, drawing him against an outline of sheer inky black darkness.

The Old Watcher looks like the two great guards that are depicted upon the walls, but where the former are detailed and stout this poor fellow is faint and weak. He leans on his shield and breathes heavily. His weapon is sheathed, and both arms hold onto the tower shield for support.  "My gratitude, priestess," whispers a faint raspy wind into Elektra's ear. 

Even though the Dwarven Priestess is merely a novice in the religious world and holy hierarchy, nonetheless Sister Elektra was chosen by the gods to channel their power and empower her abilities through faith and prayer.  This drove the holy woman to attempt the unthinkable.  

Already in the hands of the gods, the holy elementalist prayed aloud in an extraordinarily powerful voice, "May the gods use me this day as their holy conduit and reverent instrument to channel raw divine power into the Abyss and empower the Old Watcher to manifest!"

Suddenly, the large muscular Dwarven Priestess is forcefully and quickly spun in a direction facing away from the party and directly toward the warm spot she had detected earlier, locking on it like a compass needle pointing true North. 

Next, Sister Elektra begins to shudder as a fusion of extraordinary amounts of divine dynamism, earthen energy, airy vitality, watery power and fiery force suddenly course through her now 'seemingly frail body,' and gouts of pure white-hot fire savagely erupt from the ends of her extended fingertips!

Continuing Effects:  None

Since Jessie has not detected the sight or sound of movement or anything unusual in the rest of the ruined fortress, the rogue slightly relaxes the tension on her bow string figuring if an ambush was set up then she would have noticed something out of place by now.

As the tiny girl's colleagues begin to enter the aged structure and Rodin continues to have what seems to be a friendly conversation with someone or something, Ms. Tosscobble III takes a final gander at the rest of the ruins before quietly withdrawing into the ruined tower with everyone else.

When Jessie enters the tower housing the oak tree, she again momentarily tries to see what or who Rodin is talking to in the ruined tower. 

But, after a brief glance the diminutive burglar once again moves to use the edge of the doorway as partial cover while she keeps watch on the rest of the fortress, after all 'Better safe than tall' as grandma always used to say!

When Rodin begins talking to someone or something in the ruined tower which the halfling was guarding, Jessie strains her senses to try and see or hear the location and nature of the individual or creature whom the ranger has noticed near or in the Oak tree nearby.

If the rogue is unable to discern any relevant information, she will instinctively step back into the shadows to hide and refocus her watch away from the Oak tree and instead at the rest of the fortress in case what is unfolding is the beginning of a trap or ambush.

With her fancy short bow in hand, the rogue has a wicked looking razor-sharp metal tipped arrow nocked and at the ready to loose as a sneak attack on anything or anyone that threatens her or her friends and colleagues from her place of hiding. 

QUICK STATS:  AC=18, Touch=12, FF=16 / HP=9/9 / Init=2 / Saves: Fort=3, Reflex=2, Will=5

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When the hexagon seems to expel an evil entity which is dark corruption beyond the Dwarven Priestess' experience and comprehension, the likes of which she has never seen before and which causes her to experience a sudden shudder from head to toe as waves of ice-cold goosebumps ripple up her back.

As her nerves slowly calm, the holy woman contemplates what they were told, what they've experienced and what she learned over the years and then says, "Unless anyone objects or plans to do so instead, I am going to cast a magical detection spell and concentrate my efforts on the warm spot which I detected during my prayers."

Continuing, Elektra adds, "I am hoping and praying that this particular location has something to do with the lost Old Watcher and might, if the gods grant me luck, reveal a way to find, communicate with or even possibly help the missing warden of these graves and tombs."  Assuming no one stops her, the priestess will cast Detect Magic and then concentrate on the warm spot to learn all she can about this particular area of the room.

Continuing Effects:  None