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Message: <blockquote data-quote="not-so-newguy" data-source="post: 9855027" data-attributes="member: 6786140"><h2 style="text-align: center">Vilnius and Dark Entities: Amber Temple #2</h2><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11447a_8ee8f500ceeb40fbba4ac1c633ed0328~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_424,h_590,al_c,lg_1,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/11447a_8ee8f500ceeb40fbba4ac1c633ed0328~mv2.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11447a_caa8115d59b14c62865e5d59fec92553~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_810,h_533,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/11447a_caa8115d59b14c62865e5d59fec92553~mv2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Previously: Sleeps scouted the eastern half of the Temple’s upper floor. There was a 40-foot-tall statue in the northern part of the temple flinging fireballs at him. He ran into some Flaming Skulls and an Amber Golem. They smashed the Flaming Skull guardians, but the Golem was still in the northeast.All the party rushed to the east, past the gargantuan sized statue, and managed to get into the eastern annex suffering little damage.The Gang explored an old barracks to the south, then they found a secret door. The secret door led to a guard post with the remains of a dead wizard in the corner. They found a Wand of Secret Door Detection.X3 Empty BarracksThe Gang was back in the empty barracks, poking around some old broken furniture, when they heard a booming voice calling out in Abyssal. It came from X5 Temple of Lost Secrets.<a href="http://secrets.no/" target="_blank"> No</a> one in the Gang could speak the language, but Kasimir understood it."Hey idiots! Be sure to stay near the arrow slits, they'll be coming across the balcony again soon!" It sounded like a superior chewing out subordinates.Then they heard the steps of the Amber Golem coming their way. The Golem appeared; they fought it and smashed it to pieces.X6 Southeast AnnexThe Gang decided to move north from here, pass through X8 Upper East Hall, and regroup at X10 Northeast Annex.Rambo decided to backtrack and explore what was behind the eastern door in the hall.X9 Lecture HallThis chamber was brightly lit by red copper lanthorns that hung from the ceiling. The walls were sheathed in amber that had been shaped into bas-reliefs of wizards with spellbooks. Stairs to the north and south descended twenty feet to an obsidian lectern, behind which a slab of black slate (a blackboard) hung from chains. Between the stairs were descending rows of red marble benches.<img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11447a_d854bc3559b14d73994c0faf11511dc6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_437,h_1085,al_c,lg_1,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/11447a_d854bc3559b14d73994c0faf11511dc6~mv2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Rambo explored the long-abandoned lecture hall. He found someone hiding behind the obsidian lectern. It was a fireball-singed wizard who was relieved that Rambo wasn’t one of the Temple’s many guardians.Vilnius wore scorched robes, his unkempt hair was half burned away, and his face and arms were covered with blisters from magic fire. He had been the apprentice of Jakarion, who had been recently killed.After the flame skulls to west incinerated his master, the wounded Vilnius retreated here. The amber golem had been patrolling the hallway outside (area X8). After finding out that the party destroyed this golem, he agreed to join the party.When asked how he and his master arrived at the Temple, Vilnius answered that they had joined a small group of Kavani who knew a secret entrance to the Amber Temple. The Kavani make a pilgrimage to the Temple and spend the night there as some sort of rite of passage. The Gang had never heard of the Kavani until now.According to Vilnius, they’re nothing more than ignorant teenagers who are little help in a fight. When the flame skulls attacked, they fled and hid. They might still be in X15 Southwest Annex or may have fled the Temple completely; the mage was unsure.X10. Northeast AnnexThe walls and ceiling in the eastern portion of this bare stone room had collapsed. To the west and south there were open amber doors.The Gang plus Kasimir and Vilnius regrouped here.Elyrion decided to scout ahead through the west doors. Vilnius casted Greater Invisibility on Elyrion and the rogue sheathed his Sun Sword and snuck through the doors, which led to X5 Temple of Lost SecretsUsing the dim light of Rambo’s torch, Elyrion’s Darkvision allowed him to see where he was going.X5 Temple of Lost SecretsFour black marble columns supported the vaulted ceiling of the temple, at the north end of which stood a forty-foot-tall statue of a cowled figure in flowing robes. The statue's stony hands were outstretched as if in the midst of casting a spell. Its face was a void of utter blackness. The ominous statue stood between two black marble balconies, one of which had partially collapsed and fallen on the temple's black marble floor, in front of an open doorway. The walls of the temple were sheathed in amber, and the doors that led from it were made of amber as well.Elyrion entered the huge room from the east on top of the northeast black marble balcony and quickly exited through the doors in the north.X12. East ShrineThis bare stone room consisted of a foyer to the west and a shrine to the east. Four candlesticks lay on the dusty floor of the foyer. In the shrine, fragments of a shattered obsidian statue were scattered in a raised alcove at the eastern end of the chamber. Two pairs of empty alcoves lined the north and south walls of the shrine.Elyrion shut the doors behind him, unsheathed his Sun Sword, and explored the room. He used to wand to Detect Secret Doors and found one in the northeast wall. Maintaining full cover, he whispered across the platform to the rest of the Gang, who also had full cover. The Elf told them of the secret door.The rest of the Gang decided to rush across the platform to where Elyrion waited. Meanwhile, Sleeps would be bait for the fireball that was sure to come from the gargantuan statue. He planned to rush across X4 The Overlook and try to open the door to X15 Southwest.<img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11447a_b8ef7c2a46464194af0d62e370261c7d~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_438,h_495,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/11447a_b8ef7c2a46464194af0d62e370261c7d~mv2.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable fr-fil" data-size="" style="" />Sleeps rushed across the balcony catching the attention of the 3 Flamin Skulls in the western hall. The gargantuan statue and the skulls fired Magic Missiles and he took some damage. Okay, no big deal. He'll get through the door with only a flesh wound. He tried to push open the door, but it was wedged shut."Fiddlesticks."Only he didn't say fiddlesticks.He had no choice but to rush back. So, he did. Here came four more Magic Missile spells."Double fiddlesticks."Sleeps managed to sneak to X12 the East Shrine where the rest of the group waited. They opened the secret door and went down the stairs.X14. North StaircaseA dusty corridor headed north, then bent to the east, descending a dark staircase. The air was thin, but heavy with the stench of death.They went down the stairs.X14a. Collapsed Lower HallThe stairs descended to a collapsed hall with a high ceiling and amber-glazed walls. Rubble covered most of the floor, and a path through the rubble led to an open doorway. A deathly stench seemed to come from there.The Gang knew that something was on the other side of that open doorway and braced themselves. Rambo used his ability to detect undead, and it pinged. Apparently, there were undead clinging to the ceiling in the other room. That’s when the Gang decided to bicker with one another and they lost any potential for surprise.Seven Ghasts attacked the party who were out of formation. It should’ve been an easy fight, but the monsters managed to seriously injure Kasimir. The Gang eventually won. They explored the next room.X33c. Ghastly VaultThe amber door to this room hangs open, and the chamber reeks of death. This room has amber-glazed walls and a floor of dark green marble. Three amber sarcophagi stand in alcoves.After thoroughly exploring the room, the Gang discovered that the sarcophagi each contained an entity. A person could telepathically communicate with the entity by putting their hand on the sarcophagus. Each entity promised a gift if they’re allowed to touch the recipient’s soul.North Sarcophagus. The vestige within this sarcophagus offers the dark gift of Drizlash, the Nine-Eyed Spider.East Sarcophagus. The vestige within this sarcophagus offers the dark gift of Dahlver-Nar, He of the Many Teeth. Dahlver-Nar's gift is the power to live many lives.South Sarcophagus. The vestige within this sarcophagus offers the dark gift of Zantras, the Kingmaker. Zantras's gift is power that comes from great presence and force of personality.With Kasimir very low on HP and the rest of the group somewhat injured, they decided to take a Short Rest.END SESSION.</blockquote>

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