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<blockquote data-quote="drnuncheon" data-source="post: 762250" data-attributes="member: 96">Session Twenty-Three, Part One: Beneath the TempleThe main room was much the same as before, although the horde of cannibals screaming for their blood had been replaced with piles of the rotting dead, stinking and festering in the tropical heat.&nbsp; Di'Fier tried not to breathe as he stepped over a body that crawled with maggots.&nbsp; He passed the central firepit, where a flame still burned.&nbsp; You'd think it'd have burned down by now, he thought, trying to remember the positions of the bodies when they left.&quot;I think there's something about this face,&quot; Dru muttered as she examined the enormous stone effigy that dominated the rear of the temple.&nbsp; &quot;Look how deep the eyes are.&nbsp; Like there's something behind it.&quot;&nbsp; Her gaze moved over the stonework, settling on a third hole between the other two.&nbsp; &quot;But what's this...?&quot;Di'Fier saw the cloud of dust sprayed from the hole, and dove backward as quickly as he could.&nbsp; He could see Shesara do the same, as Dru and Benares stood in confusion for the split-second before the dust hit the flames - and exploded.Coughing as the smoke cleared, Dru swore, smothering the sparks in her hair with her hands as she stumbled to join Di'Fie rand Shesara.&nbsp; &quot;Damn it!&nbsp; Why is it every time I get my hair to grow, it gets burned off!&quot;&quot;I think there's someone left alive,&quot; Di'Fier said. &quot;If that had been an automatic trap, the cannibals never would have lived here.&quot;Dru straightened, drawing her rapier.&nbsp; Her left hand reached out to run along the wall.&nbsp; &quot;You're right.&nbsp; There's a hidden door - I was just loking for it in the wrong place.&quot;&quot;Door?&nbsp; I think I'll make my own.&quot; Di'Fier pulled a crude candle and a tiny bag from his pouch, throwing them to the ground with an incantation.&nbsp; Once again, the strange wormlike creature answered his call, burrowing out of nowhere.&nbsp; It paused, then launched itself at the stone face, vanishing into a hole whose edges glowed red. A moment later, they heard the crashing of wood, and the screams began.&quot;Someone's trying to open the door,&quot; Dru said.&quot;Let them.&quot;Dru stepped back, blade at the ready, as the section of stone wall pivoted on unseen hinges.&nbsp; She could see flames in the room beyond as a lone figure stumbled out, burned and barely standing: a young girl, not more than ten years of age.Dru swore, clubbing the child across the back of the head and sending her to the ground.&nbsp; &quot;Di'Fier - is there anyone else in there?&quot;The mage stepped to the door. &quot;No.&quot; With an upraised hand, he dismissed the rockworm he had summoned.Dru held the last of her healing potions in her hand, studying the girl.&nbsp; She growled, pulling the stopper out with her teeth.&nbsp; &quot;Get me some rope,&quot; she told Shesara, as she trickled the precious liquid down the girl's throat.That should do it, she thought to herself as she looped the rope around her captive.&nbsp; Enough to keep her out of our way, but she should be able to get out if we don't come back.&nbsp; &quot;What's back there?&quot;Di'Fier surveyed the room. It was small, mostly barren. &quot;It looks like there used to be a platform behind the face,&quot; he reported.&nbsp; &quot;Although there's not much left of it after the thoquaa set it on fire.&nbsp; We'll have to wait for it to die down before we can get past.&quot; He coughed from the smoke. &quot;There's some kind of passage up there, though.&nbsp; And it looks like a trapdoor, going down.&nbsp; We can get to that.&quot;&quot;Smoke rises,&quot; Benares said. &quot;So perhaps down is the best idea at this point.&quot;&quot;Who's going first?&quot; asked Dru.&nbsp; &quot;And why are you all looking at me?&quot;<img src="http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> Dru looked up from the snake as it turned and slithered away.&nbsp; &quot;It's all right. They won't hurt us now.&quot;&nbsp; As the others began their descent, she surveyed the room.&nbsp; Lined with statues of long-forgotten priests, there seemed to be only one exit.&nbsp; Her eyes roamed over the room, settling on a pool of water in the rear corner. How did that get there?&nbsp; I almost looks like it's seeping through from somewhere.&quot;I think there's a secret door back here,&quot; she said, moving towards it.&nbsp; &quot;Anything they had to build a secret door to hide is probably worthwhile.&quot;&quot;Dru, are you sure that's-&quot; Benares began as Dru found the catch.&nbsp; The sudden wave of water from beyond the door knocked the elf from her feet as it crashed into the room.&nbsp; She shot to the surface, propelled by the ring, but the water spun amd moved below her, carrying her out into the corridor.&quot;Dru!&quot; shouted Di'Fier, clinging desperately to one of the statues.&nbsp; He pulled on the stone, trying to force himself towards the door and the water that poured from it.Benares braced himself against the water, taking one slow, cautious step after another.&nbsp; &quot;Close the door! I'm going after her!&quot; Another step - and an iron portcullis came crashing down in front of him, trapping the remaining three inside.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="drnuncheon, post: 762250, member: 96"] [b]Session Twenty-Three, Part One: Beneath the Temple[/b] The main room was much the same as before, although the horde of cannibals screaming for their blood had been replaced with piles of the rotting dead, stinking and festering in the tropical heat. Di'Fier tried not to breathe as he stepped over a body that crawled with maggots. He passed the central firepit, where a flame still burned. [i]You'd think it'd have burned down by now,[/i] he thought, trying to remember the positions of the bodies when they left. "I think there's something about this face," Dru muttered as she examined the enormous stone effigy that dominated the rear of the temple. "Look how deep the eyes are. Like there's something behind it." Her gaze moved over the stonework, settling on a third hole between the other two. "But what's this...?" Di'Fier saw the cloud of dust sprayed from the hole, and dove backward as quickly as he could. He could see Shesara do the same, as Dru and Benares stood in confusion for the split-second before the dust hit the flames - and exploded. Coughing as the smoke cleared, Dru swore, smothering the sparks in her hair with her hands as she stumbled to join Di'Fie rand Shesara. "Damn it! Why is it every time I get my hair to grow, it gets [i]burned off![/i]" "I think there's someone left alive," Di'Fier said. "If that had been an automatic trap, the cannibals never would have lived here." Dru straightened, drawing her rapier. Her left hand reached out to run along the wall. "You're right. There's a hidden door - I was just loking for it in the wrong place." "Door? I think I'll make my own." Di'Fier pulled a crude candle and a tiny bag from his pouch, throwing them to the ground with an incantation. Once again, the strange wormlike creature answered his call, burrowing out of nowhere. It paused, then launched itself at the stone face, vanishing into a hole whose edges glowed red. A moment later, they heard the crashing of wood, and the screams began. "Someone's trying to open the door," Dru said. "Let them." Dru stepped back, blade at the ready, as the section of stone wall pivoted on unseen hinges. She could see flames in the room beyond as a lone figure stumbled out, burned and barely standing: a young girl, not more than ten years of age. Dru swore, clubbing the child across the back of the head and sending her to the ground. "Di'Fier - is there anyone else in there?" The mage stepped to the door. "No." With an upraised hand, he dismissed the rockworm he had summoned. Dru held the last of her healing potions in her hand, studying the girl. She growled, pulling the stopper out with her teeth. "Get me some rope," she told Shesara, as she trickled the precious liquid down the girl's throat. [i]That should do it,[/i] she thought to herself as she looped the rope around her captive. [i]Enough to keep her out of our way, but she should be able to get out if we don't come back.[/i] "What's back there?" Di'Fier surveyed the room. It was small, mostly barren. "It looks like there used to be a platform behind the face," he reported. "Although there's not much left of it after the thoquaa set it on fire. We'll have to wait for it to die down before we can get past." He coughed from the smoke. "There's some kind of passage up there, though. And it looks like a trapdoor, going down. We can get to that." "Smoke rises," Benares said. "So perhaps down is the best idea at this point." "Who's going first?" asked Dru. "And why are you all looking at me?" [img]http://www.io.com/~jeffj/b2sep.gif[/img] Dru looked up from the snake as it turned and slithered away. "It's all right. They won't hurt us now." As the others began their descent, she surveyed the room. Lined with statues of long-forgotten priests, there seemed to be only one exit. Her eyes roamed over the room, settling on a pool of water in the rear corner. [i]How did that get there? I almost looks like it's seeping through from somewhere.[/i] "I think there's a secret door back here," she said, moving towards it. "Anything they had to build a secret door to hide is probably worthwhile." "Dru, are you sure that's-" Benares began as Dru found the catch. The sudden wave of water from beyond the door knocked the elf from her feet as it crashed into the room. She shot to the surface, propelled by the ring, but the water spun amd moved below her, carrying her out into the corridor. "Dru!" shouted Di'Fier, clinging desperately to one of the statues. He pulled on the stone, trying to force himself towards the door and the water that poured from it. Benares braced himself against the water, taking one slow, cautious step after another. "Close the door! I'm going after her!" Another step - and an iron portcullis came crashing down in front of him, trapping the remaining three inside. [/QUOTE]

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