Endur's Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil

[Xael]

"I suppose we should go check the secret exit now, in case we have to use it in an emergency. If the cultists don't know about it, we won't have time to start looking for it if we need to make a hasty exit. The Dark Obelisk mentioned in the journal is probably where the cultists are excavating, and we should definetly check it out second. I think we can leave the purging of the catacombs to last. Any other opinions?", Lylamwyn says.

 

[Thanee]

Lenya

“Yes, I agree, let's first find the way out, but make sure, that the cultists do not find it, and then we can see what we can do about the rest of them. Everyone in Hommlet will be able to sleep better, if this threat is no more.”

 

[Endur]

The party goes down the passage towards Spugnoir's secret exit.

They find the corridor is blocked by a solid stone wall.

They search and can find no secret way past the stone wall.

Raner thinks the stone wall is of a different style of construction than the rest of the dungeon, using stone that isn't native to the Hommlet area, almost as if a wizard conjured the stone from some other location and placed it here to block this corridor.

 

[Xael]

"Well, we do have a scroll of Stone Shape that should be able to make a hole here if the wall isn't too thick. Should we try doing that? That would mean that the cultist could get out too, while we turn our backs. So do we go to look for the Obelisk?", Lylamwyn says while he tries to figure out if the wall is too thick for the spell to make a hole through it.

 

[Thanee]

Lenya

“I would prefer not to do that until we really want to take the way out.”

 

[Pyrex]

Raner Bluestone, -17hp (of 40)

Raner taps the stone with a hammer, starting at the edges and moving towards the center of the wall, trying to guess at its thickness.

OOC: Without having any ranks in the relevant skills I'm not expecting much, but I should be able to narrow it down to "inches" or "feet".

"So do you all think we should stay here and deal with the cultists or head back to town and let them know what is happening first?"

 

[Thanee]

Lenya

“While I would be more comfortable to head back, what I said yesterday just became even more probable. If we head out, the cultists will probably be gone, when we come back. And I'm not sure, that we really want that.”

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

"Well, an option does present itself, if the dragon is as unfriendly to the cultists as it is to us. We could leave, but set some visible object outside the exit to draw the dragon's attention to it after our departure; that way, if the cultists try to run, they'll only get as far as it wants them to."

 

[Thanee]

Lenya

“Good idea. And how do we get back in then? We would want to get back in, wouldn't we?”

 

[Seonaid]

Toriah looks confused. "Wha' d'ya mean, 'set some visible object'? How woul' we 'scape th' dragon an' set th' dummy?"