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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tikigod" data-source="post: 4562540" data-attributes="member: 75310">So the time has finally come to open the doors to the dread temple. The double doors had been the destination of the squawking clay scout. The party is convinced that Kalarel conducts his unholy rites behind these double doors. Ern, as brash as always, tosses open the doors. A horrifying scene lies before them. Within the ruined temple complex are four crystal pillars giving off a fitful turquoise glow. A huge statue of Orcus stands on a broken dais. Streams of blood pour from the statue’s eyes. The red liquid forms two separate vile rivers that pour into a hole in the middle of the room. A thick coppery smell intermingles with foul incense. Four chains drop from the hole into the darkness below. A terrible chanting burbles up from the hole.     Near the unholy statue is a sweating man dressed in black vestments and wearing a goat skull on his shaven head. In front of the pit are two zealous worshippers. Their eyes roll in their sockets. Foam gathers at the corner of their mouths and their scarred hands jerkily grasp massive battle axes. Also throughout the temple are gaunt men with crimson eyes and bloody claws. The last member of the evil congregation is a dark creeper.     “Waterflesh!” the priest yells, “You shall never stop Master Kalarel’s ritual! Attack them!”     The berserkers move forward to block access into the greater area of the temple. The vampire spawn and the dark creeper begin to move to the side rooms to flank the party. Nex casts Sleep. The priest succumbs to the magical slumber but his berserkers shake off the attack. The wizard then moves back to help Scranton on their left flank. The dark creeper melds into the shadows reappearing behind the half-elf and backstabbing him. Scranton decides to ignore his attacker. He tumbles to a vampire spawn and puts it out of commission. Morthos sets up a Bastion of Defense and Ern continues to press his attack against a berserker.     Nex burns several vampiric spawn with a Scorching Burst and darts back to the relative safety of the front-line fighters. The minions from the right flank move to melee with the spell slinging wizard. Scranton faces off solo against the dark creeper, but the foe’s teleporting attacks are too much for the rogue. With a Nimble Strike, he disengages and joins his mates. Nex Thunderwaves the approaching spawn.      The death of one of the berserkers awakens the dark priest from his sleep. The other fanatic engages both Ern and Morthos. The priest assaults the tiefling warlord with surges of necrotic energy. The dark creeper circles back around to flank Ern. Morthos falls to the priest’s continuous attacks. Scranton surges forward and with a series of tricking feints drives the wounded berserker into the pit. The evil warrior’s scream ends with a wet thud. The chanting from below suddenly ceases. An unnerving silence is punctuated only by the heavy breath of combat and the clash of weapons. Then a single horrid, hoarse laugh drifts up from below and the chanting begins again.     Nex’s Force Orb spells death for the dark creeper. Ern and Scranton chase down Orcus’ underpriest. The tiefling continues to edge closer to death. With quick desperation, the Heroes finish off the priest and are able to rescue Morthos from the brink of expiration. Ern smashes the degenerate statue of the Undead Lord. Nex throws the hobgoblin heads down the pit.      The hoarse voice is heard over the chanting, “Thank you for their heads. Death is welcome in this place!”</blockquote>

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