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<blockquote data-quote="Insight" data-source="post: 3865010" data-attributes="member: 11437">Fahmor and his retinue escort Na'al al-Hasen and the heroes into the Temple of the Eternal Sun.&nbsp; The Temple is a large step pyramid structure, with gardens and statuaries forming a semi circle in the promenade leading up to the grand temple entrance.Once inside the temple, you marvel at the immense grand worship chamber.&nbsp; The room, lit by hundreds of small candles, must reach 35ft in height and is a good 55ft on all four sides.&nbsp; In the center, stairs rise to a large stone platform, upon which is a single black altar.&nbsp; At the altar, a pair of white-robed priests watch you enter.While you marvel at the grand worship chamber, the deceased form of Isphet the Moneylender is taken by litter into an adjoining chamber.A tall, gray-bearded priest wearing white and gold robes approaches the group.&nbsp; &quot;Good day, gentle folk,&quot; he says.&nbsp; &quot;I am Taliq ibn Akhwan.&nbsp; Welcome to the Temple of the Eternal Sun.&quot;&nbsp; He looks to Na'al al-Hasen.&nbsp; &quot;Ahh, al-Hasen,&quot; he continues.&nbsp; &quot;I see you have returned.&nbsp; What is your business here?&quot;&quot;Grand Master,&quot; Na'al says, bowing in the tall priest's direction.&nbsp; &quot;May the light of Arden shine greatly upon you.&quot; the blind priest rises again.&quot;Dispense with the pleasantries and gentrification, al-Hasen,&quot; Akhwan commands.&nbsp; &quot;You know that it is not easy for me to allow you back into the Temple, so let us make this visit as short as possible.&quot;&nbsp; He looks at the heroes.&nbsp; &quot;Who are these men that would enter the Temple with unbonded weapons?&nbsp; Friends of yours?&quot;al-Hasen nervously looks at the heroes' equipment.&nbsp; &quot;My apologies, Grand Master,&quot; he replies.&nbsp; &quot;I did not realize... I will rectify the matter at once.&quot;Akhwan raises a hand to al-Hasen.&nbsp; &quot;There is no need,&quot; he counters.&nbsp; &quot;You and your companions won't be staying.&quot;&nbsp; Akhwan looks to Fahmor, who has thus far been silent.&nbsp; &quot;Fahmor, you may take your leave of us.&nbsp; I'll handle this matter from here.&quot;Fahmor leaves, heading into the antechamber where Isphet was taken.&quot;Now that Fahmor is gone,&quot; Akhwan says, &quot;I can speak freely.&quot;&nbsp; He takes Na'al al-Hasen along with him deeper into the Temple.[OOC: The heroes can follow along and ask questions if they wish.]&quot;I thank you for seeing me, Grand Master,&quot; al-Hasen says as they walk.&nbsp; &quot;The Crimson Curse has been much on my mind of late.&quot;&quot;And mine, al-Hasen,&quot; Akhwan replies.&nbsp; &quot;I am pained to think what has happened to fair Majoor.&nbsp; Any news on finding the Chalice of Arden?&nbsp; You know what I am on your side, even if many of my colleagues are not.&quot;&quot;I appreciate that, Grand Master,&quot; al-Hasen says.&nbsp; &quot;I am convinced more than ever that the Ophidian Hand was behind the ambush.&nbsp; In fact, I believe they are in possession of the Chalice of Arden now.&quot;Akhwan stops and turns to al-Hasen.&nbsp; &quot;I suppose you're right,&quot; he says.&nbsp; &quot;What do you propose to do about it?&nbsp; We know very little about this Ophidian Hand.&nbsp; They could have taken the Chalice of Arden just about anywhere, assuming they are still in possession of it.&quot;&quot;I considered the possibility that the Hand may have sold the Chalice, but I feel that if indeed they are behind the Crimson Curse, it is highly unlikely they would part with it, given the trouble they went through to ambush me and steal the Chalice in the first place.&quot;Akhwan looks at the heroes.&nbsp; &quot;And your companions?&nbsp; What is their part in this?&quot;&quot;They saved me from an attack,&quot; al-Hasen replies.&nbsp; &quot;I owe them much.&quot;&quot;What do you know of this Ophidian Hand?&nbsp; Have you fought them before?&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Insight, post: 3865010, member: 11437"] Fahmor and his retinue escort Na'al al-Hasen and the heroes into the Temple of the Eternal Sun. The Temple is a large step pyramid structure, with gardens and statuaries forming a semi circle in the promenade leading up to the grand temple entrance. Once inside the temple, you marvel at the immense grand worship chamber. The room, lit by hundreds of small candles, must reach 35ft in height and is a good 55ft on all four sides. In the center, stairs rise to a large stone platform, upon which is a single black altar. At the altar, a pair of white-robed priests watch you enter. While you marvel at the grand worship chamber, the deceased form of Isphet the Moneylender is taken by litter into an adjoining chamber. A tall, gray-bearded priest wearing white and gold robes approaches the group. [color=lightblue]"Good day, gentle folk,"[/color] he says. [color=lightblue]"I am Taliq ibn Akhwan. Welcome to the Temple of the Eternal Sun."[/color] He looks to Na'al al-Hasen. [color=lightblue]"Ahh, al-Hasen,"[/color] he continues. [color=lightblue]"I see you have returned. What is your business here?"[/color] [color=royalblue]"Grand Master,"[/color] Na'al says, bowing in the tall priest's direction. [color=royalblue]"May the light of Arden shine greatly upon you."[/color] the blind priest rises again. [color=lightblue]"Dispense with the pleasantries and gentrification, al-Hasen,"[/color] Akhwan commands. [color=lightblue]"You know that it is not easy for me to allow you back into the Temple, so let us make this visit as short as possible."[/color] He looks at the heroes. [color=lightblue]"Who are these men that would enter the Temple with unbonded weapons? Friends of yours?"[/color] al-Hasen nervously looks at the heroes' equipment. [color=royalblue]"My apologies, Grand Master,"[/color] he replies. [color=royalblue]"I did not realize... I will rectify the matter at once."[/color] Akhwan raises a hand to al-Hasen. [color=lightblue]"There is no need,"[/color] he counters. [color=lightblue]"You and your companions won't be staying."[/color] Akhwan looks to Fahmor, who has thus far been silent. [color=lightblue]"Fahmor, you may take your leave of us. I'll handle this matter from here."[/color] Fahmor leaves, heading into the antechamber where Isphet was taken. [color=lightblue]"Now that Fahmor is gone,"[/color] Akhwan says, [color=lightblue]"I can speak freely."[/color] He takes Na'al al-Hasen along with him deeper into the Temple. [OOC: The heroes can follow along and ask questions if they wish.] [color=royalblue]"I thank you for seeing me, Grand Master,"[/color] al-Hasen says as they walk. [color=royalblue]"The [/color][color=red]Crimson Curse[/color][color=royalblue] has been much on my mind of late."[/color] [color=lightblue]"And mine, al-Hasen,"[/color] Akhwan replies. [color=lightblue]"I am pained to think what has happened to fair Majoor. Any news on finding the [/color][color=gold]Chalice of Arden[/color][color=lightblue]? You know what I am on your side, even if many of my colleagues are not."[/color] [color=royalblue]"I appreciate that, Grand Master,"[/color] al-Hasen says. [color=royalblue]"I am convinced more than ever that the [/color][color=slategray]Ophidian Hand[/color][color=royalblue] was behind the ambush. In fact, I believe they are in possession of the [/color][color=gold]Chalice of Arden[/color][color=royalblue] now."[/color] Akhwan stops and turns to al-Hasen. [color=lightblue]"I suppose you're right,"[/color] he says. [color=lightblue]"What do you propose to do about it? We know very little about this [/color][color=slategray]Ophidian Hand[/color][color=lightblue]. They could have taken the [/color][color=gold]Chalice of Arden[/color][color=lightblue] just about anywhere, assuming they are still in possession of it."[/color] [color=royalblue]"I considered the possibility that the [/color][color=slategray]Hand[/color][color=royalblue] may have sold the [/color][color=gold]Chalice[/color][color=royalblue], but I feel that if indeed they are behind the [/color][color=red]Crimson Curse[/color][color=royalblue], it is highly unlikely they would part with it, given the trouble they went through to ambush me and steal the [/color][color=gold]Chalice[/color][color=royalblue] in the first place."[/color] Akhwan looks at the heroes. [color=lightblue]"And your companions? What is their part in this?"[/color] [color=royalblue]"They saved me from an attack,"[/color] al-Hasen replies. [color=royalblue]"I owe them much."[/color] [color=lightblue]"What do you know of this [/color][color=slategray]Ophidian Hand[/color][color=lightblue]? Have you fought them before?"[/color] [/QUOTE]

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