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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SHARK" data-source="post: 911624" data-attributes="member: 1131">Greetings!Log #3____________________________________________________The sound of the crashing waterfall roared in everyone's ears, and the light from the strange cavern glimmered luminously as Zerren peered into it. Inside, there were four priests leading a congregation in prayer before a huge, demonic altar. A group of twelve worshippers were gathered to each side of the altar, with a walkway going down the middle. Massive pillars lined the chamber, reaching to the ceiling high above. Beyond the altar, a majestic waterfall plunged over 60 feet down into a large pool. The chamber reeked of burning incense, and the cultists intoned eldritch chants to some demonic god.On the far side of the chamber, to the right of the altar, a young male elf lay stretched upon a stone slab, moaning. A robed priest forced his mouth open slowly with a pear, while a robed priestess standing nearby stroked a fat, writhing, purpleish-white worm-like creature, about six inches long, and several inches in diameter. Some ten feet to the left, a young male Urrgan was stretched upon an upright framed rack, and being whipped by a priest with a wicked, barbed scourge. Dark red streams of blood spattered as the priest layed into the Urrgan with the scourge, and the Urrgan screamed deleriously. Nearby, a stone brazier approximately four feet high nestled a bed of glowing coals, and warmed several iron tools and torture implements.The group watched in horror for a moment, before Malabar whispered harshly,"Zaratheena, Ghorn, Dharnu, Jazeera, go to the right. Rodrigo, Zerren, Nobben, Haldain, flank them along the left. The rest, follow me through the center! Archers, take aim, fire at will! Wizards! Stay in back, and fight where you can! Let's go!"With that, Malabar unsheathed his scimitar, and charged into the chamber, heading toward the rear of the distracted congregation. The rest of the group deployed as he bade them, with Katrina to his left, and Drallyn and Axel to his right.The group assaulted the congregation with good unit cohesion, with Zaratheena, Zerren, Haldain, and Jazzerrah acting as archers, firing their bows; Drallyn, Ghorn, Katrina, Doren, Axel,  and Malabar charging into melee; Nobben and Rodrigo sought opportunities to flank enemies from the shadows of the pillars, and Berrech, Ellandra, Kaelyn, and Darnu supporting the rest with targeted magic missiles, and focused healing spells as opportunity presented itself.Zaratheena fired an arrow that caught the priestess holding the worm-creature right in the throat, killing her instantly. Archery fire killed two more human cultists in rapid succession. Malabar led the assault through the center, and with flashing blades and cries to the gods, three more cultists died on their knees. Magic missiles streaked forward, and another cultist died as he tried to stand and raise the alarm.The Company of the Jade Hippo won initiative, and proceeded to raise the price of their surprise. The disoriented cultists were hammered hard, and lost four more of their number, before the priests at the altar began shouting commands, and the gathered cultists rose to defend themselves from the ferocious assault.Though taken by surprise, the evil cultists responded with skill. Six cultists grabbed their halberds, and charged Zaratheena and the others on the right flank. The other cultists grabbed their flails and battle-axes and moved to rush the flank of the attackers on the left flank. The priests at the head of the altar drew their heavy maces, and moved as a group towards the left flank as well. To the right, Darnu bit the head off of an attacker, and Zaratheena cut yet another cultist down with a well-placed arrow. Ghorn went berserk, and split two of the cultists in half with his halberd. The enemy attack on the right flank faltered, but counter-attacked desperately.To the left, Drallyn, Malabar, Doren, and Katrina all lost a fate point each under the enemy counter-attack. Still, Malabar led a pincher attack of his own, attacking the flank of the charging cultists, heading into the fray to the right flank.Rodrigo, Nobben, and Ellandra all lost fate points as the attackers coordinated a skilled assault. Haldain was charmed, and began attacking Kaelyn, wounding her severely. Drallyn and Zerren attacked and subdued Haldain in the next round, while Ghorn and Zaratheena slaughtered the remaining cultists on their flank.Axel confronted the greatest warrior of the cultists, and hammered him again and again with his heavy mace. The warrior struck Axel with heavy blows, knocking Axel to the ground. Axel had lost two fate points, but was determined. Rodrigo flanked the warrior, ripping into him with a well-placed strike to his back. As the warrior turned and hammered Rodrigo with his greatsword, Rodrigo retreated, heavily wounded. As he did so, Axel regained his strength, and crying out to Vallenar, the Vallorean god of Judgment and Vengeance, struck the evil warrior with a great blow of his mace! Blood rushed from his crushed shield-arm, and as he attempted to counter-attack, the slick blood caused him to lose his footing, and he faultered to one knee. Axel then swept his mace in for a crushing blow that hammered the warrior to the ground, dead, as his head was cracked open like a melon.Malabar and Katrina slaughtered two of the leading priests in a furious attack, and as they did so, Zerren and Zaratheena had proceeded to skewer the other two priests with arrows. The remaining cultists were slaughtered to the last man. In the ferocious combat, the two lead priests, and two additional cultists, all wounded severely, fled through side passages in retreat.Exhausted, the group rallied in the center to lick their wounds and to take stock of the situation. As they did so, the shackled and terrified Urrgan, named Garnor the Grey, and the elf, Aridor, were rescued from their terror and offered healing and comfort. Berrech ordered Zerren, Ghorn, Zarratheena, and Darnu to stand guard over the doorways leaving the chamber while the rest of the group recuperated and regrouped.The day was done, and the Company of the Jade Hippo had much to be proud of. In the massive demonic statue that loomed overhead, Rodrigo caught sight of the two huge gleaming rubies for eyes, and uncoiled his rope and climbing gear. The jewels would make a fine trophy indeed...____________________________________________________The group also carefully checked the gear of the dead cultists, and began to distribute various gear and equipment. A strong victory was achieved against the cultists of Demogorgon who have been leading a series of brigands in operations throughout the area.Semper Fidelis,SHARK</blockquote>

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