After regrouping from the battle with the beast and unliving we continued investigating the temple.  This first lower level has been ransacked and in complete disarray as if someone were looking for something.  Could be looters or something more sinister.

We did run into a new apparently more deadly adversary, one that dabbles in the dark magic.  They launch some type of magic energy similiar to an arrow but pure energy.  Bingo and I vanquished the first one fairly easily.  But what was very disturbing about this creature when cut it did not bleed.  What should have been blood was a black liquid.  Probably comes from the creatures practice of the dark arts.

!st lower level investigation completed now to go lower down below

After emerging from the portal we were immediately attacked by the beastmen.  Took out the first one but as Bingo entered the corridor another one charged and hit Bingo.  If not for quick footwork on my part to leap over the beast we all may have ended up on the ground at the mercy of this foul beast.

Unfortunately, this was not going to be the only beastmen we encountered here.  After rounding the corner I spotted another one of the Dark Ones, as I will refer to them going forward.  Could not allow this dark hideous creature to live so attacked.  Unknown to me at the time he had friends.

The party came together and vanquished the lot.  Not without some cuts and bruising.  Ajax was rendered unconceous as I watched one of the beastmen spears impale him.  Fortunately Akila was able to use his healing magics to prevent Ajax’s early demise.  However, this battle took it’s toll on everyone.

Bingo and I are bruised but feeling fine at the momment thanks to Ajax and Akila’s healing touch but the next encounter we may not be as fortunate as I can see in Akila’s eyes that he is weakened, he may not admit though.  Ajax is obviously hurting, sure I would be too if I had a spear stuck through my inards.

We will rest for a momment to catch our breath and regroup before ventring further into this foul place

Prelude:

We made it into the temple, unfortunately it was not a very warm welcome from the inhabitants. The beastmen and walking bones were a plenty. We were able to dispatch them. However we did suffer a few casualties. Had to yell at Akila as he left the child unprotected. I believe he understands the significance of saving the child now as we have yet to determine what role this child has at the temple.

Game Day thoughts:

Bingo and I took a tribal warrior and began investigating the rooms. We did find a few of the previous search party. They were alive yet had no life in their eyes. We had to give them what we hope is their final rest.

Ajax seemed upset and unsure the entire time we were in the temple. Still trying to get a feel for him but I do believe he can be trusted but I still do not want the child left alone with him. Akila seems to have accepted this charge.

We found a room with a few statues and an alter. It also appears there may have been more statues but they must have been destroyed. When Ajax saw them he kept rambling that they had a purpose but he could not remember what that purpose was. More riddles

Found more of the raiding party. They appeared just like the last group. They were walking as if alive but you could see it in their eyes that the fire just was not their. Have heard superstitions about people raising the dead but this is just not right. We did give them their final peace.

Found a rune tablet in the wall and Ajax appeared to finally remember something. Saying these are teleportation runes or something of that sort. It was on the wall and he said they usually have a paired one, whatever that means. After some more investigation we did discover one on the floor next to one on the wall. He had us stand on it and said something I do not understand and we were in another room.

Bingo and I each took one of the tribal warriors and began investigation the rooms while giving Akila the charge of protecting the child again. We found what appeared to be the last of the search party.

During our search, we happened to stumble onto more walking bones and beastmen. The beastmen appeared to be stealing and ransacking this place. Bingo surprised them and in his unique way pissed them off and took a few his direction. The bonemen were immediately on me and had to make quick work of them before I could go to his aid.

Unfortunately the beastmen charged and one of our warriors went down. The beastman charged past me heading towards Akila and Ajax’s party. They have 2 warriors so they should be able to handle that one. The remaining beastman ran past me down the hall, I can only guess he was trying to cut off Bingo. We can’t have this so I will leave Akila and Ajax to the one beastman and I will aid Bingo.

After coming around the corner I now see what mess Bingo has gotten himself into. He had them in front of him and behind him so I will even the odds a little and immediately dispatched the one to give him a little breathing room. We did make a good fighting team as with him distracting the beastmen, he dropped to the floor and I was able to come in and slice through them all.

There was blood everywhere but fortunately very little was ours. Saw that Akila had protected the child but his party looked a little light and realized we had lost 3 more warriors in this fight. A tough loss but the child still lives

Ajax had an epiphany and suddenly remembered some things about the temple and the statues. he was saying the statues are the guardians so we took the portal back to the alter rooms where he recited a few words and the statues came to life. I do not understand what just happened but I believe we need to be even more on our guard

Akila was able to see to the wounded and we will rest a little and recoup as we try to find out what the beastmen were doing here. We survived this battle but we need to be more careful next time.

Everyone did their jobs well. Ajax was able to remember how to get access to the guardians. Akila protected the child and offered his healing and saved those that were saveable. And Bingo, well he was Bingo.

As we ventured forth to the village of our destiny, we spyed a relatively large group of creatures. They gathered in such a large group that they could have been an army of some type. For our safety’s sake as well as our success in our mission depends on our survival we opted to circle around this army.

Unfortunately, we were not able to completely avoid all of them as we ran into a small group of creatures that was not at all pleased to see us. the smaller creatures looked to be the keepers of the very large nasty abonations that wanted to destroy us. We were not going to have any of that on this day. We fought as one and quickly dispatched these creatures.

Unfortunately, this was not going to be the last of our run ins with these beasties. Akila had spotted a helpless child and used his flying ability to rescue the child and keep it out of harms way. It was refreshing to see him use one of the gifts that the gods has given him to his advantage. With this distraction, Bingo and I were able to destroy the additional hunting party and finally the ones tormenting the child.

After leaving the feast we ventured forth as directed by the elders but due to nature’s wrath, we were forced into a cave to avoid a major sandstorm.

 Upon entering we were approached by a spirit of the desert requesting our assistance.  I am guessing this is part of our journey.  Somehow we were expected.  I do not yet understand but have learned that the spirits have many plans for us.

 After hearing the spirits please, we ventured into the depths of the lands.  While the others were just sitting and wiating, I felt drawn towards the door.  As I entered, I was set upon by some strange armor.  The armor without bodies attacked me.

 Aquilla and Bingo came to join in the fray shortly after it began.  The both have different fighting techniques which I will observe over time. 

 Aquilla tends to fight using trickery.  He does not appear to like to face his enemy head on.  Is understandable as he is not very large and has wings.  I would think fighting with those things would get difficult but he appears to have taken what the gods have given him and addapted.

Bingo is another story.  I do not understand him.  He is not like any other Sol Kal I have ever met.  He does not appear to be a warrior because of the strange ways he fights.  But he appears to be a handy fighter when provoked.  It was interesting to see how he took a simple torch and made use of it to dispatch the armor.

After killing off the armor, not sure if killing is a good term, I took my just rewards from the armor creature.  It was an amulet of some type.  Bingo seemed like a fish attracted to the shiney things as he rumaged through the remaining armor piles.

 Having had enough of this room, I decided to venture forth and see what the spirit had in store for us.  As I entered the door, the strange feeling came again and I was suddenly face to face with 3 beasts.  They were large and have horns.  The one in the middle was larger than the other 2 and I knew that I had found an opponent worthy of me.  I let out a battle cry and charged.

 I used all the power I could muster and threw my spear at the larger beast.  I hit it with such force that it knocked him back and impaled him on the wall.  To my surprise he let out a scream and just simply pulled himself off the spear.  I knew this was the one.

The others entered the room shortly after I impaled what I thought was the leader and a great battle ensued.  We all fought together very valiantly.  It was very nice to see how quickly we were able to come together.  Especially since Mykal had not been with us during the long walk here.

Bingo fought hard as before.  He does not have great skills but he does hold his own.  I am still trying to understand his fighting skills but it works for him and has not gotten me killed so it will work for me too.  He does seem to be a little curious and has to investigate everything.  He also appears to have a fondness for shiny things, kinda like a fish.  I only hope this does not lead to his untimely demise as with the fish that is going after the lure that eventually becomes someones dinner.

Aquilla has the gift of healing.  His skills were greatly appreciated after I took a hard hit from the beast leader.  He appears to lack strong fighting skills and looks to trickery.  As long as the results are good, we should be good.  But his strenght appears to be his healing nature.  Based on this little test we are involved in now, I believe we will be needing these skills far more than we may like.

Mykal seems to prefer fighting from a distance.  He threw his stones well.  I will watch him to see what other skills he may have.  Since he was not with us when we left I was not able to get a chance to meld with him.  I think that will come with time.

I am still trying to see if Bingo or Mykal have other abilities