TGAT: Session 30

## The Great Ziggurat of Boccob (Cont...)

Having cleared the hobgoblins camped outside the fire temple area the party continued onward and found the secret door in the north-western corner of the corridor that led south to a wooden door.

They opened the secret door to reveal another store room and found another secret door within this room. They opened that door as well and found that it opened into another corridor. The party decided to close the second secret door for now and continue through the southern wooden door.

Richard Dickens crouched down to look through the doors keyhole on the other side he could see a 10'x10' room with another wooden door on the opposite side.

Immediately a Half-Orc wearing blood-red robes and a golden chain in the shape of a flame opens the opposing door and starts walking straight towards the door Richard Dickens is looking through. In the larger room behind the Half-Orc a human wearing the same robes can be seen retreating into another room to the south.

Before Richard Dickens has a chance to react the Half-Orc kicks open the door which opens outwards crushing Richard Dickens between it and the black obsidian walls of the temple. The Half-Orc lets out an almighty roar as he equips a war axe and charges straight into combat with Dave D'angle. The other party members Cubone, and Lia Saevia follow up with supportive sneak attacks.

Richard Dickens recovers from his brief stun effect and charges the Half-Orc from behind dealing devastating damage to the enraged creature, killing it. In the small room they find a chest containing more of the red robes, and gold fire emblems as well as a handful of items. The party chase after the human priest, Richard Dickens triggering a pressure plate in the floor and running face-first into a jet of fire. Cubone in response quickly detects the pressure plate and outlines its position with chalk.

They open the southern door revealing another 10'x10' room and another door to the south. They burst open this door which opens into a 30'x30' room, in which stands a human priest, now wielding a Flame Tongue Longsword and guarded by two cambion devils.

The party split, Dave D'angle and Einrik Stürmkarst attacking one of the cambion devils, and Richard Dickens, Lia Saevia and Cubone taking on the other cambion devil and the Human priest.

Dave D'angle scores a critical hit on the Human priest slicing off his finger tips, causing him to drop the Flame Tongue Longsword. One of the cambion devil's charms Richard Dickens and suggests he defend him from harm. Richard Dickens subsequently fails to parry any of Lia Saevia's attacks that result in the cambion devil being slain and it evaporates in a cloud of black smoke as it returns to the Nine Hells.

The Human priest imbibes an elixir of fire breath and spits out a cone of fire to everyone within 25 ft. Everyone except Einrik Stürmkarst being able to dodge or entirely evade the attack. The following round the Human priest is slain and left alone the remaining cambion devil says "You fools you have no idea what you are doing." and he turns away wilfully evaporating in a cloud of black smoke.

The party ignore the well lit room to the south, instead noticing a curtained section to the north and choosing to investigate, finding a similar corridor to that near the water temple depicting processions of slaves being brought to their dooms. They follow the corridor until they reach a door on the eastern wall.

They decide to enter the door and find a magically lit room, the walls, floor and ceiling adorned with pearlescent marble, in the center stands a small plinth bearing a cloudy crystal ball. As they enter two Deva's appear in front of the party and welcome them to this sanctuary of good within the Temple of Elemental Evil.

The Deva's offer the party a chance to empower their items, armour and weaponry by a factor of +1, recharge spent spells, or otherwise double its efficacy. They need only leave the items they want empowered by the plinth and they will imbue the items with sparks of holy radiance. This process how ever is incredibly bright for mortal eyes so they will need to step back outside the western door as they work this miracle.

Einrik Stürmkarst doffs his armour and weaponry and leaves it by the plinth. Richard Dickens refuses causing the Deva's to question his devotion to the Morning Lord Lathander, but again he refuses. The party step outside and they witness a blinding light flood the room, overflowing out from the doors key hole and the seems of the door. After a moment they step back into the pearlescent room and there is nothing inside except the plinth. They wait and no angels return.

Dave D'angle decides to leave the room by the door to the east which leads to a small corridor. Richard Dickens and Einrik Stürmkarst find a secret door in the northern wall and open it revealing two hybrid-form werewolves dumping Einrik's gear on top of a large pile of equipment, the pair still cackling at the fact the dwarf was stupid enough to fall for that old trick. They hear the door open and the laughter turn to gasps. One of the werewolves changes to wolf form and combat begins as the party charge in.

Dave D'angle is bitten by one of the werewolves, but follows up with such a vicious critical attack that it shatters the jaw of the creature preventing it from biting anyone else. The party otherwise make short work of these shapechangers with nobody else being bitten and Einrik Stürmkarst is able to recover his gear as well as get first dips on the rest of the gear the werewolves had stolen.

Returning to the corridor, they follow it around to huge room. The floor is littered with humanoid skeletons and debris. A large set of stairs can be seen descending deeper into the dungeon...