The Party of

**The Party of** is a group of adventurers/mercenaries currently traveling together in Elondia. They currently consist of:

* Atlantes the Known
* Saoirse Bálach
* Firenze
* Ralthryo Al Gulliver
* Sorfilia
* Migh
* Loryan

## Surveying for the D.M.O.E.C.

On the 15 of July, year 468 of the Epoch of Peace, the wizard (Atlantes the Known), the druid (Saoirse Bálach), and the ranger (Firenze) met Salaz of Gøspel at the Bouncing Dwarf Inn and Tavern in Port Assurance. After consideration of payment, the trio took up the task of accompanying the surveyor as a guard and escort into the mountains and lands north of Port Assurance for the D.M.O.E.C. (Dwarven Mining Operations and Exploration Committee). The surveyor told them the trip should last two to three weeks at most, and is currently in its second week.

### Meeting Migh, Ralthryo Al Gulliver, & Sorfilia

6 days later, while surveying a lake, the group encountered the sorcerer Ralthryo Al Gulliver, the wizard Sorfilia, and the witch Migh wandering about the forest. After being recognized as friendly, the surveyor offered them money to join the party as the ventured to the mountains just north of the lake.

### Surveying the abandoned Temple of Seles

The surveyor brought the party to a cliffside just inside  Assurance's mountain range. Carved and placed into the cliffside was a larger arch with a fitted double-doorway into the cliff's face. The party entered the complex, and searched it throughly. They did not encounter many obstacles, although there were incidents of interest:

#### The Ecstatic Waters

One of the chambers within the complex contained a fountain with shimmering water escaping its mouth. Atlantes rushed up to the fountain to seek out its mystical properties, narrowly avoiding a trapdoor leading to spikes a few yards below. When they were able to finally stand in the waters, Atlantes and Sorfilia felt a surge of happiness and tranquility. Migh's goat lapped up the water, with unknown effect.

Sorfillia discovered a yellow gem near the water's source, and recognized it to be quite similar in shape to an indentation on the statue of Seles at the entrance. The party decided to go back to this statue, and placed the gem in the hole. Once inside, a mechanical whirring accompanied the slow and spiraling decent of the statue and its platform down into the depths of the floor, stairs appearing to aid in a person's decent.

#### The Library

After reaching the lowest level of stairs, the group found a room full of magical books; while certainly a tempting place to stay for a while, the surveyor pressed them to only take enough time to pick out a few as a form of secondary payment. A desk opposite the door contained several scrolls and a text of interest, although it has not been deciphered. Judging by the nature of the texts (from ancient Giant tomes to Celestial scripts), this library had been gathered over the course of centuries.

#### The Room of Mirrors

The party, after perusing the library, dove deeper into the temple. They came across a long room containing a wall of mirrors with a reflecting pool in front of it. Sorfilia stepped into the water, and looked up to find her reflection attacking her. The party easily fended off the copy, an subsequently broke the mirrors to prevent another occurrence.

#### The Grand Hall & Crystal Caves

Moving on, the party came to a large room with a river running through it and two grand doors. After crossing the river, they opened the doors to find a cavern with opalescent walls. They immediately began to search for objects of interest deep within the cave as the surveyor stayed at the back to note the qualities of the stones. Migh and Saoirse found a statue of a hound-headed angel, which came to life and immediately struck Migh down with a mighty sword. Saoirse gathered the rest of the group and attacked the creature which, after having its turns to defend itself, fell and disappeared. The group took the time to search the cavern for scraps of gems they could loot, and then returned to the temple complex.

#### Darkness in the hallway

One corridor remained unexplored, and despite the surveyors wishes the party decided to explore it. After barreling through a trap, they encountered an abrupt, unnatural end to the hallway; a pure blackness loomed beyond a certain point. After several attempts at probing its depths with little luck (the blackness consuming all that entered, a void with only a surface to walk upon), Migh let out a burst of fire with a newfound amulet, setting the rope tying them together ablaze and scorching Sorfillia. After Sorfillia and Saorise fled back to Firenze, describing what had happened, Migh and Ralthryo were suddenly overtaken by a booming voice from the darkness that entered their minds and left them prone. Saoirse tried to retrieve them, but upon hearing the sound decided they were likely far gone from her ability to aid, and after the surveyor threatened to either leave them without pay or double it if they left, the remaining party members left.

Outside the temple, the party found the writhing bodies of Migh and Ralthryo. Once they broke them from their seizing, the party continued on to Port Assurance to leave the surveyor and recuperate from their experiences. While Migh and Ralthryo were not injured from the ordeal, the effects (or lack thereof) of the event are unknown to any.

### Port Assurance

The party sold or identified all the items they had found in the temple and caverns. Saoirse was told by a priest that the darkness was likely some sort of demon inhabiting the temple.