Episode 19: Escape from the Temple

Fan spars with Jadyn, her sparring partner and sibling figure growing up, and defeats him, much to the surprise of all the fellow temple residents. The party returns to the rebirthing chamber, as Milla remains curious about the magic technology in the room. Fan becomes uncomfortable with the idea of messing with the rebirthing chamber without a temple master present, and fetches Drelrik.

Drelrik agrees to a potential experiment involving activating the orbs inside the rebirthing vessels using the party's blue orb while an acolyte attempts the ritual. He seeks out a candidate for the ritual, but finds that their only non-dragonborn is currently out tending to their livestock that roam the mountains. The party agrees to wait until she returns the next morning.

In the night, Fan and Kika are awakened by a silver dragonborn who alerts them to the presence of someone asking for them at the temple entrance. They quickly learn that the individuals at the entrance are from the capital, and suspect Bartholomew. They ask the silver dragonborn to fetch Drelrik, meet him at the top level of the temple, and descend to meet the visitors. Ridley remains behind, as Bartholomew remains unaware of the halfling's presence in the party. The dark shape of a bird flies overhead.

The leader of the group, a human female with dark hair, proclaims her intention to arrest Fan, Kika and Milla and bring them to the capital. Kika flips her off and exclaims "arrest *this*!" Drelrik states that he will not allow the injustice of an arrest without good cause to take place on temple grounds. The woman insists that the reason for the arrest is "classified," and proceeds to attempt to take the group by force. The sound of Kika shouting alerts Ridley, who casts *Invisibility* on himself and joins the group. In the resulting battle, Kika is severely wounded, steals a ring from the woman's finger, and Drelrik instructs Fan to flee through a back passage out to the opposite side of the mountain. She picks up Ridley and Kika and sprints straight for the temple, kicking the temple's gong to alert the residents as she goes.

The group abandons their wagon, transfers their belongings to their horses and leads them into the tunnel as a battle rages outside. Exiting the tunnel onto the snowy mountainside and down into the valley below, Ridley laments: "I'm a criminal! I attacked law enforcement! I'll be kicked out!"

As the sun rises, the party follows a stream on the valley floor to the west, towards Khaldun, under cover of a forest. Kika spots the dark bird flying overhead, and shoots it in the wing, but it manages to fly out of range. The party takes a long rest in the safety of the trees, waking at night. Kika tests out the ring she stole from the dark-haired woman, and discovers it gives her the ability to use *Dimension Door*. The party continues towards Khaldun, avoiding the main road and hugging the slopes. On the slopes, they encounter a remorhaz, which attempts to eat Kika before being defeated.

The group decides to attempt to find a back passage into Khaldun, fearing guards at the main entrance. They discover a lake on the back side of the mountain, with a dock and tracks that lead to a tunnel into the mountain. A locked door blocks their progress until Kika realizes she can use her ring to *Dimension Door* inside with one passenger. Ridley realizes he, too, can *Blink* inside with the fourth party member. Kika takes Fan with her and attempts to open the door from the inside with no luck. Ridley and Milla tie the horses outside near the dock with access to feed, leaving Bose to guard them, then join the taller party members using *Blink*.

The party regroups and proceeds further into the tunnel, discovering a spiral staircase leading them down several hundred feet. An unlocked door awaits at the bottom, and they open it, arriving in Khaldun.