The party had returned to the temple, this time to their cottage. Jaron helped unload a fully loaded wagon of stuff into the cottage, and Rheaphlyndar took this opportunity to update some of the traps he had laid around the building.

After a quick meal the group set out for the temple through the hidden passageway.

Wed carried the sledgehammer and the other hammers were brought as well. The group followed the passageway until it came to the Y branch. The pathway leading down to the basilisk was still convincingly blocked, so on up to the tower they went. Next they quickly traversed the open courtyard, their shadows long to their left. Finally they entered the temple proper through the enlarged window.

Next order of business was the defacing of the existing altars, and Nicola pulled out her newly acquired holy water. Between that and frequent hammer blows, the altars to evil deities were quickly sundered.

The group paused at that point, waiting to see if any attention had been paid their pounding efforts. Finding the coast clear, they left their hammers behind and began the descent down the easternmost stairs, coincidentally the ones closest to the enlarged window. Light sources were agreed to be Gimar's axe and continual light rock, the latter being held by Nicola in the middle of the marching order.

The steps led straight to the southwest and were hewn from rough stone. They were quite steep, each of the risers one foot, and Gimar had a little difficulty at first.

The steps leveled into a corridor, and after a moment the dwarf indicated that it led directly west. Continuing on, the party found another corrider crossing this one, also ten feet wide.

There were none and the party continued. After a bit they came to another crossing corridor, and again swung to the right.

Not far from that junction the biscuits came to a doorway. In the doorway and bent well out of shape was a barred grate. No light was seen within, and the party cautiously moved through.

The room had eight stone pillars supporting a ceiling some forty feet overhead. An ordinary door led from the north wall and the very south portion of the west wall.

Rheaphlyndar bent in front of the southernmost door and pronounced it clean. That door led to a small room. The heaps of old cloth had all been overturned, and signs of a battle confirmed that this room had been sacked.

The rogue similarly declared the northern door free of traps when two animated skeletons flew from a secret door in the western wall.

   Jaron Turn Attempt (2) failed.

 * [*] John Quarterstaff :17-|6+4|:13: hit  1d6+4=7 to Harpy #1
 3 [2+1] Wed Magic Missile -- Spell Failed!
 4 [2-2+4] Rheaphylander Quarterstaff :17-|6|:2:  miss
 8 [2+6] Harpy Skeleton 1 :14-|0|:17:  hit 1d6=6 damage to Jaron
 9 [3+6] Harpy Skeleton 2 :14-|0|:3:  miss
12 [5+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|6+5|:14: hit  1d8+1d2+8=13 to Harpy #2
14 [7+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|6+5|:2:  miss
14 [7+7] Nicola Mace :20-|6|:11:  miss
15 [9+6] Harpy Skeleton 1 :14-|0|:10:  miss
15 [9+6] Harpy Skeleton 2 :14-|0|:14:  hit  1d6=5 to Gimar
17 [10+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|6+5|:18: hit  1d8+1d2+8=16 to Harpy #2

 * [*] John Quarterstaff :17-|6+4|:15: hit  1d6+4=9 to Harpy #1
 4 [2-2+4] Rheaphylander Quarterstaff :17-|6|:10:  miss
 6 [3-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :18-|6+2|:8:  miss
 8 [2+6] Harpy Skeleton 2 :14-|0|:7:  miss
 8 [7+1] Wed Magic Missile  1d4+1=4 to Harpy #1, 1d4+1=5 to Harpy #2
 9 [2+7] Nicola Mace :20-|6|:5:  miss
11 [4+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|6+5|:1:  fumble (5)  1d8+1d2+8=13 to Harpy #1
11 [5+6] Harpy Skeleton 1 :14-|0|:11:  miss
12 [6+6] Harpy Skeleton 1 :14-|0|:19:  1d6=4 to Jaron
12 [6+6] Harpy Skeleton 2 :14-|0|:7:  miss

 * [*] John Quarterstaff :17-|6+4|:1:  fumble (19) no further effect
 7 [6+1] Wed Magic Missile  2d4+2=6 to Harpy #2
 9 [3+6] Harpy Skeleton 1 :14-|0|:8:  miss
10 [4+6] Harpy Skeleton 2 :14-|0|:19:  1d6=6 to Gimar
11 [4+7] Gimar Battleaxe :13-|6+5|:3: hit  1d8+1d2+8=15, slaying Harpy #2
12 [10-2+4] Rheaphylander Quarterstaff :17-|6|:13:  hit, 1d6=4 to Harpy #1
12 [9-2+5] Jaron L.Sword :18-|6+2|:12: hit  1d8+4=8, slaying Harpy #1

The subrooms were found to be as ransacked as the first room, and all connected from the northern door around to the western secret door. However Rheaphlyndar's keen eyes spotted four pewter plates covered in some of the rubbish. Grabbing them up, he found them to be actually tarnished silver!

Rather than get too far from the staircase, the party returned all the way to the cottage and made camp. The hammers were also removed, along with the groups first treasure, four silver plates.

Around midnight Nicola heard a scratching sound down the tunnel. Waking some of the others, the party dropped down and saw a group of zombies shambling forward. Fortunately Nicola was able to turn them using her holy symbol.

After the morning meal the party had headed forth, leaving the hammers behind. Upon reaching the junction they found the zombie group cowering and quickly dispatched them.

They had crossed the courtyard quickly due to the fact that it was now snowing heavily outside. The temple main floor now looked a lot like a quarry, but no other creatures stirred.

After descending the westernmost staircase, they found a symetical arrangement of corridors. This time to the right was found a pair of armory rooms. Anything of value looked to have been removed or smashed.

Exiting that corridor they turned east down a corridor that should connect with the other staircase. Curiously though, it descended gradually. The walls were lined with plastered and painted scenes of evil deeds. After a bit another corridor led to the north, this time twenty feet wide and sloped even more, out of sight of the lights. Bypassing this for now, the party continued upwards to a junction that Wed indicated they had been at before.

Turning right from this junction they found another pair of rooms, matching the west side of the map as a perfect reflection. These rooms also contained a trashed armory, and Gimar joked that the party had travelled through some sort of magic mirror.

Next the group retreated to the western staircase and explored to the left. Rheaphlyndar just shook his head.

Another junction was found, again mirroring the east side of the temple. To the left just down the corridor this time was a door. At one time it had been padlocked, but the broken remains of the lock lay on the floor and the door had many deep grooves in it.

Opening the door they found a filthy chamber which had been used as a prison cell, although all traces of prisoners or guards had vanished. Wed called for a halt and pulled out the purchased map.

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