Demon Priest

After identifying the sergeant types among the captured soldiers, they despatched these - under the command of Hansen the bard - to round up the rest of the garrison. They were quite prepared to do this, but told him quite frankly that they were not prepared to go into the Temple; of that they appeared very afraid.

About an hour later they reappeared, along with thirty or so crestfallen-looking men, most armoured in dragonarmy equipment. A steady stream of less well-favoured types had been observed leaving by the main gate, and the new masters of Cyrn Sharresh were content to let them go.

Hildraft worked a Zone of Truth spell, creating a marked area wherein falsehood was impossible, and the new recruits were marched through one by one and asked if they would swear fealty and obedience to the New Tellaran government. Of the one hundred and twenty six men, twenty-eight refused to swear or lied, mostly the ruffians and bandits who had joined the castle since Carstas had taken over. They, too, were shown the door.

While this winnowing process had been going on, Sack had Teleported back to Reital and collected some good steady men from the New Tellaran officer cadre. These he brought back to Sharresh to take over.

With all this settled, the three turned their attention to the temple Hildraft had glimpsed briefly. Some basic exploration took them to the passage leading to it, where they found four ranks of terrified pikemen and a rank of bowmen waiting to defend it.

Sack used his helm to Teleport behind the men, and moving silently forwards, stuck his head through the rank of bowmen, grinned at them, and snicked the bowstrings of the nearest two. As the others reeled away in shock, he and Surya cast Sleep simultaneously, dropping four of the pikemen. This was enough for the others, who surrendered. Surya sent them to the roof to turn themselves in to the new commander.

Free to consider the doors to the Temple, the heroes were unbothered by the fact that they were locked. They had tackled this sort of thing before and had a ready answer. Hildraft made the three Ethereal and they prepared to walk through the wall. Sack had already listened at the door and perceived the sounds of at least two quadrupeds of very considerable mass walking around inside.

The Ethereal plane was becoming familiar territory to all three, so they knew what to expect as they shifted out of phase with their ennvironment. However, this time they were in for a shock, as once the translation was complete, they became aware of other presences in the ether with them. Misty, ghostlike forms filled the corridor, drifting through the walls and back again, clearly present on the Ethereal like themselves. As they completed the transition to the Ethereal, several of these shifted direction and began to converge ominously on the three planewalkers. Alarmed, and not fancying tackling inimical denizens of the plane on their own ground, the group returned to the material world - still outside the temple.

They adopted a more direct approach, and opened the door, carefully spread out around it for maximum effect. What they saw inside was something of a surprise; two sphinxes, looking almost like statues for a moment - as they were made of metal.

Hildraft recalled reading something once about sphinxes; about how intelligent and garrulous they were, how they loved riddles; and thought he'd try negotiation. In their own language, he called to them, asking for their names and business.

The response he received was anything but civil; it comprised curses and insults - but not in the sphinx language; in the Helltongue of fiends. Despite their appearances, these were not sphinxes - they were demons bound into metal statues.

With no further ado, Hildraft and Surya sprang forwards to confront the monsters, as Sack's Arrow of Slaying glanced harmlessly off one and disappeared into a corner. Although intimidating in appearance, the demon-sphinxes proved no match for the Hand of Kord and the Last Tellaran, and were soon steaming heaps of scrap metal. Catching their breath, the three looked at the next set of doors - which were much the same (bronze-sheathed wood carved with disquieting designs) only rather bigger.

A glance around through the Ethereal by Surya with his Robe of Eyes revealed the floating, ghostly forms still surrounding them, clustering close in fact, so Ethereal movement was out of the question. Once again, a more direct approach was called for.

Sack knocked loudly at the door.

From the other side boomed a voice, human-sounding but loud beyond human ability. "Begone from this temple, or you shall be destroyed!"

With a crash, the doors flew open, revealing the main hall of the temple, into which Sack and Hildraft hurled one of the shattered metal sphinx heads. It slid across the floor in a shower of sparks, scattering the armed men waiting inside.

These were standing in the aisle of a section filled with wooden pews, plainly prepared to prevent the intruders penetrating further. Beyond them, the temple opened up into a much larger area. Another body of guards waited there. Beyond them, in the back wall, was a niche, with an altar bearing the dreadful two-headed idol of Demogorgon. In front of this stood a single figure. It radiated power, malice and corruption like a beacon.

His frame was strong and tall, but his face was twisted and mutated, the clear mark of a demon-trafficker, and his hands bore strong, lethal-looking claws. He was armed in plate armour made of some strange material, which writhed constantly, the different segments sliding and twisting against each other in a nauseating manner. Clutched in one hand was a tall halberd, and this - in contrast - attracted the eye in pleasurable wise. It was - there was no other word - beautiful. To see it was to desire it. Disconcertingly, from it came a constant stream of mocking, flaying laughter.

Hildraft threw up a Blade Barrier, which swallowed a good half of the guards within the main temple area instantly. Sack use his Helm again, and Teleported across the hall to appear behind the capering demon-priest as the latter started to cast a spell. Surya drew both swords and hurled himself at the nearer group of temple guards, felling them like corn. In less than two minutes he had slain all ten, and was sprinting across the hall towards the priest.

Sack had lost no time, striking as fast as he could in his haste to disable the demonologist before he could act. Wounds appeared on the evil priest's form as he struggled to turn around to face this unexpected attack. He managed to swing himself around, but as he poised the halberd to strike, Sack flicked the Blade of the Sun underneath it and tore it from his hands. As the beautiful weapon clattered across the floor, it went instantly silent.

Surya, midway across the hall, was brought up short as he confronted two shadowy demonic figures which appeared from the sides of the temple. Engaging them fearlessly, he brought them down, but not before he sustained a wound which burned with an unholy fire.

Hildraft used a Holy Word spell to clear out the remaining soldiers and the shadowy demons, and Sack despatched the Demon-priest.

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