Jurz stays quiet, but backs away from the lunatic tiefling as he starts ranting.

Somehow, Jurz is quite happy that he didn't succumb to the group desire to daub themselves red.

Minmorc will frown at Shelby's theatrics and will turn to face the Queen, spear tip lowered. "Yer Queeniness, I don't know wots wot wid der Dirt Elf an Erittinul, but I fink dat Shelby as bin getting der same dreams as me. I fink wees bin chosen by a new God called Nuffle." As he talks Minmorc will lower to one knee, place his spear gently on the ground and will swing his pack off his shoulders. "Der dreams is blurry, but my god don't seem to want temples or nuffin, I fink he wants Eroes ter come together an compete wid crowds of folks watchin an cheering. I fink it all haz ter do wid dis." Minmorc will draw a cloth bundle from his bag and will open it to reveal the spiked ball.

While unsure about the Queen's take on Shelby's vision and Minmorc's own interpretations, Dregz is certain that either the queen will either want the Unholy Symbol he acquired or else it would be best if he didn't have it found on his person !

"Yeah, Ma Jesty," he is careful to follow the Tiefling's formal form of address, "an der Drow had dis on 'im," he solemnly hands over the silvered device with Erythnul's half-demon/half-boar mark engraved upon it, backing away deferentially and quickly.

"Why was dem ogres taking da spikey ball ta da goal Moffa?"  Bulldust whispers, trying to understand Shelby's dream.  It sounds dangerous.  The ogres ripped up an orc, and the only orc he knows is much tougher than a bugbear ...

Moffdust screws up her mouth as she thinks. She whispers back, "Circuses, Bully, like de humans does, only humanses is not allowed ter kills eachudder." Shelby didn't taste mad to her. She hopes the Queen likes his dream and doesn't just eat the rest of him.

Queen Moldavite listens to Shelby's ravings with surprisingly avid attention. It almost looks like she can see the dream as the tiefling describes it to her. She glances at Minmorc when he adds his bit at the end and her eyes gleam when he raises the spiked ball to show it to her.

"Yes!" she exclaims. "I see it too! One team against another in a contest of strength, speed and skill. The chosen few of each side instead of whole armies battling each other. Like the contests between gladiators in an arena as I have heard of in some human cities. Yes, I see a team of ogres in bright red spiked armour with the golden flaming sword of Surtr emblazoned on their chests and helmets. The Gorna Ogres? Moldavite's Maulers? They will be the champions of this new contest you speak of."

She and Shelby talk excitedly about the nature of this contest (as she calls it) or game (as Shelby refers to it). They largely ignore everyone else in the temple – ogre guards and Team Adra-Nuff alike – until the Queen is satisfied she understands the basic concept that is proposed. At that point she suddenly realises the main problem they will face.

"We need other teams to compete against!" She points directly at Minmorc. "You, orc! You share this dream? You must go and raise a team of orcs to compete against my ogres. You and your little friends must spread the word of this contest among other races, too. All races can send teams to compete. We will hold the contest here in Gorna a year from now. There will be a golden trophy for the winners. I will see to that myself. Yes, that will be perfect. So, you are clear about my command? Good! Now go forth and make it happen!"

She waves her hand in dismissal then as an afterthought she signals Die-Arda to return the dog to its little goblin master. Dregz's offer of the silver unholy symbol of Erythnul was barely even noticed.

Minmorc will step back to the rest of the group and listen bemusedly as Shelby and the Queen talk. Once he realises he has been dismissed he will head back to the Holy hidey spot.

Jurz quickly collects Rog from Ardenuff and follows Minmorc from the chamber.  Outside, he will quickly check Rog, and if the hound is well, will mount and ride back with the others -  otherwise he will walk and lead the animal.

Once they are safe he will spend a few minutes checking the animal over properly and making a fuss of him.

Bulldust is about to ask the queen for some supplies to help them carry out her mission, then remembers to keep his mouth shut.  This has worked well for him so far.  He tries not to make eye contact with anyone as he shuffles out of the throne room.

Once outside he suggests to Minmorc "When you says dis to dem udder orcs, jus go straight ta da bit about da golden fing an leave out da bit where dey get ripped open by ogres."

Minmorc looks thoughtful about this. "Yeah, ripped open by Ogres might scare some folks... still dunno if deys rippin a player tho... der vision might involve an Ork referee or an Ork sellin meat inna bun or sumfing. Is good der queen gonna make der game happen, not happy shes pinched me red armour but I got a year ter figure it all out."

The walk back to their safe place in the temple is relatively uneventful although Dregz and Riza in particular struggle to keep up as they are badly weakened by the venom of the drow priest's snake arms. Raven was also affected but not as badly as those two.

Back at the temple they find the little goblin scout Slipsnotz waiting for them. He is delighted to see them back again but does seem to have been expecting them.

The treasure chest is still waiting safely for them where it was buried in the ashes of one of the fire pits in the temple. When it is hauled out it is still locked.  Everyone also knows that Minmorc has the drow priest's fullplate armour stored in his magical haversack, so another visit to Two-fer-one in the marketplace is to be expected.

Current health status is as follows:
Arlein, Jurz, Moffdust, Oopses, Riza and Rog are uninjured.
Bulldust is lightly wounded (i.e. up to 25% of hit points lost).
Dregz and Minmorc are moderately wounded (i.e. up to 50% of hit points lost).
Raven is seriously wounded (i.e. up to 50% of hit points lost).

The party will be able to rest and recuperate in safety in the temple. When Slipsnotz learns that Dregz, Riza and Raven were weakened by poison he proudly tells them that this temple offers another special benefit that will help them greatly. They will recover from the weakness caused by the poison much more quickly if they rest in the right-hand alcove of temple. He doesn't know why but he discovered it by chance after he was poisoned by a trap several months ago. A full 8-hour sleep there might be enough to completely restore them to full strength, although it won't help their wounds to heal any faster.

OOC: ... and congratulations everyone! The combined experience from the battles with the gnolls, redcaps and drow priest comes to 3,010XP each, which is enough for you all to level up! So go ahead and update your character sheets accordingly. Just let me know when you have done so (or PM details to me if you would rather I update your character sheets for you).
(Roll the appropriate dice on the diceroller for your additional hit points for level 4, rerolling if a one is rolled. Note at level 4 each character can also add one point to one ability score of their choice.)

Minmorc will bring out the suit of magic full plate and will join the group at the treasure chest, chewing on some more of the increasingly rancid boar jerky, starting to go greeny grey but for an Ork still pretty tasty. "So clever Riza, wots in der box?"

Riza shuffles through clearly weaker than before, the poison is clearly taking effect again. She perks up when slipnnotz tells them about the special side of the temple that will rid her body of the poison.

She ruffles around her clothes and curses but not with much effort, she doesn't have the strength. "Someone has taken the key to the chest, don't worry about it though."

She pulls out a set of tools hidden away and sets to work on the lock

Minmorc will pull a crowbar from his bag. "Lemme know if yer want me ter use my key cleva Riza."

The lock on the chest is of average quality. Riza almost manages to pick it at her first few attempts, but not quite.  Others with the required skills can see what her problem is - it would simply be so much easier if she had another pair of hands to insert another tool from a slightly different angle at the same time (requires a DC10 Open Locks skill check to Aid Another).

Dregz eyes narrow as Riza is unable to produce the key ... but though he's still suffering from the poison himself and finds it difficult to move, dutifully shuffles over to assist, taking up one of Riza's picks and holding it in the lock as she directs.  "Like dis ?" he asks.

"Careful," he warns her.  "Der's something wiv strong magic in der as well as der shinies."

With Dregz's assistance he and Riza have the treasure chest unlocked in no time at all. The lid lifts easily (with no traps to worry about, fortunately) to reveal several thousand coins inside the chest. Probably 3 times as many silver as gold, with a few platinum pieces mixed in as well.

"Ise all tired out now," Dregz stares warily at the coins.  "Moffa ?  C'n you see if der is any magic in der chest ... might even be on one of der coins !"

In reply to Dregz (msg # 390):

Oopses sits down, and sighs. Out of 3 frying pans today, ogres before that, frogs, elves, that nasty bit of desertion, and getting caught up in the food fight that got him on punishment detail in the first place.  No rest for a gobsy"

"No." Moffdust agrees with Oopses. "Cos youse gotta counts all dese shinies! He he he!" she gleefully points at the open chest, remembering what a good job Oopses did last time.

She does as Dregs asks and casts detect magic to check the chest.

"Hehehe." Jurz chuckles as oopses gets stuck with counting the loot.

Let's assume the treasure chest was actually hauled up out of the fire pit before Riza and Dregz picked the lock, so it is reasonably accessible for everyone now.

Well, someone is going to have to count and divide up the coins. Is Oopses going to do it?

"Deres somethings magic in de chests Dregzie, down unda de coinses. Its strong magics!" Moffdust creeps towards the chest. She grabs a shortspear and rakes slowly through the coins, peering in to figure out what it is...

Dregz peers over the edge of the chest with Moffa, eyeing it darkly, his Holy Book held protectively behind him.

Moffdust's spear stirs up the coins in the chest and eventually drags something larger to the surface. It is a black steel rod 6 inches long and 1 inch diameter. The last inch at one end is only half an inch in diameter and there is a half inch diameter hole 1 inch deep at the other end of the rod.