"I can see them.  The priests are in the middle of some terrible ritual."  Stachys says. "It kind of hard to watch."  He looks over the room of bookworms, feeling a bit of nervousness at the time passing.

A prickle of dread chills Cole to the bone at hearing Stachys' disturbing revelation.  "We should probably break that little party up then," he says, his eyes roaming over his book-loving compatriots before ushering closer to Stachys to peer through the peephole he had just seen the Monk peering through.

The book Anthony is reading appears to contain extracts from various dark and necromantic tomes including the Black Libram of Nartarus.

Dreya does a double take from the direction of where the dark ritual is and the book case.  Books are so very precious, and these books are even more so!  There is so little time to comb through all the books!  What should she do?

With an idea suddenly striking like a bolt out of the blue, Dreya hugs the book she was holding to her chest quickly in a fond hug, then whips off her backpack and stuffs it within the depths of the bag.  Then she quickly begins to stuff as many of the wonderful books as she can into her backpack, even tossing out non essentials to make room for the books.  Crock of grease - gone.  Metal file - goes clanking to the floor.  If if can make room for a book, it's out.

Once her backpack, bulging awkwardly with her new literary possessions, is shouldered back upon her back, she peers out at everyone, an eager grin on her face, one of her wee daggers held high and mighty.  With a loud whisper, she declares with a gesture of her dagger toward the dark ritual, "I agree with Sir Anthony.  To rubble with this horrid temple!  This whole place needs to be brought to ruin!  Utter, total destruction!  It's the only way."

"Thoughts on how to proceed? One of us spellcasters can cast a spell through the peep hole to distract or incapacitate the priests, then the rest can charge through the secret door."

Anthony considers this. "Yes--perhaps I could direct a sleep enchantment through the keyhole to disable a number of them, or pehaps a web conjuration. I am more inclined to the former, as it is less likely to backfire."

Seline joins in the discussion her eyes taking on a cold steely disconnect look. "Here is my idea, Anthony Casts Sleep through the peep hole, then we open up the door I cast Color Spray and step aside allowing those who are more proficient in Melee through to go start removing the ones still awake from the living while I go around and start removing those asleep from the realm of the living to make sure they don't awaken to join the fray. If we want we can try to take one alive and ask a few questions."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Tue 09 Oct 2018.

Stachys has his spear in on hand, and the fishking's stolen trident in the other.  "I am ready."

Cole nods to the others, readying Vera at his side.  He was good for only one thing, brute force, and he would strike when the time was right.

And so the party does!

Elwood readies his mace and shield, and will follow Cole and Stachys after Anthony and Seline cast their spells.

Your plan works without a hitch.  Between Anthony's sleep spell and Seline's color spray, all 6 of the chanting priests drop to the floor.  You can easily dispatch all of them.  Let me know if you want to leave any of the poor buggers alive.

The general darkness in the main hallways is quite thick.  You no longer have to deal with the heavy fog blasting out of the portal, but the evil darkness is back in action.  You can't really see down the corridor to the north or south.  You do not hear any immediate noises coming from anywhere.  Your attack was fast and silent.  The color spray was bright, but the suffocating darkness limited its visibility.  It seems likely your sneak attack has gone completely unnoticed by the Temple's inhabitants.  So far.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:58, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Seline, rolled 7 using 3+1d4.  Color spray.  I forgot to roll saving throws. I'd already drafted the update post by the time I realized my error.  Looks like the gods favor the party this time.
17:57, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 7 using 2d4.  # effected by sleep.

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Seline looks around and noticing that the job is done suggests in a whisper "We should move the bodies into the secret room quickly and quietly, the longer we can avoid leaving a trail the longer we can keep the element of surprise' with that she starts moving a dead body as quietly as she can back into the room to hide it.

I should have given you all a better description of what was in the chamber with the sleeping/unconscious priests.

They were chanting in a circle around a Pain God symbol painted on the floor in blood.  There is a burning brazier in the middle of the symbol.  The priests were tossing their sacrifices onto the brazier.  The smell of burnt hair and cooked meat fills the air.

All of the sacrifices were completed except for one.  There is a bunny with freakishly large eyes staring up at you from the floor where it is still being held in the tight grip of a sleeping priest of the Pain God.  Its eyes fill with tears and its lips tremble in fear as it looks at you.

Once the party slays all the sleeping cultists, Anthony picks up the rabbit, petting it. He looks lost in thought.

Stachys helps drag the cultist bodies.  "To the North?"

Dreya totally avenges the poor Bunny!  Gently, she pats the bunny in Sir Anthony's arms with soft little murmers of calmness.  Then, taking one of her wee daggers from the sheeth strapped to her right hip, she gives a wild little scream and plunges it into the chest of the sleeping Pain priest, before yanking it back.  A spray blood arcs into the air, but Dreya is already slamming her knife back down.

"You killed bunnies!!" she screams in a rage as she stabs the mans chest over and over. "I hate these Pain Temple people!"

When all is said and done, Dreya stands back, catching her breath a bit and looking for something to clean her dagger off with.  Ew.

Anthony looks up from his new bunny pet and nods in response to Stachys. "Agreed! North it is."

Agree, to the north.  By the way, is this a real bunny, or a child polymorphed into a bunny?  The eyes seen a little too big, and I've never seen a rabbit tear up before.  Just sayin'"

Elwood helps put the bodies in the secret room.  He also makes sure all the loose paper has been packed up, either in his backpack or with someone else.  He wants to make sure someone from his temple has a chance to read them.

After hearing Dreya's rage filled scream Seline curses to herself and as soon as the bodies are moved Seline will go to the south hallway to look and listen to hear if their cover has been blown, then she will join the party at the north hallway to continue with the party.

The poor bunny cringes away from Elwood.  It trembles pathetically in the crook of Anthony's arm.

Cole sidles alongside Elwood and says softly so that only he can hear, "I had much the same thoughts as you, Elwood, although, mine ran a bit darker.  What if it's not a child, but one of those priests? Is there anything we can do to find out?"

Stachys says softly. "I will keep watch. While you figure it out.". He moves to the darkness to the north, letting his eyes adjust as he waits.

After her screaming fit of unusual rage, Dreya straightens up, brushing debris from the fur of her hide and leather armor.  Turning, she rushes over to Anthony, holding her hands out gently to the quivering, darling animal.

"Could I try to comfort the darling bunny, Sir Anthony?  May I hold the cutie?"

Dreya hopes to calm the creature with her druidy-ness.

Anthony smiles. "Absolutely. Keep it safe--I have the strangest feeling that the bunny is somehow important to defeating the cultists. Call it a hunch." He gently hands the bunny to the druid to calm it down.