"Aha!"  Tesseryn cries, his suspicions vindicated.  "Four against one - I deem this a fair fight."  He steps 5' into the alcove to the east, then cries "In the name of Dauros!" as he chops his greatsword down on one of the gargoyles to the south (note the use of an appropriate verb).  When Brindle joins the fray with magical bolts, Tesseryn almost smiles "That is most welcome, Brindle."

"Excuse us door Hargrove, our friend has found some playmates." Peeking around the corner, Aurion decides to even the odds a little in the paladin's favour. He begins casting a summoning spell.

"Of course," the door replies politely to Aurion.

"Gargoyles !  Filthy beasts !  They come near me and they'll regret it !" Hargrove assures those who remain, pausing only a second before asking, "What is a gargoyle ?"

Leisha is turning to follow Aurion and help Tesseryn, but pauses at the question.  "Winged humanoids made of stone," she replies.  "Gargoyles appear to be connected to, if not natives of, the planes of Earth, as evidenced by their lack of need for food, drink, or even breath.  They can spend years posed as a statue if they choose, and there is some debate in academic circles as to whether they are best classified as people, monsters, or architectural features.  In fairness, they are generally too intelligent to be truly beasts, and it's debatable whether the idea of `filth' can apply to a creature of Earth - but they are generally unpleasant company."

"I must agree with your classification, Leish. However, I beg to differ on one point - the paladin appears to be enjoying their company. I believe he almost smiled." Aurion goes back to concentrating on his summoning spell... no time for smiling, this.

"Paladins," Leisha declares, "Are an entire dissertation of their own."

The big orc doesn't need to know the fine details.. and indeed is not around to hear Leisha's lecture on the subject, as once Brindle got to the 'attacking' bit of his warning, Wrukaog was off and running, leaving the silver statue to debate the matter, while he added his greataxe to the more pointed discussion that was occurring in the nearby tunnel!

When parents are minded to tell their children a cautionary tale, ofttimes they would speak of winged stone creatures that perch motionless, seeming a part of the building on which they sat, just waiting for naughty boys and girls to pass below whence they would fall upon them, viciously rending them limb from limb, enjoying their screams before eating them all up.

And then those same parents would wonder why their children did not sleep ...

If these gargoyles were expecting events to play out that way, however, they quickly find themselves very disappointed indeed.

With a cry of triumph, Tesseryn meets the first of the foe with a mighty blow from his sword, cutting one of the creature's wings clean off its stone body.

Then all four look around in something approaching panic as Brindle looses a volley of pure magical force against another of their number sending shards of stone flying as they crash into its back.

Which is about when Wrukaog arrives on the scene, with Cogwitz on his heels.

The big Orc seems almost gleeful as he swings his big axe, really putting his back into it and shattering one of the gargoyles into a thousand pieces with the force of his blow.  The Halfling has rather less of an impact - both his small blades strike unerringly, but fail to penetrate the creature's rocky exterior, though he does at least distract its attention from the Paladin.

Poking his head around the corner, Aurion frowns and begins to cast a spell.  A soft glow begins to form in the tunnel to the south ...

There is a momentary pause as the gargoyles worriedly consider this new threat ... but when nothing bad immediately happens to them, the three remaining respond in kind.

Two rake Tesseryn with claws and teeth and horns.  One does the same to Cogwitz.

The Paladin and Cleric will owe Dauros and Brandobaris more than one prayer of gratitude should they survive this, for the pair manage to evade and fend off the gargoyles' best efforts and escape without even a scratch ! 

The gargoyles do not look as if they are enjoying this one little bit ...

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Brindle points his wand at the closest gargoyle and speaks the command word again to fire another quartet of orange-glowing missiles straight at it.

OOC: Brindle rolled 13 using 4d4+4.  Magic missile damage

Encouraged by the support from the rest of the party, Tesseryn presses his attack against the gargoyle he wounded earlier, possibly taking another wing.

Things continue to go considerably badly for the gargoyles ...

Tesseryn takes aim at his opponent's remaining wing, but so powerful is the blow that the Paladin also takes the creature's head with it, slaying it upon the instant.

The second volley of magical missiles that Brindle sends crashing into the gargoyle he's chosen to pick on is not quite so successful, though the creature is obviously badly hurt as a result, and much more so after Wrukaog winds up a brutally efficient swing with his axe, downing that one as well.

The soft glow to the south of the tunnel resolves itself into a the form of a large dog, though with the sort of comforting blue aura that suggests it's on your side, almost as much as it trotting up to the remaining gargoyle and trying to take a bite out of its leg, though its teeth fail to penetrate the rocky hide.  Cogwitz's blades fare no better.

All of which is quite enough for the gargoyle which does a quick about turn, shaking off a second lunge from the celestial doggy which this time manages to bite off a stone toe, and flies off up the southern tunnel, showing a surprising turn of speed as it flees.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

"Sic im Rex!" Aurion sends a celestial riding dog charging in to attack the gargoyles, using its celestial smite to beef up its bite.
OOC: only just realised I'd forgotten to post for Aurion_, now Skald just beat me by 3 minutes.
Aurion adds "There's a good dog, Now spit that out!"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:48, Sat 17 Feb 2018.

Pleased beyond measure (he might be celestial, but he's still a dog and there's a reason nobody summons celestial house cats), Rex trots up and dutifully drops the gargoyles toe at his master's feet.

Brindle had been pointing his wand at the glowing dog but when he sees it obey Aurion's command he relaxes and lowers his wand. He steps forward to join his friends in the tunnel.

"Do you still want to search this tunnel, Tesseryn, or is it time to try something a bit more civilised, like a door?" he asks.

Leisha once again very seriously considers joining the battle, but by the sounds of things, the boys are having so much fun she would hate to interfere.  Instead, she lingers by Hargrove.  "So, what is this diamond of yours that Sydny is contesting you over?" she asks, curiously.  "If you describe it for me, perhaps we can keep an eye out for it."

Tesseryn nods his thanks to each of the party who came to his aid.  He kneels beside the celestial dog and places a gauntletted Hand on its head.  "Thank you for your service."  He rummages in his pack and draws out a sausage to reward the dog. 

In reply to Brindle "An unnatural door.  How might one verify the truth of tales spun by a door?  I shall follow this tunnel to its end, then return."  Tesseryn turns and clanks forward, sword first into the darkening tunnel.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:07, Sun 18 Feb 2018.

As another thought suddenly occurs to Brindle he darts back around the corner to ask Hargrove another question.

"Hargrove, how far away is Sydni? I mean, after we pass you, about how many feet of passageway would we have to walk before we reach Sydni. How close would we have to be before we are within his reach?"

After feeding the dog a sausage from his doggy-bag, and ignoring Brindle's pointed comments, Tesseryn stomps off down the tunnel that he, with the help of his stalwart companions, has redeemed from evil.

Those who care to listen and who are good at such things estimate that given speed and direction, the Paladin must have covered around 150 feet before the noise of his passage abruptly stops. 

Meantime Leisha and Brindle converse with Hargrove.

"The diamond is a real beauty," Hargove tells them, and you can hear the admiration in his voice, "you couldn't miss it.  Such shining facets !  It should be kept and cherished and regularly polished ... but undoubtedly Sydni would just sell it off to the highest bidder were he to take possession of it !"

"As to the distance ... why Sydni must be almost fifty feet away !  I am afraid that as soon as you pass my threshold you'll be within reach of his evil.  I'll protect you as best as I can, of course, but if he thinks you're going to recover the diamond for me, he'll be quite wrathful, I warn you !"

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

"yes yes, you're a good dog, now run along." Aurion dismisses the self-satisfied celestial then pockets the stone-toe curio before standing with Brindle and Leisha at the animated door. "You could ask Hargrove whether we'll be able to return this way after we pass him. Is he a one-way door?"

Tesseryn returns in slightly less time than it took him to reach his farthest point.  "The passage leads up to the cavern where we slew the ghouls, near to the place of Sir Holomir's vigil (Map Group 4)."  Composing himself, Tesseryn addresses the door with polite formality "I am Tesseryn Brightsoul, Arm of Dauros.  I must inform you, Hargrove, that we are on a quest to destroy the evil workings of Set and all of his minions.  Will you now open and let us pass?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:35, Fri 23 Feb 2018.

Leisha gives Aurion a disapproving look.  "He's right here, you know."

Aurion gives Leisha a blank stare "Yes, but he likes you better."

With the celestial hound sent back to the happy hunting grounds or wherever it was he hailed from, you regroup in the corridor.  Aurion's shyness gets little sympathy from Leisha, but it is Tesseryn who chooses not to stand on ceremony as he introduces himself and requests, with stiff politeness, that Hargrove open up.

The door seems much impressed, either by the Paladin's stated calling or by his named intent ... or as it turns out both.

"Dauros, eh ?  A most auspicious name !" Hargrove declares, swinging open to reveal a fifty foot long corridor at the other end of which stands an identical door.  Before each of them is a small pile of coins (a mixture of gold and platinum in the trove closest to you, perhaps 150 coins in all) and about half way down the corridor a large diamond lies on the ground.

"Pass freely and with my blessings, good Tesseryn Brightsoul, indeed all of you !" the door intones.

"These are MY friends ... if you dare to harm them, Sydni, it will go badly for you, I'm warning you !" he yells, with distressing volume.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

"It's a trap." Aurion opines, echoing Brindle's earlier sentiment. Unable to contain his question any longer he ventures "Hargrove, if we enter this passage will you let us back out?"

Tesseryn reaches a gauntletted hand for the shiny handle on Hargrove's inner side (assuming there is a handle on that side) to steady the door should it change its mind.  He looks around at his companions, his gaze settling on Aurion "Most certainly..."  He does not venture forth immediately, rather taking a moment to detect for evil auras.