Urrun looks all ways and sniffs the air, listening.

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 715):

You unlock the gate, and head deeper into temple hill. Not having surveyed the area, you are not quite certain of which shrines might be above you, or if they have been compromised.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 717):

Figuring they probably have been compromised, Hograth wants to cut them off from whatever is below before dealing with them, so he leads on.

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 718):

The passage flows upward, and has a pair of gates on either side. the corridor also goes deeper into the hill.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 719):

"Up or down? I was thinking down, but perhaps we should clear these gates first. Can we open them?"

He listens for trouble.

[Private to GM: Rolled 5 under perception, listening for trouble.]

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 720):

The corridor curves upward. to either side you can't hear much.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 721):

Anything heard in any direction?

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 722):

There isfaint soubd to the left.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 723):

To the left we go then!

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 724):

You unlock the gate, and notice that the stone beyond it is made of basalt, trimmed with a frieze of obsidian. An archway leads into a large dimly lit room, from which you can hear faint chanting and the bleating of a goat.
A carved relief atop the arch depicts a youth leading a goat while holding a fistful of arrows.

Make a Theology roll.

Whut's Theo logy?

In reply to Urrun (msg # 726):

"That would be study of the gods. This symbol is unfamiliar to me. Hograth?"

In reply to Goran the Marked (msg # 727):

"Theology is the study of the gods...and this one does look familiar. Lets keep quiet while we take a closer look. Stay here if you cannot be quiet..."

Hograth readies his crossbow and creeps forward.

[Private to GM: Rolled 10, Theology 10! Rolled three under stealth!]

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 728):

This is the symbol of Vejovis, a pantheon approved god of volcanies and social justice fr the oppressed. They are known for taking in refugees, sacrificing goats by burial (as opposed to throat slitting like Hades prefers), acting to defend the innocent in court judgement, and for righteous wrath.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 729):

[OOC: So not evil, but not necessarily friends of Hades...]

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 730):

Not great friends with the Hadereum, but tolerated. They are an acceptable annoyance.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 731):

"Bloody goat buriers...Vejovisites, but they are not the evil we seek, and they would be unlikely to tolerate evil, so we should let them be. Come on, lets get back to work."

He leads them back down to the gates and locks the gate as they leave.

"Back down the corridor, then."

He proceeds to lead them in that direction, crossbow ready.

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 732):

There is a gate to the east, and an upsloping corridor

In reply to Narrator (msg # 733):

If the gate to the east is locked, lets check out that up-sloping corridor...

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 734):

The sorridor sloping up terminattes in another pair of gates. The left hand one looks fairly clean. The right hand one is not, although the lock has some fresh looking scratches.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 735):

Is either open? If not, do we have keys for either?

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 736):

You have been opening the gates with the orichalcum key you found in the slorn.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 737):

Ok, is either of these gates already open? If not, does the key work on either of them?

In reply to Hograth Podkarmen (msg # 738):

The gates are locked, as was the oe to the Vejovian temple, your key works in all.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 739):

"The right hand gate looks less traveled, lets go there..."