The moment schnick leads the others into the temple it is apparent that something is not right; while the exterior looked like any other town, the interior is dark and dirty, except for a clear passageway that leads up to the altar. The sounds of a raging battle outside make it almost impossible to talk to each other.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 01:15, Mon 25 Dec 2006.

With his back to the wall, and keen eyes watching ahead, Schnickle crept his way closer to the altar.

The altar appears to be dedicated to a trogdolyte god, although you wonder what manner of being they would worship.

As you stand looking about the altar there is a soft sound as it begins to slide across the floor to reveal a hole beneath it. Rising up from beneath is a mottled blue-purple head framed by an impressive mantle - an illithid has heard the gongs call!
Anyone beating initiative 11 give me an action.

As soon as he saw the dreaded shape of the illithid, Schnickle's heart sank. Quickly he attempted to hide himself from it's mind, then dashed around the flayer.

OOC:
Initiative 23
[Private to DM Daniel:
(existing Conceal Thoughts: +10 circumstance Bluff, +4 vs mind reading)
Manifesting Cloud Mind: DC 15 Will or be unable to detect Schnick
Move to a suitable spot for flanking, within 30ft.
]

Moving slower than Schnickle, but still far outstripping the Illithid, Illianka chose the direct approach, taking a moment to judge the distance before dashing up the centre of the temple, dagger slipping into her hand before being flung towards the squid-faced cthulhoid.

[private to DM:
Moving to stand 10' from the Illithid, manifesting Burst if it's more than 60' away, and throwing a dagger.
14:45, Today: Illianka rolled 5 using 1d4+1. Damage.
14:45, Today: Illianka rolled 11 using 1d20+6. Attack.
14:10, Today: Illianka rolled 16 using 1d20+4. Initiative. ]

Schnick feels the illithids mind rip away his psychic cloud like so much gossamer. Illianka clearly didn't take quite long enough to judge the distance, as the dagger flies wide of the creatures head.

Looking about wildly, you see the reassuring presence of fifteen svirf warriors, expressions grim and crossbows readied.

The mind flayer doesn't even react before nine of the svirf warriors fire, six hitting their marks. When the shock leaves your minds, you realise that its head was completely disintegrated by the bolts.

The altar starts slowly slipping back into position a few seconds later - if you want to go down, you will need to do it now or find someone strong enough to move it again.

Schnickle was rather disappointed to find that he'd wasted precious mental energy on a failed power, but was quite satisfied to see his comrades annihilate the creature.

Doubting that any of the svirfnebli could shift the altar, he raced over and leapt   into the hole.

The Svirf are quick to follow Schnick's lead. The hole drops a significant distance to the ground beneath - it seems the 'flayer must have been using it's ability to levitate. (4 falling damage unless you can negate it).

Once you land, you realise you are in a shaft several metres deep with a tunnel leading out of it. The tunnel snakes about, its walls covered with softly luminescent fungi, before you come to an opening into an artificial city-chamber.
There are no more 'flayers in sight, although you see several unber hulk thralls expanding the chamber (It is about 200' across). There are several buildings in the chamber, of bizarre appearance, including one that is clearly the centre of the city - you suspect few have made it this far into a mind flayer settlement and survived before.

As Schnickle plummetted down the hole, he initially felt panic. Then an altogether more collected part of his mind reminded himself that he also wore a pair of psionically-powered boots.

With a quick thought to them at the last second, Schnickle hit the bottom as light as a feather.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:43, Thu 28 Dec 2006.

This message was deleted by the player at 12:55, Thu 28 Dec 2006.

Keeping well away from the umber hulks if he could help it, Schnickle made his over to the central building, keeping a wary eye for lurking flayers.

It was only when he was partway across did he realised that he didn't have much of an idea what to do when he got there. He had a vague impression of a giant brain, but not much else. If he'd still had the minotaurs, he could have set them to work chopping it up, but of course... Hopefully the priest and the svirf warriors would have something a little more decisive than him and his crossbow.

By Callarduran, he decided, something would turn up.

He checked his protections, and summoned another from ancient svirfneblin magic to keep himself safe.

[Private to DM Daniel: Casting Resistance. Whoo!

(existing Conceal Thoughts: +10 circumstance Bluff, +4 vs mind reading)
]
This message was last edited by the player at 12:55, Thu 28 Dec 2006.