"Now we go get the priest," Orin whispered back in his gravelly voice, with a slight roll of the eyes.  Then he set off as quietly as he could toward the door Jarder had unlocked for them.

Neuken looks to the others, unsure of whether he’s expected to come along or wait here.

Seeing that the guards at the temple entrance have been dealt with, Renia falls in line with Orin, quietly moving up to the southern door of the midnight blue edifice.

OOC: I’ll give a day or so for any other adventurers who want to join Jarder, Orin, and Renia in entering the temple to indicate their intent, then I’ll move forward with whoever is going inside.

Since they obviously could use the services of a qualified fiend, Neuken decides to go in with them.

Orin, Neuken, and Renia join the unseen Jarder Mehro at the southern door of the temple. Peering inside, the adventurers can see that the recently opened portal leads into a short hallway which runs north for roughly thirty feet before terminating at an ebony door, carved with the symbol of a dragon. In the center of the corridor’s length, to the left and right, are two more doors, also closed. The door on the right is also crafted from ebony, and also bears the symbol of the dragon, along with a single red jewel centered above the carving. The door on the left is made of dark oak and is plain and unmarked.

The corridor is vacant. The party members see no sign of guards.

Outside, the night remains still. Those members of the company keeping watch see no signs of anyone approaching or leaving the temple. For the moment, all is quiet.

OOC: I will put together a map of the temple’s interior this evening.

Neuken gazes at the ceiling.  Any sign of traps, fell lurking creatures, etc?

Orin whispered, "The one with the jewel, I bet."

Looking up, Neuken sees only the arched blue stonework ceiling. The mage perceives no traps above, nor any creatures lying in wait to attack.

OOC: I've added a map of the temple as the game's Main Game Map.

“Which door?” he whispers.

Orin shot Neuken a glance and whispered a little more strenuously.  “The one with the jewel, I bet.”

Invisible, Jarder appraises the ebony door with the red jewel. If he were a high priest, he would choose that one for himself rather than the merely oaken or red one. He would also want a boobytrapped door as well to prevent unwelcome intruders. Maybe an alarm? He hopes it's just an alarm because he seems to fail at finding traps and unlocking doors about seven times in ten.

It's a good thing he has union protection, he reminds himself, as he sets about his work.

17:08, Today: Jarder Mehro rolled 80,87 using d100,d100.  Find Traps, Pick Locks.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:23, Sat 04 Apr 2020.

As the other half of the group entered the temple, Killian watched diligently for any signs of trouble outside with Greyband, Jayanti, and Patch. "How long should we wait?" he asked quietly.

“Let’s let the thief do his work,” he whispers.

Greyband nods grimly. "Until we get signs of trouble, or until we get the feeling that it's been too long."

Examining the jeweled door, its frame, and the ceiling and floor nearby, Jarder does not perceive the presence of any traps. A careful try of the door’s handle informs the cutpurse that it is unlocked. Even without pressing his ear to door’s surface, Jarder can hear conversation from the room beyond; the voices of a man and woman. He cannot, however, discern precisely what is being said.

---

Outside, the ensorcelled guards continue to snore.

After a few moments pass, the front entrance door opens several inches, lantern light cutting across the vacant grounds. ”Hey, Zenik,” a voice calls, ”Come in here a moment. There’s something you and Thow need to see.”

Greyband stays out of sight and watches this new development with interest.

Jarder decides to chance it. He has always been somewhat better at creeping about then spotting traps. Opening the door just wide enough to let himself slip in, he enters the room, closes the door, and finds a proper position from which to eavesdrop. Considering he's invisible to the naked eye, just about any will do.

22:55, Today: Jarder Mehro rolled 16 using 1d100.  Move silently.

Neuken slides into the shadows (even though he is no thief) and stands quietly, waiting for all heaven to break loose.

Killian silently watched the new activity at the front door. ~Things are about to get interesting~ he thought as he contemplated his options.

---

OOC: Approximately how from the front door are those of us hiding outside?

Orin watched with bated breath as the door opened and then closed again.  He could only assume Jarder had entered, but why not with them all?


OOC:  Was Patch going to be ret-conned to be with us in the church?  I thought I saw something about that...

Patch tried to shrink his tall, thin frame into the shadows as voices carried toward them. He clutched at his staff, with the words of a prayer upon his lips. If things began to go seriously sideways, he would invoke the power of his God!


OOC: Yeah, I'm here.

Jarder is unsurprised to find the High Priest’s quarters richly appointed. Intricately woven tapestries hang from the dark walls, each one depicting an ancient location in the deep of night, made visible by the moon. On one side of the chamber, an expansive desk has been arranged between a pair of tall, narrow bookcases, laden with numerous leather bound volumes. A washbasin and mirror are placed opposite of the entrance door, while the east side of the room is taken up by a circular bed which is piled with silks and furs.

A middle aged, balding man, clad in rich robes is seated on the bed. This, presumably, is the High Priest. He is listening to a blonde haired human woman who is dressed in the working clothes and leather apron of a blacksmith, the soot from the foundry having darkened her garments and face. Listening closely, Jarder discerns that the woman is speaking to the priest about the smith she is apprenticed to. ”He questions the need for the war. He doesn’t think we need to take Wendar’s  land for our own. Says we have all that we need right here, on hand. No reason for more conquest.”

The priest listens to her intently, his brow creased with concern.

Outside in the hallway, the other adventurers wait tensely. The corridor remains undisturbed. No one enters from elsewhere In the temple.

---

Still hidden among the nearby trees, the other half of the party can see that the main entrance door remains open, but for several minutes, all remains quiet. Then a voice calls out from within the temple again. ”Hey, are two still out there? Hello?”

OOC: The adventurers could make it over to the fallen guards in one round. On the round following, they could quietly drag them back to the tree line, out of sight.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:56, Thu 16 Apr 2020.

The elf motions for his companions to help him as he quietly moves towards the sleeping guards.

Orin stood stock still, willing himself to quiet until the seconds drew out into minutes and still Jarder had not reappeared.  Or at least opened the door again, since the dwarf wouldn't be able to see him.  Eventually Orin couldn't take it anymore and scratched his beard.  Quietly, mind you.

Jarder stays frozen and further slows the frequency of his breathing. If espionage it is to be, then espionage it must be. He knows he's not all that clever, so he needs to hear the high priest's response to know where everybody stands. And as long as they don't know where he stands, he can do that.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:08, Fri 17 Apr 2020.