Belgrius made his way back, moving toward the alter. As he walked he warned, "The one who got away will surely bring reinforcements. Also, I am not sure how long those skeletons will run before they decide to return." Now looking at the alter, Belgrius saw all the horrible scenery and assumed the alter was evil. Calling to Humus, whom he thought a holy warriror and Da Ghiri, "Can you get a sense of evil about this alter?" Belgrius immediatly took out holy water, prayed and then began sprinkling the holy water on the alter. He then attacked the alter with his Mace, having to exchange it for he now carried a flail, beating it trying to damage or destroy it. Retrieving his net, the little priest shook his head, "I cannooot sense evil – unless it is nearly palpable as with thooose priests and their dark master. I shooould, however, be able to help you with the 'desecration' of this altar. While we are doing sooo, however, I believe the warriors among us shooould prepare for the return of the dark priest". So saying, Da Ghiri joined Belgrius at the altar, clensing it as he chanted and prayed.
Waiting for Da Ghiri to retrieve his wonderous net, Jardel then decapitated the Demon. Holding up the large head in his shield hand with ease towards the others he raised ‘Caliburn’ and shouted out to the world in exhiliration. "Heimdall behold ! Jardel Jar’axel vowed to be Balazaar’s last combatant in this realm, THE soldier of good to send his body and life force back to the Abyss ! In the eyes of Humus Giantbane - Ogre-slayer of Valmour -, from this day forth shall my name be heralded across the four winds, from sun to moon, as ‘First Demon-Slayer of Balazaar’, rightful title to be passed on by generation." Slumping from the fleeing tension in his body, the old Paladin tossed the Demon’s head to the ground and searched the body. He looked carefully for any medallion or simple amulet, remembering from his past teachings, that this item was carried and guarded well by powerful demons. Watching the priests desecrate the alter, Jardel positioned himself beside the eastern door, where the priest had fled through. Sensing any evil intent, he let his emotions probe the space behind the door. He kept ‘Caliburn’ drawn and looked carefully into the bloodied, yet gleaming blade, wondering what powers and history this sword had and would show. "Da Ghiri, my thanks goes out especially to you. Your powerful net laid the basis for another succesful battle in the name of good. That will teach me to mock the net as a simple weapon. Let us regroup within this room and lick our wounds. Should anyone need healing then make good use of the healing potions which were distributed before. We should save our inherent spells for later. Furthermore we should decide quickly on actions, for the evil priest who fled is bound to warn others and return with reinforcements. Instead of waiting here for a surprise, we should move on. Let us not follow through this door here, I say we take the eastern door of the previous room. It most likely leads to the same location, but they will expect us to emerge from this room. Humus, you as a born leader and master tactitian should command. I only offer my experience and advice." Belgrius watched the paladin toss the head to the floor and he walked over to it and poured a bit of holy water on it, praying to his god to forever ban the demon from this plane of existance. Da Ghiri bowed with a smile, "We will have tooo remember to thank Enchantra as well. Speaking of which, once everyone is ready, I suppooose we should seee abooout finishing this fight and finding the lady's staff fooor her".
Jardel who had moved over to the eastern door to detect any evil prescences from beyond the closed door, felt none, waited protectively by the door. Belgrius asked the group if any need healing, looking at Caladan and Humus who were injured. Caladan was bruised lightly from being thrown by the demon, while Humus' head bled profusely from the priest's mace. These were the only wounds that had occuerd in the battle with these foul beings. Culdat and Humus slumped forward all of a sudden, then caught themselves as they were released from the spell of captivity. Distant sounds could be heard from the eastern door, like voices being raised and footsteps approaching from afar. Slumping forward, Humus was finally able to move again. He started rubbing his stiff muscles and got out his potion of extra healing. After taking a sip, he spoke to Caladan, "My thanks for the help. That blasted priest would have killed me for sure if it wasn't for you. I was wondering if any of you noticed my still being held a few minutes ago. I was able to hear everything you said, but I wasn't able to answer. I must say, that was not a comforting experience. I hope never to have magic such as that cast upon me ever again. It was a humbling experience - being able to see and hear all, and not being able to even move - especially when an enemy is beating you over the head with a mace." Humus wiped some of the blood off his head. Belgrius looked at the wounds of Humus and Caladan and offered his healing. Taking bandages from his healer's bag and some ointment he bandaged Humus before turning to Caladan. Getting around to Caladan he used his herbalism skills. Pouring some herbs into some water he offered it to Caladan explaining it should help ease the bruising he had suffered. Putting his medicinal aids away he explained, "I am saving healing spells until they are critically needed. It is no telling how long I will have to wait to pray for more spells." He then cast an eye towards the alter and then the head to see if anything had changed since his actions to sanctify the items. Looking over the dead and now decapitated demon, Humus congratulated Jardel, "Well, it looks like you did it after all. Good job ! With all this destroying of evil, pretty soon we'll all have several titles each." Looking over to Caladan, Humus called out, "Hey Caladan ! How would you like to be world known as a great dragon slayer ?" Turning all serious, "Has anyone found the scepter or the staff ? There is a chance that one or both of them could be in this room if major rituals were being performed." Remembering Belgrius' earlier request to detect evil around the altar, "I am sorry, but I cannot do as you ask. I am but a simple cavalier. Jardel is our paladin. Also, remembering Jardel's opinion as what to do next, Humus said, "Jardel, you are right. We do not want to be here when that priests returns with reinforcements. Give me a minute to think." Trying to figure out what path the group should take, Humus mused aloud - trying to trace out all possible scenarios, "Hmmm let me see. It would be dangerous to travel on through that door, but we don't know for sure that another cavern connects to the one behind this door. Most likely the items that we are searching for - if they are not here - will be deeper in the cave and we will need to go in that direction. We could try the doors from the other room, but we don't know what could possibly lie beyond in those directions - danger or an alternate path. The odds are pretty good that the enemy will come for us through this door, but they could try to circle around from a connecting cavern and attack us from the rear." Humus heard the distant voices and footsteps approaching. "Apparently the enemy is going to take the direct path - at least as far as we know." Making up his mind, "Jardel, what you propose sounds good. However there is a chance that we might have to go through that door after all." Looking to the spell casters, "Does anyone have a spell that will either block - or better yet trap - this area ? We will still need to be able to come back this way if needed so we can't just cave in this room or something else drastic like that. "Jardel, is there something that your magical helm can do to either slow them down - if not stop them totally while we are on the move ? Maybe another wall of fire like the last - put right in front of the door would work. If there are a lot of them, the ones in the back might push those in the front into it as they are trying to get to us." Putting a hand on Jardel's shoulder, "In any case, I am afraid that there is a better chance that we could be attacked from the rear now that the alarm has gone up. Our enemy knows these caves better than we do and they have a much greater advantage. I believe that two warriors should be in the lead and the rear at all times - just in case. Our little finder'", Humus looked over at Culdat, "still needs to be checking for traps as we go onward - especially after the first one that we found. As to the warriors position, I think that it would be best if I pair up with Caladan, and you can pair up with Ashal. Considering that the chance for a dishonerable attack has just increased greatly, Jardel, do you still wish to guard our flanks ? That duty was very important before, but I feel like it has just become a most critical task."As the others were going about healing and getting ready to go on the move again, Humus went over to the little finder, "Culdat, would you help me check the fallen priests ? I think that a couple of them are still alive. We most certainly don't want to fight them again if we can help it." Humus briefly remembered an old law that he once saw stating the punishment for working directly with creatures from the lower planes - death. He grimly went to the first sleeping priest to perform the execution - knowing that one less enemy increased the chance of success of their mission.
Caladan got his 2-handed sword and sheathed it and the dagger. He smiled "You're very welcome Humus, I fear that you'll have plenty of chances to repay me before our quest is over." He shrugged at Humus suggested title " I hope you're only jesting, my friend, The stories I heard as an apprentice and later as a sellsword about those reptiles weren't pretty. From what I heard some of those big red ones would be able to destroy armies with their fire breath. But who knows what and who we'll meet in the future !" Caladan accepted Belgrius healing skills and thanked him. Caladan then retrieved his spell book from his backpack and flipped through the pages " I got a spell that might be able to block the door, it'll buy us about a hour or so and it is fairly easy to remove again." Belgrius paused for a moment. "I do not have the spells to do that unless Da Ghiri has. But if they must be executed my suggestion is to burn them or to separate their heads from their bodies and bury them in different locations. My preference is to burn them." Without hostility in his voice Belgrius asked, "Isn’t there an option to killing the priests now that they can't fight ? Is there someway we can silence them without taking their lives ?" Looking to Caladan with a big smile on his face, "Yes my friend, that about having a title as dragon slayer was a jest. But then again - you never know what the future holds ... I'm sorry Belgrius, but this must be done. Justice must be served. They are in league with Balazaar and he was trying to bring Asmodeus into this world. We should try to weaken them in any way we can. In any case, these priest can just as easily be healed - or woken up - as we are currently in the process of doing. Remember that one priest escaped. What if he is rounding up his fellow priests ? I'm willing to bet that they have a lot more spells than we have. Come to think of it, we might want to ensure that these dead are not animated like the skeletons. You and Da Ghiri have priestly training. How can we keep these corpses from being used against us ? I wouldn't normally worry about something like this, but we've seen it already in this cave."
Listening to Humus speak Jardel’s blade ignited into a sputtering flame after mumbling the phrase "blade a feuris". He walked over to the remains of the dead priests and Demon in the room and held his flaming blade to any cloth or lightly flamable objects, wanting to burn the corpses beyond healing and animation. With several small fires lit the stench of burnt flesh permeated throughout the room now, dark wads of smoke quickly blackening the rough ceiling with soot. After finishing the blade stopped flaming. "There. We should not be troubled by these corpses in the near future. Humus, lead the way as we have discussed. Tis better to exit this room quickly now. There is bound to be trouble in form of evil to come rushing through this door here. I will take the rear like before, as we know they are bound to pursue us. In that case I have a variety of nasty spells in store for them. A wall of fire might keep them at bay for a short time and should a large entourage of powerful evil priests or warriors chase us through these long straight tunnels, well ... then I might even try my most powerful spell named Rainbow Bridge. It is gratly feared, because each different ray of color has various deadly effects on any of the targets. Should spells fail or not be sufficient, then I am sure to hold my own with almost any foe in close combat. Humus, take charge up front with Culdat and move to the eastern door of the first room." Knowing that time was no asset, the Paladin herded the others back into the previous room - making sure to be the last. He kept his eyes on the far door, expecting it to fly open any minute. Coughing from the bad air filled with smoke sweat dripped from his brow. This was the complete opposite from the wet and colder outdoors, here dry and hot. ‘Caliburn’ remained drawn and ready in his left hand, his trusted shiny v-shaped shield close to his body on the right arm. Having come this far, there was no evil in this realm that was going to come between Jardel Jar’axel and either the completion of his personal quest or the succesful damnation of Rackart Flagg and his minions. Belgrius watched the fires consume the bodies of the priests. He waited until the fires were out and then checked the bodies again. Bodies not burned entirely to ashes were decapitated, heads taken and kicked into the corner of the next room, herewith separated by at least a wall. Once the party moved on he inched forward with his flail in his fighting hand and his holy symbol in the other, ready to to dispell or turn undead if they should be in the next room. Hearing that Caladan might have a spell that might do the trick and that Jardel had a few tricks up his sleeve as well, Humus said to them both, "If you can do your magic quickly, go ahead. I'm going to look around to make sure that the staff and the scepter are not here." Da Ghiri assisted Humus in his search, then indicated that he was prepared to depart when the others are ready. Belgrius realized the prize was probably deadly because with age came knowledge and strength. He prepared a spell and cast BLESS on the party before he took any other action.
The consensus seemed to be to fall back to the previous room after searching and burning the fallen priests. The search revealed each was wearing a suit of normal chainmail and each carried a mace with an insignia scetched upon the handle, one of an upside down pentagram with a goat's head lightly scratched to fit the five points of the star and runes written about the circle. No magic was detected from the maces, but evil was resident inside each. Burning the priests was quite a chore once set upon, as two were still alive. Their screaming and curses filled the air with a blood curdling shrillness that froze the adventurers very souls. The smell of burning flesh nealry gagged all those in the room as everyone headed for the confines of the previous room, hoping the smell didn't follow. It followed, but not as bad. Upon reaching the previous room, the door to the altar room burst open, a large human wearing shiny black ceremonial, full platemail armor entered with a sword that nearly matched his armor it was black but shed no light. His features were dominated by a long scar that ran from the top of his left forehead, to the bottom of his right jaw, the indentation left from the original incident causing him to look as though his face was caved in. Black eyes regarded the screaming priests with not much more than a glance, as he saught the ones who started the fires. Behind him, a garrison of zombies lined the hallway, aswell as a few humans dressed like the priests already defeated. There was one priest though, that stood apart form the others. He was old and bent forward with a crippling disease. His blind,white eyes, oozed a yellow puss like substance while he endured the disease that was beyond blindness. His dark robes were nearly grey from age and tattered to match. He carried a staff with a gnarled knob at its top, with eyes that adorned the knob. This didn’t fit the description of the staff of magius, nor the scepter of power, but it did fit a type that those holy amonst the party recognized, one which was serpentile...
Attempting to find any sense of darkness within the room here, Culdat blended into the softer grey lighting attempting to stay out of the way of any sort of spells and ready to pounce upon the nearest unoccupied enemy. After he casts his BLESS spell, Belgrius face remained determined, "When we get in range I am going for the old Priest with my flail. I fear that staff may be something we do not wish to experience." Waiting a bit so that the warrior and the priest and more undead are in the room. Before casting a spell, Caladan whispered "Lets focus on the warrior and old priest first ... they look like they could do serious damage. I'm pretty sure that the warrior is a bloodknight and I think it is time that this sword of mine is turned on its evil makers. I'm going to challenge the warrior after this web spell I have prepared and draw his sword away from you guys and let you focus on the priests and undead." "Feeling Belgrius' spell wash over him, Humus was briefly glad that the group had quite a bit of magic in it. Hearing Caladan's plan to cast a web spell, Humus agreed, "Good idea Caladan! Let us just hope that you can trap most of them." Remembering his own failed challenge, he added, "And good luck with the Bloodknight. Call us if you need any assistance. There is no major loss of honor in insuring the completion of a quest. We will only have one chance at this. We had better make it good." Humus prepares himself to charge into the frey of battle after the spell is cast. Da Ghiri nodded his understanding of the plan outlined so far and, not wishing to tread on anyone's sense of honor again, quietly whispered he will attempt to hold some of the lesser priests. He was to wait until the warriors attack and then cast the spell. Jardel’s face darkened and his helm lighted the immediate area with a soft light blue radiance as he saw the evil forces follow him through the door from the previous room. Having been the last one in order after herding the party, he had the shortest distance to his foes. Standing nearly in the center of the room, he was able to peer straight through the room and percieve the zombies and priests lining up behind the distinctive old priest and impressive black knight. Not wasting any time, as others discussed, the Paladin held on to the pommel of ‘Caliburn’ with his armed shield hand and held the palm of his left hand outstretched, aimed directly at the black knight - most likely the closest enemy in a line towards the open door - and chanted in arcane language "esto et numare pas un septo brigg a coloris". Streaming from Jardel’s palm a scinthillating stream of colors sprayed forth towards and through the doorway, it’s pattern forming to shape a long bridge, engulfing any and all creatures caught within it’s shiny rays. Colors like red, green, blue and violet bathed the evil adversaries in diffused light. The colors flowed freely from the Paladins hand. Once the colorful bridge stood in place, his voice rose above the din of clanking armor and the guttaral chanting of the priest followers. "Feel the wrath of Heimdall. As guardian of this bridge be judged as to the purity of your hearts."
Da Ghiri cast a BLESS over the entire party. The prismatic spray shot into the group of evil with a bright display of horror, the large armored warrior in front falling over, screaming in pain as blood flowed freely through every orrifice in his body, his pores even exuding blood as Heimdall judged this man evil. He was nearly dead after this touch with the yellow ray. The old priest was hit by an orange ray and doubled over in pain, though his was far far less, seen wearing chainmail under his robes as were all the priests. One of the 3 lesser priests, fell screaming to the ground as the orange ray struck him, though this was too much as Heimdall claimed his life for his own and the priest fell dead. The next priest got hit by a blue ray. He grabbed his eyes and shouted, "I'm blind, the foul priest has blinded me," as he waved his hands around, crashing into the wall. The third, and most unforunate, was hit by two rays, the green and the indigo. At first he screamed in pain as he grabbed his gut, then vomited grotesquley on the body in front of him. Then he fell to the floor crying, screaming, "Get them off meeee ! Get them off meee !" as he scratched abusively at himself, ripping his clothes off and rending himself bloody as he scratched himself. The group of 20 zombies behind the priests, though the light of Jardels' helm did nothing to them initially, was nailed by the prismatic spray after all, turning a few to stone while others withered and died, some just disappearing, all 20 rendered useless. Quickly the bridge dissipated and left the room lighted again by enchanted swords and burning torches hanging from the walls. Jardel grabbed ‘Caliburn’ again with his sword hand and moved closer to the door where the enemies were emerging, yet closing in from an angle from the western side, leaving room in the centre for the other warriors. Completely focussed on this threat he hoped to gain a strategically better defendable position, ready to block the attacks and commence his own swordplay, hopefully allowing the party to partake in this combat. Now the warrior, too small to be a Bloodknight, the elder priest, and 2 lesser priests remained alive. One lesser priest had been rendered clinically insane, while the other was blind and couldn’t find his way. Now the warrior stood up slowly and with great pain, "Inquisitor ! Get us out of here !" he managed to croak to the elder. The priest looked to the group and smiled, "Another day holy ones, another day ..." his voice faded into a cough as he mumbled a word to Asmodeus and the two of them were gone, leaving the two priests behind. The blind one shouted, "Master !? Master!?" but there was no answer as his master was gone, leaving him to the fates of his enemies and the gods of good.
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