Fatima's Diary

reflections for the lost

43. Ballock

Apparently, the wall was more of a wall-way, in which we could single file creep about inside it and approach the other side of the city, where the false temple of Tor we suspected also was connected. Our assumptions were correct, and after flying everyone over a set of black pudding like creatures we had fought before, and me cheerfully giving the passphrase "Abrantier is Law" to the solemn stone guardians framing each doorway, we traversed ourselves to the false temple of Tor.

Once inside the Temple, the plan of attack was similar and swift. We divided ourselves into two swift strike forces, and after dropping down into another dark pit below us, a quick melee ensured between our forces and a fiery elemental, led by Lomath, the false priest of Tor.

After we handily defeated Lomath and the Fire Elemental, we discovered symbols of Ballok on his person. Above, we took the heads of the guards from outside and dropped them into the black pudding. Afterwards, we planted an exhausted Wand of Fireballs on Lomath's body, the same Wand of Fireballs that was used aboveground in the false temple of Lugh just an hour or so ago before the battle. Whit and Rihana constructed the scenes in some manner that was supposed to convince the suspicious Abrantier that both Temples being desecrated and destroyed was somehow an escalation of violence between the two head priests that evening.

As I write by the campfire tonight, I think I should formally review this evening:

• Scouted the Manor, temples, and districts of the city.
• Discovered secret passageway through the walls linking the manor and two temples together.
• Destroyed temple of Chemelosian Destroyed temple of Ballok.
• Attempted to plant incriminating evidence to implicate both Temples.
• Snuck back to our Inn rooms through the window.
• Once in the rooms, Lobarscented a strange blend of wolf-scent and the previous weird-human Innkeeper scent.
• Rihana talks about visiting an Abrantier Noble housed outside the city in the country, loudly, and into listening holes.
• Stay up all night. Play a devious and cunning game of stone paper knife with Thea. I am unsure of the victor.
• Town goes into complete lock down at dawn. No one enters the streets.
• Panic creeps into my companions.
• Whit loses his usual tenuous hold on his calm. He convinces a majority that it would be better to flee. This is to my protests.
• Lobar and Rihana get the horses from the stables. We storm through town, full gallop at the town gate.
• The guards are very surprised when Whit invisibly pulls the lever to open the portcullis, and we ride right through.
• Guards are unable to pursue because of Labrinnon's Fireball ending their blank lives.
• Four Gargoyles pursue. Once, three turn back, leaving one to mark our position. Labrinnon casts fly on Lobar. Lobar eliminates Gargoyle.
• Dire Tiger attacks while we make camp. It almost makes off with Lobar, but we are able to slay it as it fled in the midst of us.
• Gorgon attacks while watch has been set. We survive the petrification breath. It does not survive Lobar and Malakon.