1: Monastery of the Iron God

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As per usual, the dwarf sets to examining the door and the surrounding stonework, as well as the patch of ground below and above. The minutes tick by as he goes about his work, and finally finishes his examinations without any confidence as to whether traps exist or not. He did not find any, in any case.

"After you," Czespecem gestures to Rogar.

Benetolio stays in position and grows more nervous with each passing moment. Watching the dwarf meticulously search the door for traps, he realizes just how perilous adventuring might be. It's one thing to hear about from others, but when it's your life on the line, something else altogether.

"Take your time," he offers at one point and when Czespecem has completed his search, "Well done."

Then he waits for Rogar to resume his appointed duties.

Benetolio pats his shoulder bag to ensure his spellbook is still secure and hopes he will find his moment to be useful.

Rogar shrugs and moves to the door. He hesitates and opens it slowly, as though he didn't trust the dwarfs eye... but when nothing explodes or stabs him, he releases a breath he hadn't realized he had held. The door opens into what appears to be a library. This room contains shelves of books; four books are open on a sturdy wooden table. Most spectacularly, the books appear to be made of iron instead of parchment or leather. Across the room stands another shut door.

The hireling takes a single step inside, and suddenly freezes as buzzing sounds come from each side of the room. From the corners of the ceiling fly two small, feathered, bat-winged anteaters, each with a vicious-looking proboscis. The moment you see them, they are easily recognized as Stirges, nasty creatures known to drain bodies of grown warriors of blood in no time at all. And two are bearing down on Rogar, standing dumbstruck in the doorway.

Surprise round of combat.
Both stirges stab their proboscis into the Rogar and pierce his leather armor. Not a drop of blood is shed, as the creatures slurp hungrily at every last pint that can extract from the man.

First round of combat.
Iniative
1. Party
2. Stirges (AC12)

With the stirges hungrily drinking from Rogar, the rest of the group finds themselves ready to fight back! The man stands just inside the doorway, with the stirges taking their positions next to him inside the room. It should be easy enough for adventurers to shove past him into the room themselves.

Czespecem bursts in through the doorway as he whirls his shovel in both hands, striking toward and hopefully smashing a stirge.

Hearing the commotion, Edgar gives a quiet curse. He was getting too careless.

Holding a torch in one hand and his spear in the other, he will move up behind Rogar and Brogan and strike at the stirge attacking Rogar.

First round of combat.
Iniative
1. Party
-Edgar
-Czespecem
-Lith
-Derrick
-Benetolio
-Hirelings
2. Stirges (AC12)

The party begins to strike at the stirges draining the life force from Rogar. With urgency stripping the individuals of their accuracy, only Brogan is able to pierce one of the creatures with his spear. The stirge continues its assault, not yet slain.

Caught by surprise at the stirges' sudden attack, Benetolio lets out a cry of alarm and stumbles back a few paces. The lantern swings about in his hand, casting strange shadows on the walls.

"Oh no," he laments as the lantern nearly smashes against the wall. The apprentice wizard steadies the lantern and looks for an opportunity to come to his party member's aid. However, there is too much activity in the confined hallway and he sees no opening. Frustrated, he does his best to hold the lantern steady.

As his companions rush in to confront the evils of the temple, Derrick tests his mace and shield before striding into what appears to be a library and strikes at the creature attacking their hired help . . .

Lith screams in terror upon seeing the bloodsucking monsters. However, the attack of his comrades wakes him up as the rogue grips his darts with a firmer grip. He then sends his darts forward to the unharmed insect, hoping to avoid hitting his comrades.

Again, Czespecem whirls his shovel; Rogar tries to brush off the stirge with his mace; and Brogan jabs his spear.

Second round of combat.

With fury and urgency, the hirelings and dwarf surround the remaining stirge and beat it down until it lays on the ground as dead as can be. Rogar drops to his knees, the puncture wounds still bleeding some, and takes a shuddering breath. "By the gods, I'm alive. I have little strength left, but enough to bear a torch for you!"

Combat is over.

The room lays silent before you, though the adrenaline is still noisily pumping blood through your veins. A quick look through the room reveals that there are no more creatures within sight. Only the shelves, table, and open books remain.

Seeing that no more creatures are to be engaged Derrick moves along side Rogar, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Sekhmet has not granted me the powers of healing, but my studies have give me a little knowledge of healing. Let me see if I can help stop the bleeding at least."

Derrick takes a little time ripping some cloth from Rogar’s bedroll and makes a bandage to wrap the wound. Afterwards he will search the books of the library.

After receiving some thanks from Rogar, Derrick enters the room to examine the books. He finds that all of the books are made of iron, but the detail suggests that they have been turned to iron. The four open on the table are each frozen to particular pages.

---

Derrick reads the open pages of the ‘iron’ books, hefting the books to feel their weight. While pointing to one of the books (book 1) Derrick turns to the academic Benetolio, "You may find this interesting, it seems to have part of a spell written in it."

Seeing what the creatures did to Rogar, Edgar mutters "Nasty little things. I guess i was wrong about this place, it is dangerous. "

He joins the others in looking at the books. He glances through them with an increasingly worried face. "I suppose that either this so called eater of the dead supports the creation of undead, or the Iron God did. Regardless, I an pretty sure that we we will have to face undead creatures at some point. Does anyone know anything useful about them?"

The books each weigh 50lbs. And they are formed solid, so you cannot flip through them.