The New Remnant

You all take a careful look and listen before really entering the open area. You can still hear the distant activities of the group of (you assume) orcs on the far corner. But, you also haven't see any activity coming around and you haven't seen any patrols. Figuring this wasn't going to change in the immediate future, you quickly move through the wide open area without making much noise and make it to the outside of the temple. It is now that Oliver really feels the magic of the location. It isn't overpowering or even all that distracting, but it is persistent and pervasive.

The temple is even more imposing up close. All around the temple there are a few steps to bring you up to the ground floor of the building. All around the building are cylindrical columns that end at the ceiling of the ground level. Ten feet behind the columns are the walls of the ground floor, with four archways regularly spaced along this wall. None of the archways have doors; initial access to the temple is unimpeded. Centered between each of the archways, and between the outside archways and the edges of the wall, are five arched alcoves, each of which contains the statue of what you presume are some of some significant people or divine beings important to the builders of the temple. You don't know if they are heroes, demigods, or gods, but they probably aren't the main deities, as the statues are all sized the same as normal humans. On the flat wall spaces between the alcoves are covered in carvings of various scenes and events that are presumably related to the characters represented by the statues. The statues, from left to right (while facing the building) appear to be a human-sized tree-person, a young boy, a man in the prime of his life, a young woman, and an anthropomorphic dog or wolf. You don't want to be seen, so you don't do more than just take the scene in and head for the nearest entrance.

You enter the archway that is second from the left since it is the closest to you after cutting across the open area. When you enter, you see a very large room. You are on the left side, and the next archway to the right can be seen on the right side of the room. (You don't know where the two outer doors lead right now.) You quickly move toward the center of the outside wall between the two archways so that if there is ever a patrol, you won't be easily seen from outside. From this relative cover, you look around the room. It is large and rectangular. On the center of the opposing wall are two statues. They are of humans, one male and one female, standing side-by-side. These are twice as tall as a human, which causes you to notice how high the ceiling actually are in this room. Again, all through the room, it is very ornate and well decorated. The floors are marble, as are the insides of the inner wall, not just behind the statues, but for the entire length of that wall. On the midpoint of the sections of the far wall between the statues and the far corners of the room is a large cloth hanging that, contrary to any textiles you saw in the old merchant's shop, looks to be in surprisingly good shape. In the midsections of the end walls to either side is another open archway to the rooms that the outer outside archways lead to.

For the most part, outside the statues, the room is fairly bare. The base of the statues are design to allow items to be deposited, and along the outer wall (where you current are) are several tables. Otherwise there doesn't appear to be any furniture, cabinets, storage, or anything like that. However, taking a good look at that outer wall, you can see many more carvings of scenes and events that are presumably related to the two statues in the room.

Arc feels the team should move fast: we need intel on how these people think and how they communicate, and we can't risk patrols surprising us...

"Stee, Cords, please guard the northern area within the temple. If any patrol come, do not show yourselves, do not engage, come to us and we all hide. Aizashi, you and I shall do the same to the southern area.
Blornvid, please guard the mages. The rest, go and try to understand this please the best you can... believes come in very different shapes and any move we do can be misunderstood easily by these people. And we will need common ground to communicate effectively... please go and find some. We all agree?"

Curious Cords asks, "What do you suppose is in those two rooms. We see the doors. Those rooms could be a fine spots to drop out of site too instead of this open area."

Stee will nod to Arc"Sounds good to me. And the good thing with these communicators is we can hear each other no problem from anywhere." Stee will stow his bow and pull his sword as he makes his way to the northern portion of the temple."Wreak to me. On guard boy." It has been a pleasure training Wreak. He is the smartest dog Stee has ever encountered. He usually only has to be shown things once to learn it. Wreak also has great instincts about when to be quiet.

"That sounds like a riverflowing plan!"

Oliver approaches the carvings near the statues to see if he can understand the scenes they're depicting. He then speaks in their communicator.

"Come to think of it, whoever is lurking these areas is not necessarily a follower of this temple. They might be scouting orcs pillaging and making camp in this newfound remnant too."

Through his Drunkard Circlet, Oliver keeps an "eye" for the current direction to the closest alcoholic beverage. Any sudden change might mean that a storage is nearby (nearer than the vial they left behind at least), or that someone carrying some supplies is getting close.

On the move Cords steps up with checking Oliver while saying, "Considering the previous damages to front entranceway, I would surely perceive that the offending orcs to violent and not invited guest." He still has his trusty handaxe handy.

sounds like a solid plan. I'll be ready.

"Good, let's go!"
Arc walks with Aizashi to the southern area, and checks the place for anything that may be of interest, starting with any living being.

After 'hearing' Oliver and Cords voices over the comm, with his Talking-crystal in one hand and his bow ready in the other, he silently replies "You are right, we may assume there are several different parties, the temple one, the invaders one, and maybe more. Do not take anything for granted."

Elyse hears the plan and let's everyone go in the different directions. She however lingers near the walls with the reliefs and tries to follow the story depicted on the walls about the two statues in the room.

She uses her talents in story telling and puts her merchant mind to use to draw the story out...

Blornvid alertly keeps watch over the Elyse and Oliver.

I will work on some crude drawings tomorrow to better draw out the room you are in. Note that I made it sound like there is only one cloth covering on the far wall with the statues. There are two total; one on each side of the statues. Also, the tables on the outside wall are empty, with nothing on them. Also, while you did hear the distant activity while outside, that becomes somewhat muffled once you enter the temple, and in the temple itself, it is quiet with no signs of current activity.

The pictures and scenes on the wall show the stories of the two figures, as they each seemed to have simple lives to start, grow to prominence, became powerful and leaders, then met, fell in love, joined together, died in glory, and finally ascended. The end is with them elevating their joined kingdom with them.

Also, there are two archways, one on either side/end wall, and the two cloth coverings on the opposing/statue wall. Which one or ones is Arc and Aizashi checking out?

Arc and Aizashi cross the archway to the left (East) of the room. They see another rectangular room that has a corner staircase going up to a second floor along the outer wall, and another archway in the top (South) wall. All over the inner walls (top and right) of this new room are writings in a language you don't recognize. The room is fairly bare. It appears it was intended for movement up and down the stairs, and for people to mingle. There are a lot of wear marks on the floors indicating that there may have been tables or carts used in here in the distant past.

Arc reports telepathically by comm-crystal about the stairs, and then climbs it silently.
Bow in one hand, and an arrow ready in the other.