The New Remnant

Arc remembers that there were at least a dozen or so, but those were just the ones in the open. There could easily be an equal number that were in doors.

You have seen that there are at least two more levels of the temple to check. Perhaps you can get a better view from higher. Also, you have seen no evidence of the orcs having investigated the temple, at least in the areas you have seen. In fact, the damaged altars is the only real evidence of activity in the temple you have seen.

Blornvid mulls it over. "If we get the high ground on them, we'll be able to pick them off at a distance. Even the odds up a bit."

Wonder Cords says "Check this out." as he lead the way to move up a level on temple.

Stee will look at the group and lift his bow"I am very good with this. Just to let y'all know."

Going up the stairs, you see a very wide corridor that goes all around the outside of the building. There are open archways along the outer wall that correspond to those on the lower floor. This will offer you a good view all around. In the two corners you can see, there are stairs going up. You corner only goes back down. Along the inner two walls you can see are two open archways into another area you can't see from your vantage point.

So, you move around to see in one of the inner archways, while keeping away from the outer archways, and see a very large room. The room is 180 feet each way, but in the center is a 60x60 inner room with a door in the center of the north wall and, once you check, another door in the center of the south wall. Along the outer walls of this 180x180 room are more niche/alcoves you had seen in the foyer area. There are five along each wall. Each has one figure (a couple have two; one has three) in it, and it is surrounded with carvings depicting major events about the figure in the alcove. You get the feeling that these are many of the minor gods in the pantheon that either had minor portfolios or simply server more major gods.

As before, despite being opulent and still in surprisingly good condition, there don't seem to be any real treasures here. Also, unlike the altars below, there does not appear to be any damage to the alcoves here. You also do not see any real evidence of activity through here, either. You do go check the outside ring, and that does show evidence of activity from multiple people or creatures that have gone through the halls in the very recent past.

As before, when you go around towards the south side, you can hear activity more clearly, but it is still hard to make out anything anyone might be saying.

It is also obvious that it was intended for there to be various activities in this big room, too. This must have been a bustling beehive of activity, back when it was an active temple!

Taking in all the space with it's nooks and crannies on the second level Aizashi suggests: 'It might be wise to make sure we are alone in this floor before we investigate the next floor. And umm... Is anyone of us any good at setting up some kind of trap? We could trap the stairs so we don't get surprised by anyone coming up or down the stairs?'

"I've got two ideas: one messy and one subtle. Since we, as a team, appear to be the sneaky kind, here's the latter."

Oliver takes out a small flask of pink moving goo and holds it between two fingers.

"This pink slime can eat anything, but VERY slowly. They are a lot of orcs, and must eat a lot too. The plan is to plant this into their supplies and wait for a day or so. We'll need to be extra sneaky, as we need to wait for quite some time for it to take effect... If it works at all, that is."

"I really don't understand this want to mess with the Orc that can only be bad news. Why not just continue to avoid them and check out the temple which is what we want to do anyway."

"Maybe you're right, Cords. Perhaps we should go with Aizashi's idea and make sure we have control of this floor, instead of going on the offensive."

"I agree, let's finish checking the temple, floor by floor. The orcs don't expect anyone here. Once we have control of the temple we can plan something for them... If we want to"

After some debate, you go to the stairs in the south east corner and go up to the third (I am using the US system for floors) level. Just like the two levels below, there is a 30 foot wide corridor around the outside of the whole building with four open archways allow each outer wall. You can see the stairs in either visible corner (SW and NE) allow for going up to an additional level. Along each inner wall there are two doorways. They are located in the same spot as the archways in the previous level, but these have doors. Unlike the previous floors, this level appears to be more functional and less decorated. It is, however, still in unexpectedly good condition.

Cat's resistance NOT. Cords will go for the doors.

Putting his inventory back in his backpack (except for the Sling), Oliver intensely watches Cords open the door, filled with curiosity about this new chamber.

Arc, bow in hand, follows Cords

Aizashi keeps an eye on the back of the group.

Blornvid stands ready, prepared to shield the two mages.

Cord opens the eastern door on the southern inner wall. As he opens it and takes a look inside he sees ... not a whole lot as it is pretty dark in there. However, with the light that comes in because of the archways from the outer wall, he can see that there is a wall immediately to the left of the door, another wall off to the right, and a third wall straight ahead. The wall straight ahead has a normal sized double door in it. He steps in a couple steps and sees that there is an inner corridor that runs to the left (as there is an opening between the wall on the left and the wall straight ahead). He can see that there are several single doors down this corridor. There is also an opening between the wall on the right and the one straight ahead, but it just opens to a relatively open area past the two walls.

It appears that there are many corridors and rooms in this large area. You surmise it might be the living quarters of the temple staff back when it was in operation ...

(There seems to be three sizes of doors here. The door you came through is a large set of double doors that fill an opening as big as the open archways you see on the exterior wall. Inside this large double door, you can see a set of normal sized double doors immediately ahead, and he can see normal sized single doors along the corridor to the left.)