One Lucky Arrow (March 835)

On the eve of battle, Pebble, Edric, and Mallein discussed the plan, and Edric examined several magical oddities, including several interesting ancient spells. The Daemonic Amulet of Giltray was also discussed, with the monk taking a firm stance in favor of its destruction, but letting the issue lie for the time being.

The day before arrival, Pebble, Talger, Edric, and Chin split off from the army, climbing the Wall to seek out some hidden entrance to the Temple. Surveying the clifftop, they found the ruins of an old mining operation (intentionally caved-in), a derelict watchtower, an old Aeborian menhir dedicated to the North Wind,  and a stand of withered and rotten junipers. Amid this copse, they found a well--through this they accessed a cistern, and found passage deeper into the old temple.

They emerged from a secret passage (likely unknown to the creatures of the Defiler); here they found a terrible ritual in progress, the burning of living prisoners to create hideous abominations. They gave battle--a dozen orcs were slain, and whatever daemon or spirit  inhabited the flame-wraith was banished. The Defiler was invoked by one of his chosen eyes, but this too was thwarted, the spell broken by Edric, leaving only a dead fanatic. The Enemy was now alert, and Chin (in pursuit of a fleeing orc) heard another party on their way. The infiltrators hid, and through illusion and stealth got around their foes, plunging into a deeper level of the tomb.

But the long stairs were warded, and the enemy detected their approach. Five picked orcs, led by the obsidian-handed apprentice of the Defiler, stood against them in the hall. The battle was close fought--only a powerful illusion and a perfectly placed arrow saved the day, though Chin nearly perished.

With more enemies approaching, Edric assailed the sanctum with the last of his magic, breaching the magically sealed door. Inside they found only a terrible, blinding light, a light to overwhelm body and soul; only Edric's chant made it bearable. At the center of the room was a pit, closed off with a massive wooden grate. Some scorching gas rose from pit, making the air waver as it rose towards vents in the ceiling of the domed chamber. On a wooden stool in the center of the grate, mummified by the dry heat, sat the Defiler. He held the light--a crystal shard at the end of an iron rod. His head was ringed with 5 extra eye-sockets, carved into the skull, but now left empty--all 7 eyes missing, having only just appeared in the sky far above. The withered body was naked, except for a necklace of glass fingers.

Pebble kicked the body down, shielding herself from the heat and otherworldly light. The rod fell through the grate, far down into the pit. She severed the head, and burned the body on a pyre. 

A hoard of treasure line the back wall of the chamber--a fortune in gold and silver, arrows tipped with dragon's teeth, a horned helmet with a grotesque visor, and several old spellbooks.

The morale of the remaining defenders shattered quickly with their leader destroyed, and the 3 heroes carried their wounded companion out the great door of the Temple. Here they looked out over the plain, and found the battle won.