Recap #24 - Lo! A Beholder!

19 Nymm - 999 YK

• As the Eidolon was about to bring it's massive fist down upon Ethan's skull it suddenly turned it's head, looked at the Eastern tunnel entrance, and said "Invader's approach." It then stepped into position in front of the Northern doors and tok a guardian stance.
• From the Eastern hallway emerged several strange creatures with skin where their eyes should have been as well as a mindflayer and a female drow. Since the Eidolon seemed content to guard the sealed doors the party turned their attention to the newcomers.
• While the priestess focused her deadly magics on Nenia, the mindflayer attempted to latch onto her. At one point it was successful. However Braddoc quickly freed her by taunting his enemies with "Come and get it!". The blind creatures quickly succumbed to area magics but the party was dismayed when a second drow appeared from nowhere and caused grief for Ethan and Delian. Sterling's solid presence in the midst of the battle enabled the party to maneuver throughout their foes and the majority of the creatures were dispatched. Even the Drow priestess was defeated as she tried to make a calculated retreat.
• With a quick lull in the battle the NPCs took the opportunity to beseech the Eidolon once more. This time they were able to convince the construct they meant no harm. Still wary, the creature was a little more forthcoming with information regarding the temple they were in:
  
  - The eidolon has no name. It was created by Ixthul in the service of Aureon.
  - The temple was a holy place where a great weapon against the forces of chaos has been stored against a time when it will be needed again.
  - The ediolon does not have any way to mark the passage of time, and considers such concepts irrelevant to its purpose, so it does not know how long it has been there.
  - The eidolon does not have the ability to open the doors, which are warded by powerful rituals. The Harbingers of Ixthul have the only knowledge of how to unseal the doors.
  - Ixthul himself placed the eidolon there to guard this chamber against intruders who might try to tamper with the artifact.
  
• In exchange for their sworn promise to keep the location of the temple a secret, the eidolon opened a secret compartment and presented the party with a glowstone and a jolt flask.
• The party also found a key, 600 gp and a pair of sending stones on the drow priestess.

20 Nymm - 999 YK

• Exhausted from the day's spelunking, the party decided to take an extended rest in the temple. However in the 6th hour of their stay the eidolon awoke the party with a warning of impending danger.
• From the Western tunnel emerged a horrendous floating beast with tentacle eyes - a mighty beholder!
• With a shout an a warning not to hold back on the beast the eidolon moved forward and set up a stance which granted great boons to its new allies - extra damage seemed to flow from the party and they seemed immune to any fear. The effect surely turned the tide of the battle.
• Even though it blasted the party repeatedly with its eye rays and attempted to move the PCs into a group for a devastating area attack the abberant beast was quickly forced into a corner. A war of attrition ensued and the creature was destroyed.
• The eidolon advised the party that such attacks would surely continue if the source of entry for the creatures was not found and rendered unusable. He also begged that the tunnels leading to the temple be caved in as the PCs exited. Realizing that the construct would never leave this place they reluctantly agreed and said farewell to the faithful guardian.
• Taking the Eastern tunnel Delian discovered that the key they had found on the priestess opened the magically sealed door in the chamber of 3 doors they had passed through earlier. Evidently it was a passage that allowed a traveller to bypass the chasm trial.
• With the dwarvish knowledge that Braddoc possessed the party was able to collapse the tunnel to the temple. They also were able to disable the summoning portal they had found in the storeroom.
• Eventually they exited the complex and returned to Alara and made a report. They were careful to avoid any mention of the eidolon but Delian slipped up once when he asked Alara about the golden Ixthul robe that Ethan possessed. Intrigued, Alara declared she would have Andred look into this lead if only to confirm that the threat to the town was over.
• The townsfolk were overjoyed when they learned that the PCs had stopped the source of the ogre attacks. Old Jaeck - the smith - agreed to create a silver brooch for each party member in whatever design they wished. In addition, the party members now receive a +2 to any social skill check made when dealing with the locals.
• A week later Andred and Telios returned from Arcanix to report to Alara regarding their findings on travel to Fernia. Later that day the party was summoned to a meeting with Alara.