Contract: The Don's Request
Previous: Finding the Temple
Next: Battle of the Gods
The #Team High Turnover Rate travelled through the loam covered ruins of Loskialua and started up the steep narrow trail up towards what they could only assume was the Temple of the Twelve. Near the top of the tiring climb you turned a switchback to find the body of one of Castrovel's deadliest aerial predators, the sky eel, accompanied by the bodies 2 more of those mercenaries. Bash cautiously approached but all 3 were very dead, covered in bloody wounds on the part of the mercenaries and burns/bullet holes on the part of the eel. Sensing no danger for the moment you all went around the final curve of stairs and stepped onto the top of this small plateau.
Before you stood a curved line of ~6" diameter posts covered in those untranslatable Xi Tablet glyphs. Despite feeling a vague tingle as you passed through the line they seemed to serve no significant purpose. Your attention quickly moved to Nari pak Cordona who stepped out of one of the small ruins. The range favored Nari so everyone moved with haste to close range. After a misfire, Nari dropped her gun and ran into cover, just in time for the gun to detonate and hit Jerzac Scarlewe and Roswell Mogul. While Jerzac fumbled to pull and throw a grenade with one hand, he had to watch as Nari started to go for the kill. It only took a single moment of lethal intent and she caved in the side of Zuri's head. Enraged Roquesta (Rocket) Strauss joined the melee with Roswell and Bash. Realizing he wouldn't be useful in close, Jerzac took the time to line up a perfect shot that knocked Nari down and leaving her staggered. Bash took the final blow and ended the threat that had been stalking you this whole journey.
After unceremoniously stripping the two women of their useful gear their bodies were dropped from over the edge of the cliff. With nothing else of interest on the exterior you headed into the temple. Every surface of the entry hall was covered in constellations and scientifically precise travel paths of the stars as seem from Castrovel. There were two that stood out however, a jagged line of six stars one of which is Vega the Elves/Drow home star and the other is a perfect circle of 12 stars.
Taking the southern passage there were further star carvings. This time they were from the perspective of the elven home planet of Apostae (as it is now known). Unfortunately for the crew it contained a starstorm trap. The noise from this trap alerted the mercenary guarding two captives. He turned from his charges to fight you but quickly realized he was outmatched. You and the male captive killed him as he ran to get help. Help that had heard and was ready when you can around the corner. Once most of the group had exposed themselves the mercenary leader detonated charges on the ceiling, damaging only Bash. Since their trap did not work effectively they were quickly defeated between your new companion's psionic magics and the groups pinpoint fire.