Whisp: “I’ve hit stone!”

Sure enough, the entire structure they found to be buried under several feet of sand. It took them a few hours to find the entrance but the large stone doors were not locked and the inside was clean and dry.

Whisp: “I can tell that someone has been here recently, look at the used torches they’ve discarded.”

Walking through the passageway, it was difficult to tell which way was up, the stones were clearly carved but the architecture was foreign to all those in the group.

Yohon: “Whisp is gone again.”

Suddenly, and without warning, two Salamanders rush out of the darkness and attack Gordon, in the lead, but both attacks miss.

Yohon: “May the holy quarterstaff of Fharlanghn thwart my foes!” Casts spiritual weapon. The magical quarterstaff bursts on the first salamander dealing a heavy blow but not enough to take him down.

Alister: “That spear looks quite dangerous.” Casts grease on the spear but the second salamander manages to hold on despite the spell.

Whisp: Comes out from the shadows and gives Gordon a flanking bonus.

Gordon: “Die you evil firey bastard!” Swings his mighty greatsword with skill and precision hits the first salamander enacting a deep wound but the outsider is still standing.

Whisp: “Aha!” Catching the salamander flatfooted she sneak attacks, stabbing his kidneys and felling the enemy.

The last salamander stabs at Whisp with his spear then slaps his tail but she is too dexterous for his attacks to hit.

Gordon: Power Attacks dealing a large amount of damage.

Whisp: Comes in behind the salamander to take him out with another sneak attack.

With both small creatures dead the battle is over.

Gordon: “Alister, what do you know of these creatures?”

Alister: “They are native to a Fire Elemental Plane. These are younglings and they can grow to be much more dangerous. Only magic weapons can injure the mature salamanders.” He stops to search through their possessions. “I really can’t think of a reason that they would be in a dragon temple… Unless.” He sits down on the ground and opens an arcane book.

Gordon: “Unless what?”

Alister: “Unless, of course, these were servants to a dragon brood, either that or followers. Either way, there is sure to be some fire hazards in our near future.” He pauses and mumbles a few words to himself and continues. “Or maybe the salamanders are a ruse and what awaits us is a white dragon, snow and ice traps all the opposite of what we’ve seen thus far. There is really no way to know for sure.”

After looting the corpses of the small salamanders, they hid the bodies along the wall and headed further into the passage.

Whisp: Her feet fall out from under her, she quickly catches herself and tumbles to the other side as a pit trap opens beneath. “Whoa. I was searching and didn’t even see that coming. Just give me one second and I will disable this.” The trap resets but then without much trouble she was able to disable the trap in such a way, if need be, she could reset it upon escape.

Deeper and deeper the team travels into the darkness. The rogue carries a small torch and the cleric heads the back with a lantern. This time when they are attacked it’s by a solitary medium salamander and no one is surprised.

Whisp: rubs magic weapon oil on her dagger and tumbles past, with ease, waiting for a flanking partner.

The salamander turn around with a full attack on the rogue. The first misses with his spear but the second hits sticking in deep and dealing extra damage from the salamander’s heat. Then she is hit with a tail slap damaging her with heat and then the tail wraps around her and constricts dealing more damage and heat.

Whisp: Wrapped in the tail of the fiery salamander she goes limp.

Yohon: Casts cure moderate wounds, “coming for you lass.” Moving up to the beast his touch wakes her but she is still grappled.

Alister: Casts glitterdust on the salamader, hitting Whisp but just missing Yohon.

Wisp goes blind but so does the salamander.

Gordon: Charges and power attacks and slices deep into the salamander who is now blind.

Whisp: Using escape artist she slips out of the grapple and attacks but misses due to concealment (blind).

The salamander blindly flails in all directions but doesn’t hit anyone.

Yohon: Steps back and casts sound burst on the salamander stunning him.

Yohon provides a flank while Gordon finishes off the blind and stunned salamander with just a couple hits.

Whisp: “Help, I still can’t see.”

Alister: “Worry not, the effect is temporary.”

Yohon: Uses Whisp’s wand to help heal her up, “Sorry to be always having to heal you up. I guess that’s the price for being the front.”