Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

(I think so?)

Ulthan looks on from 30 or so feet away from the group as they talk keeping an eye out apparently all around as if unsure where the next threat is coming from. He's got his backpack on as before, his hide armor looking extremely spiky as the lightning bolt struck and the icy cold froze things in place including his hair. A rather bizarre apparition... well... more bizarre. "Hrmph... going back in together or everyone picking a random door? Barbarians we can access through crevice outside, two are watching." he says while pointing along the wall and seemingly nothing more.

(My phantom post that I didn't send also suggested a long rest, I forgot about that.)

"I think our mistake before was not sticking together. We have three or four fights in there that we know about. Last time we took them all on at once. We can't do that again or more of us die. The question is, what order? The old man seems to be able to attack our minds to control us. So if we attempt to confront him first and one of us is turned, the risk is the other enemies hear the noise and join the fight, and we are back where we started, fighting multiple fights and a man down. But if we confront the barbarians first, they're perhaps weaker and we don't need to fear being divided, but we won't be fresh for the old man.

The bigger question is, are we ready to just go back in after a rest, or do we need to go and prepare some more?"

"Barbarians are barricaded to the temple, not so much barricade to the outside, maybe trap or two. They lost doggy and are resting. Man didn't help barb and barb didn't help man." grumbles Ulthan as if talking hurts him.

"Rest now."  Meepo agrees with the others.  "Go back in when done."  He says though.  'No can leave sun blade here."  He nods as he accepts the cloak and the ring.

(I believe we already identified these, so what were they again?)

"Hrmpfh We rest, they rest, bad man rests, skulls rest, everyone rest. Hrmph." Ulthan mumbles as he sits down again facing the barbarian crevice, the temple entrance, and the group.

The ring was Kasimir's and not identified, you'll need to cast identify on it.  Once you are done, you realize why Kasimir was not bothered by the cold up here.  It is a Ring of Warmth.  

The group goes into the invisible magical tent. The snow covering the ground melts quickly enough leaving wet crushed gravel underfoot. From outside, the circle clear of snow is the only sign of your presence.   You've positioned it far enough away from the crevice that it's not easily visible from the barbarians entrance to the tomb. 

From there, you set watches and rest up.  The sun rises half way through your rest, and for the first time in a long time, a clear blue sky visits you. It is.....the first time you've seen the blue sky since arriving here, and it's almost impossible not to see it as a sign. Given Olin's absence, as well as Ismark's, it's sorely needed.  

A few hours left in your rest, you see the troop of 6 barbarians leave the temple. (Let me know if you'd prefer to break your long rest and interrupt this, otherwise it occurs.). They don't see you thanks to the magic, and the position of the tent makes the circle on the ground impossible to see from their angle.  They leave, spears and axes in hand, and head off into the mountain.  

The last couple hours pass.  They do not return.  It's before noon still.  The temple is still in the shadow of the mountain though, and the clear sky has made the temperature plummet as you test the air outside and prepare to go in. 

8 hours have passed. Long rest achieved. Who takes the cloak of protection, the ring of warmth, and the blood spear?  I'll presume attunement was achieved while on watch.   And....how do you go about entering the temple.

As they're rising from their rest, Mordekai sets about his usual pep talk, hoping to encourage and inspire his friends.  Of particular note in this speech is his acknowledgement that the barbarians have left, which gives them a striking opportunity, and leaves the way open for them to sneak in together through the crevice.  He also goes on about sticking together, and their strength as a group being greater than the sum of each of their individual strengths.

(Everyone gets 12 temp HP)

(Lionel is already attuned to the spear - see post 2121, the cloak Mordekai gave to Meepo, but if the ring does not require attunement, it can be used by everyone, depending who is suffering the most at every given moment, at the moment Meepo has itas the one, who was identifying it.)

If Lionel saw the barbarians at all, he did not stop them, nor suggested to do so to others - the less enemies inside, the better, even if temporary. He draw the plan of the known part of the temple on the snow (part he knew) indicating strange room with a statue, the dining room and the long passage where he fought the skulls and - presumably - lost the sword once the last skull defeated him. 

"Do not know what is beyond that room with the skulls. But I saw that wizard - at least I think it was him - on the right balcony too. Also, it looked as if he was commanding the rest of the monsters - I saw him making that floating skull out of Kazimir". (For Lionel it was very real) "I would love to get some supplies first, or, better still, to drawn that place in holy water. Alas, it would give that monster the time to destroy the sword. Would you all risk it to go now? This time as Mordekai said moving slowly from one room to another, cleansing it as we go forward? We can begin from the left one and see, if the barbarians that left are the same that you met there."

Make it 5 more HP each - but to maximum and current. Aid

Meepo slips on the cloak, which resizes a bit to fit his smaller frame.  He would then offer the ring to the other members of the group first, if no one wished to take it he would put it on as well.

Meepo casts mage armor on himself.

Ulthan grumbles again "hrmpfh they could ambush us as we go in or leave" but otherwise does nothing more as barbarians leave. "hrmpfh Ulthan ready, go one place no split." he grumbles while looking towards the crevice. "go there first?" he says pointing.

Map as you know it. 

What's the march order, how do you proceed?  Presumably you're heading towards X1a. 

I say Lionel is still in front - as the one "to take it for the team" and to be first to avenge the dead.

(Yeah, if we're all going together anyway, stealth bonuses don't really make much difference for marching order? I might suggest Ulthan take the rear with his good perception, so maybe Meepo second, with Mordekai in third?  But very happy to be overruled by others' preferences or better advice!)

Mordekai will cast Mage Armor on himself, and Guidance on Lionel before they head towards the fissure.

(Also, happy for Meepo to take the ring).

Leaving the invisible tent behind, as it fades from existence, you move cautiously towards the corner of the temple, seeing the fissure broken through the solid rock of the mountain long in the past. You press your bodies through the gap and emerge into a dark room. The torches are out, charred sleeping pads and skins lay on the ground. Firewood is stacked up against the amber double doors both to the left (to the north) where lies the western arrow slit room, and in front of the amber double doors leading straight (east), which head out onto the balcony in the main temple chamber. It's quiet and dark.  

A charred circle in the hard stone indicates where they typically have their fire, right near the fissure. The whistling of the wind in the fissure is the only sound. Once again, the oppressive evil of the temple presses down on all of you, eating at your souls.

Ulthan whispers loudly "hrmph, that door?" pointing towards the door not leading back out the long hallway that we entered first. (x17 on map)

Meepo does a quick search of the area as the others start clearing the way forward.

Investigation: 16

Lionel will open the door to the next room (the one where he was fighting skulls) only after everyone is ready.

(Do not forget 5 extra HP, everyone. Even that number can be crucial!)

The group spends a few moments clearing the stack of firewood away from the door, as quietly at they can.  As they do so, Meepo walks about the room looking around. He quickly notices a hidden door on the south wall. You crack it open to find a large closet with round holes drilled into the rock filling an entire wall. The room is dark, cold, and filled thick with dust. The holes are clogged with cobwebs.  It’s empty and you find of nothing of interest here. 
The group is finally ready to open the double doors.

everyone roll stealth.