Turn 152
    Early afternoon: Planning
    "Barrend, it looks like the side job just became full time. Are you in or not?"
    "If everything you told me is true, and from my own observations in the past months, it's not something I can ignore and let go. Who knows what'll happen next... I'm in!", Barrend emphasizes with a stomp of his cane." I don't like poking in to temples, but the Hextorians are up to something, and usually it's never good news to the average..." Barrend pauses in mid-speech, looking over Emmett's face with a slightly confused look and points at his eyes. "Weren't you half-blind a day ago?"
    [The left eye is still ruby red, but now it looks like a carved eye, if one looks close enough.>
    "Gond works in mysterious ways, Buddy. You're diving into the deep end now, Barrend, so hold your breath and keep your head."
    * * *

    Early evening: Front of temple
    Meanwhile, out front, an obviously nervous Pham looks at the others before taking hold of the bellrope; the iron rings out twice. It seems like a very long time before a chubby young man in clerical robes strides out toward the gate. He looks them over carefully before nodding to Pham. "Good evening, brother."
    "Good evening to you," Pham replies. "I am Brother Hendervale, newly arrived on the _Ancient Light_. These with me are interested in learning more about our shared faith."
    "Well, of course we--" The young man hesitates, looking at the group more closely. Their attempts to radiate harmlessness would not fool most small children, but he seems to be buying it. After all, no one would dare wear their holy symbol who was not actually one of the faithful. [GM: Prayer is your friend.] "We do welcome converts here, as you know. But I'm afraid the senior brethren are away right now."
    "That's all right," Pham smiles reassuringly. "I'd just like to show them around a bit. Talking is one thing, but I think the right surroundings help people truly understand Hextor."
    "Of course! We've kept the place spotless," he says anxiously, suddenly and clearly worried that Pham has been sent in to inspect his custodial work.
    He unbars the gate.
    [GM: Now what are you going to do to this poor lad?]
    * * *

    Early evening: Back of temple
    There is a brief, whispered colloquy between the two, not without its careful moments. Neither is used to sharing this sort of work with anyone else, and their occasional difficulties in communicating with one another cannot be risked right now.
    Having judged it clear of unpleasant surprises, Val takes the lead in opening the lock on the secret door; the fact of invisibility saves him some acute embarrassment as he fumbles it twice before finally and with great precision (this time) coaxing it open.
    The opening revealed is only a few feet high, an entrance into the wall itself that immediately assumes a downward, vertical aspect. Pegs hammered into the sides of the passage can be used as a ladder. The way is large enough for a human, but nothing bigger.
    [GM: I don't suppose either of you brought a light?]
    As the way is completely dark, ibn Fadil edges ahead and makes his cautious way downwards, testing every step, listening at every pause, examining every motion before making it lest there be some trap here for the unwary intruder. Nothing. The ladder takes them down about twenty feet and deposits them in a small, closet-like space, walled and floored in old brick. There is another door, this one far more casually concealed. It, too, is examined, listened at, and observed for several moments. There is a distant hint of sound, but nothing that would seem to be immediately on the other side.
    Opening it reveals to his sight an oblong room about fifteen feet long by ten feet wide. Along the left-hand wall are a row of compact chests. On the far side, a passage leads away, curved so its far end cannot be seen.
    

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