The mistress had sent him out of the Temple of the Beast. "Go there,
acolyte. Do this, acolyte. Bring me new people, acolyte," he muttered to
himself. Fine! He would show his mistress that he also was wise!

But it was with a sad heart that the acolyte returned to the Savannah,
ignored by the citizens of the cities he visited, unhappy and unwilling
to explain to his mistress that he had failed. As a last resort, he
considered the people wandering around the Savannah, dubious as he was
about their suitability. One even decided to go return butterflies
instead of listening to his great words about his mistress, but she soon
returned. How rude.

These would probably not do, but he had tried. If it all came down to
it, at least he could rip out their hearts and offer them to his great
mistress. He hadn't damaged any of them at all, though the butterfly
girl was starting to look mighty tasty. Soon he heard the voice of his
mistress in his head and withdrew gratefully back into Great Rock.

Magic rolled through the tunnels and his steps quickened in excitement.
The mistress was doing a ritual! He had just reached the entrance to the
Temple itself when a huge explosion rocked him off his feet and threw
him back against a wall. In the dust and falling debris, he could see
that the tunnel was now collapsed!

As he scrabbled frantically at the stone he could hear voices, shouting
over the remaining rumbles and through the huge boulders that blocked
the way.

"I am here, mistress!" he shouted, hoping his voice would reach her. "I
will see if I can find help!"

Thankfully, help turned up. Swarms of people crowded around him in the
tunnel as he tried to dig his way through. Talisman led the push to move
the rocks out of the way, but it was obvious that it would take more
than mere elbow grease: the rubble was simply too heavy. But that was
before the bombs hit. Rising to the challenge was the sylvan Tianna
Drake-Shayan'Kor, prepared to do her best... or worst!

A fiery holocaust exploded through the chamber, taking the tunnel rubble
with it and leaving people dazed and confused. Finally, when the dust
settled, the tunnel could be seen. She had done it! The acolyte was
beside himself with joy, and adventurers began to make their way into
the sect, first to enter the Temple of the Beast.

~ ~ ~

Sometime later, the High Priestess Hellitha was heard giving a sigh of
approval. Despite the influx of visitors, Sohl Vallah, Tanris Rozzan,
and Amunet Viatrix had all acted suitably in her presence; Amunet had
even suggested the delicious idea of further conversing on the acts of
Chaos and blood rituals. She would take up that offer, if only to see
outside of her Temple. Yes, things could have been a lot worse.

The High Priestess fondly patted the decapitated head of Agrias de Feura
upon a pike beside her, a token from the House of Occultists. A lot
worse indeed.

Penned by My hand on the 18th of Miraman, in the year 573 AF.