The Forbidden Temple
Prologue:
An ancient and long forgotten temple stands at the old imperial crossroads not too far from the nearby Village of Rosedale and the Shire of Shotwell located in the southwest of the Norselands. Its roof has collapsed and lay in rubble scattered across the main room. Most of the ionic columns still stand. A large statue lay in ruins in the middle of the floor smashed to rubble.
Like all temples, it was built to honor some deity whose name is lost and unremembered. Perhaps the disciples and clerics died or migrated to other lands, no one knows or cares.
The stone roads haven’t been used in centuries and are mostly covered in dirt, wild grasses and other foliage.
Through the years - the village and surrounding hamlets, thorps and farms have forbidden its citizens ~ especially children from going anywhere near the old temple as many believe it is haunted by ghost and spirits from the netherworlds.
Another ancient and dilapidated structure, a tholos that is just up the hill ~ may have housed an oracle.
The temple is surrounded by a wall and the main entrance is through the Lion’s Gate from the north imperial road.
In the last year, strange things have happened around the temple. Most of the wild animals have gone, instead there are bird men creatures that have been spotted. Some nights are very dark in the hills around that area.
Carts pulled by horses, driven by men or demi-human men have seen going north on the old stone road. Villagers couldn't see their faces as they were covered with hoods had their heads down.
A giant insect-like creature tried to attack Millicent Bagbottom in Shotwell, but the monster was driven off by her husband and children using pitchforks and rocks. They said they saw another monster far back in the trees.
The shire and the village have set up small militias to guard their homes and the road between them. And no one goes out at night except the night watch. The mayors have appealed to the City of Lillehammer, but they haven't received any word back yet.
During the last full moon, a large wolf was seen up on a hill baying at the moon. This frightened everyone as there have never been wolves in this area of the Norselands.
And then the news of the high priest of Mithril being abducted from his chancellery in Helsingborg made its way into the area. Many wonder if the good priest is being held in the hills by the temple or nearby where the tholos is.
Some of the elders recall there were stairways that went down beneath the temple, but those were filled in with rubble and dirt from some of the pillars. But, no one has been back there in many a year and all are too afraid to go there and have a look.
XP totals = 10,099 (as of 3/30/16)
