Chapter Twelve - The Coming Storm

Year 1001 of the 4th Era - Spring

As they escape from Spinecastle, our heroes avoid the guards at the main gate, but are reached by a Cornugon Devil in the open of the Darklands.
The devil is too powerful for their strengths, but suddenly strong winds, in reality a Swarm of Air Elementals, take care of the Cornugon, who teleports away in frustrations.

The winds had been summoned by Fennimar, the Arch-Druid of the Circle, who makes his appearance. Fennimar explains that Ghalan and Tharod are not yet prepared to fulfill the Prophecy, and, as a sign of good will from the Circle, is willing to revela them a place where powerful armaments are hidden.

The brothers accept, and Fennimar leads the group to the mountains, where the "Coming Storm" is raging. As explained by Fennimar, during the magical storm, the Temple of the Celestial Wind will make its appearance (adv. The Coming Storm), and there is where the armaments ca be found.

The Temple was once a place of meditation and peace, but was cursed hundreds of years ago by the 3000 Obahs (gods), due to an attack from bandits that desecrated the place. Now, only during the Coming Storm is the Temple accessible... and if the Storm ceases, everyone inside theTemple would remain trapped.

With this knowledge, our Heroes make their way to the Temple, as the huge bronze doors of the entrance swing open, and nine cursed riders charge in their direction. After dealing with them, our heroes enter the temple, only to find themselves in a huge hall, where vines have now covered most of the balconies. A tribe of Girallon has taken residence in the Temple, and, to protect their territory, they attack the party.

After facing them, and their leader, the monstrous Jiba, our heroes keep exploring the Temple, meeting immortal guardians, feral packs of Displacers beasts, and an ancient mummy, the long-dead architect of the Temple itself. As they rest once again to recover their strengths, the Storm seems to have passed, entrapping them in the Temple.

But troubles are not over, as they face evil Giants, tricky Spirits of the Air, and the Serpentine Guardian of the Temple Treasury, where Ghalan an Tharod find the mythic armaments of two ancient heroes, one of Light, one of Darkness.

Equipped with these powerful items, they finally face Ataman Hitschok, the cursed leader of the bandits. Defeating him ,they also lift the curse from the Temple, as the Storm once agian arrives to bring them back to the Darklands.

Opening the big bronze doors, they find themselves in the presense of Fennimar, who greets them with a few, decisive words.

"You're now ready for Manzessine".