The adventurers defer the temptation of a spa day in Summit Hall to make a return visit to Sacred Stone Monastery, either to locate its secret elemental temple or clear its good name.
After previously cutting down several of Hellenrae’s henchmen and all her monastic brandy, a warm welcome is not expected. Meega leads the party to a hidden crevasse where they survey many more guards filling the ravine surrounding the keep. Stone masks, minotaurs, and priests patrol in well-formed units thoroughly covering the southern front of the building and around to the lich’s garden in the back on the northeast corner. Allana’s investigative reduction suggests the only safe course is to approach the lightly-guarded scullery entrance on the west side.
Rather than risk detection sneaking around the perimeter of the keep, the party withdraws into the ravine where Allana and Theridan locate a game path up to the plateau. The ascent is steep and treacherous, even for athletic Meega who ties herself to Theren with 100’ of rope. Allana casts fly on Haerelben and herself and they inspect the path up to the top of the plateau where there are no gnoll encampments in sight.
Despite some slips and slides doing considerable face damage, Meega and Bear Theridan manage to drag or carry battered Theren to the top. From that high vantage, it is plain to see the patrols are avoiding the western grounds. That’s probably just a logistical oversight and nothing treacherous at all.
The party takes the afternoon to bandage up and watch the target door, guarded by a stone mask who is relieved by a minotaur at sunset. Around that time, guards can be seen fighting large wasp-like beasties. The wasps retreat, maybe to the ravine walls but it isn’t clearly observed.
When darkness falls, Meega lowers down Theren, then Haerelben, and finally Theridan who drops his shield onto Haerelben’s head. Allana remains with Meega and flies them down together.
Haerelben notices that their noisy descent has attracted the attention of two pairs of minotaur guards exploring from the door. Allana casts an escalating minor illusion of a wasp swarm, complete with soundtrack. The minotaur guards don’t rush to engage the swarm, but they appear satisfied this explains the earlier ruckus and they withdraw.
Theren casts pass without a trace and the party glides across the void toward the edge of the building. The abnormally competent stealth means no one notices when Meega falls into a hole.
Inside an underground tunnel, a pair of aberrant wasps surround Meega. In typical fashion, Meega silently knocks One prone and then dices him up before he can make a single move.
Theren realizes Meega is missing and halts the assault at the edge of the building. Haerelben sees the hole and points it out. Allana, still flying, drops into the hole as Fourteen flies out and she helps Meega with the wasps converging on them below. Back to back, they drop Ten and Six while above Theren and Theridan work on Fourteen. Haerelben blesses the party. Four minotaurs come around the corner.
Theren, Haerelben, and Theridan push past Fourteen and drop into the hole to escape the approaching minotaurs. Together the party fights through wasp after wasp. Haerelben and Theren hang back to feign poisoned for the benefit of the minotaurs watching from above so they will hopefully find a convenient reason to pursue no further. It seems to work as the minotaurs send down only laughter and a poorly timed boulder.
Theren sends his dwindling supply of crossbow bolts into the perpetually emerging wasps. Allana blasts them into walls. Theridan takes on snake form and constricts wasps at both ends. Meega swings her axe but fatigue slows her down. Haerelben restores those who get poisoned from the stings and catches a critically stray crossbow bolt from Theren.
When no more wasps present themselves for extermination, the party clears out some larvae in an easily-defended side room and takes a little rest to dress wounds. They reckon from the direction and distance traveled in the tunnel system that they are likely beneath the keep building. Possibly Meega’s misfortune falling into the tunnel will benefit them if a way up may be found.