“Rollen,” says Simon enigmatically, “you always get me into trouble.”
Having twice failed to gain the confidence of the gargoyle receptionist, the adventurers elect to make another tour around the perimeter of Stone Monastery, known locally as the Mountain Keep and rumored to be under lich management. Even the more law abiding of the group reluctantly agree that forced entry remains the only option to continue investigating the Black Earth cult. But first, Argyle requests a quick look at the garden statuary around back.
Meega peeks into the garden, since Argyle is too short to do so and Rollen is too tall to do so, and sees not quite a dozen lifelike statues artfully arranged across the neglected garden with well-worn paths woven among them. Simon picks the lock by shrinking the gate, clever as it is noisy.
Intently scrutinizing the statues that will surely spring to life at any moment, it takes some time before Barrin and then Allana notice the pair of elemental gargoyles closing in on the party atop the garden wall. Rollen picks up on Barrin’s subtle cue of frantically pointing right at them and issues fair warning: “Hark! Gargoyles, if you want to harm us you will have to go through Meega first.” Observing the determination in their little stone faces, Argyle puts Moradin’s blessing on Barrin, Meega, and Rollen as they brace for conflict. Simon, lately interested in reading books instead of burning them, manifests a wizard’s kitty cat.
Gargoyle One swoops in to attack Rollen as his notched arrow sparks across its stone skin on one side and Meega’s axe gouges the other. Gargoyle Two rips into Barrin who returns with a flurry of punishment that seems somehow less effective, but does throw the creature off balance enough that he and Allana, throwing a parting critical Eldritch blast over her shoulder, can escape its attention. Meanwhile, Snowflake the cat pads up to One and zaps him with blue and white beams that cause a little bit of frost and confusion while Rollen ducks away, marking him as quarry and takes advantage of Meega’s distraction. Argyle lays some divine healing on Barrin and utters a non-randomized, surprisingly appropriate, dwarven curse backed by the full faith and credit of his mighty hammer swing into Two while a refreshed Barrin runs back in with a well-struck dagger blow. Simon throws a squishy cold hand on One, answering an old riddle regarding the sound of one clapping hand. Rollen, Meega, Simon, and Blameless erode One; Barrin, Allana, and Argyle crumble Two.
Three doors enter the building from the garden. Allana listens at the most eastern and maybe hears footsteps, maybe not. Simon drops a “cat and mouse” pun and rearranges his familiar from feline to muline to sneak in to see what is what, and what he spies with his beady little eyes is a hooded alchemist sprily dashing among tables, scrolls, and potions in a retro split level laboratory. Simon recalls his familiar and announces the coast is clear, reporting that there is just some elder cloud of volatile organic compounds floating around through the first door. Barrin listens at the next door over and hears only the ocean beyond.
Rollen enjoys some fantastic beginner’s luck picking the first lock but realizes an arcane locking spell holds the door closed. Simon, efficiently twinning his “lockpick” spell, opens both doors simultaneously by shrinking them off their hinges. Time stands still as an incomprehensibly powerful killing cloud engulfs Blameless, Argyle, Rollen, Allana, and Meega. Meega manages to stagger away as Barrin and Simon make for the garden exit. The lich paladin appearing momentarily in the doorway does not even look fatigued from this impressive arcane display.
Argyle, Rollen, Allana, and Blameless return to the loving embrace of their individual creators. Meega, Barrin, and Simon sprint over the horizon to fight another day.