"A fine idea! And these fools may have stored all their gold in it!"

"Excellent.  And since you ate all the sheep, I get all the gold."

I head that way.  

(Ooc.  I don't care if I end up with any gold. We don't have to play out dividing it.)

"Yes, I ate the sheep. And if you had you would have realized that they were not worth one golden coin between them."

The temple is small and rustic but once Dagon's eyes adjust to the darkness he sees a large number of statues of the gods, more of Hephaestus than the others, and some fine gold and silver chalices and other votary objects. Behind the alter are racks containing books and scrolls.

I search around for something to drink.  "Seems a shame to let such fine goblets go to waste."


I sit cross legged on the alter with a book in my lap, a big one or an old one.  
"Ugg, the day started out so well, and now I'm reading.  There might be way to open a shorter road.  Or a insightful story of the early days of the temple, or a emergency actipn plan incase the Devil Troll Lankinnin breaks free and eats all the sheep."

The troll smashes his way towards a niche containing a large number of two foot high statues of various gods. Some he smashes, others he uses to scratch his back, other he takes in pairs and plays with them as action figures fighting eachother. Hera's legs get broken and fly across to where Dagon sits. Pallas' head flies across the room to land in a guttering candle.

Dagon's perusal does find some useful information about how to perform the ritual that would open a way to a Road.

While reading a loud, echoing voice rings out:

"WHO ARE YOU TO COME AND DESTROY MY PEOPLE AND DESECRATE MY TEMPLE?"

The voice seems to come from everywhere in the temple.

I put my finger to my lips for the troll, and make my voice sound like Peter Lorre.

"Doctor Henry Jones.  Raider of fine Antiquities and defier of false gods.  Thank you for this very fine wine oh lame and distant godling."

"DISTANT!? DISTANT, YOU SAY, YOU WRETCHED, IMPUDENT, DEFILER OF THIS SACRED SITE?"

The temple begins to shake, dust falls down from the high beamed ceiling. A few of the statues fall and break upon the flagstone floor, although Dagons notices that none of Hephaestus' topple.

"LONG HAS THIS CREATURE BEEN IMPRISONED TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD AND NOW YOUR WANTON INTERFERENCE HAS LET IT LOOSE!"

The troll squuezes himself into a corner of the temple, his eyes darting about in fear. FRom outside the roar of gale force winds batter the village.

Hephaestus is an artificer, if he can see and hear in this room its becuase he built some thing.

I cast about with my eyes and EGO for some kind of device, probably a statue.  When I find it I cover it some how, maybe with an urn, vase or cloth so he can't see us.  

Then I start to change form.  

"All tremble before the great and powerful OZ, you don't scare me you distant, gimp.  Hows Aphrodite, never mind I'll as Ares.

Once I cover the spy device (assuming I can find it) I climb up into the rafters of the temple to ambush.

Most of the statuary has fallen from the shelves and niches and broken on the floor. Of the few that remain all are of Hephaestus. While covering them Dagon can see the dust on the floor swirling about and collecting near the centre of the chapel floor. The gales continue outside blowing braches, leaves, and more dirt which also joins the collecting mound.

"SPAWN OF THE NETHERWORLD, HADES SHOULD HAVE DROWNED YOU IN LETHE WHEN YOU WERE FIRST BORN! I WILL NOW CORRECT HIS OVERSIGHT."

Flames from the torches set into the walls leap into the growing pile of dirt and the pile begins forming into the shape of Hephaestus.

You know best about things that should have been drowned at birth.  Unwanted, Unloved! Misshapen and Fatherless!"

I finnish changing, a massive dimond back Naga winds up into the rafters.  Head down, within easy striking distance of the mound.  

Well I have succeeded in making him angry.  Not so sure about that plan now, at least he's not going for help.  I wonder if I can drop part of the roof on him.

"Get ready troll.  We've burned our ships behind us now."

The troll is still too fearful to do more than throw bits of the broken statues toward the rapidly solidifying dirt-and-fire god. The dirt continues to flow into the god and he increases in size reaching a mighty hand towards Dagon.

"YOUR IMPUDENCE MUST BE PUNISHED!" he roars.

"Troll, the only way out is through, if you huddle in the corner which ever of us lives will surely kill you."

Last time I trust a priest from Syrinx.

As the hand reaches toward me I strike with a serpants swiftness and try to sink my fangs in to the hand or forearm.  But evasivly its more important that I not get grappled than that I tag him now.  Then I slither higher into the rafters.  Preferably on a load bearing beam.  He's bigger than I thought.  If there is a decoritive gargoyle I can push on him that would be great.

The troll continues to stay in the corner grabbing at whatever lies on the floor and throwing it at Hephaestus. His aim is good and Dagon notices that the objects do not pass all the way through the god but become imbdded in the dirt body. Each hit seems to cause a minor slowing in the god's solidifying.

Dagon's strike results in his jaws clamping down on the viscous dirt giving him a mouth full of mud and generating a hiss from Hephaestus. The solidifying of the arms reverses and some of the leaves and branches fall off the limbs and down to the floor where the are again drawn into the god. The arm that was bitten is in a damaged state so Heph can only use one arm to attack for the next few moments.

Among the rafters are numerous wooden statues of the gods most of which are from Dagan's extended family with a few others that must have been taken from some other pantheon. Many Hephaestus idols are in the mix. The crystal eyes set into the statues glint and sparkle in the torch light and seem to stare at Dagon.

The successful attack on the arm has inspired the troll to give more help in the fight. It crouches down then springs onto Hephaestus' back tearing great handfuls of dirt and branches out of the god.

He's not even here.

Coward. Hiding behind a construct of mud and leaves.
Your manhood is as shriveled as your leg.  

I grab the nearest Idol of Heph and smash its eyes out on a beam then hurl it down at the construct.  Then grab another and do the same.

Hephaestus screams in pain and suddenly diminishes in size shedding much of its dirt and foliage. When it is about man-sized the shrinking stops and it appears less like the god and more like a normal man. One of its arms strikes out towards the troll and grabs him by the throat. The other arm, now unable to reach Dafon in the rafters, is held in a position of guard against futher attack.

"Even when slightly diminished I am more than a match for this pathetic troll" it yells.

The troll's face is turning a deeper shade of green as he struggles to break the grip.