As we begin, the party, under the leadership of Arik, has joined on with a caravan heading to the east, towards the desert land of Ember. The caravan is still a few weeks' travel away from the main campaign area, and is currently making its way through a sweltering jungle. All of the men and animals are adversely affected by the heat, but Arik in particular is very badly affected, because he is used to very cold temperatures.
The caravan arrives at the small village of Asuna, which holds no more than a few hundred people and a few dozen buildings, and Arik convinces the head merchant of the expedition to stop for a few days to allow everyone to rest and recuperate. The members of the caravan head for the village's single inn, though the party notice the villagers giving them all a variety of unfriendly looks as they pass.
The next morning, Arik summons the group into his inn chamber. When they arrive, he explains that he has been speaking with the innkeeper, and she has told him that the people of this village (and several other nearby villages as well) worship a god called the Iron God. However, about a month ago, the Iron God's temple was destroyed by lightning in a freak storm, and none of the priests have been seen since. Arik asks the party to investigate, as he is not in good enough shape to do it himself.
The party start by talking to the innkeeper, a stout but reasonably friendly woman. She tells them that a local boy, Sulif, went to investigate the ruins of the temple a few weeks ago, but found that goblins had already moved in and taken over. Since then, the villagers have been loathe to approach the ruins. She also warns them to be careful, because about a week ago, a guard from a caravan that was stopping in town mysteriously disappeared. The members of the caravan were convinced that the villagers had something to do with it, but after a few days were unable to prove anything, and eventually were forced to continue on their way. As far as she knows, no one has any idea what happened to him.
When the party asks the innkeeper where the temple is, she explains that it's about an hour's journey away, but the path leading to it is somewhat unclear, and without a guide it would be easy to get lost. They ask for her recommendation, and she names Sulif, the boy who discovered the presence of goblins, who apparently fancies himself something of an adventurer. She directs them to his home.
At Sulif's home, they are greeted by his cantankerous father, who summons the youth at the party's request. Sulif turns out to be a large, sturdily built individual about 20 years of age. While he is fairly easily convinced to help the party out (they tell him they want to recover the temple's relics and bring them back to Asuna), he tells them that he can't go without his father's permission, as he has chores and duties to attend to at home. The party asks to speak with his father again, who turns out to be quite stubborn and unyielding - that is, until Lorcan changes his mind with a subtle bit of spellcasting.
Permission having been granted, Sulif suits up and heads out, guiding the party along the path of the Temple of the Iron God. The trip takes a bit over an hour (accounting for the small legs of gnomes and halflings); when they arrive near the temple, Adokas sneaks ahead to check for goblins. The temple and its associated outbuildings are almost completely destroyed, with rubble, smashed furnishings, and massive gouges through the earth visible everywhere. There are, however, no signs of goblins. Adokas goes back to inform the group, who cautiously advance towards the temple's cellar entrance.
Standing at the stairs down to the temple's lower level, Adokas again sneaks ahead. The stairs lead to a large chamber, with two exits to either side. However, Adokas cannot make out very many details because it's too dark. He at least determines that he can't hear any goblins. Heading back up, the group next send in Zedlyn, whose gnomish darkvision lets him see in the absence of light. Zedlyn enters, and sees that the back of the chamber is dominated by huge iron statue holding a downturned urn. There is also what appears to be a mummified goblin head lying in the center of the room. As Zedlyn steps forward, the head hisses a warning against tomb robbers, but then goes silent when the gnome tries to converse with it.
Returning back up the stairs, the party discusses the possibility that the Iron God has destroyed the goblins and left the head as a warning for trespassers. Sulif eventually points out that (as far as he believes) they're here for a good cause, so they have nothing to fear. He hands a torch to Sharla, and the group as a whole head town the stairs.
Taking the right passage from the main chamber, the party come across a vestiary with two doors. Listening at the doors, the party hear the distance sounds of several (many?) creatures (goblins?) speaking animatedly. Deciding to avoid the goblins for now, the party retrieve some debris from the surface and barricade the door, before returning to the main chamber and trying the left passage.
The left passage leads to a northward hallway, with a branch leading off to the west. Following the branch, the party arrive at a circular room featuring a murky fountain. Lorcan wades in and opens the valve that turns on the fountain, but after ten minutes or so, the water doesn't seem to be clearing up. The party spend this time searching the room, but are unable to find anything of interest. Adokas points out that it's probably just a ritual fountain of some sort, used for rituals of cleansing or purification. The party move on.
The northward passage eventually leads to another, similar, room - circular with a (drained) pool in the center. It is distinguished by two additional features - strange iron patterns inlaid into the wall, and iron statues of two priests. Zedlyn investigates the patterns while the rest of the party investigate the statues and the rest of the room. The group, after spending some time searching the room, come to the conclusion that the statues are actually moving - incredibly slowly, but moving nonetheless. The unspoken assumption among the group seems to be that this must be some sort of curse or magical effect that has transformed the priests into statues of iron. Zedlyn, meanwhile, has been following the patterns, and they seem to have a calming and meditative effect on him. After studying the patterns, he feels very clearheaded and focused.
The party continue down the northward hall, passing a doorway beyond which the sound of rats chittering can be heard. They arrive at a four-way intersection, with doors visible in all directions.
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