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Elementals!     Golem

Morin checks ahead and reports back: the passageway soon opens into an irregularly shaped room. All the walls are smooth and the are is lit in a pale orange, without any obvious source. The walls themselves are alive with intricate patterning, lines and spirals textured into the hard stone with great artistry - a pattern only, however intricate, you would surmise; there is no picture or rune here.

At the other side of the room, there is a corridor leading out and off to the east but just in front of it is something else: a 9ft tall behemoth in front of the opposite corridor is a stone golem. It waits, unmoving. The body is large and humanoid, shaped to look like an armoured warrior.

Apparent also is one curiosity, a steel scroll case, glinting in the orange light, is held on a silver chain about the golems' neck.

In an uncharacteristic move, the party decide on a persuasive approach, asking for the golem’s aid.

Morin, clearly unconvinced about every aspect of this "plan", nevertheless leads the party forwards to the room ahead, Suva in close attendance, with the rest of the party bunching up behind to get a good view.

He steps lightly into the room and the golem responds: it does not attack but the stone figure takes up a more aggressive stance in one smooth motion. It does not advance, though, as Morin ponders exactly what he might say or do. He steps forward another couple of paces, but the golem does not move further.

"Ahem"

He clears his throat rather loudly and then begins.

"Sorry to disturb you, but my colleagues here are wondering whether you might just hand over the shiny cylinder that you have there, hanging nicely round your neck," he begins then continues without pause as no reaction comes from the golem, "I know it is a bit presumptuous, and I have to admit to thinking that a much better plan would be to have our normally aggressive fighter-types come in here and make a rockery out of you; strangely though, they thought that I should come in and have a chat. I'm also assuming that they will also want you to step to one side, although I have to admit that this is only an assumption, and may require clarification. So, what's it to be?"

Unmoving silence is all that greets from the poised construct. After a moment or two more, Morin finally turns to the party, in time to notice Balin hurriedly changing his gauntlets.

"I think he only speaks rock."

Darius is concerned that only one stone golem guards this route but knows the party must proceed. He indicates Jarek and Morin to watch their progress as he, Balin and Jiriki advance, the magic weavers knowing they are almost powerless against a golem.

Without drawing his sword, he stands before the towering figure and speaks: “If you would bar our progress and halt our passage then prepare for a fight. If you are naught but a messenger then deliver your masters words and let us continue without further destruction"

There is no reaction nor change to the golem’s defensive stance so, having waited long enough, Darius advances, taking the direct route as Jiriki and Balin hurtle towards the golem's flanks; the golem adjusts position as the combatants narrow to within 10 feet and Darius' furious attack is blocked well and repaid with interest by powerful fists that piledrive their target viciously and have him reeling backwards.

Undaunted, dwarven hammer and greatsword strike at the golem, Jiriki splintering off pieces of stone but barely slowing the stone behemoth.

Darius struggles back to the attack but his flailing steel is ineffectual and now the golem turns its attention to Balin as Jiriki finds himself suddenly moving more slowly. The dwarf is battered hard and unable to make any impact on his adversary as the battle swirls in the orange light of the room.

The golem seems to be methodically taking each of its opponents in turn, hammering away with great fists and almost oblivious to the warriors' attempts to strike it. Even as the three warriors get pummelled, Morin suffers a moment of inspiration and as Jiriki is slammed by a great stone fist, he is suddenly hurtling through the air, narrowly avoiding steel and stone. In one deft movement, his foot finds grip on the hip of the golem as his hand clasps around the chain about its neck and then Morin pushes hard away, landing in a tumble.

He glances at his hand and is mildly surprised to find chain and dangling cylinder in his hand.

However, there is no immediate chance to celebrate: the golem stops in its tracks, giving Balin, Darius and Jiriki a chance to regroup as Suva approaches them, ready to heal. But the 9ft tall figure is only changing target: suddenly its entire focus is on Morin....!

The melee suddenly becomes utterly chaotic: with the golem's focus on Morin, he leaps to his feet and heads out the opposite corridor with the stone giant in lumbering pursuit.

Balin drops his hammer and draws his sword and Jiriki, injured as he is, cannot resist the chance and swipes at the golem as it goes. As steel crashes against rock, there is a sudden flood of water above the golem's head, courtesy of Suva, but it is undeterred in its purpose. Jarek has also leapt into the attack, hacking at the enemy and leaping back again with aplomb. Moments later, Morin has dodged back past the golem into the room, narrowly avoiding a thundering fist and shouts,

"Stay back. Suva, is the water still safe....to....cross.......?"

Suva nods his head, the water-walking spell has a few minutes left, but Morin's hesitancy is for other reasons - it is now apparent that the golem's main directive is to do with the cylinder and, consequently, it is not defending itself! It is utterly oblivious to the fact that it is being whittled away by frenzied steel.

Dalrylshana lowers a hastily notched magical arrow, Jarek ceases his attacks and the party watch in disbelief as Morin dodges backwards and forwards around the room, too quick for the thunderous foe, as Balin and Jiriki merrily hack lumps off it. Kin even begins to cheer Morin onwards, much to the rogue's displeasure, as Jax discovers undreamt depths of bravery and harries the golem's footsteps, barking loudly all the while.

In minutes, the construct is reduced to rubble and Morin catches his breath as Jiriki and Balin slap each other in hysterics..........