Lightning Strikes!
It takes a few hours of travel through overgrown terrain to get to the ancient temple of blood red clouds swirling ominously overhead, but thanks to Dexter's excellent survival abilities we don't get bogged down along the way. As we approach the courtyard we are impressed by the intricate design that went in to the architecture, where even the weathered and crumbling archways and walls display considerable detail. It is not often that we are witness to such mighty wonders presented before us.
Yes, the DM had generously taken time outside of the adventure to draw the final map on the battle-mat.
Moving through the main entrance our presence alerts some demon dogs, and some humanoids appear from out of a couple of tents in the courtyard. They are probably human, but despite all his knowledge Dexter finds he cannot recall useful information about them, so we just assume they have spleens to aim for. The Dretch demon dogs belch a toxic, opaque gas in to the courtyard, hindering efforts to enter battle, but it doesn't stop us completely.
Tal charges in to battle on his warhorse, running through one enemy with his lance before cleaving through to a second enemy who was unfortunate enough to be standing close by. Yes, he cleaved with a lance, that's how cool he is. He is apparently also so full of awesome that he called down a bolt of lightning from the sky in to the courtyard. It is only when the rest of us join in the fighting that we realise the truth, that some god is taking potshots at us whenever we strike a foe. Luckily, whoever is throwing the lightning around is capricious with his shots, or perhaps drunk, as the lightning sometimes hits our enemy as well as Dexter's poor horse.
Having found that we can call forth lightning by striking someone with our weapons we briefly consider running around with daggers to play deathmatch tag, stabbing each other for minimal damage and seeing who outlasts the lightning. However, with a Blood Angel to stop we are compelled to be a little more serious for now. Even so, the DM is feeling the strain of our antics, urging Tal to 'come and kill this final Dretch. I'm losing the will to live.'
Ann-See perks up hearing this, and is quick to reply, 'Really? Tal, wait another round!' Luckily for the DM, Tal is more keen to kill actively than passively, and the final Dretch is despatched to the sound of another crack of lightning. With no more enemies in the courtyard and a faint sound of chanting coming from inside the temple, perhaps part of a summoning process, we head up the steps to the main doors.