Findings: A beholder. A good amount of gold. Zombies.
It was difficult fighting in such a cramped corridor.

Stealth protocol seems to be functioning properly.

Aim protocol is functioning properly.

I referred the Beholder that we found to my Creators.

I know they employ other Beholders.

I am sure they will find some use for such a powerful, yet trusting creature.

It was an interesting first mission with the Glassfang Syndicate.

SIGNED: D.U.S.K.

The Beholder's Temple
Report by Dorris A. Aranis

Syndicate Members included:
- Dorris A. Aranis
- Ferris Harrogate
- John White
- D.U.S.K.

Responding to correspondence for a survey team, we were sent by the Syndicate to speak with a man named Wren. He informed us that the recent heat and drought has dried the nearby riverbed and uncovered an entrance to strange ruins. We were entitled to 100 gold as a reward, along with any supplies or materials we find and/or sell.

Wren told us of the ruin's location along the nearby river, north of the village. Villagers noticed the lack of wildlife near the area of the temple, along with strange fog emitted from the uncovered doors of said temple. We were also made aware of the mountainous caverns located towards the backside of the ruin's entrance, implying a connection between the two. As such, upon our own inspection, the temple seemed to almost be built into a cavern behind a waterfall.

Inside were few traps inlaid into the floor, along with carvings of humanoids seeming to worship a Beholder. From this room were entrances on the west, north, and eastern walls. We proceeded through the northern entrance, opening the portcullises without triggering any further traps. Dorris Aranis then sent her familiar forward to scout, encountering four zombies and tripping

The report cuts short, the rest of the empty page stippled in small wrinkles, presumably from something like... dried tears. It's curious she filed this away without finishing it.

The request for this job was in a small logging town nestled between Elturel and Baldur’s Gate. The man who met us there, Wren, explained temple doors had been exposed from receding waters, and the townspeople have been far too afraid to venture close, frightened off by the strange mist seeping from the entrance and imagery of figures worshipping beholders. 

Against better judgement and as we had been tasked, our party followed the directions there. We immediately found that the temple was trapped, and curiously, the reliefs inside depicting the beholders had been scratched out. There were three passages that branched off from the initial room we found this in. We detected movement behind the door to the right, which I can only describe as a wet, rhythmic sound, so we decided to secure the others first as it did not pose an immediate danger. 

We were forced to clear out a hallway of zombies to head in further. Shooting off from an altar room we used to open many of the temple’s doors, we encountered a jail. In one of the cells, trapped within an orb, was something I never thought I would encounter: a friendly beholder. At first I was, very reasonably, extremely wary of him, but after speaking with him, we were inclined to believe he is actually just an idiot, trapped here after scaring those that imprisoned him. In retrospect, I should have asked more of his story, but he didn’t seem like the type to be able to give an accurate answer. This beholder said his name was Narren, and knowing allowing him to leave immediately would cause problems with the locals, we invited him to continue investigating the temple. He did provide some interesting information, at least, such as pointing out the pool where they used to boil virgins. 

The party pushed in further and encountered a group of bandits robbing the temple. A man pulled a lapis stone from a statue, which triggered a swath of smog to pour out. In the most wonderful turn of events, we found this gas to be poisoned, and Narren helpfully informed us that this was designed to blanket the entire Sword Coast. I expected a temple dedicated to beholders, not a genocidal and ecological disaster waiting to happen. By the grace of the good gods we managed to take them out and set the stone back in its place. 

We reported our findings and the remaining danger to Wren. I would have suggested sending a team to eradicate the undead beholder, however the village seemed content to simply seal the temple and let the waters cover it when the drought is over. 

I wonder if I’m going to be the one on call to solve the problem. Again. Dorris seemed rather shaken up by the fight; hopefully she can rest after this ordeal. She seemed too innocent to join the Syndicate, and that supposition might’ve been correct. I don’t think she expected that she may have to kill.