First off, Mike, Gorvak just needs to show up and kick some butt. I believe you took the Foe Hunter PrC when you went up if the table talk (and email) was any indication. That means you and Mulan both kick serious Giant Class butt now. I expect that we will be able to get things resolved ahead of time and have everyones spells known before the session starts.
Aside to DM: perhaps you could roll the stat Buffs ahead of time and let us all know who is getting what, at least from the first go around of castings. Then all of the battle impacts could be factored in by the players ahead of time.
Ginny/Isaku, as you might see on the spreadsheet I sent out, all but a couple of Domain Spells might well be cast before hand, and we strongly recommend the extra Bless and Prot Evil spells be cast, leaving one 1st level slot and a possible Incense use. I could use my (zenako's) slot for the Bless, and that in fact might make sense, leaving you with a free slot to use (which you could always channel for healing if desperately needed at some point) but my Bless only lasts 20 rounds, while yours will last 30 rounds. I will be shocked if the battle, once joined, lasts more than 10 rounds, but it might take us a few to get into the final chamber. We could do it this way, I also focus Bless and cast mine once we get into the shrine building and you hold yours, which you could Channel later if needed, or cast it if my has expired. Yah, that makes sense... (Making some changes to spreadsheet as I ramble...)
By the above I would say that having much more than 10 spell slots available for casting spells might be a waste by the time we enter the regions below the main Shrine. Clearly we might be able to use more after we triumph and aid our searches and possible dealings with the master of the Yari.
Looking at the ISO map that DM-San gifted us with, I see the following.
If we set T=0 as mustering at the Gatehouse 17 on the boundary between the outer and middle grounds. A couple of spells might get cast at this point, like Bless (20 rounds)(Zenako), Shield Spells (80 rounds) (Noku and Hatori), maybe SM3 (8 or 16 rounds) by Hatori as well, and perhaps Personal Prot Evil/Chaos/etc spells lasting 10's of rounds (Isaku, Zenako, Til'k)
Marike Strike Team, including Magoun (whom I guesstimate can move at least 50') will head due north to the next Gatehouse. The Murimoto team (with Rokuri Buko)(sp) will head east or west (or both ways) and deal with whatever undead appear, likely Gaki!
(I expect that Ravool (the Fiendish Dire Tiger) will wait near where he did last time. We may also want to consider if Raji wants to come along or wait back at the campsite. Huut will be staying at the camp. I assume Saru, bonded slave that he is, will be along...grin)
Since most, if not all of Team Marike will be flying, we should be able to reach the inner gatehouse with a double flying move in round 1. There are two small mediation halls just inside this gatehouse to the East and West. We should split up and check out each one. We beleive that the Incense of Meditation is located in the Western Mediatation Hall. Til'k, Noku, Mulan, and Ashiko should head to that one. Zenako, Gorvak, Hatori and Isaku shall head to the Eastern Hall. Magoun can use this round to catch up and move up the middle.
Round 2, move to Med Halls and a) slay any undead defenders, b) look for the Incense and recover it. Ashiko might cast Detect Magic to help locate the Incense as Til'k and Mulan, our most gifted spotters look for it.
Rounds 3 - 5 searching the Med Halls for foes and Incense. Noku is to Fireball any that show up, even if he must damage some of us a little. Speed is important, and anyone who took damage could be healed some by Potions, wands or Ashiko! If any treasure is found, in the western Med Hall, dump it in Mulans Bag of Holding.
Hopefully with the swiftly moving team, by Round 6 we are on the steps to the Main Shrine, with Til'k and Mulan in the lead. It appears from the sketch that we must go up a flight of stairs and arrive on what you might consider the 2nd floor main entrance. At this point we might begin to meet up with some of the main actors. We must defeat them swiftly, and not allow any to flee and give any extra warning (although that might well be a moot point!)
Foe 0) The hebi-no-onna herself, she is effectively either 14th or 15th level.
Foes 1,2,3 ) ~3 dark nagas -- more sorcerers, of much less power (CR 8 IIRC
Foes 4-5) ~2 hannya -- probably shaman levels
Foe 6) Her "commander of the guard" -- a wang-liang -- perhaps samurai or sohei levels, or maybe fighter levels, or some combo.
Foes 7-10) 4 rokuro-kubi -- all fighters, they are quadruplets, all with similar skills and feats, all use katanas
Foes 11,12,13,14) 4 tsunos (CR 6 IIRC, 2 = EL 8, 4 = EL 10)
Foes 15-16) 2 yuan-ti halfbloods -- probably ranger levels.
The glory and honor in this battle is a swift victory, if we can double or triple team a foe, do so! and take them down swiftly, reduce their number of attacks to an absolute minimum. Since we have some reason to expect that the "witch" and her close bodyguards the rokuro-kubi at a minimum will be below. We can also expect that the Wang-Liang and Tsuno will either be in the Pit or the Main Hall, since they would be really cramped fighting in the basement if Magoun has to stoop.
The Yuan-Ti, Hannya and Dark Nagas however could lurk in the basement as well.
Doing some math, if all of them are in the "pit" we got a lot of hexes pretty full. Based on Magouns account of the room, we got about 55 "5' hexes" in the room available. They have 12 medium size critters and 5 large ones, but the large ones all only take one hex, they just have some reach as well. If you add in the 9 of us, that means that ignoring any furniture in the room, we have 26 hexes occupied. From a tactical standpoint, what this means is that Archery will be almost pointless in the Pit room, which gets back to the question about Greater Magic Weapon Spell use.
Round 7, cross the main shrine to the stairs in the back. Hatori and Ashiko can cast a couple of Haste Spells now?, perhaps on selves
IF the upper parts of the Shrine are not defended, then we have to assume it will take about 1 round to get to the stairs down to the basement.
Round 8, head down.
Another round to get into the basement and open the Trapdoor (WHICH MAY WELL BE TRAPPED!) anything we can do about that??? Or do we just rely on Til'k to make his saves!
After the Trap door is opened, Isaku should read the scroll of Holy Aura at this point since we should all be within the AoE and once finished, we go. While Isaku is doing that Hatori and Ashiko cast two more Haste Spells on Zenako and Gorvak,
Round 9 now is heading down the stairs and getting psyched up. Hatori and Ashiko cast two more Haste Spells on Til'k and Mulan. (leaving only Isaku and Noku needing that boost, and perhaps Magoun)
Round 10 we burst into the chamber of the vile Witch (and hope she is not Glenda but is in fact the Evil witch of Oz...) and commence to laying waste. By the time we are coming down the stairs, we must assume that they know we are coming and are getting ready. We will not have surpise on them, at least not in the overall sense.
At this point, if everything is following the plan, we should most all be under the effects of a Bless Spell, Holy Aura, and Haste as we enter the PIT!
Targets of Priority!.
The Spell casters are the first targets for the Warriors!
Any cluster of Tsuno should be Fireballed! and mass damaged if possible (Ashiko new spell?) try to avoid the Rokuri-buko if they are not inside the globe(s). At least soften up the dudes.
Foe 0 - Hebi-no-onna herself. We do not want to give her too much time to see what we can do, to cast too many spells, or to realize the extent of the danger she faces. With Haste and FLy spells on, we should be able to close with her swiftly, although based all the talk about Globes, we won't benefit from many of the buffs while in that area. Since a single globe has a visible shimmer to it, we might be able to get close enough to strike her from outside the globe, but I suspect that she will be comfortably inside it.
As we enter the room, if Isaku and Mulan hold the hexes just inside the hallway entrance so that Ashiko and Noku can cast spells from right behind them, that would work. Zenako, Gorvak, Til'k and Magoun should dash for the Hebi, and Hatori (if the Globe is but a minor one so your Poly will stay up, join us. (if not, you lose a great deal of effectiveness if all buffs are surpressed!) if not, then perhaps you should take down one of the Dark Nagas or Hannya, preferrable one damaged by other spells. It is POSSIBLE that with any luck, if we use our Haste move to get close, we may be able to move only 5' and get a full attack on the Hebi! with our native skills. Sohei Frenzy and Barbarian Rage will still apply, and I should perhaps borrow Mulans Obi of Strength, perhaps loaning her my family Daiyku (if that is ok? not sure, but it might be) so that I can still be VERY Dangerous next to the Hebi. Three Frenzied attacks doing, d10+11+d6 or close to 60 points of damage with any luck. Two Raging Gorvak attacks can do d8+11+d6 or close to 40 points of damage. The Hebi has enough AC to make trying POWER attacks not a good choice, likely gonna need all the hit prob you got. Now if Til'k can take a good flanking position on her, he can get some Frenzied attacks as well, with possible Sneak Attack Bonus. Doing d6+1+2d6 (SA) or another 20-30 points. With Magoun as a final kicker, if needed, we have an excellent chance at taking her down. Now if Magoun gets in first and gets her down via a Trip, the rest of us will be all that more likely to hit.
If we cut off the head of the cult, some of the followers might break out if quickly, say perhaps the Rokuri Buko friends of Magoun. We might have to still fight the Tsuno and Wang-Liang and nagas et al, but if we succeed in this swift strike, victory will be within our grasp!
grin... So in Round 11 the mop up begins...at least that is the concept...
At this point the regretable chaos of battle ensues as the plans evolve to fit the action.