Moving on, the group discovers a passage that is blocked by 3 obstacles. Walls of fire, ice and force. After many druidical dispels the walls are removed revealing a door beyond. Using unseen servant the door is explored and upon touch, all three walls are activated. Obviously a grudge hall to kill adventurer time.
Moving on the party discovers a statue of a beggar kneeling with a bowl in his hand. There is a plaque with a riddle. After several minutes the group agrees that the answer is sand and proceeds to pour sand in the bowl. The door behind the statue vanishes revealing another tunnel. Stairs down then lead to a T intersection. There are black stone doors on either end of the passage. The door on the left opens to a circular room with a swivel chair in the center. Surrounding the chair on a circular shelf are glass jars that contain animated heads. They look similar to objects discovered on a previous adventure in under mountain. The door at the other end of the hallway leads to a rectangular shaped room that contains ten human sized objects that appear to be some sort of vase or container. As thud enters the room, eight of the objects produce attackers. Thud is kicked and his leg is broken. Skilver enters the room and is touched by another. He instantly loses two life levels. The creatures must be some type of high level undead. Greenleaf the druid uses his ring of fire to separate most of the creatures from the rest of the party. The rest begin to suffer the effects of the helm of brilliance worn by Max. They vanish into gaseous form and disappear. Max uses the staff of life to repair Thud’s broken leg.
As the group discusses their next action a force suddenly causes all metal objects to be forced toward the floor. Thud instantly collapses to the floor. Luckily the rest of the group wears no metal armor and suffers no serious problems. GL then uses the ring of fire to burn the other end of the room trying to make sure the remaining vampires are driven away. The door at the other end is fused so Max uses knock to open the melted portal.
Stairs lead up to an enormous hall. Inside is an undead skeletal dragon. Seated on a stone chair in the center of the dragon is the lady gasping. Her dark lich laughter echoes in the hall. (or perhaps just their minds) Greenleaf enters using the ring of fire to create a circular wall of fire around himself. Commanding the fire to expand to the width of the room he begins to force the dragon back allowing the others to enter. The group spreads out and begins their attack along the perimeter of the fire. Thud slings +4 bullets while the magicians cast lightning, fire & magic missiles. Skilver is struck a mighty blow by the tail of the beast. The lady gasping attempts to control the fire-wielding druid with some sort of suggestion but he saves and continues his assault. Forced to the rear of the hall the dragon finally falls and the lady gasping springs forth with a more pressed laughter, her jade armor gleaming with the reflection of fire. She again attempts to control members of the group. Then she frantically pulls a metallic object from her side a flings it at one of the group and it removes a large portion of meat from his leg. The group continues their onslaught of magic and weapons. In a flash she transforms into a gaseous form and her staff and jade armor falls to the floor. Orthan immediately drinks a potion of gaseous form and follows her to a room with a stone sarcophagus. Meanwhile the group discovers a secret door that leads to the same room. Removing the stone lid of the sarcophagus, a spike is driven into the lich as she tries to re-take her corporeal form. The lady gasping is no more.

Treasure discovered in the room includes:
52 pieces of jewelry
6200 gems of varying types
40,000 coins of varying types
Jade Armor
Amulet of health +4 to constitution
Boots of Speed
Circlet of Blasting
Cards of Illusion
Gauntlets of Rust
Spell Book containing all known 1-5 level magic user spells
Scarab of Golem Slaying (would have been handy a few times prior)
Loadstone – cursed
+5 Scimitar
Frost Brand Long Sword
+3 Cloak of Protection

Stung by the propspect of the long travel with no reward, the group concocts an audacious plan to slay the vampires. With Greenleaf and his firey elemental friend acting as bait, the vampires are lured into the range of the multiple Fireball spells that the party can muster. While Greenleaf and the elemental do battle, the group drops high powered fireballs into the melee until all the vampires have been discorporated or forced to flee.

The vampires are pursued back to their coffin lined lair and spiked while they reform helplessly. Thus it is that Greenleaf restores balance to the 10 undead souls. Emboldened, the group presses on, encountering a huge cerermonial room filled with
a) silence spells
b) wildly ringing bells
c) undulating and gyrating vampires/succubi

the group moves on…through a secret door and into an elevator that lowers them to another room. There they are informed by (lady gasping?) that they are now hors d’ouvres on a platter to be consumed by her at her leisure. They are not amused and press onwards, defeating a massive Gelatinous Cube and bypassing several traps as they wend their way into the maze.

One thing is for sure, when there is only one path to follow, decisions get a bit easier…