The cleric uses the map o traps to disarm the magical trap upon the double doors and the Lad deals with the physical trap in the most direct way possible. He triggers it. The block of stone only inflicts a flesh woulnd and the cleric, paladin and Lad heave upon the doors and one ponderously grinds open….to reveal a terrifying sight.
Arrayed in front of the doors is a double line of spell-toting cleric/fighters. Behind them are a quintet of spell casters and in the middle of the room – atop a great set of stairs that straddle a pit of lava is another being. The room is huge, shaped like a six-pointed star and is decorated by a huge statue of Orcus – the demon prince. With that, the battle is joined.
The clerics cast various and sundry debilitating spells, dealing damage and attempting to hold the Lad and the Gal. They follow up with a wholesale charge and melee is joined as the five spell casters in the second line attempt to deal additional damage to party members. The mage retaliates, sealing two of the casters under a hemisphere of ice and fireballing two more, causing them to lie down for a bit. A hitherto unknown specter enters the battle casting multiple magic missile spells into the party and even fireballing them before closing to do battle. The cleric drives it away with a strongly presented holy symbol…surely the demon prince won’t take that insult laying down!.
Although the party is in little danger from the melee attacks of the onrushing front-line clerics, the Lad and the Gal eventually fall victim to Hold spells and things get rather dicey even though the group is generating large numbers of enemy bodies around them. A timely wall of fire relieves the possibility of an insta-kill, but the group is hard pressed when the figure atop the pyramid smites them all with a terrible blast of evil which nearly slays the Lad. Kormier stabilizes the fallen fighter and the group spends some time inside the fiery circle quickly discussing the next step while the Lad clings to life.
When they drop the firewall, they see that there is a wall of solid air that masks a large portion of the room to one side of the lava. A purple flaming figure stands atop the stairs. A quick scan with gems of true sight show the figure to be an illusion, but the wall is real. The group unloads a storm of icy blocks into the area behind the wall then rushes around the edge after leaving the stricken Lad in the pile of corpses that festoon the floor. A couple of limp bodies indicate that the ice blocks have accomplished their task, so the group reverses direction to reclaim the Lad. As they move, they cannot help but wonder where the central figure might be. Hmm. The elusive clitch?
When they reach the lad, the floor erupts with black tendrils that attack and entangle the party members. They deal damage and constrict all they manage to grab – which includes the cleric, the mage and the fallen fighter. Only the paladin and the elven swordswinger remain free to act. After another round of magic missiles, the specter attacks again! Were it not for the phylactery of the cleric and the presence of the paladin he would be unable to turn the foul creature, but the Helm of Brilliance tips the balance and the specter is once again forced to retreat for a bit. The tentacles continue to threaten the end, and the group is forced to deal with the immediate threat.
As they are engaged with the busy task of not dying, they spot a figure fleeing through a door set into one of the walls. The creature is humanoid, wears richly decorated robes and ornate jewelry and is hustling. The party gives chase but the door now registers as a trap! Time is spent to plunder and disfigure the statue as they discuss tactics. A ring of wishes is used and the party passes though the wall into the corridor beyond. They concede that the figure they pursue has probably fled, so they ascend the rope for a couple of days.
They follow the corridors into large crypts full of undead and battle with dozens of wights. before finding a passage blocked by a large portcullis in a room with two large flaming blue bowls of lava. . Dismayed at the obstacle to progress, the group searches around for a bit and investigates to see if additional information or treasure may be discovered. The paladin wishes to return to the temple of Orcus to sanctify it and neuter the power of evil in this area, while the rest of the party discusses options for passing through the portcullis.
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