The group plots an elaborate strategy involving multiple sources of protective spells and energy drain nullification. As they draw near to the lair, they prepare with an unseen servant, then creep into the room. Using the mage to unlock the gate, they send the servant to open it.
As before, the throne swivels around and the plate-mail clad vampire bursts out of his coffin, rising to the ceiling, then beginning to float down the center of the hall. The elf remarks that this is _exactly_ what happened last time. A quick peek through the gem of seeing reveals a gourd on a wire, being pulled down the length of the hall. What the what? Is this an elaborate hoax?
The group is momentarily stunned and does not notice the figure that plummets from the darkened recesses of the ceiling to land between the group and the door. Only Kingsley is alert to the danger and charges back towards the mage and cleric. Alas, it is a just a bit too late, as the mage is seized from behind and grappled and fanged, draining energy levels. Kingsley arrives and strikes a wicked blow, buying the mage just enough time to quaff a potion of healing and avert death. As the rest of the group advances, the vampire drains additional energy from the hapless wizard, who activates a staff of brilliance, blinding most of the party, but also causing the vampire to hurl him away.
The battle rages on but the undead is hard to hit. It turns into a bat and vanishes into the sea of rusted swords hanging above.The paladins begin scanning, looking for evil and the mage whimpers quietly. The evil one returns to the fray, wielding a sword – and that convinces the cleric to turn it. As it flees down the central corridor of the room, the group pursues, but upon gaining the ‘throne’, they find no evidence of it., They do find a variety of trapped sword hilts and clever hiding spots. Eventually, the spider-climbing elf finds a pipe that vanishes into the wall. Presumably, the gaseous evil escaped through here.
The group retreats – somewhat dismayed and seeks additional avenues to explore. This begins a far-ranging escapade that brings the group to a sealed and triply locked coffin that gurgles and bubbles, more passages full of coffins and eventually the elf urges the group to return above ground.
They exit the courtyard and spend time wandering through the ruins between the cloister and the assumed temple of the frogs. They find caves near the edge of the lake, one of which is venting a warm steam into the frigid air. Unable to resist the lure of the underground, the group treks through slimy avenues to arrive at a ceiling vent above a large geyser pool. Several passages snake out of the area. Well///now what?
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