Huuuuuuuuuuge ….tracts of sand!

The shafty descent proves to be a hot thing in deed as the downward progress made by the party members is accompanied by the intense heating of all things metallic. After repackaging the hot items, the group reconvenes in an area bordered by (apparently) windows into the elemental planes. A secret door or two is found and explored, and the first one is a death trap, as is the second. Luckily, there are no deaths as a result, and the group proceeds on with due caution.
They enter rooms of crypts and plunder them, gaining very little. A secret door is explored and a group of adventurers is found in a cold and gas-filled room. Two are dead and the third is near death, having been placed in a state of suspended animation by the combination of temperature and gas. The one is revived a little, long enough to determine that she is from another part of the world. She is fed, then passes out. The party leaves her in a crypt room and proceeds onwards, intending to gather her upon their return.
They explore more and find another shaft – this one not toasty – and drop into what appears to be a crossroads to the elemental planes.
After mucking about for a short time, they loot what seems lootable and ascend. As they retrace their steps they debate about the possible courses of action that are available. In the end they decide to investigate everything still unexplored.

As it turns out there isn’t a whole lot left. Most of what is left isn’t that great, including a weed crop that drains 11 points of Barada’s dexterity and emits poison gases when burned by Dalliance and the party. There are several discoveries that reinforce the notion that many adventurers have been through here in the past. There is a triply locked bronze door that stymies their best efforts, but does brand Barada with the word THIEF across his forehead. This is invisible to all but clerics, but that is bad enough. They discover a long hall lined with niches. In each niche is a statue of a priest or priestess, richly adorned in gold and jewels. Operating under the assumption that if it still unplundered there must be a reason, the party ignores the ‘obvious trap’. Eventually they decide to head above ground in order to rest and recharge spells, many of which have been expended during their 22 hour stint of exploration.

As they exit the monument they are attacked by a gynosphinx and a thirty foot tall lamia. The sight of unrestrained mammaries of epic proportions addles Reza’s brain. Reza triggers a symbol of stunning and is, well, stunned as a result. Lubbitch saves and exits the monument, but falls victim to a rope of entanglement that lies near the stairs. Dalliance fires up an anti-magic shell to suppress the symbol and the group starts to exit the monument. By this time the ‘sphinx is airborne and making circles in the sky. The lamia stabs Lubbitch and drains a point of wisdom.

By this time Dalliance fires off a lightning bolt and Bud goes to save Lubbitch, but is instead entangled by the rope. With only Barada, Dalliance and Humbar left, Humbar unlimbers his scroll of Flame Strike and crispifies the lamia, prompting the ‘sphinx to seek alternate surroundings. Finally in a state of relaxation, the group sleeps and prepares to reenter the monument – only to watch is slip beneath the desert sands as they approach.

The group returns to Waterdeep to seek restorative healing for Reza and Barada. Reza ultimately journeys to Baldur’s Gate to seek redress from the temple of Tyr, offering the Justicar as partial payment.
Barada works out a deal with the Lathanderites, and Humbar and Bud journey to their respective homelands. Since the intervention involves one of the church’s highest officials, this will take some time. In the interim – Dalliance and Barada act lordly in Waterdeep and Humbar sets out to design a stronghold/church to Tempus.

Thus occupied, 2 years scroll past. Along the way the group restocks magic items, recharges wands and generally sets about preparing for the next adventure – which they fervently hope will yield a larger payout…