Malchor has memories of the first massive hall that they enter. It was here on their first journey that they were waylaid by devils and were forced to flee for their lives. This time, a concerted effort is made to avoid the pillars that dot the massive room and travel along the perimeter while they are still airborne. The ole ‘once around’ shows multiple ramps leading up and down as well as interesting looking side passages.
The first stair that they pick ends up about 350 feet above the hall, in a rune-covered room complete with palantir and comfy chair. To gain access they had to remove several seals and unlock several locks. Why so locked? Some head scratching is undertaken, but the room is left for later. Off they go. Eventually, they settle on an upward sloping ramp that shows signs of regular travel by wheeled carts. It climbs steadily upward and doubles back upon itself before spitting them out in a large hallway, where they are immediately attacked by a trio of pig-beasts, Demons or devils? Icky for sure. They are swiftly slain, before they can summon reinforcements…or do anything else, really.
They muck around in a large room upstairs that has some creepy statue in it and a veritable rain of shit from on high that flows through a gaping crack in the ceiling. Some arcane exploration is undertaken and there are some interesting finds, but Ivan convinces the group that below is where to go, so they return to the first floor and skirt the long hall perimeter in order to return almost to where they had started. They enter a large room with a well in it. As Mr T peers into the murky water he notices a rising light and he warns the group to prepare. So it is that when the ghost bursts into the room and gets ready to wail like a banshee a quick flurry of missiles and sword blows ends the threat before it can begin. An airy water spell and the party drops into the well to search for plunder down under and plunder is discovered. Then it is plundered. They re emerge into the well room and send Elulyn’s arcane eye into a narrow tunnel they discover.
The tunnel turns into a warren of partially blocked passages and living quarters, guard posts, kitchens and latrines. It seems a veritable army of creatures lived in these spaces. Eventually they find a few of the inhabitants – relatively recently deceased and showing signs of great violence having been visited upon them. Further eyeball exploration shows many more tunnels and a pair of interesting doors – one locked and barred from their side, the other guarded by a portcullis. They settle on the locked door first and try to knock the lock – which informs them that they had better be a certain person or it will end badly for them. Hmm. This gives them momentary pause – and Malchor deploys a flying head to scout the nearby passages.
He eventually finds a way through to a large hemispherical room that is absolutely full of bones. All manner of bones – but all are neatly arranged in various motifs and artistic designs. The head investigates further and Elulyn is convinced a lich lair lies beyond. The group advances slowly and enters the room between some towering bone stacks. A moment later, Cosmic and Ivan are deceased – not a mark upon them, their hearts stopped. Goldpiece recovers slowly and can only say a terrible fear gripped his heart. At this point, a voice speaks to the cleric and urges him to relocate, post-haste. A good cleric is used to listening to the voices and so he organizes a retreat and prods the fallen back to life. There is some light dithering about whether to stay or go and Malchor sends out another flying head to scout the rest of the room. He discovers several magical glyphs on the floor near the locked and barred door, and spies an emaciated, raggedly looking individual. But not your classic lich look by any means.
‘Tis decided that the bone man can wait and they go investigate the portcullis doors. A knock, a hoist, a quick reach around and a rusty crowbar later, the portcullis is lifted and jammed. Next, the doors are levered open and the party beholds an interesting scene. A trio of lusty and beautiful devil women are dropping a trussed up prisoner onto his head like a human lawn dart. The decision is made to engage and the battle is joined. Two swoop into hammer Goldpiece and Ivan with wicked sword blows, while the third calls in reinforcements.
The Gardener unleashes a creeping doom and the mages unleash chain lightning spells that end up roasting the prisoner, the devils and the reinforcements they keep summoning. When the battle ends they speak with the recently unlived prisoner and find out the bits and pieces of his story. One of a large adventuring crew, they came here to loot the rotten underbelly of the crumbling empire. According to him, Coburgn has been missing in action for the last century. Well now, that is interesting news, Rumor, Speculation.. whatever it is. Cosmic takes this time to remind the group that as a recently unlived then realived person, he has no spells available to him and it might be a good idea to rest. It has been a long and trying day. Up the rope they go.
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