Climbing the stairs, the group investigates a landing that leads to a room from which strange moaning can be heard. After the wizard lobs a large fireball through the door, the ensuing conflagration wipes out the contents of the room, and the mummies lurking therein. More investigation reveals a hall of trophies (severed limbs, mummified heads, suits of armor and battle standards) and another staircase. This one leads to a wizard’s study, complete with magical music box and an armchair of mental relaxation. A door leads to a long unused bedroom and some more plunder is extracted. From here, a final set of stairs leads upward. The last few steps are soot covered and show signs of having been subjected to extreme heat.
Suitably alarmed, the group climbs the narrow stairs…Paladin in front, followed closely by the elf fighter and the cleric of Torm. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, the paladin sees a skeletal figure slumped over an open book, flanked by a collection of black (iron?) skeletons. With a wild scream, the figure lurches upright and begins waving a black iron box in one skeletal claw.
The elf unlimbers the staff of the unicorn horn – taken from an evil, demon summoning SOB in the elven forest – and unleashes one of the more potent powers. A colored beam shoots from the tip and turns the marauding lich – for lich it is – to stone.
The danger is not yet past, for the iron skellingtons attack with great fury. They scream screams that turn the Lad’s bowels to water and cause the malodorous mantit to flee the scene. One of the group’s maces of disruption is an unfortunate casualty as well, but finally the threat is neutralized.
The group spends several days reducing the lich statue to gravel (inadvertently destroying the creature’s phylactery in the process). They bag the rocks and launch them into an extra-dimensional space. With that accomplished, they spend some time looting before scooting.
They explore a few untraveled areas, and slay some harpies near the EDM room. They travel a secret corridor and find a jar of preserved organs…could be those of the ex-lich…tough to say. Most livers look alike. The room with the glowing gem and the door of crowbar destruction is re-examined but eventually this avenue is not investigated.
Led by the Tormite, they deploy passwall spells near a blank wall and enter the stables, where they spend time investigating and being attacked by strange creatures from another dimension. Where do we go from here? Well, with passwall spells, all tings are possible and the group prepares for further exploration of this utterly strange environment.
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