At the end of last session, we left the party in a chamber under Guiltspur peering into a shaft filled with impenetrable fog. Ariquis had volunteered to enter the mist, but quickly returned shaken by his experience.
After a brief conversation, the party decided to advance together. Using a combination of magical flight and feather fall the party descended into the fog.
The strange fog filled a deep shaft, but not the room below. This seemed to be an ancient library of sorts. The party had little time to explore—two hideous clay golems lurked among the shelves and they burst forth to slay the party. The golems proved strong, dangerous opponents. However. while the golems were quickly slain, it proved difficult to heal the wounds they inflicted. Something seemed to defeat the healing magic and it was only with great difficulty Shardane managed to heal some fraction of the damage meted out.
No matter! The party pushed onwards. Four sets of double doors hinted at a much larger complex, but three sets opened into blocked, rubble-filled corridors. But one way was unblocked. It led into a series of hexagonal chambers. Entering the first in which stood three faceless angel-type warrior women statues the party were entreated to “treat all the exhibits with care and respect” by a magical ward activated by their presence. If only they had listened…
In the next chamber, Makani—investigating several items held in niches—used magic to remove one of the objects (a curiously patterned coloured rod) and place it in his bag of holding.
This was a bad move.
Almost instantly, the ghostly, translucent figure of a hideous rotted man appeared out of nowhere. Makani shouted a warning, but it was too later. Moments later, he was transformed into a stone statue. Several of the party rushed to help their erstwhile scout while the others cast protective magic.
Sadly, their opponent seemed particularly puissant in the magical arts. Seconds later, Vesleng’s roc companion was blind and the redoubtable druid joined Makani as a statue. Their assailant followed these spells up with prismatic spray and chain lightning. Once the harsh lights had faded Vesleng’s roc lay seemingly dead and Karelia—while she still stood—seemed on the very brink of death while both the paladins were badly injured. Only Ariquis—by dint of being out of the spells’ areas of affect remained unharmed. Things seemed grim…
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