Session Fifty-Eight (Graveyard of Empires Summary)
Session 58 – May 27, 2015
The body of the ancient dwarf we found turned out to be some undead creature, whose icy touch was like that of the beast that affected Finklemur. Poor Axel felt its touch and is now much weaker than before, but we killed it. I asked it “Who are you?” and it said “Something deserving of death.”
We found another key on this dwarf, which Axel now has, plus a silver disk and a square card or some strange substance with the Silver Throne constellation on it.
We figured out how to open the doors with green lights on the areas next to the walls. Spiking doors open prevented heating us. We believe that if one delays between the two door sections and does not punch in the right code, they will be damaged by heat, as our armor got quit warm in the short time it took to go from one room to another.
We looked through the windows in the doors off the room we were originally in and noted as much as we could see. In typing in numbers on the pad to the outer door to the “East” it beeped and we attracted nearly a dozen skeletons, so we stopped trying to go that way. All of the skeletons seems to be yelling for death for the end of the punishment for their sins.
Next we tried to go to the room to the North and figured out the number pattern that works is 3827. One must move rapidly to punch in that number to avoid the heat. We found four doors, three with windows and on without. There was one window taking up nearly all the north wall. It opened into a room below with lots of dead that were human sized with passages off to the North, East, and West.
The two doors on the NE and NW rooms showed 6 stone slabs, each with two bodies. They had obviously been experimented on.
The other door with a window showed an L shaped room with a door that is ajar.
We decided to see what was on the other side of the door without a window and found an ice cold room with bodies that had been hanging on hooks and rotted and fell to the floor and some on a metal cart. These bodies rose up and attacked. In all we “killed” and ogre, elf, orc, 3 kobolds, and 3 humans. Both Thorfus and Brice were knocked unconscious. Uthruk bound Brice, bringing her to consciousness. Brice healed Thorfus, returning him to consciousness.
We decided to return to the temple and check on our men, and found BETRAYAL!
We found Talon in tears and Pelgax dead! Aris, Recusin, Laurent, and Barmir were unconscious.
Brice told the old cleric of Xen Teler about the Phoenix Egg, which is why they let her come to the temple.They used their magic to freeze two of the men and make off with the chest containing it, an hour and a half before our return. Then an hour ago, our hirelings found our injured comrades being looted by another party of adventurers. They would not return their gear, but left them in their armor. Zelina said she did not know these other adventurers, but would know them if she saw them again. About a half hour before our return, there was an earthquake, which I can only guess was the result of the egg.
I am none too happy with Brice. My thirst for vengeance upon the party who stripped our men, and perhaps attacked them, is only slowed by my own injuries. I commanded my companions and our hirelings to go back to the ancient dwarven rooms we found where we know that we cannot be assaulted by unknown forces. We agreed that we should be safe there until we are all rested and can find out from our unconscious men what happened.
I swear that I will take the heads of all who stripped our men. If the dwarves of Xenilum Khel slew Pelgax, I only hope my uncle was not involved. I know I could never raise my hand against him. I know not if we can even return the way we came. I fear those foolish dwarves attempted to take out the nagas. What have we done?