The Saga of the Death-Curse

Death came once, and death deniedDeath comes again, her victims cannot hideA curse falls on those she markedAnd thus on a quest to save them we embarked

Into Chult’s deepest jungles we plungeRisking all, that curse to expungeOur guide fell early, starting the body countSilver lining, we definitely got a discount!

The Gnoll captors held us within their foul pitSo briefly there, no corner designated for sh*tLadder of dragon and gnomeQuickly liberated us from making that pit our home

More gnolls fell into eternal slumberEfficient and silent, we defeated six in numberLess fortunate victims we uncoveredDeath’s mercy for suffering from which they would not recover

Surprises abound amongst this new groupHeroes of Dragon and Tiger we somehow recruitStill fate whispers this adventure will grow yet odderI only wonder who will turn out to be fodder

Resupplied and reinvigorated, We boldly traveled forwardSoon cries of help rang through the trees, poor innocents by undead borderedWith tactics sound and fire fierce, hordes of withered husks burned or drownedAnother chance at life Vanko the Ranger and Eku the guide found

Eku pled with the valiant heroes to take vengeance of an evil shrewThe entire town of Imbala devoured by the insidious Nanny Pu’puSo we set forward, both for information and justiceTo confront the unqualified Nanny, under pretense of bargain so she would trust us

At first she was none the wiser, proffering the information we soughtBut soon hasty whispered words revealed the true nature of intentions broughtNanny Pupu tried to save herself, striking quickly and vanishing from sight,Unfortunately for her faerie fire outlined figure burned bright

Mobbed by these heroes, Revenge for victims was finally deliveredBlade struck home and arrows flew true like fates whisperThis old hag will trouble the world no moreHer hoarded treasures toward the forces of good were quite a score

Next Firefinger stood, tall enough to pierce the skyDangerous Ptera Folk around the beacon flyUnder cover of rain we made our ingressOur mission: find Azaka’s family headdress

The first of many climbs, wind blowing, thunder peelingWe scoured the cave only to find spiders and a priest kneelingSpider Fang and spider toxin took its tollStill triumphant we saved Ayvar Greencloak whole

Our second ascent, a shaft we ascendedInhuman strength and energy we expendedThe third climb would be most dangerousNarrow ledge, lightning, and a feeble ladder endanger us

Fenris up first, four giants looming largeHe hid ‘mongst rock, delaying a chargeLasai’er and Ronin, silently infiltrating the lairNeither speaking a word as we began to prepare

Suddenly rope jerked taught! Vezera fallen!Knocked from the ladder, she dangled crestfallenSaved by rope’s knot, dangling above the abyssHer comrades pulled her to safety’s sweet kiss

Still all this commotion, could hardly go unnoticedVezera gathered her courage and charged at the closestRonin hit two with twinned fiery rayLasai’er’s eldritch blast charred another to flambé

Four Pterafolk fell quite quickly when Azaka and Ayvar joined inWe then discovered a creature with feathers over its skinAn Aarakocra, gracious for his life we did saveProvided guidance to a mystic’s oracle enclave

Taking his leave, the Aarakocra made a promiseTo spread our story, despite being we being so modestThere we rested before the final ascensionPreparing for whatever may warrant our violent attention

Rested and anxious for glory, Vezera ascended to the tower’s zenithLashing out with claw and beak, we were swarmed by a terra folk behemothFierce winds and emptiness beckoned at our backsVezera fended off our foes while Ronin and Lasai’er joined the climax

Ronin deceived his opponents, disappearing with a simple illusionMagic missiles and encroaching cold manifested from human and stone fusionSurrounding another, Fenris, Vezera, and Lasai’er attackedBlades plunged in, and one fell as armor cracked

Finally Ayvar and Azaka joined us at the topWhen the worst occurred, everyone was powerless to stopA Ptera beast swooped down and grabbed her by the shouldersDangling her in open air, then both seemed to drop like boulders

Renewed ferocity, the heroes cried out in rageTheir grief at companions loss nothing could assuageVoice ringing out, Fenris empowered Vezera sword armMaking short work of another with boosted harm

From out of the darkness came the largest Ptera of allWith claws extended and teeth razor sharp, he stood 15 ft tallRonin finished off the final minion, while Lasia’er became blurredStanding boldly before this monster, the price of a friend he had incurred

Chipping away as if at granite, we bagan to whittle this beast awayWhile he lashed into Vezera, she barely kept him at beyWhen the fight grew most direLasai’er lashed out with a bolt of dark witches fire

Engulfing this beast in a sinister blazeThe leader finally fell; life leaving his gazeVictorious over the tower they stoodBut an emptiness remained over possibilities that could

As a tribute to Azaka, the towers magical beaconBecame a symbol of the tiger for all who came peek’inDescending the tower, our quest completeThe final task of finding our fallen comrade left us bittersweet

Curious however, as there appeared not to be a straight plummetSigns of a fight led us much further than an expected for a fall from the summitThere she lay, covered by the beast that had grabbed herA fighter to the end, her body lay still, fully covered in tiger fur

Ayvar inspected her and jumped back in surpriseTo life Azaka stubbornly clung, she had not yet met her demise!Imbuing her with magical healing at first failed,A second impact of healing and Lo! She exhaled!

Azaka had clung to the monster that had clung to herBattling their way closer to the ground, the force of impact to significantly deferEven more touching was the joy in her faceAs she viewed her family mask recovered, so long ago misplaced

We set out to Oralunga to find the naga most wiseWhile traveling, the ground began to shake under massive sizeOf a giant creature fairytales call a dinosaurWe quickly hid, hoping our presence he would ignore

Ayvar fumbled, drawing attention of this huge creatures sightImagined horrors manifested as we pictured its enormous biteYet boldly Ayvar stood, invoking Lyra to take heed of our plightWonder of wonders! The undead dinosaur turned and took flight

Continuing on to Sajanabaza’s lair, we came across a temple overgrownFor those seeking her wisdom, three trials must be overcome on your ownOut of respect for the incredible naga, suffice to say we rose to the taskArriving before her majesty, with many questions to ask

drunk versesFlowers of orange and purple allowed us up the first tierFeathers of a colorful bird brought us up closer to the seerThe third, it is hard to discuss, for a nest of snakes barred our wayLasai’er was first to attempt to swallow a snake like it was a snake buffet

Swat the head with your flowerStroke it’s rear with feather to make it cowerThen bend down low and open wideDeepthroat that snake, forget your pride

Sajanabaza, greeted us warmly as a goddessHer beauty none diminished by nature apodousShe spoke of legend, Omu, and Ras’nasaiAnd aided us beyond anything what money could buy

Boon, blessing, and gifts a plentyWe offered to pay, though she declined us gentlyRested, invigorated and stronger than everKnow this, Sajanabaza is the ally of good and none are more clever

Two more allies in her company waitedTo join us in our quest, victory seems fatedArtis Kimber the human, and silent DragonbaitSeemingly a lizardman with emotional pheromone exudate

Free to continue to the curses sourceToward the Arakocra city of Cursabol we set courseUsing the magical whistle from Eku giftedBy squad of summoned Winged allies, toward the city we were lifted

Our story told by Nephir, kind Azshara saw us greeted with a feastWe danced and sang horribly, though had fun at leastThe human heirs of the kingdom of Omu were presentGuests of Cursabol, and overall pleasant

We upgraded our gear with adamantine foundA wand of magic missiles and scarab of protection also boundFenris using new powers from the nagaBrewed amazing drinks that soon will deserve its own saga

Before we knew it, the time came to departThe gift of flight, lasting 3 days, the ruler did impartFocused and ready, toward Omu we flewTo face the nine gods, surely an epic showdown will ensue

Through the skies, soaring like never beforeFlitting among clouds high above the forest floorAfter some hours we spied a monolithic slab of stoneThe rocky heart of Ubato, a mystery beckoning of the unknown

Flying close, a conspiracy of ravens blocked our viewMaking their home in the petrified tree on which the heart grewForced lower, we spied a cave and stairwayWhen before us a pale figure in black our path did waylay

Despite her gaunt and fearful appearanceDiplomacy and sweet word eventually gained clearanceValindra, informed of our purposeSet about preparing much to help and serve us

She was none-forthcoming about the organization she representedBut with insistence that our motives aligned we were contentedA stone to contact her, scrolls to travel, and a ghostly lantern givenFor the promise of inspecting the soulmonger we were driven

Concluding our business, through powerful magics teleportedStraight to Omu, a gift of time affordedStill more we arrived in greater safetyGargoyle sentinels bypassed by transportation hasty

Establishing a base camp within the city’s edgeRonin noticed snake-human monstrosities approaching our hedgeHead of viper, two with arms writhing, and one more snake from the waist downYuan-ti fearsome visage backed up with prowess meeting renown

Still, four versus eight, they were outnumbered sorelyGilt the rogue unleashed a powerful piercing arrow leaving one goryAlthough Ronin’s leadership made us all the more haleRoy was trapped, began to be crushed within a Yuan-ti’s slithering tail

As life began to ebb, Roy’s body feeling brokenShe pushed once more, her inner rage had fully wokenBursting forth from the snakes coil, having mustered her gritWhen, from above, Gilt’s rapier skewered the yuan-ti’s head like a spit

Ronin bombarded the others with fire in from the airWhile Dragonbait and Artis, engaged the final pairHoly Avenger and Bookmark blurred too fast to followEach Yuan-ti was left in their own blood to wallow

Venturing deeper into the ruins of the city of OmuMoving with stealth and purpose to avoid another Yuan-ti rendezvousA battlefield of corpses greeted the intrepid bands gazeWhile a pack of wild dogs, like cows did they graze

Leaping forward, eager for approvalLasai’er took it on himself to ensure the dogs removalBlack tendrils of shadow leapt forth all around himEnding the mild threat by tearing them limb from limb

Surveying the carnage we heard a pitiful weak cryOne of the combatants had failed to dieTrapped beneath a crumbled wall we worked for his freedomOrvix Ockramus, a scholar of Omu and reason

Allied with the Red Wizards of TheyOrvix’s company were ambushed, left to decayBut had sought the 9 shrines with cubes of a puzzleBefore discovering the Yuan-ti were too tough in a tousle

His value to us, soon became apparentTo the first shrine he led us inerrantCubazan equals brave, we had previously beheldAnd suddenly an enormous frog from beneath the waters violently swelled

Ronin who’d moved forward, seeking to be braveSwallowed in a blink, down Cubazan’s gullet and possible graveAzaka fared better, striking deep with her clawsBut soon followed after Ronin, into the beasts jaws

Cubazan was quick, sinking into the depths after each strikeThe water was still, his movements ghostlikeSeized of a particular frenzy, Gilt dove into the waterInto the beasts element, a lamb to the slaughter

Fenris flying high illuminated the beast brightWith fire of the faerie, brought his figure to sightSeeking to free our friends from its insideBlow after blow failed to fully pierce that beasts hide

Wonder of wonders, beast’s pond turned to thick iceWith his head and tentacles above, his body trapped in a viceBlows reigned down on Lasai’er and GiltStill onward they fought, refusing to wilt

Lasai’ers witch lightning, Artis’s bookmark bladeAyvar’s holy bolt, and Fenris’ arrow landed home in vicious tiradeNo sign of life from our friends, Ronin and Azaka silentStill holding out hope, we continued our onslaught violent

At last the beast fell beneath the groups forceGilt driving his blade deep into the beasts life sourceSplitting the beast’s gullet in search of our alliesRonin gasped awake while Azaka failed to rise

Surviving so many journeys thus farA froghemoth’s belly would be Azaka’s final sparHer lifeless form damaged beyond repairHer final act, a battle with a monster without compare

Downtrodden we returned to our camp, a requiem to prepareWe rested, recovering our strength and revenge to swearAfter uneventful night, we took Azaka’s body to an incineratorLava and steam would free soul from body, back to her creator

In our flight to take care of our fallen comradeA curious amphibious creature in ropes cladHeld captive by tiny, plant covered midgetsThese pygmies scattered easily, not testing our limits

The curious frog-like creature, named Imbak, was eternally gratefulPromised a trip to his village would see us feasting by the platefulWe freed this poor fellow with a promise of reunionAfter which Cubazan’s shrine needed communion

A simple trap stood before us, in moments the box retrievedThe price so high, we hope the rest leave us less bereavedFlying to the next shrine, Jaculi vipers struck from shadowsThough with very little trouble, these snakes we dispose

Another puzzle box behind traps meant to thwart usAre overcome with simple magics and no fussMoa’s box we claim, traps and tricks avoidedPerhaps all shrines, through cleverness can be exploited

On to shrine number three, Shigambi the jaguar’s shrineTwo jaguars with snakes protruding from their side and spineFearsome though they appeared to beRoywin boldly spoke to them, hearing our honorable plea

The two amiable beasts escorted us into Shigambi’s lairWhere a puzzle of four weaponless statues eternally stareDescending into a fighter’s pit to face a testFour golems marched toward us, wielding spears, two abreast

Roy and Vesera boldly blocked their progressWhile Ronin lights not a small fire, but a bonfire of great excessBurning the golems while pelting them with magicTwo went down before their spears became too tragic

La’sai’er again rushed in, this time with Eldritch CrushWhile Vanko rained down arrows one after another in a rushThe final two fell handily to Azaka’s Pit Fighting forceDisposing of golems incapable of remorse

Collecting the spears, we placed them in the bare statues handsCausing the third puzzle box to appear on Shigambi’s standSuccessful yet again, we plotted our path to the nextSeeking to obtain as swiftly as possible these puzzle objects

We slid silently through the city, intent on our pathWhen passed by a host of yuan-ti so numerous it challenged our mathEven worse, Artis and Dragonbait were bound and gaggedAmong the great host of enemies they were dragged

Quickly the band split up, concocting a hasty plan to assistOne half to distract, the other to extract them from enemies midstLa’sai’er opened hidden magic gate to get to their frontWhile Ayvar, Ronin, and Roy, attempted an illusory stunt

But the Yuan-ti didn’t bite, the distraction fell shortThe hastily concocted plan we hastily had to abortTheir attention drawn and refusing to give upFenris sprinted through shadows with eyes peeled

Suddenly a Tabaxi stood before him, demanding attentionIn order to pass, a duel was his violent intentionPressed for time, Fenris blew past with a promise of returnBut for all his effort, Artis & dragonbait’s location he could not discern

Fenris rejoined his friends, angered at their defeatWhen another host of yuan-ti was spied, with no time to be discreteWhile each of us scrambled, seeking out a place to hideVesera stood solidly before the host, daring them to collide

Vesera, dragonborn in gleaming full plate, challenged them to single combatFor our safety, she would face their champion to the death, without caveatFrom the knot of snake-men emerged an abominationA creature spawned of evil and death incarnation

Luckily, no enemy noticed the magic bolster of Ronin’s HasteIn the first exchange, The beast lost its sword against Vesera’s shield bracedSmacking him twice, Vesera clearly started strongDodging him again before getting caught up in its tail long

Gripped in the monsters coils, Vesera still wasn’t throughA vengeance paladin’s misty step was all she needed to breakthroughLanding two more blows, the second round again was to herIn the crowd, fear Ronin sows, while Vesera played provocateur

This epic scene repeated a couple times moreThe beast grappling, then Vesera escaping with attacks to leave him soreStill it was obvious to many watching, despite Vesera being in controlThat each bite and tail whip was taking its toll

Each combatant drawing close to reaching their bitter endVesera was bound again, getting crushed, unable to defendHer strength waning and constitution nearly spentIn a rage, her fists landed time and time again until the beast was forced to relent

Pummeling the fearsome beast into a bloody messThe crown looked on, some in awe, others in distressTrue to their word, the yuan-ti honored their agreementLeaving us for the time being to revel in Vesera’s achievement

In silence we withdrew, the severity of our situation clearly weighingTwo comrades captured and hundreds of enemies for our death prayingIn that moment, the Tabaxi reappearedTo duel Fenris the golden tongue, though fighting alone he feared

In case of Fenris’ death in duelStill, after a spectacle as truly impressive as Vesera tourneyFenris could not back down, He was on destiny’s journeySo during the night he departed, not wishing interferenceTrusting his wit and finesse to guarantee his life’s perseverance

Sadly, though, if you’re reading this nowIt means destiny led astray, my death did allowKnow that I faced my foe with honor and cunningAnd when death came, I didn’t go running

Carry on, my friends, so much hangs in the balanceKnow your own strength, take courage from my valianceAnd should you ever find your path to Delver’s Reach leadsPass on this tale of Fenris the Golden Tongues final deeds

Though our foe and rival, Roywin welcomed the Tabaxi to our fireHe seemed so at ease, as though a fight to the death is not so direThe Tabaxi Bag of Nails, brewed tea before going to sleepThose who drank, he expected slumber never more deep

At the stroke of midnight, the poison struck hardFour of our number doubled in pain, punishment for lowering our guardBag of Nails was also nowhere to be seenTaking some of our belongings and escaping clean

Furious at deception, hurt, and now poorerImagining revenge on the tabaxi and exacting excruciating horrorStill distractions we could not affordTaking a Yuan-ti prisoner provided information not to be ignored

The Yuan-ti and Red wizards had conspired together, a plan arrangedAt noon they would meet, the ring of winter and possibly prisoners exchangedWe also learned Ras’nasai had many seeking his positionA Yuan-ti named Fenthasa was known for her ambition

We had to act fast if we wanted to take this advantageSo we freed our prisoner, Mosa, a meeting he promised to manageA secret entrance to the yuan-ti base we did parleyAnd a temporary truce was brokered if Ras’nasai we did slay

In order to frame this assassination on Red WizardsGilt and Fenris returned to a scene of battle where corpses fed birds and lizardsStealthily they moved, and it’s lucky they did,The mighty lord of feathers stalked for prey while they hid

Making use of local inhabitants, Fenris caused a distractionThe Lord of Feathers moved in an instant with supernatural tractionGrung and Veggie pygmy scattered like roachesWhile Gilt moved forward, 3 robes from corpses he poaches

As silent as he was, still the Lord of Feathers sense were keenerSuddenly above Gilt, the Lord of Feathers grim demeanorBolting fast as his monk legs would take himGilt dodged lightning fast through building and cracks slim

The monstrous beast quickly gave up the huntBut returned again, only to find Fenris out frontKnowing he couldn’t fight or out-run this crazy fast beastFenris unleashed a hypnotic pattern of magic to slow him at least

Luck was with him as the the dinosaurs eyes went groggyFenris slowly sauntered past, ignoring his britches now soggyRejoining the group, Gilt and Fenris played it coolAnd made use of the Red Wizard disguises, hoping to fool

Fenthasa was true to her word as we entered the compoundWe followed her map toward Ras’nasai with no Yuan-ti aroundWe avoided their chapel by rowing subterranean boatsAnd encountered their pet hydra, through its lair our group floats

Quickly we dumped some rations to feed itAnd hastened our rowing past, not wanting to greet itAt last we stood before our targets lairRas’nasai himself stood before us, let's finish this affair

We infiltrated Ras’nasai’s lair under cover of silenceAnd surprised him with a message of complianceFenthasa, we revealed, wanted him deadAnd as protectors we came against oncoming ambush ahead

Ras’nasai was fooled and trusted us blindlyWalked straight into the zone of silence, crippling him finelyFenris raised the signal to attackAnd all hell unleashed on Ras’nasai’s back

To the confused party members at the double deceitFenris explained how he thought it was the way to beatFenthasa at her game, plus get information to bootAbout the death curse, soulmonger, and gain leverage in this dispute

Bound & trussed, we looted and left Ras’nasai’s roomDelaying our escape to find our companions, still alive we presumeCorridor after corridor we evaded yuan-ti enemiesWhile guided by Ayvar’s spell to find our companions necessities

Before long we became stuck, unable to proceedThat snake Fenthasa, had betrayed what we’d agreedThe Red Wizard host was early and despite the leader deposedFenthasa met them anyway, the Ring of Winter given to foes

While the group had to retreat, Fenris made a snap decisionWent invisible to the eye and followed without collisionFollowed by 20 guards and 2 monstrous yuan-ti abominationsFenris found no opening for burgling applications

A host of 3 They wizards flanked by more guardsGreeted fenthasa and quickly began business with no more regardsKnowing the time to act was quickly fading fastFenris cast his eyes’ round for anything to distract those amassed

Two hooded lizard creatures in the corner caught his attentionSomething out of children’s scary stories liked to mentionCould they be? Creatures whose gaze could turn all to stone?Basilisks of legend, kept as pets and bound by bags simply sewn

Acting without thinking, Fenris leapt like a monkSnatching both bags at once before landing with a thunkStartled by the sudden commotion of noise and actionAll parties involved made a common, yet fateful reaction

Each momentary glance toward the basilisks of a pairSealed the fate of the majority of those present in stony gaze’s snareFenthasa, two wizards, and dozens of othersStood rigid, unmoving and eternal in expression of wonders

Fenris moved quite quickly, casting invisibility once moreAnd attempted to snag the leaders items and break for the doorBut stone encased everything mundane including what Fenthasa woreThe ring of winter, locked in stone backpace would remain heretofore

Not leaving empty handed, Fenris violently liberatedA magical bag gripped in stone Red Wizards hand he confiscatedArtis’ Bookmark blade also he grabbedThen invisible for a 3rd time before he got stabbed

At last the group reunited at Shigambi’s shrineWith Ras’nasai in tow, so much chaos we needed to alignWe’d recovered 4 more puzzle boxes from the Ras’nasai deceptionAnd set about how to deceive him further and alter his perception

La’sai’er wove a compelling tale of double deceitOf how we, in order to betray Fenthasa, needed to beatHim senseless and withdraw from the compound retreatBefore returning in power, the rebellion we’d defeat

Ras’nasai agreed and trusted us without reserveAnd went on to divulge his true master Acerack whom he does serveAcerak entrusted Ras’nasai to guard the nine god’s tombWith promise of aide to unleash dendar, the night serpent’s doom

Meanwhile Fenris inspected the thwarted exchange lootIncluding an artifact of power near absoluteA box of gold crafted by the very god serpent’s powersTo harvest and control nightmares, trapping victims for countless hours

This box caught Ras’nasai’s eye, he knew of its importanceSo we bartered for our friends in exchange, continuing our performanceWhile Ras, drafted a letter ensuring Artis and Dragonbait’s releaseAzaka’s Pit Fighters plotted the yuan-ti’s decease

Approaching the exchange, we spied our captive alliesThen pulled forth the golden box, hoping our plan was not unwiseCrying “Phantasm!” the box awoke with a blaze of fiendish lightSpewing millions of nightmarish apparitions forth like a blight

In unceremonious fashion, the entire city began to sleepHaunted by horrific visions and nightmares to make one weepOnly Azaka’s Pit Fighter's holding the artifact were sparedThough the sheer power contained within they were unprepared

One by one they woke their friends from the unnatural slumberFinally freeing Artis and Dragonbait, restoring them to our numberSeeing his ancient rival downed, Artis approached Ras’nasai’s formFinally able to exact his revenge, a coup de gras he performed

With the yuan-ti threat removed, we freed all prisoners heldUnleashing their rage until to a creature all yuan-ti were felledIt was done, in such a glorious fashionThe city of Omu, no longer for the forces of evil a bastion

Still one threat unaffected by sleeping magic still roamedThe Lord of Feathers could still harass us, so our trip to the tomb was postponedWe enlisted some Grung to aid us in this taskIn return, the city liberated, in safety they could bask

With so many allies around us, the Lord of Feathers proved no matchThough even invisible, in his jaws, Vesera did he catchWe swarmed that beast, thirteen strong valiant fightersOur bravery and honor cannot be captured by writers

Finally it was time, all boxes had been collectedTo descend to the tomb, death’s curse to be correctedFor each guest of the tomb, the trip had been one-wayWe were nervous, even if successful how we’d get away

So help we requested, the tomb’s door opened each morningIn hope of retracing our steps when through with exploringArtis, now free to return to home long left behindWould linger briefly with the Grung, to help as they were generously inclined

With that settled, we solved the puzzle cube lock and enteredThe tomb of the nine gods, our resolve strongly temperedThough I’d like to deny it, within the very first minuteFound us caught in a trap, triggered by the warlocks lack of wit

A lever triggered the floor to fall out from below usAnd into a poisoned spike pit before anyone could discussHow to proceed and what we should doLa’sai’er dropped us all, spikes impaling us through

Bruised and poisoned, we already needed to restGilt pulled forth his adamantine rapier and put it to the testSlicing spike after spike, clearing danger and making a havenWhile Ayvar and Vesera healed all of poison to prevent us from growing craven

While we rested a strange voice began to callFrom Fenris’ backpack, the ghost of the lantern named StarfallenA soul from a thousand years prior,Who went with a similar group into this tomb and met an end most dire

She remembered only fragments of that ill fated Company of the Yellow BannerTelling us what she could while sobbing in an inconsolable mannerRested and reinvigorated, we continued but a small distanceBefore traps and darkness blocked the path of least resistance

Nimbly dodging triggers, we evaluated the impenetrable globe of blacknessAnd as soon as Fenris dispelled it, a claw shot out, gripping Gilt haplessA Demon, black and ferocious sprung forth with fangs baredBut the seasoned Azaka’s pitfighters could not so easily be scared

Rallying together, we blasted the devil before it presented a real threatAnd continued exploring this tomb waiting for the next trouble besetSure enough, behind crystal window lay a disk of a hundred eyesWith poem cautioning a hasty approach unwise

Through skillful manipulation of ghostlike mage handRonin procured six masks to allow us before fearsome eyes to standWithin lay the tomb of Oba Laka, the ursine god of the nineHis sarcophagus heavy stone with powerful magic giving off a shine

Undeterred, Roywin the brave pried the lid backWhile the rest primed themselves for a hostile attackInstead, a ghostly apparition of bear god appearedPounced toward Roy and disappeared

Within Roy’s mind, Oba Laka found a new homeEncouraging caution and reservation to the normally bold gnomePerhaps this unseen companion will prove helpfulAnd prove the first of many more godly ghosts we assemble

Our next path forward was hidden to all except keen Vanko’s eyeTo an underground river, with Ayvar’s magic gravity we were able to defyAn inscribed chest appeared around a bendChallenging roguish skill for treasure or meet a water grave’s end

With supernatural luck, and bardic inspiration to bootGilt nimbly opened the check, and snatched up the lootPushing on, yet another chest sat enticingly before usAcross a treacherous gap which Gilt vaulted without fuss

Still nothing is ever so easy, especially in this deadly placeThe chest sprouted teeth and lunged at the monk’s faceHe evaded the unexpected onslaught and made the jump back to safetyAnd we left the mimic to continue our journey hastily

Next we found Moa’s resting place wreathed in eerie blue lightEmanating from an encased skull, and countless undead spiders caused a frightA desperate child’s voice spoke, pleading for us to saveHer from a sightless prison, not knowing she already belonged to the grave

Any attempt at speaking to the child in an honest wayCaused emotional ripples through the spiders barely holding at baySo deception we employed, speaking kind lies to the doomed childWe looted the tomb under pretense of help she remained beguiled

Moa had one more trick to play in his final resting placeThe spirit came into Gilt’s mind, allowing only honest words his lips to graceSurprised at his sudden candor and more so by growing child’s agitationWe fled the room, narrowly joining the child trapped in damnation

Returning to a second secret door Vanko uncoveredA rust covered centurion of stone statue we discoveredWith apprehension we regarded this silent sentinelAnd cautionary wisdom proved to be most sensible

An attractor of all metal, a ball bearing suddenly veered,Toward the statue, striking, then exploded in a cloud of rust disappearedFenris focused destructive metal magics, while Ronin disrobedApproaching free of metal, and striking with bone dagger the statue exploded

Beyond the statue’s chamber lay an oasis of hardship’s respiteA fountain of seemingly pure water allowed us to relax and sitAll spell and test we could devise showed no danger in waters flowWith a brash coin toss, La’sai’er drank deeply, on him fountain’s blessing to bestow

And he certainly did receive, yet he also did not,For he had become her, a gender bent spell had been wroughtBeautiful as a man, now quite shapely as a lady,She lost all composure, and began gulping down water like crazy

Instead of reversing the previous magic, we watched in horror and amusementAs she lost all powers of speech, perhaps this is an improvementNecrotic and divine magic also arched through her new formHarming and healing, before finally ceasing to have any power to transform

We destroyed the fountain, seeking the magic’s power sourceBut, finding none, we pressed on, returning to our mission’s courseOne last corridor lay unexplored on this tomb’s entry levelBlocked by a bladed rotor which spun wickedly on a bevel

Approaching, a pressure plate caused the blade to spin up insanely fastThreatening to pull us into its embrace which would surely be our lastVesera and Gilt eschewing mundane methods of slipping pastInstead, misty step and dimension door they respectively cast

One instant here, then the next goneWe heard the blade once more turned onVesera, on the other side, this time was thrownBut it seemed that Gilt’s location was unknown

Meanwhile Gilt found himself in a lightless pit beyond your wildest fearsBodies piled on bodies, and the overwhelming stench of death to cause yearsOf mental damage, though only if he survived long enough to findA way out of this trap that fate had him consigned

A noise caught his ears, and silently Gilt crept toward the noiseA large tentacled monstrosity ahead almost caused him to lose poiseAn Otyugh called this horrendous place homeAnd it would not be long before he’d be discovered while it roamed

Beyond the beast lay the visage of a now expected stone edificeThe only hope for Gilt would be to search there to escape this prison so perilousLuck was with the silent human monkAs he snuck past the imposing creature through it’s waste and junk

Two levers, indistinguishable to any eye presented themselves before GiltOne: perhaps life, the other: certain death, for this was how the tomb was builtClenching every muscle in his body, he pulled the lever on the rightSuddenly appearing in familiar corridor certainly was a welcome sight

Ayvar was in the midst of magically tracking our missing friendImmediately pointing to his location, and seeing something else with which to contendThey Otyugh had hitched a ride along with GiltBellowed loudly, lashed out and the monk’s blood was spilt

With the majority of Azaka’s pit fighters working togetherLoosing magic, blade, and striking home with featherArrow, we quickly brought the beast lowAnd healed up Gilt, from the Otyugh’s mighty blow

From down the hall, movement in Oba Laka’s puzzle roomGilt noticed an undead creature with a headdressed costumeIt had tried to be sneaky, but failed to slip byGilt and others unleashed fury with a quick battle cry

We stowed the fancy hat with in our bag of holdingAnd returned to the spinning blade trap so forebodingAgain we discussed how to pass without getting chopped into bitsAnd the difficulty of such tested the extent of our wits

Finally we settled on walking a tightly strung ropeVesera on the other side would secure it tightly providing us hopeOf walking so carefully past the blade and over the groundSecuring the objective beyond and what needed to be found

Gilt passed first, then Fenris also passed through without slippingRonin went third, and though stumbled, the rope safely grippingHe made it across safely through with sweat thoroughly drippingAt last tragedy struck when La’sai’er fell and the blades began ripping

With horror we watched unable to help as she was sucked into the trapBlades tearing and shredding before finally being flung from the gapShe lay on the other side, bloody and torn, but somehow clinging to existenceVesara leapt down, laying on hands to channel life giving assistance

Taking a short rest to recover from the near-death traumaIt was much needed time to and take a break from continued dramaSurveying the room, we found another sarcophagusLocked, along with three chests of different properties quite ominous

Black obsidian, one brown with rust, and the third an icy and chilledThey opened easily but except for a key and keyhole, the chests were unfilledThe last line from the obelisk said the chests must be unlocked from withinSo we sought Starfallens’ help, to climb inside and give the key a spin

The remaining two chest keys were turned with mage hand comboOnce done, three buttons appeared on the tomb that belonged to WongoPressing them caused the tomb to finally slide openAnd before we could take the item within, a great evil had already awoken

A creature cursed with unnatural undeath and fearful presenceA mummy seething with hatred and bent on malfeasanceRonin’s heart immediately gave out, causing him to runAnd La’sai’er, by the mummy’s gaze was stunned

In that stuper the mummy lunged in for an attackIt struck with tremendous force, nearly breaking La’sai’er’s backRonin rallied, while Fenris unleashed arrow after arrow from his enchanted bowAnd Gilt finished off the frail remains of the mummy with a shattering blow

Narrowly escaping death once more, La’sai’er bravely persistedAnd successfully made it back past the propeller unassistedRonin slipped while crossing, but with a split second magical reactionFell light as a feather, safely avoiding being reduced by the propeller’s impaction

Once we had all escaped safely from this floors final trapWe returned to our clear out pit for a much needed napAyvar and Fenris had been considering the plight of that doomed childAnd of the thought of abandoning her to Acerak’s wiles, they weren’t quite wild

So with cautious trepidation, we returned to that chamberAyvar channeling divinity dissolved the swarm of spiders to embersThe dangerous room disarmed of it’s most obvious threatWe set our attention to the disembodied skull’s which anxiety beset

No longer needing to lie, we consoled her as best we couldAsking questions of home and family and reminding her of anything goodAyvar once again called on his god Lliira for a full hour involvedMaking the container’s water holy, and watching as the soul-bound skull dissolved

With the last task cleared, and none yet had fallenWe looked toward the next floor down, Azakas’ pit fighters resolve all inStakes are certainly high, but so far we remained triumphantIf we endure to see Acerak’s tomb fall, the rewards will be abundant

Descending to the lower level, immediately we hear the sounds of hammers strikingPeaking forward we spied undead dwarves working a forge and the most surpisingAssortment of torture devices and tools of the smithing craftIt was apparent these tireless dwarves powered the tomb’s proverbial crankshaft

Opting for boldness over stealth Vesera made her presence knownThe dwarves swarmed forward, severely restricting our combat zoneA grating sound of metal on stone and ripping fleshAs a gory monstrosity climbed out of the iron maiden with a thresh

Vesera channel the shadowy magic of Wongo’s maceCausing many of the dwarves in fear to turn about faceWhile we finished off dwarf after dwarf, Ronin empowered La’sai’er and VeseraEach tore into the fleshy beast severing sinew and pleura

Ayvar’s holy flame scored the last blow, felling the beastAnd we surveyed the unholy forge, taking a few moments of peaceMoving on, Fenris gazed into an oddly placed well of waterAnd was drawn into strange visions of many different rooms with alters

Putting these visions aside for now we found a odd intellectual undead named WitherWho was more than happy to explain how he carried out Acerak’s will thitherThe soulmonger was built by the sewn sisters to feed a fledgling godAnd grant power enough to end the world they viewed so flawed

Through telepathic messages, we were not caught off guardA plan similar to subduing Ras’nasai was encouraged by the bardWither grew weary of chat and wise to our more violent membersStating it was time for us to die, with the most even of temper

Ayvar dropped silence over the repugnant undeadCutting short anything else he may have saidThe creature, despite his arrogant dispositionWas quickly eradicated, ending the tomb’s primary technician

Looting the office, we discovered many curious magical objectsA black skull amulet with the power to teleport a user and their effectsAn egg shaped gem with ability to control an as yet unknown creatureAnd a book, so potent it severely blasted Fenris’ when seeking to learn its secret feature

Returning to the center of the level, another headdressed undead was spottedAnd again Gilt chased it down and destroyed it without knowing what it plottedA square fancy hat adorned this skeleton’s horned headAnd into the bag of holding it went, next to the triangular one aforesaid

During that brief chase two curiosities we noticedAnother stanza of Aceraks’ helpful stanza with puzzles requiring focusAlso a trio of undead zombies poking their heads through head-sized holesSo we set about figuring out this next puzzle’s goals and the zombies roles

Each zombie had a bit much like a horseBut growing frustrated we decided to abandon wit for forceDestroying the already confined undead by stabbing their forewe combined our brute strength to open the chamber’s door

Inside lay the fourth sarcophagus of the nine trickster godsA bronze shield and six bubbling cauldrons full of bones made us pauseDisturbing the grave caused the cauldrons to spring forth lifeTen skeletons charged out, obviously set on strife

Weak as they were, another threat seemed less apparentA figure within the shield wielding bow and had aim inerrantTwice it struck Visera, dealing massive damage from an invisible forceUntil Gilt covered the shield with cloak, and neutered the power’s source

Understanding the lines of the new poem, we bowed to the statue who wasn’tAnd the bronze shield entity no longer threatened to attack without consentAn amulet sat atop the Ibliss god called Papazotl’s cofferFenris identified it as having extreme health and stamina to offer

Vesera, feeling like she’d recently taken quite a beatingTook the amulet’s power, and suddenly felt a presence that proved fleetingPapazotl did not possess the strength to take residence in the paladinWhere Wongo already dwelt, treating her like a palanquin *mannaquin*

La’sai’er, curious what powers this trickster god could bestowTouched the amulet, and allowed Papazotl to make her its new beauAn arrogance that bows to no one through La’sai’er began to flowThough, still unable to speak, perhaps the consequences won’t ever show

Departing this tomb through a secret passage,Afforded an unusually unkempt and dirty vantageIn an alcove a tiny voice cried out from within a bottleA diminuative woman from inside dressed like she worked a brothel

Speaking an ancient, forgotten tongue that none knewUsing a scroll of comprehend language finally gave us a clueBound within the vessel, Keshma begged us to grant releaseAnd in addition to rewarding us, she promised motives of peace

Whether convinced of the purity of intent by the earnestness in voiceOr the sight of volumptuous curves and offer of reward of our choiceRegardless, with promise of treasure we released the djinnBut she failed to summon in wealth as promised, much to her chagrin

Not to be put out, Keshma began to remove the valuables she woreStrands of emeralds from her hair, silver bracers and even moreOne more jewel from her naval she producedFenris openly marveled what other riches may within her roost

Satisfied that she had met her end of the dealWe led her safely to wait for our allies to unsealThe dungeon entrance and freedom from the tomb’s graspAnd with that we parted ways amiably with final hand clasp

Further down the secret passage we came to a room of dark magicThe next tomb lay In the center of a pentagram of salt suggesting a trap most tragicFortuitously, Vezera’s enchanted lantern revealed a intimidating figureA hulking scaled beast with blade-sized claws of a killer

The Slaad sat upon the tomb and was surprised at our abilityTo not only see but converse with in his tongue with such civilityStill under the djinn’s magic of understanding we learned that he too was captiveOf Acerak and his confinement within the circle for 400 years was quite maladaptive

Possessed of rage equal only to his desire to esape this fateHe begged us to free him, an enchanted jewel of binding to locateRonin pulled out the gem from Wither’s office lootedAnd immediately Corlith the Slaad’s gaze on it was rooted

After some debate, Azaka’s pitfighters didn’t want to come off as specistFreeing a woman because of her beauty, but not this creature would be grievousSo with promise of aid in circumventing this levels other trapsWe broke the salt circle, freed Corlith and hoped in his rage he didn’t relapse

Truly he was grateful and surprised that we actually compliedAnd with all information about the dungeon he testifiedOddly enough, in all the four hundred years he’d stayed in the circleHe’d never once let his curiosity get the best of himself and the tomb burgle

Thinking perhaps the danger had already passedWe set about to the coffer lid apply our strength steadfastWhen nothing dangerous jumped out, Ronin reached insideFinding a pearl, potion, NangNang’s bones and an Urn beside

Oddly enough, Ronin suddenly began to dance more vigorously than we’d ever seenAround the room he spun, his full body engaged like a dancing machineHowever his face was contorted in an expression of agonyAnd we finally realized his dance was compelled most unnaturally

His face began contorting with pain while his legs continued their danceThe group sprang into action to save Ronin from this cursed tranceAyvar and Fenris both tried and failed to dispel the effectWhile Gilt, Vezera, and Roywin tackling and physical harm they did elect

Ronin was pummeled into unconsciousness by well-meaning friendsBut even still, shutting down his mind, the curse did not cleanseExasperated and out of ideas, we Ayvar, Vezera and FenrisUsed divine healing to keep him alive until finally the magic Ronin did dismiss

As the commotion died down, A new change had come over the sorcererNangnang, the grung, shrewd and no altruism could he sufferThis new shadow lurked inside Ronin, seeking the groups hard-won lootBut his new greedy nature soon manifested and caused minor dispute

Moving toward the final room of this second levelWe found a globe of darkness in the mouth of stone etched devilFenris, possessed of either courage or madnessVolunteered to repel down through the stone mouth blackness

With Vezera as anchor, Fenris descended into darkness as Acerak advisedAnd hung suspended above a room with so much detail it left him mesmerizedA golden tomb in the middle of a floor full of seeming random runesAnd horned jackalope statues in each corner promising fools doom

Spying a withered corpse a mere two steps into the puzzleFenris attempted to circumvent the trap by directly opening the tomb with muscleHe never touched the floor and nimbly landed on the sarcophagusBut he lacked strength to even budge the lid, and gave up with a cuss

Retreating back to the rest of the groupWe went together down a winding staircase loopA golem stood motionless, poised to throw a leverWhile watching through a window for who knowas whatever

Opting to leave well enough alone and bypass the golemInto the next room where a golden skull sat upon a half-columnSpying an object of some so blatantly shiny with worthRonin leapt forward, grasping the skull, and suddenly causing its rebirth

Its eyes awakened with a dim red glowIt flew up toward the sorcerer ever so slowThen it spoke in a harsh and annoyed soundAnd began to mock him at length for any flaw found

It mocked his weight, and how ugly he appearedIt mocked his voice, noting how everyone found it weirdIt mocked every action attempted, no matter how sensibleTaking every chance it could to tell him he’s reprehensible

With Yakka the invulnerable floating skull in towWe came across two more golems, blocking the way to goThese fleshy sentinels were curiously connected by chainsVezera slicing into one quickly revealed that they divided each others’ pains

Fenris made the chain burn with searing heatWhile the rest cut with sword and arrow into their meatThey fell quite quickly to our combined strengthAnd we noticed purple fungus growing the entire corridor’s length

Eye stalks grew out of the fungus and watched us passivelyUntil Roywin struck with blade, it retaliated magicallyA beam of energy struck the normally fearless gnomeCausing irrational fear to take over and attempt to run home

She didn’t run far before another sight impacted herRows of tapestries depicting a ghastly feast she passed in a blurReaching the third, depicting man eating man while the roat pig surveyedFear again struck her heart, she ran out, unable to be dissuaded

Ayvar calling upon Llira to help the frightened RoyMagically calmed her fear and spread the goddesses joyRoy had entered another of the nine gods resting placesOf Kubazan, in a room depicting ceremony of worship in phases

While wearing frog masks, we re-enacted scenes from tapestryShowing offerings of gold, blood, food, and light among aboriginal ancestryThus completing the ceremony, safely the stone coffin was openedExposing bracers with powerful accuracy increasing magics woven

Fenris took the bracers seeking to improve his skill with the bowAnd nervously waited to see what curse or blessing Kubazan would bestowIn an instant Fenris the Golden Tongue was left speechless in shockAs strength exceeding that of a giant surged within causing him to balk

With this new power came a reckless willing to risk all with abandonRegardless of danger or harm or fire it may cause him to stand inStill Fenris was thrilled, having achieved something he never knew was lackingAnd feeling more fulfilled than ever before with this spirit piggybacking

Unfortunately his confidence may not have been entirely justifiedAs, like Roywin, he was struck with fear as soon as the same tapestry he spiedAfter calming the bard, Ronin took his turn facing the tapestry’s powerWe were impressed he did not run back out and cower

Gilt, too, moved past the terrible scenes without screamingOnly to find Ronin with his head in a pig’s mouth and blood streamingAn evil compulsion once again gripped Ronin towared an early demiseOnly to be pried free from deaths door by Gilt and allies

Leaving behind the macabre pig’s head trapWe pushed on through a small crawlspace gapWhich opened up into a trapdoor and curously rounded areaGilt dropped down, and the room began to spin causing hysteria

Over and over, Gilt tumbled and fell, striking wall and floorWhile attempting to use his empowered fist and rapier to break the doorMeanwhile Roywin had backtracked to the golem pulling the leverAnd engaged in battle, hoping the golem’s arm to sever

Seeing Gilt hurt, Ronin jumped down to help bravelyWith spider climb ability hoping to anchor both to the wall safelyBut Yakka’s words cut too deeply in Ronin’s mind to focusAnd when was nearly crushed in the opening, all looked hopeless

Fenris attempted to slow the room by jamming his magic shield in the gapBut that, too, utterly failed and rendered his shield into scrapSpikes extended from the walls, and blinding dust released in the spinning roomThen noxious gas that onlookers were certain would cause their doom

Ayvar, with every last prayer and divine intercession his faithful heart invokingAided and healed, yet stiill only barely kept Roy, Gilt and Ronin from croakingRoy and her pet yoshi fought the golem with all they couldTo unflip the lever and disarming the trapped room for good

A sliver of hope finally manifested as Gilt’s efforts paid offWith a powerful blow the door broke, offering escape from the troughThrowing caution to the wind, Fenris jumped in to aid his friendsBut the motion of the room, caused his actions to fail in unhelpful ends

With the last bit of their strenght, Ronin and Gilt pulled themelves from the trapJust as a massive inferno erupted in the space behind them with a mighty clapSeared head to toe, Fenris barely clung to lifeAnd with help from Gilt, escaped the rooms further strife

Just as any danger from the spinning room endedRoywin succeeded in destroyed the golem as she had intendedWhile barely a minute had passed from start to finishTruly that spinning room of death was a terrifying trap to witness

Taking some time to rest, an arcane epiphany came to RoninAllowing a spell to send Yakka to another plane and dismiss that bad omenBut all he did was laugh as the spell failed to take effectAcerak’s magic interfered and Yakka’s insults Ronin remained the subject

Surveying the room we selected for a lengthy restIncluded two godly statues and a pit with a stone golem including a chestAfter healing to full, it was discovered that a transparent barrier was over the pitLeading us to investigate the two statues and apply our wit

Turning the statue of the lawful Torm resulted in a loud vacuum soundWhile turning the wizard god Azuth released wind, swirling aroundGilt jumped up on the empty column and had Vezera activate TormInstantly he appeared below and was attacked by the stone given form

Fenris sent Vezera down through the same means as beforeWeilding mace against the rocky beast, massive hits she did scoreThe stone golem was certainly no easy foeIn such a small confined space, Vezera could not evade each blow

Refusing to flee, Gilt and Vezera faced the golem as doubleAnd in short order reduced the creature back into rubbleAmongst the broken rocks lay only a single keyTo open the chest, hoping for powerful artifacts to see

Instead two ocular orbs lay on ornate paddingOne pale green, the other pink and no other remarkable trappingLa’sai’er attempted to discern their magical unctionBut found completely no arcane or practical function

Stowing the eyes, we moved on to the largest chamber yetStretching hundreds of feet in the distance and a dropping in a 60 foot threatAcross were suspended platforms for one to jump to the other sideBut upon flipping a lever, great gusts of wind made that trip near suicide

While the winds blew, across the gap was seen two more jeweled eyesSo utilizing his spider like abilities, Ronin crossed safely to acquire the prizeMadness washed over the group in addition to the fierce windsBut we quickly subdued the hostile members to prevent further sins

Having recovered four of these various colored eyesWe searched around, their use we sought to deviseA corridor we found, ending in strange mirror and ten small divotsTesting we found that an eye fit perfectly, locked in and could not pivot

As we added each eye around the mirror the scene slowly shiftedReflections cast looked more and more sickly, old, and twistedWe set out to find the other six orbsFully expecting our trouble would be worth the rewards

In a wet hallway split by a oddly placed waterfallBehind an illusory wall, Gilt discovered another eyeballFollowing Acerak’s stanza, Fenris walked through water holding a tridentWith no ill effect, just boldly walking through strident

Ayvar went next with mace taken from wall nearbyWhen a sudden, violent wall of water left no one dryLa’sai’er with hand axe had the same painful effectBefore realizing the sea weapon trident we must select

After discovering another ocular gem in the watery hallwayWe came to Ijinn’s chamber with the runed floor inlayAfter much debate, Vezera was confident she could be successfulAnd reach the center without being rendered celestial

Fortuitously Acerak devised this room to be navigated with aidA peephole with the next safe rune to step on was displayedSuccessfully trapsing across the treacherous floorThe chest in the golden barge open, showing what was in store

The curled horn of Ijinn lay among the dead god’s remainsAnd the moment Vezera touched it, Ijinn and Wongo cause extreme cerebral painsOnly one could maintain dominance within a living hostAnd they battled fiercely, back and forth to assert the preeminent ghost

Wracked in pyschic thralls, Vezera screamed and writhedPandomiming the battle within, while waiting to see which survivedIn a momentary lull, Vezera suddenly found that the choice of victor was with herDeciding in an instant: back to the mace, Wongo she did transfer

The conflict resolved and the room safely disarmedThe rest of azaka’s pit fighters approached unharmedStarfallen’s old companion, Brevis, fell at the entry wayTwo more eyes, within his adventurer’s pack lay

The ninth eye was found in dead end on another carcassOf the ill-fated yellow banner unfinished in their purposeGilt avoided a similar death due to our team-focused mindsetEnabling him to escape with the gem without much fret

One more to go, Gilt entered a room with a green glowing wellAnd a shadowy familiar figure across from him in this cellAgain following the guidance that Acerak had etched in stoneGilt had the shadow drink the green liquid, having discovered it was his clone

At the bottom of the well sat the final tenth gemAllowing us to return to the empty sockets and complete the bejeweled diademRonin possessed enough arcane knowledge to cautionThat ten eyes may indeed signify a fearsome beholder’s scorn

With threat in mind we set about making sure we were preparedTo invade a lair of a monstrosity only the most powerful daredInserting the final gem, the door slowly rose into the ceilingExposing a massive domed room and a cloaked entity eliciting an uneasy feeling

At Kubazan’s encouragement, Fenris immediately went on the offensiveAt the black cloaked shaped hovering above, two arrows loosed successiveBut they clattered harmlessly to the floor and it soon became obviousThat Azaka’s pitfighters’ would suffer for their cockiness

The cloak whipped aside revealing a massive metallic sphereThat immediately pulled four of us to it, and any metallic gearA voice, booming from an invisible source“You are no match for Belchorzh!”

Vezera struggled against the magnetic forceAnd began to cut her armor straps as a matter of courseFenris tried and failed to dispel metal attractionBut Ayvar succeeded, eliminating the magnetic compaction

Falling to the ground, by the sphere Fenris and Ayvar were nearly crushedWhile La’sai’er attempted to unleash twin eldritch blasts that failed to combustThe beholder had turned toward him with a menacing glareAnd emitted an antimagic cone which stripped away magic and prayer

An eyebeam striking Ayvar threatened to silence him for goodLimbs began stiffening to stone, impotent to help, we’d help if we couldAs Belchorzh floated to the zenith of the domeRoywin used the black skull amulet to teleport and land blows home

Another beam shot, and the diminuative gnome became even smallerBut that didn’t stop her continued onslaught, standing atop the beast to make it hollerIn a desperate gamble, Vezera quaffed the enlarge potion to increase her weightThen misty stepped and grappled to make it unable to extricate

Gilt and Fenris peppered the beast with arrows from belowWhile Ronin scaled the walls to be even with our foeAyvar, having used a holy charm to fight back the stony curseTook a disintegration ray to the chest, nearly causing his form to crumble and disperse

With telekenetic powers, Belchorzh slammed the metal orb into the bardVezera, still holding on, unleashed her dragon breath and the beholder was charredMidst eldritch blasts, La’sai’er then Fenris took a necrotic beam direct hitsFenris collapsed into unconsciousness, fearing he was calling it quits

Llira’s warmth fell upon both the bard and priestAs Ayvar’s supplication was heard, Fenris receive a new life leasedThrough the Vezera’s paladin aura and Azaka’s Pitfighters sheer force of willRay after ray were either dodged or were rendered harmless rather than scoring a kill

Ronin’s contribution to the fight was curious at bestRonin utilizing Ijinn’s wand of wonder resulted in an impotent jestMagic streaked forth toward the foe and we wondered what would come to passFrom below a field of green suddenly sprouted forth in a nice carpet of grass

Undeterred, Ronin emphatically pointed Ijinn’s curled horn wand one moreWhen it only allowed him to perceive the beholder’s thoughts, he sworeStill, with the combined efforts from all size, Bechorzh was visibly strugglingHe bellowed in anger and turned his eye toward four of the group, his gaze troubling

With magic faltering under the withering anti-magic gazeFenris rushed forward in a violent melee onslaught crazeWith Kubazan’s incredible strength coursing he completely let flyFenris drove home the glaive’s blade deep into the beholders massive eye

With a final confused thought, only audible to RoninThe beast let out a death rattle as blood and eye juice began flowinAs adrenaline faded and calm quiet started to set inA bolstering confidence arose as none had fallen in this epic win

Another level conqured and still Azaka’s legacy enduredAgainst the increasing challenges that proportedly were death assuredYet still we stood triumphant, despite our varied vulnerabilitiesStrengthed by our unity against all evil hostilities

Looting the Beholder revealed coin enough to live a life of leisureAlong with a magic shield and bead adding to the groups treasureGilt and Vezera needed time to collect themselve before moving downwardSo the rest of us continued, confidently undeterred

We discovered sunk in plaza, covered in graffiti depicting fatal encountersFrom within the tomb, drawn by blind, mute zombie monstersBatting them aside immediately caused the ground beneath to shakeAs an undead t-res burst up from below with a roar causing our bones to quake

By now, trouble was an old and familiar friendWe jumped into action and took only a few moments to cause the creatures’ endThough before striking the final blow, Ayvar was caught up in it’s teethAnd La’sai’er was struck by its mighty tail, nearly crushing him beneath

Bloodied but unbroken, we merely patched up our woundedDeciding to push on rather than spend time attempting to rest secludedFenris, taking the lead, recklessly approached a chest oddly placedAnd was nearly crushed by a granite boulder, down the hallway it chased

Leaping up the wall in a nimble acrobatic feat, the boulder slammed harmlesslyInto a previously hidden pit full of acid that threatened menacinglyAyvar advised caution in not merely bypassing the acidic threatAnd instead cast a spell to walk atop the acid safely, no sweat

A brilliantly flashing sarcophagus sat fixed in the acid roomAlong with a maze carved in the wall, the next puzzle we presumeHeading Kubazan’s encouragement, Fenris approached the small mazeAnd suddently found himself shrunk down and trapped til he found the exit ways

At the moment Fenris was separated from the othersSkeletal minotaurs lept from secret compartments frightening numbersLa’sai’er, weakened from his battle with the fearsome dinosaurImmediately took the brunt of many blows, falling unconscious to the floor

Off to a grim start, the group withdrew to the pit to prevent them from overwhelmingThe three standing, by luring them into the acid to die like a lemmingWith Ayvar’s water walking spell still intact, the plan seemed extremely cunningUntil it worked too well and the skeletons came at them running

Each of the ten undead, mindless creatures attacked with fearless resolveTaking a single swing before sinking into the acid to dissolveYet these unhesitatingly focused strikes caused the acid to splatter and splashCircumventing the spells protection, each began to suffer and thrash

La’sai’er was the first to succumb, having already taken mortal woundsAnd when his life gave out, his body broke apart, disapperating in the noxious fumesMinotaur after minotaur lept into the pool of near instant destructionEach causing sprays of harm, causing the party’s health even further reduction

Rhonin gave out next, a minotaur striking him deep with its bladeHe went down, and before anything could be done, his body did fadeWhen the last skeleton had made its suicidal leapOnly Ayvar, Roy and her pet yoshi had avoided death’s sleep

Oblivious the the peril his companions were facing without his presenceFenris sprinted along the maze, searching for solution’s evidenceAbruptly a hulking beast blocked his further progressA massive minotaur weilding a giant axe with finesse

Landing two arrows in quick successionFenris began the fight confident aggressionYet the minotaur was not so easy to subdue,Charging forward to gore him straight through

Fenris disappeared in a blink, trying to regain advantageBut the beast swung wildly and another severe hit did manageUnable to concentrate, Fenris popped back into sightAnd in a desperate spell began to change form of great height

Polymorphing into a gigantic Ape, Fenris suddenly wasn’t hopelessThe minotaur landed another strong blow threatening to disrupt the bard’s focusGiant fists lashed out, pummeling the now smaller beast into the groundVictorious, Fenris reverted back to normal, still the exit needing to be found

Escaping with the keys to open the next stony coffinFenris was greeted by profound absence, sorrow could not softenGuilt and loss swept over the group as the violence had subsidedWhere’d we go wrong, what paths should not have been decided?

Taking time to recover what their fallen comrades remainsMany prayers were uttered for vengeance to give voice to our fresh painsLa’sai’er, Ronin, from pit our journey together beganAnd epic tales were forged before another pit cut short lifespan

Having paid respects to the two pitfighters we continuedTo press forward on this quest we’d been issuedAs Fenris inserted the keys recovered from the treacherous mazeA magical gift from Acerak, Charm of Nine lives, on his skin blazed

Nine times Fenris could be snatched from the brink of deathTo endure rather than fall, retaining life’s breathWith that, Roy searched the sarcophagus of the flail snail Unkhand recovered a robe of scintillating colors from the ancient trunk

Vezera, Gilt & even Vanko finally rejoined us as we gathered our strengthStill determined to overcome all trials as we search the tomb’s lengthThrough a secret passage we found an odd mechanical sightA grandfather clock with swinging pendulum in a dungeon didn’t seem right

Shining the lantern of revealing exposed an invisible lockAnd attached to the pendulum, a giant shiny rockThe bard used the invisible key found from the from the recent chestOpened the clock, and recovered to stone from within the clock recessed

Gilt recognized the stone as one from stories of legendThe naval of the moon it was called, something to help those destinedTo be free from captivity and aide them in returning to homeFor this stone the Yellow Banner had come to this deadly catacomb

Summoning forth Starfallen, on queue the spirit burst into tearsThis time of joy, as the object of salvation was within reach after all these yearsAfter little debate, Azaka’s pitfighters once more chose the nobler pathChoosing to give this treasure to Starfallen generously regardless of any aftermath

With look sublime, Starfallen held the Naval aloftAnd the edges of her ghostly form grew increasingly softShe said her final goodbyes, at a loss to fully expressThe extent of her gratitude, so great she couldn’t process

And then she was gone, our companion over these last few daysThe lamp became mundane though her magical memory with us alwaysIn that cruel silence the clock suddenly struck the hour with a boomAnd suddenly Roy and Fenris were aged a decade further from the womb

While somewhat distressed at the sudden acceleration of his ageFenris was more concerned with surviving the next few days in this dungeon cagePressing on we came to a corridor in which we dimly could see a reflective mirrorBut having learned our lessons, all were wary to approach any nearer

Vanko finally stepped forward, weilding the blanket from the beholderStriding forward without looking, finally covering the mirror without exposureWith magical analysis, Fenris discovered it to be a Mirror of Life TrappingUp to twelve creatures by looking at themselve could be confined quicker than snapping

On a whim, Vanko peered under the covering and was gone in an instantRoy suggested searching the books recovered from Withers, Acerak’s AssistantAnd sure enough, a magical code phrase was written within his spellbookWith the word repeated, Vanko instantly reappeared looking quite shook

Curious to see who else Acerak had trapped in this treacherous mirrorOne after another we repeat the phrase, each time someone else freerTwo human mercenaries of decades past, Garret and AlderInsisted on accompanying our group, vowing revenge on Acerak to incur

Releasing a gargoyle, troll, and minotaur gave a brief test of battleBut, being surrounded we struck, they posed no more threat than cattleTwo Omoans were released, each confined for centuries in nowhereOne a warrior, the other a simple merchant both grateful from their nightmarish affair

Having harnessed the mirrors power of confinementVanko & crew carefully carried it in front to force enemies consignmentSoon enough, three of four massive gargoyles vanished within the mirror’s depthsFinishing off the final creature, we stashed the mirror to prevent any missteps

Down yet another hallway Gilt spied a secret room with a single lighted candle withinHe and Fenris stepped in to investigate and immediately fired rained down on their skinThe door slammed shut, leaving them separated from the restIn an oven that would soon roast them if they didn’t figure out this test

Gilt blew out the candle an with that all heat and light were suddenly dousedSuffocating blackness surrounded them, no words in this vacuum could be espousedFumbling blind, both humans felt at the walls of their airless jailBarely distinguishing rough shapes in the stone that may as well have been braille

Fenris used the helm of telepathy to establish a link to communicateBut the crushing gravity of their situation did not abateWith nimble blade, Gilt finally pried free a small bird-like bone from the wallCracking it open, a small hiss escaped in the silence and that was all

Growing frantic as oxygen depravation caused irrationality to growFenris was near to using all of Kubazan’s strength to empower a mighty blowGilt, proving wiser and more calm, calmed his mind and again pried free another boneThis time near his mouth, Gilt sucked in the trapped air and suddenly Fenris was alone

Having sense to follow suit, Fenris copied Gilt and found himself in the next bit of troubleA room full of stony soldiers with floors strewn with rubbleRelieved to be able to breath once more, Fenris let out audible gasps for airWhen every stony figure snapped toward the noise, their blades halfway bare

Alarmed and disoriented, spying Gilt across the room, the Bard cast a simple spellTo go invisible, knowing Gilt could do the same and perhaps evade this hellSadly the stone soldiers seemed not to rely on stone eyesAs blades came fully free of sheath and approached through invisible guise

Gilt, responding to the terrified cries of the bard, sprinted deftly through attackersTo take up a defensive position next to his ally, no matter that it may end in disasterThe soldiers surrounded them both, lashing out mechanically and quicklyBlow after blow ripped into bard and monk causing both to look sickly

Finally alert, Fenris’ mind latched onto the bead from the Beholder’s treasure hordeYelling at Gilt to “hold your ground!” he flung the bead,at the wall backwardIt exploded with force that tore through both of them, threatening to cause both to fallThough now both were temporarily safe from the majority within a protective ball

The one soldier that was also caught inside was quickly dispatched by GiltWhile Fenris began a lengthy spell, a more lasting barrier could be magically builtJust before the ritual was complete, the protective sphere finally failedAnd once more the soldiers mindlessly swarmed forward an with weapons flailed

Though dodging with supernatural speed and agility, Gilt finally went downLeaving only Fenris, in the midst of his incantations’ countdownA slash to the chest should have finished him off yet somehow it did notAgain, just as deaths darkness crept in, life somehow clung as Fenris fought

The mark from the maze granted mere hours before on his skin burned brightLife granted nine times where death would normally snuff out its lightThrough this onslaught, Fenris maintained concentration and finally concludedLeomund’s Tiny Hut, a protective barrier that could keep them safely secluded

With a healing word, Gilt eyes snapped open and immediately went on the assaultFacing off against the soldiers caught within the spell and forcing them to haltNot out of the woods, Fenris again took blow after blow that should have been his endEight out of the nine magical charges expended, causing fatal blows to mend

Finally, the last soldier within the barrier was reduced to dustGilt and Fenris rested, healed, and how to dispatch the remaining horde was discussedDozens and dozens of warriors remained, and, while safe for the time beingThey took the opportunity to end the threat rather than be killed fleeing

From the bag of holding they withdrew a clay pot acquired seeming ages agoThat held an untamed air elemental, and toward the soldiers Gilt would throwIt erupted in a cataclysm of tornadoes and rage,Sending soldiers flying and shattering against walls as they mindlessly engage

Still, numbers were on the side of the stone soldiers and eventaully the storm abatedLeaving just shy of a dozen left when the air elemental finally deflatedBetween the two and the reduced enemy threat to deal withGilt and Fenris managed to finish them off in an epic battle of myth

Collapsing in exhaustion, they knew they’d overcome the most difficult yetAnd also knowing that Acerak still lay ahead, an even greater threatApproaching the sarcophagus, they pried back the heavy coverAnd were greeted by the sound of a music box, a sweet gift perhaps given to a lover

Yet, in this setting an especially cruel trap had the stone soldiers not been dispatchedTruly it was disturbing the clever treachery in this dungeon Acerak had hatchedAmongst Shigambi’s bones, lay something truly beautiful to beholdA legendary instrument of crafted by Falataer, an unequaled bard of old

Knowing from Vezera’s experience before, Fenris was hesitant to take the artifactAnd lose Kubazan as a valued companion imparting bravery, he’d previously lackedGilt, instead took on Shigambi the wise, casting out Moa the truthfulImparting on the monk unimaginable speed of his blows, power that may prove crucial

With the final tomb emptied and threat ended, the two searched for the way backOnly to discover the stones they’d started on were a one way exit trackIn an instant they found themselves in the room where the mirror previously hungAnd sounds of battle reverberated from a hole below, so towards it they sprung

When Gilt and Fenris had been so abruptly cut off from the restThey attempted to follow through the same door to help in the testAll their strength, however, could not force the door to open freeSo Garret summoned his familiar beyond to wall and relay what it could see

What it witnessed was momentary horror as liquid red fire immediately incineratedThe group thought the worst as magic messages could not reach the seeming ill-fatedVezera, at the prospect of having lost four companions in rapid successionDebated the merit of continuing, as succeeding in the mission was in question

In that moment of lost hope, Ayvar cast a locating spell on Gilt’s BookmarkOnly to discover the direction of the blade gave a chance for hope to resparkWith the chance Gilt & Fenris still lived, they scoured the current floorSolving a riddle and moving past the levels final door

Within lay a black, ominous crown laying upon a stone daisIn a hurry to find their friends, they trusted their gut that something was amissHaving exhausted all passages, they thought perhaps ascending from below could workAnd so descended deeper, moving rapidly at great risk of awakening horrors that lurk

Around one passage, the way was blocked by a collosal stone juggernautAgainst wisdom Alder attempted to pass where aught notRolling forward with quaking force, Alder the bloodhunter was nearly exsanguinatedLuckly Garret acted fast, keeping Alder out of harms way with a spell he was levitated

Frustrated at every turn, the party felt time slipping away to help their friendsFinding puzzle after puzzle only to move forward before they met their endsA statue with three hands, entire rooms rotated on massive gearsBoats in a murky dark water, rippling and promising their deepest fears

From the depths below a tentacled monstrosity burst forth violentlyStriking Vezera and Garrett left them mucus covered and gasping for air silentlySummoning the joyful power of Lliira’s holy lightAyvar dispelled the Aboleth’s effect, freeing his allies from their breathless plight

With ferocity wrought of desperation, the party landed blow after blowPushing back the abomination and nearly defeating the subterranean foeIn the fury of battle, arrows striking the creature from above caught them off guardThere they were, smiling cheerfully down: Gilt the Monk and Fenris the Bard

The remnants of Azaka’s pitfighters were overjoyed that all had survivedAnd told the story of what transpired while of company we were deprivedGarret and Alder had demonstrated their usefulness in this dangerous placeA welcome addition, even if La’sai’er or Ronin they could never truly replace

Withdrawing back to the upper floor, the group rested and recoverd from their ordealWhen Gilt discovered the resting place where the ancient Omoan queen was sealedDevastating necrotic magics ripped through the group as Gilt touchedA tiny jeweled box, within the queens bony hands was clutched

A cursed necklace with combustive powers was foundAlong with a matching scepter with adamantine boundYet another trap on the weapon nearly tore the life from FenrisUntil Ayvar kindly bestowed upon him Lliira’s healing kiss

The bard, bolstered from escaping death yet againPersuaded the group to scour every dungeon room thereinSo back to the evil crown we went to investigateAnd into yet another trap they managed to activate

From another sphere of darkness climbed two horrors beyond comprehensionWith simply one look Garret fell lifeless, a puppet’s strings cut suspensionPsychic trauma ripped through the rest of the group reeling from their gazeGilt was the first to recover, effectively landing three blows while glancing sideways

When they turned their dead eyes once more toward Azaka’s survivor’sVezera rebuffed them with her holy aura while emboldening the fightersGilt dismembered one of the two creatures of the abyssWhile the paladin brought Garrett back to life with holy bliss

United the group finished off the final fiend only to find they were trappedDoors resistant to magic and strength no matter the force we tappedFenris, believing perhaps the exit lay within the darkness of the fiends originReached out his arm to search for an answer therein

Recoiling with a macabre scream, the bard’s arm simply ceased to existWhere it had touched the blackness it simply dissolved like mistThe mental trauma left Fenris in a gauntlike deathmask, laying on the floorEven with healing, the shock left him truly shaken to the core

What use is a one-armed bard with Kubazan’s supernatural brawnAs useful as a paper sword against the flame of a dragonDriven by Kubazan’s reckless bravery and his own sense of destinyBoth had led him to incredible heights only to fall ignominiously

Still, as unfortunate as losing an arm appeared to beFenris unwittingly discovered the trigger to getting freeOnly with the correct gesture given by an amputeeCould open the doors, and so he had become the key

Without further dissent, the group moved deeper to end this distressing forayTo the juggernaut that had nearly squashed Alder when in its pathwayArmed with the queen’s adamantine sceptre Vezera strode boldlyAnd in one fell swing reduced the juggernaut to rubble wholly

The great construct seemed to be guarding a deep crimson gem without equalGarrett recognized as the Eye of Zaltek, said to have been used in sacrifices most evilRecognizing its value, we stashed the treasure and continued onwardTo the rotating gear rooms and into a control room to discover how they’re ordered

Buttons, knobs, and diagrams were enigmatic and only to be solved by trialsSo without much debate, Fenris despondantely began turning dialsWith foresight, Gilt evaded another trap that threatened to fill the room with slimeBy packing pipes with blankets the trigger could not unleash a torrent of grime

Rotating the rooms required someone to stay backSo the one-armed bard, remained to begin to work through his lackThe rest encountered a curiously familiar bloated cadaverThat unleashed noxious gases causing some in the group to stagger

Beyond they discovered five wardrobes the certainly looked out of placeOpening one revealed a volcanic hellscape extending beyond time and spaceTwo insectoid creatures with four arms streaked through the openingOn diaphenous wings and with obviously violent intent focusing

Massive clouds of noxious gas enveloped the party threatening to killAlder and Ayvar, succumbed to fatal fumes while the rest felt deathly illHolding forth his staff brimming with arcane energiesGarrett unleashed a cone of cold, blasting each with arctic furies

Gilt and Vezera closed in with brutal efficiency to finish off the demonic insectsClipping their wings and cracking carapace, the ended them before more could infestWith rudimentary healing, the bloodhunter and priest were brought back from the brinkResting back in the control room, about the path ahead we had plenty of time to think

With a bolt of inspiration, Fenris sat upright with sudden energyFrom the bag of holding he pulled out a near forgotten scroll case gingerlyChanting from the scroll, his shape began to shift and change as he wishFinishing, he once again had two arms and features were slightly elvish

Knowing we had yet to face the remaining wardrobe with gatewaysWe retrieved the mirror in order to trap any threats with a gazeThe first spawned unholy lights of children’s souls trapped in undeathFrom a portal of depicting shadow and graves, home to those without breath

Quick and nimble, they dodged around and caused llightning burnsUntil Ayvar called upon his goddess and in fear the wisps fled, turnedThe next portal brought a massive white bone devil straight from the nine hellsWith claws and barbed tail ripping into Vezera as it fended off spells

Vanko’s arrows and Gilt’s bookmark tore deeply into the devils’ muscleGarrett swung wide with a blade of shadow and Roy jumped into the midst of the tusselStriking its legs, it was left wobbling and exposedTo Vezera’s smiting blast, ending the fight with the beast disposed

Thus far the mirror had been unable to catch the gaze of each threatBut when seven orcs came from the next,three were trapped from the onsetEasily disposing of the remaining violent, barbarous orcsWe turned to the last wardrode etched with pictures of mechanical works

But instead of a clockwork challenge, a bumbling, spherical creature popped outRecognized as a monodrone from mechanis, the creature seemed to poutAttempting to return back through the portal simply repelled him back towards usSo, we decided to keep it safe in the mirror and trapped it without a fuss

With the last wardrobe handled, the way forward finally opened upInto a hallway smelling of mold and decay, it was too late to hold upThe group watched as Gilt’s clothes rotted off his bodyAs the rest realized too our apparel was suddenly not so gaudy

Every stitch of cloth, every hide and leather, wood and metal tooAxe, sword, bow and arrows all turned to dust in our viewDecomposing rapidy, rotting away into complete detritusLeaving only our magic items to aide us in this crisis

Some were more comfortable in their skin than othersGilt strode confidently while Roy remained clad in her scintillating cloak of colorsThe rest began to wrack their brains at all the foes we’d bested over the last few daysTrying to recall what items they held and their usefullness to appraise

Vanko and Fenris felt more naked than others, without arrows to face enemiesThey suggested returning to the entrance to wait for their allies and amenitiesBut even after waiting a full day, the tomb entrance did not shift an inchAnd no magic seemed to dislodge the outer door to free us from this pinch

Garret’s familiar shrunk down to squeeze through an narrow sunlit gapAnd through his eyes, the sight was enough for all our energy to sapUndead had reclaimed the city of Omu and all our Grung allies lay slainWe were once again cutoff, no help from the outside could we hope to gain

The reality of our confinement set in as we descended back into the depthsThat even succeeding, destroying the soulmonger still may mean our deathsIn silent resolve we pushed forward with more singular purposeFreed from doubt and thoughts of retreat back to the surface

Stowing our newly cobbled gear in our bag of holding,We passed through the corridor of decay without our stuff moldingAt the other end we found a sight that scarely any mortal had ever seenA gargantuan chain cycling through rifts, seemingly powering an impossible machine

The rifts above and below glowed brilliantly with unearthly lightA beautiful one-way trip into oblivion should anyone accidently take flightCaught in awe, we barely noticed the nine familiar mechanical monodronesAppear above us with bows drawn and threats for intruding in their zones

We brought forth the mirror in a non-hostile mannerAnd freed their companion, immediately improving their candorWe bartered for arrows to replace the ones decayedThen wished them the best as returning the Mechanus was not delayed

Beyond the Mechanus chain we came to another curious armillaryDepicting sun, moon, and planets spinning as we stood stunned and stationaryKnowing we beheld something powerful and complex well beyond our kenCompelled to meddle, for this chance of unfathomable power may not come again

In response to our presence, one spherical planet slowed then slowly shiftedOpening it’s complex mechanism to reveal a seat for someone within to be liftedVanko, bolder than most and seemingly undaunted by the wonder before himClimbed in, lifted off, then the rest braced for an outcome most grim

Instead, as Vanko later described, the universe revealed its true natureOrdered beyond order in uncomprehensible ways and indecipherable nomenclatureIn this momentary clarity Vanko gained a spark of undiluted powerTo shape and reform reality as he saw fit in his chosen hour

Once the machine relinquished its guestFenris took his place, hoping to be similarly blessedAnd while he saw similar wonders, his gift was a bit more tangibleGold poured out in a stream that defied thoughts rational

Garrett, intrigued climbed in next to see what he might receiveAnd to him the fabric of the weave was revealed, extending his ability to conceiveWith the third occupant released, the machine came to an unceremonius haltHaving bestowed all it would from its curiously varied treasure vault

The group paused before a staircase stretching downward into the earth’s heartKnowing deep down this would be the final leg of the journey’s startAcerak, if he was down there, had carefully crafted this abyssal trapThat had slain so many, to fill the soulmonger to its cap

To the final floor, the very depths, Azaka’s Pitfighter’s descended bravely downA green fog boiled out from a cast iron cauldron midst cages and odd noises all aroundMovement in the mists alerted the group to an attack we waited to materializeThree shadowed shapes emerged, odd figures that struck us with surprise

A toy monkey with a single wheel for legs, a faceless clay doll, and a figure of strawApproached from the mist and the straw one greeted us with a child’s voice full of aweStrawbundle spoke of living with friends on the surface until a fateful day they were killedBy three twisted hags that kept them bound to their forms with magics quite skilled

They warned that they can appear anywhere at anytime and never to speak their namesElse they hear and trap their souls within their flesh bags for torturous gamesAppreciating our newfound diminuative allies, we promised we’d free them from captivityAnd while Strawbundle voiced hope, the other two watched with silent impassivity

Covering the cauldron allowed the mists to slowly dissipate revealing another shockA bruised and beaten yet familiar naked figure lay in a cage behind a lockLast we’d seen Ronin, he was sinking into a pit of acid that melted all but his bonesYet here he was mostly whole, one arm and leg whithered, still the companion known

Breaking the lock, we clothed him in the old Red Wizard robesThen set about to inquire how he came to be here, and his true identity probedRonin spoke frankly, waking to his current form with all memories of dyingAnd verified Strawbundle’s account of the hags torturous plying

Fenris removed Ronin’s bones from the bag of holding to confirm they were intactAnd confirming the groups fear that this was a new Ronin crafted by the hags in factAs somber truth settled over the group, New Ronin confirmed he’d revealed everythingThat the hags surely were watching, waiting for an insidious trap to spring

However, silence persisted ominously as we surveyed the rest of our surroundingsOne massive, ornate door blocked the way forward with five odd shaped housingsFrom Strawbundle we learned five puzzles lay in adjacent rooms to open the locksOpened by the skeleton keys we’d recovered once each keyhole is unblocked

With trepidation born from unseen eyes, we proceeded to solve each puzzle in turnThough in compared to the trials previously faced, the prizes were swiftly earnedIn one room a pleasant chef proffered the most dilectable cuisineGranting boons of strength and stamina, such an out of place scene

Peppering the chef with arrows, Fenris was not taken inAs it expired, its disguise dropped revealing a foul scarecrowRoy, Gilt, Vezera and Alder had eaten the monsters foodBut whatever treachery had been laid was not immediately viewed

A puzzle of columns, another of mirrors, and still another with a living zephyrThe final puzzle inverted gravity shredding Roy’s pet Yoshi in a spinning thresherWith each complete, another shaped keyhole became availableThough the upcoming conflict felt more and more inevitable

As if on queue, mad cackles rang out as we turned to view a horrific sightThree ghastly figures apparated before, their appearance alone causing frightOne clad in burlap, wrinkled and disfigured, her face alive with crawling creaturesChildren’s teeth adorned another, and noxious gas seeped every bodily feature

The third more plainly clad had her features covered by a bulging, writhing sackThree creatures heads emerged, snake, cockrel, and bloodhound deepest blackYet the three mistepped: for too long they faced foes unused to trauma and horrorsAzaka’s pitfighters had been through hell, no longer orginary explorers

Leaping into action, Roy, Gilt and Garrett struck hard at the ant covered hagShe targeted Roy with coven empowered magic, her body immediately began to sagVezera and Alder attacked the animal headed creature, confronting cockrel’s gazeFighting the effects, they scored deep hits while Fenris’ axe merely caused a graze

Ayvar caught two with the tried and true tactic of magical silence shutting down castersBut not before the gaseous hag manifested a phasmal horror portending disastersThe third, confounded by Fenris’ bardic magic, made a break for the exitBut hit a forceful wall manifested by Garret, trapping her within this cesspit

Roy was unmoving on the ground, and Vezera took two devastating blowsThough the hags were backing up, re-evaluating their formidable foesSeeing an opening, Garrett manifested a blade of crackling black shadowCleaving clean through the ant infested hag, collapsing in a writhing death throe

With one sister slain, the others’ magic of three diminishedThe two hags glanced at each other, knowing the battle would soon be finishedRonin, weak as he was, managed a bonfire beneath gaseous oneWhile the rest of the group surrounded the three headed hag, to block any run

Alder’s blood coated blade arched with lightning as it bit deeply into her sideBetween him and bookmark, a beastial howl tore from her throat as she diedThe last grew desperate, knowing the odds had drastically decreasedWhen suddenly her screams silenced from within the fire, no trace of her in the least

It was then, little Strawbundle spoke up, out of hope mixed with fearThat the last hag had fled to the ethereal plane, and may wait forever to reappearStrawbundle could help though, with all the power her unnatural life had givenTo send one to follow, that from this place the hags might finally be driven

Fenris, holding Strawbundle, accepted the gift and in a moment the hag was before himShocked that she had not escaped from her sisters’ fate so grimIn a frenzy she cried out to make a bargain to save her own existenceSo, with arrow nocked, ready to fly, Fenris listened to her last insistence

A bargain, she proposed, one that could benefit both partiesThree secrets she held that meant the difference between death and escape with easeThe bard faltered, knowing the folly of a bargain with evilBut with frequent deadly traps all around, he could not discount what she could reveal

In exchange for her life and safety leaving, three secrets were concededFirst: Ygga Raxyg, power in the name of an arcanoloth guarding lost lore neededNext: To gain escape, through the ebon pool, past charred bones must be preceededLast: The final path requires the crimson path to remain unheeded.

The Pitfighter’s inserted the polyhedral keys, opening the portal to the dungeon’s heartHorrors that lay within, o listener, in full I cannot impartFor nightmares linger and gain power over time in the minds of menAs such I shall recount a more brief account, lest I do damage with my word and pen

The Tomb of Annihilation is aptly namedIt’s core fashioned by the arch-lich Acerak of ill fameThe secret of the plague that denied the returning of lost soulsIs that Acerak’s fashioned a device to snatch these up to power his goals

Before the heroes, suspended above a vast chasm of fire, was a fledgling godMalformed and hideous, aborted fetus of undeath animated by souls gathered abroadFeeding on the soulmonger this Fledgling Titan of the Negative plane’svery cry sapped the strength from muscle and chilled the blood in our veins

Its very presense decayed the flesh, feasting on those that dared to disruptThe creatures unholy gorging, over and over we caused its cries to eruptWe fought with as much valor and resolve as we ever hadAs if Azaka’s spirit propelled us forward, fighting for each fallen comrade

Dear listener, I will tell you this once, so hearken as you would your mothersThose that feed off evil, death, or the strength of othersEven if powered by the strength of a thousand soulsWill falter before the strength of the few who have honed their roles

For so it was and may the heavens bear witness to those that stood that dayAyvar Joy-BringerGilt the Martial Master of MortalityVezera, Indomitable Bastion of CourageRoywin, Champion of Men and BeastsVanko the Eagle-EyedAlder, the Ancient BloodseekerGarrett ShadowcasterAnd Fenris Golden TongueA heinous titan was defeated and its death birthed new righteous titans of renown

With this victory, hear also the warning yet unsung: Acerak is alive!Thwarted this once, he has infinite time for more evil plots to contriveFind comfort in that there will always be those with power or potentialThat will hear the call of good and do what is essential

Following the Battle for the preservation of souls future and pastUsing the crones clues we escaped Acerak’s dungeon at lastSyndra Silvane, our benefactor, feeling the dissipation of the curseFound us in that forsaken jungle proffering the promised purse

For while honor, righteousness, and justice still abideThose won’t buy you a drink, trust me, I’ve tried