Stay the Path

In this session of my Swords & Wizardry campaign, the players actually continued hunting for the two groups of missing explorers in a strange desolate world with a red sun. It was a near thing. The leader of the group was all for returning to their own dimension and leaving the explorers. He reasoned that they had done enough. Other players stepped in and argued to continue.

This is an ongoing issue in a long campaign like this. The players make almost no suggestions on where they would like to go next or things they would like to do next. They expect me to present them with multiple options. Which I would do if I had the time to write a dozen extra adventures. It makes a hexcrawl campaign seem ideal. But I wonder if the players would not take any action - instead waiting for something to come to them.

Session 130: King Zoser

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Domago (human cleric NPC), Ian of Darkhollow (human cavalier NPC), Apprentice August (human magic-user NPC)

The adventurers have traveled by the bridgeway to a strange world in another dimension where a red sun beams down about desolate wastelands. They are searching for the two previous groups of explorers sent here who have not returned. They are raiding the tomb of King Zoser looking for any trace of the missing explorers.

Having gained a key shaped something like a sprocket after defeating the Magma elemental the adventurers traverse the hallway to the door to the chamber full of sand. Entering their light illuminates a stone throne against the far wall. A dust devil of sand sprays up onto the throne.

“Looks like a sand elemental,” Alrix says.

Eathwund and Aldus take the lead walking cautiously into the chamber. They find that the sand covering the floor is deep and difficult to walk through. Soon, the rest of the company follows. Domago tries using the Helm of Comprehend languages to address the creature in the language of air elementals. It does not respond and takes no aggressive action.

“Do we attack it?” Aldus asks, puzzled.

“I hate when creatures do not respond,” says Lakima.

Then Lakima unleashes a volley of magic missiles into the vortex of sand. The missiles strike something, and the sand elemental immediately moves forward over the sandy floor. They see sand from the floor flying up into the elemental renewing its form. Aldus and Eathwund attack with swords and see sprays of sand fly from the shape where their swords hit. Alrix fires several arrows at it and Domago strikes with his mace. A blast of sand sprays out from the elemental striking Lakima hard in the chest and pushing him back. The battle continues with several exchanges as the elemental renews itself from the sandy floor. Eathwund is stuck by a blast of sand. The sand elemental starts to get smaller and smaller until it finally peters out and dies. A metal disc falls to the sandy floor.

Eathwund grabs it up and hands it to Lakima. It is another metal disc but this one has three teeth on its outer edge.

“Three teeth, this is the one!” Lakima says.

The group heads back to the chamber with the two statues holding spheres of stone over their heads. Lakima inserts the metal disc into the back of one statue and it fits perfectly. After a few tries he finds he can turn the disc to the right. As he does the arms of the statue descend holding the sphere until the stone ball rolls out of the statue’s hands and across the floor. Everyone waits expectantly but nothing happens. Lakima then removes the key and tries it with the same results in the back of the second statue.

Eathwund finds he can move the stone balls despite their enormous mass. He carefully rolls them near the round door.

“The stones block the hole, maybe?” Eathwund says.

“I think there is another room, behind the door mimic,” Alrix says.

The group decide to go back and question the mimic again. Eathwund dutifully drags another troll corpse over as another offering. The mimic asks for the corpse but they withhold it asking the mimic to reveal what is on the wall behind it. The creature claims that it is a blank wall and that it cannot move. The builders placed an enchantment on it preventing it from moving. The adventurers debate killing the mimic while the creature begs for its life claiming it is not hiding anything.

“I have an idea,” Lakima says.

He casts passwall behind the mimic revealing that nothing is behind it but solid stone.

“There might still be writing behind it or a portal,” Domago says. But the group decides to leave the mimic in peace. Eathwund pushes the troll corpse closer to the mimic and it eagerly eats the offering.

Returning to the chamber of the stone balls, everyone takes positions while Eathwund grabs the lever controlling the door. The lever is triggered and the door rolls open. A huge blast of wind roars through the chamber and the two stones roll through the doorway dragged into the hole in the center of the chamber beyond. As soon as they fall into the hole the wind drops to nothing. All is quiet and peaceful again.

“That’s it?” Lakima asks.

The adventurers walk into the wind-scoured chamber beyond. There is not much in the room only a metal door in the far wall with no hinges or handle. In the center of the door is a circular depression. Lakima tries fitting the sprocket key that has four teeth and finds it fits perfectly. Turning it to the left slowly slides open the metal door. Beyond is a dark chamber lit only by the light from Ian’s lantern. They see two, tall, red-clay statues standing to either side of a gold door. To their right and left are two similar gold doors etched with the images of a woman with bird wings.

“I think those are clay golems,” Lakima says uneasily pointing at the two enormous statues, “Let’s be careful – head for the door on the right.”

The group quietly and slowly walks over to the door on the right. It looks like it is covered in solid gold plates. Eathwund reaches out to open the door, and both Clay golems step down from their platforms and move slowly toward them. They shout out a challenge in an unrecognizable language.

“They said No!” Domago yells.

"I figured that!" Lakima shouts, “Quick, everyone to me!” 

Lakima then casts Protection from Evil. The golems continue to advance but then stop, unable to get through the magical barrier Lakima has created. Eathwund opens the door and looks into a small chamber with an enormous stone coffin resting in it. The coffin is decorated with engraved images of a mighty warhorse. Aldus enters the chamber and moves to the stone coffin. Eathwund spots an ancient leather saddle encrusted with jewels. He directs Ian to pick it up and carry it.

“Should I open it?” Aldus asks. Lakima nods and Aldus shoves open the stone lid. He feels an uncomfortable feeling deep in his chest but it quickly passes (he has in fact been cursed). Inside is the corpse of a mummified horse. Aldus does not spot any treasure so he slides the lid closed again.

Struggling with the large saddle, Ian follows Eathwund and Aldus out of the tomb. Aldus advises his squire to toss the saddle aside should they get in a fight or have to run.

Lakima continues to keep the clay golems at bay as they cross the chamber to the main door. Approaching it they see it is inscribed with the image of a king holding a staff in one hand and a sword in the other. Aldus opens the door and they see a small chamber before them, the floor is covered in a pile of gold coins and small gold statues. A single stone coffin rests in the center of the room covered in carved symbols. The stone coffin is open and a mummy holding a sword waits for them patiently.

The creature says something in a dry voice. Seeing their confusion it speaks again, this time in halting common.

“Begone from my tomb, foolish mortals!”

Lakima speaks to the mummy and learns that it is the undying King Zoser, the first king of the Muhati tribe. He threatens them with death or curses and claims to be constantly renewed by the magic of the pyramid. Lakima asks about the explorers from his home world and Zoser claims he has lain undisturbed for centuries. Lakima tells Zoser that his kingdom is gone and is now a desolate wasteland. This greatly angers Zoser.

“Lies lies!” Zoser shouts and moves forward striking Eathwund with his sword. Blood splatters from the wound he opens. The fight does not take very long before Zoser is brought down. As he is falling, he laughs at them calling them fools and primitives, and promises to rise again.

Domago uses his staff of healing on Eathwund again. Eathwund searches the chamber. The stone coffin appears to be empty. He does find a locked chest he cannot open. Lakima checks it and finds it is not trapped with magic. August opens the chest using the knock spell from his cursed helm. Inside they find several magical weapons and a mysterious metal flask that appears to be empty. Eathwund picks up the sword the mummy was wielding. They have to remove some gold from the bag of holding to get the weapons into the bag. Lakima checks the ceiling above and sees a pattern with a blue gem at the center. The gem glows with weak magic. Using his staff, he casts telekinesis and pulls the gem toward his hand. Lakima examines the gem and he uses the last charge of the arrow of direction asking for the source of the life force sustaining Zoser. The arrow points at the gem. Lakima then asks Domago to smash it. Domago does so with his mace. There is a burst of blue light as he breaks the gem. A disembodied spirit howls in anguish screaming, “No!”

They look and see Zoser’s mummified corpse turn to powder. Outside the range of the protection spell the two clay golems cease their movements. The adventurers congratulate each other. Lakima checks the chamber carefully with his wand of secret door detection but he finds nothing. 

“Well- I guess we leave, the explorers we are looking for are not here.”

Before leaving the group moves across the chamber to the second gold door. Aldus opens the door and inside they see a small chamber with two normal-sized stone coffins. Each coffin lid is carved with a relief of a different woman. Lakima checks for magic and he sees that each stone lid is enchanted to discharge a lightning trap should they be disturbed. He checks with Domago and then working together they dispel the magic on both coffins. Eathwund moves to one coffin and Aldus to another. Aldus pushes the lid aside first and a mummy rises out of the coffin to attack. In front of Eathwund the stone lid on the other coffin slides to one side and another mummy attacks. Domago presents his holy symbol and forces both mummies back into their stone tombs. The adventurers quickly leave the chamber and close the door again.

The group decides to leave the tomb. They have no encounters as they are leaving and they are soon outside again. Lakima suggests returning home via Zentrium but Eathwund suggests that the arrow pointed north to find the explorers so they should continue following the road. The road heads northwest toward the mountains but at least it is heading somewhat in the right direction.

The group decides to continue following the road setting out again with the sun high overhead. They walk through the wasteland for a few hours before spotting the ruins of a city on the horizon. Still uncovered by the sand are the remains of a palace. A stone staircase leads up to a pair of wooden double doors. A pair of camel-headed human statues stand at the base of the steps.

“Let’s get inside before the sun sets,” Lakima says.

Aldus and Eathwund lead the way up the steps and come under fire from arrows coming from arrow slits in the wall facing them. Eathwund continues running up the steps and he smashes the wood doors open with his shield. Inside he finds a large number of animated skeletons armed with bows and swords. Eathwund smashes two apart before matching blades with the leader of the skeletons who is wearing rusted armor. Aldus soon joins Eathwund and smashes several more skeletons. Domago tosses his shield down on the steps, says a command word, and it transforms into a large lion. He points at the skeletons and the lion roars and leaps on the skeletons. Domago then lifts his holy symbol presenting it to the skeletons and several of them are blasted to pieces. Aldus and Eathwund dispatch all of the skeletons with the exception of the skeleton general who keeps fighting. It takes a number of blows to destroy it.

The group searches through a few empty chambers including a throne room finding nothing of interest. They decide to set up camp in what was once a barracks. Watches are set and the summoned lion is left pacing the hall outside the door to their room. As soon as the sun sets the lion increases its pacing and lets out the occasional roar. Eventually, since no one can get to sleep they open the door and find several wights and wraiths surrounding the lion. Several wights fall quickly as Domago uses his holy symbol to destroy them. Two remain and Lakima drinks a potion of wight control to take over their actions. Domago yells a warning that he can see several wraiths and a spectre moving toward them from the throne chamber. Alrix casts a fireball destroying some of the wraiths and the controlled wights. Lakima then uses the Staff of Power to cast another fireball and the remaining wraiths are destroyed. Domago enters the throne room and uses his faith to banish the spectre that was waiting there on the throne.

The group returns to the room and sleeps the rest of the night with two of their number on watch at all times. In the morning they pack up and leave. As they head out on the road Eathwund asks if they should not search the ruins but Lakima reminds him that their packs are already full of treasure.

The group sets out following the road through the desert until they see a black obelisk rising out of the desert. As they get closer it continues to get bigger and bigger. The ruined obelisk is fully one hundred feet square. In the lee of the obelisk, they see tattered tents and supplies, their first possible evidence of the explorers they seek.

Find the Key

This next session, number 129 we were without the party leader. Lakima the mage has become the leader of the group over the 3 years of playing. His job times changed so it looked like we might be without him for a few months. I told him I would play his PC as an NPC to the end of the current adventure and then have his character take a break to study magic. As it turned out he only missed one session. He found a way to make it with us moving the time slot forward slightly.

This session was a classic "find the keys to move the plot forward" session. Without Lakima's player gone the other players had to step up and without a clear leader, there was a lot of back and forth without a clear decision. But we got there and no one's character died.

Session 129: Puzzles

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC), Domago (human cleric NPC), Ian of Darkhollow (human cavalier NPC), Apprentice August (human magic-user NPC)

The adventurers have traveled by the bridgeway to a strange world in another dimension where a red sun beams down about desolate wastelands. They are searching for the two previous groups of explorers sent here who have not returned. Recently they have entered the tomb of King Zoser.

Eathwund opens the metal door at the far end of the chamber. It leads down a short hall to an intersection of two hallways. With his darkvision Alrix can see a chamber to the north where human-sized statues line the west and east walls. There are four doors down the west and east passages here. Eathwund heads to the left and notices that warm, dry air is blowing toward him from under the door at the end of the hallway.

“That door might lead back outside?” Alrix says.

Eathwund decides to open the door before him on the north wall but Alrix warns they should be cautious and suggests they use the periapt vs. poison that Fenris was wearing when he was killed. Lakima pulls Fenris partially out of the bag of holding and they remove the periapt. After some discussion, it is decided that Aldus should use it since he is bigger and stronger than Eathwund. Aldus puts on the periapt and opens the door. The door opens outward into the hallway and reveals a 20-foot-square room. Two large chests rest on the floor. Aldus steps across the threshold of the doorway and vanishes. The entrance also vanishes and is replaced with a stone wall. Eathwund examines the wall and realizes that the room was an illusion.

“Where has Master Aldus gone?” Ian the squire asks.

Since they have no idea where Aldus has gone the group decides to move on, figuring that Aldus is likely somewhere nearby and will soon find the group.

Meanwhile, Aldus finds that he steps through the doorway and then the room is instantly covered in darkness. His foot comes down on something that snaps and feels like wood. Reaching down he finds it is a human bone. Aldus calls out to his companions but they do not answer. Feeling behind himself for the doorway he finds only air. Aldus decides to carefully walk forward and after several steps, he encounters a stone wall. He follows the wall to the right until he comes to the corner of the room. Continuing on to the right Aldus traces out a 20-foot-square room with no exits. The floor is covered in piles of bones. He carefully searches the walls but cannot locate any doors or levers. Aldus decides to clear a space on the floor and get comfortable and wait.

Eathwund moves to the door from which warm air is blowing. Placing his hand on the door he finds that it is actually hot – like the other side is in direct sunlight. Eathwund opens the door and beholds a large, square chamber about 50 feet square. The near half of the chamber has a plain stone floor. The far half is a pool of bubbling magma almost to the height of the surrounding floor. Rising above the magma is a throne of black stone. Seated on the throne is a humanoid creature made of magma. Eathwund quickly closes the door again and tells his companions what he saw.

They decide to head down the eastern corridor instead. As they approach the door on the north wall, a large eye forms on the surface of the door. The eyelid lazily opens and peers at them. Then a large mouth forms on the surface of the door below the eye. The mouth speaks in a dry, loud voice. Only Domago (wearing the Helm of Comprehending Languages) can understand the words.

“It said, I am hungry, feed me one of your friends and I will move aside so you can get to the treasure I protect,” Domago says.

“We could feed it a dead troll,” Eathwund suggests.

Eathwund heads back to the large chamber with the sand pit and drags an eight-foot-tall troll carcass back to the hall. He tosses the carcass before the door. Two tentacles lash out from the door and the troll carcass is slowly eaten. Once the troll is gone the mouth says something else which Domago translates to “I am sleepy now.”

The eye and mouth close and then vanish from the surface of the door. Alrix yells at the door asking about the treasure but there is no response.

Eathwund moves to the door at the end of the hallway and opens it. He sees a chamber with a sand floor and not much else.

“We need to find Aldus!” Ian the squire asks.

“Okay, let me use the arrow,” Lakima says. He takes out the Arrow of direction and asks it to point to Aldus’ location. The arrow points back in the direction of the exit. Lakima tells everyone they must hurry; the arrow will only point for a few seconds. He rushes back toward where they entered. Eathwund closes the door to the sand chamber and follows everyone else as they head back up the stairs where the arrow points to one of the alcoves above the stair where the stone block trap came from.

Using the wand of secret door detection Lakima points at the back wall of the alcove and tells them there is a secret door there. Eathwund checks and is able to see the outline of a doorway but it does not budge when he pushes against it. Eathwund taps the wall with his shield and calls out to Aldus. There is no response (Aldus hears a tapping sound in the distance but it sounds far away).

Alrix then suggests the cursed Helm of Free Action. Lakima removes it from the bag of holding and hands it to his apprentice August. He instructs August to put it on. August questions what it is and Alrix explains how it works. Domago assures August that he can remove it from him with a spell. Reluctantly, August dons the helm and following directions casts a knock spell on the secret door. The door starts to move forward down the hallway and then slides into the north wall. They see an empty hallway now revealed. With the wand Lakima again is able to point out that there is a door ahead. August uses another knock spell from the helm on this doorway and it also opens. The light from Ian’s lantern falls open Aldus who is sitting on the edge of a pile of bones napping. Ian heads into the chamber and moves to awaken Aldus but Aldus immediately opens his eyes.

“About time,” Aldus says.

They cast their light about the chamber Aldus was in and find it full of bones, bits of broken metal, and rotted cloth. The group forms up again with Aldus in the lead and they head back to the intersection of passages. This time they decide to head north. The hallway leads to a large hallway with four statues of humans on the west and east walls, all facing inward. The statues are of different humans in different poses but all have looks of horror on their faces. The group all agree that this looks suspicious. Keeping a close eye on the statues, Eathwund carefully walks down the hallway to the far end where there is another grey metal door. Alrix then follows. Since nothing happens, the rest of the group follows but once they reach the mid-point of the chamber the floor is revealed to be a trapper that rolls up engulfing Aldus, Domago, Lakima, and Ian. Alrix and Ian who were on the edges of the trapper manage to leap clear. In the center of the room, a trapper had rolled up into a 10-square pile and is smothering their companions!

Eathwund attacks the outside of the trapper with his longsword slashing long gashes in its leathery hide. Alrix casts multiple magic missiles while August also casts magic missile. Inside the trapper the four victims struggle, unable to move. Domago is able to cast cause wounds, and Lakima manages to use his wand of shocking. But Eathwund and Alrix’s efforts are rewarded and the trapper dies releasing its victims onto the floor. The trapper lies in a pile of bleeding leathery skin. The area of the floor that was beneath it is revealed to be covered in gold and platinum coins. The group immediately starts scooping coins in the bag of holding.

“Get the platinum coins first!” Alrix tells them.

They also find a few items that Lakima detects as magical, a sword, a battered shield, a scroll, and a ring. There is also a copper flask with liquid in it that does not detect as magical. Everything is put into the bag of holding until the bag is full. Then they fill up the pouch of holding as well. With no more space to store treasure, they are forced to leave a lot of coins lying on the floor.

The door out of the room is opened and it leads into a square chamber containing a 20-foot-in diameter circular stone door and two statues. The statues are immense and each holds a stone sphere over its head. On the back of the statues, they find what appears to be the indentation for a clockwork key. Eathwund pulls a lever near the door and it rolls back revealing a large chamber beyond. Immediately, howling winds fill the chamber and everyone feels themselves buffeted and pulled toward the doorway. Eathwund sees that the source of the winds is a hole in the center of the chamber beyond. He quickly pulls the lever again closing the door and the winds subside.

The group spends time examining the statues but to Alrix it is clear they need to find a pair of keys.

“I know tombs like these,” Alrix says, “we need to find a pair of keys to operate these statues and block the wind tunnel.” Alrix goes on to say that he expects the keys will be in the two rooms they did not explore.

They decide to try the magma room first. Eathwund opens the door and tentatively advances into the chamber. Ian, Aldus, and Domago follow. Alrix and Lakima stand ready by the doorway. August is told to wait at the intersection of the halls. At first, the magma lord ignores them. Eathwund tries calling out to it but nothing happens. But as soon as Eathwund moves close to the magma the creature moves scooping up a fistful of magma and rearing back to throw it.

“Look out!” Eathwund yells.

Alrix fires magical arrows at the magma creature and Domago fires a pair of magical bullets from his sling. Lakima uses the Staff of Power to blast the creature with a cone of cold. One handful of magma strikes Eathwund in the chest burning him. But he is ready for the second throw and deflects it aside with his shield. By this time Alrix’s arrows finish off the creature. Its top half collapses into the pool of magma and a metal disc appears sitting precariously on the black stone throne.

“I have this,” Lakima says and uses the Staff of Power to cast telekinesis and bring the metal gear flying through the air to his hand.

Lakima examines the gear and notices that it has four sockets while the statues in the chamber of the door had three projections.

“This might not be the right key?” Lakima says.

The group head down the hallway toward the other door. The eye appears they pass on the north wall again and watches them. Then a mouth appears and says something. Domago translates that it is hungry again and will tell them a secret in return for food. Eathwund goes and grabs another troll corpse. Before feeding the corpse to the creature they demand the secret first. The creature tells them that a lord of fire and a lord of air hold the two keys they need to enter Zoser’s tomb.

“I knew that,” Alrix says.

Eathwund tosses the troll corpse to the door and it is consumed.

The Red Sun

 I have not posted in a month but I have kept busy. I am still managing to keep Dungeon 23 going although it is not as fun as it first was. My Swords & Wizardry campaign is still going strong. Still four players and we have had four sessions in the last month.

The next session I need to write about was Session 128. This was the start of a new adventure. I actually had planned to let the players rest before springing this one but I sort of forgot and dropped the hook on them. Then they had two projects ongoing at once. The magic user wanted to use the ritual he has found to create a flying ship and they had some old friends come by looking for help.

The new adventure is based on Advanced Adventures module 4: The Prison of Meneptah by Alphonso Warden published by Expeditious Retreat Press. It takes place in another world or dimension. A desolate planet with a red sun. A little reminiscent of Dark Sun. I reminded me how much I love this type of setting.

Session 128: The Red Sun

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Fenris the Filch (human thief NPC), Domago (human cleric NPC), Ian of Darkhollow (human cavalier NPC), Apprentice August (human magic-user NPC)

The adventurers are back in Edgerton after putting an end to the undead creator in the Red Mausoleum. They find they have no time to rest as word reaches them that Windmaster Sturlaker has failed to return from a journey to another world. Meanwhile, Lakima has a flying ship contract to fulfill for the Merchant Adventurers Guild.

Lakima spends some time at the Mages’ Guild and asks Rune Frost to bring him his best student. A young man is presented to Lakima. Lakima tells the man, whose name is August,  that he is his new apprentice. With August in tow, they head over to the Merchant Adventurers’ Guild. Rasmus Orbin tells Lakima that a ship has been picked out and is ready. He introduces them to the ship’s captain. The small group heads over to the docks and views the ship. Lakima goes back to the Manor house and picks up the Ship's Helm he and Malyn have created. He also bids Aldus and Ian to follow. Arriving back at the ship, Lakima delivers instructions to August and Aldus on what to do and then he gets down to work on the enchantment ritual.

The enchantment ritual takes four days to complete. During this time Aldus tries to deal with some angry longshoremen who gather on the docks. Lakima gives August the pipes of the sewers to chase the longshoremen off of the docks with a horde of rats. In the end, the enchantment works and the fly spell is settled over the ship. Lakima takes Rasmus Orbin and the merchant captain on a short flight over the town eliciting much excitement in the local population.

With the ship safely back in its berth, the company members return to the Manor House. Nissa is anxious to get underway to find her mentor but Ezmeralden preaches caution. Lakima tells everyone he will rest and they can leave tomorrow. Ezmeralden warns that they will need to gather a large supply of water as the world they will be going to appears to be a dry wasteland. Domago shows him the Jug of Alchemy which should cover all of their needs.

The next day the group packs up on the flying longship and heads to the bridgeway. The ship is set down in the dry valley under the bridge and Ezmeralden casts invisibility upon it. Ezmeralden shows them the view of the red world where the explorers from Dolmvay disappeared. It is a desolate wasteland under a red sun. Lakima gives Ezmeralden a crystal ball with clairaudience to use so he can watch for their return. He tells Ezmeralden he will also watch him with another crystal ball. They also arrange for a method of exchanging messages using a slate and chalk.

Once everyone is ready, they step over the bridgeway and arrive in a strange, dry desolation. The bridge on this world spans a dry gulch. In all directions, they see mostly flat terrain with few landmarks. In the distance, they can make out some low mountains. Tracks lead from the bridge to a small campsite and then disappear off into the desert. They search about the campsite and discover tracks from two groups of people and some hoof prints from draft animals. Lakima uses the arrow of direction and asks for the location of the Windmaster. The arrow points roughly towards a twin peak in the distant mountains. They set out in that direction trying to maintain their bearings in the flat featureless desert. The group makes continuous use of the jug of alchemy for water.

They spot an oasis in the distance but not in the direction the arrow had indicated. They head for the oasis for an hour before it disappears, only a mirage. As it is getting late, they decide to set up camp and pitch the tents. Lakima tells everyone that he is going to try something risky. Lakima takes out the scroll with astral spell on it and explains what he is going to do. He will be gone for no more than 2 hours and during this time the other adventurers must protect his body. He also tells them a password word to ensure his body has not been possessed by something else. Casting the spell, Lakima’s astral spirit steps from his resting body. He quickly moves across the strange astral plane of the landscape. He comes upon a walled stone town and searches it but does not find the Windmaster. He then heads towards the mountains but finds nothing. Soon he has to return to his body which he does and quickly announces the password.

Lakima tells the other adventurers about the nearby town. It is inhabited and is roughly on the path the arrow pointed. The next morning the group makes for the town. As they draw near they see signs of life, birds, insects, and small plants. Then they come upon fields of grain crops. They hear a bell toiling and see the walled town on the horizon. Small groups of humans appear to be running for the town. When they arrive, they find that the town gates are closed. The town is encircled by sandstone walls twenty feet high built from enormous stone blocks. The gates are much simpler and made of wood. Once they are within thirty feet of the town, they are challenged in a language they do not understand. Domago puts on the Helm of comprehending languages and manages to respond to the calls telling those in the town that they are travelers and that they mean no harm.

The town gates open and guards cautiously come out to greet the adventurers. The guards appear frightened of them and curious of these strange-looking travelers. Domago uses the jug of alchemy to gift the guards with some weak wine. Eventually, won over the guards allow the adventurers to enter and they send for one of the town elders to greet them. They learn from the elder Jabari that this town is called Zentrium. It is the northernmost settlement on the edge of an area called the Muhatian desolation. Jabari treats them hospitably once he learns they are looking for Sturlaker. Jabari tells them that Sturlaker was himself following the trail of a group of foreign travelers and that he left 3 weeks ago. A companion of Sturlaker’s, a woman called Meika cured a local boy of an ailment and earned the trust of the town. Jabari invites them to stay at his home for the night.

That night the adventurers eat dinner with Jabari’s family. Lakima uses a cantrip to tell them stories of his homeland (with Domago acting as interpreter). They learn some of the legends of this land. Once it was said to be a paradise of forests and grasslands with plentiful rain. Now it rains 2-3 times a year and that rain brings destruction. Their ancestors were involved in many wars in which great and powerful magic was used. The destruction of the land is attributed to their ancestors turning away from the gods and being punished. Magic is now almost unknown. The travelers they follow asked about great magical artifacts and were told of the Muhati ruins to the north. They set out in that direction. They are warned of the dangers of undead in the ruins. Alrix follows the conversations intently and by the end of the night has worked out enough of the Muhati language to be able to follow the conversation of the locals.

The next day the adventurers say goodbye to Jabari and his family. His children follow them to the edges of the farmland and then wave goodbye. Jabari had told them they could follow an ancient road north to the ruins. The road is built of white limestone but in most places, it has long since been covered with sand. Stone obelisks about six feet high jut out from the sand every few hundred feet marking the road. They follow these for the better part of a watch before they see a pyramid rising up out of the sand. Although it is slightly off the road the adventurers detour to investigate the pyramid. As they get close, they find it is fairly small, only 150 feet tall – but in this flat wasteland it is a prominent landmark.

The Tomb of Zoser

Lakima uses his wand to find a secret door at the base of the pyramid. A message written in Muhati warns that this is the tomb of Zoser, the first king of the Muhati, and that a curse will befall any who enter. They find that the door trigger is the cartouche of Zoser’s name. Stone slides to one side and they find a crumbling stair leading down under the pyramid. August uses the continual flame staff to light the way and Fenris takes the lead, carefully checking the stair. At the bottom of the stair, the passage enters a chamber. A metal door on the far side of the chamber is flanked by two ten-foot-tall statues. The one to the left of the door is a statue of a man with the bearing of a king. The other statue is of a powerfully built man with the head of a camel.

“Look at that statue,” Alrix exclaims.

“I suspect that was one of their gods,” Domago replies.

Fenris takes a cautious step forward into the chamber and falls through the floor. The illusion of a stone floor extending before the stair vanishes. A few seconds later they hear a large splash.

“Fenris! Fenris are you okay?” Lakima shouts in the direction of the pit.

Lakima shines a light down the pit but he is unable to see the bottom.

Lakima asks Alrix to investigate. Alrix changes form and flies down into the pit. About sixty feet down he finds Fenris floating face down in brackish water. Alrix carefully flips Fenris over and sees the man’s head roll too far to one side. Alrix constricts his tail about the corpse and flies back up into the chamber, setting the corpse down on the floor.

“His neck is broken,” Alrix says.

Domago checks Fenris and sadly shakes his head to the rest of the group, “he is dead.”

Aldus immediately asks Domago if he can heal Fenris. Domago explains how the raising of the dead works. Fenris will need a week to recover. Domago wraps up Fenris in a white blanket like a funeral shroud and the corpse is stuffed into the bag of holding.

“One of you two will have to become our new trap-finder,” Lakima says while looking at Eathwund and Aldus. “Which of you has a 10-foot pole?” Eathwund glances at his quarterstaff.

“Check the door Eathwund.” Lakima says.

Eathwund checks the metal door but there is a clear lock on it. A keyhole just below a handle. Then Lakima suggests to Domago that he use the jug of alchemy to produce a gallon of acid and dissolve the lock. Domago produces the acid and pours some on the lock, the metal hisses and burns and begins to dissolve.

Immediately, the two statues stir to life and ponderously step down from their pedestals. Eathwund and Aldus attack. Followed shortly by Ian and Domago. Alrix fires arrows at the stone statues. Lakima casts disintegrate but the spell fails to affect one of the statues. During the battle, Aldus is struck twice and Eathwund once but eventually they destroy the statues. As each statue is battered apart it eventually crumbles to a pile of boulders. Domago searches through the debris but finds no hidden gems.

“That myth is shattered,” Domago mutters.

Domago finishes off the lock on the door with acid and pulls out the lever to open it. A stair headed down stands before them. Domago takes the time to use the staff of healing on the injured fighters. Lakima tells Eathwund to take the lead. Eathwund works his way down the stair carefully thumping each step before him with his staff. At the ninth step, the staff strikes the stone, and the step clicks and descends. Eathwund hears the sound of sliding stone on stone and freezes alert for any traps. Two 3-foot square stone blocks slide out from the walls. An Illusion had disguised the openings. Large metal blades on the stones strike Eathwund as he is unable to get out of the way in time. Eathwund and the stone blocks tumble down the remaining steps.

Domago walks down the steps and heals Eathwund again. They find that the stair ends in front of another metal door. This one does not appear to be locked. Eathwund opens it. Before them is a large octagonal chamber. There is a door directly across from them. Across the middle of the chamber stretches a 10-foot-wide pit filled nearly to the top with sand.

The group cautiously makes its way into the chamber, spreading out to face the pit. As Eathwund pokes the sand with his staff, the sand begins to stir and three human-sized creatures grow up out of the sand and move to attack. Two of them attack Aldus and Ian and one attacks Eathwund and Domago. The creatures appear to be constructs made of sand but their arrows and swords pierce the creatures and they leak sand. After a brief flurry of blows those fighting the constructs feel overcome with sleepiness. Eathwund fights it off but Ian, Aldus, and Domago lie down in the sand and fall asleep. Luckily a lot of damage has already been done to the constructs. Alrix finishes one off with arrows. Lakima casts dispel magic on Aldus and Ian and the pair shake their heads and start to get to their feet. At that moment two walls of stone slide to one side and four brown, troll-like creatures emerge and rush to attack. The creatures look vaguely like trolls but their eyes appear lifeless like they are constructs. August uses the wand of webs and Lakima’s urging and traps two of the creatures behind a wall of webbing.

Two of the creatures reach the adventurers and attack with clawed hands and attempt to bite the adventurers as well. Aldus is struck once. After a few sword blows are exchanged, Lakima uses a fireball spell casting it into the chamber and one of the trolls falls. The web is also burned away and two more trolls join the fight. Eventually, all of the strange constructs are destroyed. The sandmen crumble into piles of sand and the strange trolls collapse.

The group rests and gets some more healing from Domago once he has been shaken awake. They approach the metal door which appears to be unlocked.