Adventurers
- Alfredward (Dwarf 4) and Tarvyn (Magic User 2)
- Koko (Cleric 5)
- Mandras (Dwarf 3)
- Rarder (Fighter 5) and Konrad Claver (Cleric 3)
Bracing themselves for a fight, the party started working their way through the bricked up wall to what they presumed would be the chief prize of this little network of tombs. Armed with improvised tools at best, it took them the best part of an hour to clear it away, enough time for Alfredward to recover from his paralysis and to fight off a curious and aggressive collection of large fire beetles.
Finally, though, the way was clear and they stepped into a larger chamber, an empty sarcophagus flanked by two large statues with arrays of jars and coffers lining the walls. Warily they approached, spotting two glowing eyes in the darkness beyond, and a guttural voice taunted them forward. Konrad duly obliged, charging ahead and leaping up upon the sarcophagus with the others in tow.
Before he could reach the source of the voice, however, the statues on either side surged forward from their positions and clashed with the party. Just about able to see the form at the end of the room in the torchlight – a towering figure made further towering by his ancient priestly hat – several of the adventurers flung vials of holy water at it, one breaking open and shrowding the shrivelled ex-priest in divine mist. Marko, one of Koko’s retainers, readied his bow but, as his gaze met that of the undead creature, he sank to his knees shrieking and clawing at his head.
The statues were giving the party attritional headaches. Mandras and Hats found themselves jabbing at one but struggling to extricate their weapons from the stone, while the other’s exterior was proving incredibly tough. The rescued warhound Bruce followed the party’s orders and clamped his jaws around the statue’s arms and there was an audible crunch as the dog’s teeth shattered. He scampered away yelping.
Spotting some jars in the sarcophagus, and wondering if this undead abomination might be a lich, Tarvyn grabbed one and smashed it. The figure visibly staggered. Enraged, and still steaming, it charged in to the fray. Konrad raised the sword Conciencia to strike it, but its withered hand lashed out and caught him on the cheek. His muscles drooped as he suddenly felt years older, the magic-detecting blade suddenly much heavier in his hand. He met the creature’s gaze and felt his mind suddenly clear of all thoughts of violence. He sat down crosslegged and hummed merrily to himself as the battle raged.
Rarder hunkered down behind his magical one-way shield and charged the figure. Ignoring the stomach-churning cry of Alfredward’s sentient sword as it shattered upon a statue, and Koko’s swearing as his cursed mace also shattered on impact but the handle remaining fixed in his grasp, the fighter beat the undead creature back and ran it through with his spear. The figure screamed and collapsed into dust, and Rarder suddenly found himself at peace with the gods, his duty to slay an abomination of equal strength complete, and all was right with the world.
Then a statue smacked him across the face
With their master slain, the statues were eventually brought down with the party able to split them apart and attack en masse without worrying about some life-draining sorcery going on around them. As they caught their breath and recovered, the party sifted through all the coins and gems disperesed amongst the various containers in the room. Weighed down with treasure, and thankfully more warm bodies able to carry it all out than had been the case after the dragon fight, the adventurers followed Koko’s map back to the entrance of the maze, leading the upright but unresponsive Konrad and Marko by the hand.
Their journey back to Redwood Keep was mercifully uneventful. As they settled down for a good night’s rest, having assuaged the keep commander Andrella with a hefty piece of treasure, they reflected upon the adventure and, although Alfredward was still bound by the gods to find an undead creature of equal strength to slay, many of them felt enhanced by the experience.
Konrad just sat there, staring vacantly at the wall.