| Session Date | November 24, 2018 |
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| Base XP Gained | 10833 |
The party rested within the dungeon safely. The next morning, the much-reduced ZZ cast speak with dead on the head of the cleric previously slain. His first question was to ask if the Ranger, Winfrith, still lived. He apparently did. The second and last was to ask what the best way to "get to him without unwanted intervention from our adversaries?" The answer was to "approach from the north, passing over the hills as stealthy as possible, and to enter the ruins through the ruined northern wall." This was, needless to say, rather vague and lacking in specifics. But, at least the Ranger still lived and there was a possibility of rescuing him, but first the party would clear this dungeon.
They now passed through the secret trap door down to stairs descending near a hundred feet. As they began their descent, however, the stairs suddenly shifted and formed a ramp sliding downwards steeply. The party all grabbed the sides to brace themselves as best they could (Iban levitated and grabbed Zhuld-zir, who slipped). Rodal, the mercenary, also slipped and went right to the bottom -- into a pit filled with fire, The party was able to then rig a rope to slide down safely. Iban, meanwhile, descended into the fiery pit, protected bu his ring of fire resistance. He found Rodal was quite burned to cinders but his magic items survived and the Iban recovered them.
The party now found themselves in a huge cavern, some 90' high and extending south out of sight. In front of them, a wide river sluggishly flowed, blocking their path. Iban, already invisible, cast fly on himself and took to the air to scout. Just south of the river were numerous mounds of earth. In the distance to the southwest, he could see numerous campfires with large figures around each one...an army was encamped not far away. As he finished his scouting and returned, a raft appeared from thin air right before the party. However, the party opted to have Iban ferry them over by air one at a time, starting with Aldeberon. Soon, the party was safely across (they also towed the raft across in case they later needed it).
South of the mounds was a large, triangular-shaped building with great bronze doors facing north. These proved impossible to open and, as the party lacked any magic to do so, ZZ took his potion of giant strength and forced them open, but not before casting find traps. Within they found a passage running east-west -- and choked with traps of various kinds. They decided to try going due south where there was a door but, instead of opening it normally, ZZ slipped outside, took a large stone, and threw it with his great strength through the door, smashing it open. Beyond was a large, triangular room with a feast laid out. The party entered and noted many mosaics of lizard men around the room, including a huge specimen wearing a crown and wielding a trident. The party began to search the room for secret doors when a number of the lizard man figures emerged form the walls and spoke, saying "Greetings, guests of the Great King. Welcome to the eternal feast. Please, let us serve you." The party, which now found a secret trap door going down, declined (though ZZ took some snacks) and descended, without interference form the lizardmen.
Below they came to an antechamber, beyond which they came into a temple area with a trio of clerics conducting some rite and a dozen lizardmen watching...all turned at the interruption. But, before they could react, Cadwallider hit the clerics with a lightning bolt, killing one and wounding the other two, plus killing a few lizardmen. Aldeberon rushed forward as Iban blew his horn of Valhalla to summon a force of berserkers. The result was a melee in the middle while a magical exchange of fire occurred over the top of them. ZZ was hit by a hold person spell which took him out temporarily (he was safely behind the line, however). A flame strike blasted much of the party but, after that, the clerics were unable to effectively cast spells and the party soon defeated the combined enemy. During the fight, Iban had slipped forward to engage the clerics. However, one managed to flee as he approached, though Iban was able to note the secret door that he used to the east. The party soon followed in pursuit, the remaining berserkers leading (with Iban stepping up to open a door).
The path led them into a round room with a half dozen coffins. Form one, a female lizardman had emerged, one with weirdly pale skin. The thing attacked, striking a berserker, who collapsed immediately with a scream and vanished. Believing this to be a vampire of some sort, Iban told his men to attack, which they did, dying gallantly but without any injury to the vampiress. The party fell back, and Iban was hit with a beguilement from the vampire, temporarily disorienting him, The berserkers fell valiantly, but did allow time for Cadwallider to begin firing magic missiles at the vampire, eventually forcing her into gaseous form to flee. The party pressed on quickly, not wishing to let the escaped cleric do too much mischief. Iban did, however, detail his remaining berserkers to demolish the coffins.
The party continued on, soon finding an extensive library, which Cadwallider plundered. Past this, they now entered a larger room with a throne, atop which sat the lizardman king they'd seen depicted in mosaics elsewhere; he was flanked by the escaped cleric and the vampiress. He was clearly waiting for the party, as he hit them with a lightning bolt. This knocked both ZZ and Grad the mercenary unconscious (and dying). Further Iban was held by a hold person spell from the cleric. Fortunately for the party, Cadwallider was the stronger wizard, and managed to pin down the enemy spellcasters and keep them from casting further spells, with some help form the remaining berserkers, Aldeberon saw to ZZ before rushing in to attack the lizardman king. Grad, sadly, did not survive the battle. The battle was short, but the lizardman king eventually was forced to assume gaseous form (in addition to being a huge lizardman spellcaster, he was a vampire, as well), the cleric and vampiress having already been slain or driven off.
The party now did a thorough search of the area, soon finding a casket which they destroyed, as well as a huge treasure with some particularly potent magic items (a ring with a wish, as well as a crystal ball). Despite some serious setbacks (two dead mercenaries, some serious damage to ZZ, etc), the party had profited overall from their delve, and now headed back to surface. Except for a run-in with some wights, they made it without incident. On the morrow, they would head south towards Grilbie to seek word on the missing ranger and learn more of the brigands plaguing the region. They hoped that their newly acquired crystal ball would be a game-changer for this mission...