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Start at the End, Part 2

Players/Characters Present:
John Sikking - Basil Amantes (Ftr6)
Bruce Barnett - Bonzimir Amantes (Rog3/Hlf3)
Barbara Muth - Nereida Amantes (Clr6)
Chris Wood - Felix Amantes (Psi6)
Peter Drake - Demetrios Amantes (Ftr2/Wiz2/Hum2)

Having rested after the battle with the Flesh Golem, the party moved further into the Tomb of Elizar Branded-Hand. In one crypt, they encountered a strange and terrifying creature seemingly made of pure terror . It seemed highly resistant to mundane efforts to destroy it, and the palpable aura of fear that permeated the crypt caused Basil to tremble so hard that he was unable to effectively wield his sword. The creature also placed a rune on Basil that caused Bonzimir to see him as Bonzimir's worst nightmare. Luckily, the power of Demetrios and Felix was enough to destroy the vile creature, which dissolved into a number of glowing runes. 

[GM's Note:By questioning the elders of the church at the Great Temple in Adamos, Demetrios was able to determine that this creature was most likely a Terror Rune Manifest, a sentient expression of the elder rune of terror. Rune Manifests are rare but powerful beings made up of the runes which are the fundamental building blocks of all creation. The elders told Demetrios that many other types exist. For instance, a Knowledge Rune Manifest is rumored to have aided the ancients understand many of the runes that surround the courtyard of the Great Temple.]

Later, the party encountered a pair of Shadow Mastiffs, creatures of pure shadow whose terrible baying caused Basil "Oops, I've soiled my armor" Amantes to run in terror away from the battle. The two mastiffs savaged Demetrios, nearly killing him before Felix and Bonzimir could drive them off and kill them.

In a shrine to the god Malbor, the party discovered a statue of Elizar Branded-Hand. The room was guarded by a weird and terrible spirit of undeath which, with but a single glance, caused Felix's heart to stop (he was dropped to -1 hp). The room also was partially in a dead-magic zone which protected the creature from Demetrios's spells. But Basil and Bonzimir were able to make short work of the thing despite its vile power. 

A bridge over a lake of boiling tar proved to be the campsite of four strange creatures made of stone, with spherical bodies and a single maw at the crest 

[GM's Note: Nereida was later able to determine that these strange beings were creatures of elemental earth known as "Xorn". They covet gems and precious metals as food. Those encountered must have been small members of the species, from the tales Nereida heard.]

They didn't seem to have any immediately harmful intent, though they blocked the party's path, and when it was realized that they were intelligent, a parley broke out. The creatures were seeking Kyroclides's (the dragon's) treasure, and assumed the odd fleshy beings they faced were emissaries of the dragon. Felix offered to give them half the dragon's treasure if they fought for the party, but the stone beings refused, countering that they would allow the party to pass the bridge in exchange for half the treasure. Eventually, a toll (of 1,000 T.) was negotiated and the party allowed to pass. Bonzimir discovered a trap door halfway across the bridge which would have plunged the party into the boiling tar if they had stepped on it. As it was, spattered hot tar burned every member of the party.

[GM's Note: Yeah, the toll was ridiculously high. The Diplomacy rolls were ridiculously bad. ]

Beyond the lake of tar was a corridor where no magic worked, that ended in a door upon which had been inscribed the symbol of the sun. Bonzimir opened this door and revealed the tomb of Elizar Branded-Hand. Inside, Elizar (a vampire wizard!) stood, and invited them in for a "reward". Unknown to the party, Elizar was absolutely loaded with protective spells (fortunately, all of these were soon not to matter). As soon as the four had entered, Elizar cast a spell of Confusion on them, which caused Felix and (say it with me now...) Basil to go mad. Then, the vampire melted into a mist and began to fly towards the door.

Demetrios slammed the door shut, but Basil flew into a terror and knocked his smaller brother aside, throwing open the door and running into the hallway...where the Dead Magic area promptly negated the Confusion spell. So rather than continue to flee, Basil stopped in the corridor and waited for Elizar. As soon as Elizar entered the corridor (his first goal was to escape his ancient prison), Basil leapt into his way. Elizar knocked the big warrior to the ground and fled nearly to the end of the corridor (where he could have resumed gaseous form and gotten away). But Demetrios rushed past him and attacked, allowing Basil time to stand and cut the magic-less wizard down.

With a stake through the vampire's heart, they dragged the ancient undead out into the sunlight, where his body burst into flames, ending the age-old evil. They then happily ransacked his person and lair, recovering his spellbook, a ring of Protection +1, an Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Bracers of Protection +2, a Wand of Magic Missiles, a RIng of Counterspells and a super-rare Oil of Resurrection, with three doses. Using one of the doses to slather Nereida's dead body, they brought their sister back to life (there in the crypt - eeew).

Then, the party returned to civilization, first traveling north to the ogre-haunted Taklamakas mountains, then southwest into Conorria, arriving at the archipelago-city of Adamos, where they visited the Great Temple of Borlamnos. After resting and enjoying the fruits of civilization again, they journeyed west to Callistus, where they delivered the books of Anushirvan (and the Control Book of Anushirvan to a delighted Secundus Julius). Finally, they returned to fabled Echoriath, capital of the Empire, where they settled in to sell their loot and count their fortune!

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