Session 6: 6/25/14

The Party:
PC2 (F:1), The Dwarf (D:1), Xero (T:3), Braggle (H:2), Sabitha(MU:1), Brother Burkey (C:3)

The Summary:

As the party approached the ruins, Xero, Braggle and Brother Burkey had the sense that, although things seemed the same as last time, someone or something had been here (that feeling you get when you just know that your landlord has let the exterminator into your appartment but nothing appears out of place). 

The "regulars" felt it was worthwhile to check if the merchants were still there before entering the ruined tower. What they found was an abandoned site which would have been unnotable save for the trail of wagon tracks leading in two directions down trails, a large semi-wet spot on the ground that turned out to be blood, and the presence of some human finger bones in the ashes of the stone fire rings. Satisfied that there was nothing further worth exploring here, they returned to the tower.

Careful examination revealed foot prints going in and out of the tower - more going in than coming out. Although some of the prints may have been theirs, there were several more which were clearly not. Finding the trap door to the dungeon open confirmed their suspicions/fears that the merchants were up to no good.

Although a full sweep of the entire first level was suggested by Xero, after the party retrieved their tank and found doors had been burned down approaching the nearest flight of stairs down, but not in the direction of the elevator shaft (where they found their trap was still in place), they abandoned both the tank and the idea to sweep the level.

Down below, they found whoever had been through had not gotten very far before either being killed or abandoning their quest. The party made their way down to the room with the giant winged boar statue and then took the southern door. On the other side, they found themselves in a crypt.

Highlights:

• Realizing a strange carved stone eye was a trap - which still incinerated two 10' poles
• Being attacked by a pack of ghouls and narrowly avoiding a TPK because PC2 made his save and the final ghoul's morale broke.
• PC2's death at the hands of, well, I forget what killed him. Probably something undead.
• Finding PC1? (MU:1 and PC2's replacement), tied up with all of his gear and unsure of how he got there.
• Skillful use of some old church pews to bridge across a magically trapped floor to loot the body interred on the opposite side.
• Turning and then killing the ghoul-in-the-box.
• Finding a secret door that led to a hidden chamber containing a seated skeleton in lace garments (ordinary dwarf skeleton), a seated figure wrapped head to toe in fabric (mummy) and one empty chair. Behind them stood a seven skeleton guard in plate mail and armed with halberds.  
• Destroying the above with fire, arrow and sword and netting a significant treasure.