The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 161
“Cedious Endangered”

Sara Silvergleam of the Korranberg Chronicle continued her snooping around. She was back in Karrnath investigating a lead. She hoped this trip into the land would not be as dangerous as the last time.

When last in Karrnath, she met a halfling whom had quite a story to tell. He spoke of a war between Cannith, Warforged and the Emerald Claw. She took it as a fanciful story until a warforged assassination party arrived in the Cannith car trying to kill everyone. At the same time, Agents of the Emerald Claw were attacking several cars down. Ever since she has kept an ear open for information involving these three and something called the Creation Schema.

She knew it was a hot story since –
1- Her story was squashed within the Chronicle
2- Agents of the Trust have been following her ever since

The TRUST! If they were following her it meant two things-
1- This was a true story
2- It is unresolved still
3- If she still lived then she was being used by The Trust to gather more information

The other story she was following was the unrest within the religous sects of Thrane. Something was happening but what? Before she had gotten very far she was forcefully kicked out of the country of Thrane. The recent events in Sharn involving the Undead had something to do with this also.

However, at this time she was sneaking around within the offices of a trade office in Rekkenmark, Karrnath. The office was a front for illegal trade. Artifacts were shipped in under the pretense of being building supplies for the bridge. These artifacts were often ones that dealt with the undead or war-time activities. It also harbored a criminal group known as the Turbulent.

These war-time criminals dealt with anything from smuggling to assassination. Her investigations hinted at Kaius knowing about them. For allowing them to operate within his country, they had to do him favors occationally. These favors included assassinations and smuggling of illegal goods into the country. Why a king needed to smuggle things into his own country was unknown but got her imagination going.

She had made it onto the rafters overlooking the warehouse when she heard the door open. She froze and waited to see who it was.

A man dressed in a thick leather coat came in. His thick fur hat kept her seeing his face. Two other men came in from the far side.

They spoke in Fiendish! NOT a good sign.

“Do you have it?” asked the two newest persons to enter the warehouse.

“I do.” Answers the man in leather. He hands one man a scroll case and a pouch.

One man weighs the pouch in his hand. “Very well.”

The other man unrolls the scroll. He looks over the writing and sees a several drawings. He looks at these intently.

“Where were they seen last?” he asks the man in leather.

“Fairhaven.” The man sniffles from a cold. “They just returned from a trip afar.”

“Where from?”

“The West. Somewhere within the Eldeen Forest.”

“Very well.”

“Then it is agreed?” asks the man in leather.

“Yes though I must ask- You have several notes on their captures or deaths. Especially on the little one. Why?”

“Cedious is an offensive troublesome crud of a creature. I wish to be the one to slice his throat. The exacts are not of your concern.”

“Agreed.”

The man in leather and the other two turn and leave.

“I MUST warn Cedious somehow” thinks Sara.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 162
“My Story for a Drink”

The man struggled to go through the doorway. He had has walked 100’s of miles and been attacked dozens of times. Each time he was certain he had died. Yet here he is. At the Breland Tavern in SW Breland. He climbed onto the bar and asked for a drink. Something strong. The bartender looked at him with distrust.

“5 coppers.”

The man in the ripped and bloodied blue and gold uniform reached into his pocket. Nothing. The entire inside of the pocket had been torn out. Possibly when he was attacked by the Dire Bear in the Graywall Mountains. Or was it the Wyvern or the pack of wolves or even the Ankheg. Doesn’t matter much. He was without coin.

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders to the bartender. Angered by almost giving out a free drink the bartender calls out to his bouncer- an orc wearing studded leather armor.

“Wait a mere moment good sir. Allow me to pay for that drink. If of course he is willing.” All three turn to the source of the voice. A lovely woman with a beaming smile sits at the table near the back. Her flute and guitar give away her occupation.

“I can not repay you bard.” Says the man.

“Tell me of your story and consider it paid. If I like the story there may be a meal to follow.” She says with cheer.

They sit down and each takes a sip from their drinks.

“I am known only as The Bard. I live by my songs and wits alone.”

“I am …” Suddenly the door slams open. A Gnoll with fierce red eyes steps in. The Orc bodyguard quivers in fear. He is slow to reach for his club. The bartender has already left the bar and tries to sneak through the storage room behind the bar. The few other patrons inside cower in fear. One even begins to weep uncontrollably.

The Bard and her storyteller turn to face it. The soiled man whimpers. “Not again…”

The Bard studies the man briefly then turns to the Gnoll with obvious fiendish blood in his bloodline. She can almost smell it.

The Orc trembles as he says the bar is closing. For this he dies a painful death as a beam of magical energy shots out from the gnolls hand.

“Where is it? I feel it clawing at my infernal soul! I must destroy it!” The Gnoll looks around then stops and stares at the table occupied by the man and the Bard. A beam of energy shots out and cleaves off an arm of the man and narrowly misses the Bard. The bard lifts a wand and blasts the surprised Gnoll. A second blast knocks the Gnoll outside the door.

The man picks up his burnt arm and crying says “Not #$%&* again!” The Bard ignores him for a moment as she goes to the doorway. The Gnoll picks itself up from the ground. “I have issues with the cockroach- not you.”

“That ‘cockroach’ is going to be my meal ticket for quite some time. So bugger off!” and she zaps the Gnoll again. It doesn’t get up this time.

She returns to the table and sees the man steeling himself. Then in a cry of anguish he touches his severed arm to his shoulder and it reattaches. The pain is great however and the man seems near to unconscience.

“Sorry …it happens a lot to me …at least now it does….”

“Wait here. I’ll get a bottle. I doubt the bartender will argue with me. How about a name.”

“Regganold.”

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 163
“Mission: Boddynoc Grinkle”

The Trust Agent did not relish his newest mission. Especially since it dealt with something from his recent past he tried to bury from his memories.

Not long ago he was set to remove the threat of a serial killer that targeted gnomes. The Ogre had been captured by bounty hunters and was being shipped by sea back to Zilargo for the bounty.

Bemnol was secretly on board to ensure he arrived dead. He did kill the murderous ogre but the ship went down in a furious storm. He and several survivors washed up on the shores of Starvos Island. Starvos island was a mining camp for Khyber Dragonshards. It was one of the largest deposits outside of the Shadow Marches ever found.

However, something else was there too. It had killed the village priest and left the villagers fearful and desperate. So desperate they pleaded for the washed up survivors to aid them. He went only because he did not trust the others. He could sense there was something important revolved around the halfling and the gnome. So he went along with them.

The mines had discovered a secret passageway to a refined Khyber pit. Creatures of pure evil walked here and experimented. They were looking to kill everyone on the face of the planet. The fools discovered an alchemy trap and opened it. He and the other gnome were infected by it.

Over the next 24 hours, each began to change. They were becoming undead! They were becoming Corpse Creatures! The gnome artificer became one fully. I fought it off long enough to be saved then. A powerful cleric came and thought she had destroyed it. Studying my blood and the vials recovered of the cursed items, we were able to create a cure.

This cure was wisely created as the poisonous vapors were used within Sharn recently. It was stopped and the Trust saved the city. (See the Storyhour: EBERRON: THE SIBERYS SEVEN starting soon)

Since then, it has come to our attention that Boddynoc survived the attack by the cleric and yet exists. More, he has information on the events within House Cannith that concerns my government.

So- with my established background and contact with the target I have been asked to find and locate the target.


I am to find Boddynoc Grinkle.


And this is why I find myself at the gray mists of the Mournlands. He and a warforged were last seen in this area. He has history within the ruins of Cyre. This is where I go.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 164
“Visions and Revelations about Love”

Was it the potion or the man? Wondered Elaydren. The man was an animal. She was beginning to think that after this whole Schema mess was over she would stay married to the man. Last night was …incredible. Beyond incredible.

After several hours of love making he finally rolled over and began to sleep. Sore but fulfilled Elaydren was about to sleep when he began to dream. While dreaming he was talking to himself. He was talking about the Creation Schema!

She grabbed a ink quill and paper and began to write quickly.

The following is what he said as he came in and out of deep slumber-



Must use the forge

Create a new warforged

Located in the NE hall

Letters C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N

Take box and place rare materials within it

Create

Together relocate the Creation Schema

Six pieces

We have three

My Creation- Lord of Blades has one

One hidden by the Blue Dragon

Thought it was too dangerous for me to use

Other piece in secret facility

Secret from all but a few select members of the house

Frostfell

Xen’drik

See family

See Xulo

Rebuild the CREATION SCHEMA

Rebuild MY nation

He rolls over revealing his drugged state is still fully active. She puts her notes away and relishes her being married to this man.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 165
“Who is KIM ELDERITCH?”

The fortress was the biggest and best in all of the Mror Holds. The guards were the best trained. The staff was all trained in skills other than wait staffing. The rugs on the floors were magically treated to be clean, soft and comfortable. The paintings on the walls were from the best artisans of Cyre and Aerena. Many were magical with wards, spying and detection abilities. The furniture was made from Dark Wood from Aerena and other exotic woods from as far away as Xen’drik.

Everything was the best and most expensive.

Everything.

Everything here belonged to him. The people, the fortress, the furniture and the magic. It was all his.

But he wanted more.

Outside of the Cannith family and a few rumored families within Aerena, he had the most magical artifacts of any one.

He supported six expeditions into Xen’drik at any given moment. He also had a handful of groups active within Khorvaire at any given time. He dabbled in magic of all varieties and levels. Even planar. This level of commitment drew attention to him from the locals, the other governments and the dragons themselves. So what he thought. This meant they came to him. No waiting.

He knew that House Cannith was on the verge of breaking apart. Merrix loved his creations too much. He loved his warforged more than life itself. The rumors of his recent marriage surprised him until he found out whom he married. Elaydren was his to command and use. So it seem then Merrix was now his to use also. That was fine. Only the best after all.

His most recent artifact he sought was the CREATION SCHEMA. With the in fighting of Cannith, this was the ideal time to collect the pieces and assemble them for ultimate glory. Through Elaydren and his other resources, he had four of the pieces. A fifth was being collected now in the Eldeen Reaches that he would take when he needed it. The sixth one was a secret. Using his many magics he had figured it to be heavily guarded and in a cold region.

Frostfell no doubt. But Frostfell was a big place and largely uncharted or explored. His people, the dwarves, came from this cold region. They lived underground mainly. They were primitive and lived in warring clans. Hot air vents, sources of water and mushroom formations were prized items to hold that made the difference life and death. They had little arcane magic. However- clerics ruled the clans. Druids were treated with great respect as they kept the mushroom rooms intact and alive longer.

Eventually, the came south and settled within the mountains. Some say it was the dragons that brought them south. Some say greed as the mountains proved to be rich in deposits of metals and gems. Some because of the promise of power offered by the magical tattoos some were born with. The Dragon Marks.

He possessed these also. Though he cut ties with the dwarven families a long time ago, he still contains contacts within it. His new family was the Aurum. The richest and most powerful people of the known world belonged to this family. He was a top member. The inner most circle known as the Platinum Ring was his to run and rule. Antus ir’Soldorak was his puppet to use diffuse any possible assassination attempts or other disgruntled persons.

Khorvaire was his but it was not enough. It never was. With the CREATION SCHEMA, he hoped to control everything.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
11 / 11 / 05
SEGMENT 166
“Demise vs Darguun”

The ogres never knew what hit them.

It was only two days after they killed their troublesome younger brother and they sensed something in the wind. They came here to find a professor and rid the family of a growing problem. While here, they did get rid of the problem of their brother BUT they discovered someone had killed the professor shortly after he bought the journal from them.

The journal and several items were found within a cave in the Seawall Mountains. Not knowing what they had, they sold the items individually on the market. Professor Geldem bought the journal but missed the map. The map was located two tables to his right. In such a state he left without looking and the seller was so stunned by the platinum payment he missed the opportunity to point it out.

Since then, someone else has come looking for the journal. The dwarf bought the map with gold and inquired about the journal. He knew about it even then. Possibly through magic. Maybe they knew of the professor or his aid the human Blare. (Vaneese Blare whom died in the Talenta Plains trying to bring a copy of the journal to the Aurum). The journal was worth a king’s ransom. So here the two Ogres were- trying to locate it and take it back to sell to someone else.

Instead, after a few days of inquirement, the damned Emerald Claw came down on them.

“Why do you ask of Professor Bonal Geldem?” demanded the ugly elf.

“Our business- not yours.” Says the eldest Ogre in common. “Bitch.” He then follows in Giant.

An evil smile crosses her flayed skinned face. In common she answers- “I am all that and more. Do you see this dagger?” she says in common. “It is magical and has a name.”

He glares at her in silence.

“Do you wish to know its name?”

He sucks up some spit to spit out. She adjusts her grip from his cloak to his throat making it impossible to spit. Instead he drools out of the corner of his mouth. He curses the Web Spell that holds him like this.

“Giant Killer.” She pauses to let the name set in. “It does incredibly painful and evil things to giants and their kin. Kin like …Ogres.”

“WHY DO YOU SEEK THE PROFESSOR?!?” she states in an angry voice.

He tries once more to tear free. She stabs him in the neck and twists and turns it at will. Blood splashes onto her and runs down the runnels of her tortured dried skin. He dies with no dignity. Then she turns on the brother.

“Do I need to repeat myself?”

Eyes wide in terror, he tells her everything. The caves, the journal and maps, who bought the maps. He even tells her about killing his brother below the Cogs. The only thing of interest is the maps.

“Give me a name!” She points the dagger at his throat now.

Tears in his eyes he begs for mercy. He has no name. He only knows it was a well-dressed dwarf with a warforged bodyguard.

“Tell me of the warforged.”

“He had no country markings or brands on him. He seemed very accident-prone however. He had the ability to adjust his shape also. Pleeeeaaase! I beg for mercy!”

Fresh blood washes off the old. “Sounds like Rush the mercenary psion. Hired by a well-dressed dwarf. That means either The Dragon house Kundarak or the Aurum. Interesting.”

She turns to her second in command. “Get in touch with the Turbulent. They will know where Rush is now and whom his current employer is.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 168
“Ziggurat Room”

Once more the adventurers under the employment of House Cannith North enters the Pyramid room or the Ziggurat Room. As before, the lighting is dim as it is only lit by glowing lichen that covers the walls and ceiling of the 75 x75 x 75-foot space. It doesn’t grow on the structure however. They explore the stairs going up expecting trouble and find nothing. However, the top is an illusion. Rather than find out what was within the room hidden they go to the known doorways that lead into the deeper sections of the pyramid.

The entrance room is marked with swirls of blue and glowing waves and lines. Both Cedious and Taskerdoo inspect the walls hoping to find out if these are for design and appearance or if they are writings arcane or standard. Unable to figure it out, they go into the next room.

Once more, the adventurers discover four stone sarcophagi but this time there is also a guardian- a large Clay Golem! Cedious takes a shot at it then backs off. Sharshek strikes it but finds the room too small and crowded for his liking. The Golem swings at Cedious but misses. The others begin to fill in the room and attack.

Suddenly the Golem goes after Black sands and batters him badly. In return, he strikes the golem after being given a Bull’s Strength spell and blessing from Vale. Enraged he tears it down quickly.

As normal, the five of them begin to remove covers to find what is inside. They are looking for another large green emerald and two red crystal “x”s. With these two items they hope to find the Creation Schema part they came for and escape the magical trap.

Within the first stone coffin is a goblin priest. He holds a staff of Earth & Stone. The next coffin has a surprising goblin skeleton. He wears a tie-dyed cloak. He has no weapons but a well made smoking pipe with gold, silver and electrum molded into it. There is a tobacco pouch with enough tobacco for two uses. They are magical. Another coffin has a goblin skeleton dressed in black robes. He holds a staff also that has magic. Taskerdoo and Cedious check it out. A black icor covers the bottom of the staff. “Contact Poison!” yells the halfling rogue. They clean it up and Vale checks it out. A Staff of Healing! The final coffin has a goblin skeleton dressed in red. He wears a crown and holds a golden Scepter. They take the crown easily but it will not let go of the royal rod. Taskerdoo fights with it for a few moments then ignores it. “He can keep it!”

Cedious tries once. When it pulls the rod back to itself, he pulls the magical adamantine rapier out and slices off the fingers holding the rod. Smiling he puts it into his Handy Haversack. “Greedy undead punk.” He mumbles as he swears he can hear a voice in his head saying it is his by birth.

Further disturbance of the coffin reveals a secret door!

Cedious checks it for traps then opens it. Green mist rises out gently. It has a strong but pleasing smell to it. He slowly lowers himself into the dark hole. The room is small and feels “evil”. The walls are black and reflective. They look like coils and twisting columns of ribbed organic armor and glass. Ignoring the little voice in his mind saying to leave, he looks around. The mist is thickest along the floor. Nothing can be seen within three feet of the floor except for the green mist.

Cedious nearly falls into a pit here. Considering it several times, he passes it up. He believes it to be a Khyber Pit. He finds an altar or pedestal. By now Taskerdoo and Black sands has reached the floor. Vale is not convinced this room is a good place to be. It reeks of evil he says. Cedious pokes around the altar and finds a large Khyber Stone that has been fitted into the pedestal. The group discusses the wisdom of removing this stone. In the end, Cedious works it free and as he pockets the stone spots a secret door on the side of the pedestal.

He easily opens it and finds a solid Mithril box with a lid. The lid has no obvious opening latch. He figures it out and opens it. Black light flashes from the opened box. He quickly closes it. Taskerdoo, Black sands and Vale rushes over. It is opened a second time and the blackness begins to dim. He closes it with a crazed giggle. Cedious has a new toy to use when it should not be. He opens it a third time and the black light is gone. He frowns and closes it. It is placed into the traveling bag and they climb out.

Outside of the temple, Black sands ask to see the box. Cedious says no and turns his back on the ill-tempered ½ giant barbarian. The barbarian latches onto him and demands to see it. “Fine! It’s broken anyway.” He hands the box to the very aggressive barbarian whom looks the box over a few times then suddenly pulls and rends the lid. Cedious grabs it from him in a hurry. The damage is done. The lid will never close correctly again. Pouting, Cedious places it back into the bag and moves away from the dangerous ½ giant.

“Sorry …I …” and he lets it go. The others stare in disbelief. Vale especially.

“This place … its getting to me.”

“Then we need to leave. Now.” Offers Taskerdoo.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 169
“Black Bog Waters”

The adventurers stop and rest here within the hallway. Vale continues to study Black sands. Is he suffering from some sort stress related breakdown? Even before entering Drogan’s Trap he was becoming more aggressive and violent. He feared what the end result would be.

Having rested, they entered the next room. They expected the swampy bog and instead find a totally black room. Peering below from the light source they have they see muted reflections of themselves and the light. Water.

“Not sure but it looks flooded. Anything could be inside.”

“How are the walls? I could give out spells to allow our crossing that way.” Offers Taskerdoo.

“They are …ooooooww. They are slime covered and moss laden.” Says Cedious shaking the crud from his hand.

“What is wrong with the water. Lets go.” Growls the barbarian.

“And where will you swim to? You can’t see where you are going. What if the water has critters?”

“I’ll kill the creatures!” He announces.

Vale worries further. His rage is becoming unreasoning.

“Let’s try this- “ and Cedious activates his Ring and pushes off the step and finds he is moving forward all right. He then activates his Endless Decanter of Water to propel him further. But he can not make out the blackness of the wall vs. the blackness of the air. “Uh-oh”

The others watch his light cross then suddenly stop with a loud thud. “Crap! Ow!” they hear. Cedious manages to hold onto the Decanter and his Lantern as he fumbles with the door. Black sands becomes impatient and jumps in. It the rogue’s crossing didn’t attract anything it must be safe he figures. He begins to swim slowly across. Taskerdoo calls out to them.

“Are we going to the Forest or the X room? The Forest is over to our left –not straight ahead.” They hear both of the impatient adventurers curse.

“Make up your mind! Snarls the ½ giant as he now treads water. He is using Cedious’ lantern as a beacon. He watches it now move to his left and waits. This time Cedious is using only the momentum of his pushing off. Using the water caused a bloody nose. It could be worse this time.

Casting Spider Climb on Vale and Sharshek, they begin to slowly cross. The walls are very slick and slimy. Vale slides into the water several times. Sharshek, carrying the halfling druid nearly does twice.

Finally they reach the door and exit. Black sands is given a rope to climb out.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 170
“Undead Elves”

The adventurers climb into the hallway and carefully cross it. They exit the hallway connecting the rooms and discover …music. As predicted, the room they reached is the forest room. There are tall full trees and instead of the sounds of birds or squirrels, they hear …music.

Cedious scans the area and sees several men dressed like woodsman dancing and singing around with another man playing an instrument. Two small huts are behind them.

In sylvan Taskerdoo calls out a greeting. They don’t seem to hear him so Cedious yells very loud in common “The music is TOO loud!” Two arrows suddenly strike the door he holds. The men below stop and peer up to where they are about 80 feet away.

“Errr …Hi.” And Cedious debates whether to go in or fall back. “What should we do?” He asks Taskerdoo.

“Greet them.”

“Yes greet them” smiles Black sands hefting up his sword. Vale scowls at him. He has become more and more blood thirsty in the few weeks they have been within Drogan’s Trap. Too blood thirsty for his tastes.

Three more arrows hit the doorway. This time Cedious spots their points of origin. There are woodsmen within the trees!

Taskerdoo looks closely at the apparent leader. His arm looks incomplete and stringy as he points at them. In elven he hears “Get the Intruders!”

“Undying!” he yells as Taskerdoo looks into the room and Black sands steps up next. Cedious has activated his Ring of Levitation and pushed off the wall to the closest tree to attack. Sharshek leaps into the tree next as Black sands drops to the ground below and begins to rush the men on the ground. Vale clambers down next and as expected does a poor job of landing.

Taskerdoo fireballs the men below narrowly missing the ½ giant whom is fire resistant. He still doesn’t like it however and growls with menace at him. Vale fires a beam of light at the leader and kills him instantly.

Deciding to deal with a different tree Cedious drops out of the tree and moves to the base of a nearby tree. Sharshek finishes off the two non-living elves first. Black sands discovers these undead are very tough as he is forced to swing wildly at each of them several times. Vale holds back to heal or aid any that require it.

Cedious reaches the base of the tree and tests out his new weapon on it. He cuts cleanly through it and sidesteps to make a second cut. The trunk has been cut 4 / 5 s of the way and it creaks and cracks. The elves within it know what has happened and put away their bows and prepare for the fall as it begins to slowly tilt. It tilts more and begins to fall much to Cedious’ humor.

The earlier fireball has caught one hut on fire. Taskerdoo hopes to save anything within it of value. Black sands finishes off his undead elves with Vale’s help then goes to aid Cedious. The elves leapt from the tree as it fell and now begin to attack him and Sharshek whom also climbed down and moved over.

Taskerdoo finally climbs down and heads to the burning huts.

The undead are defeated and Cedious uses his decanter of Endless Water to put out the flames. There is nothing of worth within the remains of the kitchen. The other hut was sleeping quarters with nothing of value.

“Lets go.”

 

[megamania]

EBERRON: THE CREATION SCHEMA
12 / 10 / 05
SEGMENT 171
“Those are NOT Halflings”

They move through the hallway into the next room of which they know to be the pyramid room. They enter without much caution as look up to see many halfling-sized humanoids carrying dirty sacks to the top. “Hello!” yells Cedious as he wonders what this is.

He moves aside to allow Sharshek and Black sands in. Black sands rushes for the top. The others fill in behind him. The very ugly halflings all drop their bags and curse at them. Taskerdoo tries to call out to the little guys in several languages. They do not react but call to each other in a strange language he and the others do not know (Hagling).

As Black sands reaches the top the creatures point their fingers at him and the others and release magic missiles. They concentrate their fire on the charging ½ giant and the cleric. This only annoys the barbarian whom kills three in one swing. The remaining ones scatter to avoid being hit and struck down so easily.

“These uglys are not halflings.” Shouts Cedious as he works his way around them to reach the top. The creatures try to spread out to avoid being killed easily but they are overwhelmed easily by the party. Cedious and Black sands look into the pit and find it is lightly bubbling tar. Opening the bags using his sword, Cedious and Taskerdoo discover the creatures were carries grubs, maggots and other worm-like creatures to the top.

“I don’t want to know.” The druid says in disgust. “Let’s go find the doors.”

Vale had already begun searching for them. Cedious looks for traps and sees none. Black sands pushes the door over. Cedious spots a floor trap and warns everyone of it. As they enter the room with that traditionally held four sarcophagi they discover- large skeletons of minotaurs!

These creatures hold their own for a few rounds then quickly go down. The group searches the four stone coffins to find whatever goodies they can.

Cedious checks one and finds 1500 silver coins mixed with 1000 gold coins. He scoffs at the money. “Too much effort to collect the coins.”

Sharshek discovers four scrolls of CSW and one potion of HEAL.

Taskerdoo checks out an oily cloth that holds something long and heavy. Unwrapping it, he finds a Longsword of incredible quality. The hilt and pommel has the shape of a Gold Dragon. The sword is given to Sharshek.

Box four has a red crystal shaped like an “x”. “Now we are getting somewhere!” answers Taskerdoo.