Epic Realms Recap: 1/2

The characters approach the Tomb of Akonhorus I in the Valley of the Dead. The sandstorm that was nearby in the first session is now grown to hurricane force and is bearing down on them at over a mile a minute. A thin, dextrous man in black (Soren) pops up near the entrance to the tomb and introduces himself to the party. He's got to be pretty quick about it, as he's only got a few seconds before the storm strikes. Soren explains that he's gathering information on behalf of a third party, has been tracking Rusk, and is now interested in the tomb. Lacking time for a full discussion, Aeric teleports himself, Silas, and Soren back to Rusk's fortress in Anauroch. They're met by Rusk's second-in-command, Aerys, who recognizes Aeric and Silas. She's suspicious of Soren, but he talks to her a bit and gains her trust without much difficulty (he knows she's a Harper, and she assumes he's a Harper too).

The next morning (after praying for spells), Rusk and Kwalu arrive at the compound and shift back to the Material Plane. After a brief pause for introductions and a strategy meeting, the five adventurers teleport back to the Valley of the Dead at the tomb's entrance.

T1. Tomb Entrance

5 Dust Mephits (CR 3, MM)
5 Salt Mephits (CR 3, MM)
2 Bronze Serpents (CR 10, MM2)

Completed; Aeric laid waste to the mephits and threw acidic blood at the constructs, Kwalu called upon Fang, and shifted into a "Sand Elemental" to commence the pummeling, and despite losing his sneak attack ability versus the constructs Soren accounted quite well for himself with his adamantine dagger. Silas bounded around the desert, a flurry of hands and feet denting bronze. Rusk got a few good licks in but became the primary target for the serpents; grabbed by a serpent and crushed, he then had to fight for his life under the sands as the serpent burrowed deep below the surface. Kwalu came to his aid in his elemental form, and the serpents were finally vanquished.

T2. Guardians of the Sarcophagus

(From Book of Challenges, adapted for setting)

2 Brass Golems (CR 10, MM2) healed by fire effects
3 Iron Golems (CR 13, MM) also healed by fire effects

Completed; this puzzle trap was a heck of a lot of fun. Aeric blocked the flammable poison gas vents with a wall of force, preventing much of the mayhem that might otherwise occur when the iron golems walked on the flint floor. Silas triggered the first iron golem into combat, just as Aeric realized that only 5 of the 11 statues were golems (with his arcane sight ability). The dextrous party members leapt around the room collecting keys as Rusk held the golem back. The final two keys were blocked by the fighting iron golem, so Kwalu shifted into dire bear form and "bear rushed" the golem. 8,000 pounds of dire bear crashed into 5,000 pounds of iron golem, but Kwalu had missed his footing and rebounded from the golem, landing on and cracking the sarcophagus. This triggered the remaining four golems, all of whom attacked. The two brass golems promptly banished Rusk and Soren into extradimensional mazes, but Aeric continued to use his wand of lightning to slow the iron golems as Silas, with some quick thinking, solved the key-turning puzzle and deactivated the trap. Denouement: there is now a fog of flammable poison gas in the dip in the corridor outside room T2; the party gained some treasure from this room, including a Rod of Splendor from the figure atop the sarcophagus; the sarcophagus buried itself beneath another shelf of stone, presumably to deter further disturbance; the party realized that this "final resting place" was a facade, and found the secret panel leading to more descending stairs into the real tomb of Akonhorus.

Session ends, 12:50 AM