Session 112: Desert of the Dead

General Summary

22nd Brussendar 836PD   With the Valley of Tombs confirmed as the site where the Unbroken can find the next clue on their quest to find the Arch-Heart’s shackle, the group further consult the sanctum’s records on where and how to get there.   Arthur finds three sigils that are seemingly part of a teleportation circle, overtime Arthur with assistance from the group starts to piece together the complete circle. At the same time, Orlando starts to put the pieces together of his broken gun, he pulls on the divine powers of craft and creation, and his Prayers are answered as he fabricates the fully mended weapon.   Arthur finishes chalking down the full sigils, and drawing on his weary arcane capabilities he teleports them through the circle. They arrive in a small but pristine stone room, Raven goes to listen by the only door in the room, whilst Arthur sets up the telepathic bond.   Hearing nothing, Raven opens the door to reveal a vast desert valley, with several ivory white mausoleums, the teleportation circle was correct! A cool but gritty breeze caresses them, but Enessa notices a small whirl of wind across the sand moving in the opposite direction.   As Raven continues moving over the sand, he’s too late for Enessa to warn him, as two speckled, tan legs erupt from the sand, plunging forward with murderous speed to impale him in his legs. A spider the size of a horse springs out of the sand, it tries to bite its prey but Raven block the fangs with his Moon Bow, then point blank volleys into it’s dusty face. Arthur and Raphael chase it back with their magic blast, with Simeon tolling it to death before it could retreat back under the sands.   With 1 Sand Spider dead, three more whirls of sand start to move around and erupt next to Raphael, Raven (again!) and Orlando as 3 Sand Spiders ambush with their sharp legs. The above ground disturbance also causes two small dunes by the mausoleums to collapse as 2 large Sandwyrms raise out of the sand, and also charge forward with their bleached bone horns.   Over the course of the battle as blood spills and sand shifts:   One sand spider becomes obsessed with hunting Raven, the gloomstalker assassin shoots and retreats, but it keeps chasing after him and lands its poisonous fangs deep into his belly. The spider tries to drag him back into the sand, but a sanctuary protected Raphael breaks off from distracting the other spider and Sandwyrm, and rushes in time to save him by bursting the creature’s thorax with his Eldritch Blasts.   Arthur tactically shocks and runs with a Sandwyrm attacking Simeon, and whilst he’s not customary to being up close to the fray, he proves himself more than capable as his Shocking Grasp fries dead a Sand Spider attacking Orlando and Enessa.   Orlando peppers the spiders with his repaired guns, but damns the sand as it clogs both of them! Fortunately, he clears the jam just in time to shoot dead a sand spider hexed by Raphael as it leaps towards him, covering him in the orange blood of its exploded abdomen.   Simeon wisely uses the cover of the teleportation circle room, although it does not stop a Sandwyrm swinging its spine-tail violently into him, the stinger’s poison burning deeply through his celestial veins. But despite the critical strike that nearly felled him in one stroke, the servant of the Moonweaver still drew enough breath to pray for the tolling bells of the Sandwyrm’s death.   Enessa and Ussi hunt as a pack, slicing with Bow Sword and Claws the nearby spiders, and once the close threats had been felled. The Lady of the Hunt, flicks her double scimitar back into its Bow form, and effortlessly looses two arrows straight into the small pupils of the last Sandwyrm.   With no further sign of any other movement under the sand, the party regroup to heal and survey the Tombs of the valley. Raphael sees several signs written in ancient Sylvan, he can roughly translate them as “This is the resting place of the Heroes of Corellon, felled in the battles of the Calamity”. Raphael estimates this place pre-dates the formation of the Summer and Winter courts, when all fey and elves were one.   The Unbroken investigate each of the buildings, three main mausoleums and a small shrine room. In the first mausoleum, is a stature dedicated to an ancient Elven crafter. Raven spots signs of a hidden door in the corner, and Orlando finds the key hidden as sword handle in the statue. Opening it reveals a staircase, which has an overpowering smell of old books. The party decide to check the other buildings before venturing down the secret stair case.   The second mausoleum is dedicated to an ‘Unknown’ hero, and another secret door is found which is opened by the same key. Behind the building is an open graveyard with a statue of a woman that Raphael and Orlando feel they recognise but can’t place it [A woman that was seen in a vision at the World Anvil]. This Matronly statue is surrounded by several simple tombstones that read of a relation, such as one marked as “Brother”, “Mother”, “Son” and so on, a graveyard dedicated to the masses of people lost during the calamity, so that anyone could come and mourn their “brother” etc.   The third mausoleum is dedicated to a human hero, Ethelred, it holds some fine weaponry but no other secrets are found. In a small building next to it though, is a shrine dedicated to a noted elven magic wielder, Alivandra, two books her journal and her lamentations are bound in chains. Orlando spots tears leaking from statue’s eyes, Raven captures one of the tears and tastes it, finding it invigorating to his health. He and Orlando capture more tears in vials as holy health potions.   With the top clear, the group head down the first staircase they found. Below they find living quarters, dinning room with signs of recent habitation and food. They continue on until they hear a scratching behind a door, Raphael goes forward to open and see’s an elven male scribing into a book.   Raphael calms the initially wary scriber, they introduce themselves as Keeper Vesyldir, the last surviving member of the Keepers that maintain the tombs and records. To build trust, the other party members reveal themselves and agree to stand within a zone of truth. The Keeper questions on who really sent them, what they are seeking and why?   Arthur, Orlando and Raphael relay that they are seeking the tomb of the first Summer Knight, Riyeldor Key'entolth, for they believe the sword, Emberwind, buried with them can help find the Arch-Heart shackle to protect it from Tharizdun.   Satisfied, the Keeper reveals that the sand creatures they killed were actually the Guardians of the Tombs. As the Emberwind isn’t just a clue, it’s the Key to accessing the Shackle, and that the entrance to the Shackle is here as well. The Keeper can take them through to the tomb, but he can’t confirm if the sword is actually here for it would be against his order to desecrate the tomb by opening it.