8. Into the Pyramid

Returning successfully to Archmage Ramkin, he informed us that the city was now running low on the funds he had been using to reward us. But he had gathered the information about the Aubaydi - they were planning some big form of sacrifice at a distant point known as the Lesser Pyramid of the Moon. We had to intercept a junior messenger who had a portable access portal to the Pyramid, and off we went. Ramkin got us to a small oasis somewhere in some god-forsaken desert. We raided the cave complex near it's source, only to find it filled with elite Bugbear warriors using Pavian equipment. The best in armor and swords, but even worse, they were using their position to poison the local oasis and had developed means by which to use both the copper ore of the area and the copper overflows to turn the waters toxic. In defeating the forces, unfortunately the Pavis based spy was killed in combat - through absolutely no fault of ours. We were totally on the other side of the complex when it happened - but we did hear about it.
 
The poisoning elements were not well put together - and the notes not properly followed - with time we can perfect it ourselves for some form of contact poison but it will take time.
 
The messenger was found and we got the portal stone needed. After having been debriefed back at town - we portalled to the Pyramid to find it well manned with Sand Stalkers. They were Soul Bound to the areas that they guarded and this made them much more manageable but in no way did we wish to use the amulets of silver sand they all had on them. In killing each group it was strange to find them always chanting the same thing over and over again.
 
We got to the transfer section of the pyramid and only just stopped the transfer of our missing sword and other items - soon it was noted that had the transfer occurred - not only would we have lost the blade and sections of some object later noted as an artifact - but also would have animated the entire mummy corpses in the pyramid.
 
We succeeded once more in defeating the opponents with our druid doing great - using Hold Person. It was then that we found the real danger - an Ogre suddenly going crazy destroying canopic jars - luckily we got him just in time (14% left before some form of evil god was to have been summoned - or so they say.) Luck continues to favor us - far more than many would ever believe possible.