Session 35: The Red Gem Report

General Summary

The party, pockets full with treasure from the Amber Vault, make their way deep into the deepest part of the Amber Temple where they discover a large vault with more amber sarcophagi and a huge staircase leading back up to the main level. After moving up the stairs they find themselves in a huge library. The parties new member, River, tells the party that he is looking for a spellbook. As they search the room they determine that the books all seem to have some type of preservation magic on them and for some reason when opening them they are not able to read anything inside the books. They discover that dispelling the magic on a book will cause the book to wither away and crumble to dust.
Eventually they find the book River was looking for and they proceed through a secret door they find on the west side of the room. After avoiding a small trap and sneaking through another door, they are greeted by an undead creature, a llich, that odly does not seem to be hostile towards them. THe lich, clearly confused, speaks to the party and reveals his history with the Temple. 
River, on a quest of his own, gives the book to the lich, restoring his memory and thus restoring Kazan. Kazan thanks the party and tells them where to find the red gem. He tells them he will not interfere with them as long as they leave the treasure in the vault, which the party had taken most of, and that they do not free the captured demons or damage the temple.
The party eagerly agrees and they set off for the room that is sais to contain the gem. 
Once they return to the main chamber, they discover a locked door which they are able to easily navigate. Upon entering the room they see an area ligned with old mummies of wizard long past. Not able to contain his curiosity, Olaf, touches one of the mummies sparking them all to life. Wave after wave of mummies attack but the party is evanutally able to fight them off. They disover a portal with an inscription on it with missing letters. After solving the riddle the portal spings to life and Olaf and a few other members enter the portal. They are teleported to a room where they can see the gem. When Olaf grabs it, he is teleported out and Cormack and Sylas are left with several mummies attacking them.
Olaf is transported back to River and Cormack, and upon discovering the others have not been teleported back, they enter the portal again. By this time Cormack has laid waste to the undead beasts and they are able to make their way out with the gem.
The party quickly makes its way to Yester Hill where they restore the red gem and the red Fey. They are reminded of their final tasks in freeing Barovia. They must destroy the heart of sorros by placing the gems they have into it and destroy Strahd. The Fey bids them fairwell and the party sets off for its fateful battle with Strahd Von Zarovich.