Session 164: 25 Oct 23, day 107

Leaving the smoking troll-remains we pass through the floating chair room and head for the treasure room.

It is a perm cube of force, with a strong spell resistance, on the ethereal plane there is a door & lock.

Fria uses an ethereal jaunt to get to the door : she sees a group of wraith in the distance.

There are approx. (50 coins to a pound, 250 lbs per bag : 400lb max 3x3x3) lot of treasure no magic.

• 20,000 gold
• 20,000 silver coins
• no = squat fat golden demon figure with wings (Rivenick , 1m3 gold = 19 tonnes so 300kg or more)
• 10 bags of gems
• a chest filled with coin (900gp + pp) leave chest take coin 22lbs
• under the coin is a small wooden box w gold inlay (box ~150gp)

Fria grabs most of the treasures (marked ) and is about to leave when the wraiths appear next to the party: a fight ensues. Bjarni makes short work of them.

• 8733 gp
• 11490 sp
• 940 gp
• 184 pp
• 4 bags, 10x jewels ~100gp each
• wood box w inlay: 150gp
• huge emerald-like gem: possibly 10,000gp if it is an emerald.

We go to Bridenforth and cash out (10k each). We return to the now bured out trap at the entrance to level 14

The dwarves have set up a primitive noise trap at the top and Fria fixes it: we go down a huge stairs into a plain unadorned chamber w torches (continual light) on west wall & double doors on east wall: plain doors made of single blues steel with a head above them. Some chairs line the far wall. There is a sculpture above the doors, glares at the area in front of the doors..

Vulf approaches and it says

> Halt foolish mortal you stand on the verge of the gauntlet arcane, a deadly maxe & chgallenge designed by mages 4 to punish those who defy / defile the mages 4.

The statue is quite chatty and assures us the doors are not trapped.

It says Bow down before the mages 4 etc..
What's the password asks Jestix : Gallack it replies gauntlet in draconic.
This does lead to the sanctuary of the mages 4.

we repeat the password, the mouth intones

Woe to the who choose this path… forfeit your soul to mages 4

and the doors open: to a cavernous room beyond, north n south has v large alcoves: 4 10' statues cut from single purple gem, one in each corner, 4 crystal hemisphere are mounted on far wall w another blue steel door between them.

Welcome to the gauntlet arcane, you may not survive but at least you'll amuse the mages 4.
step together into one of the alcoves and tests of spirit body and mind
one you bested the test answer the question as to which of the mages 4 constructed the test

we decide on a first alcove and approach.

Inscription says

“4 doors there are, but only one way out, the cat knows way, but to hear her tale you must catch her tail, her tricks will amaze you,…”

the maze walls do not reach the roof so Ahmumstut flies up and has a look around. He sees a big cat wandering in the maze, a large tiger like thing. It walks through the walls, Vulf grabs for it but it flits away quickly and turns invisible. Isondel talks to it and it playfully responds attacking the 'little bird'. Ahmumstut hold monsters it Leonora grapples its tail (it is 50/50 etereal) fria goes ethereal. Ahmumstut blinds it. Fria, while ethereal sees the entire area is surrounded by a magic box akin to the blue door: ie an impenetrable wall to keep us in here. Bjarni arrives and grabs the big lynx's tail as well. Fria grabs the tail and starts to bind the lynx with a rope (ethereally). Vulf grabs her too and she flops to the ground: 'me just havign fun don't hurt me'. “We want to know your tale” intone the party, it says we have to leave “by the flap”, the southernmost door has a cat flap.

We go through the 'flap' into another unadroned room. 20' above the floor are a series of perches in the walls. Sitting on one is a gaunt vulture like thing. there is a chain around its neck with a single golden key; A Vroc. It's big, had cold resistance and damage reduction: which makes it tough. After a round of battle another steps out of the rock in the wall…summoned perhaps? Fria magic missiles the first, an vulf does a deafening yell at it. Bjarni challenges it as the second one 'arrives', they summon a third. The 'boss' mirror images and each new vrock summons another so three more are starting to appear. We blast away at the original and fria tries to grab the key. A massive battle ensues: we get the main guy but there are now 8 of them ! Bjarni decides they are illusions and wanders over to get the key: and miraculously they all miss him !!! Friacone of colds..

• treasure room
• blue doors
• cat challenge
• 8+ high repro rate vrocs

• * to-be-continued **

• 1020xp each for 17th Level characters

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