Into the Eternal Night

As they rest Kapek raises objections to heading into Mabar without knowing anything about it and with no protection. Ajax uses his gem and discovers that if the realm has a minor negative aura upon entering they will start to die until there is nothing left of them but dust. If it has a major aura they will die much more quickly before becoming a Shadow.

Taking this into account it is decided they will put off entering the pocket realm and instead go in search of the Drow.

That night the Fists again hear unearthly wails coming from the north.

Mol, 9th Barrakas. 998 Y.K.

In the morning it is decided to have a quick check around the Necromancers tomb, mainly to see what was in the other room with the circle carved into the floor.

They enter the tomb without opposition and make their way to the entrance to the pocket realm of Mabar. There Ajax and Kapek find a fresh set of tracks. They are of a mummified human figure carrying a staff and accompanied by some form of large serpentine creature that, to Ajax's nose, stinks of sulphur.

As an experiment Lorric uses a Wand to summon a bird and then sends the unfortunate thing into the pocket realm. It lasts a few seconds before disintegrating into a pile of dust.

They travel to the right hand side where they again find eight smaller sarcophagi in two lines and one large one on its own. The eight small ones gape open and reveal shattered skeletons within. The large sarcophagus is cracked open to reveal a skeleton in it with an amulet around its neck. Mirra examines the amulet and declares it to be magical, further examination follows and she declares that it creates a field of Positive Energy in a 10 foot radius around it that will protect everyone in the field from the effects of being in a negative energy environment, such as in Mabar. Kapek volunteers to put it on.

Ajax examines the other room. The carvings in the floor form a semi-circle around a set of double-doors through which a red light glows. Mirra examines the runes carved by the circle and translates one of them to be PAZUNIA, one of the layers of the Abyss.

Ajax sniffs a trail of sulphur from the doors to the circle that leads to the pocket realm. It seems the master of the tower has summoned a little infernal help.

The discovery of the amulet changes matters considerably and the debate begins anew. Finally they decide that now they will enter the realm and confront the master of the tower. Together they step through into Mabar.

They find themselves on the edge of a 200 foot wide chasm. On the other side of it some three or four miles away they can see the tower.

They move around to the other side of the portal which is surrounded by six obelisks. They also find the tracks of the mummified humanoid and the large serpentine creature. They also spot a new set of tracks that seems to appear from out of nowhere to follow the other two. They are again of a humanoid creature but with cloth wrapped feet.

The Fists decide not to pursue the tracks but head straight to the tower. Mirra Dimension Door's the group across the chasm and they set off to the tower.

After travelling for about a mile through the dead and depressing terrain of the realm Lorric's trained eye spots two creatures waiting in ambush for them behind two pillars of rock situated in a gorge ahead of them and three more creatures circling high overhead.

The Fists move closer, faking ignorance of their would-be ambushers until close when Lorric charges the nearest one, a great shadowy form as black as sin and twice as threatening, a Nightstalker.

The Crimson Fists engage and discover that all but Ajax's claws don't seem to do there full damage. Though Ajax finds this to be a mixed blessing as the Nightstalker's claws cut through his own resistance to damage.

Two of the flying creatures swoop down out of the sky, revealing themselves to be huge shadowy bat like creatures, Nightwings ! They attack Lorric and Kapek.

The Fists are getting battered and four of the creatures are in range so Kapek decides it is time to use his big gun and summons the power of his Dragonmark and........ ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING HAPPENS ! The realm has completely suppressed Kapek's ability.

This puts a very new and terrifying perspective on the battle and even Ajax slaying his Nightstalker doesn't make the Fists feel any better about the way the battle is going.

Noticing the effect Ajax's claws are having Lorric whips out a silver tankard and is gratified to see it strike his Nightwing to full effect.

The remaining Nightstalker unleashes a 'Cone of Cold' on the Fists and then three Shadows spring from it. They rush forward and attack Kapek, leeching his strength from him. Lorric finsihes his opponent in a blur of tankard blows.

One of the Nightwings summons another two Shadows. Another swoops down to attack Mirra but Ajax leaps into its path and rips it to shreds before it can hurt her.

The Nightstalker intones a 'Finger of Death' and inflicts it on Kapek who manfully (halfingfully ?) resists it.

Lorric and Kapek slay the three Shadows attacking them. Another Shadow strikes Ajax draining his strength. Ajax ignores it and charges one of the Nightwings, slaying it and one of the Shadows.

One of the Nightwing disgorges three Shadows. The last Nightstalker tries to cast 'Confusion' on Kapek but he resists.

As Lorric and Kapek slay another Shadow the remaining ones meld into the walls of the gorge.

Ajax charges the last Nightstalker in a mad charge that takes him out of the range of the amulet and feels the aura of the realm start to eat into his health. Lorric charges in behind it and together they slay it.

Two of the Shadows flit from one wall straight into the other, both attacking Ajax as they pass. Luckily Kapek was waiting for this and lashes one with boomerangs causing it to miss its attack. The other doesn't.

Ajax whips out his Pincer Staff and attacks the last Nightwing as it floats safely, or so it thought, twenty five feet above them, instantly killing it.

The last Shadows flit from rock wall to rock wall again. Two hitting Ajax and one Kapek although he cuts it down with boomerangs as it flees.

Again the two remaining Shadows try their hit and hide tactic on Ajax but Lorric is ready and slays one. Kapek gets the other.

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief and relaxes and then Ajax collapses under the weight of his gear. Without the boosted strength from his Shifted state and Rage after the Shadows Ajax barely has the strength to lift his head.

A glimpse of a golden gleam in a crevice leads to the creatures treasure cache and it is quickly looted. It is quickly and unanimously decided (for perhaps the first time in their history) that they aren't ready for the challenges of this realm yet.

Ajax transforms into a Dire Tiger (which he hadn't been aware he could do until then) giving him enough strength to get off the floor and Mirra casts 'Shadow Walk' and takes them back to the portal. They pass quickly through into the Tomb and there Kapek uses his Dragonmark to heal his comrades and, to his immense relief, restore Ajax's strength.

As they recover Kapek hears a voice in his head. It is the Drow Queen. She informs Kapek that she cannot contact her son anymore. Kapek reluctantly tells her that her son is dead. She orders him to return immediately.


Kapek informs the rest of the group of the message he has just received. This is unsurprisingly not a message they are happy to get. The fastest way to get to the Queen is for Mirra to cast 'Shadow Walk' but she cannot cast it again that day and so they settle down to rest until tomorrow when Mirra's magic can transport them. Of course they have yet to decide just where they will actually go.
Lorric believes to go back is almost certain suicide, that the Drow Queen will kill them for allowing her son to die. Kapek agrees its dangerous but feels that they gave their word to the expedition when they signed on and the expedition needs them to get the Drow to work with them. Ajax agrees with Kapek that they gave their word and maintains a belief that if the Drow turn on them they can fight their way out.
The argument goes back and forth but eventually Lorric accepts his two comrades determination to return the corpse of the Drow. He does insist that he be dropped off just short of the Drow hall as a last ditch rescuer if things go very wrong. The decision made the Fists settle down to what some of them believe has a very strong chance of being their last night alive.

Come the dawn the Fists offer up prayers to their deities and then gather up their goods and the corpses of their former comrades and Mirra casts 'Shadow Walk'. In a blur of shadows they are whisked across the countryside, Lorric jumping ship at what he hopes is a good spot, before the rest finish up in some familiar looking jungle.
The group soon bump into a Drow patrol who are clearly expecting them and insist on escorting them to their Queen. Accompanied by the patrol the Fists tread the familiar path to the Drow hall. Waiting for them there are the Queen and surrounding her fifty members of her Royal Gaurd. This does nothing to dent Ajax's (over) confidence and he whispers to Kapek that if he take the twenty five on the right, Kapek can take the twenty-five on the left.
The Queen calmly requests the Fists leave their packs and weapons behind and accompany her to a more 'private' room. The Fists dump their (obvious) weapons and follow the queen down a side passage from the hall to a comfortable room where they are encouraged to sit. When they are settled the Queen begins her questioning.
The Fists calmly, and without lying, inform her of what happened (they take some comfort from the fact she seems mildly pleased by the news of the extermination of The Shunned). Once they've finished the Queen calmly asks her questions. She seems very interested in what they found in the Necromancer's tomb and in the realm it leads to. She also asks if her son ever disapproved of the Fists exploring the ruins or suggested they go elsewhere which the Fists truthfully answer that he didn't.
Having finished her questioning she informs the group that she will now speak with her son and hear what he has to say. She hints that both her son and Oz may be restored if his answers back up the Fists story. Then she leaves.
The second she is out of the room Ajax leaps up and begins to search for the death trap he is certain the room contains. He finds no pit traps or acid chutes but does discover the cracks in the walls are packed with unfamiliar but nasty looking black scorpions.

Hours pass.
Outside Lorric hides in the jungle, watching and listening to the patrols and working on his Drow disguise in case the Hat of Disguise is neutralized. It soon becomes obvious to him that the Drow are on a much higher state of alert than last time and it is not (just) ego that tells him it is him they are looking for. When after the passage of hours he hears guards saying the strangers are almost certainly doomed he decides its time to act.
Carefully he stalks one of the patrols, at an opportune moment a thrown stone attracts the attention of the patrol in the wrong direction and as they look where it fell Lorric leaps on the last man in the patrol, knocks him out and stuffs him into the undergrowth out of sight. Hearing the sound of the body hitting the floor the Drow look round but Lorric is in his place, his 'Hat of Disguise' making him look like the missing Drow. The patrol leader inquires what the noise was and Lorric picks up the unconscious Drow's bow and claims he dropped it when a sudden attack of weakness struck him. The magic of the 'Hat of Disguise' and Lorric's acting skills are perfectly convincing and the patrol accept that Lorric is their comrade.
Sure all is well the patrol, with Lorric in tow, march straight into the Drow halls. However Lorric's plan instantly starts to unravel when the patrol is met by the Queen's Guards and asked if anything strange happened while they were patrolling. The leader mentions one of his patrol sudden attack of weakness and the Guard instantly call for the High Sorcerer. The Sorcerer quickly appears and the situation is explained to him. He casts a spell and then with a sly grin turns to Lorric and compliments him upon his skills to get so far when the Drow were on their highest alert after his exploits penetrating their security last time.
Lorric accepts his capture and tells how he got in and where the unconscious Drow can be found. The Sorcerer assigns some Guards to escort Lorric to his comrades and some to find the missing Drow. Then he sends the patrol off to be punished for their failure.
Lorric joins the rest of the Crimson Fist and they exchange their stories of what has happened since they were parted.
At dusk a Drow appears with food for all of them, even tasting from each plate to show it isn't poisoned. Some of the Fists eat, others refrain.

*Ajax comments
Ajax devours his meal and the meals of the more cautious members of the group. He finds the Drow swamp based cuisine to be very much to his liking, especially the centipede stew and the blood-fed leeches.
Night falls and the Fists settle down to sleep, although they maintain their standard sentry routine. The night passes peacefully.

Zol, 10th Barrakas. 998 Y.K.
A bit after dawn a Drow appears and escorts the Fists to a room they have never seen before. Waiting for them are ten Royal Guard, the High Sorcerer, the Queen and Celadrus. However Celadrus's ears have been crudely cropped of their tips and a ugly purple mark disfigures his forehead. Mirra recognizes this as the result of a 'Mark of the Outcast' being inflicted on him.
The Queen explains that her interrogation has revealed that Celedrus rather than leading the Crimson Fists to the lakes to the north as she had ordered had deliberately lead them to the ruins, seeking power for himself. For this crime he has been exiled but may earn his way back into Drow society if he helps the Fists find her missing people. She further tells the Fists that if they want Celedrus to accompany them he will be utterly under there command. She informs the Fists she is willing to hold with the original deal and if they find her missing people the expedition will be allowed to explore as they will. There is a brief debate and the Fists decide they will keep to the deal and find the missing Drow.
The Queen then informs the Fists that as she promised Oz has been restored and he enters and with many glad cries is reunited with his comrades.
Kapek inquires if it might be possible for them to trade with the Drow, exchanging some of the loot they have picked up for some more useful magical items. The Queen tells them to talk to the High Sorcerer and then sweeps imperiously out of the room.
The Fists turn to the High Sorcerer and a extended period of hard bargaining commences. Finally all the Fists are happy with the items they have traded with the Drow and with a weary and dispirited Celedrus in tow they leave the Drow halls.

*Ajax comments
Ajax secures for himself a Ring of Resistance, a Wilding clasp (which he attaches to his chain shirt) and a Vest of Freedom, the only item he hadn't got from the Array of the Swift Warrior

The Fists wait until they are well away from the Drow before they start to talk to Celedrus. Interestingly he has a different take of events, claiming he wanted to explore the ruins so they could be used by his people and not for his own personal power. When asked about where they are now heading he says that in times past something immensely evil fell from the skies to there. Something called 'The Tear of Death'.
Cleldrus confirms he is under their command and inquires what spells he should learn for the 'morrow. The Fists try to cheer him up, suggesting he may start a new life away from the jungles of Xendrik. Ajax points out that in the outside world woman are generally not in charge but Celedrus finds this hard to believe, claiming only women are cruel enough to rule.
Having got what info they can from Celedrus Mirra casts 'Shadow Walk' and they travel to the lake. Which turns out to have no water in it. Around the empty lake the land is barren of all life, above them an evil moon leers down indicating that once again they are in the area where the influence of Mabar leaks in.
Circling high in the sky above them are two Atrophal Psions and one Dark Angel. Although they pay the Fists no attention. Strange howls and moans echoes on the winds from the North. Here they find two dead trees and around dance two strange, transparent figures. They appear to be Dryads but immaterial.
Ajax approaches and instantly the two figures charge towards him, screaming their hatred to the turbulent skies...............

Mabar Awaits

6. The Stage

Bas-reliefs depict giant guardians either side of the main entrance, a huge stone door that stands open but an inch or so. There are 2 to each side, their faces contorted into fierce grimaces, an obvious attempt to deter trespassers. A fifth figure carved from granite above the door seems to watch all that approach with menace, carved as if poised to pounce.

This area provides a clear view of the necromancer's domain. From this position the moon can be clearly seen overhead, unearthly wails spew forth from the heavens filling your minds with unutterable blasphemies. This dark speech tells of how the dead shall rise and destroy the essence of everything.

They speak of the 'Sundered Tower' and of 'Gorguth', the 'Bleak General' who shall lead the armies of death across the face of Eberron. They speak of the 'Tears of Atropos' that fell from the moonlet, and their awakening of ‘Shothragot’, the force that lies beneath the surface. Images pour into your minds of foul pits spawning insects that follow the will of their masters, ancient and foul evils trapped deep within Khyber for millions of years, their vengeful intent growing with each passing year. Whilst bathed in the subtle glow of this celestial body the chaos and confusion continues.

From the very walls of the building before you the bas-reliefs begin to creak and judder their way out of the masonry, turning their angry faces to glare at you they raise their fists to attack.

Having taken a few minutes to wash the gore of dozens of Abyssal Ghouls off themselves the Fists set off to explore the rest of the ruins, with Oz and Lorric scouting ahead.

As they approach the wails echo from the ruins and the ground shudders beneath their feet and the moon seems to leer down from the sky at them. Even for Mabar the area seems dark and unsettling.The four statues of the giants begin to stir. As they near the statues the evil enchantments that saturate the area begins to affects them. Oz babbles mindlessly and Ajax attacks Kapek's mount in a mindless fury. Realizing what is happening Lorric grabs Oz (who is now starring blankly into space) and drags him away from the statues. Once out of earshot of the unearthly wails Oz returns to normal. Seeing this work Lorric then proceeds to also drag Ajax out of the area.

Meanwhile the statues have fully awakened and begin to pull themselves free from the building. Oz and Kapek open fire on them and Mirra casts Haste and then begins to intone tales of heroism to inspire her comrades.

Ajax, ignoring the fact, or just not remembering, that he's entering the zone of the mind-altering magic, charges one of the statues but his blows seem to have less effect than normal on the stony giant. Lorric joins him and finishes off the statue with his admantium fists. One of the other golems gestures at Lorric and he feels something scrabbling at his mind but throws it off.

Ajax is suddenly filled with terror and flees the scene. With a huge shaking of the earth the massive statue of the giant above the doorway rips its way free of the building and leaps down to the ground.

Lorric is assaulted by another of the golems and strikes back only to see it disintegrate when hit by a hail of Kapek's Force boomerangs. Meanwhile outside the area of the enchantment Ajax recovers his mind and, somewhat shamefacedly, runs back to the combat.

The largest of the golem lumbers over to attack Lorric but he tumbles away from it and engages another golem.

Not one to shirk from a challenge Ajax charges the largest of the golems. It responds by 'Slowing' him, which counters the 'Haste' cast on him by Mirra, then hammers him into the ground with its massive fists. Meanwhile Lorric engaging the last two golems, slays one. Oz rushes in to get a better angle for his shot but is rendered senseless by the enchantment.

As Ajax and the largest golem exchange blows Lorric finishes his last opponent and Mirra drags Oz out of the area although he responds by shooting her. Kapek leaps on Oz and, to Oz's eternal humiliation, grapples him to the ground and pins him.

Ajax is 'Slowed' and then has the living crap beaten out of him before Lorric charges his opponent from behind and finishes him.

There follows a long gap which involves much use of the Fists various healing wands before everybody is feeling healthy again. This is followed by a even longer gap as Kapek tries to pass through the area of enchantment and repeatedly fails to resist its effects !

Mirra feels the Confusion effect is created by the moon, if they are hidden from it she feels they won't be affected.

Lorric, who has successfully resisted the confusion, examines the door to the building and discovers its locked. Oz, carefully, joins him and discovers the door is trapped so spikes will spring from the ground. Therefore a rope is tied to the roof of the building and tied round Oz and then he is hauled into the air so he can pick the lock in safety. Which, despite his discomfort, he quickly does.

7. The Necromancers Tomb

Giant stairs lead down into utter darkness, flanked on either side by a series of more usual sized stairs. Images on the walls show scenes of dark landscapes, fractured towers and legions of undead marching beneath skies of roiling blackness. Although the paint is dried and flaky now, these scenes still fill you with a sense of trepidation.

The door however is just to heavy for the two of them to move so the rest of the Fists join them and eventually manage to wrestle open the door enough for them to squeeze through. Revealed is a large set of stairs heading down, flanked by two narrower set of steps.

With Oz and Lorric once again in the lead they head down the stairs. About two hundred feet down the scouts notice two giant spiders ahead of them. The two of them sneak closer then Oz opens fire and Lorric charges one. Oz's spider charges him biting him and draining his strength down to practically nothing.

Back at the rest of the group a dark figure rises through the floor, its very presence chilling the blood as it attacks Mirra. Ajax charges past it and slays the spider attacking Oz as Lorric slay his spider. A second figure appears, radiating a dark aura that 'Fatigues' everybody.

The first figure vanishes into the floor and the second charges Oz and merely touches him but it is enough to drop Oz dead on the spot. Ajax attacks it with a roar of rage, some of his attacks simply pass straight through the creature but enough land to kill it .

The last creature rises through the floor next to Ajax. It shoots a ray of black light at him, rendering him 'Exhausted' and then hits him twice but the robust Shifter refuses to die. Then the rest of the Crimson Fist pile onto the creature slaying it.

Exhausted, demoralized and horrified by the loss of their comrade the Fists gather up Oz's remains and leave the building. As they make camp for the night Mirra informs them the creatures were 'Phantasmal Slayers'. Things that exist to drive people to death through fear. It is said the creator of the spell 'Phantasmal Killer' based it on these creatures.

As they eat their evening meal the Fists wearily discuss the loss of Oz and the high casualty rate among their associates and what, if anything, they can do about it.

Early in the morning those on watch notice the blankets that have been wrapped around Oz to protect him from insects twitching. They unwrap his head to see him starring at them, snapping his teeth in a futile attempt to sink them into their flesh. Ajax restrains Oz with his pincer staff while Mirra checks his vital signs. She confirms their worst fears, Oz is dead.

Kapek solemnly declares there is only one way to end their comrade's curse with respect.He invokes the power of his Dragonmark and in a burst of pure light and healing energy Oz is laid to rest.

In the morning they eat and pray and then grimly return to the building. Another two hundred feet past the point they encountered the 'Phantasmal Killers' they come to huge double doors with an inscription in Giantish above them.

Mirra translates it for them.

“Here Lies Faeriax’soth Master of Life and Death. Master of Insects, Disciple of Vermin, Lord of All That has Passed and of All Things to Come.”

She tells how Faeriax'soth was a mighty necromancer in ages past who became a lich before creating a pocket realm in Mabar where he dwelled. She also tells of the hero, a member of the Church of the Silver Flame, who entered this realm to destroy the Lich.

*Ajax comments
Ajax shudders nervously at the mention of the Church of the Silver Flame.

Kapek reminds them of the fragments they have heard of the 'Gilded Man' in relation to the Prophecy.

Ajax checks the door and finds it neither locked nor trapped. All present take a deep breath and push the door open.

*Ajax comments
With Oz gone it is left to Ajax to check for traps and pick locks although he's aware he is no match for Oz's skills in either departement.

As the door slowly opens a cloud of smoky shadow billows forth from the interior, it threatens to suffocate you but you realise that the feeling is simply anticipation and trepidation rising from within yourselves.

Darkness lies beyond, a gentle wailing chant echoes from somewhere within carried on an ethereal breeze. As your eyes become accustomed to the darkness you see what looks like several giants standing in rows on either side of a grand hall, their 40ft hulking forms pushing against the ceiling to keep it from crashing down.

The air in here carries the cold chill of death, cold wisps of air gently brush your skin without sound or source.

This place has the air of a tomb, tattered banners of an age lost in time hang from the walls, barely holding themselves together as time has decayed their threads.

With a whisper the door swings open, a gentle wailing chant sounds in the distance and the hall is shrouded in shadows. A line of pillars carved into the form of giants leads down either side of the hall. In the middle of the hall, a few from the door is a stone altar with a small depression holding water on its top. As the Fists enter their feet gently crunch on the forms of myriad insects. To the right and left of the entrance are shimmering Walls of Force barring entry to small rooms with unhealthy looking diagrams carved into the floor.
Suddenly footsteps sound, moving down the hall as simultaneously the doors behind the Fists slam loudly shut!

The walls in this place shimmer with crawling vermin, ten great statues line the great hall each built to look like they are holding up the ceiling.
A font lies at the entrance to the hall and far across the other side and up a set of stairs you can see dim green flames adorning an altar of some kind.
On the wall behind you can faintly see a mural depicting a falling star that crashes into the jungle. From this star spring dark shapes, the fallen returning to life and the birth of a force that controls them all.
To either side you can see translucent walls that glow faintly with magical energy, beyond are ritual circles carved into the floor and hanging above each circle are images that distort your perceptions, being both close and distant at the same time. Any details are unclear due to the wards that stand between you and them.

Within the circle beyond the northernmost shimmering veil, in the distance, a tower can be seen apparently floating. Rope-like tendrils can be seen drifting into the shadows below it as if tethering it to the ground.
Within the southern circle, a dim red glow can be seen from narrow cracks as though there is light seeping in from around a pair of double doors.

Lorric's sharp eyes pick out the creatures and he whispers a description via the Message spell to Mirra who identifies the two creatures as Death Giants.
As they close the wails of the damned souls surrounding the Death Giants chill the blood. Mirra sings a uplifting song and cancels out the effect. Kapek summons a dinosaur to ride. Suddenly a oily blackness engulfs Mirra, Ajax and Kapek, wounding them and instantly slaying Kapek's dinosaur. This is followed an instant later by a roaring column of divine fire that hits Kapek and Mirra. Kapek opens up with his boomerangs and Mirra heals Kapek and then prudently retreats into a corner.
Ajax charges one of the Death Giants and lays into it doing hideous damage. Meanwhile the insects on the floor stir and gather in disturbingly organized patterns. Lorric charges Ajax's Giant in the rear and slays it. The second Death Giant retreats behind a pillar, out of sight.
Nine swarms form out of the insects and attack the Fists. Ajax and Mirra throw flasks of Alchemists Fire at the hordes of insects. Kapek hurriedly summons yet another dinosaur then shows off his skill with missile weapons and throws a flurry of three flasks creating a wall of flames cutting into the swarms.
Then Lorric and Ajax attack the last Death Giant, Lorric strikes at it then retreats, it turns round and strikes Ajax a massive blow with its giant sized two-handed axe. Ajax declares " Is that all you got?" strikes back and slays it.
Mirra hurls yet another flask of Alchemist Fire and then leaps onto the back of Kapek's raptor, right behind him.
While all this is happening, unnoticed in the background one of the swarms coalesces into one creature, a withered corpse-like being dressed in rags. It is joined by two more huge creatures.
Mirra, hanging on to Kapek like grim death, manages to slay a swarm with another flask of Alchemist Fire. She hears the two new arrivals casting Shield on themselves.
Lorric uses his 'Necklace of Fireballs' on the swarms surrounding Kapek and Mirra, destroying one of the swarms and carving a path through them which Kapek quickly rides through.

One of the new creatures fires a swarm of glowing meteors at the Fists which explode to devastating and wide-spread effect (but also takes out two of the swarms and yet another of Kapek's luckless summoned dinosaurs). Mirra now identifies the two creatures as Grisgol. and the creature formed from one of the swarms as a Swarm Shifter.
Kapek painfully aware of how battered, burnt, blasted, beaten and poisoned his comrades and him are, uses his Dragonmark to cast Mass Heal on them.
The ground between the Fists and their opponents erupts with spikes. Lorric nimbly runs across the terrain, sweeps behind the enemy, charges in and runs straight into some sort of force field. Ten feet out from them Lorric is bounced of an invisible wall. He runs back to his comrades.
Mirra casts Dimension Door on everyone, planning to transport them all inside the force field. It doesn't work, Kapek and Mirra are the only ones who land inside the field and they are instantly shunted outside it, Lorric and Ajax are left ten foot further away.
One of the Grisgol casts Horrid Wilting. Ajax and Lorric try to attack but are deflected by the field, which Mirra identifies as an Anti-Life Shell. The other Grisgol gestures and a line of fire shoots from his hands and strikes Ajax and is then followed by a Flame Strike.
Lorric whips out a three sectioned staff and attacks one of the Grisgol from beyond the Anti-Life Shell. He strikes it unleashing clouds of choking dust. Kapek and Mirra retreat away out of the Shell.
Ajax draws his Pincer Staff and from beyond the Anti-Life Shell' strikes the Swarm Shifter then snaps the collar of the weapon around it's neck, trapping it. Then to his intense irritation it turns back into a swarm of insects and flows out of the grip of the staff.
Lorric's Grisgol tries to cast Chain Lightning but, probably thanks to the damage inflicted by Lorric, the spell fizzles. The other one casts Ice Storm on Ajax and Kapek. Kapek uses his Dragonmark again, healing his comrades and hurting the Swarm Shifter.
Ajax attacks the other Grisgol and then snaps the Pincer Staff around it. Mirra 'Inspires Greatness' in Kapek and Ajax.
Lorric and Kapek pound on their Grisgol with staff and force boomerang.
Ajax resists the Grisgol's attempts to free itself and then taking a firm grip on the staff pushes it out of the Anti-Life Shell and straight into the Spike Stones.

The Swarm Shifter slithers away into the darkness away from the melee.
Lorric leaps on the Grisgol Ajax had pushed out of the Anti-Life Shell. Finally able to close with it he drops his three section staff and with his admantium fists flying he kills it.
Ajax guesses with the Swarm Shifter fled the Anti-Life Shell will be down and successfully charges the last Grisgol, while Mirra and Kapek deluge the Swarm Shifter with Alchemist Fire. Ajax is hit several times by the Grisgol but shrugs off the negative energy within the attacks. Ajax hits back and then grapples it.
Leaving Ajax to fight the Grisgol, Lorric and Kapek pursue the Swarm Shifter. Its attempts to disguise itself among the hordes of insects are ruined by the fact that its still on fire. They pound it with Alchemists Fire (and Alchemist frost in Kapek's case, as he has run out of Alchemist Fire). It makes no hostile move in return but continues to flow its way to the rear of the hall.
The Swarm Shifter reaches the end of the hall and scuttles around the corner to a room which contains a large sarcophagus placed on its own along with eight smaller ones in two lines. Beyond it they see the small room they'd seen through the 'Wall of Force' earlier. The creature seems to be heading for the circle carved into the floor. As the Crimson Fists enter the room they hear the grinding sound of stone-on-stone.
Ajax slashes the last Grisgol into tiny pieces and then grabs Mirra, hoists her on his shoulders and runs to catch up with his comrades.
Kapek and Lorric pursue the Swarm Shifter pelting it with Alchemist Fire, Frost, Acid and anything else they have that does area effect damage. Then the sound of stone on stone intensifies as the lids of the eight small sarcophagus slide off revealing eight, strange mis-shapen creatures.
Ajax and Mirra catch up just in time to see the creatures emerge and for Mirra to identify them as a particulalrly disgusting form of undead called Plague Spewers. They start to advance on the Fists. Mirra responds by casting Haste.
Two of the creatures attack and two vomit up swarms of rats. The Swarm Shifter wends its way between them, putting them between itself and the Fists.
Lorric hurls the last bead from his 'Necklace of Fireballs' into the middle of their enemies, killing one of the rat swarms but NOT the Swarm Shifter.

Ajax engages the first Plague Spewer as two more vomit up rat swarms. Leaving the rest of the group to deal with the Plague Spewers Lorric tumbles past them and the ever-growing number of rat swarms and races ahead of the Swarm Shifter stopping just short of the circle.
Back in the sarcophagus room Ajax places himself between the Plague Spewers and the others and one-by-one begins to slaughter them with great joy. While behind him Kapek keeps up a steady flow of flasks of acidic fire into the rat swarms.
As the Swarm Shifter rushes to the circle Lorric gets in a last attack with a flask of 'Holy Water'. The creature burns and withers but it flows into the circle and vanishes.
Lorric swears fluently and returns to join Ajax and helps finish off the last of the Plague Spewers. While Kapek and Mirra finish off the rat swarms with flasks of Alchemist Spark.
After a brief pause for breath they check out the large sarcophagus. Having discerned to the best of their now limited abilities that it isn't trapped they push it open to reveal the treasure within.
Greatly cheered by this (though again disappointed by their inability to turn it into anything useful or pleasurable in the middle of Xen'drik) they go to examine the circle. On closer examination the circle contains a hole that drops into another realm. One of roiling clouds and dark shadows. In the distance they can see a tower floating in the air, connected to the ground by ropes, but wether this is for entry into the tower or to tether it to the ground no-one knows.
This seems to be the dark tower where it is said the Gilded Man is held. It is also they're sure deeper into Mabar than they are now. After a brief debate they decide they will explore the tower but not until Kapek's Dragonmark is renewed at dawn. Until then they settle down to identify their new loot.