Session 111: Further Exploration and Treasure in the Barrowmaze

Feno, Niki, Armatzi, Zraith, Gnorcia, Lhoss, and Kyro continued their exploration of the Bareowmaze on Day 22 of Goodmonth. The party decided to bash down a brick wall, so Feno, Kyro, and Armatzi heaved sledgehammers while Lhoss and Gnorcia kept an ear out for trouble. Luckily, no evil undead appeared and the party found themselves facing five doorways to the south. Niki swept the area with her pole searching for the rumored bottomless pit and found the space to be clear. One door was off its hinges and hanging open, leading to an empty room. Following a protocol of safety (that was occasionally adhered to) Lhoss checked the easternmost door for traps and noticed a glyph of warding. Though it was faint and nearly blended into the door, the protective cleric symbol was detected. The remaining doors were also checked for runes, but none were seen. It’s possible that the detected rune was old and therefore easily discovered and the other doors were protected by stronger glyphs… nonetheless Gnorcia was able to remove the trap with her nimble thief skills. The next barrier was a simple lock. Gnorcia is always eager to try her collection of keys, but none of the collected artifacts fit the lock. She picked it instead. What a useful thief! (Take some notes, Lhoss!)

Armatzi opened the door to find a skeleton and some debris from a minor collapse in the ceiling. The somewhat inhuman form clutched an excellent shield with the heraldry of a gold hawk on a purple field. Armatzi cast detect magic on the shield: it was magical! On instinct, he touched the shield with Melissa and a crypt shade emerged. The battle was short and the shade was easily defeated. Feno claimed the shield, making him nearly invincible to physical attack, though we know his weakness to magical attack. Shhh! Stop talking about it!

Lhoss picked a lock to another door (atta girl!) to see a room with two funerary boxes. After examination, they were opened to show jewelry and a runic tablet. After a brief internal struggle with her impetuous nature, Lhoss read the tablet only to have it ignite and singe her eyebrows (really, Lhoss?). 

The next door was opened to an empty chamber. The last door was locked and couldn’t be opened by either thief. While contemplating bashing it down, Lhoss noticed a hidden switch that she immediately threw and revealed a hidden room (getting a little sloppy with the safety protocols, there). Luckily there was no trap, but what was revealed was gruesome: a black altar gleaming with imbedded blood stones and covered in dried blood. The stones were pried free rather easily. Feno noticed a hidden door and proceeded to open it and was stabbed with a poison needle. Whoopsie! I’m sure that this incident will compel the party to be more careful about being diligent in their safeguarding and looking for hidden traps! Anywho, there was a big bag of platinum as a reward for his recklessness. 

The group went back to the last locked door and bashed it down with sledgehammers. Inside was a table on a dusty floor and a bag of electrum. Feeling flush with riches, the group made their way out when Kyro pointed out a room that had been overlooked. Inside was a beautiful sight: walls encrusted with gold scarabs. Never ones to pass up treasure, the party took the time to pry each one out and still made it back to Orlane in time for dinner. What a triumphant and enriching day!