Our adventurers found themselves face-to-face with the crowned mitflit, who greeted them with cautious diplomacy. He declared that he would overlook the deaths of his minions if the group agreed to rid the floor below of the mushroom-eyed invaders who had driven his kind out. The heroes, skeptical of his motives and his power, debated the proposition. When the mitflit sensed their hesitancy, he altered his approach, offering them a pile of gems as payment for their aid. Syphir, seemingly agreeing to the terms, walked forward as if to shake the mitflit’s hand. Instead, he turned the gesture into an attack, catching the mitflit off guard. A brief skirmish ensued, ending in the party’s triumph—though the promised gems where nowhere to be found.
Pressing onward, the party stumbled upon a hidden door that revealed a short hallway where a skeleton clung to another sealed portal. Beyond lay a sinister shrine, which the group identified as dedicated to Nhimbaloth, the Empty Death. Their exploration turned deadly as they ventured south and came upon a giant scorpion. The beast’s venomous sting nearly claimed Syphir’s life, but the quick aid of his companions helped him overcome the poison and survive.
Examining the skeleton, the group uncovered valuable loot, including a magical rapier—an ideal weapon for Sol’andrus. Emboldened, they continued north into the shrine’s depths, only to be ambushed by animated corpses. The battle was fierce, leaving both Emberveil and Sol knocked out. Yet Derek’s eldamon and Syphir held the line, destroying their foes and dispelling the glowing spirits rising from the bodies. Though battered, the party endured and healed their wounds before pushing forward.
Exploring the keep further, the adventurers encountered and defeated a frog-like beast. This fight proved far less taxing than their previous ordeals, a much-needed reprieve in their chaotic journey.
With the mysteries of the Gauntlight deepening and new threats lurking around every corner, our heroes brace themselves for the challenges yet to come. What further horrors lie in wait? The adventure marches ever onward.