After their recent battles, the party found solace within The Lodge, healing their wounds and steeling themselves for the challenges that lay ahead. With determination, they opened the last door and ascended a spiral staircase, revealing a long passage that led to another door. Upon opening it, they were met with the remnants of past explosions, realizing they had returned to a previously explored floor. They confirmed they possessed three lenses, while a fourth remained with the ominous Belcorra, whose dark influence loomed over the area.
Slych sent a warning to The Queen about the threat posed by Belcorra and received confirmation of the danger. Armed with this knowledge, the party bravely ventured back into the Swamp Caverns, noting a change in the muck’s consistency as they approached a split in the path. Adam’andiél led the way to the right, scouting ahead until they encountered the fearsome black dragon, Ravarex, who claimed the swamp cavern as its territory and demanded the lens carried by Rhys. Despite attempts at negotiation, Ravarex chose aggression, unleashing a devastating acid breath attack that injured several party members.
The battle erupted with ferocity as Rhys quickly assessed the dragon’s defenses, discovering its weakest point was its reflexes. Adam’andiél entered Whirlwind Stance, attempting to trip the dragon, while Lightwing prepared a curse to bolster their attacks. The dragon retaliated with another acid breath, but Adam’andiél succeeded in tripping it, knocking it prone. Slych and Lightwing provided crucial support, with Slych striking with his Aerial Boomerang and Lightwing healing Adam’andiél, shielding him from further harm.
As the fight intensified, Ravarex focused its wrath on Rhys, but the party’s coordinated efforts began to take their toll. Rhys delivered critical strikes, carving through the dragon’s defenses until he ultimately landed a decisive blow, slaying Ravarex. With the dragon defeated, the party took a moment to heal and explore its lair, uncovering a trove of treasures, including an unidentified Iron Medallion and a +2 Striking Mace.
Continuing their exploration, they noted that Ravarex’s death had lifted the blockade preventing the Calini from escaping through the passages leading deeper into the the Dark Lands. The group squeezed into a narrow passage, clearing a mold trap before discovering a Gore-Strewn Cavern filled with bones and viscera. Preparing for stealth, Slych and Adam’andiél turned invisible, moving cautiously until they encountered a grotesque, many-eyed spider-like creature.
The battle began as Rhys set up flanking and struck with a critical hit. Slych and Adam’andiél joined the fray, employing their abilities to maintain pressure on the creature. Lightwing’s spells slowed and sickened the foe, while the party worked together to box it in. After a fierce exchange, Rhys delivered a final blow, killing the creature just as it lunged for him, a narrow escape from certain doom.
With the immediate threat neutralized, the party identified the Iron Medallion, which granted a bonus to Will saves against fear. They recalled the “Vault By The Lake” as a potential source of information regarding the lenses they carried. Upon finding massive black-and-green double doors, the party attempted to unlock them but faced failures, including broken lockpicks and unfit keys.
Moving on, they discovered a fungal island and engaged in combat with a hostile fungus heap. Rhys set it ablaze while Slych and Adam’andiél maneuvered through the difficult terrain. After a fierce battle, Shadow Bell delivered the final blow with Tempest Surge, clearing the area for further exploration.
The group then found a dead roper and identified signs of a massive burrowing beast. They also encountered a large lizard, initially thought dead but later revealed to be alive. After scouting a Freshwater Alcove, they approached a vault-like building on the lake’s east side. Upon entering, they triggered an explosion trap but managed to avoid serious harm.
Inside, they confronted a Clay Golem that animated from a statue, engaging in a fierce battle. Rhys struck first, igniting the golem, but soon found himself cursed by its attack. The party worked together, utilizing cold and water spells to bypass the golem’s immunities, ultimately destroying it in a display of teamwork and resilience.
An undead knight named Callido entered mid combat, declaring loyalty to Belcorra. The party quickly devised a plan to subdue rather than destroy him, grappling and securing him to prevent his return. With the vault breached, the group prepared to continue their exploration, determined to uncover the secrets of Belcorra’s domain and face whatever darkness awaited them.