The air was thick with tension as the party crept through a dimly lit corridor, the faint sound of their footsteps echoing ominously. Suddenly, a chilling draft swept through, triggering a deadly guillotine trap that plunged them into darkness, leaving only the sound of their racing hearts. Zeff, the cautious psionic striker, felt the weight of the moment as Sera, the portal-wielding mage, quickly devised a plan, using her portals to guide the group past the swinging blades. Clefspeare, the skeletal dragon knight, crawled across the slick oil-covered floor, ensuring everyone kept their footing. Yet, Zeff’s attempt to dodge through flame jets ended in failure, leaving the party disoriented and vulnerable.
In a flash of inspiration, Marin, the warrior priest, applied a Weakening Brand to Sera, illuminating their path at the cost of minor injury. With the darkness lifted, Zeff, supported by Clefspeare, navigated the maze-like structure, timing their movements to avoid the descending guillotines. Though Marin took a hit from one, the party emerged from the gauntlet relatively unscathed. After a brief recovery, during which Marin transferred one of his recoveries to Sera, they entered a trap-laden room filled with black ichor slimes. The slimes attacked, inflicting minor damage and applying a Corrode effect on Zeff. In retaliation, he unleashed a psychic pulse, dealing area damage and eliminating several foes. Gorda, the relentless wood elf brawler, rejoined the fray, striking down enemies with brutal efficiency.
After the slimes were defeated our heroes fought through rushed through the door thanks to Sera’s ability to walk through solid objects, getting out of the trap.
They next encountered Dame CoDame Cornelia, the guardian of the Cup of Iulius, who emerged from a sarcophagus to confront the party.
As the combat commenced, Gorda charged into battle, striking Dame Cornelia and pushing her back into her own forces. Zeff followed suit, unleashing a psychic pulse that incapacitated several skeletons. However, the tide turned when Zeff was knocked out, prompting Clefspeare to invoke protective prayers for the remaining allies. Marin marked enemies and rallied his companions, allowing them to strike back against the undead. Sera’s precise attacks and Marin’s commanding presence ultimately led to Dame Cornelia’s defeat. As she fell, she revealed a clue about a side passage leading back to the First Chamber’s Pit Trap before disintegrating into dust, causing her remaining undead minions to crumble.
With the immediate threat neutralized, the party claimed the Cup of Iulius and discovered a vengeful cloak within the sarcophagus, which they decided would best suit Gorda. By winning the duel, they assumed the role of the new guardians of the cup. As they prepared to exit, they noted Dame Cornelia’s clue, ensuring they would not fall victim to the same traps again.
Threads to Watch:
- The implications of being the new guardians of the Cup of Iulius.
- The potential for misuse of the cup by goblins.
- Dame Cornelia’s clue about the side passage and pit trap.
- Zeff’s vulnerability and need for protection in future encounters.
- The mysterious vengeful cloak and its significance to Gorda.