Ciprian hurriedly cast invisibility on himself and jumped up to the roof of the tomb. Gavril began to move toward the tomb after hearing Ciprian's plea for help. Erevel moved back, hoping the Gug had not seen her. She waited at the far corner of the tomb. Paullus moved up to the opening into the Plaza of Bones followed by Armania. Ursina kept building her wall of bones.
The Gug, following Ciprian's voice came around the northern side of the tomb and looked right at Erevel.
Ciprian moved away from the close side of the tomb and cast Good Hope. Erevel moved right up to the creature and swung away. Gavril moved closer but still couldn't reach the Gug. Paullus fired arrows that sank into the fleshy body.
The Gug swung at Erevel and not only inflicted significant damage but also knocked Erevel 20 feet away backwards. Awesome Blow indeed. The Gug then moved toward Gavril. The whole floor of the Plaza of Bones was difficult terrain as the drifts of bones made movement difficult.
Ciprian started a Bardic Performance after just identifying the Gug. Then he cast Contagious Zeal on Erevel. Paullus kept firing arrows while Armania began firing Magic Missiles at the monster. Gavril hit with a critical and regular hits. Ursina, still invisible started moving toward the creature. Erevel healed some damage and then moved toward the creature, she barely made it next to it. She couldn't attack but gave Gavril flanking.
The Gug tried to bite Gavril but missed, then it clawed him twice, followed by a rend. Erevel missed her attack, Paullus kept firing arrows, Armania continued magic missiles and Gavril again hit with two attacks. The Gug attacked Gavril again but he was still upright and swung back dispatching the horrid monster.
Some healing was passed around. Armania headed to her illusionary wall to hide out waiting for some enemy to arrive. Erevel moved around to the far side of the tomb and found a door. The image of a leering ghoul’s face with a long canine snout and a haughty expression was carved on the stone door to the mausoleum. Erevel perceived a trap on the door and called over Gavril to try and disarm the trap. Ciprian started a Bardic Performance to inspire competence, aiding Gavril's attempt.
As Gavril manipulated the device on the door, two blue, glowing, long-fingered hands reach from the door and their fingers raked across Gavril's face. All at once 10 attacks from a Chill Touch like affect were released on Gavril. Five of the attacks hit dealing damage. Gavril saved from four of the attacks strength damage, but failed the last. Immediately Ciprian ended his performance and granted a retry attempt by Gavril, who succeeded.
Gavril and Erevel then opened the stone door revealing remains, sitting upright on a stone throne. The flesh long ago rotted away, leaving only a skeleton with canine-like skull. The right bone hand held a rod.
Ursina and Gavril successfully made their attempts to wake up. Erevel moved down to attack the three ghouls moving north. Armania moved to Paullus and cast Dimension Door moving the two of them to the Illusionary Wall.
Erevel and Ciprian now made their attempts to wake up and disappeared from the site. In the Wall, Armania poured a potion of healing down Paullus throat and he then failed to awaken. As the ghouls wandered around the Plaza searching for the party, Paullus and Armania finally succeeded in awakening on the deck of the Sellen Starling.
The party awakened and were relieved to see all of the party on the deck as they weren't sure what had happened with Paullus.
"I guess some of the ghouls were not happy with us taking the skull," stated Ciprian.
"Luckily, we were able to wake up fast enough to escape the battle," Gavril sneered gleefully.
"Sure we did," responded Paullus.
"When will we have to stop next?" Ciprian asked Skywin as the party helped the sailors get the Sellen underway again.
"In 4 or 5 days we will stop at Riverton for more supplies," Skywin related.
Since they had already researched the next Dreamlands stop, the group decided to rest up waiting for evening to travel to the City of Sarnath. The ritual was somewhat easier as the party had gained more experience.
The party arrived in a cavernous, tall hall filled with thousands of people. Resplendent with golden filigree, high arched windows, and sumptuous tapestries, the opulent feasting hall was packed with thousands of people enjoying a grand feast. Golden torches affixed to the walls illuminated the festive throng, crowded balconies, and staircases looking over the vast hall. The attendees were draped in garments sewn from gorgeous silks, satins, and velvets; their arms and necks are hung with gold bands and their headdresses were studded with jewels and bright feathers. Tables of rich and exotic foods and intoxicating beverages lined the walls, drawing partygoers who gorged themselves on the offerings and huddled closely in small groups or intimate embraces. Many guests danced to the otherworldly tones of an orchestra composed primarily of flutes, pipes, and drums. The north and northwest walls of the ballroom bore no windows and were constructed of thick slabs of stone.
The party realized they were vastly under dressed for this celebration. The group was separated by several partygoers. It was difficult to move in the room given the press of bodies. A lean young man approached Ciprian, introduced himself as Nardan Debrenoq. He had tanned skin and wore a fashionable yet simple robe and minimal jewelry. He looked uncomfortable in the crowd, but seemed eager to make conversation as he made eye contact with Ciprian.
"You seem a little dazzled," he noted, "Are you new in Sarnath?"
"Yes, I've never been around this many people. What is this celebration about?" Ciprian responded.
"Oh my a real newbie. The festival commemorates a thousand years since the people of Sarnath vanquished the eerie, inhuman residents of Ib and razed their alien city. We celebrate every year but this one is special." Nardan informed Ciprian.
"I would like to carry on my family tradition of being a soldier, but recently I brought shame to my family by running away from a duel. I don't think the navy will ever accept me now" Nardan lamented.
"What is that large wall to the north and northeast?" inquired Ciprian.
"That is the sea wall. It protects the palace from the waters of the lake. Every year when we celebrate Ib’s destruction, the lake water rises several feet and then lowers again the next day. The sea wall is 50 feet high, so we are wholly safe," Nardan related.
At the same time an older man in a military uniform approached Armania. Broad shouldered and overly hairy, the man slurred his speech as he introduced himself in a gruff manner.
"Sirtano Ubalnu at your service. I have not seen you around before. Would you like a roll in the hay? My rooms are just upstairs, we could make passionate love on my kingsize bed."
Taken aback, and recalling the stories about herself from Thrushmoor Armania blushed as she responded indignantly. "I am repulsed by your offer, you ignorant drunken fool. Move away from me."
Sirtano tried to press his advance but eventually slunk off to another female, who slapped him and turned away with a huff.
A woman dressed in the high fashion of Sarnath’s nobility, approached Paullus. She had dazzling eyes that upon closer inspection were simply watery. Between bouts of sneezes, she introduced herself as Aurina Pylutani a childhood playmate of the High Priest of Sarnath. She continue talking to Paullus and others around of all the latest gossip and scandals of the day.
Bored and tired of her alcohol breath, Paullus backed away.
Ursina was trying to be inconspicuous but she was approached by a man with short black hair shaved on one side and an elaborate trio of intertwined of rings in his lower lip holding a goblet.
"Marjan Sarces, textile trader, and you would be?" he mumbled.
Ursina responded in Draconian but the man acted glad to meet her and agreed with everything Ursina said. Another man approached and started a conversation. Marjan then started to agree with all that man said but vacillated between the Draconic answers and the mans statements.
A woman walked through the crowd of people with an elegant grace, making polite small talk. She had a shaved head and strange pastel-blue teeth.
She moved up to Erevel and said "Yuna is a widely respected poet and painter. Are you an artist? Yuna loves your outfit."
"Bring me a drink, servant," Erevel responded.
"Yuna will become one of Sarnath's most respected artists, and she will remember you!" Yuna then walked away from Erevel continuing talking about herself in third person to the other guests.
A man bearing a gruesome scar on his face advanced on Armania. He was exceedingly tall but rail thin. As he peered down at Armania he said "Vintal Natni, the greatest fighter of Sarnath. And you would be?"
"Armania Badescof from Caliphas, the greatest wizard of Versex," Armania replied.
"Never mind my appearance, the scars are the result of a wasting disease I had as a child."
Vintal had an arrogant and boastful attitude, and seethed with disdain for another attendee throughout the conversation, claiming that he wanted to humiliate this rival.
The military man ran toward Erevel, "Would you like to meet me in my rooms? I've never had an elf before. I wonder what you look like without your clothes on?"
"Shove off you disgusting man," Erevel responded.
The major approached another woman next to Erevel and when she responded in the affirmative he answered nervously and offered panicked excuses that he had a errand to run.
As Ursina was walking toward the screens she noticed a stairway inside the curtain wall leading up a woman whose appearance was more suited for a market hawker or dockworker approached. In conversation she introduced herself as Nashiram Palshad and admitted that she was invited to this gathering by one of Sarnath’s minor nobles because she saved the woman’s life a few years ago during an attack in the city’s streets. She mentioned that she wants to visit Celephais, another grand Dreamlands city.
Just as Ursina started to tell Nashiram that she had been to Celephais, shouts of terror from the higher levels of the palace shatter the revelry. The music stops as panicked, screaming people push and shove each other down the fanciful staircases and along the balconies from the palace’s upper levels, further
crowding the room. A rivulet of clear water runs down the staircase in the sea wall, evidence that the lake has crested the sea wall and is beginning to pour into the palace.
Surging into the feasting hall along with the lake water were four sickly green human-shaped ghostly figures. Curious ears and flabby lips framed their froglike face, yet only empty sockets stared from where their eyes should be.
"What are they?" Armania asked of Vintal.
"Ib Shades," he replied as he turned tail and ran smack into the crowd.
DM's Notes: The party is now at 8th level after the outing in the ghoul mausoleum.
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