After seeing the Dybbuk try to escape Ciprian jumped up and over the creature to stop it from leaving the Gaol. Ursina used the wand to Heal Erevel but it did not get rid of the deafness. Agna's flurry of arrows, with help of a couple of critical hits, dropped the Dybbuk to the ground.
The party then moved to explore the rest of the cells in the Gaol and Ciprian looked down at the character in the pit. Gavril opened the only locked cell and found a magic dagger on the floor along with two magic items in a wooden bucket in the corner. Ursina noted that one other cell had something magical in a crack in the masonry of the northwestern wall. Digging she found a purple colored prism shaped stone.
Ciprian called Gavril over to unlock the grate on the pit. He then dropped his rope of climbing down to the person in the pit who then was pulled up to the main room.
"Are you Erich Zann?" Ciprian asked of the stooped, shabby little old man had seen better days. His cheeks were sunken in, and his simple clothes were ragged.
The little old man feigned writing on a piece of paper, indicating that he could not speak. Gavril produced a notebook, quill and ink bottle and gave them to the man.
The man wrote "Thank you for rescuing me! Who are you and why are you here?"
Ciprian then explained about Lord Eldarius and his want to get Delmaria back along with the musician Erich Zann. He expressed the belief that this small little man was Erich Zann. He also indicated that the monster Lakronis admitted stealing some of Erich Zann's memory.
The man wrote "Some of my memories are missing but I believe that I am a musician and I have certain powers but I need a stringed instrument."
Ciprian handed him a lute he had carried around.
The man started to strum the instrument expertly. He intermittently knocked a finger against his head while tuning the lute and trying to strum an expert tune.
He then wrote "I once had a magic viol. I need to find it again to unleash my powers."
Ciprian suggested going to Lakronis to restore Erich's memories and the party headed back to see Lakronis.
As they came within view of the many-eyed monster, the man began cowering. "Don't be concerned he will not harm you now." Ciprian implored him.
"I will help you if you promise to let me go unharmed," Lakronis stated once again.
"We will certainly let you out if you tell no one about this encounter. Is there any other exit from the dungeon?"
"No the only exit is the ladder up to the manor."
"There is a grand party going on above, you may want to wait to leave after we have gone." Ciprian suggested.
"Fine I can wait for some time but I don't think my leaving would matter to anyone above."
Lakronis then called Erich over and laid his hand upon his head. Cirpian noted a merry, almost mad, twinkle in Erich's clear blue eyes.
Ciprian then asked Erich if he had recovered his memories.
Again he wrote "Yes I am Erich Zann. I require my viol. Also has anyone found my tunic, ring and dagger?"
No one spoke up about any of the items, so Ciprian gave Erich a chainshirt.
"Can you perform today?" Ciprian asked.
"No, I cannot the restoration of my memory and the lack of food and abuse from that Dybbuk has depleted me for today." Erich responded.
"Do you know what is to the south in the maze?" Ciprian asked Lakronis.
"I have never been down that way, so I have no idea," Lakronis responded.
Ciprian performed healing on Erich and suggested that they head into the maze. He brought his lantern and the burning incense along with the group. Erevel and Gavril led the way even though Erevel was still deaf and had to be physically or visually prompted. Winding and twisting five-foot-wide corridors formed a maze. Skulls and small grave markers cemented into the masonry covered the walls from top to bottom. The air was particularly cold throughout the stone labyrinth.
The creature then tried to re-enter the wall but being unable due to Ciprian's incense it fled to the south taking attacks from Gavril and Ursina. It disappeared around the corner to who knew where in the maze.
The party then continued to make their way exploring the maze, although Ursina turned invisible and began searching on her own. Erevel found a larger hallway leading to a set of three doors. The middle door had no discernible hinges or handles. Its surface had engravings that depicted a battle between a demonic, bat-winged creature with monstrous, vampiric features and an armed goddess who was losing the fight. Doors to the right and left of this door had traditional handles and locks. Gavril and Ciprian joined Erevel with Agna, Armania and Erich around a corner behind. Agna finally moved into a more open space and then the monster appeared again and the spirits took flight touching her for massive damage that almost dropped her to the floor. She quickly sped back to a shelter safety. Armania stayed where she was with Erich as Gavril moved toward the creature but was stopped by some invisible force ten feet away from her. Ursina continued searching more passageways in a different area as Erevel hurried forward and found that she too was stopped from approaching the creature. Finally Ciprian came forward, identified the enemy as a Nemhain with resistance to Fire and Acid. He identified the aura as an AntiLife shell. He began a performance and cast Dispel Magic to bring down the shell.
The Nemhain then advanced on Erevel and touched her inflicting once again massive damage with Harm. Then the spirits floated over to Ciprian and used Slay Living which he resisted to lower the damage. Agna stayed hidden and drank a potion of healing. Armania moved to see the creature and delivered a lightning bolt as Gavril advanced and attacked fully with both hands. Ursina continued wandering the maze attempting to come in from a different direction. Erevel attacked with full vigor while Ciprian moved forward but couldn't find an opening for attacking.
The Nemhain used the spirits to deliver again the Slay Living spell to Ciprian who again reduced the damage. Her touch on Erevel this time did damage but also drained Constitution. Agna stayed in the background as Armania cast Magic Missiles and Gavril attacked again with both hands. The creature appeared to slump toward the floor but then stood straight once again with fire in its eyes. At this point Ursina had emerged from behind the monster and attacked with her Holy Book against undead. The attack dropped the Nemhain to the floor.
The party gathered around Ciprian and he began a Soothing Performance to apply healing which was dearly needed. After that the three doors were examined. The two side doors had handles and apparent locks. The central door had no handle or mechanism to open it. There was no obvious lock, just the engraved picture etched into the stone.
Gavril checked for traps but did not find anything although there was magic emanating from the door. Ciprian looked over the door and determined that it was not airtight, it would be possible to enter in gaseous form. Gavril spent some additional time examining the etching and saw that there was a small round slot in the eye of the Goddess.
"Do we have anything magic that is round?" he asked.
"I have this prism shaped stone," Ursina said displaying what she found in the cell.
"No, we need something round," Gavril intoned.
"I will try this bead I found," Ciprian said moving forward. The bead was inserted into the slot but it was smaller than the slot and fell back out into Ciprian's hand.
"I am willing to change to gaseous form to enter the room," Ciprian announced.
"I will go with you, for protection," Erevel said.
The rest of the party was staying outside the area in case some other problem arose. Erevel and Ciprian took the time to turn gaseous and entered the chamber.
A large stone sarcophagus lay against the southern end of the chamber. Bas-relief carvings of celestial creatures being slaughtered or succumbing to orgiastic acts with infernal creatures covered the walls, except to the south. There, the carving depicted a bearded man standing majestically on the backs of a man and woman, while he pulled their heads back with collars attached to chains clenched in his fists. Erevel noted that there was no mechanism on the inside of the door while both shivered at the resemblance of the bearded man in the carving to Lord Avaric.
DM's Notes: The party earned 17,067 XP for the evening.
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