After a quick rest in the Troll cave our pedantic heroes realise, after Sarin tells them, that the notes they found imply that this is the entrance to the Obsidian Sanctum, one of the lost sanctuaries of Garak the Destroyer. Sarin explains that another Sanctum was found over twenty years ago and while it was filled with dangerous magical traps and bound guardians there was a huge magical library that made those that survived very very very rich. So with that in mind they passed through the illusion and ventured further down the passage.
It was clear that a skilled group had passed through here before, chalk markings warning of traps some already disarmed others with instructions how to avoid. They came to a stone door with a plaque reading “The First Gateway” the walls around marked with arcane symbols and once again Sarin informs the group that these markings confirm her theory on what the words required to pass the first guardians. With that they entered a large chamber with two summoning circles etched on the floor and mosaics on the walls. Two small beholder kin appeared in a flash of arcane energy demanding “What is the First Law of Magic” to which Sarin quickly replied “There is no Magic only energy and the forces that control them” the abominations were gone as soon as these words were uttered.
Examining the mosaics the normally quiet Hurn tells everyone how they depict the penultimate battle of the Thousand Eye War, albeit in a rather stylised fashion. They moved on down the next tunnel to a stone door with a plaque reading “The Second Gateway” and arcane runes on the walls around reading “The General that Lived” Hurn knowing that only one general lived through that battle was confident he knew the answer to the next test urged them on. A second room much like the first but with only one large summoning circle awaited them and with a surge of magical energy a great beholder appeared before them… before dropping to the ground a rotting corpse. This room was extremely damaged, parts of the wall seemingly disintegrated, scorched with fire, large patches of dried blood. The beholder did not die without a fight it seems, wasting no time Hurn started cutting into the corpse in the hopes that it had eaten something valuable while directing Durn and Sur Albert to hack of the least damaged eyestalks. There were mosaics on the walls but mostly destroyed.
Heading down the next hallway a powerful booming voice called out to them, welcoming such worthy warriors, Tam exclaimed that this was the same voice she had been hearing in the mine above. The advanced past the open doorway without pausing at the markings to enter a chamber like the last two only grander in scale in standing in the middle of yet another summoning circle stood a majestic angelic creature. Towering over even Durn clad in a huge mithral breastplate holding a glowing flaming great sword this bearded avatar of the Gods was extremely pleased to meet the party particularly Tam, who fights with a pure rage without hate, he spoke of how he was bound here and charged to protect this hall and longed for an honourable defeat so he could return to his God, introducing himself simply as Negan. Hurn took this opportunity to point out that it would be unlikely that they could beat such a might creature but the angelic creature just laughed throwing aside his armour and weapons and declared that he would fight them without any tools. Before anything more could be said Durn took this opportunity to attack while the creature was distracted. What followed was a deadly battle against a hugely powerful foe, even though they surprised him ,Sarin apologising even as she stabbed a blade in Negan’s back and he was disarmed this avatar of rage was hardly defenceless. Cheering on those that charged him head on and afflicting divine curses upon those that attacked from range or attempted to dart in and out of combat but even so Negan seemed to be holding back for most of the fight and near the end half the party were bleeding out, or in the case of Durn trying to fake it. Finally he was defeated and vanishing along with his discarded equipment, which caused outcries from the still standing adventurers, before reappearing fully clothed and seemingly unharmed. Nagan thanked them for their assistance even if half of them used cowardly tactics, raising his arms he cured most of their wounds and placing a hand upon Tam’s head he whispered a blessing. With that he was gone.
Before moving on the group took a moment to look around the room noticing a large number of damaged sacks and bedrolls and other camping equipment as well as a backpack with slightly glowing markings on it. Without waiting for everyone to rest up Durn and Sarin pushed forward through the large door marked “Obsidian Sanctum”
T.B.C