After escaping from the Sphere of Annihilation, Sertieren clung to Balthasar’s cloak as the Daring Friends took a different route to one of the remaining tombs.
Along the way, they found a door behind which they heard women’s voices chanting. A trail of slime led under the door. Camwise sent his Arcane Eye beneath the door and observed the ritual taking place beyond. Half a dozen gowned women were singing around a fifteen-foot-high snail, which they appeared to be cleaning and grooming. When they entered the room, they saw that the women had no faces under their hoods. Admonishing the friends, the faceless women said the place was only for the house's servants. As a Blurred Balthasar advanced, Gruffudd cast Cone of Cold, but the snail protected the wraith women and they all resisted its effects. Camwise blasted them all with a Fireball. The wraiths flew to Gruffudd, surrounding him and trying to drain his life force. Dameron blasted the two wraiths and the snail with a Lightning Bolt, destroying one wraith. Advancing, the flail snail’s shell began to shimmer and reflect light around it, stunning Gruffudd. Rushing forward, Balthasar struck into the flail snail. Gruffudd disengaged and withdrew. Camwise blasted the wraiths with another Fireball and withdrew. Once again, the wraiths were all protected by the flail snail, and only two fell. The remaining wraiths chased Camwise, surrounding him and trying to drain his life force. Dameron blasted the three remaining wraiths with a Lightning Bolt, dropping one. Avoiding the snail’s flailing, Balthasar slashed into the flail snail, rattling it. Gruffudd blasted the two remaining wraiths with a Thunderwave, destroying one. Camwise cast Slow on the flail snail. The last wraith tried to drain the life force from Camwise. Swinging his morningstar, Dameron destroyed the last wraith. Advancing, the flail snail stunned Gruffudd. Balthasar stunned the flail snail. Camwise withdrew. Dameron smashed the snail with a Crushing Haymaker. The flail snail rose and flailed at Balthasar. Balthasar slashed into the flail snail, rattling and stunning it. Gruffudd flanked the flail snail. Dameron smashed it with his morningstar. The flail snail flailed at Dameron. Balthasar slashed into the flail snail and Gruffudd struck it down. Working together, they tried to harvest the snail’s shell, but Camwise misdirected them, and the shell was ruined, although Gruffudd was able to harvest a flail. Dameron examined the area and found a Ceremonial Mitre of Protection and Oil of Slipperiness. Moving on, the Daring Friends found one of the tombs. Old frescoes portrayed an endless crusade’s procession. Beyond a second door, they could see frescoes of holy warriors portrayed as saints. Above the door was a flowing banner with writing. Another door could be seen at the far side of the second room. Camwise cast Comprehend Languages and read the writing on the banner: “Your youngest and strongest will die by the sword.” Camwise detected a trap in the doorway to the anteroom, and Balthasar was able to disarm it. Entering the room, Camwise examined the frescoes: The first was Saint Gremulon the Decimator, a large, muscular man with a bare head. The second Saint Bonifacio the Cudgel of Heretics, carrying a large, bloody mace. The third was Saint Ygourne the Merciless, a bearded giant. The fourth was Saint Ignatz the Burner The fifth was Saint Fredebald the Ferocious, bearing a lupine expression. Iron doors appeared in the doorway as the room began to heat up, and emerging from the frescoes was a holy blade and Savaged Honour, a heavily armored holy warrior. Casting Bless, Dameron stepped in front of Sertieren as a holy blade flew through the air and slashed into him. Camwise stepped to the edge of the room. Casting Moonbeam, Balthasar engaged the Savaged Honour and slashed into it. Gruffudd used his staff to cast Freeze Area. As the holy blade sliced into him, Dameron quaffed a Healing Potion and hit the Savaged Honour with his Spiritual Hammer. Camwise Dispel Magic on a fresco, and the heat began to disapate. Using Grasp of the Storm on the holy sword, Balthasar used his Gaze of Conviction on the Savaged Honour slashed into it. A boulder flew out of the fresco of Ygourne toward Gruffudd, but was partially deflected by the druid’s Earth Barrier. Gruffudd cast Dispel Magic on the fresco of Gremulon but it had no apparent effect. Disengaging, Dameron smashed the Savaged Honour with his Spiritual Weapon. Gruffudd smashed the holy blade as it struck Dameron down. Camwise cast Mirror Image on himself. Using Grasp of the Storm on the holy sword, Balthasar slashed into the Savaged Honour. Bonifacio’s Cudgel flew out of the fresco toward Balthasar. A boulder flew at Camwise, which Balthasar helped partially deflect. Savaged Honour struck into Balthasar. Gruffudd cast Dispel Magic on Ygourne’s fresco. Camwise used his Healer’s Satchel to stablize Dameron. Balthasar struck into the Savaged Honour, rattling and stunning it. Gruffudd cast Heat Metal on the holy sword. The holy blade slashed into Balthasar. Camwise hit the holy sword and Savagaed Honour with Magic Missiles. Balthasar cut down the Savaged Honour and smacked the holy sword. Flanking the holy sword, Gruffudd smacked it. As the holy blade slashed at Gruffudd, it exploded from Balthasar’s strike. They revived Dameron with a Healing Potion. Beyond the next door was a domed room with a pool. The dome shimmered with starlight and was decorated with heavenly bodies. Camwise noticed that the stars were actually gemstones and read the words on the pool’s rim: The waters of renewal. After taking a drink, Camwise bathed in the pool and felt refreshed. Dameron followed suit and was also refreshed. When Balthasar and Gruffudd bathed in the waters, they felt a Bane overcome them. When they were done, they exited through another door which led down a long hallway to more knights' tombs and graves surrounded by golden mosaics marred by black mold and fungus. The eight grave entrances were decorated like barred gates and behind each was a sarcophagus marked by the symbol of a cross and a cup. At the end of the room was a double-bladed greataxe in an upright glass case. In another room to the south was an idol. The floor of the room was covered with a trail of mucus-like residue. In a room to the east was a large marble disk piled high with riches and held aloft by a dozen incredibly lifelike statues of small dwarves in chains. Inlaid in the disk were the words: To each hero, one treasure of far lands shall be the prize. Taking out his spellbook, Camwise began identifying the various treasures on the disk, including a staff, a horn, a helmet, a warhammer, a potion, two scrolls, two books, as well as chests filled with gold and gems and jewelry.
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