Campaign Date: Rep 21 - Rep 23; Imperial Year 221

Characters:
Gutboy Barrelhouse, dwarf barbarian-3, CG Christopher Vedder
Apotheosis, elf fighter-1, LG Christopher Vedder
Dominus, human wizard-3, LN Michael O'Neil
Fusilade Leviticus, gnome rogue-1, CG Michael O'Neil
Deadeye, half-orc fighter-1, N Kevin O'Neil
Pishogue, elf witch-1, NG, Kevin O'Neil
Tenacious Backbiter, halfling rogue-1, CG Kevin O'Neil
Grimjob, half-orc fighter-1, CN Kevin O'Neil
Infernus of the Flame, human cleric-1, CG Adam Vedder
Crom the Ogre, human barbarian-1, LG Adam Vedder

Log:

A recent expedition into the wastes of the swamp known only as the "Tale-O-Nine" after an ancient tale of nine brave adventurers has uncovered the lost tomb of the Acherousian master Jael Arachnos. The spider etchings and frescoes point to the complex belonging to the former witch-king master of the Southern swamps. The complex is shaped like a skull, with two eye sockets and a fanged and mandibled mouth like a spider's. Tordek gathers a very special strike force led by Gutboy Barrelhouse to storm the forgotten tomb looking to end the threat of any restless undead crawling from the tomb.

The party enters the tomb through the mandibled mouth hole. However, this entrance proves to be a trap. The heroes just escape it, with Fusillade narrowly rolling beneath the doors as they threatened to seal him off and asphyxiate him.

The next entrance the heroes enter is not as threatening. Artwork still adorns the darkened corridors of the witch-king's final resting place. However, the heroes find evidence that the tomb has been used recently. They proceed with caution. Two giant spiders attack the group. They fight the spiders off, but Deadeye is poisoned. The party explores a room with two sarcophogi. They throw the lids back to reveal two undead beasts who rise and tear at the group. Fortunately, they survive. The party splits up, and Crom, Pishogue, and Deadeye are sucked through a door and lost within the tomb complex. The rest of the heroes are forced to flee and rest.

Joined by Tenacious Backbiter and Grimjob, the remaining heroes again enter the tomb the following day. Inside they encounter and engage a living resident of the tomb. A lone necromancer had taken up residence, and as the heroes approached his lair he ordered his undead minions to attack. The necromancer also commanded a stout and powerful six-armed skeleton that nearly ripped Gutboy to shreds. Before the battle ended, Fusillade and Grimjob lay dead.

Luckily, the adventurers encountered Pishogue, Crom, and Deadeye again. The heroes pushed on, into a large room with four of the six-armed undead warriors, several skeletons, and a host of other restless dead. Many of the heroes were overpowered and pulled deep within the tomb. Tenacious, Crom, and Pishogue all lost their lives in the tomb before the rest of the heroes were able to narrowly escape with their lives.

Upon returning to the tomb the following day, the heroes found it empty save for some evidence that Jael Arachnos was no longer dead. Moreover, the heroes uncovered plans of the unholy witch-king to raise the dead in an ancient battlefield to do his bidding. Aware that time was of the essence, the heroes returned to Fort Trefrey with haste to inform Tordek and get reinforcements to try and stop the diabolical plan.