Campaign Date: Tul 16, MD 1,323 to Tul 21, MD 1,323

Characters:
Jack Mlegzabounce, human monk-12, LN Toby Miller
Corian the Awakened, human cleric-12, LG Chuck Tillinghast
   The Shrew, human rogue-4 wizard-7, NG cohort
Dathiest the Vain, elf fighter-12, CN Justin Fernandez
   Titus the Songster, elf bard-7, N cohort
Gabriel, halfling rogue-11/ranger-1/fighter-1, CG NPC
   Zeitgeist, faerie dragon sorcerer-10, CG NPC
Nebuchenezzar of the Unnamed One, human sorcerer-11, NE Andrew Smith
Iscariot the "Laughing Gnome", gnome wizard-8, loremaster-5, CG NPC

Log:

After healing all those affected by the Manticore Lord's experiments, Corian, The Shrew, Jack, Dathiest, Titus, and Gabriel were returned to Bronas by the teleporting powers of Nebuchenezzar and Iscariot. There, the group rests for a day or so while Iscariot tells them that he knows the location of the final artifact of Ambitrax. Apparently, it is kept in some kind of vault on the disappearing island of Munt. Iscariot predicts the appearance of the magical isle, and shadow walks the party there once it appears.

The group appears before a small ten-foot featureless building with a single door. Gabriel checks for traps on the door and one is found. After disarming it, all enter with the exception of Gabriel who is left behind to guard against the occupants returning.

Inside, the group finds a much different place. The small house was actually a planar door to a much bigger construct. The room the characters enter is over 100' square. It is lit with magical light spells. In the four corners, statues of robed men and women stand on pedastals. On the floor along the sides of the walls are carved arcane symbols that none of the spellcasters can decipher. In the center of the room stands a featureless, seamless, stone humanoid figure. The characters enter, and two of the robed statues become flesh and levitate down to the characters. "We have been expecting you", they say. "We will give you the final artifact, but first you must pass the test!" The two robed figures produce a diamond the size of a halfling's head and crush it with their bare hands above the featureless humanoid. Four tentacles spring from its back and it begins to lurch toward the heroes. The two robed figures levitate back to their spots in the corners and turn back to stone.

The characters engage the tentacled construct slowly at first. Dathiest swings his magical longsword at the beast, only to find that it sucks the magical energy from the weapon. Tentacles fly, and drain the magic from all items they touch. What's more, apparently this monster is able to gain power from all magic it absorbs. Memorized spells, already cast enchantments, magical items, everything magical is absorbed by the beast and released as energy bolts that it fires back at the heroes.

After what seems like an eternity, the heroes start to weaken the creature using their (now non-magical) weapons. Almost all magical items were ruined and spells gone when the final blow was struck and the construct melted into a black puddle. Inside the beast was the final artifact -- The Flute of Contagion. The group takes their prize and retreats back to their Bronas hideout before Munt slips away again.

That night as most of the group sleeps soundly from the battle, Dathiest walks the halls of the heroes' flat knocking his companions out or attempting to slay them outright. Eventually, he collects all the seven artifacts and steals away from the group with the help of a huge bat-winged humanoid with scaly skin that danced with flame. The living party members managed to heal those almost killed by the ambush. The group then made plans to hunt down and kill Dathiest. Scrying put the villian back in the Citadel of Time where the entire misadventure all started, however they see Dathiest with several new and powerful magic items. A shield of inky blackness, a nasty-looking trident, a suit of platemail adorned with screaming faces, a burning mace, and a black helmet with horns. The group knows they are in trouble now.