Session 45

The party proceeds down the hallway and finds a large chamber with two thick pillars with recesses in them where there are a large number of bones ceremoniously piled and more than two dozen alcoves in the surrounding walls housing the remains of ancient Dwarves who look mummified due to the embalmment process. They also see two small altars with murals above them -- one depicting various Dwarven craftsman, and the other depicting various Dwarven warriors with a shadow approaching over the horizon. They find several items on display on both altars that seem to be the works of their most prized craftsmen and women and weapons and magic items wielded by their warriors. Nyxmare finds a bracelet that is distinct from the rest because of its odd blue tint, and decides to swipe it, along with several other pieces of jewelry. Dain ritual casts Detect Magic and gets a STRONG aura from the items on the altar below the mural of the warriors and begins to attempt to identify one of the items when Nyxmare's greed causes several Dwarven Draugr to awaken and attack the group. It is a hard fought battle, and Nyxmare is nearly killed, but the party prevails.

After the battle, the party, during their rest, identifies the items, learning that they are a Staff of Fireballs, Wand of Protection From Energy, Wand of See Invisibility, Ring of Protection +2, and a Bracelet of Necrotic Resistance.

After taking a long rest and leaving the chamber, the party decides to return to base camp above ground to see why Evaryan hasn't joined them yet. They find Ferel alone at the camp, who tells them he followed them in hours ago with his assistant. The party scrambles back down to the catacombs to search for Evaryan. They press further into the catacombs and find the mortuary, whose doors are slightly ajar, with the flickering light of a torch coming from within. Summer sneaks in and finds Evaryan and his assistant on the ground, not moving. After confirming they are alive, she returns to the party and brings them with her to drag their bodies back outside, but in coming back in, she notices something she hadn't before -- the form of a person near one of the murals, who turns to look at the group.

A decayed humanoid figure who introduces himself as Orick greets the group after Summer initially tries to bargain with him, saying they want to just leave unharmed, and seems just as confused as them, not taking responsibility for Evaryan's state, though suggesting the sight of him may have done it. The party questions Orick and learns he is a servant of Estrea and a minor scholar / archaeologist. He tells them what is depicted on the murals and writings, telling the story of how 12,000 years ago, a civilization of Dwarves in Arak collapsed after being attacked by Voidspawn, and tells the party that he knows they are familiar with the creatures. He tells them it was before his time, but that there were quite a few Dwarves in residence on Arak after migrating from Reshyk thousands of years ago.