In this session, we explore the Synthetorium of Zandruul and discover something terrible, something that leaves our party weakened and defeated. We also experience the loss of several key characters.

It began once again in Seleb, which is like an “old west town”. It is a hamlet. The reason we are here is for Sapphira's quest, to find and retrieve a black scroll for her Order. While in town, we have learned of some local issues and agreed to assist where we can.

This session's cast of characters included:

- Avuín of Ulan, 4th level Human Ranger and his hawk, Sabre.

- Sapphira, 3rd level Human Paladin and whose holy quest we have undertaken, leading us south into the Badlands.

- Jedor, 1st level Human Paladin and Sapphira's loyal retainer.

- Galador, 5th level Human Fighter.

- Frido, 1st level Human Paladin, retainer of Galador.

- Keisial, 1st level Human Ranger, retainer of Galador.

- Fothas, 4th level Dwarf Fighter.

- Randimir, Half-Elf 5th level Cleric / 4th level Magic-User.

- Hendricks, Dwarf 2nd level Fighter / 3rd level Thief.

- Savina Lafey, Human 1st level Illusionist, currently invisible and has phantasmal armor.

During the downtime, Avuín of Ulan attained level 4 Ranger with another local Ranger named Tythis, whom he now owes 3,500 gp for a training loan. The previous boon with Melian the Ranger, in the city of Mombafra, will take a 4,050 gp discount the next time Avuín needs training.

Our party decides that we are heading back to the Synthetorium of Zandruul.

Galador asks around Seleb regarding any venomous wildlife in the area. He learns that there are only occasional snakes and spiders in this area but if we were to go into the Moors found in the west, there are more things to worry about.

The focus of this quest was based on a vision. Sapphira had this vision regarding a “black scroll” here at the Synthetorium of Zandruul and we are to recover it for her Order of Paladins. After we arrived in this hamlet, another local of Seleb also had a vision of a giant locust destroying the community. Perhaps this is a warning…

Due to the distance of Seleb from the Synthetorium, the town elder suggests we take light riding mounts to get there in one day and return without camping in the wilderness. He will let us exchange our heavier mounts for a riding mount to get to the S.O.Z. in one day.

The company of adventurers departs, and we make it to the Synthetorium in one day, this time however the outside appears quiet. There are remnants of a small circular fortress that was built around this place, at some point in the past.

Avuín scans the ground for any additional tracks coming and going from the entrance and he does find some. There are a couple of obvious harpy tracks, harpy talons, that landed nearby and milled about. Likely these were the same ones that escaped us the last time we were here about a week ago. There are also signs of giant insects, resembling large beetle tracks. Perhaps these are Stag Beetles.

Fothas brings out a torch and Randimir produces a Continual Light coin, Avuín's two-handed sword glows with a light out to 30' but he opts to keep his bow ready for now.

We make our way into the entrance and find a passage, much as we have left it. At the bottom of the passage is the large stone set on the left side, to the right is a door. Although we did see tracks outside, we cannot follow them inside. Rangers are unable to track a creature inside of a dungeon unless they have seen that creature recently.

Avuín, Galador and Fothas are set to open doors.

Just as before, we find two new exoskeletons of spiders, laying in the hallway, legs curled up and they are unmoving. They have the same green veins on them as well. Fothas throws an oil flask and it burns through the exoskeletons.

Just beyond this hall is a room with an ancient mural that predates the stone around it. The mural depicts stars and geometric lines. Such depictions as those that might be worshipped by heretics of the eldritch gods or the powers of space, beyond time. On Geb, there are only 17 real gods.

We go further down the hall, past this room with the mural.

The hall opens into another chamber and we find an elevated area with three statues. There are two columns that we can see toward the south side but the chamber continues on. We can see a door on the east side, made of gray wood. This area appears to be a big hall, the ceiling is approximately 40' tall.

The elevated area is about the shoulder height of a human (5' approximately). The statues standing on the elevated area depict warriors gazing south from the north side of the great hall. Each statue bears a sword and shield, their eyes squinted and lips parted as if in disgust. We see a spear lying on the ground, in front of the elevated area.

Although each statue has a different pose, they appear to be the same type of warrior, wearing matching helmets that cover most of their faces. We can't see all their face. Fothas, a dwarf and knowledgable about stonework, guesses that these statues were made around the same time as the great hall. That is, they are not a newer construction or form.

Randimir casts Find Traps and his spell detects a trap on the ground on the upper elevated level, like a hidden panel on the floor. The panel is flat on the ground, and not in the direction facing the spear seen on the ground below. He then pokes his head around the corner with his coin and sees that the hall continues down.

On the wall next to him, further down, is a big tapestry. It has black, purple and gold patterns; an abstract design. Randimir can see another tapestry on the other wall across the great hall. He also sees more spears upon the ground just past the first one we saw.

Avuín and Randimir start tying off the statues using rope. Randimir's Find Traps spell picks up another panel and a mechanism in the wall. He points it out to Avuín and the rest of the party and he is sure to step lightly around the panels.

Once we step further into the great hall, nothing happens. We head further south with Randimir to detect traps, moving quickly. We find a brief hallway ending in a door and another hallway on the east side without a door. Continuing south, there is another hallway with a door on the west side.

We get to the center of the room and examine the place more carefuly but find nothing, so we continue and head further down. On the opposite wall is another tapestry that mirrors the first two. All of these tapestries have stood up well, they are majestic in design. There are also more columns down this huge, long hall.

Just at the end of our light we can see the bottom of some stairs on either side of another elevated area. Another set of stairs goes down from a passage at the middle of the great hall, on the east side. We can see that it curves down at the end.

It is the last turn for Randimir's Find Traps spell and we must rest for 1 turn. The tapestries are very big and heavy but we determine that they could be quite valuable, possibly worth a couple hundred to 1,000 gold. They weigh 675 coins each. We leave them be for now, perhaps we can gather them on the way out.

We check out the stairs that rise up on the south end, to a raised area. We spot more doors on the east and west side, at the very end of the long hall.

There is a statue made of basalt of a form that is wearing a cowl. It's arms are outstretched toward ceiling and it wears a scroll case across the chest with a scroll that is long and thin, an hourglass in shape. It is not very practical looking but more ornate in appearance. We also find a decently sized jet gem in the center.

There is an inscription on the Plinth that reads:

“Synthetorium of Zandruul the Anointed, Bringer of Stars. You are lost, who enter yet were not Called.” - “Zandruul, Starscribe”

Sapphira, Fothas and Randimir go up to the statue. Fothas judges that it seems to have younger stone than the surrounding structure, it is more fresh and finely crafted. There is also some kind of solid, dried liquid substance on the palms of the statue. It is translucent, but has a white color to it. It appears to have dripped through the fingers and onto the plinth below, where there is staining from long ago.

Sapphira puts her hands on the hands of the statue and says, “I have been called.”

Nothing visually happens but she feels an uncomfortable connectedness, something about her nature as a Paladin is in conflict with the statue. Some kind of force within the statue is felt. Yet, nothing happens outside, physically. The substance on the hands does not come off when she touches it.

Moving away from the statue, we check behind the tapestries, tapping and checking for secrets. However, it sounds like walls are solid and we find nothing of note.

Avuín investigates the spears on the ground. They appear to be decent spears, such as we might buy in town. One has a black residue on the tip. Probably some type of poison.

One of the columns has a mark in it as if struck by a spear from the north side. There are no openings at the base of the pedestal or in the wall for the spears to be fired from.

We head down the stairs on the east wall passage at Sapphira's lead while Savina is trying to “sweet talk” someone into protecting her, probably Fothas.

As we head down the stairs, the smell of chemicals as if from a wizards lab arises from below. Savina and Randimir are able to identify those aromas. There is a faint sound of distant scraping, metal on stone, wood on stone and rattling noises. A cacophony of sounds from a big open area is heard: repeated, rhythmic steps and then suddenly, the sound of something climbing up a ladder.

We can't see the bottom of the stairs from our position so Randimir lobs a continual light coin down the steps.

Meanwhile, Avuín has his bow out and ready and Fothas steps up to the front line as our bulwark.

The light coin lands somewhere on the ground and it sounds like it slides for a bit. This is followed by the movements of hard footsteps, harder than boots on stone as if moving around and jostling. The sound suddenly stops and there is dead silence.

The group begins to move forward but Avuín suspects that the stairs may be trapped. He draws his large two-handed sword and begins tapping in front of the group, to find any trap triggers.

In the next moments, we hear the sound of an arcane incantation, spoken by a non-human voice. It sounds hollow and echoey. Once the incantation finishes, our group is effected by a Sleep spell despite these enemies not being in sight. It effects only 7 HD worth of creatures.

Frido, Keisial and Jedor are put to sleep. Hendricks is 90% resistant to sleep so it does not effect him.

Running up to the bottom of the stairs are several skeletons bearing swords.

Galador, Randimir and Hendricks can shoot and must hit AC 7. Randimir hits for 2 damage using his sling, which kills it! Hendricks also does 2 damage with his bow. There are a total of 12 skeletons coming up towards us.

Avuín misses with his two-handed sword. The enemies take their swing and Galador is missed, but Avuín takes 4 damage.

We begin to hear the sound of some language being spoken that we cannot interpret. The skeletons in the back of the group disappear and go somewhere else. The rest of the skeletons remain and they continue hacking away at us.

In the next round, Avuín is missed. Sapphira and Galador are also missed. Randimir starts to turn them.

Avuín strikes a return blow with his two-handed sword for 13 (halved to 7) damage. Now there are only two left and Avuín continues attacking.

After his previous turning attempt, Randimir begins to cast sleep toward the bottom of the stairs, but the enemies are unaffected. However, two of the skeletons flee from the turning!

We each get parting shots: Avuín strikes one for 3 damage, Galador hits for 4, Saphhira hits for 5 leaving ALL THE SKELETONS DESTROYED AT THE STAIRS!

We hear a sudden screeching in the distance and a very loud noise being muffled. This is followed quickly by a “screaming alarm” sound in the distance, a constant screaming noise.

Avuín attempts to continue tapping down the stairs as we go, moving at half speed, but the rest of the group barges past. He shrugs and joins the rest of the party up front.

The screaming noise continues and Savina hears from behind her the running of hard footsteps on stone. We then hear a spell being cast by a different voice. Two skeletons come from around the corner and engage the rear of the party. Meanwhile, the spell we hear finishes. Savina manages to wake up Jedor from his magical slumber, just as the skeletons engage.

The front line descend further down the stairs.

We come face to face with other skeletons holding their swords out. There are 8 of them.

We also see a 40' long giant locust suspended in the air by steel rods and beams. Beneath it is a pool that moves gently. Standing before the pools blocking the fighters are some more skeletons, each wearing a satchel that holds a small container at the waist. They also each have a pouch on their sides. Across the room are more skeletons.

A total of 6 skeletons are standing next to another group of 4 skeletons, but these ones have bones that shine like steel. In the back are more skeletons, from inside their mouths is a glowing blue radiance that swirls with energy.

Avuín takes a swing at one of the skeletons while a blue-mouthed skeleton speaks with an undecipherable voice. Randimir tries to turn them, but none are effected!

Galador attacks as well and hits one for 3 damage. Likewise, Fothas swings and does 6 damage, destroying it!

The spell being cast by one of the blue-glowing skeletons finishes, of which the 5 of them all appeared to be casting together. A Hold Person spell is unleashed and we must all save versus spell or be held. Avuín and Galador both make their saves but Sapphira, our front line Paladin, is HELD!

One of the blue-glowing skeletons runs up the stairs in the rear of the chamber, going out of our view.

We are attacked once again with two attacks against Fothas, both missed. Three attacks are made against Avuín, all missed. We fight them off for this round.

Randimir casts Dispel Magic on Sapphira.

Savina, while invisible, has moved into the southern corner of the room and can see under the giant locust. There is a big cavity that is wide open underneath it's thorax. It is a square cavity, open about 3' across. It is held open by steel bracers and Savina can see the locust's pulsing innards.

Avuín continues his attacks on the skeletons, despite their numbers, as the other 5 blue skeletons cast another spell. Once again, everyone that is down the stairs is effected by Sleep.

The 7 skeletons in the front line all attack but the two attacks on Avuín, Galador, Fothas, ALL MISSED!

Dispel Magic goes off and this effects Sapphira. She is no longer magically held! Luckily, her potions are not effected. At this time, another group of enemies move to engage us as 4 dwarf zombies join the melee at the top of the stairs.

We continue to damage the skeletons in the swirling melee as Fothas strikes again for 3 damage while Hendricks, at the top of the stairs, hits for 3. Frido also manages to hit for 1 damage, which destroys one of the skeletons finally. Galador takes his swing and strikes one for another 5 damage.

At this point, we realize that our henchmen cannot hold the line back at the stairs alone so we make the call to withdraw upwards. Avuín does a fighting withdrawal up the stairs while Randimir casts a Mirror Image spell on himself. Savina realizes she is not safe down in the room alone and moves back up the stairs.

We disengage back but the skeletons stay with us and the skeletons with the steel bones CHARGE! Avuín hits one of the charging steel skeltons and does 8 (4) damage. Galador also strikes a blow for 2 damage. Meanwhile, Avuín is missed along with Galador and Fothas as we hold the front lines.

Sapphira, no longer magically held, attacks and does 5 damage which destroys one of the skeletons. At the top of the stairs, Hendricks misses one of the remaining skeletons and so does Jedor.

Another attack against Avuín hits for 3 damage. Galador is struck for 3 damage while both attacks against Fothas miss. One of the skeleton misses Frido.

Of the 4 zombies, 2 of them are attacking Hendricks and the other 2 are on Frido. Hendricks is bashed for 8 damage which knocks him down to -3, narrowly escaping death but he is now unconscious and bleeding out!

Frido strikes back for 4 damage against one of the zombies, but it is not destroyed.

As we fall back along the stairs, we can just see the edge of the great locust's form. The loud screeching is still going and is heard in the distance.

Meanwhile, Savina manages to bind Hendricks's wounds. Avuín starts to attack one of the steel skeletons and Randimir joins the attack.

Keisial takes a hit from a skeleton, taking 5 damage. There are still 5 skeletons in the front line, and they are all attacking.

Avuín is struck again by one of skeletons in the front line and takes 5 damage while Galador and Fothas are both missed. The 4 steel skeletons are also in melee, attempting to strike and Avuín and Fothas are missed this time. Sapphira is also being attacked but she is missed but Galador takes another hit for 2 damage.

The fight continues and this time Avuín strikes a steel skeleton for 3 damage but it is not destroyed. Fothas's blade strikes true, another hit for 5 damage while the last skeleton on the stairs to the rear of the group is destoyed by Keisial!

Another round and Sapphira lands a blow for 4 damage, Randimir hits for 5, and Galador hits for 5 damage as well. We have destroyed two more and their numbers are dwindling! Keisial also manages to strike one of the zombies for 6 more damage, and it continues to attack, not destroyed.

At this point there are 3 steel plated skeletons left, 2 normal skeletons and 4 zombies. Randimir calls out to Sapphira to use her turning ability so Sapphira tries to turn undead this time and Randimir casts STINKING CLOUD. Fothas attempts to disengage, Avuín fights on and Savina moves up the stairs, past the zombies.

From the top of the stairs, there is another skeleton with blue light emanating from it's skull. It is wielding a sword but is not charging. Meanwhile, another group of skeletons moves into the light. One of the skeletons attacks Avuín and the other goes for Fothas, both missed. The steel plated skeletons also attack, two of them on Galador, one on Sapphira and they also all miss.

The four zombies at the top of the stairs make their attacks at the end of the round. Randimir casts his spell, unleashing a cloud of poison however, the skeletons are not effected by the poison. Avuín misses terribly but Frido hits a zombie for 4 damage, destroying it! There are only 3 zombies on Jedor and two of them hit. He takes 5 and 6 damage respectively, dropping him to -1. Jedor goes down and starts bleeding out!

Avuín continues a fighting withdrawal, attempting to attack a steel plated skeleton, should they continue to attack him.

Randimir does a fighting withdrawal and Savina empties a flask of oil and then attempts to light a torch. Galador and Sapphira are being attacked by the normal skeletons. Fothas, Sapphira, Avuín and Randimir continue to disengage.

Avuín moves up to attack the zombie group. Sapphira takes her swing, missing the skeletons. Fothas punches one of the steel plated skeletons, hits, and does 5 damage. Galador destroys a regular skeleton!

Another spell finishes from somewhere down the stairs. Galador, Sapphira, and Fothas are potential targets. It is Fothas that must save versus spells as a ray fires from somewhere below, but he saves and he is not Enfeebled!

Fothas is MISSED by one of the skeletons and then there are 3 attacks on Sapphira from the steel skeletons. Luckily she takes no hits.

Avuín is attacked and missed and 3 zombies attempt to strike Avuín, he is luckily missed by all of them! Randimir engages with the zombie fight while Savina moves over to a tapestry and rips it down.

The 4 skeletons with the glowing blue light disappear and one moves away non-magically, to places unknown.

Fothas is striking, once again, with his fists and manage to hit one of the skeletons for 5 damage, and destroys it! Sapphira hits a steel plated skeleton for 2 damage while Keisial continues to fight off the zombies and hits one for 5. It is still up. The return blows from the steel skeletons all miss.

There is only 1 skeleton remaining at the top of the stairs and one of the zombies strikes Keisial, causing 6 damage. Avuín kills one of the zombies after slashing it for 11 damage with his two-handed sword.

Back at the top, Savina attempts to roll up the tapestry.

Avuín attacks another zombie and deals 7 damage to this one while Frido stabilizes Jedor. Randimir strikes one of the remaining skeletons for 3 damage and then Keisial hits a zombie for 6, destroy another one!

On the subsequent round, there are 2 steel plated skeletons making both of their attacks against Fothas and both miss. The skeleton at the top of the stairs is on Avuín and it also misses. The 2 zombies attacking Avuín and Frido both miss as well.

Savina starts putting the rolled up tapestry in spilled oil near the stairs. Meanwhile, Avuín continues his attack against one of the zombies. The 2 steel skeletons are on Fothas, but both miss. The remaining skeleton makes a strike against Randimir this time and he is hit for 3 damage, and the attack misses both of his mirror images. Keisial is also missed in the swirling melee.

Avuín destroys yet another zombie after dealing 8 damage while the skeleton makes its attack against him, but luckily it missed! This is followed up when Avuín deals another 7 damage to the last remaining zombie, and it is DESTROYED!

There is only 1 steel plated skeleton left after Fothas destroyed one and Keisial hits for 3 damage. Still at the top of the stairs, fighting off the remaining rear attackers, Avuín deals 4 damage to the blue glowing skeleton, destroying it also.

Sapphira and Fothas destroy the one remaining steel skeleton, ending the combat for the time being.

Finally the screaming cacophony has stopped, and all the enemies now lie destroyed around us. Avuín starts smashing skulls to prevent these from being re-animated through magic. Savina started gathering some of the steel plated bones.

Keisial is healed by Randimir for 6 damage.

Avuín makes his way back to the giant locust in the room at the bottom of the stairs. We cannot reach it easily from outside the pool and the water inside the pool moves on its own.

Galador attempts to fire a crossbow bolt into the inside of the open cavity of the giant locust while Avuín climbs up onto one of the steel beams to get on top of the locust.

This giant locust resembles the one described in the vision of the resident of Seleb and it must be destroyed to prevent this creature from rising as some kind of monstrosity. Spreading oil into the carapace of the giant locust, Avuín lights it up and the oil catches fire. This immediately causes 14 damage to the thing and its head becomes engulfed in flames!

Immediately, all the steel beams begin to make a horrible cracking sound. The giant locust begins to move back and forth, as if coming to life. A yellow energy begins to form arcs between it's two antennae.

The creature is waking up and Avuín rushes to throw another flask at the head of the locust to try and burn it down before it can attack. The flask of oil strikes true and the creature takes 23 damage. It is going up in flames and Avuín has to get back to avoid them.

Suddenly the arcing yellow energy grows stronger between antennae and forms a great ball. An otherwordly beam shoots straight backwards striking at Avuín! The beam strikes him but his magic armor absorbs the energy (as he makes his saving throw just barely), preventing instant disintegration!

As the creature falls into the pool below, a splash douses some of the flames, cutting the burning damage in half. Avuín makes another saves versus paralysis to stay on top of the creature as it moves about.

Now the giant locust is totally mobile, having separated itself from the rods and beams it was previously connected to. Avuín is barely holding on to the top of the locust. Meanwhile, the party has mostly backed away into the staircases and are trying to drag some of the fallen out.

Avuín attempts to drive his two-handed sword into the back of the head of the creature while Randimir moves into the room to throw another flask of burning oil. The creature only takes 1 more burning damage as the flames begin to die down. Keisial is hit for 1 damage by the creature, luckily not a terrible blow.

Galador, seeing the danger to the party unfolding before him, charges into the pool. The giant locust has an AC 4. Galador strikes it and does 3 damage. From the back of the giant locust, Avuín makes his attack but misses against an AC 4 as the creature rocks back and forth.

The south door opens, and a blue energy skeleton appears. It peers over toward us and the ensuing fight while the pool begins bubbling and frothing violently.

“YOU FOOLS!”, the skeleton shouts as it watches the scene in horror, seemingly.

The giant locust fires another beam at Galador and he fails his saving throw. GALADOR IS OBLITERATED! At the same time the creature tries to throw Avuín off its back but continues holding on.

The locust is moving with great steps it manages to get toe to toe with Frido. Avuín attempts once again the force his sword into the locust creature and this time, he manages a solid strike, causing it to take 16 damage! Yet…the giant locust still lives…and turns its antennae once again toward Avuín on its back. This time, he is struck by the energy beam and vanishes into dust…Avuín is disintegrated.

At the same time, Frido is struck by the creature's bite and takes 11 damage, Frido is also killed! Despite a few Paladins amongst our number, the giant locust is not evil and the Paladin's aura of protection does not aid us against it.

The giant locust quickly turns to Sapphira who has moved to attack, and she suffers 10 damage from its dangerous bite. Sapphira attempts to stab the creature but her sword does not connect.

Another energy beam is fired, this time at Sapphira. Although the beam misses, it causes the area behind her where it connects with the wall, to explode and she takes 10 additional damage. It also makes an attack with its mandibles, a horrific scene unfolds as Sapphira is cut in half and she takes 21 damage! The Paladin's severed body falls to the ground, the quest unfulfilled!

The rest of the group realizing there is no hope against such a monster, continues their way up the stairs, away from the onslaught. There is a massive terrible crashing felt and heard. At this point, the party is gone as the structure of the underground room is collapsing in on itself. By the time that they get out into the sunlight, the room has collapsed entirely.

A moment later the giant locust bursts through the ground, the entire earth is upended. The ground splits open as the locust takes flight and flies off into the sky. It appears to be heading in the direction of Seleb.

The party pauses for a moment, trying to understand the gravity of the situation. Several party members did not make it out, Jedor's body did not make it out and Sapphira's remains are also buried…however, she is thought to have found a Ring of Regeneration…perhaps she still lives.