Dead Can Dance

The group silently appraised the ziggurat, taking in the fifty foot high structure covered in skeletons. Each silent guard stood at attention, spear in hand. Someone broke the silence, muttering “Maybe we shouldn’t mess with that”. For the first time since its inception, the party had reached a unanimous decision. Still, forward progress was required, so some experimentation was in order. Pix cast invisibility on T’Sai who then went to investigate the canyon. Thaminor moved ahead, testing to see what the skeletons’ reaction would be. While Thaminor moved into the canyon alone, the group began to follow some distance behind. Thaminor’s movements did not cause reaction but the statue continued to track the movements of the group.

T’sai returned and informed the group there was another way out of the canyon. He also stated there were no visible stairs or entrances on the ziggurat. The crow statue had fully turned to face the group once they had moved further into the canyon and were now on a different side of the ziggurat. Once the statue was done shifting, the entire skeletal assembly shifted on the ziggurat, placing themselves squarely in front of the party once again. There were no more questions about whether or not the skeletons were animate or not. The party decided to continue onto the other side of the canyon and what lay beyond. T’Sai, still invisible, went back to the ziggurat to get a closer look and see if he could find any secret entrances.

T’Sai’s search was unsuccessful although he returned to the group with the knowledge that the statue was being turned manually by the two giant skeletons on top of the ziggurat. The party pressed on into the next cul-de-sac and found a skeleton staked to the ground in the middle of this new area. There appeared to be two large crevasses in the walls affording new opportunities to leave the canyons. T’sai went ahead to scout while Thaminor and Sig examined the skeleton. In spite of being entirely bereft of any flesh, tendons or connective tissue; the skeleton was clearly intact, whole and for all intent looked like a body lying on the ground. Thaminor decided to try cutting it free. As soon as he came into contact with the skeleton, a wracking pain shot up his arm. Thaminor’s muscles twisted and his joints locked causing him to drop his dagger. The pain subsided but the arm remained unwell and appeared slightly withered.

T’Sai returned and informed the group the crevasse on the left led to a small cavern with two tunnels leading off of it. The crevasse on the right led to a branching tunnel with a hole in the floor and a unwholesome looking statue at the end of one of the branches. Naturally, the party had to see the statue. T’Sai led them back to the statue and began investigating it more closely. It was the likeness of an ugly, withered hag with a carved skull in one hand and a walking stick made of desiccated flesh in the other. The skull had a hinged top and when opened a small bat like creature sped off into the darkness. The skull also contained a key.

The party continued down the other branch of the tunnel and entered a large cavern. The cavern had almost no floor, just a large mist filled pit with the rib bone of some enormous creature set as a bridge to a ledge across the cavern. The small ledge had a second rib crossing the pit to the opening of another tunnel. Sig attempted to cross first but was accosted by ghostly forms rising from the mist when he was halfway across. Sig lost his balance and fell into the mists below. The mists prevented all sight and sound, leaving Sig’s fate a question in the group’s mind. After some experimentation with a long rope and a light spell, Sig was reunited with the party. He had fallen into a deep pit filled with bones. Eventually the entire group made it across and moved to the next room.

There they discovered yet another bone pile, this one had a red glow and smoke coming from within it. Thaminor began digging in the pile and promptly disappeared. Sig decided to do the same and also disappeared. The rest of the party eventually followed along and found themselves in a room with a statue of a six armed, snake bodied woman. In each of the woman’s hands was a rod with a skull on the end. Everyone heard a telepathic command to choose their fate. Thaminor selected one of the Skulls and the statue animated and attacked. Once defeated, the statue returned to its former state, with all six skulls in place. After much trial and error, resulting In Thaminor becoming transparent and some other unknown effects on others, the party finally made it back to the original room and took a much needed rest.