Stonehell: Questions... Lots of questions...

Session 28 was also played on 2/19.

Wilhelm, drunk Dwarf 5 (Julia)
-Helmut, war dog
-Xerxes, Human Fighter 1 (Henchman)
-Yolanda, Human Fighter 1 (Henchman)
-2 torch bearers (Z, A.A.Ron)
-6 men at arms (O, T, U, W)
Nilbog Dracon, human wizard 2 (Matt)
Eiric, wizard 1 (Kat)

Stayed in town
Tink, a pretentious Elf (but I repeat myself) and former barkeep (Hanna)
Shelly, a vegetarian recovering alcoholic halfling Thief 3 (Nadia)
Frank, halfling 1 (Emily)
Yaqen, elf 1 (Shaun)
Leroy, human fighter 3 (Mike)
Sarin the Ugly, Human Fighter 1 (Josh)
??? (Laural)
Unnamed, Elf 1 (Nicole)
Karlaih, Human Thief 5 (Mollie)

As our usual Friday night game got shifted to Sunday, we started earlier, and decided to keep going after playing our usual amount of time. Since the characters had made it back to town, I gave them XP, and then we continued as if they'd rested and recovered from their previous run in the dungeon.

While restocking in town for their usual supplies they stopped by the local jeweler, Boss Ogo, to pick up a chunk of quartz for Rocky.

The journey to the dungeon, and into it was uneventful, but on the way to Rocky, they spotted, and were spotted by a group of the Ghost Beggars with their distinctive yellow and black checkered cloth. Both groups decided to avoid contact and continued on their own ways. At Rocky's, they gave him the quartz, and then asked their questions:

Q: Where exactly in stonehell is the magic school?
A: In the sacrificial chamber of Galishma, now defiled in the second way, jump the pit to find the door"

Q: Can we ask you a second question
A: Yes

DAMMIT!

Q: What is the exact path to get to the school safely?
A: There is no safe path.

Annoyed at both Rocky and themselves, they head back to the Korners, and spend a day sulking over mushroom beer, and then return to Rocky the next day.

Q: What is the safest route to get to the sacrificial chamber?
A: *Long string of cardinal directions*

Q: Is the wizards school located in this or another level, and which?
A: This level

Q: Where is the key to the great stone doors (27)?
A: In the heart of a shattered hero.

The party spends a while discussing the answers they've gotten so far, and then head out toward the Contested Corridors. While exploring a stone colored toad popped out of a pile of rubble and attacked, its tongue wrapping around Nilbog's neck. Wilhelm charged in and swung his ax first severing the tongue and then cleaving into the toad's skull.

Deeper into the halls, they come to an octagonal chamber painted with scenes of a hot dry desert, and containing a statue of a sphynx. Inscribed on the statue's base were unreadable runes. Nilbog used "Read Magic" to decipher them, and when Wilhelm threatens to smash it, he calls out the statues name, and she speaks her riddle.

"People are hired to be rid of me, I am often under your bed. In time I'll always return you see; bite me and you're dead."

Unable to come up with the answer, the party tries to leave, and is blasted by hot sand. Someone yells out "mold!" and the party is again blasted by sand. Wilhelm hefts his pickax and smashes the statue. The injured and fallen are gathered up, and everyone heads back to the Korners to recover.

Gains:
Kills: 1 toad
Losses: