Part 13: Heading South by Sloth-West

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Maheen's fingers close around the golden stallictite. She eagerpy tugs as it but cant get it loose. She calls for help from Ezra who comes forward and yamks the gold free of the chair. Maheen examines it amd estimates that its purity is quite low but the amount of it could bring in a small fortune.

Unable to resist Maheen the reaches out and touches the mummy setting off the ward that was cast upon it. Two demons appear and Arcandur is shocked and disturbed by the creatures. Everyone else jumps to action and begins to fire on the creature. Arrows and bolts from Arcandur and Maheen hit them and ignite from their firey flesh but seem to damage the creatures. Alena’s swords do not catch fire but cuts the first creature down. The second creature also receives a volley of arrows and bolts but only Maheen's hits. Alena and Ezra wade into the battle and soon the creature falls. After a moment the two bodies disappear in flames. Arcandur puts a crossbow bolt in the mummy to be sure it is dead.

While the party discusses this and examines the gold Arcandur moves over to where he heard rushing water flowing beyond the stream. Stepping into the stream he drops into the stream and swims under water for a few meters before emerging into another chamber.

The stream flows from one end to the other of this dark chamber, entering and exiting through low, wide natural passages at the south and north end of the room. Five more statues stand here, although these are not like the others you have seen. Instead of wise or peaceful expressions, they look distinctly sinister, with harsh scowls or unsettling leers. They are also shown in what seem to be wizards’ robes, and each carries a large scroll tube.

Arcandur examines the scroll tubes and discovers the Scrolls of Moz. He cannot read them but places them in a scroll tube. He examines his book and sees images of these wizards commanding armies and crowned as kings. He decides to exit via the waterfall and falls down a meter and a half into a large pool of water.

The rest of the party grab what they can of the gold and meet up with him outside the cavern. The party then decides to head off back towards the boat.

The journey through Kal Ne Moz is uneventful and the party follows the road to the swamp. Alena takes point and negotiates the tiresome terrain. At one point she becomes disorientated but manages to find her way back to the road. The water is waist high and the going is tough but eventually the party make it through the swampy land and out the other side. They resume following the road.

After an hour or so they hear the sound of a horn in the distance and then notice noises coming from a nearby cave. Two beastmen begin dragging out an Abominable Ground Sloth by some ropes. They are struggling to control it and the party decides to hide to attempt to avoid being detected.

The sloth soon starts to overwhelm the beastmen and one and then the other is killed by the giant creature. It then spots Maheen and enraged begins to move towards her. The party decide its time to make themselves scarce and make a hasty retreat. The sloth pursues them.

The party start to outpace the sloth and then Maheen stumbles and is nearly set upon. She gets up and keeps running but it is on her heel. The party begin to out pace it again but then once again she falls and this time it reaches her. A swipe of its hand and she is knocked back ten feet and onto the ground, seriously injured. The rest of the party stop and the battle commences.

Alena dives into the fray to try and distract the giant animal from Maheen. She swipes with her swords each one hitting and doing damage to the creature. Arcandur lets loose with his crossbow and a concoction that he has specially brewed causing fire to to engulf the beast, catching it alight. Ezra stabs at it with his rapier digging into its leg.

Maheen decides that the best move here is to reach into her pouch and throw her ballbearings beneath the feet of the Sloth. Its a gamble, but it works. The creatures leg falls from underneath it and it is now prone. The party takes the opportunity to really assail it. More fire is cast by Arcandur. Ezra and Alena strike it as hard and fast as they can.

Unfortunately when the beast gets to its feet it manages to strike Alena. She flies back 10 feet as the monstrous arm hits her like a tree trunk. She is knocked prone and crawls away to avoid the creatures wrath. At that point Ezra decides it might be best to flee as well and moves off into the bushes. Maheen decides to retry her tactic and throws her ballbearings again with resounding success. The creature is once again knocked prone and the party assails it again. This time it is too much for it. The creature takes its last breath and slumps to the ground dead.

Alena then slumps to the ground as well. Attempting to go into a trance...