Jason was absent for this session, so I played Ansis as an NPC. That’s a practice I try to avoid, but the party was deep into the first level of the dungeon, so coming up with a reason for Ansis to depart and be replaced was difficult.

The heroes had just dispatched a group of zombies at the end of the last session. We started the night with Eric volunteering to be the group’s cartographer, so he and I mapped out where they had been so far. The party looked at the map and decided to go south. I described the hall full of sarcophagi with draconic inscriptions. Ansis was the only one who could understand the language, so I handwaved it as a generic benediction for those who died in service to Bahamut (the module did not specify what the inscriptions said).

I also informed everyone of muted clicking and scratching that came from within the sarcophagi. The party spent some time inspecting the first sarcophagus before Day decided she would open its lid. She failed her first Strength check, so Kiran came over and helped. They shoved the lid off and discovered no opening or indentation. The interior was solid stone.

Day opened up a few more sarcophagi with the same result. Unable to decipher the mystery the group proceeded further into the hall. As they reached the second to last pair of sarcophagi, the remaining lids slammed open and skeletal warriors flooded into the hall. Galin made good use of his scorching burst, while Ansis radiant attacks seemed to misfire more than they hit. Kiran fired off a couple of his immediate reaction powers that gave Day retroactive bonuses to her attacks, allowing her to hit when she initially missed.

Splug found himself scorched and slashed during the encounter. I’ve been keeping him from an active role in combat up to this point. His excuse this time was that crossbow bolts tend to fly straight through skeletons (though Kiran’s bow attacks contradicted that).

The sarcophagi kept disgorging two new skeletons every round, keeping the heroes busy for five rounds. Galin decided he was going to charge one of the sarcophagi in an attempt to break through. His action was rewarded with the loss of a healing surge as he bounced off the cold, hard, solid stone. I’m sure this incident will come up again when the eladrin will be most embarrassed.

The last of the decrepit skeletons fell, and the group pressed forward to the shrine of Bahamut. A cursory examination of the area was made (Arcana checks were made on the dome mural to detect the source of the silvery light) before everyone moved to the double doors. Ansis again was enlisted to read the inscription on the altar. I also made a show of moving the mini for Ansis around the altars, but decided not to roll for Perception. None of the other players bit.

When everyone was ready, Day opened one of the doors. I described the coffin on the dais. Taking a cue from the inscription of the altar, the party encouraged Day to get on her knees as she approached the coffin and offer praise to Bahamut. DeeAnn demonstrated (on carpet, fortunately for her knees), eliciting giggles. No response came, however, so the group entered. Ansis and Gullyven hung back while Galin and Kiran joined Day on the dais. Kiran wanted to open the coffin, but Day protested the desecration. Ansis echoed Day’s warnings. Kiran and Galin ignored them and grabbed the lid. Day promptly plopped herself down on top of it. The boys rolled their Strength checks…

And the lid blew off on its own. Day tumbled to the ground and the other two stumbled back. A skeletal figure in plate armor rose from the coffin, brandishing a longsword and threatening those who would seek to open the rift.

So began the skill challenge against Sir Keegan, which I will cover–with the rest of the session–in another post.