Gygax & Greyhawk Session #30 - The Wight Stuff

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 5)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 4 / Magic User 4)
Skeef Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 4/ Thief 4) 
Goro (Half Orc Cleric 4 / Fighter 4)

Date/Time

Harvester 2 mid-day to Harvester 3 mid-afternoon 

By-passing the statue and the tablets, the party turns left and passes a side chamber, its entrance draped in heavy dusty cobwebs. These are burned away to reveal a room full of ochre clay jars, along with other cobwebbed alcoves along the walls. The jars are largely empty (once filed with liquids and grave offerings), but in the alcoves are bodies. When Solcha disturbs one, all four rise to life. In the ensuing fight, the party takes a battering and are shocked to find their life force being drained away when hit. They retreat to the cave entrance where a trap of magic and fire are set, and the undead are destroyed. But by now Ranzel is barely able to walk due to weakness, so the party retreats all the way back to the chapel at the valley entrance to rest and recover. 

While the good heal as usual, life force is slow to return. But the party opts to charge back into the fray right away and return to the caves. They loot some treasure from an alcove overlooked by the form of a bearded man painted on the stucco, and explore a half-finished chamber where a charnel pit of bone and broken pottery fills the center. Beyond this chamber they find one with a quiet pool of water, in the bottom of which they find a green slime. This they scoop up into a canopic jar so they can search the pool. But alas to no avail, as nothing is found. A groups of zombies shuffle from the darkness to block the chamber entrance, but do not enter the room. A combination of the power of Heironeous and steel eliminate the threat, and the party moves on. 

They backtrack and continue past the bearded image into a large, low ceilinged chamber. It, like the first they encountered, is lined with bodies in alcoves, and with clay jars (this time grey rather than ochre) scattered across the floor. Disturbing one releases a choking cloud of spores and dust, but at least the body does not animate. To be sure, the party burns all the bodies, filling the chamber with smoke. They also fight another zombie patrol, which is dispatched like the first.

At the far end of the chamber is another exit, flanked by bowing, obeisant human figures painted on the rough stucco walls. On the opposite wall of the small chamber beyond are three statues; two rampant bears flanking a bearded man in robes, under which is concealed a great sword. Mindful of the spirit bear's warning, they approach cautiously.  Goro casts a silence spell as the riddle suggests sound may be a factor. Skeef approaches to check for traps, and notes the bears have eyes of yellow topaz, whereas the bearded man exhibits empty sockets. The thief tries to pry out one of the gem eyes, and is rewarded with a blast of flame and spray of acid from the two bear statues. And no gem. The angry Skeef then tries to stoneshape the statue mouths shut, but the magic of their creator is stronger than his ... 

GAINS

240gp of various grave goods and coin

KILLS/VICTORIES

4 Wight

2 Zombies

LOSSES

A lot of CON