Session 45

==Members==
*Carter Farowan
*Fitz
*Grimweld
*Henderbeard
*Qesnef
==The Adventure==
We started the adventure with Fitz getting a message that Qesnef was back.  He headed back to the tower to meet up, and while there, a fighter from Galaq who escaped from the bad army before being turned into a werewolf.  After questioning, Fitz was assured that the new fighter was not a werewolf, and let him in.  Realizing that they may have difficulties in the Black Realm, Fitz led the small party to Naluun Tower, in search of the Scarab of Dablak, a dwarven artifact of great power.
The tower was as nasty as usual.  The stench of dead bugs and decomposing carapaces accosted everyone's nostrils. Ignoring the sign that said, "If you don't have six legs you're in the wrong place!", the party headed in. Moving to the second floor, they faced their first challenge of the day. A room full of fat 10 foot long worms. The worms were easy to hit, but had a nasty venom that paralyzed its victims. Carter spent a lot of time on the ground. Qesnef finally managed to fly above the reach of the worms, and then Fitz did as well. The fight was soon over, but it had taken a toll. Carter was so full of poison that he almost developed an immunity to it (He rolled an amazing number of nat 1's). 
The Third floor was covered in dead insects, shells and bug dung a foot deep. Fitz noticed an ant swarm and the party skipped that floor, to fight a huge beetle on the fourth floor. The fight was easy enough, but when Carter tried to disect the beetle to see what it had in its belly, he inadvertently ruptured the poison sack and almost stunned the whole party. While this was going on Grimweld and Henderbeard joined the party. Being poisoned was an ill fated omen of things to come.  
A yell from the paladin brought swarms of ants. They got into clothes, armor, and packs. Carter had stoneskin, and try as they might, the ants could not damage him any further after their initial attacks. Fitz stoneskinned up and the fight was on. Floods of ants crept up the stairs toward the group. Carter fell through the rotten floor to the level below, and had his own fight. In a stroke of genius, Grimweld, washed away all the ants from the stairs and Henderbeard made bug ice cream. Fitz mopped up stragglers, while Qesnef and Carter killed the ants that crawled all over them.
Moving up to the fifth floor, the party encountered Rust Monsters. These were bigger and harsher brothers of the previously encountered rusties, but were easily overcome. Grimweld sheathed his falchion, and attacked with other weapons. Soon all were killed. Then they split the party ...
Grimweld and Ftiz (Was it Fitz who stayed?) stayed on the fifth floor while the other three explored the ant room. Grimweld and Fitz were surprised by phase spiders. Grimweld teleported away and Fitz ran down stairs. A spider followed Grimweld and they dueled it out on the grassy entrance, while the rest of the party timed their attacks to coincide with the appearance of the spiders. Reducing the effectiveness of second and third attacks made this fight a difficult one. Soon magic missiles, ray of frosts, and attacks brought down the first spider. The rest soon fell. All the while the paladin was getting creamed downstairs. All told, he lost 11 points of constitution.
The party bravely fought on though. Moving to the next floor, the party encountered Tayla, an Amazon princess from the town of Rulaan. She advised them of a beholder living on that level. Itching for a fight, the party attacked. It got in a surprise eye ray, and the fight was on. Carter was chopping off eye stalks left and right and managed to blind the beholder. The fight was quickly over after that. henderbeard ducked eye rays, and the beholder could not hit anything.
Tayla headed downstairs to console Grimweld in his weakened state. They stayed together until the party could reunite with Grimweld. He now has a friend with the Amazons.
Moving onto the eighth floor, the party encountered the leader of the insects of Naluun. A Rakshasa and her dwarven henchman. The fight was difficult and frustrating for the magic users. Henderbeard's spells splashed and the dwarf rained arrows on the party. The fight ended quickly though. In the trapped chest, they found the item they were looking for. The holy scarab of Dablak.
The party was still up for a fight.  Henderbeard, Grimweld, Carter, and Qesnef pushed on and headed back to the Black Realm.  Grimweld was nearly turned to stone as they encountered a huge basilisk.  Everyone averted their eyes, and Henderbeard kept doing damage, so the basilisk disengaged and started attacking him.  Henderbeard kept it at by by touching its face and blasting it with cold.
A short while after they killed it, the party encountered a huge snake.  It spoke to them and wanted to eat Grimweld.  As the conversation dragged on, the snake got frustrated and attacked.  Then the unthinkable happened.  Grimweld's falchion caught a scale and broke.  He was downtrodden.  His precious Vandehay was now a flaming dagger. The loss was almost too much for him to bear. He pressed on and the party happened on a pair of mating black dragons. The male showed off and tried to bring individuals back to his mate for her to eat. She steamed Grimweld and almost ate him, but he got away. Then he dropped, but was revived by Henderbeard. A few times. The male fought to the death, but the female escaped. They skinned the male and headed out. 
Moving ever closer to the black pyramid of the realm, the party encountered a strange hag. Carter was about to attack, but Grimweld gave her a hug. Although he sensed her evilness, he thought she may need comforting. In repayment, she raked his back with her claws and sucked out his energy. Grimweld dropped to level 15. The rest of the party attacked in earnest. Each remaining member in turn losing a level. It was a heavy price to pay, but after things ended, the hag was the only thing dead on the battlefield.
The fight was too much for Grim, and he retired. It was not his day. Pushing on the remaining three went to the pyramid and found a strange creature. Silcharde the Black was sitting on his obsidian coffin, the was contemplating his realm. "Leave!", he shouted, "Or I will destroy you!" The party did not leave. He questioned them, "Very well then. Tell me,
wise ones, is this world a manifestation of my will or merely my idea?" He was clearly deranged. A sign of too many years of residing in his own realm as a demigod.
Needless to say, combat soon broke out. Silcharde attacked relentlessly. The mage's spells were resisted. Silcharde brought in ravens to disrupt his enemies, but they were soon dispatched by Henderbeard. The fight was hard. Only with the help of potions of heroism and healing potions did the Henderbeards pull through. Silcharde was lain to rest. In his coffin, they found the lead triangle, the symbol for the Black Realm. The trip back to the henge was uneventful, and that is where we leave our adventurers.
==XP==
This session was rough.  Henderbeard, Grimweld, Qesnef, and Carter all lost 1 level.
Session XP: 20,000
Total XP:
Qesnef: 190,000 - Level 15
Henderbeard, Grimweld, and Carter: 230,000 - Level 16
Everyone else: 250,000 - Still Level 16
==Loot==
Delatna
24 topaz (100 gp each)
10 Black diamonds (10,000 each)
Basilisk egg
Holy Scarab of Dablak
+3 Obsidian Elven Scalemail.  On uttering the word 'Nalgene', this armor glows bright light for 10' and dim light for 20'.  It is somehow closely linked with a strong prophesy, and needs fresh blood applied daily to function.
Black Dragon leather - Enough for a set of armor and a cape.