Postgame A42

Week 42: Tomb of Horrors, Part 4

(Day 292)

When we left off...

Cogswell’s expert/random poking opened a secret door beyond the throne. Before the party would proceed, however, Mungo decided to plumb the depths of room 27; a short hallway with a number of shield and swords pairs mounted on the wall. This proved to be a (near) fatal mistake, and Mungo was (mostly) pulled out of the room by Ironforge James’s whip.

The Urn in room 30, when unstoppered, released a genie - though none of the hardened adventurers could soften its heart. Attempts to intimidate it into revealing secrets of Armok’s clues caused the sorceress Kathra to vanish to locations unknown. In a seemingly unrelated set of occurrences, a large statue was drug out of position, and the room’s sarcophagus began to slide open. Merrid the Quick (thinking, not speaking) hauled his riding slug up onto lid to contain its animated contents, and held it in place while Geo applied sovereign glue as a more permanent solution to the mummy-apparent. Minutes later, Kathra suffocated to death inside the sarcophagus.

The real, final, actual tomb was discovered in the next hallway, at 32A. Ironforge James, the only one brave enough to handle the Key of Antipathy, spun and spun the key in different directions, even after he decided that the spinning was not going to end well. Turning the key clockwise three times did cause the mithril-sheathed tomb to rise from the ground... rapidly... smashing him (but not his hat) into the ceiling above.

The final tomb contained the body of Armok Gravelfighter, True King of Frostholm. Light forensic work showed that he bleed out from a leg wound before he was able to finish his demi-litch construct... made from some very expensive gems, and an animated skull named Morte (who the party rescued). While exiting the tomb, Merrid fell down a pit trap and was crushed by his slug. The slug... may have survived.

In a final set of negotiations outside the tomb, the Heroes of Frostholm managed to negotiate keeping the various treasure found in the dungeon, along with the crystallized Light of Civilization... in exchange for the chest full of “gems”, and Armok’s crown.

Around town...

New Gravelton announced success in finding the final resting place of Armok Gravelfighter, and have recovered his crown and treasure. “This crown is proof that Cneh Gravelfighter, and now Kirner Gravelfighter, is the true heir and ruler of Frostholm”.

For his bravery in the Tomb of Horrors, Geo was granted knighthood by New Gravelton. The “Shovel Knight” plans to construct a keep on the island where the Tomb of Horrors is located. He’s also apparently selling branded shovels, with quartz chips in the handle. “I have a lot of quartz chips...”.

Cogswell, feeling emboldened, plans to set out to the west into the Frozen Wastes. There are rumors that the once grand Redgate Prison made it through the storm... and he feels qualified to delve into it.

Ironforge James was spotted back in New Gravelton. While his friends were sure that no one could have survived the impact he was subject to, he simply explained that he disappeared into his extra-planar chillbox. He would like his hat back.