Ch. 1 - The Keep on the Borderlands

"Of course I can see it," snaps Kraagor, lying. "But you have a way with words, sorcerer. I would defer to you in this matter."

Looking past the others, Delfarious narrows his eyes in that preternatural gloom and speaks directly to the apparition. "Guardian! Do you seek to guide our safe passage here, or do you jealously guard some moldering treasure that lies beyond?! Speak, dark spirit! Give voice to your spectral warning so that of doubt regarding your intent — there is none!"

Fenna brings out a torch and lights it. She looks at Delfarious and Kraagor with concerned eyes when they mention an apparition. She unsheathes her sword by precaution.

Darlene draws an arrow and fits it into her bow, keeping the string loose, but ready for action should the need arise. She looks anxiously for the apparition.

The party can't see anything in the darkness beyond Fenna's torch, making it impossible to tell if Delfarious is speaking to a real entity or just empty air.

Delfarious scowls deeper when the figure he's beginning to suspect only he can see speaks to him. Suddenly, he's shuffling and squeezing past the others in the narrow tunnel, his girth making the effort a difficult one.

"Can you?!" he says to Kraagor as he slides past the dwarf, drawing a throwing knife as he goes. "Can you see the thing that tries to lure me to some horrific death?!"

And then, saying that, the illusionist hurls the blade at the apparition!

The knife disappears into the darkness, seeming to do no harm. At that moment, however, the spirit looms out of the darkness. Suddenly visible to everyone, it throws its hood back to reveal glistening white fangs set in the head of a fearsome black-furred creature, something between a jackal, a fox, and a greyhound. Its eyes glow the color of fresh blood.

"Fools, all of you!" it booms in its thunderous basso. "Try as you might, there is no fighting Death! You are not ready for what lies beyond! Soon I will come for you all, and I will not be so merciful!" With that, the being billows its black cloak and becomes one with the darkness. The party is once again alone in the hall.

Pee trickles down Delfarious's leg, thankfully beneath his rich purple robes. Hopefully the others will not see! But his face is also white with fear and his words fail him for long seconds.

"T-there! You s-saw that then?!"

Fenna shivers at the sight of the menacing figure. "I saw it alright!" she answers, trying to shake off some terrible memories.

"Nicely done, turning it against all of us. I thought you had a way with words, sorcerer." He practically spits out that last word.

"Now, let us delve forward and escape with our riches before it comes back." With that, Kraagor pushes forward!

Cowed by the phantasm, Delfarious says nothing to Kraagor or Fenna, but just resumes his place in the single-file marching order following behind the others.

Darlene chooses not to respond. In truth, she was as frightened as the rest of them, but she refused to let it show. Her face remains stoic.

Shaken but alive, the party continues east through the secret tunnel.After another 60' (making the tunnel 120' total), the shadow suddenly ends as if a thick black curtain had just been lifted. The party finds itself in a wide, shadowy chapel bathed in dim green light. The walls are draped from ceiling to floor in heavy black curtains, and in the center of the room are eight black marble pews in two rows. The pews are each 40' wide, and some hold motionless figures in black robes that are sitting or praying.

The green light is coming from four large incense burners, one in each corner of the room, each trailing a thick, sweet smoke. In fact, the smoke is a little too sweet. . . . The party starts feeling sleepy. . . .

Kraagor quickly takes a gulp of air, hoping to avoid sucking in any more of the toxic fumes

Darlene begins to backpedal out of the room.

Fenna moves back as well, trying to inhale as little as possible of the poisonous atmosphere.

The PCs who avoided the toxic fumes watch as Delfarious turns a concerning shade of white and collapses thunderously to the floor. Thankfully he's still breathing, but any attempts to wake him up will be in vain. He looks for all the world as if he's caught in a pleasant dream.

Kraagor leaps forward to try pulling out the sorcerer's bulk.