They also study the seeing orb, but leave that on it’s stand within the original vault. It is heavy and a burden even for Tyrus.
They discover a concealed door behind broken plaster in the second antechamber. Initially they are careful preserving what history they can, but they soon abandon this as it is time-consuming being they are not ancient historians. Knowing they have no realistic alternative, they use the cleric’s mace like a sledgehammer smashing plaster on all the walls indiscriminately. They find hidden doors to the southeast, southwest, and northwest.
The southeastern secret door leads through a pair of smooth metal panels that slide open with a hiss as they approach. The area beyond has heavy pilasters covered with bas-reliefs of the life of Muris Lankôr Faeris II. They find three secret panels but find no apparent means of opening. Due south the hallway continues through another steel sliding door. Morden intuites there is a false door up ahead behind a pit trap. They avoid the trap but after searching a few hours, discover nothing more in the hallway. Later when they perform a two day comprehensive search of all areas including this hallway, they find a door leading to the hidden tomb of Muris Lankor Faeris II. Within on a raised dais opposite the entrance is the King’s preserved corpse beneath glass. On the steps leading up to Muris’ crypt is, what appears to be a, skeleton supplicant sprawled. Morden quickly pockets a bracelet and a key (later going to Niko) found on the body. He soon learns the bracelet is magical. Much later after hours of careful searching, they find a secret compartment in the front base of Muris’ crypt. After opening three minor wights attack the party from the secret areas in the pilastered antechamber. The party makes excellent tactical use a narrow hallway when slaughtering them. The end comes when Morden unleashes a blast of holy plasma from the bracelet he just found. It takes off the head of one wight blasting into the one behind.
The southwestern doors leads to the tomb of Irusor Drœmen III. The first antechamber has two columns that help support the 20-foot high ceiling of this elegant chamber. The extruded parts of the wall are bas-reliefs and glow with a dim red radiance. A shallow reflecting pool casts rippling reflections through the room. There are four very finely carved statues of lordly men, each 12' high. On the southern wall are large rectangular doors of stone, bound with strong alloy and hinged to open easily. Beyond that are locked doors of steel Niko picks easily. On the other side is the crypt of Muris Drœmen III. Also preserved so as to appear sleeping in his glass covered coffin, there are four glowing white columns that flank the platform where Irusor lies. He also has no visible treasures. When searching the area later, they identify a secret compartment in one of the antechamber columns. Inside they find what they all believe to be an ancient artifact: a silver bracelet with aquamarines. None are able to discern anything about it save it’s an item of great defensive power.
Behind the northwestern plaster concealment is a steel door marked with a large blood red painted Old Rhakhaan symbol for evil. They open this unlocked door and find a dark and breathless hallway elbowing east before massive and locked steel doors. The party moves back, avoiding the area. Afterall, what evil king could possibly possess the phoenix sword?
In the end, they leave all the “peaceful” corpses beneath glass alone. In summary, those found at rest were:
Eastern Tomb Door - Nœrkhaan Lankor I [3610 ‒ 3665]
Eastern Tomb Crypt - Væris Faslurin I [3752 ‒ 3781]
Southeastern Tomb - Drœmen Muris Lankor Færis II [3781 ‒ 3830]
Southwestern Tomb - Irusor Lankôr Drœmen III [3830 ‒ 3910]
Underground for over 100 hours with rations and water running low, what is their next move? Explore the evil Lankor tombs? The Zaon or Kitaan areas? Or do they surface, restock, and burn another rare Scroll of Passing upon reentry?
