"You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark..."

-Springsteen

The party, already tired and running low on resources, finds themselves facing a snarling, grey-skinned creature down in the catacombs of the Tomb of the Iron God - a ghoul. Shaka Kahn is unable to turn the beast with the power of Sheebus, so fight they must.

Then from the darkness, three sinister figures loom - skeletal soldiers back from the dead and ready to fight. The party obliges them and soon prevails.

Despite their fatigue, they push further into the darkness, encountering two more ghouls feasting on the remains of the recently-interred. This time Sheebus provides, turning the creatures, and the party cuts them down as they flee.

They find some meagre treasure for their troubles and finally make the call to leave the dungeon, rest and recover. Thud McLoad's map of the dungeon works a treat, and they find their way back to the first level and out.

It's then a short march to Deepton, where they camp for the night. In the morning, they wake feeling rested and restored. They break their fast and hit up the mining camp commissary, purchasing rations, torches, and some tools. Will they need a block and tackle? Time will tell.

Shaka, having spent the early morning in quiet prayer and repose, now has spells at his disposal (as does Dodger Graves) and is of a mind to tackle the mysterious impenetrable darkness on the first floor of the Tomb. So the party heads back in, again using Thud's map to great effect. Alas, although Shaka calls on the power of Sheebus to produce a globe of divine light, the darkness still swallows it, and the metallic footsteps of the unseen guardian warns them to respect the dead.

Dodger and Bucky Wunderlick put their heads together and devise a plan to traverse the darkness anyway. They lash everyone together with a rope and hug the walls, eventually finding a couple of exits - one to a well-constructed hallway and one to another cave-like chamber.

The chamber has 3 very lifelike iron statues huddled around an open chest, faces contorted in pain. One of the statues is holding a necklace as if just taken from the chest. The party backs away, sensing a trap, and even the warm glow of gold can't induce them closer. They also spy another carved warning over the north exit: "

You who live dare not enter here, for here resides the Eater of the Dead, imprisoned eternally and eternally to remain."

The party declares going further a hard no.

Using their ad hoc belay system, they plunge back through the darkness, this time making their way to the hallway, which goes about 70 feet to a closed door. They listen carefully and open it, finding a large chamber containing some discarded ritual items, including the sacred vestments that seem to offer protection deeper in the catacombs, and an iron tripod holding a plate and large pile of silver.

Thud reminds the group of the Iron God's admonition against taking silver - and in fact, they hypothesize this is the exact silver he was talking about - so they leave it alone, though Dodger does avail herself of a sacred hood.

At the next door they find, they listen, hear nothing, and for once open it carefully and quietly. Alas, even opening a door quietly doesn't help you much when it's a room absolutely filled with goblins.

They slam the door and run, but the goblins are in hot pursuit. The party hatches a plan - lure the goblins into the darkness and pounce. The goblins don't fall for it.

The party decides to go back and just get the fight over with, but it turns out, the goblins have laid a bit of a trap of their own. When the party opens the door to the large chamber with the tripod, a couple of goblins keep them tied up while arrows fly from the dark recesses of the room.

Bucky takes some damage, but Shaka is able to lay hands and heal him somewhat with the power and glory of Sheebus. They tactically retreat and spike the door shut, taking a beat to decide their next move.

But they have to ask themselves - are the goblins doing the same?

July 27, 2025