There has been word
circulating
around the drinking houses of Norath, the rumor of The Sanctorium. We
traveled
many a mile to confront this rumor, traversed across the vast desert,
over dune
and into valleys, until we came upon an old graveyard which was
bordered on two
sides by passageways to the land known as the Pillars of Flame. As the
cliffs
towered above us the sun was blocked out by the sheer magnitude of
them. If I
were to have to fathom a guess I would say at the very least three
giants
standing on top of one another couldn’t grasp the top. The red cliff
faces, the
color of rust upon the sword of a Guardian now too old to take up arms
in
service for Antonia or Lucan. Behind us the scuttling of scorpions
could be
heard on the sand. While to our front the graveyard we came to
investigate was
patrolled by Anaz Mal Carcass. Their teeth warn down by the harsh sandy
conditions of the land which they inhabit. Off we rode six adventurers
on
horseback to the adventure ahead.

We rushed in swords,
daggers, wands
and spells a blazing the Anaz Mal, were no match for us. They quickly
fell to
the sand from which they were birthed. Such a fitting end for this
manner of
beast, one that patrols a graveyard to find its rest in the very place
it served
its life guarding. We didn’t know what they were protecting, we didn’t
know
what awaited us but what we could discern was that there was something
here
worth protecting, something worth dying for, something very profitable.
We
hurriedly examined what we could find in this cemetery. Lying against
one of
the stones, whose words have been worn off by age and many years in
this harsh
sand-filled desert land, was the skeleton of what appeared to be a man,
a
humanoid man, not like the beasts that protected this place. Curiosity
got the
best of me; I walked closer and as I bent down to examine the poor
man's
remains, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Magic was in the
air.
Something big was about to happen. But it was too late; I had already
reached down
and touched the bones. The world turned black, my head was spinning,
wind was
rushing past my ears, I was being transported somewhere, where I did
not know,
all I could hope for at this moment was that my companions were whisked
along
with me so I would no be alone in this trial.

Lying on the floor of
a dusty
cavern the screams and taunts of various undead woke me from my slumber
echoing
from what seemed like every direction. My companions were with me, for
this I
was glad. Others started to rouse from their sleep as I had, just as
confused,
but we knew what must be done. We readied ourselves for the battle we
knew was
ahead. Not 20 feet away we saw the first round of our future victims.
An
Orillian Corpse, and an Orillian Courier. They came after us speaking
some
strange tongue that could be a language of some kind, or merely
unintelligible
noises. We continued down the tunnel on the way to adventure.

After slaying more
Orillians and a
few ghostly scorpions, the tunnel opened into a large, cavern with a
high
ceiling. Among the top flittered various bats, they were inclined to
let us
pass unmolested so we decided to permit them to live. Exploring this
cavern it
the tunnels leading off seemed to form the rough Shape of an open palm.
Entering from the thumb, there were four paths fanning out to the left.

Following the wall to
the right we
came across a Protector of Rathmana and a Guardian of Rathmana. Each of
them
alone would be able to wash the walls of this cavern with our blood,
not to
mention the damage they could do while together. We decided to avoid
them and
try the other direction.

We followed the wall
of to the left
dispatching undead as we went. We came to the end of another tunnel
opening
into another cavern. To the left could be seen a larger foe. Upon his
dispatch
we were able to discern his name from his belongings, Hira’Vehn, among
his
belongings we were able to salvage the Gloves of the Storyteller. After
finding
no other openings from this room we headed back to the main chamber,
and continued
along to the left.

The Orillians
continued to block
our path so we sent them to the great beyond. Deader then dead if
that’s what
we could call it. Along the path we went it opened into another chamber
this
time inhabited by an enemy we came to call Sirn’Vehn upon his death we
took
from him Noxious Greaves, and continued on our way. This room opened to
no more
passageways so back to the start, to the next passage on the left.

This one was much
different from
the other passages. Instead of what we were used to fighting Orillians
we came
upon what appeared to be dead snakes, brought back to life. They were
guarding
what seemed to be a master of theirs or the head snake Nagini. Rather
large
intimidating and covered in a mysterious blue flame. After vanquishing
Nagini
we found it was guarding a chest containing the Gloves of the Arch
Magus.
Finding no other paths back to the main room, we gathered our courage
to battle
the Guardian and Protector that were about to come. However, perhaps
their
souls were bound to the other enemies in the zone, the Guardian and
Protector
had vanished, not one of us was sorry to see them go.

Into the last room, we
came upon
five Orillian Prelate’s standing around Ortallius who didn’t seem to
notice us
yet. We started on the Prelates, one at a time. As soon as all were
dead
Ortallius broke out of what ever was distracting him and turned on us.
Calling
upon various henchmen if it wasn’t for the help of our valued enchanter
to mez
his henchmen we would surely be a pile of bones left on the floor of
his
chamber. But we defeated him. Back to the entrance we went and upon
examining a
pile of bones we were whisked back to the docks in the Sinking Sands.
Enjoy
your similar battles I shall see you on the sands.

Entrance to the Sanctorium 
-    171,-98,-589

Nagini. –                                 
243.75,
-5.97, -78.51

Hira’Vehn –                            
271.03,
-24.36, 104.18

Sirn’Vehn –

Protector of Rathmana 
55 Epic x4

Guardian of Rathmana  55
Epic x4

Orillian Prelate

Ortallius –    
                           
176.18, -12.24,
-143.18