We journey down into the crypt which seems to have been a large manor at one time but the desert has claimed it has its own.   While the ancient bricks hold back most of the desert, the sands filter in from loose bricks and inside empty fireplaces.  There are dead bodies littering our way – some new Sun Lich elite, others ancient, there clothes crumbling into dust when touched.  I detect a trap right away, a 40 foot drop into spikes below – based on the bodies below – others were not so good at detecting the loose floor.    At the corner, I take a peek around and almost get my head cut off for my trouble as I trigger the trap off a loose stone – stupid mistake – I must take more care as I have to drink a potion to heal my wounds.  On either side of the wall two skulls with glowing red eyes cry “THIEF!” Hell, I didn’t even steal anything yet!  We attack the skulls with arrows and Wave and I climb the walls to avoid any traps to take out the skulls.  I pick up the four gems and my eyes turn into gems – giving my world a Kaleidoscope view of the world.  It gives me quite a headache and I tell Wave to take the lead and I’ll help him search for traps.

 We search a few rooms that look like bedrooms.  Chests and armoires are trapped.  Wave is paralyzed trying to open one and we just avoid getting poisoned by another.  For all that trouble we find ancient clothing, traveling boots, 3 gold coins and short sword wrapped in silk (MAGIC).  In one room we see a tapestry of 3 black robed figures with a bright sun in the sky and lush jungle all around them.   Oberon tries to take it and feels a life being drained from him (HP MAX reduced by 10).

We enter the door at the end of the final hall and open it.  The entrance is overgrown with vines and as we push our way through we are in a garden.  Trees and vines cover this huge cavern and bio-luminous  algae covers the walls and ceiling giving it an pre-dawn light.  There is a small pond and a creek with a bridge running over it.  A vine-covered hut is nestled in the back of the cavern. Strange mushroom people are working in the garden, tending to flowers and vegetable beds, picking berries and fruit.  Lumbering toward us is a huge Troll with lots of mouths all over his body.  We fight for a little while when an old hag comes out of the hut and sends him to the other end of the cave – back to his mother – who turns out to be her sister Ida’s child.  The hag’s name is Auntie Maggie and she has been Count Vivic’s gardener for well over 1,000 years. 

She invites us to tea – which includes delicious soup – that for some affects their health – but for Scorch he gets two extra fingers on both hands – and in good spirits says that he has adopted a new name Fourteenie.  I don’t get fingers – but a horrendous smell and warts all over my body.  I also get a  mouth that speaks a language I can’t understand on my back.  Maggie says she has one too and I should learn giant to communicate with it.  It will help in a fight though and I am thinking of wearing a crop top so it has a good shot to take a bite out of anyone who is trying to stab me in the back.  On a plus note my eyes return back to normal.

She says that we have to go through the trials of wits and bats to find the Lich Crusher, who is just gorgeous when she met him and she took a souvenir – holding up a withered finger which she strokes lovingly and then puts back in her apron pocket. 

We decide to stay the night with Maggie and start the trials in the morning.