The Danger Gang Commits Deicide
After a restful night, the Danger Gang decides it's time to reunite the split party and take on Auxieros. First Martialis goes to do some investigating real quick. He learns that the Statue Of Winged Victory is magical, as is the water coming from the nearby fountain. He makes a mental note and rejoins the guys in the fort. They then head back to the building that leads to Auxieros's lair. En route, they are spotted by a few Giant Bees. Martialis dispatches his Giant Beetles to fend them off, which they easily do. They celebrate, and Abner claims they chanted "The Beetles are bigger than Bees is".
They rejoin Can, Zahrah, Hush and the unnamed Black Pegasus. Once downstairs in a safe room, Can and Arben get to work building a house, largely helped by Can's Secure Shelter Spell. Karl takes watch while the others catch some z's. Things seem to be going smoothly, when some Slaadi show up. Karl quickly ducks in the shelter. Zahrah translates their gruff Arabic that they're looking for Kodmelos. Arben tells them it's cool and they eventually scuttle off. They rest some more.
After some more rest, the Gang is ready for action. There are a bunch of preperatory spells cast, much to Kotrag's chagrin. Haste, Giant Insects, Monster Summoning I (for Bullywugs), Enlarge, Strength, Prayer, Silence, Aid; all types of magic is flying around. Oh yeah, also Can cast Fly. Now, the room they're staying in is adjacent to Auxieros's room. Marty had cast Locate Object and learned that there was one of those Symbols over the entrance that they had previously blocked off. So, instead of dealing with that, Marty Stone Shapes a hole in the wall leading to Auxieros's room. They push through.
Inside they find Auxieros hiding in her pile of gold, golden sword and two-headed axe in tentacle. Of course, she's not alone. There's also two Gynosphynxes and a Harpy. Can flies in with an entourage of giant beetles, ready to take on these flying foes. Arben casts Hypnotic Pattern, making the Harpy and one of the Gynosphynxes relax. Marty (in lion form), Kotrag, Abner, Zahrah, Karl Shinyhands and the Bullywugs go after the goddess herself. Gershom holds up the rear, ready to help anyone that gets sick. They hack and chop, but Auxieros isn't going down easy. She seems to have a little stored up juiced and heals herself a bit after the first round (thought not all the way this time). She also drives Can mad; his mind fills with images of crabs, volcanoes, jellyfish and cavorting scorpions parading down mainstreet. A similar fat soon befalls Kotrag. Damage is coming fast and furious from the goddess, but our boys are getting their licks in as well. Soon it seems they may win the day. Zahrah takes a hit from Auxieros's golden sword, hurting the shit out of her. That just pisses Zahrah off. She presses the attack, and for once, her heart fails to explode. She deals the killing blow. A great cry comes from the ranks (though none can hear it due to the Silence). Can and Kotrag instantly are instantly freed from the grips of insanity. Can starts sticking it to the Sphynx, but since they're in the air, no one can help. They soon land and the gang polishes it off. Arben keeps entrancing the other sphynx while they take care of the Harpy; then they finish off the sphynx. Everyone is pretty amped up over the success. Gershom heals Zahrah back from death's door. They clear the gold off the god and finally get a good glimpse at their adversary. It turns out to be a brownish-grey lump with a big mouth. A half-formed Medusa is slumping out of the mouth. Can builds a Secure Shelter right on top of the corpse. They sort through the coinage. They put all the copper and silver into the cup leading into room in Aege. Arben identifies the golden sword as a Cruxior, the golden sword that occasionaly pops out of the neck of a beheaded medusa. The axe is a Minoan axe, but has no magical properties. They tell Kotrag it does and let him break it. After this, everyone is ready for a good rest.
After a good nap, they gather their stuff and head back to the surface. An Invisibility to Animals hide them from the bees. A quick glance at the outside of the beehive makes it appear to be manmade. They then head down to the tunnel leading to the wailing wall. The walls sound a little different, it seems it has absorbed a Slaad or two. They head down into the room and Can starts setting up a Secure Shelter. Everyone else keeps a close eye on the wall, just make sure it doesn't sneak up on them while he does so; it doesn't. Once the shelter is all set they head inside and get big with assorted spells. They then unleash a flurry of attacks. Magic Stones, Magic Missiles, a Flame Arrow, Summoned Monsters (which promptly get sucked into the wall or chopped down by arms that had emerged). Arben and Marty get Paralyzed right before a barrage of arrows is unleashed by the wall. It then gives out a loud ribbit, which knocks down Karl. Then a Lightning Bolt shoots out of the wall, taking down Can and all his Mirror Images. Then it unleashes some awful stink, knocking down several more party members. Zahrah gets the crap shot out of her by the archers trapped in the wall. Marty, Gershom, and Abner look at eachother. The battle did not go as well as it could have. The ever willful Zahrah begs them not to give up the fight as she continues to cough up blood and bits of organ. She is quickly shouted down. They gather their stuff and climb up to the main building.
Everybody gets ready to rest and Karl takes watch. His watch is interrupted by the appearance of a goat-headed Sphynx. He wakes up everybody else as the dude starts freaking out. Zahrah translates his Arabic as "You killed her! Bastards! I never even learned her name!". It looks like they won't be able to talk their way out of this one. The injured hustle off to the other room while Marty, Gershom, Abner, Arben and Karl square off against this guy. While the others distract the Sphynx, Marty casts Snare. He lures it into the trap. Once the Snare is sprung, everyone hightails it out of there. They hide underground in another building. This time they rest succesfully.
