View source for Further Investigations 4 (Blighted City 17)

{{Infobox expedition log
| title             = Further Investigations 4 
| date              = 2024-03-15
| storyteller       = Dag
| tier_of_play      = Master
| player_characters = [[Cyrus Leyvald|Cyrus]], [[Aleth|Shadefrost]], [[Liminal|Liminal]], [[Kali|Kali]], [[Femi|Femi]], [[Siltmean the Craftrat|Siltmean]]
| rewards           = 1500 gp and additional rewards detailed below 
| result            = Half-Success
| author            = Cyrus
| downtime_days     = 7 days 
}}
== Log ==
The Associates are tasked with returning to the curio shop and continuing to explore what remains. 

After entering the shop, Kali leads the group to the left hall to a room that is 40ft below ground level. Cyrus employs a casting of Helpful Steps to ferry the party and the following room is explored. A hole is found at the bottom which Femi sends a rat down to investigate. The room below reveals a round chamber with several mechanical statues and a 7th alcove off to the side. 

Femi and Siltmean take the ladder down, immediately alerting the statues to life. They engage the group, split between the top of the ladder and the bottom floor. The alcove holds a casting mechanical construct that creates a wall of fire and summons black tentacles as various party members attempt to descend the ladder and join the fray. After a prolonged engagement the party emerges successfully with Liminal healing a majority of the party. A wand of haste and an Aeon Stone are recovered. 

The room holds a door leading to another hall. Any living creature that touches the floor teleports through to the ceiling and falls the full distance. The hall is covered easily by flying across. 

The next hall is trapped, holding a Time Press that attempts to slow the mind of those passing through it. 

The final room appears as a large cavern. Skulls on the floor writher with black worms working through them. Large puddles of worms are found in other areas on the ground. The worms seem to speak some form of a language but unidentifiable to those present. Cyrus believes the skulls to be the failed result of someone attempting lichdom. The far back wall has stone skull with two empty eye sockets and a closed mouth. The worms attack and the skull and worm pile casts magic, primarily reversing magic back at those casting spells. Eventually after defeating the skulls, they explode and almost kill Cyrus. Everyone survives. 

The skulls leave behind a large stone, the stone is placed in the now open mouth of the statue at the end to where a mausoleum is revealed. The party decides to retire for the time being.