Initiative rolls started poorly and remained that way for some time. Having won initiative, 2 of the poleaxe wielding insectavoids closed to within melee range, while the remaining 3 held their ground in a 20’ semi-circle.

• First initiative loss
• Flint is hit by a poleaxe for 8 HP
• Ranged attack on Lycovyne misses
• Ditto for Gonchar
• Ranged attack on Arkadios hits for 6 HP
• Menka cast bless, but it will not be in effect til next round (initiative loss).
• Lycovyne attacks with sword, hits for 10 HP
• Gonchar attacks, hitting for 13 HP
• Arkadios rolls a 1, nearly impaling Kyril and everyone in between
• Kyril rolls a 2
• Arkadios gets hit again for 4 HP, loses second shot w/ bow
• Second initiative loss
• Arkadios gets hit for 8 HP and is nearing death
• Lycovyne gets attacked with a bear-claw donut for 2 HP
• Gonchar gets hit for 3 HP (ranged?)
• Kyril gets hit twice for 7 HP total, death by 1,000 cuts, not sure what happened to the poleaxes..
• Flint gets hit thrice for 6 HP total
• Menka cures light wounds on Arkadios for 7 HP from within the meat shield
• Lycovyne hits with his sword for 7 HP
• These creatures are really lusting after the death of the elves in the party but, then, aren’t we all
• Gonchar hits for 10 HP
• Flint and Kyril both miss with valor
• Kyril gets hit for 4 HP
• Lycovyne successfully dodges an attack, helped by the blessing of Thoth!
• Arkadios gets hit for 4 HP, again
• Flint gets hit for 5 HP
• Menka cures light wounds on Arkadios for 8 HP
• Gonchar hits for 17 HP, cleaving his enemy’s skull in twain
• Kyril gets hit for 3 HP but dodges another blow thanks to the bless
• Lycovyne gets hit for 3 HP
• Arkadios gets hit for 4 HP
• Flint gets hit for 9 HP
• Kyril gets hit for 5 HP
• The blessing of Thoth saves Lycovyne, again
• Arkadios gets hit for 2 HP
• Flint gets hit for 3 HP
• Menka attacks, misses
• Lycovyne attacks, hits for 9 HP
• Gonchar hits for 13 HP
• Arkadios hits for 4 HP
• Flint hits for 5 HP
• initiative tie, speed factor
• Kyril hits for 9 HP and then gets hit, himself, for 5 HP
• Gonchar gets hit by 2 claws for 6 HP
• Gonchar hits (2) for 11 HP, decapitating another foe
• “Arkadios gets hit by (2), hits back”
• Flint hits (5) twice, for (4 + 6) = 10 HP total - ouch
• Flint gets hit by (5) for 5 HP
• Lycovyne hits (1) for 11 HP
• Kyril gets hit for 3 HP, is down to 5 HP
• Arkadios gets hit for 1 HP, hits back for 4 HP
• Gonchar kills (4) in what can be only be imagined was a very bloody fashion
• Menka misses, badly, and gets hit for 5 HP in return
• Lycovyne hits (1) for 5 HP
• Gonchar hits (1) for 11 HP, kills
• Menka hits (5) for 6 HP, killing the last insectavoid, praise Thoth!
• Insectavoids: 42, 33, 28, 21, 17 HP ( 1 - 5 above )

Arkadios immediately quaffed a potion of healing, gaining 8 HP. The insectavoids carried no other belongings than their weapons. Having survived the crappy initiative rolls pitched battle the party took stock of their surroundings. Broiling in the desert, with little hope of reaching the cliffs by nightfall - the journey looks to be 3-4 miles. Light/reversed would work as usual but would be clearly visible as a black half-orb approaching anyone watching from the ruins in the cliffs.

The green snake was, apparently, alive and well where we left it, atop the dais in the carved out bowl where a statue of Khamsa once resided.

Hoping to get a bead on the snake from an upper level, Arkadios climbed the stairs to a higher level. Lycovyne, armed with ranged weapons, handed off the staff with continual light to Kyril and followed Arkadios. Unfortunately, through the gloom and dust, they were unable to see the snake from above. Gonchar attempted to throw a large piece of statue rubble at the snake and missed entertainingly.

Now, with a chance to look around, we see that our bugbear assailants were wearing very mismatched armor. Probably mercenaries, not organized. The party found a beautiful obsidian mace among the corpses, as well as a very nice halberd. Menka stashed the obsidian mace in his pack, though the party left the halberd behind as it was too difficult to lug around (and no party members used halberds).

Gonchar climbed out of the pit trap.

Double stone doors stood in the wall to the south past the pit. The stench emanating from the pit was stomache churning. Roasted ghast. There was a 1’ wide shelf on either side and the party was able to get around the pit without incident.

At the Temple of Thoth, Father Malai had described the Hall of Gods to Menka and stated that it would be a good idea to show proper veneration to the gods if we entered that sacred hall. Father Yuyu had described the prayers and intonations for proper sacrifice and veneration to Osiris for this purpose and Menka made note of it (see 5.6.6).