DUNGEON CRAWL!!!!

As we crossed the threshold, stale air rushed towards us filling our lungs in the almost unbreathable atmosphere; this place had been closed for quite some time. We decided to go in with all the equipment and if needed leave some behind inside. It turned out to be the right choice as when we were inspecting the three man wide corridor, the entrance we came through started to close again. We ended up in pitch darkness. We used our two quartz crystals to light the place and some torches too. We took in our surroundings and the corridor in front of us. The left turn beyond the main door led to a sort of circular corridor. Curiously the right wall was made of coppery/brassy metal. At the time we were wondering what was the purpose of such a wall. We would discover that later. The structure was definitely man made as the walls showed signs of name giver intervention.
We proceeded cautiously onwards and on our left found a small room that seemed to be an old guard room. Empty, broken weapon racks lined one of the walls and broken furniture was all over the place. Most of the furniture was smashed as if intentionally, the place was ransacked in days of old. Moving an overturned bunk, we found a skeleton wearing some sort of uniform. It had several puncture wounds on its torso but there seemed to be a huge gash just underneath where the heart would be, that would have been the fatal blow. Elessar decided to cast a spell on the bones of the unfortunate guard. The spell, he explained, was the same one he used on the slain corpse of Aubrin Forrest back in Daiche. It would reveal the last moments of his life and hopefully his assassin. It turned out that this poor guy was killed by a comrade who, we surmised, was either possessed due to his facial expression while driving his sword through this guys chest; a look of complete indifference. This was not good news at all. The last time we brushed with ghosts it turned out quite nasty with me possessed, Ivor on the brink of death and Elessar quite dead; both at my hands. Had it not been for Jarl's spells we would probably not be in this dungeon today. That said we had to keep going as the way out was blocked anyway. We just made sure that I stayed as rearguard.

We continued on through the circular corridor and on our left again was a staircase leading up. Upon investigation it led to a balcony overlooking a large, dark hall. Meanwhile Elessar was continuously casting spells to detect any undead creatures, especially ghosts. The balcony led nowhere else so we decided to go back to the corridor which eventually led us to the entrance of the main hall we had seen from up there. We realised that the floor was covered with scattered bones of fallen guards and other civilians. From their attire we assumed that these were civilians and the large hall was a ballroom. Elessar detected a pair of undead creatures that turned out to be two cadaver men; a troll and an elf. Cyrellion darted on the opposite side of the hall to take a good position to shoot with his bow. Ivor and Elessar advanced towards the two cadaver men while Jarl and me stayed back in the doorway just in case there were ghosts. Jarl cast icy surface around the two zombies and from out of nowhere came skeletons with razor sharp claws or wielding weapons. The combat was swift and deadly, especially to the undead creatures. Elessar took the brunt of damage from one of his spells while trying to lock the undead troll in a battle of wills. The rest of us were relatively unharmed barring a few scratches and light wounds. After the skirmish, we searched the hall and found a few trinkets worth a few hundred silvers. Onwards through the corridor we found another staircase that led to another balcony similar to the one we saw previously.

Further on, always on the left, was a small corridor with three doors. The middle one, according to Elessar harbored an undead creature. After dispatching the skeleton that rushed towards us upon opening the second door, we found out the rooms were probably state rooms that were once lavishly furnished and decorated with tapestries and frescoes. Moving ever onwards we find another two sets of similar rooms. In one of the rooms, behind a makeshift barricade we also found the corpse of an adventurer who seems to be an elf thief from his gear. His decomposing body also revealed the cause of death. Through despair or maybe as a last ditch attempt to save his soul, the poor adventurer cut his own throat and stomach open before succumbing to his wounds. Reluctantly we search his body and find a set of true earth shards similar to the squarish key we had found in the swamps, the one that opened the door to here. I muttered a silent prayer before leaving the corpse and taking his two ornate daggers to put them to better use.

While treading onwards we also realise that the corridor is also sloping downwards ever so slightly, almost imperceptible. We also find a dining hall. Entering the hall we find a rows of tables and on the middle one a huge mound of bones and weapons. On our left we see two fake fireplaces that were probably lit magically to emanate heat. Upon investigation the mound starts floating upwards
and menacingly moved towards us. Without beating an eyelid Cyrellion shoots a flaming arrow at the creature striking its core and dealing lots of hurt while I rushed the 'beast' hitting it very hard from underneath. With a combination of sword blows, arrows and spells the Bone Shambler falls to pieces within a few seconds of the first attack.