The group enters the gorge. The walls are covered in layers of colorful coral, and the bed of the gorge is carpeted in bones. A number of intact skeletons remain among the charnel, all of them large sea creatures. Doz, Sindy, and Therdek spot a standing stone marking a path along the side of the gorge. The group ascends the path to see a stone tomb guarded by an 8-foot tall statue of a Chultan warrior. After inspecting the exterior, the group discovers some faded paintings on the exterior. One of the faded paintings depicts Chultans kneeling before a queen. Borislav and Roland attempt to enter the tomb, and instead flee for their lives. Doz and Flavius instead kneel before the tomb entrance. Doz then decides to toss Flavius into the tomb. Flavius is unperturbed.
The group entered the tomb to find a shattered, stained-glass ceiling and a sealed stone sarcophagus. Simon’s curiosity gets the better of him, and he attempts to unseal the sarcophagus while Sin and Flavius wait to see what’s inside. Both Simon and Sin are overcome with fear and flee the tomb as fast as they can. Flavius nonchalantly exits the tomb, bowing his head in deference.
The group makes one final attempt to explore the tomb but is met with fear. After some discussion of what to do next, the group ventures further through the gorge. Soon, the group overhears voices from the gorge below. Goomy, Sindy, and Flavius creep forward to investigate. They spot a number of Red Wizards and their guard accosting someone who looks like Artus Cimber and someone else who smells like Dragonbait. Goomy spots several other people hiding in ambush and relays to the group.
The party decides to move into the gorge and confront the group.
Strangely, Artus and Dragonbait do not seem to recognize you. Just as strangely, the mercenaries appear to recognize Flavius, perhaps as one of their own?
Yil-Za, the leader of the Red Wizards, insists that Artus Cimber turn over “it.” Doz insists that Artus needs to leave so they can meet again (for the first time?) in “the dreamworld.” Artus refuses to hand over what the Red Wizards are after, even when they accuse him of risking the destruction of the world by bearing it. Realizing that the group are unaware of what Artus carries with him, Yil-Za reveals gleefully that Artus is in possession of the Ring of Winter: a powerful item with a malevolent will, seeking to destroy the world and to corrupt its user into doing its bidding. Yil-Za demands Artus relinquish the Ring of Winter so that it can be stored in a vault in Thay for safekeeping. Artus refuses to part with the wing. Doz decides that the Red Wizards are not going to get what they want, and proceeds to leave with Artus and Dragonbait.
The standoff continues between the Red Wizards of Thay and the party. After Doz decides that walking away is the best course of action, the Red Wizards decline to accompany their group and instead raises a wall of bone to intercept the party’s egress. Sindy uses her levitate to move Artus away from the standoff. The party robs one of the wizards’ warriors of their rope, attempts to rob one of their other warriors, and antagonizes Yil-Za. Doz handily trips one of their warriors into the wall.
As the standoff continues, Sindy eggs on the wizards to retrieve the ring from Artus. They dispel her levitate spell, and then Sindy renews the levitate spell. After Sindy taunts them once more, the Red Wizards finally take the bait.
Roll initiative.
Skeletons claw out of the scattered piles of bones as the Red Wizards capture the party in a web. As the party works to free themselves from this sticky situation, Flavius leaps forward to snatch the bag of one of the Red Wizards, then spits a gout of fire onto them. Goomy prays to Sehanine, and sends the approaching skeletons fleeing. Sin and Olga work together to free their companions and turn Yil-Za into a toad. Doz smashes the remaining skeleton and Simon grabs as many toads as he can to toss into the river, and then the group flees. Flavius shares a few words with Morgan, the leader of the mercenaries, and the Red Wizards fling fire after the fleeing PCs. Olga is struck, causing her to lose concentration on the polymorph spell. Yil-Za scrambles to direct the Red Wizards to begin chase, but the party’s headstart allows them to outpace the Red Wizards.
Finally, the group stops to catch their breath, some distance downriver from the battle. They are greeted by the sight of sunken ruins: it appears they have discovered what remains of the outskirts of a large city. Could this be where the Shrine of Tamoachan rests?
Artus thanks the party for their help in fending off the Red Wizards. He responds to Goomy’s inquiries about his explanations, and identifies a few of the locations he’s explored to the eastern edges of Chult. He warns the group of the spread of undead throughout the jungle, and bids them farewell as he departs for Orolunga.
After some discussion, the group decides to let Olga and her retainers explore the area for the Shrine of Tamoachan while they head south to explore the shipwreck Goomy swore he saw among the canopy, then Hrakhamar and on to Omu.
Therdek grabs some rope between his teeth and scrambles up the wall of the gorge, and the party soon follows. As the group discusses which path they’ll take through the jungle, Musharib mentions Nanny Pu’pu, and the jungle emits the echoes of shrill laughter. Omen aside, the group decides to head south.