After a night indoors, the group plans their assault on the clay warriors waiting below. They get in formation and storm the gladiator pit. The fighting is brutal and merciless, and their opponents are relentless. Finally, one of the statues shatters, and its spear and shield clatter to the floor. Victory seems possible, even with the odds against them. The desperate battle continues as warriors on both sides succumb to their wounds. Finally, the last statue crumbles to dust, leaving its bronze spear and wooden shield as spoils.
Once the party recovers from their wounds, they insert the bronze spears in the hands of the statues on the upper floor of the shrine. With an audible click, the stone pedestal reveals a small stone cube. Could this be a puzzle cube? It bears an engraving that resembles the kamadan artwork throughout the shrine. The group plans their next move and heads west across the ancient highway.
Several faint columns of dark smoke grasp at the sky from a walled compound ahead. The party approaches with caution, to be greeted by a scene of carnage: dozens of burnt corpses litter the compound, and wild dogs fight over one set of human remains. Rainblade looks for a vantage point to survey the area, and the group explores for clues. The interior of the compound is badly damaged and littered with scorch marks. In one area, a ramshackle shrine has been constructed and adorned with snake skulls and other inhuman remains. A symbol has been daubed in ash on a nearby wall. Meanwhile, cries for help can be heard from beneath a crumbled wall, so Doz sets himself to digging.
Soon, a human hand can be seen from beneath the debris. In short work, the party frees the unfortunate victim. He thanks the party and introduces himself as Orvex Ocrammas: translator and scribe hired by none other than the Red Wizards of Thay.
He explains that he had been hired by the Red Wizards to help them explore Omu, and he apparently has a keen interest and a fair bit of knowledge of the city and its history. According to Orvex, yuan-ti attacked their camp recently–though it is hard for him to judge how long ago, because he has been trapped under the collapsed wall since the attack–and killed a number of Red Wizards and their crew.
Despite the ruthlessness of the yuan-ti attack, Orvex believes that the Red Wizards are still scouring the ruins. Seeing as how his former employers left him for dead, and Orvex is still curious to explore the city, he offers his services to the party, and they graciously accept. His wounds need tended to first, and he is severely dehydrated. The group tends to them as best they can and help him gather what remains of his gear.
Before long, they reach their next destination: another shrine to the west. It features a murky pool and several obelisks of similar design to the previous shrine. A locked gate protects the shrine, and unfortunately for the party, a hungry frog monster!
The massive beast lurches forward from the muck, croaking “feed me!” It lashes out with powerful tentacles and swallows Hamish alive. Dingo attempts to free its companion haplessly. Doz does the only thing he can do: he leaps into the froghemoth’s mouth and attempts to pull Hamish free. The frog regurgitates both Hamish and Doz, but its hunger remains. “Feed me,” it croaks again, before swallowing Hamish whole. Will this be the end of Hamish?
As darkness settles upon Hamish, the group desperately attempts to slay their foe. Death beckons Hamish until the frog lurches and vomits Hamish forth. Thankfully, the group’s healing magic snags what feeble life remains for Hamish, and he gasps for air.
The group pauses to recover and then explores the area. Anton finds a stone key in the mouth of the statue rising from the center of the pond. The key is a perfect fit for the shrine, and soon the gate opens to reveal the interior. Just past the gate, the shrine plummets into a spike-filled pit. A pedestal rests opposite the entrance. A series of wooden planks extend along the sides of the pit, marking a treacherous path to the pedestal. The problem suggests a familiar solution to Doz: pick someone lightweight and toss them!