. Caves of Chaos

The group returns to the room they found the dire boar in. They head to the door on the western wall, pausing to listen carefully before opening it. Confident that nothing is beyond, they open the door to find a corridor that runs north back to the room with the chokers, and south into territory unknown. Using his ability to see in the dark, Darkface scouts ahead signaling the others to move up once he feels the area is secure. Around one corner, the corridor widens and a wide swath of dried blood runs across the floor from an eastern corridor to a door on the western wall. As Darkface walks towards the dried blood, the air temperature plummets dramatically, causing him to involuntarily shiver. Slowly the translucent forms of four figures rise from the stone floor in front of Darkface. The rest of the group still huddle around the lantern further back. The ghostly figures hail the dark elf with outstretched arms. A large human with a thick black beard is clad in torn chainmail. He appears to be a cleric of Kord. The second figure may be a dwarf, but his helm’s faceplate is closed. He wears full plate mail adorned with the sun symbol of Pelor.
A thin female elf in long green robes and carrying a wooden staff stands behind them. She is missing an arm. To the side a Tiefling in leather armor with daggers strapped to almost every part of her body skulks cautiously. They offer to tell the adventurers about the Well of Shadows and specifically what Valdrog the Brute calls the Proving Grounds. With a few insults towards the elf, they question the heroes about their motivations. Accusing them of being mere treasure hunters. Slowly the adventurers convince the spectral figures that they have honorable intentions. They wish to free slaves and rid the world of evil. The adventurers learn that the area beyond is the Proving Grounds, a testing place for worshipers of the demon lord Baphomet.
They must find the four items; a knife, a mask, a bell and a book. Each item must be placed on one of four runes found in the complex, at the exact same time. Three of the four items are held in chambers built to test worshipers of Baphomet. To the east is the inner sanctum. Its door opens only when the proper ceremony is completed. The spectral party also tells them that they were killed by the Guardian when trying to complete the task. They then wish the adventures luck and disappear back into the stone.
The heroes then try the door to the north. This opens up into what seems to have been a latrine or garbage disposal. Next they follow the trail of blood through the double doors to the west. They open to reveal a long chamber stretching south. Two stone statues of minotaurs stand against the north wall, and several pillars hold the ceiling up. A circle of runes is inscribed on the floor. Around a corner they find another of the bronze minotaur warders that attacked them in the ambush a couple days ago. The trail of blood ends in a large dried pool of blood before an altar made of bones. The bones are stacked upon each other and support a marble slab with a rotting red velvet cloth. Upon this cloth is a simple bronze bowl. There is only one set of double doors leading to the east. Before they leave Gandor notices that a potion of the bone altar can be moved. They remove this panel to reveal a small chest in a cache. Within this simple wooden chest they find 600gp and three rubies. They collect this booty then continue on through the doors to the east. Here they find a long corridor. This corridor encircles a central area and is covered in bloodstains. (D) The walls and floor look scarred as if a massive object was dragged through here. The central section contains two small stone altars and a deep, pit. (G) The pit is about ten feet by ten feet, and goes down as far as they can see. Gandor retrievesa gnoll finger from the back of holding and they drop it down the pit; they don’t hear it land. A cold sour smell wafts up out of the darkness. The next room opens up into another long chamber, this time there are four stone minotaur statues and two more that seem to have been smashed. Yet another bronze warder stands silent watch in the corner. This chamber also holds a circle of magical runes. Mathers discerns they are written in the language of the minotaurs but can tell nothing else from the runes.
To the west another set of double doors stands, these carved out of some dark black wood with many relief carvings of Minotaur faces. Cautiously they enter. Beyond them is a scene torn from the Abyss.

They stand on a small stone platform overlooking two large pools of blood. A stone walkway divides the room and sits five feet over the top of the blood. On opposite sides of the room, large bronze statues of snarling minotaurs face each other. Each 12 foot statue holds a long barbed whip as if about to strike. A smaller minotaur statue stands beside each of the doors leading into this place. Flanking the large statue on the far side of the room are two pedestals that rise out of the blood. On one pedestal rests a gray dagger sized blade on the other rests a matching hilt. Gandor notices that the statues are built with hinged torsos and shoulders. Figuring that they need to get across Mathers teleports to the nearest platform. Half the party heads back to circle around and come out at the other set of doors that lead to this chamber. That way each smaller group can fit on the platforms. Mathers teleports again to the walkway between the two pools of blood. Suddenly the nearest huge minotaur statue animates and starts swinging its barbed whip, covering a 35 foot radius. Also three snarling fanged creatures burst from below the surface of the blood and start swimming towards the party. These grim looking demons are hairless, and coated in blood. Oversized insicors snap as they make their way to the party. Fortunately the party is able to defeat them without too much trouble. Several times the barbed whip of the minotaur knocks down members of the party and even the demons within reach. With a cunning defined by his race, Darkface lures a demon in close and lets loose a devastating arrow shot right through its dark eye. With the arrow still embedded in its brain the foul creature falls backwards and dies. After the final demon is defeated, the group tries to get the two pieces of the blade. Rayrond bravely decides to climb along the face of the wall to get to the central platform. Unfortunately a piece of plaster comes loose in his hands and he plummets into the blood. He immediately regrets this decision as the blood starts to burn his eyes and mouth. Pain racks his Halfling body as he struggles to get out of the blood pool. Even when he exits the blood the pain continues. Eventually with the help of a magical disc created by Gandor they get both pieces of the dagger and exit this horrible room.
Found 600gp and 3 rubies spent 10gp on ritual.

Exp. 7008 end. 9:40am 25th of Eleint