Days of the Scorching Sun 5/5

 

The Pyramid

From the moment they stepped into the pyramid, the adventurers faced peril at every turn. The entrance itself was a gauntlet of treacherous traps. Laurence’s keen instincts guided the party safely through, while Anton and Kali mage hands disarmed the deadliest mechanisms.

But the dangers only escalated. Deep within the pyramid, they encountered a mummy, guardian of Set’s dark will. This undead horrors, immune to mortal fear, didn't get a chance to attack the adventurers. It was too slow for them, and quickly it burst into magical flames from the spells of Anton and Kali. Camroan’s divine light shielded his allies from the mummies' necrotic grasp.


The Scorpions' Pit

At the pyramid’s core lay a 60-foot pit swarming with black scorpions, their venomous stingers gleaming in the dim light. In the center of the pit stood the final Statuette of Shar, pulsing faintly with energy. Four Cult Fanatics of Set encircled the pit, chanting a ritual to bind the statuette to their master’s will.

The adventurers acted swiftly. Kali unleashed a storm of magic, scattering the cultists, while Anton dashed nimbly across the pit using his thief’s agility. Though the scorpions lashed out, Laurence and Kaz created a diversion, allowing Anton to secure the statuette with his Mage Hand. As the cultists fell, the statuettes united, transforming into the magnificent Nightsword, a blade swirling with the essence of the night sky, that Laurence chose to hold.


The Globe of Souls and Hourglass of Doom

In the deepest chamber, the adventurers faced their ultimate challenge. A massive globe, filled with the swirling red smoke of the tormented souls of Calimshan, floated ominously. Beside it stood a towering hourglass, its crimson sand nearly emptied. The High Priest of Set appeared, his voice dripping with venom:

"You think you can undo the will of Set? This land is already his. Your defiance is futile."

The adventurers had only moments to destroy the globe and hourglass before Set’s curse became permanent. As the High Priest attacked, the party fought desperately. Kaz wielded the Nightsword, striking at the globe while Camroan called upon divine blessings to shield the party. Laurence and Kali kept the High Priest occupied, while Anton struck precise blows against the hourglass. The globe almost shattered but the hourglass preserved it. Anton realised he needed to strike both the globe and the hourglass at the same time for them to shatter, which he proceeded to do with a well placed Magic Missile, splitting it between the two.


The Arrival of Set

The globe exploded in a burst of spectral energy, releasing the trapped souls, while the hourglass crumbled, spilling its cursed sand. But before the adventurers could celebrate, the ground shook violently, and Set himself appeared.

Towering and wreathed in shadow, Set turned his fury upon the High Priest.

"You have failed me, worm. I gave you power, and you squandered it. Your pain will serve as a warning to others."

As Set unleashed spectral flames upon the priest, his screams echoed through the pyramid. The High Priest was turned into a wriggling worm and cast down into a fiery pit that opened and closed. Before vanishing, Set turned to the adventurers, his voice a promise of vengeance:

"You think you’ve won? You’ve merely delayed the inevitable. The jungle will burn, and when it does, I will reign over all."


The Return to Calimport

Shar appeared, forming from the Nightsword, and transported the adventurers back to Calimport. For the first time in weeks, the night sky returned, its stars twinkling like distant beacons of hope. The people of Calimshan celebrated their heroes, but the victory was bittersweet. What did Set mean? Why should the jungles burn? Which jungle, and when?


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