Although Broc falls from the bridge – and the bridge breaks under Boeden – the party makes it across the gorge with no serious injuries. The party approaches the ziggurat openly, and Athron hails Toinet. She can be seen at the top of the ziggurat, under a pavilion, with a single guard. Three guards stand at different levels of the structure, watchful. The encounter is a civil one; Toinet tells them that her party has claimed any valuables, but when Athron says his interest is scholarly only, she tells her guards to allow them inside.

Within, the party finds the Sa’iph party’s bedrolls in the central chamber, and the remains of an ogre zombie torn apart in a back chamber with the sarcophagus open. The base of the sarcophagus has four square indentations on each side, now empty. Left alone to investigate, the party finds a secret door in the ceiling of the central room, and Vermillion and Duran climb in to investigate. After several twists and turns, they find two long-dried skeletal bodies bearing silver cuffs on each wrist, their arms wrapped around a large black pearl in a silver setting.

The party then prepares to leave, but Boeden stalls, hoping to see a flash of light at the top of the building. Sherat and I’har Apri have come down from the top of the building, and Athron recognizes them as the Shal couple that stopped briefly at the WayStation. I’har is belligerent (because he knows the party killed his brother, I’loz, at the lighthouse weeks before). Eventually, Boeden can stall no longer, and the party heads back out from the ziggurat.

Thirty feet from the base, however, Boeden is struck by a blast of fireball from the top, and the fight is on. Sherat and I’har are both caught by surprise, not expecting the attack, but quickly turn to fighting the PCs. Athron and Cassick eventually charge up towards the top to battle Toinet and her guard, Zachary, while the others finish up everyone on or near the ground. Badly wounded and close to dying, Sherat takes a potion of invisibility to disappear.

At the top of the ziggurat, Toinet surrenders once Zachary is close to death, throwing herself across his body and begging for his life. The PCs tie up both of them, then wait to see whether Sherat will show herself again. Those watching the interior of the ziggurat see dust stirred on the floor and a flap lifting on a bag – it is Sherat, attempting to retrieve some healing potions. She, like Toinet and Zachary, is captured.

The PCs retrieve the Eye of Hamal, a large ruby in a setting of silver, and a series of crystals that are used to focus it. They also retrieve four golden plaques, each of which depicts an ogre king (a) holding up a gem glazing with light; (b) holding an intricately-carved staff topped by a gem, and slamming it into the ground; (c) blowing a carved horn to summon the winds; and (d) holding out one hand, tipping it to pour out water.

DM’s Notes: Elements of this week’s events are taken from The Eye of the Sun by Eric Cagle. Photo of the ziggurat is adapted, under Creative Commons license, from this photograph