eneath ground after another long night in the dungeon, the party finally comes to the conclusion that it’s odd that though they have run into several smaller groups of Lizardfolk that they have not seen the numbers they would consider a “tribe”. In the middle of the night the party hears footsteps and down the corridor from their chamber they see the silhouetted figure of a lizardman approaching. They ready them selves for battle and prepare an ambush. It turns out the lizardman is actually Jaren, who had skinned one of the slain creatures and donned it’s scales as a disguise to venture into the dungeon and find his friends. While the rest of the party explains the previous day’s events (and Jaren explains why he was held up) the remaining Lizardfolk juveniles break from their bonds and attack Thorin (who had been keeping watch over them). The party is forced to fell the remaining creatures. Afterwards the party ventures deeper into the dungeon when they begin to hear the methodical beating of drums in the distance. They follow the sound and discover that the lizard folk have gathered in a massive chamber deep within the dungeon. The party plans an elaborate ambush to lure the lizard folk into and send Thorin to get their attention. Unexpectedly, however the Lizardfolk seem not surprised to see him, and the party is allowed to pass to meet with Kobulkahn, their chieftain. They are lead to a strange woman, who seems to be human, but has lizard-like features and patches of scales. In her hands is a glowing blue stone (the party immediately recognizes this as the stone they are searching for). They learn that the woman is Mica, daughter of Kobulkahn. She uses the stone to open a strange portal where beyond the characters see a massive eight-foot-tall muscled lizardman sitting in a throne beneath what appears to be the shadow of a massive dying tree. As the party follows Mica through the portal, it closes behind them leaving them alone with the two Lizardfolk in a strange pocket dimension. Here everything is dark with a bluish-purple hue to it. The dimension fills an area about five hundred feet by five hundred feet. The outer boundaries of the place appear to be swirling purple and black clouds. In the center of the space is a massive two hundred foot tree, though it appears to be dying, and no matter how it is illuminated always seeps to be dimmed by shadow. The party also notices several strange red fruits growing from a few limbs of the tree. The party learns from Kobulkahn that this place the Lizardfolk believe was a gift from their goddess, Simalru, and they call the tree, “The Tree of Life.” Kobulkahn tells the party that if they surrender all of their gear to him, that he will not kill them, and that they may leave. At first the party complies, placing their equipment on the ground, and in turn Mica opens the portal again. This time however, outside the party sees hundreds of lizard folk (some of which Jaren recognizes as the massive war party that halted his return from the beach). The party quickly realizes that if they go through the portal, that they will be killed by the other Lizardfolk. As they each grab a weapon from the pile of equipment before them, Mica closes the portal, and Kobulkahn rises from his throne and charges towards them laughing manically. A long battle ensues, during which both Thorin and Jaren come under the influence of some strange spell cast by Mica where they both desire her, and feel the overwhelming need to protect her, but eventually the party prevails and Kobulkahn and his daughter are both slain. At this time, the party takes possession of the stone and tries to open a portal with it to lead them out of the dungeon, unfortunately the device seems to always open the portal from the point at which it was brought into the pocket dimension, and outside waits an army of Lizardfolk. Marcus decides to cut off the head of Kobulkahn and toss it into the crowed, which immediately provokes a fight among the Lizardfolk as different commanders claim the right as tribal chieftain. Soon an all out war is being waged between the lizardmen in the tomb, and the party decides to wait it out inside the pocket dimension. While inside, the every member of the party except Marcus decides to eat from the tree. Thorin detects that the fruit is magical in some way, however cannot discern its purpose. Thorin also expends one of the party’s pearls to cast the identify spell on the stone, which instead of working as usual, sends him into a deep trance where he has a strange vision (see end of journal entry) that provides little information to the stones purpose. After a day’s wait the party re-opens the portal where they are greeted by the sight of countless dead Lizardfolk, and what appears to be one rather small group of commanders. Feeling confident they could take the smaller group if needed the party leaves the portal and makes their way out of the dungeon. The remaining Lizardfolk do not bother them as they leave. The party then meets up with Alicia outside of the tomb, and the party makes the three day journey along the white sands beach back to New Tu’Banor. The party returns the stone to Marthis, but in addition to his promised reward, Jaren demands the amulet the wizard uses to control Alicia. Surprisingly to the party, Marthis gladly hands over the amulet in return for the stone. Jaren then offers Alicia her freedom, but quickly realizes that she cannot touch the amulet, nor can the amulet be destroyed without killing her. So, he vows to protect the trinket, and tells her that she is free to do as she wishes. Since she has no where else to go, and feels indebted to Jaren, she decides to stay with the party for the time being. The group then makes their way back to the Stonemorrow house, looking forward to a well earned rest.

Thorin’s vision from the stone: Descending from a birds-eye view Thorin finds himself levitating above the massive tree, however the tree is vibrant and alive. He realizes he is in the pocket dimension however instead of walls of swirling clouds he sees massive stone walls, and the sky is pristine with the light from what appears to be two suns. In the thrown beneath the tree is a stately figure (Thorin deduces the king he saw engraved on many of the walls in the tomb) surrounded by a group of what appear to be nobles. There are also seven robed figures each holding a different color glowing stone (one of them holds this stone). One of the robed figures walks over to the wall directly across from the throne, holds up the red stone, and a portal opens upon the wall, which quickly walks through