After the victory in the arena, the party sets off into the desert once more. There is a nearby outcropping of rocks with clicking sounds dominating from within the circle.

Encounter:
4 Scorpions

During the fight, Yens is speared by a scorpion tail and filled with venom. There is nothing that can be done. He dies quickly. With the scorpions dead, the rest of the heroes investigate the rocks more closely and find that one has an opening. They each pass through the opening and find it to get larger quickly until it empties into a large chamber. There is a large pile of skulls in the center of the room with an iron barrier around it.

Encounter:
2 Sharn Kruthiks
3 Kruthiks Young
6 Hatchlings

The party receives a Battle Standard of Might. They also find a journal which belonged to a goblin of the Kech Volaar – the wordbearers of Darguun. They find runes on the skull pile barrier which say “Ashurta, slayer of these weaklings, keeper of the blade of the Ashen Crown. Even in death, he is stoic and strong. The might of Xoriat has not bested him, and Hell goes with him.”

The party enters the next section of the cave by unlocking the large door in the back of the room. The hinges on the door are magically sealed and have to be disarmed before they can open it. They enter a passageway with small Kruthik-sized tunnels and another door at the end of it.

Encounter:
Sharn Kruthik
3 Kruthiks Young
3 Hatchlings