After slaying the blood-thirsty creatures, the adventurers headed through the large cavern. Dare lit a brazier allowing them to take a look around. More bones. More skeletons wearing armor — remnants of the great battle that took place here hundreds of years ago. They continued North up a flight of worn-smooth stone stairs. To the West was a door, but to the East… 

First, the ground was littered with more skeletons wearing tattered armor. In the distance, though, they found a gigantic bellows connected to a water wheel. The carved out channel in which the wheel sat had been long since dry. What was left was a narrow tunnel running further into the mine. The bellows also connected to a large furnace. It seems as if they’ve found the heart of the Wave Echo Mine. They also found something else — or rather, something had found them. Slightly hovering above the bellows, casting the cavern in a dim green light was a glowing skull. It let out a deep grumble of a warning — “No one shall pass.”

Mystic moved a bit closer, not exactly sure of what she was seeing. As she did, the skull’s empty sockets suddenly burned with bright red fury. It opened its mouth and let loose a ball of fire at the adventurers. The damage was great. Droop went down, his clothes scorched . If not for Mercarri’s healing abilities, he might have met his end.

The party attacked the Flameskull– Livari with CurseBringer, Dare with Talon, Mystic with her often fatal moonbeam spell and Mercarri with Shit Hammer. Even Droop, once he came to, was able to quickly craft a small cannon, capable of blasting fire at the enemy. It looked as if they might make quick work out of the villain, but then the skeletons began to rise. Leathery flesh still clinged to some of their bodies as if the deadly magic that brought them back had also preserved them somewhat. 

Outnumbered, the party fought on. After suffering attack after attack from Dare and Lilvari, the Flameskull was finally delivered a fatal blow by Dare It crumbled into dust. They then focused their attention on the zombies, as did the others and slowly they were able to overtake them.

The battle was won. Lilvari remembered something about Flameskulls — that unless their remains are doused in holy water, they will regenerate in an hour. With no holy water on hand, they decided to split the remains — half went in Dare’s leather pouch. Dare took the other half (to everyone’s great dismay) and shoved it roughly  p one of the zombie’s asses. Thejob done, they next had to decide which way to go. There were several options. After several battles, and with their strength ever waning, they hoped whichever way they chose carried something other than monsters.