Battle Report: The Temple of Fate - The first Soul Gem

An old friend joined the Templars in their fight against the Legion of Ba'al: The Spiritwalker Aram Tazur. Years ago, during their journey  to the ruins of the long lost kingdom of Szachsztan deep in the Underdark, the Templars met a strange and mysterious Spiritwalker who became a trusted ally and friend. Now, in their time of need, he joined them again to fight against the forces of Desmodar inside the Temple. With his aid the Templars discovered the identities of 3 of the 4 Banelords of Ba'al who fight for the privilege to summon Krull, the Destroyer of Worlds:

Banelord Valak Thul, the Necromancer, General of the Army of Bones

Lord Thul is one of the most vile Necromancers under the service of the Shadowlord Fa'zhul. He commands the Army of Bones, a fast army of unliving nightmares.

Banelord Nergal, the Corrupter, the Lord of Disease and Pestilence, General of the Army of Decay

Lord Nergal is a chosen of Fa'zhul who granted him the touch of decay. Whoever is slain by Nergal, mortal, undead and demon alike, rises as an aberration of his former self. He commands the Army of Decay, an army of ever-changing aberrations.

Lord Sorek, the Son of Krom, General of the Army of Might

Lord Sorek is a master of the arcane as well as the sword. He is a cruel but prudent warrior, who commands a fast legion of beasts and men.

The Necromancer seemed to be the most urgent danger since his undead army grew with every passing day. But defeating Valak Thul would be a most difficult task. Not only was he guarded by an ever growing number of unliving soldiers, he also could not be killed through normal means. Even if he would be slain in combat he would be resurrected the next night through 4 Soul Gems he has hidden in various places inside the temple.
Through the mystical abilities of Aram Tazur the Templers discovered the location of one of the Soul Gems: it was hidden in a magically sealed catacomb inside the temple. To open the gates the Templares would have to find the arcane key to the gate. Aram Tazur was also able to locate the hiding place of the key: in a lava cavern deep inside the mountain was a small, magically protected, pyramid shaped container which held the key to the Catacombs. There was no doubt that the way to the key would be well guarded by magical traps and creatures of all sorts so the Templars prepared for the worst and set forth into the depths of the Thalvan mountains.

After a lot of climbing, balancing (and sometimes falling) the Templars were near the lava cavern and preparing to climb further down the cavernous dungeon, when all hell broke loose and monstrous creatures, hidden in the dark by Lord Thul, attacked the Templars:

After defeating the monsters in a long and painful battle the Templars climbed down into the lava cavern where they were attacked by fiendish magma elementals:
 

After defeating the elementals and deciphering the riddle the Templars found the arcane key inside the pyramid. They climbed their way back out of lava cave and ventured to the hidden catacomb, guided by the map Aram Tazur gave them. When they arrived at the dungeon they had not slept, eaten or rested in almost a day. The key opened the doors as Aram Tazur had foreseen and the Templars entered the halls of the dead with exhausted bodies but steeled minds.

 

With their last strength the Templars found the first Soul Gem. They had slain every undead in the catacomb and returned to Krähenhort exhaused but victorius.