Acererak's Last Stand

Our hearty adventurers were searching for Acererak having destroyed his phylactery.  They determined that Acererak had taken refuge in the original Tomb of Horrors.  Finding the correct archway in Pluton to step through they again journeyed to the temple of Acererak in the Tomb.  Arriving in the temple they found the wooden pews intact, the altar on the dais was empty but the small opening leading east was passable.

Astral Engine

The group was yanked through the mouth and found themselves in a vast chamber.  Arcs of lightning illuminated the enormous eldritch engine that filled the chamber.  Tight wound mithral cables and platinum rods twisted along rune covered walls like a spider's web, with thousands of gems set among them in a blazing riot of color.

An enormous multifaceted gem floated in midair at the center of the giant engine, it pulsed with silver light.  A huge figure stood on an altar -- a skeletal form armored in crystal shards wrapped with strips of black flesh.  Its head was crystal skull with a human sized skull mounted in its left eye socket.  The eyes and teeth of this smaller skull were set with gleaming gems.  Lythandar lay unconscious on the floor.

Reaper's End

The party had just dispatched the Aspect of Vecna, Demin grabbed the gem in a bag with his glove and a black ooze lurched out of the black pool in the room.  The party set to work on the Black Blood Bone Collector as it moved blindly around attacking with Slam and Tendrils.  The necrotic damage was still reduced by the power Lythandar had used, but it was substantial.  In addition when Tendrils were used the heroes that were hit were grabbed and lost a healing surge.  The Bone Collector also seemed to regain strength when grabbing a victim.