My first game went rather well, but last session wasn't the best because we had four people out of six cancel. I had battles tailored out for a much larger group and they were in a an old temple protected by a host of holy golems with relics/artifacts inside that were meant to be kept out of the hands of commoners that made it cheesy if I removed some of the golems protecting the holy artifacts, because having ancient items protected by just one golem seems rather ridiculous. I went to the extent of introducing a higher level cleric that wanted help exploring the temple (when in the original plot before I had players cancel, was meant not to actually go in to the temple with them but play a minor, informative role) so the group size would increase by at least one, but nevertheless, it wasn't the same.

What do you do when you have several players cancel and you have plans set out that would seem otherwise cheesy without those people there? Cancel game? Completely make them go somewhere else until the next game and improv? Just curious how you guys think this scenario should have been handled (in the end, I made the two players end the game in front of a door that would lead into the "great battle" with three stained glass golems and two half golems actually protecting the room beyond with the artifact, because I wanted this final room, at least, to be properly guarded.