Though beleaguered by the presence of what seems to be a royal dwarf spirit within their friend Sayer, the companions press on deeper. They confront SIR FERRIC deep within the horrid Black Cells.

He had been grossly malformed, carrying plague and death as a weapon against the companions. Entombed in this place in his armor of old, he wore it still; though any adornment or trappings of the Aegis had long been scorched and blackened almost completely beyond recognition.

He claimed to be blessed by some other being and indeed transformed into a powerful creature of darkness late into the encounter. A fetid aura of pestilence hung about him; he invoked powers of plague and disease. Though he nearly brought the group low with his considerable powers of darkness, our heroes were able to vanquish the disgraced knight for good.

As the ascended the dungeons, they came across the wall fresco depicting Dyadorism. With the key they formed in the dungeons below, they found a cache of hidden treasures. They then made the night trek back to the Alabaster Citadel.

Arriving late in the evening, they sent word that The Circle should form first thing in the morning, for they brought news of consequence. Akasha Delithrang investigates some of the mysterious codex, the ‘Castrum Severaturm’. In this codex, she began learning some small introductory information on the Veridian Wardens.

When the elves formed The Conglomerate, there were some who stood apart. They, with the guidance of some benevolent entity, formed the Veridian Wardens, those who rely on the natural world that the Qual’denas, or ‘Those That Came Before’ (as it’s translated from elvish,) have set for the world of man.

On’ogg takes an opportunity to meditate on that which he had encountered below the Old Rookery Station, finding himself on the Citadel crenelations to enjoy the pre-dawn. He watched on the sun rose in between a pair of the Nobles, washing over him with light and warmth.

Soon after dawn the companions traveled to the auditorium, where The Circle had convened. Elbenor recounts their experience, explaining the pestilent state of Sir Ferric the Disgraced. He cautions that the Aegis not forget the depths of the Black Cells, for “a putrid eye had doth turned it’s evil eye upon the black heart of it’s depths”.

The Circle takes heed and Svala proclaimed her justice fulfilled. She takes leave of the counsel, obtaining the storm cleric for a private discussion as she steps away.

As the counsel makes to retire, Sayer steps forward, full of a haughty indigence at having to announce himself. He does so, calling on those of the Alabaster Aegis, an Order that his Lord Father, Thane Olaf Magnus of the Baelstraz held in such high esteem. Sayer’s voice bellows out in uncanny fashion, a glimmer in his eye as he invokes his divine mission to meet with his father’s mortal remains in the Forge of Souls, this strange place that the humans now refer to as Exeter.

Those of the counsel stare on in shock, all but one. SIR HURON recognizes these proclamations, realizing that the young adventurer has within him the soul of the Ulfar Magnus, Lost Prince of the Baelstraz Mountains. Sir Huron calls forth his brothers and sisters, announcing the royal prince as such, taking knee and offering his aid in such a worthy cause.

Any foolish enough not to follow suit finds themselves rebuked with a fervor rivaling the intensity of the sun above. Within moments the whole congregation bends the knee to the Lost Prince.

The companions continue to investigate the Old Rookery, finding themselves in the subterranean levels, among the dusty tomes and old paintings of the study. They find some small signs of struggle and a disruption in the flow of carpeting. They also noticed a malignant growth protruding from the air duct lining the bottom of the wall.

They continued down, finding a small sitting area with a large basin of cool, refreshing water. On’ogg, realizing it to have been blessed, took his fill of the holy water. They also found a intricate wall fresco, depicting the eternal conflict of Dyadorism.

The companions continued on, finding a small chantry, beyond which they witnessed the setting sun through a small passageway outside. There was a mighty clash coming from outside, the sound of heavy forged metal hitting stone. The companions rushed forward, engaging in several more abhorrent knights. They are successful in halting the knight’s attacks on a large stone seal of some sort. During the combat, The Hand passively dragged their hand across the wall as they delved.

Reckoning it to be some containment against evil, Akasha and On’ogg combine their powers to mend the stone. Tendrals of vines sprout from Akasha’s magic, filling in the damaged areas while Ogg radiates small waves of light, which harden the vines into stone.

The companions watch the sunset and use the opportunity for a short rest. They soon continue forward, sliding the heavy stone aside to reveal an old passageway, cut from the rough hewn stone of the mountain itself. They continue down.

Intrigued by the hard edges of the wall, the Hand drags their own hand across the surface passively. Continuing down some ways the companions are halted when the Hand accidentally pulls a lever, opening a hidden panel branching off of the main passageway. Climbing up a narrow flight of steps, they find a perfectly square room with a vaulted ceiling and nothing but a large mirror on a stand centered in the middle of the floor.

They spend some time dabbling with the strange ways in which the mirror reflects magical light. They find some discerning colors associated with each plain wall. They also notice that both the walls and the mirror have a deeply embedded magic about them, though inverted.

After quite a bit of experimenting, Sayer snaps his fingers with a thought and places the mirror against one of the walls, easily stepping through to a room beyond that he had found with his Gem of Truesight.

The companions venture into what they find to be four hidden rooms, one for each wall of the mirror room. With a combined effort they find a Chain from a chamber containing a scale, a Haft from the chamber containing a suit of ancient armor, a Crest from the room containing a paining of a woodland scene and a Bit from the room containing a Chalice.

Combining their pieces they gain a heavy key, with an aura of magic about it. Ogg realizes that it seems to have a similar design to that fresco they came across in the chambers above. He notes this for later investigation.

The companions delve deeper into the Black Cells. They pass through some unadorned cells before finding a peculiar, gleaming plate helm with a ruby the size of a fist centered on the front. There is a bit of discussion as to what to do with such a relic before Sayer relieves the Hand of the artifact and places it upon his noggin.

He is wracked by convulsions for a brief moment before seeming to come to. He stares at his friends without obvious recognition, eventually speaking in a voice not his own. The companions find they are now speaking to a dwarf by the name of Prince Ulfgar Magnus, son of Thane Ragno Magnus.

It seems the Prince is driven beyond the normal parameters of mortality to fulfill some ancestral duty. He seems driven by this calling, and through some small feats of trust-binding decides that the companions could help with this task.

The companions regroup in the morning, break their fast with simple fare. Sir Alfred Leomynd calls on them early, delivering a missive from the First Paladin himself, meant for the sergeant of the watch post. The instruction give the companions access to the long since sealed dungeons below the Old Rookery Station.

They set off soon after. A few hours hike finds them in the upper clefts of one of the Nobles surrounding the citadel, on the far end of the valley. A switchback trail leads up to the Old Rookery, the breeze whistling through a door standing slightly ajar. Nobody welcomes them as they press into the foyer; the watch station seems strangely unmanned.

They come across a statue of a vaguely angelic figure wielding a golden blade, the placard naming it ‘Glorenfauzt’. They take note and soon move along. They find an door that blocked from the other side, then an office with scattered papers and upturned furniture, an ominous smear of blood dragged across a chamber wall.

They find a small observation platform. They also determine that there are no reports dated past two days prior to the current day. They continue on, up a small circular stairway to the Rookery itself.

Here they come across a pair of aberrations, grossly malformed by some horrific evil, interrupting the vile creature as it feasted upon the carcass of a bloated crow. Extraneous appendages sprout from their dead bodies, which they use to brutally attack the heroes. There is a aura of undeath about them.

The companions are up to the task and soon dispatch the creatures. They notice that they bare the trappings of Aegis knights, confirming a grim fate on at least two of the knights stationed here.

Backtracking to the level below, they use a crowbar with renewed vigor and break open the blocked door to the billets. Within they find the corpse of what must have been a survivor, determining his death to likely caused by wounds suffered by the abhorrent knights. The Hand weaves a spell around the corpse, animating the poor soul to find clues through conversation.

The man claims to have been caught unawares while he and his colleagues delivered goods to the outpost. In the chaos, he suffered a mortal wound and blockaded himself in the sleeping quarters, where he would eventually succumb to his injuries.

The companions press on into the depths of the outpost. Spiraling down deep into the mountainside, the stairwell leads them into an unlit passageway. They come across a small room with a heavy tome, names listed with some irregularity. Continuing on they find several alcoves; each with several brass urns. Countless mementos clutter the area, including several sealed notes and missives, each with a coin sunk into it’s waxen seal.

The decided it best to not interfere with the shrines and continue forth, to a split in the passage. To one path lies a long hall with a small flight of steps leading into the darkness beyond. The other path opens into a comfortable receiving room, with many substantial paintings and a few shelves with old literature lining the walls.

The companions investigate the study, finding one painting in particular quite intriguing. Upon further inspection, they notice it not a painting at all but a peculiar snapshot of the scene it depicts, like a window to the scene, with just the shades of black and grey detailing the image.

It was labeled the ‘Heroes of Exeter’ and depicts Ahrumaz and her band of companions in the harsh tundras of the far north. It listed there names. Among the names listed they are surprised to find Marobar Sul . Sure enough they recognize his likeness, though a much, much younger man, standing among the heroic friends of Ahrumaz, fabled hero of the Giant Gate Wars and legendary leader of the Alabaster Aegis.

The companions regroup before their final trek to the Alabaster Citadel. Sayer the Swashbuckler calls upon Captain Castien, who is happy to report that the state of the Callehad is far less dire than at first was expected. The companions efforts to outfit the ship with reinforced skystone plates have payed off serious dividends in their effort.

Akasha Delithrang calls upon Nazeer for guidance in regard to the inquiries she had made on the ‘Veridian Wardens’. He mentions that he remembers having a conversation with one of the acolytes of the Scribes that hinted at said knowledge. He directs her to find a place where old tomes and scrolls be kept, then call upon him through means of the arcane to receive further instructions.

Elbanor Thaspeclepior, On’ogg and The Hand fall into the company of Noble Squad and as a whole they set out into the Gates of Benediction, delving at a downward grade down into the northern cliffs of the valley. The tunnel they found themselves in was as well kept as it was long. They continued for some time with only sconces of burning brazers to mark their progress. After about ten minutes they saw a gleam of light at the far end, signifying the exit.

Once through, they found the valley much more hospitable than the region would suggest. They had dropped some elevation in the trek through the Gates and the ground was still marked by snow patches escaping the sun’s rays under at the edge of the treeline.

They continue to the Citadel, are escorted by Judith ‘the Noose’ to the Scribe’s Archives, by way of the dining facilities. Ogg inquires about some required reading and is assigned some book-work by Alfred Leomynd, the First Scribe of the Aegis. The Hand offers their assistance, but Ogg decides that perhaps Elbanor is the better companion suited to wax philosophical virtues.

Akasha inquires with First Scribe on the certain subject of the Veridian Wardens. He seems genuinely stumped, so she offers the scroll which she received in the dreaming as a clue. He finds it most interesting and gains permission by the young elf to transcribe to contents, a task which he sets his acolytes to immediately. He is unable to produce meaningful text on the Wardens besides.

Sayer peels away from the group to find more suitable accommodations. He is seen to their lodgings. The Aegis had set them in the formal guest quarters; though lacking any obvious manner of refinement, it was certainly comfortable and well appointed.

He then made his way to conquer the task of growing thirst. Running into the familiar face of supply sergeant McGee, he accepts the invitation to the officer’s lounge for refreshments. While enjoying said company, Sayer listened with some intent on the buzz around the lounge, namely that the Circle had been called for emergency deliberations, that such hasty arrangements were a peculiarity.

The Hand makes attempt to poke around the First Scribe’s office after he departs to his meeting with the Circle, but is quickly set upon by a passing acolyte. Feigning a head injury, the Hand is successful in convincing the young man into believing their trauma. Much to the Hand’s dismay, though, the acolyte now seemed duty-bound to transport them to a medical professional.

Once delivered, a doctor of sorts informs The Hand of the nature of traumatic experiences and their potential to disrupt the natural recall of memories, creating a void of mental capacity. He also warned that though it may be difficult, that delving into said trauma may be to only way to unpack and assuage what he called this ‘dark baggage’. Somewhat shaken by this apparent revelation, the Hand takes their leave after requesting a shiny bauble from his cabinet of medicinal curios.

Some time later Elbanor is called on by a runner from The Circle. His presence seems requested by Svala, a summons he takes immediately. The attendant sees him out of the Citadel and up a forest path to the outdoor auditorium, where The Circle had convened.

Svala calls Elbanor to act in her name as an agent in her stead. His charge would be to confirm the proof of punishment for a Knight that she knows to be integral in her capture by the giants deep within the mountains. He is told that Sir Ferric had been interred some three decades prior in the ‘Black Cells’, the dungeons below what is now an active guard outpost name the ‘Old Rookery’. The man under question had refused any nourishment and has been presumed dead since shortly after his internment began. The ‘Black Cells’ have long since been discontinued and nearly forgotten.

Meanwhile Ogg takes the opportunity to wander about the Citadel for a time. He finds himself on one of the outer crenelations and runs into a young paladin who says that her friends call her ‘Mouse’. Indeed the young lady seems just barely scraping into an age of growth, a so called ‘late bloomer’ as it goes. She mentions having a keen appreciation for a certain star in the sky, a cosmic brightness that sheds some reminder that the divine are shining down on the realm of mortals. A little perplexed, Ogg notices that Mouse has a strength of divine power among her and attempts to continue the conversation, but the young lady soon vanishes around a corner.

He eventually calls upon Knight Marcus Dunham, the head smithy of the Aegis. On’Ogg gives a small practical demonstration of the peculiar sword, a presentation that results in the complete destruction of a dummy target. Knight Dunham, an expert in his own right in the ways of weapons and steel, turns his trained eye in the aura of red energy around the violence. He seems to recognize the curse gripping the orc and brings him to his great forge.

Thereupon Knight Dunham commands Ogg to submerge the blade into a basin of holy water. Ogg complies, and with some peculiar reluctance plunges the sword into the water. A blast of dark energy erupts from the basin, cracking the polished stonework in the process. A shadowy malevolence washes over the room briefly before slamming several acolytes onto the ground and flitting down towards the training grounds.

Ogg and the Knights rush out into the yard with several torches only to catch a tail end of darkness taken form. They look on to watch as it flits into the treeline some distance away.

The recently freed jotunbrud proclaimed herself to be Akir’thanalan, blessed of the Storm Father … but demanded that the small-folk on board the Callehad call her Svala. The giant took the time to appraise her diminutive liberators and judged Elbanor to indeed carry some blessing of Ak’leksion.

Their dialogue was cut short by Svala, who sensed of those she mention to have been ‘once her kinsman’ but that they had ‘steered themselves down a different path long ago’. The companions disembark the rattled Callehad and investigate, finding several demons emerge from the misty crevices of the mountain. Svala begins channeling a prayer.

Several of the assailants are dispatched by the companions before Svala finishes her age-old invocation to Ak’leksion. Suddenly her massive palm slams down and shatters the remaining demons in a chain of lightning. Making short work of those she proclaims to be agents of the mountain giants, Svala finds the companions worthy. She lifts the Callehad over a giant shoulder and begins carrying them to a place she calls Exeter…

They attempt to reason with Svala who is waylaying their progress… but they find her resolve unflinching until they mention their hope to visit the Alabaster Citadel. This seems to spark some deep thought and Svala agrees to make way for the ancient holdings of the Aegis.

~

The mighty Svala had cut a path deep through the vast peaks of the Khalkist Mountains, winding her way through places of sheer rock cliffs and wide, misty gorges. She came upon a long basin known to her as the Vale of Huron; the ancestral home of the Alabaster Aegis …surely named so after some former Gallant of the knights. A mere breathe on the winds of time, she thought as she recalled the ancient rites to this place… A’guur Romagaath.

From the vantage of those on board the deck of the Callehad, the great Lady of the storms seemed as if to wade through tall grass, so did the pines and poplars crowd in about her waist. Though the valley had been many leagues in length, the span side to side would have hardly been more than a day’s hike across. With a slight incline marked by hillocks and braes, the blessed of Ak’lecsion carried on… past heavy stone cairns marking the path for the much smaller denizens of the mountains.

Aboard the Callehad the passengers find little warmth from the daylight. Indeed, though the sun shined brightly over the western horizon, it gave naught to lessen the brisk chill that cut through cloak and spirit alike. The Captain had coordinated the restoration of the dirigible and shoring of the hull, the aligning of steerage and the shoring up of line-works. Once the assignments had been arranged, the Captain retired to his cabin.

Still Svala continued on. Now you find yourself in the terminus of this valley, ensconced to the south by the misty peaks of the Khalkist mountains and the Nobles looming over you to the north, with the sculpted smooth stone of the Gates of Benediction nestled among their craggy cliffs. Recently deposited near the road leading up to the Gates, the Callehad almost seems forgotten among the tension between Svala and the Knights.

Suddenly Knight Renault Mallory separates himself from the crowd of foot soldiers and appeals for prudence through armistice in a voice for all to hear. His voice rings soundly through the crisp, mountain air and seems to dissolve the hostility … for now.

The companions take their place among the crew of the Callehad in it’s voyage to the Alabaster Citadel to rendezvous with the Order of the Alabaster Aegis.

The Hand learns the value of a hard day’s work through hull-painting and mineral crushing. In the process, the young warlock also gains valuable insight on the mannerisms of the elves of the Legion.

While lingering on deck observing the scene, Sayer notices adverse weather in their distant path. Knowing the need, he volunteers himself and his colleagues to assist as necessary. Later that evening an advisory is disseminated throughout the crew, confining the crew outside direct duties to the decks below as a safety precaution.

Early the next morning his squad is called upon and set to a series of tasks which Sayer delegates with some demeanor of polished professionalism. Though his friends at first have a slow start, they soon gain some footing at the tasks after a on-the-fly adjustment on his part.

First Mate Nazeer runs the duties through short-shifts, considering the harsh weather. The companions eventually finish their work and are soon rotated out. Returning to down time activities, Sayer becomes aware of a growing concern among the elven crew. There seems to be an ominous voice on the wind. He joins his elven compatriots in investigating and indeed hears a strange, ominous sound between the whistling gale of the weather.

He alerts his friends and they discuss the implications. On’ogg remembers that the ‘Forge of Souls’ had a close tie to the giants of this region and their history with the Alabaster Aegis. Elbanor remembers that the giants are often greatly blessed by the Lords of the Elemental Planes. Feeling a calling by his own Lord Ak’Lexzion he rushes to the main deck to observe this anomaly for himself.

Some ways distant he takes notice of a silent crashing thunder, deep within the roiling blizzards roiling around the summits of the Khalkist mountain range. The Khalkist acts as a natural barrier within the Ironback mountains in the great north, beyond which the vast tundras lay sprawling as far as the eye can see.

Believing this a sign, he calls forth a mastery of the elements around him, summoning his own booming lightning around the area of the ship. Those on deck take cover amidst the violent display of charged elemental might. As they recover, several of the crew, Nazeer among them move to apprehend the cleric.

Entranced by the spell, Elbanor finds himself equal to the task of staving off his assailants. Indeed, rapt in the splendor of the lightning around him, the young man doesn’t notice as the ship is torn from it’s trajectory, caught in a slipstream that bends it’s course towards the heart of this fierce blizzard.

Moments into this cutting weather Captain Castien calls for all hands on deck, to “..Save the ship!”. With his heart pounding in his chest, Elbanor takes a position on the nose of the forecastle, dodging crates as they become detached from their moorings. The rest of the companions aid in the efforts of recovery, securing the lines as the cutting winds threaten to tear the ship from it’s dirigible (the balloon).

Combining their efforts, the companions are successful in securing the rigging, only to hear Elbanor call out that they are almost through. Suddenly they burst through the swirling mass of the blizzard, barreling into the relatively calm of the eye.

With their speed, they find themselves hurtling towards the tallest peak among the Khalkist. Atop what must be an ancient platform carved into the throat of said peak they see a colossal crystal formation, an encasement of roughly hewn ice. They are startled to see a a figure of colossal size, humanoid in features but larger than anything they had ever seen. A giant, to be sure, encased in the ice.

Noticing the frame, they see the giant to be female. The only signs of life to be seen are the soft hum of cold blue light radiating through the ice around the giant’s eyes, catching on minute cracks within the crystalline formation.

With the last of their efforts, the crew attempt to slow their speed with emergency rigging, but find only one able to be deployed, the others caught in the mess of the lines. With the intact sail dropped, the Callehad careens forward on it’s side. Castien calls out for all hands to “…brace for impact!”, before the ship slams it’s starboard side into the sheer edge of the ice.

The deep cracking of ice can be heard beneath the the Callehad’s ancient ironwood hull splintering, long persisting as the airship rebounds off it’s impact. The hull itself begins a wide arc, seeming to tie up it’s line as the dirigible itself bounces off the impact. The crater of shattered ice reverberates through the massive formation and those still standing look on bewilderingly as a massive crack breaks free an arm of the giant.

The giant uses her freed arm to blast the rest of the formation into glacier size chunks, the pieces falling all around the ship, creating blasts of avalanches below. Still careening aside, those upon the Callehad watch helplessly as the giant stands to her feet, bringing up a massive arm to intercept the ship.

Bracing for another impact, those upon the ship are thrown about as the giant hand closes around the hull of the airship. Large plates of metal cover her arms as a scaled armor, shining with resplendent energy. The armor climbs higher and higher on the figure, capping on a similarly fashioned helm around a feminine face marked by eyes the color of lightning and brimstone. Not unkindly, the giant holds it steady and leans down; eyes the size of wagon wheels leveling with those on deck.

She calls out, her voice booming with a energy in itself, “Hear me …… those .. who have called … the storm ……….. for .. you .. have FOUND HER~!!!!”.

The elves of the Callehad make a point to leave at sunset on the following day, so the companions continue to sew up the loose ends while still in Khalsbrad.

the First Paladin, Sir Dhalamus Cayne invites On’ogg to join him while he breaks his fast, where they wax philosophical on the nature of the Light. Sensing the radiant Gift with Ogg, he calls the orc to the Alabaster Citadel to continue his training with a more structured curriculum. Ogg decides to deny the appeal, at least for now, until he’s dealt with the pressing issue of Sytheria. Upset by the necessity of putting off this formal invitation, Ogg agrees to call upon the Aegis before they set out farther north.

Elbanor keeps his appointment with Nozzalthorp Frayfeather within the Tower of Solastarum, where the gnomish tinkerer begins grafting a gauntlet device in lieu of the cleric’s missing hand.

Akasha, Sayer the Swashbuckler and The Hand join Baatu and his friend Marobar Sul within the depleting company among the Black Star Tavern, where they trade stories for a time.

They then drop in to see Lord Boswell, who seems to have dropped into a governing position within the city. Though he chafes at the responsibility, he doesn’t appear to deny the position (temporary as he assumes it surely must be). They then make way to the apartments of Sir Zeliek, formally of the Minutemen militia of Khalsbrad. They find the building sealed off, under order of Commander Jules Maynard himself.

Within the meager chambers they find signs of what must have been a prolonged internment of a small person on a child sized bed. Nearby, they find pieces of what must have been a porcelain object. Within the room alongside, they find a larger bed next to an equipment rack bereft of any armor. There is the remains of a large rune beneath the child’s bed, burnt into the wood of the floor. It appears to be of the conjuring energy type. Within the room itself is the palpable feeling of dread, made thick by a faint miasma that is reminiscent of the magical hues of Khalsbrad during the Night of Lights. They destroy any remnants of the conjuration runes and depart.

The group convene within the Tower to find Elbanor, who is still undergoing his procedure. They find the scribes of the Aegis noticeably tense as they go about their charting. The calculations don’t seem entirely possible and the bring a sense of doom. The group meet with Frayfeather just as Wilhelm von Keurig is confronting the architect about what his own findings seem to forewarn. Apparently the fluctuation of the ley lines are destabilizing the very space that the Tower is founded upon, tearing at the normalized laws of physical normalcy.

Frayfeather seems unresponsive to such calculations from so obviously inept a source, but concedes that there are certain peculiarities gripping the area. The debate swiftly devolves into a half-sized brawl, complete with an array of flying projectiles. Tools, sprockets, small curiosities; anything not already bolted down was quickly taking flight between the gnomes.

Finding the Tower to be less safe a conference area by the moment, the companions secure a mid-procedural Elbanor from the worktable, as well as the two gnomes and make their way back out to the grounds around the Tower. On the way a series of lights and a tinny alarm begins sounding, they are pleased to see all within the Tower making as hasty an exit as they can.

With mere minutes to apparent meltdown, the Hand separates themself and makes a break for the private study of Master Madrygos. The Hand finds the librarian and warns the construct of the imminent arcane anomaly. The librarian attempts to relieve the Hand of their concern, explaining that it’s tethering to the study is not held in contempt, indeed it’s task gives the construct purpose. The Hand seems saddened, but concedes to Sora’s intention to stay with the Tower. The Hand quickly departs.

Within minutes, the Tower of Solastarum is consumed by arcane energy and folds in on itself, leaving a crater hewn into the ground itself, sporadically marked the offshoots of subterranean passageways. The crater is quickly filled water spilling in from Lake Edelweiss, flowing like a crashing torrent to consume the void area.

All those able watch in shock to see the spectacle; the whispers of small pockets of people made audible by the stark silence of the lost Tower.

The group fall back to the Callehad to again plan their course of action.

~

The next morning the companions set out to their own tasks. The Hand climbs to the top of the blimp and spends much of the morning and then afternoon contemplating all that they had learned. They notice much from the height, not least of which the bands of Knights of the Alabaster Aegis departing to the northwest. They also take notice of the blank canvas of the balloon with piqued interest.

Ogg calls upon Sir Osterrick within the counsel offices of the Khalsbrad Municipal chambers. He finds the Prefect going about the business of managing the city. Ogg communicates that the gravity of the death of Knight Raleigh is not lost on him, as Sir Osterrick suggests that the orc remember what happened when moving forward, to use it as a reminder of what brought him to this point and a catalyst to make the best of such an opportunity.

Sayer finds himself in a state of restlessness. Without the threat of imminent danger, his thoughts tend to settle back into disagreeable subjects. He seeks out some of his elvish friends aboard the Callehad and they depart to do some light sparring outside the city. Noticing his agitated state, they bring him on an afternoon hunt to slay a wild beast that is hounding travelers on the Fairfield road. They track the great beast into the craggy foothills of the Khalkist mountains and eventually slay the beast, bringing back a massive trophy to the crew.

Elbanor continues his procedure aboard the Callehad, well below deck.

Akasha approaches Nazeer about some personal dreams she had been experiencing, dating back a long time. They seemed all the more relevant now that she had gained the peculiar ability to change her shape into animals almost completely at will. Connecting the portents, the experienced magus demands her to delve it’s secrets. He brings her to his small chambers and begins the preparations to induce such exploration. She falls asleep and begins experiencing the dream again, though with much more lucidity than ever before.

In the dream she walks through the foreign yet familiar landscape of a dense forest, following a shallow creek that meanders into a deep pond. She hears faint rhythms of music, almost too soft to hear. She follows the edge of the water and is surprised to find herself among several figures, standing still as statues. She attempts to question the nearest, speaking in a language she knows but doesn’t recognize. The figure responds only by unfolding their hands from the depths of heavy robes, producing a sealed scroll and handing it to the bewildered young elf.

As she accepts, she finds herself consumed by an radiant energy, suffering somewhat from it’s white hot intensity. She falls, kicking and screaming. The pain wracks her body a moment before she finds herself being roused by Nazeer, back in his small cabin. The pain subsides, leaving no mark but it’s brief memory and even that seems less distressing as she remembers. Indeed, the events would likely be soon forgotten had she not held in her hand the scroll from the mysterious figure.

She reads the script as lines of a strange poem, knowing not what it means. She conveys it to Nazeer, who is also at a loss as to it’s meaning, though it signed as ‘Veridian Warden’ strikes him as noteworthy. He confesses himself unable to glean much, but suspects that he heard that moniker some time before. He dismisses the young elf, conveying a need to study his tomes and scrolls for more information.

Ogg and the Hand experiment with dunking their head in a deep barrel of rainwater. Sayer returns with the elvish hunters, prize in tow. There’s a peculiar scent of burning pipestuffs, but Sayer isn’t quite able to place it’s origin. Akasha visits Captain Castien Vauldra, who is in his cabin consulting charts and maps, plotting his course. Happy for her company, he continues his work as she plays him light music. Intrigued by the scroll, which she realized is as much musical notes and verse as it is the cryptic poem, plays the song as written.

All who hear, including those on the deck of the Callehad experience an intense lethargy, then fall into a deep slumber. Akasha herself is beset by the enchantment. Some time later, the knights of Noble Squad awaken the bewildered crew of the Callehad.

They had been delivering Aegis crates aboard the ship and found the strange scene at a time just before dusk. Ogg inquires of their status, as they seem to have insignificant tasks delegated to them on the regular. They appraise him of the merit system, which he finds interesting. He mentions that perhaps they could assist with the companion’s soon to be foray to the north.

Captain Castien, perturbed by the stoppage of work, took pains to reacquaint the crew to their tasks. The Callehad jostles a bit due to the tasks. From below deck, Wihelm von Keurig repremands those within earshot to steady the area, as exacting work was being performed on the cleric well below deck. None of the companions seen this as an oddity.

Within the hour they had taken flight, setting course for the Alabaster Citadel.

The companions awaken to find the Black Star a convergence point for Minutemen forces working in shifts to retake the city of Khalsbrad.

The Hand is confronted by On’ogg about the strange crimson stone that was taken from Hush upon the necromancer’s demise. Hand claims to have it stowed away and promises to bring it to the Tower of Solastarum, where they will convene some time later.

Though somewhat distraught, Ogg concedes and makes his way with Akasha Delithrang and Sayer to the grounds. As they depart they convene briefly with Thranka Suun accompanied by an unknown scoundrel of a mage.

Thranka welcomes Sayer to join her; to return to the sea. With an sense of responsibility still quite new to him, Sayer decides to continue their course to see this adventure through. There’s a heartfelt goodbye, and Thranka departs, presumably through the arcane portal that Darrek and his colleagues are conjuring.

The Hand breaks away and explores the landscape just beyond the walls of Khalsbrad. They find a bit of privacy and attempt to commune with an unknown greater power. There is a response, beckoning them to bring the Scepter before it. There seems to be a way to travel through the extra planar space to the entity, though it require at least one sentient anchor as a component to the sorcery.

Elbanor avoids the general drama of his companions by making an appointment with Nozzalthorp Frayfeather, requesting the gnomish tinkerer’s aid in grafting a salvaged mechanical arm onto his missing limb. He then calls on the elves of the Callehad finding Captain Castien in recovery, but hopeful.

Meanwhile Ogg, Akasha and Sayer continue to the grounds around the Tower where the Alabaster Aegis has taken position. A supply officer shows them around before escorting them to the command tent.

There they find SIR OSTERRICK; Ogg presents the old knight with the mortal remains of one of their Order, from the Errant Expeditionary. Sir Osterrick seems greatly troubled, inquires as to what the circumstances are that Ogg came into possession of such a thing. He then places Ogg and his friends under arrest for crimes for suspicious of murder of one Catherine Raleigh, his own daughter.

~

Ogg, Akasha and Sayer find themselves tied to a post in a small tent some not far from the command area. After about an hour, Sir Osterrick dismisses the guards, who he finds eager to be rid of Sayer’s muffled insults. The old Knight is fuming and begins interrogating Ogg, who divulges all information regarding Karth Drachum killing Knight Raleigh in the jungles of southern Collabria.

Sir Osterrick makes smack of Ogg’s face then notices the young orc gather his emotions and control his rage, which subdues the old man’s own zeal. He then listens to the rest of the orc’s story and decides it to be truth. He releases the companions and informs them that they should await the pleasure of the First Paladin for further guidance.

The companions make their way to the mess tent, taking in a meal. The tent is empty besides a small group of Knights seeming to stretch their ale ration. The companions take seat, but soon they are displaced from the larger table as dozens of young Knights return from field work.

In the commotion the small group of Knights who had been seating on the far corner raises draws attention by raising a mug ‘to the heroes who saved Khalsbrad’. There is a raucous cheer before he continues, more specifically distinguishing the companions for their achievements in the critical role of dropping the otherworldy shield around the city. The cheers around the tent turn quickly to jeers.

After the turbulence fades, the companions make way to make the acquaintance of this eccentric gentleman and his colleagues. He introduces his friends as those of Noble, a squad of misfits and ragabouts. The companions stay a while, enjoying the company of Noble before being called fetched for the First Paladin himself.

Meanwhile, the Hand has meandered back towards Solastarum. Some ways from the encampment they are set upon by by a Knight of a different sort. Baron Samael approaches and suggests a small stroll by the lake. The Hand attempts to regain their own will, feeling the briefest whisper of doubt in their actions. They find resistance to be fruitless.

Samael takes possession of the scarlet crystal that was gained after defeating the dread necromancer Hush. Then citing the Hand’s benefactor as a power not to be crossed lightly, allows a favor to be called upon when the young warlock is in need.

The Hand soon rejoins their other companions at the command tent, where Sir Dhalamus Cayne is receiving Ogg, Akasha and Sayer. They soon sort out the drama of Knight Raleigh’s death to a favorable end for all. Sir Dhalamus also thanks the companions for their part in toppling the evils within Khalsbrad.

By this point both Elbanor and the Hand have rejoined the group, the cleric coming in tow with Nazeer, Castien’s second in command. The elves of the Legion want to continue their coordinated efforts with the Aegis and formally give their thanks to the companions in their efforts within Solastarum, not least of which the recovery of their Captain.

Honoring the companions with ceremony, he gifts them several powerful items recovered from the Tower. Impressed, Dhalamus also invites Ogg to join the Aegis at the Alabaster Citadel to formally begin his paladin training in the ways of the Order.

Deeply moved, the companions fall back to the Callehad to mull over the day’s events.

With renewed resolve, the companions press the attack to the Master of the Tower. They ride the lift back to the private quarters, lingering only slightly in the private study before moving on. They find no signs of Sora.

Anxious for a confrontation they press on to the chambers beyond. They find the halls in a state of disrepair. Large paintings of inexplicable value defaced with both gore and less obvious fluids. Many were in broken shambles among the refuse lining pathways. A voice echoed towards them from the chambers still deeper.

The companions come to a circular hallway, bending away from them in either direction. Statues line the outer edges. Many were destroyed outright, a crumbling mess of limbs and contoured faces staring blankly from mounds of dusty stucco. Periodically they found one seemingly intact, each with a canvas tarp draped over the piece.

Curiosity piqued, the Hand slides underneath the tarp for closer inspection. They find a pulsing, growing mass of squishy flesh covering the upper parts of the statue; over the face and much of the head of the stone worked parody of man. Revealing this to her companions, they are much distressed. On’ogg strikes at the lecherous creature and it seems to die in with a shrill screech.

As the noise settles, Sayer swears that the shriek had been echoed from somewhere further on. The Hand suggests stealth and gives him the ability to communicate with her from beyond. Sayer continues, the rambling of the voice becoming even more obtrusive.

He finds a break in the circular hall, opening to the center of the chambers. Within he takes notice of about a dozen humanoids, not unlike the prisoners from the Dormatories, but somehow in a more loathsome state. Chained together at the neck in groups of three, they kneel around the circular room in a dazed state, eyes staring ahead from tear stained faces.

Centered in the room is a raised dais underneath a large cone-like construct hanging from the ceiling like a mechanical stalactite. Shoots of steam spew from the object through a tangle of tubes and hoses. Vents hum with electrical energy only slightly masking the sounds of turning cogs and spinning cranks within.

Underneath the mysterious, technological marvel is the figure of a gaunt looking human, his skin the color of the moon reflected on bog water. From under a heavy cloak and hood they he sees that a heavy scowl is sewn shut by leather cord. Indeed, Sayer realizes that the voice itself, though his, seems to boom from mesh covered coffers placed around the structure above. A jagged crystal the color of blood protrudes outward from a bare chest.

Sayer relays this to his colleagues and they rush up to assist. The figure who can only be assumed is Hush calls forth to his chained congregation, speaking of ascendancy and their forthcoming sacrifice. The rest of the companions soon rush up and join Sayer.

There is a small dialogue before the group engage in combat. Though Hush displays an array of dangerous spellcasting, the companions find themselves up to the task against it. They lash out at the necromancer in resolute strikes, beating the Master of the Tower back some ways.

The Hand attempts to throw layers of magical restrains on Hush, but he seems to resist the restrains. She then pulls one of the prisoners aside out of the fray and attempts to reason with it. Though his mind seems on the wrong end of broken, he insists that he will not harm her. The Hand begins trying to unlock his bindings.

Soon after Hush falls back and presses an open palm to the forehead of one of the supplicants. The poor soul cringes in pain at the touch and Hush begins to channel his dark energies. Hoping to stifle the necromancer’s plans, Elbanor charges to the center of the room and blasts forth a massive charge of electrical energy. Several of the supplicants are killed outright, those that survive are severely maimed.

With a snarl Hush walks back to the center of the chamber dais, the whole chamber seeming to react to his movement. Indeed the mechanized structure hanging from the ceiling closes a crystalline barrier around the Master of the Tower. Blasts of powerful steam billows down into the small chamber, blasting the robes and sinew from the dread necromancer. Gouts of flame issue forth as well, charring the remnants from the floor of the chamber, leaving only the abysmal skeleton of Hush.

A misty cloud of sickly yellow then poured into the chamber and with the horrifying will of the undead lich, the crystal vial around him shuddered and lifted itself from the floor with mechanical legs revealing themselves on the bottom of the platform. Long mechanical arms folded out from the clockwork vestibule, each fitted with some dangerously sharp instrument; spinning blades, elongated claws grasping the empty around around it.

With renewed hatred, Hush continued his attacks. The heroes met his challenge and after a while were able to defeat the dread necromancer. the crystal barrier around him shattered and his ashen bones fell to a heap, the mechanical pieces around him slowing sluggishly to a halt.

The heroes revel in their victory, taking into possession the crimson shard from the chest cavity of Hush. Soon the sound of heavy boots and metal clinking can be heard from the outer chambers. A squad of soldiers gain the room and make a quick appraisal of the scene. The guards are comprised a few Minutemen, but most carry the colors of a winter sky streaked with sunlight; blue trimmed with bronze. The Order of the Alabaster Aegis has arrived.

The companions allow the newcomers to secure the chambers, caring only to rid themselves of the Tower. They retreat back down and outside, finding the sun just barely cresting over Lake Edelweiss. They take note of the Aegis setting camp on the grounds around Solastarum.

They also see that though the undead scourge still resists in pockets of Khalsbrad, the day is nearly won. The Callehad floats above Shacklefield, reigning down canonfire and arcane blasts onto enemy forces.

Finding the familiar face of Akasha moving among the wounded, the companions press into the encampment. They find her walking in a hurry beside a litter carried by a pair of Aegis medics, indicated such by the red and white circled cloth around their right arm. Akasha pressed her hand around the palm of an unconscious Castien, being borne to a triage tent.

For a moment the Captain of the Callehad opened his eye, the stoney features of the elf betraying a slight smile as he recognizes his colleagues. With a wince of pain, Castien lifts an arm into a curl, flexing it lightly at On’ogg. Then his eye whirls a bit and he nods off into a fitful slumber.

The companions linger for a few moments while Akasha sees to Castien’s immediate treatment. Once satisfied with the care given, she joins her friends and as a group they move through the streets of Khalsbrad, busy with the movement of foot soldiers and recovery workers.

They make it unhindered back to the Black Star, where they get a progress report on the re-taking of Khalsbrad; the day was nearly won. With the good news, they collapse from exhaustion.

The companions find the Dormitories within Solastarum to be in a rather dismal state. Filth and decay cover much of the area, with howls of pain echoing from deeper within the wing. They come across jagged chains strewn about, constructed from links of otherworldly metal.

They come to a larger area where they find Xenegon the Pernicious toiling away on those left in his charge. Among those currently strewn among his den of horrors is Castien, unconscious and latched to a workbench. The companions engage with the vile creature while freeing some of his captives.

The Pernicious One eventually succumbs to the companions. With his key the companions are able to open the cells containing dozens of captives from the city. Though in a deep state of shock, the captives eventually rally to the companions and take a position in the relative safety of the main structure, with the Aurens.

The companions use the key gifted to Hand by Baron Vargoss to traverse to the next level of the Tower. They notice across the walkway, hundreds of feet above the central chamber floor a platform leading to ‘The Occulularum’ and a place called the ‘Spire of Silence’. They also find another elaborate elevator leading up to the Private Quarters. Deciding to on, they take the latter route.

After another lift upwards, they find themselves in what must have been the private study of Master Madrygos. They take heed of the books and odd trinkets a bit. After disturbing the heavy tomes, a tin construct emerges from the depths of an alcove, humming to life. Tethered by a large umbilical serve from the nape of it’s neck, it is lowered into the crowd of companions.

The companions make inquiries of the librarian, who they find out calls itself Sora. Through some quick thinking, they are able to coax some answers from it (though not relinquish absolute control, as QUERY:Madrygos has been usurped by QUERY:Hush, relinquishing all INPUT:Control to said TLB:Master).

With this new information, they decide to investigate further the Spire of Silence. Backtracking, they find the passage below open up to the outside. A large open air minaret launches itself into the frosty air across a bridging walkway about 12 feet wide. An arcane energy seems to pour itself into a small focal point from the minaret’s four columns.

The companions charge the structure, intent on disabling this obviously evil scheme. The screeching forms of the winged creatures soon threaten from all around. Wave after wave of the bird-like demons barrel through the companions, trying to knock them away.

The companions find four glassy orbs pouring magical energy into the small point towards the center and begin shattering the orbs. Several demons take a defensive position around one of the focal orbs and Elbanor blasts them with a thunderous wave of energy that shatters them and the orb itself. The flow fails and with a great zerp the focal point pulls inward a massive rush of arcane energy.

After a few moments of holding fast whatever they can, the companions feel the winds settle and open their eyes tentatively. They find that the shadowy curtain that had befallen Khalsbrad has fallen. Stars twinkle in the night sky above. The Hand ponders the sight, another new experience to log in the journal.

Elbanor hefts the heavy object that had been the focal point; a iron mask with subtle but intricate carvings skittering across the surface. Elbanor feels the potent powers of the within, considering the implications of such an artifact.

With his sharp eyes Sayer notices the signs of what must be hundreds of torch carrying figures far off on the outskirts of the barrier mountains northwest of the Tower. With the barrier down, the forces move into the breach like a crashing wave.

With a word of holy power On’ogg alights his sword in a brilliant glow. Waving it over his head, he stands as a beacon of light on the upper reaches of a Tower that has stood as a ominous oppressor for unrelenting days. The light din of cheers throughout the defensive walls of the city could still be heard from such great heights.

The companions make way through the grounds surrounding Solastarum with the aid of Jotun and his Aurens. The brunt of the Towers forces seem to be distracted by Commander Maynard who has marshaled the Minutemen at the siege towers around the city. The companions fight through a token force left at the gates and breech the Tower from the main gate.

They find themselves in the main tower structure, with several wings branching off from a great central chamber. Soon after their entry the power seems to cut out from the tower; as per their coordinated plans. It seems as if though the rats had accomplished their task down below, though without power the companions are limited in their progression forward.

They consider making the long climb up the interior of the main chamber but decide against it, citing the possibility of unknown dangers assaulting them whilst they find themselves without secure footing.

As the power had failed, a service hatch seemed to open to allow access to the sub levels of the Tower. The companions are lowered down a small lift into labyrinthine passages dense with machine steam and the sound of churning gears. Pressed on by an ominous clang of something else within the chambers somewhere, the companions find their way through the maze of halls.

They find themselves in a long chamber with a floor tiled with what seems to be different types of metalloid tiles. Dozens of mechanical constructs are strewn about in various states of disarray.

Ogg and the Hand move through the inert constructions, disabling them as best they can while Sayer and Elbanor inspect what seems to be the only exit; a large, sturdy bronzen door with an aperture centering it’s frame, no larger than a yorba fruit. The ceiling was thick with strands of heavy rubberized cords. Though a sign read that “That who places their arm within the orifice shall see no harm come to it”, Elbenor was less than convinced.

Sayer hesitated slightly, but eventually plunged his arm into the area. Feeling around, he was able to find a lever behind a small plate and with the flick of the switch opened the door. Unfortunately, he was the only one standing on the non-conductive platform. Everyone else around the room received a painful jolt of electricity upon activation of the door.

The companions continue on into what they find to be the workshop of Nozzalthorp Frayfeather. Elbanor finds a clockwork arm that seems to be appropriate to his liking and stows it in his bag. The companions work through a small puzzle involving pieces to a strategy game that Frayfeather seems keen on and eventually are able to send power to the parts of the tower deemed necessary.

Ignoring the lift from the workshop back up to the main levels, they backtrack as best as they can through the labyrinth. They are less successful in evading the mechanized guardian stalking the narrow chambers this time around. After being knocked around a bit they are able to sever the construct inert and the companions rush themselves the rest of the way out of the tight situation.

The companions venture into the Salon, finding a few chambers filled with recreational activities for enjoyment through diversion. Following the sound of elegant music, they find a large auditorium bereft of anyone besides a gentleman in the latter part of middle age playing at a magnificent piano on a raised dais.

Baron Samael Vargoss, as he introduces himself, seems to wear a mantle of dark black magic, an energy that Ogg finds himself repelled by. Though he admits to be one of the dark riders, the Baron spurs the notion of being beholden to the new Master of the Tower. Indeed, Samael seems willing to assist the heroes, should they bring him a crystal of deep crimson from Hush.

Though Sayer omits opinion, Elbanor and Ogg find him to be untrustorthy. The Hand has far less qualms, but agrees to not assist him. Though the Baron is slightly agitated by their lack of vision, he allows them to retreat back to the other parts of the Tower unimpeded.

The companions decide to search the Dormitories before advancing up the Tower, but having not empowered this wing they find themselves stalled while the Aurens siphon the necessary energy from elsewhere to open the door.

During this small hiatus, the Hand returns to the halls of the Salon to loot more art supplies. Alone, she finds herself confronted by the Baron. Entranced by his powers, she decides not only that he’s a pretty cool guy, but also that she should definitely bring him what he asks.

She then returns to her companions and explains all this to them immediately after the exchange. Perturbed, but not waylaid, the companions make their way into the Dormitories.

The companions prepare themselves for a fight, with the sounds of the clockwork soldiers marching to their position in the open courtyard deep within Shacklefield. The marching ceases for a time, to be replaced by sounds of combat. Further investigation by the heroes brings little to bear; the figures seemed to be in combat, but with whom they couldn’t determine.

After a moment to recover from the icy prison, the burly figure of Commander Jules Maynard rumbles up to his feet and begins assessing his situation. Seeing most of his fighting force brought low and in disarray, he conscripts the companions to his efforts, insisting on taking these noisy foes head on.

With great consternation, the heroes follow and the whole group is confused in seeing hordes of rats making short work of the clockwork soldiers. Maynard is greatly confused, but is quickly assuaged by the companions who suggest he see to his troops. Distracted from the dangers momentarily, Maynard rallies his troops and the whole lot of them begin the march back to the Black Star.

During the march, the companions brief Maynard on how helpful the roguish Boswell Dunbar had been through this crisis. Maynard seemed to withhold his opinions, continuing on in grim silence.

The group eventually reach their destination; Maynard throws open the doors and walks to the center of the large tavern, quick to confront the leader of this band of thieves. From his terraced office comes a little masked string of curses and Boswell soon rushes through the heavy doors into the common area. There is a tense moment of silence between the figureheads. Maynard’s Minutemen had since filed in and lined the wall opposite of the delinquents who had since abandoned their card games.

After several more moments of deliberate tension the Lord Commander thanks the roguish lord of the Black Star for his hospitality and formally requests the aid of Boswell and his forces. Boswell endorses the idea with a sheepish grin.

The shock hits all witnessing like a cudgel to the noggin. Following the display, the troops mingle in with the bandits and there is a general good time to be had by (mostly) all. Perhaps troubled by what’s to come, Sayer spurs the advances of Thranka.

~

After a well earned rest, the companions come together again with the figureheads they’ve brought together. Each represent their own opinions on how to proceed.

Commander Jules Maynard is keen to assault the hostiles throughout the city and lay siege to the Tower.

Jotun commits himself and all of his brothers to the cause, though they show great hesitation to work alongside any of those besides the companions directly.

Nozzalthorp Frayfeather relinquishes information on the Tower itself until the companions suggest intent on destroying the Tower, a plan which exasperates the gnome to a point of dogged silence.

Lord Boswell confides that his men are no soldiers, but suggests that the show of solidarity in the hours prior between the men may prove useful if the Minutemen would support his goons.

Margot deems herself capable of sabotaging the gates with primed explosives, though she fears that her mission would be impossible to carry out without an capable guard.

Thranka Suun has her own opinion, but keeps it to herself.

Constance Marrow, unfortunately, has not been seen since the fall of her friend Bartholomew, and cannot assist in the planning.

With a coordinated plan to reinforce their resolve, the heroes set out to confront the Master of the Tower once and for all.

The companions find themselves deep within the no-man’s land of the grounds around the Tower of Solastarum. They hide among the rubble left from the charnel monstrosity. The Tower activates with the grinding of gigantic gears and the front door lifts into the mechanical structure. From which, hundreds of clockwork soldier automatons march in perfect harmony.

They take notice of the group and send a small contingent to investigate, but with the quick thinking of the Hand are soon distracted. The companions escape across the field, quickly scaling the Central Curtain and taking cover among the fortifications.

Eager to gain more information on the automatons, On’ogg tosses his shiny Crystal Heart from the gatehouse heights into the latter end of the line of automaton. There is a few moments of chaos as the clockwork soldiers are set upon by the stone elemental. The smaller contingent of soldiers are cleared away, but at great cost to the elemental. The stone creature bends open the gates to allow the companions to escape and is then sent towards the tower.

Elbanor takes possession of some of the scrap from the machines and is able to open some of the security doors with it’s remains. The Hand ponders the nature of such odd constructions and finds herself able to mimic the simpler routines of their communications.

The companions trudge wearily into Shacklefield, finding the whole area to be engulfed in flame. The further they press inward, the more intense the inferno became. The find little among the destruction before coming to a large pub of sorts. Eager to salvage what he can,
Sayer investigates a trap door behind the bar. Happy with the found resources, he presses deeper into the underchamber, finding a door to the alley above.

Outside he encounters a death knight, and attempts to lay an attack on the foe before backtracking to his friends. Not only does the attack fall short, but the lumbering knight whispers a word of magic and holds Sayer fast, frozen in his step.

Taking his time, the mysterious knight closes the distance to the helpless swashbuckler. With a great heft, he swings his huge sword in a vicious arc in what must surely be a killing blow. At the last moment, a circle of arcane runes shield Sayer, shattering like a heavy glass plane. Elbanor had protected his friend from assured death.

The sword deflects slightly and strikes to tremendous effect. Still relatively intact, Sayer collapses on the ground, barely conscious. With the last of his energy, he struggles to stay awake as he feels himself lifted by his collar. Up he rises until his feet nigh even touch the ground. Opening his eyes, he looks down on his assailant; glowing blue eyes are lit with a frozen cold energy deep within the helm of the knight. In a surge of violence, Sayer is slammed headlong into the wall and he falls immediately into a pool of black.

~

The rest of the companions come to investigate after Sayer fails to rejoin the group. The find the alleyway bereft of any life. Indeed, not much shows the passing of the moments prior besides Sayer’s sword laying in the middle of the passageway. Overwhelmed by ill omens, the group chases signs only minutely picked up by the Hand. Signs of a dark creature’s passing through the area.

The group is temporarily separated by falling debris from the fires. Ogg continues on alone. He comes to the edge of a large open marketplace, with what seems like a huge, frozen portal of sorts in the center. Dozens of icebound pillars surround the portal. The figure of the death knight is seen on the far side, holding an unconscious Sayer aloft. With some motions of his free hand, the death knight bounds the cavalier in a frozen block of standing ice, not unlike the other pillars in the area. The death knight turns to On’Ogg at the paladin’s approach.

With Ogg beckoning the unholy knight of darkness, the two meet in combat. Swords clash, and though Ogg lashes out with radiant power to great effect, he finds himself at a disadvantage to the hulking knight’s sheer size. Ogg uses the environment to shield his movements, diving out of the way of the death knight’s world cleaving blows.

After a few moments, Elbanor and the Hand catch up. With some quick thinking, they see that the portal seems to be important to whatever this creature is plotting. Noticing it’s made entirely from a form of glass-like ice, Elbanor casts a shatter spell on the structure. Ogg experiences a small respite from the onslaught of the death knight’s attacks as the foe turns it’s attention on the portal.

The Hand hears the scream of what seems to be a young girl. With her keen eyes, she spots the ghostly outline of a young human female being pulled in an uncanny fashion toward the vortex of magic that seemed to now be circling the crumbling ruin of the portal.

The death knight breaks of his attack completely from the orcish paladin, moving in a full run toward the girl. It seemed to try and prevent the slide of the ghostly figure into the vortex, but could not grasp her outstretched hands. With the last seconds of the collapsing energy, the girl and the knight both fall into the energy and disappear from the area.

The companions are thoroughly stunned, finding themselves among the open marketplace alone. The icy pillars seem to be melting quickly without the magic of the portal to sustain them within the area, for the flames still burn heartily in the surrounding buildings.

They quickly recover Sayer, who though clearly in a state of serious injury, seems capable of a recovery over time. They also notice that the rest of the figures frozen in the ice seem to wear the armor and trappings of Minutemen.

They set up a quick triage area and the Hand begins stabilizing the survivors when suddenly they hear the iron march of clockwork soldiers from the streets beyond. The companions stand ready to defend their fallen friends against another wave of danger in the city of Khalsbrad.

The companions fall back to the refuge of the Black Star, thoroughly harried by the events at the Arcanum Severatum. Nearly in a state of collapse, they gain a much needed respite and after a rest convene in the offices of Boswell Dunbar to plan their next move.

A delegation from the Aurens reports of enemy activity at the site where the churn-house colossus fell. Wanting to avoid a further engagement with the monstrosity at it’s most potent form, the group decides to investigate the site, hoping to thwart whatever recovery had been initiated.

Escorted by the Auren scouts, the group find their way to the outskirts of the site. Soil from the Balefire Egress lay in great mounds through the city streets, prohibiting their progress. Nearby there are advanced scouts of Aurens, with whom the companions coordinate an improvised distraction.

The scouts gain the attention of several gaunt warriors and fall back to a position back away from the egress. With the initial forces cleared, the companions press the attack up the side of the grounded colossus. Though the pathway through the area is crooked and they are set upon by long dead corpses arising from excavated resting places, the companions are able to converge on a seemingly intact mausoleum.

Within they find the empty sarcophagi of a pair of brothers and a rough hewn passageway leading deeper into the colossus. Through the twisting path they find a small circular passage with the form of a grotesque figure channeling some fel incantation. As the sorcery reaches a crescendo, the companions feel the entire structure lurch forward.

Rushing forward to destroy the foe, the heroes are thrown about as they interfere with the delicate machinations of the colossus. When they finally destroy the creature within, the are overwhelmed by the sickening sensation of losing elevation at a rapid pace.

Rushing out of the chamber, they are pitched forward violently. The Hand loses her footing and barrels out of the hallway in free fall, with the ground nearly fifty feet below. Just outside the chambers she feels herself flung into strands of sticky substance, thin but strong. threads. A giant spider with flamboyant coloring creeps from the side, Akasha rescuing her friend from a messy death.

She winds together a strand of the cord and the companions scale down the crumbling colossus, debris falling around them. Once grounded again, they find themselves deep within the fields between the city wall structures and the Tower of Solastarum itself. A no-mans land, deathly still. The proximity of the Tower itself overwhelming the group with ill omens, it struck out from the landscape like a singular skeletal finger breaking from the grave.

The companions leave Constance to her grief in the great hall of the Arcanum Severatum, venturing out to investigate the building more. On’ogg finds the remains of several charred corpses strewn about in one hall; there might have been six in all. Though they were none more than charred bones, he found that they seemed to have met their fate within the last two days and did so while attempting to move a large trunk.

Being still intact, he drew it forth to his companions. Within they found a stash of several powerful artifacts and magical items. After distributing them to one another, they continued their investigation.

Sayer climbed a large statue on the far end of the hall. Turning his attention to an open book that the statue held aloft some twenty feet high, he noticed it to be some crude map, depicting the main continents of the known world. Three swirling lines crossed over the map from three far corners, each converging on a circular island in the middle.

Elbanor, Akasha and the Hand meandered into a large chamber in the western wing containing a library circled around a huge arcanolabe. The curious, spherical object dominated the room.

Three bronzen rings dominate the device. Through the use of magic detection, each seems to associate itself with an essence of arcane powers; positive energy, negative energy & the neutral energy in between.

The companions find the ceiling covered by an elaborate mural of the night sky, complete with accurate depictions of constellations. They find a plate in the upper hemisphere of the globe, where the three rings nearly converge. The plate is triangular, made of the near convergence of the lines.

Akasha is surprised to see that she can read the unfamiliar writing on the plate. It seemed to give information on three supreme essences of the magic realms; Solinari, goddess of positive arcanum, Nuitari goddess of neutral arcanum and Nuitari, god of negative arcanum.

They are described as three siblings. Though they seem to be diametrically opposed in there energies, there is no sign of conflict, as is typical in depictions of astral figures of good versus evil. While Akasha narrates the scriptures, the rest of the group attempts to discern the puzzle.

Eventually they shine a light through the small eye in the middle of the plate. It sends a beacon through the chamber, between a heavy bookcase into a crystal pylon at the top of a statue, where it refracted up to the mural above.

~

The mural reveals visual depictions of the three twins. The group ponders this some time then continues on.

They find several chambers along a hallway in the eastern wing. Sayer and Elbanor investigate further, walking into the darkness. Ogg, Akasha and the Hand watch as they are enveloped into the darkness. The next moment, the room shows no trace of their passing.

Elbanor and Sayer find themselves on a large wooden platform with a spotlight shining down on them from above. They are set upon by a figure dressed in the caricature of a noble knight. The knight responds to them, beseeching their help in vanquishing some great evil in the land. With quick thinking, they respond in affirmation, and ‘gallop’ off into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Ogg is deeply troubled by the disappearance. The Hand senses a strange flow of magical energy swirling in a vast whirlpool. From their present location, they seemed to be at the edge. The strife between the two come to a head and they have a short spat, where they part ways for a short time.

~

Sayer and Elbanor seem to find themselves in a gawdy play of sorts, during which they slay a spooky tentacle creature. The applause of the audience fades slightly until they find themselves in a well furnished office of sorts. They hear a series of meows and purring noises.

They notice a pneumatic tube that still seemed operational. Writing a brief message to their colleagues, they send the note through the vacuum. After a minute or so a note in the form of a paper triangle soars out of the tube and around the room in gentle circles. Unfolding the paper, they find a crude depiction of a somewhat lewd nature.

Perplexed, they continue out of the room. Within the first step they find themselves hurtling sideways, with the laws of nature bent on itself. Just barely holding to the edge of the door frame, they grip tightly above the chasm of the hallway pit.

~

Ogg and the Hand eventually come back together, deciding it best to press forward as a group. Though Akasha seems to prefer staying in the form of a cat, they persuade her to attempt to send a message by magical means to the separate party members.

They continue on, finding a set of steps leading to the levels below. Experiencing their own imbalance of gravitational discord. With varying degrees of expertise, they descend to a hall laden with what seems to be an extravagant feast set on a long table. While Akasha and the Hand dine a bit while Ogg resists the temptation of the delicious looking food.

He notices a yelling coming from the chambers without, and with swift motion charges the door with a long piece of table. It slams through the doorway, just barely catching a falling Sayer and Elbanor, who had just fell off of the ledge in the room adjoining.

Though Elbanor ricochets off the table and onto a large statue protruding from the wall below, they eventually recover and come together. Using a length of rope to scale down the rest of the chamber, they find themselves in a large chamber with a dark sorcerer sat upon a resplendent throne of sorts.

The figure stands at their approach, dismissing his seat with a flick of the wrist. He wore black robes the color of midnight. They flowed down onto the ground around him and seemed to be constantly buffeted around by a furious wind emanating from himself. Long swathes of black linens wrap most of the exposed areas of the dark wizard. A single fiery eye and an hideously grinning mouth was all that could be seen of the face beneath the cloth.

He beckons them forward; seemingly interested to see the faces of those who would dare disturb him in his realm. “Ah … it is you who have disrupted my work. I shall make your deaths TERRIBLE!”

Moments later they are in combat. He seems a highly potent spell caster, blasting them with crackling lightning. “How can you hope to defy such power..? Is it not easier to give in to the madness?!!”

Several mirror images of himself shield him from the initial attacks. As each illusion is shattered, it splatters with a sickly splatter against one of the walls, the viscous fluid glowing ominously. After a moment the liquefied remains of the images seem to change their structure and a strange scene is displayed, as if through a window in the wall. From these newly derived portals flow a group of small black creatures with hateful glowing eyes.

With Sayer and Ogg thoroughly engaged and taking the brunt of this dark caster’s focus, Elbanor and the Hand plunge headlong into the portal with Akasha in tow. “If you seek to shoulder this burden .. YOU SHALL HAVE IT!”

They find themselves in a circular room with rough hewn stone walls and a round catwalk coming around the expanse. From three points in this walkway there are small bridges to a central platform, where who they recognize to be a much younger Nozzalthorp Frayfeather a middle aged wizard are arguing. They seem to not pay the intruders any heed, but there are several guards standing at attention around the room which turn and his horribly at the newcomers.

Outside, with Sayer dealt with and Ogg being overwhelmed by the critters, he throws a strange wall of force around himself and begins the incantations of a powerful spell. “The stars align; FEAR THEIR PORTENT!”

A cataclysmic crash blasts the chamber from above. It seems as if the dark wizard is calling down the fires from the sky above to obliterate the trespassers. “You shall pay for your invasion into my city!”

Within the portal, the Hand, Elbanor and Akasha fight their way toward the central platform. The gnome and the wizard seem to be at odds as to the discharge of the Surge Needle, a device that they had apparently build to tap into the ley line. The wizard, who they surmised to be a young Madrygos, seemed incredulous that Frayfeather would try to halt their long work so close to it’s completion.

Outside two more ruinous meteors blast through the building from the heavens, exposing this dungeon chamber to the hideous laughter of the insane magus. Sayer has fallen and Ogg stands alone against the deadly foe.

Within, the others charge the central platform, having dispatched the shadowy guards. As they reach the scene a bubble seems to pop and they are expelled from the memory. As they do so the wall of force drops from around the dark wizard, his eye turned to the black sky, a fiery red orb in it’s reflection.

The heroes brace for impact, running from the hole in the ceiling but ultimately are wrecked outright by the carnage. Ogg and Elbanor especially are severely injured.

There is only a pile of fine ash remaining of the black sorcerer, who they discover to be Madrygos himself, turned by some horrible black magic into one of the Black Guard. Among the ashes they find a curious bracer of powerful arcane energy. The Hand slips it on her wrist, as the group hobbles to out of the chambers. The streets were deathly calm as they descended back into the relative safety of the sewers and staggered back to the Black Star.

The companions journey back from whence they came; up and out of the rancorous Asylum, through the eerily silent halls of the Garrison eventually coming back to the courtyard outside the medical billets. They climb the blockade at the vast doors and scale down the outer wall, soon slipping into the sewers and making their way to the Black Star Tavern.

After a short respite the companions come together to formulate their next move. They decide to seek out the Arcanum Severatum and its apparent abundance of powerful trinkets and magical artifacts. With the goal set they settle into a well earned rest, drifting apart to enjoy their down time in different ways.

Sayer the Swashbuckler and Thranka Suun fall in with a group of Boswell men. All seem eager to drink and gamble their circumstance away for a time. Sayer wakes after a time in the presence of Thranka. He notices that her vast tattoos seem to have intricate details and hidden details. When attempting to investigate further, he wakes her and she vacates the area quickly.

Akasha finds a comfortable place in the main room of the Black Star and crafts a musical hymn that bolsters the psyche of those who hear it. Many survivors who had been content alone in their chambers meander into the main room and lounge about in the warm light of her song.

The Hand of Acheron trades in a bawdy calendar illustration for additional helpings of soup. They warm themselves by the fire while affixed to Akasha’s music.

Elbanor spends much time crafting small batch concoctions in an effort to better ready his friends for the hardships to come.

On’ogg meditates on what he has learned during the recent trials… and perhaps tries to consider that which failed to completely grasp. He also cleans his sword quite a bit.

~

The companions come together again after their long rest. Before leaving the Black Star they go to Boswell. Apprising him of their circumstances, they restate their intent to assault the Tower at some point. He still seems non-committal, but has assisted in small ways that he was capable up to this point. Satisfied for the moment, the companions take their leave.

A small group of Boswell’s men stop the companions as the leave; it seems that Bartholomew and Constance had not checked in. They had been rather regular in their movements, so while their absence is not an absolute cause for concern, it is noteworthy.

~

After venturing through the underbelly of the city, meeting minimal resistance, the companions excavate themselves into a large open air park in the city. Looming just ahead of them some twenty yards is the Arcanum Severatum. A large building, well over fifty feet in height, the Severatum sits atop a set of wide, angled stairs. Huge pillars line the front of the building, which is as wide as a city block. An eerie green light emanates from deep within the cavernous maw of the entryway.

With a dreadful apprehension, the companions advance up the many steps leading to the Severatum. Coming to the open entrance, they see into a great hall lined with a dozen columns along each side reaching forward to the far end. At the far end seems to be some arcane structure; three craggy spires surround and pour a fel green power into a central, swirling vortex of the energy. Each spire stands at about ten feet high, like crooked skeletal fingers rising from the ground.

Within the whirlwind was suspended a humanoid figure, unrecognizable at this distance. Hand creeps along forward and notices a limp body on the far side of the area. Slipping forward, they recognize their associate in Constance, seeming to be completely unconscious. They also see that Bartholomew is the figure within this terrible energy.

Upon closer inspection, he seems to transition slightly between that which they recognize and a large creature of fang, claw and feather. The rest of the companions slip up to the area as well. In spite of their efforts, they seem unable to elicit a response from the mage.

Finding the spires to be deeply disturbing, they attempt to destroy them. As the first of the three breaks away, the bulk of is takes form into vaguely humanoid things and attacks the heroes. Hand is able to stave off death from Constance who slowly becomes aware of her surroundings after a time.

After a small melee, the companions destroy the rest of the first spire. Caught in the explosion, Bartholomew is thrown aside violently. With one of the spires destroyed, the balance of energy seemed to break apart in a blast of energy. The force of which seems to lessen some grip that contained his form. With a burst of bright light, the young mage is revealed to be an creature of celestial energy.

With some understanding, Ogg approaches the creature and attempts to pour his divine healing into him; but Bartholamew had suffered far too great a wound to recover. Constance stumbles over to him in confusion.

Apologizing for his deceit, he explains that the deceit was necessary to continue his interaction with this community unimpeded. He had found human civilization fascinating and hoped to learn more from such a charming young race. He also stated that his affection for her had not been a ruse, but an unexpected delight.

He had an understanding with the Madrygos, keeping his form secret to all but the Master of the Tower. It would be easier this way, they had decided. Madrygos had been a friend to him over the many years of his visiting Khalsbrad. That friendship had compelled him to the Arcanum Severatum, though Bartholamew could not divulge more information than that.

There was a moment shared between Constance and Bartholamew before he passed. The tiefling was overwhelmed by anguish and decided to sit vigil over her friend as his essence dispersed into the wind.

The companions begin their descent into the bowels of the Asylum. In the small chambers on the upper floors they found a scattered filing system for the dossiers of the interred. Soon they came across one marked as Nozzalthorp Frayfeather.

It seemed remarkable in it’s equivocal nature. He had been marked as criminally insane and imprisoned for seventeen years, though the file itself only contained one leaf of parchment. The crime itself only stated ‘disturbing the peace’; quite trivial. It did state that he was chambered in Cell Block F, so they continued their search with renewed vigor.

Deeper they sink, passing through cell blocks in horrendous states of decay. The sound of chains clanking and inhuman croaking wafts from many dark crevices. The smell alone served as a fierce deterrent against excessive investigation.

They eventually come to the area of the asylum where they expect to find Frayfeather. A great many cells line the floor below an expansive catwalk above. They descend from this walkway to the floor below.

The Hand notices that the ground below seems to dissolve all forms of magic. It ponders the use of such a force field for some time.

On’ogg smites down one of the vile, grasping creatures within the cell. It explodes in a flash of necrotic energy, leaving many more of the shambling horrors erupting in screams mingled with the clanking of chains.

Sayer and Akasha nimbly sidestep the rest of the cells, finding a quiet little gnome attempting to ignore as best he can the noise.

With some coaxing, they are able to get Frayfeather to converse with them. They learn that he has in fact chosen to be interred here, in an attempt to be near his finest and only creation; the Tower of Solastarum. Apparently, he and Master Madrygos had some sort of falling out during the final phases of the Tower’s construction.

Frayfeather had warned that the ley line in which they would be tapping should not be disturbed; that though it hold great power, there was an innate magic of ancient origin that they did not fully comprehend. He seemed content with staying in the cell until the companions apprised him fully of the situation outside. With the news of the Tower having fallen into another’s control, he felt compelled to assist.

After some effort in the form of a convoluted discussion and a narrow rope ladder, they extricate Frayfeather from his cell. With the master builder in tow, they fall back to the Black Star.

The group confront Thranka, who has utilized the equipment in the armory to arm herself appropriately. Sayer is able to diffuse the situation short of violence. They all continue towards the Asylum.

After crossing a small bridge high above the city streets below, they find Dixmont Asylum in a state of complete disorder. There are the echoes of those still confined far below mingled with the continual din of rodents moving freely throughout the chambers. Finding a passage marked as ‘Arcano-Misanthropical Interment’, they climbs the narrow stairs to investigate.

As they continue, they find the rats moving about the passages more and more numerous. It becomes apparent that not only are these rodents scurrying about the edges of the chambers and halls, but scrambling through the walls themselves.

They come upon a centralized chamber at the top of this parapet; there is a large rotary chair in the center and mysterious rune discs in a circling perimeter. To their horror they find a corpse in the chair. His entire head seems to have been gnawed off.

The heroes soon realize that they are in the midst of hundreds of rats now. They seem to hold value in an array of crystals throughout the chambers around the main room. When become agitated when Ogg disturbs the arrangement.

It seems that in the weeks prior, a prisoner in the tower had bent the rats to his will. Before they would commit themselves to whatever nefarious plot the prisoner had concocted, the Luminus Nocturne struck, disrupting all within the city of Khalsbrad.

It was heralded in the asylum by a dark figure, who set the crystals with some ill purpose. The horde of rats have used it as a sort of psychic sustenance. The companions had much discussion on the morality of such perverse creatures. They concluded that if the horde would abstain from devouring the arcane energy within the crystals that they could be sanctioned.

Feeling a little out of his element with the complicated arcane arrangement, Ogg gave Thadeous the crystal. The gnome felt a presence within; it was … familiar. With a gasp Thadeous recognized what he had in his hands. Memories of his childhood flooded over him. There was a love that he yearned for, paternal in nature. He had finally found what had been stolen from his father and soon reclaimed the crystal associated with his mother.

He disclosed briefly the sorry state of his beloved parents. Then after a few words of warning about the vile necromancer who had cost him so much, he wrapped about him his magic cloak and was off to return to his beloved parents.

The companions come together after their rest in the ‘rope trick’ brought about by Bartholomew. The more observant among them noticed the camaraderie between the young wizard and his friend Constance. It was earnest, familial. The disparity between their small friendship and the current tension between the companions was palpable.

Thadeous successfully removes the cursed affliction from Sayer. Though he recovered fully, Sayer still carries a darkness mood. He seems particularly distraught about being abandoned by his friend Ogg while he was suffering the curse.

The companions are given a key by Constance. Now with access to the Minutemen garrison proper. They come across a guard’s room, but find it of little use. They take an opportunity to outfit themselves in the armory, then continue on. While wandering the halls, they hear a disembodied whistling noise… They are unable to glean it’s origin right away.

They descent into the chambers below, finding more footnotes on local happenings in the militia. They also find a large clockwork elevator, but it seems out of order. They also find a large room with heavy desks and dossiers on recent criminal activity in Khalsbrad.

The companions continue on and find a small set of cells with a very alive, very unruly young woman within. She seems as wary of them as they of she, and hesitates to explain her situation in detail. Ogg is unconvinced of her good nature. He casts a spell that should keep her from falsifying her story, but senses that she is able to resist his charms.

They eventually release her. She panics a bit when they tell her of the current situation and there is a small altercation. She runs off in the scrum and is soon lost in the chambers above.

The group splits to find signs of Thranka. Akasha, Elbanor, The Hand and Thaddius find themselves searching another set of light cells. It seems that others had found themselves in a similar predicament as Thranka, to a grimmer end.

They are caught unaware by a grim specter, apparently attracted by some commotion nearby.

~

In a few chambers over, Sayer confronts Ogg, ready to crash into him with wave after wave of bad feelings. Through his pendant of mind reading he reveals a great sadness that he has been keeping to himself; a story of his crewmate’s malignant transformation. The loss he felt. The hope of a new companion in this orcish knight, and the betrayal he felt when Ogg left him to chase the next big monster. When this last use of the pendant is expanded, the ruby held within cracks.

It’s at this point that they hear the noise of their friends battling some ghastly creature.

~

Just before Sayer and Ogg rush into the fray, the abhorrent specter flashes a wave of necrotic energy outward. Finding the light to be painfully bright, everyone averts their eyes; with the exception of Thaddeus. He stares on into it’s deathly gaze, and falls over unconscious.

Watching his new friend collapse into a dreadfully pale pile of gnome, Elbenor calls out with the words of his divine power and banishes the specter. Ogg and Sayer rush in, painfully ignorant of much of the happenings. There is a little time left before the spell would consume in on itself.

They take position to engage this creature should it pull it’s way out of the banishment. There is but moments hanging in the air before the spell runs out of magik juice. They await with bated breath. Surely it will tear it’s way back in any moment.

They are shocked by the sound of Thranka whistling nearby, and with a bellowing roar Ogg runs up a flight of stairs towards the sound.

The heroes are confronted by Karth Drachum, twisted and malformed into a vicious death knight of the Black Guard. He was sent here to oversee the completion of the charnel monstrosity.

Combat ensues; On’ogg and his nemesis clashing in the most epic of ways. Karth fights a top a black stallion of nightmare for a time, but the creature eventually vanquished. Bereft of his dreadful steed, Karth undergoes a self induced transformation.

Nearly doubling in size Karth attacks with renewed intensity, swinging a giant axe with unholy strength. There is a bloodthirsty joy in his assault; he has truly become an aspect of death and destruction.

The companions remain steadfast, with Ogg bearing much of the brunt of the attacks. He lashes out radiant energy and is able to defeat his nemesis. A last look of confusion washes over Karth’s stupid face as he is destroyed. Ogg burns his remains with the flame of his vengeful sword.

~

Everyone takes the time to reconvene in the lower levels of the Auren stronghold to discuss the happenings. The graveyard colossus seems to have moved away from Balefire Egress and is now wading through the city. Any companions that had been suffering from signs of soul crushing apathy seem to have waves of relief wash over them as Karth’s second death is wrought in flame.

Jotun Borzegar recommits his Aurens to help the companions overthrow the evil in the tower, stating that when the time came he would be there to help. Until then he agreed to continue scouting the area, reclaiming supplies from the area. They would also hold the Temple at Balefire Egress, as it seems to hold some degree of power against the darkness.

With the Aurens appropriately tasked out, the companions decide to return to the Black Star Tavern. Two Auren scouts escort them to the tunnel systems within the city. About 100 paces from the stronghold, they notice that the group is being followed.

With animal cunning they loop around and catch their assailant unaware; toppling their query over directly. They find a peculiar little person. They claim to have some connection to Elbanor .. indeed, most of it’s form is a bland white with the exception of it’s right hand. It had the look of the same hand that Elbanor lost in the days prior.

The one striking feature of the Hand is it’s eyes; they mist over a deep black when it casts magic; which seems inherent to the being. The group knows not exactly what to do with this person, so they allow it to come along for now. Also, it seems able to change it’s appearance at will.

The group returns to the Black Star, does some things, then heads out to search for the Minuteman Compound. Still traveling in the sewers below, they elude contact with monstrous colossus. They meet little resistance. Small groups of rather stupid skeletal minions are scouring the tunnels, but they make short work of them.

Emerging in a side street near the compound, they creep along to the curtain wall circling the facility. Somebody attracts the attention of several skeletal archers, who appear in windows overlooking the open space. Ogg is hit, and is wracked by vengeful energy. He cannot find a straight way to dole out retribution to his attackers, and is caught in a quandary of sorts.

Thankfully, Elbanor takes the choice out of his hands by enveloping the entire area in dense fog. Ogg lowers a shoulder and charges the general area where he seen the door to the fortress to be. He plows headlong into it. Parts of the door collapse, but it holds. Determining that there is quite a bit of barricading on the inside, they endeavor to find an alternate route inside.

The archers seem befuddled by the dense cover of the fog and fail to give proper chase. Indeed, the Hand also seems rather confused by the scene and almost falls headlong over a terraced wall. Though the idea of experiencing a fall to their death seems new and exciting, they deem it necessary to survive some time longer (though they do not rule out an eventual nosedive for some other time).

The companions sidle down the edge of the wall a ways, eventually finding another entrance. They find several offices in a general state of destruction on the inside. A large gate blocks their advance in one direction, so they continue in the other direction.

What they find is a medical facility of sorts, with rooms full of files, ready rooms, examination rooms, etc. They are able to loot some useful herbs, but find little by way of clues. Moving on they come to a large open courtyard with signs of the barricade along one side, a long tower on the other and a long cabin across the way.

Investigating further they find a mound of corpses; some seem to be freshly brutalized soldiers while other seem to be medically preserved. The Hand takes the form of a young woman, not much out of her teenage years. She does so without much apprehension while the rest of the group look on horrified.

Before much interaction can ensue, a horrible creature lumbers out of the tower entrance way. No smaller than an ogre, it dragged a gore drenched body in it’s hand. Where it’s face should have been was only large round whole, circled with small pointy teeth. Gross!

The companions engage. At some point, the creature radiates a horrible magic. Sayer the Swashbuckler is blasted by it; he immediately suffers violent looking rashes on most of his upper body as his face swells grossly.

The companions eventually defeat the creature. They find Sayer severely debilitated by the curse and move to the cabin. They find a small morgue of sorts and clear a space to rest. Setting a guard, they settle in.

When Ogg has his turn for watch, he slips out into the night. He goes to investigate the tower by himself. He finds the bottom level drenched in blood and gore, with a few limbs thrown sporadically around. He continues up the tower by himself, finding a haphazard barricade at the top of several flights of stairs. It seems several Minutemen made a last stand here. The barricade was in shambles.

Akasha and Elbanor notice that Ogg is missing and slip out to recover him. They start up the tower, finding him fumbling with a contraption that seems to move large ballista up through the ceiling. With combined efforts, they figure out how to use the device to kind of auto-load a huge seigebreaker on top of the tower.

They accidentally drop a massive bolt off the tower, spiking violently near the cabin below, which wakes up the rest of the group. Though they want to come aid, they are encumbered by Sayer’s unfortunate growths.

With Akasha watching through a distance finder below, Ogg and Elbanor begin firing the uber-ballista at the colossus. The first blasts is lost visually until it hits a building nearby the colossus. The near miss causes the hulking mass to begin moving from it’s place across the city.

Elbenor casts a light spell on the tip of the next projectile, illuminating it so that they could watch it’s progress. They fire again, and watch it streak across the sky, blasting the colossus in it’s hulking mass. Hit!

With the bolts now lighting up the sky, they seem to notice a reaction from the Tower of Solastarum. They continue to fire on the colossus, scoring several hits among a few misses. At this point large flying creatures begin assailing them, attempting to knock them from the summit of the tower. One final blast is needed, as they expose the core of the creature.

Ogg and Elbenor strike out. Direct hit! The creature goes down. As they flee, several more flying beasts almost succeed in knocking Elbenor to his death, but Ogg succeeds in holding his friend fast. Finding Akasha below, they flee down into the tower.

They meet up with the rest of their friends and run back to the medical facilities, barely making it before the flying beasts close on their position. They run into Bartholomew and Constance, who brings news of a mad gnome held deep within the Dixmont Asylum who should have knowledge of the Tower of Solastarum.

Bartholomew opens a ‘rope trick’, allowing a safe place to recover while they all plan their next move.

The companions assist in the recovery of Elbanor. Though On’ogg is able to heal him, his hand is lost in the process. After sending Margot, Bartholomew and Constance back to the Black Star Hideout, they decide to investigate the strange lights emanating from the nearby Balefire Egress.

They move through the Cedar Quarter, careful to not attract any unwanted attention. A peculiar figure, bereft of strong description follows some distance behind, strangely compelled to find them. The companions are largely unaware of it’s presence, and it becomes easily distracted by wonderful new sensations as it progresses along.

~

The companions find their way to the edge of a large park, the bulk of which is in the shape of a shallow bowl with a large stone pavilion in the center. A dense mist with a sickly green hue settles on the area. Where they had once seen signs of ten or so large green fires burning, now they find only four.

Moving forward, they find a large mob of skeletal horrors locked in combat with large beasts. The creatures move at a speed that makes it difficult to discern much detail. Though they fight with great ferocity, the seem to find the numbers of their assailants overwhelming. A pair of skeletal warrior move among them, causing much havoc.

The companions rush in to fight off the abhorrent undead, finding themselves fighting alongside several large werewolves. This continues for a short time. Suddenly a fiery blast emanating from the temple entrance destroys several adversaries directly among the companions. The magic seems to bend around them, sculpted in an all too familiar fashion. They turn to see their old friend Thadeous Wobblegrinder among the combatants!

With their combined efforts, they are able to destroy the pair of lich brothers. The werewolves seemed to not be hostile, so they all convened within the structure, where the large beasts turned back into several dwarven priests. One had fallen in combat. All but one filed down into the structure below.

The lone dwarf introduced himself as Jotun Borzegar, a member of the the Aurens. He explained his sect to be non-denominational clerics in the service of honoring the dead among the city of Khalsbrad. The companions were at first apprehensive, but soon realized that Jotun and his brothers provided a great service to those in the city.

Taciturn and solitary, the Aurens performed the vast majority of the burial rites for the departed of Khalsbrad. With their great respect for their work, the dwarves found the desecration of the area profoundly vexing. They gave the companions food and shelter, and were soon convinced to join in their efforts to assault the source of evil within the Tower of Solastarum, when the time came.

The group relished the reprieve from the dangers of the city, outfitting themselves as best they could and debriefing Thaddeus of his own adventures. Akasha found the werewolves to be profoundly beautiful, finding fellowship with their struggles. Sayer assessed their equipment stores. Ogg thoughtfully asked of Jotun more information on their work.

Finding the young orc to be sincere and trustworthy, Jotun brought him to a ritual held behind closed doors. Ogg witnessed them giving a ceremony to their fallen comrade. Though he found some aspects of the ritual disturbing, he remained respectfully quiet in the back. Jotun later explained that since they were unable to return their dead back to the stone, that the blood concord would serve.

After gathering their strength, the decide to attempt to signal the Callehad. Sayer and Thaddeus hold the main level with the Auren warriors. Ogg and Akasha ready themselves on the spiral steps of the pavilion. Crawford and Elbanor climb the parapet above and prepare to relay the signal light.

As they transmit the message, they notice the last of the green bonfires is extinguished. A deep rumbling seems to be shaking the grounds all around the temple. A great shifting throws tumbling rock in all directions, the earth itself was rising. The companions look on in horror as a gigantic arm took shape from the turned cemetery ground, pulling up more and more as a colossus unearthed itself.

When it was about waist height, it reared back it’s huge fist as to strike the top of the parapet. Just as Crawford and Elbanor finished their transmission and fled back into the tower, the arm crashed down. A flash of bright light enveloped all as the stonework first shook, then resisted the assault. Indeed, vast chunks of earth bouldered down on the grounds around the temple.

Then from the mists marched another mob of skeletal horrors, this one with a Black Rider among their numbers. He lifted a dreadful hand and pointed to those taking refuge within, and when prodded into response by Sayer’s provocation, responded in orcish ‘you will all die this night’ before laughing horribly. Throwing off his mantle, he revealed himself as Karth Drachum, twisted by a horrible undeath.