Through their contact with McKinney’s caravans they meet an interesting individual, Hans. A scholarly wizard in the employ of the company, he has kept a very low profile. He also has time to pursue a few hobbies, including the study of dragons, his favorite pastime. He tells the party that he has learned from Duke Ulrich of a new variety of dragon that he encountered that has been completely unheard of in scholarly circles. Further, Ulrich defeated two specimens of these dragons years ago. Hans is eager to acquire samples from the specimens to study and offers to hire the party to seek them out, the first being in Darkwood Deep in distant Deir es Mal to the west.
The price is the enchantment of an item for each member. This particular price brings up an interesting thing that the party has recently discovered. It was not obvious during the festival when there were so many people and wares from all over the realm present. But now that they are gone, they have noticed a marked lack of wizards and in particular shops that deal with magic items. Hans himself has kept an extremely low profile and it is only by luck that they found him. He warns Chetrienne in particular to be very careful in showing his magic prowess. The people have become increasingly hostile to spellcasters, and magic shops have mysteriously dried up for lack of commerce. At least, that’s what he thinks the reason is.
There is however, one shop that still keeps some business going. But only the elect are privy to it. Hans passes on the password and location to the party as an act of good faith for the upcoming job. Master Kol runs a shop Mysteries of the Realm, and the password is to ask about the barley shipment. In advance of the job, Hans also agrees to work on one item, Drevin’s rapier, prior to the job completion. Mithralstance seeks out help from a priest of Duath for similar enchantments to his armor.
Finally ready to venture out once again, the party takes the familiar road east. They again are attacked by strange beasts, this time not breathing fire but howling and spined. No one dies. They also spot increasing numbers of ravens. Enough to get very nervous when they see one. The following night, they spot a fog with shuffling figures in it. This, they ignore for once, and it passes them without incident. Another days travel and they reach the Shining Gem Inn, and discover it blanketed by fog. Fearing the worst, they ride in and discover that undead beings, the very same that they let pass before, have killed half the number of workers and guests at the inn. They rescue the remaining living people and defeat the undead. But not before Drevin is severely wounded by one of the wights.
Bertram and Gertrude look to their ruined inn and leave it with the party to return to Althofen to restore Drevin (having to catch up with him alone in the dark, foolishly attempting to cross the hazardous lands alone). The return trip is nerve-wracking and the spotting of a raven incurs battle preparation, but nothing comes of it. They achieve Althofen and Drevin is restored. Bertram and Gertrude stay in the city, and the party gets fresh horses and again journeys out. A short distance outside the city, they encounter Lady Pine having a picnic with a few other noble ladies of the city. They have lunch and fill her in on some of the recent doings, as well as introducing her formally to some of the new folk.
Continuing on, they reach the inn a few days later to see it still wreathed in mist and undead, which they must defeat again. Further on, they reach Merzig to find a different town. It is now boisterous and lively. They stop only for rest and supplies, but Brimstone Jack continues the feud with Broderick by leaving a note, “I’ll be back for your head” posted on his door.
Again, back on the road they spot a shooting star falling from the sky in the distance to the west. Worried, Chetrienne consults his learning and fathoms that those sorts of sights accompany the opening of planar gates. Further on, they pass the farmhouse destroyed by the zombie giant and encounter a strange two headed giant that they defeat. On the road further east, they pass the site where the McKinney caravan was taken, and beyond that they finally encounter the unexpected: a patrol of Saarland guards. Some of the guards are wounded and speaking of bandits in the area. The party takes their offers of escort for safety with some contempt, estimating the guards to be of low proficiency. However, together they make the rest of the journey to Blasyn.
In the city, they follow the chain of command of the local militia and try to report their findings of the troubles in the area, including the shooting star and strange beasts. They get little results, and are about ready to depart when Brimstone Jack drops a bombshell. He no longer wishes to journey with the party. He wants to achieve his goal of owning a ship and certainly can’t do that here inland. After he departs, the priest of the Temple of Hysor catches up with them. Help has finally been sent by the Temple up north in the form of Brother Sabathius. He has been sent to investigate the evil in the area and render aid where he can. The priest believes that his best course of action would be to accompany the party to accomplish this, and the party agrees.
Leaving the city the same day they arrived, they only travel a few miles when they encounter the bandits the guards warned them of. But this fight is nothing for the heroes, and the captured bandits are sworn to Hysor and set free. At last, the party estimates their best course to Darkwood Deep is a straight line, and they leave the road and head into the Mistgrove Forest. After an encounter with the largest bear they’ve ever seen, they camp. A free night, they venture the next day deeper into the forest and encounter strange cat-like creatures with tentacles, but they are defeated. The next night is not so uneventful. A mated pair of giant, fierce wolverines happens across the campsite and the lone bard on watch, Sallow, gets killed instantly.
The next day, burial services are performed and the party continues on. They come across a great swath of destruction through the forest, as if a great many creatures had passed. A few moments later they are hailed by Eldrin, a warrior from Uchdry who has been following this swath, hoping to catch up to the orcs and ogres who made it. Knowing these foes, having fought them before, the heroes join forces and chase them down and defeat them.
The next day, they reach the edge of the Mistgrove, but spy smoke on the horizon. Arriving at the burned remnants of a village, they know this to be more work of orcs and ogres. They find a track/road going from the village in the direction they wish to travel and take it. A short ways on, they discover the hacked bodies of Hunsruck guardsmen (yes, they crossed the border at last) and a lone survivor, Barathon. He tells them the tale of fighting the orcs and ogres, but then his memory gets strangely hazy. The party pushes on, hoping to catch the orcs before they reach the next village and continue their destruction, and they succeed.
Wisely, Drevin offers to do some scouting of the enemy camp before the attack. He finds that this is a much larger force than they have fought before. And worse, there are pet dire wolves present and a strange leader unseen in one of the tents. They decide on a plan consisting of distance and lofted fireballs from Chetrienne, and deceptive attacks from the rear. However, not all goes as planned. The first fireball does damage but the guiding light of the campfire is extinguished and the orcs set out in the dark (seeing perfectly well with their darkvision) straight for the party. Worse, just before they arrive, the hidden leader reveals his power by casting magic on Sabathius and Chetrienne, immobilizing them. Fortunately, Croom calls upon the power of Baldrin and frees them and the battle is won. The leader is revealed further to be a very young human boy, no older than 15 or 16 wielding strange magic.
The next day, they arrive in Edgewold, knowing in their hearts that they saved this small village the previous night from attack. They are welcomed and housed at the Red Roof Inn. Barathon takes his leave to report the incident. He is, however, cautioned to not speak so much of the magic that was used. Chetrienne is becoming more and more cautious about showing his abilities after having met these villagers and hearing their tales of evil sorcerers and all the trouble they cause. Obviously, the boy with the orcs was one such.
They rest at Edgewold a few days and head out. After having identified some of the magic items acquired from the boy. A few days of travel and some incidents with strange creatures, they finally arrive at a particular hill that was surrounded by an old stone wall. Approaching the crown of the hill, they spot a crumbling ruined tower. However, something inside spotted them as well, and a giant arrow nearly misses Sabathius. Battle begins with Kruug, an ogre that can wield magic, and his followers. The party is victorious, but Kruug escapes along with many insults and promises to get his vengeance. During the course of the fight, Kruug even managed to convince Sabathius that Chetrienne is a wanted criminal and must be brought to justice.
The party rests, and are attacked that night by shadowy undead from the tower, which they defeat. The next day they search the tower and uncover a trap door. Within, they explore the basement of what was obviously once a tower of wizardly power in the time of the Yrvillian kingdom, some 600 years prior. They find several magically sealed doors which they cannot help but break into. The first houses a powerful elemental of darkness which immediately tries to escape. The party takes heavy wounds, and Sabathius falls, but they defeat the elemental before it can escape to wreak havoc. Unfortunately, the party rests within the sealed room and discovers that they are trapped.
However, the spirit of Sabathius is taken upon his warhorse away into the forest, and there is greeted by Hysor to be brought back to life (a scene that he later depicts in art). He repeats the words of Hysor to the party.