The next morning, Gnyrll called upon the power of nature to cause the plants in the area to grow thickly and quickly. Soon, the desecrated grove is once again covered in greenery, obscuring the remains of battle. Turning again southwesterly, the party continued on their way. They encountered and dispatched a dire elk with glowing red eyes, a sight they are seeing more and more of the deeper they went into the forest.
Soon, the inevitable has happened: they encountered intelligent, once-neutral creatures that have now been corrupted by the strange evil. These are treants, and they are powerful, able to make the very trees around the party attack in concert. They have several quick encounters with the corrupted treants, and must make use of Gnyrll’s ability to repel plants to retreat a few times. During one of these battles, Gnyrll’s steady boar companion is slain by an evil tree. Gnyrll calls upon the power of nature to reincarnate his companion and a dire owl joins the party, now renamed Screech.
After a few days, the spirit of the forest changes. Suddenly, the party feels an oppressive weight lift from their shoulders and they hear the sounds of a living normal forest again. But all is not well when they again encounter treants, however these have not been corrupted. A short conversation reveals that the treants are aware of what is happening to their brethren, but not the cause. A short tense questioning leads to a relaxing of arms on both sides after the treants learn that the party is not the cause of the evil. The treants know very little of the dragon except that its lair was once in a southwesterly direction and remains to this day a dangerous place. They are, however, quite concerned at the party’s use of fire within the forest and extract promises from the humans to not use it any more. John Frie is not happy.
The next day they arrive at the lair, finding it eerily quiet. The bones are obvious, as is the blackened remains of the giant tree that the dragon once called home. After much paranoia and searching, they determine the place relatively safe and make preparations to take the skull with them. In their searches, they discover eggshell fragments and a strange piece of metal bearing runes that apparently had been inside the skull itself. With a litter to drag the skull, they depart before sundown.
That night, they hear a keening wailing of unearthly origin from the old lair. Both John and Gnyrll almost venture there alone to “take a quick look,” but think better of it. Croom uses his divine power to seek an answer to the disturbed spirit, but is advised that there is nothing that can be done.
For several days, the party travels north with their prize, electing to avoid the corrupted areas to the east. They encounter several hostile things: a wood elemental, carnivorous plants, and giant beetles. It is during the last that Croom calls fire from the heavens, breaking the promise with the treants. He is not alone, for shortly later John Frie creates a wall of fire to deal with more carnivorous plants. The next day they discover the ruins of a city deep in the forest. There is some debate about whether to avoid the curiosity or just rush on with the mission. The curious win when the loud argument draws the attention of some ghouls from the nearby graveyard.
The city seems quite old and quite ruined. More fire is used to dispatch them and the other creatures that have made residence in the ruins. These include a tribe of trolls that have managed to capture a young man. He is rescued, naturally, and is introduced as Drake Whistlefinger. He is a bit close-mouthed about his past but is quite enamored of John Frie and his open use of his sorcerous powers. He too exhibits some talent with magic, focused on his hands and touch. However, when telling the tale of how he discovered his powers, at the accidental cost of a bully’s life, Cirro (who has taken his worship of Vodethyn more and more seriously of late) becomes quite concerned at this unresolved crime. He insists that Drake must be taken to the priests for a proper trial, to which Drake is forced to agree. During the discussion, John stands up for the newcomer but is also accused of unresolved justice and agrees too to attend a trial.
More search of the city has the party encountering more creatures including the largest spider they have ever seen and a strange talking snake creature able to use magic. It is defeated of course, even though it is able to make itself invisible and hurl bolts of force. They discover an old smithy has a hidden door that the creature was trying to get in, and after making their way inside, they recover some old magical weapons and arms. They only spend another day in the ruins and continue north, where just a day later Gnyrll calms a rabid pack of wolves.
The next morning, however, they wake to discover that all the trees have been moved to form a tight corridor funneling them in a slightly different direction than they had intended to travel. Gnyrll speaks with the plants and learns that they were ordered there by something named Frostbough. They take the avenue and after most of the day’s travel they reach a clearing with the largest treant they have ever seen (a full 30 feet in diameter). Frostbough pronounces their fate in breaking their promise not to use fire:
“You have committed a sin against nature, against Darkwood Deep. Normally, we would destroy you as a warning to other men who would bring fire to the sacred forest. But circumstances are not normal. The seasons turn, the world changes, and evil things walk again. The Deep is weakened by such an evil force. You are familiar with the effects on it and our kind. We give you this opportunity to redeem yourself and atone for your sin. Seek out and vanquish this evil, and you shall be forgiven.”
“If you seek our advice on the nature of this thing, you must seek elsewhere. We trees are too young and nothing of this kind has entered the Deep before. Perhaps you should seek older wood; those whose memories stretch back much farther.”
Gnyrll accepts this, as do some of the others, but Cirro is quite outraged and does not recognize the pronouncement, and perhaps curse, as just. However, he still agrees to vanquish the evil. They leave northward again. For several days the travel the forest, vanquishing little nuisances until they finally reach the edge of the forest and spot a road heading northeast, paralleling the edge of the forest. They take it.
Not long after, they encounter a caravan traveling southward. It consists of 2 wagons covered in yellow silk and is escorted by 25 guards bearing the blue-magenta-and-silver standard of Deir es Mal. They meet with them to get news and are greeted by the master, a trader named Balamar. He takes a great interest in Screech the owl and the spellcasters within the party notice that Balamar is casting spells silently and without gestures. There is no other outward evidence that this man is a wizard. He gives them directions and invites them to visit if they ever find themselves in Vichy. After traveling the rest of the day they find themselves in Capri Village, and at the Emerald Crest Inn seeking warm beds for the first time in weeks.
More discussion about travel plans happens in the common room and they learn more about the area and the roads. A garrulous commoner strikes up a conversation with Croom and they learn that the Alliance Guard is recruiting but no one is quite sure what their job is. Croom offers to atone Drake’s sins, but it is decided to wait until the trial for that. Cirro dreams of Magnus and the Order of Virtues that night.
The next morning is cold, and some reprovisioning is taken care of before they depart southeast, intending to take a road through the Deep once again to return to Althofen. After the ferry ride they are once again in the forest and when it comes time to camp they discover a strange old campsite. There are obvious signs of violence in the broken carts and they even find the graffiti: “Johann is my god.” Wisely expecting an attack by undead, they camp a couple miles down the road. But it doesn’t matter, for the undead have scented the living flesh and find them anyway. John is struck dead by the glance of one creature. However, the next day his body is looking decidedly unnaturally pale and similar to the creature that slew him.
Fortunately, the next day’s travel brings them signs of more civilization. The forest shows sign of the lumber trade and it is not long before they enter a small valley with a lake emptying to a river heading eastward, filled with logs and barges. A large prosperous city sits on the shore and within its walls they see a huge sprawl of white buildings on one hill. Croom immediately identifies it as the High Temple of Lugh. They ride straightaway into the city and to the temple to get help for the ailing John, and are met by a bookish priest in his mid-40s named Jeremiah. After donating some magic items that were not needed, John is truly resurrected and back among the living. In discussing their situation and adventures, Jeremiah perks up upon hearing the name Johann and he tells them of Johann Bauer and Ulrich Grimscht, with whom he has made many dealings in the past. The discussion leads to an old map of Ulrich’s which Jeremiah cheerfully agrees to give a copy to the party.
There is a temple of Vodethyn in the city, which Cirro immediately visits. Speaking with the priest of his dreams, it is the general opinion that perhaps Cirro should restart the Order of Virtues. He is old of Magnus’ attempt 20 years ago, and is warned that it is probably a dangerous undertaking. In speaking with the priests about the treants, they are of the opinion that Frostbough’s judgment was just and that Cirro should do the penance. The priests also agree to set up hearings the next day. The party finds rooms at the Frozen Axe Inn. The next day the hearings are held, with everyone presenting cases. In the end, Drake is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter but remanded under probation to Cirro’s custody (his first assignment) for a year. The trial isn’t complete without full details from Vichy (where the crime took place), and this factors in.
The mysteries deepen for the party during their three day stay in Autun. Jeremiah questions John and Drake in an attempt to learn about sorcerers. They are unable to learn why the southland commoners are so suspicious of magic and magic wielders. Cirro asks about magic bastard swords and is told of Otto Glockenspiel who was said to use a magic blue sword of that type, but Jeremiah doesn’t know what became of it. Then, the second night at the Frozen Axe a strange, and haughty man enters to get a drink and warm by the fire. He is battlescarred, old (perhaps his 40s or 50s), and radiates an air of command. He rebuffs all attempts at conversation, and when Eldrin attempts to detect evil, he is stunned by the man’s power. Gnyrll, ever curious, follows the man outside when he leaves and spies him mounting to leave the city. A second horse is led by the first and upon it is a cloaked and still figure. In the form of a raven, Gnyrll manages to catch a glance inside the hood and spots a skeletal face with red glowing eyes. On the man’s horse is a wrapped long bundle, perhaps a sword, within easy reach. He left on the eastern road.
Knowledge of heraldry from the man’s shield identifies him as a Colonel Werner Glyntrek of Gwynyth Raius when it was under the rule of Myrddin. Returning to Jeremiah the next day, they manage to extract some evasive answers (Jeremiah has taken a liking to them). The Colonel has been there for the past 2 weeks doing private research after a significantly large donation (so much so that the High Temple is breaking ground for a whole new building).
The next day they take passage on a riverboat with Captain Gershon, and travel is swift and sure with their new map. They reach Lyon, Cholet, and then Dist where they disembark to change boats. However, Croom starts experiencing disturbing nightmares during the trip. At Dist, they observe the dark, fog-wreathed High Temple of Arawn but they have no desire to see it closer. The next day, after staying at the Jolly Hand Inn, they book expensive passage on another boat. They pass through many small towns and villages. However, over the days the nightmares get worse and Croom gets weaker until he finally uses magic to discover a night hag pulling upon his soul from within the ethereal plane. Croom and John venture there to battle her, but she escapes. At least the nightmares are stopped.
Several days of travel, and at least one theft attempt by a crewmember and the party has traveled many leagues eastward. They stop in Roanne, Rothland and head to the temple of Hysor. Eldrin spots the remains of two burned out old temples and learn that it was the home of an evil cult that was dispatched 20 years ago. He tells the priest of Hysor about Darkwood Deep and about their encounter with Colonel Glyntrek. He is interested and promises to send dispatches north. Staying at the Sword’s Sleep Inn, a strange creature tries to drink Eldrin’s breath but is dispatched.
Several more days of travel and the narrowing river passes by Crest, a former capital of the former Upper Rothland, which is now steadily dwindling, and finally to Emaria, the final stop on the river Indre. The town is deep in the Kernlivien Forest and only a small track continues eastward, which they take after spending a night at the Rain Song Inn. Travel through the forest only takes 2 days, and their only notable encounter is with a greater air elemental. Early the second day they enter the plains of Uchdry and shortly after spot a lone tower a bit away from the track. Oddly, a great amount of smoke can be seen. Sensing trouble, they go to investigate.
They arrive in a small complex of buildings surrounding the tower and know there is immediate trouble. Many of the buildings are on fire and freshly hacked bodies litter the ground. The iron bound door to the tower is smashed. John Frie immediately flies up outside the tower after hearing a wrenching cry from the top. He arrives just in time to see an old man’s last breath while strange demonic creatures ransack the place. He immediately throws a fireball at them but they shrug it off and immediately seal off the open window with ice. Croom dispels the ice while the rest of the party rushes inside to give battle. John is able to see the last creature lift a glowing gem from the now-shriveled body of the old man and disappear.
Only a few minutes later, just enough time to discover a wrecked wizard’s tower and no survivors, the party spies a group of horsemen riding up. Sensing trouble, they split up to take strategic positions, wary of the cart with the dragon skull in it outside. Eldrin and Cirro meet the horsemen as they ride up. They are identically cloaked and all ride black chargers. The spokesman demands to see Master Garanus, and the next moment Eldrin is sure of their evil intent. The few moments of tense parley have allowed some of the spellcasters to become invisible, however the riders spot John fly out of the top of the tower before he vanished, and they attack. The creatures cast aside their cloaks revealing skeletal figures with slimy skin, red glowing eyes, and a wicked barb on their head. They wield halberds to deadly effect, and after a few moments Cirro and Eldrin discover that the slime on their skin is caustic and destroys their weapons.
John’s spells are getting resisted, but he is still wounding them. They eventually take him down. One by one the rest follow. It gets desperate, and Drake even goes up and ransacks the wizard’s stuff, finding miraculously a scroll of banishment, but he flubs reading it. Croom begs Baldrin for favors when he is the last man standing, and his prayer’s are granted, but even Baldrin’s blessing is not enough and he falls. The only one who escapes is Drake, when he leaps from the tower top, grabs a horse, and flees, the dragon skull forgotten in the cart at the base of the tower.
It is the end of the party and horrible death and destruction await them. It now waits for a new party of adventurers to rise to take up the mantle of goodness and heroism in the world.