That night there was much discussion between the two groups of adventurers and Duke Ulrich. Newly raised from the dead, the first party listened to all that transpired in the two years that they had been gone. And from their rescuers they learned the details of all the things that they too had discovered in their journeys all over the south. When the journal was unveiled, it revealed many things and filled many holes in the narrative. In the end, all knew what the others did, with nothing held back, except perhaps for the part of the Duke.
As for Duke Ulrich, he listened. He nodded and asked pointed questions at certain times, especially during talk of the creatures that were found first under Althofen. As the stories unfolded, the creatures were seen many times and in many places. There was sign of them in the old temple under Althofen now occupied by a gang of thugs. A conversation was overheard while traveling the road west of Althofen, which led to these creatures attacking those that overheard. They had attacked a druid grove, and left some behind to guard some ancient treasures. Then, they attacked this very tower, seeking out Master Garanus, where the first adventurers met their end. In the intervening years, their activity seemed to increase. They were encountered in the ruins of Lyons, and at the siege of Autun. And they were in great numbers at the archaeological dig.
It was there that a big piece of the puzzle was revealed. An ancient gate, sealed by the Aspects was discovered, and the creatures were attempting to break through, undoubtedly to release their brethren.
It also became clear that the strange evil that overlaid the whole of Darkwood Deep could be explained by another similar gate. It was marked clearly on the ancient map that was found on the walls at the first gate. The star on the map placed it right in the middle of the woods. A third gate was also marked far to the east, deep in the mountains. Duke Ulrich nodded again when this was mentioned and was heard murmuring, “Yes, it would be there.”
There was discussion about the other two things at the archaeological dig. These were no less a concern than the gates. The first was an ancient criminal named Octavius Herodonus. When asked about the first time he was there over twenty years ago, Duke Ulrich answered gruffly, “He was released, and he left. I don’t know where he is.” And the third, a gem, prison to 72 ancient criminal souls, named the Lemegeton. At that, Ulrich remarked, “So they kept it there for a time, then moved it to the place I saw. Under another ancient ruined city, I forget exactly where. There were guardians, nine undead each next to a gate to an elemental plane where they summoned forth great power. We left quickly. But the gem. The gem was already dug up.”
Names were spoken, and some startled the Duke, and he confirmed something that had already been guessed at the dig.
“Agares, yes, that name is in the journal, and it is one of the names listed as being contained in the prison. I saw it broken. Twenty years ago, I was “captured” and kept in an underground complex. There was lava there, and the place was huge. I… saw it brought and broken, and the souls were released, but…they weren’t free…exactly. At least, they weren’t then.”
Then, under his breath, “Ah, what a mess he…we…made.”
“I suppose now that they are off doing their own thing. Trying to rule the world, killing heroes, and innocents, like evil tyrants do.” He shrugs. “They’ll have to be stopped. Some of you will die. Unless you go home and forget about it.”
“In the morning, I shall be returning to the first gate, the Bastion I guess it was called, to help Wolfram. He’ll need me. Then, once it’s secure, we’ll go to Autun and see about the High Temple of Lugh. I can’t let it be destroyed now, after I saved it and all. Any of you who want to come are welcome, though it will be tedious guard duty for the most part.”
Talk continues for the rest of the evening until in the silence that followed, each considered what they must do and what path their heart and their obligations tell them they should take.
When the morning arrived, Skarn, Cirro, Xender, Andraemon, and Marc Havoc decided to return with Duke Ulrich to the Bastion to see if they can help guard the gate. Sir Osric, Eldrin, John Frie, and Croom made the decision to finish their mission for Hans and return the dragon skull, which is still sitting outside the tower, and then go on to investigate the darkness in Darkwood Deep. John in particular thinks he needs to pursue the answer to the origin of sorcerers. Since they have plans to venture into the forest, Duke Ulrich has an idea for some assistance. Along with the contingent of paladins who went with him and Master Wolfram were a number of others including a skilled tracker by the name of Horadi. Knowing that this outdoorsman will not likely stay long underground guarding a gateway, Ulrich believes he could be recruited to assist Sir Osric and the others on their quest. A couple of quick teleports later and Horadi is brought to the tower.
After introductions are made, including Horadi's stalwart companion horse, Ulrich teleports away with the group who volunteered to help him. Meanwhile, the others realize that they haven’t even properly searched the tower. They do this, finding very little after remaining empty for two years, however, in the basement Croom discovers a hidden trap door. After preparing for adventure, they attempt to open it. It proves to be more difficult than expected, and a sledgehammer and chisel is needed to break it open. They find a strange block and tackle arrangement can be set up at the top, and the hole is wider than usual. They surmise that large heavy things were either brought up or down by this means. At the bottom they find tunnels that have been invaded by umber hulks. They are dealt with easily. Further on they find alchemical labs that contain some unused potions and a number of storage areas that contain much needed basic adventuring equipment. A library contains blank spellbooks and some scrolls, but they have to defeat a strange undead creature first. Greater shadows prove to be a more difficult encounter but they are defeated by the party. In the next room they find a triangle inscribed on the floor and a ghostly wind blowing. They decide to leave it alone. In the next room they are attacked by a raging fire elemental that has escaped from its crumbling square. In the confined area, the fight is much more difficult and Eldrin is killed. After the creature is finally killed, they retreat upstairs to rest. Croom uses the staff of life to restore life back to Eldrin.
The following day they return again to the tunnels under the tower. Beyond the room where they fought the fire elemental they find two identical doors on either side of the corridor. On the north side they discover a laboratory with a pentagram on the floor and a strange froglike creature imprisoned in it. In the south room, they find a nearly identical setup but with a strange devil with barbs imprisoned. They find copious notes in both rooms. Master Garanus was doing extensive research into the nature of the two varieties of creature. He dubbed the froglike creature a demon and found some of its weaknesses and strengths. The other one he called devils and experimentation showed that they have different weaknesses and strengths. The party collects a number of spikes made from different materials that Garanus had used to learn about the creatures. Osric convinces the party that the two creatures cannot be left behind and that they must be destroyed. They release the froglike one and are immediately in trouble because of its power to shout blasphemies over and over again. They defeat it, but it takes all that they have. They don’t even think about taking on the barbed devil and retreat back upstairs to rest.
When they return the next day, they have decided to leave the creature for the big boys to deal with. They will send messages to Ulrich once they have completed their exploration. Further on in the tunnels they encounter half made golems of stone which they defeat, and also a jelly that has moved in. Then they encounter a massive vault door that is magically sealed. Everything they try fails to open the door. They are about to give up when Croom summons a lantern archon and asks it to teleport into the room to see what is there. It returns with word of great treasure, and the party decides to redouble their efforts to get in. It takes hours to break into the vault. Meanwhile they all feel the silent stare of the imprisoned barbed devil on their backs. And some hear its silent communication.
Once the door is down, Horadi boldly steps through and triggers a symbol of weakness that knocks out half of the party. They wait for it to expire and then loot the vault. Eldrin gets a nice new suit of armor. Their exploration is now complete and messages are sent to Ulrich about the tower and the barbed devil. John Frie mends the cart with the dragon skull with a few spells and they set out once again for Althofen.
A couple days of travel gets them to enter Uchdry, where Eldrin is from. They enter the city of Interlaken where they find that an elven outpost has been built near the city. The outpost is breathtaking in its construction and they are eager to shop there. They pick up some supplies and Eldrin gets the red dragon armor fitted to him. They wait for the armor to be finished and they have a quiet rest. They learn through the rumor-mill that Coalition Guard are still being sent north for some unknown reason. Osric sends messages to Colonel Nemelus updating the status of his search for Marius and Sabathius – that he found Marius, but no sign of his brother.
Traveling deeper south, they discover that the Coalition Guard has a stronger presence than they had guessed. At the city of Orbe, they have a particularly bad run-in with them when they are taxed 50gp. Perhaps it’s the hostility towards spellcasters that threw the party over the edge, but the cart with the giant dragon skull drew a lot of attention from the Guard who assumed it was for necromantic rituals and when questioned, Croom let Hans’ name slip out and their final destination of Althofen. They realize that they may have put Hans in danger and try to step up their pace.
In the Mistgrove forest they encounter a wood elemental and this annoys Horadi to the point of taking elementals as his next favored enemy. Further on they encounter an ettin and two barbarian ogres. John blasts them as usual and that enrages one enough to chase John, flinging the cart out of the way to get to him. John is nearly killed before the ogres are defeated.
They are nearly to Althofen when Horadi spots some tracks of the devil creatures. They lead to the old abandoned Shining Gem inn where they find some merchants. The party immediately assumes that these are no true merchants but devils in disguise and attack. They are correct and there is a long drawn out battle that is nearly lost. However, in the end, the leader, a devil named Kalazon, almost succeeds in escaping with a chest, but he is killed while flying away and the chest is recovered. Inside they find a book of creating a stone golem and a note signed with nothing but a signet ring: a fist holding an O. The note is addressed to a Count Ebron in Althofen, offering the book as some sort of tool in the job that the Count is doing for the author of the note. No one knows who the signet belongs to. They camp in the ruins of the Shining Gem Inn.
They reach Althofen and fumble around trying to remember how to find Hans, but ultimately stumble upon him by accident. Hans is overjoyed that they lived and that they have successfully returned with the dragon skull. He is eager to get to work on the skull, but his own feelings of guilt and what is right lead him to offer to help the party first. He offers his services as a magic item enchanter to improve or create their equipment. Lots of money exchanges hands, old magic items are traded in, and several weeks are spent in Althofen while Hans works away. During some of his off-time, Hans does take the time to work on the skull.
It is expected to take 120 days for all the magic item work to be completed, the better part of the upcoming winter and spring. The party is quite agreeable to this, so a contract is written. Part of the clauses stipulate that the products created may be bequathed to the party's successors. Designation of such succession is tenuous: possession of the Cursed Book of Travel. John Frie writes this down in the journal.