In response to the letter Lirrim received from Ashila, the group decides to head to Naerie to meet with Duras and retrieve the item he has for them.The trip to the city is uneventful. However, once they get there, the group realizes that tensions between Ahlissa and Sunndi appear to have increased. The city is in a virtual lockdown with the city guard on high alert and questioning all who wish to enter. Luckily, the group has little problem getting into the city, even stopping to ask the guards what caused the tensions to rise. No one is completely sure exactly transpired, but some sort of insult, whether real or imagined, seems to have been passed between the two kings. The group also asks if the guards know where to find Duras and get directed to the Gilded Cavern Inn.

Entering a predominantly dwarven section of the city, the group easily finds the Gilded Cavern and makes their way inside. The dimly lit central room is nearly empty except for a small group of dwarves sitting at a table throwing dice. The eldest dwarf stands and asks the group if there is anything he can get them. They ask about Duras and another of the dwarves at the table looks up, “I’m Duras, and who might you be?”Handing him from Ashila, the group introduces themselves and joins Duras and the newly introduced Lisan for a drink. Duras tells the group that they will have to wait until morning to get the item, as it hasn’t arrived yet. He offers to teach them to play dice and Lisan arranges a room for them to stay in while they wait.

A short time later, the door to the Inn opens and a group enters and asks for Duras. Duras introduces himself and asks what he can do for them.They produce a letter identical to the one the group has, and says that they were sent by Ashila to retrieve the item. One of them even introduces himself as Lirrim and proceeds to answer every question asked of him to prove his identity. Obviously not sure which group to trust Duras begins to become irritated. Finally, he says, “Lisan here should be able to settle this. He’s a cleric of no small power who just happens to possess a spell that may aid us here.” Lisan tells the groups to pull up chairs and gather round as he begins incanting. After the spell has been cast, he explains that no one can willingly lie within this room. They can refuse to answer a question, but bold-faced lying is now impossible.

Duras begins questioning the two groups, finally getting to a point where the other party refuses to answer his questions. Suddenly they spring to the attack and melee breaks out. As the party prepares to engage them, Duras raises his warhammer and strikes the ground, sending a shockwave throughout the room. Almost everyone is knocked to the ground, some unable to rise. The battle ends quickly and Lisan turns the imposters over to the city guard shortly thereafter as Duras retires to his room. The group decides to follow suit and retires for the night.

The next morning the group joins Duras back in the common room, where he hands them a small pouch. As Lirrim opens the pouch to reveal a small metal cube with strange symbols engraved on each side, Duras explains that he and his brother retrieved the cube from the Glorioles City of the Black Caverns. He’s unsure what it is or how it’s used, but mentions that Ashila seems to think it will aid them in finding out what happened to Lirrim’s village. Lirrim and Isach recognize the item as possibly being a cubic gate, a powerful item capable of opening portals to other planes of existence, hopefully including the ethereal plane.

The group prepares to leave and bids farewell to Duras and Lisan. As they step out of the Inn, they suddenly realize that the city is abuzz with activity. Moving closer to the city gate, they see the guard and any who will help preparing to defend the walls of the city. Apparently a large force of humanoids has attacked the city. Four large groups, three consisting of what appear to be Bonesnappers, and one consisting of undead are attacking different sections of the city’s walls. Normally, the orcs and goblins of the Bonesnappers would be no problem for a city like Naerie, but apparently they are commanded by spellcasters, and have a large contingent of trolls among them as well. The group instantly volunteers to help with the defense and is given some scrolls to use in the battle. They are pointed to a section of the wall and told to defend it as best they can. As they scale up to the top of the wall they hear the blast of a large fireball lay siege to the gate. A few instants later the group hears a familiar roar fill the air, and their hearts fill with fear. They look towards the gate and see it instantly crushed by the might of the demon, perhaps the same demon they encountered in the Menowood. Deciding that the battle is probably lost, the group finds a section of wall free from attackers and scales down.

Sprinting to safety, the group sees a small section of the undead attempt to follow them. Luckily the group is far too fast for the shambling corpses to keep up with and they get away. Not wanting to slow down, the group makes double time toward New Keep, hoping to warn that city of the proximity of the Bonesnapper army. As they streak towards New Keep, they suddenly realize something or someone is flanking them. Suddenly a large man with platinum blonde hair, dressed in a red monk’s outfit leaps forward and attacks Isach. The rest of the group joins the fray and does what they can to protect Isach, who the monk is obviously after. Whoever this man is, he’s highly skilled and it’s all the group can do to keep him off of Isach. The conflict wears on and on, with the stranger eventually turning to Isach, “We want the book. I’ll be back,” and running off into the night.

Isach takes some time to explain who this man is and why he’s after the book he has in his possession. While the group is disappointed that he did not share this with them earlier, they decide that he’s proven himself a faithful traveling companion, so they gather themselves up and continue on to New Keep. Once they arrive, they warn the city guard about the Bonesnapper attack on Naerie and the possibility of them attempting an attack here in New Keep. Rumors have already reached the city about the attack, and one in particular strikes close to home for the group. Ashila showed up shortly after the group fled and seemed to transform himself. In this new form, he was able to call upon Corellon Latherian, and banish the demon, saving the city and turning the tide of the battle. The group then heads into town and bunks down with Xif’s uncle, taking some time to prepare some much-needed items for their trials ahead. After spending a few days in town, they pack up and head to the Menowood to met Ashila as his letter instructed.

An otherwise quiet trip is marred by a strange dream Sione has the first night of the journey. Her vision is as follows:
Grey is all you can see. As your eyes focus you realize that you are engulfed in fog. As you strain the gather more details, the ground beneath your feet lurches. You look down and realize that you are standing on the deck of a ship. The muted sounds of waves slapping against the hull confirm this.You turn to see the rest of the group apparently talking to the captain of the vessel. You also spy Stacia sleeping quietly in a corner. The air is chill and you can see your breath as it leaves your body. The scene is strangely quiet despite the animated movements of your companions. The discussion appears to have escalated into an argument. As you stare at the scene straining to hear what’s being said, you jump as you see the shadows of your companions take on a life of their own. As they grow to twice the height of those that cast them, their shade turns from black to blood red. Engaged in the heated debate, your companions are oblivious to what is about to happen. Suddenly, the shadows lunge forward into the bodies of your friends. Instantly the demeanor of your companions turns violent and weapons are drawn. Just as the first blow is thrown your vision becomes blurred by a blood red haze and you awaken with a start.

The meeting with Ashila is short, but informative. He reveals his true form to the group and explains that he is an avatar of Corellon himself. He goes on to answer the questions the group has, explaining that yes, the item is a cubic gate, but one that requires command words to activate each side. Since the item was found in a City of the Black Caverns, it stands to reason that those command words must be spoken in the People of the Black Cavern’s native tongue. The group also asks him to take the items they are carrying and protect them, but he refuses saying that despite what they may think, the items are safest with them. Finally, he advises the group to head back to Malwander since Marlos has been defending them against Councilman Irithan’s attempts to have them banished from the town. He tells them that if the Council decides their fate before they return, Marlos will suffer the consequences in their stead. With that the group begins the journey back to Malwander to face Irithan and his accusations. When asked about Sione’s vision, Ashila can only saw that the fog could be a reference to the Lendore Isles, an elven stronghold protected by a magical fog only the elves can navigate. He definitely feels that the vision is some sort of portent, but of what he is not sure.

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Chapters - Find out what's happened so far.

Chapter One – Shapeshifters in Our Midst

Chapter Two – A Prophecy Fulfilled?

Chapter Three – The City of Black Crystal

Chapter Four – Poachers? No, Murderers!

Chapter Five – The Vast Swamp

Chapter Six – Delivery for Quarion

Chapter Seven – Evil Afoot in the Menowood

Chapter Eight – An Item in Naerie

Chapter Nine – Back in Malwander…

Chapter Ten – A Journey Into Madness

Chapter Eleven - Serpent Isle

Chapter Twelve – The Return of Maj

Chapter Thirteen – The Hestmark Highlands

Chapter Fourteen – A Spy Among Us?

Chapter Fifteen – The Bonewood

Chapter Sixteen – Return to Rook's Roost