The prisoner is less forthcoming about the Unmaker, but eventually the Company are able to find out that it has the power to destroy powerful objects. Objects inserted into the Unmaker are, as the name suggests, literally unmade and destroyed with no hope of mending. Several members of the Company begin to think of some possible uses of the Unmaker. The only drawback is that the machine seems to be inextricably tied to the belltower of this Chapel. The slightest jarring movement could cause it to break down.
The Company honor their word to the beast-man and allow him to leave, unharmed, since he answered their questions. Cirend, in particular, seems honor-bound to let the beast go, while other members of the Company do not seem willing to be quite so lenient.
While they begin healing, the Company take stock of the weapons and items they removed from the beastly humanoid and from the body of Heth. Among the items, they discover very ancient long-hafted dagger with a silver-and-blue hilt with white diamonds set around the pommel. While examining it, a voice speaks out to the members of the Company. At first they are startled, but slowly begin to realize that somehow the dagger has gained a consciousness and personality. It tells the Company its story, a long history dating back to the days of the pre-�tonist prophet, Danar. The dagger explains that Danar turned to evil and that a special staff, the staff of shards was created to defeat him, as it is the only thing capable of destroying the Hand of Danar. The staff was sundered during a climactic battle and broken into three separate pieces. The dagger explains that its consciousness is tied only to the hilt, which was once the haft of the staff of shards. The blade was added later to create a dagger long after the staff had been broken.
Over the centuries, the dagger fell into the possession of a twisted half-elf with dragon blood in its veins. The Company have heard stories of dragons before but never believed them to actually exist. The half-elf was evil and began to acquire some rather surprising comrades who were part of a secret brotherhood or pact intent upon ridding humans and humanoids from the world. The dagger believes that this pact operated from an extra-dimensional realm and that the magical portal the Company discovered off of the balcony may lead to this realm. The dagger also knows that the other three parts of the former staff of shards still exist and that one of the pieces is in that other world. It suggests that the Company could reunite it with the other two pieces of the staff in order to destroy the Hand of Danar and seal the Banevault forever.
The Company agree, tentatively, to this course of action. Before preparations can be made, they decide, under Jeremi�s leadership, to clean up the Chapel and rededicate it to the power of almighty �ton. While cleaning, they discover that Vesto Kama, who was being held prisoner on a lower floor of the Chapel, has disappeared. He seems to have slipped out of his bonds.
After this work, Jeremi heads over to the main Cathedral to inform the high priests and priestesses there of his progress. He tells them of the treachery of Heth and the strange goings-on at the Chapel. The council of priests are the Cathedral are extremely dismayed to hear this news but promise to send out a few guards to investigate the matter right away. Priestess Maara Pachalia seems to be very intent on proving to the Company that Heth�s actions were dishonorable and against the more worthy aspirations of the �tonist faith. Cirend is very hesitant to expect her explanations, but he eventually agrees that Heth�s actions do not necessarily reflect the goals of the faith. She also asks Jeremi to perform a further service for �ton here in Bima Hara.
She tells them of an ancient prophecy known only to a select few members of a secret order of the �tonist faith. It states that one day the sword of truth, a truly ancient artifact of goodness imprisoned within an evil spell, will be recovered and help the �tonists fulfill their destiny of bringing enlightenment to the world. The secret �tonist order believes the prophecy speaks of the sword of lies, a weapon said in ancient texts to be held in the Banevault. They believe that, if this bane can be recovered, they can transform it into the holy sword they seek.
Priestess Maara explains that the members of the Company have experience in the Banevault
