Moving to the east and away from the chamber, the Company trails down a long hallway containing many frescoes, most of which have been melted by some heat. At the far end of the hallway, the Company sees an odd shimmer in the air, with pulsating tendrils of raw energy interspersed with odd flashes of unnatural light. The hallway opens into a vast chamber, larger than any the Company has seen in the Banevault, with rough-hewn walls scorched and blackened, and a deep pit in the chamber�s center. Jeremi and Uso both sense that this chamber is the result of a magic experiment gone awry. Uso further senses that the fabric of reality in this area has been torn, and may be torn further if anyone casts spells.
As Uso is explaining this to the Company, three creatures claw their way up from the pit. All three are roughly humanoid, but have toad-like features, a flat forehead and clawed hands with hooks and protrusions on their hands. Two have red skin and are about the size of a man, and another is twice the size of a man and has blue skin. They attack, raking their claws and biting. At times, they let out guttural, ear-piercing croaks that stun half of the Company. Despite his instincts warning him against doing so, Uso attempts to cast a spell. The intention of his spell is unsuccessful, but the arcane might rips open a temporary gateway into what Uso perceives is clearly a different world, with a dark city that looks vaguely familiar in an alien landscape of perpetual midnight. As the portal closes, a fierce dog with spikes protruding from its back appears out of thin air and launches toward Uso. The Company manages to slay the dog, and the other beasts.
When the Company looks over the pit�s edge, they see that the pit was initially carved from stone, but is now being consumed and liquefied at its nadir. Just above the liquid base of the pit, carved into the pit�s wall, is a small cave. Using a magic rope, Cirend climbs down and into the cave, where he finds a small cache of gems, tufts of fur and bone that look ancient, a silver urn, and a small golden statue of an angel.
Given the ancient age of the Banevault, the Company wonders why it is that these beasts have remained here � and where the bestial remains found in their cave came from. Uso also wonders if any other creatures were gated in from other alien realms, and if so, are they trapped within the Banevault? Once again, rather than finding answers, the Company have found yet more mysteries to be solved.
Reeling from their battle with the toad-like slaadi, the Company retreats out of the cavern wrought of magicks gone wrong so that Jeremi can call upon �ton to heal the injured. Uso explains that he has business above the Vault that needs attending to, and parts ways.
Once repaired, the Company re-enters the cavern, skirting the pit filled with molten magma, and heads down the opening to the south. The raw chaos of the cavern walls gives way to the smooth, hand-hewn stone of walls. Two of the chamber�s walls are filled with an elaborate system of gears, and two skeletons lie in the south end of the room. The Company figures out that the gears were part of an elaborate trap that lined the north end of the room leading to the cavern, that the trap had killed the two humanoids now lying dead, and that the magic of the cavern had thereafter transformed and consumed the northern part of the chamber.
At the far, southern end of the room, the Company finds a door that leads to a hallway, which ultimately opens into a deep, long chamber. The floor of the chamber has three levels, connected by a stairway bisects the chamber length-wise and provides the means of stepping upward toward what appears to be an altar at the topmost level of the chamber. The chamber has a sword motif: the staircase railing depicts swords linked together, the braziers are downward-pointing swords bearing candles in their pommels, and the altar�s design also incorporates swords. Upon closer inspection, the Company sees that the altar has place holders for five swords. Now, all are empty.
Behind the altar lies an ancient skeleton, its clothes lost to the ravages of time. Beside it lie a rusty short sword and a pile of dust. Within the pile is an ancient book. At that time, no one can decipher its words.
The Company returns to the pit chamber, and explores the open passageway to the west, which also fades into a regular dungeon hallway. To the south, Sebastian opens a door into a long, narrow chamber. The chamber�s walls bear frescoes, one of a pastoral image with winged horses the other of a tall, birch forest. Iron spikes are driven into the wall along one of the frescoes, and skeletons dangle in the manacles, shackled still in death. As soon as Sebastian enters the room, a doorway at the far end of the room opens and a skeleton bearing armor, a sword, and helmet emerges. At that same moment, the Company is startled to hear the crunching of bones as the skeletons on the wall come to life.
