Abroad

Thay

Barbarians attack the front and southermost flank of the small caravan while Blightspawned wolves supported by a Talnotar Blightlord assault from the rear and north!

Darya and the Adventure Kids ply their lethal skills and as the barbarian's lead warrior is intercepted by Sioban and Ilian, Darya slays him with expert use of her bow. Other barbarians engage the living and undead guards in the caravan.

Nestor, Fandamm (in werewolf form) and Varadíya engages the host of blightspawned wolves while Zárisse takes on the Hathran witch leading the barbarians. The witch has released a ball of arcane fire upon Zárisse's palanquin but through the magical tattoos on Varadíya most of the harmful effect is diverted.

Soon Zárisse slays the Hathran, shattering the witch's life-force with mighty necromantics and turns her attention to the Talontar Blightlord who, although barely alive after a Night's Caress, needs the savage attention of Fandamm to finally expire.

The slaying of the enemies leaders swing the tide of battle in favour of our intrepid protagonists.

Some wounds need tending and Sinead heals what she can. A few of the fallen are reanimated to make up for losses amongst the living.

Alas it turns out that Fandamm has succumbed to the vile contagions of the Taltontar and is feverish and running the risk of turning into a horrid blightspawned creature.

Sinead is too weak a cleric to cure this malady and so the band press on towards the fortress monastery.

They finally arrive and are admitted to the massive fortress that is part of the very mountainside.

As Fandamm is cured by the local priests, Zárisse studies at the vast library, seeking information on all manner of deities and dimensional pockets and so on. As days pass, Lothar negotiates with the priests of Tiamat for the temporary creation of a shrine of Kossuth outside the monastery. He then proceeds, along with Sinead, to beseech the Lord of Fire for a sign of approval...which is given!

Darya engages in a discussion on the topic of the perceptions of servitude with Nestor and Fandamm. The two slaves do not agree with Darya's more nuanced views.

Returning with the good news they learn that the representatives of Tiamat have agreed for them to meet their supreme commander of the monastery: A red dragoness.

Negotiations begin...