The initial shock of the desperate struggle between Skarvik and Malibus, the necromantic mage summoned by Padrivar, turns to joy and the party greet their new-found friend with applause. Dismet is full of questions for the necromancer, who tells her of her inheritance (Rootvile) and something of the history of her parents. He is reluctant, however, to take up her offer of teaching her the way of necromancy and it soon becomes apparent that this Greyhawkian mage is a coward who was forced into service by Padrivar.

Malibus cannot wait to free himself of the party, telling them that he has heard all manner of tales about them and does not wish to be a target for assassination. There is a brief discussion between Padrivar and Dismet and as Malibus leaves he is unaware of the vampire’s plight. Padrivar finds the necromancer and slays him in the night...

Later the next morning they see a peculiar fellow who has the appearance of a beggar driving a cart. There are fifty vultures hovering around this stranger and a constant cloud of insects swarm close by. Dismet and Luther become worried and conceal themselves nearby as Anstran and Hyuga confront the man. They learn his name as Makor, and he tells them that he has been summoned by Luther (this ‘man’ turns out to be demonic - the disciple of Loramas actually !) without the wordmonger’s knowledge. He says that he must speak to both Luther and Dismet and that he will wait at Richpool, a nearby farming community, for three days. Then he drives off into the dust.

The party continue their westerly drive towards Warvik and after three days they reach Anstran’s ancestral home. It is occupied by a middle aged nobleman called Lord Arribos, a knight guardian appointed by the king to look after the ducal lands until the duke returns. Anstran’s Ishiaki talents can feel the deaths of his parents and he spends a difficult night learning from the technique of his adversary (Karamatsu). The rest of the party rest and replenish their rations and learn that the new king of the Shield Lands is called Mandrigan. Anstran decides to move south to Admund Fort and make an appearance at Court. This would allow Luther and Dismet to meet Makor at Richpool.

After spending only a day at Warvik the party move south to Richpool, where they find Makor and discover something about his power. Makor entreats Dismet to return with him to Niole Dra where Curevar awaits him but the young woman decides to continue their quest south for the moment. Makor shrugs and eventually departs, warning them that the new archpriest of Isulan (Mallavian) is abroad in the Shield Lands and that he is setting an ambush for them.

They head south and encounter a lone Skarvikian priest (Vilen) and a belligerent young nobleman (Irgel) who is just looking for a fight and a wandering swordsman (Salamander). Irgel challenges Hyuga to a duel and the barbarian unleashes his greatsword with blinding speed and cleaves the man’s horse in two ! He then proceeds to toy with the young man by disarming every weapon he draws and leaving him battered and bruised on the ground. Salamander is bound for the court of Mandrigan where there is a position of weaponsmaster so he decides to travel with them.

Eventually the party reach the shores of the Nyr Dyv (the largest inland sea on Greyhawk) and manage to charter a ferry across to the island fortress. It is whilst they are at sea that they are ambushed. The wind drops to nothing and it becomes chillingly cold - an unnatural, disturbing cold. The sea around them boils and they discern some massive black reptilian circling the ferry beneath the waves. Suddenly ten scaly demons leap from the hissing waters and jump onto the attack. It soon becomes clear that these creatures cannot be harmed by normal weapons so Hyuga and Anstran once again weave a destruction dance with their mighty blades.

The demons are vanquished quickly and Dismet slashes her hand, allowing the primal Rootvile blood to drip into the water. It erupts in vast jets of flame and suddenly the sky is filled with thirty winged, heavily armed demons.....

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