The shrunken head causes Orthan to lose his and flee with a spellbook belonging to the comatoasty Beliailan. Happy to be rid of the ‘pesky elf, the remaining members return to the deeper reaches of Hellgate Keep…or the ruins formerly known as Hellgate Keep in any event.
The sneak and snoop around, descending to the deepest depths of the complex and seeing many odd and interesting areas, but eventually decide to storm a room used to house troops.
In bestest wild west fashion, the group enters with Lightning Bolts a-blazing behind a duo of conjured Fire Elementals. Alas, the bolters become the boltees as the electrical energy is repelled by the breastplates of the onrushing honor guard. The Belialian and Schwag are felled by their own magic and run through repeatedly until they die a messy and agonizing death.
The rest of the group exercises the various escape plans they have – Max shapechanges and flees through the dungeon shafts until he arrives at the surface. Thud and Greenleaf quaff potions of gaseous form and ride the thermals through the rubble to reemerge at the base of the explosion crater.
Somewhat crestfallen, the group heads back to Thudheim, only to find more bad news awaits them…