Now the group turns its attention to the coffins. Two of the stronger party members slide open the lid while Kreus and Dudley take turns manning the group’s lone magical dagger. Luckily, most of the coffins contain swag, but two do contain a surly undead. The undead are returned to undeath, and the loot is gathered.
The escape route is discovered and used in short order. The party returns to their employer and delivers the report. The bossman is much pleased and offers a bonus and an introduction to a distant barony. The group accepts and prepares to buy supplies for a long overland journey through the shattered remains of the neighboring land.

After opening the doors to the central courtyard, Malchor sleeps the wolves and the party swiftly slays them. They search about and rummage through the detritus of the rooms, garnering whatever swag they can spy. The carrier pigeons are loosed and the group settles down to wait.
The days pass without incident and owner of the house arrives. Upon being told of the unopenable door, he sends for a mage. the mage arrives – blows the door off the hinges – and leaves. The group searches and finds a bricked-over trapdoor.
The door is opened and a ladder is revealed. The ladder leads to a hatch, which it opened and the group descends into a room.
As soon as they are within, the hatch vanishes and they find themselves trapped! A lonely old man walks out of the darkness and offers to lead the party...

Dudley (paladin of Torm) and Kormier (warrior priest of Torm) exited the military service after serving together so it seemed only natural that they seek fame and fortune in the wilds by forming an adventuring company. They journeyed to Bay Town, in the north of the land, and there they met and partnered with Malchor the Mage. They were hiking towards Cairnpur – on the Merchant’s Run – but got a bit off track. When they stumbled upon the Nar rider Thunderbear and his string of horses, they were pleasantly surprised to learn he would join the venture – for now everyone rides! The quartet is en route when they meet Bababobo, some sort of scruffy hermit – er, ranger – who points out that they are heading in the wrong direction....

The group rises in the dawn, and girds loins both physical and metaphoric. The plan is to enter under cover of Wind Walk and go swiftly into the building and into the stairwell without pause. They rapidly ascend the stairs, pausing to peep into an art gallery before being dragged back on task by Dalliance and Barada. At the top of the stairs an open door. Beyond it a royal bedroom, and a spiral stair leading upward. At the top of the stair, an unlit room holds a platinum and steel framework. Within the twisted bars is a casket and resting within, a gray ovoid. Dalliance notices the invisible madman hefting a staff with which to attack, and she alerts the group. In the next few seconds, Demming lets fly with Finger of Death and slays the madman before he can do serious harm.

Right! Now, tim...

Walking as wind, the group swoops about the island and enters the castle courtyard. There they see a small army of giants in armor, performing some sort of military drill. A tower overlooks the courtyard, and the eyestalk of a beholder is seen protruding from one of the arrow slits. Beyond the entry gate and murderholes and whatnot are a series of large interconnected buildings that open onto the courtyard in two places. The one furthest from the entrance, and beyond the giants smells strongly of Nightmare.
The closer, less smelly entrance is taken and the group explores a great hall, cellars, and stairs to an upper floor. There they encounter an iron golem...