(From: 7. Against Fate)
Tracking the Intruders
Willow tracks the party back to where they took out the Flameskull and Desconocidos on the way to the lair of Claugiyliamatar. The ranger not only is an exceptional tracker in the forest, she is also recently improved in tracking undead as well - so using these intruders' prints - the tracks lead further back and back through the Kryptgarden Forest, indeed leading more Southeast than toward the Mere of Dead Men.
During the twilight hours, right along the same direction, the party notes the noisy approach of three Desconocidos, who walk right into a savage ambush laid by the party. Their tracks are followed into the evening and the party makes camp at a defensible location. In the morning, the trail is so plain from these gigantic careless undead any of the party could easily track their path. Late in the day's travels through the thick foliage, Willow warns the party they are being followed - expertly tracked by one probably even better than herself. Ujio uses the Seeing Sword to etch a spy-glyph (Clairvoyance), and the party continues, hides, while Alorrik sets an illusion of the party continuing along.
Night Ranger
The party is then able to turn surprise on a man, who moves through the woods like Willow - silent and in tune with everything around him. Confronted, challenges and questions are exchanged, and the newly-acquainted ranger suggests the group make camp and he will return with game for a meal. Soon stories are being shared and proper introductions made. The man identifies himself as Morigast Brokengulf, confirming he is indeed of House Brokengulf of Waterdeep, and as Belcoria recalls that family's terrible history with Old Gnawbone, Morigast challenges the party to question whether they are certain of the Desconocido's motives and whether or not they are just being tricked into doing her dirty work. The mood of the discussion becomes uncomfortable, and Ujio asks the Sword for an omen (Augury) if it is to their weal or woe to trust Morigast. With the screech of an owl in the deeper woods startling the group, they look back to see the Brokengulf ranger has vanished.
Belcoria shares more of the details of what she recalls of the O.G.-Brokengulf story (see: "The Breaking of House Brokengulf").
Dead End
The tracks of the ogre zombies eventually lead to a slightly more beaten path, and the tracking difficulty returns to needing the expertise of Willow and Shadow. Eventually, the trail turns off the path and vanishes where an odd square pattern presses into the forest floor, as if a giant's hammer pounded the ground in that spot. Investigating further, there appear to be no traps or magics or other signs of anything odd, other than a general quiet to the area, like the forest holding its breath.
So the group decides to wait for nightfall here, anticipating more likely activity from undead in the dark hours. A nearby pond with cool clear water provides an opportunity to bathe and remove some of the stench still clinging from the lair of the ancient green dragon.
The Shrine of Death's Shadow
It is only when the twilight of sundown stretches shadows of true darkness from the trees and Sword Mountains to the west that the square object imprinting upon the forest floor is revealed. Materializing in that darkness, a shrine made of funeral black stones marbled with veins the color of dried bones claims precisely the place outlined. As the party watches, in hiding, four dark spirits - like wraiths - glide from the impenetrable darkness of its doorway - precisely following the tracks taken by the ogre zombies, but able to pass through trees and obstacles as if only air.
Allowing some time to pass for these latest intruders to make their way back to Old Gnawbones' lair (perhaps truly endangering her caretaking druids?) the patient ambushers watch the building for further activity. Indeed it proves to be more than merely an undead-spawning portal, as what can only be some form of "Death Knight" steps forward to guard the entrance. The paladin Belcoria need not even consult her Divine Senses to feel the evil presence, and duty-bound to act decisively, she employs the Misty Step of the high elves to engage in battle. Instantly, the energies of darkness vs. light crackle as the champions of evil and good square off.
Wight Knight
Mirroring the paladin, this creature of undead power is heavily armored and wields a sword and shield. Despite the high elf's darkvision and the light shed by her morningstar Novastrike, the space behind her foe's shield flows with magical darkness, fully concealing everything within the small shrine. From its very onset, the champions hold back nothing, exchanging blows empowered with smites and Hellish Rebukes.
Somewhat surprised by the impulsive attack, the party moves to assist and readies their own tools of combat. But hidden attackers shift the landscape of the battle. First, from within the blackness of the shrine, dread energies like ghostly claws rake at Belcoria. As Ujio moves to join her side, he is struck in the back, twice, by arrows fired from somewhere in the dark forest, driven with arcane force and dealing staggering damage. Willow immediately moves to seek out the attacker, employing Conjure Barrage, to send dozens of arrows toward the hidden attacker (presumably the ranger Morigast?) and force him from his concealment. Alorrik attempts his own attacks on the knight - but the entire group except Willow finds themselves within a great burst of dark fire, nearly bringing Ujio to his knees.
The insignia and heraldry on this fallen paladin would later identify him as none other than Sir Gareth Cormaeril, once a proud champion of Tyr, the great god of law and justice. To fall from such a place to this tells of a shocking disgrace. What's more is his presence here in the company of Morigast, given Sir Gareth's rumored ties to the Brokengulf family.
Clash of the Skirmishers
To the flank of battle, the ranger Morigast, revealed in Willow's barrage of arrows, raises a Wall of Wind, cutting off her ranged attacks. In positioning to launch further attacks on the rest of the party, he has vanished into the wood. But calling upon the moon-stored ritual, Willow takes the Wild Shape of a Desconocido, and silently flies over this barrier, using the winged hunter's vision and hearing to locate the treacherous man, Shadow following along the ground.
Landing on a branch in perfect form and position, she shifts back to half-elf form, firing shot upon shot at the ambushed ambusher. Shadow takes a protective position at the foot of the tree, and suffers arrows from Morigast's own bow before leaping upon him. The tide has begun to turn, and though this human tracker has abilities beyond the half-elf, she proves the superior in this terrain.
Viantha Cruelhex
Interposed between the evil forces and the fallen Ujio, Belcoria is wrapped by a cold dark tendril reaching out from the magical darkness. This unholy Enervation magic drains her bright life into the hidden foe, just as Alorrik rushes in and forms a ring of fire around himself, the paladin and the warrior - a bright wall of heat driving back the knight and baking the threats within the small shrine. Given this moment of pause, Ujio staggers to take in healing potions, regaining his footing and readiness to do battle - Belcoria herself uses the moment to call upon the Starfire and regain her own strength. In dispelling the Wall of Fire, the dark spellcaster is forced to release the Enervation from Belcoria. Both sides now clash in even greater fury and power to dominate the combat.
Behind the black-armored knight's darkness lies a powerful undead spellcaster, further empowered through this strange portable lair-shrine. Linked in vitality, the hidden caster shares Hit Points with the knight, dividing the damage and sharing in restorative life-draining. She is indeed Old Gnawbone's identified target, Viantha Cruelhex, a Desconocido ("Mastermind" technically) - wielding darkness-warped powers of a warlock. Her presence is only revealed after Ujio and Belcoria focus attacks in a sequence of punishing rounds against the knight, overcoming his life-draining and Viantha's restorative powers.
Belcoria lands a tremendous final blow so devastating that as the knight falls to the ground, his shield's dark blanket vanishing, the bright wounds of divine smite are seen as well upon the falling form of Viantha Cruelhex. The broken enchantments holding their undeath fading from the world, only two desiccated corpses remain on the now-fading stones of the evil shrine. In the corner, a zombified woman sits, knees against her chest, with a miles-away stare. She wears the green garments of the Gnawbone Druid circle, clearly the missing Affiriea Gladeborn.
Sensing the loss of his mentor Sir Gareth, or perhaps truly bested by Willow, Morigast Brokengulf vanishes from the battle. Willow's keen senses tell her he has then employed the Tree Stride ability - a fond trick of both her parents, and a most effective means of escape. He is not seen again in this chapter.
(Next: 9. Ancient Dragon)