The group found the prison. There are two cells, one made with a metal that the Rockseeker brothers and Factoré identified as a lead and iron composite that had the property to block magic. [Dimiritium?], the way to make it was lost in time, but the dwarves of Axeholm knew how to make it. Inside was a skeleton of a female elf druid (who the group later found out was the body of the banshee.)
There is a cell opposite holds another skeleton that has a plant growing out of the ground and through the bones it's chest. This body was (the group found out later) the body of the daughter of the banshee.
The plant is a flower, that has sprouted and looks quite healthy despite the fact that there is no light in the cell. It is a [Lourden?], which is a plant that grows in deep caves and does not require light. It can be used to make wine, oil, or possibly other magical components. It is rare because it takes many years to mature.
The halls now quiet the group took the opportunity to reunite. Siax jumped down the balcony and exited the hold, finding the now somewhat recovered Koraliki Verque and bringing her back to the second floor where the others waited. Now armed with the ring retrieved from the ghasts finger Koraliki Verque was able to use it to open the chest that was found it in the secret room without setting off the extensive traps that surrounded it.
With an ominous click the chest opened, a hiss or air betraying how sealed it had been. In it pay a bed of Velvet and several items. A scroll was prominent, Pine deciphering the dwarvish to be some think akin to an emergency plan. It mentioned that: In case of emergency, take the gauntlets, use the scroll and use the hidden exit. It is under the stone sink in the kitchens.
Indeed, beside the scroll lay an elegant pair of gauntlets, a carving of a screaming ogre on both of them. Close by lay an exquisite suit of armour, a chained shirt that glimmered under the light. On the side lay a black stone that shone quietly. Deciding to take the opportunity to rest and let Factoré check out what this things we're they uncovered that the gauntlets would bestow a wearer with the strength of an ogre. The armour was elven mail, as durable as the finest of steel but as light as a silk shirt. As for the stone, Factoré could not find anything about it but Zenari was certain that this was the heart of the Banshee as she felt the dark energies surrounding it.
Finally, Factoré looked at Idris's dagger but could not find anything odd about, certainly nothing to explain why he could mot get rid of it and also why it spoke to him. Armed with their new arsenal and information they had gained the group took the large staircase downwards,finding themselves in the throne room. As usual, the Paladin Idris braved first, and on top of the large limestone throne he saw a figure, clad in an beautiful suit of black and gold plate, intricate runes marking the steel. When he addressed the figure in his respectful tone, the runes shone and the armour started moving as if it was breathing. Moments later the gauntlet hand moved and opened the visor revealing the King, horrifically aged and decayed but somehow still living.
He spoke with them, appreciating the deference shown by Idris and was open about what had happened. He had been bitten by one of the ghouls but his armour had stemmed the progress of the infection. Singlehandedly he had sealed the lower levels, filled with thousands of Dwarves, some of them already turned into ghouls that were hunting, biting and turning their fellows, and had remained next to the door since, to ensure no person would make the mistake of unleashing that horde upon the world. However, the centuries had not been kind to him and he admitted that sometimes he thought he should just open the door and get it over with.
Learning about the death of his Castellan he did not seem too perturbed, pointing out that the Castellan had gone mad a long time ago. He explained that he would aid the party if they wised to destroy or subjugate the banshee but that he would not allow them to attempt to free the banshee from her endless torment. Finally Pine asked the King if he would like to be put to rest which he violently was against, saying that he would persist above all. Bidding farewell to the King the party continued exploring the top two levels of Axeholm, bumping into more of the Dwarven ghouls and dipatching them with relative ease. They even found the secret exit in the kitchen, a long dark tunnel heading towards the mountaintop. The party finally retreated out of Axeholm and rested nearby aware that they had to make a decision on how to resolve the standoff that was present in the keep. One way or another, it wouldn't be easy.
