After weeks of intensive research the monks provide a synopsis of all information that was discovered(see Monastery Timeline 1 and Research 1). Kailin was able to find out that the information concerning the demon runes was being concealed from his searches. Investigating this cover-up, Kailin learns that information concerning demons in general and demon runes in specific has been sealed by the Lord Protector, possibly even by Maeder. During his conversation with High Protector Samuel, Kailin asks that a letter requesting an introduction be passed along to Brianna's Master.

While the research was taking place rumors of unexpected and strange events transpiring within the dwarven realms reach the party...Grenmae'l has been found, a new Sovereign has been crowned, the Sovereign Guard has been recalled, dwarven borders have been closed and the Speaker of Stone has been dismissed. Malus, concerned for the safety of his clan, asks that the party once again travel to the mountains to find out what is really going happening. Brudik agrees to travel with Malus as he must go to the Fallen Lands to search for Pathwalker's Spear. Believing that important clues to the Changed One invasion may be found within the mountains; Kailin, Giovanni and Elshon agree to go as well.

As the group departs for the mountains Kailin and Elshon make a slight detour to deliver a letter to the elven trading village of Cella. Kailin's letter to his uncle tells of the information the party has discovered and Kailin's own conclusions as to what this information portends.

Riding the Greyan Horses hard Kailin and Elshon catch up to the rest of the group just outside of Bouldertown, the trading village just outside the Boulderforge Clanhold. The village is very quiet with little activity taking place. With dwarven trade cut off this village is in danger of becoming a ghost town. The clanhold itself has been significantly fortified since the group was here last time with a small keep added and siege weapons put into place.

The dwarves in the keep flatly refuse to admit anyone but Malus. Deciding that the only way to determine the validity of the rumors Malus leaves Giovanni behind and enters the clanhold alone. Two hours later, as everyone else is biding their time at the inn, Malus returns. He storms into the inn cursing those "mud-eating, mush-brained slag asses," and immediately downs a pitcher of ale. He has learned that Sovereign Haedrig backed by Wielder Pohrin, both of the Shadowkiller Clan, have removed the Ironheart Clan from the inner council and replaced them with the Shadowkiller Clan. The Boulderforge dwarves absolutely refuse to admit any non-dwarf, saying that it's Sovereign Decree. The decree states that any non-dwarf found in the mountains will be imprisoned and forced to work in the deep mines, any dwarf aiding the trespasser will suffer the same fate. They are also extremely rude to him, denying any type of aid unless he pays exorbitant fees.

Concluding that the only way to learn anything is to travel north to the Ironheart Clanhold the group sets out the next morning. Troubling visions and warnings of danger reach Brudik, Giovanni and Elshon in their dreams...the group redoubles watches and becomes even more wary. Strange tracks that Elshon and Brudik are unable to identify are noticed crisscrossing the area the party is travelling through.

Using their magical and psionic abilities, Kailin and Giovanni are able to get a frightening vision of the beast that is leaving the tracks. They inadvertently create a link with the beast who is able to use it to track them. The beast, now recognized as a demon, sends a wave of pain through the link which nearly incapacitates Kailin and Giovanni. The others rush to the aid of their fallen companions just in time to see Kailin point towards the northeast and say "Over there," right before he passes out.

Looking in that direction the groups sees five winged figures speeding towards them. The demons are covered in reddish black scales and are supported by great bat-like wings. Three of the demons are the size of children but the other two are at least half again as tall as Elshon and massively muscled. One wields a huge axe while the other carries a large sword and a horn.

After a furious battle in which Brudik is gravely injured, but alive thanks to his dwarven mail, the demons are vanquished. Elshon and Giovanni are also seriously wounded while Malus seems to have suffered only minor scratches. The demons and their weapons begin to steam and break apart not long after their deaths. Kailin theorizes that demon will or magic is required to maintain their forms. The screaming horn is the only lasting evidence that remains to prove the demons were even there.

Calling upon the goddess Sho' for aid, Elshon is able to heal several wounds before his energy reserves are taxed. Kailin is revived and stabilizes the injured Brudik with his hedge wizardry based healing skills. The group takes stock of their situation and breathe a thankful sigh of relief at surviving such a dangerous encounter without losing any of their companions...

After fully recovering from the battle with the demons the group once continues their journey towards the Ironheart clanhold. A messenger bird brings a letter to Kailin from his uncle, Manus Faolan. He and Elshon are directed to give all aid possible to the dwarves to prevent the collapse of their nation.

Exercising his new powers, Giovanni tries to contact the mind of Jumps the Stars and ends up in the mind of a powerful man addressing some shadowy figures. Eavesdropping, Giovanni hears the man speaking in the tongue of the Changed Ones. The man says, "The master wishes a temporary cessation of the raids. Return to your camps and continue to build your forces. Remain hidden." At this point another presence in the man's mind notices Giovanni and expels him, violently. Giovanni recovers and relates what he saw to the rest of the group. They believe that they now have proof that someone is aiding the Changed Ones in the invasion of the Homelands.

Members of the party begin to have strange dreams of an ice crystal palace and a cloaked figure beckoning them to enter it, every person has this dream. After Malus has the final dream the entire group has the dream again, this time they are all together. The hooded figure once again beckons them to enter and they follow it to a room of white marble with benches surrounding a large round table. The hooded figure reveals himself to be the Arcnorum and informs the group that he has been watching and testing them. The party asks many questions of the Arcnorum; some he gives clear answers to, but most receive vague and mysterious answers. He does tell the group that the fall of the dwarves would be the beginning of the end for the Homelands. To this end he directs the group to seek what Delbin sought in the Fallen Lands. He can offer very little aid at this time but if they are successful he may contact them again in the future. The group wakes and finds a scroll with the words, "Burn this if you have need of me-Arcnorum-"

Deciding to cross the mountains through one of the more dangerous, but less traveled, passes the groups begins their journey to the Fallen Lands. Almost immediately the are attacked by a group of trolls, showing them just how dangerous this journey will be. With some difficulty the trolls are dispatched and the party continues on their way...

Fighting their way through inclement weather, trolls, a manticore, a mountain wyrm and several mountain giants the group travels several weeks into the mountains. Elshon finds increased signs of trolls and redoubles his watchfulness. While searching for a defensible campsite he discovers a cave marked with the elven ranger sign for "safe haven", curiously there are many troll tracks entering and exiting the cave.

Cautiously entering the cave the party meets the ghost of Trae'nedoel, an elven druid. She greets the party and asks their aid in completing her quest. Trae'nedoel was charged with taking the seed of an experimental hybrid of rose-ivy to the Fallen Lands. The hope was that the new hybrid would flourish in the Fallen Lands and provide valuable knowledge to the restoration project. Trae'nedoel, along with her lover Kadron, set out from Fallia in the early summer of 1262. It was the dead of winter by the time they reached the mountains and only their combined skills of both elves allowed them to continue travelling.

Tragedy struck when they were ambushed by a large group of trolls. During the battle Trae' was struck down and Kadron lost his bow and one of his swords. Fighting valiantly, Kadron was able fend off the trolls with Firefang long enough to move Trae' to the shelter of a nearby cave. It was too late for Kadron to prevent Trae' from dying and it soon became apparent that he was now trapped in the cave. Every time Kadron attempted to break free of the cave the trolls would force him back into it. The trolls, fearing the power of Firefang, sealed the cave entrance with large stones.

In hopes that one day their bodies would be recovered and the quest fulfilled, Kadron spent the rest of his days working the stone of the cave. At the rear of the cave he carved elaborate thrones for his and Trae'nedoel's bodies. The bodies are fully clothed; Kadron is still wearing his plate armor and cloak while Trae's body is clothed in druidic robes. Resting across the arms of the thrones are a staff and a broadsword. Along the walls he carved the story of their quest and what had befallen the two of them.

What Kadron didn't know was that his love and Trae's dedication allowed her to remain behind as a ghost. While Kadron was still alive she didn't have much control over her ghostly abilities and wasn't able to interact with him. In the years since then she has gained full control of all her abilities and has used them to instill fear in the area trolls. The trolls now believe the two elves to be gods and worship their images. The cave entrance has been cleared and small offerings have been placed around the bodies.

She has been waiting all these long years for another to come along who could complete her task. Kailin agrees to finish the journey for her and Kadron's ghost materializes to join with Trae'nedoel on the journey to beyond. Before she leaves Trae' leaves Kailin her knowledge and the supplies left in the cave.

Not long after the two elven ghosts depart a large group of troll arrive to make an offering to their "gods". Noticing the party, the trolls call forward their shaman. The shaman directs the trolls to seal the cave once again. The closing of the cave causes the primordial fear of enclosed spaces common to all centaurs to rise in Brudik and he leaps out of the cave to engage the trolls in battle. After a vicious battle the party destroys or drives the trolls off and settles down to recover from their injuries...

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Continuing to travel through the mountains the party overcomes many obstacles and learns several things. The stones found in Trae'nedoel's cave bonded to Giovanni's palms and forehead, resisting all attempts to be removed. Malus was almost lost to an avalanche but was saved by the combined efforts of the rest of the party. It was learned that the Greyan Horses have to ability to transport themselves and their riders to the astral realm. After braving many dangers, including more trolls, wyverns and two avalanches, the party finally emerges from the Markill Mountains 70 harrowing days after they began the crossing.

Riding southward for another week the party reaches the edge of the Fallen Lands. There they see endless sand dunes stretching off to the south. Savage thunderstorms roll across the horizon and a city can be glimpsed among the flashes of lightning.

Hoping to find some sort of civilization the party rides on to the city. As they approach the city they see that the stone walls that surround the city and the stone building s are crumbling. The incessant swirling winds have piled sand against many of these walls and create an eerie singing sound as they blows through the cracks of the walls. A brief search of the city shows it to apparently be long deserted but does lead to the discovery of an immense translucent red stone.

Examining the stone Malus theorizes that it is some sort of mana-battery, Kailin agrees with him. With this knowledge Malus uses the stone to learn the location of another such stone, the nearest safe drinking water, and the site of a significant quantity of worked silver mithril far to the south. As he is learning these things, crimson energies from the stone are running up and down his body and back into the stone.

As the groups is preparing to leave the area a sudden gust of wind causes Kailin to stumble into Malus. As Kailin's hand touches his shoulder all the stored energy within Malus explodes outward, hurtling both of them in opposite directions. With Sho's aid, Elshon is able to revive both of his sorely wounded comrades. Malus seems shaken by the experience but is otherwise in fair condition. Kailin, who bore the brunt of the blast, is much worse off and only repeated blessings from Sho' keep him alive, although he seems not to need to breathe.

During the commotion the box containing the rose-ivy falls from Kailin's pouch. A small hole has been bored through the back of it and also through the clothes it was resting against. When Kailin removes his tunic to investigate the hole, the party is stunned to see a small green rose growing from Kailin's chest above his heart...