From Darkness to Dawn

The following day the party met with Lady Tyrell, Caryarus, Peraxalim and Alvorelle of the wood elves, and Lord Terrowin Lorneheart, Archmage of the Mystic Order of Frinchshaw. Lady Tyrell expressed her gratitude and decided to support the effort to retake the Oym Edhil in exchange for preferential trading rights.  Lord Terrowin Lorneheart also express their gratitude to the party and the wood elves for helping out Lady Tyrell and offered to send some mages with the wood elves to assist in retaking the city. As the sunset on the meeting, a delegation from the Duke's court came to visit Lady Tyrell and offered their apologies for the action of Prewdact, assuring the party that the ruling council of the city is under investigation and that Lady Tyrell and her household is under the protection of the Duke. Learning about the party's plans, the Duke's delegates offer to send a group of the Duke's red guard to help recapture the city. The Frinkshaw guild wizards exchange threats with the vampires and the group were given a choice as to their allies in the attack. The group holds their noses and takes the vampires up on their offer, knowing that it will forever link Oym Edhil to the Duke.

After a detailed strategy session, the party sets off towards Oym Edhil with their army of wood elves and their allies, some mercenaries provided by Lady Tyrell, and a group of vampires chaperoned by a death knight. With intelligence collected by the vampires, the elven force was able to determine the exact positions and defenses of the orcs, giving them a considerable advantage. At nightfall the attack began, giving the party the necessary distraction to fight their way toward the teleportation circle. After locating the right structure, the party ascended a giant tree network and found the temple that contained the teleportation circle. The circle seemed to be compromised, but with orcs hot on their heels the party had no choice but to proceed with the plan. After initializing the circle's magic, the party realized too late that they had walked into a trap. Kal'uul intercepted the party in an interdimensional abyss and vowed to destroy them for their part in foiling his plan. A desperate battle ensued, but the party overcame Kal'uul and sent him back to the netherworld. With Kal'uul defeated, the magic holding the dimensional pocket open started to wane and the world began collapsing around the heroes. Just then a voice called out to them with a beacon of bright light and led the heroes safely out of the dimensional pocket. When their eyes opened, they were greeted to the sight of a priestess of Pelor tending to their wounds with the help of two angels. At last, the journey was over. One of the angels took the book from Tormund and absorbed it into himself, sealing it away forever.

Showdown with the Captain

Once back at street level the party prowled their way through the streets towards the sealed gate. After carefully taking out the guards at the periphery of the gatehouse, the defenders eventually became aware of the attack and the battle devolved into a desperate attempt to open the gate before help could be summoned. With some quick thinking and savage intent, the heroes managed to spring open the gate, allowing Illana's force of wood elves to pour into the 2nd district and give battle to the town guard and baku thugs.

With the elves lifting the siege of Lady Tyrell's manse the party set off to attack the magic siege engine that was threatening the estate. The party arrived to find Captain Alban Prewdact at the bottom of the tower, enraged at the failure of his plan. The party split up to attack and destroy the machine while the balance tried to fend off the Vampire as long as possible. Sora and Dae battled their way up the tower and eventually destroyed the device before returning downstairs to join the fight with Prewact. A desperate battle with the vampire ensued in the streets, with the party eventually overcoming the insane captain who is forced to flee but not before swearing vengeance. Exhausted by the battle, the party then regrouped with Lady Tyrell and rested.

Out the Other Side

Without the aid of their guides, the party battles though the sewers, bested by monsters at every turn. After much exploration, the party eventually discovers Gruther's Distillery buried in the subterranean ruins. Just then the party is attacked again by some vicious creature and barely manages to escape by breaking into the distillery and collapsing the door way behind them. Once in the distillery, the group explores the ancient factory trying to find a way out. All of a sudden, the party is attacked by huge group of oozes. Unable to fight off the large number of oozes, the party becomes desperate for an escape and attempts to work out a huge Rube-Goldberg to swing one of the suspended sills as a wrecking ball to smash through a wall. Just when it seemed that the party would be overcome, they figure out how to set the vessel in motion and smashed a wall down leading them into the sealed off 2nd district of Appelane.