Session 4: Scared of the Dark

General Summary

At your last gathering, your exploration deep into the mines unveiled an upside-down study seemingly sliced into the mountain, a room frozen in an otherworldly stillness. While the mystery of its origin puzzled you, you retrieved from there a magical tapestry and a quill and the journal of a wizard turned lich, Melkerech, their uses yet unknown.

Looking into the next room, you noted at the far end still figures in the darkness, statues of adventurers, frozen in dramatic poses. This chilling sight prompted a cautious retreat to the surface to rest.  Noting you were observed by a young boy you later found to be called "Little Emmerich" - who works for House Glanend, a merchant coster by name, but known to take part in piracy.

From Melkerech’s journal, which you studied after leaving the eerie study, you learned of his identity as a chronomancer who traveled back in time seeking the powerful secrets of demigods.  Betrayed by his apprentice Adzerak (whom also turned to lichdom), Solas, a trinket of Adzeraks library is in your possession,
Melkerech he deceived a party of adventurers into killing Adzerak and stealing his library.  They learnt of Melkerechs true nature, prompting a showdown in Melkerech's floating citadel above the Stormhorn mountains near Minroe.

Upon your return to town, fresh turmoil awaited. Townsfolk had been savagely attacked by a creature described as a "purple dog"—a beast akin to the aberrations you battled in the mines. Investigation of the corpse, revealed an infection at the wound, sparked some concern regarding the wounds Colmir and Lucky took in the mines.

Returning to Helm's Rest, a member of the rubble clearing group has gone missing, descending into the hole in search of treasure.
In the ruins below, lowered down one by one by rope, into the gaze of a magical rotating statue, you covered its gaze, reducing its effect.
A small stone with words written up it in different languages was found "So above, as below", "begin one nothing"

Before puzzling this out however, the bodies stirred, disrupted by the movement around them.