Interlude II: The Wildlands

After leaving a devastated Ashenport, Theolin Windsplitter , Duvall , Deimos the Devoted , and Persephone take to the road once again and continue their journey south to the ruins of Celinad . Weeks go by, as the adventurers navigate the no longer civilized eastern part of the continent with the Grand Range to the west, the mountain range that serves as the border to the Kingdom of Galador . The group manages to hunt, fish, and forage without much trouble, but travelling further south the summer heat begins to get oppressive as the enter the foothills of the Grand Range.

There the warriors are attacked by two giants, who call themselves "Mrrll" and "Errll." Mrrll throws giant rocks at the group, while Errll attacks them using a tree trunk for a club. The battle is fierce and deadly, as Duvall is mortally wounded. His life saved by Deimos's divine power healing the half-vampire's wounds. The giants are eventually killed, and the party searches the caves from which they sprang, only to find grossness.

Back on the road the next day brings more oppressive heat, the horses in danger of falling over from the sun. A couple more weeks go by until one night while making camp, Theolin while on watch is approached by a human male who identifies himself as Duugh, a member of the Wardens Of The Druidwash, an organization of rangers and druids that serve to protect the wild from those who would despoil it,

Duugh invites the adventurers back to his camp to meet his Captain. When the arrive they are greeted by a blonde Wood Elf named Kalendriel and another elf named Mycill. The warriors are also introduced to Salvador Arturo Thomas Licavoli, a human wizard. They are informed that Salvador was hoping to enter the ruins of Celinad alone and investigate its secrets long forgotten by history. They are also informed that a black dragon has taken up residence in the ruins and the nearby "ruined lake" along with a tribe of lizardmen who worship the dragon as a god.

The group tell the rangers that they plan to search the ruins for a man who is seeking a fabled sword rumored to be lost there. Duugh then tells the adventurers that a man in black robes was seen fleeing the ruins swiftly on horseback with a blonde man slung over the back of the horse heading north.

After much debate, the adventurers spend the night in the Wardens' encampment and continue their travel to the ruins in the morning.

After almost a full day of travel, the group enters what must have once been a forest, but now the ground is dry and cracked and the vegetation old, withered, and dead. A sickly pale green fog hovers inches above the ground and stops between knee or waist high. The blighted forest was permeated by an aura of evil and death.

Almost without warning, save for Persephone 's cat-like senses, the troupe were attacked by withered and fossilized vines, thorny brush, and masses of twigs-all had taken humanoid form. However, quickly their attack was stopped; burned by the fiery magic of the wizard, Salvador. The remaining monsters fell beneath blade and bow.

The adventurers pushed forward through the blighted forest; hoping to reach the ruins of Celinad in another day.