As Envy and the Outcasts rested in Teco the celestial's basement hideaway, Teco described to the companions how the undead council guarded the gateways back to Eberron and elsewhere. The undead council's defenses included a massive undead shadow creature known as a Nightwalker, which had the ability to kill people simply by walking by them and which had resistances and immunities to a multitude of attacks. In addition, each of the five-member undead council possessed the ability to summon the other four; if the Outcasts were unable quickly to disable an isolated council member, the others were sure to arrive. Armed with Teco's vital intelligence on their opponents, the Outcasts were able to prepare spells and strategy accordingly. They departed to the undead council chambers the following morning--although "morning" was a relative term in the Realm of Shadows--but soon were accosted by vicious shadow beings that attempted to rely on invisibility and hiding in the alcoves of the surrounding buildings to ambush the companions. But the Outcasts were undaunted; despite taking some damage from the shadow creatures, the group disposed of the threat quickly and continued their journey to the undead council. The undead council, it appeared, relied more upon brute force than subterfuge; as the Outcasts arrived at the council's chambers, the Nightwalker, as described, visibly guarded the door to the council's inner sanctum alone and apparently unconcerned. Lukar took advantage of the creature's apparent nonchalance; behaving almost as if he were a mischievous, scheming gnome from Zilargo, Lukar used a Force Bead to trap the Nightwalker in an impenetrable bubble. The Outcasts quickly moved past the frustrated undead creature to enter the council's inner sanctum. Within, a single member of the undead council stood guard over a series of dimensional gates. Time was of the essence given the limited duration of the force bubble in which the Nightwalker was trapped, and so the Outcasts immediately attacked the council member. The creature grinned cruelly and invoked its summons of its four brethren. Despite the Outcasts' best efforts to destroy the council member before its brethren appeared, however, Twitch's magical bolt to finish the creature went awry, and the remainder of the council appeared and attacked. Perhaps it was the sheer desperation to escape the Plane of Shadows. Perhaps it was a ferocity borne of always feeling abandoned; always feeling betrayed and alone; always feeling the pain of being outsiders. Whatever the cause, the Outcasts fought against the undead council with all of their mettle. Waves of radiant damage brought forth from magical weapons and magical attacks, coupled with the inspiration of Envy's music, bolstered the Outcasts' attacks, and the companions succeeded in defeating the council just as the Nightwalker freed itself from its force bubble. With their strength and reserves nearly depleted, the Outcasts sprinted for the gateway Teco had identified just as the undead behemoth entered the sanctum. The Outcasts leapt without looking; but where, in reality, did the gateway lead?
