As Fat Grundle lumbers toward the door, he removes the enormous cobra from his neck and throws it at Lor! The halfling dodges the viper's venomous fangs, but decides that he is outmatched. He steers Xhotl down the hall, away from the enraged painted man. Elaryan and Asteris follow close behind. The companions flee all the way back to the skull chamber, where they discover that Malak has made a miraculous recovery. Weary from their earlier battles, they decide to spend the rest of the day in hiding. The next morning, Elaryan dimemsion doors everyone out of the chamber, then returns alone. He claims that Eovan has told him that the half-elf needs additional rest... which is odd, since Eovan has been dead for several days. The rest of the party ventures north, into the fungus cavern. They encounter in turn an ancient temple, a shallow but swift river, and a circle of mushrooms. Nor breathes in some spores from the last of these, and claims that he is in communion with the circle; at its request, he takes one of the fruiting bodies with him, to place on the surface world. At the north end of the cavern, the adventurers discover a massive stone tower. They knock, but no one answers... so Nor uses his erosive touch to dissolve the front door. The reception is initially hostile, as the companions have discovered that they have intruded upon a sacred place forbidden to outsiders. A squad of humanoids with burgundy skin rush forward to defend their holy place with greatswords! Lor uses diplomacy to convince the burgundy men to break off the attack, but is unsuccessful in convincing their leader, Trimexis, to allow the party access to the deeper portions of the sacred tower. However, he is willing to let the intruders leave, if they repair the front door and vow never to return. As the burgundy soldiers are leading the adventurers out of the tower, Malak grows impatient. He attempts to push past the guards, reigniting the earlier conflict. A fierce battle erupts on the cramped stairway, but the heroes are outnumbered (and not everyone is committed to the battle), so they eventually flee from the tower. Trimexis repairs the door himself, and the companions find themselves once more alone in the fungoid cavern. Everyone who played gains 1,000 XP