Malak and Eovan discuss their options. Elaryan is dead, Arthas is gripped by seizures, and both Lor and Nor are feebleminded . It is an inauspicious beginning, but the heroes decide that they cannot just stand around. They strap their companions to Hubris and Xhotl and begin to explore the caverns. Eovan takes the lead, since he is the stealthier of the two. While exploring one of the side caverns, he is ambushed by an ooze composed of living crystal. Malak rushes forth to his defense, and destroys the ooze with a few strokes of Ashbringer, but by that time Eovan has been petrified, transformed to a statue of purple crystal. Malak is alone. He continues on, eventually discovering an exit from the caves. A faint path leads from the cavern mouth into a dense jungle. The night is dark, lit only by a huge moon. As the moonlight touches the body of Elaryan, he transforms into a wild boar. the boar leaps from Hubris's saddle and runs into the undergrowth. Malak follows. Using his superior strength, Malak manages to pin the boar and tie a rope around its neck. He drags it behind him as he explores the jungle. Unfortunately this is no normal jungle. After walking for a while, Malak blunders into a morass, where the very ground attacks him. The putrid stench of decay assaults his nostrils as dead limbs reach for the him, trying to pull him into the bog. Panicked, Malak grabs the boar and runs back to the cavern. Malak explores the caves for a while, unwilling to venture back into the jungle. Eventually, the boar that he is dragging around falls to the ground and shifts into Elaryan. Malak is happy to see his elven friend, but confused as to how the elf became a boar in the first place. There are other changes: Elaryan no longer has a hideous baleful eye, his skin has returned to its natural color, and his demon staff has been replaced by one with a skull ornament. Malak asks for an explanation, but Elaryan answers in his usual, ineffable way. Having explored all the side caverns, the companions decide to return outside. They have only made it a few hundred feet into the jungle when they are attacked again, this time by a swarm of apocalypse wasps. This fearsome swarm seems to be immune to fire, and its teeming millions sting with a terrible poison. A few seconds into the battle, Elaryan is forced to resort to dire tactics. He changes form-- but not to a mythic ape. Instead, he assumes the form of a mighty were-boar. Even in were-boar form, the sorcerer is no match for the apocalyptic swarm. He and Malak flee, using dimension door to return to the caves. They wait there until they are sure that the wasps are gone, then set out once again. This time, it is almost an hour before they encounter anyone. Hearing a commotion ahead, they stop for a moment. Elaryan's darkvision cuts through the gloom; he sees a gibrileth and, beyond that, two baregara leading a train of human slaves. He suggests waiting for the group to pass, as the companions have not been spotted. Malak has other ideas. By the dim light of Ashbringer, he can only make out the gibrileth, so he strides forward to negotiate. "Hmmmm, more slaves," hissed the gibrileth. "My name is Maka Freed, and I am no one's slave!" yells the draconic disciple. "So be it," repies the gibrileth. "Attack, my minions!" Unable to see the minions of which the gibrileth speaks, Malak casts a fireball into the darkness. Unfortunately, it lands in the middle of the line of slaves, killing most of them. The gibrileth and baregara are unaffected, and rush forward. The gibrileth wields a long, wicked scorpion whip, while the baregara each swing a living slave at the end of a rope around like a grotesque flail. Malak falls almost immediately to this onslaught. Elaryan manages to fire off a single fireball -- killing the remaining two slaves-- but is soon forced to surrender. "Excellent," says the gibrileth. "You and your comanions will replace the cattle you killed. No doubt you fetch a fine price in the Fleshmarkets!" Everyone who played gains 5,000 XP.
