Having secured the lost pages from the Book of the Damned , the party discusses their next steps. Malak is adamant that the pages should be brought immediately to Shamira, but Elaryan wants to study them for a few weeks first. Eventually, Malak convinces his fungoid friend that don't have time for that, though he does agree to stop by a Nocticula shrine to heal the sorcerer's negative energy. The companions are received at the Harem of Dreams, and brought in to see Shamira. The fiery succubus accepts the pages, and agrees to arrange a meeting with her mistress. The heroes return to the Fleshmarket to wait. Eventually, each adventurer hears the voice of Nocticula in his head: You seem to be worthy of my attentions, and it would please me to grant them to you. Seek me at the Vault of Graves next moonrise, for what I have for you should not be ignored. My guardians therein shall try to take you, but if you are the ones I hope you to be, they should pose no real threat. Moonrise is still several hours away, so the heroes return to the shrine of Nocticula to rest. When they awaken, several changes have occured. Arthas and Nor have disappeared, Malak's scales have changed to an emerald green color, and Eovan has returned. Malak cannot explain his change of color; his breath weapon has also changed, as has the appearance of Ashbringer . Elaryan cannot explain the return of Eovan, who was banished during the attack by Nezirrius. And no one is sure what has happened to the other heroes. As moonrise approaches, Malak and Elaryan decide to seek out Nocticula alone. They travel to the Vault of Graves, which is a small structure located on a relatively tiny isle on the fringe of the Terrace of Favored Mistresses. The site is well known to most of Alushinyrra’s citizens, but few have ever visited, since the building opens only to those who receive Nocticula’s invitation. As the heroes approach, the front doors of the Vault swing open, revealing the entrance hall. The walls of this chamber are decorated with dozens of highly detailed bas-reliefs of various Demon Lords-- those slain by Nocticula over the eons. A row of columns leads to yet another set of double doors, but otherwise the hall seems unprotected. As soon as the companions enter the hall, the entrance slams shut behind them. A pair of demonic shades appears, sapping the adventurers' strength with every blow. Eovan is reduced to a withered husk, but Malak and Elaryan manage to survive, using a combination of mythic chain lightning and mighty blows from Ashbringer . The second set of doors opens. Fully expecting to be tested further, the heroes make preparations, casting see invisibility and haste on Malak. This turns out to be a good idea, for as they enter the next hall, they are attacked by an invisible coloxus demon! A few strokes of Ashbringer are sufficient to slay the coloxus, and another set of doors opens. These doors lead directly into Nocticula's inner sanctum, the Hall of Graves. This large, cathedral-like chamber is split into two areas-- a lower region where supplicants await Nocticula’s pleasure, and an upper area that overlooks the lower one. The upper area features a shrine to Nocticula, a large, clear ppol, and two 60-foot-tall bookshelves. These shelves are filled with tomes and tablets that contain information about the lives and deaths of the demon lords slain by Nocticula. Also in the chamber is Our Lady in Shadow herself. The first succubus is a beautiful but deadly creature, with dark hair braided in a complex style. Her eyes are devoid of pupils, her fingers are tipped with talons, and her feet end in stony hooves that weep molten iron. Bat-like wings covered with glowing runes and three tails ending in stingers complete her demonic appearance. Nocticula beckons the mythic heroes forward, and asks why they have requested an audience. The ensuing negotiation goes surprisingly well. The heroes learn that Nocticula is well aware of Hepzamirah and Areelu Vorleshs's activities in her realm, that she does not support their crusade, and that she in fact thinks that Deskari and Baphomet are stirring up something of a hornet’s nest in attempting to subjugate a portion of the Material Plane. However, since the other Demon Lords have not themselves intruded into her realm, and since their agents have not harmed her interests directly, she is unwilling to act against them directly. Instead, she suggests that if the "champions of purity" are willing, she can teleport them directly to the site of the Nahyndrian mine. Malak and Elaryan agree to this plan. Nocticula also offers to give each a profane blessing to aid them in the coming battle, but Malak is reluctant after his experiences with Birgitte and Chamira. Elaryan agrees, however, and surrenders to Nocticula's embrace. A new rune joins the ones on the Demon Lady's wings, as Elaryan is infused with Abyssal power. Nocticula describes the heroes' destination further. The mine is located on the island of Colyphyr, one of the more remote Midnight Isles. Like all of the islands in Nocticula's realm, the island was formed from the body of a Demon Lord who was slain by the first succubus. Colyphyr was a particularly twisted Lord, and his corpse reflects that. Its skies are filled with vrock demons, its jungles are composed of dark, stunted vegetation, and a single, filthy river runs through it. The Nahyndrian mines are located at the source of this river. Armed with the information, Malak and Alaryan step into Nocticula's pool. They immediately find themselves on the very river Nocticula described, being doused by a boiling waterfall. They retreat to a nearby beach, with sands composed of powdered bones. On the beach, they encounter a strange obelisk, but as they approach, portals open in the air and attack them. Malak severs two of the tentacles, and the rest retreat back into thin air. Elaryan is exploring further down the beach when he encounters yet another island denizen. A flayed angel swoops down from the vrock cloud and attacks the sorcerer, incapacitating him almost immediately. Malak grabs his friend's limp body and teleports back to Alushinyrra to regroup. Everyone who played gains 30,000 XP. Successfully negotiating with Nocticula counts as a mythic trial. The party's Notoriety in Alushinyrra is now 40.