YEAR OF THE TURRET, 1360 DR.

April 15 - Severian and the party are summoned to the Palace of the Archcleric.  A message has been received from the Grey Wizard, stating that a legendary evil has awoken on the western borders of Arabel.  Skull Crag is once again occupied by the Demon of Fire, who seeks to reconquer his former lands.  Already the shadow of evil has fallen upon the city of Eagle Peak.  The Demon is allied with a race of jackal-headed humanoids known as the Anubi.  Native to the great desert of Anauroch, the Anubi are powerful maqic-users with a proud and ancient history.  The Grey Wizard includes a cryptic poem which he states may be of use in defeating the Demon.

 The Archcleric asks the group to undertake this quest as their last task for him.  Severian accepts, and the group prepares for their greatest challenge.
 Following the instructions of the Archcleric, the group travels to the Oracle of the Grey Wizard, located in a chapel of the Archcleric's Palace.  The oracle chants the following message:

"In fair places where you now stand
Within the circle of white
Seek the person of underearth grand
who must with you see desert nights

First, opposite the weather-beaten prince
Stands a house of many guests
Find the room where others mince
And say the words that bless

When such a person is then restored
You must obtain a thing of might
To the lowest sphere of High Horn bore
Take from blackness the lance of light.

Then away to places far you go
But which way you must define
On your way, stop here, to strike the telling blow
You must answer these questions nine"

At that point, the Oracle directs the following questions to the party:

1.  Which ancient language did Claudius teach his companion Calpurnia which was used to send secret messages?

"Etruscan", correctly answers Qaryllian.

2.  Who was the maternal great-grandfather of Caligula?

"Augustus", correctly answers Dimas.

3.  Who was the second in command of the forces of Sauron?

"Gothmog", correctly answers Severian.

4.  Who was Nixon's running mate in 1960?

"Lodge", correctly answers Bernard

5.  Who ruled England in 1903?

"Edward VIIII, correctly answers Quaryllian.

6.  Who was the youngest prime minister of England?

"Pitt", correctly answers Dimas

7.  What was the name of the great wizard in the adventure of the Azure Bonds?

"Elminster", correctly answers Grymaldus.

8.  Which advance in Civilization is made possible by the Theory of Gravity and Physics?

"Flight", incorrectly answers Claud,

9.  What is the monetary unit of Sweden?

"Krone", correctly answers Wenzel.

The Oracle of the Grey Wizard then falls silent, and the group returns to Arabel to ponder the clues.  Severian deduces that the "Circle of White" refers to the city of Arabel (nicknamed "the white" and ringed by defensive walls), while Giselin believes that the "person of underearth grand" could only refer to a dwarf.  Grymaldus notices that the initials of the correct answers to the Oracle's questions form the word "E-A-G-L-E P-E-?-K", leading him to conclude that the group must travel to the town of Eagle Peak at some point.  First, though, it seems the group must locate "the weather-beaten prince" and a "house of many guests".

April 16 - Dividing up into small groups, the party begins searching Arable for "the weather-beaten prince".  After several hours, Wenzel and Claud find a weathered stone statue of the last Lawful Good King of united Cormyr (pre Archclericy) in a public square.  Across the square lies a boarding house (Nelzarals) with a dancehall on the second floor containing a statue.  After Claud casts a Bless spell, the statue becomes animated and delivers another riddle:

"The one now dead
With wicked barbs
Now guides your steady tread.
Take the one as named
In room of lord
And remove the horrid head."

Wenzel and Claud inform the others of this new clue.

April 17 - Again dividing into smaller groups, Talvela and Qaryllian locate a tavern known as "The Murdered Manticore". Hesitant to enter this rather seedy looking place, they inform the rest of the group of their discovery.  That night, Wenzel, Claud, and Grymaldus visit the tavern but find nothing unusual. On their way out, Grymaldus notices a wooden statue of a manticore over the entrance.  After some negotiation, they purchase the statue and remove its head.  Inside they find a scroll containing the following words:

"To find a dwarf, go to the highest house in the city."

April 18 - The next morning, the group begins making discreet enquiries about dwarves living in Arabel. Giselin learns that Vendak Blackhammer (son of Dorn) arrived in Arabel several weeks ago but has disappeared from his lodgings. Vendak came to Arabel to establish a joint dwarven-Arabellan mining operation in the Anauroch desert. The party searches the highest towers of the Cathedral and Citadel for Vendak without success.  Meanwhile, Wenzel uses his scouting abilities to discover that the dwarven emissary is being held captive by one of the noble families of Arabel (House Marliir, royalist sympathizers), in an attempt to discredit the Archcleric.

That night, Qaryllian casts Invisibility spells on Wenzel and Grymaldus. They sneak into the mansion of the noble family and locate the cell where Vendak is imprisoned.  After Wenzel picks the lock, Grymaldus and the dwarven emissary teleport out of the prison using the Broom.  Wenzel then sneaks out of the mansion.  Brother Bernard informs the Archcleric of the perfidy of House Marliir, and the appropriate measures are taken.

April 19 - Vendak tells the party that the Silver Lance was a magical weapon crafted by the weaponsmiths of High Horn, before the dragon dispersed the dwarves and occupied the underground city four years ago.  The Silver Lance is said to have had special powers against demons.  Severian decides to lead the group to High Horn and thence to Eagle Peak.  Giselin is eager to return to High Horn, where he lived until its destruction by an ancient black dragon four years ago.

April 20 - The party departs Arabel.  Vendak remains in Arabel to organize the mining expedition.

April 26 - The party arrives at High Horn, once a prosperous dwarven city but now in ruins after the Flight of the Dragons (1356 DR). After defeating an Anubi patrol, the party begins to explore the ruins of the dwarven city that remain above ground.  They discover a large, extremely deep well, at the bottom of which faint motion can be detected.  Grymaldus fires a Magic Missile down the well to see what happens. After a few minutes, an ancient black dragon flies out of the well and attacks the party.  Before the dragon can spit acid, it is met by a barrage of Lightning Bolts from Qaryllian and Grymaldus.  Seriously wounded, the dismayed dragon retreats back down the well.  The party decides to wait until the next day to recover spells before proceeding.  A caravan of merchants arrives later in the day and sets up camp outside High Horn.

That evening, the party is approached by three strangers from the caravan: Teal Sonya (fighter), Hallie of Winslow (neutral cleric), and Imelda (magic user).  They had been employed as guards by the caravan as it travelled through Arabel.  When it became clear that the caravan master was not going to pay them what they had originally been promised, they quit and were seeking new employment.  After carefully consideration of their character, alignments, and abilities, Severian invites the three to join the quest.  The party shares their magic items with the newcomers, with Qaryllian giving the Slate Stirge to Imelda.

April 27 - Grymaldus and Wenzel use the Broom to fly to the bottom of the well.  After scouting out the nearby area, Wenzel determines that there is no immediate threat from the dragon or the Anubi.  Grymaldus then ferries the rest of the party down to the bottom of the well.

After further exploration, the party reaches the chamber wherein lies the wounded ancient black dragon.  A fearsome battle ensues. While Claud, Dimas, and  Hallie battle Anubi guards outside the room, Severian, Teal Sonya, and the others attack the black dragon. The dragon is soon slain by the swords and spells of the party (with Giselin striking the killing blow), but a greater challenge soon emerges.

With its dying breath, the black dragon calls on its master for vengeance, and a Type II Demon appears! The Demon casts Fear against the party, and for the first time, Severian is forced to retreat from evil.  Talvela transforms into a were-panther and attempts to shred the Demon, but instead finds himself Levitated to the top of the high-ceilinged chamber.  As the helpless were-panther waves its paws in frustration, Grymaldus flies to the top of the room in an attempt to rescue it.  Thinking quickly, Imelda (invisible) searches through the treasure-horde of the slain dragon and finds a silver lance.  Still invisible, she drops the silver lance at the feet of Teal Sonya, who picks it up.  Teal wields the lance against the Demon and inflicts the first damage against it.  Enraged, the Demon levitates Brother Bernard to the top of the chamber, where he joins Talvela. The Demon casts a Fear spell on Teal Sonya, causing her to flee. Claud proves his usefulness by countering with Remove Fear, and Teal remains in the fray. The Demon then strikes down Friar Dimas with a Lightning Bolt, but Hallie bandages him.

At this point, things look desperate for the party.  Only Elessar and Claud have any spells remaining, and the Demon is relatively unharmed.  Teal, Wenzel, and Claud engage the Demon, while Elessar fires magic arrows at it. Claud shows great courage, since he is unable to harm the Demon but hopes to
draw its wrath away from those who can.  A sorcerous duel ensues, with the Demon casting Continual Darkness, and Elessar and Claud using Continual Light to dispel it.  The Demon's Fear spell wears off, and Severian returns to the battle.  He and Teal inflict massive damage on the Demon, who strikes back with claws and talons.  Finally, Wenzel backstabs the Demon with a vicious sword thrust, and slays the infernal creature.

With the destruction of the Demon's bodily form, the Levitation spells expire, and Brother Bernard and the were-panther plummet to the ground.  Deftly, Grymaldus manages to maneuver the Broom and catch Talvela in mid-air, but Brother Bernard smashes into the ground and dies.  Hallie heals Dimas, who then uses the Staff of St. Cuthbert to resurrect Brother Bernard. The exhausted party barricade themselves inside the chamber of the black dragon to rest, heal, and regain spells.

April 28 - Led by Giselin, the party explores the remains of the underground dwarven city of High Horn.  They find that the Anubi have fled, once the demise of the black dragon became known.  The only remaining inhabitants are a miserable tribe of gully-dwarves, who had been enslaved by the Anubi.  Giselin orders the gully-dwarves to begin repairing and cleaning up the city.  The group then discovers a statue of Berronar Truesilver, dwarven goddess of healing. Prompted by a line in the Grey Wizard's poem, Teal Sonya places the Silver Lance in the hands of the statue. The lance begins to glow, and the statue of Berronar comes to life.  She tells the party that she is pleased that they have defeated the dragon, and that they must continue in their quest. Teal is told to strike boldly with the Silver Lance of High Horn against the Demon of Fire.  Giselin is given a mandate to return with an army of dwarves to reclaim High Horn, once the Demon has been defeated. The statue then returns to its former state,, and Teal picks up the Lance  Henceforth, she is know as Teal of the Silver Lance.  The party discovers that all of their wounds have been healed, and all
wands fully charged.

April 29 - The party departs from High Horn.

May 2 - As the party approaches  the gates of Eagle Peak, they notice a small cloud arising from the mountains to the southeast. The cloud darkens and grows in size as it moves toward the city.  The townsfolk of Eagle Peak appear frightened and despondent as the cloud takes on the shape of a menacing visage, and flashes of lightning begin arcing to the ground.  Then, a cleric garbed in splendid robes appears on the walls of the city.  He speaks to the people in reassuring tones and promises to save them from the wrath of the Demon of Fire, if only they will reject the false teachings of Cuthbert.  He then begins chanting, and the cloud soon disappears.  The townsfolk are overjoyed, and promise to heed the teachings of their new-found deliverer, Kutos.
Disturbed by these events, the party enter the city and make their way through the streets. Recognized as followers of St. Cuthbert, they are jostled by an aggressive and menacing crowd until city guards intervene and escort them to the Bishop's Palace.

The Bishop is clearly demoralized by recent events and laments the failure of the Archcleric to aggressively oppose evil in recent years.  He does not believe the party is strong enough to oppose the Demon of Fire but offers what little assistance he possesses.

Severian asks the Bishop about Kutos and is told that he is a mysterious holy man, living in a tower just inside the city walls.  Kutos has been a vocal opponent of the Archclericy and has urged the people of Eagle Peak not to oppose the Demon of Fire. The Bishop fears that Kutos will soon lead an uprising against the rule of St. Cuthbert and take control of the city.  The party resolves to visit Kutos' tower the next day and find out what his plans are.

Because of the unpopularity of the Archcleric, the Bishop urges the party not to go out in the city during daylight without an armed guard.  Despite the Bishop's warning, several party members decide to explore the town on their own. They are recognized as followers of Cuthbert by angry townsfolk and are pelted with rotten fruit.  The party spends the night at the Bishop's Palace.

May 3 - During the day, most of the party rests at the Bishop's Palace.  That  evening, the party makes its way through the city to Kutos' Tower.  After Wenzel picks the lock, they enter the Tower and descend a flight of stairs, ending in a blank wall.  Wenzel notices a coin lying on one of the steps.  He picks up the coin and reads the inscription, "Opener of the Way".  He tosses the coin at the blank wall, and a Gate is activated.  Wenzel steps through the Gate, and finds himself in a medium-sized room.  The Gate is now inactive and no one else can follow him.  Wenzel tosses the coin back through the Gate and it is picked up by Severian, who uses it to activate the Gate once more and steps through.  In this fashion Giselin and Elessar subsequently pass through the Gate, when several Anubi guards enter the room and attack.  Wenzel attempts to backstab the Anubi leader but fails.  He is then surrounded by Anubi and pummeled unmercifully until rescued by Giselin.  Eventually the entire party passes through the Gate and defeats the Anubi guards.  Grymaldus notices that the Anubi corpses are all wearing metal torcs.  Imelda pockets several Anubi rations.

The party then advances into a larger room.  Suddenly, an Anubi wizard of noble and intelligent visage teleports into the room.  The Anubi wizard (Primax) gestures, and most party members are polymorphed into white mice, trapped in a small cage carried by Primax!  Qaryllian responds by casting a Lightning Bolt at Primax, wounding the Anubi wizard severely, while Elessar and Imelda fire Magic Missiles. Shaken, Primax teleports out of the room with the white mice, leaving only Elessar, Teal, Imelda, Qaryllian, and Wenzel behind.

The rest of the party find themselves teleported into a dark, cavernous chamber lit dimly by flickering torches.  The heat is oppressive, and sulphurous vapors swirl through the air.  The room is set up as a courtroom, with the Demon of Fire as Judge and Kutos the cleric as Prosecutor.

The room is called to order by the Demon of Fire, who announces that each party member will be placed on trial for his or her crimes against Chaotic Evil.  Guilt or innocence will be decided by a jury, consisting of Kunen the Ogre Mage (foreman), the Hag of the Shunned Caverns, the mad hermit (from the Keep on the Borderlands), the Minotaur (Keep on the Borderlands), the jovial but evil cleric (Keep on the Borderlands), Breeyark the ogre (Keep on the Borderlands), the Captain of the Baneguard, the Necromancer of Bane, the black dragon of High Horn (in human form), the red dragon of Castle Crag (in human form), the Skull-Lich of Greycrag, and the High Priest of the Shrine of Evil Chaos.  Those found Guilty will be sent to the Pit of Despair, while those found Not Guilty will be released.

The first to stand trial is Severian. Kutos reads a multiple count indictment against the paladin.  The charges include "promulgating the shameless and perverted ethics of Lawful Good". "being a dedicated and zealous enemy of Chaotic Evil", "conspiracy to murder the Hag of the Shunned Caverns", and "refusing to accept the inevitable triumph of Chaotic Evil".  In reply, Severian states, "I take full responsibility for my actions in defense of Lawful Good, St. Cuthbert, and Arabel.  I take pleasure in knowing that I have done all in my power to oppose Chaotic Evil and its minions.  I defy and despise the members of this court and deny that they have any right to sit in judgment over myself and my companions."

The Judge then denounces Severian as an unrepentant rebel and confirmed enemy of Chaotic Evil and calls for summary judgment.  The jury returns a verdict of Guilty, and Severian immediately vanishes.

The next to go on trial is Talvela.  The charges against him include "murder of the Captain of the Baneguard under guise of animal form" and "membership in a proscribed organization, the so-called Rangers".  Before Kutos can finish reading the charges, Talvela changes into were-panther form and leaps at the Demon of Fire.  The startled Demon transforms himself into a cloud of vapor, and Primax casts a Paralysis spell on Talvela.  The trial continues, and Talvela is convicted and sent to join Severian.

Next to stand trial are the three clerics of St. Cuthbert.  The charges against them include "illegal conversion of assets from the Temple of Evil Chaos" and "being deluded followers of the Father of Deceit, Cuthbert".  While Dimas and Bernard fervently denounce Chaotic Evil, Claud eats an orange.  All three are found guilty and vanish.

Next to stand trial is Giselin.  He is charged with "destruction of members of endangered species, to wit: dragons and minotaurs" and "genocide against the goblin, orcish, and hobgoblin races".  Giselin is proud to receive official acknowledgment of his efforts, and asks the Demon if the forces
of Evil have been keeping an accurate body count.  "I lost track some time ago", he admits.  Giselin is also found guilty and vanishes.

Next to stand trial is Hallie, the Neutral Cleric of Eldath.  She is charged with "knowingly consorting with a paladin" and "possession of Holy Water." Although she was not a part of the expeditions against the Hag or the Necromancer, nor is she a follower of Lawful Good, she refuses to plead for  mercy or attempt to evade the fate of the others.  After lengthy deliberation by the jury, she is convicted and disappears.

Next to stand trial is Hawk, the druid.  The only charge against him is that he "unlawfully interfered with the metamorphosis of the Necromancer into the Avatar of Bane".  Hawk argues that as a Druid he is sworn to uphold the balance, and the creation of an avatar of Bane would disturb the delicate
balance between good and evil.  After lengthy jury deliberations, a verdict of Not Guilty is returned, and Hawk vanishes.

The last to stand trial is Grymaldus.  He is charged with "application of magical abilities in the service of Lawful Good".  In his defense, Grymaldus argues that as a True Neutral, his magic has always been used in pursuit of his own goals.  His adventures with Severian et. al. have been for the express purpose of gaining experience and power.  At this point, Primax speaks.  He agrees with Grymaldus and states that he believes that there is a strong possibility that Grymaldus can be converted to Neutral Evil.  Grymaldus’ possession and frequent use of the Hag’s Broom is a strong argument in favor of his eventual corruption.  Kutos concurs, and the Demon suspends judgment pending further discussions between the affected parties.  Several members of the jury (the Hag, the jovial cleric, and the High Priest of Evil Chaos) express their dismay that Grymaldus may escape any punishment, but they are quickly silenced by a glance from the Demon.

Meanwhile, Elessar, Qaryllian, Teal, Imelda, and Wenzel find themselves alone in the room.  They begin to explore the Tower, knowing full well that they lack any ability to heal themselves.  They come upon a pillar of flame, guarded by an Anubi wizard.  To their surprise, the Anubi wizard seems cautiously friendly towards them.  He attempts to warn them about something, but the iron torc around his neck begins to glow.  He then bursts into flames and is quickly reduced to ashes.

When Teal approaches the pillar of flame, the silver lance begins to glow. The rest of the party then move closer to investigate.  Imelda is pulled into the pillar by an irresistible mental compulsion, but the rest of the party is able to resist the demonic suggestion.

Horrified at the loss of Imelda, the small band of wizards and fighters continue their search for a way back to Eagle Peak.  Eventually, they reach a richly appointed ante-chamber leading to a locked door.  Listening at the door, Wenzel hears the voice of Grymaldus conversing with someone.  Wenzel quietly picks the lock, and the group bursts into the room.  They find themselves in Primax's private chambers, with Primax and Grymaldus engaged in a philosophical discussion as to the nature of Evil and Neutrality.  Grymaldus seems in no danger and appears to be getting the better of the debate with Primax.  Wary of engaging in sorcerous combat at a disadvantage, Primax allows Grymaldus and the others to leave peacefully, with the proviso that Grymaldus consider the Demon's offer.  Qaryllian counters by offering the assistance of the party in freeing the Anubi from the Demon's yoke.  And with that, the party leaves Primax and continues their exploration of Kutos' dungeon.

Meanwhile, the party members convicted by the Demon's Court find themselves at the bottom of the Pit of Despair.  They try various methods for escaping but are unsuccessful.  Their spells and prayers seem to have no effect, and several party members begin to lose Constitution points from despair.

After further exploration, Qaryllian and the others ascend a stairway leading to a closed door.  Listening at the door, Wenzel hears the voices of several humans.  Realizing the desperate situation the party is in, Wenzel drinks his potion of Mass Human Control before the party opens the door.  Inside the room they discover Kutos the cleric and five human guards.  Wenzel's decision to drink the potion proves to be brilliant, as the halfling thief takes control of three of the five guards and orders them to attack Kutos!  While Kutos is distracted with the guards, Qaryllian and Grymaldus blast the evil cleric wit Lightning and Magic Missiles, while Teal and Elessar engage the remaining loyal guards in melee.  After a swift but fierce struggle Kutos falls and the surviving guards surrender.

A letter from the Demon of Fire is found on Kutos' body.  The letter states that the loss of the Silver Lance from High Horn has been severely punished, with many Anubi reduced to piles of ash.  The Demon warns Kutos to be aware for any signs of disloyalty among the Anubi, since the loss of the Lance has diminished the Demon's control over them.  The letter closes by authorizing Kutos to seize power in Eagle Peak once the "meddlers from Arabel" have been defeated.

After binding and gagging the guards, the party continues their exploration.  Descending the stairway, they enter a large natural cavern where the ambient temperature is considerably warmer than before.  The cavern leads to a natural stone bridge arching above a pool of lava.  Hearing the sounds of pursuit by an Anubi patrol in the distance, the group crosses the bridge.  The lava erupts and splashes Qaryllian, burning him severely.  The group eventually reach the Pit of Despair and rescue their lost companions.  Reunited (except for Hawk and Imelda), the party is able to defeat the Anubi guards and exit the Tower.
Returning to the Bishop’s Palace, the party is reunited with Hawk, who appeared there after his acquittal by the Demon's Court.

May 4 - Word spreads quickly throughout Eagle Peak that Kutos the Cleric was in league with the Demon of Fire and responsible for the city's recent woes.  The pall of despair and doubt that hung over the city is dispelled, and the prestige of the Archcleric is greatly enhanced.  The Bishop thanks the party for their heroic deeds and offers to assist them in their struggle against the Demon of Fire.

That evening, a tall, robed figure appears at the Bishop's Palace and requests to speak with the party.  To everyone's amazement,, it is Primax!  After careful thought, he has decided to accept the party's offer to free the Anubi from the Demon's bond.  The party's heroism in defeating Kutos and escaping from the Pit of Despair has convinced him that they are strong enough to overcome the Demon.

Primax tells the party that the Anubi are inherently Lawful Neutral creatures but were recently enslaved by the Demon of Fire.  Most of the Anubi have been compelled to wear iron torcs of obedience.  Failure to obey the Demon results in the immolation of the offending Anubi.  As their leader, he is exempt from the torc and thus able to secretly oppose the Demon.  Questioned by Teal about the fate of Imelda, Primax  offers the possibility that she may still be alive, but a prisoner of the Demon.

May 5 - Still exhausted by their ordeal in Kutos Tower, the party decides to spend the day resting.  Elessar suggests that the party recruit another magic-user, to make up for the loss of Imelda.  Elessar, Hallie, and Wenzel search throughout the city for a suitable candidate.  At the Wayfarer's Inn they encounter a female elven magic user named Kirchen.  Recently separated from her travelling companions (Selene, Kearine, and Krier) in the course of an attack by Giants, she is penniless and eager to earn enough money to return to her home in Hiqhmoon.  Elessar assures her that the party is honorable and on a quest in the cause of Good, and she agrees to join them.

Later that day, Primax tells the party that the only way to reach the Demon's fortress at Skull Crag is through deception.  He offers to cast a spell that will make the group appear as Anubi.  Otherwise, the Demon's guards will detect them and attack in force.  Although still mistrustful of Primax, the group accepts his offer and prepares to depart the following morning.

May 6 - Led by Primax, the party departs Eagle Peak.  Once outside the town, Primax casts a spell and disguises the group as Anubi soldiers.  For the next four days, they travel through a wasteland of marshes and barren moors to Skull Crag. Along the way they encounter servants of the Demon of Fire but are able to bluff their way past them.

May 10 - Accompanied by Primax and disguised as Anubi, the party arrives at Skull Crag, the Demon's fortress.  The entrance is guarded by Fire Giants, but Primax convinces them that the party is returning from a secret mission for the Demon.  The party makes their way deeper into the fortress but encounter more Fire Giants, who insist on escorting the “Anubi” to their King.

While waiting for an audience with the King of the Fire Giants, the party is taken to the royal kitchen and offered lunch.  Severian notices that the cooks are human women.  He and Kirchen converse with them and discover that they were captured by the Fire Giants on a recent raid against Eagle Peak.  Severian promises them that the party will return to liberate them after dealing with the Demon of Fire.  To his surprise, the "women" call for help from the Fire Giants! They denounce the party as traitors to the Demon of Fire and reveal themselves to be Annis (related to night hags), disguised as humans.

Their disguise penetrated, the party members revert to their normal forms and prepare for battle with the Fire Giants.  However, the King of the Fire Giants is hesitant to engage such a formidable group, and seems willing to negotiate with Severian.  After some discussion, the Fire Giant King agrees to let the party enter the lower levels of the dungeon, which are directly controlled by the Demon of Fire.  He is confident that the party will never return.  Primax warns the party that he can offer no guidance once they enter the Demon's lair, because he has never been there.  "Now he tells us!" mutters Giselin.

A band of Fire Giants escorts the party down several flights of stairs to a large iron door.  The giants unbar the door and let the party members pass through.  They then shut the door and bar it, roaring with laughter at the folly of humans and elves.

The party's progress is immediately barred by a statue, which asks a question relating to the nature of Fire. Hazarding a guess, Grymaldus is correct, and the statue lets them enter the Demon's lair.  Brother Bernard casts a Locate Person spell which reveals that Imelda is nearby.  Using the spell to triangulate, the party discovers a room containing a row of sarcophagi, guarded by a statue of a twisted little man.  When the party approaches, the statue comes to life and breathes fire at the party.  Grymaldus is instantly toasted, and several others are badly burned.  The rest of the party quickly defeat the lesser demon.  Afterwards, Hallie uses a scroll of Raise Dead to revive Grymaldus.  The group then opens each sarcophagus, searching for Imelda.  One of the sarcophagi contains a wight, which drains Teal of one energy level before being dispatched by Severian.

Finally, Imelda's unconscious body is discovered in a sarcophagus.  The party is unable to revive her, until Dimas touches her with the Staff of St. Cuthbert.  She immediately opens her eyes and says, "Lance! Staff! Arabel!"  Further questioning reveals that Imelda is unable to say anything else.  After lengthy discussion amongst the party (and numerous interjections of Lance! Staff! Arabel!), Teal touches Imelda with the Silver Lance.  Dimas then casts a Bless spell on Imelda and begins to orate about the power of Lawful Good.  These actions free Imelda from her strange compulsion.  She is able to talk freely but remembers nothing after stepping into the column.

The party then advances into the central part of the Demon's lair. They notice a statue of a man in grey robes, apparently weeping.  Acting on  inspiration, Dimas casts the party's last Bless spell on the statue and touches it with the Staff.  Teal then touches the statue with the Silver Lance, but nothing happens.  Dimas then speaks of the power of Lawful Good and its inevitable triumph over Chaotic Evil.  The statue comes to life and is revealed to be the Grey Wizard!  He had been captured and imprisoned by the Demon of Fire soon after warning the Archcleric through the Oracle.  In gratitude, the Grey Wizard fully heals the party, recharges their magic items, and renews their spells.  Having once been defeated by the Demon, he cannot stand against him again in combat, but he tells the party about the Demon's special powers before teleporting away.

Guided by the words of the Grey Wizard, the party reaches the door to the Demon's inner chambers.  After preparing for the encounter with Bless, Prayer, and Haste, the party smashes open the doors and charge forward.

Inside the party finds a large room with a massive throne at the far end. In front of the throne stands the Demon of Fire.  He orders the party to kneel and offer their surrender to him.  Severian refuses and hurls defiance at him.  Noticing Primax, the Demon angrily denounces the Anubi wizard as a traitor and, with a gesture, Primax disappears.  The party then storm forward and attack the Demon.

The Demon gestures again and Bernard, Claud, Grymaldus, Hawk, Kirchen, Qaryllian, and Giselin become motionless.  Before the Demon can gesture again, the were-panther slams into him, raking and biting with full fury.  Severian and Teal also engage the Demon, with the Silver Lance wounding him severely.  When the Demon attempts to use Darkness, Elessar counters with Continual Light. Hallie realizes that the combination of Lance! Staff! Arabel! may be the key to victory, and she urges Dimas and Teal to free the captives.  Teal disengages from melee and begins touching the Lance to the Demon's victims, while Dimas uses the Staff and casts Bless spells.  First Bernard is freed, then Giselin, then Qaryllian, and then Grymaldus.

Frustrated at his imminent defeat, the Demon backs away from Severian and gestures again, and Claud, Kirchen, and Hawk disappear, presumably to join Primax.  This act of spite costs the Demon dearly, as Wenzel takes advantage of the Demon's momentary distraction to backstab him.  Once again, the halfling provides the killing blow against a demon's material form, and the Demon  vanishes in a roar of pain and rage.

The battle is not yet over, though. Responding to the Demon's final mental command, the Fire Giants enter the lair and attack the party.  In an unreasoning fury they stampede into the room, crushing Imelda beneath their feet.  Although exhausted by their struggle with the Demon, the party manages to defeat the Fire Giants.  Dimas then uses the Staff of St. Cuthbert to restore Imelda to life, although she will retain a permanent limp.

Searching through the treasure room of the Demon of Fire, the party discovers a Bracer of AC0 (given to Imelda), a Wand of Force (given to Qaryllian), among other items.  The party then barricade themselves in the Demon's throne room and rest.

May 11 - The group begins the journey back to Eagle Peak.  The party's elation at defeating the Demon of Fire is tempered by the loss of Claud, Kirchen, Hawk, and Primax.

May 15 - The party returns to Eagle Peak. They discover that local bard has written a song about "The Heroes of Eagle Peak".

May 25 - The party returns to Arabel.  The Archcleric declares the party free of their obligation to him and proclaims a day of  mandatory rejoicing.

May 26 - A special ceremony is held at the Cathedral of St. Cuthbert to honor the surviving party members. Inexplicably, Grymaldus does not attend and offers no excuses for his absence.

May 27 - Grymaldus departs Arabel on the Broom of Flying.  He travels to the City of the Anubi in the Anauroch Desert to inform them that they have been freed from the Demon's power.  He also plans to learn new spells while studying in the ancient archives of Anubi magic.

May 30 - Further honors are bestowed on the surviving party members.  Talvela becomes Castellan of the Keep on the Borderlands and Giselin is confirmed as Prince of High Horn.  Friar Dimas is elevated to the office of Bishop of the Borderlands, a newly-created see.  Brother Bernard declines appointment as Bishop of Tilverton, preferring to remain in Arabel as an advisor to the Archcleric.
In recognition of the role of magic in the defeat of the Demon of Fire, the Archcleric announces the lifting of the ban on non-clerical magic in Arabel.  Qaryllian receives permission to establish a Wizard's Guild in Arabel.  He is granted the confiscated Arabellan mansion of House Marliir as his Guildhall and  the income from other Marliir holdings to support Guild activities.

June 3 - Elessar departs from Arabel.  Wearied by his struggle against evil and saddened by the loss of Kirchen, he returns to Arch Wood to spend some time with Lord Balar and Lady Bevalar and renew his spirit.

June 5 - Bishop Dimas announces the formation of the Order of Lance and Staff, a crusading order of warriors and clerics dedicated to militant opposition to Chaotic Evil.  The Order will be based at the Keep on the Borderlands.  Talvela and Dimas depart for the Keep.

June 9 - Hallie decides to become a druid-initiate of Eldath.  She travels to the Hultar Woods to begin her training with Clarissa, Druid of the South.

June 11 - At the first meeting of the Arabel Wizard's Guild, Qaryllian is elected Guildmaster.  Imelda begins researching a limited Levitation spell, to compensate for her limp.

June 25 - After recruiting a small army of expatriate dwarves, Prince Giselin departs for High Horn.

July 17 - An emissary from Waterdeep arrives in Arabel.  He delivers a message  from the Bishop of St. Cuthbert in Waterdeep, requesting assistance from "the heroes of the Keep on the Borderlands".  Severian, Wenzel, Qaryllian, and Brother Bernard agree to accompany the emissary to Waterdeep.

July 20 - Severian, Wenzel, Qaryllian, and Bernard depart Arabel.

July 22 - The party arrives at High Horn and assists Giselin in clearing out the lowest levels of the dwarven fortress.

July 28 - The party leaves High Horn.

July 30 - The party arrives in Eagle Peak and is feted by the Bishop and townspeople.

August 3 - The party arrives in Proskur.

August 6 – The party arrives in Iraebor.  Meanwhile, back in Arabel, Teal Sonya, Hallie, and Imelda, begin having evil dreams.

August 10 - The party arrives in Berdusk.

August 14 - The party arrives in Elturel.

August 18 - The party arrives in Baldur’s Gate.

August 20 - The party departs Baldur's Gate by ship.

August 26 - The party arrives in the great city of Waterdeep.  They meet with the Bishop at the Temple of St. Cuthbert and learn that their assistance was actually requested by Lord Piergeiron and Khelben Blackstaff, who had heard of their previous exploits.  The party is lodged at the Jade Jug Inn, at the expense of the Lords of Waterdeep.

August 27 - While waiting for their meeting with Piergeiron and Khelben, the party spends the day touring Waterdeep

August 28 - The party meets with Lord Piergeiron and Khelben Blackstaff at the Palace of Waterdeep.  Khelben tells them that divination spells have uncovered the existence of a powerful lord of evil named Xanathar who dwells in the labyrinths beneath the city.  He asks the party for help in locating and destroying Xanathar and receives their full cooperation.

August 29 - The party begins their search for Xanathar by exploring the sewers beneath Castle Ward.  After venturing a short distance into the stinking tunnels, the corridor behind them caves in, trapping them!  Their only option is to go forward, in hopes of finding an exit.

August 30 - The party battles kobolds and giant leeches.  Wenzel discovers a vertical shaft leading deeper into the sewers.

September 5 - The party battles skeletons and zombies.  Their rations exhausted, Brother Bernard keeps them alive by creating food and water.

September 8 - Having descended to the deepest levels of the sewers, the party battles kuo-toa and flind.  Wenzel discovers a secret stairway leading down into a tunnel complex constructed by dwarves many centuries earlier.

September 12 - The party battles poisonous giant spiders and descends deeper into the dwarven tunnels.  Eventually they meet a band of dwarves who offer them assistance and information.  The dwarves inform the party that Xanathar is a crime lord living many levels beneath them.  Xanathar has kidnapped Keirgar, leader of the Waterdhavian dwarves, in an attempt to drive them from these tunnels.  Severian promises to find and free Keirgar.

September 15 - The party continues to explore the dwarven tunnels, battling kenku and giant spiders.

September 16 - Qaryllian learns how to use a set of mysterious stone symbols discovered in the tunnels to teleport from level to level.  The party uses this knowledge to enter a section of tunnels controlled by drow.  There they battle driders, skeletons, displacer beasts, drow fighter/mages, and mantis warriors. They free Kiergar from his drow captors and return him safely to the dwarves.

September 26 - Using the teleportation devices, the party reaches the deepest levels of the tunnels.  There they battle mind flayers, stone golems, and xorn.  Eventually they confront Xanathar in his luxuriously-furnished lair.  To their horror, they discover that Xanathar is a beholder!  In a fierce struggle, Xanathar is destroyed, but not before turning Brother Bernard to stone.  The surviving party members search Xanathar's lair and find a treasure-trove of gold, gems, and magic items.  Even better, Qaryllian finds a magical gate leading to the surface!  After casting a Reduce spell on the petrified Bernard, the party enters the Gate and emerges from the back room of a seedy tavern in Waterdeep.

September 27 - The party returns to the Palace of Waterdeep, with a map of the tunnels beneath Waterdeep and proof of Xanathar's demise.  In gratitude, Piergeiron grants the party members "Freedom of the City" and allows them to retain all treasure recovered from Xanathar's lair.  Khelben Blackstaff casts Stone to Flesh and returns Brother Bernard to his normal form.

Sept 28-Oct 5 - The party members spend a week resting and enjoying the comforts of the City of Splendors.  Wenzel and Brother Bernard decide to remain in Waterdeep.

October 6 - The party begins the long journey back to Arabel, unaware of the events that have been transpiring at the Temple of Elemental Evil.

November 8 - Severian and Qaryllian arrive in Arabel to discover that the Archcleric is dead and the nation is at war with Royal Cormyr.