The expedition pressed forward as the adventurers encountered more of the mushroom-eyed creatures. Striking swiftly, they dispatched them with ease before continuing deeper into the ruins. Their path led to a chamber housing a well—gibbering voices echoed from its depths. Though curiosity tempted them, they opted to avoid the descent, turning their attention instead to a barricaded door.
Beyond the barrier, they stumbled upon a group of kidnapped humans, malnourished and weary. Their captors—strange and cruel beings—had already claimed the life of one companion. In gratitude for their rescue, the survivors urged the heroes to visit Yinyasmere at Crook’s Nook, where a reward awaited them. Escorting the captives safely out of the ruins, the party ensured their survival before continuing their search for answers.
The next encounter brought them face-to-face with Zozzlarin, a devil bound to the ruins by an old contract. Battle erupted, but instead of fighting to the bitter end, the fiend pleaded for mercy. In exchange, he offered them a vision—a glimpse into the past. In the memory, they saw Otari, the hero for whom the town was named, fleeing and hiding within a nearby bathroom.
Intrigued, the heroes pressed Zozzlarin for more information. They learned he had been contracted by Belcorra herself to maintain the ruins but now longed to be free of his obligation.
Following Otari’s trail, the party ventured into the bathroom, where a strange green light shimmered. It morphed into glowing words scrawled upon the wall: “I was Otari… save me from below!” Before they could react, the light twisted into a spectral ribbon, slithering toward the lower levels. Determined to uncover its meaning, they followed.
Along the way, they faced off against a misty apparition—a fleeting obstacle easily vanquished. When the ribbon led them to another chamber, it flared once more, forming another cryptic message: “Belcorra fell to the Roseguard, but we never knew of these vaults below…” With that, the light slithered onward, beckoning them forward.
Their journey brought them to a cluster of ghouls, who, surprisingly, did not attack. Instead, they urged the heroes to meet their priestess. Cautious yet intrigued, the party accepted the invitation. However, upon entering her chamber, deception turned to carnage—the ghouls and their priestess launched a brutal assault.
Syphir fell first in the heated exchange as the two opposing energies clashed. The heroes fought back with vitality magic, harming the undead, while the priestess wielded void magic, draining their life in return. The battle swayed precariously, each side suffering heavy losses. The ghouls perished, but one by one, the adventurers fell until only Shadow Bell remained—wounded, out of spells, and teetering on the edge of defeat. With no other choice, she fled.
The ruins had claimed their victory that night, and Gauntlight’s secrets remained shrouded in peril. What fate would befall the fallen heroes? And what dark truths awaited in the depths below? Only time would tell.