SCENE 01 – Passing through the hill giants’ rear line, the main part of the host returns to their camp to the west. Chazane, Regent of the Ymari, keeps an honor guard of six Ymari with her while the rest of her warriors fall back to protect the Ymari camp. Adario Huckleberry also accompanies the party forward into the besieged kingdom of the kill dwarves.

SCENE 02 – Norinir leads the party to a destroyed tower which he knows to contain an entrance to the dwarven passages below ground. However, the collapsed tower prevents access to the secret trap door cunningly set into the flag stones. It takes all hands (less Chazane) two hours to clear out the central chamber to the tower.

Norinir blows upon his clan’s horn and a section of the floor slides upwards soundlessly. The party can see the head of a dwarf guard named Barim, who welcomes back his lost kin from the west. After brief introductions are made, Barim says he will lead them to the capital city of King Zabriel, who will be keen to meet with them and glean tidings from their kin to the west. The party (less Chazane) surrender their weapons for the passage through the tunnels as it is dwarf law that strangers to the dwarves cannot pass through their passages so armed.

SCENE 03 – Barim explains that it will take longer than a day to traverse the tunnels to the capital city. The plan is to travel until nightfall and then make camp and a garrison station halfway between their entry point and the capital. Barim sends swift footed messengers ahead of them requesting an audience with the king.

SCENE 04 – When the party stops for the night, many dwarves pass the garrison, dwarf children curiously looking into the courtyard where they are camped, word of the visitors having spread like wildfire throughout the dwarf kingdom.

Trake asks Barim about the strange expression Barim wore when taking the crystal greatswords, and Barim tells them that the blades appear to have come straight out of legend, but he says the king will explain more, he is but a simple soldier and guard. He will only say that the blade is one of the Swords of Judgement.

SCENE 05 – Arriving at the capital city, the party is taken to the fortress-palace of King Zabriel where they meet Grungard Stormarmor, head of the king’s household. The king has prepared his full court to be in attendance and after they are announced, there is a reception to be made, given the rare honor of having the Regent of the Ymari in their midst.

SCENE 06 – After being introduced to the king, the reception enters full swing. Almost immediately, a richly dressed dwarf by the name of Thaum, suavely approaches the party. Thaum is a merchant prince of the dwarves and clearly enjoys the attention he is getting from the courtiers by being seen with such auspicious guests. Thaum introduces the party to Derich, an inconsiderate dwarf, but the greatest armorsmith in the hill dwarves kingdom, as well as Cassira, a master weaponsmith. Cassira can almost be mistaken for being a cleric herself, so strong is her devotion to the dwarven gods.

SCENE 07 – After the reception, the party heads to a private parley chamber of the king where they can talk of more important matters. Inquiring after the Swords of Judgement, Zabriel tells them of the legend of an ancient order of clerics called The Order of Calial. It is said that the seven clerics had their essence put into the blades and that when the blades have consumed enough life force in service their new owner, their souls will once again awaken unleashing the true power of the blades.

Concerning the plight of the hill dwarves and the growing threat of the Necromancer, Zabriel says he will do what he can but can only spare a few men, 100 at the most. Trake then begins to hatch a plan whereby they will infiltrate the hill giant’s command camp and slay the hill giant general. That should cause sufficient chaos to buy them enough time to deal with the Necromancer and once the greater threat is dealt with, they can return and take down the hill giant army as well.