Ruins of Elendon, Part Two - Escape from the Underground

After vanquishing our foe, we searched the chamber for anything useful. The only thing that we found was a pile of old bones, remnants of the umber hulk’s meals. Willow gave one to Fang and gathered a few more for Tooth and Claw when we eventually returned to them and the horses. The only other thing that we found was a tunnel out of this lair that the creature must have dug. We decided that the likelihood that this would lead to the surface was low, so we backtracked to the main tunnel and continued on our way.
 
We eventually emerged into a large amphitheater-like chamber with seven large statues arranged around the arc of the room. One was a figure of a young woman with elegantly carved robes. Her hands were held together as if she was cupping water in her hands. Another was a slender male, naked, with a muscularly carved body, standing in a strong-man pose. There was also a humanoid woman bird hybrid. Her facial features made her seem mean and angry looking. She had large bird-like wings and bird-like legs. There was also a humanoid with four arms and four legs. Another statue was a humanoid figure with a spiney back and the appendages and other features were distorted out of proportion. The last was a humanoid covered in fur that looked real until it was touched; this confirmed that it was actually carved. We believed that these were the interpretation of the seven deities of Fabel as the ancient peoples who lived here depicted them.
 
All of these statues were looking down at a fixed spot that appeared to be a table or altar from where we stood at the entrance. As we got closer, we found that it was a map table of Fabel. There were five spots on the map marked with a green light and two spots marked with a red light. We soon determined that the each of the seven statues were looking at a particular spot on the map. The young woman (Voltura) was looking at Malletford and the hybrid woman/bird was looking a Domena. These were the two red spots. Each of the others were looking at a different green spot on the map. We believed that each of these statues represented the main deity of that region.
 
Willow and Andar each touched a different green spot and said that they had a vision of what was going on in that region. I touched both of the red spots and experienced nothing, no visions or understanding as to why they were red. We surmised that in these two regions, the avatar or representative of the deity was dead.
 
We then examined the statues themselves for any hidden messages or information. All that we discovered was that the two that were tied to the red spots, were in a state of decay and could be easily damage or destroyed. It was then that we decided to leave everything as it was and continue on our travels to reach the surface.
 
We came to another chamber and to our surprise found Ardane Del’orian. Andar bid us to wait and he approached Ardane by himself. After determining that we were not in any danger, we joined Andar and Ardane. Ardane looked in bad shape after is ordeal with Zelmozoc. He told us that the way out was up ahead, but we would have to go through another city district that was of course inhabited by the undead citizens. He joined us but mentioned that he was spent from his battle with Zelmozoc and would not be of any help to us other than as a guide.
 
Ardane was telling us the truth as our journey was now a running battle to get through the district to reach the river that would take us to the surface. At one point we were overrun by the corrupted undead. Luckily, we had found a chokepoint to make a defensive stand. While Andar, Willow, and Enna cleared the way forward, Aura and I kept a watch on the way we had just traveled. It was a good thing that we did, as a group of tentacled creatures climbed up out of a chasm we were next to. Aura and I were quickly surrounded, and Aura was grappled by one of the tentacled abomination. I easily dispatched the creature that had a hold on Aura and as the three in front cleared the way forward, we delt with the ones in the rear.
 
As it turned out, Ardane was true to his word and did nothing but stay safely out of the way gathering his strength for what would be one last spectacle. He did direct us to continue south to the river where our way was blocked by a sight that we were dreading to see. We had the river and a boat in sight, but on the beach between us and freedom were three creatures of the same make as the ones that emerged from the Deformed Flesh of Mytar in the grand hall under the Ellathrane Cathedral.
 
Teamwork was the deciding factor in this contest. Andar managed to render one of the creatures unable to move, I would assume with the use of one of his monk abilities. Then Andar, Aura, and Enna defeated a second one while Willow and I dispatched the third. Without wasting any time we reached and entered the boat and were just pushing off of the bank when the beach literally filled with the corrupted undead and a few other creatures that we had not encountered before. Things looked grim for our survival when Ardane finally did something and granted our survival.
 
Ardane cast some type of Armageddon spell that devastated the whole beach area. After the initial flaming blast subsided, there was nothing left on the beach bit ashes. Creatures, structures, and miscellaneous clutter were reduced to cinder. Buildings and structures outside of the blast area were aflame and we had felt the intense heat as if from a blast furnace.
 
After that it was easy to tell that Ardane was is excruciating pain. His arm was charred and cooked with skin peeled back and bone exposed in some areas. Willow and I did our best to heal him, but it did little to relieve the pain that he was experiencing. I tried direct healing on his injured arm and came away with burns on my hands as a result. Mercifully, he passed out in the boat from the pain and although restless, slept for the rest of the journey down the river.
 
We emerged into the surface only a few miles from where we entered the underground. Even though we were exhausted, we managed to find our way to our horses and the wolves without incident. We decided to put a few miles between us and the cave entrance before making camp and took a much needed rest. Our sleep went undisturbed and upon waking had a palaver with Ardane.
 
It turns our that Ardane was indirectly responsible for the Eternal Night that overcame Ardol and Yaetwood. He was a scholar at the Andol Academy when a few of the instructors found an ancient relic in an archaeological dig. The relic was a black stone that turned out to be the Relic Heart of Mytor. As they were experimenting with it, something went wrong, and the heart exploded or was consumed which started the Eternal Night. Ardane has devoted his life in trying to find the answer as how to get rid of the darkness and return the area and land to its former condition.
 
We also discussed with him what we found in the map chamber in the undercity. As it turns out, Zelmozoc is attempting to eliminate all seven of the earthy avatars for the Deities of Fabel. Andare believes that this will expedite the return of Mytor to our realm. As to why he would do this, we have not discovered yet. He has managed to get rid of two of the seven according to the map that we studied. This makes our situation even more urgent that we find the staff Amare to fully establish Enna as the next All-Mother.