Dark Master defeated!

Our brave adventurers fear the last supper with the Dark Master and decide to go back to the temple where the casket labeled with a age-worn "H" is written on the heavy stone lid. Only the wizard and the ranger are able to move around invisible while the rest of the party becomes a loud distraction. The ranger and wizard make it into the temple and begin to make sharpened stakes worthy of a vampire. The wizard flips the latch releasing a poison dart sending the wizard to the floor for a dirt nap. The ranger decides to open the coffin only to find an old man in rags lying below! She stabs the old man with a stake at which time he awakes. The ranger then attacks with her scimitar using all attempts to destroy the evil intity in all haste. The old man returns the favor with choking fingers of fury. The rest of the party arrives to see a bunch of guards and a summoned storm giant surrounding the poor outnumbered ranger. The dark master begins his descent down a flight of stairs as he prepares to enter the fray. In a last ditch attempt the ranger strikes with her scimitar and a lucky "20" to finally send the old man in rags back into his coffin. The Dark Master never makes it to the battle as he succumbs to the icy embraces of death and stumbles down the stairs. The storm giant flees as the magic that held him is released. A massive battle ensues with many of the masters minions that remain and not a few of our heroes bite the dust and are revived throughout the carnage. Slowly our heroes turn the odds in their favor and begin to dispatch the nastiest of the dark master's minions and work their way to a final victory. The battle won and the temple of death defeated our heroes gather what treasure is available and flee before the bewildered inhabitants arrive to start asking questions. The long journey is finally over and the quest is at an end.

The Temple of Death

Our heroes continue downriver and hear a hunting horn in the distance. Soon they are surrounded by spectral hounds that materialize on the raft. The cleric summons a protection circle and keeps the beasts at bay. The battle is grand and a few are bit only to find their bodies slowly fading away. They dispel the effects and heal their wounds. Soon they are met by a sky ship with a skeleton crew who drop a rope latter, our heroes climb aboard and are flown to the Temple of Death where the master is waiting. After a lengthy monologue our heroes show some interest in joining The Master's cause.  They accept a dinner invitation where the Master's plans will be discussed further. They are taken to a room where they can rest, but instead of resting they quickly resort to spying. Their companion from the Great Pass reveals he is a doppelgänger, they hatch a plan to kill an acolyte in order for the doppelgänger to have the appropriate clothing. The doppelgänger and our invisible ranger with a squirrel in her pocket go spying. The going is rough because guards are everywhere. The encounter an old temple filled with coffins; they later find 3 radiate magic. They also encounter a massive statue in the perfect likeness of a storm giant also radiates magic. They believe The Master stays in the tower which is heavily guarded. The adventure continues.

The town of Magden and the Darkwood

Our heroes don't find a welcome mat in Magden, the local thieves guild pick a few pockets and enrage our heroes with the holy vengeance of crazy. They encounter a statue to man named: Hosadus and discover he is still being worshipped after 400 years. The murals at the shrine depict Hosadus during his lifetime. They then stock up at the marketplace and happen to view a puppet show depicting "The Master" defeating a bronze colored giant. They acquire a longboat and sail toward lake tros. Eventually they arrive at the borders of the Darkwood Forest. Our heroes explore a massive obelisk hidden in a clearing, our brave wizard touches the obelisk with the intent to identify it. The obelisk sends a bolt of light into the heavens and the heavens return a bolt of lightning tossing the wizard like a cheap salad. They receive for their troubles a poem or riddle glowing upon the obelisk.  Finally, they explore a black stone in another forest clearing, all of our heroes are immune to the effects of a spirit that inhabits the stone, all except our brave wizard who becomes possessed. The wizard decides to skip town and must answer a quick call of nature. The dwarf follows only to find the wizard dissapear. Our heroes rush to the boat to find the boat preparing to leave. The decide to shoot their teammate and brother-in-arms injuring him badly. The ranger decides to swim to the boat only to trade her hands for a pair of hooves - deer hooves that is! The cleric gets luck and casts hold person on the wizard holding him fast. They bind the wizard and return to the stone only to find they are unable to exorcise the possessing spirit. Finally, They trigger a powerful protection from undead scroll that drives the foul horror back into the stone; returning the wizard's spirit back into his body. They flee the area and continue down the river... The quest continues.