Separated from their companions by the twisting tunnels of the Gloomdeeps, Cessi, Erastes Fulmen, and Lilith Wowbagger continued to press on through the darkness in search of the mysterious Tomb of Sartine. The band stumbled apon a number of cyclops guardians in a nearby cavern, the one-eyed giants apparently watching over a long-deceased corpse covered in purple scales. With little warning, the monsters attacked!

Luckily, the band thought to check the cavern’s ceiling before engaging the giants. However, much to their horror, an enormous carrion crawler descended from the stalactites above! Hell-bent on turning our heroes in to dinner, it waved its paralytic tentacles in a menacing fashion.

The Llamas would not be defeated by this worm, despite the creature’s best efforts. A mighty blow from Lilith clove the beast’s head from its body, putting the creature to rest. Now, rejoined by their wayward companions, the Llamas press forward in search of the Tomb…

Exiting Lord Hogarth Padraig’s former home, the Llamas trekked back to Winterfell along the winding path south. As they walked, cold rain buffeting their faces, our heroes noticed a crowd gathered outside an open mausoleum in the Winterfell graveyard. It was there that the group witnesses the failed resurrection of Jothan Ironspell. Rather than return to life, Jothan’s corpse remained still—instead, a shadowy cloud of mist in the shape of a dragon burst forth from the open mausoleum screaming “THIS ONE IS MINE!” before vanishing back in to the ether.

While discussing the event with Mayraa, Jothan’s shadar-kai ally and friend, the Llamas were attacked by Orcus’s minions. Enraged at the destruction of his summer home, the vengeful Demon Lord of the Undead launched an pack of wights at our heroes. Morale in Orcus’s undead ranks must have been low that day, because the Llamas easily defeated the undead minions without a single wound being taken. The crowd cheered at this incredible feat, some saying that the group “must be blessed by the Raven Queen herself.”

From there, the party continued onward to investigate the Gloomdeeps and uncover the mysterious Tomb of Sartine, a known portal to the Shadowfell, in hopes of finding more clues related to the shadow mist’s appearance.

Local Winterfellian hero Jothan Ironspell has fallen in battle, and all attempts to raise him from the dead have failed. He is not alone—someone, or something, is stealing and devouring the spirits of the dead in defiance of the Raven Queen. All signs point to the Shadowfell and an ancient fortress with a monstrous secret.

Thus begins the epic conclusion to the tale that began in marshes of The Trollhaunt Warrens and eventually led our heroes deep in to the Underdark in search of the Demon Queen’s Enclave and Orcus’s exarch…

In the very room where Kalael was defeated long ago in Keep on the Shadowfell, a reanimated host of foes awaited the Llamas. Even Irontooth, the axe-wielding goblin leader of the local kobolds, rose once again to face our heroes. A long, exhausting battle ensued with the Llamas facing off against the shadowy tentacled beast from beyond the portal.

However, the Llamas were unable to prevent the beast from escaping the castle out in to the world…

With but a brief rest, they went to relay this news to Lord Hogarth Padraig, only to find their former patron simmering with rage. Angered at the Llamas’ apparent “betrayal” by overstaying their welcome in nearby Ironfell, Padraig attacked with his host of empowered guards.

Reduced to their basic abilities, the Llamas eventually prevailed against Padraig. Now in control of Winterfell, what will the Llamas do with their new-found rulership?

As the Llamas stood amidst the smoldering ruins of Edmund’s, they were approached by an old acquaintance: the wizened sage Valthrun. The old man informed our heroes that strange happenings had plagued the Keep on the Shadowfell in the past few days, noting that “Although you have little reason to help us, the citizens of Winterfell would rest easier knowing that the Keep was once again calm.“

The Llamas agreed to investigate, making their way back to the scene of their initial adventures over three years prior.

With Serafina and Miraun unavailable, the combined forces of Erastes Fulmen, Kelebrindal, Lilith Wowbagger, Cessi, and Pax Truecoins entered the depths under the forsaken fortress. It was there that they were besieged by undead forces—minions of Orcus no doubt! What vile plans could the Demon Prince of the Undead have set in motion? And what of Kalael, the death cultist who sought to open a permanent rift between the Keep and one of Orcus’s fine summer homes? Was he truely defeated when he was sucked in to the inky darkness of the basement portal?

Pax paces around the smoldering ruins of Edmund’s, speaking to an older man dressed in the garb of a druid.

My memory’s a bit fuzzy…not that it should come as a surprise, what with all of the blows to the head I take from Serafina...but I’ll tell you friend, the last two months have been even more chaotic than usual. Strange organizations, kidnappings, elemental rifts, a sister-band of mercenaries. Oh, and this lovely number. He gestures to the ash and wreckage of the Death Llamas’ former home base.

It all started 7 or 8 weeks back. This crazed lady with golden hair comes barging in after hours. A real zealot, you know what I mean? They get that look in their eyes. See, she asks us to help rescue her organization’s fellows from some sort of vile influence that’s poisoning their minds. We almost made it in unscathed. Stealth attempts and all that. When that didn’t work, we had the bard bluff us in. Then the wizard had to ruin it all by pulling out that deck. Guard captain we were bluffing keeled over dead, his soul sucked out. That went over real well.

The addled warlock stoops over and picks up a black iron feather from the wreckage.

To make a long story short, we fought a few dozen undead, I fell about 70 feet on to solid rock and hit my head, and we disrupted some ancient shielding magic. Oh, and the zealot lady decided to pen her name in the dead book. The rogue tried to lift some trinkets off of her corpse, but it wasn’t happening.

Then, as if things weren’t strange enough, Padraig stops sending the mead shipments to the bar. Obviously, we’re unhappy about the whole situation, so we stroll up to his manor to sort things out. Turns out he was going to send for us anyway. Some diplomatic trouble with the dwarven lords down in Ironfell. He sends us down there as “diplomatic emissaries.” Waylaid by bandits along the way, quickly dispatched. When we finally get to Ironfell, Lord Solcius tells us in no uncertain terms that Padraig’s gonna try to march on the city. Seems that Padraig thinks he could use us as a strike team so he and his army of old men and younglings could scoop up some more land.

Pax spits on the scorched earth in front of him.

Three years. THREE YEARS we’ve worked together and he turns and thinks he can just order us around? And it doesn’t make any sense! He’s got nothing in terms of forces. Bah! Anyway, we spend the night in Ironfell mulling this over, and decide to come back home to confront our “benefactor”. Waylaid by damnable winter worms, eaten, spat back up, and pecked at by griffons on the way back. Twisted Rune swoops in and says that he has stolen our Deva! But then Miraun meets us at our tavern! Fun times abound. Then, we finally make it through the gates of Winterfell and our bar is a ruin.

I think some blood’s going to be spilled tonight.

Tempting fate (and The Deck of Many Things), the Llamas decided to perform readings using cards from the aforementioned artifact. While small boons and minor blessings were obtained, our heroes succeeded in:

• Separating Serafina’s psyche from her body and imprisoning it in the body of an imp
• Trapping Cessi (sans equipment) in the prison of a fire giant overlord
• Earning the emnity of said fire giant overlord not once, but twice in the span of three readings
• Causing a volcanic gate to the Elemental Chaos to open next to Edmund’s

Needless to say, our remaining heroes (accompanied by Kordic evangelist Sven Yggdrasil, archery master Olivier, dragonborn sorceress Peaches, and skilled ranger Duchess) set off to rescue their friends in the fiery soup that is the Elemental Chaos. Battles with magma walls, teleporting archers, living statues, and enormous fire giants ensued. At one point, Kelebrindal (smoldering from a magma bath) managed to take out a small platoon of salamander archers in a flurry of kicks and punches.

Eventually, the remaining Llamas and their Radiant Alpaca allies managed to defeat the fire giant lord and rescue their friends. Narrowly escaping a collapsing pocket plane, our heroes returned to Edmund’s to plot their next move…

A cool autumn breeze blows through the town of Winterfell, sending the leaves scattered through the town in to the sky. The lamps set in each building’s windows cast their glow on the streets below. At Edmund’s, the town’s frontier-hardened population is abuzz with talk: The Llamas have returned! Recently returned from their expedition to the Underdark and the Shadowfell, our heroes are taking a well-deserved rest. Now in possession of the mighty chaos artifact The Deck of Many Things, the Llamas debate using its powers to increase their own.

Will the Death Llamas find fortune or ruin in their cards?

At last, the Llamas arrived at The Black Gate: the shadowy, necrotic entrance to Orcus’s summer home in the Shadowfell. Facing off against a death knight emissary, a cheap-shot rakshasa, and two giant mummies guarding the portal, the Llamas fought with the fury of a hundred enraged camelids. Battered, bruised, and drained of life, they pressed forward, eager to see Orcus pay for dragging them through a hellish desert.

The trials inside the Gate were not kind. Lilith Wowbagger bravely sacrificed a portion of her life force so that her friends might live. A guardian of Orcus’s self-described ‘shit list’ challenged the group to prove they were dead. Even Orcus himself tempted the Llamas with promises of power beyond their wildest imagining. And yet, through all of these trials, the guardians of the Nethir Vale never faltered. For their efforts, they were granted access to the Ziggurat’s inner sanctum, the abode of Zirithian.

The most epic battle of the Death Llamas’ adventuring career began. Bombarded with spells from a mighty lich, swarmed with vampire spawn, crushed by boneclaw ravagers, and cleaved by Zirithian’s might greatsword Nightbringer, the Llamas were tested at every turn. After what seemed like eons of battle, the exarch of Orcus was at last defeated. When Orcus appeared to claim the great sword, the Llamas struck his eye down and allowed the mysterious Keeper to assume control of the Deadhold.

For their efforts, the Llamas obtained two mighty artifacts: the Nightbringer, weapon of the Lord of Zombies and the chaos-inducing Deck of Many Things, a prized possession of the lich Lord Dust.

Having successfully navigated the perils of the Deadhold’s entrance bridge, the Llamas found themselves pitted against demons and undead of immense power as they journeyed to Orcus’s ziggurat. Their first opponent, Baaldaran the Flayer, was dispatched with few injuries thanks to Kelebrindal’s quick thinking – a well-placed arrow caused all of the demon’s zombie minions to chain-explode, significantly improving the battlefield’s conditions. Baaldaran, despite his mobility, barbed whip of souls, and heavily enchanted painblade, was no match for the Llamas’ crowd control. It also seemed that Bahamut was watching over the adventurers that day, as Lilith was blessed with a boon for her heroic efforts.

Wiping their blades on Baaldaran’s corpse, the Llamas continued on towards the Ziggurat until they came upon a hellish scene: a literal Plaza of Howling Skulls, complete with ancient undead servants, barred the way forward. Arath, an ancient ghoul spellcaster dedicated to Orcus, attempted to bargain with the Llamas for safe passage. However, our heroes would have nothing of it. An epic battle ensued, with Arath and his demonic flameskull familiar battling against the more dexterous Llamas on top of a 20 foot pillar. On the ground below, a nightmarish undead abomination known as a nightwalker fought against Erastes and Lilith, at once point managing to nearly slay the rogue with his death gaze. Despite their difficulties, the Llamas once again prevailed, dispatching Arath and his minions.

The way to the Ziggurat cleared, our heroes made their way towards The Black Gate…