oma, Sarena, Caysmall, and Marrith are charged with tracking Thymarall, the Wraith Lord. They learn from the Elven Prince that he has taken up residence in a land far to the east, in Geithmere Castle. The four set out and make their way east, travelling for many weeks on horseback. As the party progresses, they receive a sending from Kalia – a warning not to open the pocket dimension. Coming at the worst time however, the four find themselves navigating a precarious mountain pass, a winter blizzard bearing down upon them. Ooma suggests turning back to find an alternate route, or to, perhaps wait out the snowstorm. Marrith explains that the weather will not become more favorable until well into the spring months… he also explains that time is of the essence. Resigning the fact, Ooma agrees, and the four continue through the pass.

After hours of arduous travel, Ooma spots, in the distance, wisps of flame. Marrith and Ooma scout ahead, discovering a small hamlet nestled under the shelf formed by an outcropping of the peak of the mountain. Marrith takes on the shape of a dire wolf and makes his way toward the hamlet. He is stricken with arrows that rain from above. Ooma, seeing his plight, spots a group of archers on a ledge… the culprits. Marrith takes on his humanoid form once more, but the assault does not subside. Ooma uses her abundant step to appear behind the archers where she hails them, bidding them to stop. The only responses are panicked cries warning of wearewolves. They then accuse Ooma of being a witch and turn to assault her. The assault is short lived however as two of the men are suddenly yanked from the cliff face – disappearing up into the snowstorm. One of the men fires a flaming arrow into a well in the center of the hamlet below, activating a signal fire… causing the small settlement to become alive with movement. The men escape by way of cables they have rigged to the mountain face, leading down into the village. Ooma gives chase…

Having heard nothing from their scouts, Sarena and Caysmall move towards the flames in the distance to investigate.

Ooma, landing in the center of the town, turns to the man next to her, only to see him lose his footing and go flying up into the snowstorm. As she gazes around the village, the scene playing out before her, she sees that the villagers that have burst forth from their homes, pitchforks and table-ware in hand, are striking up into the air at nothing. Several of said villagers are whisked away into the angry grey skies. She turns her eyes to Marrith, who is still lying on the ground, arrows through his shoulder and leg.

Caysmall and Sarena arrive at Marrith’s writhing corpse. Caysmall tends Marrith’s wounds, and as they rise to their feet, they see Ooma within the hamlet, calling out to them, albeit inaudibly over the storm. They hasten to her side. As they reunite, Sarena yelps in pain as she is hefted from the ground by an invisible force. Marrith dives for her and manages to secure her ankle, but to no avail, as they are both lifted from the ground. Marrith, thinking quickly, takes the form of a dire ape, jerking Sarena away from her seemingly invisible assailant. For a brief instant, Marrith is met with a snarling, skeletal face. The four retreat, and make their way indoors, ignoring the shouts of a rather burly man, who brands them as cowards. After the battle is over, many of the townsfolk begin to return to their homes. The burly man and several of his cohorts approach the party. As he enters, he walks across the floor and behind a bar. It is then that the party realizes they had taken cover in the local tavern, the Inn of Homage. After a spectacle where the party is forced to prove that Marrith is, in fact, not a werewolf, the man introduces himself as Brock Stone, the proprietor of the inn of Shettletown.

Ooma explains that the four are from Nendal, and they have come in search of Geithmere Castle. Brock informs them that it is on the peak of the mountain, and that it is the source of the vampires – the creature Marrith had seen earlier, who have been attacking the village. He explains that the people of the village are descendants of the original masters of Geithmere… masters who fell when “Thymara” attacked. The party explains that they have come seeking one by the name of Thymarall, but Brock tells them he has heard of noone by that name. Caysmall assures him that the lich lord is, in fact, in the castle… and would have arrived sometime within the past year. Upon making this point, Brock mentions that the attacks, though they have occurred since times long past, have become more frequent and ferocious within the last six months. Ooma theorizes that Thymara and Thymarall are two seperate entities, and that Thymarall’s arrival, clandestine as it was, was the direct cause of the increase in the attacks. Sarena asks Brock why, if times are so hard, he and his people do not leave the shadow of Geithmere. He explains that the people of Shettletown are cursed, and cannot leave the valley. He illustrates this when he leads the party out into the valley whereupon he bursts into flames. Marrith theorizes that, upon slaying the lich lord, the people of the smal town will be free – their curse lifted. Knowing a bit about vampires, Caysmall suggests the party begin their excursion in the morning light. The party agrees, and Brock tells them that they will stay with the Grommelwin family, and points them in their direction.

After leaving the Inn of Homage, the party make their way across the lane to the local pawn shop, run by Burmaleu, a beautiful young woman who takes a liking to Marrith. Marrith, however, ignoring her call to bed, simply gathers information from the woman. She explains that the vampires have attacked for as long as she can remember, and she sees no end in sight. She also suggests that the four make haste to Grommelwin’s house, where they may rest for the coming day. Ooma inquires as to how the woman knew of their plan to siege the castle, and is informed that word travels quickly in a small village. Back out into the cold, the four make their way to a house on the far end of the village. They are greeted by a short man sporting a crooked leg and a short arm. He introduces himself as Micha Grommelwin, and lets the party inside. Sarena blurts out the obvious question about his appearance, and is informed that he was injured killing one of the vampires, who’s head is now mounted upon his wall. He explains that that particular vampire was responsible for his wife’s death. Shortly thereafter, he introduces his daughter, Sarabeth, and offers the group a place to rest for the night. After a bit of conversation, they learn that Sarabeth’s sister was taken in the raid earlier in the night. Ooma consoles Sarabeth, and the party accepts Grommelwin’s offer, and lay down for the night.

In the morning, the party make their way to the Inn of Homage, where they prepare a Heroe’s Feast for the townsfolk. Sarabeth arrives, and informs them that she will be escorting the party up the mountain and into Geithmere. After their meal, the five make the steep climb to the summit. After a few close calls, they arrive at the front of the castle, whos every portal was sealed by black stone. Caysmall, shaping the stone at the entrance, steps aside for Sarabeth, who enters with no hesitation. Attempting to detect undead, Caysmall is nearly rendered unconscious by the amount of evil she feels just beyond the wall in front of them. Sarabeth informs the party that the hallway they are in connects to the next chamber from both sides. She lights up several vials of oil, and hurls them down the right corridor. Upon doing so, tortured screams can be heard from beyond the wall. As the party makes haste down the left corridor, they are met with a horde of vampires, all huddled together in the now sundered darkness. Sarabeth charges forth, and a great battle ensues. In the end, the party is victorious, but Sarena lies unconscious, having fled from the battle and been chased down by the vile creatures. She is quickly brought around. As the party regroups, Ooma spies a figure, feminine, in the northern corridor… as she points the presence out to the others, Marrith makes for the southern wall, the only thing preventing the sunlight from the entrance from streaming through the structure. As he reaches it however, he is felled by the figure’s dark magic, her voice slithering across the stone to announce her contempt for the party’s meddling. She sarcastically bids them to wait until sundown to continue their assault. The four remaining party members recover Marrith’s body and flee from the castle to reasses their situation.

Perplexed as to how to return Marrith to life, the party decides to venture into the pocket dimension for Gregor’s assistance, despite Kalia’s warning. Entering, the find it empty… and all too soon, Sarabeth is wracked with convulsions as she contracts the plague. Having been unaware of the threat that lurked within the stone, Caysmall calls upon Thorin’s power to send a message to her past self, bidding the party not to open the pocket dimension, warning them about what lies in wait…

Perplexed as to how to return Marrith to life, the party decides to venture into the pocket dimension for Gregor’s assistance, despite Kalia’s warning. However, as Ooma draws out the stone, Casymall stops her, and explains that she has received a message from her future self, warning them not to use the stones. They decide, instead, to return to town and take their rest… and to try to find somone capable of resurrecting Marrith.