Chapter 30 - Thanatos (Demon Queen's Enclave - Part 5)

Before them stands a black gate, seemingly carved from the stuff of shadows. Light cast upon it is devoured by the inky blankness of the door. It has no details they can determine, no door handles, no features, nothing. The black stone around it seems to frame a large rectangle of pure darkness.

As they step through, pain shoots through them as infinite darkness surrounds them.
The void alternates between searing heat and deadening cold.
Lights flash, and your life force flutters and shifts within them, as if some monstrous entity seeks to tear it free.

As the energy saps each character’s life, a voice speaks within the mind of Zakonik:
“My master requires only the strongest souls. Make a sacrifice now, surrender your might so that your companions may live. I shall spare them, but your agony shall be doubled.”
Zakonik refuses to make this sacrifice, and a part of each hero life force is drained.

The darkness around them fades to gray. Ahead, they see a robed figure sitting atop a small pile of skulls. It holds a wand of bone in its left hand and a book in its right hand. The figure beckons them closer.

When they approach the figure, it speaks to them:
“All that lives dies. All that die come before Orcus, king of the dead. You are not dead. Yet. But you seek to enter his domain. I believe that you are lost souls, confused as to your true destination. Perhaps I must send you back from whence you came. Unless, of course, I am mistaken and you are indeed dead. Each of you must demonstrate to me that life no longer courses through your veins. Who shall be first?”

All the heroes manage to convince the creature that they are dead, except Daedrie, who is marked for punishment at a later stage.

Suddenly, they stand before a monstrous being sitting upon a throne of bones. This creature has a pig-like face, red skin, and massive wings. It can only be Orcus, demon prince of the undead. The creature carries a jeweled rod in one hand. It points it at them as a voice echoes in their mind.

Orcus speaks to each character via telepathy. He says:

“You and your allies are pathetic. You cling to the light of good out of weakness, only because the path of chaos holds fear and uncertainty. You, above the others here, are strong and resolute. Slay the drow Zirithian in my name and I shall grant you the power of an exarch.”

The party stands united and defiant, refusing to bow to Orcus, and he shrieks in wrath, angered at the characters’ defiance. Yet, the heroes detects a hint of fear in his cry, as the demon lord sees that his new exarch may face his doom.

The adventurers appear within the ziggurat. they stand in a 10-foot-wide hallway. Ahead of them, the hall opens upon a large room dominated by the statue of a dragon.

The heroes face many undead minions, until Lord Dust, Lich servant of Orcus, and Zirithian himself appear to join the fray. The Lich smothers Waylander's life force, as Zirithian feeds on the last drop of blood of Ruby. Daedrie and Zakonik manage to stay alive and destroy Zirithian. At this point, Lord dust allows them to depart, never to come back again.

As the party defeats Zirithian and take possession of Nightbringer, Orcus manifests two forms that appear over opposite gems in the central chamber. A huge eye over one, and a grasping clawed hand over the other. Orcus’s voice rings out, “Give me the sword,” as does the Keeper’s voice, “Plunge the sword into the eye!” Daedrie plunges the sword into Orcus' eye allowing the Keeper to take control of Deadhold.

After this act, the whole party is transported back to Zakonik's caves near Moonstairs.