Chapter 8 - The Horned Hold (Thunderspire Labyrinth - Part 4)

Our heroes enter the Labyrinth once again, and make their way to the Horned Hold. In the tunnels, they have a chance meeting with a dwarf accompained by four human bersekers, claiming to be a Dwarven King.

A combat ensues, and, to protect the wannabe Dwarven King, Tootak kills Thyghor. The group seizes Tootak, and make their way back to the Seven Pillared Hall.

Thanks to the help of a local priestess of the Light, Phaledra, Thyghor is brought back to life. Tootak decides to leave and join the Deepgem clan, while Torch, horrified by the events, decide to live a life of peace and meditation at the local shrine of the Light.

Luckily, two members of the Free Company have arrived at the Seven Pillared Hall, Galen and Fermin. They bring news of the above lands, where Winterhaven is under attack from Undead hordes. The two are here to help out the heroes to complete their tasks, and get back to the surface.

Their number once again bolstered, the group reaches the Horned Hold, and have a few encounters with Orcs and Duergar patrolling the Hold. After defeating several champions, they fall victims of an ambush on one of the bridges connecting the several towers of the hold. Galen, Neri, and Thyghor perish, leaving only Dizantar and Ferim, togheter with three rescued slaves, to make their way back to the Seven Pillared Hall to once again recover from the hard encounter.

Once again at full strength, the group hires Tarrlen Darkseeker, a local guide, to bring them faster to the Horned Hold. With his help, they manage to avoid chance encounters, and reach the Hold.

Once inside, they have a final confrontation with Framarth, a Duergar Theurge, lieutenant of Murkelmor, Champion of the Duergar.

During the fight with Murkelmor, the heroes are attacked from behind by a Orc team led by a huge Ogre. The groups manages to escape, taking with them also the rest of the prisoners. Unfortunately, in order to secure the other's escape, Galen and Thygor are left behind and captured by Murkelmor.

The survivors take refuge in the Seven-pillared Hall, where the rescued slaves are given food and lodging, while Dizantar, Neri and Fermin go back to the Horned Hold, once again accompained by Tarrlen Darkseeker, a local guide.

After a final showdown with Murkelmor and his gang, the heroes rescue Thyghor and Galen, and discover that the Grimmerzhul clan was allied withthe Blackfang gnoll tribe. Apparently, the gnolls now reside in a place called "the Well of Demons", and ancient site dedicate to Baphomet, the Demon Lord of Minotaurs.