The undead wear a varied array of armor and clothing, and many of them are humanoid creatures you have never seen before. Here and there, a giant-sized zombie shuffles among the horde.
A single bridge extends across the gorge to the main gate. The bridge is crafted from pearly white bones fused together. At the far end of the bridge stands a pair of skeletal creatures with overly long arms. Several gaunt undead cluster around the skeletal beasts. They toss something back and forth among them. It’s the severed head of a drow.
Thanks to Ruby draconic magic, the heroes are able to avoid the bridge, and fly on the small island. Unfortunately they're spotted by a Nightwalker, an undead abomination that puts their mettle to the test.
They see a broad, open plaza dotted with wooden posts. From these posts hang shriveled heads with eyes that turn to follow them, glaring with the hatred of the living dead. In the middle of the plaza stands a squat, stone structure. Four statues of Orcus adorn each corner of the structure, looking outward from its center. Atop the structure, a humanoid figure clad in plate armor lifts a staff above its head. A voice booms out. “Who comes to the Plaza of Howling Skulls, and what offerings do they bring before Orcus, Lord of the Undead?”The voice belongs to Arath Nightcaller, a priest of Orcus. Not willing to risk sealing more deals with Fiendish creatures, the Heroes destroy Arath after he reveals that Zirithian hides in the ziggurat in the middle of the plateau. The heroes proceed to the gates, reaching a square.
Several wooden platforms fill the otherwise open square, each about 10 feet high. Metal cages hang from each platform’s edge. Inside these cages, humanoid corpses can be seen. Some are crumbled on the floor of the cages, while others are posed in standing positions. Atop the nearest platform stands an ogrelike creature with bat wings. It grasps a sword and a whip, one in each hand.The creature is Baaldran the Flayer, servant of Zirithian. He is eager to have more victims, and promptly attacks the heroes. His poisonous breath takes the lives of Zakonik and Daedrie, moments before Ruby and Druss manage to destroy him and his undead minions.
Ruby and Druss decide to rest, so that Ruby has the chance to study Daedrie's rituals, and bring Zakonik and the shaman back to life. When the changeling awakes, she finds that Druss has disappeared. With no time to ponder on this event, she begins the lenghty rituals to bring back her companions from the dead, but even when she succeeds, she can feel a monstrous presence trying to steal and devour their souls. At this point, a cloaked figure appears. He declares to have been sent by the Raven Queen herself to help the party, and introduces himself as Waylander. Even though the party notices this new arrival is a Revenant, some sort of living undead, they decide to see his coming as an omen sent by the Raven Queen, and accept his help.
They can now enter the compound which holds the Black Gate. As they approach this walled area before the tall, black ziggurat, the sky darkens as twilight suddenly falls across this forsaken land. A gate in the 20-foot-tall rock wall opens to a courtyard. The courtyard features one intact outbuilding and a second, tumbled ruined, that appears similar to the one that still stands. A statue of Orcus stands at one end of the courtyard, facing a pair of black, double doors that lead into the ziggurat. Two rows of pillars bound the path leading to the doors, while a pool of dark water spread out from the ruins of the second outer building. The intact building has a set of closed doors on its western face. Flanking the doors are narrow, dark arrow slits. A pair of giant mummies, their wrappings dragging behind them in the sand, guard the intact outbuilding. They stand tense, ready to attack.
From the building, a Death Knight and a Rakshasa noble come out to join the fight. After defeating them, our heroes can finally enter into the Ziggurat.
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