The party finally descends to the lower level of the fortress. Dorn and the party's feline companion scout out the rooms while Nighthawk keeps an eye on the party's rogue so he can't "borrow" any of the loot from the taxed village. Following the sound of birds chirping, BFC discovers a cell block with one cell holding an elderly man with seven yellow cannaries. The old man is unresponsive when freed but willing to follow the party. The party also discovers a dwarven burial chamber on this level of the fortress. Dorn unwilling to distrub the rest of the dwarves, tries to convince the others to let the dead be. But alas, Ozan is too curious and when he has a look around, one of the vault doors slams open and a humanoid batlike creature emerges and attacks the party, summoning duplicates to come to his aid.
After defeating the berbaling, the party discovers that beneath one of the cells lies a secret tunnel into the mines themselves. The party descend on a wooden lift. When they arrive below, they find the way is blocked by a portcullis. As they try to lift it, the party comes under attack of several troglodytes and are forced to retreat temporarily under the onslaught of magical traps. Upon their return, Dorn is able to lift the portcullis, and the party can take the fight to the troglodytes.
After defeating the troglodytes, the party enter a vast gallery domminated by a vein of strange red-glowing stone. When they try to inspect it, they are attacked by several monsters. After defeating them, the party searches the rest of the mines.
Finally they come upon a circular cavern showing signs of excavation. The way across is blocked by a wide crevice that pulses with a lurid red glow. Two red skinned demons attack the party while their queen, a snakelike creature with a humanoid face sits back atop a gruesome bier of dwarven skulls. The fight is hard but in the end, the party can defeat the creatures.
In the naga's belongings the party discovers notes that the wide crevice is a portal to the elemental chaos. The naga also seemed to have openend the mines in name of an unknown master. Since the party has no magical means of closing the portal, the party returns to the lower level of the fortress and collapse the shaft behind them, vowing to return to close the portal more permanently. Having stopped the evil that lurked with the mines, the party returns to Dunesend, returning the villagers their property, and then to back to Overlook.
