The fellowship stood in the entry chamber debating. They were faced with a dilemma regarding a pair of key ports in the floor of the shattered gate chamber. The basic questions... should they open the gate and, more importantly, where does it lead? The dwarves, Hilda and Draupnir, apparently hold the axes that are meant to open the gate. This is according to a prophesy the source of which still remains unknown. The wererats of Sumberton spoke of it as Jalis overheard during his capture. So did the late dark elf priestess, Lanthurrae. So does a hallway drawing and the sinister words of the green halberdier in the demon spider chamber.
They decided to return one last time to the gate chamber before leaving the now-conquered second sliver of Slaughtergarde. They hoped to glean some details they might have missed during their first cursory examination of the key ports. Indeed did they determine a few new facts. They determined that the gate is actually a mechanism. It would seem that the dwarves, Hilda and Draupnir, are meant to insert the hafts of their axes into each key port and push them toward the diamond etched in stone between the ports like levers. The axes appear to cross and open the gate. They also determined that, though each key port is encircled by a strange language, the construction is first, not original to Slaughtergarde (i.e. not demon made), and second, is of dwarven construction. How strange…. With the deepening of this mystery the fellowship seemed no nearer a decision. They decided it would be best to leave Slaughtergarde for the Shining Citadel to get some advice.
Returning to the entry chamber they decided to take their half-dark elven prisoner with them, as living proof that things were awry in Surrinak lands. The fell ...