The next morning, the party makes preparations to have Kirin Drakos fight the warrior spirit. The Shadow, using the lasst of his invisibility ring, hides in the crows nest. He and V2Z4 sense a foul magical presence beneath the ship, and V2Z4 recognizes it as Abyssal magic.
V2Z4 and Silvertooth Dreadwind take to the town to find information about possible under water caverns. The talk with the Northern Walkers, who direct them to the embassy of the Loresingers. The embassy is one elder man, who tells them of a prophecy that says that an evil will rise from beneath the island, and the only way for the island to be saved is if they follow the drow that will arrive, who must give all of themselves for victory. He also tells them of an ancient story that claims there is an underwater cave off the shore.
They inquire about caverns beneath the island, and him gives them a map with five known underground caverns. They take the map back to the party, and they decide to check out the closest one, which is close to the ruins of the spirit warrior. The Shadow reveals himself, and introduces himself as Anton Esio, a gatherer of secrets. He joins them and they head to the cavern.
They find a patch of wood some distance out of town. As they trek through it, they spot a frost lycan, lizardman, and a hobgoblin chatting in a clearing. Anton sneaks up and learns that they have the mark of a black skull, and that they speak of a ritual. He returns to the party, who tell him that the black skull means they are from Icurnas. Suddenly, they spot him. He fires his bow at them, and battle begins.
The enemy is joined by three more lycans, but after a quick battle, none but the one they called "pack Lord" remained alive of the Icurnas. Kirin tries in vain to torture him, and Anton uses more subtle means to get information. He learns they plan to attack the island with a considerable force, and that the Pack Lord was tasked with seizing an entire city. Anton dispatches him.
V2Z4, Silvertooth, and Elenya Lindale follow the direction the the reinforcements came from, and find the ruins. They go to fetch Kirin, and find that he has stung up the Pack Lord and blindfolded himself, and is swinging at it like a pinata. They get the group over to the ruin.
Kirin steps into the circle of the ruined stones, and meets the challenge of the spirit warrior. The spirit warrior appears as a twenty foot tall man with a massive sword. They clash blades. Kirin begins to falter, but eventually overpowers the spirit and, with the flame power in his sword given to him by the Avatar of the Fire Demi-god, defeats the spirit in a few swings. The spirit then places the mark upon him, burning the left side of his face and making his eye glow blue.
As they head back to gain the loyalty of the Southpaw, Kirin tells them that his left eye is incredibly sensitive to the color blue. Sibyll Demier devises a patch of orange glass that would diffuse the blues.
When they arrive and present Kirin to the chief of Southpaw, he swears to fight alongside them against the Icurnas. He then tells them that the yeti have organized an army, and plan to us the ice bridge to attack the island of the Benlag. Their leader, Benlag himself, has called for all lodges to march and meet them. They tell him they believe it is a ruse, and that the Icurnas are planning to attack, and soon.
He agrees to take the Southpaw to the cavern and check things out while the party goes to the city that Benlag is gathering everyone. They bear his seal and go to represent him, hoping to convince him that the Icurnas are the real threat.
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