The group was teleported back to Hallow's Breeze where they were paid for ther efforts and recieved the warm news that the forces of the great city would be thrown against Wintersfoire when the time came. However, our heroes were just getting started; they had to decide where to go to get help next.
After some debate over Tennovar, Quenecias, The Empire, and the Pit, they decided to go to Tennovar first. They stayed in town for two days crafting items and gathering as much information as they could. As they were walking to the Cloister Chapterhouse, Harold stepped up behind them and hailed them. He explained that he'd overheard them discussing their plans and had some information for them regarding Tennovar and The Pit. The group (Aurum with some suspicion) accepted a map and a story about an old reliquary which held a great deal of information regarding the "modern" Pit. Begging off the chance to go with them, Harold said he had other matters to attend to and bid them farewell.
Dell was able to use his influence to get them a discounted rate for teleportation to the Cloister's chapterhouse in Tennovar. They appeared at the top of a large tower, over twenty feet wide at a height of two hundred feet. The palacial, tropical, oceanside city of Tennovar spread out all around them. Its white towers topped with golden minarets gleamed in the sunlight. The many-colored banners, flags, and the dense palm jungles waved in the gentle sea breeze. It was warm to our heroes who were coming from the dead of winter, but it was cold here by tropical standards.
The group had sent word ahead of their arrival via the Golden Elf they had rescued from the Whitescale Emissary several days earlier, so they made their way quickly to the political center of the city. Dell made sure to disguise himself as a human. It was a good idea since Dark Elves are absolutely not welcome in Tennovar. They dropped their pack animals and heavier gear off at a small, local inn. At first, the innkeeper was wary of them, that is until Urgrant dropped 10 platinum into his hands. A couple were unceremoniously turned out of their suite to accommodate the new guests.
After they were settled in, the group made their way for the imperial palace. They announced their presence to the guards and one went to get the Emperor's Domo. The mousy man was soon escorting them to the large front doors. Dell had the good sense to explain to the Domo, in advance, of his masked nature. When the Domo got a good look at him (likely seeing the truth of his appearance), the Domo's jaw dropped and he stuttered that Dell might be better off waiting at the inn.
After Dell had left, they entered the huge palace. Big windows were mostly closed, but the natural light and many potted plants made the place seem like a garden. The main room was draped with banners and translucent shear cloth walls of many colors. The Domo led them to a large, open area where the fat Golden Elf lay spread over a mountain of rugs and pillows. A female wearing an outfit which left little to the imagination lay on his belly as he sucked down grapes. The conversation which developed was nothing short of amazing. By the end of it, our heroes (minus Dell) were declared "Friends of the City" and given identifying coins to signify them as such. Also, the Emperor agreed to send an exploratory force to the muster area for the defenders of Dragonkeep when the time came and a full war party if the diplomatic mission of the exploratory force was successful.
After the meeting, they bought a more recent map of the city for Inga to compare to the old one Harold had given them. They also researched local laws and customs. They met up with Dell much later, secured the entrances to their suite, and slept.
The next day, they made their way to the area marked on their map and found a narrow cave leading down into darkness. Urgrant slid down into the hole using his immovable rods and found, there, a room with stonework walls. Also standing there was a huge, bronze door with a very detailed demonic face which had the appearance of sleeping.
Of course, he woke it up. The rest of the group clambered down the escarpment as Urgrant discussed their goals and aspirations with the door. The door insisted that its very existence was to block these aspirations unless they knew the password... the password being the "true" history of the Demonic Hordes' emancipation from The Dark. The group turned to Ingrid and she began to recite this history with a bit of a slant towards the Demons' personal rebellion against the long-dead god. The door was pleased with this rendition, though it instructed her to "leave the part out about the angels next time" and let them in the dungeon.
A dark hallway stretched out before them and the group made their way down it with Smeg carefully checking for traps along the way. They came to a small, octoganal room with four doors, a candled chandelier, and eight statues. At GREAT length, they figured out sometimes a door is just a door and broke into the north room (setting off a rather weak fire trap as they did so). There they found an old library filled with books on topics which interested them, including information about Demonic society. A single bust of a femal demon librarian stood near the center of the room. After more long examination (including Aurum's insistence that there were illusions in the room), they checked out the west door. Again, tripping a fire trap, they entered to find a larger-than-life-sized gold statue of an Imp lit by a magical spotlight. Thinking it odd, but unable to identify the creature, they made their way to the east room where they found an elegant, magical crown which Dell identified as a powerful artifact which could boost one's mental acuity. Fortunately, Urgrant had quaffed a concoction which gave him the ability to see secret doors before entering the area and found one.
The door led to a more narrow corridor which was collapsed halfway through it. They quietly and deliberately dug through the rubble with their adamantine spade to the other side. They noticed that the rubble was from a cave-in leading to another opening to the surface far up. Smeg hollered back to the group, then noticed a person dart past him a bit down the hallway. They moved through and found a well-stocked larder with various kegs of drink and tubers. When they'd investigated that, they went back out into the hallway to find they were being attacked by silent and quick assailants!
The battle which ensued moved from the hallway (which was choked with manmade barricades) to what looked like an old dining hall which had been converted to a large training ground. They fought and killed at least two dozen of these rogues, and were victorious. The group decided, after the battle, to raid the larder of the thieves and camp in the training room for the rest of the night.
This is where we called the session and have not decided on any sleeping or watch-posting arrangements.