After seven grueling and frost-bitten days, the troupe crests the last rise and reaches the upper city of Beryl.
The city is in ruins, with flocks of strange black birds circling and soaring aimlessly in the thin air. Aside from the birds, there is nothing alive here. The troupe moves among the buildings of the upper city, cautiosly scouting the ruins for any survivors. They reach the upper end of the ore elevator and discover some of the townsfolk, dead and hung from the neck from the rafters.
The soldiers set up camp in a relatively intact building while the rangers scout the surroundings. It is decided that they will enter the lower city after a night’s rest and respite from the elements.
November 18, 7761
It is decided that the rangers will accompany Naisha, Mar’Khabazza, Ravenna and Magnus into the lower city to see if details of the massacre of the city reveal themselves. They decide to head to familiar territory, seeking out the Merchant’s Guild and the home of the Chief Logistics Officer Mordant Grimsby.
The Merchant’s Guild is in shambles with more corpses hanging from the rafters, but cashboxes are untouched and with silver pennies scattered carelessly across the floor. Mar’Khabazza locates the Guild vault and has a try at the lock but it thwarts any attempt to open it.
The group moves on to Mordant Grimsby’s house and searches the residence. There is no sign of Grimsby, but after a continued search they discover a bolthole at the back of his storeroom. Within the secret chamber is a Chati woman named Kehopu who is the caretaker for Grimsby’s daughter, Gredi. Gredi is an eight year old northerner with wide blue eyes who clings to the skirts of Kehopu.
The troupe decides to leave Lokni and Kima to escort these two back to the upper city while Explorer Jaren, Mar’Khabazza, Ravenna and Magnus continue onwards. They locate one of the massive ventilation shafts that dot the cityscape and use one to access a maintenance elevator that leads into the depths.
As the group enters the ventilation ducts Jaren points out that there is a steady current of air flowing into the mines. With the slaughter on the surface, he is surprised that the air circulation equipment would still be operational. With no other leads, the group decides to follow the direction of the air deeper into the mines.