The party ask sir William Parlfrey for more men to aid them in the exploration of the Shrieken Mire but he is unwilling to put more lives at risk. He also tries to discuss with Snarr regarding the ring of the dwarves that the Parlfrey family still own. Snarr claims to be only a messenger from the high priest of Durevar and to have no knowledge of the real powers of the artifacts nor of the reason why the high priest requires it. Sir William, unable to obtain more information, decides to put on the ring. Immediately an alien intelligence tries to contact his mind but then retreats back. Uneasily the noble manages to take off the ring but he now sees it as something precious and doesn’t want to part from it.
Whilst they’re still talking, a messenger from the outer palisade inform the duke that a monster is waiting outside and insists to speak with him. He is kept under shoot by the crossbowmen but hasn’t taken any offensive stance yet.
When sir William and the party reach the palisade, they see a satyr that claims to be Sigeric the druid, taken for dead a few days ago. The satyr warns them about the nystrians that have surrounded the camp. They’ll probably attack ad daybreak. The party decide to send Alfio and Sigeric to scout the enemy camp and take note of their numbers and position.
They both succeed in moving silently and then come back to the rebel’s base. Sir William is therefore able to position his men accordingly and they are not surprised when the battle breaks the following day.
The rebels are able to dispatch the enemies on the eastern side of the camp but the situation is much worse on the northern and western side. From the west a horde of nystrians, along with berserker warriors wearing demon’s masks is pushing hard on the defenders and William sends more crossbowmen to strengthen the defenses. But is the northern side where the clash of the two armies is more intense. The satyr fights bravely but his unit is almost destroyed and only the commanding authority of sir William is able to make them stand their enemies. Unfortunately more and more barbarians keep coming and all the efforts of Alan the mage to hit the enemies with his magic are unsuccessful as an enemy mage behind their lines keeps counterspelling. The magical battle lights the battlefield but the rebels are more and more likely to succumb.
Then suddenly silence falls on the battlefiled. Markhuz the avenger has climbed the palisade alone from the eastern side and raises both his swords to the sky. Will someone accept his challenge?