As everyone but the three leaders takes their meal, Father Durrant makes an announcement about what was found during that day. When finished Mr. Louglynn, Father Durrant and Dame Cassandra take their meal and retreat behind a thick canvas wall.  The rest of the party can hear them talking, but their voices are too low to understand.

"So don't we go in tomorrow, Durry?" Dame Cassandra asks.

"Doesn't look like it, Cass," Father Durrant responds, "We've got to find the entrance and probe it before you can do your thing.  By the way, I found your squire quite helpful this day."

"He may earn his spurs yet," Mr. Louglynn says.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Dame Cassandra asks.

"Pretty much the same as today," Mr. Louglynn says, "except that we must go prepared to dig.  I figure we'll pick up where we did yesterday, with the thieves checking for traps -- that reminds me, Durry, you ought to have a talk with Bart."

"What happened, Lou?" Dm. Cassandra says.

"Same old that always happens with that hairfoot, Cass," Fr. Durrant responds, "mild insubordination and general annoyance."

Barton was sitting next to Geoff and Dawn as they ate.  When finished he offered them some fine halfling pipe weed and has been telling some off color jokes to which both seemed to be quite amused.  Across the fire, Erin was playing her lute, adding high crescendos to the punch lines.

"BARTON!" Father Durrant booms from the other room. The fortress gets silent.

At the call of his name, he sighs, and says "Well, I figured I had this coming.  You know guys," he says to his three companions, "Cassy, Durry, and Lowie are good folk, but I have never seen a more uptight group of tomb robbers in my entire life.  Gotta go, take care."

Bart goes to them, snaps to attention, and says: "Barton Brightpipe, burglar of the first class, reporting for duty, sir yes sir."

"Stop that and sit down," Fr. Durrant says.  After the halfling does, Dm.Cassandra pours him a drink, and Fr. Durrant says. "Bart, my friend, we've been through a lot together and no one holds more respect for your abilities than us.  And as much as it pains us to acknowledge that the cousin of Bill Blacklock travels with us, we are grateful for your presence.  Now, Bart, you know in private company (such as a moment like this) you may address us as informally as you like and speak your mind with out reserve.  But before
the lesser members of the party, you must maintain the proper decorum.  I say this because we have two traveling with us who are inherently untrustworthy.  We must keep a united front, lest they try to take advantage of any divisions that they see."

"Fine, Durry, I see your point.  But I'm board and ready to get in to the tomb. I'll try and contain myself.  By the way, I've watched the swampers and haven't seen anything out of the ordinary."

"Well, Bart," Dm. Cassandra says, "We'll handle your insubordination in this manner.  You get a warning this time, the next three times you will forfeit some of your treasure (5% at 1st, then 10% and then 20%) these will be cumulative.  If all that fails, then physical punishment will come into plat, meaning that I get to pound on you with an increasing degree of intensity.  Forfeitures of treasure will, of course, continue through this."

"You know it never goes that far, Cass," Bart says, getting up and walking away.

Barton returns sullenly.  But after a few puffs of his pipe and a drink he and Erin spin some embellished stories of their adventures.

After his meal, Lars volunteered to watch the door.  Mr. Louglynn does not close it until time to bed down.  Lars can hear the laughter and music from within. It is comforting as he watches the gloomy fog billow towards the tower.  The fog conceals the base of the hill and soon surrounds tower.  Lars has to rely on hearing in the thick fog so he steps to the right of the door a few paces to muffle the merriment from within. The light spills out into fog and seems to hang there and drift. Lars stares into the fog trying to keep his imagination in check.  He jumps when a shadow appears at the door.

Barton had excused himself to answer the call of nature.  The fog had already rolled in. He didn't think of Lars who had gone to guard the door after dinner.  On his first step out the door, he hears sharp breath then "Praise Boniface, you startled me Bart."

Bart looking around, can barely make Lars out five feet away.  The fog obscures everything. "I can see why. I'm going to make this quick."  Bart skirts the tower away from Lars to the corner. He thinks twice about venturing out into the fog to the appointed place, and relieves himself with the tower in site.  As the pressure pleasantly decreases, a whisper from behind stops him short.

"DEATH!" is groaned.  Bart whips around to see a horrid apparition hanging in the air: a decaying head.  "DEATH!" its lipless mouth moves.  The pressure gone, Bart turns and runs into the tower.  Lars barely sees the small figure dart back into the door.  Then he hears the little man babbling rapidly to the others.  Lars steps toward trying to understand what happened, then he too hears the whispers.  Looking into the fog he sees nothing. But faint whispers are heard. "Death. Death. Death." Almost instinctively, Lars brings the Symbol of Boniface to bear.

Father Durrant and Dame Cassandra come out the door and the whispers do not return.  The three of you wait there for several minutes, but nothing happens. Father Durrant says, "Hate to say this, but we are going to have to button up when this fog rolls in. Boniface's presence in us may keep this evil at bay.  Lars, please stay near the others as they prepare for rest." He ducks back into the tower and announces that the door will be shut to the evil fog and that all should take this opportunity to prepare for rest.  "The paladins will stay near to keep the evil at bay."

The rest of group, unnerved by Bart's fright, file out to relieve themselves.  Lars accompanies the men to the appointed spot ten paces from the corner of the tower while Dame Cassandra guards the door.  Then she, Erin, Sarg, and  Dawn do the same.  No one else experiences the apparitions.  When everyone is back inside, Father Durrant addresses the group. "Tomorrow, the same group will begin excavating the sand and gravel from the cliff.  First Sergeant Grinka will start at the west end and Barton at the east to check for traps and measure the thickness of the rubble.  Squire Lars, Sergeant Grinka, and Geoff will remove the material once Barton has cleared an area unless one of them finds something.  I, Mr. Louglynn, and Dawn will watch your backs.  Tonight, due to Barton's unfortunate experience, we are shut in early. Dame Cassandra and I will take first watch and study this strange fog from above. We will call on Leliath and Lee; Steven and Erin; Norm and Sergeant Grinka; and Geoff and Mugwort for two hour watches."

With that, Father Durrant and Dame Cassandra ascend the ladder to the battlement.  Brother Zodac climbs down a few moments later. Dame Cassandra says a prayer and studies the fog below.  A cloud of evil surrounds the tower.  It closes in while Father Durrant and Dame Cassandra watch. It does not penetrate the wall of the tower however.  From their position above, faint, unintelligible whispers can be heard.  Father Durrant brandishes his holy symbol and chants the Hymn of Turning.  Dame Cassandra watches the faint green glow of evil fog flow away from the tower below Father Durrant.  The natural fog remains. Dame Cassandra walks around the tower observing the fog.  Only around the chanting priest does the evil fog retreat; the evil mist continues to cling to the other tower walls.  Its evil extends to the limit of her power of detection.

Father Durrant stops.  Dame Cassandra watches the evil pour back to the wall. It does not breach the tower, nor does it climb higher than the natural fog bank.  The pair watch for two hours. The fog sends forth whispers and even hoarse voices at times, but other than being unnerving, nothing untoward happens.  Father Durrant fetches Lee and Leliath.  He explains the fog to them and he and Cassandra retire. The remaining watches are uneventful except for the disturbing whispering fog.

Under the canopy, the whispers are not heard. The party gets to sleep on their bedrolls.  Sarg rouses Mugwort for the last watch.  Geoff is already there.  Norm explains the strange undead fog and its whispering threats.  He climbs down and Geoff and Mugwort patrol the tower until the sky starts to lighten. The whispers fade as the sun arrives. Below under the tent, a few others can be heard waking.