Ordinant,

Attached is the copy of the report concerning the death of Ordinant Lathae, that you requested.

Seeker Files Excerpt:

Ordinant Laramie Lathae of the Society of the Ordered Mind received orders from Ordinants Kingsley and Waters to attempt a rescue of Ordinant Callat. Callat fell during a mission sponsored by the Order of the Spellguard to destroy an Alhoon within the Sand Caverns region. Kingsley obtained information that Callat's corpse was sold to an Illithid Necromancer, and she provided a map for Lathae to use to locate the Illithid Necromancer's lair.

Lathae assembled a force consisting of an orcblood warrior named Vruuk, Spellguard Field Officer Ferrington, the druid Aneb, the druidess Xietta, and myself. Other adventurers and citizens were unwilling in the extreme to assist in this endeavor. After a lengthy journey, we arrived at the upper caves that led into the Sand Caverns. A shadowy, black-garbed creature approached us, seeming to believe that we were emissaries from Sanctuary. Ferrington and Xietta turned their coins over to him, and Lathae followed a trail of corpses left by a psychic manifestation. After a brief travel through the Sand Caverns region, we encountered a large number of corpses, which soon animated and assaulted us. After their defeat, we move forward to engage a trio of enthralled human guardians. They were soon slain, and Lathae descended into the pit they guarded, with the remainder of the force following.

Upon descent, we were ambushed by six Umber Hulks. During this battle, another revealed himself-the mage Garret, assuming the form of a troll to assist in combat. The Umber Hulks' defeat led to the appearance of a projection of the Illithid Necromancer. It taunted our force, and offered a challenge-if Lathae's force proceeded through its lair and defeated the foes that awaited us, it would return Callat's body. We continued onward, facing a number of threats, all enthralled or undead-Deep Gnomes, Sanctuary Watchmen, Hook Horrors, Bone Walkers, Psionic Hounds, and Psychic Manifestations.

At the conclusion of our battles, the Illithid Necromancer appeared again. Behind him were three portals. He explained that two led to dream realms filled with rewards, including Callat's body. The third led to Ysinode. He then left us to choose between the three portals, sending mental tauntings into four of our minds. Lathae chose the third portal, and the entire force consented to follow him.

This portal was the wrong choice. We appeared within Ysinode, where a score of enthralled minotaurs, Umber Hulks, and Illithid lay in ambush. Lathae, Ferrington, Aneb, Xietta, and Vruuk were slain swiftly. I managed to escape through the score of creatures, eventually locating a portal that led back to the Sand Caverns. After travel through it, I was forced to flee past another large group of Illithid, Umber Hulks, and Minotaurs.

Near the rough steps that led out of the Sand Cavern, I encountered Garret, who also claimed to have escaped from the ambush that awaited us at Ysinode. The Illithid Necromancer's voice, then appeared in my head a final time, stating that we amused it. Callat then appeared before us, alive. After a lengthy dialogue, we departed to return to Sanctuary. The Society of the Ordered Mind was informed of the disastrous result of the mission.