The Danger Gang takes a detour to meet the last of the Narts and Zombres gets killed for his trouble

Zombres is eager to continue towards the Caspian, but Gershom suggests that they backtrack to Elberez since speaking to the last of the Narts is definitely not the sort of opportunity one gets every day. Karl wants to go to Switzerland for some reason, but as far as he's concerned, Elberez is just as good. Zombres relents, and soon the party is flying towards the mountain, which dominates the horizon.

They land just outside the mouth of a massive cave and begin investigating. A voice from behind them causes the party to whip around and they are confronted by a very large dude holding a very large tree, cudgel-style.

Apparently the fellow is Syrdon, last of the Narts and he does his best to guard the cave, as the Narts were sworn to do, except now that the Narts are gone, he doesn't really care, so whatever. The Danger Gang make a few careful inquiries about what became of the Narts and Syrdon proffesses nothing but love for them. Gershom quickly deduces this must mean the Sword of Kalivepoeg must have fallen to him at some point in the past... and it turns out, this is exactly what happened. When asked what's in the cave, Syrdon asks in turn what they are looking for.

Then he laughs at them for a goodly amount of time, because, after all, it's Prometheus who is in the cave. But you can't talk to him, because it is too dangerous. Leo avers that there is no sufficient danger which he will not confront. Syrdon draws a line in the dirt and warns him that if he crosses the line it will go very badly for him. Leo, made fearless from the prospect of finally getting his mitts on those boons, charges right across the line and has his legs replaced with his arms and his arms replaced with his legs. He feels quite the fool. Syrdon roars with laughter.

Leo wanders around with his head between his legs for a few rounds before Gershom, with a roll of a 20, is able to dispel the polymorph magic. Having had enough of this dude's tricks, the Danger Gang strides purposefully into the cave.

As their eyes adjust to the dim light, they see, lo and behold, a giant of a man chained to the wall of the cave, his face, eyes, nose and tongue a horrible bloody mass (his liver is in fine condition, however). That is the first thing they notice. The second thing they notice are the five chests stacked against some stalagmites. The third thing is a dozen megagriffins perched in recesses along the cave wall.

The battle is short and the giant griffins do massive damage. Zombres chooses poorly and casts Chaos in the hopes they will turn on each other, instead of mirror images such that he could potentially survive a round. The creatures tear his guts out, killing him instantly, and do nearly as badly to Leo and Gershom. Karl leads the retreat just as an avalanche begins to cover the opening of the cave mouth. The Danger Gang very narrowly escape being sealed in, hurtling pell-mell through falling rocks while trying to protect their injured party members.

Those who aren't dead or unconscious give a belly-laughing Syrdon the stink-eye on their way out. They find an outcropping nearby and set up camp.

Fortunately, eight hours pass without incident and Gershom is able to successfully raise Zombres from the dead (he rolls a 007 on his resurrection survival check, demonstrating the strength of their Bond). They spend another few cycles resting, trying to come up with a plan to deal with the juiced-up griffins and contemplate taking out that jerk Syrdon as well.