Set in

The party encounters Raltak, a skeletal dragon with glowing green eyes, matching Hrothulf's medallion. They explain their mission to awaken the gods, but Raltak dismisses them as cultists. He reveals he was created by Mazoe and Thiten (not Gliton) to wage war, viewing it as a prison rather than a privilege. His body appears spectral except for the skeleton, and his skull was being used as a forge. Raltak refuses to help awaken Gliton but agrees to meet them at Champion City's arena on Terran to help court Mazoe's favor. He threatens to eat any griffins they bring before flying away. Magura manifests, terrified of Raltak, and clings to Hrothulf's leg. The group discusses infiltrating a black castle in Cleveland, where Hrothulf's brother Slenn (who killed their siblings for power) rules. They consider recruiting the Freelanders for revolution, suspecting Slenn's alliance with Whidmore or the Vardum. Hrothulf shares a fable about a king's failed attempts to build an iron castle, ending in his fall into the planet. They debate whether to awaken Gliton first or deal with Slenn, noting the Vardum's search pattern across southwest Solidlands. Dorinda sends Serafina to message the Freelanders about overthrowing Slenn. The group flies in the ornithopter to find their previous cave entrance sealed by cooled lava. They consider contacting the Oceanic Ate through Lava's Quarrel and negotiating trade rights with Barlow for help infiltrating Cleveland.