The party began their journey through the treacherous Kataca forest, having decided against detouring for personal quests despite being offered the location of a companion. They crossed the Hell Bridge from Infil village and entered the dangerous 800-mile path leading to Nine Hells Lands. The thick forest was alive with bird songs and animal sounds, while mysterious dancing lights flickered deep in the shadows. For three days, they traveled without major incident, with [[Cub]]'s survival skills guiding them safely through the pathless wilderness. Each night they made camp using [[Cub]]'s magical tent, which provided enhanced stealth and perception. During their rest, they observed strange prismatic lights moving through the forest depths, accompanied by distant howling and the scurrying of unseen creatures in the underbrush. On the third night, [[Cub]] decided to investigate the mysterious lights alone. He cast invisibility upon himself and ventured deep into the forest, leaving [[Tarnik]] to unsummon his celestial companion Shiv to avoid drawing attention with its bright light. After traveling about a hundred yards through the thick undergrowth for ten minutes, [[Cub]] discovered the lights were will-o-wisps - neutral spirits that posed no immediate threat. He spoke kindly to them before they vanished into shadow, just as wolf howls echoed from the southern forest. The peaceful investigation was shattered when [[Bordak]]'s magical battle axe began humming with warning vibrations. Werewolves had surrounded their camp, launching a coordinated attack under the moonlight. [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] teleported into combat while Little Wolf spotted the creatures attempting to encircle them. The battle was fierce, with the party fighting desperately against the lycanthropes. During the combat, both Little Wolf and [[Bordak]] suffered werewolf bites, cursing them with lycanthropy. The party managed to defeat most of the pack, with one werewolf fleeing into the forest darkness. They captured one werewolf alive, knocking it unconscious for potential interrogation. After the battle ended, the defeated werewolves transformed back into wild-looking, feral humans. The aftermath revealed a troubling situation when [[Cub]] disclosed he was actually a druid, not the cleric [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] had believed him to be. This meant he lacked the divine magic needed to remove curses. The party learned they had only thirty days until the next full moon, when the lycanthropy curse would fully manifest. [[Cub]] gathered wolfsbane from the forest and worked through the night to create a bitter concoction using the herb and werewolf blood. Little Wolf and [[Bordak]] drank the remedy, hoping it would cure or at least delay their transformation. The captured werewolf, whom Little Wolf nicknamed "Spike," remained completely feral and unable to communicate despite being in human form. The party decided to keep him alive, treating him like a dangerous pet while hoping he might eventually regain enough sanity to provide information about potential cures. As they continued their journey the next day, an extraordinary event occurred. A circular rift tore open in the sky three hundred feet above them, revealing a snowy landscape on the other side. Thunder and lightning erupted from the portal as powerful winds began pulling at everything below. Despite their efforts to resist, half the party - [[Bordak]], [[Grumthar]], Little Wolf, [[Cub]], and [[Grom]] - were sucked into the dimensional gateway. The journey through the rift was disorienting and terrifying. Each party member experienced visions of their past lives playing in reverse, seeing painful memories and significant moments from their histories. A mysterious voice spoke telepathically to them, declaring they had been chosen and warning they had little time to return to their world. The passage left them nauseous and unconscious as they were torn through space and time. They awakened in a harsh, snowy dimension, completely naked and stripped of all their weapons and equipment. The bitter cold bit at their skin as snow flakes fell around them. Before them stood a blonde-haired elf ranger, her bow drawn as she fought against a massive purple worm that roared and thrashed in the distance. Behind the creature, another rift shimmered - possibly their way home. The elf called out urgent commands to her companions Luna and Faline while warning the newly arrived party to quickly get to their feet. The monstrous worm threatened to devour them all, and their survival now depended on joining this desperate battle in an alien realm.