Local rumors about the ruins to the north are plentiful. Many report seeing strange figures wandering the ruins, an unnatural fog that clings to the area, while still others claim to have seen entire buildings materialize out of the fog, only to vanish again soon after. Most importantly, the buildings looked almost new, a stark contrast to the crumbling stones surrounding the area. Combined with the knowledge that Nataya's father was studying the ruins' ties to the ancient empire of Netheril, the party has little doubt the expedition may have accidentally stirred up some long-forgotten foul magic.

Upon arriving at the expedition's site, they find the remains of the camp in tatters, both from exposure to the weather, and from the attack. They investigate the ruins nearby, and determine nothing extraordinary about them; just a few old stone foundations, possibly from a large farmstead or small stronghold. In fact, they can find no evidence that the expedition ever set foot in the ruins; only that they camped near them. Clearly, this was not what Nataya's father was here to investigate. So, the question was, why set up camp here?

Performing some divinations, they detect faint traces of necromantic and demonic magics leftover from the attack on the camp. However, only the tents and equipment show any traces, while the ground and surrounding area is strangely lacking any such traces. Nataya notes preserved tracks in the dried mud, that have managed to survive the many weeks since the attack. She finds no signs of a struggle, only faint tracks entering and leaving the area, and surrounding the remains of the tents and tables. Based on Nataya's tracking instincts and Theranion's divinations, it becomes quite clear that this was not the orginal location of the expedtion's camp. This campsite was staged, presumably by the attackers, to throw off any investigations.

Nataya is furious, and begins combing the area to pick up the trails of those who staged the scene. The rest of the party can only follow, as she quickly and silently tracks down signs of the attacker's passing through the surrounding underbrush. Either due to the difficulty of finding traces to follow after so many weeks, or the attacker's own deliberate attempts to confuse any pursuit, the trail seems to wind almost aimlessly through the surrounding fields, and finally into a large wooded area to the northwest.

By late evening, the trail leads the party to the edge of a large clearing, which is completely cloaked in a fog. True to the townsfolks' stories, every so often, the party is able to catch a glimpse of one or more buidling silouettes beyond the fog, which then seem to vanish as they watch. Theranion is the first brave (or foolish?) one to step into the fog, only to emerge from it at the exact same spot about a minute later. He is clearly disoriented and puzzled at somehow getting turned around, and attempts to re-enter the fog, only to emerge once again at the same spot a minute later. The others each try as well, and they too, emerge at the same spot they entered. Each is certain they were walking in a straight path, yet somehow managed to get turned around while inside the fog.

Theranion is certain this is the place Nataya's father was investigating, and that this fog is the result of some form of powerful magic intended to keep tresspassers out. When he uses his divinations to determine it's nature, however, he is surpised by what he finds. While it does serve as a sort of barrier, and disorients those that enter, his divination reveals this is actually a side effect of it's true nature. All his divination could tell him about it is, the fog cloaks "a place in-between", and the only way through is to "follow where it leads you, but trust not your senses".

This gives him and Zendril an idea. They use a rope to tie everyone together in a line, as if preparing for a mountain climb, then have the entire party stuff their ears and cover their eyes, before stepping into the fog...