The atmosphere was one of heavy silence and “solemn survival” as they trekked through a landscape perpetually choked by “Green Ash” and unnatural cold.

The party arrived at the gates of Fort Bennet, a military and refugee holdout straining under the weight of the winter. They found the garrison in a state of desperation, facing severe supply shortages and fearing the supernatural threats roaming the Northern Badlands. Upon entry, Elder Jedidiah Smith and U.S. Marshal Raylan Marston sought out the fort's leadership and local Lakota elders to share the “Badlands Intelligence” they had gathered during their journey from the deserted settlement.

During a council with the elders, the party received a harrowing report: the “Army of Custer” had returned from the dead. This spectral force had been roaming the land for approximately six weeks, leaving a trail of “smoldering ruin” identical to the cavalry sightings reported by Lt. Colonel Forsyth back in Bismarck.

The elders provided two critical pieces of information:

• The roaming undead were linked to an emergent “evil around the Oglala Nation”.
• Sightings suggested dark forces were converging on the town of Deadwood, drawing closer to the heart of the Black Hills.

Recognizing that their mastery of their new arcane powers was tied to confronting this darkening legend, the party resolved to depart Fort Bennet and proceed directly to Deadwood to investigate. Chow Yun-Phat utilized his magic to stabilize the party's remaining supplies, while Doc Holliday attended to the lingering wounds sustained during their previous Hanbleceya trials and the battle with Anúŋg Ité.

The session concluded with the party preparing for a forced march toward Deadwood, knowing they were now going deep into the heart of the evil plaguing the land.