Intermission: the cemetery

Introduction

Upon returning to Winterhaven for supplies and resurrection, the adventurers found the town under siege. The dead have risen in the cemetery and have conducted brutal attacks on the outlying farms. Moreover, the populace was shaken by evil dreams and visions. Lord Padraig asked the adventurers to rid them of the undead menace.

Every self-respecting adventure has a cemetery scene

In the cemetery, the adventurers were beset upon by risen skeletons and undead hounds. They also recognized other characters. The masters of the undead were none other but the gnome that had escaped from the excavation and an elf archer they have met in the town tavern, who did not prove neither friendly nor helpful, to their frustration.

DM's note. I have the impression that the elf, Ninaran, was placed in the tavern just to annoy the players, as she was unfriendly - hostile even, if pressed - and offered no helpful information. Needless to say, all of my adventuring parties tried to talk to her, to no effect.

The battle soon devolved into a desperate melee. 

The rogue was taken over by the armor, as he jumped up and over skeletons in a mad rush to kill the elf. 

Splug was already a somewhat trusted member of the party, and he was armed with the paladin's old hammer. He can be seen in the bottom right, dueling with a skeleton.

The gnome kept back and shot at the adventurers, then fled again when things got rough.

After the battle, the wizard examined the magic circle and realized that it could be disabled to destroy the undead. Oh well, maybe next time.

Resolution

The party was hailed by the villagers for defeating the undead. After resupplying, they again descended into the ruined keep.