Back at the church of Mei, 😎Bori, Toot Toot, Laurien, and 🐰Faefina head off to lick their wounds. 🧌Gronk and 🧔♂️Harald run into Valthor, who is on the hunt for the Lich.
They decide to team up and find Marjorie, to Lydia's deep appreciation.
The group decides to head back to the prison to rescue Marjorie.
Upon entering into prison depths, the air feels clammy and cold, as though the light of the gods has been extinguished. The place feels eerily silent, and the party feels watched.
The prisoners all seem to have vacant stares, and can best be described as absent. As the party ventures further, the cells seem to contain fewer prisoners, and more bones. 'Why would they bring Marjorie here?' asks Harald. From the gloom comes a voice 'It is so that I can keep her under my thrall, and her soul will be mine.' A bejeweled floating skeletal head appears in front of them.
Valthor realises that this is not a lich, but a demi-lich. Gronk walks up to the skull, greeting it and casting Friendship as he pats it on the top of the skull. The skull asks where the princess is, and Harald says that she is being kept safe. The skull does not trust him, and it's eyes start to glow. Harald launches into an attack.
Harald swings three times with the halberd, hitting three times andf dealing 84 dmg. A crack appears on the side of the skull, and it roars out: *How Dare You!*
A wave of force emanates from the skull as it howls, dealing 23dmg to Gronk, and 46dmg to everyone else, and frightening all three of them.
Valthor remains frightened, and flips a table to hide behind.
Gronk, also frightened, casts Wall Of Fire between the party and the skull.
Harald, still frightened, dives into a pile of bones for cover.
The skull attacks the party through the wall of fire, missing Gronk, Harald, and Valthor.
Valthor fires twice through the wall of fire, hitting once for 7dmg.
Gronk casts Shatter at the skull's last known location, dealing 18dmg. There is a cracking sound of gem splitting.
Harald dives through the wall of flames, and swings twice at the skull, hitting both times and pushing it through the flames, dealing 62dmg and passing an extra 25dmg from the flames.
The skull screams again, and Harald feels his max health decrease by 14, though Gronk and Valthor resist.
It turns on Gronk and attacks, dealing 48dmg. Gronk manages to hold on only through Relentless Endurance, and Valthor takes 24dmg.
Valthor attacks, hitting and dealing 6dmg and shattering one of the eye gems.
The skull whirls around all three, blinding Harald and Gronk.
Gronk tries perceiving where the skull is, and casts Magic Missile anyway after it fails.
By sheer luck he makes the shot, and the missiles drive into the skull, shattering it.
As the party lick their wounds, Valthor sends his hawk to find the best path forward.
As the party creeps through deeper into the prison, they hear a whimpering voice, and find in one of the cells a well dressed young woman with long red hair.
She introduces herself as the Lady Marjorie, and asks after the Princess. Harald kicks the cell door open, impressing the spirit of Rexalon in his armour.
Marjorie asks them to take her to the Princess Lydia, after confirming that the princess is at the Church of Mei.
On the way back to the church, the party sees messengers making announcements at street corners - the Lady Hillaria has been killed in The New World, and boasting of the work of the 🎖Genial General, who has now been called back to serve the king.
Back at the church, Lydia and Marjorie are reunited, and Gronk and Harald see a familiar half elven woman - Kineeta. They introduce her to Valthor, and he tells her that he is after the newly crowned prime minister, Guliere. who is a criminal in neighbouring countries, and he intends to collect on the bounty.
Kineeta advises them to rest first, and they can then go through their options.
Gronk and Harald both get a ring of Spell Turning, and Gronk gets a Robe of Stars. Valthor gets a Ring of Regeneration.
Later in the evening, the party become aware of the fact that everyone is ignoring a large floating brain that's been floating around. Having tea with Kineeta, she says that she was captured by the Arcanum, who wanted the Fate Compass. It is, apparently safe in the hands of 🐲Judaxasis. She also expresses surprise that the druids are now at war with the Arcanum.
The world stands on a knife edge, she says. It is likely that the party will need to go up against the king, and find out what is happening with Mu-Wren. It seems the long term plan was to put Lady Hillaria on the throne, but with her dead, plans have changed. Gronk manages to deflect Kineeta's suspicion about the death of Lady Hillaria, and Harald suggests that the Genial General could make a coup happen easily enough once back.
At that point, three priests of Mu-Wren and greet them with warm insincerity. They ask after one of the King's royal guests, but Harald refuses. They deny Harald's accusations of working with a demi-lich, and moonlight illuminates them as if to emphasise their lies.
Valthor, infers that Mu and Wren have merged, but that the issue of international intrigue falls under the Goddess Efu. They should also not be able to wield any power in this church of Mei. On closer inspection, he notices rings on their fingers that seem to radiate protection for them in this place.
Valthor challenges the priests, telling them to remove their jewellery and repeat their claims inside the church. Two of the priests start taking off their rings, and the head priest sighs, claps his hands, and says they'll need to do it the hard way. Gargoyles fly down, and a Death Knight strides into the church.
Gronk casts Wall of Fire around the priest and Death Knight, dealing 23dmg to each of them.
The Knight points at Gronk and commands 'Cease'. Gronk, slack-jawed, lets the Wall of Fire fade.
The priest strides up to Gronk, attacking and hitting him for 12dmg. Harald swings at him as he runs towards Gronk, but misses.
Valthor dashes up to higher ground, granting a better view of the battlefield.
Harald attacks the priest three times, hitting twice and failing to push him but dealing 45dmg, stabbing him through in the process. The priest slumps to the ground, and Harald steps between Gronk and the Knight.
Gronk casts Chain Lightning, hitting the Knight for 61dmg.
The Knight holds up his hand, creating a ball of fire that lands between Gronk and Harald, dealing 70dmg to both of them.
Gronk's relentless endurance saves him again, barely hanging on.
Valthor shoots at the Death Knight, dealing 21dmg.
Harald hits the Death Knight, breaking the Death Knight's parry and dealing 32dmg as he trips him.
The Knight struggles to his feet, leaving an opening for Harald to strike again for 20dmg. The Knight strikes Harald three times, striking him for 87dmg and downing him. A priest steps in to start healing him.
Gronk casts Wall of Fire on the Knight, dealing 15dmg.
The Knight looks at Gronk and shouts 'Leave!' Gronk slowly starts walking away, keeping the Wall of Fire running.
Valthor fires at the Knight, hitting him for 10dmg.
Harald staggers to his feet, up to 13hp. He swings at the Knight in a flurry of blows, hitting three times and dealing 81dmg.
The Dark Knight tries to summon a horse to escape, but collapses upon trying to pass through the Wall of Fire. Lying motionless accross the flames, a cooking sound emerges from the armour.
Harald starts interrogating the priests, while the Priestesses of Mei clean up the aftermath of the battle. One of them says that Mu-Wren is growing bold. She says that the party should visit the Church of Efu, as they may be able to help.
Party gets 11500XP ea.