The First Chapter, Session Three: Defeat and Discovery

General Summary

The fight was long. The party was not only outnumbered but the enemy had the home field advantage. Halfway through the fight, Curass exclaimed he had figured out something, and this changed the fight at once. No longer was the target the party, it was now the librarian. But this did not deter the group, and the ended with one enemy dead, six restrained, and Errato unconscious yet again. Something was learned during the fight about the vagrant. In the heat of an intense battle, shadows envelop her and her eyes glow with an evil energy. This did not shock the party, to the surprise of Kalistra.   The prisoners were put outside of Curass’ office, and Errato was carried into the room. Kalistra revived him with a bit of magic and he jumped to consciousness. Curass then informed the group that Kalistra had been infected by Dendarian Ichor. Shocked, the scholar made his way over to the tome on the librarian’s desk and began to read. After finishing, he demanded that the vagrant reveal the arm that the ichor had entered. She rolled back her sleeve, and the skin on her forearm had turned black, with spiderweb-like tendrils snaking out into her arm. The infection’s current progress was marked with a boarder of ink, and the party stopped to take in the news.   After discussing what to do from here, the decision was made to go search Snadvida’s residence in the keep for any info that might point them to where she had fled to. Curass told the group to meet him outside the north gate where he would take them to a place that they would be safe. The prisoners were piled in the office and the door was locked on the way out. The party made their way back to the main hall, but as they approached the way to the residence one of the workers noticed them. They pressed on anyway.   Rounding the corner to the entrance of the residence, four guards greet them standing in front of the door. Before anything can occur, they draw their weapons. The fight was short, and the group began frisking the place for any info. Two noteworthy items were found. At the base of the bed was a large, well-sealed chest. The scholar identified any magical properties it might have and was shocked at the multiple protective wards it had. Rúna decided to carry it out. The other item of note was actually a hole in the floor. Errato was able to deduce that there was probably a teleport circle here and that it was removed along with the floor it was on.   Before long a knock was heard at the door. Errato was able to buy some time, but it was time to leave. The party left through the lower level exit to the keep grounds, moving the chest with a levitate spell. When arriving at the front gate, the party collected Errato’s cart and Qemuel’s horse. Behind them the guards had caught up, and in a frenzy, the cart was overturned and the chest put in it to carry. On the back of the horse and riding the cart pulled by Rúna, the party made their way out of the city and met up with Curass outside the gate. He led them to his reading nook in the woods where they would hide until the commotion died down. Here, the party took a well needed rest, chatting amongst themselves. In the morning Curass took Qemuel’s horse to find his friend, the previous court mage of Athvan. He informed them that she was routed for practicing necromancy but he believed they could trust her. He was to return in three days and left promptly. During that time the party mingled in Athvan, doing odd jobs to fill their coin pouches. Curass returned after three days with a familiar face: the red-haired elf met by Errato and Qemuel the first time they met.