Between the Devil and the Undead
Possessed
- The party tries to interrogate Auriel, but soon learns that he is possessed. Theobald casts greater restoration on Auriel. He sees a spirit leave Auriel’s body. Auriel drops unconscious.
- Arc retrieves a trinket from the departed spirit: a ring with a marked skull.
- The party plans to travel to the Chapel of Aisef to consult Father Ignatius. Thoradin’s steed carries Auriel’s unconscious body.
- Along the way to the chapel, Adikia experiences a vision: she sees a Horned Devil reaching out its hand. The devil’s palm touches Adikia’s forehead; this abruptly ends Adikia’s vision.
- Arc spots a marking on Adikia’s forehead, similar to the skull markings during their encounter with Calyxius. Adikia is frightened.
Hunted
- The party arrives at the Chapel of Aisef. Just as Auriel enters the chapel’s courtyard, he screams as his feet burn. Adikia also burns upon entry.
- Theobald, Arc and Noah makes haste to find Father Ignatius. The other members stay with Adikia and Auriel.
- Adikia spots a specter brandishing a scythe. The incorporeal entity attacks Adikia.
- The party successfully protects Adikia. Adikia explains that she saw a vision of a devil.
- Arc finds out that Father Ignatius is gone.
- The party decides to head to the Chapel of Amlin to meet Father Drenn instead.
Father Drenn’s Guidance
- Theobald meets with Father Drenn and asks him about a devil possessing Adikia. Surprised, Father Drenn asks to inspect Adikia.
- Father Drenn realizes that Adikia is being claimed by three entities: the undead, the devil Calyxius, and her friends in the mortal realm.
- Father Drenn sees Auriel unconscious. He tells the party that he was once an acquaintance of the Furwish Clan, and that he knows a bit about Auriel. Father Drenn is shocked to learn that Auriel is practicing necromancy magic.
- The party decides to rest. They travel to a nearby inn.
Rest for the Weary
- The party arrives at Ezekiel’s Inn. The party rents two rooms for 16 gp.
- The innkeeper, Justicia, gives food to the party members in the first room. Justicia asks if the marking on Adikia’s forehead is a new fashion trend, claiming that she saw another customer with the same marking. The party coaxes Justicia to share details about the customer.
- Justicia mentions that a clean-shaven, middle-aged man named Michael has the same mark on his forehead. Justicia claims that the man rented a room yesterday, but has since left and yet to come back to the inn. Justicia also mentions that the man has been a customer in the past.
Questions for the devil
- Arc asks Theobald and Thoradin for help in asking the soul inside the trinket he retrieved earlier. He explains that he can ask the soul for information.
- The three choose to do Arc’s deed in the inn’s courtyard, away from both Adikia and Auriel.
- Arc breaks the trinket and it crumbles into dust. A nefarious soul emerges from it and looms over him. Arc asks it what to do to remove Adikia’s marking.
- The devilish soul replies:
“You should win Adikia’s soul.”