Realms S1E9 The Darkness

Our kidnappers hide deep within a dark, dark cave. An ally reveals her true form. Our heroes are told they’re too late.

Player Characters Present
Jeidobii, Torq, Denahi, Burakubuu

Synopsis
After a brief rest, the party bids farewell to Zin, his promised task of leading them there done. He leaves them with gifts: a ring, a wand, and two jars of pickles. Having seen their friend safely off, the party continues into the cave. Inside it is pitch black. Burakubuu scouts ahead but finds only emptiness. Ahead, he hears the light splashing of water. He tosses a rock and hears it hit water. He calls the rest of the group forward and they discover an underground pond. They make their way around the water warily, staying alert for whatever had made the splashing sounds. Denahi hands a magical stone to Torq, that allows him to light the way, though he refrains from using it just yet lest he give away the party’s position.

Proceeding ahead, the party discover a hallway adorned with skulls fashioned into decorations and archways. Once they had made their way halfway down the hallway, they again hear noises, but this time from behind. A pack of Dreadhounds emerged into the hallway. Torq uses the magical stone that Denahi lent him to blind the beasts, and the party works together to take them down.

Taking a brief respite, Jeidobii goes to look through the door at the hallway’s end and sees a familiar altar and some figures gathered around it. Burakubuu, curious, goes to take a look as well and upon seeing again the red auras of evil finds himself irresistibly compelled to charge, despite multiple attempts by Jeidobii to calm him down. Buu dashes forth into the fray, immediately engaging demonic enemies, with Torq leaping to join him, merrily.

Caught up in an unexpected battle, the party does their best to handle their foes. Denahi falls and as Jeidobii and Burakubuu both rush to her aid a large firbolg enters the scene and heals her. The firbolg reveals herself to be Julette, in her true form. She joins the party in battle as they work to remove the shield protecting the sorcerer at the altar’s center. Finally they defeat him and he tells them, as he dies, that they are too late.