Lucia Talene awakes in the Dankwood, alone and completely lost. Her last memories are running out of the ruined temple as her friends fell before her.
The druid ran through the woods that night until she collapsed from exhaustion.
Sparing a moment to eat some food and water to return her energy, she takes a look at her surroundings. The forest here is darker, denser, and far less welcoming than the woods by the ruins.
The secret Ravensister decides to find her way back to the ruins and at least follow the Rust Priest and his minions in the hopes of rescuing her friends. If they’re even still alive.
However, it’s not long before a strange song breaks through the trees. It almost sounds like merry whistling.
Following the wisp of music, she eventually stumbles on a macabre but humorous scene. Lo, and behold is none other than Mick E. Faus, surrounded by dancing restless dead.
Recovering from her shock, Lucia calls out to Faus. The mouse-man wizard is surprised but greets her warmly. He bids her to join him for tea amongst his “friends.”
Lucia sees that Faus has four undead in his magical control. Their bodies are a mix of fresh and older skeletal remains.
The dark wizard explains that after running from the village, he wandered into the forest to hone his craft and find a mysterious tower he sees in his dreams. Lucia tells him of Kristov and Sturmberg’s capture.
Faus is worried for Kristov at first but balks at the idea of going up against another necromancer. He does not like facing undead he can’t control.
Eventually, she succeeds at manipulating his concern for the old peddler into joining her in a rescue attempt.
“I suppose I shouldn’t let his bones fall into the Rust Priest’s clutches,” Faus says. “Bones are best when they die happy of natural causes. He is very old anyway. Didn’t think I’d have to wait long.”
The wizard puts down his tea, dusts off his abnormally large gloved hands, and gives a “clap clap” to the restless dead. The undead spring up and form a line, ready to do their master’s bidding.
“Love it. Looooove it,” Lucia says with a shudder at the terrifying sight.
Meanwhile, Kristov, Sturmberg, and Halinde have woken up inside the ruins of the temple.
The Iron Guard had already bound their arms and feet with the dwarven fighter’s rope.
Sturmberg attempts to root around for any sharp bones or rough edges of stone but isn’t able to find anything. He contents himself with eyeing the room and determining the likely place of all their gear.
Kristov, the old peddler, watches the movements of the two Iron Guards. He notices that one is doing all the labor of loading up the Rust cultists’ supplies, while the other confers with Brother Frynd. Kristov calls out in a cacophony of yells, hoping to gain the attention of anyone to learn what the evildoers plan for their party.
The Iron Guard with the priest stomps over and yells, “Quiet you! Slaves should be silent unless called upon.”
“Oh, we’re slaves now,” Kristov replies. “Is that what you plan for us? To labor for you, or are you going to sell us off? From what I see, you’re the slave to Brother Frynd. You’re not better off than us.”
The comment rankles the armored warrior. He spouts back platitudes to the peddler, but it is clear he is not pleased with the idea of being in servitude to the Rust priest.
The hulking guard then throws Kristov back to the others. Sturmberg tries to get into a position where the two could try to untie each other, but neither of the men could contort themselves to try it.
Outside, Lucia, Faus, and their undead minions have trudged through the Dankwood and back to the ruins of the temple. Taking her time, Lucia scouts along the brush line near the broken holy site and notices that only one cultist appears to be active as he loads up a cart.
Lucia asks Faus if he minds sending in his undead first to save their strength for the fight below.
“They’re already dead. Can’t really die again. So they got that going for them,” Faus says about his minions. “They’ve never let me down before.”
“How mad will you be if they get destroyed,” Lucia replies.
“Oh, it’s fine. Their purpose is to serve.” Faus says.
With a flourish, the wizard then commands the restless dead saying, “Go forth! Maim! Kill! Murder!”
Silently, the undead swarms the cultist, taking him unawares. Coming out into the open, Faus rushes over to the body and scalps the cultist while Lucia looks on in disgust.
Down below in the crypt, Sturmberg manipulates the lesser guard into freeing him under the guise of helping the man in his labors. Just as the dwarf and the Iron Guard cross one of the small bridges with crates in hand, they hear shuffling and see three undead come into view at the far entrance. Lucia and Faus follow quickly behind the zombies and come into full view of the shocked prisoners.
“Kristov! Damn you! Those bones are mine!” Faus yells.
Lucia calls out to Brother Frynd, “I’ve brought a friend as well. And he’s got undead for you. Why don’t let us walk out with our friends, and we’ll take the undead with us.”
Unfortunately, the sight of the undead drives the deranged priest into a convulsion of fear and he couldn’t even form words to reply. Hearing Frynd’s shrieks and hesitation, Sturmberg throws his crate into the Iron Guard, knocking the man to the ground as his great helm tumbles off into a corner of the crypt.
“Good job Sturmberg! Let me finish this bastard off,” Faus cries as he calls upon his arcane power to cast his “Hand of Doom” spell. The fallen guard gasps as Faus magically squeeze the life out of him. He slumps to the ground, lifeless.
Kristov yells over to the remaining Iron Guard and convinces the man to abandon Brother Frynd and leave. The warrior agrees and lets the remaining prisoners free before marching toward the exit.
Faus commands his undead to race to the front of the crypt and attack the Rust Priest as Lucia slinks over to the stacked piles of supplies in the corner. She manages to pry open a chest and finds the party’s gear, along with ample treasure.
Eventually, the three undead get to the Rust priest who tries to cower in a corner. One of the undead lunges at the priest, biting him and causing a gaping wound.
Sturmberg isn’t far behind and tries to hit Frynd with a flail, but trips on the steps of the raised platform and injures himself from the fall.
Halinde flies into a fit of rage and runs at Frynd too. However, he catches the Shardmaiden in one of his hands and utters a curse.
“Foolish girl. Do you think this is enough to stop me?! I am chosen among Zygofer’s army. You are nothing but another body to command.”
As he says that, the bandages on his left arm come free. Underneath is a mass of sores and pustules all along the arm. The weeping wounds drip with a sick ichor. His grasp is enough to cause similar wounds to appear on Halinde’s right hand as she falls back, weakened by the magical sickness.
At this point, more of Faus’ undead have made it to the platform. The priest dodges one of the zombies, but the third grabs his face and bites out the man’s left eye before swallowing it whole.
“What say you? Alive or dead?” Faus coldly asks the group in regards to Frynd.
Kristov and Lucia suggest that they should keep Frynd alive for questioning and that his final fate is Halinde’s to decide.
“I’ll take care of him after the interrogation,” Sturmberg murmurs to Kristov while plundering the treasure in the room. Picking through the piles of goods, he finds a lute and hands it to Kristov. The peddler absent-mindedly plucks at the strings but can’t seem to make a melody.
Unseen to the rest of the group, Faus lets a subtle glow of dark energy release to the ether from his hands. “Next time,” he thinks to himself as he grins at the thought of testing out a dastardly new spell.
As the wizard commands his undead to bind Frynd, Halinde’s husband calls out to the party saying, “Please! The sickness is spreading. You must help her…”
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