We return to a shocked Null standing over a dead Nora in the throne room of the Last Stand Inn as the rest of the party looks on in horror. Null remains frozen while Cade rushes to revivify Nora and Lotty steps in front of Null. Cade succeeds and newly alive Nora is understandably upset with the whole situation, refusing to cooperate further and suggesting that they seek answers about the Marionettist from their companion instead. She leaves. We should probably leave Nora alone for awhile (or forever).
Feeling a new urgency about the situation Cade wants to seek the advice of Mira, Remmi’s arcane advisor, and goes to fetch her. Null gives all her weapons to Silas. When Mira arrives, Null spills the beans about being a changeling (which Mira knew already), about the presence of the tattoo, its ties to the Marionettist, and its controlling effects when threatened. Mira asks the rest of the party to back away and give them space. Null, apprehensive, makes eye contact with the rest of the party. Assured that they trust Mira here, Null agrees to the proposition and the party backs off. Mira casts Mind Blank, Magic Circle and Non-Detection and assesses the situation. She tells the party what they already know - that they need to remove this as soon as possible and that the most direct way to do it is with a 9th level spell scroll (which can be found at the Order of the Arcane Eye). Cade asks for discretion from Mira until they can solve this issue. She agrees that it’s none of her business but does confirm that she will have to inform Remmi. The party then heads directly to the Order of the Arcane Eye and buys a 9th level Dispel Magic scroll. Scroll in hand, they return to the villa.
Once home, the party agrees to tackle the issue right away. They make sure no one else is home and settle on doing this in the great hall. Berrik, having known Null for longer than Kel, takes it upon himself to cast the spell. Using a portent to ensure success, he begins to read the scroll. However, almost immediately, time stops and Berrik feels his intellect under attack. Feeling it slip he panics, not wanting to fail his friends, and draws on something deep down to push off the effect. As he completes the spell, he sees 7 arcane glyphs appear from the tattoo and shatter in quick succession. Null is free. Kel tries to recall if he’s ever read about anything like this before. He remembers a book that detailed how Magisters of the Aeonian Dominion used arcane shackles on people to enforce their wills and that these shackles were often layered with contingencies to protect them from being dispelled. No one likes these implications. Relieved, the Ashen Company unwinds for a bit in the great hall. Null is extremely grateful to her friends for coming together to save her. Lotty says that Null is strong for living through and overcoming this, and Null responds that she only managed to live through it thanks to all of them. Everyone hugs it out. It’s very endearing and sweet. Cade offers to cut off the tattoo and heal her up right after. Null seriously considers this, not wanting anything to do with something that took away her free will but elects to leave it for now after hearing some wisdom from Lotty. Null has a drink and lays on the floor and everyone decides what to do next.
The party decides to take on a 10k gold Reaper contract to end a necromancer problem outside of Beinya. There are reports of missing farmers and destroyed crops (not good for the region, as Beinya is the breadbasket of the Ulvari Coast). We are to bring in the necromancers alive or return with the head of the lead necromancer as proof of completion. As the party begins the trip, Null “stealthily” slips 300 gold into Cade’s pocket to account for the soul gem used on Nora. He notices but does not draw attention to the gesture. He does. However, use some of the new gold to buy a horse cart for 3-day journey to Beinya. During the trip, the party discusses tattoos again, with Cade suggesting that Lotty build a tattoo machine. We all agree to get matching tattoos of some sort. Also during the journey, Berrik checks in with Null to see how she’s feeling. She’s feeling fine. She then opens up to Berrik about how much of a relief it is to no longer have to worry about the tattoo. Deep down she had been concerned that Silas, with his paladin vows, might eventually have had to make the difficult choice to end her if the tattoo issue continued spiralling. Berrik reassures her that Silas would never do that. The journey continues.
The party arrives at a large ranch that it covered with a layer of fog. From far away, Cade and Null manage to see 4 scared farmers surrounded by shapes in the fog. They leave the cart and approach the scene to attempt to defend the farmers. Before too long seemingly dozens of zombies, including large troll ones, descend upon them. It’s very overwhelming. The farmers don’t last long. Berrik lets off a fireball and manages to kill several zombies at once. Null is also in range and manages to escape fire damage. She does not, however, escape poison damage of the exploding zombie corpses around her. Null goes unconscious and then dies. Cade turns into an eagle and flies towards Null, stopping 25ish feet above her to stay out of range of the troll looming over her body. He is then blinded, and it becomes clear that the zombies aren’t the only enemies on the field. On his next turn he manages, still blind, to revive Null. Back on the left side of the field, Berrik, Lotty, Kel and Silas are holding on but are starting to get overwhelmed. Kel moves south and casts Sunbeam, shooting powerful radiant beams at the undead on each of his subsequent turns. Null, having only one hit point, goes unconscious again. Silas then begins moving to the east side of the ranch, stopping to bring Null back up. Lotty conjures a very cool cone of arcane weapons to attack several zombies at once. Cade casts Erupting Earth, killing a few more zombies. 2 of these are in front of Null. Null goes unconscious again after taking the poison damage from their exploding corpses. Silas continues doing kickass paladin shit on the east side of the map and begins to notice their invisible enemy nearby. Berrik casts Life Transference on Null, bringing her almost back up to full health. This brings him below half health, activating his Contingency spell - he goes invisible. He then moves closer to Silas and the buildings on the map. By now, Silas is fully aware of the necromancer in his melee range and attacks. The necromancer flees further inside the building and locks the door behind her. Null races to follow, unlocks the door and stops in front of the necromancer. Silas catches up and continues his attacks, activating her Armour of Agathys and getting wounded in the process. Berrik, still invisible, moves into the room as well. Kel, Cade and Lotty continue holding their own against the remaining zombies outside. The necromancer then attempts to cast a spell, presumably to flee, but Berrik counterspells and it fails. Out of options, the necromancer attempts to flee on foot only to be knocked unconscious by a pair of opportunity attacks from Null and Silas. The necromancer’s staff, component pouch and spellbook and taken from her and given to Berrik. Our enemy is dragged back outside to where the rest of the party is and restrained. The Ashen Company takes a well-deserved short rest and prepares to interrogate their prisoner.
