As the dust clears from the fallen wall that pins Berrik, Lotty & Nessie to the floor the Ashen Company see a horde of skeletons pouring through the walls towards them. As Berrick and Lotty are freed from the rubble they join the fight, swatting away the undead whilst Cade manages to erect a wall of stone to replace the fallen wall.
As the group tries to make their escape they do not notice the two giant, looming skeletons blocking either end of the corridor. They do what they do best; group up, rely on each other and fight hard in order to save Kel. Whilst they make short work of the skeletons the Ashen Company are soon overwhelmed by their numbers and fading fast.
As a last ditch attempt at survival Berrik attempts to Planeshift the group, not knowing where in the Abysssal plane it might take them -though it may be better than the certain death they were now facing. Struggling with the thought of leaving Kel they group together and Berrik reads the scroll; maybe it was fate, maybe the desire to save Kel was too strong for the magic to take hold but, for whatever the reason, the group remained in place.
Thinking quick, Cade managed to revive the groups health using the purple exaltium stone to boost a healing spell and restore the group. Rejuvenated the Ashen Company manage to stave off the last few skeletons, Silas finishes off one giant armoured skeleton and with Berrik's help collapses the roof of the tunnel on the other.
Taking a moment to rest up and bandage some wounds Lotty summons her familiar, Boobrie, (having never been able to recover Nessie from the rubble) only to discover she does not appear. After a few tests the group realise conjuration magic has been blocked from working in this area.
Null scouts ahead and sees a room, filled with lava; a huge stone jetty reaches out over the lava - either side are cages. The cages have some of Beinya's farmers and Kel in them. As Null watches she see cultists chanting and throwing themselves in the lava. Each time they do, the cages drop closer to the lava as well - it seems some kind of ritual is taking place.
With few ideas Lotty gives Null a flying potion and she tries to reach Kel's cage hoping the cultists are too busy to notice. Cade follows Silas in bat form as Silas dons the cultist robe and attempts to reach the person at the front who appears to responsible for the ritual taking place. Berrik and Lotty stay back, keeping a watchful eye over their loved ones ready to spring in to action.
It isn't long before they spring into action: Null just manages to release Kel from his cage before it hits the lava as Silas reaches the head priest, who seems to be protected by some kind of dome. As Silas attempts to move in on the priest he is hit by wave after wave of different coloured flashes, each dealing a powerful blow of differing damage types. Knowing he followed Silas for a reason Cade turns him in to a giant gorilla, giving him a stay of strength and health. Berrik and a hasted Lotty rush to join their friends and see that one of the priests seems to have influenced Silas in some way as he turns an angry gaze towards Cade.
After enduring so much to rescue their friend from what started as a simple Reaper's guild quest the Ashen Company are once again facing a traumatic situation: Gorilla-Silas is staring down Cade, Lotty is facing down a priest, Berrik is toe to toe with several cultists and Null is carrying an unconscious Kel in her arms precariously trying to get him to safety.
Things may not be looking great for the heroes of the Ashen Company but they are together and the found family will not give up until the last.
TL;DR:
- Pinned under rock
- Fight skellies
- Wall of stone
- Giant skellies
- Plane shift fail
- Purple stone mass cure wounds
- Null scouts and sees Kel
- Rush in, Kel free & uncon.
- Silas is a gorilla
- Impending doom