Xivaskir 26
Party: Sorval / Zantaroth / Taurio / Iskren / Vultha
The group converses with a Balor and moves on after securing its alliance in their fight against Leshrac.
They head deeper into the dungeon, fighting off a manifestation of (what they previously encountered as) Zantaroth's Wild Side, bound by a magical circle.
They discover a shaft at the back of the room, so they follow it to the library. Vultha spies a goblin laying prone. Shoots it. Shoots it again. And again. Before Zantaroth discovers the goblin has died. A while ago. And there is an acidic smell in the air, implying poison. The group then investigates the room, where books are strewn on the floor, torn from the shelves. Learning a little of the history of the Castle of the Dawn, the Rise of the Barony (written by Xolkur Thruda) and the dwarven authors that used to write them. Also erotic dwarven fiction (about a fiery redhead named Serra, not related to the planeswalker) with pictures. And Vultha finds a book on 'the Violet Queen', a fey being that can grant wishes.
They then walk through the corridor adjacent to the library, split up a little and discover a shrine and a spider-guarded prisoner respectively.
The spider sinks its fangs into Taurio, but Vultha takes it out before it can do anything else. Sorval calls upon the powers of Serra and removes the poison from the prisoner's system before Big Z calls him to the shrine. The remaining members of the party examine her and find her to be a non-combatant by her gear, judging her to be more of a scholar. The damage done by her captivity involves her missing two fingers and having bite-marks all over her body due to the spider. Being healed by Iskren, she comes to and explains she is a researcher interested in the dwarven culture. The name she gives is Feryja, from the Hidden School.
The shrine, guarded by a strange being that attempts to strangle Sorval as he examines the altar. However, the radiant frost attack from Sorval is more than a match for the creature's body. The pair then cleans out the shrine with Z grabbing a bunch of 'magma shrooms', which he thinks will be delicious when roasted over lava.
Afterwards, the party talks about the destruction of the Anvil, mentions chatting with the Balor (which upsets and intrigues the lady), being sent by Sandruu. She exchanges for this knowledge her own about Seraphim and Leshrac. Sorval then spends the rest of their time together chatting about himself and the Legion. The group eventually invites Feryja to join them to Sengir's place.
Walking for a longer period of time, the group comes across a camp led by someone who calls himself Ezauchton, a Sengir Autocrat, and two peasant servants, Wilhelm and Maurice. The group then makes dinner for everyone. The peasants seem happy enough with their life here, explaining leaving the barony could see their families killed, while Sorval speaks of dragonslaying.
As night falls, the group sets up watches. Zantaroth keeps first watch, while Vultha dreams of ghosts. The first ghost was a farmer, but it provides little intelligence. A second one is an Orzhovian, who divulges a lot of intel to Vultha on Iskren, such as the optional death being a benefit to the guild or their presence on Ulgrotha being a boon.
The second watch falls under Sorval's care. A purple-haired being approaches Sorval, a large being, clad in flowery chainmail, introducing herself as the Queen of the Evendusk, Who Brings The Aurora. She doesn't appear to have a weapon on her, asks about the party's dragon-friend and requests Sorval to find a book about the Purple Queen and cast dispel on it, for she is bound to it by magic.
The third watch belongs to Taurio, who scares off a group of shadow fey.
Xivaskir 27
In the morning, the group chats about what happened, with Sorval querying Feryja for the Purple Queen. Vultha mentions the ghost council visit to Iskren, who is thankful for the info.
