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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mikeawmids1" data-source="post: 9240697" data-attributes="member: 7030604">The Enemy Within (Warlock!)Session 2, 11/01/2024 (part 3)Darkness has settled over Biskerstaf, but the Festival of Harvest Thanks continues on late into the night. Forgoing the celebrations, the PCs instead descend into the foul, foetid sewer tunnels beneath the town, in search of Fritz's lucky rock.It is dark, dank and disgusting. Adeline feels right at home! They soon come across a body bobbing face down in the turgid sludge. It is too big to be the halfling thief, and when Adeline rolls the body over, she reveals the corpse of a human male with his rib cage violently splayed open. All of his internal organs are missing, and what's left of his face (it looks like the rats found him first) is frozen in a rictus of horror. Fritz shakes his head solemnly as he cuts the man's silver wedding band from a bloated finger. Oh dear. Very sad. Anyway....Following the trail of the halfling thief leads the PCs to a collapsed wall looking into a bricked up and forgotten basement. A sinister octagon has been chalked onto the floor, illuminated by black candles planted at each of the eight points. The skull of a horned beast sits in the centre of the octagon, surrounded by the words ORDO SEPTINARIUS. A trail of fresh blood leads from the octagon to the mutilated body of the halfling thief, now slumped lifelessly over a wooden chest on the far side of the chamber.This whole setup looks both grim and perilous. How badly does Fritz want his rock back anyway? Badly enough to send Adeline in to grab it for him. She tries not to disturb the octagon, but accidentally knocks over a candle. Oops. Immediately, black smoke spews from the bestial skull, taking the form of a horrifying guardian daemon! Gustaf shrieks and loses Pluck.The daemon lunges for Adeline, barbed claws tearing at her armour. Its long purple tongue lashes at her like a whip. Fritz loads his blunderbuss and blasts off one of the creature's long, spindly arms - two more sprout in its place!Ultimately, the PCs overcome the daemon, but not without cost to themselves. Fritz recovers his lucky rock! The chest contains standard cult paraphernalia (hooded robes, sacrificial daggers, etc...), and a secret compartment hiding a mysterious scroll, that nobody reads. A silk handerchief lies at the bottom of the chest, monogrammed with the initials F.M. Calvin recalls that Lady Isolde is staying with her uncle Friedrich Magirius. Now that is interesting....TBC(Next session is scheduled for Thursday 18/01/2024.)</blockquote>

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