Baron Molikroth

Today, with Ignatius's help, I was able to once again make my way to Neverdeath Graveyard and retrieve my old spellbook before heading off to the library. Ernaldis met me there with the new spellbook he purchased me and with his help we were able to quickly scribe my spells from my old spellbook into my new one. After that, I spent the rest of my time there finishing my research on modifying the Contact Other Plane spellscroll I acquired a couple days ago. I know I am nowhere near powerful enough to conduct this ritual myself, so I requested that Ernaldis join me in Neverdeath tonight to complete it together. Though I feel guilty for not telling him my true intentions with the ritual, I cannot risk him or anyone else stopping me.
 
We met as we had discussed and quickly got to work. Ernaldis quickly put together that we were going to be casting Contact Other Plane and got excited to be part of casting such an advanced spell. After several minutes we finished the ritual circle and I was able to add my modifications to properly contact this Baron Molikroth as I intended. Ernaldis expressed some confusion towards the infernal runes I added but before he could press further, I activated the ritual.
 
The spell almost tore my mind apart as terrible madness and agony erupted through me. Before it killed me, I was restored to my sanity and found myself standing before Baron Molikroth. He was as grotesque as he was powerful. Magical power radiated off of him so much that a great fear settled upon me just being in his presence. However, I pushed this fear down and steeled myself for negotiating with him. Surprisingly his deal was quite straightforward and, thankfully, just like what I found in my earlier research on him. He removed any and all magical restraints placed on me by Mother, freeing me from her and binding me to him. However, he will be less present than her as he only cares about my usefulness not in this life but rather as his servant in the afterlife. I shall use my life, my newly recovered free will, and the flexibility of his deal to find some way to negotiate out of our deal. After I signed Molikroth's contract, he turned his sights towards Ernaldis and began trying to entice him with promises of knowledge and arcane power. Though Ernaldis was intrigued, I motioned for him not to make a deal with this archdevil. Ernaldis declined but still asked for a way to contact Molikroth before the fiend departed from the material plane which causes one great concern.
 
After Molikroth departed, Ignatius appeared with Tristan as well as Altan Ashheart, a dragonborn monk, and Sir Magnus MacGregor, a human paladin of Bahamut. After they explained that they had come to investigate a powerful fiendish presence that had appeared in the hallowed grounds of Neverdeath Graveyard I responded that Ernaldis and I had made an ambitious attempt at using a modified fifth tier ritual spell that went horribly wrong. Thankfully, with Ernaldis backing my claims, only Ignatius was able to see through my deception.
 
Before we could leave Neverdeath, two members of Ignatius's mercenary guild, Adrian and Brian, showed up in Banite armor with some Zhentarim thugs backing them. They revealed that they were sent by Mother to retrieve me. It felt rather satisfying to finally be free to say "no" to their demands. They didn't respond well to that answer and combat began. Though we emerged victorious over them, they were able to slay one of our own: the paladin Sir Magnus Mac Gregor. Though I did not know him personally so his death did not affect me greatly, it was a reminder of the dangers I and my allies will have to face for defying Mother.
 
After the funeral for Magnus MacGregor was held, Altan decided he would bring their deceased comrades wealth with them to their home in Baldur's gate and donate it at a shrine of Bahamut. Ignatius now seeking to leave the mercenary gang he is in, is heading to Baldur's Gate as well to meet up with a dragonborn paladin of Bahamut named Dustyn Skystrider, an old friend of Ignatius and Altan's older brother. The two of them offered to let me travel with them as I was in danger so long as I stayed in Neverwinter. I agreed to travel with them as far as Waterdeep. I should be safe there and I'll have a chance to visit the libraries of arcane study there. I promised to return with them when they came back to Neverwinter since I still plan to accompany Ernaldis and Tristan on their quest to Phandalin.