In Which a Great Many Thing Happen

Military action

The party prepares for war, Wilphose forges a blade, Dugin is defeated, armies clash and the party puts an end to Rysceg.

While Maria works on a new spell to aid in the defence of Fort Basin of Mirefield, Orpheus travels to Stonehill Keep to deal with a potential problem with their aboleth friend. It only takes a little pressure to get the would be monster hunters to back off, but afterwards Orpheus discusses with the aboleth that he needs to take a different approach to nourishing himself. The aboleth agrees that instead of trying to siphon all the energy from one individual he will instead start siphoning only a little bit of energy from hundreds of people. Orpheus is satisfied with this and leaves him to it. In exchange for this assistance, the aboleth reveals the location of the Ruby for Wilphoses sword: hidden in a room they had not explored in the shrine they had visited so long ago.

A trip to the shrine proves slightly difficult as Rysceg and Dugin have set up their forces here. After retrieving the ruby the party goes and speaks with Rysceg and Dugin in an attempt to create a parlay. Instead, Rysceg informs the party that he intends to go after The Tome of the Gods because he likes the power he's attained and wants more. The party walks out of the shrine without a fight, but knowing they will need to face Rysceg eventually.

During the following month the party acquires more motes of magic for Lydia, as well as three new companions: Dendri, an Owlin holy warrior for the Seraph, Niko, an old pupil of Aurora's, and The General of Gold, a seemingly sentient skeleton of a warrior from long past.

Wilphose finally manages to get his hands on all the gems for his sword. The party travels to Kurleigh and the gems are set in handle, and the blade is reforged. Prakash, the fiend who had been captured in the sword is freed and remains with Wilphose, the two having created a significant bond over the time they've spent together.

The party is called back to the Fort in response to an army amassing at their gates. A fiendish person appears before them and says Dugin is waiting for them, if they want to avoid the horrible realities of a siege. Agreeing that this is the best option the party prepares and goes to meet with Dugin. The fight is difficult, the new fiendish person claims to be Dugin's nephew and by some miracle manages to be banished for most of the fight allowing the Party to destroy Dugin. Afterwards the nephew honours their word and pulls the army away from the gates.

Tensions continue to rise. The party knows that a proper attack is imminent but have no idea when it'll happen. A month passes after Dugin's destruction and then they receive word from their scouts that Rysceg is on the move with his fiendish army. The party brings together their forces from the Bonehawk Mercenaries and goes to meet him.

The battle is bloody. The party's army suffers heavy losses while the party deals with Rysceg himself, ultimately destroying him, and scattering the remaining devils to find their own way back to the hells.