The Age of Worms / A Gathering of Winds pt. 7 / Kith the 3rd through the 4th, 3593 CE / 2-5-23

With the aid of Allustan the Sage and the Inevitable Guardian, Not by Choice has reached the True Tomb of Icosiel, deep in the cavern known as the Falling River, but now find their way blocked by magical doors which cannot be opened without the missing Seal of Law. The party has decided to best course of action is to descend the Falling River further in search of the tomb raider Moreto, whom they have also been tasked with killing by the shadow spider Flycatcher in exchange for the safe return of Lulu's brother, Taavi. First the party decides to rest in the relative safety and isolation of the True Tomb's antechamber. Leaving Allustan and the Inevitable to guard the tomb's entrance, the party proceeds deeper into the chasm of the Falling River after their rest, eventually reaching a basin at the bottom where the majority of the blood red water drains away into cracks in the stone. Following a shallow stream deeper into the cavern of the basin, they see a sickly green glow ahead up ahead, which reveals itself as the magical lantern of Moreto, Marquis of Ravenstone, who sits on a boulder studying the Seal of Law. The so-called "true ghoul" introduces himself as a noble of the White Kingdom, who seeks artifacts from the Tomb of Icosiel to aid his people. As Moreto parlays with the party, Nataliya, knowing that their encounter must ultimately end in the Marquis' demise, strikes from the shadows, initiating combat with the true ghoul sorcerer. Unfortunately the party does not know that the Marquis has a pack of morghs laying dormant in the blood-red waters of the nearby stream, and as the monsters rise up to attack, they quickly paralyze Lulu and begin grappling onto Coal. Though the fire troll is able to destroy one of the morghs, the outlook appears grim for Not by Choice, until Moreto uses his formidable magical powers to convince Nataliya to break off combat. Returning once more to parlay, Moreto now confers quietly with her new "ally" as Coal and the others devise a new plan in their own huddle. As the parties come back together, they decide on a course of action; to take the burned skull of the morgh Coal destroyed and try to pass it off to Flycatcher as Moreto's skull. In exchange, Moreto agrees to let the party use the Seal of Law to plumb the deepest depths of Icosiel's Tomb in search of their ultimate quarry, a fragment of the legendary Rod of Law.