The Age of Worms/ The Spire of Long Shadows pt. 8 / Bris the 30th, 3593 CE / 8-17-23

Not By Choice stands in the central chamber of the ziggurat of Kuluth-Mar. Jozu, having just triumphantly cast the Knight of Caius into the pit at the chamber's center, returns to his normal size as Nari's enlarging spell fades. Lulu however, is far less pleased at the loss of a potential source of information on Caius. She searches the room for more clues. She selects a door to the south. Taavi is first through, boldly pushing open the ancient portal to reveal what must have been the library of the cult of Caius. The room is divided by long rows of shelves, brimming with forgotten knowledge, and a few of the deadly Caius worms in jars for good measure. The tomes are attended by three more undead servants of Caius in sickly green plate mail with matching great helms, as well as one with a hunched, apelike demeanor and hollow gaze. Despite Lulu’s efforts and Rados's translations from Necril, these undead are far less talkative and surge into combat. The Caius blades circle the books hoping to flank those of the party in the doorway. The hunched wormcaller lets out a haunting scream and throws one of the worm jars at Taavi. Rados is able to expel the parasite and goes to shore up the eastern flank. As the party holds their own against the undead monsters, even destroying a Caius blade, the wormcaller leader draws in all the unholy energies of Caius it can bear and explodes in a torrent of phantom worms that chill the party and invigorate the two remaining Caius blades. Without their leader, one Caius blade hunkers down under the fury of Jozu’s talons, while the other hurries to the exit, with Rados and Taavi giving chase.