Episode 65

Inside the Temple of Lost Stars, Collective Action find themselves in a dire situation as the white-haired Angelkin rings a summoning bell, calling forth two Iron Golems and ordering them to slay the intruders. At his side, Maximillion Aerielace, Angeltaun’s Prime Monitor, looks uneasy as he attempts to follow the wizard out of the temple.   The adventurers split their focus—some working to restrain the two Angelkin, while others engage the golems in desperate combat. Barnabus manages to remove one golem from the field with a timely Banishment, dramatically improving their odds. Celine successfully stuns Maximillion, only to be instantly cast into a magical labyrinth by the wizard, who seems both surprised and amused by the group’s defiance.   The two Angelkin slip away through a trapdoor beneath the temple, leaving the party battered and undermanned—Meepo still polymorphed into a pug inside the Bag of Holding, and Celine trapped in the wizard’s spell. The second golem is eventually destroyed, but not before it breaks Barnabus’ concentration, bringing the banished construct roaring back into the fight. After a grueling battle, both golems are finally destroyed.   Meepo is released, restored to his Kobold form and thankfully free of the mind-control placed upon him. Comparing notes, the party realize the white-haired wizard must be none other than Marcellus Astralwind—the first Angelkin to arrive on Ekina, and the one responsible for the disappearance of Godric Kuretason, the royal family’s most trusted guard.   Determined to follow, the adventurers descend into the underground complex connected to the sewer door they scouted earlier. Celine and Meepo sneak ahead, overhearing the end of a tense exchange: Marcellus instructs Maximillion to return upstairs and confirm the adventurers are dead, while he goes to meet with “other unexpected guests.”   The party tries to hide, but Maximillion discovers them. Thinking quickly, Blair uses a magical charm that not only enthralls the Prime Monitor, but also makes him deeply smitten with them. Under this enchantment, Blair convinces Maximillion to see the adventurers as harmless, and brings him back to the temple for questioning.   Pressed for answers, Maximillion admits that Marcellus was once Prime Monitor of Angeltaun, but vanished decades ago after a journey to Kureta. Now returned, he works alongside someone known only as “The Madame.” Together, they’ve been securing supplies of Quintessence—a bottled form of elemental Magic that seems to share the same properties as Eternim, the vital substance that grants Angelkin their longevity and flight. Maximillion has been ordered to mix the Quintessence into their dwindling Eternim supplies to disguise it, but the difference in color is becoming harder to hide. In return for this supply, Marcellus and The Madame receive star metal—and select Angelkin from the community. Though Maximillion despises the deal, he insists he is only following orders.   Meanwhile, Celine sneaks deeper into the underground halls to spy on Marcellus’ mysterious guests. She overhears him speaking with two female elves, both apparently winged, who are suffering from a strange affliction that accelerates aging and weakens their bodies. Marcellus expresses great interest, noting the similarity to his own people’s plight. He suggests they experiment with Quintessence to see if it alleviates their condition.   Panicked, Celine tries to glimpse them—catching only a sense of their fine clothes and the certainty that they do indeed have wings—before Marcellus prepares to leave the chamber. Desperate, she rushes for the sewer exit but finds it locked. The wizard catches her and casts a spell, which she barely resists. With a surge of speed, Celine bolts past him and escapes back to the party.   The group flees the temple, regrouping at The Gilded Wing, where they watch the streets anxiously for any sign of pursuit. When no trouble comes, they steel themselves for what must come next: returning to the Temple of Lost Stars to confront Marcellus Astralwind directly—and uncover the full truth behind his schemes.