13 - 6/25

Before checking out the southern portion of the castle, Theta decided to try his chances at speaking to the strange creatures peering down at him from the upper arrow slits. They seemed to respond back in some raspy language, but none that the group recognized. With Hilda's comprehend languages spell, she was able to deduce they were actually speaking and beckoned the group in. After a scuffle with Thetas familiar, the group led the charge up the ramp to face the foes. They responded by dumping Manes, small little demons from the abyss, onto the group from above. The group periodically heard screams coming from deep in the castle, and the creatures seemed to be sacrificing victims so a race against the clock ensued to try and rescue them before more were lost.   The Xvarts, small blue humanoids that worship a lesser demon lord, were not particularly strong nor threatening on their own, but they possessed great numbers and a defensive position and with the small demon allies gave the party a hard fight. Valerie bashed her way through the door gaining the party entrance, and the group fought hard to gain any ground in the keep. The next room had a crossbow trap but Valerie's superior plate armor and shield easily absorbed blow after blow as the party pushed onwards   Unfortunately some Xvarts came from behind and caught Theta off guard, getting some lucky shots off with their slings and pelting Theta into unconsciousness. Shane stabilized him, and eventually with Hilda's help dispatched the ones Valerie had passed before she came back to heal him back. Multiple Xvarts still opposed the group, and Shane decided to try and find out what the strange Goo she had gotten from the Undying Trader was capable of. In deciding to use it, it revealed that it must be consumed to activate and proceeded to cause a wild magic surge that turned her a vibrant shade of blue!   The next room had a door with Abyssal runes on it, and hearing the screams on the other sided the group proceeded to risk the possible magic it held and enter through the door. It contained some sort of strange magic, and temporarily teleported each member to a nightmarish hellscape of unspeakable horrors before they exited back into the corrupted chapel to Solanus.   Here they found a two headed Xvart and some others preparing to sacrifice Jet, and they almost did before Valerie quickly caught her and pulled her to safely where HIlda could stabilize her. The group fought on, with Shane suffering from hallucinations affecting her skills and Valerie babbling after their experiences from the door.   Finally the group finished off the last of the blue creatures and freed an Orcish shaman. She revealed she was the daughter of the chief and high shaman of the Stormcaller clan as well as the problems the clan faced with wild storms and their god Talos’s displeasure with them. She conjured up a magic spectral sword and vowed to help the party. The group decided that with the portal secure they would return to the safe zone the rest of the party had setup, and take a rest before attempting to clear the remainder of the Castle.