Episode 19: The Battle With Possessed Mal

The Adventure

The fight with Possessed Mal (conclusion)

Juan swings at Possessed Mal hitting him, harnessing Divine Smite to deal extra radiant damage. While this does not do as much damage as it appears that it should, it does result in Possessed Mal buckling and falling to his knees. Juan attempts to hit with his second axe but is blocked, Possessed Mal reacts to this attack with a counter attack successfully making contact however Mal manages to wrest some influence on the attack and slows the attack enough to half the damage inflicted.

The Pirate Bosun runs over to Drūdlin who is on the verge of death, picks her up and runs her out of battle laughing and stating "You never let a fellow die in battle", he escapes from battle preparing to stabilise Drūdlin. The Deck Wizard attempts to cast Witch Bolt, which he finds very difficult as he is still both blind and deaf. "Figitus figitus zoom bazing!" he mutters sending a bolt directly at Possessed Mal, who points at the Deck Wizard indicating he is next in line. In response the Deck Wizard runs as far as he can to be out of reach from any response.

Aginiars reaches deep and casts Eldritch Blast sending two beams of eldritch energy hurtling towards Possessed Mal, The first beam hits dealing less damage than it should, while the second beam flies off harmlessly.

Captain Perciville begins to sing "Don't Worry Be Happy" while running towards Possessed Mal [25:00]. In response to this the barbaric rage of Possessed Mal appears to abate with the red draining from his eyes and he appears to calm down. Captain Perciville then gives finger guns to Juan saying "You've got this big guy" giving him Bardic Inspiration.

Possessed Mal attempts to attack Juan but Mal manages to redirect his aim to miss Juan with the force of the blow causing the sword to swing through and hit his own leg. This causes him to reenter a rage.

Juan attacks with his axe hitting and harnessing divine smite hits extremely hard, but it deals less damage than it should. He follows up with an attack a second time using the bardic inspiration to ensure that it hits, with the divine energy flooding in smashing him into his knees once more. He attempts to follow up with his second axe but Possessed Mal rolls out of the way.

The Deck Wizard continues his Witch Bolt "Dum doodily doodily dum, hey prestigitus digitus fum" and he hits for a small amount of damage.

Aginiars casts eldritch blast again only hitting with the first beam as it blasted him back against the wall, sending him out of the path of the second bolt which flies into the wall of the citadel. He reaches out to prop himself against the wall while Captain Perciville leaps forward charging up a set of stone steps leaps off the top grabbing a rope and swings in towards Possessed Mal impaling him with his sword, and crying "Ah ha! you're dead! see you in the dark depths of the ocean!"

Mal falls over dead, and there is a red glow that recedes into the sword before he lets go.

Juan attempts to see if there is any evil lingering in Mal, and he cannot tell so he prays over his corpse. Aginiars takes the Sword of Varnal and sheath from Mal's Corpse and heads back to the Sirens Shanty to find Drūdlin. When he arrived he found the Pirate Bosun bragging about single handedly defeating Possessed Mal and rescuing Drūdlin. Aginiars heads up stairs to find Drūdlin resting on a bed, having had some makeshift healing performed on her. He wakes her up and she asks what happened, and Aginiars updates her and the head back to Mal to apply the salve.

Meanwhile Juan prepares to cremate Mal should the salve not arrive in time / work.

Drūdlin prepares Mal's body applies the salve in the way they were instructed, and Mal comes back to life, and the party come together before heading towards the nearest inn. Meanwhile Captain Perciville McGinty Esquire III looking towards the horizon, declares that this adventure has reminded him of the adventures of the ocean where he must return.

Resting after the battle

Aginiars and Drūdlin head off to an inn to rest, while Mal and Juan head off to find weapons. They head to where the Spirit of Varnal sold Mal's gear, to try retrieve what he lost, but they had been sold. Mal and Juan head to the town common, and purchase some basic weapons for Mal before heading back for a rest.

Aginiars finds himself in a dream state finding himself through the hills which opens into a dimly lit cavern light only with a small bonfire with a single person, casting a large shadow on the wall of the cave. Aginiars says "Hello" and his voice echoes around the cave amplifying around, and the head of the character lifts up. Aginiars then hears the voice of his friend Uther the Bear King who explains that he wants to help him improve his skillset, but that he requires Aginiars help, as an ex follower of his has bound himself to a powerful devil and is trying to open a gateway to hell, and that there is an item on the warlock that he will find useful. The scene vanishes and the party sleep well the rest of the night.

The Golden Vault

The party use the key to the golden vault in the door to their room and arrive in a vault with four black boxes each with one of the parties name on it, and containing items [1:35]

• Mal:
  • Dragon Wing Shortbow of Force
  • 10x Arrows + 1
• Aginiars:
  • A ring box with both Ring of Spell Storing and a Ring of Temporal Salvation, and a note that states he must choose.
• Drūdlin:
  • Necklace of Fireball
• Juan:
  • Vicious Greataxe

Exiting the vault, the party then attune to their new equipment. And then they follow up with selling their miscellaneous items.

Uther's Quest

The party discuss their next steps, and agree to go on the quest given to Aginiars by Uther the Bear King. On their way they stop by the Mercenaries Guild for some assistance. Drūdlin recognises Korg from when he beat her in the fighting pit.

Drūdlin approaches the centaur and introduces herself, the centaur introduces herself as Methven Willowshine and that her purpose is to spread the healing message of the gods to any party she is a part of. Drūdlin states she is all for healing touches with a flirtatious wink, which elicits a tail flick. Through awkward stuttered conversation, Drūdlin finds out her mercenary fee is 4GP a day.

Meanwhile Juan stands on a table announcing that they are looking for mercenaries to help them specifically those with knowledge of the caves in the north. This elicits all of the mercenaries clamoring trying to sell their services. Mal fully believes that all of these mercenaries have explored every inch of every cave.

Drūdlin approaches Methven again, and inquires about her knowledge of the caves. She admits that she knows the north, but her people tend to prefer the open spaces, and while she has not explored the caves she would happily accompany them. Drūdlin offers to hire her, reaching out to shake her hand. Methven drops to her knee and bends down to shake Drūdlin's hand. Saying she will be outside when they are ready to leave.

Meanwhile Juan talks with a glowing paladin named Bookt and offers to hire him for 2GP a day.

Aginiars approaches the cloaked being with a Beak protruding out. They talk to him, and learn he is a Kenku ranger, and he communicates by mimicking others, when asked his name he simply chirps, and Drūdlin says "Lets call him Craw", to which he nodded in approval and then mimics her saying "Let's call him Craw". They hire him, and Juan summons his camel steed, while Bookt heads to the stables to retrieve his horse, while Drūdlin summons three animals from her bag of tricks, obtaining a Giant Elk, Giant Badger and a Panther, receiving a knowing nod from Methven.

Aginiars leads the way to the cave instinctively, and they eventually arrive at the cave. Mal stealthily enters the cave to scout sees a ritual caster and someone guarding the cave.

Mal attempts to fire his bow at the ritual caster, misses entirely as the bowstring detaches. The arrow hits against the wall of the cave, while Mal runs out shouting "Get ready" with the guard chasing after him. Craw charges into the cave, loads two arrows into his bow and fires them straight into the guard, before launching up to the ceiling of the cave with both swords drawn. The arrows while direct hits, appear to do less damage than expected.

Drūdlin then fires a dart at the guard hitting him but also appearing to do less damage than expected.. Aginiars casts eldritch blast at the guard, missing with the first beam, but making contact with the second. This appears to deal the appropriate amount of damage and injures the guard.

Suddenly a blast of energy comes out of the cave, hitting Drūdlin full in the face, meanwhile tendrils of energy follow up attempting to restrain Drūdlin and Aginiars, which Aginiars is able to deflect this, but Drūdlin is restrained.

Juan attacks the guard with his Vicious Greataxe, paired with divine smite, following up with a second attack with the axe decapitating the guard.

Methven looking a little spooked by the guard, asks what the party would have her do. Aginiars asks if she can help Drūdlin, she tries to pull the tendrils off but is unable to do much. She then clasps one of the holy symbols tattooed on her, offering a prayer to her gods and a floating sword appears in the air.

Mal quickly restrings his bow, heads back into the cave and fires an arrow at the ritual caster, hitting him but doing less damage than expected.

Bookt draws a giant warhammer and shield running into the cave, and casts a spell increasing the power of his weapon, and then an aid spell increasing the max HP of Drūdlin, Aginiars and Mal. Craw charges in and attacks the warlock with both of his swords.

Drūdlin pulls herself free of the tendrils, and charges into the cave. Aginiars casts hex on the warlock, following up with an eldritch blast, hitting him full with both beams,

The warlock laughs and darkness comes from his hand before he blinks out of existence. Juan uses detect good and evil, and is able to see the fiendish aura of the warlock trying to sneak through the cave without making any noise. He announces his location to the rest of the party.

Methven points in the direction of the invisible warlock, and the party hear a church bell toll, followed by the screech of pain from the warlock.

Mal runs to where the scream came from and tried to attack with his rapier and dagger, but misses both times as he cannot see him.

Bookt utters "Show yourself foul creature" a bolt of lighting hits the warlock and makes him start to glow. Craw attacks again with his swords, making solid contact with a triple slash, but it appears not to do as much damage as it should, but the warlock does not laugh again before the light illuminating him vanishes.

Drūdlin tries to hit the invisible warlock as well, but in her attempt only manages to fall over herself and falls prone.

Aginiars casts cloud of daggers on the area where he saw the warlock, Which seems to make contact, as the warlock becomes visible, and casts grave bolt on Aginiars and Craw, hitting them and restraining them. Juan charges in and attacks with his Vicious Greataxe, smashing him with the axe knocking him prone while he follows up with divine smite cutting him in half.

Aginiars searches the corpse of the warlock and finds an iron rod with the head of a bear on the end which turns out to be a Rare Rod of the Pact Keeper.