While waiting around to see what would happen next a bucket of water slowly lowered itself and raised itself. Fang looked and saw it going to a goblin, whom he shocked with his electric arc. The slavers then decided to head out in force. Lo Ni asked Christmas if he would join. When Christmas insisted on working alone, Lo Ni decided he wasn’t the type of man they needed and knocked him out. He woke up shortly thereafter with his items taken and arms and legs chained.
The slavers then started getting together. Lo Ni stayed in the camp, while his closest men stayed at the gate, and the rest went out. Kernoff had lit some torches to distract the people coming out. Dave also started taking pot shots and drawing their attention. He killed a goblin and two dogs, the hobgoblin and catfolks continued after him.
Meanwhile Kernoff used his grappling hook to climb the wall. He charged over to the slave pen and smashed the door, drawing attention to himself. He rushed in and cut the manacles on Christmas, freeing him. Our heroes then got the rest of the people slaves to try and rush out and cause a distraction, hoping they would survive. The slaves followed his lead, althogu hver weakned. Christmas, remembering an ogre who had wanted to taste people. He took one of the children and rushed to the ogre, feeding him the child in exchange for cooperation. The ogre introduced himself as Agre.
Christmas, Kernoff, and Agre then went out to fight Lo Ni and his men. They started fighting, with Christmas walking up first. He killed one of Lo Ni’s men but was knocked down shortly after. Kernoff and Agre rushed in next, and Agre started biting the men. It was a deadly fight, with even Agre being knocked out, but our potential heroes (although can they really be called this when Christmas just fed a child to Agre) managed to win. Dave however had been shooting and running, and over time the catfolk caught up to him and killed him. Returning to camp with his body, Evelyn showed them the death of their companions and their boss all tied up. These 3 quickly placed the body down before leaving camp. Sadly, Dave had died but he died a hero’s death.
As our travellers looted the camp leftovers, they found what seemed to be Willowblade’s armor. White armor with gold trimmings, a white shield with gold trimming, and symbols of a gold key on both. The armor however seemed to be made of wood. In addition they also found a wooden sword. Christmas then found a locked door in Lo Ni’s quarters, behind a draped off area. Christmas picked the lock, and on the other side found a glass tank with a metal top and bottom. Chemicals seemed to be connected to the container, slowly running into it. Inside the tank was a greenish liquid and a thin man with brown hair.
Our group found Lo Ni and started to question him. He agreed to answer under the condition that they kill him afterwards. They agreed. He then looked up to the man and said forgive me master. He told them this man was Willowblade. He was undergoing a ritual to transform him into a demon. Christmas went ahead and killed him. As he was dying he muttered the words rot in rrrrrurrrgggghhhh, unable to finish his sentence before dying.
To confirm this was indeed Willowblade, our group went and found Ducai and brought him in. He seemed scared upon seeing Willowblade, but was informed Willowblade was dead. Evelyn figured a way to open tank, with Willowblade falling out. Fang identified necromancy and enchantment magic coming from it. They let Willowblade live even though they told Ducai was dead.
On the road they Willowblade eventually woke up. Christmas convinced him to be quiet if he wanted to live. That night, they woke him up and started questioning him. He informed them the last thing he remembered was that he was on his way to Pescaria to purchase an engagement ring. He also seemed to trust Ducai, and did not think Ducai would do anything treacherous. Our group woke Ducai up and talked with both of them. Ducai was frightened upon seeing Willowblade awake. Willowblade insisted on his innocence, while Ducai insisted on his guilt. Willowblade said he would stand in front of a court, any court, not just that of Norende.
Christmas didn’t trust Ducai and felt something was off, but the others couldn’t read anything on either of them. They discussed what to do, and decided they would head to Pescaria, and send someone to Norende with news they found Willowblade. They decided if many came, it would most likely mean that at the very least Akkar was an honest man.