The Arch Mage

Jan 15th - 16th

The dust settles after the destruction of Falbert. The library is eerily quiet, as all the demonic guards have gone leaving only the party and Morikand’s ship present. Vetrick, exhausted by his use of primal magic, finds a quiet place to sleep in order to recover his primal strength.

Xaian Lau can sense something. Her instincts tell her that a massive spirit has come to the library and soon her worst fears are realised.

Muziel approaches.

The master of the Art of Being is – as always – immaculately dressed. "I come to offer you a deal," he says. Xaian Lau kicks Vetrick. "He will remain asleep," Muziel says confidently. Tihs Revom is already in the shadows trying to get behind him. Jahick impulsively casts death spell but the figure merely shimmers. A lightning bolt brings down a few bookshelves onto the figure. The debris passes straight through him. She suspects it is a projected image and tries to find the real Muziel who, she realises, must be in line of sight of the spell.

"I have Vohaas and Gresil hostage," Muziel continues, "if you give me the whereabouts of the child we will trade. I will return in twelve hours."

Morikand realises that he cannot use the library effectively so he shape changes into Gresil. Even in this transformation he cannot access the memories of the great librarian. Instead he tries to study the ability to cut off a plane of existence using comprehend languages and with help from the thief, Tihs Revom.

Later Morikand experiments with a pentacle that will – like a magnet – draw into it any summoning that enters the library. Jahick stone shapes a diamond into a flat disc, which Morikand lays in the middle of the pentacle. For good measure he casts trap the soul (Gresil) onto the disc.

After twelve hours in which Vetrick was able to recover his primal strength, the party is greeted by the re-appearance of Muziel. The primal master uses the same projected image and Morikand tests it with an immediate death spell. Despite Xaian Lau insisting that the only way to defeat Muziel is to stay together, Tihs breaks her rule. He sneaks into the shadows behind the image – to his amazement he spots something…Muziel hides in the shadows. Tihs is unaware that he is being lured into a trap.

Meanwhile Morikand rushes forward to touch the image. Muziel returns a death spell that is – in turn – dissipated by Morikand’s spell turning.

The thief takes his opportunity to lunge at Muziel’s back. At that moment Tihs realises his mistake, somehow – using space-altering techniques – Muziel strikes a single deadly blow from behind. His blade severs the thief’s head and a fountain of blood erupts from the falling corpse.

Muziel is now revealed but decides to leave quickly before the party can attack him further. Vetrick takes Illeum’s Pommel from the dead thief and attaches it to his katana.

Morikand decides to summon a council of powerful demons. To achieve this he summons and binds ambassadors from eight planes to go back and invite the rulers of these planes to attend. "Let’s take the fight to Muziel for once!" he says as he sends the last messenger away. The represented planes are: War, Doom, Towers, Mustering, Mirth, Swallowed Void, and Shendrilavri.

Xaian Lau senses another huge spirit. This time the horror they face is their master and their friend…Vohaas approaches. The greatest swordsman in the universe has murder in his eyes and a deadly intent etched on his face. It is clear to them all that Vohaas’s mind has been altered by Muziel. Furthermore his katana shimmers with primal power; again they suspect Muziel has doctored it.

Vohaas attacks instantly. He falls upon them using the devastating whirlwind attack – a blinding rush of blade and speed. Jahick can barely see the blade as it strikes her. As she dies the deadly fire curse explodes only to be quashed by Morikand’s spell turning. Xaian Lau dances away from the initial strike but Morikand is not so lucky. He falls to a perfect reverse strike, a blow so fast and accurate that no defence is possible. Morikand’s possession in death – the embodiment of his naked soul – oozes from the corpse.

Vetrick ducks under a couple of blows but Xaian Lau – his favoured student – catches her master’s sword arm. When Vetrick tries to cut him in two Vohaas in turn catches him and the three are locked in a struggle. Vohaas, like any warrior, can be defeated by sheer numbers and when Kandar Morbius attacked his unprotected flank he realised that the end was close.

The sorcerer’s blade cut deeply into his flesh. Vohaas screamed insanely as his soul leaked from the terrible wound. On his knees the scream became a plea for death as Kandar struck a second fatal blow.

Vohaas was dead.

Morikand’s wispy, smoke-like soul attacks the weakest soul. A Nuleyn noble called Putvin could not withstand the sheer awesome power of Morikand. As Morikand’s soul seeps into the recesses of his new body the demonologist felt revived, his strength that of the host body but his sharp intelligence that of himself.

He took a few moments to enjoy the rebirth and then realised that a more profound change had occurred. A voice in his head – Morikand, Arch Mage, Morikand, Arch Mage! He watched as his shadow receded, melted away until, eventually, Morikand Bitchpiss had no shadow.

A tight smile etched itself on his new human features. I am primal! He rejoiced in his mind.