The swarm of Quelea followed the heroes right into the tiny hut pecking and clawing at everyone but Armania.
When Ciprian took his turn he suggested Teleporting out to Mother Grim Moon. He could take everyone but Kaklatath.
"Armania, can you teleport with Kaklatath to Mother Grim?"
"I will step to her and then we will join you," Armania responded.
As Ciprian left the tiny hut disappeared and Armania grabbed Kaklatath and joined the rest of the party at their camp. Healing was done for all and the group wondered about their next steps. Gavril kept on about heading to the underground through the well. He also wondered how to find another entrance.
Erevel was all for returning to Upianshe and giving her the sword they had found. Others were non committal about the next steps, maybe preferring to rest as Armania found herself low on spells.
Next restorations were performed on some members to help with the madnesses they were afflicted with. Then Ursina volunteered to read anyone's madnesses using sense madness. Ciprian, Gavril and Erevel stepped forward and Ursina found all of Ciprian suffering from nothing while Ciprian and Erevel each had several dormant madnesses. Ursina spoke to Gavril and Erevel about the items they were suffering with.
Next a night was spent and in the morning the plan was to try and return the sword to Upianshe. So after memorizing spells and having a meal the party headed for the tower once again. Then the party spent some time explaining to Agna where they were and what the present tasks they had to complete.
As the party made their way through the still dizzying architecture the hair-thin fungal growths and alien rhizomes that had was seen rarely in on the streets and buildings had extended throughout the city and was now found growing across many of the structures. The fibrous had grown to finger sized and was pulsing with vitality. Ciprian noted that the fungus reminded him of the growth in the jungle area of the tower.
"But that did not attack us, did it?" Erevel interjected.
"No, but it hampered our movements," Ciprian replied.
About halfway to the tower the party heard a seemingly timid voice from ahead, "I have items to trade or you can buy items from me." the voice said
In the lead Gavril and Erevel saw a tentacle tipped with an eye peek around the corner of a narrow alley.
"I mean no harm, I merely have magical items. Do you have anything to sell?"
Now the leaders saw two more tentacles tipped with barbs appear. Then a leg came into view followed by another and then a third, but that was all. The body seemed to be mostly mouth.
Ciprian moved up, invisibly, and entertained the creature in a discussion. At the same time he identified it as an Otyugh that had a few other characteristics, none too harmful.
"Are you from Neruzavin?" Gavril inquired.
"Are you Hoshbagh?" Ciprian asked.
"Why yes I am, how did you come to know about me?"
"We heard of you from Eshimal, down in the snarl,"
At the mention of Eshimal, Hoshbagh's voice changed to a deep raspy rumble, "That foul devil told you about me. He should be eliminated as quickly as possible. Did he send you after me?"
"He mentioned he would like you killed and flayed in front of him, but we just told him we would look for you. No promises of violence were made."
"I will watch you closer now, but I still have items to trade if you wish."
The conversation then turned to the items available from Hoshbagh. Most items were not available but some were. He had a complete inventory of high level items for sale or trade plus many other lower level items. The group negotiated a place to leave a note or a message for Hoshbagh when they might want to buy or trade some items. Presently the group was low on gold.
Just before Hoshbagh left Erevel was slammed into from behind taking significant damage. Looking around no one saw any creature near Erevel or anywhere. Hence Gavril delayed until he could see any enemy to hit. Then Gavril was slammed and he reacted to try and hit the area of the attack but his attempts swished in the air.
Erevel attacked two areas around herself but also found empty air. Armania cast Invisibility Purge and moved toward Gavril, only Ciprian appeared. Ursina cast bless on the party and stood her ground. Ciprian cast See Invisible and noted a faint ripple in the area that suggested a hazy and vaguely humanoid vapor, but it was high in the air nowhere near Gavril or Erevel. He identified it as a Aerial Servant which was an outsider. Agna then fired arrows at the area identified by Ciprian and one Ciprian saw actually hit the vapor.
Ciprian then cast Glitterdust which outlined the vapors for the party to see. Agna again fired away at the now visible target but missed again.
The Servant and Erevel traded misses as Gavril again tried to attack the creature with arrows. Just then the swarm of Quelea birds flew into the middle of the battle and attacked Armania, Agna and Gavril. Armania brought down a hail of stones from the sky on the swarm, also inflicting damage on the whole party and the Aerial Servant. Ursina cast prayer on the party and Ciprian cast another Glitterdust on the Servant trying to blind it. Finally Agna moved away from the swarm but had no shot at the servant.
The Aerial Servant moved away from Erevel and then withdrew, flying at a lightning speed to the north. At least there was only one enemy now. Erevel and Gavril had no effect on the swarm as it moved to the north to encompass Armania, Erevel and Ursina. Armania Flaming Sphere and had it bounce among the birds. Ursina found room for a Flame Strike and Ciprian launched Alchemist's Fire toward the swarm. Agna was as impotent as Gavril in this fight.
Erevel took a hint and used Alchemist's Fire as the swarm again moved to attack Ursina. Armania cast a Lightning Bolt which clipped the birds and Ursina recalled the Flame Strike for one more attack while the Flaming Sphere did nothing. But the Flame Strike was enough as the few Quelea left fled the scene as individuals, the swarm was gone.
Now the party was again going through the healing ritual and then discussing if they really wanted to give the sword to Upianshe. Erevel was all for this but Armania was concerned that they could be creating a new, more powerful, enemy. But in the end the group headed for the twisted tower to find Upianshe. Maybe she hadn't regressed to her revengeful self yet, though Ciprian said it had been a week since the party dispatcher her. The other thought was that the sight of the sword would bring her around.
The climb to the top of the twisting tower was uneventful, Ciprian and Armania cast mirror image as they made their way up. Ciprian suggested using Elemental Spell to alter the damage of Armania's spells to ectoplasmic, thus fully damaging the ghost.
Ciprian then threw the sword up into the chamber where in landed with a dull clank. Ursina moved up the stairs and cast bless on the party while Agna stayed below for the time being. Gavril headed up into the chamber on the opposite side of the room from Erevel. Armania waited for Ciprian to enter the chamber where he began a Bardic Performance and set himself up to convert spell damage to ectoplasmic. Armania moved into the room and cast dragon's breath while avoiding the gaze of the ghost.
Upianshe headed toward Erevel and swung the spectral copy of Teralindar's Honor which missed the half elf. Then she cast Scorching Ray at Erevel, Armania and Gavril. Erevel's picked up the sword and tried to hand it to Upianshe even as she averted her eyes from the gaze. Upianshe merely let the sword fall to the floor. Ursina headed up and using undead bane on her holy book she attacked but missed. Agna moved into the room but missed with her arrow attack and Ciprian used the ectoplasmic ability to attack and Armania moved into line for a lightning bolt of ectoplasmic damage.
Upianshe turned her sword on Ursina and with a might blow knocked her unconscious. Upianshe then used Force Punch to try and push Erevel away but she stood her ground even with the damage. Erevel's next attack was wide of the mark. As Ursina lay on the floor of the chamber, Agna again fired away and hit the ghost enough to drop her to the floor where she automatically began to apologize for harming the party once again. She expressed her biggest regret for the prone and unconscious Ursina.
Ciprian and Erevel both provided the Inquisitor with potions of cure light wounds to bring her back around.
DM's Notes: The party earned 14400 XP for the night and now have 428188 needing 16812 more to reach 14th level.
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