8 May 2022
The air in the city is hazy with a weird greenish fog, indicating a stronger presence of the demon under the city.
Tal goes down to [[The Hot Piggie]] to meet the party and pass along [[Brayne]]’s message to [[Ishtar]]. Everyone heads up to meet with [[Brayne]] at the gate to Level 2. On the way, [[Lortuku]] seems to become possessed, and attacks Corya. Party beings trying to take down [[Lortuku]], to restrain him and put a Ring of Protection from Evil on him. Before [[Lortuku]] can be restrained, he disappears and a weird shadow demon appears. A fairy ([[Pip]]) shows up and attacks the demon, but the crossbow bolt goes right through it. The demon lets out a wave of confusion, which [[Coyra]] fails to save against, causing her to attack Tal. The demon disappears and [[Lortuku]] reappears. A random Drow comes up the street and attacks [[Lortuku]] with some magic. The shadow demon reappears, and then disappears in a stream of smoke into the sky.
Everyone goes to the Emporium after that. Sit around for a short rest. The new Drow thinks that [[Kalina]] is in the city. Then everyone heads up to the Level 1-2 gate and meet Captian [[Brayne]]. He takes the group to see the dissolved body of the thief who has been stealing from Level 1 and 2. Apparently [[Brother Gourd]] has gone missing. Something (probably Phil) dissolved the body of the thief, and the magic items (which is suprising and weird). There was a witness. The group goes to talk to the witness. In the house, there are two dead people upstairs, and a possessed Aetumal. The group attacks and attempts to subdue. Manage to grapple and put the Ring of Protection from Evil on Aetumal. Knocks them out until [[Ishtar]] gives them some health, bringing them back to consciousness. Question Aetumal about what happened while they were possesed. They talk about what little they can remember. Shouted something about “an arrow from hell will pierce her heart”. Probably implying that a demon wants to destroy Merkeve to allow demons to freely enter the plane.
Most of the group goes to speak to the guard (name: [[Daelish]], dwarf) at Level 3, to inform him about Phill eating the thief. Tal and Aetumal go back to the Emporium. Tal and [[Pip]] discuss the cost of the items [[Pip]] found. [[Pip]] goes back to meet up with the group. Tal goes back to the classroom where he saw the thief stash some stuff and grabs the loot. The party goes up to Level 3, then gets attacked by a group of people affected by the slimy water from a fountain (similar to a pond found in the caverns under [[Jern]]). Tal eventually fights through his agoraphobia to run and help the group, after he hears a big Thunderclap (caused by [[Gammy]]). [[Dinus]] shows up, kills all the citizens, chats with the party, tells them to go meet up with [[Brigadesh]] and help him deal with a problem at the Armory Forge, then heads down to Level 0 to help [[Brayne]]. The full group searches for the door to Level 4. It has been hidden by an illusion, which Tal dispells. Find [[Brigadesh]], two of his acolytes, and a couple hell dogs. Kill the devils. Enter the Armory Forge, where devils were apparently active. Send Teekl to search, but he gets killed by something. [[Pip]] goes next. Sees a devilish entity forging an arrow. Fight time. Beat the devil. [[Coyra]] grabs the arrow and then stabs Tal with it (because it’s cursed). Tal removes one level of the curse on the dagger. [[Brigadesh]] comes in and asks for the arrow, to put it in the Vaults of [[Jern]]. Tal tells [[Coyra]] to take the arrow and run, because he (and [[Pip]]) doesn’t trush the security of the Vault or the trustworthiness of the clerics. The arrow was being created to corrupt a goddess.