To Master Seimei -
I am still struggling with the best method to protect Jiro. I have learned to summon allies from Elysium much more rapidly than is typical, and by the blessing of the gods of magic my spells now last much longer than they should. Perhaps I should take advantage of this to summon friendly celestial beings to remain at Jiro's side and defend him. I must seek out a creature capable of giving healing that can offset the harm Jiro absorbs from the rest of our party when we are engaged in battle.
Jiro has created a sanctuary for the world of green growing things here outside the Citadel. He desires to add pathways and seating to make it a place of respite. I had not realized how much I missed the presence of living trees and shrubs until Jiro made it possible to feel them again.
In preparation for encountering the shadow demon Joran Vhane had warned us of, Jiro thought it wise to to acquire a wand that could grant my companions armor of force. Aravashnial agreed to create this item and I now carry it with me. I have also taken charge of a wand we found among Staunton Vhane's possessions that will make it more difficult for divinations to detect us. I have taken greater care to fill my enchanted quiver with wands containing spells that I think will be efficacious to my companions.
As we girded ourselves for our descent into the dungeon, Shim recalled all that he had learned of the abilities of shadow demons and reminded us that such demons can create nearly impenetrable darkness. He also gave each of us a vial of antitoxin in the event that any of our foes chose to use poison against us. Runa went to visit Joran Vhane again, but she did not share with us what they spoke of.
Irabeth then called us all together and presented each with a medal in acknowledgement of our deeds. All of the medals grant magical enhancements to their bearers, but each of us did not receive a medal with the same type of enchantment. The medals given to myself and Jiro will help to protect us from spells or effects that are meant to cause death. Naturally we were all very appreciative of these gifts, though Irabeth's demeanor gave an impression that she feared we would not return from the subterranean level of the Citadel.
At the bottom of the staircase leading down into the dungeon, we found a sturdy door, not as well crafted as the doors within the Citadel itself but still providing a challenge to Shim's skill at picking locks. Beyond the door lay an area confined within iron bars, with another locked door opposite the point of entry. Concerned that the door we had entered through might lock behind us and trap us below, Shim attempted to block it open, but could find nothing with which to block it. Zosta ran back up the stairs to fetch a chunk of rubble from the room above for that purpose.
The cells that bordered the barred foyer contained only long-deceased corpses. All around us we could hear a constant whispering of voices, never clear enough for us to make out their words. Jiro identified them as spirits, perhaps the remnants of those poor individuals whose remains lay in the cells. After Shim opened the next door, Zosta pushed a desk into the opening to prevent it from closing. Beyond it was a short passage and a third door that admitted us into a longer passageway lined with more narrow cells.
We had scarcely set foot in this corridor when two specters emerged from the deep shadows. Zosta, who was at the front of our group, immediately moved to attack them. Runa leaped behind them to flank with Zosta. Shim stood beside Zosta, and one of the specters thrust its shadowy limb into his chest. I could not see his face from my vantage several paces behind him, but I knew it had harmed him by the way his spine stiffened then sagged when it withdrew its limb from his flesh. I heard Jiro calling upon the spirits of his ancestors to aid us, and a distinguished old samurai in ornate golden armor appeared, swinging his daikatana at one of the specters. The moment the blade struck the creature it shattered and the spirit vanished, indicating that the specters were resistant to magic.
Zosta jabbed one specter with her fists and feet while Runa used her sword to slash it, the blade's enchantment allowing her to harm the specter as though it was made of flesh. Jiro's wand brought a weapon into being to attack our foe, but as with his spirit it was dispelled by the creature's resistance. A bead of force shot over his shoulder from Bohgong but it too failed to overcome the specter's resistance, the wand being one of minimal power. I tried the same with my own more powerful wand but experienced the same result. One specter reached for Runa as its comrade had done to Shim, but it failed to penetrate her armor. Runa used her divine power to grant Zosta a burst of alacrity so that she could pummel it again, and then two slashes of Runa's sword blade caused the specter to dissipate.
A third specter had appeared suddenly in the midst of our battle. It had taken up position so that it and one of the others could flank with Jestak, who had volunteered to accompany us. As Runa turned to face the other specter I hurled my spear into it, and Shim's curved blade then robbed it of its existence. Zosta repositioned herself to flank with Jestak. Runa granted her another opportunity to strike it after striking it herself, and those blows sent the third specter into whatever afterlife awaits such things.
The attacks of the specters had left Jiro considerably weakened from the harm they dealt to Shim and Runa. He used a wand to heal some of his own injuries, but the wand could not remove the weakness the specters had inflicted. Shim had only just had similar deleterious effects removed from him, and there was no magic that could remove the draining effect from him until the passage of another week. We would have to proceed despite the harm the specters had done to him.
To our left lay an area that Joran Vhane had told us was used to imprison mages, while to the right was a corridor leading to the torture chamber where we expected to meet the vampire. Directly ahead was another chamber surrounded by cells where the cultists had held their more valuable prisoners. Runa and Jiro moved toward this area to see what lay within it. As soon as they approached Jiro heard the sound of doors opening, though it was very dark within and little could be seen by the light of his lantern. Jiro felt some magic touch him, attempting to gain control of his mind, but it failed to subdue him. Shim then darted forward and pulled a surprised Jiro away from the entry to the cell block, at the same giving a rallying call to those who stood nearest to him. Figures had emerged from the cells, which I realized upon seeing them were the vampire spawn Joran had told us to expect. I called this information out to my friends, then flung a spear at one of the spawn, though the proximity of my companions caused my aim to go wide of the mark.
Jiro set his lantern to float in the air and called for another spirit. This time a very noble samurai in red lacquered armor appeared. I heard Bohgong emit a gasp of shock, though I did not know why. This samurai bore a flaming tetsubo to wield against the vampire spawn. Zosta charged past Shim to slam her fists into one of the spawn and it disintegrated into a cloud of ash. She turned immediately on the next one and it too was destroyed. Runa prayed to Iomedae and a blinding radiance left the spawn unable to see, but this did not seem to limit their movements. One of them managed to bite her shield arm.
Shim scrambled spider-like up the wall beside him and dropped down behind one of the spawn, slicing through it with his curved blade. There was so much movement that I decided hurling my spear into the melee would be unwise and instead brought a lantern archon to aid my friends. It tried to blast one with its rays, but it too was hindered by all the fighting. The fiery blade of Jiro's spirit transformed another vampire spawn into ashes. Zosta slew three more in quick succession. Only one spawn remained. This one lunged for Runa. My spear and the archon's rays both failed to strike it, but it died to a blow from Jiro's staff.
When the spawn were all gone and the floor was coated in their ashen remains, Jiro introduced us all to the spirit he had last summoned: despite that Bohgong is the current vessel for the spirit of Jiro's respected uncle, this spirit also represented that same person! Bohgong was clearly amazed that such an occurrence could be possible, and Jiro himself was quite bewildered. The spirit bowed courteously to us and then faded away as the spell's duration came to an end. Runa then entered the area the spawn had emerged from to see what else might await us there. The other cells were occupied only by more corpses.
With the vampire spawn eliminated, we next decided to investigate the cells where spellcasters were held. This area proved to contain only two large cells separated by a space approximately the size of the cells combined. Like the rest of the area when had passed through there was nothing of equipment or furnishings in the space, as if the cultists had retreated elsewhere and taken all their goods with them. Only one of the two cells was unlocked. Concerned that these cells might contain some effect designed to suppress magic, I did not approach them. The open cells walls were covered in sigils that none of us could interpret. Jiro determined that these markings themselves were not of a magical nature. The other room's symbols glowed a malevolent red, and Shim stated that there was some dark and powerful magic in them.
Runa took a chance on looking into the open cell and was amazed to find that the walls were covered in images of butterflies etched into the surface, marring and covering the other sigils. Shim remarked that the butterfly is often used as the symbol of the goddess Desna. The whole cell held a strong aura of goodness and chaos, which was stronger on the north wall. When Shim went into the cell to examine it he stated that he felt energized by this aura, for it was Desna who had sent him a vision telling him to seek us. Runa then saw that along with the butterflies there was a prayer inscribed on that wall, which she read aloud. The words of the prayer asked for aid to escape and swore to serve the unnamed deity wholeheartedly should such aid be given. Shim admitted that he felt a sense of familiarity from this prayer, and realized that the person who had inscribed it had once saved his life. Inside the cell the oppressive aura of evil and the whispering spirits were no longer apparent. We surmised that the prisoner in this cell must have been Arushalae, the succubus heretic who Joran told us had escaped.
After thoroughly examining that cell, we moved on to the second, locked cell with the glowing red sigils. Zosta volunteered to try to look inside through the small window in its door. She saw no one within. She felt that the effects of several enchanted items she wore were suppressed, but once she moved away from the symbols the magic returned. Jiro expressed a desire to see inside the cell, but when Shim attempted to unlock the door he was unable to do so. He took a battering ram out of his magical haversack, and he and Zosta used it to smash the door off its hinges. The cell proved to be unoccupied. Jiro reported that when he entered he still felt the unpleasant aura and heard the spirits murmuring.
We departed from that area next and went to the doorway leading to the torture chamber. As with the other doors we had encountered, it was locked, but Shim had little difficulty unlocking it.
Next: part 44, The Vampire's Lair
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