Chapter 15: The Well of Souls

Hien, Otylia, Raluhn, Darius and Quynh finally reached the Well of Souls.

It was a long journey, but they made it. Dismayed at the visage of death displayed all over the city, they stopped by the 'Skull Key Tavern' where they learned of a discount exorcist by the name of Shalkilzar, and the Temple of the Well.

Retreating to the Temple of the Well, they found a paradise of life amidst the city of death. Their first task was to exorcise the spirit of the cursed bear. With the aid of a Taoist exorcist by the name of Inquistor Gui, they banished the murderous child spirit, and imprisoned her soul in a tiny glass bead. It was a harrowing experience, drenched with blood. Darius wound up possessed, and stabbed in the heart. It was discovered that the child's name was Lee.
Fortunately for Darius, the temple preists were skilled healers, and they helped the party recover fully. In exchange for their services, the party 'gifted' the monks with the barbarian girl as a disciple.

They sold the Three Horn to an exotic mount salesman.

The second task was the test of the Black Tower. Darius and Raluhn took the written tests, and Darius was passed without issue, as his wild warlock nature did not allow him to progress further within the Ministry. Raluhn was however, compelled to join. The Black Council that oversaw the tests blackmailed him with a legal condition- he would become a Magister and gain the legal rights to protect his friends and himself; or they would be convicted for treason and the murder at the Jong Sheng waystation.

He took the test. He was confronted with destroying the soul of the cursed child, consigning her to oblivion in the name of justice. He did so, but to an illusion. His loyalty to the Empire was resolved, and the Council congratulated him and gifted him with the Magister's Robes and Staff.

After the celebration, the Hien, Quynh, Raluhn, Darius and Otylia met at the Skull Key Tavern to depart for Yuelan. They had unresolved business with Governor Lung, Hien's uncle. He was the one behind the treason accusation, the one behind the Shen.

Unfortunately, old enemies caught up fast. A man and two intelligent wolfhounds charged into the tavern, fireballing the place and snapping at the party's heels. A brilliant spellbinding battle followed, and the Skull Key Tavern was turned into flinders and webbing. When the tide seemed in the party's favor, the mage made a daring escape as a Three Horn, THEIR Three Horn burst through the wall of the inn, trampled over them and carried the mage to safety.

In the smoke and dust, Darius unleashed hellfire upon the escaping assailant, and killed him and the Three Horn. They began investigate the situation, and after the guard arrived to examine the body, they discovered that the man was indeed a kobold named Shalkilzar, and he was working for a man by the name of Antipheros.

That was when they discovered something wrong. Quynh was dead.