Embers of the Wilds: Episode 24

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==Synopsis==
The party visit the necromancer Stuka and ask about what they learned about souls being used to enslave the undead. Stuka claims the elves are lying, then give an anti-elf rant. The party leave and head back to Trog Canyon with a group of elves, but only the elf leader, Faely, goes into town itself. Faely meets with the undead Eva and is surprised how alive she is despite being undead. The party meet with Annabelle and she agrees with Faely about how necromancy is a bad thing for the soul.
Spells are cast on Eva with her consent, and she turns out to be not evil, but a "Zombie Doll". Eva reveals she met with Stuka back in Episode 21, but had no idea who he was at the time. Eva appears to have complete free will and is not affected by the Protection from Evil spell. The elf then explores the cares with Crystal the water elemental. The elf then leaves down to report in all they discovered to their elders.
==Recap==
===13th November - Visiting Stuka in Northridge===
The party are traveling to Trog Canyon with a group of 3 elves, but decide to visit their Necromancer friend, , who lives in Northridge on the way. The elves stay outside of town, letting Tristelle & Pearl go in alone.
The party enter the town and find a bridge guarded by some skeletons. Tristelle tries to sneak past them, but the her leap onto a railing fails and she lands on top of a skeleton. The skeletons do not react violently, and the fallen over skeleton gets up. Pearl and Tristelle then cross the bridge to Stuka's Bone Tower. The group of skeletons escort the party.
The party arrive at the tower and see further improvements have been made to the tower. Stuka waves at the party and goes up to the party, escorted by 6 skeletons. Stuka wonders about Kyra's absence, but the party just explain she is back home. Stuka invites the party up to the 4th floor to see the new guest rooms and for Tristelle's Bone Lyre.
Stuka shows off the rooms, showing that he has salvaged the nicest doors from around the town for the 4 guestrooms. The furnishing in the rooms are also been salvaged from around town. Pearl distracts Stuka while Tristelle casts . Tristelle detects that under one of rug is magic (Abjuration School). Tristelle casts to tell Pearl to distract Stuka for longer, so she can cast on the magic. The marking is permanent magic circle, typically used to keep summon creatures inside the circle, but it can be used in reverse. Tristelle notices the 4 rooms have magic circles. Tristelle collects the Bone Lyre and meets back up with Pearl and Stuka on the next floor up.
Stuka invites the party to stay the night, or have a "feast". The party decline.
Pearl asks Stuka about the nature of Souls and his Necromancy. Stuka admits he uses souls in his reanimation, and considers the afterlife a depressing place. Stuka assures Pearl that the Souls are happy where they are. When it is revealed that the party spoke with elves, Stuka launches into an anti-elf rant, that claims the elves stole magic from humanity and don't consider it immoral since they are long lived. After the rant, Stuka apologises for getting hot headed, and the party make a polite exit from the tower.
The party return to the elves and explain Stuka's claims. The elves fine Stuka to be a biased source of information since he is the one who profits on the undead slave labour. The elves are also horrified by the bone lyre. Tristelle decides they should speak with the Martha Claric, 
 and get her thoughts on the matter, once they get back to town.
===14th November - Return to Trog Canyon===
The party arrive back at Trog Canyon. The leader of the elves, , is the only one to come into town with the party, with the other 2 elves staying outside of town.
Once into Trog Canyon, Pearl is swarmed, with the townsfolk happy that she was freed from the jail. Kyra is in the crowd. Pearl explains the situation on why she was arrested to the townsfolk. Mayor has a "I told you so" face, but doesn't say anything at that moment.
The party then go to the inn, where Faely gets a room. At the inn is the undead who the party introduce to Faely. Faely asks may questions of Eva, and is amazed that all her senses are working and that she has free will despite being undead. Eva admits that she can see an aura around when they are alone at night, but only when it is really dark.
The party with Faely then travel to the temple in town to speak with Annabelle. Annabelle explains about how the gods intent people to live only once and Necromancy goes against it. Pearl asks if the gods can be wrong. Annabelle tells a story, there is a dying man on a battlefield, a Cleric of Martha can heal, a Cleric of Voraci can send them on to the next life painlessly. But on the matter of raising the dead, the gods are unified against it. Annabelle says much of what Faely said about how the soul suffers if it is bound to a body after death.
The party reveal the nature of Stuka in the next town to Annabelle. Annabelle is not pleased to hear about the Necromancer. Annabelle tells her plans to cast tomorrow on Eva, who she considers a possible spy for Stuka. Pearl wonders if Eva could have been raised as good person despite it being an evil spell. Annabelle says it is possible but unlikely. 
The party retire for the night. Tristelle asks to learn Elvish from Faely, and Faely agrees to teach her. 
===15th November - Investigating Eva===
In the morning the party meet up in the common room of the inn with Annabelle and Faely. Faely keeps their distance from the situation since they are an outsider here. Annabelle asks to cast a spell on Eva, after Eva agrees Annabelle casts . Annabelle says she will talk with Eva more about the matter later. Eva walks off, weirded out. Annabelle reveals to the party that she detected no evil.
Tristelle casts and detects Necromancer Magic on Eva. Tristelle goes to where Eva is sitting and asks permission to cast another spell. Eva reluctantly agrees. Tristelle cast upon Eva. Eva is revealed to be a "Zombie Doll". A type of zombie that retains their memories, personalities, and skills. This type of Zombie acts like they normally would in life, so they aren't a direct puppet of whoever raised them. The zombie will obey orders subconsciously it is given by the necromancer.
Tristelle and Eva return to the table and it is revealed to Eva that she is a zombie. Eva mentions meeting a stranger in the plains during her walk in Episode 21, who she spoke to about coming back from the dead. Pearl describes Stuka, and Eva says the description matches. Eva had been drawn to the plains subconsciously. Eva felt compelled at the time she had to lie about meeting with Stuka. But Eva feels no compulsion now to lie or go to the plains.
Annabelle wonders if the other undead raised by Stuka would radiate evil. The party agree to get an undead to the edge of town for Annabelle to cast the spell upon. Annabelle casts on Tristelle but finds no alignment upon it.
Eva wants to know if she is a danger to Greta. Annabelle says she can casts a spell on Tristelle, and if Eva is able to hold Tristelle's hand, she is not evil or masking her evil. Eva agrees and after the spell is cast, is able to hold Tristelle's hand. Tristelle hands Eva her dagger to injure her with. Eva is able to do so, despite the spell. Annabelle is amazed and considers this miraculous.
Faely says they have to meet with the other elves and tell them what happened, says that Eva's condition must be because of the aura of magic over everything. Before leaving Faely will visit the mines to see .
===15th November - Investigating Crystal===
The party with Faely enter the cave. Tristelle plays a song that draws out Crystal the Water Elemental. Pearl casts upon Crystal. Crystal is again able to communicate with everyone. Crystal goes with Faely to show her the cave. Faely leaves behind some of her clothes on the shoreline before going into the water.
While Faely & Crystal are away, Tristelle casts on the magical clothes Faely left behind. The boots are "Boots of Elvenkind" and the cloak is a "Cloak of Elvenkind".
After 45 minutes Faely returns, and notices her clothes were disturbed, but says nothing. Faely explains that there is no source to the water, it just endlessly appears and flows down the waterfall. Faely explains the inability to go down the waterfall without magic or a lot of equipment. A spell could get you down, while a spell could be used to get back up. 
===15th November - Post-Elven Investigating===
Faely finds everything they have discovered in town quite bizarre, and must confer with her companions. She adds that they'll have to head home to speak with the wise elders there for advice. Faely is going to report on everything, including Stuka being an evil necromancer.
Pearl argues since Stuka raised Eva, that he might not be evil. Faely says that casting a on one of his raised skeletons will determine that. 
==Experience==
No experience given this episode. 
Category:Embers of the Wilds Episodes