Episode 110

## Queen's Gambit

* We spend a few moments standing around confused as shit inside the tent. The magical runes around the border have begun to activate but we have no idea as to what their function is. Uncertain of what to do, and seeing no sign of the Kumi-ho, we decide to retreat on Barkley's advice.
* We are pursued by a host of demons, several Cubi (Succubi and Incubi both) and a Marilith who manage to catch up to us quickly since Vahlka is carrying two adult half-elves and flying half speed. She puts them down and we ready ourselves for a fight.
* The marilith spreads some attacks around but grapples Lucius with her tail. He retaliates by casting Sunbeam. Olly throws a synaptic static into the cluster of demons. Deacon misses multiple guiding bolts. The Cubi engage by attempting to charm Vahlka and Deacon, neither of which works. Vahlka uses all her lay on hands to stay on her feet.
* The marlith throws all her attacks at Lucius and instantly kills him. Olivia casts haste on Vahlka. Godfrey casts Scatter and teleports everyone farther away from the demons. We manage to kill several of the cubi. Vahlka grumbles about being moved and flies straight back in there. Godfrey uses Infernal Calling to summon Nuriel, a white abishai. Several of the Cubi turn tail and run, one insistent incubus keeps strikes sexy poses at Barkley to no avail.
* The marilith summons three glabrezu to aid her. Vahlka uses Turn the Unholy, Nuriel, two of the glabrezu, and a couple remaining Cubi are frightened and forced to flee. The marilith however, opportunity attacks Nuriel and he stays in the fight. Godfrey orders Nuriel to retrieve Lucius' body. Vahlka bolsters herself a little bit more with Shield of Faith and lays some serious damage into the Marilith, We finally manage to kill it.
* Barkley moves up next to Vahlka and the two fight the glabrezu, which manages to knock Vahlka out but she stays alive by virtue of Deacon's previously cast Death Ward. Nuriel manages to kill the last glabrezu, before Vahlka kills him herself.
* The party convenes around Lucius' body. Vahlka paces tensely and asks Barkley if she wants her to do the revivify. Barkley declines and casts the spell herself. There's an aside for Lucius from beyond the grave, before he is returned to the living with a thunderous boom.
* We move to better shelter Lucius explains that he has a confession to make, and tells the party he had an interest in necromancy and prolonging his own life through unnatural means. Lucius explains that The Raven Queen appeared to him while he was dead, played chess against him, he won, and she gave him an ultimatum - die now, or give up all necromancy. Deacon seems suspicious of this, and begins flipping through his prayer book. Vahlka urges the party to find shelter first, then we can elaborate what's happened.
* Deacon casts a Zone of Truth and Lucius elaborates a bit more on what happened. The necromancy spells in his spellbook have been removed and replaced with cleric spells. Deacon shows the party a page out of his prayer book depicting a young girl, a woman, and a old woman - he explains that they each represent a different aspect of The Raven Queen and that Lucius saw the aspect of birth. Which explains why he isn't dead.
* Olivia asks Godfrey what the fuck he's doing summoning devils. He is unapologetic and insists it was strategic and needed. Only Barkley seems to agree with him. The conversation veers around to interrogating Godfrey about the Divine Void, Godfrey claims he did not tell them the extent of what happened when he left on an adventure with Tenebrous. He says Nuriel was 'bound to his will' by Tenebrous, and that he and the other tiefling warlock helped Mysa'aor kill a massive chained beast in the void, there was a bright point of light - like a falling star. Which Mysa'aor claimed. It has become readily apparent to everyone that Mysa'aor is now a god, and presumably has subsumed Tharizdun's Divinity.