Episode 4

**In Episode 4 of There Will Be Dungeons!**

Nash and Hope face off against the demon, who appears to be "smoking" from a strange device connected to Queen Amelda's head. Realizing the two of them are no match for the demon, Hope rushes to retrieve Stanley and Vorel.

Meanwhile, the demon attempts to convince Nash to help him...when the time is right, to sacrifice one or more of his "friends" to the demon. In return, the demon will impart great power upon him!  Nash struggles within himself to try and decide what is more important...the demon's offer, or his companions lives.

While Nash faces his existential crisis, Hope arrives at the entrance of Moag Ferhain, and quickly explains that she and Nash have encountered a demon, and need help! They quickly rush back to the noble's quarters - but as they pass the medical robot C4N-D13, the robot notices Stanley's presence, and initiates a mysterious "Elhan Protocol".

Speaking alone with Stanley, the robot imparts a strange item to Stanley; a Data Core. C4N-D13 explains to Stanley that the Data Core contains critical information to the survival of the planet - which is dying! Stanley must return the Data Core to the Elhan in Elhandar...a mysterious city in the sky.

Stanley rushes to catch up with the rest of the party as they face off against Quizquoz. The heroes briefly converse with the demon, who explains that he and the rest of the denizens of Moag Ferhain have been trapped underground for centuries. Queen Amelda and the dwarves were betrayed by the first Hillmaster, Peter, when he made a pact with the demon to obtain the Dragon Engine that powers the well above, providing water to Dusthill. The city was sealed underground by a violent cave-in of the caverns outside the city. Queen Amelda then entered into a pact with the demon to try and save her subjects - which Quizquoz granted. He gave them eternal life - but an eternal life where they were trapped, repeating the same short period of their lives again and again. Queen Amelda was also granted eternal life - but in so, was imprisoned by Quizquoz as the source of dreams that would sustain him.

The demon goes on with offers of power, immortality, and downfall of their enemies...for a price. All he desires are more living beings, with lovely flavors of dreams.

Stanley asks to approach the demon, in a guise of understanding more of what the demon desires. But instead, he suddenly attacks by cutting the tube leading to the device attached to Queen Amelda's head! The demon screams in anger, and the skeletons lining the room begin to animate! More skeletons pour into the room from outside, and the demon attacks Stanley, grievously biting him and knocking him out of the fight.

Vorel attempts to convince the demon that they can return with another living being, but the demon will hear none of it. They shall die or be captured, and provide him with the dreams he desires!

During the battle, Nash battles with his inner desire to not harm the party members with another reckless spell. But as skeletons pour into the room, he has no choice but to unleash another Thunder Wave spell! He slams his staff into the floor, and with a shout loses the spell on the skeletons and rains destruction upon them!

Vorel enters his rage, and decapitates and dismembers several skeletons. As Vorel is gleefully engaging the skeletons, the demon Quizquoz focuses his anger on the lizardman and bites him...Vorel returns the sentiment with a bite of his own.

As the fight seems to be turning against the demon, Quizquoz reminds Nash of his offer, causing Nash to struggle with his internal monologue; should he offer himself up to the demon to save his friends? But self preservation wins over, and Nash instead responds to the demon with a Fire Bolt!

Seeing Stanley fall, Hope quickly rushes to Stanley's aid, and is able to stabilize him, keeping him from death's door.

Vorel continues his attacks on the demon, while skeletons begin to pile upon him...hanging from his limbs and attempting to bring him down. Nash again brings his Fire Bolt to bear and finally connects with the demon, setting it aflame! But the oily substance covering the demon also splashes onto Vorel, also setting him aflame.

With Stanley stabilized, Hope is able to creep close to the flaming demon. She places her shotgun to its head and pulls the trigger - blasting the demon with an incredible shot! The demon explodes into a cloud of oil, smoke, and...blood?

As the demon expires, the skeletons around the room begin to fall lifeless to the floor. The attention of the party is turned towards Queen Amelda, who begins to melt before their eyes...dissolving into a fleshy soup, bones, and clothes. As the corpse disintegrates, a faint whisper can be heard from the air about them...."Thank you" it says. And then all is quiet.

Within the ruined royal chamber, the party finds a chest, and within it a bounty of gold, a simple iron ring, some iron dice, and a stone statue of a hawk in flight. A final wonder is found in the chest...a strange wrench, which appears to change shape, based on the desires of the user, which Hope also takes.

Exiting the noble quarters, the party comes upon the destroyed remains of C4N-D13. It appears that the automaton was attacked by skeletons during the party's battle with Quizquoz. Hope examines the remains, and locates a fascinating component from the robot..a Deactivated Positronic Matrix. She pockets the device in hope of finding use for it at a later time.

The group returns back through now silent city of Moag Ferhain, exiting the city and returning to the caverns with the underground river. As Vorel ferries the party members back across the river, he notices something shining on rivers edge.

Picking up the item, he finds that it is covered with hooks and barbs, and is covered with strange writing. Unable to translate the writings, he hands it to Stanley who recognizes the language as Elvish. He reads the inscription aloud. "This Pod Cast be the property of John Scottson. Reward if returned. Shard'nock Plains." Vorel examines the item more closely, and realizes that it could be used for "Sand Fishing", where the item (a pod) could be cast upon the sands by an experienced sand fisher, and used to catch creatures such as sand squid.

The group then considers their ascent back up the shaft to the surface and decides to begin their climb, with plans to rest where they encountered the spiders on the way down. They successfully make the climb, although it takes several hours, arriving outside the Dragon Engine room.

Upon entering, they find the bodies of D'harma and Thomas - in addition to the corpse of Holga. The last two remaining members of the old Hillguard have been murdered - Thomas with a knife to the neck, and D'harma run-through with a sword. Vorel's roar of grief fills the caverns at the death of his friend, as he promises a swift death to those who caused D'harma's death.

Leaving Vorel cradling the body of D'harma, Stanley turns the large sarcophagus in the room, taking a moment to examine the ancient skeleton within. He finds the skeleton seems to be held in place with various fasteners, and has likely been here for centuries. Nash turns to examine the skeleton as well, and detects a faint magic emanating from it, but is unable to discern it's nature.

Finally giving into his sorrow, Vorel stands and drops the body of his friend...looking for any object on which to focus his anger. He sees Nash and Stanley examining the skeleton, and rushes over to it and grabs hold.

As Vorel attempts to rip the skeleton from the sarcophagus, a strange purple mist begins to rise in the room, and from it a voice speaks...

"Fools! What have you done!"