A Friend in the Darkness

**A Friend In The Darkness** is the forty fourth episode on *Another Bad Side Quest*. The party finds themselves in a new place and are greeted with a long wanted friendly face.

## A Friend in the Darknes

### **Synopsis**

**Pre-Show Shenanigans**

* Welcome back! After a month long break we are excited to return to Palamoa. We thank you for your patience while we fend off creator burnout and give ourselves the time and rest we needed
* The ABSQ main campaign will soon be switching to a recorded format. Episodes will still be posted on Youtube and all your favorite podcast services, but will no longer be streamed live on Twitch, but we will still be holding on to Twitch
* Also the first week of every month there will be no release to fend off future burnout for the cast and crew
* Next week Darrin will need the night off for his job, but that means we will be airing Part 2 of The Mistakes! Check out Part One HERE!

### **Part One**

Alaerith, Yashani and RX tumbled into the darkness beyond the mirror and soon lost consciousness. After several hours they slowly came to, cracked their eyes open and saw they were reunited with the other members, who also lost consciousness, but also saw the soft and familiar purple glow and tortle feet of Seren. Seren spied the lumped pile of old friends and new faces before he looked around the room in concern and saw the room was shaped like a quarter circle with two doors, both wooden and on adjacent walls. Seren turned to the group as they woke, stepped forward, pushed out with one palm in his familiar gesture of greeting and good-bye and activated *Channel Divinity :* *Twilight Sanctuary* causing the purple glow to expand around them and illuminated the room. Seren greeted them as he reached down, lifted RX up from the pile, removed the rope tying him to Alaerith and Yashani and helped the rest to their feet, while Bo walked through the group in his incorporeal form.

Yashani noted this was not what she thought the Feywild would look like and Seren replied they were not there and wondered, like the rest of them if they knew where they might be. Yashani and RX explained it was first a mirror that then became a portal and then asked why Seren was there. Seren replied it was a complicated question before asking if he could hug them all and gathered the original members for a reunion hug. Meanwhile, Bo took stock of their surroundings and also noticed that Nubbi had made it and was at his feet. As the group hug was pulled apart all, but RX, realized they had items taken from them

* Bo was missing his cloak, *Vi Armis*
* Alaerith was missing *Vile’s Fang*
* Quincy was missing *Panache*
* Sterling was missing the *Tome of Tollanessa,* which included Tollanessa’s consciousness
* Yashani was missing the *Mask Of Extended Life* and the *Handy Haversack* along with *The Book of Sanguis*

RX noted his luck that he didn't lose anything while the party all lamented their losses, with Yashani who paced as the color had drained from her face, while Sterling, who now appeared especially skinny and frail without the masses of paper stuffed in every pocket of his vest and pants, began to panic as they took it especially hard. Bo introduced himself to Seren before asking if he knew where they were, and how to find the items that were stolen from them. As the group noticed Seren was actively bleeding, and the original members saw he had a large gash on his shoulder, a large crater in the shell on his chest as well and several pockmarks and gashes along the back of his shell, Seren apologized and admitted he did not know as he only just got there. Yashani asked what he was doing before that and Seren said he was dealing with an "old friend of theirs, who's name he wished to leave out, but liked to jump through shadows”. Sterling filled in it was Esmeria to Seren's surprise before he asked what to call him, Sterling introduced himself, added that he was normally accompanied by a spectral blue lady named Tollanessa, which Seren called an odd companion. Sterling continued to explain their predicament by recounting the mirror, the Rakhind Forefathers and his hope of utilizing the strange mirror they found before it was shattered, how it sucked them in and that his book was gone and Seren chuckled and noted Sterling talked a lot.

Seren apologized again and reiterated he didn't know where they where or where there items went. Seren went on to ask what they lost before Bo cut in to ask if it was alright to touch Seren and after getting the affirmative laid a hand on his shoulder and cast *Cure Wounds* causing little clocks to appear on the gashes that ticked backwards as the skin's damage reversed. Seren thanked him, while Yashani started to hyperventilate as she realized everything she was entrusted with was gone.

Sterling explained how his spellbook was gone including the Tollanessa's soul, explaining how she was the Goddess of Magic, that he might have a way to find it, then cast *Locate Object* from memory and after several casts manage to find them, but found that as he tried to pinpoint the spellbook's location that it blipped out of existence and reappeared in different horizontal and vertical dimensions, as if under a spell like *Blink*. Meanwhile, RX decided to check his body to be sure nothing had been taken and found the amber in his hand had been ripped out before Sterling explained what he learned to the party.

Seren stepped up to the door and in the clearer lit area the group noticed his scales seemed thicker, longer, with a little more gray and was wearing an orange bow tie around his neck. Seren then pulled out a wide brimmed from his satchel, placed it on his head and poked his near the door, but heard nothing from the other side of it head and closes the door. Quincy, noting the change in scales, asked how long he had been gone, while Bo attempted to phase through the door with his incorporeal form, but found the door prevented him from doing so. Seren noted Bo's actions were weird and Sterling explained that he was a spectral being. Seren returned to the question and explained from his perspective

Seren saying it has been 50 years since he left the party, asked how long it had been for them and Quincy laughed humorlessly as they admited it had been less than three weeks. Quincy noted Ob was correct that time was messed up and Seren explained his duties in the Feywild had kept him quite busy. Seren then asked Kalistock or Esmeria caused them much trouble and if they had heard from Bolton or Ob recently and RX explained their time since Seren left including explaining Tabernacle and Killian’s deaths in *Cessunaler,* their enacting of vengeance on the Baron there and how the Baron’s involvement with their boss and the encounter had since rendered Ob and Bolton incapacitated and hadn't been able to contact them. Yashani, in her state, noted they had reached Bolton a few times, that he was home where he was not liked and Bo added they might have a rough idea on Ob's current location. Sterling added this means the Order of Ruin could be assumed to having the collection of the Baron including the *Archinatum Textor* which is believed to have caused the Day of the Black Sun. Quincy said it had been a very long three weeks and Seren agreed and commented his 50 years sounded like nothing. Seren added while he thought there was plenty more to discuss there were more pressing matters, that he was in dire need of a conversation with Esmeria and they should continue.

Seren opened the second door, found a new room, also a quarter circle, full of crates and barrels, which on closer inspection were full of rations and water and another door at the end of the room. Seren continued forward when there was no protest from the others and found the next room was almost a complete half circle, with a spiral staircase in the middle that led up to an opening above, another doorway across the way and a plant in a large planter box. The group found the door at the far end was a room with three beds and decided the plant seemed normal enough. Quincy activated the *Driftglobe* for added light as they headed up the stairs and cautiously remained outside the room above, while Sterling checked the beds to see if they had been used recently, but found he was unable to think straight with the thought of Tollanessa being gone. Bo took out a crushed pearl, blew it over the especially frail-looking Sterling and cast *Transient Bulwark* on him before he joined Quincy up the stairs. Bo told them he would scout it out and promised to return in a moment, which Quincy started to protest, but eventually accepted. Bo cast *Recall* on himself, rushed up the rest of the stairs and in the six seconds he had found stacks upon stacks of barrels that rose over 40 feet, a sort of circular path around them and a wooden door, a mossy door made of stone and a black door with a single amethyst at about eye level before he was forcefully returned to Quincy. Bo relayed what he saw to Quincy before they headed back down.

Sterling suggested they all gather together just as the sound of splintering wood and destruction coming from the previous room, along with Yashani's roars of anger as she lets out her frustration on the barrels and rations, while Alaerith stood in the room so she wasn't alone. Sterling theorized they were in a space between space, that with the bed and food the place knew they needed a place to rest and was providing it. Sterling asked what the Bo and Quincy found above and the duo relayed their findings before Bo noted he could use a rest from expending his magic. Sterling agreed and noted they needed a plan as the place seemed to know something they didn't and was blocking his attempt to find their items. Sterling remembered the shrine they saw in the outpost for Sezrin was referred to as "the Exiled" for an attempt of tyranny on his people, was exiled and nobody knew where to to where nobody and wonders if this may be where he was left to wander, but kept it to himself. Bo said he would be ok to continue, but noted he would need to rest at some point and Sterling agreed they should rest before they continued. Quincy added it may also give Yashani more time to work through things as the noises of destruction continue.

Sterling suggested they could catch Seren up and Seren said he was interested in their travels as well, specifically that of their encounters with Esmeria. Sterling said he may have light to shed, relayed his first meeting with the party in *Nij’a*, their original agreement of employment to help him explore the Aetian ruins outside the city, how they found a book before they were caught by Esmeria and the Reaper, how it was taken and that they pushed onward to find the second, more hidden book which they believe to be the original. Sterling added that they had learned that the book could be considered similar to that of a warlock’s pact with their patron, particularly the contract of Esmeria made after she died several years ago and was as such giving her life now and details of the *Plane Shift* circle in the Baron's castle. Seren asked where the book was now and RX told him it was in the *Bag of Holding.* Sterling explained how Yashani’s locked the book with her ki to prevent them from reading it, but Seren explained that he did not want to read it, just to know where it was. Seren asked what would happens if the book was destroyed and Sterling admitted the same curiosity and that his theory was she would either lose her powers, nothing and the contract was a formality or might die outright if the contract was what brought her back to life. Sterling added that it was important enough that it could be either changed before questioning how the book was hidden deeply in the Aetian ruins as they were around long before she died.

Seren thought for a moment before he walked to the doorway to the room of rations and called for Yashani’s attention. Yashani paused as Seren's voice cut through the noise of her destruction, but with the lack of outlet for her emotions started to sob silently and futilely tried to wipe away. Yashani eventually made her way to him, passing Alaerith who stood quiet unable to think what to say. and Seren placed his his staff and shield down before asking if everything was alright and noting he could see it wasn't. Yashani told him she had lost so much of who she was falling to this place and when Seren asked who she believed herself to be now said she felt like the violent monster everyone told her she was when she was a little girl. Yashani admitted she had been losing her grip on it, ever since she saw their friends die and Seren's countenance deflated before saying he could see these weeks had been hard and apologized, wishing he could have been there to help. Yashani wiped her eyes, moves the conversation to whatever he had called her over for and Seren said he had information, that he was there because of Esmeria and not of his own volition. Seren noted they were in a fight, she got a hold of him, grabbed him from behind with a dagger and next thing he knew he was in a very dark place, that when he walked through the doorway found all of them and wondered why Esmeria would send him to the people he loved most.

As a whistle rang through the air Sterling revealed what he recalled early, that this may be the place where the Sezrin was banished and was a place for him to suffer. Sterling suggested this was where Esmeria had sent Seren to suffer as well as the whistle rang through the room again and Bo, Quincy, Seren and Yashani heard it, with only Yashani recognizing the tune was the same one they heard in *Kra’Kash* and that it was coming from the rooms above them. Yashani relayed her information and when Bo asked why everyone looks so concerned and Yashani explained Kalistock’s whistle before the burning of the city. Bo asked Quincy to close their eyes, blew pearl dust on them as they complied, cast *Transient Bulwark* on them as they had done to Sterling earlier. Seren and Bo started to head upstairs, but Sterling quickly stopped them and cast *Enhance Ability : Owl’s Wisdom* on Seren, Quincy and Yashani, while telling Yashani this was the moment her cunning and wisdom would be valuable and that her strength was secondary as he pat her shoulder gently. Yashani, already tense, tensed up even further at the touch and his compliments of her muscles punched Sterling as the magic of *Transient Bulwark* reduced the blow from her monk training, and still simmering rage walked away without a word.

Bo and Seren, followed by Sterling, searched the above room, found as much as Bo had described before, along with continuing whistle, but were unable to pinpoint it. Seren headed to the black door with the amethyst and, without touching the door, attempted to look through the amethyst, but found it was not like an eyeglass as he had thought. Seren looked up into the dark ceiling, called out to Kalistock, asked if he could hear him and while there was no response the whistling stopped. Bo looked through the amethyst as well before trying to hear though it and heard nothing. Sterling cast *Detect Magic,* felt his mind nearly burned by psychic energy as the sudden and intense magic shocked him, causing him to drop the magic and groaned out as he called out to the others.

Back downstairs RX inspected the planter and as he started to mess with the topsoil felt a tugging sensation and and was sucked into the dirt. Quincy shouted for the others as they saw it happen, ran to the planter, pulled out a rope and fed it into the pot, but when the dirt started to suck the rope at an alarming speed let it go as to not be pulled in as well. All but Bo gathered around the planter as Alaerith activated *Ob's Charm*, asked if he could hear, but received no reply. Meanwhile RX felt found himself trapped, unable to see, suffocating and was left *Restrained.*

Yashani and Seren attempted to work together and tip the pot over, hoping RX would spill out, but even with their combined strength the pot remained unmoved. Alaerith moved in front of the two, and started to cast *Polymorph*, believing a Giant Ape could shift it, but found nothing happened and his magic seemed to fail. Meanwhile, as RX started to run out of air, felt the dirt around him, dug in the direction he believed was up and after a moment of struggle felt his hand broke through to open air. RX pulled the rest of himself out of the dirt and found he was standing over a grave, in a row of several more graves, all unnamed including the one he escaped, in a cemetery, along with a mausoleum and a large fountain in the center that he could see. Sterling cast *Locate Object* on RX’s armored breastplate and found, much like his attempt to locate his spellbook, RX seemed to appear, disappear and reappear around them at random and at varying distances and realized it was some kind of run off, like something was constantly spilling over.

Meanwhile, RX walked around the cemetery, took a closer look at the other graves, but as he did he felt a shifting underneath him, followed by the sounds of groans as one skeletal hand popped out of the graves around him, followed by another and another. RX looked around, found multiple doors around, ran to the one in the far corner, while taking out his shield and sword, and tried to kick it down but couldn't make it budge. As he heard more noises he turned around and saw corpses rising from the graves.

Yashani looked at the planter pot, saw the indent in the dirt where RX had pulled through, began to dig at it and as she did was also sucked into the planter and soon found herself *Restrained* as RX was. As the party scrambled as another disappearance, Sterling, less panicked, told the others before they jumped in as he knew they had to, that the place they were in was a maze, that there was an immense amount of magic in this place and that “everywhere was everywhere and nowhere at the same time” before he sat at the planter’s edge, dropped himself backwards into the dirt and disappeared as well and was likewise *Restrained*. As Yashani managed to dig her way out of the grave, Seren looked to Quincy and Alaerith and asked if they would all go together as he held out his hands for them. Quincy said it would be better to be together, activated *Ob's Charm* to ask Bo to come down, as he was still in the room above, but as Seren had a hold on both Quincy and Alaerith dropped backwards into the dirt and were likewise *Restrained*. Meanwhile, Bo responded that he knew they had to go, but as he continued to look at the three doors in the upstairs room started to hear the whistling from behind the stone door and proceeded to open it, stepped through and found himself in the cemetery, along with seeing RX, Yashani and the risen corpses.

### **Break!**

* It’s been a while since we’ve taken one of these, but catch us after the break and don’t forget to grab a bowl of cereal! We will return at the start of combat

### **Part Two**

At the top of initiative Seren managed to pull himself out of the grave and stood and took note of the number of skeletons and zombies that appeared and were clustered on either ends of the room. Sterling failed in his attempt to dig himself out of the dirt. Alaerith managed to dig his way and got to his feet. Quincy likewise failed in their attempt to dig themself out of the dirt. The skeletons and zombies continued to dig themselves out of the dirt and began to cluster around those who escaped, with several who came towards Bo at the far end by himself and even more around the rest of the party on the other side of the room. Bo advanced on the undead around him and slashed one of the skeletons with one of two strikes attack with his sword, while activating *Torment* to drain his health and add radiant energy to the slash.

RX, seeing most of the party were on his end of the room, dashed towards where Bo stands alone, as a zombie used their reaction to attack him and brought his movement to a halt. Yashani, seeing the skeletons around her, and already upset by her recent losses screamed out as she activated *Rage*, struck the nearby skeleton twice, reaching out to rip out it's ribs with each blow, then activated *Flurry of Blows* to strike them with one of her two punches. Seren, seeing the undead gathered around them, raised his staff and prayed to Kenala as he activated *Channel Divinity :* *Turn Undead,* causing all, but one nearby zombie, to be left *Frightened* of Seren, then then cast *Spiritual Weapon* causing a spectral tree to grow from his shell and slammed into the unaffected zombie. Sterling, still underground, started to suffocate as his chest hurt with the pressure of the dirt, but managed to dig through the dirt and out of his grave.

Alaerith, seeing Sterling as well as the surrounding undead around them, rushed to Sterling, suggested they needed to get away, cast *Thunderstep* to teleport both of them near to the fountain at the center of the room, with the two skeletons who managed to resist the brunt of, but the zombie took the full thunderous blast as the nearby undead, then activated *Metamagic : Quickened Spell* to cast *Dragon Roar* as a bonus action on the damaged zombie and left it *Frightened* as it fell dead. Quincy also started to suffocated as they continued to struggle under the weight of the dirt and failed in their attempt to escape once again. The undead turned by Seren started to move away in fear of him, as Yashani used her reaction to attack the skeleton she had targeted and shattered it's skull into a tombstone. One skeleton missed RX with it's sword, another slashed at Bo, as Bo used his reaction to cast *Anticipate Attack* to temporarily teleport 15 feet away, while the remaining burned Bo with a jet of fire from it's mouth.

As Bo reeled from the last attack, he cast *Instant Replay* causing himself to flicker in and out of time, slashed two skeletons, with *Instant Replay* redirecting his missed second strike into a hit, while activating *Torment* on each strike, draining more health to add radiant energy to each slash. The remaining *Frightened* undead continued to move in fear of Seren. One zombie missed Seren while another missed Bo in their attempted strikes. RX slashed the nearby skeleton, sprinted in the direction of Bo, slashed the nearby zombie and activated *Action Surge* to dash to Bo. Seren warned Yashani to leave those that were running away for now, which she heeded before she ran to the skeleton still near Seren, struck it twice with her fists, then activated *Flurry of Blows* to punch it twice leaving it crumbling, but still standing. Seren spun his staff in a burst of speed and flame he slammed the skeleton with his staff, causing the arc of the staff to leave a trail of fire and sunflowers, then looked to Bo and said the word “life” in Sylvan as he cast *Healing Word* to heal him.

In the center of the room by the fountain, Sterling pulled out a spell from his memory and activated *Metamagic : Twinned Spell* to cast *Phantasmal Force* on the two zombie in the southern corner of the room, with one that resisted it, causing the affected zombie to view a nearby skeleton as a human ranger with a bow that fired on it as the psychic energy damaged them. Alaerith activated *Flexible Casting* to restore some sorcery points, then looked to the north at Bo and RX and activated *Metamagic : Twinned Spell* to cast *Firebolt* on the skeleton and zombie nearest to both of them. Quincy finally managed to dig themself from their grave they were in, only to their waist, then pulled *Reputation* from their back, loaded the rifle and aimed to the north. The undead still *Frightened* continued to run futilely pressing against the wall in their attempt to do so. One skeleton burned RX with flames from their mouth, as Quincy used their reaction to activate *Gambler's Taunt* to fire on one of them nullify the attack while the thunderous energy caused it to explode, a second skeleton missed with theirs and a third skeleton burned Bo with theirs, in spite of Sterling using his reaction to cast *Silvery Barbs* to reroll it, as RX used his reaction to activate *Protective Field* to reduce the blow.

Bo slashed the nearby skeletons while activating *Torment* on each strike, draining more health to add radiant energy to each slash, then attempted to move through one of the skeletons to get out of the cluster, as the nearby zombie used it's reaction to attack him and keep him in place. The skeleton near Bo missed him, while the one near Seren and Yashani attacked Yashani, despite Seren using his reaction to block the hit with his shield. The zombie still affected by *Phantasmal Force* attacked the the skeleton it still viewed as an enemy human ranger, which left the skeleton no longer frightened. RX activated *Second Wind* to bolster himself, attacked the nearby zombie twice, while activating *Psionic Strike* to enhance the blows, as Alaerith, seeing Bo looking beaten all to hell, felt his eye change to the slit shape and subconsciously used his reaction to activated *Soul Drain* causing tendrils of electricity to flow from the dead zombie into Bo's body and healing him.

Yashani struck the skeleton near to her and Seren finishing it with one punch, then ran to the southern corner of the room to the skeletons near Bo and RX. Seren, seeing the skeleton dead and Yashani headed off, cast *Misty Step* causing him to disappear in a cloud of mist and reappear besides Bo, then planted his staff causing a spectral sunflower to appear as he cast *Burning Hands* on the two skeletons nearby, who both took the full brunt of the flame as one burnt away. Sterling, assured that the zombie affected by *Phantasmal Force* would finish off the skeleton, looked to the last remaining skeleton to the north and cast *Vicious Mockery* on it as he began to explain what rigor mortis was assaulting it's mind as he did. Alaerith left the northern end of the room closer to Quincy, still partially in their grave, and nervously suggested they might want to leave when they could. Quincy loaded a *Witch Bolt* bullet into *Reputation*, unsure how the bullet would work, fired on the zombie affected by *Phantasmal Force* lodging the bullet it in its chest causing sparks of electricity to wrap around the zombie, while they held trigger down to maintain it's magic. The skeleton near Bo missed with it's fire breath, as Sterling used his reaction to cast *Silvery Barbs* to distract it, while the skeleton in the bottom advanced on Alaerith and spat fire, as Alaerith used his reaction to cast *Shield* to deflect it.

Bo, looking worse than anyone had ever him as the flickering between his corporeal and incorporeal form spaced out further and further, slashed the nearby skeleton twice while activating *Torment* draining more health to add radiant energy to each slash causing the skeleton to finally fall and dropped to his knees exhausted. The zombie affected by *Phantasmal Force* chased after it's skeleton quarry and missed it's strikes on it. RX commented on Bo's physical state and encouraged him to continue, then headed to the undead in front of Alaerith and attempted to get it's attention. Yashani ran to the skeleton now in front of RX, struck it twice, then activated Flurry of Blows and struck it twice, with each blow ripping it's bones and connections until the skeleton was left barely standing. Seren, seeing Bo weakened, plucked a berry from his staff, cast *Cure Wounds* on him as he handed it to him, then headed to Alaerith as well and struck the decimated skeleton with his *Spiritual Weapon* finishing it off. Sterling also headed in the same direction and readied himself to cast *Haste* on Quincy as soon as he was sure the zombie affected by *Phantasmal* *Force* was still distracted on it's next turn. Alaerith cast *Expeditious Retreat* to run closer to the retreating skeletons, as the affected zombie used it's reaction but missed him, then moved to two nearby skeletons in the corner and activated *Metamagic : Twinned Spell* to cast *Shocking Grasp* on both of them.

Quincy continued to concentrate on *Witch Bolt* on the zombie, causing it to twitch and convulsed as it dropped, then reloaded *Reputation.* One skeleton near Alaerith missed with their fire attack, while the other hit, as Alaerith used his reaction to cast *Shield* and deflect the flame as Sterling’s readied *Haste* was cast on Quincy. Bo stood from where he had dropped, activated *Divine Healing* to heal himself, moved to investigate the large mausoleum in the centre of the room, tried to pass through it incorporeally and when that didn't work simply opened the door to darkness, as Seren alone saw the familiar hand of the Reaper drag Bo into the mausoleum before the door shut again. Seren shouted out that Bo was taken before RX ran to the door, stood to the side before opening it, found Bo there, which he and Seren immediately asked if he was alright and when he said he thought seemed content with his answer.

Yashani ran to the southern end of the room where Alaerith disappeared out of sight, turned to the last remaining zombie in the opposite corner of Alaerith, punched the zombie with one of her two strikes in it's face, then activated *Flurry of Blows* and punched it twice again. Seren stared at Bo, asked him to trust him as he moved to him, cast *Banishment* on him, and Seren, hearing the accompanied pop and aware that whoever he cast that on was not Bo, stepped inside the mausoleum, found Bo *Unconscious* in a corner and gently woke him with a gentle nudge as their purple glow fill the room. Sterling, having witnessed and aware Seren cast *Banishment,* stepped into the mausoleum and cast *Otiluke's* *Resilient Sphere* on him to protect him while he concentrated on his magic.

Alaerith activated *Metamagic : Twinned Spell* to cast Shocking Grasp on the two skeletons in front of him, causing one to crumble to dust, then activated *Metamagic : Quickened Spell* to cast *Shocking Grasp* on the remaining skeleton turning it to dust and headed in Yashani's direction. Yashani destroyed the last remaining zombie and turned into paste against the wall without any fuss.

With the battle over, and everyone alive, Seren continued to concentrated on *Banishment* causing the Reaper to remain in his home plane, while Quincy, slumped in the dirt in exhaustion, as Sterling has dropped *Haste* to help Seren and groaned for help getting out of the grave now. As Sterling dropped *Otiluke's* *Resilient Sphere* and the party began to relax, the whistle from before rang through the air before an unknown voice called out

*“Oh, you didn’t think it would be that easy, did you? Oh, no, no, no, no, no.”*

1. ↑ From *Valda's Spire of Secrets*, gives the target +10 to their AC against the first attack against them in 8hrs
2. ↑ *Vile's Fang* acts as Alaerith's arcane focus and without it can not cast *Polymorph* or other spells requiring Material components to cast spells, until he either finds it or find the actual material component to cast them instead.
3. ↑ *Soul Drain* is Alaerith's party ability that lets him use his reaction, when he sees a creature with a CR level of 1 or higher, lets him pick another creature in 60 feet of him, and let them regain hit points equal to 1d4 × the dead creature’s challenge rating
4. ↑ A Martyr ability that allowed him to heal as a action by using up to his proficiency bonus in hit die.
5. ↑ *Banishment* either banishes the target to a harmless demiplane if it is native to the plane it is on or to its home plane accompanied by a popping noise.