Beneath the watchful gaze of Chief Ezemezu Okonkwo, his steadfast aide Naya Ezeudu, and the Council of Seven governing the Diasporate of Ummania, the ancient citadel pulsed with anticipation. The party, ensnared in a web of suspicion, faced an interrogation as relentless as the midday sun. Questions swirled like vultures, circling the events at Daru and the earth-shattering quake that preceded their capture.
Though greeted with icy suspicion, they discovered a kindred spirit in Lady Chidima – a renowned Loxodon historian and sorceress whose reputation shimmered across Ummania like sunlight on water. Offering her protection, Lady Chidima received ancient texts unearthed from the caverns beneath the Daru as a gesture of trust. Under her watchful eye, they begrudgingly relinquished their belongings to her loyal houseguard.
After a night spent in the citadel's subterranean prison, Lady Chidima's stewards guided them to the Tomes District – home to both Chidima Estates and the prestigious University of Ummania. The city's heartbeat echoed through winding streets alive with activity until abruptly silenced by a hooded figure emerging in a nearby plaza.
----------------------------------
The hooded specter unleashed a guttural scream that shook the very air around them. The ground tremored beneath their feet as a fissure tore through the plaza's heart, causing a dais to crumble like sandcastles before an angry tide. An explosion erupted, spewing tendrils of emerald energy from the widening chasm and summoning skeletal apparitions – twisted echoes of Bultungin fought in the Daru.
With reckless abandon, these ghastly creatures assaulted civilians and soldiers alike while chaos reigned supreme. The hooded figure wove a barrier of magic around herself for protection. Meanwhile, the party strained against enchanted serpents conjured by Lady Chidima, binding their hands. Their struggle finally bore fruit, breaking free from their carriage prison.
Frantically, they navigated the chaotic caravan to reclaim precious items. Perlar, Ollie, and Kai called upon their mystical prowess, casting spells like shimmering threads of hope in a tapestry of chaos and despair. As spells of protection enveloped their companions and the Chidima attendants, Hydroza unleashed a slumberous incantation that swiftly subdued the nearest withering Bultungin. This allowed the caravan a moment to catch their breath and launch a counterattack. As the skeletal figures cascaded over the city, the party, true to their pledge to Lady Chidima, fought with ferocity, cleaving through the ranks of mindless corpse-like creatures until they could aim a true shot at the shrouded figure advancing toward the pit.
The well-aimed arrow struck her squarely in the chest, toppling her over. As they gathered their wits, they observed the Bultungin corpses scatter throughout the city and toward the Daru. The party, accompanied by Lady Chidima, approached the fallen hooded figure. Upon gazing at her face, confirming her demise, they recognized a striking resemblance to Lady Ezeudu, Chief Ezumezu Okonkwo's trusted advisor.
Lady Chidima gasped at the sight, affirming that this was indeed Daya Ezeudu, sister to the chief's right hand. As they stood before the now spoiled and open crypts still entwined with tendrils of eldritch energy, Lady Chidima beckoned them to join her in her carriage. There she proposed a quest she dared not ask of her attendants—a task for which she would be eternally grateful—knowing it would place them in perilous danger.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
