The party head further into the mine, they meet more cultists but also find traces of a recent battle. Dwarf and cultist bodies are strewn around. They locate cultists trying to break into the dwatf hold. They defeat the cultists and the dwarfs let them in to the hold. After speaking with the leader they know a demon stalks the halls between them and the surface. The adventurers agree to slay the demon and head off into the abandoned bits of the hold. Here they find a Glabrezus. A cracking fight occurred Ragnum the barbarian spent a lot of time being grappled and punched. Eventually the demon was slain and t he dwarves formed up and charged out into the cultist camp blocking the entrance. The cultists were defeated and the dwarves on suggestion of the party abandoned the hold and headed towards dragons teeth castle. The party headed back to Queens Watch.
On arriving at Queens Watch paladin Dance met then and said the King wants to see them the next day. They party went shopping, avoided being mugged and stocked up in some potions. The next day they made their way to the Palace. Ragnum got pickpocketed but the other members stopped the children before they could steal. Azorak punched a 6 year old child pick pocket. They met the King who informed them the wizard had landed at Queens Watch and came to the Palace spoke with the Kings uncles family but then disappeared. The king requested they investigate his uncles country estate. His uncle is only seen at night travelling in a black carriage. The king wants his name kept out of the investigation as his uncle has powerful friends at court and doesent want a civil war. The party agree. Before they leave Danse requests they also look at the village of Puddlesworth. He sent to agents to investigate the cult there and they have disappeared. The party agree and choose to head to the Kings uncles Country estate.
As they arrive Ianthe notices the gardeners all look a bit zombie like, slow shambling and a bit dumb. The house is a country house with all the windows covered up. They ask to speak to Cyrus (the Kings uncle) and are led inside. They meet Cyrus, a pale thin man as he talks Azorak, Downhead and Ragnum all feel sleepy and pass out. Ianthe is struck from behind and is knocked out.
They awake in seperate cells with no equipment. Azorak tries to smash the door to no effect, Ianthe wild shapes into a lady bug and flies through the cell door window. She investigates ahead and finds a guard asleep. She heads back and returns to human form and let's the party out. They try and sneak past the guard but Ragnum stubs his toe and wakes the guard up but with quick thinking dices over the table and knocks the guard out. They come to another room where 3 guards are on break. Azorak Ragnum and Downhead rush forward. Ianthe hangs back and flings fire but mostly misses. A brawl eruots and eventually the party overcome the guards. They discover a room with all their equipment but no gold. They eventually find a secret room packed with some nice treasure. Ianthe realises they are dealing with a vampire, they locate his coffin and open it carefully but it's empty. Ianthe instructs them to pour water into the coffin (Dnd vampire killing). They then move to a room emitting a blue glow. In it they find the ancient wizard cradling the chalice (One of the 4 artifacts the party need) and holding his staff out to create a force field. Also in the room is Cyrus gloating to the wizard about how no one in his family had the commitment to wait the wizard out but only he had chosen to be a vampire. He attacked the party, Ian the hit him with a moon beam and Azorak made the ground thorny around him but he still charged and took huge chunks out of Ragnum. When the battle started to swing the parties way the vampire stared intently at Downhead and convinced him to be on the vampires side. Ragnum ran and leapt at Donhead before the vampire could use him as food. The vampire was defeated and laughed as he turned to mist not realising the fate awaiting him at the coffin. The wizards shield fell and the party convinced him that they mean well and have a safe place for the chalice. They all head out of the estate where Paladin Danse arrives with a small army. Thankfully Dobbie had snuck away to get help. The party inform Paladin Danse of what's happened. Their path now leads them to Puddlesworth...... Ragnum might need a bit of a rest though!