Collective Souls' Reasoning

Descending deeper into the Black Iron Mountain mines, the Vanguard followed a trail of black ichor while Emelyne and Percy were tormented by dark, auditory illusions of deceased loved ones. They were soon joined by Lyndon Early, a dapper, wall-crawling gentleman and spellcaster representing the Cryptic Conclave—the council of Archmages ruling beneath the Sanguisian Imperator. After Lyndon dispelled a minor illusion hiding a fake chasm, the party located the missing miners' killer: a grotesque, amalgam construct of fused corpses and stolen memories created by Phaustus, which mimicked voices to lure victims and wielded psychic, guilt-inducing manifestations.

A deadly battle ensued as the entity unleashed horrifying psychic screams, horrifying illusions, and toxic strikes, knocking out Emelyne, Naoki, and Percy at various points. Percy’s protective aura flickered with an unholy inky-green light, while Lyndon provided arcane fire support and Naoki conjured damaging woodland emanations to turn the tide. Supported by relentless strikes from Sanasha, Renatus, and Diablo, the Vanguard eventually shattered the construct. Upon its defeat, the creature exploded into a cloud of noxious gas—a trap engineered by Phaustus—leaving Sanasha, Diablo, and a mysteriously revived Percy standing to stabilize their fallen allies with Naoki’s Aura of Vitality.

Carrying the troll heart back to the Flesh and Flux Emporium, the Vanguard confronted Phaustus about his lethal fail-safe. In exchange for the heart, they chose an electrified axe upgrade for Sanasha’s handaxe and 800 gold pieces over a long-term payout option. As they prepared to leave, Lyndon parted ways after exchanging contact details with Emelyne, while Phaustus warned the party that local bards were already spreading rumors accusing the Vanguard of conspiring directly with Contras in the fall of Draelwyrm.