We return to the Agate Seekers, currently talking to the Ankou perched on top of one of the crypts, as revealed by Sooty. It continued to talk about its job of shepherding souls, and that something, or rather someone, is making its job much harder, riling up the lost souls of the graveyard. The party, after some hesitance, agreed to help provided that the Ankou would leave, so that the locals could stop being freaked out.
The Ankou, keeping a healthy distance from the party to avoid engulfing Volk Lesnoy in its aura of anti-necromantic holy fire, then guided the party to a crypt; the people riling up the spirits were in there, doing some ritual, and kept a ward around it to make it inaccessible to celestials like him. Dareth Lion'el Griffmane was the first to try to open its doors... summoning hordes of undead, which the party was eventually able to vanquish. This did, however, open the door to the crypt. After healing up a little, the party immediately rushed inside to find several more undead; including the same type of intelligent ghouls that ambushed Mr. Cracklebones' caravan a few days before.
The party fought a long battle, but eventually was able to vanquish these cannibalistic, yet intelligent undead. After investigating a little bit, they found out that not only was their leader a priestess of Vecna, but they were members of the Darakhul Empire in The Underdark under the Kingdom of Hugan, where they were attempting to raise an army of the dead; and intended to use the dead of this graveyard to help with this plan. Thankfully, the party was able to stop them.
After reconvening with the Ankou, which had turned back into the hooded figure they initially met, it thanked the party and told them it would ask its mistress, Wee Jas, to give a reward to the party. They'd just have to visit her temple in Bapesta, where the party was going anyway. And with a smile, it disappeared.
A few das of travel passed and the party returned to Bapesta. Seeking out that temple, they found out that it was equal parts feared and loved, even if it was rather small. And after asking one of the trainee clerics there, the party was introduced to the temple's high priestess... Meriah Haydensfield, an interesting-looking Elf woman. After some introduction, and a reward in the form of a magical, soul-attuned ring, she revealed that she heard about the party... from no one else but Nax Skyscale, and thanked them for having visited his city's founding festival in her stead. She then bid the party farewell and went back inside, meeting a black half-dragon who, as Dareth overheard, seemed to be her daughter of some sort.
The party then attempted to make their way to the Adventurer's Guild to get the reward from their quest... only to notice... a Silver Dragonborn and a Tabaxi looking at them weird. Philomena Snapdragon was able to see that they loooked at Mikhail specifically. After some weird looks were exchanged, Dareth decided to confront them. They apologized and asked if they perhaps knew of Mikhail's last name? He seemed familiar. It was then revealed that they traveled with Annalise Krios, Mikhail's Sister! They were Vidar Knox and Imtol Orizys, two members of The Evergreen Hunt. After Sooty asked where they could meet Annalise, they revealed that she was on a date with Fenmaer Ashcrown, their ranger... But it'd probably be best if they met them right now.
The party eventually approached a café where Fenmaer and Annalise were sitting, eating cake, laughing with each other... until Annalise noticed Mikhail approaching. What followed was a bit of a shitshow, as Annalise angrily got up and shouted at Mikhail. She had made it very clear to the countess' men that she didn't WANT to be found, especially not by Mikhail. She proceeded to insult and belittle Mikhail, blaming him for their parents, Viciver Krios and Zenphyra Krios leaving them. She also criticized his choices of "whoring himself out" for the countess, and his "shadow-stained" nature.
Sooty escalated the situation as he flung some spells, in an attempt to make her stop insulting Mikhail, only for Dareth to jump in and attempt to de-escalate the situation, proposing that perhaps she and her brother could start over. However, she merely scoffed and went back to a very terrified looking Fenmaer... whom Dareth also realized looked quite hurt. After asking Annalise if she had something against those touched by Shadow Ena, where she answered "so what if I do?", he sighed and took off his eyepatch and bandages... revealing himself as a Half-Tirrdaka and storming off. Annalise, shocked at first, ran after, frantically apologizing, leaving behind a very apologetic Vidar and Imtol, who promised to Dareth that they'd stay in touch.
Mikhail, feeling very bad after this exchange, immediately left, closely followed by a quite angry Dareth and the rest of the party. With that, the Agate Seekers decided to retire for the day to one of the local Inns and Taverns... also to try to calm themselves down.
SESSION END.