June 5th

The door to the fourth floor creaks open and I step into the large round room. The others pile in, but they are suddenly stopped short by a wall of lightening that springs up in our path. Zog, or at least the Orc wizard that Ariella identifies as Zog, is seated on his throne and wrapped around him is an incredibly sexy elf. I hate her immediately and the sickly sweet spell that I associate with my fiery bursts of anger fills my nostrils. I instantly recognize her as a demon succubus, but I'm not sure where that knowledge comes from. She leans over to whisper in Zog's ear and like a puppet he casts a spell upon us. Suddenly I feel sluggish and slow and I notice Pixie, Dread Pirate Roberts, and Foxface also seem to be feeling slow. Rouge outright drops to the floor in a dead sleep. The succubus simply smiles and continues to coyly whisper in Zog's ear.

I shoot a bust of flame at the succubus, but she seems mostly unaffected by the blast. The Dread Pirate Roberts walks through the lightening wall, taking a serious hit but managing to dispel the lightening for everyone else. Ariella screws up her face, but near as I can tell whatever spell she tried to cast was ineffective. The Dread Pirate Roberts waves his hands as well, I wasn't even aware that he had magic, but again nothing happens. Suddenly Zog tells us that he will help us as long as we move on. It seems that Ariella got through to him after all. He whispers to the succubus and she pouts and puffs out of existence. The sickly sweet smell fades, but I can't stop thinking about the familiarity of the succubus' smell. Ariella informs us that if we can keep her from Zog for a day her hold over him will break. They seem intent on hatching a plan to keep Zog away from the succubus. I know that he's important to the mission, but my eyes keep getting drawn to the brand on my arm, and I can't concentrate. I sneak away to find the succubus.

As I creep down the stairs I notice that Foxface is following me. Try as I might I can't get him to turn back. I'm hesitant to find the succubus with him, because I'm sure that he expects me to kill her, and that's not my plan. Still, I don't have much of an option, so I let him believe what he wants. We find the succubus taking out her frustration on the body of the apprentice. Foxface transforms into a fox and stays outside the room. I lounge comfortably at the door, unruffled by her anger or the carnage. I talk my way around the information I truly want, what does the mark on my arm mean, and also try and strike a deal with her. I remind her that she's wasting potential by killing apprentices and servants, not to mention that she's drawing unnecessary attention to herself. She insists that Zog is special and powerful, but I remind her that if she continues on as she has been we won't be the only ones who come looking.

I finally get her to agree to let us gain all the information, knowledge, and assistance we need from Zog WITHOUT her interference, at which point we will leave her to her lover. She agrees to the terms and proceeds to agree to clean up the home and try not to kill and maim all the apprentices. I also manage to get from her that my father must have been a demon prince, for they are the only ones who can sew their seed among mortals. His name is branded upon my body but she'd have to flay me in order to reveal it. As it is my identity should be hidden from all but other demons. Satisfied I leave, and manage to avoid Foxface's questions when The Dread Pirate Roberts appears. I fill him in on the agreement and we return to Zog.

Ariella is still telling the story of our journey of Kough when we return. After a short while the succubus pops back in and demands a kiss as Zog hadn't actually began to help us yet. Ariella tries to prevent the kiss and that gives enough time for Zog to sip the wine he is holding, and he immediately banishes the succubus. Apparently Milk had laced the wine with friendship potion while we were off talking to the succubus. Foxface is looking at me with curiosity, but I'm able to avoid his eyes and his questions while we deal with Zog.

Zog shares with us the knowledge he has of the artifact, which is apparently a large marble tub, not a cup as we believed. It was last held by dwarves in the Fen mountains about a hundred miles from town. We are able to acquire horses and Zog enchants them to move much faster. He also offers us a companion, and orc named Oog, who appears to be some sort of strange wizard. Oog is covered in arcane tattoos, and I find myself intrigued by his abilities. We gather supplies and prepare for our journey to the mountains. Zog wishes he could journey with us, but he can't leave his tower with all that happened.

When we head out to the inns for the night I find Foxface blocking my path, I knew that this moment would come. He demands to know what leverage, what camaraderie, I had with the succubus. I tell him that I had never seen her until that day, but her smell was familiar to me, and she knew me by smell as well. I tell him something that I have NEVER told another soul, that I never knew my father, but that apparently he is from the other side. I don't bother to explain that this means my father is a demon prince, and a powerful one at that, but I get the feeling that Foxface understood the subtext. I make sure that Foxface understands that if others gain this knowledge, he will lose his life. He leaves me to my room, but I find my mind filled with spinning thoughts and worries. I know the journey in the morning will be long, but other things plague my mind at the moment, and I can't seem to find the sleep I know I need.