As the group continues to traverse and make their way through the dungeon, they come upon a room with a table and several steins of ale laid across it. Chantico, Dona, and Urusus are suddenly compelled to go and have a drink. Before they all make their way to do so, the rest of the party members, understanding something is amiss, do their best to wake their party members up and out of their current conditions. Dona and Chan do come to, but Ursus has a more difficult time than the women as he continues to reach for this ale. Dona and Thorak do everything to smash and destroy these temptations, but to no avail, as they magically reappear on the table and refill. When Ursus finally does take a sip of ale, he says it’s the best ale he’s ever had, which takes their drunk monk by surprise and makes him feel a little hurt. Upon completing his drink, the vessel was refilled and grew in size. Ursus, realizing somewhat that the party wanted to leave but was compelled to stay, lifts the giant stein glass and attempts to carry it back with him towards the exit. Which doesn’t work, and a now flustered party is doing anything and everything to get one half of the Slash Brothers back to his right mind. Finally, the shifter gets his wits about him and resists the urge to keep this glass.

As they venture further, they find themselves in a room made of obsidian. There is a table set for one with a book placed on top of it. As Valen goes to investigate the book and gets closer, the book flutters open with a breeze that came from nowhere. The group hears a raspy voice that begins to speak to them incorporeally. A riddle that left the group stumped for some time. They start trying to read the book and investigate it and its surroundings further, until Chantico begins to think about it more and realizes the answer is “skeletons.” As she says it out loud, the group starts to fight. After this fight, the voice reappears and begins to speak a new riddle to the group. Following the logic that this is all tied to necromancy, Valen says “zombie, probably,” which is the correct answer, and zombies then appear, triggering yet another fight. After successfully slaying the zombies, the group picks up on the notion that there are no other gimmicks other than answering the riddle, and the said creature appears for them to fight. With that information, they prepare for the voice’s riddle once again. While still in wildshape as a giant hyena with a flaming mohawk, Chantico realizes the answer, but also that the group wouldn’t be able to understand her. Hence, she takes some of the mess from the zombies to write out “wight,” to which Ursus replies, “A wight? What the fuck is that?” triggering the answer and the inevitable fight. They engage in another skirmish and emerge victorious. As they regain their bearings, the voice speaks to them once again. It’s Dona who says the answer, which is a “lich.” Upon her saying that, the doors to the room reappear, the book and table setting disappear, and the group realizes the trial is done, but they also question if the King in Yellow is a Lich. With some discussion, they begin to realize they need to rest, and they decide that this is the best course of action before proceeding further, as well as preparing for the unknown that’s yet to come.

There's so much happening, and that's where we pick up…

Find out what happens next in this episode of the Medusa’s Cascade: Blood and Booze!

Theme Music is written and performed by The Floating Lighthouse

Mixed by Thomas Lapierre III

Check out the show at themedusascascade.com