Previously on Reclaiming Orathos

Mages, churches, and a whole lot of talking! The reunited crew hunts Smiling Sam across every holy and arcane institution in Gwyndinas. At the All Saints Cathedral they hit the wrong church — but Draak adopts Jill, a dragon-fund kobold, as his "brother-cousin." The real magic lives at the Flamespeaker Ziggurat, where the branded Deacon admits all five of his resurrections were instantly, absolutely refused. Then the horror: every victim's Speak with Dead transcript is nothing but screaming. Lash eats her death cap, casts it herself on murdered grandmother Margaret Everdeen, and realizes the soul isn't refusing to answer — it's already screaming, trapped in endless torment. A boat ride (courtesy of Draak, sovereign citizen of the land of boat) lands them at the Mage's Society, where scholars confirm the souls are free, not stolen — something simply broke these people, and someone's draining their blood. The prime suspect? Rhys Wengler, the city's best blood mage, now camped days outside the walls with reluctant allies. The hunt leads beyond the gates.

SUMMARY: A full day of wizards and churches reveals the Smiling Sam victims' souls are screaming in torment, pointing the party toward fugitive blood mage Rhys Wengler beyond the city walls.