Grimoire of Bound Souls

Filistria watches as you circle around the table, inspecting the artifacts. She spools her platinum, blonde hair around her finger, and a small smile remains on her bronze face. The Grand Warlock idly rests her other hand atop her bare hip. You always admired her sense of dress, as her wardrobe contained only the most alluring attire.

"Choose wisely, my dear," she softly murmurs. Despite all her grace and poise, Filistria only maintained her formal demeanor in front of the gathered masses. Behind closed doors, she was as lusty and playful as a hedonistic courtesan. Even now, as you loom over her polished, mahogany desk, you feel her fingertips graze across your back. Filistria tickles behind your ear, but you make no obvious reaction. Playful, but capricious. Everything with this woman was a test. Even now, despite her floral scent tantalizing your nose, despite the blood surging to your loins, if you made a move against her she would tear you to shreds in an instant. Your stamina was well-known among the fairer sex of the cult, but even you never had the chance to bed the Grand Warlock.

"The tome should suit my needs well, my lady," you reply after a moment of contemplation. Filistria pauses her teasing and glides around the other side of the desk. With but a flick of her wrist, the heavy, black tome floats up to your grasp. Some of the runes flicker like foul starlight at your touch, but the weight in your hands feels right.

"Excellent choice. You are to travel west, out into the farmlands. I think you'll find the people there rather superstitious, so it may be best to act with discretion," she begins, dropping her tight, round ass into the ornate chair behind the desk. Another smirk catches her lip, and she steeples her fingers atop the mahogany. "Though I needn't tell you such things. I've not forgotten your peers; the ones who fell behind," she remarks with obvious approval.

"I will honor Grevakhnu and bring forth a tide of darkness upon the land, my lady," you reply with a courteous bow, tucking the book beneath your arm. She offers you a dismissive wave, and you leave. After a moment of packing, you leave the safety of your lair behind you and set off to begin your conquest.

You travel the worn, dirt road at night to best avoid any unwanted attention, but after a few hours of walking, you pass through the ruins of a small settlement. Though all lay in ruin, it looks like it only held a half-dozen homes before whatever calamity befell its inhabitants. By the looks of it, this was a fishing village before someone or something burned it down. None of your concern, you think to yourself, but only about an hour after passing beyond the ruined village, you hear movement in the treeline ahead.

"Stop right there, friend. We'd like to have a word with you," a dry voice croaked from behind.  

Turning, you see a two men and a woman dressed in leather armor, their steel weapons glinting in the moonlight. Facing forward again, and another trio stands before you. Another man and two more women.

"I mean you no ill will," you lie through your teeth. All the same, you raise your arms and assess your circumstance. Clearly, they meant to rob you, but you suspect they had something to do with the razed village and may not leave you unharmed. 

You could try to run, you could try to fight, or you could use your newly acquired spellbook and attempt to charm one of them... Decisions, decisions.