Several hours after the battle with Treerazer, Dierna Hileerchaun calls the heroes to her study. Arthas and Nor have both left the Bladechapel to run errands, but Malak and Elaryan respond. Commander Hillerchaun is waiting for them in the company of two strange humans, both wearing white robes. "Greetings, Master," intones one of the men as Elaryan enters the room. Malak is confused by this reception, but Elaryan explains that these are two of the High Priests of his church, a small local congregation that worships Groetus, and who consider Elaryan the god's living prophet. Originally they met in the ruins of Anestral City, but the spread of the fungal plague has forced them to retreat to the edge of the city. The Church of Elaryan's principle doctrine revolves around the accumulation of knowledge, and the High Priests have been busy. Specifically, they have been studying the source of the fungal zombies, and have tracked it to a massive tree in the center of the city ruins; this matches with Cyth-V'sug's description of the Witchbole, Treerazer's arboreal fortress. Using divination spells, the priests have discovered a chamber in the center of the Witchbole which houses a massive black worm; which matches the description of the Moldering Emperor. Most importantly, their studies have yielded a sufficiently detailed description to allow for Elaryan to greater teleport to the chamber. Commander Hillerchaun suggests that the party destroy the Moldering Emperor, rather than trying to directly attack Treerazer again. Eager to save her people from the blight, the Commander even offers to accompany the two heroes into battle. As a powerful paladin and disciple of Iomedae, her combat and healing skills should help in the attack. The two High Priests also agree to come, though they are not as powerful as Hillerchaun or the heroes. Thus the five brave champions for good join hands, and teleport into the Heart of the Witchbole. The Heart is an enormous chamber shaped like a bowl, its wooden floor sloping down to a large pond of green, slimy filth. In the middle of the pond floats the Moldering Emperor. Viscous black ooze covers every inch of this writhing mass of flailing tendrils and vestigial appendages. Whatever it might have once been lies hidden beneath spatters of noxious, tar-like filth, which sprays across everything nearby it as the thing lashes and leaks madly. A wave of cold rushes before the disgusting abomination as it comes, an icy, fetid breath like that from a chill sepulcher. As soon as the party appears, the Witchbole begins to defend itself. A wall of thorns grows up out of the floor, pinning the companions in place as the Emperor attacks. Malak and Elaryan both dimension door out of the trap, but Dierna is forced to hack her way free, and Elaryan's two followers are completely helpless. Malak assumes dragon form and attacks the mighty black worm with tooth and claw. The Moldering Emperor lashes out with several tentacles, grabbing Malak and forcing him below the surface of the pond. Malak emerges a few moments later, but is completely coated in green slime. As he continues to fight, the slime begins to devour his flesh, sapping his health. Meanwhile, the Witchbole summons a second line of defenses: two huge zomoks. Resembling enormous lizards composed entirely of organic plant matter, these great beasts shake loose soil from their earthy wings and exhale dirt particles with every breath. They pummel the party with a rain of flying dirt, bark, stones, and moss. The heroes coordinate their attacks accordingly. Malak continues to harry the Emperor, while Elaryan uses mythic fireballs to keep the zomoks at bay, and Dierna uses her healing spells to keep the other two alive. Eventually, both the zomoks and the Emperor fall to the onslaught. As the black-blooded worm falls, great tremors rock the Witchbole. Seconds later, Treerazer himself appears in the chamber. The companions, none too eager for a rematch in their current condition, teleport back to the Bladechapel. Everyone who played gains 20,000 XP. Furthermore, the defeat of the Moldering Emperor counts as a mythic trial.
