Since our goal is, ultimately, to level up Azelstan, I break out the Forbidden Technique.

We finally make contact with the enemy monsters.

We continue to a more perilous map.

We clear out the next group of undead and have another conversation with Azelstan.

We finally start to push the enemy back.

Things start going very badly.

This time we have golems, liches, and undead that can cause petrification.

We clear out this fight and prepare to move on.

We end up with the cleric being stuck on an island in the middle of the map.

We continue to struggle with the map layout.

We end up running into another group of undead, with a tricky map layout.

We finish the battle, and Azelstan formally joins the party.

The archers are finally cleared out, leaving us with their last spellcaster.

We clear out the lizardmen, while taking a pounding from the archers on the high ground.

Azelstan does a much better job of protecting himself.

The party gets bogged down in Lizardmen.

Azelstan rejoins the party for this next fight.

We finish off this fight and prepare to continue through the dungeon.

We move on to the next level, and a very pretty cave.

We finally clear out the enemies and advance to the next fight.

Things go much better this time, particularly since the level 26 monster hasn’t spawned.

After getting a game over, we try again with The Forbidden Technique.