Threads of Loyalty

Campaign DM'd by DayBed

=Characters=

Player Characters

 * Elisa- The third warforged ever created and a symbol of hope created in the image of the light of Ilmater, played by Denise.
 * Fenwyck - A friendly but slightly reserved young but maybe old gnome played by Christie.
 * Gosen - A halforc marauder who lost his entire gang attempting to steal from the Witch King played by Ignacio.
 * Santiago - A Human Ranger confused, but not conflicted about how to push forward his path to help others played by Jerry
 * Ur-Dragor- A handsome halforc paladin who is after a mysterious artifact called the PendalSmithe played by Keith.

PCs that were too cool for School

 * Aklos - An aloof otherwordly elf who had his entire world taken from him as he hides to live life he can- played by Keith
 * Dagna of the Clad Hammerhand - Dwarf Barbarian with a history in sailing and adventuring played by Denise
 * Ezra - A half elven sorceress still looking to understand the nature of her power while being pulled on by multiple forces- played by Paige
 * Regis Malone - A bald human smuggler who liked the money and reputation, but little else, played by Casey.

Dead PCs

 * Imir - An experimented tiefling finally at peace after harboring feelings of hate and revenge against his creation at the hands of Hell played by Keith.

Melvaunt NPCs

 * High Chancellor Richard Bruil of House Bruil - High Chancellor and initial adventure hook for the campaign and the one who recruited Regis Malone.
 * Valendra Belsheba, Council member of the House Belsheba who was discovered to be a Rakshasa being a part of a killed several hundred year old clan and is the one that recruited Ezra and connected Golian to Bruil.
 * Adrian Plasses, house member closely connect to Sarcaedon Arbelleck for his wealth who seems interested in the world's artificers who recruited both Aklos and Santiago.
 * Dodgrick Mennindrome, one of the four highest ranking individuals within the Council of Lords within Melvaunt is head of the military within Melvaunt and joint lead the meeting that hooked the adventuring crew.
 * Mordeaux Leiyraghon, Patron of the Leiyraghon family who recruited Dagna to Bruil's interest. He is son of man who lost the title of Lord Chancellor and head of the house that is one of the primary pillars in Melvaunt.
 * Armen Rathker, Old sperlunking man connected to many organizations ranging from the Brotherhood of the Cloak in Mulmaster and the Cult of the Dragon.
 * Jongrim Fernheart, Son of Patron of the Fernheart who wanted to Kill Santiago for embarrassing him in front of Donald who was killed by Dagna.
 * Dockrin Nanther, Patron of the Nanther family who favors Mulmaster.

Phlan NPCs

 * King Relan Dregard, puppet kind installed to rule the Moonsea and take on regional interests in plane sight that is was an old adventuring buddy of both Richard Bruil and at one point Dagna of the Clan Hammerhand
 * Desmond Taragon, former PC during Shrouded Wings who eventually beat out Mozariq to have a high council position in Phlan. In years, he would take an underground position and eventually become the "True Kind of the Moonsea"
 * Shem Romanov V, world famous philanthropist and fancy acrobat who seems to own a lot of property in the Moonsea and appears to bankroll many of its investments.
 * Jackson Sarcaedon Arbelleck, former Grand Magus of Phlegethos under Belial before Belial and Fierna were killed by Bloodwing in the battle of the Betrayed. Sarcaedon is current advisor of the Nine Hells and Head Economic Officer for the Moonsea aiming to control the other city states without an invading army.
 * Simon Goodfellow, a halfling accountant that works for Sarcaedon that appears to be in contact with Golian from the Blades of Mulmaster.
 * Griswald Morden, Halforc head of the Red Plumes operating in Phlan. He is a simple, yet honorable man.
 * Ygren Bolthgr, Number One in the Council of Ten and basically the acting Mayor of Phlan. He is an old man who pardoned the party for the crime of attempted kidnapping.
 * Marshall Greymore, Head of Black Watch and primary investigator under the Council of Ten
 * Annabel Dirknel, adopted daughter of Shem Romanov and main spy for Black Watch with at least four simulacrums watching the city of Phlan and potentially other places.
 * Ector Brahms, Lord Protector and leader of the Knights of the Blast Fist only recently reinstated in his position.
 * Vorgan, Goliath King of the Moonsea after the death of Rilan Dregard. Actually, Vorgan Sharax, a large adult green dragon placed by Shem Romanov V

Dalelands NPCs

 * Old Man McCallister (Elminster), hidden away in his cabin, he helps with a familiar look that Dagna recognized in an old adventuring job years back.
 * Niles Vormath, a younger elven artificer who studied under the same master as Louise and who will eventually rule the Dalelands as one of the Sword of Dale in the distant future with Bloodwing.
 * Perseus Von Eshkabel, former PC in Vindication of the Merchant Nation and high priest of Cyric who reforged now both Cyric's God killing sword and now the Sword of the Triad
 * Loki Lacanther, old rival to Eshkabel's original mentor Malthus whose clone finally revived after his death at the hands of Nassim at the battle at the Citadel of the Raven
 * Louise, former PC in Twisted Fates, she is one of the world's few and most prominent Artificers that was able to keep Elisa safe and out of view and aided Niles on perhaps his most important research
 * Ryld'n Uddnpaem, former PC in Twisted Fates, he is a Double Agent Spy of House Beanre who has taken a position of power in Harrowdale after over 50 years of service.
 * Rmoncael en Ia, Current Black Sword of Archendale and the most famous active adventurer in the Dalelands who has a base of operations near Shadowdale and Myth Drannor who is actively fighting Zariel to keep Waterdeep from the Nine Hells.
 * Brutus, The first Warforged, and ally in the fight against the Cyricite Chaos and the invasion of the Nine Hells in the Dalelands.
 * Toshiro Guardian, a lonely wilden, who traveled from a future forged in blood and steel who failed to stop Bloodwing.
 * Reshkarr Shesharone, a Dragonborn sharper than he lets on that is the guiding force to Rmonceal and Brutus.
 * Nethreene, also known as the Simbul, or Alrassa Silverhand was driven mad by per power during the Spellplague and forced to wonder the forest of the Dales before infected by Bloodwings Beasts, defeated, and the infection of Bloodwing stole enough of her power to allow her mind to regain control.
 * Cyric, once human turned God strapped in the Supreme Throne plotting his return to cause chaos the world that imprisoned him.

Temple of the Triad/ Temple of Three Truths NPCs

 * Turnock di Ioth, former PC in Prophecy of Revelations and the second Champion of the Triad. He carried and destroyed the Sword of the Triad to disrupt an acopalyptic future he saw through the eyes of Zenedrake.
 * Arch Bishop Valgred Semekson, a ranking bishop who caved to cowardice and was put under contract by Sarcaedon Arbelleck to betray the Temple of the Triad leading to Turnock's death and Fzoul's ascension.
 * Tetler Sigmund, highest ranking paladin within the Temple of the Three Truths discovered to be under Hell's Contract under Glasya, Lord of the Sixth who is currently pursuing Elisa, but doesn't know what she looks like.
 * Ballin Jargrecht, Paladin under Ilmater and son of one of the Council of ten inside Phlan. He is the one Elisa convinced to overthrow Tetler Sigmund
 * Godrick Balkus, High Paladin under Bahamut who lived in Chassenta who was killed by Sigmund in a dispute of the execution of Kyle Riggard during the Battle at Zhentil Keep.
 * Kyle Riggard, Paladin under Ilmater who was originally stationed the the Temple of the Triad who also worked with the Temple of the Three Truths imprisoned and Executed by Tetler Sigmund for treason.
 * Arch Bishop Opinet Lazlar, Silver Dragon Cleric of Bahamut previously part of the Talons of Justice
 * Arch Mage Isaac Cristhia, Human Diviner Arch Mage working in the Temple of the Triad the encourage the the party to find an adventuring name

Crew of the Silenciosa

 * Captain Rigoberto Silva, a ruggedly handsome middle aged sailor with a mustache and friend to Dagna who is one of the last remaining sailors left on the Moonsea.
 * Hek, a wise cracking and betting man aarikocra scout who commonly looks from above.
 * Yzma, First office and Gith among the crew sporting a massive nodachi style sword and a firm attitude to contrast Captain Silva.
 * Krogan, a Goliath barbarian and someone Dagna mentored. He is the nephew of Louise and a capable mechanical engineer.
 * Rosk, Changeligng Rogue, and the most normal looking person of the crew on the ship
 * Volos, Tritan Druid and maintenance crew who is easily the best swimmer on the Silenciosa.
 * Shaldi, Khalashtar Cleric and group telepath. She one one that keeps the peace and order when tensions run high

Mulmaster NPCs

 * Blade Golian, a middle aged human wearing a Davy Crockett Hat who acts like median between an alliance and war with Phlan from Mulmaster with a connection to Gazriel from Hell.
 * High Blade Selfaril, High Blade from the 1340s trapped in his sword by Thurndan and his twin brother who was released when the previous High Blade was killed be Desmond and Rilan.
 * Rastol Shan, High Cloak and leader of the Brotherhood of the Cloak in Mulmaster.
 * Blade Lantas, A black Dragon within the Blades of Mulmaster who worked with Selfaril to attempt to frame Shem Romanov and work with Armen Rathker against Phlan to sway Melvaunt. She is the one that attacked the Silenciosa.

Devils and Servants

 * Gazriel, Duke of Belphegor and patron to Bone Devils seeking to become the new Lord of the 4th, responsible for creating Hellfire Engines and plotted with Paimon to release a great amount of undead to force Desmond into a contract to relinquish his power over Phlan.
 * Paimon, Resurrected Arch Duke of the Nessus who was revived after the activation of an item when the vampire Agnon Pilot was approaching death, who had a plot to sacrifice an army of Paladin's to steal their Soul at Zhentil Keep to forcibly steal large parts of Bane's divine Portfolio through a powerful ritual disrupted by Elisa.
 * Count Agal Belthorn, Resurrected Vampire Grand Magus under Dispator, and original lord of Belthorn Manor.
 * Dhansis Khaldun, Grand Magus under Asmodeus who's name is connection to Blade Golian and Gazriel, who stole both the Sword of the Triad from Eshkabel and the Cursed Orb of the Moon from Elisa.
 * Wormwood, Ancient Devil under Mammon who is the devil whose poison is being used for the Blood Rain infecting the world who killed Turnock's entire army at Zhentil Keep.
 * Val'Dranar, Duke, former Pit Lord who ascended his rank through the reputation of mutilated and brainwashed Cambion Tieflings twisted and created as servants and pets for Dukes and Imir's creator.
 * Glasya, Lord of Malbolge, Daughter to Asmodeus and the one who staged the Battle of the Marching Army to enslave high ranking Paladins and Clerics of the Triad and Lathander.
 * Pells the Torturer, a grotesque large Bone Devil with almost no features that is the main torturer under Val'Dranar who breaks the souls of the damned and underlings to fear Val'Dranar's power.
 * BelClaudo, Duke under Dispator who was assigned to a conquered area of the Astral Sea to monitor portals to the Material Plane who had a lock on interplanar communication and Teleportation before he was killed by Imir.
 * Sa'Levias Kalis, Grand Magus under Mammon who was imprisoned by the Elves of Myth Drannor, but treated to a lavish lifestyle in exchange for his poison knowledge to lessen the effects of Wormwood's poison.
 * Dorgoth, a Paeliryon under the Pit Fiend Braazka who devoured a Klurichir to gain its power leading an army to destroy Port Llast to help surround the city of Neverwinter.
 * Pophagos, gluttonous Paeliryon who ate a powerful demon to gain powers to overthrow the pit fiend seeking to control Neverwinter who was killed by the combined efforts of the Smighty Pieve and Confectus
 * Keilrect Tillenbirg, Red Wizard Lich and Grand Magus under Mephistopheles and Szass Tam who is a dangerous sadist that has no regard for life outside his goals
 * Leviathan, Avatar of Combined Oroboros achieved by Asmodeus consuming Jazirian through the Fzoul using the Sword of the Triad to destroy and abosrb the upper planes.
 * Adonides, Arch Duke Knight of Mephistopheles, often acting as a steward travels with Mephistopheles in his personal endeavors
 * Mephistopheles, Lord of 8th and the one responsible for controlling Eastern Region of Faerun.
 * Bifrons, Arch Duke, who is currently the highest ranking Devil in Cania organized the plans with Keilrecht Tillenbirg to utilize the souls of the damned to corrupt the Temple of the Three Truths. He escaped and managed to survive in the Battle at the Citadel.

Vaasa NPCs

 * Gavirello Tinkerwisks, Headmaster of Tinkerwiskers University in Palischuk and one of the main advisers to Galvin Hildonoth and Princess Serana of Vaasa and the undisputed the most knowledgeable artificer in all of Toril.
 * Eustace Califomme, Son of Jonas Califomme, the famous artificer adventurer and the creator of the first and second Warforged, Brutus, and Elisa.
 * Cornelius Ford, Great Grandson of Calvin Ford, who was imprisoned by Agal Blethorn and Alloces monitoring the Warforged production before Turnock freed him. He works with Gavirello to find a solution to the warforged army.
 * Galvin Hildonoth, Grand Warden of Vaasa, the highest ranking Warlock Knight and main tactical and military leader in all Vaasa
 * One Eye'd Joe, an old Dwarf once a slave who became street beggar before being possessed by the Dark Prince, Graz'zt.
 * Ulfenyardas, a high ranking Warlock Knight from Darmshal stationed in Palischuk as part of Galvin's upper ranks assigned to help him defeat the Fiendwurm.
 * Vons Borbie, a high ranking Warlock Knight originally stationed in Telos City taken as one of the tactical leads under Galvin after the destruction of Telos City assigned to help kill the fiendwurm.
 * Iris Sinbar, THE MOST POWERFUL ADVENTURER IN THE WORLD (unironically).
 * Azurra Taurtryo, A lost shadow of a human seeking to put his past to rest.
 * Graz'zt, the Dark Prince who manipulated the party and Galvin into stopping an advance from the Prince of Demons and making a deal with unknown consequences with Galvin.

SwordCoast NPCs

 * Captain James, Highest ranking Guard at Port Llast before falling in battle against the Warforged Surgeon
 * Jamal, first Red Wizard who spoke to Elisa killed by a swarm of fiendish mosquitos in the battle in Port Llast
 * Mahmound, Red Wizard Circle Adept who agreed to contact their lead Hlarasha Shazar about Confectus before he was killed by the Warforged Surgeon in the battle at Port Llast
 * Arch Mage Pelliwigg Gradditch, a gnomish diviner Arch Mage, who has been with the Harper Agents for close to two hundred years who is familiar with the Wandering Guardians and an old friend of Keldoc.
 * Brett, sergeant under Captain James stationed at the Forbiddance to guard civilians and the highest ranking guards still alive after the attack.
 * Lautori Venniki, Red Wizard Circle Adept under Hlarasha in Neverwinter that came to Port Llast as part of reinforcements who provided the location of Hlarasha Shazar to aid in that same mission.
 * Popi, Lautori's son, a seven year old Red Wizard who knows two cantrips.
 * Confectus Tenabrae, a Wandering Guardian, and old adventurer from the Sword Coast experimented on by both Shade and Red Wizard
 * Hlarasha Shazar, Circle Master and colleague of one of the heads of the rebel Red Wizard sect
 * Sabastian Lawrence, Harper Agent working in Neverwinter with rebel Red Wizards to see the coordination with Hell in the Sword Coast

Misc NPCs

 * Larloch, ancient Netherverse Lich found in the Astral Sea looking to resurrect the Goddess Mystra from the Astral Sea
 * Elliant Vibius, Guildmaster of the Collector's Guild and known World Walker who is a current member of a school/ museum outside the Realms known as the Gleaners.
 * Mozariq, former PC Wizard, home in the Astral Sea watching the material plane from his crystal castle looking to resurrect the Goddess Mystra from the Astral Sea
 * Alden, Human wizard of Magehold that left Aklos's home World to warn and help from the spreading threat of Rowen and monsters of the Far Realm.
 * Dumar Sarshel, Former PC, High Warden of Gheldaneth also had a observatory in Sultim, making decisions on rationing materials and raising armies in countries ravaged during the war, who aided the party during healing.
 * Enabran Arranis, Former PC, left his home of Silverymoon to give aid to Cormanthor during the war in order to guide Fenwyck to the party and save the party by the will of Sarshel.
 * Aesperus, a human Lich that died in the wars between Humans and Ogres in the Thar over five hundred years ago who long since hated the Moonsea and wanted to kill everything finally saw no redemption for the land. He lives, but he plans foiled to destroy Phlan
 * Fzoul Chembryl, Exarch to Bane, currently acting in alliance to the Nine Hells by way of being presented the gift, the sword that killed him with the divine essence of the Jazirian, God of Couatls.
 * Aoth Fezim, the leader of the formerly Brotherhood of the Griffin best known for aiding in the defeat of both Szass Tam and Tchazzar who was recruited by Sarshell to aid in Operation Clear Skies
 * Chibundu of the Clan Hammerhand, Dagna's father and the head of the Hammerhand Clan within the Earthfast Mountains
 * Szass Tam, Lich Ruler of Thay, who used Confectus and the Red Wizard rebels to hide his betrayal of the Nine Hells
 * Ioulum, father wizard of Ancient Netheril who transformed himself into an elder brain lich after he couldn't prevent the fall of Netheril. He transformed himself into an old one to see the misgiven fate of Karsus and make up for his mistakes
 * Rowen, embodiment of arrogance and progress, a powerful mage who stared into the stars and dared to cast a spell forbidden by all knowledge known in the universe.
 * Gomand Pusk, once Dean within the Gleaners has become a known dimension hopping criminal after robbing the vault of the Gleaners after being possessed by a powerful Arch Fiend.

=Calendar Events=

Kythorn 14-17th, 1485

 * Prologue- Gathering of Adventurers in Melvaunt/ Regis Secret Meeting with Richard Bruil/ Ezra Secret Meeting with Valendra Belsheba
 * Enter Regis, Dagna, Santiago, Aklos, and Ezra

Kythorn 18- Flamerule 4th, 1485

 * Meeting in Phlan, Finding relevant information from Griswald
 * Regis makes an impression on Shem Romanov V.
 * Finding Devils fighting barbarians/ finding Gosen at the Necromancer's lair
 * Defeating the Necromancer
 * Meeting Rilan Dregard in Valjevo Castle/ Dagna reconnects with King Rilan as an old friend.

Flamerule 5-22nd, 1485

 * Meet with Donald Jarms/ accept mission/ embarrass Jongrim
 * Travel to Whitehorn, lose mercenaries following your path
 * Travel to the Border Forest/ Meet Elliant/ Gain Magical supplies intel to reach Agnon Pilot
 * Defeat Count Agnon Pilot/ Free Paimon and Agal Belthorn

Flamerule 22- 24th, 1485

 * Go to Temple of the Triad/ Meet Turnok
 * Uncover Desmond Teragon as true King of the Moonsea/ Reveal the presence of a contract between the Moonsea and Hell.
 * Jongrim's hired group sets up an ambush for the party when they sleep. Dagna and Santiago kill Jongrim.

Flamerule 24- Eleasis 4th, 1485

 * Meeting at Bruilhaven with Richard, Valendra and Adel
 * Dagna meets with Leirahgon and down time before voyage to Dales
 * Dagna meets Captain Rigoberto of the Silenciosa and prepares for voyage to Harrowdale/ Warforged Devil attack
 * Meeting the Burgers and organizing the shipment to Archendale.
 * Wagon Trip to Archendale/ Meeting with McCallister/ Attack of Bloodwings Beasts

Eleasis 4- 12th, 1485

 * Meeting with Niles/ Healing downtime for Ezra and Aklos
 * Fighting Cyricites/ Santiago acquires and evil Scythe/ Freeing Loki/ Fighting Eshkabel
 * Khaldun steals the newly crafted Sword of the Triad/ Arch Daleswood is destroyed
 * Travel to Whiteford/ Meet Louse/ Pick up gun for Captain Rigo/ Elisa awakenss
 * McCallister Teleports the group to Harrowdale with the return shipment.
 * Downtime before voyage to Mulmaster
 * Voyage to Mulmaster/ Black Dragon Ambush/ Saved by Blades of Mulmaster.

Eleasis 12- 20th, 1485

 * Exit Dagna, Aklos, and Ezra/ Enter Imir
 * Meeting with Blade Golian/ Meet Arch Bishop Valgred in Mulmaster and Paladin Kyle
 * Travel back to Phlan

Eleasis 20th Eleint 2nd, 1485

 * Discuss Sarcaedon's schedule with Simon and Kyle
 * Elisa spies on Tetler Sigmund/ Sees Keilrecht Tillenbirg/ Sees Sigmund's Contract to Glasya
 * Spends downtime in Lavender Swan
 * Attacks Sarcaedon Arbelleck/ Uses divine intervention to teleport out of a dimension lock to the Astral Plane

Eleasis 2- 22nd, 1485 (Time Acceleration)

 * Meets Ilamter's Dog and a Yugoloth in the Astral Sea/ Fights Nightmare Aberration and meets Arch Mages from Magehold
 * Meets Mozariq, Robert, Elminster, and Larloch in Mozariq's crystal castle
 * Meets Duke BelClaudo, Larloch collapses a part of the plane during battle.
 * BelClaudo kills Santiago, Imir kills BelClaudo/ Santiago resurrects as a Child of Eshkabel
 * The group is met by a group of Knolls and Tieflings and the Tortured Lands/ Travels directed to Whiteford.

Eleasis 22- Eleint 29th, 1485

 * Travels to Temple of the Triad
 * Enter Fenwyck
 * Battle at Zhentil Keep/ Wormwood kills army of 10,000 paladins/ Paimon Reprisal/ Elisa blocks ritual to steal Bane's power
 * Enabrin Teleports the group to Mulhorond.

Eleint 29th -Marpenoth 23rd, 1485

 * The group heals from Wormwood's poison attack
 * Turnock in the rest travel back to the Temple of the Triad
 * The party goes back to Phlan.

Marpenoth 23- 26th. 1486

 * Meet Sarcaedon at business firm/ Reach Number One of the Council of Ten Yrgreth to secure pardon
 * Meet Desmond and Shem Romanov V at Valjevo Castle to discuss impending undead hoard.
 * Khladun fails to convince Desmond to surrender control of the Moonsea for killing Aesperus/ gives order to pardon Sigmund and give him higher authority
 * Shem Romanov V reveals he is part of the Collector's Guild and meet with Elliant to discuss someone to control undead hoard.
 * Shem Romanov V accompanies the party to the runis of Hulburg and finds proper location of Aesperus's lair.
 * The group finds Aesperus's lair and destroys his body/ Elisa saves Shem Romanov Vs life/ Santiago gives control of the hoard to Eshkabel who does agree to bury the dead and undo connection
 * The group does not want to give Elliant the Cursed Orb of Selune/ Meets Fzoul Chembryl and gets offered a chance to help him defeat Hell if they kill the High Blade of Mulmaster.
 * Everyone sleeps in a tiny hut while in Phlan/ During night, Khaldun steals the orb from inside the tiny hurt/ Shem Romanov V promises to give major information in return for saving him.

Marpenoth 26th - Uktar 6th, 1485

 * Sending to Niles to ask about Oracle Shem Romanov V referred to when discussing Fzoul
 * Travels to Vaasa/ Imir kills Pells the Torturer/ The party meets Azurra
 * Everyone reaches Gavirello U/ Elisa meets Eustace/ Everyone discussing the book with Niles/ Galvin returns from failed attempt at Fiendwurm
 * Everyone eats Gavirello Pies
 * Imir agrees to volunteer the party's interest to kill the fiendwurm/ Galvin recruits high ranking warlock knights/ Elisa speaks to beggar dwarf to help find alternate path.
 * One Eye'd Joe takes group on alternate slave escape path underground to sneak up on fiendwurm/ The path leads group through major demon settlement/ Balor decides not to attack One Eye'd Joe
 * Fiendwurm swallows everyone besides Santiago/ Graz'zt reveals that he possessed One Eye'd Joe. He gives a favor to Fenwyck, overrides mark from Imir and makes a secret deal with Galvin
 * Graz'zt Teleports everyone back to Palischuk

Uktar 7- 19th, 1485

 * Eustace agrees to take group to R'monceal in order to find Toshiro
 * R'monceal and Brutus disclose Toshiro's location, a mapped place Santiago already has from last trip to Dalelands.
 * The Party saves travelers from Bloodwings monsters/ Everyone defeats monster and frees the Simbul from Bloodwing infection and plague induced insanity
 * Everyone makes their way to Talbaq's Cave/ Toshiro fights the party shortly/ Toshiro provides intel of Fzoul's impending attack on Temple of the Triad.
 * Fenwyck uses a teleportation circle to reach Myth Drannor/ Everyone speaks to SaLevias Kalis regarding upcoming events

Uktar 20- 23 (Present in Campaign), 1485

 * Teleports back to Phlan
 * Gosen is ambushed by Sigmund/ Elisa convinces entourage around Sigmund battle is unjust.
 * Santiago and Imir arrive to Sigmund defeated
 * Everyone speaks to Griswald, meets Marshal Greymore, speaks to Lord Jargrect and accidentally kill Sigmund by temporarily dispelling contract
 * Jargrecht calls Arch Bishop Valgred to the Temple of the Triad who teleports the party to Temple of the Triad.
 * Everyone meets Turnock to deliver news/ Meets Arch Bishop Lazlar/ discusses attempt on Thaymount
 * Meets Arch Mage Isaac Cristhia/ The party is now known as the SMIGHTY PIEVE/ is teleported to Port Llast in order to find Confectus

Uktar 24-26 1485

 * Meets Red Wizards also searching for Confectus/ uncovers fake sanctuary wagons/ Agree to fight invasion force from a demon altered Paeliryon name Dorgoth.
 * There is a major assault lead on Port Llast lead by Dorgoth
 * Dorgoth is slain by Gosen at roughly the time reinforcements come to finish off the Battle from the Order of the Gauntlet and the Harper Agents.
 * The Smighty Pieve retrieves information about Confectus from both the Harper Agent Age Mage Pelliwigg Graddtich and the Circle Adept Lautori Venniki
 * The Might Pieve makes short work of a bandit ambush attempt
 * A Concordant Mercenary engages the Smighty Pieve and Imir Sacrifices his freedom to keep Elisa free and the rest of his teammates safe.
 * The Smighty Pieve meets with Confectus and takes down a cultist human sacrifice camp and kills a second demon devil hybrid
 * Confectus leaves and the Smighty Pieve meets with ranking Red Wizard Rebel, Hlarasha Shazar
 * The Smighty Pieve meets with Harper Agent Sabastian Lawrence after being teleported to Neverwinter

Uktar 27- 29 1485

 * Lawrence changes his post with request for the Director of the Harpers in Neverwinter to seek aid in the Moonsea with Operation Clear Skies with the Smighty Pieve and Hlarasha Shazar
 * Elisa and Gosen help properly orchestrate a change in Harper Residence.
 * Fenwyck teleports the Smighty Pieve plus two to Phlan where they meet Ector Brahms for the first time re-instated as the Lord Protector
 * Elisa sends to Sarcaedon Arbelleck and learns that they never picked up their reward from saving the city from Aesperus.
 * The Smighty Pieve collects their reward from the Council of Ten and starts a Pizza Business from their new estate.
 * The Smighty Pieve travels to Melvaunt fighting an attack from the Shadowfell to kidnap Elisa

Uktar 30- Nightfall 3rd

 * Santiago is let into Melvaunt and revisits the Black Hut and speak to old acquaintances
 * The Smighty Pieve is attacked by those same people with Gomand Pusk at the Unseen Armadillo and Fenwyck is killed.
 * Gomand Pusk tricked the mercenaries to place demon portal throughout Melvaunt summoning an entire army and an Arch Fiend to Melvaunt in exchange for the Talisman.
 * Val'Dranar and Imir arrive as Hell's aid and Imir breaks free and helps kill Duke Val'Dranar and the Arch Fiend sacrificing himself in the process.
 * Santiago goes to Bruilhaven in order to ask Richard Bruil about the Red Wizards
 * The Smighty Pieve goes to Breakwater to recruit mercenaries to take out Keilrecht Tillenbirg and meets up with Ur-Dragor.
 * Melvaunt makes an agreement with Phlan integrating their resources and economies in a meeting.
 * Fenwyck with the aid of Eshkabel is able to trap Keilrecht Tillenbirg's soul after he is defeated into Santiago's body unwillingly as Ehskabel possesses Santiago to kill Fenwyck.

Nightfall 3rd- 4th

 * The Smighty Pieve is able to learn from Keilrecht Tillenbirg the location and the initiating start for the Path of the Redeemed with the help of Sarceadon Arbelleck and Shem Romanov V
 * Fenwyck takes the Smighty Pieve to the Bloodmarshes to discuss the upcoming plans at the Temple of the Triad
 * All of Turnock's team is present at the Temple of the Triad, and Sarshell recruited Aoth Fezim, captain of the Brotherhood of the Griffin to aid with the attack on Thaymount
 * An attack with origins inside the Temple of the Triad starts confirmed to be from the one of the three arch bishops.
 * Fzoul Chembryl defeated by Turnock uses the Sword of the Triad to absorb and dissolve the upper planes and become Leviathan
 * Adonides and Bifrons killed Berg and Larnell in combat at the Temple of the Triad
 * Mephistopheles and Leviathan engage Turnock transformed into an Aspect of Bahamut
 * Leviathan through the will of Fzoul attacks Elisa and attempts to kill her before killing and absorbing Turnock
 * Adonides attacks debatably kills Enabrin
 * Santiago offers his full consciousness to Eshkabel who offers a globe of invulnerability and darkness before Gosen teleports away with Sarshell and the Smighty Pieve

=Nightfall 4th- 10th=
 * Time passes differently in Sigil, the Smighty Pieve finds themselves in Sigil
 * Elisa sacrifices her faith to Ilmater to work for Bane and facilitate the end of the war.
 * Ur-Dragor takes a job from a halfling mouse man gangster who offers an artifact that belongs to a wererat clan in exchange for the debts of an Ithilid brain collector
 * Fenwyck officially registers with Portal Magician as a visitor to Sigil
 * The Smighty Pieve teleports back to Phlan at their residence

=Nightfall 10th-13th=
 * The Smighty Pieve hire people for the Smighty Pie
 * Enabrin reveals that he is alive and meets the Smighty Pieve
 * Elisa requests the aid of Danga, Aklos and Niles
 * Niles meets with Elisa in Phlan
 * Elisa meets Bloodwing and leaves the Smighty Pieve

=Nightfall 14th- 16th=
 * Fenwyck reaches out to Elisa who never returned
 * Ur-Dragor bought a flask of never ending booze
 * Santiago used a scroll to reach out to Dagna
 * Enabran reaches out to the other rulers of the Silver Marshes to learn that Alustriel Silverhand is alive and with the Simbul
 * Santiago leaves a note for Elisa and employees for the Smighty Pie
 * The Smighty Pieve teleports to Ravensbluff
 * Enabran and Sarshel split from the Smighty Pieve
 * Gosen fights a stone giant blocking the path on the Earthfast Mountains.
 * The Smighty Pieve reunites with Aklos and Dagna and meets with Chibundu
 * Elminster is in the caverns with Robert Daydominico to search the abandoned temple of Deneir
 * Ur-Dragor bets his sword and loses a drinking contest to Gosen and Dagna
 * Fenwyck wins Ur-Dragor's Sword by pulling it from the ground with Bigby's hand
 * Elminster and a drow ally Balavas provide items for the journey.

Nightfall 17th- 18th

 * Fenwyck teleports the Smighty Pieve to the Sunrise Mountains on the north east side of Thay and teleports the group partially underground.
 * The Smighty Pieve find themselves in a battle between the Mercy Killers and the Rat Pack gang allying with wererat hillbillies and take out all but one of the Mercykillers.
 * The wererat gang buys into the Smighty Pies business for a future baby Tarrasque in the future
 * Dagna attempts to give Ur-Dragor's Sword to a Death Knight and Wraith lich guard on the mountain.
 * The Smighty Pieve makes it to an undead Eye Tyrant and defeats it in a proof of teamwork and uses the ruby eye as a teleportation focus to reach the temple of Myrkul
 * After a long rest, the Smighty Pieve teleports to a forest.
 * Fenwyck burns down a forest before Aklos learns the heavy guard presence isn't a fight, but an invitation to a test.
 * The Smighty Pieve defeat the King and guards of Rasheman.
 * Aklos falls into a Coma induced Astral Projection due to a cursed item.
 * Fenwyck polymorphs a trapped colossus that befriends the Smighty Pieve after attacking Gosen.
 * The Smighty Pieve defeat the dead Zulkir of Evocation
 * The Smighty Pieve gives Shazzelim in order to pass the Path of the Redeemed
 * The Smighty Pieve kill Arch Duke Adonides

Nightfall 19th

 * After a long rest, the Smighty Pieve makes it to the Citadel
 * Smighty Pieve defeat Bifrons, who retreats.
 * The Smighty Pieve reluctantly ally with Xsass Tam.
 * Xsass Tam as a human begins taking down the ritual for the blood rain
 * Mephistopheles reveals himself and is killed in a battle against Xsass Tam and the Smighty Pieve
 * Through Santiago, Eshakbel is able to steal a large portion of Mephistopheles's soul before Asmodeus recovers it.
 * Ilmater, Aoth, Sarshell and Bahamut arrive as the victor of the battle when Tam's forces turn on Hell's forces.
 * Xsass Tam is put under house arrest in the Citadel
 * The Smighty Pieve returns back home to sleep.

Nightfall 20th

 * Dawn, a squad from the Son's of Mercy surround and magically incase their home.
 * Gosen and the rest of the Smighty Pieve are arrested and taken to Sigil for investigation.
 * Dagna is revealed to be pregnant.
 * Gosen meets with a Major in the Sons of Mercy and with Mella Theeg, the creator of the Talisman
 * Gosen and his allies are found innocent when she is able to the images from the Talisman.
 * Gosen manages to get a free ride into the Gleaners by way through Elliant and Mella Theeg.
 * The Smighty Pieve without Gosen and Ur-Dragor return to Phlan
 * Dagna and Aklos leave back to the Earthspurr Mountains leaving Santiago and Fenwyck to run the Smighty Pies.

Nightfall 21st-Nightfall 21st 1497

 * Druids of the South West work with Fenwyck to the mission of restoring nature.
 * Eshkabel reveals to Santiago his plan to use a resurrected dominated Mephistopheles to kill Cyric when he is freed.
 * Loki Lacanther meets Santiago and Fenwyck at the Smighty Pies to inform Santiago that Eshkabel plans on absorbing all of his children into himself to gain godlike power.
 * Gosen masters a powered down version of the Talisman and becomes an anime protagonist half demon.
 * Dagna gives birth and has a half dragonborn/dwarf son in the Earthspurr mountains.
 * Most of the Smighty Pieve and Elliant go Ioulum in order to understand the nature of the Aklos's dreams and the far realm invasion.
 * Ioulum implants his own memories into Aklos, which haunt him for twelve years.
 * Aklos learns that Karsus's soul has merged with the Far Realm star that seduced Rowen into casting the spell that destroyed his world.
 * Aklos learned that Devil's invasion was part of a set of events that will lead to the far realm invasion and their defeat is a catalyst that causes it occur.

Nightfall 22nd

 * Arch Mage Isaac goes to the Smighty Pies to eat a pizza and recruit them for a last mission at Suzail.
 * Sarshell goes to the Earthspurr mountains to recruit Dagna and Aklos against Leviathan in Suzail.
 * Elliant informs Gosen that there is a push for him to return to defeat Leviathan.
 * Aklos fully understand the memories and sees the moment Karsus fell into cycle.
 * The Triad leads a force into Suzail to fight the last major stronghold of Hell.
 * The Smighty Pieve, makes it to burning castle at the capital to find that Leviathan does not want to fight them
 * In their battle, they defeat avatar and reveal the true form of Leviathan.
 * Fzoul regains consciousness and absorbs Jazirian into his sword.
 * Fzoul uses his new power to leave and slay Torm, the leader of the Triad to initiate Bane's Rule.

Flamerule 12th, 1523

 * The Smighty Pies is a successful business
 * The Sundering has occurred
 * Everything is awesome

=Prologue=

Alklos
After the success of ritual, Alkos and Soleya entered a white void with only a slightly visible outline of building in a unrecognizable city. It was then that Aklos and Soleya drift to different areas. Aklos finds himself in a silent void of pure white. Aklos barely recognizes the magical dissonance as the white almost feels like a fog in the area. There is an echo as he isn't entirely sure that he the voice of Soleya.

In front of Aklos arrives someone with black hair with a pair of glasses and a skinny face. This man has a black jacket and a long top hat. While motioning a hand to stop Aklos, an additional two hands appear revealing four and eventually six hands as he appears to hold out a cup of tea and takes a drink. As Aklos looks closer, this figure appears to have no central form. Aklos focuses on his face which appears with a monocle. He introduces himself and mentions the name Zenedrake, while adjusting his pocket and his top hat.

On a closer inspection, Zenedrake appears to be floating. He looks at Aklos tilting his head the circumstances of the situation and questioned his name and purpose in this world. Zenedrake reveals himself as a sort of cosmic defender of space and time in reverence to his master. It is at this point that someone else walks out of side invisible door, blonde hair and a white toga with eyes glowing gold walks out. Aklos is not familiar with anyone in the world, but with the use of the word time, this new man reveals himself to be the patron of time in this world and reveals himself, with a hand extended out to shake Aklos's hand and introduces himself as Amanautor.

Aklos overhears a a conversation between the god and the other entity deciding on his face and Soleya on their entrance. He overhears both names in that conversation. Zenedrake seems almost nervous that introducing variables is dangerous and that Aklos represents a link to an outside entity that cannot be read by omniscience of Ao. Aklos completely confused by this conversations and the names. The figure who introduced himself as Amanautor smiled and told Zenedrake that the memories restored from his aspect have taught him the importance of optimism and that he sees these two, referring to Aklos and Soleya doing far more good than trouble. When referring to a familiar evil from the Far Realm, he indicates that it would come anyway, and a warning will be more valuable than the difference of time specifying a series of names Aklos does not know when illustrating an existing connection to the evil he knows already in this world. Zenedrake takes off his hat and does a bow to the God and looks back at Aklos and states that it is the will of the master of time, that it's guardian would allow this based on the will of it's patron god.

Aklos humbly accepted the agreement as Zenedrake does a bow giving Aklos a very cryptic message saying "We will all wait and see what your presence here means and what calamity is prevented by your arrival. If we happen to be wrong, you will see the same fate upon two worlds." The last fades as Aklos walks forward and the two figures obscure in the white fog as the outline of a door becomes visible as Aklos sees Soleya, a young elf with platinum hair in very opulent looking blue and purple dress rushes over and gives Aklos a hug. The two exchange words about basically meeting the same two people.

Aklos and Soleya had a pretty humble position in Melvaunt for a month seeking people to give aid about his situation and to make a home in this world. Without having a sense of the dangers of this world and the situation befalling it, he wondered as an immigrant telling stories with acknowledgement of things most people didn't understand and very honestly telling a tale that most people didn't believe. Despite appearing the obvious outsider, Aklos was kind, wise and honest, and his natural competence and ability caught the attention of a few of the richer folk within Melvaunt. The family most interested in his service was the Plasses family, a newer one who recently achieved his wealth in the last few years in particular and increased to prominent status specifically with the aid of one Sarcaedon Arbelleck. Aklos was established now for several months mostly doing odd jobs and providing intel and help through magic to the patron mostly in exchange not for money, but for information on how he could best help either with the world situation or understand how it connects to the what happened in this world. Adrian Plasses, a man who dressed in a leather coat with tinkering supplies and glasses, a middled aged man who fancies himself an artificer directed Aklos to the Arch Mages of Thentia in exchange for his service. The man of whom most seemed to connect with Aklos's story was an Arch Mage conjurer referred to as Arch Mage Archemaedus, or Von Brandon Archemaedus of Thentia. He heard the stories and warning of Aklos and knew of organizations past this world that saw fit to deal with these situations and seeing impending invasions from outside the cyrstal sphere of the world of Toril. He was perhaps the first one to takes Aklos's words for face value. With this aid, Aklos considered Adrian an employer for odd jobs and opportunities.

Despite Aklos's employment with Adrian, he still had a modest day job sweeping a flower shop called The Florist Gambit. Arch Mage Archemadus lived in another city and was very busy with the events of the invasion. Adrian pulled out a letter with a seal with his initials and asked if Aklos would take a high profile mission in exchange, he would pull the full weight of his wealth of character and try to organize a meeting between Aklos, Soleya and Archemaedus. Aklos didn't like Soleya's name being stated, but he had only a good experience with Adrian and agreed to the mission in exchange for the meeting with the Arch Mage.

After the conversation, it was discovered that Aklos and Soleya have been taking housing in the flower store as he walked back after his day of work to inform Soleya that he would need to be gone for some time. She indicated that she is a capable mage and will make sure that he is safe and will help if needed. Aklos, protective of her urged Soleya to keep safe fearing that the worlds from the two figures might hint that the shadows of his past might not be gone forever. The two embraced as Aklos read the letter to find the location of the meeting agreed upon by the patron merchant families in Melvaunt.

Regis Malone
Regis is a mild mannered man who often eats and sleeps in places where few other people stay. His reputation is questionable as his profession was a smuggler. Many hate him, others don't trust him, but almost everyone relies on him. What is known without a doubt is that the High Chancellor has his claws in Regis as his primary employer and the one currently most able to pay his prices. Richard has done well to kind of keep Regis on a short leash trying to keep him exclusively his, but also rewarding him handsomely for his efficiency at what he does.

One place where Regis eats to have peace and quiet is a place known as the Unseen Armadillo. This place is very small and only a few other mercenaries typically sit there. The food is actually really good, and it's rather expensive. The patrons here are wealthy and known. Early during lunch time, a plump middle aged man ran down the stairs specifically looking for Regis. While quetly eating alone, Regis was approached by this courier, who handed Regis a message with a seal of the Bruil family (A BEAR, a BAER).

Regis quietly takes the letter and lets the courier know that he accepts the invitation. Richard's house, known as Bruilhaven is one of the older estates in the city. The sum of land is large where this old mansion is located. Regis is familiar with every location in this city by memory. Regis has spent his entire life in the this region and has become almost infamous for his knowledge of different ways to smuggle and find places in the major cities of the region. There is a tall gate around the estate with a personal guard that see Regis and acknowledge his presence and let Regis through the gates as he reveal a letter with the Bruil seal. One guard of the two follows along with Regis and leads him to the door of the estate where the guard passes Regis over to a familiar butler, who is a tall and skinny human in his mid 50s wearing a pressed black suit and a white shirt, who escorts Regis to the location of a familiar sitting room that belongs to Richard Bruil.

Richard is a large man with a wide frame, a large belly and a large mustache. His look would seem to suggest that he once was in good physical shape, but has in time lost the routine of his old adventuring days. He is in fine red garb with with lots of gold jewelry. As Regis approaches the sitting room with a burning fireplace, Richard gets up quickly and rushes forward to shake Regis's hand and offers him a feat across from him.

Richard Bruil starts with pleasantries, first thanking Regis for the successful mission and offers Regis a cigar. The two exchange pleasantries before Richard personally offers Regis an exclusive spot in adventuring initiative. Richard being the prime organizer of the mission tells Regis all the details of the mission that were barely outlined in other letters. Richard tells Regis the names of the people working him. Something not stated on the letter, Richard points out that this mission is there to help restore the old relationship between Melvaunt and Phlan, but also to keep tabs Phlan. Richard specifically mentions issues with the government of Phlan. He goes on a rant about secret kings and how the Hell worshipper Sarcaedon Arbelleck is strangling Melvaunt with taxes. In order to be Richard's eyes on the the families he doesn't trust, specifically Valendra and Adrian. In addition, Richard is very interested in spying on Phlan and hopefully regaining an alliance with Phlan spouting the tales of friendship with his old buddy, King Rilan. It takes a moment for Richard to stop as he offers Regis an advance on his reward and an extra payment for being Richard's eyes. Regis is unsure since he is used to working alone and afraid that all these other people and this mission creates variables he cannot deal with. Regis sweats as Richard sweetens the deal. At that time Regis reluctantly agrees to all of Richard's requests.

Santiago
Santiago spends his days quietly between jobs. Santiago is a bit of an anomaly of those who work in Melvaunt. Caution in mercenaries isn't too uncommon, but Santiago had a reputation of being both stone faces and good natured. At the same time, most knew that he was cold in battle not afraid to shoot first if necessary. He often eats at the a small bar located undead a shop aptly named the Unseen Armadillo. While eating dinner there, a young man in a coat rushed over to a table where Santiago frequents sitting in a corner that is unofficially his when a familiar courier rushes over to him. This young man, maybe only slightly older than a teenager knows Santiago by name sends him a message with the initials AP, for Adrian Plasses and a sigil (Dragonfly). The letter gives a very brief description of a job invitation, but more than that is a request to meet Adrian at his estate as soon as possible to discuss the details of the job and go over details and concerns regarding the job and those involved with the organization for that job. Santiago pats the kid on the shoulder, finishes his dinner, pays and goes to Adrian's estate in Melvaunt. Adrian's estate is in a newer built area on the expansion of the city in the last year due to the growth during the invasion.

Once Santiago reaches the estate, he is met with young gnome artificer, who Santiago knows his Adrian's assistant, as she is excited to meet him, almost if not obviously crushing on him as she guides him to a sitting room to meet Adrian. Adrian's house has a lot of self working enchantments to clean and work his house and clear signs of artificery inside it. Adrian is in slippers smoking a pipe. Adrian sitting in a very ornate looking comfortable red reclining chair gets up while wearing a black robe and shakes Santiago's head. Adrian is has always been friendly to Santiago. By the time Adrian had emerged on the scene as one of the main merchant heads, Santiago already had a very favorable reputation among mercenaries and Adrian has always been very keen on separating himself from the scum and slavers of the city as the new aged business man who innovates and modernizes things. Adrian handed Santiago a letter, which was from the High Chancellor Richard Bruil, with the signatures of several other patrons, to which Santiago has worked for in the past including the Dockrin Mennindrome, Frderick Fernheart, and Valendra Belsheba. Adrian specifies his concern with the situation and begins to divulge that he isn't entirely trust the intent of this mission and is asking Santiago to join to keep the group honest and perhaps even spy on it if needed to keep things civil between the families in Melvaunt and keep the relationship between Melvaunt and Phlan safe. In addition to the payment that Richard Bruil indicated he would be willing to provide for the mission as part of a combined pot, Adrian offered Santiago an additional pot for the information provided if he was willing to accept this. With that, he did say that he only told Santiago having such a strong trust in him, but that he would have to swear to secrecy if he did not take the mission. Adrian did appear to pressure the situation almost desperate to get him to join. Santiago was clearly feeling the tension here and reluctantly agreed with the second pot.

Ezra
Separated from most people in Melvaunt, Ezra is a name mostly unheard of by the merchants and most people inside the city of Melvaunt. As a halfelf, she mostly blended in with the majority human population in the city with little effort. Moreso than the rest, Ezra's patron, the one who recommended her to the high chancellor's mission. Ezra was relatively recluse, spending most of the day by herself. Unlike the others receiving a letter with a seal of the house, Ezra receives a sending directly from Madam Valendra Belsheba, matron of the one of the three or four richest of the merchant families in Melvaunt. The message is personal and familiar. Valendra considers herself more of a guide and a mentor to Ezra than simply an employer. Valendra is kind and very positive. She sees a potential. Ezra has very little formal experience and shows a great potential she recognized.

Velandra called for Ezra to come to her estate to discuss elements of the discussed invitation. Ezra keeps a low profile, but has been in the region long enough to know her way around. The Belsheba estate is built with a slightly different architecture than most of the buildings in the city. There is an eastern look to it. The butler at the door of her estate has an almost Thayan, in garbs and robes, only more appropriately layered for the climate of the Moonsea. The butler also appeared to be a race of human more common to the southeast regions of Faerun with darker skin and black hair. The butler even appeared to be dressed better than some of the richer merchant people within the city with lots of jewelry as he greeted Ezra in a familiar fashion as she lead along a staff of people that recognize her as she approaches a room with a tiger skin rug, several ornate rugs and paintings of many people. In the room is both Valendra and her husband enjoying a thick dairy drink with her husband. As she motions Ezra to a seat, her husband, a very wide framed dark skinned man with lots of jewelry putting his hand lightly on her shoulder and face whispers something to her as Valendra gives his hand a kiss before she turns towards Ezra and begins a conversation of mostly pleasantries. Valendra speaks mostly about the the combined mission from Bruil, the high Chancellor. More than specifics, Valendra speaks on her pull in the situation and attempting to indicate what she is aiming to do and get out of this situation. Valendra reveals that there is a keen interest on the people of Phlan and the subtle manipulation of how its leaders navigate this situation. Ezra seems almost worried, but Valendra is more than willing to offer assistance to keep an eye on her as well as a very generous reward for going along with the mission. Ezra's demeanor changes as she energetically accepts.

Dagna
A familiar ship returns to the docks of Melvaunt. The Silenciosa returns. Dagna comes back after a ship sent comes back from a successful mission from the Southern Moonsea after a successful sailing mission goes to the Drunken Clam. The Drunken Clam is a dank but lively bar and restaurant where she does to drink with all of the sailors after a difficult mission across the dangerous seas. This is the place closest to the coast in Melvaunt in the area where the patron of the business that covers the ships, the Leiyrhagon family owns. As Dagna walks in, with her beard and low cut tank top, it is very clear that she has a bit a reputation there and when she sits at the bar. Her reputation is one that many know, but others feel the need to challenge. Someone, a burly man, a human with a curly red beard wearing a stained loose white shirt with his sleeves rolled up revealing an arm full of tattoos walks up to Dagna and demands a challenge focused at Dagna with a slightly drunken slur. This muscular man slams his arm on the able and challenges Dagna to a game of arm wrestling with a crinkled smile as the crew of the of the ship look back from the bar area making bets on the situation. Dagna, smirks looking at her sailor buddies telling them to take bets on her as the man embarrasses himself by losing almost instantly. She slams his arm down in almost an instant, like he wasn't even fully aware of when it started and was caught off guard by the timing and her strength. She slams him down almost through the table. In disbelief, the man opens his eyes wide breathing heavy stuttering his words. He slips as he tries to get back immediately stomping on the ground. This man was angry almost spitting trying to stand tall next to a very unimpressed Dagna. He does however catch her interest as he goes and bets extra 1oo gold after betting 75. The sailor demands an immediate rematch and slams it down on the table. Dagna is not impressed as the patrons of the bar know this fool was betting his life savings away in a fruitless effort. Dagna motions to the crowd as she agrees. The second attempt happens the table next tot he one Dagna smashed. While he doesn't lose immediately, this loss is even more humiliating as Dagna waits with his arm once it started to show if he was ready and slams it against the table. As he stands in disbelief, he begins to get aggressive as Dagna shoves her face against him gripping the handle at her waist with her maul. Seeing the type of strength she wields, he realizes that he is out of league as the patrons geer at him and cheer Dagna's obvious victory.

At that time the barkeep walks over, a tall middle taged human with a shaved head and a scar on the top of his skull and suspenders. He received a letter from someone, a messenger of the Leiraghon gamily with a seal with his initials. The man delivers the letter and a message to Dagna the patron Leiyraghon has called to meet with her specifically to offer her a special job. He isn't aware of the details of the job, but hands the letter and stated that he heard murmurs of collaboration of many of the rich people within Melvaunt. Dagna is invited and walks straight into his war room where Mordeux stands like an admiral looking over as he excitedly greet Dagna. Mordeux is an older man with a mostly white, somewhat peppered hair and mustache with a very decorated navy uniform and a hand gun on his side belt. Mordeaux admits that this initiative or the agreement from the house patrons that governed his meeting is on shaky ground, but knows that there is great money available for someone that takes it. As much as that Mordeux looks at Dagna and states that he hand picked Dagna not just for her capability, but reliability and consistency of her work. He knew that no group set up by Melvaunt would really work without her. Mordeux pulls out a letter sent to him referencing a string of murders caused by a string of seemingly random serial killers. Mordeux doesn't provide too many details, but he acknowledges that this is more a problem in Phlan, but has also been an issue in Melvaunt. Dagna takes the letter and agrees to the mission as Mordeux lights a pipe for both himself and Dagna as he goes over details.

=Session 1: The initiative of the Nobels=

Meeting at the Black Hut
the day before, the couriers of the merchants and various messages and conversations revealed the decorated mercenaries and otherwise that are most likely to be chosen for technically undecided adventuring initiative. The next day in the evening, all five of the people gathered showed at a place known as the Black Hut. Historically, the Black Hut is a place both known for being an old adventuring guild long past and eventually a place with a more sinister usage as a slaver's hut. With a business change as of the start of the invasion, the Bruil family has had meetings with several of the other of the richest merchant families to repurpose the building into back into an adventuring guild. Several of the people going to the place are familiar.

Originally, there were ten people expected to arrive with a sense of who would and wouldn't make it as it appeared that that only five people showed up. It was never really explained what happened to the other five people expected to show up. Out of the five that did show up, three all seemed familiar with each other. Santiago, Regis Malone, and Dagna of the Clan Hammerhand are all people of significant reputation among all the merchant families in Melvaunt. It's in fact rather likely that these three have individually worked together or adjacent to each other with missions in the past.

It took a little over a half hour with food served to the group with tables that were freshly added to the Black Hut as everyone spread out. Dagna slapped Regis on the back knowing he would be here after hearing that it was the high chancellor setting this up with a little surprised letter acknowledged with a not really surprised that Santiago would be there. The last two, Ezra and Aklos however had very little reputation. While entirely possible to see Ezra about, Aklos has no reputation and only really stands out as he stands over six and a half feet tall with a gentle smile and soft looking hands.

There is a brief amount of conversation between a group as two house patrons slowly walk towards what set up as a stage at the front of the building. Everyone, besides Aklos recognized the two as high chancellor Richard Bruil in mostly leather with a very clean purple cloak and leather armor fitted to his wide frame and clear belly slightly flattened by the armor as he surveyed the group. He takes a look at both Aklos and Santiago and turns to the other man, who stands tall, noticeably older at least in his 60s with white hair and not facial hair. He stands in half plate armor decorated and shined. This man seems too small to be wearing the armor and appears to be wearing it for appearances. Most would recognize him as Dodgrick Mennindrome, the Merchant family patron and a member of the Council of Lords that holds a place over the military of the city.

Richard pulls out of a small bag a relatively large horn that works as a microphone and addresses the group. The start of the speech seems to be rehearsed pleasantries starting with how this building was retrofitted to be a potential hide out for the group upon their success and mentioned restoring great honor by having and sponsoring successful adventurers to build up Melvaunt and build up the alliance between all of the city states. Regis sweats as Dagna grows a little bored. Aklos surprised at the interaction keeping notes with most of what's going on as the speaker shifts from Richard to Dodgrick.

Dodgrick mentions first and foremost not so much the idea of having an adventuring group, but the mission that would be their starting job sponsored by an agreement set up between the guards at the Mennindrome showing interest with the Red Plumes that are in both Melvaunt and Phlan to pass a message with the captain that resides in Phlan. Dodgrick reaches and pulls out reports, papers and begins to mention reports of crimes, specifically alleged murders from a series of civilians. He looks at reports gathered from the Black Watch in Phlan provided to the Red Plumes that work in both cities regarding trends and information gathered. Dodgrick goes over specifics of it, but still indicates that accepting the job would involve going to Phlan and getting their detailed report. Dodgrick mentions the full background, but doesn't have details on who is likely responsible or what is the link between all these serial killers, but an understanding that there is a link between the murderers. This type of mission is a bit different from what is mostly asked of the group here, most similar to missions accepted by Dagna.

While going over these details, it's Santiago that breaks the speeches first to ask about the victims. Dodgrick pauses, stutters a moment as he shuffles his papers and talks about the targets to each of these people. It seems there is no clear pattern to those targeted aside from the fact that most are civilians with no martial or magical training. Dodgrick looks at papers and adds more detail to his response by adding that there seems to be no real connection between any of the victims. It seems like people are being taken at random, only real link is that the killers caught don't appear to be trained and going after people they would be able to stalk and kill. After finishing, he spoke up realizing he missed more than an important detail. At least one of the serial killers fought the guards to then be killed during arrest. When the man died, there was a report that an imp was briefly spotted speaking an unrecognized language before disappearing.

The speaker switches back to Richard Bruil, who starts talking about payment. He goes over a large sum set up by many of the families as payment for the group. Most of the people at the table had already heard the expected pot and in fact also have been promised individual pots for side interests and intrigue regarding the situation. Once going over the pot in decent detail, Richard states who is responsible for establishing the pot, and there will be the names of almost half of the Council of Lords in Melvaunt sponsoring the success of this group. Richard mentions that the payment being promised by himself is different from the payment of the job and that Red Plumes of Phlan would also look to provide payment for the successful completion of the job. Once Richard is done speaking, Dodgrick walks down and provides some of the papers he has to the table where people are sitting with some of the details he stated as well as the name of the captain of the Red Plumes in Phlan who has this information, Griswald Morden.

At this point the official gathering appeared to be over as the meal, when Richard Bruil calls for Regis for a side conversation. Richard's words seem to echo a familiar rant during his past conversation with Regis before inviting him, but he fleshed out details and orders for the side pot. Richard talks about the secret king of Phlan known as Desmond Teragon and a rumor he heard that the Brotherhood of the Cloak is now working with him instead of the High Blade of Mulmaster. These are known conspiracy theories, ones that Regis is familiar with, but hasn't really confirmed or denied. Richard asks Regis that while in Phlan if he can seek and confirm these rumors or provide information that would help them understand what is going on and provide him alone that intel in order to help make decisions as the high chancellor of Melvaunt. Richard utters a last name of someone who appears to stay at Valjevo Castle in Phlan. A man known only as a philanthropist who has given large sums of money to aid Phlan's infrastructure during the last year or two in particular known as Shem Romanov the V and another man who appears to be the business advisor for Phlan. Regis looks back and tries to keep the conversation short. He already signed an agreement for it as Richard provides a sum amount in the thousands of gold specifically for Regis to confirm this information. Richard states at this moment that the ability to gather this information is much of the reason Regis was chosen for this particular group.

Enter Phlan
At this point there is no assumed unity with the group as they disperse to their separate locations and sleep before departing the next morning. On the next morning before leaving for Phlan, Dodgrick has a familiar captain there in scale who is by stables just outside the city who have provided horses to everyone for the duration of their shared employment. Everyone groups together as conversation is awkward between Regis, Santiago and Dagna all really vying for control, mostly clashing between Regis and Dagna at this time. Captain Jones provides some basic materials from Dodgrick for the trip. The trip is mostly uneventful, and the only people unfamiliar with the travel are really Aklos and Ezra. The trip itself is completely uneventful aside from the view of the darkened skies and blood rain just outside the region of the Moonsea.

The trip to the city and the entrance to the city came with little to no real incident. Despite a recent tension between the two cities, the past allegiance between both cities made travel open and the gates were not difficult to get past for the group. There was routine questioning by human guards at the city, which ended quickly once Santiago revealed a letter from the High Chancellor Richard Bruil regarding the agreement with the Red Plumes that operate in both cities. The first guard, a younger inexperience guard with a helmet covering most of his face wasn't sure how to interpret it as his more experienced counterpart immediately recognized the sigil for the Bruil family and was aware, actually expecting people from Melvaunt to arrive. The older guard escorted everyone to the western Barracks, a fort with a name of a Lord Protector one hundred years back. The stone building was one of the several fort barracks currently occupied by stations of Red Plumes put into duty in Phlan. This is not new however everyone that has been in the region the last twenty or so years would be aware that the previously militarized Red Plumes of Hillsfar is now working across all of the Moonsea at the direction of the leaders in Phlan. They mostly act as a guard presence, but are slightly distinct from the city guard and other mercenary or militarized groups that work within Phlan. They all tended to wear helmets specifically with a red feathered plume at end making them visible compared to the other guards and typically wore heavy armor. At the fort, there was a stone column that separated the entrance with those at the Red Plume and otherwise that worked within the barracks. At the desk, someone with a sideways plume and shined plate armor stood at the desk. It was easy to tell based on the way that others were interacting with this individual that he was the captain. This man is a tall halforc with a crew cut and eyes focused like a steel trap. Everyone in the group is able to overhear others talking to him referring to him with the name Captain Griswald, which matches the name provided by Dodgrick in the last meeting and in the papers provided specifically to Santiago.

Once close to the desk, people in the Red Plumes will approach the group outfitted for combat and will ask for their weapons before approaching the desk, to which everyone begrudgingly agrees before approaching the desk. Griswald doesn't acknowledge the group immediately as it appears he is currently taking in the paperwork to a crime or event that recently occurred when Santiago is the one who looks to get his attention. Griswald does turn his head to the five people at the desk. Santiago, Dagna, and Regis are aware of Griswald, while he only might be aware of Dagna when Santiago hands over a note with the seal of the High Chancellor from Melvaunt. The moment Griswald sees that letter, he gives the group his full attention and proceeds to greet the group kind of sizing up everyone in front of him as he politely asks everyone to wait as he runs and pulls out a stack of papers in fabric folder with a small amount of writing on it.

Griswald looks in the details and first takes out a map as he starts scattering other papers and looking for relevant notes as he asks the group. While beginning to go over notes, he first asks what the party already knows as Santiago is the one who mostly regurgitates the information from Dodgrick about the string of murders from a series of serial killers that have mostly been targeting civilians. In the list of papers, Griswald pulls out a medium sized list of names that cover the people taken and a slight description of the people and slides those papers to Santiago as he gets a subordinate to hand him a pen as Griswald marks a location on the map on the Ride.

Griswald mentions that investigations from the Black Jackets have found an infernal link between the killings, to which otherwise seemed random. Upon further investigation, there seemed to be tracks and dragging marks from most of the victims and the Black Jackets have located expected possible locations assumed to be where a hideout might be to either a devil or cultist coordinating these people. Griswald will express difficulties with the Black Jackets and Red Plumes going past the Eraka Barbarians in the Ride that appear to attack each group they send through it to follow the trail. Dagna snickers at the failure going through the ride as Griswald glares at the lost men due to the attacks from these barbarians. Griswald defensively states that it's the logging due to the continued expansion that causes the attacks. Santiago aptly asks about the contents and size of the company to see what to expect if they are met with an attack from the Eraka barbarians. Griswald mentions the groups sent being up to and over ten strong, prompting another snicker from Dagna. At the end of meeting, Griswald passes over the map and a few papers over to Santiago and wishes him luck on their mission just after providing information based on the total, or individual pot for each of the participating people.

After analyzing the map, Santiago makes an estimate that with horses the ride to the area on the ride roughly halfway between Phlan and the border forests will be about a three day trip. After the trip to Phlan, it is already late afternoon and it is unanimously agreed that it would be best to leave in the morning after having some dinner and rest.

The Lavender Swan
While most are willing to go the Goblin Inn, Aklos preferring style decides instead to take the group out and treat them to a wonderful meal at the Lavender Swan, the nicest restaurant in Phlan. This place is very close to Valjevo Castle. While there, Aklos does well to keep the party optimistic and happy. It is at that point where Regis looks across the table and listens in the perhaps the second finest meal going on in the place, a meal with a group of mechants that he is very familiar with and some that Dagna is familiar with. There, a man is speaking loudly about a generous donation of Silver to the church of the Triad. He hears one of the merchants refer to this man as none other than Shen Romanov V. Regis is shy, but decides to greet the table. Several of the Merchants recognize, greet and vouch for Regis as a reliable man and a good worker. Regis asks for context, when Shen Romanov takes the time to rebrag his donation of Silver to the Church of the Triad in its war effort against Hell. The conversation moves away from Regis quickly, but he is able to get Shen Romanov talking to him by bringing up the tensions between Melvaunt and Phlan. There is a decent conversation between need and control that sprouts out as he admits the problems are somewhat cause by the haste of the newer laws developed by the current business adviser of the leader of Phlan. The conversation moved to the topic of the people being killed by the random serial killers. During this exchange, it was brought up that Shen Romanov knew more than he was letting on about the situation. When asked about it, he let Regis know that his contact and the best person to ask is someone that lives in the city and that the King Rolin Dregard would likely not let anyone communicate with him without meeting them first and that likely wouldn't happen without first completing the mission.

Once the meeting is done, Dagna will go out to pick up chicks and Santiago shortly after to sleep early. Aklos will likely take Regis and Ezra leaves on her own to the GoblINN to sleep.

=Session 2: A Likely Encounter with Hell= Early the next morning, the group and got ready together to leave to the edge of the city and get their horses from the stable to leave. Santiago has a sinking feeling that they would need more supplies and left with Ezra to get more materials. A trinket shop run by a fidgitty but charming old wizard provided a good amount of supplies, mostly consistenting of healing potions, but two magical items.

Right before the group left, they were approached by Captain Griswald of the Red Plumes who came with several pieces of paper. He muttered how he wouldn't do this, but then provided papers with the descriptions of the people missing that were not confirmed dead. There were a total of four, two men, a woman and a child among that list with drawings and full descriptions of what they were last wearing. Griswald hands the paper to Santiago before they are off.

The mostly uneventful trip
At that time, the group sets off on their way to the cave. The first portion of the trip mostly goes uneventfully. What Santiago does notice is that there is more movement from the Thar by troups of Ogres going to the east. The tracks were old, but noticed.

During the first night, the only thing spotted was a small juvenile Ogre spotted spying on the group out of curiosity before running off. This was confirmed not to have any clear relation to the days old tracks discovered early that day.

The second day, the group found itself traveling on the Ride where Aklos was able to spot tracks that matched a larger group of smaller humanoids, which Santiago also confirmed were likely to belong to the Eraka. These particular tracks were not old, and several layers of tracks were spotted indicating a consistent travel route more than a singular destination.

The second night, Aklos spotted an a flying creature later identified to be an imp. Once spotted it muttered words in infernal and turned invisible. Even in the dark, invisible, Santiago was able to discern where it was going and confirmed it was the direction of the cave.

First Encounter
After the morning, the party traveled for a short time before Dagna spotted a Horned Devil shooting fire at an unseen enemy with the sounds of combat below. Regis snuck up stealthfully to see a group of people identified likely as the Eraka Barbarians fighting against the forces of Hell. Hell had a few half human Cambions commanded by two bone devils and a Horned devil as their leader. It was decided that the group would wait till the battle was over before taking action. It was a slow battle, but the Devils of the Nine Hells were the clear winner of the fight.

Once dispatching the group, the Horned Devil took point and flew upwards to spot the group hiding watching the battle. At this point, the battle ensued as the Horned devil charged up a fire attack. Santiago shot at the horned devil as Dagna charged directly for one of the boned devils. There was fight between Dagna and Aklos and a Bone Devil and a Bone Devil and the Horned devil against the others. After a powerful charged fired attack, Regis, Santiago, and Ezra were badly injuered fighting off one of the Bone Devils. An allied pounce with swings eventually dispatched one of the enemy bone devils. Santiago ensnared the Horned Devil causing him to fall from the sky where he was eventually teamed by Dagna and Aklos.

Before they could be killed, the Horned Devil muttered in common a series of threats before leaving.

The battle left many wounded and they felt the need to rest completely before entering the cave. While they waited, licking their wounds, warriors from the Eraka tribe came in force to pick up their dead from the passing battle. Once the 8 hours has passed. the group made their way to the cave as they get ready to enter the layer of the Necromancer.

=Session 3: No Mercy=

Enter Gonsen
After Narrowly escaping the attacks of Ezekial, the Witch King, Gosen slowly takes a breath and finds himself in a forest he doesn't fully recognize. He has a sense as he slowly sees the sight of an astral projection oh Gomand Pusk. His sight with his Demonic drown and message appearance covered in artifacts. He speaks erratically looking hoping for Gonsen to die. Gonzen angrily swings at the projection.

Gomand offers Gonsen a different option. The village of Greithlethen is someone he recognizes who might be able to help take the Talisman off.

Gomen travels without realizing that he didn't know the wizard's name. Gonsen is stopped by several of the guards, who instinctively not at ease. Gonsen realizes that there is a short wall and gate to the town damaged. There are only a few guards that are not fully armored.

Gonsen though surprisingly chill asks about the talisman without considering that they wouldn't know about it. The guards relatively quickly come to the conclusion that he isn't dangerous to them and let him know there is a wizard eating at the commons house in the village.

Gonsen spots Elliant Vibius, Guild Master of the Collector's guild in what looks like a potato sack robe eating a sandwich. Gonsen walks up and says "Nice Sandwich" which Elliant replies "It's pretty good considering". Only minor pleasantries are exchanged before he brings up Talisman. Elliant pulls from the inside of his cloak a little magnifying glass and looks at the Talisman and his eyes go a little wide.

Gonsen is eager to get it off and insists that it is cursed. Elliant recognizes that as the Master Key Teleporter for the Sons of Mercy. People of captain Rank and higher can have access to such items to get into places presumably no one is allowed to enter. Elliant touches the item to see what might have happened, to which he realizes that it might in fact be damaged or warped. He also states that it bonds with its user and is actually very difficult to use properly. If not properly attuned, it will teleport you to places you don't know at times you might not realize.

Elliant is very engaged with this item, but he says there is no easy way to get this item off, but he can research and likely find a way to remove the effect or at the very least temporarily dispell it. He exclaims that he is moderately surprised to see that Gonsen if the first outsider to arrive since the job posting to save this town showed up and asks if he can deliver a message to Dagna of the clan Hammerhand a message to come to this town. Elliant is looking for an item that he believes is in a mansion owned by the being causing these attacks. He rattles off the names of the major cities in the region, including Whitehorn, Melvaunt, and Phlan as places that all have job postings for this. He basically suggests a deal that if he helps get Dagna and company over and helps retrieve the item, he will help get the Talisman off and keep him safe for Gomand Pusk until that happens.

Gonsen mentions Gomand, to which Elliant states that he is very dangerous, but that if he thought that killing you would work, he wouldn't have waited to do it. When that is said, he points his finger and a small scrying sensor pops quickly. Elliant focuses for a moment and states that he knows where Dagna is.

With that he teleports Gonsen close to them and hands him a golden glittery envelope with the insignia of the Collector's Guild.

Gonsen approaches the group to which everyone is immediately alarmed of the half orc's presence. He doesn't draw his weapon and goes in and says "Sup". AKlos is the most trusting of the group, but still hesitating a bit at first. Dagna, when aware immediately draws her weapon and approaches. Gonsen basically says that he has a message for Dagna to which he then hands out the golden envelope. Dagna turns away and opens it when it reveals a holographic message with Elliant introducing himself and his past meetings with Dagna in the Calimshan going on the high seas and taking down pyramid tombs with other adventurers regretting that she didn't join the organization herself. He asks for help in retriving an item from a vampire who is sending a large amount of undead to destroy a village just west of Whitehorn with job postings in all the major cities. Elliant continues to describe in great detail as Dagna sighs "I forgot just how much he likes to talk" when he says he brought with her an half orc, which he didn't ask for his name, but appears trust worthy and is doing this in exchange for my help.

Santiago says "Well, if you are coming with us, are you ready to go into this cave?" They all slowly explore the entrance to the lair of the Necromancer, inch by inch. It seems mostly empty with almost nothing but boarded walls removed from their original location and light trails found from a sack being dragged on the ground. Not too much is really noticed about it only how heavy the sacks might have been and that hte last one was less than a week ago. The group finds an alter with nothing but a few personal belongings, presumably of the people that might have been taken. While entering the larger room that goes into a walkway towards a door, a magical alarm appears as the bones swirl together as Dagma smashes as it forms. A stone slab rolls on closing the doorway with the bright image of a sun as an eye materialized from the stone above the door and shoots Dagna, Gonsen, and Regis with a ray. Flame Skulls fly in from the side of the walls lighting the entire room on fire as much of the team retreats from to recover from their injuries with Gonsen falling unconscious just after removing his armor. Gonsen and Regis fight the emerged Bone Golem as Dagna smashes the Flame Skulls quickly. Aklos turns into a Huge Snake to take the attention of the Golem. The battle is won, but there is significant injuries to recover from. As the party begins to rest, Santiago notices the Flame Skulls are reforming. Dagna smashes them before they fully take shape. At this time, they take more time to discover parts of the cave when they find a chest filled with nothing but pieces of clothing from many many people. Santiago pulls out the paper from Griswald to inticate that all of the people on the list are represented in the pile of clothing and much more.

Regis notices the door is glowing yellow as words appear on it. Santiago goes to it to hear speaking in infernal and words in common appear on the door "Prayers are to Men". When this happens Ezra approaches the door and inspects it to realize it is abjuration and and merely a passcode to go through the door and rubs the stone as the additiona word "as dolls" appeares and is spoken when Santiago just says rattling off the top of his mind "are to children" as the door splits in half and opens up revealing a walkway to a wooden door.

The group ponders if these might be the bones of the victims and take a few and throw in the bag of holding should there be a chance to bring any of them back to life. Santiago shoots the eye, still actively looking around the room as the entire group discussing what might have happened to the people and what this all might mean.

Gonsen is impatient and kicks open the wood door which leads to a surprise attack on him from a flesh golem punch in the face and bolt between the eyes. The entire party is met with a scene of an old almost albino looking man in robs with a very messy white gray beart mixing a spoon inside of cauldron exclaiming the completion of his ritual when souls swirl around the cauldron as he stands inside a ritual circle drawn in blood.

A battle ensues as Dagna and Gonsen fight two flesh golems believe and then confirmed to be the bodies of the people who were captured and killed as they begin to fight. The man exclaims to Aklos that he is a hero that will help the world to salvation. The automaton blocks his path as he confuses Ezra. He scream in pain and he takes an arrow and is covered in brambles and on fire. He transforms himself into a Bone Devil as he yells that he has become a part of the master race. Ezra shoots him in the face making him lose concetration on his spell as he reverts back to him form as he quickly falls over from his countless injuries whispering that he will return from the afterlife.

The automaton, property of Jonas Califomme shuts off without a direct order and the group. looks around the room. The moment, someone steps on the ritual circle, a red portal appears just behind the cauldron.'Ezra takes her time and prepares a dispell magic to remove the portal. The group analyzes the cave to see that it was dwarven made, but last inhabited by vampires with a statue of an ancient and powerful vampire (Valenia's Grandfather). There are compartments where Regis spots a secret compartment with a list written in infernal and Santiago finds a tome on the other side with half the pages torn out with instructions and the ritual circle written in blood on one of the pages. Dagna finds a slew of other items that was significantly older likely from the Vampires who inhabited this stone cave structure. Dagna looks around every corner and finds a slew of other goodies including a ring and a bag of beans.

Once finished, they chop off the head of the necromancer killed and take two heads they spot in the body of the flesh golem and proceed out of the cave. There is no significant encounter or obervation once traveling back. The only thing of significance that happens is that Aklos turns into a

When the group hits Phlan, they are met with a younger guard who is a member of the Red Plumes who proceeds to recognize that they are a part of the mission but stills asks their business as Dagna intimidates him. An older half elven guard proceeds to escort them past the walls to the barracks where they see Griswald with someone speaking to him verbally recalling a report and he dismisses him the moment the group arrives. Regis hands Santiago the note and Santiago hands Griswald the tome. Griswald looks around and notices that there is only one other with them and none of the missing people. His head sinks, but he asks questions about whether or not they made it to the cave and what happened. Dagna answers the first question, but otherwise it's Santiago that gives a detailed report of the events and what they found. Griswald is very thankful saying that it was never part of the job request to give a detailed report and that this information will be very helpful.

Once the information is provided Griswald invites the group to meet with King Roin Dregard in Valjevo castle for an interview after the successful mission as he puts those documents in a file and presumes to get two members of the Red Plumes to grab the heads and put them in the evidence locker. He just confirms that the head of the one responsible matches the drawings of what he looked like before he left the city.

=Session 4: Interlude: A reluctant Elk in a room of Wolves=

Griswald offers Santiago and the rest a chance to meet, or more actually almost asks to have everyone meet and be interviewed by King Rilan Dregard of the Moonsea. Santiago looks back and accepts with verbal acknowledgement Dagna and Aklos. After a nod, Griswald scratches his head and remembes your pay. He goes into his coin purse and then realizes that it seems like there were more of ya than he remembered. He looks at the group and say collectively to everyone. "Is there one more of you than before? I thought I remembered there being five of you?" a voice from below states that there were actually six people. Griswald scratches his head... "you sure" as the voice insists. Griswald realizing he brought worth up o $15,000 gold realizes he is short when a figure steps up from behind the desk to reveal himself as a halfling dressed in a black formal jacket and clean looking glasses with slick back hair. He takes out a coin purse of his own and hands it to Griswald. Griswald seems unsure for the pay difference, but the halfling assures that his boss will not mind the pay difference for the difficulty of the mission and the details in the report. Griswald hands the materials and asks for the report. This halfling denies it and requests Griswald do it due to a difference in security clearance and states that he will escort the group over the Valjevo Castle.

The halfling touches the step latter and it disappears as he steps from behind the counter to introduce himself as Simon Goodfellow. He escorts you out of the barracks and walks you down the way to the older part of the city. Several newer buildings like the Lavendar Swan are there where they ate last in Phlan, but everyone is escorted to the outer wall of Valjevo Castle. Simon states that he knew there was only five, and that he felt a bit bad to play on Griswald's lack of confidence in his ability to recall since he thought you deserved the money. Like most, he talks a bit about the current affairs and how he works in the business firms that works in making the laws that govern the spending and money for Phlan and Melvaunt. Only Regis and mostly Aklos engage him as he passes you off to one of the guards of Valjevo Castle.

Everyone is then met with a guard with long red hair wearing a horned helmet only showing his eyes, which are piercingly blue. He gives a light bow as he asks everyone to follow him through the main gate. The party is lead into the gate and moves to the side where they are directed to a barracks inside the castle walls. To the center, they see the keep surrounded by a maze that is ignored to instead move towards the barracks. The buildings inside the castle wall are ancient only decorated with light drapery as the stone looks older than the other buildings around it. There are more guards as the group is asked to give up their weapons to meet with Rilan Dregard.

When met, the guard nods to the King sitting in the center back of the room in an ordinary looking chair looking rather bored and disineterested. When he sees the group, his head raises as he appears to look more animated as he sees the group. Rilan Dregard is a man in his mid 40s with a slim light brown beard and wide build. He looks more the warlord than he king wearing fur and formal robe attire, but still with chain mail. As you approach, he recognizes Dagna, "you son of a bitch" they do a forearm hand shake of old adventurer's finally seeing each other after years. Rilan smiles looking over the entire group with a wide grin on his face as the whole room quickly, but silently notices.

There are a fair amount people in this room. Regis and Dagna are quick to notice Armen Rathker, an older man in his 60s who often dresses in formal robes with long thin white hair. He has a tired looking face and is accompanied by a man that both Regis and Aklos recognize as Cloak Syph, or Syphrah Approditti. Syph is man of Thayan origins who has darker skin believed to be in the Brotherhood of the Cloak. He is not necessarily or obviously in disguise, but it in regular attire as opposed to his wizard robe. The two are talking amongst themselves as Regis recognizes a man in a black leather armor named Marshall Greymore. He almost sneers at the adventuring group as he speaks to a paladin in shoulder length blonde hair wearing formal attire with several other clerics all with varying holy symbols of the Triad on them.

Santiago spots one Jongrim Fernheart, son of Frederick Fernheart. He is half human, one quarter Elf and Dwarf. He looks decently build with a leather coat and short brown hair keeps a decent stare towards Santiago and the rest of the group. He is speaking with a man only Regis would recognize as Donald Jarmes, a wealthy merchant and owner of the lumber business just outside of the main city of Phlan.

Regis catches a familiar face in Shen Romanov speaking with a man Regis recognizes as the Mayor of Phlan. He is a shorter man if very formal attire.

In the last corner, he spots Golian, Blade of Mulmaster, one of the ruling council of the city in a fur hat an light leather armor and formal jacket over it. He seems to be talking to amongst a guard of the castle and several of the merchants in Phlan keeping a very noticeable eye on the conversation with Rilan.

When Rilan starts to ask questions just to be sure he can trust the group, Regis lays down on the ground and faints in a puddle of his own sweat. Rilan rolls his eyes at the idea of needing to interview people, but he relunctantly starts talking about how his advisers told him to worry as he has many enemies and Devils can change shape. He tells tales of nostalgia with both Dagna and Santiago of simpler days and recalls events when he adventured with his old friend Richard Bruil and others, taking pot shot at Santiago for being an archer in jest.

As the night grows older, Dagna and Rilan take drinks and remember better days as Regis lays on the ground. Jongrim approaches Santiago when he notices him alone slinking up and pretending not to be aware of his conversation with Rilan. Santiago recognizes Jongrim as the son of the Merchant patron who ran him out of town. He listens, but gives Jongrim a side eye the entire time as he speaks. Santiago speaks plainly and Jongrim snaps telling him that running him out of own is just business. "The bigger fish eats the smaller fish. Donald tries to diffuse the situation and then walks off. Jongrim changes the look on his face and tries to appeal saying he was just trying to look tough in front of the other merchant. He mentions a town west of Whitehorn in the Border forests that is in danger. This village is a great lumber station for and mining down for Whitehorn, which is the supply Donald uses for Phlan, which gives business to Melvaunt. He talks down about his father and the patrons of the house saying that they're afraid to look weak in front of their support and send kids and other people to do the business instead. He says that while he'd like to give the business now, he needs to run it by the proper people in order to make it happen, but that if he comes by the lumber mill tomorrow, he can get the job and talk business with him and Donald there.

Gosen of all looks to see Shen Romanov speaking with the guard that escorted you in before he, Aklos and Ezra leave the party to go back to the GoblINN for last food and sleep. Aklos forgetting the value with other things on his mind pays for a meal in platinum and then recalls small talk with Gosen and Ezra. Gosen is easy to chat with, but drinks to Aklos's recollections. He tells a story of ending universes and timelines as Gosen barely understands what he is talking about.

The Dream:
Aklos doesn't sleep, but he does dream in his trance. After the talking is done, Aklos, Ezra and Gosen buy three rooms. After going into stasis Aklos finds himself in a familiar white place like when he traveled to this dimension. A young man with a familiar smirk walks up hooded with a purple robe with the symbol of the Elven house and the holy symbol of Mystra tied together lightly weaved in white in his outfit. Aklos recognizes him as Rowen. He smirks as he tell Aklos that knew he would be here. AKlos repeats "It's impossible" as Rowen acknowledges the power of Magehold, but says that there is no chance that those group of mortal could hold his power. He monologues his abilities and capabilities, saying that he is here because of Aklos. He is allowed to seep into this dimension since he is their universe and Aklos is a part of it. Aklos denies as Rowen brags his endless ability talking about everything will be his. "even, even, even, even, even" stuttering as the f goes from his lips as his skin turns purple and eyes start growing on his hands and face and he screams and wimpers as the ground and sky turn purple just before he wimpers for help. Aklos wakes up in a scream as Dagna rushes over to his room mostly unclothed and Santiago shortly after... just to see a mostly nude Dagna with Aklos and slowly shutting the door behind him.

That morning, Santiago mentions his conversation with Jongrim and mentions the forest as Dagna pulls out the golden envelope and realizes that they are both the same place. They leave the main city to move towards the lumber mill. When they reach the business, they are greeted with a receptionist before Jongrim walks out and greets the entire group. Santiago side eyes as he tells the story about what is going on and the events. He is naturally distrusted, and while not being dishonest, clearly leaving out details. Santiago brazingly calls him out on leaving out details as he snaps at him and talks down to everyone. Donald tries to calm him down for the sake of keeping a business transaction Jongrim says that he had people check out the city, but not really stay or help. Most of his news was received anonymously from a wizard and he only knows vaguely what is going on since a lot of the people that try to make out there get attacked by barbarians. He was mostly just hiding how he gets information and kept that a secret. Dagna and Gosen ready to walk out, but Santiago agrees to take the job saying, I will take his money if nothing else.

Regis wakes up and catches up with the rest of the group waking up on the floor of Dagna's room since he was dragged from the floor lifted on her shoulders and brought back the GobLINN. He wakes up and remembers Shen Romanov and wants to return to Valjevo Castle. Everyone agrees to wait before going to to Whitehorn as he plans on going back to Valjevo Castle. Regis asks a few people in the area to be sure he would be there, and it is confirmed whole not often in town, Shen Romanov spends his time in town at Valjevo Castle.

=Session 5: Odd Perceptions=

Regis made his way up to the gate of a Valjevo Castle where he was met with a different guard a bit older looking thinner looking human. Regis mentioned his name and stated that he had a meeting with Shen Romanov. The guard let him in through the gates and started scouting him through the maze to the keep. This was a slower process as he needed to look through a map he had on his person to let him in.

Once in the gates approaching the keep, several other guards nod as Regis is let in. The keep itself is an even older looking building, but more decorated with drapes. It is a almost silver looking stone and a wide open seems building. In there, Shen Romanov approaches Regis gives a light nod and extends his hands to shake it.

He does a light quip on how fainting in the middle of the floor might have caused a scene, but was actually a brilliant way to avoid difficult questions. Regis asks about the murders and what is known about that. Shen Romanov talks and mentions information was mostly already known at this point and then goes into the theory that they think that the person that was killed in the report might actually had been someone in the brotherhood of the cloak posing as a civilian. Regis pays close attention to the language used and believes that Shen Romanov is speaking to make it seem as if his conclusions are simply unproven theories and when in all actuality he firmly believes that what he is saying is true. He says that this seems like no coincidence with the movement of people between Mulmaster and Phlan, but what seems odd is the connection with Hell. At this point he mentions that there is someone better to talk to about how that might make sense than himself. He utters the name Sarcaedon Arbelleck. He says that this man is the current business adviser to the crown and the mayor and is the most knowledgeable on the subjects of Hell in the city. He is the one that would be holding the report at this time.

Regis does mention to Shen Romanov that the man around Armen Rathker was also a part of the Brotherhood of the cloak. This revelation seems to surprise Shen Romanov as he looks a bit agitated to that. Regis at this point catches a glimpse of an amulet being worn by Shen Romanov taking the shape of a Black Dragon around his neck hidden. He vaguely recognizes the lore of such a type of item as something to be worn by some of the most prostigous worshippers of Tiamat.

Shen Romanov thanks Regis for the information and insists that this type of meeting should happen again in the future when both are able to gain more useful information. Likewise, Regis gives Shen Romanov a pleasent reception as they eat a few appetizers from servant within the Keep before each going their separate directions. Regis rushes out knowing the way before the guard is really able to lead him out.

When he comes back, Santiago asks about the meeting itself as does Gosen when Regis basically words his way around the question.

When everyone leaves, they are able to travel quickly without incident. The same paths have little travel since they were last on it. Roughly three days into the travel is when Regis spots someone roughly half a kilometer back looking towards them. Regis has a sort of glasses that allow him to recognize the mercenary as someone both he and Dagna knows as a scout giving them a heads up that there might be more. Gosen seems eager to fight them as both Regis and Santiago prefer not to make contact and choose to take a shortcut off the road the Whitehorn. Aklos sides with Gosen as Ezra ends up siding with Santiago and Regis and the party decides to take the shorter path.

While there is no meeting with barbarians, it is clear that traveling this path leads to lots of tracks mades from horses believed to be from the mounted tribes of the Eraka barbarians. After two days of traveling, almost a full day faster than taking the roads, they hit the walls of Whitehorn.

There, they are met by a Dwarven guard by the name of Jake. He is a laid back dwarf in mostly leather with no beard and chops who politely asks about the business of the individuals. Dagna looks almost impatient as she mentions the job. Jake calls a human with similar looking chops who may or may not be slightly buzzed as he approaches. Both of them let the group inside and invite them to eat at the local bar before moving to the village of Greithlehiem.

They are lead to a bar area. One thing that only Dagna takes note of is despite how small this settlement is, the buildings look sturdy and old like this place has been here for hundreds of years. She notices this mostly while in the bar area when she can tell that this place was Dwarven made. They meet a Elven bartender with the name of Rutha who is using a large meet cleaver as she works on food. She has several large tattoos on her arms and on her face as she shoos the guards away to get back to work Everyone is interested in learing more about what is going on for the job. She doesn't know as much as they would like and mostly makes comments about how she is surprised they haven't simply left the village yet. She yells for a water and feeds people different variations of beef and lamb. Santiago and Dagna make a note to ask and look to see if other outsides have shown up and even go to the point where they are willing to pay her if she finds anyone asking about them. She shrugs and says no charge needed. She says that there aren't many secrets here, so she will not be afraid to tell them about you guys or vice versa. She does say that whatever the case, keep your fight out of Whitehorn.

With that, everyone leaves and goes to Grithleheim. There, everyone finds a small village tattered and broken. There are newly built talls that already seems torn and used and shallow graves in the town. The commons house that Gosen is familiar is where they fight Elliant, again eating a sandwich. The man with his poofy brown hair and brown cloak stands up and goes to shake Dagna's hand and nods towards Gosen. He looks upward and decides to take his staff from the bench and walks back. He lightly hits it against the ground and blue light reveals two eye ball sensors. He points his fingers and both pop. He makes a light mention that there were two scrying sensors on the group.

Gosen seems curious when he states that one of them was from the convicted criminal known as Gomand Pusk, of whom Gosen immediately recognizes and the other is from a Madam Belsheba that Santiago, Regis, and Dagna recognize the one who sponsored Ezra to join the group. Elliant states while he believes she isn't as dangerous as Gomand Pusk, that she is actually very dangerous and plays many roles, and that of a merchant in Melvaunt easily being the least dangerous. He gives a tired joke after seeing Dagna after still being happy to see her.

Elliant does a light greeting to everyone and looks over Aklos in particular. Aklos politely introduced himself as Elliant takes out a small magnifying glass and looks over Aklkos making him a little uncomfortable before he takes out a rod and goes over him with it. He then states astutely that he isn't from around here. Aklos very matter of factly agrees with that before stating that Aklos has two different markers on him in two differnt ways. He mentions that one of them is from a servant of the over diety to imply that he isn't from either this world of dimension. Aklos clarifies which makes more sense as Elliant marvels that he has been to other worlds, but still knows that there is still much in this existing world he hasn't seen in different dimensions, planes and timelines. He states that the second thing he sees is almost lightl a light residue of his old plane on him. Elliant made mention of that connecting the possibility of the dream to what was happening. Aklos did attempt to change the subject knowing there was little that could be done there and then.

When that he went to Gosen and pulled out a wooden spatchula and referred to it as the flipper. He approached Gosen and attempted to use it when the magical reaction repelled both of them back around 30 feet. After coughing out some blood, he took out a rod and proceeded to hela Gosen. He told him that the item was meant to reverse magical polarities on a figurative level, but could work on a literal level with malfunctioning and cursed items. Elliant did say he needed more research before being able to figure out how to safely take off the item.

After speaking just a bit to Dagna catching up about their old friends, he let everyone know that he needs time overnight to set the carriage up in order to reach the vampire, to which prompted the explanation that these attacks were likely caused by a vampire who seems to want to get rid of this village. Elliant states that he knows who this vampire is, but doesn't know too much more about it than that. After that short explanation everyone agreed to sleep and Aklos agreed to watch as a bird. As the night grew old, Aklos took a light nap to wake up to the yelling of guards and the sounds of battle. He alerted everyone the quickest he could before the town was completely overrun. Dagna rushes out basically only in her underwear as no one else really had time to have anything other than get dressed for the fight.

everyone got out large amount os smaller and slower drone undead as a large Bone Clow and Spectre riding a nightmare oversaw the village and were waiting for people to step out to battle. Dagna and Gosen started fighting the bone claw as Santiago started shooting at the Spectre. In the distance was a large body of bones scrambling towards the town being overseen by a vampire with armor burned to his skin jumping between the trees.

The vampire glamors Ezra from afar as she continues the attack on Aklos before breaking free of the glamor as Dagna rushes him.

The bone claw is dispatched by both Dagna and Gosen while the spectre and the vamplire begin to enter the fray. The Necronaut smashed through the city wall and knocks over one of the two built guard towers as it smashes its way into the city. Dagna knocks the spectre off the nightmare while Santiago and Gosen continue the assault. Elliant runs out and attempts to disintigrate the Necronaut failing to stop it entering the town. After the spectre is destroyed, Dagna goes to Eliat who appears to be the target of the vampire. Regis only starts joining the battle in response to the group engaging the necronaut smashing through buildings. Gosen jump on top of it as he hacks at it. Dagna charges the vampire and as it retreats her assult, Elliant releases a spell from his ring of searing light that piercing the vampire's heart.

The necronaut now retreats as everyone takes hefty swings. It throws Gosen off in its final attempts to flee as Aklos is the one to dive downa and reach it's undead beating heart before it falls to the ground dead.

Where the spectre was there was a piece of armor, a stone imp and a scythe. Gosen takes both the Scythe and the Armor as Dagna takes the stone imp before basically falling asleep on the side of the tree. Everyone goes back to rest just was it almost gets early.

=Session 6: A Nightmarish Task=

After waking up from the long night, everyone approaches a bit past dawn to the common house watching the few guards bury the dead in the already shallow graves. By the commons house is Elliant with a carriage with two large war horses running his hands through the carriage. He greets everyone with a tired lookin his eyes as he looks over the group.

It is Dagna that asks about it when he begins to explain the task itself. Elliant first states how he was very surprised at both how capable everyone was in battle, but equally as suprised the strength of the force sent to destroy this village. He acknowledged that with that attack that this task of killing the vampire would be much more difficult than he expected, but that it is highly unlikely that he has more than a few forces left at that power.

With that, he explains what the carriage will do and that it is necessary to enter the demiplane to which this manor resides. Along the entry path to enter the plane there will be a long stretch to which will need to a ride to protect the carriage against a barrage of undead defense.

Once past the road, there will be a long stretch of swamp that will stop the carriage where everyone was encouraged to run and not fight the inhabitants.

Once that is done, there will be a slight forest leading to the manor itself with several capable guardians. Most of the inhabitants are either undead or nightmarish undead aberattions.

With that explanation, he hands over more than a few items urging everyone not to rest at any point as it will be too difficult to rest without being surrounded by undead abominations. The items included a bag of holding with a large number of potions of healing and elixirs of health. In addition there were two spell storing rings, one with a teleport and another with a searing light. He stated the Teleport would be best used to escape after destroying what powers the manor and the other was the spell he used to attack the vampire from before. Lastly, he lends them a Resurrection Wand, which he says to be very mindful of it.

Regis what Elliant plans to do as this is going on, to which he replies nothing. He states that not only did he not rest, but that he knows that Agnon Pilot is expecting him and will attack him with wraiths almost immediately. He takes note that is also not particularly fond of battle, to which Regis scoffs at him with a noticeable side eye at Regis from Dagna for Regis's refusal to engage the last battle until nearly the very end.

Dagna asks Elliant about the stone imp, and he tells her that it is an item that is an imp bound to her, but it will likely be an unwilling servant. Dagna activates the imp to learn more about the plans, to which it screeches as she steps on its tail and demands answers. She asks who it's boss was and the imp attempts to side step the specific answer before she attacks it. It states that it followed the spectre and that spectre followed the vampire who rules the manner. She asks it why they wanted to village. The imp indicates that there is a place close to the village with great magical significance that others have had stronger access and these attacks were a way to attempt to hold onto this place.

Just as everyone is getting ready, Santiago curiously asks what it's duties were prior to now, and it mostly mentioned writing down notes and plotting maps in addition to getting cups of blood for the vampire, to which Dagna asks his name. The imp replies "Pilot" and Elliant nods to that being the vampire he suspects is responsible for what happened. Aklos asks for a cup of water as the imp goes to the well to get a bucket of water. The village head is an older man , human who has somewhat graying hair who is quite thin who looks like he hasn't sleep in close to a week. He walks over the Elliant terrified demanding an explanation for the attack. Elliant is surprised and admitted that he never thought the vampire had the capability for such an assault.

Gosen asks about the Scythe. Elliant looks at it and pulls out a magnifying glass and looks at the scythe. He says it reaps souls to the demiplane in mention to gather it's army in incorporeal souls. As everyone gets ready to get onto the carriage, Dagna takes the opportunoty to destroy the imp with a single swing.

Everyone starts the ride as the sun begins to rise higher in the sky, they notice that there is a bit of a shift as the sky becomes pitch black with only a light tint of purple and spectres are seen. Santiago is the best with animals with Aklos and Dagna at the front with Gosen guarding both Regis and Ezra behind the front cart.

As they ride off, most of the time is spent silently riding through an empty rode, but near the end, there are skeleton skulls with ectoplasm around them and spectres draining the lives. Dagna and Gosen both get diseased through the travels as she takes out an item Elliant gave with the power of turn undead. When she holds it in her hands, blue light in the symbol of Moradin appears as she tosses it straight down to make the undead disperse. A flame skull tries to burn down the carriage. A wight with rubies in its eyes run and jumps on the carriage to be knocked by Dagna and shot by Ezra to slow it down.

Once the carriage reaches the swamp. It stomp nearly to a hault as sigils of light appear. Everyone steps off to a almost waist high level of swampy water. There everyone manages through a dark seemingly empty swamp only hearing the light splashes of approaching and wandering horrors. It is almost entirely uneventful with only a few shots from Ezra to slow a few horrors spotted. Near the end it became clear that the group had caught the attention of many horrors but just too slow to catch up to everyone.

Once everyoen started approaching the trees, there began fog that was present to those that could see in the darkness as the horrors became larger. Once the water became more shallow, everyone started hearing a voice screaming, "this way" .Everyone ignores the voice believing it's a trap. In time they hear the voice again saying "help me". as they see what looks like a piglet approach them running with the face of a human. Dagna and everyone looks alarmed and stays armed at the ready as he runs by. He sounds scared asking for help stating that he lost his friends. He says he has been here for years and just needs some food. Regis talks to it as Santiago takes a closer look, seeing it for what it is.

Santiago identifies that this piglet is not what it seems and while not lying, it is actually a very large pig and its teeth filled with bleeding gums and human bones between it. With that, Dagna asks if it's an aberration and then tosses the turn stone down on it, which drives the man pig in a frenzy. As it attempts to run away, a thorn holds onto it keeping it in place ast it also grasps at Dagna. In a frenzied fear and rage, the pig bites at both Dagna and Gosen swallowing Gosen.

Regis steps up extending the invisible blade of his rapier inside the pig's gullet as Gosen attempts to swing out being spit out covered in acid. Wendigos approach as horros start approaching from the surrounding forests that were long following the group. The fight is short, but Gosen falls. Everyone fearing for his life saw him disappear with the activation of his talisman.

In a strange celestial plane, Gosen finds himself in a pool of holy water regenerating his wounds and no longer diseased. a bright eyed solar glowing looks down at him and sees his talisman and gives a bow and refers to him as captain of the Sons of Mercy looking inquisitively in his direciton before he teleports back. When he comes he and the rest of the group quickly drag each other and run through the forest trying to move away from the horrors bypassing the coordinating Mandrake Horror alerting everyone of the group's presence. In time, everyone runs by an open gate and sees the tower of the manor ahead. They approach a manor with an open main door and a building with pillars of swirling fire around parts of it as everyone takes some time to take potions to covers wounds and sickness.

=Session 7: Return of the Fallen Star=

Everyone takes only a few deep breaths before looking at the entrances of the hall. Regis and Santiago look inside the door slinked wide open and see a hallway filled with coffins with swirling flaes to a staircase. What they notice seems odd and suspicious. There are three other doors to the side of place available. Santiago looks in one of the side entrances and finds a staircase up to a cabinet that leads to a tea room and a book case. There Regis finds a fair amount of tomes with strong spells likely in the aid of the creation of this manor and goes back before existing the door on the other side.

Regis and Aklos look into the other two side doors, which seem to enter a servants quarters. There is no one that has visibly been in these rooms for years. but Regis is able to find a broom, which is identitied to be magical flying broom, or the Nimbus 3000. In a short time, everyone who waits before hears the bushes rattling and takes a move on the room with a stair case. Gosen takes point and exits up stairs where they look at a goblet and a line of statues. There, everyone sneaks by a stationary armor after Ezra suggests that this room is full of alarms of potential concerns. Everyone sneaks around the armor that they know has a chance of animating to attack them and happen to move around it.

Regis sneaks along into a dark main hall when clapping commences as a room full of skeleton archer illuminates a hall usually filled with chairs and tables stands empty as a vampire is obsidian armor jumps down with his two personal guards, a bone warrior with a spear and a beak and a being that looks like slightly draconic gargoyle. The two jump down with the vampire as he looks on almost with glee as he greets his uninvited guests.

Agnon Pilot gives a slight bow and asks if the group that is there is willing to hear his words if he is willing to pay them more than those who seek his death. Regis takes a step forward and considers the offer as Santiago nearly scoffs at the idea and mentions a lump sum of 50,000 gold to see if he would match it.

Count Agnon Pilot starts the conversation after Dagna and Gosen seem against taking his offer when he shouts out asking if everyone is working for Hell. Everyone seems surprised by it. Regis keeps a close ear as Agnon asks about the rain and the attacks. Regis believes what Agnon Pilot says is true. He talks about fake kings and conspiracy theories. He claims to be no hero, but he is an adversary of Hell. Santiago probs the situation by asking why not be an ally if Hell will win.

He states his purpose and mentions a fallen Netheril Enclave and states that needs the magical secrets. He does ask which vampire helped let them in. Dagna seems surprised knowing Elliant is not a vampire. Agnon Pilot dismisses her response and repeats stating that the way they entered is for guests and only other vampires would know the wards needed to get into the manner as a guests. He cuts himself off. Impatience brews as Dagna slowly questions him on the lives of those he killed and looks to kill. Agnon Pilot dismisses it by merely stating if that they can remove them, he will have no need to kill them. Dagna poises to move forward as Gosen gets ready to charge. This immediate attempt to step forward is interrupted by the beaked warrior. He stabs Gosen multiple times as the battle begins. Agnon Pilot teleports around as the room erupts. The gargoyle takes hold of Gosen and throws him on the ground after he passes out.

The grimly continues as most of the people struggle to reach Agnon Pilot. At goading him, Santiago managed to keep him in once place visible. Regis takes flight of his broom with a sharpened edge and means to steak the Count with it. He misses as Agnon Pilot shocked at the tactic aims his attacks at him and dominates Gosen. Shortly after that, he Regis tries again as Gosen swings and takes a piece out of him. The Numbus 3000 is stuck in his chest as his face shrivels up. Agnon Pilot is stuck to the wall pinned and paralyzed. The gargouyle flies down and knocks Regis to the side as he is barely able to pull it out. Dagna empties multiple continues of holy water transforming Agnon Pilot into a monstrous looking vampire. In his anger, he casts a chain lighting. Regis calls the broom back to him as Agnon Pilot reacts and snaps it into pieces. Gosen grabs the bit and sticks a piece in his check. During the end of the fight, Agnon Pilot is able to Bite Gosen to revitalize himself before being targeted by the Moonbeam.

Aklos and Ezra sytematically took out the gargoyle as Agnon Pilot now screams from the radiant pain before Santiago uses his Rapier to cast a ligthing bolt onto Agnon Pilot. At that point, moments from death, he takes the orb of undying and smashes it causing a shock wave that throws everyone back. Agnon Pilot brags his power as his aura arises as he takes his old form only his fair turns brown and his eyes from red to blue. He smiles and then frowns as he sees his own errors and looks regretful around him. Before he has more than a moment to regret, his body starts to twitch as his skin starts turning a light green and his lower jaw unhinges. In a brief moment of remembering himself he opens his eyes and warns everyone to leave. He says he is becoming something much more dangerous than himself. He shivers as his body begins to grow and a low pitch growl and laughter erupts.

On the other side, a human cleric who looks like a priest holding a staff with a cross with a dead child crucified falls off a pillar of fire screaming as the voices of ghosts goad and yell emphatically that he has returned. In a pillar a fire, a new figure forms from the burnt melting corpse of the priest and forms wings. A man steps out with short black hair and long black cape. And with a low pitch voice belows for his castle to kill intruders to his manor.

No one waits and everyone takes the cue to leave immediately. The armor activates as a Deathknight runs down the main hall after everyone. Once everyone is outside the castle the whole forest rumbles around them as the sky turns bright red. Everyone is getting surrounded as Santiago activates the Spell storing Ring and gets everyone back to the carriage. Once there, he gets everyone on board and rides the horses back through the wards. As he starts moving, it is clear that there are many wraiths, maybe hundreds converging on their location.

He rides the carriage with the party back and finds realizes everyone is safe when realizing when the sky is blue and roughly noonish time. It takes close to an hour to make it back to Greithleheim. Everyone sinks as the realization of what happens sets in. Gosen wonders what the point of it was when Santiago admits that there was really no good to come out of that visit. As they make it to the village, everyone sets off to the commons house when they see Elliant speaking to an astral projection of the vampire known.

His face sinks as he approaches the group. It's a solemn mood as he says, he knows what happened. He apologizes to the group for being gullable and allowing himself to be so easily fooled in this case. He lightly begins to explain the events of what happened. He identifies the vampire who came back as Grang Magus of the second circle, Count Agal Belthorn. He says he knows only a little bit about this, but knows someone who knows a great deal more about it that he will bring to speak about the subject matter. As Elliant pulls a doorknob to find this person, Dagna walks away and walks to the commons house for a drink.

In a short amount of time, a man in a blue shirt steps out of the door knob with light skin and makeup. He gives a light nod with his hands in his brown leather coat and introduces himself as Mr. Kenneth Dunbar. Elliant walks back out and mentions that it would seem that the Orb of undying life would have been powered by the soul of an Arch Devil. Santiago asks what did happen to the vampire. Elliant states that his soul was likely destroyed when devoured by the devil. Elliant asks about what will happen as a result of what happened.

He states that for Agal Belthorn, his mission was completed back in Amn when he was destroyed. Most likely, he will return to his Lord of Nine, Dispater and look for his next duty. If left unchecked, he might go after Cornelius Ford, but that will not be easy as he is currently in Palischuk with Gavirello Tinkerwisks at the moment. He pauses when he says the name Paimon. He states that Paimon was both self imposed exiled for many years, but also a very high rank in Hell. It is likely that his role has been filled and that he wouldn't be able to return to his position. Mr. Dunbar mentions that he would likely seek the vacancy on the 4th circle since Belial and Fierna were both killed during the initial invasion by the revenant, Bloodwing. As a result, Paimon might seek an upward position and try to become the next lord of the fourth circle. Kenneth scratches his head to wonder how Paimon might interact with the other dukes and suggests that everyone might speak to a Sarcaedon Arbelleck of Phlan, as he was formerly the Grand Magus of the fourth circle of Hell. He says that, or see Ternock at the Temple of the Triad. Kenneth eventually starts rambling about a large number of places he might go, and among those is stated the Bloodmarches itself and Zhentil Keep.

Elliant, who seems to have lost some of the attention to this approaches Gosen with the spatula and says that he has this under control. At the point he takes it out, he ducks down as Gosen seems reasonably concerned at what the next events might be. He lightly does a lifting motion over the talisman and it pops off into a bag. Elliant smiles and says that it is still bonded to Gosen. There is a chance it might teleport back to him, but for the moment, he is freed from the curse.

As Kenneth mostly rambles, thinking to himself, Elliant approaches Aklos and asks if he knows someone by the name of Alden. Aklos nods in response to who he is. Elliant mentions a friend of his by the name of Delrian, who is someone inside his guild who is an elf from the same dimension as Aklos. He states that Delrian is one of the most ancient and prominant figures he knows, and never gives out false praise and he sought to Alden almost as a mentor. Elliant is shocked that anyone is capable of impressing Delrian in such a way. He says that once he mentioned what happened, that he wanted to come over and speak to Aklos. Aklos looks shocked, but also excited at the prospect. Elliant pulls out the doorknob and walks back through as Gosen also decides to leave the conversation and go to the commons room for a drink. Aklos, Ezra and Santiago are listening as Regis lays down in a pool of sweat.

Elliant returns with an elf with gray skin and glowing white eyes with an aura of white around him. He only slightly resembles an elf, but then speaks elven and greets Aklos as his brother in Elven. He speaks in Elven and almost begs for forgiveness. Elliant is shocked at the display of emotion from a being that has only been regal and pronounced in his presence before. Aklos looks more tamed with the weight of the actions as Delrian almost sobs for the loss of his people and his failure to even be aware that it happened. He mentioned that the moment he was told about this he looked up events and recalled history almost immediately to try to make sense of it all. Delrian mentions that he knows how Rowen got the power to act. Aklos looks shocked. Delrian mentions a tale about a human wizard who developed the most powerful spell in history. Elliant perks up and mentions Karsus, to which Delrian mentions that the fate of the spell was to be tossed in the far end of the univserse to prevent the use of that spell from ever being cast. He mentions that it was none other than the beings of the Far Realm that have taken that knowledge and used it to corrupt and help Rowen reach the power he now has. Aklos asks, but how threatening can he be with the power of the magic goddess. Delrian states that the power of this goddess in sheer volume would almost put Rowen as capable at the overdeity if he knew how to channel it properly with the power of the far realm. Delrian states that the events of this world are well placed. The Devil knew that such events would happen in both the far realm and in Abeir that would cause such a freeze. Aklos remembers his dream and states that Rowen did say that he was here. Delrian mentions that the Far Realm isn't so much a part of this world, but an existence that reflects in all worlds, a madness that must always exist and that Rowen threatens more than this realm with his actions.

=Session 8: Fragile Pride=

There is a swift sound that wakes Aklos up as the look of an assassin reaching for Santiago as he sees Aklos awaken from his trance, he takes a look and takes a potion as Aklos moves to wake the rest of the team up just at the break of dawn. Once it is clear that everyone is awake, a not so familiar voice breaks through the crowd with his cockney accent. Santiago is called out specifically, though he struggles to remember the sound of Jongrim's voice as refers to him as a dog. Once the fight officially starts, he sees Jongrim through the thick of trees and shoots him head on with a lightning bolt from his sword striking a decisive blow. Jongrim collaborated a large team of highly skilled mercenaries that both Dagna and Regis recognize in their time in Melvaunt. While Gosen stays in the back to confront the invisible assassin, Dagna rushes forward to face the leader of the mercanary pack, a capable ranger with war paint, Burke. Her ally in arms hid in the trees taking two potions before transforming into a werewolf and going into Rage charging into the middle of the fray. The second mercenary group lead by a familiar knight known as Pendragon had a cleric that helped keep Jongrim and others alive in the fight against Dagna.

Aklos turned into a quaotl and chased Pendragon's head cleric, a halfling names Mr. Tim as Ezra kept saving the party from his attempts to to use hold person on each of the barbarians. When both Santiago and Dagna fell to the arrows of Burke and to the lance of Pendragon, Aklos saw desparation as Gosen slowly grew more tired against volley of attacks coming from Stalrigg. Aklos summoned old spirit allies in the form of apes. Jongrim looked in joy and stood over Dagna as one of the apes fed her a potion and Aklos healed her. After he saw her move, he attempted to run from her when she tripped him and mounted him before dealing the killing blow.

Jongrim's head bashed in from the maul, Burke saw this and called off the attack. Pendragon put down his weapon once the attack was called off. Stallrigg calmed down and reverted to his human form, as an older man with a light beard. Pendragon gave Santiago and eventually Dagna a potion. Once it was clear that the fight was over, Mr Tim also spent his last major spell slot to heal everyone, his allies and former enemies. Dagna nodded recognizing most of them and they all talked a far amount. No one really felt too unhappy about the death of Jongrim, though there was a conversation about what might happen if they were spotted and much was said about his death. Pendragon gave a bow and great respect to Santiago as Burke snuck into Dagna's tent for the night.

Stallrigg bonded with Gosen as most of the group took watches for the night. In the morning, the group split up to go their separate ways. Most of them decided it was best to stay some time in Thentia so they wouldn't need to deliver a report to Frederick Fernheart about what happened to Jongrim. As everyone returned to Melvaunt, most everyone, sides Gosen was recognized when entering the city. Regis decided it was likely best to make the report in Bruilhaven, the home of Richard Bruil and his family. As they approached the fence of his manor, they were let in by a guard through a large front yard and road path to the house itself where they were met by a familiar Butler, Monbon, who recognized master Regis and let everyone into the manor after providing their weapons for save storage. When they made it back to his sitting room, Richard was there with none other than Valendra Belsheba.

Richard was not too surprised to see the party show up as Valendra mentioned that she was relieved to know that everyone was ok after the attack. Dagna and Santiago were a little confused at first when she stated that she put on a scrying sensor again after Elliant removed it after the original meeting. Valendra mentioned that she saw everything that happened in Phlan and already had that conversation with Richard Bruil. Regis was a bit uncomortable after his revelation and seemed rather impatient after that. Everyone seemed a bit unnerved by the degree of observation of the group, but Ezra vouched for Valendra in this case. Gosen went to the toilet after not being recognized again since this was technically his first time in the city of Melvaunt. Richard seemed happy to hear that everyone was safe and successful. Valendra seemed to remind him that his might be the end of his adventuring initiative, though Richard didn't seemed bothered by the discovery and the result. He mentioned that learning that Desmond was the true king in the shadows was quite the revelation for him. Valendra already knew of Desmond, but admitted that knowing that Rilan was so hesitant and broken over the secret made it seem like he could be bent in the future. Richard was an optimist as he still seemed to have a soft spot for convincing his friend to come back with him on their side to join the fight against Hell and potentially help Phlan and Melvaunt regain their old partnership for the last century.

Richard remembers to pay everyone the extra amount he said he would for the successful mission. He lets everyone know that he is expecting a visit from someone from the Blades of Mulmaster to come soon. He originally expected to meet with him alone, but took this opportunity to have him meet Richard and Valendra on the start of a coalition of ideas on how to approach the House of Lords in Melvaunt on it's policy approach to Phlan. Valendra seemed pleased with this revelation. The person from the Blades is identified to be Golian Volkstadd, the Blade who was spotted in Phlan when the group originally met Rilan after successfully taking out the necromancer discovered to be from the Brotherhood of the Cloak.

Time passes and there is some tea and wine before there is a knock on the door to the sitting room. Golian enters with a fur hat and surprised look as he sees the look of the entire group. He is escorted by both a halfling and goliath who proceed to walk back out of the room again once he steps in. He admits to only expecting Richard in this meeting, but he is familiar with Valendra and the rest of the group and said that he had hoped for a moment of their time when they were in Phlan, but lacked the opportunity when they were speaking with Rilan.

Golian never sits down, and speaks to Richard about what he has hoped to accomplish with his adventuring initiative. Richard seems surprised that the conversation turns to his group almost immediately. He mentions that he has a target to help break down the effectiveness of Phlan. Richard looks on when Golian mentions the name Sarcaedon Arbelleck. He credits this man with the position of the laws in Melvaunt and Phlan's ability to navigate the line between Hell and ally and seem almost neutral. He brings up how a coalition with Mulmaster to befriend Phlan and continue to help will be good and try to get in so that it is easier to find this man and have access to him. Once showing Phlan their rapport and willingness to help, it might make Rilan and others soft to the idea of change. This would be a cover for a plot to kidnap Sarcaedon and use this new position to negotiate with someone else to change the status in Melvaunt.

Richard seems immediately aware that this would involve sending his team back into Phlan after seeing what happened with Desmond and tries to deflect the situation as a Gosen pretty much says is out loud that they aren't welcome back. Golian seems surprised and immediately questions this. Richard seems willing to discuss matters of working with Phlan to sway Rilan, but seems unconvinced that working with Rilan will make a big difference and implies Desmond. Golian takes the bait to mention how the Blades of Mulmaster have always known about Desmond and were allies until the last thirty years or so. He gives up the information that he previous high blade of Mulmaster was killed in a a failed assassination attempt on Desmond where the current High Blade was freed. He did state that he believes that Sarcaedon might come to Melvaunt on rare occasions. Golian mentions that someon from Sarcaedon's business firm travels to Melvaunt to sell secrets about his laws and possible loopholes to certain merchant families. Richard seems intrigued and a bit surprised about the news and how Golian seems to know.

Golian mentions he has a plan to act on this. He mentions having allies in Phlan and allies around Sarcaedon. He alludes to a particular ally and states that this ally is afraid to be seen with an enemy of Phlan anywhere outside of Mulmaster. Regis seems interested to know the pay, but Golian states that he cannot say what the pay of the mission itself will be at this point, but that he is willing to pay everyone a thousand gold each just to meet him in Mulmaster to discuss the plan with him and his ally.

Regis is reluctant, but Dagna helps him agree to this. Richard states that this path works for an upcoming job he promised with Mordeux on the Silenciosa. He informs Golial that there is a plan to to take a ship to Mulmaster in a round about voyage that involves taking a shipment supply of food to Dalelands, specifically Archendale. Golian is alright with the wait. Golian states that he will speak more about the details in the coalition with the Council of Lords later in the day. He indicates that he is very tired after his travel to Melvaunt and wishes to sleep before resuming the meeting. He is very pleased with the meeting with everyone from the group. After Golian, Richard informs everyone that they can take anywhere from one day to a week before they decide to leave on the next mission. This break is for the group.

Valendra makes sure to remind people to stay quiet about the death of Jongrim. Richard concurs that infighting between people in the Merchant houses would be bad at this time and that Frederick must be kept in the dark about Jongrim as long as possible. Richard motions to Regis who doesn't appear to notice as Dagna takes out a roll of paper and coal and colors out the symbol for the Silenciosa "Silent Sword" for everyone in the party. Both Dagna and Santiago agree that they will meet in the docks of Melvaunt the next morning and be off the next day.

=Session 9: Double Sided Man=

The day of shopping was a day where several people in the party all traveled in small groups of between two and three with different people shopping and spending time together. The only one who mostly spent the time by herself early and throughout the day was Dagna. She shopped by herself and made her way into teh Drunken Krab and enjoyed the day as she spends most of her time between jobs.

Aklos went back to Sielle and visited her when she looked nervous to see him. Until now, she seemed mostly almost bratty about the situation. This wasn't a side of her Aklos has seen since she was back in her home world. She stated that she got a sending from someone she didn't meet about an ambush on your group. She was called with the possibility of needing to bring people back to life. She wondered who this Valendra was and was not comfortable that she knew that Sielle would be able to help bring people back to life either. She had wondered what the group had done to get that kind of attention. Aklos assured her that they were ok and that nothing was wrong. Sielle wasn't fully convinced and informed her that she had received a visit from someone from their homeworld, the brother of a elven god in their world who informed her that he would free Alden from his duty attempting to keep Rowen and that Alden would likely be visiting this realm soon. Sielle approached Aklos and gave him a hug. She said that that therthere is only so much that she can do if he feels the need to help, but she has noticed that he has met with people who have been have believe their story and seem to know about what is happening. She takes off her royal amulet and gives it to Aklos. Sielle said this is one of the things that helped allow her to speak to and meet with people from different realms. Aklos is shocked that she would give this away. She indicates that he is borrowing it as he will be safe to return, but states that he will need it if he finds someone that can help with this situation or this realm's problems or in the event they confront a problem with their home realm returning to haunt them. She asks Aklos if he had any strange dreams about Rowen. Aklos lies and says that he didn't when she sighs in relief saying that it was just her. Aklos breaks for a moment and apologizes for trying to shelter her from the truth and admits as she states what seems to almost completely the same dream he experienced. She tells him to be careful as he goes out with the intent to shop.

Aklos managed to find some prayer beads, but spends the majority of his time looking for someone to look at his bag of beans. He is with Santiago and Gosen and managed to speak to a shop keep has mostly sells jewels and gems of whom he managed to get the prayer beads from. Aklos overpays for most of the items and he asks about the beans. He takes his scope and takes the beans with him and sits in a chair and focuses to look at them. The item is referred as the BAG OF BEANS. Aklos wonders what they do. The man takes out a piece of paper and paints and looks at the color of the beans and puts a small description of what each bean does and writes it around each of the color and indicates how many beans of each color are in the bag. He does say that the colors are a bit hard to tell apart and that some of the beans are dangerous.

Before meeting with Aklos, Santiago mostly just shops by himself looking for a better bow. He goes into a shop run by someone close to his sponsor, and the shop keep appears to be alchemist who tries to pawn a failed experiment of an alchemist's bow to Santiago. What shopkeep doesn't know that failed is word to describe the bow for a lack of consistency, but it is actually very powerful versatile bow if not completely random. As a result, Santiago managed to pay less than one fifth of the Bow's true value due to the shopkeeper trying to get rid of the thing.

Regis, floating between several groups takes Ezra and Gosen out shopping while going to shops heavily stocked in supplied that benefited from his previous trade. Most shop keepers in the slightly seedier district are very friendly to Regis and treat him with little discretion. After buying some basic supplies, he goes to a known potion maker in the side entrance and makes his way down to buy an enterage of exotic potions, gifted to him for free. The shop keep tries to sell Regis drugs more than a few times during their exchange, but he sticks to potions and manages to get both Ezra and Gosen to buy potions also. The shop keep talks about potions and brags his abilities as an alchemist as Regis manages to underpay for the potions by a clear 100 gold.

It is an uneventful in several different inns. The next morning, everyone converges on the dock to approach the logo for a special place in the line of ships specifically connected to the Leyraghons, and along the edge is a wooden sign with symbol of a sword that Dagna put on paper for people to see. When they approach the ship, there is a wood board connecting the docks to the ship in a ramp to the ship. As the group approaches, there is a crowd where the crew is looking on a circular rope set up with Dagna wrestling a goliath over eight feet tall with a massive beer belly and scruffy beard. They are held in a lock with as aaricocra overhead heckling them to finish it throwing silver in the ring. Santiago walks in and bets money on... not Dagna. In a show a strength the goliath throws his stance wide and gets Dagna off the ground just before she grip him and manages to flip him over her shoulders and off the ship. A stunned silent crew roars in cheers and geers as a handsome man in later 40s with a twirly mustache and touch of gray holds out his hat to take in the money for the bets. Santiago puts some money in the hat as everyone walks onto the ship. The man with the hat introduces himself as Captain Rigoberto Silva, the captain of the Silenciosa. He introduces the goliath thrown overboard as their engineer and mechanic, Krogran, the aaricocra heckling as their scout, Hek. Next to him, is a race not as easily idendified as a Githyanki, his first mate, Yzma. She stands mostly silently at this time with a large sword and heavy armor, not too dissimilar from Gosen. With them is one normal looking human who just says "Hi, I'm Rosk" and a classicly handsome fish man with a long trendy looking beard who introduces himself as Volos, a jack of all trades when it comes to being a sailor. Captain Rigo, as most of his crew refers to him walks to the door to the ship and asks if Yzma can give most of the new people a tour of the ship.

While down stairs, they meet with another race not easily identified. A Khalashtar, not too dissimilar in origin from a Gith, but the her appearance is striking as her hair is bright and the freckles on her face stick out and the lighting around her makes he look like a galaxy. She gives a warm smile that everyone can feel on the inside as she introduces herself as Shaldi. Yzma informs people when they reach the dining room, the room below with the cargo and shows everyone to an array of 6 rooms each with two beds in it to hold up to twelve people. Captain Rigo informs Dagna that her room is still free. Dagna mentions her chest from her old adventures. Krogan and Rosk bring out a large chest. While most of it has mundane items and money, Dagna does look for something in particular. One thing everyone there knows, but can be spotted by the group that this is a chest of holding. Dagna pulls out from what looks like a very large handle and keeps pulling until a large glaive comes out, and large is close to around twelve feet long. Dagna looks at everyone in the group and tosses the weapon Ezra. It glides unusually slow in the air and something that appears like it would weigh close to 40 pounds seems weightless when caught. Dagna mentions how this was a memento from an old adventure, a great powerful artifact... but it isn't hammer so she didn't use it. Ezra touches it and feels a connection with a being inside the Glaive who introduces himself as the Djinni general, Nomatek. She thinks it's cool, but really doesn't think too much about this gift, but Nomatek sees a grand opportunity to finally free himself if this works out.

Hek comes down and says that last person has arrived. Rigo and most go back to the top of the bridge and welcome the last person coming aboard, a hired mage from the Leyraghon family that has been going on recent missions of this ship. It doesn't appear to be the same mage each time. This person is a Drow is clearly red eyes and a cloak with fur linings and clearly winter looking attire. He appears timid. Rigo introduces himself, but cloak decides to remain anonymous and simply be referred to as Cloak at which Dagna heckles him for seeming evasive on the ship.

Come dinner time, everyone except the cloak is present and it's a celebratory time with much alcohol. In the spirit of competition Dagna challenges anyone to drink off, who can take the most before passing out. Krogan, always up for a challenge takes up the bait first, and not only a second later before Gosen follows. Hek in fashion proceeds to then say "let's make this interesting" and bets 10 gold on Gosen sighting all he wanted was a drink when he came on board and saying half his words have been about beer since he got onto the ship. He sees the mug in Gosens hands and nods at this choice. Santiago waits... and he bets on... not Dagna. Dagna boos the crowd as Rigo doubles Hek's bet on Dagna. Volos does a wink states that betting against the captain isn't a smart bet and bets on both Dagna and Krogan. Gosen takes his first drink and seems completely unaffected as Krogan takes a close look at that mug and back at Heck. "Is that a magical mug?" he says taking a closer look at it. Dagna snatches it right from his hands and tosses it across the room. The whole room roars in response as Hek more or less just shrugs at this point. Gosen caught basically says can't blame a man for trying. Though in an act what can only appear to be karmic justice, Gosen's first drink almost floors him, as if he drank it through his nose, it he immediately drunk and almost passing out. Krogan and Dagna go strong as Gosen passes out after the second drink. Roughly five drinks in almost back to back, Krogan gets sloppy and begins to slosh around. One more drink and slides off his chair, still partially composed, as he tries to get back up while falling back down. Rigo declares Dagna the winner as Hek kind of snips and says his bet still seemed smart at the time as he proceeds to take a quill and draw little penises on Gosen's face. It goes into more of a party with Dagna still nearly wasted dancing on the table before Volos takes her to his room for the night.

Hek admits defeat and decides to take the first watch. Aklos goes with him to enjoy the view at night. Aklos mentions the warm atmosphere on the ship as he mentions how comfortable it is here despite him not being so much a drinker or a partier. Hek smiles and states that this crew is almost more of a family than a crew. In this region, you'd have to look hard to find this many non humans together in one place let alone the races gathered in this crew. It's a place of comfort and people that all love what they do. Hek says that it didn't hurt that most of people on board were more than willing get along easily. He sees the Cloak still on the bridge off the side and invites him into the conversation siting that he doesn't need to be involved, but that he doesn't need to feel like an outcast here. The cloak's eyes go wide for a moment, but he remains silent. As his watch comes to an end, he goes down and gets Krogan for the second watch. Krogan climbs up the rope and latter much faster than one might expect. Aklos goes down stairs and starts to clean up the table from dinner when he realizes that Shaldi is there and doing the same thing. She seems surprised to see him helping when he seems well not surprised to think he should help after being given a good meal. She indicates that they are guests on the ship and don't really have a responsibility to clean, but she doesn't mind. She speaks to Aklos and notices something off about him. AKlos is surprised that there are so many people that can guess he is from a different world just by looking at him. She seems surprised that others can what she sees. Shaldi mentions that while most on the crew are unique, she is from the realm of dreams and she has experience and a magical acuteness to those that have been in contact with ones from the far realm. While she has spent more time here, she has a strong memory of those from her previous civilization and knows what types things they dealt with when fighting the far realm. After talking slightly about herself, she mostly mentions that her role is as a healer, both physically and mentally on board. These are difficult times and many can crack under the pressure of what's going on. People on this ship don't aim for a larger or more important life, but aim for a good life and to make a difference the size of themselves. They talk a bit more before Aklos and Shaldi split after cleaning the place.

In an hour or three, Gosen takes up to see Yzma stretching after leaving her quarters and finding him. She is happy to see him and basically says it would be good for him to help with the watch. Gosen doesn't fight it. He is curious how things turned out when he appeared to lose consciousness. Yzma doesn't mince words. She basically told him it was humiliating and Hek drew penises on him, but that it really wasn't a big deal. Gosen seems interested in Dagna's place on the ship. Yzma seems slightly surprised int he turn of direction, but mentions that she did spend some time on this ship for quite a few years before spending more of the time on land missions and the recent adventuring group. Yzma does say that it appears she has found a good group this time around.

Gosen and Yzma both spot a ship just at the break of dawn. It is still just slightly dark as they see it in the distance. Yzma rushes down very quickly to wake up the crew. She basically bursts in each of the doors to do so. Dagna asleep with Volos does wake up also. Aklos is in his trance aware of what's happening and takes the moment to wake up the entire team. Hek flies up to his post at the top of the ship and takes out his glass to look at the ship. He confirms that it is a ship from the region. He describes it and Yzma confirms that it is a ship from the Dales. Hek states that there are warforged and two winged devils on the ship. Rigo turns to Volos and order to sink the ship. Krogan gives him a bag of holding full of supplies. Volos gives a nod and goes to the far end of the ship and dives down and wild shapes into a sword fish to swim quickly. Rigo gives a command for Shaldi to have a telepathic link with Volos to make sure that everything is alright and to get updates if he must turn back. Minutes pass with no knowledge. He has manuevered around a large hell touched beast unnoticed and wild shapes on the far edge of the ship and drills a hole with a piece of equipment made from Krogan. In the bag of holding is a large supply of gun powder. Volos is saddened to see at least one crew member taken as a hostage in this situation.

=Session 10: Let Loose the ...= Everyone braced for impact as Captain Silva pulled out his pistol and took aim at one of the two devils. Among the two devils, one is a larger horned devil labeled as a Malebranche and the other a fallen Angel, and advanced Erynes. Rigoberto managed one hit with two shots using silver bullets. After the shots, both devils teleported on either side of the ship looking down. The Erynes, flew down to the bridge of the ship and let forth a radiant nova blinding most of Captain Silva's crew including Aklos, Ezra, and Gosen. In the early chaos of the fight, the Malebranche used his large spiked chain and swung a mightly blow into Aklos's side and empaled him. The devil then tossed Aklos off the ship and shot a fireball centered on the Erynes. Most of crew and the party now were badly hurt and Ezra unconscious on fire.

Santiago was the only one who escaped the original blast that damaged the ship. Shortly after the initial blast several masive tentacles grab onto the ship causing severe damage to the outside and stop from movement. Aklos sees the beast just before it emerges and transforms into a bad to avoid his blindness and flies back onto the ship and changes back. Through his echo location, he managed to know the location of Ezra and help heal her.

A battle enagages between both the Erynes and the Malebranche and almost everyone on the ship. The Malebranche takes his chains and swings in a large circle around himself taking out Gosen, Volos and knocking Dagna down to one knee.

While this intense battle is happening, Regis and Rosk are having a very basic heart to heart conversation. Both sit and enjoy a little bit of sitting and talking time as most of the crew and party fight against one person. Regis points out the explosions and both decide to join the battle. Rosk fights with Krogan, who regains his vision and goes after the Erynes, managing to take a full enslaught of slashes from the beast dual wileding swords. Rosk is quickly knocked down after landing a few good attacks as Shaldi is tossed overboard by the Malebranche.

On the other side of the ship, Captain Silva yells for Ezra to use the Glaive on the beast grappling the ship. She uses it to cast a very powerful lightning spells doing sever damamge just before using her sorceress powers to shoot another lightning bolt. Volos jumps off the ship and shifts into a swordfish as he swims to impale himself against the large beast before the beast takes a tentacle and grabs Volos. The cloak of Mulmaster wonders the ship side trying not to fall off as he fail to be able to see. Yzma spots warforged climbing on the side of the ship. Dagna struggles and just as she is about to fall in combat with the Malebranche, Regis lands the finishing blow, surprising the beast as he falls to the ground with a hole in his neck slowly dissolving on the ship. Captain Silva takes a potion and gives it to the cloak to restore his sight as now both mages start shooting lightning bolts at the beast. Yzma sees the warforged attempt to go onto the ship kicking it down off the ship as Shaldi returns. Gosen holds down the attention of the Erynes as all three aim to fight him simlultaneously as Krogan lands the killing blow after Gosen and Dagna crack the ribs allowing for a good hit on the side of the cracking the skull as the Erynes also hit the ground dead dissolving on the ship.

Shaldi and Aklos are slowly healing everyone's wounds as the best takes hold of the cloak before their lightning bolts bring the beast down causing it to remove it's grip from the ship and cloak. At this point, only four warforged remained on the ship fighting with Yzma and Captain Sivla. The two are fighting off four as Dagna, Gosen, Krogan, and Regis give support. The battle comes to a swift end with a stab from Regis, a large swing from Dagna and a swing from Yzma.

As the battle comes to a close, everyone asses each other wounds as Volos looks off the side of the ship and goes down stairs to check on the inside of the ship and the cargo of the ship. Volos runs back up to say that there is decent hul damage as he goes to grab tools and starts working on the ship from the inside. Dagna asks Krogan for tools as both of them jump off the side and start working on side of the ship that the beast grabbed with its tentacles. Aklos volunteers to help also as Yzma gives commands to the rest of the crew and party about which areas of the ship need the be repaired first. After a few hours, the ship is repaired enough to move. The ship takes a path in a build in canal through a rain storm and slips through the sunken forest to get out of the area of the Moonsea.

A long nights rest happens with no celebration, but well earned rest as the crew wakes up to be on dock at Harrowdale City. Captain Silva gets off the ship first when he is met with drow Captain Silva recognize's as Ryld'n. "I once knew a man with a mighty small pocket who went out to sea in a tiny bucket. He left for days, mostly to play and made some headway when he found a fancy locket". Ryld'n did a tiny rhyme for the camptain as he joshed back around the idea of writing a ballad instead of just a jingle when he talked about the state of affairs. Ryld'n asks about the crew as they slowly poor off the ship and make it to the old adventurer's guild and go for drinks. Dagna reaches out jealous of the old life. Ryld'n mentions that he knows everyone's names and that payment would be covered by Mordeaux Lehraghon. Captain Silva and Ryld'n talk about the general state of affairs and expectation when it comes to meeting with the Burgers. Captain Silva asks if he will be meeting with Burger Addington or Burger Xiao, to which Ryld'n states that Xiao is not in Harrowdale City, but her force known and the Ban Zhu.

In just a few mintues, a young blond halfelf with long blond hair and white smile walks down in gold blue tunic in heavy armor with a large two handed sword power walking towards Ryld'n. Ryld'n greets the Burger as Leonad Addington, son of Carrig. He greets Ryld'n and Captain Silva. The two talk about the general concern between the trip down to the region in Archendale. Leonard mentions Bloodwings monsters citing a theory that they are there to defend the dales. Leonard introduces himself as a former adventurer and Burger as he states that they the party will escort the caravan south. Leonard nods at Ryld'n and asks a question meant to be repeated during the journey. What is each other's favorite color. This question ends with a lot of people not answering and multiple half answers, which makes it nye impossible to understand what could be used as an answer whenit is asked. Ryld'n urgest the party to leave today as time is important and it will rain the next day. Leonard though does see that it is late and that everyone is tired from a difficult battle and could use a good night's rest. Leonard states that there will be aids tomorrow to work on transferring the goods from ship to the boat. Leonard does ask what Captain Silva plans to do and he just states that all he will do is enjoy the city unless there is an issue with them being free and about. At that point Captain Silva rushes off to the bar with the rest of his crew. Dagna and the group do ask if he is planning on going along to Archendale to which he states that it was not his end of the mission to do so and that someone needs to keep track of the ship.

There isn't much conversation after that other than a few formalities between Leonard and Ryld'n. Leonard informs the party that they can stay in the same place, the barracks formerly the Adventure's Guild of Harrowdale. Leonard says they can wait the night and eat and sleep there for free in the rooms.

Everyone bids goodnight to Leonard and Ryld'n before going to the old Adventurer's guild where the crew is all loudly drinking. The party is not as rambunctious as on the ship, but they are happy to be at ease when Captain Silva and Dagna raise a glass to Ezra for defeating the beast of the sea. Volos and Hek talk about talking about the feeling and shifting into into different animals as Hek makes fun of Dagna about fish secks and such when Aklos has a conversation about the crazy weird animals of his home world when he and Volos talk about it. Dagna is curious what their favorite animal or strangest animal to shift into is. The conversation goes on for a few minutes when Captain Silva asks Krogan about his great Aunt Louise. Krogan says that she is south, a bit closer to where the party is going. Captain Silva asks Dagna if they wouldn't mind picking up a second pistol for him from Louise. Gosen seems unsure about why he can't come and pick it up himself, but he assures them that in the future, he might, but in this mission, he cannot go since they must still be around the ship and he cannot leave his crew. Dagna agrees to pick up the pistol, he takes out a large gold silver coin with a boat and bird. He flips it and Dagna catches it in her bag of holding. It is a short night before everyone decides to go back to sleep.

=Session 11: Snoodles and Cereal=

The day starts with both Ezra and Aklos in a coma. Dagna is the one that wakes up and places her hand on Ezra's forehead and then on Aklos's shoulder. She seems rather melancholy during the day and props them up and stays with them throughout the entire day. While it is clear that everyone worries, Dagna is the only one that seems to take it personally. Olander's Common House has its mother walkby. Dagna is offered food as she takes some and tried to at least give soup and keep them hydrated when providing them medicine.

Later in the afternoon, a Grayguard with a blond mustache and long hair approaches almost timidly, but introduces himself as a cleric in the Grayguards and vice lord commander of the Grayguards in this city. Garris, pulls out a piece of paper and goes over a health routine next to Dagna and monitors both Aklos and Ezra. Garris mentions that he would offer Niles a report on their vitals in order to see how the medicine is doing and if there would need to be changes made in the way they were receiving medicine and care. Dagna gave a faint smile as took light care of them. Garris was welcoming and warm to the good care received. Locals were around the town in movement as people gathered around the room as Garris left.

One local, a man by the name of Snood became the embodiment of all curiosity and untinentional rudeness of the people curious into Dagna's business during this time. He came back when Gosen and Santiago were nearby. The whole day passed mostly without incident. The next day, Dagna started the same way waking up by their bedside leaning against one of the two beds right by where Ezra was. Dagna continued to feed them making a small mess trying to give both Aklos and Ezra some food while they were not conscious.

Afternoon rain made it very quiet in the town of Archdaleswood. After lunch time, Garris visited again with Edan Gael. Garris took vitals as Edan simply watched over the situation. During this time, the rest of the party was closeby. Dagna remembered that Niles said it would take between two and three days for both of them to wake up if things were going well. Garris looked up at her and let Dagna know that Niles expects that both Aklos and Ezra are likely to wake up either tonight or tomorrow morning. There is a smile on their faces when that message is delivered.

When there is that moment of happiness of the fate of the allies, Snood shows up spouting a touching sentiment, but inappropriately and impersonally in this situation. Gosen threatens him as it turns almost into a fight before Dagna lifts him and simply pushes him out and closes the door. Just as she is about to close the door, Mrs. Olander comes by and asks if they would want to join the commons house for dinner when they do more or less the same and ask for the food for them to be brought to this room. She asks her son, an Archenrider to magic up some food for them.

Late that evening, Dagna is dozing off as Aklos appear to wake from his coma. Aklos and Ezra still feel the aches of the sickness, but Aklos wakes up to see Dagna bedside almost dozing off as she notices his consciousness. Santiago and the rest were not immediately closeby, but walk late in the evening to see that Aklos is awake. Santiago walks off in the middle of the night to knock on Nile's longhouse and see him there basically in a trance with a book held up in front of him. Santiago kind of awkwardly gets Niles's attention as he is now aware that Aklos and Ezra are awake.

Aklos is faint and still very tired at this point. He acknowledges that while the whole party cared for him that Dagna is probably the only reason he is alive. Dagna lightly pats both Aklos and Ezra on the shoulders as she smiles softly knowing they are alright. As if a large weight was lifted off her shoulders, she decides that it would be a good time to take a walk around the town.

Niles makes his way to the commons house, probably one of the first times he has left his longhouse in weeks. People kind of stare despite there not being too many people out since it is late in the evening. Niles makes his way back to Aklos and Ezra after Dagna and Regis start walking outside enjoying the peaceful night. Niles greets Aklos and then immediately invades his personal space and Ezra's with wand flashlight and checking their wound areas and vitals. Aklos and Niles share a small laugh at awkward elven company. Aklos thanks Niles for saving his life when Niles states that his medicine has improved, but that much of success of their healing was the will and resiliance of those being healed. He says indicating that his medicine isn't so much a cure as an aid to the bodies ability to heal itself. He asks Aklos a few more questions about how he and Ezra feel and taking some notes on a piece of paper and pen based on their responses. After he is done, he states that it will likely take most of another day for them recover.

Niles strikes a different tone as he brings up the mission he did a few days back with the rest of the party. Niles states that while the rest of the group had agreed to the move, that he wouldn't feel it proper to discuss it as a certainty before asking everyone about it. Aklos states that he is indebted to Niles for saving his life. Niles does nod at the sound logic, but states that he doesn't wish to use this act of kindness as leverage to any future decisions and states that this incident could make for good reason not to engage in situations this dangerous if he preferred. Aklos still seems week and has a difficult time standing up, but he ensures that he is willing to work if the party is. Niles states that if he goes do, that he will provide the same gifts as those given to the rest of the party. Something along the lines of a customer item commissioned from either himself or someone in his network of the finest artificers in the world. Aklos kind of chuckles at the brag, but also the extreme generocity.

This is around the time that Santiago breaks in and pretty much states that everyone has already agreed to going and that the decision was more or less made already. AKlos and Ezra agree, but also state that it was pretty clear they were going likely from the start. Niles is pleased and spends a minute going over what to expect.

Dagna walks off for a bit and is followed by Regis who acknowledges just how boring this village is and how there is almost nothing to do and nothing to buy here. Archdaleswood has no economy or recreation. While the two are walking, Dagna almost approaches a lone paladin standing out in the middle of the town and then decies not to really approach after he goes into a strong coughing fit.

Not far behind the two of them, Snood is closeby and strikes a conversation with Regis. Regis engages authentically for a few minutes, but then tries to pass the conversation to Dagna who has by that time already ran far away from the conversation. Regis decides to leave the conversation without confrontation and just decides the activate his boots and just levitate our of ear's reach and eventually starts tosing silver at Snood to get him to leave him alone. As Snood gets louder and agigated, the paladin approaches and the two having a talking argument over each other as he gets Snood to go back inside his house by stating that it's about to rain. Regis tossed around thirteen silver on the ground eventually tossing it harder trying to get Snood to leave and perhaps venting a small amount during it.

After Snood leaves, everyone basically goes back for sleep and eventually Niles goes back to his longhouse after giving a bow to Aklos. The next morning comes around as everyone wakes up effectively fully recovered. It is the only morning where everyone gets to enjoy the commons house before being greeted with the familiar face of Garris. He smiles and offers a thanks and prayers that Aklos and Ezra are safe and awake. Aklos greets him with some sense that he was there prior when he was no conscious. Garris smiles and looks over at Dagna and Santiago. Garris states that Niles has asked if he is willing to go with the party to the laboratory and help keep everyone safe during this battle with the forces of Cyric. Dagna seems iffy as Santiago and Regis agree with it almost instantly. Gosen goads the man and insults him with his own ego. Garris seems surprised and rather on the defensive about the nature of these attacks.

Slinking around a corner, it isn't Snood this time, but a familiar paladin who introduces himself as Aagore. He stands as tall as Gosen with a thick white beard and white hair. His frame is massively wide and he is very muscular, though might ahve a slight belly underneath that plate armor. Aagore states that he was former Lord Commander of the Grayguard before being badly poisoned. His paladin immunities have not saved him from the poison, but have given him time to live his life before the poison takes him. She shakes off the desire to talk more about the poison, but states that he is tired of guarding a town that no one attacks. Aagore mentions that he would rather go and make use of his final days. Dagna does her typical test of strength and puts her hand out for a handshake that is truly a test of strength. Aagore doesn't appear as strong as Dagna, but still strong enough to earn her respect and he just nods at her. Aagore looks over at Garris, slightly wounded and reminds him that we are guests of their group, not the other way around. Garris admits that Edan wouldn't likely be too happy with his vice and former Lord Commander being the two that leave. Aargore laughs and says that the Archenriders wouldn't let a large force leave, so a capable force is what they will need to accept and that his time is marked, so better me than someone else. With that, Garris states that they are ready to leave whenever the party is ready. Dagna quickly turns her gaze back to Aklos and Ezra just to make sure that they are alright with this.

Aklos stretches and states that he is fully recoverd, just hearing a crack as he stretches a bit. Everyone gathers their supplies. Aagore asks if the group wants to first go to Whiteford or would prefer to go to the laboratory first. Everyone agrees with the lab as they everyone gathers supplies to leave. As everyone is leaving, Niles and Snood from opposite directions approach. Niles covers his face not to be spotted by Snood and walks up to Regis and Santiago. He offers them a fair amount of superior potions of healing, five and then wishes them luck.

Snood on the other hand demands to come along before slinging a few very obviously sexist comments before Dagna basically punts the man across the entire town. As the travel starts, Garris states that the laboratory is close to the ruins of Silverdale and only three hours of travel on foot. It is very closeby and has been previously scouted. The travel itself is uneventful. Garris and Aagore point Santiago and Regis in the right direction. As Santiago starts to notice that they are close to a camp, Regis uses his monocle to look ahead and see a camp bandit and cloaked individuals around a small campfire and a glowing door far off past a small stone road walkway. There were maybe twelve people guarding the entrance.

As everyone snuck close, there was no one expecting their arrival. Dagna took the first attack to try to go ahead and go for the head cultist in the group as Ezra rushed a head and amushed the camp with a fireball in the center. This was start of a quick, but bloody battle. There were many mages tossing lightning bolts and enchantments at the party. Dagna was quickly surrounded by blackguards of Cyric wearing dark colored armor yelling out phraeses and smites as Dagna was quickly surrounded and found herself slowly surcoming to barrage. The head cultist took action and prepared a contingency to escape.

Garris undead the spells weakening and slowing the party and Aagore moved to to smite the one of the cultists as most of the rogues drank potions of invisibility and suck behind to attack the back. Aklos turned into a Rune beast, with a shining blue light coming from its eyes and hide as it used a large spiked tail to swing and take out one of the blackguards already badly hurt by Dagna.

Several of the cultists yell in the face of fanaticism as they willingly kill and die for their god. The zealots move for stabs and Ezra falls to a lightning bolt. The head cultist has no concerns throwing spells in the direction of his allies almost killing Dagna. Garris rushes over to help knowing that things are going badly split between two fronts. As Aklos pases the first line of defense, two undead Ogres come up from the moat and start attacking Aklos and Dagna. Gosen stays and fights zealots with Regis and Santiago.

In desperation one holds his knife to Ezra and threatens to kill her if they attack. Santiago misses through a ambush strike as the zealot stabs Ezra's neck instantly killing her on the ground. Aagore rushes back screaming as Regis stabs the man through his neck as he falls dead. Aagore speaks a prayer and gives CPR as she comes back to life in a critical condition. Dagna is hit and knocked down several times waking up more wounded each time as Gosen rushes to join the battle and they eventually overcome the Ogres and the blackguard. Garris hastes the group as Santiago entagles the main cultist. He screams out in disappointment as he states that he was so close to becoming a true child of Eshkabel. It is Aklos that does the killing blow on the back of his caving in his skull and finally ending his life.

Everyone seems wounded and weak at the door opens and two figures walk out both in whispy black cloaks and masks covering most of their faces.

=Session 12: Inescapable Fate=

As the two figures walk out the one on the left smiles wide with his wide grin and silver mask and speak in a loud voice. Aklos is shaken and looks quite scared of these two figures. Dagna surveys the battlefield and looks at her allies and already thinking of an escape plan. The one speaking refers to himself as Osvold, son of Eshkabel and states that there is no escape from this situation. He looks around the battlefield and smiles at just how hurt everyone is and states that they might live if they are willing to toss down their weapons. Both Gosen and Aagore are angry and aim to call the bluff the two standing. Aklos seems terrified and Dagna is already whispering to Aklos that she will buy them sometime so that everyone can escape.

Just as that happens. Aklos and Ezra begin to run away. The one silent with a brass mask says no word, but points a finger towards Garris and green light comes from his finger as Garris loses the light in his eyes and falls dead in an instant. Soon after that the party begins to almost immediately panic as Osvold almost begins to dance to music in his head and teleports to the sky and waves his hand as he shoots the same green light at Gosen who immediately loses the light in his eyes and falls dead in an instant.

Dagna and Aagore look at each other as Santiago leaves slowly firing at Osvold. The other one teleports behind Dagna an Aklos to cut off their escape and draws his scythe. Santiago casts a spell on his rapier and entangles the man and manages to wrestles the Scythe from his hands and is driven mad temporarily from the evil power of the Scythe. Dagna and Aklos attack him as the Scythe turns against his master and deals a mortal blow to the child of Eshkabel.

Everyone desperately clings to their moves to try to end this as quickly as possible. Aagore is able to bring back Garris and who then goes to bring back Gosen (against his better judgement). The child raises his hand and attempts to turn most of combatants into fish. Gosen and Aagore are the only ones that turn into Fish. Santiago regains control over himself and manages to cut off the head of the child of Eshkabel is he dissolves and his essance flies away.

Osvold goes into a mad frenzy after his brother dies and drops down on the ground and moves his hand to casts a powerful nerotic spell that drains everyone around him to almost nothing. Everyone goes back to try to finish this as Dagna and Garris state this this is winnable. Dagna rushes towards Osvold and disarms him and snaps his wand in half causing a major necrotic explosion that knocks down Santiago. Aklos summons astal allies in the shape of Apes once again to help Santiago and aid in the fight. Aklos strikes a mighty moonbean as the man scream in agony as his contingency is activated and he down a powered up Vampiric touch and sucks the life from several people from Santiago to the summoned astral allies of Aklos in the bodies of apes. Osvold summoning up the energy for a deadly attack as Ezra shoots a barrage of rays at Osvold though his mask and burning his a hole through his head. The fight settles down as everyone looks to see if anything else is coming out of the door. Dagna looks to sift though the gear of the Cyricite before the cloak takes control over her as Aagore needs to do layon hands to help her overcome the power of the cloak before it is burned.

Aklos casts conjure flame as the Cloak burns green and releases a spirit, much like the wand that broke before it. Dagna looks stunned as no one really knows how to proceed. Aagore steps up and states that this is not a time to move forward. Everyone needs to rest. Santiago looks at the battlefield and makes the observation that they can't do it here. Regis already almost halfway back to Archdaleswood at this point. Everyone stumbles back slowly and defeated as they run away from the battlefield. Aagore trying to paint this as a victory as two of the children of Eshkabel are dead.

Everyone makes it back and separates silently. Dagna and Regis are the ones the go to Niles's longhouse. Dagna approaches Niles with a wand and asks him about what this is. Niles seems inquisitive as Santiago pulls out the scythe. Niles looks at that and is disturbed by it. He states that the ones that made this know much more about what is happening than he does. Dagna asks if they are responsible. Niles shakes his head, but states that this weapon was made with the knowledge of the research he wants, and needs it to understand how to develop a real cure. Dagna has no interest in returning Niles seems desparate to get them to go back as Santiago asks about if they have a real chance. Niles bites his tongue trying to deflect the question not really wanting to go into what would happen in a real fight between them and Eshkabel. Dagna and Santiago admit that they would return only if more people could come along.

Niles seems deep in thought as he considers what that might mean. Everyone goes back to the common house that night and leaves their separate directions as they get ready for sleep. There is almost no real conversation with enyone in the group at that point. Everyone seems tired, defeated and goes in their separate directions at that point.

Come the next morning, it is a late morning. Everyone sleeps in to witness a morning full of mud and rain. No one is outside for hours as people mostly stay in their own rooms. There is a common's breakfast without any of the party members. Close to noon, the rain dies down as Aagore makes his way back the rooms. He speaks to Santiago and Aklos about the upcoming mission. Santiago gives effectively the same terms he gave to Niles. Aagore states that he was able to get a mage and the Lord Commander to go. Aagore mentions that it is without the permission and word of the Archenriders. He states that they must leave quickly as they don't want to draw too much attention if they plan on leaving to the place.

Regis shakes his head and makes a case that it simply isn't the right thing to do. He cautiously denies and states that Niles doens't have a good answer for if they meet up with Eshkabel. He sees this as too dangerous and not worth any reward. Aagore nods. He doesn't hesitate and understands the viewpoint. The rest of the party agrees to go however and go to Dagna's room to see that she isn't there. Aagore seems uneasy to leave quickly as those going start to split up.

Aklos sees Dagna in the distance staring off blankly at the sky sighing at the sun. Aklos looks over at her and greets his friend. Dagna leans back and stands up. She asks for just a moment. She asks if anything changed with the plan and Aklos mentions that there will be two others. Dagna asks "Will that really make a difference?" Aklos doesn't know and states that Regis will not go. She isn't surprised, but stands up and walks towards the others who now see the two of them.

There is a reintroduction of Edan as he meets them at the end of town. He states that he believes in the work of Niles and Rmonceal and that the Grayguards and all of the Dalelands are indebted to their efforts and says that he is more than willing to risk his life for the opportunity to see Niles reach their goals. They reach outside the town quickly as Santiago scouts the familiar grounds.

The lands where the battles took place look no different. Everything seems still sides the rain that happened earlier in the morning. The bodies from the battle have not been cleared. They looks slightly dissolved by the poison acid rain, but otherwise everything looks almost the same as it did earlier. Santiago looks through the battle wreckage and makes his way to the door. His Scythe speaks in vague disconnected sentences telepathically as it states that it is the key to the door. Santiago places the blade against the door as both glow a bright color green and the door with no knob or clear opening starts the open from the center and opens slowly to reveal a black walkway and a thin staircase downwards. Everyone makes their way inside the cave as the door closes behind them. Aklos and the mage among them, Joachime, use the light spell and slowly group close enough that Aagore and Dagna can see just what's ahead of the,

They walk into a decent clearing with a casket as when Dagna walks in into the room, her holy symbol of Moradin glows a bit as the symbols of Kelemvore for the Paladins, Aagore and Edan glow as the top of the casket moves and slides in solid stone off the casket and breaks as a man opens. Dagna charges as a pale man with four spiderlike arms who is very skinny and almost bone looking stretches. Dagna misses as he dodges and Aagore looks to attack a the man's eyes turn yellow. His skin changes color and grows darker and he grows in size. The man backs away confused and displeased at the violent response. Dagna takes a moment before slowing down when he states that this is his cave, his laboratory. Garris mentions that that the group is there for the research and nothing else that they have no interest in Eshkabel.

Once his name is stated, the man takes a deep breath at this point, the pale man of not too much taller than five feet is standing close to nine feet tall with dark blue skin and black hair with bat like wings and growing two extra arms on his back. He looks excited and sniffs that the name Eshkabel is said. He talks about he delight of killing Eshkabel and tha the looks to do nothing more than end him for his cowardice. The man takes a bow and introduces himself as the true highest worshipper of Cyric, Loki Lacanther. With that, he asks for the year when Gosen states 1487. Loki seems stunned at the year surprised that so much time has passed. He seems surprised and begins to think to himself. Talking slightly too himself that he is hrungry and that his demon body craves human flesh and that it's kind of gross that he does.

With that Loki takes point and begins to walk through his cave without reservation. Everyone follows him timidly as he states that there are others in there that are clearly terrified of his power and wouldn't wand to deal with him. Loki walks quickly to a rune set up with set sets and quickly goes through the puzzle of his own design and makes his way into a forge area covered in lava and rock with a man with white eyes and no pupils and yellow tattoos on his face stands between them and the door. Loki looks at him and states that he is there to kill Eshkabel and that if he wishes to stop them, that he will have to fight Loki. The man steps aside with a smile acknowledging Loki and stating that Eshkabel as been waiting. Loki smiles as asks if the man is loyal to Eshkabel. the man replies slowly that he is loyal to Cyric. Loki walks through the pathway into a small hallway leading up to a room with a dim yellow light pased an ancient cave ending in an open portal close to a stone plank that seemed to be used for offering sacrifices.

In the room, the stone floor looks disturbed and ancient as there is a ritual circle drawn in blood. In the center is a man with a dark purple cloak with white hair looking to appear in his 50s with a very calm demeanor. Loki laughs out "Eshkabel, it's been too long. It's good to see you again finally, but sadly, now you have to die. What shall your final words be?" Loki looks excited as he approaches Ehskabel when Ehskabel doesn't even immediately acknowledge him as he looks over at the people he knows are responsible for killing his children and sees the Scythe in Santiago's hands and looks back at Loki.

"Loki" Eshkabel states as he looks at him. "It is good to see you again. It has bee one hundred and twelve years. Far too long. I have wanted to see you for some time." Loki laughs walking towards Eshkabel as Eshkabel interjects "Come look at this. I am doing something that I think you of all people might enjoy." Eshkabel says with a slight smile. "Eshkabel, is this how you plan on spending your final words? You won't even beg for your life"

Loki gets close enough and sees the cultists on the table typically used for experimented bodies and sees a sword being forged and sees the Sword of the Triad completely reforged. Loki jumps back ten feet and his yellow eyes turn beat red as his wings jet out. "What the Hell are you doing with that?" he yells "You're trying to intimidate me with that sword!?" he yells looking back at the Sword of the Triad.

Joachime speaks to Edan while this dialogue happens as Dagna sneaks forward the moment it's stated that the sword on the table is the Sword of the Triad. Aklos gets a faint chill as the power of Rowen seems to be connected to this room. He gets a chill as Eshkabel laughs a bit to himself. "Why would you be intimidated by this sword? The one who wields it isn't here, the first and the latter."

Loki looks upward and thinks to himself "That means Nassim.. is" Ehskabel nods. Eshkabel takes this moment of silence and asks Loki a question. "What did you think you needed to do to win this battle at the Citadel of the Raven?" Loki gets uncontrollably angry as he starts to run back at Eshkabel when Eskabel states that all he needed to do was not arrive. Loki starts calling Eshakbel a traitor to his god and always believing in himself.

Eshkabel in a calming voice. "Before we fight, what do you think I want to do with this sword?" Loki seems confused as Eshkabel takes that moment to state that he "What I want to do is give the sword to Fzoul Chembryl."

"FZoul!" Loki exclaims. Ehskabel nods saying "Like in the battle, our enemies will kill each other and all we will do is wait till it is over. When Bane wins, he will take over. Bane will squeeze the world with the hand of Tyranny and that will be the moment when we will be at our strongest. Chaos will be our time!" as Eshakbel raises his voice. Loki looks stunned as he stops and his eyes turn back yellow. He takes moment to consider Eshakbel's words and kneels in front of him. "That's brilliant. Truly the path of Cyric."

Loki looks back at the group and asks what Eshkabel would want done for the death of his children when he states that he is not out for revenge, but that he does need to recuit someone since he is one ally short after losing two of his children. At this point Dagna activates her boots and goes for the Sword of the Triad as Eshkabel motions to the cultists around the sword to let her take it. Dagna charges Eshkabel with the Sword of the Triad in hand.

=Session 13: All for What=

Dagna saw this as a pivotal moment when she charged towards Eshkabel. The sword of the Triad in her hands. It was supressed, but given the situation She felt some of it's power down in a deep abyss just in front of a portal to the far realm. The yellow glow behind her as Ehkabel smiled. He was confident and nodded his head to his son Lord Valder who started muttering to himself.

Just outside the cave, Regis waited and slowly for a few minutes seeing the open cave. He didn't hear any sounds and the door never closed. He cautiously stepped into the cave feeling the temperature rise and walked quietly through the same corridors and stairs seeing no sign of combat throughout the the laboratory. As he was slowly inching forward, he heads the sound of someone running behind him. Regis moves quickly to hide as he recognizes the the person running as Niles. Niles passes Regis as he allows himself to be seen and both stop.

"Regis, I'm glad to see you. We don't have time to waste. Your friends are in mortal danger. Eshkabel himself is in there and he has forged the Sword of the Triad. No matter what happens must do whatever we can to get this sword. I would prefer to get the sword and save your friends, but I would be willing to sacrifice everyone, including myself to make sure that sword doesn't go in the wrong hands." Regis kind of gulps and sweats. "Sacrifice?"

Niles nods as he pulls out a ring and uses it to cast improved invisibility on Regis. He takes something else out of a bag of holding inside his jacket. It looks small and rectangular. Regis is surprises at it's weight. Niles looks at Regis. "This is an Eldritch Engine. I know very little about it. When I came to in this land, I had lost my memories. This item is unlike anything  I have seen in this world." Regis looks at it with owe, mostly wondering if he can sell it and what it would sell for. Niles says that when the time comes to escape. Destroy it. Regis asks if it would cave in the whole cave. Niles isn't really sure. "It is a chance we have to take."

With that, Regist moves invisible with the item in hand and slowly sneak in the main room as everyone stares in fear as Dagna engages Eshkabel and the sword slides off his armor over his robes for the first hit. After that attack Valder's eyes glow red with his tattoos as he moves and teleports in black smoke to the center of everyone. Gosen, Aklos and the all the Grayguards as he nods at Eshkabel. He finishes a light chant and a high pitch screech is audible in the entire room. Joachime looks at Niles he as covers his ears too late and his head explodes. Both Santiago and Garris fall unconscious. Ezra looks in fear as everyone except Aklos seems stunned by this Eshkabel smiles and laughs at hte situation. He looks at Ezra and speaks to Valder "We are two short. we could someone someone to replace Osvold and Prometheus." Ehskabel turns back to Ezra. "My dear, give up this facad and you and your friends can live. All you need to do is come back with me in you will be safe." Ezra is silend and shakes her head side by side.

Dagna is getting ready for a second swing when the cultists behind Eshkabel do a hold person on Dagna and toss her into the yellow portal. Ezra already almost at the brink of giving up as Niles runs in. He takes a diamond and between his fingers activates it and casts a time stop. He takes this moment to heal everone around him, including those fallen, but alive. He takes close to thirty seconds removing effects and activating an aura on his belt and using a spell to save himself from any death effects.

Eshkabel looks at Niles "You! You and your cowardly friends are no match for me." Niles retorts. "If Rmonceal and his allies could defeat you, so can we." "How naive of you to think you stand a chance and that they actually defeated me." The cultists are in Nile's aura as he switches a dial. "You are unable to reach the spells fo your god. You will be defeated."

Eshkabel point his hand and focuses as his skin looks more leathery as his eyes glow green as he casts a finger of death that takes the life from Niles, but he comes out of it safely still alive, barely conscious.

Aklos acknowledges the seriously of the situation and unveils his owlkin form and summons a moonbean that shoots Valder and starts to dissolve his skin as Santiago aims to shoot at Eshkabel. Gosen rushes in as Niles is hurt and pushes forward.

Dagna stands in a dark plane. The only thing she sees in front of her are a few eyes. It feels very cold. She looks behind her and sees no opening back where she came from. She runs forward and sees almost nothing. As she continues, she sees a man who appears human, but appears closer to ten to fifthteen feet tall. He smiles with glowing blue eyes with a symbol of Cyric on his chest. He is strapped to the chair. Dagna recognizes him as the God Cyric himself. "Welcome. Welcome to the Supreme Throne. I would give you a hand shake, but I am unable to leave this chair." Dagna looks agitated. "Is there a way out of this place."

Cyric looks at her mostly disinterested, but sees that sword. "I know what you have there. That sword, it killed me." Dagna looks angry and threatening and rushes over to him and stabs Cyric in the leg. He laughs and he winces in pain. " You think that will help you escape. It's been so long since I have had company. It gets lonely here. I will keep you here for sometime." Dagna yells. "I don't have time for this!" She stabs the sword further in his leg as he smiles and begins to laugh while in noticeable pain. "You won't kill me like that."

Dagna looks distraught as she pulls out the sword. "I need to help my friends. I cannot stay here. Your number one follower Ekshkabel had thrown me into this place with this Sword." Cyric looks inquisitive. "Eshkabel. I never liked that guy, but he has always had the best interest of the faith in mind." Dagna stabs the sword deep and pulls the sword sideways on his leg. "I will continue to do this until you let me go and help them!" Cyric raises an eyebrow. "Do you really need to help them? They are fighting against impossible odds. Even if they win, they will evnentually die to the plagues from Hell above." Dagna yells "That doesn't matter. I can still make a difference. Cyric's eyes glow as he stares through her. "You mean like you helped your family." Dagna holds the sword tight ready to stab him again and pauses. She puts the sword away as Cyric raises an eyebrow. She gets behind him. He puts her arm around his neck, takes out her pipe of remembrances and stick it in his mouth and lights it.

Cyric smokes his pipe and figures of people, show up. The form of Mightnight, and Kelemvore and Mask show up. Cyric's eyes become more calm as he does a sigh. Dagna quips "So you do have lost ones." Cyric nods. "They were my old friends... I killed every one of them. In my desire for power, I had tricked and eventually killed all of them and succeeded." Cyric laughs a bit to himself. "If you succeeded so much, howcome you are in this chair?"

Cyric does think to himself a bit. "Sometimes you can do everything right and still lose. The world a chaotic random bunch of events that cannever be predicted. I defeated and outmanuevered everyone and got punished for it." He thinks to himself. "I guess it does make sense in a way how things turned out, though things are hardly done. There is so much more that will and can happen... Thank you. While I find myself burdoned by my sanity and my deeds, it's good once in a while to reflect. I shall let you free. I remembered many things, one of which is that Eshkabel betrayed me."

Dagna leaves the pipe on his lap as Cyric's eyes glow and reveal the portal to open back to the room glowing Yellow. Dagna charges out of the portal jumping out blowing the horn of ages as spectral forms of her brother, her sister and her clan nod in tears as he hold up their weapons and charge with her against Eshkabel. Ehkabel looks visibly angry for the first time in this fight as Niles changes the dial on his belt twisting it. "My focused attempt to stop your magic will not work, but I can stop all magic and make you helpless. Eshkabel is surrounded by Dagna's tribe as they all take up arms and swing at Eshkabel. He calls for help as Valder desperately tries to remove the Antimagic Field.

Loki smiles as he was holding back the whole fight and asks. "Is it time for me to fight now?" "Let's show them just how terrifying we can be!" Ehskabel yells as Loki's eyes turn bright red as he slashes Niles with his claws almost ripping him to pieces in a few seconds laughing as he impales Niles on his claws and kills him almost instantly. Eshkabel smiles as the field goes down and he does a light dance as listening to music and casts a powerful spell and lets off a blasphemy. The spell knocks Dagna to the ground as many of those in her clan dissapate in response to the spell.

During the battle Regis is sneaking around. Edan and the other Grayguards are barely able to act through this chaotic fight. Aagore charges head first. "There is no surrender. We will fight you till our last breath. "Indeed" Eshkabel says as he shoots a disintigrate and turns Aagore into dust. "Not like this." he says as he can feel himself dissolving from the inside. Garris yells as he sees another one of his allies die now. Eshkabel's voice cuts through the battle again as he directly addresses Ezra. "My dear, haven't we had enough of this dance already? You and your team have faught bravely, but as you can see, you are clearly outmatched by the might of myself and Cyric. I will not mistreat you. You have so much potential. Come with me and I will spare your friends and allow them to retreat in safety." Ezra nods her head. "I'll I'll do it. Just stop hurting them." Ehskabel smiles in victory as Garris moves towards Niles to bring him back to life.

Gosen yells" Fuck that! You won't let us live. I am going down my way!" he says jumping over Loki and just going to take down one of the cultists. Niles brings Dagna back to life. She gets up and stabs Eshkabel with the sword and he hisses back. "Valder! Kill them." He brings a cloud of fire to life and moves it to kill those for the Grayguards and moves to shoot a kill spell towards Niles that he absorbs with his rod of absorption. "Ever resilient, little ants. Can't help fighting your death no matter the odds." Dagna looks tired as Eshkabel's aura weighs thin.

Aklos shoots a ray at Valder causing him to scream out in agony as he grabs onto Aklos to regain his vitality from him. Ezra wipes off a tear and focuses her energy and burns a hole through the head of Valders as his essence dissapates and flies back to Ehskabel. "What a shame. How disappointing that he would allow himself to fall to the likes of you. Perhaps his faith was not strong enough." Dagna barks back"I spoke to your god." Eshkabel looks surprised. "He doesn't like you. He knows you betrayed him." "Silence. What do you know about anything. I am the faith of Cyric!" Ehskabel yells before casting a spell that would kill Dagna in an instant. As she is falling, she aims to throw the sword into the portal. In her last moments she tosses the sword just shy of the portal. Regis is closeby asking the sword whispering just quiet enough not to be listend to in the fit of battle as she tossed it.

"Toss it now and I'll destroy it." Regis doesn't hesitate and tosses the Eldritch Engine as far as he can as Niles uses his arm and creates a repulser ray and fires at the small box. The moment there is impact, there is a massive shockwave that blows Eshkabel into the portal and Regis and everyone else backwards. Niles is up and manages to shrink most of the party that is dead and puts them into a bag of holding. The laboratory begins to falter and large caveins start happening.

Everyone still up is running to get out of the place quickly. Eshkabel finds himself in the same portal as Dagna. "All this time here and you didn't even know this directly connected to me. I am a bit disappointed in you Eshkabel. You should have known be better than that." "Shut up! I don't need you. I never needed you. You were just the way I could get my power and influence." Ehskabel sees Cyric laughing in his chair.

"Ehskabel, I remember what you did. I don't feel bad about it. I realized my religion is a bit of a contradiction. I think you were one of the few people who truly understood that." I did what I had to to keep the faith together. I brought order to a mindless self inflicting herd. Without me, there would be nothing."

"Order? What makes you think I wanted order." Ehskabel scoffs. "This isn't about you. This is about me. I am the only reason you have a faith and that people truly followed you when you were dead."

"I suppose you have a point. That is how this all works. Your plans... I completely agree with it. You should smoke the pipe with me sometimes." Eshkabel scrunches his face in anger and breaks the pipe. "I don't need you."

"That's where you are wrong. We both need each other. I am the source of your power, the faith that drives those that follow you, and you are what ties it all together. We hate and respect each other. That is the only way this works. Go forth, commence our plans." Eshkabel is silence as Cyric opens the portal and releases Eshkabel. Not nearly enough time has passed as he has the sword not in his hands, but floating by him. Niles looks terrified as he creates a wall of Force as Ehskabel looks around him and sees the laboratory caving in around him.

He takes a moment to see Niles and walks slowly and starts playing his piano as the save falls around him. He looks at peace for the first time since the battle started. Niles takes a shrunked Dagna out of the bag and revivifies her. He gives her an invisibility potion. "Eshkabel has lost attention. The sword is free. I can remove the wall of Force if you can get the sword." Dagna nods. Niles casts Haste on Dagna who drank the potion of invisibility as she rushes to get the sword. She grabs it as it turns invisible with her. Ehskabel notices too late... "Niles! Where is it?!"

"It's too late Eshkabel. The sword is gone." Eshkabel releases another Blasphemy, but it's too late Danga has already left the room and grabbed Niles and started running out of the cave as it starts collapsing. As they catch up to the party, a bubble appear around Dagna and Niles and it immediately teleports.

Eshkabel gets a sending from a familiar face. "Good Day Eshkabel. Long time no speak. I could not have obtained the Sword of the Triad without you. Thank you for going through the trouble. Khaldun" Ehskabel smiles and gives a laugh before going back to play his piano. "Well Played." as the Lab falls on top of him.

Dagna and Niles find themselves in a mahogany room well lit with a fireplace. It is warm and she sees a familiar face she knows from the Collector's Guild. "Nice to see you Dagna. I wish it were under better circumstances, but we finally get to see each other's day jobs." "Who is this?" Niles asks. "There is no possible benefit I have in answering any of your questions. I will tell you where you are to understand the gravity of the situation. You are in the Ninth Circle of Hell, the Nessus."

"You have something that belongs to us" as he motions to the Sword of the Triad. Dagna holds onto it tighter. There is a large door in front of them and there is a knock. A very soft voice speaks. Khaldun looks frantic as he goes to open the door as a large Devil in decadent jewelry with a wand with a very large ruby and rings full of onyxes, rubies and diamonds steps out. He steps out as Niles looks in horror recognizing it as the lord of Devils, Asmodeus.

Asmodeus speaks "Khaldun, are these friends or enemies." Khaldun looks at Dagna and kind of uncomfotably. "They are more likely to be enemies and allies." Dispatch them, then. Khaldun pauses. "I cannot harm this one. She is a member of the Collector's Guild with Elliant Vibius. I have taken an oa that I cannot harm anyone from that group. "Can I dispatch her then?" Khaldun stutters a bit. "I am not to let someone in the group be hurt typically if I can help it. "You must truly value her to some degree to analyze you oath in such a manner in this situation. "I will not end her then. I can see a use for them. What about this one?", who points to Niles as Dagna moves in the bubble in front of Niles who appears to be completely frozen in fear at this time. There is a moment of time that passes as both Khaldun and Asmodeus are completely silent.

"No, I will not kill this one either. I can see you are one of the main artificers that are working against me, but... you are an ally, in a way." Niles looks perplexed. "I can still use you." Asmodeus opens the bubble as Dagna looks tense fearing her death in the making. "Don't be a fool Dagna, this is not a situation you can fight." Asmodeus does a toothy grin. "Fight me if you must, but know you are in my home within my layer. Think your next actions carefully." He releases the bubble as Dagna grabs the sword and aims to charge into Asmodeus. His eyes glow yellow as he utters the word "Kneel" Dagna loses control over her body as she drops the sword and kneels. Asmodeus moves to pick it up.

He looks cloesly at it. "Perfect." "What will you do with it, my lord?" Asmodeus looks at Khaldun. "I will give it to Fzoul." Khaldun looks with a puzzled face. "How... that is what Eshkabel was planning on doing with it. I understand, but how." Asmodeus gives the first somewhat surprised looking expression. I guess this is truly all fated to happen after all. His eyes glow red as Dagna and Niles appear back at the entrance of the laboratory.

Everyone else is safe as Niles takes Gosen out of his bag of holding and Garris brings him back. Everyone hears faint playing of the piano as they all rush away from the cave. On the way back to the village, they can see fire and smoke. Bodies riddled throughout the town mostly of civilians and Archenriders. Nobu, head of the Archenriders looks back in tears as he approaches Edan Gael. "You left... You never told us you left. The moment you left, they attacked. Niles Teleported away and the moment he did, they attacked. This is all your fault."

Niles runs to his longhouse which has mostly been knocked over and is on fire. Edan looks deadpan... "I believed in what Niles was doing. I had to take the chance." "All for what?!" Nobu yells. "Look around you, almost everyone in this town is dead." Dagna steps in front of Grayguards. "They gave everything they had. Blame Hell, they are the ones that did it."

Niles walks out. "They destroyed my research. I still have Loki's research." He looks at Nobu. "We can rebuild."

=Session 14: Into the Light, new Beginnings=

Olander's Common house was destroyed, but on the far side of Archdale's wood was Halver's Common House used more typically for the Archenriders. After a long day, everyone agreed to rest before continuing with the day. It was only the early evening, but it was a tiring day. After a long Rest Dagna stared at the contemplative as most of the rest of the party approached Niles who appeared to be working a ritual. Niles had some research materials on a stool and a flask filled with a potion keeping it there while drawing in the mud with a wand making a ritual circle summoning his Longhouse back.

Aklos didn't approach Niles, well not at first. He saw an Archenrider and asked about the attack. The Archenrider was carrying a bit of wood and appeared to be running with it before being stopped by Aklos. He lifted his helmet to reveal that he was originally from Kara Tur. "The attack happened the moment Niles left. I remembered it so clearly since he rarely leaves his Longhouse and he is usually quiet and reserved. He was very distraught and mumbling to himself the whole time before he just vanished. The moment he left, the enemy forces teleported in to attack us." "The moment he left" Aklos repeated.

"Yeah, it did seem like someone was watching him and waiting before the attack. Gosen walked back to where Aklos was. "Maybe they were spying on us. There were others that did it also." "It could be, but it doesn't make as much sense. We were gone for hours and the attack happened the moment Niles left. What was their focus when when they attacked the town?" The Archenrider pauses for a moment and thinks to himself. "The focus of the attack started with Nile's Longhouse and then they went for the food supply after that." "How horrible... not surprising though. Let me help you. I can give you some money to help with what's going on. Aklos reaches into his pocket and pulls out 11 platinum and gives it to the Archenrider. "Use this however you can to help your town." Aklos says with a soft smiles. "I.. I don't know what to say about your generosity. I will bring this back to the barracks now to make sure we use it properly." He says stunned at the events as he rushes over back to the barracks.

While there, Aklos showed interest first. "Niles, when you have the time, I'd like to talk about the feeling I got from that portal. I was not expecting to feel anything like that in this world, at least so quickly." Niles nodded and turned around to look back at Aklos. "Indeed. The power in there was unique. I suppose it is not too surprising that a god of Chaos could have a link to the Far Realm, but this laboratory was older I believe. Loki was a follower of Myrkul, originally."

"It is a shame you lost your research." Nile does lightly smirk. "It appears I exaggerated the effects of what happened. I had backups of my older material and memory spells for newer research. Truth be told, I might have only really lost between one and three days of actual reading and research. I guess it pays to be as prepared as I am." Aklos does look surprised when Niles speaks again. "About that portal, you might want to ask Dagna. She is the one who was thrown into the portal. It's contents are beyond my level of knowledge. She could give you some extra insight."

"Dagna" Aklos strokes his beard as he does remember. Aklos talks about the item he wants commissioned. I'd like to have something that umm helps me umm hit or well work better while in my animal forms." Niles tilts his head. "You want your learned muscle memory in your beast forms to aid your accuracy in battle. I believe I can have that arranged. I did manage to take Loki's research and that will help me get the knowledge I need on biology to help with that."

Ezra kind of peaks out from besides Aklos as Santiago squeaks out the word "Bow". Ezra asks "Can you give me something that would make it so that people aren't able to spy on me?" Niles looks in his jacket and then thinks to himself. "Hmm I could make you something like that, but I can also give you an item on my person. The headband on me offers the effect of Mind Black, which would prevent you from being found out and help protect your mind from being infected. For whatever case it didn't stop Khaldun from being able to spy on me."

Aklos jumps back into the conversation, "I spoke to one of the guards about that. If you had that how was someone able to find you or wait till you left before attacking the village again." Niles kind of shrugs. He takes a small magnifying glass and looks at his rosegold headband. He inspects it. "It seems that the magic in it is working just fine. Whatever the case, he seemed as if he was able to find me."

Gosen speaks up in the conversation. "Maybe he just spied on someone else." Niles nods "That is very likely. If that is the case, then that means this item isn't offering me very much right now. It would be better in your hands. I can always make myself another one." Ezra sticks her hand out to take it. "Yeah, that makes sense" "Take of it. It is a very good... and pretty item. I crafted the rosegold myself."

Aklos ask Niles about when he was taken in the portal. "What happened when you were in that bubble?" Niles puts his hand in his pocket and kind of fiddles with a pocket watch. I was rather stunned by the experience. When I was taken, I knew I was in front of Khaldun, Grand Magus of the Nessus. Though he seemed different from the encounters described by the group with Turnok. He seemed corgial and knew Dagna on a first named basis. When I was there, Asmodeus showed up. I was barely a factor in that meeting. In the end, they decided to let us live. I don't know why, but Asmodeus seemed to suggest that there was a conscious reason to it. I am one of the few people who has constantly fought against what he has done and one of the ones who has done the most research wise to go against him. Why would he let me live?"

"It's best not to think about it too much like that." Aklos encourages Niles. "Dagna would again be able to connect the dots better than I would."

Gosen approaches Niles. "Is there anyway you can build me or give me something that could go through magic like that aura you used. I don't know maybe put it in a scroll or something like that?" Niles looks down and starts to think out loud to himself. "I could give you a scroll of anti magic field, but that is a very difficult spell to cast. While my scrolls are a bit easier to use than most scrolls, a spell like that would still be difficult to use." Niles reaches into his jacket and pulls out a Ruby. "This ruby can hold a copy of the spell. When you speak to a powerful mage, someone like McCallister, feel free to ask him to cast that spell into this ruby and you will be able to use it when you need it." Gosen takes the Ruby, quite pleased with the idea feeling and imaging its effect on something like Gomand Pusk and Zeke in his future.

Regis and Santiago hold onto their favor and item from Niles and wait. Niles takes the moment of free time and goes back to working on his Longhouse the moment he has the free time to again. Once that happens, Dagna kind of walks back to the group and basically "And now what?" No one has a clear direction as she pulls out a Gold Platinum coin that Captain Silva gave to her to exchange for the gun from Louise. She suggests going to Whiteford since while there isn't really anything else to do here.

There isn't much time to wasted before the trip. On the way there, Aklos asks about both experiences Dagna had during the battle with Eshkabel. When she was in the portal. "I just saw black and I saw the man, the god himself, stuck in a chair. I don't think the people there, Eshkabel himself fully knew what was in there. I spoke to him... tried to kill him. I don't really know what to say about it too much. After letting him smoke my pipe, he let me out." Aklos definitely looked confused at the experience as it didn't really connect much with what he felt or what Niles stated.

"What about bubble?" Dagna told Aklos about he adventure in the pyramid with Hamid AckZuul, a Rakshasa who had a connection with the man she met. Khaldun worked with Elliant in the Collector's Guild and I was a part of it. He was kind of my friend, but this was very different. And when... the Devil came out, it was more than I expected. I was powerless to him. I charged at him with the sword and he just said Kneel, and I was powerless. That sword. It's a part of him. Whatever it is they wanted to do with it, they have it now. All I can do is warn Turnok." With that Dagna remembers that she has a sending stone that goes to Turnok and informs him that Hell has the Sword of the Triad. Turnok replies back with great concern in the tone fit for boyscout and thanks her for her service.

After the conversation was over, everyone showed up to Whiteford with no real incident. Whiteford is a bit different from Archdale's Wood. While the two are roughly the same sized, there is a much more diverse group of people and things happening in this town. While Archdaleswood was more of a large settlement with a barracks, Whiteford was more of an actual town. The biggest difference was the larger focus of market. It is close to Highmoon, the capitol of Deepingdale, and shops and tents were setup along the whole northside of the town filled with merchant vendors from Highmoon that resided in Archendale's lands. On the southwestern side of town, there was a mountain range and part of the town built up the mountains in stone homes and into the caves and tunnels in the mountains. This town was very diverse with a large number of both Dwarves and Elves based on which side of the town you were looking at. There actually appeared to be more Archenriders in Whiteford than in Archdaleswood. In a way it makes sense since this town is at the western most border of the lands of Archendale and there was a barracks and clear military base and watch towers set up on the northern edge of town.

Dagna stopped one of the Archenriders and asked where they could find Louise's shop. The Archenrider appeared to be human, but he was very aware of the name the moment someone mentioned Louise. He pointed in the direct almost directly in the middle of the merchant area and the mountain area as if Louise was in the middle of both areas. Everyone chose to walk past the tents and the glittering eyes of market vendors that don't see many passing adventurers anymore light up as the party walked by trying to sell them things and offer great deal. Of all the people, it was Santiago who was interested in getting a nice fancy item. A half elven mage wearing a furry cloak with white fur and a dark blue cloak tried eyed Santiago and managed to get his attention. Santiago was willing to entertain what he had. He rumaged through his chest of goods and found a lantern. "This is a lantern that can help you see the invisible. WOOOOOoooooo." He takes out a lighter and begins to get ready to light it. Santiago isn't excited but interested as everyone else catches up to him. The moment the shopkeep sees other people... he gulps and reaches into his chest and tries to play it off. "Well, sorry, wrong lantern. Take this one." He says as he switches it out. The shopkeep does cast invisibility as Santiago is still able to see him .Along with that, he sees a small chest next to the one with most of the items. "What's in that chest?" Santiago says looking down at it and seeing that. "Oh that chest. That is a personal item. I guess I am not beyond selling it, but it is extremely rare. It's a crystal ball. You can use it to scry on people. I mostly use it to check to see if my family in Highmoon is still safe."

Santiago looks every interested as he considers trading his Scythe he recently got. The shop keep gets a small looking glass and casts identify on the Scythe. In a matter of short moments, he looks a bit distraught. "How did you get this?" "How isn't important, but it is a very powerful item and I'd be willing to trade it with you for the Crystal Ball." The shopkeep looks nervous. "I need to consult a more experienced mage on this item You are right about one thing. It is a very powerful item, but also a very evil item. ... did you try to kill me by giving me this item?" Santiago looks surprised. "You're not a fiend are you?" Santiago kind of looks surprised at that also. As the shopkeep leaves, he stops and says a few incantations and put a few wards up on his tent.

In a matter of minutes, a human with a long gray beard appears in a darker purple cloak very magically decorated holding a staff. He walks in and touches his pair of glasses as he looks at the Scythe. He motions his hands in gloves as the Scythe kind of floats to him. " Very interesting. "Do you know what powers this scythe?" Santiago kind of shrugs. "This evil weapon is powered the by souls of the murdered, tortured in agony giving the Scythe it's evil power. It exists for vengeance and taking others down with it. Such an item really shouldn't exist. It is terribly powerful. You mention it didn't matter, but how did you get it?" Santiago sighs slightly. "I killed someone to get it. There were other items like it, but it is currently under my control." The mage looks at it as he turns to the other one. "This is definitely worth more than the crystal ball, but it won't be easy to use the magic in an item like this and there won't be a large market for an item like this. Only a very specific type of collector would even see value in something like this." The other shopkeep looks at the item. "The most honorable thing to do with an item like this would be to destroy it. I don't know if I want to give up my Crystal Ball for that." "Who did you say you killed to get this item?" Santiago mentions. "It was a Child of Eshkabel. At the mention of the name Eshkabel, the one mage goes silent as the half elf shopkeep looks very flustered. The trade is off. I have no desire to be chased by the children of Eshkabel. They are horrid evil abominations that are very dangerous." Santiago considers simply buying the Crystal Ball, but at the price of $17500 gold, it's a bit out of his range. He pools together with Aklos and they learn that it cannot be bought as it is.

Santiago pools together with Regis and Aklos, but it is clear that there isn't really enough money to go for it. Aklos kind of notices he is almost the amount short that he gave away in Archdaleswood. The human mage walks closer "We are willing to consider the trade if you are." "We Are?!"t he shop keep states" The mage raises his eyebrow. "This item holds great power. It is evil, and it would not be easy to make use of, but power is power if it can be contained. We might even be able to free the souls." Dagna finds this suspicious, but can't quite put her finger on it.

"Santiago" He hears the voice in his head. He has spoken to the scythe before. "Give us away if you believe it's right, but this trade is not worth it. The power you have with us is greater than what they gave give." "I was going to use the knowledge they could give. That's greater than the raw power." We can offer more if you are willing." Santiago pauses and says. "I'll think about it as he reaches for his scythe and walks away with it.

Everyone goes towards a building with stone walls and tent like ceiling. There is a sign that states Louis's Closet as the shop itself seemed to be over stuffed with a large variety of items ranging from weapons, to armor to clothing and random assortment of goods. There is a lot of crafted goods and a lot of magical goods. It's difficult to walk in the place without tripping over some table or walking into some piece of clothing or armor hanging from the ceiling. The building itself looks tiny, but the closet seems very deep. When walking into the tent, there are small canons on odd looking legs following the party around. There are a few dwarves and elven teenagers working the place as half crystal balls follow the movements of people in the party. After a few minutes of stumbling through the closet someone makes contact with the group. This is a pizza faced young elf and who addresses the group. "How can I help you?"

Louise's Shop: Enter Elisa- EC02 Eustace's Redemption
Dagna walks up. "We are here to see Louise. Her nephew Krogan sent us here to speak with Louise and get a .. umm gun." The elf mutters to him with his shaky puberty hti voice and stumbles and trips over a stool as he gets to the back at a desk, there is an old woman with gray hair tied in a bun in leather jacket and pants writing. "Some people are here to see you. They mentioned your nephew Krogan. I didn't know you had a nephew." Louise looks up and puts her pen away and activates runes on her waste and gets up. "Family, you say. I can handle it from here." She gets up and she appears to walk with a mechanical walker with runes lighting up long them as he walks relatively slowly, but steadily.

In a quick moment, she reaches the group. "Follow me back. Follow me."She says as everyone reaches back to her desk. She lifts a portion of it that goes back to a door that leads to the back area of the building. "How can I help the friends of my family today?" Dagna pulls out a coin. Captain Silva, Krogan's captain, well boss wanted to know if he could get a gun from you." "Gun?" Aklos says confused."

The backroom, much like the store is filled to the brim. The difference is that it's not so much hanging from the ceiling as stuffed on the walls with a great amount of storage. This looks more like an assortment of rifles and alchemically created goods. Some of it finished, others being worked on. This place looks like a nicely lit study as well as a storge and a work station with a few very well crafted magical artifacts thrown in there.

Louise starts to dust off an old case and chest and opens a case magically sealed and looks in it taking out a large variety of different rifles and pistols. "There are all prototypes I have developed over the years." AKlos carries one and looks down the barrel. "Careful with that."Louise says sharply... "Oh wait, it's not loaded. Carry on. These are mechanicle weapons that shoot with much more distance and capability to any knife or arrow. This weapons are science."

While talking she takes out a specific glass case with a set of two pistols. "These are the ones for Captain Silva, I believe. Nice boy." She says as she pulls out a gold an silver pair and a case of bullets and blows on the and wipes the dust off of it. "This looks right. Do you have the payment?" Dagna flips the coin as Louise catches it.

"Do you have any other business you want to have here?" Saniago and Ezra kind of nod and both look around in the room. Louise looks at Ezra first and spots her Glaive. "What is that you have there?" she looks at the Glaive and pulls out a small looking glass and a special pair of gloves and gets right in Ezra's space and starts looking this over. "Astounding, amazing... maybe slightly evil, but absolutely amazing. Such an item. How did you come across something like this?" Ezra kind of shrugs. "umm Dagna gave it to me." "How ever did you find something like this, something with the soul of a powerful Djinni trapped in it?" Dagna also shrugs. "I destroyed a pyramid to get it." "So many questions. I could ask you all day. What would want to take for this item?" "It's not really for sale." Dagna says. "Suit yourself. I don't blame you for it. It is an enchanting item.

After that, she does spot in the edge of her vision Santiago's Scythe. In the same sight, she noticed in her arcane sight and glasses the aura of that weapon. "What is that?" Louise states in a stark different tone than she has spoken during the entire moment It is at this point that well she didn't hide that she was a goliath, but she stands up well over 7 feet tall and looks over at the Scythe. "That item is powered by the murdered. It shouldn't exist." Santiago kind of looks back and forth slightly nervously.

"Its fine. I have control over it." He says slightly defensively. "For now you do, but an item like that will aim to take over. Are you sure you are safe holding onto that thing for long. It is very dangerous." The scythe whispers to him. "They are right to be nervous of us, but you know more about this than they do. You still hold the power to control us. They do not understand." Santiago puts the scythe away not even realizing that it was in his hands since he was at the tent before.

Aklos stares at a large covering over what appears to be a humanoid form. Louise takes the covering off and everyone sees what looks a statue formed in Alabaster. "This is my prized possession. I was taught by a good friend of the legendary artificer Jonas Califomme. His son was the one who created the first warforged. He is alive and fighting the force of Hell. This is another one of his creations. She is EC02... she seemed to be a more ambitious take on the idea of a warforged. Just see how clean her design is." Louis runs her hand along her arm. The statue has a serne look and hands on her head with the holy symbol carved into chest in clothing and the hands on her head sticking up a clear two feet from the top of her head like a large hat seemed tied together with red string. The symbolism of Illmater is clear to anyone looking at her. "I have had her for over twenty years and I have not been able to get her to work during this time."

Gosen kind of walks around the corner bumping into a chest. "You try speaking to Niles? You are the two smart people around here." Louise nods as looks at the face of this statue. "Niles wasn't able to get it to work either. He didn't know anymore than I did. We did notice that the very idea or how she would live would be different from EC00 and EC01. It was nothing we could jump start."

Dagna kind of clears her throat. Louise looks up with her googly eyes through her glasses. "I could talk about what's in the room for weeks, but do you have anymore business here?" A few people begin to look around the store. "Not really." says Dagna. "Watch over my nephew and it's good to see a fellow adventurer as she gives a smile. Everyone begins their way out of the store as there is a light flash of white and then red light. Louise Screams, not in pain, but in surprise and excitment. Ducking out of the doorway the statue reveals herself not as a statue, but as stated, a warforged forged completely in alabaster. Hey eyes a light white and blue tint as she walks out slender standing just over 7 feet tall. She walks as Louise stands stunned mumbling and completely befuddled to see her moving. She introduces herself. "I am Elisa. What do I call you?" At that moment, Santiago says "I have a bow." "Hello, I have a Bow. It is my pleasure to meet you. I have come with the the graces and healing light of Illmater to aid you in your quest." Dagna rolls her eyes. "Great a babysitter."

"How is this possible? what happened, there are so many questions to ask." Louise looks up in tears, but happy. "I know you have questions. I can't answer them, but I want to thank you for holding me. I have to go now. It is the will of Illmater." Louise looks at her and studders. "I I just don't know what to say." Gosen walks up behind her and just knocks on her arm as Dagna just looks up at her. Aklos walks up and greets himself. "Hi, I'm Aklos." "Hello Aklos, Hello I have a Bow. let's go."

In that simple exchange they all walk out of the store. On the way back Santiago walks back and sees the same shopkeep. There everyone is stunned to see the Elisa up and about. There is an aura to her that seems to show goodness. The shopkeep remarks how it seems odd that she and the scythe can even exist in such close proximity to each other. The old mage is there and brings up the possibility for the trade as Santiago ignores the trade and simple states that he doesn't have the money to buy the item. The exchange is short as Santiago leaves before engaging heavily with them this time around.

During the trip back, there is a lot of quiet conversation, not too much as it starts to rain. Elisa appears to be immune to the rain and poison. Everyone seems to be fine through it, sides Santiago, who seems ok through the healing power of absorbing the energy of other peoples souls. Without noticing, his eyes glowed a shade of green during the duration the time in the rain. Regis pulled out the umbrella, being completely shielded from the rain.

When everyone got back to Archdaleswood, the town looked mostly the same sides Niles's Longhouse, which seemed to be completely rebuilt at this time. Dagna called to an Archenrider to go grab Niles to talk to him about what might be needed when traveling back to Harrowdale City. This Archenrider did mention that there were also wagons going back that had several people and tools needed to farm and get more materials. More than most of the people there, Dagna contemplated the concern of traveling back through the Dales safely with all these people considering the trouble it cost them trying to get there in the first place.

Niles walked out and when he saw the party, he instead ran to the party and almost ignored everyone and ran right up to Elisa. In this, he put on a different pair of goggles and looked at Elisa with wonder and shock. "So Louise was correct. I would never have imagined that EC02 would have awaken right now. If only Phobos was here to witness this. I am absolutely stunned at what I am seeing here."

Dagna, now used to the same reaction from most people just kind of stared blankly as Niles inspected Elisa and talked. Niles asked Elisa what did cause her to wake up when her response was simple the guiding light of Illmater, to which his response "I suppose it is good. This is the first message the gods have given us in some time."

"A warforged with no soul. This completely changes the name of the game. Eustace himself didn't know that this would work. I can only imagine what Hell would do if they new something like this could be done." At that point Elisa looks back at Niles. "It won't be as easy as you think." Niles looks rather worried as he runs back to Dagna.

"You must be careful" he whispers to her. "If Hell gets her, they will know they can make warforged without souls." "And" Dagna says. "This will mean that Hell can make them simply with the materials they have available. They can make three warforged for every human here. The amount this affects the possibility for their war effort is game changing. It could lead to the world being enslaved indefinitely."

Dagna's eyes go wide. "So this puts a target on our head." Niles pauses. "Well, I'm not sure about... wait, yes it does." Dagna sighs looking back at Elisa with a distressed and tired look on her face. "This is a good thing also." Niles said. "We now have information they don't. This can be big in terms of defeating Hell. We just can't let them know how to do this or that they can do this."

Dagna interrupts Niles rambling rant about warforged and Elisa and Brutus to then remind him about the trip back. Dagna asks if there is anything that Niles can do to help her travel back to Harrowdale. Niles states that he has ways to teleport small groups of people, but not really any way to get four wagons back to Harrowdale City. Something like that is more in the way of the abilities of Old Man McCallister than himself.

Dagna snaps her fingers and looks for the sending stone. Santiago, just standling slightly off to the side remembers and lets Dagna know that he still has the sending stone from before. He tosses it to her as she procedes to do a sending to McCallister about the situation. She mostly tells him about Elisa since all magic types seem to have roughly the same response.

He almost immediately teleports there and looks at Dagna and nods and looks at Elisa. "I can only imagine what Eustace would say if he could see you now. It is truly a wonder. I admit I have only seen your older brother once back in the day." He smiles as he looks at her. McCallister looks at Dagna. He is the only one that passed her aura and remains untouched by her aura. "I imagine Niles has already gone crazy given the good and bad possibilities of her living at this point." to which Dagna sighs and nods. "Pay little head to him at this point. This is an exciting and fearful moment for someone like him, but her existence is no secret and neither is the knowledge associated with it. Hell had captured Eustace, so his secrets are known. They might not know that it works, but I'd imagine this isn't as easy to recreate as the other method even if it costs less magic to create.

So, you need a way back to Harrowdale City?" McCallister asks. "Yes" Dagna states motioning over to the people in the wagons. "It was too dangerous to get here and now we have twenty or so civilians that can't fight with us. What if there is another attack?"

McCallister looks over at the wagons. "True, but we don't have the magical resources to simply create portals for everyone that wishes to travel between the cities. This isn't really a sustainable method of travel or usage of spells for our mages. " Niles walks toward McCallister and greets him. "Greetings Arch Mage. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I understand your concern, but Dagna has a point. If you were needed to prevent the end of a battle given the strength of these adventurers, we might need to update our paths and make a new method. It seems these paths are getting more dangerous."

McCallister looks over at Niles and Dagna. "You have more than paid your debt to me, ... McCallister. I just don't know if we can travel this path safely. Even without an attack, the rain itself is dangerous enough for these civilians for so long."

McCallides looks at his hand. "In this form, I don't have the capability to really do this for much longer, but you have a point. I will help you get to Harrowdale City. Both you and Niles have a strong point and I wouldn't want anyone to be lost here." Dagna smiles at him as McCallister starts preparing a ritual as he pulls a book out from inside his green and red jacket.

When he is finished, a doorway makes itself visible to the docks of Harrowdale City where it appears that monks are working supervised by Captain Silva's crew putting boxes and items onto their shop. This seems to be happening at a very relaxed pace. When this is done, McCallister approached Regis. "So I noticed that since I will be helping you travel back to Harrowdale City, this will probably be the last time we meet for some time. I was wondering if it would be alright to take my Umbrella back now." "Well, I'm not really too sure about that, you see when we were away from you it." as he is saying that Santiago takes the umbrella from Regis's belt and gives it back to McCallister. McCallister smiles as he gives a bow to Santiago. "I kind of owe you for that one. He says. I am glad this was able to help you Regis, but I am glad to have it back."

With that said, he clicks the nose on the silver dragon pomel that makes up the edge of the umbrella as it creates a force bubble around him as McCallister floats 20 feet in the air. "This was a truly great umbrella. I am very happy to have it back! Thank you all for the meeting and have a save travel back!" McCallister says as he them poofs away in a teleport.

Gosen runs over to where he was. "Oh Shit, no. I needed you to cast a... damn it."

=Session 15: Unseen Assassin=

After Gosen misses McCallister, he clutches the Ruby, "maybe another time" as he and the rest go through the portal as a walkway. Every in skyline is a different color near the coast, the view of the Moonsea itself shows a brighter sky not scared from both fire and poison. Everyone walks towards the nicer looking city as Niles looks back at Elisa a bit nervous about the future.

On the other side, the city is the most active it has been. While not bustling, the ground is dry and there are a few people out and about, a first for anyone during the trip to the Dales. The city almost resembles what it once did before the start of the invasion. The paved roads assemble a boardwalk as they get closer to the docks with more grass. There, the party sees what looks like monks and carriages moving cargo into the Solenciosa with minimal supervision. On the dock in a white shirt, only Hek can be spotted looking onto the monks in mostly blue and white and some in red and white robes carrying boxes onto a ramp to the Silenciosa. Dagna walks the fastest up to Hek, who turns his bird head 170 degrees and looks a little shocked to see her. "Krogan said you wouldn't be here between five to nine days. I bet him you'd be here sooner, but I didn't know this soon." He gives her a light shoulder pat as the crew works in.

Dagna invites him for a drink when Hek sighs knowing it's his turn to watch the ship right now. He does say that Captain Silva and Krogan are in the what used to be the Adventurer's Guild of Harrowdale. Everyone walks by giving their hello as Hek both waves and sighs his fate not to join them, at least not yet.

The former adventurer's guild is more active than prior. The place is better lit as the large bar/restaurant area is not filled, but has a fair amount of people sprawled about it. At the bar area itself not too far from the bartender is Captain Silva with Krogan just chatting with a single glass of liquor. Dagna walks up and put her hand on Captain Silva's shoulder and punches Krogan in the arm. "It's good to be back" Dagna says with a softer than average smile that Captain Silva lightly picks up on. The conversation starts off very timid and glad. Krogan is both happy and unhappy to see her here this soon as it means he lost the bet with Hek.

The first thing that happens is that Dagna takes out her Bag of Holding and takes out a wooden decorated box and opens up two pistols. Captain Silva has glowy eyes and looks very happy as he slowly puts his hands on the box. "Very nice. This is even better than I thought it would be it looks wonderful." Krogan looks at Dagna. "So how's my aunt doin anyway?" Dagna had a long face. "She is good, wierd, but good. She had a lot of stuff around her and it was kind of cool, not so much my thing, really, but cool." Krogan laughed as Captain Silva posed with those guns before adding them to his belt. "Thanks again Dagna for getting these for me." Captain Silva smiles. "No problem Captain Rigo." Dagna says back.

During the conversation it quickly became a game, a bet to see which one of the two of them can guess what is the craziest thing the party got to witness during their time at the Dalelands. Both Krogan and Rigoberto Silva think out loud recalling what they know is there. Krogan does with the straight forward answer and goes with Bloodwing's monsters, which Dagna denies, but says if it weren't for what it really was, he would be right. Captain Silva's monologue with himself detailing his thought pattern mentions mutated rodents of unusual size that were transformed by the poison and experimented on by Shades, to which Dagna thinks that is really cool and she would love to fight something like that one day, but nope. Both wondering as she says a Lich, but not just any lich, Perseus Von Eshkabel. Captain Silva looks shocked, but then acknowledges that Dagna has always had a decent ability of meeting with and fighting people more interesting than most. She then recalls that she met even crazier beings than she fought as the narrows done the possibility. Captain Silva thinks out loud to what this means as he thinks about it for some time when Krogan just kind of blurts out Cyric. "You did mention the name of a prominant Cyricite." Dagna recalls the feel of s seeing him stuck in a chair. The more serious face draws from her as she recalls the events when Aklos moves to comfort her just a moment for Captain Silva would as he noticed the comradery in the group.

"Well," Captain Silva states "You made it here far ahead of schedule. We have a shipment next morning, but after that we can leave at any time. We can stay for the next four of five days or leave right away. Whichever you want." As Dagna nods. "I'd want to leave as soon as possible." The whole group at this point has walked in. Krogan looks over at Elisa, seeing her. "Well, someone finally found the on switch." He smiles looking over at Elisa as he stands up slightly taller than the warforged. "I bet my aunt went crazy when you woke up." he smirks in response when Elisa responds to her literal reaction. Captain Silva takes a look and notices her quickly. He greets her and asks Dagna how long she has been with the group, to which Dagna specifies just over four hours, which almost makes Captain Silva spit out his drink a bit.

The conversation derails after a little bit as it slowly turns into a conversation about Ehskabel's piano... somehow. Dagna says she has something to do as she prepares a letter to be sent out from the community building in Harrowdale City. The walk takes at least 10 to 15 minutes each way. Elisa slowly sees that neither the food and drink here are really for her and she leaves. Gosen challenges Krogan to another drinking contest, saying it's his revenge. Regis leaves also just laying down beside the building behind a bush and falling asleep. Santiago being the only hungry person in the group decides to order food that Aklos pays for with Platnum. Aklos insists on being Gosen's babysitter during this.

Santiago finishes his meal and then goes out. He walks on the boardwalk and notices in the center of a square, where a fountain would normally be, there is Elisa sitting on it playing her small guitar. Around her is around 4-0 or 50 people gathered watching entranced by her presence. She is closing her eyes playing and just enoying the eyes and the positive emotions of the people surrounding her.

Dagna notices this also on her way back as she sees Regis in a bush and just picks him up and slumps him over her shoulder. "What the Hell is going on?" she says seeing the group of people grow in response to the playing. Dagna looks around to see if there are any guards and issues stirring, and nothing really seems to be escalating at this point. She keeps a watchful eye as she sees two people watching at a distance, a Drow that she recognizes as Ryld'n and a older woman in red and white robes with a long pipe. Dagna recognizes her as Burger Xiao. Dagna, carrying Regis goes up to her. "Ma'am, he says looking at her as he nods." Ryld'n takes out his flowery hat and gives a bow.

"It seems she is doing well to inspire the town at this rough time. I can feel an inspiration from a bard even from far outside it's reach. She is doing no harm to anyone" Ryld'n states as Xiao scoffs just a bit. "She should be careful how much attention she brings to herself. What if it's something else?" Ryld'n smirks. "If the drow is comfortable, there should be no concern. There is a chance she is charming them, but her symbol of Illmater should be enough to keep you at ease. We are still watching it if anything happens." Dagna seems at ease with the response. "Just watch her if anything happens. I have my monks close by if anything if there is actually anything to worry about."

Dagna sees Santiago walk into the crowd. Santiago entranced a bit as she switches from playing the guitar to both playing and singing. He lets himself get caught in it, at that moment, she stares at Santiago remembering his Scythe from before. He saves against it without realizing. A word from within keeps him at his consciousness as he almost let himself get caught under her spell. This continues for some time as the rest eventually go back inside the former Adventurer's Guild for drinks.

Volos, Captain Silva and Aklos are still talking about Eshkabel's Piano as Krogan looks slightly confused at how this snowballed into this conversation. Rosk jumps behind the bar stand and slowly poors the tap and disperses a few free drinks to the crew as this conversation goes on. Gosen opens the door with a loud thud and challenges Krogan to a contest, which takes the a bit of the room as they start piling up drinks. Unlike the first time, Gosen is ready for the contest and holds his own. The contest lasts for a good hour as they each pound drinks. Krogan goes down to one knee almost out as it seems like Gosen is about to win as the last drink goes straight to Gosen's head as he falls off the stool. Krogan coughs as he celebrates his win by trying to help Gosen up and falling off as well. Aklos sighs as he turns giant turtle and carrying the two of them up the stairs to their rooms. As Aklos stumbles up the stairs for 25 minutes. Gosen states the watch his back and says that he doesn't trust Regis. Aklos gives an odd look as both Gosen and Krogan stumble to different rooms as Aklos transforms back into himself slightly confused if he his drunkness provided that opinion or loosened his lips.

It is a relatively early night by their standards. Gosen wakes up the latest as it is an early morning by everyone's else's standards. The last shipment keeps Captain Silva's crew busy as they supervise and get the ship ready for sea. Dagna is with them getting the ship ready on the mast. Regis and Santiago are at the bar with Aklos and Ezra eating breakfast, a large continental filled with eggs and bread and beef. It is actually a very well made and filling breakfast getting everyone ready for the long trip at hand.

Once ready, everyone walks on the plank as Volos and Yzma untie the ship and hop back on as it begins to move off. Captain Silva leaves the driving to Yzma as he walks back to Dagna and the rest of the party and states that this should be a faster trip. The wind is on his side. They see a familiar face in Cloak, who managed back on the ship without anyone really noticing. Captain Silva talks about the obstacles he can dodge and still make good time and saying that it should take no more than 30 hours to reach destination warranted no major surprises.

Once the ship starts moving Dagna asks for a private conversation with Captain Silva. "Captain... I have to ask. I am thinking of leaving my adventuring group... this whole life style." Captain Silva remains silent. Dagna continues. "Since going to the Dalelands. I have seen what is really happening in this world. So many people are out there really fighting this. They are suffering, fighting and more. My father is down there. I should go too. I know what to do."

Captain Silva looks back at Dagna with a soft smile. "You always seemed rough, but I try hard to always get people in my crew that really do care for other people. I saw it early in you. It's not too surprising that you would say something like this. I love my way of life, but I don't carry on for my enjoyment. I know you see yourself doing more than you are doing here and now. It is the burden of being a good person that you care as much as you do. You carry the sadness you see from others and hold onto it. Most of us do. I respect whatever decision you make."

"Thanks Captain Rigo. I don't know how it will go, but I have been thinking about this for some time. When we get to Mulmaster will be the right time." He puts a hand on her should and speaks quietly. "If that is the case, then enjoy the last day here like it's your last." He smiles. "You know I will see you again, Rigo." "I know it." he adds.

The first day is mostly uneventful with clear skies and fast winds pulling them towards destination. The sky looks bluer and clearer the more than move towards the moonsea. During the first and only dinner of the travel, everyone celebrates their time together with a night of drinking on the ship with another contest to see who can drink who under the table. Gosen, always looking for a chance to prove him strength and win eager to start as all three start off very strong. Hek bets on Gosen thinking he has a shot this time seeing that he is doing far better than the other times he watched as Aklos raises him a platinum. Hek gets nervous and matches the bet. After a good hour, Krogan falls over not fully out, but admitting that he cannot continue if he expects to do a watch. Gosen and Dagna follow up an extra half hour. Dagna looking like she will fall to Gosen powers a drink and keeps her head straight at Gosen stares right at her, but only he has already passed out.

Elisa sits to the side. Shaldi approached her and asked if she would like to enjoy in the merrymaking. Elisa states that she neither eats or drinks, so this is not really anything for her. Shaldi smiles as her hair and freckles glow. "It's not as much about the food and drink as it is about the fun we have. These are dangerous times, so we do well to remember what it feels like to enjoy ourselves and keep living. We have always been good at that as a crew." Elisa looks over to Cloak sitting in the corner and makes her way to him. Elisa asks him why he isn't joining in the merrymaking. "I guess this type of abandonment of control has never been for me. These people have been good to me, but I must admit that it is not like me to take part in something like this. I haven't seen anyone like you before. How do you feel in a setting like this?" Elisa looks back at him. "It's nice, but I barely understand it" He nods. "Strange, someone built you with such inquisition and free will when I lived my childhood being trained to lose mine. It's rather ironic, really. Thanks for keeping my company." Elisa asks. "What is your name?" The cloak answers. "Most call me just Cloak, but you can call me Cloak Telethen. That is all I am really allowed to say, but thanks for the conversation."

The night is mostly uneventful as Elisa watches at night. Both Hek and Krogan go out to watch as Cloak Telethen just sits on the deck falling into a trace on the bridge of the ship Yzma makes no conversation watching over night as it is almost completely silent aside from some banter between Hek and Yzma and Krogan and Yzma. The morning comes and as Captain Silva wakes up tossing fruit around to the crew and the party he takes his spot directing the ship as he looks far ahead and says it's maybe an hour or so away now as the sun is fully up and everyone starts playing cards above the deck just keeping the ship in motion.

Elisa hears a sound from the distance. Hek notices is also as he begins to speak loudly. "Does anyone else hear that? I don't see anything, but I hear something coming. Something big." Most of the people look down to the sea Captain Silva looks at the skies. As the time passes, there is a louder sound also like flapping that begins to be heard. In a short time there is a loud boom as a low pitch voice bellows and large plume of acid sprays onto the ship knocking out most of the people including the Captain Silva's Crew, Cloak Telethen and Ezra. The acid eating the skin of most of the people as Captain Silva shouts for most of the people on his crew to go down off the bridge. Krogan grinds his teeth t the situation, but admits that it should be done. Aklos looks to heal the team as words bellow preventing him from helping his team. Yzma scrambles to carry her team as Santiago follows the sound of the flapping waiting for a chance to strike. During the waiting, there is a ball of fire taking down two of the already melting masts, forcing Santiago to jump intot he deck as Hek falls onto the bridge.

Elisa finds an opening and spots the dragon using her magic as her eyes glow as the Black Dragon snarls as it is revealed visible as several shots from Sanitago connect. Captain Silva pulls out his now two pistols and takes aim. Yzma tosses three potions of flight and looks at Dagna and Gosen. "I will make sure the civilians are safe. Call me if you need anything Captain Rigo." Captain Silva nods as the dragon circles the Silenciosa. As it approaches there is a incantation as everyone aside from Dagna starts falling upwards. During this confusion, the dragon does a wing buffet and knocks everyone but Dagna off the Silenciosa far off the ship.

She downs a potion almost immediately as everyone begins to swim to the ship except Dagna who is now flying towards the dragon and Aklos who shapeshifted into an air elemental. The Black Dragon concentrated and does a chant as she begins to shoot lightning bolts into the water. Gosen makes it to the ship as Dagna drops a potion for him to catch. The midwair fight is a fight of chasing around the dragon as she shoots lighting into the water. Gosen and Dagna make it hard to move as a wing buffet clears the skies as she gets ready to shoot acid at Dagna and Aklos.

Elisa is sinking in the water, but Dagna is able to get to the back of the ship and toss an anchor down for her to grab. Elisa manages to heal most of the party while Dagna, Gosen and Aklos are covered in Acid. In a key moment, Aklos spots a time when the dragon could have used a spell and held back an attack. Ezra shoots rays from the water as the Dragon loses an eye and becomes dizzy from the poin spikes out of her neck. The dragon does a single wing buffet and knocks everyone back before teleporting away.

=Session 16: Broken Contract.=

The bridge of the ship mostly melted after the attack, the masts down, and everyone badly injured. Captain Silva looks carefully as he walks around his once beautiful ship now almost completely destroyed from the top and derelict. Yzma goes to the bridge and states that there is very little damage below the deck. The shipment is safe and all the crew that made it down is safe. Captain Silva nods as Dagna shakes her head.

Rigoberto Silva has a very serious expression. "Do any of you have an idea of what might have cause that attack?" Regis almost immediately points the finger towards Elisa. "It must have been her. I don't know any other person it could have been." Gosen sneers thinking of the times Regis has wondered off by himself to so quickly point the finger.

Elisa is on the other edge of the ship casting mending, doing slow repairs. Dagna scratches her head. "I don't know who could have attacked and why." Captain Silva looks uneasy. "I don't believe I have any enemies like that. It might have been my side, but be careful. If someone with that kind of capability wants you dead, you need to be very careful."

Volos steps to the deck. Captain Silva addresses him. "Did you send the distress call?" Volos nods "Blade Longstreet will arrive shortly. He was on patrol in the MS Hunter when I sent the sending. He should be here to tow us shortly." Captain Silva addresses the ship. "Anyone with good eyes look out for an incoming ship. If it's the MS Hunter, we are safe, but we must be ready if it's someone else." Regis sweats.

Hek spots a ship in the distance. "I can't tell if it's the MS Hunter. It's large enough to be. Regis, can you see it?" Hek says flying down from his birds nest. Regis adjusts his glasses and is able to read the side of the ship. "M S Hunter. I don't like the font."

Captain Silva sighs of relief as Yzma and Shaldi both look at Captain Silva. "Will you be alright through this?" Dagna also pats him on the back. "We all lived through this. Considering what happened, this seemed like nothing short of a miracle." "Maybe too good" Shaldi says as the ship gets closer in view. As it approaches, the size difference becomes clear. The Silenciosa is a slender three masted treasure running ship with good cannons and the MS Hunter is a war ship with five masts and a migh higher elevation bridge with many more cannons. On the deck of their ship someone both Regis and Dagna identify as Blade Longstreet is in clear view. He stands call with a large chops side burns into a mustache wearing a white jacket and military uniform for hte Navy. He smiles several mages use magic to move a plank between both ships as the MS Hunter anchors.

Blade Longstreet surveys the damage of the ship and addresses Captain Silva. "Captain." he states "Lord Blade, or do you prefer admiral?" Captain Silva adds. "Always admiral when I'm at sea. You can refer to me as Blade once we hit the shore again, Captain. It will be more appropriate then." Blade Longstreet looks around the ship and the crew. "Captain, how is the cargo?" Captain Silva stands at attention. "The cargo is safe, admiral." Dagna also at attention as Regis just looks kind of miffed at this situation.

Blade Longstreet states that he will tow the ship to shore so it can have extensive repairs since it still needs to return to Melvaunt after reaching the docks of Mulmaster. They are far ahead of schedule, so the repairs will not be a big concern. Blade Longstreet calls Captain Silva onto his ship for a private conversation. Blade Longstreet turns to what looks like his first mate, a human with blond hair and bright blue eyes wearing mithral breast plate with a sigil of a hawk on it. Three mages behind him with a similar looks cloak scheme to cloak Telethen behind Blade Longstreet follow just a few feet further behind. "Cloak, your service to this ship has ended. You are free to seek a new post. Join me back on the MS Hunter." Cloak Telethen nods and joins the other three cloaks and looks at Elisa. Blade Longstreet takes a good look at Elisa and Regis is the only one that notices that he does, but really doesn't react to it.

The seven of them go off the ship. Shaldi stays close to Yzma and Danga. "I have a telepathic bond with Captain Rigo." Dagna nods. "I believe he is safe, but these conversations are always tense. Blade Longstreet for years has been trying to conscript us to the navy for Mulmaster. He has tried several times when you were part of the crew on our ship." Dagna says. "Captain Rigo loves his freedom too much to give in." Shaldi nods. Yzma adds "These are different times, though. I don't believe he will cave, but the waters are more dangerous than they used to be. This is twice now that the ship was almost destroyed in battle just during a single mission. The captain will need your support, Shaldi."

Once the hooks are placed and the anchors are lifted, the ships begin to move. Hek and Krogan look to the MS Hunter to see if Captain Silva is safe. Yzma urges them to stop. "Shaldi has a link. We cannot seem too suspicious. Remember that they have all the power right now. We must comply if we are to keep our freedom." Krogan and Hek acknowledge.

Rosk looks down and speaks to Volos for a bit on the situation before going to Shaldi. They all speak quietly around Dagna. It takes just over an hour for the ships to reach Mulmaster. The large coastal city is mostly made of wood in clear view, but the elevation rises seeing larger stone buildings in the back and older parts of the city. It takes time as people in the docks help direct the Silenciosa with Captain Silva's crew to help it dock. After a few minutes, the ships are tied. Captain Silva and Blade Longstreet step out first. A Plank is put out and Captain Silva's crew moves out to reach him.

Blade Longstreet looks. "You can stay as long as you need for repairs, Captain. You should consider my offer. Perhaps it will soon by time to finally sheath the silenciosa for good. These times and waters are different. You can tell. This is now war. You can't go out there without expecting to fight a battle anymore." Captain Silva nods. "Not that it's mostly my concern." he looks at the party. "You have a meeting with Golian Volkstadd of the Blades in an hour. If I were you, I wouldn't waste the time of the Blades. This is the direct will of Lord Highblade Selfaril. I have something else I must attend to now. It was my pleasure to see you again... all of you." Blade Longstreet turns his head as his first mate and the cloaks on the ship start to go off the ship with him.

Captain Silva waits till Blade Longstreet is beyond a ear shot away. "Volos... did you tell Blade Longstreet that the dragon was invisible?" "No" Volos states. "I only told him a dragon attack. I didn't even tell him it was a black dragon, but he might have figured it out from the melted marks from acid." Captain Silva looks at the party. "I am not sure what is going on here, but be on edge. Something isn't quite what it seems here. They know more than they are telling us, and something seems tense in the air here. Be careful. I am not sure what is going on, but keep a clear head through this." Captain Silva says in a low quiet voice to everyone in the party.

Yzma points out. "with the capabilities, that dragon could easily have sunk the ship if it wanted. There was no reason for us to be alive given the situation." Shaldi nods. "I was conscious for a moment to see the dragon actually hold back. I don't know if we were meant to die. There are a few things that aren't quite adding up." "Do they ever?" Dagna says looking flustered at the situation.

Dagna looks at the party and the crew once they all reunite. "I have something to say. It is been my honor to be a part of the crew of this ship and I have had some great adventures with this group also."She pauses "I must leave though. Everyone pauses. "My time in the Dales showed me that so much is happening out there in the world. It is a war. I have family. There is so much I could be doing. I cannot get stuck in the petty fights of cities and politics. There are more important things to do."

Regis stutters. "But what about getting paid... We... We had a mission" Dagna sighs. "I know you can do the mission. I don't want to back out, but this is more important. The whole world is in threat. I have had the right training to deal with this. I have run from that for too long." Captain Silva smiles. "Do as you must. Having you serve in my crew was an honor and I am glad to help give you the chance you neede to make it this far."

Dagna looks to Aklos. "You... Aklos. I am friends with everyone here, but I have bonded with you a great amount in this time. I know you also care greatly for the world and would want to help so much more than you would worrying about the troubles of these cities." Aklos pauses. He looks back at Regis and Santiago and Gosen. "I understand your point. I .., " He pauses for a moment. "I will do it. I have seen one world fall. I cannot let another fall. Between this invasion and what I know is coming after that. I must do what I can to help it."

Dagna looks to Ezra. "I know we have become close during this time. Join us and you will not be left alone. You can hide from those that want to use you, either in the houses in Melvaunt or Eshkabel." Ezra looks back towards the Daleslands, with the sound of the piano ringing in her head. "I will go with you."

Dagna looks to Elisa. "I see the symbol on your head and chest. I know you are not here for this either. You want to be where you can do the most good. Come with me. The worshippers of the Triad are someone of the ones who are fighting the hardest. You can do more." Elisa looks back at Dagna and puts her hand on hers. "Thank you for the invitation. I understand what you are saying, but I must stay here. There is lots of evil hidden here. Corruption and worse hide in plain sight and do more to aid the evil than you know. I know what path I need to walk, but thanks for considering me." Dagna looks in the city and has a worried expression.

Dagna looks to Gosen. "You will have to carry on. You are all my friends. To keep them safe, I have something for you." Dagna motions for Krogan to grab her chest full of items. Dagna helps pull it out and tosses Gosen a dagger that grows into a large sword. "This is to aid you in battle since I won't be there anymore" Gosen nods and says no words.

Dagna looks back to the crew. "I will miss all of you... you know this isn't the last time I will see you." "I am counting that."Captain Silva says in response as he goes to shake Dagna's forearm and do a pat manhug.

The Brotherhood: Enter Imir- A Web of Ambition and distrust masked in authority
At the Tower of Arcane might, there are many Cloaks studying and some using rooms as training grounds for tests of spells and abilities. Those that use this are a mixed of the very inexperienced looking to learn that are just conscripted and some of the most focused members of the Brotherhood of the Cloak. Imir falls into the latter of the two in a dark purple light glow room swinging his blade made of force before someone in a purple, blue and gold cloak arrives. Imir recognizes him as one of the senior cloaks. This is Triton, but the code name Senior cloak Jaydeon. His skin is blue with purple tints and bright yellow eyes. the front of his cloak has a gold four point star at the center of his cloak.

Imir pauses his training. "Yes, how may I assist you?" "Cloak Imir, you are being summoned by the most Senior of the senior Cloaks, Rastol Shand. I am to believe he is calling you from a direct order from the Lord Highblade. It is an honor, but one you deserve. He asked for audience as soon as possible." Imir smirks. "Then I won't keep him waiting. Thanks for message, Senior Cloak." "Be well, Cloak." Jaydeon says as Imir walks past him.

Imir goes up the Tower of Arcane might. Much of it closer to the top is a circular stair case followed by books and dim mood lighting from ongoing magical spells. At the top, there is a cauldron and a Crustal ball in a room lit with both torches, light spells as it is full of magical wards. Rastol Shand is a darker skinned man who appears to be from the Thayan region, mostly bald and shown with several magical tattoos. He was looking into the cauldron until right when Imir appeared as he turned around and does a quick bow when he appears. Imir reciprocates with a bow. "Lord Senior Cloak, what is the nature of my next assignment?" "Cloak Imir, it seems that word of your reputation has hit Selfaril. He called for you in all ways besides name. He asked for the most capable, trustworthy newest cloak I have. I can only think of one other person who could possibly consider with a call like that. He has an assignment for you, one I believe he must think it would only make sense to give to you." Rastol says with his arms interlocked in his cloak. "Very well" Imir says. "Let me know when I am arrive to learn the details of my mission. Rastol looks at Imir and pulls his hands from his cloak and materializes a card made from force. It shines purple and is mostly transparent. There is some text in a language that is difficult to decipher as it appears to change every time you look at it. "Take this card to the Tower of the Blades and you will be let in. Once you are in, go to the top of the tower to find the office of Lord Highblade Selfaril. He is getting ready for a rally for the people of Mulmaster. If you can, please make it to him before he does the rally." Imir nods as he holds onto the card that turns red and purple in his touch. "I will make good use of this honor, Senior Cloak." "I know you will."Rastol says softly as

Imir leaves the top of the Tower of Arcane Might and makes his way down the stairs of the tower. Imir wastes no time moving between towers from the Tower of Arcane Might to the Tower of the Blades. The tower of Arcane Might and Tower of the Blades are both in the older part of the city. The buildings are each well over one hundred years old. As Imir approaches the Tower of the Blades he holds out the card of force to the guards. The older of the two human guards does a solute that honors the Brotherhood of the Cloak and opens the large double door to the base of the tower. Inside the Tower of the Blades is a good amount of red drapes and finely crafted stone and statues and sculptures. Before the tower becomes a tower, it is a building with fifteen other offices for the other Blades and a room for them to congregate and govern. Above that is a stair case to the top office, which belongs to the High Blade of Mulmaster. Imir goes to the top where there is another door and another guard expecting him. "Lord Cloak, the Lord High Blade is waiting for you." the guard says as he opens the door. Imir walks past a few red and purple drapes as he enters a small, but comfortable looking office in a small desk with what looks like a globe and Rakshasa skin rug.

A man is there with a half plate armor with a pale color and a glowing runic sword. He has graying blond hair and a mustashe with bright green eyes. His raspy voice welcomes Imir as he enters the office. Selfaril smiles with a mostly finished glass of wine. Imir praises the honor of being in the presence of the High Blade of Mulmaster as Selfaril raises his glass to "Lord Cloak" Selfaril first quips about how his most senior cloak chose well and understands how he thinks the moment Imir was the one sent on him. Selfaril talks about Golian Volkstadd. "He is a competent mad to have helped me so. When I became High Blade again, my knowledge was set one hundred years backwards. The thing is, now I have that knowledge, and now he is used to that position of power and wants more. I need to keep of pair of eyes on him, and also help him with the initiative I have set for him. I trust you since you are not a person of ambition, but a person of focus and commitment. He cannot sway you from your purpose. I also did it since that focus puts you on the path against Hell. You don't see them as some solidarity of all badness and evil. You don't see them as potential ally to be barterred with. You know what they really are, just simply invaders." Imir nods with almost no words "Just invaders. That's right"

Selfaril keeps it basically as just that. He chats a tiny bit about his respect for people at the Brotherhood the cloak and how Imir is one of the few if not the only one he would trust with a mission like this. At that point, a servant comes in to serve wine as he gives a nod to for another glass and offers Imir some red wine. Imir accepts as selfaril mentions that Golian should be downstairs in his office. Selfaril gives Imir a bit of a salute as he motions him down stairs. Selfaril quips about needing to do a rally and gets ready to leave his office as well.

Imir goes downstairs and sees offices plaques with names of each of the Blades in the fifteen office below as he knocks on the room for Golian Volkstadd. Golian in his voice urges him to enter the room sitting in his chain to a mahogany desk with two bookshelves on either side to a mostly nuetral colored office with red carpet and doraction of fancy books and several magical items left around. Golian looks at Imir and urges him to sit in the comfortably looking greenish arm char that is sitting across the desk from him.

"Thanks for your arrival. I can see from the gift that you were sent directly from Selfaril to be the one to aid me in my initiative. I am not super aware of your reputation but I am aware that you have one and could only assume that it must be true if Selfaril would trust you with such a mission. Given all those statements are true, it is my honor to be in your presence, Lord Blade Imir." Golian says with a bit of a bow as Imir reciprocates the goodwill from him. Golian begins by asking questions about the nature of Imir's skill and what sort of duty he is best suited for. Imir's response is quick and timely. "I am for battle, little else." he says softly, but sharply. Golian acknowledges.

Golian details the nature of his iniative. "Selfaril has set forth a few initiatives towards reclaiming control over this region, mostly from Phlan, but from all forces that wish to destablize it. My job or my part in all this is Jackson Sarcaedon Arbelleck. He is the business advisor to Desmond Teragon, the true leader of the Moonsea and the former grand magus of the 4th circle of Hell. He is considered responsible for keeping Desmond above float when it comes to his interactions with the forces of Hell. I have set forth a group of people referred to as the adventuring initiative from Richard Bruil, the high Chancellor of Melvaunt to work to get close to the people of Phlan to facilitate this kind of action. Soon I will detail a plan to remove this figure and watch the chips fall around. We have good suspicion that he is a current agent of Hell and likely slowly taking the region down as a direct sanctuary for their rituals. I have allies on the inside that can help set this up, but the final steps must be done by those capable of handling the situation, even if it goes sideways." Imir nods and takes only a few notes in the situation.

Golian details that Imir will be watching over them and ensuring that things go right and that there is a proper amount of destablization that happens in Phlan. Golian mentions that he will enter as someone who will work for one of the Merchant families of Melvaunt who currently spends time in Phlan and also seems to have employed several members of the Brotherhood of the Cloak. Armen Rathker was an ally of Former High Blade Jaseen during those days and is a devote worshipper of Tiamat.

=Session 17: The Second Contract Broken=

After the party separated into two groups Dagna separated first the rest of the four went towards the Tower of the Blades. Even in short time, people began looking at Elisa. A seven foot tall warforged made of alabaster is a sight and while nothing happened as a result quickly, heads were turning and at least one person was beginning to follow behind from a distance. Santiago was the first to break and mention that a disguise would be necessary. Gosen quickly became frustrated with the attention considering Captain Silva's warning when entering the city. Regis remembered an old shop keep he remembered named Borbie with a shop that is not much of a detour called the trum bum, or trollbum.

Regis lead the way to this shop with a hanging sign that had a staircase downward to get into the store. Regis lead the way into the store, which seemed dusty and poorly lit, but otherwise clean. When entering the store, Borby, a stout halfling (Hobbit) was barefoot sweeping the floor as he saw Regis enter with other people. Borbie quickly or well as quickly as he could without spending a great deal of effort get hehind his desk and attempt to apply polish to the glass cases with jewelry behind it. Regis gave me a greeting as Borbie took Regis's hand with both hands and proceeded to shake his hand.

Regis spoke an exchange for a massive sapphire that Dagna gave to the group when she left. Regis was talking about it's size as Borbie proceeded to fill his pipe and start smoking as he described it. As he listened, Santiago pulled the gem out of his bag of holding as Borbie's eyes nearly popped from his head as the pipe fell out of his mouth onto the floor. Borbie could literally see almost nothing else in the room when he saw that sapphire as he reached into his pocket to look for his monocle to stare and make sure that the thing was real. "Careful now, Borbie" Regis urged as Borbie put on a single glove and start reaching for the gem. He looked at it and proceeded to say. "I'll take it for thirtly platinum." Regis countered. "You know it's worth more than that Borbie." Borbie pauses. "32." This sort of haggling goes on for a minute as Elisa looks around and steps behind the desk. She looks at an array of different drawers and locks placed around his desk as she looks forward and sees a light chain dangling in front of her that seems to be connected to the ceiling. She pulls it, revealing a saircase upwards that makes a loud thud crashing downward that quickly gets Borbie's attention.

"Wait wait! I didn't say anyone could go up there." Borbie exclaims as he sees Elisa approach the staircase. It is at this point that the obvious no longer escapes him. He realizes that he is in the company of a seven foot call alabaster worforged and begins to look at Elisa. "I imagine you are worth quite a bit more than this sapphire. That's for sure." Elisa doesn't react as Regis sighs a bit. "She's not for sale" Borbie looks at Rehis. "You Sure?" "The sapphire won't be either if you keep asking."

"Fine Fine!"Borbie exclaims as he takes his eyes off her. "Please just return it to how it was. I know you came here since you just can't spend that thing anywhere. with how much it's worth, most shops will either not take it or even be able to price it properly. Because of that, I need a little bit of a profit, but I can get you up to 42 platinum if you want to accept my offer." Regis finally agrees knowing he made 12 more platinum than was originally offered as Borbie covets the sapphire in his hands as he looks over at Elisa walking away.

The group starts hitting the older district with buildings made from older materials, stone with the roads being more circular in nature. The trumbum being one of the first buildings to be built this way, it eventually becomes the norm as the group goes by a dence market area with Tray's Wraps. A taller human well over six feet fall with long brown hair smiles as he advertises his wraps, being clothing or lunch veggie wraps.

Santiago looks over at Elisa and stops and asks if he has anything that would work on her as he motions to Elisa. Tray brings up that he has wraps for all sizes, even Goliaths. He goes into a chest and pulls out several very large ponchos. "I could get something for you, like this." as he motions to a poncho for just a few silver. "Though I am not sure exactly what you want, but if a true disguise is what you are looking for, then you might want something like this." he pulls out a small and innocent looking hat that seems to cover the back of the next and extend outward made of leather. "This is a Hat of disguise and I can part with it for 12oo gold if that is something you'd consider. It's a very different price point, but you are experienced adventurers and might be able to afford it." Santiago reaches into the coin purse and pulls out 12 platinum and goes for the hat while Regis then decides to order three veggie wraps, with a total cost of six silver as he proceeds to pay with only five without getting caught.

The group slowly approaches the Tower the Blades in the older district as the elevation gets higher. This region is filled more with government buildings and estates for the Blades, and the Zors and Zoras (nobles of Mulmaster). The Tower of the Blades is not a very impressive looking building. The tower itself it relatively tall, but at it's base is a decently large government building with a good size double door as its entrance. There is a symbol iconography of swords before entering it, but the outside seems to be mostly a stone building that looks over two hundred years old that has naturally aged and chipped over time. As the group approaches, there are four guards, but only two right by the door there. The two closest have polearms that cross the door whenever anyone gets close. Most of their faces are covered by the helmets they wear, but it is clear that these guards are human from their appearance, or maybe halfelf, really. As expected, they ask for the names and the business of those entering.

Regis takes point with the guards giving his name and who is looking to meet at the Tower of the Blades. The two recognize him, but just ask since there is apparantly two Regis Malones that live in Mulmaster also. This makes the whole thing take a bit longer as Regis acts on curiosity before the guards start eyeing other people in the group and asking if they are people associated with that group. The guards look down at their weapons. "You are allowed in, even armed, but know you are in the presence of the Blades and any action taken in this building unlawfully can be and may be punishable by the death penalty." Regis shruggs it off as they enter the building.

The inside of the Tower of the Blades is very different from the ouside, decorated almost like a stone palace, it still looks a bit aged, but there are scultures of previous high blades, including one of Selfaril and his twin brother, so almost two of almost exactly the same person as red drapes and carpets are just above ornate looking old wooden furniture that looks full of wine glasses and glass scultures. Regis being the only person that reacts, not really being in here before, but not approving of the decorations, like this was designed by someone that was very old to begin with. There are two staircases at the far side and door the middle. The offices for the Blades are on the second floor before the tower itself goes up through a circular staircase. Everyone goes up the staircase as Regis recognizes a woman entering through a side door with pale skin and black dress with long black hair. She looks no older than 30, but has an eye patch. Regis doesn't know this Blade, but knows of them and knows that this is Paladinius. The only odd thing is that she didn't used to have an eye patch before.

Regis goes to knock on the front door to the office for Golian Volkstadd. When the group knocks on his door. Golian speaks through the sound of his door and urges the group in the office. In the office is Golian sitting in the office chair for his desk and Imir sitting in the main chain across from his desk. There are other chairs in the room as Regis and Santiago pull and sit in chairs as Elisa and Gosen stand up in the back.

Golian looks around the room and quickly notices the lack of Dagna, Aklos and Ezra. Golian originally quietly and calmly asks about it. Regis takes point and gives direct answers as Golian's mood devolves quickly. Noticing that half of his group for this is missing and that Regis becomes less direct when he asks for explanations of the events, he descends into frustration and anger things devolve. Golian points out that Gosen wasn't part of the original group and that there is someone he doesn't even recognize with them that he isn't even sure he can trust. Regis begins to sweat in the situation as he starts slamming his hand on the desk soon shouting, bringing threats to the group.

There is a momentary pause after he looks around. It's Santiago that presses the fact that "We're still here, right?" Golian takes to a new subject line. He remembers that inside Bruilhaven, there was a comment Gosen made about the fact that they are no longer welcome inside Phlan. Golian recalls what Gosen said and asks Gosen originally about what happened. Regis takes point again with the answer being clearly evasive with that response. Golian starts to angrily state the pay of the mission, what it's worth to have this situaion occur and begins to threaten everyone there. He states that trust in this group is making less sense and pours over the amount of time and planning on his side to encourage Richard Bruil to make this adventuring initiative. Golian makes his death threat flexing his authority stating that he could have this group ended at any time. Regis stays quiet as the group lets him vent and rage through it.

As this is happening, it's Elisa that sees a paper on the desk that has red text in infernal with the words in contract and the names Gaziel and Gazra. at separate points on the paper. At the far end of the room, there is a seem in the paint between the lower and upper walls that looks slightly disconnected where there is a secret door. Elisa keeps this knowledge initially to herself.

As this is happening, Golian demands that everyone sign a contract. He prepared a Gaes contract not too dissimilar to a Hells Contract. At was at this time that Elisa spoke for the first time. She asked Golian about the details of the mission, which he didn't disclose for yet in his rage. "The mission, all that really needs to be done is to remove Jackson Sarcaedon Arbelleck. He is the one who guides Desmond on how to deal with Hell. He is the one that has made the laws and decided how people will get taxed that has changed a redistributed the power. Without him, Desmond would be left without knowing how to navigate the situation. What would be best is if we can abduct him. Killing him would also work but we want to kno what he knwos and take it from there. Since you are no longer welcome in Phlan, you would have to sneak inside the city and get close to him. For someone like Regis, that would be an easy task." Golian stares back with a cold look. "But yes, it would be easy to do it by myself, but what about getting everyone in the city. That would be difficult." Golian's face twists. "Lies, excuses, evasion and more excuses. It's impressive that Richard considered you the best of the best if this is how you react to the mission. I promised money upwards to $100,000 and you can't figure it out. I have resources, but you were trusted becaue you are the best. Figure... it out." Regis remains quiet in response.

After everyone hears it, they agree to sign the contract. Elisa's bond with Illmater doesn't allow her to be affected and as Santiago signs it, a brief glow that only Elisa notices is that briefly, his eyes glow green as he also esapes the bond. Only Gosen and Regis appear to be hit by the Gaes after signing the contract.

Elisa turns to Golian and asks another question about the door. Golian looks delighted as he looks back and mentioned the secret door. He talks about allies he would like to reveal at this point. Golian moves and feels around the part around the door at the seem between the wall and presses it in a particular way before the wall lifts. He walks through the door way as he moves towards the other side of the hallways and opens the side of the door to a back office filled mostly with drinks and some back storage with two other doors to getout of that side of the office. There, there were two people sitting on wooden chairs at a small round coffee table. The two people that are there are Kyle Higgard, a Paladin of Illmater and Valgred Semeksen, high Cleric of the Illmater that both Regis, Santiago, and Gosen.

The Paladin has shiny plate and looks exalted in his appearance as Valgred's robes are as they were, worn and torn and very simplistic. Valgred looks as if he didn't sleep for quite some time as the Paladin had dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. He more looked angry and frustrated to be there than anything else. Once Golian introduced both of them, he made it clear that Sarcaedon has infiltrated the Temple of the Three Truths in Phlan, whether he did it himself or Desmond, there is a rift between how people think in the Temple of the Three Truths that is much stronger after Turnok exposed Desmond. Valgred states... he knew who Desmond was prior to this and admits that this conflict that caused issues even inside the Temple of the Triad. "I find shame to need to go to such lengths to in order to prevent Hell from gaining power so close to the Temple, but I am willing to sacrifice my name and rank if that means protecting the Temple and helping the world. It isn't in my code, but it is our dogma to sacrifice for the greater good."

Elisa listens to Valgred's words and hears a sadness and regret to him that only she notices. He studders at moments as Kyle remains completely silent through this. Golian takes helm again and says that he has allies and people in the city that have already taken station that could help them if they need to blend in. Golian looks at Valgred and motions people back to his office. He looks back to the group and states that the contract will have hold for a year and asks if there any questions before dismissing the group.

=Session 18: Mission Briefing= Golian had just dismissed the party as they were getting ready to leave, he rolls his back his comments and asks people to stay. In a moment, Golian swiftly and unnoticed cast a spell on himself. His demeanor changed as he called everyone back into the office. It's as if he had been given a week's worth of time in a matter of moments to consider his actions and thoughts and presented himself completely differently than before.

Golian rolled back on his comments to the party and apologized about his prior comments. His sympathized with his frustration and anger. He acknowledged how the mood seemed right, but that he directed that anger improperly making sure to mention Santiago's words. Golian took out a scroll and ripped it in half revealing a small light coming from both Regis and Gosen. Golian notices and mentions briefly how both Elisa and Santiago appeared no to be bound by the contract either way.

Elisa takes this time to look at Santiago and his scythe. Golian begins to review details of the mission. Golian reviews a comment Regis made about the difficulty of taking the party and discusses the mission objectives and who he has in the city. There was a length conversation about which group would make the most sense to infultrate, The party eventually agreed on Black Jackets a subset of the mercenary group Blackwatch, which had been conscripted by Desmond close to hundred years ago after commissioning several assassinations of lawless political opponents. The Black Jackets are a Mercenary company that acts as police and detectives in the city looking out for specific crimes and intelligence. Elisa would be a cleric of one of the Triad Gods for the Temple of Three Truths.

Imir would will sent in as a Cloak under Armen Rathker, house patron, has connections to both Mulmaster and Phlan and has member from the Brotherhood of the Cloak around him. Armen is one of the few House Patrons in Melvaunt not to have a seat in the council and the only one believed to own property in Melvaunt, Phlan and Mulmaster.

Golian then asked his two aids, a halfling rogue and a goliath body guard for items per Regis's request and managed 4 invisibility potions and three disguise self potions in addition to the black jacket uniforms. Golian stated he had upwards of twenty people in various positions inside Phlan who worked on his behalf at least part time to consult. Santiago asked who were the leaders of these people to consult while inside the city, and were pointed to Kyle Higgard, the paladin they just spoke with and Legan, of the Red Plumes inside Phlan who worked directly under it's captain, a familiar halforc by the name of Griswald, as well as Simon, the halfling attendant under Sarcaedon who is selling his secrets to the business heads inside Melvaunt. After giving out that full bit of information, the group was set up to travel directly to Phlan via carriage to make it to the mission. During the travels, they were followed by none other than Gomand Pusk, rogue ex Gleaners Magical High Council who was now a fugitive previously captured. The moment Gosen saw him, he proceeded to attack him at sight triggering a contingent resilient sphere and starting the combat.

Imir dispelled the sphere. Gomand was originally uninterested in the rest of the party putting them in a force cage without realizing that Regis's sword could cut through a wall of force. After sustaining more a hits, Gomand became impatient and summoned a meteor swarm on the party killing the halfling aid, destroying the carriage and knocking down several of group immediately. Elisa used an ability the forced Gomand to share that same pain in psychic damage. Gosen pulled Gomand down from the sky and slammed him on the ground and began slamming his sword against the small gnome. The triggered death of his body resulted in a pulsing of the crown that triggered a transformation into an arch fiend Gosen looked up as this figure grabbed Gosen and ripped off one of his arms. Imir cast a spell to weaken his ability to save against effects as Elisa then banished the fiend back into whatever Abyss the crown originally came from. In his words, he bellowed a curse back onto the party as he disappeared. Elisa brought Ingris, the halfling back to life as the Goliath admitted to hiding the entire battle after realizing the gnome could cast spells like that. The group traveled the rest of the way by foot since the horses were also killed in the blast.

It was an uneventful day and a half later when the party arrived in Phlan. Golian had instructed everyone to enter in the Eastern gate to have a guard loyal to his cause to be the one to let them in with no issues. Inside the city, it was stated that the Temple of the Three Truths would be the primary base of operations, but that several of the top officials might have been compromised and that everyone should only really be seen by the lower clerics and paladins of the church whenever possible.

=Session 19: Skin deep=

This session starts with everyone speaking to Kyle about his immediate distrust of the leaders of the Temple of the Three Truths in Phlan. Kyle lead everyone done to a cellar early in the day. There is a conversation about the leadership of the Black Jackets, some talk about Simon, a halfling that works for Sarcaedon Arbelleck. After going through the options, everyone agrees that Simon is their best source as someone who directly speaks to Sarcaedon Arbelleck. Kyle mentions that he Simon would be free for a tiny bit as early as today.

Everyone agrees to visit the barracks later in the day where Simon will be following up on an expense report with the western barracks. He is standing on a small wooden step ladder speaking to someone in the Red Plumes. After finishing the report, he starts to walk away when being called by Kyle.

Kyle indicated there there is unfinished businesses between the two in the earlier meeting and the two take a room to discuss the the situation. Simon did originally meet the party back after the first meeting with with the party after defeating the Necromancer who coordinated the stealing and killing of citizens in both Phlan and Melvaunt. Simon did not recognize Regis, Gosen or Santiago. Regis did eventually reveal that they are the same people. During the conversation, Simon divulged information about the schedule of Sarcaedon Arbelleck and stated that there were two good meeting times to catch him. One time would be in a meeting he was having at Armen Rathker's residence in Phlam (he is from Melvaunt, but owns an estate in Mulmaster, and Phlan also) and another was a time when he was having a meeting with business people in Melvaunt at the Lavender Swan. Everyone seemed to agree that ambushing him at that meeting seemed to be the best chance to grab him. Simon did state that he was having a meeting at the Temple of the Three Truths the next day. Everyone aside from Elisa agreed to staying at the Lavender Swan for the next few days. Elisa decided to stay apart from the party at the Temple of the Three Truths.

Elisa managed to sneak in a room that was really not guarded where the head Paladin of Torm, Tetler Sigmund, was there as was the Head Cleric of Bahamut, Godric Balkas. There was maybe one other person somewhat in the vicinity besides Elisa when the meeting happened. Sarcaedon stepped into the meeting hoping to get the Paladins and Clerics at the Temple of the Three Truths to look into a series of attacks that have been happening to silver shipments meant to reach the Temple of Triad from Phlan. More than anything Sarcaedon seemed worried about who might be doing it. He referenced a piece of paper the party got for him after defeating the Necormancer, and he seemed concerned that the stolen silver might be involved in an invasion plan against Phlan. He asked if there were any initiatives from the Temple of the Triad to involve figuring this out. Godric indicated that after the incident with Turnock that it is believed that Phlan is sabotaging the shipments and they are not willing to engage in an agreed manor. Due to the contract Phlan leadership has with Hell, they are unable to conscript paladins or clerics of the Triad from the Temple of the Three Truths to look into the manor. Sarcaedon states that he is wondering how Mulmaster's partnership with Hell has anything to do with these attacks. Once that inquiry is done, he mostly asks Sigmund for papers regarding traffic to the Temple of the Three Truths and the Temple of the Triad.

Sigmund states that there is a major splinter in the Temple of the Triad due to a lack of communication considering there were others that knew of Desmond and there is sowed distrust in the organization. He states that because of this, there is nothing that can really be done. Sarcaedon is slightly frustrated stating that the imperial empire now known at the the army of the Temple of the Triad owes both it's silver and its food to the Moonsea region. Sarcaedon asks Godric if Turnok has changed his mind since the incident, but Godric states that his conversations with Turnok are private and cannot be divulged. Sarcaedon ends the meeting stating that if he cannot get the manpower otherwise to ask if something can be done as it is in the Temple of the Triad's interest to do something about the lost silver shipments. After Sarcaedon leaves, Godric and Sigmund have a conversation about the situation with the Temple of the Three Truths and the Temple of the Three Truths where it was stated that there are an increasing number of people who are sidestepping Phlan due to the words and influence of Turnok. Godric states that several high ranking individuals from the Temple of the Triad are currently missing. Sigmund expresses discomfort with Godric's willingness to speak with Sarcaedon where he gives a statement saying that Sarcaedon is not someone he should see as an ally, but he is oddly one of the most honest people in the city despite his position.

Elisa stays for some time as Sigmund just stays looking into some papers with almost no incident for the next 45 minutes. After that time, he is approached by a someone in Red Robes identified as the old robes from the Red Wizards of Thay. This is an older man with mid length white hair who approaches Sigmund. Elisa doesn't hear the entire conversation, but the individual mentions trouble with people in the temple traveling back and forth from Mulmaster to Phlan. Sigmund seems very deferential to Red Wizard. The Red Wizard seems to indicate that there is an increasing population in Phlan and a breach of personal contracts that threatens the main plan and this needs to be address immediately. The conversation is short, and the Red Wizard seems to disappear after that line. Sigmund seemed to power walk back to his office with a distressed look on his face. He rushed back to what appeared to be his personal office where he stayed for the next three hours. Elisa stayed in the section for Torm and did basic prayer and three hours after going into his office, he left and locked the door behind him.

Elisa stepped in and managed to pick the lock (SOMEHOW, Nat 20) and looked in Sigmunds Office. In one of drawers, there was a book with invisible text that became visible to Elisa as she could read infernal. The book was barely tangible and read "Contract to Val'Dranar" The moment Elisa touched this item, She could feel that Sigmund became immediately aware that someone witnesses this contract. She looked through it briefly and she tried to move it and tear pages out, but the book was not tangible and could not be moved from the location. She instead decided to try and read portions of it, and caught the words full unwilling submission in text and got the text Malbolge or otherwise known as Heresy. When she witnesses this, she ran out of the Temple of the Three Truths out and ran and hid in a more active part of the city. She originally hid in a allyway where there was a voice in her head that she didn't recognize. The voice introduced itself as Glasya, Lord of the 6th. She stated that she was not meant to witness the ritual. Sadly she had to die for seeing it. Elisa previously tried to dispell the Contract and that failed to work. Now, she tried to dispell the contract's lock on her, and that succeeded. She saw Sigmund step out in full armor with multiple paladins around him. Elisa in disguise moved to a more active part of the city and proceeded to hide in plain site to see if Sigmund was aware of what she looked like and should chase her.

Sigmund moved the location in the allyway and then seemed to look aimlessly. When he was out of site, she managed to move to the Lavender Swan where she asked the location of the rooms for everyone else in the party.

Once there, Elisa tried to get the attention of everyone. Most of the initial conversation was her saying that she caught that Tetler Sigmund was under contract from Hell, specifically the 6th circle of Hell. Imir recognized this, but more than anything he showed fear and caution that the mission might have been compromised. There was a conversation about what the plan would be where it was agreed upon that they would either kidnap or kill Sarcaedon Arbelleck at the upcoming meeting. Santiago specifically wanted to kill him while Imir was more interested in keeping alive. After speaking to his imp companion, he stated that Sarcaedon Arbelleck was decently close to Alloces, who knew his patron Duke Val'Dranar. Despite the differences, there was an understanding that Elisa would play a song to entrance the first floor so that combat happened there would be less of a chance it would cause an immediate panic on the first floor. Imir decided to get both a dimension anchor after learning from Valgred that in Turnok's battle with him Sarcaedon's main form of battling was through dominating people's minds and teleporting them or forcibly teleporting people to Hell, and talked about finding a scroll of Teleport if they needed to escape if things went wrong, or right. After showing anger at the recklessness of learning this information, he proceeded to send to Blade Golian about the situation.

The next morning, Imir got the message that Kyle had been compromised and captured by Sigmund within the Temple of the Three Truths and that the mission may have been compromised. Imir seemed more than willing to end the mission there, but Santiago and Elisa agreed to still continue. Imir bought the supplies in a magical store that gave discounts to members of the Brotherhood of the Cloak. That evening, Elisa adapted her disguise to match the outfits worn by the people at the Lavender Swan. She was not aware as the first few people for the meeting showed up as she didn't recognize any of them. The people in the party made a disguise to look as if they worked at the establishments and stood in a waiting office room next to the suite with the meeting. The first two people that entered the room for the meeting were Adrian Plasses, someone from Merchant house of Melvaunt who sponsored both Santiago's joining of Bruil's team and Aklos. After that, Armen, an older man who was the patron of another family in purple robes. The third person for the meeting was someone Elisa Recognized as the Red Wizard from before. He was accompanied by two other people in red robes. As this person stepped up, Imir immediately recognized even in human form that this person is none other than Keilrecht Tillenbirg, the Grand Magus of the 8th Cricle, Cania.

Imir's eyes went wide as it became clear that this would be a very dangerous mission. Elisa saw and recognized Sarcaedon Arbelleck as he walked in the Lavender Swan with multiple Red Plumes, 4. During this, Elisa tried to get the attention of Sarcaedon and use her playing to cast a spell on him. Sarcaedon didn't notice the spell, but he looked at her and activated an ability and noticed her through disguise and uttered "EC02" before walking away. Elisa tried once more to charm the people and managed to charm one of the Red Plumes. During the time going back up to the meeting, Imir activated a Gem of Seeing he bought for the mission and saw that the Red Plumes by Sarcaedon are actually Bone Devils. At this point, Elisa almost misses that the last person entering for the meeting appears to be someone she does not recognize in a black suit.

=Session 20: Journey to the Astral Castle= Shortly as Sarcaedon came into view, it was Santiago that made the first move to block the ones in the other room from being a factor in the upcoming battle. The result set up those going up the stairs. Shem Romanov V first put tags on the wall to prevent those in the first floor from moving up and turned himself invisible. Sarcaedon immediately took his turn to dominate both Santiago and Imir. The Bone Devils would go after Gosen and knocking him unconscious almost immediately. Regis took an invisibility potion and tossed a smoke bomb in the corner with the bone devils. With the chaos in the other room, Armen ordered his cloaks to see what was going on and help if there was an attack. Santiago broke out of the hold with the help of his scythe and charged Sarcaedon. All this time, Sarcaedon was trying to get him to stop. Elisa then attempted to go upstairs and was blocked by Shem Romanov and then moved outside to climb the wall to the second floor.

The two cloaks teleported in the room. One attempted to hold Santiago and failed while the other cast a fireball into the corner with the bone devil at Sarcaedon's request. Sarcaedon looked in surprise to see Santigo's scythe and proclaimed he was a worshipper of Cyric. With a large wound from Santiago's Scythe, Sarcaedon ordered Imir to take him down, as he proceeded to a smite against Santiago. Santiago move to prevent people from getting through the door was to summon apes to hold the door shut. Keilrecht TIllenbirg in the other room got angry at the situation and telekinesis smashed a hole through the wall, which Imir a chance to snap out of the domination. Regis tossed a portable hole, which Sarcaedon fell into and misty stepped out of confused. When that happened, Shem Romanov V while invisible, spoke to Regis, still invisible and asked if he would be willing to stop this fight or go with him to abandon his friends. Regis did not do that. Shem Romanov V stayed close, but didn't really act this fight.

Elisa started to climb the walls as Sarcaedon proceeded to trap what he thought was just Imir and Santiago, but also included Regis in a force cage. Regis revealed himself and showed that he could cut through the force cage as Santiago and Imir went to charge him. Keilrecht Tillenbirg went to immolate Imir as he tossed back a Rebuke. Sarcaedon became increasingly uncomfortable as Santaigo sliced a hole in magical robes showing a deep wound in him. He first used Shem Romanov as a reason to want to stop this fight, but that was before Elisa used her ability to charm the entire first floor and one of the cloaks. Keilrecht Tillenbirg recognized EC01, Elisa and ordered the Bone Devils to capture her.

Each of the guards move to attack her as she fell back to the ground. Sarcaedon urged them to find a way to escape. He kept an eye across the room at his former colleague, Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Imir cast the scroll of dimensional anchor as Keilrecht Tillenbirg walked outside it's radius to teleport next to Elisa. Keilrecht Tillenbirg smiled as he bragged about dismantling her. Bone Devils surrounded her on the ground as she prayed for a divine favor from Ilmater. Her prayers were answered. It was not a straight forward one expected as Gosen, stabilized got up only to see a familiar talisman in his hands. With the talisman in his hands, there was a faint glow that he noticed. It had a power he never experienced before. It is difficult to tell if this was a result of the talisman itself or the divine favor, but he was able to speak to the group telepathically.

Everyone agreed to leave as bone devils charged at Elisa. Gosen took one last charge at Sarcaedon. Sarcaedon used his magic to redirect Gosen's movement in the direction to grab to Imir just before leaving. Sarcaedon ran to the other side of the room and left apologizing to his guests regarding the attack.

Then everyone teleports, they go to an unfamiliar setting with a shining night sky with a purplish glow. The skyline looks completely different and the landscape is completely unrecognizable. Imir does recognize the location and that they have teleported to the Astral Sea.

Imir stormed off angry and confused that the mission had failed. Regis pulled out the sending stone and attempted to use it when he realized it didn't work. Gosen and Imir were ramping up in an argument with Elisa cast a spell to calm the moods a bit. Everyone did a long rest believing it was safe to stay where they were. After the rest, Elisa spotted a dog with larger than average eyes, looking almost like a golden retriever. The dog did a scruffy sounding bark and lead Elisa and others to a man wearing a mask, who happened to have the head of a fox. He was pleased to see everyone. Everyone was immediately suspicious of him, but in time, they learned that the fox was desperately looking for help and noticing that everyone looked lost. In time the dog felt more comfortable and managed to speak to everyone telepathically. They wanted help to get into the crystal castle in the region.

The fox mentioned that it was impossible to teleport in this region of the Astral Sea. It was sealed off by Hell, and that they needed help by getting to a portal to travel back to the material plane. Everyone took a moment of time to consider the situation. Elisa was convinced that they were sent here for a reason and everyone agreed to move on. The Fox stated to move quickly and quietly. Too loud and they might wake up the Astral Dreadknought, and there were aberrations in the area flowing out of the far off star.

During the travels through the Astral Sea, they traveled in what used to be the branches of a very large tree that was taller than most mountain. There was a massive hole in the middle. In a split in the path, there was a figure blocking it wearing a helmet with no breath holes in the shape cube.

There was an attempt to negotiate with the figure when it telepathically communicated with everyone to die. Larger monstrous aberrations came forth after the being performed a mind blast on everyone there. The doggo was one of the few that passed the save and was able to remove the effect from people. Santiago was the first to break the save with the power of the scythe and immediately went after the Mind Flayer. A giant and strange humanoid with a giant mouth in it's body showed up and started chewing on Gosen. Santiago managed to kill the mind flayer despite nearly being thown off the tree. Elisa managed to banish the aspect of hunger on Gosen and the Fox managed to telekinesis the giant off the tree into the astral sea. A larger barrage of tentacles was whispering and floating slowly Out of the center of the tree burst forth a monster well over 1000 ft long with a mouth wide enough to swallow a small castle with it's eye bound and covered in chains.

The fox warned against playing music earlier in the fight, but the doggo urged Elisa to do so saying that the Dreadknought was neither evil or mindless. Play music to know you are not an enemy and hopefully it will go after the aberration. In an attempt, she sung a song and played with her guitar. The beast looked bound to the area. The Astral Dreadnaught was simply titanic in scope moving up close to one hundread feet from the hole with a large singular eye covered in a magicaly metal bond and covered in magical chains. It's mouth could swallow the entire party at once and much more. The beast froze still and listened to the sound of Elisa's music. After a moment of silence, it moved out and swallowed the large twisted aberrations and slinked back into its hole.

Following in the back were two people in robes, both of them appearing to be human. They introduced themselves as outsiders looking for someone by the name of Talos Mori. One introduced himself as Ronald and the other as Alden. The fox stated that they are looking to speak to very knowledgeable mages in the crystal castle close by. The castle usually doesn't let people in, and it is defended by a barrage of very odd looking angels with twisted forms and a ring covered in eyes surrounding the place.

=Session 21: Pride and ...umm Prejudice= The crystal castle was just a walk away going up a legion of stairs barely seeing an entourage of malformed seraphim once belonging to the court of Mystra. The shapes were barely humanoid with almost no clear facial features and skin with smooth surfaces over flesh and shapes for heads or holes their torsos. Surrounding the castle is an ophanim only barely visible caught by Regis. The staircase to the crystal castle was long, but nothing guarding the castle was approaching. Imir angry looking rather uneasy at the beings flying around the castle looked up as the Fox stated they were noticed, but if there was an issue that they would have been approached by now.

Once the group approached the area where the steps ended, it looked like a solid crystal with no door. In a matter of seconds, a arched hole appeared in crystal looking on a room that was pure white with a bright blue circle in the middle. A disembodied voice asked for the names of everyone in the group. This lead to a length introduction where all but maybe three of the people there, including Elisa, with Alden and Ronald of Mage Hold were recognized. Everyone was let in and told to step onto the blue circle the be transported to the seeing table where the grand wizard Mozariq was held up.

In time, everyone stepped into the white room with seemingly nothing in it and allowed themselves to be fast traveled to a table in a blue background looking outside a thin layer of crystal before being outside. Sitting at a table, there were four different figures, a being composed almost exclusively of light with only the slight outline of a person. To the side of thing... being was a man that looked familiar. Santiago almost immediately identified him as McCallister, the name he used while out in the Dalelands. It was none other than Elminster, Roguishly handsome mage of Shadowdale, but also known to be an old man. The other were off more to the side. One appeared very clearly as a Lich, and a very ancient one. His bones were bleached with stones floating around his head an a human roughly the same size as Gosen with tinted glasses. The person who did most of the initial speaking was Elminster. Imir and Mozariq echoed a concern and confusion to their purpose there.

It was Elminster who spoke to inform the room that it was his decision to let everyone in and that he told himself that it would be beneficial to do so. Confused at how to proceed since no one was there with much an idea of what do to, Mozariq simply agreed to do what he once did and provide those who come and see him for knowledge to ask him two questions of their choosing. Imir frustrated effectively immediately wasted both of his questions. The Fox shortly after wastes both questions asking for support and being surprised afterwards. Regis asks a question which is purposely vague in order to get a specific answer without everyone else being aware of what he meant. Santiago asked about his fate is his continued with the Scythe and Gosen was really the only one who seemed to ask much about how they got there or what might happen to the world in response to the ongoing events. Most of what was divulged was that the world was decaying to what would be the second battle and that this information could not be told to any of the following people "Turnok, Sarshel, Enabrin, Larnel, but it's actually Ok to tell Berg after all".

Ronald asked questions specific about finding a devil criminal by the name of Talos Mori, to which he got answers that made it clear that he had no further interest in being in this world. However, Alden asked specifically about Aklos, to which Gosen and Santiago responded. He got the distance of where he is going. This caused an argument between Alden and Ronald, which would unveil information that would get the attention of the Lich, who would introduce himself as the Ancient Netherverse Lich, Larloch. He asked about the demise of Alden's world and the link that it might have to this world. Ronald gave a typically evasive answer as not to provoke the situation as Alden gave a truthful answer to what happened to his world and how. The story of how the goddess of magic of his world was controlled seemed too familiar to the story of Karsus during his time and he retold the events to discover that they were likely talking about the same spell. Larloch then asked Mozariq about the events surrounding the destruction of ancient Netheril, which would connect the dots for both parties involved. Larloch both mournful that his colleague's mistakes could have helped destroy an entire world and may ripple back agreed to help Alden find Aklos, or at least get him back to the material plane and asked Mozariq if there were other survivals in this world, to which Alden answered no, but simply to be corrected by Mozariq for an answer in the 70s, which would contradict the intel given by Ronald. This caused a stir as Elisa asked questions about whether or not it was in her power to help Imir and if she would be able to help Santiago. To which she would eventually be able to help Imir, but the question with Santiago was more vague and contested. Mozariq more argued the point of what counts as help than give a definitive answer regarding Santiago. Larloch had his own conversation with Mozariq regarding the situation and the Far Realm and agreed to leave with the group to free the portal afterwards. He took the form of his body in life, a dark skinned man with white hair and proceeded to travel outwards stating that it was possible for him to be gone a while since he anticipated that his body might be destroyed in the upcoming battle.

During Ronald's question everyone learned that Talos Mori was with his Lord, a Duke of Hell known as Bel'Claudo. Bel'Claudo an arrogant but powerful devil who has control over this portion of the Astral Sea and guards a portal and sealed off flight outside of winged beings and teleportation. Larloch gave a very basic plan idea over what he is expecting to do. He was going to cast a powerful ritual spell that will collapse a portion of the Astral Sea in on itself, and doing so will likely give everyone a chance to go through the portal before it is destroyed. The only work around is the fact that time will need to be stalled before the fight as he is looking to cast the spell. Larloch didn't give a specific period of time, but that it would take hours of initial preparation, but several minutes to actually cast the spell when he is ready to do so.

During the night, it was clear that while traveling with the group that the Fox was nervous and considered the idea of rummaging through people's belongings before nervously looking back at Elisa and deciding not to. At the location, there was a small rock with several symbols and runes on it. Written in infernal, Elisa realized that it was mostly just a marking of which portal this is. Regis and Gosen questioned if this was the right place, to which the Fox was certain this goes to the right place. He informed everyone that it will go to a small island cutoff from the mainland that cannot be reached since both flight and teleportation have been cut off. In there, there is no way back without permission from Bel'Claudo. While discussing this, he stated that Bel'Claudo would want something in return for using the portal.

Here was the moment, he discussed an alternative to battle. The Fox, Arcanaloth was discussing the idea of what they might want and considered the possibility of sacrificing the warforged to them. Elisa was not particularly willing to sacrifice herself on a whim, but Regis seemed fine with it. Larloch went back and stated that it likely wouldn't amount to much since they have all the leverage in this situation. The doggo barked giving more than enough an argument to reveal that there was not much left to be said. Larloch reminded everyone that at this point he will need time. He will need to focus on the area being attacked. Elisa tested sendings to Regis to know that she wouldn't immediately arrive with everyone else knowing that her presence tends to make encounters aggressive with Hell since she is someone they want to have and study.

Once the group went through the portal, everyone was on a sort of circular floating island, which was almost most shaped like a doughnut with a small doughnut hole island with the portal. There was an assortment of legion devils, Malebranche, Glugons, and a small throne with a like figure in ridiculously ornate gold and red cloak covering a pale reddish gray skin with a devil with a long face and 4 horns sticking from his head. Bel'Claudo spoke with a high pitch voice immediately asking what the group wanted, and then assuming it was passage what they would offer for passage through the portal. Santiago started with a meticulous approach immediately working to spend time. He started with a negotiation of potential work and went through asking for a contract and ways to go about it. Bel'Claudo was impressed with his ideas and his initiative and started the conversation off very pleased and happy with Santiago.

Despite Santiago working Bel'Claudo very impressively, he did still see Imir as a lesser lifeform and immediately suggested that Imir be permanently enslaved to Bel'Claudo. Imir shouted back immediately in response, which created tension where it was almost diffused before it started. This still wasn't the worst as Bel'Claudo was enraged and vented a bit about how he wanted Imir's head and that he would spare several of the people. Bel'Claudo wanted to put the entire group under contract. Santiago managed to talk it kind of down to a single favor, really focusing on making this take a long time rather than the actual result, which almost seemed to work at stalling the situation. He even did well enough that Bel'Claudo agreed to spare Imir if he would lick Bel'Claudo's boots while kneeling. Given the situation, he agreed reluctantly. Imir and the rest of the group walked up to Bel'Claudo and when the time approached, he activated his Hex Blade and attacked the Duke of Hell. The response was immediately met with a powerful binding magic which allowed the surrounding Glugons to stab Imir almost immediately knocking him unconscious. Bel'Claudo didn't catch that this was the will of everyone in the group and was willing to forgiving everyone if Santiago agreed to chop Imir's head.

Santiago agreed reluctantly. He very slowly approached and Bel'Claudo blinded sided again took a swing from Santiago striking a significant blow against him as he called out in rage to kill every last one of the people there. The Glugons both attacked Santiago knocking him down after stabbing him repeatedly. Before he fell, he let Elisa know that things have gone south. The Doggo jumped over and started barking to eventually bring back Santiago and Imir. Ronald went and immediately attempted to imprison Talos Mori and failed, which lead to a charge that immediately had his head chopped off. Bel'Claudo used his powers to create a wall of fire around everyone in the group as the arcanaloth dispelled it.

Shortly after that, Larloch's spell began to activate creating a tear in the sky of the astal sea and causing shakes. Bel'Claudo looked back at Larloch and looked at Santiago furious with the situation calling for everyone to be killed. Elisa used an ability that charmed most of the legionnaires and the priests guarding the portal. Alden created a bridge to cross as the Arcanaloth rushed towards the bridge, Bel'Claudo immediately impaled him with his claws as the Fox disintegrates. Larloch adds a ward onto Santiago as he proceeds to impklode several of the devils around him. Bel'Claudo looks at Elisa and sees the chaos and uses his War Forged incinerator, a hulking warforged more terrifying than most golems to take her down as Alden creates a quake in the small island shattering the ground and knocking over several of the devils and the warforged as many of the group start to make their way towards the portal.

=Session 22: Not what it Seems=

The island where the battle took place began to crumble as most of the group began to run for the bridge. The Glugon stepped back an spun its spear in the circle to create a whirlwind of ice and snow towards most in the group. Several fell down before the doggo barked to help everyone regain consciousness. Elisa too aided in prayer to give the everyone enough strength to move on. Alden looked back Ronald and looked at the party when deciding to haste the group to get everyone to move quicker to the portal.

The one Rakshasa there used her spell to control Imir's mind and make him attack Alden. The spell ended after his attack swung deep landing a critical blow against him. After the spell wore off, Gosen, followed by Regis and others made their way to the portal. Bel'Claudo fighting several of his underlings simultaneously tossing them off the bridge to the portal or dismembering them as he stared at Santiago making his way to the portal.

Elisa needed to talk Imir into deciding to leave without aiming to kill Bel'Claudo then and there. Bel'Claudo trying to goad everyone into staying through this frustratingly yelling at his own underlings attacking him.

Larloch keeping the attention of the Pit Lord Talos Mori and other combatants shape changed himself into an ancient blue dragon to use his lightning breath on the Devils and Warforged for Hell. The sky was close to shattering as Elisa went back to bring Ronald back to life. Ronald seeing the whole in the sky looks at a watch to realize the wards over teleportation and flight have been removed from this area goes back with the others and teleports the group close to him, including Alden, Elisa, and presumably Doggo back to the location where the portal would take everyone else. Everyone seems to make it through to a portal at night. One the other side seems to be no one waiting, but just a small shed. After less than a minute, the only one that crosses that portal is Bel'Claudo himself. Bel'Claudo clearly injured from the Erynes he fought off during the end of the battle. Imir cuts deep into him with a swing and he summons a firestorm hitting the everyone around him. He snaps his fingers and freezes time to move away from Imir and heal himself.

Santiago rushes him landing critical strike. Bel'Claudo almost trembles in fear as gets ready for an ultimate attack and summons a meteor swarm on the party. In response to a deadly attack, it activates a contingency from Alden that mitigates the damage of the attacks warding everyone from the majority of the pain, while Elisa rebukes the attack causing Bel'Claudo to suffer a significant injury knocking him down to one knee suffering the pain he dealt with that attack.

He looks at only Regis standing and Imir in ice. He admits defeat, but says it is not without a cost as he aims his hand to disintegrate Santiago... and misses. After missing, Regis heals Elisa, who fell in response to the attack. Bel'Claudo looking infuriated picks up Santiago as Elisa rushes to try to take Santiago from Bel'Claudo's grip as he coup de gras him to kill Santiago. In his death, the scythe explodes with shards knocking Bel'Claudo to the group with a blank look on his face and black eyes. Santiago's body disintegrates into black smoke and flies away only leaving his gear.

Heart to heart with Father Eshkabel
Santiago appeared in a dank poorly lit dungeon to find a familiar man playing the Piano. He remembered the look of his man as Perseus Von Eshkabel. The moment Santiago came too, he saw Ehskabel, who stopped playing the moment Santiago became conscious. His clothing not too dissimilar to his old clothing when they faught back under ground in the Dales, maybe just a little darker in color. Ehskabel didn't see too surprised to see Santiago and greeted him. Eshkabel mostly monologuing at this point made mention that he wasn't sure that Santiago would originally transform fully into his child, but mentioned that he took to the scythe better than others. Santiago quipping that he didn't think much of it and simply saw it as a tool. Eshkabel remarked that Santiago was more like himself or even Cyric than his worshippers. He was impressed at what he was able to accomplish and that he didn't seem too consumed with the identity of his actions.

When Santiago died, Eshkabel managed to look into his memories and feelings. Eshkabel was calm, almost soothing. He was not willing to control or do anything antagonistic to him, almost fatherly in nature. "Santiago, it seems that you had outgrown your objectives. Even at the start of your missions, you originally had goals. What is it you want in life?" Santiago was confused at this question. Santiago didn't really know and that he had gone used to taking order and following the direction of others. Eshkabel nodded and found it odd that he had listened to people beneath him to fight enemies far above him without much and idea of it is even in his benefit.

"Santiago, what drives you? You are capable. If this was about money, you could retire rich today and run off in this safe region.You could easily be a lord of that were your goal. I could even help make that happen if you would prefer." Santiago's answer was that he wanted to help people worse off than himself. Eshkabel kind of laughed, but he remarked that it is in human nature to be impulsively selfish and contemplatively compassionate and have it all make sense. Ehskabel asked if Santiago wanted to go back to his allies. Santiago agreed to go back.

Regis the first to mourn Santiago's loss kind of crying before looking at this things. Elisa trying to desperately see if she can bring him back from what's left of him. Gosen eyes his things roughly the same time Regis does when Elisa picks his things up and asks Gosen and Regis if Santiago had family.

The mood is collectively dim as everyone takes cover in the shed is it begins to rain outside. The only one outside still is Imir, who takes the time seeing a stasis Bel'Claudo to slice off his head. His body disintegrates a he holds onto his head and takes a moment to enslave his soul temporarily.

Imir spends most of the time embarrassing and defacing Bel'Claudo to brag his victory. Bel'Claudo shunned and embarrassed for his final moments laughs and states that while there is pride to be felt in Imir's victory, that Bel'Claudo states that twelve hours of servitude and embarrassment do not compare to an eternity he spent living as a Duke and over everyone else. He said that if he wanted to give meaning to this time, he would use it for revenge, as he has no allegiance in death. Imir considers his prospect to ask about Val'Drannar.

Bel'Claudo states that he knew who Imir was and demanded his slavery in response to a major bounty on his head. Val'Drannar is close to Silverymoon working with the Grand Magus of the 6th Circle to take down the Gem of the North and eventually the Dragoncoast. He mentioned that Val'Dranner has many legions in the area, but works with an elite few that he has experimented with that he says are completed. Val'Drannar saw great potential in Imir, but he was imperfect and unfinished. He assumed that he would send his best after Imir to take him back. Once Imir heard the name Belgoth, he knew what was happening and what to expect. He dismissed Bel'Claudo, where he gave Imir a thank you for releasing him from life. The night passed mostly uneventfully as Elisa stood watch in the rain. Towards dawn once the weather cleared up, a plume of black smoke appeared as one kept up with his word and Santiago appeared by his friends. Elisa, looked to her god to see if he was real or an apparition. She could tell the aura of the scythe was around him, but that he was still there. Ilmater gave her the word that he was still Santiago, and that he was not an enemy, not yet at least. Santiago didn't give too many details, but he did say that he was now a child of Eshkabel. No one reacted to the point not to trust Santiago, but many questioned his decision. Everyone did, but Imir. All he needed to do was say that he was free of him to approve of his actions. Regis argued that this wasn't the real Santiago and tried to keep his things while Gosen didn't really believe that Santiago was actually free and likely brainwashed by Eshkabel. Floppenwrist11/15/2020 Shortly once things were done. Ronald thanked the group when he mentioned that it was time for both of them to make their way back to Magehold. The moment that was said, Alden immediately teleported away. Ronald sighed, saying that it was not very surprising. He went to Elisa to personally thank her for saving him. He stated that he had no real intent to help them in any way due to his code in Magehold. Because of this, he felt indebted to help her in any way. She declined his help. Ronald nodded and then teleported away quickly.

It took a few moments for everyone to realize where they are, but once Elisa figured it out that they were in the tortured lands, she realized that they were close to the mountains just north of the border forest and close to Whitehorn.

It was less than a day's travel to Whitehorn. When going south, Regis and Gosen spotted a Tiefling and two gnolls and two kenku going in their direction with a human female. Imir made contact first with the other tiefling. When they were close enough, all the words were "friend or foe of hell". Imir was quick to say Foe when the tiefling said to put their weapons away. The gnolls were resistant as Imir smirked to prove his case by taking out the head of Bel'Claudo before throwing it to them.

The tiefling was impressed and looked up at Imir and told his group that whoever these people are have killed the Duke that ruled these lands and that they are to be given free passage through the lands and any provisions needed. Regis tried to take everything he could before Elisa stopped them. The meeting was brief before the group passed and continued southward. The tiefling, who identified himself as Gromer did stated that one of the reasons Bel'Claudo was in the region was to attempt to go after the plane rules by Malkizid, lord of the Yugoloths that the gnolls worshipped in the tortured lands.

There was no real incident between then and the rest of the journey to Whitehorn. The travel through the mountains was uneventful. Whitehorn itself, proved to be just as aloof of the situations around it as last time as one of the guards remembered Regis and Gosen from last time. Everyone made their way to "INN" at Whitehorn and made their way to an early night.

An Evening Stroll with a Grand Magus
throughout the day, Elisa got sendings from Sarcaedon Arbelleck regarding a talk. He wanted to discuss things feeling that he could clear up the situation. She was willing to hear him out, but knew many in her party would not offer him the same consideration. She asked if they could meet alone. He did agree to that on her terms.

That night, she walked out on the streets to see him walk out from the shadows. Sarcaedon appeared to be alone. He told her that he just wanted to have a lower profile and the preferred being allies with the original adventuring group. He had felt that his reputation was unwarranted and that those that hired them were no less involved with Hell than he was. Sarcaedon pulls out a piece of paper that the group got from the Necromancer on their first job for Phlan and gave it to Elisa. Elisa, being able to read it could see that this was an agreement between Khaldun from the 9th Circle of Hell, Golian Volkstadd of the Blades of Mulmaster and Gaziel, Arch Duke of the 4th Circle of Hell.

Sarcaedon asked if there was a way he could have the attention of everyone in the group, when Elisa said that there are those too stubborn to really listen to him and others wouldn't consider his words without money involved. Sarcaedon almost defended the rest of the party as Elisa seemed almost frustrated at how difficult they are to move as a group. He did say that all he wanted from the group originally was to help confirm his fears about the groups that wished to invade and hurt Phlan. He asked that maybe both groups would work together or at least stop hunting him if they realized that there was a real threat from Hell to this region around the corner. He asked if they could go to the border forests where there is a tower controlled by goblins and a Beholder where he believes Gaziel is or to Zhentil Keep, where he believes Paimon might be.

Sarcaedon stated that he didn't want to expect too much since he knew they would not likely become allies, but he wants her to understand that he isn't necessarily on the side of Hell and wants to see if they can at least try to validate his concerns for their movements in the region. He talks about a construct made of Silver that Hell uses to smash cities and destroy walls. He can't confirm it, but he wants someone with credibility to bring that to the attention of the Temple of the Triad and allow them to fight to protect Phlan. Elisa reluctantly agreed to mention this to her allies before going back to the INN

Bruil Checking In
Around this time, just a bit earlier Regis received a message aware of the attack in Phlan and the fact that they were unable to spot the group for the last day or so. He wondered what happened, but Regis was still around the group of gnolls and the tiefling. He responded later to say that thing were not going well and that he would report more on it in time.

When Elisa came back, she went back to her room, but didn't need to sleep. At the start of the next morning, she went down stairs to see everyone other than Imir. It was a slow an relaxing morning in Whitehorn and everyone was getting ready to enjoy a steak and lamb filled breakfast. Imir, still in his room when Elisa went looking for him. She was aware of her conversation the previous night wanted to have everyone in the party of the party when she discussed what she talked about in the party. Elisa was able to get Imir to go down and discuss that she spoke to Sarcaedon Arbelleck the night before in Whiteford in regard to topics and concerns of his.

=Session 23: The Hellfire Engine= Elisa addressed the party after having a hardy breakfast lamb, ham, beef and eggs paid for with a platinum that she talked to Sarcaedon Arbelleck. As stated in the conversation with him, she states that she didn't so much trust that he was good or that she trusted him, but trusted that he was telling the truth. Elisa pulls out the piece of paper provided to her that Santiago and Gosen both remember from the save where they fought the Necromancer. Imir is able to read it also, and catches the names Khladun, Gazriel, and Golian. The agreement mentions several parts, but has a connection point between resources. Elisa stated that Sarcaedon admitted that he cannot pay them as much as the Blades, but stated that he can help them restore a status as being welcomed in Phlan even after attacking him.

During the conversation, Imir did get a sending from Golian asking about the situation being aware on the attack against Sarcaedon Arbelleck and stating that Imir was not named during the attack. He discussed the situation during the conversation and acted in a way to provide Golian no meaningful information to their current situation.

Everyone did eventually agree that Golian's position working with Hell was unsettling. Sarcaedon mentioned that he was after getting information on two major threats. He believed there to be a major threat to Phlan in the border forest and a potential threat to the overall in Zhentil Keep. Regis and Gosen were still not really sold on whether or not going into Phlan or working with Sarcaedon was really a good idea, while Imir didn't so much agree to work with Sarcaedon, but believed that what he was saying would count as working against Hell.

Seeing that everyone was in Whiteford and already close to the border forest, it was agreed to see what was in the border forest. As per the conversation with Sarcaedon, the thread he believed was coming from there was a threat as part of the personal contract plan to attack Phlan with the power of the Hellfire Engines. Hellfire Engines are a siege based construct made of Silver that are used to harvest souls that would be used for the Warforged army, but are also powerful weapons that can smash through castle walls. Sarcaedon was almost desperate for their help since he knew they were very effective in the previous jobs for Phlan. In both cases, Sarcaedon only asked for proof of his suspicion and not a direct confrontation since his suspicion is that a Duke of Hell was head of the operation in both cases.

Shortly after that discussion the entire party went into the border forest first to see that there was a major movement of people, or undead from the area close to where they went to fight Agnon Pilot before. Going deeper, but were able to find movements of Goblins and trace it back north and Regis was able to see the top of a tower, the building where the goblins were working from. Closer to the tower, there was a small scout of goblins that were on patrol.

Out of the three goblins there, one was killed and the other was knocked out quickly as the third one was left free to run for some reason before being shot down quickly afterwards with Gosen's lasers. The goblin, believed to be the head was tied up, had his horn destroyed and was threatened. Originally the goblin was almost impossible to reason with to the point or pretending not to understand the language

Elisa was able to charm him and get the name Abba Dabb. After that happened, he became much more friendly to everyone other than Regis and gave a pathway for everyone to follow in order to sneak and get a side view of the tower.

The tower was at the edge of the forest near the mountains where it was guarded by Bone Devils and goblins. There were two large construct weapons verifying Sarcaedon's claim about the Hellfire Engines. The group however were still looking to obtain proof of it's existence. Abba Dab was set free with a command to run off. While talking to him, during the trip, it did seem clear that while the goblins were necessary good or innocent, they were not willing agents for Hell and were basically dominated when the their original master, a beholder was taken over. In addition, he did verify the presence of a very large Bone Devil.

Elisa had a plan that would be able to get everyone to the tower. If they could get in the tower, they might be able to find plans or other proof of the weapon's existence to take back to Sarcaedon or whoever needed to see it. The plan was to wait till night and then sneak through a lighter line of defenses while invisible. This worked as planned until reaching the locked door to the tower. Despite being locked, this was an easy fix for Regis to bypass. The tower was completely dark as those with dark vision shifted through a line of papers on the desk ground level. Most of what was found was from stolen silver shipments and a contract from Val'Dranar to Gazriel for the usage of of his elite squad of tieflings. This gained Imir's attention shifting from fear to rage when heard.

There was a circular staircase going upwards towards the top room where the entrance was a trap door on the flow. Regis could tell is was trapped by feeling the area around it lightly, but not really sure how. There was a small discussion on how to continue when he decided rather than alert people by making light that he would attempt to disarm it without light.

This effort didn't work too well either. His attempt lead to a loud alarm going off. They heard the voice of someone speaking in infernal. The alarm was very loud as the lights in the tower went on and everyone became visible in response to the alarm. Once it was clear the disguise was off, Imir and Santiago went up to fight a tiefling and two legions with him and a priest. The tiefling was an old warrior with Imir recognized as Helbrand. He was an older less powerful experiment, but bragged his wealth and lifestyle to the success of Val'Dranar and looked forward to fighting and killing Imir. The battle started with a powerful hit against Imir, but it only mildly impressed Imir as he followed with a hit double the strength. Helbrand was quickly dispatched as the party quickly took control of the small forces at the top of the tower. The battle was short as everyone realized that forces would soon envelope the area. Elisa grabbed the plans she quickly recognized. A Bone Devil flew into one of opens for a window, smashing it to create space for more as goblins started running up the stairs.

Imir quickly realized he had a scroll of teleportation and told everyone to gather so they could teleport away before Gazriel showed up .Imir teleported the everyone only to the edge of the border forest.

=Session 24: Holy Conquest?= Once hitting the edge of the border forest, everyone agreed relatively easily given the time of night to go back to Whitehorn and sleep in that same inn. Elisa wanted to reach out to Sarcaedon about what to do with the proof, but she would need to wait till the next day in order to figure out what to do next since she didn't prepare sending in order to reach him. It was an uneventful night. The start of the next morning, she sent to him. He originally wanted to meet in Phlan, but Santiago and Gosen both agreed that it made more sense to make him go over to them in Whitehorn to discuss the next actions.

The morning was mostly uneventful past breakfast. A few hours passed when he arrived in the city streets of Whitehorn alone. He informed them that he was alone at that time, but that he was ready for conflict if this was a trap. Elisa tried to keep him at ease as everyone saw the familiar face in his typical formal black robes as he walked down the streets. Sarcaedon looked over the entire group as Elisa was pretty much the only one who approached him. Sarcaedon looked first at Imir and then at Santiago. He was cautious at first while trying to sound very in control. Elisa showed him the paper verifying his suspicions. Imir quickly interjected with questions about Golian and wondering why they should trust him over the Blades of Mulmaster.

Sarcaedon was comfortable with questions. He made his case very clear to everyone. He was helping the world, not because he cares about people or is a good person, but because he has a reputation already and will be seen as someone responsible for what happened. As much as that, he states that his desires when working for Hell was all personal gain, not sadism and global genocide. He stated that he is not necessarily more morally inclined than either Golian or Selfaril, but that they had an and ambition he didn't have and a desire to either gain or regain power.

Santiago was unsure if this was beneficial or what they wanted to do. Imir did seem convinced of what Sarcaedon said, not so much that he didn't want to kill him, but that what was said about the Blades was accurate. Sarceadon was willing to contest counter evidence and invited Imir to be untrusting to him if he was willing to disprove him. Elisa did show the evidence that he originally provided and Imir questioned its legitimacy. Sarcaedon was quick to state that Imir knew that Hell's contracts were what kept any degree of order among back stabbing devils. If forging a contract were easy, then there would be be no law in Hell, and laws and contracts were among the only constants in Hell.

Sarcaedon did state that he wanted everyone to go back to Phlan first, but Santiago was pretty keen on trying not to have that happen. During this time, Gosen has retrieved a sending from an unfamiliar person to a person he didn't recognize. The only thing he could recognize was the rank of the individual. He was a bit distracted and figured that these sendings were not for him, but likely for the original or last holder of his talisman.

During this, Regis, who seemed to be sweating more than usual seemed uneasy with all of this. He noted that this all was getting too dangerous and noticed how Sarcaedon had mentioned nothing to do with pay for all of this. Sarcaedon did quickly admit that for this conversation to work that the parties involved would need to care at least a little bit with the current events of the world and trust him, not blindly, but at least that he wasn't their enemy. He told Regis that if the idea was who was willing to pay more money that he would not have more money than the Blades of Mulmaster. Regis spent a minute relaying this information back to everyone about the pay difference between both sides since they were both clearly involved with this.

mir seemed not necessarily on the side of Sarcaedon, but clearly against the Blades of Mulmaster at this point and Elisa also disagreed with Regis stating that Sarcaedon while not a good person did at least seem to be providing real information and some degree of honest council while Golian's whole plan relied on lying to everyone about his relationship with Hell. Regis not really comfortable with this situation did make a decision to leave the group and aim to retire.

Santiago was the one who approached him before leaving more than anyone else. Regis was convinced with his resourcefulness and money that he could make his own business and go off and avoid the perils of adventuring during this dangerous time. No one contested his decision.

After he left, Sarceadon did seem afraid that he might still join up with Golian or others that side with him since they are the high bidders. Imir was unsure how to approach with the clear finger pointing. Sarcaedon did try to change the focus off himself and the Blades to Gazriel and Paimon and the devils themselves. When it came to figuring out what to do next, Elisa did agree that going to the Temple of the Triad did seem like the safer option. Sarceadon caved in for the idea acknowledging that Turnok would much sooner believe their group than himself or anyone liaison from Phlan at this point. Once that was discussed, he asked that afterwards if they would be willing to meet in Phlan for their next move. Sarcaedon did stated that after the death of Agnon Pilot that the hoard of undead from his castle of his former colleague, Count Belthorn had moved to the Thar and been taken by a Lich who had meant to use an already large hoard of undead created by the wars with the Ogres to throw south at Melvaunt and Phlan. There was no clear commitment about going back to Phlan, but no clear denial. The conversation reached it's close with an understanding of first going to the Temple of the Triad.

Sarcaedon left the city mostly on foot with no clear sign that he teleported away. The Temple of the Triad was only a day and a half on foot away from Whitehorn. There were Eraka tracks along the main road, but nothing eventful happened on the two day travels the Blood Marshes.

When everyone reached the start of the point of the bloodmarshes, the party was shown a familiar scene at the edge of swampy dark almost pink colored water thicker. Before it's start a paladin in fullplate with the symbol of Torm on the shoulder plates of his armor stood at watch just in front of a portal calling everyone out the moment he noticed everyone. His face was almost completely covered by his helmet. As previous to the group, he insisted on knowing their purpose and what was happening. Gosen tried to not tell the paladin why they were there and insisted that Turnock would be unhappy without the news they would bring. This as similar again to the first time set the paladin off in a defensive stance looking down at his weapon and back at everyone, including the tiefling with the half orc barbarian.

More anxious than before, the Paladin asked for the business of the people going to the Temple of the Tried. After trying dodge the question, it was Gosen that stated that they had intel about a weapon in the border forest. Elisa started giving a few details when the paladin nodded. He added that he would need to discuss this information with superiors in the temple, but that it is likely that he could bring it to Turnock.

That same paladin game back with an older looking cleric in pristine robes with the symbol of Torm and necklace with the symbol of the gauntlet in cold iron. He invited the party to step through the portal and come meet at the inside of the Temple. It was stated that Turnock would come to them not far from the entrance. He was waiting for information like this to validate his concerns with the area. A short time passes, anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour when same as the last time, Turnock appears with an entourage of paladins around him. He stands almost as tall as Elisa, but wide in full plate armor looking over specifically Elisa and Imir before meeting eyes with Santiago and Gosen, who he had met prior when the group delivered the new about Paimon. With barely a second though, he dismissed his look of suspicion on the other two. "It would appear that your group has changed" he says eyeing Santiago and Gosen with an equal acknowledgement. Turnock doing as close as a reptile can do to smile "I trust you, so I will trust those in your company. As long as you are here save the less fortunate, and kill devils; you are my ally."

Imir, rather tense in this situation to be surrounded by paladins for the first time after entering the church seems to be at ease. With that Turnock asks for the details of the intel. Elisa goes into detail as she is also the one holding the plans and reveals the plans for the Hellfire Engine. With that, she discusses the possible implication for Phlan. Turnock pauses, thinking out loud, considering his options. Elisa is almost immediately put off by the fact that his first thought isn't about saving Phlan. Turnock talks among his paladins a bit as well contemplating if they have the forces to fend off an attack like that without the aid of the Temple of the Triad.

It is at this point Elisa mirrors the language of the former Grand Magus of the 4th circle by stating that there are over 80,000 civilians Phlan. Her voice more agitated than average at the notion that someone revered like Turnock could even fathom the idea of not helping the city in these circumstances. He looked at her. "A wise commander considers all of his options before making a decision... I don't intend to let the city fall." Still far too cold, she took a noticeable disdain for Turnock at that point.

The conversation soon goes to the other place of interest. Elisa is the one that mentions Zhentil Keep. It is at that point that Turnock calls over a Cleric of Torm. There is a small conversation regarding a plot of significance. They speak for a moment. Turnock is immediately thankful to hear the information. He nods at the group and proceeds to ask them for help. "I have had a sense that the ruins of a holy battle, like here would be a place of great significance for the rituals of Hell. If you are willing to help me, I would be willing have you help me scout the region. I plan on taking my armies, but any insight into the forces they have and how they will be ready will be important."

Gosen seems a bit unsure as does Elisa at first. Turnock states that he expected such a thing to be true. He noticed that the mountains just south of the Temple were well guarded and wondered what they would be defending south of the Temple of the Triad if not Zhentil Keep. Turnock raises his voice in excitement saying that he has been ready for this battle for months. He just needed the excuse to go. He had mobilized troops to leave to get ready for a large scale attack in the last few weeks. If the party would be willing to scout by going through the narrow mountain passes, he would be finish setting up his forces and plan a full scale assault. The pace of such an attack caught everyone off guard, but Turnock managed to put his excitement into those around him, and whether excited or just willing to agree with him at all, everyone agreed to his plan. Briefing on the plan would happen tomorrow morning as would the trek itself.

The next morning, Turnock stated that the scouting team would be little more than eleven people, but all elite paladins and clerics traveling with the party to make it through the pass. The point would be to make it through the pass and reach Zhentil Keep as Turnock amasses the forces and starts his way with an army approaching 10,000 strong to take the site. Turnock talked about where he would gather people aside from the Temple of the Triad to make his attack. He wanted the group to be one that easily recognized as a scout group for a large army. The adventuring party looked the part to be something different from than paladins from the Temple of the Triad.

Everyone was surprised that the group would be so small. Turnock was sure that a smaller group would work better. There are many paths, but a large group would be forced to deal with multiple paths through the mountains and would gain the attention of all the forces in the mountain. Turnock knew that the leader guarding the mountain passes was a well known Pit Fiend from Avernus almost confirming the suspicion of the importance of the of the site. Santiago asked about supplies to help along. Turnock had that covered and took out a chest and handed out supplies liberally to the team and assigned head of his force to work under the authority of the party aside from keeping everyone aware of the objective. An older man in his late 40s and light blond hair and blue eyes with a long face looked up at Turnock. This human cleric of Bahamut stood in plate and blue robes over the armor and gave bow to Turnock. "Make sure they live. This mission will be dangerous. If it wouldn't give away our position, I would be going on this mission myself. Rest assured, if Paimon is there, I will kill him again." The paladin holds a map of the region and a map of the mountain in particular.

After the supplies were dispersed, Turnock warned that a Pit Fiend would be waiting for them on the bridge and that he would need to be slain in order for the attack to work, so that the group must be ready to engage a very threatening opponent. There was little conversation at that point when the group started south. The path to the mountains was clear, but while on the mountains, it was clear there were Malebranche (horned devils) scouting the skies. The small lake was in valley of the passages. As Santiago scouted closer, the paths became clear. The closest was the one with Pit Fiend.

When it was in sight, Elisa thought of a plan. She had the ability to mass charm. Sitting on the bridge, looking rather bored, was a horned devil. This horned devil looked different. She skin was bright red and a very stalky frame. The most noticeable feature is that this Horned Devil instead of the average nine of so feet tall appeared to be closer to around fifty feet tall. The expression was bored. Across the bridge, there was a large number of Warforged guarding the other side and a chimera chained to a small pillar. A small crumbled pile of rock was shifted into the throne of stone. The Pit fiend had deep red skin with a very toothy grin drinking from a bottle of wine poured by an older human covered head to toe in robes clad in a pentagram. Elisa noticed that it almost seemed like they were waiting for them to appear. She knew what she needed to do to gain the advantage and it appeared as if her presence was not noticed on the bridge. In front, there were two different looking warforged standing perfectly still just in front of the massive devil. In the back there was a warforged in a framed armor covering most its upper body with large turrets covering its forearms.

=Session 25: Battle on the Bridge=

Crack in the Helm of Justice: Enter Fenwyck
A routine meeting between military powers was in the process of happening. A troop trade was scheduled to occur between Myth Drannor and the Temple of the Triad. This was a practice more known for the Dales and the Temple of the Triad, but the only Dale of significance in it's military's presence was Archendale. Myth Drannor had become an active ally in the battle once it become clear that even the sigils were not a permanent solution against Wormwood's blood rain.

Lotherin Averellin of House Aelorothia was a ranking figure of his house walked with at least 20 plus elven rangers and a few bards on foot through the scorched lands where the forest was leading to the decayed lands of the Dales. On the other side, a mounted cavalry of paladins each dawning a symbol of their god placed on their armor with Turnok at the front of the pack on a war horse and damaged armor. The two both looked a bit surprised to see each other initially and looked at the forces around each other.

Lotherin introduced his presence for the sake of the troop trade, but also as support from Enabrin, to whom Letherin had great disdain for his connection to the Silverrain family. Turnock is there for an intel exchange with Myth Drannor. Both expressed a slight surprise by seeing each other there. Turnock had a paladin look through the names and noticed a gnome, a small female gnome in an open brown robe covered in pockets. Turnock asked about her to get a response first from Lotherin that she is someone requested to be sent as aid from Enabrin by the word and need of Sarshel. Turnock's eyes went slightly wide at that comment but he looked down at her.

She politely introduced herself. Lotherin states that she is skilled and much like the troop trade represents aid in ability not commonly retrieved by the methods employed by the Temple of the Triad.

The two switch to the topic of exchanging information. Turnock reveals by request from Lotherin, that Desmond, servant of Tiamat is King of the Moonsea and that others at the Temple of the Triad knew before he did. Lotherin was disgusted with this fact reciting the name Shem Romanov and Oryn Silverrain when referencing the Crimson Celebration. Turnock asked about Levias, an Elven Grand Magus of the 3rd under Mammon. Lotherin was not pleased to acknowledge that he was with them, but stated that Levias was someone who was able to help dilute the effects of Wormwood's Blood rain better than anyone else without a great deal of magical intervention. Turnock states that he was close to Sarcaedon Arbellect of the 4th circle and that he fought against them both in the Battle of the Betrayed.

Lotherin asked about the walked hoard of the undead marching towards Phlan from the border forest. Lotherin made a passing statement about a hidden elven city Netheril, but it quickly changed once Turnock brought up return of Paimon and Count Belthorn.

More less important details were shared before the two engaged in the troop trade itself. Turnock asked for the introduction of the one sent by Enabrin as he introduced himself. Fenwyck introduced herself shyly, but respectfully. Turnock seemed surprised at her energy. Both Turnock and Lotherin appeared to have lost sleep and seemed very tired at this exchange. The conversation had brought some life back into him.

Lotherin turned back to Turnock and asked if he could expect aid in support to come to Myth Drannor. He stated that the Drow seemed to have joined Hell in fear of a connection from the Underdark. Turnock seemed shocked after previous messages suggesting such a thing wouldn't occur. Lotherin mentioned that aberration and ithilid populations have increased in the Underdark to the point where they have joined with Hell to defeat a mutual enemy. Turnock heard the far realm and asked about an elf named Aklos. Lotherin was surprised and Turnock completely dismissed the concern.

Turnock did not admit to aid directly, but stated that Myth Drannor has been a helpful ally and he has no plans to let it fall in this war. Half of each side switched and Fenwyck moved to the other side. Turnock asked if she would want one of their horses to ride, when said that she might be too small to do that and suggested simply riding behind someone else on a horse on their return. The trip back to the Temple of the Triad was uneventful as the group reached the sentries at the border of the Blood Marshes. A Cleric game and created a linked portal for the entire group to go to the ground of the Temple of the Triad.

The temple of the Triad was busy and moving preparing for a battle that only needed an excuse to move forward. Turnock escorted everyone transferred through the troop trade and asked for them to move to the central cathedral portion dedicated to Torm and go upstairs to meet with Arch Bishop Vivienne to discuss their placement in the war. Turnock indicated that she was the fiercest tactician among them and would make the best use of people will skills not typically gathered through the pilgrimage to the Temple of the Triad.

Fenwyck was asked to meet with Father Semekson of Ilmater, who usually prays with his fellow clerics and monks on the ground level of the left cathedral. Turnock was planning to go with him as a sentry approached Turnock, the same sentry that worked and let in the party after providing the intel about the Hellfire Engine in the boarder forest. This caught Turnock's attention as alerted Fenwyck to start the meeting without him. Valgred, Father Semekson would be the worst dressed person there, as was his description of him.

She followed along a large open space being noticed by most of those that walked by in the temple. When in the portion dedicated to Ilmatter, the color scheme of mostly white and some red (Basically FF White Mage) there were many hooded monks in brown robes praying and clerics. Many that worship Ilmater make a vow of poverty to remain selfless and deny themselves the temptation of self validation and preservation by holding nothing to them. Valgred was easy to spot near the main alter on the first flow and Fenwyck introduced herself to him. Father Semekson, alerted via sending stone to her presence and name, didn't fully understand why Turnock sent her in his direction. He did state quickly that he had a distrust of many of the people around the Temple of the Triad and could use someone to help figure that out since she was sent by a close ally of Turnock.

Turnock came back to state that extra information was provided by the group that originally alerted him of Paimon's return. He provided information of the full group and the information given. Father Semekson was displeased with the information, but then looked back to Fenwyck to ask about the nature of this decision. Turnock revealed that he was aware that Valgred had been sneaking out and that he had risked his reputation and that he valued uncovering the truth more than his own salvation. Valgred appeared nervous a this revelation, but Turnock's tone changed to a somber one to recognize the need to figuring out one's enemies, even from the inside.

Valgred looked at Fenwyk questioning whether an outsider should be the one to help him, when Turnock had an unyielding trust to his former comrades and doubted that they would send anyone outside the most trusted and capable to help him. The topic then changed to the the intel about Zhentil Keep. Turnock was simply waiting for a reason to send an army there, but lacked evidence to suggest its strategic importance. Valgred did ask about her skills, moreover her motivation for being here and a part of this. Fenwyck's answer surprised him a bit. It wasn't simply about empathy or going good, or even vengeance against evil. There was a personal motivation about losing home and hoping to prevent it again. There was a sense of fear and regret. Valgred was not expecting this honest of an answer. This was more revealing than he realized and was impressed that she would readily admit this as an outsider to the highest cleric of his patron deity. He acknowledged her abilities, but more than that, her honesty. Valgred seemed concerned with the idea of the attack stated that it might be a trap. He worried about the reliability of the group that arrived. One was a tiefling, often an agent of Hell that for all we know about be a hiding double agent waiting to be activated at any time. A warforged that could be forged by Hell to look like a Triad worshipper to trick everyone. He pointed out that the lands themselves reacted to Santiago connected to the dead divine energies of Cyric and that the most trustworthy of the group appeared to be the half orc with bloodstained clothing.

Turmock originally appeared frustrated as if his very ability to discern character was being questioned by his own interviews with the party when he looked and Fenwyck. He accepted the suspicion of Valgred, but stated that the best way to make sense of this would be to send her as a guide to the scouting group. He wanted to send the party to scout since they don't immediately appear to be a precursor to an invasion from the Temple of the Triad. They aren't just more paladins, and if a small elite group went with them, it might still disguise their purpose in this. Send Fenwyck behind the group. If they are untrustworthy, it will become clear quickly and that will result in action from Commader Falkman and the other paladins that will go with them. If they are trustworthy, keep her distance unless it appears they need her help. Fenwyck agreed to the terms and the plans and was awarded gear specific to the mission at hand.

A Grand Battle against another Ranking Fiend
Elisa head off with the rest of the party to make their way around two Warforged guards and a sitting bored gigantic horned Devil. Instead of slender and tall, this massive behemoth of a Horned Devil looked stalky and massive with thick limbs and a resting gigantic garden scyth at its side. The warforged guards appeared to wear helmets with very detailed looking human faces on them with plated armor on their forms. This was different from the typical infantry for the Warforged. Invisible to the naked eye, but not to magical detection, Imir was able to cast and see magical runes after Elisa appeared to see sections of ground oddly cleaned up for the purpose of their placement.

They moved quickly thanks to Cleric Thomas's haste, but the alert was raised when Gosen tripped over a brick when going around rune on the ground. He quickly made up for the mistake and they proceeded unnoticed across the bridge to almost the other side. They were at the point where Elisa could charm the most people, just in front of a circular ring of fire and a chained up Chimera. No one noticed the group yet. The one warforged with light plated armor and a rapier seemed to follow the foot steps of the party, but still didn't spot anyone.

With no warning, Elisa dropped the invisibility at the alert of everyone on the bridge and use a powerful ability to charm the hidden lavalings and the mages and priest at the other side of the bridge. The Pit Fiend's eyes light up as he saw and then felt the mark from Imir among those there and saw a warforged form that does not belong to any of Hell's design. With a crooked smile, he starts off throwing a fireball at the group and forming a staff out of nowhere.

The chaos of the battle was quick to start. The six warforged guards were quick to act as the large artillery raised its arms and shot off large artillery shells into the group knocking Gosen off the bridge into the water. The massive warforged was a constant reminder that a high quality soldier body guard was a gift to every high ranking devil. The infantry shot arrows that mostly bounced off of Elisa, but several landed as she quickly collapsed.

Commander Falkman and the paladins ran forward as the warforged among the clerics shot a flame strike and exploded multiple Runes badly hurting almost everyone among the paladins. Thomas, shot a searing light into the eyes of the titanic horned devil blinding him before he could even stand up, and Santiago deafening him in response as Elisa forced him into a dance on the ground. Imir know the power of these rare experimented devils and know that if they were able to land attacks that everyone would die. With his full effort, he revealed his sword and put the full power of multiple smites against the beast.

The chaos of Elisa's move was paying off as the cultist mages began firing off their most powerful spells into the warforged infantry. The priest servant of the Devil connected with a deadly harm attack before the put fiend threw him into the rapids. Gosen originally badly hurt was given an aid without his awareness. After only a slight effort, he realized... he can fly? well he could for now. He quickly rejoined the battlefield without questioning or realizing Fenwyck's help to him. He took his side aiding Imir in striking down titanic beast in front of them. The horned devil got in exactly one strike as he was blind, deafened. in rage, whether ally or foe, he spun his scythe for the purpose of killing anyone around him. His attack connected ferociously and nearly killed all around him. Imir aimed to end as quickly as it started taking a decisive blow to knock the beast down and land the killing blow. The battle remained in a stalemate for some time. Falkman and the rest of the paladins made short work of the single warforged cleric as the blockade of arrows and turret shells kept everyone else back. the wall of fire and the chimera providing cover for both ally and enemy prevented an all out strike between the two.

Imir gloating his victory to lure out the Pit Fiend worked. Incapable of not accepting the challenge and prideful victory of taking down someone who murdered a Duke, the devil stopped his chanting with his staff to create a portal and accepted a duel with Imir. The infantry turned on both wizards and cleric in the sea preventing further interruptions as the artillery continued to bombard everyone. Elisa caught out the side of her eye, Fenwyck casting spells and leaving back to the cliffside of the bridge. Her spells and aid mostly went unnoticed for Gosen and distracting the forces in the back, but the sleet storm obstructing the vision of infantry as Santiago summoned bears to keep the Chimera distracted Elisa casted protection from evil to protect everyone from the Pit Fiend. Imir engaged the Pit Fiend in open combat in mid air only partially evading his attacks. Elisa realized normal means would not work to banish, but was willing to attempt if the effects of the ritual could be undone. She dispelled evil, releasing the shield over the Pit Fiend and proceeded banish him. He appeared to let it take him as he disappeared. formation was broken, the infantry lacked a clear target and the artillery proceeded to jump with piston fueled jumps 30 feet high to escape the mountainous pass. The battle was won, but not without a few paladin casualties falling off the bridge being taken away by the currents.

=Session 26: It's a trap?=

After Pit Fiend at the head of the pass was banished the party quickly moved off the pass before it could make its return back to the material plane. While getting off Gosen got a good look at the now new person to join along, a gnome. Gosen's only two previous meetings with gnomes would be the inter planetary criminal Gomand Pusk and his dealings with the Witch King Ezekiel Koffelsheist. While very limited to judge an entire race, Gosen's experiences with those two were some of the most formative of life and quickly had a negative reaction to Fenwyck despite her aiding him unbeknownst by him during the battle.

She did a quick introduction that were verified by the leading paladin of the group, Commader Falkman of Torm. He stated that Arch Bishop Semekson was the one that asked her to join as he didn't fully trust anyone from the party and wanted another pair of eyes just to make sure that everything was proper. He stated that her help was an indicator that everyone or at least the party in general could be trusted.

Mistrust was thrown for a bit as Elisa stood at the defense of Fenwyck. It did not take long before everyone was back on the move. As a reference to the plan, Father Thomas gave an overview stating that the idea for this group was to gain intel that would or could be useful for the attack by going off ahead. The fastest way to Zhentil Keep was through the mountain pass, but would be far too dangerous to take a very large army and bottle necked. The group with the party would run an early reconnaissance in order to see what was actually waiting for them. The large army would go around to the west taking anywhere from between two and three days longer due to the route.

The trip itself to Zhentil Keep was mostly an inactive travel. The Paladins and Clerics making light conversation at best as Elisa attempted to make sense of the plan and the situation. Santiago kept a close eye on the untraveled road between the Dragon Spine mountains and Zhentil Keep. The first night was mostly uneventful, but it was quickly discovered that there were eyes on them from Hell, likely from Zhentil Keep as Elisa spotted a visitor spying on them later identified as an Imp. The second bit of the travel was made off road after a discussion and lead to no incident till everyone reached the grounds of the ruins of Zhentil Keep.

Approaching Zhentil Keep, everyone saw the remnants of battles at the ruins. There were towers still intact and walls mostly present. Fenwyck sent her familiar, a birb on it's way to see what was in Zhentil Keep. The familiar spotted an old man with bleached skin in a tattered robe walking around with a hunched back.

The sight of it didn't fully matter, but that image was familiar to Imir, who was simply looking to confirm that it is in fact an illusion. As the group approached, they were able to sneak through without being spotted. Both Imir and Santiago aimed to spot magic in the area when they were able to spot illusion around the image of the old man.

In addition to that there were large concentrations of conjuration identified as a likely portal between the Nine Hells and this region and a large concentrations of transmutation spotted in around the ruins of Zhentil Keep.

Once it was clear what was observed, a voice appeared in everyone's head, though the direction seemed to indicate it was from Imir. Imir could immediately recognize it as Paimon. Paimon didn't first recognize Imir, speaking telepathically going through the names of all the people that have the mark of the death for a Duke. Paimon at some point recognized Imir. Paimon was astonishingly arrogant, but stated little more than that he was waiting for the battle with an army waiting.

Not too much was actually revealed in the conversation, though in arrogance, Paimon revealed that an army would be waiting for Turnock and stated that he has been waiting for a chance at revenge and stated that though Turnock was his opponent, than the killing blow was delivered by someone else, a gnome artificer known as Gavirello.

Imir was both excited but scared. He started to sweat thinking about this, mouthing off about Turnock acting and lashing out in fear. He lost track of those around him as it clearly got the best of him. Imir was clearly afraid and Elisa tried to bring comfort to it, but she too was nervous about the situation.

The question of if there was anything else to see or look through came in, and assuming that the conjuration circles were referring to the Army Paimon mentioned, it was clear that everyone saw danger in staying there. Imir did inform the group that it wasn't in Paimon's character to let them live if he meant to attack.

There wasn't much much left to do there. Imir seemed almost like he didn't want anything to do with the mission. Elisa did realize there were several paladins and a cleric with them at the time. Father Thomas of Bahamut was very understanding of the issue. He understood the concern with an Arch Duke readying an army for their arrival and wondered if it was safe to attempt to look further and eventually agreed with Elisa and Imir to return back and give the news to Turnok. The paladins were almost wondering if they should have gone in and attacked since it was like twelve against one at that time. Imir and Commander Falkmann made it clear that if he could call an army that he likely wasn't completely alone anyway.

The trip on the way back was also off the main road, but in the direction of the path of the main road. Despite going off path, an army of over ten thousand was very easy to spot in the distance. In the night, the lights of a large camp were easy to spot. The group made their way to the camp. Father Thomas gave a sending for their arrival as they were met with a group securing the outside of the camp. Imir demanded the time of Turnock, which was easily provided given the news and scope of the mission.

A red decorated tent with a magical inside revealed an image, illusion of the sight of Zhentil Keep as Turnock, still fully armored was alone inside with a tired look and bags under his dragonborn eyes. Elisa took point to give him intel to what they found. Imir made sure to ask if he was confident in his ability to take down Paimon in the upcoming battle.

Turnock was confident of his abilities, but admittedly looks down at the loss of his allies by his side, but he quickly states that Paimon was not alone when they were encountered. He was with many members of the Dark Eight, Pit Fiend generals in Avernus, and with several other Arch Dukes including, Andramalech, and Wormwood. Turnock was not alone, but there were many fierce enemies there as well. If Paimon is the only one there. then with allies that took out Bel'Claudo, they should be able to defeat him.

Turnock asked if there was anything else to consider about what would happen. He thought if there should be any plan about it or anything to consider. Elisa was the one who thought of a spell that might help with this. She has the spell forbiddance that would prevent teleportation in a large area for a bit of time. If she should cast that spell, it would negate the conjuration portals for the army Paimon would bring and make them unale to defend against the army in it's entirety. Turnock like the plan. The only issue is that the spell takes ten minutes to cast and she would need to be in the center to block all the teleportation circles, so she would need to sneak in there and be concealed for the whole time for this to work

Turnock agreed that the team would need to be smaller for this to work. He did fear that having Imir would be an issue. Elisa and Imir did not compromise on the fact that they should be a part of this. With that statement, Turnock stated that he would be the only backup on their end. That would help make it easier to sneak into the belly of the beast. The next morning started with a meeting between Turnock and a large group of Paladins ourside his tent and after that a meeting with clerics. Much of the early morning was discussing sendings and signals for what could happen. Turnock was prepared for an all out battle if this didn't work, but he was hoping that he could avoid Paimon pre-emptively sending the army before Forbiddance happens or even being able to remove it. Turnock's meeting didn't seem clear in success, but he did encourage the group stay far enough not to act until they were close enough to encourage the victory. Turnock also knew that this was no surprise. It was clear from the meeting with Paimon and the sendings regarding the imps that even before the army itself arrived that they knew he was coming. That was no concern to Turnock. He didn't expect to move over ten thousand paladins to Zhentil Keep without them noticing.

After the preparations were done, Turnock set forth with the party. Santiago prepared how he did before by increasing everyone's ability to stealth as Elisa made everyone invisible. This made the movement much easier. This time, there appeared to be more figures in as they snuck deeper into Zhentil Keep than when they originally saw Paimon. Elisa and Santiago were able to scout where they needed to be to cast the spell for the maximum effect. In the path to moving there, they saw dark shadowed angelic looking beings with an orange circle of light that looked almost like fire where their face would be floating on the ground, moving like shadows surveying the area. When they made their way to the area, everyone caught wind of several devils and other beings there. A purple skinned Devil with a long face and a handsomely white teeth was the true vein image of Paimon. His wings were very large and covered his shoulders like a cape as what could be viewed of his robes were very decorated. He spoke with a bronze colored Devil who was about three to four feet taller than he was. She was bronze colored aside from red coloring on her face. She looked dressed for a fight in a form of breast plate which looked like it might have been made of adamantine with a decorated magical sword. Imir immediately recognized her. She was the master of Val'Drannar. She was the master of all in her Plane. This was none other than the Lord of the Sixth, Glasya. Behind her were beings bound to Imir's former master. One was a barely recognizable tiefling that was experimented on and looked like a twisted and scabbed Balore. The flames around him seemed dull. His horns were much too big and the muscular structure on his body looked highly unnatural, even for demon and devil standards. The poor monstrocity looked like even breathing was painful for it and standing next to him, was another one of his former colleagues, a tiefling known for killing many in battle. They all talked in infernal, but it was too far to hear what they were saying. All Imir could catch is that they were waiting for the approach of the army to enact their plan. Elisa prayed to Ilmater and hoped for an intervention that this would work. Whatever he needed to do, either to cast the spell without being noticed or to make this work. She got no acknowledgement, but had faith her attempt succeeded.

Fenwyck put a light fog bank around Elisa obscuring her in the event they were found out there. Over nine minutes passed in tense silence as those angelic monstrosities moved about without spotting anyone. Santiago kept his spell active, but Elisa could not keep everyone invisible while casting this spell. Paimon and Glasya did not return in his duration. It seemed all clear when they heard almost a rattling as horns were visible over the trees. A familiar being, most specifically to Turnock became visible. This devil stood over thirty feet tall and stood on a centipede body segments on many legs and stinger. His upper body looked more humanoid, but his skin still a carapace with a vague presence of white hair and white orangish glowing eyes with no pupil.

Turnock recognized this being as Wormwood, the devil responsible for the blood rain. Wormwood went around the tree tops wilting everything around him as he approached.

=Session 27: The Law of Retaliation=

Wormwood seemed to approach slowly at first muttering a few words in infernal. At that point, Wormwood rushed through growing trees and made his way to Turnock immediately and impaled him on his claws and and slashed a gaping wound that rotted out almost immediately. Wormwood appeared to have no knowledge of the spell being cast and did not see Elisa through the fog bank. Imir saw the heavy gash. "Don't you die yet." Turnock held up his hand and his symbol of Bahamut and let forth a wave of radiance that blinded Wormwood, briefly. During that time, he and Imir flanked him to gain a position to release smites against Wormwood. Poison sprays from his body each time his carapace is damaged. Wormwood has a strong healing factor. Blinded he doesn't know where everything is coming from.

Gosen starts readying his attack as he gazes into Wormwood's eyes and face mostly obscured by the shadow and falls someone mad, breathing in miasma around him, he fall to his knees and begins dry heaving to remove it. Santiago runs back and begins to shoot arrows at him.

Wormwood cannot see who attack him, but can feel the direction the attacks from coming from and sense the vibrations in the ground. He throws his hands in the ground and throws up dirt covered in his poison and shoots a solid liquid plume of his poison in a large cone that badly burns and causes massive sicknesses to those hit.

Turnock is able to heal Gosen from his mind affliction as he got back to his feat. Gosen took a several potions to recover the energy in his sword.

Santiago, badly injured makes a telepathic link to Eshkabel and asks for help. With the connection, Ehskabel can see where they are and what is happening. He takes delight on who he will send. Perhaps his oldest servant he ripped from his death will do the bidding.

A ruggedly handsome, and wispy figure appears from the shadows. His outfit seems old, but well kept in mostly opposites, a clear white and black with a tied pony tail and light scruff on his face.

Around this time, Fenwyk changes the fog bank and expands it around Wormwood to obscure those around him and keep him locked into the melee with Turnock and Imir. Wormwood does have other sense, but still appears to mostly rely on sight. The fog is tampering with his attacks as he swings at Imir missing him.

Donovan jumps into the fray not fully realizing what he is fighting or his real purpose in this. Santiago is quick to give an explanation. Donovan is rather surprised to hear that Eshkabel would send him for something like that. In addition he seems to actually half enjoy the fact that he is being sent to do something he wouldn't actually mind doing.

Santiago does briefly reflect if the forced servitude is in his future as he witnesses Donovan rush into the fog bank. Gosen heals to the point where he can throw beams of force into fog bank as Fenwyck goes back and forth between spells to find what can or might actually affect Wormwood, settling on a spell to halt his impressive healing factor as Santiago continues to shot arrows into the Fog bank. Wormwood is a large target and seems to rely exclusively on his carapace for defense. Though the attacks spray poison on those around, Wormwood can feel the arrows and weapons hitting deeper as the cracks and the poison of his blood seem to start spilling out.

Elisa has been completely uninterrupted amidst this situation and is able to complete her spell without needing to split her concentration.

Once her spell completes there is a white almost blinding light that appears at the borders of the spell area and shines a bight light specifically making Wormwood visible through the fog.

At this happens, there is a voice in the background as a badly injured Turnock calls upon the army to rush forward and gives a sending referring to that light as success and the signal to rush.

It takes only a matter of seconds before Paimon rushes back flying with his few forces behind him. He screams in confusion at the events angrily looking at everyone he can see.

Their skin begins to burn as Elisa marked the spell against fiends and against travel from Hell. Paimon and most of those around him suffer burns as Wormwood burrows underground to escape the effects of the Forbiddance and and flanking.

Fenwyck creates a sleet storm to slow down the upcoming forces. She receives a sending from an ally of Turnock was less familiar with, Sarshel who asked for a response if Turnock was in danger.

After releasing the fog cloud, she saw how badly he was injured and poisoned, desperately healing himself to keep himself up.

Gosen was the first to fire an attack at Paimon, who with his gaze was able to immediately petrify Gosen before his attack. Elisa was free and moved to bring him back.

The other combatants were barely able to act amidst the sleet storm and mostly only approached as a portal opened up.

Paimon snapped his fingers and cast a wall of fire on both Santiago and Turnock and looked at Turnock's wounds and shouted the effect of the killing enchantment and Turnock dropped over immediately dead.

Gosen grabbed Santiago who fell in response to the fire as Elisa moved to grab Turnock and revivify him.

It was at this point where Paimon declared victory as he forcibly descender in the sleet storm and put his hands on the ground to activate his ritual. Multiple pillars of red light started coming from the ground in a difficult to spot formation from within, but what was spotted was far off in the distance, there were two other large pillars of red light, expected to possible be from the Temple of the Triad and either likely from Phlan or Melvaunt. When this ritual was cast, Paimon exclaimed that any limitation on the spell would be broken.

Turnock immediately realize that he had lost his connection to Bahamut as Elisa's eyes turned pale for a brief moment as she lost consciousness. Everything appeared to go in Paimon's favor as he began to look down and laugh, though the moment was quickly lost.

Only seconds into his laugh, his face turned to dread as the light of the Forbiddance did not disappear. Even with divine magic and connections canceled, but seemed unable to remove it and his army was not being summoned. Glasya descended with a somewhat irritated look on her face with burns on her body. She declared Paimon a failure and called to Wormwood, to whom was being chased by Imir underground re emerged. She called for the back up, or the good bye present for this defeat.

Paimon looked shocked as he exclaimed surprised to even see Wormwood there.

Through the newly opened portal, appeared three figures, Two of which was recognizable only to Fenwyck and all three only recognizable by Turnock. There was an Aasimar with glowing golden eyes with a bow whose face was mostly covered and an Elf with a bit of a stubby nose, with long white hair and stones, and sigils floating around his head recognizable as Enabrin. The last one was BERG. Enabrin immediately called for everyone to escape. Everyone was unsure of the new company and Imir saw upward and looked forward to his death in combat.

Glasya gave the word to Wormwood, who threw his hands on the ground which then glowed red as he tossed it up creating a plume of air and dirt that spread across the entire battlefield and spread out the diameter of close to two miles hitting the entire approaching army. This was a ritual detonation of the power gathered channeled through Wormwood as it became clear that this place was lost. The response was a devastating poison that turned the body against itself, which killed almost the entire army instantly.

Enabrin moved to telekinesis Gosen and Santiago close to him, as Elisa's voice cut through Enabrin's words to mention the talisman. Gosen found himself able to look into the talisman and connect with it to have a telepathic connection with the entire group. Gosen considered all battling with him as allies and agreed with Enabrin when the battle was considered unwinnable at this point. Imir yelled out in anger as it appeared he was teleported away from the battlefield again.

Enabrin touched the talisman connecting to the artifact and was briefly able to see through it and guided the teleportation location to the office of Sarshel in Mulhorond. It was not clear what city they were in and Ebabrin looked rather out of it after that teleportation.

The Resolution
Sarshel didn't look great either as Santiago was on the ground and Turnock was barely alive after recovering from his recent death.

Sarshel called for clerics as one of his aids showed up after his arrival. He called for many clerics to arrive. The condition on many of these people were critical. Elisa and Turnock immediately realized that their abilities had returned. What happened before was unique to that spot and that ritual. Enabrin almost unconscious came to and stated that the poison didn't seem lethal to anyone here, but that everyone, sides Imir and Elisa were hit by it. Everyone else would need continuous care not to be killed by the poison. He alluded to his time in Myth Drannor where the elves around him learned about the poison through the invitation of Grand Magus Kalis under Mammon. In time clerics shows up. Elisa healed Santiago and Turnock healed himself and Gosen. Elisa took the early moments to use Greater Restoration to halt the advancement of the poison as other clerics showed up for healing as the more decorated Clerics were able to aid in the effects against the poison. It became clear to most people their location after a few minutes. The building appeared to be mostly made of sandstone and the office was far off from the ground several levels up from the ground in a well kept organized if not slightly opulent office that belonged to Sarshel.

Sarshel asked how Enabrin was able to do that. Enabrin pointed to the talisman, which he stated seemed to has a psionic connection with him when he touched it. He did add that it was difficult and that he wasn't sure if he could repeat that easily. Gosen took immediate interest since this was the first time anyone had been able to actually control that item or work with it at all since Elliant got it off to begin with.

Once casting spells to aid people, Elisa went off around the corridors. This was around the time that Enabrin and Sarshel were stating that everyone healing would need at least two weeks to be still to heal and recover from the advancing poison.

Elisa watched outside as as it began to rain. Imir quickly stormed off and left the building to stand off in the rain alone. The people outside quickly took over as it began to rain in the desert.

Santiago moved to Donovan to thank him for helping. Donovan gave a light bow as he was previously just eyeing some female clerics as no one here seemed to wear armor and it was just loose fitting robes.

Donovan gave Santiago his full attention and thanked him back for being the reason he was sent to do something he actually would have wanted to do anyway. Santiago asked about his relationship with Eshkabel. Donovan stated that he was trapped an eventually murdered by Eshabel and those that followed him. It was his past, and that he was uncovered as a servant not too far after the Spell Plague and watched as the city he had part leadership over was taken over b Djinni and Efriti and his old allies were killed in a siege. Santiago was a bit surprised, not too surprised. He knew Eshkabel was evil, but his actions towards Santiago weren't. His willingness to allow Santiago to want and aim for good things to happen also didn't appear evil either, or at least not obviously. Donovan remarked that Eshkabel was never the easiest person to read and that he isn't all bad that Santiago should not stay comfortable with the situation. There might be a time that changes in the future. Santiago kept that in mind as Donovan was called back to Eshkabel. With that Donovan's form dissipated into black smoke as he floated North West, presumably in the direction of Eshkabel. Santiago wondered if that kind of control or that was in his destiny now.

Elisa looked out to see Imir brooding in the rain by himself in a field not too far from the building itself. She should see him from outside and moved out in the rain with him. Originally, he did not acknowledge him, but she made her way to him. Elisa confided in the prominent fear and concern after being a part of Paimon's ritual. She had feared that Hell could have taken her very life, soul, essence with a ritual like that. She asked a question that shocked Imir. Elisa asked if something like that were to happen. If it appeared that she would be taken, either her essence or at all that she would instead be killed. Elisa asked if Imir would kill her in the event that something like that would happen to prevent Hell from taking her.

Imir paused for a moment, his eyes wide that she would ask for something like that, perhaps even more surprised that she would trust him with something like that. Elisa even went to the point to say to use heat metal or fire to deal with the metal and wood inside the outside alabaster shell in her body. Imir agreed, solemnly. Elisa stood out there for a moment, putting her hand on his shoulder before she left.

The brief moment was perhaps the first real crack in Imir between the two of them. He looked back with an odd bit of acknowledgement there.

Inside the main room, Turnock brooded wondering how all of this was even possible. He recalled their adventures together and wondered why Hell would have waited if they could have done this. Enabrin made the point that perhaps they couldn't have done this before. It's possible, likely that this is something due to the situation.

It was Santiago that made the observation that there were other pillars of light connected to the main ritual point in Zhentil Keep. Turnock recalled seeing that and believing that one might have been from the Temple of the Triad. He wasn't sure about the location of the second, but if it was from the Temple of the Triad, it makes sense to believe the second one was from Phlan at the Temple of Three Truths.

Gosen after some time went to Enabrin to ask about the Talisman wondering how he was able to control it when previously even taking it off of him proved to be a task. Enabrin didn't really have much of an answer on why, but how was through a psionic connection since he does rely on psionic abilities for his power. He thought that maybe that made it easier for him to connect with it, but he is unfamiliar with the item and doing so still took a good amount of energy from him.

Despite being poisoned Enabrin eventually left. He did take care of himself, but for the rest of the time, most of the group was half separate. There was some conversation, but not much was really discussed between group members.

Imir often left the barracks and traveled north for days at a time and would vent his frustration hunting animals and brooding. In time, he would return with several animal pelts thrown over his shoulders. Sarshel and Turnock would talk more as Turnock began to recover.

Elisa did speak with Fenwyck, getting to really talk to her for really the first time. Much had happened in a very short amount of time. and it basically just appeared to shake her that they were dealing with such forces. She only hid during the fight with Wormood and asked if it was always like this. Elisa nodded saying this is the nature of the enemy. These are the people that they must deal with in order to help the world. Elisa could sense the tension and put her hand on Fenwyck's head, being the first acknowledged moment of when her nervous tense smile faded into a genuine one where she was at ease.

Elisa would walk out and stand out in the rain by herself mostly. There she would consider the weight of what happened. What this means for the world, but also herself.

Sarshel was indeed a host, and through the words of Turnock made sure to treat the healing there as guests. He provided goods, food, but also trinkets and items he thought might aid them during the fight.

Turnock alone for a while got time to think about his place in this. He recalled arguments that lead to their separation as a group when the world devolved and how he thought compared to the others in his group. The shame of his defeat dragged him down to a despair and a self questioning at this moment. It was Elisa that started and aided his weakest moments. Turnock is not a soldier. He has compassion and his war has left him dry.

Sarshel joined the conversation and added to what she said. Turnock gave in about what he wanted, and leveled with what he wanted to do. When Sarshel arrived, he was reminded of his own words and questioned his path. Sarshel mentioned those words were never meant to shake Turnock off his path, but simply to understand how others act. In time the group would make a full recovery. Turnock invigorated, but fearful knowing he would step into corruption at the Temple of the Triad. He asked Elisa if they would be willing to see what happened in Phlan. Turnock did it with hesitation knowing Phlan would be dangerous. She agreed knowing that if someone had a role, she had already guessed who might have been involved there.

=Session 28: Pardon the Waiting, We're actually in a rush.=

From the top level in a massive building in Sultim in Mulhorand, everyone had finally recovered. In that time, everyone in the group accepted gifts from Sarshell for their contributions. Turnock, finally recovered spoke now to Santiago and Gosen about the state of affairs. Turnock had only limited conversation with those at the Temple of the Triad during his healing. He only managed to inform them of the situation with the army ahead of time and what he witnessed at Zhentil Keep. Gosen was support for him regarding his partial wallowing in this situation. Turnock asked Santiago if the group would be willing to go to Phlan to look into the ritual circle he believed to be from Phlan.

Santiago seemed to think it might be alright, but didn't outright commit to it. He did indicate that he would speak with the rest of the group. Imir was still mostly out and about hunting small animals and keeping to himself during the time since he was not affected by the poison. Santiago pressed the conversation to Fenwyck and Elisa. Fenwyck was rather shy about the situation, trying not to involve herself too much with this. Elisa did understand the concern and agreed that it would be good to help, but was still a bit apprehensive about it. Covered in fur, Imir did show up over time. His opinions were unchanging. He didn't care about where, but just making sure that he was a part of a group that would kill devils, was good enough for him.

arshell wished them off and thanked Fenwyck for keeping an eye on Turnock. Sarshell indicated his level of concern after hearing about what happened during the events of the world and the Temple of the Triad that he showed concern with Turnock. Fenwyck was nervous as typical in the situations, but accepted the thanks there. Sarshell got several under his station and command to draw a circle to get a portal to take them along the Stojanow River less than a half day's talk to Phlan.

After going down to the teleportation circle ground level drawn by the sages, Turnock shacked Sarshell's hands and bid him a temporary farewell as others stepped into the portal.

Back to Phlan
The path back to Phlan was a familiar one to Santiago, and still familiar to Gosen. At their arrival, there were clerics of the Triad escorted by paladins bowed in response to Turnock as they continued to craft a circle after his arrival to get back to the Temple of the Triad. Turnock wanted to make sure they could update him if they found something, and asked if any of them had the sending spell or knew it. Elisa was the only one that acknowledged and then he stated that if he learns anything at the Temple of the Triad regarding the Temple of Three Truths that might relate to each other.

While this was happening, Elisa did a sending to Sarceadon, who gave her a downlow to the situation inside the city. He informed her that much had happened and that the city might be dangerous. His main piece of news was that the entire group was seen as fugitives. They would need to be very careful getting inside the city.

There were several ways into the city, including disguising one's self or going in through the Valhingen Graveyard, the group eventually decided on a group wide disguise. Fenwyck cast seeming and gave an elaborate and unique disguise to the entire group. Imir turned into a handsome, but balding prince called Rimi. No one else had a unique name. Santiago looks like someone no one would recognize. Gosen was transformed into a small gnome. Fenwyck didn't need to disguise herself, but still decided to be a bit taller, and Elisa was turned human with the face of a fair maiden, but also very very ripped and buff.

The trip back was not eventful. There were a few passing caravans of guards, but nothing outside a typical patrol. At the city gates, there was a good sided line where the group waited for close to 45 minutes waiting for lines of people and caravans to make their way into the city. It was no surprise since the region was one of the few still in good shape through the situation and payment for good often meant workers to move in and aid production, whether it be making goods or gathering from logging or mining.

Once it was the party, Rimi did most of the talking in his fair prince voice. A guard from the Red Plumes and the Knights of the Black fist were the guards there and asked basic and simple questions, like names and purpose. Imir dodged the names outside himself and was slightly evasive at first when it came to purpose, but stated that they were just going to stay for a few days before passing through. There was a little bit of unease with the Knight of the Black Fist. He revealed himself as a younger guard and asked if they have been there before. Rimi again was the one speaking and lied about it, but over time, he went to the other guard and they whispered amongst each other and eventually let the party inside Phlan.

They entered from the east gate in the northern part of the city. They were immediately in a market place. Elisa continued in contact with Sarcaedon that gave the name of his firm, Sarc and Beck's and basically stated that it was next to the Cracked Crown in the old district of the city. Santiago was easily able to find the two floored building without incident.

Once entering the building, the entire party found themselves in a dark wooded office with a Red Plume behind the door requesting the weapons, magical implements and even material components for spells to be put into the bucket of holding right by the door. Everyone that had items complied from just tossing a book and a pouch to Santiago's piles and piles of weapons.

After hearing that someone was in, someone came out from the corner office. Sarcaedon didn't recognize anyone, but the timing seemed clear, so he invited the group over to him for his 3 o clock meeting scheduled. While stepping out, he socialize a tiny moment with a few of the people in the firm before everyone followed him back into his office.

The office, like the inside of the building was not particularly well decorated, very dark, but covered in book shelves and fancy alcohol. Sarcaedon had two pens writing while he had a book open. In his office, he moved behind his deck. Across the desk was one chair, to which four more were poofed each of different sizes. He pressed a button underneath his desk, which temporarily turns off each of the disguises.

Sarcaedon takes a sigh acknowledging that his guess was correct. Imir was quick to show disdain for the situation. Sarcaedon gave a rundown of the situation currently in Phlan. He stated that shortly after the entire party arrived at the Temple of the Triad, there was news from the Temple of the Triad to discharge Tetler Sigmund and send him to the Temple of the Triad for questioning. Before he was able to be discharged from the Temple of the Three Truths, he rushed out to execute the prisoner, the Paladin that got the group into the Temple of the Three Truths originally. This rash action lead to an altercation to a fight that gets the head cleric of Bahamut killed. Sarcaedon mentions that this was likely part of the ritual that lead to the defeat at Zhentil Keep.

Shortly after that, someone from Hell, the Grand Magus of the Nessus, Khaldun showed up and provided a list of changes Hell demanded after is was obvious that Tetler Sigmund was compromised. It included that he would be pardoned for any crimes and that a message be sent to the Temple of the Triad that he was not connected to those actions and actually helped defeat an attack on the Temple of the Three Truths and would be promoted to the head of the Temple of Three Truths and have policing power inside Phlan.

Sarcaedon definitely switched to the main reason he wanted everyone to arrive in Phlan. His primary concern was about a massive undead hoard that has been moving throughout the region for over the last month. He mentioned there was a recluse Lich that has been in the Thar for a long time. Sarcaedon didn't appear to know much about the lich, but referred to him as Asperus. He stated that those that lived in the region would likely be familiar, but that there wasn't a great deal of information on him. What is known is that he has been gathering a large force of the dead through battles in the Thar and maybe even taking it from the graveyard catacombs for years.

At this point there was a very massive hoard now marching towards Phlan. He addressed Santiago particularly in reference to the job they did for the Fernhearts and the logging company for the farms just outside Phlan when they killed the Vampire Count Pilot in the Demi-Plane inside the boarder forests. He mentioned that in a brief moment of non control, the undead were let out of the demi-plane and then appeared to be attracted to the Thar and consumed by Asperus's hoard. The amount of undead on the move now appears to number the total population of Melvaunt, and while mostly insignificant weak undead, the sheer numbers makes it a very large threat to the city and there are several that are much more dangerous.

Sarcaedon implies that he would like the group to be in Phlan for longer than that, but makes it very clear that the current interest is the most important and acts like anything Hell knows about this will lead to them attempting to disrupt the party's involvement in the place. He mostly seems concerned with Tetler Sigmund, from the Temple of Three Truths.

Sarcaedon did make it seem like all he needed to do was to get a lawful pardon for the crimes committed and he planned on doing so by getting the party to meet with Mayor Yrgryth. The Mayor was a descendant of one of the original last Council of Ten members before the original invasion from the Zhentarim before it's occupation fell through after the organization's destruction. The mayor was no fan of the Banite presence, Desmond, or anyone that had a connection from the Nine Hells. Sarcaedon knew he would at least need the party as a prop to prove that their innocence comes with acknowledgment from him that he was the target, but also kind of hoped that perhaps they would work better to convince the mayor given their poor political relationship. Sarcaedon sought out this pardon from the Mayor knowing that it was his way to dodge Hell for the pardon. Imir seemed untrusting of Sarcaedon, which came to no real surprise in this situation.

He clicked the button turning back the disguises and went back to the office desks outside the firm and informed the party that he would meet them at the Old building for the Council of Ten, which was a long house where the mayor conducting his business with the Council.

Everyone left not really knowing what would occur or their real place in it. Santiago, being the only local to this region left was able to find the building very easily. There were many paladins about around this area of the city, but no one really drew attention to themselves here. The Council of Ten building was very well guarded and shortly after their arrival, Sarcaedon showed up indicating that the party was here with him for a 4:30 meeting with the Mayor.

The Pardon
The mayor was the only one in a long stretch of seats usually designated for the Council of Ten inside Phlan. The mayor was an old grizzed warrior well past his prime on fur and leather armor with an etched out name plate scratched in wood with a long grey beard. He was crass, particularly with Sarcaedon the moment he arrived. It was not a difficult deduction that he name no favor for him or the current power in the city. He sarcastically made claim to the city government being completely useless and the people working inside it. More than anything, he was surprised that Sarceadon even showed up. When he learned it was for a Pardon he initially declined it. Sarcaedon and Elisa were the more typical diplomats attempting to wear him down with logic and empathy, but it was Imir who truly spoke the man's language.

In a dramatic moment, he wanted his extremely handsome disguise dropped to reveal the rage and his perspective of it. Frustration and rage for the direction the city went during this conflict seemed to go against it's 1,100 years of defiance against power and he was just angry. Imir's rage towards Hell was in full effect as his yelling conveyed the right amount of passion for the old warrior of the old council to appreciate. While Mayor Yrgruth had a strong regard for the law, he was happy to know that he was pardoning someone who would actually fight, maybe not for the city itself, but against its enemies.

Once Imir basically won him over, all that was needed was to confirm that the target of the crime, in this case, Sarceadon would be willing to forgive and to confirm that Sarceadon was in fact the only target for the crime. After that, he issued a pardon to everyone, having it written, even giving a pardon to Fenwyck, who decided to write her name despite not actually committing a crime.

The paper was scribbled and he kept it with him. After the meeting with Mayor Yrguth, Sarcaedon admitted that it was dinner time for him before going to the meeting as Valjevo Castle and that the group was could do whatever it wanted till then and that there was two ours till his defense meeting at 7PM with Desmond and Shem Romanov. In a surprising turn of events, Imir decided to want to have the party eat with him as a restaurant known as the Fabulous Flounder. It was a stay in seafood restaurant connected to Cracked Crown, the most expensive Inn in the city. The only question from either Elisa and Santiago, who ever very surprised that Imir of all people wanted to stay around Sarcaedon Arbelleck. Imir stated again and again that he didn't really trust him, and that he wanted to stay around him if possible.

The meal was pleasant, though expensive. There was a band performing waltz and all the wait staff wore white. Fenwyck ordered the most expensive items on the menu while Gosen ate portions typically fit for five people. It was an awkwardly tense conversation between Imir and Sarcaedon and Imir the whole time, but not as bad as one might expect. Sarcaedon paid only for his meal and got a bottle of wine. The location of the restaurant was very close to many of the estates and manors in Phlan. After paying the 400 gold bill, everyone left in the mid evening to Valjevo Castle. This would be the first time now the majority of the party would be going there. Only Gosen and Santiago were really familiar with the place from before. There were guards that acknowledged Sarcaedon immediately and recognized Santiago. Sarcaedon vouched for the entire group as necessary for the defense meeting happening at this point.

He directed the party through the first gate and advised that they follow him through the magical maze in order not to get lost forever. The maze took only several minutes to go through before reaching the keep. The building itself was well over 800 years old and ever refurbished looked a bit rusting. The drapery seemed aged, but there was a long table in a dimly lit throne room with three figures standing across a long table speaking to each other. One of them was the most easily recognizable was the philanthropist Shem Romanov. He stood in mostly black attire, dressed in a few dim blues and greens in his outfit. He had black hair, wearing Onyx rings and with relatively pale skin and was the only one in the room smiling. Santiago and Gosen would faintly recognize Desmond, who for the first time was seen without his helmet. He had bright red hair with piercing, yet almost lifeless blue eyes. His face was slender, but his expression was cold. He did not appear to be happy, but actually rather tense in this situation.

Standing across from them was a very androgynous almost albino with shoulder length black hair, wearing a distinctly magical red and black robe that had almost more the appearance of a bathrobe than a typical wizard robe. This person's features seemed almost genderless and their shape difficult to see through the robe. As Sarcaedon arrived and invited the party to sit at the long table, the voice of the individual cut in inviting Sarceadon for finally showing up.

Imir immediately recognized the form of this individual as the Grand Magus of the 9th Circle, Dhansis Khaldun. Imir's mark was immediately noticed as his eyes briefly glowed red and spotted Imir first and drew his attention over the conversation away from Desmond and Sarcaedon for that moment. The group was still in disguise, which Dhansis arrogantly brought up to in order to reveal the faces of the people at the meeting.

When realizing that the people in front of him were in fact that same people that attacked the tower in the border forest and stole the plans for the Hellfire engine, the tone of the conversation changed. Realizing that, he didn't mind stating his place in all of this. Sarcaedon did speak a bit trying to entrap him in his line of interests.

Khaldun and Sarcaedon spoke contracts and loopholes for a few minutes before coming to the conclusion that nothing was done off contract and outside the manor of personal contracts. The only real revelation in this is that Khaldun allowed himself to brag the point that he was one not part of only a single personal contract, but several, perhaps even several in this region.

When the topic of Gazriel came up, he was willing to give a fully picture of the situation and reviewed the nature of the threats approaching. He indicated that he was someone that could aid in dispatching Asperus. He was the only one that knew the exact location of his lair and its defenses. He had the ability to find his phylactery and knew a capable enough necromancer to take control over the hoard when this was done.

Desmond has unmoved by capabilities. It was established that this stonewalling was nothing new in the past and that Khaldun has been coming every day for the past week of so making claims and prices for the ability to help deal with threats.

Khaldun realizing that this might be his last or one of his last attempts to convince Desmond and company stated that if Gazriel thinks its a good idea to destroy Phlan to get a promotion that others will as well. He mentioned there are many devils looking to seek a promotion after the death of the of the 4th. It seems this region is a hot spot.

Imir, shockingly enough seemed kind of on board with Khaldun's idea and was willing if not deceptively to play along with the idea of a joint strike force to deal with Asperus. Desmond was unmoved. Khaldun did appear to be slightly frustrated, but indicated that this was not a situation in his hands and informed Desmond that if Phlan were destroyed that the new seat of power for the Moonsea would belong to High Blade Selfaril instead. The hoard is not being controlled by Hell, so that there was limited time to act before the hoard made its way to Phlan. He also stated that while agreeing late would prevent an attack from the Hellfire engines that would clearly smash through the walls, it might not give him enough time to dispatch Asperus before the city was destroyed.

Desmond was unwilling to budge, and with that Khaldun mostly moved to see if he could get responses out of the following team. He briefly acknowledged Imir. He spent most of his time talking with Elisa. Khaldun, knew Eustace from the Sembian civil war, and he had an uncharacteristic respect for both Eustace and Calvin, but spent a fair amount of time with Eustace and oversaw some of the favor to Asmodeus when creating the first Warforged, Brutus. Elisa was defiant, which was exciting to Khaldun to see the presence of individuality and ego on her. More than anything, he reminisced slightly before letting Santiago and Gosen know that he knew them as well before leaving. Once Khaldun left, it was Shem Romanov that had a bit of a sarcastic moment about his presence. Desmond did observe the phrasing about ongoing plans and multiple contacts. More than anything, he asked if this was a bluff.

Shem Romanov seemed to believe that it was very clear that Khaldun wanted the signing and was not as indifferent as he appeared to be about the situation. Sarceadon updated that while it is clear that there appeared to be more plans and that seemed to involve the status quo staying the same. It wouldn't make a lot of sense going through the effort of establishing Sigmund as a power in the city if the plan was to destroy the city in one day, but that intersecting plans likely have different expected outcomes and it is unlikely that Khaldun wouldn't be willing to allow the city to die for the plan.

Gosen engaged the meeting to a success in considering their options. Elisa was mortified by the very obvious lack of moral character in the conversation. The option of abandoning the three cities was even floated. Eventually there was an agreement that the city's defense was the soundest idea, but that it would need to be done tonight assuming finding his lair might be an issue and that it would take time to take control of the hoard after defeating Asperus.

The next issue in mind was finding an ally capable enough to control Asperus's hoard that might not use it for the interests of Hell against them. Gosen floated the idea of the Witch King Ezekiel. Sarcaedon seemed rather terrified of the idea. Aside from his chaotic nature, Sarcaedon stated that he knew that the Witch King was under contract from a Pit Lord in the 2nd Circle like others that intend to cover their debts, he went into a different contract to be free of Hell, but that he could not be trusted.

Shem Romanov's connections were vast, but he did attempt to hide a degree of who he could use. A subtle nod from Desmond for not considering the choices he could and instead going for an option out of left field. He revealed that he was a lower rank member in a group of capable wizards known as he Collector's Guild. There were many capable Necromancers in their ranks. All he needed to do was find one that would be willing to work with them and find one either not affiliated with Hell or wouldn't be an enemy.

Desmond indicated that if they had control over the hoard, that they could use it to attack Gazriel's outpost and protect them from the threat of the Hellfire engines. The sheer thought of using an undead army for their purposes made Elisa uneasy. It was difficult to hide the disgust, even without clear facial expressions With that, a plan was born. Desmond knew he wanted the aid the drow in the Quivering Forest just North East of Phlan. They were directly in the path of the hoard. Shem Romanov would bring the party to secure the auction of the hoard once Asperus was defeated and then go to the Thar and find Asperus to defeat him to line up with the timing. Desmond rushed out after that.

Shem Romanov indicated that it was time to call his most trusted colleague. He closed his eyes for a few seconds a seemless figure appeared from the back passage at the throne in Valjevo castle. The height was average and the clothing was all black. The face of this person was completely covered. The only real feature to identify was the large pointy witch wizard hat on their head. Shem Romanov took out a gold charm that looked almost a bit like a pocket watch. A telepathic link connected as he said out loud... "The Waiting Room"

The Waiting Room
Everyone, including Shem Romanov V and the person with him was teleported a new place, with tacky almost boring design. The design was misplaced. There was red and yellow wallpaper and green carpet with a single couch and a lamp hanging from one side of the room. It was comfortable temperature, but everything else seemed almost purposely mediocre. Near a rectangular wooden door above it was a sign in brass with the words waiting room on it. The wallpaper switched between reds and the yellows as the person in the witch hat had their form change due to a mass dispell cast by the room. The formless figured appeared female and got a foot shorter. Shem Romanov looked over at her and then herself and did a slight sigh of relief.

It took roughly 75 minutes before someone the eyes of in the word room appeared to blink and look around the room. A familiar voice to Gosen and Santiago sounded as Elliant started to speak to them. He appeared just as if not more aloof than usual this time around. Gosen arrived due to his presence and Santiago knows him since Dagna worked with him in the past back in Calimsham over 20 years earlier. Elisa was rather off put also by how nonchalant he was regarding the state of the world and his willingness to waste their time in the waiting room.

Elliant did ask for the business at hand, and Shem Romanov seemed to make the request for an auction of a large hoard of undead like it was nothing special or significant. There were terms to the sale, which included not being connected to the Nine Hells, not being connected to someone connected with the Nine Hells. In addition, someone that bought or would receive the hoard cannot then sell, exchange or give the hoard to someone who works for or if affiliated with the Nine Hells. Someone that gets the hoard must mean to do no harm to Phlan and for their first action must use the hoard to attack the tower in the border forest connected to Gazriel.

There was a bit to review in those terms, but he Elliant seemed to approve of those terms. He asked about if the hoard was in his control or how that would occur and if timing was a concern if someone else might end up taking it. Shem Romanov discussed those details. He introduced his colleague, his adopted daughter Annabel. Shem Romanov spoke to her in draconic for a bit regarding details. He turned back to Elliant and stated that he would want her to oversee the auction itself and participate in an interview of the potential buyers to make sure the right people get access to the hoard and no tricks. Fenwyck was bored and noticing that this place was not a good use, in fact almost purposely a bad use of good magic.

Elliant opened the door revealing his brown robes, that were very simple looking, but almost off setting. He looked like he could fit in a setting noticeably further in the future with a staff that also looks like little more than a thin log. Shem Romanov asked a few questions about who might be the buyer. Elliant specified certain things and asked about the former group members, specifically Dagna and Aklos. Santiago mentioned that they were ok when they last saw them and that they had moved on to different things. Elliant nodded and then asked Gosen about the talisman. He gave an update, forgetting the name of the individual, but knowing that there was a sending involved with it and that it was momentarily controlled.

In a side moment of social awkwardness, Elliant did look and introduce himself to the now newer members of the party. Imir was kind of spent. He was sleeping on the not very comfortable couch as Elliant mostly handed out a brochure to Fenwyck and tried to sell the Collector's Guild as almost a way out of this mess. Elliant, being very tone deaf didn't empathize well as he stays mostly out of the world itself in his own demi plane and just mentioned this as a way to kind of run away from it all. Fenwyck humored his sales pitch and took a brochure.

Once the business was done, Shem Romanov V stated that it was important for them to leave. Time was very important. Elliant apologized about the wait, but did remind him that time works differently in the waiting room. When they return, it will be like they were only gone for thirteen seconds.

With that, Elliant turned back, bid farewell and closed the door behind him and everyone transported back to Valjevo Castle where Sarcaedon was still sitting at the long table as Rilan was returning from a defense meeting to the throne room.

=Session 29: The Vault of the Living=

When everyone arrived back to Valjevo Castle, it was mere seconds after they left. Sarcaedon barely had time to pull out a chair from the long chair and sit down before they came back. What did happen is that Rilan did arrive back from his defense meeting with the series of mercenary groups and paladins about the upcoming battle.

Rilan was pleased to see both Gosen and Santiago, but didn't recognize the rest. The conversation quickly turned to the location of Aesperus' lair. Despite people looking, no one had a real link to where it might be before. The Thar was much too large to search.

Rilan was somewhat aware of it. Rilan corrected the pronunciation from Shem Romanov and asked Santiago. Thinking back, he was actually aware of the tale of Aesperus, a wizard who supposedly died in defense of Hulberg well over 500 years ago. The story was that had been plotting his revenge against the region since at least the 1350s. Some believed his lair was in the Vault of the Dead connected from the inside of the city dedicated to the dead from the wars that cleared the human cities from inside the Thar.

When everyone arrived back to Valjevo Castle, it was mere seconds after they left. Sarcaedon barely had time to pull out a chair from the long chair and sit down before they came back. What did happen is that Rilan did arrive back from his defense meeting with the series of mercenary groups and paladins about the upcoming battle.

Rilan was pleased to see both Gosen and Santiago, but didn't recognize the rest. The conversation quickly turned to the location of Aesperus' lair. Despite people looking, no one had a real link to where it might be before. The Thar was much too large to search.

Rilan was somewhat aware of it. Rilan corrected the pronunciation from Shem Romanov and asked Santiago. Thinking back, he was actually aware of the tale of Aesperus, a wizard who supposedly died in defense of Hulberg well over 500 years ago. The story was that had been plotting his revenge against the region since at least the 1350s. Some believed his lair was in the Vault of the Dead connected from the inside of the city dedicated to the dead from the wars that cleared the human cities from inside the Thar. Rilan was ready for the fight. Despite the dilemma with the paladins and such, there was a clear agreement that this was a threat and there was unity on how to approach it. Sarcaedon quipped about the fact that Hell is in some way involved with the attack, so that they couldn't trust Sigmund personally too much about it.

Shem Romanov was quick bring the conversation back on topic regarding the attack against Aesperus. He asked Sarcaedon if he could teleport everyone there. Sarcaedon admitted that it would be no concern and he was quick to stand up and focus his energy to be able to act on the teleport.

Everyone agreed to the teleport and stood close to each other. When it was done, everyone was teleported to the outskirts of the city. The city looked abandoned. The buildings were partially destroyed with dead throughout the street. There were scores of skeletons patrolling the streets and a strong fog throughout the entire city. In days it looked like the city was in complete ruins with damage from a full on military assault.

The Ruins of Hulburg
The City of Hulburg was completely destroyed. With the help of Santiago, everyone was able to sneak by the skeletons pretty easily. Over time, Gosen did a slight trip. It was slight, but just enough to get the attention of a few skeletons. It wasn't clear if they really know the party's location, but it was enough for them to follow the direction of the sound.

Gosen and Imir agreed to see if they could destroy the skeletons and get back to sneaking through the city. Elisa was the one that noticed ahead there was a skeleton reaching into a cellar and pulling out a peasant. He was poorly dressed an hungry. The man was scared and only hard maybe farm equipment on him. In a shrill voice, the dead demanded that the man tell him where other survivors were hiding. Scared and confused, he said he didn't know. The eyes of the dead glowed as he said he would trade his life if he could find ten others to replace him in the army of the dead.

Elisa saw this and was immediately compelled to help. She stepped out from hiding and the skeletons followed began to run. She stepped out in the open She walked towards the dead that closer in view appeared to be a death knight. Santiago rushed after her.

When the battle started the death knight's eyes glowed as he immediately went to kill the peasant. Fenwyck created a sleet storm to slow down the dead. Skeletons rushed almost endlessly from each side. They slowly approached. The death knight had two side kicks, death squires as they were approaching. Each threw attacks balls of flaming fire and necrosis at Santiago and Elisa. She cast protections from good and evil on the entire party as Shem Romanov immediately turned invisible. Gosen moved to the side where Fenwyck was hiding and aimed to intercept the archers moving to the side in response to the sleet storm blocking the intersection of the battle way.

Santiago shot through the sleet and managed to take out many of the skeletons through the sleet. Imir was angrily taking them out as it became clear that more were converging on the spot. It became very clear that staying battling off them was not really an option.

The death knight threw its hell ball just out of the storm and managed to get both Santiago and Elisa. Shem Romanov appeared mostly absent from the fight just using explosive tags and sneak attacks against the death knight the entire time. Once the stronger dead managed to get out of the sleet storm, Elisa had already hurt them a good deal with radiance against them. In their lingering strength, the Death Knight and others managed to nearly kill both Santiago and Imir.

Imir managed to nearly finish the Death Knight, which was finally dispatched by Shem Romanov, and the servant was defeated by Elisa in a storm of radiance. It was around this time that it was clear that they had gained the attention of an almost insurmountable amount of undead and Elisa cast a powerful spell that surrounded her in a powerful pillar of radiance that lit up the night sky.

Shem Romanov fed Santiago a potion as Fenwyck fed Imir a potion. Santiago flew upwards to get a birds view of city as the rest ran over the bridge. Santiago was able to descend safely as the rest were able to hide. Santiago saw that there were no other death knights around. On the side, there was an opening to the Vault of the Dead, tucked away in a dark corner of the city seemingly being circled by a large monster. it was hard to tell if that monster was dead, itself, but it was eating the fresh corpses of the townspeople.

The party took some time to lick their wounds. The skeletons were less organized without the Death Knights. They were the ones reanimating survivors at the will of Aesperus. Without them, the dead here were aimless. The large monster did explain the damage to the buildings Elisa saw earlier. Stone towers and houses caved in from the outside and above were how the city was in complete ruins.

Everyone managed to make their way to the tree entrance and make their way into the Vault of the Dead. Shortly passed the original entrance was a series of camps full of survivors. Families, civilians, guards were all there. Someone among them, he was clearly a guard, martially trained, but hungry stepped out and introduced himself to the group. Shem Romanov was quiet to hear the group work around this situation. It was mostly Santiago and Elisa speaking on behalf of the situation. They asked if Aesperus was here. The guard mentioned that he didn't think so. Many originally feared the Vault of the Dead since it appeared that some of the dead came out from there, but it was discovered that most of them left so it quickly became the safest hiding spot in the city. Only the big monster could smell the living left and circled the entrance waiting for them to leave. He mentioned that several of the other guards helped clear a small amount of the remaining dead to see if there was a tunnel out of the city through the Vault of the Dead. They did not find a way out, but neither did they find Aesperus. What they did find was a room with a large gem, and a runed floor around it. They believed that Aesperus might have used this room several hundred years ago when he had a lair here, but he doesn't anymore.

The party agreed to move down to that area and take a look at this crystal. There were a few straggling dead left in the Vault, but nothing threatening. The Vault of the Dead was well constructed, but it was a deep tunnel that took time to go through. Enough passes down turned the catacombs it became more cave like. Old debunked traps and tunnels became thinner as they found the room. A bright bluish light lit up the room with a large crystal in the middle.

Imir checked the magic in the room and found no traps. It appeared to be little more than a crystal ball to see the region. Despite finding that, everyone other than Gosen was scared to check the item before he walked in the runic circle and touched the crystal ball. Gosen's eyes glowed blue as he had sight over the town.

He could see the number of dead that remained in the town. It was a strain for his mind, but he was able to control the site of the crystal ball and zoom the view out. The center of the view seemed to default to undead. Gosen saw the whole size of the hoard. The people in Hulburg described the hoard as overwhelming. The guard felt like that were five or six dead for each person in the city. Gosen saw the true numbers and it appeared to be no exaggeration. The hoard appeared to be going above Melvaunt and marching straight for Phlan. They were less than one day from reaching the city.

Shem Romanov became slightly frustrated with the situation. He was not impatient, but it was clear that he does not know the location. The guard stated that it's possible or likely that his lair wouldn't be too far. This region of the Thar is home to the ruins of several of the old cities and homes many crypts of the those that have fallen over the years in the battles against the Ogres. Gosen then considered that he was able to see concentrations of dead and thought to look in the middle of the suggested crypt locations where there were centers of dead around. He could not zoom to see anything in the middle, but was thought of the idea. Shem Romanov suggested that Gosen's hunch seemed probable, but that someone magical inclined should take the helm and see. He suggested either Fenwyck or Elisa. Elisa has become increasingly suspicious of Shem Romanov as it was clear he had little to no intent to take part in the last battle and risk his health against the death knight. Fenwyck and Elisa both touched the crystal ball. Fenwyck reached up to touch the crystal and Elisa reached down and started seeing in the same location Gosen saw. The difference is that they could see it clearer. What they saw was close to nothing.

The biggest difference was the clarity revealed disruption. It was clear there was an area in the middle that was hidden from view. There was a bit of an image ripple spotted that was almost invisible to detection that revealed the probable location of Aesperus's lair. With this knowledge, they wouldn't need to search for it. They would be able to simply go to the lair. The issue was that the exact location was difficult to discern even zooming out from a map. Santiago was the local and decided to touch the crystal while the other were still seeing it. He was able to give a sense of the location and how long it would take to reach it.

The moment Santiago touched it, he could tell that Eshkabel could also see through those eyes. Santiago knew and was aware of this in his head and asked for help in this situation. Eshkabel responded in a telepathic link to Santiago. He stated that he too was a necromancer capable of taking control over the dead. He said he could, but that he would be difficult for his allies to accept. He instead said that he had the power to impart the ability to control a portion of the dead to Santiago. If he would be willing to accept this, it could immediately help in the situation to turn the hoard in on itself. Santiago gave the information to the party, but also informed them that he had spoken to Eshkabel on the subject.

Someone who heard this and was attentively silent when hearing the name was Shem Romanov. He said nothing as Gosen and Elisa appeared to warn and bicker with Santiago on the subject. Elisa feared that they could not trust him as Gosen remembered the battle against him. Santiago recalled that he owed his continued life to Eshkabel and that he sent Donovan over to help them at his most needed moment. There was a struggle about whether or not that would be a good idea of plan, but it was clear that Santiago knew the location of Aesperus's lair. Santiago added that it would take a little over two hours to make it to the lair and that they would need to sneak around Ogre encampments in order to reach it.

Elisa asked how they could get there and despite giving Shem Romanov the clear cold shoulder addressed this question to him. He stated that he had a way to it, but that it would take a little longer than teleportation.

They made their way back to the surface. Shem Romanov stepped outside the tree when it was safe to do so. He suggested that everyone else go out as well since the window of time to do this would not be long. He started the motions to cast a spell and gripped something underneath his shirt and then appeared to change shape into a dragon. He did cast a spell. Gosen in a moment of of sight caught glimpse of the necklace he was wearing as he transformed and recognized it despite it not being particularly common knowledge as did Elisa. They recognized that as a divine artifact linking him to being one of only a few Exarchs of the Goddess Tiamat. His voice sounded the same, but telepathically in their head. He stated that they were no longer hidden and that now was the time if they expected to fly there. Shem Romanov appeared to make it so that he was casting the Polymorph Spell, but it was clear that the eyes caught the change and saw perhaps who he really was.

=Session 30: Stone Tree and the Desmond killing Golem=

The flight over the night skies was high up. Shem Romanov did not want to be spotted. In the distance, he could see what looked like a swirl of incorporeal defenses and wanted to keep himself hidden from the forces. Seeing it did keep him in cautious to what he saw. The flight over was not instant and during it, both Imir and Fenwyck nearly fell off his back. Elisa perhaps for the first time revealed that her two arms could split into another two. With that, she was able to hold onto Shem Romanov and still help Imir and Fenwyck stay on his back.

As he approached the destination, his posture shifted to make it easier to descend. Cautious of what was around him, he made it quick till those that could see in the dark also saw the tree tops. It was around this point where as a dragon, he made a hand sign. He asked if anyone had feather fall to which Imir and Elisa were both in no hurry to use the spell. When they were just maybe ten feet or so off the ground, Shem Romanov turned back into his human form and everyone fell into the mud as he dusted himself off.

Gosen and Elisa kept what they saw silent as he indicated that he cannot simply teleport into a dragon at will. It takes a lot out of him to do that. He does reference his blood as something that gives him an affinity for that as he looks cautiously ahead. Imir is the one that asks about the location. Shem Romanov doesn't know where the place is, but the location was not large, so he believes that it will be quick to look through the area. Imir looks to use his magical site through detect magic to see if he can see find a link to the location of the lair.

It was pitch black outside and Elisa and Santiago were following those with limited dark vision. The land around became more dry as everyone crossed ruins from old of old kingdoms in the Thar. Fenwyck was the first to start noticing the statues. When passing them, Santiago could see that some were very old. Some were of humans alive well over two hundred years ago. There were others that were more recent of Orcs and Ogres. Fenwyck was the one who uncovered the fact that they were frozen in action. These were not statues that were sculpted. These were the frozen poses of beings that were petrified fleeing.

As everyone started getting closer, there was a very quiet sound about that no one really noticed. As time went on, a different sound started being easily heard by everyone in the party. The sound of steps, but the steps were very heavy. It was hard to tell, but it seemed like what made the steps were humanoid, but not really alive.

It was that moment when it became clear that the sound was beginning to surround the party as the sight of statues moving became clear that they were spotted. Elisa and Imir were completely aware of the need to rush past the upcoming threat. Fenwyck already had the idea to hide and scout ahead with her familiar taking the form of an owl.

A form of a tree, or rather noticeably a treant made in stone appears and with branches animated several statues in front of it and its eyes glowed as it stared at Imir, crossing a cold glance that made his bones stiff, but little more. It immediately saw Elisa and recognized a cleric and aimed to kill her as quickly as possible and shot off a raw of disintegration immediately. Fenwyck reacted immediately and provided Elisa with a momentary magical boost, which allowed her to skillfully dodge the attack.

Shem Romanov saw the Sentinel up front and ran up the top of the ruins and looked to charge his way into the lair quickly. The Sentinel waited until he saw that he intended to enter. He tried several way to cheat his way in, but his spells to get in were blocked by its ability to counter and absorb magic. His dimension door and other teleportation efforts were blocked. Aware of that, the Sentinel cast a Wall of Force at the entrance forcing a fight.

Elisa cast protection from evil anticipating a long battle against lots of undead. While the statues did not appear to be dead, the treant itself was one of Aesperus's greatest guardians along with the Sentinel. Gosen held up the rear to defend the group as tree blights crept at the sound of fighting. Gosen was almost immediately surrounded by statues and fending off tree blights as Fenwyck let loose the fireball to give Gosen relief. Elisa asked Fenwick and Gosen which way seemed the most clear getting an answer that the left side in the ruins appeared to be the clearer path. Elisa was able to rush out ahead as Imir went back to give support.

From the distance, the treant cast spells of confusion on Fenwyck, Santiago, and Imir, causing them to submit to utter confusion and lose all wherewithal. The glance that hit Imir hit Fenwyck, but she felt a stiffness as a large portion of her body has been petrified and she was greatly weakened by it. Imir and Fenwyck had no sense of whereabouts. Santiago was able to shake it off and act normally. He summoned his old bear allies to hold positions and help get him across the left side to make it to the entry way. Elisa was cautious, frozen in the situation being unable to see any ally and getting no response to her calls. Gosen eventually climbed on the ruins, he too being hit by gaze from the treant feeling his legs go stiff. Looking to freeze off and kill the intruders, the treant let loose a cone of cold. Gosen hit with a massive blow against the treant breaking its concentration on its spell releasing, Fenwyck, Imir and Santiago from the confusion.

Fenwyck aware of the path from her familiar aimed to help the three of them from being surrounded by statues and tree blights. Her deeds were only short lived as after her flight, she would completely turn to stone regretting the move with such a suicidal team.

Gosen was closing in on his situation, things getting worse for him quickly. Elisa was able to make her way back to Gosen and remove the effects of the gaze. His body was badly wounded from being converted to stone, but he was back to being free of it. As she started on her way back to Santiago, Gosen mentioned Fenwyck in the distance with his dark vision as she changed direction.

Gosen, then carried Fenwyck and carried her long the right side of the ruins making a pathway as Imir and Santiago pushed the left side fighting what appeared to be an animated petrified chimera. The statues of the petrified lifeforms were clearly slower and weaker than their original forms. The swords were not sharp and they had no sense of strategy of their own. The treant saw that the statues were not able to hold back the intruders as it tried to grab and hold back the intruders itself, but the protection from evil had weakened it's ability to attack directly as it failed to hold onto Santiago and Elisa. In the distance, Gosen could see Shem Romanov using fancy moved, but he appeared to be considerably injured by the golem, which appeared to glow and get stronger every turn against him. He was barely standing as the Golem appeared to be regenerating from its injuries. Elisa used a greater restoration to help Fenwyck return to her form and heal some of the bodily damage caused by the petrification. Fenwyck used a sleet storm to slow down the already slowed statues as the treant waited back in its original position once the intruders made their way to the stairs. Gosen charged up to where Shem Romanov was as he down on one knee. The Sentinel shot out a nova of force energy, which in immediately on impact removed the ability to resist it's damage as it created a blade of force and attacked Gosen, sucking the magic out of his equipment immediately and using it to energize its following attacks, almost knocking him unconscious to begin with.

Shem Romanov asked if anyone knew a way to remove the wall of force. Fenwyck revealed that it must concentrate on the spell to keep it active. Elisa attempted to throw the golem off the spell, by using the water it was in to throw it off. The Sentinel was able to absorb the spell energy into itself. Imir flanked with Shem Romanov and connected with a powerful smite attack, which both greatly damage and energized the golem, which blinked it's concentration letting the wall of force go down. Shem Romanov looked at himself and those around him, not being sure, Elisa would heal him, he felt the need to release his power using a jutsu with the inherent power of his blood, releasing ray with the power of the black dragon's acid breath weapon, causing critical damage to the Golem. Focused on Shem Romanov, it missed both its attacks and from behind, Imir stabbed it through the head, causing a force nova explosion that knocked Imir unconscious and killed Gosen. Skill or luck, Shem Romanov managed to dodge in time as he saw that with one of the guardians destroyed that the other might come back to life and rushed in with the bodies of both Imir and Gosen. Elisa revivified Gosen as Shem Romanov gave Imir a potion. Imir had given Gosen a nod of respect for helping him back from the grip of the tree blights on their way up the staircase to Aesperus's lair. Elisa healed everyone, except Santiago, who managed not to get hurt at all that battle. Once in the lair, everyone had a telepathic connection which a raspy and wispy voice of someone everyone acknowledged as Aesperus. In a show of confidence, he quickly made it clear he knew everyone that was there. Aesperus seemed surprised that he could not sense evil in the group in his lair and indicated that if they knew the horrible monster traveling with them they they would help Aesperus kill him instead. Elisa immediately turned to Shem Romanov at that. Imir quipped back at Aesperus stating that this was a waste of time and that the one aiming to kill the entire region has no argument to make his case. Aesperus rambled and ranted at rage at how cursed this region was and that death was the only mercy left for this region. During his rantings, he brought up the submit to Hell as the final proof he needed that his desire to end life in the region was a righteous one. Aesperus went silent the moment it became clear that they would be his enemy and that he could not convince them to turn on Shem Romanov. Elisa stepped forward with Imir and Fenwyck as she crossed the doorway triggering a Symbol of Death on the door badly injuring several of the people close to the doorway.

Everyone was in his lair, mostly badly wounded in the lair of the lich with only a short period of time before Phlan was likely to be destroyed.

=Session 31: The Cursed Orb of Selune=

Enter the Lair of Asperus
Everyone breathed heavy sharing what little of the healing supplies left. Shem Romamov spent time casting prestidigitation to fix the stains of blood on himself after that battle as Elisa and Imir looked onward to see for potential traps. The air in the cave became thin and toxic. The very air seemed to decompose solid matter around it. The footsteps of everyone echoed across the whole place. Even Fenwyck and Shem Romanov, who ever very light on their feet heard echoes.

Imir and Fenwyck could immediately tell that these were magical effects as Imir used to detect magic and help see the cause of all this and see that the lair itself was activating a series of alarms and traps. He was able to quickly deduce that the crystals seemed to almost be a magical source or implement for most of the traps in the lair. The lair was mostly cave like with a few distinct doorways carved into it with a series of crystals making very dim light throughout the lair. Elisa and Imir went out to spot out the traps. This was a relatively slow process when Fenwyck called out to her familiar and the tiny tiny owl was able to fly out ahead and scout out many traps. As she was able to see through it's eyes, she used a minor illusion not so much to fool the group, but create an image that acted as a map for the of cave. During the time, her familiar managed to trigger and survive a trigger for a lightning explosion and a symbol of insanity while crossing near what could have been many more traps. The two things that caught her eye the most were a crystal that acted as a spire surrounding by lighting with ghosts and other incorporeal undead flying around it and the rattling of chains on the other side before her familiar went back to her. Due to the harsh conditions of the lair, the owl could only be out for a few minutes before coming back.

After coming back Fenwyck and Elisa both used the power of mage hand to activate the second lightning trap to see what would happen. Fenwyck was able to see that this one appeared to have a link to another crystal. After triggering it with a mage hand popping it shooting a bolt of lightning between the two crystals. The ray appeared to stay indefinitely as Elisa would activate another one from a far distance to have a large cone of stray bolts shoot out for roughly ten seconds before it would calm down and the crystal would go inert.

This pattern consisted for some time as they slowly went down the path drawn in the map created by Fenwyck from her familiar. Gosen and Imir went out front. As the group made their way close to the place where the familiar stopped, everyone heard a voice in their head from Aesperus warning them to turn back. As he was saying this, Gosen heard the actual audible voice of Aesperus as he communicated telepathically his message. In addition, Gosen was able to see a path upward leading to a Bone Golem and the sounds of a trapped being, larger than human forced into chains. Elisa and Imir checked to see if this was a prisoner ally or a captured beast as Gosen continued to look up to see if it was a Golem. Aesperus continued to warn the party tell them to leave and that it wouldn't be cowardly to run away and it would be smart to live.

Imir went back once Gosen mentioned the Golem and Aesperus kept clamoring to get everyone to leave. Imir smirked and back talked him threatening him enjoying it. Shem Romanov was cautious and almost afraid just before the battle would start. He stated that Aesperus would go out of his way to kill Elisa first as the Cleric and the biggest threat to him. He said that Aesperus would go out of his way to kill him also, likely second that she would need to cast deathward on herself. She agreed and cast it on herself and Shem Romanov.

Aesperus went out from the corner and signaled his lair to attack Gosen as he would use a spell to dominate Imir's mind. The start of the battle was abrupt as Santiago was blind to the battle and Fenwyck went out to attack to be countered by Aesperus. Elisa also mostly stood back as Gosen disarmed Aesperus from his tome and kicked it away from him. Fenwyck took it with mage hand and put it in her bag of holding.

The Bone Golem had several skulls embedded with spell storing crystals that shattered to cast defensive spells and aid Aesperus from being defeated in battle. The helped provide cover in the battle. Shem Romanov V, kind of stalled early fearing that he wouldn't be viewed as an ally if he fell ran up the wall and charged Aesperus. Elisa broke Imir out of his domination as he charged back into the area of battle charged Aesperus. The lich was almost overwhelmed quickly before casting a devastating spell that would take stun out everyone aside from Fenwyck when it happened. Imir had already incased himself in ice to defend against a devastating attack from Aesperus just prior. Fenwyck caught glimpse of the ogre zombies beginning to tumble their way into the area as she blocked the path with a web spell. Aesperus with his golem cracked a gem to cast a spell of invulnerability on him making him immune to damage. After the Golem did that, he cast a horrid wilting on everyone in the area which would aid to knocked out both Imir and Shem Romanov. Aesperus at this point was almost celebrating victory as Santiago could not see to really engage the fight and Fenwyck and Elisa most stood back from the fighting. In a last stitch effort, Elisa called onto Ilmater to find a way through the invulnerability as beam of radiance shot down and knocked off the head of the Golem and shined on the stone far away. She cast a spell aimed for Aesperus as he gloated his position, when her spell connected, his defense was missing, covering the Golem itself instead of him as he disintegrated in the radiant blast cursing how he could forget the cleric. Aesperus was defeated, but not destroyed as a lich. Up the staircase was large stone, almost completely transparent with a light blue glow and a pack of runes. Elisa decided to heal everyone that had fallen as Gosen was brought back by Fenwyck prior to the healing due to his advanced condition due to the spikes from earlier. Shem Romanov looked shocked to be alive at this point as he didn't expect to fall in battle and come back. There was a pause as Santiago was about to touch the stone and wanted a sort of permission that it was ok for him to do so. The group was wounded and not really willing to fight the situation. As Santiago touched the stone, his mind immediately connected with ten different deathknights telepathically as his eyes glowed yellow. He heard the voice of Eshkabel. During this conversation, Santiago was defensive. He did not want to be tricked and was cautious with his intent. Eshkabel told him originally that he could control a portion of the hoard and now Eshkabel was trying to pass controlling the hoard and deciding he would control it as Santiago chose was somehow the same thing. Santiago asked if he could destroy it. Eshkabel stated that he could control the hoard only through Santiago if he was touching the stone and that he could do anything with it. Santiago did ask if there was a way to lose that control, to which Eshkabel did admit since Aesperus was not destroyed that he might be able to take it back if he gets the stone.

Eshkabel did try to convince Santiago to use the hoard to fight against the Nine Hells and aid him, but Santiago decided to ere on the side of caution rather than ambition. In this time, he appeared to be in a trance mostly unaware of the world around him. During this time, he was able to connect several of the death knights including one already in Phlan through the Valhingen Graveyard attacking in the city streets offering positional advice to take out the Temple of the Three Truths. Santiago, not entirely sure of his control attempted to speak in a difference voice commanded the dead to leave Phlan and call off the attack. The death knight agreed with no issue and abandoned the attack. Santiago broke out of the trance to inform people about the events. There was a bit of discussion about attempting to destroy the artifact versus using it, but what was known is that they wanted to use the artifact to control the undead in Aesperus's lair in order to escape. Fenwyck cast fly on Santiago since he was mostly in a trance and have Elisa and Imir kind of drag him out. Several things happened including figuring out that the monster in chains was an experimented vampire to the fact that there was a death knight guarding some kind of magical runes inside the cave. Santiago had control over the treant and basically ordered the undead to attack and take care of each other. As they were far out, Shem Romanov's tone appeared to change as he was surprised and increased his level of respect for the group acknowledging their role in defeating Aesperus over his own. He did state that everyone would need to be cautious as it is likely that Hell would be out for this stone. Santiago put the stone in his pocket and mostly decided not to be in the trance once they were outside the lair making their way back to Phlan. Fenwyck and Elisa learned that the stone was an artifact tainted and was originally powered by the moon and would be able to be cleansed during the daylight and destroyed with a ritual into a channel divinity. Elisa knew that daylight was just four hours away at this point. After hearing Shem Romanov's concerns, Elisa asked if they could get there faster. He thought about transforming again, but thought that might be risky and aimed for a different idea. He did a sending back to Phlan to reach Sarcaedon. Just shortly after he did, Santiago was placed inside a force dome, and with that, the quickened spell was about to be cast as Santiago gave a command to destroy the hoard back to Ehskabel as Shem Romanov threw a Kunai of cancellation to remove the force dome.

With that his eyes glowed yellow to see if he could spot him in the distance. Shem Romanov stated that he was not surprised that Khladun would try to jump the party for the orb at some point if possible. It was likely that after deflecting this attack that there wouldn't be another attempt.

Shortly after that, Sarcaedon arrived and saw everyone badly injured and clearly wanted to ask lots of questions, but prepared a linked portal to a teleportation circle in a barracks inside Phlan. Everyone was alert for the time as Gosen didn't fully trust the intent of Sarcaedon while drawing the circle.

Enter Fzoul Chembryl
Once in Phlan, they teleported to the Eastern Barracks, very much in action during the attack with people moving through it. Despite what was happening, the draw of attention would be the three holy warriors of Bane in the room. There was a paladin (Black Guard) fully covered in armor with a symbol of Bane, a Cleric, also mostly covered from head to toe in armor with a holy symbol to Bane and a man in the middle that almost everyone could immediately recognize as Fzoul Chembryl. Gosen almost immediately noticed that in his hands was the freshly assembled Sword of the Triad as he smirked when he saw the group. Sarcaedon greeted Fzoul and thanked him for his service.

Elisa was immediately cautious and ready to judge as had an aura and strong ego to him in this situation. It took almost no time for him to bring up that Desmond requested his help and was aware of what the cost of the use of his army would be, indicating that there was an agreement.

Fzoul also stated that their intel was incorrect. When Aesperus was defeated, only half the hoard stopped its march. The hoard that left from Belthorn manor still continues its march and will connect with his army shortly. This shocked and disappointed everyone that fought Aesperus believing that it would stop the entire hoard. Fzoul did admit that his army might have struggled with the entire hoard, but should have little issue defeating half of the hoard with his army of clerics and paladins.

Fzoul turned his attention to Imir, and asked him about his allegiance to the Blades of Mulmaster. While in view of the others, he made it clear that he had sensitive information he could not give, but that he wanted to know if he would join him in his fight against Hell. He convinced Imir that his plan was the truest plan to defeat Hell pointing at his sword, which he and Santiago could see was the Sword of the Triad that was reformed by Eshkabel. He stated that the sword was hand delivered to him by Khaldun from the Nessus and that he would destroy them from the inside. Imir was interested, but Fzoul looked at the rest of the group not really sure if they would take to the mission he would ask.

He was asking if Imir would mind aiding him in the killing of High Blade Selfaril in Mulmaster. Fzoul states that he basically had control over Mulmaster with the previous high Blade, but that there was turmoil in the city and the current High Blade works to splinter the region's resources against each other, which is dire in this situation.

After that he mostly bragged his position, but indicated that this was almost a rite of passage to his plan and how he would deal with the Nine Hells. It was clear he was speaking only to Imir in the group, but was looking at the others.

=Session 32: The Prophecy of Revelation uncovered=

Fzoul quickly reintroduced the idea of kiling the High Blade of Mulmaster as almost a test to Imir to see if he was fit for the main plan. It was something he pushed for, but admittedly realized it would split the party and bring it against each other. Shem Romanov seemed uneasy with Fzoul's presence and tried to get everyone to leave. Given it was 4:30AM it was not difficult to try and get everyone to leave.

He called Sarcaedon with him as well to make a brief conversation on the subject as it appeared Imir was almost willing to take the opportunity. Shem Romanov and the Sarcaedon had a brief conversation regarding the decision. Gosen chipped in as Shem wondered what the price was for the service. Sarcaedon stated that Desmond likely made and agreement with Hell and signed away some of his power, but decided to do it in a different way after meeting with Fzoul. Sarcaedon stated that it was likely to get away existing contracts foreshadowing his connection to other deities.

Afterwards, Elliant and Annabel returned and and met them in the city. Annabel gave the news about finding a buyer just to have Shem reveal that it was no longer necessary and frustrating her. She asked about the situation mostly to get news that Santiago basically had it covered. She mentioned that a Simulacrum of hers was able to witness the onset of the attack and that there was relevant and useful information about the events to cover.

Elliant put on a monocle and noticed a several items and was curious about what they found and what they were looking to do with it. Rather dismissive, the group didn't appear to trust Elliant and kind of shrugged him off. Frustrated, he acted annoyed that neither anything was used for his time and he got nothing out of what time he spent, and his demeanor change as he basically insulted most of the party and eventually left.

Shem Romanov offered his gift for being saved. He mentioned that it might be best to stay awake and keep the orb and work with it before going to sleep. He decided that he would offer the group a hefty amount of information for the favor of working with him and specifically for saving than finding an inn or a place to stay, Fenwyck cast a spell to create a hut with a force bubble around it.

Santiago quickly fell asleep as Fenwyck, curious took the book out of her bag of holding. When doing so, she immediately fell into a trance and found herself seeing through the eyes of someone unknown in a temple of in Impultor to Ilmater that was completely destroyed. There, she saw a gnome who she described matched the description of the witch king with black abomination well over a one hundred feet long. A being used words in her head. "Life or Death" Fenwyck trying understand her surroundings and make sense of the situation started asking follow up questions to really get a sense of what was going on. The voice was unwilling and bored of the interaction seemed to merely repeat itself only otherwise stating that it was bored and planning on killing her if she didn't answer. Unsure and somewhat flustered, she answered life, which disappointed the voice as Fenwyck had a good portion of her life absorbed away from her with her hands withered down due to necrosis. Elisa was able to restoration away some of the effect, but Fenwyck was exhausted nearly to the point of death when most of the group went to sleep.

Imir was troubled by the situation concerned about what truly mattered to him, believing that Fzoul's path is the path to defeating Hell versus the realization that Fzoul would be no less likely to have the world enslaved under Bane that Asmodeus would. Elisa had a conversation where she learned that he was in fact created by Hell also. Imir was in constant pain over the nature of his creation and purpose. He mentioned that he dreamed of a simpler life, a family, but that he would wake up and see only his current state. Elisa seemed or had always appeared to imply her purpose was predestined, but then she admitted that she didn't think that her purpose was to do what she was doing. She assumed that she was likely meant to help the war effort more than being here, but she interpreted or chose this as her destiny. Imir wondered why she trusted him with her life.

The conversation carried on between them for a bit before Imir fell asleep. In the dead of night, there was mostly silence. The only missed sound was a ladybug burrowing through the dirt and landing on on the orb. With a almost instant change, it was gone. Elisa, tranced out noticed the difference in weight as the orb disappeared. Elisa didn't immediately wake anyone up in response. After the night was done, and people started to wake up, she casted one more greater restoration on Fenwyck changing the almost deadening exhaustion to a being just a bit sore and tired. Elisa mentioned the orb was missing going through people that might have it, including perhaps Elliant in the name of people that could have taken it. Santiago wondered who since whoever took it could have attacked them, but clearly chose not to.

After waking up, the only thing the group really thought to do was to find Shem Romanov V, who was actually not particularly easy to find as it wasn't exactly clear where he is at any given point or where he resides. Gosen is the one that mentions Sarcaedon when Elisa gave him a sending in order to know where to find it, and really not to much shock, Valjevo Castle is the best place to reach him. Santiago led the group there where Elisa was able to charm the guard to saying he was expecting them, which was not at all far from the truth in the situation .Though they did need to be lead through the maze in order to reach the inner keep for Valjevo Castle.

After leading the group in, the one guard gave them water and wine and lead them to Shem Romanov comfortably in a sleeping robe, still over dressed willing to discuss well, everything. The group followed him to a comfortable fireplace sitting room where he proceeded to sit comfortably and really start asking the group questions. Everyone was initially a little confused as he really started grilling them at first.

For Shem Romanov, it was mostly context. He eventually let out a sigh as it was time to let them know, well everything. More than anything, he stressed it was important that people. One of the first topics was Fzoul, who appeared to be truthful in his opinion, but it was tracked for some time that he was visiting the Dalelands to meet with two different groups of individuals. Two different Revenants, one in a group with the first Warforged called R'monceal, and the other unknown or named, but referred to as more of an oracle to by Shem Romanov. R'monceal worked the Swords of Archendale, while the other one was only known to be active in the Dales and was known for slaying Belial and Fierna (Lord of the 4th Phlethegos)

Gosen seemed very interested in this. Shem Romanov didn't know too much about this individual as Gosen of all people seemed proactively interested in who this was and what this means. Shem Romanov indicated that it is possible that Niles might know what is going on with it. Shem Romanov seemed aware of the the events at Melvaunt leading to the trip to the Dales including the request from Niles. He also revealed that he was aware of the events to a much smaller amount that happened at Mulmaster including the fact that they were attacked by a Black Dragon and that he was technically framed for it.

=Session 33: Shattered Chains= Waking up in the streets of Phlan, the entire party sat inside a lightly furnished force bubble or hut discussing the next move. It seemed clear after the conversation with Shem Romanov that the next move would be talking to Niles. There was no line of effect with magic from inside the dome, so Elisa, the one with the sending spell was the one that needed to step out and the one who had spoken to Niles in the past to reach out to him. Elisa asked for his location to which he indicated that he was inside Palischuk inside Vaasa.

Just after that, Elisa saw what looked like three people from the Brotherhood of the Cloak looking for the group. The three were identified by Santiago as people who often shadowed patron Armen Rathker from Melvaunt. Armen is someone who was spotted in the barracks at Valjevo Castle when they first arrived and someone who was with Sarcaedon Arbelleck when the group attacked him. It always seemed odd that someone who had a connection with Phlan would also have stationed cloaks, but Elisa didn't have a desire to be spotted by them and wore the hat and went back into the hut.

The cloaks did not notice her put the hat on or track her location. Divination magic could not spot them from inside the hut, and the group walked off. Elisa alerted them of the location, and both Santiago and Gosen were aware of how to get to Vaasa. Gosen strictly remembered going there from another direction and while Santiago didn't ever travel to Vaasa, the Galena Mountains were just North East of his home village.

There were a few ideas, but it was clear that no one knew a reliable method to get there aside from on foot. At that point, the party decided to sneak out hopefully without being noticed by either Cloaks or really anyone else. There was no incident on the way out as the group made their way to Thar. The Thar was full of Ogres and Orc encampments. Santiago was familiar with the region and knew without major concern how to get through without incident. Elisa and Fenwyck perched on her shoulders were able to spot scouting parties in the Thar that got close enough to be seen to help avoid conflict.

In the night, there was nothing that spotted them, but messages, almost whispers in Imir's mind from a familiar individual. Pells the Torturer was a hired devil from Val'Drannar, a very advanced chain devil who had advanced to a lower pit lord status and worked with Val'Drannar to mold the created tieflings into shape. His advanced telepathy could reach all of the created tielflings either revealing truth or in a lie, he stated that Imir's freedom was choice of Val'Drannar and that it was time to collect Imir. Imir warned the group that it was only a matter of time before he expected an encounter from an old enemy.

Elisa could see the stress and concern on his face after that message and decided to sit down by him for a moment as he processed the situation. After an uneventful night's rest, the group was able to dodge a scouting party that used dire wolves and make their way past the Thar into the mouth of the mountain trails into the Galena Mountains. Elisa was quick to see that there were serpentine and otherwise inhumanoid trails here. After inspection, Santiago was able to identify the tracks as something that belongs to Demons. Rather than Devils, which often took more humanoid shapes, Demons often have a variety of more animalistic and chaotic shapes.

The group made their way through the trails for a small amount of the night before needing to make camp. As part of the watch, Gosen examined the trails Elisa originally spotted and found out that they weren't just recent, but often repeated. He brought this to Santiago who then effectively got the party to regroup their camp site on the mountains in a more remote area. A very large demonic wyrm (Fiendwyrm) moved through the region. The night itself was uneventful.

The next morning scouting found a green female tiefling, flying with the form of fire around her. She was not difficult to spot, but Imir's eyes grew wide he recognized her. This was someone revered as the most powerful of the group of tieflings created by Val'Drannar, Zaphial. While Imir and Santiago both spotted her, it was Elisa that realized that she also spotted them. Zaphial flew back down, but not towards the group. Imir soon after received telepathic messages. Rather than sneak around, Imir realized that confrontation was all but inevitable and decided to meet the battle head on.

Enter Zaphial
Pells was standing with a ceremonial powerful Warforged guardian as all higher ranking devils had with two legionnaires and two familiar faces, Erlgo, a slightly weaker, but comparably strengthed orange tiefling and Zaphial, the undisputed most powerful of their ranks. Pells himself was a hunched 10 foot devil that was almost all white with his arms and torso covered in chains with a red face with almost no facial features aside from tiny beady eyes. He did not appear to have a mouth and only spoke through telepathy again reinforcing Imir that Val'Drannar set him free, and that he did not break free of his own will. He also indicated that his master profited from his freedom and managed to ascend past the rank of pit lord to Duke through the reputation of Imir's deeds. Pells was casual about the slavery of Imir and the idea of taking all of his allies back to torture and kill them as props to have Imir rediscover true pain. Usually reserved, Elisa and Santiago had no issue with this. It was clear that perhaps even more than with most devils, this was a proud sadist who seemed almost excited to cause pain and tear people apart both psychologically and physically.

The battle was a start of spells countered and dispelled between Fenwyck denying a slow and Pells dispelling protection against fiends in a short time span. Zaphial made an almost immediate marks stunning Gosen with a psychic attack and unleashing a dangerous fireball. Fenwyck cast a sleet storm that managed to slow down the warforged titan as Elisa called a guardian to make a wall around the battlefield. Zaphial was flying caught in the sleet storm and fell to the group and was forced to dispell the effect.

Pells mostly hid from the combat using his power to ramp the anger and power of their minions in the fight.

Imir phased through solid rock and managed to surprise him as his focus was on Santiago, who had taken to the air and with Imir's direction continued all of his attacks against Pells, himself. Erlgo threatened Gosen, unable to move, Gosen did managed to get a "fuck off" out before spitting on his face. Erlgo went after Elisa with more or less mixed results. Fenwyck mostly hiding and firing spells from inside a bush never really got attention until the Warforged fell for an illusion and managed prevent the titan from sending a single attack.

Santiago flew down and with a stab of his sword through Pells off his feet on the ground and managed to finish off the two legionnaires. Pells was desperately angry at Santiago and demanded Zaphial deal with him. She turned him into a rabbit with a polymorph and used another spell to try to hold Elisa. Fenwyck knew the properties of polymorph and realized if his life as a rabbit was extinguished, he would revert to his true form and had her familiar attack Santiago as a rabbit, giving him the oddest most traumatizing death, before coming back as a person.

Imir landed a devastating blow, cutting through the bone covering his face and leaving a strong gash on his chest. Pells, shaking, somewhat from fear and somewhat from anticipation was in awe of the situation. Pells was shaking as he got up and managed get back on his feet and throw attacks at Imir only to have Imir grab the attack. In response to the attack. Imir planned to charge from above where Pells acted in place to take Imir's freedom. Pells acts to dominate his mind, taking hold over Imir. Santiago charged and landed an attack on Pells causing an angry shriek as Imir pulled out of his control. Imir with all of his power jumped down landing a stab through Pells' head, killing him almost instantly. His last words muttered before he went limp.

Elrgo, the orange tiefling was close to landing the final blow on Elisa appeared to shake free in a different state of consciousness as did Zaphial. Imir shortly rejoicing in his freedom and the death of Pells as he looked at Zaphial. A telepathic message happened just seconds after his death from Val'Drannar to all of those he created. Erlgo spoke to Zaphial who nodded. Imir got up quickly and ran over to to Zaphial trying to stop the both of them from leaving. She uttered the words, "We are simply what were made to be." as she teleported away with Erlgo.

Imir looking beat, relieved, but stressed fell to the ground. Elisa went down to accompany him he passed out. The warforged left the scene shortly after. Santiago scouted shortly after to see if the battle caught the attention of others. He flew up and in the far view spotted a small team of demons in the distance in the shape of two apes (Balgura), a Goistro and a large two headed demon with tentacles for arms and lower body. Gosen was restored from his stunned position and he carried Imir as it was about to start raining to a cave close by. The demons made their way to the site of the battle and made sure the devils there were dead and proceeded to carry the bodies away.

Everyone was keen on staying till the rain died down and until Imir woke up, which wasn't for another 18 or so hours. It was a relaxing day of hunting small rabbits as Imir slept with some of the most peaceful thoughts and faces he had the entire time.

The morning was peaceful. Imir explained that he knew at the very least Zaphial and expressed that those they fought, the other tieflings were like him, controlled, forced into this. He wanted to know how to free them, or to let them know there is another way. Elisa nodded and gave a sending to Zaphial with Imir's words. Though there was no response, it was clear that the message was sent.

After a peaceful morning with a rabbit breakfast, the group was on its way through the Galena Mountains and made their way into the frozen tundra of Vaasa. There were two paths to take. One would take the group down the main road and through several towns, and the other was significantly faster, but was completely off road with no cover. The trip was already taking longer than they wanted, so the group agreed to move the faster path. Elisa parted the water of the river and it was a straight run to Palischuk.

A Vampire's Lament
In the dead of night, Gosen spotted the eyes of a vampire stalking the group. He mentioned it to Stantiago and woke up the rest of the group. Everyone got up and prepared for battle as the vampire stared at the group motionless. Santiago readied an attack and was getting ready to fire as the vampire turned into a bat and flew away. Where he was standing was a small gold tiara. It was magical, but it's properties were hard to fully understand what it did. Gosen surprisingly enough did understand fairly well and decided it was safe and touched it. There were a series of images and scenes played out from someone's life. It was not clear what was truly happening until Fenwyck actually wore the item and learned that it belonged to someone who was a comrade of the vampire, and that the vampire was once in a team of people including the current witch king. With the item's full knowledge, they knew the location of the vampire and are drawn to a location that would be identified by Santiago to be the ruins of Castle Perilous.

Enter Palischuk
The rest of the trip to Palischuk was uneventful. At the gates of the city, there was no resistance to their entry, or well there was none once their identities were verified by their appearance. It was easy to tell in the city that the location of Niles was inside a university in the city dedicated to headmaster Gavirello Tinkerwisks, at this time, the most premiere artificer alive. The group made their way into a meeting room just beyond a lecture hall with Gavirello, Niles, and an older venerable human (smoking a cigar) in a wheel chair being pushed by a shield guardian, Eustace Califomme.

=Session 34: Gavirello Pies=

It was already relatively late in what looked like a break room with a long table attached to a minibar and a brick oven. Gavirello, a gnome dressed dapper and slick back hair carrying a staff was in the company of two other people, one recognizable to most of the group as Niles Vormav and another much older man in a jacket and gown who looked very old at this point with a cigar in his mouth sitting in a wheel chair being pushed by a shield guardian.

Elisa and Imir were both able to listen in on the conversation and hear the three finishing up a conversation as Niles was basically asking for permission with for the conversation as Gavirello basically called it a night. He told Niles that his guests were allowed use of the facilities and addressed the main in wheel chair as Eustace and asked he wanted to sleep as well. Eustace looked towards the group and said he'd kick himself if he didn't get to speak to her at least once, pretty obviously referring to Elisa at this point.

Enter, the Artificers
Gavirello waved goodnight and went back up to his quarters for sleepies. Niles approached the group as Helper, Eustaces old shield guardian pushed him slightly behind. Niles greeted Santiago, Elisa, and Gosen and introduced himself to Imir and Fenwyck. Niles also made sure to introduce Eustace to the group. The only significant difference with this introduction is that he mentioned that he was also the Blue Sword of Archendale. This was mildly significant as he stated in the original meeting that he was frustrated with the leaders of Archendale and also a noticeable difference for how it was run by making it known. Whenever he spoke, he was venerable enough that Helper often needed to remove his cigar, which kept falling from his mouth.

Elisa had just before the start of the conversation kind of nudged Santiago and Gosen to spearhead speaking to Niles since they both met him in the past.

Before the conversation with Niles, Elisa addressed Eustace, rather nurturing. Eustace was direct and not nearly as wordy as any of the other artificers. His main concern, and question was just, how was Elisa living. When it was clear that her image and purpose played maybe only a small role in her life, he was actually quite relieved. Eustace had significant remorse on his creation of Elisa fearing it was his fault to give her life and was unhappy that she was born at such a bad time.

During this whole time, Elisa had comforted him as he would almost tremble giving support. By the end of that conversation, Eustace name dropped Eshkabel and Calvin, told his story about how this whole situation is mostly his fault and provided context to his aging. There was a small back and forth with Niles about his life ending. Eustace had no fear of his life ending, more rather, he was actually ok, taking a jab at most other mages and artificers he knows trying to life forever to promote an endless legacy when he knew he was just a human. He also took a jab at his father who wouldn't be here at his last moments since he appears to age after his release from being enslaved by Hell and will likely live no longer than another week or two.

Gosen started talking about Fzoul and Oracles. Niles was at first not really sure on the wording, but Fzoul definitely brought a familiar face, but Niles became much more surprised when the name R'monceal was used. Niles went more into a story at that point detailing the moment when he first joined the group with R'monceal and the dramatic reaction of someone in their group by the name of Toshiro. Toshiro was a Wilden ally that supposedly traveled back in time for the future with a Revenant called Bloodwing to either enable or prevent the world from becoming dominated by Bane in the distant future.

Niles goes into detail into the fact that he traveled with the First Warforged and someone who the group thought would become Bloodwing, and a dragonborn that helped tie the group together. Niles inferred the reality that R'monceal was going to become Bloodwing, but never actually outright said it during the entire conversation. Niles also suggested that Toshiro's reaction to him would suggest that he was also somehow strongly tied to this future. He referenced a journal of the events and observations to understand all of this works.

After a good length background, he stated that Fzoul follows the word of Bloodwing since he supposedly comes from a future where Bane rules and appears to know what will happen in the future.

There was a small bit of conversation at the thought of killing Bloodwing, where Niles heavily discouraged the attempt. Bloodwing carries a sword forged through Cyric's rebirth by a salient power given consciousness by the name Vinnrick, and reforged by Ehskabel a hundred years later. Niles circles his point back to the adventure with the group indicating that it wasn't too dissimilar to what Ehskabel did with the Sword of the Triad during the adventure with the group. The main point of it all was to indicate that Fzoul does meet with and know Bloodwing and works with him to create the future where he stands at the top of the world for his God Bane. Niles, was confused about many things, and despite this information was also very hesitant to consider it fact. Niles stated that even if Bloodwing is actually from the future or any of this is without a doubt true, that trying to avoid a future you are not sure will happen is a dangerous precedent.

He mentioned Turnock's group and R'monceal's group both had similar reactions to the upcoming destinies. He mentioned how Turnock destroyed the Sword of the Triad in fear being told that Fzoul would use it to kill him to have Eshkabel forged it and have Khaldun steal it and give it Fzoul. There is too much unknown to attempt to avoid the future. Recalling that situation made Niles mention and ask about all the people in the group that were no longer with them, ranging from Dagna first, who appeared to know Khaldun on a somewhat personal level to Aklos, and Ezra, who were first brought to him poisoned by Bloodwing's monsters on their travel through the Dales. He mentioned Regis, who saved the group during their battle with Eshkabel.

Elisa over time attempted to point the conversation into more of a directive on what could or should be done. Niles was oddly not sure about the direction to take. He indicated that Gavirello set up the summit for artificers here after Jonas freed Eustace from the imprisonment and Cornelius Ford being freed from enslavement from Amn at the start of the invasion.

Niles stated that he feels his purpose is the rain and the warforged since it matches his skill set, but as does Turnock fighting against the devils. His uncertainty does still appear to be an issue when working with the situation and what the group should do. They ask for details about what they need to know about those involved with the threats. The group mentions Wormwood for the rain, when Niles recalls the battle at Skyclave where Turnock and the others fought Wormwood. Niles told the story about how Gavirello and Iris basically carried that battle against a very high number of Dukes and specifically how Iris was able to defeat Wormwood singlehandedly, before he escaped.

The conversation eventually pivoted to other items that lacked explanation from the tiara to the tome. Imir emptied the bag holding to reveal the tome to which got Niles to ask about the tome, getting a rather obviously snide comment from Eustace on the subject before he said just to burn it. Niles was curious, willing to examine it and wanting to learn about it and understand it. Eustace told a story saying that this was the second most messed up book he ever saw and that something like that is usually connected to something bad or alive. Fenwyck confirmed that by mentioning Myrkul, which brought a surprised reaction from Niles saying that Myrkul died during the Time of Troubles back in the 1350s. Eustace provided the argument of, "Who knows what we don't know. If she said it was him, then we gotta think that might be true."

Niles seemed worried about touching it himself after adjusting his goggles and helper put reading glasses on Eustrace and gave him another cigar to analyze it without touching it. After a minute, Niles agreed that this is something that would be better suited for Gavirello.

Elisa took out the tiara and brought it to Niles who immediately asked if it was safe to touch after being in a position placed by that book. Elisa stated that everyone in the group had touched it. Niles briefly touched it before giving it back. Niles needed to verify how they got it to connect it to a story Gavirello told him, but after hearing it was from a vampire, was able to connect it to an insane story about how Gavirello went into a 34,000 year old ancient hyper advanced Sarruckh city and met with a group of individuals including a human who wore a tiara that looked exactly like that, which spoke to the man who was in a group with the God King of Innarlith and primordials. Once Niles gave a vague outline of the story, he indicated that this too was a better conversation for Gavirello.

This was around the closing point of the conversation as Niles provided information that he was the best to provide and otherwise pointed other concerns to Gavirello. The last real bastion of conversation was resulting on what to do next. Eustace had an idea he mentioned to the group, but also to Niles regarding the demons. Recalling his own adventure dealing with them, he wondered what would have happened differently if they were on opposite sides of the situation how things would be different. Everyone, including Niles were very against the idea. Eustace didn't have much to stand up for the idea other than the fact that demons hate devils and there are endless amount of them. It was simple logic, but something he brought up since Hell wouldn't expect that.

Niles and Eustace shortly went to sleep. Santiago and Imir followed shortly thereafter. Elisa stood up since she really doesn't need to sleep. Gosen drinks cause he likes to and Fenwyck a bit stressed due to reliving the book situation and the rain situation drank little bits as her familiar just waited outside Santiago's room. Eventually, the two also went to sleep before the late night or early morning. There were a few, maybe four people that entered the administrative building for the school. Elisa could hear an argument as it woke Gosen up from sleeping in the bar between a human and a dwarf. Elisa was able to clearly hear the dwarf arguing with the man, frustrated with the death of dwarves conscripted to help a hunt. The man did not argue much back, but stated that many warlock knights were killed as well during the fight. The argument persisted about the lack of choice the dwarves had and how this conscription was just another form of slavery as the man indicated that the warlock knights under him were killed under orders. The dwarf was angry and made reference to how the Witch King could get things done when he destroyed Telos City.

Enter Galvin Hildonoth
The man appeared with gray straight hair with maybe some five o'clock shadow appeared to be a warlock knight with two others, a shorter human, much younger with black hair and a half orc that stood around Gosen's height walked into the meeting room with the minibar. The man, talking the dwarf clearly appeared to be the leader was referred to the others as Galvin as he made observations about the passed out drunk halforc and the new statue referring to Elisa. He made little heed since he opened up the city for the artificer's summit.

Elisa stood motionless as Gosen pretended to be alseep. The conversation was mostly Galvin venting to the other Warlock Knights that it seemed that Gavirello's observations were wrong about the wurm's behavior. There was a conversation about the state of the dwarves in Vaasa. Galvin confided with them that while he believes that it was a good move to remove it, admits that it is important to keep support for the government given these times, so he cannot afford to take advice from the Witch King on how to deal with issues. It was clear looking at them, that all parties were injured and recently part of a battle. Galvin arrived in the building with two other Warlock Knights just before 5AM or so waiting to give a report and seek an explanation from Gavirello, but Gavirello was not awake for a good two and a half hours. Gavirello did eventually go down stairs in jammies, and tea in his hands walking down to meet Galvin, who he addressed by first name.

The conversation was cordial, but rather irritable on the side of Galvin, at first scolding Gavirello for ignoring his protocols on letting people into the city and screening. Gavirello brushed Galvin off barely acknowledging the situation before asking about the hunt. Galvin gave an update stating that the wurm did not fight to the death as Gavirello indicated that he would. This confused Gavirello and made him feel slightly worried about the situation. There was a short conversation about the nature of the wurm's presence, and that there might be multiple of them there. Galvin felt that they needed to be killed since the growing number of demons surrounding the region was very unsettling.

In time, Niles, a younger man in glasses, clean shaved with small glasses and a very cold expression moves down referenced as Cornelius Ford and eventually Imir and Santiago. Once everyone is down, Gavirello does a more formal introduction to Fenwyck and the others offering to make a breakfast of Gavirello Pies (Pizza) before proceeding to order the halforc Warlock Knight to make Gavirello pies like this wasn't the first time that this happened.

Galvin did not introduce himself to anyone in the group as he continued speaking to Gavirello about the wurm. The conversation turned to the Witch King as Galvin learned from Gavirello that Zeke was connected to Orcus, fearing the situation could evolve to revenge against the region. Gavirello was between sentences to Galvin giving directions on the Gavirello pies to the halforc Warlock Knight. Gavirello does not believe that this is the work of the Witch King. Ezekiel is direct and wouldn't really do something like this round about in order to attack the region. Gavirello perpetuated a hypothesis Eustace brought up that maybe the Demon's are surrounding the region to help. Galvin seemed to think on that statement for a second, acknowledging that the region has not been targeted, but that the number of demons have multiplied significantly in recent times, wondering if they weren't attacking before if five times as many demons were really necessary to keep the region safe from Devils.

This was a point that did made Gavirello think on that. He told Galvin that the only way to tell would be to kill one of the wurms in order to gain access to the portal in it's digestive system voluntarily. The conversation pivoted the moment Gavirello Pies were ready. Gavirello invented the Gavirello Pie slicer that cut them into slices that he handed out as several of them were completed at once and more were made. At that moment, the thing he talked the most about is how he invented the dish and how very delicious the dish was.

This did provide an opening for people in the party to ask Gavirello about certain things that Niles pushed on Gavirello to be able to dissect and explain. The first thing of significance, which took time before Gavirello was able to discuss was the book. Gavirello, in time did give it his full attention and used his staff to raise the book in a red bubble and managed to control it's pages to figure out that there was changing text and pages and described it as a way for the book to hold more text than its size, but mostly a defense mechanism to prevent reading it without being attuned to it. Gosen basically said that Fenwyck should look at it again since she was the run that read the book originally. This was a controversial idea as the book almost killed her before. Gavirello was not pushy for the idea considering the stress involved with the situation. Fenwyck did agree to it. Elisa cast deathward, not really being sure what would happen to keep her safe if there was a continued reaction. Fenwyck was able to make out the things Gavirello was observing, but eventually saw more than he was able to see. The text was moving slower for her, and saw a split between a very comprehensive spell tome and a plan written by the God of Death to taken away the living salient power of the God of the Dead an kill Kelemvore.

Fenwyck was not in a full trance, like when touching the book. She was able to connect with the outside world, but still very absorbed in the text was able to make up what was shown in the book to reveal the situation. Gavirello was told what she saw before in great detail and it was beginning to click for Gavirello. He realized that Zeke had a familiar the moment he became the Witch King in Castle Perilous. He realized that this might be connected to the God of Death since Ezekiel's many contracts from being the Witch King onward started when Kelemvore judged him as not a follower of his original God, and he had to go into contract with Hell to prevent eternal purgatory and turned himself into a lich to escape the contract with Hell.

This while time, Gavirello was instructing a Warlock knight to make more and more Gavirello Pies. Galvin, still there said to Gavirello that the wurm situation needed stating that he would need the artificers to get involved to deal with the wurm. Gavirello denied that as an option saying that it would make more sense to send Iris to kill the wurm. Galvin denied that idea immediately saying that Iris must always remain in Palischuk in the even Hell teleports in to attack the city.

Imir volunteered the group's time to potentially kill the wurm. He didn't assume their commitment, but was willing to offer themselves to kill the wurm. Galvin looked at Imir and considered his proposition.

While this is going on, Elisa pulls out the tiara and gives it to Gavirello to touch. Gavirello is familiar with it and familiar with the little girl, but not on a personal level. Gavirello admitted that he mostly knows this through stories with the group and by dealing with someone else who appeared to have a tiara that looks exactly the same. He was familiar with the vampire and referred to him by his name, Azurra. Gavirello stated that the vampire was the guardian for the little girl and that they were both no longer in the group by the time he started traveling with them. Gavirello was kind of scratching his head, unable to remember parts of it. He said that he could take it. The party was hesitant to give it to him. Gavirello did say that aside from Azurra, Iris actually knew Estel and that she might be a better person to give the tiara to.

The two conversations eventually concluded with the party agreeing to help slay the wurm after Galvin is able to sleep and recover and assemble a new team as the party finds Iris and give her the tiara that Azurra dropped on the ground. Gavirello gave Gosen a magically trademarked recipe for Gavirello Pies and they were off to find Iris. The passing conversation before leaving Gavirello was one discussing the talisman Gosen has. While Gavirello was not familiar with the Collector's Guild or the Gleaners as Elliant was, Gavirello knew the Talisman almost immediately and stated that he had personal dealings with the Sons of Mercy. He had a short story about how his group needed to hide from it after someone in their group used an item to destroy a portion of Dwarfhome and it is entirely possible that someone during a search over Vaasa that someone dropped that talisman. Gavirello offered to take Gosen to Sigil to have the item returned. Gosen, after wanting to get rid of the item for so long has admitted that it has saved his life several times and voted to keep it.

She was not difficult to find after Gavirello's assistance. Iris was a woman, likely in his mid 40s in resting Scale. Her appearance was astonishingly average for a fighter, which two swords and nothing on her person seemed too decorative. It was to the point where no one really knew for sure if it was her. Her reputation made her seem practically invulnerable in battle, but her decision to be a guard seemed so minimalistic, especially when the world was suffering.

Gosen thought the best way to know if it was really Iris was test her in battle after approaching her, asking probing questions she didn't want to answer before throwing punches at her. She evaded them while complaining that she didn't want to arrest him. Gosen missed with two punches before Elisa got involved and told Iris that they were all there because of Gavirello. Iris was like "oh yeah, I know him" and asked what's up. Elisa took out the tiara and gave it to Iris who touched it with one hand and then immediately dropped it on the group. She frowned and bent down to pick it up. She was aware of what it was and agreed to take it. She mentioned Azurra and that they did travel with Estel and that it was a terrible thing to happen to a young girl.

=Session 35: What is Human?=

After seeing Iris and leaving the area, Gosen and Santiago decided to stay relatively close to convince her. They would approach Iris just drawing faces in the ground. This conversation was less of a trying to fight Iris and more of Gosen trying to get her to agree to fighting. She was well disconnected and bored. While Iris was not completely motionless to the situation. She didn't really know if her fighting things would change the tide because she was strong, but also was content staying here after her adventure. When it came to them asking for her help, she deferred to Galvin Hildenoth for authority. It became a question of whether or not he would say yes, and those around forgot that this was already a question Gavirello brought up during their initial argument earlier in the day.

The rest closer back to the school before meeting with Gosen and Santiago. The idea eventually became to buy for the adventure ahead and eventually eventually look to recruit maybe someone else to help with the mission.

Palischuk is a straight forward place with straight forward names. The shop names were as direct as they could get ranging from "Food Building" to "Clothing Building". The first place everyone visited was "Potion Place, a place to buy potions". The shop was cold, but clean with a half orc finely dressed standing at the front counter with a teenage human in warm garbs sweeping the floor mostly to pass time.

This is the second time Elisa has been in a shop. She had little to no etiquette while in the shop around Regis's contact before, and here, she went to look at the potions and started shaking random potions. This reaction caused an immediately from the shop keep as Imir almost embarrassed by Elisa's innocent curiosity looks around the store. She is and was in full disguise, so the reaction wasn't to who she is, but just what she was doing.

Gosen and Imir originally talk and request several types of potion. Fenwyck manages to haggle the price down with a heroes' discount and gets acknowledgement about fighting the wurm. They add some of the bill to the Barracks of Grand Warden. The extra discount lead to the group getting more potions.

Elisa asks the shop keep two questions, one where to find dwarves, and the other, to find blanket robes. The North East part of down closest to the mines is where most dwarves live. It is a cast of living almost where they used to before the end of their slavery and doing the same jobs that they did before the end of their slavery.

After thanking the two and leaving with a linen burrito filled with potions, the group left for "Clothing building, with magic". There, there was a little old human with patches of white hair and thin beard with an oversized pair of glasses dressed in many warm layers of clothing and decorated blue and white robes. His crinkly little fingers working with a needling on an outfit. Elisa was the one who wanted robes, comfortable blanket robes. Elisa has no money. Imir walks up with her to buy her some robes.

Mistaking the two as a couple, the shop keep is very shy and Imir accidentally not so accidentally intimidated the shopkeep into rushing a custom magical robe for Elisa that works like a bag of holding with a custom enchantment on it. Afraid and unsure, he agreed to make a robe in just over six hours. Elisa, not really familiar with clothing or modesty wasn't entirely sure how it worked and mostly just magiced clothing on, was willing to undress publicly to offer the robe created to use a robe created by magic. Santiago left the store as Imir was both embarrassed and impatient. The shopkeep was bashful and confused by the situation, still believing the two were a couple as Fenwyck advises Elisa on the situation.

Imir is able and begrudgingly willing to pay for this item for Elisa. When this was all done, Elisa was thankful to Imir, hooking her arm around his, unwittingly adding to the perception of their relationship.

Enter One Eye'd Joe
After leaving the shop, the group went to find Dwarves. When reaching a portion of stone buildings, most of the Dwarves ran back indoors when people arrived. The only person who was willing and able to communicate with the group was an old beggar with a glass eye and spotted white hair and a thin beard. "A copper for your thoughts" when Santiago gave him a silver. It took only a second to realize that he knew more than expected and could help them. He agreed to help guide the party and a group of Warlock Knights, but only if he could go along to guide them and that they pay him handsomely when they return.

His idea, the plan to travel underground to be able to sneak up on the wurm. Elisa agreed that this was important if they wanted to succeed to bring this idea to Galvin have the Dwarf, "Joe" direct the group.

After returning back to the school, the group is introduced to the great grandson of Calvin Ford, the father of the assembly line. It was a short meeting as Cornelius had little to no interest dealing with the group. This was mostly due to the fact that he didn't know them and didn't see Elisa's true form. He continued speaking to Gavirello on their plans to hijack the warforged from Hell.

In a small amount of time, Galvin appeared with with two Warlock Knights spotted the night before and two different Warlock Knights that looked highly decorated, more like himself. Among them was one who was thinner in scale that with a blonde beard and another taller man with scar over one eye. The smaller of the two was loud and aggressive. He enjoyed testing the patience of Galvin and attempting to get a rise out of the adventuring group. He was not convinced that they were good company and that this mission was worth their time.

Elisa presented the idea of having a new guide take them through a new path. Joe's idea was to take a path connected to the mines the Dwarves used to gather ore. The warlock knights around him were not fond of the idea and were weary of trusting someone suggesting a former slave route to sneak up on something that travels underground. Elisa communicated the words of traveling a path of demons to disguise themselves as something that travels below.

Galvin agreed to this. Elisa attempted to make a proposal to push to the expedition tomorrow. The warlock knights around Galvin are not pleased with the move, but Galvin accepts the idea on the idea that he is able to speak with Joe and confirm a few things about that.

The night was mostly spent drinking casually as Elisa stayed up all night playing her guitar. At the start of the next day, Elisa is the first one to meet with and speak with the group of Warlock Knights as they arrive. In time, the rest of the party would meet them there. Galvin would lead the group to meet with "One Eye'd Joe" to test his idea and see if he can be trusted. At the point of leaving, Galvin forces an introduction between the two groups, that gives the names and position of most of the Warlock Knights. As none in the group are native to Vaasa, there isn't really much to gather in their placements other than the fact that many were in positions to vie for power before Galvin was able to cease it and that there is much uneasy tension, not only in the loudest of the Warlock Knights, Ulfenjardas, but in those were silent and those that showed solidarity with Galvin.

After meeting with and discussing the plan with now One Eye'd Joe, Galvin reluctantly agreed with Elisa and One Eye'd Joe that a different path and a chance to initiate the battle might be the different between a win and a loss against the Fiendwurm.

The group went to the edge of town to find horses and traveled to the mines North East to follow the path. When reaching the mines and stables for the Horses, One Eye'd Joe took the group on a detour to a secret unmarked entrance that required squeezing into reach. After traveling down a dank and Closter phobic tunnel, they found a room dedicated to hiding for escaped Dwarven slaves to hide before making another escape days or sometimes weeks later. The room had an oil lantern and a few potions of healing as well as old rations and water. This small bedding area set the tone for the conversation and the bitter tone Joe would take with the Warlock Knights as the trip continued.

Fenwyck was particularly uneasy as Ulfenjardas was not shy with his racist attitudes against Dwarves and Gnomes making comments to not only the party, but to Galvin for his choices. Fewyck created a telepathic link between the party itself making observations, but mostly a free communication channel outside the ears of the Warlock Knights. Once making it into the mines, One Eye'd Joe would lead them up the mines and down into what seemed like the upper Underdark. Joe was clear pretty early that there might be demons along this path, but the amount of demons was not made specifically clear and was not fully understood until, Ulfenjardas and Imir fought off large numbers of Quasits close to one hundred surrounded the group inching before they did a strike as Elisa cast bless on the water all throughout the cavern and heated it to steam to clear out the tiny swarm of demons.

Ulfenjardas became increasingly uncomfortable with the idea as a potentially small number of demons turned into almost a hundred. After making their way down a 70ft cliff by Fenwyck molding earth for what seemed like hours, the group found themselves along another steep decline into what looked like a well or an elevator shaft to hear a large number of demons, Rutterkin. While there might have been close to a hundred Quasits, there was several hundred Rutterkin along the floor at the bottom of the decline. Joe seemed oddly aware of their presence and after shaking from the previous trip in the mines in folding earth, he said it might not be wise to fight them.

The Warlock Knights and the party were not happy to need to use the resources, but agreed that avoiding this as a fight was probably the best idea and agreed to fly over the threat rather than face them in their numbers.

The Rutterkin were mostly bottled into a particular cavern space and once cleared their numbers were sporadic at most as One Eye'd Joe started to lead the group on a steady incline along an irrigation line and ramp for the next hour or so. At the end of the path, there was an old structure on what looked more like dried sandstone as he urged the group that they would need to go under water and dispell a symbol cast by a demon encampment that was in the area ahead.

This information proved most unsettling for Ulfenjardas, who was already suspicious of One Eye'd Joe, seemed to be almost ready to attack him once providing this information. Galvin, unsure what to make of the situation allowed it to unfold as he was slowly coming to a conclusion. Even the party itself became somewhat suspicious of the intent of Joe at this point, not really sure if they happened to be caught into a Dwarven revenge plot against Warlock Knights. It was Imir and Gosen that caught the intent of Joe that it seemed that more than simply hating the Warlock Knights that his might have conspired to bring the group here to actually kill the demons.

Fenwyck agrees to dispell both a symbol of Insanity and a Symbol of discord. Again the question is raised about how One Eye'd Joe happened to know that the group would meet this particular resistance. As the direction became to swim through a hole in the structure across a what looks like a flooded doorway. Everyone eventually agrees to swim though and barely peak their heads above the water already believing that there would be demons on the other side, and organized force.

There is a light and faint light writing in a language unfamiliar. Fenwyck is the one that peaks her head first to cast comprehend languages. In addition to the faint ritual circle in the ceiling. The writing appeared to circle for teleportation. There loud bellowing low chanting from the middle of a large cavern. The water is roughly ten feet deep as several people still needed to swim in scale to get above the surface. As both sides considered how to silently get across the room to some form of exit, a jet of water rushes and pills Ulfenjardas into the darkness.

=Session 36: Possession=

The battle started off with Ulfenjardas, the loudest and most outspoken of the Warlock Knights being pulled from a gust of water into the darkness where he would treated as food Wastrilith. An early confusion set the group up for a dangerous start from the Warchief demon of the area, a tentacled looked beast with two heads each looking like the heads of man. That spell put Gosen, Imir and Santiago into a confused trance. Lachlan, the quietest of the Warlock Knights and one of the few that met the group from the last attempt on the wurm with Galvin helped remove the effect from Gosen. Santiago shook it off quickly and put an effect on himself to fly.

The groups scattered in all directions as Shadow Demons and others would begin to converge on the location of of both the Warlock Knights and those in the group. Elisa had an idea to bless the water in the battlefield to create a radiant answer the demons in this submerged cavernous area. Fenwyck conjured a Bigby's hand to aid in the battle and help carry people in the deep watered area. Imir did eventually break out as tiefling sorcerers fired lightning bolts at the group when the War Chief did a reality break on Imir.

Fenwyck stuck in the water got sucked in by the Wastrilith and and nearly fell to the claws of the demon. Elisa started blessing the water with the strongest of her divine magic purifying large portions of it in deep concentration.

Gosen went to aid Ulfenjardas and Gorthmorq, who wild shaped into a Dolphin to help fight the Wastrilith. Ulfenjardas was wounded, but the demons died quickly as a large massive ape demon with six tentacle arms jumped to Gosen and attacked him ferociously and grabbed him in its mouth. Lachlan approached Gosen and aid him in battle and heal against the ferocious beast.

Vons Borbie and Galvin chose different spells for flight, but made their way across the battlefield as Elisa started on the concentration for the holywater. Vons Borbie went to the tielfings and started at thinning their numbers. The demons in the water were burning, leaving them as much easier targets for the Warlock Knights already seasoned in battle. Galvin took out a Wastrlilith with ease knowing Elisa's strategy would be a great way to control the area. The Shadow demons not already picked off by Santiago left not wanting to approach the light and radiance of the water.

With the power of controlling the water, Elisa was sending waves of Holy water to control the movement of the War Chief eventually sending it to Ulfenjardas for the killing blow as Gosen, enraged by the form of madness of the demon engaged into a fight to the death that he won narrowly. The death of both the War Chief and the Vassal set off a symbol in a brand as Fenwyck fired a firebolt into the water to create a holy steam.

Galvin and Elisa called out to Joe to find out where to go. In the battle, Imir and Ulfenjardas fell to Wastriliths. Far off in the center of the room there was still a low bellowing chanting. Fenwyck brought her owl familiar out to look in the center of the room to reveal the demon chanting was a massive eighty foot floating head, disgusting growths all over held to mounds of ground with chains. No one recognized it aside from Gosen, who often catalogs his adventures to identify the Sibriex. Realizing the thing can barely move and floats there, it continued its chanting as the group simply didn't engage it. One Eye'd Joe said that they merely needed to hit the end of the room.

As both groups converged and were about to leave, the sigil of Demogorgon appeared again as a Balor appeared as getting ready to signal the continued attack on the group charging the lightning on it's sword before it held it's hand up to halt any future attacks. Everyone was surprised at the move, but Elisa was the one that caught that it was in response to the Balor seeing Joe when it denied the attack.

The next few moments consisted of quick escape and consistent running up through caverns until the they made their way to a stopping point where it seemed they found burrows created by the wurm. Ulfenjardas was quick to show his anger towards One Eye'd Joe jumping to attack him almost instantly when Joe ran away. He was furious about how he knew about the symbol and how such a deadly battle was considered the better path to the wurm. Joe hid closer to Elisa, who did bring up the Balor and asked Joe about it. Joe's response was odd, but believable. It was difficult to tell the issue as he knew, but didn't remember and didn't have an explanation for his actions.

Galvin was also angry, but focusing more on the communication, threatening to kill One Eye'd Joe due to deception to hide useful information. Gosen was trying to see if the symbol of Demogorgon, like what appeared when the vassal died or the Balor appeared was branded on Joe, but nothing was immediately clear. Elisa was able to calm the tension when it was Vons Borbie that agreed that killing One Eye'd Joe likely wasn't the important decision to make.

Galvin brought out dynamite and called it a fire stick. He briefly mentioned that it was advanced by the artificers there and Gavirello helped Galvin weaponize it for this fight. He indicated that his original plan was to toss it in the wurm's mouth with they were fighting, but this opportunity provided a unique chance to use it before the fight to damage the wurm. In addition, Elisa thought of using the spell forbiddance to take away the use of the portal for the Fiendwurm. Using forbiddance would make it impossible for the Fiendwurm to spit out demons and swallow people into the Abyss.

Galvin gave a few pointers to stay far apart so that the wurm can't swallow large numbers of people at once. Santiago had the power of flight for a few additional minutes, which he used to survey the holes to see when the wurm was coming. After Forbiddance was cast, Santiago spotted the wurm's movements as Galvin detonated the explosives. It was a matter of which of the holes the wurm would use to make it's attack. One Eye'd Joe and Fenwyck hid in bushes as several stood close enough hopefully to react to the wurm.

The Fiendwurm appeared and with it's first attack bit and swallowed both Gosen and One Eye'd Joe. That started the desperate, but aggressive fight to both flee and fight the wurm at once. Galvin and Imir both started it, taking acid each time touching and swinging at the wurm as with a thunder of it's tail, rearranging the landscape and throwing warlock knights almost hundred feet away in a single hit. The wurm's gut in constant pain left it in complete rage as it went to swallow other warlock knights. Imir and would land several dangerous blows as Elisa would force the Fiendwurm to take a psychic hit equal to one of it's own. After a quick and brutal combat, everyone other than Santiago was swallowed by the Fiendwurm. Just as quickly as it started, the wurm burrowed underground with the party leaving the effect of the forbiddance when everyone found their way in a marked stone hallway inside the Abyss.

=Session 37: Fighting Fate=

Enter the Abyss
Santiago, twiddling his thumbs as he descends to the ground. Despite being the person who fought the most sensibly in the encounter can't help but feel as if he did something wrong by not being swallowed. He looked down wondering if he could see the wurm. When he was on the ground, he sat down for a few moments, twiddling his thumbs before putting his head to the ground. He doesn't hear rumbling from underneath, but regular humanoid footprints approaching. Santiago quickly hides and sees the person from afar. This man has extremely pale skin with no hair. He looks a little bit sweaty as he looks around for people. Santiago does come to the conclusion that he is either looking from him or someone from his group and decides to make himself visible.

The person introduces himself as Verin. This is the true name for a demon that is majordomo for Graaz'zt, the Dark Prince of the Abyss. And while Verin didn't outright say that, he did admit early in his conversation with Santiago that his friends were meant to be swallowed and that they should still be alive. Santiago was a bit cautious, but not overly nervous in Verin's presence, but Verin on the other hand seemed jumpy and itchy to leave the exact location. He kept repeating that they were being watched and that the wurm needed to swallow the group as that no one would suspect that the group is working with him. Him wasn't specified to Santiago, but Santiago believed the Demon and was willing to travel away with him as he prepared a spell to hide their presence and prepared a scroll to eventually teleport.

In the Abyss, Elisa and Fenwick arrive to One Eye'd Joe healing Gosen patching up some wounds and giving him a healing potion found back in the cave. Looking around, everyone can make an educated assumption that they are in the Abyss. Gosen, however knows that they are in the castle of a defeated ancient oberynthian arch field Kithalagsolath, an extremely ancient demon that allied with Pale One as one of the last of the oberynth. The castle itself appeared to be made of stone with a simple red carpet decorum, mostly falling apart. The corridor where group was spit from was smashed open sometime back looking on to a red cloudy sky.

Fenwyck was looking wondering where Santiago was. Elisa and Fenwyck were the last ones swallowed and given a few minutes did not see him fall in through the same portal. Elisa proceeded to do a sending through the planes to Santiago and got a response that pretty much everything was fine. It did not seem to detail his company or situation, but Santiago appeared to be much more secure than the rest of the group.

It was Gosen that knew their location and recognized the location as the ruins of a castle for an Arch Fiend and a liar belonging to the Demon Lord Graaz'zt. The conversation quickly turned to One Eye'd Joe, who seemed to be losing his mind. He appeared to be in semi constant pain and confused. From the past interactions, it was clear that he was either voluntarily or involuntarily a part of this and he was asking Joe about where they were and why they were there. Joe was confused, but also admitted that he knew where they were but didn't. Joe would immediately contradict himself and hold his head in discomfort trying to make sense of his words brought down to the point of whimpering. At the end of it, he was beginning to move involuntarily pushing to move forward.

While most of the castle was ruins with clear holes in either the ceiling or the walls around, the door at the end of the corridor did appear to go into a sealed room, a sealed room Elisa detected with other lifeforms inside it. Elisa grabbed Joe to keep him from going in. His response was an immediate thrashing, but he was growing more restless demanding to be let go before Elisa charmed him.

While charmed, Joe appeared almost a different person. The constant cogitative dissonance disappeared as his confusion appeared more genuine. Joe's knowledge of the situation appeared to almost all but disappear. His knowledge of this place disappeared. Imir and Imir tried to figure out knowing that his demeanor changed what he still knew. Imir's magical sight caught the schools of Enchantment, Necromancy, and Abjuration. Elisa and Imir both came similarly to the conclusion that he was likely being controlled, but how wasn't fully understood.

There was a discussion about resting. Gosen was cautious that remaining here was dangerous due to being in the Abyss. Elisa and Imir managed to make a consensus that resting here is as safe as resting anywhere around here in the Abyss. It was quiet at the very least and the group didn't know if they had reason to expect a battle. When the rest was completed, Joe started falling back into trance and headaches. In a unanimous agreement, everyone acknowledged that whatever was controlling Joe wanted them to move forward. The group let Joe open the door.

The voices of two females acknowledge him in abyssal unbeknownst to the part referring to One Eye'd Joe as Prince. In the open doorway a much larger than average Balor, with charred black skin also refers to Joe as prince and kneels before him. There is a small staircase going to a broken throne. As Joe stands before the balor, he appears fully entranced. He is fully dominated as he begins to shake. Joe loses consciousness and in his last moments of it manages to rip out his glass eye, which shatters when it hits the ground.

Graz'zt the Reveal
From it, black smoke appears and moves up to the throne and takes shape of a man. With the knowledge Gosen has, it's no surprise to see that it was none other than the Dark Prince that has possessed One Eye'd Joe, as he smiles and welcomes the party with his yellow toothy grin. The party still remained on the other end of the doorway as Graz'zt motioned the group inside.

He praised the group and proceeded to greet them in common opening the inquiry to the party about the situation. There wasn't too much to ask specifically. Graz'zt took credit for getting the part to him and admitting that he wanted to do it in a way that wouldn't draw attention to their presence. Graz'zt clearly and openly admits that he doesn't know how he wants to use the group. Graz'zt does admit that his enemy is none other than Asmodeus himself. He openly states that his desire is to kill the devil, but even moreso to humiliate him. In his early rant, he admits a bit of his own philosophy on freedom addressing Elisa and Imir. Without delving into himself, he reveals a past in the Nine Hells indirectly and also alluded to knowing Imir's maker. Imir acknowledged Graz'zt. The question became what would Graz'zt do for them if he was willing for the group.

Graz'zt was up front about his willingness to help only at his convenience, but that he didn't expect full service from the group. The group first turned their gaze on Fzoul Chembryl. When his name was uttered, Graz'zt was intrigued at why a Bane worshiper was the target of these individuals. Gosen is the one who willingly tells information that Fzoul is the holder of the Sword of the Triad and expressed his desire to kill the Devils. Graz'zt pressed further confused on how two enemies killing each other wasn't simply a good thing. Gosen brought up Bloodwing to Graz'zt. Graz'zt knew him not by the vague language used by Shem Romanov V, but by name, he recognized the reputation of the one who killed Belial. Graz'zt then mentioned his double that he knew killed Bel, at that time, Lord of the First. This was a passing mention, but he mention, but Graz'zt showed his gratitude by pulling out a coin and flipping it to Fenwyck. There seemed to be no more passing reason to his actions other than believing she was most attractive person in the party, to which he considered Imir a close second. There was a slight acknowledgement that it would have been Elisa if her stone was flesh. Graz'zt did say that this coin was as close to a promise as he would ever get and that he also offered to brand Imir with his mark to supersede the mark he gained for killing Duke. Graz'zt defended the idea through the fact that the mark would forever make him easily tracked by the Hells. Imir accepted reluctantly, as Graz'zt joked about how the magical mark wouldn't case any pain or deform him in any way.

At this point, Graz'zt appears all but to be an ally, but it is a question the group had for some time that comes to mind for some time that eventually comes up. What about the Warlock Knights? Joe eventually wakes up confused as Graz'zt introduced himself as a merchant he met three weeks back and thanks Joe. In his words of gratitude, Graz'zt does a passing mention to the Warlock Knights in a bit of a laugh to himself, which does catch the attention of Imir about there whereabouts. Graz'zt brags his position saying that there is a bit of an illusion to their interaction bragging that he is simultaneously talking to them, giving them an uneasy negotiation that will likely lead to him single handedly controlling the country of Vaasa. Elisa is first to realize that the Demon Lord Graz'zt despite being their ally is in fact without a doubt an evil being as he brags his conquest of the state of Vaasa and how he plans to subjugate the Warlock Knights to his will if they expect to be saved from the Witch King, then shortly later bragging about how he managed to trick the party into fighting a strike force sent by one of his rivals, Demogorgon to kill his Fiendwurm. While most do not react to this stated in gest in the context of thanking Joe and offering a position of power for the Dwarves and great wealth, Elisa sees Graz'zt as little more than a nihilist acting on his person whim and exploiting whoever he can

When it comes to how he can help them, Elisa is the one who eventually asks for a good target. Graz'zt is hesitant to provide a quick answer. Elisa and their group have gained great knowledge and already know the names of some of the most important figures in this invasion and rattle off particularly Wormwood and Xzass Tam, the ones responsible for the rain. Graz'zt is worried that he would lose the group to an impossible mission to attack them. He admits their knowledge is admirable, but the targets are well sought after and likely to be heavily guarded with forces beyond their capability. This is a frustrating revelation as the party struggles to see what impact they can make on their own. They are powerful enough not to be caught on the sidelines and in meaningless squabbles, but not seemingly powerful enough to attempt to reach the main targets for the Nine Hells.

Graz'zt does inquire back on their previous thought about the artificers. He states that one of them traveled with revenant that killed Bel. If the group was seeking allies or valuable information to make a difference, then they only need to go back to Niles and demand it. This was technically not news, but it was never really clear to use Niles in order to meet R'monceal. The conversation with Niles prior seemed to only involve Bloodwing. And while he did mention R'monceal, the idea of using his knowledge never really came up. During this conversation with Niles, he did mention that they did have a former ally that attacked the group the moment Niles was introduced and left. This was mostly glazed over at the time of that conversation, but was revived by Graz'zt as he mentioned they appeared to be the same person. He mentioned there was a wild unbelievable theory that they had been the same person in different times, which seemed supported that they both appeared to have a unique divine Sword of Cyric that was used to kill the Goddess of Magic back in the year 1385.

Graz'zt then states that he will naturally do research when it comes to how to best help the party deal with the situation. He admits that he has nothing in mind that he believes best suits the power of the group, either being too small or too big for them when it comes to making a measurable impact, but that his goal is still the same when it comes to humiliating Asmodeus and that he would give it consideration. That marked the end of the conversation as he willed them away offering a final gift of teleporting the group to a place of their choosing. After a relatively short deliberation, the group decided to meet back at Palischuk in order to speak with Niles again.

The Balor is the one that cast the spell to teleport the group back to the city. It was there, the group found Santiago with Verin there just chatting as Verin waved at the group and proceeded to teleport away when the group rejoined. There wasn't a great deal of conversation on the events of either side.

Back in Palischuk, the group made their way back to the college administrative building where they found four of the major artificer figures most particularly Galvin, who appeared to be healthy speaking with Gavirello. When the party arrived, Galvin immediately asked Gavirello if they could speak in private and the two left the conversation to his office.

Joe speaks with the rest of the group thanking them, but also saying a saddening message that his was harrowing experience and that he would like not to see anyone in this group again for the rest of his life. It was not difficult most to see that he had and will have terrible memories of how he was used and simply wished to put these events behind him. With that, Joe walked away from the group without looking back.

When walking back, Elisa was lagging behind. Even without facial expressions, it was clear that she had been down for some time. Imir, a bit awkward in these situations, but still recognized it asked if she walked to talk about it. Elisa pushed him away despite his advance to help. For the moment, that was all, but Imir made it clear his offer was his intent.

The party made their way to Niles, who was willing to speak to them. Eustace volunteered to opt out of their ongoing conversation to give Niles the opportunity to speak to the party. Cornelius agreed simply because he was the only other person there. Niles noted that Galvin appeared to be in low spirits and mentioned nothing about the outcome of the battle and planned not to. Eustace clapped saying they probably didn't kill the wurm, and it was something Gavirllo should have told the Warlock Knights before they left.

The conversation quickly turned to R'monceal. It was clear when talking to Niles that he had admired R'monceal. There was a great deal of respect for his deeds and his silent confidence. More than anything, he expressed this for all in his immediate company. Niles has been in their company for close to five years now. They brought him back to a conversation he mentioned where one of their allies, Toshiro attacked him. Niles recalled that story in more detail as Gosen and eventually Elisa started trying to pick at it for details. Toshiro was a Wildon, who traveled back from a time where Bane was the dominant ruler by seizing power with a warforged army leady by Bloodwing. Toshiro went back to prevent his future and eventually went mad learning fact after fact that he not only traveled with the first warforged, whose design would eventually become the army that would dominate the world, but also traveled with the Revenant that would become Bloodwing. But it was meeting the engineer that dominated the warforge in Niles that sent Toshiro over the edge.

Niles expressed that he was always concerned with the events, but it was R'monceal that put everything into context for him. Niles felt worried that his destiny was clouded in darkness, and he mentioned falling almost into a deep confusion and depression about his research. He felt as if his deeds were falling inline with a dark destiny, and that he urged himself and the party not to see too much in these prophecies or you will become frozen in the fear of what could happen. Like the previous conversation, he states how R'monceal destroyed the sword as Turnok destroyed the Sword of the Triad not to fall into his destiny only for Fzoul to have it as he was destined to have it.

The party was still intrigued with Toshiro and how he might play into it. Niles stated that if anyone would know where Toshiro is, that it would be best to speak with R'monceal and his group. They would have the best way to find him. Niles expresses that it was a shame that he never got to meet Toshiro and expresses sympathy with his situation after Elisa acknowledges his self imposing exile is not the best action to take with all the knowledge he has.

When asking where to find him, Niles indicates that he is likely near Shadowdale right now. When asking for how to get there, it's Eustace that volunteers. When asking for a way to teleport in general, Eustace volunteers Cornelius to make a Helm of Teleportation for the group as a long past IOU from Calvin just over one hundred years old. Cornelius agrees, but states that it will take him about two and a half weeks to make the item, to which Eustace says is actually very good time for an item of that power.

Eustace gives another quip about his rapid aging and admits to go with the group tomorrow to meet with Brutus likely one last time before he passes. As it became clear what the group was looking to do, they all decided to stay in the area between the mess hall and the office where they got used to getting drinks and making Gavirello pies.

Hungry, Gosen and Imir took out the recipe that Gavirello gave them (magically trademarked) and proceeded to make the Gavirello pies to the best of their ability as Eustace passed out. Elisa started playing music, but it was a bit off. It sounded as if she weren't really paying attention to what she was playing and that her hand was a half inch in the wrong direct. It was off key and unapologetically wrong as she was playing it, with her mind wondering elsewhere.

In time, Gosen and Imir finished the Gaivrello pies, eating the barely recognizable versions of the pie only having maybe a single bite of the magical they ate earlier while parts were over and or undercooked with far too much salt. After rushing away for a moment, it was Fenwyck that first approached Elisa. It was quick, but she also noticed that she seemed down. It was a quick conversation as Elisa ended up feeling slightly better.

Imir's Growth
As time passed, Santiago and Gosen went to sleep and Imir came back. He had a bit longer of a conversation bringing up what had happened before and urging they talk by his offer. Elisa admitted frustration. The world was harsh, with cynical leaders and liars and enemies at every turn. She knows the rain is singlehandedly the most important thing to remove, but everyone around her says its beyond their reach. She feels almost powerless to make meaningful change. Imir stumbles through his words not entirely familiar with this conversation, in a way shows an absolute sincerity because of it when he says that he understands how the world is and the frustration with the forces in dealing with it, but they she has him. In that moment, the two connect a bit more as Elisa puts her hands on his and thanks him. That is exactly what she needed. Elisa is able to play normal, feeling a bit better after this conversation.

Fenwyck also returns, as Elisa realizes that they do have purpose and that she does have support. She felt down wondering the question thrown in her face often by leaders of why hasn't more been done.

Early the next morning, it's Eustace that wakes up first with an analog alarm built into his wrist watch, which is mechanical and large on his frail wrist. He asks his shield guardian to get him his morning pills and his morning beer for breakfast and just asks if the group is ready to go. Seeing as it's 4:15 AM and only Elisa is there, nothing happens. There is a short conversation, but Eustace is not much of a feeler, and only feels bad when Elisa tries to bring on her purpose. In a way, Eustace laments creation and feels there should be no purpose outside the life they live and feels guilt, but Elisa does comfort him as he passes out and wakes up two additional times before the rest of the party makes it down.

As the group gets down, Eustace almost rushes for everyone to get up and leave. He passes a scroll of Teleport to his shield guardian, which starts to cast the spell and he kind of brags that most shield guardians can't do that before they make it to Shadowdale. While, this is not a place the party has been before, the appearance of the fort is quick similar to places Gosen and Santiago have been while traveling through the Dales in the past. The people guarding appeared mostly to be a volunteer army as there were a few people in scale armor with emblem of a sword in familiar pattern recognized as the Archenriders from when the group was last in the Dalelands.

As they just appeared there, it took very little time for some guards and eventually Archenriders to make their way to the group and ask their business. When the name drop both Niles and R'monceal and introduce themselves, the guards are quick to leave. It takes maybe four minutes for their return with the look of several others. R'monceal is an imposing looking figure. He is a pale skinned revenant, with almost glowing eyes shifting between red and yellow with sheaved hammers and light armor. Next to him on the right is a Warforged with a mostly gray and wood coloration standing just shorter than Elisa's head piece in attached scale armor with glowing Blue eyes, and a Dragonborn with a bit of a smirk standing taller then either of them in plate armor.

Enter R'monceal
R'monceal goes to introduce himself as the dragonborn cuts him off with "Hi I'm Reshkarr." R'monceal is not at all bothered by the interruption. While it would appear he seems the leader of the group, there is no official position between them as they appear to whisper and look to each other for advice. It takes almost no time for R'monceal to request the group follow him back to they tent of operations. The group including Eustace agrees to follow the group back to their tent. It was a large tent filled with supplies and a large war table map.

There were many markings on it and supplies around as R'monceal was quick to business. He asked what they were doing there as Gosen was quick to name drop Fzoul, and the knowledge they had. All of them looked at each other when the names of Fzoul, Niles, and Toshiro were uttered. With that, R'monceal asked the basic question of how they gathered all of this information. Gosen spoke mostly about Fzoul as he was reminded by Elisa that much of that was actually from Shem Romanov V. Everything else they knew was directly from Niles.

After hearing such a detailed answer and looking to Reshkarr, his tone softened up as he was willing to trust to group on face value. R'monceal spoke of Toshiro as an ally and felt true remorse for his position. He admitted that Brutus was able to find his location, but they didn't want to lose track of him since he believes that Toshiro can still do some major good if he really wanted. R'monceal believes that Toshiro is frozen in fear believing his every move pushes him close to his old future he came to prevent.

R'monceal gives a passing note to an ongoing for the City of Waterdeep from the new Lord of the First Zariel, but states that if they can help bring Toshiro back to the fray that his knowledge could be very helpful.

Brutus till this point hasn't really said a word to anyone outside his companions, but has nodded to both Eustace and Elisa. The morning before, Eustace did talk about Brutus as someone who lamented his existence to some degree. He does point back to his favor and mentioning that he doesn't do it openly, Brutus sometimes feel his creation has something to do with the place the world is in and feels at times responsible for Eustace's mistake. It is clear by how often Eustace repeats it unprovoked that it still eats at him. Brutus does speak about Toshiro, detailing how when meeting with the group, his further experiences seem to further indicate that he was approaching his future. He first met with the first warforged, who was the blueprint of the army that would rule in his time. He later realized that he was traveling with the the being who would come to rule over the warforged army in his time and snapped when he found that group meet with the engineer of that army in Niles. Brutus, like R'monceal had a deep sympathy for Toshiro and wanted nothing more than for him to find peace.

When the conversation moved to where to go, Brutus was able to provide a map to the exact location, which matches a map that Santiago had much earlier from when the people in Harrowdales provided a touch point map to camp town in Archendale. The third touchpoint down was a bit of a hiding place in mounds just out of Tarkeldale, which had defected to join Netheril due to its location with Sembia. The group was originally meant to reach there, but skipped over it when asking McCallister (Elminster's Simulacrum) to created a linked portal directly to Niles after Aklos and Ezra were badly poisoned. Santiago and Gosen recognized the location and realized that the travel would be relatively quick.

With the tiny hut spell, the group was guarded from the beasts of the night and didn't need to rely on guarded touch points to make a safe journey through the Dales. Elisa actually found herself appreciating the ethics and concern of R'monceal, initially unsure by his clear undead existence and cold demeanor, but he was very accommodating, and her wisdom helped echo a message he tried to tell himself to remain vigilant despite often hearing that he would become an unrecognizably psycopathic genocidal conqueror.

Elisa did not speak too much to Brutus, but at the end, he expressed joy in their meeting as she comforted him. Brutus felt a pain not really mentioned by anyone prior. He looked at the army of warforged dominated by Hell and saw lives, enslaved by the nine hells. He saw people taken from their salvation forced to fight what they know. He knew that few would think of the warforged as truly alive and see them as victims in this situation, he told Elisa that he would like to see them freed and able to live their lives as people like they do. He also admitted that while he is happy that they both appeared the way they do, but that they could have met in more peaceful times. Elisa indicated purpose as a sign of strength. Brutus said that he has no purpose, but does what he thinks is right. Eustace decides to stay behind as the group prepares for their leave. This would be the last time the group sees Eustace as he would pass away only one day later.

=Session 38: Silverhand, Bloodwing's greatest beast.= Just before leaving the great war tent, R'monceal went to provide the group with a passcode for meeting Toshiro at an unground camp called Talbaq's Cave. It was described in greater detail at Harrowdale when it was a touchpoint to reach Archdale's Wood when meeting with Niles originally, but R'monceal did refer to it as a secondary refugee hideout for those displaced by the rain and the ongoing war. Talbaq's Cave was established in the 1410s as a hideout for people fleeing Tassledale during Sembia's invasion.

R'monceal was going to give the passcode as Reshckarr blurted out the permanent passcode, "Ascend and Defend, Unite and Annihilate" The response was to be given when given a telepathic bond and a question that would have nothing to do anything. If this was done properly, there would be a response of where to go from the current location.

Once everything was done, the group was knew where they needed to go with a map and had the means to travel without touch points due to Fenwyck. Elisa and Imir was not as familiar traveling in the Dales and saw the sad state of the the usually lush forest reduced to a dried purple waste land. Small black insects and arachnids followed the group on food as they went by foot by road. The rain was was consistent, but not overbearing as the travels continued. Elisa soon realized how difficult it was to remove the effects of the rain and how most conventional divine magic was almost if not completely ineffective against it.

Fenwyck was able to cast a tiny hut and defend against the hoard overnight. The second day was also mostly uneventful. Elisa was able to observe that the area closer to R'monceal appeared to be more orderly. Both Elisa and Santiago were able to spot that more in the East that there were tracks of beasts and less orderly tracks of humanoids and several instances of battles and conflicts on the main road.

The nightfall was different. While there was still not conflict, there were watching eyes from above and signs of movement in the trees far off. The tiny hut was cast before anything came near. It was a second peaceful night. Santiago was the most familiar with this road and knew it would only be maybe a half day of travel before the group would reach their destination.

Elisa is the first one to notice the sound of battle in the distance. Santiago goes out to spy ahead when Fenwyck uses her familiar to see out ahead and sees a long battle closing down with a group of travelers close to falling. There were six, maybe five people still standing as a large number of humanoid aberrations cloaked in black with red eyes approached them. These humanoids ranged from mostly human to barely recognizable with various with various forms of fighting. It was clear that the travelers would die without help, but it was difficult to tell if it was too late to help them. Fenwyck saw an umbrella on the ground and also wanted to go there to get it. Elisa and Santiago both expressed an interest to help these people as Gosen didn't want to go remembering the last time they fell to these beasts.

The battle would start off very differently from the first one. Gosen seemed ready shooting beams out ahead to startle a few of the beasts ahead. Santiago remembered the beasts seemed weak to Aklos casting a radiant beam on them. Elisa, using this knowledge would cast the spell daylight to cast a bright radiant aura extending through most of the original battlefield burning and singeing the beasts at the point of their infection dropping most of the battlefield in a matter of seconds. Larger shadows and beast like aberrations rushed into battle. They managed to connect a few hits, but the difference in strength was obvious from before. Daylight had crippled the beasts as Fenwyck using sunbeam mostly did away with whatever escaped the daylight aura.

Two travelers were still up, one dropped by the Nightwing monster before it was dropped by Fenqyck blinding it. The last one, the main warrior was prepared to fall in battle around all of his comrades before daylight made quick work of all the enemies around them. An animated fell tree poisoned by the rain infected by the beasts moved to action as a familiar large beast stalked from behind and engaged the group. It watched McCallister for the shadows before, but now fought the party. The group was making short work of it until Elisa dealt a critical blow leading it to swell up in size and grow more dangerous. In its last breaths, it went from a dangerous enemy to overpowering, quickly knocking down most of the group. Santiago was the last one up from its necrotic barrage attacks against the group. With his action, he brought Elisa back, before the beast pointed at him and withered him to the point near death. Elisa called for a divine intervention allowing her to regain her spells in an effort to finish this thing off.

Freed from Chaos, the Simbul has been rescued
Recasting daylight managed to peel off the the layer of darkness from this beast and reveal a white silver quadrupedal beast over a bipedal six eyed aberration. In a roar the beast glowed white and shrank down to a humanoid size slowly revealing herself as a human in a blue dress with white hair. She would recognized quickly as none other than the Simbul, Alrassa Silverhand, the former Queen of Aglarond and the second most powerful among Mystra's chosen behind Elminster. She was quickly confused and initially bewildered by the situation.

Realizing what had happened, she became immediately thankful, but still confused at the situation. She didn't know the year. She didn't recognize the land. Over time, it context would be explained before the people around her realized just how long she has been without clear consciousness. While her form was only recently infected by Bloodwing's beasts, she has been in the form of a silver beast most resembling either a lion or a tiger for close to a century. She was first angry at Elminster, her at that time lover whom she appeared to recognize was aware of his condition and place when she was freed. She was able to survey the damage she dealt including killing Gosen. She requested that people take the bodies of those she harmed and help them.

The Simbul proceeded to cast a Wish spell requesting to undo the damage she and those that followed her had done in the past thirty minutes. When this was cast, injuries before the battle evaporated as Gosen woke up as good as new. The people recently infected by Bloodwing's monsters reverted back to health also. Elisa and Santiago was thankful as Elisa had only barely healed them in response. The Simbul stated that that was the most powerful spell she could use and wanted to make up for the rampage she did as that beast only being partially aware of what she was doing.

Elisa, Gosen and Santiago were clueing her in as she spotted those partially healed by the searing light of daylight. During the battle, Elisa was able to see that those, especially the Archenriders or an warriors of Myth Drannor infected more recently appeared almost to be stable. While they were still clearly infected, their state seemed almost passable as opposed to those completely covered in spikes. Alrassa tried to cast wish a second time to reverse the curse of Bloodwing, but was ineffective at helping those infected for a longer time. Elisa informed the her that the poison would be more difficult to remove, but that Daylight seemed to weaken the effects of it.

In time, the Simbul decided that she must do many things and see many people, but agreed to help the travelers and the party reach their destinations before leaving, urging that she would owe them more in the future. Elisa made it clear that the world was in turmoil and that many active and capable parties were taking a very passive role to this global conflict and doing little to nothing. The Simbul is and was always a person of action and said that there was a chance she would call on them or return to provide them a favor in the future.

She teleported the travelers with the fallen warriors to Myth Drannor to healed and looked at by the those in religious temples there. She would teleport the main party to the north most fort in Archendale, Forddale Camp. The group never traveled here as they passed it originally since they were teleported beyond it by McCallister after their first runin with Bloodwing's beasts.

The Simbul, Alrassa was thankful, but brief with her words and she quickly left. The last leg of the travel was North for only a short period through the old sand mounds just west of Tasseldale. When the group was close, they searched as they should for the right mound when being asked a silly question about which lake the camel would drink at. Santiago responded in telepathy to the question. With that response, the voice of an older female halfling gave them direction of where to enter, "14 Paced North, 9 Paced East and wait for a man to guide you in."

After following the direction, a dark skinned human, who was very burly came out and happily greeted the party. Anyone that stated that password was someone who was not just welcome, but likely sent by R'monceal himself. It was not hard to tell that at this time, he and his party were recognized as heroes in the region. This man in white garbs and head dress lead the party to a trap door at the foot of a mound of dirt and sand close to they were standing. He would cast a spell and invite them in before going back in casting a spell to seal the entrance.

Underneath the ground, he the man would narrate that underground magical bunkers and towns would become a major way to keep large amounts of civilian populations safe. The method was first used by the populations of Myth Drannor using its already expansive underground city portions to house large numbers of people during the invasion.

He would eventually tell the short story about how this cave came to be during Sembia's invasion of Tasseldale. the group would ask about Toshiro, and the man would not recognize the name and refer them to Dympa, the original voice, a middle aged halfling "Hobbit" smoking a pipe with a long jacket longer than she was. She would lead the group down a path to where Toshiro was. She would stated that they are welcome to stay as long as needed, but that Toshiro does not speak to anyone. She would specifically say that he has said no more than five words since he arrived years ago.

The lost, the Broken, Enter Toshiro
When the group found the room where was, they went past a cavern hallway and found him sitting in an underground grove well lit in a room with two stone golems. Santiago addressed him getting Toshiro to look over. Toshiro had very few recognizable facial features as a wilden with two points at either side of his head with white eyes looking back to the group. Elisa still in disguise, but the moment Toshiro saw her pointed " YOOU!" with no greater context and cast shape change.

=Session 39: The Temple of Three Lies=

Toshiro cast a spell to change into the form of a massive cyclops and with a large maul. Santiago did not hesitate at that moment to fight him. Originally, Gosen hesitated. He didn't really see Toshiro as an enemy. Elisa already trying to halt the combat as Santiago immediately readied his attack before taking the high ground. Imir looked over to Gosen and let him know that it's too late to avoid the combat, but as Gosen realized the intent was not to kill him. Gosen readied his sword, but decided to fight at a distance and fired beams of force against Toshiro, who enraged swung at Gosen and threw him against a wall. In a single move Toshiro stomped through the cave to Elisa and knocked her over and stomped. Fenwyck attempted to hold him with magic when he broke out. Elisa was able to charm him, realizing he was acting enraged, but truly apprehensive to the fight. As quickly as the battle started, it ended as Toshiro transformed back into his normal form. He held his head down as walked away, apologized and asked to be left alone. Elisa tried at first to respond to him with care. She would heal in response to Gosen's and Santiago's attacks early in the battle. Toshiro winces and with limited expression still showed a bit of fear and apprehension.

As Toshiro turned away and started to walk away from the group, Imir showed great rage, but even more so showed his personal frustration. Frustration not just so much with Toshiro as it is frustration that Toshiro is accepting this fate and not even attempting to fight it. Imir goads Toshiro into anger, getting him to admit and yell his situation. Toshiro says that he knows the party and that something bad would happen and that he thought killing you was the only way to verify that things were different. Imir at this point put himself on the line, disarming, letting his weapon dissolve. This display came with the response letting Toshiro know that he could kill him if he needed. Elisa put her hand on Imir's shoulder in support of Imir and his growth. Imir's display was real, the emotion allowed Toshiro to open up. He started quite afraid, stuttering and just kept repeating himself at first. Toshiro had been tortured by living the fate he tried to fight, constantly walking the path towards his future when he tried to avoid it. It was a difficult to break him, but he did slowly turn around.

Once Imir was able to soften his disposition, it was Gosen who peacefully asked the questions and attempted to get a sense of the situation. Toshiro admitted that exiled himself thinking the only path left for him was to attempt to kill his friends. Toshiro didn't want to do it in fear and was afraid he had already failed. Elisa also tried to convince him with a reasonable and mixed success. This forced Toshiro to admit that he was particularly afraid of Elisa. Thinking at first he meant her as a warforged, Toshiro corrected her to say that he recognized her specifically. Imir didn't realize, but he recognized Imir as well and stated he would follow her. The two didn't fully understand, but Toshiro asked if they knew Fzoul, to which the group admitted that he was not in their favor and asked what they thought of Niles and specified little but a positive experience. Toshiro mentioned no more, but foreshadowed a future where the group has interactions with the two of them that would lead to his future.

Toshiro was still very apprehensive. This response seemed more akin to being cornered rather than convinced. It was difficult to tell if he would act. He boke for a moment and truly trusting them did tell them some info. For that moment, he even so much as stated that he was not supposed to tell people about what he knew. It was subtle wording to the fact that he was actually instructed on how to act when he originally sent back in time. He said that Fzoul would initiate the final end of this time. He would attack the Temple of the Triad. Toshiro mentioned Bloodwing, but mostly in the fact that he was different from him. Toshiro meant to mean that he knew the past as it was recorded by history. He didn't know the past from being a major part of it. Toshiro didn't know how Fzoul was able to invade the Temple of the Triad. There was a strong ritual protecting it from teleportation and fiends. How he would get in wasn't clear, but the tales indicated that there were traitors in the ranks. This would trigger a thought in the mind of Elisa to Phlan, where the treachery and proximity to the Temple of the Triad would be a major factor.

This inquiry was originally or at one point about the understanding the Blood Rain. The response was quick as Toshiro admitted that it was really no part in his future. When Gosen and Elisa asked about it, Toshiro was timid about revealing information constantly back tracking about revealing fate saying that Xzass Tam, the leader of Thay would eventually betray the Nine Hells when the divine war begins.

Imir, being a strong proponent against his personal fate took almost a personal offense to the tone of Toshiro, but kept his anger in check partially to inform him that he would fight against his fate. This is one of the first times that most of the group would join together to attempt to change someone's mind. Elisa and Imir were persistent, though their movement was at times almost too forceful. Elisa guilting was at times counterproductive to the response, but as Toshiro was considering sinking back into his hole, Santiago also a proponent of fate in tie with Eshkabel encouraged Toshiro to act siding with Imir and Elisa. Most of the group at this point appeared to have a burden against that expectation and fought against it. Toshiro was still uneasy and even at the end still backtracking on his own words to admit that he thought he was still right. What was different now is that Toshiro did accept the possibility of being mistaken. He was not convinced that he was wrong, but perhaps willing to acknowledge that if he is wrong, that he should consider what his possibilities are. With that, the group would leave Toshiro to meditate alone to think about his next actions. It was made clear to him that his friends still valued Toshiro and that they actually had a reasonable understanding of his fear and concerns.

Elisa quickly came to the conclusion that it was Sigmund in the Temple of the Three Truths that was the problem and believed that if they could clean up the Temple of the Three Truths that it might help keep the Temple of the Triad safe from an upcoming ambush. Santiago and Fenwyck both thought of the fastest way back on the trails when Fenwyck realized that she had the teleportation runes to make it back to Myth Drannor, where she knew there was a conjuration portal room that would be able to get the group back to Phlan.

Enter Myth Drannor, a City barely afloat
She took a moment to teleport the group back to a room in Mythd Dannor, a colorful stone room with glass windows, which went out into multiple hallways where there were many teleportation circles. In the center, there were three figures, all elves that monitored the rooms. The two male assistants of the elderly female conjurer both greeted the group and asked about where they came from and what they were doing. Fenwyck was invited by Sarshel and both knew Enabrin. Between that and her latent ability, she was recognized and when the group was with her, they were let through with almost no inspection or concern.

Fenwyck asked the group if they knew runes to get to Phlan, to which one of the assistants goes to the conjurer as she scrolls through a rather large tome and finds a page that has two sets of runes that would lead people to Phlan. There was a location in the southern barracks and one in the Temple of the Three Truths.

After copying the Rune, Fenwyck was ready to leave almost immediately when remembering that now knowing more about the situation with the rain that Myth Drannor was actually home to a prisoner, the third Grand Magus, an elven poison master under Mammon who was captured after the Battle of the Betrayed where Turnock and his party defeated both Sarceadon Arbelleck and Sa'Levias Kalis, Grand Magus under Mammon and Belial before the forces of the Hell fought against each other when Bloodwing under the chaos of the battle killed and absorbed the souls of both Belial and Fierna. Fenwyck realized that this was the prisoner and Imir knew who this was immediately as one of the architects of the blood rain. The group decided to meet with him. Myth Drannor is different in the fact that the city was still mostly in tact with green plantflow. The Mythals were the only thing keeping the city afloat and the usually invisible barrier of the defense was very visible and clearly strained to its limit to those aware of magic. The group approached a large dome like building that was guarded by Elven guards in scale with polearms looking into a mostly glass greenhouse with a large garden with magical artificial climate to that of the Feywild inside.

Mammon's Grand Magus, A Prisoner treated like a King
Fenwyck was the point person for this, and recognized again the guards agreed to let her in, frustrated that they needed to guard a monster like this and instead of just throwing him in cell or executing him. When let in, the party wasn't entirely sure what information they wold get from Sa'Levias. He was peaceful in green robes, dark black hair, pale skin and clear eyeliner and feint, but dark lipstick. (kinda goth). He was just gardening with a small cauldron releasing smoke for a nice scent as he poured water on and used tiny plant sheers to work on the garden.

In time, the group spoke to him and asked him first and foremost if he was working with or spoke to Fzoul recently. Confused by the question, he indicated that he didn't then countered by wondering why the group would think he would worth with Fzoul. Elisa, soon fearing that nature of the conversation and his odd charisma cast zone of truth to his amusement. Elisa asked if he still worked with Hell. Sa'Levias said that he still did, or well in his mind he is still an operative despite being kept prisoner and having little to no actual contact with Hell. The Fenwyck and Elisa were first originally afraid to interrogate him since they weren't really for intimidation which Imir was afraid that he might go too far knowing that Sa'Levias knew Val'Dranar and worked with Alloces in the past. Gosen was not afraid to take point with Elisa. When repeating the question regarding Fzoul, Sa'Levias again confused asked if they instead meant Leviathan. That name confused the group as Elisa slowly put recent religious lore together about him and corrected him by saying it was in fact Fzoul.

Sa'Levias quickly took control over the conversation and started asking his own questions, wondering why the group was there, if the group was religious and learning things about what happened while he was imprisoned. They soon learned from him that he was with Sarcaedon Arbelleck. Belial had traveled with Mammon and Baalzebub as the Tri Alliance of the Betrayed in the battle against Hell saying that Sarcaedon was a master of trickery with his master who had fooled Turnock in the group by traveling with them as a Sir Clark Judas before revealing himself in that battle.

Fenwyck was the one to ask him about why he betrayed his kind and ways to join Hell. Sa'Levias admitted he was different from most and didn't really view the devils as any more cruel than anyone else. He informed the party that it's easy to be cruel to people you don't think are your equal referring to plants and animals, saying that he found peace in what is torturing and enslaving plants in a garden. Elisa too wondered why he had such good accommodations when Sa'Levias stated that foolish people thought he could save them. He knew he cannot stop the poison, but being one of the few that could even slow it down made him seem invaluable.

During the conversation, one incident that came up was that Sarcaedon was able to request a vile of Pure Poison from Wormwood, which was requested in the event he needed to kill Desmond Teragon.

Soon Sa'Levias realized what would happen and realized that the prophecy was not yet disproven and that these questions were verification of things that could still happen. It soon became clear that the group could not learn much more from him. Disgusted by his accepted and fascination with the Nine Hells and his unapologetic view of global genocide, the group soon left feeling more sickened by the interaction than informed. Sa'Levias even went so far as to stated that he learned more than the party and thanked them for speaking to him.

fore leaving Myth Drannor, Fenwyck lead the party to the mass underground pathways of the city, which now housed the largest refugee hideout outside the several Dwarven Mountain settlements around the world. There was a bustling large city and marketplace underground as Fenwyck was able to find a Dwarf with no stand in a very large coat with many pockets full of hundreds of potions in small vials. He recognized Fenwyck and decided to give out several potions of various types (4 Superior Healing, 2 Flying, 2 Heroism). He was willing to pay out a discount for even more, perhaps even more for free when Imir and Gosen did a much less impressive job than Fenwyck establishing themselves awkwardly talking about killing... devils, but the potion seller did part with two additional potions of invisibility. Fenwyck revealed a very fangirl side of her talking up herself and her party and what they were willing to do. Elisa doing so also by adding a sort of divinity to her appearance, which almost undid the awkwardness of Gosen and Imir. Once they were given potions, which the dwarf was able to take out of his jacket holding all in one hand between his fingers, the party left the underground before Fenwyck cast a spell to take the group back to Phlan.

After a few minutes to cast the spell, the group agreed to teleport to the Southern Barracks, to which the group found themselves to a rarely used Teleportation Circle startled the two guards. The young human guards, slightly drunk and almost asleep quickly stood at attention and quickly stumbled to ask the group what they were doing there. The group acknowledged the name Santiago after the group name dropped Griswald from the Red Plumes. Elisa was able to easily charm one of the guards to give the party refreshments and lead them to a quiet room to discuss things. When there, after Elisa got wine she will not drink, and discussed how the group will go about sneaking into the Temple of the Three Truths. She and Fenwyck learned a way to travel together by having Fenwyck in one of her sleeves partially in her sleeves of holding and only her head out with Elisa holding her hands together. Gosen agreeing to go out left Santiago and Imir in there to keep a lower profile. The initial parting was meant to scout the Temple of the Three Truths.

The moment Gosen stepped out, he was almost ambushed by three moments of the Brotherhood of the Cloak. The three cloaks asked about Imir and wanted to know if the group was still looking to complete the mission. Gosen and then Elisa asked simply to get away. The cloaks were originally actually trying to be quite civil about getting the group to go with them, but the moment they were rather transparent about simply trying to get away, the cloaks were straight forward that they thought the group was traitors and if they couldn't meet today that they would be seen as enemies by the Blades of Mulmaster. Gosen did ask where the group was looking to meet them as they stated the Armen Rathker, a name of a rich nobleman of Melvaunt who owned an estate within Phlan.

The group went. Elisa scouted to see that approaching the Temple of the Three Truths were many paladins. There was a clear militarization as paladins moved fully armored in the city covered head to toe. Seeing this, Elisa asked Gosen to stand back thinking he might stand out. Gosen stood back as Elisa and Fenwyck approached the towers of the Temple of Three Truths. The two were not stealthy as they looked to examine the entrance to the Temple catching the attention of a few. When surveying the situation after being a little too loud and obvious, Elisa spotted that rather than her gaining attention, she realized the Gosen was slowly being surrounded. Elisa cast sendings to give messages to Gosen letting him know that he was the target of the attention as he slowly started moving away. Gosen soon realized the was surrounded. He knew it before it saw it. In time, he found himself confronted by Tetler Sigmund, head Paladin of Torm within the Temple of the Three Truths. He was already confirmed by Elisa to be in a contract by Glasya, Lord of the 6th and found to be taking orders from Keilrect Tillenbirg, Grand Magus of the 8th. Identifying Gosen, he said was almost immediately belligerent. He asked Gosen about the night they attacked Sarcaedon Arbelleck. He asked about how he was able to teleport when Imir cast from a scroll a dimensional anchor. Gosen, known for loose lips talks about his talisman and it's ability, but also saying that he doesn't have full control over it. Sigmund, the only one speaking was quick to draw a hypothetical about how someone could murder Turnock. Soon after, he said while pardoned, the group had a great amount of crimes unaccounted for, from charming civilians to destroying property. Sigmund was escalating the situation as Gosen clearly was ready for a fight. Sigmund attempted partially to diffuse as he simply asked Gosen to go with him. Elisa was in communication trying to plot the next move before it was clear Gosen was going to fight.

At that point, she cast her mass charm in attempt to destabilize the situation. At this point Sigmund is aware of the situation and orders Paladins close to Elisa to subdue her and kill either if they fight back. Elisa sends a message to Santiago and Imir to come as quickly as possible as combat will erupt.

=Session 40: Contract by pain, for hope=

Sigmund, staring at Gosen was psyched up for the fight with his eyes wide open with Gosen almost goading for the impending combat. With Elisa's move she was aware that most of the combatants were not necessarily looking to turn on each other of Sigmund, but questioned their place in this fight and Sigmund's immediate aggression to the situation. Much to the surprise of his right hand friend and Paladin of Ilmater Lord Jargrecht, Sigmund did not take his defensive stance sword and shield and immediately went for his Poleaxe and went on the offensive. Gosen was ready for the fight, but had no taken his weapon out by the time Sigmund had taken his first swing. Sigmund has a strong upward swing with his weapon glowing from the radiance as his Smite as Gosen takes a massive blow, but is not staggered by the power of the Smite.

Elisa casts fly and starts speaking against the paladins as she moves upward away from the crowded streets, initially almost threatening the group. She wanted to cast doubt in their actions and their faith as she dropped the image of disguise to show her true radiance. Sigmund was quick to notice her as she flew in the air revealing herself. The image of a purity in Ilmater could be argued by the fact that her creation as a Warforged is most notably a tool used by Hell to invade the world. The charmed Paladins and clerics were already soft on their view of her and looked at each other murmuring and confused for the battle. Some were put off by the clear aggression Sigmund showed towards Gosen and Elisa without provocation. Fenwyck seeing that Sigmund's inner circle were the least affected by the situation through a hypnotic pattern tossing several of the paladins and conscripted archers in a confused daze as Sigmund's ally, a middle aged Cleric cast Haste to aid him in battle and used a dispell magic to free chaos from the battlefield.

Gosen enraged by the attack almost seemed to enjoy the wound as he took a single deep swing against Sigmund. Sigmund's armor and speed through his haste made him difficult to pin down as he took a stance to take swings as Gosen approached him. Gosen's deep hit down the middle flipped his Poleaxe from his hand.

The Paladins and clerics talked an argued as several of them used lay on hands to remove the effects of charm. Others that weren't charmed were still in doubt of the nature of the attack and did not necessary heed Elisa's words in entirety, but refused to take immediate action against the group.

Sigmund took the opportunity to attack Gosen, focusing and saying a prayer to only see Gosen and his goal. He focused on the talisman, and focused the attack to attempt to slice off his head as he connected with a devastating blow almost knocking Gosen down. In response, Elisa cast a spell immediately cutting a deep wound in Sigmund mirroring his hit on Gosen.

Elisa was seeing the effect of her words on the group as she continued to attack the faith of those around Sigmund. The shaking of his support threw him in a fit of rage, beginning to lash out at those around him cause even his closest allies to question his motives. Elisa made a bold move and claim that she would answer questions with him under a zone of truth and managed to persuade Gosen not to attack Sigmund barely through his nearly blind rage. Gosen stopped mid swing as even the sword was approaching Sigmund's neck. All Elisa did after that was curse Sigmund's sight away with a spell of blindness to keep his attacks at bay. A paladin decided to do no more than to remove the affliction as Sigmund looked enraged at the group around him failing to follow his orders as he released a destruction wave on enemies and allies alike with a signature necrosis seen in negative energy attacks revealing a different point of divine energy.

This display was more than enough to convince the paladins and clerics around him that Elisa was right and Sigmund had secrets. In response to this attack at the direction of Nathaniel, the archers instead pointed their crossbows and fired at Sigmund. Sigmund knew looking around him what he had done realizing that he had completely lost the support of the Paladins and Clerics at the Temple of the Three Truths. Gosen mocked Sigmund as his world crumbled around him as he took only a single backswing after the attack, which was not enough to drop the enemy as Fenwyck cast a Bigby's hand pinning him to the ground when Nathaniel added a hold person on it. Sigmund was attempting to thrash at first looking to break free. He was quickly disarmed as Elisa cast a zone of truth and proceeded to ask questions about the situation.

After a second, Sigmund stropped struggling and let tears roll down his face as he began to stutter. Jargrecht and Nathaniel began to get annoyed at the response when Elisa recognized that it appeared as if Sigmund wanted to actually speak now defeated, but that he was unable to speak his mind. Tetler Sigmund was unable to communicate the nature of his contract. It was part of it that he was unable to speak about it, or write about it. He was however in possession of it. Fearing that it could be seen again like before he had kept it on his person. Elisa was asking about the contract who was the one that controlled him as he could only direct her to touch the bottom of the contract where his name was written in blood and she would be able to see and relive the point of the contract.

Jargrecht and Nathaniel were not trusting to Sigmund, but Elisa saw that he was a broken man more willing to tell his story than anything else at this point when Elisa touched it. Sigmund knew that actively letting someone see this would get him killed by the forces of the Nine Hells, but knew that was nothing left for him and Elisa touched it going into a trance where she was able to see through the eyes of the Devil who had bonded this man to a contract. The two were standing in the aftermath of a particularly bloody battle, known as the Battle of the Marching Army. Months earlier during the initial invasion, Glasya, daughter of Asmodeus, had most of the entourage of her circle going through the lands of Faerun with a massive army of Devils and Warforged annihilating every city and settlement in their path originally marching to the Temple of the Triad. Sigmund was in command over a large group of paladins fighting along side with the likes of Turnock leading the group to victory, but at a might cost. Everyone under Sigmund's command was killed and Sigmund had been captured by a high ranking Pit Lord under Glasya's command.

Elisa saw a familiar sight, a Devil with tiny beady red eyes and bulbous white hard skin of bone and no real facial features. This the sight of Pells the Torturer with Sigmund on the ground mostly naked and dismembered, nailed to the group by bone in his shoulders with an arm and a leg amputated and a series of keep wounds and one of his eyes gouged out and a hole in his chest. He was merely breathing hard, unable to talk or communicate as Pells forced him to drink a potion healing him just enough to speak. The Devil revealed himself as a silver almost blueish color and almost handsome as he spoke in a smooth voice. He let Sigmund know that this could end if he would simply give in.

At that time, Sigmund was defiant, spitting blood back at them as Pells took out a jagged whip boned spikes and raked it across Sigmund's scarred body as he was too tired and wounded to even scream merely wincing and losing consciousness as Pells pours potions just to keep him alive. This devil threatens what his left of his friends and family as Sigmund recalls the mistake of their strategy that Hell is so cruel that no threat of torture could be worse than what they are already doing. His family was already in danger. The devil lectures as he acknowledges, but corrects Sigmund to say that he is not categorically evil and can offer mercy should he take it. Sigmund did not want to betray his friends who died in the battle and refused to take salvation. The devil offered the salvation to Sigmund's family, and those that fell underneath his command. Sigmund praised their bravery as the devil offered Sigmund a connection to see and hear their fates. Broken by the screams and cries to all of those that died bravely fighting for them. He was broken by the pain of the torture and seeing what had become of those underneath him.

The devil made sure to let Sigmund know that Pells was being gentle by his standards not to break Sigmund completely, but that his comrades did not have it so lucky. Sigmund scoffed the offer fearing that he could not trust the deception of the devil. The devil speaking stated that it would be written in contract and Sigmund would be healed enough to read it fully before signing if he agreed to consider it. The devil ordered Pells to regenerate Sigmund's body informing him that there was a way to keep everyone alive the whole time. Elisa saw more and came to and put her hand on Sigmund's cheek clearly in tears.

He knew his fate would be death and knew that there was no salvation for him. He would not have his story told and he would only be known as a traitor for his actions. Elisa whispered "Illmater knows that your heart was true, even through the pain" saying only that he did not willingly give in, but was tortured into it. Sigmund did not fight back as Elisa asked Fenwyck to hold back Bigby's hand as Sigmund stuttered a bit, but was able to say that's how they do it. "Do not judge those who act with too much scorn. Most are either afraid or tortured." Sigmund did not reveal the fate of breaking the contract, but admitted that it would only be fair to lock him up or execute him for his actions. Jargrecht, the next highest rank there at that time took cues from Elisa and merely put him in chains. Elisa cast a mass cure wounds healing the people around him as several paladins pat Gosen on the back healing him from wounds taken hits from Sigmund.

Elisa asked about Fzoul, to which Sigmund did not know. He thought of Fzoul as enemy. Despite his interest in the talisman connecting to Fzoul's actions from Toshiro's words, it seemed that Sigmund was not aware that Fzoul was an ally of Hell and assumed his place was as an enemy. Hearing this, it was clear that even as a forced devoted servant, he was truly a pawn and nothing else. There was a bit of relief being able to be understood and shockingly with a bit of respect even if it was clear he was not allowed to be free or trusted for the remainder of his life.

Elisa approached Jargrecht, who had lots of questions for her as well regarding the state of affairs and how things got to this level. He wanted to know everything that was happening. Elisa flew up to see the state of city around the following blocks seeing gatherings around perimeter set by both the Red Plumes of Hillsfar and the different sects of Blackwatch. In her descent, Elisa saw the familiar sight of a person in a witch hat she remembered as Shem Romanov's adopted human daughter, Annabel from earlier and nodded as she went back seeing Santiago and Imir also flying running to get there from the other side of the city.

Arriving just in time, they were still under the mindset that those involved were potential enemies when Elisa had to block them from fighting for just a bit when she informed Jargrecht that they would be able to meet at the Southern barracks in an hour to discuss questions. Jargrecht asked if there was anyone they could trust when Gosen remembered their first dealings with Red Plume Captain Griswald Morden when finding the Necromancer coordinating serial killers back when this all started.

=Session 41: To Hell with Prophecies= There was brief conversation between Elisa and Jargrecht, he reached to the  contract itself, rolled it up and placed it one of his pockets. Once the battle was over and the awareness of conversation was present, the group then left towards the Eastern Barracks, For Cvaal. On the way back, Griswold departing from other Red Plumes going to interview the paladins. He quickly caught up to the party looking to get back into the barracks and managed to introduce himself to the group. During that time, he expressed was pleasant and happy to see both Santiago and Gosen, giving a passing mention to the other four he remembered meeting before introducing himself. This time, he added a qualifier not mentioned before that he was a part of the Council of Ten.

Fenwyck, Imir and Elisa introduced themselves to him as he asked about the current events and looked to explain the events. When the group went into the stone building for the barracks, he quickly was able to get passed the desk and lead the group into a hallway down the interrogation rooms to the third one, which had a mage with a tome sitting on a stool with a wooden podium. After a brief chat with Griswold, the mage agreed to cast silence as they made their way into the room, which only had maybe three wooden chairs and a table.

Griswold was curious about the nature of the encounter and what had really happened. He mentioned that they had some eyes on the inside due to the Black Jackets, but weren't really aware. Elisa did the majority of the talking mentioning that Sigmund was under contract and that that was really the extent of the battle and situation.

The conversation was mostly speculation after the facts when there was a knocking on the door. Someone forced their way in not really kicking the door open, but pushing it open. This person was recognizable as Marshal Greymore, the leader of the Black Jackets. Marshal was in a long black leather jacket, dressed in a blue green nobles shirt with a single golden necklace and bronze weaponry. He spoke confidently, perhaps overconfidently and referred to himself as a fan of the party. In a matter of seconds, he took over Griswold's part of the conversation as Marshall flexed his knowledge as head investigator by referencing aspects of what the entire group knew and were doing and have done in the past. This was most noticeable with Santiago as he was the one who spent the most time and had the most reputation in the region of the group, but also referencing Imir a fair amount due to his connections with Mulmaster.

As this was happening, Santiago was getting messages from Armen Rathker, patron of a merchant family in Melvaunt looking to speak with the group. There was not much a reply aside of where to go. Armen wanted a chance to speak on behalf of the group to the Blades of Mulmaster.

Marshall was interested in this attack mostly due to an issue investigating Sigmund and the attack on the Temple of the Three Truths. The Black Jackets were the ones that originally investigated the attacks on the region that lead to the attack on Temple of the Three Truths. It seems that that attack was carried out by civilians that were originally taken hostage and killed by serial killers that were coordinated by a Necromancer believed to be someone from the Brotherhood of the Cloak. There was a little bit of back and forth between Griswold and Marshall about those details, but it was Santiago and Gosen that appeared to remember the details the best after hearing some of it mentioned back regarding those events. Marshall mentioned frustration over the fact that Sigmund appeared to execute a Paladin by the name of Kyle who helped lead the party into the city and in a dispute killed the high Paladin of Bahamut, Godrick Balkus. Between that and the attack, Marshall mentioned that they were about to pin the entire situation on Sigmund when there were orders to dissolve the investigation.

Elisa was curious how this happened, and Marshall states that his direct boss was Number One in the Council of the Ten, who was acting mayor, Ygreth, the one who issued the party's pardon. Marshall quoted Ygreth, making it clear that he was frustrated with the order, suggesting that it likely came from above, likely someone like or specifically Shem Romanov.

It is around that time that Gosen remembered the conversation leading to the attack on Aesperus where Khladun, Grand Magus of the Nessus was having a conversation with Shem Romanov V and Desmond Teragon.

That conversation started with him stating that Tetler Sigmund would be pardoned of all his crimes and promoted to the highest law official in all of Phlan. He stated that the Temple of the Triad would not be informed of any malpractice. This was just before the discussion of Aesperus, and Gosen made sure to inform Marshall of that conversation. Elisa was double checking to make sure that Marshall, who didn't seem particularly moral wasn't trying to get this information for some duplicitous reason, to which she appeared to see him as rough around the edges, but surprisingly genuine in his words. Marshall got a bit of information and was more than willing to answer questions before he left. While he appeared to say that he would keep an eye on the group, he acknowledged the good they have done for the city and referred to himself as an ally.

Once that was done, Elis asked if the group could speak alone with the group, and Griswold agreed to step out as they decided on what they were planning on doing. The conversation quickly directed to leaving the city in order to get to the Temple of the Triad. Elisa was fixated on giving a more detailed report to Turnock than she was able to provide in 25 word sendings. The discussion of the sendings from Armen were brought up. Santiago had done jobs for Armen long in the past and more recently he was someone who was part of the original conversations in bringing the known mercenaries together in Melvaunt and sending them to Phlan for jobs. Other than that, most of what they knew was that he was connected with several members of the Brotherhood of the Cloak. Elisa brought up the conversation that the Cloaks had with Gosen in particular and how frustrated they appeared to be when they dodged the conversation. After some deliberation, it was discussed that there was no real interest in meeting with him and that he was much more likely part of the problem than the solution.

Once the group was ready to leave, they asked about Jargrecht wondering if he was ready to talk realizing it has been roughly an hour. There was a knocking on the door when Griswold wondered if they could use the room again when Elisa mentioned that it was alright before mentioned Jargrecht. Griswold referred to him as a Paladin son of one of the nobles and said that he did see a paladin in the barracks and could bring him. Griswold came back as the group was getting ready to leave before Jargrecht greeted the party and went back into the interrogation room.

Jargrecht mostly was interested in talking about how the group knew about Sigmund. Elisa recalled the events of when she witnesses the meetings Sigmund had with both Sarcaedon and eventually Keilrecht Tillenbirg before she broke into his office and saw his contract. Jargrecht admitted that he was a part of the manhunt that Sigmund had looking for her that night. More than anything he was curious about the contract itself. Elisa was curious if such a thing could be dispelled. Both wanted to know if they could free Sigmund to speak clearly. Elisa was unable to dispell the contract. Fenwyck attempted, and though being unable to clear the divine ranked contract, her attempt did manage to clear the aura of it briefly compromising it's text and control over Sigmund temporarily setting off a reaction that caused the contract to self destruct and disintegrate. Everyone involved was confused and slightly concerned. Was he freed, did something happen?

Everyone left with a power walk to the Temple of the Three Truths. Everyone gets there pretty quickly and without incident make it inside the Temple. While going down stairs into a portion dedicated cells (which no one asked that the Temple of the Three Truths has independent cells from any barracks), several acolytes rush up to Jargrecht very worried and relay a message that Sigmund has died.

Where he was placed, all that is left is some of his equipment. The rest of what is there is dust. Jargrecht, very distraught, almost panics in this situation claiming that the group murdered him, even if accidentally and needs to take a moment to really calm down after attempting to hide his grieving. Elisa was asking if he could be brought back. Jargrecht didn't believe so, thinking that it might be possible with a true resurrection, but he wasn't even sure if that would work due to the contract. Most contracts with Hell take action only after the person dies, doubting that he can be brought back.

Where he was placed, all that is left is some of his equipment. The rest of what is there is dust. Jargrecht, very distraught, almost panics in this situation claiming that the group murdered him, even if accidentally and needs to take a moment to really calm down after attempting to hide his grieving. Elisa was asking if he could be brought back. Jargrecht didn't believe so, thinking that it might be possible with a true resurrection, but he wasn't even sure if that would work due to the contract. Most contracts with Hell take action only after the person dies, doubting that he can be brought back.

The conversation turned to the party on how and why events have unfolded like that. Gosen and Elisa very lightly divulge some information about the impending attack on the Temple of the Triad. While talking on the subject, Elisa is being very evasive on the subject, which is not difficult to detect as the Paladin asks for trust and stating that this lack of trust is very dangerous to the effort the defeat Hell. Elisa has been trained not to trust most of the people she interacts with and seeing that they just finished their interaction with Sigmund still hasn't really fully decided that anyone here is trustworthy.

While talking to Jargrecht, the conversation does eventually follow how things got here and mentioned that Sigmund was being investigated. In the perspective from Jargrecht, this came in response to an altercation between Sigmund and Balkus, which came at the same time as the battle at ruins of Zhentil Keep. Jargrecht mentioned how he was second under a paladin of Ilmater, Fentis, who has not been around for weeks now. Sigmund effectively was alone and kept anyone from being able to make him accountable once it was clear that he would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

The conversation turned to the party on how and why events have unfolded like that. Gosen and Elisa very lightly divulge some information about the impending attack on the Temple of the Triad. While talking on the subject, Elisa is being very evasive on the subject, which is not difficult to detect as the Paladin asks for trust and stating that this lack of trust is very dangerous to the effort the defeat Hell. Elisa has been trained not to trust most of the people she interacts with and seeing that they just finished their interaction with Sigmund still hasn't really fully decided that anyone here is trustworthy.

While talking to Jargrecht, the conversation does eventually follow how things got here and mentioned that Sigmund was being investigated. In the perspective from Jargrecht, this came in response to an altercation between Sigmund and Balkus, which came at the same time as the battle at ruins of Zhentil Keep. Jargrecht mentioned how he was second under a paladin of Ilmater, Fentis, who has not been around for weeks now. Sigmund effectively was alone and kept anyone from being able to make him accountable once it was clear that he would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

The conversation would make a final pivot to Elisa and company making it to the Temple of the Triad. The group wanted to travel to the Temple of the Triad without spending the six days of travel needed to reach it. When asking if someone could teleport to the place, Jargrecht mentioned that no one there could really teleport there, but in the hour before going to meet the group that he was in contact with the highest ranking of his faith at the Temple of the Triad, Arch Bishop Valgred Semeksen. When the name was uttered, it struck a memory with everyone at one point or another including the moment when he was in the same room as Kyle Riggard and Golian Volkstadd of the Blades of Mulmaster. During this conversation, he was talking about the danger of Sarcaedon Arbelleck and how he escaped being imprisoned at the Temple of the Triad. Jargrecht was confused and initially worried to hear that Valgred was for a moment in Mulmaster and worried about the situation and how and why things got to that point.

After a few minutes of conversation, acolytes of the temple went to Jargrecht and informed him of visitors from the Temple of the Triad. He quickly went upwards towards the Acolytes as he arrived downward with a two clerics besides him in more robe priest attire as Valgred stumbled slightly down the stairs in his signature dirty white raggedy robe with red ribbons around it as he greeted the group. He was pleased to see everyone and greeted Jargrecht. Valgred was aware of the situation as Jargrecht described it. He was all ready to unpack his things and discuss the situation as a request was asked of him to take the people close to him back to the Temple of the Triad. As the only person who could really do it, he burdened and confused by the request before Jargrecht informed Valgred that it was the effort of the group that allowed the situation to reveal itself. Slightly frustrated, but understandingly, he agreed to bring the group to the Temple of the Triad.

In a display of arcane inability, Valgred's clerics helped him work through his items to find one that could allow him to teleport with the group. A few minutes of fumbling later, he managed to find his things and bunched the group together to eventually teleport out of the area. Valgred himself initially stated that only a select few could really teleport to the Temple and most would need to go to the outside the Blood Marshes where there were runes and then be allowed to Teleport into the Temple of the Triad only through those runes. Once that was stated, he immediately teleported to the grounds of the Temple of the Triad.

There, he aided the group and directed them through the main halls and grounds, crowded, but much less so than weeks prior. There is a three way split between the main religions of the Temple as Valgred walks to the right side to direct the party in the chapel located for Bahamut. The deep blue colors in the stone and windows show through the artwork in a mostly empty chapel as Valgred gets a few annoying questions wondering why he has come back so quickly after just leaving. He makes his way to the front alter by a symbol and sculpture of the platinum dragon as he goes up a red padded staircase to speak to Turnock. A short few minutes later, Valgred returns down with Turnock and one other person, who appears to have darker skin, a wrap on his head almost like a turban, with blue and white robes with the symbol of Bahamut, a shield with a white silhouette of a dragon on it.

Turnock is not in armor, but in robes at the moment and comes down with seven canaries around him welcoming the group with his yellow scales almost shining through the light in the windows. Turnock addresses the man besides him as Arch Bishop as he welcomes Valgred back to the Temple and thanks him for bringing the visitors back. Valgred states that he must be off again quickly as he waves goodbye to the party and states that he will leave tomorrow when his item recharges.

Elisa and Gosen both mention speaking alone. Turnock asks for a bit of permission for the man next to him as he nods back and they have a small dialogue before Turnock invites the group into his office for a talk. The office holds most of his gear and a chronicle of his adventures as he sits behind a desk and begins to ask more about the news learned from Toshiro. Elisa asks what he will do as Turnock goes over the strengths and weaknesses of the defenses at the Temple of the Triad. He states that he cannot fully interview everyone of cross reference everyone, and focused his efforts to keeping those that have a strong potential for affecting the safety of the place to be interviewed and cross referenced. Turnock mentioned that the Temple of the Triad has a many cleric strong forbiddance covering the size of the island like land structure from Devils and preventing direct teleportation onto the grounds.

Gosen is the one that asked how many times has this place been invaded. Turnock scratched his head to recall the attacks, but mentioned the most successful invasion was early when the Devils arrived when Tiamat sent dragons over to attack and destroy the Temple of the Triad. They were prepared and dragons lead by Oryn were able to basically destroy the Temple of the Triad. Turnock mentioned that the temple was prepared for an attack and wards by devils, but it was not prepared for Dragons and had much fewer people there at that moment.

Turnock also recalled stories of issues underground in the past that have since been dealt with. Elisa mentions her source of information as Toshiro when Elisa recalls that he is supposedly from the future. Turnock recalls a conversation with a magician by the name of Zenedrake who gave him a prophecy of his own death. Turnock when delivering begins to get impatient and angry. He states that he had become a puppet of the magician by hearing his fate.

Turnock stated that he destroyed the Sword of the Triad just to free himself from a destiny stating that he would be killed by it caused Fzoul to get it. He mentions that R'monceal, another ally also tried to escape his fate by destroying another sword reformed by Eshkabel when the group learned for the first time that it was Eshkabel reformed that sword. This triggered a question from Santiago as he had realized that this might be more than a coincidence as he managed a mental connection with Eshkabel within the Temple of the Triad. Perseus was delighted at the thought of being called on from within the Temple of the Triad.

Santiago goes slightly into a trance Santiago initiates the conversation with Eshkabel wondering about why he reformed both swords. What end is he looking for? Eshkabel was very friendly and happy to start this conversation. Even more so, he was expecting it. Eshkabel tells a story that his old mentor had a book where he told a story and wrote a manifesto where he mentions the age of chaos. That book ended up being touched by the divine and becoming the Cyrinishad. In that book, it told of loose events that have happened hoping for and setting up certain events that have guided that action.

Santiago was curious why he would follow those actions. Eshkabel stated that part of the reason he was looking to do this was the fact that this would result in the end of Tyranny. During this explanation, it was clear that Eshkabel himself didn't appear to know this with extreme detail and that he was recalling a vague words to describe his actions, but he ensured Santiago that it appeared to mirror current events. When it came to motivation, Eshkabel referred to Cyric himself not as someone to worship, but perhaps emulate. By setting his enemies against each other, he would find a way to succeed. He even made sure to disconnect his children from death and life by making them connected only himself rather than Cyric.

Ehskabel mentioned that where they were was the site of a major divine battle, and that during that time, Cyric made a mistake and attacked too early and that is why he died. Santiago was curious what this had to do with Hell or if any of this would deal with Hell. Eshkabel seemed not to know how things would deal with Hell, but believed that the end of Tyranny and the age of Chaos would deal with the current situation. More than anything, he referred to this as a way to make two enemies fight each other.

Eshkabel refers to the Triad as a living contradiction engaging in religious genocide. Santiago reflects his statements in suggesting that things would be better if they were killed and wondering if this would change the situation. Perseus was not able to directly answer his questions as he followed prophecy awaiting the responses more like a doomsday prophecy than a logical guideline at this point. What Santiago did mention is that Eshkabel was following this and attempting to enable it knowing that it would weaken people he hates and he believes that the Age of Chaos would allow him an opportunity similar to the Time of Troubles to Cyric himself referring to a proper follower of Cyric is not someone who cares for him, but someone who understands is ascension to power. The closing message to Santiago is that things are going properly and that he has no immediate request for Santiago. He states that Elisa is on the right path before closing out by Santiago's wish after stating that their connection has seen mutual benefit.

Once Santiago has returned completely from his trance, he mentions more or less that Eshkabel doesn't really know how this will happen, but states that he expects the outcome of his actions to be the downfall to both Hell and Fzoul. Turnock looks inward and starts asking a series of questions and realizing that he doesn't know the answer to any of them gets frustrated with the situation. Elisa asks him what he will do, and at that moment, "To Hell with it." He fears the situation and dislikes what could happen, but he refuses to be kept prisoner by his fate and refuse to act when people around him are dying.

Turnock points to a map and refers to what he calls a one shot. He describes a one shot as a ritual that could possibly lead to Hell's victory as a single success. To that, he points to Skyclave in High Imaskarr, points to spires riddled all over Fearun and to the ruins of Zhentil Keep. Turnock says for this moment there are none that he knows and no intel suggesting that there are any left. This means he is free to decide his next objective, and looks to make Thaymarsh that target. This gets a positive reaction from everyone aboard. Thinking to himself, he realizes that they simply do not have the numbers to invade it. He called on his superior, the Arch Bishop of Bahamut, an ancient silver dragon previously from the Talons of Justice who came originally to discuss defense of the area had news on how they could combat the rain. Turnock states that Lazlar, the silver dragon said that it was possible to get into Thaymarsh invited if the group could find someone by the name of Confectus.

Elisa would be curious to look through Sigmund's things in his office to see if anything else was hidden or might be a hint to his connections with Hell. Jargrecht escorted the group back to Sigmund's office and used a key to open the room up. Imir used to detect magic to see the only other magical item was in a chest in the far corner of the room.

Fenwyck would look to the chest and use a mage hand to eventually open the chest as Jargrecht looked around for a key. By the time he found it, she was already able to get into the chest. Most of it just had gear and wonderous items he had collected in past battles and adventures. Of those items, the only item of significant note was a single sending stone.

When faced with it, Elisa urged Fenwyck to use it and test the outcome. "helooo" was her message, and the response to that was a surprised message asking if this was in fact Sigmund due to the sound of the voice and the contents of the message. Elisa asked if they could take the sending stone, and Jargrecht did ask if they could keep it for their own investigations.

=Session 42: The Smighty Pieve= At the Temple of the Triad, Turnock and Arch Bishop Lazlar of the Talons of the Justice directed the party to the front end of the Temple on the opposite end of the Cathedral. Going up a long staircase the group was lead to a divining room with a couldron in the middle and a platform with a large crystal ball and a back table with other crystals. Near the center of the room was an Arch mage working with robes with the eight point star, the classic symbol of Mystra with three gold necklaces. He appeared in his late 40s with a piece of cloth resting on his head with a talisman magical focus. His eyes glowed blue in mid ritual as Turnock referred to him as Arch Mage Cristhia.

The Arch Mage was gentle in disposition and referred to himself as either Arch Mage Cristhia or his first name Isaac. Turnock asked him if he had found Confectus. Isaac was quick to discuss that he was not too easy to find. Isaac was knowledgeable to the nature of discussing Hell's activities. He prompted a strategy on finding rituals discussed as single shot victory. He discussed the situation as a recognition of high magic. When discussing high magic, he provided a history lesson about Netheril and Mystral regarding high magic.

In that story, he mentioned that magic used by Hell in the invasion was high magic. This is magical that would not be possible in a world with Mystra. During that explanation, he mentioned a group of wizards outside the prime material plane dedicated to bringing Mystra back, referencing Mozariq in the Astral Sea.

Imir was curious as this explanation seemed to go deep into how the organization was able to spot and understand Hell's movements and tactics. During this explanation, Isaac used the ability to find concentrations of magic and movement due to the plague energies to find where High Magic was being performed to look for Hell's targets.

When discussing Confectus, Isaac was blunt when telling both the group and Turnock that he was guarded against divination. In order to find him, he would have to combine a set of spells to locate events around descriptions provided by Lazlar about the nature of his deeds and patterns in his expected movements. This would take a collaboration and time to figure this out.

When talking to Imir and Elisa, Santiago started asking about Mystra and why she didn't just come back if that happened before. Isaac wasn't really sure why it was different, but believed the difference was likely on how she died and the cause of the Spell Plague. For a second time, he referenced the group of arch wizards attempting to figure out how to bring her back. Wish the use of High Magic from Netheril, there was a way to potentially group plague energy, but such efforts are long in the making and still not really coming together quickly enough to be a solution to the problem. This brought the conversation partially back to full circle as the ability to spread this rain across the whole world was also an example of high magic that would not have been possible if Mystra was still alive.

Now that almost everyone was engaging him, he asked what to call the party. Imir, confused stated his name, which was well received, but he was wondering what to call the party collectively. Turnock and Imir were both a little confused at the comment as Elisa was inquisitive about it. Isaac revealing a bit about himself on a personal level stated that when he was younger that he wanted to be a bard, but just lacked the singing voice for the performance. He asked for a name saying that he had used his abilities as a diviner to track Turnock and major battles from those at the Temple of the Triad for sometime and that he was already aware of some of the deeds of this group. But even mroeso than that, he believed that a reputation of hope would matter in a world suffering from endless warfare and the bloodrain.

Still a little confused at this, Isaac asked a question about the nature or purpose of the Bloodrain. Elisa, Imir and Fenwyck gave different answers, all at least partially correct about the damage, death, and the nature of those that would consider such actions. Isaac provided an answer that the purpose of the rain was not necessarily the literal damage to the landscape or the death it would cause, but rather the despair that was a response to it. And while in many cases the two would appear interchangeable, it was a distinction Isaac made in realization that the idea of hope and faith is the battle Hell was truly waging, and something as simple as named groups of adventurers and stories linking people to standing up in this fight was a literal blow to the effectiveness to such a ritual.

With this, the group actually thought to themselves about what they might call themselves as a group of adventurers. Arch Bishop Lazlar asked how much longer it would be expected to take before figuring out where to potentially find Confectus. Isaac indicated that it would take him and his aids roughly about five hours to find out where he was likely to be last.

During that time, the group went down stairs a bit and had a conversation about their name. This lasted most of the duration of the five hours going from quintet to murderers, to Five, and eventually to smiting. Throughout this conversation, the only other consistency was the resounding hunger of the group as they kept talking about Gavirello Pies. Eventually Elisa come up with the Smighty Pieve. Gosen's artistic sophistication was not entirely impressed with the name, but Elisa, Imir and Fenwyck were up for it. Santiago throwing a few copper into the conversation where down for anything. Gosen realizing that his intent was still in the name even if not in the way he wanted eventually agreed to the name. After a few hours of conversation and rest, the Smighty Pieve decided to move up stairs back to the diving room.

After going back to the group, the group introduced themselves as the Smighty Pieve. Isaac, almost confused by the name was very curious and asked about it. Elisa, speaking with urgency, or more likely shy about the name said there was too much urgency to explain their name. Arch Mage Cristhia, mentioned that he was able to find where he believed Confectus was as of the last day. He brushed the cauldron to see an image of the town. Isaac explained that the place he was most recent is a settlement known as Fort Llast. This is a settlement just a few miles north of Neverwinter on the coast. This is a small guarded city that is a look out for the metropolis.

Elisa asked if Turnock would be there. Turnock was not present on their return, to which the Arch Bishop stated that Turnock would engage in a different mission. Assuming there would be a mission to Thaymount, Turnock would use his status to try and either collect his allies or anyone he could to support an attack of Thaymount. Szass Tam is one of the most dangerous wizards in the world and Thaymount is one of the best defended fortresses in the world. During this explanation he stated that there was only one success invasion of Thaymount, and it was when the entire world sought to stop Szass Tam from completing a mission that would see him become king of the Gods, and it only worked with inside help against him.

Lazlar took a moment to state that Confectus is connected to Szass Tam, being experimented on by the Lich, to which Imir could immediately connect with such a relationship. Lazlar knew this knowledge based on his old relationship with Kelben from the Harpers in Silverymoon a hundred years back and followed records of Confectus looking for numerous adventurers and legends that have remained alive that could help in the fight against Hell.

After hearing that Turnock would not be there, Imir and Santiago were quick to admit that they would be good to carry on the mission alone. Isaac informed the Smighty Pieve that he would prepare a teleportation to bring them to Fort Llast and hopefully find Confectus before the trail was cold. At that time, Isaac cast a spell of teleport moving all of the Smighty Pieve to Fort Llast.

In Fort Llast, the land was muddy as it was just after a drizzle of the poison with humidity still in the air. The fort is in a clearly high elevation as Neverwinter is still quite visible down the road. The fort is by the coast everyone was teleported right pretty much in the center of town. There was a clear view of a wagon looking to take people down to Waterdeep advertising an underground settlement, called Skullport. There are numerous guards out and about. Elisa looks and spots a tavern after the request from Santiago that a tavern might have some information on where to find Confectus.

The closest and the largest tavern is the Jack and Saber's. It is a large two story building made of wood with large windows. Inside the tavern, it is relatively busy with several waiters and a Dwarven barkeep serving drinks. When looking around, the place was not completely, full but there are a fair amount of people. Elisa's and Santiago's gaze first goes to a corner of wizards wearing red robes. It was Fenwyck who was aware first that these people are or were the Red Wizards of Thay. There was a group of three sitting in a place with six tables together.

Imir and Gosen were both getting stares. Elisa did remember before leaving to put her hat back on keeping her appearance as a human cleric of Ilmater. Imir stepped out feeling the eyes on him from many of the regular patrons of the tavern. A small squirrely looking man approached the rest inside the Tavern and asked if they group was looking to have a meal of a drink in the tavern. Elisa asked if the table close to the Red Wizards was available, and he slowly grabbed a few napkins and wooden plates. The boy asked about appetizers that were mostly bread. Santiago ordered bread, to which cost a total of 3 copper and Santiago replied with, we only have platinum. Very excited, he went back to look and make the coin.

Elisa listened close to the Red Wizard conversation to hear what they were saying. In the conversation she heard the one closest to her asking to a superior about the success of the circle master in getting the support from the tiefling. Remembering Turnock's introduction suggesting Confectus, Elisa remembered that Confectus was a tielfing.

The boy returned with a lot of bread when Elisa and Santiago asked what he knew about a tiefling. The boy excited at the thought of lots of platinum got very nervous and started trying to rattle off memories he had regarding a black skinned tiefling. It is around this time that Imir just stepped back into the tavern and made his way back to the table. The boy pointed at Imir. "He looks kind of like him, but with smaller horns and black skin." Gosen wasn't too sure he was telling the truth, noticing that he was excited and afraid not to make platinum. Elisa broke from the conversation to ask the Red Wizard closest to her a question.

Elisa leaned and whispered if he knew anything about a tiefling. The Red Wizard closest appeared to be a slightly older man, who had a shaved head and full of tattoos with darker skin. He looked at Elisa was a bit of a glare at first, but her tone was charming and caught him off guard.

The Red Wizard introduced himself an Jamal and while entranced by the kindness of Elisa, he was still curious and not entirely trusting of her intent. He was asking a bit of questions and a little suspicious still. Elisa mentioned Confectus, not by name, but mentioned a dark skinned tiefling to him. He was aware and asked why trying to get a feel for the reason she was looking. She mentioned going after Thaymount, which got his attention. The other two were definitely paying attention silently, but it was at this point when Jamal went to his superior, Mahmound, an older clean shaven man with a large collar who speaks to Elisa. The others still speaking with the waiter. Elisa mentions that they are looking to end the rain. Mahmound and Jamal nod at this response and say their circle master Halrasha Shazar was going following Confectus south to go after wagons of cultists faking sanctuary wagons for human sacrifices. Elisa made the connection between the possible fake wagons and what she saw outside. At that point, she immediately left the conversation and alone left to speak to the wagon outside looking to carry civilians.

Elisa found two people driving a wagon full of civilians, mostly women and children. The driver was driving a wagon with two horses and speaking out about sending people to Waterdeep. Elisa approached the driver, who looked poisoned by the bloodrain, disfigured by the poison. He looked like his boy was beginning to rot from the inside. Elisa asked about the wagon to Waterdeep seeing it was legitimate. The man sounded confident and that he was planning on doing good by sending people to a safe place for free. Elisa got a chilling feeling from the response and could easily tell that he was hiding his intent. Elisa did not hesitate and immediately held the driver, who twitched to try to free. She sent a message to the rest of the Smight Pieve. Imir was the first to run out and Fenwyck shortly after.

Gosen and Santiago were still waiting for their food as Elisa soon held both the driver and the passenger. The man was yelling to try and get the attention of the guards to let him go. Imir arrived on the scene. Elisa informed him that these were the sacrifice caravans the Red Wizards mentioned as he summoned his weapon. People scattered as the man yellowed. The civilians quickly took Elisa's words as they began to pour out of the wagon. Guards arrived with weapons drawn demanding a response. Elisa made her case as the guards were curious on how she came to this conclusion.

Imir quickly cast detect magic and found the outline of a glow on the man's back shoulder. The guard captain, a man in heavier scale armor with a helmet covering most of his face appeared on the scene ripped the man's shirt, scaring and poison revealed on his decrepit form, but a brand burned onto his skin in the shape of a pentagram reveals itself as the man revealed the nature of his actions. In a delusion, much like the necromancer, he stated that his killings were tribute to the mighty Dorgoth to help save the souls of the people sacrificed and himself. Elisa cast Zone of Truth to make sure he couldn't lie. Fenwyck sensing the deprave energy of his individual pins him down with Bigby's Hand as Imir took a sword to his neck to intimidate him.

The cultist was scared, but Imir missed the mark. His intent to kill was so strong and inevitable, the man saw Imir and knew his death was coming. He was not convinced to speak. The guard captain, James did not interrupt. The moment the man revealed his nature, he knew this was not a man who would come easily or speak willingly. Elisa was able to charm him. The cultist was still hostile, but now willing to brag his position to those around him. He said that he offered tribute to the great Dorgoth in favor his personal power and saving the souls of the killed. Elisa asked for the location. The cultist motioned to the south.

He bragged about the large number of wagons and people already sacrificed to tribute. As everyone around him grew angrier, the cultist bragged about an attack that will destroy the fort. He yelled about a massive attack coming in just a few hours that will completely destroy the fort. Dorgoth would be the master and destroy this fort and send his Duke to victory against Neverwinter by taking this fort. Captain James heard this attack and already thrown a back. Everyone asked a few questions, but at this point, he was preaching his mercy and the victory of his efforts. Elisa found no purpose to leave him alive and while before, she asked Imir to hold back, she quickly turned away and gave him a nod to do what needed to be done. Imir sliced off the cultist's head in a quick display.

The attention moved to the passanger, who was revealed to have his tongue cut out. Fenwyck cast the spell message to get a feeling for attitude of the passenger, who appeared to be an unwilling participant who had his tongue cut out. The passenger admitted that he didn't realize that the wagon was a bunch of cultists at first and moved to work with them in order to keep himself alive since he was afraid and incapable of fighting. Fenwyck did a minor illusion to create a sound to mimic the sound in his voice in his thoughts revealing the fear and shame of his actions. Imir was furious wishing for the man's death for being a willing accomplice in this situation. Fenwyck did however see this man's regret knowing his was truly powerless in the situation. Imir could tell that such actions are what Hell banked on for their success, and Fenwyck realized that such a reaction was only natural for someone scared who really couldn't make a difference. Imir decided not to end him and left him in the custody of of the guards who put the man in chains.

Captain James spoke to half of the people of the Smighty Pieve, asking about the impending attack. There was no true sense outside a few hours to know whether or not the group would have the ability to do a full rest before the attack. Elisa wanted to cast a forbiddance around residential area to keep civilians safer during the attack. Around this point in time, Santiago would casually step out. Captain James was curious to what set of skills the people of the Smighty Pieve had. Imir volunteered to be the head of the infantry for the guards and take the front line. James added that they would barricade the center part of the town and try to huddle more people into the part Elisa protected from fiends. Santiago volunteered to go into the Guard towers and help pick people off and give support and eyes to the upcoming attack.

Fenwyck continued to speak in message to other man with the cultist. She was trying to get specifics from him, but it was clear that he was less connected than the driver and knew little more than the location of the main group. Gosen stepped out briefly just to say that he was hungry. The entirety of the Smighty Pieve took a rest as long as possible before there were spottings of wagons with weapon wielding cultists rushing towards the town. It took several hours before someone in the guard towers started seeing people. Elisa was watching at the base of the guard tower as Santiago stationed himself in it with at least three other guards.

Rows of guards, several with cross bows and some with ballistas aimed past the barricade started firing at the people running in from the wagons and unloading into the city. Most of the cultists appeared to be either human or half elvan. There were a few tiefling and an orc among them commanding the culists. Experiments with oversized muscles and infused with devil cells ran through the barricades. Imir and Gosen mostly fought a bit of the first wave with little help.

One of the tieflings proved a problem with the ability to polymorph his ally into a giant, but the cultists were pretty easily and quickly dispatched. Gosen took many hits from experiments, and cultists, but shrugged it off with ease only feeling pain to the sheer volume of people fighting against him. Imir slew the tiefling sorcerer by him. As he died, he wondered if Imir was a traitor, to which he replied that he was a redeemer. There was a bit peace in his death by Imir. The wave attacked the side with Captain James, which was much weaker guarded than the side with both Imir and Gosen. Elisa blinded the other Tiefling, well armored as he was pelted with arrows, ballista bolts and eventually incinerated by a sunbeam.

The second wave approached as Santiago shot at spined devils making their way into the fort. Elisa put down a blade barrier to block the impending second wave of combatants, which appeared to be mostly warforged and legion devils. There were smaller poison carrying constructs mostly destroyed by the blade barrier as Imir took a stance and threw a devastating cone of cold to slow down those already struggling with the blade barrier. Larger warforged start approaching as Elisa recalled asked the Red Wizards for help during the break. The response was not a direct no, but she didn't expect too much when the three of them stepped out and decided to aid the cause finishing off the rest of the first wave attacking Captain James and throwing spells at the warforged. Elisa used her voice to finish off the spined devils already shot by the guards and Santiago. Fenwyck for the first time tossing fireballs into the enemy ranks torching most upper ranks of the first found finishing a few off as Gosen dusted off and prepared the for the second. Imir even welcomed the fireball on himself to allow her to attack more of the enemies. The Smighty Pieve took stance and prepared itself for more waves as Santiago saw approaching swarms.

=Session 43: Siege of Port Llast= The second wave of foes charging through the barrier were cut up by slashing and whirling blades. The Warforged infantry showing cuts in the wood and armor and the legion devils bleeping out throwing flame a guards and Gosen as they managed through the barrier. A small poisoned automaton with a skill and a syringe prick Gosen with a potent poison acid that has little to no effect to the halforc with culstists and bodies piled around him.

The warforged grab Imir after multiple attempts pushing his face into the active blade barrier. In the distance Santiago yells with the impending flying force of insect swarms flying to the city as he descends from the guard tower. The news arrived Red Wizards prepared their lightning bolts for a likely chance of fighting the forces of Hell and shock a large line of enemies dropped many of the warforged in the bottom and several of the legion devils looking to rush toward the back.

Large ten foot warforged with iron ball and chain with shoulder spikes rush through the debris running past Gosen and aiming to swing back to him. The forces in the bottom breaching the line without Gosen and Imir as Gosen finished off the Spine Devils and the few enemies around him at that moment.

Fenwyck fired a beam of radiance from the sky blinding one of the warforged titans flailing around managing to land one hit on Gosen missing several others.

In a matter of moments, large insects with long pointed tips for sucking blood came from all angles sucking dry and killing the red wizards as Elisa threw a hypnotic patter at those coming north and Fenwyck torched many of them in the sky disintegrating them.

The line of warforged with a large mechanized warforged equipped with a large amount of saws and knives  ran through grabbing and cutting Captain James into pieces as the line from the bottom gets completely overrun. Both Jamal and Squizward were both killed by the infernal mosquitos and Mahmound attempted to Haste Gosen when rushed by Larged Warforged. He was gripped, held up, and completely gutted from the inside as he fell dead causing Gosen to grow tired when the spell ended. Gosen fell down as titan throw the large metal ball against him. Elise rushed down to bring Gosen back as Fenwyck created a wall of fire torching all of the mosquitos and several of the warforged barely holding on through the blade barrier and the lightning bolts thrown at them.

It takes time to tear the two titans and the massive mechanized surgeon in a long melee as Elisa takes down the blade barrier as Santiago joins the fight. Gosen and Imir are able to fight down the enemies as Imir reanimates the bodies of the constructs as they fight several large infernal wasp creatures that flew with the mosquitos. Fenwyck casts a Bigby's hand to swat the Hellwasp as it instead quickly moves and holds the Huge warforged in place squeezing the life out of it as Gosen smashed it into pieces.

It is around this time that Elisa saw that things were quieting down and got nervous. She knew that it couldn't be done yet. Where was Dorgoth. There was no leader, no powerful devil. Fenwyck summoned her familiar and she quickly saw a twenty foot tall bright red devil on the roof tops. This devil had a very massive stature, almost too large to be standing on the roof tops, with a large belly and thick mouth with serrated teeth and a large tongue at the bottom of his abdomen. There are horns on his body without wings, as he soon jumped from a roof top over fifty feet onto the battlefield holding a twelve foot flaming sword.

Santiago was engaged with one of the last warforged warriors before backing up on the news of Dorgoth's appearance. When Dorgoth jumped into the battlefield, he smashed one of the buildings on his way down. Santiago and Gosen heard the infernal murmuring of his lower mouth charming, but more enabling an endless hunger for meat and cannibalism. In infernal, Dorgoth mentioned that Imir had a great bounty on him and he would look forward to devouring his soul. In that moment, he made a motion with his hand and cast a spell reducing Imir's mind to that of a potato as his eyes grew dull.

Elisa could tell the effects on them and rushed over to restore Imir's mind, giving him the knowledge of Dorgoth and Pophagos, the two Paeliryon's under Baazka, a Pit Fiend typically under the service of Baalzebul who ingested the bodies of powerful Demons under a ritual and transformed their bodies into a twisted more powerful form with benefits of both, but lacking some of benefits of either.

Gosen is able to shake out of the aura, hearing the aura in its words. Fenwyck casts Tasha's hideous laugher as Dorgoth imagined his victory and was caught in uncontrollable laughter as he falls down and drops his sword. Gosen takes this opportunity and jumps on Dorgoth and stabs his blade in his lower abdomen inside his mouth. Gosen takes several slashes downward as Dorgoth swung with his claw and grabbed Gosen. Imir charged into Dorgoth, being stopped by the power. Elisa casts dawn burning Dorgoth's dark red skin, peeling it back to his original pale white skin on half of his face and shoulder. Fenwyck undoes the charm from the lower mouth freeing Imir and Santiago from the effects of the chant.

With his free hand, Dorgoth takes Gosen in his hands and his lower teeth bite down deep into Gosen sucking out his blood as he swings his sword down against Imir cutting down against Imir as he summons an aura of ice incasing him as Dorgoth swings down against it cutting deep into it, surprised Imir isn't dead.

=Session 44: Remorse and Reprise= While in the hands of Dorgoth, Gosen had only enough freedom to free his arm as he used to have unsteady swings, still managing to make meaningful contact swinging to free himself from Dogroth's grip. Imir looked on as Dorgoth noticed Elisa as she engaged him moving dawn back on him as he threw a fireball directly in her direction. Fenwyck cast a slow spell to dull Dorgoth's movements as Santiago landed arrowed deep in his body.

While his face started burning in the radiant light, he dropped both Gosen and his sword and for his only action created a terrifying ball of energy. It was swirling with necrotic, fire and acidic energy about ten feet in diameter and threw it at Elisa. The ball connected Elisa could see her body cracking and in that moment aimed to rebuke the defiler. Elisa's body and face began crack and disintegrating a piece and cracking elements of her plating as her eyes go out as she falls from her vantage point flying in the air. At that same time, Dorgoth's shoulder and arm that was previously holding Gosen began to shrivel with the appearance of the same energy as Gosen shoots up from the ground and drives his sword deep in Dorgoth's stomach through his lower mouth. Hitting an old would, he stabs deeper to the side and punctures through his body and rips the sword through him cutting Dorgoth in half. In disbelief, he murmurs in infernal about his feat angry and bitter about losing to the likes of you staring at Gosen and Imir with his finals words being "You tricked me". before falling in half with life leaving his eyes.

The brief moments after battle are quick as Imir seems immediately concerned with the state of Elisa, smashed and inactive on the ground. He thaws and moves to pour a potion against her to help her recover her form as Santiago flies up to look overhead to look into rumbling Gosen heard shaking underground. Santiago can see large white centipede like monsters called Remorhaz. There were four of these beasts battling a large number of people at the outside of the port and just before the start of the buildings as these beasts burrow and destroy buildings unearthing themselves.

Fenwyck sends her familiar for a closer look and is able to identify the groups of people fighting against the beasts and can see that some among them carry symbol she describes and Fenwyck and Gosen remember in their unique worldly travels belonging to the Harper Agents. Fenwyck also recognizes a series of fighters and paladins fighting along side of them with a symbol of a gauntlet hand grabbing a sword belonging to a series of avengers fighting evil known as the Order of the Gauntlet. Both groups are known to be very active around the Sword Coast under the authority of the Alliance of Lords in the region.

Fenwyck and Gosen seem surprised to see Harpers in open combat in a field, but given the situation, a changing nature in roles doesn't come to much of a surprise. Everyone seeing the events as Fenwyck and Santiago describe the situation with three large creatures and another completely massive creature battling as everyone in the Smighty Pieve looks each other over, drinks potions and considers the running into the upcoming battle.

In a few short movements everyone heals some of their wounds, still battered and damaged started making their way towards the sound and rumbling of batter when Gosen hears it suddenly stop. Checking again, the Smighty Pieve realize that the battle is finished.

Elisa and everyone else surveys the region looking for survivors in the battle. In the circle around areas of the city, there are very survivors among the guards. Elisa checks the circle of city with forbiddance and sees no disruptions in that area of the city. The builders are not damaged and the guards stationed to guard the civilians appear to be alive and mostly unharmed. Imir is the first one to speak to the guards there. The sergeant, a younger adult human guard who asks about the outside forces.

Imir is the one to provide the new that almost none of the other survived including Captain James. The death hits him hard, but he looks at the buildings there and sees everyone with Imir and is shaken, but grateful to him for helping them win the battle.

There are eyes on the approaching people. There are several figures that stand out between people in the Order of the Gauntlet and the Harpers. The person who comes out in front is a small person identified as a gnome quickly starts a conversation with the guard who introduced himself as Brett to Imir identifies himself as the leader of the guard now in Port Last as the gnome asks for a report. He quickly motions to Imir and the rest of the Smighty Pieve. The gnome shows up clearer in view with a light orange hat and light blue robe. His eyes are barely visible through thick eyebrows and tiny classes covering a wide nose and a large light gray mustache. He has a long pipe, not too dissimilar looking from what Fenwyck has as he introduces himself with a scruffy voice. The gnome with a very clear visible symbol of the Harper organization reveals himself as Arch Mage Gradditch, or Pelliwigg introduces himself and is immediately thankful after hearing Brett's words on how they saved the city from the assault. Elisa has become very suspicious of people due to her time in the Moonsea and instinctively came out suspicious of his words and intent. In some time, Arch Mage Gradditch did reveal that he knew who they were somewhat in advance from communication he had with the diviner from the Temple of the Triad, Isaac, who had helped the group teleport there. Gradditch was very welcoming and a bit forthcoming about the his objective. He revealed what he had come to call the operation of significance on their end to be Operation Clear Skies. In this exchange, it became entirely clear that their movements and their deeds have been recorded and that the Arch Mages, at least the diviners have been keeping track of movements referring to the people of the Smighty Pieve as important people/

This caught Elisa's attention as she used the spell message to have a quick conversation between people in her group about what is safe to reveal to this person. Her initial start seemed to be to Santiago surprised that people, strangers from far off in the continent no less are not regarding them as important people. Gosen and Santiago both seemed to think it was safe to reveal information. The fact that Isaac was name dropped likely meant that Turnock is aware and there wasn't much of a concern to revealing information to him.

Elisa name dropped Confectus, which did strike a familiar tone with Gradditch. He recalled the events of when Confectus was originally in an adventuring party with the original members of the Wandering Guardians. Pelliwigg has been in the organization for close to two hundred years and the first adventures of the group happened around Waterdeep.

Gradditch also appeared to have known Confectus slightly from an in person exchange. He mentioned that it was the will of the Red Wizards to use him, but that it would not be easy to do that. Pelliwigg paused for a moment, a bit shy to spill out the full amount of knowledge he had, but said that while finding Confectus would be difficult, convincing him would be more difficult.

This was a decent length conversation, where Gradditch himself had to often repeat himself due to a thick accept. He didn't ask too much of the group, but insisted on them to stay for a moment to at the very least recover as the reinforcements brought supplies, food and attempted to repair and account for the dead.

Imir was the first to leave the rest of the party in pursuit of those that fought in this battle. He knew there was a large amount of casualties, but found almost no one that fought that lived. He settled for helping the guards lift and bury the dead. It was a solemn moment for the guards to carry their friends and comrades and bury them, but they held a great respect for those that fell during the battle.

As the rest of Smight Pieve found it appropriate to look for the civilians to see that they were ok before much of the port wanted to celebrate the victory, Imir was focused on those that fell. In a conversation with Brett, Imir revealed that he felt responsible for what happened. Brett, being in the background of the conversation with James tried to disprove that notion. He thanked Imir. Brett let him know that the only reason the town is standing is that his group revealed the fake sanctuary wagon, saved those civilians and made the guards aware that the attack was coming. If it weren't for the Smighty Pieve, there wouldn't have been a call for reinforcements. Imir's inward pain didn't seem focused on that element of it. He was aware of the moment that he commanded the guards to stay behind him, but kept formation. "They followed me into battle and they died. They didn't have to die." were words that Imir uttered would repeat. Brett was a little stunned and spoke out much more confidently than he had in the past. He tried to tell Imir that the fight was coming anyway. By being that person, he gave them morale, a purpose and an will in the fight that made it their own. Brett recalled the events with an almost certainty that he expects to die in a fight eventually himself. At the end, he stated that it is not sad that Imir aided them in this way, but simply sad that the world is like this now. Imir's help and kindness has been one of the redeeming factors.

This on and off conversation happened over the span of four hours to which the guards and several people from the Order of the Gauntlet spend burying bodies. Jack and Saber's was the primary spot of where people were going to celebrate. There was a bit of an understanding to how people in Faerun have adapted to a world suffering in this way. Magic was always plentiful in the realms, but that resource before a mystic sense of wonder is now the primary way people eat. With the rains dealing a massive blow to the environment, most form of natural food and water no longer safe to consume, magical means had become the primary method of producing food and water. Wizards and Clerics of the realms did still engage in battles sometimes, but most were basically chefs carrying cookbooks with their tomes and attempting to find efficient ways to make lots of food, food that wouldn't spoil and water to help feed the population. This proved to be very difficult in the sword coast due to the density of the population, but this system was required to work for entire population not to starve, so the system was ironed out to system between wizards and cooks to restaurants and taverns.

The rest of the group of the Smight Pieve were treated to a heroes welcome. The dwarven barkeep made it clear early that they would not need to pay for anything and that they would be treated to whatever they liked.

The mood was lighter here than it has been for some time. For a moment, everyone (besides Imir) felt the weight lifted off their shoulders for the evening. Elisa went up to order everyone some food.

Not really knowing what food is, Elisa didn't have a strong gauge to really know what people would want just mentioned the name Gavirello Pies since she did hear that most the people in the group had loved them. A wizard unamarked in light bluish robes was taking in the orders for what to create in food with the spell and Elisa described these Gavirello Pies as "Round, Red and Green and white". She ordered that for Gosen, and mentioned that Fenwyck wanted a large and hardy meal. Imir would have a grilled cheese and a whiskey, the meal he ordered for Drazz'it, and Santiago would have a Gavirello pie, but that since he was mysterious that it would also be mysterious. What Elisa got was a Salad instead of a Gavirello pie suggesting that tomatoes are red and round; lettus is green, and that bread was white. Elisa never paid attention to what food looked like and accepted this. For Fenwyck, and entire turkey, and for Santiago, a salad like Gosen's, but mushrooms were added.

Proud of her efforts, Elisa brought the food back to the table with mixed results. Fenwyck was more than happy to eat the food as Gosen wasn't unhappy with the salad initially, but surprised this was the choice. That changed when Elisa called them Gavirello Pies. Santiago ate the food, but informed everyone that he had a mushroom allergy, and continued to eat it despite having a mild allergic reaction to the food and breaking out in a few hives.

Once the guards were done buying bodies and such, there was more of a stationed guard from the Order of the Gauntlet as the civilians and guards that helped with the effort to clean up the city went back either to their families or to Jack and Sabers. Imir went back with Brett to see the rest his party enjoying food as Elisa went back and forth from either playing music or guarding specifically Imir's food since he wasn't there.

While at the table, he was distracted, not hungry, mostly silent. Imir was never really the type for celebrating or enjoyment, but the idea of having allies battle with him and die next to him unsettled him. It was difficult if it was the fact that now, he was encountering more good people, and more willing to sacrifice, but there was a weight of responsibility as he raised his voice revealing the same concerns he brought up in his conversations with Brett. Gosen almost mirrored Brett's comments as Imir snapped back. They are still dead, and because of me. Elisa was a little confused at that comment trying to take responsibility off of Imir for the battle that clearly wasn't his making.

Imir stepped out for alone time as everyone else remained to eat more food and enjoy the festivities. It was a relatively quiet and humble gathering, but there was music and people had a warm reception to both the reinforcements, the guards that came back and to those of the Smighty Pieve. Even the loud awkward conversation to near yelling of Imir didn't really aim to distract the mood.

Elisa in a short time did decide to follow Imir out. At this time, she went not very far out the restaurant tavern to find Imir speaking to Drazz'it, the first time anyone in the group had seen him, seeing Drazz'it eating some of the grilled cheese, without the crust, the way he likes it.

Elisa was surprised to see an Imp, clearly a devil of the Nine Hells, when she realized that the conversation was favorable. She didn't appear to see this as a sign that maybe Imir's interests weren't clear, but surprised that he had a positive relationship with a Devil. Imir was solemn, only barely defending Drazz'it by calling him family. Elisa tried to help and bring comfort to Imir. She also spoke to Drazz'it, more trying to establish herself as a friend and non threatening. Drazz'it was naturally very cautious around strangers and only slightly warmed. He did enjoy a chance at a new hiding place as Elisa and Imir moved to pay respects to the dead.

Near the outside of town, there was a quick memorial made to those that passed with mostly wooden crosses on the ground. Elisa expressed the purpose of prayer to give respects to those that died. Imir, understandingly didn't feel a prayer was appropriate as Elisa added a dimension to its purpose. She explained that it could be a way to communicate the intent of how he felt to aid in passing. It was his intent. Drazz'it added that in reality, Devils, Angels, and many outsiders are constructs of intent, purpose given form. It is how people are able to sometimes summon them in such ways.

This display of setting up light in the middle of the late evening to pay respects to the dead lasted close to an hour. This was an opening time for Imir as he cried, both sad for the losses but also confused at himself. He had always viewed himself a little more than a weapon meant to die relatively soon with no future or hope. The growth and added feelings confused him. He had always assumed nothing mattered to him, but found himself crying, weeping at the loss of strangers. He was confused and lost in how to think of himself. Elisa was supporting, a bit surprised, but willing to help him recover through all of it.

Back at Jack and Saber's Gosen agreed to search the body of Dorgoth and see if there were any spoils of the battle. At this point in the evening, most of the bodies of guards, warforged, and cultists were cleared. Dorgoth, a seventeen foot tall devil demon that weighted well over four tons however still remained on the ground where Gosen killed him. His massive twelve foot flaming sword was gone, but Gosen wanted to search his body for loot. Gosen didn't really see clothing or anything to find items, so just poked him with his sword a few times and hoped to see if something might fall out.

After being around the dead body for a few minutes, Gosen started to hear murmuring in his head. Shocked by the sound of the voiced turned back to Drogoth, who still appeared to dead. Words that sounded odd, it was in a different language, both infernal and something else at the same time he didn't recognize, but he could understand it. "The Pit Fiend tricked me. Help me get revenge with the rest of my soul." Words uttered in repeat in a slow chant. Gosen found himself lacking food with the salad, with his mind altered by the chanting feeling a familiar hunger based similarly to the aura of Dorgoth had the urge to eat Dorgoth's body. Gosen kept enough mind to him and cut off pieces and aim to cook with fire. He only had a torch and aimed to sear the meat of the devil and fill himself up. Going off just to the side, he managed to eat a steak's worth before realizing that people might be coming and cut off several points of his body and put it into his bag of holding. While Gosen wanted to eat every bit, the body was several thousand pounds. The smell of the meat, rancid smelling for the decay of humans he had eaten prior no longer seemed to be the case on him before. Gosen had most of his awareness to him, only lacking in the part that he wanted to eat this body, but even aware to know that he knew others would think it was weird and aimed to hide him trying to eat it.

At Jack and Sabre's Fenwyck was mostly passed out greasy faced after eating a whole turkey as Santiago was basically also ready for sleep. Slowly stumbling out of the place as Gosen came back much later than expected. Fenwyck was both cleaning herself up with prestidigitation and working on the starting points to Tiny Hut.

It is around this time that Imir and Elisa returned. Imir had been covered in dirt mostly from burying guards that fell as everyone agreed that given the limited safe housing in the forbiddance that it would be good to use the tiny hut tonight.

Over night, it was mostly uneventful. Elisa remembering that in her time unconscious caught wind of a particularly odd sequence of events like a dream. She started remembering it at Jack and Sabre's waiting for Imir to arrive, but more came to her while watching. The image starts at a perspective unlike her own. Her sight seemed to be from roughly a coffee table in height looking up in the direction of Eustace Califomme. This was a different time. At this point, he was roughly in his fifties, still rather physically able, with an apron on and white shirt with peeled sleeves. He had thick glasses and a tiny screwdriver working on what appeared to be a wrist to a hand with papers of anatomy tacked up on his wall just in front of him in a well lit office area when the door rang.

An individual unrecognizable entered was at the door before coming in and removing a wig and a bit of makeup to reveal himself to be now the Grand Magus of the Nessus. The light skinned endogenous looking guy, was he a guy or a he looked exactly the same way he did at Valjevo Castle, but Elisa recalling this memory a second time saw the calendar year as 1378, which is 107 years ago from now. She didn't hear the full details of the conversation and appeared to lack the ability to turn her head, so the sight was limited. The two seemed to talk as friends for a bit of time mostly with Khaldun asking a series of question to the nature of Eustace's work and barely being able to follow his answers. It was clear that the level of detail and response Eustace operated was too much, as Khaldun attempted to take notes and ask question.

This lasted for a few minutes before the image changed. The second one appeared a fair amount of time later, but it was not clear how much time had passed. The house, which had a decorum most familiar to Elisa by appearing much like Louis's shop had changed.

Originally, the place was very well lit by glass orbs and with items making a low humming sound and wall surrounded by paper. Eustace even had a storage device for his food and a freezer set up. The view of the place now had a large hole broken into the roof into a black stormy sky. The wallpaper mostly torn away to wind. The perspective of this vision was different. Her sight seemed at an appropriate level for her height as Khaldun, in his black robes approached her and appeared to focus on Elisa and someone next to her. He kind of reached out as a red glow prevented him from doing so on his left hand. A ring with three red triangles, the symbol of Asmodeus glowed and brought him to his knees. A conversation between two was quick and established a reality that Khladun is in fact physically unable to capture Elisa due to a contract with Eustace.

The last image Elisa recalled back at Jack and Sabers was that of a gnome, shorter than average, but with a very clean cut beard and jacket walking in with a series of other people. most of which appeared to be adventurers very nervous to be there. Elisa did immediately recognize one of the people there was a much younger Louise, the Goliath that had Elisa in her possession before she woke up. She appeared to be young at this time and an apprentice to the gnome as several of the other people, mostly human and halfelves appeared to be nervous at the silhouette of a dragon in black skies. At middle of the night, Elisa recalled a single last sight that involved a shattering of glass as a familiar figure, her predecessor in creation, Brutus stepped out. He stepped out and put his hands against what looked like a container where Elisa appeared to be, almost begging her to wake up. This lasted for about a minute as he looked to see if he felt it was possible to get her out safely.

Flying in the sky, there was the image of a dragon black in color, barely visible. Brutus realizing that he could not take her out instead tried to see if he could instead hide her to keep her safe. Brutus apologized to Elisa and hoped that she would be safe as he made his escape from the Califomme residence.

Elisa was not fully aware of what she saw, but knew from the Calendar roughly how long ago the first vision was. The others had the calendar date of 1385, the year of Blue Fire, or the year of the Spellplague on it. Elis was able to recognize the black of the night sky not as a traditional night, but the sky of the Shadowfell. While no image of the dragon was clear, Elisa could tell the color was black. She knew only one Black Dragon and in the middle of the night gave a sending to Shem Romanov V regarding 1385 and the Shadowfell. Shem Romanov did not respond quickly, but was initially confused about the question. Elisa had no real knowledge of the Califomme estate or the location and gave a small amount of information she could. Shem Romanov V, without much context simply stated that he was too young at that point to really have been there and that most black dragons in nature keep their lairs in swamps. A place like a city would be very unusual for his kind. At the start of the morning, there were a light drizzle just as the sun was rising. A mist carried the morning with mud on the ground not too dissimilar from how everyone arrived her the day earlier. With the sun up, before long, Elisa sees a series of people making their way to Jack and Sabers. The first of which being a group of Red Wizards.

=Session 45: These Wounds, they will not Heal.= Waking up in the mist of a quick morning rain, everyone slowly emerges from the tiny Hut. Elisa gets no more correspondence from Shem Romanov or otherwise regarding the images and dreams from before. She witnesses a few, roughly six people in red robes enter Jack and Saber's.

There is a quick brainstorming session about where to get information once everyone is up. It is quickly decided that the person that everyone wants to speak to first is sergeant Brett, the now acting head of the guard in Port Llast. Once finally up, the Smighty Pieve moved across Port Llast to see each of the buildings to find a place to reach Brett. There is no formal barracks in the city, but there is something referred to as the Town Hall.

Inside the town hall, there is a bored looking human, middle aged and kind of skinny basically holding the space bored sitting at a desk as Elisa gets and the others step inside the building. Looking disinterested at first, when the door shuts, he snaps up to attention and seeing it is famous and helpful Smighty Pieve, the skinny man looks almost nervous as he asks how he can help.

Elisa asks about Brett to see if he is there in the office. He man ponders a bit, states that he isn't here, but that it would probably be best to try around the docks. During the conversation, this man was unsure, and clearly not used to working people or keeping track of very much. In the event he came back or otherwise, Santiago gave him the name of the group, the Smighty Pieve as Fenwyck and Elisa had to help him with the pronunciation and the spelling of the group name.

After leaving a message and having the group's name recorded by a clerk, the Smighty Pieve were off to find Brett to see if he had insight on where to find Confectus

Much of the town is cliffside, but there is a long staircase downward at the city that brings you to the coast. The guard presence in Port Llast is not very heavy, but there is a combination of Grey Cloak and Order of the Gauntlet members patrolling the city and stationed towards the outside near the guard towers. Elisa still sees the evidence of her forbiddance when walking through Port Llast that reaching the edge of town before getting down to the docks.

At the docks, there are a number of people close to the edge of docks where several ships appear to be docking from Neverwinter at Port Llast.

At the docks, there were a number of people talking in the distance. Among them, was Brett, who appeared not to be armored, or maybe just in light gambeson style armor. Close to him were several people in the Order of the Gauntlet including a Paladin that engaged the Remorhaz at the battle at the edge of the town. The paladin was an older gentleman with salt and peppered hair, armored that looked worn with a damaged red flag with the symbol of Lathander hanging off one of side on the back side of his armor at the shoulder.

Brett acknowledged the group first and waved them over for a conversation. The Paladin talking to him next to him gave a salute and willingly stepped back to two other armored individuals from the Order of the Gauntlet not far behind. Between the coordination on the ships and such, the Order of the Gauntlet focused more on the movement of the ships in the background as Brett gave the Smighty Pieve his full attention. Elisa first asked Brett if there was anything that they can do for the town. Brett was initially stunned by the question. He didn't really know how to answer. He stuttered a bit showing a lot of gratitude, basically ending on a very decisive "I don't know." The conversation then moved to finding Confectus. It was quickly clear that he didn't know where to find him. When asked who he thought would have the best idea, Brett pointed them to the Harper Agents in the town.

Elisa thought to herself and remembered that Arch Mage Gradditch did say that her personally met the Wandering Guardians and Confectus personally at one point or another and figured he was their best lead.

Confused by the name, Brett did think to himself about who this might be. It was Gosen and Santiago that mentioned that Confectus happened to be a black skinned tiefling. Brett still agreed on his answer of now knowing who he is, but recalled seeing a dark skinned tiefling at Jack and Saber's back about three days back for a bit. He described Confectus as almost silent and someone who almost immediately left. He had a timeline where just a day later, Red Wizards showed up looking for Confectus and their leader left that same day. Brett recalled that only two days later, you showed up, motioning to the people of the Smighty Pieve.

Elisa did bring up the attacks. She did originally ask the person at the desk in the townhall who had some idea, but didn't remember specifics. The man at the front desk was able to discuss that the recent attack was different from the rest. The attempt to destroy the Port wasn't the first time, but extent of the attack was rare. Brett didn't give as detailed an explanation to the amount of attacks and extent of them, but he was asked about why this particular location was attacked. Brett knows this location is prime location to cut off trade and travel routes. It was also a great place to stage attacks to and from Neverwinter.

At the close the conversation, Brett wished luck and best wishes to whatever the Smighty Pieve does before looking for Arch Mage Gradditch. Port Llast is relatively small and while Brett didn't know his exact location, it was not difficult to find someone who was part of the Grey Cloaks to get his location. Pelliwigg was on of two guard towers facing the southern edge of the port, specifically the one Santiago was on during the battle. When approaching, Elisa found him and called out to him.

Gradditch stepped out from guard tower casting featherfall to float to the ground, his robe poofing as he descends slowly to the ground. He greets the Smighty Pieve while refilling his pipe pulling out from his pocket a series of macaroons and handing them to people in the Smighty Pieve, two to Fenwyck since Elisa does not eat.

The conversation immediately drifts to the topic of Confectus. Graddtich does appear hesitant, but he is willing to speak about him. Like the first time, he mentioned knowing him back from Waterdeep long ago vaguely meeting him, but knowing his old close ally Keldoc much more from the Harpers. Arch Mage Gradditch does not know Confectus's location. He informed the group that Confectus has been wearing an item to hide himself from divination so that he can't be found. Santiago, also curious asked about him as a person. Gradditch called him both a good person and an asshole. A slight sneer from Imir as he explained Confectus's situation as not too dissimilar from what Imir knows in himself when discussing particularly his relationship with Szass Tam.

Gradditch mentioned that he brought the Red Wizards with them to this area as part of their ongoing operation. He mentions a partnership with rebel Red Wizards particularly due to the rain and states that the one that traveled to Port Llast, Lautory Vinniki has worked with a high ranking Red Wizard from Neverwinter to orchestrate a way to dethrone Szass Tam. The connection to this mission involves a particularly strange relationship that he has with the Lich which makes him perhaps the only person alive that is allowed into Thay Mount that is his enemy.

While mulling over the details of what the Red Wizards wanted, Gradditch seemed aware, but also immediately critical referring to the plan as half thought out and unlikely to work. Realizing that he had slipped into an old habit, he positioned himself to being grateful that there is an attempt on Thay Mount at all and offering some aid to the cause. Despite that, he did state that Confectus would not be easy to convince and noted that he has been difficult to reach and connect to for a very long time.

Elisa asked the same question she did to all the people and wanted to see if there was anything either she or anyone else in the Smighty Pieve could do for the town of Port Llast. Gradditch, like everyone else surprised that the people that saved the town would ask it, but he did look towards the Forbiddance cast and admitted that they have no cleric among the group capable of casting that spell and admitted that he cannot cast that spell as a wizard. With no pressure, he asked if she wouldn't mind casting that spell once again.

Elisa agreed as the Smighty Pieve agreed to temporarily split as Elisa would cast the spell and the rest would look for the Red Wizards in Jack and Saber's to look for Confectus.

Like the first time, the Red Wizards had their specific corner of the tavern where five adults and one child were sitting eating breakfast when everyone arrived in the restaurant. The Red Wizards paid not attention and really didn't notice anyone enter or approach until Santiago got close enough and specifically addressed them.

Four of them address a man at that point sitting in the far corner who stands and reveals himself. He undoes the hood on his cloak to reveal a dark skinned man, who is burly with a large amount of tattoos on his head and face. Looking over everyone in the group, he smiles and puts out his arm to shake Santiago's hand. His tone lifts the spirit and brings ease to the rest of the Red Wizards as Santiago introduces the entire group as the Smighty Pieve. That name resonates with the Red Wizard as he introduces himself as Lautori Venniki. A child rushes in front and looks at Santiago and excited says "I can cast Firebolt"

Fenwyck plays with the kid, molding earth impressing him as he is able to shoot an apple off a mound of molded earth. In time, Santiago and Gosen mention the name Confectus, which immediately gets Lautori's attention. Lautori is receptive, but admits that he needs to discuss with his superior about revealing the location of Confectus to the Smighty Pieve. Every few minutes, his child Popi shoots a firebolt in door and damages, as Lautori yells at him in Thayan, a language no one in the Smighty Pieve knows, but Santiago has likely heard in the past back in Melvaunt. Lautori often lightly hits the back of his child's head and one of his subordinates as he tries to stay focused on his conversation with Santiago.

Lautori mentions his superior, Hlarasha Shazar, a colleague who worked the rebel Red Wizards. Hlarasha found and spoke to Confectus outside the city and communicated his inability to get Confectus's support to go after Szass Tam. The question then became if Lautori would reveal Confectus's ro Hlarasha's location to find Confectus.

This got a response of needing to wait a few minutes, as Lautori offered to give an update if the Smighty Pieve wanted to wait a few minutes and eat as he sent messages to Hlarasha about the situation.

Over time, the bar keep, a Dwarf in a vest with large chops and no beard offered the Smighty Pieve a Save the Town special for breakfast as Gosen and Santiago enjoyed assorted meats and ale for breakfast. The time was spent with Santiago telling Popi about how his bow could shoot lightning.

Some time into this, Lautori updated Santiago that Hlarasha was ok, actually happy to hear that someone else was interested in speaking to Confectus to convince him to help go after Szass Tam. Lautori pulled out a small map of the region and with prestidigitation used his finger to mark the map with the location of Hlarasha.

Elisa, finished with the ritual for Forbiddance came back to Jack and Saber's to find Popi. There was a quick conversation about why take a seven year old to a place like this, and Lautori explained that there is a strong double standard in treatment in refugees and admits that he doesn't know how long the world will be like this and prefers to have his son be ready for the world instead of one of it's victims.

Elisa does ask if Lautori is planning on going with them. He considers it, but agrees to ask Hlarasha first since there is a lot of speculation in the Red Wizards that their association with the original Red Wizards of Thay only hurt their chances. Laurtori also looks at this son, and then says that it would be better if they stayed in town.

The conversation came to a close after analyzing the map to see that Confectus's location appeared to be less than a day's travel and only a few hours on horseback. Realizing their celebrity status here, the Smighty Pieve decides to see if they can acquire supplies. There appeared to be no real shops to get buy supplies, but there are wagons that came in from the reinforcements that have extra potions. A fighter or the Order of the Gauntlet in scale was more than willing to provide a few potions and horses to the group. Like everyone else, he was thankful for their effort and considered it an easy write off saying that would be no town without them and they likely would have used it to they had to fight a lot more enemies.

That was the last stop before leaving Port Llast. At this point, the conversation between Brett and Gradditch come together about the fake sanctuary wagons and it seems entirely likely that Confectus went in the same direction as the fake sanctuary wagons likely to go after them. The tracks of the face sanctuary wagon appeared to go south towards Neverwinter before going east.

The direct path was off road. The order of the cloak parted with four horses. Fenwyck traveled with Elisa as the rest had their own horses for the travel. The lands of the west didn't seem as ravaged as the Dales. While the grass was closer to brown, it wasn't the purple color that it was in the Dales. There weren't many animals, but there is a noticeable departure from areas that seemed to be hit worse than average. It's almost seems like the water of the seas and the ground water in the area has helped keep the coast healthier for the time.

As the Smighty Pieve move south and east, the travels seemed to take them into the Neverwinter Wood. There, Elisa and Fenwyck were able to spot a few people on horseback beginning to follow them. In an attempt to keep hidden, there wasn't much seen about them. The people were hiding attempting to follow stealthily a distance away. Fenwyck let her owl out from the sky to try and see more. Gosen angry and impatient wanted to charge the people going for them. Elisa focused her silver voice, in her experience expecting either devils or cultists.

Fenwyck's tiny adorable owl really didn't get a better view from above, only really spotting that the Smighty Pieve was basically surrounded. Santiago eventually agreed with Gosen decided to push in their direction. The people on horseback seeing a confrontation revealed thsemselves as bandits, hardened by battle and scared. Fifteen people on horseback, most of them carrying short bows and crossbows came out with three riding out in front, two roguish looking individuals and one in robes in front as twelve others on either side readying an pointing weapons at the group. Confident in their numbers someone scarred with a green cloak appears as the leader speaks looking to rob the group. Santiago, confident seems annoyed and demands the bandits drop their weapons if they want to life.

With their weapons cocked and everyone ready for a fight, the Smighty Pieve starts the attack off very quickly.

Santiago summons two bears attacking two of the roguish leaders on horseback connecting with a swing as one the speaking falls off the horse. Fenwyck unleashes a hypnotic pattern hypnotizing five out of the six of those on one side as as Elisa enthralled all but three people, including the leaders with the words "We don't have anything. This probably isn't a good idea. You would like to go home." Elisa, who originally was confused not really used to dealing with bandits really didn't understand the idea of being robbed had convinced the bandits almost as quickly as they arrived that it was time for them to leave.

The leaders said that wasn't worth it and as Gosen was about to pull his sword out kept it in as each of the bandits left. The one, the only one who wasn't hypnotized or enthralled tipped his hat and thanked them for not really killing anyone seeing very quickly that they could have.

Imir's Sacrifice
Just as quickly as it started, it ended with fifteen people left. Just above, their was an image of a ten foot tall almost devil looking being with white angel wings. His face a twisted image of fiend and celestial with bright gold eyes spoke. The language was difficult to decipher as everyone heard it in language and both telepathically in their head in their native language. This being addressed Elisa and Imir by name. Elisa, before being found by bandits assumed her appearance was an issue and went in disguise to keep secret. Whoever this was referred to both Elisa and Imir as his query and posed a question. He mentioned that he was hired by two different individuals to escort Elisa the Warforged and Imir the Tiefling to a place of their location. Imir was immediately defensive ready for a fight. Elisa was surprised to sense no evil or weakness to her radiant voice.

It was Gosen who in his interest of travels across the lands found books about extraplanar travel and heard of a out plane mercenaries with features of both celestial and fiend that appeared to be both and was also neither. He posed the question if they would want to go voluntarily. Imir immediately denied, not really fully understanding what was going on, but had a sense of what this might be about. Elisa was confused with the situation.

This being, the concordant mercenary accepted the challenge formally and with his hand teleported two allies next to him as he introduced as two hunters one provided by each of the clients. One of them was a Skull Lord, a skeleton with three skulls switching and spinning between speech with a noble, but old looking garb worn by time that looks like it could have belonged to a king hundreds of years ago, and the other an angelic form with black wings, and scythe in the form of a female with black and gold eyes.

As quickly as that, the battle began. The Concordant Mercenary was much faster than the rest as he started by flying closer to Smighty Pieve and casting a hold person targeting the entire party. Everyone was immediately held has he directed his allies to dispatch everyone besides Imir and Elisa. In his words, he asked them not to kill them unless Elisa felt the need to revive them with magic. Imir was held, unable to free himself as the main hunter flew and lunged towards Elisa and materialized a magical great sword from thin air and swung his sword cracking Elisa's head and shoulder with a single swing. Fenwyck, Santiago and Gosen all still stunned as the fallen Angel, taller than Gosen approached him with her scythe and took two almost free swings in vital areas as he dropped to the ground with his body rotting from necrosis. The Skull Lord shot a series of firebolt rays catching Fenwyck on fire as Elisa looked on in terror as her team seemed to be falling around her almost instantly.

The main hunter looked over at Imir next to Elisa, aimed to swing his sword, not to kill, using the blunt side to again strike Elisa's head, cracking the head piece as her eyes go out and she falls.

Now, with Gosen dying, Elisa unconscious, and Fenwyck badly burned from attacks, Imir shouted to end the fight. He could quickly see that there was no way out of the situation and offered himself as a sacrifice over the both of them. The Skull Lord was laughing at the response since the battle was easily won. The concordant mercenary however heard his words and acknowledged a noble sacrifice. Much against the will of the hunter of the client who wished to bring in Elisa, the Concordant Mercenary eventually acknowledged his words so long as no one else in their group attacks either he or any of the other hunters and he submits. As a retort, he also tells Imir that if this is deception all of his teammates including Elisa will die.

Imir concede as the Concordant Mercenary heals Elisa just a tiny bit and he orders the angel to stabilize Gosen's wounds. Imir thanked the group for helping him grow and having him see a future. Saddened by his decision with tears in his eyes, he thanked Elisa and apologized to her that he couldn't keep his promise to her. He let her know that he sacrificed himself before she could, because she was better and had more to live for. Elisa not, really able to process the situation told him "You were always good enough" with just at that moment, all four figures teleported away.

The final second before leaving, Imir said... "It's Val'Dranar isn't it?" There was no response as he that was case. Just as quickly as the battle started, it was over and Imir was gone. Elisa stayed on the ground in disbelief. "Not like this. It isn't supposed to happen like this." Gosen and Santiago, both up were frustrated. Gosen considering going into Hell itself to get him back and Santiago remembering the name Val'Dranar convincing himself that this isn't the end.

Elisa healed herself, Gosen and Fenwyck. Despite that, the crack on the side of head going down her cheek never healed. She appeared to carry a crack, almost like a scar to remember the pain of this wound. At that point, Elisa was inert, mostly inactive barely paying attention to the mission at hand. She was mostly mumbling about what happened. Despite knowing how terrible the world was, her bubble was small and she experienced no real loss and never had to cope.

Fenwyck trying to comfort Elisa as she let her adorable owl familiar fly up ahead and find an abandoned campsite for one in the distance. The travel was slower as Santiago kept the bears around him for the moment when Fenwyck decided to ride the horse Imir was riding when traveling forward. There was not enough time to process the situation as Gosen pushed forward trying not to really think about it.

The campsite was only recently abandoned. It wasn't entirely obvious if this campsite belonged to Confectus or Hlarasha, but there were tracks that both Gosen and Santiago were able to find. As the sun was setting, both of them saw out in the distance as Fenwyck spotted far in the distance, evidence of a bonfire before the light of the fire itself came into view. That appeared to be in the same direction as the tracks, which only became harder to follow in the dark.

Enter Confectus
Just a small amount ahead, seemingly spying on a bonfire in the distance was a tiefling, wearing black in black hair. Fenwyck's owl catching this view before anyone else of a tiefling, who appears to be more half elf demon tiefling with bright red eyes with only barely visible pupils glowing in darkness with a bow on his back staring back at the owl before turning his head back to see the Smighty Pieve approaching him.

=Session 46: From Red Herring to Red Wizard= Confectus, looking at Fenwyck's familiar with a peaceful expression towards the animal turns his head back to see Gosen and Santiago leading the party following his tracks. In that immediate moment, he turned to the group and pointed his weapon at them. It was difficult to get a good look at him in the dark. Confectus's dominant feature was his glowing red eyes. Gosen, with Dark Vision was able to see that he barely recognized what a tiefling typically looks like comparing him to those with and mostly with Imir. Confectus's skin tone was darker than most, but still within reason for a tiefling, but the shadowy aura more resembled the Shadovar of Netheril and his horn were barely visible through his long black hair. His face more resembled that of a Drow.

Confectus was soft spoken, but immediately pointed his weapon at Gosen and Santiago and demanded answers. Gosen was not provocative in this conversation and Santiago introduced himself as part of the Smighty Pieve. Confectus seemed a bit agitated, but clearly no longer threatened by the arrival of the party. He knew, or well thought that there was no danger on him. Fenwyck got a better view of the camp ahead with her owl, only barely seeing the camp before off the reflection off the smoke. What she saw through the owl's eyes was a barely established camp with tables of dead people cut up on stained wooden tables. There were a few cultists that look like they were magically altered and sowed together. These cultists using large meat cleavers were very pale and looked deformed with enflamed and swollen shoulders and arms looking like they were sowed up from larger and stronger creatures like orcs or ogres. In the middle of the camp, there were a number of figures doing rituals in front of a bon fire burning from the flames of cut up people, mostly civilians. On the side, there was a construct with spikes and swords punched through its armor with corpses impaled and rotting.

Toward the end of the camp are two large devils with reddish gray skin, similar looking to horn devil, but with horns pointing in ninety degree angles and eyes sowed shut. Each of them wielding odd looking large great axes with semi circular blades that resemble a guillotine. Each of them behind a mount of cut up bodies. In the center is a very large devil standing over fifteen feet tall with a pale white, almost pinkish colored skin. From afar, he almost looks like a large human. The wings were barely visible used as a mild cloak underneath a series of fur coats made from dire wolves. This devil's face looks humanoid and his body wide with a large belly. Like Dorgoth, the brother Pophagos also has a mouth at his abdomen with large serrated teeth and a tongue poking out just past his belly button. The only clothing outside the cloak made of pelts as a single purple loin cloth. Pophagos appeared to survey his minions made from ranking few shaman and priest like figures covered in blood and with the symbol to Asmodeus pained in blood on their grey cloaks praying to Pophagos in front of a bon fire burning form elements of disfigured corpses.

Pophagos with his massive body carried only a single item, a wooden staff carved staff with the head of a large elk on it. Fenwyck's familiar flew back to catch a better view.

Confectus seemed mostly disinterested in what was going on after realizing the group wasn't a threat and with his eyes narrowed as he looked far ahead to another side looking far to see an upcoming wagon group.

Elisa is still not fully paying attention with the thoughts of Imir gone still in her head stepping forward surveying the direction Confectus is looking to see if she can find what he is seeing, and she cannot see in the darkness, but hears the sound of horses in that distance a way of approaching.

Confectus, still holding his bow appears to see very far in the dark looking at targets. Elisa and Santiago asking to see if they can help him with what he is doing seeing the clear connection in searching for the cultist Ashmadai fake sanctuary wagon and human sacrifice camps involved with it. Confectus only referred to his goal as killing every cultist and devil with no other interests.

Elisa, almost uncharacteristically decide to step forward and initiate combat against the camp after moving forward past some rocky cover in the forest. With an uncharacteristic impatience, Elisa didn't really pay much attention to getting spotted in the cover of a rock formation caught the attention of one of the disfigured cultists with a very large shoulder and arm that looked like it belonged to an Ogre, started dragging its meat cleaver into the ground as Elisa sent a message telepathically to Santiago to shoot at the enemy approaching. Santiago was ready to fire as Confectus took cover in a side rock formation pulled out large thick arrows, almost a good inch thick, very heavy arrows with his bow and fired a single massive shot into the stomach of the beast rotting it out with necrosis as Santiago shot and landed several blows blinding the barely human with radiant energy as Elisa cast dawn. in the center of camp causing searing pain on all of the human cultists as the night sky in that small area is replaced with a bright daylight.

The shock of the attack startled all the figures as Fenwyck released a sleet storm, drowning the fire in water and ice creating rainbows in the daylight slowed the alert reaction from the. The view of the cultists returning with wagons full of people ready to sacrifice tied up in the wagon as many civilians converted to the Ashmadai mostly in masks started charging with poorly made swords and machetes started charging at the direction of an Imp at the front of the caravan.

The two devils next to Pophagos first fly far out ahead and start their attack by throwing fireballs at Gosen and and Elisa closest to each other. Frustrated by the first explosion, Elisa loses concentration as the other one flies almost to flank and tosses another fireball at Elisa and Gosen. The explosion catches the ground on fire as Fenwyck releases the sleet storm and casts a wall of fire blocking the path from the campsite to Elisa and Gosen. The one disfigured man takes additional volleys showing a very strong resilience as Confectus's attack finishes it as Santiago redirects his attacks to a massive number of cultists coming back with the caravan taking down their numbers. Gosen moved to cut down the imp at a distance and cut down the imp doing a large whistle drawing the cultists to the direction of the party in the darkness. In two attacks, Gosen sends a large amount of force form rays in his sword slicing the imp's wings and eventually, it's head. Pophagos yells in infernal with his jowls shaking and jiggling as he quickly does a teleport within thirty feet of Elisa swinging his staff looking at Elisa and Gosen and fires two necrotic rays mostly black in color at Elisa. There is no impact, but the constant wind of the blast dissolving Elisa's form nearly causing her to fall.

Confectus and Santiago pointed their attacks now at Pophagos sending volleys of arrows into his stomach as Fenwyck fearful created a curved encased wall of force keeping Gosen and Elisa from both Pophagos and the massive almost army of approaching cultists. Elisa catching her wind sees herself and tries to heal off some of the rot as Gosen climbs out of the wall of force bracing himself from the corners and shoots his force ray to disarm Pophagos from his staff knocking it from his hands. In retaliation, Pophagos's hand glows in purple as he mutters words in infernal that penetrate Gosen's head as whispers of betrayal from the party go in his head and he is dominated by the large devil looking down at Elisa with rage. The devils begin to flank Confectus and Santiago managing to land good hits on both of them cutting them deep as Confectus and Santiago nod at the strategy and begin to focus their shots on a single devil. Confectus releasing some of his power, causing great injuries to himself as he connects with large blows when Santiago sears its flesh in radiant energy.

Before the wall of fires dissipates, many of the disfigured cultists tried to shy away from the wall of fire hiding trying to climb up to Pophagos as he kicks the them back into the fire laughing as his own minions die in the battle. The shaman and others bow next to Pophagos aiming to aid him in battle and offer themselves to help and heal him if needed.

Fenwyck hidden the entire time is spotted by someone wearing the plague mask dual wielding syringes filled with some form of liquid screamed as he tried to lunge towards Fenwyck and miss Fenwyck proceeds to teleport through a misty step following the light movement as her form dissapates before making into another bush and hiding. Elisa, heard the words of the devil and sees Gosen change directive as he looks down at her with the intent to kill casts vicious mockery, frustrated with him, as he slides down the wall of force in the enclosed area and starts to swing at her. Gosen mostly misses in response to the mockery landing one good sword swing as Santiago and Confectus begin to focus on the large numbers taking down many of the cultists close running as Fenwyck seeing that removing the wall of force would be best.

With a moment of clarity, Elisa removes the effect on Gosen, clearing his mind as Pophagos in anger turns on Gosen and almost kills him hitting him with the same rays of necrosis, rotting most of his body in anger and promises the death of all of them. Gosen points his attacks at Pophagos as the construct, the cadaver collector emerges from the fire and takes two slams at Gosen with its blood soaked fists with pieces of necrotic and rotted flesh stuck between its fingers. Gosen is able to deflect the first blow, but the second lands, with the serrated edges and spikes causing bleeding wounds to rot as Gosen is force to use his persistence to keep up. An unexpected reaction happens as for that moment, Gosen's eyes turn a yellowish color and the skin on his hands and forearms appear to turn a dark bluish and blackish color and appear to be covered in a hardened scales when he recovers. Santiago and Confectus are able to take out one of the devils slicing at them as the hoard of cultists reach Gosen and start attempting to swing at them. Much like in the invasion of Port Llast, most of these people have little to no martial training and barely land hits on Gosen as he is able to cut them down in a single swing. It is at this time Elisa uses her mass charm and catches pretty much every besides the construct and Pophagos. The attention of the group begins to change. Even in a mask, Elisa is able to see a change of focus and direction in their views as the focus and begins to change and many of them look back at the caravan in confusion. Elisa points at the devil and call him the enemy. The Shaman and priest turn their ire towards Pophagos and both continue to cast harm on him as Pophagos casts a massive spell centered on himself incinerating his former allies as the cultists all turn on the few that were able to resist.

The second of the horned devils, perhaps the hardest to see that it is charmed flies from above and after taking a barrage of arrows and blows from his former allies, Pophagos looks up while wounded as his former lieutenant slices off his head as the body falls right to the ground. The construct fighting against Gosen stops for a moment as the devil yells in infernal that Pophagos was no longer worthy of his station and that he would seize his power.

With the battle ended at that moment, Elisa asked a favor from Ilmater to ask if those tainted by the evil in fear could see the error of their ways as the cultists and those left look to reflect in the situation. This however does end the charm on the devil, who sees the situation and attempts to fly towards the construct and leave when Fenwyck catches the beast in an irresistible dance as devil struggles attempting to plane shift away as it orders the construct as the next highest ranking devil to command it to kill those around it. Gosen and the cultists aim to fight it as it goes berserk killing several of the remaining cultists now fighting along with the Smighty Pieve against it. The devil fearfully trying to escape gets wounds from shots by Confectus as Santiago landing several arrows finishing off the devil as eventually the construct is destroyed following its last command to go berserk.

The fallout of the battle leads to Elisa and the cultists seeking to free the civilians. Many are afraid, but the charm and the divine intervention causes a great reflection of the events as many of the ranking cultists still alive, the leader left had a white boa constrictor with blood painted on his abdomen appears to clear himself from his cultist imagery. The deformed humanoids cannot speak, during the battle it appears that they had their tongues removed and now appear scared and timid as the cultists look confused and remorseful.

There is a bit conversation as everyone approaches the remaining alive when Elisa points to Confectus walking away from camp. She tries to get his attention to keep him there as he thanks for them the assistance. With that, she attempts to tell him why she is interested in his help against Szass Tam. There is a clear grimace on his face when that purpose is mentioned. He is oddly kinder than expected and thankful for the effort since Elisa's actions did help save everyone.

Gosen and Santiago tried to pay attention as they noticed Elisa going over to Confectus. She puts her hand down on his shoulder and heals him as he did sustain quite a few attacks and rotted a fair amount of his own arm to deal mortal blows.

Confectus, tempted to walk away with no explanation states that people feel like he has unfettered access to Szass Tam are mistaken. He doesn't explain the full situation, but he says that he lich has power to control him. He cannot risk being an ally against the lich as he might not even know if it's happening and lore people into a trap without his desire, or maybe get people to the lich and then turn against them.

Gosen seemed to ask if he knew another way. Confectus growing more impatient said that he isn't an expert on Red Wizards in general and began to ignore conversation and walk away as Elisa healed him one more time and just asked him to continue the fight in any way he can. For only the second time, he did smile and said that as long as there are more enemies, he will still fight them. He pulled out a quiver and focuses for a second before teleporting away.

Elisa without a word goes back to the cultists and begins to explain the situation as Santiago hears a light movement in a bush. The light rattle ends as Santiago sees footsteps from an invisible person as the form of an old man appears by ending an invisibility. Santiago sees an old man with pale skins, but naturally a darker skinned man who just doesn't go in the sun much anymore in a red robe. Unlike the others, it isn't typically a red with some gold trim. This looks slightly different since there is no collar and the trim is colored white and various purples and pinks around as the man pulls out a pipe and begins to smoke as he walks up to the Smighty Pieve.

Elisa, despite being the furthest away in the group turns around and actually is the one that greets him first. The red wizard first gives a bow and introduces himself with Hlarasha Shazar. After attempting to get people to understand his name, he introduces himself by telling everyone that they failed, but so did he.

This old man speaks with a thick accent and seems not to be very friendly. He is not harsh, but tends to be rather condescending to the group almost immediately. Believing that there was a good chance that he simply watched the entire battle without helping, there was immediately a partially tense ere in the area as Elisa quickly stopped talking to him putting her focus back on the former cultists and the now freed civilians.

Hlarasha did think to himself and wondered if they could still help him with what he called operation "Long Live the Lich." He questioned the Smighty Pieve's devotion to the objective as he mentioned potentially another way to get into Thaymount. Hlarasha described a very dangerous series of caverns and passages from old dungeons used during the civil war used to test the loyalty of Red Wizrds looking to return to Szass Tam's side. Hlarasha described a trapped and warded series of dungeons guarded by fallen wizards turned into permanent undead guardians.

He mentioned that several of the Zulkirs used these passages to make it to him back in 1478 to prevent his ninety year preparation for a massive ritual to become king of the gods and reshape his perception of the multiverse. He did say that while he knows these places exist, that he never found them as his family line was always against the lich. While going over this information, Gosen seemed suspicious of if this would work. Hlarasha at this time didn't seem too invested thinking this would be a dead end, but while going over who he thought would have the needed information or knowledge of way to get in, he rattled off the name Keilrecht Tillenbirg with the suspicion of it amounting to nothing shocked to hear that everyone recognized.

Hlarasha's expression changes as he regains a bit of excitement thinking that there is a chance they can find a way inside. Gosen seems suspicious as how would they learn Keilrecht Tillenbirg is an enemy and a lich. How would they get him to give them the secrets.

After learning that they have met and know Keilrecht Tillenbirg, he is curious to where and when Gosen and and Elisa recall the events at the Temple of the Three Truths where and when Elisa found Keilrecht Tillenbirg and overheard a meeting between him and Sigmund. While Elisa caught no detail, she did remember what he looked like in mortal disguise. Keilrecht Tillenbirg didn't have the racial identifier of someone from Thay. Hlarasha does mention that Keilrecht Tillenbirg does have a reputation in Thay. He worked under the Zulkir of Evocation Aznar Thrul, and plotted his death and managed to get someone else, a prisoner to kill him while being the leader of a cult and having the Zulkir of Conjuration work underneath him under the Cult of Mephistopheles with Nevron, of whom he also betrayed in 1478 and laid a trap at the wishes of Szass Tam punishing the Zulkir by turning him into a Mane permanently, a weak demon that is still enslaved by the power devil worshipper. Wile Hlarasha did not know him by person, Keilrecht Tillenbirg's reputation was well known and even those that barely knew him knew he had reputation of killing Red Wizards underneath his command for summoning devils.

Gosen remembered the battle at the Lavender Swan and that Keilrecht Tillenbirg was there in the battle and conscripted devils in the service of Sarcaedon Arbelleck to his command to take Elisa.

The knowledge and the time got Hlarasha excite for what's to come. Gosen unsure of how to convince a lich to speak, Hlarasha did speak of a circle magic spell, a ritual he had planned on using with Vennick, a known Red Wizard looking to depose Szass Tam, had an idea to trap the essence of the body of lich making it difficult for the phylactery to reform a body. He believed that this was a way to keep him at bay.

Excited at the situation, Hlarasha started pacing around talking mostly to himself, but also a bit to the Smighty Pieve about speaking to a harper agent that has helped give him information to pursue this interest and also to seek an update with Vennick back in Neverwinter. Rambling about this, he started looking at his spell book and looking in and started prepared the runes to get back to Neverwinter looking over the number of people.

At this point, Elisa was with the former cultists and civilians trying to get them to come to terms with what has happened and what will happen to them. Most of the former cultists were motionless after the end of battle reflecting on the deed and afraid of pretty much everything to come. Most of them joined the Ashamadai in fear thinking Hell would save them if they joined. Several of them more entrenched had become a part of it. Elisa figured out while speaking to the former prisoners that some of them were from Port Llast and that most of them are actually from Neverwinter. Elisa asks if Fenwyck can prepare a circle to Nevewinter. Seeing the one Hlarasha prepared, she starts to do the same thing. Hlarasha was impressed with her ability to cast the spell and attempted to compliment her, but in a way that came out very much as an insult, saying that she does great magic despite using it from an inferior heritage.

This was the start of what would become the typical interaction between the Smighty Pieve and Hlarasha. Hlarasha was impatient that they needed to help the civilians impatient seeing helping them more as a waste of time.

But, the circle runes only took a minute to cast and in no time, both parties were able to travel to the teleportation circle in Neverwinter. The Circle taken brought them in the middle of the streets, guarded decently. Their presence already gaining attention as Elisa specifically looked for someone in authority. She put her hat back on and found someone from the Order of the Gauntlet. Elisa found them and asked for his attention and informed this paladin that there are a number of people taken from fake sanctuary wagons have come back and former cultists that have been cleansed of their evil through divine intervention. The paladin was wide eyed and gathered a number of grey cloak guards with him to approach the others. In a number of moments, the former cultists were put into chains.

Elisa and the head cultist, a man with an albino boa constrictor stated that he would cooperate and help in any way to work with them. Surprised and still a bit suspicious, the paladin informed them that if they are willing to cooperate and allow themselves to be conscripted, that that would take the place of prison time at the very least for the duration of the war. Those that were cultists were aware, scared and solemn, but knew that traveling to a major city would yield such a response. This interaction took place at night and for almost an hour people were processed as the civilians were eventually allowed to disperse after hearing that everyone that wasn't there was killed.

Fenwyck was about to make a tiny hut when Elisa asked Hlarasha asked about where he was staying. He pointed down the street and found a place called the Blackwater Tavern, also formerly called the Driftwater Tavern. This place was rustic, filled with older trinkets of elven origin. There was a single server and a bar keep, both younger half elves working the place. It was already late, so the number of people was relatively low. Before sleep, Elisa did manage to reach out to both Brett and Jargrecht about the events that occurred. With that, Hlarasha Shazar immediately bided the people of the Smighty Pieve Goodnight as the rest managed to get a room (-1GP for each room) and slept after a long day.

Jargrecht was familiar with the name. Elisa provided a description of how he looked. Jargrecht only saw him the day of the manhunt back before the group was teleported to the Astral Sea. Jargrecht seemed to know that he was a Grand Magus, but otherwise didn't associate the name with the appearance of the person in the temple, wondering how a lich was easily able to enter such a cathedral.

Elisa promised to stay out and just wait overnight since she did not need to sleep. Earlier than most people, Hlarasha came out and order grapes and took out a stone cup and managed to start to heat up a cup of tea while ordering a bunch of grapes.

After receiving the grapes, he asks for different colored grapes as Elisa mocks him for the use of his magic to heat up his tea. Santiago and eventually Gosen and Fenwyck will wake up as he is sipping tea and eating grapes.

Hlarasha doesn't acknowledge people around him immediately as he was in a sending. After a moment, he greeted those of the Smighty Pieve and stated that he would meet with his colleague privately for a few moments before going over their next activities.

In time, another man arrive, someone with lighter skin, bald with a red cloak also with black tattoos over his head and much of his face. This man was a little bit more portly as they greeted each other with hugs and proceeded to speak in Thayan. Santiago was aware of the language. He didn't understand it or could speak it, but could remember is being spoken in his past in Melvaunt. Elisa cast comprehend languages to understand and listen in on the conversation. There was a brief conversation about the outcome with Confectus and Hlarasha gestured to this group and believed that they might be of use after seeing them defeat a powerful devil. The other Red Wizard too had a decorated robe, but this one had black and white trim with a large collar. In time, they both leave for around forty minutes. In that time, Fenwyck and Santiago order food to eat. Gosen goes to a different half elf wearing a white shirt and a leather apron. Gosen finds a wizard in green robes, fully elven and shows him the recipe provided for the Gavirello Pies and hands it to the bar keep and the wizard who creates the food as the wizard looked at this confused at the nature of the directions. The half elf on the otherhand was almost in awe at the combinations and almost coveted the recipe and informed Gosen that they could recreate this. In time, they were provided accurate recreated Gavirello Pies. They were not as good as the ones cooked by the halforc Warlock Knight in Palischuk, but it was still very good. In addition, Gosen took out some meat stored in his bag, the body of Dorgoth and asked to have it reheated for consumption. Everyone slightly confused that he appeared to dip into a ration instead of eating food at a tavern.

In some time Hlarasha Shazar returned saying that it was good to meet with the harper agent and that it should be good to go. Elisa informed him that it would be necessary to do some shopping in this city before meeting with this harper and asked for one hour before meeting with him at the location next to the Blackwater Tavern.

The city itself was very pretty. The Smighty Pieve teleport brought the group into the Protector's Enclave close to the Blackwater district. The Merchant area was filled with tents and shopping areas, but the Proctector's enclave was also home to many shops and towers with shops with multiple floores stories high and stone bridges connecting going over streets in older stone buildings. This was a part of the city that has not been destroyed during the eruption of Hotenow.

The Smighty Pieve does take more time shopping, but is able to get a lot of loot (TBD). The city streets are not active during these times, though more active pretty much than any city outside of perhaps Myth Drannor. There was some movement, but in just under two hours, everyone makes it back in time to see Hlarasha Shazar eating grapes just in front of the Black Water Tavern.

Hlarasha quickly asked for everyone to follow him until for a few minutes until he reached a pretty innocuous looking wooden house when Hlarasha knocks on the door. On the inside, a person with an accent starts to sing an arpeggio off pitch and attempt to ignore the knocking. He will try this a few times before Elisa does it perfectly and foot steps appear as a bushy brown haired half elf with a fancy garb. He says a few words audible before getting to the door complimenting the voice as he opens the door and looks very unhappy the moment he sees Hlarasha.

This man almost completely has the look of Garfunkel down to the poofy hair and does an angry sigh and looks over at everyone in the Smighty Pieve and onces over the group. They see into a medium house apparently filled with tens if not potentially hundreds of massive sacks of rice. Looking outside the door, he urges everyone to get in. Once he does so, and its a tight fit, this individual has a small rectangular holding wood box by the door and puts a stone in there and whispers "Silence" into it. With that, he informs everyone that the conversation within this house will be completely silent to the outside and then decides to lay into the Red Wizard for what seems like a good minute or two. Seeing as how no one enjoys Hlarasha, this is a welcome interaction. The half elf introduces himself as Sabastian Lawrence, a Half Elven Harper Agent. He tries to separate his frustration for Hlarasha's careless approach to this house during his investigation for the introduction of the Smighty Pieve. He realizes and does well to know that they didn't know better.

He welcomes everyone in complimenting Elisa's singing voice as he makes his way to a cast iron oven and starts heating water for some tea. While starting the conversation, he asks who he has the pleasure of meeting with as introduction are in way. After some awkward silence, Elisa is the one to poke Hlarasha into needing to communicate some information to Sabastian. Hlarasha drops the name Keilrecht Tillenbirg, which is not familiar to the Harper as he tip toes over bags of rice to his desk and pulls out a series of books and folders and starts looking through notes and reports for information. After a minute or three, he does come across the name and asks about the purpose of this information. Hlarasha talks about how Confectus was a bust and that these individuals stated that they saw him within Phlan.

Sabastian looks through his notes and mentions that the synchronized reports had him last spotted over four months earlier back in High Imaskar as the last known siting and that it was believe that he might have been closer to Chassenta at this point in time rather than the Moonsea. Elisa eventually took head of the conversation as Sabastian was more than anything concerned with the validity of Hlarasha's claims worried that he was making too many assumptions about the nature of these secret paths to Szass Tam. Hlarasha was convinced it would work, but Sabastian brought up the time since they were last confirmed. Gosen dismissed figuring that they could both confirm it's existence and location in the same breath of interrogation. Giving way to that logic, he did look in his book for the region and aimed to see if there was any insight for the region that he would have that could help them locate where a Red Wizard would be staying in the region. Elisa had confirmed with Jargrect that he did not stay by the Temple of the Three Truths.

Sabastian did say that there was rumors that the Grand Magus of the 9th circle had been staying in Sokol Keep, an old abandoned temple to Tyr that was never completed and believed to possibly now be occupied by Fzoul Chembryl. He date stamps that with the note that Fzoul stopped an undead hoard coming from the border forest. This is both correctly and incorrectly corrected by the Smighty Pieve that remembered taking out Aesperus, but forgetting that there was half a hoard still active from resurrected vampire Grand Magus and the dead already inside Phlan.

When drifting through notes, it was clear that the harper agent stationed in Neverwinter was no expert of the Moonsea taking minutes looking through what he had, but saw that there was a historical preference of Red Wizards back in the previous century as a unique aid against both the Zhentarim and the Brotherhood of the Cloak back in the day that appears to have persisted.

=Session 47: Is it the right time to open a business?=

Once the plan was agreed upon, it was a matter of how to get to Melvaunt. It was Elisa that asked Sabastian Lawrence if he would come with them to Melvaunt to aid them with his Harper knowledge. Unsure of the this, he wasn't exactly clear on an answer. He pondered to himself considering his station, versus the reality that Hlarasha basically ruined his post. After talking to himself for a few seconds and considering the options, he did say that he would need to bring this up to his supervisor, the Harper Director for the city of Neverwinter, Aela and see if he could temporarily have his station changed for the duration of the mission. There was a bit of excitement in the possibility of Operation Clear Skies actually having some legs. While explaining, he did say that the Harpers kind of assumed there wasn't much to follow up on this avenue to get rid of the rain.

With that, Sabastian slowly climbed over and around his bags of rice to go into the other room where he would proceed to have a sort of sending or magical meeting with his supervisor to discuss the nature of his station.

It was roughly a few minutes later when he stepped out a bit happier, but perplexed. "It was good" were his first words as he stated that he was freed from his post, but given a condition. He couldn't just disappear. He needed to be kicked out of his home and needed to be convincing. With this Sabastian concocted a ridiculous idea of pretending that someone in there of the two women, either Elisa or Fenwyck, and he first navigated to Elisa and said that pretend that she broke up with him and will forcibly throw him out of the house angrily and toss things at him to make it seem like he can no longer live there.

Elisa brings up the point that if some strange woman that the suspicious Red Wizards have never seen see kicking him out of the house, that it might be suspicious. At that point, Sabastian recalls the fact that he has in fact had women over and that it might work to make it someone that has already been there and try to make it seamless by having someone new kick him out of the house.

Fenwyck and Elisa consider how as the first point starts with Sabastian attempting to figure out who would be the best fit and attempting to draw them. The Harper Agent is many things, but an illustrator is not one of them. While the drawing is not completely without use, his descriptors with the drawing left quite a few blanks to fill.

Elisa, adjusted the form with her hat of disguise and started working on the form to make it as close to what Sabastian knew this woman looked like in order to make it happen. Unsure about human relationships, Elisa was still kind of confused about how or why something like this might happen. Sabastian, rather familiar with this is like, maybe you caught me with another woman or gave something away or you are angry for any sort of reason I might simply not understand, but enough is enough. He said that implying that the director required that he needed an official exit for a new station not to be too suspicious and that would make it easier to add someone else to that station.

Fenwyck was getting Elis ready for it as Sabastian moved to his oven and carried a few pieces of silverware and added placed it on a rice bag close to her and looked over at Gosen and Santiago and stated that either one of them could get involved with kicking him out of the house to make it more convincing if needed.

With some breathing exercises and hyping, Sabastian was ready. Considering the situation, it was questioned whether or not he needed to do it himself since Elisa was already in disguise, but being the Bard, he didn't want to miss the opportunity to do it.

In no time, he threw the door opened and tumbled out the door down the two stairs before hitting the street. Elisa awkwardly raising her voice throwing appliances at him, clocking him on the shoulder with a cast iron pot with a not so fake wince of pain as he began to run off. The display caught some attention to the streets of Neverwinter. While the streets are not very busy at this time, there were still a few people out and yelling and this type of display wasn't too common (maybe more common since people needed to stay in doors with each other more because of the rain), as Gosen peaked outside the door and yelled at him also.

Santiago and Gosen looked outside at the crowd, and while most of which were civilians, they were able to spot up to two people that were in robes that appeared to attempt to blend into the crowds with tattoos not dissimilar from that of the Red Wizards they met.

When the door was closed, Elisa was confused, but it seemed clear from the reaction that the act that worked and people started disbanding around the time shortly after the door closed. It was Gosen that caught that there were two people in colored (NON RED) robes that appeared to have red wizard tattoos that were mostly obscured. He really didn't see much more than that as they appeared to leave in an outward direction with no clear path once he looked out a window again.

After bringing it up with the rest of the Smighty Pieve, the question then became how to see if it worked and would happen next. The Harper didn't really illustrate a return plan or really talk about that before starting this. A quick move through the house revealed that there is only one story and no attic window. Fenwyck considered using her owl and everyone moved awkwardly throughout the home to one of the windows and opened it as Fenwyck poofed her owl. In a short moment, everyone heard a thud in the house as Sabastian turned off invisibility and dusted off the dirt from the street and pressed on his shoulder. "Great Job" he said in a smile, while indicating that it wasn't necessary to actually hit him with an appliance, but that is certainly helped since it was heavy and really hurt a lot when it hit him.

Sabastian was still a little confused to why his presence there really mattered. When it comes to bard stuff, Elisa was already a capable bard and he had never been to Melvaunt before or Phlan, so he didn't have a lot of practical knowledge of the region compared to people who traveled and spent extended time there, and especially not compared to Santiago who is effectively a local there.

He did know that there were other Harper Agents that operated in the Moonsea and did refer to the region as a neutral zone and a place of importance to watch because of that. While rattling off random piece of knowledge about it, he asked a question of how to teleport to Melvaunt. After a minute of recalling, Santiago remembered that there is no way to teleport to Melvaunt and that they would need to get back to Phlan in order to do it.

He did ask Hlarasha who also stated that he never went to Melvaunt of the Moonsea either, so that the teleportation spell would have a chance of failure. When it came to teleporting to Phlan, however, Fenwyck had collected sigils from Myth Drannor and has teleported to Fort Cvaal in the past.

Santiago going back and forth from Phlan to Melvaunt so frequently that it only takes a few hours to travel between the cities by foot and less than that by horse. Elisa did ask Hlarasha if he knew anyone that would help, rebel Red Wizards that could really help make this happen. He admitted that Vennik, basically put this in his hands, and he had a circle group dedicated to him, but those were the ones that were killed in the attack at Port Llast, so now he is the last of his remaining group.

Fenwyck started getting the teleportation circle as everyone else helped clear and stack bags of rice and furniture in order to clear the floor for the circle. In the short time needed to clear it, she was able to draw around it and make a circle to get back to Phlan. Just as quickly as it was done, there was a glow in the circle as everyone stepped on.

With a jolt and a step forward, everyone off balance appears back in Interrogation room three, back in Fort Cvaal, the barracks teleported to from Myth Drannor and the room everyone went back to when speaking to paladins and others in Phlan after defeating Sigmund.

Back in Phlan, shortly after all six arrive, there is a knock and a guard, a younger looking human with short blond hair barely visible through his helmet looks confused to see everyone there. Elisa, kind of confused with this situation almost thinks of this room as home and seems surprised that they plan on using this room for well anything else. Santiago kind of dismisses the guard as he look up at them and just closes the door.

In less than a minute the door opens to two figures. One of which is a familiar, but still relatively new figure to the group, Marshall Greymore of the Black Jackets, or Black Watch. He looks different, clearly in work attire, armor and with his hair down and ripped sleeves. The person next to him is new, but he stands tall, only a little bit shorter than Gosen, which is still almost a foot shorter than Elsa would be in her natural form stands in with a scale armor. This man appears to be in late 50s or early 60s, but still seems to have a built frame. He has grey hair and a beard covering everything but the mustache area. He has darker blue eyes and would probably be rather handsome if he were a few years younger, steps in with a scratchy voice addressing the Smighty Pieve as strangers as Marshall kind of smiles acknowledging them.

Marshall turns to the man and refers to him as Ector as he questions that he isn't familiar with the group after what they did before remembering that he was only recently awarded his station. Santiago does however remember him from the past. Ector or Lord Protector Ector Brahms is the Lord Protector or head of the Knights of the Black Fist, the guard presence for Valjevo Castle and Phlan mostly before the Red Plumes were stationed in Phlan.

Marshall informed Ector that these are some of the people that took out Aesperus with Shem Romanov V and saved the city. Ector's expression changes as he hears that and takes a much warmer tone shortly after. He first thanks the group and introduces himself as Lord Protector Ector Brahms of the Knights of the Black First before asking their names. It's Santiago that introduces the group as the Smighty Pieve. Marshall looks confused wondering if Bruil thought of that name before Marshall also says that these are also the people the deposed Sigmund, which again causes a moment of shock as Ector now says he personally must thank the group for allowing him to return to his station. It was the place of the Temple of the Three Truths that took much of the authority and left it pretty much at that.

Ector was thankful and indicated that he would need to personally thank them, however he is now very busy back in his station and that he needed to get back to work immediately and asked if he could use interrogation room three. Elisa and Santiago agreed, but just asked for a minute to think before leaving, which was completely alright with Ector.

The question then became about supplies they needed for travel and potentially fighting Keilrect Tillenbirg. When the idea of given supplies comes up, Marshall is about to agree with Ector pulls out a piece of paper and indicates that an order from Chief Economic Advisor Sarcaedon Arbelleck states that no supplies can be provided without economic trade. Elisa surprised, used to hand outs since this is usually from the perspective of a thankful government for saving them actually decides to do a sending to Sarcaedon Arbelleck asking about why she isn't getting free things.

Sarcaedon in voice seemed rather tired and almost in slight disbelief that she was sending him a message about horses. He did remind them about the reward they never picked up after saving Phlan from Aesperus saying that Mayor Yrgreth had planned on giving it to him and actually doing a tiny ceremony for the group for saving the city and also giving them a large estate for the help. Elisa was shocked to learn that there was reward for saving the city, it was a very large reward and no one picked it up.

Ector was surprised when Marshall basically regurgitated the same thing. He did say that the city was pretty close to giving the reward away since it has been some time and it seems like the group you all skipped town. The Smighty Pieve agreed to pick up their reward. Hlarasha Shazar was wondering if he got free money, but nothing to give out to the temps, but they agreed to come along. The council building was mostly empty as it once the first time aside from Yrgreth and guards and an assistant as everyone walked outside in the streets of Phlan.

There was a light snow and a good time to see just how much busier the streets are in Phlan now even compared to an old gem city like Neverwinter due to the blood rain. The light snow and the busy streets were refreshing and Sabastian got a small taste of how recognized the Smighty Pieve is in Phlan when the guards at the council building immediately let them pass when Santiago just asked about collecting a reward.

Yrgreth was signed paperwork at his desk at the back of the floor in his desk at the floor for the Council of Ten and smirked with his mustache and let them know that there was almost an auction for the reward to you for saving the city. He called out to his assistant was charged with going into a vault and pulling out five thousand platinum for the party when Yrgreth pulled out an envelope with a ink seal with a boar and flicked it to Elisa to catch when it just bounced off her chest and hit the ground.

Yrgreth stood up and bent down to pick up the letter and was like "That's your key to the house in there." It was around this time that that Elisa, Fenwyck and Santiago started planning and talking about their house in excitement thinking about what they were going to do with it.

While in the office, the inner conversation between the three and eventually Gosen turned into a business. The idea became how to open a business for making Gavirello Pies. Gosen pulled out the recipe (which did have a trademark sign) and agreed that all they needed to do was open it from their house and take it from there. Elisa did ask Yrgreth what it takes to open a business. Yrgreth said that a business license in Phlan cost 200 gold, but that there was now an application due to changes Sarcaedon made.

Elisa took the moment to give another sending on asking for what would need to be done to start a business. Sarcaedon said that his firm has the application needed to open a business. In a back and forth, Sarcaedon, excited to have them stay local in the region agreed to have Simon from his firm deliver the application to their house after getting the address.

After leaving the council building they followed the written note inside the envelop with their keys to the address in East Phlan. It isn't where the richest houses are in the old district, but in one of the better built areas in East Phlan which in general was more crowded.

The thing they needed next in order to make Gavirello Pies was the oven. Jakey's Furnish and Ironworks was a shop almost dedicated to created tables for businesses and iron works for ovens and other building goods. For a easy 200 gold the Smighty Pieve was able to have a large brick oven delivered to their new house.

This area is built to accommodate slowly and at the edge more quickly the population expansion due to the invasion. The estate is a two story house with a large open floor plan with five bedrooms. Elisa was the one to open the door.

Inside the house was a piece of paper with a good deal of blanks and things to fill out for the application when Santiago made the comment wondering why they even have to follow the rules. Their reputation all they need is to start the business.

In addition to the oven, what would be needed is help, people to work the business, particularly someone with magic to make food. With paper and ink in the house, the group drafted a job ad to find people for their new business, the Smighty Pie. The note mentioned going to Fort Cvaal and reaching out to Ector Brahms particularly for a job at the Smighty Pie. Given the time to place the job ad and the the group brainstormed before turning to the two people traveling with them for very particular reasons.

Hlarasha Shazar just seemed to be winging it for the moment, but when asked he did indicate that this was a wonderful idea for feeding people would worth pursuing after destroying the lich. Sabastian was silent during this whole adventure.

With a sigh everyone agreed that it was time to get to Melvaunt. Santiago in particular was not eager to get back to Melvaunt. He remembered it not being too good there for him and wasn't excited at the prospects of returning. With that in mind the next thing was getting horses. It was at this time that Fenwyck remember that she has phantom steeds and can cast the spell. Hlarasha on the other part didn't know that particular spell and would need to scribe it to help. He was able to learn it in just the amount of time it took Fenwyck to create phantom steeds for everybody.

The trip to Melvaunt was on a scenic coastal road and overall mostly uneventful. There was light snow passing, but in the distance, Elisa caught wind of a familiar voice. Fenwyck listened in and heard a plan to attack. Elisa listened more closely and immediately recognized the voice as the skull lord that was with the concordant mercenary that stole Imir. This caused everyone to get ready for an ambush. Both sides were getting ready to ambush the other, but it seemed that the Skull Lord didn't realize that the Smighty Pieve knew they were coming and they were attacked first in a volley of attacks, which was a quick and brutal battle that swifty ended in favor of the Smighty Pieve. Elisa banished an aberration taken with them and an undead from the Shadowfell accompanying the Skull Lord as Fenwyck dazzled the undead mage. A shade arcanist cast a spell creating a globe of darkness before being being held by magic. The numbers and first attack made the battle a very difficult experience defeating the group as quickly as the Smighty Pieve was defeated the first time. The Skull Lord, far more malevolent than the Concordant Mercenary was destroyed as was the shade killed in the fight.

There were no clear markings or letters that made it obvious what they were searching for during this, but both the arcanist and the skull lord did have a wand and a staff on them. (Wand of Warding), (Staff of Fire).

Elisa had wished to learn more about it, but there was no obvious idea of who sent them and why they couldn't send the Concordant Mercenary this time around before approaching Melvaunt. Sabastian confused and scared wondered if fights like this were common, to which Santiago said kind of.

In the distance, the City of Melvuant was recognizable, like most of the largest cities in the region, it was a coastal port city. Melvaunt was more uniquely a smithing city with large smoke stacks coming from building and like Phlan a large outer wall was a noticeable expanse beyond it to accommodate recent growth in the city as approaching. The guard presence at the small wooden gate was the very edge of the city and guards wearing no true uniform armor look far less intimidating and organized than Phlan despite the massive city grounds.

When the Smighty Pieve approached, there was barely a question of what the business was and who was coming into the city when Santiago mentioned his name and the Smighty Pieve. With no other follow up question they were let into the smithing metropolis. Melvaunt's streets were busy with carriages constantly moving and people walking quickly through crowded streets. It was was lightly snowing as Santiago, the only one to be in this city more than once in the whole the group directed the Smighty Pieve to the Black Hut, the place where it all started and the newly outfitted Adventure Hall.

Unlike last time, this place no longer resembles the slaving warehouse it once was. The tall ceiling replaced with a clear second floor and the bottom floor's remodeling complete with a large restaurant and bar seating many known mercenaries that knew the elite and do jobs for the richer families in the city. Not trying to find the lease savory of the bunch, but someone who at least did jobs for the families like himself, Santiago found himself approaching a man with red pain on the side of his face. It was an odd fashion statement to an otherwise handsome human male who Santiago Recognized as Rendri. He wore a dark brown shirt that almost looked pressed and smooth with a brown vest. He clearly was armed with the very least daggers from his belt as he was happy to greet Santiago.

Rendri knew Santiago as one of the few to get in with Plasses and news spread that Santiago and his group of misfits were the ones to thank for stopping the lich from destroying the town. Just like that, he was saying that he would have to buy him a drink sometime and thank him for saving the city.

Santiago when remembering about lost rewards remembered that technically he was owed one in the past for the original order from Bruil. Rendri scratched his head and mentioned that a few weeks ago Regis was in these parts and he asked the story is that he took it all for himself.

There was a little collective sigh as it was no surprise that Regis would do something like that. Santiago was asking kind of forgetting his legs in this city where he thought would be the best place to go. Rendri was like, Stanely at the Unseen Armadillo is a place where you and Regis used to go. He knows a lot and runs that small place out of his house and a personal smith. He only like a select few and otherwise doesn't really serve anyone. Santiago did remember that he did used to frequent there and eventually navigated the streets to make it to the Unseen Armadillo, which has no sign for it and is just called Stan's Metalworks. When he stepped into the first floor, there was a balding man in his late 40s with a comb over, a pipe, and a vest covering overalls a little sweaty despite the cold coming back from the smith and happy to greet Santiago. When he saw him, he walked from behind a counter and reached to the side and pulled out a single table and a set of chairs for the group. He did say there was only one table for now so that would have to do.

Santiago did have a few catching up questions, but most of it was just if anything really happened in the city, to which he did say that news moves fast here, but not too much has changed the city since he really left. He mentioned that Fernheart still hates anyone associated with his group for the death of Jongrim and that there is more reverse tension with Mulmaster so things are looking a little bit smoother with Phlan, but it's still rocky.

When asked about Red Wizards, he did say that he saw more of them, but he don't deal with that business, no sir he don't. He gave Santiago a discount and brought out a nice bottle of wine and proceeded to take an order. When the question of rooms came up, he did say that he has a five bedroom that he lives in alone and rents out four like its an inn to those he trusts. He trusts Santiago and those he is around typically.

Elisa is the one who pulls out the money being the first time she actually has it paying for the business application, oven and now the seven gold for the wine and the room consolidated together into the drinks.

Stanley walks out of the room and takes out a finely wrapped bottle of wine and takes a few glasses out and puts them on the table for Santiago. Around when he is getting extra chairs since there are only four chairs originally, a familiar face walks into the Unseen Armadillo.

Rendri walks in with two other figures, a large man almost as tall as Gosen. He is a human almost as tall as Gosen with a large mustache and belly with massive shoulders and arm muscles with a series of chains and manacles on his belt and a hooded figure with at least three swords a combination of long swords, short swords and a rapier on his person behind and next to Rendri.

With a bit of a smirk, he walks in and smiles as he asks to pay for the drink while entering the room. The ere is clearly uncomfortable as he starts talking about needing to thank Santiago for helping save the city. It is a bit of a monologue that transitions to what it would mean for him if he was able to defeat Santiago. This is a quick reference to the very very high price on his head from Fernheart.

Rendri introduces a new ally, a small gnome that Elisa and Gosen immediately recognized as Gomand Pusk. He was in raggedly cloaks with a helmet as Gosen leaped from the table after seeing him. Rendri added how he was thankful for all the censors that were placed to find Santiago, but that that wasn't necessary since he was so kind as to come into the Black Hut and reveal himself to everyone.

Gosen ignored Rendri and immediately started yelling at Gomand Pusk as he introduced in his own breath that he would hold the entire city ransom if he didn't give the talisman away and wanted revenge on Elisa. While talking Elisa immediately used a banishment spell on him, to which Gomand fired off a Counter Spell. A counter spell immediately counter spelled by Fenwyck, Gomand nearly dragged into the portal sucked back into the abyss barely pulling out as the tension leveled off when Stanley nicely asked everyone there to leave.

=Session 48: Unlikely Meeting=

The start of the battle was uttered and controlled by Gomand, bragging his ability as he cast a spell to speed time on himself planning on releasing an array of artifacts. As he bragged starting it Fenwyck interjected in his spell casting it with his swords flying out of the bag, she cast a counter spell stopped the effect with an arrays of swords flying out of his bag just falling on the floor instead of the one of the several intended effects of the spell.

Slightly frustrated Gomand backs away in the corner as Santiago summons two large brown bears in the Unseen Armadillo surrounding Gomand as Rendri runs behind Fenwyck and waits for the chance to strike. Lawrence takes a shot and looks to offer Gosen a drink as a method of inspiration when the man with a big belly runs to flank with Rendri and and grabs Fenqyck and quickly pulls out manacles to restrain Fenwyck before tripping her to the ground.

Rendri stabs Fenwyck in hopes to get Santiago to give up Santiago appears to crack as Rendri, not fully convinced decides to stab Fenwyck on the ground in an effort to kill her to show him that he means business. He stabs down on her unconscious body as Elisa frustrated not noticing Fenwyck as bodies start to come in tries to banish all of the enemies in the room as Gomand and the large grappler manage to stay in the room. Rendri, as he is pulled into a portal yells to get Santiago as more people start to poor into the bar. Stanley, kindly asks people to stop as he whistles loudly to call his armor.

More people sneak up, attacking Elisa and others grabbing her and stabbing her by surprise when Gosen runs up to attack Gomand Pusk. In reaction to Gosen's attack, Gomand smiles as he prepared a contingency to dominate Gosen should he appear next to him. Gomand puts out his hands as Gosen charges and he stops cold already repeating his order over and over again to give him the talisman.

It was around that time that Santiago ordered the bears to attack Gomand Pusk, distracted and focused on the spell, he was unable to deflect as the claw swiped against his shoulder forcing him to lose focus on the spell holding him.

Elisa was a bit impatient and attempted to banish temporarily everyone in the room to gather themselves. Rendri and two others disappeared as she was looking to make her was to Gomand when she was grabbed by the large thug who managed to not to get sucked into the portal by either will or sheer luck as he restrained Elisa and tripped her.

Gomand then proceed to cast a wall of fire catching much of the establishment on fire and hitting most of the bears surrounding him. Santiago seeing Rendri was gone continued to fire on others as several other people poured in the door to attack them including an someone with their face concealed stabbing Elisa causing her to lose focus on the spell releasing everyone from their banishment.

Stanley counting attempting to dissolve the fight joined the fray with a runed greatsword and scale armor swinging and killing two people including Rendri caught in Gomand's wall of fire.

As Fenwyck had her last breath, Elisa angrily looked around the room more frustrated with the fight than anything else and attempted to charm the entire room, which worked for everyone aside from Gomand Pusk. As Gosen started cutting into him, Gomand got frustrated and let out a powerful magical shriek seeing his former allies charmed against him. A grotesque image as most of the mercenaries hold their head and press their eyes together as more than five heads pop under the pressure of the scream that knocks Elisa, Sabastian and Hlarasha unconscious.

Gosen, looking down at his talisman had an idea to prevent the same thing happening from last time and managed to teleport Gomand grabbing him to the Astral Sea. With a swing and a turn around Gosen managed to cut him down.

But instead of falling unconscious, dying or transforming into an arch fiend this time, his form melted into water and small pieces of ice as gem dust and a large emerald fall from the form as a several poofs of smoke from his items disappearing.

Gosen looking around him wonders if he is able to return using this item and focuses intently on it and managed to see through the fog of the items will and teleport back. After Stanley attempts to put the fires out, Elisa notices that Fenwyck is no longer breathing on the floor and panicks as she realizes she is dead. Not being aware of the time of when she stopped breathing, she is afraid of revivify not working and immediately starts looking through the money and gems and starts looking for supplies and items to for components to cast resurrect and immediately starts.

Santiago opens the door to see quite a few mercenaries that were originally going to fight that are now charmed as in the distance two greater demons appear. A large red demon smiling with his forearms already covered in blood as a large woman with charcoal skill half naked and a snake like lower torso with six arms cover the streets and make threats to everyone there. Santiago, seeing Elisa scrambling to resurrect Fenwyck closes the door. As this is happening, Elisa does minor heals as she must focus on the resurrections.

Capable mercenaries with large reputations much like his, including Mogre the Ogre and Marshlall Troll-O were among those outside originally looking to fight them for a part of a known 200,000 gold pot for taking Santiago dead of alive from Fernheart. However now allies, but soon irrelevant as the demons engaged them. They fought, but the sounds of death were clear as the demons were clearly winning the fight with minimal effort. It was less than ten minutes when it became silent. It was that time that those left braced around the door as in one swing, a very large sword smashed through the door and rotted the wood around it. The demon with what looked like freshly healed wounds smiles as he takes a single step and immediately teleports behind the barricade and in one turn takes out Lawrence, Hlarasha and nearly takes out Stanley. It is clear that the power of this demon is overwhelming as everyone surrounds him as Stanley asks for the one remaining mercenary alive to take potions as Elisa allowed Hlarasha to use potions as a form of attack gathered some time back.

The battle was not looking good until Gosen stood his ground and managed to trade blows against the demon. In a flanked move Stanley and Gosen were able to keep the demon occupied until Santiago sent a final set of arrows into a deep wound his chest from a being impaled by Gosen's sword before taking a last arrow in his eye with a look of fear before his body fell to the ground and began to disintegrate.

The marilith was nowhere to be seen as everyone badly hurt decided to take the time to appear. Elisa appearing to panic causes Santiago to look back in his head and ask his new father Eshkabel if there is a way he can help. After a momentary pause, he says that it is possible, but the price is a connection. Afraid that the situation might be different from his, Eshkabel assures him that if needed it wouldn't be different.

Elisa finished the spell being unable to rest as Fenwyck enjoying nature in peace in salvation agrees to be pulled back as Elisa is the first one she sees and Elisa holds tight and doesn't let go as everyone heals a bit. Stanley thanks them and Santiago asks about the impending fight as Hlarasha looks outside and sees a towering figure of a demon wall over sixty feet tall with his torso well much higher than the buildings crushing them with a single step.

Elisa looks at Fenwyck and considers abandoning the city as Hlarasha almost loses it knowing this is his potentially his final chance to make this work. Santiago and Gosen side with him as Lawrence considers Fenwyck, still very much in a sickness from coming back to life to stay with Stanley. Fenwyck does stagger up and agrees that she is able to go if there are some items and such to help. Santiago asks what he is willing to part with as Stanley looks up stairs and grabs a variety of different potions.

Unsure of their next move, the question became what. The Smighty Pieve was convinced early that the attack unleashed by Gomand was too much for them to battle and that the argument soon became whether or not to leave the city. Once that ended, Elisa asked if there was a point to scrying on Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Hlarasha never met him in person, but Keilrecht Tillenbirg has a reputation among Red Wizards and he was known to arrogantly leave himself wide open for attacks. Elisa taking that opportunity managed to scry on him and see what looked like an underground ballroom set up in a ritual between him and three other Red Wizards. Ritual circles and sigils light up the floor in orange as they chant in unison with what looks like undead clerics of the triad. There are others in the side of the room that are hard to make out and Horned Devils guarding what seem to be the only entrance to the place, which seems to go upward indicating a chance it might be underground. At the other end of the room, darkness and a slight glowing silhouette of a dragon glowing like hot ambers barely visible aside from the glow and eyes. After seeing this, there was an objective, a place to find outside. The objective now searching the streets.

After getting a close look, Elisa again considers abandoning the city seeing the large demon with a massive set of crab like claws and a tentacled face on black skin trampling through the city as demons and gnolls rush throughout the streets.

in her gaze around the arch fiend, she sees a familiar looking devil. This was Val'Dranar, Imir's creator, the one who put Sigmund under contract. She witnessed the memory from Sigmund's ritual and caught the appearance. Around him she spotted two two tieflings, one she never saw before with grey skin and white hair and a familiar tiefling with pale red skin. Imir was there with them. For protection, she had put Fenwyck in a sack behind her with her head peaking out as Elisa froze the moment Imir was there.

The three of them engaged a general, a balor in front of the arch fiend and a variety of two headed blue bird like demons. The Vrocks were little challenge to Imir and the other tiefling as the Balor looked to Val'Dranar as his query. Elisa looked to remember and wonder if Imir was bound how he could be freed assuming he was enslaved by Val'Dranar. She was aware that even if just briefly that Fenwyck was able to dispell a Hell's Treaty momentarily, even if it resulted in killing Sigmund.

In an attempt to Free Imir, Val'Dranar with his sharp vision from his single eye saw Elisa through disguise and ordered Imir to kill her. As he lost attention to the Balor, the Arch Fiend grabbed and swallowed Val'Dranar. This cause everyone to the surprise of the Harper and Red Wizard to engage the gnolls and demons on the streets and rooftops. The battle against the Arch Fiend was increasingly one side as Val'Dranar and the other tiefling, Bolgath fought, but appeared to be mostly outmatched by the arch fiend around them.

Seeing a street and intersection full of demons, Fenwyck released a sleet storm to slow down the demons and allow Elisa to look for an opening to reach Imir.

Imir teleported away from the immediate fight with the Vrock and Balor and turned invisible. Elisa, sustaining another crack and didn't give herself time to heal was badly hurt when Imir snuck up while invisible to land a blow knocking Elisa to the ground. She was stunned at the attack as he was releasing just enough of his personality to attempt to break their resolve towards him. Lawrence wondering why they aren't fighting him, as Santiago summons a griffon to charge at Imir and connects with an entangling strike. Covered in brambles and in pain he teleports out and releases a powerful spell on the area covering much of the street in magical darkness. This powerful spell causing chaos to those hiding in their homes from the demons, the Smighty Pieve and the demons fighting against them as gibbering screams and whispers cause almost madness inducing pain in a large case of darkness.

Elisa attempted to look to the guide of Ilmater, who at this time ignored her request, kind of displeased at her recent actions at putting the needs of the few over the needs of everyone. She was stunned and displeased as her next move validating the concern became on how to grab Imir and teleport out of the city. It was this time when Val'Dranar fearing that he would lose Imir again would teleport closer to the battle leaving Bolgath in the clutches of the Arch Fiend as the Balor insisted on teleporting with Val'Dranar to prevent the escape.

=Session 48: At Peace=

Through the darkness a new figured showed up. Unseen by the group, Zaphial Imir's sister in creation freed by the death of Pells showed up in order to help after seeing the two most prized other tieflings, Bolgath and Imir fighting. With Imir's allied engaged with Val'Dranar and Imir, she decided to cast a freedom of movement to save Bolgath from the Arch Fiend about to swallow him.

Focusing on the darkness, Santiago felt a familiar sound of gibbering whispers and screams around and inside his head, but to little effect. Perhaps it is the fact that his connection to Eshkabel is powered by the souls of those people in the scythe merging after his death that made this commonplace for him. With a clear head, he navigated through the globe of darkness Imir created in order to escape.

Elisa was not as lucky caving in to the pain of screams of words, but still had the awareness to hear the sounds of her allies and Imir. When attempting to run out, she grabbed for Fenwyck, who could hear her calling out when Elisa was running in her direction to leave the globe of darkness.

Val'Dranar looked at the Red Wizard with a stern face as he pointed his nailed finger towards him and Hlarasha grabbed his head as he vision turned blurry and lost all of his intelligence to the powerful spell from Val'Dranar. Imir saw Elisa with Fenwyck in her arms and dispelled the globe to rush down to attack Elisa angrily boasting. Val'Dranar saw Fenwyck as another wizard and changed his direct orders. He ordered Imir instead to kill of Elisa's allies first and saving her for last.

Not to be ignored, the Demon general rose his sword facing the sky as a bolt of lightning struck the sword before he fired a powerful lightning bolt through Hlarasha, and Val'Dranar in a straight line. Angry with the situation, Val'Dranar urged Imir to fight his allies as he would dispatch the Balor.

Elisa was emotional over Imir's return and was too happy to see him alive to fight against him. Rather than fighting against him, she took her arms and tried to grab him hopefully to restrain him. Imir was able to resist and actual grab when she went for a hug. For a moment, the green in his eyes faded as his expression changed for just a second. Aware of the situation Val'Dranar turned his head to restore the power of the control over Imir.

With her greatest energy, Elisa cast Dispell Evil with the most energy she could use cracking the veil controlling Imir's mind as he snapped out of his control and was able to see Val'Dranar crossing blades with a Balor just in the distance.

The moment Hlarasha Shazar lost his ability to cast, the demons banished returned. A wall of Vrocks stood between Santiago and Gosen and Imir. Gosen started cutting them down as Santiago supported. In the distance without the globe of darkness, they could see the arch fiend approaching as Zaphial went with Bolgath and landed close to Santiago.

Not really sure what's happening, Santiago fired shots at Bolgath as she made her way flying in the air towards Val'Dranar.

Return and Imir's Decision
Imir for the first time appeared to look almost at peace as he engaged the hug before getting back up and giving a soft glance to both Elisa and Fenwyck. He pulled back his cloak and started clenching his fists as a purple almost pinkish glow and lightning started appearing around his eyes and hands. There was a look of absolute focus, with no anger as he gaze focused to Val'Dranar.

Val'Dranar's almost feminine face twisted in a devil's sneer as he realized that he could never keep Imir and vowed himself to kill him as an enemy. He called Imir a failed experiment as he smirked and remarked that he is now exactly the type of force Val'Dranar always wanted.

With a telekinesis, he managed to swipe the orange gem between Val'Dranar's horns and break it to cast a mass heal restoring all of his known allies. Lawrence restoring Hlarasha's mind just watched from the ground as Imir charged Val'Dranar from the air. Val'Dranar not as known for melee combat appeared to be flanked by both Imir and the Balor as he crossed blades on both sides. With a lack of focus, he didn't have the ability to defend against blows from Imir and seemed to lack any distraction only landing mortal blows with each hit ( he had like 2 crits in 3 attacks). For the first time, Imir was seeing Val'Dranar wounded. Elisa could spot that the power Imir attained appeared to come at a price. Despite being healed to full, his body appeared to almost disintigrating to the heat and aura around him. The massive arch fiend recognized the threat and appeared discharge a massive poisonous acid breath that coated and melted several of the houses and nearly killed many within the Smighty Pieve as it did claim the life of Hlarasha Shazar, whom was completely dissolved by the acid eventually leaving no trace of his body whatsoever.

Gosen was able able to leave blows as Fenwyck needed to focus attacks on the monstrous demon as Elisa still concentrating on dawn attempted to burn the demon in radiant energy. Gosen could see, but the magical attacks only made it more clear that this fiend was covered in an ever increasing amount of arachnids ranging from less than one inch spiders to giant ten foot scorpions as Fenwyck released a wall of fire to reinforced it throughout one street to make it burn higher.

Val'Dranar could see his own blood and realized that between Imir and this demon general he would fall. He vowed for his revenge as he snapped his fingers in an attempt to plane shift back to hell. He gasped as Zaphial immediately cast a counter spell with great energy to prevent his movement. For the first time perhaps to either Zaphial or Imir, there was fear in his visible eye.

Imir took the opportunity for an opening and landed a killing blow through his heart. As Val'Dranar gripped the sword through his chest. He whispered "I finally did it. I created a legacy. I wonder what happens to me when I die." a light whisper as a look of fear fades with his consciousness as he falls off the roof and his body disintegrates.

Imir isn't done with his attacks as he trades blows with the Balor as Zaphial causes a rift to appear and almost break the fabric of reality that sucks the Balor in causing his shape to almost implode before disappearing.

In a low rumble the Arch Fiend, which appeared at first to be a mindless being of destruction speaks in telepathy to everyone close warning them that they are all meant to be killed and sacrificed as tribute to this fiends greatness and their only chance was to work together.

Gosen manages to land a blow through the gaps in the creation of more spiders and scorpions through Fenwyck's wall of fire and Elisa's dawn.

Santiago shoots arrows on the roof seeing Bolgath mostly melted by the same acid that killed Hlarasha. Fenwyck shoots a green ray showing the first substantial injury to this monster as a gray ray clearly dissolves a portion of its torso showing a hole and revealing the thick black exoskeleton of this demon after dissolving most of the aura surrounding it.

Aiming for Gosen and Santiago, his beast manages to smash the ground where Gosen is on top of the building exploding the building, throwing Gosen almost a hundred feet backwards from the sheer impact and with its crab claw smashing through the building and holding onto Santiago before he is able to teleport out of the grip.

From the distance Elisa is able to see a wizard she recognized in the two times she saw him, the human disguise for Keilrect Tillenbirg. He had a narrow face, a red suit and appear to be fully haired with white hair. There were no visible tattoos on him like most red wizards as he summoned a meteor swarm from the sky and managed to land a powerful blow knocking off a leg and smashing the creature as Keilrecht Tillenbirg caused massive destruction to the city around his beast caving in many buildings and starting a massive fire in the surrounding blocks.

Tohe beast let out a rumble of a shriek as Keilrect Tillenbirg disappeared. Distracted from the blow, Fenwyck fired another disintegrate with great effectiveness creating another hole in the fiend's carapace. The fiend burning from the dawn rushed towards Elisa and Fenwyck and smashed downwards throwing Elisa far off and collapsing the building, which fell on and pinned Fenwyck on the ground. Santiago chose to run back and shoot arrows as the beast approached him. Imir, with no other enemies stared a demon approaching if not over one hundred feet tall taking down allies right in front of him. Imir could see that between the various attacks and the two holes in its body that there wasn't much life left in this thing. With his mobility he shot in the sky and landed his most powerful attack in the pulsing flesh inside the disintegrated hole left by the ray as Imir stabbed into what appeared to be the heart of the demon as the impact of the attack reverberated throughout the beasts form as everything froze and the demon went limp. The arch fiend fell backwards and slowly started dissolving as the impact of its fall alone was enough to cause a shock wave and an explosion completely dissolving many the surrounding buildings.

As the fight was done, Elisa walked back from the distance covered and Gosen and the others on the ground were eventually found and healed. Imir despite taking no real hits appeared to be mortally wounded. His body was crumbling around him, which Elisa only really started to take notice when his body would not take to healing. His skin seemed brittle and dry.

It was around this time that Elisa started to lose her mind, the crack on her face expanded after the attack early Imir caused began to expand as her voice cracked and she started looking through her bag looking and thinking if there was anything she could do to save him.

Imir had a soft smile recognizing that this was a level of power that would kill him if he used and looked at peace as he looked towards Elisa and Fenwyck. Elisa was ignoring Imir focusing on trying to save him as Gosen and Santiago saw him standing slowly fading.

Zaphial looking in a distance. Imir addressed her to carry on in freeing their brothers and sisters. She gave him a nod and remarked by letting him know that whereever he goes next, he will no longer need to deal with Hell or devils.

Gosen went to give him a hardy hand shake with a smile on Imir's face, but the grip causing a part of his hand and forearm to crumble as Santiago called him a butthead. Imir admitted they were both great to have as friends as he turned to Elisa. Imir acknowledged Fenwyck as he gave Elisa a hug. Imir soon went limp as his body faded in a smile as he dissolved into dust.

Elisa's cracked alabaster cracked off revealing the silver innerworkings of her face as she was silent surrounding by his ashes. The moment of silence lasted for minutes.

It was Zaphial who broke the silence, not really interacting with anyone, but drawing a ritual and disappearing gathering a vortex taking in most of Imir's ashes.

Elisa just remained kneeling on the ground with her hands clenched now around the empty hands with a small amount of the remaining ashes of Imir.

The moment lasted for minutes before Elisa requested the movements before stepping on the piece of her face that fell from the wound that did not heal.

It was that moment, when the lighthouse made mostly in steel that Santiago knew as the Finger of the Gods with a light and clock tower completely exploded shattering the silence in the distance by the ports in the city.

Everyone took a moment to approach that part of the city where it was Lawrence that saw the fleeting image of a dragon leaving into the clouds. Elisa remembering the scrying asked him the description. It was vague, but he provided a description that appeared to match what she saw when scrying on him.

The tower that once stood appeared to mostly be scattered pieces at this point in time. There was a investigation that went into what remained in the tower. Not much was found, but Elisa found an orb, which appeared to be made from an unrecognizable rock metal that appeared broken. It almost looked like it was a sculpture of a ringed planet. Most of the details appeared to be either destroyed through the impact or burned off the item. Gosen and Elisa were able to isolate based on looking at it, that this might have been an item related to the summoning of the demons from within the tower.

Right now, there appeared to be no magic or activation left in this item, which appears to be destroyed. There were more attempts in the near hour sifting through the debris of the tower with no such luck finding anything important. Elisa was there, but mostly unfocused. She realized that despite her abilities as a cleric, her god denied her help and she didn't have the ability to restore Imir, who despite caring very much for his friends seemed the most at peace in death and wouldn't want to come back. With no real leads next, the question became what next? Lawrence Sabastian was afraid. Hlarasha had managed to save a Trap the Soul spell for Keilrecht Tillenbirg with the combined magic of the circle magic from the circle of Red Wizards. Without that, there was no way to really trap him. Lawrence was basically suggesting to call off the mission when Elisa looked down. "Not for nothing. Imir didn't give his life to stop this so we could give up" The rest within the Smighty Pieve agreed as the question became where to go next.

Lawrence calmed and acknowledged that if they were here, they might as well look to see what could be done.

Santiago's best hint was first to go back to Stanley, who appeared to be outside cleaning his sign and pulling some debris from the top and side of his building from on top of a ladder.

Stanley talked to the Smighty Pieve as he was cleaning. Santiago asked where they might go in order to find a room based on Elisa's description. Stanley stopped cleaning for a moment and gave it some thought. He didn't immediately know where it was, but he indicated that type of room underground would suggest its private and there were only a handful of people in the city that rich.

His idea was to find the richest person he was friendly to and maybe go there. Santiago thought Bruil, but wasn't too sure if that would be a good idea. Assuming Santiago had something to do with saving his city, he would be likely to be receptive to at least one conversation. With that, Santiago was keen to lead the rest of the party to the site of Bruilhaven, a small castle in Melvaunt where the Bruils lived.

Bruilhaven was in the older part of town in from the coast closer to the river mouth a bit in from the coast. Bruilhaven's property limits had a stone wall and a fence above that with pointed tips and its own guard presence. Santiago was familiar with this and the few guards, like the guards to the city were in gambeson armor with leather lightly plated helmets armed with swords. When Santiago arrived at the gate, the guards were a little surprised to see him as it was suggested that a courier was going to send out for him either later in the evening or early in the morning.

Everyone walked in quickly too much to really enjoy the ridiculous opulence of the house as the guards passed the Smighty Pieve over to the Butler who indicated that the armed group needed to keep weapons sheathed as he escorted them through the very large high ceilinged mansion. The attacks and the loss of Imir made the walk uneventful as Santiago almost knew exactly where to go to find Richard.

The Smighty Pieve walked the halls for a good minute before making their way into a familiar room decorated with adventuring exploits and rich family heirlooms. The room had dim lighting from candles and torches on a mostly orange felt and red room with a large fireplace and five chairs set up for the party as guests.

Richard was in a comfort robe mostly green with some red and blue smoking a pipe. Richard was a large portly man. There was a good amount of muscular frame indicating a past in either the military or adventuring, but also a gut showing a very rich lifestyle. Richard had dark brown hair and a short well kept beard. He was quick to motion the Santiago and the Smighty Pieve in the room and offer them drinks.

Santiago was quick to ask about the attack almost cutting off Richard for asking the same thing. The two before almost anything else starting going back and forth about what they knew, at least on the surface as Elisa asked for both whiskey and grilled cheese. During Imir's end, he provided the orb where Drazz'it was and offered him a home with Elisa since he was on his way out. Drazz'it's goodbye was labored, but he was willing to stay with Elisa after their first meeting. Drazz'it mostly stayed in her sleeve, where she shoved the drink and grilled cheese, which she needed to explain to the butler. While Elisa was feeding Drazz'it, Santiago was stopped with a very frontal question from Richard Bruil "Phlan or Mulmaster". Most of what he wanted to accomplish by starting an adventuring group was to get better intel with both sides of the conflict while hoping to mediate between the both of them and seeing the problem areas on either side. Bruil admitted that he had hoped that the conflict would have resolved before any decisive action was needed, but this attack changed everything. Santiago, being the only original member left and someone that has been to both cities the most spent a few seconds recalling information before answering "Phlan" Richard gave a nod and stated that he would send for Santiago alone to meet with the top four in the Council of Lords to have a meeting before calling members from Phlan to Melvaunt and discuss the terms of a tighter economic partnership.

Elisa asked for seconds as the butler was confused to see an empty glass come out of her sleeves as she asked for more. Santiago asked about Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Richard Bruil not only didn't know he was in the city, but wasn't familiar with the name. Santiago referred to him as a lich working with someone rich in the city and Red Wizards. Richard Bruil did comment that Red Wizards did actually help with a dragon to destroy the Finger of the Gods, a major land mark of the city he said angrily, but admitting that that along with the death of the massive demon basically ended the attack.

Richard, however didn't seem lenient to the idea of a lich being in the city as he asked for the description of the room to see if he could inform Santiago where it was. Two rooms were described by Elisa. Richard knew on the spot that the room belonged to Valendra Belsheba after that. Richard Bruil was not at all surprised since she was a Thay enthusiast and her family supposedly moved from Thay or at least the surrounding region around the time of the Thayan civil war just over a hundred years back.

Richard did say that if the lich was in league with Hell that he wouldn't be able to take a public stance with them most likely due to whatever contract Phlan set with Hell, but he could privately lend a portion of his money to have the Smighty Pieve hire a large number of mercenaries to help them storm the property to remove the Lich.

Santiago asked where might be the best place to go. Assuming there might have been some built in support for the lich in Belsheba's dealing, he urged Santiago away from the Black Hut and referred Breakwater Inn, which was a large establishment mostly known for the sailors by the coast, but also the largest tavern and inn within Melvaunt owned directly by a friend of the Leiyraghon. Many sailors and adventurers used to meet there and it is still one of the best places to put job ads for mercenaries.

With that, Richard looked in his bag and was going to ask his butler for ledgers and markers for mercenaries, but instead asked for platinum equaling in 10,000GP in value, so the butler with a third round of whiskey and grilled cheese brought 1,000PP to Bruil in a bag who tossed it towards Santiago. He mentioned to hire anything that he trusted and maybe find some way to swindle people who were a little dirty to be rid of them and informed them to pay them when the job was done as a way to avoid paying too much for people not worthy of it.

Bruil was thanked as he informed Santiago that he would be calling for him early and that he would likely invite those that helped save the city, likely Keilrecht Tillenbirg to be there with the meeting at the council building.

The butler and two guards escorted everyone out once Santiago indicated that they were going to find people to help them.

Breakwater was located not too far from the Finger of the Gods. The establishment was one of the few three story buildings that wasn't a manor or government building. There was a good amount aesthetic damage from debris, but no structural damage to the building.

The walk lead the Smighty Pieve through the other major battle area passing the exploded tower before making it by the coast looking onward to the sea before entering the restaurant portion of the building.

The Breakwater was always a high energy loud restaurant tavern with people almost always in a kind of bar brawl, a piano and always a place for people to sing and merrymaking. The sailor aesthetic was on full vibe with trophies of the Moonsea on display.

The look now was mostly the same. The biggest difference is that people had evacuated to this location early on, and the usually bustling tavern restaurant was filled beyond typical capacity. The usually bustling bar was crowded and it was a bit difficult to really make your way through the shoulders of people sitting. There were extra chairs and some people sitting on the floor just trying to wait out the storm as others coming in were beginning to celebrate the end of the fight and mourn the loss of friends at the same time.

While looking through the people at the bar, it was Elisa who first spotted Krogan from the Silenciosa sitting at a bar not too far from a table where she recognized Captain Silva's magnificent mustache and saw a few others with him. Upon getting closer and making room, she noticed a human looking individual who resembled how Rosk looked the last time they saw him.

It was Elisa and Gosen that made their way to the crew first. There was a fair amount of early catching up as the Smighty Pieve asked about them and Captain Silva asked about what happened with Regis and Imir before telling them that Dagna, Ezra, and Aklos were doing well. He made sure to inform them about the news of the region before going back here and talking about their minor role in the attack.

Santiago and Elisa asked about seeing if they would help when it came to storming a Lich in the Belsheba manor. The second human at the table tipped his had to reveal an albatross aarikockra in Hek and said that he wouldn't do it. Captain Silva also stated that he would offer the choice to everyone in his crew, but that they were sailors more than fighters or adventurers. Rosk did seem interested, not so much in fighting, but mentioned that he is a good spy and if they needed his services that he could aid them in at least some recon if that would help. Elisa and Santiago started going over the details. His rates were very high, but they knew he was a changeling, so his ability to move in and out would be great. They changed as details became more clear. Elisa, Fenwyck and Gosen started thinking of a plan and worked with Santiago on when would be the best time and decided that arriving before Santiago returned from the meeting would be good.

Everyone agreed to start looking for others to help them on this raid before the end of the night since the operation would start early in the next morning.

=Session 49: Sales and Sacrifice=

At the table with Captain Rigoberto Silva and Hek at the time, the question became who would be hired and exactly for what. Santiago took the helm of this as he was a local here. While not as familiar with this particular tavern as Dagna, he spent years in the city and his life in the region. Breakwater was very busy, in fact so busy that it was crowded. There was a mix between known mercenaries, people who seemed capable and able to fight that he didn't recognize and a large number of civilians. Due to the attacks, the place was filled beyond capacity.

The owner, a middle aged man with a fine red coat and a twirly curly mustache sporting a thick French accent was out and about trying to make the people feel comfortable. The numbers were high since while the attacks were supposedly over, no one here really knew how they started, so most were playing it safe. There were more people than chairs, so some are just standing while others were sitting on the floor.

Captain Silva first pointed to a half orc in shiny plate mail. He did not look at all like Griswold, though. This half orc was very dapper. Aside from his shiny armor and weapon, he was most recognized by his well styled slick back hair which seamlessly went into the side burn chops on his face with a light brown almost reddish color. It was too loud to hear him clearly, but there was a crowd around him.

Captain Silva said that he was very strong. He was an odd one, but his strength reminded him of that your own capabilities, maybe even moreso. With that, he did mention that he was odd. He talked about other worldly things that confused people, kind of like Aklos.

Santiago decided to talk to him alone first and see if he could get a vibe for this individual. The conversation died down between multiple people and this half orc only seemed to be talking to familiar mercenary by the name of Victor Slash. Victor Slash was most recognized by the scar on his lower left lip.

Enter Ur-Dragor
Victor was in what looked like hide when he welcomed Santiago and aimed to introduce him to a one Ur-Dragor. This half orc had a bellowing voice and spoke quickly. It took only a second for Santiago to see how he could command the presence of the room, but also be a fool at the same time. During the initial conversation, Ur-Dragor forgot Santiago's name twice and usually referred to him as an elf despite the fact that he's a human. He would commonly trail off into random rambling. During this conversation it was clear that Ur-Dragor had a few recognized anecdotes he used in conversation. Often regarding his sword and how he got it. The shining weapon was a beauty, covered in gems and looked as sharp as a masterwork weapon never used. While telling the tale of how he defeated Brimbar, The Life Devourer, he swung the weapon almost openly in the crowded bar slicing through plates accidentally without even noticing. Santiago was half listening to his words, but trying to see how much of his words were meaningless boasting and looking at his form if he was actually as strong as he believes he is. Despite the ridiculous amount of boasting, Santiago could still see the fundamentals of someone capable of fighting through it all.

Santiago eventually moved the conversation to hiring him. Ur-Dragor spoke quickly initially asking for 700 platinum before being fine with 4. Throughout this portal he asked about a magical artifact called the Pendalsmithe. Santiago never heard of it, but lied to Ur-Dragor saying that he would get it if he worked with the group. Ur-Dragor was originally suspicious, but then forgot that he was suspicious and agreed to meet the rest of the Smighty Pieve.

During the initial introduction, he referred to Fenwyck as a Dwarf and killed Elisa's hand. He was over the the top to the point where Elisa was trying to see if he was compensating for something. Gosen loved the man bonding as they both recognized strength and fine weapons.

Hek, still at the table next to them saw and opportunity sensing that Ur-Dragor was a potential sucker tried to get Gosen to challenge him to a drinking contest using his cheating stein in order win some money. Hek, still looking as a human looked to order several of what Breakwater considered the strongest drink and started this. Fenwyck and Elisa watched in almost a perpetual face palm as this happened while Gosen blatantly cheated and Hek tried to get Ur-Dragor to bet basically all the money he had. Elisa was almost worried about the situation until she realized that Hek was just messing with him to have fun with the group again.

Santiago also tuned out as the conversation eventually turned into hiring more than one person. Santiago mentioned that he managed to hire Ur-Dragor for 4 platinum. It was clear during the start of the drinking contest that Ur-Dragor had almost no concept of money buying drinks and tossing platinum down instead of silver.

As Gosen allowed Ur-Dragor to bet more being hyped up by Hek, Santiago surveyed the room and actually found several of the mercenaries that hunted him for Jongrim back when they were returning from the mission to fight Count Pilot. He saw Stalrigg, the human werewolf barbarian, Mr. Tim, the halfling Cleric, and Burke, she also has a bow. They were formidable while fighting a while back, so Santiago was keen on getting their attention and hiring them.

When walking up to the group, Burke, nodded as Stalrigg was quick to put his hand out for a handshake. When it came down to talking about business, it was Mr. Tim that mostly talked. He first thanked them for keeping a low profile when they first went to Thentia. He indicated that it was safe for them, but probably not for Santiago. He mentioned that Fernheart still wanted him dead and was willing to pay as much as 200,000 gold for it. It was driving the mercenary community crazy as most of them have never seen that much money and couldn't imagine how to use it.

Santiago didn't mention to Ur-Dragor that what they are looking to fight was a lich, but just that it was someone very evil and very dangerous. While Ur-Dragor was not at all phased, Mr. Tim was told that the enemy was a lich and uttered the name Keilrecht Tillenbirg, which he did know. Mr. Tim from his religious readings early on in the invasion heard horror stories of the lich cultist who used spells to turn allies against each other and sacrificed his own allies to devil summoning rituals. Mr. Tim demanded a decent price for the team, and added a disclaimer that if things got too dicey that they wouldn't fight to the death against a Lich or put themselves at odds with the whole city. Santiago was understanding and got an agreement that they would be willing to help the Smighty Pieve with an ambush on him before going back to his place of residence.

While this was happening, Ur-Dragor and Gosen continued the drinking contest. While Gosen was clearly winning due to using his item. Ur-Gragor proved himself resilient or at the very least tolerant to alcohol since he continued to be up through at least four rounds needing the owner, Marine Lepin to offer a special odorless liquor from his personal stash and provided it in a very large mug for both of them. No one blinked an eye as Gosen transferred to his lucky stein as Ur-Dragor passed out when Santiago returned. Elisa and Fenwyck were not impressed. Now counting four additional allies, Elisa was curious if they could find more.

Right now, the point of urgency was finding a wizard that might have knowledge or be able to help with the spell. Though to find a wizard more knowledgeable than Fenwyck would be difficult. Fenwyck and Santiago surveyed three potential opportunities as Elisa scouted for capable people in general to add to this team.

She found a team of three dwarves that seemed to be headed by an old grizzled looking smith who scars and a face that has seen more than a few fights in his time.

Fenwyck looks around the tavern and sees a wizard in a group of two. The other person looks to be an orc close to seven feet tall with an orangish red hue in robes obscuring most of the shape of his body sitting on the ground. The wizard was at a table standing talking to him as Santiago and Fenwyck approached the two of them. Fenwyck approaches kind of awkwardly after seeing that he is most likely a wizard due to similar cues of item usage like a components pouch and a tome. She introduces herself as Suzanne and and he is a little surprised, but makes light conversation. The orc in the back is mostly silent as Fenwyck and Santiago make introductions. With almost no prompting he tells their story. The two are not native to the Moonsea. They moved from the south closer to the Impultor area and left once the area was basically taken over by the Nine Hells. He introduced Pendu, who who was the Orc with him who was silent and gave a slight nod as he is Allister Forrager. Fenwyck was probing questions to see how "good" of a wizard he was. Santiago asked if he could cast Fireball. He was at least that capable as Fenwyck asked to see his spellbook. He was kind of shy with that, but willing to show her. Allister's handwriting was actually very very neat and his spellbook was very organized with lots of markers and separators and such. It was a bit of a personal identifier to his personality. Fenwyck was able to see that he was not as capable as she was, but that he could be of help to them.

Santiago mentioned that they are going after a Lich. Allister was a bit scared at first, but willing to consider it. He admits that neither of them are really mercenaries and he isn't too good at really pricing their services. Saying that out loud caused the orc to sort of face palm as Santiago took that as a chance to slightly underpay them. He was however much more generous than he could have been offering 15Pp to each. Allister asked about the plan, where to go and what to do.

Santiago mentioned that they would eventually ambush Keilrecht Tillenbirg on his way back to the estate after finding the exact location and route from someone else hired. Allister nodded and mentioned that he would likely stay here for the night since the place they were staying was destroyed in the attack.

Ur-Dragor was asleep as Elisa and Gosen moved to the three Dwarves to see if they would be willing to join. Upon closer inspection, the Dwarf in the leather work apron still seemed to be the boss. He was the oldest, had the biggest beard, the biggest muscles and talked louder than the rest with a sneer on his face most of the time. He was clearly angry about something as there was a younger middle aged Dwarf with a small pair of glasses and a braided red bear with a hat and a long jacket with lots of pockets. He seemed almost like a wizard, but not really. Looking closely he might even have a firearm. He appeared not too dissimilar to Louise back in her shop. There was not confirmation, but he appeared to be an artificer. The last had on his back a fancy looking crossbow. The last Dwarf was a bit older also, but had small sharp eyes and no hair on his face of neck. He was the first to notice Elisa coming as he touched the shoulders of the other Dwarves when she and Gosen arrived close to the table.

Elisa was very polite introducing herself. The oldest Dwarf did most of the talking. He started suspicious, but overly kind charm softened him just enough to talk to them. She did eventually mention that they were looking to hunt someone from the Hells in the city who she believes can get them closer to stopping the rain. The three Dwarves introduced themselves. The head of the pack was an old grizzled retired adventurer, now smith who lost his shop in the past attack. He had the first smile of the conversation thinking that he could put his life and axe to good use for the world. He promised his service for free if they would help with supplies.

Briarg, the artificer joined in also to help as Aegis, the other old Dwarf, related would keep a close eye that they stood alive during it. Gosen was mostly backup, but gained some respect from Murdok, the head dwarf as one could see Gosen's battles just be looking at him and agreed to help them. Murdok said that they would likely stay here and that they only need come again when they want their help and they would gladly come along.

Regrouping, there are now nine people recruiting to help. Most of Bruil's money spent, but there was some left and they wanted to see if they could guarantee victory.

Lawrence still there mentioned that the main issue was how they would trap him. The focus became to find powerful wizards that might be able to help trap a lich since he can't really be killed or trapped through his body under normal circumstances.

There two wizards that appeared to fit the description of confident magical using looking individuals based solely on appearances. Once was a Dwarf in red robes with a gold trim. This robe was a bit lighter orange than the average Red Wizard garbs and the Dwarf had on his back a holy symbol on his chest and back of a scroll indicating Oghma. He looked a bit frantic, talking to himself and going into his book every few minutes. It was also possible that he was drunk since there were many empty beer glasses at his table, which had no chairs, but he hoarded to himself.

Fenwyck and Santiago decided to approach him. This Dwarf was quick to notice their arrival and interrupted them and was pretty loud. Santiago was a bit quicker on the description. He mentioned the quest for ever learning knowledge, but also a quest to bring back the Goddess of Magic, Mystra. He spoke of calamities happening one after the other. He prophesized the fall of the world. Santiago mostly shut it out and asked if he liked money for it. The Dwarf was not quick to accept. He asked a questions about the mission. He was most worried about how long it would take. When he heard that Santiago only really needed them for a single morning, he quickly agreed. The conversation was brief at that point ending in a "Praise Kaos" before Fenwyck and Santiago returned back to the hub table where Ur-Dragor was sleeping. Fenwyck had a sweeping suspicion that he might be a cultist and Santiago forgot that the quest he was on was the same one that the ancient magic users had at Mozariq's Crystal Castle in the Astral Sea and one of the people there was a Chosen of Oghma talking with the group.

The last person was a slightly darker skinned man with a large beard who had almost been staring at the group this whole time. He had a dark brownish colored robe and appeared mostly to be reading. He didn't have his own table. He was just sitting on the floor reading a book the whole time. Fenwyck and Santiago approached him as someone else they could hire, and this would likely spend the rest of Bruil's money and go into their personal stash.

This man was a human and very distracted at first despite clearly noticing the group from afar. When Santiago started pressing for the mission, this man cut him off and mentioned the details of the mission. He quickly quipped that it was dangerous to be free about the details of the mission out in the open. They didn't know if allies of the Lich were around here or if any spies were catching the details of the mission. He also asked if Santiago and Fenwyck had a plan to make this lich talk. Both eventually admitted that they really didn't know how they would make him talk, admitting that that was partially why they were looking for wizards to help with that. Fenwyck asked if he was capable. He answered capable, but not an arch necromancer.

He stated that they would need an arch mage likely that specializes in necromancy if to find or explain a way to trap a lich without having access to their phylactery. With that explanation, that wizard mentioned that he would not join until such a plan was in place. Fenwyck and Santiago left almost in defeat by this rejection. It was a consideration that they had amassed a force to be able to defeat Keilrecht Tillenbirg, but no real plan for getting him to talk. He was a lich, so there was no fear of the death and destroying his body would be a nuisance, but not enough to make him speak useful information against Szass Tam.

Santiago on his way back attempted to recall if he ever knew anyone that fit this bill. Thentia, the next door city had arch mages, so it was a possibility. There was the stories of Theodorus underneath the city that were not confirmed. The main memory of someone capable in Necromancy was none other than Perseus Von Eshkabel. It was almost too obvious. Santiago's current existence was almost that of a lich himself. He is both immortal, not capable of death, but also bound to Eshkabel. With almost no word once returning back, he entered a trance to speak to Eshkabel. Almost waiting for the message, he was aware that Santiago needed something. The conversation was pleasant as he didn't show force with Santiago. Just as Santiago was perfectly fine with evil, but preferred to do good, he did as much as possible to seem reasonable to Santiago when speaking. The subject quickly came up as he mentioned that he could help. By knowing Santiago, he was at least somewhat familiar with his team. Eshkabel noted that two people from his team might be able to learn the spell needed to capture Keilrecht Tillenbirg, potentially pulling back against his essence to his soul at the point of his body's death.

Eshkabel informed Santiago that the burden of such a spell could have a high cost, especially to Elisa, who he thought would be better suited to learning the spell since they both cast divine magic rather than arcane magic. Through his explanation, he stated that he learned it going through Loki's old laboratories originally seeking information on the death of his old master when he captured the hired assassin. He eventually worked it when he was a lich and had enough power to create a variant that allows him to basically create and control liches as his children and create prototype weapons and items to cultivate people and slowly transform them into immortal servants and children of his. Santiago that moment reflected that he is in fact technically undead.

Santiago and Fenwyck returned back while Elisa was still speaking to the two Dwarves with Gosen. When they arrived back, Elisa asked about the wizard who was still very clearly staring back at the table. He was not being very subtle. When Elisa asked, Santiago mentioned that what the issue was. At that point, he also mentioned Eshkabel. Elisa considered whether or not some of the people hired might be more attuned to spell. Words echoed in Elisa's head when Ilmater denied helping her when Imir died. Elisa agreed to speak to Eshabel herself and then Fenwyck agreed. At this point in time, it wasn't clear the price of this. Enshkabel was cryptic about the price aside from the fact that he wanted Keilrecht Tillenbirg's soul if they succeeded. Otherwise, his only message was that the two might not want to engage in this.

Elisa and Fenwyck contemplated the possibility of a permanent connect like Santiago or a possession like what happened to Santiago when dealing with Aesperus. While at the table, Santiago telepathically connect to Eshkabel and Fenwyck and Elisa were able to connect through contact.

This was the first time someone other than Santiago willingly talked to him. There was a conscious visual in the trance moving from a black purple colored fog in a black area as the fog faded to reveal a small stone room with the decorum of an old chapel. The stone was mostly chipped and there was a single piano. A man neither Elisa or Fenwyck had seen in a long purple cloak with white hair and a long face greeted the group. Eshkabel was impressed to see everyone at the very least considering the opportunity. He described the spell as a will of spirits, pulling on the essence possibly talking the soul from the defeated body. It was a very powerful spell and there is risk to the spell. Keilrecht Tillenbirg has the possibility to fight back even as essence and might be able to steal the soul of the person casting the spell if he succeeds instead of trapping his soul.

The only cost or fear for Fenwyck was whether or not she had a background in Necromancy. Eshkabel was not a wizard and his power over death was not arcane, so if she had no reference, he couldn't provide it, but she did have Merkul's book from Aesperus. As for Elisa, he could teach her all on his own, but a negative energy spell like this would require Elisa potentially to reject some of the teachings of Ilmater and take in negative Energy. This would allow her the capability to cast the spell as Eshkabel had stated.

Elisa paused and the words echoed again from Ilmater. There was some deliberation before she agreed. Both were a bit scared at first, but no permanent connection or even possession was required. He would merely deliver the knowledge of how to cast the spell through Santiago, and both of them would be required to learn it.

It was a somber victory, but while Elisa considered the cost, Fenwyck was mostly excited to have the opportunity to learn a new spell. When the trance was over, neither had learned the spell completely, but both had a sense of what needed to be done to learn it.

The first thing was to elicit the help of that wizard who had originally denied them. Elisa walked with Fenwyck and Santiago. When the two arrived mentioning that they had access to an Arch Necromancer and the ability to cast the spell. The wizard was inquisitive, but also skeptical on it. Elisa, however intimidated him into agreeing by revealing a part of her wounded face. A bit surprised and a little bit frightened, he backed down finding excuses not to press on.

Like the others he asked a few questions about when and where, to which they mentioned that they would arrive in the morning to pick the people up and formulate a place based on the route that would be provided by Rosk. He eventually nodded when the three walked away. For the first time, he was not really following their movements. All the pieces in place. All that was left was to learn the spell and gather tomorrow when it was time. The rest would come together from Rosk and happen after Santiago and Keilrecht Tillenbirg leave the meeting at the council hall.

=Session 50: Dark Pacts=

The night was not particularly eventful. Fenwyck and Elisa were learning the spell as Elisa accepted that the spell was not just a spell of necromancy, but of evil, causing a noticeable change she was forced to accept. The night ended with the two learning the spell and Elisa forced to contemplate the situation awake and alone.

Santiago received a message from a courier regarding the meeting of which he was already aware. The only difference between what was said and the message from Richard Bruil was the fact that Santiago could bring someone else to deliberate with him. With a choice to consider between what was being planned and who he could bring, he decided to ask Gosen, who is usually awake at this time. Elisa didn't sleep so, he did have a word with her before the two of them made their way to the council building. The council building itself was a plain building. The guards subsided when they recognized Santiago. The building was large, but not particularly impressive. It was a mostly wooden building with little design outside paintings of people mostly within the three most impressive wealthy families.

The result of the question that started it all
The main room itself was a circular room to house the twenty one seats that belonged to the Council of Lords with four seats in the back dedicated to the High Chancellor, the Lord of the Key, the First Envoy, and the Lord of the Waves. When Santiago and Gosen arrived, three of the four ranking individuals were already present. Richard Bruil, with his familiar presence greeted them in a bellowing voice. Gosen had never seen Nanther before, but he was a man in his mid to later forties with black slowly greying hair and a deep blue clean suit and cloak with white trim. It was the type of attire that is almost impossible to keep clean without magic or lots of money to clean it. He was mostly inattentive to Santiago and Gosen. The last person there was Mordeux Leyraghon. He was dressed in a naval military jacket.

He had a sort of fake rugged look to him, almost an older less in shape version of captain Rigoberto Silva wearing finer clothing greeting the two as they entered. Richard was about to make his opening statements regardless of the Lord of the Key not being present when Dodgrick Mennindrome appeared to storm into the room in full black attire. Such an outfit could mean multiple things, but it seemed likely that he was either going to go to an funeral or perhaps already went to one. Given the time, it seemed the former was true. At 7AM, the meeting started with general introduction and then moved to a repeat of the meeting with Santiago. He asked him to verify which city made more sense. Santiago repeated the same answer, to which he received a variety of replies. When asked to elaborate, he expressed not so much a greater trust in Phlan, but a rather common sense argument about the strength of Phlan given the attacks and what they have done more for the region itself.

This argument caught Leyraghon off as he didn't expect to hear this angle of persuasion to be considered in this manner. Gosen verified the same thing as Dodgrick also kept a stern eye on Santiago's deliberation. When it went to a vote, Nanther threw immediate shade at Bruil in an attempt to block the integrity of the meeting, the situation and even the gathering and use of adventurers period for rebranding of Melvaunt to make this decision. He called into question the validity of Sarcaedon Arbelleck's evidence against Mulmaster and used an argument that called Phlan's position of strength a bargaining weakness that would make Melvaunt less able to get what they needed and called to motion to Mulmaster.

Next to speak was Dodgrick, who usually stood taller than everyone else in the room, but was also the only one among them that was not of the three richest families. He was uncharacteristically humble starting. He admitted that he had originally planned on simply agreeing with Nanther.

He did an immediate pivot in logic and started citing Santiago's words in a different perspective. He made immediate note that his attire was due to the fact that a large portion of his family was killed in the last attack as well as losing most of his estate. He drew comparisons between this attack and the war outside the Moonsea. His anger was at how fortunate everyone here was to life off of Phlan's actions while protesting them. He then changed his tone to instead one that mimicked Santiago's words in practicality. He pulled out a map of the region and mentioned the difference in location between the two cities citing that Mulmaster was almost 200KM away by voyage and considerably longer by foot. With that he acknowledged that while Mulmaster needs Melvaunt more than Phlan, that Melvaunt is not negotiating this in a position of strenght, but need. Past behavior would suggest that Phlan is more helpful and able to help than Mulmaster. This distinction hit as he marked his decision for Phlan.

Mordeux decided not to cast his vote before giving the floor the Bruil. Nanther crossed his head already aware of his defeat. Richard mentioned that he wasn't immediately aware to trust Santiago since he was originally added onto the team by Adrian Plasses, a man in the pocket of Sarcaedon Arbelleck, but Santiago's words matched information he had already received from Regis, who was definitely trusted by Richard Bruil. With that, he stated that he trusted the words of those that spoke and considered what it would mean to align themselves with both cities and believed there would be more to gain with Phlan. It was a short description that was not really tantamount to his decision making process.

When Dockrin looked to appeal, all parties voted against it leaving the decision to remain as it was, a two to one vote in favor of aligning themselves with Phlan. Richard admitted that he had hoped that he wouldn't be forced into any decision and that it would blow over already.

At the Unseen Armadillo, Fenwyck and Elisa were making their way back to the Breakwater when a rather average looking brown haired human with no striking or memorable facial features strolled next to Elisa introducing himself as Rosk walked besides them, not really whispering, but speaking quietly. The morning was misty and muddy by the coast as Santiago and Gosen as well as Elisa could see an effort to repair parts of the city destroyed in the attack.

Rosk stated that he found a route Valendra used to get back and pulled out a paper with a relatively crude drawing of the path and circled a few areas where it seemed more discreet. The drawing was not very detailed, but key streets were labeled, and while Elisa took a second to understand it, Rosk assured them that anyone that knows Melvaunt would find it easy to read and she could still more or less understand it. He pointed to places were underground was viable as a potential point of attack to ambush him.

Rosk did say that he would give additional intel for when they were on their way if anything changed. Elisa did add that she would give him a message, a sending to reply to when they are on their way to give a time frame about when to set up on their way back. This would give Elisa a timeline to how long it would take for them to get into position.

Rosk diverged from the path giving Elisa the piece of paper as the two made their way into the Breakwater tavern. Elisa went in to see only the owner active and maybe a few people actually in the tavern area itself. Among the very few people was Ur-Dragor, someone who has been awake since roughly 5AM waiting for the group to arrive. He was on time and ready to go despite forgetting most of the details regarding the mission. As Elisa was waiting for others to arrive, Fenwyck was more or less keeping him company as he rattled off a few stories about things that may or may not have actually happened.

The next to arrive, who might actually have been there the whole time were the three dwarves, Murdok, Aegis and Briarg. The familiar almost family of Dwarves were lead by Murdock, who was willing to engage the mission and focused on seeing how they could help.

In time all the teams came by slowly eventually leading to all eleven of the people hired to arrive. It was at this time that Elisa realized that Lawrence, their harper agent wasn't with them. He stated that he was at a place referred to as the Shaggy Prankster owned by Harpers in Melvaunt looking at information with people in his network and that he was planning on aiding them, but looking to find information through his own connections.

Once it came down to the plan, Elisa put down the paper and mentioned where Rosk said would be good places to be. Murdock quickly confirmed the locations and acknowledged Rosks points. Once it came down to nuts and bolts organization, Fenwyck started separating the teams into two different primary groups, based on the skills and experiences of each person. No one on the team sides maybe Ur-Dragor really resisted the organization method as it was broken down to who would go from beneath and who would scout out from the rooftops.

Elisa did say that she would reach out to Santiago also to get a good gauge on time for the operation. It was shortly after that that Rosk replied with saying that Valendra had left with Keilrecht Tillenbirg. The two had a single Red Wizard and a Dragonborn with the symbol of Asmodeus with them. He altered his path slightly over the reply, but not enough to change the primary locations to ambush them.

As this was being organized, the meeting reached a different point now where Valendra was called into the room. She was cordial to Santiago and Gosen when entering, but seemingly aware that this was likely going to be an accusation. She started off polite, but Mordeux was quick to bring her to the attention that he was aware of Keilrecht Tillenbirg.

This made the conversation immediately awkward as Nanther and Bruil were both very immediately accusatory and both considered what this might mean for the city. Valendra, however insinuated that she had no power in the decision and was forced to allow Keilrecht Tillenbirg in her home due to the contract with Phlan. She indicated that he was very clear on this and that she didn't wish the attack or oppose someone from the Nine Hells in the chance that that would cause more harm to the city.

Her tone became coy as she spoke sarcastically and stated that she had hoped to keep the whole thing a secret to keep the city safe of the knowledge that Keilrecht Tillenbirg was within in the city. When they asked why he was in the city or what exactly he was looking to do in Melvaunt, she simply indicated that she didn't know. There was a point of frustration to the point where Nanther considered putting her under a zone of truth to get truthful answers. She was not resistant as a pause in the meeting occurred to find a wizard able to cast zone of truth and see if she could repeat answers.

While under the zone of truth, Gosen realized that she was not effected by the spell as she gave more or less the same answers. She also stated that it was intel from Keirecht Tillenbirg that Hell sent a team to fight against the demons and Santiago's team had specifically fought against the devils sent to save the city requiring her to ask nearly beg Keilrecht Tillenbirg to get involved to help save the city.

This surprised Bruil as he couldn't confirm that she was lying and looked back at Santiago. Gosen and Santiago talked amongst themselves as Gosen really couldn't verify that she was lying at all in her statements, but it was clear from what he listened to that she had freedom of her speech over the zone of truth and that she definitely wanted to paint a narrative with her words.

The attempt to gain information from her was slow and mostly unrewarding.

It was the time they agreed to call Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Both Gosen and Santiago have seen him at least once during the attack attempt on Sarcaedon Arbelleck back at the Lavender Swan. He didn't appear a Thayan, which was the most noticeable after being around a large number of Red Wizards. Tillenbirg had a very light colored skin and appeared to have his hair. He was pale with a slim face and a scowl on his face. His suit was red and he had a longer than average walking stick that was likely a staff. His pitch white hair was almost spiked out as he entered the room.

He had an ere of overconfidence that was immediately visible. The moment the council started asking him questions, he was quick to dismiss the room and state that he was the only one in there with true power. He motioned to threaten the entire council and everyone in the building if more of his time was wasted. This resulted in the room going quiet. At that point, he regurgitated most of what Valendra said happened only stating that he called Nilvarrus, a powerful Dragon turned infernal duke of the 8th circle to aid in the attack against a well prepared arch mage seeking to destroy the city with the demon attack.

He mentioned the team brought by Duke Val'Dranar and how Santiago and the team attacked them by trying to turn on of his members. This reaction caused Santiago to speak out of turn against Tillenbirg arguing about the right to control Imir and that his friend was no slave. Keilrecht Tillenbirg's voice raised to match Santiago as he argued that Imir was merely property, created by Val'Dranar. Once the exchange was done, Keilrecht Tillenbirg nearly demanded that Gosen and Santiago should be arrested and tortured for eternity for their crimes against Hell and breaching the contract signed in Phlan by killing a Duke.

The room was silent as Richard Bruil denied wishing to take such action and wanted to keep the room civil. Tillenbirg was clearly angry a guard relayed information of Vorgan.

The awkward silence cut at the impending arrival of the leaders of Phlan, but that would not last long as Bruil would ask Keilrecht Tillenbirg for privacy in the private meeting of leaders of Phlan. Keilrect Tillenbirg again flexes his authority by denying that he should leave indicating that city leaders are pointless compared to them. Flexing the truth that the region belongs to Hell in a silent freeze as he motions himself to the side of the room just to silently watch as the doors open.

Enter Vorgan, new King of the Moonsea
In the center, there is a Goliath with a tiny tuft of blonde hair on a lighter colored body. He is seen wearing the same minimalistic golden crown that was worn by Rilan Dregard before, only sticking up slightly with a few rubies and diamonds in it. Vorgan is wearing heavy scale armor and despite being a king looks ready for combat. His attire seems less ceremonial, but practical for combat as he walks in the room tracking mud.

To his right side, a familiar human looking man in all black and onyx and obsidian based jewelry, one Shem Romanov the V steps in doing a light bow to Santiago and Gosen as he walks by. In contrast, Shem Romanov's attire is completely spotless as typically seen as looks onward to the nobles of Melvaunt and does a slightly annoyed scowl as he sees Keilrecht Tillenbirg at the side of the room.

To the left, another familiar figure with a navy blue wizard cloak and short staff. This aged man is also familiar, standing tall walking with an very wide grin on his face is Sarcaedon Arbelleck, almost too excited to see the moment of this meeting coming to pass. He passes a quick exchange with high energy to see Santiago and Gosen here almost quipping about how likely they are to have caused this situation. His enthusiasm is cut by more than half the moment he sees Keilrecht Tillenbirg and avoids the former Grand Magus averts his gaze from the still current Grand Magus.

Vorgan had a low grizzled voice and spoke plainly using profanity with little regard for the presence of other leaders. When looking at Santiago and Gosen, he asked if they were the ones that dealt with Aesperus, to which Shem Romanov the V whispered a few details as Vorgan made his introduction to Richard Bruil and the rest of the council.

The meeting itself when underway as Vorgan deferred to both Shem Romanov and Sarcaedon Arbelleck regarding details of the agreement and what would entail. Santiago and Gosen both were as interested in communicating the situation back and attempting to understand exactly how Valendra dodged the zone of truth than anything else.

While the meeting was happening, Fenwyck had finished the plan working exact locations for most of the 13 people that were joining in this ambush. It was split almost evenly between a team underground in a the manhole consisting mostly of melee support and fighters ready to jump in on the attack while a team hidden in the allies and on the rooftop of buildings surveyed consisting of magical attack and ranged support.

Everyone was in position long in advance. The length of the meeting was never discussed and Elisa aimed for haste to be in position by the time the group arrived back. Fenwyck and Elisa did attempt to consider how trustworthy the people on the team were when doing the split. The main point of suspicion was Alfred, the Dwarf wizard who appeared to be a cultist of Oghma. The symbol of the scroll looked slightly different. The words were blank on the scroll and the phrase "Hail or Praise Kaos" certainly left an odd mix. There was less, but still some suspicion Rozeran, the wizard who initially denied joining.

Despite that, Rozeran didn't immediately reveal his true colors, but he was indeed a spy for the Red Wizards. During the meeting, he had been giving messages and a sending to Keilrecht Tillenbirg confirming the attack and the location of those looking to attack him.

He suggested that he could teleport back and disrupt their attempt at the house. Keilrecht Tillenbirg was more confident than that suggesting to let the attack happen, but attack when they were about to engage to make the attack a failure and make an example of those who attack them. Rozeran agreed and allowed those around him to plan.

Elisa had cast a sending to Santiago meant to be replied when it was clear that the meeting was over and that Keilrecht Tillenbirg was on his route back that Rosk disclosed.

After a long discussion, papers were signed and agreements were made. Sarcaedon Arbelleck had a look of nervousness around Keilrecht Tillenbirg, but otherwise had great confidence in his deal. The only road block mentioned before the end of the meeting was done by both Nanther and Bruil together when the subject of the attack that destroyed Hulburg went into the conversation with Aesperus. The mention of Fzoul Chembryl and the roomer that his arrival sparked an agreement between him and Rilan. Vorgan shut that down as much as he could, but the tension grew as the name had a familiar ring as he was a key figure in the Zhentarim over a hundred years back during their expansion. It was Shem Romanov the V that disclosed the situation with Fzoul, saying what Santiago and Gosen knew was a lie and downplayed his role in this situation.

It was a short lived detour, but one that caught the other council members off guard since both Dockrin and Richard seemed forceful to answer.

Once the meeting was more or less completed, Richard called for a recess between this meeting and more as Valendra and Keilrecht Tillenbirg began their leave only announced that they were leaving from Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Santiago and Gosen immediately wanted to rush after them, but agreed to wait a small amount to inform Richard that Valendra was clearly immune to the effect of the Zone of Truth earlier.

This was a quick side conversation that Gosen mostly facilitated as Santiago kept an eye on just how long ago the two left. When it was likely that they were out of immediate sight, but not too far not to follow, the two asked to leave and were allowed out of the council building and started to follow the group of four walking back to the Belsheba estate. The route taken was a more quiet route as Rosk mentioned and the point of attack he added was closer to where many of the rich people lived. Rosk indicated in those words that it is not very busy in that area. There is very little movement, however if people call the guards, they are likely quickly to react since it is a richer part of the city.

When Santiago was out, he replied to the sending to say that they are on their way and that Gosen and he were following them.

As Keilrecht Tillenbirg and company were traversing the quiet streets of Melvaunt, Santiago cast pass without a trace in order to catch up to them with Gosen without worrying about being spotted. When the group was close, everyone was waiting for the group to close distance to the manhole and await the incoming ambush. Fenwyck could hear Rozeran holding a spell once they were in sight. In time waiting for the exact moment, there was a massive explosion. on the roof top encompassing Fenwyck and those around her. The explosion alerted Keilrecht Tillenbirg and those with him immediately as Fenwyck was one of only two people able to dodge the full power of the blast when it happened.

Battle against Keilrecht Tillenbirg, the fearless cultist.
Keilrecht Tillenbirg with a smirk was ready for the battle and on the rebound from jumping out of the way, Fenwyck gets caught in a spell as Tillenbirg aims to decay an entire house on the spot in reaction. Fenwyck falls only seeing the wizard that betrayed them and the first upcoming attack from Keilrecht Tillenbirg.

Santiago and Gosen react quickly as those underground including Ur-Dragor who greatly resisted being underground heard the explosions outside and was ready to jump out. Fenwyck sent a message to Elisa just on her fall saying not to worry about her and carry the burden of saving people on her. Elisa took that as acknowledgement that the battle started and saw the betrayal. Valendra acted with a shocked face clearly indicating that she was not aware of the attack of what was going to happen. When Tillenbirg was attacked at first, she moved to dominate Gosen's mind and keep him under their control.

Santiago started with his attacks on Tillenbirg. Elisa was able to use her ability to charm and cause both Rozeran and the Red Wizard walking with Kelrecht Tillenbirg to be charmed and turn against Valendra and him. A tall Dragonborn stood in front blocking him from impending attackers underground. Ur-Dragor left the underground and attempted to charge Keilrecht Tillenbirg to be blocked and shunted from his movement by the Black guard.

Rozeran had new emotions and fear looking at Fenwyck and the others on the roof that he helped burn down and looked onward and guilt and took on a potion frantically and gave it to Fenwyck as she woke up with the man who betrayed her standing over her administering a potion and apologizing. Soon after, she got up, turned invisible and moved to hide off in the distance as the battle continued. On the other roof, Mr. Tim use a mass heal to aid those closely approaching death after both spells targeted that roof.

Attacks were aim at both Keilrecht Tillenbirg and the dragonborn during the attack. Others started pouring out of the manhole to attack mostly only able to reach the Dragonborn as he held the others at bay trading some blows with Ur-Dragor.

The battle started very one side as most of the allies on the roof immediately fell with Gosen dominated and Keilrecht Tillenbirg boasting his strength stating that he doesn't even need to try to win this battle. That moment was a sign of failure as he let his guard down. Gosen breaking the domination due to the charmed red wizard and Valendra deciding to teleport away from the battle and Santiago landing more hits brought the tone to a very different place. Eventually, many allies with Ur-Dragor overwhelmed the dragonborn.

Once Keilrecht Tillenbirg saw this as a potential issue, he used a powerful spell to call forth a powerful ally of his master, the previously seen devil dragon known as Nilvarrus. His charred blackish bright orange skin shown as a portal from Cania's winter revealed an over sixty foot long dragon who immediately appeared and set forth a powerful breath weapon leaving everyone in its path near death aside from Gosen and Ur-Dragor, who stood up from nothing short of pure will. Gosen's attempt to remain up however appeared to reveal a change in him. The effects of eating the body of Dorgoth were still present in his body as his eyes changed to yellow and his skin had a dark blue almost charcoal color to it.

Keilrecht Tillenbirg burnt off the alternation of his human skin and appeared to be a lich completely on fire with a bleached white skeleton wearing traditionally red wizard robes that seemed to be flowing in the flames unaffected by the heat. He set forth a few attacks himself, but the point of this summons was to finish them off or escape.

Nilvarrus spoke in infernal and Elisa heard that he did not believe in this battle and was looking to escape rather than fight against the contract from Andramalech as he aimed to swallow Keilrecht Tillenbirg and teleport. Elisa prayed to Ilmater despite his past disappointment with his words in her eyes. With sacrifice, what else is needed to end this? Imater respected her sacrifice and saw this as a pivotal moment.

Nilvarrus swallowed Keilrecht Tillenbirg and aimed to plane shift back to Cania when Fenwyck revealed herself from behind a house and counted the planeshift only then to be noticed by the dragon. He was not deterred from his plan as he flew eighty feet straight into the air. It was then that the prayer was answered and Ilmater released an Avatar of himself to smite Nilvarrus able to teleport him back to hell briefly for a single hit as Keilrecht Tillenbirg floated down raging seeing those around him.

He had focused a great amount of his anger on Elisa, but at this point, Gosen with a ray of force had knocked his staff out of his hands now for the second time in this battle. Unlike the first time when he could simply bend over and pick it up, he was on the roof and it fell to the ground. He cast off a powerful fireform in the area to finish off most of his enemies.

Though the tides were turning against him as Santiago and Gosen did many of the blows, but ironically it was the twin lightning bolts of charmed Red Wizards that sent the final shock through his body as his form exploded. Fenwyck was closeby and cast the spell to hold onto his soul.

She succeeded as Keilrecht Tillenbirg failed the ability to deny the spell and was forced to try to fight for his soul unaware of what was happening to him. Fenwyck was able to succeed telepathically hear Eshkabel as he instructed her to place the soul of Keilrecht Tillenbirg inside Santiago who was on the roof maybe around twenty of so feet away from her. She paused as Ehskabel's voice appeared more strained as she looked for another container to place him, trying to inform him that she would give him his soul, perhaps trying to not to tricked by the lich. Eshkabel issued a single threat before using his power to take control over Santiago and casting a spell to immediately kill Fenwyck as green energy flew from Santiago's hand in the array of a Power Word Kill hit Fenwyck and she fell dead aiming to steal both souls for himself.

Elisa caught this and bartered with with Eshkabel to keep her alive as he absorbed both souls into Santiago, Eshkabel eventually agreed releasing Fenwyck back to her body and revivifying her and leaving a chilling message that his generosity is not kindness and that such an action has a price, a price already agreed upon.

Once the dust settled, Elisa, Briarg, the dwarven artificer, and Mr. Tim worked to heal people. Even the orcish Monk Pendu was able to heal people that fell from the breath weapon of Nilvarrus. Eventually victory was declared and payment was issued to everyone and thanks for the work and risk everyone added to the battle.

Ur-Dragor was ready to kill the two charmed red wizards as they both dimensioned doored away still charmed, but seeing impending danger awaiting them.

Most of the group after payment offered thanks to help take down a lich and were pleased to be alive afterwards. Eventually the groups all dispersed as Lawrence appeared just before the very end of the battle only to be cooked by Nilvarrus at the first opportunity to act. He and Ur-Dragor were the only ones to really return with the rest of the Smighty Pieve back to the Unseen Armadillo.

Santiago for the first time truly felt controlled as this was the first time Eshkabel controlled him without agency and did something evil. This was a chilling reminder of who Eshkabel was and what he was indeed capable of doing. He languished at the semi consciousness of himself murdering Fenwyck. Elisa and Fenwyck were understanding of the situation as he realized that this was his life forever as he was immortally tied to him.

Attention also grew to Gosen whose changes and skin and eyes were less pronounced now than before, but at least semi permanent in response to what happened. Gosen didn't really give a good answer, but he kind of knew where it came from not really revealing to anyone that he ate the body of Dorgoth.

=Session 51: The path of the Redeemed =

Shortly after the battle, before agreeing to go back to the unseen Armadillo, Elisa and Fenwyck observed the chaos around them from the battle. The initial concern of the thought of guards or people approaching soon diminished as Elisa and Santiago could eventually see that there were already guards close enough by to be spotted who appeared to be hiding, waiting for the situation to diffuse completely before going in. Like many of the other guards within this city, the idea of a demon attack and this level of destruction was far beyond what the not fully armored barely armed force of guards was ready to fight against.

Fenwyck and Elisa used their magic in order to create water to put out some of the fires caused by the spells and breath weapon from the dragon as Fenwyck moved earth to stuff out some of the flames. Luckily, despite almost everyone falling down, no one died during this battle. Many had large number of wounds to heal and throughout the aftermath, most the mercenaries and those that helped went their separate ways, aside from Ur-Dragor. He followed around remembering that he was owed payment.

At the final moments, everyone was paid their due platinum pieces outside the red wizard that betrayed them and the dwarves who asked for no payment. Ur-Dragor forgot the amount he was owed, but did not forget that Santiago promised him a hint to the location of the PendalSmithe.

When looking into it, Santiago kept Ur-Dragor on the hook with the capability of still being able to find it. Once the fires were out and larger numbers of guards began showing up, there was still a caution that the attacks would involve unwanted questions or attention. When it was decided that it was time to leave, Fenwyck and Elisa did agree that it would be best to go back underground to find a way back to the Unseen Armadillo.

Santiago was not new to the city. He was able to navigate from underground to find his way around Melvaunt.

Elisa and Fenwyck when considering going back to the Unseen Armadillo look at Gosen, whose skin of greyish, his eyes with a yellowish tint with claws. While his skin has somewhat returned closer to a normal color after the battle, Gosen still very much has a fiendish look to him, even small buds on his back to the starting point of a winged transformation on his person. Gosen was evasive when asked about it. He simply avoided it till it eventually became about how he would make it back through Melvaunt without being spotted. Fenwyck considered trying to disguise everyone, but aside from invisibility, there wasnt too much that could be done. Gosen did eventually agree to have his form changed... into a gerbil.

While this conversation was happening, Ur-Dragor found Keilrecht Tillenbirg's staff, smaller, and lighter than average made of cherrywood with a center wrapped in gold. Curious about it, Ur-Dragor touched the staff causing a sort of bright orange runes to appear as a half materializes in light. A voice appeared in his head. An entity entered Ur-Dragor's head to see his thoughts the moment he touched it. It took only a second for it to realize that Ur-Dragor was new and not particularly invested in the events so far.

The voice in the staff asked who was holding it. Ur-Dragor was blunt and honest. It asked about the old user. Ur-Dragor took full credit for beating him up. The staff did talk saying that it would be the most useful in the hands of someone that could cast magic. Ur-Dragor kind of looks at Fenwyck at this time. The staff confirms that she would be good, but states that it would be even better in the hands of the warforged. Ur-Dragor doesn't know what a warforged is, as it adjusts the language changes the word to Robot. Ur-Dragor looks around and doesn't know any robots and asks who is in the staff. The voice introduces itself as the Lord of the Eighth. With that, Ur-Dragor shrugs, thanks the staff and puts it in a Bag of Holding. Ur-Dragor's handsome light colored clothing immediately stained again by the sewage beneath as Fenwyck is happy to see that there is sort of a small sidewalk preventing her from needing to go should deep in the stuff to get around. The city where the battle battled was not particularly busy. It was in a richer district that saw no battle. People were scared and evidently hiding from the wreckage of battle. Santiago manages to find an exit relatively close to the Unseen Armadillo. The busier street didn't pay much attention to the interesting looking party leaving the manhole. There was mild attention, but not enough to make anything happen. The smell follows the group as those with magic, mostly Fenwyck was able to Prestidigitation away the dirt and smell.

When the Smighty Pieve enters the Unseen Armadillo. Stanley is behind the desk cleaning a stein and a wine glass polishing it greets the Smighty Pieve as they enter. Just as quickly as he greets them, he takes a sniff and realizes how they smell and asks them to take a shower as soon as possible. Ur-Dragor quickly complies stating how very handsome he is before getting ready for his washing routine.

While this is happening, everyone else made their way to the room rented out and talked about how this would happen. Santiago is the one with Keilrecht Tillenbirg's soul in his body. He looked in himself to see if he is able to sense the soul, take something from it, or perhaps even communicate with him. While looking inward, he was able to sense the negative emotions of anger and frustration from a place within himself and recognize that as the will of the soul of Keilrecht Tillenbirg trapped inside him. The will was strong, but powerless in this state. Santiago remembered that in previous conversations, others were able to connect with him while in contact with him. As a result, Fenwyck holding Gerbil Gosen and Elisa both touched the shoulder of Santiago to feel this connection.

When feeling the essence of his voice, there was a bubble which in reality had no distance, but felt downward to a corner where there was muttering, angry muttering and sneering. There was a voice to be heard similar to his voice in life. It was Santiago that initiated the interaction. More than he was angry, Keilrecht Tillenbir g was surprised, surprised that his thoughts had a recognizable sound and that people could communicate with him like this. That surprise quickly went away as he sneered demanding to know why he hasn't been destroyed.

He was scattered and angry, scared lashing out, but not traditionally. He was not traditionally scared demanding knowledge and lashing out. Keilrecht Tillenbirg lived the type of life where he assumed the first time he truly lost without an escape plan that he was doomed to death, so he attempted to rush his fate fearing that there was nothing else left for him. This strong attitude specifically caught the attention of Elisa who wondered why he almost seemed eager to be destroyed. It took only moments for Keilrecht Tillenbirg to realize that the fact they could communicate with him was because they needed something from him. When this became more obvious, the ferocious cornered animal approach changed to a highly smarmy and arrogant façade. Santiago threatened his death when Keilrecht Tillenbirg bragged his life as a zealot as he marveled as his evil deeds exclaiming that in defeat that death was all that was waiting for him.

The conversation quickly went nowhere. Elisa insulted him to anger in an attempt to get more out of him. It worked a bit in revealing that he couldn't betray if he wanted to live anyway since he believed Mephistopheles would destroy his phylactery if he betrayed the cause. It was around this time Ur-Dragor knocked and Gosen turned into his form. Santiago called onto Eshkabel, which only made things more awkward as Eshkabel offered a solution that involved another deal and more debt.

The conversation soon concluded as Elisa considered who she might speak with to know how to deal with the situation. It was around this time that Sarcaedon Arbelleck gave her a sending asking about Keilrecht Tillenbirg assuming he was the aggressor. She realized that he was actually the person to help seeing as they used to work together. Elisa did vet him slightly to make sure they weren't allies or friends. Sarcaedon didn't specify if they were enemies but used his character against him wondering if he could even have friends.

Elisa invited him and eventually agreed to also ask Shem Romanov the V to come a well. His response surprised her since she didn't know both were in Melvaunt. Santiago and Gosen didn't really say that they spoke to both of them briefly at the end of the meeting. Santiago was thinking that maybe speaking to Valendra would help deal with Keilrecht Tillenbirg since he had an ongoing ritual that Elisa found.

The two eventually found their way downstairs in the evening. Shem Romanov was speaking to Stanley remarking him on his great collection of alcohol actually in the process of spending over 1500 gold pieces on a single bottle as Sarcaedon came hooded in his signature deep blue cloak. When they mentioned Keilrecht Tillenbirg, Sarcaedon again immediately assumed Keilrecht Tillenbirg attacked them and he was defeated.

The group wondered how to really approach the problem. Keilrecht Tillenbirg thought for only a few moments before recalling that Keilrecht Tillenbirg is a genius when it comes to magic and a bit more crafty than he seems. But unlike most of the other Grand Magi, he was easy to deceive. Keilrecht Tillenbirg has linear logic and happens to have far too complicated an alliance with Xzass Tam, who prior was in an agreement with Bane. Elis had almost stumbled upon this during the last conversation, but really didn't follow through with it as a deception.

Shem Romanov joined the conversation mostly to quickly agree.

Shem Romanov added that it wouldn't even be much of a lie sine Fzoul has joined the Nine Hells just to betray remarking on an early conversation they had with him. The truth lends itself to this story very likely. The only deception is the immediate intent of changing his mind. The reality is that this is the most likely event to occur anyway. Elisa almost remarked at how simple it seemed. Both the two of them remarked that he is a simple individual.

Elisa did most of the talking with the both and thanked them for their time. Elisa asked what brought them to the city and how long they were planning on staying. Sarcaedon used this opportunity to thank Santiago since he was planning on staying a few more days to negotiate the details of an agreement between Melvaunt and Phlan to give aid in rebuilding the city and its industry. Shem Romanov stated that he was only there for the initial negotiations and would likely leave the next day back to Phlan and leave somewhere else shortly after.

Once the two left, there was a quick move to attempt the conversation again. This time was remarkably different. Elisa took point again giving an awkward, but convincing sounding statement that Szass Tam had always planned on betraying the Nine Hells mentioning Fzouls conversation saying that Bane would take over inviting and openly talking about his deception holding the Sword of the Triad.

Keilrecht Tillenbirg muttered angry sentiments to Khladun, about saying he never should have given Fzoul the Sword of the Triad. His voice sounded shaky for the first time. After the emotion died down, Keilrecht Tillenbirg communicated with no face, but the sound of his voice indicated what almost looked like a smile as he spilled information he knew about how to reach Szass Tam. While he stated that betraying Szass Tam might initially hurt Hell, but that these actions would help the Nine Hells in the long run.

The way into Thay is known as the Path of the Redeemed.

The Path of the Redeemed is a path used by rebel Red Wizards during the Thayan Civil way to join back with Szass Tam. It was dangerous and degrading path meant to remind the Red Wizards of Szass Tam's power and choice to give them purpose again.

To reach the Path of the Redeemed involved first entering through the Sunrise Mountains on the North East Border of Thay. There, there are mountain paths guarded by a undead Eye Tyrant created as an undead guardian by the defeated unborn god Xingax, the Atropal. It's eyes are consumed with the souls of demiliches of trapped Red Wizards in constant agony and the mountain path is a test of loyalty.

Keilrecht Tillenbirg mentioned that in areas controlled 100% by Hell, the landscape and magical properties of the land have changed. Only Devils and allies of Hell can teleport within Thay at all now. Several messaging spells and movement options have been sealed by the Nine Hells to keep attack options limited. One of the few ways to Teleport freely is the portal at the Sunrise Mountains to Delhumide. The city is now mostly dead, but in an abandoned tower, there is a key at the top of a tower to an underground catacomb, which starts the true Path of the Redeemed. It is a dungeon like labyrinth set up to separate its people into teams much like the Red Wizard enclaves and test knowledge of magic, power and loyalty. It is heavily guarded by those that failed in their attempt to make it.

Keilrecht Tillenbirg states that the group should be able to succeed if they keep his soul, remarking that a perfect world is one where everyone dies so he can be freed and left to control Thay.

With this knowledge, the Smighty Pieve first thought about what they were going to do with it. It was possible that they could just use it to go there directly and attempt this on their own. After a small amount of deliberation, it was Santiago that talked the group into realizing that the scope of his endeavor requires help.

With that, Elisa considered the Temple of the Triad and Turnok. Gosen was the one that remembered that he is the one that technically gave the first real lead with Confectus when this started. It was still the same day only early in the evening now when Fenwyck prepared the teleportation to the entrance of the Blood Marshes.

Like usual, there were separate paladins guarding mostly inactive teleportation circles. Unlike previous times, the Smighty Pieve was a unit and well known in the circles of the Temple of the Triad.

The group was let in quickly. Like before, the grounds in front of the massive over 200ft tall cathedral were used as training grounds for new and paladins in training for the effort. At the front, there was a space and a clearing with six individuals waiting for them.

At the center was Turnock, a Dragonborn with gold scales, seven birds around him and polished armor giving a smile to see them. A familiar elf in mostly black and white robes with almost powdered white hair and a Ioun Stone floating around his head was Enabrin, who did a light greeting to the Smighty Pieve and specifically Fenwyck. A glowing eyed Aasimar with gold eyes in robes of mostly White and some red and orange was along side Enabrin. Sarshell was the one that housed the Smighty Pieve after the failure at Zhentil Keep.

There were three others not recognized. One was a halforc known to travel with this group with a horizontal striped red and white shirt with a big weapon called Burg. Another was a longtooth shifter who looked elderly. He still had a slight physique, but his fur was white and despite appearing to look like a lion, he had a warm and calm expression on his face as he introduced himself as Larnel Ligros. The last was a man who did not appear to be in the party originally. He was a human with a shaved head and a long spear. He was most identified by the Spell Scar glowing blue and green on his right forearm and hand. He had Mage robes open into leather armor. Aoth Fezim was a man of infamous deeds who joined from the Southwest at the request of Sarshell. All six of them greeted the Smighty Pieve waiting to hear the new and now the progression of Operation Clear Skies.

=Session 52: It is Time= At the start of the conversation Turnok was the first to point out that Imir was no longer there. He was inquisitive, but Elisa dismissed this feeling the crack on her face that did not heal looking to change the subject. It was Santiago's words that touched Turnok when he mentioned that Imir fell on his own terms. Turnok had a moment of silence and looked back at Elisa to start the meeting to make sure that sacrifice was not in vein.

Sarshell introduced Aoth Fezim of the Brotherhood of the Griffin as Ur-Dragor basically introduced himself to everyone else during this time. Aoth is the one man to have invaded Thaymount in the past. Aoth is no an arrogant man. He quickly remarked that he did it on the backs of griffins with a formidable force with him in his organization with the aid and knowledge of the Zulkirs of Thay. This is how the attack was made possible. He does not lay lightly on his resume stating that he was also able to stop the Avatar of Tiamat in Tchazzar. He does a bow to Sarshell admitting that his group was mostly killed in a failed attempt at Skyclave shortly after the start of the invasion.

He admitted he would be foolish to deny the summons and invitations of the Grand Warden of the SouthEast. Sarshell gives a bow of respect in response.

Larnel introduces himself as the Arch Druid of the Southwest. He gives a quick report from his time in the Feywild. He mentioned that the damage from the rains is even more devastating there than it is here. His mission was an attempt to see how Nature could adjust and keep the life in the Thaywild and the material plane.

The conversation appears jovial as Turnock is glad to have the people in his party around him and seeing the people of the Smighty Pieve gives him an energy not seen in him in some time. Sarshell nods and admits that he had hoped and prepared for these events for some time. The entire group finds their way inside and makes their way to a larger prayer room for Bahamut before beginning to discuss details.

Elisa asked about the status of Phlan, and Turnock admitted that he had little knowledge outside what was mentioned to him at the Temple of the Three Truths. Elisa speaks of Shem Romanov and the connections there and Turnock is surprised to learn that he is a black dragon. Aoth is more shocked to hear the name and asks about a necklace on his person. Aoth, being someone who aided in the defeat of Tchazzar knew the five vessels or five exarchs that carried the Behelits of Tiamat. He spoke of Shem Romanov is the representative of the Black Dragons to all Tiamat worshippers and made a clear connection that Tiamat's true form or greatest Avatar was still in Avernus, the first circle of Hell. Turnock was surprised and didn't know as Elisa more or less figured that something like that might be the case.

Sarshell offers Aoth the floor as Burg and Ur-Dragor reintroduce themselves to each other and make small talk. Aoth mostly talks about setting up a diversionary attack to allow enemies to zip through the path of the Redeemed. He mentioned that there was a conversation about using it in the past when he and the Zulkirs. Both Aoth and Sarshell make mention of using the skies as a diversionary path to make it easy for others to get in.

The question eventually became who would go where. Turnock was originally hoping to have multiple ways within the Path of the Redeemed so that his group and the Smighty Pieve might be able to get in. Elisa and Sarshell were against the idea. Aoth agreed that splitting up figures that Szass Tam might recognize and fear would be disadvantageous to the plan and that those that go with him should be the ones he is expecting and fearing.

Turnock agrees as Enabrin stated that it would make the most sense. The people in the Smighty Pieve have proven themselves and might be known by the Hells, but are much less likely to have their reputation go to Szass Tam unless he can find a way to reach or know the location of Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Whatever the case might be, it was unanimous that since the Smighty Pieve have the soul of a Red Wizard that they had to be the ones going in the Path of the Redeemed.

There started being a divergent conversation between how the groups would be set up and where to attack from to set a diversion. Aoth and Sarshell were mostly interested in stalling for time and forcing forces to misdirect themselves as Turnock was concerned with the possibility of reaching Szass Tam himself fearing that a larger force might be needed to take out the Lich.

Gosen and Santiago did ask about what to expect from Szass Tam if they fought him. Aoth described Tam as arrogant, but prepared. He is prideful, but much more cautious than something like Keilrecht Tillenbirg. He would not allow himself to fall, especially knowing there is a chance he could be trapped without finding his phylactery. Aoth mentions that Szass Tam is a master of necromancy, so to prepare yourself with lots of deathward.

Every few sentences, Ur-Dragor would pipe a joke or ask a question. Aoth was not impressed with the exchange as Burg would say "that's a good joke". Once it was clear that the path needing to attack from the sky would need planning, both groups separated.

Most of the planning about what to do to get through the Path of the Redeemed fell exclusively on the Smighty Pieve. Turnock was keen on saying that any amount of resources at their disposal were acceptable to divulge for this mission. Elisa was minimalistic about what might be needed as Fenwyck developed a very detailed wish list of potions and potential magical item stock to use for the upcoming mission.

As Santiago and Fenwyck were talking it out, Elisa fell faint and for a moment lost consciousness. It was like for a moment, she lost connection with the divinity itself that connected her essence to her warforged body. Fenwyck was mostly still looking into the books as Gosen was concerned when Elisa mentioned the loss of consciousness. There was a brief silence as Fenwyck heard the sound of a muffled explosion. Everyone sprang to attention as Gosen was the one that remembered that they were all in the Temple of the Triad. Toshiro's prophecy appeared to be happening. Elisa, realizing that this might be it, and not being aware that they would be there for it immediately went to Gosen. In order to prevent the events as they were told, Turnock needed to be teleported to safety in order to change events. Gosen nodded as the door opened.

A hooded warforged with a barely visible three triangles, the holy symbol of Asmodeus branded into the wood on him steps out. Behind are two massive red skinned devils. They appeared to be nobles, cloaked in gear and fine clothing with bright red skin. The one ahead with a third eye and robes and the one behind wearing scale armor with two magical swords, a Great Sword and a Long Sword finely decorated in jewels. The battle started with little warning.

It was a fierce battle to overcome a series of enemies. The Warforged appeared to have an arm connection on both arms linked to two repeating crossbows firing a large volley of shots as the Pit Fiend with the third eye fired constant spell after spell. The armored count charged into battle seeking the challenge. The battle was quick, but devastating. Eventually the warforged after being charmed had an arrow through his head where the light in his eyes were located finishing him off as Elisa was able to banish the fiend with the third eye. The last fiend fell from an attack from Elisa burning his face in radiant light as his whole body disintegrated.

The Smighty Pieve was not ready for this attack, spent from the battle this morning against Keilrecht Tillenbirg, no one looks ready for the invasion at hand. The Smighty Pieve was getting ready to escape when a familiar face met them just outside the door. Arch Mage Cristhia or Isaac ran to them on the orders of Turnock to find the source of the this and prevent devils from being able to teleport in the Temple of the Triad. Isaac appears very scared and admits that this should be impossible. There is a large multi cast ritual of forbiddance set by multiple clerics over the island area for the Temple of the Triad. Teleportation should be impossible. Isaac retracts his words saying that the only way they could be let in would be if one of the three arch bishops let them in. Elisa recalls those she met mostly dealing with Valgred of Imater helping her out and meeting more than once, but vaguely remembers the Arch Bishop of Bahamut, the silver dragon met before.

Isaac asks for help with finding and stopping the attack. Elisa denies the help in the search for Turnock. She believes that he is in danger and needs to be helped. Isaac nodded in response. He informed the Smighty Pieve that the forbiddance has been turned against them. Only the Devils can teleport right now. They will need to get through a force that followed him here. There is a standoff that they will need to cross to reach the main hall.

=Session 53: As it was stated=

The main hall was opened to the site of a standstill. At the center of the room was a goliath warforged encased in armor of adamantine standing over 20 feet tall. the step marks smashing the tile and floor nearly buckling in his presence as Fenwyck deciphered the aura around the beast to be an antimagic field. On the ground of well planted garden hall was a series of bodies belonging to both sides indicating a battle before the standstill. The room split into two different paths each with an array of paladins and clerics just before a narrow stair path into a hall looking at legion devils guarded with a bone devil. The devils at this charge were armed for war wearing armor and pointed weapons ready for combat. At the main wall with the warforged were several tieflings. Among them was one who appeared to stand out with a fancy fur hide armor. At the back was a cleric lich in chains with robes indicating the symbol of the Triad and a very tall devil with four arms and three eyes sending whispers in the ears of the Smighty Pieve and the Paladins. It was unsuccessful, but immediately, Elisa began to look at a way around this room without immediate combat.

Ur Dragor and those injured took the opportunity to request healing of the paladins and clerics just outside the Anti-Magic field. Elisa scouting her options as Fenwyck eventually revealed that magic going into barrier would not work and magical items would become inert within the anti-magic field.

This made it clear that the group's only real way to deal the battle was to go around the sides. While planning their attack, the warforged did most of the talking while inching forward. He revealed information not caught by the Smighty Pieve. He was a ranking paladin stationed close by that fell in combat and eventually was given a new body to help end the war. He held his tongue, but this was warforged of a familiar fallen paladin they had crossed in the past.

The tiefling was not as subtle recognizing the group responsible for the death of Duke Val'Dranar demanding the paladins give them up for their lives. This had roughly the opposite as giving up comrades that defeated powerful devils was not a part of the plan.

The battle restarted as it was clear that Elisa and other started to run to the sides. Santiago started flying as Ur-Dragor was looking to get healed by a cleric of Torm when the battle restarted. The warforged charged inward closing the ability to use divine magic forcing Ur-Dragor to engage with the battle. Just as the warforged constantly bragged, his armor made him impervious even to a legendary weapon like the Holy Avenger. He found himself flighting along side several paladins all mostly trying to stall for time once realizing that there wasn't much to gain. Santiago also fired an arrow at the warforge to similar affect.

Once the Smighty Pieve found their way near on the left side hallway. Ur-Dragor taking a massive slam for the Warforge on his way out of the room as Fenwyck rolled him in the carpet and pushed him down the stairs. Santiago was the last one out as Gosen rushed ahead and engaged the resumed battle. The sound of fighting filled the hall as Gosen engaged. Paladins and clerics cast spells to heal him and empower him in the fight against devils as he held his own against the entire hallways with some help. It became clear however that this slog would eventually drain everyone involved and Elisa was looking for a way around it when Fenwyck realized she could make everyone fly.

She helped two clerics onto the flying carpet that barely fit as the top of the main hall and the side hallways had high ceiling with stained glass windows depicting good deeds in colorful glass around 15ft off the ground. Fenwyck and Elisa were the first to move out the windows smashing through and going at the outside of the temple. Ur-Dragor, heavily wounded from the last fight did mostly stay back and heal. A goat headed man in black cloaks covered in blood removed the spell of flight from Elisa as she nearly fell to the bottom almost 70 feet off the ground while catching the side where the window was. In an uncharacteristic moment of selfless bravery, Ur-Dragor used his flight to carry Elisa and move outward, but not before she cast a spell of Tasha's Hideous Laughter on the goatman and a large devil clad in a helmet with horns and a maul. At this point, the Ice Devil and the enforcer of Hell were both given flight by the goatman which ended in time for the ice devil to fall from the ledge onto the ground.

Gosen, engaged with the Horned Devil grapped it as he refused to let the devil fly out at the vulnerable people in the air.

In the midst of the melee, Gosen was able to toss Legion devils aside pushing his way to major targets perpetually healed and aided by the paladins as he remained on the front line of the battle.

Elisa on her way out saw that Gosen was pivotal to getting Turnock to safety as Gosen yelled for everyone to escape. Santiago was the second to the last to leave giving Gosen ranged support as Fenwyck realized that she would still help him from afar.

The goat headed devil was still giggling on the floor as the battle became quiet. Rushes from the other side began to approach as Fenwyck called her tiny owl familiar to fly up to Gosen and provide additional flight to Gosen so that he could escape. At this point, he was hasted and given protection against evil against fiends. A tiny boop on his should as Gosen realized he was able to fly. He wanted a head start against the devil who would most certainly chase him and wanted rush him out, but instead agreeing to toss it against a wall and escape.

Instead of laying low outside the sight of others that could see him, Gosen wanted to survey the situation, but the upcoming goatman from the other side caught sight and removed Gosen's flight causing him to fall to the ground. Gosen had proved tough enough to take the fall, but the delay was significant and the spells used to provide him his buffs were eventually dispelled when the remaining paladins and clerics fell in battle against the forces with the Smighty Pieve out of the picture. On the outside, the Horned Devil did manage to escape, but was killed in its pursuit of the Fenwyck by a consistent volley of arrows from Santiago.

From this point, it was clear that the Arch Duke at the end of the hallway was aware of their presence without seeing them, but a failed finger of death from the Triad Lich and the Smighty Pieve will have bypassed the hall.

Elisa and Ur-Dragor were the first to see into the next room, a private prayer study and church area covered in dense combat. The only one visible in the room from a mix of paladins and black guards was Enabrin.

Elisa gave a sending asking for Turnock's location. He was able to provide it in the same room. A matter of moments later, most of the Smighty Pieve was able to break into the the room and engage the battle.

Elisa used her channel divinity to charm many of the legion devils, several of the warforged and in fact a few of the black guards.

on their left, Turnock was facing off against Fzoul. The way out was blocked by a tall looking devil in red. The quintessential goatee and trident on a devil with a burning aura. It was none other than the lord of the eight, Mephistopheles who at this point was doing little more than watching the combat unfold.

On the other side of the room, Berg, Larnel, and Sarshell were engaging a 18 feet tall devil with two massive horns and a 20 feet long executioners sword that dragged against the ground after each swing.

Most of the combatants were tired and injured, including most of the devils and Fzoul. Turnock was using the symbol of Bahamut already summoning canaries, the symbol of his presence to give defense.

Shortly after the fight started, Fzoul landed what might have been a killing blow on Turnock causing a mode of desperation that has not been seen before.

At that point he gripped his chest and his gold and yellow scales turned into a silver platinum color as he grew into a dragon.

With this transformation, he quickly did a claw that thrashed nearly knocking Fzoul to the ground immediately.

It was this excited the Lord of Cania as Mephistopheles jumped up and engaged Turnock. With two stabs in vital areas, Turnock was letting out a shriek. Without the aid of the remaining canaries, Turnock would have been immediately killed by the onslaught from Mephistopheles. While his power was tremendous, the words of Zenedrake echoed a destiny to his demise as he couldn't help but feel the point of his tridents hitting only vitals. The shock an awe of the situation caught in other side of the room as Adonides swung his sword with ferocity cutting all in his path in half including Berg. Larnel was unconscious on the ground as Sarshell urged Turnock to finish Fzoul off while there was a chance before escaping.

With an action, Turnock let out an array of Breathweapons causing signification pain and skin dissolving from Mephistopheles barely on his feet as Fzoul only stood on the will of a deathward spell he cast on himself.

Mephistopheles urged him that his pride be damned. Fzoul, angry with himself that he could not defeat Turnock with his own power cast the Sword of the Triad into the air and a white beam shot from the sword into the sky piercing the clouds. The result was not felt by those that did not worship the Triad, but Elisa was the one who felt it the most losing consciousness in response to attack. Even with that, it wasn't immediately clear what happened.

The result of such appeared to affect Fzoul as his wounds disappeared and his eyes glowed blue. The Unholy Aura around him dissipated as the very evil inside him almost appeared to disappear. What was left appeared to be a man with a completely different level of consciousness almost inquisitively pondering his existence almost sad that he had to hold his blade against Turnock.

The now allies of the battle turn against the high ranking devils in attacks as the allies look around in confusion. The clerics are the ones to tip off the situation by flat out saying that they are incapable of casting.

Turnock remains a dragon, but has also lost his connection to the Triad outside his current form and his abilities as a paladin. The result is a quick fight against him.

Bifrons, Arch Duke of Cania makes his way into the hall from the other side making three arch devils and Fzoul, not the fully constituted Avatar Leviathan in the room.

From this point, the battle appears clearly unwinnable. Each of these figures individually would be a challenge for all the allies in the group, but all four make very short work of the allies. Larnel on the ground is killed by an attack from Bifrons as Turnock attempts to escape and fails as he fall unconscious as a dragon from the swing of Leviathan. The two exchange words quietly, but not much is understood in the conversation of the two.

Sarshell uses his abilities to attempt to aid Turnock's escape, but finds himself completed outmatched and surrounded. Ur-Dragor, never fully healed finds himself surrounded by powerful foes and is knocked unconscious by the full power of Adonides.

Mephistopheles creates a pillar of flame extending from the ground level of the Temple of the Triad as he raises his arms up, a spell reminiscent from Larloch back at the Astral Sea.

Gosen, slowed, but not tired makes his way up to the window. It is nearly too late as the battle has completely shifted away from the Smighty Pieve. Enabrin barely active in the midsts of the overwhelming power of the enemies considers his fleeting options as Fenwyck attempts to break the almost godly defenses of the remaining enemies.

Gosen seeing Turnock on the ground knows his only chance to make Elisa's plan work is to make his way to Turnock and teleport him away to another plane.

Gosen making his arrival was tired, but still able and took his ability to move around and in an attempt to reach Turnock. Through the movement, Leviathan was still able to teleport and move around going in a position that made it difficult for Gosen to maneuver around and was struck down in a single attack from the now corrupted Sword of the Triad.

The Smighty Pieve found themselves in a precarious situation as Leviathan now looking towards Elisa saw a rage Fzoul saw towards the Triad, particularly Ilmater for his death at the location and rather than finish off Turnock on the ground took his hand in an attempt to kill Elisa on the spot, gripping her face and sending a surge of necrotic and psychic energy cracking her face plate and coursing through her body. She fell unconscious in response.

What was not seen was his attempt to infect not her body, but the essence of her soul, though in that attempt, it was weaker than most of his attacks and warded.

From afar, he did the same to Turnock, however in his weakened state, the attack disintegrated his draconic form leaving behind only the dead body of his Dragonborn self.

The desperation of the Turnock's two remaining teammates he very visibly died sent them in a form of panic as Santiago saw between Ur-Dragor, Gosen and Elisa on the ground found that there was not much left.

Fenwyck summoned a Bigby's hand if nothing to stall for time. In the path of Mephistopheles, he was toying with it to his amusment, but even that arrogance allowed the Smighty Pieve a moment to consider options as Santiago offered himself to Eshkabel to control in order to seek options for escape. Enabrin and Sarshell were admittedly ran and through attacks either ranged or psionic spell variations for effects that had mostly moved against the defenses of the Arch Dukes present. Sarshell was mostly spent, but able to provide a combat medic move to bring Ur-Dragor back.

Unlike the other paladins and clerics of the Triad mostly rendered mute by the actions of Fzoul, Ur-Dragor was not of the Triad and still had access to his divine magic, which he used to banish away Adonides, who based on the new rules of the Forbiddance did have the ability to teleport within the area and was banished back to Hell. In his last attack Adonides targeted Enabrin and his hit and a surprise effect as he appeared to immediately disappear and poof into space.

Santiago managed to cast a power spell with a reverse effect, a globe of darkness had more of a resilient sphere or almost wall of force like property over the party.

Gosen was quickly given a potion and allowed a moment to focus and teleport the remaining people of the Smighty Pieve and Sarshell, to a new location in an act of desperation.

The move was successful and shortly afterwards, they found themselves in a place where all that could be seen was the ground beneath their feet, which appeared to be home to green grass.

=Session 54: Choices and Possibilities=

In a white empty space, Elisa found herself in her subconscious. New to dreaming of any kind, she didn't really have a sense of dreaming of self. This inner space was white without features, and herself appear to be the image she recognized. There was no discernable difference or anything Elisa could see in this space at first.

The first thing Elisa acknowledged looking into the void of her mind was the figure of Fzoul as she last remembered him. Fzoul, as he appeared was still in his armor just over black robes. Despite the change in size, everything appeared to change organically. The Sword of the Triad was on his back. Seeing him not in combat or aggressive did allow her to see that the hilt was changed from what it was to the hilt or handle of his hammer with the guard fashioned from his original hammer.

Fzoul looked around almost confused by the space making his way around. Elisa was the one that spotted him, but took no action until he found her and proceeded to come closer to introduce himself. The conversation was curious. Fzoul was polite, almost inquisitive and he didn't refer to himself as Fzoul. He referred to himself as Leviathan. It was the name she heard from Turnock back in Mulhorond after the battle at Zhentil Keep.

At first he spoke of Fzoul, attempting to make a weak parallel between the two of them. Leviathan was fascinated at how empty it was in this space and kind of drawing connections between a demi-god and a warforged. Leviathan recalled Fzoul's memories and how the man died back in 1374 in the same site where the Temple of the Triad is. When Fzoul died and Bane, he was resurrected as a Demi God. He became little more than a construct of Bane's wishes, whose very life was in the hands of his god.

Elisa found herself curious about the comparison. Elisa saw herself as what she was a warforged who had a defined purpose that she needed to carry out.

Leviathan was the one that pointed out that while dreaming was new to her, this place was evident that she could dream and that her purpose was in fact her decision at this point. Elisa could sense little hostility and began to look around this place. She created a table and a chair for Leviathan to sit at.

He thanked her and sat down. Elisa was still curious about who or what Leviathan was and what Fzoul had to do with it. Leviathan admitted that he was still a large part Fzoul, but that he had taken a bit more in that has altered his personality. When talking to Elisa he asked her what she knew about Asmodeus. Elisa was knowledgeable on lore, but she was missing a bit of the oldest details. Asmodeus was not a devil, but the creator of Devils. He was half of Oroboros, the World Serpent known as Ahriman. When Fzoul and Bane died, the sword that killed them got linked to his other half, Jazirian, the God of Quaotls that eventually became the body and source of the upper planes of Celestia and the House of the Triad. Through that sword, Arhiman was able to absorb Jazirian back into himself or the sword. Leviathan is an avatar of the combined world serpent, and currently the holder of Jazirian's soul within Fzoul. He indicates that the attack he did to Turnock to finish him off was the same one Fzoul took control to do to Elisa in a manor of pride to pervert the spirit of Ilmater.

This is what got him feeling sorry for Fzoul, but also in a subtle way admitted to absorbing Turnock into himself. Leviathan admits that doing this was somewhat his own agency as he wanted to war to advance in a way that would make it end quicker.

Elisa was content going back and forth with Leviathan for a bit, but eventually asked what he was doing here if Fzoul in fact failed to take control. Leviathan mostly stated that he was waiting for the other one to show up.

It was around that time that a figure barefoot in a while robe showed up. The robe was stained and wrinkled.

The figure was light skinned, but tanned with dark curly hair. His body was covered in bandages and scars. The man introduced himself Almida Ilmater. He sat down and wondered why he was looking at Fzoul. Given a few more moments, he looked closely and stated that he understood what happened now.

Ilmater turned towards Elisa and thanked her and apologized. His mood and his expression with his blue eyes was solemn. He looked sad to what he believes he brought her into. After that, Ilmater turns to Leviathan and asks when he should expect "him" to be here. Leviathan thanks Elisa for the time as he gives a nod and she asks "who". It is at this time that Leviathan poofs into a black smoke, and is replaced with a shirtless muscular figured wearing loose legged black pants. This figure had grey skin and two horns. The form was very muscular and he formed with an scowl and furrowed brows almost growling hunched over as he appeared. This was none other than the form of Bane himself.

A small moment passed as he seemed aggressive and almost rabid when he caught sight of the space around him and stood straight up doing a light stretch. He placed his large arms and held them behind his back and gave a nod to both Ilmater and Elisa before sitting down.

Ilmater spoke the first words saying that now they fight over the fate of a single soul. Elisa was surprised to see that Bane was here after hearing that Fzoul had attempted to corrupt her only out of his own pride.

Bane stated that there is no fight to have, but a conversation, a point to make about and allowing the soul to take action.

Bane framed the conversation in the form of a debate and was quick to break it down into an argument section and took point with his argument. He acknowledges Fzoul's blunder, but quickly makes a point that he is here for his own interests and Fzoul may or may not have realized the value Elisa plays to the world as it is right now.

More than that, Bane plays on Elisa's frustrations. He rationalizes the mentality of his Dogma, but mostly promises Elisa a purpose, power, and the ability to make the difference she wanted. He goes on to say that Elisa is far more than what Ilmater made her to be and that she is much more than that.

Ilmater then took point and started weak, apologizing for his actions. To give her life, to give anyone life and throw them into the world of suffering she experience in his mind seemed unforgivable. Ilmater praised her on her freedom, but instead wished to offer her options, to continue in this body, another or even perhaps seek a salvation away from the war and the pain of it all.

Elisa was not moved initially by his words, but almost insulted. She was alive for mere months and she did not accomplish what she wanted. She was not ready to give up, to lose her purpose. She was frustrated because she lacked to reach to make the change she really wanted.

Bane looked onward with glee and confidence after this rebuttal. Eslisa did reach her hands towards Ilmater, which received a desperate response from Bane. He said that he needs not her soul if she wishes to keep it, but wants her body and memories for her influence and capability. He responds that the whole is better than the parts, but he seeks compromise.

Elisa thanks Ilmater for giving her live and freedom to explore her wishes, but then at that point disregards him and thanks him only for that. She goes back to the point where she is told that she needs to make sacrifices for the greater good and to do what she must do as she moves her hand from Ilmater and reaches for Bane.

Bane accepts, and asks if providing his plan for her would work as a closing argument in this. Elisa nods as Bane details how she will reach out to Niles. How Elisa becoming free will be the same method he employs taking control over the whole warforged army. Bane indicates that they will tear themselves apart from the inside. Bane admits the plan was to destroy the upper Planes to get the gods to fight the war to defeat Asmodeus swiftly and that she is needed for this. Elisa does ask a question on what will happen to those controlled by Hell, the Warforged. Bane says that like an any orderly society, that they will have a choice, but the choice is whether or not they will follow the law. With that Bane repeats his logic on how law must be strict to prevent chaos.

Ilmater already reveal his intent to fight in the war, but defeated he thanked her for her work and service and mostly meant to apologize for forcing a fate on her outside her choice as he walked into the whiteness defeated. Bane promised her the power to act and leave. Earlier in the conversation, Leviathan also stated that where her body is, she cannot wake. When she can wake up, he will provide her power to act and move in order to make true on his plans.

The Smighty Pieve found themselves on a grassy and flowered ground from within a dark globe of force protecting them once teleported away from Temple of the Triad. Within moments of reaching this destination there was a knocking on the side of the force bubble. Ur-Dragor and this figure attempted to speak through this bubble unsuccessfully for a few moments before Santiago lowered the globe soon realizing that he in fact has no connection to Perseus Von Eshkabel. This was connected to a realization that his essence was slowly being stolen back to Eshkabel in tiny increments. Fenwyck was with Elisa as she and Santiago attempted to heal her and see if anything would change.

Without the globe, there was a man who looked human wish a mostly shaved head and black mustache standing just about seven feet tall in a large white armor and with paint over bits of it looking at the group. He introduced himself as a Sargent of the Harmonium Guild at the inside of Sigil, City of Doors. Gosen and Fenwyck attempted to piece it all together, but Ur-Dragor of all people seemed immediately familiar with the place, almost like he has been here before.

The officer was more or less friendly enough with the Smighty Pieve, but confused at how they could be confused about being here. The officer indicated that one cannot simply travel to Sigil without realizing it. Movement must be deliberate to get here. The officer appeared to get more tense until seeing Gosen's Talisman. At that point, the officer was a bit more calm and understood a bit. He did ask Gosen how he was able to obtain such an item when Gosen basically just said he found it. The officer was asking which planet that they found the item when Fenwyck was the only one that really knew the name of their world. There was a brief moment of looking through a scroll when he was able to identify the world and admit that it was likely one of the two parts making up the Mercy Killers, be it the Sod Killers of the Sons of Mercy. There was a brief mention of the Sons of Mercy in the past from both Elliant and Gavirello, but nothing particular enough to catch the attention from anyone in the Smighty Pieve. Even the memory of the name Sigil was uttered by Gavirello who mentioned potentially taking Gosen there to hand the talisman back to the Sons of Mercy for a favor while back in Vaasa.

When asking Officer who introduced himself as Shavaea if he could help them go back, he pointed down west along a long line of buildings and mentioned that there would be another park someway down where they could find a power leading to the Portal Magician, who had access to a wheel of fortune, which was almost a Ferris wheel of doors leading to other worlds that is one of several ways into and out of Sigil commercially used and accepted by the Lady of Pain.

Once finishing the quick conversation with Gosen, he pulled out a small PKE looking remote with a meter and started pointing it towards different members of the Smighty Pieve and crackles started sounding around several of the members. It was Gosen and Ur-Dragor that had the strongest reaction. Santiago was the one that asked about Elisa when the Officer mentioned that no divine magics outside what the Lady of Pain allows can happen here.

It is at this point not really paying attention tot he officer that Ur-Dragor proceeds to use divine magic much to the officer of the Harmonium's surprise. He quickly and in an surprised manor addresses Ur-Dragor and asks who is he. Once Ur-Dragor mentions his name, the officer thinks to himself and taps hi chin as he looks upward and appears to recognize the name and pulls out a tiny piece of paper wrapped up. He then asks if Ur-Dragor is the same Ur-Dragor that is searching for the Pendalsmithe. Ur-Dragor nods and proceeds to ask if he knows where it is. The officer unrolls the paper and mentions that the Lady of Pain has a series of rules that anyone with the name Ur-Dragor must follow while in the city of Sigil. It basically bars the use of the word Pendalsmithe and eventually covers all actions in pursuit of such an item or trying to speak to anyone to get information in order to retrieve such an item.

It also states that the Lady of Pain does know that the item exists and will refuse to give Ur-Dragor information regarding this item. The officer appears to apologize as it seems that this is personal. He mentions that there is a background on the paper that states that it is Ur-Dragor's boss's fault and that after an incident, he has been sending people with the name Ur-Dragor here in order to find information about such an item. Ur-Dragor can make a mistake up to five times based on the severity of the offense and he offers that there are at least twelve other people named Ur-Dragor currently stuck in the Mage of Sigil and that the sentence of time expected to be in the maze would be roughly twelve thousand years.

Ur-Dragor ponders the reality of multiple of him for a moment before defiantly mentioning the Pendalsmithe and having a large vertical light appear above his head as he mentions is and then tries to be clever and says his quietly and then second appears and then mentions it indirectly as a third mark appears over his head roughly three feet tall just maybe one foot over his head.

Given Elisa being unable to wake up and Santiago slowly fading away, he asked the officer where they would need to go in order to leave Sigil. The officer pointed in that direction and gave an familiar measure of distance before saying it was a few hours on foot.

He mentioned that at the central point to each of the wards in the city there is a place with gates and portal needed to leave and enter the city in normal circumstances. In this ward, it is the Portal Magician who works a structure that appears is an open structure that resembles a ferris wheel with many doors that are portals to different worlds. The Portal Magician is a goblin wearing a suit with significant power over magical school of conjuration.

When explaining a bit of how Sigil works, both Gosen and Fenwyck both asked about what they can find and where they can go to get it. Fenwyck showed interest in the magical and knowledge intrigue as Gosen asked questions about the level of science and technology. The officer had no issue educating strangers on the inner workings of the city and stating that different wards had different levels of both magic and technology and while they could be reached are large enough that they are typically considered separate and usually blocked off from people that feared that could be an issue.

In time, the group bid farewell to the officer of the Harmonium to move inward to the Portal Magician. Despite being considered the police force, the officer seemed rather relaxed at least in Sigil. He indicated that the Lady of Pain is nye Omnipotent here and that investigations to keeping a relative order mostly made up is duties as major conflicts were dealt with by the Lady of Pain and most repairs and damaged were addressed by the Dabus.

The Smighty Pieve slowly moved away from him in that direction. Asking around in the streets, Fenwyck was able to ask around in the front patio of various stores and restaurants to get information on specifically portal magic. One thing she learned is that one simply does not teleport to this location without doing so on purpose. Sigil is blocked from teleportation, but the officer of the Harmonium was aware of the Talisman on Gosen's person. It was a gift to each of the fifteen major guilds operating in Sigil due from an organization referred to as the Regulators. The leader was an older Treant who was friends with the Lady of Pain and able to make and disperse such items at her agreement.

Fenwyck realized in this explanation that if Gosen were to keep the talisman, it would takes years for him to attune properly if he ever could and that she needed another way to get to Sigil, so she looked for a Portal shop. and learned that there was a gift shop by the Portal Magician that had very very powerful items even those that might compare to the talisman if they were willing to pay enough.

It took several hours to walk to the location, but after entering another park area, there was a half open tower with a ferris wheel like object with several doors. Toward the left side, there was a goblin, very well kept in a black tuxedo and a bow tie and top hat manning the station floating roughly a foot off the ground. The place was a combination of beings not seen anywhere.

In Sigil, it was not uncommon to see any variety of races, even fiends and celestials casually dining at restaurants together, like their conflicts were little more than a work shift. To the side of the tower structure, there was a brown tent a few individuals at it. There was a purple Kalashtar who looks like his face was glowing purple and he had short curly hair that resembled a Nebula. He had a suit covered by a purple robe. He was friendly. For the first time, it was acknowledged that those of any official status had an item referred to as a universal translator that allowed the vendors to speak to people from difference worlds and languages so easily.

Fenwyck asked about items for teleportation. It was at that point that the vague description Elliant offered Gosen time ago was elaborated on fully. Most teleportation magic was referred to as level one teleportation. It was instant movement through portal, but used a great amount of energy and could easily be warded against by powerful entities. Level 2 teleportation could bypass what was typically regarded as mortal restrains to ward teleportation and far less limited in use. What Gosen had on his person was a level 3 teleportation device, often regarded as the most powerful and controversial of the teleportation items. Level 3 had the power to break into even divine barriers set up by greater deities and was perceived to be impossible to ward against. The vendor explained that this was not true, and true overdeities and beings that had infinite control over their space could ward against it, but doing so would be deliberate and that any item that usually had this capability has almost unlimited access. The concern is that such items could typically only be crafted by beings of an overdeity status of greater in power. In addition the usage and ownership of a level 3 teleportation device is considered illegal in many worlds and most gods will hunt you down the moment they know you have one.

Natually, Fenwyck considered a level three teleportation device. When asking about it, the price 1,500 astral diamonds which links to 15,000,000 gold pieces. It was stated that one cannot simply be purchased and that they often take years to attune to if its even possible. A level two teleportation device can be sold for as low to 50 astral diamonds or 500,000 gold pieces. Realizing that even the Holy Avenger can be sold at 15 astral diamonds and traded for 8 astral diamonds is a sign of just how much these items are outside typical price range. More than anything, Fenwyck just wanted to find a way to get back to Sigil. The shop keep did provide a scroll with a spell that can be learned to add a destination to a teleportation and planeshift spell directly to Sigil. It would need to be signed by an officer of the one of the fifteen guilds that operate and the Portal Operative in one of the wards, in this case being the Portal Magician. If so, a telepathic application would be sent to register the individual after leaving Sigil for the first time and bar the return until it is completed. This was a free gift on any purchase over 5 Astral Diamonds and over at the shop.

Fenwyck was more than willing to consolidate the funds of the group and try to find a way to return here. She decided to buy a few scrolls of Teleport and Plane shift and also a Helm of Teleportation. Gosen and Santiago were both willing to aid in the purchase.

While this was happening, Ur-Dragor was pouting as not only was he in the best place to potentially search for the Pendalsmithe, he was specifically informed not to look for it and taunted by the Lady of Pain indirectly for it.

Ur-Dragor was moody and tried to get Fenwyck to stop shopping and leave. After being told off, he walked some distance from the gift shop when he found a pinkish colored mind flayer running to him. The Ithilid was slightly chubby and had a very scared expression on its face tumbling to reach someone. Ur-Dragor took the call and moved to this individual. He realized that it was pursued by what looked like a 15 foot tall minotaur or more accurately a Goistro. This fiend was in a grey suit and had a bit of a smirk on its face and cigar out of his mouth its walk was a confidence strut. Its bright red fur and large horns came into view first as to the side, there was a massive floating brain with a clear almost blue aura and a pair of glasses. this was a 10 feet in diameter brain floating roughly five feet off the ground approaching. Lastly, there was an individual no taller than a halfling with a gray suit on and slick back hair somewhat covered in fur with pointy ears going upward almost like a rabbit walking the in the the middle.

Ur-Dragor stood between the group and the ithilid. The exchange made the situation clear. the Ithilid had an agreement to offer a certain amount of brains for the an order with the large brain to the side. It appears the mind flayer was short in the order and something was going to happen as a result. Ur-Dragor aimed to defend, when the gangster was impressed and asked for his name. Much to his surprise, the gangster recognized Ur-Dragor's name. It seems a previous Ur-Dragor made a deal with this man about 70 years ago to take out a group of Wererats knowns as the Wheres RatPack at that time and never finished the job.

The short halfling like half mouse man provided the artifact and ensured Ur-Dragor that merely by having this item, he would pay his debts in time as the RatPack would chase after him seeing the importance of this item now that it is outside of Sigil. Without any hesitation or forethought, Ur-Dragor took it and thanked him. With that, the three left as the mindflayer thanked him. He was roughly 18,000 brains short on his delivery and each brain costing 2 platinum pieces would still have the total debts equal 36,000 platinum pieces.

Fenwyck eventually bought the supplies and Ur-Dragor made his way back to the rest of the group. He was the one carrying Elisa during most of this, but often put her down in almost random spots and originally didn't even want to carry her and leave her in paces when he paced around.

The Smighty Pieve eventually made their way to the structure with the Portal Magician. The Portal Magician appeared to be a very stout clear cut looking goblins with slick back hair and a top hat. He was wearing tiny classes and addressed the group for their purpose. Fenwyck was the one that did the talking in this situation.

This raised a question of where the Smighty Pieve actually wanted to be when returning to Abeir Torill. It was never really discussed what the next move would be and where they would like to be placed. Fenwyck, Gosen and Santiago mostly discussed this and eventually agreed to go back to their house in Phlan.

The Portal Goblin was familiar with world names and even knew continents of the world, but he was not familiar with cities or countries. He asked if it was alright to mind probe to get the information, but Fenwyck was instead able to make an illusion that was simply a picture of the city in its location on the map and eventually zoom in to get a picture of the house and location as it was pictured.

The Portal Magician seemed almost disappointed to lose an opportunity to probe someone's mind, but accepted this as good enough.

Sarshell was technically with the group, but too focused inward, he was silent the entire trip only muttering and thinking to himself about the next actions and the potential reality of all of his allies being killed in the attack.

The Portal Magician signed the paper and called on someone of the fifteen primary guilders finding someone who appeared to be an atheist celestial of the Athar Guild who arrived and was willing to sign the scroll with the Portal Magician in order authenticate Fenwyck's visa status for the City of Sigil. After a few minutes of them signing and such, the Portal Magician informed Fenwyck that there would be a psychic application to fill out with basic information required in order to return to Sigil and was notified that the Lady of Pain has the right to break and alter any contracts at will should it be necessary.

Once all of the details were addressed, the Portal Magician used a replica of his structure to spin the doors till a reddish wooden door with a brass text for the name of the world appeared with round knob that the Portal Magician opened.

Initially, the world was zoomed out to a spherical view of the planet as he spread his fingers on the view of the world to zoom in until eventually getting to a view that appeared to be their estate in Phlan.

Once the Smighty Pieve and Sarshell walked through the portal, Elisa immediately regained consciousness when they were right by their door.

At the front door, there were a few pieces of paper nailed to their door and many slid just at the foot of the door and underneath the door.

Several papers were applications of people for the Smighty Pie while others were from the government in the fort and at least one from Simon in Sarcaedon's office. Most were not relevant as Fenwyck was relieved to see Elisa wake up. Gosen, in particular seemed concerned with the nature of her unconsciousness, but Elisa wasn't really aware of the events or anything that happened that necessarily prevented her from waking up.

Back at their estate, a moment of reprieve was needed to cope with the following events. Elisa and Fenwyck mostly discussed the pizzas restaurant with Santiago and eventually Gosen before taking a night's sleep.

=Session 55: Written between the Prophecies=

The morning thereafter was a light hearted conversation with the looming shadow the previous day's events. Elisa and Fenwyck were happy to initially ignore the following events to move forward with the plans for a business. The light hearted fun was a good distraction from the feel of the events, and feeding the people of the fast growing population of Phlan seemed like a endeavor well worth the effort.

Most applications were local barkeeps and cooks in taverns. Phlan was not hardy and most people did almost nothing to market themselves, but a few stood out as people worth considering.

Among them was a Tortle by the name of Angelo who appeared to have cooking experience and traveled originally from the south around the Dales. Another was a Goliath by the name of Hoggr'd Last Words who was a well known mercenary in the region who Santiago vaguely recognized who wanted to change professions and respected the deeds by the Smighty Pieve. Last was seemingly a normal human, but he knew how to cook bread. He was balding and his name was Anton.

The morning and afternoon was spend interviewing these individuals. The Tortle, Angelo seemed to be almost an anomaly. He had a paper and seemed to be already familiar with the recipe without ever meeting Gavirello. He mentioned how he got it from a man in the Dales. His recipe was different, and mentioned that he would make it.

The paper was old, and had a quote from old friends of the individual marked from Zeke and Tycho. A nod to the original pizza maker Joseph would be found in a solemn note from two enemies that were once allies suggesting that he make a business with these delightful pizzas far before this.

Angelo himself was an older tortle with an orange bandana and a staff as a walking stick.

Ur-Dragor's first response was to laugh out loud prompting an attack and a slap from Elisa. She then eventually charmed Ur-Dragor keeping him quiet throughout the interviews.

Hoggr'd was impressed by the Smighty Pieve and recognized Santiago specifically. He was known as a somewhat brutal mercenary, but the interview revealed a man who was looking to have a job where he didn't have to hurt people and act on a passion. For subsequent interviews, Angelo accompanied the Smighty Pieve as Tortles were not common in Fearun and very specifically not within the Moonsea region. Hoggr'd revealed that he cooked for his clan and mostly made dessert pastries. Hoggr'd took out a handmade wooden cooking utensils that he mentioned crafting on mercenary jobs where he would just watch people, which would be a relatively boring inactive job that would allow him to make his own utensils and read up on how to cook. Fenwyck is the one that asked him how he made it, and Hoggr'd pulled out a pastry that might have been stale before she warmed it up with prestidigitation in order to reheat and make it fresh again. The presentation wasn't impressive being in his pocket, but reheated, it was delicious.

Angelo looked up at him, his tools and asked to look at the pastry. Hoggr'd didn't appear to be a person nervous, but he considered the judgement of the present party to be important. He nodded and Hoggr'd was offered the position. After the first interview, Angelo was asked how many cooks he would need, and he based this off the volume that they are anticipating for it. No one really had an answer to that, but they seemed to want more, so they mentioned maybe two side cooks.

There were a series of unsuccessful interviews with humans who didn't particularly stand out that didn't want to work for a Tortle. At the end, they did find a human who was in his 40s. Anton didn't stand out very much originally, but he did bake bread and he didn't mind working for a tortle as a boss. He was a bit dry in taste, but was willing to leave his tavern cook job to work for this business.

Everyone that was offered and given instruction to come to the estate to try out the oven.

In time, Angelo, and Last Words quickly arrived. Hoggr'd worked the dough as Anton worked the cheese and vegetables. Angelo supervised both and made sure the proportions were correct. The end result was a Gavirello Pie, or a Smighty Pie that was delicious. It was not as consistent as the one the Warlock Knights made on behalf of Gavirello, but it was fantastic and the recipe was slightly different that Angelo had written down. While the master of the recipe's name was hard to read, it was very delicious. Three made a number of pies based on the appetite of the individuals there as Enabran eventually invited Sarshel to eat them. In time, Elisa called the group into the room to have a meeting. Elisa indicated just her direct team, which caught the attention of Enabran, but he didn't interfere with her wishes on this.

She recalled the events that took place when she fell unconscious. The identity and words of Leviathan were heard and she did her best to relay the context of his words. Those of the Smighty Pieve were somewhat aware of the name from Turnock's conversation with Sarshel after Zhentil Keep, but there wasn't too much to be said. While this was informative, it wasn't immediately illuminating to how to deal with this situation. One thing that seemed odd is that Leviathan claimed to be acting on behalf of a wisdom of a Lawful Good God when killing Turnock, something that didn't entirely make sense.

Later, she recalled the events of when she spoke to both her God and the patron God for Fzoul, Bane. Elisa mentioned that she chose to work with Bane to facilitate saving the world. Gosen echoed the words of Toshiro that Bane would be worse and planned to take control. Elisa believed that however that who ruled would not matter compared to the loss of life itself. Elisa knew Bane was evil and didn't think of him as a good thing, but better than the clear genocide happening at the hand of the blood rain.

Santiago was nervous, but looking inward understood the price of working with evil forces. Gosen, however couldn't reconcile the choice. The conversation turned to an argument as his eating a devil was taken into the conversation when Gosen was not so much choosing to do it as compelled to do it. Elisa was defensive, but indeed believed that her path would lead to the least life lost and didn't agree that Bane ruling would be best, but knew that she needed to help end the war as it was now and move things to prevent everyone dying of the rain.

Elisa also brought the conversation to how they were going to do it. She considered the possibility of needing more allies and discussed how they would get help after losing the Temple of the Triad. Planned on reaching out to the friends she knew. Santiago mentioned Aklos and Danga while Gosen remembered Niles. Elisa gave a sending to both of them during that conversation.

It was late, so she was not planning on receiving a response till tomorrow morning. This works since the Smighty Pieve, before the employees left for their first attempt at cooking were originally told they would be called to come back the next day after Elisa was going to play the guitar to get people to arrive for their business. Elisa agreed to play music as Fenwyck set up flyers for the business. This was the plan for the next day.

Surprisingly, Niles immediately replied requesting an audience. Elisa was surprised, but willing to have a conversation. Niles was willing to get to Phlan in order to speak with her. Elisa said she would leave the house to find a place. In the streets, it was raining where they two met. Niles was already very distraught. Niles saw the last few days a confirmation of the damage dealt. Niles told Elisa that the Sword Coast was basically destroyed when the physical element of the planes crashed cause a tsunami that wiped away the entirety of the Sword Coast.

Niles indicated that wards protected elements of Waterdeep, but that most of the city, as well as Neverwinter and Baldur's Deep were mostly destroyed. Elisa was stunned at how much worse it was than she expected. She asked Niles just how many people lived in those cities as he stated that while the death toll is hard to figure out in exact, it was believed that millions of people could have lost their lives in a matter of hours. Elisa could not even comprehend the level of death and was overcome with silence an sadness.

Niles spoke to her realizing that these events made a path clear to him he was consciously avoiding. Niles was nervous and Elisa found him difficult to understand, but he admitted he found a solution to end the war that he was avoiding. His research with Gavirello after being with MeLouis and Louise helped him learn a solution. He realized he only figured it out because he learned that he would do it in the future. He consciously decided against it fearing that he would become the horrible monster Toshiro feared he would become. Niles was conflicted, but speaking to Elisa just now, he feared that his fate was inevitable and that he had no agency to decide his own outcome.

Elisa could see the fear and sadness on Niles's face and comforted him. Just like Elisa, he was considering his own path, but with knowledge of what he would become. Elisa did remember Toshiro pointing at her, indicating that this was in fact be a similar decision. Niles accepted his fate and stated that if he would give in and help end the war, he would need to confront who he would help make it happen. Niles told Elisa that she was always the secret to the success. Her life, how it happened was the secret leading to Asmodeus's defeat. The ability to send the essence into every Warforged at once was something that couldn't happen easily. Bane might not be able to do it himself, but Bloodwing might be able to if they are able to find the create of Jonas Califomme.

Niles was told a story by Eustace that his father Jonas and his closest friend Dario both studied the grounds that now make up the Temple of the Triad shortly after it was a battlefield for the Gods. Jonas looked to create a god understanding the physiological make up of intangible concepts and physical embodiments of the creations of the Tablets of Fate and Dario sought the factual divine energies gathered by the gods themselves during the battle. Dario eventually become possessed by the dead body of Bane seeking to resurrect himself while Jonas created a fake portfolio for a race that didn't exist. Jonas didn't understand that by creating a God, he in fact set a path of actions he didn't understand. Asmodeus's attack through warforged was written in fate before the tablets were removed setting aside a creation, the realization of a race that didn't exist so that Athanas, fake God of Constructs would in fact have a true portfolio as fate hates a paradox.

Athanas being now the true god of the constructs means, that he alone is the key to being able to control the power. However, Athanas is young in doesn't fully understand how to utilize that power. Niles said that he however does understand, as does Gavirello. Elisa was originally planning on leaving Niles and going back to the house when Niles stated that it was important, no imperative that she meet with Bloodwing right away.

Elisa was nervous, but she trusted Niles. And while his mental and emotional state was definitely in question, Elisa could tell that Niles has wrestled with this decision for some time and that he truly believes that he is capable of changing the tides of war almost by himself with the knowledge he has avoided using in fear of Bane's rule. Elisa's realization that if all prophecies are true that it is best to move things quickly and work the best with things as they are, he asks for Elisa's hand as the two teleport to a dimly lit place underground.

In this new area, the light source appears to be dimly lit red globules revealing a fleshly bloody ground underground. The soil was wet and the walls almost appeared to be moving. It is as if they were inside a living organism. Elisa and Niles appeared to walk toward a black cloaked individual whose cloak was changing between a deep red and black. Bloodwing, revealed moves around like a shadow quickly circling Niles and Elisa. He addresses both of them by name despite never truly meeting either of them at this time. Elisa gives comfort to Niles, whose eyes are darting back and forth. Elisa sees a face in white skin and bright red eyes showing a face of a revenant that appears to look exactly the same as R'monceal.

Bloodwing carries two swords with wavy black and gives a bow to the two of them. Niles always heard that Bloodwing was completely mad with seemingly no rhyme or reason to his actions aside from chaos. A small holy symbol to Bane appears to complete the irony of his existence. Bloodwing showing his almost mad high expression appears to calm down as he addresses the two of them. He acknowledges that for fate to take its course, both of them need to act in order to make it happen. Asmodeus will not lose until this happens. The fate Niles already knows cannot happen if things don't occur. Elisa is willing to question this. With a calm and cold precision, Bloodwing states that even Bane's rule will come to an end. The events now are a wildly swinging pendulum that will lead to chaos, a chaos that will cause the need for a solution. Only in larger problems can end to this truly happen. While the words began to reveal a mad rage and excitement from Bloodwing, Elisa understood the meaning. Bloodwing was evil, and would facilitate evil. Once everything is done, the world would get to heal. Even Bloodwing appeared to understood he wasn't permanent. An echoed mentality from Leviathan seemed to suggest that there was some alignment to all of this. Niles, was not seeing this all come together. He clutched his diary, realizing his own fate. He realized why Asmodeus didn't kill him. He realized he was tool to his own death, the death of Bloodwing and many others and would never realize a better fate. Elisa, however echoed Ilmater's words that sacrifice was needed. Like stated, many things were written, but many weren't. She knew what she was forced to aid, but knew there was more to her actions than what she realized and knew that from here, she would have a better chance of changing the outcome for the world. A door closed on her friends and the wishes for her business as Bloodwing began to discuss the details of their next moves. Elisa realized that Bloodwing's motivations were in fact world changing as his next move was the death of a god, more than one god in fact.

=Session 56: Reunion=

The morning was met with the enthusiasm of starting the business and getting flyers out to start the business, only Elisa was not present. This was awkward as there was no indication that she would leave. Santiago and Fenwyck were worried immediately thinking something could be wrong. Gosen heard the words of the previous conversation and had a sinking feeling as Ur-Dragor was quickly convinced that she betrayed the group.

After reviewing their spells for the day and whatnot, no one seemed ready to cast sendings without Elisa. Ur-Dragor of all people was the one that thought of simply buying a scroll. Fenwyck and him went out to buy it when she cast a sending to reach out to Elisa. At the shop, Ur-Dragor was able to get a very good deal with the elderly halfling scroll scribe on the market by overplaying his hand. It was cheesy and a bit much, but he enjoyed it.

Because of this, Ur-Dragor got a discount and for some reason agreed to pay for the scroll when Fenwyck suggested it. Because Ur-Dragor appeared to be a good customer, he referred him to a human enchanter who had a few wonderous items a few blocks down who recently set up shop where Ur-Dragor paid 800 gold for a flask with infinite alcohol.

In the back, Santiago and Ur-Dragor argued over what could have been the reason. Santiago not positive of the events, but wanting very much to make sure that she wasn't abducted or that nothing else happened.

The sending was basically looking out for her and seeing everything was alright. After the sending there was a long minutes long silence without a reply. Elisa did eventually reply. She indicated that she reached out to Dagna and Aklos and that she was looking for allies to help them on their quest. She bidding farewell to the group.

The words themselves were vague, but there was an implication. Santiago, still not fully convinced that she left of her volition wanted to try to find her more and come to the conclusion for sure that everything was fine. Her words appeared to imply otherwise, but he wasn't convinced that it meant what it meant or even that she might not have been under the effect of something while communicating that answer as Gosen and Ur-Dragor left.

During the argument Fenwyck left the house again for another scroll, followed by Enabran, who had been listening, but not really interfering with argument in the next room.

It was a mild trip as Ur-Dragor projected a feeling of betrayal on others angry he didn't fully see it, but stepping hard into the assumption that she left of her own will and did it as betrayal. On the way back, the door opened and Fenwyck came back with a second scroll and asked what the party wanted to do with it. Ur-Dragor and Gosen weren't really clear on the direction as Santiago was almost pressed to reach out to Elisa again or find someone else who might be able to help where she was.

The conversation between Fenwyck and Santiago eventually moved to people the both of them knew that could help with sending the scroll. Santiago suggested himself having some minor magical abilities through the nature spirits that could help him with sendings. He knew Elisa and both Dagna and Aklos. Between her safety and coordinating with allies, he figured it was the best shot. Santiago was not a seasoned magic user, especially from scrolls, but he was able to read with Fenwyck's aid a scroll of sending and eventually agreed to send it to Dagna.

He found that the best approach was to have the Smighty Pieve meet the group at the Earthfast Mountains by Earthfast. It was close to Ravensbluff, a city Enabran has visited in the past and was partially familiar to. Enabran went to get Sarshel, still in the room, attempting sendings and sulking for a moment. So much lost kept his eyes dim as Enabran admitted he was actually delivered a bit of good news.

While reaching out to Methrammar Aerasumé on the state of the Sword Coast, he learned that Alustriel Silverhand was in fact still alive. She was found by none other than the Simbul. Enabran made a point to recognize that The Simbul made to give gratitude to the Smighty Pieve for freeing her from the tendrils of Bloodwing's domination. They aided the Swordcoast and minimized a massive natural disaster. Enabran went on with the news, but eventually made it to the point that they would aid in the fight against ThayMount.

Enabran seemed in decent spirits talking to his contact in the Talons of Justice and looking for ways to collect a sizable force for the attack. Sarshel was most silent, but did bring up Aoth and the forces of the dead freed from the upper planes. He wished to send to Aoth and look to those misplaced for aid.

While getting ready to leave, Santiago made sure to write a letter to the workers and to leave a letter for Elisa in the Smighty Pie that they were on their way to Ravensbluff if she returned. Gosen scoffed, already giving up on her as he placed the note if she decided to return.

With that, Enabran was able to use a teleportation to bring the Smighthy Pieve and the two of them to Ravenbluff. The city was misty. Unlike the Moonsea, this area was outside the protection of the contract with Hell. The mist was poisonous and the smell of fermented fruit was almost pleasant upon arrival, but the humidity with the poison made it hard to see. Only a few halflings were out on the docks. They were covered head to toe in fabric with their faces almost completely covered. Those in the area had marks and bumps on their face and wore tall shoes with wooden blocks to keep their feet away from the mud.

Upon arrival, Fenwyck started coughing. The morning sky was shining through the fog still in the process of burning it away. Enabran quickly covered up. The question of who would go where eventually lead to the group splitting. Enabran mentioned that there was a lot of work on their side and it was also important to figure out what really happened at the Temple of the Triad to lead to this reaction. Enabran and Sarshel eventually made their leave as the Smighty Pieve was able to see the location of the mountain path needed to reach Clan Hammerhand of Shield Dwarves.

The path was straight forward and signs made it easy to follow. The only delay for the journey was the strong fog keeping the party from scouting far ahead. Gosen and Fenwyck were still able to see the path.

Once the road became the mountain path, the signs became more clear. Much of the signs were written in Dwarven, but they pointed in addition making the path simple to follow. Ur-Dragor knew nothing of the rain and walked allowing himself to get hit by it even so much as drinking the rain from the sky.

Ahead on the path, it narrowed to a single passage where Fenwyck and Gosen to a lesser degree were able to see Bugbears in hiding waiting to attack. Fenwyck around the corner saw the top of a Stone Giant, who seemed to be parked ahead. There was a line of sight issue for the corner. Fenwyck aimed to summon her familiar to scout on the area. The fog, however proved to be too toxic and within seconds, her familiar fell from the sky twitching before it stopped moving.

Ur-Dragor was impatient and moved ahead clearly drawing attention to the stone giant. He stood there around twenty feet tall originally sitting on a weakly made wooden throne. He was slightly shorter, but much more muscular than the typical stone giant with large almost metal looking spines pointing out of his back near his shoulder.

He had a toothy grin and he spoke in a low pitch guttural voice. By the path around him there was a sign with the words crossed out and something written in Giant. The giant was demanding a large portion of money and food. Santiago asked questions to clarify since he merely mentioned 3 months supply of food and all the money the group had. Gosen tossed a single platinum piece, which angered the giant, who threatened to kill the group and eat Fenwyck if they didn't comply.

Gosen and Ur-Dragor were up front and basically threatened to fight. Looking back at the group, the stone giant agreed to let the group pass if their strongest was able to defeat him in single combat.

Gosen and Ur-Dragor were going back and forth between which of them would go before Gosen pressed on ahead. The giant stood up and did a small jump from his thrown in front of Gosen.

Gosen immediately stood outside the initial space of the giant's spiked great club and used the power of his sword to glow and fire waves of force at the giant. There were blows back and forth, but between Gosen's rage, he had the advantage. The stone giant attempted to grab Gosen in an attempt to pin him to the ground to get the advantage. While he was able to get his hands on Gosen, never to the point to pin him down. He dropped his club to attempt this advantage. Gosen stood close landing strong hits on his legs forcing the giant down on one knee.

It landed a few strong sweeping attacks, but it was clear that Gosen was going to win. The stone giant snapped his fingers looking to the cliff. Santiago knew there were others and found a series of goblins hiding in the cliffside of the path looking to drop a large amount of rocks on Gosen. Santiago spoke up asking for them to give him an excuse. The stone giant knowing he needed support for his operation conceded the match to Gosen in response to Santiago.

As quickly as that, the battle was over. The giant on one knee with his head down tried to rush the Smighty Pieve through. On his way out, Ur-Dragor slopping upward will reach a hand on the giant's shoulder and let him know that he was lucky it wasn't Ur-Dragor he fought.

Passed the path, this was the area where caverns were becoming more common. Initially, it was just caves with no real indication of civilization or life in them. As the path continued, the entry ways to the caverns looked carved. Doors became visible, barricaded as the Smighty Pieve made their way to a large opening guarded by two Dwarves. One was a tanned Shield Dwarf while the other appeared almost more like a Deurgar. Both were Dwarves as the darker skinned dwarf is the one who addressed the Smighty Pieve first. Santiago took point and asked if they could meet with Dagna and Aklos. He claimed to be their friends. Both Dwarves talked among themselves mentioning the names of the people. Both were armed with large two handed weapons they held in one hand and an oversize tower shield. The darker skinned dwarf asked their names to see if they were in fact friends of someone the Hammerhand Clan. Santiago and Gosen gave their names.

Upon hearing their names and inspecting the tone of voice, the Dwarf speaking with his red beard and darker skin went from a narrow focused stare to a very evident smile. He recognized the name Santiago and also mentioned to Gosen that he was surprised that he looked so strong based on the stories Dagna would say about him. A smirk from the Smighty Pieve as the other dwarf knocked on the door and spoke in Dwarven. A slit opened as there were a series of clicks and metal sliding as the door starting raising up opening for the Smighty Pieve.

The darker skinned dwarf consulted with the dwarf at the door and the guard with the Smighty Pieve that he would bring this to the attention to the clan for appropriate action. The lighter skinned dwarf looked a bit older with a dark brown colored beard with bits of white shown as it was braided together.

Given the acceptance, the Smighty Pieve would likely be invited to the feast. He looked at Fenwyck and could see that she was sick from the rain and added that the feast is magically enchanted to help people recover from the rain and the poison from the sky.

Ur-Dragor took out his flask of everlasting booze and poured some ale from the Moonsea into a stein that the guard had attached to his belt for some reason. He drank it and swished it around and immediately recognized it. He mentioned that it was pretty good for human made, but that they will need to try the Dwarven Ale at the feast.

Once the guard who left was on his way back, he arrive with three other people. Two of which were old friends. Dagna, still ripped and fully muscular looking very similar, but only with hair down on one side of her face almost obscuring an eye patch and a scar on her cheek from a battle. Aklos, still almost the same, standing in light colored robes as a very pale elf standing just over 6 feet 5 inches towering above the rest of the among them and standing taller than Gosen and Ur-Dragor walked besides an older Dwarf with dark skin. He had and orange and dark green shirt with a braided red beard with white hair showing. Underneath the shirt was a chain shirt. His build was not as tight as Dagna, but the mass on this Dwarf showed a great strength to him. The both had large hammers, in Dagna's case a large almost polished looking hammer that almost appears as if its made of Silver, a stark contrast from the spiked bone maul carried by the Bone Devils.

The leader of the Clan was quiet as Dagna and Aklos immediately recognized their friends, stared Gosen down, put her arm around Santiago's head and proceeded to quickly catch up. Aklos was as polite as always and Dagna, seemed slightly more grounded, but overall, mostly the safe. The introductions to new friends were brief. Dagna took a somewhat liking to Ur-Dragor at first and looked closely at Fenwyck while Aklos the opposite.

It started somber, but Dagna quickly put life into the situation through headlocking Santiago and paying a close eye to Gosen's slightly different skin tone.

Once the introductions slowed down, the older dark skin Dwarf introduced himself as Chidbundu, current head of the Hammerhand Clan of the Earthfast Mountains. There was a strong facial similarity to Dagna with a stoic expression in the eyes, but a soft smile.

It quickly faded to concern as he saw Fenwyck. Aware of the upcoming feast, he did ask if she needed any help recovering from poison before the feast, and she gave a cough and almost silent nod as he reached down and cast a greater restoration to slow the poison down and remove the exhaustion created by it.

He didn't have many questions for the group, but Dagna did requesting a room for a private conversation. There was a nod between the two as Dagna and Aklos walked through the stone halls to an empty room.

The caverns resembled a finely crafted stone house with much of the storage carved stonework into the walls with a fair amount of cloth and wood insulating the heat and cold as several fireplaces and torches kept low light throughout the halls. It was easy for Dagna and Aklos to find a room.

There, it was a conversation to catch up. There was a brief mention of the mission itself to travel to Thaymount in order to remove the Blood Rain ritual, but not much else. Dagna first wanted to catch up on the changes with the people of the Smighty Pieve. Santiago was wearing black, Gosen looked slightly demonic and where was Regis?

Santiago mentioned well basically everything that happened with Eshkabel after the scythe was destroyed, causing a bit of a reaction as Aklos and Dagna mostly remembered him just as an enemy. Aklos was willing to consider the action versus the alternative.

Ur-Dragor, who for half the conversation forgot to enter the room did eventually enter and give an extended intro with Fenwyck.

The loss of Elisa from the group still strong from the morale of Fenwyck in particular.

Dagna was curious how this whole thing was going to work when Santiago basically mentioned that he was the source of how they were going to move and that he had the soul of a Lich inside him that would help them pass a path for Red Wizards to reach Szass Tam.

Santiago mentioned the original plan, but went into the attack at the Temple of the Triad, which took out most of high clerics and paladins, including Turnock and most of his team.

Fenwyck saw a glint of sadness quick at the notion of Turnock's death before it went directly to the original plan versus what is being attempted now.

Dagna recalled that only a few weeks ago, there was a major assault in the region where the Temple of the Triad and Turnock was there to aid in the battle. Since then, the presence of Hell has been fleeting. Dagna expressed interest and was willing to go on this journey.

Aklos also agreed, seeing much of what happened to this world and hoping and fearing that it wouldn't take a similar turn.

With all the catchup and news, it was time for a feast. Aklos, Danga and the Smighty Pieve were among the last to appear at a list of long tables set up as food was being brought out. It was a feast worthy of dwarves of mostly meat and alcohol. Desert was brought out immediately next to the meat, and at the center of the table hard to reach was some salad referred to merely as a pallet cleanser for more meat.

There were seats free for the Smighty Pieve as Chibundu was finishing up a sort of prayer grace to Moradin as everyone took their seat.

The night was plentiful and joyous. Ur-Dragor introduced himself as someone who likes to drink, which immediately caught her eye and they sat close, the pulled him in to challenge him, but mostly to look at that sword. The Holy Avenger is not just a sword, its craft is known and title is specific to itself. Someone else supposedly had it, so this was surely something. With that, there was a drinking challenge, one Gosen couldn't simply deny himself. After the history of embarrassing defeats, Gosen, an orc who always enjoyed his liquor felt it was about time to prove himself. The challenge gained attention at the main table, but this was a dinner of Dwarves. Where there was one challenge, there were four happening simultaneously. The energy here was typically high, but higher than average today as music played in the back many dwarves were already full and watching or drunk and participating in eating and drink challenges.

A dark skinned dwarf with black curly hair started narrating a story with a special liquor of purified from the blood of a foe mixed with berries started telling the tale of when Dagna lost her eye hyping a particularly brutal alcohol they made for this challenge. Ur-Dragor was confident until the rule of no magic was included to the contest. Seeing as how many of the people here were paladins, it seemed like an auto include. Ur-Dragor did a gulp realizing that could still tango, but had a much fairer chance with this rule stated. Still, this is when Dagna urged Ur-Dragor to bet his sword. This was a one sided bet as Dagna didn't wager anything on her side, and she didn't even ask Gosen for anything. With great bravado, Ur-Dragor accepts as they take the first drink. The first one slams down and it seems that all three are going strong. Danga, more impressed at Gosen at this point gives a nod as the dwarf passes a second round, beginning to tell the story as Dagna slaps him to stop when he throws down the drinks.

This time, however, Ur-Dragor realizes that perhaps he shouldn't have drank to so much before accepting this challenge. The moment this wave hits, the drink goes directly to his cheeks and his eyes gloss over as he almost immediately passes out. Gosen, however has a interesting reaction as the blood of the foe kind of brings a familiar sensation to the taste of Dortgoth when the aspect of gluttony within himself urged Gosen to eat his body, taking the soul of Klurichir with him. His skin slightly changing and his eyes beginning to glow yellow. It was less pronounced than at the Temple of the Triad or against Keilrecht Tillenbirg, but more noticeable than normal.

In this state of drunkenness Gosen is not shy about his actions and willingly admits what he does as the Dwarves around him look at him weird for just a few seconds and mostly shrug it off very entertained by the contest. Additional verses of the story about the desperation of the battle leading to victory as additional rounds pass. Gosen appears to handle the alcohol just a bit better, but it seems close.

Across the table, a familiar figure shows up in a red and gold cloak wearing blue pants smoking a pipe. Elminster is here and approaches the Smighty Pieve and speaks to Santiago in particular. He thanked the group for freeing the Simbul and admitted that she was not really on speaking terms with him. He mostly relayed news in more detail that Enabran was learning just before the Smighty Pieve teleported to Raven's Bluff. He was there to look through the abandoned temple of Deneir with Robert the least spoken of those met as Mozariq's crystal castle. Elminster spoke as he did at the castle with the motivation to bring Mystra back to life chose to look into the effects of the god who attempted to take in the weave. It was a side conversation as Aklos's travel partner the princess Soleya. This was only the second time anyone from the Smighty Pieve has seen her, in her mostly white blue full length dress.

The conversation broke up the contest till the final rounds of drinking which set up a steadily declining stamina for both parties with Dagna lagging just lightly behind until the final drink where it all went to Gosen's head. At this point, it would have taken a stop watch to decide the winner as Dagna teetered over and fell over slowly as Gosen appeared stoic and in control until immediately falling over. The true winner is nye impossible to decide, but that wouldn't stop it from being argued by a line of Dwarves taking bets on the winner. Most appeared to bet for Dagna as seemingly the undefeated champion and member of their clan while a few bet on Gosen for his continuous performance till the very end. There was a variety of arguments even leading to a few fist fights.

Dagna was able to get up briefly as Gosen almost sitting on the ground, claiming to win with a slight questionable inflection, but clearly still beating Ur-Dragor, who appeared to bet his sword. Aklos, the responsible sober person in the room had turned and talked to Soleya and Fenwyck during most of his display helped Dagna up as she claimed his sword. Aklos did try to urge that she didn't take it since he likely needed it to be helpful in combat. She did agree almost in a pout before snickering and stabbing the sword between his legs, not to hit him, but to have it catch his pants so that it would tear the moment he moved. Danga passed out on the bench and fell asleep there as Gosen took longer to get up, but managed on his feet enough to attempt to find a room. Aklos was able to direct everyone to a place to sleep in the halls. The dwarven beds were tough, but there was a lot of fabric and wood still in these caverns to insulate the place.

Eventually all in the Smighty Pieve would make their way to the room, sides Dagna and Ur-Dragor one being passed out on the table and the other being pinned to the floor by his sword.

=Session 57: Hog Tie 'Em=

The breakfast at the Earthfast caverns was a delightful affair with spiked coffee and bacon. The halls were busy in the bed areas as the Smighty Pieve took a moment to wake up and ponder the situation just before leaving out for breakfast. Aklos was out first aiding the chefs in the area as he discovered bacon. Dagna followed him and made sure to pocken some as the chef bragged about his accomplishment, but thanked Aklos for opening his horizons regarding food and leading him to the path towards bacon.

At the main hall, were there a variety of dwarves already there. The main hall and largest table was transformed into a buffet for breakfast made mostly of meat, pastries and spiked alcohol coffee, which was mostly like baileys. Many of those there were waking up early and workers. There were a few guards ending the night shift and starting for the morning shift there that were fully armored and armed having something breakfast.

Close to where the Smighty Pieve sat for dinner, Ur-Dragor managed to slip off his pants and sleep on the table as they remained on the ground with the Holy Avenger was stuck to the ground. Due to the time, several of the now off duty guards added a note and contest to unfasten the sword from the ground for the reward of the sword with a note stating that the loser just before the winner must instead get the pants and wear the pair on their head. This left the impression that Dagna accidentally stuck the sword further in the ground than she realized and that the sword itself was indeed a marvel to get that deep into solid stone.

As Dagna pocked Bacon, Fenwyck was the first of the Smighty Pieve to see Ur-Dragor and sit in the main hall where his pants were and see the note for the contest. With a bit of a laugh she waved a somatic component and conjured a Bigby's hand to grab the hilt of the sword and pull it from the ground. Several dwarves looked on as Bigby's hand pulled the sword from the stone.

Fenwyck looked at a few dwarves who appeared to be looking secretly began to lightly clap as a few kind of scoff and spit away muttering how they didn't know magic could be used. One of the clapping dwarves laughed and pointed towards a portly dwarf who was muscular and displeased and called him the winner of the trousers and said that he needed to wear it on his head. Dagna walked out to see the sword she won from Ur-Dragor in the hand of the Bigby's hand slightly salty, but also just impressed at the strength of the spell as she continued to eat pocked bacon. The Smighty Pieve ate breakfast and quickly considered their next actions.

Santiago was wondering if Elminster was still in the caverns. In the hall at a side table in seats slightly apart from most, Elminster was eating across from a Drow mage. He had long white hair and piercing blue eyes. His deep purple cloak was so clean and without wrinkles it almost appears as just the color purple as the drow introduced himself after taking a few bites as Balavas. There was a pin with a moon on his person. There was a brief conversation with him regarding a search for allies among the drow. He revealed himself as a follower of Elistraee. During the conversation he mentioned the attempt to bring more drow into the fold.

Dagna was aware that her father let in several of the drow looking to aid as many of the drow in the underdark were enemies of her tribe and many have allied themselves with Hell during the beginning of the invasion. Followers of Elistraee have typically been seen as outsiders to drow kind. Elminster, however was the focus of the conversation and they asked whether or not he could help them or if they knew more allies. Elminsters mostly echoed his own words before referring to his mission to bring Mystra back. Like the previous day, he mentioned scavenging the temple ruins and likely the Shadowfell shortly after that in order to find the details to bring Mystra back.

Elminster did however made a point to consider that the Simbul and Alustriel had planned to help aid the mission to fight the Hells. Elminster lamented that though his position was important, it did make him sad that he seemed like he had to ignore such important events and a loss of life happening right at this moment to pursue his goals.

It was around this point that Ur-Dragor in a speedo woke up, saw his pants while on the table and in a groggy slump picked his pants off the table, with a minor sigh of relief from a dwarf when he put them back on when waking up. Ur-Dragor wakes up slowly taking some breakfast as Santiago asks if and how Elminster what he can give for the following adventure. Elminster starts pulling out some potions and items he is willing to part with in order to help with the adventure.

Santiago did ask what they would need to know to fight Szass Tam. Elminster pondered to himself what to expect. He mentioned that in raw power in a fight that adventurers of the power of the Smighty Pieve could win in a fair fight. Elminster did make a point to say that fighting a lich in his lair should not be a fair fight and Szass Tam wouldn't make it a fair fight if he was looking to engage. Elminster described Szass Tam as arrogant, but careful. Elminster had a grimace trying to think about what he could do, but he really didn't have specifics for Thaymount. Santiago asked about ways to invade or anything he knew, and Elminster admitted that he never stormed the place before, but he heard the Zulkirs had a path taken in the past when they stopped his ritual. Santiago asked on for some time before it became clear that he was referring to the path they already knew and were on their way to use.

Elminster struggles to think of a good way around the advantage given by his lair and thinks to himself and finds an item in his possession that he believes might help. He pulls out an orb with that is glass with black and bluish in the middle and orange with an almost lightning and fire appearance outward that just completely transparent towards the end. Fenwyck is the one that asks what that is. Elminster refers to it as a grenade of Heavy Magic. He describes that during the early stages or their research, Robert, one of the wizards at Mozariq's castle did work with the Sharn at the Order of the Blue Fire to understand how to work with the Spellplague and learned the lessons they taught the ancient Netheril about controlling magic and passed the knowledge of an ancient high magical spell that Karsas developed a spell to absorb magic and be able to move and control it. This item was basically a version of that spell that would consume and control magic of the area. Given the density of the absorption, it has the power to punch a dimensional hole in reality and cause dramatic and unpredictable effects in highly magical areas. Elminster stated that there was a story of one of these items heavily damaging a portion of celestia granted to Dwarves (Dwarfhome). Elminster added that such an item could have the power to punch a hole through the defenses of Szass Tam's tower and aid the efforts. It could be dangerous and should be seen as a last resort.

Elminster motioned to hand to Danga, who immediately dropped it as Elminster spit out his spiked coffee on the drow and looked very worried for a second when the item did not break. Balavas, covered in coffee used prestidigitation to clean himself up as Santiago picked it up. Elminster did say that the magic in the item was powerful and not really that stable. He looked through his many jacket pockets and picked up a few familiar items from Elliant that he had.

Elminster pulled out a few Undead turning grenades that had a minor cross. Dagna remembered using these items back when Elliant provided these items when going into the nightmare demiplane to fight Agnon Pilot. Balavas seeing Elminster empty his pockets also opened his cloak to find a few items and give a few potions for the effort. Once a large number of items were found, the Smighty Pieve agreed it was time to find the location to teleport.

The question then became where they needed to go exactly. Keilrecht Tillenbirg gave an approximate direction, but the red wizard contact that knew the exact location was melted in the demon attack facilitated by Gomand Pusk. Elminster didn't really know anything about it. He did have a powerful divination spell he referred to as his guided positioning system that allowed him to find a visual on locations as he pulled out a paper and started zooming into the place he was told to give a visual. Fenwyck was able to see it to help, but no one at the Smighty Pieve was familiar with this place. Fenwyck did have some idea after seeing it and was willing to try to get the Smighty Pieve.

Santiago did ask about getting some allies and aid from here when Dagna rebuffed that question by giving a clear answer that this area requires all the people left. While the action has been slow as of late, the attacks have been set with her in mind and her didn't want this area to be unprepared in the event of an attack. Fenwyck prepared the teleportation and was worried with the lack of awareness of the destination took a chance and cast the spell and teleported the Smighty Pieve.

Fenwyck's spell nearly hit the mark as they teleported right from the main hall after breakfast. In just a few moments, she muttered the spell and distorted to a poof as the Smighty Pieve aimed to teleport to the base of a path on the inside of the Sunrise Mountains on the North East edge of Thay. There was an immediately jolt rematerializing as everyone quickly realized that a fair amount of their legs were teleported underground and suffered wound immediately displacing the ground on their arrival. While the Smighty Pieve was stuck in the ground, momentarily, they mountains themselves were within eyesight. The destination was nearly hit.

Thay itself was a hellish landscape different from the others visited. While there was not clear blood rain or anything immediately poisonous in the air, the air itself was very dry and unusually warm. The sky was orange and there was a scatter of ash falling from the sky and a sand storm obscuring the vision of the mountain range. While the path forward was still very clear, it was difficult to see with the sand in the eyes and the warmth felt very unnatural here. The landscape was barely visible, but mostly desert like.

Most of the Smighty Pieve was able to pull themselves from the ground one foot at a time as Fenwyck cast mold earth to just step free from the ground and help Aklos and Santiago. For the path forward, Fenwyck freed her magic carpet and had it do a slight over maybe a few feet off the ground at most with Aklos and Dagna as Ur-Dragor conjured a spectral horse for himself and either Gosen and Santiago.

The trip to the mountain range itself was not eventful, but approaching it, Fenwyck was able to see a sign pointing to what looked like sigils for a teleportation circle. The sign was written in Thayan, but after thumbing through items and spells, she was able to find a way to read its contents. As the carpet made its way on the path, it dropped to the ground barely able to hover an inch off the ground.

There was a small stone platform that held a teleportation circle. The signed stated that some spells didn't work and others would work differently as a test to the wizards looking to redeem themselves by going down this path. The words light up when touched. The wide open space narrows down to a mountain path quickly in view. Not much is known about what magic does and doesn't work, aside from flight. It is a slow climb as the air is seemingly obscured by a sand storm. All that can be seen are some formed of unidentified winged beasts in the distance.

The first true obstacle is an almost ruined bridge, barely holding itself from loose rope. At the front of the marching order is Gosen followed closely by Santiago. Gosen trusting his own strength and climbing ability over the bridge, he instead agreed to climb the side of the mountain with barely any rocks to grip. Gosen climbed through it easily. As he was looking to make it across whispers in his head looked to pierce his consciousness. Gosen was able to shake it off before taking effect. The words to let go and fall were quiet and nagging, but Gosen recognized it as an outside presence and didn't allow him to jump or fall before making it to the other side. There was a rock cover by the bridge that Gosen was able to easily clear as he hit the other side.

Santiago took his changes with the bridge itself. Much more nimble and lighter than Gosen, he took his hand at the bridge. He easily traveled across the bridge, but the voices in his head around halfway into the bridge halting him to a stop. Santiago, typically used to sharing the space of his consciousness with other voices found himself frozen with the idea of falling. Santiago looked downward as Dagna activated her boots and started a sprint as Aklos transformed himself an Quetzalcoatl getting ready to take off as Dagna rushes onto the bridge. The first few steps, Dagna steps through the wood nearly falling over, holding herself on the side of the bridge.

Dagna is able to collect herself discarding the voices and scoops Santiago dragging him as he went across. Aklos feels the difficulty flying, but is able to get across far enough to avoid the effect. He carries Ur-Dragor to avoid the effect of him falling as Fenwyck is able to walk across with no difficulty due to her size and weight as a gnome. She is able to shake off the voices through this round.

As the Smighty Pieve continues to climb onward. The path is slim as they climb for at least the next hour going upward to a clearing. The clearing has another bridge, but less worn. Before crossing, Fenwyck is the first to notice the sound of foot steps behind them. Behind the party are three people in large blue metal or almost plastic looking armor with a familiar symbol of a Quetzalcoatl on the breast of the armor. Two of them fully armored and wearing a helmet all blue. There is what looks like a black visor covering the eyes as the two of them appear to be carrying a weapon that lightly resembles the pistols taken by Captain Silva.

The one in the middle without his helmet appears human, but stands at an alarming over 7 feet tall with a mostly shaved head with a mustache and a 72 painted on his cheek in red as he started talking. Initially, the words were impossible to decipher as he appears to move some kind of dial on his belt as the words eventually become understandable. The voice address Gosen. He does not appear aggressive. The conversation between the two immediately sours when the leader of the group seems insistent upon taking the talisman. Gosen is trying push it off, when the sergeant of the group moves towards Gosen with the warning of combat.

A shot echoed across from behind as several of the Smighty Pieve turns around to see a number of wererats carrying ranged weapons that too resemble pistols, but with much longer barrels. The main rat that fired has a short and stout gun like a sawed off shotgun.

After the sound of the pop from the gun shot, there is a loud whistle as the rat in the middle wearing a flannel shirt open with a wide pot belly and a cigar yells as he speaks with a thick country accent asks about a stick. Confused, the rat describes the stick, to which Ur-Dragor is the one that pulls it out as the skulls rattle. With the main rat, there are five others carrying rifles and wearing goggles shirtless with camouflaged pants. The rat squints and yells with a question, "Ur-Dragor" as Ur-Dragor seems slightly confused to be recognized by someone who has never met him before. The rat gives a "YEE-HAW!" as he mentions looking to "Hog Tie Em" as the rats point out the Mercy Killers.

Aklos sees himself in the middle of the the battle and transform into a Quetzalcoatl and rush to take the stick out of Ur-Dragor's hand. It is a struggle, as he is able to snatch it from him. The sergeant drops a cube that quickly forms into a steel panther as he rushes towards Gosen. The two to the side point their weapons that light up towards the rats and fire a repeated shot towards the rats. The sergeant pulls out a hilt that forms a multi colored light stemming from it almost looking like a flame ranging from blue to orange as it cuts deep into Gosen, the blade barely slowed down by his blade as it burns through him with ease.

The wound catches him off guard as the blade stops at his shoulder. The rats on the other side take their rifles as most of them take aim and point to Ur-Dragor. One initially points aim at Aklos in form, looking downward and seeing the rattling rod and puts his rifle away as the wererat moved to pick up the rod and shake it in front of the head wererat. There is a nod to the large Quetzalcoatl Aklos.

The head wererat spoke and urged the rats not to attack the team with Ur-Dragor, but only to attack Ur-Dragor. The repeating pop of the guns on the other side land mortal wounds on the rats as the first shots ricochet off the armor. It is around this time, the pot bellied wererat puts two fingers in his mouth for a very loud whistle as a low rumble of a roar is audible. The flying vampiric creatures scatter at the sound of his beast as it jumps near by. This beast is so dense and heavy that the solid rock around its clawed feet sinks and displaces like wet soil, distorting the space around it. The body is covered in a spiny carapace with two large horns and a massive skull. The small eyes look focused at the small rat as the mouth slumps open and the beast pants. It's head rests over thirty feet from the ground as the rat points across the bridge towards the Mercy Killers and does another whistle. The fear is noticeable even in the masks of the Mercy Killers as the beast jumps, its movement creating a shock wave as it leaps across the bridge in one jump creating a rolling quake unleashing an solid almost liquid wave of rock when it lands and immediately moves to smash its paws into a Mercy Killer just missing before catching it in a bite.

Dagna moves to flank the sergeant with Gosen, who backed out to the edge of the bridge. Gosen desperately attacking manages to land a few attacks. The rolling impact of the beast knocking him over as Gosen stabs into the ground causing the sergeant to wince and gasp in pain stuck to the ground.

Dagna smashes her hammer into his chest slowly caving the armor inward. The sergeant gets desperate standing up looking on either side as the beast shakes the infantry solder in his mouth. Additional shots from the rats miss as two of the rats fall from fatal shots from the other infantry soldier.

As this is going on, Aklos reverts to his form and drops his staff in an effort for a motion of peace or a truce. The head country rat steps forward and hears Aklos out. There is a brief quiet conversation between the two. Aklos whispers, revealing no real love for Ur-Dragor as an agreement is reached. It is at this time that all the remaining rats point their rifles as the steel predator.

Seeing an ally in the mouth of a juvenile Tarrasque, and surrounded by two warriors, the sergeant crosses his arms and hits two buttons on his forearms and two massive orange and blue streams of fire come from his forearms torching Dagna, Gosen and Ur-Dragor. Gosen is badly torched and the wound on his shoulder crisped to open edges and Dagna's skin turns black before Gosen lands the finishing blow chopping off his head. The one infantry soldier is eaten by the Tarrasque as the other pressed a button on his hand and teleported away the moment he saw both sides converge against them. The steel predator aiming to kidnap Gosen has its armor distorted by a hard blow from Dagna's hammer revealing opening as multiple rifle shots ricochet and smash the armor in open areas. The Impacts blow the beast to pieces leaving smoking scrap metal where it was. With all the Mercy Killers gone, the head rat whistles and calls for his troops to drop their weapon. The juvenile Tarrasque rears up and jumps back to the other side causing a mini avalanche on it, which doesn't even hurt the beast as it lays down next to the rat with its mouth open and tongue hanging out.

Aklos, Santiago and Dagna all have a conversation regarding the truce with the RatPack. Ur-Dragor, a Ur-Dragor had some history with them. Even Fenwyck was slightly on board with the idea of handing Ur-Dragor to them once this was wall done. Dagna agreed to his on the idea that they would get either an egg or a baby Tarrasque to train as a baby. Fenwyck considered using the animal as a pet and mascot for the Smighty Pie while Dagna imagined this almost unstoppable beast as a war machine against Hell. The Rat Pack agreed with a 10% profit margin for success of the Smighty Pies once seeing the recipe for these Gavirello Pies. The deal was not formalized, but the rat shacked hands with Aklos, Dagna, Fenwyck, and Santiago as the rat pulled a large saddle off a bag of a holding on a belt (no pants) and put it on the Tarrasque. With a whistle, the Rat Pack jumped on the beasts back as it leaped what looked like several hundred feet off the mountain and appeared to escape.

=Session 58: Imminent Dissension=

Gosen was badly wounded as Ur-Dragor and Dagna were badly burned. Fenwyck and Santiago were alright as Aklos was not hurt, but spent a fair amount of resources in the last fight. The question quickly became where the group should rest. The area where the Smighty Pieve resided was was a large open area where a combat with gun shots echoing and the roars and movement of a massive beasts. It did not take much deliberation for the party to realize that a different area might be better for a short rest.

There was a motion to go on forward only as long until the path seemed to narrow down slim path where it seemed less likely they would be seen or spotted by the creatures flying in the sky. Further up on the path, a valley revealed itself between mountain paths to buildings, ruins from an older age in Thay mostly buried. The Smighty Pieve started a short rest, making a quick camp in order to wrap the burns and cover the wounds from Gosen. About thirty minutes into the rest, a worm bursts from the ground to attack Gosen. The worm clad in a black charred looking scales with no visible eyes and an open mouth unhinged in the bottom with toothed tentacles latched onto Gosen and almost immediately swallowed him. The battle started as Dagna activated her hammer to learn that the carapace of the worm amplifies radiance that hits it. There are a series of attacks on the worm before Santiago and Fenwyck look behind them as they are barely aware of invisible beasts, monstrous transformed vampires with giant mouths covering their entire torso stand just over 10 feet tall looking to grab them and stuff the bodies into a rows of teeth going sideways through the body of the vampiric beasts. Fenwyck and Santiago are grabbed by these beasts and begin to get carried off as Aklos manages to free Fenwyck from the beast's mouth. Santiago is able to shoot and free himself from the monster's mouth as he falls to the ground.

Dagna and Ur-Dragor fight the worm without the magic of their weapons, able to beat the worm into spitting Gosen out. Two more vampire beasts show themselves as one of them stares its eyes into Gosen, charming him to go after Fenwyck and Dagna. The effect causes a great deal of infighting as the worm seeks to bite and Swallow Dagna, just missing the chance to immediately swallow her. Fenwyck is able to catch the vampire in a hypnotic pattern as Ur-Dragor is able to flex his abilities and in a two hits able to land a lethal blow on these vampires. Each hit from Brimbar's Bane has the weapon glow a bright golden color as the blade sears through the flesh, burning and turning the adjacent flesh into dust. With the second hit, the majority of its body and center is t.urned into dust.

Santiago continuously going after the worm despite the vampire looking to grab him just evading enough hits to avoid its grasp. Gosen is freed from the mental grasp of the vampire and aids in smashing open the burning hide of this worm that glows almost like embers. With Gosen's aid, the gigantic over 50 foot long worm falls once Dagna is able to cave in a large portion of the body.

Fenwyck finds herself the target of another vampire as Dagna manages to burn her hammer in white glowing radiant energy as the vampire screams out when the flesh smokes with impact from the hammer. Ur-Dragor manages climb the rocks to reach the vampire constantly attacking Santiago and with another display and a handsome smile, landing a hit with a Smite. Brimbar's Bane, again when making contact with the flesh of the vampire chars the flesh at almost an instant as the beast begins to disintegrate immediately. It was damaged from a few arrows of radiance from Santiago, and then dies in a single hit.

The last beast sees its allies killed and flies away screeching wounded as Santiago manages to land a few radiant arrows as the beast falters in flight and Santiago lands an arrow in the back of the head. The radiant energy disintegrating its head as the beast falls out of sight dead. The Smighty Pieve take their supplies and continue to look forward in the path to find an area to rest. Over an hour of climbing, there is a path in the mountain inside a cave for the first time. It is the only path based on the ongoing mountain path. There are a bit of a windy hallways. Now in a cave and only two directions to be approached the Smighty Pieve once again aimed to rest and recover from the previous battles. Undisturbed they were able to succeed in taking a short rest without disruption. Now, it is clear to see that those vampire abominations circle the mountain area, but non approached this time around.

After an hour of mostly silence between and some catching up between Dagna and Santiago. There was some quiet back and forth regarding Ur-Dragor behind his back with Aklos and Santiago. After the rest, the Smighty Pieve crossed what looked like a small winding corridor. On the walls, records of old battles potentially from the ruined temples passed in the valley. Carvings of warriors from both Thay and an ancient enemy civilization were on the walls when crossing in surprisingly well preserved wall carvings only really devoid of its color. When passing a series of ghosts moved out in roughly the shape from those in the wall on opposite sides. The spirits attempted to possess multiple people as the one in Santiago found itself home to several other spirits and scared for its freedom left his inner consciousness as two more went into Dagna and Ur-Dragor. For a second, both pulled out their weapons with a look of battle in their eyes. Just as they were ready to fight each other, Aklos and Fenwyck each place a hand to remove the effect of the possession and thrust the ghosts from their formerly possessed allies. Both of them were confused, but neither Dagna or Ur-Dragor seemed overly displeased with the notion of fighting each other in a bit of a stare off.

Gosen tried to destabilize it as Fenwyck in passing saw a crack in a wall to a much older structure. She was able to see a snake sculpture of stone, or well a serpentine humanoid. She was able to fit a mage hand inside, triggering a trap of poison with no one in the room. With the trap triggered, all that was left was to get into the room. The small crack was too small to fit inside, but Fenwyck slowly molded the earth to create a large enough opening to get into the room.

Upon closer inspection, the temple hidden behind the temple appeared to be ancient Sarrukh ruins. The emeralds in the eyes were magical. On the side of its right arm was a gold band of a snake with tiny emerald eyes.

Fenwyck was able to deduce that the items were magical without fully knowing what they did. This was just moments after Dagna recalled the Glaive of Nomatek, one artifact that she had allowed Ezra to borrow sometime back with the spirit of a Djinni general. When Dagna had given the item to her, Dagna had pulled out an almost 10 foot glaive that was however so lite that almost didn't fall and appeared to have a grip that adjusted to the user. The item itself was mostly golden with blue stone and some gems across the pommel end of it. The moment Fenwyck touched it, she did hear a brief voice in her head. The conversation was brief, but like with Ezra, there was a promise of a wish if the item was destroyed and the Djinni was freed.

The next hour up the mountain was not eventful. There were points of climbs and hiking along narrow paths. Eventually, the Smighty Pieve did find themselves on an almost zigzagging path upward when two undead figures revealed themselves. A skeleton with bright red eyes riding an armored nightmare. Another was an almost wraith looking skeleton figure in a brown faded robe with glowing green eyes.

Piercing the air, the armored skeleton on the force said "Penance or Offering". This caused the Smighty Pieve to pause. Unsure if they wanted to fight, the group stopped and began to deliberate. Ur-Dragor was impatient and began to ask questions about the situation. To pass, one must give up a valuable item or the life of a comrade. There was some dispute between whether or not they wanted another fight immediately and it almost became and argument with almost everyone against Ur-Dragor aside from Gosen who was relatively silent on the matter. During it, Dagna reached out, pulled Brimbar's Bane and tossed it as an offering towards the skeleton. The sword made it almost halfway up between the path and the skeleton. Just as the skeleton was about to say that the offering was accepted, Ur-Dragor climbed up to snatch his sword before yelling at Dagna.

The two were almost at a standoff when Santiago broke the silence by offering his Thunderous Rapier crafted by ancient vampires back at the den of the necromancer on their first adventure together. This weapon was walked to a place closer then the thrown sticking out of the rock. The skeleton floating in robes flew slowly to pick it up and inspecting it while the sword was floating in the air. It was at this time that both in unison agreed that the price was paid for the crossing.

Ur-Dragor however was not pleased and was angry at the transaction. Ur-Dragor has revealed himself as someone who is becoming slightly aware that the Pendalsmithe is no closer and finding himself impatient with a group speaking behind his back about him and now willing to give his weapons away without his consent. At that moment, he was finished and threatened to leave the group. Dagna didn't really mind the prospect as he originally wanted to push forward and away. Ur-Dragor realized that was no option as he would need to give a separate price to move forward and started moving down the mountain. Fenwyck was the first to try and get him from leaving the group with a compelling, but unconvincing speech to Ur-Dragor. Gosen and Santiago did try to convince Dagna that another body to fight with them would be very useful in the upcoming fights. Santiago pointed to just the last fight where the sword in his hands was almost instrumental in finishing off the vampires quickly.

Dagna was reluctant, but remembered there was a potential Tarrasque waiting for her if she kept Ur-Dragor around. Gosen and Santiago were able to convince him to stay by fluffing his ego. There was still a tension in the air for the last bits of the travel. Higher up the mountain, the temperature cooled as most of the travel became narrow cliffside walking. The path eventually reached an end point at the end of a narrow path with a single wooden board across.

An almost invisible mouth and a single gigantic ruby revealed itself just barely in movement as the image of a floating eye and a toothy mouth filled with fangs began to speech, the voice was low in deep speech, but simultaneously telepathic in everyone's native language. The being introduced itself as the keeper for the path immediately recognizing seven among them. This originally confused the Smighty Pieve before Santiago realized that whatever this being was indeed accounted for Keilrecht Tillenbirg in the count.

The beast required a test of arcane power and wished for a display of the strongest spell that can be cast by anyone on their team. Fenwyck looked in her spellbook and cast a spell from the forbidden list of necromancy spells and the moment she did, several rubies glowed around the giant center one as the voice appeared happy and impressed at the power of the magic. It exclaimed that a mage this powerful would be a great asset to Zsass Tam. The next request was for the circle to create and even more powerful spell. The Smighty Pieve deliberated as they realized that there was no way to pool resources together for a stronger spell. The ability to ritual cast in that way was a uniquely Red Wizard skill.

With no way to test the power of the group over the individual, the floating eye considered the options and while thinking out loud eventually found itself on the option of forcing a combat to test the overall abilities of the team in a fight. With the movement, the visual appearance become more clear as the floating aberration revealed itself is a blurred undead Eye Tyrant Beholder.

=Session 59: Invitation to Death=

The battle started quickly as Aklos saw the undead aberration and immediately clenched his hands moved his head up as he began to levitate off the ground and swirling blue and white energy swirled around him giving an aura encompassing the light of his body as his hair began to stand on end. around the combatants, an number of ethereal skulls and ghosts have made their way around the the Smighty Pieve as Aklos shot a guiding bolt immediately reducing the form of the one of the floating skulls.

The undead Eye Tyrant gleamed its eye towards the group as four spinning green lights of flame revealed themselves as Flameskulls when Dagna and Ur-Dragor realized they were grabbed by spectral arms and thrown off the cliffside.

Dagna smashed her weapon in an attempt to get her weapon caught on the side of the mountain. It was difficult for a large hammer, but she succeeded. Further up, Ur-Dragor stabbed Brinbar's Bane into the side of the mountain. When trying to get back up the mountain the Flameskulls cast heat metal on the weapons on the side of the mountain and cast a fireball in the center of the battlefield.

The eye tyrant managed to charm Gosen with one of its eye rays and hit Fenwyck with its petrification ray. In a very short amount of time, the battle had spiraled out of control. Gosen was landing hits on Fenwyck and Aklos realized that Fenwyck was not able to be healed without good reason from Gosen's hits.

Dagna managed to punch Gosen enough to free him from the charm and Ur-Dragor managed to get back. The Undead Eye Tyrant taunted the group as the Smighty Pieve stumbled around the battlefield slowly getting sickened by the floating skulls.

For most of the battle, the Undead Eye Tyrant was not even targeted by a single attack. The battle changed the moment Fenwyck had cast a slow on it. Confident of its ability to overcome the effect of the spell, it did little to combat the effect. The overconfidence was a mistake that allowed the Smighty Pieve to regain a foothold on the battlefield.

With openings available, the offense started with a decided disintegrate on the Beholder changing half of the top of the skull to fine powder revealing an almost spectral brain along with the tendrils leading to many of the rubies for its smaller eyes.

Dagna seeing this opening looked to jump on it and land blows, losing balance and sliding off the skull and needing to grab onto the cliffside. Ur-Dragor using his abilities to incite fear in the undead aberration limiting its foresight into the defenses of its environment.

While this was happening, Santiago was possessed by one of the ghosts and had spent the majority of the battle firing at Gosen.

Gosen at this time had been stunned by an eye ray and tossed off the cliff by a spectral arm and had fallen nearly 100 feet off the cliffside where Santiago had been firing at him nearly unconscious. Fenwyck was able to free Santiago from his possession as Gosen took a final hit forcing him to keep himself conscious in order to prevent himself from falling further appeared to change almost completely into a demonic form painfully growing two arms on his upper back and sprouting a pair of black bat like wings to come out. His eyes were yellow as his skin appear almost scaly and feather life. He was able to fly, but the wards on this mountain made it suboptimal to his climbing as he was able to take a potion and climb up simultaneously.

The battle shifted the moment Dagna's second attempt to jump on the beholder worked and she was able to crack the beast with several strong hitting blows on the gem sending hairline cracks in the ruby and large cracks along the seems in the skill for the eye socket.

The beholder only barely managed to get a hold over itself attempting powerful magic that was countered before Fenwyck recalled the Glaive of Nomatek and pointed it for a spell of Chain Lightning casting a powerful spell that hit Dagna, all of the Flameskulls and shattered the skull destroying the Undead Eye Tyrant. A spell of Reverse Gravity was cast saving the gigantic ruby and Dagna from falling as the spell knocked he unconscious.

With the negative energy ray no longer present from its eye, Aklos was able to do quick healing to the Smighty Pieve. The only path forward was into the cave. The cave itself had a teleportation circle and a series of sigils on it. After some exploration, it was clear that there was little else in the cave. Fenwyck had taken the massive ruby, large enough that it couldn't physically be carried easily being two feet in diameter and very heavy.

The sigils were old, very old and there was a platform with a hole in the middle of the circle.

Dagna and Fenwyck seemed to believe that it might be for the gem. Fenwyck studied the circle before committing to the assumptions and realized that it was indeed for a teleportation circle. When the gem was within the circle, it the runes lit up in a light blue as the cracked gem also lit up. While this appeared to solve the mystery of how to move forward, everyone was spent and wounded. The Smighty Pieve made camp, cast a spell of tiny hut and made watches through the night.

The vampires appeared to fly and guard this place throughout the night, but nothing moved close to the cave itself as lightning storms raged throughout the night.

The morning came, and around dawn, the gem was placed on the pedestal revealing a red shaded map of an unfamiliar location that appeared to be a forest with sporadically placed trees just near a plateau overseeing the ruins of a temple. It was difficult to get much of a view through the cracks as similar images refracted and broke in the pieces knocked off the gem. Santiago had remembered from the words of Keilrecht Tillenbirg that the ruins of an old temple of the god of death Myrkul was the sighting of the entrance.

Gosen is impatient and agrees to go first through the teleportation to the new location feeling himself get thrown into the area. Still slightly dark Gosen goes first followed by Santiago and then by Dagna and the rest. In the location, it is a bit more cool and less dry. There is a lair of grass and a forest of shorter pine trees with a plateau in the center holding the temple.

At this distance, nothing appears to react. There are seemingly over 100 skeletons with bows. At the bottom of the plateau there are a number of undead circling the temple. Headless skeleton centaurs circle quickly as larger lumbering undead somewhat wispy dark colored form slowly walking. Along the plateau itself are a series of steps and abandoned camps set up in the past.

The Smighty Pieve looked onward from close to 300 feet away wondering how to approach the location. Dagna and Gosen started moving quietly to get closer. Despite not moving particularly quietly, there was no reaction to their movement. Aklos starting mentioning the possibility that this is an invitation. While it seemed possible, the risk to going forward with that was very high.

Fenwyck was able to summon her familiar to get a better look to see if there were any openings along the plateau. The tiny owl started circling the structure. On three of the four sides the plateau was very heavily guarded and there were paths and staircases up the plateau. There was a hole where it seemed some undead were guarding around halfway up the path disconnected from other paths that he owl noticed.

A plan to use a spell to polymorph the entire party to animals to sneak inside appeared to be the main plan, but fear of any defenses came up. The next question became what magical defenses were at the plateau. Fenwyck's owl was able have the spell be cast and see that the whole plateau was covered in abjuration and the temple itself had strong necromancy and conjuration.

This discovery seemed to discourage sneaking into the structure as the spell getting dispelled was a noticeable fear. Dagna scared to the risk considered suggesting the plan of causing a distraction. Fenwyck recalled that she could cast spells from her owl again leading to the plan of causing a distraction by creating a large fire in the forest to gain the attention of the following undead.

Create Bonfire and Control Fire over time lead to a large forest fire roaring just next to plateau. Many of the undead circling the temple at the bottom moved to the fire. One figure at the top, a skeleton almost lich looking figure in a red cloak floated from the top flew down and used a sleet storm spell to put down out the fire.

While this happened, none of the skeletons or wraiths on the plateau have moved off the rock structure in response to the fire. Aklos echoed his thoughts as Ur-Dragor and Gosen simply considered fighting their way up the structure. Aklos mentioned that Elminster stated that Szass Tam is the type to want conversation. Fenwyck figured her owl could test this by getting close to the undead.

She flew her familiar on a perch just several feet away from several skeletons. There was a reaction to her owl, but nothing major. The heads turned from the undead, but no reaction outside that. The heads turn with no movement of the body whatsoever. It seemed odd that none of the undead approached when Dagna and Gosen approached. The next test was to see if the undead on the ground would react to members of the Smighty Pieve. Testing Aklos's guess, the team slowly approached. It took longer than expected for any reaction as the entire group approached. When the skeleton centaurs approached, there was no hostility, just approaching until roughly five feet separated the two.

Aklos attempted to keep the rest of the party calm as Dagna looked ready for a fight and Gosen attempted to whisper the idea of trying to sneak in over and over again. As Aklos lead the team up passed a series of stone stairs somewhat broken and caved in the skeleton archers just turned their heads and proceeded not to act.

It took a few minutes moving closely to each other in marching order before reaching the stairs to the top of the plateau where the unfinished temple ruins for Myrkul stood dimly lit. Along the top, there was a full line of archer and a few skeletons in finely decorated armor. There were two caster skeletons, one in a bright red robe that put out the fire and the other in a dim greenish brownish robe sitting in a chair in front of a shrine of the Myrkul appearing as the grim reaper. Just in front of them were three mummified looking figures in ancient looking armor. All three of them had flash and paper wrapping their eyes with a red glow just shining through. Two of them appeared as ancient body guards with bronze weapons and one with a gold crown filled with gems.

=Session 60: Fate of the Defeated=

With the entirety of the Smighty Pieve at the top of the plateau at the temple there was a long silence. The Undead there were in no hurry to react as everyone waited at the top of the stairs just looking at the mass of undead seemingly guarding this place. There was a one sided tension as Aklos and everyone slowly walked forward until they were halfway through temple to the visible trap door downward. It was at that time that the one skeleton in the red robes began to speak. After realizing that the words could not be understood, the skeleton proceeded to cast tongues on itself. It was an introduction to what the Path of the Redeemed was and mostly exposition and instruction to starting the path.

There was a test and ritual before entry. The test was to destroy the three mummified figures. There were the humans that inhabited this land before Thay. The Rasheman were a society that took up this space and with conflict of those in Mulhorand before refugees of the land were able to defeat the country. The three before appeared to be ranking figures that needed to be destroyed. The blood of those that are going needs to be spilled either in battle or otherwise to be recognized by those in be allowed within the dungeon that is the Path of the Redeemed. Santiago wondered if the space was the space for the battle, to which it was the space needed for the battle. Dagna was curious known that Szass Tam was a Bane worshipper why the start of this would be from a temple to Myrkul. During that conversation, there was no clear answer to her question, but she was able to learn that those that were here were created undead with limited freedom and knowledge. Even the words appeared to be in loop with little variation to different versions of the questions asked. Dagna did learn that those that guarded, many of which were enemies places, between the wizards guarding and of course the mummies that needed to be destroyed.

With the task understood and a moment of silence and preparation. The head mummy, the ancient king asked the Smighty Pieve if they were enemies of Thay, and Santiago said allies, which prompted an angry response looking for blood as the battle began.

The King summoned an aura of bugs, astral beetles as the kind pulled out two hilts pulling out a whip of water and a sword with the outline of fire as the mummy places them together and gets a bubbling boiling whip and an aura of water vapor obscuring the vision of those close by.

At first, the battle appears close and in favor of the death knights. The tide immediately changes when Fenwyck channels the power of the glaive and uses a whirlwind to suck in the aura of beetles and the steam aura around the Rasheman King. The death knights get caught in the whirlwind and the battle immediately shifts as the one death knight is stunned and the rest are trapped. There is almost no shift again as the battle ends shortly after. Several members of the Smighty Pieve win quite hurt as others were untouched by the battle. By the end, Dagna had recognized the spectacle of this battle and felt the implied message of embarrassment from Szass Tam and refused to engage at the very end.

The other Lich figure spoke in a decrepit voice clapping in response to the recognition and mentions that the Path of the Redeemed is a test, but more a message to those that wish to return what happens when you betray and are defeated by Szass Tam. When those who were not hurt, Fenwyck, Santiago and Aklos are hit with a Magic Missile from the undead wizard in the red robe to accept the blood from the ritual.

The Smighty Pieve does not linger as they travel down the path of the trap door. Over twenty minutes pass as the wet downward staircase goes past a base of hallways in the plateau. Dimly lit goes to complete darkness as Dagna notices a difference in the stonework of the passage. The passage eventually matches the architecture of the temple.

At the bottom, there is a door constructed in thick stone with stonework comparable to that of Dwarves. Dagna recognizes that the make is deliberately sturdy and unlike the rest of the stonework just before it. Accidentally, when checking the door for magic, the door with eight gems has a single gem light up. Gosen immediately learns that this is a test of the schools of magic and Fenwyck shoots out the majority of the needed schools in Cantrips. Aklos and eventually Santiago finishes the test as this leads to a small hallways into a poorly made wooden door that leads to a room of blankets and rugs strung along the entire room. It looks very comfortable despite there being some cobwebs. The room is very colorful with one fluffy chair with a single skeleton. The skeleton appeared to be sitting on the chair.

Just about as the skeleton is about to be inspected, the skeleton's mouth moves and speaks. The first thing the skeleton does is introduce that this is a room of rest. With that, it is stated that this place is a rest space among a powerful enchantment that makes most of this dungeon as a restless space. The skull motions to the room completely dark as the skeleton says the room will kill you if you enter. The skeleton points with its arm down and states that there is trap door and many items below. There are many nice items below, but only one item will help get across this room.

It is as this point that Dagna is the one that asks about the skeleton. Putting a boney finger to the chin of the skull, the skeleton recalls a name from memories formed and refers to himself as Zulkir of Enchantment Lauzuril. Briefly recalling, he states that he aided the storming of Thay back in 1479. He asks what year it is, to which Gosen responds.

The skeleton's response is to realize that the memories don't match the body. He realizes that the body is not his body, but the memories were planted there as he recalls that a master enchanter can no longer cast spells and doesn't even have legs. Despite a fair amount of free dialogue, the skeleton admits that he cannot provide the answer despite Ur-Dragor asking many times as he is allowed to give cryptic hints. Again, the skeleton makes a clear through line about how one of the most prominent figures in stopping Szass Tam before is made is a display mascot and a hint for the first true puzzle for the Path of the Redeemed.

Below the room, after uncovering blankets the trap door reveled a great amount of treasure, gold a few magical items. Among them was a cursed rod that was the first one that caught the eye of Aklos. Touching the rod had appeared to put him in an unbreathing coma. Dagna immediately reacted as there was little difference between Aklos and a dead body at this point in time. Aklos sees his body below now as a spectral form. Dagna runs directly and immediately checks his vitals as she takes a potion out and attempts to administer it. Fenwyck inspects his condition and casts a spell as Aklos is able to connect with her in his form. There is a moment when Fenwyck communicates with Dagna as Aklos begins to consider that his condition is somewhat intentional for the solution.

Aklos will eventually move around all of the rooms and see the darkness of the room shines a few runes and sigils glowing blue through the darkness in the room. Aklos is able to go into the room warned and nothing appears to happen to him. Along the path there are sigils in a language that he cannot read and an outline of hand on both the left wall and the far door on the wall.

Aklos, curious again seems to think that maybe the hand print is a doorway and presses his hand on the left side and darkness in the room is dispelled as a dim light shines throughout the room.

Aklos, unable to read and mostly giving in to his curiosity does believe that his actions are leading to a favorable outcome monologues his actions as he places his hand on the other outline. When he does, there is a slit in the middle of the door that becomes visible as the two sides open revealing a twisted stone hallway.

Aklos eventually came back somewhat confused with what to do as Dagna wondered what to do to fix the curse. Fenwyck was unsure as Aklos returned saying that he believed he opened the door and likely helped free the following room of its dangers. The skeleton, Lauzoril admits that the way to end the curse and states that the rod needs to be snapped in half. With not even a second passing, Dagna smashed it releasing Aklos from his curse and bringing him back to his body.

The skeleton Lauzoril admits he knew he could mention that, but feared that with it broken, there was no easy solution to the room and waited for Aklos to free himself. When given the chance to take him, Lauzoril considered the risk of the magic fading versus his ability to aid. Gosen takes the half skeleton onto the magic carpet and the Smighty Pieve moves to enter the new room. The previously dark room is now harmless, however the magic keeping Lauzoril active as an undead dissipates as the skeleton falls apart.

The next hallway is dark and eventually leads to a large open room with some green liquid at the bottom in a circular motion around a gigantic almost eighty foot tall statue. The room is completely dark and too large to see the edges and the top.

There are just a few stairs before a pedestal where the statue stood. While examining the room, Gosen attempted to see what if anything was special about the statue. Nothing was significant with an immediate examination. With a closer look, Gosen touched the statue, which revealed a bright green light illuminating the upper ends of the room including the ceiling of stalactites as the gigantic now earth elemental looking creature slammed the ground in an attempt to hit Gosen as he proceeded to combat roll out of the way. The impact still caused the entire room to shake leading to several massive rocks, stalactites falling from the ceiling and impacting several of the Smighty Pieve.

With no follow up attack, the elemental looked down and proceeded to close the glowing green eye and rest back at the center of the room. Given the green glow, there was an assumption that the puzzles were connected and Fenwyck decided to polymorph the elemental, which appeared to deliberately fail the save and act in a way that was not expected. Fenwyck had turned this almost eighty foot tall earth colossus into a sloth. It walked past everyone in the Smighty Pieve and began to attempt to climb up the wall. The walls were coated with fallen rock and debris. Fenwyck used Mage Hand to aid the sloth climbing now to the top, following the animal to the top where it pointed now at a trap door at the ceiling of the room to escape that no one was in a position to see before. From the carpet, Fenwyck was able to open the trap door downward to reveal a stone cavern into another stone door of similar make to the first. After a few minutes of getting the entire Smighty Pieve made their way through the door with the Earth Colossus still in the form of a sloth.

=Session 61: Dungeons, Dungeons and more Dungeons= The room above was not so much a room, but the beginning of a corridor cut off by a stone door. The stone door was similar to the very first of them covered in the eight gems. This door did not have gems associated with the schools of magic, but rather a writing in Thayan that Fenwyck was able to partially decipher. What appeared was a bit of an anagram. Confusing as the functions of Thayan and common were different, when she touched it, the language changed to suit it forming the words "TAKE WORM". Fenwyck realized that after casting detect magic and seeing illusion on the letters that she was able to move them around in the word by touching them and quickly rattled through options until reaching "Teamwork". Not an uncommon sense, especially for a magical creed born in ritual casting with multiple wizards.

The door split as the Smighty Pieve found themselves in a twisted longer hallway. It was a stone hallways depicting a once painted mural of an old city and battles of the past. At this point, they were little more than markings on the wall. At the edge of the hallways was a doorway with writing on the door. The shabby wooden door had writing, also in Thayan, which seems like it might have been placed by someone leaving it as a warning for the next willing to attempt this room.

The words read ""Careful to the next that come here. The eye sees all, through disguise and turns you to stone. If several of you run, some will make it, but beware it never misses."

Ur-Dragor bragged about his ability to run through it as the question of whether or not speed or moving slow would help you ignore the room. Dagna and Fenwyck were able to stroke the already impressive ego of Ur-Dragor getting him ready and willing to run across the room. Just in the well lit room was a stone wall reaching around ten feet high and about seven feet wide. With that, he ran out just seeing a statue with a red eye just before he was shot.

Just after making past the side of the wall, Ur-Dragor got just barely got a glimpse of a stone statue of what appeared to be a person, but the head was replaced by a singular red eye that shot out a laser directly at Ur-Dragor. In an instant, he was immediately turned into stone. He was in mid stride just to the side of the statue.

Dagna and Gosen were surprised to see how instant the reaction was when he was hit with the ray. Aklos removed the polymorph taking a chance on the earth elemental. When transforming back, it began to grow as tall at the room over ten feet tall swelling back to its original size until it's head hit the ceiling, and it shrank down to a terrifying just over three feet tall. With the same appearance with the singular green eye, it waved its hand at Fenwyck and moved to Gosen and attempted to put its hand on his shoulder, but couldn't reach. Aklos and Fenwyck believe that Earth Elementals are immune to being petrified and asked to have it cross into the room and see what would happen.

Just as they figured, their friendly tiny earth elemental was shot by the ray almost immediately and carried on as if nothing happened. Fenwyck had asked if the elemental could hug the eye and prevent the laser from shooting. The earth elemental had climbed the statue and attempt to hug completely around the eye. Most of the front of the eye was covered, but it was not completely covered. To test this, Fenwyck had summoned her familiar to fly across the room. The eye was unable to shoot the owl until the other end of the room where it was hit in mid flighty and petrified in mid air falling to the ground and shattering a single wing. There was a fair amount of deliberation until Fenwyck took a chance in view and cast web overtop the eye. The earth elemental dropped the moment the spell was cast. The eye was now covered in web completely. Gosen was going to test the room be first getting behind Ur-Dragor and then trying to see if he could cross the room.

There was a shot as Gosen left from behind Ur-Dragor. The web was petrified around the eye. Once the first shot happened, it was not entirely clear if there were more shots, but it seemed clear that the room was clear. As Gosen was crossing, he could see that the room appeared to be smooth almost polished stone. With a closer inspection, there appeared to be the combined silhouettes of several people, mostly wizards that have been hit with the eye that have become smoothed out and a part of the wall. The twisted expressions of their movement and fear held in place in the wall.

The next room was a another hallway similar to the previous that appeared to intersect with an ancient mining ground. The rooms became dark as the mining path became more pronounced. The group huddled closer together as they made their way into a larger opening of a room. The crunch of bones all around them as those with dark vision could swear on the sight of movement. In just a few moments, the movement and sounds of moving bones filled the room as it appeared there was well over fifty bodies in skeletons started to raise.

A high volume battle as large number of bone archers and skeletons surrounded and engaged the Smighty Pieve. In pure darkness, most of the party was able to engage aside from Santiago until Aklos changed in a form to illuminate the room. Ghosts flew from the corners, several attaching themselves to people for sickness as some aimed to possess members of the Smighty Pieve. Dagna was possessed as she charged into Ur-Dragor already surrounded and covered in arrows that shot him from the darkness.

A large ghost of a cloud giant appeared with long hair flying in every direction carrying a large lightning sword charging for Ur-Dragor. It was a pitched battle, but the Smighty Pieve was gaining control. At that very point, the coffin in the center of the room, and a lich like wizard revealed himself in an aura of spinning wind. He quickly covered himself in a dome of force to charge a powerful spell.

At this point, Fenwyck had already summoned a Bigby's hand, and summoned a golden snake from her arm band to fight the skeletons after the fight the cloud giant. The spells had no effect as Fenwyck recognized the somatic components for the spell as a delayed blast fireball. Fenwyck disintegrated the globe as Aklos dispelled the charged spell. A quick, but deadly battle started, but ended when the hand was able to trap the caster for Dagna and Gosen to finish off.

=Session 62: Redeemed for the Homeland.=

After the body became lifeless, the bones turned to dust revealing a set of red robes and series of potions and, riches and amulets that belonged to once Zulkir of the Evocation.

Time was spent collecting and sifting through the discarded weapons of the abandoned mine. The only other exit still intact was a hole that was dug out well after the use of the mine. The stonework was ancient, likely not Thayan from its design.

After passing through, there was a long path. Minutes later, a wooden door left somewhat ajar. The idea of a door left somewhat ajar was suspicious, and there was magic on the door and beyond it. Deliberation eventually ended on simply going through the door. The path was completely dark only partially lit by a torch. On the back of the door, there was ancient writing that initially appeared in a different language, but morphed into the writing of everyone's native language when read. It said "Please close when you are finished"

With that, there was nod and some confusion to what it meant before someone urged Ur-Dragor to close it, who kind of just shrugged and closed the door.

The walk was quick and the trap of the rude timeloop was bypassed by a moment of consideration.

The next room was a closed thick wooden door with light shining past it. Fenwyck and Gosen were able to look in the room and able to see a brightly lit room mostly clad in stone in all directions with a single throne and a skeleton on it. This skeleton was wearing a robe in an ancient, but still comfortable looking fine chair. The colors were faded, but bright purples and reds like the previous restrooms. On the far side of the room, there was a single wooden door.

Upon entering the door, the skeleton merely said in a feminine voice to watch your step. Dagna opened the door carefully to realize no immediate hostility from the skeleton. The skeleton, however was not really friendly towards the Smighty Pieve this time around. Walking Forward, Dagna put her foot forward into the illusion of the floor losing balance and immediately trips forwards. While falling in the hole, she caught herself and grabbed the far end. Underneath, she was able to see what looked like a small pool of a liquid and what looked like a clay golem underneath. Dagna and Gosen were careful at first looking as Fenwyck was able to fly in the magic carpet inside the room.

She was able to move to the other side where the door was and touch the door to realize that the door itself was an illusion. When looking closer, the illusion changed shape, and while none of the many pitfalls throughout the room took form, there were instead many doors littered all over the room.

Fenwyck moved around seeing that the doors along the walls, and the ceiling were all fakes as Dagna and Gosen started to make their way around the room taking one step at a time to the center.

It was Aklos that appeared to consider the idea that the throne itself was covered the true door outside this place. The skeleton admitted she could not really answer, but a lack of admission is an answer. Dagna was able to move the chair. There was nothing visible, but touching the ground, she could reveal the illusion of the ground and feel a latch for a trap door. A narrow ladder down dimly lit lead to a small walkway with the image of many pitfalls leading to acid and large number of clay golems.

The next room was an actual restroom with a series of blankets and comfortable looking old chairs and couches. Blankets covered the ground. In the center of the room was a finely crafted maple short stand with a crystal ball on a gold stand.

The room was calm, and for the first time since leaving the first room with the trap door on the bottom, the nervous feeling preventing rest. Despite the comfort of the room, Fnewyck created a tiny hut. Watches were made in the event that this room was also a trap. Throughout the dimly lit room with everburning torches was nothing besides maybe the tiniest spider seen throughout the room.

Time is hard to read in this place, but after some rest, it was time to explore the room and see if anything was hidden throughout this room. This room was picked clean or left clear. The single crystal ball was the only item of note. Dagna was the first to touch it as she went into a trance. It was a recording of a man with darker skin with long black hair and well maintained beard and long eyebrows in very ornate red robes, not to dissimilar from the ones Fenwyck had. The message appeared to coming from Xzass Tam congratulating anyone that made it here. As it became more likely that this was not dangerous or a trap, more people started to touch the crystal ball. The message stated that those that made it here have revealed the capabilities and have shown themselves.

The next portion of the dungeon would be a test of loyalty. Xzass Tam stated that an enemy would need great resolve to make it through the next section of the Path of the Redeemed.

An unsettling warning made it seem like the tests of battles and tricks would be finished, but that appeared to change the nature of what to expect.

The exit appeared to be normal wooden door that revealed a new stone hallway. The sides appeared to be an image of a battlefield. Looking at it revealing the moving etches in the stone of movement of a battle that appears to be the Thayan Civil War. Sounds of the battle lightly populated the ears of the Smighty Pieve when making it to a stone door. There was a circular window looking into the next room.

In the next room, there was a skeleton in mostly white and somewhat red robes standing over six feet tall in immaculate clean white robes. The room was bright in the center, but the light was very dim at its edges. The stone at the edge revealed a series of people, prisoners of war chained up.

There were three in the room, one already dead, a combatant who appeared to be from the region who looked mutilated and dead. There was a paladin who was gurgling, completely naked and mostly mutilated with a series of wounds preventing him. His expression reveal that life was fading. His holy symbol sowed into his abdomen and his body completely famished.

Lastly was a rebel red wizard who appeared to be easily in the best shape of those around, barely wounded and looking onward as he began to speak out.

The skeleton in the center of the room stated to leave this room, at least a prisoner would need to be interrogated and then killed in order to move onto the next room. Dagna and Aklos looked on in horror at the situation. There was a silence as the conversation to avoid it was short. The skeleton stated that other methods to leave this room might work, but the only accepted way out was through a portal that would appear when the objective was met. Dagna and Alkos agreed on the young adult human paladin near death. The symbol sowed into him was the symbol of Torm. He was too wounded to speak only motioning slightly with his eyes and a gurgle. Dagna looked on to him at Aklos, who healed him. With some strength the Paladin looked at them and the room. There was a connection as he realized that his teammates were already dead and that he lost the battle. His mind was still in tact. With a tear in his eye, he knew he would die and gladly looked to cooperate. After stating that he was party of a raiding party that looked to make it in through the Order of the Gauntlet months ago based on Harper Intel.

Dagna took out a daggar was ready to slit this throat to end his life quickly. The rebel red wizard proceeded to attempt to get the attention of the Smighty Pieve trying to barter for his life. Looking back and forth with the skeleton in the center of the room, the party knew that was nothing that could be done. When asked about freeing or killing him, the skeleton stated that he would only be allowed to die if he provided new information. He was willing to say anything that he knew. The Red Wizard tried to get out, but Dagna merely tossed him the dagger after providing the information. When that happened, a red portal appeared in the far end of the room.

There are a ere of tension leading into the next room, which appear to be completely white. It was almost blinding how light it was. In the front of the room there was a small table with a beam of blue light covering a small night stand with a scroll. Aklos and Fenwyck looked at it first seeing that it was a scroll of Create undead. In the beam of light, there was a visible "94" in the beam of light in the maybe 20ft tall room.

The smell in the room was noticeable as the room appeared to expand almost endlessly with a great amount of preserved death in the room. There were what looked like thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of corpses populating the room. It took a moment, but it eventually became clear that the point of this room was to create undead. The number appeared to be one more than the number of undead destroyed throughout the dungeon.

Fenwyck sat in the chair at the table. Creating undead would take almost a half hour creating undead at the station sometime corpses would need to be moved and other times, the dead would rise from the pile until the number changed from 94 to 0.

When the last group appeared to revive, a yellow portal opened to a dimly lit room with mostly red and orange. In this room, there were wispy figures in fire and a skeleton with a white mask and no lower jaw. The skeleton introduced himself as a construct of the Zulkir of Conjuration, Nevron. He was the one recording the events of Path of Redeemed and knew the actions of the Smighty Pieve. He indicated that this was the last room. Nevron recalled the moment on the mountain when faced with the death knight stating that whatever choice they didn't make at that moment. To pass the final room, a sacrifice would need to be made. The voice appeared in everyone's head as he stated the only other way out would be to destroy him.

There was some deliberation when Santiago took the sword he received in the trap door and toss it to Nevron knowing that it was an intelligent sword. The lich like figure did telepathic laugh and granted the Smighty Pieve access to pass. A smart person would see that the path provides you an answer to every puzzle. Sacrifice is only needed to those that don't see the proper path. Nevron uses his hands to create the last portal. As it opens, something steps out of it first. A devil with pale egg white skin steps out with beady red eyes steps out with long black hair. His wings wrapped around his shoulders like a cloak, this devil stands around fifteen feet tall as it addresses Nevron to refuse passage. Nevron denies the wishes of the Devil in a seemingly joyous ability as the Devil takes the skeleton and proceeds to rip it in half. This form visible is immediately recognized by Dagna and Aklos as an Arch Duke that has attacked before. He was very dangerous, and while his form was not familiar, Fenwyck was able to identify that the sword itself appeared familiar, through not why at this moment in time. The devil congratulated the Smighty Pieve for coming directly to him as two allies were brought forth.

=Session 63: The Resolve to Kill=

The Devil that entered the portal was immediately familiar and eyed the entirety of the Smighty Pieve. Dagna and Aklos were quick to recognize and the readiness for the fight. Adonides was quick to acknowledge Aklos and immediately teleported next to Aklos to engage the attack. The right hand was a glove with no fingers and a pentagram on it. When it connected, Adonides invaded the mind of Aklos. For a moment, he saw the chaos unfold. Trying to break his will, he saw the death of Aklos's world. Through reliving the memories, he challenged Aklos's decision to run to a world with people, trying to shake his resolve for the safety of other worlds. Aklos remained strong, and Adonides respected the strength of his spirit. The fear was not in the enemies, but the destruction they caused. Swinging his sword down on against cutting and smashing a deep blow against him.

Dagna was able to land a good hit before he blocked the remaining strikes. Fenwyck quickly reacted by helping Aklos before leaving close to him. The devil with him, the fat deformed devil places its hands on the floor igniting a spell conjured by Nevron trapping Gosen, Santiago, and Ur- Dragor with drapes of force, or it appeared he did until Santiago managed to break free. As Gosen was breaking free, the devil cast a spell of confusion on him causing him to run head first into the wall.

The battle started quickly as Adonides focused all of his attacks knowing Aklos could heal his comrades. Shortly after he was knocked down, he moved his claw to Fenwyck, seeing her hide in the face of an invasion she barely saw. Her fear consuming her as he tried to shake her willingness to engage this battle. Shaken by the fear and considering the path of ending the fight, she stood in fear motionless as Dagna continued to engage the devil.

A moment of clarity hit Gosen as he approached the Glugon with a spear blocking his path from the Fat devil attempting to control his mind. Santiago saw that this devil was the one that used the room's defenses against the Smighty Pieve and confused Gosen, and shot him to break concentration on his ability. The blinding radiance was irritable through the pain and Gosen snapped to in order to kill the ice devil.

Fenwyck, breaking to her senses was shaken in fury and cast a disintegrate on Adonides, dissolving much of his forearm. The pace of the battle moved a bit quicker once Gosen managed to kill the Glugon after disarming it from its spear. A few good hits was able to slice off the insectoid devil's head. Ur-Dragor managed to break out as Adonides was surrounded by the Smighty Pieve. Dagna and Gosen were able to deal massive blows as he diverted attention and remained confused by it. Dagna landed mortal blow smashing his head as Adonides stood again deformed and fire burned away his pale white form to reveal a deep orange color of a bald devil with massive horns. The appearance became familiar as he took the form of the devil that killed both Burg and Larnel. In this form, he stands a good eight feet taller and each swing can cleave multiple enemies.

Sensing desperation as most of the party has fallen, Dagna blows the horn of the Hammerhand and summons the ghost soldiers of her family. Adonides lacks his quick movements and defense, but his attacks are all lethal. The Smighty Pieve with the ghosts of Dagna's family lay many blows against his devil carving him up. It is a battle with many hits. Adonides starts off well but slaying many of the spirits and dropping both Ur-Dragor and Gosen in a single swing. Fenwyck creates a moment of opportunity by blinding Adonides as Aklos, on his feet is able to heal. A few misses from the devil swinging too high to hit his targets allow for a few deep blows. Ur- Dragor connects with a devastating blow before a counter drops him. Adonides scorns as he sees his death coming. He attempt to center a blast around himself, and teleport away when Fenwyck countered it. In his last moments, he stabbed the ground in an attempt to kill Ur-Dragor. Still blinded, he barely missed the attack.

Facing Dagna, after the previous fight and the wounds, he missed Gosens fatal stab on his neck from behind. Adonides was decapitated from the final swing. Unlike many fiends that died, as the true form of an Arch Duke, his body didn't dissolve. His death here was his true death. A rest was needed after the victory. In the pockets of the Arch Duke were a few items of note. Scrolls identified as contracts of Hell with no signature and a single kaleidoscope was among the items outside his giant sword. A brief conversation over what to do with the contracts was swift as Fenwyck wanted to keep them, if nothing else to keep them out of the hands of others as she told Aklos. The kaleidoscope, however was an interesting item. Fenwyck was the first to look into it as she saw the shapes and colors typically associated with a kaleidoscope before the colors dimmed and she saw a silhouette of Elida behind stained glass windows. She heard her own voice in her head saying "I forgive you." She nearly dropped the item in response to that and mentioned that she saw Elisa.

Dagna looked inside, and much like Fenwyck saw the colors of the kaleidoscope. Though when the images changed, she saw purple and various colors as twisted shapes from the far realm showed up and saw it encompassing this the space and she heard her own voice. "You can't blame yourself, we will deal with this." Curious if she would see the same thing again, she looked inside the item again to see a different image that she recognized as Elminster as she heard a small bit of a conversation she has with him that was not one she had in the past.

Gosen was the one that looked at it next. Much like Fenwyck, at first, he saw colors and shapes associated with a Kaleidoscope before it changed to a deep brown and green as he noticed the shape of a very large and old tree before it became clear it was a treant. He heard his own voice saying, "so it belongs to me now?". In a second viewing, Gosen saw what looked like the ruins of a palanquin in the desert where a portal was opened. In his own voice he heard. "Was I too late?" There was no true understanding of what exactly was going on. Aklos was the next to look inside the kaleidoscope seeing a purple blurred figured he soon recognized as Rowen with several eyes on one side of his head. His own voice called out to Rowen asking. "Is that even you anymore?" the sight shocked him as he took the item away and quickly looked into it again. Looking again, he saw different image. This time it involve an image that was unfamiliar. It was drifting into view as an image of a red cape and slowly transformed into a familiar figure. Aklos recognized this as the one who greeted him in the world. This is the first time anyone heard a voice other than their own as the image became entirely clear as Aklos went into a trance. The figure informed him that this is an item of odd power granted by the domain of time. On the side of the item a bright sun had appeared in white on the side of the gold colored kaleidoscope. The magician informed him that this item gives you a window into a future, a potential future of yours, but its true power comes in the luck if you are able to look in from the other side. With that, Aklos drops at as Dagna was about to rush in based on his reaction.

Eventually both Santiago and Ur-Dragor also looked completing the cycle. Both decided to look only once seeing that there was a possible additional effect. Ur-Dragor saw himself eventually in a maze of an unknown location simply muttering to himself that there needs to be a way out of here. He wasn't impressed or happy with the message. He flipped the item away as it was junk and Santiago grabbed it and looked into it. Santiago saw an image appear mostly in darkness of an empty chair. His words to himself are "It's empty." When asked to describe what he saw, the image was one Dagna remembered that moment when she was thrown into the Supreme Throne and met with the God Cyric. Dagna eventually became worried at what this item would see and like the contracts this was put away in the bag of holding.

=Session (Nintendo)64: The Citadel=

An hour passes as the golden portal into darkness remains in the long side of the room. The dimly lit ballroom in orange remains as they remember the final moments as the last devil escaped the moment the arch duke was killed. The seeming undead, now more likely elementals fade back into torches as the room becomes inert. Only the corpse of the arch duke and his belongings remaining with the portal.

The rest helped clear the wounds that over the fight. While resting, there was a conversation of what to expect in the next room. Dagna looked to Santiago remembering the soul of the Red Wizard Keilrecht Tillenbirg inside him to see if he had an idea of what to expect. During the rest, Santiago sat down and got into a sort of meditation to reach down in himself to speak to Tillenbirg. It has been some time since he looked to him, but managed to quickly find him in his consciousness.

Unlike the earlier times just after his defeat, he was oddly cordial with Santiago this time around. Keilrecht Tillenbirg seemed surprised that he didn't offer him up as a sacrifice to the skeleton Zulkir of Conjuration Nevron. Santiago seemed like "Oh yeah, I could have done that." Still, Tillenbirg was thankful in thinking that what he knew at least was more value to them than the sword removed. Santiago asked about the upcoming area.

Tillenbirg informed him that the region referred to as Thaymount is actually a mountain range in the center of Thay. The actual place they were going is a tower called the Citadel. This is the stronghold of Szass Tam and the Zulkirs before him. It is an expansion of an ancient temple that predates Thay. After the Spellplague parts of the elemental chaos turned a tame area into a jagged mountain range with unnatural storms and other dangerous weather patterns.

The part where the portal would likely take them would be underground in the catacomb material ritual pool. Tillenbirg states that there lies the raw material.

The area is defended by a Blue Dracolich under his service. Tillenbirg believes that the service was in exchange for having Red Wizards free the Dracolich from the control of the Cult of the Dragon. Tillenbirg adds that if you do not want combat, it is possible, but will be difficult if you are here as Szass Tam's enemy. Santiago wondered what he meant and was confused at the help. Keilrecht Tillenbirg found the situation till this point awkward. The disconnect between the Path of the Redeemed and the arch duke seemed to send different messages. With it, Tillenbirg acknowledged that he was aware that he allowed himself to be gaslighted into betraying Tam, but thought there was most to the claim.

Santiago relayed that information. With some awareness, the Smighty Pieve stepped into the golden portal and teleported into a dark stone cavern on a stone platform, which may have been home once to a teleportation circle. It is difficult to decipher based on the age and darkness, but Dagna's stone sense was in marvel at the age of the structure. This had to be not hundreds, but likely thousands of years old. Confirming Tillenbirg's notion, this area was likely much much older than the country of Thay. Feeling the stone around the platform revealed a circle, but nothing that would obviously indicate magic. Any writing or potential glyphs are far too faded and too different from current magic to be properly analyzed.

A small staircase downward goes into a hallway that again moves down to a thick liquid blood. The material was a deep red, almost brown thick gooey liquid. The pungent smell of blood fills the cavern. There is a small moment of discussion of how they will swim through it and deal with it when Gosen takes the first few steps. It goes to about the upper thigh on him as he steps through it. There is no clear adverse reaction as Fenwyck rides her magic carpet just above the line and casts prestidigitation to clear away the immediate smell.

The walk through the thick blood was slow and somewhat difficult, but with no clear obstruction. The darkness made it nearly impossible to see. Those with limited dark vision could only really see that the cavernous area was vast in size. There was no sight of walls or a ceiling within this room. Just as Gosen in the front was realizing there was no marker to properly indication their location, Fenwyck called her owl familiar and sent it off upward and forward to get a better scouting view of the area.

Around maybe sixty or seventy feet upward, the owl did catch the sight of two glowing sapphire eyes. Just a bit closer revealed the glow showing the shape of a draconic skull with a single larger horn indicating the anatomy of a Blue Dragon Skeleton. The eyes glowed brighter in response to being noticed as Fenwyck immediately called her familiar back. The walk was no immediately altered, but it was at that point the sheer lack of sound besides the walking was evident. The news of the dracolich alerted Santiago to cast pass without a trace dimming the sound of their movement. In the silence, there was a sound Fenqyck could head, the sound of drops and a light movement as the spell dimmed the sight of the splashes to see small bumps in the blood following along quietly.

Maybe a minute or so after noticing this, a large mound roughly the height of maybe Santiago appears in front of the Smighty Pieve as a low pitched bello comes out in Draconic combined with a telepathic voice in the heads of the party.

A Dracolich is rather social, almost friendly, but asks questions to the nature of the visit. Santiago is the one who speaks, delivering a line about being Szass Tam's ally and looking to help him. The dracolich remarks about the disappearance of the devil that entered after them. It isn't entirely clear how the dragon takes this, but Santiago implies there was never a chance mediate the conflict since the devil immediately attacked. As this was true, if not misleading, the dracolich probes the situation only a small amount further before allowing the Smighty Pieve to pass.

A surprised sigh of relief from Santiago as Gosen and Dagna give him a pat on the back. The mound of blood lowers to reveal a skeleton in tattered soaked red robes similar to the ones Fenwyck is wearing belonging to the past Zulkirs Thay as the Smighty Pieve walk by.

After that conversation, there is again no sound. The movement of the blood oozes behind the Smighty Pieve stop as it is back to relative silence. With the spell active, there isn't much to see. Eventually, Gosen will catch a split in three paths, each pretty divergent due if nothing else to the size of the caverns.

A small conversation formed between the Smighty Pieve as the emphasis on Santiago revealed no clear path through this area. It was around this point that Dagna dipped her head underneath the blood level. And while one could not see through the viscus material, Dagna could feel the stone. After feeling for a minute or two, there was a clear indicator of stonework in direct of the path on the right. Shortly after getting up, there was a congealed liquid all over her that Aklos used Druidcraft to remove. This was mostly in vein as the walk continued, the path underneath the mountains of Thaymount only grew larger and more vast making tracking even more difficult. The Smighty Pieve became reliant on her stone sense to feel through the next split. Fenwyck would also release her owl to aid in a sense of direction, and also check for dracoliches.

The center path lead to a narrow staircase, of which was maintained more recently than most of the stone in the caverns. Dagna was able to deduce that the stonework was in fact upkept by the Thayans and this must be a sign of the location if not possible exit. The staircase was massive and dark. There was no light going up for several minutes until reaching a door that lead into a small spiral staircase that lead up past a trap door. Above it, there was a faint light at a large double door and another cavernous area that seemed to sprawl into many paths. Santiago did hear Keilrecht Tillenbirg refer to this area when discussing the Citadel at Thaymount. The other path in through was going by labyrinth.

The door was a thick wooden door, lighter in color with an etched symbol of Bane, a fist surrounded by the eight schools of magic etched similarly on the stone doors during the Path of the Redeemed. The door was clearly magical, but a discussion on whether or not it was trapped. Like the doors in the past, Fenwyck per Gosen's suggestion started casting spells at the door only to realize the effect was being blocked.

There was a myriad of conversations and theories, before an impatient Ur-Dragor simply decided he would open the door on his own. He reached out, and the door appeared neither to be trapped or even locked. The door opened with a loud creek to a very brightly lit room. Most of which was white with marble flooring in tiles and across the walls. The room had two fountains with a ladle and crystal bowls. On the other side, there was a tall table with a curtain on either side of it. Shortly after arriving, skeletons carrying plates full of steaming bread walked along a path from the curtain and placed the bread on the table and walked across to the other side. The room was very plain outside the marble décor. There was a smaller arched door at the end of the room, also brown in color.

Dagna was the first to reach up to the table and grab some bread with her blood stained hands and give it a try. the bread was decent. Not amazing, but fresh and not poisoned. As she started finishing the bread, more skeletons with more bread started appearing. Looking confused at it, Gosen looked behind the brown curtain to see a golden portal and looked behind the other door to see another portal. Treating this as a puzzle, several members of the Smighty Pieve began brainstorming as Dagna asked for some stew It was Fenwyck who caught the glimpse of a small blue flash, very easy to miss when there was a request. Less than 30 seconds later, skeletons with beef stew starting placing bowls of with a spoon.

The rooms properties began to be understood as even the dirt tracked from the bottom of shoes appeared to disappear. This kind of magical effect was no real mystery to Fenwyck as Dagna began making blood angels to create a mess that would eventually clear itself in time. The remaining question was whether or not to go through the door or the portals.

Gosen proposed the idea before learning that the skeletons coming in with the door are in fact from a different city and that those portals would take them further away. An odd learning for a potential path inside the Citadel, but once here, it seemed not to be effective. Ur-Dragor, the door opener, moved to open the door. Inside the doorway the color scheme changed from a red, blue and purple mix. The thread count on the floors and walls appeared like a palace as there was a room separated by a curtain and a staircase to another room.

The room to the right side revealed a ritual room with a pale blue light, a cauldron, and a floating skill with rubies for eyes. Other magical wares appeared to be on a bookshelf close behind. A table in front of the cauldron has an open book with a series of Thayan chants. Gosen and Fenwyck were able to identify the skeleton as a demi lich performing a ritual. The lich paid no attention to Smighty Pieve. The realization that they were not enemies of this whole place made it difficult. It not clear whether or not this ritual was a party of something bigger. It wasn't entirely clear if it had to do with the blood rain. It wasn't entirely clear that the cavern full of the blood of Thay didn't have anything to do with the ritual. Dagna's face began to sink when thinking of the possibility as cavern as the lives of the country and potentially a component to the ritual hitting poisoning the life.

The staircase went up to a wooden door that looked less ornate than the previous. Like the other doors, it was neither locked or trapped. It did appear that when locked, it would be trapped, but none of the rooms in the Citadel appeared to be locked at this time. The next room lead to a circular staircase in a stone tower and a sitting room with a small coffee table and an active fireplace that lead to two different rooms also separated by curtains.

Much like the previous, they were ritual rooms with a slightly different color glow. The only difference was that the two rooms here had full bodied liches rather than a demi lich performing the rituals. In each case, it was similar as there was no clear reaction to the Smighty Pieve. There appeared to be no clear defense or attack or alarms upon their entry. It seemed likely from the first room that those that passed the Path of the Redeemed were in fact welcomed into the Citadel.

The tower itself appeared to be more military or base like in its construction. From the windows in the tower, it could be seen that the Citadel was in fact more than one building and that it was built into the side of the mountain. A bridge separated the ground level of the Citadel from top palace. Along the bridge was a pathway to other buildings that appeared to hold defenses. At the top of the tower, Santiago and Dagna were able to spot a few devils that appeared to be flying near the top of the Citadel.

Across the bridge appeared to be a staircase down into a path that leads to other buildings. Across leads to the primary palace and tower of the Zulkirs in the Citadel. When crossing the bridge, the constant storms from the elemental chaos creates a strong wind. Through it, Fenwyck is the one able to see that there are two horned devils scouting, seeing the Smighty Pieve from below. Before they are able to cross the bridge, a being appears on front at the other edge of the bridge, as if revealing himself from invisibility. A devil that stands over fifteen feel tall with tendrils for hair and four arms decorated in gold all over his body reveals himself. Arch Duke Bifrons is there was many of the same allies, half goat devils and Glugons typical of Cania. He was one of the two in the Temple of the Triad. Dagna and Aklos did not recognize the Devil, but the rest fought him in the great all and in the library where Turnock and the others were killed.

The battle started from afar. Like with Adonides, it was dangerous start as Birfrons and the mages threw spells at the Smighty Pieve in a tight area. Santiago and Aklos were mortally wounded quickly as Dagna and Gosen tried to push forward. The spells pushed Dagna near her brink struggling to stay up as Gosen fell, resorting to his mere grit to stay up. The instinct to survive has been slowly awakening the soul of the vengeful demon spirit in him that the devils devoured. At this time, Gosen appeared to have almost a full demonic transformation. Gosen grew several feet in size over ten feet tall with black scaly almost feathery skin. Two bat like wings appeared with two extra arms off of his shoulders as his eyes were pitch yellow. The cursed sword that aided in the death of the devil, but caused a necrotic pain coursed through him as he began a rampage. Dagna, shocked to see the level of transformation took the opportunity to break the line with Gosen charging through the Glugon and quickly disposing of one of the horned Devils.

Bifrons, actively scared of the display cast a powerful spell to reduce Gosen's mind and resolve down to nothing with a feeble mind spell.

=Session 65: Human Introspection=

In a spout of anger, Gosen, slobbing from the mouth shaked his head and still looked onward to the devil. A slight fear present in Gosen rushed. Without the skill or accuracy of his attacks, Gosen was less dangerous, but still a fearsome strong demon carrying a deadly sword wildly swinging managing cuts through Bifron's four armed defense.

As a response to the attack he moved to banish Gosen to the Abyss. The path of destruction caused be Gosen caused an opening that allowed Dagna to move in allowing attacks on the Arch Duke.

The Horned devil still fighting from the side as Bifrons took offense on the bridge. The battle waged as Fenwyck slowly picked at Bifron's specialized magical defenses. Dagna found herself going toe to toe against Bifrons, slowly falling as he drew four weapons and attacked with each other. Dagna did land a power hit causing him to lose concentration on banishment as Gosen reappeared.

Bifrons as engaging Gosen and Dagna as Aklos transformed himself into a runic dinosaur from his world that looked similar to a tyrannosaurus. Aklos starts running, seeing this monstrous beast rushing towards him, Bifrons flies off the bridge away from Gosen and the Aklosaurus Rex.

The battle took a turn the moment Bifron's defenses were down and he was hit by a slow spell. Weakened and slowed, he was off the bridge safe from most attacks at least until Dagna rushed off the bridge with a fly potion.

Eventually the last horned devil would find Fenwyck, who had for the majority of the fight been flying on her magic carpet and hiding between each spell slung at Bifrons.

Ur-Dragor, frustrated at the pacing and inability to really connect with much would incite fear in the devil, keeping it frozen in place.

Dagna reaching Bifrons would engage him in melee combat. This time was different. Slowed, Bifron's defense in melee was limited and Dagna seizing the opportunity landed mortal blows burning against his skin. Seeing his defeat quickly as Aklos and Santiago pointing aim at him, Bifrons' defeat was imminent. With a quick chant, he was out, teleporting away leaving only the single horned devil. The battle quickly ended as the devil was left to fall frozen in fear with little more needed than a final shot from Santiago.

Battered and wounded, the Smighty Pieve had to consider their next move. Resting was on their mind, seeing that if they were to fight Szass Tam that they would need rest before engaging in that fight. In the middle of the bridge, there was a staircase downward to connect to other segmented pieces of the Citadel. Forward, there was the door to the main tower going upward to Szass Tam's palace area. Afraid that the defenses here would return, the Smighty Pieve agreed to move forward.

In the next portion of the tower, there was a circular staircase just left of two other rooms off a hallway again separated by a lining again leading to several lit up ritual rooms. Like the rest, there was a light and a ritual lighting up the rooms. Incense and other material components line the rooms as Liches and Demi Liches appear to be in chants.

The staircase upward lead to another door. Ur-Dragor, the door opener would open the doors, apparently unlocked to each chamber eventually leading to a long hall dimly lit by a small fire by a fountain. The small bon fire had a single person by it, who appeared to be sitting in a completely ordinary wooden chair with a small table by him eating what looked like a tomato soup and a little bit of buttered garlic bread with it.

This man appeared to be a darker skinned man with black hair and a light mustache. His attire was mostly white with some red trimmed in with a red ornate hat. On the chair, there was a very decorated red cloak, not too dissimilar from the on Fenwyck is currently wearing.

When the Smighty Pieve entered the room, the man almost dropped the bread and immediately looked nervous at the adventurers and asked who they were and what they were doing here.

The Smighty Pieve were unsure how to answer, but when given a chance to introduce themselves, it is Santiago that is the one that introduces the group by its group name. The name does trigger a response from the man who mutters something about the redeemed when the question is asked to him. The man looks to himself as if he needs to consider his answer and states in almost like a question that he is Szass Tam.

Most of the group is in disbelief as this man appeared scared, almost aloof in the situation. As the conversation unfolded, the layer or ignorance slowly began to peel as did his reasoning for his actions. He appeared to transform himself into a human to enjoy the joys of life and consider his actions as a lich with human emotions.

During this conversation, he also stated that Confectus was foolish to state that he would never invite someone to his sanctum. The conversation moves in a direction where he talks about everything from Confectus onward as part of his plan to act on his betrayal with no notice.

Szass Tam could hear the awkwardness in the tone, people dancing around the point they were looking to make. It was also clear that they grinded their teeth in the situation, maybe hoping to fight him, but knowingly too weak to engage him. Szass Tam nearly had to force the question about the rain before simply agreeing to shut the rain off.

Szass Tam invited everyone in the Smighty Pieve to some food. Most of the group was timid to the idea. Ur-Dragor unshaken by the situation, likely not paying attention asked for eight twelveish chickens as Dagna sat next to Szass Tam. Szass Tam informed the Smighty Pieve that the skeleton cooks were better than the magically generated food at the opening floor.

Dagna gave him a pipe, still wondering if this was indeed the right person. The Pipe of Remembrances was one she used on several people including the God Cyric in the past. She was interesting what she would see. Before he smoked the pipe, he inspected it a bit and gave a nod before taking a smoke of the pipe. When taking a puff, the figures all appeared to be wizards. Many of which were wearing familiar looking robes to the figures in the path of the redeemed. It brought faces to the many skeletons through out the dungeon space.

Szass Tam began to tell a story about himself. He kind of lamented his situation by telling a story about how he was able to keep his personality. It involved finding a cleric and physician and asking for their help as a human to kill them as a lich fearing that having them understand his anatomy would be dangerous as a lich.

At the end, he accepted his role only to be the one who benefits from doing it instead of someone else. He constantly mentioned how it almost didn't make sense that they would ask him in the first place. He had felt that there was something he didn't understand about why an outsider who had already previously pledged himself to another God would be chosen. The conversation lasted slightly into eating when he stated that there was a massive battle taking place outside the Citadel with the legions of Mephistopheles and the fallen of Heaven. Once agreeing to the counter ritual and agreeing to help the Smighty Pieve rest, Szass Tam's eyes go wide as the figure of a dark grey skinned devil with white said came in. "Mephistopheles" uttered by Szass Tam as Mephistopheles looked back and repeated the evidence of his betrayal.

Mephistopheles stated that for betrayal, the punishment was instant death. That instant, the teleported three phylacteries to his hand and immediately destroyed them. Szass Tam, with a focused face waited and then smirked. He bragged that Asmodeus wouldn't have made such a foolish move in his contract to allow a way out of the situation. With a sneer, Mephistopheles summoned his weapon and two allies indicating that he will take to steal his soul the old fashion way.

Szass Tam revealed a ring with a gem that shattered stopping time. With that he asked the Smighty Pieve what they think would be the best course for victory as Mephistopheles wouldn't allow them to run away, and leaving would allow Hell to reactivate the rain with ease. A fight was the only option as Szass Tam made a wish spell to bring everyone back to full capabilities for the upcoming encounter.

=Session 66: Cold Ashes=

In a white empty space, Elisa found herself in her subconscious. New to dreaming of any kind, she didn't really have a sense of dreaming of self. This inner space was white without features, and herself appear to be the image she recognized. There was no discernable difference or anything Elisa could see in this space at first.

The first thing Elisa acknowledged looking into the void of her mind was the figure of Fzoul as she last remembered him. Fzoul, as he appeared was still in his armor just over black robes. Despite the change in size, everything appeared to change organically. The Sword of the Triad was on his back. Seeing him not in combat or aggressive did allow her to see that the hilt was changed from what it was to the hilt or handle of his hammer with the guard fashioned from his original hammer.

Fzoul looked around almost confused by the space making his way around. Elisa was the one that spotted him, but took no action until he found her and proceeded to come closer to introduce himself. The conversation was curious. Fzoul was polite, almost inquisitive and he didn't refer to himself as Fzoul. He referred to himself as Leviathan. It was the name she heard from Turnock back in Mulhorond after the battle at Zhentil Keep.

At first he spoke of Fzoul, attempting to make a weak parallel between the two of them. Leviathan was fascinated at how empty it was in this space and kind of drawing connections between a demi-god and a warforged. Leviathan recalled Fzoul's memories and how the man died back in 1374 in the same site where the Temple of the Triad is. When Fzoul died and Bane, he was resurrected as a Demi God. He became little more than a construct of Bane's wishes, whose very life was in the hands of his god.

Elisa found herself curious about the comparison. Elisa saw herself as what she was a warforged who had a defined purpose that she needed to carry out.

At Citadel in a sitting room within once filled with people hundreds of years ago, the Smighty Pieve were with Szass Tam, preparing them for the oncoming rage of Mephistopheles against them. The plan within Phlan disrupted by the capture of Keilrecht Tillenbirg. The killing of Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Szass Tam now for his unexpected yet inevitable betrayal on their plan. Everyone was prepared as they would ever be as when they returned, Mephistopheles had also prepared the summoning on his allies to battle.

In an instant, he opened a portal an flaming meteors flew as he unleashed a great deal of magical destruction on the room and filled the air with ash and embers. He directed his focus and ire first to Szass Tam, but then quickly to Aklos as someone who could keep those around him alive. In a short period of time, the battle took a dark route where several allies began to show quick fatigue and injury in the face of his onslaught. Dagna was able to hold him back for a small portion as Szass Tam and Fenwyck slowly shut out options of his during the fight.

After a long drawn out volley between Dagna and otherwise, Mephistopheles appeared to be injured by the attacks. Ur-Dragor was pinned down by magic by surrounding duke and pit lord for much of the fight, only freed for a moment when he and Gosen managed to all join the fray.

Mephistopheles could then have allowed the death of his image to rejoin hell, but in his rage at his success aimed to kill everyone. He took a form instead of ash colored turned brought orange, with a flame aura that extended a horrible heat to the edges of the room. His power was very different from before as he resembled himself at the moment he contributed to killing Turnock.

His true power summoned a different tone as everyone was able to engage in the fight, and despite the fear in different, the dismissive overconfident tone for the arch devil was gone as he showed his rage and fought to kill whenever possible. He had no intent to die, but wanted to make sure of those he killed in the process.

He aimed to kill Szass Tam and by the end wanted Dagna and Fenwyck dead for the duration of the fight. Mostly fallen and weakened, just about everyone had fallen, it was a final chill touch that ended the arch devil. Mephistopheles was different in his death. It was witnessed before, but many outsiders that die sort of discorporate their flesh, almost indicating that it was not the true body that died. Adonides, his arch duke, however died as most do, with the body physically intact. Mephistopheles the same way, simply have his eyes roll back as the hand reached for his head when he fell over.

It was only a moment later, barely enough time to breathe for those in the room when Eshkabel within Santiago wanted control to take the body. In the moment, the fire took shape. The only one who immediately recognized the shape was Dagna, was the devil's form in fire was not too distinct, but the jacket and the rod very much resembled the familiar appearance of Asmodeus. The moment she saw him prior as there were no words. The then engulfed the now dead arch devil and turned his body into ash, ash that appeared to be frozen despite his body disintegrating.

None could react to the events and even Szass Tam feared if there was an immediate outcome waiting for him and them. He only barely alive while being run through by Mephistopheles's weapon. In the window looking out to the fight to arrive, several figures arrived, among one of them an old man with exactly seven golden canaries. He arrived in a tattered blue cloak after the battle was completed to introduce himself. There was one other was a familiar face of a gold eyed silver faced aasimar. Sarshel accompanied this man, who then introduced himself as none other than Bahamut. The conversation to come revealed the state of the world.

What had started as an invasion changed into a siege and now has become a divine battleground for the pantheon versus the Nine Hells. The discussion was brief as everyone in the Smighty Pieve was exhausted from the battle. Bahamut merely introduced the notion of further engagements and established the Citadel as conquest now for the Triad against Hell. Szass Tam remains in a fearful, but still aware glance attempted to assess the situation as both Sarshel and Dagna keep ready for the opportunity to attack the moment he acts. With all completed, Enabrin shows up as well as there is a request of where they would like to go before continuing the conversation. With that, everyone takes a last teleport back to their home in their home in Phlan where they can assess the status of their business and take a well earned sleep. NOTES: I forgot the full rhythm of the battle other than Aklos falling in two rounds and everyone fearing they will lose almost immediately. I remembered that the moment two wizards started counterspelling his stuff, it changed very quickly, but there was a count where at least 4 people were unconscious that fight.

=Epilogue=

=Session 67: Dissonant Whispers=

A good night sleep was in order for well earned victory of the Smighty Pieve. There were a few papers, ledgers from the business and mail that was slipped underneath the door to keep up with what happened. There was some nostalgia and even sadness for Imir's empty room and the lack of Elisa at this time, but it was a good time to rest.

What seemed like a good night sleep was cut only a tiny bit short as around maybe 5 or so AM, there was something that Aklos noticed in chant, a knock on the door. He heard a voice from someone referring to himself as "Bull" from the Sons of Mercy. This caused him to react and transform into a bird, which made go to a window. He quickly saw that there was a kind of polygonal dome over the house and they were surrounded by what looked like upwards of twenty people from the organization. Aklos took the initiative to wake people up as no one was really ready for this kind of thing to happen. Dagna, messed up hair quickly took a weapon mostly unclothed as others slipped barely into gear for a potential fight.

The response from the door was merely that they wanted the group to come for questioning. There was a very quick back and forth through the door before it was opened from the inside.

On the other side was a minotaur standing over seven feet tall without his axe drawn. There was a calm, almost solemn expression on his face and his voice for the upcoming events. He urged them that that he was not here for retribution, but simply for answers and would be more than glad to send everyone back when this was completed.

Gosen pleaded to come himself since this appeared to be about the talisman, something he quickly realized was also in the possession of the individual standing in front of them. Charging Bull, as he then referred to himself indicated that everyone must go as this was about the incident that resulted in the death of two people in the Sons of Mercy and actions of the known interstellar criminal organization of wererats that also dropped on world.

With a small degree of chanting from Charging Bull and others, the group found themselves in Sigil directly on the tile flooring of a Sons of Mercy barracks with a teleportation circle drawn into the design of the tiles. The base has more a feel of a modern police barracks than it has a feudal military barracks. People in pants and suspenders mixed with the armored individuals running around as a human steps up to Charging Bull.

He merely refers to himself as Major Charles as he steps up in a white plated armored like many of the officers. The primary difference was that he alone appeared to be the only one ahead of the Charging Bull and had a distinct marking on the upper right end of chest in the armor.

He requested the attention of Gosen and demanded that he walk with him for interviewing. Gosen was initially resistant, but knew his only way out was to cooperate as Dagna and the others heckled the group around them.

Quickly into it, Gosen saw what looked like an over seven foot tall elderly woman with glowing green eyes and a wooden staff interwoven like it was alive walking towards them. Major Charles immediately looked surprised, even scared when she walked up indicated that he didn't think it was even possible for her to be in the city. Gosen could feel almost a warmth to her presence as his talisman too glowed green when she got close.

The conversation shifted at that moment as she basically took control over the conversation and bent over slightly to reach down to Gosen and touch his talisman. Gosen, more than anything seemed to enjoy the distress on the man's face in response to her presence. After touching the talisman, she concluded that he was innocent of any wrongdoing and that everyone was innocent. Major Charles, tried very hard not to immediately cave to her statements and requested a formal way to see what she saw exonerating the group of any wrongdoing.

The three then teleported to what looked like a large chamber with a massive tree well over 1,000 feet tall in the center of a massive room. The tree was at the center and took up the majority of this room that almost appeared to have no ceiling. The elderly woman in the room appeared to be connected to a tiny root branch from this tree. There, a projector played the events back from the battle and the treant now introduced herself as the leader of a group known as the Regulators. She was almost a consultant for gods, but more like overdeities that run their own worlds and looks to help keep stability across worlds. Her saw hope in the message of desires of the Sons of Mercy, but saw a failed desperation not to disappoint her that lead to this encounter and indicated that one cannot simply assume authority of those without establishing merit or the acceptance of those around them.

Convinced there was more to say, he looked to call someone else that knew the group. During the back and forth, Gosen did realize that it was Gavirello that told them more precisely of the situation as she proceeded to call Elliant, The treant, Mella Theeg requested the presence.

Bored waiting on the floor, several people in the Sons of Mercy gave water and food to those waiting. Originally, it was more hostile, but Charging Bull appeared to believe that everyone here was innocent and changed the outlook of those around them as accommodating since he did believe in what words he did hear from that how it might have turned out.

In a matter of minutes Elliant arrived in a different outfit, same color, but heavily decorated and clearly magical. He had a panicked look on his face that immediately disappeared into just surprise when he saw the Smighty Pieve there. At this time, he questioned them slightly before being separated by the Sons of Mercy. It was indicated who requested his presence.

He was quickly teleported there without realizing it and vouched for the group at large and Gosen in particular. Gosen was found innocent, but needed to make a choice of what to do with himself given the talisman. Mella provided two options as her talisman was only allowed in worlds at full power typically under heavy surveillance. Gosen agreed to enroll himself in the Gleaners, a sort of magical school and archeological dig. It did have a slight reputation as those of that nature do sometimes with the right to grave robbing or stealing for the sake of knowledge preservation. Overall, the organization was well received. Elliant indicated that he is a teacher there and has been for some time. It is typically not easy to enroll and usually only wizards do it, however, through his club, he believes that limiting that to magics only was an oversight that limits what the group can actually accomplish. Mella agreed to power down the item to allow this change seeing as how the item has chosen Gosen. In the previous night, Gosen did indicate that he would not join the greater war effort and would take him to himself. He was never for the fight, but agreed that there were people worth fighting. With this he agreed not to return, but they all agreed it would be good to return back to the their home in the Smighty Pieve.

There was an awkward silence between Dagna and Fenwyck as there was a conversation about turning Ur-Dragor in to the rat people for a tarrasque. Fenqyck lied about not having a way to get back to Sigil when they are now already in Sigil.

Already in Sigil, it was a bit harder to ignore. Dagna, despite missing the chance took the immediate opportunity to be teleported back to their home in Phlan for the moment.

Once everyone other than Gosen chose to return, the question of what next occurred. Dagna offered Fenwyck and Santiago the ability to stay with them in the the Earthfast mountains to join the war effort there.

Santiago was reminded of Eshkabel from a message at the moment of Mephistopheles's death. He has taken a piece of his soul upon death before Asmodeus could take turn him into cold ash.

A chilling thought about his destiny appeared as a message from Eshkabel rang and Fenwyck still memories from former party members and chose to stay and work not just for the Smighty Pie, but also in general out of his property.

With them was Elliant who informed Aklos and Dagna that he had a message regarding the concerns of Aklos and had a contact that could help them. He gave a solemn warning that this was not a friend or someone easy in contact. Ioulum was the father of ancient Netheril, once believed to be dead had kept himself alive as an elder brain lich in the Underdark. Elliant mentioned that he would likely know, but that he could not promise what might happen when they went. Aklos agreed to go, originally alone before Dagna agreed.

It was days later when they decided to go upon Dagna and Aklos returning to the Earthfast Mountains. When the trip was upon them, Elliant was called. Event the teleport portal was darkened. The air in the Underdark was thin and there was no sound outside the water in the foot steps.

The cave was magically dark to the point where nothing could be seen. Only Dagna could see with a stone sense as eventually the magical darkness subsided to regular darkness in a large ritual room. A very large brain no less then 20 feet in diameter was in the middle of a dimly lit room. It spoke telepathically in broken sentences.

At first, it merely repeated the name Karsus. Aklos was confused. The words didn't make sense. Aklos kept trying to make a connection and say the names of people relevant to his past and his world as Ioulum kept repeating the name Karsus. Aklos at first thought Ioulum was referring to him, but it was in response to Rowen. The connection slowly became clear as this was a parallel.

As Aklos was beginning to piece it together he kept asking for a solution. Ioulum didn't know a solution and kept saying all would be lost. Only absolute order could fight absolute chaos. It was at this point Aklos remembered words from Hell saying that they would be thanked for saving the world from worse things. His mind began to fracture as be began to doubt his own actions. Ioulum provided no answers, but raised questions about the connection between this world and his. The spell cast was the same. Aklos was beginning to shiver as Dagna tried to move him at first, getting agitated at Elliant, who was also frozen in fear.

With them, the one Aklos was escorting, the Princess Saiel. (Keith, Spelling?). She asked a few questions and was frozen in fear to know that this if anything meant that Aklos and Saiel had doomed this world to the same fate as their own. Aklos, in shock did not even attempt to deny a psionic implant from Ioulum that injected the thoughts and memories of Ioulum into him. Dagna quickly saw this as an attack and demanded to leave.

Shortly after returning, Dagna scolded Elliant, who had appeared to be holding his breath for large portion of it. Aklos was the most shaken Dagna has ever seen him. Aklos, so shaken by the terrors of his past, the slow desolation of this world was not something that froze him, but motivated him to make a difference. For the first time, Aklos was in complete doubt shaking as he began to scream out as memories of someone else's past started invading his consciousness. It was too much for him to bear as Dagna chased Elliant out before going back to Aklos. Aklos and Saiel wanted each to be alone to contemplate what happened. Dagna wanted to be there with him, but he knew that he needed to get through this alone. Dagna... also emotional as she started showing signs of sickness early in the day, throwing up the morning before going to Sigil and feeling it throughout the last few days. At Sigil, Aklos even went to far as to heal it to see what might have been wrong before seeing that it didn't prevent the sickness, only helping some of its symptoms. Shaken, she became aware that she might had become pregnant not too long ago.

1512- In the Sword Coast in a Temple of Bane in the now rebuilt city of Neverwinter, escorted to the leader was a familiar man escorted by warforged plated in black with the symbol of Bane. There black guards named runners were quick and had in chains a familiar human in blue, now tattered robes. It was none other than Sarcaedon Arbelleck looking focused, but slightly fearful as he was dragged to the top of a throne room where he met with a familiar warforged. The cracked alabaster was the most familiar part of this figure as a new metal face plate covered her old face and the hands for Ilmater broken off and carved into a different shape.

Sarcaedon in a gasp mentioned "Elisa". In the years, she became one of the regional rules of Fearun for Bane. Her rank was the same as others, people like Bloodwing, Desmond, Szass Tam, who worked under Fzoul, the true God's Voice under Bane. Sarcaedon took a breath to communicate that he wished to see her. Elisa had Sarcaedon released. The power dynamic was completely different. Sarcaedon spoke as confidently as he could, but it was clear who held the power now inside this darkened cathedral to her name. Sarcaedon came with news of events. He started with common news, like that Bloodwing had been killed. Elisa knew this, but Sarcaedon mentioned that Cyric is freed and likely there will be moves from even her old friends on the subject. This caught her attention as Sarcaedon mentioned that Eshkabel would likely use Santiago as an opportunity. Bloodwing's infected monsters were aberrations created by Cyric in his pact with the Far Realm to plunge the world into ultimate chaos. Their forces have begun to break through the defenses of other regions.

This was of interest to Elisa as she was not pleased with the order of subjugation, but made this move to prevent death. Sarcaedon mentioned that he learned of a devil not in line with Hell that he spoke with by the name of Zenedrake and says that he knows someone who can help.

The name Graham was uttered as he mentioned there are those that can prevent the take over of the monsters and the breakdown. Elisa was skeptical. Sarcaedon mentioned that he was not working for Graham, but that he came here to work for her. He believes Graham is a source of power that could help, but there are problems. Elisa was surprised that Sarceadon would leave Desmond. He stated that Desmond was tactical and intelligent, but lacked the charisma to keep the people by him and clashed with Shem Romanov V.

Making his case, Elisa accepted him by her side and wondered what would come from his intel on her old team. It might have been pragmatic, it might be that he had an old earnings report from the Smighty Pie years ago.

=Session 68: Transfer of Power=

In the year 1497, twelve years after the defeated of Mephistopheles, the death of Turnock, the destruction of the celestial planes and the start of the divine war, the war had made its course. The overwhelming power of the pantheon taking decisive wins, but not without casualties. The rituals originally placed on the world made the war far more difficult, but Hell's conquest of Cormir was their last bastion left in their rule of the lands.

Many of the warriors of the Smighty Pieve have separated from the effort to aid in various ways. Some, like Dagna have remained fairly active in battle. Others like Fenwyck have made an effort to try to restore nature and the wounds of Chauntea after the rain ceased. Everyone in the ground received a message regarding standoff with Leviathan, the one who killed Turnock and took down both the Temple of the Triad and Suzail, the capital of Cormyr.

Eshkabel's Plan
The days following the event, at the home of the Smighty Pieve mostly holds Fenwyck and Santiago. The home is both a home and mostly a business hub for the success of the business, the Smighty Pie. the morning just a few days off the current day at the end of the year 1497, there is a visitor to the house. This innocuous visitor was in brown with decently long brown hair and pale skin. This person looked frail and not very well kept. He knocked on the door at a time where Fenwyck was the one to answer.

These years have been busy for her. As the war focused less on the issues or mortals, the scorched Toril policy of making the planet unlivable, and through that killing Chauntea specifically has ended. The lands were scared and very difficult to heal, but Fenwyck had taken part in a large amount of missions and organized several in an attempt to replant trees and repair the lands for growth after the devastation of the rain. She did still monitor the business as this person had originally asked for a Smighty Pie.

After a moment and seeing the menu, he pressed that he needed to see Santiago. It didn't seem all that important to Fenwyck until he uttered the name Eshkabel. This quickly alerted Fenwyck as the man introduced himself a Loki and said that was very important information he needed to share.

Eskabel had spoken to Santiago in the last twelve years. What Santiago knew of his plans was an attempt to steal Mephistopheles's soul through Keilrecht Tillenbirg. His plan was to reanimate and dominate that body to kill his god, Cyric. Eshkabel provided news that his coming was years away and he would bring the world to chaos. Santiago was there and Fenwyck did manage to call him. Santiago was surprised as Loki hasn't appeared to Santiago since the moment they fought in the Dalelands. When Santiago appeared, he dropped the disguise, or more accurately shifted his form as the cloak turned into black feathered and leathery wings and huddled as he grew over three feet in height. The brown eyes turned into a bright yellow slit as his demon form became clear. Now, it is was obvious than before that the demon form he created was not all that different from the curse brought on Gosen for eating the tainted devil meat.

Santiago was not unnerved by his presence did wonder why he would appear after all this time. The conversation quickly turned to Eshkabel's knowledge of his research. Loki stated that he turned on the group realizing just how powerful and knowledgeable Perseus had become. His one hundred year sleep meant he had almost no option or understanding to mount a real offensive. In this time, he found that Eshkabel had used and learned his research to the point where he could reverse it. Santiago confused, as he stated that it was his research to have the pieces of the God Cyric cultivate within individuals and grow to a true piece of the god with the destiny to eventually be absorbed back into a single body as the true avatar of Cyric's full power. Eshkabel had been creating loyal children through souls and ritual and having them grow in power to eventually steal their essence back into himself. Santiago had helped further Eshkabel's plans, but has actually not done a great deal for him. This was to a point where he wondered the value Eshkabel saw in his actions. This made it clear that he needed to eventually see himself breaking the bonds. Loki didn't immediately know how to do so, but indicated that becoming his ally and taking Eshkabel down would most likely work. The conversation was brief, but with a promise of additional action. Loki knew that Eshkabel believed that an event would lead to his opportunity. He informed Santiago that he was closer to Eshkabel and would eventually see the opportunity to fight against his plans.

Little more was said as turned back into his disguised form and paid for a Smighty Pie and was on his way.

The Smighty Pieve's First Fan
A familiar old man, aged 12 years appeared at the door of the Smighty Pie. A symbol to Mystra on a purple and light blue cloak over a head piece with an amulet on it as a focus. The once clear cut beard of Arch Mage Isaac was the Arch Mage of divination within the once Temple of the Triad. The last time he was seen was warning Elisa of the full nature of the attack at the Temple of the Triad as it was happening. He was the messenger of the last battle. He would greet Fenwyck and Santiago almost as a fanboy. Isaac was worse for wear, twelve years was not kind of him as he was continuously involved with the events of the war.

He was a remembered guest and made small talk and recalled several of their various exploits during their time in Thay and in the past twelve years. He asked the favor in place of the pantheon regarding the invasion of Suzail. There, a familiar foe was holding out with several arch devils including at that point, the King of the Gods, Asmodeus. His power was greater than that of any god, but slowly declining as the overwhelming numbers of the pantheon fought against him. He was finally weak enough to defeat as his hold on the world was weak enough to take from him. The God of Justice, the new leader of the Triad, Torm was seeking a storm of the place. In place of fighting Asmodeus, the gods wanted powerful allies to keep his champion Leviathan at bay and defeat him. Given the last interaction with the demigod, both Santiago and Fenwyck agreed. At this point, the Isaac mentioned that others would seek the their friends for the same cause, which was enough to bring them into the fold.

Dreams of past and Future
Aklos, for the last twelve years was riddled with sleepless nights and dreams that overpower his senses even in trance. Since his mind was infected by the tendrils of Ioulum, Aklos has had a mixed combination of dreams of his past and dreams unfamiliar to him of this world in ancient times. The night before the day, he recalled a conversation very clearly. Parts were dreamt before, but never clear. He saw one man who he would recognize by nothing other than internal perceptions as Ioulum taking place over himself. In this dream, he had limited control over the words of Ioulum.

The figure of two people, one man in red and the other in gold. The grand Terraseer, in gold took center in the conversation. Ioulum pleaded with the man for a solution to problems plaguing ancient Netheril. He feared the decline in a battle against ancient evil magic eating aberrations that have entered from the Underdark. The Terraseer did not speak of the chaos slowly eating the success of Netheril. He instead mentioned that the solutions thought up are the warning of the fall of the empire. The Terraseer warned Ioulum that the arrogance of greatness causes civilizations to seek the most radical and immediate of solutions. A tempered reality overcome him as Aklos began to thinkin the head of Ioulum as the name Karsus left his mouth.

The dream shifted to a lavish brightly colored enclave as a younger wizard in a bright blue cloak with light beard and light hair spoke with the elder wizard. The two appeared to have a casual conversation about the meeting with the Terraseer. Karsus, the younger wizard spoke with great respect to Ioulum as he began to speak his thoughts. Aklos eventually saw the connections in words. Karsus's aim at the stars. He spoke about the definition of magic being beyond the rules and logic of Netheril's progenitors. Aklos began to yell out, seeing what was happening. Ioulum trying to dissuade Karsus from his path found himself incapable of countering his views. A slow solution might not be enough. Karsus has planned the making of this spell for years. He wished to defy logic with magic and create a spell to make the result greater than the some of resources as to cast a spell to create infinity. Aklos heard the words echoing as smoke obscured the image and he saw a shorter younger elf in a purple cloak. Aklos's eyes went wide in his mind as the image of Rowen. The words of Karsus and his image before Rowen speaking the words in the same context. He words his failure not as a failure on concept, but simply a missing piece of the puzzle. A vessel worthy of infinity must hold it to succeed. Rowen, curious, even suspicious questioned Karsus as he stated his failure was his failure alone. He wished for his knowledge to succeed. The universe demands the success and his pride wishes to see closure to his proof of concept. Aklos actively protesting it wishing he could interact sees the smile from a transparent Karsus with a singular purple left eye as the image goes black. The thoughts and words of Ioulum after years of dreams become clear. Ioulum had wished he could have stopped Karsus from his will, and now knows the price of his failure was not just Netheril, but an entire world if not more. He merged with the far realm as a warning of his failures and the dangers that come from it. He thanked Aklos for listening to his memoirs and warnings. Absolute order can beat absolute chaos. Those taken by insanity are unwilling servants of it. Chaos is coming, but can neither fully win or lose. In this, Aklos wakes up, with a fear, but understanding of the events he witnessed.

Keji, Symbol of Mercy
Aklos woke up, realizing that again, his trance turned into a bit of sleep with his dream. Again, restless from the situation seeing the events and conversations with this world as less of a coincidence than prior. He was greeted early by tall young boy close to age twelve with a bit a dull almost grey colored skin. His forehead and skin looked almost like it was made of scales. He was already dressed in a robe at a very early time. His white robe revealed a symbol to Bahamut and his facial expression was timid, but not shy, just respectful. Aklos knew who this was, and acknowledged Keji, the son of Dagna.

He was worried as Aklos in the passing few months has only doubted his path more and more. The originally scrambled message from Ioulum appeared to suggest that defeating Hell might have aided in the possible invasion. Aklos was a mentor, almost a father to Keji and managed to speak to him before Dagna arrived, a bit more tired for wear. She had been busy engaging in the war effort still through the last twelve years, slowing as Keji grew.

After small talk, Aklos agreed to help cook breakfast with Keji for Siel, Dagna and the dwarves up early enough to eat at this time. There was a guest this time around. For breakfast, an aasimar, familiar gold eyed figure, Dumarr Sarshel was there. Dagna knew that his arrival was connected with the war effort. Sarshel would not be there if he not for a war effort. Dagna was suspicious, more tired than anything else. Sarhsel was angry and he spoke of Leviathan. His pitch was not about saving people, though he did want to, it was about killing Leviathan and those responsible for the deaths of their allies.

Dagna agreed quickly knowing that it was Leviathan that killed Turnock. She did well not to reveal her emotions on the subject often. Aklos was one of the few who would see the vulnerability. Keji had a demeanor and personality very similar to Aklos. He was calm, mild mannered and very polite. Aklos was a consistent father figure to him, helping him with his education, learning the world and a strong sense of values. Despite the lessons passed, Aklos was weary himself of his own path. The dreams have kept him more distant from Dagna and those around him. Even Sciel was disconnected from his experiences.

When it came job. Aklos was unsure as Dagna was immediately willing to do it. Keji, a well studied, but still battle green cleric wanted to come. Dagna immediately shut it down. Aklos looked inward when Sarshel informed both of them that the others would be there. They would all be visited for a chance for this final confrontation. The battle itself would be coordinated by Torm, the God of Justice, the lord of the Triad. They would split once inside Suzail for their targets. Leviathan is different from Fzoul, but it is heavily understood that Fzoul is a part of him and some of his pride and desires still exist within him to the point where he is expected to create his lair where Nassim's memorial was within the capital city.

Revelation, the Ascent
The group split at the burning city of Suzail. At the site of a crumbled statue of Nassim, the original lord of the Triad was the site of a throne. Just in front of that was a bridge, a crossroads where Leviathan was waiting.

Upon the arrival of the Smighty Pieve, Leviathan was not pleased to see them, but had a bit of a worried face. He uttered the words "You are not the ones that kill me. You should leave this place. You will not reach a favorable outcome." Angry and confused, Dagna engaged Leviathan with Gosen. The power of this foe was completely different from the rest, perhaps sides Mephistopheles. With a wave of his hand, reality itself bent and shattered causing an effect that didn't allow magic to happen. Dagna and Gosen, with Santiago as backup were fighting Leviathan, and the sheer power of his blows were enough to send each of them to their knees in one hit. Leviathan, much like the first champion of the triad was stood over nine feet tall to leverage the power of his swings, which shattered the ground regardless of impact.

Fenwyck and Aklos watched from the sidelines as Leviathan was making sport of Dagna and Gosen. When they arrived in the fight, Leviathan took the moment to blind those fighting close to him as Fenwyck and Aklos were able to counter some of his abilities. Aklos transformed and in a single hit the wild shape and his body were nearly cut down. Gosen was able to break free. Twelve years were kind, and he became a master of the demon's blood and was able to control a half transformation giving him the ability to fight back first. Santiago managed to not to be noticed with his hits. Gosen was knocked down in time for Dagna to recover and see the rage in the fight.

Throughout this brawl, make hits were taken, but Leviathan appeared to be a step ahead finding moments to heal himself between hits. Before long, it seemed that he was standing in good health surrounded by bloody and tired foes. The tides of battle began to change the moment Fenwyck landed a Disintegrate that with a potion amplifying its abilities caused a wide open wound. It the shock of the attack, Santiago managed to grab a large amount of arrows and fired and connected with over ten shots to Leviathan while vulnerable. The first signs of true pain upon him as Dagna and Gosen were fueled by victory. Once Leviathan became serious it was clear that even a single hit from his sword would be enough to cut any one of them down. Gosen and Dagna were both fighting against the odds fighting on pure will refusing to fall.

Gosen did fall as Leviathan was hunched over barely up from the barrage. Aklos had managed to help the gaps in the life of Gosen and Dagna. In a single hit, Dagna connected Leviathan. With the hit, his eyes glowed blue as his form changed. What once appeared to be a ten foot tall changed into a serpent of immeasurable length. The size was difficult to grasp, but time has allowed those to understand what Leviathan is. What they were seeing was the true form of the aspect of the World Serpent, a form mostly deciphered is a flawed body of the Jazirian. His body swallowed the and from an origin point stood Fzoul, with most of the wounds Leviathan held panting. Uttering words in disbelief that what Bloodwing said was true raised the Sword of the Triad and in a flash the serpent was absorbed into the sword. Fzoul stood much with the same aura as Leviathan did before him now fully recovered of his wounds. Beyond reaction, Fzoul smiled and thanked the Smighty Pieve for releasing him as his last words were that he would going to meet with Torm. Gosen realized the events were exactly as Toshiro described them. The revelation has occurred and the apocalypse has started.

=Post Epilogue=

Feelin' Fine
In the year 1523, a slightly aged Santiago sits upon a balcony of his house looking over the skyline and on a small side table with a paper of earnings from the Smighty Pie looks forward, disconnected from the fate of Eshkabel, allowed to live his life looking at clear skies in the world without anything bigger than what he is doing for the first him since the storms started in the North back in 1482.

=Themes=

The Blood Rain
The Blood Rain was an integral part of the setting from the original writing of the campaign. To the end, it was originally designed to be an metaphor for Climate Change. The original writing for the campaign involved no part in dealing with it as most NPCs despite words from others believed it was something always beyond their influence to overcome.

This was more obvious in the beginning of the campaign where its effects were always just outside the Moonsea creating a veil of disbelief that allowed people not to care or immediately respond to it outside the economic demands in caused in areas of the world where it happened.

The Moonsea
This region has always been considered evil, mostly independent city states fighting for economic control over the region or finding uneasy alliances against imperial power (the Zhentarim). For this campaign, they represented those in denial that the world could be fixed and were those that focused on bunkering themselves in and trying only to help themselves. The short term goals and actions of those here were meant to represent politicians and those that can only think in the present when it comes their power and the immediate feelings of their constituents.

Xsass Tam
Despite not really being a character in the original draft of the campaign, his purpose and meaning was always intact. He was meant to be metaphor for the oil barons that drill oil and produce dirty technologies. In the conversation with him, his actions were about his own gain. His stance was simply that if he didn't do it, someone else would. A justification that is true, but a sad reality to say that consciousness doesn't matter as what he did was not special and could be replaced. A stance that might as well be an excuse for all bad things ever done is easy to take seeing as the negative would occur, but who is the one who gets the reward.

When it became clear that the party would see him, I wanted him to be human so that he had a moment to reflect on all of his deeds and consider if it was all worth it. A a moment of self reflection would allow him to consider what he has gained versus what he has done and actually weigh them together. In the end, there was remorse, but someone like Xsass Tam has always been characterized as someone of great ambition. He had to realize that consequences are a weight preventing him from soaring to his victory first. Opportunists, both skilled and lucky was the point of Xsass Tam even to the point where he didn't understand why Hell came to him in the first place. He saw no reason to be chosen. It was purely luck, but he did take the opportunity to work things to his advantage.

He only solved the problem when it was pragmatic to do so.

Sarcaedon Arbelleck
The most developed antagonist for this campaign. His originally written role was to put the party into contract in a way to force friendship and eventually fight against Hell. He is a take on evil that cares only about his own feelings and perception. He is emblematic of the Moonsea. He claims to care and be better than those around him, but his motivation is all his own. He doesn't care if the world is saved, he just wants to believe he did what he thought was right. Often that makes him someone who changes his mind and has a very realistic outlook on situations and himself. His deceptions were successful since his lies were truths merely meant to deflect intent.

The campaign quickly moved out of the mold for his original purpose, but he regained his position of important when Elisa became a prominent character in the story. Their connection was meant to consider the flawed interpretation of alignment. Elisa, a clearly lawful good cleric, and Sarceadon, a lawful evil wizard both aimed for a goal to have less people die. Elisa action on nature on what she thought was good while Sarcaedon mostly did it for optics in the situation. He was a character who always had a hand on each side waiting to decide what made more sense trying always to seem like someone who was always able to be read on face value.

The irony of this is that it was inevitably true despite saying that was a lie every time it happened. His ending was that his lies that put him in a position of power were nothing but scoping a situation where he would inevitably realized that his lies were more to himself than to you. Ironically, the most reasonable person looking to do good was the evil one.

The Temple of the Triad
Early on, good as portrayed by the people in my original play group was something in question. There was a quick sense of immediate racism and judgement as alignment was a label that could be determined by spell and actors were ready to act and punish with no probable cause. (My personal experience in an evil campaign comparing paladins to police)

The Temple of the Triad was meant to parallel the Zhentarim. Their goal was originally and eventually to take over the Moonsea, which during the campaign has established itself as a neutral zone against Hell.

Rigid morals and quick judgements were a sign of an imperial power that would justify its goals and dogma at any price. The twist was that Turnok was always painted as a character who cared more for the weak rather than defeating evil. The other struggle is that war is rarely for the empathetic. The price of the war was meant to wear on Turnok and wear his patience down to the point where he was a shell of his former self. It did come up, but Turnok's role in the campaign was heavy for only small segments.

Niles Vormath
Niles was meant to be almost the opposite of Sarceadon. He was someone fixated on reality and the results rather than perception and personal optics. The result of his character is that early on, he was far more trust worthy if not socially awkward for trying to prioritize only what he saw as the most important. The moment he realized that the path the world was going, he would lose himself realizing that his purpose was a lie and his attempts were meaningless in the face of things that would happen.

A twist that made that he was originally from the world of Eberron. During the battle against Eshkabel, he pulled out items and usage that belonged only to that campaign setting.

Perseus Von Eshkabel
He represents cults. His attitude of clear cultists devoted only to him with experimentations compared to his only inviting and reasonable attitude towards Santiago. He was meant to be a character that would crescendo his actions based on what he wanted and only act out in particular situations and the manipulations wouldn't be clear. His is someone who is indicative of the controlling nature of an organized religion and using it to his advantage.

This metaphor is hard to pull off in a world where the gods are clearly a part of the world and their worship isn't so much faith based. Eshkabel was the perfect one for this as he worshipped, but also hated his god. The religion was a platform for his own ascension and the words to those that devoted themselves to him a deception for personal power. the irony of his situation is despite his hatred for Cyric that Eshkabel would attempt to use all the avenues of his god to overtake Cyric.

Desmond Taragon
The politician. His role in this campaign was to play it safe. While always out for his power, he did not seem definitively evil as he saw the safety and control over the region as central to his leverage. His actions were meant never to be risky and to be as safe as possible. As someone who declared this to be part of the neutral zone, he specifically represents moderates. His actions are about preserving his position, and his argument is that who would replace him wouldn't actually do any better.

High Blade Selfaril
While not in the campaign very much, his role was that as a politician also. Different from Desmond as he viewed his power not as much in the assets of his power, but the influence of his rhetoric. He was someone who believed in none of what he said and would say and do anything to be in a position of power. His was the classic, lead from a position of strength mentality or attempting to show strength to hide weakness. As a character, his motivation was mostly unveil and reveal weaknesses in power for a chance to take over. While mostly a construct of the idea, his character was long established in the setting, there was was some commentary to his pride and history repeating itself

Arch Bishop Velgred Semeksen
He was meant to reveal two contradictions in society and the position of power in organized religion. He was identified as a coward who willingly sacrificed his own people to live. Eventually, he would be put under contract by Sarcaedon Arbelleck after brutally torturing him on holy grounds. While he didn't do it himself, he did sanction it and watched several times as a point of interrogation. The message of his criticism was not that the religion or he was innately evil, but poisoned by the power of his position. Being a leader of a group of clerics and paladins that value sacrifice for the greater good, it became easy for him to value his existing life in organization higher than those around him. What started as a calculated decision to help eventually became justification for cowardice and how justification becomes rationalization over time. Valgred represents the human inability to distinguish the two and eventually bend his own beliefs to his convenience without even noticing it. It wasn't until Sarcaedon forced him to live out his contradictions that he became aware of his own cynicism. The irony of it is that he was the last person suspected of letting Hell arrive to kill Turnok at the Temple of the Triad.

Fzoul Chembryl
Not a character I had developed in the first drafts of the campaign. The potential to interact with the character was there, but when the writing and scope had changed from a mid level city country understanding to a world repositioning campaign, the ability to see him and delve into the character arrived. The deep dive, or interpretation of his ambition was an opportunity set by the existence of Leviathan. Fzoul is the single minded point, someone who lives for a purpose and often loses himself in whatever that purpose is. The reflection of himself, a man who succeeds and wears a smile on his face with victory is one is shackled to his own destiny. He is a man that forgot personal ambition and doesn't see himself as even a man anymore. The Irony of his position is that as the greatest servant of the lord of order, Fzoul himself is a slave to his destiny and his actions, few petty inferences throughout the campaign justify his least rational actions as merely acknowledgement that he is still a man and one who feels pain and wants petty human things like revenge and satisfaction.

Dumar Sarshel
He was a morally gray character. The themes he most represented were not first introduced with him, but most solidified through his mentality. He was quick to point out the logistics of starvation and bring the difficulty of the decisions at hand to the party when it came to the world as it now is. First shown at the Dalelands, Sarshel was always portrayed as someone who forced himself to always be immersed in the pain of the world and frustrated with the inability to change things. He was a character that refused not to see things as they are and always bore the burden of the suffering. His was the wisdom of the unwilling leader, but also the failure of impossible willpower. Sarshel was always to stubborn to realize that his path was destined for self destruction and that he couldn't possible have the ability to stay true to a spotless idealism of perfect wisdom.

Hell and Devils
Forgotten Realms in and of itself portrays Hell in cults and rituals. Most that believe show their belief in offerings and cults. It was an image fortified through canon, but one I chose to move away from with many of the most important antagonists. Much like the Moonsea itself, I chose instead to characterize Hell as a committee board for a large business. It was single minded in its actions without awareness of consequences filled with individuals out simply to strengthen their own position.

The devils themselves were workers in a cog ever searching for the next promotion. Whenever someone resigned "got killed" everything was a power vacuum and it was all about a deception or illusion of meritocracy. I derived the mentality of Hell from the false positive of business meritocracy, that is showing the capability only when it is required and visible. It was the ability to craft a perception of success.

The Arch Devils in particular were beings that were not so much cruel and sadistic more often than they were disconnected and viewed every other living thing as a number or variable to their own success. Cruelty was acted out as a weakness to show strength while the strong merely oversaw their own riches with a desire to grow wealth and influence.

Hell was basically capitalism with zero accountability and feedback.

The Pantheon
The placement and actions of the gods are always a question when things get big enough in forgotten realms. As tangible beings more befitting the Greek pantheon whose place is more central and active, a campaign about the world would need to justify a place and actions. As a parallel, it would make sense that Gods are and were always more concerned with their own conflicts than the conflicts of their worshippers.

Their role was meant to reveal that the lie that is the super rich giving to charity. Imagine a billionaire that is willing to give, but is still a billionaire when it is done. Gods represent a perception of good and care while being too far and beyond on their own to truly connect to the problems below.

The theme was that only by having their land destroyed that they could see the reality of the terrors below. The fate the party was trying to avoid was how the world would actually be saved. Only when heaven is destroyed would its inhabitants focus their energy on the living.

=Stuff the group Missed/ Different Paths=

The Prophecy
The second map I made for the campaign, before I even fixed the spelling for Aklos was one where you hopped into the portal created. There was a portal into Hell itself. There, there was a place within the 9th circle where a conversation between all nine Grand Magi and several Arch Devils happened.

This was a layout to much of the future plans. It was a foreshadowing to the very end of the campaign. Asmodeus speaks to a god, Azuth, the god of wizards that he devoured during the events of the spell plague.

It detailed ideas for what to do when they win and how to anticipate upcoming major world events. This would foreshadow the events Eshkabel mentions, and also the events Toshiro mentions. This was meant to happen in session 3

Melvaunt
The most developed or written out city in the entire campaign was Melvaunt. I had originally created NPCs for all 13 signature families from the patron/matron to their family members and usually someone outside that works as a point of contact.

As the main focal point and starting place for the characters, the original tone was actually a planned inverse of the campaign it most resembled (Shrouded Wings). It was meant to be centralized with a large amount of intrigued based on the cynicism of ignoring the worlds problems and focusing on a small adventure and personal growth and wealth.

Naturally, the exact opposite happened and the group quickly dodged most of the plot threads with the city. It only returned as a focal point near the end of the campaign where the originally written plot points were getting resolved.

There were at least 10-12 different side quest objectives based on a conflict of interconnected to major decisions.

Murder Mystery
The campaign started with a series of murders. And where the original necromancer was found and killed, pages form his ritual book after it succeeded were never found. In addition, who actually died was never really observed.

This was a plot point mostly looked over as Phlan too was mostly ignored in the campaign. The events that happened without notice were that the flesh golems were part of the ritual, but the people that were killed were in a sense replaced as shells. They invaded the Temple of the Three Truths the same time the armies invaded Zhentil Keep.

The way the campaign was originally written, Zhentil Keep was meant to be visited by Desmond, Turnok and the party shortly after the mission with Agnon Pilot around Session 7 and lead to a betrayal by Desmond causing events that happened almost 30 sessions later.

As a result, the the attack on mindless drones, effectively warforged disguised as the people taken happened. What no one noticed is that the pages ripped from the book were soul transfer ritual. This was the plan or Grand Magus Khaldun to create a system where the Temple of the Three Truths was the dominant authority within Phlan and use it to infiltrate the Temple of the Triad. This whole plan was only uncovered when it was clear Sarcaedon worked with it since he had a grand bishop under contract. There was an opportunity to find the two Grand Magi talking in Phlan to discuss their positioning when Fzoul first showed up, but it was not something explored.

Desmond's Betrayal
Originally, the Zhentil Keep was planned for like session 7 or 8. Turnok was meant to arrive later as an ally and travel with your group and Desmond to Zhentil Keep. There, similar things would happen involving Sarshell and Enabrin and teleporting to Mulhorand. The biggest difference is that no army and only one arch Devil would be there.

In this version of events, both Desmond and Shem Romanov the V would be much more quickly established as enemies in this situations and likely attempt to push the party back into Melvaunt and create a situation where Mulmaster might make more sense in the war of powers.

In this version of events, the Temple of the Triad would use the Temple of the Three Truths to push their authority and there would be a very awkward tension in power between the groups.

Netheril
In the original writeup, there was not a great amount of Netheril, but the border forests do border the Moonsea area and Netheril. In the original writeup, there was a mission to undercover an ancient buried enclave that was in the area where Count Agnon Pilot's Castle was in the demi plane.

Netheril was talked about in the area of the campaign that involved the Dalelands, but there would be a possibility to meet and speak with someone that is part of a Shade Enclave not far from the border of Netheril.

The Bad Ending
One way the campaign could have ended relatively early or continued was if the party attempted to fight Sarcaedon Arbelleck early on their own. This didn't happen, but there was a very early written contingency to what if you fought him. In this scenario, he would have put you under contract.

Much of the campaign would continue as normal since he wouldn't want to force the group into slavery to keep the morale high enough to succeed and even excel.

This attempt at a stockholm syndrome like relationship would lead to an ending where he would have the party and arch bishop Valgred Semeksen sacrificed as part of a blood ritual with the replaced warforged carrying the souls of the murders to fuel a powerful ritual centered in Zhentil Keep.

In this version of the campaign events, the party would befriend Mulmaster as a form of betrayal and see the multiple Blades that had met with members of the families in Melvaunt and had mercenaries within Phlan for the purposes of assassinating key figures. In the blood sacrifice would include up to two Blades of Mulmaster. One of which was manipulated by the arch bishop that was under contract by Sarcaedon and the other who was actively lead on by opposing the other Blade mostly manipulated by Fzoul.

There, the written ending would have involved a cut scene in Hell where Sarceadon Arbelleck uses part of his reward to free you in a sort of half contract where the group itself is shielded from the terror of the war, but not really able to impact its outcome.

Death to Mulmaster
The campaign as originally written was more likely to lean in the direction of pro Mulmaster. There was a small amount of time it seemed possible that it could happen again with the introduction of Imir, but quickly changed as Elisa and Sarcaedon eventually rebuilt the rapport for Phlan in the campaign.

During the second meeting with Fzoul, he indicated that he would trust the Smeighty Pieve if they were willing to kill the High Blade Selfaril. This was likely as Fzoul thought of Desmond as an ally and Mulmaster as a long time enemy since his days at the Zhentarim.

In this story line, you would uncover those at Mulmaster that were enemies of the High Blade and uncover ways to get close and assassinate the Blades. This story line would have taken at least 5 or more sessions as it would have involved Bloodwing as he sought out events to put Desmond in power as a fellow general in the world that Bane controls in 1511.

Rakshasas
When Paige had a character, the one patron of the house that hired her was a Rakshasa. She was a noble of the same clan as Collimotek from the campaign Wrath of the Rakshasa. There was a connection sowed into this as early as session 2 as the cave for the first mission belonged to the clan of vampires that fought against them specifically related to a former PC of the campaign.

If aligned with Mulmaster, there was a chance to work with a senior member of the brotherhood of the cloak that was a member in an earlier campaign that unearths a plan to cause infighting between the Mulmaster and Phlan.

She was working to obtain a position of authority or at least be pardoned and safe from Hell if and when they won. She had housed Keilrecht Tillenbirg as an enthusiast of ancient magics, specifically from the Sarrukh and thus had ancient Thayan pre-Thayan artifacts.

This was a small plot thread outside Keilrecht Tillenbirg, but had several opportunities to come up if you were more allied to Selfaril, who was one of the few individuals who feared and concerned himself with the Rakshasas with the members of the Brotherhood of the Cloak.

Selfaril Wins
There was a version of the story where you could have joined with Mulmaster. In addition to seeing Rakshasa as a real threat, you would also go back to Phlan and Melvaunt with the intent of uncovering the supports to Desmond. This would eventually lead you to a single Blade of Mulmaster working besides the Blade originally met at Mulmaster. She would be under cover in Phlan and work with a noble member of the houses in Melvaunt who is also a wearer of purple in the cult of the dragon.

If you follow this story line, it would lead to fight potentially against Sarceadon Arbelleck and eventually Desmond Taragon. They would not allow themselves to die unless you out smarted their escape plans.

This would heavily uncover the secret meetings and alliances between Dukes of Belphegor and Mulmaster and the original signed papers linking the High Blade Selfaril to Grand Magus Khaldun.

This version of the story line would also intersect heavier with Fzoul Chembryl as an enemy since he is allies with Desmond and the agreement they would have would be less adversarial than the alterative with Selfaril.

If you would aid Selfaril to the point of victory over the region, he would actively give it all up to Hell in an instant for personal power and safety from Hell.

The Belsheba Residence
Along with the Rakshasa, there was a two session in house dungeon originally designed for reaching Keilrecht Tillenbirg. Here, it would have exposed a second operation within Phlan with similar results to the first mission. There was a lab with a creation forge and various shrines with several devil worshippers.

This would have ended exposing much of the story of which worshippers had which alliances. This would have established that the person who killed Santiago's father, well ordered it was among those in her residence when Keilrecht Tillenbirg was performing a ritual with circle magic.

It also would have revealed that magic used was isolating the souls of damned Triad worshipers in almost lich like bodies were utilized for rituals performed by Hell. It was something revealing to the nature magic used to keep the world in this position.

=Original and ongoing PC plans and outcomes=

Aklos
The original plan with Aklos involved Thentia. There were a series of Arch Mages there that specialized in a variety of schools. Between this and Elliant, the possibility to analyze his situation would become more clear. The path was originally a slow burn that would eventually lead to Netheril where the discoveries of ancient Netheril would become important to the discovery of the information that was eventually learned in the epilogue.

The original way to get to the Astral Sea and the crystal divining castle of Mozariq was originally meant as a way to spark potential Gosen and Aklos development when originally written.

Dagna
There was always a point where leaving the Moonsea was possible. The original plan for the campaign would involve going to Mulhorond much earlier than session 30, but on session 5-7. This would allow the Moonsea adjacent lands like the city of Tantras and the Earthspur Mountains to become relevant sooner. The ability to fight those along that path and do jobs there might have been real. There was a possibility to do more in the Dalelands.

Dagna, like Santiago is specifically relevant to the region. There were no limit of rivals and people that want what she has. Otherwise, she did get to play out a fair amount of her character development as her place among sailors was also explored in the campaign.

Elisa
Originally, the plan with Elisa had much more to do with Khaldun and Eustace. It had a lot to do with Khaldun as the one who followed Eustace and almost worked as his assistant to make the first Warforged.

Elisa, instead ended up having the most dialogue with Sarcaedon and eventually became the one he recognized as a friend/leader. Elisa's connection to both Fenwyck and specifically Imir changed the texture of the campaign.

Eventually, I would change things from what she is being the source of interaction to her understanding of how people navigate the world.

It was the plan and well what Denise also wanted that Elisa might in fact change her beliefs during the war. The soul, the original embodiment of Ilmater given to her would eventually become another character of hers that was a chosen of Ilmater "Erin of Dale".

Elisa, herself would become the Warden of the Sword as the leader of the Sword Coast in Bane's world and would navigate a changing world with the aid of Sarceadon Arbelleck as her assistant.

Ezra
The development planned here was mostly involved in the duality of the situation. Since her matron sponsor was a Rakshasa looking to gain favor with Hell, or basically a pardon, she wanted Ezra to help make it happen. If that path was explored, Belsheba would eventually want her to go with her friends and make claims about how is and isn't working for Hell and try manipulate the situation.

When it came to their house, the dungeon idea planned well before getting information from Keilrecht Tillenbirg, it would eventually turn into fighting her or her friends.

Fenwyck
Time in the Dalelands was the closest to development, but her coming from Myth Dranor made it difficult as that was not a particular focal point for the campaign. The tool to use with her ended up being curiosity. Fenwyck would eventually have the ability to see the end outcome of the campaing, almost a spoiler from the masters pulling the string prior to it happening.

She had a way to connect to Cyric, a way to connect to Myrkul, and a way to connect with Bane. Many of the would be figures that would take center stage in the future had communicated to Fenwyck in some way through items during the campaign.

Gosen
Gosen didn't have many attachments, so most of his exploration came through his interactions with Elliant, the one who introduced him into the campaign. Gosen DID have an opportunity to meet with the Witch King while in Vaasa, but it was something he would specifically need to chase.

Otherwise, most of his encounters were the various run ins with Gomand Pusk and his goons, and later the Sons of Mercy.

Lastly, it was my personal mission to somehow curse Gosen with a demon/devil transformation. I did it originally with armor and eventually with the body of demon infused devil.

Imir
The only differences in Imir's development are the interactions with characters. Originally, I suspected Imir would be alive during the invasion of the Temple of the Triad. Many of tieflings at the battle would recognize him and have bantor.

In the slower version of his fight with Val'Dranar He would take a small city of the Sword Coast over with his legions and basically force you to go into a trap as he attempts to burn the entire city to the ground with everyone hiding in their homes.

In the original draft, Val'Dranar would be the first battle at the Temple of the Triad and he would have to be killed there.

Regis Malone
Regis was the famous and discreet smuggler. He was always meant to be in the center of the political intrigue. He was the one trusted the most by High Lord Bruil. He had a connection with Shem Romanov before most of the party had actually talked to him. He was the one most watched by Blade Golian.

He was always the one meant to be in the center of the conflicts of the region. He best represented a self serving nature that fit the tone of the region.

Santiago
Originally, his development was meant to be focused in the region. His patron was someone who was great at looking and marketing himself as someone who meant to do good. He was in the pocket of Sarceadon Arbelleck and those that supported Hell. He knew it and acted on the line the way most did. He would aim to cause great infighting and try to urge Santiago to kille his rivals through the connection to noble family responsible for throwing him out of his town.

Later, when his path changed to being a child of Eshkabel, but idea would be to turn him into much like the feat of one of Keith's character forever half changed by the experiment done to him, but navigating being a pawn and knight to an evil master mind and what that would mean for his character.

Ur-Dragor
Ur-Dragor's plans involved introducing hillbilly rat people with guns that want to kidnap him since that is in his fate. He would have a lot of unfinished business with people as he isn't the only Ur-Dragor and this would lead to an entourage or enemies he doesn't recognize going after him.

I had only really gone to the point to go through the rats, but eventually, there would be tiny tiefling gang of people that would want to eat him.

There would be a sentient swarm that would try to kidnap him and sell ransom him back to his boss. There was a developed D20 almost in commission for all the things that could happen there.