HH: Session 2: A play to be remembered

General Summary

The Descent

As the morning Sun crept over the horizon, the band awoke, still bearing the bruises and scars from their battle against the cultists. They continued their journey, weary but determined, and by the day's end, they arrived at the gates of Arabel. The familiar scent of ash and sulfur greeted them once more, and from the shadows of a nearby alley, Vilus emerged. He summoned Feirah and Elphariel, instructing Kai to take charge of the band and ensure they stayed on the path to fame. With a nod, the Satyr and the two Firbolgs vanished, leaving Kai to lead the group.   No sooner had Vilus left than a Halfling approached the band. He asked if they knew Vilus, and upon learning they did, he revealed that he had heard good things about them. However, he also shared a troubling situation—The Weary Knight Inn had been overrun by a band of Orcs and Goblins, who were drinking all his ale and terrorizing his patrons. The Purple Dragons, spread too thin, offered no help. The halfling pleaded with the band to clear out the unruly invaders, promising double payment, free drinks, and lodging for the night in return.   With their new task set, the band made their way to the inn. Peering through the door, they saw the orcs in full revelry, guzzling ale as an orcish band played raucously on stage. After some debate, Argus, ever bold, decided to confront the War Chief directly. As he strode into the tavern, Stevan shadowed him, hiding behind tables, while Beppy, with her tiny stature, attempted to blend in at the bar where goblins were serving drinks. Meanwhile, Kai, hoping to avoid detection, found himself discovered and decided to put on a spontaneous performance atop a table.   As Argus approached the War Chief, he was flanked by orcs and led to the leader’s table. Beppy, trying to ingratiate herself with the orcs by drinking alongside them, was soon escorted to the same table, her small form drawing mocking laughter. Kai, seizing a moment of distraction, disguised himself with magic to resemble an Orc, hoping to blend in unnoticed. With all but Stevan gathered around the War Chief, Argus unleashed a fiery blast from his homemade flamethrower, igniting the room in chaos.   The enraged orcs quickly retaliated, and a brutal brawl ensued. Stevan, emerging from his hiding spot, fired a crossbow bolt into the War Chief’s shoulder, but the tide swiftly turned against them. Beppy, transforming into a bear in a desperate attempt to fight back, was surrounded and taken down. Argus, his flamethrower spent, was overwhelmed by the orcs. In the midst of the melee, Kai, thinking quickly, conjured an illusion of Gruumsh, the fearsome orc deity, hoping to scare the warband into fleeing.   But the orcs, driven by their bloodlust and desire to please their god, saw through the illusion and turned their frenzy into ritualistic sacrifice. Beppy fell first, then Argus, and finally Stevan—all offered to Gruumsh in a gruesome display. As they were slain one by one, the orcs' fervor only grew. When one of the orcs tried to offer himself as a sacrifice, Kai saw the end coming. He fled, casting a spell to paralyze the War Chief as he bolted from the inn.   But fate had other plans for Kai. As he ran, flames suddenly engulfed him, and in an instant, he found himself transported to a place far from the mortal realm. The air grew heavy with heat and dread as he realized where he had been taken—the second layer of the Nine Hells, the city of Dis.  

Thus, the tragedy deepens. What began as a simple task to reclaim an inn has unraveled into disaster. The band, once united by a shared dream of fame, now lies shattered, their blood spilled in vain. Only Kai remains, but he has traded the mortal plane for the Infernal depths, where new horrors await. In this tale, the line between ambition and damnation blurs, and the descent into darkness continues.