Session 28: The Fortress

Our time at Shadowkeep slowed for a while, while we waited on our reinforcements before taking on the Bloodlord Varrox and his fortress ruins.
 
We spoke some amongst ourselves. Bait was still mysterious about his powers and deity. Reaper indicated that his goals were to protect his “family”, something that I can relate to very strongly. And Scar is still clearly focused on his notions of conquest.
 
I turned inward somethat to my thoughts and goals. I had returned the Rod of von Glauer, and in turn returned the Count von Glauer to his lands and people. I still feel the need, akin to Reaper, to protect this found family of the Scales and watch for threats as we navigate new waters of Alliance and establishment, instead of simply fulfilling contracts. The amorality of the contract is far different from the morality of choices made in Alliance.
 
I thoughts turned to the contract we had been gifted by Count von Glauer. I have been finding myself lacking in the role I want to play in the Scales. I have been finding that my prior abilities were ill-suited for many of the situations we found ourselves in. In my mind, I needed a change, an avenue to rededicate myself to the cause of protecting the Scales.
 
The contract was a simple one, power for power, it seemed. Invoking the scroll summoned Infernal Chancellor Lazibos, a devil who held the keys to my remaking. After a brief conversation clarifying the terms of the contract, I signed. I don’t know what the Night Demon thought of this exchange, it seems he still gifts me in small ways, and many of my powers still seem to draw on the Darkness. The change was subtle, quick, painless. Something I did not expect from such powerful magic.
 
I still remember my early days as a thief in the streets of Quorsiir, and still recall the training and rights of the Twilight Hand, but the abilities are hazy and elude my grasp. Instead, however, I was filled with a sense of other newfound power, an ability to further tap into magics born from my Oath of Vigilance and a bonding to the Infernal Chancellor.
 
My preternatural elusiveness and movement was gone, and I could no longer do things such as draw the shadows to cloak movement or skip along the darkness as easily. I donned armor for the first time in years, far heavier than I had previously used. And I adjusted my weaponry to better suit my new abilities.
 
My transformation completed, all of our thoughts turned to the ruined fortress where Bloodlord Varrox based his forces. Reconnaissance of the fortress was a bit more difficult without my ability to cloak our movements – had I made a wrong choice? This armor was also much more difficult to move in quietly, no surprise.
 
It was clear that von Glauer was eager to have his lands rid of the Bloodlord and his demogoblins, and once Lady and our forces arrived, we quickly enacted a plan of attack, our forces attacking the broken walls of the south side of the fortress, while we approached from the north to seek the leadership.
 
Our approach went well, and entry into the fortress was perhaps too easy. With most of the forces rallied to the defense of the fortress, we found no resistance until we made it to the center of the fortress. We found a commander, a horde of demogoblins, and a huge demon of some kind. The battle was relatively decisive, as we stuck down the center’s forces. Beyond the freshly killed bodies, we found a command tent, radiating magic, indicating a transportation enchantment. Scar moved decisively into the tent, and we followed quickly behind.
 
We suddenly found ourselves in a vast, desolate plane underneath a twilight sky. Some of our group felt that there were links of this place to the seven Cities of Hell. A skeletal hand with an upraised finger intrigued Pyre enough to try to dig it out, finding skeletal remains with a shining helm upon its skull. As Scar attempted to determine the nature of the helmet’s enchantment, we were visited by a small devil, introducing himself as Mixlix, who offered a bargain to get us out of this place, in change with one of our abilities for three days. None of us were inclined to take this offer at the moment, so each decline, and Mixlix went on his way.
 
We noted an odd inscription in the sand as waited for Scar to complete the Identification. We recognized the language as Infernal, but none of us could read the script. I jokingly predicted that the Helm would allow us to Comprehend Languages. Soon after, Scar completed his spell and told us that it could do exactly that. Upon donning the helm, Scar read the words “Who Acts in Stillness find the Way”. We all took the words in, and puzzled about them. Would we be able to discern the meaning and escape this desolate place? Or would we need to call on Mixlix, and hope that his price had not gone up in the interim?