Session 20: The Princess, the Quasit and the Portal

We took a breather after our intense encounter with Gideon. I felt that this was a good time to apologize and to explain my mindset to everyone. It would appear that I was wrong.
First I decided to approach Princess and she became VERY defensive. She spoke about making a deal with the Devil and how you never actually get what you want. But in reality you do get what you want, but what you want isn't always what you need and the cost may be more than you bargained. No matter how much I tried to explain that our situation isn't quite so black and white, she refused to listen so I gave up trying. Next I tried to apologize to Haelee and explain to her that she was violating my personal space, mainly my mind and that her timing was inappropriate and not helpful. That's when I was attacked by everyone because "How is she supposed to talk to you as a bear?!" Apparently it was glossed over that this was the 2nd time she had used her ability on me and the first time she was in her elven form. Not only that, she gave us information that was useless and interrupted a very intense conversation between Princess, Gideon and myself. No matter how much I tried to explain these were the reasons for my actions, no one would listen or acknowledge them. It's obvious that this group is a tight knit one, but that will be their downfall if they aren't willing to grow. Haelee isn't even willing to admit that maybe some people don't like to have their mind invaded without prior authorization. This I believe is what she did to Khemed that has caused his fierce distrust of her. If she is going to stay on this plane of existence, she has to learn normal social interactions and the others fostering her awkward behavior is only doing her a disservice. But I gave up again trying to talk to them and was exhausted mentally by the whole process.
 
As we were about to leave the chamber we found Gideon, Princess decided that the spell I used to ensure he wouldn't return to his undead form for 10 days wasn't sufficient enough and cut his head off. I have no idea why she felt the need to do this, but I suppose it made her feel more secure.
 
I knew that there was still the flaming skull lurking around. I was able to repeal using Torm's holy light but that isn't a permeant solution. Well he was waiting for us around a corner so we dispatched of him quickly. But then we noticed a large amount of holy symbols on the wall that had been desecrated. They began to glow with a dark necrotic energy. Princess began to clean off a symbol of Helm and the glow was removed, but there were so many symbols and they were glowing stronger and stronger. I wasn't sure that we would be able to successfully restore them all in time. I suggested we retreat to safety around the corner and did so. Princess was stubborn and refused to leave. I guess she gets that from her orc half, but she inspired Eric, Grimm and even Khemed to stay and clean the holy symbols. Reluctantly I join them, aware of the dangers believing that my knowledge of what the symbols are supposed to look like would aid us in this fools errand. Luckily we were able to restore all the holy symbols before the dark necrotic glow could reach its crescendo. Now we had the option of going left down a path or right. We chose left and discovered a tomb filled with sarcophaguses. We began to investigate the area and Princess once again became a bear. Not sure why she did this, but she is a druid and perhaps she's more comfortable as an animal as social interactions are not really required. She seemed to be focused in one area and I was curious why.
Approaching the area I saw a tiny creature there and recognized it immediately as a Quasit. I'm not sure if my other companions recognized that this creature was in fact a demon so I asked it why it was there. Princess decided that it would be a good idea to assert her dominance over it to keep it in it's place and that seemed to be an effective strategy. Upon further interrogation, the Quasit offered us a "Job" of sorts. Apparently it wanted us to "deal" with Gideon, specifically cut his head off. Of course, we all wanted to know exactly why he wanted us to do so and he kindly showed us exactly what Gideon was up to. He lead us through a corridor to a prayer room and there we found a mural that depicted lost souls being ushered into the afterlife. The mural was decorated with colored bone tiles. At the base of the mural was the inscription "Contemplate life. Death comes soon enough." It was not desecrated so I prayed for some guidance and Torm gave us a boon and reassured me that we were on the right trail, or so I thought that's what he was doing. Once the Quasit led us into the next room, I knew we were in trouble.
 
We went down a corridor and found a set of doors that opened up into a meditation pool. Across the pool was another Mural with all the gods prominent in the city such as Tyr, Torm, Lathander and Helm. But this was not what the Quasit wanted us to see, it was the portal in the middle of the pool. Turns out the Quasit's name is Umfet and he is a servant of Liashandra and the portal was to the Abyss. The only thing keeping it closed was Gideon. Princess just unleashed the Abyss on the city. The portal begins to become more solidified and we can hear a maniacal laughter trickling in from the portal.

With this new discovery, finding the helm became of utmost importance as we needed to get out of there and back to High Hall. Franticly searching, we found a statue that had the helmet on the other side of the catacombs. With some assistance I was able to take the helmet and I secured it in my bag. I suggested that we send our little friend back home, but for some reason, Princess decided to keep the filthy creature. Not surprising as she just seems to want to do the opposite of what I think lately, but that's another story that we didn't have time to dispute. Eric kindly used his cloaking magic so that we could safely exit the graveyard undetected and move through the city haste fully back to the High District and High Hall. Once there, we separated. Khemed followed me to the Catacombs where I asked Feyland if he had found anymore information about the artifact. He said no so I gave him the crystals and notes we found with Gideon to review while I communed with Torm over the helmet. As I was leaving Khemed dropped a bomb of information on me. The High Rider was still alive and well and he had offered him a deal. I didn't have the time or the fortitude to deal with this new information so I filed it in the back of my brain and went off to commune with Torm and the Helmet hoping for some guidance. As I was praying, my connection to Torm got stronger and stronger as I got in closer proximity to the helmet. In an act of desperation, I must admit, I put on the helmet.
 
Once the helmet was on, everything faded to black, but I had never felt so close to Torm before. The passage of time secede to exist here, it was just Torm and myself and it was peaceful. The first time I'd felt peace since we arrived at this wretched place. Suddenly, I feel a friendly presence and a golden light appears in the darkness. It fades into a cold blue and the sea comes into focus outside of a window ledge. A voice says, "Lulu dear, perhaps this might jog your memory?" I turn to see a golden creature, a miniature elephant, that appears to be a celestial of some sort. The room is that of an arcane workshop. Before I have time to take in everything I'm seeing, the image changed.
 
Now I see a gaunt man and what appears to be a decrepit butler. There is an arcane box covered in runes before them. The butler refers to the man as Vanthapor and the man calls the butler Phendric. Vanthapor mudders, "must open this for mother" as he eyes the box. Then another voice can be heard. I turn to see an Imp as it says, "Mortlock might be in trouble." During this I hear Haelee's voice say, "Sir are you ok". This is shocking and disturbing as this is a vision from Torm as I feel my connection to him through all these visions.
 
Suddenly I hear a familiar cackle, the same I heard coming from the portal to the Abyss. My calm is interupted by the feeling of blood pouring down the back of my throat and cutting off my air supply. I'm drowning in blood and at that moment my connection to Torm is severed and I am left alone. Or am I?
 
There is a roaring sound of battle and as I open my eyes I see I'm wearing a set of plate armor with the emblem of twin suns emblazed across the chest. I quickly look around to see other knights whom have familiar faces, but I don't have much time to assess the situation as we are currently surrounded by gnolls and there is obviously a battle to ensue.