Session XIV - 24.09.2020
General Summary
- The group has defeated the devils that attacked the refugees in the cellars below the citadel of Elturel. The refugees thank the group and a priestess named Pharra approaches the group (the group makes sure to secure the citadel before). She actually is not sure where Elturel is so the group tells her that the city literally went "to hell" and whose fault this was (Thavius Kreeg). She mentions that they are low on supplies and that Ulder Ravenguard (who actually still was in Elturel when the city vanished to Avernus) went with a group of Flaming Fists to the barracks in the north of the city as there they expected to be more enclaves of people hiding from the devils. Besides this, Ulder sent a group of scouts to the cemetery to check Gideon Lightward (who is Pharra's husband). He is a high priest who protects an artifact in there (a helmet that was given to the hero of the city and used to receive guidance in uncertain times - with this helmet, its wearer could receive visions from Torm). Pharra mentions that the scouts never reported back. The group decides to rest below the citadel, helps the priests with the wounded and shares some supplies. After their rest, the adventurers first seek out the cemetery in the West of Elturel.
- On their way, the adventurers run into a pack of Bearded Devils. They can dispatch one of them in an ambush and manage to evade to others thereafter. Later, they run into an interesting conversation: An imp discusses with a gnome about a contract (20 bags of grain for the gnome's soul). The adventurers intervene and Athanatos reads the constract carefully (the imp lets him do it). It becomes clear, that the gnome (name: Piltser Pebblehuck) would not only sell his own soul but also the souls of his family members. The group helps Piltser with the situation so that he does not have to sign the contract but still gets 19 out of the 20 bags (by threatening the imp which flees and takes only one bag with him). They escort Piltser to his house where his family awaits. He is an alchemist and mentions that he can brew healing potions if the characters would bring grave moss and/or king's foil. The adventurers convince him and his family to go to the citadel to seek shelter there. The group escorts the Pebblehuck family.
- Now the group makes its way to the cemetery. They find a graveyard chapel with undead lingering around. Darius already wants to destroy those as Athanatos mentions that these creatures may not be hostile. And indeed: As the group first enters a small house next to the chapel, the undead do not attack them. In the house, they find a journal which was written by Gideon Lightward. Barakas reads through it and it becomes apparent that something has haunted the man leading him to maybe even lose his faith in Torm (as the gods are not intervening in the Blood War, destroying the demons).
The Woman: Tell me, O Master, of what is the greatest evil. Gideon: It is that of the Abyss. It is the teemless horde of chaos which seeks to rip down civilization. The Woman: And why should civilization be not destroyed? Gideon: Civilization is that which gives life meaning. It is the font of morality and thought. Of art and of science.
There I beheld her. Her beauty was so great it seemed to burn my eyes. And yet through my blindness I could see her with greater clarity than any other sight that I have ever beheld. Two great wings of white she had. And a sword of celestial steel so sharp that I could hear the hum of its edge. A weapon made to cleave the division between soul and mind. But then I saw this essence of perfection cast away her sword. Her wings turned black. Her eyes turned to pits of fire. And a great and terrible purpose furrowed her brow. Gideon: But why should she have turned from the light? The Woman: She turned from the light because it blinded her. Gideon: Does not the light let us see? The Woman: That is the lie of the light. We think only of what it illuminates, but not of what it conceals from us. Gideon: Helm? Torm? Tyr? Lathander? None of them battle the Abyss. They claim the glory of that war, but shed no blood in it!
- As the group is about to leave the small house and enter the chapel, they hear a loud crack and a howling. The adventurers witness the undead running around the chapel to engage in combat with demons who attack a human in front of the chapel. These demons (an ape-like Barlgura and several Maw Demons) apparently try to make their way into the chapel. The adventurers intervene and together with the human (Gideon Lightward?) and the undead, they manage to destroy the demons.
Report Date
24 Sep 2020
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