Session XXXII - 14.12.2021

General Summary

After escaping the icy realm of Stygia, the party spent the night recovering at the war machine. In the morning, they decided to depart the Mirror of Mephistar and ride towards Bel’s fortress to the south, hoping to retrieve some blood from pit fiend to help with the ritual.
The journey proceeds without incidents and upon reaching the fortress the party is greeted by Bel’s steward. He announces that the Lord Bel is awaiting and leads them inside and into the lord’s chambers.
Bel welcomes everyone with open arms, especially Athanatos, a promising soul that Bel himself fished out of the river Styx after its death. Bel revealed his plans of becoming archduke of Avernus once all of this is over, and he plans to do it with Athanatos’ help.

• -he intends to help with the elturel situation, he cannot allow Zariel to gain such a powerful army.

• -he is worried about the companion, the large ball of crackling energy that resides above elturel

• -he mentioned that it is a demonic device, a trap of some kind, devised to torture and extract the energy of whatever is locked inside of it.

• -he is worried that even if the chains around the city are sundered, Zariel will use the power of the companion to hold the city in Avernus.

• -for this reason he acquired three control rods from one of Zariel’s crashed ships. The rods act as a lock of sort, preventing the energy of the companion from being unleashed. And potentially destroying it!

Bel offers refreshments that some of the party accepts. He continues by mentioning that the rods have been stolen. From his very halls!

• -in the last months, he’s been hosting several of his most noble and powerful subjects in his castle.

• -he suspects that one of them is a spy for Zariel, and that this individual has stolen the rods.

• -it would be improper for him to point fingers without having the proper evidence required to incriminate someone.

• -unfortunately, there are strict rules to hospitality in the most civilized parts of hell, this prevents bel from snooping around his subjects, even in his own castle.

• -the laws go so far as to ban teleportation and scrying outright, to preserve the privacy of the guests.

• -fortunately, the party came just at the right moment. Being outsiders, they’ll arise little suspicion, if their questions are careful.

• -that night there will be a ball, a final grand show of opulence and a last chance for the party to investigate the castle and recover the rods before the various delegations depart for their own realms, and the rods with them.

bel describes four main suspects, his most powerful subjects:

• -Barth the Bloodknight: she was a paladin, made a pact with bel and now commands his legions in battle
• -Draven the Black Baron, a trader with contacts all over the planes
• -Count Grath, manages the logistics of the kingdom, proudly carries his collection of miniature creatures with him.
• -Animushu, an Abishai tribal chief

After this talk, Bel approaches Athanatos and shows him a bright blue swirling mote encased in glass, big enough to fit the palm of a hand. He reveals that that is a piece of Athanatos’ soul, sundered from him when Bel recovered Athanatos from the Styx. A sort of insurance policy if you will. Bel proclaims himself to be magnanimous however, and makes an offer: Athanatos’ soul will be made whole, once Bel is again archduke of Avernus. Athanatos is left to think it over.
* * *
A few hours before the start of the grand Ball, The party decided to investigate around the castle, they find out that a demonic raid was launched against the outskirts of the castle at about 12 on the day of the theft, the theft itself was only discovered hours later and almost nobody knows about it.
they spoke with several servants around the castle:

• -Lady Griselda the cook, resident chef in the kitchen. Told the party that Count Grath eats a lot, even for his corpulent standards and he came for food right around the time of the battle

• -Garrick the sad mop-man, cleaner of floors. Mentioned cleaning the corridor in front of the guests rooms at the time of the battle, he saw Grath and Draven go towards the kitchen, but only saw Grath come back.

• -Snix, the quartermaster at the landing, he takes charge messages and arrivals by air. He mentioned Animushu came to see the battle from above the day of the theft, Barth came and the two fought, then Barth left in a hurry.

Additionally, snooping around the various rooms they find:

• The metal door of the treasury was torn open, bent towards the inside of the room
• A keen inspection by Barakas has revealed faint claw marks on the edges of the door and on the room-facing side.
• A hidden spot in the rookery, behind bird cages. Several scattered glasses and bottles of Bloodwine. A whip rested underneath some hay and cushions.

Until suddenly, with a blare of horns, the ball started in earnest, with guests flooding the grand hall in their best attire.

Report Date

14 Dec 2021