2024-03-28 Styx and Stones
1492 DR 24 Uktar (The Rotting)
General Summary
Briefing
At Nils' tower, Dallon briefed the gang on their upcoming expedition.
The Trip
Dallon doesn't trust spells like plane shift that only bring you "at or near" your destination without a teleport circle, and every teleport circle in Avernus is likely guarded. Instead, he plans for us to enter the plane via the River Styx. To get there, we will travel to the Outlands, a neutral "hub" for the outer planes that is home to gate towns through which the rest of the outer planes can be reached. The gate town for the The Nine Hells is called Ribcage. The duchess who rules the town has been dangerously tampering with the moral alignment of the town, and as a result, a small tributary of the River Styx has recently appeared outside the town.
To reach Ribcage, we will use an interdimensional intersection known as The World Serpent Inn, a magical location that has at least one entrance attached to a local tavern in every material world. In Faerûn, the entrance is at a rundown tavern called The Wild Goose in the city of Arabel, north of Cormyr. We will use the infinite portals of the inn to reach the city of Thebestys in the Outlands, then take a riverboat down the River Ma'at to just outside Ribcage.
Once in Avernus, we will seek out The Wandering Emporium, an oasis of sanity where we may be able to discern more about Elturel's current location and condition.
The Outer Planes
Like the inner planes Dallon previously led us through, outer planes like Avernus are navigated by will. By holding your destination firmly in mind, you eventually get where you are going. Unlike the inner planes, which are filled with the raw physical material of creation, the outer planes are the manifestion of spiritual existence. The Nine Hells is literally the physical manifestation of tyranny in its purest form. While we are there, its influence will try to change us. We should be watchful of one another, looking for signs of cruelty or a desire to dominate. Sometimes, we might notice a change in our thoughts and feelings. Other times, it may be too subtle for us to be aware. Unchecked, these changes could lead to permanent moral realignment.
There are ways to prevent and undo these changes. Any time before the change is permanent, simply leaving the Nine Hells can reverse the changes in a day or so. Magic that protects the mind and guards against posession can grant resistance to the effects. Spells such as greater restoration and heal can undo behavior changes before they are permanent. The spell ceremony can undo a complete alignment change.
Onward and Outward
Nils teleported us all to a Harper teleport circle in Arabel, and from there we ventured to the World Serpent Inn. Dallon introduced us to the barkeep Mitchifer and invited us to sample the inn's menu while he made some inquiries. Harad enjoyed a couple of stone mugs of a hearty stout brewed by the elemental earth genies known as dao. Varanis asked for something "smoky and sweet", and received a couple of cocktails Mitchifer invited him to share with another bar patron (who strongly resembled a female version of the sorcerer himself). Leo had a flute of some barely visible wine that had almost no substance or flavor yet left him with a distinctly pleasant sensation with every sip. Enkidu consumed a horn of mead from the halls of Valhalla. Not quite knowing which to try, Xandar asked for the same as Dallon, and was rewarded with a rich and flavorful ale with an aftertaste like a sunset over a forested valley.
Taking seat at a table, the party met an elf-like being with a distinct accent known only as "Bruv" (because names have power, right bruv?). Claiming to be an information broker, he sold us a tip for 50 gold pieces, educating us on the rivalry between Zariel and a devil called Bel. Bel once ruled Avernus, but was supplanted when Asmodeus corrupted Zariel. While Zariel cares only for the Blood War against demonkind, earning the respect of the rank and file devils, Bel is steeped in the political intrigue of the Hells, attracting the allegiance of more ambitious devils. Bel is currently Zariel's armorer and weaponsmith, equipping her legions for the Blood War. Anything forged in Avernus was created by Bel and the smiths under his command.
Leo purchased more valuable information by giving up his ring of mists. For this, Bruv told as about the solar insidiator. He claimed it is a prison for a powerful angel. In one form, it radiates the purity of the angel like a golden sun, driving away the unholy and inspiring sacrifice and dedication from those within its light. In another form, it inverts that holy power into a source of immense dark energy, enough to unroot a city and drag it into the Nine Hells. Apparently, the devils have been dragging cities into Avernus for millennia, by various means, then immersing the victims in the Styx to wipe their minds clean to be rebuilt as devils to fight in the Blood War.
Leaving the World Serpent Inn behind, we travelled to Thebestys and down the River Ma'at without incident.
Reaching Ribcage, we found the tributary of the Styx and a gang of yugoloths, mercenary fiends who fight on either side of the Blood War. Dallon opened negotiations for a barge trip to Avernus in Infernal, but was interrupted when a different gang noticed his blade Sicarius Maleficum. Their leader demanded he relinquish it or die, and a battle ensued. The fight did not last too long. Dallon and Enkidu bore the brunt of the damage, while the whole party got their licks in. With fiend-slaying distant strikes, divine smites, chain lightning and Orenin's kanabo, it became apparent that this party is rather well suited to confront fiends in their native domains.
Character(s) interacted with
Mitchifer, the barkeep at the World Serpent Inn
"Bruv", a planes-travelling information broker
Notes
Did battle with a yagnoloth, 3 mezzoloths, 2 canoloths, and an oinoloth.
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