In Search of Lephit's Spellbook

21 Eleint, The Year of Twelve Warnings (1494 DR) City of Elturel, Avernus (1st layer of Hell)

Gorn Huntley, paladin of Torm, and Lephit Ezim the wizard, along with a quasit named Jaspo left the tavern A Pair of Black Antlers with Carowek, the leader of the minotaurs who occupied the tavern.
Carowek was at first surprised to see Lephit but considered having a wizard help them escape the tavern to be advantageous.
Once outside, the three fought off two spined devils while Carowek and his minotaurs faced off against several others.
After defeating the spined devils, Lephit led Gorn and Jaspo to where she lived a few streets from the tavern. Carowek and his group fled down a different street.
On the way to Lephit's home, they came upon a bulezau threatening a young girl and her two parents. Jaspo said bulezaus were violence-craving demons that looked like gaunt minotaurs. Jaspo warned everyone about the bulezau's rotting presence which can cause those nearby to suffer as if their body was quickly decomposing. Bulezaus usually had their rotting presence when they became agitated. Despite the risk, Gorn and Lephit attacked the demon.
Once the fight began, the young girl and her mother were able to escape to safety. Sadly, the girl's father succumbed to the bulezau's presence and died.
With Gorn's holy avenger, Dawnbringer, and Lephit casting her spells including a lightning bolt, the two slew the bulezau although Gorn did sustain some injuries. Jaspo, apparently not immune to the bulezau's rotting presence fled from the fight.
After retrieving Lephit's spellbook, she and Gorn tried to locate the young girl and her mother. 

Their search led them to an abandoned house where they were horrified to see the girl's mother dead upon a table while two ghouls feasted on her. The young girl was nowhere to be seen.
Gorn and Lephit attacked the ghouls and were able to kill them quickly. They soon found the girl who said her name was Shorah Hevrun. She was understandably distraught by the loss of her parents. When asked if she had other relatives in Elturel, Shorah said her aunt was Pherria Jynks. Gorn recognized the name. Pherria Jynks was an expert on possession and exorcism, and now a new servant of Torm. The matronly woman's expertise was often sought by the Order of the Gauntlet.
Shorah also said her family was headed to High Hall cathedral where they assumed most survivors would have fled to. High Hall cathedral was the seat of the Elturel's government and the home of its ruler, High Overseer Thavius Kreeg. The cathedral was on the other side of Elturel. But first, they would have to pass through one of Torm's Bridges. The north bridge was called Torm's Reach, while the south bridge was called Torm's blade. The two bridges spanned a ravine that separated the city of Elturel into its western and eastern sides. Gorn and Lephit agreed that Torm's Blade was the closest to where they were.
After burying Shorah's mother in a makeshift cairn, Gorn and Lephit found a safe place to rest and recover their spells and mend their wounds. The three shared what little rations they had with each other. Before trying to get some sleep, Gorn and Lephit wondered what dangers they would face along the way. The dragonborn paladin looked at Shorah, who slept quietly next to Lephit on a bed nearby. Gorn prayed to Torm for guidance. He hoped his prayers would be answered, for all of their sake.

Session played on March 19, 2020

Plot type

Chapter

Dramatis Personae:

Gorm Huntley, Male Dragonborn Paladin of Torm
Lephit Ezim, Female Human Wizard
Jaspo, Quasit
Shorah Hevrun, Female (8-year-old) Elturel citizen