OttD Session 21: The Party Needs A Lawyer

General Summary

We pick up again still fighting the hydras from Session 20: Zerrof doesn't like jungles. Due to a variety of real life scheduling issues, only Vun Roade, Pestle, and Zerrof are present for this session. Adoven Woodsoul gets the first move of the session, and casts eldritch blast on the weaker of the two hydras, killing it. As Adoven Woodsoul billows his cape dramatically, however, the party rolls charisma saving throws. These rolls go VERY badly. Vun Roade, Pestle, Zerrof, and Thulmir all roll in the single digits and fail their saves. Note that this list includes every single player who is present for the session. The three players actually present for the session awaken back in Azunis, but the villagers appear to be gone. They are in the center of town, surrounded by hydra-sized chains that are no longer capable of holding them in place. Standing before them, wielding a large sword, is an angel. With some religion checks, the party realizes this being is a planetar. Planetars are archangels, so their power is only a step or two below that of lesser gods. This one introduces himself as Honor, and says he is the right hand of The Bronze Prince. The party once again discusses the possibility that their time in the The Beastlands has just been one long, bad dream. The angel glowers at them for a while, before finally announcing that he is here to arrest them for war crimes. Vun Roade and Pestle are accused of destroying a religious structure unprovoked, illegally starting a war without the proper notice, and theft of a holy artifact. Zerrof and Mazu are charged with deserting their people in Neprius when the city was besieged by primordials before The Shattering. The party briefly considers attempting to make a break for it, but the angel claims it could easily fight them all single handedly. Pestle rolls insight on this and concludes that Honor is extremely confident in that assessment. They willingly submit to arrest and are taken through the jungle to a large portal, clearly constructed exactly for this purpose. It takes them to Mechanus, the plane of law, where they are led to an enormous courthouse and detained. The cells are slightly more accommodating than one would expect from a prison, but it is still a prison and it is not a pleasant stay. The guard informs them it is 6:32 PM, and Pestle realizes that his spasms appear to have ceased. Zerrof contacts Penguin, and Izzik arrives a few hours later to act as their lawyer. Izzik grills them for details on the case. During conversation, Zerrof suggests bringing in both Pixo and Zasina as witnesses. He also proposes filing a counterclaim against the Dukes of Air, claiming that they have been at war this entire time due to the dukes illegally holding the sparks of the Kenku without just cause. Izzik also lays out some more details about the case and current events:

Vun Roade and Pestle were charged by Nadroc, one of the Dukes of Air
Zerrof and Mazu were charged by Balinor, the god of the hunt and ruler of The Beastlands
Tornac has also been charged. Bhaal, his former patron, has accused him of "being a threat to all existence". Penguin is currently holding him "in protective custody".
Thulmir had a price put on his head about a day ago by an Archfey. Which Archfey did this and why are still unknown. He was also still a hydra, and rampaging through the streets of Sigil.
Adoven Woodsoul appears to be fine. He was giving a long-winded report to The Window, and gloating about his amazing hydra-slaying prowess.
Izzik believes that these charges are about something more than what they appear. He thinks that someone is trying to force their hand and reveal secrets.

Zerrof prays to Mazu, and asks her what her secret is. She says this knowledge is incredibly dangerous; the gods have all made an agreement not to talk about this secret unless it is absolutely necessary, and even those mortals who do learn about said secret are "removed from the mortal world". Because of its dangerous nature, Mazu declines to share what the secret is. The party debates this information for some time. The talk about gods and secrets recalls memories of Tornac's tapestry in the temple of Istus, and the spear currently in his possession. This seems to be very important, but they are not yet sure how. Just as they have finished this line of conversation, Penguin arrives. They make conversation, and Penguin says he will "bet on them" and try his hardest to help defend them. He is bringing in Tornac, Thulmir, and Adoven Woodsoul under a military escort to participate in the trial. He says he is also bringing along Griffon, because his presence was requested by Tornac. More importantly, however, Pestle shares with Penguin that he knows where Sconce is. Penguin proposes attempting to summon Sconce as a witness, and Zerrof realizes he is actually capable of casting Sending to speak with him. Penguin also goads Pestle into asking Dave who Kaiser works for, and goes to distract the guards while he asks. Pestle first asks Dave. "Who is Kaiser's mistress?" Dave replies that Kaiser sleeps with a lot of women on a regular basis, and asks if he wants a list. After some tomfoolery, Pestle rephrases and asks again: "Who is Kaiser's patron?". Pestle rolls a 26 on his intelligence save and learns that his patron is Vecna, the goddess of evil secrets. Incidentally, it turns out her favorite color is black. The party prepares to go to sleep, but not before the guard gives them a fresh set of pillows. It seems Penguin goaded the guard into giving them good pillows. During the night, Zerrof has a vision of Mazu. She asks what it is that Penguin needs from them, anyway, since he seems entirely capable of winning his war without their help. Zerrof does not know the answer, and in the morning the party discusses this point too, but they ultimately decide they do not have enough information to answer. They also question Tornac's loyalties. Zerrof then casts sending to talk to Sconce, and he asks:

Sconce - so glad you're alive. Penguin and our group on trial in machanus. A secret held by the gods is involved. Can you help us?

Sconce responds:

I don't know. I'll ask the ref.

The party debates what that means for a few minutes, but then Sconce cast's sending to send a message of his own:

File the papers. I can leave after this round.

The party muses about how much weight is on their shoulders, and then Zerrof admits he wants to be a god. He says the pantheon needs someone who will stand up for the things that matter, and who will protect and guide his people. Pestle says penguin is in a much greater position of power, and Zerrof replies that there is a serious gap in the pantheon. Why, he asks, is there nobody to help them figure these things out? Pestle says Zerrof would be in his top five favorite gods. Izzik appears, applauding. It seems that he was invisible and hiding in their cell for some time. He tells zerrof he is more like penguin than he cares to admit. Then, he asks if he realizes if he knows what he is up against, and says that Dispater sent him to offer his services in the coming trial.