Session #7: Riddles, Deals, and Near Death Experiences...

General Summary

After avoiding getting crushed by the gears, we decided to see if we could harvest some resources from the room. Clarity figured out that some of the gears were made of Harmonic Copper, so Søren was able to shave off about half a pound off one, and we were able to crush a quarter pound from another (which we may need to smelt to actually use). Going into the room full of stars next, we encountered a being that introduced themself as an Avatar of the Planewalker. This being asked us what we were looking for and offered assistance in exchange for us answering a few questions. We agreed, although we weren’t quite aware at the time of the consequences if we got one wrong...
After successfully answering the riddles, and learning a very witty joke, the Avatar disappeared, leaving a spot of soil behind. Søren was adamant we plant the rose there, but I still felt the creepy battle room was more void-like. We debated for a bit, but decided to continue exploring. On the northern edge of the Caverns, we came across a room filled with Vampiric Mists. One tried to escape through the wall, but I shamed it to death. Oddly enough, none of us, not even Doc, recognized the beings that were dead in that room, and their chest cavities appeared to resemble flower pots. We began to debate whether a plane we’d all never heard of could have been created. I know that Shadowfell grew out of a demiplane to become a plane, but I’d never heard of one coming from nothing: is there something that could have the power to create something so immense and complex? Once we returned to camp, Arasah gave Caelen another radiant gold coin, and I snuggled with the Owlbears for the night. When we awoke, Clarity and Søren insisted we return to the mist room to check the hands of the dead beings. Grasped in their palms were two scythes, with the words “Veil” and “Sever” written in a language similar to Primordial. We determined they were portal keys, which I guess debunked the theory that they’re made from dead bodies (doesn’t make them any less creepy).
Back in exploration mode, we decided to investigate the roar that Gwydion had heard the day before. Turns out, it was a dragon! We found a Copper Dragon and a Frost Giant fighting in front of a large horde of treasure. Søren convinced us to side with the dragon, and thus we decided to intervene. The giantess said a nasty word at Søren before she died, and I think I saw him flinch. He later told us that “maug” means traitor in Giant, which he assumes is due to the fact that he’s using Giant runes to kill giants. The Copper Dragon introduced herself as Tazmikella, or Taz for short. She offered us a piece of the horde in exchange for helping her, and we were granted 5lbs of Cold Iron, which we can give to Echo once we return to Sigil!
Something that disturbed me, both during the battle and after, was that a patch of dragon-shaped blood, and later where the frost giant died, seemed to become a breeding ground for The Bloom. Not long after the giantess died, her body was absorbed into the ground and...digested. Clarity and Søren think this whole experience in the Caverns could be an illusion, and we’re simply triggering “scenes” so to speak as we travel from room to room. But I can’t shake the feeling that we’re in something, not illusory, but alive…and the longer we stay here, the more likely we are to become a meal for whatever this thing is. Perhaps foolishly, instead of returning to camp after a tough battle, we trudged on, only to come upon the greatest threat we’d faced yet: a Pit Fiend from Baator. Before we could sneak away, we were being summoned by the creature, and although he wasn’t demanding, it was clear our refusal to help him would not be admissible. I’m not one to judge a being on first meeting them, and I try to see the best in people, but in the eyes of this Duke, I saw nothing but death and the desire to destroy. Perhaps we were foolhardy in our approach, but if we’d let him free from his cave, if Clarity had made a deal, I have no doubt in my mind that he would have found a way to hurt as many people as possible.
Søren attempted to take Clarity’s spell book, so she couldn’t fulfill any deal with the pit fiend, but the Duke was too quick: he swiftly put up a wall of fire, blocking us in. I tried to protect Søren from the fire and send the Duke back, so my friends and I could escape, but he didn’t even flinch, and if anything, all I did was make him angrier.
We tried to run, but his fire followed. Luckily, Caelen was around the corner, and Søren found a way to carry us all. Otherwise, we surely would have perished, more victims for the Caverns of Thought to swallow. I wonder if I would have tasted good toasted. We made it back to camp, and quickly and quietly relocated to a safer location within the Caverns. Arasah admonished us for our rashness, but said if she could get back to Sigil, she would return with Celestial forces to slay the Pit Fiend. The death, however, would not be permanent: in about a year or so, maybe less, he would re-materialize in Baator where he would undoubtedly become a threat, not only to us, but Clarity’s family as well.
Clarity was understandably distraught about the circumstances, and I must admit I feel a bit guilty about potentially putting her family at risk. But perhaps, if we use our connections right and grow enough in our strength before then, we can go to the Nine Hells and save Clarity’s family, as well as warn Mephistopheles about the potential incursion on his lands by a rival Duke before our foe has time to strike.
This means our way forward is clear: we must plant the rose before the end of the day and bring whatever blooms to Søren’s assigned contact in Curst. We need to maintain his connection with Mechanus, as he believes someone he knows is assigned to Baator and may have a way to get out without using The Bloom (which would be considerably more reliable). Along with this rose task, we’ll also move forward with the plan to travel to the Material Plane to learn about a way to make Repair Light Damage a ranged spell. If I can create a song that can be used to heal constructs at a distance, not only will that help our party, but it will significantly increase our chances that Mechanus will be willing to assist us in our plan to save Clarity’s family. Finally, we need that cheese. It’s still no guarantee whether we’ll be able to keep whatever blooms after we bring it to Curst. Thus, Imel is our best chance of getting in with a powerful faction that can get us to the planes we need to go to. There are a couple more tunnels to explore for this Torilean Death Cheese, so we don’t have time to rest. I’m not one to pray, but I won’t deny that I’m hoping for a miracle...

Report Date

03 Feb 2022