21 - 1/10/22 : Hold Your Fire

In-game date: 22nd-23rd of Freyrmond, 3521

“I am no longer able to reconcile the worth of my own soul against those of the Cassalanter twins. I have lived my centuries, and they have yet to see their tenth winter. It is an injustice to gamble with their lives using twice-stolen gold when the answer is right there in front of me.” - Megumi Sakane

While the rest of the party carried out their heist on the High Roller, Megumi performed surveillance around the Cassalanter estate to seek out evidence of their hellish affiliation. As the fireworks at the dock ward rose overhead in the distance, she saw only the Cassalanter twins, Elzerina and Tirenzio, glued to their windows as they watched the spectacle. Their childlike innocence struck a chord of guilt in Megumi, who finally reached her breaking point in the gamble for her soul.
Taking her leave of the location, Megumi returned to Troll Skull Manor and quickly authored a letter of farewells to be left behind for the rest of her companions before departing.

In a dark corner of the city, Megumi called out to Asmodeus once again with the green steel dagger and offered to immediately forfeit her soul despite the remaining months on her contract, in exchange for the absolution of the Cassalanter twins. Although he bemoaned the loss of a massive offering of gold, Asmodeus took delight in the sight of a mortal groveling to him in defeat, and accepted her terms. As Megumi walked into the portal into Nessus, the deepest layer of Baator, Asmodeus delighted in his final deception; although the twins were free of their contract, he would not inform their parents of this development, keeping them in the game for the lost gold of Dagult Ambermantle.
The rest of the Red Spirits returned to Troll Skull Manor after returning the Stone of Golorr to the House of Wonder, where they celebrated their victory for a moment and introduced Zephyr to their home. Renaer descended the stairs and presented them with Megumi’s missive that he had found. The party was shocked and saddened at their friend’s departure, but eventually agreed to carry on with the mission for her sake with the addition of their new goal of rescuing Megumi’s wife, Eula Havenspire, from the Xanathar’s gladiatorial pits. The party then introduced Zephyr to Renaer, who was a bit bewildered at her true nature as a dragon. Before the party could tell Renaer the full story, the party heard a knock on the door, and was surprised to find Piece of the Puzzle at their door, out of breath from escaping the angry sons of a wealthy dowager he had been wooing. The party treated him to a glass of wine as he caught his breath, and once the door to the tavern was closed, the illusion was dispelled to reveal his true identity; Zelem Corvo, recently bereft of a submarine and quite upset about the fact.
Zelem greeted the party coldly yet calmly and wasted little time before getting to the heart of the matter. He admitted that he had grievously underestimated the party, and did not intend to do so ever again. He informed them that he was not giving up his pursuit of the gold, and was equipped to vastly outmaneuver the party; however, despite the party’s theft of the blue eye, they needn’t be enemies.
He outlined plainly that the plan was to acquire Dagult Ambermantle’s lost gold and distribute it back to Revelmoore as a show of good faith in exchange for favors, alliances, and political clout for Fortune’s Crossing. However, the gold was not to be entirely channeled to the ruling nobility of the city as the official process would have it; half of it, perhaps, but Zelem intended to give a large portion of it directly to the people of Revelmoore themselves. In this way, Zelem would curry the favor of the people who truly kept the wheels of Revelmoore turning; the merchants and makers, whom Zelem hoped would see value in trading independently with Fortune’s Crossing.
Zelem argued further that the party was simply unequipped to handle such a fortune; he had the means to transport it, safeguard it from those who would attempt to steal it or make a claim to it, obfuscate it from the law, and to transport it to those who needed it. Without his help, he argued that they would never be able to move it, and would have to deal with individuals like Puzzle or their neighbors asking for gold; to say nothing of the law possibly catching wind of their ownership and charging them with theft.
The thief lord’s initial offer was simple; in return for pursuing the remaining eyes and locating the lost gold for the Devil’s Hand to take custody of it, Zelem was prepared to use his people to fend off the other interested factions and provide the party with 5% of the total take (estimated to be about 50,000 gold pieces).
While Reilly and Brooke cautiously pondered the idea of accepting the offer, Yilani became paranoid and wary of Zelem’s intentions and tried to deceive him by informing him that the gold was a lie. Zelem did not believe this and offered an ultimatum; accept his help, or face him as an enemy in the race for the gold. He compounded this threat with the offering of a dull knife; Brooke recognized this as a warning unique to Revelmoore culture, with the implication that the next knife would be hidden and not quite as dull.
Reilly, Brooke, Renaer, and Zephyr asked to be excused to the upstairs room to discuss their next move before agreeing to anything. Yilani, still paranoid, said that she was going for a ‘walk’ and stepped outside to slip away and seek the guards. Finding a guardsman (unknownst to her, a member of the Devil’s Hand in disguise), she said that Zelem was threatening Troll Skull Manor and asked the guard to find reinforcements before she moved on to speak to Solauvaire in his tower.
Meanwhile, Reilly, Brooke, Renaer, and Zephyr expressed confusion over Yilani’s departure. They discussed Zelem’s offer amongst themselves in the meantime, wondering if it was a decent enough offer to take. Renaer deferred to the party, stating that he had trusted them this long and wasn’t about to stop. Zephyr didn’t enjoy the idea of working with the group who killed her mother over her collection of crystals, but also stated that she didn’t know what would be best for the people of the city; like Renaer, she also deferred her trust to the party and hoped that they knew what they were doing.
Zephyr did have one caveat, however; if Zelem truly wished to help the people of Revelmoore, then he could prove it by throwing in the funds to purchase a casting of true resurrection for her mother, who had been dead for too long for other spells to work. Reilly and Brooke agreed to bring this suggestion to Zelem and headed downstairs to discuss it with him. Zelem reluctantly agreed to increase the party’s share to 8% (roughly 80,000 gold pieces) to pay for the spell’s casting, to which Reilly and Brooke agreed.
Yilani met with Solauvaire during these discussions and explained the situation and her distrust of Zelem. Solauvaire reacted with disquiet, unable to decide on how he felt on the matter. He expressed his desire to see the lost gold returned to the people of Revelmoore, but also doubted the possibility of altruism among the nobles and officials of the socially disparate city. He also cited his poor relationship with Open Lord Reverie, and it was because of this poor relationship that he was unlikely to be able to affect the proceedings of the gold’s distribution.
Ultimately, Solauvaire encouraged Yilani to remain cautious and try to spin the situation to her benefit, but also try to trust her companions as they had trusted her. He also provided her with an Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location to assuage her fears of being spied upon by Zelem, and contacted the rest of the Red Spirits to inform them that she wanted to remain in the safety of the High Dragon’s tower for the night and for them to meet there the next day.
The following day, Reilly, Brooke, and Renaer met with Yilani at the Tower of the High Dragon to bring their concerns to light. Yilani insisted that the party not work with Zelem, while Reilly and Brooke explained why they thought it was the right decision to make. Brooke in particular took offense to Yilani leaving the party to go fetch Solauvaire without consulting them first. In the end, the party reached a shaky agreement; Yilani agreed to help Reilly and Brooke if Brooke agreed to wear an additional Amulet of Proof Against Detection and Location that she would buy for him, in order to further ward off any attempts Zelem might make to track him. Brooke was convinced, as long as it was the price for Yilani’s cooperation.
Taking a moment to see to one of her projects, Reilly made her way to Fala Lefaliir’s greenhouse with Fala and her companions in attendance. There, she used a metallic skeleton, a magic crystal, and plants grown from feywild seeds to create a unique homunculus named Róisín, who resembled a hybrid between plant and rabbit. Fala responded warmly to the creation, but restated their insistence that Reilly and the others not put themselves in unnecessary danger during their pursuits.
The party then took a moment to visit Vincent Trench, whom they had beaten to the information they needed on Ruven Torrel of the Devil’s Hand. He expressed a bit of professional disappointment that he had been outmaneuvered, but the party assured him that it was a coincidence that they had acquired the info they had gotten. They instead asked for Vincent to scope out the Cassalanters and discover where the cult of Asmodeus was based, so that they could fulfill Megumi’s wish to see the Cassalanters face justice. Being a Rakshasa and therefore a devil himself, Vincent agreed that he was uniquely qualified for the job, and promised them results in a day or two.
The party recognized that they had several remaining goals to see to;

• To acquire the Green Eye of Golorr from the Scions of Black Hearts in their base at Maleficarius Towers.
• To consult the Stone of Golorr after slotting the second eye and discover where the final, Red Eye was located.
• To see the Cassalanters brought to justice, or to at least disrupt the Cult of Asmodeus.
• To rescue Eula Havenspire, Megumi’s wife, from the gladiatorial pits of the Xanathar, and to potentially cure her alleged amnesia.

The Red Spirits ultimately decided to first infiltrate Maleficarius Towers and seek out the Green Eye. Arriving on scene on the night of the 23rd, they used Skeemo Weirdbottle’s pass amulet to slip past the forcefield surrounding the towers and did a quick once-around of the grounds before breaking in and engaging the Scions within in combat.

Portraits

The Red Spirits

Reilly Springs - A young, anxious satyr artificer and inventor, who has fashioned for herself a magic suit of armor that grants her impressive combat capabilities. Now free of the debt that hounded her, Reilly is committed to supporting her friends as she sets down roots in Revelmoore. She has taken to spending time with Fala Lefaliir, the serene gardener and proprietor of Aelbwynn’s Crown.

Brooke Acropora - A charming water genasi and a native of Revelmoore, who supports the party with his keen intuition concerning the fanciful and fascinating goings-on of the city. Brooke moonlights as a contributor to The Targe, a broadsheets publication that seeks out the most interesting and sauciest news scoops of the day. Currently, Brooke is focused on ensuring that Troll Skull Manor becomes an unforgettable spectacle to its visitors, but part of his mind continues to be occupied by his tryst with the mysterious Zelem Corvo.

Megumi Sakane - A diminutive kitsune rogue and a traveling merchant, who has fallen in with the party during her quest for wealth in the City of Splendors. Kind-hearted but quite avaricious, she uses her small size to her advantage as she sizes up individuals for valuables and wealth. In order to save the lives of Elzerina and Tirenzio Cassalanter, she heroically gave up her soul to Asmodeus and was taken away to Baator, leaving the rest of the party to carry on her affairs.

Yilani Deniz - A severe, perceptive Yuan-ti Pureblood druid who once masqueraded as a human refugee from Khemit in order to gather information on the wealthy and powerful of Revelmoore on behalf of a Yuan-ti cult of Aapep. After coming to love the city and her new friends, Yilani has turned her back on her people and helped to drive them out of the city before their nefarious plans could be enacted. Yilani met Zelem’s offer for cooperation with paranoia and has taken measures to keep herself and her friends from the thief lord’s spying.

Lackadaisical - More commonly known as “Lacky”, this charming young tiefling woman is the daughter of the famed ex-adventurer Fomalhaut the Financier. She moonlights as a lawyer and represents members of less-than-legal enterprises in Revelmoore, including members of the Black Network. Along with Yilani, Lacky has joined the Black Network, and has also aligned with Solauvaire’s newly named Revelmoore Rangers.

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Violet - A strange purple cat that was purchased by Brooke at the Old Xoblob Shop. For all intents and purposes, she seems to be a completely normal cat; save for the fact that her fur is a deep shade of violet. She told Brooke her story, revealing that she was once a human adventurer that was polymorphed into a purple cat by Halaster Blackcloak, the Mad Mage of the Undermountain. She appears to be more than happy with this situation.

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Róisín - A homunculus created by Reilly out of a mechanical skeleton, an enchanted crystal, and plants grown from feywild seeds. Róisín resembles a winged rabbit composed of plant matter, and is unfailingly loyal to her creator.

Renaer Ambermantle - The estranged son of Dagult Ambermantle, the previous Open Lord of Revelmoore. A skilled fighter, an agent of the Masquerade, and a man of noble standing. Renaer faces scrutiny because of his father’s legacy, but still retains friends in high places. He has befriended the party and spends most of his time fraternizing with them. He was grievously wounded by a fireball aimed at a spy working for his father, but he managed to survive with only burn scars on his face, and has returned to the field with the rest of the party.

Zelem Corvo - The well-mannered yet conniving thief lord of the Devil’s Hands thieves guild from Fortune’s Crossing, a town from across the Gulf of Akados. A master of disguise and deception, he is conducting shadowy dealings in Revelmoore to unknown ends. After dangerously underestimating the party’s capabilities and losing his expensive submersible in the process, he approached them with an ultimatum to help him redistribute the gold back to Revelmoore or face him and his guild as an enemy in the Grand Game.

Solauvaire Oussndar - The current archmage of Revelmoore, having assumed the position after his predecessor’s death four years ago. Having revealed the truth about his parentage and the absence of the Fang of Aurniax to the party, it is clear he places much trust in them. He was visited by Yilani and gifted her an amulet to protect her from being magically tracked. He is unsure where he stands on the topic of the lost gold, given his tumultuous relationship with the Open Lord.

Zephyr - An excitable young bronze dragon who came to the party’s aid to strike back against the Devil’s Hand for killing her mother years ago. She is friendly, albeit a bit nervous in dangerous situations. To blend in better with society and not unnerve her new companions, she favors a human form clad in clothing similar to Reilly. Reilly and Brooke managed to successfully broker a deal with Zelem to afford a true resurrection for her mother in return for their aid in recovering the gold.

Fala Lefaliir - A serene wood elven individual and the owner of Aelbwyn’s Crown, a multifaceted store that functions as a florist, apothecary, and greenhouse. They have befriended the party, especially Reilly, and gladly helps them when asked. They were present when Reilly created Róisín and responded warmly to the union of nature and steel.

Vincent Trench - A mysterious, hard-boiled human detective who operates out of the Tiger’s Eye Detective Agency in Trollskull Alley. He was revealed to be the alter-ego of a renegade rakshasa who fled Baator to spend his time on the mortal plane solving mysteries. In return for keeping his secret, he vowed to investigate the Cassalanters and their Cult of Asmodeus, free of charge.

Manafret Cherryport - A gnome wearing mage’s clothing that was spotted through the windows of Maleficarius Towers, where he was seen cooking in the towers’ kitchen on the first floor. He has not yet been seen despite combat breaking out in the towers.

The Stone of Golorr - A greyish-green ovular stone, about six inches long from end to end, with three recesses running vertically down its length. It is covered in a thin layer of ever-present mucus. With its first eye restored, it is now capable of speaking to whoever attunes to it, and promises knowledge if its remaining two eyes are returned.