Session #20 - Buggin' Out

Their period of rest was uneventful, nothing but the sound of Avernus’ winds blowing through the holes and the distant, rhythmic thumping to disturb them.  They emerged into the same light that always shown in Avernus’ never-ending day.  

 

Donyxn stretched and rolled his shoulders, getting the kinks out, while Almont prayed over his weapons.  Katla stood holding her staff, waiting for everyone to ready themselves.

 

Donyxn looked around.  “Where’s Kent?”

 

As if on cue, the dwarf staggered out of their resting place using his hand to shield his eyes from the light.  “Why is it so much brighter than it was?”

 

The others stared at him, their expressions a mixture of confusion and concern.

 

“What?” he asked testily.

 

Donyxn regarded his friend.  “You don’t look… well, brother.  Is something bothering you?”

 

“Bah, I just didn’t sleep well, that’s all.  Dreams of the dead, and all of that.”  He waved his hand about dismissively.  “But why is it so damned bright?”

 

“The light is the same as it’s been since we arrived on Avernus,” Katla said.  “It is your eyes that are more sensitive, I think.  And your skin…”  Her voice trailed off.

 

“My skin?  What of it?” Kent asked, a touch of concern in his voice.

 

“It’s, um, it’s a bit…” 

 

Katla was trying to find the right words when Almont stepped in with his usual lack of tact.  “It’s gray.  You look like a walking cadaver.”  The cleric looked to his mace, relieved it wasn’t glowing.  He looked back at the dwarf.  “The good news is you’re not undead.”

 

Katla punched Almont in the arm while Donyxn looked at his own feet and shook his head.

 

There was a moment of fear in Kent’s eyes, but that quickly changed back to anger.  “I just didn’t sleep well, that’s all. Let’s get on with it.”

 

There wasn’t much else to be said, so they gathered in a circle and Katla touched each of them in turn with her staff.  “Remember, the effect only lasts one hour.  The staff has enough power for one additional hour for each of us, but after that we’ve got problems.”

 

“Enough talking,” Kent said.  He turned and began walking up the steep incline of the fortress’ outer wall.  Donyxn shrugged and followed, Almont and Katla staying about twenty feet behind the duo.  

 

The beauty of spider climb was that walking up this 70 degree incline required no more effort than a stroll on flat ground, so it only took a couple of minutes to reach the command deck 300 feet above the plain.  Holes of various sizes dotted the surface, becoming more densely packed together as they approached the top.  They also began to see claw-like gouges in the surface, first about the size of vrock talons but closer to the top were some as wide as a man’s torso.  

 

“Don’t want to run into whatever did that,” Kent muttered.

 

“That’s nothing, did I ever tell you the story of the one-eyed dragon of Glennmoore?”  Donyxn asked.  Before he could begin the tale Kent shot him a harsh look.  “Huh.  Maybe I have.”

 

Entering the command deck wasn’t difficult, given that all the glass that surrounded much of it was gone.  Perhaps most interestingly it appeared to have been blown outward and not inward as one would have expected from a battle.  The main deck space was a good 100 feet wide and 200 feet deep.  It was fairly open, and what remained was mostly broken machinery of indeterminate purpose.  Levers and keys featured infernal runes that made Kent and Almont’s eyes water to look at.   More holes and claw marks marred the various surfaces, though there were no signs of any bodies.  

 

A search revealed nothing of interest, and no sign of the symbol Kirk-Jolith told them to seek.  Off to the left side of the command deck were a series of small alcoves and workstations that were stripped down and smashed.  To the right was more of the same, with the exception of one closed metal door.

 

“Well, we’ve looked everywhere else,” Kent said as he reached for the door.

 

“There’s something alive inside,” Almont said.  Kent’s hand froze inches away from the handle.  The dwarf looked at the cleric, who tapped his helm of telepathy.  “I’m just getting images, but no coherent thoughts.  Just be ready.” 

 

Almont pulled the warhammer and mace from his belt while Donyxn took a few steps back and notched a pair of arrows in his bow.  When he was satisified the others were ready, Kent opened the door and stepped inside, his scimitar at the ready.

 

The room itself was much like the rest of the command deck, it’s surfaces metal and some broken machinery strewn about.  But in the far corner, about thirty feet away, was a pile of bones and assorted scraps of clothing and belongings.  Crouched in the midst of it was what everyone in the party recognized as a gnoll.  While normally the seven-foot-tall dog-like humanoids were frightening, this one was woefully emaciated as it gnawed on a bone that appeared to have been gnawed on dozens of times before.  It looked up as they entered, then went back to working on the bone.  Along the wall next to the detritus pile was another iron door.

 

“You’re the ranger, Donyxn, talk to it,” said Kent.

 

“There’s no talking to that thing,” Donxyn replied.

 

“He’s right,” Almont said.  “All I feel from it is hunger.  Its mind has been reduced to its most base instincts.  I’ll see if I can reach it, though.”  The cleric projected images into the gnoll’s brain of the nine-pointed symbol of hell, bars of adamantine, and the door next to it.  The creature looked up, glassy-eyed, but showed no recognition and went back to its bone.

 

“Nothing.  Its brain is shot.”

 

They quickly searched the room, the gnoll remaining in the corner and ignoring them.  At last all that was left to do was open the other door.  It led to a small triangular chamber.  In one corner a dead spined devil was pinned up against a wall by a piece of machinery, only the upper half of its torso and its head visible.  It had been there for some time judging by the leathery look of its skin.  Along the short side of the wall was an infernal iron tube about four feet in diameter and running from floor to ceiling.  A hinged door was built into it, with three dials and a handle.  A safe.

 

“Any magic protecting it, priest?” Kent asked.

 

“I’ll check.  This will take a few minutes,” Almont said as he prepared to begin the ritual of his detect magic spell.  As he did so an image flashed into his brain and he turned to look over his shoulder.

 

The gnoll was peeking in through the doorway, eyeing the body of the spined devil.  “Looks like someone’s hungry,” he said.

 

Kent looked back at the gnoll.  “You know, who knows what might be in that pile of bones back there.  Maybe something useful.  If we could preoccupy the thing, Katla and I could check it out.”

 

The sorceress crinkled her nose.  “You want to dig through that?”

 

“You can use your mage hand, princess.  You won’t need to get anything on you.”   It was the first time Kent had smiled since emerging after their rest.

 

“Let me see what I can do,” said Almont.  He projected an image into the gnoll’s mind of it happily eating the spined devil while their party huddled around the safe and ignored it.  The gnoll’s eyes grew wide as it crept slowly across the room.  As soon as it began chewing on the devil’s arm it was oblivious to the party.

 

“So gross,” Katla said as she walked out of the room, Kent in tow.

 

Donyxn remained with Almont to watch his back in case the gnoll got any crazy ideas, but it was faced with a feast and paid them no mind.  Almont finished his divination just as the others walked in.

 

“There’s magic here, but it’s simply keeping the safe in place.  I don’t sense any ill effects waiting for us if we try to open it,” said the cleric.

 

“We found this,” said Katla, her spectral mage hand holding up a white fragment of rigid material.  One symbol was on the surface and it pained Almont’s eyes to look at it.  “It’s the number six in infernal.”  The edges of the piece looked as if they’d be torn, or perhaps more likely chewed.

 

Kent looked at the gnoll.  “I wonder if the rest is inside of it.”

 

“Good question.  Well, there’s only one way to find out.”  Almont picked up his warhammer from where he’d leaned it against the safe.  As he walked over to the gnoll he continued to project an image of it happily eating away.  It had no idea what was about to happen.

 

“Oh, you can’t be serious,” Katla said, her hand moving to her mouth.  “I mean, you’re not going to…”

 

There was a loud crack when the warhammer connected with the gnoll’s skull, shattering it.  The body fell limply to the left.

 

“You’re really going to like the next part,” Almont said, pulling a silvered dagger from his belt.  “If you wouldn’t mind.”  He tossed the dagger toward the sorceress, her magical mage hand catching it in mid-air.  He bowed and extended his arm toward the dead gnoll with a mock flourish.

 

“Get out of my way,” Katla replied angrily.  The others were immediately struck by her deft control of the hand and blade, and it quickly became evident that despite her reaction Katla had clearly done clinical dissections in the past.  

 

Donyxn, who had apprenticed as a butcher, raised an eyebrow.  “Good technique.”

 

After about 30 seconds the hand pulled the blade out of the mess, another small white piece of material stuck to its tip.  “Looks like the same material,” Katla observed.  “And another symbol for six.”

 

“Two sixes,” Almont muttered.  “It can’t be that simple, can it?”

 

Kent was already one step ahead of him, turning to the safe and setting each dial on a six:  6-6-6.  He looked back over his shoulder.  “Here goes nothing.”  He twisted the lever and there was a metallic clunk, after which the door opened easily.  Inside and neatly stacked in three piles were the nine rods of adamantine.  “Almost too easy.”

 

The rods were each three feet long and etched with the same words in infernal:  “SOLAR INSIDIATOR LOCK”.  They were also individually numbered one through nine.  Apparently these were more important than they had originally been led to believe.

 

They placed the rods in the bag of holding and Katla returned Almont’s dagger to him, making a point of showing her displeasure by not having cleaned the blade, though it was doubtful Almont even noticed the snub.  

 

“We got what we came for,” Kent said, his pallor looking even a bit worse than before.  “Let’s get out of this infernal thing.”

 

As they stood at the edge of the command deck and prepared to head down, Donyxn scanned the horizon.  “There’s a tiny dust cloud to the northwest.  Looks like it could be Madhi and company.”  

 

They left by the same route they took on the way up, quickly making it back to the sandy ground.  As they walked toward their vehicles, they felt a tremor beneath their feet that quickly grew to earthquake proportions.

 

“What the…” Kent asked, trying to keep his balance on the shifting sands. 

 

At the same moment a huge insect-like head burst from the ground about sixty feet behind them, and the head was followed by a twenty-five foot long centipede-like body.  It was a full-sized version of the grub they got at Madhi’s and fed to their gelatinous cube.  It was a remorhaz.

 

“Oh, c’mon!” Kent shouted, drawing his scimitar.  “This is getting ridiculous.”

 

Almont was the first to react, thrusting his right hand forward while the left touched his holy medallion.  The remorhaz flashed with blue light and… froze in place, completely unmoving.

 

Donyxn raised an eyebrow as he notched a pair of arrows.  “Well that’s something new.”

 

“I’m not sure how long I can hold it,” Almont said through grit teeth.  “So do your worst while you can.”

 

Kent rushed forward, his scimitar gleaming as he ran.  A pair of quick slashes cut deep into the remorhaz.  As what served as its blood splattered outward, a chorus of anguished wails seemed to surround the dwarf, and the wounds he inflicted began to necrotize.  Kent sprinted off to one side.

 

“That’s something new too,” Donyxn shouted to Katla and Almont above the din of the tormented voices.  

 

If Katla noticed, her expression didn’t show it.  A melon-sized ball of rumbling energy formed in her hand and she thrust it forward.  It wasn’t hard to hit the remorhaz given its size and lack of movement, and the orb struck just below its head.  A massive thunderclap burst outward as the shockwave of the blast traveled through the creature’s body.

 

The concussion seemed to shake the remorhaz out of its immobilized state.  It moved its head about as if shaking out the cobwebs.  The advantage had been short-lived but it had given them enough time to inflict some serious damage on the monstrosity.

 

Donyxn’s first arrow struck the remorhaz in one of its eyes and its head reared back in pain, the sudden movement causing the ranger’s second arrow to glance harmlessly from its thick hide.  Almont followed with a bolt of radiant energy as he ran back toward the fortress and began running up the wall, his spider climb abilities still in effect.  Kent sped past the beast again, striking it with another pair of scimitar blows as the wailing, otherworldly voices followed.  Katla blasted it with another ball of thunderous energy.  

 

The remorhaz lunged at Donyxn in desperation, its life force draining from its wounds and suffering from massive internal injuries caused by Katla’s thunderous waves travelling through its body.  It caught the ranger in its mouth pincers, lifting him up in the air and trying to shove him into its maw.  

 

Fortunately for Donyxn the remorhaz grabbed him around the waist, and while the crushing strength of its jaw threatened to crack his ribs, his legs and arms remained free.  Planting one foot on the top of its open mouth and the other foot on the bottom, he not only kept himself from being swallowed whole but also gave himself a big opening for his arrows.  He fired a pair from point blank range into the remorhaz’s mouth, one of which pierced its brain stem.  The monster spasmed before falling to the left, its jaws releasing Donyxn who was able to roll away after landing, barely avoiding being crushed by the huge insectoid body.

 

Almont and Katla rushed over to check on Donyxn.  Kent, however, stood next to the body of the dead remorhaz, the scimitar dangling loosely from his right hand while his left was held out, palm up.  Katla glanced over her shoulder at the dwarf and saw a small six-sided glowing blue cube materialize in the rogue’s hand.  Kent stared at it, mesmerized, before stashing it inside his tunic.  He caught the sorceress’ gaze and sadly shook his head, a troubled look on his face.  

 

A combination of Almont’s healing magic and a potion restored Donyxn, though he was still a bit banged up from the encounter.  “Where to now?” he asked.

 

“Well, if you’re right that Madhi and his emporium are to the northwest, that isn’t too far out of our way,” Katla said, still keeping a wary eye on Kent.  “We’d have to head north to catch up with Bel’s barge.  So perhaps we go there first, claim our bounty on Smiler, and see if we can pick up any additional information.”

 

It was a good plan and they all quickly agreed.  The journey was thankfully uneventful, and after five hours of hard driving they could see tops of the emporium tents emerge from the horizon.  Twenty minutes later their vehicles were parked and Madhi walked out to meet them.

 

“My friends!” Madhi shouted, smiling and clapping his hands together.  “It is so wonderful to see you again.  Red Ruth sent a messenger and told me of your exploits down in the brambles.  Tremendous work!”

 

“It is always a pleasure, Madhi,” Katla said sweetly, holding out her hand to allow him to kiss it, which he of course did.

 

As this exchange was taking place Kent joined the group, having lingered behind to shut down the Tormentor.  He was carrying Mildred the duck.

 

Almont looked at the dwarf, his brow furrowed.  “Why did you bring Mildred?”

 

“Quack,” said Mildred

 

“I have my reasons, priest,” the rogue replied, obviously not intending to provide any more of an exlplanation.

 

Madhi looked at Kent, his face betraying just the slightest indication of concern.  “You look unwell, my friend.”

 

“Mind your business,” Kent said gruffly, walking past Madhi and toward Ichor’s Aweigh.

 

“Kent is a bit out of sorts, that’s all.  Avernus is getting to him,” Katla said, a hint of sadness in her voice.  “But Madhi, we have some business to discuss.”

 

“You do?  How intriguing,” he replied, the smile firmly back in place on his face.

 

Almont handed Madhi the sword they took from Smiler.  “I believe there was a five soul coin bounty on the owner of this sword.”

 

Madhi took the sword, his eyes glowing with avarice.  “Oh, indeed.  I assume you did more to the owner than simply separate him from his sword?”

 

Almont nodded.  “You won’t be seeing Smiler again.  Unless you go down the hellrider crypt and poke around in the sand.”

 

Madhi grinned.  “Too bad you didn’t bring the head, though.  While I suspect this trophy will satisfy my clients, if they can’t be entirely certain of Smiler’s death they will only pay three soul coins.”

 

While frustrated by the response, Almont couldn’t argue with the logic of it.  They should have taken the elf’s head as well.  “Fine.”

 

Madhi reached into a pouch on his belt and withdrew the three coins, handing them to the cleric.  “Are you interested in any other tasks?”

 

“No my dear Madhi,” Katla said, turning the attention back to her.  ‘We’re here to conduct some business and get cleaned up at Burney’s.  Perhaps after we could enjoy your hospitality?”

 

“Ah, alas, my dear sorceress,” Madhi replied with a hint of practiced sadness.  “Unfortunately my facility has been reserved by a private party for a period of time, much as I would have loved your company.”

 

Katla shrugged her shoulders.  “Such is life, Madhi.  I’m sure we will see you again before we depart.”

 

With that Madhi went back to his tent and the party walked to Ichor’s Aweigh.  Once inside they saw the proprietor Illiach, though he was only barely recognizable, the ichor having further mutated his body and features.  He was stroking Mildred, saying the name repeatedly and joyously reacting to each “quack”.

 

“Unfortunately I have nothing to trade you for it other than ichor,” Illiach said to Kent.

 

“They give me back the duck, wizard.”

 

“Kent, why are you getting rid of Mildred?”  Katla asked.  The dwarf was fond of the mascot.

 

“Too much life in it,” he muttered.

 

“Perhaps another kind of deal then,” said Almont.

 

Illiach and Kent both looked at the cleric.  “My powers have increased of late,” Almont explained.  “Kiri-Jolith has been generous with his gifts.  I now know the secrets of how to bring someone back from the dead.  But to do so I require a diamond, something perhaps this size.”  Almont held two fingers apart, indicating something about the size of a thumbnail.

 

Kent turned back to Illiach.  “You heard the priest.  Do you have a diamond like that?”

 

“Oh, I know I have some gems around here somewhere.”  The wizard searched the various drawers of his desk, his tentacled fingers opening and closing them in rapid succession.  “Gems don’t hold much value here in hell.  They’re nothing more than trinkets, really.  Ah!  Here it is.”

 

Illiach produced a small, unassuming metal box.  It was small enough to fit in the palm of a human’s hand and made of some kind of thin and nondescript metal.  One of the hinges was loose and the lid barely stayed closed.  The wizard opened the top with one of his smaller tentacles.  The entire thing was full of gemstones of all shapes and colors.  Rubies, sapphires and emeralds caught the dim light, as did other stones the likes of which they’d never seen before.  Kent’s eyes got wide as he reached for the box.

 

“Just a diamond,” Almont said sternly, looking at the rogue.  Kent sighed.

 

“How about this one?” Illiach asked, holding a bluish stone on the end of one of his fingers.  

 

Almont took the stone from him and regarded it carefully.  “Yes, this will do nicely.”

 

“Then it’s a deal?” Illiach asked hopefully, looking at the duck decoy on the desk.

 

“It is.  But don’t expect me to shake on it.”  With that Kent turned and left the tent.

 

“I apologize for our friend’s rudeness,” Katla said sweetly.  But Illiach hadn’t noticed or hadn’t cared, and he held the duck in his tentacled arms whispering its name over and over again.  Quack.  Quack.  Quack.

 

The three of them emerged from Ichor’s Aweigh and saw Kent headed for the tent of the salamanders.  “You know, that was weird even for hell,” Donyxn observed as he began to follow the dwarf.

 

The salamanders sold Kent and Donyxn some magical arrows and crossbow bolts.  Fortunately they were willing to take gold this time, as the party wanted to hold onto as many soul coins as possible to power their vehicles.  When they emerged back into the ever-present daytime of Avernus, they saw the hobgoblin Z’neth on the other side of the emporium attempting to subtly motion to them.  

 

“Could that idiot be more obvious?”  Kent asked.

 

Almont sighed.  “C’mon Donyxn.  Let’s get this over with.”  He turned to Katla and Kent.  “Why don’t you two take Lola to Burney’s and get started.  We’ll catch up.”

 

Almont and Donyxn entered the grub shop, and Z’neth immediately renewed his pitch from their last visit.  “I’ve been saving up,” the hobgoblin growled.  “I can now offer you a dozen soul coins to kill Madhi.  That’s a fair offer!”

 

Donyxn began poking listlessly at the various grubs.  “Do you really think two more soul coins would be enough to get us to take this job?”

 

Z’neth shot a hard look at the Tiefling.  “Don’t shake your head at twelve soul coins.  That’s a significant payment.”  Donyxn shrugged.  

 

“He’s right,” Almont said.  “We have no quarrel with Madhi, and soul coins wouldn’t be a reason for us to kill him, whether it be twelve or twenty.”

 

Z’neth looked equal parts angered and resigned.  “Fine.  I’ll let you know if I have something else of value to offer.”

 

“We won’t hold our breath,” Donyxn said as he walked out.  Almont remained a few moments longer, giving the hobgoblin a hard look of his own before turning and following Donyxn.

 

The pair arrived at Burney’s to find Lola quietly napping in the corner on a blanket while Burney attended to Kent’s beard.  The conversation was already ongoing.

 

“We’ve been moving around more than unusual, as of late,” Burney said.  “Many more comings and goings as well.”

 

“Oh?  And who has been arriving, my dear?” asked Kent, his eyes closed and hands crossed across his chest as he relaxed in the chair.  His newly grayish skin made him almost look like a cadaver.

 

“Devils, mostly.”  Burney didn’t seem to think this was in any way unusual, though it piqued everyone’s interest. “They’ve been holding lots of meetings in Madhi’s tent.  Unfortunately they’re bad for business.  Not only do they not buy anything, they scare away the actual customers.”

 

The party grew quiet as they considered this.  “What did Z’neth want with you?” Burney asked, continuing to trim Kent’s beard.

 

“Oh, he wants us to kill Madhi.  Offered us a dozen soul coins,” said Donyxn absently, only realizing what he’d said after it was too late.

 

“Ah.  Well, trust me, no one would be bothered if Madhi died.  It’s Avernus, after all.”