Session #29 - Now I'm Breaking The Chains

Almont blessed his warhammer in preparation for the battle to come, the hammer’s head taking on a dull golden glow.  Would it help?  Would anything help?  Standing under Elturel, now hanging less than fifty feet above the surface of Avernus, the cleric was overwhelmed with the enormity of what was at stake.  Yes, they’d seen the city from the inside weeks before and there had already been plenty of death.  But the thought of those who remained alive in hiding, barricaded behind doors and in basements, being dragged down to the surface to be torn apart by demons and devils alike, their souls sucked into the Styx only to be dredged out and implanted into coins, was almost too much to bear.  He looked at the glowing hammerhead and its radiance reached into his very soul, steeling it with determination.  He would risk everything.  They all would.

 

An earth-shaking thunderclap broke his reverie.  The four adventurers and Lola turned to face the opposite bank of the Styx.  The magnitude of the carnage was beyond comprehension as weapons and magic and claws and teeth converged in an orgy of killing.  The black ichor splattering out of countless wounds created a black mist over the battle.

 

“There she is,” Lola whispered with reverent awe, her eyes transfixed on a point where the front lines met.  “There she is!” 

 

They followed Lola’s gaze.  It wasn’t hard to see what she was looking at.  The creature had a magnetism that drew the eye to it, its alabaster skin in striking contrast in the sea of red and black surrounding it.  Its facial expression was a blend of unrestrained fury and nirvana-like joy as it waded through the demon horde, its warhammer moving almost too fast for the eye to see as it claimed victim after victim.

 

Zariel.

 

“Zariel is always where the fighting is fiercest,” said Lola, a touch of concern in her voice.  “Something bad must be happening.”  She turned to face the party.  “We should go to her.  If we just talk to her…”  The hollyphant’s eyes glistened wet with tears that didn’t quite fall.

 

Kent put his hand on her.  “Lola,” he said quietly, “do you remember all this nice people in Elturel?”  Lola nodded.  “Zariel came here to hell with you to protect them and others like them, right?”  She nodded again.  “Then that is where we must focus our attention.  That is what the Zariel you knew would have wanted, not for us to try to save her.”

 

A tear finally fell as Lola dipped her head slightly, the droplet sizzling as it hit Avernus’ sand.  She looked back up at Kent and nodded resolutely.

 

“Get away from that chain!”  The voice boomed out of the swirling sands behind them.  They turned to see shapes beginning to form, a half dozen figures that appeared to be engaged in a running battle but headed right for them.

 

“Time to go, kids!” shouted Kent, his material form fading as he transformed into a spectral version of himself.  The changes overtaking the dwarf since their arrival in Avernus were disturbing, but now was not the time or the place for that conversation.  He began to float upwards.

 

“Katla and Almont, climb aboard,” came a voice behind them that sounded vaguely familiar.  They turned to see Lola in her mammoth state.  She wasn’t as large as she had been at Idyllglenn, but she was plenty big enough to carry the two of them on her back.  They didn’t need to be asked twice, Almont boosting the elf up before climbing on himself.

 

The horde emerged just as Lola became airborne.  In the center was a 10-foot reptilian devil with scrawny wings.  It’s robes were those a mage would wear, and it swung a staff about it that crackled with electrical discharge.  Surrounding it and moving with it were five slightly smaller but still terrifying herzou demons.  They had faced these before and knew them to be tough and vicious.  To the devil they seemed more inconveniences as it swatted at them as it would a swarm of flies.

 

“I said away from that chain!” the devil roared, its staff striking one of the herzous and bathing it in bluish electricity as the demon flew backwards.  It landed on its back and smoldered, its skin criss-crossed with burns.

 

The devil began to hover upward on its tiny wings, but the party moved faster.  Another of the hezous exploded after receiving a blast from the devil’s staff, the other three climbing onto the chain and working their way upward in pursuit.

 

Lola was exceptionally fast and nimble, even in her mammoth state, and deposited Katla and Almont onto the edge of Elturel where they could access the chain.  Donyxn reached the city at the same time and took up a position overhead, his bow ready for battle.

 

Kent floated up next.  “You take the chain.  I’ll go to the Insidiator.”

 

“I don’t like splitting up,” Donyxn said.

 

“I don’t either, my friend, but it’s the only way.”

 

Kent looked at Almont, who nodded and tossed their magical bag of holding to the dwarf.  The rods they discovered in the downed hell-ship were inside, and while they didn’t know precisely what to do with them, they knew it had something to do with the Insidiator. 

 

The Insidiator hovered above the city like a black hole in reality, a featureless and formless circle in the sky.  

 

“Kent, I can get you there faster,” said the deeper-voiced version of Lola.  She looked at Katla.  “I hope to see you again Katla.”  Lola then flew upward and joined Kent, the dwarf’s hand taking on a physical form as it grabbed a fistful of mammoth hair.  The hollyphant then launched herself toward the Insidiator at breakneck speed.  The only reason Kent didn’t lose his hat was due to his ghost-like form.  The three remaining below were pretty sure they heard him yell something to the effect of “Yee-haw!” as the pair shot toward their objective.

 

A deep cracking sound thundered from the north.  Turning that direction Almont, Katla and Donyxn saw the northernmost chain fly up into the air.  It was still attached to the top of Elturel, but the bottom had been severed, the released tension propelling the broken strand upward before it fell back down to dangle over the side of the city.  

 

On the ground, where the chain had been anchored, was the crokek’toeck in all of its hideousness.  The chain, so massive, looked like a string when seen alongside the nearly 200 foot long demon that now sniffed around the ground in search of the source of the celestial blood it had tasted.  Demons swarmed around it trying to direct it back to the main battle on the other side of the river, but the creature was single-minded as it sought its prey, crushing any demon that got to close.

 

“That’s one,” said Donyxn.

 

They turned back to their own chain in time to see the reptilian devil’s head emerge.  Katla summoned an orb of thunderous energy and struck it in the head, knocking it backwards slightly as it continued to drift slowly upward.  

 

Almont called forth a wave of necrotic energy accompanied by the tolling of distant church bells, but this seemed to have no effect as the devil laughed at the cleric.  “Now you will die.”

 

A wall of fire exploded forth from the devil’s staff.  Katla, being more versed in fire magic, anticipated the spell and managed to dive off to one side, emerging from the storm quickly with only minor burns.  Almont was not so fortunate, taking the full effect of the blast.  The cleric grit his teeth as he ran forward out of the spell’s area of effect, emerging just as the devil planted its feet on the surface.  

 

The devil was surprised to see Almont charging forward out of the flames and the cleric battered it with his warhammer and mace.  It regained its composure quickly, though, and a backhand swipe of its staff sent the cleric flying. 

 

With Almont out of the way, Katla and Donyxn launched their attacks.  The sorceress called forth a cloud of sickness that not only engulfed the devil but also the section of chain just below Elturel’s edge.  The devil gagged in the greenish cloud as a lightning bolt from Donyxn’s bow struck and staggered it backwards.

 

Kent looked back over his shoulder and saw the battle raging below.  It was too late to turn back, but he still had a trick up his sleeve.  He pointed his wand of magic missiles at the devil below and fired off six sparkling darts of energy that peppered the creature as it roared in rage and pain.

 

A malevolent gleam came to the devil’s eyes and it slammed its staff on the ground, calling forth another wave of fire.  It didn’t care that it was so close to Almont and Katla that it too would be in the area of effect, the flames swirling over its body as Almont and Katla ran, their clothes trailing smoke behind them.

 

As the flames dissipated the devil still stood before them, its skin blackened and charred.  “Enough of this,” Donyxn said hovering above the battle.  The ranger pulled the last magic arrow from his quiver and fired it at the creature, the arrow sinking deeply into its left eye.  It fell backwards off the edge of Elturel.

 

Their respite was short, however, as the remaining herzous emerged at the top of the chain.  All three were covered with a sickening green glow and retching, having climbed through the sickening radiance Katla created.

 

Donyxn reacted quickly, a lightning bolt streaking forth from his bow and striking one of the demons, the electricity further discharging from it and striking its two companions as well.  One managed to stagger forward at Almont, the cleric blocking its mouth with his hammer as it attempted to bite him, but taking a swipe from its razor-sharp claws.  

 

Katla threw another pair of thunderous orbs.  The first struck the demon attacking Almont, blasting it backwards with a thunderclap.  It flew over the edge, already dead even as it fell to the surface.  The second orb impacted another demon, which turned and ran at the sorceress.  

 

Almont crushed the skull of the one closest to him.  He felt the magical energy flow through the warhammer as it obliterated the demon’s head.  He then turned on the one charging at Katla, catching it with a blow as it ran past him toward the sorceress.  

 

Katla was backpedalling and knew the herzou was going to be upon her before she could cast another spell.  But right before it reached her its run turned to a stagger as it took a few more steps and then fell forward onto its face, a pair of Donyxn’s arrows protruding from its back. 

 

The three converged on the chain, Donyxn landing and producing the massive bolt cutters strapped to his back.  It was time to see if the salamanders’ tool was up to the task.  

 

Donyxn looked to the north.  “I can see the salamanders,” he said.  “They’re working on their section now.  I think it’s time for the signal, Katla.”

 

Katla nodded.  She conjured a ball of lightning in her hand and threw it upward.

 

 

Kent and Lola raced upward.  The Insidiator grew larger, but its blackness was still absolute and they couldn’t see any features on it, only blue streaks of electricity arcing across its surface.

 

“It’s… it’s not solid,” Kent said, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.  A streak of lightning crackled off the surface and struck Lola, making the Hollyphant wince.  

 

“Stay with me girl.  It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

 

The electrical discharges finally gave them some sense of the Insidiator.  It was a sphere, but not entirely solid, circles dotting its surface, almost like even blacker spots on an already black background, the kind of thing you need to look slightly away from in order to see.

 

Kent used his rope to tie himself to Lola, allowing him to hang below her while she remained airborne.  “I know what we need to do lass.  I know it’s going to hurt a bit, but it’s the only way.”  The rogue removed the nine rods from the bag and stuffed them inside his cloak.

 

Lola nodded grimly and moved them into the lightning.

 

 

Almont began the ritual needed to create a magic circle, a boundary centered on a section of chain that would offer them some protection from any other demons and devils.  As he concentrated on the spell, Donyxn began hacking away at the chain with Zariel’s sword.  

 

Katla stood guard over the cleric and ranger, scanning the horizon for any signs of trouble.  Something flying emerged from the dust to their north and the sorceress readied herself for battle, widening her stance and making some slow motions with her hands.  The object quickly grew in size and within a few seconds she realized it wasn’t an enemy at all.  It was a copper-colored dragon.  It was Burney.

 

 

Kent hung thirty feet below Lola.  Fortunately the hollyphant was able to gain a little sense of surface of the Insidiator, so while the dwarf’s landing was a bit hard at least he didn’t crash into it at full speed.  

 

The surface felt metallic, its blackness absolute.  The blue electric energy continued to spark along it and sometimes off of it.  A few of these discharges reached up and struck Lola with loud snaps and the smell of burning fur.  Kent had to be quick.

 

The Insidiator was smaller than expected, perhaps a hundred feet in diameter.  It also seemed to have its own gravity, allowing him to walk along its surface.  Kent made his way by feel, and it wasn’t long before he felt the first protruding cylinder.

 

“Well, here goes nothing,” he said as he inserted the first rod.

 

 

A twenty-foot high cylinder of golden energy now surrounded the section of chain.  Donyxn had made good progress using the sword, but now that Almont was done with the spell the pair could use the bolt cutters. 

 

“There are some bearded devils at the bottom of the salamanders’ chain,” Katla observed.  “Looks like they’re going to try to climb up.”

 

“Let us know if they start getting close to the top,” Donyxn said.

 

Almont and Donyxn picked up the cutters and began working on the section of chain already damaged by the sword.  

 

Katla watched as Burney flew past, a handful of spined devils trying and failing to keep pace with her.  The dragon turned her head and winked at the elf as she passed by.

 

 

Kent quickly determined that the cylinders were arrayed in a line around the circumference of the sphere, but as he progressed it also became clear that the spacing wouldn’t account for all the rods.  Sure enough, after he sunk the eighth and reached the next cylinder he discovered it was in fact the first he’d encountered.  He had one rod left and no obvious place to put it.  

 

“I’ll try the pole at the top!” he shouted to Lola.  She nodded and began moving in that direction, her fur dotted with scorch marks.  Kent wasn’t sure how much more of this the hollyphant could take.  He needed to place this last rod soon.

 

 

“They’re about halfway to the top of the chain,” Katla said.  The sorceress held out her arms, and Almont and Donyxn felt the temperature drop considerably.  She blew frozen air out of her mouth that that drifted hundreds of feet over to the next chain.  

 

The salamanders had stopped working and we’re peering over the edge at the impending danger of the bearded devils.   They too must have felt the air around them grow cold, as they looked around confusedly before one of them pointed to an area just above devils.  A swirling white cloud formed, releasing fist-sized balls of ice that pelted the climbing devils and coated the chain with a layer of ice.  One slipped and fell, its battered body slamming into the ground below. The salamanders let out a cheer, waved to Katla, and got back to work on the chain.

 

The ice cloud dissipated and the remaining three devils determinedly but slowly continued their climb.  Another cloud began to form near them, though this one was dark and moving.  

 

“What is that?” Katla asked.

 

The ball of swirling blackness moved at the bearded devils.  They turned to look as the buzzing sound it made reached their ears.  Their eyes got wide as they redoubled their efforts to make it to the top.  

 

But it was too late.  A cloud of locust swarmed over them, the insects viciously biting at every exposed section of skin.  A devil fell from the chain, dozens of locust clinging to it as it dropped to its death.  Moments later a second also fell, leaving just one devil on the chain, clinging to it with one hand while swiping at the dwindling cloud of insects with the other.  A bolt of lightning blasted it off the chain and into the swirling sands below.

 

Katla turned and looked at Almont and Donyxn.  Almont lowered his arms as he continued to look at the salamanders’ chain.  “Donyxn, you killed some of my locust,” he said.

 

“They were in the way of my shot, Almont.”  Almont turned to face Donyxn and the pair grinned at one another.

 

“Idiots,” Katla muttered to herself.

 

 

Kent reached what he thought of conceptually as the Insidiator’s north pole, and after some quick crawling around on his hands and knees did not find the ninth and final cylinder.  He looked up at Lola as she took another shock from the sphere. 

 

“Sorry lassie, we have to try the other end.”

 

 

The sound of falling chain to the north drew their attention.  They turned and saw the chain falling to the ground, the huge links dropping into the battle that raged below, crushing demon and devil alike.  Looking back up they saw the salamaners with their arms raised, the glow of molten metal quickly dimming from the section of chain they had burned through.

 

A quick look to the south and they could see Burney just about to arrive at her segment of chain.

 

“That’s two,” said Donyxn, his white teeth shining against his black lips as he and Almont turned back to their section of chain.

 

 

Kent quickly made it to the bottom of the sphere and found the last cylinder.  

 

“Lola, as soon as I put this in, fly away as fast as you can.  It’s the only way you and I will get clear of whatever is about to happen.”

 

Lola’s face was contorted in pain and determination.  She spoke to the dwarf telepathically, her voice booming in his head.  “Do it.”

 

Kent took a deep breath and exhaled, shoving the rod into the cylinder as he did so.

 

“Now!”

 

 

With a groan the cutters snapped through one side of the link, Almont and Donyxn falling backwards from the force.  For a moment nothing happened.  But slowly the link began to stretch, the sound of groaning metal getting louder and louder.  

 

The pair looked at one another.  “Run!” shouted Almont.

 

They ran off in different directions, Katla following Almont.  The link slowly stretched until it was nothing more than two hooks, one holding each side of the chain.  The bottom part gave way first, a tremendous cracking sound washing over them as the lower part of the cut link broke away.  The handful of links still attached to Elturel swung upwards, crashing into the city’s outer walls and blasting a hole in it as if they were some kind of infernal siege machine.

 

“Three,” said Donyxn, as Elturel began to shudder.

 

They turned south to see Burney ejecting a cone of liquid acid onto the last chain they needed to break.  A spined devil got caught in the overspray causing half of it to dissolve.  Burney struck another from the sky casually with her tail, crushing it and sending it spinning off toward the ground.  A moment later the two sections of chain came apart.  

 

Burney swung her head about, her acidic breath disintegrating the remaining two spined devils pestering her.  She looked back to where Almont, Donyxn, and Katla stood, extended her wings, and let out a loud roar.  And with that she blinked out of Avernus with a flash.

 

“Four,” Donyxn whispered.

 

The three of them looked up just in time to see the Insidiator come apart.

 

 

The metallic sphere that was the Insidiator opened, the two hemispheres attached by some kind of unseen hinge.  A blue glow emerged from the opening, increasing in intensity until the now-open orb simply fell from the sky and crashed into the battle raging below.  Infernal and demonic bodies were crushed under it, others thrown dozens of feet into the air by the force of the impact.  

 

The blue glow began to dim slightly, a humanoid shape becoming visible.

 

Lola had flown a few hundred feet away before turning back to see what was happening.  “It’s a planetar,” she said, making no effort to hide the complete and utter awe in her voice.  She began to slowly fly toward it.

 

“I really hope you know what you’re doing,” Kent said softly.

 The planetar took the form of a nine-foot-tall humanoid.  Its skin had a pearlescent turquoise color to it, offset by its white feathered wings.

 

It connected to Lola and Kent telepathically.  “I have been imprisoned in this weapon for decades or perhaps longer.  Is it you who freed me.”

 

“Aye!  Kent Karrus here,” Kent said out loud with a wave.  There wasn’t time to reflect on the absurdity about a conversation between a big blue glowing thing and a dwarf riding on a flying mammoth.  “That was us, that set you free and all.  You’re welcome!”

 

The planetar regarded them, clearly not seeing the situation as being even remotely absurd.  It then looked around at the battle below them.  “Where is this place?”

 

“Oh here?  Yeah, this is Avernus.  You know, first level of hell and all that.  See that city floating below you there?” Kent pointed down, the planetar’s gaze following.  “That’s Elturel.  A lot of good people there are going to die soon if we can’t return it to where it belongs.”

 

The planetar considered this.  “What plane is it from?”

 

“That would be the material plane your, um, your blueness.”  

 

“My strength returns to me quickly.  I will return this Elturel and everyone within it to the material plane.  If you wish to go with it, I suggest you go to the city.”  The glowing aura around the planetar increased in intensity as it rolled its shoulders and moved its head side to side.  “Now.”

 

 

On Elturel Almont, Donyxn, and Katla watched the seeming hatching of the Insidiator in stunned silence.  They couldn’t hear the conversation between the blue creature and Kent and Lola, so were unsure if the new arrival was friend or foe.  They hoped it was the former.

 

Lola turned and made a beeline for their position as the ground shook beneath them.  They were relieved to see the blue creature didn’t attack.  

 

Lola landed and Kent hopped off.  “Did you see that?!  Did you see that?!” he said excitedly, pointing at the planetar.

 

Elturel lurched and they felt their stomachs drop.