Ch. 4: Hell is for Heroes

[Zhym]

(There's also that handy ladder I mentioned. )

[AleBelly]

Hallagad stands slowly, looking over his body. "Having your life restored for the tenth time is as miraculous and disconcerting as the first" he says to nobody in particular. "I thank you, Malibran, for allowing me to continue my crusade against evil."

He studies the corpse of the weak-looking creature that slew him. He pushes it with the toe of his boot. "Let us not speak of this again."

[ravenn4544]

Malibran, seeing no immediate threat, will climb up the ladder to help investigate. He will search the body of the dead thing for any other items of interest leaving the magical items alone for now.

[Zhym]

Xale notices a small red gemstone roll to the floor out of the creature's hand. The stone glows with a dim light that fades as Xale watches, until the gem looks like a normal, if large (and slightly cracked), ruby. Searching the creature's body, Xale also finds a thin wand made of ash, a leather bag containing a map with a legend written in some unknown script, and a set of keys. The creature is wearing black plate mail that's covered in spikes and seems to be in amazingly good condition.

That’s a complete list of everything of interest on the creature’s body.

[ravenn4544]

Searching the creature's body, Xale also finds a thin wand made of ash, a leather bag containing a map with a legend written in some unknown script, and a set of keys. The creature is wearing black plate mail that's covered in spikes and seems to be in amazingly good condition.

Thanks! I didn't read back thoroughly far enough

Malibran will secure the map and keys for now. "I have no blessing of Pholtus that will allow me to read this document. Perhaps one of you may have the sorcery to comprehend the information in this document?"

[Rex]

Xale

"I do can not either."

[Scott308]

Risdac Egargi

It is a simple spell, but unfortunately, not one that I have learned. The wizard will climb up through the hole after everyone else has done so.

[AleBelly]

Knowing that he is surrounded by evil (this being hell, after all), Hallagad focuses his ability to detect evil upon the cracked ruby and the spiked plate mail. He holds out hope that these artifacts gave the frail creature its incredible power, and that these artifacts are not of evil origin.

The paladin will take either of those items that are not evil and clamber up to the next chamber with the rest of the group.

[Norjax]

Rool Diov, Crime Lord

Rool uses the iron ladder to join his companions in the upper chamber. After some discussion, he offers to try and read the script on the map.

Read Languages = [1d100] = 79

[Zhym]

You gather in the upper chamber.

Hallagad focuses on the cracked ruby and spiked plate mail, trying to determine whether either is of evil origin. As before, what he mostly senses is the pervading sense of evil throughout this place—not just the room, but the very essence of the air around him. He can't help but think of a fish trying to determine whether a bit of shipwrecked treasure at the bottom of a large ocean is wet. At any rate, he gets no particular impression from the stone or the armor—if evil, they are not more strongly so than anything else here.

Rool tries to decipher the writing on the map. He is able to get the gist of what appears to be a demonic script. It seems to be a treasure map, of sorts, showing the "Canyon of Insects," where something called the Demonglass is hidden. Writing on the map explains that Therakil—you assume that's the creature you just defeated—hid the Demonglass in a cave in the canyon. The cave is well-hidden behind razorvine and brush. The map instructs the reader to "twist the third skull-shaped rock to the right of the cave before entering." The map also shows and labels "The Tower of Straoth" and "The lair of Kroth, dread guardian dragon." Jotted at the bottom of the map is the line, "Who controls the Demonglass controls the Demonwing."

Map:

Map.png (184.78 KiB) Viewed 1547 times

Sorry I didn't make a map that matches the description exactly (with the writing and all), but this map from the module plus the text description has everything you need to know about it.

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Status: Tanner (H CG F19): DEAD (-12/107); Hallagad (H LG P15(Pelor)): 89/93; Xale (D NG C14[9](Dalt)/F13): 43/75; Risdac (Giant NG MU17): 58/58; Odilo (1/2E NG MU17): 54/54; Malibran (H LG C20[13](Pholtus)): 77/90; Rool (H LN T20): 85/85; Arex (E NG F13/T16): 56/56
Effects: Invisible (Arex); Resist Fire (Malibran): 1 turns; Protection from Evil (Malibran, on Risdac): 1 turns
Light Sources: Continual light coin (Tanner); Continual light dagger (Odilo); Continual light mirror (Rool)

[Scott308]

Risdac Egargi

Well, this is interesting. We could have the ability to control this craft. I wonder if that includes banishing all the extraneous occupants that seem to exist for the sole purpose of making our task more difficult.

[Rex]

Xale

"That would be helpful, the question is where is the "Canyon of Insects" exactly."

[Zhym]

Indeed, the map offers no hint as to where the Canyon of Insects may be found or how one gets there.

[ravenn4544]

Malibran ponders the map, "Excellent work, Master Rool! Indeed, it appears our path will continue to be a tortuous one - and still mostly unknown to us! We have seen the name Straoth emblazoned on the wall just outside of here. This foul creature may be in command of this ship if he has a tower named after him as the map indicates. I think we should take this as a good sign that we are on to something!"

[AleBelly]

Hallagad feels another wave of nausea. Attempting to discern what is evil in this place leaves him vulnerable...the overwhelming malevolence of this place roils his stomach. He must resist this temptation going forward. He pulls his prayer beads from his pouch and says a quick prayer to Pelor for resolve.

He removes one of his rings, the one others will recognize helps him heals his wounds. He walks over to Xale. "You seem a man of faith and honor. I shall lend you this ring. It is yours to keep if I perish, but otherwise you must promise to relinquish it to me when I so demand."

If Xale agrees to these terms, he will lend him his ring of regeneration

Hallagad quickly takes off his armor and tries on the spiky breastplate to see if anything happens. If nothing alarming happens, he'll put on the rest of the armor.

[Rex]

Xale

"Agreed, be careful there are many surprises here."

[Zhym]

Hallagad, noble as always, lends his ring of regeneration to someone with greater need: at the moment, Hallagad decides, that's Xale.

Hallagad also tries on the spiked armor. The paladin's familiarity with armor is enough to convince him that the armor is not quite as good as his own, even accounting for his armor's weakened effectiveness in this place. (Plate Mail +1, with no reduction in effectiveness on this plane.)

Tanner is still dead, at least for the moment. A wand and a magical gem remain unexamined. You have decided to camp and recuperate for another night, aware that Vorkath's stay in hell lengthens each time you rest. Perhaps some of you wonder whether the good paladin is afforded any repreive while you sleep. But you have no other choice—or maybe you just tell yourselves to assuage your guilt enough to sleep. You can't help but remember, too, that this ship seems full of adversaries, some of whom are not far away at all. Your latest battle was not quiet. Is it too much to hope that you could be unmolested for a full night?

Actions?

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Status: Tanner (H CG F19): DEAD (-12/107); Hallagad (H LG P15(Pelor)): 89/93; Xale (D NG C14[9](Dalt)/F13): 43/75; Risdac (Giant NG MU17): 58/58; Odilo (1/2E NG MU17): 54/54; Malibran (H LG C20[13](Pholtus)): 77/90; Rool (H LN T20): 85/85; Arex (E NG F13/T16): 56/56
Effects: Invisible (Arex); Resist Fire (Malibran): expired; Protection from Evil (Malibran, on Risdac): expired
Light Sources: Continual light coin (Tanner); Continual light dagger (Odilo); Continual light mirror (Rool)

[Zhym]

Any actions?

[Rex]

Xale

Xale will search the area.

[Zhym]

I assumed that you'd do that, so please consider it already done.

Just to avoid spinning wheels on obvious actions:

The room you are in has two exits. You entered through a huge door to port. The aft side of the room opens at the far end into a small waterbound space. The charred and ashen remains of a small boat lie broken and useless next to the dock. Peering around and over the remains of the boat, you see a passage that must lead to the large room to aft. Searching the room turns up nothing but some broken glass and a rusty razor.

The room above is actually a hallway about 20' wide and maybe 70'-80' long. You can just make out openings into what appear to be two antechambers at either side of far end of the hall. Four doors line the walls along the hallway, two on either side. An iron ladder near the open grate can be lowered to allow people—well, things, anyway—to climb up into this space.

Thorough searching reveals no other exits in either of the rooms.

Map:

Screen Shot 2020-07-14 at 2.37.44 PM.png

You are in room 14. Room 15 is the one above you.