Session 3-7-09

Maia 8, 23CR: The Sylvan Glades Inn, Merchant's Ward, Sigil

The artificial, magically-induced rays of "sun" within the City of Doors shines through the green-gold leaves of the oaks in the Glades, greeting the six companions with a dappled pattern of golden rays and leaf silhouettes across the peaceful boughs of the great oak as they awaken from peaceful sleep.  The day seems full of possibilities as they stretch their limbs, sharpen blades, prepare spells and otherwise ready themselves for whatever may come.  Acacia sneaks around to pass some time and "acquires" a beautiful eastern-style print of a tree against a sunset from far-off Rokugan.  She shows her companions the piece, and then decides to return it but tilted 90 degrees from where it hung before.

Mortal and fey folk have filled the common dining room of the Glades for breakfast.  Fresh berries, silken cream, spun honey and warm sweetcakes are passed around the many tables.  Boiled oats and grains, cold tea-cooked eggs, salted game meats and more are available, and the six adventurers partake as they like.  "It is past time to go after the frost giants," rumbles the goliath Rockbounder in his low, earthy tones.  His fellow escapee, the tiny Acacia Blackthorne nods in agreement between bites of cheese biscuit and smoked salmon.  She cannot help but notice a strange man... is he human or half-elf?  The handsome, dark-haired man is eating berries from a bowl, but from time to time his hand seems to stay in place as the berries move to his mouth.  The curious gnome continues to watch him eat, and notes that he seems to be effortlessly folding time or space as he moves.

Jack, Ayotunde and Altaer are busy discussing their negotiating strategy for the upcoming meetings with Rule-of-Three and the drow of the Dark Huntress.  They have some misgivings about the githzerai's motives and allegiances, but Rockbounder points out that thus far Rule-of-Three has been helpful and has done as he promised.  Kaelin sits down with a pile of sweet rolls and bacon to share and joins the discussion regarding their Lower Ward destination.  Before long, the dark-haired man who Acacia witnessed folding time interrupts the conversation.  "Pardon me, fellows.  I couldn't help overhearing your talk of frost giants.  Beastly barbarians, really!  If you mean them harm, I wish you all the best in your efforts.  But of course, I haven't introduced myself.  I am called Gryfalcon, warrior and jaunter, at your service I'm sure."  

He gives a friendly nod and a bit of a sitting bow to the companions, turning fully to face them.  "Would it interest you to know that a great many frost giants have been coming to Sigil from the Iron Wastes of the Abyss recently?  Ah, indeed.  They call that layer 'Rime Thuras' and worship the demon lord Kostchtchie... their boss is Arbrozzar, a right powerful wizard of their own kind.  I am an enemy of evil and would smile to see them taken down a peg or two... sure to be a door to the Iron Wastes somewhere nearby, on a branch of Ygdrassil or the like."  This is the same wizard who imprisoned Rockbounder and Acacia, so the group thanks Gryfalcon for the information and prepares to set out for the day.  "Excuse me, but how do you do that 'jaunting?'" asks Acacia before they depart Gryfalcon's company.  He smiles and flips a coin in the air, which promptly disappears and then reappears in his other open palm.  "It's not hard, but it takes a certain knack and a bit of practice," he says.  "Perhaps I can teach you more when you've visited a few more planes and gotten used to popping around through the portals." 

In their morning explorations of the Merchants' Ward, the group comes across a brightly lit confectionary's shop, where Kaelin buys a selection of candied ginger and crystallized rose petals.  The candy-maker and proprietor is Sarynda, a horned female clad in a rainbow-hued robe. She could perhaps be a tiefling, but large protruding lumps on her back betray a lost pair of wings.  She sells some magical silence candy (in the form of purple grape sugar-balls) to Jack and then turns to Kaelin.  With a twinkle in his eye, the crusader asks "Do you have anything a little more fiery?"  Sarynda smiles a bit cruelly and beckons him forward.  "Try these, my sweet... 'hot lava balls' guaranteed to heat you up.  But not for those who lack resistance to fire!"  Kaelin buys several and immediately suggestst to Altaer that he should live up to his fiery elemental nature and eat one.  "No problem!" agrees the chatty sorcerer, popping the glowing, molten lava ball into his mouth.  It immediately liquifies and turns into burning, flaming liquid, scorching his mouth and causing Altaer to gasp and choke  despite his fire resistance.  He stumbles over to Ayotunde for some healing as Kaelin and Jack laugh and the wingless succubus looks on amusedly.  Their sweet tooth now tamed, the companions leave Sarynda's Sweets and head for the Merchants' Ward.

Just across the street, they spot a large, white-feather winged celestial with a faint orange aura flickering about his features.  Ayo identifies him as a sword archon, and he appears to be trying (and failing miserably) to observe the six companions casually.  Instead, he stares right through Gorram and Altaer with goggle-eyes as they exit the candy shop, flubbing any chance he had at a subtle approach.  The party crosses the street and strike up a conversation with him.  The sword archon is stern and earnest, warning the heroes that they risk angering certain fanaticals - including Humbart, the bearlike warden archon - if they continue to traffic and trade with demons and other ilk of the lower planes.  After a final warning to avoid Sarynda's sweet shop, he departs peacefully.

Styx Oarsman, Lower Ward, Sigil

The walk back to the Lower Ward takes a little over an hour as the party winds its way through the eclectic streets of Sigil.  They return to the Styx Oarsman without further incident and catch the eye of Rule-of-Three, who sits in the same corner as the previous day as though he has not moved from the spot since they departed last.  "Pleasant greetings, hope you have been well, and good to see you again," says the githzerai, clearing his throat.  He hands out six small 2-inch pewter replicas of Charon the Oarsman in his skiff, one to each adventurer.  "These trinkets, these tokens, these port-keys will grant you access to the back rooms of the Oarsman.  They are quite well insulated, warded, and protected from prying eyes, but not so the corridor outside beyond the curtain," he warns.  "I will see you in our appointed meeting room.  I assume you can guess the room number."  He stands up from the table and moves across the Oarsman's lower floor to scarlet curtain near the bar, which he parts and steps behind, vanishing from sight.  A few minutes later, the party follows suit.

They enter room #3 (of course, Kaelin points out) and meet their informant inside its lushly appointed space.  "I see you had no trouble guessing the number, clever ones," he says.  "Now, as to business..."  Jack shares the note the party found a few days ago on the dead priestess Lithara, Lolthblessed surface-raider of Gaia (see LOG).  "I hope the drow you took this from is dead, finished and deceased," says Rule-of-Three.  "There has been a great increase in Gaian traffic through Sigil of late, but not much for the twenty-three years prior, hmm?  I have heard of changes there, weakening seals against outsider incursion, and with the Blood War looming recently who's not to worry?  And that brings us to the reason for our meeting.  I have arranged a visit from a valued friend and double-agent from within Lolth's own Demonwebs, one loyal to the Dark Huntress beyond even death itself, who has agreed to meet with you regarding our mutual interests: namely, the disruption of this rumored Abyssal Pact that Lolth is weaving.  If you agree to perform a task, no, that is a series of three tasks, of course, I shall grant you an audience with my contact this very day."

"Alright, this is sounding familiar," says Ayotunde.  "What are the tasks, then?"  She shifts on her feet, her plate mail creaking softly on her shoulders and hips.  Rule-of-Three smiles, "Nothing too taxing, too strenuous, or too difficult, I imagine. I need you to go to the Tower of the Prophet, open the eye, and ask how to bind the Spider Queen.  You will find the Tower in the Lady's Ward, across town."  Jack speaks up, meeting the githzerai's gaze.  "This sounds easy enough.  What about you, though?  Who is your master, Rule-of-Three?"  His gaze is returned cooly.  "Of that, I am not permitted to speak, it is forbidden, and I cannot say.  However, know that we share compatible goals with yours, the first of which is the end of Lolth's terrorizing of the Abyss and her endless attempts to draw more prime material worlds into her Demonweb to increase her power.  She is thought to be using your Gaian Convergence as a pattern on which to base her latest undertaking, did you know?"

"Well, she must be stopped and the threats to the surface lands ended," says Kaelin.  "We are lords and ladies of the realm now," he continues, with a nod at Ayotunde, "and we must defend our holdings in the name of liberty." Jack agrees, though he harbors his own doubts about Rule-of-Three's identity and allegiances.  The party discusses the arrangements among themselves for a time, and then agree to accept Rule-of-Three's bargain: a threefold task in exchange for a meeting with an agent (and a double-agent, at that) of the Dark Huntress.  "Excellent, then the assignation, the introduction, the meeting will commence in one hour," says the githzerai.  "You may use the room as you wish until then.  I will take my leave of you and look forward to your return after your visit to the Tower."

An hour passes as the companions discuss the recent revelations: Lolth has apparently studied the Convergence of the faerie and material realms of Gaia and is planning to replicate its effects, pulling other prime material worlds into her Demonweb to increase her deific power.  Such a gambit - whether it is related to this rumored Abyssal Pact or not - would tip the balance for Lolth in the struggle between the Spider Queen and the Dark Huntress on Gaia.  Perhaps the Lolthblessed drow sense this and are attacking the surface in preparation for, or in support of, Lolth's surge of power.

Eventually there is a quiet knock at the door, and a drow woman wearing gauzy spiderwebs and a black circlet set with shining red gems enters.  She is accompanied by a tiefling man with shiny red skin and a pointed tail, armed with short swords.  She takes a seat gracefully. "I am Lissondra, favored of the Abyss I am sure," she says ironically. "The other is Bon Amejdoss, my bodyguard, loyal to me alone. You wish to communicate with us, says Rule-of-Three.  I am here on his recommendation.  Speak what you will."  

Jack speaks up first.  "Lady, we as surfacers are obviously ignorant of your people's ways, but those of us here, at least, believe you are not evil or a menace to us.  We believe you would be good allies against the Lolthblessed and that you deserve a place to worship in your own ways alongside the other faiths.  In short, I think Irindix has been given short shrift and has been unjustly cast out by the other gods.  We want to know what happened in the past... during the Banespawn wars and beyond.  We come in peace with an offer of help and cooperation.  What can you tell us?"

Lissondra pauses before answering, carefully considering her words.  "You know nothing of us or our ways, but your offer seems honest at least.  While I toil in the Demonwebs in secret, my order has been working on the surface of Gaia to procure and protect various artifacts of the one you call Jenoic.  Two in particular were of value to us beyond the others... a pair of ritual goblets, one pure clear quartz crystal and the other of lapis lazuli; these were lost to us and their power drained during a ritual not of our design, to protect the city of Falgenburg from the necrotic effects of the 'Darkening'.  The loss of these represented a significant blow to our efforts, yet the 'Gullible One' overcame our failure nonetheless.  We sought to protect, and to preserve, and perhaps to reach an accord with Jenoic, but he has risen on his own.  Our thoughts now turn to the Queen of Nightmares, who we know writhes somewhere deep within the heart of the Underlands, and to the eight-legged one, she whose name I cannot speak lest she hear me and notice."

The companions take in all that Lissondra has said.  Jack speaks again, "We seek an end to Lolth's plans and, though it may be blasphemy to say, a re-joining of the Goddess Irindix into a whole being.  Lissondra, do you know anything of the times of the Threefold Sundering?  It was said that she, Irindix I mean, was whole once, but hat changed around the time of the Banespawn wars that changed.  What do you know of this?"  Lissondra answers immediately.  "It is not blasphemy among those of my order to speak of it, but those who worship the other Aspects will not hear of it.  One so low in rank as I, on a relative scale, would always be forbidden such knowledge of the time before the Threefold Sundering.  Only the deepest initiates of the Huntress' secrets, our most powerful priestesses within their Underlands cities and temples, would have even the merest glimpse of such things.  The knowledge may exist, but it is far beyond me at this time.  Perhaps within the Fane of Eclavdra, deep within the Demonwebs, you might find such things."

"Eclavdra?  And who is she," asks Ayotunde.  Lissondra responds.  "She is a prestigious cleric within the ranks of the unnameable one, potent and clever and merciless," she says, with deep and evident respect.  "You would likely not survive an encounter with her.  It was she who negotiated the alliance between Kostchtchie's giants of Rime Thuras and the drow of the Demonweb, and it is she who directs the raids of abyssal drow into various prime spheres in conjunction with the frost giants.  Her contact in Rime Thuras was a frost giant mage called Arbrozzar, loyal to Kostchtchie and native to Oerth.  Her fane is hidden somewhere deep within the Demonweb, and I do not know its precise location.  I know the giants in Rime Thuras guard a demon-quelling sword, an oversized blade which is the painful bane of all demons.  I can offer little more than I already have, except to say that we will watch your efforts, and we will not stand in your way.  The fate of our world is our shared responsibility, surfacers and underdwellers alike.  We are all Gaians, are we not? More cooperation may be possible if you prove your worth."

"I have a question," says Rockbounder.  "You know Abrozzar, and you know the frost giants.  Do you know of a dark creature with tribal brandings that stalks in the shadows?" He describes the astral stalker that has been harrassing the party, and Lissondra nods with recognition.  "Yes, this I can tell you.  They are a team - there are two of them, brothers I think - of astral stalkers called Slither and Sledge.  Probably you saw Slither, who is the sneakier of the two."  The goliath thanks Lissondra with a stoic nod in return.

"You took a great chance coming here to meet, us, lady.  We will do all we can to help you in your efforts.  I believe we will prove our worth to you in time," says Jack.  Diplomatically speaking, he and the rest of the party feel the meeting has been a success.  Sparing no time, Lissondra politely bows and departs the meeting room with her bodyguard Bon Amejdoss on her heels.    The party waits a few minutes for her to clear out of the Oarsman and then take their own leave of the place.  Acacia stays behind, stealthily perched just between the curtain-portal and able to spy on both sides of the Oarsman  at once.  She notices a group of rowdy yugoloths starting to make trouble with the other members of the group as they prepare to leave.  Two crablike mezzoloths with halberds sit drinking with green-scaled, four-armed terror that Ayo identifies as a nycaloth.

In a low, droning, grating tone, the nycaloth speaks up as Kaelin and Jack walk by.  "Asking too many questions 'round here can get one killed or mauled up pretty bad," he threatens, mashing his four fists together in unison.  "Better be careful," he continues, "looks awful deserted outside right now.  Ekzireth and his boys're itching for a rumble."  A throaty, coughing laugh burbles up from his innards as the nycaloth drinks down another shot of booze. Kaelin is rather unimpressed by the gloating yugoloth, and traipses out the front door of the Oarsman.  He speaks loudly on his way outside: "Well, this certainly is a lousy, dangerous neighborhood and I certainly hope we don't get mugged on the way out of town or anything!"  Meanwhile, the crusader loosens his dragonfang bastard sword in its scabbard and loosens his shield straps. A fiendish minotaur Champion of Baphomet can't help but guffaw as Kaelin passes, "Hey buddy, you're gonna get your asses kicked!"

A fight seems to be brewing between this trio of mercenary yugoloths and the six companions, but in the meantime Acacia notices a strange object beneath the table near Ekzireth's feet.  About 1 cubic foot in size, it is made of a strange micah-like flaky metal and covered in arcane warding symbols.  Acacia cannot help her curiousity, and she sneaks over to the table and makes off with the warded metal cube.  Rejoining her companions outside, she soon hears the curses of the nycaloth as he discovers his toy is missing! The four-armed daemon and his two crabby compatriots burst onto the street, but the heroes have prepared an ambush.  Battle is joined in the streets just outside the tavern. Rockbounder leaps down from atop the Styx Oarsman, slicing deeply into Ekzireth as one of the mezzoloths rudely unleashes a stinky cloud of deadly vapors - a cloudkill.  Sliding from the shadows of a nearby alley come two dark forms who can only be Slither and Sledge.  They charge ahead, cutting into Altaer and Ayo but failing to drop either of them.  Ayo dispels the nasty cloudkill effect, but not before its vapors clog the party's lungs and weaken several of them.

Rockbounder is already raging and larger than usual, but Altaer completes his enlarge person spell to make the goliath truly huge, towering over all other combatants.  Surrounded by the poisonous vapors of his minions, Ekzireth is overconfident against the heroes' might.  He is caught off guard by a massive, critical backsweeping blow from the leaping Rockbounder, who cuts him clear from neck to crotch and nearly kills the nycaloth.  Staggering back, the 4-armed daemon hears the sing of Jack's scythe, but never sees the blade as it slices through his neck, messily but quickly decapitating him.  Responding to the sneak attack by Slither and Sledge, Altaer unleashes his fiery fury upon the stalkers.  Between he, Kaelin and Acacia they manage to knock Sledge nearly unconscious, and Rockbounder finishes the job by slamming him through the wooden walls of the Oarsman with a brutal surge.

Ayo drops a flame strike on the mezzoloths, and soon after one of them falls to the blades of Jack, Gorram and Kaelin.  The other crab-daemon shrieks in cowardice and flees the scene as fast as it can.  Slither continues to attack Altaer, but luck is not with the stalker this day and he soon retreats, activating a teleportation beacon on his bracer and 'porting himself and his brother Sledge to safety.  The battle is over, and the six companions stand victorious over their assailants.  Acacia hands Altaer a note wrapped around a huge black opal, taken off the body of Ekzireth the deceased nycaloth.  The note, as the others read over the sorcerer's shoulder, is from Slither and Sledge and promises a reward of 2,500gp in the form of a huge black opal for setting up an ambush.  The note contains detailed descriptions of Acacia and Rockbounder, and further states that they now travel with four adventurers from Gaia.  It is signed with the stalker brothers' personal marks and the mark of Arbrozzar.  Acacia wishes to set off and hunt down the astral stalkers and their allies immediately, but the rest of the party agrees that they should discuss their immediate options first.

The Threefold Sundering