Side Trek - chasing the Torch?

I have come looking for some adventure planning help.

Here is my problem. In the Festival of Dreams {#9}, I replaced the bone devils with a bunch of bearded devils led by Kashyk... as he has become a re-occurring villain for the Fighter of the group, Devon. I have up-leveled him as he has gained experience alongside the group.

Kashyk comes out to make the devilish offer, to which Devon replies that if he can defeat Kashyk one on one, that the devils all leave.

Kashyk is okay with that and Devon comes out from the gate to do battle in the streets....
... and loses horribly. Kashyk withdraws with Devon's body to confer with his companions and then announces that the contract is met. Unbeknownst to the PCs, a couple devils teleport into the fringes and slaughter 2 more 'defenders' so their contract is fulfilled. And then the devils all leave.

Now here is the problem. Devon carried the Torch into this battle and Kashyk has, of course, taken it.

The group wants to recover the Torch and I am considering adapting the 'Paladin from hell' or or finding an out of the way spot in Hell for the Bearded demons to gather and try to overthrow their leaders.

Any cool ideas for where Kashyk would go and try to do with the Torch?

I have stated out Bearded Demons as minions and platoons, but don't know if another Devil would be fun to take as their leader. The group is 23rd level.

I think he'd offer it to Leska in exchange for, say, Sindaire or somewhere.

Losing the Torch is pretty darn clumsy! Ooops!

Wow. Yeah, butterfingers.

Since the next adventure normally is in a dreamscape, and you were in the festival of dreams, maybe his body's been taken, but his soul is loose, and can hang around with the party. Then when they go to the dreamscape he has a body.

But yeah, if I were a chump devil who worked his way up the ranks and got the most powerful artifact in the world, I'd have some fun with it. Hey, hell, who's to say Kazyk dosen't think the 'good guys' are going to win? Maybe he decides to go for the longshot and sides with Seaquen as a general.

Kashyk had no need of a body, so they left Devon there.. and he had stabilized so he is recovered... sans all of his gear.

I am considering having him try and leverage his newfound power by bargaining with Orcus of some other high level bad-ass. The Aspect of Orcus happens to be 24th level

But the idea of him taking the Torch to Leska {and having her bring more forces to bear earlier} would definitively step up the challenge level... but Kashyk doesn't get much out of that deal.... unless....

I am running this in Eberron's early history prior to the Quori invasion of Sarlona.. well, actually its the prequel to that invasion. Perhaps he trades the Torch for an arcane ritual that unbinds him from Hell and he wanders off to Khorvaire to build an empire that becomes known at the Demon Wastes?

{I have already had the group encounter a pirate named Lhazaar who ended up fleeing the conflict and established the Lhazaar Principalities.. so there is a theme of the PCs having a hand in building the future Eberron setting}

Man, who knew little ol' Kazyk (Kashyyk is the Wookie home planet from Star Wars, isn't it?) would come so far. I kinda like the idea of him getting a happy ending.

But then what do the PCs do without the Torch? If Leska gets it, there's no way she's letting it out of her sight. Maybe the party can race to track down Kazyk before he can arrange a trade with Leska?

Update: Kazyk did not have a happy ending, he died an ignoble death as I was not rolling very hot last friday night


The mages fo Seaquin joined forces and opened a portal to Hell, where Kazyk had retreated to. The group charged in with guns blazing, to find Kazyk in the midst of starting a civil war and trying to take over Avernus. They fought their way through the massed devils and demons to take the fight to Kazyk, who was on center stage {literally} over a lake of Blood where he was consecrating an alter.

The blood, when drank, granted resist all {level} to the imbiber until the next extended rest or departure from hell. At which point all the damage the Blood had protected against slams home with a vengeance. The plan was for the legions to drink the blood and teleport into the Iron Tower... and then all die. Leaving Kazyk in charge.

There was another party seeking the torch, a group sent by Lord Shaladel... the race was on.

Two of my semi-regular players chose this day as the one to show up, a Blackguard and a Cleric. This brought my table to 7 players and some major anti-demon capability. The Clerics Turn Undead affects devils, demons, and elementals.. and has a range of 11 squares. We called it his Nuke attack.

I abstracted the charge through the miles of massed demons, using a variant on the skill challenge. Then the group made it to the tactical battle at the center dais. The Blood made it so everyone critted on a 19 or better... my intent was to make it a 'bloodbath' {pun intended}, but the Bard had a power that allowed him to convert crits to normal hits

As the two teams surrounded Kazyk, after both teams clerics nuked the minions out of the way... a third party showed interest... Orcus arrived.

Some very fast, and nasty, 24th level dailies came into play and the heroes got their hands on the Torch. The Blackguard found himself adjacent to Orcus with Devon preparing to teleport everyone out to safety.. so he tried a Daily against the arch-demon... and crit! Smashing a greatsword into the achilles heel of the gigantic beast, he felled it... Orcus crashed to the ground {prone} with a roar of pain and anger.
Then the PC's teleported away to safety.

We were able to use the actual Orcus 'mini' for the combat which was awesome! Orcus was able to follow the survivor of the Shahalestian team back to the prime material and is rampaging through the mountains in search of the Torch... not sure when he will show up to torment the players, but I plan on giving them the chance to go hunt him down if they want.
But this time it will actually be Orcus, not his aspect

So, back on track the team is planning on.. well, something. I gave them the choice of Module 10 or Module 11... or hunting Orcus. I will have to see which way they go!