Chains of Asmodeus

[Niyaz316]

Preview:

This adventure takes our group of daring adventurers to the very depths of the Nine Hells in a desperate attempt to save their souls from damnation, or the souls of the ones they hold dear. However, passage into Hell alive is no easy feat, and it isn't every day that a group is courageous enough to take on Asmodeus, Overlord of the Nine Hells. In order to gain entrance to the Hells, the group has recruited the help of the secretive Conclave of Halruaa. In return, the Conclave have a quest of their own for our adventurers to take on. Will the party find and free the souls they seek, and repay the Conclave? Or will they fall victim to Asmodeus's temptations and be damned for eternity?

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Links:

OOC Thread
Rogue's Gallery

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Spoilery Info:

Spoiler: Chapter Synopsis

Boo! (There will be something here eventually)

Spoiler: Major NPC's

Boo! (There will also be something here eventually)

 

[Niyaz316]

You knew as much of Asmodeus as anyone in your line of work. He was a powerful deity, a conniving master of many schemes, and the Lord of the Nine Hells. You knew that he often plotted to corrupt and win the souls of the influential and the powerful through the use of infernal contracts, damning those unfortunates to the torments of his realm. You never thought that you would be one of his targets.

Now, you live with the loss. A hollowness exists where your soul should be, or else the fierce grief-ache of a stolen friend or family member. If Asmodeus could not convince you yourself to sign a contract, he went after those closest to you. If you made a pact with the Lord of the Nine, you did it with the assumption that you would have enough time to fulfill your end of the bargain. Likely the others who fell prey to him thought the same. It was not to be. Asmodeus’s hired murderers ensured it.

Since then, you have been searching desperately for a way to recover what you lost, without success. Every lead has turned up nothing. Every promise of a gateway into the infernal realm has been false. It has begun to seem truly hopeless ... But that is about to change.

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As the four of you traverse the many market stalls of the central plaza of Halarahh, you see the shadowed pavilion described to you by your employer. Inside, Zythan of the Conclave of Halruaa beckons you over. He is a tall and slender man, wearing black robeswith a large gray eye serving as the clasp on the front of his cowl. His hood is pulled up, mostly obscuring his bright green hair save for the few locks you can see slicked back around his ears. He is flanked by two faces you haven't seen in some time: those of your fallen compatriots, Cas'ali and Izek.

He waves you into the pavilion and over to a clouded crystal ball standing on a pedestal. With the wave of a hand the clouds melt away to reveal billowing flames and strange figures moving over a blackened landscape. With a soft, high pitched voice, he starts:

Through Divination magic, I have discovered that the Lord of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus, will soon unleash a terrible evil, a soul we call the Unmaker.

A pitch-black void overtakes the crystal ball, with cold eyes staring out at you.

To prevent this disaster, you must travel to the Nine Hells, track down the Unmaker, and perform a ritual the Conclave has prepared to destroy him. To aid you in this task, our sorcerers have found a way to restore the bodies of your fallen allies. However, their souls have been damned to the Hells by Asmodeus's schemes, so they will be travelling with you in the hopes of recovering that which can once again make them whole. Additionally, we will reveal to you the locations of powerful magic items hidden throughout the Nine Hells.

Zythan waves his hand over the ball again and a series of objects appear, wreathed in fire: a harp, a staff, a cloak, and a sword, among others.

I will remain in contact with you through this Sending Stone, and should you require additional supplies...

He snaps his fingers and a box, 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet, appears on the ground between you and him.

... we can use this to transfer the payment and supplies between Halruaa and the Hells. It will require one of you to attune to it along with me. Which of you shall I be in contact with?

As he says this, he reaches out the Sending Stone and looks at you all, anticipating one of you to step forward and grab it. What do you all do?

 

[Necropolitan]

Izek had wasted no time after returning to life, immediately going to secure what he could from his hidden caches. What little remained was currently on his person; a not inconsiderable amount of gold, his old adventuring gear, and the three magic items he'd been able to save.

With his black cloak and skull-topped rod Izek had no illusions as to how he appeared. He didn't care though, if anything it would likely make them stick out less once they arrived in the Hells. Besides, he was already (unjustly) damned, his fellow party members could hardly think less of him for how he dressed. They had been a team before they could be a team again, that was what mattered. They all had a personal stake in this venture (Izek especially since it was his soul on the line) and they'd all see it through to the end.

Izek holds out an outstretched hand to his former teammates, ready to shake hands and start over.

"I would have preferred it be under better circumstances, but it's good to see you all."

Izek had no intention of using up one of his attunement slots on the vessel, he needed them too much. Especially when the Conclave had revealed the location of a Staff of the Magi in the Hells. With such a legendary item he could single-handedly reclaim what he'd lost and more.

 

[Madzero]

Who would have thought Rendar would end up in such an impossible situation, readying himself to struggle against the cruelty of the 9 Hells. The stuff of myths they were. The newly appointed adventurer isn't certain of his success, or even his survival. But if he is to save Emalda, it is a chance he must take, a trial he must overcome.

"Don't mention it. Although, harsh as it seems, I would have prefered not having to meet any of you again."

It was not out of Malice such a statement came, merely of jaded thought. Everytime they unite, it is always for the same reason : An impossible adventure. When will he finally be able to retire from this ?

"...Ah yes, the box, sorry."

The moment finally came back to him. Extending his hands to receive the given box, Rendar takes a moment to examine its outside, mostly a moment of feeling and precaution.

"If none other would, I would be ready to accept it, for now... Unless, someone has something to say ?"

 

[Timatria]

Niveirn stands to the side of Rendar, leaning their weight against a maul with its hammer-end touching the ground. They move around it as Izek wraps up his collection and shakes the offered hand.

"Izek," Niveirn gives a wide smile in contrast to their grip. "Looking as...dour, as I recall! We need to get you some colours to work with."

The eladrin turns away from the first companion to face the second. They nod a go-ahead directed at Rendar.

"All yours. I can help carry it in the future...if you find it's too heavy for you," Niveirn adds with a cheeky wink. They then face the group contact before continuing. "Thank you, Zythan. You are doing us all a massive favour. Massive. I don't know how we can repay you, but this Unmaker business seems like a great start!"

Niveirn turns to look at the rest of the gathered party. They kick their maul up and rest it over their shoulder, holding the heft with vigour. "I'm ready for another adventure!"

 

[drool]

Sitting in the shadows of his companions, short and slight, sits Damocles, both arms crossed as he watches the beginning of this whole tasteless ordeal begin. Heading toward a goal with no end in sight wracked the man's nerves, he missed home, he missed the menagerie, and as such, he looked crass, though, he always did.

"Is it gonna be hot allllll the time? Heat vexes me." He pouts as he strides forward, finding a place to moan and groan aside Niveirn's maul, offering a dispassionate acknowledgment in the form of a hand wave to Zythan and then both Izek & Cas'ali. He completely ignores the box they were given, he had enough on his plate, not to mention him and the box were quite similar in height. His pack had all sorts of things poking and prodding from it, a fishing pole and lantern hanging on one side, a crowbar and hefty-looking iron beartrap dangling from the other, he was covered in tools.

 

[Niyaz316]

The edge of Zythan's mouth curls up faintly as he hands over the Sending Stone to Rendar. His eyes flash at Niveirn:

I'm glad to see you're enthusiastic, let's hope that sentiment keeps up when next week speak. You're sure to face many trials and temptations in the coming days...

With a snap he dismisses the Vessel and re-summons it in the corner of the pavilion.

Come, Rendar, I'll show you how this works. We'll need some time for you to familiarize yourself with it. In the meantime, the rest of you finish your reintroductions and we'll be on our way as soon as possible... the Unmaker grows stronger...

You see an glimmer of hurried nervousness in Zythan's eyes as he talks. Given that Zythan is already very familiar with the Vessel, it will only take 10 or so minutes for Rendar to attune to it. What do you all do in the meantime?

 

[DayaLuna]

Cas'ali passes her eyes over each of them. Given she isn't sure exactly how long she'd been dead she's not sure how long it had been since she last saw this collection of people. Death hadn't exactly been pleasant, the lingering ache from where a blade had cut her final thread wasn't helping. Her thoughts mirror Rendars words, she'd rather not to have seen any of them, or if she had to in better circumstances at least. This group was not one she prefered to work with. None of them were trained properly. Sure they had experience but no disipline. At least her people were better. Izek stood out like a sore thumb at the best of the times. Niveirn unpredictable in combat with their anger issues, thought at least semi pleasant when calm. Damocles she found crude and irritating.

"At least heat is your only issues with the journey," she rolls her eyes at Damocles complaint. Settling her cloak around her shoulders she takes a seat, blades clickling at her sides. Attuning takes time, she had redo hers after her.. revivial.

 

[Necropolitan]

"Izek," Niveirn gives a wide smile in contrast to their grip. "Looking as...dour, as I recall! We need to get you some colours to work with."

Izek shrugs.

"It pays to stand out to employers. Literally in my case. And if it strikes fear into my enemies so much the better. Besides, we're going to the Hells, I'll blend in better there then in whatever scintillating motley you'd have me wear."

His smile shows he's joking, returning Niveirn's humor.

Stepping back to address the group Izek launches into a speech he's been preparing. This group was in dire need of leadership.

(OOC: Using Inspiring Leadership to give the entire group 16 Temporary HP each.)

"I know this isn't how any of you would want us to be reunited, but I will remind you of one thing: We have done this before. We've faced foe after foe, accomplished tasks that had claimed the lives of lesser adventurers, and we've done it without losing a single member of our party. If it weren't for us The Maned Wolf would still be claiming a victim each night, Baron Mistdal would still be sacrificing peasants, The Whispering Sphinx's riddle would never have been solved, and Roium Lar's slaves never would have been freed. We did that together and we're going to do this together. I believe that we are equal to this challenge if we work together. It will be the most difficult adventure we've ever been on but it'll be the most rewarding. We're fighting for more than ourselves, we're fighting for those we care about! Those we'd journey into Hell to save! Friend or family, what matters is we're coming for them."

Knowing his audience (and voicing one of his motivations) Izek adds on an addendum:

"And I'm sure there will be plenty of loot there too. Hell robs us, we rob Hell, fair is fair."

Izek would have made a rousing speech about the importance of properly-aged cheese if it would get his soul back, but that didn't mean he couldn't believe what he was saying. His words were true for at least some of his party members and that was what mattered.

Izek waits a few minutes before speaking to Zythan.

"I am in need of further supplies. Your organization made claims regarding your resources and I'd like to make use of them."

 

[Madzero]

It indeed was a lot they've accomplished together. Their own brand of reckoning brought upon many of their targets, their deeds now becoming quite the subject of local populace and employers alike. But for Rendar, such duties, even if done alongside old time partners, were just that : duties. There is no need to embelish it the way Izek does. Although he must say, he does have a knack with speeches.

"Hmph. Always been the talker, haven't you ?"

No ill-intent in his remark, merely a statement of fact, perhaps with a slight tinge of amusement brought to his face. Atleast the brought back memories are pleasant. But now is no time for pleasantries.

"I admit, I have little knowledge of how... this, works. Some guidance would be appreciated."

Without further remark from his side, Rendar comes with Zythan, ready to learn the ways of this peculiar trading vessel.