Descent into Hell

cy 4862 Juniand 29th - 30th

Malaras and Tymm are holed up in the rope trick as they watch Queen Illyanth of the Elenorians retreat back towards the Great Nadir Lake with her small elven force. Meanwhile viscount Taymar continues his gallop east towards the relative safety of the Jandraki Hills.

Mevik, the martial artist, returns to the scene of the battle with a couple of companions; Scorrin, a warrior, and Isaramir, a martial artist. Once at the scene Malaras disembarks from the extra-dimensional lair and polymorphs into a Bretonian, then casts mount for Tymm to ride. They head east.

Escobar tries but cannot find Malaras’ mind – he assumes that they have all perished against the elven queen so they continue to head for the Jandraki Coast.

Malaras sees spirits rushing towards him (through the Ring of the Dead), but their demeanour is unusual. Spirits are not normally frightened of anything but these are terrified. One of them offers an explanation; "Something consumes us! And it is coming this way!"

Malaras polymporhs into a swift and scouts ahead. He spots a lone orc, a tribal wanderer by the look of his markings, staggering towards them. The orc has severe wounds to his chest and foams at the mouth. Malaras returns to the party and envelopes them inside an augmented major pentacle, where they await the orc. Once in view the dwarf ESPs into the orcs mind; something has scrambled it and sent it towards them as a targeting device. Tymm launches a single shaft into the orc’s throat and slays it.

Upon the death of the orc ten robed figures emerge from nowhere. The party prepare arrows but it is Malaras who acts decisively; through the Xenarth stone he uses the pentacle to descend…to Hell!

They are in a dark, cold place. No light illuminates their way; they cannot even produce fire from their tinderboxes. The awesome chill seeps into their bones, Tymm’s plate mail begins to freeze up in the cold, the warrior is more scared than he has ever been in his life. Without warning he hurls himself into the darkness.

Tymm can feel thorns against the plate mail as he rushes blindly. He is halted by a solid mass. Two red eyes burn into him and he reaches for his sword – but the plate mail is rendered and ripped to pieces as the hulking devil grabs his spine and wrenches it – and his soul – from his body.

A light approaches in the distance. Malaras tries to move them back to Grayhawk but his attempts fail. The light is a torch carried by a dark robed woman with pale skin and crimson red eyes. Her wings are folded behind her as she stops at the edge of the pentacle. Malaras converses with her. She is called Noviel, a Handmaiden of Naarl, the lord of this particular island.

Realising that he has to be careful Malaras agrees to follow her back into the lair of Naarl. She takes them back into the opulence of Naarl’s palace. Distant guttural sounds greet them inside the palace, the air is hot and stifling, a welcome change from the chill of outside. Into her bedchamber they go, the sound of screaming infants apparent from several cribs lying around the edge of the room. Small imp-like creatures that wail constantly.

Noviel is a good host though the party refrain from taking any food or water from her. After she has made them comfortable she takes her leave to inform the Lord Naarl of her ‘guests’.

Still Malaras is unable to return to Grayhawk. As a sorcerer he is well aware that recovery of spells is impossible this far down in one of the outer planes. Instead he waits patiently, waits for an opportunity to escape.

Suddenly Noviel’s chamber changes. The silks and fine carpets become solid rock and damp walls. Rats and insects infest the prison cell and bite constantly at the four men. Malaras, Mevik, Scorrin and Isarimir are trapped.

Soon the hulking monster that is Naarl appears to gloat over his quarry. A massive winged and horned devil with a penetrating gaze and a powerful aura. Malaras is respectful; he alone realises that if this monster just wanted their souls they would already be dead. He quietens the fear in his companions and talks to the Devil.

"I want influence on Grayhawk," Naarl says, "and in you four I have the perfect vehicle to achieve this. It is rare for me to be visited by an elven goddess but she made quite a strong case for handing you over. But I am a practical soul and know an opportunity when I see one. This woman wants the Stone, Malaras, but we should not always give in to the demands of a goddess."

"What is the deal?" Malaras says bluntly.

"I intend to alter the Stone so that it becomes as one with all your souls; to leave here you will sign your souls over to me (in blood) so that way when you die the power will pass to me and not the elves. I imagine you will become an itch they cannot scratch."

"What’s in it for us?" Scorrin the warrior says.

"Power, wealth, influence; all these things and more. Your souls will burn fiercely and your lives will be transformed. If you do not then I will enjoy torturing you for a thousand years!" Naarl cackles his obvious delight.

"Do it then!" Mevik says. The rest of them are in agreement. They sign the contract in blood.

Within seconds the Stone disappears, the minds within suddenly open doors into their brains; perception, awareness, clear thought and wisdom pour into the four men. Naarl is pleased with his work and with Malaras’ help catapults them back into the Jandraki Coast.

To these four men the world has changed. Everything is different now, the small details they took for granted now have significance beyond their normal understanding. Their minds are truly opened. Mevik takes the Time Master from Malaras and begins to read. The normally illiterate Nadir tribesman can now understand and absorb the complex writings of the tome with ease. Scorrin stares at his dagger and tries to alter its state.

"Your abilities are augmented," Malaras explains to the warrior, "you may not be a sorcerer but you have other talents that you can enhance. In the days that follow I will teach you how to use this gift."

The next day Viscount Taymar and Escobar appear. Together they head down into the hidden coves and inlets the smugglers and pirates use to hide their contraband. In one such hidden harbour they see five large vessels. Taymar buys passage on Brangwen’s ship – which is headed for Port Allivos – but they intend to head off into the Olshay Range where they hope they can shake of Illyanth and her elves…