"Thats a lot I take it?"
Justin's slow, 'canary that swallowed the cat' grin speaks volumes.
"Yes."
"Yes it is."
He looks for the serving wench, "More ale and more meat. Say, does your chef by any chance cook crocodile?"
The harried server nods
"Aye. It's a specialty"
"Excellent, I'll take a dish, suddenly craving it".
"Oh, make that two," Karrin says, "Anytime you hear specialty you know that it's going to be . . . special. Hmm, lack of food has clearly made Karrin less witty. Food goes in here now." Karrin says pointing to her mouth.
"Oh, make that two," Karrin says, "Anytime you hear specialty you know that it's going to be . . . special. Hmm, lack of food has clearly made Karrin less witty. Food goes in here now." Karrin says pointing to her mouth.
Alessia lets out a low sound, something like air being let out of an inflatable mattress.
"Hhhhhssss... And here I was, thinking we had urgent business within the Vault of the Drow. But no, apparently it is "food goes in here now" time."
She leans against a wall, arms crossed.
"Please. I can wait for an eternity," she says, her voice positively dripping with sarcasm.
Hamar looks up at Alessia and shrugs, "Will not our traveling companions tell us when the time to leave has come?"
"Hey maybe you should try some rather than acting all dark and grusome."
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"Oh, make that two," Karrin says, "Anytime you hear specialty you know that it's going to be . . . special. Hmm, lack of food has clearly made Karrin less witty. Food goes in here now." Karrin says pointing to her mouth.Alessia lets out a low sound, something like air being let out of an inflatable mattress.
"Hhhhhssss... And here I was, thinking we had urgent business within the Vault of the Drow. But no, apparently it is "food goes in here now" time."
She leans against a wall, arms crossed.
"Please. I can wait for an eternity," she says, her voice positively dripping with sarcasm.
Justin's eyes widen for a brief, terrified, moment. The wizard leans in to Alessia and murmurs,...
"Let the tiefling eat. Don't make her hungry,..."
A swift, sideways glance,...
"You wouldn't like her when she's hungry."
Hamar looks up at Alessia and shrugs, "Will not our traveling companions tell us when the time to leave has come?"
Karrin nods at Hamar, "I guess our skeletal friend here has forgotten that we're not exactly traveling on our own schedule at the moment, but it has been over an hour since we got here so I guess those detail can bounce out of a girl's skull when you ain't got no grey goo for them to stick to."
Hamar looks up at Alessia and shrugs, "Will not our traveling companions tell us when the time to leave has come?"
While some of the party finish up their meals, a green-robed lizardfolk comes up towards them, bowing deeply
“Greetingsss. I am Alumiuss, a local trader in thesse parts. I witnesssed your ssscourging of the Khaaassssta, that wasss well done. I wisssh to offer you a price for their wagonsss and mountssss, sssince you have earned title to them by right of combat. I can offer 1,000 pieces of gold, in either coin or gemssss”
Justin glances at the others, Some of whom are still making with the face-stuffing. (Justin was keeping up with everyone but Karrin, but even his infamous starving-mage appetite is quite appeased by now.)
The wizard bobs his head politely to the lizardfolk.
"Well-met Alumius. Ah, thank you? Sincere apologies if they were trade partners or friends of yours. That really was just a,... misunderstanding. A serious misunderstanding." The wizard explains with a shrug.
"Your offer is very kind. Allow me to consult with my companions to make sure we are all in agreement. Your offering 1000 Gold Pieces for the wagon(s) and the draft animals yes? Ah, NOT including any of the wagons contents that we wish to claim and keep for ourselves, of course." He adds with a smile.
Hamar grunts in agreement.
Alumius nods
“Of courssse. I am merely interesssted in their wagon and the mountsss. “
Alumius nods
“Of courssse. I am merely interesssted in their wagon and the mountsss. “
"Of course. You've a keen eye for business and timing my friend. I think we can make a bargain. Allow us to remove our belongings from it, and I will hand over the wagon, and the keys to it, early in the morning when our caravan prepares to leave. Deal?"
The lizardfolk nods
“Agreed. I sssshall be at the wagon at first light”
Justin nods in return.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
Those that want an inn room can get one with little issue. The rooms are spare but adequate. Those that wish to spend the night in the wagons are also able to rest, but there is more crowding and stifling heat and bugs.
The day ‘dawns’ in the odd way the Outlands works, with the light just slowly brightening without a sun. The swamp begins to echo with alligator roars and bird calls as the more nocturnal beasts slide off to sleep.
The caravan master Quavious clops along the wagons, getting her crew ready for the days transport. The two Drow Chadra and Alerra appear looking well groomed and smug in that particularly Drow way that seems to be their resting face. The lizardfolk merchant Alumius arrives and hands a small bag to Justin
“You didn’t mention a preferenssse ssso I took the liberty of paying you in diamondsss. Adventurers are always happy with diamondsss.”
Soon enough the caravan starts off into the humid morning, making its way onto Plaguemort
Hamar takes a room to ensure maximum freshness for the rest of the journey, normally he would sleep outside but in this unfamiliar landscape he is wary of being dragged off by an alligator in what passes for night in this place.
I grow soft away from the Shaar... the Barbarian thinks to himself as he rises and begins combat meditation exercises in his room.
Merle happily takeing a room for the night waking up the next day in a pretty good mood especially when she see's the diamnionds.
"Yes yes we do like diamonds a lot."
Justin snorts and hides a grin at Merle's response, but recovers swiftly and nods politely to Alumius as he hands over the wagon keys in exchange.
"Well I can't argue with THAT now can I? Next time your in Sigil, stop by the Silver Rose offices. Renkar would appreciate doing business with you I think." The wizard suggests to the trader. He touches the brim of his hat and shuffles over to join the rest of his gathering group.
Justin shows the rest of the group the bags contents when no other prying eyes are around.
"Well, with the wagon contents and these, Renkar will at least be happy with the return on this trip so far!" he chuckles.
"I just hope we don't have to spend all of the bounty on 'Stoneskin' spells before this is done." He murmurs under his breath.
A day long travel brings the caravan out of the full swamp. The road rises slightly, and the waters drain off to a more boggy/marshy landscape. Suddenly a crumbling wall can be glanced ahead of them in the distance. A few hovels and roadside inns begin to face the road. The caravan comes to the gate as the source less light of the Outlands begins to dim.
The city of Plaguemort is ringed with a tall grey wall. Outside the wall is a small suburb of several roads packed with shanties and shops. A few beggars and hawkers call to the caravan pleading and offering in turn.
At the gate a group of several guards in plate with helms fashioned like dogs heads confer with Quavious. A few small bags are handed over and the caravan heads into the city proper.
Plaguemort is a sloppily-made city. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the buildings, and many seem to have collapsed or in the process of doing so. The road is potholed reply, and the party is jolted as they head further in.
Ahead is another wall, an inner ring. Within a few spires of much nicer-looking buildings can be seen. The buildings near the gate of this inner wall are a bit nicer, although they seem to be frequented by a motley assortment of tieflings, demons, and humanoids. Nothing shocking to Cagers, but the place seems much more squalid than Sigil.
The caravan pulls up at a large Inn called the Harpy’s Roost. Quavious supervises the un hitching of the mounts and calls out to the party
“We’ll be taking the gate to The plane of Infinite Winds in the morning. I have to do a bit of palavering with the Archlector’s Hounds to make sure everything is Mr Tinker. Same as last night. You can sleep for free in the wagon, or find an inn room. Be here at first light. We won’t wait. “.
"Think I'm gonna go with an Inn room."
"Yeah . . ." Karrin says looking around the town, "I'm thinking I don't need any fleas, bed bugs, or whatever creepy crawlies might be living in the beds in this town. Maybe this inn is an exception to the local attitude on cleanliness, planning, and maintenance of one's property, but I'm going to guess their beds are going to be as well kept as those roads. I'll take my chances in the wagon. Besides out here I'll have Alessa's soft voice to lull me to sleep."
Justin draws in a hissing breath between clenched teeth when he hears Merle's choice.
"Yeah,... I mean, this area IS nicer than most of what we just rode through, but I'm actually with Karrin on this one. The wagons aren't the gold standard of comfort, but I'm actually doubtful whether or not our Prestidigitation charms will be effective against what might be living in these inn beds." He chuckles.
"Still, I guess it wouldn't hurt to check out the food service!" Justin adds with enough enthusiasm that he might have been taking lessons from Karrin.
The Harpy's Roost has a large common room. Surprisingly, it is relatively well-ordered, although the clientele is definitely more on the Abyssal side. Merle is able to procure a room for 5 silvers. The room is sparse, but clean. Chadra and Alerra spy a table filled with Gnolls, and sit with them, talking in the growling chuckling speech the rangy humanoids use among themselves.
The barkeep is, in fact, a harpy. much like their old party member Bethany. She hands out drinks while the kitchen does a bustling business in slabs of smoking meat and piles of root vegetables.
Justin makes a pleasantly surprised face at the condition of the inn. He gives a half-smile at the sight of the barkeep.
"I wonder if she's from the same place Bethany was?" Justin murmurs to Karrin and Merle. He looks, amused.
He's probably thinking that if this barkeep IS from the same realm Bethany was, that would explain the state of the inn.
He smiles again at the thought of the prim and proper harpy having her, or any other harpies name, associated with an unsuitable establishment. He joins the others, his good mood infectious.
Karrin orders herself a bunch of food and eats with gusto, but if nothing else happens she heads back to the wagon and finds herself a good spot to sleep.
Hamar tries his hand at a bed, it's not as if he hasn't had fleas before!
He knows stretching out in the wagon won't work for him. He heads to the bar for some drink and some food as it looks like his companions won't be staying long.
He takes a seat at the table with the Drow and the Gnolls, tis a language the barbarian knows quite well and he is curious what the Drow are on about here. Despite the battles he has had with the Gnolls, they are at base Hyenas. His tribe, the Hyena tribe, reveres them while at the same time being repulsed by them. It's a love-hate affair. The barbarians' cloak is and always has been infused with symbolism of Hyena's so there should be some interesting comments from them as he takes his seat.
Chadra and Alerra look warily at him as he sits down, but nod a greeting. The three gnolls at the table look Hamar up and down, noting the hyena iconography on his clothing. One speaks, a taller one who Hamar guesses is the leader.
“Manling, why do you sit with us? And why do you bear symbols of the Folk on your garb?”
Alerra pipes up in Gnollish
“Bonecracker, this is Hamar, a warrior like yourself. I am certain he means no offense by his approach “
Hamar replies in Gnollish, "I am Hamar of the Hyena Tribe of the great Shaar.
My people have made war with and against your people over the centuries. I sit here out of respect.
I also sit here as I travel with these Drow and as I am with their party and they are here therefore this be no hostile intrusion.
I shall break bread and drink mead with you who I know to be fine warriors, like my people".
Bonecracker nods
“I have little use for your kind, as they are as a rule weak and mewling, but I respect the tribes who live on the plains. Be seated”
Chadra speaks
“What news of The Portaled Realm?”
Another Gnoll speaks
“The Devils keep the Demons busy along the Lakes of Molten Iron. Several war bands attempt to gather to meet them at Styros. Red Shroud has imposed new taxes on travelers to Broken Reach. The Folk still travel freely across the red plains, but there are more wild bands of devils, daemons, even eladrin roaming the wastes. “
Hamar nods, grunts in acknowledgment that indeed, men of the cities are weak and mewling. He then sits, eats, and listens. He will have little to add but perhaps there may be something of use to be heard. Something that his friends may understand even if he does not.
Hamar learns that these gnolls are nomads whose tribe lives on the first plane of the Abyss. Their tribe, the Harriers, worships Pazuzu and earns money as guides to travelers making their way to the many portals that dot the plane. Alerra and Chadra had worked with them before, and although they are not contracted by Quavious’ caravan, they are willing to impart what news they could.
Hamar learns that many times in the past that the town known as Plaguemort had slipped over into the Abyss and been rebuilt. The towns that had been dragged into the Abyss formed a long shattered ruin stretching across the dusty red plains of the Plane of Infinite Portals. That ruin is known as the Broken Reach. It is still partially occupied, and is often used as a setting off point for explorers and travelers. It is ruled by a demon named the Red Shroud, a succubus. Red Shroud is a tyrant who is currently trying to collect as much tax money as possible to safeguard her city from depredations of Baatezu raiding parties. .
Hamar waits to see if there is ore to be learned, if not, he heads upstairs to retire, committing this all to memory to rehash to his allies who may be able to make sense of these things of which he knows nothing.
Hamar has a very good evening. The gnolls are interesting in an honorable enemy sort of way, and they give Hamar pointers on what to expect on the Abyssal plains. The Drow end up being fascinating as well, very different in mindset than any other beings Hamar has met. Towards the end of the night as the gnolls lope off to their quarters the two Drow proposition Hamar, inviting him to their room
Karrin has a great night sampling the many exotic dishes the inn has to offer. She ends up in her bed almost satiated, falling asleep quickly.
The others have a nice evening of drinking with the caravan crew, and all end up back in their hammocks without incident. In the morning, Quavious gets the caravan rolling out early, as the light brightens overhead.
The caravan pays a bribe at the inner wall gate, then yet another to enter the portal at the central plaza. The gate, like many permanent gates in the Outland border towns is a large structure of rune-carven metal, some 10 meters high. The color of the portals is a billions green swirling with threads of pink, ochre, and black. The caravan rides through, and the party experiences that sucking pulling feeling of portal travel.
They emerge in a courtyard plaza very similar to the one they just left. There is even a squad of guards waiting, but instead of men with dog-shaped helmets, they are obviously demonic. The guards are mainly dretch, spindly-legged creatures about as tall as a dwarf but monstrously bloated. They are bossed about by a lanky winged demon, who orders them about with cuffs and kicks. They inspect the wagon and speak with Quavious, who hands them bags of coin. They then proceed down a main road lined with ruins.
This plane is hot and dusty dry. The air smells rank. The city of Broken Reach surrounds them, the ruins of buildings crumbling into piles of rubble. There is activity all about, but little industry. It reminds the party of maggots swarming a corpse. Tieflings, gnolls, orcs, demons, and various combinations thereof go about whatever business is done in this place. The magenta-hues sky is thronged with flying creatures: vultures, eagles, griffins, manticores, drakes.
.
The Barbarian, as is his way, does much listening and little talking.
As he heads up to his room to spend the night alone, the proposition of two young elves, drow or no drow, is too much temptation, after all, the Barbarian has not lain with an elf before.
Once he finally falls to sleep, exhausted at the aggressive energy of the drow, he wonders why anyone dislikes these creatures so much!
The next day he wakes, dresses, and leads back to the wagon. During the trip, he tells his allies what he heard, at least as best he can:
“The Devils keep the Devils busy along Lakes of Molten Metal. Several war bands clash at Styros. A Red Shroud has imposed new taxes on travelers to a Reach. The Gnolls still travel freely across the red plains, but there are more wild bands of devils roaming the wastes.
The gnoll band are nomads, like my people and live in the Abyss. Their tribe, the Harriers, worships Pazoo and earn coin as guides.
The drow vixens Alerra and Chadra had worked with them before.
This Plaguemort had slipped over into the Abyss and been rebuilt. The towns that were dragged into the Abyss form a ruin stretching across the red plains where there be infinite portals, it's a broken reach.
The ruins may be occupied and are used as a setting off point for explorers and travelers. The Red Shroud is a succinct buss, but I do not know what that is, a tyrant who collects tolls as much tax money.
This Tyrant protects her city with gold, I assume by hiring mercenaries to fight a creature known as a Bee tazu, which I assume to be a giant Devil bee.
Maybe some of these Devils are Demons but I know not, all are the same to me".
---
As the group arrives, Hamar is still in awe of the idea that they should not exit and simply strike down these horrific creatures. There are so many though that the Barbarian knows the group could not survive. Never on the plains did he imagine so many existed, hundreds, if not thousands for every blade of grass on the Shaar. The numbers almost overwhelm the mind of Hamar who rarely, if ever, counted past 21 before he left to adventure with his former comrades in arms on Faerun...
Justin nods as Hamar relates what he has heard. Giving the barbarian a couple of odd glances during his recitation, before figuring out what he (likely) meant.
"I think you meant the Red Shroud is a Succubus, and she's fighting off attacks by Baatezu. They aren't bees, but they ARE a giant pain in the bum. Nice work Hamar. You've got a good mind for details. And don't worry, Devils and Demons are sometimes hard to tell apart. And the differences between them are nearly irrelevant when they're trying to kill you." Justin adds the last bit wryly.
Justin also takes in their new surroundings with a touch of awe. He's been doing this for a while, (compared to the newcomer barbarian, he's an 'old pro') but at moments like this he wonders if he'll ever 'get used to it'.
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"I think that's the most you've talked since we met Hamar, like if we were to add up all the things you've said for the past few weeks, and put them together, I think that would totally equal all the information you just gave us. You're getting to be as long winded as Justin. Lucky for you you're nowhere near as squishy or need as much coddling, so all this talking hasn't made you soft or anything like that, but just don't get too used to liking the sound of your own voice, giving long speeches with no point, or meandering points because that's usually the worst, like you're waiting for the person to get to what they're saying and they just keep going on and on, I mean folks start to drown that thing out after a while, I suspect that some of these people do it on purpose so they can slip some sneaky fact or relevant information somewhere in the middle so that when asked later they can claim they told us, but instead of outright telling us they yammered on for ages, which is the sort of thing priests and wizards like to do, and thankfully, being raised by monks, I've managed to avoid. Like could you imagine me just talking on and on for no reason but promising a point somewhere, a tidbit of useful information, but never really getting to it because of a bunch of deviations and asides that have no actual use to the conversation and instead just seem designed to waste everyone's time? That's the worst, like this one time I asked Father Kron about my parents, as it was pretty obvious that a bunch of celibate monks weren't my parents, and he went into this long meandering story that didn't really seem to go anywhere at all, which I'm sure was on purpose as you don't want to just tell your adopted daughter what you know outright, especially if she has a notoriously short attention span and you want to try to teach her some patience or maybe to keep the illusion that you're all knowing and have some great revelation tucked away somewhere, or maybe you're looking into leads on the girl's behalf but don't have anything to reveal at that point? I mean who knows? Monks, am I right? Thankfully that sort of thing doesn't really rub off as far as I can tell. You and me Hamar, straight and to the point, none of this wasted verbiage on useless diatribes."
About ten seconds into Karrin's extremely brief monologue, Alessia gets the gist. Letting out a hissing sound reminiscent of an angry cat, she stalks to the front of the group.
"Exactly. See? Karrin summed it up much more succinctly than I would have." Justin says straight-faced.
With a gentle but obviously fake cough to 'clear his throat' Justin steps up to their guides.
"So, Does the caravan have any trade business here? Or is this just another portal on the path?" The wizard asks the Drow politely.
"Man that Alesia sure does spring an awful lot of leaks. All that hissing. Next time we're in the jungle we should get some rubber and patch her up."
The Vampire turns his head and looks to Arnav, who stands Nearby, huge crystal sword held out at the ready. With preternatural swiftness, The Vampire runs towards him, impaling himself to the hilt. The crystal sword passes through the vampire’s thorax cleanly, with almost no blood shed. As the party looks on in shock The Vampire smiles. He croaks out a few words as his body begins to crumble
“The Shadow God will return soon. Go. You must seek Erehe the wizard in Erelhi Cinlu. He must not be found by Tenebrous or his minions. Do not let him find the Great Wand. Do not let him return from death’s embrace...”
With a final sigh, he crumbles to ash
The caravan wends its way out of the ruined city of Broken Reach without incident. Quavious has unfurled large standards featuring a spider motif that hang limply in the calm air. These seem to ward off any curious demons.
Outside the city the caravan passes a huge mustering ground. Thousands of demons are gathered, their screeches and squawking a cacophonous roar. Immense demons standing four meters tall roar at this rabble and attempt to get them into some sort of order. Cavalry riding immense reptilian beasts and red-skinned elephants with massive curving tusks muster on the flanks of this host. The caravan rides as quickly as possible past this demonic army.
“Ugh, that brings back some bad memories “ Mel says with a shudder
The wend their way out into the trackless wilderness of the Abyss. Time is a hard thing to conceptualize here. The light never changes from high noon, although there is no sun in the purplish sky. The ground is a dusty ochre hue, with large mesas punctuating it randomly. There is an occasional dark fortress spotted looming over the caravan track, but no one issues forth from them.
They pass a mesa that has been carven into a massive statue of a winged man with a crest of feathers and clawed bird feet. This mesa is swarmed with flying creatures of many types. Fortunately, aside from a few curious flybys they are unmolested.
After an interminable period, possibly three days by the pattern of meals snd rest, the caravan approaches a mesa. On the side of it is a large cave mouth. Quavious directs the caravan within. The atmosphere is radically different from the dry scorching desert heat without. The cave is cool and damp, smelling of rich rot. Towards the back of the large cave is a giant circular tunnel that seems to be fashioned of silvery strands of spider silk. There is a chittering and rustling from the ceiling of the cave. Anyone who gazed up sees a disquieting sight. Spiders, from thumb sized to the size of an elephant carpet the ceiling above. Glittering arachnid eyes gaze at the caravan hungrily, but no spider moves to attack.
At the spider silk tunnel’s entrance a Drow female of surpassing beauty stands. Her beauty is beyond mortal, it is something dark and supernatural in origin, almost a palpable aura. Her silver hair flows to her back, and her form is shrouded in a spider silk gown, which accentuates rather than obscure her form. She approaches Quavious.
“You have arrived. Is all as expected?”
Quavious nods
“Aye, Lady Declava. We have what we contracted for.”
“Excellent. Let us proceed to the Demonweb”
.
"Such a lovelly place they have here." Merle deadpan while her fur and tail both stand on end.
Hamar grunts in response to Karrin, and shrugs, "In Gnollish the conversation was much longer, all that yipping, be thankful for my translations woman".
---
As the group arrives at the cave mouth Hamar gets a sense of unease. This is a dangerous place, a place they should not go to. But go to it they must. After all, with these companions did the Barbarian not survive a world of the dead? Plus, who wants to live forever hey? The Barbarian though does check that this equipment is in order and his swords are loose enough in their scabbards for ease of drawing. He puts his spare third blade across his back instead of in his large sack, with so much spider webbing if one is stuck he will need the other.
Justin claps Mel on an armored shoulder when the cleric shudders and mentions 'memories' as they pass the gathering army.
"Yep. The Abyss is one of the places I hadn't been to yet. It was on my list of 'Places I Don't Really Want To Go Visit'. I'm not seeing anything that makes me want to change my mind." The wizard says, shuddering just a smidge himself at the sight of the gathering army.
During the trek, Justin takes his turn at watch, going over his spellbook and scribbling on scroll parchment. For the first day his interest in the landscape and vistas were unmistakable. BUT there's only so many notes one can scribble about a vast, trackless wilderness. Even one as rare and admittedly as interesting as the Abyss.
When the caravan approaches the mesa with the large cave opening instead of giving it a wide berth as all of the others they had passed, Justin perks up immediately. Even the derogatory and chatty Memnon is (briefly) silent as they enter the cave and the atmosphere changes drastically.
"Such a lovely place they have here." Merle deadpans while her fur and tail both stand on end.
"Yes,... I mean, It's not for EVERYone. But it definitely has it's own 'Sav-wah Flair'." Justin agrees, casting worried looks upwards.
Justin adroitly dodges a (relatively) tiny spider that has lowered itself on a web-line to investigate those on top of the wagon closer. He stifles his first reaction, and tips his hat to it instead.
Justin is no expert on Drow. But it does not take an 'expert' to know it's not a good idea to squash even a single, tiny spider in a ginormous cave FULL of spiders. Not with 2 Drow guides and what looks like a Drow High Priestess of some sort guarding another Gate of some kind.
As the Caravan Master and the new Drow discuss business, Justin goes still, his eyes widening.
"Is everything alright?" The clear, calm voice of Martin cuts through whatever was holding Justin still. The wizard shrugs, waving away his friend's concern with a smirk.
"Yep. All good. Just,... well,... You'd think I'd be used to it by now. But after all this time I STILL can't tell if certain people, like the new lady over there, is just channeling a really high level of Power, or if she IS a high level of Power. Or whatever."
Justin smirks at his friend. "With any luck, we won't have to find out the hard way!" He says cheerfully.
Justin idly grasps his amulet and mentally whispers to himself,...
'PLEASE don't let us do anything stupid. PLEASE don'tletusdoanythingstupid,...'