Session 26: Duel of Fates

General Summary

The figure resembling Gorick made an effort to exchange pleasantries, but was cut short by a bombardment of obscenities from Nakor and Dormaruk. In the end, he managed to introduce himself under a frankonian name. No one believed him though, except Jeanne who couldn't see any signs of dishonesty. Not wanting to cause any bigger of a scene than they already had they let the man go, but Jeanne agreed with him that they were to meet in the Gilded Mermaid.    They then turned back to Joruba who was disgruntled by their behaviour since the man was only a contact of the Clandestine family there to leave a report. The group told her the situation, and then Jeanne reported the happenings of the last couple of weeks. All from the Darkring temple, to the trip to Abaddon. They were then informed about the fact that the list with the name of the king of Aeryon marked as a target, could be used to clear the diplomatic situation that had been created during their last stay in Zarastil. She agreed to keep them informed of any further developments. After they had informed her of the potential danger in Amarley and Joruba agreed to send an agent there to investigate.    They then left the chancellery and went north to seek out a blacksmith who may be able to replicate the rod in their possession. At the Cold Forgehammer they found the skilled Petrov Primakov, who agreed to their assignment. The skilled blacksmith told them that he could be done by the evening. The party then went back down to the ship. There they were once again visited by the messenger Pierre, who didn't seem to remember any of them. In any case they got his note which invited Kazagal to a meeting that very evening. A meeting he decided to go to.    In preparation, he gave the real rod to Dormaruk and told him to hide it where he couldn't be able to get it and without telling him where. Nakor decided to follow him to his meeting. Around the same time, Merturrok informed them that he had gotten in contact with a hobgoblin who claimed to be travelling with a creature who could do the work of five sailors on his own. This intrigued the captain and him and Jeanne decided to follow up on this. But before they did Dormaruk went back to Petrov and asked him to hold on to the copy for a while.   As night came the party split to go to their separate meetings. Kazagal, stalked by Nakor, went down to the Rotten Pen and met with the devil. During this meeting, he managed to trick the devil into thinking him defeated and ready to give up. By doing this he managed to broker a new contract for the fate of his son. The two would face off in a duel and should Kazagal win, he would get his son back. But if Gorick won, he would get Kazagal's soul. As the devil whipped out the contract, Nakor, who until this point had observed from a window, burst into the pub and sat down with the pair, angrily trying to stop Kazagal from doing what he was about to do. It didn't work and the goliath signed the new contract without proofreading it, agreeing to fight the next day. The two left with Nakor so angry that he glowed.    Meanwhile, Dormaruk and Jeanne had met up with the hobgoblin Borgnan by an old warehouse. He told them about how he had fled a gang of goblins, bugbears and ogres in Aeryon with his trusted companion. Inside he showed them said travelling companion who turned out to be Trongdong the Troll. Dormaruk agreed to hire the two and together they left for the ship. As they approached the ship they saw the angry, glowing Nakor board the ship.    When they reconvened they found out that Kazagal had signed another contract and burst out into an angry scolding of the goliath, who defended himself saying that he tricked the devil using the methods Jeanne had taught him. This was highly doubted and Dormaruk even assaulted the man. In the end they all went to bed, with Jeanne borrowing Kazagals glasses to search the contract for loopholes. She found that the contract would only be fulfilled if the duel actually took place, otherwise it would be void.    The next day the party prepared for the coming night. Kazagal spoke with Sir Horzin, who was prepared to witness the spectacle, and then he prepared his gear. Dormaruk was mad. Nakor tried to figure out a way to help. Jeanne went and reported to the inquisition, telling them to scout the area during the night but to do so incognito. She was then given a scroll that would prevent the devil from teleporting away. After this, she also paid the Gilded Mermaid a visit and realised that the man resembling Gorick had lied about staying there.    As evening fell, they all went down to the Rotten pen. There Jeanne activated the scroll right before they entered the tavern where Gorick welcomed them. He then spanned his fingers and visitors and furniture disappeared. Kazagal stepped up to fight. Gorick then laughed and tried to cast a spell, but it didn't work. It seemed like he had planned to teleport away. Now having to fight he took on his devilish, skeletal form. Nakor tried to help his friend by casting a spell, which was counterspelled by Gorick.    The fight began as Gorick created a wall of fire behind his opponent, preventing escape. Dormaruk, Jeanne and Nakor left the tavern to be able to see properly through the windows. Nakor tried to help again, with a last push of power he managed to turn his friend into a bronze dragon. A feat that was just as quickly dispelled by the devil, but as he did Kazagal surprised him with powerful attack from his sword that he had infused with the might of Torag. The fight went on, as Kazagal suffered severe damage from the devil's infernal fires. That's when Dormaruk remembered that he had a fire resistance potion that would have been useful.    Nakor not willing to give up on his friend managed to dig deep and muster up the last of his magical abilities to once again transform his friend. This time the devil couldn't dispel it and was forced to suffer the dragon's powerful lightning breath, which knocked him back. Combined with the force of Kazagal's surprise attack this was enough to make the devil yield. As he sunk into the wall behind him, another shape came out. Timmy was released. The father was reunited with his son and they took the weakened boy back to the ship.