The Pilgrimage to Ethbir

General Summary

The party, Sha Alfie , David Tenth - David , Luell - Ed , Flint Derek , Cat Owen , meet in a pub 1 day away from the city of Ethbir
In this bar, they meet, then after a few drinks have a vision - an Owl drops down to their table Tweet twoo
A dark shadow has been released from below A half breed To the 6 exalted and revered personages he will go To unlock the secret within each That will give the key to the well And so the prison door will be opened by the words of darkness written by a Vasharan
Finding themselves on the floor having had a fit the party get up shake themselves down and pretend to everyone that they had just had some shots, which knocked them sideways, Luell convincing the whole pub with his roll of 25 plus.
The pub landlord then wanders over after letting things calm down, and asks some questions over his beer being that bad..but then starts deeper questions, but is equally sold a line by Luell.
The party then decide to slip out of the pub, sliding away after casting pass without trace to avoid the prying eyes, and stay in another house in the same village.
Being up early the next morning, having there beans, bread and mouldy cheese they follow the throngs of people heading to the city.
As they ride up to the gates of the city they see some people hanging on crosses, with guards keeping the travellers away. On questioning the guards highlight these are followers of Hades, who have been judged by the Arch Bishop. The party identify this as a vert unusual event, not something that would normally occur.
They enter the gates and then split up and visit each of there temples and handover the gifts from their "houses", but equally question the arch bishops, which after handing over gifts worth around 5,000gp each is a straight forward process.
Flint goes to his Arch Bishop of Ares and the others to each of there temples, each picking out more clues around celebrations in 2 days time, not the 4 days for the opening of the Well, pick up clues on the Devils guard and Grimwold.
They visit RA's bar, the Devils Fork where Flint, Luell and Cat have an arm wrestle vs Crusher (which Flint wins comfortably - taken in good spirit..ish), spurred on by The Jackle. They identify as members of the Jugglers guild. Talking to the Jackal between them and the members of the Devils guard in the tavern, they get more clues, and arrange to meet his new employer tomorrow at 10pm in a room at the top of the Devils Fork
They decide to an all nighter and visit the library of Ticonderoga, where they go through and find the books that give clues about the "Well" and its origins, being over the ruins off a previous temple at the base of Devils valley, with references to a book, Book Book of Vile Darkness.
They then notice another shady character wandering around the library, Qill, and his 2 body guards, who they identify with their sharp eyes as a lead cultist of the Demogorgon. Luells smooth talking help them escape a potentially serious incident, both with the cultists and the library staff - Aegis, Librarian of Ticonderogas library in EthBir , who then books up a meeting at RA's Holy Light over a mint tea at 12.00
From all the clues the party piece together that 2 competing evil factions are here, 1 being led by Gorthir, Half Troll Half Demon, wields famous magical Hammer of the Underworld , and 1 by Qill the cultist.
Going to the temple of Ra they speak to the bishop and confirm there suspicions with Luell sweet talking getting every detail out of the Arch bishop. They then stay at the Wagon and Horses, a bar with lots of smelly cattle herders and have a quiet night.
They go to Athenas Temple to meet the priest to explain the current situation, only to discover that the Arch bishop is crucifying 3 of his priests for blasphemy, surrounded by a distressed crowd. The party immediately assess that the priest has been been supplanted and Cat casts detect evil, and identifies both the Arch Bishop as a fiend, but also a woman in the crowd, who starts to run away. They find that this is Gorthir and chase after him, but he leaps away into the sky.. The party turn there attention to the Arch Bishop and call him out, attacking while stripping the Arch Bishop of his illusion (Sha casts dispel magic), and then show the Cambion (and part troll - who's the Daddy) and immediately kill him, despite little help from the 2 paladin guards, and then find the body of the Arch Priest in his vestry, and the keys gone.
They then run to RAs temple, with Luell sprinting off ahead - followed by Cat only to also find that he has also been supplanted, and kill this Cambion out right, noting it regenerated - Troll blood.
Moving onto Lunar's temple they find a Cambion and Gorthir in the situation of killing and torturing the Arch Bishop. Luell runs ahead and into the Vestry finding Gorthir and the Cambion torturing the Arch Bishop, Gorthir runs out past Luell, only to find Cat and Sha in the way. Sha teleports next to Gorthir and cuts the bag with the keys off his belt....before being pounded by Gorthir into the temple floor. However Cat summons a .. which grabs the bag with the keys on the floor and brings them to him, before he too finds Gorthir next to him pounding him. In the background Luell scares hi Cambion and uses him as a pin cushion, saves the priest but then comes out to see cat also being pounded, before he heals himself and Sha, and runs off back towards Flint and David Tenth who are plodding up the thorough fair... Cat getting further pounded, manages to make it to Flint and David, which scares off Gorthir...
However now Ras arch bishop and Athenas Arch Bishops are dead, Hades arch Bishop supplanted, Lunar's Arch Bishop recovering, while Zeus and Posiedon's are an unknown quantity.... , Gorthir is on the loose, and Qill has a plan, but the party have 4 keys and know the location of the Book of Vile Darkness in the Well, but what next.......

Report Date

22 Jul 2023