Session Report 56

General Summary

With the battle against the devil knight concluded the Muskrats began to investigate the area and found one captive: a young human boy. The Muskrats questioned the boy about his identity and why he was being held in Tritemeus's lair. The boy's name was Gran Icefall from Halvoy. The Icefalls are a noble family of doctors and clerics who operate in Halvoy. The Icefalls are known across Drasdorden, and even the world due to their outstanding medical prowess. Gran told the Muskrats that his family was attacked and a few of them were captured and taken to the Incubator. Gran was unaware of why his family was attacked or why they were taken. Choosing to aid the boy and his family, the Muskrats freed the boy and continued their push into the Incubator. 
What followed next can only be described as a massacre by the Muskrats. Hordes of magmins and firegiests rushed the Muskrats but as they did they were met with rapid fire eldritch blasts from Cambio and Chev. The onslaught of eldritch blasts felled the weak elementals as they attempted to reach the party. As Chev and Cambio held off the the hordes, Itzal and Tazmeth moved into an empty chamber to investigate. In the chamber they found a chest, a black coffin, and a demonic axe that ebbed with dark energy. Before the two could investigate further the ground began to shake and crack as something climbed upwards. Itzal was overcome with great fear. He felt as though his greatest enemy may be approaching him, but he did not understand why he felt this way. As the ground cracked and opened, two lava elementals climbed upwards ready to battle Itzal and Tazmeth. Tazmeth afraid of the elementals spewing lava quickly retreated. Perhaps this fear stemmed from a past life? With the assistance of Cambio and Chev the elementals were defeated and the Muskrats were free to loot. In the chest Chev found healing potions. None dared to touch the axe as they feared it to be cursed and were unsure of what horror would befall the one who took the axe. 
The Muskrats continued into the next chamber and found two more captives, Sedre Icefall and Bermond Kindfist. Gran rushed over to Sedre who turned out to be his mother and who had been taken in the same attack by Tritemeus. Again the Muskrats asked why the Icefall family had been attacked by Tritemeus. Sedre recounted a slightly different story than young Gran had. Tritemeus had come to the Icefall family seeking medical attention regarding the Cursed Arm of Asmes. The cancerous growth of the Arm had continued and was slowly taking Tritemeus over. He came to the Icefall family to attempt to prevent the spread of the Arm and to slow it. The Icefall family observed Tritemeus for nearly a week and determined that the Arm possessed both the qualities of a celestial and a fiend. Realizing the danger that Tritemeus posed to the world the Icefall family informed Tritemeus he could leave and return in a week for treatment. However, the Icefall family began to scheme to kill Tritemeus when he returned. Tritemeus returned but he was not seeking treatment. He attacked the family and took some of the family members captive. All but one Muskrat found no issue with this story. Itzal was confused why the Icefall family would kill Tritemeus. They were known as renowned doctors, who did decline to treat some patients and had created enemies because of their selective treatment. They were not known however to be aggressor in a confrontation. 
Itzal raised his observation with Sedre who was hesitant to answer. Cambio offered his silver tongue to persuade her to share why the Icefall family attempted to kill Tritemeus. Sedre revealed that the Icefall while being doctors were assassins who served the Kingdom of Hammerhide. Sedre revealed that the Icefall family received their cleric powers from Bhaal, the God of Murder. The family had determined that Tritemeus and the Arm posed a significant threat to Hammerhide and decided to take swift action. During their preparation they came into contact with Nachtmorder, the Eltenweiss guild of assassins. The two groups of assassins began to cooperate in an attempt to kill Tritemeus. Before the Icefall family could kill Tritemeus he attacked and captured some of the Icefall family members. Sedre was unsure of how Tritemeus knew of their plan. After sharing the story of the Icefall family the Muskrats freed Sedre. She offered healing in return, but shared that Tritemeus had been poisoning her with Magebane which severely weakened her magical capabilities. Sedre told the Muskrats that if they made it to Halvoy that the family head of the Icefall family would happily pay five thousand gold for each family member saved. With that Sedre, Gran, and Bermond departed and the Muskrats continued on their way. 
They were met with another small battle with elementals that they quickly finished and then proceeded into a large chamber where a terrifying scene was unfolding. A group of salamanders led by a salamander that stood nearly fifteen feet tall was coming face to face with bug-like fiends that were pouring out of a rift to the Nine Hells. The Muskrats had found themselves in the middle of a interplanar battle yet again.

Report Date

16 Aug 2022