Session Report 60

General Summary

The Muskrats found themselves in a predicament as they were trapped in a chamber made of stone with only a locked stone door as a feasible exit. Choosing to be brave, Tazmeth approached the door. As he did the chamber shook and a stone head rose from the ground that rested on a pedestal. The pedestal had an inscription that read, "I am born by stone and I feel comfortable when I am at my home on the plane. I feel disarrayed when I am not in my element. What am I?” This riddle immediately sent the Muskrats into tizzy. Chev descended into a rant complaining about fucking riddles and that Itzal needed to get their asses out of this place. Taking some time to think Itzal guided the Muskrats into his extradimensional space created by Rope Trick. Tazmeth, drawing on his logic teaching from the monastery, formulated an answer to the riddle: earth elemental. With a loud grinding the door swung open.
When the door opened the Muskrats could hear yelling and the sound of weapons being draw. With the doors fully open the Muskrats realized that they had discovered a camp of miners. A middle aged gnome rushed up to the Muskrats and introduced himself as Bilben Domlanal. Bilben was the foreman of Expedition Z-3 of the Benz. Boring Co. of Halvoy. Bilben informed the Muskrats that they were on the Elemental Plane of Earth. The Muskrats inquired how the miners had ended up in the Elemental Plane of Earth. Bilben explained that the Benz Boring Co. organized an expedition into the Elemental Plane of Earth to retrieve rare minerals and ores, and conduct research on the Plane. The Company claimed that their portal to the Plane would not close, but within a week the miners were stranded inside the Plane when the Plane shifted and the portal disappeared. The miners tried to navigate the plane and escape but various events had led to the death of nearly three fourths of the expedition. A couple nights prior half of the chamber that the miners were resting in collapsed leaving a void below. The Muskrats felt as though Bilben knew more than he was letting off. Choosing not to pry the party headed off to speak to members of the camp. 
They met a tiefling named Dami, who had a frigid personality and shared little with the Muskrats about how she ended up in the Plane. Despite the cold shoulder Dami began to follow the Muskrats and the Muskrats were thankful, especially, Chev to have a frontliner tagging along. Next, the Muskrats spoke with Pata'traeya, a strange creature hidden in robes. He had eight black beady eyes, rows of serrated teeth, leathery pink skin, and hairy goatlike legs. Tazmeth was inquisitive as always and began to ask question of him. In his questioning, the Muskrats learned that Pata'traeya came from a place called Leng that existed on the Prime Material Plane but was often hard to find and that he had not been to for many decades. The Folk of Leng were known as interplanar merchants who dealt in people, magical items, and silks. Tazmeth continued the questioning by inquiring about how Pata'traeya ended up in the Elemental Plane of Earth. Pata'traeya was part of a crew of Leng who had sold slaves in the Elemental Plane of Fire and were leaving the plane to continue their trade. They were attacked by efreeti raiders and in the struggle Pata'traeya was knocked overboard. Believing he was dead, he was surprised to discover himself in a dark chamber and realized he was in the Elemental Plane of Earth. After hearing his tale Tazmeth decided to buy a pair of gauntlets from Pata'traeya that could shock his enemies. At the urging of Chev the Muskrats continued on their way. The big human was unsettled by the creature and wanted no more of him. 
Next the Muskrats spoke with the last guard of the mining expedition, a man by the name of Redmane Grim. Redmane was a mid forties human man who was missing his left arm below the elbow. He looked on the Muskrats with suspicion but after the smooth words of Cambio, he was coaxed into sharing the details of his life. Redmane was once the first captain of Ford the Water Serpent, a renowned pirate on the eastern half of Drasdorden. Ford was one of the five Seakings who formed the Bastard's Court, an alliance between the most powerful pirates on the continent to join forces. The Bastard's Court was founded by the Drowned Dwarf, but after his disappearance, the new High Wayfarer is a woman by the name of Mayathangi. Another of the Seakings, Guntor Hush Horn, believed that Redmane was working with enemies of the Bastard's  Court and forced Ford to deal with him. Ford confronted Redmane and cut his arm off and threw him overboard. Believing that Redmane was too drunk and weak to reach shore he did not chase him. However, Redmane was able to reach shore where he was nursed back to health by a young lady in the Bay of Sisters. He went on to marry the girl, but the happy story ended when Guntor raided the village and killed her and destroyed the village. Redmane escaped and headed to Halvoy. After moping for months he made a choice to better himself and get revenge on Guntor for what he did to him. After hearing his story the Muskrats wished him luck and moved on. 
Seeing no way to escape, the Muskrats took their rest and kept a close eye on the individuals of the camp. Twice the Muskrats caught Bilben trying to sneak into the camp, and on the second try they learned that Bilben was attempting to rob the party of an Amulet of Planes so that he and others could escape. The Muskrats chastised him and began to question him more about the expedition. Here, the Muskrats learned that the Company was founded two years ago by a man named DB. Itzal made the connection that the Company was founded by Daimler Bauman but was unsure what the wizard was planning. With a strong reassurance that the Muskrats would get them all out of the Plane, Bilben went on his way. After their rest the Muskrats began an investigation of the void in the chamber. With numerous experiments such as scrying, throwing Chev's echo down one thousand feet, and even casting Redmane down the void with daylight on him, the Muskrats could not discover the bottom. As they considered their next move, the chamber suddenly collapsed and the gravity in the Plane shifted casting them upwards or was it downwards? No one was sure anymore. 
The Muskrats slid down a shaft and were deposited into a chamber that began to slowly move and a creature's maw appeared. From it came tentacles with humanoid faces with twisted grimaces of pain and anger. The creature began to speak to Chev and the others in their mind. The creature was Qorgeth, the Demon Lord of Devouring Worms. Qorgeth had learned of Chev's feud with Asmodeus and offered Chev power in exchange for Chev working with demons against Asmodeus in the Blood War. Chev scoffed at the little power the demon lord offered and ordered Itzal to taxi him out there. Itzal called upon the power of his Amulet of the Planes and transported the Muskrats to the gates of Kannaksen. 
The Muskrats were shocked when appearing at the gates of the city. The city was in ruins. Bodies strewn across the streets. Giants and bearfolk ran wild as the walls of the castle were assaulted. A figure standing nearly a hundred feet tall was battering the walls with his a familiar axe. Sauvek, the apparent king of the giants had led an army to lay ruin to the city. As the party watched the destruction unfold they caught sight of Daimler and Obsidian fleeing the city. Taking a moment to decide whether to follow, the Muskrats made the choice to follow the pair. After a short distance the Muskrats caught up and began to interrogate the two. A frantic discussion followed with Daimlar relaying the attack on the city and asking for the party to teleport all of them to Ginnel's Beach that Daimler believed was safe. 
With another teleportation the Muskrats returned to Ginnel's Beach, the home of the Muskrats' drug den. Heading to the Devil's Den for Daimler to rest and receive medical care. Once settled the Muskrats asked what had happened to the city and what transpired over the last two years. Since last seeing the Muskrats, Daimler had taken over the Devil's Den at the request of the F. Brothers and began smuggling weapons and magical items. Daimler sold to the Alliance, the rebels, and bandits. Chev approved greatly to the entrepreneurship of the wizard. When inquiring what brought on the attack by Sauvek, the Muksrats learned that Sauvek joined forces with Tritemeus and attacked Kannaksen at the urging of Tritemeus. The cause was that Daimlar refused to work with Tritemeus, and Tritemeus threatened to ruin his business. Daimler was unaware that ruining his business would involve destroying the kingdom. As a means to fix the problem Daimler sent the Muskrats to speak with Cornelius Vanderwallen. The Muskrats returned to the New Newt for first time in a couple years and began to plead with the eccentric old wizard for assistance. After much begging he agreed to assist if the Muskrats fulfilled a curiosity that he had. The Muskrats readily agreed and Vanderwallen shared the details of what he wanted done. Vanderwallen believed that the Alliance, Frostfire. and Hammerhide were once one kingdom known as the "1st Kingdom." Vanderwallen wanted to learn if a rightful heir was alive and then for the Muskrats to reform the kingdom. The Muskratsddi not realize what they had signed themselves up for but this agreement earned them a casting of Wish that changed the attack by Sauvek from targeting Kannaksen to Fort Serlantus. Perhaps RedTail was finally avenged.

Report Date

16 Sep 2022