Session 97 - Sigil

9 Yarthmont 1011 - 10 Yarthmont 1011

General Summary

The party begins their walk through the city, keeping in mind to find a place to stay and that there may be people looking for someone to go into the Abyss or other plains, which would give them a chance to "get their feet wet" before the main event.
Making their way to The Lady's Ward, they find lodgings and dinner at The Golden Bariuar Inn - the name referring to the very blond Bariaur doorman. The prices are much higher than the party's usual fare, but the clientele is similarly upscale. The site of a couple devas or solars or archons (the party has no clue which are which) is almost overwhelming. Bellies full with most a most excellent meal, they go to their rooms and have a restful night.
The next day they head out on foot toward the Gate House. Continuing through The Lady's Ward, the sight of the Temple of the Abyss is most disconcerting. While most of this ward is well maintained and filled with higher class homes and business, the gruesome Temple's spikes are adorned with corpes being picked at by birds - sacrifices of the previous antipeak's rituals.
As they explore the town, their desire to find a "get your feet wet" opportunity lands in their feet! A horn blows with some fanfare and an illusory scroll drifts by, displaying a rebus much like how the Dabus speek. The party struggles to interpret the banner, but a local explains what they are missing from the message. The message reads, "Calling all bloods! The General Assurance Company seeks cutters to retrieve something lost on the Abyss. Excellent pay. See Willum in the Grinning Imp." They decide this could be the perfect first planar job and they should meet with Willum to learn more, but first they have to find Usidore, and have him cast Legend Lore on Tork's spear.
Nearing the Lower Ward, they come across a work crew dealing with an invasive species of very sharp vines growing around a building. Their initial empathy toward the plants is lost when they try communicating with the vines. From the crew they learn it's called Razorvine and probably originates from the lower planes. The neighborhood takes a noticeable downturn as they move into this ward, and they can see the great plumes of smog coming from The Great Foundry some distance off to their right.
Not all in the Lower Ward is dirt and gloom though, as they pass by The Green Mill. Workers are scrubbing the bright yellow and green exterior and the party stops in for lunch. They're refreshed by the good food, elven music, and the lush decor. The most opulent thing in the tavern is probably the courtyard, which grows the largest (and possibly only) trees in Sigil. Seraphina and Elincia are particularly invigorated by the short stop here.
Resuming their trek, they cross The Ditch and into The Hive. As they approach the Gate House, they find a long line of very forlorn people. All are here to leave family members in the care of The Bleakers, because they don't have the means to take care of them on their own - some for lack of funds and some unable to deal with mental problems. Soon a crowd forms around the party, as Seraphina has started to give some money to the destitute. This clearly is not sustainable though and, after helping a few families, many are still standing in line for the Gate House. Eventually they find it their turn at the information desk setup in the courtyard. The party explains that they are here to visit with their "relative" Usidore. They give false names, and they are directed to one of the wings of the great building.
After a little garnish and a short wait at reception, they are allowed in for their visit. Usidore seems like a bit of an excentric. He introduces himself grandly, "I am Usidore, wizard of the 12th Realm of Ephysiyies, Master of Light and Shadow..." or at least as grandly as he can while in a straitjacket. After some discussion they gather a few things about Usidore: he's a key factor in some kind of major conflict between good and evil on his home world of Foon in the material plane. Somehow he fell through a dimensional portal behind a tavern and found himself in Sigil and, though he's trying to return to Foon, the world isn't known to anyone in Sigil. For some reason, the party never asks how he got "committed" to the Gate House, but they tell Usidore they will vouch for him and get him out if he will cast the Legend Lore spell on Tork's spear. He readily agrees, and they get him to play along with the Uncle thing as they negotiate with the staff on them taking responsibility for Usidore.
Ultimately the Gate House staff seem happy to let them take responsibility (a few paperwork clearing exchanges of cash don't exactly hurt either). Once they have secured the release of Usidore, they inquire about where they can make a donation to help with the Orphanage activities of the Gate House. This happens unsurprisingly easily, and the party walks away from the Gate House feeling pretty good about themselves. At least they are able to help a little bit!
As they walk away, Usidore inquires about the date. Once they figure out the date, he becomes quite excited, as his favorite play is having its final showing tonight! They make their way quickly back across town to the Market Ward and Chirper's, a sprawling inn located near the Great Bazaar. The party ends up attending "Automaton Constable" which they find enjoyable, but clearly Usidore is the biggest fan in the audience. The venue is interesting, and seems to be some kind of bird sanctuary with many wrens in the rafters - noticing the party's interest in them, Usidore sighs and says he loves birds while watching them wistfully. Usidore seems to be known by these birds (or attracts them), as they alight on his shoulders during the performance.
After a dinner at the bird-themed hotel, where Usidore again proclaims his love of birds while feasting on a roast chicken, and gathering the needed spell materials (incense and ivory) they get a room at the hotel to perform the Legend Lore spell. Usidore drops into a trance, which he refers to as the "Wizard state" and begins spouting off informationation about the demon inside the spear:

• A slaughter-loving balor named Yarrowish lives within the Dragon-Bone Spear. 
• Yarrowish comes from the triple realm of Azzagrat, where he was banished by Graz'zt for disloyality. 
• His home is lit by a blue sun, where fire and cold are interwoven. 
• While Yarrowish will be strongest there, that is where his connection to the spear will be weakest, and the two can be divested from each other, but only within the audience chamber of his former dominion. 
• Further, they must dampen the spear's magic with castings of Dispel Magic and Remove Curse as well as providing a sacrifice - either the blood of a freshly slain lamb, three humanoid souls, or a portion of life force bled from a willing supplicant or supplicants.

When Usidore returns to "normal" he pops up, thanks the party, wishes them luck with all of that, and says he has "to talk to a man about a bedpan." and starts to head for the door and down the hall. They are initially confused, as the room has its own facilities, but he explains, no, there is a shop on the other side of town that has bedpans made from materials from different places, and he believes he can secure some metal from his home world and use it to get back to the conflict that has defined his career.
The party stays the night at the hotel, then heads to find the Grinning Imp to meet Willum before meeting with Celia again. After a long hike back across town to the Lower Ward, stopping to gather information and directions from who they can along the way, they finally find the place. The Grinning Imp is tavern down some steps below street level. The archway above the door features, unsurprisingly, a relief of a grinning or leering Imp. Inside there are several tables and the atmosphere is dark. But the barkeep, a tiefling with great sabreteeth, is professional. When they order drinks and ask after Willum, he directs them to a table in the room.
Willum seems quite pleased to find adventurers here in response to his posting. He explains that he works for the General Assurance Company, which holds a policy on a very large flying ship from one of the quasi-elemental planes. This flying ship has been stolen and is now on the first level of the Abyssal plane. If the party were to accept the job, Willum can provide some powerful magic items, as well as spell keys, to help them deal with the dangers of the Abyss. They agree to terms, though they will need to discuss what items they may want. He suggests that they meet again the next day if they are truly interested.
They leave the Imp, feeling that this is definitely a good opportunity for them. When they meet up with Celia later, she agrees this is probably a good way to familiarize themselves with how the Abyss operates. They give her the Legend Lore summary, and they arrange to meet her again the next day so she can give them a full briefing on the plane. She gives them some advice right away about dealing with the differences in how their equipment will function in the Abyss, and recommends they do some shopping to prepare.

Report Date

27 Apr 2025