Session 53

General Summary

2nd of Richfest, year 595 - Level 19
(week of Richfest, the midsummer festival, begins)


The party spends the late night speaking with Mahadi while enjoying his truly delicious offerings. Through conversation, they learn that Mahadi is given freedom to operate his Emporium as a neutral location, unmolested, but so long as he does not interfere in the affairs of the lords of Hell. That said, he can still provide information (especially once he is convinced the party sincerely desires to stop the opening of the Rift, and seem to have a plan to do so) and some of what the party learns from him include:

• For 2 soul coins, he can use his "information network" to discover if there have been others who have entered Avernus speaking of or asking about Glasya or her dagger, Vita’nanis, gifted to her by her father, Asmodeus, before his disappearance eons ago...
• ...as of the following day, Mahadi regrets to inform them that there has been no word of such, indicating either this other group has either not arrived yet in Avernus, or are successfully keeping a very low profile.
• There has been some kind of "event" at Tiamat's palace temple as of just this morning, what exactly, Mahadi is unsure, but for an additional soul coin, can find out...
• ...evidently, a large portion of the temple has collapsed. However, despite the amassing of pilgrims of Tiamat for centuries, making up communities of dragons, and kobolds, and other creatures, in the palace and temple -- there is no evidence of casualties. In fact, it would seem huge numbers of those who lived and worshiped around the temple have disappeared, leaving confusion and panic among those that remain.
• Attempting to steal from, threaten, or otherwise do anything against a lord of Hell on their own plane "is madness." Mahadi heavily recommends that if they do attempt to confront Glasya directly, they do so on any level of Baator except her home of Malbolge, the 6th level
• In light of attempting to use politics, Mahadi has only the following information that may be useful:
• ...Although once "partners in crime," Glasya and the current Prince of Hell, Moloch, are currently on the outs. It is rumored that Glasya is looking to take the throne from Moloch, or at least, that's Moloch's belief...
• ...Her relationship with Mammon on Minauros (the 3rd level) is supposedly quite good, and possibly improved of late in preparation for her attempt to advance her position...
• ...There's supposedly a rivalry between herself and the Lord and Lady of Phlegethos (the 4th level), Archduke Belial and his daughter Fierna...
• ...Zariel, the ruler of Avernus, while has access to all the levels, would likely have zero interest in helping and has no interest in Glasya, as her one and only interest is the Blood War with Abyss.
• The great wizard and planeswalker, Mordankeinan, would be the one most likely to know how to get between the levels of Baator...
• ...and would also be the best one to help with revealing any history or recent events surrounding Thessalia's amulet.

During the evening, something about their host's hands keeps drawing Irina's attention, and only after several attempts to watch closely, does she see through the illusion to catch a glimpse of backward hands, indicating Mahadi likely being a creature known as a "rakshasa."
After an evening of long-earned rest, Malex uses one of their blank tuning forks in a ritual attunement of the location of the Emporium for use in a Plane Shift spell. They also learn of the rest of the merchants in the caravan:

• Mahadi's Infernal Rapture
• Rassh, Skids, and Slagg's Firesnake Forge
• Burney the Barber (and Healer)
• Fhet’Ahla the amnizu's From Here to Avernus message and parcel delivery
• Ichor’s Aweigh! demon ichor monger
• Z’neth’s Larva Farm
• Bazruldruuhd’s Wonders

The party regroups with their guide Molomol and continue on toward Modankeinan's tower. When they arrive by air (on the back of a summoned white dragon named Maalcamaax), they discover a score of minor devils gathered at the base and no obvious entrances. A force field also protects the tower, preventing any landing on its top. Suffering the insults and chiding from the devils (who seem to be gathered to await being hired by the great wizard), Toby attempts to climb the wall to a balcony and encounters the force field. A devil attempting the same is wounded, but once healed by Malex, becomes receptive to hearing all about Asgorath!
Meanwhile, Irina catches Modankeinan's attention, and he levitates the party into the tower and his visually stunning and busy library. While he seems to have little care or interest in the Rift and the coming of the Old Ones (in fact, he appears very curious to see what happens), he's willing to help the party with the means to move between Baator's levels (and other services) provided they do something for him: He would have the party acquire for him as many samples (fruits or full cuttings) or as many forms of flora they can from a lost grotto that has retained the "Garden of Temptation" Avernus used to be before the Blood War scourged the landscape of the realm.

Report Date

09 Mar 2022