Session x 101 "The Return to Gracklestugh"

Session 101: The Return to Gracklestugh

With reinforcements in the form of Yun, Members of Force Grey, The Silent Rain, and Order of the Even Fist arriving via teleportation disc, you all caught your breath after the fight at the Lyceum and received some much needed healing. Things almost went south when Bucky and Phantasma came up with a plan to get Phantasma healed disguised as Bucky, but fortunately cooler heads prevailed.

You then divided the force approaching the Tower: the Silent Rain sticking to the roof tops, The Order of the Even Fist flanking your position and everyone else taking the direct approach. As you left the remains of The Alabaster Lyceum, you were approached by Anoushka of the resistance and, Bucky’s biological aunt, Alora Vinedale formerly of the Company of Eight. They said that the resistance and those under their protection had been brought into the tower, and the idea that you were walking into another trap began to circulate, but with everything in place, now was the time to strike. Gram gave the word to Bip, and you went in with knowledge that those outside had begun their attack.

The devils guarding the site were quickly overwhelmed as you made your way to the top of the tower. There you found the missing people, chained up, hooked up to various tubes, but conscious and seemingly alright but worse for wear. They were being watched over by, according to Grin, many of the imps that had been spying on you. Muffy took care of them with a Reverse Gravity spell, and then everything happened very quickly.

The sky, and all light went red, and a geyser of sludge erupted from the center of the tower. Maliantor of Force Grey cut it off with a wall of force, keeping it in place as long as she maintained concentration. As the resistance members and others were being freed, you saw out the windows massive ships, on par with the one you had brought down previous begin to materialize… and then they just stopped. It was Balistar. Using all of his energy he was preventing the full materialization of the ships, but it was clear he was not going to last long.

Bucky, realizing that the devils had been waiting to spring this trap until you played your hand deduced the most likely source of the new energy field now encompassing not only Athkatmon, but as Balistar had conjectured, likely all of Amn. There was a territory that the devils had even a greater grip on than they did on Athkatmon prior to the first wave invading Hellish forces: Gracklestugh.

With the badge Gram had received on your previous trip there, Malintor was able to bring the Lucky Seven along with another member of Force Grey known as Wardragon, and one other individual to Gracklestugh? That individual? Of course it was Mugbug. Gracklestugh was in chaos, the red light was here as well, and anyone who found themselves more than 30 feet from Rhys began to melt into one of those horrific forms. A derro that you had previously encountered pointed out the way to the tower, and together you made your way through the streets, that was until Rhys’ parents showed up.

Piloting a mechanical beholder with a new horrific cyborg duergar creation under their control, they attacked. The Force Grey members, Mugbug, and Rensig held of joining devilish forces while the rest of you fought and defeated Rhys parents, Gram accidentally killing Rhys’ dad. Bucky, was able to convince Rhys’ mom that if she stood down and helped you would be able to bring Rhys’ father back. And Rhys, who had only moments earlier been brought back from the dead by Muffy, brought his second person in one day back from the dead, this one being his own father.

You now have control of the damaged Mechanical Beholder, Bucky quickly learning its controls. After Gram’s most recent check in with Bip, you know that a lot of lives and the fate of Athkatmon, Amn, and likely the whole world hang in the balance. Your target, the real tower here in Gracklestugh. Your plan of attack? I leave it up to you, but you better hurry or a force of devils the likes of which this world has never known will arrive in full, dashing any hopes you may have had of defeating them and taking back the city that you have come to know as your own.