Sins of Daevenfell

Sins of Daevenfell was the 48th session of the Daevenfell campaign, and the ninth session of Chapter 8: Apotheosis.

## Summary

Having explored the twisted tunnels below The Domed City, the Morass group turn back into corporeal form as the demon corpses start to wake up from their frozen state. They easily dispose of the first one, but more creatures begin to wake up, and the ceiling is closing down on them. Lhoris and Kaine are trapped beneath a pile of demons, and Teft, panicking, attempts to fight them off with a ring of fire. This only thaws them more quickly.

Kaine is able to dig himself out, and with the help of summoned chimps, opens up a way to Lhoris – enough for Omako to polymorph the Blood Hunter into a spider, small enough to escape. The entire tunnel is pulsating with awakening creatures, and most of the crew runs ahead to a massive hole, as if something huge and slithering has forced itself down through the corpses that make up the ground. However – Lilgo and Pilgrim are missing, and Lhoris refuses to leave without the boy. Together with Omako, he goes the other way to look for him, and just barely escape a giant monster who has made its lair there.

Forced to give up on Lilgo, they follow the others down the hole – only to be met by Pilgrim's quiet "Shhhh!" Everyone is reunited. The room is made out of black stone, and is icy cold. Through a set of massive doors, not unlike the ones in Tìr Annouhns, but with the celestial script violently scratched out, they spot something:

At the center of a dark lake, a huge wormlike creature, wrapped around their destination: The Portal. Only Lhoris recognizes the creature as what used to be Edith, but does not say anything.

Omako suggests a plan: He will turn himself into a bird, and lure the creature back up through the tunnels, to hopefully force a fight with the monster up there. He is ready to die in the attempt, if it will save the last, remaining few.

The others hide, as Omako lands on the worm, waking it. However, it is not aggressive. It moans the word "Segredo", and Omako, hesitantly, returns to human form, trying to talk to it. The worm is able to communicate that it is trying to get out, that it knows how. Omako tries to tell the worm that they are friends, that they will help it outside as long as it stays peaceful.

The worm groans, and what remained of Edith slips away, fought off by the demon. It lunges at Omako and almost instantly kills him... except – he is still attuned to the Sunstone.

Leaping across the water in one big movement, Kaine is able to get the Sunstone to the old man in time to save him, and a fight ensues. The group has gotten strong. Teft sears off chunks of the worm's flesh with a disintegration ray, as Lhoris, Khaine and Little Brother all cleave the thing to bits with their blades and axes. The fight is over... and left on the ground is the battered corpse of a young tiefling girl.

The party attempts the door, but it's locked, surrounded by a floating bronze disc of strange hieroglyphs. Teft tries to open the door with it, but nothing happens, except the withered grass around it going green again. Omako gets an idea...

Touching the Sunstone to Edith's corpse, he is able to cast a Reincarnate spell on her. The Sunstone, however, is consumed in the process.

Edith Ra glows white, and returns, alive, as a pure white Dragonborn – a new body made from the energy of the powerful artifact.

A period of confusion, before she gradually recovers her memory. She has the cipher for the portal, and can get them out... Then she realizes who she's with. She sees Teft, accusing him of taking Ycaron's side, causing untold civilian deaths as a result. She sees Pilgrim, who used to enslave a whole village. Then, her last memories before death returning, seeing Lhoris, telling everyone how he murdered her aboard Gealach's Hope.

Lhoris denies it, saying he has no memory of what happened. He's kept quiet about what deal he actually made with the elves. It's his word against hers. Edith asks if there are more survivors left, and once again Lhoris denies it.

The group seems to believe Lhoris, until Omako is suddenly hit with a flash of insight. Arlan Howl. Lt. Mallark. How they suddenly "disappeared". He recognises the signs of Lhoris lying, and will have none of it. As everyone is yelling at each other, he accuses Lhoris and Teft of being cowards, and that for once, perhaps it's time the Morass clan stood up for others than themselves. Most seem to ignore the old man, wanting to save their own skins.

But then little Lilgo speaks up. He yells at Lhoris that he isn't a monster, so why is he so intent on acting like one?

Lhoris looks at the boy, then admits everything, defeated. He did kill Edith. He killed Ridqeck too. And for all he knows, there are still survivors on the way.

Edith summons Junior, and sends him up through the tunnels, to scout for what remains of the peoples of Daevenfell.

Meanwhile, at the top of the tower, King Ycaron, Murmillo and The Baron are preparing for the arrival of their kinsmen, as they spot something in the distance.

The Drow are about to reach The Domed City.