Session 36: The Trial of Trix

## Key Plot Developments

In the Civil Court of Baator, Trix sits aside Graz'zt and his co-counsel: Annarei, cured of her madness and in her full succubus form. Across the room sit their opposing counsel, Am'Hii the Secondary (a small-horned, pale-skinned humanoid devil) and Murmur the Moribond (who, in her true form, is a massive slug-woman; in court, she wears a brunette human suit). Vapula, a Duke of Hell, waits in the witness stand (normally a Gryphon-headed lion, now a professorial human), as does Dantalion, former keeper of a forbidden library (an overly suave man drinking tea out of a skull). Lady Zariel, the judge, looms over the proceedings. Her head is encased in a burning halo, her skin is scorched, and her once-angelic wings have been made leathery by flames. One of her hands is a gavel; she wears a blindfold (as justice, even in hell, must appear to be blind).

The trial begins. Murmur introduces the Ichabond into evidence, while Graz'zt begins hitting on Zariel (who does not seem completely unreceptive).

Am'Hii delivers her opening, painting Trix as a negligent villain and Ichabod as doing his best to gather souls under the circumstances (he was punished for failing to convert a cult of Ashardalon to Asmodeus, forced to still get soul coins when trapped in the body of a raven and forced into a perpetual Zone of Truth). She says Trix should have known Suortin would harm Ichabod when the latter was summoned to Anna's grove.

Anna opens for the defense, arguing that "the worst devil in history wants to cheat on his homework." She argues that Ichabod, as a greater devil, knew far more about the dangers of appearing in the grove than Trix did, and that he was only in that greedy and desperate position because of his incompetence. She says a devil who should have KNOWN better didn't do better.

Am'Hii directs Vapula, who testifies to the value of Trix's soul coin (who he paints as a clerical prodigy with a lot of power to steal) and Trix's clear liability in signing the Ichabond.

Graz'zt cross-examines him, pointing out the final clause of the Ichabond; the will of Baator makes the final determination, and Zariel represents the will of Baator. He raises an affirmative defense: if he can offer a better deal to Zariel than Trix's soul, Trix can get his soul coin back. He suggests he captured Nicholas Ice Cream before and is willing to stop warring with Baator to do it again--together. Am'Hii redirects Vapula, suggesting Trix's value goes beyond his own soul coin; he foolishly signed away all of his family's souls, which means they can be teleported to hell, killed, and harvested.

Murmur directs Ichabod. Ichabod establishes his credentials as a spymaster devil. He explains how failed to corrupt a cult of Ashardalon, the calamitous dragon, and has fallen behind in soul coin collection as a result of his Ashardalon-related imprisonment and his subsequent punishment. He says he would be up to date on collection if Trix hadn't negligently summoned him to Anna's grove. Trix had a chance to clarify any of the Ichabond but chose not to, so, if Ichabod wins, he has no recourse but to watch his family get summoned to hell and murdered.

Annarei crosses Ichabod, exploring how he could have deescalated the situation, but instructed Trix to insult Anna instead. She blames Ichabod for not doing his due diligence before appearing around the grove when he knew the situation in the grove was dangerous. Then, she suggests Ichabod is only appearing in court to have Zariel do his work for him. On redirect, Murmur establishes how powerful the goblin children were at the grove, and how desirable their soul coins would be for Zariel. The plaintiff rests.

Annarei directs Trix. She establishes Trix's lack of training and value to hell. She then explains how Ichabod made the situation worse through unnecessary belligerence. Am'Hii engages in an extended cross-examination where she makes Trix recite his impressive number of cleric spells. She also establishes Trix's familiarity with how Anna wanted Ichabod gone, and therefore his negligence in calling him back when they were still in the grove. She shows a frightening image of Suortin (upsetting Anna, who misses him). Trix can't remember why he resummoned Ichabod to that dangerous place.

Finally, Graz'zt calls Dantalion to the stand (they flirt like crazy). Dantalion, an expert on Nicholas Ice Cream's schemes, testifies that Graz'zt was previously able to capture the lord of deception while no devil has been able to. He suggests Graz'zt will do what it takes, benefiting Zariel directly. Murmur crosses him on his lack of credibility and proof; he, like Graz'zt, is a fallen devil. Dantalion avoids many of her questions, cleverly using devil-esque double-talk.

In her closing argument, Murmur argues the goblin prodigies would greatly benefit Baator, that Trix definitely knew Suortin would harm Ichabod, and that Graz'zt has no credibility.

Graz'zt argues that Ichabod is working UNLAWFULLY and trying to cheat the system. Then, he says the plaintiff's argument doesn't make sense; if the goblins are prodigies, then summoning them to hell now would either put the devils at risk of being destroyed on their home plane, or would prematurely kill budding heroes who would be much more valuable later. Then, he swears in a Zone of Truth that he'll hunt down Nicholas Ice Cream with Zariel. (He flirts shamelessly throughout.)

Zariel sides with Graz'zt. The chance of capturing Nicholas Ice Cream is too good to ignore. However, she says she'll keep the soul coins for when the goblins naturally die. Graz'zt offers a counter-proposal; he'll hunt down 668 goblins from the Endless Battlefield of Acheron, including Pyrite, and give their soul coins to Zariel. Over 600 goblins outweigh six, so she accepts. Trix is stunned; while his soul coin is his again, he initially sold it for Pyrite's sake. Was the whole affair for nothing?

As Trix has been away, the group has been panicking. Vizeran, misunderstanding the urgency of the situation, is unhelpful. When Trix returns, he immediately puts Misu in a Zone of Truth and asks about her expediting his court date. She swears to know nothing about it. They conclude Nicholas Ice Cream, wearing Misu's face, caused the problem.

They travel close to Blingdenstone. Bogtooth asks Trix about the terms of his freedom; he avoids the question, overwhelmed with guilt for the hundreds of souls that will be damned. Trix sends Graz'zt a sending about Nicholas Ice Cream. Glyn asks Trix about Anna, but Trix is still uncomfortable around Glyn because of the latter's unrequited crush on Drigglezub.

Glyn, alienated from Trix (who is not willing to speak openly to Pix), speaks with Lemon. Lemon explains how, when he's not in the bag and he isn't speaking with his friends, he hears Roomie's voice tell him to CONSUME (so he eats a lot of dirt). The party questions, for the first time, if Lemon is being directly encouraged by the Demon Lord of Oozes: Juiblex.

## New NPCs

1. Vapula, Duke of Hell
2. Dantalion, Count of Hell
3. Murmur the Moribund, devil lawyer
4. Am'Hii the Secondary, devil lawyer
5. Lady Zariel, devil judge

## Memorable Quotations

**Am'Hii the Secondary:** This is a case about sympathy for the devil.

**Annarei:** The worst devil in history wants to cheat on his homework.

* **Am'Hii:** How are you?
* **Vapula:** Miserable.
* **Am'Hii;** Excellent.

**Vizeran:** I can clearly recognize when there has been a TRANSPORTATION spell that has take one of us away from here. If I were able to perform a plane shift spell, then I would do so swiftly. But I have not prepared that spell this day.

* **Vizeran:** I have the ability to view something far far away. It is called...scrying…
* **Tremble:** Oooooh, he’s even more annoying than his brother!!

**Tremble:** NO, we weren’t in there for 30 days! We were in there for two days! There's about two days worth of rocks changing!

* **Misu:** Nicholas Ice Cream is disguised as me right now…
* **Glyn:** What?
* **Bogtooth:** What?
* **Tremble:** What?
* **Bogtooth:** Misu, what the f\*ck did you DO?
* **Misu:** I did nothing but DIE!

**Tremble:** We’ve been through a lot of stuff that other kids don’t have to go through! You don't GET to treat us like children 'cause right now my BROTHER’S been taken away!

**Trix** (looking at a rock): It’s only been five minutes?

* **Trix:** Graz’zt kept fliting with the judge...she didn’t DISlike it.
* **Misu:** Oh, that’s not very devilish!
* **Trix:** No, I think he’s just really smooth.

**Vizeran:** It is difficult to cut ties with family, especially when that family has been disruptive beyond one’s control. Yes, there is an emotional reservoir, but that reservoir has run dry.

* **Bogtooth:** So we don't have any more dealings with devils, right? Well, except for Miss Misu.
* **Tremble:** I don't think Miss Misu’s a devil.
* **Misu**: It’s just condescending at this point.

**Graz'zt:** I have it on good authority that, if we work together, every other demon lord can be taken down for the count. Sure, the plaintiff is going to get up and say you can’t trust me. But the question isn’t if you can trust me in a vacuum--it’s if you think I’m more competent than the least competent devil in all of Baator.

* **Zariel:** The court has determined a verdict. The plaintiff’s action called for the goblins Trix, Pyrite, Pix, Bogtooth, Glyn, and Tremble to be terminated prematurely. This is denied; the defense is not liable for the plaintiff’s incompetence. The court sentences the Plaintiff to 50 additional cycles in insect form. However, per Kvothe v. Chandrian, the court will not give the defendant an unambiguously happy ending. Therefore, the court retains possession of the defendant’s soul coin and subpoena rights to the relevant parties upon the defendant’s natural termination
* **Graz'zt:** Oh, I forgot about that. Right. No, I want them. Your honor, motion to summary bargain, per Loki v. Jotunheim?

* **Graz'zt:** Can you identify the individual who previously stopped Nicholas Ice Cream by his most attractive feature?
* **Dantalion:** I would like to say that this nine-foot tall individual can be identified by his absolutely ridiculously handsome… I daresay intoxicating…button nose.

* **Trix:** The judge was really scary. She had this blindfold on and this scary hammer instead of a hand.
* **Misu:** Well, justice is blind.
* **Tremble:** WHAT?! Judges don’t have EYES?

**Graz'zt:** Introductions? I’m Graz’zt, Lord of the Triple Realm. I’m joined by my colleague, Annarei, on behalf of Trix the goblin. Pursuant to the court’s prior ruling in Asmodeus v. Argent Palace, the hospitality my realm shows devil-blooded tiefling merchants on its 45th layer entitles me to a violence-free excursion in court today per the Obligations of Guest and Host.

* **Lemon:** What’s a stool?
* **Bogtooth:** He’s a big money baller!
* **Lemon:** Wow, I wanna be a big money baller!
* **Bogtooth:** You are!
* **Lemon:** Wow, great! I’m just like Stool!