Degausser

The party makes it to the Underworld where they learn what happened to King Demetrius Heliodson and the origin of The Returned.

## Major Plot Points

* The party traveled down the River Styx with Athreos and Damet. Dikarus Bottombane revealed his telepathic abilities by connecting his mind to Muchomucho M Amor, Rory Sharptooth, Sprocket "Ballsy" Gnoman III, and Sybil Ringwell. The rogue admitted he didn't like using his telepathy but thought a subtle form of communication would be good for situation.
* Muchomucho was angry and hurt that Dikarus continued to hold secrets from the group.
* Damet told the party they shouldn't sleep with any Underworld dweller, consume food and drinks as that will let Erebos claim their soul when they die, draw too much attention to themselves, and not to bring anything back with them.
* The spectral nymph explained that the Underworld serves as a purgatory where spirits not good enough to get into the heavens or bad enough to get into the hells can gain more karma points that will dictate their final resting place.
* The group saw a human wizard who was collecting river water to make potions. They party refused to barter with him. Sprocket had Damet help him make a coma potion with the Styx water.
* Rory knocked the wizard into the water and his skin melted from his bones. Damet helped the party hide the remains.
* A woman cried out for help further down the river. Sprocket, Sybil, and Aryan Grande decided to help her while their friends held back. When they threw her some wood and rope, the woman tried to use it to topple their boat. Sybil and Sprocket fell in, suffering necrotic damage. Sybil was able to not swallow any water but Sprocket wasn't so lucky. Damet said, since he consumed water here, his soul belonged to Erebos.
* Sprocket held on to hope that being an anvilwrought made him biologically immortal.
* Athreos docked the boat in the Underworld wastelands and said he'd wait for the party there. It didn't take long for the party to run into a band of skeletons. Sprocket, Sybil, Rory, and Muchomucho failed to hide. The Bone Boys told them they had to pay their toll to continue onwards. Muchomucho gave them the coma potion, misleading them into thinking it was a potion of immeasurable magical power.
* Demons and devils fought in the sky. Their spilled acidic blood hurt Dikarus, Sprocket, and Barbara Duke.
* Rory rushed over to a fallen incubus named Svedka. The incubus explained demons and devils have been at war for thousands of years. Damet confirmed that no one remembers why the war started. The demons are led by Chaotica and the devils are led by Asmodeus.
* Svedka denied Rory's advances and spent some time with Layla instead. After the short rest, Svedka escorted them to Hella City.
* Clows Kufas and Sprocket went to the Fountain of Quaint in the town square. Those seeking to go to hell tossed coins into the fountain and wished for their own damnation. Clows and Sprocket tricked Damet into letting them take the 1,749 gold in the fountain.
* Sybil, Barb, Aryan, and Muchomucho went to Mary's Poppets. Barb used her "black money" gold to buy a voodoo doll. She also had Mary turn her cloak into a Cloak of Protection, giving her +1 AC.
* Svedka brought Rory, Dikarus, and Layla to the Fucubus, a party bus owned by the succubus named Lilith. They group partied and Rory seduced Svedka.
* Juxxtina rejoined the party thanks to Damet securing a permit to teleport others. Juxxtina was found wandering by the Underworld entrance. The tiefling went to the city's execution yard where she saved Unabot from oblivion. He gladly went into the party's tinderbox after a round of hugs.
* The party then went to Erebos' castle to find out if King Demetrius truly died or not. Muchomucho conversed with a ghost of a crow who fought for him in life. The crow said the graves close to the skull castle were all empty. Clows used his magic to dig up a grave and found a secret staircase. Rory confirmed it wasn't trapped and they proceeded inside.
* The group found several people being tortured in the entry hall. Sprocket deceived the wraiths they were there to relieve them of duty. They freed living oracles of Heliod, Karametra, Nylea, Ephara, and Phaenax. They also freed Melodia, a bard who tried luring the soul of her girlfriend out of the Underworld with song, and Titus, a deceased bard who sold his soul to every deity he could for treasure. The living people left and Titus went into the tinderbox.
* Sybil and Aryan got separated from the rest of the party in a library maze. They found two undead beings in a game of chess that was going on for 400 years. Sybil discovered a way to end the game and helped one of the ghosts win. She then challenged the loser to a game and beat him handily and quickly.
* Dikarus, Sprocket, Muchomucho, Barb, Juxxtina, Rory, and Clows entered a witch's lair where three hags were making a potion. The coven chastised the party, believing they were couriers who failed to bring their dog snout, snail shell, virgin heart, and cloud. The group left without physical conflict but not before finding out they're brewing a potion to kill gods.
* The party reunited in a chamber where an undead man was growing demons in cocoons. Muchomucho wanted to destroy them but the group continued on without violence.
* Upstairs, a demon called Hope Eater attacked our heroes. He went after Barb first due to the rich smell of gold on her. It's necrotic breath hurt everyone but Muchomucho and Juxxtina. Muchomucho cast fireball on it. Barb would have her revenge by making it afraid of her. Sybil cast slow on the monster. Juxxtina healed the party. Rory struck at it with his halberd. Sprocket summoned a healing cannon. Aryan fired her cross bolts. Clows enlarged Dikarus. The rogue slashed at the demon with his soul blade. Hope Eater went to flee Barb out of fear but it was cut down by Juxxtina's lightning javelin.
* Erebos revealed himself to the party. He captured the souls of Unabot, Brettnay Matthews, Titus, Layla, Schmitty, and Witty. The group agreed to give him Schmitty and Witty. However, they asked to harbor the rest since they were at war with Queen Nekros who was stealing his souls. The god of the dead agreed. Sprocket took a bag of gold holding 4,000 coins for the soul bounty.
* King Demetrius, dressed as a sexy maid, walked into the chamber to serve wine. Sprocket reminded the party not to drink any of it. The anvilwrought gnome convinced Erebos to relinquish his claim on his soul since he was forged by Purphoros. Erebos agreed so he wouldn't start a war over a "weird trinket."
* Sybil offered to kill King Varik Heliodson for Erebos in exchange for King Demetrius - that way Erebos could continue tormenting a Heliod descendent. Muchomucho said the party would gather the rest of the god killer potion ingredients and use it to kill Phaenax in exchange for a vial of their own. Erebos agreed to both propositions.
* Erebos revealed Phaenax escaped by wearing a gold mask his ex-lover fancied. Disguised as his lover, Phaenax bedded Erebos and tied him to his bed. With the god of the dead unconscious and bound, Phaenax left the Underworld.
* Erebos told the party Demetrius could leave with them. The group was delighted and left the Underworld soon after. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, Demetrius ran forth and crossed the threshold. When he did, he fell to the ground in agony. His skin became ash and smoke. A gold mask formed over his face.
* Muchomucho summoned Damet to find out what was going on. Erebos spoke through her and said he cursed the gates of the Underworld after Phaenax's escape. Any soul who left would turn into The Returned.
* Barb cast sleep on Demetrius and Clows threw him back over the threshold, transforming him back to his usual soul self.
* Erebos admitted he was uncertain how Queen Nekros overcame the curse and became what she was. He challenged the group to solve that mystery.
* Knowing they couldn't leave the cave, the souls in their care decided to stay behind. Damet agreed to Muchomucho's request to take care of their departed friends.
* Despite the sick joke he played on the group, Erebos confirmed their deal still stood. If they did everything they promised, he'd release King Demetrius and the rest of the souls of their friends and provide them a vial of the god killer potion.