The Devil's Due - Chapter Three

> "*There is a one hundred percent chance of apocalypse in the approximately thirteen day forecast.*"
> ― Butylene O'Kipple
>
>

**The Devil's Due - Chapter Three: "The Devils and the Details** is the thirty-fourth episode of Queens of Adventure. It features an unexpected arrival at the negotiations between the Golden Palace contingent and the Glamazons.

## Synopsis

A black raven lifts off from the Observatory at the top of the Radiant Rise mountain range on Fire Island as figures enter.

The Glamazons, Inquirer Rigo Caylis, four scribes, and two guards enter first. Behind them come a contingent from the Golden Palace: Belfry, Sir Throbardon, Patrick, Ellen (daughter of Rigo) and the three drag queens Arson, Butylene, and Fraya (who just yesterday were all sentenced to death by Rigo).

The Observatory consists of a large round alabaster walled room that reaches up to the top of the dome. Complex carvings of Glamazons gaze down to a ring of fourteen seats that look over a reflective pool. An orrery of stars, planets, and moves hang overhead. Rigo and the Glamazons sit on the far side of the table, and gesture to the others to sit on their sides.

A second bell chimes as the HOGs side sit. Rigo invites Belfry to speak.

She stands and explains their plan to deal with the Kracken Old God and the Archdevil that threaten the island. They propose an alliance with the Glamazons, to form an army to combat the Kracken, to secure the treasure of the ziggurat against those who would misuse it, and protect the citizens until escape is possible.

Rigo wonders why it took so long to get in touch. Belfry explains she knew she had to approach in a way that respects the treaty and assumed the liason in Watersport would handle contact. She later learned that liason was killed in the failed evacuation of the town, and she then had no copy of the treaty to use. The queens sweat in the background. Belfry says she was fortunate that Booty and the Hofish showed up, and knew they had talents in recovering items. Rigo interrupts and says he is aware what happened, via the glama bird surveillance, and wants to know her version of events.

"To be frank, things have been dire," she says, before summarizing the events of the Full Moon storm, the dead arising from the sea, how she used guard constructs to defend the casino until everyone could get to safety. She organized the tourists into a defense force.

Fraya begins to whisper her fears about the stuff they'e been doing coming to light to Butylene, including their distrust of Belfry. Arson suggests they let that play out.

Continuing, Belfry explains how she modified the casino's loyalty program to manage resources and keep things running as usual in exchange for the guests risking their lives for four hours a day. This is how they have worked for the last seventeen days.

The treaty specifies a worthy HOG should represent their side of the island, Rigo says, and continues that aspersions on her character have been risen, namely that she forced her guests into indentured servitude. Belfry says people are given what they need, and are charged, but no one has been forced to pay, nor will they until the crisis is over. Rigo says this sounds too charitable considering her past. She says it is not a charity, its pragmatism. Her life and her family's depends on the Golden Palace surviving, and she cant get the people to defend it if they are tired, hungry, and stressed. Their real enemy is not the Kracken or Archdevil, but despair. Providing services improves morale, but charging them promotes people not taking what they don't need so they conserve resources. Not perfect, she admits, but she welcomes the Glamazons to check the books. Rigo is willing to take her at her word unless there are other accusations.

The queens feel more comfortable after hearing all of this, as they hadn't heard this rationale before.

Moving on, Rigo asks if she plans to continue to defend the Golden Palace if an agreement is not reached via this summit. She says she does. Rigo is glad as the remaining sites that are significant to the Glamazons need to be protected.

Belfry offers all the HOGs services in retrieving the lost Ice Scepter, trying to strike a bargain with an infernal being, recruiting a pod of merfolk, and seeking help in the underdark. She nods at Butylene, Fraya, and Arson in turn for those last three points. They may try to tame wild wyverns, and she announces she might be able to get them an airship.

The HOGs require aid from the glamazons, travel on their side of the island, maps and information, and protective gear and technology. Fraya tries to ask for protection for Ellen. Belfry tries to vouch for the value of their experts. Rigo compliments her for doing the extra credit and is ready for the experts to speak if no one else has anything to say. The queens keep their mouths shut.

Ellen stands first. She greets everyone informally and says her expertise is religious, but before that she says she has been traveling with Booty and the Hofish. They met when she was captured by the Kracken Priest and taken to his lair while doing research into the Kracken and foolishly got captured without her escorts. (Fraya prepares to speak up but her friends encourage her not to, Butylene joking about 'gagging' her). Ellen describes their captivity and their adventures in returning to the palace, and all the ways the queens did not break the treaty, and the use of the Kracken Priest's Heart to quell the seaspawn. After her rambling, she says it was all cool to her and it says something about the queens. The queens appreciate it. Rigo asks her to continue with her actual expertise.

She explains that she has consulted with Patrick and compared notes. Wherever a Kracken appears, for six miles around is a massive storm. She gestures to the pool and mist arises, and a illusion of the Glama Archipelago appears. They can see all kinds of monsters in the waves, including Chuuls and Aboleths, but the island is clear and sunny. Ellen explains this doesn't fit. Either something on the island is keeping the Kracken away, or it is taking its time to get there. She manipulates the illusion and orrery. As the moon moves towards full, the force keeping the Kracken away seems to diminish, and the storm gets closer. In thirteen days the storm will be on top of them with all the monsters.

Butylene jokes that it's the rear of the Kracken you have to worry about. This reminds Ellen of a story. As a cleric she has researched the myths of the land. As she narrates, the images in the reflecting pool shifts. In the ancient past, the Kracken fought an Archdevil. The sea formed from spilled Kracken blood, and magma from spilled devil blood. The Kracken ate its followers and spat a pearl into the sky, the moon, which it can draw power from. The devil struck the pearl, causing it to spin around the world. When the pearl was overhead, the Kracken pinned the devil and bit its ass off. The lava and fire that erupted formed the island (Rigo shakes his head, not a fan of this story). This led to 'munch my butt' being a foul curse in the Hells.

The Archdevil allied with devils, dragons, and elementals while the Kracken gloated at sea. Under the dark of the moon, the Archdevil's forces surprised the Kracken and forced it onto the land, beat it up. The elementals sealed it to the plane of water. The seal lasted through all the ages of the world, until now.

The queens ponder if the story implies they could defeat it if the Kracken can be forced on land at a new moon. Ellen says it is a possible interpretation of a legend, and adds another story (while Rigo checks his phone). She says when the Queens of the Great Houses came to the island, their songs brought drow to the surface, despite warnings from their matriarchs. The drow tried to form a Drag House in the underdark, which infuriated their goddess, Lolth. When the drow defied Lolth to help the Glamazons defeat a group of invaders, Lolth told loyal drow to head deeper into the underdark and were never seen again. The drow that helped the surface were cursed into driders and driven mad. They led them to a city ward with music and Dame Celia Molestranger sealed them away. This means there could be drow warriors beneath the island, but may be difficult to get them to help. Arson wants to know if the curse can be broken. Ellen doesnt know, but says Lolth liked an ironic twist.

Rigo asks about the group's experience with the underdark. Arson raises an arm and is recognized by Rigo to speak. She explains when she awoke on the island, it was in the underdark and interacted with some strange being. A voice called to her and later, while meditating, she saw a door labeled "Do Not Open - DCM". Rigo says the Glamazons do revere driders, but the rest of the world might not. Rigo worries he shared too much of his tastes, and asks Ellen not to tell her 'Pop-Pop'.

Ellen finalizes her speech saying that various ancient gods like Lolth, the Kracken, Vecna, Tiamat, Cal-Gon, and Orcus - all believed sealed away for ages, are coming back. Lolth was banished to the demon web pits, the Kracken to the plane of water. She also references genasi reports from Oceanica that they can't control the elements as they used to, and they were in charge of maintaining the seal on the Kracken. Maybe sinister forces are arising everywhere, and the Kracken is just a part. Fraya recalls her friend Estuary, who she saw at the Nexus of She'Bae, telling her about her people's waning power.

Realizing she has rambled, she sits down. Belfry pats her hand.

Sir Throbardon stands. Before he starts, Rigo wants to clarify the fact that an aarakocra matching his description was with the Queens who crossed to the island. He says it was a shapeshifting devil, and tells his story as the mist displays his memories: He was captured by devils after getting lost in a storm. The queens saved him. He was chased by a wyvern and pinned in a tree, and saw the queens depart Watersport with someone who looked like him. Rigo then asks about the wyverns the group wants to recruit. He understands air superiority, and says he knows their ferociousness, and they are more than worthy opponents but isn't sure how to tame them. Rigo says there is some precedence for taming wyverns. Fraya recounts her knowledge of making the matriarch subordinate. Patrick says he has some literature on that topic as well.

Rigo asks if the devil Throbardon was captured by is part of the infernal deal they want to make. The knight confirms this, and says Barb had a single minded desire to defeat the Kracken with a mutagen army to supplant his boss. But he only managed to make oozes, has a lot of explosives, but could be difficult to handle. Rigo asks who else has knowledge of him. Butylene volunteers. She explains she spent time with him. While he is formidable, their interests are narrowly aligned and exploitable. Barb also is eager to help since they defeated the Kracken Priest, another item on Barb's list. Arson also explains it was Barb's mutagen that made her a drider.

Patrick's turn comes last, and he announces Booty and the Hofish found evidence of Kracken worship in Watersport. It is possible the Kracken Priest was Father Andson, the recently arrived rector of the Watersport bethel. He summarizes what the Kracken Priest can do, and that they have his heart, following his death. He believes the Kracken's power will rise on the full moon, allowing it to create more seaspawn and anoint a new Kracken Priest. The previous priest had a prisoner, Gnomi, researching ways to get into the ziggurat, since the Ice Scepter had been lost. Many people have won the scepter over the years, but none who have journeyed to Fire Island have succeeded in opening the tomb, and the scepter has always been returned to the air genasi at the Spine of the World. Rigo asks for more info on the scepter. The queens only say it was lost, and that if in the ocean they could search for it. Patrick continues, explaining the ziggurat acts as an arcane antennae, and what is on the top is mirrored underground. There are chambers and traps, and at the bottom is a small chamber which might be a tomb. According to Gnomi, the priest focused on this section of the tomb.

Rigo is disturbed that the Kracken's forces are focusing on the tomb, which the Glamazons are sworn to protect, to the point that even they do not know what is in the tomb to prevent their people from seeking it out. The ice scepter acts to release at least one seal within the tomb, and was entrusted to the air genasi so they could evaluate worthy heirs by trial by performance. Of the past winners of the scepter who came to the island, none have proven worthy, although some have managed to get into the ziggurat, but not past all the seals. Rigo explains the first seal is a curtain of magma, resistant to magic. Only the ice scepter will get past it. Patrick wonders why performance was the first test, and Rigo explains it was a valuable part of the culture of the Great Queens.

Butylene asks what would make adventures worthy. Rigo says it isn't about great strength or feats of magic, the power of the Great Queens was the power to inspire themselves and others, and change the rules of the world around them.

With Patrick finished, Rigo asks for more info on the merfolk. Fraya responds, explaining her brief encounter after the shipwreck. She wonders if the scepter is down there, since it wasn't found in the loot in the Kracken Priest's lair. Butylne suddenly recalls the lava babies and that she didn't explain them earlier. She summarizes her encounter with them, and the plan for them to be used to blow up the island. They may be able to use the lava babies to help fight instead. Barb believes they know of lavababies as 'magmen', minor fire elementals.

With no other testimonials, Rigo thanks them. The Glamazons will meet privately and rejoin them at the third bell with a decision. Everyone stands and the Glamazons leave the room. Belfry gives them an encouraging look and they go outside to take a break. The HOG contingent feel hopeful, but know they could always make back up plans if needed. Ellen asks more about the airship. Belfry has an acquaintance, a tinkerer, who is working on an airship in an undisclosed location. She isn't sure of the state of the device, but has some ideas where it might be. The queens wonder if there is a bar on board. Belfry says it may only be able to carry a dozen people.

A third bell rings, and the two groups file back inside. Butylene looks up and sees a raven riding on the back of a rat walking around the upper part of the observatory before they fly off. Inside, everyone takes their places.

Rigo thanks the HOGs for their proposal. While some of the proposals seem weird, they trust Belfry knows what is best for her people, so they accept the proposal. Glamazons will be dispatched to defend the Golden Palace, they will make the whole island accessible to the HOGs to allow them to move freely. They will also provide three days of Glamazon training to a few, and those that pass will have access to Glamazon armor and gliders. Maps and books will be provided to aide in their various quests. Belfry thinks this sounds wonderful.

Lastly, Rigo addresses Booty and the Hofish. He explains they cannot be executed twice for the same crime, and happily they haven't committed new crimes in the last day and a half. They recognize the considerable efforts they have made to improve. Fraya again brings up Ellen and rebeautification. Rigo doesn't expect them to understand their ways. Their code is central to their identity. Butylene apologizes for breaking the rules and not learning more about their culture. The inquirer hopes they will all have a better working relationship going forward.

As Rigo raises his gavel, the ground rumbles, and then the Observatory wall explodes, covering them all in dust and rubble. Through the whole comes a huge devilish creature astride a nightmare, flanked by two hell hounds, and various imps and some lava babies.

"So you're the ones messing with my lava babies. I heard you'd all be here in one place," the devil says, revealing Barb told him. "Tremble before Carol."

Rigo says Carol is in violation of the treaty. Carol doesn't care. Rigo draws a wand from each sleeve. Divine energy crackles around them. Belfry tells the queens they must protect the scribes and experts, and dons a porcelain mask that wreathes her in flames.

"It's showtime."

### Characters

#### Party

* Arson Nicki - drider warlock
* Butylene O'Kipple - tiefling alchemist
* Fraya Love - water genasi cleric

#### NPCs

* Rigo Cayliss
* Glamazon Scribes and Guards (including Jenna)
* Belfry Ramshackle
* Sir Throbardon
* Patrick
* Ellen Cayliss
* Carol (debut)

#### Monsters/Enemies

* Nightmare
* Hellhounds
* Lava babies
* Imps

## Episode Notes

### Lore

* There are sites on the HOGs side of the island that are considered of significant importance to the Glamazons and they insist those remain preserved. The Golden Palace seems to be one of them.
* Something on the island may be preventing the Kracken from getting closer, but that protection diminishes as the moon grows fuller.
* Krackens generate a six mile wide storm wherever they appear.
* The world's history can be divided into the Age of Gods, Age of Dragons, Age of Man, Age of Queens, and the Modern Age.
* The Kracken and Archdevil's fight created land and sea in ancient times, with the devil's butt being bitten off, creating Fire Island. In retaliation, the Archdevil allied with dragon and elementals to seal the Kracken in the Water Plane.
* The genasi of Oceanica were in charge of maintaining the Kracken's seal, until their power faded recently.
* Lolth cursed disloyal drow who assisted the early Glamazons and turned them into mad driders, who Dame Celia Molstrangler sealed beneath the city. The Glamazons revere the drow as a result.
* Many Old Gods, including the Kracken, Lolth, and Cal-gon, long sealed away, seem to be returning globally.

### Memorable Quotes

* "They're still on anal-hog?" - Butylene O'Kipple
* "I know the last time we talked too much we really ate shit, so you know, not without my lawyer present." - Arson Nicki
* "Thank you Ellen with the weather." - Fraya Love
* "These stories sometimes there's a lesson in them, sometimes there's a lie that tells the truth. " - "Watch out whose ass your eating?" - Ellen and Fraya Love
* "We just need to teach these magmen how to, what's the term... edge." - Butylene O'Kipple
* "Most of my friends now have all tried to kill me at some point. It's just like working in the drag clubs." - Butylene O'Kipple

### References

* Interior Illusions Lounge from Drag Race Untucked
* Rogers and Hammerstein
* Kiss of the Spiderwoman

### Name That Tune

* "Respect" - Aretha Frankin
* "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
* "Mahna Mahna"

## Behind the Queens

* In her testimonial, Ellen references Cal-gon, a god who was worshipped by a cult in the Neverglades in the bonus episode "The Lost Treasure of the Neverglades" which featured a different party.

**Greetings From Fire Island**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Show Must Go On**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Operation Watersport**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - Ch7 - **Trials**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Ghosts of the Coast**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Devil's Due**: Ch1 - Ch2 - **Ch3** - Ch4
**Special**: The Story So Far
**The Beautiful Place**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **A Dance in the Dark**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Drama in the Deep**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **Whispers From the Heart**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Danger Rangers!**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Mist Connections**: Ch1 - Ch2
**Unreleased**
Lost: Camp Crystal Light - Pax West 2018 --  vs the Lizard People
Live Shows: Seattle Style -- Minneapolis Style