Session 17

### The Gang rides a boat to hell

Seeing the intellect devourer emerge from the old lady’s head, the group springs into action to kill the unnatural creature before it can strike. They also turn their attention to the cranium rats and the zombie beholder—with Falgas slashing away at the decomposing carcass and Kaax’s snakes vacuuming up the cranium rats one by one.

Skarūl, as a dinosaur, uses his extra height to bite and grapple Alard Vane. And Kaax follows suit. Through the group’s combined heroic efforts, they eventually bring Alard Vane down—to unconsciousness.

After Alard Vane falls, they hear drums approaching in the distance. They quickly gather up as much as they can—including Malianna and Alard’s unconscious bodies. They run out through the tunnels back to the tower and Skarūl uses a spell to cave in the ceiling—preventing further use of the secret entrance. And they find themselves safely back in Alard Vane’s tower.

Unsure of what to do next, they decide to bring Alard Vane’s body to the Lady of Craith. They tell her about the recent events and explain Alard’s recent transformation. During the conversation, she pauses seeing Schmitty enter the great hall. She whispers to one of the guards, asking for them to find out whether there had been any notices of recent escapees reported at Pelari—the kingdom’s underwater penal colony. The Lady of Craith also agrees to hold Alard Vane in her magically protected holding cells under the keep.

The group returns to the tavern and heads up to their rooms to sleep. In the middle of the night, a portal in the shape of a devil’s skull opens in the side of the bedroom. A faceless cloaked figure in a gondola made of corpses beckons to them, saying that his master has requested an audience with Skarūl—and that his friends were welcome to attend as well.

The boat dives down a river or corpses through each of the 9 layers of hell, each layer becoming progressively more horrible than the last. They reach a grand gate leading to a long red-carpeted ballroom. At the end of the ballroom is a throne with a huge, debonair, red devil wearing silk robes and carrying a great bone scepter with a red ruby. And a large bone sword on his back. They’re greeted by Asmodeus, the King of the 9 Hells.

Asmodeus explains that he has been watching them—and that he has a special interest in helping the group stop Moloch’s plan. In particular, they learn that he was responsible for stripping Moloch of his power the first time that Moloch attempted to overthrow him. So he has a particular interest in aiding them in their quest to stop Moloch.

But all power comes at a price. And in hell the price is often a contract, and the individual’s soul. So he offers the power to Skarūl—who declines it, choosing to not give up his soul in exchange for Asmodeus’ power.

Asmodeus fumes with disappointment and his eyes glow red. Kaax notices this and jumps in offering his own service in place of Skarūl’s. Asmodeus calms with the new offer of fealty—and Kaax signs the deal.

Asmodeus hands an ornate bone sword to Kaax, and power courses through him. Asmodeus thanks them for their time, and tells them that he’ll be in touch.

The group returns by way of gondala back to their rooms in the Lava Pit. Kaax smells faintly of sulfer. And the group takes a night’s rest.

In the morning, they have a quick breakfast and head to Harold’s Oddities—which looks surprisingly more active and interesting to browse than the first time they visited. They finally tell Eckhard’s father about his son’s fate. And Harold takes some time to process the loss. He thanks the group for providing closure, and allows them to choose something from his shop as a gift for their help.

*Find out what happens next with Skar-kūl and the Gang.*