Session 52-B: Infernal Intrigue

## Key Plot Developments

Pyrite is no longer here, and Verin wants her. Glyn and Verin leave the Infinite Battlefield in search of their new plaything. Back in Azzagrat, things look very different. The city of Zelatar holds a feeling of tension throughout it. Verin goes to visit his army and notices that many of the demons are now preparing for battle! This is frustrating to Verin, especially, who just wants to go find his unbreakable Goblin/Angel/T-Rex girlfriend! Glyn goes to look for Rule of Three in the Argent Palace. The mariliths are decked out in cool armor. Graz’zt’s vrocks are looking remotely sexy in their vulture-like forms (and that’s a vulture fact for ya)!

Baphomet and Yeenoghu are both back, and undamaged--so Graz’zt needs to make a move NOW. These two are known to bel enemies in more recent centuries. But eons ago, they worked together to attack a stronghold of the Elven gods. It failed, and they have blamed each other ever since. However, they could be enticed to work together again. This spells bad news for Graz’zt and his plans.

Rule of Three suggests a few ideas: 1. They go to Baphomet and pin everything on Lolth and Yeenoghu. 2. They go to Yeenoghu and pin everything on Baphomet..and maybe Lolth. 3. They go to Lolth. 4. They make sure that whatever ritual was happening up on the Material is strong enough to pull them back there. Then, when they return here (more damaged), they will be easier to put down.

Glyn asks him for some info on Lolth’s relationship with Baphomet and Yeenoghu. A long time ago, Lolth tried to create a demonic council that would come together to fight the devils in the Blood War!™. That failed. It may or may not have been the Dark Prince’s fault that it failed. He may or may not have been getting back at her for spurning his advances at some point. It doesn’t really matter whose fault it is; the point is that she probably messed up somehow. She’s the Lady of Chaos, the Weaver of Destiny. She’s probably had an alliance with all the demon lords at some point. Her plan is to take over control of the Abyss while the other demon lords are away and make them pledge themselves to her.

They come to the consensus that Yeenoghu is a good boy, and he has a great relationship with the Dark Prince. Rule of Three advocates for making an alliance with Yeenoghu immediately and to give him the goblin army as a treat. Good boys get treats.

Glyn takes some time to tell Rule of Three everything that happened on the Infinite Battlefield, including Verin’s new obsession with Pyrite. Glyn expresses his bad vibes he gets from Verin, who wants to kill him for his army.

Then Rule of Three warns Glyn that Lady Lolth is not just a demon lord. She’s a deity. She will see through nearly any creature brought before her. But she is very attached to her city of Menzoberranzan. She would never want it to fall. Glyn mentions that he’s not a fan of spiders. They keep killing him. Rule of Three is very interested in this. Glyn tells him about the first spider ambush, which led to him meeting Nicholas Ice Cream--and the incident with the drider, which led him to meet Graz’zt.. All of this troubles Rule of Three.

Baphomet is difficult to read. Rule of Three tells Glyn about one of his unusual relationships with a demon lord called Pale Night, or the White Lady. She's an enigma. To peer beyond her veil is to witness an indescribable horror so great that it was rejected by reality itself. She and Baphomet have a working relationship, sort of an unofficial non-interference pact.

As they consider the demon lords in the Underdark, Glyn learns not every demon lord wants to take over. Some are just content in their lairs. Only the ambitious ones were summoned to the material plane. He wonders if there's another ritual that can suck up all the other demon lords as well, but he worries that the Dark Prince could be caught up in that. Glyn thinks that there might be the seeds of a plan there. What if they tried it?

That would be a WHOLE LOT of demon lords in one place. Rule of Three whispers that it might actually be a way to solve their Nicholas Ice Cream problem! He explains further by saying that one of the reasons Graz'zt is so stressed out is that he's worried the devils will come to collect before his plans to conquer the Abyss go through. But Nicholas Ice Cream straight up just isn't here. Not in the Abyss, not on the Material, literally no other plane that they have access to. This cocky guy is known to leave calling cards. None have been seen. SO, if all the demon lords were called back, no matter what plane they were on, then it would stand to reason that he would be forced back as well.

Glyn and Rule of Three start to formulate a risky plan. Glyn knows where they can get the grimoire for the ritual, and one of his mage contacts from the surface can help them. It would be really bad if any of this was traced back to the two of them, especially if the Spider Bitch finds out. They try to work on some of the details of their potential plan. They can't betray Graz'zt, and they don't want to harm him in this process. But every moment they spend planning is also a moment for Yeenoghu and Baphomet to plan. The Dark Prince has requested their counsel specifically. They need to act now.

What Baphomet wants is too unknown. Maybe more worshippers? A way to turn others into something like him? They could do it, but there are too many plans at play that could possibly mess it up.

They also don't know much about what Lolth would want. Glyn knows little of Menzoberranzan other than what he saw in his vision when the Lady of Rot was crushing Menzoberranzan.

The one thing Glyn might offer Lolth is to threaten to stop the ritual his friends are planning on doing that will ultimately save her precious Menzoberranzan from the clutches of the Lady of Rot. Then, hopefully, she might form a temporary alliance with Graz'zt against the devils. Rule of Three leaves Glyn to go to the Dark Prince's side and tell him of their options.

Glyn reflects on all that has happened so far. He wouldn't feel too bad if one of his friends died because then he could just bring them to Graz'zt's court. However, he doesn't want to bring them any undue harm, but maybe just a little since he is chaotic evil now. As he considers all the options, he is summoned to the Argent Palace where Graz'zt is incredibly focused on the mariliths doing training exercises in front of him.

Glyn presents his options to approach Yeenoghu and trick him into thinking he will get the army. However, Graz'zt shoots down the option involving the Spider Bitch. The final option is to try and hijack the ritual that is already going to be done and bring ALL the demon lords to the material plane. They will fight each other, and the survivors will be weakened and taken out one at a time by Graz'zt's forces.

Graz'zt listens intently and likes the idea of an alliance with Yeenoghu and the chaotic suggestion. Graz'zt appoints Glyn as the head of the entire project to hijack the ritual and take over the abyss together. This plan of unbridled chaos and bloodshed will change the multiverse forever.

## Memorable Quotes

* **Glyn**: Uh, did I miss a memo?
* **Verin: Y**ou didn’t know about this? This is gonna get in the way of doing the cool things that I want to do!!

* **Glyn:** From the way the Dark Prince has talked about Yeenoghu…he says he’s a good boy. Is that because they have a good relationship? Or is that just cause Graz’zt likes him?
* **Rule of Three:** It’s because Yeenoghu is a good boy.

* **Glyn**: Baphomet…what’s his deal? I hear he likes mazes?
* **Rule of Three:** He is…..\*sigh\* It’s like he doesn’t even fully have his own thing! Cause he’s after hunting and savagery, but so is Yeenoghu. He wants people to realize that they are truly these monstrous beast inside, but Demogorgon kind of does that--except it’s the word insanity and not beast.

**Rule of Three:** If we were to turn over the goblins, then it would be easy for Lord Graz’zt to make an alliance with Yeenoghu. Yeenoghu responds well to treats.

* **Glyn**: When Verin met her, he took quite a shine to her. Mentioned wanting to make her into a consort of sorts. That’s his new obsession at the moment.
* **Rule of Three:** Aww shit, Verin’s on about the consorts! Ugh, this guy. This fucking GUY.
* **Glyn:** I dunno if Verin gives you the vibes like he is willing and waiting for the opportunity to kill you at any point, but he certainly gives me those vibes .
* **Rule of Three:** Yeah, well, sounds like a him problem.
* **Glyn:** And a me problem!
* **Rule of Three:** Verin is Verin. He’s a being of chaos. The fact that you’re still alive right now show that he still considers you useful.
* **Glyn:** Oh, good.

* **Rule of Three:** If you know anything to do with Menzoberranzan, there’s a possibility that you could be able to get through to Lolth. Of course, she’s just as likely to force you to be one of her consorts or…eat you.
* **Glyn:** Yeah I don’t have a good relationship with spiders. Every time I’ve died, it’s because of a spider.

**Rule of Three:** As the Dark Prince once said, “Do not speak to the White Lady. Not one word.”

**Rule of Three:** To have ALL the demon lords up on the Material…Well, I guess, in their terms, it would be their apocalypse.

**Rule of Three: E**verybody hates Nicholas Ice Cream. The problem is there’s sort of like a “boy who cried wolf” thing because we have used the “Oh it was Nicholas Ice Cream” excuse before and eventually they find out no, it was just us.

**Glyn:** If he doesn’t like the treats then he eats us…

**Glyn:** You and I are from the material plane, to an extent, too. Does Baphomet seem like the kinda guy who would be like “heeeey, yall!?”

**Graz’zt**: Lord Glyn, it’s never “either/or”. It;s always “yes, and.” Let’s do it, man. Let’s fucking do it! I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time. It has been a terrible hour.

* **Graz’zt:** Lord Glyn, I want you on this ritual. And I want you suping the fuck out of it! You said this was chaos. I want you to give me a visual of what this chaos looks like.
* **Glyn:** Think about just the seven demon lords in the same place. Lots of disagreements all over the place. Just throwing them all out of their planes would probably piss them off…but then, throw them together where they can take out some of that frustration on each other...then, multiply THAT however many incredible amount of demon lords there are and spread that across the entire Material Plane. ALL of the demon lords fighting each other, changing the Material Plane into a battlefield, weakening each other for our ultimate gain!
* **Graz’zt:** The multiverse will never be the same.
* **Glyn:** It certainly won’t.