Chapter 3: Fiery Revelations

**Day 1**

The party awoke within the Blackstar Inn, gathering themselves and preparing for the journey South. Elerra gave Verrick the the two spell books she had liberated from the Cassalantars. Verrick was so focused on the blood soaked book that he totally forgot about the other for months. Breaking the riddle, Verrick discovered the book's secrets were revealed with blood. The book was a potent ritual to summon a proxy of **Asmodeus,** ruler of the Nine Hells of Baator. Elerra's stealthcraft had uncovered that the family had been consorting with demons, and she had discovered letters between the Cassalanters and another family known as the Vanthampur describing a plot to overthrow the city. It was not the first time the party had heard the name of Vanthampur, for the Drow within the mines of Phandelver had also been embroiled with the family. Specifically, the Cassalantars had aligned themselves with Duke Albrecht Vanthampur, seeking to utilize a mysterious puzzle box to overthrow Baldur's Gate. Elerra had also liberated the puzzle box, which Ascot nearly died attempting to open. Verrick conveyed this information to his cousin, while Sirius spent some time adjusting to the new hand that Ascot had created for them.

Verrick investigated the coin he won at Fricyria Delight's dueling pits, and discovering that it was an item of considerable power, immediately gathered Gog and returned to the House Elsandoral Eternal Bank and Trust. With Gog providing a raucous distraction for the bank's employees, he delivered the coin to his cousin and Acolyte, the silver haired Acolyte Karah Elsandoral.

They left Waterdeep behind, and Pipsquick returned to torment Elerra, delivering the news to her that the demon now possessed her soul. Verrick assured her that the debt he had accrued to her well outpaced the paltry price of a soul, and he would do all within his power to get it back.

**Day 2-4**

Elerra spent the journey tending the eggs she liberated from the giant spider, while the rest of the part receives news of Phandelver. A spot of bad luck led to Verrick crashing the cart, and Gog learned he could fly to set off in hot pursuit.

**Day 5**

The party reaches Daggerford, and purchases a room for the night at the Silverflood Inn. However, no sooner had the sat down, when a Paladin of Torm entered the inn and started asking patrons to leave. Once they had, he declared that he was a servant of the Lord of Duty and Fury, and that he was there to slay demons. He accused the party of consorting with them, threw a flaming pot of oil to the floor, and attacked. The party fought back, and though Sirius fell in the fight, they were able to subdue the vengeful paladin. Gog pulled Sirius threw the flames, burning his unconscious body rather badly in the process, but Ascot deployed a strange mechanical griffin and was able to resuscitate the fallen bard. Ascot wished to revive the Knight, as she was innocent of the crimes of which he had accused her. Elerra explained that she had indeed been consorting with Devils, and had traded her soul for Ascot and Sirius' life to the Talking Raven. The party decides not the kill the paladin, but instead spreads rumors that he had been possessed by a demon, and dumped him unconscious and naked on the outskirts of the town.

**Day 6-10**

Remembering that Dragonspear castle is full of mounters, the party decides to be cautious around it. They spend the days discussing their situation, specifically the Cassalantar's actions in Waterdeep, the whereabouts of Elerra's soul, and the finer points of knitting mittens.

**Day 11**

Within the depths of the Trollbark Forest, where the Elfking was rumored to kill any who did not bare true Elven blood, the party was suddenly surrounded by a dense fog. The temperature dropped, and the air was filled with the stench of rotten meat. A voice shouted out to the party.

> "The god of mist demands tribute mortals, drop all you own at your feet"
>
>

The party chose violence, and fought off a pair of Orcs and a small horde of troglodytes, killing many and driving the rest back into the woods.

**Day 17**

**THE BRIDGE! PINK'S BIRTHDAY**

**Day 38**

Half a day outside of Baldur's Gate, the party encountered Emmy Sly Tottenspire. Emmy informed them that Elturel had fallen, pulled down to hell by massive chains. The Overseer of the city, Thavius Kreeg, was missing in the chaos. Worse, Baldur's Gate had barred their titular gates against the surge of refugees from the infernally possessed city. Elerra revealed that she had in fact assassinated a Devil at the Cassalantar's estate, and that even that fell family had been working against the Devils orchestrating this new horror. The party decided to make for Candlekeep, to learn what they could of the Devilish invasion.

**Day 39**

The party finally make it to Candlekeep, though too late to speak to one of the Senior Avowed. Emmy suggests spending the night, and the party learns that they will need to offer tomes of lore to pass into the library.

**Day 40**

The party finally meets their contact Silvera Savikas, archmage, sage, and one of the eight Great Readers Candlekeep. She nearly effortlessly opened up the puzzle box, and revealed the fate of Elturel to them. Within the puzzle box was the contract that High Overseer Thavius Kreeg had made with the Archduke Zariel 50 years before to purge his city of the Vampire Lord who plagued it. This led to the creation of the Companion, the second Sun that floated above Elturel and drove out the Vampire Lord and his Spawn. In exchange, Kreeg pledged the Hellriders and the entire city into Zariel's service. That contract had come due, and the Companion turned to purest black.

The party spent the day researching all that they could of the Devils, the Bloodwar, and the conflict they would soon face. Ascot silvered everyone's weapons after it was discovered that Devilhide would turn aside normal blades. Gog received a bag of holding filled with supplies. Their research complete, they flew on Griffinback to Traxigor's Tower. Traxidor was a powerful Mage well learned in the magic of Planeswalking. He was also an otter, with a flying elephant for a companion named Lulu.

When they were finally ready, Traxidor Planeshifted the party to the Nine Hells.