“He was helping me with a thing that you sent! So please help! Help, help, help, please!”

—Orkira

Watch Planescapers | D&D Beyond Heroes Episode 3

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The cast of Beyond Heroes, currently level 8:

• Todd Kenreck as the Dungeon Master
• Keen Dayeprath - Eladrin Eldritch Knight Fighter played by TJ Storm
• Briv Steelmarrow - Half-Orc Oath of Heroism Paladin played by Adam Bradford
• Penelope Half-Pint - Halfling Circle of Land Druid played by Hope LaVelle
• Alyndra Alexandria Garanahil Sarrbarand, Lorekeeper of Rime Spiro, Kinscribe of Clan Monkeymouse, Daughter of Oblivion - High Elf Cleric 1/Wizard 7 played by Jen Kretchmer
• Orkira Illdrex - Dragonborn Light Domain Cleric played by Lauren Urban
• Freely - Halfling Bard 2/Paladin 2/Sorcerer 2/Warlock 2 played by B. Dave Walters

Full Summary

The Elemental Plane of Fire is an obsidian wasteland of magma and ash. The oppressive heat of a massive erupting volcano stands nearby, sculpted to look like a dark tower against the lightning filled sky. Most of the Heroes are uncomfortable, but Orkira grins at her friends in welcome! This is where the Phoenix, the Primordial of Fire who Orkira worships as a god, calls home. They have summoned their High Priest for an important mission, and her friends have agreed to come along and help.

There’s no clear path inside as the volcano appears to be constantly erupting, but Orkira strides forward confidently. Gripping the book that is her holy symbol, the dragonborn closes her eyes and prays to her god. It’s a casual greeting filled with easy familiarity and she requests permission to enter. The eruptions and explosions quickly stop, and one of the rivers of lava opens up to reveal a passage into the volcano. Alyndra casts fly on herself and Briv, Penelope changes into a giant eagle to carry Keen, and Orkira takes hold of Freely, and as a group the Heroes take to the air to fly inside.

Inside the massive volcano cavern has been carved into a cathedral that is lit by the glow of the Phoenix. The Elemental is an awe-inspiring sight, an elegant bird wreathed in flames several stories tall. The fire is fiercely hot, but everyone can feel it giving off an aura of calm benevolence. Keen quickly goes down on one knee to bow to the god, while Freely gives a little speech flattering his dragonborn friend and her deity. As Alyndra and Briv try to address the Phoenix everyone is looking to Orkira for guidance on protocol, but the dragonborn is baffled by all the formality. She’s obviously very happy to have everyone meeting each other and getting along, and after enjoying being back in the presence of the Phoenix she asks what they’ve been summoned to do.

The Primordial speaks, resonating down to everyone’s bones, and explains that demons have invaded a nearby world. They do not belong and are not welcome in this place, they are tampering with the Weave and attempting to do something strange. A nearby waterfall of lava splits apart to reveal a glowing green portal, and taking the cue Freely immediately heads for it to walk through. Orkira attempts to replicate the formal, flowery speech from earlier but it’s uncomfortable and halting. Fortunately Keen steps in, smoothly thanking the Phoenix and pledging to do as it has asked with finesse and grace. The rest of the Heroes follow Freely through the portal, with Orkira giving one last wave goodbye to her god.

On the other side of the portal it is just as intensely hot, but instead of the divine environment they just left, they are surrounded by a vast desert with scattered brush below an angry red sun. Alyndra casts tiny hut to create a momentary reprieve from the heat so the group can drink some water and plan, and everyone notices that whatever living scrub is nearby withers and dies as she casts the spell. Using what’s left of his fly spell, Briv soars into the air to look around, and notices a collection of tents and figures not far away. Alyndra sends her familiar on a scouting mission as they take a moment to rest and hydrate, with Penelope creating water for them to drink as well as soaking into her living cloak to keep it healthy. Grif can see many hooded and robed figures staying inside the tents, while a collection of humans and tieflings work as slaves to dig into the sand while being whipped by cultists. Everyone is angered by the slavers, especially Briv and Freely who finish their water and head out quickly.

Climbing to the top of the sand dune to get a better view, Freely casts message to stealthily talk to one of the tiefling slaves, saying they were sent by a god on a mission to help and asking for some details. The tiefling is confused, replying that there are no gods and they don’t know what they are digging up. With confirmation that these people are enslaved Briv charges down the dune as Freely starts to shoot the slavers with eldritch blast. Alyndra stuns several with a hypnotic pattern as Keen casts mirror image and moves around the side of the camp to try to flank. Charging into one of the tents Briv discovers a collection of shadow demons, cloaked and hooded and shying away from the burning sun. With a mighty blow he almost drops one in a single attack, using his radiant smite against their fiendish forms.

On the top of the dune Orkira can see several mantis-like humanoids with sharp polearms headed for the campsite, and more shadow demons hiding from the sun. She warns her friends of the incoming attackers, then casts protection from evil and good on Penelope before flying into the camp. Keen recognizes the creatures as thri-kreen just as several appear in front of him! The insect creatures are no match for the Eladrin in his winter form with his green flame blade, who dispatches them all with epic acrobatics while only taking a few slashes himself. Penelope pulls a drop of water from her cloak and casts tidal wave, buffeting several shadow demons into the sunlight where they begin to scream and burn.

One of the shadow demons dashes to the uncovered stone platform, where Alyndra can see an intricate pattern carved into the surface resembling a tree. The wizard recognizes it as the symbol of the World Tree just as the shadow demon tears out the heart of a nearby slave and slams it onto the stone. Blue white light erupts into the sky as the entire area starts to swirl with wind and sand as a portal is opened, and the shadow demons begin to pour out of tents to fly to it. Alyndra manages to mind spike the demon that activated the portal just before it jumps inside.

Pushing through the swirling wind, Freely heads to the second group of thri-kreen and pushing them back with thunderwave, before alerting his friends to the now open portal. Pulling the protective metal from his body into a spike, Briv dispatches the shadow demon he initially attacked and then rushes towards the light. Orkira lands next to the portal, intent on preventing any more shadow demons from escaping through it, and casts guardian of faith. The glowing sword and shield emblazoned with the symbol of the phoenix appears, slashing with radiant damage at any of the demons that attempt to enter the portal. As the slaves flee and the thri-kreen turn on the slavers, the group races after the shadow demons that have managed to escape.

The jarring trip through this portal is nauseating and the world on the other side is without gravity, causing a sickened Orkira to vomit. All around them strange crystals and rocks fly through the air as lightning arcs between them, rain and snow move in all directions, and strange transformations cause the landscape to shift and swirl. Between their experience with magic and traveling the planes, Alyndra and Keen recognize they are in Limbo. They instruct the group that movement is achieved with thought, and use their intellect to help push their friends along. Nearby is a massive bronze and brass door that the shadow demons are pouring through, and everyone manages to fly through the portal before they can be crushed by the flying rocks.

Everyone is relieved to find this portal has returned them to Sigil, the extraplanar city where they have made their home base. Between Freely’s divine sense and Alyndra tracking the one she mind spiked, the Heroes continue to chase after the group of shadow demons that are left. They follow them into an apothecary and Briv accosts the startled owner, demanding to know where their quarry has gone. Alyndra finds a dabus, one of the protectors and rebuilders of the city, and warns them of the demon incursion. Freely has figured out that the shadow demons moved through the floor, so Penelope uses mold earth to create a hole for them to fall through. The halflings give quick greetings and apologies to the shopkeep as they jump down, followed by Briv who knocks bottles over in his impatience and Keen who calls out that Avren will pay for the repairs. Orkira apologizes to the store owner, promising to return to fix things, while Alyndra uses mage hand to quickly buy something as they all jump down.

The hole leads into the sewers and reveals the fleeing demons. Freely surrounds them all with faerie fire as Orkira uses her tremendous fly speed to catch up. The cleric commands her Radiance of the Dawn to burn them all with divine light, popping the shadowy fiends like pimples. Three manage to escape her holy light and rise up through the ceiling. Penelope once again uses mold earth to make a hole and the group climb and fly up to the street level. There the final three shadow demons have surrounded a dabus, one holding a wicked knife to the protectors neck. Orkira starts to back away, knowing attacking the dabus should bring the wrath of the one in charge of Sigil. With a grin the demon plunges the blade into the dabus and twists, and immediately the ground begins to shake. A tall, imposing woman appears, covered in blades with weapons on chains floating around her form. Recognizing the Lady of Pain herself, Orkira drops to the ground to cower and tries to pull any of her friends nearby down as well, with Keen and Alyndra both joining her.

Briv and Freely refuse to pause in their assault, the half-orc charging the demons even as the halfling casts thunder wave. Two of the shadow demons are destroyed but the final one remains, laughing in evil glee as it claims to have succeeded in getting in. It announces that more will be coming just before Freely destroys it with an eldritch blast. With the final threats dispatched Briv turns to the Lady to greet her and says that they have dispatched all the threats. But as soon as he makes eye contact he is pulled into the air, the power of the being in front of him rending his mind with a massive amount of psychic damage. Only his half-orc resilience prevents him from being instantly destroyed, and shaken he quickly drops to the ground to bow and avert his eyes.

Nearby Penelope, confused but curious, also looks into the face of the Lady of Pain. Her mind suffers the same immense psychic damage and she drops lifeless to the ground. A moment later Penelope doesn’t wake up in Sigil, instead she finds herself in a padded room wrapped in a straitjacket. She remembers her name is Jessica just as the door opens and a man with a cell phone and clip board enters, asking how she is doing and if she’s ready to take some medication. She experiences several weeks in this strange reality. In a panic Orkira begins to babble out apologies as she pumps a high level cure wounds into her friend. Freely messages her, coaching her to talk about how they were sent by the Phoenix to help, and the dragonborn continues to frantically relay how they were sent by her God to stop the shadow demons and how sorry she is for what has happened. Finally Penelope comes back to consciousness, confused but herself again.

While Briv has kept his eyes averted from the Lady, he’s indignantly asked who she is and why he was attacked without provocation. The Lady of Pain turns away from the paladin, growing transparent as she starts to fade away, but not before her shadow crosses over Briv Steelmarrow. All of his flesh evaporates instantly, leaving behind a strange skeleton seemingly made of metal instead of bone, which clatters to the ground lifeless as the Lady finally vanishes. Orkira rushes to the remains, digging into her pack for the few diamonds she has left. Knowing that revivify will not restore missing body parts but not having any other options, the cleric reaches out to her god and begs for help as she casts the spell. Flames erupt from the magical metal skeleton, reconstructing the body of Briv and returning him to life. He returns to consciousness with new memories, including flashbacks spotlighting the being responsible for his condition and the knowledge of where exactly they can be found.

Freely had messaged one of the dabus to warn them that more shadow demons were coming, but seeing Briv alive again he rushes over to offer some healing. Shaken, Briv stands up, placing his hand first on Freely’s shoulder, and then on Orkira, in silent thanks, then heads for the nearest bar to get a drink. The dragonborn apologizes to everyone again, guilty that the mission her God sent them all on has lead to this painful conclusion. Everyone is confused over whether they were successful or not, so Keen examines the area and the bodies to try and piece together some information. He believes the shadow demons came here specifically to instigate a fight with the Lady of Pain figuring none of them would survive this encounter. Orkira once again prays to the Phoenix, thanking it for helping and asking if they did what it wanted them to do. The Primordial replies “Yes, but there will be much more.”

The title of the next episode is "Everyone Tastes Like Chicken", which you can watch December 4th at 2pm PT on twitch.tv/dndbeyond!

Lauren "Oboe" Urban is the Community Manager for D&D Beyond, as well as a professional classical musician on oboe and English Horn. When she's not playing a Bard in real life she's a prolific Dungeon Master and player on a variety of livestreams and podcasts. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband Luke where they spend their free time playing video games and drinking tea. The best way to keep up with Lauren's busy schedule is to follow her on Twitter @OboeLauren