G11 - THE VAULT OF HONOR

This rubble-strewn vault contains five marble statues atop daises. Four of the statues are unrecognizable, as their features have been badly marred by rock fallen from the cracked ceiling. The fifth is a finely carved statue of a kneeling man. On the northernmost statue is, quite possibly, the most amazing helm you've ever seen.

"The Helm of Torm's Sight!" Grand Duke Ravenguard breathes. "It is still here! Praise the Gods!"

Ravenguard reaches to take it, and is completely in awe that it is still here, and in one piece. He looks at you all expectantly, and slowly, puts it on.

 Jill seems awed that it is still here as well, but doesn't stop Ravenguard since she doesn't think that she will be able to do so. Instead, she looks towards the rest of the party and motions for them to stay on guard for the possibility that something will go wrong.

Still unable to speak, and unwilling to revert to do so, Apeska largely followed along in silence. Out of at least some reverence for the wielder of the greatsword, he keeps it slung over a shoulder; flat side against fur. Though now and again grimaces and rolls the shoulder, or changes hands as if uncomfortable with contact with so much metal. He squinted at Misha as she delivered her 'vision' to Jill, assuming it is within sight of the party. Yet, the exchange -- if even heard -- seems to go in one ear and out the other as he began looking at everything around after a while.

Pressing on, and finding the object that they sought, the Apeska eyes narrow at ravenguard, caring little for the Helm itself, marvelously designed though it may be.

(@Crispy: It's probably far too late to actually 'do' anything about him putting it on, but Apeska wants to see if there's anything more to Ravenguard's 'awe' in the helm. As in an underlying tension or unnatural nervousness for example.)

Insight: 17.

Just like Apeska, Persephone is a little taken aback by how quickly Ravenguard found the helm and put it on.  No typical noble blathering and long winded speeches about how awesome and mighty he is, and how he was destined for this their entire life.  None of that.  The dude simply rushed over and put on the helm.  Hmmmmmmm....she casts a keen eye over Ravenguard, trying to see what the helm does to him:

Insight: 15

Investigation: 15

As Ravenguard puts on the helm, he reels in some sort of psychic backlash, and drops prone to the floor, in a seizure. Lulu flies over. "Oh no!" she wails. "Listen! He is speaking Celestial and Abyssal! Listen to his words! He is.." she listens harder, flying closer. "..He is alternating between the two languages. It's like Torm and..oh no! Baphomet?? Oh no oh no! This is not good! A psychic struggle is taking place within Ravengard’s mind! We must return him to Pherria! She'll know what to do! Please! We must hurry!" Ravenguard continues to seize on the floor.

Misha rushes to his side, picking him up. "You heard the flying beaver! Move! Let's go!"

Jill helps Misha pick up Ravengard and carry him, so that they can get him to Pherria quicker. "Should we try to take the helmet off of him, Lulu?"

"I don't know what will happen if we do!" she admits, worried.

Persephone will scout ahead of the group, and serve as the lookout for baddies who might potentially ambush the group as we struggle to carry the writing Ravengard back to Pherria.

Stealth: 22

Allynna immediately moves ahead of the pair carrying Ravenguard, but behind Seph, dark fire wreathing one hand.

"Then we will not do that right now."

TORM VS BAPHOMET

Upon returning to the High Hall cathedral with Ulder Ravengard, you are greeted by Pherria, who rushes to aid you in getting the grand duke to a safe resting place. Working with the acolyte, those of you proficient in Arcana and Religion can help. The demonic essence intertwined with Torm’s presence by way of the helm can be cast out with the proper ritual. Pherria warns you all that she has never attempted this particular ritual before, and that you all should be ready to step in and help her — or to fight off any evil forces that might try to disrupt the process.

The ritual prayer takes 30 seconds to recite. Pherria knows the prayer by heart, but another character can invoke a suitable prayer with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check. While the prayer is being spoken, one character must spend the next 5 rounds gently resting Ravenguard's sword on the Helm of Torm’s Sight. While the prayer is being spoken, the one holding the sword must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of their turns or take an amount of force damage.

Chose someone to hold the sword and make 5 DC11 CON saves.

"Wish me luck"

Jill places her hand on the sword.

23

13

16

16

19

The Helm slips off in a bright flash of celestial light. Ravenguard comes to in gasping fit, his eyes wild with revelation.

"Are you alright?!" Lulu asks, worried. Ravenguard nodded slowly. "I saw a vision! I know what needs to be done!"

"Torm has shown me a path forward, but..the visions were..clouded and warped by demonic essence. In my spirit journey, I saw a bloodied woman in armor — a soldier wearing the colors and crest of Elturel — grasping a longsword fit for an angel. Fresh blood streamed from a nasty cut on the woman’s cheek. Flying next to the woman was a small, golden elephant with rapidly fluttering wings." He turns to Lulu. "It was you!" he declares in recognition. "As an enormous, loping demon threatened to devour the woman, she plunged the sword into the ground while the winged elephant made a trumpet sound with its trunk. The demon was hurled back as an alabaster palace rose up around the sword. The winged elephant fled and took to the red sky of Avernus, where it watched as a bloody scab grew up from the ground to engulf the palace and the enormous demon. The winged elephant fled and wandered in a delirium before coming upon two odd, birdlike humanoids dressed in patchwork armor and standing next to a strange infernal vehicle. The bird creatures were equipped with odd weapons and tools."

"Wait!" Lulu barks, smiling. "I remember! Yes! That was Zariel and her sword! Of course! I remember helping one of the Hellriders plant Zariel’s sword in the ground and raise an impenetrable fortress around it!"

"The Sword of Zariel is the key. The key to saving Elturiel!" Ravenguard declares. "I remember nothing more of the vision."

Lulu flaps her wings in excitement at the final part of his story and says "I remember meeting a pair of “bird folk” named Chukka and Clonk! Yes! They took me to a junkyard called Fort Knucklebone, where they built and repaired infernal vehicles..but I don't remember who ran the fort or what other creatures I met there."

Lulu quickly flies to the top of the cathedral and looks out over the blasted landscape of Avernus below Elturel. After trumpeting loudly, she returns to report that she can see Fort Knucklebone, and estimates it to be no more than ten miles away.

After some silent internal debating, Apeska slaps his hands together, and finally reverts to normal. "Torm... Buddenski... Help a brother out, won'cha? I'm only catch'n half of what yer knight here's spout'n." He says to Ulder, hoping Torm might be able to spare a second to help or not. Whether he passes a message along in celestial to the druid or not, he pulls out his holy kush for one last good drag prior to trying his hand at some prayers in celestial, hoping to pull and root Ulder to Torm.

For those that understand celestial, and want a giggle, here's his... "suitable" prayer. Just replace the earlier I with His(Ulder)(unless it needed to be more exact):

Religion: 8
Plus Guidance: 4.

Nok Nok listens to what he perceives to be mad rantings from the sometimes ape-man, shrugging about halfway through it. "Does this mean we're going to a junkyard? That sounds interesting," he asks, re-adjusting the pack on his back. "I might have room for a few more things. Souvenirs and such."

(Did Lulu re-gain any of her powers after this memory?)

Jill sighs in relief after that stunt with the sword works out. "Il semble que ce ne soit pas le jour de ma mort. Merci de continuer a me faire misericorde, Kelemvor.*" Jill stands up after finishing her prayer. "Well, if everyone is properly rested, I believe that we should be getting to this Fort Knucklebone."

*-It appears that this is not the day of my death. Thank you for continuing to show mercy to me, Kelemvor

(Not at this time. Once a few more people post, the fun will begin.)

 Yoska chuckles as he wipes the sweat from his brow, the ritual or the realm itself having begun taking its toll. "Rested, hah. I would hardly call what we've done so far as truly a restful, sister. But I 'preciate the joke." He smiles dreamily at Jill for a moment or two until his expression slowly shifts to a more serious one. "While I ain't digging the idea of trying to pop squat and catch'n a full eight in hell. We keep goin' at this rate, 'nd... some of us aren't gonna be much help for long rest of the way forward. Best we dig in here for a spell, 'nd hope for the best." He admits, rubbing the back of his neck.

"But... if the rest of ya are fer push'n ahead;'specially given the good news, I ain't gonna sweat'cha."

"I do not require a rest at this moment. I could keep watch while you sleep."

RULES OF DESCENT

Elturel is being held above the River Styx by four colossal chains about 500 feet up. The jagged posts and enormous chains of infernal iron that hold Elturel are the only physical connection between the city and the ground. Each chain link is 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, and is formed of a welded loop of infernal iron that is 5 feet thick.

CLIMBING:
It is a DC12 Strength (Athletics) check or fall. Fiendish magic within the posts and chains makes prolonged contact with them unbearable. Any creature in contact with the infernal iron must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking (a number I will roll) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Anyone who fails this saving throw must then succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw AGAIN or slip from the chain and fall.

- So, first make the DC12 STR check. If you pass that, you don't slip.
- Then, make the DC10 CON save for the infernal iron. If you pass THAT you reach the bottom. If you FAIL it, make ANOTHER DC12 STR (athletics) check to not slip and fall.

FLYING:
Any form of magical flight will bypass the check above, but MOST LIKELY attract attention of devil patrols.

SUCCESS:
If you pass ALL checks (climbing and damage), you manage to endure the pain and the struggle of descent, and flee to a safe distance for now.

FAILURE:
Failure to pass the CLIMBING checks means you slip and fall into the River Styx by the raging armies of devils and demons. You are slaughtered mercilessly in brutal fashion and are considered dead and out of the game.

No exceptions. I mean it. For real. This time.