Quote from tiomila >>

Brox looks around the place and is astonished by its magic prowess. Levitating up to the top level almost made her sick, but she quickly stabilised herself leaning against the wall once arrived. She still feels like she needs to understand this Vizeran guy better. While listening to him, she will close her eyes and "feel" around the place with her Divine Sense [As an action, you can detect good and evil. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense anything affected by the hallow spell or know the location of any celestial, fiend, undead within 60 ft. that is not behind total cover.] . 

Then she steps forward. "Vizeran, I don't trust you. What do you get from helping us? But you're the best option we have right now. I will help you to try and send the demon lords back. Just because it is the best and only solution for this plane. But be assured, I will keep my eyes on you, and if you cross us, you will feel the wrath of Dawnbringer."

Brox then crosses her arms and leans back against the wall. 

A few seconds later she pips up again, less confident this time: "You are a powerful wizard, aren't you? We lost our friend in the abyss. It was my fault. Are you able to plane shift? Maybe we should visit the abyss, try to rescue our friend and maybe, just maybe if Gromph is there as well, he can give us some clues as to what happened and what he actually tried to achieve?"

 "And well you should not trust me," replies Vizeran. "But my own motivations remain my own. All you should concern yourself with is that whatever the reason, we both want the demon lords banished back to the Abyss where they belong, and I happen to know how to do just that. As for your friend, you may as well give up on them now. Going to the Abyss is follow. Even if I could get you there, there is no guarantee of finding a way back. I doubt whoever it is survived even a moment in that treacherous place. Still, should we succeed in defeating these fiends, maybe we can make some sort of arrangement. Until then, we must focus on the matter at hand. Speaking of which..."

Vizeran turns to pull a few books from the shelves, muttering to himself. As he does so, Brox, you stretch out your divine sense. Surprisingly, nothing appears, whether it is blocked by the tower walls, or simply doesn't exist, this place seems to be free of unholy influence.

Vizeran eventually returns with books in hand, lays them out on the table, and begins to speak.

“Demons are creatures ruled by madness and hatred, even the greatest and most powerful of them. They war ceaselessly upon each other in the Abyss, and have already begun to do so here. We can play them against each other, and then deal with the weakened victors.

“I believe I have the ability to devise and cast a ritual, similar to Gromph’s but nowhere near as dangerous or foolish, that will draw the most powerful demon lords together to the site of the original summoning. Once they are brought together, they will try to destroy each other. But though the demon lords might destroy each other’s physical manifestations here in our world, their essence cannot be extinguished. They will thus be cast back into the Abyss, as effectively as if they had been banished.

“The ritual needs certain components to produce the talisman that will draw the demons. Then a rite to empower and activate it. Then blood and battle such as this world has never seen. Any survivors among the demon lords will be sorely weakened, and should be far easier to destroy.

“All I need are the necessary ingredients,” Vizeran says, “and, ideally, a look at Gromph’s grimoires and notes from his sanctum.” Where the drow archmage watches you, a thin smile curls one corner of his mouth.

Grimnir listened silently the wizard's explanation while puffing on a rosewood pipe he kept in his backpack. The plan seems logical and definitively dangerous... but again, nothing has been easy so far.
"I understand the plan. It could work. I'm in if the others agree as well, but as Brox said, if we help you, you help us to find out if our companion is still living and to bring her back."
He waits a few second, studying the face of the Wizard and adds: "So Wizard, where would you want us to start?"

Quote from _Grimnir_ >>

Grimnir listened silently the wizard's explanation while puffing on a rosewood pipe he kept in his backpack. The plan seems logical and definitively dangerous... but again, nothing has been easy so far.
"I understand the plan. It could work. I'm in if the others agree as well, but as Brox said, if we help you, you help us to find out if our companion is still living and to bring her back."
He waits a few second, studying the face of the Wizard and adds: "So Wizard, where would you want us to start?"

 A smile hints at the edges of Vizeran's lips. "Agreed, now on to business. For this ritual to work, I'm going to need some very rare components. I'm trusting in you to acquire them. It will be dangerous, but really, what isn't in the underdark?" He grins again, and then lays out a parchment with a list of items on it.

• The intact and unhatched egg of a purple worm, for channeling great physical power.
• The central eye of a beholder, to break down magical resistance and overcome magical forces.
• Six feathers from six different angels — the authority of the celestial realms and a force to enrage fiendish creatures.
• The heart of a goristro, to reach and influence the hearts of other demons.
• Thirteen timmasks, also known as “devil’s mushrooms,” sprouted from the footprint of a marilith, a balor, or a goristro — a lure to draw demons in.
• A few drops of blood or ichor from a demon lord, to connect with the demons the ritual will call.
• Gromph Baenre’s grimoires and notes on his ritual, to assist in better understanding the power that summoned the demon lords.

Vizeran continues, "I will be making preparations myself in the mean time, but you are free to use the tower as a base for your operations and have prepared rooms for you. I also have supplies to help you. Magical artifacts that will assist you in getting the required ritual supplies." 

Vizeran turns to a trunk and opens it, removing several items. He comes to each of you to hand you a cloak and an amulet. He explains that the cloak is a piwafwi and the amulet will act as a one time use Scroll of Protection from Fiends. 

"If you have questions about the ritual items, ask them. I have suggestions for where you can find most of them, but you're free to acquire them by any means possible. In addition, there is a teleportation circle at the base of the tower. I will allow your wizard here to learn the required sigil sequence to use it." 

"I am willing to follow your plan. However, there is a detail that unwinds me. You say this epic battle between Demon Lords will happen in the place of the original summoning. Wouldn't that be Menzoberranzan? Wouldn't that destroy the dark elves' city?"

Quote from filcat >>

"I am willing to follow your plan. However, there is a detail that unwinds me. You say this epic battle between Demon Lords will happen in the place of the original summoning. Wouldn't that be Menzoberranzan? Wouldn't that destroy the dark elves' city?"

You catch a glimmer in his eye. "Would it now? What a pity..." Vizeran quickly changes the subject, suggesting you rest and prepare for gathering supplies. "Tell me which you shall pursue first, and I will give you what information I have on it."

Oorr decides to leave the argument about Menzoberranzan. For now.

"Purple worms, I gather we will encounter one soon or later. What about angel's feathers?"

"Let's see what is the closest. We should avoid doing necessary travel. But angels seems like a good option to me."
Grimnir hesitates... "Angels are good, correct?"

Vizeran shrugs his shoulders. "Celestials are often called 'good' but for my purposes, it does not matter. There is an area of the Underdark far South of here, near Gracklstugh, called the Labyrinth. My research tells of a place called the Gallery of Angels. I would suggest checking there if you've nowhere else to acquire them. The Wormwrithings is nearby, however, and there is both a purple worm nest, as well as a beholder lair, if you wanted to start there. It matters not. Once I have the materials, the dark heart talisman will be prepared."

"I am inclined to say that we start with the closest ones: purple worm and beholder. I am also not inclined to waste any more time here," Oorr says calmly, giving a stern look at the archmage with that last sentence.

"I agree..."

After the meeting, Grimnir suggests trying to scry on the beholder. "Any information could be useful. But this might be really hard to find it".
He sits, finding a confortable place, with the varnished Nothic eye in his hands. After a few minutes of concentration, Grimnir connect to the mycellium and looks for its target.

Scrying: WIS save: DC 12
low DC due to Secondhand Knowledge (you have heard of the target; WIS 17 -5)

Quote from _Grimnir_ >>

"I agree..."

After the meeting, Grimnir suggests trying to scry on the beholder. "Any information could be useful. But this might be really hard to find it".
He sits, finding a confortable place, with the varnished Nothic eye in his hands. After a few minutes of concentration, Grimnir connect to the mycellium and looks for its target.

Scrying: WIS save: DC 12
low DC due to Secondhand Knowledge (you have heard of the target; WIS 17 -5)

 Unfortunately you see nothing. Vizeran commends you for trying, and gives you directions to the area known as The Vast Oblivion. He knows only that adventurers go missing in the area, and a beholder is believed to be responsible. This area seems to be on the way to the purple worm nest in the Wormwrithing as well. All of it is just a few days travel from Araj.

After answering your questions, Vizeran calls in his apprentice Grin. "Grin will see to your final preparations. I will continue my studies and prepare for when the ingredients are gathered. Together, this Dark Heart Talisman will save the Underdark. You have my thanks." He turns and leaves down the levitating shaft, uttering the command word, 'aluhal’kafion'. Grin appears a moment later and offers to show you to rooms you may stay in. He repeats the command word Vizeran used, and explains it means descend. The other command you learned, 'ku'lam' means rise, and a final word, ilkalik,  will cause you to halt at the desired level of the tower. After the instructions, he takes you to level 3 of the tower, where you saw multiple rooms before. They are guest chambers and have been prepared for you. 

You have the evening to prepare for your journey tomorrow into the Wormwrithings to acquire a beholder eye, and a purple worm egg.

Before taking a rest, but absolutely after supper, Oorr attunes to the Underdark. He wants to check what kind of creatures are within 6 miles. He will compare the divination in the morning to see what will have changed.

Quote from filcat >>

Before taking a rest, but absolutely after supper, Oorr attunes to the Underdark. He wants to check what kind of creatures are within 6 miles. He will compare the divination in the morning to see what will have changed.

 Oorr, you can sense the presence of fiends. You don't know how many, or where, but you definitely sense their presence. In the morning, they are gone.

After his failed session of scrying, Grimnir is ready to take some rest. Who knows what they will encounter tomorrow.
But before falling asleep, Grimnir will check on his last follower, the Lord's Alliance spy Farryl Kilmander. Grimnir will make sure that his comrade is in a good mood and if he needs anything. 
Finally, Grimnir will also spend some time with Rocky, feeding him some meat and training him.

Chapter 13: The Wormwrithings

Having agreed to Vizeran's plan, you rest, and then set out West, back the way you came. Grin, Vizeran's apprentice, gives you a map of the Wormwrithings and marks two locations. One, about 50 miles West of the tower, is the purple worm nest. About 12 miles south of that is a black dot and a name, The Vast Oblivion, which is where he believe you may fine a beholder eye. Vizeran does not make an appearance. Grin explains the master is very busy preparing to create the Dark Heart Talisman. It would be wise to make haste.

Your companions that are left look happy to see you when you emerge from the Tower. After filling them in on the plan, they resolutely agree to stick with you for now. 

After setting foot into the myriad of tunnels that stretch across this area of the Underdark, you become aware of a lack of the dim light of faerzress. It seems that the magical haze doesn't penetrate this far into the tunnels.  

Your first day of travel is uneventful, traveling the dark tunnels of the wormwrithings. They all look the same after awhile, and you've seen quite a few of them. You sense faint rumbles, possibly purple worms, but too distant to be sure. On the afternoon of your second day, you come across something interesting.

A foul stench and a cacophony of faint, hissing voices rises from ahead. The tunnel plunges sharply downward into a vast, open cavern dimly lit by luminous fungi and bisected by an underground stream. Tall reptilian humanoids stand on either side of the stream, waving makeshift weapons and howling threats at each other in a hissing language.

The group of creatures closest to you has a captive lashed between two stalagmites atop a low rise in the cavern floor. That floor is some twenty feet below you, down a steep but navigable tunnel whose walls are piled high with rubble. The creatures are preoccupied with their conflict and haven’t noticed you yet.

You are located in the central Southern tunnel, looking North. The creatures appear to be Troglodytes. In the tunnel where you stand, Belwar and Oorr notice a hidden tunnel to the East, covered in rubble, but large enough to traverse. 

Oorr whispers to the group: "There is a hidden tunnel to the east. We could let this play out. No need to get involved."

Grimnir nods and whispers " I agree, we are not here for those ones. Let's try to go around them"
He will then cast Pass without Trace on the party. A fine layer of mushrooms grows under everyone's boots helping the party stay silent. "Don't go too far from me and you will be silent"

(OOC: so everybody should have now +10 and advantage due to our cape)

Brox nods. She does feel that these creatures would benefit from meeting the light and can feel Dawnbringer vibrating in her hands, but she turns towards the small corridor leading East and steps into it.