Campaign Update #18 (by Ironbeard)

I think we can all agree that last session saw things go in several unexpected directions.

No sooner had the Heroes of Gwudd Hill been left on the Plane of Thanatos by Afa, Whren Briarwhisper managed a daring and unconventional escape. She did so by summoning a Succubus name Belphagora to her cell and making a fiendish pact. Belphagora agreed to open the door to Whren’s prison, but only on the condition that the gnome rogue allow the demon whore to possess her. While this tactic initially struck me as extremely surprising, especially given Whren’s normally cautious nature, the move proved to be extremely wise.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party moved across the Plains of Hunger on Thanatos with little problem to speak of. For the most part, they managed to evade the planes resident dangers, not the least of which are the enormous hordes of zombies that continually wander across the lifeless landscape.

Things went well until Quarian fell in valiant battle against a Cloud Giant Skeleton at the base of Baragh’s tower. I’m sure that we will all remember Quarian in our own ways. For me, it was always the paradoxical tension between his dark cynicism and his lusty embrace of life that made the character so interesting. I will miss him.

Once within the tower, the PCs made surprisingly quick work of Baragh the Pitiless and successfully recovered that Rubric of Akham. The trip back to the rendezvous point with Afa proved more challenging, however. Without Quarian (a ranger of course) to guide them, our heroes were unable to find the point at which Afa was supposed to meet them to return to the Prime Material Plane and were thus left stranded on Thanatos.

Fortunately, in the course of their travels they made the acquaintance of one Elizar, a half vampire mortal who had traveled to the Abyss in search of a cure for his seemingly unquenchable bloodlust, a quest that he had failed in apparently. Elizar claims that he has heard rumors of a possible way back to the prime material plane however. A mortal wizard is rumored to reside in a place called the City of Straight Curves that lies about one month’s journey to the west of your current position. This wizard supposedly can arrange transport of mortals back to their home planes, for a fee of course.

At this point it should be clear of course that, had not Whren managed to escape from Afa’s clutches, she would have been sacrificed after her comrades failed to meet Afa at the rendezvous point. Thus, while Whren’s strategy is certainly fraught with danger and will certainly have consequences, it did undoubtedly save her life. Ah those clever gnomes. How can you not love them?