Session 35: Instant Regret 2: Electric Boogaloo

As the group eats, Arran says that the evidence points to the shrine of Turagh, also known as Jolovd, being in Silf'vliz, the old capitol, which is overrun with demons. Meanwhile, the restaurant is becoming more crowded. There are various other races among the tieflings, so Joe asks the bartender if there’s a reason for the variety. The bartender says that a small dragonborn fleet patrols the waters regularly and made port yesterday. Joe then tells the group they should head into the wasteland right away to avoid the dragonborn, but Arran says it’s too dangerous to head into the wasteland at night.

Shortly after, Suvulaan enters the restaurant. She warns the group to leave, because Ruthstin is here. Before they can, Ruthstin arrives and greets them enthusiastically. He joins the table and says he won’t fight them because he respects etiquette and his boss isn’t here. Joe asks him if they need to worry about being apprehended when leaving. Ruthstin says that he doesn’t have orders related to them, and writes a certificate to tell his men not to arrest them, but the group is hesitant to give their names. Only Grombrin ends up on the certificate, and Joe under a fake name. Joe is maliciously happy to get Ruthstin’s signature.

The group nonetheless have a rambling conversation with Ruthstin and Suvulaan. Ruthstin asks them what brings them here, and Vica tells him that it’s “nonya business”. He mentions that Gyrraleth is north of the Varian Highlands, and can travel around magically. He mentions that Grand Admiral Krahtuz is in command of Kadoma. Ruthstin didn’t get to be grand admiral because he didn’t file the paperwork. When the group decides to leave, Suvulaan says that she hopes to see them again when Ruthstin is gone.

Even though Ruthstin won’t harm them, the group fears that he might inform Gyrraleth, who may show up through magical travel. Travelling to Silf'vliz with Vojta’s cloud spell still depleted will take too long, so Arran hesitantly suggests going to a nearby temple in the wasteland. Joe and Vojta go looking for mounts that can get them through the wasteland faster. They find a merchant who sells bulettes, which can sustain the wasteland climate. They may be difficult to control, but Joe and Vojta deem it worthwhile, and buy four bulettes for 75 gp each. Vojta has no trouble handling them. The bulettes also need six lbs. of meat per day, so they buy a three-day supply and put it in Arran’s bag of holding.

The group sets out into the night. Arran and Vojta share a bulette, because Arran is the worst at handling animals and Vojta lacks darkvision. As they travel west along the coast, Arran warns them to avoid poisonous gas and storms. He says that devils are less likely to attack them, but demons are the real danger. He also warns them that travellers along the road may be fiends in disguise, and warns Vojta to be careful with water spells, as water will cause the poison clouds to precipitate.

About an hour in, Vojta notices ominous sounds surrounding the group. Vica pulls out her demon-detecting dagger, which shines brightly. Arran urges them to keep going because he fears that it may be goristros. Shortly after, Arran’s longbow releases a warning sound, while two goat-like demons with glaives and a third diseased-looking one appear from the darkness. Vica recognizes them as Bulezau.

An aura of sheer depression emanates from the diseased demon, gradually weakening all members of the group. Vica gets slashed and bitten by the diseased one, but slips away when Grombrin starts blasting the demons with beams of light. Vojta transforms into a stone bear and, remembering Ahrm’s techniques, batters one of the demons with several punches. Two of the demons retaliate, slashing chunks out of his stone body, while the diseased demon casts a spell on Grombrin, shattering his mind and reducing his intelligence to that of an animal.

Unable to cast spells, Grombrin attacks with his axe, but makes little progress. Arran, Joe, and Vica fight with their blades, but are soon wounded and knocked out. Vojta returns to human form and raises Vica with a burst of healing energy, but the diseased demon rushes him and knocks him out as well. Grombrin reaches out to Morach for divine intervention, but he fails to reach him in his incomprehensible state. Grombrin protects Vica with remarkable tenacity, turning aside many attacks with his armour, while Vica finally kills one of the demons with her bow. Grombrin does become increasingly wounded, until an unlucky arrow from Vica bounces off the demon’s hide and strikes Grombrin, knocking him out.

With the others knocked out, the diseased demon tells Vica that the others will live if she comes with them. The demons in the Lifeless Valley are exiles, and bringing in Ti’ireth’s daughter will buy their way back into the abyss. Vica agrees, leaving all her gear behind in a pile before surrendering to the demons. The demons then restore Grombrin’s shattered mind, and surround the unconscious bodies with a circle of blue dust, marking them as off-limits to other demons.

Grombrin wakes up to find Vica and the demons gone. He heals Joe and Vojta back to consciousness, but Arran is no longer breathing. The three of them inspect the blue dust and figure that Vica somehow used her demonic nature to save them. Joe gathers Vica’s gear, while Vojta wraps Arran’s body in two cloaks of protection and ties it to the back of a bulette. They then travel defeated back to Um’akuh, where they intend to have Grombrin perform a ritual to resurrect Arran.