The party begins to research their benefactors, the Cassalanters, to find out about their involvement and true motivations as they relate to the Grand Game.
After a successful grand opening of Trollskull Manor, the group considers their next path of action. Shazuu contacts his “uncle” for more information about the Cassalanter family. He makes a deal for information, and learns that the party can learn more at a shrine to Asmodeus hidden in the North Ward on Aveen Street. The Cassalanters appear to be high ranking members of the cult. When they learn this. decide that they will recover the gold themselves, using the Stone and the notes they have
The group will need to recover the remaining two Eyes of the Stone of Golorr. They decide that tonight would be the best opportunity to get to both, as the Cassalanters and the drow will be attending the Highcoin Ball. They decide to investigate the hidden shrine, break into the Cassalanter’s estate to recover the Eye, and then raid the drow ships while they are gone.
While Mantis sees to the affairs of Trollskull Manor, Shazuu, Tang, Tygorr, and Shining Brow head to Aveen Street. Shining Brow’s familiar locates a house that appears to be suspicious. He watches the door, but no one seems to be coming or going. After waiting, the four decide to raid the building. Shining Brow picks the lock and the group sneaks into what appears to have once been a kitchen, but is now empty except for a summoning circle. They are attacked by a mage, a pair of thugs and a small demon-like creature. They manage to capture the mage and one of the thugs. More of the cultists and imps join the fight, and as the battle continues, one of the imps kills the captive mage.
The party finishes the fight, and while searching the cultists, find a holy symbol of Asmodeus. They search the rest of the first floor, and locate two statues. One is creature draped in chains, and the other is a demonic cat beast. There are also stone tentacles that appear to be moving. There is also a book bound in a strange leather. Shazuu takes the book, and finds that it is a book of devotions to Asmodeus, and looks to belong to Arn Xalrondar, who lives on Lamplighter Lane.
They return to the entrance room to question one of the cultists who survived the battle. Tang interrogates him, and learns that the house is used for cult rituals. When he has no more information, Shazuu kills him, and dark hands seem to rise around the corpse and drag his spirit to hell. Taken aback, the group continues to investigate the house. They find a mirror, and when Tygorr looks into it, causes him to spit flames. Shazuu investigates the mirror, and finds the sigil of the Cassalanters. They locate a secret hallway containing nine murals, which appear to represent the Nine Hells. The hallway ends in a staircase. The party descends into a cold stone basement
The stair ends in a passageway. One end is blocked by a rockfall, but the other end opens to a strange room. Shining Brow scouts ahead, and is drawn to a mysterious spot… a pinprick of nothingness in the room. He peers into the “hole”, and is greeted with an excruciating sight. The pinhole is a hell cyst… a tiny view into the Nine Hells. Shining Brow can barely comprehend the horror that he sees, and flees the building. Tygorr follows him, but can’t catch the tabaxi. Shazuu is also drawn to the dot, and when he looks into it his mind also snaps. He is consumed by an insatiable hunger. He immediately sits on the ground and begins to cram fietfulls of dirt into his mouth. Tang tries to get him to stop, but is unsuccessful.
Finally, Tang decides to look into the dot as well, but his will is strong enough to resist the power of the view of hell. The vision is horrifying, but he keeps his sanity. As Shazuu comes to his senses, Tang reads the infernal writings on the walls around him, and realizes he did not escape the view of the Nine Hells unscathed. He has been branded by the three triangles of Asmodeus, permanently marked by his decision.
Things to consider for next time:
- Recover from their look into the Nine Hells
- Recover the Eyes
- Deal with the Xanathar Smokepowder delivery on the 1st
Reminders:
- The Drow faction is supplying the Nimblewrights to Waterdeep, and apparently can spy through them (“We now have eyes in the Watchful Order”)
- Rongquan Mystere is somehow involved with the Drow
- Smokepowder is being delivered to Xanathar via the ‘Staircase of Eyes’ on the 1st at 11pm. The sewer tunnels will mark the way to Xanathar’s lair
- Next Arena fight in the Xanathar’s lair is on the 6th. The players have the pass-phrae and the address if they wish to participate.