The session started with a giant lore dump, first regarding our Candlekeep research, then about harvesting the body parts of devils.
Regarding defensive spells and mythals: beyond the normal defensive spells, there is rumor of a place in Avernus, built by Celestials, protected against fiends. There are merchant caravans plying the land, protected by bargains made with devils. Any contract signed is enforced by the plane itself. Whoa.
Plant life in the Nine Hells: Avernus is a desert wasteland, but there are some plants, like desert plants brought over from the Material Plane. Also hellchickens.
Zariel's allies and enemies: Zariel was made leader of Avernus by Asmodeus himself, and there aren't many who'd go against the ruler of the Hells. Her closest associates are Haruman, her right hand and most trusted general, and Bel, the former ruler of Avernus humiliated by being made second in command. They obviously hate each other. And then there is Tiamat, who also lives in the Hells thanks to a bargain made with Asmodeus, and who detests Zariel because her followers had looted dragon treasures. Which we also did. Nice.
Lastly, also in Candlekeep, we found Hamun'd Harvesting Handbook. After taking inventory, we concluded that Daramin is best suited for appraising and harvesting devil corpses. Note that the following conversations all took place as the warforged went to town on the slain devils in the background.
Harkina Hunt, the mother of the two children we rescued, proved to be a more reliable source of information than the devils. She told us of devils and Hellriders slaughtering people in the streets, hiding in basements, and people being scared and generally unhelpful. No surprise there. Unlike us, who fed her with our meager travel rations.
We experienced this first hand, as we noticed a pair of eyes watching us from inside a boarded up home. A screeching woman's voice bade us away, telling us that nothing gets through the bridges towards High Hall. Only death awaits us there. Well, we might have a few fireballs to say about that.
The first stop was a nearby tower noticed by Lulu. Silka opened the doors and we climbed to the 6th floor to take in our bearings. The city indeed seemed to float high up in the air of Avernus, and the location give by the devil on the map looked accurate enough. The bridges were a bit further and guarded, but we couldn't make out the creatures moving about them.
Then we were on our merry way towards High Hall and its raised district, accompanied by sinister black lightning, exploding roofs, broken windows and earthquakes.
Soon enough, a house collapsed entirely, and voices inside cried out for help. Silka went in to scout, noticing 3 dwarves, one stuck under a table. The halfling was unable to pull him out, so Daramin went in as well. Obviously, devils attacked us outside just then. While Barbosa and Rheia took care of the merregon, I misty step'd on to a rooftop to snipe the spined devils. Harkina joined in with her longbow. After a couple of failed tries, Silka and Daramin also clambered out to join the fight.
After the devils were slain, we talked to the dwarves - again, to the background of Daramin slaughtering the corpses. While two dwarves, Strobin and Kartra, were simple workers, Velkora was a priest who immediately healed his injured friend, and also Rheia at our request. The dwarves joined us on our trek.
In the vicinity of the bridges, Silka went ahead to scout. The bridge was guarded by 4 spined devils and 4 armored Hellriders. Strange runes were carved into the bridgehead. Silka made it back in one piece, and showed us a transcription of the runes. The religious guys made out a prayer to Thorm, from the days of the devil invasions, that, when said aloud in the vicinity of the runes, would hurt any fiends or undead on the bridge. The plan of attack was thus hatched. With the goons in the middle of the bridge, we waited outside stealth-check-distance, while Silka sneaked in and activated the runes. All on the bridge cried out in pain, as holy light seared into them. Neat.
Silka then retreated, and we blasted the rushing foes. Barbosa's shield fireball had no effect on the Hellriders - they were, apparently, devils themselves. Daramin's shatter had some effect. I transmuted a fireball to thunder damage and took out the spined devils.
The Hellriders scattered towards nearby houses, but we rushed after them. Silka fired his hand crossbow while I misty step'd and landed a web in between them.
Three of them got away and rushed into the house, but one got stuck in the web and was quickly taken down by Silka and an enraged Rheia.
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