Session 36

Heroes: Meghera, Zark, Vaako, So-Kehur

As Plague-Mort slides into the Abyss, Vaako stands in the desolation left behind by the catastrophe. With a long journey up ahead, he soon decides to summon the Nic'Epona to bring him back to a safe place, and then make his way by himself to Carceri and to his tribe of Malar worshippers.

Meghera returns to Sigil, only to discover that she's wanted by the authorities for the attack on the Hall of Records. She tries to hide among the gambles of Sigil, but when she's ambushed by a shadow demon (most probably in retribution for the events occured in Plague-Mort), she finds refuge in the Foundry. There, she opens her heart to Factol Ambar, blaming both the attack on the Hall of Records and the fall of Plague-Mort on Zark.

The githyanki necromancer makes its way to the Dwarven Mountains, and eventually also reaches Sigil. Understanding he's a wanted gith, he returns to his home in Sylvania. But there he finds that his sanctuary has been invaded, his guards killed, and his maid is tied up on the roof of his laboratory, where his zombies are trying to claw at her.

Zark frees the halfling woman, but at the first opportunity kills her and re-animates her as an undead. When Zark realises that the animated corpse of the Tacharim wizard Valran is missing, together with his research about modron anatomy, he understands that the Tacharim are still on his tail.

Zark decides to return to Sigil, where he uses a magic jar spell to take possession of a new body, and then contacts Zadara the titan. The powerful celestial is willing to help Zark get out of this sticky situation, but asks for a favour in return. She seeks to obtain a book to be found in a fortress in the Abyss.

Meanwhile, Meghera is meeting several Godsmen barrister to clear her name. One of them is actually an old acquaintance; Gallus the pit fiend pays a visit to the tiefling, telling her he's the only one who can make sure the tanaar'ri lords are kept at bay. He knows of a book containing the true names of several powerful demons. If she can retrieve the book from the Fortress of Fallen Stairs in Abyss he'll make sure to use it to blackmail the demons.

So-Kehur, a prime ranger in the service of the Athar, is tasked to find out what happens in Plague-Mort, and who was behind the fall of the town. His investigation put him in contact with the Gentleman, who is arranging an expedition to the Abyss. Meghera and Vaako meet So-Kehur, and together with them is also a man named Marik (none others than Zark possessing a human body thanks to a magic jar spell, currently hiding his true identity).

While the four plan their trip, they find themselves trapped in some sort of spell, transporting them to the Abyss. There, they meet the tiefling wizard Taraere; she seems surprised to see the Heroes, but explains to them that she "summoned" them with a spell of her own creation. They soon realise that they are indeed bound to her will, though the magic seems to be slowly failing. Yet, for the moment they're compelled to do as she commands.

Taraere guides them through the Plain of Infinite Portals, on their way to the Fortress of Fallen Stairs. It seem the tiefling woman is also hunting for the mystical book containing the true names of the tanaar'ri. On their way to the fortress, the Heroes are attacked by a flock of vrock demons.

The Heroes maange to destroy the demons, but pay a high price for their victory: as the dust settles, Vaako lies dead on the red sands of the Abyss, his body ripped apart by the demonic claws.