Session 102 Report: The Fiend Portal
General Summary
Session 102 – Wednesday November 20th, 2024: The Fiend portal.
4-hour Battle/Explore session 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.
The Stone Bearers. Party of 4:
It is the 2nd day of the month of Ches (The Claw of Sunset) in the 51st year of the Age of Enialis (Late March.)
- Ajani– High Elf, L18 Wizard – Nathan Gioconda (Remote)
- Cassidy – Human, L18 Blood hunter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
- Gazlowe – Goblin, L19 Artificer – Josh Pozsonyi (Absent)
- Isabella – Forest Gnome, L18 Barbarian – Jackie Armstrong
- Juan Peyote – Gnome L18 Paladin – Will Johnson
- Seften Mitcaver – Human, L18 Cleric – Jacob Munson (Absent)
Halls and doors
After crawling through the window, Cassidy sneezed and Seften and Gazlowe disappeared. The party proceeded to a large stone door and opened it easily. They noticed that the door is attached to series of cables and pullies making it easy to open. The room was rather small about 15 feet wide and 25 feet long. It was empty and at the far end was another similar large stone door.
The party tried to open the 2nd door, but it wouldn’t budge. The party closed the previous door and then the 2nd door opened easily revealing a square room (about 30 X 30) with 4 pillars towards the corners. Ajani immediately sensed a lack of weavite indicating that certain spells may not work. In far end of the room were a set of stairs that lead up to another door. In front of the stairs were for demons.
Canoloths and Shoosuvas
2 long tongued Canoloths stood in the center and 2 demonic Gnoll creatures known as Shoosuvas lingered behind the far pillars. Isabella was first to charge in, attacking the demons. The spells chosen by Ajani and Juan, and Cassidy’s abilities were not affected by dead magic. Juan landed multiple critical blows and killed one of the Canoloths.
The other Canoloth extended his tongue and grappled Juan ripping him off bird. The Shoosuva critically hit Isabella with its stinger, but Isabella resisted the poison but its bite was nasty. Ajani used an acidic chromatic orb hitting multiple creatures. Cassidy used her abilities to be sure the creatures took all the acid damage. Juan critically hit the Canoloth and destroyed it. The party continued to attack with their favorite weapons. Ajani bloodied both Shoosuvas with another chromatic orb and Isabella finished one of them off with her axe. Isabella took some of demonic ichor and drew some war paint on her face. Cassidy finished off the remaining one. Searching the trash on the floor they found a mace of smiting.
A Balor and his friends
The party closed the previous door and walked up the steps to the next door. Ajani sensed wild magic in the next area and warned the party. They opened the door to reveal a 45’ square room with a 10’ high platform taking up most of the center of the room. 2 doors were on the east wall, one towards the north and one towards the south. At the north end of the room was another set of stairs and another door at the top of the stairs. On top of the platform was a Balor who raised his lightning sword and fire whip.
Cassidy traveled between the planes and walked to the top of the platform and hit the Balor and branded him. Isabella raged and ran to the demon with her +3 flail. As they struck the demon, they were burned by his fire aura (fortunately Cassidy is now immune to fire damage.) The demon struck Cassidy with his lightning sword and Isabella with his fire whip. Ajani shot the creature with a psychic lance. The creature was incapacitated and due to the wild magic, Ajani’s sense of smell was increased for a minute.
Juan rode bird up to the demon and struck the demon with his sword. The party took advantage of the incapacitated demon and continued to strike him until he was bloodied. Ajani shot an orb but missed. The wild magic almost turned Ajani into a giant spider, but he resisted. The north door opened and a Vrock flew out and attacked Juan. Juan continued to slice into the Balor and left it badly bloodied. The southern door opened and a Glabrezu came at Cassidy. Cassidy cursed it but one of the creatures’ claws was able to hit Cassidy and grapple him.
The Vrock cast magical darkness covering most of the room, the wild magic gave him additional protection from the Stone Bearers. The badly bloodied Balor tried to teleport away, but Cassidy’s curse prevented from doing so and it killed him. He exploded dealing 59 points of fire damage to everyone, badly burning Juan and bloodying bird.
Cassidy almost dies!
Ajani cast dispel magic eliminating the magical darkness. The wild magic however gave Ajani vulnerability to necrotic damage. The Vrock emitted poisonous spores but affected nobody. Juan and bird badly bloodied the creature. The Glabrezu grappled Cassidy with its 2nd claw and started to rip her in half leaving her with just 3 hit points. Everyone realized that if the creature succeeds this on its next turn, Cassidy will be dead and Seften isn’t around to bring her back!
Cassidy tried to whip the creature behind her but missed twice. Isabella ran to the Glabrezu swinging her axe and bloodied it. Ajani cast power word Stun on the creature giving everyone a 2nd round to try to kill it. The wild magic changed Ajani’s statistic by increasing his Constitution by 1 and reducing his Strength by 1. Juan ran from the Vrock, taking the slashing damage from the opportunity attack. Juan then killed the Glabrezu with his sword saving Cassidy. Isabella finished off the Vrock.
Isabella gave Cassidy a better superiorior potion of healing. They searched the 3 rooms and found a couple of magic items. Cassidy found an immoveable rod. Ajani found an enspelled dagger. The party took a short rest in one of the side rooms and Cassidy secured the door with the Immoveable Rod.
The Fiend portal.
After resting, the party made their way back into the hall and headed north towards the portal room. With all the other doors shut, they opened the northern door. The portal room was a large roughly octagonal shape about 80’ deep and 80’ wide. In the center of the room was a large platform roughly 55’ deep and 45’ wide with 3 pillars spread out on the eastern and western sides. At the north end was a massive 35’ diameter portal standing upright with a purple and red light emanating from it. The more arcane adept Stone Bearers sensed magical whisps from the pillars to the portal. Standing in front of the portal was a large elemental Force of Blood. It seemed to be manipulating the magical whisps and changing the scene in the portal scrolling through different levels of the hells and other demonic realms. The scene stopped on a hellish scape where a Barbed Devil was standing.
Isabella downed another potion of Fire Giant Strength and Cassidy studied the pillars and suggested to the party that the pillars are linked to the portal. The Blood Elemental waved his arms high in the air and the Barbed Devil walked into the room.
Destroying the portal.
Following Cassidy’s advice, Juan pulled out his mace and attacked one of the pillars. Jaun smashed the column and realized that magic will need to be used to destroy the pillars. Juan noticed that his Spiritual weapon did much more damage than his mace. The Barbed devil hurled flames at Juan and set him on fire. The portal changed to a scene with a nasty Blue Abishai. Isabella charged the Force of Blood and recklessly hit it with her magical flail. Ajani shot a 7th level lightning bolt striking a pillar, the Force of Blood and the Barbed Devil. The pillar was obliterated, and the other creatures were hurt. The scene changed again revealing a less powerful devil.
Cassidy tried to use her crucible to attack the pillar but missed. The Force of Blood told the barbed devil to bring forth another and then focused on Ajani trying to rend his blood. Ajani cast shield and prevented the attack. The elemental then hit Cassidy with its spear and then boiled Isabella’s blood. With his smite and mace, Juan was able to destroy another pillar. With 2 pillars destroyed, the Barbed Devil failed his check to pull in another Devil.
Isabella continued to focus on the Force of Blood and hurt it. Ajani cast another lightning bolt directly at 2 pillars and destroyed them both. Cassidy tried to shove the Barbed Devil into the portal where a Chain Devil was standing. The Barbed Devil took force damage from the portal but did not pass through. Cassidy cursed the Blood Elemental who attacked Ajani again. Ajani was able to use his shield again and was able to deflect the attack. The Force of Blood hit Cassidy twice with its spear, blooding Cassidy.
Juan and Bird focused on one of the last 2 pillars but made no significant progress. The Barbed Devil again failed to summon a Chain Devil through the portal. Isabella landed two blows on the Force of Blood, bloodying it. Ajani took out the last 2 pillars with another 4th level lightning strike. The Portal went dark, and the view of hell went black. The Force of blood screamed, angry at Ajani.
Killing the protectors of the portal.
Cassidy struck the devil with her whip and then hit the Elemental. The Elemental used its Essence Thief trait dealing necrotic damage to both Cassidy and Isabella and then teleported directly next to Ajani (who had destroyed 5 of the 6 pillars.) Cassidy cursed the Force of Blood again, causing it to miss Ajani on one of its 3 attacks. With Isabella’s help, Ajani’s shield blocked another of the attacks.
Juan (still on fire) and Bird focused on the Blood Elemental and left it badly bloody. Being on fire however, caused Juan to lose focus on his spiritual weapon. Isabella hit it with her mace and Ajani’s chromatic orb missed. Cassidy also missed her attacks. The Force of Blood (cursed again by Cassidy) attacked Ajani but with Cassidy’s curse it only landed one blow. Juan landed a critical blow with his sword and destroyed the Force of Blood. The party tried to let Cassidy finish off the Barbed Devil, but she whiffed. Isabella sighed, said, “I’ve got it” and finished it off.
The essence of the Portal
Ajani examined the runes on the portal and realized that it is powered by the life essence of fey creatures like Elves. Ajani had no interest in learning the dark magic, so he successfully dispelled the runes and destroyed the portal completely. Searching the room they found a couple more magical items. They found a potion of Fire Giant Strength (which Isabella took.) Ajani found a Ring of Free Action. They observed two doors, one leading East and one West…
Rewards Granted
Treasure
From the Canoloth room
From the Balor room
- An immoveable Rod
- An Enspelled Weapon (Dagger) Enchanted with Phantasmal force (DC 15) 6 charges (consumable.)
From the portal room
- A potion of Fire Giant Strength
- A Ring of Free Action.
