To Hell (and back?)

After defeating the Brother Plot, we decided to go to Eles's home, the Shadowed Sanctum! said our goodbyes, heading out of the Maine Gate
I asked the Raven Queen through divination does the same fate await the Shadowed Sanctum? "It was not yet determined"
Came across a dead carcass with corvids. It was a dead moose, split apart. It was not a magical death. We decided to keep moving.
Resting for the night: Dara and Eles keep first watch. Dara asks Eles what her home was like.
 
Manny and Merrli keeping watch
Merrli: "I am a concubine"
"I'm going to misty step with the ghost into you"
"Can I enter you" Manny to Merrli
 
Merrli and Eles communicating with Lorathian
-Can they break the curse
-Will you break the curse
As we're discussing the questions Merrli would want asked, Eles asked merrli if he would want to know anything about his former life.
And for that, Merrli got shunted to Hell: Spider Court. He got summoned to his "sentencing hearing" Tidepod was his attorney lol
"You caught me on the wrong day, I'm snatched"
Guilty of not following directions
In my defense...you own my soul...
"Hate our relationship, glad we agree on that"
12 demerits
Punishment: forfeit their memories of his mortal life. His memory of pledging to Lorathion
Another punishment: the seal shall be carved on his lower back and his ears turn into donkey ears
 
Eles had woken up Manny and Dara, panicked that Merrli disappeared again. But he reappears and we launch pretty much directly into the divination with Lorathion:
"I have not seen you in centuries"
He didn't know what had happened to Merrli.
"Can you break this curse?" -yes
"Will you" -partially
"Do you like me?" -yes
On a religion check: Partially-Lorathion isn't allowed to do anything active to Merlli's curse
 
Dawn is breaking
-on the road we see an infernal pool. A lot of discussion about whether or not to go in it. But it's where our DM wants us to go, so we go!
and Manny fucking DISAPPEARS. we were HOODWINKED!
"Wake the fuck up bitch, you're in hell"
Falling endlessly-in a black void, can't see anything, can't communicate with each other. Merrli wonders if this was the same feeling as the blank void that Eles and Manny have experienced, but Eles knew it felt different.
We land in a pile, taking some damage. We see pale and shadowy landscape, dull shades. We see no sun or stars, stray dim light pervades the area, mist and fog.
On a 28 perception, Eles seems to know where we are, but that the information is blocked from her. She feels like she does know, and should remember the name at least, doesn't have the ability to access that knowledge. (Are we actually in SHADOWFELL?) (Is this part of the Raven Queen's fortress domain?)
I also see 5 monsters in our way. Some zombie-things and big rat things?
The zombies were saying "finally" and whispered "lost" a lot
Thoughts of being lost overwhelm Merrli during one of their attacks.
Whispered "You are lost" to Eles as it died. Eles and Dara could feel similar feelings of desperation to what Merrli felt too.
 
We meet Ben's PC:
a/s/l
Age: ??? Kind of old?
Sex: Probably male
Tiefling- one horn is an antler
Holding a lantern and a falcon or eagle?
Name: Al
 
Joins our party, sees Merrli, thinks our group is weird
Wretches and losts
Religion check on Al: He has a special whiff of the Raven Queen on him
One of his horns is a broken antler
Bringing us to the port of broken dreams- looks like somewhere people go to wither. Lots of talk of shambling, a parody of life.
"dark flutters" of hell pixies
"Robert, Bobby" political rival
Al's home is a fisher's hut -no soul-
We introduce each other. I say I'm from the Shadowed Sanctum. Al said he had always wanted to visit, but they turned him away.
"Mr. Bones, traveling salesman"
box of spiders, broken Raven Queen's mask, beer stein.
Seems like items specifically made for us
"Touching Mr. Bones is not a fun interaction"
Someone was filled with a feeling of dispair
I couldn't complete a divine intervention to get us the hell out of here. It felt like my power was blocked again.
Al gives up a memory so Eles can have the Raven Queen's mask. Says it's a gift. Eles resolved to repay this kindness.
We talk about why we think Manny disappeared, Why some of my magic is blocked
"A gleam in your hole"
 
Eles cast sending to Manny: "We seem to be safe, but in hell, do you know where you are? Can we get to you?
Manny's response: "Ellie! Hello! I'm ok. Not in hell, as far as I can tell. I seem to be..." [Manny begins speaking in an unknow language. You don't know what language and you don't understand.]
 
During my trance: Flying on the back of Guatir, we are above the realm we seem to be in. There is someone just out of my right side view, with a porcelain mask.
Everyone else is behind me. I look for Manny, just he isn't there
I ask the figure in my side view, "Are you Her, or are you someone we have to find"
"I'll find you"
"Is there anything else I need to know"
"The Port of Broken Dreams holds no more answers, Our time together grows short. Do not trust anyone bearing the raven's feather
Before I wake up, I see a dark fortress, absolutely DRIPPING with ravens.
 
The Sorrowsworn
Evergloom: terrible, no good, very bad fog. Lose a bit of yourself in it. dusk dust
Eles asking Al if he wants to come with us
"Al has the most prolapsed anus in all hell"
Justin Time- growing things in the swamp to the east
"We're having a brat hell"
We hear the port's warning bell
Horde with the lost and wretches
*Eles hasn't put the mask on yet*
The night before the battle day, I cast create food and water.
Cast Holy Weapon and/or Freedom of Movement and/or Dara and/or Merrli