# Journey South Into the Pits of the Hells ## Changing Travel Patterns After letting a group of Shadow like giants and horned devils pass unmolested, the party decided to alter their travel schedule to avoid the oppressive daytime heat of the southern wastes. They pushed on through the night, traveling until midnight before making camp in a well-hidden alcove that [[Cub]] discovered with his keen survival instincts. ## The Campfire Gathering Around the campfire, the expanded group shared moments of both camaraderie and tension. [[Grumthar]] began learning the Elven tongue from [[Aenwyn]], one of the Ketaca elves who had joined their quest. [[Tessara]], an elven scout, proudly presented a metal unicorn she had crafted for [[Tarnik]] as a gesture of friendship. The orc paladin harshly rejected the gift, crushing the young elf's spirits. [[Bordak]], however, stepped in to comfort the crestfallen [[Tessara]], sharing a quiet moment of understanding with her. [[Thia MoonGlade|Thia]], the leader of the elven contingent, reported seeing a strange green light to the south—possibly a signal flare from the hellish lands they were approaching. ## Prophetic Dreams During the night, several members of the party experienced vivid, prophetic dreams: **[[Tarnik]]** dreamt of being an elf hunted by orcs. A mysterious orc woman appeared in his vision, warning him about the need for change and transformation. **[[Bordak]]** dreamt of a red-haired human girl standing amidst a massacre. She spoke of spreading corruption and showed him a terrible vision: a young elf girl screaming in a fiery hellscape, surrounded by flames and suffering. **[[Cub]]** experienced the most disturbing vision of all. He dreamt of floating high above the world of Solare, seeing the magical ley lines that crisscrossed the continents like glowing veins. As he watched, he noticed a diseased corruption spreading through these vital channels, emanating from a massive, buried beast deep within the earth. ## Continuing South Upon waking, the party continued their journey with their new nighttime schedule, resting during the scorching days and traveling through the cooler darkness. [[Cub]] used his druidic abilities to awaken two of the dire wolves that had been pulling their wagon—Lobos and Bolto—granting them sentience and the gift of speech. The newly awakened wolves quickly developed distinct, talkative personalities, chattering excitedly about their newfound awareness. Their constant conversation proved amusing to some and annoying to others. Tensions within the group flared when an argument erupted between [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] and [[Cub]]. The confrontation escalated to the point where [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] threw a dagger at the druid, though [[Tarnik]] quickly intervened to de-escalate the situation before anyone was seriously hurt. ## The Corrupted Land As they traveled for over a week deeper into the southern wastes, the party noticed the land becoming increasingly desecrated. The ambient magic in the air felt weakened and tainted, with the corruption particularly strong emanating from the south. The very earth seemed sick, and the natural order appeared disrupted. Recognizing that this corruption might be connected to both their missing companions and a larger threat to the world itself, the party decided to investigate the source. They turned their path directly south, heading deeper into the fiery Pits of the Hells. ## Disaster in the Lava Fields The heat became almost unbearable as they ventured into a nightmarish landscape of cracked earth and rivers of molten lava. The ground glowed with an angry red light, and the air shimmered with waves of heat that made breathing difficult. Disaster struck without warning when the ground beneath them suddenly gave way. [[Bordak]], his cat companion Dorgoth, [[Grumthar]], and the elf [[Thia MoonGlade|Thia]] plunged into a river of lava below. ### The Desperate Rescue Chaos erupted as the party scrambled to save their falling companions: - **[[Tarnik]]** used his divine magic to hasten [[Bordak]], increasing his speed and reflexes. However, [[Bordak]] failed to catch Dorgoth as the cat fell into the molten rock. - **[[Grumthar]]**, in a feat of rage-fueled strength, managed to throw [[Thia MoonGlade|Thia]]'s body toward safety even as the lava burned his flesh. His desperate act saved the elf from certain death. - **[[Cub]]** transformed into a giant eagle and dove into the inferno. He grabbed [[Grumthar]] with his massive talons and pulled the badly burned barbarian from the lava just before he would have been consumed. - **[[Bordak]]**, after throwing his now-unconscious cat Dorgoth to safety on the edge of the lava flow, used his immense strength to pull himself from the molten rock. His body was severely burned, his skin blackened and cracked. [[Thia MoonGlade|Thia]] had died from the fall and the brief exposure to the lava. Her body lay motionless on the scorched ground. ### Healing the Wounded The party's healers worked frantically to save those they could: - [[Cub]] brought [[Thia MoonGlade|Thia]] back from the very brink of death, calling her spirit back to her body with powerful restoration magic. - The elven healers joined [[Cub]] in a flurry of healing spells, stabilizing the grievously wounded party members. - [[Bordak]] and [[Grumthar]] were left scarred and shaken but alive, their bodies bearing the permanent marks of their brush with death. - Dorgoth survived but was badly traumatized by the experience. ## Narzag's Discovery While the others recovered from the lava disaster, Narzag the ranger used the opportunity to scout ahead. Accompanied by his dire wolf companions Lobos and Bolto, and his bear Midnight, he crept through the volcanic wasteland. What he discovered chilled him to his core. ### The Ritual Site Narzag observed from hiding as a female wizard stood before a sickly green-yellow lantern that pulsed with unnatural light. She was performing a dark ritual, her hands weaving patterns of necrotic energy while devils circled overhead like vultures. A massive **pit fiend**—one of the most powerful denizens of the Nine Hells—descended to speak with the wizard. Narzag heard it instruct her to finish the process before it flew away toward the southeast, its massive wings beating against the sulfurous air. ### Overheard Plot As Narzag watched and listened from his hiding place, he overheard fragments of the wizard's muttered incantations and plans. Though he struggled to fully comprehend the arcane nature of what he was witnessing, certain names and concepts stood out: - **Anom** - someone or something the wizard served - **Ley lines** - the magical channels that [[Cub]] had seen in his dream - **The Wizards Conclave** - somehow involved in or compromised by this plot Even without fully understanding the magical theory, Narzag recognized the ritual's purpose: the wizard was poisoning the ley lines with necrotic energy, corrupting the very veins of the world itself. The land around the ritual site was visibly dying, turning to ash and decay. ### Tactical Retreat Recognizing the overwhelming danger—the powerful wizard, the pit fiend, and likely other devils nearby—Narzag made the wise decision to retreat silently. He needed to report his findings to the party and formulate a plan. The group now faced a terrible choice: their missing companions were still out there somewhere, but they had stumbled upon what appeared to be a world-threatening conspiracy. The fate of not just their friends, but potentially all of Solare, hung in the balance. --- _The party would soon learn that the wizard's name was [[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]], a former Master of Necromancy expelled from the legitimate Wizards Conclave, now working with devils to corrupt the world's magical infrastructure in service to the ancient evil known as Anom._